The Audric Experiment

  “He was rooting around in the stuff down the hall for like a half hour before he left.”

  Paul finished feeding Anna the bowl of oatmeal and then spent ten minutes going through Edmond’s office and Pierre’s things. He came back into the bedroom carrying the briefcase full of money. He counted it in front of Anna.

  “Where’d you get that?” She asked.

  “In Pierre’s closet. I guess Saad left it here. It’s like six hundred pounds.” He removed the money. Then he said, “Oh. What’s this?” He pulled out a sheet of paper that had been buried under the money. It had a set of numbers and letters on it. There were twenty eight of them. He read the first six or so.

  35. C

  36. A

  37. B

  38. C

  39. D

  40. A

  Paul said, “This could be it. This could be the code. I’m calling Southwick. They can enter this in the computer and we can get you freed.”

  ****

  Pierre walked out of the elevator and saw the bottom floor of the Sanitarium had been converted into an American courtroom. Apparently, everyone who had been involved in Pierre’s life over the course of the past couple weeks had been summoned. Dot was seated on a bench five rows back from the front. She made eye contact with him, then glanced at Devin, shaking her head in warning. Pierre understood. He saw his parents.

  He walked up to them and hugged his father. “We’re all right,” Edmond said. Then Cloud hugged him.

  Pierre sat next to them on the bench. A man walked up to Pierre. Pierre didn’t recognize him.

  “Pierre?” The man said.

  Pierre nodded.

  “John Warwick. The lead screenwriter.”

  “Oh. How is the programming going?” Pierre said as he shook his hand.

  “We’re done. We’ve got cameras on the courtroom. We need what we call a voice print signature though.”

  Barnaby Brown entered clad in a Judges gown. “All rise,” he said.

  Warwick sat next to Pierre and whispered, “When this is over.”

  Everyone stood up having seen these proceedings on the television enough times to know the basics. Pierre turned and saw David Thindrel, Ethan Chadwick, and Rio. Henry Alexander and Jerry Gray entered together. Then here came Theo Hendrick escorting Saad Price. They all looked straight-faced.

  Barnaby Brown seemed to sense that. “I suppose everyone is nervous they’ve done something illegal. Given the lack of precedent in Audric’s crime free society, we will not be making any arrests. These proceedings are meant to clarify some of the confusion that seems to be surrounding Pierre Morena. That’s why you’ve been summoned here. I trust everyone will be honest. The sooner we can get this over with the sooner we can all get on with our lives.” Barnaby Brown surveyed them, then his eyes came to rest on Pierre. “The first question we need to answer is why it took the Audric Earnings Authority so long to bring Pierre to justice.”

  Hendrick stood up. “Mr. Brown. When the Audric Earnings Authority investigated Pierre’s fall from the thirteenth floor of the Atheneum after David Thindrel reported it to them they found Saad Price’s fingerprints on the edges of the window.”

  Barnaby nodded, noticing the stiff tone. “Okay. Mr. Price. Why were your fingerprints on the window?”

  Saad didn’t stand. “Devin asked me to put the bookmark in the book and highlight the Frederick Nietzsche quote then break the window and also, put my fingerprints on the edges.”

  “Why did you do that, Mr. Snitch?”

  Devin said, “We needed Pierre’s to help us distribute the Grease. Pierre was our best bet. I planned it all perfectly.”

  “Well, it looks like you’ve gotten your way. All of Audric is using the Grease. You must be millionaires.”

  Devin chuckled. “Yes. We are.”

  Barnaby Brown nodded. “David Thindrel called The London Times and told them about the fall. Trying to cover for using the GSKT 2300 on Pierre, I gather? Audric Earnings Authority corroborated the truth of the fall when The London Times talked to them as the computer thought Saad and Pierre were the same person,” Barnaby said. “Devin was going to tell the Audric Earnings Authority otherwise but David knows something about Devin that almost no one knows.”

  David Thindrel stood up. “I’m the bearer of some privileged information.”

  “And what information is that?” Barnaby said.

  “I value my life, your honor. I won’t tell,” David said.

  Barnaby nodded. “If you value your life you will tell. This courtroom needs to hear the truth.”

  David was silent for a short while. Then he said, “Devin Snitch has an acceptor. I told him if he revealed me as the administrator of the GSKT 2300, I’d tell everyone. Devin did all this for the money. He’s a proven genius.”

  Barnaby smiled. “I see. It seems that Dot Hawkings scanned Pierre’s funds card and her own as a freelance seducer the night Pierre stayed at Helter. I’d like to know why she did this.”

  Dot stood up. “Hey, Mr. Brown. I did it so Harbinger would think we were sleeping together. I knew he’d find out and then tell Devin not to harm us. Devin would have killed us otherwise.”

  “Devin. Did Harbinger tell you not to harm Dot and Pierre?”

  Devin nodded. “I was further persuaded by Pierre’s lack of Audric Compliance which I found intriguing.”

  “Nothing wrong with a lack of Audric Compliance,” Barnaby said. “But I found it intriguing as well. Mr. Morena? When Ethan Chadwick told you about a supposed bet between the two of you, you went along with it with distrust in Audric’s fairness. Tell us about that.”

  Pierre stood up, his tone stiff like everyone’s was. “My attempted murder wasn’t being seriously investigated. I didn’t know why.”

  “Was this the first instance of doubt?”

  “Yes,” Pierre said.

  “Mr. Chadwick. Why did you create this bluff, this non-existent bet?”

  Ethan stood up. “I thought I could blackmail Pierre.”

  “To do what?” Barnaby asked.

  Ethan didn’t say anything for a long time and turned

  red-faced. “To kiss me.”

  Barnaby found this amusing as well. “I see. Pierre

  only has two years to live. Unless he kills Devin Snitch. Is there any other option?”

  Devin said, “No. There isn’t.”

  “You don’t seem to have much remorse about this, Mr. Snitch.”

  Devin nodded. “None.”

  “There will be no arrests. But I am faced with a conundrum. Pierre has two years to live and Devin is a millionaire. I see no reason to reward greed and selfishness. On the other hand, Pierre has handled himself exemplary in this situation. So it is the judgment of the court to deal with this matter here. And here alone. Pierre, the bailiff is holding an operative weapon. Why don’t you do us all a favor and end this.”

  ****

  Chester, Gordy, and Max were seated with Toll in the control room, the video of the courtroom displayed to all of them. Most of the agents had stopped their daily tasks in favor of viewing the enormous screen that was now showing the conclusion of the Pierre Morena drama. The agents watched shocked and enraptured now that Barnaby Brown had showed his full hand.

  Chester’s cell-phone rang. He picked up. “Chester Higgs.”

  Paul Little had found Chester’s number in Edmond’s number guide. “Chester. This is Paul Little. Don’t hang up. I’m not calling about Julie. I?
??m calling because we think we’ve found the code that gets Anna Lee out of the ER Marine Machine. Are you in the control room?”

  Chester turned on the speaker phone. “Yeah. Where’d you find it?”

  Max and Gordy turned their attention to the call.

  “Saad Price left some money in Pierre’s home. We think he gave us the code.”

  “Why would he give you the code?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe he had a change of heart. It’s twenty eight entries.”

  Gordy looked at Chester. “The code Pierre found was twenty nine entries,” Gordy said uneasy. “Give it to Max. He can figure out what the letters are. He’s a speed reader, remember?”

  Max was listening intently. “Get me a copy of The Rewarding Gamble.”

  ****

  “He won’t be able to kill me, Mr. Brown,” Devin said. “His brain wants to keep the knowledge from the GSKT 2300.”

  “I don’t believe I’m the only judge of that, Mr. Snitch. We have almost ten people here who know Pierre and are willing to help. We’re all witness to what you’ve done to Audric in pursuit of your own agenda. Rio Lacatena? I believe she was summoned as well.”

  Rio called out. “Yes. I’m here.”

  “Stand up, Miss Lacatena.”

  She stood.

  “I have it on good authority that you have had relations with both Saad Price and Pierre Morena. Is this true?”

  “Yes,” Rio said.

  “I believe we can subvert the dream that has become Pierre’s primary metaphor. Will the Audric Earnings Authority bring Mr. Snitch to the front of this courtroom.”

  “I don’t need them,” Devin said as he walked to the front of the room.

  “Bailiff,” Barnaby said. “Please remove your firearm. Hand it to Pierre. Mr. Saad Price. How did things go with Miss Lacatena?”

  Saad nodded. “Fine. I guess.”

  Rio pursed her lips. Barnaby noticed. Saad did too, but unlike Barnaby didn’t smile.

  “Miss Lacatena, who do you see as the right person for Elijah Harbinger to select to speak to the world about the success or failure of Audric? Especially seeing as Saad Price has locked a girl in an ER Marine Machine.”

  The bailiff handed his firearm to Pierre and Pierre walked to the front of the room.

  “Pierre is the right choice,” Rio said. “He always has been.”

  “Right about now,” Barnaby said to Pierre, “You should experience a waking dream. You are beginning to associate the dream with this situation. The dream is dominating your awareness. Let me know when it kicks in.”

 

  Pierre momentarily wondered if Brown had credentials as a hypnotist, and then saw the dream he’d seen in the infirmary in front of him. He saw the dirt covered race track in front of him. He looked down at his stomach. He expected to see a bullet wound there again, but then realized he wasn’t getting shocked. There was no wound. In the distance, past the finish line, he could see Devin Snitch. Like before, he was clad in motorcycle garb. This time, he could see his face. He wasn’t smiling and looked intensely determined. Pierre began to feel dizzy and tried to lift the gun.

  ****

 

  Max was on letter number seven having heard from Toll how to decipher the code in The Rewarding Gamble. So far they had the letters: Elijah H.

  “Same code so far,” Chester said. “Keep going.”

  ****

  Pierre lifted the gun, feeling dizzy, and out of breath. Devin had a little smile on his face, fully convinced Pierre wouldn’t be able to fire a shot. The dream was still, Pierre able to see it in front of him like an image dissolved on another image. Then Pierre began to remember.

  He had looked around at the concrete walls, a puddle of water on the floor, a stack of old file cabinets. He had known where he was: the basement of the Bright Sun Drug Den. He could remember the feel of the tight metal hold of the ER Marine Machine. It had been two days without food or drink. He felt confused and was aware his thinking wasn’t what it usually was. He was colder than he should have been. He asked himself for the countless time if anyone would ever find him. He screamed for help but had already realized no one could hear him. Finally, he had given up, telling the machine to break his ribs and legs. He could remember the pain, falling out of the machine. Oba and Tabansi came in the room, picked him up, and carried him upstairs.

  He looked at Devin. The dream came into his mind again, Edmond saying, “Take the shot,” and Dot full of bullet holes. He’d blown his arm off the last time he’d thought of that. This time he wasn’t holding a Gamblers gun. He lifted the gun, his hand shaking, and turned as something snapped him out of the trance.

  Saad Price was standing next to him. His eyes were bloodshot. “You’re the only Pierre Morena,” he said.

  ****

  Max was on letter number twenty one. It was a different code than the one Pierre had found. So far the code read: Elijah Harbinger starts. There were still seven letters left. They watched an agent type the letters into the computer anxiously waiting. Then they all looked up.

  Above them, one of the tinted black windows opened. They saw a room resembling a twentieth century office. A wooden desk, computer, and high backed chair sat on a plush blue carpet. Chester’s heart beat fast as the chair rotated. Seated in it was Elijah Harbinger. He wore a black sweater, and a plaid shirt underneath, rolled up to the elbows. He had one blue jeaned leg crossed over the other. He stood up and walked towards them.

  “Continue,” he said flatly.

  ****

  Pierre still couldn’t bring himself to shoot. He thought of Devin and what he’d do to Dot after this was over. Devin would kill her with his fists. He thought of Dot full of bullet holes. He thought of the wound in his abdomen during the dream in the infirmary.

  He thought he might be able to bring himself to shoot. His mind felt like it was a thumping heart. He thought of the knowledge from the GSKT 2300. Then he made the decision not to kill Devin. Just wound him. He could bring himself to do that. He lowered the gun and fired the shot. It penetrated Devin’s abdomen. Devin was shocked. He didn’t say anything, Pierre hoped out of wounded pride, and he grimaced in pain. Then he fell on the floor. Pierre’s eyes went to the stamped number and letter on his hand. Devin’s was smudged, either a 39 B or D. It was his room number.

  Then he realized.

  He looked up, clarity overtaking his mind. “The code won’t kill everyone in Audric,” he said under his breath in wonderment. “It will kill everyone here who is in Audric. The letters and numbers are the room letters and numbers.” Pierre turned to look at the back of the room and saw the camera embedded in the wall. They were watching in Southwick. He was sure of it. Devin reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic ball. It didn’t need any introduction. It was a detonator. It was linked up with his acceptor. Pierre had heard of these. When he died if his acceptor was still functioning the detonator would explode killing everyone. The only way the detonator could be deactivated was by turning off Devin’s acceptor. Devin always seemed to be one step ahead.

  Pierre looked at the camera. “Chester,” he said. “Use entry 39D.” That was the entry the third angel in his dream had said last night and the room letter and number on Devin’s hand.

  ****

  Chester turned to Max after Pierre said, “39D.” “What does it say?” Chester asked Max.

  Max said, “It says: Elijah Harbinger starts Leighto. If we use 39D like Pierre said it sp
ells Leighton.”

  “Well, type it in,” Chester said, as he looked up at Elijah Harbinger with hope.

  ****

  Devin closed his eyes and died immediately. The detonator died with him. They had entered the code. Pierre breathed out as a smile crept up his face. He turned to his parents. Then he looked around. If his guess was correct 29 people had just died. Four people on the Audric Earnings Authority were lying on the ground dead. But everyone else in the courtroom was still alive. This meant the code had killed twenty-four other people in the Sanitarium. He turned to Edmond.

  Edmond said, “Do you still have the knowledge?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Edmond stood up and walked towards Pierre. “What is the shape of the Universe?”

  Pierre shook his head as relief coursed through him. He dropped his shoulders. “I have no idea.”

  ****

 

  Chester looked away from the screen and up at Harbinger. “Who did it kill?”

  Harbinger said, “It killed Devin. Everyone in the Sanitarium who is a member of the Audric Earnings Authority. And everyone else can just walk out.” He gestured towards the courtroom. “None of those people consider themselves to be in Audric.” He smiled. “It also freed Anna Lee. Saad found the money too. That was the code he used for the machine. Now Pierre and his family can just leave. Start over.” Harbinger turned around and as he walked away he said, “Here comes my Destiny Proverb. Pierre doesn’t know we are broadcasting the programming to the entire world.”

  ****

  Pierre looked at one of the many cameras stuck to the wall for the programming, stood tall, and gave his voice print signature as John Warwick had instructed him to.

  “I’m Pierre Morena. Some people call me Pure Pierre. And this is my story.”

  Three hours after the programming ended, Hurricane Leighton hit. Southwick released an emergency brief but few took notice as it was not nearly as interesting as the Pierre Morena drama. It was a category 5 storm with winds greater than 150 miles an hour. Dot, Pierre, Cloud, and Edmond decided to stay at Helter, but most of Audric decided to evacuate missing the storm by an hour or so. Southwick was almost annihilated. And Edmond and Cloud got some possessions from their home but later the drone photographs showed their home was no longer inhabitable.