The Circle of Eight by J Robert Kennedy

world doesn’t.”
    “Who?”
    “Pretty
much any country that isn’t a democracy. Outside of Western democracies and
officially atheist countries like China, there is no separation of Church and
State.”
    “So what
they need is a good plague?”
    Laughter
filled the room and Acton held up his hand to stop it.
    “No, I
wouldn’t say that. I’m just saying that a plague was one of many things that
helped us progress. For those who still haven’t figured out how to
separate religion from their government it may be any number of things, but
until they figure out how to separate the two, there will always be conflict
between those who want to cling to the old ways, and those who want to move
forward. But we’re getting off topic.” He clapped his hands together. “So, what
else happens when you wipe out half your population?”
    Silence.
    “Well, wouldn’t
your workforce also be cut in half?”
    Nods.
    “So, if
your workforce is cut in half, what do you think would happen?”
    “There
would be more demand for workers?”
    “Exactly.
So what would happen then?”
    “Umm,
wages go up?”
    “Yup.
And if you remember from last week’s class, what type of system did they have
in England and much of Europe at the time?”
    “The
feudal system.”
    “Exactly.
Subsistence farmers working the Lord’s land in exchange for a share of the crop
and a roof over their heads. But if the worker can go into the town and get a
reasonable wage and buy his own food, what do you think happened?”
    “The
Lords had to pay more for someone to work their lands?”
    “Correct.
So essentially the feudal system began to slowly break up as the availability
of people willing to work for slave wages dried up, especially after the
Peasants Revolt in 1381. Farming techniques were changed to less labor
intensive forms, the migration to the cities began, and the reformation
eventually occurred with the church having lost much of its influence.”
    The door
to the back of the room opened and Acton nearly fell off his perch as he
recognized Niner and Jimmy sitting down in the back row.
    Something
must be wrong!
    “So, I
want you all to think about what would happen to America, and the world, if
half the population were to die off. Not from the negative side, but from the
positive side. What good would come out of a mass die off in let’s say
five, ten, fifty and a hundred years out. Two thousand words on my desk by
Monday, then be prepared to discuss it.
    “And
don’t just go on the web and pull down a list. That’s where I get all my
information, so I’m liable to recognize it.” Laughter and some averted eyes
greeted his closing statement. “Dismissed.”
    The room
emptied and Acton motioned for Niner and Jimmy to join him. They came down the
steps toward the pit where he taught, and he knew something was definitely wrong.
There were no smiles, none of the usual Niner joviality.
    Acton
extended his hand.
    “Niner,
good to see you.”
    “You
too, Doc.”
    “Jimmy,”
said Acton, shaking Niner’s traditional partner’s hand.
    “Doc.”
    “What
can I do for you guys?”
    “We need
your help.”
    Acton’s
heart skipped a beat. The last time these guys had needed his help he had been
flown halfway around the world in a race to find a nuclear weapon and save his
fiancée, Professor Laura Palmer. Whatever had happened to his nice, cozy life
as an archeology professor he had no clue. It seemed more often than not he was
dodging bullets or worse from either terrorists or some ancient cult determined
on maintaining a millennium long status quo.
    But if
it weren’t for those adventures, he never would have met the love of his life,
and his classes wouldn’t have been half as popular as they were now.
    “It’s
not another nuclear weapon is it?”
    Niner
shook his head.
    “Sorry,
Doc. This one’s different.” Niner and Jimmy then gave him the rundown of what
had happened over the past week. The rape, the threats, the murder of