Ever-Life the Two Book Set: The C.P.T Incident and Time Trust (13 page)

“Read the boo
k! As the body begins to deteriorate, the mind protects itself. The memory cortex changes; and, in defense of dying, it coagulates the memory table, enabling a focused extraction; cool huh? However, strange as it may seem; the extraction must take place after at least one hour of death.”

“And this is explained and proven
, here in your manuscript?”

“Yes
, of course, in detail.”

“All this must happen pretty fast, Jack. Nobody knows when they are going to die you know.”

“Thanks for reminding me; but, it’s not when you die that this relates to, it’s after death and before 72 hours are up.”

“Hmm…”

“And one important thing you should know, Matt; I am not prepared to share the formula for the catalyst bath, unless I am the guinea pig. If the extraction isn’t embedded in the accurate catalytic compound, it will die within moments. The bath is what stimulates the C.P.T. to activate, after reinjection.”

“Jack, how long
can the serum live, in the right catalyst?”

“I’ve calculated five days, so far.”

“Okay…How, in God’s name, are you going to know who is doing what when you are the one dead? Have you thought of that?”

“Yes I have. I need a partner
, who I trust. Someone, who keeps the catalyst, extracts the serum, and then mixes it, in the proper proportions; revives me, and stores the rest.

“
In the catalyst bath?”

“Right, yes;
placed with the right catalyst; there should be enough for six to seven injections. After the first extraction, each three quarter-inch filled vial could be studied, to try to extend the C.P.T. Mix…Matt, if successful, we could, not just re-animate me; but, maybe, we could change our view of death, completely.”

“Jack, I’m still trying to figure out where this coagulation is
, precisely; and, for the record, I am not going to be a party to killing you.

“Well, there you have it. Details are in the pages. I need the equipment.”

“It’s all in here, right?”

“Yep;
will Swanson buy it?”

“There i
s only one way, my friend. I’ll read this in detail, believe me; but, you have to let him read it too. I know he is more than capable of understanding it. I trust him, Buddy. I trust him like a father. You have no choice, as I see it.”

Jack walked to the door, closed his eyes, sighed and turned.

“Fine; I don’t believe I’m saying this. Set it up. I have to know right away.”

Bellos took the copy, and p
ut his hand on Jack’s shoulder.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

After the cake and coffee, Bellos left; and, Jack fell asleep examining the original copy of his manuscript.

While he drove, Bellos took his Knofer out and put a headset on
, in his car. He placed the manuscript over the Knofer and spoke, “Copy and transmit to Bellos GGM-TBN 010.”

The Knofer read all information from the manuscript and transmitted
it, via headset, into Bellos’s mind. He then pulled over to the side of the road, called Swanson, and sent the manuscript to him, via Knofer. Swanson performed a similar procedure, and then he spoke to Bellos.

“Mathew, I don’t see how we can help Jack right now. You know this is what I’ve been waiting
for; but, not this way. We cannot be a party to killing anyone, intentionally. Besides, it will take time for Ever-Life to digest and prove the details of the manuscript. You have to go back and tell your friend that I said ‘no’, regarding his proposal. Give the book back to him. Tell him we may be able to help in the near future, but we need to work with him, systematically, before committing. I am sorry Mathew. I know how serious this is. But, the potential abuse and chaos this could create are as staggering, as the potential medical advances it could bring to everyone. No one will be able to control this yet.”

“I know, Sir; but he wants to start now and get results
within five months. Jack has been working on this for thirty-five-years; and he can taste the end. I too have many questions; but would you consider financing him blindly, at least monitor him somehow?”

“
We have very few options. You forget, he has to die, Mathew. I don’t see how we can be involved in any way, without drawing too much attention from the wrong people. Right now, this is a losing proposition. Patience is the key.”

“
I’ll let him know in the morning.”

Chapter 12

Needles

As the dark blue van sped along the night desert road, Angela Esposito lay tied up
and gagged in the back, against the wall. Her muffled screams and kicking only annoyed the kidnappers. Finally, a cell phone ringing broke the maddening sound of the girl.

“Damn…Give me that phone…Hello.”

“Marty, have you got the girl?”

“Yes
, Sir.”

“
And she is not harmed, in anyway?”

“No
Sir, she’s a bit uncomfortable. She’s a fighter, that’s for sure…Now what?”

“You have
to pull over and park the van; and please sedate her.”

Marty
tapped the driver and gestured, “Pull over.”

The van stopped. Another kidnapper pulled a syringe out and stuck it in Angie’s thi
gh, pushing fluid into her. They waited. A few seconds later, the voice on the phone said, “What’s happening, Marty?”

“She’s quiet and limp.”

“Thank God. Now please, gentlemen, the second syringe; and be careful here, men. This is the big one.”

Marty gave the phone to the man holding Angie. Then
, he gently removed the hood over her head. The fourth man undid her blouse and pulled it down from her neck. Marty followed his instructions and measured carefully. He stuck the long needle slowly 1.25-inches into her neck. Then, he shook his head and murmured, “It’s times like these, I wish I never became a paramedic.”

Very carefully, Marty pulled the syringe puck back, extracting liquid.

“Jesus,” he whispered, “it’s not red.”

He finished and kept the vial from view. Then
. he picked up the phone and heard, “Are you done?”

“Yes Sir, but…”

“Marty, put the vial in the case. Complete the task. Are you there?”

“Yes Sir. Are there any changes in instructions?”

“No, but be very careful. Make sure she is completely all right. Do you understand, Son?”

“Yes, I understand. You don’t need to worry.”

Marty hung up the phone and laid Angie comfortably on a pillow in the back of the van. Then, he climbed into the front passenger seat; and the van continued on its way.

Chapter 13    

Angie & Rachel

Rachel Sheldon hung on every word she was listening to on her cell phone. She still sat in the downstairs lab of her h
ouse.

“What the hell are you saying, Brian? Can you tell me? What are his vitals? How can you be sure of this Son?” Rachel went flush and rigid.

“Mom listen, I hear footsteps. I’ve got to go. I will call you or contact you as soon as I can. I don’t know what else to say, right now. Just wait; I’ll get back to you.”

The phone went dead and Rachel stood up in an
adrenaline rush. She walked the room in circles. Then, it hit her. “My God, Jack…”

She raced and grabbed his manuscript again and began to read it feverishly. She got a pencil and paper and started doing calculations in the book
margins. A ringing interrupted her concentration. It was the doorbell.

“Who the hell is that? My God;
it’s four o’clock in the morning.”

The bel
l rang again, and again. She put the book down and walked quickly upstairs. She looked through the small port hole, but she could see nothing; so she slowly opened the door. There was no one there. She looked around and around and then down. At her feet lay the unconscious body of a girl. Rachel quickly knelt; and turned her over. It was Angela Esposito. Rachel held her head up and felt her pulse. She seemed okay, but unconscious. She gently slapped her face and rubbed her hands.

“Miss, Miss;
hello…Are you okay? Wake up, Honey…”

Rachel laid her head back down;
and then, suddenly, she heard Angie’s voice and saw her eyes open.

“Oh, my…
,” Angie gasped and looked up at Rachel. “…Where am I?”

“You a
re with me now, Sweetheart, you will be fine, I think. We are going to get you help, can you move?”

“Yes, I think so.”

Angie looked closely.

“It’s really you.”

“Me? Yes, I am. Can you get up? Let’s get you inside.”

“Yes; no; I mean it i
s you, Mrs. Sheldon, Dr. Sheldon. You are Dr. Rachel Sheldon?”

“Yes, I am.”

Rachel looked puzzled.

“Come on, stand up. That’s it; walk with me.”

They limped slowly together, into the living room.

“Mrs. Sheldon, I am…I am Angie from ‘focus ward’ at Andrews Hospital. I need to talk to you.”

The two just made it to the couch, when Angie fainted. Rachel went immediately to get water and she gave Angie a sip.

“There now, Angie;
take it slow. Let’s just be real careful here, and relax, okay?”

Angie coughed and looked around.

“Oh my head; I can’t believe I found you. How did I get here?”

“Th
e door bell rang. I answered. You were lying at my feet.”

Rachel smiled, stroked her hair and Angie forced herself to sit up.

“Please, Mrs. Sheldon. I have to talk to you.”

“All right
; please, you can call me Rachel. Rest a moment.”

“No, I
can’t. I am afraid something horrible is happening or, at least something stranger than I have ever known.”

“What is it?”

“You see, like I said, I am the nurse in charge of third floor ‘focus ward’ at Andrews. Tonight your husband, Dr. Sheldon, was admitted as a victim of a car accident.”

“I know baby.”

Rachel’s eyes flooded.

“I was there. I just got home a while ago. He died.”

“No, Mrs. Sheldon.”

Angie grabbed Rachel’s shoulder.

“That’s just it; I saw him. I saw him alive.”

Rachel jerked back and stood up.

“Brian, his phone-call; I just talked to my son; and, he said something about the third floor, and Jack being alive.”

“Mrs. Sheldon, I’m not a fool
, or a weirdo. I’ve been working at Andrews for three years; always on ‘focus ward’. The surgical team operated on your husband for hours. They reattached his arm and leg; but, his heart stopped, he was clinically dead for the entire hour. I monitored him; no brain or heart activity. Then, I took a food tray into his room. He sat up. He just sat up.”

Angie stopped talking and took deep breath.

“My God, Mrs. Sheldon; I had to see you. Somehow, I thought you would believe me; please?”

Angie got a strange look. She had completely forgotten until that second. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the two-inch long blue test tube vial.

“Look at this, I was supposed to inject it, into his neck; but I freaked out and ran. I swear, Mrs. Sheldon; he was as alive, as we are here, right now.”

“What is that?”

“I remember, I got the original email around 10:30 p.m., from Dr. B. It said I should inject Dr. Sheldon at precisely 2 a.m. with ‘this’, into his right carotid artery.”

Angie handed the vial to Rachel.

“After that, they took me away and locked me in Dr. Bellos’s office. I found a book. I read part of it; but I don’t believe it. It said that Dr. Sheldon was alive, because of something called ‘Ever-Life’.”

Rachel’s eyes swelled
, as she stared at the blue vial.

“Oh my God!”

She took Angie’s shoulders and squeezed.

“Can you walk?”

“I think so.”

“Then come with me, girl.”

Rachel led her down stairs to the lab. She grabbed Jack’s manuscript and showed it to Angie.

“Did the book look like this?”

“Why no; the book I saw was bigger. It had a kind of white leather cover, with gold lettering that simply said J.A.S. But inside, it described Jack Avuar Sheldon, as being ‘duplicated’. There were a lot of technical definitions and medical procedures, regarding DNA. He was approved for something called ‘tran-stosis’. Yes that’s the word, I think.”

“Whatever is that
, I wonder? Angie, something is going on?”

Rachel sat down and thought.