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– Come, see, win?
– I wish I could.
– So go ahead, everything is ready. Dare to be responsible to the people? The people don't want what they have, they want something new? So take your pilot to the parallel worlds. Your inventor of eternal life, the one who gave you thousands of faces.
Ruthra felt a twitch, both at what was on the screen and whoever was watching. He decided to play along, as if he knew everything and was aware of everything. He thought to himself: why did he send his consciousness without checking the technology… he couldn't even answer where he sent it… And yet he hoped that it wasn't the real world, that it was a virtual reality. And if it was real…
– IuLia is indeed conducting diplomacy between me and YatSan, except now I'm wondering with what interest. She was probably using me, Petty, and YatSan to get something for herself.
– Oh, great. Finally. And it's the right thing to do. Yeah, yeah. Why, is someone doing it wrong? She's soft. I've listened to a couple of her conversations. Yes, it's true that she's breaking your relationship for her own benefit, but you were good, you didn't back down, and now she, realizing that she's going to lose all contact, has decided to fix your relationship, your relationship… between you and Petty, and most importantly – between you and YatSan.
– And he's not afraid.
– Why should she be afraid? She's careful. She says this, she says that. She smiles at everyone. And best of all, you're one of her best friends. She feels your shoulder. Just a little bit, but she feels it. And that's important to a woman.
– You say that, Comrade Admiral, as if you've lived through it yourself.
Ruthra laughed a little. The Admiral, on the other hand, looked at him dumbly.
– What are you, Rutra? Have you eaten too much bleach? What's wrong with you? Comrade Admiral? A tease? Or are we at an official reception? Who is Uncle Misha to you? Admiral? If so, I'm beginning to doubt my faith in you.
Ruthra realized his ignorance of his position in the world. When he came to his senses, he presented it in a joking manner. He sat down beside him and said in a friendly manner:
– I've been fuming, I thought maybe someone was bugging me… I was waiting for a signal from you… I'm dumb again. I was waiting for a signal from you.
– It's all right. We had, have and will have power. We'll always come up with some system. The main thing is to give the asker the opportunity to ask. It is not necessary to do everything yourself, you can inspire others that it is good, so that they do it. For example, religion. After all, people themselves want to open churches and the like, they themselves want to give donations. The second option is communist, to take or build everything with the hands of the people, who own nothing. To manage everything with the help of offices, they say, if something is wrong, the capitalist will come and make you work, although people themselves want to work, because they are already workers, and so there is at least an option to become owners. The third option is not to instill anything religious, but just to say: you have to pay taxes to make medicine, army and education stable. Now I'm interested in this device of yours – a time machine simulator. What is it?
Rutra's brain paused for a second, trying to figure out what to say, as he suddenly "recognized" the subject. Not only that, but he realized the truth: "I didn't think of anything new there. I knew everything here too. And maybe it's natural".
A little more at ease in his chair, he began to explain in a friendly tone.
– A time machine is such a virtual reality device where you can meet a digital copy of the dead and, based on a simulation of their actions, live some period of your life with them.
– Holy mother of God. You'd have to imagine such a thing and do it. You're a fantasist. It's not for nothing, it's not for nothing they kept you under the hood. We knew what you were doing, what you were working on. Yeah, yeah. We've been watching you.
Ruthra scratched his head, thinking to himself: "Well, tell me what I've been doing here." To his delight, Uncle Misha "confessed".
– When I was developing a mind-to-photon converter and I didn't want to tell the authorities. Those authorities. You wanted to go to another country where you'd get paid. You didn't go online, yeah, only your computer was connected to the net. It didn't matter that you didn't send e-mails, we could see everything. You've got a nice twist on it, though, nice. And that life-extending, rejuvenating technique of yours is a masterpiece. I said, I said, let's pay, we have such a man. And they decided that only they should reign forever. So, dear, that's the way it is, I protected you, I helped you, now it's your turn to take care of Uncle Misha. Let's have a drink and, as they say, let's get started.
The Admiral pulled two shot glasses and a bottle of cognac from the nightstand.
– Let's start with the bartender thing. We have to get into character. The people like to live richly, and a greedy president makes the people miserable," he raised his glass, signaling Rutra to do the same.
They drank the tonic drink in a gulp.
Uncle Misha waved his index finger in the air and continued, it was clear, about JULIA.
– If you've got a team like this, don't let us down. You're protecting them everywhere. And they're running around here.
– You said it yourself, it's normal.
– It is normal if she wanted you personally, and then already, having made a bet on you, to take advantage of all that her man has achieved.
– Isn't that right?
– Someone who runs and looms constantly between the wharves will run away from you too.
– Maybe she wants to find her final resting place. A safe harbor.
– Maybe, but definitely not a quiet one.
They laughed, both of them.
– There's YatSan. She's different, give her a good berth and she'll become a port director.
They laughed again.
– What would the other one do differently?
– Yeah, I guess so. And that's the right thing to do!
He said the last thing again, raising his index finger up and shaking it. Then he filled a shot glass with the brown liquor, the aroma of which was already wafting like gin around him.
– Iulia is the most… one of the most active participants of the program. And for all her faults, she's the anchor. You can count on her. And she wants fame and money, yes. I agree with that, in a way, as you said.
The admiral looked at him questioningly.
– Well, that it's the right thing to do.
– It's the right thing for everyone. But won't she defect? And let her know that you're only friends with her. If you've got a thing for Yat-san, let it be. Just make your positions clear. Don't let anyone get their hopes up, and if you've given hope, go all the way. Like the people, if you give hope for change, then go for it. You think people are magic, you think they're easy? Or do you think they believe that you will give them paradise? No, of course not. Everybody wants a chance. A chance to try something, to prove themselves. Among other things – your Iulia has themes that she has with other members of the group. I'm talking about the groups that include Petty and YatSan.
– What's she doing?
– She uses them purely to accomplish her goal.
– Who else?
– She has a few faces that YatSan is partially aware of and Petty is aware of others. Like, some of them are known to both of them, and some of them are known only to one of them.
– Oh, boy.
– She has another friend. She's a pretty good-looking person. It's hard to know what they have in common. We've got her on file under the code name "alien." Let's have another drink – and go ahead, the people are gathered at the entrance, waiting for their hero of the struggle against the regime....
Rutra left the police station accompanied by two sergeants. A large crowd had gathered outside, shouting and throwing bouquets of flowers over the fence. Many clung to the iron bars of the fence and shook it, shouting, "Freedom to the Messiah! I want eternal life!" The policemen, frightened by the crowd, did not escort him to the gate. As soon as Rutra stepped outside the compound, they put him in a chair stylized as a throne, lifted him up, and carried him in their arms. Ruthra couldn't understand what was going on, and more importantly, what he was being honored for. Suddenly there was a sound in his head-it was Irene's voice.
– Good afternoon, Rutra Tigrovic.
– Hi, Irene.
– How do you like it here?
– What do you mean, here?
– It's me, Irene, from the Sphere organization.
– How's that?
– I temporarily blocked their AI, their artificial intelligence, my copy, Irene local.
– How?
– You are in the body of a local Rutra, one who lives in this world, he had a connection to Irene. The bond of entangled couples is still intact. I'm actually there at the Sphere facility.
– I'm really confused. Is all this real? Is this an experiment? Are these worlds real?
– Listen to what I'm about to tell you, memorize it. You are a famous scientist and public figure. You have many patents and inventions. Your main discovery and invention turned people's consciousness upside down. For many years you have been trying to get authorization and government support for your rejuvenation method.
– What's the method?
– You have cloned a human thymus gland and are successfully transplanting it into the elderly.
– What's the effect? Are they getting younger?
– Yeah. (chuckles)
– So what?
– People stopped dying a natural death.
Ruthra was shaking, afraid he would fall. When he heard that, he was terrified. Where were they carrying him, and more importantly, who were they? They were young men carrying him. He tried to take a closer look at them. Not knowing the fashions of the world, it was difficult for him to determine the age of these people.
– Where are they taking me?
– There is a social crisis in the country. The country is on the verge of civil war. The authorities have banned your method, classified it and used it for their own purposes.
– How?
– It was discovered when they identified the spies. They were rejuvenating the recruits.
– It's not hard to guess that it didn't take long to convince him to become a spy in return for rejuvenation.
– You're right.
– What's next?
– Foundations and movements have emerged in other countries to bring the method to light.
– No deal?
– No deal. It was only in each other's best interests that the powers that be. It blew up the world. You realize the advantage it gives to some over others. The world is on the brink of nuclear war. Everything's very tense. You've been under house arrest. The second swallow flew out when the admiral you were talking to made public information about the secret center "Sphere", where a narrow circle of people from the power structures and oligarchs were doing this transplantation. There is a secret organization "Sphere" in this world too. Rutra Tigrovich, this is your theory put into practice. The worlds are parallel, many things are the same here, and some are exactly the same.
– Did the authorities know how to implement my methodology?
– Yes, they seized all your materials, documents, designs. Besides, they let you do your work at first. You have a team here. How you two met, I couldn't discern from past events. I only found your connection to her in some kind of group intellectual game called "Jagodzinski's Pranks." Your team helped you, in addition to the medical professionals.
– What's the point?
– I can't determine that for sure. You're constantly purging all databases, archives and history. I just found your discovery materials, cloning and transplantation techniques in a certain Iulia's database. All your know-how.
– Who is she to me, why did I give this to her?
– You're good friends. She's also a friend of Yat-san, with whom you have a complicated relationship.
– How complex and how did it affect events in the country?
– You were in love with her, and before that you were warm friends with JULIA. JULIA was jealous of your friend and tried to ruin the relationship.
– How do you know that?
– I copied all the information from their brains. Or rather, local Irene did.
– What's the bottom line? Where are they taking me?
– Can't you see? They're taking you to the Kremlin. The security services, having learned the truth, have come over to your side.
– What truth?
– About what I've already said. The truth that the Admiral told me.
– And now everyone wants to transplant their thymus?
– That's right. The admission of the existence of a conspiracy from the security forces had the effect of an exploding bomb. The public was already tense. You had previously announced and demonstrated your discovery. Then you were placed under surveillance, under house arrest, your contacts were restricted, and by editing a video in your own name, you denied your discovery.
– What now?
– Take power, sign the decree.
– Which one?
– That your patented methodology you authorize the use of.
– Patented?
– Yeah. (chuckles)
– It's cool in here.
– There's some bad news.
