THE GATE KEEPER (21 page)

         
‘That machine was delivered by your old self to hand it over to you for the
cost of the lost billions with interest. Why are you so important for your old
self?’ He asked thoughtfully.

I
try to find of a way out as he was trying to solve the puzzle.

‘Young
Phil and an old Phil,’ he crazily mumbles repetitively underneath his breath.

The
time machine was not far from him.
Only if I could reach it
, I dream
about the possibilities of reaching it and wish I could make it.

‘You
must have travel through time. Remarkably interesting, Phil has find ways to go
through time hasn’t he? For your own sake instead of putting on a bargain which
you can’t win, why don’t you be a good boy and give us what we want to know?
I’m old and tired of those sick games of yours. Believe me we’re going to drop
you to you death unless you collaborate.’

I
remain mute. He approaches me and I kick him in his face. He falls on his butt.

Big
Mac turn towards his boss and says, ‘we should get rid of him boss.’

He
let me go and moves to his boss living his colleague female to hold me. Quickly
I produce a precise sidekick to her temple and she falls down. She was
unconscious. Big Mac set Michael in an empty seat. I remove the sword over
Nastassja’s
back and plunge it firmly to the floor. I drove
my hands closer to its blade exposing the cable tie to its sharp edges.

My
hands were free.
At last,
I
became aware of my purpose.

Mac
gets up and looks at me. He charged on me. The thud was louder and scarier. I
grab the sword from the floor. He furiously throws several sudden punches and I
use the sword to block it. His hands bled. He change tactics and uses the back
of his hands.

He
shields his arms behind the metal exoskeleton which was exposed to the outside
of his arms. Evolving with his own flaws, he attack and defend with it. Willing
not to be slice and dice, he brilliantly fights as a thinking fighter.

The
two metals give off spark as they collide under extreme force. I swing the
blade to his cheeks and it connects to the exoskeleton metal brace on the
outside of his arms. I twist the sword in my hand as I back away. I made a three
sixty move in a desperate attempt to confuse my opponent and swing the weapon
towards his knees. Before I could strike him he kicked and produced a sudden
impact to the sword. It flies by and went straight through the wall of the
aeroplane.

Amaze
and in shock I freeze for a while. Still staring at the sword stuck in the wall
I felt helpless. At my peripheral view I saw a movement moving towards me. My
reflex action instinctively took control of my body that I roll on the opposite
side. Away from the incoming danger which smash through the plane’s wall.

There
was a large crack in the left side of the wall. Big Mac’s left foot was stuck
in it. He pulls it out. I went for the sword which was on the opposite side of
the wall. I struggle to pull it out but fail. It was stuck. He head for me.

‘You
won’t get away!’

There
was a loud blast. Louder than his usual thuds of boots. As if the sound of
pressure over metal. Behind him where he had kick, a chunk of the aeroplane’s
wall had vanished and my opponent flies backward towards it. The plane dives
sideways towards my opponent. I squeeze the tilt of the sword as tight as I can
for support. I climb to a nearby harness and look down at the capsule which hit
the other side of the frail wall at the front.

Mac
was holding a harness at the opposite side. Michael had strapped himself with
the metal harness. A quarter of his seat was dangling out of the expose blown
out part. He had caught
Nastassja
. She was conscious
and dangling outside of the plane holding firmly at his master’s hands.

The light from within flickers.

Straight
ahead I could see the metal harness still stretch upwards. It laid in order
like a ladder.
I had to reach the capsule
, I thought. I use it to dangle
across. Upon reaching the second harness I saw myself in the epicentre of the
sucking force. It seems the debris from the wall had damaged the left engine.
The plane was losing altitude at an increasing speed.

My
inside swirls with the drastic fall. I felt like I was at the verge of vertigo
as dizziness strikes me.  Determine I press on by fumbling across the
harness. The plane rotates and flops downwards.  

My
body hit the harness and I slide forward across the harness. I fiercely grab
one. Beneath me the nose of the plane dives at a vertical angle. The harness
Mac was holding break free. His body spins wildly as it head downwards, passing
by, zigzagging and hitting the edges of the inner objects. Missing a near
collide with me and his colleagues. He smashes through the cockpit’s window and
head downwards like a speeding bullet.

Michael
firmly holds his colleague as she gets hold of an emergency parachute from
underneath a seat. She wears it. I quickly climb down. Put my palm on the time
capsule.

‘Subject
Identified.’ -
The screen of the machine states.
 

Its
door opens. I climb aboard.

‘After
all you are from the past!’ Michael seeks for reasoning.

‘Save
yourself or the truth shall kill you!’ I said.

‘We
shall meet again.’

‘I
doubt it.’

Michael
and his beautiful employee stare at me for a while. I close the door. Select
the date the computer had asked. I type in zero, three, zero, seven, one and
four. Michael climbs out of his seat with the help of
Nastassja
.
Through the opening they both throw themselves out holding each other’s hands
firmly.

They
were gone. I press the button. Inside there was a countdown from ten. The final
and familiar moment I had been waiting for. I was going home. Effects of blue
flickering lights kick in. At five the lights flickers wildly. I became visible
but the machine starts to disappear. At two seconds I couldn’t see myself but
the machine was there.

At
one second I could not see either me or the machine. I could see myself engulf
in an intense fire. Bits and pieces of the aeroplane scatter around violently
into different direction. Then it disappears and I could see the stars.

Then
I slowly becomes visible and the machine as well. It all stops and the door
opens
. I walk outside fall to one knee. Time travel sickness
had caught on with me.

20

Nastassja
and his master were
out. Their flight out of the aeroplane had been a narrow escape. They had no
choice. It was bound to crash and burn. They had lost sight of it as they hold
each other firmly and rotate wildly.

‘Hold
on we’re nearly there!’
Nastassja
comforted her
master as she glance at the illuminative data on her watch strap to her hand.

Their
body was moving at an uncontrollable terminal velocity. Like a speeding bullet
they went down. At times they were upside down and at times on their side.
Powerless and under the control of fierce gravity Michael began to fear for his
life.

Though
he was old he was not ready to die. He had not envisioned himself being smash
to the ground and die instantly. He had wanted to have a normal one. Old and
bedridden, gasping for his last breath was how he wanted it to end for him. He
wondered how we all do not get a chance to choose the end of our destiny.

Ambition
had allowed him to be vigorous and robust. He had been through hard times.
Today he wasn’t willing to die. He thought of Phil. He’s traitorous move which
had put him and the corporation in the light of corruption allegation. He holds
on to his apprentice and closed his eyes. He had trained her well. He put his
life into her hand and waited.

Miles
below
Nastassja
saw a flash of explosion which spread
like a mushroom cloud. The night sky was on fire. She could see how far they
were to it. She released the parachute and they were thrown upward. Backward
and to the side, the jerk came to end.

She
was in control. With the two strings attached on her suit she directed it as
his master open his eyes and stare at the spectacle of fire work from
below.  Afar from the crash she made an attempt for a comfy landing.

As
he got closer to the hard surface her master looked around in search for
safety. A few inches away he jumped and roll over to break his body’ inertia.
As a train sky diver
Nastassja
knew that there was no
such thing as a comfortable landing unless one applied the right landing
technique.

A
few metres away she pulled the navigation string downward. Her feet touched the
ground at an instant. She got rid of the parachute and head for her master. He
was up and walking. Ablaze behind him was their flight.

They
met halfway.

‘Great
job you’ve done very well. You’ve remind me how well I had trained you. Also
thank the Lord that we’ve been allowed to live through this nightmare.’ He
proudly expressed gratitude to his apprentice.

‘We’ve
lost him again. How could we?’ Muddleheaded
Nastassja
bemoaned. 

Frantic
with frustration he pondered. Then he says, ‘yes, I know. His getaway won’t be
for long. We shall make it our priority mission to find him. His old self is
the vital key to assort the jigsaw of time.’

I
was in the erstwhile house which had the other capsule in. Somebody hold me by
the arm and help me to get up.

‘Hi,’
a gentle and familiar voice said to me.

I
raise my head up and could not believe it. ‘Hi,’ I said.

We
stare into each other’s eyes. I had that unexplained feeling which felt like
butterflies churning my inside.  We were automatically drawn towards each
other by the power of love. Lightly we caress each other’s face and kiss each
other on the lips.

‘How
do you know about all this? Are you not confused?’ I asked.

She
stares at me deep in the eyes and says, ‘actually I am.’ 

‘Actually
I was planning to tell you about it.’

She
wraps my left arm around her waist as we walk towards the main door together.
She opens it. We walk outside.

‘We
had a lot to catch up.’ I spoke out my mind with a tender smile.

She
looks at me with a sweet loving face and says, ‘yes we do.’

I
thought of the key.

‘Wait
I can’t leave those machines unattended.’ I worriedly said.

There
must be a pocket somewhere on my futuristic clothes
, I thought.
I search for the hidden pockets. Finally I found a zip pocket on my shoulder. I
dig into it. Luckily it was there like I thought it would be. Beside I knew my
clone self wouldn’t let me down. I lock the door.

I
glare back at Samantha.

We
hold hands. Then we walk out from underneath the dark porch and I pause. She
comes to a halt as well. Staring at me with mystify emotion. Confused and
startle I wonder her strange entry.

‘How
did you know about it?’

Samantha
sits on the stairs at the porch. ‘Please sit down and I shall let you know,’
she softly promised.

‘I’m
good standing.’

‘Do
you remember when you left heartbroken because you thought I like Michael?’

‘So,’
I replied with blunted emotion.

‘Well,
I quickly changed and followed you on my dad’s bike. I saw you coming here at
night and then you disappeared.’

‘So
you have been spying on me?’

‘Not
exactly as I, too, also have the same feeling for you. You know a girl can tell
a lot from just a kiss.’

‘What
about today?’

‘I
was worried when you didn’t turn up for school so I came here in search for
clues.’

‘Fair
enough,’ I responded as I thought about her version.

There
was a pause. She stands up and walks towards me. ‘Tomorrow it’s the anniversary
of our independence day. I was thinking about us heading downtown,’ she calmly
said.

‘Is
it a date?’ I gabbled.

‘We’ll
see,’ Samantha jock and gives me a peck on my lips.

We
walk together. We Head straight for my house which was a few blocks down before
we headed for hers. I wanted to see my mum.

She
squeezes my hand firmly and says, ‘I got to admit something with you.’

‘When
you came back

At
a distant future…

Over
the horizon a hovering triangular craft descends to its rural destination. The
rocket design craft slowly and stealthily move among the tall mountains. At the
horizon at its rear twilight paves the way for the morning sun.

Afar
beyond gigantic mountains above the hills of endless contours of ranges the
craft reduces its speed. Half a mile ahead an immense camouflage wall of stone open
sideways. The craft unleash its front and rear tyres as it approaches dark
hole.

Near
the entry of the main door the craft’s wings turn and adjust the blazing motors
to counter balance the forces of gravity. Inside faint tactical green light
accommodate the auto-pilot on its flight path to a free parking space. Behind
the craft the door of metal and stone closed tightly.

The
tactical lights went off and immediately the white light high above the massive
ceiling comes to life. The craft’s side door opens downward. It comes to a halt
at an angle. The inner part of the door was already shape into stairs. The
craft’s security handle slowly bulge outward.

There
was a sound of monotonous thud moving along from within the craft. Outside the
endless underground city an army of machines awaits.  Artificial
Intelligent machines of various designs created for various purposes of
specialised tasks watched.  At the aircraft’s door an android emerge. It
comes forth, bending and avoiding the arc-like curve edge of the door. 

It
descends on the temporary flights of stairs. Each pressure exert on the stairs
was clear evidence of metal over metal quirking and defying the load.

‘Is
it done?!’ A strong voice echoed.

The
android was on the airstrip platform. It stares ahead in between a long aisle
of disciplinary machines. A figure walks to him in a black cloak and a hoody
which overlap its face.

He
had to acknowledge, ‘yes my lord, of course as you requested.’ The android
moves towards the voice signature which his memory had registered as its
creator.

Mechanical
thuds echoes through the aisle as it meet him halfway.

‘Outstanding.
No one notice your presence and our survival is still a secret.’

‘Yes
my Lord.’ He answered convincingly as he went down to one knee.

Shiny
hands of clean metal, calmly moves towards its hood and removes it. His face
were familiar to the young master the android has been assigned to watch and
protect without actually intervening. Except that he was part human part
machine. His face looks old and frail. Yet he moves like a young man. He had
showed no sign of weakness.

The
cyborg had come to a halt a few metres away as his apprentice acknowledge his
superiority and gratitude for its existence. He stretches his hands and opens
it. ‘I’m afraid there’s only way to the truth,’ he said.

To
the cyborg, the android were no longer a machine but coded data. He could see
them. Everything around him transforms into data. Their shape had remained the
same but they were all in data form. Background data were a mixture of green
and yellow. Concentrating data in the shape of the android turns red.

Gifts
of singularity had distinguished him from them. Communication ability, stronger
than the human sixth sense of a telepathic mind had altered his position. He
was no longer totally made of flesh and bones. He had proclaimed his rightful
place among them.

He
saw it. All of it at the android perspective side of view. It all rush through
his head at an accelerating rate. Coded information was being decrypted. 
Live motion memories. The monitoring of his young self, being dragged into the
plane and he skips the scene. He moves to the final part.

Avoiding
the escape of his enemy he moves straight to the crash scene. He had seen it
live. He had to make sure. He slows it down. Memories of the explosion as it
perished into engulf blaze. He replays it and slows it slower than before.

The
Android had seen all his memories being shared forcefully. He wanted to shut
the memory down.
Impossible
, he thought. His arms had open wide transforming
himself like an iron cross. He fights it again and he felt its own body
hovering weightlessly. 

 ‘It’s
inevitable to fight your own memories. Remain calm and it shall be swift.’ His
lord promised.

Among
the bright blazing explosion of the crash he saw it. He pause the foreign
memory. There it was. A faint blue light hid behind a cloud of bursting flames.
He replays it. It flickers. He drops his hand and releases his apprentice from
mind torture. The android falls on both knees. Not to honour but as a sign of
being drained of exhaustion.

‘Outstanding,’
he thoughtfully said as he moves through the aisle. Extracting the vital sign
of weakness inherited from the human. Feelings which have destroy the human
ability to move ahead. He had felt the android feelings. He felt that he knows
him better.

‘My
dear citizen, I have foreseen our future. We are to succeed if our existence
remains hidden for the moment. We shall carry on with business as usual. Meddle
with their fragile, unrealistic and complex account system. Create more clean
technology vehicles. Reimbursement of the billons lost which might exposed us.
Let us carry on working as one. After all we got a planet to conquer. Our
future is uncertain,’ he decried.

The
army of specialised machines break the line. Each went about their individual
task. Their leader the sole cyborg with built in technological singularity. The
android and other machines stares at their leader as he walk on a nearby air
bike. He sped towards the underground into the futuristic city of machines and
disappeared.