The Children of Time (The Children of Time Trilogy Book 1) (12 page)

“It’s a daughter. We can’t mention this because it’s our secret and it
can be dangerous.”

“I hope she’s beautiful and smart like her mother.”

“You’re very gentle.” Zara said smiling. “Everything’s alright with
me and her, but from now we won’t talk about this anymore. Mirov has spies
everywhere. We need to be discreet.”

“Please, this meeting has to be brief.” Kenan interrupted. “The boy
needs to rest for the surgery tomorrow. Tibor, you are now in charge of his safety.
I’ll leave now and let you talk freely.”

“Thank you for the opportunity, Counselor.” Zara said while Kenan
was already leaving.

“We’ll be together after my surgery and we have a lot to talk about.”
Nicolas said. “Once we save the princess, I’d like you to come with me to Earth.
We can’t change the fact that either here or over there, there will be a
transformation of our destinies or maybe is our destiny to go through this
transformation.”

“I’ll go with you wherever you want. The sensation of losing you I
had after Merko took you. I felt I must stay at your side. But it must stay
between us. It is against our rules to become involved with people from the
past and not change the history. But we can’t think about it now, because some
of us can read minds, even without authorization. Let’s wait for right time to
think about it.” Zara said.

“It will be difficult, but I will try, and our daughter will be born
on the planet Earth with us.” Nicolas replied, smiling.

Sivoc and Drako just waved to Nicolas.

“Drako, monitor all the communications from the palace, the Council
and also from the scientific building. Do everything with secrecy. The king has
already given permission for us to have the control of Nicolas’ security. Many
lives depend on it. If there is any plan to undermine the success of the
surgery, we have to figure out and fast, because soon they will begin the bone
marrow transplant that will give the princess the blood cells to cure her.
Tibor will be next to the earthling all the time to guarantee his safety.

“All right, Commander.”

***

The Alpha-Omega team of the U.S. government began to investigate the
events that took place at gym.

Many witnesses reported how the fights happened and the use of paralyzing
guns caught the attention of everyone who was there. The research team of
extraterrestrial cases quickly went to the place. Agent Netil and agent Soliver
were investigating the surroundings in New York. There was no doubt that those
technologies of paralyzing rays were not from Earth. The chief of the team
himself, Mr. Ronald Steighen, decided to personally go to the place in search for
alien remains. The event coincided with the use of antigravity in the prison of
the Central Park’s gang.

Some activity in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico was noticed by
radar, but they found no traces of aliens in the region. The agents of the
Alpha-Omega did everything but didn’t manage to find any alien or concrete
proof of their visit.

***

Journalist Andrew Thomas also attended the place and was prevented
from taking pictures or interviewing people involved in the case. The press was
prohibited from approaching, because they argued that the case was of national
security nature. Andrew reported the fact to his boss, who told him:

“There’s something very strange to prevent the work of the press.
They said that people were motionless as statues and sophisticated weapons,
that didn’t seem to be from our planet. How I wish I could find out the truth
about these facts! Andrew, stay tuned for any chance to get information about
this case. Don’t forget to investigate the levitation of the Central Park’s gang
too. I’m foreseeing a connection between the two cases. It seems the end of a
rope that, if pulled, it’ll bring us a great gift.”

“Mr. Dither, I will do everything possible to investigate the facts
and bring you good news.”

***

In Mirov’s room, the counselor approached his assistant and said:

“Radof, everything is set for the operation. Do your part as agreed.
Enter the operating room and replace the marrow for the other I sent you. If
needed, take someone else with you.”

“Yes, sir. Merko is responsible for the security of the building
where the surgery is being done. Since he’s subordinate to you, I believe that
there will be problems.”

Little did they know that their evil plan had been registered by the
robot-bird placed by Drako to fly throughout Counselor Mirov’s room.

The big day arrived, and Nicolas was been carefully prepared for
surgery. The best surgeons were chosen for the operation.

The anesthesiologist put the mask over the nostrils of the earthling
and he fell asleep while the anesthetic liquor was applied in one of the veins
in his left arm. Then, he slept deeply and his life was placed in the hands of
the best surgeons of the planet Vida.

A red light lit on Merko’s sunglasses. He put them on, and a
holographic image was projected in front of him. Mirov got in touch, ordering
him to watch over the earthling, so that the whole plan could work with
perfection.

Drako intercepted the communication and immediately communicated
Sivoc, who oriented Tibor to protect Nicolas.

“Tibor, don’t stop watching the earthling. Don’t allow the entrance
of anyone, and if Merko try anything, you have orders to disintegrate him.
During yesterday’s dinner, we put a nano-robot with a super load of
nano-explosives in commander Merko’s food. At this point, it must have adhered
to the lining of his intestines, where it will remain for thirty- six hours
before being expelled. Just push the booster pen that’s in your pocket and he’ll
blow up.

***

Already outside the operating room, Tibor looked at the laser pen,
which was placed on his blouse and adjusted it carefully.

“I’m sorry for what happened.” Said Merko approaching. “You know
that I have to fulfill my missions and, for that, I’m capable of doing whatever
it takes.”

“Who knows? Maybe we’ll have a rematch...” Tibor said. “We need to
protect the earthling, and this is our priority. My duty is to serve the king
Zador II and I’ll do whatever it takes to help Princess Isadora.”

“I have nothing against you, Tibor. On the contrary, I admire you
for your loyalty and dedication. Let’s work together; I also yearn to serve my
king.” Merko said.

“Merko
” Counselor Mirov said
telepathically, communicating with the soldier “
My servant will go to the
operating room, under my orders, to see the boy. I want to make sure that the
whole process will happen with no problems. Please offer protection and
security to him.”

“
Tibor, another communication was made. Mirov sent his servant,
Radof. He asked the help of Merko. Don’t let anyone enter the operating room.
It’s an express order
.” Drako said, communicating telepathically.

It seemed that the rematch was imminent. While Merko and Tibor watched
the surgery through a glass wall, apparently, everything was fine. The surgeons
and nurses worked with perfection.

Merko and Tibor watched and observed in the holographic screen in
front of them, which showed the blood characteristics, blood pressure, the DNA of
the defense cells of Nicolas and all his vital data.

So, Merko looked at holography and stared at the DNA of the earthling’s
white blood cells.

“That’s weird... the purine and pyrimidine bases of the chromosome
string of the white blood cells follow the same sequences than mine. It can’t
be.” Merko said to himself.

Merko knew his DNA’s strand because it was what he liked to study at
the Military College: his own DNA sequence of his defense cells.

“But this could only be possible if he was my son.”
He thought again.

He remembered Lorena, the night of love he had when he took the place
of the major he killed. The age of the earthling coincided with the time of his
visit on Earth.

“This is my son! Now I understand why his form looks so much like my
manners. I let him grow up without a father, abandoned his mother and yet he
became a good human being.”
Reflected Merko.

Tibor realized that Merko was too agitated and decided to talk to
him:

“What’s going on?”

“I’m sure this earthling is my son.” He said.

“How can it be?” Tibor replied. “You must be joking.”

But Tibor knew that Merko was a serious soldier, of few words, and
didn’t used to make jokes.

“It’s a long story. I executed a mission on Earth twenty-three years
ago, before this earthling was born. I became involved with a woman in the same
country where Nicolas lives and now I see the DNA of his defense cells in the
holography, it’s very similar to mine. In the mission, I took the place of his
father, a major in the U.S. Army, and I ended up having a relationship with his
mother. Please, Tibor, that was my secret, you know we can’t relate to people
from the past. This could ruin my career.”

“There’s no doubt, he is your son. The DNA doesn’t lie.” Said a
surprised Tibor. “You’re the first person I know who decorated its DNA
sequence. About keeping secrets, don’t worry, that’s what I do best.”

“It was my hobby in college, decorating the DNA sequence of my white
blood cells. Although it’s rare, I have holographic memory. Thanks for keeping
my secret. I still need to think about what I will do about it.”

“I think we have a problem here, Merko. Drako informed me that Mirov
ordered his servant to enter the room and swapped Nicolas’ marrow by another
one that won’t save the princess.” Tibor said alarmed.

Since Merko had trusted him to tell an important secret, he thought
he could rely on the integrity of the commander to make him understand Mirov’s
dark purposes. “Please, let’s work together and protect him. I ask for your help,
Merko, because now it’s the safety of your son and the Princess Isadora. Let’s
forget the past. The reason now is far more relevant to all of us and we are on
the same side.”

“I always dreamed of having a son. Now I understand how good is the
feeling of being a father and the reason why this boy have such good defense,
bearing the lymphocytes X. Probably it was the result of the miscegenation between
the man of the past with the man of the future, combining their genetic
.” Reflected Merko.
“I can’t let the son I had just conquered
take any risk.”

“We have reasons to believe that Counselor Mirov doesn’t want the
princess to be saved. That’s why we are monitoring the communications in the
royal palace with the authorization of the monarch. We can’t allow the entrance
of anyone. I was sent to protect the earthling.” Tibor said.

Merko shook hands with Tibor and smiling, he said:

“We’re on the same side. Consider me your friend. We’ll keep my son
safe and ensure that the princess will receive what she needs to be healed.”

***

In the operating room, Nicolas was quite sedated, and the operation
was happening normally. The surgeons removed the bone marrow of the earthling
and began the suture’s maneuvers. Meanwhile, other surgeons anesthetized princess
Isadora, who was now sleeping deeply.

“I received the order to prepare the sedation of the princess,
because the earthling surgery is ending, and the material will be brought soon.
We can start the first incisions and then move forward to the operation.” Said
the surgeon chief.

The doctors looked at the monitors positioned in haplographies and
all the vital signs of the girl were in order. In the operating room of the earthling,
the surgeons have completed the last suture, and the material removed from
Nicolas was ready to be transported to the room where Isadora was. It was carefully
placed in a container.

The most delicate part of Nicolas’ operation had ended, but Isadora’s
was just beginning.

***

One of the surgeons took the material and waited to confirm the
identity of who would carry it. He expected the final order of the surgeon
chief, which chose the nurse and, for security reasons, he would summon him as
soon as the patient was surgically prepared for transplantation.

Mirov searched for information about the nurse. One of his spies
identified who would collect the material, and Radof, after obtaining them,
went to the nursing room and called him to warn that it was time to collect the
material of the surgery and carry it to the room of the receiving patient.

While the nurse walked down the hospital corridor, Radof stealthily
approached as if he were escorting him and suddenly pushed him into a room. He
disintegrated him with a laser, and, collecting his saliva, transmuted himself
into the young man.

Radof walked into the operating room taking the false marrow in a
sealed container, equal to the one that would carry Nicolas’ lymphocytes. The
next step would be to replace the material surgically removed from the earthling,
when it was being transported to the room, in a hallway near there, where the
princess’ surgery was being performed. He just had to exchange the containers
and sabotage the mission.

So he arrived in the operating room to sneak in and perform the
malicious exchange. Mirov’s plan would be completed and his boss would be
pleased.

“Nobody gets in here, only doctors.” With a gruff voice, Merko
prevented Radof from entering.

“What? I’m the nurse that will collect the material to take it to
the room where the princess is.”

“I can’t allow that anyone enters before checking the information.
Our priority is the safety of Princess Isadora and our visitor.” Merko replied.
“I have orders not to let anyone enter.”

Merko personally sought information about the nurse who would take
the material and noted that the young man was the person that the holographic
image of the hospital’s computer reported.

“The information match, you can enter.”

“Please, Tibor, accompany the material until the surgery and don’t
take your eyes off him. I’d like that you and Crom also watch the princess’ surgery.
It’s our duty to protect the daughter of our king. I’ll be here watching
Nicolas.”

Radof, after collecting Nicolas’ bone marrow, walked, holding a
briefcase in his hand, which had the two containers. His intention was to discharge
the material at the first opportunity he could find, however, Tibor and Crom were
escorting him attention. Suddenly, Drako contacted Tibor:

“One of Mirov’s assistants, Radof, left the council chamber some
time ago, went to the operating room and I didn’t see him on palace’s camera nor
in the hospital’s. I have a single record of him passing through the corridors
of the nursing’s sector. Did you find him?”

“There’s no sign of him so far.”

“Stay tuned, Tibor, because he’s close. I heard his conversation
with Counselor Mirov, planning to do some harm to the princess.”

“Leave it with me; I’m personally watching all the details of the
transportation of the material for the princess’ surgery.”

Radof heard the conversation and, startled, was already preparing
himself to shoot Tibor with his laser gun. But until they didn’t discover his
transmutation, he could proceed with the plan.

Tibor decided to warn Merko, and he said:

“I imagine he may have transmuted into any employee of the hospital.
Do you have infrared glasses of recognition?”

“Yes, Commander Merko. I never get out without my equipment.”

“So put them, I will do the same.”

Tibor immediately put on his glasses and looked at Radof, whom
already had a laser pointed at him and Crom.

“Don’t speak any word or you will be disintegrated. Keep walking
calmly as if nothing had happened. I want you to leave me at the entrance of
the surgery room where the princess is.”

“We need to create a plan to neutralize him without damaging the
donor’s material.” He communicated telepathically with Crom.

“Be calm, we’ll think of some way out.”

Before they could think of anything else, Merko materialized behind
Radof and hit his neck, taking the laser gun and leaving him passed out.

“Get the donated material carefully. I received a strange
communication from Counselor Mirov about his assistant saying he would come to
the operating room, asking me to protect him. But he was taking too long to appear.
In addition, the surgeon who operated Nicolas told me he hadn’t called the
nurse yet and asked me if I was the one who had called him. And the material
was already going into the other room; I imagined that there would be the crime
scene and I now see that I was right.”

He removed Radof’s glasses and he assumed his normal appearance.

“Thanks, Merko. For a moment I thought it would be my end.”

“That’s what friends are for. Crom, take the material to the
princess’ room immediately. Tibor, arrest this man. After the end of the
surgical procedures, I’ll settle up the score with Counselor Mirov.”

***

Mirov was afflicted and walked from one side to the other.

“Why is my incompetent servant taking so long? He’s not even informing
me the facts.”

Mirov decided to contact Merko to try to get some information.