Heckle Me Not (Lest Ye Die - Laughing) - 3. The Mission Begins

“Destroy... And that also means the Earth is destroyed!”

“Yes.”

“And it’s still worth the risk?”

“There is no choice. Once you asked and then confirmed, your true identity must be shared.”

“Wait. Wait. Because I asked, then said I was asking, I may have doomed the entire human race?”

“And the hundreds of trillions of Ka that will likely also be destroyed.”

“Fuuuuuuck.”

"Are you asking that of me? I suppose we have time to do that, it would not take long."

"What did I ask?"

"I understood you to request a fuck."

"No, I didn't ask you to fuck. I meant fuck, as in that's bad."

"Ah. I understand. Yes, a request to fuck would have been said with a different intonation. I apologize, but perhaps if we succeed in our task, we can fuck to celebrate."

"You're gay?"

"No. Another situation that is too complicated to accurately explain in your language. We are technically an asexual race. When our Ka is placed into another species’ fetus, we do not yet know if that fetus will be male, female, torgon, or torgane. So, we are multi-sexual in our non-Megrezian forms."

"Torgon or torgane?"

"In your language, the closest thing is hermaphrodite. A torgon has multiple male sexual organs and one female. A torgane has multiple female and one male."

"If we could find two of those, we could make a bundle in the porn industry."

"Yes, I can see how that would be fruitful. But humanoids are not capable of sustaining that state. The only human to have ever been merged then evolved into a torgon, well, their shell expired before it was introduced into the world. Or born, as you call it. But there are literally dozens other species where that is quite normal."

"Okay, back to your task. How would we make our Kas work together? I didn't even know I had one until tonight."

"Every living being has a Ka. You were not aware of it because that information was not shared with you by our people, or any of the enlightened species. But that hidden knowledge will be accessible once the elders see that you are willing to follow through."

"So, agreeing to be your assistant, I have to have training? Is there time?"

"Yes, in a way. The portions of your brain where that knowledge lies will be opened while you sleep tonight."

"Okay, one more thing. If we're compatible, and our Kas don't get destroyed in the process, I'll keep those, um, skills for as long as I live?"

"As long as your Ka remains viable, yes. If we are successful, you will continue to live until that shell will no longer sustain your Ka. After your Ka is released, depending on where it travels next, that knowledge will follow you forever. Provided your Ka is not destroyed somehow."

"Okay, I'm in. If there is a risk we are destroyed, so be it. If we don't do it, we'll likely be destroyed anyway."

"Very well. It is time to leave."

Ned paid the bill with a hundred-dollar bill, taking one out of a stack that had to contain at least twenty more.

"Whoa. Being an entertainment agent must pay well."

"This? Oh, this is nothing. I have a valise with all denominations. It did not come from my employment."

"Where did it come from then? Did you steal it?"

"Not technically, it was obtained by means you will understand upon waking tomorrow."

Since I had gotten into New York only this evening, I didn't have anywhere to stay. But Ned graciously invited me to stay with him in his hotel room. I hadn't even thought to bring a change of clothes, I can be dense sometimes, so I slept in my briefs. Nothing happened between us. At least not that night.

Saturday morning, I woke up thinking I had the weirdest dreams. In every dream, I was somewhere else, and someone else, and not always human, or even humanoid. I had to wonder out loud over breakfast.

"I had the strangest dreams last night. I must have hallucinated it, because I was never me."

"You were always you. Once the awakening, hmm, bad term. After the unblocking your Megrezian psyche, you must have recalled bits and pieces of your Kapast, or Ka history. You may have those dreams for quite some time after being made aware. Generally they seem to appear in our memories gradually, as our brains mature. You are a special case, being made aware in adulthood."

"I hope I get used to it."

"Do you feel refreshed this morning. Are you tired at all?"

"No. Not a bit tired."

"Those dreams will come during REM sleep. Like most dreams, you will not always remember them. I would like to share in them when we get the chance. There is still some, hands-on training you must do. The knowledge is there, but you must understand how to access it. It is time to get started."

Once again Ned paid and left an astronomical tip. He left a fifty and our meals couldn't have been much more than twenty. Ned took me to a Target to select a few wardrobe changes. I was surprised when we went to Target after he said he would buy me clothes. I was thinking we'd go to a high-end clothing store with all that cash. I asked why when we were at our next location, an apartment Ned had leased for three months when he came to New York to recruit me.

"Just because I have nearly unlimited funds, there is no reason to spend more than is necessary. We must begin the process of accessing your Megrezian thoughts. Picture yourself inside your brain and look toward your frontal lobe. It helps to physically look up, as if into your own head."

"Yes, I saw you do that last night."

"While you are focused on the frontal lobe, begin to picture home. You saw it when you traveled to meet the elders. Let Megrez Four fill your mind's eye and hold that thought for as long as you can."

I did as he asked. My mind started to wander after a few minutes. I thought Ned was talking to me, but when I turned to look, he was quiet. Well, his mouth was quiet, apparently, he wasn't because he was nodding as I 'heard:'

'You have reached the first level. Picture yourself going to the kitchen and getting a bottle of water from the refrigerator.'

I did as he asked and moments later, I could swear I saw a bottle of Smart water floating toward me. I realized I really did see it when it hit me in the face and dropped to the floor.

Ned laughed, "You were supposed to lift your hand and catch it. Pick it back up without bending over for it. Just picture it rising."

I did. It did. I caught it.

Once again, in my mind, I heard Ned, 'Show me a little of your previous Kalife. Who you were before you merged as Prentiss.'

I found it extremely easy to do. Fucking scary because I was a bear-like creature chasing another animal, kind of like a raccoon, but all white. I grabbed the creature and lifted it to my mouth. I shut the DVR off before actually biting it.

"That is strange. You saw the scene from the point of view of your attacker. Usually only the highest orders of Megrezians can do that."

"You mean I was the raccoon, and not the bear?"

"Yes. You were apparently reliving the end of your time on Malacite two. The bear, as you called it is actually called a Ketrank. You were the Connork."

"So, now I can remember a past life whenever I want? I can read your thoughts and perform telekinesis. What else can I do?"

"You are also able to project your thoughts. Another necessary skill is the ability to control your heartbeat and emotional state. This comes in very handy when being questioned by authorities. But first we must go somewhere else. I cannot allow you to release an innocent creature's Ka until its natural release is imminent, it would be too cruel otherwise."

Ned looked up to his forehead again. I did the same and got the message to go to the zoo.

We headed toward the World of Reptiles at the Bronx Zoo. It was feeding time for the anacondas. We were alone, so speaking the instructions out loud was okay.

“Look at one of the mice but look at its insides.”

“Picture its heart?”

“Yes, but really see its heart.”

I tried, and it took a minute, but I, or rather my Ka, went into its mouth and traveled down its throat. I was able to pass through muscle, bone, even blood vessels.

“Good. Now pick another and go in through its chest.”

I did and instantly saw its heart beating.

“Very good. Now look for the mouse closest to a snake... There. Enter its chest... squeeze its heart when the snake grabs it.”

As the mouse started to be swallowed by the snake, I squeezed its heart. I felt a presence drift through me. I felt a grateful emotion. No words, just a feeling, almost of joy.

“What you just felt was its Ka leaving that shell. What used to be the mouse thanked you for preventing the slow, painful death it was about to endure, being digested by the snake.”

“Whoa, that was awesome.”

“Yes, it was. Unfortunately, the things we have to do will not be as pleasurable for the target. And therefore, not for us. But it will be a fair bit better than what we would experience if we failed. Let us go back to the apartment, so I can arrange our travel to North Korea.”

We spent the next two days practicing getting our Kas in sync. Ned would channel his through me, and we would perform any number of actions. We would move further and further away from our target, which for the most part were oak trees in Central Park. Reaching into the tree and releasing acorns seemed like a simple task after killing a mouse but doing it from a distance made it tricky. But we were able to choose specific acorns to drop from three-hundred feet away.

I also took the opportunity in the down time to ask about his parents. He had said they were Megrezian too.

“You said yesterday about your parents being Megrezian too. How did it work out that they got married?”

“That was pre-planned before their ka was placed in the two human embryos. They were purposely placed close geographically, with traits implanted that when they met that would draw them together.”

“But what if one of their families moved, wouldn’t it be nearly impossible for them to meet up?”

“No. That did indeed occur. Both were contacted by the elders and information on the other was provided to each. My father went to college nearby and rekindled the relationship which had ended when they were twelve. Although at that point in time, that relationship was planternic.”

“I think you mean platonic.”

“Yes. Thank you for correcting me.”

“So why was it so hard for you to find me after I became Laughs?”

“There were two reasons for that. First, it was part of my training. I needed to be able to find Megrezians who did not have the knowledge of their origin. Secondly, because you were denied that knowledge, I couldn’t just ‘call you,’ as it were.”

“But then why weren’t we placed close together in the first place?”

“That was intended. But also, because where my parents lived, there were no other impending births nearby. Circumstances required them to live in a rural environment for a number of years before they could move close to where you were.”

“Circumstances?”

“They were suspected of Devil worship and had to move to protect their shells.”

“You also said you and they released a number of people but were released themselves. How were they released?”

Ned sighed, “They were attempting to prevent the death of Kobe Bryant in twenty-twenty, but the helicopter got too far away, and their ka were released when their shells failed because of the distance.”

“So, you don’t just kill the bad guys?”

“No. We attempt to prevent the deaths of those who would do beneficial things for their races in their futures.”

“They knew the helicopter was going to crash?”

“Yes. I cannot say more, the elders do not share everything they know.”

“So, they both knew who they really were, and so did you.”

“Yes. I was ‘born’ with full knowledge unblocked. It was slowly uncovered as I matured.”

“Amazing.”

Three days later, we were on a private jet heading to North Korea. The owner was someone who traveled there often and we shouldn’t have any trouble getting through customs. We fell into a bit of luck because Do-yun was giving a speech at the Kim Il-sung Square Grand Altar a day after we arrived. The plane’s owner was fairly well connected, so we were able to accompany him to the Grand People’s Study House which was just across the street from the Grand Altar.

The big day arrived. We were positioned at a window furthest to the south in the library. We were holding small North Korean flags, so we fit in with the other observers. We had to communicate telepathically.

‘When Do-yun bows, wait ten seconds and reach into his neck. I will be with you like we practiced. We will squeeze his left carotid artery long enough to have his brain start dying, then we quickly exit and get our asses to the airport.’

‘Okay. Just give me the word to start and stop.’

‘Right, we have to coordinate our efforts and stop at the same time.’

Do-yun came out to the dais and bowed to the crowd. Ned and I were linked telepathically. We reached ten seconds, and I swept in. Ned waited until I got into place.

‘I’ll count down from three, start pinching on go. Three... two... one... go.’

We squeezed the artery together. After a few seconds, he fell to the ground. We continued to squeeze a bit longer.

‘Almost there, again on go... Three two... one... go.’

We both let go at nearly the same time, surely within the five hundred milliseconds Ned indicated was our threshold. As soon as Do-yun went down, everybody in the library panicked. We were only a few seconds behind. We made our way out the back to the waiting car.

We were home free when we pulled up to the private air terminal. We got through quickly because everyone was distracted by the news. A little under an hour after Do-yun fell, we were wheels up and on our way home. One down, three to go.

When we landed in Teterboro, we checked out the news. Apparently, we cut off the blood to his brain a little too long to just permanently incapacitate him. The news was reporting Do-yun died, possibly due to a massive stroke. We knew better, and aside from a lack of blood to the brain, the autopsy wouldn’t provide a conclusive cause of death. Foul play was not suspected.

Ned began focusing on the next target; Russia’s Yuri Borchev.

"Hey Ned. I just read that Alfred Masters has gone back to having open air rallies. Do you think we should try him again, save ourselves a trip?"

"Hmmm, it will take a few days to get all the details for Russia sorted out. If there's one close enough in the next day or so, we might as well. Check his schedule, see what's possible."

I checked Masters' schedule, and unfortunately there wasn't anything close enough, and I told Ned so. Four days later, we were on our way to Russia. Russia was going to be a challenge. Ned's contact there could only get a few details on Borchev's schedule. There was only one date she was sure of. Borchev was leaving the Kremlin two days hence for a meeting with Iran's Ali Ahmadi. The location wasn't public knowledge, but protesters and supporters of Russia's political views always gathered outside the Kremlin. We joined the supporters crowd in Ivanovskaya Square at eight AM local time. It was already crowded. The protesters were hassled, but the supporters crowd was left alone.

We'd probably have only ten to fifteen seconds where Borchev would be visible before entering his car. It wasn't long enough to debilitate, so we had to go for death. We agreed, once again for our Kas to meet at his left carotid. Only this time we would each slice a hole through the artery and the skin. Borchev appeared at ten minutes to one, Ned counted down from three again, we made our slices and after a two countdown, our Kas returned. Leaving immediately would have been suspicious, so we lingered until security started breaking up the crowd. It wasn't immediately obvious how Borchev was injured, so security scanned everybody, and even checked their hands for gun powder residue. It wasn't until after five PM, and a very close look at us before we left the square. Ned explained, in Russian, that we were visiting many European capital cities. I was surprised that I knew what they were saying. Ned told me that was another skill my Ka preserved after a number of lifetimes. I wouldn't know every language, but those I spoke previously were resident in my mind. We escaped successfully and called for the car. We knew having it wait nearby would have been suspicious, if not fatal for the contact.

We got back to our hotel safely; Ned booked a return flight for the next day. As fate would have it, Ali Ahmadi's entourage had the penthouse floor at the same hotel. Ned quickly threw a plan together to wait in the lobby for Ahmadi to leave and take care of him the same way as Borchev. After the deed, we went back up to our room, waited an hour for the excitement to die down from a second world leader's death in as many days before we went back down for dinner. Russian security was monitoring everyone who was leaving or entering the lobby. Fortunately for us, it was a different detail than checked out people at the square a few hours earlier. It definitely would have raised suspicions to be noticed at both death scenes.

Well, we missed our flight the next day. Security was tight getting through the airport. Apparently, our names were red flagged because we were at the Kremlin and the hotel the day before. The emotional and heartbeat skill came in very handy when we were both questioned. Thankfully, we were believed. Unfortunately, four hours had passed, so our plane had left. Ned had just enough to pay for the flight changes.

"We'll need to go to Atlantic City when we get back and build your and rebuild my bankrolls."

"You gamble to get most of your money?"

"It's not gambling if you know what the other players are holding or adding a bounce to the roulette ball. The risk is in winning too often to raise suspicion."

"That's cheating."

"If you want to be negative. Technically, it's using our skills to push the odds more in our favor. The best poker players can have a very good idea of what cards the other players have. That's a skill for them. Is ours so different?"

After returning to New York, we picked up the car Ned had leased, and drove to AC. I never really got the hang of manipulating the roulette ball, but Ned ensured that both of us won often enough to make a lot of money, but not too much to raise suspicions. That, and visiting five casinos to 'share the wealth' helped. We spent two days there and each walked away with better than ninety-thousand dollars.

There were six targets, one died before we started our task, we'd released three. Only one more needed to be eliminated to save the earth. Mùchén Wei of China, and President Masters remained. Neither would be easy, but we still had nineteen days to ensure the world's safety.

It would take nearly all of them.

Next Up - “The Final Targets”