Solomon's Private File #83
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 16 in this story, in the Winter of 2042-2043.
Solomon's Private File #83 "Demon"
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The Russian captain said, "Sir, were you ever close to killing
yourself on a mission?" I said, "That's difficult to answer clearly. I
think you can see I didn't actually do that. I have deliberately left
myself open to be captured and killed, but I still live. In my last
mission, I did that. I allowed myself to be captured. We needed to know
what they were planning, what kind of weapons they had, and where they
would take me. I didn't know if I would be able to learn any of that,
and if I did, that I would survive it and be able to return. I learned
what I needed to know, and I escaped. My er, associates found my report
very interesting. So did I, actually. I'm often amazed in reading my
reports, thinking, 'Wow! I'd like to meet that man.'" Chuckles. I said,
"I see you don't understand. This kind of action is interesting only
after it happens. In the middle of it, you are often desperately trying
to survive, and that is NOT fun or adventurous at the time. And you
don't report the seriously boring parts. Your readers don't want to be
bored, too. So, we are either so bored we would welcome almost any kind
of action, and in that very action, we are desperately wishing to be
bored. A strange life." Chuckles and nods. He said, "Sir, why do you do
it?" I said, "The game. I beat them, but I might not. And if I do not,
good people could die. I don't like what I do in these situations. I
would not like to meet somebody who does. But I do like the
exhilaration of playing the life and death game for my people, for my
country, and for the world. I do this because I'm good at it. Better
than most. I am needed. Who doesn't like to be needed, and to do
worthwhile things?"
I said, "And if I can scare people into not attacking us, like I did
on my last mission, that's even better. And a little more
entertaining." Big grins. Daren and Galya laughed in my mind. I said,
"Let's see what they are doing." I turned on the tablet and started the
app. I taped the camera I wanted, and we could see, after I showed it
around, the truck being loaded. I said, "Skillful loader. Oh. Well, if
I had such a truck, I would NOT have such a driver." Laughter. I said,
"In these missions, we can become very tense while waiting. That is
tiring. A little humor can prevent that. With experience, you can even
sleep well, while waiting. Alone. I'm not sure if partners have ever
what if you don't wake in time?" I said, "Internal clock. You can tell
yourself before you sleep, when to wake up. Or you can use a wrist
watch with that function, if you can figure out how to set it. No,
don't tell me. I live with enough confusion." He said, "Do you own such
a thing?" I said, "I never have used a timepiece. I was raised and
trained by my father in the skills and abilities I use on my missions.
He didn't do that, either." He said, "Is he known?" I said with a
smile, "I wouldn't tell you if he was."
I said, "They should be arriving soon, to a very cold house. They
should have had an advance man in it. Bad for them, good for us." Nods.
I said, "I don't gamble for money, but among yourselves, what do you
think they will do, and when?" There was quite a discussion. The
captain didn't participate, but did throw me a respectful grin. The
truck pulled up in front of the house. A man went inside, and came out
to report on the internal weather. We could see and hear all that with
my well placed surveillance system. I said to the men, "Learn any new
swear words?" Laughter. I said, "Ah. Too embarrassed to admit it." More
laughter, and one actually smiled and nodded to me. My mobile phone
rang. They smiled, and at the ring tone. Marche Slave. I said, "Well, I
like it." I answered it. I said, "At this time of night? I hear you! No
need to shout. I'm not the most warm, myself. You aren't my first call
tonight. Well, you know if you have any meat in your refrigerator, it's
not spoiled. Oh, the milk. I'm sorry about the mess, but I didn't
create the problem. I'll be there in ten minutes. Yes, I will have some
of my workers with me. You won't let me have time to drive them home,
and they could be useful. You what? No. I will do my business as I
think I should, or you can go find somebody else who will come out at
night and bring even more people. You interfere with what I need to do
to fix it for you, you better have a LOT of warm clothing. Alright
then. We'll be there. Could take a little while to bring the heat up
after the repair. Need some extra blankets? No, it's part of the
service, if we can have them back. You're welcome." The captain said,
"You bullied THEM!, And they even thanked you!" I said, "Bullies
respect those who bully them successfully. Or they shoot them on sight.
We'll find out which, soon. Get dressed." They did, in the ready
coveralls, with a little less enthusiasm than they thought they would.
Then they caught me trying to suppress a grin, and had to smile.
Each with their own cases full of gear, we piled into the van. I said
who would be staying in it until called. Those inside the van could
monitor us with our active hidden mics and the tablets. We pulled up
next to their truck, which they were still trying to unload their
equipment and the two big crated bombs from. I said, "I'll be in
character. Play along, you good for nothing apprentices." They nodded.
I went in with one of the enemy. Another tried to stop my two
assistants. I said, "What are you doing? Think I can do all the work
myself? I'm paying these useless oafs, they better earn it!" He let
them pass, trying to hide a smile. There were more inside, including
the boss. He didn't like it that I had extra men, but let it pass. We
went upstairs to where the furnace was. I examined it. I said to our
escort, "Are you the owner?" He said he wasn't. I said, "If he's here,
bring him. I need to tell him the problem and the cost to fix it." He
said, "You can do it. We will pay." I said loudly to him, "Are you
deaf? I have to do this the legal way. You go get him, or we don't
work."
He came back with the boss. I said, "I need you to authorize the
work. Needs a new regulator. You the owner?" He said, "I am leasing." I
said, "Oh, that complicates things. I have to get the owner's
permission." He said, "Can't you do that later? I'm sure he would
agree. I will pay double. One of my friends is sick, and this cold is
bad for him." I said what the regular price would be. He took out a big
wad of money, and paid twice the amount. I nodded, and said to my
assistant, "Bring a regulator. You know the model. Bring more blankets
for the sick man." He left. I said to the boss, "I hope he recovers
fast. I have to warn you. Please tell all your friends. There will be a
small gas leak in the process of changing the regulator, for a very
short time. None here should use anything that creates a fire, such as
a match or cigarette, or a spark. I see you are armed. Well, I've been
in the military myself. One can never be too careful. Don't shoot
anybody for a while. Please tell your friends. When the gas dissipates
enough to be safe, and I can secure the replacement in, I'll tell you,
and you can shoot all the rats you want to, without sending this house
into orbit." He grinned and said, "I like you. Thanks, I'll pass the
word."
My assistant came back, and with another of the enemy. I asked that
one to look at something, and I slapped him on the forehead and he
dropped like a stone. After a minute of looking stern at my assistants
to get them back into character, I said to one, "Go downstairs and tell
the boss that his man up here fainted, after saying something about the
smell. That two men should come up and carry him down." He went and
came back with two men. I knocked them both out. My assistants stared
at me. I said, "Better act normal, or you'll join them. Who else knows
about what you said downstairs?" He said, "Oh! Just those two. Nobody
else heard." I said, "Only three left, but no. You're too jittery to
try that again. No place here to hide them. Tie them and tape their
mouths. I'll take care of the others myself. Sorry, you can't watch.
One might come up and see you. I know, disappointing." Smiles. I went
downstairs and into the living room. One was alone. I knocked him out,
and put him on the sofa and covered him with a blanket like he was
sleeping. I felt the boss start coming in. I stood alongside the door.
He walked through it, and never saw it coming. I put him behind the
sofa. The last man was in the bathroom, and without a weapon. I waited
until he finished masturbating and dressing after, and when he opened
the door, I knocked him out, too. I said in my mic, "All secure. Come
in." They came in from the van. I said, "Tie these up and tape their
mouths. More cursing lessons later." Chuckles. I went back upstairs to
the utility room and said, "All secure. I'll turn the heat on." I
flicked a hidden switch. They grinned. I said, "Take these downstairs."
The place was warming up rapidly. They didn't know I was helping that
along, personally. We set up one of the bedrooms for the interrogation.
I put an extra light behind the chair the enemy would sit in, that
would shine on me. I said to my team, "Special frequency of ultra
violet light that will activate the special makeup I'll be putting on.
I'm telling and showing you all this, because I hope to look very
frightening, and I don't want YOU to fall for it. Oh, I can see you
don't believe me. Just remember what I said. Here are the special
contact lenses." I shined a small invisible light flashlight on them,
and they glowed fiery red and orange. Then they started to believe. I
said, "Throat voice amplifier." I put it on my neck, and said,
"Beware!" I sounded really evil. I turned it off, and said, "Believe
now?" They all nodded in wonder. I took something from one of the
cases, and showed them, and they had to smile at the false fangs. I
said, "Radio activated." They grinned. I said, "I hope to do better."
Chuckles. In a mirror, I pasted on some things behind my ears. I used a
radio control to make them pop up and down. I would have pointed ears
on demand. I said to the tech, "You will be in the room with me and
using the camera. But it will be focused on him, not me. When I change,
think you can make yourself look afraid?" He said, "Hell, I'm afraid
now!" Laughter. He said, "Yes sir! It will be real, and he'll know it.
Might even need a mop." Laughter. I said, "To tell the truth, I'm glad
I won't be seeing me." Chuckles.
I put the contacts in. Then I painted my face and hands with the
invisible glowing tint. Then my fingernails a different color, and then
designs on my palms. I put the teeth in. I said, "Hold this light on
me. I have radio controls in my shoes. I'll activate them, so
everything should happen when you turn on the light. Tell me if I
missed anything." He nodded. The light went on, and my additions
activated, and I said in my demon voice, "Behold!" And I showed my
hands. They gasped in fright. I said, after turning it all off, and
taking out my dentures, "Worked?" The captain said, "I was certain you
were a demon, even though I thought I was prepared for it. Amazing!"
They all agreed. One was still shaking. I said with a friendly grin,
"Now you know why I didn't use a mirror." Some chuckles.
We were all in uniform when I let the boss wake up. We were silent
when they took him into the bedroom and tied him to the chair. They
took off the tape over his mouth. He was silent. The tech came in and
set up his video camera. I, with all my special gear on, sat in the
chair in front of him. I addressed him by his name, and even named his
parents and siblings. He tried not to show fear. I said, "Some of your
friends have already talked. That's why we knew you would be here, and
when, and why. And that you would have the atomic bombs with you. Did I
make a good heating repair man?" Silence. I said, "That's alright. You
don't have to talk. We know all about it. My associates have heard some
stories about my interrogation methods, and are half eager to see them,
and half dreading to see them. I think they would be disappointed if
you talked too soon. Myself, I don't care. Soul eaters never care." He
tried to hide his mounting fear.
I said, "I know your kind. You think you will attain Paradise by
killing the innocent. It never ceases to amaze me how you can believe
that, when the Koran says that is not so. Even I may not kill the
innocent, or eat their souls. That's why I really dislike them to be
killed before they can become evil and so proper food. And you were
going to kill them. That's bad. Very bad. Do you know what happens to a
soul when it doesn't attain Paradise, and is eaten by a demon? It
suffers through all eternity. Yes, all that mankind suffers, those
souls suffer in death. Christians call it Damnation. Tell me, who is
becoming very hungry, have you ever harmed an innocent?" He tried to
resist, but my mental commands to answer me, and with the truth, forced
him to say, "Only by accident! I swear it!" I said, "But the thought is
almost as good as the deed. I am SO hungry. I think I'll have a little
taste." I raised my hands and he screamed. I said, "But I haven't even
started yet. Cowards are NOT very amusing. Now I suppose you want to
confess everything. Even promise to tell others not to do it. Please
don't. I haven't eaten in a while, and you are here, right in front of
me. So easy to reach, I can almost taste..."
He said, in a rush of desperate words, "If I confess and tell others
that Allah does not countenance the killing of the innocent, and that
those who do so for any reason, will suffer for all eternity, will you
not do what you said?" I switched everything on and growled, "DO NOT DO
THAT!" His eyes almost popped out of his head, and he fainted. I turned
everything off, and said to the tech, "He fainted! A little too much
fake demon?" He gulped and said, "Sir, if I hadn't seen you put that
makeup on, and those prosthetics, I would have fainted before he did.
Even then, I almost did!" I said, "Quiet now. He should be waking up
soon." We waited. He moved and looked up. I said in a pleasant voice,
"You fainted. You saw how I looked, and you fainted. Fear has a
different taste than hate. If I can't have both, I'll settle for one. A
little taste before the full meal. Please scream." I turned into a
demon again, and he stiffened up in horror. I stood, and he screamed. I
said, "Good first effort. Thank you." He said, "I confess! I intended
to use atomic bombs to blow up cities! I was wrong to want to kill the
innocent. Allah forbids that!" I said, "It's good that you don't
believe that. Thank you." I stepped closer, "But I do believe it. it
was stupid of me not to. I listened to the wrong people. They were
wrong. It's right there in the Koran!"
I turned off my demon, and said, "If only I could make you change
your mind. Well, I'll be watching you. If you don't fully confess, and
tell all about any who were involved in your plot, and of any others
who have or are planning to harm the innocent, or if you tell the
public about me, I will do with you as I will. Still, when you die, you
might be demon food yet. You will have to work hard to earn escape from
that. I doubt that you will. So, if you are going to do what you said,
you should start now. My Earthly employers would like that. You know
what they want to hear. I will send in another to hear it. I want to go
console my disappointment elsewhere." He was still looking at me in
horror when I walked out the door.
Those outside had been monitoring what was going on in the bedroom on
the tablets, and had some reluctance to look at me when I came out. I
said, "Captain, he's all yours." He nodded, and started to go in. I
whispered fiercely, "These contacts HURT! I'm taking them out. See you
later." I walked fast to the bathroom. I removed all my effects. I went
back into the living room, and said, "Why are you all staring at me?
Did I forget something?" One said, "Er, no sir! I think we are still in
shock about what happened in there. Would you, er do you, er, is any of
that true?" I said, "We will only know that for real, after we die. But
what I said, in slightly different words, is what is in most religions,
and is similar to what Stephen said. If one were to play it safe, one
would act is if it's true. After all, what could that hurt?" That
earned some thoughtful nods.
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Grant
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