Peter cleared his throat. Bobby realized they were all looking at him, waiting. He walked between the beds and knelt before the nightstand. This had to be it. He placed his hands on the small table.
“Is it you?” he said.
The surface of the table heaved slightly, nearly causing the lamp on top of it to fall over. Bobby grabbed the lamp and the digital clock that was next to it and placed them on one of the beds. The table then began to change. First the corners became rounded. The gap around the drawer vanished, and the drawer’s metal knob melted into the wood. The entire nightstand then became a brown, clay-like lump with no particular shape. Bobby stood up and backed away to give it room.
“Holy crap,” Robert muttered.
Bobby turned to him. “Don’t be afraid.”
Robert’s eyes were round, and he had backed up to the closed door behind him. “I was told what to expect. But holy crap.”
Peter’s eyes were round, too, but his face looked the way Bobby imagined his own face used to look on Christmas morning. The Lamotelokhai affected people in different ways.
The brown lump of clay had begun forming into something. Indentations had appeared on the surface and were now becoming folds. The folds deepened, shaping the clay into something with arms, legs, and a head. The featureless body awkwardly got to its knees and then to its feet. To Bobby it looked like a humanoid clay figure created by a five-year-old, coming to life. The creepiest thing about it was that it didn’t even have a face. There was no mouth or nose for it to breath through. Bobby turned around to make sure Robert wasn’t completely freaking out. The poor guy was still frozen in the same spot. When Bobby turned back, bits of clothing were starting to appear on the clay, and a mouth, a nose, and a pair of eyes were taking shape.
A few minutes later the transformation was finished. Standing in front of them was Addison. Bobby’s friend. Son of Quentin and Lindsey. But of course it wasn’t really Addison. The thing gazed at them. It had every one of Addison’s freckles, and it had the same dark, curly hair. It was wearing flip-flops, blue shorts, and a yellow t-shirt that said Jose Cuervo across the front—the same clothes it had been wearing the last time Bobby had seen it.
“Hello, Bobby,” it said with Addison’s voice. “Hello, Ashley. Peter, it is nice to see you. How is Rose, Peter?”
Peter hesitated for a moment and then stepped forward. “Rose is not feeling very well, I’m afraid.”
The thing’s eyes turned from pale blue to fiery gold. This was its way of showing people it was thinking about something.
“I understand,” it said. It dug into its left palm with the fingers of its other hand and then held out a small brown lump. “You should give this to Rose.”
Peter stared at the lump. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, then he stopped. It looked like he was about to cry. Finally, he took it. “This is to help her?”
“Yes,” the thing said.
He pulled a blue and white handkerchief from his jeans pocket and used it to wipe his eyes. He then folded it around the lump and put it into a pocket on the front of his shirt. “Thank you. Will it be okay if I carry it this way until I am with her again?”
“Yes, it will be okay,” the Lamotelokhai said. It then turned to Robert, still with his back to the door. “You are Robert Ramey.”
“It’s an honor to meet you,” Robert said.
“Why?”
Robert’s eyes flicked toward Bobby briefly. “Well, um, because you’re important. You’ve already helped us all so much. You may even be the one thing that prevents our extinction.”
“The probability that I will cause your extinction is approximately equal to the probability that I will prevent it.”
This was followed by silence.
Finally, Peter spoke. “If we have anything to say about it, there will be no extinctions taking place.” He put a hand on Robert’s shoulder. “As you probably know, Robert is with us today to help transport you to a new location.” He held his hands out and looked around at the room. “This place does not suit your capabilities.”
“I understand,” the thing said. “Bobby has explained this to me. I will go with you.”
Ashley spoke up for the first time. “You’ve been in this room for months. I bet you’re sick and tired of it.”
The copy of Addison looked at Ashley with a blank face. “I cannot be sick. And I am not tired.”
Ashley sighed. “Dude, seriously?”
Bobby saw that the thing was now smiling slightly. Was it actually messing with Ashley—making a joke?
A vehicle could be heard on the road outside, and Robert pulled the curtain back to watch it pass by. “We should go. No reason to linger.”
Bobby wasn’t quite ready to go. He turned to the Lamotelokhai and spoke softly. “I’m kind of afraid.”
“Yes, I see that you are,” it said. “Why?”
“I know you didn’t come here to hurt people. You proved that during the time you were hiding here. But before that, when you were with us, bad things kept happening, and people did get hurt. They have an awesome place for you in Oklahoma City.” Bobby tilted his head back toward Peter and Robert. “They showed it to me yesterday. It’s nice, but still I’m afraid of what could happen before we get there. Promise me you won’t do anything that will hurt people, okay?”
Just briefly, the thing’s eyes—Addison’s eyes—again changed from blue to fiery gold. “I can promise you that I won’t do anything that will hurt people. However, it is not possible to predict what might happen when I am with you and with others of your kind, as you are unpredictable. Therefore it is possible I would break my promise to you.”
Bobby stared at the thing’s eyes. “Then it’s not really a promise, is it?”
It gazed back at him without answering.
Bobby wasn’t ready to give up. “It will take two hours to get to Peter’s building in Oklahoma City. Then maybe another hour to get you situated in the room they have ready for you. And then we’ll leave you alone to do what you feel you should do. Just like you’ve been doing while you’ve been hiding here. Please promise me that in the next three hours you won’t hurt anyone—even if someone asks you to.”
The thing smiled slightly. “I understand.”
It looked like that was the best Bobby was going to get. He was about to agree with Robert that they should go, but he thought of one more thing. “The van is right outside, but Addison’s face is even more famous than any of ours. Can you look like someone else, at least until we get into the van?”
“Yes,” it replied. It stood still with its arms at its sides. Seconds later its features softened and began to shift. Light skin became darker, bones shifted, and clothing dissolved. After several minutes, the transformation was complete.
The room remained quiet. Before them stood a nearly naked Papuan tribesman, wearing nothing more than a penis gourd and several cords around his neck, strung with stone beads, black beetle carapaces, and small bones.
“This is the body of Miok,” it said. Its voice had the lyrical sound that Bobby remembered from the men of Sinanie’s tribe, almost like singing.
Ashley said, “I remember Miok, but that’s not going to work.”
“I agree,” Peter said.
Again Bobby thought the thing was smiling just slightly. Another joke? If so, its sense of humor might need some work in terms of delivery.
Miok said, “I can make myself appear to be objects and living things I have encountered. I have encountered Miok and the others of his tribe. I have encountered you, Peter. And you, Bobby. And I have encountered you, Ashley, as I am sure you remember. I have also encountered Miranda, Carlos, Quentin, and Lindsey.” He turned to Robert. “I have not yet encountered you, Robert.”
“No, I suppose not,” Robert said.
Ashley said, “You’ve definitely encountered Miranda. You helped kill her. Why don’t you change yourself to her?”
Bobby turned to look at Ashley, but
she didn’t take her eyes off Miok. He knew her well enough to sense that her anger was about to get out of hand if he didn’t step in. “That’s probably a good idea,” he said. “Miranda wasn’t on TV with the rest of us.”
The Lamotelokhai nodded. Again it stood with its hands at its sides, and its features began shifting into something else. Several minutes later, Miranda stood before them. Her hair was a mess. Her skin was dark from mud and dried blood. Filthy scraps of jeans and t-shirts were crudely knotted together and arranged so they barely covered her chest and groin. It was Miranda in the same condition as when Addison had used the power of the Lamotelokhai to kill her.
“Jesus Christ!” Ashley blurted out, her voice choking. She turned away and faced the wall. “Bobby, please make it get this one goddamn thing right.”
Ashley’s pain cut into Bobby like a spear to his chest. He looked at the Lamotelokhai, but the sight was so disturbing that he had to swallow a few times before speaking. “Miranda was her best friend. I don’t think she expected her to look this way. Maybe you could—”
“Perhaps we are overthinking this,” Peter interrupted. “The van is ten meters from the door.” He pointed to Robert. “You’re wearing an undershirt. Can we please borrow your shirt?”
Robert quickly unbuttoned his green and white plaid shirt and handed it over.
Peter gave it to the Lamotelokhai. “Do you know how to put this on?”
Without answering, Miranda put on the shirt. Peter then gently asked Ashley for her hat. She plucked it from her head and threw it at him. He placed it on Miranda’s head and stood back. “Good enough, I should think.”
Ashley, Peter, and Robert went out to the van. Ashley came back in, followed by Peter.
Bobby looked at the Miranda copy and motioned to the door. “Remember, please be careful.”
Miranda smiled at him and led the way out the door. Bobby followed and squinted in the morning sunlight. The same three cars were still in the parking lot. He could see the woman’s head behind the counter in the office. It looked like she was watching them, but he couldn’t tell for sure. They got in the van, and Miranda sat in the seat facing Bobby. Seconds later, Peter and Ashley came out. Ashley got in, and Peter went to the office to return the key.
They watched Peter through the window for a moment, and then the Lamotelokhai said, “Ashley and Bobby, I am interested to hear about the status of your relationship.”
Bobby stared at the copy of Miranda. He didn’t look at Ashley, but he could tell she was doing the same thing.
“What are you talking about?” Ashley demanded.
“I have learned much about your kind during the time I was in that room. Some of what I have learned allows me to consider from a new perspective your behaviors I observed when we were together before. When I consider your previous behaviors, I am able to surmise that you, Bobby, had romantic inclinations toward Ashley. And you, Ashley, had romantic inclinations toward Bobby. And now, as I observe you again, I surmise the same inclinations. It is clear from many of the artistic creations of your kind, such as novels, songs, and movies, that many of you are interested in the status of the romantic relationships of others. And so I am interested to hear about the status of your relationship.”
“I don’t want you to be Miranda,” Ashley suddenly said. She was glaring at the Lamotelokhai. “I wasn’t even serious when I suggested it before. Please turn into someone else.”
Without saying a word, the thing handed Ashley her hat, removed Robert’s shirt, and began transforming right there in the seat. It was happening so close that Bobby instinctively tried backing away, but all he could do was push himself deeper into the leather seat.
Suddenly the van’s door slid open.
“Bloody hell,” Peter said when he saw the transforming mass. He seemed to gather his wits quickly, though. He got in and sat in the only open seat, beside the Lamotelokhai. As Peter pulled the door shut, Bobby saw that the lady in the office was standing closer to the front window now. She was definitely watching them.
When the transformation was complete, the thing was Addison again, complete with t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops. It gazed at Ashley for a moment, and then at Bobby, but it remained silent.
Peter pressed the intercom button. “Robert, let’s take our passenger to its new home, shall we?”
The van backed up and pulled out onto the road, headed north toward the bridge and Oklahoma City.
Seconds later, Bobby saw the blurred shape of a white car careening around them from behind.
“What the hell?”
Bobby had heard Robert’s yell without the help of the intercom. The van screeched to a stop, nearly throwing Bobby and Ashley into the laps of Peter and Addison.
“Mr. Wooley!” Robert’s voice came through the intercom this time. “Some woman just blew past us and then crashed into the truss of the bridge ahead. She’s out of her car and walking this way. She appears to be hurt.”
Bobby’s heart felt like it was in his throat. He looked at the Lamotelokhai. The thing just looked back at him with no expression. Next to it, Peter rubbed his chin like he was thinking. Then he let out a nervous, frustrated growl.
“Please remain exactly where you are,” he said to all of them. He then got out and slid the door most of the way shut behind him.
“Please help me!” It was a woman’s voice.
“Good lord, ma’am, you’re injured,” Peter said. “We’ll call an ambulance.”
“No! My husband—he’ll kill me!”
“I’m sure he’ll understand,” Peter said. “I’ll call—”
“No! You don’t understand—he’s going to kill me. He’s coming after me now! I can’t wait here for an ambulance. Please, I need a ride. Anywhere. Anywhere but here! Please!”
There was a pause. Bobby couldn’t see them, but he imagined Peter was rubbing his chin again.
“Alright, come with me,” Peter said.
The door slid open. Peter held out his hand, and the woman stepped into view. Her face was covered in blood. She wore a pretty blue dress with little yellow stars all over it and blood running down the front.
“You can have my seat,” Bobby said, and he quickly moved and sat in Peter’s seat next to the Lamotelkhai.
She climbed in. “Thank you. I’m so sorry.” After sitting down she wiped her face and stared at the blood on her hand.
Peter got in, closed the door, and kneeled on the floor next to Bobby’s seat. He said, “Bobby, press the com button.” After Bobby pressed it, he said, “Drive north, Robert. I’ll locate a hospital.” He looked at the woman as he dug out his smartphone. “Try to relax. We’ll get you somewhere safe.”
Bobby couldn’t help staring at the poor woman. She moved her right hand from her side into her lap. There was something in her hand. It was silver, the size and shape of a water bottle. But it wasn’t a water bottle.
The van started picking up speed, but then it abruptly stopped. Bobby heard Robert’s muffled voice. He was talking to someone.
Suddenly there was an explosion right next to the van, like a firecracker or a gunshot.
“Robert?” Peter shouted.
Bobby reached for the intercom button, but then he saw the woman’s hand move again. She had pulled the silver cylinder closer to her belly. Then her finger moved against the object. There was a harsh hissing sound, like air leaking from a punctured tire.
Bobby looked up at the woman’s bloody face. She was staring right at him. But then her eyes closed and her head dropped, as if she had abruptly fallen asleep.
Suddenly, Bobby realized what was happening, sensing that he too was falling asleep, but he was out before he could warn anyone.
Bobby heard voices, as well as the clicking and whirring of electronics. The voices washed over him and then receded, and then washed over him again. Finally, they became louder and did not fade away.
He opened his eyes, and the voices stopped. He felt like he had been asleep for a long time. He
stared at a ceiling that looked to be concrete painted white. A man’s face appeared above him.
“Bobby Truex, it is a pleasure to have you with us. I imagine you would prefer to sit up.” The man did something with his foot, and a motor slowly cranked the bed into a sitting position.
Bobby then saw that the walls were just like the ceiling—white concrete. Medical equipment was arranged around the bed, and there were more people there—two men and a woman—sitting in chairs and monitoring computer screens. The man standing next to Bobby was older than the others. He had short black hair and a mostly-gray beard. He wore glasses with red plastic frames—the kind younger people usually wore. All four of them wore pale green doctor-type shirts and pants.
“Where am I?” Bobby said.
The man beside him held up a finger. “Hold on a moment.” He turned to one of the men. “Ready to test it?”
“Yes, sir,” the man replied.
He turned back to Bobby. “Bobby, could you please repeat your question?”
“Where am—”
Everything went black.
Bobby opened his eyes. He sensed he had been asleep again, but only briefly this time.
The man with red glasses was still beside him. He was frowning. He held up a finger just as he had done before. Again he turned to the younger man. “Drop the delay by point five seconds, and drop sensitivity to 200 millijoules.”
The man at the computer typed for a moment and then nodded.
“Okay then,” said the man beside Bobby. “Could you please ask your question again?”
Bobby stared at him for a moment. He then opened his mouth to speak. “Whe—”
Everything went black.
He opened his eyes, again feeling he had been asleep only a short time.
The man beside him was gazing at Bobby’s face as if observing a fish in an aquarium. “Seems to be working. Don’t become distressed, Bobby. We have tried to make it as painless as possible. But we can’t have you just saying whatever you wish when we reunite you with your extraordinary friend, can we?”
Diffusion Box Set Page 53