Текст книги "Red Serpent: The Falsifier"

Автор книги: Делсон Армстронг

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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 16 страниц)

“That’s impossible!” Both Erik and Mikhail looked at Nikolas, their faces a picture of incredulity.

“Is that really true?” asked Mikhail.

“But that is impossible,” Erik repeated.

“He is Aidan’s son. You must accept this. His blood would be catastrophic to ours. If his blood came into contact with ours, it would literally explode. You can see for yourself. Aidan created him and formed his genetic structure.”

Erik rubbed his chin, leaning back in his chair. He took out a cigarette from a platinum case and lighted it. He took a large puff and exhaled. “These humans have some unusual ways of intoxicating themselves. But I love it.”

Daniel grew impatient. “So?”

“Well,” said Erik. “I would want to see for myself. If what you say is true then I will personally see to it that the incantations be brought so that he may be resurrected. And surely, the Council will be informed of his heritage, but not of this incident.”

“Of course,” said both father and son.

Erik took out a pen and paper and began to write. “Give this to Sirach,” he told Mikhail, “and tell him to go to the Vatican Library and get the book, Incantations of the Dead.”

Alex awoke. He knew he it had all been a dream. His eyes fully opened and adjusted to the light. He gasped, finding himself once again in an unearthly and sad place. He was sitting on dirt. All around him was a thick layer of mist. There were caves with lights flickering from within. A murky river flowed slowly, close to where he sat. Worms and snakes squirmed out of the ground and made him jump in fear. He tried to make out what lay behind the mist. Beyond, on the other side of the river, he saw shadows in the darkness. People walking. He stood up and turned around, accidentally knocking into an old man who was naked except for a loincloth around his waist. The old man’s skeletal figure creaked as he fell backwards. “Uh...sorry. I’m sorry.” Alex said, helping him up. The old man’s beard was greasy and yellow and there were maggots coming out of it. His pale face, tired and drooping, gazed helplessly at Alex with filmy grayish eyes. Moaning and stumbling, he leaned on Alex for balance.

Flames burst from out of the river and a voice called, “Alexander Nyrax! You have been expected.” It sounded like many voices in unison. The voice of many waters from the Bible,thought Alex. So then it was true. He had died and now he didn’t know where he was. Was this hell, Hades, Sheol, or the river Styx?

Alex mustered the courage to ask, “By whom?”

Deafening laughter erupted from the flames and when it subsided, the voice said, “You will be taken by the Boatman. He is to tell you all you need to know before you meet the One.”

“The One? Do you mean God?”

“That who is called by many names and is one. Some call him God, some call him Allah, or Elohim, or the One, the Universe, the Creator.”

“He is expecting me?” Alex asked.

“Yes.” The voice and fire died down. The mist thickened around Alex. He stood with his feet planted firmly on the ground and waited for it to dissipate, but the mist coalesced and engulfed him. After a few moments, the mist cleared and he could make out a boat with a dark figure floating along the water towards him. The figure wore a cloak and held an oar in both arms. He seemed to be the very manifestation of death; the Boatman.

“Come,” said the Boatman.

Alex did as he commanded and stepped into the boat. He sat down and looked at the figure with an innocent expression. The boat slowly and steadily traveled upstream. Along the way, deathly sounds echoed in the air. There was no light, only gray. To his left and right, he saw figures aimlessly walking up and down.

The boat entered one of three caves. A holy white light emanated from it. When the boat was fully immersed in this light, Alex felt a sense of peace, joy, and complete surrender. He smiled and his eyes brightened and shone with the luster of a thousand suns. He looked at his body. Instead of a shirt and denim jeans, he now wore a long white robe. He remembered the book of Revelations and realized the things that John at Patmos had said about his visit to heaven must have been true.

“Unbelievable,” Alex tried to say, but no words came out. He realized telepathy was a means of communication. So many different fragrances were in the air, in the atmosphere. There were aromas of exotic flowers and perfumes. He felt invigorated. He seemed more alive than dead now. I must be in heaven,he realized. His body and hair were anointed with fragrant oils and perfumes. Even the boatman who had worn a long dark cloak had changed his appearance. His cloak transformed to a completely white luminescence and shone with a blinding patina.

“Now,” said a voice, “You look fit to meet the God of gods, King of kings, and the Lord of Hosts!”

The boat no longer floated on water but on air. Everywhere lights, colors and glimmering stars shone brighter than anything Alex had ever seen. His eyesight was not affected by the brightness; it was as though he could see things unimagined. He heard rolling waves, soft thunder, and the distinct humming sound he had heard when drinking blood. He heard soft bells and voices singing in a choir. This must have been the choir of angels singing everlasting praise to God. As they came closer to God, the sounds and the smells became more distinctive. Color and light transformed into a mosaic of rainbows. There were no words to describe it.

The boat slowed down and gradually halted to a complete stop. In front of them was a double-gate of immeasurable proportions. It was infinitely high, and stretched down beyond Alex’s vision. There were seven rods on each gate. The voice said something indistinguishable and they opened up. The boat did not move any further. The Boatman gestured for Alex to step out.

Alex stepped into the light. There was no boundary and no horizon, only the bright white glow. Alex felt disoriented at first, but once he walked to the other side, watching as the boat left and vanished slowly from his sight, he got the hang of it. As he walked on, his anxieties dissipated. From the midst of the light, a figure appeared and said, “Think and it shall be done.”

“What?”

“Realize yourself, young one. You must embrace the truth.”

“What do you mean?”

“The only way you can get to the one, to the truth, is to think and meditate upon it and you shall be transported there.” The figure repeated, “Think and it shall be done.” It faded away into the light.

It sounded simple enough, and so Alex concentrated on being in the throne room of God. But every time he tried, he was bombarded with images that he did not want to see. So there’s a catch to it,he thought. It’s like meditation.If he could keep his mind firm and concentrated on the thought of God long enough, he would reach the throne. He tried three more times to concentrate his mind. Each time he failed.

Why wasn’t it working? There was enough silence and solitude to attain a perfect state of concentration. Wait! That was it. He was concentrating too much on the exterior. It was simple. There was no effort needed. He needed to simplify his thoughts. There was no need for ritual or standards or anything else. It was complete surrender, simple surrender, and faith.

He closed his eyes, breathed out slowly and thought only of God as he used to at the Monolith. He felt himself melt away into the stars. Suddenly he was connected to every proton, neutron, atom and quark.

He felt as large as the Universe itself, and yet infinitesimally small. He was not Alex. He owned no body, mind, soul, or spirit. He was everything and everyone. He realized nothing mattered. When he opened his eyes slowly he saw what he had been waiting for since time began:

God.

At eight o’clock, Richard and John entered Jarad’s room. The patient followed their movements from his bed. “How are you feeling?” John asked. They sat on the chairs near his bed, while Jarad sat upright so he could have his breakfast. He sipped his orange juice, ignoring them.

John and Richard looked at each other across the bed. Jarad cut into his sausages ferociously, put a rather large bite into his mouth and greedily chewed on it.

John and Richard said nothing for the next two minutes, while Jarad continued to stuff himself. The silence was extremely uncomfortable.

“Can’t you see that I’m busy?” Jarad said. He finished his breakfast and gulped down his juice.

“We wanted to see how you were,” said John.

“I’m doing just fine, thanks,” Jarad said, his voice muffled by the napkin he used to wipe the crumbs from his mustache.

“We have a proposal for you, my old friend,” said John.

At the mention of “friend,” Jarad burst out laughing. “Friend! What the hell is that?”

“Now you’re just being unreasonable. Remember, you started this.” Jarad was about to speak, but John raised his palm. “I’m not saying I am better than you Jarad. You and I are the same. The only difference is...” he gave a wicked smile, “I succeeded where you failed. And the reason for that is because I have good intentions.”

“Whatever problems there are you know I would have overcome them.”

“And you still can,” said Richard, preparing some coffee for all three of them.

“What?” asked Jarad, confused and keen to know more.

“That’s right; but under one condition.”

“You know it’s inevitable, Jarad,” John said, sipping his coffee. “This war was always going to happen, whether there was a prophecy or not.”

“Oh, I get it!” Jarad said sourly. “You want me to lead the battalions.”

John nodded.

“I’m retired, you know that,” Jarad said.

“Look, I’m offering you life or death; choose life for your own sake. Please.”

“Please?” Jarad raised one eyebrow in feigned astonishment.

Richard said, “Jarad, we are literally offering you life. If you join us in this war, things will be different for you and for the others.”

“In fact,” said John, “with my help, you may still have enough credibility to be part of the executive branch.”

“I’ve seen the news, John. You’ve become a bloody dictator and you expect me to join you? As what? An assistant, a butler?”

John laughed, “I never intended that for you. I have a better, much more challenging post available.”

“And what would that be?”

“You will be resuming your duty as a General, and you will also be part of the Supreme War Council. Even if you were plotting against me, you’d at least be helping all of humanity along the way.”

Jarad remained silent for a while. He breathed in deeply, sighed and gave a small nod. His face showed that he was mulling over what John had just said. “Give me time to think it through and I’ll let you know.”

“Great,” John said. “I will see you next week in the War Room.”

“Do we even have one?” Richard asked.

“We will.”

In Alex’s holding cell, they stripped him bare so that they could have a full view of what was going on with his body. It had turned pale-green.

“What’s the situation?” asked Erik.

Joqetu replied, “You can see for yourself...sir. If he doesn’t come around soon, the body will decompose and there will be little hope for him.”

“Well, no matter,” said Erik. “The book should be arriving shortly.”

“You have it then? We will be using the technique?” asked Liam.

“Yes,” Daniel said, “All of us.” The Rebels looked at Erik and Daniel suspiciously. Nikolas knew why he had said that. When they would be connecting their energies together, they would also be connecting their minds, which meant that the truth could be exposed. This was unless they protected their thoughts. By looking at each other they understood what had to be done in order to maintain their true allegiance. This would require more power than ever, but they were up for it. They had to be.

“Until then, we will have to make sure it doesn’t happen,” said Liam.

“How?” asked Erik.

“There is a way,” said Dante, “We must give him some energy, in order to slow down the decaying process.”

“Won’t that just quicken it?” Joqetu asked.

“Depends on the type of energy you give him,” said Nikolas.

“Yes,” said Yagnik, “If we give him the kind that regenerates, we can at least restore his body.”

“Exactly,” said Nikolas, turning to face the other Rebels, “Prepare yourselves.” In quick succession, light emanated from their bodies turning them transparent. The light shone so bright that it bathed the entire room and hallway. The Rebels encircled Alex’s body and raised their arms. Energy entered through their hands, and everything became silent as though they were all struck deaf. Erik said something, but no sound came out of his mouth.

They lowered their arms, cupped their hands and then with palms touching Alex’s chest, forehead, navel, and legs, they released the energy into him. The lights traveled to different parts of his body. They soaked his spine and bloodstream, glowing through his skin and then slowly fading away. As they did, a great change could be seen over his body. Color entered his cheeks and lips and the green hue left his body.

“Well, that was great!” said Daniel, “Truly marvelous. You Rebels must teach us how to do these things.”

“And in time, we will,” said Nikolas. “All these things were hidden from Aidan by his father, but soon enough the truth will be out.”

Mikhail and Sirach entered the room. Sirach held a weighty book in his hand.

“Any trouble?” asked Erik.

“No, not at all, sir,” Sirach said, and added, “although,” he passed the tome to Erik, “They did ask me why you wanted this particular volume.”

“But there was no mention of the Council?”

“Not at all,” Mikhail said.

“Good.” Erik took the book in his hands. It was bound in very old leather and in ancient letters the title read Incantations of the Dead. It was closed with two buckles on the top and bottom right corners. Erik opened it and the dust rose up from it, causing him to cough and brush it off. “Let us begin,” he said, gravely. They encircled the body once again and joined hands. Erik remained outside the circle, to give them instructions. All, including Daniel, Mikhail and Sirach joined in the process. All Nikolas could do now was hope for the best.

The Throne Room was simple yet elegant. The light disorientated Alex. Alex could not make out what he looked like but he saw his figure. He wore white robes and in one hand had a book, and in the palm of his other hand seven lights flickered. The light of his face dimmed so Alex could make out his features. He was not old, but immortal and wise. His long thick beard glowed white, as did the hair on his head that flowed down his back. “My son,” He said.

Alex prostrated himself in front of him. “Father,” he said.

To Alex, God was exactly as he had seen him represented in Michelangelo’s paintings. God laughed. “Oh, you really think I look like this?”

“I don’t know. What do you look like, really?”

“Whatever you want me to look like,” God answered, smiling benignly.

Alex was confused.

“Because of your Catholic upbringing, you picture me and heaven this way. But you have studied other religions.”

“So, you’re saying you’re not like this at all?”

“No, nor is Heaven. It is all according to you. You know Jesus.”

“Your son.”

“All are my children, and more so, they are me. Think of me as Jesus.”

Suddenly the figure of God changed and resembled Jesus.

God continued, “Now imagine me as the Buddha.”

Again Alex thought and once more the figure changed. He sat down, levitating in a lotus position, with a smiling clean-shaven face and his hair tied in a bun. He wore a loincloth and a saffron color shawl.

“You see? People see me as they want. It does not matter as long they realize that I am not different. I exist, and you exist only because I exist.

“Existence is the same as non-existence. Perception is based on consciousness, which is my consciousness. You are me and I am in all. Life and death are illusory. Existence, as you see it, is formed from the pictures in your mind. Your consciousness is borrowed from the source.”

“That is you?”

“That is you! Realize that I am all these things,” the figure changed from Buddha, to Jesus, to Krishna, to Michelangelo’s representation, to Rama, to the Virgin Mary, to some of the Catholic saints, and then to the Hindu goddesses, “and ultimately I am you!” Alex suddenly saw himself standing opposite. “You and I, these are only words, Alex. There is no Alex, or Aidan, or Anaxagoras, or the Red Serpent. Realize that you do not have a destiny that has been decided. You are Me and I am You! You have all power over whatever worlds your consciousness stirs up. All have that power. Your father, your grandfather, you mother, your uncles, your ancestors, your descendants are all You!”

“Then why must I be the Falsifier?”

“Who said you have to be anything?”

“I am fighting against a terrible evil, am I not?”

“No! Realize there is no good, or evil, no joy, no pain, no beginning, no end, no life, no death.”

“Then why create this world?” Alex asked.

“I did not create this universe. I am not here; I do not exist, and I am existing. I am non-existence and existence as you are. You created this universe; you created this world, with your consciousness, which in itself is an illusion.”

Alex shook his head, “I have heard all this before, yet when you speak to me, I do not understand it.”

“People are not good or evil; people are people because they believe it. When they realize that they are all and none and they are what they choose and ultimately they are light, they are one, then none of this will be there. You saw that river and the people there because you thought this was how it would be. Others saw it differently. God is not individualistic, but he is what he is according to individuals.”

“What about atheists, then?”

God laughed. “They see me as they want to as well. But you are missing the point; you have to see me as you! You have to see that there are no individuals, there are no egos. When you realize that all things are one, then you will see yourself as everything. I am there only because you, as a civilization, see me to be so. Time has seen other beings that imagine me as something else, concepts unimaginable to you, because they are on higher dimensions. Just realize what you are doing and why you’re doing it. Everything: Karma, Destiny, Life, Ego, Faith, Belief, and all the other terms are just terms. What’s more important is the power behind them, and that power is consciousness. Therefore, realize the prophecies of your father are real and they do mean something. You must follow them, only when you think you must. Otherwise don’t follow them at all.

“Everything, sound, light, music, shadows, everythingis just a part of your thoughts, your perception. They don’t have meaning unless meaning is given to them, and the one who gives meaning to it is you! Heaven means this to you, because of your conditioning. Leave it all, or enjoy it all, and in any way, all are bound to realize the Truth! This life, this world, this Universe, is like this because of your perception and the meaning you give to certain things. When that meaning ceases, then the actuality will be known!”

“Then, that means I am not dead. I am not alive, but rather I AM, because I say I AM.”

“More importantly, you are because you just are. Realize everything is because it is. Don’t take anything out of it or add anything. See it for itself. Life is just for observance, for witnessing, for education and when you finish it, you can choose to go back, or choose to stay here depending on your perception. If your perception and your choice of perception cease, then Truth will be.”

“Then, that’s what I want.”

God laughed. “Because you force, because you see it as that, because it is a goal, a desire, it cannot be within truth. Yes, all things are within Truth, but they do not lead to the ultimate. It must be, and then Truth will be; it cannot be taught, spoken, felt, forced upon; it must just be! It cannot be waited for either, it cannot be a desire; it just is!”

Alex said. “Destiny doesn’t matter.”

“Exactly. Just let it be.”

“I understand; I must go with the flow and things will be the way they are, regardless of my thoughts, my words, my feelings, and my conditioning. I will let them be. No good, no bad, just be!”

“Let things go and see them for what they really are.”

Alex nodded to God, who still looked exactly like himself.

“Now, go!”

“Wha–

With a jolt, he felt his body being pushed and pulled. It automatically backed away from God, the throne room and the gates of Heaven and went back to the River of the Dead. The next thing Alex knew ... he was back in his body!

“He’s alive!” he heard a voice say. He opened his eyes slowly and saw people around him, looking at him from above as if he was being operated on. When his eyes adapted to the Earth light again, he could see the Rebels, as well as Nikolas and Daniel looking warmly at him as if to ensure him that his worries were over.

He shook up from his bed and gasped.

“Okay,” said Daniel, “Now that you’re back, get ready.”

“For what?”

Daniel smiled. “The Council.”

Alex felt constricted in his body once again and he didn’t like it. He remembered God, took a deep breath and just let it be. He and the Garengs were seated in the helicopter, heading for London. “So, how are you feeling now?” asked Nikolas. “Is everything alright?”

Alex looked deep into his uncle’s eyes. In the crimson iris, he saw a light. Alex realized that light was Nikolas’s soul. He concentrated on it and without moving his lips or using his voice said, “No. But you’ll soon know why.” A flame glittered in the soul region of Nikolas’s eyes.

He was surprised by Alex’s use of telepathy. His eyes showed everything, including something quite unexpected: malice. Alex suddenly realized that malice exists in people who take the lives of others. The soul never darkens, only the ego, with or without knowing it. This was the difference between good and evil. A person who knows evil and turns away is good, and a person who knows evil but continues with pleasure is evil. But then what about someone who has no choice in anything? This was where dualities ceased to exist.

“Well, are you alright?” Daniel repeated his father’s statement.

“Yes.”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Nikolas. “Remember to say nothing about yourself. Speak as little as you can and keep to the point.”

The helicopter landed on the helipad and they stepped outside.

Central Command Center 1 had been a magnificent man-made metallic island with blue, crystal-clear water everywhere. The sun shone splendidly and warmed the island. But this place, London, was frigid! Nikolas offered him a thick coat. “No,” Alex said, shivering, “I don’t think I’ll need it.”

Nikolas laughed, “Just because Daniel and I aren’t wearing anything doesn’t mean you can’t”

“I have to learn, don’t I?” he said.

“Look at you! You’re shivering,” Nikolas laughed, placing the jacket around Alex’s shoulders. “Come on.”

London was different now. Alex had come to understand a different city from the many books that he had read on its history. He looked across the helipad and saw air-cars, taxis and buses traveling to and fro in different zones of the sky. These zones started from the ground and stretched up as far as the eye could see. There was a complex network of arteries that led to different sections of the city. There were shopping areas and office areas with large skyscrapers made of glass and steel. There were also residential complexes in suburban areas where thousands of people were housed. There were large stone and marble structures, much like the Supreme Court and Headquarters of the Regnum, but bigger.

As Alex looked down, he saw a few people walking on the pavements, going about their day to day business.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” said Nikolas.

Alex nodded and his face lit up with exhilaration as the feeling that he was finally on the Earth sunk in.

They walked to the doorway, which had an elevator leading to the Main Hall. There were two guards inside, with their faces covered entirely by black helmets and wielding large plasma rifles. They came out to escort them to the Council Chambers. They entered the elevator and went down to the ground floor. The doors opened and they stepped out into a lavishly decorated lobby. Large windows brought in the sunlight all around them. To his left, Alex saw a majestic spiral staircase, with china vases filled with exotic flowers. Immediately he felt the warmth of central heating and of a large fire place, almost eight feet in height and twice as wide, near the reception desk.

The guards led them to a large hallway leading to several rooms. Before they entered, Alex noticed the receptionist was a beautiful woman. She looked like she was in her late twenties, but he somehow sensed that she was older. There was a huge man at the reception desk. He seemed to be making an important appointment. Alex registered his face, just in case it might be important; he intuited it would be.

The guards took them to the end of the dark hallway. There were rooms and offices on both sides. When they reached the end, they took a left and walked through another hallway which ended at a large double-door protected by two guards, dressed in dark suits. The guards held their palms out, stopping Daniel and Nikolas. Only Alex was allowed to enter. He turned to Nick who nodded and winked at him.

Alex entered the Chamber and sighed. He couldn’t make much out in the darkness. He had the distinct feeling he was being watched. As his eyes adjusted, he saw the outlines of the Twelve Council Elders. He hadn’t heard much talk of them except for what Daniel had said in the helicopter. He knew they had been chosen by Anaxagoras to deal with the overall affairs of the Earth. Fire suddenly blazed from torches hung on the walls. A chair was brought forth at will and Alex heard a cold, malevolent voice command, “Sit!” He did so reluctantly.

They sat around an oblong table about two feet apart. They were cloaked and their hands were gloved in black leather. To Alex, it looked as if they were weak, afraid of everyone and everything and he felt he could intimidate them. It was a very strange sensation.

“Truly arrogant to think so,” said Julius, scanning through the boy’s thoughts.

“There is great anxiety in you, I sense,” said Lord Augustus. “You have fear, anger, confusion, and hate.”

“You do not need any of these,” continued Lord Tiberius.

“All you need is obedience,” said Lord Otho.

Alex turned his head to the voices and looked at them angrily, trying to intimidate them.

“You would make a fine ally, I’m sure,” said Julius slowly, putting weight behind each word, “You are powerful. Yes! I sense much strength in you, but you are on the wrong side.”

“Do you know who you are?” spoke Lord Claudius.

“Yes,” Alex said plainly. He added, “Your enemy.” This brought about evil cackles from the Twelve.

The laughter died down. There was a long hard moment. “You have made yourself that, young Falsifier,” continued Claudius, laying a heavy ruthless emphasis on the last word.

“What do you mean by that?” Alex asked.

Vitellius said with scorn, “You think such a man as you can bring down an Empire that has been standing for two hundred thousand years.”

“Christ did it with the Roman Empire,” Alex said.

An awkward silence arose once again, this time much longer. Alex sensed their nervousness.

The Twelve were irritated. The only way to learn the secrets of the Regnum from Alex would be through sincerity, kindness and good intentions, characteristics which none of them had.

“You may leave,” Julius said quickly. The fires extinguished, leaving Alex groping around blindly in the dark. But then suddenly the double-doors opened and he saw Daniel and Nikolas waiting for him patiently.

As he stepped out of the threshold, the doors slammed shut.

“So?” Nikolas asked.

“Nothing at all.” Alex shook his head, “It was pointless, I guess.”

“Well, have they told us to come in?” asked Daniel.

“Nope. They just told me to leave.”

The doors opened once more and Nikolas and Daniel entered, while Alex looked at the guards, and wondered what was coming next.

Out of respect for the Twelve, Nikolas and Daniel walked with their heads bowed. Then they prostrated themselves before the Twelve. The fire roared up again and the Twelve looked down at them. Domitian asked Daniel, “What is the enemy doing here?”

“He, my lords,” Daniel said, smiling at Nikolas, “is no longer an enemy, as aren’t the other Rebels.”

“How can we be so sure?” asked Julius. “After all, even till the last day our king trusted him, but he played a double-game all along. Surely,” he said, a bitter irony in his voice, “you know this.”

Daniel’s face flushed. “Yes, I know.”

Nikolas spoke, his voice firm and steady, “My masters, I beg you to give us one last chance. Since the Last Battle we have been nothing but guinea pigs for you. But now we are fully ready, instead of being forced, to serve Lord Anaxagoras. If you allow it, I will get what information I can from the Falsifier, without any interference or surveillance. He knows of the Regnum and its plans. I will comfort him and since he is already in my trust, he will be easily manipulated into spilling the secrets of our enemies. Please, if you don’t believe me, let me tell you something no one knows.”

“And what that might be,” asked Julius, leaning forward.

“He is the son of Aidan and the grandson of Anaxagoras,” he said simply, with a blank face. “He is born of a human and has the blood of both races. That...” Nick paused for effect, “is why he is called what he is. I have earned your trust once before. I went to the Land of the Eight Kings, and didn’t try to escape.”

Tiberius laughed. “Escape is impossible.”

“Nevertheless,” Otho said, “we will look into the matter. For now, because of your son, you will remain free to do as you please as will all the other Rebels. If the blood analysis proves what you say, you shall be trusted. Leave us.”

Nikolas backed away, bowing before turning to leave.

Daniel remained there. As the door shut, Cassius said in more relaxed tone, “Now, Daniel. What is this turn of events? Did you know of this?”