- Monarch?
- But isn’t that a kind of a butterfly?
- All this investment spent on a research based on studies of a butterfly?
- Make no mistake. The research is very serious and the results are guaranteed...
- Says who? We have not started the production yet and we do not know if the results are guaranteed. Who can trust that, as a fact?
- Well, I can!
The board of directors was divided. On the one hand, the investors and management were confused and thought they bet the wrong horse. They felt that they had been deceived... and very!
On the other hand, the Managing Director was absolutely sure of the origins and outcome of the research and was sure he would be very rich. He knew better than the others, but he could not really reveal where such a cast-iron certainty came from.
He remembered the day he met the strange little man for the first time.
***
Looking like a very unusual character of a cartoon, the little man was practically an albino; a strange mixture of an alien with any hominid, to say the least. He seemed to be coming out of a science fiction movie, with his pale skin and big head, inconsistent with the shrivelled body.
- I'll send the capsule through a rift in time, in what will be perceived as a week from now. Until then, we will not talk again. That will be the signal to start the negotiations. This operation must be kept confidential until we are sure we will not raise any unwanted suspicions.
- It's fair. If the capsule is not delivered, we have no business and life will go on normally and without any further problems.
- I do not ask you to believe anything, without the necessary proof. Here is the key to opening the capsule. Without it, it is only a metallic sphere, found in the ocean. There's no other way to open it...
- Why is it going to be thrown into the ocean? You could deliver it elsewhere... anywhere...
- Because of its size. Furthermore the ocean will serve as a good shock absorber. On dry land, it would draw too much attention and could suffer damage when hitting the ground. The sample will be contained in a small and properly protected container.
- If the sample comes in a small container, why do you need a large capsule?
The little man smiled. His face seemed unaccustomed to sympathy. His countenance was serious again, almost immediately.
- Because the sample will not be the only thing that will be sent inside the capsule.
- Because the sample will not be the only thing that will be sent inside the capsule.
***
The young men moved toward the exit, not looking back. Outside the Campus, a great confusion of loud siren sounds began to shriek through the streets and toward them. Inside the precincts, the fire was destroying everything that once had been the research laboratory. The two went the opposite way and entered the first subway station, without talking and without looking back.
As they passed the ticket control to the platforms, they saw that a carriage had just arrived and they entered it, without hesitation. They were in a hurry to get out of there as soon as possible.
On the surface, the chaos was snowballing, despite of being late at night. In addition to the firefighters, police officers and security teams from the Campus, an influx of curious also crowded the place.
In the underground, the subway cars were moving in controlled speed, going farther and farther from the region where the University was built.
The young man wearing glasses broke the silence after a while. He was still pale and nervous.
- What was that?
- I still don’t know. But that was really scary.
- Indeed. I still feel that cold hand on my shoulder. I'm afraid of what I saw. Where did he come from? He looked like coming out of a sci-fi movie!
The other man tried to smile, but he was too worried to play with what had just happened.
- He must have probably left before the fire brigade and the policemen arrived. He must not have waited for anyone to disappear, or he would have to explain quite a lot. I don’t believe that any explanation would be easy to be given, anyway.
- And what will we do now? We will never find answers to our doubts and we won’t be able to confirm our theories. We lost the opportunity...
- Maybe not... I think we're going back to see our mystery man somehow... I still do not know how, but I think he might have answers.
- Oh no! Here we go, again!
As they passed the ticket control to the platforms, they saw that a carriage had just arrived and they entered it, without hesitation. They were in a hurry to get out of there as soon as possible.
On the surface, the chaos was snowballing, despite of being late at night. In addition to the firefighters, police officers and security teams from the Campus, an influx of curious also crowded the place.
In the underground, the subway cars were moving in controlled speed, going farther and farther from the region where the University was built.
The young man wearing glasses broke the silence after a while. He was still pale and nervous.
- What was that?
- I still don’t know. But that was really scary.
- Indeed. I still feel that cold hand on my shoulder. I'm afraid of what I saw. Where did he come from? He looked like coming out of a sci-fi movie!
The other man tried to smile, but he was too worried to play with what had just happened.
- He must have probably left before the fire brigade and the policemen arrived. He must not have waited for anyone to disappear, or he would have to explain quite a lot. I don’t believe that any explanation would be easy to be given, anyway.
- And what will we do now? We will never find answers to our doubts and we won’t be able to confirm our theories. We lost the opportunity...
- Maybe not... I think we're going back to see our mystery man somehow... I still do not know how, but I think he might have answers.
- Oh no! Here we go, again!
***
The news came in large lettering, on the front page of the best-selling newspaper in the country: “N.M.E. being investigated, due to changes in food genetics”.
The article featured details of genetic alterations that led to chemical dependence, as in the so-called illegal drugs. The same was true about the industrialization of medicines at a later stage of the company's business, which was also suspected of addicting users. Their consumption had skyrocketed, leading to suspicions that there was something going on in the company, to have the results increased exponentially, in such a short time and without obvious marketing strategies.
The young man wearing glasses handed the newspaper out to his friend, after carefully reading all the published article.
- I knew there was something very wrong.
- But we could not prove anything, not even find any hint of evidence after the incident with the University laboratory. These people are dangerous and merciless.
- After all this time, the only thing I remember was that those holidays were over too soon. Besides, we only wasted our time and money, in addition to the confusions in which we were involved in.
- Well... And we did not even meet that strange looking little man again... What if...?
The young man looked at his friend, after that incomplete question, knowing that apparently his head was working at high speed, as it always was, when he was planning something. More than a year had passed since the two returned from those holidays, which were totally spoiled by unusual and unwelcome circumstances.
Life in the barracks returned to normal, but the adventure left an unresolved and unfinished taste in the situation. Time had made it easier to let go of that feeling, but now those news brought some light back to everything again.
- What do you think if we got back there?
- Are you insane? That is no longer our business. I wonder if that ever was. Let the police take care of them. We cannot do anything anymore.
- I don’t know, no... They are criminals and the papers only mention the frauds related to the food and medicines, which we’d also come to suspect. They’ve never associated the company with the crime against the two boys who were killed, innocently, in our place... or to the laboratory explosion. I wonder why?
- Oh my God!
The article featured details of genetic alterations that led to chemical dependence, as in the so-called illegal drugs. The same was true about the industrialization of medicines at a later stage of the company's business, which was also suspected of addicting users. Their consumption had skyrocketed, leading to suspicions that there was something going on in the company, to have the results increased exponentially, in such a short time and without obvious marketing strategies.
The young man wearing glasses handed the newspaper out to his friend, after carefully reading all the published article.
- I knew there was something very wrong.
- But we could not prove anything, not even find any hint of evidence after the incident with the University laboratory. These people are dangerous and merciless.
- After all this time, the only thing I remember was that those holidays were over too soon. Besides, we only wasted our time and money, in addition to the confusions in which we were involved in.
- Well... And we did not even meet that strange looking little man again... What if...?
The young man looked at his friend, after that incomplete question, knowing that apparently his head was working at high speed, as it always was, when he was planning something. More than a year had passed since the two returned from those holidays, which were totally spoiled by unusual and unwelcome circumstances.
Life in the barracks returned to normal, but the adventure left an unresolved and unfinished taste in the situation. Time had made it easier to let go of that feeling, but now those news brought some light back to everything again.
- What do you think if we got back there?
- Are you insane? That is no longer our business. I wonder if that ever was. Let the police take care of them. We cannot do anything anymore.
- I don’t know, no... They are criminals and the papers only mention the frauds related to the food and medicines, which we’d also come to suspect. They’ve never associated the company with the crime against the two boys who were killed, innocently, in our place... or to the laboratory explosion. I wonder why?
- Oh my God!
***
- I do not want to be involved in a scandal of this magnitude. It was not for this that I sold you the formula. They will end up digging out quite a lot and coming up to find me. This will not end well.
- Why does that bother you? What I do with the result of the research and the modifications, which we have worked so hard to implement, is only on my account and, of course, on the company.
- I left my exile because I did not agree with the way things have gone so far. The intention was different from the beginning... and I told you this...
- You should not have come back here. Our contract was closed a long time ago. I paid dearly for all this. And I'm only reaping the dividends...
- Dividends? Using the formula to manufacture drugs to slow aging and selling the product for millions of Euros, to only a few tycoons who are afraid to die, is not only to reap dividends, in my opinion. The humanity…
- Who cares about humanity? These poor beings do not even know why they are still on this planet... They do not deserve the ground they tread on! I will not change a millimetre of what I have achieved so far, because of your scruples. They did not exist when we signed the agreement and we closed the contract. Why are you so concerned, now? As far as I know, you destroyed an entire planet, with all the inhabitants still living there...
- All but one... two... to tell you the truth. But that was a desperate move. There was no hope for that planet...
- Neither for this one! What's done is done. It's my decision. And do not worry. They will never reach you. Not where you're going to...
- Is it? But I'm not going to tell you where I'm going to...
- I'll tell you! And you're not going to get out of my sight...
The man opened a drawer and took an automatic weapon from inside it, pointed it at the strange little man, and fired. The only projectile thrown by the muffler in the gun barrel hit the other man well in the middle of the forehead. A fatal shot, with little blood spilled.
The director called security and waited.
- Do what I told you to do. And have it cleaned up before anyone asks questions. I want the body of this humanoid embalmed and deposited inside that capsule, so that no one ever finds traces of what happened here. And have the damn capsule installed in the middle of that garden, where I can keep my eyes on it every single day...
The head of security nodded, called the men and did as he was told to, without questioning and without hesitation.
At that hour of the night there was hardly anyone in the company. They had all the time and freedom to do what was necessary without arousing further suspicions.
- Why does that bother you? What I do with the result of the research and the modifications, which we have worked so hard to implement, is only on my account and, of course, on the company.
- I left my exile because I did not agree with the way things have gone so far. The intention was different from the beginning... and I told you this...
- You should not have come back here. Our contract was closed a long time ago. I paid dearly for all this. And I'm only reaping the dividends...
- Dividends? Using the formula to manufacture drugs to slow aging and selling the product for millions of Euros, to only a few tycoons who are afraid to die, is not only to reap dividends, in my opinion. The humanity…
- Who cares about humanity? These poor beings do not even know why they are still on this planet... They do not deserve the ground they tread on! I will not change a millimetre of what I have achieved so far, because of your scruples. They did not exist when we signed the agreement and we closed the contract. Why are you so concerned, now? As far as I know, you destroyed an entire planet, with all the inhabitants still living there...
- All but one... two... to tell you the truth. But that was a desperate move. There was no hope for that planet...
- Neither for this one! What's done is done. It's my decision. And do not worry. They will never reach you. Not where you're going to...
- Is it? But I'm not going to tell you where I'm going to...
- I'll tell you! And you're not going to get out of my sight...
The man opened a drawer and took an automatic weapon from inside it, pointed it at the strange little man, and fired. The only projectile thrown by the muffler in the gun barrel hit the other man well in the middle of the forehead. A fatal shot, with little blood spilled.
The director called security and waited.
- Do what I told you to do. And have it cleaned up before anyone asks questions. I want the body of this humanoid embalmed and deposited inside that capsule, so that no one ever finds traces of what happened here. And have the damn capsule installed in the middle of that garden, where I can keep my eyes on it every single day...
The head of security nodded, called the men and did as he was told to, without questioning and without hesitation.
At that hour of the night there was hardly anyone in the company. They had all the time and freedom to do what was necessary without arousing further suspicions.
***
- Turn on the TV. They're showing something you're going to want to see.
- What's that?
The young man turned on the TV. The news showed a story about a certain major drug producer that previously produced only food. An investigation led to the discovery of a series of incidents, all associated with the director of N.M.E., including a crime against two boys in the north of the country.
The investigation pointed to the company's chief of security, who after many contradictions in the testimony he gave, eventually yielded and confessed to such a crime. The director was still under investigation and the police had just arrived at his office with a prison sentence against him.
High paid lawyers were working to get a habeas corpus, but they did not have time to stop the man being arrested and taken to the police station.
The TV camera showed the man being approached by the police while he was still in the company's inner park. It was evident that he kept his eyes on a strange object planted in the middle of the well-kept garden. A large metal sphere, all sealed, lay, like a monument or a trophy, in the centre of that garden, lined with concentric rows of asclepias planted in a harmonious geometric pattern.
The two young men were static. They knew that sphere very well.
- What the hell!
The report went on.
When the police car arrived at the police station, with the cameras all around, recording the event, the TV showed the man being dragged, apparently unconscious, towards the building. An ambulance was already waiting, with the paramedics ready to provide immediate care.
A reporter announced that the man had been killed on the spot. Another aired that he poisoned himself, en route, to avoid the consequences of the arrest, confirming what the first journalist suspected.
The image of the camera was fixed on the ambulance's white van. On the steering wheel, to the shock of the two young men watching, a very pale and strange-looking man took the car away from the police station and from the confusion that the reporters and curious people had just witnessed.
- What's that?
The young man turned on the TV. The news showed a story about a certain major drug producer that previously produced only food. An investigation led to the discovery of a series of incidents, all associated with the director of N.M.E., including a crime against two boys in the north of the country.
The investigation pointed to the company's chief of security, who after many contradictions in the testimony he gave, eventually yielded and confessed to such a crime. The director was still under investigation and the police had just arrived at his office with a prison sentence against him.
High paid lawyers were working to get a habeas corpus, but they did not have time to stop the man being arrested and taken to the police station.
The TV camera showed the man being approached by the police while he was still in the company's inner park. It was evident that he kept his eyes on a strange object planted in the middle of the well-kept garden. A large metal sphere, all sealed, lay, like a monument or a trophy, in the centre of that garden, lined with concentric rows of asclepias planted in a harmonious geometric pattern.
The two young men were static. They knew that sphere very well.
- What the hell!
The report went on.
When the police car arrived at the police station, with the cameras all around, recording the event, the TV showed the man being dragged, apparently unconscious, towards the building. An ambulance was already waiting, with the paramedics ready to provide immediate care.
A reporter announced that the man had been killed on the spot. Another aired that he poisoned himself, en route, to avoid the consequences of the arrest, confirming what the first journalist suspected.
The image of the camera was fixed on the ambulance's white van. On the steering wheel, to the shock of the two young men watching, a very pale and strange-looking man took the car away from the police station and from the confusion that the reporters and curious people had just witnessed.
