The Organization: Alphaeus Be Exalted

By Renault Patrick

In this unpredictable sci-fi adventure, it's the year 2051, and Jordan Salvador has a dilemma. He begins to question the faith in which he was raised. In the process of trying to discover whether or not Alphaeus is the true God, his new friend Maeko reveals an important document to him, which leads to another problem-a problem of epic proportions and worldwide consequences. Jordan is assisted by Coach Wallace and Topher. Along the way, there is still some time for comic relief and romance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 12, 2019
• ISBN: 9781644715208

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The Organization

Alphaeus Be Exalted

Renault Patrick

ISBN 978-1-64471-519-2 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64471-520-8 (Digital)

Copyright © 2019 Renault Patrick

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Confession

WindSong

Thanks, Venusians

She Knows

Observation

Good Golly Miss Molly

The Worship of Alphaeus

Too Much

Eddrew

The Walls Have Ears

Shape-shifter Loader

The Meeting

What Just Happened?

Mr. Frisky

Crap Magnet

Give Me Liberty

Mystical Experience

The Big Bad Wolf

No Words Needed

Like a Criminal

Restoration Day

Press Conference

Debriefing

The River

About the Author

Chapter 1

Confession

It was dark in the booth except for a small circular light fixture to the right of me near the floor and a green light on the scanner to the right of the curtain. I was kneeling down on a five-feet-by-three-inches padded bar. I had seen one in a church when I was kid. It could be lifted up off the floor when not in use.

The Adoration Edifice had actually first been built as a church in the late sixties. It was classified as a historical landmark, and it was the oldest building at the training site. The exterior had been modified, but the interior was the same. I was glad the leaders had chosen to preserve it.

The smell in the booth was familiar. It was musty—like a combination of dirty clothes and wood. There was a vent in the ceiling, and the aroma of incense was wafting in through it and mixing with the booth smells.

I waited for the cleric. Waiting gave me time to think, and sometimes having time to think was a bad thing. I was starting to think we had all been duped. In 2037, when I was nine years old, the Venusians had come to Earth. They had played a part in ending World War III, and they had shared the knowledge of Alphaeus. Fourteen years had passed since then. As a child, I was introduced to the religion known as the Worship of Alphaeus, and I was raised to believe.

I had read the mystical Book of Hope, which had been written by the holy prophets and chronologists. I had been told the Book of Hope contained the truth. So much of it didn’t make sense to me. I wanted to believe. However, I just couldn’t bring myself to honestly say I believed all of it.

The door on the other side of the booth creaked as it opened. I saw light come into the other side of the booth, and the smell of incense intensified momentarily. As the light shone through, it illuminated the red curtain. I was nervous, and my heart was beginning to race. Through the small curtain-covered window, I saw a shadow enter, and I heard the door close.

Greetings, disciple of Alphaeus.

Greetings, Cleric, I replied, and there was silence for a few seconds. I wondered if he was Venusian or human. I wondered that every time I met anyone.

Pledge your allegiance to Alphaeus, my child. His voice was pleasant, soft, and kind like a kindergarten teacher addressing his students.

I was required to confess a sin. I was trying to think of a sin to confess. There was a long awkward pause.

Pledge your allegiance to Alphaeus, my child. Scan your chip and tell me your sin, he said urgently.

I had a microchip in the back of my hand. I was always supposed to scan in when I came into the restoration booth, but I had forgotten. So I waved my hand in front of the scanner. The light turned yellow, and there was a beeping sound.

He cleared his throat, and again, with even more urgency, the cleric said, Pledge your allegiance, my child.

I decided I better say what he wanted to hear. I forced myself to say, Alphaeus is worthy…of all praise, honor, and…glory. The words did not roll off my tongue.

The cleric gave the customary response. Passionately he replied, Alphaeus be exalted forever!

I hesitated. Again, there was a long pause. I didn’t like lying, and I felt like, in a way, I was being forced to lie. I really didn’t have a sin to confess. I just didn’t know what to say. Hmm… I wondered…what sin could I confess? So I thought hard.

I await your confession! the cleric said it with a definite edge. I’m beginning to question your faith in the Lord Alphaeus. Perhaps an evaluation is in order.

Oh, I’m very sorry, Cleric. I’m just a little nervous. I was still kneeling. My heartbeat was increasing, and I could feel a little perspiration on my forehead. I thought, Should I tell him what I’m really thinking? If I told him what I was really thinking, I would be confessing a terrible sin—not believing in Alphaeus. Not believing in Alphaeus would grieve the Cyber Spirit, and grieving the Cyber Spirit was the ultimate sin. Worst of all, I would be labeled a subversive, which would lead to consequences under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

Becoming angry, he asked, Why are you nervous? What is troubling you? His voice gradually got louder and angrier, and I saw the shadow of his head moving a little as he talked. "You should be joyful when you come here. It’s a great honor to come into this House of Alphaeus. I have people waiting. What is your sin? For the love of Alphaeus, tell me now!"

Yes, Cleric, I am very sorry. Can I be honest? I was scared, but I didn’t want to lie. I was sweating, and I wiped my brow.

Yes, of course. Otherwise, what’s the point of doing this if you are not honest? His tone softened a little, but he was still frustrated.

Thank you, Cleric, I said softly, trying not to add fuel to the fire. I’m not sure…I believe in Alphaeus.

He gasped, and there was silence for a few seconds. Oh my god! This is not a time to joke around, son.

I’m…not joking, sir. It scares me to say it, but I’m not sure I believe the Book of Hope completely, and I’m not sure I believe in Alphaeus completely.

Do you realize what you are saying could lead to very severe punishment under the UCMJ, not to mention the spiritual consequences, which would be eternal?

Yes, sir… I just didn’t want to lie. I have my doubts, sir.

Because of his shadow, I could see him put his head in his hands. There was an awkward silence. A few seconds later, he lifted his head and said, You have put me in a difficult situation because I am a mandatory reporter. He paused for few seconds and continued, This is a serious matter. Consider this, you have expressed doubts, but you have not confessed full-blown unbelief. Take some time to think about this and pray about it. Read the Book of Hope. I recommend reading Superlatives 1:1 and 2 tonight. Perhaps by the time you come back next week, you will feel differently. Will you do that?

Yes, Cleric.

Very well. God be with you. Choose wisely. Pleasant wishes, my son.

Pleasant wishes, Cleric.

The priest and I simultaneously made the sign of the A and bowed our heads. The A was for Alphaeus. I scanned with the back of my hand, and the light turned red. I put on my burgundy-and-gray recruit coat. I turned the doorknob, and the door opened.

As I stepped out of the restoration booth onto the white tile floor, the smell of incense was strong. I heard the voices of the throat singers echoing in the sanctuary. It was amazing to me how they were able to sing two notes at the same time, and I liked hearing them. It sounded like they were in the choir loft above the entrance lobby.

I was in the sanctuary of the Adoration Edifice. It was dimly lit. To my left was the platform and altar, which was always guarded by two members of the safety team. They were well armed. They both had laser shotguns strapped to their shoulders and sidearms of some sort. The Holy of Holies was surrounded by flickering candles. No one was allowed in that area except for the senior clerics, the throat singers, the worship team, and the guards themselves.

I passed by some other recruits who were sitting and waiting on wooden pews. They had their heads down, praying, or at least they were pretending to pray. I walked to the back of the sanctuary to the wooden double doors. I grabbed the metal barlike handle to the right, and I opened the door and went out into the night.

A streetlight nearby offered a little bit of light. I turned right onto Third Ave and quickly felt underdressed. It was well below freezing. I could see my breath, and I began walking as fast as my feet would carry me. There were very few people outside. Some guy I didn’t know was walking toward me. I looked at him, prepared to say hello, but he didn’t even look up at me, so I didn’t say anything.

I was starting to feel a little hopeless. The training site was not what I had expected. A safety team hover transporter coasted by me. Sometimes people called them hovermobiles too. It was oval, and it rotated as it glided on air a few feet above the street. Back home, we had a lot more old-fashioned motor vehicles than hovermobiles. I reached A Street and turned left, and the A in that case was not for Alphaeus. As I turned the corner, I passed another streetlight. I was making good progress until I caught a patch of ice and slid a little. Then I shortened my stride.

After walking for about ten minutes, I reached the housing complex, went up the stairs, walked a few steps to the left, and was at unit 2B. I was freezing. I grabbed the door handle, which was a silver bar, and scanned my chip, and the door unlocked. I quickly opened the door and stepped inside. I was very glad to be home.

I took off my coat and threw it on the couch. There was a dark stain that stood out on the light-colored couch. I looked down and at my gray jumpsuit and flashed back to when I had first come to the training site. I had received it when I first arrived. It was comfortable.

In front of me was the flat-screen monitor and sound system. I said, Music on, please. Lamp on, please. Instantly, the room was filled with soft orange light and new age, higher octave music. A keyboard with a synthesizer and an electric didgeridoo played the rhythm. They played chords, which sustained for a really long time as a harp played the melody. Wind chimes and an electric guitar played accents. It sounded like the wind and made me feel like I was traveling in outer space. It was my favorite music.

Then I heard the moving of robotic parts. It was my robot dog, Lacey. She was walking toward me, wagging her little tail.

Hi, Lacey, I said as I sat down in the recliner in front of the flat-screen monitor.

Hell-o, Jordan. Wel-come home! she replied, and she sat down near me. Her voice reminded me of a cute little girl. She was programmed with the same mentality of a child and had the ability to learn.

With Lacey, I had the options of traditional mode or enhanced mode. Traditional was just the normal sounds biological dogs could make. Enhanced allowed her to speak and make all the sounds biological dogs could make. I could also select from a variety of languages. I had her in enhanced mode: English.

I looked left through the arch-shaped window above the couch. The blinds were up, and I was thinking I should close those, but I just wanted to sit for a while. I was just unwinding, staring out into the darkness.

I didn’t want to think about it, but I found myself contemplating my interaction with the cleric. It really had not gone well. It concerned me. He had said, Perhaps an evaluation is in order. I didn’t know what exactly that meant, but considering the context in which it had been said, it made me think it was not good. And I told him the truth about doubting Alphaeus. I was regretting it now.

Let us play now, Jordan, please, said Lacey. And with that, I was back from my mental vacation. Lacey had been made to look like a Jack Russell terrier—small, mostly short white hair with a few brownish red spots. She began to gnaw on my hand. Yes, she definitely wanted to play.

Acceptable. Where’s your ball? Get your ball, Lacey! Then I realized it was already at my feet.

Sill-y Jor-dan, the ball is here! she said as she looked down at it.

Ha, you’re right about that, I commented. Then I reached down and grabbed the orange ball. I liked how it felt in my hand. It was spongy. I threw it into the kitchen, which was to my right. She ran full speed into the kitchen, and the ball bounced off the back door. Lacey slid on the concrete floor, her nails made a distinct scraping sound, and she stopped just in time to avoid ramming her head into the door. Then she cheerfully brought the ball back to me. Again and again, we did that until I started to feel myself unwind. The warm orangish glow of the light, the music, and Lacey had helped. I was starting to relax.

The unit was made to conserve energy. It didn’t have ninety-degree-angled corners. It had curved corners, which saved electricity. The walls and ceiling were painted gray and flowed one into the other.

I was getting hungry, so I went into the kitchen. I walked past a blue table and chairs. To my left, I walked past the white stove and the stainless-steel sink, which had cabinets above them. I went to the refrigerator on the other side of the kitchen and opened the freezer. I looked to the left of the refrigerator toward the neighbor’s unit. I could see light coming from under the door. We had to share a kitchen with the neighbor, and I was hoping I wouldn’t have to talk to him.

I took a prepared meal from the freezer, opened the bag, and dumped it onto a blue plate. I had heard that the leaders liked the color blue in kitchens because it helped suppress appetite, and they wanted to do everything they could to conserve resources. As I put the plate in a blue microwave, I saw that it was eight thirty in the evening. I set the microwave for five minutes and started it.

I looked out my small kitchen window, and my attention was drawn to shadows moving in the darkness about half a block away, near building 10. There was a bit of a struggle at first. Then a figure appeared to go limp and was loaded up by the security team into their hover transporter. I thought, Am I really seeing this? Then they zoomed north on D Street. I was stunned and scared. I had been at the training site a couple of weeks, and I had never seen that before.

The microwave beeped. I checked my food with my finger. My food was done. I took my plate out of the microwave and carried it to the table. I sat on the chair, which allowed me to look out the kitchen window while eating. I still couldn’t believe what I had seen.

I started to eat my bland pot roast, mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables. It reminded me of the food I used to feed my dog back home in Yakima. It was edible, but it definitely wasn’t like Mom’s. I added some salt and pepper, and that helped a little. I continued forcing it down.

Then I heard the door open, and around the corner came Melvor McCloud, the neighbor. Melvor worked at the administration building, but I wasn’t sure what he did there. We had talked a little before. I didn’t really care much for him. He was about six feet tall and thin with red hair. He seemed to love his micromanaged life at the training site. He had a habit of rubbing his nose for no apparent reason. I quickly took another bite of my food.

Greetings, Jordan, he blurted out as he came toward the table and stuck out his hand to shake mine.

In response, I stuck out my elbow for an elbow bump. Greetings, Melvor, I said with far less excitement than he. I wondered why he was so happy. I guessed he was a bubble with good news.

He gave me a strange look and paused with his hand still extended. It was awkward. That seemed to happen a lot with Melvor.

Melvor, you know the leaders prefer bumping elbows over shaking hands because it spreads less germs, I said, explaining myself. In private, many people shook hands, did knuckle bumps, and slapped hands; but technically, it was against the rules. Bumping elbows kind of did make sense immediately after the war. After the war, there had been some catastrophic outbreaks of contagious diseases. However, so many years after the war, some of us felt like it really wasn’t necessary anymore. More than any other reason though, I just didn’t want to shake hands with Melvor because he was always rubbing his nose with his hands, and I thought it was gross.

Oh yes, of course. Excuse my rudeness, he said as he capitulated, bumping my elbow with his. "Praise Alphaeus!

Alphaeus be exalted forever, I spewed robotically. I took my last bite of food. I grabbed my plate and walked over to the dishwasher, which was to the right of the sink, and I put my plate in it. Then I went back to my seat.

I got a promotion!

I thought, Well, lah-de-dah! But I said, Congrats! I am very happy for you, Melvor. You deserve it. I had just lied. Actually, I wasn’t happy for him, and I thought he was a freak. I didn’t hate him. I just wished he was a little less weird. He always seemed so desperate for attention.

Appreciated, he said, grinning. He remained standing, and while he talked, he didn’t stand still for very long. He had a habit of leaning forward, then leaning back, and swaying to the left and then to the right. I seriously wondered if he had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention-deficit disorder (ADD).

So I know you work at the admin building. But if you don’t mind me asking, what do you do there?

I am in technical support.

Hmmm…so you help with the computers?

Yes, Jordan, I do. I work with the Mega-Plexus computers. I was a tech novice. Now I’ve been promoted to a tech assistant. We play a part in everything required to get them up and running and to keep them running.

That sounds interesting, I said, trying to sound positive.

He leaned toward me and said, Ab-so-lutely! I love it. Let me explain. So the most crucial part of the job is writing viable programs. The tech who is mentoring me is a genius. He is the one who basically took the Mega-Plexus to a new level by writing advanced programs. One day, he explained to me how all the programs are interrelated and metaphorically work together like gears in an engine.

Once again, Melvor was talking a lot more than I wanted to listen. He tended to be verbose. He went on for several minutes explaining, fidgeting, and reexplaining. I tried to pretend to be interested. Occasionally, I tried to get in a word, but he talked over me and continued telling me about all the intricacies of his job, and a lot of it I didn’t understand. To me, it was just gobbledygook. Finally, as I stood up, I said, I gotta go do mandatory enrichment, Melvor.

That’s Mr. Tech Assistant Melvor to you, he said while raising his eyebrows, trying to act serious and important. Then he said, Just kidding.

As I walked away from the table, I looked back, smiled, and said, I know. Pleasant wishes.

Pleasant wishes, Jordan.

I walked from the kitchen into my living room, and I closed the door behind me. I grabbed my digital Book of Hope from the end table, and I sat down in the recliner, which was brown. I powered it on, and in about two seconds, the Book of Hope came to life.

I sat there and stared at it as I contemplated. I was having serious doubts about the Worship of Alphaeus. For so many years, I had accepted it, but I hadn’t given it much thought. After coming to the training site, I began thinking about it a lot more.

The biggest problem I had with the Worship of Alphaeus religion was the lack of love for others. We could respect others but were not supposed to love them—or at least we couldn’t express it publicly. We were only allowed to love Alphaeus. Why couldn’t we love others and Alphaeus? It didn’t make sense to me that we were only allowed to love Alphaeus, and we really didn’t know if he actually existed.

Had anyone ever really seen him or heard his voice? So what if he didn’t really exist, then we were basically saying that nothingness was more important than people and living creatures and everything. The way I saw it, the world would be a much better place if people truly loved one another. Shouldn’t God and religion make the world better? And how were we supposed to do that without love? It seemed counterproductive. I didn’t want to read the Book of Hope, but I felt obligated. So I clicked to the Book of Superlatives, and I read:

Alphaeus be exalted! All praise, honor, and glory be unto him! He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

Open your heart! Lift him up and give him the highest praise. Seek him. Find him and be saved. Bask in his presence!

After reading it, I sat there pondering it for a while, but I didn’t feel any different. I really wanted to feel changed because I knew not believing would lead to serious consequences, but I just wasn’t feeling it. I had promised the cleric I would read it, and I did. I logged out of the Book of Hope and put it back on the end table.

There was a beep. Someone had scanned the door. It was probably William. I looked at my watch. It was nine fifteen in the evening, and curfew was nine o’clock in the evening.

The door opened, and in came William. He was tall like Melvor but a little more muscular. He did not look at me as he said hi.

Hey, what’s happening?

Just another day at the office, he said, taking off his recruit jacket. He hung it on the hook, which was on the wall to his left. He took off his hat, which revealed his messy blond hair. He needed a haircut. He placed his hat over his coat on the hook. He was wearing his black safety team jumpsuit with black boots. Ever since I had first seen him wearing it, I had always thought it looked like a Nazi uniform.

Yeah, you worked some OT today. Anything interesting happen? I was probing because I knew William worked with the safety team.

Yes, but if I told you, I would have to kill you, he said in a dismissive way as he walked past me into the kitchen.

I felt like I could trust William, but we were still learning about each other. Just a couple of weeks ago, we had arrived and met. On more than one occasion, we had discussed our new home, and we