Ever-Life the Two Book Set: The C.P.T Incident and Time Trust (6 page)

Swanson stopped, turned and he extended his arm over the chasm.

“This world is unlike the one on surface, Earth. Actually, there are countless levels of life, reaching miles below. Eons ago, somewhere in Northeast Asia, where cold was mother and father to all life; there lived a simple people, a tribe; starving. They decided to look for food elsewhere. They climbed never before known high mountains. Unfortunately, there was a great and horrible earthquake. The Earth opened and everyone fell, deep underground. Eventually, those mountains became flatlands, without evidence of the original quake. Anyway, roughly half of the tribe survived. They were the ‘first ones’. In the beginning, as they explored the cave structures underground, water was easy. It melted off the mountains and drained into the caverns from above. Then, after a time, the deeper they went; they found underground rivers, strangely abundant with life. The light that you see all around you is just one of many discoveries they made. There was no way up, only onward; so, they had to create and develop from the unknown that mystery and opportunity offered. The deeper and darker they went, the more stable the light and environment became. They found enormous chasms, of indescribable beauty. These organisms not only lighted the caves, but they also generated a mean temperature of sixty-five degrees, and they purified the air. The people endured, prevailed and began to prosper. They bypassed much of what the surface cultures went through. Frankly, their knowledge was stimulated, based on these life form’s ability to provide basic utility; rather than, as the surface did, based on conquering, industrialization, politics and stress. Within the subterranean culture, the human mind matured quicker, bypassing man’s tendency on the surface to make war and steal real estate. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean your ancestors were all bad. Your culture discovered so much from conflict. As you pointed out, Mathew; look at your race to space. Why, out of that came so many things-miniaturizations, medical applications, vaccines, Nanite research and the electronics explosion. But even that just generated political gain, to sidestep a Soviet war. War has been the most profitable venture of surface humanity. Otherwise, you would have never discovered the many facets of the atom, itself. And let us admit it; out of your wars grew your knowledge of physics’; wonderful ‘quantum theory’.  No, it hasn’t been all bad, just considerably slower; and mucky, at times. Of course, you did have to propagate, to replace those you killed; all that information and learning you destroyed in each being, not to mention the repetitive effort, to re-teach the children; quite a waste of time, when you think about it, no?”

Bellos and Richard remained
speechless.

“Richard, do try and remember. The truth is,
Mathew, we have never made war down here; nor have we had any conflict, like humans on the surface. We bypassed all that; like your freeways bypass the congestion of inner city traffic lights. We have answered many questions that you are just starting to research, because we ‘got around things’ that still stand in your way. We learned to respect life much sooner. We found the issues of hunger, utility, ethics, morals, curiosity itself, are all issues of healthcare; improving the human condition. With good health comes progress, in all aspects of life.

Today, your people and mine may start to come together. You see, we have been working for a very long time on ‘eternal life’. These microscopic life forms, over millennia, have been a basis for our discovering many new and wondrous things, things you must learn.

Sorry, I can be a bit long winded at times.”

Swanson
studied the doctor’s expression.

“Then again; consider this. By the time we did go to the surface, we preferred our own way of life. We invited very few
, from up there, to partake in our culture. I’ll be honest. Over the years, those who chose to venture up, you would most certainly know if I told you. They were wrong, thinking they could bring any of what we have to the surface.”

Bellos raised an eyebrow in question
; and then, Swanson looked sternly at him.

“You killed them, Doctor. You killed every single person in history
, who ever let it be known they had our secret of life, to share with you.”

Then he backed off and took a breath.

“Anyway, over centuries, we developed a recruiting system for only ‘special people’, on the surface, to join us. It’s a genetic formula. Today, there has to be a damn good genetic reason, if we approach anyone on the surface. Of course, you will fill in many gaps as time passes; but, way back then, there were very few ways up, and that, in itself, was a potent driver to prosper down here; don’t you think? Come through here. Follow me.”

Bellos hung on every word.

“Wait a minute; you’re saying no one has ever stayed topside? Come on; what you’re describing is a bit too Shangri-la-ish, Utopian. I don’t believe it.”

Swanson smiled.

“Oh yes, Shangri-La; I read that book a very long time ago; and, I saw the original movie; Ronald Coleman starred, I believe. But that took place in the Himalayas. I can tell you this; way before you started assassinating our ambassadors; before humans up there recorded our time; there were dinosaurs, and then the ‘ice age’. The weather alone kept us down here.

But
, here’s the big thing, Doctors; we discovered that once you give people light, oxygen, food; basic needs, they seem to sense self worth sooner. They do not get lazy, as your pompous ass media purport. Every person naturally develops their individual talents and skills, which is what has driven our culture to surpass the surface, in so many ways. We are far from Utopian. We are just different.”

Swanson stopped
talking and faced them both.

“Another thing; you grew up with time cycles
, as your frame of reference for all behavior. We do not have anything like that. You have day and night. Let’s face it; you have ‘habitualized’ your lives into cyclic behaviors. You only allow yourselves to produce or achieve, when ‘they’ tell you to…And don’t get me started on who the ‘THEY’is, of where you live. Let us agree that it’s your culture…”

Bellos lo
oked like he was going to argue; so, Swanson gestured, with his right hand palm, to stop.

“…And yes,
we know the cycles of work, which you live by, have become necessary for you. Anyway; as I said, ‘we’ do not see sunlight. It is all relative, I suppose; but topside is certainly different from down here.

I do not judge;
live and let live, I say; you know; ‘war and let war’. Besides, even today, no one floods the Mongolian tundra with tourism. So our people kept on with life; and, just when you don’t expect it, life gives you wonder. These life forms have been below here long before anything was on the surface. They evolved too. Today, they are much more than the basis for our light, food, oxygen, and transportation; a lot more. We owe them so much.”

“…Transportation?” Richard looked as if he remembered something.

“Yes,” Swanson said. “That’s right; remember? Our transportation is based on magnetic energy. Frankly; down here; a lot is. As some of these microscopic creatures grow, their metabolism changes, and they are able to utilize Earth’s inner magnetic forces to move.

Richard interrupted, “Wait; it i
s a bit fuzzy, but I do remember something. Adult creatures; they are called Carrier-Units, right. They travel fast, deep within Earth, across the globe, right?”

“Hmm…
?” Bellos raised an eyebrow. “…Dad, you mean like the Asian speed trains, all across the far east?”

Swanson looked at them both with
a grin and said, “Not exactly, my boy; these Carrier-Units are much faster; and, far more maneuverable than a train or plane. I assure you; there are certainly no train rails, of any kind, down here.

Now it is true that
, like in some surface vehicles, we use petroleum based materials for many applications; just not for transportation. We refine oil differently down here. Any by-products end up as food for these creatures, rather than toxic waste.

Look you two; you are the only new
ones I’ve brought here in some time. You two will know what very few here know, and that is for a very good reason.”

“Oh, and what is that?” said Bellos.

“Whatever I’ve told you is true, gentlemen, and there’s something else. We are not just a small group of outcasts, or a sect of some sort. This is not an isolated community. We are a global society. You are surface inhabitants; we are sub-surface.”

“Global? You mean you live under all of us?” Bellos snapped.

“Yes; as I said, we are a planetary society, but subterranean. We even have settlements deep within the great oceans. Think about that. The barometric pressures alone, should keep you wondering. Regardless, our transport system between our cities is far too travel-friendly and efficient for you or anyone from above to comprehend.”

“Well, you a
re right about that, because I have no idea what you mean. I’m completely confused,” said Bellos.

“Doctor, I don’t expect you to understand everything
, I say, right now; but, I do expect you to remember most of it. If your cultures, up there, knew we were down here, and how extensive we inhabit ‘their’ planet, they would panic. That is the nature of your upbringing, fear of the unknown; you are all afraid of someone or something taking what you think ‘belongs to you’. Too many of you view cooperation as more of a concept or goal, rather than a way of life. Little by little we help change that, I hope.”

“You know, Mr. Swanson, I’m beginning to think you may have some anger
management issues” Bellos said, with a smirk.

Swanson grinned.
“Yes, well perhaps, to a degree; but, unfortunately, we have to postpone this part of our conversation, anyway. We three are on a timetable. You, me, your father; we are not like others, here. We have been chosen; cryptic term, I know; but, frankly, I’m done with the seminar for now; please follow me.”

“What does all that mean, for God’s sake?” Bellos snapped.

Swanson moved to his left, reaching for the glass door.

“It means I brought yo
u here for one purpose, doctors; and, I have told you what that is, already. Now, let us begin.”

Swanson opened the glass door and led the two into what Bellos thought was a gigantic
, pristine warehouse. In one direction were enclosed modular rooms, one next to the other, like show booths in a large convention hall. In another direction, there was some sort of clean room manufacturing operation. Bellos turned to see what looked like an enormous laboratory setting, with futuristic medical equipment. Above many tables, there were stunning colorful holograms, of organs, torsos, legs and full moving human bodies. The entire arena was beautifully carpeted, tastefully decorated; and, of course, the lighting was the same as all around the chasm.

“Mr. Swanson,” Bellos said, “exactly how big is this place anyway?”

“As big as the surface; inner Earth is really much bigger really,” Swanson giggled. “Sorry; my mind wandered. This area is roughly 25,000-square feet, I think.”

“In either case,
though, what’s the population? How many people are here?”

“Mathew, you a
re way ahead of yourself; please focus; try to pay attention to what I present; and, do try to stay calm? We all have much to discuss. Save it for later. Remember, first things first; agreed? Good.”

As they walked awestruck through the expansive arena, a man and woman greeted the GGM.

“Good morning GGM; and good morning to you, Sirs.”

They each wore white fabric lab coats
, which just did not look right to Bellos.

“Dad, is there something about their coats?”

“Yes, Son; I do believe they are glowing?”

“Dr. Bellos, Richard, this is Dr. LuAnne Rather
, and Dr. Andrew Pine, whom you met earlier.”

“Hello again, Sir,” Richard smiled and shook his hand. “I hope you’re a real person now.”

“I’m leaving you two here for a bit,” Swanson said. “You’re in good hands. When you’re done, you can push the fob I gave you. I will return to pick you up. Please, be as attentive as you can.”

He smiled and walked out the door at the far end of the area.

“Well, we should get started. You may call me LuAnne, or Dr. LuAnne, if you like.”

Dr. Andrew fidgeted a bit and said, “W-welcome to ‘
eh-Ever-life’, l- lab-202…um…W-we are ‘care holders’ and ‘group examiners’…um; w-we are going t-to…”

“Oh for God’s sake Andy,” LuAnne interrupted. “You two must be buzzing with questions
, by now. If we let you ask, we wouldn’t accomplish a thing today, and it is critical that you two give us a few minutes; so, if it’s all right with you?”

Bellos and Richard shrugged.

“All right then; to start with, Andy and I are ‘care holders’, of this lab section. We manage and perform special advanced medical procedures, within the worldwide ‘Ever-Life’ umbrella. Please follow me.”

“Ever-life umbrella?” questioned Richard.

Dr. LuAnne smiled. “Yes, in fact, in the entire world, you are the first today. I am sorry. Don’t be too shocked. The program is quite reliable, and always evolving. It started roughly 8000-years ago. Hmm, how do I put this?”