by Thomas Stone
“Did you hear me?”
Penbrook sighed. “Yes, I heard you. Ah, here we are…” He displayed a fork, spoon, and knife.
“So answer me.”
The old man shrugged as he placed the plate on the counter and began sawing through the faux beef. “They seem to have left me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just what I said. Ever since that Irons fellow showed up, I’ve felt… released. Whatever my part is in their scheme, it appears to be played out. For the time being, at least.”
Ellis shook his head. “I don’t understand any of this.”
“I never claimed to understand any of it myself.”
The truck swayed and Ellis gripped the edge of a couch to maintain his balance. “Feels like we’re slowing down.”
Everything suddenly jerked; Penbrook grabbed his plate as it tried to slide from the table. “We’ve stopped.”
“What’s going on?” Ellis asked.
“How should I know?”
“Maybe we should check it out.”
“I’m so tired of this,” murmured Penbrook as he stood and wiped his hands on his tattered trousers. “Well, come on, let’s have a look.”
Together, they made their way from the upper-level compartments and back down the ladder. As they entered the rear area of the cab, it became immediately apparent why they had stopped. Through the windshield were armed soldiers and vehicles standing in the truck’s path. The soldiers had weapons drawn and pointed them toward the cab.
“What is this?” Penbrook asked.
Ellis pointed. “There’s Gary Jennings.”
Jennings stood in the open door of a vehicle talking to a tall, rugged-looking soldier. Sunlight poured over them and they raised their hands to shade their eyes as they peered toward the truck.
Penbrook moved forward. “Hey, Irons, what is going on?” There was no answer. Penbrook looked at the driver’s seat and found Harry gone, VR shades resting on the seat as if they had been hastily dropped.
*
“Why am I doing this?” asked Bart. “This is more than a simulation.” He reached out and ran his open hand across a vertical boulder. Before him, a lake of unrippled water receded into shadows, subterranean formations, and vertical rock face.
Minerva leaned against him and looped her arm through his. “There’s nothing to worry about. Look at the plot.”
Bart turned his gaze from the pool to the obelisk. It stood on the sandy beach twenty meters from the water’s edge, light shining from the concave bowl atop, illuminating the cavern as well as the faces of Bart, Minerva, and Arai.
Bart took a breath. “So. What’s the procedure here?”
Arai shrugged his wiry shoulders under the t-shirt he wore. “There’s no procedure, really. Just approach the plot.”
“Alone?”
“We’re right beside you.”
The three walked slowly over the sand until they stood a meter short of the obelisk. The glow from above pulsated and a low tone issued forth, creeping out like a whisper but gaining intensity with each second. The sound passed through Bart, resonating beneath his sternum. He reached and pressed a palm against the face of the column, feeling the tone coming from the rock as a wave that vibrated in time with the same frequency within his chest. He looked over his shoulder at Minerva. “Am I doing this right?”
Before she could answer, blinding light exploded from the sides of the plot, enveloping Bart in a luminous grip. Mouth agape, he dropped to his knees. Both Minerva and Arai stepped backwards and shielded their eyes. Sand sprayed as Bart’s bulbous body contorted. His arms and legs stiffened and stuck out straightaway. His eyes and mouth gaped open, his tongue spasmed to speak or scream as he gasped a great gulp of air.
Minerva said to Arai, “Is this supposed to happen like this?”
Arai flicked his tail in response.
Reaching out like a living thing, the light from the plot surrounded Bart, growing yet brighter.
“This can’t be right,” said Minerva, “we’ve got to do something.” She took a step toward Bart.
“Wait,” said Harry stepping from the dark, “don’t interfere.”
“What are you doing here?” Minerva asked as Arai scampered to Harry.
“Just passing through.”
Minerva looked back to Bart. The light had subsided but in its place a luminescent fog formed about Bart, obscuring his torso, head, arms and legs. His gasping breath could still be heard coming in fits.
“What about Bart?”
Harry looked toward the cloud. “He’ll be all right. I think.” He looked at both Arai and Minerva. “But don’t interfere. It’s too late in any case. I’ve got to go.” Harry stepped around the cloud surrounding Bart.
“What’s going on?” asked Arai.
“No time to spare.”
Just as Harry reached the still-glowing plot, Minerva asked, “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to get Kathleen.” Then he ducked behind the plot and disappeared.
Chapter 12
“Eli. Where’d you come up with that?” Fagen asked.
“Ah. Basic phoneme pattern with a religious bent. One of those things meant to put you at ease.”
“How long are you going to keep me here?”
“I’m not keeping you here.”
“I’m free to go?”
“Yes, but where will you go?”
Fagen glanced about the cavern and shrugged. “Why don’t you tell me?”
“I will. But there is plenty of time and I intuit you have more questions.”
“So, you can read my mind?”
“No, I can’t do that, at least, not exactly; but if I were you, I would have questions. Perhaps the first would be something about tapping the continuum, eh?”
Fagen spread his hands and shrugged. “Is that what you call it?”
“Yes, it seems a pithy description for such a concept, but it’ll work for the sake of discussion.”
“How does it work?”
Eli looked across the pool. Trembling ripples appeared from the darkness and passed in conforming arcs soundlessly expending themselves on the sandy shore. Eli looked back to Fagen.
“Every conscious entity lives within a greater, unified field of consciousness which is fundamental to the universe. Your consciousness, and mine, are part of the whole. We influence reality via our directed intentions. The difference between human consciousness and kitzloc is that kitzloc have had more time to practice. As individuals, we live for thousands of years. Long before my existence, my ancestors manipulated their own genetic material to magnify the connection.
Humans have always known about the unified field but became mind-lazy with their technology. And the mind, well that’s the most important thing. Perceive, focus, influence. If one can perform those actions at will, one can do most anything.”
“Have the kitzloc always been on Mirabel?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ve attempted to remain ‘unnoticed’ through eons? Because, well because you can... manipulate reality?”
“Yes again.”
“Then what is the confluence you mentioned?”
“Events have been unfolding for some time. The human race is fractionally aware of the unified field, but as a whole your species doesn’t attempt to integrate a new view of reality. There are many reasons for that, suffice to say there are multiple cultural and social restraints. Scientific materialism reigns. You believe consciousness came out of energy and matter. It didn’t. Consciousness existed prior to the beginning of this universe, the same consciousness that is manifested in what you call the unified field. When one taps into the continuum, one is no longer constrained by the limits imposed by a mechanistic view of reality.
However, your scientists are coming to the undeniable conclusions of mathematical formulae. Humanity will achieve manipulation of the ‘Higgs Field’, as your scientists call it, and discoveries will be subverted to hostile uses.
Discoveries along the lines of manipulating field boundaries, bending space, drawing immense amounts of energy from virtually any matter, or from empty space, as well as manipulating genetic code -- all controlled by the direction of your thoughts. Whatever you can dream up. Ponder that for a moment. Imagine that ability spreading through the human race.”
Eli shook his head. “No, humanity is not ready for that sort of power, but you’re on the cusp of having it in any case. You are not the only species with rudimentary knowledge of the continuum. There are others. And like you, they have become aware of us.”
“The Tec’Lissir?”
“Yes. They have even more knowledge of the continuum than humans, but like you, they are not ready for such power. They are a dying, sickly race which makes them especially dangerous.”
Eli paused momentarily, as if distracted by unseen revelations. Fagen took the opportunity to redirect the conversation back to more immediate concerns.
“Where is Bobbi? I want to see her.”
“Yes. It is time for you to leave. On the other side of this beach, you will find a passageway. Let me show you the way.” Eli rose and Fagen followed suit, lifting his pack and pulling it over his shoulders.
Eli led the way across the beach to where a rock face met the water’s edge. He stepped upon the water and did not sink, continuing on his way as if a dry path supported each step. Fagen paused on the sand next to the water. Only meters from Fagen, Eli stopped and faced Fagen, an amused expression on his face.
“I can’t do that, said Fagen.”
“You don’t have to,” replied Eli. He held out a hand like an offering and Fagen was lifted effortlessly through the air. Fagen floated to where Eli stood on the still water and was gently deposited in a concealed, dry space that opened up to a natural passageway large enough for two men to walk through shoulder to shoulder.
“Follow this path,” instructed Eli, “and you will find what you seek.”
“Bobbi?”
“Yes, and more. Do not vary, do not waver, and do not attempt to return here.”
“And if I do?”
“Then you will pay with your life and everyone you love. Go now in peace and do not return. The path will eventually lead to an exit.”
“Well,” said Fagen matter-of-factly, “since you put it that way...” Fagen turned and peered into the darkness of the passageway. Thinking of Harry’s predicament, he turned back to pose one more question to the alien but discovered Eli had vanished.
*
Kathleen woke to darkness and instinctively reached out, searching for form to help orient her to her surroundings. She felt for the transceiver strapped to her wrist and discovered it missing. Swinging her feet to the ground, she found a solid floor. Beneath was a horizontal platform with some sort of padding. Behind was a rock wall, cool to the touch. The air was cool as well, but not uncomfortably so, with a hint of moisture and it carried muted sound as if things moved far away, down lengthy, unlit corridors.
As Kathleen strained to see, she got to her feet and shuffled across the floor, arms extended, hands in front, feeling for objects or walls or an exit. She took a series of steps forward. Finding nothing, she turned ninety degrees to her left and took four steps. Still nothing. She took four steps backward, turned 180 degrees, and took four steps without running into anything. Again, she took four backward steps to return to the original position and then attempted to feel her way back to the platform. It wasn’t there. In confusion, she swept her hands through the darkness, searching for the perch from which she had awakened moments before. It simply wasn’t there. A scraping sound came from somewhere behind and she turned to see a round beam of light illuminating the floor perhaps twenty meters from where she stood. Someone sat on the floor, head down, dark hair covering features. The figure raised its head and Kathleen drew in a breath.
“Bobbi,” she said.
“Kathleen? Where are you?”
Kathleen covered the distance in a second, squatting in the circle of light and wrapping her arms around her friend. “Are you all right? What have they done to you?”
“I’m... I’m fine. They didn’t do anything to me except keep me in the dark. It feels like I’ve been here for years.”
“That’s the sensory deprivation.”
“Why are they doing this?”
Kathleen shook her head. “I don’t know. I went through an interview of sorts with one of them. It was like a judgment, a trial maybe.”
“For what?”
“For killing one of them when Harry and I first came to Mirabel. They found me guilty, I guess.”
“So what are they going to do to us?”
“I don’t know.”
“What are we going to do?”
Kathleen took a determined breath and set her jaw. “We’re going to get out of here.”
“How?”
“I don’t know exactly. We need to move, we need to search this place...”
“It’s like ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in here. You go in one direction and wind up totally lost.”
“We can’t get much more lost than we already are,” replied Kathleen.
Bobbi laughed and Kathleen joined in. Their laughter echoed back to them in muted guffaws and, holding one another, they sat in the small illuminated circle and laughed even more at themselves and their seemingly impossible situation.
“Okay,” said Kathleen, “that felt good. Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll keep a grip on each other as we feel our way around. That way, we won’t get separated and lose our way in the dark.”
“Sounds good,” said Bobbi. “Which way do we go first?”
“I don’t think it matters. Pick a direction.”
Bobbi shrugged. “I’m left-handed, so let’s start that way.” Bobbi pointed off to her left.
“All right,” said Kathleen. “Keep a hand on my shoulder.”
Bobbi placed a hand on Kathleen’s shoulder.
“Ready?”
“Yep. Let’s move out.”
Kathleen moved out of the circle of light with Bobbi’s hand firmly planted atop her shoulder. They moved slowly in tandem until both were in darkness. Behind, the beam of light that had been their refuge suddenly and silently flicked off.
“Somehow, I expected that,” whispered Bobbi.
Kathleen made no reply but peered into the dark ahead of her, straining to see anything, perhaps a hint of light or a phantom shape that would lend substance to their search. Their feet slid along the cool, flat floor, giving rise to the only reliable sound in proximity.
“I hear things,” Bobbi said in an urgent whisper. Kathleen stopped moving.
“Like what?”
“Listen,” she said. They both fell silent, each holding their breath. Finally, Kathleen spoke up.
“What was it?”
“I can’t say,” came Bobbi’s reply. “Maybe like echoes from far away. Not voices, more like, I don’t know, sounds of someone walking. Maybe.”
They both listened again, but hearing nothing, started forward again.
“How far do you think we’ve gone?” Bobbi asked.
“Not far. Twenty meters or so. Let’s make a ninety degree turn to the left.”
“Why not?”
Kathleen set off in the new direction with Bobbi gamely holding on with both hands atop Kathleen’s shoulders. Kathleen counted off the steps and when she reached twenty, she stopped. “Another ninety degree turn?”
“Lead on,” said Bobbi.
Kathleen turned herself another ninety degrees to the left and began walking again, counting the steps under her breath. Soon, they had taken another twenty steps. When Kathleen stopped, Bobbi asked, “Another ninety?”
“Yes. At least it gives us a systematic approach.” Kathleen re-oriented herself and began walking. She counted again, but this time, just as she was about to announce her tenth step, another beam of light appeared some twenty meters from their current position. Both women froze and stood in silence
for a long moment.
“What should we do?” Bobbi finally asked.
“Does that look like it might be the same place? You know, where we started?”
“It could be. Maybe they want us to return to that spot.”
“But why? What difference does it make?”
“Maybe we’re getting closer to finding something. Maybe they’re trying to distract us.”
The women went silent again, thinking through their choices. Kathleen was the first to speak. “They want us to go to that spot. Whether or not it’s the original place, I can’t say for sure.”
“Maybe we should keep doing what we’re doing. Maybe they’re responding to us because we’re about to find a way out. I say we keep going. The light gives us an anchor point. It’s makes wandering around in the dark easier.”
“We still can’t see anything out of the light.”
“Yes, but it will orient us as to where we are in this room.”
“Room?”
“Room, cell, whatever.”
“Okay, we keep going. We were on our tenth step, so let’s take ten more and see what happens.”
“Kathleen?” Bobbi said.
“Yes?”
“Be careful.”
“You bet I will. You just hang on.” Kathleen took step number eleven and Bobbi reset her grip on Kathleen’s shoulders. They shuffled forward together, Kathleen holding her splayed hands in front as bumpers but, as before, they found nothing. When their twenty steps were complete, they paused again. In their orientation, the circle of light was now due north.
“If we’re going to make a circuit using the light as our center, we need to go another twenty steps to the ‘east’. Then, do a ninety to our left and go forty steps. Right?”
“Yes, that’s how I figure it as well.”
On they went, pausing only at the corners of their search box to make changes in the direction. When they reckoned they had completed the box, they stopped again.
“There’s nothing in here,” said Bobbi.
“Mm,” Kathleen buzzed, “I think we should...”
Without any accompanying sound, another circle of light suddenly appeared next to the first, separated by a short distance. Both women jumped in surprise.