Stones: Theory (Stones #4) Read online

  STONES

  (THEORY)

  BOOK FOUR OF THE STONES SERIES

  by

  Jacob Whaler

  TITLES BY JACOB WHALER

  LUCA

  A computer chip embedded in ancient rock warns of an interstellar Cloud on its way to engulf Earth and destroy all life. Frank Mercer has the means to save a lucky few and restart civilization under his control. With Earth in chaos, fourteen-year-old Luca discovers she can hear the voice of the Cloud in her mind. It’s alive, hungry and searching.

  STONES: DATA (STONES #1)

  Matt Newmark finds a black rock in the shape of a claw and discovers it’s a Stone, a piece of cosmic technology that gives him power over time, matter and energy. Mikal Ryzaard has a Stone as well and plans to create his own hellish version of Paradise on Earth. Ryzaard finds Matt and makes him a proposition: join me or die.

  STONES: HYPOTHESIS (STONES #2)

  Matt finds peace on his own private world with Jessica. It ends when Ryzaard abducts her, forcing Matt to fight or lose everything. With two Stones, Ryzaard is exponentially more powerful, controlling minds and ruling world markets. When Matt discovers there are even more Stones, he engages Ryzaard in a desperate race to gather them.

  STONES: EXPERIMENT (STONES #3)

  Ryzaard tracks down more Stones, taking them for his own. Against his will, Matt is pulled to another world to fight, and Jessica becomes the leader of the resistance on Earth. In the midst of it all, a new Stone Holder emerges with infinitely more power than any of them. She’s capable of destroying entire galaxies and has revenge on her mind.

  STONES: THEORY (STONES #4)

  Nuclear detonations have destroyed cities across the globe. Ryzaard offers humankind a way out of the chaos with Shinto as the new world religion and an implant to unify them under his control. Matt stands alone to face a harrowing decision: become a murderer like Ryzaard or sacrifice all he loves to free the world.

  JACOB WHALER

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  CONTENTS

  TITLE PAGE

  TITLES BY JACOB WHALER

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  CHAPTER 30

  CHAPTER 31

  CHAPTER 32

  CHAPTER 33

  CHAPTER 34

  CHAPTER 35

  CHAPTER 36

  CHAPTER 37

  CHAPTER 38

  CHAPTER 39

  CHAPTER 40

  CHAPTER 41

  CHAPTER 42

  CHAPTER 43

  CHAPTER 44

  CHAPTER 45

  CHAPTER 46

  CHAPTER 47

  CHAPTER 48

  CHAPTER 49

  CHAPTER 50

  CHAPTER 51

  CHAPTER 52

  CHAPTER 53

  CHAPTER 54

  CHAPTER 55

  CHAPTER 56

  CHAPTER 57

  CHAPTER 58

  CHAPTER 59

  CHAPTER 60

  CHAPTER 61

  CHAPTER 62

  CHAPTER 63

  CHAPTER 64

  CHAPTER 65

  CHAPTER 66

  CHAPTER 67

  CHAPTER 68

  CHAPTER 69

  CHAPTER 70

  CHAPTER 71

  CHAPTER 72

  CHAPTER 73

  CHAPTER 74

  CHAPTER 75

  CHAPTER 76

  CHAPTER 77

  CHAPTER 78

  CHAPTER 79

  CHAPTER 80

  CHAPTER 81

  CHAPTER 82

  CHAPTER 83

  CHAPTER 84

  CHAPTER 85

  CHAPTER 86

  CHAPTER 87

  CHAPTER 88

  CHAPTER 89

  CHAPTER 90

  CHAPTER 91

  CHAPTER 92

  CHAPTER 93

  CHAPTER 94

  CHAPTER 95

  CHAPTER 96

  CHAPTER 97

  CHAPTER 98

  CHAPTER 99

  CHAPTER 100

  CHAPTER 101

  CHAPTER 102

  CHAPTER 103

  CHAPTER 104

  CHAPTER 105

  CHAPTER 106

  CHAPTER 107

  CHAPTER 108

  CHAPTER 109

  CHAPTER 110

  CHAPTER 111

  CHAPTER 112

  CHAPTER 113

  CHAPTER 114

  CHAPTER 115

  CHAPTER 116

  CHAPTER 117

  CHAPTER 118

  CHAPTER 119

  CHAPTER 120

  CHAPTER 121

  CHAPTER 122

  CHAPTER 123

  CHAPTER 124

  CHAPTER 125

  CHAPTER 126

  CHAPTER 127

  CHAPTER 128

  CHAPTER 129

  CHAPTER 130

  CHAPTER 131

  CHAPTER 132

  CHAPTER 133

  CHAPTER 134

  CHAPTER 135

  CHAPTER 136

  CHAPTER 137

  CHAPTER 138

  TITLES BY JACOB WHALER

  Please review this book!

  Copyright

  CHAPTER 1

  Ryzaard stares up, mouth hanging open.

  The image of Miyazawa fills the white screen. The Shinto robes he wears hang heavy on thin shoulders.

  Emptiness consumes Ryzaard’s chest. He hasn’t taken a breath since Miyazawa started speaking. With conscious effort, his lips part and fill his lungs with fresh air.

  Miyazawa’s speech is impressive. He’s changed a few things without permission, but even Ryzaard has to admit the effect is powerful.

  And it’s working. Like tectonic plates shifting below the surface of the ocean, the human race is changing. The nuclear holocaust has brought them to the edge of the precipice and given them a final glimpse of the old world. They hunger for something new.

  Something only Ryzaard can give them.

  Time to check in with the children. His finger slides along the surface of the jax in front of him.

  A holo image of Jing-wei hops out of it. “I assume you would like a preliminary report.” Lids drooping down, she looks exhausted and relieved at the same time.

  “Go,” Ryzaard says.

  “Here’s the bottom line. The final human death toll is horrific, but less than expected. The good news is that Mesh traffic is off the charts.” A relaxed look takes over her face, perhaps even the hint of a smile, like a weight has lifted from her shoulders. “Governments, c
orporations, the rich and famous. Everyone has suddenly discovered an urgent need for Shinto. Miyazawa’s going to be a busy man. And there’s more.”

  “Go on.”

  “Radioactive fallout from the nuclear blasts will be a big issue. But we’re already moving on that front. MX Global has established a massive fund to assist survivors of the war with medical treatment and rebuilding. And we’ve set up a new subsidiary to quickly deploy technology for the cleanup effort. The news is already making its way through the Mesh. MX Global is being hailed as the first multinational corporation to recognize the scale of the devastation and offer help and solutions. A public relations bonanza is in the making. We decided not to wait for your permission. It was my idea. I hope you approve.”

  “You’re a genius. A perfect way to wrap up this nasty business so we can quickly move on.” A weight slides off Ryzaard’s back. “I’ve got a pressing matter of business of my own to take care of right now. It won’t take long.” As he stands, his body is a black silhouette against the white screen. “Thank the rest of the team for their good work. I’ll meet with you all when I get back.”

  The holo fades to nothing.

  Ryzaard closes his eyes and imagines an open courtyard in a sea of white pebbles at the base of a mountain in Northern Japan. When he opens his eyes, he is standing under the shade of a massive cherry tree. The white blossoms are gone, replaced by oval-shaped green leaves, jagged-edged, as sharp as daggers and as thin as rice paper. The afternoon buzz of cicadas is in full swing.

  The dark branches on the cherry tree hold only leaves with no hint of the sweet crimson fruit.

  “This kind of tree bears only flowers in a single explosion of beauty.” Miyazawa approaches from behind, staring up into the foliage. “Then the blossoms suddenly die. Leaves are all that remain. No cherries. Rather deceptive, wouldn’t you say?”

  Ryzaard smiles and turns. “Deception can be a powerful tool if used correctly.” He moves from under the tree into the open sun. “Will you join me for a walk?”

  Nodding, Miyazawa walks to the side of Ryzaard. They move in silence across the courtyard, each with hands behind their backs, as if waiting for the other to speak.

  Miyazawa makes the first move. “Forgive me, but I hardly recognized you. So young and healthy. Have you been taking cytopropyl treatments?”

  “If only it were as pleasant as that. An accident at the lab caused massive burns on my face and arms. I had no alternative but to get extensive surgical reconstruction.” Ryzaard lifts his own hands, turning them over. “I’m grateful for the miracle of science.”

  “I hadn’t heard.” Miyazawa dips his head in a short bow. “I’m sorry for the pain you suffered.”

  “Your performance of the speech was brilliant. Truly impressive.” Ryzaard flicks a rock with the toe of his shoe. “We estimate the audience at over 15 billion. From all accounts, the impact has been huge, exactly as we had hoped. A turning point in the history of the world. Global demand for Shinto is going to make you very busy. It’s not every day that one witnesses the birth of a new world religion.”

  Betraying no emotion, Miyazawa stares ahead. “I am deeply grateful for your help. The torii gates of our shrines now grace the centers of more than 200,000 villages and cities outside of Japan. We have MX Global to thank for the many doors that have been opened to us.”

  “You are the head of a great organization. It is our honor to assist in your noble cause.”

  Miyazawa stops. “Then I hope you’ll forgive me if I ask a simple question.”

  “I welcome it.”

  “The nuclear detonations.” Miyazawa casts his gaze on the undulating lines of mountain ranges to the east, one after another until the view is lost in floating mist. “How is it that MX Global knew of them in advance?” His voice falters slightly as the words leave his mouth.

  Ryzaard pauses to gather his thoughts. “We have a vast information network, including close ties to the military in multiple countries.” He reaches down and picks up a wilted cherry blossom. “High-level communications passing through our surveillance net caught our attention. With some difficulty, we intercepted and de-encrypted them. After a lengthy and painstaking internal effort, the pieces came together. Like everyone, we were devastated by the implications.”

  “But you saw an opportunity.” A slight smile flashes across Miyazawa’s lips, and his head drops down into a shallow bow. “At the cost of millions of lives, MX Global found a way to advance the cause of Shinto.”

  Nodding gravely, Ryzaard runs his fingertips across the seven Stones floating above his chest. “We were helpless. By the time we grasped the reality of the situation, it was too far along to stop. Prematurely revealing it to the world or any government would have resulted in even more damage and chaos. The best we could do was shorten it, saving millions of lives in the process and opening the way for the peaceful spread of Shinto. Now that it’s over, MX Global will take the lead in the cleanup and rebuilding effort. We will relieve suffering wherever we find it.”

  Slipping a jax out of his robes, Miyazawa resumes his walk, pulling Ryzaard along with him. “We mourn the loss of so much life. The will of the Kami is often difficult to discern. But if it results in Shinto blessing the lives of billions, perhaps the sacrifice of millions will, in the long run, have some meaning.”

  “We are of one mind,” Ryzaard says. “And we look forward with anticipation to the day when your shrines dot the earth. It will be a great force for peace and unity.”

  Miyazawa bows again. “That is our hope.”

  “MX Global will increase its financial support to meet the demand for shrines.” Ryzaard flicks away a falling cherry blossom. “Build quickly while the doors are open. Start in Europe and Russia. Then move on to the Americas. Billions await your coming.”

  “With gratitude.” Miyazawa stops again and turns to Ryzaard. “May I ask another question?”

  “Of course.”

  Miyazawa clears his throat. “When you offered to help in the worldwide spread of Shinto, you said the time would come when you would request a favor in return. Is it too early to ask what that might be?”

  “Yes,” Ryzaard says. “It is too early. But I assure you that you will not find the request onerous in any way. It will only increase the appeal of what you offer to the world.” He moves to the large cedar trees at the edge of the courtyard. “And now I must be going. A new world awaits.”

  “Sayonara, until we meet again.” Miyazawa says. Silently standing, he follows Ryzaard’s movement through the trees and into the forest. The sound of a hawk soaring above him catches his attention, and for a split second, he looks away. When his eyes return to the spot, Ryzaard is gone.

  CHAPTER 2

  Matt holds the cloaking box tightly in his fingers, sensing the two Stones inside. He stands with his back to the large lapis cube in the center of downtown Vancouver.

  Even after the Shinto priest stops speaking, everywhere in the intersection, the mass of humanity silently stares up at the white screens on the buildings or down at white holo images floating above jaxes.

  A woman’s voice penetrates the quiet. “You said this city would be destroyed. Looks like you were wrong. We escaped the holocaust.” She turns and raises her arm up at the white screen. “Shinto saved us.”

  “It’s a lie!” Yarah jumps up and down on top of the lapis cube in the center of the intersection, pointing at the empty screen. “That man didn’t save you. Don’t listen to him.” She puts both her hands on Matt. “He saved you. I was there. I saw it.”

  Scattered laughter erupts in the crowd. Yarah’s hands go on her hips in a display of indignation. The laughter turns into an avalanche.

  “It’s OK.” Turning around, Matt pulls himself up to the top of the cube and stands next to Yarah. “They only believe what they can see.”

  Jessica climbs up next to him.

  Matt raises his hands in the air, and the laughter dies down. “You’re being set up, all of
you and all of the people in the world. The nuclear detonations were planned by MX Global so the Shinto priest could give his speech and take credit. It’s all a lie.”

  “You’re the liar!” A man’s voice rings through the crowd. “And a false prophet.” The people roar again with laughter, drowning out all attempts by Matt to reason with them.

  Along the edges of the gathering, police move toward the center of the intersection.

  Alexa sees them coming. “Looks like trouble. Let’s get out of here.”

  Matt helps Jessica and Yarah down. The four of them slip away, leaving the wreckage of the transport they brought with them smoking in the street.

  CHAPTER 3

  “They’re waiting for you,” Jessica says. “More today than yesterday.”

  It’s 9:00 AM, and the temperature has already shot past 90 degrees, well on its way to 110 by mid-afternoon. In spite of the heat, hundreds of people are gathered in the trees at the upper reaches of the slope to hear the man they call The Finder.

  Matt sits in a lotus position on the flat top of a large rock. His eyelids are closed, and his hands lie on top of his knees. The Stone rests in the center of his right palm while the other palm is empty. His belly slowly moves in and out, but unless he focuses intently, he can’t tell whether he’s inhaling or exhaling. It’s all just flow.

  “What’s he doing, anyway?” Alexa says. “Deep meditation?”

  “He told me he was exploring,” Jessica says. “Exploring what? The back of his eyelids?”

  Jessica points at Matt’s open palm. “The Stone.”

  It’s something Matt started shortly before leaving Vancouver with Jessica, Yarah and Alexa. Three months ago.

  Moving carefully over the Stone’s surface, Matt is like an ant crawling on the side of a mountain. If it had been his skin or a random rock from the ground, he would see massive gaps and fissures in even the most smooth and flawless exterior. He knows this because he has tried it. But the Stone is different. Even at the molecular level, its surface is as smooth and impenetrable as a polished diamond.

  While still in Vancouver, he first noticed the thin aura that rose from the surface of the Stone, only visible after extended concentration and focus. At first, it looked like a vague halo, a haze of light that only he could see. Upon closer study, he discovered the countless microscopic filaments of multicolored energy jumping out of the Stone and connecting to the outer world.