Divisions, James Gerard [simple ebook reader .txt] 📗

noticed our friend looks a bit tired and is in need of rest.  In lieu of a speech will you please join me in a moment of silence to reflect on our gratefulness, our sincere wishes for a long and healthy retirement, our thanks, and to scream out in silence just how much he will be missed.”

 

Tears welled up in the eyes as Paul became overwhelmed at the sight of bowed heads and the sound of utter silence.

 

“Now, I have provided an abundant supply of both food and wine for all and I ask all of you—at least those over thirty years of age—to revive your youthful enthusiasm and explore the wonders of your new library.”

 

Paul acknowledged the brief applause with a smile and a wave and watched the guests disperse in all directions throughout the library.  He looked to Jeffrey coming down the steps of the podium and wondered if what had just happened were a well-conceived getaway to relieve the burden of responding in a heartfelt manner or if the event had come about spontaneously with nothing but good intentions in mind.  But either way, he could not deny the relief that ran through the thoughts.

 

“Well Doctor Hatford,” said Jeffrey, “it appears that our presence is no longer needed.”

 

Paul smiled.  “I suppose it is not.”

 

“Then, there is an important matter I wish to discuss.  Would you mind coming with me.”

 

Jeffrey led Paul over to the cloak room.  As the attendant retrieved their winter wear, Paul wondered about the request.  He reasoned that the only matters that were of importance dealt with the research he had been involved with but had came to an end.  If the topic broached upon the continuance of future contributions, he believed it would be Jeffrey’s attempt to gauge the value of both the staff and university’s ability to break through the barriers still blocking successful eradication of all diseases, abnormalities, and physical trauma suffered by the brain.

 

Stepping outside the flashing lights from two police cruisers struck Paul’s eyes.  Before he could inquire about the police presence, a young man came running up the library steps and stood beside Jeffrey.

 

“Doctor Hatford, this is my great grandson Troy.  As a matter of discretion, he has volunteered his services as my personal assistant and driver this evening.”

 

“Your great grandson?” remarked Paul.

 

“I like to keep things in the family,” responded Jeffrey.

 

“Well, it is a pleasure to meet you young man.”

 

Troy nodded his head, took a hold of his great grandfather’s arm, then helped him to safely descend the steps.

 

Without a word, Paul hobbled his way behind the two to a sedan sitting idle between the two cruisers.  While Troy helped Jeffrey safely maneuver into the back seat, Paul shuffled around to the other side and entered the car.

 

A short blast of a siren and the caravan was off.

 

“So Jeffrey, may I ask what this is all about?”

 

“If you would not mind Doctor Hatford, please fasten your seatbelt—at my age as well as yours precaution is needed at every step I’m afraid.”

 

“Of course.  Precaution is always preferred.”

 

“You and I share a common desire,” said Jeffrey.

 

“A common desire you say.  And what would that be?”

 

Jeffrey broke off the eye contact and stared at the back of the front seat. “Why the culprit that destroyed our fathers.”

 

Paul examined Jeffrey’s profile seeking a hint as to his knowledge of his father’s infirmary, but the transition between light and dark created by quickly passing under street lights left any hint in the dark.   “You have knowledge about my father?”

 

“I do.”

 

“You know he was ravaged by Alzheimer’s disease?”

 

“Yes,” answered Jeffrey with a sigh.  “I know it was your primary motivation behind your chosen profession.  It is also the reason why I have been so generous to the university.  Alzheimer’s disease is our common foe Doctor, not only for what it did to our fathers, but for fear we may also fall prey to it as well.  I do not have to tell you with your extensive wealth of knowledge that it can come upon us at anytime based on heredity.”

 

“I see,” said Paul.  “But Jeffrey, I feel confident that at our age the threat is over.  If we have not succumbed to it by now we never will.”

 

“I am afraid Doctor I cannot share your optimism.” 

 

“Then may I assume that this is the important matter you wish to discuss?”

 

“Discuss?  No.  Show you?  Yes.”

 

“Show me?  May I ask where you are taking me?”

 

“Not so much a matter of where Doctor Hatford, but when.  I am afraid that my time is running out just as I and my associates are on the verge of something so wonderful.  And, naturally, I very much would like to witness the end results.  And, I very much would like the same for you.”

 

“What exactly do you want to show me Jeffrey?”

 

“Why the renewing of a mind Doctor Hatford.”

 

Just as Paul formulated his next question, the lead cruiser veered to the left and Troy came to a slow and steady stop.  He parked in front of a barricade guarding a length of street manned with laborers and heavy equipment digging up the asphalt.  Curiously, a man, the headlights reflecting off a yellow vest and hardhat, abandoned his work station and came running towards them and lifted a barricade to the side. He then waved the car in.

 

Troy brought the car to a stop in front of what looked like an abandoned building.  The blinding light from halogen lamps illuminated what looked to be the building’s former strength of its brick exterior now scarred and pitted and cracked and faded.  Splintered and peeling planks of plywood covered the openings where windows once existed.   Its outer perimeter was shielded by an iron gate topped with razor wire.

 

Troy stepped out and opened the door for his great grandfather.  Paul stepped out onto the sidewalk.  Wondering why they had stopped at such a dilapidated location, he looked around and caught a glimpse of Troy and Jeffrey walking towards a gap between the abandoned warehouse and the adjacent building. 

 

Reaching the gap, Paul saw Troy open a locked gate that led to an entrance to the crumbly building.  He wanted to ask Jeffrey what they were doing before entering, but the pounding of jackhammers and the backhoe grinding its bucket against the impacted rock and soil was near deafening.

 

Paul came behind the two and watched Jeffrey step up to and touch a splintered door with an odd looking device.  A sequence of thuds sounded out over the rumblings of the road equipment.  Troy then reached over his great grandfather and pushed the door open.

 

The halogen lamps poured in light through the cracks of the boarded up window frames and revealed the empty space.  With an ample supply of light pouring in, Paul could see a cloud of dust kicked up from the vibrations created by the heavy machines.  The area seemed to have been unoccupied for years as the bare walls exposed the wood studs and system of pipes.  All of a sudden, a downstream of dirt sprinkled upon the top of his head.  He looked up to see a pigeon frantically launch itself with flapping wings through a hole in the ceiling.

 

“What is this place?”

 

“Just part of the building we purchased years ago.  It adjoins our main facilities just on the other side of that wall.”

 

“The purpose of the facility?”

 

“A purpose you might be very interested in Doctor Hatford.  In brief, just to satisfy your curiosity for now, I will let you know that my associates and I operate a private research facility that is operated on the outside of the mainstream medical research community, which you must admit can be rather restrictive and burdensome with strict restrictions and regulations in regards to medical research.”

 

“May I ask why would you need to circumvent research protocol?”

 

“It is not a matter of circumventing standard practices Doctor Hatford, but a matter of operating independently while merely bending moral and ethical issues.”

 

Paul stepped up to Jeffrey and calmly asked, “In other words, a violation of standards.”

 

“Oh please Doctor Hatford, do not be alarmed.  We are not insensitive monsters.  We just find that manipulating such ethical boundaries leads to leaps that otherwise could not be accomplished.”

 

“And why am I here?”

 

“All I will tell you tonight is that very shortly an associate of mine will contact you.  You will be asked to participate in a research project intent on once and for all eliminating our common enemy.  Of course, I understand you are now a retired man, but what you will be offered will be that of a mere advisor.  Your participation will be limited in that capacity.”

 

“Do you understand Jeffrey that my physical strength has been sapped to a point where I look forward to basking in the twilight of my remaining years.  I am ready for a restful and peaceful end.”

 

“Yes Doctor, I do understand, but I implore you to just talk with my associate.   Maybe you will discover a newfound passion for what we are near to accomplishing.”

 

Paul hesitated to answer.  He realized that while he could disguise the aches and pains that were a constant companion to the body, his declining mental faculties would be difficult to hide.  And while he had no doubt the mind could handle whatever they required as long as his role was in a limited capacity, just the thought of rigorously handling any physical or mental activity was in itself exhausting.  But from what Jeffrey had mentioned, Paul found it too tantalizing of opportunity to ignore completely.  He realized the curiosity had to be satisfied.  “I will agree to meet with him.”

 

“Good.”

 

“May I ask why I am meeting with your associate and not you?”

 

“As I said Doctor, my time is running out.  I cannot say with any certainty that we will ever meet again, therefore I am just exercising caution.  However, Doctor Hatford, if we do meet again that is when I will give you the key to that door over there.  It leads directly into our facility.”

 

“Are you to say….?”

 

“No Doctor, that is not the main entrance…it is an entrance nonetheless that you must see.”

 

Troy spoke up, “We should be going.”

 

Paul walked along Jeffrey as he hobbled out of the building.  Just before the door closed, he took one more look inside and wondered what had just happened.  But the long, drawn out evening had taken a toll on the mental strength and not another word was spoken on the long ride home.

 

Slumber was first and foremost on the mind. He figured any questions concerning what Jeffrey had discussed could wait until contact with the associate.

 

A Strange Sighting

 Paul drifted into consciousness at the ringing of the telephone perched on the nightstand to the left.  A deep penetrating yawn awakened the lungs and heart providing just enough energy for the hands to rub the tired feelings out of the eyes.  He looked at the ringing phone with confusion and figured the caller was calling to find out why he was running late to the university’s research facilities.  He realized they must have forgotten about the retirement.   

 

With much effort, the old body finally kicked into gear and the legs were maneuvered over the side of the bed with the feet flopping on the floor.  Reaching to the right he picked up the receiver