Robert Masten’s eyes opened slowly. Drearily. As if trying to see through a fog.
“Be patient,” said a nearby voice. “He’s under some strong medication.”
Still flickering, his eyes struggled to remain open. To focus on anything within the bright and blurry cloud before him. Someone was in the room. Not just in the room, in front of him. Gradually crystallizing. One, then two, until he could make out four separate people.
He blinked. Trying to work the extra moisture from his eyes. Until things began to focus, visually and mentally.
He made out Rachel first, then Henry, and then Reiff. The fourth man he did not recognize.
“Can you hear us, Robert?”
Masten nodded while still blinking. He then attempted to clear his voice. He could remember … furniture. A maze of furniture and a flight of stairs. Then entering the room they were in. And after that, nothing. Until now.
He twisted his head and spotted a doctor standing next to him. A woman. With her hand gently on Masten’s shoulder.
“How are you feeling?”
Moving his mouth took some effort. “Like something rolled over me.”
She grinned. “I’m not sure which would be worse. But the good news is you’re going to be fine.”
He managed a nod.
“Are you up to talking a little?”
“Sure.”
Masten’s eyes then turned toward the others, examining them one by one and stopping on Reiff.
“You saved me.”
“Now we’re even.”
His reply was a faint chuckle while he watched Rachel take a small step forward.
“Hi, Robert.”
His eyes lingered on her before speaking. “You’re fired.”
“What?!”
Masten’s lips worked their way into a grin.
“Very funny.”
“You all saved me,” he acknowledged, looking at each one of them. But when he reached the fourth person, his brow furrowed. “Who are you?”
“An innocent victim,” quipped Waterman.
“Robert,” said Rachel, “we need to ask you some questions.”
He took a deep breath and forced his eyes open wider. “Okay.”
“Who was it you were working with?” she started softly. “At the lab?”
Masten mulled the question for a moment before calmly replying, “Nora. And the NIH.”
“Why the NIH?”
“They were the ones who provided the funding. Most of it.”
“No, I meant, why would the NIH be involved in our project?”
Masten shrugged. “They’re involved in everything.”
“But what would they be hoping to gain with us?”
“I don’t know.”
Rachel looked at the others, puzzled. “Who were you working with at the NIH?”
Masten had to think. “A man named Duchik. Liam Duchik.”
“And who is that?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t know his name until recently. He was our handler.”
“Handler?”
“The project handler. Our point of contact. At least that’s what I thought he was.”
“What is he then?”
“I’m not sure. But he has authority … probably a lot.”
Rachel glanced at the others.
“Now he’s taken things over.”
“What has he taken over?”
“Everything. The lab. The technology. Everything we’ve…” Masten’s eyes moved to Reiff. “He’s the one … who sent those men to kill you.”
Everyone looked at Reiff.
Masten grinned. “Guess it didn’t turn out the way he planned.”
Now Reiff stepped forward. “Why did he want to kill me?”
Masten thought about it with a curious look. “I’m not sure. Probably because he got what he needed.”
“What does that mean? What did he get?”
Masten took another breath. At first, leaving it unclear whether he’d heard the question. Until finally he answered. “He has everything he needs now. All the data. The Machine. And a successful outcome: you.” His eyes turned to Rachel. “He knows how it all works. He doesn’t need us anymore. Any of us.”
“So, he just wants to clean the slate and erase everything?”
“Seems that way.”
“But why?”
Masten shook his head. “Probably to avoid culpability.”
“Who else is involved?”
“I’m not sure. Duchik was the only one we ever talked to. But there have to be others.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the project was too big, too expensive. The technology, procurement of supplies…”
Waterman turned to Reiff. “Just what you said.”
He nodded and continued studying Masten. “I was their guinea pig?”
The director nodded. “You were. For them, at least.” He looked at Rachel. “But not for us.” Reading the doubt on their faces, Masten lowered his brow. “You think I was with them.”
“Weren’t you?”
He stared at her, disappointed. Almost hurt. “I wasn’t with them,” Masten said. “I didn’t care what they were after. I only cared what I was after.”
“Money and fame?” suggested Rachel.
“Not money,” he said, rolling his head from side to side. “Fame, maybe. But not why you think.”
“And why is that?” she asked.
His eyes stared forward for a moment. “Publicity.”
“It’s the same thing.”
“No.” Masten rolled his head a second time before appearing to change gears. Returning to Reiff. “You’ve been outside now.”
“I have.”
“You’ve seen it. How the world is.”
“Some of it.”
“They explained what happened?”
“A little,” said Reiff.
Masten took a deep breath. “The world … is a terrible place. So much pain and misery. Suffering. And it will be like that for a long time.”
Reiff turned to Waterman, who said nothing.
“So much … despair. Sadness. Anguish. For generations.” He sighed. “That’s what I was after.”
“You wanted despair?”
Masten glowered. “An escape from it.”
Rachel looked confused. “I’m not following.”
He peered at her affectionately. “You never did look very far ahead. It wasn’t just about a longer life.” He rolled his eyes. “I may have embellished things a bit. Immortality is only a part of it.” He fell quiet for a moment. Thoughtful. “Do you have any idea how many people are suffering? Every day.”
“A lot,” acknowledged Rachel.
“People everywhere, all over the world, are living hand to mouth. Still. Not knowing where their next meal will come from. Or even if it will. Watching their children suffer. And starve.” His eyes began to glaze as he spoke. “We rode too close to the sun. Because of hubris. And greed. And gluttony.”
Rachel squinted at him, confused. “Robert, what are you talking about?”
His eyes refocused. “What would people give to escape it all?”
“Escape what, death?”
Masten shook his head. “No. To escape life.”
Again, Rachel glanced at the others. “Escape life?”
“To escape this life. This misery. This torment. This … blight.”
“Jesus, what are you talking about, mass extinction?”
Masten suddenly looked at Rachel, perturbed. “I’m talking about another chance. About a reboot. Not a reboot, a new chapter. A better chapter.”
“A new chapter of what?”
“In their lives,” Reiff suddenly said.
Masten nodded. “A chance to live a better life. At a better time. Like a fast-forward.”
Rachel continued staring, incredulous, until it finally hit her. “Fast-forward?” she said. “With cryonics?”
“Yes.”
“You want to send people into the future?”
“Far away from this terrible place. To a better time. A time with hope. And beauty. And optimism. And laughter. Like things used to be.” He grinned. “You’re too young to remember.”
Rachel was stunned. Frozen, staring at Masten as he lay in his bed. “That’s what this was all about?”
“For me, it was always about the future. About hope. And now John,” he said, looking at Reiff, “has proven it’s possible. Difficult, but possible.”
“I think ‘difficult’ is an understatement.”
“It won’t happen tomorrow. Just like anything, it will take time. But the technology works, and it will only get better and cheaper.”
Rachel could not believe her ears. It was all about some mass exodus. A mass exodus into the future.
“What did you think it was?” Masten asked.
She was dumbfounded. “I don’t know. The medical achievement of a lifetime.”
“Exactly. But an achievement to do what?”
“To help people.”
“Precisely what I’m talking about.”
“No, it’s not the same.… God, do you even know how long that would take? How many people you’re talking about?”
“Every journey begins with a single step.”
“Oh, please.”
“Rachel, any use of our technology would include sending someone into the future. Regardless of the reason. It doesn’t matter. In the end, it’s the same thing. And someday, they’ll remember I was the one who made it possible.”
All she could do was shake her head. “Well, you’re missing one thing. A big thing.”
“Like what?”
She turned to Reiff. “John.” When Masten didn’t answer, she added, “He’s still one in a million, remember?”
At that, Reiff turned and winked sarcastically at Waterman.
“Or at least, one in a thousand,” she said.
Waterman then smiled back at him. Watching Reiff turn back around. Noticing trembling in his friend’s hands.
“What are you talking about?”
Yamada, who had remained silent, spoke up. “She’s talking about the cryoprotectants.”
Rachel nodded in agreement. “We still don’t know why the ice crystals didn’t form in Reiff’s blood like all the others. Which means we’re still a long way from declaring victory.”
Masten stared at both of them for a long moment before shocking them with a single sentence: “Of course we know why.”