“You’re thinking you’re the longest living man ever. You don’t know that, for sure, Adam.” Tomorrow commented while noting that the screen on the thing he had given her to watch the book had gone dark.
Adam said, “That’s probably the sleep timer. Touch it, if it wakes up it still has power. If not, ‘To Be Continued’.” He gets up and grabs a few more slices and cradles them in paper towels then he heads to the staircase to make his venture to the bedroom they share. Adam looks over at Tomorrow realizing she is angry with him still, if not more so. “I met someone older. I created him, from myself. He’s dead. I’m not, yet. You have a lot to give the world. A lot. I don’t want you dead. I do love you.” He begins ascending the stairs.
“What makes you decide when to click places and when not to?” Tomorrow asks as Adam is a few stairs up in his ascent.
“Instinct. You don’t click everywhere when no one else is around. Had I clicked just then, I wouldn’t have heard that question. I’ve thought about it myself. I think it’s an instinctual thing, which hints that we all know more than we know we know.” Adam replies. Adam pauses on the stair and then looks up to continue and suddenly Tomorrow is there facing him.
“I love you too, Adam. And my instinct says that you should carry me.” She looks at him and then turns from him.
Looking up at her derriere he thinks to himself, “Strange woman, but I love her.” He grabs her underneath her knees and holds out a hand to catch her neck in his hand and continues his ascent carrying her the rest of the way to their bedroom. Then he clicked back to pick up the bassinet with Joy in it and returns. Tomorrow smiles at him as he grins at her.
CHAPTER 32
“You don’t know until you have more than one source of confirmation.” -- from the Book of Joy
“So we’re agreed that you won’t share that weave with anyone for a decade. Then you can get even richer than I am about to make you. I just thought I should mention that if you cross me, I will see your number. Right now I’m thinking it’s fifty-four. That’s not the way any man should suffer before he dies, is it?”
“I told you. If you pay that much, I can make this. I will only make it for you. What is the fifty-four?” The textile producer looked shaken.
“How about you don’t find out and get rich now and then even richer in ten years?” Renfield said.
“That is a fair deal. When will you need this?” Abudaman asked.
“Well we agreed to thirty-nine yards at fifty-four inches. Since that is the most common run, I want sample by tomorrow morning to see if your people can do this.” Renfield points at the complex pattern he has drawn up. “You remember use cotton so it takes to dye and remains flexible.”
“Yes, I remember. You said that two minutes ago. I don’t understand, but for that amount of money I will di what you ask. I will need some of it up front to cover the cost of retooling the looms. This”, he points at the drawing that Renfield was holding, “is not easy to do. It will take several of the looms out of production.”
“Invest in your business. Then you will learn to trust me and I will learn to trust you. Perhaps, we break bread one day.” Renfield replied. Then he slid a stack of bills to the man. “That should cover about half of the cost. So we will be in this venture together, if you want to pick up that stack, meaning in ten years, if you keep your word, I or my heirs get half of the profits.”
Abudaman stares at the stack and considers the terms of picking it up. He notes how confident his customer is. He looks up at Renfield then down at the stack. He pushes it back to Renfield, “You are a very scary man. I would like for this to be a one-time transaction.”
“Suit yourself.” Renfield picks up the stack of bills and says, “I’ll be here in the morning to inspect your work. You’re going to need some coffee.”
As Renfield begins to reach for the stack he sees Abudaman’s hand grab it. “How about fifty-one for me, forty nine for you?”
“Not the deal I offered.” He watches as Abudaman’s hand moves away from the stack. Renfield begins to pick it up. Again the hand snaps out at the stack. Renfield grins.
“Okay. Fifty-fifty. Does a man like you even have any heirs?” Abudaman asks.
“I suppose you will know, in time.” Renfield replies and then steps out on the busy metropolitan street. He looks up at what was once his own office and he grins. Then he moves to an alley, ducks quickly into it an clicks.
Looking at Tomorrow he hears her say, “I hired that seamstress. She is considered the best. She particularly liked the offer of free room. I tried to explain that it did not mean she would have access to the rest of the house and that there is no sun down in that place. What is that all about anyway? Is that more man-cave stuff?”
“Kinda, I guess. It’s damp down there, it’s quite a ways down through stone, but I am guessing that won’t bother her. I have electricity down there now, so it’s well lit with the mystery torches, as you call them.” Adam grins at Tomorrow.
“I get the basic concept of them. There are still plenty of books and I do visit the library I established.” Tomorrow stated. “But why would she want to do that? Is living like that worth what you offered her?”
“Ironic that the girl from below would ask that. She’s a synth from another city like the one you come from. She has no aversion to living below. She does, however, have an aversion to torture. She made a mistake in judgement and pissed off the wrong people, so she’s making a wise choice on her own behalf. When she is done what she is working on, you will be happy about the arrangement to. However, I do think we should consider her human and feed her well.”
“Okay. With the ‘plumbing’ done at least it won’t smell down there and she’ll have access to fresh water. Note that it hasn’t gone past me that you surveyed this spot more than you let on. That water table so conveniently placed? I know I wanted this too, but part of me feels talked into it.” Tomorrow floats her cynicism about all of it again.
“If I had really had my say, Tomorrow, we would live out our days in a different time.” Adam responded. Adam turned as he felt the presence approach. He kneeled down and said, “Hey, Joy!”
“Hi, Daddy. I want a grape.” Joy responded while wiping the sleep from her eyes.
Adam swooped her up into his arms and clicked, “Which one?” His arm moved out in an arc to demonstrate to her how many there were in this vineyard.
Joy giggled and said, “You’re silly, Daddy.” Then feeling as if their might actually be a difference her eyes studied the grapes. Then she pointed, “This one.”
Adam held her up to reach out for it. Joy grabbed the grape that grabbed her attention and Adam clicked.
Tomorrow turned to look at the two as Adam sat her down and she popped the grape in her mouth and began chewing and tasting it. Then she walled awkwardly towards her toys. “Adam! Don’t you read books? That is dangerous! Children her age can choke on grapes, you’re supposed to slice them!”
“She’s not lying down or being lazy about eating it. She wants to taste it. What is dangerous is the Spanish vineyard we raided to get that grape.” Renfield grinned.
“You’re not funny, Adam!” Tomorrow yelled back and then putting her hands, palms together and touching her head, she laughed. “Okay, I get the point. I did set up those trip lines last week. So I’m doing my part.” She looked back at what she was working on. “Do you know how to make a telescope?”
Adam replied, “More or less. Probably less, but we made crude versions when I was in school and I understand the concept far better now. However, we would need a lens cutter.”
“An eyeglass person?” She responds, wondering if she understand correctly.
“You know what that is then. Something like that, or even specifically that.” Adam turns and looks at Joy to see she has begun to entertain herself. He begins pulling out a pan so he can prepare something more sustaining than a single grape. He feels Tomorrow’s urgency. He clicks and returns with a long object in his arms. “Look at the model number. Find a book about this and you will be able to use it satisfactorily. In the meantime, fiddle with it. I’m going to make us all breakfast.”
Tomorrow looks up in alarm, “I’ll help. You don’t seem to get the concept. For someone so old, it amazes me the things you haven’t learned yet.
CHAPTER 33
“Yesterday still happened, no matter how hard you try to erase it. By putting more effort into erasing it, you give it more relevance in the universe.” -- from the Book of Brian
“Joy!” Tomorrow yells in a panic and clicks to her. “Spit it out!”
Joy listens but gives her mother a look of confusion. She spits it into her hand then holds the grape, she was chewing, up to her mother.
“I’m sorry, Joy. I might sometimes be a little over protective. I wasn’t sure what that was. I just saw you pop something into your mouth and…I’m sorry, Joy. Although I suppose it looks less appealing half chewed.”
Joy pops the grape back into her mouth, regardless. If only to make a point. Then she vanishes only to return in a moment with a new one. “Can I eat this one, Mom?”
“Why does your father teach you these things?” Tomorrow plops herself into a chair as she thinks and realizes the irony, she says to Joy, “Yes, I get it.” Then she says to herself, “I went from babysitter of two space travelers to owner of one. I’m not sure that’s progress.” Then she looks at Joy. “Yes, it’s progress.” She says out loud. She stops and thinks about why Adam had gone away for the time he had when he could have clicked back at any time and then she realizes, her husband was wiser than even she gave him credit for. Had she not experienced watching Amelia and Conan grow, she would have been far more frustrated at her own child.
“Tomorrow, I’m home!” Adam bellowed.
“I’ve seen a few episodes of that now, Adam, it’s not funny. Come here.” Adam cocked his head but walks over to the chair as Tomorrow pulls him into it on top of her. Plopped in her lap she says, “I love you!” Then after a moment she adds, “But, it’s a bit early for Joy to start traveling on her own.”
“Mmm. Yes, I agree. But how do you propose we stop her. It’s like asking a normal child not to walk. All creatures learn their method of traversing this universe. She is learning hers. Albeit sooner than we may have expected, I’m not going to tell her to sop standing, are you?” Adam looked up at her.
Tomorrow stroked his shoulder for a while and then responded, ”I get your point, but you’re as worried as I am.”
“Indeed!” Then he stood abruptly, turned and kissed her forehead. “However, there comes a point when you hope for your child’s survival, but you have to allow them to grow. You did a good job of finding that line when you weren’t emotionally attached. Now you are. I am not at all suggesting you quite being a mother, just lean on your experience and wisdom. You gained most of that by being wise to being with. It’s why they now call you ‘First Teacher’. I wish I had a lofty title like that.” Adam grinned at her and kissed her cheek. I suspect, if there was trouble, no matter her age, she would be more of a problem to anyone who caused it than she is to us. She’s a pretty quick thinker.”
“You’ve been through this before, I haven’t.” Tomorrow lowers her eyes and thinks for a moment to herself, quite blocked from Adam’s ability to hear her thoughts.
Adam looks at her and replies, “This? No. Similar sure. Joy is Joy. She didn’t arrive with an instruction manual. They never do. I had to learn your buttons and valves just as you learned all about my levers.”
Completely understanding the statement, Tomorrow laughs. “Speaking of which, she seems awfully caught up in what she’s doing, but I’d like to get caught up in what you’re doing.” She stands and looks at him. “I’m sure you realize you have what some might consider a village growing in our basement.”
“Uggh, I thought you wanted to check my lever. But, come along then. I’ll show you some of the things they have produced. By the way, had you stepped to lever, fun, but you stepped to village, so you and Joy are now signed up for sword fighting lessons. Guess who the instructor is.” Adam grinned at Tomorrow.
“I thought we already covered that.” Tomorrow responds while turning to walk away.
Adam casually says, “You learned basics, you didn’t learn brutal and that means you can’t ensure a win. We’re not the only ones in the world who can do this. Some are on our side, some are then aren’t then are again or aren’t then are then aren’t again and some are against us. It’s why I haven’t moved you around in time very much, because you would run into them and they’ve had a lot more practice at surviving those encounters.”
“Is this speech meant to make me for more comfortable about the fact our daughter is doing this now?” Tomorrow turns and looks back at Adam scolding and defensive at the same time.
“No, the training should.” Adam rested his case.
Tomorrow stood very still for a lot longer than was normal. Adam could not hear, because she was blocking him form her thoughts. She said, “Let’s see what they have created out of the mind of a madman.”
Adam grinned and said, “As long as I can still add one and one, and keep you and our daughter safe, madness is acceptable.”
Tomorrow, knowing enough about his past said, “I’m teasing you. I shouldn’t joke like that.”
Adam strode to her and picked her up and said, “If you didn’t joke with me, life would be dreary.” He kissed her and clicked.
Arriving in Joy’s room, he motioned for Tomorrow to go to Joy who had just turned around, at first wondering what she did wrong and then giggling as she heard her father’s thoughts.
Adam said, aloud, “That tandem thing you did with the kids, let’s do that. It was brilliant concept. I’ll steer.”
Joy got up and took her mother’s hand. Tomorrow looked at Adam and said, “I’m not sure this is a…”
When they appeared the long stretch of green hills, Tomorrow looked out at the color in the canvas of the world she was standing in. Joy giggled, Adam looks at the small group of people working on so many things.
The seamstress approached first, “Finally, we can see if everything fits.”
“We’ll get there, Kumadri. You have worked hard on this I know. How was today’s catch?”
Kumadri motioned at the kettle and wafted her hand upwards from her chin. “Sit, I will get bowls, so all of you can try it. It’s very good.”
Tomorrow listened to Adam’s thoughts and began to realize what was going on. These people were not living in her basement.
They all at together and Tomorrow laughed with them as she realized they were happy and not living below ground. She had taken on Adam’s dislike for that lifestyle.
“Kumadri, that was a treat. It reminded me of old times in a land you haven’t seen yet, but of which you are extremely aware of it’s traditions.” Adam paused and bowed in thanks. “I’ve told you of styles of other lands, so please present to my family some of what you have produced, and of course we would like to start with you showing us your work.”
Joy, having heard her father’s thoughts clicks to his side. Adam reaches down and puts a hand on her head and messes up her hair as much as he can get away with. Joy stands still but makes funny faces that her father can’t see. She garners smiles form those who can.
“Here are the outfits.” Kumadri bows as she hands them to Adam and Adam notes she has certainly folded them well. He pauses at what he is about to do next for that reason. Adam drops the garments to the ground, releases Joy, pushes himself airborne with his right leg, vanishes and returns. The blade in his hand swings mightily with the full force of him landing behind it. It stops as it strikes the stack he had let fall to the ground.
Adam turns the sword and places it to his left within the belt he was wearing and looks at Kumadri. “The weave works well. Let’s see your design work now.”
Kumadri looks at him inquisitively so he points to Tomorrow. Kumadri smiles and holds up a suit to Tomorrow’s back. Then Kumadri points to a tent. Tomorrow, hearing thoughts from her and Adam at once realizes she is to put it on.
Emerging with a smile that showed both her excitement and her reservations, she looks at Adam and asks, “For protection or hotness factor?” Adam looks back at Tomorrow. He knows she heard his response to his question with no vocal necessity. Tomorrow notes his response and says, “Then I like it a lot! Joy’s I’ll assume does not mean that, at her age, she could even possibly be part of what I am doing.”
Adam looked at Kumadri who handed Joy her outfit. Joy looked up at Kumadri and said, “Thank you.” Then she ran to the tent.
Adam walked over to eye up the attire adorned by Tomorrow. “It looks good. Hers is designed simply as clothes that are protective. With her, we’re going to have to make a lot more, but we had to start somewhere and it made since to make her first set have the cool factor so she didn’t feel left out. Yours is designed for the job you’ve taken on. Mine is designed to avoid damage, as much as possible, should you require my assistance. I’m over the days of having to heal all the time.” He looks at her, moves his hand instinctively to his ribcage and grins.
Tomorrow’s smile broadens. “Adam, I get what you’ve done here. You always say Plan A stands for Action Plan, Plan B stands for Backup Plan and Plan C stands for Cut Losses Plan. This village of smiths, of a wide variety, is your Plan B. Just in case Shang-tu and Pompeii fail. That’s why it’s not connected. They will be a city eventually.” Tomorrow serves Adam a look of correction, “I keep telling you I’m not the idiot you take me for, my love.” Tomorrow loos at him with adoration, but then asks, “So?”
“You are still far from an idiot or I wouldn’t be that interested in you, my, dear. We’ve always known this to be true.” Renfield grinned at his wife and his eyes peeled off of her for a moment to glance at the tent his little one had entered.
Renfield asked, “First Teacher. As your teacher, am I still required to answer all of your questions? He paused looking at her in mock seriousness sand then said, “Or is that a requirement of being your husband?”
“Either ruleset works for me as long as I get answers.” She smiled and then showed him how the rear side of her uniform fit around her body well.
Adam chuckled before looking more serious. “Stephen knew what he was going to do. We did not. Perhaps he had a Plan B. I must consider that at all times. Especially considering that I can no longer see the what comes to pass. However, it can no longer be whimsically changed. Albeit at a great price. I didn’t say this is a better plan.” Adam motions his arm to the village as he looks at Tomorrow, solemnly. “It’s Plan B, as you put it. What you have accomplished is a great plan. One day may these three foundations work together, once travel is re-established and they discover each other. May that union make all of them stronger. Keep in mind we are starting to see what was once called organized crime. Later it will be known as legislation. We want to avoid that. The few should never be allowed to put the many into such slavery. Passing, what they consider, the law of the land because it benefits them. Drug companies, insurance companies, banks, they all will play a role in that. Drug companies will control the flow of medicine, insurance companies will control the flow of ‘just in case’, and banks will control which of the two gets the money as long as they get a cut. It’s a horrid system, You must think faster and stop it from happening again. It will eventually lead to someone who wants to take over the two cities realizing that their best option is to found their own. We used to call that the beginning of a dictatorship. That is what we called a government based around a person who rules by fear.”
“Why would anyone join that city over what we have to offer? I have head your stories of slavery. I gather you prose such horror was inflicted on the many and not by race, but by class?” Tomorrow looks confused.
“It always begins with promises, gifts, making everything seem like it is the better path. Once there is a foundation in manufacturing, etc. it becomes very difficult for people to leave and simply go somewhere else. By then they have begun families. They have to raise families and that requires an income and that requirement means they do as they are told. They only think it’s a requirement. The government owns all of the land, at some point and says they monitor it for the safety for the people, but that’s an hallucinatory concept. Do remember the people who run the governments, I’ve taught you about, are just as programmed as the rest, mostly. So they are innocents continuing a concept that should never be again.” Renfield explains.
“How do we stop this from happening.” Tomorrow stands tall as she asks.
Renfield point to her. “You do what you are doing. I know a thing or two. Let’s face it, it’s time I spend more time focusing on issues of the mind, and less on using my own body as a bludgeon.” Renfield grins.
Tomorrow was quite for a time, wondering many things, amongst which she wondered if Joy was being a burden on Kumadri in the tent and if she should step in. Then she turned to Renfield, “Am I doing good?”
Renfield again waved his arms for her to take in the faces of all of the people working diligently around them on the mountain glazed in life. “You are a bigger hero to those here than you can imagine. In the twin cities, you are a mystery heroine. Here, you are a goddess because everyone here knows what you do.” He reaches out and pulls her to his chest as he illiterates, “They are smiling because you are here.”
Tomorrow smiles at Renfield as Joy runs out from the tent. “Mom, I look like you!” Joy points and begins to giggle with excitement. Adam clicks, then reappears donned in his gear. Joy yells, “Cool, Dad! We three are cool!” Joy points to the symbol on her mother’s chest, the symbol on the underarm of her own new clothing and then to the symbol on Adam’s arm.