The Cordovian Effect - Chpt 4

"Here, this is the best I can do," I said handing a sketch of the woman who fired the gun. "Who was he? Do you have any idea why she shot him?"

He just looked at me, a very sour look, without answering.

I was surprised and pleased at my new found ability to draw. In the past I had trouble drawing a straight line with a ruler.

"Here, this is the other woman I saw with her," I lied offering a second sheet. I had no intention of telling him or anyone else what I really saw. It sounded crazy even to me and I, hell, I wasn't even a real person... I was... it just sounded crazy.. even to me.

"Thanks, we'll be in touch," He said dismissively.

"I'm sorry Jon. This isn't what I had in mind for your reemergence into the art world." Arlo said resting a hand on my shoulder.

"Did you know who he was?" I asked.

"His name was George something, I can't remember his last name right now. He said he was a collector. He showed up about a year ago and came in every two weeks like clock work. He knew your work better than I did. About five or six months ago he started to buy anything that I could get my hands on that bore your name and let me tell you he had deep pockets. I loved the man."

"Arlo, for God's sake the man is dead," Rose admonished.

"Christ, I said I loved the man. What do you want from me?"

"Show a little respect, he's dead."

"Trust me, no one will miss George Kincaid more than me. Yeah, that's it Kincaid. I knew it would come to me."

"How about the woman? Have you seen her before?" I asked as I watched the police roll the body out the front door.

"This is going to be hard on business," He said.

"Uncle, do you ever think of anyone else but you?"

"Yes, my love I do. I think of you and your little mini-me and how you and I are going to eat when they nail the doors closed."

"We'll be okay. No one is going to nail the doors close," She said kissing him on the cheek lightly.

Only now did I realize their true relationship. At first I had thought Roger had... I don't know, made some kind of arrangement for me. Seeing them together, it became crystal clear. I don't know how I could have missed it or have been so stupid. I had to stop relying on Roger. I was on my own. This is my life. If it were going to work it had to be on my terms, not Roger's.

"Dear, please see to our guests, give Jon and I a moment."

"Don't buy any bridges from him Jon no matter what he promises you," Rose teased, patting me in her passing.

An awkward silence stood between us.

"I don't know how to say this," he began.

I had never been in this predicament before, I was certain he saw me as a suitor.

"Arlo, Rose and I are just friends."

"I don't know how to tell you. Hang on, what about Rose?"

"Arlo, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, you were saying?"

He looked quickly from side to side making sure we couldn't be heard before pulling me a little deeper into the room.

"Take a good look at me," he insisted staring deep into my eyes.

"What am I looking at Arlo?"

"It's me, Digby. Can't you tell? I thought sure you would. I thought it the moment the beeping started. Then when it stopped a moment later I was certain you recognized me," he whispered excitedly looking around again.

"Digby?"

"Yes! Yes, so you do recognize me. So what do you think?" he asked holding open his coat turning a full circle for my inspection.

"If you hadn't told me I would have never guessed."

"It's a marvel isn't it? Roger was more than generous. I couldn't have asked for more."

"I would have to agree."

"Yours isn't bad either," he said turning me to inspect me more closely.

"Where's Marcie?"

"She married Hank and the last I heard They were living somewhere in the South of France."

"I thought you two were inseparable."

"Kindred sprits, like brother and sister nothing more I assure you. Once Roger's process separated Peterson there was no stopping her. Three days after Peterson was killed in an auto accident Marcie died. I never heard how but I have my suspicions."

"You think she committed suicide just to be with Hank?"

"Lots of people on the project did once word got out Roger was damaged beyond repair and that his grand design worked flawlessly. They wanted to get a jump on the government's search for them... get in and get them hidden before they were found or destroyed. I never thought Marcie would, could be one of those people."

"Have any idea where Roger and Kate might be?"

"Sorry, I thought you knew. They were in a car crash. I'm sorry Ben, their both dead."

"No... I didn't... the last few years... lets just say alzheimers is all it's cracked up to be," I didn't want to think about it. There were some things better left in the past. "The woman called me the heir-apparent, have any idea what she meant?"

"I'm not sure but I do know Roger wanted to make up for using you to bring Kate back. Maybe it has something to do with that."

"Maybe. Digby, she changed her hair color and her appearance right before my eyes... how is that possible?"

"The hair I understand. If she were one of us its just a few ion chains attached to diethylene glycol but changing her appearance shouldn't be possible, not even for Roger assuming she is one of Roger's creations."

"Are you telling me Roger made some kind of mistake?"

"Roger? Never... well, I wouldn't think so. Maybe. I can only think of one and I'm not sure I would count it as a mistake. It makes perfect sense if you think about it."

"Arlo... Digby, please don't go all techie on me. Give it to me straight."

"Birds of a feather, flock together..."

"I don't get it."

"As masterful as Roger's process is there is one interesting little quirk. His creations are just like birds of a feather. They will find each other... drawn together against all odds, eventually to gather in one place. He ran hundreds of computer scenarios to over ride it but it always ended the same. Eventually all the Dikika people will find one another and will be drawn together in one place."

"You're kidding me?"

"Nope. That's how Roger came up with a two hundred and fifty year life span. He figured by then it wouldn't make any difference. No one would be looking for us by that time."

"Is that why you're here?"

"Well, Roger and I were always close so... I always wanted to be involved in the art business and Roger needed someone to look out for you, so here I am."

"So you're what? My guardian angel?"

"Not just me. There might be one or two others looking out for you as well."

"Great, that's all I need."

"Let's hope not."

"Let me ask you... the guy she shot was one of ours? Did you know who he was before...?"

"No idea. Roger had a list he kept all to himself. It was understood if you were in the lab you were on the list and no one, believe me, no one spoke of it. If he made promises to others outside the lab I have no idea who they might have been or how many."

"I heard there were fifty three in the beginning."

"Roger created almost five times that to throw the Government off the scent. They were programmed to wonder around without being caught. I have no idea how many were to be activated in the end."

"I also heard they were being killed off one by one and that I was the last one to come on line, there are no more."

"They say how many off line?"

"Not to me. Digby... I thought we were built to be something more."

"I don't understand."

"When Roger was building Kate... I thought, I don't know for some reason I thought we would have powers of some kind or abilities beyond the ordinary instead of just this," I said motioning down my body with disappointment.

"We do and I hope you never have need of them. Roger knew if you, or any of us for that matter, had any real abilities... super strength, super speed... super anything we would give ourselves away without meaning too. He was sure we would use it with or without desire. Super anything would be the norm as far as we're concerned and slowly but surely we would use it at the wrong time. What better way for the government to find us all. You might as well put a red blinking light on our heads."

"I get it... how about Rose? Does she know?"

"Oh, God no and if you have any sense you will stay away from her mother. That old lady gives me the willies."

"I thought it was just me. She scares the hell out of me."

"Oh yes. She has crazy knife skills."

"So you've met her?"

"Yeah, she isn't to fond of me either."

"Uncle Arlo, what do you want to do?" Rose asked suddenly there.

"We'll close up for a couple of days. Let's go ahead and lock up okay?"

She nodded her agreement before walking away.

We both watched as she strolled to the far side of the room.

"You're a lucky man Arlo."

"I am now that you're here," he whispered giving my arm a light punch.