Chapter 20d08
Chapter 20 (Draft 08)
Even Detective Coleman had to admit their stay with Bezuhov wasn't anything like they thought it would be after that first day. Their gathered expectations had them thinking they would be stuffed into a cell somewhere or maybe tied up in a wet basement, the smell of mold invading what few dreams they had left in their short lives. Instead, each was given their own bedroom in which to sleep with an adjoining bathroom. There was a watching camera even in these private quarters, of course, but considering what their expectations had been when they first arrived at the warehouse, the amenities offered were a comfortable surprise. Breakfast was always waiting for them in the mornings when they returned to the sitting room and where their Russian warden had first introduced himself to the group. As expected, the unguarded phone in the room was disconnected, as were the telephones and TV sets in their individual bedrooms. Two days later, several suitcases showed up on their beds with articles of clothing and toiletries from their homes. The laundry was collected each morning after they left for breakfast and then found clean and folded upon their return to their beds that evening. A daily newspaper was also delivered for them to share.
There was only one small story reporting the murder of Agent Rodriguez in the paper the day after they arrived at the warehouse. Unfortunately, there was so little detail about the incident that it bordered on the ridiculous. It didn't say anything about the university campus, or mention any of their names as individuals missing after the shooting. In fact, as compared to what really happened, the story was so thin of facts that it left Robert wondering if Bezuhov had the newspaper's editor on his payroll as well.
The armed guards remained in the sitting area when they were allowed to leave their bedrooms. Watching from their huddled groups in eight-hour shifts, most of their attention seemed to be focused on Kari and Sally. Kari was apprehensive about their stares, but Sally seemed oblivious to it. Kari jokingly said it had been so long since Sally captured a man's attention, she was no longer able to recognize it when it happened. This wasn't the case, however, with Ethan Dodge. He saw their longings and greedy stares well enough to describe the guards as looking like a pack of starving dogs and, for Sally's sake, they truly frightened him.
They rarely saw Doctor Howard after that first day. Apparently, the devil Bezuhov was still holding the man hostage to whatever bargain he had committed himself, and Kari's uncle seemed almost eager to help them given the fact his son's life was now hanging on his results.
The first week went by uneventfully. Nothing was really asked of them other than to "enjoy the amenities offered by their host." To everybody's surprise, Sally said the doctors in black were now working with Howard to study her condition, but were moderately undemanding of her.
The Brazilian boy, Tiago, didn't speak much, although it wouldn't have mattered given the language barriers they shared. At around noon each day, the boy was taken away with Sally to an underground lab by two of the armed guards only to return later for dinner, looking a bit tired but unharmed.
They all took their turns trying to speak to Tiago during their meals together, but the boy seemed too frightened to mumble more than a few words in Spanish in reply. Given what he had undoubtedly been going through while in Bezuhov's hands, they eventually decided to leave Tiago alone with his puppy.
Their lives together seemed to fall into a mundane, if not plodding pace, but all of that changed at the end of the third week.
Sally was returning from her examinations in a state of physical exhaustion. So much so, in fact, that sometimes she was pushed to the dinner table in a wheelchair by one of the guards. And during their meals together she seemed more removed from the group and reluctant to talk about what the doctors were doing to her. More than anybody else, Ethan was consumed by her distractions, convinced Sally had been keeping most of her abuses a secret from them. The situation got worse as the days passed until one night when Tiago arrived at dinner alone.
"Where's Sally?" Ethan asked the boy worriedly.
The boy looked around the room and seemed just as surprise as the rest that she hadn't returned.
"Salida? No sé."
Ethan and Kari immediately fell into a panic.
"Where is Sally?" Ethan yelled out to the guards in the room. They instantly stopped their quiet discussion and looked up.
"Where's Sally Carmichael?"
One of the men jerked his chin forward. "Закрытый и садятся!"
Ethan immediately came forward toward them. "Where is she?"
Four of the men straightened to swing their rifles away from their shoulders.
"Ethan, stop!" Robert warned him. Ethan finally halted but only to look back. He looked both frightened and angry.
"She's never missed dinner with us. What have they done to her?"
Kari came forward and then stopped to look around the room for anybody who might be listening to them.
"Mr. Bezuhov, please… where is Sally?" There was a long silence before the old man's voice could be heard reverberating throughout the room. It was obvious he had been prepared for their frightened reaction.
"Not to worry, Miss Dietz. Mrs. Carmichael is in good condition and resting. The latest tests were rather tiring on her, despite her renewed strengths as a younger woman. She is sleeping conformably in her bedroom.
Ethan immediately turned to leave, heading toward the hallway and their rooms, but the guards stepped in to block his path.
"I'm afraid I will have to ask you to leave Sally alone tonight, Mr. Dodge. In fact, I'm going to insist upon it."
"I want to see her!"
There was a soft click and Bezuhov was gone.
Ethan was furious. He tried to get to the hallway again and when one of the guards moved to stop him, he began throwing a rather laughable array of wind-milling punches at the armed man. Looking surprised at first and then amused, the guard leaned back to avoid the display before delivering a vicious butt to Ethan's stomach with his rifle. Ethan collapsed to the floor, his mouth locked open and struggling for air. Kari immediately threw herself over Ethan's body to shield him from the other guards now moving eagerly in to deliver more punishment.
Robert also came forward, but watched the guards' reaction with studied interest. The four men were huddled around Ethan and Kari on the floor, their rifles out and pointed down at them. As Robert worked to defuse the situation, he was surprised at how quickly the men were ready to act even after a month of tedious guard duty. But there was something else too; he noticed how dependent they were on each other as they moved to regain the upper hand within the circumstances presented them.
"He'll be okay," Robert said calmly, as he refocused his attention back to Ethan. He began to wave the guards away as he helped Kari roll Ethan over onto his back. He pointed an accusing finger down at his friend as if to scold him.
"That was a pretty stupid thing to do, my-man. They could have cracked your head open."
Ethan started to breathe again only to whisper out a struggled, "Sally…"
"Yeah, I know-I know, but she'll be back with us soon enough. You heard Bezuhov tell us how important she was to him. Come on, tough guy… let's get you to your feet."
Kari and Robert heaved him up to stand and then moved him carefully into a chair at the dinner table to recover.
"Ethan, you know Sally is only doing what she's doing to keep us all alive, so I don't think she'd be happy with your heroics."
Robert looked back at the guards who were still grouped together and quietly laughing among themselves. They seemed happy something had finally happened to break the dullness.
For his part, Robert's only ambition in their weeks of captivity was finding a way to escape. He had worked very hard to convince the guards he had reluctantly accepted their position as prisoners. Outmanned and outgunned, he wanted them relaxed while in their presence, but watched them closely for any weaknesses in their routine. As the weeks passed, Robert thought he saw a failing in their being also too relaxed and began to construct a plan around that fact. It involved waiting until the middle of the day when there were only four guards in the sitting room, which meant when they made their move both Sally and Tiago would be out of harm's way. With Ethan, Benny and Kari's help, they would simultaneously disable as many of the guards as they could and then attack the rest. It was likely one or more of their group would be hurt, even killed, but there was also a chance one of them might survive long enough to get outside or maybe escape. Robert knew the room was being monitored by several cameras, which would immediately bring reinforcements, but that was a risk he couldn't do anything to reduce. He was ready to share his plans with the others with the hope they would agree to participate. He was sure Kari would be willing, given the fact she had been complaining nearly every day about what she grumbled to call, "her rapists in waiting."
However, Robert anticipated a problem with Ethan. It was clear the man was fearful of anything that might put Sally in danger and participating in a plan of revolt, especially one with Sally out of his reach, would be problematic for him. Of course, Robert had been formulating an argument to counter Ethan's fears, but all of that seemed unnecessary now that he had tried to attack the guards. Ethan was clearly ready to act. Eventually, Robert knew they would all be killed given what they knew about Bezuhov. It was imperative that one of them escape to save the rest.
As for Benny, Robert wasn't sure what they might gain from the boy's presence among them. From the moment they were reunited, Benny's behavior seemed erratic, almost paranoid. It was obvious he had not faired very well in Bezuhov's care after being taken a hostage from school. It took Howard and Kari almost a week to get his medications aligned to his needs, given the pressure of the situation in which they all found themselves. Robert thought it best to keep Benny in the dark about their plans for revolt until it really became necessary. The added pressure of this knowledge might affect Benny's balance in a way that could put them all at risk.
Dinner that night was a somber affair. Clearly, Ethan was consumed about being allowed to go to bed so he could knock on Sally's bedroom door. Robert was still watching the guards moving around the perimeter of the room; they seemed tired and looking forward to the change of shift.
Kari was staring at the boy next to her. "Tiago? Where are your parents?" The question made Robert smile. Kari always hated any long and drawn out stretches of silence given to an unpleasant situation.
Tiago looked up from his plate of untouched food. He was mindlessly petting the puppy still sitting by his feet, looking for scraps.
"Qué?"
"Your mom and dad… where are they?"
The boy looked curiously at her. "Mamá y papá?"
"Yes, your mama... where is she?" Kari was struggling to bridge the gap between them. "Ahhh... dónde?"
Tiago's face fell. He slowly pointed a finger up. "Con Dios."
Sally looked at Robert and Ethan.
"They must be dead," Ethan said in a whisper.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Tiago. I'm so sorry." She caressed the boy's arm to show her sympathy.
Tiago seemed surprised by this gesture. He looked back at the guards and then leaned forward toward her to whisper.
"Qué edad tienen usted?"
Kari frowned. "I ah... I don't understand."
The boy thought for a moment and then raised his fingers to count, "Un, dos, tres, cuatro ..." he pointed at her, "qué edad?" He flashed his hands open and closed. "Diez, veinte, thrity...?" He pointed at her again, questioningly.
"Oh... you want to know how old I am?" She replied, laying her hands on her breast in surprise. "Well... I'm twenty-eight." She thought about it and then raised her hands showing ten fingers, "Ten", she flashed another ten and then eight, "twenty, eight."
Tiago frowned. He looked over at Robert and nodded once. "Usted?"
"I'm thirty-two," the detective answered curiously. "Oh, I mean..." he flashed the appropriate number.
Tiago looked at Benny, who curiously showed him eighteen.
The boy frowned again and looked at Ethan who flashed out the number forty-five.
The boy looked down at his uneaten meal and seemed deep in troubled thought. When he looked up again he asked, "y Salida?"
Kari looked over at Ethan. "He wants to know how old Sally is."
Ethan raised his hands again and flashed out the appropriate number of years.
Tiago's eyes widened in surprise, "Noventa y tres, realmente?"
"Yes, ninety-three."
The boy returned to his private thoughts.
"He's obviously confused about Sally's age," Kari said sympathetically to the others. "Who can blame him?"
The boy looked up at her and then pointed to himself. "Soy..." He then slowly raised his hands and flashed out ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy and a few extra fingers.
Kari fell back in surprise. "What? Oh my God," she whispered.
"How old did he say?" Robert cut in. "Sixty-something?"
"Seventy-four, by my count," Ethan answered.
Kari came forward again. He pointed at the boy and flashed the count back.
For the first time in a month, they saw the boy smile. "Sí — sí, setenta y cuatro!"
"It's no wonder he was surprised when you asked him about his parents. They've probably been dead for years," Robert added.
"But how is that possible?" Kari said. "How can he be that old? Did they do something to him?"
Robert leaned in. "Or is he here because he's similar to Sally, somebody who Bezuhov found in Brazil, someone with exactly the same condition?"
Kari looked surprised. As she tried to think about how to ask her next question, Tiago spoke again.
"El cachorro es viejo también," the boy said, pointing down at the puppy at his feet.
Tiago could see those around the table looked confused, so he pointed at the dog again and then flashed out sixteen.
"What the hell?" Robert said in amazement.
They all stood and came around the table to look down at the dog. The yellow retriever appeared no older than ten weeks of age, barely weaned. But as they inspected the animal closer, it suddenly became obvious to all of them the dog did look somewhat younger than when they first arrived at the warehouse.
"Are you sure about this, Tiago?" Ethan said.
The boy looked up at him, "Qué?"
Ethan flashed out sixteen fingers and pointed at the dog again questioningly.
"Sí. Él vivió en nuestra ciudad con su familia."
They all turned to stare at the dog before slowly returning to their seats to think.
"It's got to be something Bezuhov is doing to them," Ethan surmised.
Robert nodded. "But if that were true, then why would he need Sally?" They all sat in silence once more.
Benny suddenly cut in. "I don't think Bezuhov is doing anything to them." Everybody turned to look at him. "I took some Russian in high school, enough to understand a little of what they've been saying about Tiago. I think they're trying to find out why this is happening to him just like they are with Mrs. Carmichael. I didn't really understand what they were looking for until you guys told me what's been happening to her. " He pointed down at the puppy, still sitting expectantly at Tiago's feet. "And the dog too; I think I remember them saying they found it somewhere near Tiago's home town. They've been doing the same tests on him too."
"So, whatever this thing is, it's happening in different parts of the world... and not just to humans," Robert said out loud to himself.
Once again the room was quiet except for the occasional whimper from the puppy still looking to Tiago for another handout.
"You know... I remember something funny happening at the hospital when Sally was there last time."
"Funny? What do you mean?"
Kari was thinking hard, trying to bring forth something of a lost memory.
"Interesting..."
"What is, Kari?"
She looked up at Ethan and then Robert. "It happened before we knew anything about Sally's condition. In fact, now that I think about it, it might have happened right before Sally almost died." She paused again to think and then, "I was running a little late to work one evening and I found this baby bird in the hospital parking lot."
"A bird?" Robert asked her.
"Yeah — a little house sparrow, I think. The thing looked half drowned from the rain. At the time I thought... you know... that it might have fallen out of its nest or something. I remember thinking how strange it was because it was autumn... late September, and you don't see a lot of baby birds so late in the year. Anyway, I picked him up and set him under a tree to get him out of the rain."
"Ah, that was nice," Benny cooed. Kari looked at him to jerk a quick smile.
"You should see what she'll do for a stray cat," Robert chuckled to say.
Kari ignored him. "The thing is," she continued, "when I came out the next morning I went to check on the bird again and..."
"Yeah?" Benny seemed very interested in her story. Robert noticed the boy's raging hormones made him overly interested in nearly everything Kari had to say.
Kari frowned. "The bird was different... a lot different than the night before."
"Different, how?" Robert retorted. It had been over a month since he had an opportunity to apply his trade. The detective's mind was moving quickly.
"It looked... younger," Kari answered, looking up at him. "It had dropped nearly all of its feathers, most of which sat in a ring around its body. And... it was all pink."
"Could have been sick."
"No, I don't think so. It was squawking loud enough, but its eyes were closed... kind of skinned over, you know what I mean?"
"Like it would look when it was first hatched?" Ethan asked her.
Kari looked somewhat skeptical but agreed. "Yeah, exactly, like the thing had just broken out of its shell."
"You sure it was the same bird?"
"I guess I can't be one hundred percent sure, but he was sitting in the exact spot and it was covered the same way I left it." She paused to think again. "I'm positive it was the same bird."
"So... let's say it was... then what are you thinking?" Robert asked her.
"I don't know, but it's strange... isn't it? If it was the same bird, then you could say it was displaying the same condition as Sally and Tiago and the dog. What would that mean?"
Robert thought about it and then, "I think it means something is happening in the environment. Maybe sun spots or chemicals in the air, who knows? We have these small pockets in two different parts of the world that, under the right conditions, seem to be affecting some of the life within."
"But since that time, we haven't seen anything like Sally at the hospital. Nobody else is getting younger. It's been nearly a year and we haven't heard about any dogs or cats de-aging; there haven't seen any birds turning themselves into eggs in the parking lot. If something is out there causing this then why isn't it still happening?"
"Could be a number of reasons," Robert answered her. "Could be a something in the environment along with something in their DNA, maybe you need exactly the right conditions at a number of different levels to make it happen."
"A very good summary, detective," said a voice behind them. It was Bezuhov. To everybody's surprise, the old man looked very frail compared to the last time they had seen him as he was rolled forward clutching his oxygen mask. Half a dozen doctors in black masks and gowns followed in lines to his left and right, like some half-drugged honor guard to a dying emperor. Robert felt his heart leap at seeing their captor struggling to breathe, but his feelings of giddiness were immediately replaced with a pang of fear for Sally. The closer Bezuhov came to death's door, the more Sally would be expected to give whatever she had to save him.
Using the control lever on the arm of this chair, the old man rolled to a stop at the head of the dinner table where he removed his mask and pushed himself up to straighten. Despite his pale color, his eyes remained bright.
"I thought I would join you for dinner, especially after overhearing the level of intelligent conversation being shared tonight. I must say, it took you much longer to bridge the barriers between yourselves and young Tiago here," he said with amusement and pointing at the boy. Tiago sat stone-faced and quiet, clearly frightened by the man's sudden presence among them.
"Mr. Bezuhov... I'd like to see Sally. Please, I beg you," Ethan said.
"I told you before, Mr. Dodge, Mrs. Carmichael is resting comfortably and shall not be disturbed." The old man glared at Ethan in a way that clearly displayed the annoyance he felt at having to repeat this information. Robert could see Bezuhov clearly had a purpose for being with them and was eager to impose his agenda. He turned this attention to the group once again with a returning smile.
"It would seem your summation is correct, Detective Coleman." Bezuhov looked at him as a proud father would a son who had just gained a better understanding of the world around them. "The changes that have occurred within your friend Sally Carmichael and Tiago and the dog you see with us tonight all have something in common; something I've spend billions in personal treasure to understand. The processes they are going through are indeed remarkable – but what my studies have failed to provide is the one thing connecting them all together."
Just then Doctor Howard entered the room. He looked extremely worried, like a man who hadn't slept in days. He stopped suddenly when he saw Bezuhov sitting at the dinner table.
"Ah, Doctor, excellent – you got my message; please... join us."
Howard stared at those seated and then reluctantly obeyed when Bezuhov stretched out a hand to suggest one of the empty chairs. He finally sat next to Benny who he kissed lovingly on the top of his head. His manner and shaking hands seemed to betray his most private thoughts: 'Everything I'm doing… that I have already done… is for you.' The gesture made Robert feel suddenly anxious again for their safety.
Bezuhov smiled as Ethan leaned in to Howard.
"Doctor... how is Sally?" he whispered worriedly.
"I will NOT warn you again, Mr. Dodge!" Bezuhov howled and two of the guards behind him took a step forward as if to underscore his point. Bezuhov started to cough and then moved his mask over his mouth once more to take in several long breaths. After he had recovered, he continued.
"There, now. We were just discussing some of your recent findings, doctor, and your conclusions that what's been happening to our patients might be both genetic and environmental."
Howard frowned. "I think... it might be somewhat premature to call it a conclusion at this point... but yes... the hypothesis to date has been substantiated in a number of ways as a result of our tests on Sally and the boy. But we only have the dog as the basis of this hypothesis, and the fact that the animal and the boy are de-aging within a mile of each other's homes has lead to a number of tests that show some promise in our understanding. However, I must repeat my caution, Mr. Bezuhov, the tests do not actually validate this possibility. We only have the dog as sample evidence, so our deductions could be a house of cards."
Bezuhov smiled as he looked back at the group. "The analytical mind of the scientist can be something of a downer, don't you think?" He chuckled to himself before looking back at Howard.
"Your cautionary warnings, doctor, are understood well and kept to the forefront of my ambitions - always. However, that was before your young niece made us aware of another piece of sample evidence that strengthens your hypothesis."
Howard turned to Kari. "Really...? What evidence? Kari, what's he talking about?"
Kari looked confused as she looked back at Bezuhov. "I... don't know what you mean."
Bezuhov's eyes seemed to sparkle with delight. "Tell your uncle the story about the bird you found in the Mercy Center parking lot."
Kari's frown lifted and then with some hesitation she retold her experience. After she was done, Howard fell back in amazement.
"This is incredible, astounding!" He looked over to Bezuhov. "We need to go to the hospital and collect some samples immediately: water, the grass, the trees, any nests, egg fragments, air appraisals, a UV analysis should be done to..."
Bezuhov raised a hand to stop him. "My men are already on the grounds as we speak, doctor. Your samples will be here in the morning."
The old man smiled coyly at the others around the table. "After everything I've put him through, even to the point of threatening his family, I respect how quickly his ambitions can set those fears aside; a loyal scientist first and always."
Howard's face was immediately drained of color as the excitement of the moment was replaced with uncertainty - science with reality. He looked over at his son and after a long pause he moved a shaking hand to grip Benny's shoulder and pulled him into a tight embrace. Bezuhov was right, and Howard was clearly ashamed of himself.
"That's why I chose you, Doctor Howard. A man of science set before self… and selfishness."
The old man turned to stare at Robert for a measure of time that seemed endless. On and on the two glared at each other as if set to compete. They were as silent as they were threatening and knowing, and Bezuhov's brow darkened as he peered deeper into Robert's soul. It was as though he could at last recognize the ghost of a murdered enemy hiding within the cop's innermost nature as a man. Bezuhov finally blinked and then turned his head slightly to bury his face into his oxygen mask, never taking his eyes off of Robert as he forced his weakened lungs to breathe. He finally lifted the mask and turned his attention to the rest.
"You are… my reluctant guests in this place, and despite what you might think of me and my actions in kidnapping and mistreating you personally, I want you to know that I am not unsympathetic to the abuses I've put you through." The old man paused as if to think carefully about his next words. His spirit looked lost, almost marooned.
"I am forced to make a difficult decision very soon." He looked up to stare at the Tiago, the man disguised as a boy among them. "This will be over very soon, so I ask for your patience just a while longer." He turned his attention back to Robert, his manner changing to convey the inner blackness resident within his core. "Make no attempt to complicate the remaining time we have together. If any of you try to escape…" he stared at Robert in a way that seemed to shine the brightest light on the detective's deepest ambitions, "my men will kill all of you without remorse."
Bezuhov turned to leave the table, and as he rolled into the center of men in black, a bolt of anger seemed to flash through Howard's entire body. The stress over the last several weeks were too much to keep buried within him any longer. He immediately stood.
"Let my son go!"
Bezuhov stopped and then slowly turned in his chair again to stare back at him. Those still sitting at the table were left holding their breath waiting for his reaction. The old man thought for a moment and then smiled, as if thinking he had found the perfect reply.
"'Until thought is linked with purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment,' doctor. 'With the majority the bark of thought is allowed to drift upon the ocean of life. Aimlessness is a vice, and such drifting must not continue for him who would steer clear of catastrophe and destruction.'"
The old man looked to Ethan. "And… the author, Mr. Dodge?" Ethan shook his head and Bezuhov seemed disappointed and somewhat troubled as he turned and left the room.
When they were alone, Ethan looked at Robert and Kari. "As A Man Thinketh, by James Allen. It was the author's second book he published in England in 1904." He looked at the door where Bezuhov had disappeared and huffed, "They themselves are makers of themselves."
Benny started to snicker and his father looked at him in surprise. Kari started to laugh with him and soon everyone was laughing around the table and patting Ethan on the back. The smallest victories are sometimes the greatest victories of all.
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