As Good as Dead

by O. J. Anderson

Chapter 5

Washington D.C.
The Watergate Complex
Sub-basement C

The guests are seated facing the dais. They are the CEOs of telecom corporations, automobile manufacturing, Internet providers, big media, software, finance, and so on. Here tonight to be offered a piece of the action. It’s an offer they won’t refuse, if they know what’s good for them.

None is going to see what they’re about to see and then be allowed to just say no thanks and walk away. Merely by attending this conference, they have already made a commitment, whether they like it or not. To accept, there are responsibilities; to refuse, there are consequences. The guests are well aware of this. Most of them quite eager to sign on.

E. Chadwick Fishburn has just given an impassioned speech on social evolution and the new world. The next step. And the applause was as thundering as any group of middle-aged CEOs was likely to give. But now it’s time for what everyone came to see.

On the dais is a large ring, nearly eight feet high. Behind the ring is a black curtain with the letters XP printed in gold. Connected to the ring at the five o’clock position is a thick electrical cable. This cable is in plain view of the guests. There has been no attempt to hide it; there is no need.

Fishburn extends an arm toward the dais and addresses the guests. “Gentlemen, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

The area inside the ring begins to distort. It turns into a watery, reflective surface, like an upright puddle. It is not transparent though; the surface has a silvery metallic color.

A pinpoint of light forms at the center of the ring. Grows. Soon becoming a bright ball of incandescent blue-white light, six feet in diameter. The ball of light moves out from the surface of the ring and across the dais.

It stops. Changes its shape into a man. The shape of light neither says nor does anything, only stands in place for observation by the guests, who are themselves stunned into silence.

Fishburn: “The Shining One!”

It is real. Possible.

* * *

Proceed to Chapter 6...