Kaleidoscope Eyes: The Gathering Storm, Part 4

KALEIDOSCOPE EYES:  THE GATHERING STORM

by uciboy

NOTE TO READER:  This is a continuation of "Kaleidoscope Eyes" published June
30, 2002.  It would be helpful to read how Kim goes through the Transformation
before starting this story.

PART IV

Richmond, Virginia

Robert Keyes walked into the lab after receiving word that Mary had been
making progress on her research.  She was alone at her table, a full ashtray
by her side, and just lighting a Saratoga as he walked in.  He pulled one out
of her pack for himself.  "So, you said you have good news and bad news." Mary
set down her Saratoga and pointed to her computer screen which had a picture
of a DNA strand.  "It's impossible to safely recreate the full mutation in the
host subject.  Kim's power is derived from being exposed to the chemical agent
in the womb, but my tests show only a 10% success rate in trying to recreate
those conditions."

"A ten percent success rate," Rob asked as he brought the Saratoga up to his
lips for another deep drag.

"Nine out of ten babies would be stillborn or suffer from severe birth
defects.  The nicotine levels are just too severe for most subjects.  Kim was
clearly one of the lucky ones."

Robert took another puff on the Saratoga and inhaled deeply.  He had forgotten
what a good cigarette this was.  "Couldn't we recreate the conditions of your
lab accident, perhaps make a gas that would expose individuals to the
mutation?"

"You're forgetting the physical aversion my body had to cigarettes after the
lab accident.  Even breathing in second hand-smoke made me queazy."

"That's not a very appealing marketing tool," Rob replied.  "Have one of our
new 'vomit' brand cigarettes."

"My transformation was brought about only through Kim's efforts - a rather
painful and torturous process that just isn't practical for us.  So we've been
trying to develop something that will develop the mutation more immediately."

"I'm hoping that's where the good news comes in," Robert said as he took one
last deep drag on his cigarette.

Mary smiled.  "You're hopes are justified.  By playing with the nicotine
levels just a bit, we can develop a chemical agent that will create a less
powerful mutation than what Kim and I currently have.  It will still spark
intense cravings and a psychological transformation, and the body tissue will
be able to absorb nicotine harmlessly; but the power to make others smoke will
be less effective, perhaps lasting from a few days to a few weeks.  But it
will be enough to start a chain reaction that we can convert a substantial
portion of people into smokers - either with or without the mutation.  As our
numbers increase, we will be better able to facilitate the mutation to all."

This was good news indeed, Rob thought to himself.  Just listening to Mary
talk made him eager to light another cigarette, and he reached into his pocket
and pulled out his own pack of Marlboros.  "Genetic inheritance?" he asked.

"None.  The mutation as we're developing it won't be powerful enough.  Each
subject will have to be exposed once in their lifetime.  We've concluded that
the best conditions for development are at puberty so that it can mature along
with the body.  But anyone under, say, 13 could experience some health
complications to the nicotine exposure."

Robert felt a little dizzy and steadied himself as he asked, "How do we
facilitate exposure to the chemical agent?"

Mary picked up her Saratoga for a puff.  "It can be done directly through an
inhaler or combined into the tobacco of a cigarette.  In either case, the
transformation should take effect immediately."

"Fascinating," Robert replied.  "How soon can we begin testing."

"We just started," she replied and placed her cigarette between her lips in
order to reach into her purse for a compact mirror.  She handed it to Robert
who looked at himself in amazement.  His eyes were shimmering.  "You're one
us, now," she said softly.

Rob stared at his reflection in the mirror in amazement.  "I can feel its
power flowing through me," he said softly.  "What an incredible feeling."

"We need to get the other cigarette companies on board.  Within a few weeks we
can surreptitiously get these mutated cigarettes out on the market, but it's
going to require massive coordination."

Robert couldn't stop looking at himself in the mirror.  "We'll probably only
have a window of a few days before the government figures out what's
happening," he said.

"A few days is all we'll need to make an army of smokers."

*************************************************************

One Week Later...

"You sure you want to run this story," Bill asked Diane.  "Kellar is gonna be
pissed-off when he sees it."

"Just tell me when I'm on," Diane said impatiently.

"20 seconds...."

"In a movement that runs contrary to the kind of anti-smoking propaganda the
government is putting forward, we hear this evening of a young women in New
Orleans who has a different message:  smoking is beautiful.  Diane Hunt files
this report for us.  Diane?"

"Peter, I'm outside what was once an abandoned church here in downtown New
Orleans, but the message given inside, according to followers of 17 year old
Kim Lee, known as Sister Kim, is as spiritual as it gets." The camera cuts
away to a view of the inside of the church, loud electronic music blaring as
colored lights and laser beams cut through the smokey air.  Diane says over
the file footage:  "The atmosphere is part carnival, part church revival as
young and old of all races and ethnicities gather together to hear Sister Kim,
a high school drop-out from California, preach about the power and pleasures
of smoking."

Footage of Kim giving a sermon is shown on the screen.  "But out of the
darkness comes a light, and that light is bringing the understanding of a new
way of life, one that embraces the power and the beauty of the smoke."

"When we asked some of those in attendance why they were here," Diane
continued, "they could only speak of their love and admiration for Sister
Kim."

"This woman is amazing," one African American middle-aged man says.  "She has
changed my life."

"But she's only 17 years old," Diane asks the man.

"There is a lot that we can learn from the young," he replies with a nod.

"I just think she's incredible," says a white teenage girl into the camera
almost weeping.  "I truly understand the power of the smoke now and I will do
anything she asks of me."

"Sister Kim is right," says one young Asian American man holding a cigarette
up to the camera.  "Smoking is beautiful," and he took a deep puff and exhaled
a cloud into the lens.

The camera cuts back to Diane Hunt.  "There are over a thousand people at this
ceremony today, and her supporters tell me she is gaining thousands of new
converts every week.  Clearly this goes against the grain of what the
government would like Americans to be focusing on as to the dangers of
smoking.  But followers of Sister Kim say they are involved in nothing less
than a revolution.  Peter?"

"Diane, we're getting reports that Sister Kim may have connections to the
growing activities of the Militia Movement.  Can you tell us anything about
that?"

Diane expected this question from Peter but was not about to let him demonize
this girl.  "To my knowledge, Peter, there are no such connections.  What she
seems to have done is tapped in to a potent strain of discontent among smokers
in America.  She's been traveling all around the country, speaking to
thousands of followers who all share the same belief:  that Sister Kim speaks
for them.  This is Diane Hunt reporting for ABC News."

Peter did not look pleased.  "More news when we come back." "And - we're
clear," Bill said.  "And by the way, Diane," he added with a sneer, "it's been
nice working with you."

Diane knew the phone call would be coming any second and held the cell phone
in her hand.  When she answered it, Peter's yelling greeted her hello.

"What the fuck was that all about?  You practically made this woman into a
goddam saint!"

"Peter, I only reported what I believed to be an honest assessment of how
people felt about this young..."

"Fuck that!  WE tell people how they should feel!  You are skating on very
thin ice, Ms. Hunt, and another stunt like this and you'll be doing traffic
reports at some backwater news station.  Now I want you to get this woman for
an interview and I want you to make her look like the kind of fucking lunatic
she is.  Comprende?!"  Click....

***************************************************************

The following Sunday night after service, Kim walked into the back office
where Angela was sitting at a desk shuffling through some papers.

"We had an amazing night, Kimmie," she said enthusiastically.  "We must have
raked in over $20,000 in donations, and our web site had over two million
hits.  You are getting your message out loud and clear."

Kim, still dressed in her white gown, reached across the desk for one of
Angela's Benson and Hedges.  "We have to get beyond the message," she said to
Angela.  "We need action.  How are our sister organizations doing across the
nation?"

"Terrific," she replied.  "You're last swing into the Midwest brought out
thousands of converts.  And we're sending your sermons out on a live feed to
locations all across the country."

"And the militia units?"

"Falling into line.  Doing a private service with the California Militia Unit
was a brilliant stroke.  We've received word that they are close to reaching a
broad agreement of support for the New Society with other militia movements
across the country.  They are even ready to start calling themselves the New
Society Militia.  They all are eager to meet you in person."

Kim smiled and said with the tap of some ash onto the floor, "And so they
shall.  Set up the meetings."  Kim moved her hands up to her forehead to
remove her glasses and began to massage her temples.

"Those headaches are getting worse, aren't they," Angela asked with some
concern.

"They will pass," Kim replied and put her sunglasses back on.

Angela stared at Kim as she brought the cigarette up to her lips.  What an
incredible woman, she thought to herself.  From the moment she met her in
Chemistry class at St. Mary's, she felt a personal attraction to this girl -
an attraction that has grown with each passing day.  Originally she thought
that she could show Kim the pleasures in life, but the opposite had actually
happened.  Kim had changed her life.  How far they had come in less than a
year.

Two men dressed in dark suits wearing sunglasses suddenly walked into the
office.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen," Angela said, "but Sister Kim is not seeing anyone at
the moment.  You'll have to come back to the service tomorrow."

"Kim Lee and Angela Chin," one of the men said in a monotone voice, "you'll
need to come with us."

Kim, who had been sitting motionlessly with her back to them, stood up and
walked over to the men.  "I only obey the power of the smoke, gentlemen" she
said and took a deep puff which she exhaled into their faces.  But there was
no noticeable change to their demeanor.

"Ms. Lee, your powers are useless on us," said one man as he removed his
glasses and revealed his shimmering eyes.  "Now it's time for you to come
along.  Someone is eager to see you."

END PART IV

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