Search for the Deceiver

By Martin Sandy Doria

This is a science fantasy about Max Von Doria and his wife Cutta who are brilliant scientists within their own fields of study. Maxs pursuits in time travel, bio physics, physics and hypnosis take them on a whirlwind of adventures and difficulties as he struggles with sinister forces of commercial greed and evil. He has to meet force with ingenuity but in the process he and Cutta have been subjected to all sorts of intimidation and mayhem. His work has been solicited by the President who offers assistance that seems to go awry on each occasion. The President has the problem of a malicious mole on his staff who is allied with an arch villain named Soorchy. Soorchy is a fiend of the first order employing an array of thugs and monsters to infiltrate Maxs laboratory security and sense of decency.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 7, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456799908

Martin Sandy Doria

Martin (Marty) Sandy Doria was born in Scranton, PA. He attended Elhi there and after U.S. Naval service in World War II, graduated from the University of Scranton, PA. Following a short tour in the U.S. Border Patrol in El Paso and Laredo, Texas, he reentered the service with the U.S. Air Force for the Korean Conflict. With many interesting assignments in intelligence and security areas he gained a broad scope of knowledge in human interactions and leadership qualities. He applied these skills to many years of practice in the family counseling areas. He is now retired and living with his wife Nella in Pensacola, Florida.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Cutta and Max are sitting at dinner. Max you look quite solemn even melancholic. Is there something bothering you? No,no, Cutta, I am deeply in thought regarding a new but more daring project. Oh no, Max not another! Wasn’t that adventure in time travel with Oomog enough to satisfy your curiosity? In a way yes. I was happy that we were able to ensconce Oomog The Apeman back to his own place and time but now…..? Please define the but now phrase Max. That’s the part that worries me.

Max Von Doria is the brilliant physicist who invented the Tempo Mare concept of time travel. Tempo Mare was Max’s conceptualization of time particles in a sea of time itself. Each particle floated within the sea containing various eras of the Earth’s history. None of these is in chronological order and Max learned how to extract particles and replace them intact. He used neither wormholes nor warp speeds to achieve his time travel successes. His methodology remains a secret with Max not even shared with Cutta.

He has engaged in other serious scientific exploits that for the most part are unknown to the public nor any of his colleagues. He could be described as a mad scientist except that he is a gentle soul not ever bent on evil. Moreover, he is quite plain looking without wild hair springing from his scalp in disarray. He is presently placed as head of the physics department at the local university. To protect this status, Max maintains the utmost security on his experiments and to wherever they lead. In short, he is every picture of the ordinary middle class academic.

His wife Cutta is the only child of the eminent Rugg family. She has had several experiential adventures in her field of anthropology. This includes exploration in the Gobi Desert, study of Indian tribes in the Amazon forest and genealogical tracing of Neanderthals and the whys of their disappearance. Max considers her studies as a soft science and therefore not quite acceptable. Cutta sees Max’s work as sometimes foolish and dangerous. Nevertheless, both are totally devoted to one another and in admiration of the results each produces in their fields of study.

I don’t know if I dare share my thoughts with you on this score Cutta Max, I am dismayed that you don’t have the capacity to trust me completely as I do you. Cutta, this ideation in my head is bigger than both of us. It is something that I alone can decide to pursue or just leave it alone.

Cutta begins to sniffle as she chokes back a sob. This couple never quarrels and even though Cutta is quite offended by Max’s apparent lack of trust, she will not badger him on the issue. Nevertheless, she is deeply grieved and cannot suppress her emotions.

Cutta, it’s just that if I describe my plan you will set up every possible obstacle to dissuade my efforts. Stifling a sob; Max this sounds like something where you are going to risk your life. If I were to launch on such a dangerous exploit would you not demand to know all the details and object as you saw fit? Well yes Cutta, I would but you are a woman! As these words leave his mouth, Max realizes he has tread on the most dangerous grounds of their marriage. Cutta, instead of continuing the dialogue stalks away from the table and goes out to the garden. She finds a bench and sits staring at their flower beds. All the while stifling both anger and sadness combined.

Shortly afterward, Max emerges from the house and sits next to Cutta. Okay, okay, I intend to go on a time travel quest. I have managed to imbed a sub cutaneous control in my arm that will enable me to visit time particles in the Tempo Mare. I can visit various eras in the Earth’s history, make observations and er er er er changes I think are appropriate. OHhhhhhhhhh Max no no no that is almost sacrilege! You must not revise history.

Cutta just look at the news. The papers describe wars and killings. The TV proclaims the most evil workings of mankind including suicide bombings, drug cartels, sexual abuse of children, general mayhem in the streets and homes of the world and terrorism, I intend to go back in time and seek out the original perpetrator of this evil and eliminate it.

Max you are talking about a quest for the serpent in Eden. It sounds like Ahab and Moby Dick the white whale only infinitely more dangerous. You can’t be serious. Cutta, I’ve thought this over for a long time and it is time for me to act. I am the only one on earth at this time with the capacity to execute such a plan and I intend to do so.

Max, Max, think of what you are saying. Have you examined all of the facets with that scientific mind of yours? You can only think in terms of quantum physics, astrophysics and mathematics but there are other issues here. First off, even if you could find Eden, how will you dispatch a creature such as the serpent who is endowed with supernatural powers that you have not? Then, in the unlikely event that you are able to dispatch the serpent, what about Jesus? What do you mean Cutta? Christians believe Jesus came on earth to pay for the sin instigated by the serpent at Eden. If there is no such sin why would Jesus need to come to Earth to die for mankind?

See what I mean Cutta!!!? This is why I did not want to share my plan with you. You have interposed a dilemma for me that seems impossible to supercede. Mark my words, I will do some theological research to address these matters before I set out but I will set out. I assure you that!

Cutta gets up from the bench and with great sadness returns to the house wearily shaking her head. She mutters softly: Saint Max and the Dragon or better yet Don Quixote and the Windmills.

The matter had been dropped by the couple but a few weeks later, they are again at dinner. Cutta, I’ve been doing some research on the serpent. In addition, without divulging my project, I have studied the subject with several theological tomes. To be truthful with you, I am somewhat dismayed and discouraged. Here, we have identified the instigator of most human errors and failings and no one knows what to do about it!

Max, forgive me for saying so but I tried to tell you, the serpent is the embodiment of consummate evil. There is great supernatural power in that entity. Not just physical but intelligence, cunning and a lust to create mischief and despair for the human race. There is no way you can successfully confront this entity with your frail limitations despite your brilliance and perseverance. Not only that, many believe the serpent has marked every human being since the original parents with an inborn concupiscence. So, several of us do the serpent’s work for it.

Yes Cutta, I have come to realize that I have not the power to subdue it. I also have come to grips with the theological issues regarding Jesus. Yet, I have devised a Plan B. In this new adventure, I will not confront the serpent itself but I will seek out its victims and tools and do what I can to revise their impact on the human condition.

Oh Max, you have really gone far out. Do you intend to be a new comic book super hero? Will you rush into phone booths and change into your leotards and cape? Is there a magic phrase you will utter to change into an alter identity. All this to seek out and fight evil….how melodramatic is all that? You are rapidly approaching the end of my patience and support!

Cutta, listen to me! I have thought this through carefully. The time travel device I have implanted in my arm will enable me to surf the Tempo Mare. Once there, I will find a critical era in our history. After I am inside, my device is gauged enabling me to speak and understand the idiom present there. Since I know our history, it is a matter of influencing the salient issues and people within and in that way alleviate human suffering.

Max, that is truly noble but nuttier than last Christmas’s fruit cake. What! will you pose yourself as The Prophet Max the know all see all as with Johnny Carson? Please, rethink this, go back to your Lab and find a cure for cancer or maybe osteoarthritis that is killing me at this moment. In other words, do something that is possible, practical and efficacious for mankind.

Max develops a moue and slips away from the table. This time it is his turn to go out in the garden and stare at the flower beds. He is constantly in need of Cutta’s support and admiration. This is the first time she has ever ridiculed his endeavors and the result has devastated his morale. He was so sure he could make his plan work and he had high hopes for its success. The goal was the betterment of mankind’s plight on the planet. He could not see anything wrong with that. Especially, since he had developed the technology and will power to proceed regardless of the danger.

Soon, Cutta was at his side and sat next to him. Max, I know you are brilliant and honorable. I know that you are brave to the point of being foolhardy. You know that I will support you and cheer you on regardless of what you do. But you must know I love you dearly and fear for your safety. Go ahead with your project. I will help you no matter what befalls us. I wish you would take me along with you.

Sorry Cutta, I was only able to construct one device for implantation. Besides, I need you here for back up on the apparatus in the event my implantation device fails. Now let’s get to work here!

Max Von Doria stands at an even 6 feet. He weighs a trim 175 pounds and has steel colored hair. He is a handsome man in the style of a better looking Sam Elliot. Despite his in-depth pursuit of scientific objectives, he is quite athletic and very active in physical training activities including weights and biking.

Cutta is a natural born beauty. Her genetics include a mixture of Irish, American Indian and Sicilian blood lines. She is 5 feet nine inches in height and could easily be likened to a Audrey Hepburn in appearance. She is a marvelous athlete and does floor training as well as biking with Max. She is a good balance for Max with her pragmatic view of things as opposed to his high flying idealism.

The couple, arm in arm proceed to Max’s laboratory where they prepare for his venture in Tempo Mare. The laboratory is concealed in an adjunct to the main house with entrance through a tunnel. They keep its location secret to protect the confidentiality of Max’s experiments. Max’s mastery of electronics enables them to use simple 110 volt house current for both their home and his lab work. He has also devised methods to keep their electrical consumption to a minimum to avoid the appearance of some unusual activity taking place on their premises.

Do you have any idea where you will start your journey Max? Yes I do Cutta. Since the Garden of Eden is out of the question my first target will be Cain. You mean Cain of Cain and Abel? My goodness Max, do you have any idea where to set your time particle goal? It will be difficult Cutta but Cain is mankind’s first murderer. He sounds like a good one to start with so let’s get on with it.

The couple embrace and tearfully kiss good bye in a tender moment. Then Max secludes himself to the Tempo Mare Veni Chamber. He sits quietly then presses the button on the implant in his arm. There is an immediate swoosh as he endeavors to skip jump across Tempo Mare to the goal time particle he is seeking. He selects one and descends inside the particle.

Slowly he looks about and ascertains he is in an ancient Hebrew setting. The locale is an encampment with many tents and men appearing as soldiers walking about armed with spears. He overhears the dialogue going on between two of the soldiers. I tell you Mordecai, I saw it with my own eyes. Samson killed that lion with his bare hands. Are you sure you saw that Levi? You know you have a habit of exaggerating especially if you had too much wine. I know what I saw and they say he maintains his strength by the length of his hair. Can you imagine that?

Max approaches the two men. Pardon me good sirs but are you speaking of Samson the Strong Man? Yes we are and who might you be dressed in this strange garb. Are you a Philistine spy perhaps? No, no I come as friend to the Hebrews. I must find Samson so that I may warn him of a danger. Eh and what sort of danger awaits Samson who is quite invincible. Did you know how many of the enemy he slew with the simple jaw bone of an ass? Erm yes, I believe I know about that but this is another kind of evil awaiting to entrap him. What nonsense is this you speak man? Don’t you know that God has infused Samson with power to overcome any evil? Are you some kind of alarmist to come amongst us to spread fear and confusion? Maybe we should lock you up to protect our camp from your wild talk.

No wait please don’t do that, I’m really a friend of the Hebrews. I worship the same God that you do but I must speak with Samson. You can see I bear no arms so what danger do I pose? What do you think Mordecai, should we put this stranger in chains or should we show him to Samson’s tent? "He