Creatures of God

Bureaucratic Charades

Elliot paused. "The capsules contained people."

"It was a mass burial, right? All the humans were dead."

"No, Mimi, they weren't. In fact, they're alive. They're in suspended animation. We're trying to save them."

Mimi stared. "What are you saying? That Aless is from the mining quarry? That's impossible... "

"No, it's true."

"There were hundreds of coffins... "

"Not coffins, Mimi! Time capsules. Aless is from the year 1985."

"What?"

"At least that's what he says. We haven't been able to confirm it."

Mimi studied Elliot's voice and face closely. She glanced back at Dr. Berman. "I thought those mines were sealed off. They didn't want the bodies to attract scavengers."

"The facility's closed now, but not completely sealed off. We can still get to the capsules... if we wanted to."

"How many people like Aless are there?"

Elliot glanced at Dr. Berman, who still said nothing. "Just Alessandro. We tried to revive several others, but none of them survived. The rest remain at the quarry."

"Who else knows about this?"

"Just us three now."

"Human Protection doesn't know about this?"

Elliot shook his head.

"No one else at Anderson knows about this?"

"No one."

Mimi squinted her eyes.

"Why are you keeping it a secret?"

"It's controversial because the emergence process is experimental. It borders on unethical because it involves people. We're trying to save their lives, but we're also talking about centuries-old people. We just haven't found a proven protocol yet. Dr. Berman is set to present all of our findings -- all of our attempts and failures -- at the next board meeting. Alessandro was our lone success."

Mimi was thoughtful.

"And you did all of your experiments here at the lab?" She looked at the senior scientist.

Dr. Berman nodded.

"Yes," Elliot acknowledged.

"How did you do that?"

"What do you mean?"

"How could no one not notice you were transporting human bodies into the facility?"

Elliot hesitated. He shifted in his stance while eyeing his mentor.

"We, uh, we smuggled the capsules into the Center."

"How?"

Elliot looked away and bit his lower lip.

"You said the HPU wasn't involved," Mimi persisted, "so how did you do it? How did you transport your experiments?"

Elliot looked to Dr. Berman.

"We, uh, we moved them ourselves."

"What?" Mimi glanced at Dr. Berman and then back at Elliot. "No, you didn't!"

"Yes, we did, in the middle of the night," Elliot admitted.

"At night? That's impossible! It's too dangerous without the Human Protection Unit."

Elliott stalled.

"Elliot?"

Mimi waited. Elliot seemed to know, but was sidestepping the truth.

Why is he not telling me? Mimi thought. Because I'm in the Human Protection Unit?

"I don't understand. You must've had help."

Elliot cringed, but said nothing.

"The HPU would never condone such a dangerous operation. Who else could have helped... ?" Mimi's voice trailed off.

She gasped and covered her mouth.

She stared at Elliot.

"That's how Dad died, isn't it?"

She searched Elliot's eyes for the truth, but he could barely stand to look at her in the face.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Mimi," Elliott kept his head low. "I couldn't... I didn't know how to... the capsules were supposed to be a secret."

"Oh, Elliot!" She took a step back and shook her head. "You and your stupid experiments! You and Dr. Berman... you killed my father!"

"No, Mimi, no!" Elliot said. "He wanted to help us!"

"No, I don't believe you!" Mimi cried and stepped away from him. "You've been lying to me all this time!"

Elliott was speechless.

"And Alessandro is what you brought back? That is what was so important? That... that freak?" she screamed.

She ran out of the lab, leaving Elliot and Dr. Berman to the consequences of their actions.