Dhungwana 2117: A captivating sci-fi novel: The Dhungwana Chronicles (2117-3451) Part 1 (5 page)

Ian Lonvell looked out the large window of his laboratory on the 374th floor of BlueGray Corporation. He always did this when he needed to concentrate.

The sea moved slowly in an endless rhythm, wave upon wave, rising and falling, again and again, filling him with nausea and a sense of insecurity… reflecting his mood.

Orlando’s healthnet card had been changed: it now showed he had an inoperable brain aneurysm, and included a series of validated and signed prescriptions and medical recommendations dating back five years.

‘A perfect world... but only as long as you remained blinkered by the system... ’ Ian thought, shocked. He couldn’t help thinking that Orlando’s death hadn’t been accidental.

All his certainties had imploded and now rubble covered him as if he had been submerged under a high magnitude earthquake. Yet, outside BlueGray Corporation, life seemed normal.

He suddenly realized that it was past 9.30 am and he had not heard from Dayla since the night before, so he called her to start a video call.

Dayla took several seconds to answer, but she saw that it was Ian and so gathered her strength and accepted the call.

Ian saw that Dayla was crying and from her face that she was very upset.

“Ian, Blake is dead... his shuttle crashed while flying from Area 83 to Area 723… the isolation and protection capsule inexplicably failed and the inertial system didn’t trigger. Blake and the pilot were smashed against the walls of the capsule... they had no time to feel anything... ” Dayla burst into tears again.

“That's terrible! What is happening these days? Go home, Dayla, you're so upset. In a couple of hours I’ll be there with you; I just have to finish my daily report and then wait for the outcome of a test… Orlando Steiny died last night... ” Ian added in a faint voice.

“Orlando? But how... ” Dayla asked, astonished.

“A cerebral aneurysm. I still can’t believe it. I was the last person to see him before he died... It’s terrible... and now Blake... ”

Dayla began crying again, more intensely than before, so much so that she couldn’t handle the call; finally, Ian, also moved, quietly said goodbye to her.

Before returning to his workstation, Ian went back to the window and watched as the long waves kept coming at the same rhythmic pace with the same endless repetition as a few hours earlier and, staring out towards the horizon, he focused on one wave and followed it until it crashed onto the beach. The waves weren’t about to stop coming, he couldn’t stop even one from breaking onto the beach. He breathed deeply for a moment, then resumed his work.

When Dayla opened the door, she immediately noticed Ian’s tense and worried face.

He hugged her and minutes past as they remained silent, standing there, embracing each other.

Then Ian signaled for her not to speak and to follow him.

He led her into the bathroom, turned on the shower and began to undress.

“Have a shower with me, Dayla. We need to talk… ” he said in her ear.

Dayla undressed and joined him under the water jet.

“Yesterday I saw Steiny’s healthnet card and I assure you there was no record of an aneurysm, but today it miraculously appeared. Steiny died after telling me his symptoms and how he felt uncomfortable. His friend died after having spoken and confided in others about his condition... Brittons died after you tried to convince him to tell you the truth... It cannot all be a simple coincidence ... and then there are the discoveries we came across accidentally... The corporation is hiding something, and since there is no real government, in fact the government’s top leaders belong to the corporation, they can cover up everything they do. Dayla, we mustn’t talk to anyone about these deaths, don’t ask any more questions... it's too dangerous. I'm afraid there may even be drones in our apartments” Ian said moving her wet hair over her shoulders.

“I get it, Ian. I agree, and I'm scared, too. Let's forget about what happened… think back to how happy we were only a few days ago… ”

“We are even now, honey. We’re still happy.” Ian kissed her and began to massage her back, then he pressed his pelvis against her buttocks and, making her arch backwards, shut off the hot water and let freezing cold water pour slowly over Dayla’s nipples for a few seconds, awakening and pulling her senses towards life and his desire.

“Do you remember, love, what a nightmare we went through four months ago? It seems like a lifetime ago since those things happened... ” Dayla told Ian as they sipped champagne in one of the best restaurants on the waterfront of District 604.

Four months earlier, after the death of Blake Brittons, Ian and Dayla had decided to postpone any further investigation because they had started to feel excluded from their communities. Their virtual relationships, in fact, had decreased noticeably and their social life had started to become difficult, as if community resources were no longer available to them.

“We obviously read too many spy stories, Dayla, and stress can play strange tricks. Yes, I feel relaxed now; sometimes we mistake mere coincidence for reality... Have you talked to the others about tomorrow night?”

“There’ll be about three hundred people. The exhibition vernissage will begin at 6 pm. Our group will be the second to enter. We’ll also visit the museum, but you won’t get bored: the whole twentieth floor is dedicated to the European avant-garde of the twentieth century, the period that you love” Dayla replied. She couldn’t wait to wear her evening gown again and put on her five-inch heels: “I want to dance with you, Ian. I'm going to make sure you don't run away! Be prepared, I'm going to romance you!”

Ian made a face, he just didn’t like dancing, but the idea of doing something retro tickled him, and besides it would please Dayla who attached so much importance to these events.

“Ian,” Dayla said, changing the subject: “they have closed yet another shop near my home! Now I have to drive miles to buy food. They speak of a food crisis, but the food costs less than last year, and even less than two years ago. I don’t understand what has happened in the last year: statistics and institutional reports don’t point to any issues related to crops or food speculation.”

“Yes, you’re right” said Ian: “I noticed that myself. Now I have to go shopping at lunchtime near the BlueGray Corporation; in fact, around my house there are no stores left... It’s also true that the Health Tutor has become very strict with people who break healthy eating regulations or do little physical activity. We’re careful with our diet and exercise routines but not everyone wants to do the necessary hard work.” Ian looked thoughtful, and then continued: “Even BlueGray Corporation has followed the trend changing its strategy on food sourcing, processing and distribution: they have drastically cut back on research in the field, focusing just on biotech and human bionics.”

“Luckily for us, Ian... otherwise you and I wouldn’t be here tonight celebrating our promotion up three levels… a jump of three levels! That has happened only once before… ten years ago!”

Ian smiled and got up from his chair to kiss her; he found her incredibly attractive and sexy and, though he still wasn’t ready for marriage, he couldn’t stand even a day going by without seeing her.

“You're so beautiful, Dayla... I want you, right now” he said in her ear. Then he sat down again.

“The sand dunes and the waves will hide us” she said, looking over toward the beach behind them and discreetly putting Ian’s hand between her already wet thighs.

Ian Lonvell got ready to go out for lunch. He asked several colleagues on the floor if they wanted to join him, but none of them accepted: they were all too busy in their labs or simply not hungry. They openly admitted that they’d rather skip lunch to leave work earlier.

Ian had now become accustomed to this reply, but, undaunted, every day he asked again anyway.

He got on the external elevator and looked at his wristsynk, he began a countdown aloud and when he reached zero, he smiled: Mrs. Zebra, as he called her because of the black and white striped pants she wore every day, was passing at that moment in front of the BlueGray Corporation’s entrance with her basset hound, while he looked down from the thirtieth floor. Mrs. Zebra was as usual very punctual, she always stopped to wait for the shuttle and then boarded it greeting the driver invariably with the same gestures.

Ian left the corporation and headed to the only Eat & Meet that remained open on the block. He ordered a vegetarian sandwich and tap water.

As he ate, four men at a nearby table caught his eye, they were talking about the weather and Ian had the feeling of having already experienced this same scene; the youngest was talking about a sandstorm that had struck District 3998 causing several deaths and injuries.

Ian turned to listen to their conversation, and the feeling of having already experienced the moment became even more intense, so much so he could mentally anticipate the comments of the other three diners.

Annoyed by the feeling, he quickly ate the last quarter of his sandwich and then went straight to the cashier to pay, figuring that the cashier would ask him about Dayla.

“Good morning Dr. Lonvell. How is your girlfriend?”

“She’s fine, Claire, thanks. She hasn’t been in for a while because it’s a busy period for financial analysts. She can’t even take a moment’s break.”

Ian paid and went back to his lab, meeting a former colleague, who had moved to the Biotech division, outside the elevator.

“Hi, Lucas, another coincidental meeting! It’s becoming a routine!” said Ian, greeting him with an outstretched hand.

“Ian ... Oh! What a surprise! Glad to see you again after all this time!” Lucas replied calmly.

Ian began to be slightly irritated: he had met his former colleague here every day for at least a month and Lucas always came out with the same joke.

“I'll be waiting for you in my lab… sooner or later I hope you will come visit me.” Ian said.

"Surely, I will have to come by to carry out the interviews to replace Orlando Steiny," Ian mentally anticipated the response of Lucas.

“Surely, I will have to come by to carry out the interviews to replace Orlando Steiny” said his former colleague, who passed him and then continued down the hall.

Puzzled, Ian went into his lab and called Dayla whose voice he hadn’t heard for several hours.

“How’s it going? Was the meeting with the analysts tense?” He asked without even greeting her.

“Ian... a total yawn and besides always the same things... the people are so predictable... Did you happen to hear if any of our friends wants to come to dinner tomorrow at my house?”

“Sorry, I forgot, I’ll call them immediately. I hope to get their feedback quickly so you can organize yourself and avoid a last minute rush.”

“Thank you, and for tonight... I will be your host... Tell me you’ll cook... ”

“Ok, I'll cook... an old recipe from District 7642, a former territory of Morocco... Tajine chicken?”

“A man to marry! But when?!! Hmm? See you later, Ian. I got to go.”

Ian laughed and said goodbye, without replying to her question, then hung up and went back to work. The unpleasant feeling had gone. Hearing Dayla’s voice had put him in a good mood.

“Well, my god, we have so much left over, they all just nibbled... Was there something wrong with the food, Ian? It seemed good to me... I’m so disappointed... ” said Dayla, sinking into the sofa at half past twelve while the main robot cleared the plates, glasses and cutlery from the table.

“Everything was very good, I don’t understand, either. By the way, I have the impression that we were the only ones in the group to be tuckered out... they seemed somehow rejuvenated,” he said as he finished drinking his coffee.

“Yeah... the twins were petulant as ever... always the same conversation. Why do we end up gossiping about the communities with which we are not even twinned every time? What a bore!” Dayla got up and sat beside Ian.

“I admit I was bored tonight, too” said Ian: “Sometimes I even seemed to anticipate their conversations... They all have a thing for diets, but if you ask them about their diets, they answer only that the Health Tutor is very strict! But why don’t they want to talk about their diets? They are ridiculous!”

“Can you believe that today I've proposed almost the exact same report as last year to the analysts? I only changed the numbers and no one noticed... always the same questions that require the same answers... Not to mention their repetitive attitudes too... I find myself anticipating their thoughts, too... lately I'm more and more aware of that.”

“Explain yourself better, Dayla” said Ian.

“But, you know that phenomena, don’t you?
Déjà vu
. Well, I have started to experience it more and more often. I don’t know if I pay more attention to it now than I might have a few years ago, but... actually it haunts me most days.”

“You mean that if you think something is about to happen, then it actually happens?” Ian asked, suddenly interested.

“That's right... But at the same time, I get excited because I’m waiting for an event to happen and then I say to myself: ‘I knew it!’”

Ian got up from the couch and went to the window; the colored lights of the night, viewed from the skyscraper, made District 604 look like an amusement park: “It all seems so artificial, doesn’t it? Have a look outside: it’s like being on a Ferris Wheel!”

Dayla got up and joined him, hugging him.

“Instead it gives me a sense of quiet: the lights, shining through the darkness, enhance the outlines of things. Come on, it's late, we have to sleep.” Dayla urged him, sneaking her hand over his groin.

“I predict I’ll fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow... Give it up for tonight, Dayla. I already have one eye closed... don’t even try!” Ian smiled as he walked into the bedroom.