Something is wrong here, thought Colonel Gavin, he's not a lunatic, no he's something else entirely, but what? Is he dangerous? Is he a spy meant to give us misinformation, for what purpose? He had extensive training in lie detection. Even the slightest facial expression could tell him if someone was lying. The problem here was that Karik wasn't lying. His confusion was genuine. He really believed that Mr. Cheney was the Vice President. Who was Dick Cheney?

Lieutenant Nichols gave Karik a menacing look that seemed intended to scare him. It didn't. "Colonel Gavin answered you." Lieutenant Nichols told Karik. "Now it's our turn to ask the questions. We saw you on the news. Tell us how you did that, with the gun and the crowbar."

"The mind is an amazing apparatus that can accomplish anything," explained Karik. "You just need to be pure of heart and have a well-trained mind. I can teach you." Karik stopped to look back at Cole. "I can teach all of you."

"How to keep a gun from firing bullets?" asked Cole from the corner of the room.

"It takes thousands of years of practice to learn how to manipulate objects, but first you need to know how to control and focus your own thoughts. You are all so destructive, destroying everything you touch, like parasites."

Colonel Gavin focused on Karik. The words sounded crazy but the man definitely was not. He was a dichotomy that needed to be figured out.

"Thousands of years?!" Lieutenant Nichols raised his voice in anger at Karik. He wasn't getting any useful information. "This man is just playing with us," he barked as his famous temper got the best of him.

"Yes," replied Karik, "like parasites."

Karik's contempt for Lieutenant Nichols made Colonel Gavin chuckle. Lieutenant Nichols became visibly angry as he turned to Cole who shook his head at the Lieutenant, obviously displeased with his performance.

Karik focused his gaze on Colonel Gavin and then continued. "We learned our mind skills from our parents who learned them from their parents and so it has gone on for quite some time. Each generation develops abilities superior to the previous one. But to answer your question, it will be your great, great, great, great-grandchildren who will apply the lessons you learn in this lifetime. With every generation you are changing your DNA."

Karik noticed the intense gaze of Colonel Gavin as he hung on every word he spoke. At the same time, Colonel Nichols looked at him with distrust. Cole simply stared at Karik, studying every word he spoke and every movement he made.

"I see you are confused." continued Karik. "It's evolution. If you train your body to be muscular then your children will be predisposed to being muscular. The mind works in exactly the same way."

"So you are saying that this began in your family thousands of years ago?" Colonel Gavin asked.

Karik paused again. "Yes, it began in my family thousands of years ago."

Lieutenant Nichols rhythmically raked his knuckles against the table, his patience nearing its end.

"Do you realize how absurd you sound to all of us?" Colonel Gavin asked.

Karik took a deep breath and then exhaled. "To some people, I might sound crazy. "Except with you, I don't get that impression. You want to believe me."

Cole stood up from the corner. "I've heard enough. You are crazy. Lieutenant Nichols, please get him out of here."

"But, sir," pleaded Colonel Gavin, "there's more we need to ask this man."

Cole completely ignored Colonel Gavin and began speaking directly to Karik.
"We're letting you go now," said Cole in the tone a mother would use when speaking to a small child, "but, we will be watching you."

There was a long silence as nobody said a word. Each person in the room seemed to be locked within their thoughts, their own ideas as to what exactly was happening here. "You are a very disturbed human being." Karik finally said to Cole.

Lieutenant Nichols grabbed Karik by his shirt. He put his mouth inches from Karik's face then yelled at the top of his voice, "You cannot speak to Cole that way! Do I make myself clear?"

Karik didn't flinch. He looked straight back into Lieutenant Nichols' eyes.

"I said do I make myself clear?" Lieutenant Nichols repeated, annoyed at the lack of fear coming from Karik.

"Don't even think about laying a finger on him!" Colonel Gavin said to Lieutenant Nichols, "And for Christ's sake take a breath mint before you get that close to someone."

"Let go of him," Cole reluctantly said to Lieutenant Nichols.

Lieutenant Nichols shoved Karik as he released his grip from his shirt.
Colonel Gavin was secretly pleased that Karik was able to say to Cole what he would have liked to have told him on many an occasion. The man was disturbed.

"I can teach you everything," Karik to Colonel Gavin. "It is so important."

"And why is it so important?" asked Colonel Gavin.

"In two days, right here in New York City," began Karik, "Islamic terrorists are going to blow up the Empire State Building, killing thousands of innocent people. These terrorist actions, which have already become part of the American consciousness, will continue for decades, constantly becoming more and more gruesome. This country has the ability to end the cycle of violence and believe me, it is far easier than you could imagine. A group of specially trained people, focused on one pure thought or action, can change the universe. If you learn to use your minds instead of your guns then you will be able to prevent other terrorist acts by enabling others to become kinder people. It takes time but it can be done. I will teach you. What I did earlier today is just the beginning of what you can do with your mind. All you need is a pure heart, and the will to do what's necessary."

"You know about a plot to destroy the Empire State Building?" asked Lieutenant Nichols who seemed to disregard everything else that Karik had said.

"As I already stated, it will happen in two days," replied Karik.

Cole walked over to Karik and pounded his fists loudly on the table. Karik did not flinch.

"Just hold it right there," said Cole. "Who are these Islamic terrorists? And why the hell do they want to destroy the Empire State Building?"

Karik began to fidget with his fingers while staring at Colonel Gavin. "I feel that you truly don't know who they are," said Karik.

"Of course we don't," responded Lieutenant Nichols. "And that's because this is all in your fucking imagination!"

"They are terrorists," Karik responded calmly, "Muslims, who are fighting against your way of life. They want their Middle Eastern empire back."

"Arabs have no reason to attack us," answered Cole. "So they don't like Christmas, and hell, nobody hates those overzealous sons of bitches more than I do, but for Christ's sake the Vice President is Muslim, although, in his defence, an American Muslim in its finest meaning. You are delusional and very disturbed. Maybe I shouldn't let you go."

"Then don't," responded Karik.

"This is a complete waste of time," Cole said to Lieutenant Nichols. "Please get this crazy person out of my sight."

Colonel Gavin studied Karik as he was answering Cole. This man's sense of reality is messed up, he reasoned. Suddenly, as Karik was being escorted from the room, he turned around and stared straight at Colonel Gavin, directly into his eyes. "Not everything you saw here is as it seems," Karik said to him. "Soon you will understand."

What the hell does that mean? Colonel Gavin thought to himself. Why will I soon understand, or did he mean all of us will soon understand? Understand what! He replayed the entire interrogation in his mind, desperately trying to make sense of anything he just witnessed. As he watched Karik leave the interrogation room he decided to do his own follow-up research, apart from Cole.

Colonel Gavin reflected on something Karik said that the others seemed to miss. In all of his gibberish about the Empire State Building he recalled him mentioning many concepts that were related to old Soviet era mind control experiments from the 1960's and 70's. Colonel Gavin felt he would have disregarded that as well if it were not for the video had seen of Karik earlier in the day. He definitely had some abilities reminiscent of what the Soviets had hoped to achieve, mind-controlling matter, but how, where would he have learned these skills and how come no American program had ever been able to achieve those kinds of results?

~ ~ ~

"Everything is wrong. We must bring him back." Petri said nervously to Torat through their minds. Speaking telepathically was not something that Petri enjoyed doing but Torat always insisted upon it.

"We didn't spend all of this time developing our mental capabilities not to use them," Torat would frequently tell the council. "The point is to strengthen our minds, not to become complacent and allow our skills to deteriorate. Don't forget that the language of the mind and emotions is far more accurate than the spoken word with less room for misinterpretations and misunderstandings."

Torat felt Petri's apprehension regarding Karik. There was a legitimate cause for concern, he realized. However if they didn't let Karik continue then very little, if anything, would have been accomplished, making this whole escapade a complete waste of time, time that wasn't theirs to waste. "We need to see more before we can pass judgment," Torat replied. "The scenario must be played out."

"How much more do you want to see? He could ruin everything. Bring him back now."

"No. Not yet," pleaded Karik. "Let me stay longer. I can figure this out."

"Karik, nothing is as it should be," replied Torat with the calm and wisdom of a learned teacher.

"That much I realize," Karik said. "Just give me more time."

"We could. However, given the circumstances, it will be impossible for us to help you. You'll be all alone. For all we know this could be the very last time we speak," Torat said to Karik.

Karik felt Torat's apprehension. His nervousness was well founded. Nothing was unfolding the way the council had envisioned.

"I understand," replied Karik. "I won't let you down."