Encounterus Disasterus

Dr. Geoffrey Stone, world famous anthropologist, evolutionary expert and inventor is confronted by his graduate assistant about revising history. (Response to the Medium Magic Tuesday Microfiction Prompt).

‘How did you get in here?”

The young man sitting in the leather chair, swiveled to face the door that the newcomer had just entered through.

“Isn’t it obvious? You underestimated me.”

The man, whose name was Gary Jensen, had the audacity to actually put his feet up on Dr. Geoffrey Stone’s desk. Such a cliche, Stone couldn’t help but think.

“That’s not what I asked.” Apparently I did underestimate him. Not a mistake I’ll repeat.

“It was just a matter of figuring out all the different assistants and employees you entrusted small bits of the truth to through the years. You’ll remember I already have a degree in psychology. Anthropology is actually my second graduate degree. I am quite well versed in determining who is likely to give up a secret and what it will take to get them to do so.”

“So that whole sycophant thing. . .?”

“I didn’t put my undergraduate double major in theater on my resume when applying to be your grad assistant.”

“Fine, so you followed me around without me noticing you to find this complex. Now that you’ve found it, what do you want?” And how much of it have you seen?

Jensen replied by reaching down then putting several large hardbound notebooks on the desk. Stone’s experimental journals.

Well, I guess that answers my question, Stone thought. “I’ll ask you again, what do you want?” Stone struggled to keep the fury out of his voice. This could still be salvaged. He just needed to figure out how much Jensen knew and if he’d contacted anyone.

“What was it the always called you? Wunderkinde Extraordinaire? Getting a little long in the tooth for the title aren’t you? If they found out what you’d done, I suspect they’d call you Enfant Terrible.” Jensen began to laugh, much like a hyena, Stone thought.

“Yes, I expect they might tar and feather you if they discovered the whole history of evolution that you were responsible for convincing even the religious fanatics had occurred, was a great big lie. What would they do if they found out that their Renaissance man who not only was brilliant archeologist but who also was responsible for the majority of the inventions that advanced our world hundreds of years in only a few short decades hadn’t invented anything, he’d just discovered it?”

“You don’t give me enough credit. Who’s to say I didn’t invent any of those things?”

“Well, I am for one. No one could be that brilliant and that talented across so many fields. You came up with literally dozens of world changing inventions in technology, medicine, transportation, construction, architecture, food production, physics, chemistry, sustainable fuel, space exploration and even leisure equipment.”

“You forgot infrastructure and communications,” Stone said, his voice now mild.

“I’ve been amazed that no one else has realized no one person could have come up with so many things from nothing. But even if I wasn’t right, there are these.” Jensen tapped the stack of journals. “Imagine my shock when I saw you murder one of your own archeology assistants when he found the record hidden safely away by what had to have been one of the last of our ancestors more than 100,000 years ago. Not one of those neanderthals or homosapians, no. The ancient civilization of humans that were far, far more advanced that we are. Though thanks to your stealing all of their accomplishments we are closer than we’d otherwise be for probably another couple hundred years.”

“Or more,” Stone added calmly.

Jensen let out another hyena laugh. “An arrogant sod you are. But I like a man who knows his own worth.”

“I’m so glad I’ve pleased you,” Stone said dryly.

“I know my own worth, also,” Jensen said.

Ah, so now we’re getting to the crux of it. “Really,” Stone said, crossing his arms.

“So, just to review, it seems that you single-handedly decided to change the reality of the entire history of the human race. You know, how the beginning of the last ice age actually began 100,000 years ago not 2.6 million years ago and how it wasn’t brought about by a change in the orbit and tilt of the earth as you’ve been asserting, but because the previous advanced civilization used weapons of mass destruction causing dust clouds to block the sun.”

“Any chance you’ll get to you’re point soon? I do have a lecture to give.”

“Then there’s that ugly matter of the murder. I know they ruled it an accidental fall from the cliff caves but I’m sure they’d be willing to reopen the investigation.”

Stone was tired of engaging. Jensen had his speech thought out so why interrupt? He crossed his arms and waited.

“So here’s how this is going to go. At the award ceremony next month, you know, the award they’re giving you for being such a great humanitarian, you’re going to announce you’re retirement. Then you’re going to announce that your work will be continued by your young associate.”

“Let me guess, that young associate would be you.” Stone could hardly prevent himself from snorting. At least I know the little prick hasn’t said anything to anyone. He’d never risk someone realizing his fantasy future wasn’t his own doing. “And you think you’re capable of reverse engineering the technology from a civilization hundreds of years ahead of us?”

“If I can’t, I’m sure you’ll be more than happy to help.”

“Oh, you do, do you?” Stone went to check his watch. Despite all the advances he still wore a watch.

“Yes, I really . . .” The light beam that shot out of Stone’s watch neatly cut Jensen in half.

“You forgot, Military Technology, you stupid shit.” He looked at the mess in front of him.

“And now I am going to be late for the lecture.” He sighed and went to get some towels.

Natalie Frank (Taye Carrol) has had work featured in Haunted Waters Press, Weirdbook Magazine, Siren’s Call Publications, Lycan Valley Press and Zero Fiction among others. Her poetry has been featured a several anthologies. She is the Managing Editor for Novellas and Serials at LVP Publications.

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