Milo Moon: It Never Happened (25 page)

‘Hello there,’ she said. ‘Make love to me again.’

Chapter 24 - Moving Day

Rudiger Staheli arrived at his office early and was pleased to have the British support he wanted, and that Seaton and Moon were being flown to Geneva for their surgery. He was also very satisfied to receive text messages confirming that Dr. Mueller spent the night in custody and was being cooperative. When his secretary arrived, he asked him to locate the file on US Rendition.

Since their meeting of the morning before, he had not received any calls from any member of the Federal Council. It seemed they were good to their word. He was on his own with this.

*****

‘We’re in the clouds Mary, look!’

‘They’re beautiful, Milo. So fluffy.’

‘But the sky is still a long way above us. Can we get to the top of the sky?’ Milo asked Luc Fleury, who was travelling with them.

‘It’s a very long way, Milo. Only a very few people have been there.’

‘How did they get there?’

‘They went in a very special machine made for flying to the sky. These special people are called astronauts.’

‘Can we be astronauts too?’ Mary asked.

‘Oh, I don’t think so, Mary. It’s very dangerous and only specially trained people can do it.’

‘Are there machines that go to rainbows?’ Milo asked.

‘Not yet Milo. No one has been able to do that yet.’

Security was extra tight for their arrival in Geneva. From the confederation jet, they were quickly boarded onto a helicopter for the short flight to HUG. Swiss Army soldiers were guarding the rooftop helipad, and had been posted to all entries to the hospital and all access points of the secure area of the hospital. Surveillance cameras had been installed covering all open areas within the secure zone as well as the operating theatres and wards that had been assigned for Milo and Mary, as well as the adjoining wards.

Fleury met with the neurologists and Dr. Mueller, while Sylvie Rousseau accompanied Milo and Mary for their preparations for surgery.

‘How long will the procedure take?’ Fleury asked.

‘Less than twenty minutes,’ Mueller replied.

‘That’s impossible.’

‘Only for you Dr Fleury,’ Mueller replied.

‘Can I observe?’

‘I don’t think that will….,’ Mueller tried to say before being interrupted by Ernst Gehrig.

‘Certainly Dr. Fleury.’

‘Thanks,’ Fleury said. ‘I’ll get scrubbed.’

The other three neurologists went with Fleury, and as Mueller was about to follow, he was held gently by the shoulder by Gehrig.

‘Do as your told, and don’t make any mistakes.’

‘Are you threatening me?’

‘Yes. Most definitely. If anything goes wrong, you will simply evaporate.’

*****

Marie had double-checked the fridge magnet of the Matterhorn before leaving for her early shift, making sure it was upright. When she arrived home, she was a little disappointed not to find Jean-Paul. Her disappointment didn’t last long, as when she went to her bedroom to change, she found a large bouquet of flowers lying in the centre of her perfectly made bed. She took the note from the envelope.

‘I didn’t get enough of you last night. I’ll be back a bit after seven to finish what I started. I love you. JP.’

*****

Staheli sent a text message from his mobile.

‘Once both procedures have been completed, Mueller is to remain in custody until further notice. Confirm.’

He then opened the file his secretary had located, and opened it at the old draft agreement between Switzerland and the United States of America regarding transportation of terror suspects. While reading, he noted a small number of minor corrections and called for his secretary.

‘Prepare four originals of this for me.’

‘Yes sir. For tomorrow?’

‘No. I want them inside an hour.’

‘Yes sir.’

Staheli then open the file on his desk marked secret. It was the file prepared for him by Fleury and Rousseau. He skipped the introductory pages and went to the conclusions.

‘It is our opinion that the patient known as Milo Moon was born in 1978 and Mary Seaton in 1981, making them approximately thirty-two and twenty-nine. However their mental ages are estimated to be less than sixteen years old.

Although difficult to imagine, these personalities do not appear to belong to the bodies they reside within. While not understanding how or why, it is our opinion that these personalities were somehow implanted into these two human bodies. It is also our opinion from a number of tests we performed that while the personalities themselves are immature, their memories span a much longer period.

While not being able to attach any accuracy to our findings, we believe these personalities and inherent memories may be as old as sixty or more years. In layman’s terms, we believe these personalities have been recycled a number of times in different human bodies.

In addition, there is evidence of sexual abuse of the female and this has manifested in behavioural problems that will need specialist treatment.

During interviews with the two patients, the name of Mr. George Smithe (With an ‘E’) was raised on a regular basis and we believe should be investigated further as Smithe seems to have been a key influence over many years.

Treatment will need to continue in the longer term…………’

Staheli had read all he needed. If nothing else it confirmed that he had made the correct decision. He now waited a little impatiently for news of the surgical procedure at HUG.

His secretary returned with the completed documents he had requested earlier. He scanned them, and then signed each original. Then affixed a hand written note with a paper clip, addressed to Françoise Klausner.

‘To be counter-signed by the US SoS. No alterations permitted. RS.’

‘I’m going to get some fresh air,’ he said to his secretary, as he left his office.

‘Yes sir.’

Mueller guided the instrument initially around the tiny exposed lens in Mary’s head. An ultra thin flexible tube developed from the head of the instrument and enveloped the lens and then followed the form of the implant. The other doctors watching via a scanner showing the progress of the tube. Without any signs of contact or movement of tissue, the tube moved slowly through the small hole in Mary’s skull, and down the shaft of the implant. When it reached the three minute wires that divided from the base of the implant and connected to Mary’s brain, the tube seemed to divide into three and follow each connector. Mueller looked up at the scanner and waited. A small red light flashed on the handle of the instrument, and he pushed a small button on the top.

The doctors watched in amazement as the tubes closed around the ends of the connectors and disconnected the implant from Mary’s brain. The tubes then started to contract, and within thirty seconds the lens head of the implant was visible, as it moved slowly through the centre of Mueller’s instrument. Mueller held it in place as the implant came to rest in the centre cavity of the instrument, and then moved it away from Mary’s skull.

‘She just needs a small dressing. The wound is less than a millimetre in diameter, and the skin will heal in just a few days. The bone will regenerate fully within six weeks.’

‘When can she be discharged?’ Fleury asked Mueller.

‘As soon as the dressing is applied and the sedative wears off.’

‘I think we’ll keep her in overnight to be sure,’ Fleury said.

‘Whatever,’ Mueller replied. ‘I’ll be ready for the next one in ten minutes or so. Just have to sterilise and recalibrate.’

As Mary was wheeled out, Milo was wheeled into the operating theatre. After twenty minutes, the implant had been removed from Milo, and he was on his way back to his ward. Dr. Mueller and the team of doctors finished up, and prepared to leave. Mueller had carefully sterilised his instrument and the two implants, and repacked them into a protective aluminium case.

‘Can I leave now?’ Mueller asked Gehrig.

‘Yes. Are you ready?’

‘Yes.’

‘All right. Come with me.’

As they left the hospital, three secret service police officers were waiting to take charge of Dr. Mueller.

‘You said I could leave!’ Mueller protested.

‘These gentlemen will take care of you until we’re sure the procedure was successful.’

‘I’ve done all you asked! You have no right…….’

‘Good day Dr. Mueller,’ Gehrig said, as Mueller was bundled into the waiting car.

Luc Fleury checked on Mary and Milo as their sedatives started to wane. He called Sylvie Rousseau to ask her to come in the evening to get her opinion on their condition, and then sent a text to Rudiger Staheli saying that the procedure had gone well, and that he would send an update at around eight pm.

Staheli heard his mobile signal a new message, and was pleased to have Fleury’s positive message. As he was about to put it back in his pocket, the phone rang. It was the US ambassador.

‘I’m sorry to disturb you sir, but I need to arrange access to CERN for a specialist team. I gather you know about this operation.’

‘Yes ambassador. I’ll arrange that for you. Can I have my head of Internal Affairs call you directly?’

‘Yes. Thank you sir.’

‘Within an hour.’

‘Thank you, Mr. President.’

Staheli ended the call and then rang Klaus Henniger to arrange access for the US team. He then started back for his office feeling better for getting some fresh air and a little exercise. As he neared the door at the front of his building, his phone beeped and he checked the message. It was from Klaus Henniger.

‘Access arranged. Team will enter at seven pm this evening.’

Staheli sat down at his desk, pleased with the day’s achievements. It was now a matter of waiting for all the processes to begin.

‘Can I get you some tea sir?’ Staheli’s secretary asked, as he entered the office to deliver the president’s signature file.

‘Yes, thank you. That would be very nice,’ he replied. His secretary left, and Staheli opened the correspondence file and prepared to sign the day’s letters and documents. His chest was still feeling tight and a little painful, so he took another pill to help ease the discomfort. As it was approaching four o’clock he decided that he would have an early finish to his day, and looked towards leaving his office by half past five.

The President’s secretary returned with a tray of tea twenty minutes later. When he saw Rudiger Staheli slumped at his desk, he quickly placed the tray on the side table and almost leapt across the large office to check the President. There was still a pulse.

*****

By early evening, Milo and Mary were bright and showing no ill effects from their surgery.

‘Hello Milo. How are you feeling?’ Sylvie asked.

‘Oh, it’s nice to see you Sylvie. I’m feeling fine. Everyone here has been so nice, and I have a window. See!’

‘You like windows, don’t you Milo?’

‘Yes, and the sky was blue today,’ Milo said excitedly.

‘What, no fluffy clouds?’

‘Just one or two. I like it when it’s all blue. Ariel always liked the blue too.’

‘Did Ariel tell you about the blue?’ Sylvie asked, as she immediately took the opportunity to try and find out more about Milo’s recollection and connection to Ariel.

‘When it was blue, it was cold. Ariel couldn’t move, but he could see the blue through a small window.’

‘And where was the window?’

‘Klinik Siebzehn. In Klinik Siebzehn.’

‘Was Ariel alone Milo?’

‘No, there were other boys in beds next to him. But they couldn’t talk. Ariel preferred to look out the window.’

‘What did Ariel think about when he looked out the window?’

‘He always tried to remember. But he couldn’t.’

‘What did he try to remember, Milo?’

‘Where the train came from. He could remember getting off a train, but couldn’t remember where he got on. There were other people on the train, but they had gone.’

‘A lot of people Milo?’

‘Yes, Ariel saw a lot of people. Sad people.’

‘Ariel was your friend, Milo.’

‘Yes. My first friend. He remembers things for me.’

‘So, Ariel still helps you remember things?’

‘Yes, but he is sad and I’m happy, so I don’t listen to Ariel all the time.’

‘But he tries to tell you stories, doesn’t he?’

‘I like him the best when he thinks about the blue.’

‘Yes, I understand, Milo.’

‘Are we going to our new home soon?’

‘Yes Milo. Very soon.’

After completing her notes from her visit with Milo, Sylvie went to see Mary, who was bright and cheerful and happy to see Sylvie.

‘You look very happy, Mary.’

‘Yes, I feel very happy. Dr Fleury said we can go to our new home soon.’

‘Yes, I believe so. Good news.’