With These Eyes (45 page)

Michael's face was radiating with the glow of
success. It meant little to him that his story was selling out the
hand that had fed him so well. A similar scene took place on
Hollywood's famous boulevard. Late-night tourists and super-heroes
on the sidewalk outside its landmark Chinese Theatre had stopped in
mid-stride. Here like everywhere else, the world had turned its
attention to Michael's simulcast. All eyes were on video screens
that littered the architecture. Michael's voice echoed along the
boulevard.

"Soskyh's plot involved a self-destructing
seed-bank, total surveillance of every individual, and a violent
version of a discovery that, when used peacefully, can bring a life
of comfort to every person on the planet."

The broadcast was also being watched in one
very important household: The Methusas’ palace in Eritrea. A
priceless silver frame over the mantle prominently displayed a
picture of Tasha and her parents from the time when they lived as a
family. Tasha's parents were both watching in pride as Michael
continued.

"Only thanks to the heroic efforts of
investigative reporter Isabelle de Fleur and Special Forces
Commander Methusa, was the missile detonated during the final
moments of its lift-off. The secret launch facility had been built
into the granite of a converted graphite mine that shielded the
explosion from the outside." A stock photo of Isabelle appeared
over Michael's shoulder as he addressed her. "Isabelle, it sounds
like science fiction. You were telling me earlier Gene Soskyh had
built a device called a
photon bomb
?"

The picture on the Methusas' and all of the
world’s televisions switched to a grainy image of Isabelle standing
in front of the newly formed waterfall. Ryan, Tonati and Tasha
stood by her side. The morning sun bathed the sky behind the jungle
in a warm, orange glow. The video image was coming from Ryan's
digital pad, which Fuji held trained on the unusual foursome. He
had piloted his quantum-powered plane to the bottom of the cliff
where our friends reunited after their battle with darkness. With
visions of a brilliant future for humanity, Isabelle lead into the
most important stand-up of her life.

"Science Michael, not fiction. A discovery as
fundamental as when man learned to harness the power of fire called
Quantum Energy
stands behind this. And just like fire, this
gift of Nature can bring life or death. With its discovery, mankind
stands before the most difficult question it ever had to face: Are
we evolved enough to coexist in comfort with unlimited energy, or
do we all need to be caged to protect us from each other?"

Fuji shook the digital device and announced
with a satisfied smile, "looks like the battery finally gave
out."

Isabelle had broken the biggest story ever.
The truth prevailed, but at what a painful price! Her eyes glazed
over with the thought of her father's suffering. Tonati walked up
to Isabelle and placed his right paw against her thigh. She felt
Lionel's presence. Isabelle looked deep into Tonati's jungle-green
eyes and a smile spread from her face through her entire body. She
saw the glimmer of her father's spirit alive in her puma's eyes.
Tonati rose his head. His regal roar echoed across the ancient
jungle as he announced the dawn of a new age for humanity.

Fuji had recognized long ago that Lionel and
Tonati were of the same spirit, which was now focused in the puma's
gestalt. Ryan was just happy everyone survived this battle, unaware
of the spiritual and emotional implications this adventure had
brought upon the woman he so desired. Isabelle looked at Ryan who
stood next to her, grinning. She was aware of the tremendous help
he had provided on her quest. She was grateful for the risks her
admirer had taken and the effort he had made. Isabelle uttered the
words Ryan had been longing to hear.

"I could kiss you!"

He thought to himself, "all my work is paying
off."

Isabelle leaned in to kiss Ryan. As if she
could read his thoughts, she froze just as their lips were about to
touch for the first time. Flashes of moments with Ryan filled the
young woman's mind. She remembered when Ryan thought it best to
leave Tasha to drown, when he left her to fight alone in the water
by the launch tube. There were the moments in the car in Berlin. "A
lady is driven." His words and actions weren't those of a hero but
of someone who wanted to be perceived in a heroic fashion. This was
wrong. As if she had risen a glass of spoiled milk to her lips,
Isabelle pulled back.

Isabelle turned her head and her eyes caught
the most beautiful image she had ever seen. For the first time
since their initial encounter, Tasha's face was filled with a warm
smile that came from deep within. The woman who had gone to epic
lengths to see Isabelle dead had truly acted heroic. Tasha's big,
round eyes were filled with the love for her parents. Suddenly, it
became clear to Isabelle; the failed attempts at relationships in
her past, Ralf on the train, Ryan. She had always been pursuing the
type of relationships her environment had ascribed. As long as
Isabelle could remember, she had been unsuccessfully seeking
outside what would make her truly happy on the inside. In Tasha's
gaze laid the answer to Isabelle's lifelong quest.

Similar thoughts were flooding Tasha's mind
in a deluge of light. For the first time, her actions had been
solely guided by love. The effect of her cause had never been as
monumental. Nothing Tasha had embarked on in the past had brought
such a strong sense of gratification as did the act of saving
friends and family from certain doom. Tasha had been inspired by
Isabelle's selfless struggle to bring out the truth. Never before
had an adversary earned her respect like Isabelle did. Tasha had
come to expect her prey to fight back and bring anger and
aggression. None had ever approached her with empathy, let alone
risk their lives to protect hers. Tasha saw love and compassion in
the eyes of the woman beside her. All of Tasha's past relationships
had been short-lived and purely physical because she had never
found anyone's company worthwhile. There was a warmth that flooded
her iron body from her solar plexus. Tasha, too, knew she had found
what had been missing from her lonely life.

The morning sun had risen above the jungle
canopy. Its life-giving rays greeted Isabelle and Tasha in front of
the glistening, new waterfall. As if guided by an invisible hand,
the two women moved towards each other and embraced in the most
passionate of kisses they had ever experienced. Pure, undiluted
love poured through the protectors of life.

Ryan's jaw dropped. This was not at all what
he had expected. He was flabbergasted, the only word he could
muster to utter was, "Oh?!"

He looked to Fuji for help who simply smiled
and nodded. Fuji, too had reached the goal of his mission. He felt
pride for his disciple who had fared so well in the face of
darkness. Isabelle had understood his most important lesson; to
approach even the darkest individual with courage, love and
compassion.

Somewhere deep in the jungle of South
America, another heart was filled with love and pride. The newscast
was playing on a small TV in a jungle hut. A freeze-frame of
Isabelle's last transmission loomed prominently over Michael's
shoulder. A package with extract from the healing plants sat on the
counter, addressed to Fuji.

You see, my dear reader, I
have spent the past 20 years out of
the reach of
Gene's wrath, so I could supply Fuji with the needed medicine to
keep my daughter alive. I knew one day, Isabelle would stand and
fight for the survival of the human spirit.

May this story inspire you to live your life
to its highest potential.

In love and light,

Gemma de Fleur

To be continued.

Thanks to:

Daisy Mullen

for breathing life into Tasha so she could
become human,

and for Tonati.

Special thanks to:

Dr. Kiril Chukanov

for his invaluable technical advice and his
lifelong selfless effort to bring Quantum Energy to the world.

The real heroes of this book

Eleanor Sanger-Keys and Peter Treistman,

who have taught me how to find the truth and
whose brilliant characters have inspired me to stand steadfast
behind the principles of journalistic integrity.

Gudrun Tompkins and Wayne Tompkins,

who gave me a loving home on my journey.

The upstanding individuals of KIMO 13,

for letting me direct the news.

Daisaku Ikeda,

for shining his light onto peace.

And my hero, my brother

Peter Steiner,

whose actions have always been guided by
courage and compassion.

To all of whom I owe an eternal debt of
gratitude, for without the actions of these individuals who have
touched my life so significantly, this story would not have come to
life.

A book for world peace

A portion of the royalties from the sale of
this book goes to support SGI-USA, a value-creating society. The
SGI actively works to create a planet free of nuclear
armaments.

Its mission is peace throughout the world and
the happiness of all living beings.