Oblivion Part Six The Sonn Alp Mountain was situated on the borders of Austria, Italy and Yugoslavia, and The Institute of Climatology nestled in a valley at the foot of the Austrian side, accessible only by a dirt track, and hidden securely by huge fir trees and dense shrubbery. To an untrained eye there were no visible signs that it lay there. Interviewees were told to wait in the tiny village where they were collected and escorted in a vehicle with tinted windows on the inside, so that passengers could not see out, and all employees lived on site in small villas. No telephones were installed in the villas, and day passes were only permissible one day in ten. Security guards with dogs patrolled the boundaries and the whole place was secured by a high electric fence. Devin had never seen anything quite like it in his life, it was more of a concentration camp than a laboratory experimenting in global warming and chlorofluorocarbons. Devin had applied as usual for him, under a false name. For once he was more than glad that he had adopted this habit. The place gave him a strange feeling, there was no warmth, no life to be seen there, and as soon as he alighted from the vehicle he noticed the unreal quietness, there was no birdsong, though there were many trees. “Step this way, Mr. Weston, we shall not keep you waiting long.” He was ushered into a small room and offered a chair. The room was clinically white, a few pictures studded the walls, they depicted scenes of thunderstorms, icebergs, rainbows and cloud formation. Devin left his seat to go across and study the pictures in detail. There was no harm in seeming to take an interest, and he had found that so doing in the past had shown enthusiasm, and he had got the job on that merit alone. Hearing a door open and close behind him, Devin returned to his seat, watching as three men in white coats each took up a seat around him. Their faces were expressionless, and Devin found that he wanted to laugh, they were all so serious. Yet he refrained from doing so. He took in their appearance. All of them were very tall, and bore a slight resemblance. Each had blonde hair, though the older one was showing signs of greying. Acting almost like robots, one would shuffle some papers as did the next one and so on, as if they were nervous, but Devin could tell that they were not, each knew exactly what he was doing, and as they openly scrutinised him, Devin shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He felt as though they were looking straight into his soul and behaved as though he were an alien. Devin felt his cheeks redden, had they guessed his secret? Did they know he hid his true identity? Had they seen through his phoney CV? He looked down at their feet, and was relieved in a funny kind of way to see that they all wore different coloured shoes. ‘Arh Huh!’ he was jubilant, ‘Human after all!’ And he decided to name them by their footwear. Black Shod, Brown Shod and Tan Shod. He imagined how Cathy would laugh when he told her of this, and in so doing he smiled. The smile did not go un-noticed, as Tan Shod opened a file upon his lap, and scribbled something down. Still no-one spoke. Devin saw it as a test. If he should speak first he would fail, yet he felt like shouting abuse at them. It was like being interviewed by three white mice. A kind of interrogation. Fortunately Devin’s sense of humour carried him through it all and returning stare for stare, he sat there waiting. A clock ticked on the wall, Devin could not see it, and silently he started to count the ticks. He got to 570 when Tan Shod stood up, walked across to a desk, sat behind it and looked directly at Devin as he said, “Mr. Weston, tell us your views on the way this interview is being conducted. Now please!” With a domineering German accent. Devin grappled for the words, what could he say? “NOW PLEASE!” Tan Shod spoke sharply, his voice raised. Devin was still surprised, lost for words. “Mr. Weston, we are very busy men, we have no time for wasters. Please when you are asked a question, you will answer without delay the first thing that comes inside your head. Now I ask you again, tell us your views on the way this interview is being conducted.” Devin wanted to get up and leave, he was in a nut house, he was sure of it. Drawing a deep breath he answered, “You would not think my answer very polite.” “Try us?” “Okay, you asked for it, though I guess it will blow my chances of my employment here. You want to know the first thing that comes into my mind, well here it is. This has to be the weirdest experience of my entire life. You do not introduce yourselves, you sit staring at me trying to make me feel uncomfortable, and succeed gloriously, I might add, you insinuate that I am wasting your time, yet do not consider that you may be wasting mine, and just look at you, at this whole place, its like nothing on earth and I am....” “Bravo Mr. Weston, I am happy to see that you are an honest fellow.” Devin looked at all three faces noticing that they had broken into smiles. Tan Shod went on “Out of all our applicants you have been the only one who has replied honestly, and told us exactly what you have thought of this bizarre interview technique. You would not believe some of the replies we have had.” Black Shod nodded as he said, “One chap sat there and said, ‘ the interview is fine, you have all made me feel very welcome’”. Devin laughed out loud, “Then he must have been crazier than you are.” “A sense of humour too, that is very good. I like you Mr. Weston, and I hope that you will be very happy here.” “But aren’t you going to ask me about my background, my qualifications etc,” Devin asked incredulously. “There is no need Mr. Weston, you sent us all we need to know, and though we believe your CV was a trifle over enthusiastic, it only emphasises the need to see the applicant rather than believe all that is told on paper. Applications tell us very little about personality and honesty, we find that conducting interviews this way, gives us the opportunity to learn a lot about a person, and it also went in your favour that you were observing the photographs before we came in.” ‘Good’ thought Devin, ‘that always works.’ “There is one thing,” Tan Shod went on, breaking Devin’s thoughts, “During the silent treatment, I jotted down that I had seen you smile. You noticed me writing something down, so I know you remember it. What was it that humoured you so?” “I was thinking about my sister, and how she would react when I told her about this interview. She would find it highly amusing.” “Ah huh, you have a sister. Tell me then is she in Austria too?” Devin hoped that Catherine would not mind suddenly finding herself related to him, but it was all he could think of at the spur of the moment, and besides she would soon be his sister-in-law so it was close enough, though by the interest shown he didn’t know if he should have said so, as he replied, “No, she is in America now, though she is planning a trip to Austria next week, and we had arranged to meet up.” “And now you cannot.” “Why not?” Tan Shod went on, “Now that you are an employee here, we cannot allow you to have any time off, until after your probation, neither can you have visitors or tell your sister of anything that has taken place here this day, or anything you have seen or heard.” “And how long is the probation period?” Devin wanted to know. “Six months.” “Six months!”, Devin exclaimed, “But I have promised her. If I don’t meet her she will worry and she will search for me.” “Yet she will not find you.” Black Shod shuffled in his seat and spoke in German to Tan Shod, Devin did not understand them. Bringing his gaze back to Devin, Tan Shod went on, “When you collect your things from the hotel, you may leave a message for your sister there, or the hotelier will have a message sent on to wherever she plans to stay, do you know of her intentions?” Devin nodded and asked, “Perhaps in fact you would have some work for her here, so at least we can be together. I haven’t seen much of her lately.” “Perhaps Mr. Weston, we will consider this. In the meantime we cannot risk your sister putting out a search party for you, the fewer people know of this institute the better, so please leave her a message. Now the escort will be waiting for you. Go now, collect your belongings and return this evening.” “I have my own car back at the hotel.” “Then leave it for your sister, you will not require it further.” Black Shod, Brown Shod and Tan Shod stood up to leave the room, they grasped Devin’s hands, shaking them in their own as and they left the room, while they told him warmly, “Congratulations Mr. Weston, we look forward to working with you.” Devin was ushered to the waiting car, and escorted back to his hotel. He had to get a telephone call through to Catherine, and he hoped that she was there. Fortunately his room had a telephone, so he broke the first of many institute rules by calling her. Yet she was not at home, the answer machine again took his call. “Cathy, its Devin. I got the job, you would not believe the place, the security is watertight and the interview, well you would have to experience it to believe it. It was weird, creepy. The institute cannot be seen from the road outside, its down a dirt track running through some woodland, set in a valley at the foot of Sonn Alp. Look don’t ask me why but I told them you were my sister, and that you are coming to meet me in Austria next week for a re-union. They think my name is Deryl Weston, they didn’t ask your name, but how about if I call you an alias of Cathy Conway, Mrs. They said I could leave a message for you at the hotel, and I have to remain at the institute for, would you believe, six months, before they will let me out of there. I can’t have or make telephone calls, and even after my probation I only get one day off in ten. I don’t know what to do yet Cathy, do you have any good ideas. Its like a concentration camp here, and I got the distinct impression that I walked into something very eerie, and I mean to find out what. Even the vehicle they escorted me in has darkened windows, so they are obviously hiding something. Cathy, can you make a reservation at my hotel, I’ll leave the car there for you. Somehow I will contact you. Hope all went well with Vincent. Bye Cathy.” It was three days before Catherine played back the message. She decided to extract the tape and keep it safe, and put a fresh one into the machine. The message from Devin contained all kinds of information that she might need again. Suddenly she was worried about him, did Devin really know what he was getting himself into? If they ever suspected him, they might kill him. She wondered if it were all worth it. Vincent had gone, no-one knew where and even if Devin did find that Vincent had some relatives, how did he hope to get them back to America, had he thought of that? She did not know that he had. Languages he might not be good at, but he did have a pilot’s license and the loan of a friend’s private aeroplane, and that is how he planned to do it. Catherine had spent the past three days living Below waiting for news of Vincent. Father had insisted she use Vincent’s chamber, yet Catherine found that being there without him caused her great heartache. “Whatever happened between the two of you?” Father beseeched her when she entered his home, “Vincent came flying in here without a word, gathered Jacob and some belongings and took off, and no-one has seen him since.” “I came as quickly as I could to follow him Father, he can’t have gone far, I must try to find him.” “No Catherine, the way is too dangerous for you. I sent Mouse after him, he is searching even as we speak. If anyone can find Vincent, Mouse can.” Catherine had taken the chair he offered her gratefully, there was so much she needed to explain, so much he needed to hear. “While I was away Father, I did a lot of thinking. Most of the time I had convinced myself that Vincent would be better off without me in his life. I told myself that I could forget him and our son. Stupid wasn’t I? But Father we had this bitter sweet relationship with the way things were. Vincent cannot live in my world, and I was so certain that I could not live full time in his, until Devin made me realise that with love, nothing is impossible.” “Devin did?” Father did not want Catherine to know they had received word from Devin. “Yes I could hardly believe my own eyes. There I was hiring a car in Paris and who should be there too doing exactly that but Devin. We decided to share one car and travel together, and I am glad we did. He has been such a great help father, with his charm and his wit, he brought me back from the brink, if you like, and he was someone I could really talk to about Vincent, and I really needed that. Thanks to Devin I was able to speak aloud my innermost thoughts to someone that understood. “And Devin was the one that encouraged you to return Catherine?” “Not in so many words. He just made me realise that the answer I sought so desperately had lain before me all along, only I could not see it. Suddenly I had an overwhelming desire to come home to Vincent, and I could not get here soon enough.” Catherine finished speaking, taking a sip of herb tea, not knowing quite what to say next. Her homecoming had not gone as she had planned, her heart still groaned at the memory, as she remembered the feel of Vincent’s lips on hers. Father prompted her to continue, “You would not know that while you were away, Vincent’s memory returned to him fully. I was worried about him Catherine, he was allowing his emotions to gain mastery over him. I tried to warn him to gain self-control, but he would not listen to me. When he knew of your returning, he fled out of here to wait for you at your apartment.” “He knew I was coming!” “Yes the Bond that you shared returned with his memory. He went back beneath the catacombs to remember. I can’t help thinking that the demon he unleashed down there that dreadful day returned with him, because from that day on I saw him change. He was not the Vincent I knew. Pacing his chambers day and night, I could see fire in his eyes, hungry, tormented and as he allowed himself to dwell on the intimacies the two of you had shared, he became obsessed with the things that had taken place between you.” “That doesn’t sound like Vincent.” Catherine shook her head dismayed, “It is so unlike him to dwell on such things.” “Yes and the more he fed his mind on it, the worse he became. He would spend all day pacing, then as soon as night fell he would spend hours up on your balcony awaiting your return.” “If only I had of known”, Catherine whispered, “I was stunned Father, I could not respond and I rejected him. Just as Lisa rejected him. Oh, how I must have hurt him.” Father saw the pain in her eyes, “Don’t torment yourself Cathy, Vincent should have controlled himself. Did he hurt you?” “No, not in the way you mean Father. I must go to him, he needs me.” “No it is impossible. Vincent needs this time to be by himself, to lick his wounds so to speak. He will be embarrassed now, and probably feels ashamed, but he will return, this is his home.” “It is my home too.” Father straightened his glasses, as they slipped down his nose, and gazed at her for some time, before asking, “Do you mean that Catherine?” Catherine nodded, “I made the decision to live here before I returned. Once I had done it, I knew I had made the right choice. My life is here with Vincent and our son. People search lifetimes for dreams Father, and Vincent is mine, he is everything to me. I love him so much, and I am truly sorry for the pain I have put upon him.” Father felt a warm glow spreading through him at her words. Once he would not have believed her, would have seen through her. For on other occasions she had told him she wanted to live Below, but he knew her heart was not really in it. This time was different. He nodded, “Then you must have Vincent’s chamber until he returns.” Catherine shifted uneasily in her seat, having made the declaration to stay, she now had to take it back, or so it would seem. Sensing her unrest, Father asked, “What is it Cathy? Have you another problem?” “Father, I meant everything I just told you, and thank you for believing me, but I do have to go away again, for a short while. You see I made Devin a promise that I would, and he is expecting me. I cannot tell you why I must do this, you will have to find it within yourself to trust me.” “Is Devin still in Europe?” “Yes. I am returning to Austria and plan to meet Devin there. I know how it must sound Father, but believe me there is a very good reason for this.” “Words fail me Catherine. Devin goes from one foolhardy escapade to another. He has always been irresponsible. Whatever he feels he needs you for, will either cause you harm or heartache. I do not think you should go.” “No, not this time Father. Devin is taking untold risks for someone that means a lot to him, and I want to help, we have mutual ground in this. Yet I have promised that I would not tell Vincent what it is we are working on, I can only say it is important and we will tell you both eventually.” “How long do you expect to be away for?” Catherine shrugged, “That’s it, I don’t know. Devin said he would call and leave a message for me when he knows more. I hope I don’t have to be away too long.” Father was clearly dismayed, “This person that you are doing this for Cathy, is it Charles?” “Indirectly, yes. Charles fed Devin the information quite innocently, and Devin picked up on the importance. Devin hasn’t dumped Charles by the way, if that’s your next question. While in the mountains they met some people who have taken Charles under their wing, leaving Devin free to explore this information. He’s already been working on it almost a year.” Father took both her hands into his, and leaned closer to see into her eyes, “So if it isn’t for Charles, and both you and Devin feel obligated to work on it, to travel thousands of miles and undertake countless risks because of it, then I can only draw one conclusion.” Catherine tried to divert her eyes, which only added fuel to Father’s suspicions, “Its got something to do with Vincent hasn’t it?” He whispered. The question was too direct to be ignored or fobbed off, yet Catherine did not want to break her promise to Devin, so she merely nodded. Father drew back into his seat, nodding to himself, “Is there anything I can help with Cathy?” He said at last. Catherine sighed, relieved that he understood, “Perhaps, I will let you know.” “Then you go with my blessing Catherine, only do take care. Whatever you both mean to uncover is not worth taking the risk at the cost of your life. To both your lives. You must promise ,me that you will make Devin understand this. He does not need to feel that he owes us anything in pursuing this, that he tried at all is proof of his love.” “Thank you Father, I shall tell him this, and I promise we will take care.” So Catherine had spent three long and lonely days Below, waiting for Vincent to return. Finding it so hard to sleep in his chamber, with the scent of him all around her, dwelling on the thoughts he’d had for her upon his pillow, remembering the things they had shared that day in the cavern. She was happy that he had remembered and a deep glow spread through her of how he must have anticipated their re-union. That he had taken the initiative at all, had surprised her, yet when she thought about the passion she had seen in his eyes that night in her apartment, she knew that he would not have been able to help himself. Far better it would have been for them both if she had not left in the first place, and second that she had not rejected his love that night. True, he had taken her by surprise, had smashed down her new resolution to wait until they were married, but he hadn’t known that and she couldn’t blame him for the way he had behaved. Hadn’t she on previous occasions yearned for him to act that way? She laughed out loud, mocking the farce, was it really so important that they had to be married first? She loved him wasn’t that enough? Had she really needed the proof of a piece of paper to show that he legally had the right to love her? Casting her mind back to the journey home on the aeroplane, hadn’t her own emotions run in anticipation of seeing him again. He would have felt those feelings. He would not know, that the moment he gathered her up into his arms and headed for the bedroom, she would beg him to stop. Whatever must he have thought of her? She had dreamed of their marriage, visualised their wedding night, but it no longer seemed so important, for now all her dreams had crumbled around her, dashed to pieces like a shipwreck in a storm to sink beneath the depths of an angry sea, never to rise again. Would anything ever be the same again? Suddenly she felt that a great big gulf had opened up between them, full of misunderstandings, bitterness and pain, and she did not know if they could bridge it. And night after night as she lay in his bed, her tears saturated his pillow, she had wanted a normal life, she had thought she had found it, now it was lost to her, and her body ached for him. Three days later, back at her apartment, she tried to decide what to do. If Devin could not get free from the institute for six months, would she need to be there all that time waiting for him? And if the security was so tight could he seriously get word to her? Amazingly as soon as the thought left her mind, the telephone rang, and picking it up she heard Devin say, “Cathy thank goodness, Look I have to be quick. Just listen. I have left a package for you in the glove compartment of the car. the keys are under the bumper at the front. there are a few things you could do. I have made a couple of maps and maybe you can get some ideas from them. Please be careful Cathy, I have to go someone is coming. See ya.” Catherine sent word to Father at once. She wouldn’t wait another week, she had to retrieve that package, before anyone else did, for she had distinctly heard another click on the line after Devin had replaced the receiver. Someone had been listening in! *** *** *** Devin had been handed his first assignment, it was a bit like being at college really, except that he kept getting the distinct impression that he was being observed. Of course they were aware that he only had basic knowledge of climatology and he wondered for the thousandth time why they had really employed him. He did not believe what it was that they told him about honesty, for they had seen through his phoney CV, so if that wasn’t being dishonest what was? Nonetheless, whatever the reason, the security was too tight for the institute to be working only on global warming, and Devin was thankful that he had been given the job, whatever their reasons. On his second day he was shown to a room which held a desk, a computer, some books that lined a shelf along one wall, and some maps. Two files lay open upon the desk, one contained information about global warming and the other about rain forests. A piece of paper was tucked between the two files, upon which was written the question, ‘Are humans to blame for the changes to the weather? Explain.’ Devin checked the room as he swivelled the chair around and around. The feeling of being watched was stronger, and he was certain that the tiny black speck up in one corner of the ceiling was indeed a camera. Turning his chair to face the P.C. he switched it on, and looked up Windows. Typing in the words ‘weather statistics’ he was startled when pages after pages of charts appeared on the screen. Much of the information was in code, and he made notes of these. There was, he decided, much to be learned, and soon he was thoroughly engrossed in his work. Devin already knew that science blamed the toxins in fuel for the breakdown of earth’s stratospheric ozone layer, yet there was much he had never even heard of. Fertilisers used in agriculture and even methane emitted by rice paddies played a part in the breakdown. Devin smiled at the thought of rice emitting lethal gases, and out loud he told himself with some amusement, ‘so its the rice, and not the curry after all, I must remember that!’ Until the discovery of Chlorofluourocarbons (C.F.C’s), Devin too had been among the many who carelessly added to the demise of the earth’s protective layer, with the anti-perspirants and fly spray that he had used absentmindedly, concluding that the spray fell to the carpet to be hoovered away. It had been a shock for him to find that the air had been polluted and carried the spray up in the atmosphere where it worked its way against the fragile protective layer around the earth. Yet since the discovery of C.F.C’s science had intervened to make sure that their usage had been regulated, until environmentally friendly products had been brought out, however the computer told Devin that with the growing numbers of the people on the earth along with the growth of energy used in industry and agriculture, still the ozone was not recovering. Could it recover? Devin leaned back in his seat a while and thought about that. Science knew about the earth’s wonderful way of repairing itself and replacing what was lost given time, but what about the ozone layer, with what could it be repaired? Would the hole become larger? Already it was thought to be the cause of the drastic changes in weather cycles. “That’s amazing!”, Devin spoke out loud, as he turned a page which told him that humans were to blame for up to six billion tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere each year, and then to discover that these gases could linger in the atmosphere for decades. Devin began taking notes of his findings. Already the amount of gases locked in the earth’s atmosphere since the start of the industrial revolution had caused a chaotic weather system, where upon some countries had too much rain, others not enough. People were dying of hunger, of heat and diseases, brought about by a lack of clean water. Devin looked at the initial question again, ‘Are humans to blame for the changes in the weather?’ and he wondered for the umpteenth time if the atom Bomb that went off in Pearl Harbour in Hiroshima during the last world war had anything to do with the answer. Had the force of the bomb tilted the earth? And since then what of the space probes and the satellites that had blasted through the ozone layer into space, had they too left their mark? Yet there was still more to consider. Devin learned that the earth’s climate is determined by an extremely complex interaction of the earth’s rotation, atmosphere, oceans, ice, land features and the sun itself. It could prove impossible to predict, even with the most powerful computers, just what would take place in a hundred years time. If man could be stopped of his callous onslaught of the earth’s resources in his quest for riches, the earth had the capabilities to repair itself, but Devin knew there was little chance of that. People had to be made to realise that they were destroying themselves, leaving a deadly legacy for the next generation. Feeling he had enough information now, Devin settled down to write up his report. His pen flew across the paper as he wrote; ‘ It is a very delicate matter. Science has made people aware that they must change the behaviour of things if they wish to live on a peaceful and clean earth. However, it isn’t easy as that. Caught in a Catch 22 situation, people are compelled to live their lives with little change even knowing that the earth suffers. For example the destruction of the rain forest. There are as many as 200 million slash and burn farmers, (Devin drew in a sharp breath, that was a colossal figure) which account for as much as 60% of the rain forest’s destruction. Faced with the daily struggle to survive, these people find that conservation of the rain forest is a luxury they simply cannot afford. Every two of three years these people have no choice but to cultivate new ground for the planting of cassava and bananas. The land which once gave the impression that lush vegetation would always grow there, expires very quickly once the trees are felled, and the fertility of the land soon evaporates, letting the soil become exhausted. Hence the need to move on. So too with cattle ranchers. Once the forest is cleared of trees, the grass that grows in its place is poor, and cannot support cattle for longer than five years. Then there is the threat of logging. The earth does repair itself and new growth of trees do spring up, but these are secondary trees, because the ground has been disturbed, the delicate balance is lost and it would take millenniums for the rain forest to recover.” Devin paused. He had written a lot, far more than he had intended, but he didn’t realise that he had such a passion for the rain forest, and was happy at how his report was turning out. He continued; ” On top of this there is the risk of forest fires. The felled trees dry out and the flick of a cigarette by an ignorant logger can set off a fire that can rage for thousands of square miles. I am remembering here the fire in Borneo in 1983, which during its wake, consumed three million acres of rain forest.” Devin paused remembering something close to him, ‘I lost a good friend in that fire, he gave his life to help save the forest.’ and he spent a few minutes in silence after which he continued writing, “ And for all this you would think that the governments themselves would step in and put a stop to all of this, however, many governments are lured by international companies into selling logging rights, for cash to pay off foreign debts. We are only just learning what a gem we have lost in the destruction of the rain forest. A century ago, the rain forest carpeted 12% of the earth’s surface, today that has been reduced to 5%, and the rain forest is like no other forest on earth. We are only just appreciating how the destruction of the rain forest is adding to the chaotic weather patterns we have been experiencing, and ultimately to the destruction of out planet.” Devin checked some of what he had written, was there any need to go on? The scientists knew all there was to know, but he wondered whether his report may be filed away and used to help someone, so he continued writing. Besides he was coming to his favourite piece; “The growth of the rain forest is in itself unique. In some parts of the Amazon Basin and Borneo, great forests are growing on pure white sand. Most forests do grow on very poor and very little topsoil, but while the soil in a temperate forest may be seven feet deep, in the rain forest it rarely exceeds two inches!” That’s incredible thought Devin, only two inches, yet the rain forest thrives with luxuriant vegetation. He continued; “ Scientist discovered the solution to this in the 1960’s and 1970’s. They found that the forest literally feeds on itself. Most of the nutrients required are found in the leaf litter that carpets the floor, and with the constant heat and humidity, it is rapidly composed of by termites, fungi and other organisms. Everything in the rain forest is re-cycled. The rain forest recycles up to 75% of the rainfall it receives. Then the clouds formed by this process, re-water the forest again. Generally a small area cut down by farmers has the ability to repair itself, but when vast areas are cleared the hot sun bakes the thin layer of topsoil until only coarse grass can grow there. It has been long known that humans and animals breath in oxygen produced by vegetation, and in like manner the vegetation breaths in the carbon dioxide exhaled by man. This is a remarkable balance.” Devin reached for another sheet of paper, surprised to find that he had already written up two with his answer, and began to write the last few paragraphs. “Science is now coming to realise that the makeup of the earth and its protective layer of ozone, also benefits greatly from the existence of plant life too. Take away the vegetation and the eco-system changes. Weather cycles alter, some with disastrous consequences. Mankind has abused and misused his inheritance, and we cannot re-claim what has been lost. We can only hope to educate the next generation, and hope that in their hands the earth will be able to recover. The question then, ‘Are humans to blame for the changes to the weather?’ My answer in conclusion to all that I have written, is simply, ‘Yes they are’. Leaning back on his chair, Devin was satisfied with what he had written. Few people realised that chopping down a few seemingly replaceable trees could hold much bearing on the earth’s climate, and Devin found himself eager to learn more. Not forgetting the real reason for being there, and ever mindful of a way to pursue it, Devin decided that if every day was as informative as this one had been, then the six months would fly by. *** *** *** Catherine flew straight to Austria. All the way there she hoped that the package that Devin had left her was still undisturbed. The one thing in their favour was that no one would know which car belonged to them. From the airport she had to take a bus to the hotel and was surprised to find that it was located not far from the airport itself, and this concerned her. It was very noisy with the air traffic going overhead constantly, and for someone like Devin who appreciated peace and quiet, she found it most unusual. However, his reasons for doing so soon became apparent when she found and opened the package he’d left for her. The note inside said, 'Dear Cathy, Enclosed you will find some maps of the place I am working at. They are only rough sketches, because it was difficult to see through the darkened windows. I have put in as many landmarks as I could see. You will not be allowed entry on foot. I will write the telephone number of the institute at the bottom of this letter, (can’t think of it right now), though I don’t suppose they will allow me any calls, and I wouldn’t put it past them to listen in, if they did. The place is really creepy, even now I have the feeling that I am being watched, and I’m back in the hotel room for god’s sake. I have to go out the back way of the hotel to put this in the car, for they have an escort waiting for me in the lobby. My name, should you need to use it is Deryl Weston, and if you can think of any reason for having to visit your brother, please do so. Try to stay at this hotel Cathy, I know that it is noisy, but if we do find anyone to take home with us, then the closer we are to the airfield the better. I have a friend, who has loaned me his jet for as long as I need it, he owed me a big favour, and I do know how to fly it, so don’t worry. You see Cathy, I don’t do everything on impulse, (just try convincing Father of that huh?) Well Cathy take care, don’t take any risks and observe intently while remembering not to trust anyone. We just don’t know who knows who around here. I hope to see you soon. Be Well. Love Devin.' Catherine folded up the piece of paper and put it back into the envelope. Keenly she looked at the maps. One was of the approach to the mountain. Devin had written that this particular one, the Sonn Alp, was visible from the hotel laying to the west, and the other map showed rough sketches that Devin had done from memory. On the approach to the institute was a gravel road, which ran the length of the mountain and seemed to act as a thoroughfare for all kinds of traffic. Then he had drawn a strange shaped rock on the one side of the road, with a tiny dirt track on the other, no more than a bridle path, running between massive fir trees. One such tree had an overhanging branch right across the track. Devin had written that he would not be at all surprised to find a camera lurking there, as from that vantage point one could see in both directions up and down the track. At the complex end of the track he had drawn massive shrubs which shielded the buildings from the road, and the whole complex itself ran right across the valley ending at the foot of another mountain, in which Devin now felt some kind of activity took place. Catherine remembered the grotto. How far had those tunnels gone down, two, maybe three miles or more, she had no difficulty imagining how many hidden tunnels and galleries would be contained therein. Devin suggested that Catherine travelled by horseback up the mountain and down into the valley and that she took with her a camera, notepad and pen. Anything she thought she could use she could photograph, no matter how improbable it might seem at the time. Catherine also had an idea of her own. At the airport she had seen a poster advertising pleasure flights, and she decided now to take one, having the pilot fly her over Sonn Alp, and she went along that afternoon to sort something out. The pilot was happy to take her but told her, “It is sightseeing tour. You pay price of four people, and I take you by yourself? Is there somewhere special you like to see?” Catherine nodded, “Sounds good to me. Can you fly me over the institute of climatology on Sonn Alp?” A grimace crossed his face that alarmed her, “What?” she asked him, “Is something wrong?” “Many people not want to see that place.” He shrugged, “Not nice place.” Catherine felt a shiver run up her spine, “Why, what goes on there?” The pilot shrugged, “Strange sounds in the night. Vampires.” He told her seriously. Catherine almost laughed out loud, but his serious expression halted her. He really believed it, and Austria was famous for the Transilvanean vampire, so who was she to argue? However, she knew that this time something else was likely to be making the sounds. Looks like Devin is right, she thought to herself, but told the pilot, “I will pay whatever you ask if you will take me, and then double it.” He grinned at her, exposing broken teeth, “Come then, we leave now.” He told her, leading the way to the airfield. From the air, Catherine could see that the complex was tucked neatly into a valley and sprawled its breadth, with one of its vast wings descending into the side of a mountain. Catherine thought about the tunnels leading through the Dolomites, and wondered how far these ones penetrated into Sonn Alp, Possibly this was where she and Devin needed to gain access, where the likelihood of finding something substantial might be. Replacing her camera into its holder, Catherine thanked the pilot as he turned the plane around and headed back to the airfield, convinced that she heard him utter a sign of relief as he did so. And that puzzled her. To be continued in part seven.