Sacred Flesh (4 page)

Jim hurries by it never having paid attention to it during his twenty seven years of teaching. Unnoticed, it now stands as a reminder of the influence of a church in town that donated a large portion of the original university grounds. (Upon which now stands the building housing Jim’s office and the lab building as well.) As the early university expanded it required land, land that the young church had and was willing to contribute – but not exactly for free as indicted on the Plaque inscription:

FOR THOSE WHO PASS THIS WAY

HAIL REMEMBRANCE

UPON THESE WALKS

RISES THE XXVII

“Take that fool thing down,” the early on lookers said.

“Those folks are the oddest folks around, they should head back to where they come from.”

This was said of the small yet fairly wealthy church that attempted to build a community in town to spread their ideology to the locals and beyond.

But it was not to be, and as Silas the odd man with long gray hair and beard left town he turned around in his saddle and swore that his descendents would return someday and then there will be regrets.

“Okay, our professor friend is due to return the first test results tomorrow. Then we should know if the sample we used to impregnate our woman friend is truly from Him or not, and by the way has anyone located her?” Haggai says.

“We’re closing in, we know where she’s used her ATM card. She’s heading north we believe,” Logos says as they meet in Haggai’s office.

“Hoping to get lost in the wideness probably,” Clovis adds.

“To disappear in thin air,” Logos remarks.

“Absolutely not! No one disappears around here; we need her one way or the other. Obviously if she’s carrying the Child – but if not, she knows too much, more than is good for her,” Haggai says.

“You mean?” Logos asks.

“Yes, if she lives she will talk, if she talks then the whole plan is in serious jeopardy, too much of a risk. No, there’s no choice, in that case she’s gone,” Haggai says slicing his hand across his neck.

“We’ll know for certain when we receive the DNA results,” Clovis says.

“If it shows a completely human lineage then we know it isn’t from Him,” Logos adds.

“This is truly amazing our fathers would rejoice at the coming of this day, finally the power returning to
our
rightful church. It has been centuries since our sect has been forced to worship in the dark, cast out from communities like bandits. But now they will pay for keeping us down for so long!” Clovis says.

“Yes they will. And since we are closing in on our ultimate goal it is time to begin adding the sacred names of the twenty-seventh generation to our Beloved text. I have sent Cosward down to the vault to retrieve it,” Haggai says.

“Shouldn’t we put the text on Disc to preserve it?” Clovis asks.

“The vault is controlled by temperature and humidity you still think we should do more?” Haggai answers.

“We must always preserve the text that’s all I’m saying. We can—.”

The phone rings. Haggai quickly turns to answers it; soon his face turns ashen.

“What’s wrong?” They both ask.

“It is Cosward, The text is missing!”

He takes the small metal box with the very old ringlet of flesh and the large manila envelope containing the test result to the coffee shop as arranged. He takes them despite the growing feeling of uncertainty in his stomach. I bet these guys are up to something illegal but do I care? Do I care
more
than I want the money? Unsure, he walks into the small shop with gangster photos from the 1920’s on the walls. A teenager surfs the net on one of three computers. He orders a large black coffee from the waitress with the short-cropped black hair tinged with bright red. He waits not liking to wait for in waiting one’s mind gives way to thinking, thinking that conspires with the subtle rising of doubt.

“No damn it,” he says to himself “I want this! I want this money, this money brings a true gift; that of time, time to pursue ones greatest desire, ones innermost calling; time, pure time that cannot be exposed to the chiseling away of the worlds demands. No more teaching those freakin freshman courses; to hell with the university. They’ll regret not awarding me that grant.” He takes a gulp of hot coffee while watching a city bus nosily lumber away from the curb.

I’ll move to California and set up a lab out there, sure why not? The wife probably won’t even miss me. He sighs looking up at the opening of the front door. Jim recognizes him from the bowling alley though this time he is carrying a black briefcase instead of a bowling bag.

“Good afternoon,” he nods to Jim while sitting down at the small round table.

“I guess the bowling alleys out?”

“I don’t like to meet in the same location twice.”

“I know what you mean,” Jim says.

“I hope you’re not beginning to get cold feet,” he asks.

“Well,” Jim hesitates.

“Listen there is nothing to be concerned about. Our deal is simple enough. You perform the DNA tests and we pay you.”

“You realize you could go to any number of labs who could do the testing for much less,” Jim says.

“Yes, but as you know these samples are very old. People tend to ask a lot of questions about such things and I’m not one for a lot of questions.”

“Yes, of course,” Jim responds.

“These samples are very important to us, why that is so is our business. You believe in people minding their own business don’t you Mr. Dunbar.”

“I certainly do,” he nods.

They make the exchange as Jim hands over the envelope and box and receives back a large manila envelope.

“I hope you don’t mind all the large bills,” he grins.

“No, that’s quite all right. I know a safe place for them.”

“A word of caution Mr. Dunbar, I would be careful of making any large deposits. Banks have a way of raising red flags in such transactions.”

“Not to worry.”

“Okay, in a week we will meet again. I’ll call as before and sit up the location. Then I will give you the second sample for testing. The payment and time frame will be the same. Do you foresee any difficulties?”

“No, I guess not,” Jim slowly nods.

“Well, no trumpets for this one,” Clovis says looking at the others in Haggai’s office.

“You mean to say,” Haggai looks up with large round eyes the whites of which faded a long time ago.

“It’s normal human DNA: no surprises,” he places the result file on the conference table.

“It’s not His, not what we’re looking for?” Cosward asks.

“No, but what are the odds that the first sample would prove to be The One. It just means that one of the other two is definitely what we are looking for,” Clovis says.

“When we do find it we must be prepared to move forward quickly. We will need a new sample woman, one who will carry The Child.”

“And do it right this time. We still haven’t found our first sample woman,” Haggai throws his fist on the table.

“Not that it matters so much now,” Cosward says.

“You bring up an interesting point,” Haggai raises his index finger.

“How so?” Cosward turns his head.

“Our first sample woman, wherever she may be, is out there carrying what we once believed to be His DNA but now we have learned it is not so,” Haggai says.

“Yes, so what?” Cosward asks.

“We don’t need her any longer. She knows too much of us. For all we know she could be going to the authorities as we speak. In other words, find her!” Haggai shouts.

“Yes, we need to find her and silence her, the sooner the better,” Clovis adds.

“Are you sure we need to do that? Why not just let her go? No one will believe her, just discredit her somehow – you know, she’s nuts or something,” Cosward offers.

“We don’t have that kind of time. The sooner we’re done with her the better.

Move on it now. As soon as we find her she’s done. That’s an official
Elite
order!” Haggai says.

“Since our first sample is normal we no longer need her. Now we submit the second sample and then we should have those results by next week,” Clovis says.

“How’s our professor friend?” Haggai asks.

“He’s doing well with us, happy to get the money. I don’t think he really cares why we are doing the testing,” Clovis tells him.

“Good, now let’s move forward,” Haggai says smiling as he clasps his hands in front of him.

“I’m sorry to scare you. You must be tired after such a long flight,” she says getting up off the bed.

“That doesn’t answer my question. Who are you, what are you doing here?” He says putting down his bag while wishing he’d been able to have the .38 that he normally carries.

“Believe it or not I’m someone you need to know,” She walks toward him as he notices her dark brown hair and large inviting eyes.

“Oh really, how might that be?”

“We shouldn’t talk here. These hotel rooms have been known to spout ears.”

“Okay then, where do you suggest?”

“There’s an Irish bar across the street on the corner. We can talk there. I’ll leave now and you follow in a half-hour. I’ll meet you in the front of the bar.”

“I guess I can’t object, especially to such an attractive young woman I find in my room,” He says half smiling.

“Just be there.” She says coldly while hurrying past him.

The drive back to his office is difficult with the envelope tucked away in his briefcase lying on the passenger seat. Feeling that he is doing something wrong, his eyes dart about suddenly, he sees a police car moving through the intersection. What if I get pulled over? They’ll ask what I’m doing with all this cash.

Later, in his office he locks the door, opens the briefcase and takes out the envelope spilling out the large mass of $100 bills on his desk. “Ah cold cash,” he says out loud while fanning them out. His eyes slowly roll over them “So many bills this is nice, and there are two more tests to go!” He smiles looking down upon his loot. In the back of his mind suspicious grows, “Who are these people? This has to be illegal with all the secrecy and paying in cash.” Illegal, illegal the word plays over in his head as he stuffs the money back into the large manila envelope. Prison time would certainly end the career. But how do I know how much risk I’m taking? They’re not going to tell me. Maybe I should check them out on the sly. Wait, Janet’s cousin, isn’t he a private investigator? I can give him a call and see what it would entail to find out something about these people. Why are these DNA tests so important and so secret? Or maybe I shouldn’t care. I mean its money; money buys time to conduct the research that will make the university sorry they didn’t treat me better. Those losers! Denying me for all these years! He gets up quickly from his desk and walks over to the door. Exiting, he nervously hurries down the hallway before bumping into his friend.

“Hi, Glenn,” he says.

“Jim, not working late are you?” He laughs.

“No, just had to pick up some papers.”

“Why don’t we get in some golf in this summer. I’m only teaching one course,” Glenn says.

“Sure that sounds good.”

“Don’t know when exactly. I’ll get a hold of you soon and we’ll set up a time.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. I expect to have a good deal of time before too much longer,” Jim says slightly smiling.

The bar is half full as they walk over to a corner booth. The tall skinny dark haired waitress takes their drink order; a diet soda for the lady while the gentleman prefers an imported brew.

“Boy, its dark in her,” she says looking around.

“People must like it like this,” he says while their drinks are placed on the coasters before them. He nods to the waitress and quickly takes a long tug from his drink. “All right now, tell me who the hell you are.”

“You don’t beat around the bush do you,” she smiles.

“I only wish I had that kind of time.”

“I’ll tell you everything, but be forewarned, you may not believe half of it.”

“I’ve believed some fairly strange stuff in twenty seven years of life. You really think you got something I haven’t dealt with before?” He raises his glass. “Although, you must be serious, I mean, to get into my room like that,” he takes another long tug almost emptying the glass.

She grows quiet then looks him in the eye. “I an agent employed by the United States government.” She shows him her identification. “I know why you’ve come to America.”

“Oh, you do?”

“Yes, in fact I’ve been waiting for you. I’m surprised it took so long.”

“You seem to know quite a bit about me.”

She smiles coldly. “Maybe.”

“While I always enjoying having a drink with an attractive lady you’ll understand if I don’t jump for joy. In fact you frighten me. What do you really know and why.”