₦airaland Forum

Contd






"Let's get past the first hurdle young lady", Ali Garabed said, trying hard to conceal his temper.

"nextTech isn't operated like that. We aim once and shoot".

"Getting half of the stones, is outrageous for the cost of operation".

"In that case, NextTech has pulled out".

Ali Garabed noticed a change in her countenance as he asked, "How soon could NextTech start the recovery operation, assuming we have reached a deal?

"A mail to notify you of the time, would be sent to you about it".

"I wouldn't mind splitting the stones equally, if NextTech, could do it in the shortest possible time", Ali Garabed responded with other ideas in his mind.

Ellinaz Ivanovo gestured to him to follow her as she walked out of her office. They headed to NextTech Legal Department in the tenth floor, where the contract terms and condition were drafted. Ali Garabed had not met a business negotiator so mean. She proved to be very smart, but she had no idea that she was dealing with one the most tricky billionaire businessman, in the world.

Ali Garabed signed the dotted lines and left the Legal Department alone. He felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulder. He traveled to England from the United States to await the mail that would set off the operation.

Ellinaz Ivanovo had practically bamboozled him to align with the agreement. She left the Legal Department and went straight to meet Udi Daniel in his Neuron Lab, on the ground floor.

The scientist was sweating out with networks of life neurons, systematically linked and compressed into capsules. He realized that it would take him at least three years, to fully understand the decision signals, message signals, processing signals and modification signals of the different networks, to create the mind of the super intelligent machines and the nature-based operating system that they would run on, not mentioning having the mastery of the mathematical and biological functions, and modelling of each of the layers..

He continued the documentation of different output and input signal strength, for each of the various Natural Neural Network, NNN, and tagging the results of trained processes and functions, for each of the networks, when Ellinaz Ivanovo pushed open the door to the lab.

He did not look up from his workbench even as Ellinaz Ivanovo get around. She stood up there for close to three minutes before Udi Daniel said, "I hope this day is good". Ellinaz Ivanovo saw new drawings and devices connected to pins that were attached to different capsules. She was a regular visitor to the laboratory but she had not seen this kind of set up. She had always seen neural chips connected to devices and not capsules.

"I presume you're working on something new, I haven't seen this before", she said waving her right hand over the workbench.

Udi Daniel responded, "It's been around, even before we developed the excavants".

"What are you doing right now?"

"I'm testing and recording the functionalities of various Natural Neural Network".

"Aren't you overworking yourself?" She asked in almost a whisper as she moved around the workbench closely, to observe the work of the scientist.

UdI Daniel pointed to his drawing and said, "I'd need to implement that before I rest".

"What's in the drawing?” Ellinaz Ivanovo asked as she raised the cardboard to level with her eyes.

"It's a nature based computer with components of live Neuron Networks".

"Why are you doing this now? You need rest. I beg you to narrow your targets".

"This is very important, especially now".

"How do you mean it?"

"Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn't good enough to fix many problems. Natural Intelligence (NI), is the way to go. NextTech will in the near future deploy the technology that would replace all systems built with artificial intelligence".

"Why now?"

"NextTech needs it now".

Ellinaz Ivanovo cast her eyes on him the way she usually would do, when he talked about impossible things. She had doubted him in the past, but he had always proven her wrong, times without number, and now she doubted him again.

"Can you really pull this off?" Ellinaz Ivanovo asked as she placed her left hand on his shoulder.

"I like the challenge ", Udi Daniel replied and added "I've made progress on it already, and I'm sure that the first set of processing network, of the naturally intelligent system, would be ready under one year".

Ellinaz Ivanovo drew a chair to sit on and she opened a folder to bring out the contract that Ali Garabed had signed. Udi Daniel collected the sheet of paper to glance through as Ellinaz Ivanovo looked at the work of the scientist intently.

"Ali Garabed wants to know when NextTech would hit the ground running, for the operation", she said as Udi Daniel kept the sheet of paper on the workbench.

"As soon as the first natural intelligent system is rolled out", Udi Daniel replied.

Ellinaz Ivanovo looked lost as she gaped at him, "How do you mean? She pretended as if she did not understand him the first time.

"I know you won't understand, but it's a cautious move to avoid unforeseen problems that might befall us after the operation in Indonesia", Udi Daniel reasoned.

Ellinaz Ivanovo stood up at once and said, "I hope this isn't about the monster thing. We've agreed to let sleeping dogs lie. "By the way, how soon would the first creature with natural intelligence come out?"

"In the next two to three years...”

"Ali Garabed can't wait for that long",

"In that case, tell him to look elsewhere".

Chapter Thirteen





Udi Daniel sat on the edge of his bed in the morning, as Ellinaz Ivanovo perked him on his chin before she hurried out for a board meeting in NextTech, in expectation of Ali Garabed. Udi Daniel seemed to have been conquered by her smooth operation. At times, it appeared as if she had cast a spell on the scientist.

Udi Daniel reflected on some of the things she had said to him the previous day. How could she say, she could see through him into his past and future, and yet claimed she had no supernatural power or had no contacts with some forces. How could she have known he had come into the world, to summarize science and of him being the greatest scientist throughout history, that ever lived.

He had earlier thought she had only said the things she had said to massage his ego, to take up the challenge, but the more he dwelled on it, he felt she might be under some influence, without her knowledge, like the devil had used the serpent to talk to Eve, in the Garden of Eden, according to the christian Bible. He would never want to be the greatest scientist that had even lived, or being the one that would summarize science.

If NextTech would eventually accept the proposal of Ali Garabed, the humarines would need to be modified, to execute the recovery mission in the Indian Ocean. Udi Daniel was poised to not leave anything to chance, that would give room for some angel to bring him messages from an unknown world.

He continued to hope that the angel would appear to him and tell him he was now free from the powerful invisible forces that had held him ransom between Papua New Guinea and Australia. He felt he could work on his Machine Mind Technology, to make it impossible, for any external force to manipulate the minds of his machines. He was not so sure, jike creating perfect machines, incapable of "Commiting Sins". He got up from the bed and prepared to leave for his Neuron Laboratory in NextTech.

Ellinaz Ivanovo received a message in her phone from Udi Daniel as she took charge of the board meeting in the conference room of NextTech, on the 23rd administrative floor. The production of the excavants was ever increasing and warehouses were ever expanding, to meet the demands across the world.

She looked at her wristwatch, as the meeting was stretching beyond schedule, in expectation of Ali Garabed. Th e business magnate had notified her that he was already in the United States and would be at NextTech in thirty minutes time.

Ali Garabed at last arrived NextTech and was ushered in to meet Ellinaz Ivanovo. The office was spacious and decorated with expensive paintings of great scientists from time. Ali Garabed walked in with a briefcase and Ellinaz Ivanovo stood up to meet him in the middle of the office. They hugged and shook hands warmly before she led the way to a corner that housed her office bar, with pouch seats.

"Lovely office set up", Ali Garabed commented as they settled down nicely.

"Thank you ", Ellinaz Ivanovo responded.

"NextTech was so easy to locate", Ali Garabed as Ellinaz Ivanovo stood up walked towards the bar.

"How you like it", she said pointing to a cabinet full of different kinds of wine bottles.

"Anything red with strong spirit", Ali Garabed responded.

Ellinaz Ivanovo returned with two glasses and shared the wine with him. Ali Garabed's mind had never rested since he had bumped into NextTech in Canberra. He could not wait to get things signed off. He bypassed all official formalities and went for the kill after emptying his glass of wine.

"So, what's the deal? Ali Garabed asked with a business tone, "Have you discussed with him?"

Ellinaz Ivanovo kind of liked his direct approach to business as she replied, "NextTech is ready to ride, with the right terms and condition",

"Bring it on?” Ali Garabed said confidently.

"There's only one way nextTech would be involved", Ellinaz Ivanovo said as she looked at the framed photograph of her god on the wall.

Ali Garabed was going to ask her to name the price, when Ellinaz Ivanovo stunned him.

"NextTech would take half of the stones, as its cost for the operation".

Ali Garabed could not conceal his facial expression. He was completely taken aback. He hated the young lady all of a sudden. He wished he had other options. He thought hard and long on it, before he responded. He realized that the sooner this was over, the better for him, he was losing his mind. The thought of the stones in the Lost Ship, had continued to occupy him and it was affecting his health.

"It would be foolhardy to say no for the sharing formula of a treasure, that has not been found", Ali Garabed said thoughtfully.

"I take it that you've accepted the terms", Ellinaz Ivanovo said it, with panache.

@YoungBruzzy, I agree with you on the sleeky tricks of Ellinaz. She's pulling down all the defence of the scientist, killing him softly from both ends. I'm not sure I could even stand up to her, so smart and crazy. But then, Udi Daniel must choose the future he wants to see. He can't forget his past experiences so quickly.

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'Ellinaz, why?", Udi Daniel directed at her as she walked away to an executive leather chair, near a fancy glass table.

"What did I do?"

"You know what you're doing to me, you set me up on high, and you leave me crashing to the rocks".

"I desired it more than you ever wanted it".

"Then why did you stop?"

"I still have my pride, Daniel".

"Who says you don't", Udi Daniel asked as he walked towards her, "Now tell me, what's the pride?"

"I need you to marry me!"

"Only that?" Udi Daniel asked as if it's a child's play.
"Yeah, just that", Ellinaz Ivanovo responded as she grabbed a mini laptop on the glass table.

"I'm going to take you any where around the world, just to marry you! Even if you like it out of this world, I would get a space vehicle from SpaetriX, and take you to space".

"You promise?" Ellinaz Ivanovo asked with a girlish mien.

"Anywhere, just name it".

"Alright, I like it in Indonesia, specifically in Northern Sumatra, after everything".

Udi Daniel took a seat beside her and said into her ear, "Now, I know where this is going, why you torture me with your love".

"It's not what you're thinking".

"Ellinaz, you said earlier that I should prove my love to you by accepting the proposal to recover the precious stones in the Indian Ocean. It's too bad that you think of love this way".

'I''m not playing with your emotion to embark on the recovery mission in the Indian Ocean. We confessed our love for each other before you had left for the recovery operation in the Coral Sea".

"But that's what you're doing right now, you're weaponizing love".

"It's not true", Ellinaz Ivanovo said as she moved with the mini laptop, to seat on the handle of the chair Udi Daniel sat on. "Dan, I want to show you one of the strongest reasons, why I continued to think that even if it's a risk, it's worth it. It's why I have used any means to get you drawn into it, I wouldn't lie to you my god!'

"Ok Ellie, spill it".

Ellinaz Ivanovo passed the computer to the scientist and he saw the lists of the recent amount in dollars per carat of the various precious stones in the official market. His jaw dropped as he scrolled down the computer.

"There are one hundred and twenty of the boxes full of the stones in the Lost Ship", Ellinaz Ivanovio said to make it sink more into him as she saw his eyes dilating.

"I know so", Udi Daniel responded, "This is why you have gone mad".

"If you the calculation, only ten of the boxes of blue diamonds, would make nextTech richer than China, the United States and the whole of UK put together. Will we rule rule the world!"

Udi Daniel looked away from the computer for some minutes and stared at the screen again. He did not respond to Ellinaz Ivanovo as she looked at him in the face, expecting him to say something. He dropped the computer and walked to sit in the dining, and began to mulch away the cookies in silence.

Ellinaz did not push him, she knew that a chord had been struck in the mind of the scientist. Udi Daniel thought hard on the things she had said in the dining. Ellinaz Ivanovo got up and joined him with the palmtopr. She took the seat directly opposite him.

Ellinaz Ivanovo had said things that Udi Daniel considered very strong. She had no doubt about his skills,, but when she had asked him to prove himself to her, with this one, he taken it as not a direct challenge. She had craftily tied her marriage to the operation in the Indian Ocean. Udi Daniel was going to take another bar of cake, when the palmtop beeped. Ellinaz Ivanovo checked it and found that a new mail had come in. It came from Ali Garabed. He would be coming to iWashington DC the next day. Ellinaz Ivanovo read the mail to Udi Daniel as he continued mulching.

"It's alright, update me tomorrow after your meeting with him", Udi Daniel said as she finished reading the mail.

"Should I take it that you're in soul and spirit?" Ellinaz Ivanovo asked smiling broadly and conquishly.

"First thing first", Udi Daniel said with no emotion.

Ellinaz Ivanovo walked around the dining table and grabbed him by the neck and hooked his lips with her's with fervor. She pulled him up to his feet and led him away.

Contd





Udi Daniel got so drawn into the book that he did not notice when Ellinaz Ivanovo dropped the tray of the dish she had prepared on the dining. She tiptoed towards the sofa and looked down at him as he concentrated on a particular page. She distorted his assimilation with a sudden loud clap, and Udi Daniel cringed, the book fell off from his hand to the floor.

Ellinaz Ivanovo could not help laughing as she flung herself on the scientist. Udi Daniel sat upright and shifted to one end of the sofa, as she stretched with her head resting his lap. Udi Daniel beamed with genuine smile; he had not loosened up this way in a long time. Ellinaz surely knew how to draw him out of himself.

"That's not funny", Udi Daniel said as he picked up the book from the floor.

"You didn't blink or turned your neck for about six minutes, I've been watching you".

"Ellinaz, I was only minding my business".

"You lied!" She said with a suspicious smile, "You weren't aware of my presence. It's like you have found something that screwed you to the book".

"You know, I love history, and I admit that, it's a catching and well detailed piece of history".

Ellinaz Ivanovo smiled broadly at Udi Daniel, showing her snow-white set of teeth with a middle gap. She fancied the inventor was feeling the same vibe with her. She had waited for this moment to come.

"Do you really think such quantity of precious stones are somewhere in the Indian Ocean?" Ellinaz Ivanovo asked the scientist, faking a casual interest.

"The history seemed too authentic to be flawed. The book contains maps and references, and it's even a revised edition, implying that the story is being constantly updated".

Ellinaz Ivanovo could not wait, she took her shot, "Are there any chances that the stones could be recovered, if NextTech deployed its humarines?"

"See, Ellinaz, the situation here is different from that of the Coral Sea. The Lost Ship went down into the Indian Ocean more than four centuries ago, the ship must have been covered with sediments or decayed under the water, over the years".

"What are the chances?" Ellinaz Ivanovo reinterated her concern.

"It's indeterminate", Udi Daniel responded looking away from her.

"If the body of the ship had decayed, the precious stones would still be down there, wasting and waiting to be recovered", Ellinaz Ivanovo said as she used her right hand to turn the face of the scientist towards her.

Udi Daniel responded as he got up from the sofa,
"Ellie, we have only discussed a hypothetical situation, I've not said NextTech will handle it".

"What would NextTech lose if the machines were deployed?"

"Ellinaz, I don't want us to go back and forth.The situation remained fluid, anything can happen".

"I don't know what you mean", Ellinaz Ivanovo stood up to look directly into his eyes.

"You know what I have just been through, I need sometime to gather myself and to think through the proposal to recover the stones, Udi Daniel said with pleading eyes.

Ellinaz Ivanovo nodded her head slightly up and down to show understanding and said, 'You definitely need rest, much rest, but do this for me and I will never demand anything like this from you again".

"It involves more, Ellinaz".

"You're the greatest scientist throughout history, to this moment, that has ever lived, you're not my god for nothing. There's nothing you can't create. You're Ogidi Udi Daniel, you came into this world to summarize science".

"Who are you?" Udi Daniel asked Ellinaz Ivanovo obviously dumbfounded.

"I'm who you know, did I scare you?"

"Is it actually you that's talking, Ellinaz, or is someone talking through you".

"I'm Ellinaz Ivanovo, it's a pity that you have no idea of the stuff you're made of".

"Really? Do you know all of me?"

You're transparent to me, and I can see through you, into your past and future".

"Ellie, tell me truth right now? Do you have contacts with any supernatural force or forces?"

"I'm only a goddess with no power".

"It had better be so".

"Now, prove your love for me. Prove to me that you're the creator of minds, one more time, and it will be all over", Ellinaz Ivanovo said as she flew to touch the lips of Udi Daniel with her's.

The scientist took three steps backwards to be sure it was her, the manner she had spoken reminded him of the angel that had guarded him from the Big Bird to the Pacific Ocean, to Papua New Guinea and back to Australia. He could see it was Ellinaz Ivanovo, only that her skimpy designer blouse now exposed more of her flat belly, causing her curved burgeoning hip to be irresistibly inviting.

All of a sudden, the magnetism smashed them together and Udi Daniel could feel her tongue probing him. He felt the electricity burning his body and he desired more. He pulled her more to press against his chest as he felt very hard "two pieces stone", and suddenly, Ellinaz Ivanovo disconnected from him.

Contd





Udi Daniel no longer felt secured with her in her display of affection. He had thought she was only being poetic with the "You're my god" thing, but he could no more think so, It was going beyond obsession to madness.

She had clearly used one of the best artists in the world to create his image. It appeared so real like life. Was she going to be worshipping the image practically. He could feel it that something could be behind the idolization, but where it was coming from, he could not point it. He raised his face as Ellinaz Ivanovo walked into a room and slammed the door shut.

He snapped out of his daydream to reality and stood up. He moved around and saw portraits of himself and Ellinaz Ivanovo along the corridor of the floor. He saw a room with a door marked, "For my god", he pushed it open as he heard the noise of a shower.

He was dazed by what he saw in the room. A part of his brain processed everything he had seen and changed his mind about Ellinaz Ivanovo being crazy. She was in love, undiluted, intense and pure. He realized he could never so no to her for anything in the world, except recovering the stones in the Indian Ocean. He returned to sit on the sofa.

He fixed his eyes on the door to the room, where Ellinaz Ivanovo had entered, as it opened slowly. She came out ravishingly beautiful from her head to her toes. She was putting on a designer skimpy blouse and a short blue jeans. Her radiance so magnetized the scientist and Udi Daniel could not understand how he was pulled to her with an unbelievable speed.

She had removed the ribbon that packed her hair. Udi Daniel ran his hand through her blond hair, that glistened in the blue light of the living room. He restricted himself from doing what was in his mind. He was not going to rush her. As friendly as she might look, she operated with strict codes. They moved hand in hand to the center of the living room.

"Ellinaz", Udi Daniel said as he took his seat.

"You're a goddess", the scientist confessed.

"But I don't have supernatural powers".

"You don't have to get supernatural powers, to become one".

"So I'm a powerless goddess, ordinary human being".

"You call me your God right?"

"Uhooh".

"What can of supernatural power do I have,?"

"Your case is different Dan, you speak to science and get things created".

"I only bring my imaginations to reality".

"It takes a god to do that".

"Must you always win an argument", Udi Daniel asked as Ellinaz Ivanovo let go of his hand.

"I'm going to get something for us to chew", Ellinaz Ivanovo said as she walked away.

"Are you ordering?"

"Nope! By the way, do you like it here?"

"It's a palace!" Udi Daniel said as he picked the book, "The Great Loss"".

Ellinaz Ivanovo could hear him flicking the pages of the book as she prepared cookies in the kitchen. Her thoughts swung from one extremity to the other extremity over a range of things. Most crucial among them was how she could subtly soften the heart of the scientist to submission. She had found that arguing with him and rubbishing what he believed, would not bring out the results she wanted.

Contd





"That's the only way it could be explained to a natural mind and make sense", Ellinaz Ivanovo said and smiled as she took the outstretched hands of Udi Daniel.

The scientist led her towards a cane chair in a well manicured lawn. He was poised to talk her out of her understanding of existing forces that could manipulate "living machines".

"You actually think the built-in controller in Adiam might have changed the humarine to a monster?

"That's not what I meant", Ellinaz Ivanovo said as Udi Daniel bent to sit on the cane chair.

"I create monsters! That's what you imply Ellie", Udi Daniel said to rub in his point.

"I said the programs that controlled the mind of Adiam got bugs and it generated error codes that transformed Adiam", Ellinaz Ivanovo said.

"What's the difference?" Udi Daniel asked, "If you can believe in a bizarre transformation process that could have turned the humarine to a monster in the Coral Sea, why do you find it so outlandish, that invisible intelligent forces could manipulate machines?"

Ellinaz Ivanovo stood up from the cane chair and said, "It's alright for now Dan, who knows, we might have a common position", the scientist just stared at her. "Let me show you around, we can talk more about it later".

Udi Daniel rose up and followed her around the mansion. They rounded a corner and he could see an olympic-size swimming pool, a mini football field, a luscious garden, a plush lawn tennis court and a small zoo.

Ellinaz Ivanovo pointed to some adjoining structures and told him what they were meant for. She could see that the scientist was looking stressed. She turned around and they walked back to the main mansion. Ellinaz Ivanovo decided to access the eight-storey mansion with a lift.

Udi Daniel was all smiles as he saw expensive beautiful paintings and well sculptured images. He froze all of a sudden as he walked behind Ellinaz Ivanovo into the master living room on the eight floor.

"What!" The scientist expressed in shock.

"What's what?" Ellinaz Ivanovo pretended like she did not get it.

"You molded my image, and you had to make it this big?"

"Don't you know who you are?" Ellinaz Ivanovo asked with all her strength.

"Ellie, what are doing to me? Udi Daniel said in a confused state and headed to a sofa. He fell on it and started daydreaing with the book "The Great Loss", in his hand.

Contd





Ellinaz Ivanovo's last words melted the heart of the scientist in a way he could not control. Tiny shiny beads of tears rolled up to his eyes and gradually swelled up. He turned to look away from Ellinaz Ivanovo to hide his eyes. But, she had seen them. She turned his head with her left hand with a touch of tenderness and the tears dripped from the face of the scientist. Ellinaz Ivanovo brought a pink hankerchief and dabbed his eyes.

She had never seen him show this sweet side of emotion, she assumed he must have been overwhelmed by her display of how much she cared for him.

Udi Daniel continued to toss up incidences from his past and presence in his mind, as the Limo ate up the distance to Downtown DC. He clearly figured out that Ellinaz Ivanovo was not doing it, to induce him to recover the precious in the Indian Ocean. His heart bled figuratively in pains as Ellinaz Ivanovo ran her soft hand on his back to give him warmth. He could not stand the thought that she could be hurt by anything in the world.

He was ready to sink and swim the devil that would come near. He could never have dreamed, that the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and one of the best billionaire business tactician in the world, would one day become his business partner and would love and worship him.

He would fight death to make her live for eternity. He felt a new lease of life rushing back at him as the Limo went through a massive gate. He opened the first page of the book, "The Great Loss", and covered it without reading a word.

"Don't you think you need some rest from work, Ellinaz Ivanovo asked from the corner of her mouth as she saw him closing the book.

"No, I'm perfectly alright', Udi Daniel replied.

"I advise that you see a doctor for a thorough look up", Ellinaz Ivanovo said as Udi Daniel caught a glimpse through the side window.

"I've already been checked by doctors in Papua New Guinea, Ellie. They're experts and I have a clean bill of health with me, I can show you if you want me to".

He appeared physically sound and mentally too, to Ellinaz Ivanovo, and she could not get where the strange things he had said came from: "Invisibble Players". She admitted to herself that something was about the way he had escaped from the plane crash, but she could not connect it to some invisible machinations.

At times she inclined to want to see things through the lens of the scientist, but each time her mind switched to the Lost Ship loaded with diamonds, every other thing got eviscerated. As if Udi Daniel was reading her mind he turned to face her as the Limo drew up in the front of a king-size mansion.

"Ellie, do you think I survived the plane crash because I'm Udi Daniel? the scientist asked as they alighted.

"I really don't know Dan, I think I have answered that question earlier".

She would not send a wrong signal that she believed in some invisible kingdom. The van that carried Zodiaz, Godiam, Roggi and Illiax, drove past to the garage and a thought flashed up in the mind of Udi Daniel.

"Didn't you check the mind program of Adiam before we left the Landmarks Hotels in Brisbane? The scientist asked her to get her on another line of reasoning.

"Yeah, I did", Ellinaz Ivanovo replied.

"What do you think had altered the mind of the humarine in the Coral Sea? Udi Daniel asked as she moved around to meet him.

"I can't but believe that the mind-controller, might have malfunctioned, making the "Decision-Making Systems" to generate monster error codes in the humarine".

"Damn! Ellinaz, you're the best science fiction writer I have ever seen!"

Chapter Twelve





They disembarked from the jet with the book in the hand of Udi Daniel. Ellinaz Ivanovo sensed the scientist was probably considering the operation to recover the stones. She knew he was capable of doing the sublime one moment, but would become unprecedentedly unpredictable at other times.

She knew enough of him to balance the equation of their relationship. She could see that his demeanor was brightened all of a sudden, as they crossed a pavement towards the car park in the airport. She warmed up to him.

"How do you feel, now that you're back home? Ellinaz Invanoo asked as she flashed a disarming smile at him.

"Freedom!" Udi Daniel replied. "You don't know the taste of it, until you're caught in the web of powerful forces".

"Can't yoo do without casting aspersions?" Ellinaz Ivanovo asked as she placed her right hand around his neck.

"You're the interpreter", Udi Daniel responded as he used his left hand to hold her waist.

Ellinaz Ivanovo refrained with effort to not take the scientist on his concept of freedom. She had come to realize that stoking the fire, would never get him to see things naturally.

A white-coloured Limousine pulled up right before them as they took a turn to access the driveway to the park. A smart chauffeur came out and pulled the door open for them. Ellinaz Ivanovo literally dragged Udi Daniel into the Limousine, as he looked stunned and confused.

The scientist knew she belonged to a high caste in Russia, with a very high taste, but he had not seen her ride in a Limo. He was forced to speak out when he saw the driver taking a route directly opposite to NextTech, where he lived in a bungalow.

"What's happening Ellie?" Uri Daniel asked staring into her eyes.

"Like what?" She asked back at him feigning ignorance.

"Where're we headed?'

"I bought a mansion for you while you were away in Australia, we're going Downtown DC", Ellinaz Ivanovo said and giggled.

"But, you didn't tell me all this while".

"I wanted to make it a surprise, after we must have returned from our vacation. I could not wait anymore when I heard your voice, after surviving the plane crash in Papua New Guinea".

"Wow!"

"It's my gift for us".

"You did this for me?"

"Didn't I tell you, that you're my god?"

Contd





By the time they pulled away, Udi Daniel was exhausted, and he collapsed on the chest of Ellinaz Ivanovo. She cuddled him with her long arms, tightly to herself as if the grown-up man was a toddler. They were lost into what the future would hold for them, but in and on, parallel opposite paths.

Udi Daniel's resolution on the operation in the Indian Ocean, would need to defend itself from the flaming arrows of love, shooting from the heart of Ellinaz Ivanovo. She had been there for him since she discovered his talent, playing a mother figure. . Each time she kissed him, he felt waves, like electric sparks, traveling through neon gasses.

He felt strongly that if Ellinaz Ivanovo switched off her love for him, he would stop to exist, but a voice from within, would not stop telling him to protect her from the demon of diamonds. He was knocked out by the dilemma and he slept off in the arms of Ellinaz Ivanovo.

She was not totally oblivious of the circumstances that had seemed to redefine the character of her god. Though she hated to admit it to the scientist, that the monster that had come out of the Coral Sea, had all the physical appearance of the humarine, barring other things, she would never take it that Adiam got possessed in the Coral Sea.

She opined that the only way to explain it away, and make.sense to an enlightened mind, was that Adiam had evolved due to error codes generated in the sea.

As the plane made a sharp descent into Washington, Udi Daniel woke up in the arms of Ellinaz Ivanovo. He stretched his right hand and took the book Ali Garabed had given her.

"The book contains all you need to know about the stones and where to recover them in the Indian Ocean", Ellinaz Ivanovo said with a suppressed smile.

Udi Daniel laughed wryly and said, "I'm not promising you anything", as the private jet touched down in the Baltimore/Washington international airport.

YoungBruzzy the prophet!
Nothing is certain for now,
The World Unknown in the Indian Ocean.

Contd





Udi Daniel could not hide his feelings from her, he reacted on the spot by casting a surprise look at her. She had not been so dispirited for the seven years he had known her. She took his last sentence very offensive. He held her to a high esteem, and she knew it, but right now, she felt the scientist had belittled her.

She was from the stock affluent families in Russia, that commanded mult-billion businesses around the world. When Tillaz, the company that had last employed Udi Daniel had disgraced him out, it was Ellinaz Ivanovo, who had persuaded and empowered him to set up NextTech.

Udi Daniel unfastened his seat belt and drew near to Ellinaz Ivanovo. He could see that tears were streaming down from her eyes. He must have hurt her really bad, the way she recoiled with veins visible around her neck. He placed his left hand around her shoulder and tried to get her attention, but she looked away.

"Ellie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, to make you cry", Udi Daniel said with a pleading face.

Ellinaz Ivanovo began sobbing as she felt his hand. She could see that the scientist was really all out to make amends, and she was determined to make it hard for him. At the same time, she felt pity for the scientist, who had gone past terrible realities, in the not too distant time.

For the first time, she thought of allowing the recovery of the stones in the Indian Ocean to pass, until the he had regained full control of himself. However, a more stronger thought, was gaining ground in her mind. The blacksmith doesn't wait for the iron to be cold, before beating it to shape. It had to be now! She moved her neck slowly to face Udi Daniel, and he opened his mouth again.

"Ellie, I said I'm sorry", Udi Daniel repeated with a drag.

"What did you do to me?" Ellinaz Ivanovo asked with a fading voice.

"I made you cry".

"No, you reduced me to nothing".

"I can't do that to you, you're all I got. I'm only protecting you from them".

"From who?"

"That's what you wouldn't understand".

"I can die for you Ellinaz. I don't want any monster or strange forces near or around you".

"Dan, what are you protecting me know?"

"I just said it, monsters and strange forces".

"You're at it again".

"Listen to me Ellinaz, before the Big Bird had crashed, in one of my visions, Adiam had risen from the Pacific Ocean, to where you were sunbathing on the beach. It held you by the neck and....I can't say it", Udi Daniel said in dread.

"You see Dan, I think I know what to do now".

"Do you still think I'm crazy?"

"Adiam has been reduced to particles, no more monsters", Ellinaz Ivanovo said and held the face of Udi Daniel in her hands.

"I'm really afraid, I'm not about to risk another adventure into the unknown", Udi Daniel said as Ellinaz Ivanovo shut his mouth up with a piercing kiss.

Contd






'She told me that I released the demon of diamonds with my machines in the Coral Sea, and I must return to Australia to clean up my mess".

"Dan, you haven't answered my question".

"I don't need anyone to tell me that it was Adiam that had become the monster, it wasn't by transformation but by possession".

"Possession, by what?"

"The demon of diamonds of course".

"This is meniscal!" Ellinaz Ivanovo said blocking her ears with her hands.

"Did you just call me a meniac?" Udi Daniel asked with his face stone cold.

"I didn't say so, I mean the whole thing. How does it sound to you? Machines possessed by demons? This is unspeakable!"

"Don't doubt this to your own peril, I'm dealing with extra powerful invisible forces right here", Udi Daniel stressed.

"You know what, I'm going to continue to pretend that I didn't hear anything that you have said about demons possessing machines, until you see a psychiatrist and a psychologist. The crash has changed you".

"Ellinaz, I'm more normal than you are", Udi Daniel fought back.

"We will see!" Ellinaz Ivanovo responded.

"You think science is everything?"

"It's you Daniel, who said anything that science can't explain, doesn't exist".

"That's right in the visible world, not in the world that I can't see with my physical eyes or science eyes".

"It's so convenient for you to say".

"Alright Ellie, can you use science to explain to me how and why I was the only survivor when the Big Bird crashed in the Pacific Ocean".

"It could have been anybody".

"Is that all you can say?"

"That's all there's to say Dan".

"You win Ellinaz, but before I give you a Medal of Honor, don't broach up the Indian Ocean and the stones to me again".

Ellinaz Ivanovo got up from the legs of the scientist to take her seat in the private jet and said, "I've resigned all my roles in the running of NextTech with immediate effect! I'm no longer a shareholder from now on!!".

Contd





"But you haven't said anything to me, what's this about?'

"NextTech would no longer embark on any operation to dig out stones from the earth or recover them from any body of water", Udi Daniel said with a note of finality.

"I'm blown away!" Ellinaz Ivanovo expressed shock.

Udi Daniel turned to face her and said, "Sadly, that's the new reality".

"It's this a joke or what?"

"I just said it's the new reality".

"The primary reason NextTech was set up is to save human miners from dying in minefields around the world, especially in dangerous zones, and you tell me now, that it's all over!" Ellinaz Ivanovo said with vehemence.

"You don't get me Ellie, NextTech isn't folding up, we will continue to supply mining companies, archeological and space traveling companies, and even underwater recovery companies, machines for their operation, but NextTech wouldn't be directly involved from now on".

"Why have you taken this decision?"

"Let me let out a little bit, did you find it ordinary back in the Landmarks Hotels, that my hands were frozen up, when I was just a click away from killing the monster?"

Ellinaz Ivanovo laughed derisively at the scientist and said, ", You of all people should know better, it was only a medical condition, I don't have the right word for it now. You had survived a plane crash, such things could happen, don't ascribe it to anything supernatural".

"Was it a medical situation too, when my hands were restored immediately the vibration stopped around the trap in Brisbane?"

"Look Dan, you're going for a thorough mental examination when we arrive home".

"I don't need it, I'm perfectly fine".

"No you're not".

"I knew you would never reason with me", Udi Daniel said shaking his head.

"You scare me!" Ellinaz Ivanovo said and rested her back on her seat and took a deep breath.

Ellinaz Ivanovo tried to get him to open up on his fears but he would not speak about it. Udi Daniel dozed off as she continued to press him to spill it all. She let him be and opened up the book that Ali Garabed had given to her. She finished the book from cover to cover inside the jet before they would arrive Washington.

What she found in the book about the Lost Ship, made her consider the recovery of the stones even more so much worth the while. She did a mental calculation of the cost of an eighty centimeters square box, full of pink diamond bars and her body got covered with goosebumps. The ship had carried one hundred and twenty of such boxes. She turned and looked at Udi Daniel who was still deeply asleep. She was becoming increasingly restlesss and could not bear the torture anymore. She woke up the scientist.

"How can I help you? Udi Daniel asked sleepily as Ellinaz Ivanovo rocked him on his shoulder.

"I need you to consider the recovery of the precious stones, from the Indian Ocean", Ellinaz Ivanovo replied as she rubbed his back with her right hand.

"I thought we're done with that", Udi Daniel said to assert his resolution.

"Tell me!" Ellinaz Ivanovo said as she freed herself and sat on the lap of Udi Daniel, "What are you afraid of".

"Do you really want to know?" Udi Daniel asked looking directly into her eyes.
"Yes, everything".

"What if I tell you that I'm a pawn in the hands of some very powerful invisible players".

"How? Tell me about it".

"I was actually trapped in Australia to crush the monster because I used the humarines to recover the block of diamond from the Coral Sea".

"And how do you know this?"

"I've been having dreams here and there, before you came to Brisbane. An angel has been consistently in touch with me in trances or dreams. She revealed this to me in the Big Bird before it had crashed in Papua New Guinea".

"Did the angel tell you, that it was Adiam that had changed to become the monster?" Ellinaz Ivanovo asked as she mbibed Udi Daniel's line of thought.

Contd





Tom Harry was the first person to alight in the convoy at the international wing of the airport, and he led the way to the departure hall. Ali Garabed recognized the Minister from a about forty meters, as he came through the arrival gate. He doubled his strides and caught up with him. He looked behind the Minister and picked out Udi Daniel. He was overly excited.

"Hey Minister! Good to see you again!" Ali Garabed said, stretching his right hand to Tom Harry for a handshake.

Tom Harry shook hands with the business tycoon, as he introduced him to Udi Daniel and Ellinaz Ivanovo. Ali Garabed smartly grabbed Udi Daniel's outstretched and said hello to Ellinaz Ivanovo. He pulled the Minister to a corner and whispered into his left ear.

"I'd like to discuss business with NextTech, can I have the attention of the scientist".

Tom Harry walked to meet the scientist who was chatting with Ellinaz Ivanovo and said, "He wants to talk with you briefly about business?"

Udi Daniel nodded at Ellinaz Ivanovo and she walked up to Ali Garabed. They settled on a double chair in the departure hall as Ali Garabed opened his briefcase on his lap. Ellinaz Ivanovo adjusted herself on the chair.

"I would like you to see this first, before I say anything", Ali Garabed said as he presented four pieces of glossy papers to her.

Each of the papers contained the enlarged images of the precious stones. Ellinaz Ivanovo eye's shone as she looked longingly at the images. The appeal of the stones got her spellbound. Ali Garabed could see that she was held captive by the stones.

"They're stunningly beautiful. Do you sell them? Ellinaz Ivanovo asked as she returned the papers to Ali Garabed.

"You can keep the papers", the business mogul said and continued. "The stones are wasting away in the Indian Ocean". Ellinaz Ivanovo's eyes dilated as she realized where Alr Garabed was going with the conversation. "I watched how the humarines deployed by NextTech had recoverd the block of diamond from the Coral Sea, and I'm confident that the machines could be used to recover the stones from the ocean".

Ellinaz Ivanovo stole a glance at Udi Daniel before she said, "NextTech would handle it if the conditions were right. First off, are you sure of the presence of the stones in the Indian Ocean?"

Ali Garabed responded by opening his briefcase again and took out the book titled: "The Great Loss" and gave it to her saying, "This book contains all that you need to know. I have done all the research work".

Ellinaz Ivanovo looked at her wristwatch and said: "I'm interested in this. Let's meet again to further our discussion. I would need to discuss this with the scientist".

Ali Garabed smiled and said, "It would be my greatest pleasure to see you again".

Ellinaz Ivanovo stood up and stretched her right hand to give him a business card and said, "I expect you in Washington DC".

She walked back to meet Udi Daniel who was looking intently at the papers in her hand. She hooked the left hand of the young inventor, with her right hand and they strolled away to where a chartered jet was waiting. Tom Harry waved them away and joined Ali Garabed out of the departure hall.

Ellinaz Ivanovo did not mention a thing about the business discussion she had with Ali Garabed until they were settled in the jet. Udi Daniel could tell from the expression on her face, since her meeting with Ali Garabed, that something very interesting was in the offing for her.

As the plane balanced on the runway to take off, she gave Udi Daniel one of the papers that Ali Garabed had given her. He looked at the front page and flipped it over to check the back page, the images of the precious stones sparkled in the inside the jet.
"They're beautiful stones, are you going to buy them?" Udi Daniel said.

Ellinaz Ivanovo did not answer the question right away. The paper she had given him contained the images of a blue diamond, red beryls, tanzanites, yellow diamond and black opal. Udi Daniel was still looking at the first paper, when she placed the whole papers on his lap. He picked the papers one after the other and examined them as the jet plane attained the right altitude for straight flight. He was about to look through the images again, when she answered his question.

"I'm not buying them, I'm going to find them".

Udi Daniel raised his head shockingly and looked at her squarely in the face.

"Where are these stones?" He asked.

"They're somewhere at the bottom of the Indian Ocean", Ellinaz Ivanovo replied.

She could see that Udi Daniel had withdrawn his interest all of a sudden.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Ellinaz Ivanovo asked as she touched him.

"You wouldn't understand. You would never even try to understand".

Contd





He sought to see aged men on the island who would likely know the area of the island where ships had belted, in far flung time in history. It turned out that none of the men he interviewed had any idea. The outcome of his mission did not deter him from carrying on. He had come this far and there was no going back. Each time he flashed his mind on the kinds of stones that were in the Lost Ship, he got shivers, agonizing headache, and sleepless nights.

The book detailed the stones, ranging from; Pink Diamonds, Emeralds, Rubies, Sapphires, Tanzanites, Black Opals, Yellow Diamonds, Musgravites, Red Beryls, Red Diamonds, Alexandrites, Jadietes, Grey, Green and Blue Diamonds. His grandfather had told him that one of his forefathers, had over a hundred carat of blue diamonds in the Lost Ship.

He could not believe that the civilization of two empires would let such a loss to go unrecovered over the centuries, that they had reigned across the Indian Ocean.

He suddenly felt something was not adding up. He theorized that if the had the markings of probable area on the Indian Ocean around the Nias Island, it should have as well showed sketches of the spot ships had belted. He primed himself to make sure that the history book was not misleading him.

He returned to Sumatra and began to search for books in the history section of old libraries, specifically for books that contained trade history across the Indian Ocean, around four or five hundred years ago. He moved from one library to another, rummaging entire stack of books, and devouring any that covered the history of trade across the Indian Ocean.

He became weary along the way, still he did not give up. The thought of the precious stones, somewhere at the bottom of the ocean kept supplying him the energy to continue. He was going to resign his research in one of the libraries and look elsewhere, when he found a book titled: "The Great Loss" in an obscured section of the oldest library he had been to.

The book captured everything that he needed to know. It re-echoed the fact that the precious stones were never found. He found out from the book that the monsoon had blown through the harbour, and the ship chain had snapped off the anchor. The monsoon had taken it westward from the harbour. The ship was regarded as the toughest that navigated the turbulent ocean. The reason why it had sunk, still perplexed historians till date.

The British Empire had deployed the best technology in existence at the time, to comb the volatile ocean for years, with no result. It had lost so much financially and recorded many casualties like the Mughal Empire. The search and recovery operation had stopped and the ocean was left to enjoy the riches.

Ali Garabed paid for the book to be reproduced and he obtained the original copy after paying handsomely. The end was his driving force.

The business mogul intended to travel to the US enroute England to meet NextTech, but he decided to first do a last minute check on his email inbox before leaving his hotel room in Indonesia. He found out that a new mail had come in from Australian economic team of the government, who had brokered the deal to transfer ownership of the Mystery Diamond to his company..

The team needed him in Canberra to sign the documents that would authorize the transfer of the first instalment of the money Dynabiz had paid for the diamond.

Ali Garabed decided to leave Indonesia for Australia. He went to Jarkata from Sumatra and boarded a commercial plane to Canberra. As the plane flew into Australia, he recalled how hopeful he had been before and after the deal of the Mystery Diamond was struck. He could not get it why the government had retracted its decision to sell the diamond to Dynabiz, after its recovery.

He let go of the feeling of loss completely as the hope of recovering the precious stones in the Lost Ship, loomed large in his mind. He fantasized with what he could do with the stones as the plane touched down in Canberra International Airport.

Udi Daniel and Ellinaz Ivanovo were being driven to the Canberra Airport in a convoy. His heroism would not be forgotten in a hurry in the history of Australia. Tom Harry drove directly behind the car that had Udi Daniel and Ellinaz Ivanovo.

Chapter Eleven






Tourism business flourished again in Australia with frenzy, from the the day the monster was grinded. The government grappled to track the flurry of visitors and activities. The Prime Minister witnessed a spike in the economy. In no time, he was sure that the government would be able to raise the money that Ali Garabed had paid for the Mystery Diamond.

Ali Garabed had been away from Australia to Indonesia, for fact finding mission. He had not been able to think of anything else since he witnessed the recovery operation of the Mystery Diamond from the Coral Sea, by the humarines. The story of the ship loaded with all kinds of diamond, that had sunk into the Indian Ocean centuries ago, seemed to be erasing every other thing that would come to his mind. It was only the thought of the Lost Ship that could assuaged the disappointment of loosing the Mystery Diamond.

He recalled freshly the story told by his grandfather who had traveled far and near across the Indian Ocean, using the Arabian Peninsula as base. His grandfather, Omara Garabed, had said many Australian, Indian, Chinese and Arabian merchants had lost their goods of precious stones in the Indian Ocean. The incidence occurred about four hundred and eighty years ago and the cause could not be figured out at the time.

Opinion groups at that time had widely beloved that Skull and Bones a fierce group of sea pirates that ruled over the Indian Ocean, was most likely responsible for the Lost Ship. The Mughal Empire that reigned across the Indian Ocean at the time had empowered the East India Company to search the ocean for the ship.

The search had gone on for years, recording untold number of casualties, and it yielded nothing. Associates, friends and relatives of some of the merchants that had lost their goods in the ship, had paid the empire huge sums of money for the search to continue, and the Mughal Dynasty had continued to supply divers. This had gone on and on until the empire was toppled by the British Empire.

Before Ali Garabed had left Australia for Indonesia for the fact finding mission of the area of the Indian Ocean where the ship had gone down with its load, he had done some research about the Lost Ship in Australia. Soon after he was discharged from the hospital where he was treated for the heartattack, Ali Garabed had begun gathering hard facts. He knew he would need more than just stories to convince NexTech to release the humarines for the operation.

Consequently, he had traveled around Australia, checking antiquity libraries and museums for artefacts or papers that documented the piece of history. He had found a book that accurately and generously narrated the trade history across the Indian Ocean, about the time that his grandfather had told him. The book contained the history of the Lost Ship and had given some details of the precious stones that were in the ship.

Ali Garabed could not contain his excitement in the library where he had found the book. His joy had doubled, when he found out that the book contained a map of the Indian Ocean and markings of the possible areas where the ship could have washed down. He had negotiated with the library attendant and had paid paid through his nose for the book to be reproduced. He had bought the original copy.

It was stated in the book that the ship had snapped off from an anchor in the territory of Nias Island, in the Indian Ocean, where the ship had belted temporarily due to a terrible monsoon. The ship was going to pull away to Australia where it was expected to offload some goods, before heading to India, and then finally to China, its final destination.
The merchants had gathered all kinds of precious stones. from across Africa, parts of Europe and America, for some years, and had heaped their goods in Zimbabwe where the ship would start sailing across the turbulent Indian Ocean.

Ali Garabed had chartered a jet and had flown to Sumatra in Indonesia, from Australia and connected to Nias Island with a helicopter. He arrived the island and found out that the description of the Nias Island in the book matched, and he went a step further to find where the ships had belted on the island around the historical time.

Contd





The trees surrounding the area of the trap swayed and danced to the rythm of the vibrating earth, as the mechanical system shook up to its base. The quaking continued for about one hour thirteen minutes before the ground began to show signs of cracks around the setup. Tom Harry rushed from his hotel room where he had gone to watch the action on TV, into Udi Daniel's room, breathing heavily as he spoke out:

"There's about to be an earthquake in the location!"

"Why do you feel so?" Udi Daniel asked the Minister.
"Watch the ground closely, it's splitting!"

Ellinaz Ivanovo zoomed out and said aloud, "It's true, the ground is tearing up!"

"Won't the monster escape?” Tom Harry expressed his concern.

"Even if an earthquake occurred, Adiam wouldn't escape". Udi Daniel boosted confidence.

A disturbing thought pricked the mind of Udi Daniel as he hit rock bottom. For the first time he thought about what would happen to the demon inside Adiam. He looked lost asa part of the battlefield was now in his mind. Tom Harry was also drawn into his own world. He racked his head for anything that could help. They just watched on, hoping for the good or the bad. Udi Daniel's hands remained frozen and he could not process what was happening to him.

The Prime Minister sat at the edge of his seat in the Federal Capital Territory, watching the whole thing as it unfolded. He was rising to grab his cellphone and punch some numbers to reach the Security Heads, when he saw that the tremor generated by the monster, was travelling fast through the ground around the location, spreading through to the beaches.

Bobby Roberts stopped dialing the numbers that he had punched on the phone as he saw a good number of bomber jets and military attack helicopters moving in. Tom Harry heaved a sigh of relief when the forces appeared on the screen. Eight military attack helicopters arrived at the area and hovered above the location. The vibration reached a destructive level as buildings around the area showed signs of cracks on the walls.

The foundation of the mechanical system cracked open and the system was tilting to the ground. The steel arms that pressed against the iron disc were falling off. Suddenly, a blast of extremely hot black matter sprayed out from the cracks, like molten magmas shooting from a volcanic eruption, with a high pressure-force that made the helicopters above flipped ove, and burst into flames in the air before hitting the ground. The vibration stopped and calm returned with incontrollable celebration in the streets of Australia.

Soldiers raced to the location to ensure no choice for the monster, as a black creature that looked like a spider galloped its way from a wide crack towards the sea. No one noticed the little creature as it headed for the Coral Sea and sprang into the water.
Udi Daniel became a super hero to the ruling class. Bobby Roberts invited him and Ellinaz Ivanovo to Canberra where he made plans to host them to a lavish party.

Bobby Roberts kept holding on to Udi Daniel despite having seen that the monster had been completely neutralized. The action of the Prime Minister did not bother the scientist. Days rolled up into weeks and the monster had not come out of the sea to hunt for the diamond, but Bobby Roberts still felt that there could be another monster.

Ellinaz Ivanovo was raring to leave for the United States to attend to issues that begged for attention in NextTech. By the end of the month, the Prime Minister knew it would be difficult to press them to stay more days.

Udi Daniel still feared to travel across any body of water. He recalled vividly the experience in the Big Bird and the crash in the Pacific Ocean, near the Kairuru Island. Ellinaz Ivanovo would not believe that he had revelations in his dreams. He did not know how to convince her to stay some more for the angel to appear to him. Ellinaz Ivanovo already glowed in the excitement to finally leave Australia for the United States. She had finished travel arrangement and Udi Daniel could not do anything about it. He resigned his life to fate.

EvidenceOfGrace saw tomorrow, but YoungBruzzy could only see the moment

Contd





Adiam discreetly emerged from the water slowly to see everywhere quiet. It turned his head three sixty degrees on it's neck and could see no living thing except birds, butterflies and insects. It drew out its tail with gusto to the surface of the sea, and stretched it out completely. It stood upon the sea water on its webbed hind limbs and straightened itself. Udi Daniel estimated its height to be 14 ft 9 in as Ellinaz Ivanovo continued to screem.

"Holiest God!" Tom Harry exclaimed as Adiam walked upon the sea water towards the shoreline.

"This is the Devil himself, it's not a monster", Ellinaz spurted her statement.

'It's amazing that you believe in the existence of Satan, but don't believe in God", Udi Daniel directed at Ellinaz.

Unlike her, Ellinaz Ivanovo did not respond to Udi Daniel. She concentrated on the monster as it grracefully threaded on the Coral Sea, like a tigress confident of a game. It shook off the trickle of water down his body, as it traced the mirror image of the diamond with the most intensive reflection. Its eyes were glowing in the evening like fire flames as it finally stepped out of the water. Udi Daniel turned to Tom Harry who was standing right behind him.

"The military forces mustn't shoot at it, else it will disappear and may not appear this way again", Udi Daniel said to the Minister.

"We've handled that already", Tom Harry said.

"It's immense!" Ellinaz Ivanovo said as she zoomed out on Adiam. "It's taking its time to reach the source of the diamond image".

"It's supernaturally intelligent" Udi Daniel reacted to Ellinaz.

In the twinkle of an eye, Adiam disappeared and appeared at the battle ground. Udi Daniel watched with magnetizing attention now!. He no longer responded to Ellinaz Ivanovos unending questions. He wanted to be free, free from the demon and the angel that dictated his life in the dreams.

The monster could see the piece of diamond glittering in the fading sun. It stood close to the monitoring system, and swiped its tail to curve into a semicircle to pick the piece of diamond. Udi Daniel watched the action in disappointment as the tail got past the diamond slowy like e gentle snake towards the electronic latch. Ellinaz Ivanovo looked at Udi Daniel as he sighed aloud in the room. The brain of the scientist turned in his head as he pulled up a control console connected to the mechanical system. He fired two commands in quick succession.

"What's happening to you?" Ellinaz Ivanovo asked as Uci Daniel began to sweat copiously from his head
.
"The monster knows it's a trap", Udi Daniel responded.

"What do we do now?" Tom Harry asked.

"I don't know", Udi Daniel replied.

"Should we call on the military?" Tom Harry asked.

"Not yet, the forces don't even have any chance, it moves faster than light".

Adiam's tail moved on the electronic latch and disconnected the tin wires that held the piece of diamond. The demon was shocked to see that the iron disc above did not drop into the hole. Udi Daniel had disabled the trigger system on the latch and transferred control to an application in his computer system at the Landmarks Hotels.

Adiam drew back its tail and made it to creep on the wire guaze to touch the piece of diamond. It twisted the tip of its tail to hold and cut it off, and suddenly, the diamond fell off from the grasp of the tail into the hole. Adiam made its head to spin around again before it passed its tail through the wire guaze to pull the diamond out. It bent over the hole to see the piece of diamond.

"Kill the monster now!" Udi Daniel yelled at Tom Harry.

"What should I do?" The Minister asked.

"My hands can no longer move, just hit the Enter key for me! The scientist said as he trembled.

The whole of Brisbane came to live and it resonated across Australia and beyond, as the Minister hit the key. The iron disc had crushed Adiam into the hole. The Minister quivered with his eyes glued to the Enter key. He could not believe that it was a stroke of a key that destroyed the monster.

Udi Daniel could see that the demon was raising the weight of the iron disc out of the hole and he called on Ellinaz Ivanovo to pull up an application. He instructed her to tap some keys on the keyboard and the arms of the mechanical system shot out, and rested on the iron disc. He got her to tap another key and the pressure on the iron disc doubled, the demon stopped pushing but It caused the ground to shake more violently.

Contd





Adiam had recovered rapidly from its wounds and had grown its tail to full length. The demon had shot out of the deep black hole to the sea floor and headed for the Museum, for unfinished business, when it received reflections of mirror images of diamonds from the surface of the sea. It changed direction.

The day had broken clear as the sun announced its presence in the eastern sky. Adiam traced the light waves that had communicated the images of diamonds to the surface, and could see tens of military attack helicopters, bomber jets and drones, covering the sea sky. It buried its head in the sea and stretched its tail to form a coil on the surface of the sea.

The reflections of the sun on the surface where Adiam positioned its tail looked like a dangling silverlight in the binoculars of one of the Security Heads, as he concentrated his vision on the spot.
He excitedly observed a phenomenon.

"Hey! Look at an object in the reflection of the sun on the sea!"

They all switched their focus on the spot and froze. They saw what looked like a bundle of shiny black tubes unwinding in the reflection.The Navy gunboats cruised around near the heap of black tubes that was spreading out. A Navy and Air Force commander made a radio call to the joint Military Base to check out what it could be.

Adiam heard the sound of bombers flying towards where it was feeling the warmth of the sun, so close. While the Heads of Security were still watching; in a flash, the monster outstretched its tail and smashed down three bomber jets into the sea. It withdrew as gunboats opened fire. Adiam appeared between two firing gunboats and swung its tail side to side, to whip the boats to capsize.

Bombers flew in, in numbers to release bombs but the monster was gone! Nine Naval and six Airforce officers died, and few others suffered various degrees of wounds. The Navy commanded all his officers to return to base, seeing that they would never have the chance to kill the monster in the sea.

Ellinaz Ivanovo had screamed at the screen as the tail of Adiam had sent the Airforce bombers and the naval gunboats into the sea.Tom Harry and Udi Daniel had rushed down to see what she was pointing on the screen. Udi Daniel tapped a key on the keyboard and the action was replayed on the screen.

"You haven't seen the monster yet", Tom Harry said.

Ellinaz Ivanovo's eyes were almost popping out of their sockets. She continued to cover her mouth in dread. Tom Harry walked out of the room to see if the action was playing on TV, as Udi Daniel calmed Ellinaz Ivanovo down. She turned and whispered a question in horror.

"I can't believe this, how could one of the humarines have changed to become a monster?"

Udi Daniel replied, "It's deeper than you see. Adiam was pulled back by a strange force during the operation to recover the diamond from the sea, and by the time it got out, the humarine was possessed".

"I would pretend I didn't hear the most unnatural thing ever said", Ellinaz Ivanovo shook her head in doubt as she said it.

Like Bobby Roberts, she would not believe in things that were not scientifically proven. Udi Daniel was going to point her to the changes in the mind programs of Adiam, when he heard panic footsteps of Tom Harry.

"It's live on TV! Why is the monster not coming out?" The Minister asked huskily as he held the door.

'It's distracted above the sea and around the ground", Udi Daniel responded.

"Do you want the Australian government to withdraw their forces from above and on the sea? Ellinaz Ivanovo asked the scientist.

Udi Daniel nodded his head and said, "That's the point, including all the soldiers and their military hardwares".

"I'm going to get the Prime Minister to know about this right now", Tom Harry said as he pulled a cellphone from his breast pocket.

"Hello Tom", The Prime Minister answered at the other end".

"Sir, fourteen hours have past since Udi Daniel finished at the location and the monster hasn't come close to the location".

"Have you talked about it with him?"

"I just did.

"What did he say?"

"He wants all the forces to pull out from above the sea, on the sea and from the beaches".

"Consider it done", the Bobby Roberts said snappily and hung up.

The battle ground showed in a big flat TV screen at the Pacy Junction in the center of Brisbane. People scurried about and around to beat the curfew that was in effect as the evening was approaching fast. They stole glances at the screen every now and then, and could see the bomber jets and the military attack helicopters leaving the sky above the Coral Sea.

Some persons stood still before the screen to wonder about the withdrawal of the forces. The constant presence of the forces above the Coral Sea had given them a false sense of security. The action of the military forces fueled their fear, but a piece of news that filtered in from the federal government on the live TV, strengthened them.

A bar rolled on the screen telling them that the withdrawal was a strategy employed to draw out the monster. This action did not go well with the Security Heads. They still had doubts about the ability of the scientist to handle the situation.

The school of thought that the diamond should be returned to the Coral Sea, for peace to reign in Australia, got new followers everyday. The Prime Minister found this line of reasoning very disturbing, as the opinion gained momentum throughout Australia. The governor of Queensland surprisingly held the same view that was propagating fast across the country. Bobby Roberts decided to see the outcome of the setup of Udi Daniel before doing anything about the view or opinions of Australians.

Udi Daniel adjusted the focus of the radio feed horn on the monitoring system and the digital multi-focus camera, from the Landmarks Hotels, and the number of people that gathered around the big flat TV screen increased at the Pacy Junction in Brisbane. The numbers shot up to a crowd as Adiam lifted its tail into the open from the Coral Sea.

Contd




The scientist got up and taggered away to haul himself to the bed, after ensuring that control signals to and fro the mechanical system were well received by an application in his computer system. Ellinaz Ivanovo looked at him with pity. He slept off as soon as he hit the bed. Tom Harry slowly moved the screen background and took in all the settings.. He would have loved to ask Udi Daniel to explain how it would work, but he would have to wait for him to wake up. He felf he deserved to rest. Tom Harry put a call through to the Prime Minister as he stopd up.

"Hello Tom!" Bobby Roberts boomed expectantly.

"We're done here", The Minister updated him.

"Can tbe setup be covered live like it was done the during the recovery operation of the diamond from the Coral Sea?" Bobby Roberts asked".

"It's not possible, it's risky to position TV transmission equipment to cover the location except we want to feed the monster".

"I want Australians to know that my government is doing everything possible to win the battle".

"I'm sorry, it's not going to walk".

Udi Daniel had woken up and he could hear the Prime Minister express his disappointment at the other end.

"If the Prime Minister wants it transmitted, it can be done from here", Udi Daniel said behind the Minister on his bed.

"Just a minute", the Minister said to Bobby Roberts at the other end.

"Is that really possible?" Tom Harry asked Udi Daniel,

Ellinaz Ivanovo laughed in the background at the question. She was warming up to the involvement of her god in the whole thing.

"It can be done, tell the Prime Minister that the National Television Station iwould get the video streaming from here. All it would take is for NTS to open up for the connection".

Tom Harry suppressed a smile as he said into the phone, "Udi Daniel could make it happen from here, he says all it would take is for NTS to open for the streaming".

"Let it happen now!" Udi Daniel could feel the excitement of Bobby Roberts at the other end.

The conversation ended and Tom Harry lturned to Udi Daniel and said, "You're just a bundle of solutions".

Ellinaz Ivanovo got up from the chair since Udi Daniel came in from the battle field. She had been fighting the temptation to be nterested. She took the seat near one of the computers to look closely at the screen as Tom Harry stood up to discuss the requirements for the video traffic to be routed to the National Televesion Station in Canberra.

As Tom Harry left the room, Udi Daniel walked up to Ellinaz Ivanovo. She was engrossed with the environment where her god had worked. She could not notice the footsteps of Udi Daniel behind her. He stood right behind her as she used the arrow keys on the keyboard to navigate around the location.

She stopped moving the background when she saw bomber jets flying at a low altitude over the Coral Sea, to and fro in different directions. She moved to the left hand side and saw the battle formation of soldiers mounting different artilleries on the shoreline. She moved and stopped at a beautiful beach dotted with curvy coconut trees, where hundreds of birds perched and chirped.

She zoomed out the background and could see clearly the vast arrays of birds of different species and colours. Most of the coconut trees had full bunches of coconut fruits hanging around the neck of the palm trees. She moved to where a band of beautifully coloured butterflies jostled for space to access the nectar of a flowering plant, near a coconut tree. She smiled at nature. She was attracted to the environment. Udi Daniel could see her face brightening up.

"Do you like the beach?" She turned to see Udi Daniel touching her shoulder with affection.

"Yeah but a monster is somewhere around".

Udi Daniel held her hands and pulled her up to her feet, Ellinaz Ivanovo did not resist or protest. She seemed to have let go her heaviness and had come to be on the same wavelength with the scientist."The monster is about to be grinded and the beach would soon be free", Udi Daniel said as they continued to enjoy the sceneries.

A telecommunications service provider established the connectivity between the Landmarks Hotels and the National Television Station after Tom Harry had informed the Director of NTS. The director sent the necessary devices and IDs for Udi Daniel to start pipping the video traffic. The Minister hurriedly returned to the Landmarks Hotels hoping that the monster would not come out before the streaming would begin.

About seven hours had passed since Udi Daniel came back from the location and nothing had happened. The Security Heads that had taken a shelter some distance from the setup, were beginning to think that the work of Udi Daniel could be an exercise in futility,when something happened. They all had their binoculars on, and could see everything around the area.

Contd

This update is technical, just take anything you can out of it.





He remembered Ellinaz Ivanovo back in the hotel as he hurried to get his computer system to start loading the task of the night into the minds of the ants. The Australian soldiers watched as the excavants got activated one after the other.

He passed a command and the ants crawled on all fours to a two-meter diameter circle that he had drawn on the ground, four meters from the base of the mechanical system that was being assembled. He scrolled down the screen of the device and tapped ''Load Diggers'' and "Start Work".

The digger ants released their fangs and took their positions on the circle. He stepped aside and watched the progress the excavants were making on the computer screen. He monitored the depth reached at every level as the ants continued to tear the ground with a blinding speed. They dug seven meters deep in two minutes and he stopped the operation. The ants crept out of the hole.

The assembling of the mechanical system got completed and Udi Daniel pushed a button on the machine; two steel arms shot out and hooked a chain that knitted a heavy iron disc of about two meters in thickness. He pushed another button and the steel arms raised the iron disc weighing five thousand kilogrammes into the air, to a height of about seven meters.

He moved the steel arms to position the iron disc directly above the hole. M He pushed yet another button and the iron disc started dropping into the hole slowly. The military forces and the Security Heads still had not got the point as they watched on.

He released the "Downstairs" control button when the iron disc had gone nto the hole to about three meters and he walked around the hole. Satisfied, he hook his head and gave thumps up to the technicians.

He went back to the base of the mechanical system and began to control the steel arms to raise the iron disc from the hole, to seven meters above.

He opened a point on the machine and cut two pairs of wires and pulled them out. He extended the wires and connected one pair to the electronic latch that he had kept close to the hole, and the other pair he connected to a red box that had pluggable interfaces.

He plugged a digital camera stick with five eyes to an interface on the red box and ntegrated the red box to the control of the mechanical system with fiber optic cables. He moved to terminate the connection on an interface in the radio equipment.

He looked at his wristwatch, four hours had gone. He had promised Ellinaz Ivanovo he would be back in the next two hours when he knew it was not going to be possible. He picked a tin wire gauze he had linked to the electronic latch, and used it to cover the hole.

He opened a small box and brought a piece of the "Mystery Diamond" that Tom Harry had given him. The diamond shone as he tied it to the wire guaze at the far edge of the hole. He did it hurriedly and installed three mirrors with stands, to reflect and direct the image of the piece of diamond into the Coral Sea.

"Everyone should run now!" Udi Daniel said.

Soldiers still stood around the mechanical system even as the technicians were leaving. Gradually, the soldiers dispersed and walked along the shore of the Coral Sea as bomber jets moved to and fro above the sea in the night.

Udi Daniel returned to the hotel to see Ellinaz Invanavo sitting on a chair in the room. She did not look up or utter a word. Udi Daniel powered on the computer on the table and connected it to a modem through a switch, and opened an application on the screen. The location of the battle ground came up and he enlarged the environment to see everything closely. He tapped a key on the keyboard and the computer showed another view angle of the environment, the Coral Sea and the formation of the military forces on the seashore.

Suddenly, Tom Harry pushed the door open without notice and saw Udi Daniel punching keys.

"How did it go?" The Minister asked.

Udi Daniel pointed to another computer screen and said, "That's a live transmission from the location. You can tap the arrow keys to move around".

Uncertain future for the Demon of Diamonds

Contd





She could feel that the military vehicles that had gone ahead of the van, transporting the artificial ants, might have something to do with the monster on the loose. She assumed that it was the military that probably needed the excavants. She could not place her finger on why Udi Daniel was so involved that he could not leave for the United States to care for himself.

Vehicular traffic built from the gate of the Landmarks Hotels where Tom Harry and Udi Daniel waited to receive the excavants. Ellinaz Ivanovo stretched her neck and could see that an open truck loaded with parts of a mechanical system, was coming out of the hotel ito the main road.

The hotel's car park was full of assorted vehicles and the movement of persons in the open was hurried. Heads of different security organs of the federal government gathered in the Landmarks Hotels for an emergency meeting. The Prime Minister had instructed that they should connect with Udi Daniel to chart the way forward to destroy the monster.

All the Security Heads pledged their support for the scientist.Tom Harry got to know that the artificial ants were already on the way to the Landmarks Hotels and he burst the door to the hall where they held the security meeting. He asked Udi Daniel to leave at once. The meeting abruptly ended as the scientist left the hall. They walked down towards the gate and saw the van that carried the excavants, negotiating a bend to come through the gate of the hotel and Tom Harry waved the driver to follow the open truck that carried the parts of the mechanical system.

Ellinaz Ivanovo could see Udi Daniel with the bright headlamps of the military vehicles that escorted the van with the artificial ants. She could not stop wondering about what Udi Daniel had got himself into. The traffic eased out and the car she was in, pulled close to the gate of the Landmarks Hotels. Udi Daniel raised his head occasionally as he stood beside the gate with Tom Harry to see incoming cars.

Tom Harry had told him that Ellinaz Ivanovo was coming in one of the cars. The car finally pulled up inside the Landmarks Hotels and Ellinaz Ivanovo got out hurriedly. She looked away from Udi Daniel as the scientist doubled his stride to open the car door her before her feet could touch the ground..

"What's going on? Is this part of NextTech operation? She fired at him looking away before he could come close enough.

"Can you please ride softly on me? Udi Daniel said as he tried to take her left hand.

"It's you that's not riding softly on yourself. You have just survived a crash and you're in the middle of what I don't know. You have begun to keep me from knowing your engagements for NextTech. I'm the Chairperson of the Board of Directors that the company has just constipated, for your reminder", Ellinaz Ivanovo snarled.

"Can we please talk about this inside? Udi Daniel said before he grabbed Ellinaz Ivanovo around her waist and took her into the hotel.

Tom Harry and some Security Heads had watched the little drama impatiently. All the equipment needed for the battle had been transported to the battle ground. Various technicians were now waiting for the scientist. Udi Daniel tried to get Ellinaz Ivanovo up to date and explained his involvement, as they waited for him. She expressed her feelings about his involvement vehemently and instantly.

"You're not going anywhere this night!" Ellinaz Ivanovo barked in the room.

"It's a serious national issue here. I will talk about it in details when I return. It's going to take just about two hours to set things up. I just came out of a meeting with the heads of all the security organs in Australia. The Prime Minister is standing by".

Ellinaz Ivanovo drew close to him and looked into his eyes before she said, "Don't tell me this has anything to do with the monster on the loose".

"To be honest, it has everything to do with the monster", Udi Daniel admitted.

"NextTech is not officially involved in this and you're not going out there to be torn to pieces. The monster could be somewhere in the dark lurking to pounce. By the way, what would the artificial ants do in an operation to kill a monster?"

Udi Daniel looked at his wristwatch and responded, "See Elly, there's no time for this, I will explain things better to you when I return. For your information, it's one of our creatures that turned into the monster, that is causing panic across the whole of Australia". Ellinaz Ivanovo covered her mouth in disbelief, as he added, "You can now see why I am so involved".

Tom Harry breezed into the hotel room with a stern face to announce the impatience of those waiting for the scientist, "Dan, the Australian government is waiting for you in frustration!"

"I'm coming out now Sir".

She didn't stand in the way as Udi Daniel gathered and packed his computers and other systems to leave for the location. Udi Daniel drove behind other vehicles as they left the Landmarks Hotels in a convoy. The location for the trap was close to the rear gate of the Beach Side Hotels.

The technicians had begun working in the night already before Udi Daniel arrived. He marked out the position on the ground where he wanted the base of the mechanical system to be mounted. The parts were prefabricated and it was easy for the technicians to couple the body of the machines.

Other technicians worked farther from the base of the machines, to install the outdoor equipment of the far end of a radio link facing the Landmarks Hotels. Udi Daniel scrolled up the assembly details of the mechanical system on a drawing sheet and gave it to the lead technician.

Don't forget that they were first of all partners in NextTech, before the flames of love burnt them together. I think she deserved to know.
Moreover, her god just survived a plane a cataclysmic plane, he shouldn't be back to work, should be at home. But I admit she's naturally stubborn.

Chapter Ten






The people of Brisbane continued to live in fear not knowing when and where the monster would strike next. The government hastened to stop the monster before it would strike again. Udi Daniel was condemned to prevail if he would regain control of his life. As the evening approached the usual rush to beat the curfew resumed in Brisbane. The areas around the Coral Sea looked like a dead zone already.

Adiam popped its head out of the water from a distance and it could see military forces lining the shoreline. It had suffered some injuries in its last outing but nothing had got to the demon. It withdrew into the water and steered towards the mouth of the Brisbane River, from the sea. Darkness was covering the evening in a hurry. It moved under the Walter/Taylor Bridge to the other side as vehicular traffic built up on the bridge.. It continued to float on the river towards the point where it would spring up to Melbourne Street.

Adiam could hear the sound of aircrafts and increasing flashes of light on the river. It plunged into the water when a bomber jet flew past. It cautiously reared his head out of the river after about two hours, in a another spot on the river. The flashing lights were dwindling, and the vehicular traffic on the bridge had eased out. Adiam leaped out of the river and surveyed the way to the Brisbane Museum.

Military attack helicopters hover above the Museum. The full stretch of Melbourne Street looked deserted as they obeyed the curfew. The area was heavily secured by military men. The monster disappeared and appeared on Grey Street and ducked into a corner to scan the Museum plaza. This side of the Museum was even more secured; soldiers mounted machine guns, armored tanks and other artilleries facing away from the Museum.

The demon in Adiam had no time for delay, It launched Adiam like a thunder lightening and whipped the soldiers that guarded the gate into the Museum plaza with its tail, in circles. About twelve soldiers were sent flying in the darkness as It slipped into the Museum hall. Before other soldiers knew what was happening, the monster was already a tourist.

The few persons inside the Museum froze in fear as Adiam flashed to where the "Mystery Diamond" hung. It nreezed to the hanger platform to weave its tail around the diamond. Deafening screams came out from the Museum as the monster slammed the diamond on the floor. Fireworks cracked around outside of the Museum as Adiam followed the diamond to the floor.

Three persons were running out of the hall and Adiam stretched its tail to pull them back. It coiled its tail around them and slung them through an opened window. The cries from outside the Museum increased as the three persons smashed against iron bars outside. Adiam could see bullets flying close and it pulled the diamond to a corner and got set to escape.

The soldiers pinned the monster to the corner and rained bullets through. Adiam had not thought about escaping through the rain of bullets until a bomb blasted the corner open to the outside. It swiftly wrapped the diamond and flashed out through the hall, towards the gate of the Museum plaza.

The chase continued outside. The diamond dangled behind the monster, causing it slow down its speed a bit. Even at that, the helicopters and the bombers couldn't match its speed. Bright lights of aircrafts brightened the sky around Brisbane with a deafening noise, coming from different directions. Adiam headed towards the Brisbane River. It had lost all the helicopters but the bombers were giving it a run. More bombers appeared in the sky as it pulled the diamond along, bringing down anything in its way.

Brisbane river appeared to the monster and it bounced up to dive into the river with the diamond. Three bombers released bombs at the monster before it could swing its tail to raise the diamond from the ground. The bombs cut off the tail of Adiam and the diamond fell on the river shore. Fear had gripped the whole of Brisbane as the battle raged on. The fireworks died abruptly as the bombers returned to base. The police arrived the river side and moved the diamond back to the Museum which had been reduced to a dilapidated structure.

Ellinaz Ivanovo had seen twinkling bright lights and thick smokes in the sky through the window of the jet plane that was flying her and the ants, as it lowered into Brisbane. She wondered why so many aircrafts were in the sky in the night. The Australian officials with her in the plane had no idea of what was going on.

The plane landed in the Brisbane International Airport and Ellinaz Ivanovo disembarked to the sound of fireworks rocking the atmosphere. She saw helicopters moving in circles over a space in the sky while jet bombers kept shooting into the space from all directions. She continued to be in the dark about what was happening. One of the official guided her into a waiting vehicle with all sense of urgency.

"The monster is on the prowl again", the official said in a hush tone as soon as he joined her in the car.

Ellinaz Ivanovo froze in fear. The fireworks died abruptly and other officials crawled out of their shells. She was driven to the Landmarks Hotels with the excavants, in a convoy. She could not wait to meet Udi Daniel to get the gist of what was happening, and how NextTech was involved. She could read that the way the Australian government had demanded for the artificial ants, and the urgency with which they were loaded into a van in the airport back in the United States was suggestive.

Good and active readers, I appreciate you all for following the story closely, special shout out to YoungBruzzy who has been my companion from the get go of this journey.

My updates may not come as frequently as I would like because I'm juggling between things, I am sure you understand. But I'm going to do my best to keep the fire 🔥 burning. I will find a way to increase the frequency of updates.

I like you active readers to contribute or participate in the writing of the story by way of comments or positive criticism, it would spur me on and increase the ink in my pen.

I Love You All.

Contd





"I trust you have made some progresss", The Minister said looking at him with begging eyes.

"I would need the excavants for this battle", Udi Daniel said.

Tom Harry looked at his wristwatch and said, "We're ready to get everything for you to go to war".

He took the Minister's mobile phone and placed a call to NextTech, to have five artificial ants flown to Brisbane for an emergency operation. Two soldier ants and three digger ants. He did not specify the type of operation the ants would be carrying out. Ellinaz Ivanovo got to know about it from the Head of Technical and she got curious. She pulled a call to Udi Daniel at once.

"Hello", Udi Daniel answered her.

"Hey Dan, are you in Brisbane now?"

"Yeah, I'm neck deep already into why I have returned to Australia".

"Is that the reason you need the ants?"

"Definitely".

"Are you digging out another diamond?"

"Not really".

""I'm the Project Director and I insist to know what you need the ants for".

"Ellie, there's no time to explain things, when I'm back, you'd know everything".

"I say no! You must tell me now, else the excavants are going no where".

"Please release the ants if you want me back in NextTech".

"Ok".

Ellinaz Ivanovo resolved to find out in her own way as Udi Daniel turned to the Minister and asked for a pen and a piece of paper. He listed some components to assemble a mechanical system, a hop of a radio link, and an electronic latch.

The Minister hurriedly left his hotel room to set things rolling. The Australian government sent some officials in two jet planes to Washington DC to bring down the excavants. The officials arrived NextTech to find a twist. Ellinaz Ivanovo proposed a condition for letting go the artificial ants. She must would be on the plane.

Udi Daniel had just survived a plane crash miraculously and now immersed into what could not be revealed. Ellinaz Ivanovo felt uncomfortable and was beginning to think that there could be more to it than what the eyes could see and the ears could hear.

The officials related what was holding them in Washington DC, to Tom Harry, and he readily approved her condition to release the artificial ants. Udi Daniel kicked against it. The complaints of the officials reached the Prime Minister and Udi Daniel was forced to reconsider his position. Ellinaz Ivanovo was eventually allowed to travel with them and she released the artificial ants.

Tom Harry continued to run around to get every other thing that the scientist had asked for. Udi Daniel returned to his room and began developing the new task to be loaded into the minds of the excavants. As he worked on the computers, his mind formulated ways to handle Ellinaz Ivanovo when she arrived Brisbane.

She liked to be carried along in everything and he feared for her. He heard the voice of the Minister in the hotel after a truck pulled up and he got up to tell him to provide two more items that he had missed. He took the Minister to a corner and whispered into his left ear.

Tom Harry was completely at his service. The Minister entered his vehicle and drove off into the city to get a piece of the diamond in the Brisbane Museum, three pieces of mirrors and three stands, tin wires and other items.

Contd





"I've been having vivid and troubling dreams. I just want to crush the monster and return to Washington".

The scientist for the first time, tried to crack his head for scientific ways he could apply, to overcome the demon in Adiam. In all his dreams, he had hoped that the angel would appear to him and point him to a clue. Rather, he was constantly mauled by strange animals and grilled by forces in a court room, for setting the demon free. His life no longer belonged to him. He had to earn his freedom. He thought hard on reprogramming the minds of the humarines to go to war against the monster.

The Minister remained silent in the car as they headed towards the Landmark Hotels. He knew Udi Daniel had just made a killer point. He kept rolling up the piece of thought in his mind. The car pulled up in the hotel and he walked to a corner to speak with the Prime Minister on the phone, to drop the move of relocating the "Mystery Diamond" to Canberra. Not surprisingly Bobby Roberts saw reasons with him to keep the diamond in the Brisbane Museum.

Bobby Roberts held the view that if the monster eventually got hold of the diamond, the Australian government would have to look elsewhere to get the funds to pay Ali Garabed. The visit of tourists to the Brisbane Museum continued to trickle as the rumor that the monster was coming after the diamond gained grounds. The tourists saw reasons to believe the rumor as security forces reinforced their presence around the Museum. The Prime Minister hoped that Udi Daniel could destroy the monster before it would have the chance to come into the Brisbane Museum.

Tom Harry went into the hotel, and to Udi Daniels room. He found him furiously redesigning computer programs on a piece of paper.

"The Prime Minister is on your side", Tom Harry said as he smiled down at the work of the scientist.

"He has no option", Udi Daniel said.

"Seems to me that you're drawing up the moves to trap the monster already", the Minister said.

Udi Daniel wore a smirk and said, "It's not anything serious. It's just a sketch. I'll need my computer systems, the machines and servers in the Beach Side Hotel".

Tom Harry had vowed not ever to go near the Coral Sea again. Udi Daniel went alone to the Beach Side Hotel to get his computers, the humarines and other systems. He got set to work all day on his computers in the Landmark Hotels. He was spirited to find out that the systems Paul Gardner had left open on the platform on the Coral Sea, still fired signals into the sea. He opened the communication link to Adiam and he got high with hope. He had full access to the mind of Adiam.

He pulled out the different programs in the mind systems and checked the hyper-sensitive sensor cells that were loaded into its brain, that could be plugged into and exploited by external causes. He found out that the mind programs had been greatly altered. He obliterated all the programs and loaded fresh "Thinking Process", but the systems would not take the changes.

He remotely tried to destroy Adiam by sending killer virus to crash the mind and burn all the sensory cells to no avail. He checked the minds of the other humarines and found out that they remained intact, Zodiaz, Godiam, Roggi and Illiax. He fantasized with the idea of reprogramming the minds of Zodiaz, Godiam, Roggi and Illiax to trap the monster inside the sea. He let go of it immediately, knowing the humarines carried a potential that the demon could use to its advantage, like it did to Adiam. Other demons could be down there, waiting to possess intelligent machines, to create more monsters. Adiam was already a handful to deal with.

The Australian government had confidence in him to deliver but things look beyond him. His head became filled up with fogs as he foresaw no immediate solution in sight. He felt very disappointed in himself. He cursed himself for coming to Australia to be caught up in the web of strange forces. He placed his head on the computer desk to rue his predicament.

A flash of thought went through his mind and he shut his eyes for two minutes. He recalled the angel had said the demon was helplessly attracted to diamonds in one of his dreams. He sprang up and walked to the hotel room of the Minister.

Tom Harry had come to his room and met him deep in thought earlier. He hoped that the scientist would be able to come out with a solution to the problem at hand. What worried him was his occasional lunatic behavior. Udi Daniel was used to talking to himself. As he entered the hotel room of the Minister, Tom Harry looked behind him if he was being followed but saw nobody. The scientist had started talking to himself again. Tom Harry momentarily doubted the sanity of Udi Daniel. He still felt that he was not normal, but who cared now about normalcy? He fixed his eyes on the scientist as he took the only seat in the room.

Contd





"I'm alive!"

"You survived the crash?"

"I'm living".

"Unbelievable!"

"It's an understatement,".

"Should I send a jet to bring you home?"

"Not yet, I'll ask for it when I am done here".

"Where?"

"I'm back in Australia",

"Why? NextTech has signed out".

'Ellie, I can't explain everything to you now, when it's over I'll ask you to send the jet".

"In that case, I'm coming over".

Udi Daniel shot a glance at Tom Harry with the phone clutched to his left ear as if the Minister knew better. Ellinaz Ivanovo was hard to convince. He searched through his head and replied, "I'm actually on my way to Brisbane from Papua New Guinea right now. A problem had come up out of the operation of the humarines, and the Australian government needs me back in Brisbane".

"What is this about?"

"I have no I idea".

"You're supposed to be undergoing medical appraisal, and not anything".

"I've done all that, I'm in a great shape".

"I'll send the jet as soon as you're done", Ellinas Ivanovo said as the SUV drew up at the Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby.

"Very well".

"You must survive for my sake".

"I promise you, I will, but I must go now".

As the presidential jet took off, Tom Harry restrained himself from throwing a jab at Udi Daniel. He was going to ask him how one of his machines, had transformed into a monster. He was inclined to think that the scientist had intentionally designed one of the machines to metamorphose into the monster. He juxtaposed his deductions with the miraculous survival of the scientist, in the plane crash and his claims of revelations. What came out of it, got him going mad in his mind. He was not sure anymore, he jettisoned his thoughts.

Udi Daniel remained silent as the jet penetrated the moving clouds. He fell asleep and got lost in a dream. Tom Harry would not stop cracking his head as he looked at the scientist who was clearly sleeping deeply. He reasoned that if Udi Daniel would have nothing to gain for the releasing a monster, he would never have offered himself willingly to go fight it, especially after surviving a near death plane crash. He concluded that the scientist was only experimenting with his creature.

Tom Harry tapped the scientist on his shoulder as the jet touched down on the Brisbane International Airport tarmac. He noticed unusual presence of combined military forces of the Australian government, strategically located around. As they drove out of the airport, Udi Daniel asked, "Are the humarines still at the Beach Side Hotel?"

"Yes, they are", Tom Harry replied.

"Good".

"It appears another protest is going on", The Minister said looking around.

"Could it be about the monster?"

"The Prime Minister has directed that the "Mystery Diamond" be transferred from the Brisbane Museum to Canberra, but the people are against the move", the driver cut into the conversation.

"But why?"Udi Daniel asked.

"To keep it away from the monster", the driver replied.

"That would be even more dangerous!" The scientist reasoned.

"This is pure politics, they're at it again", Tom Harry said.

"I'm on the side of the people", Udi Daniel responded.

"What informed your position?" The Min8ster asked.

"You don't have any idea of what we're dealing with".

"What idea?"

"Have you forgotten how the diamond block ended in the Coral Sea?"

"Oh, it's you that's becoming spiritual now. You used to be agnostic".

"That was before I boarded the Big Bird".

"Do you believe in the existence of God now?"

"We're not discussing the subject of God".

"Do you agree with me now, that there're supernatural forces acting on the diamond?"

"I can't agree more or less".

"It's ominous!"

"I'm afraid".

"I'm going to let the Prime Minister see things from your standpoint".