Vortex of Evil

by S D Taylor

  “I don’t know. I have never allowed myself to consider the humanity or feelings of any of my test subjects. The goals of my mission have always shielded me from such weakness. But seeing you and that older version of you talking, it started me thinking about the way we are approaching this clean up.”

  “Why did that matter to you? Haven’t the other people you eliminated sparked any feelings? Did you kill them all after the tests?”

  Dara paused as if she was trying to decide how to answer that question. “At first, the teams were ordered to kill anyone we found in alternate timelines that resulted from the quantum fractures. Then the Yir-Lak Command ordered that we study the phenomenon first before the destruction. So now we have a chance to study each of you for a time. It could be a few days or it could be a few years. We don’t tell you that. Unfortunately, we will probably kill you when we are finished. Since we started the capture and study method, we have not had many subjects that spoke English. Your group is unique. I can actually talk to you. And we haven’t finished studying anyone yet so I haven’t had to terminate anyone yet.”

  Erin was amazed how this woman could seem so reasonable in some ways and yet casually discuss killing people with no more concern that she would show for an ant she had stepped on. “How many of these ‘subjects’ have been killed by the teams you referred to?

  “You might be surprised to learn that the problem of the time fractures is quite large in scope. There were many pulse vortex weapon tests back in your time before the developers learned to control the quantum effects. Eventually we learned from their experience and could produce controllable fractures that would allow us to travel to and from various realities. So far, we have identified about seventy five quantum fractures that occurred over an eighty year span. Our teams have cleaned up about half of them. We have documented kills of about a thousand individuals who were temporal spawn, but most of them centered in the area around Afghanistan and Uzbekistan where the early testing was going on and in Antarctica where the later testing was located.”

  “Oh, my God! You have killed a thousand people in all these timelines because they happened to be moved around in time and space by factors beyond their control. You and your teams are the very embodiment of evil.” Erin stepped back slightly as she realized Dara was the moral equivalent of a death camp guard.

  “Please spare me the hysterics. I am sure you have killed people as well. Recently, from what we have observed on the island. Are you so certain that your moral justification was so much better than mine? I am trying to save my world from the destruction you have caused.”

  “Dammit, how many times do I have to say that I didn’t cause any of this. I was not the person who created the vortex weapon. In many ways, it ruined my ‘world’ as much as ruined yours. And I am hardly proud of the killing I have done. But I had no choice. If I didn’t kill those people, they would have killed me.”

  “Exactly my point, Erin. If we don’t kill all these people, possibly including you, they will kill me and my world.”

  Chapter 15

  Doug lay there on the bunk and tried to formulate a plan to get them out of the mess they were in. He had to get Erin back. That was his priority and he would need everyone’s help to do it. Even if he put them at risk, he had to help Erin. He knew it was selfish even as he thought it, but he didn’t care. At this point, she was all he had to care about. And it was damn inconvenient that he still couldn’t move.

  Ying held a water bottle to his lips and he took a sip. “Thanks, Ying. It looks like it will be just the two of us for a while. You better keep an eye out in case any more of your pirate friends show up.”

  “Don’t worry. Even if there are any of them alive, they should realize by now that attacking you and your team is a pretty bad idea.”

  Doug wondered if that still applied if they realized his “team” only involved a former pirate scientist and a guy who couldn’t do more than raise his head off the pillow. Doug came to the sudden realization that he had never been in a more vulnerable position. They all put their faith in Ying’s journey of redemption, believing her when she said she had left the pirates behind and joined the good guys. But if she turned out to be as deceptive as everyone else he had met recently, he could be in real trouble.

  “Would you like anything to eat? I made some oatmeal.” Ying had been very caring and concerned about his condition. She gave every appearance of being exactly what she claimed to be; someone who was pulled into a series of events against her will. She brought the small bowl and a spoon and sat next to Doug’s cot.

  “I would love some. Could you help me sit up, please?” Doug was able to get to a sitting position by using his arm. He smiled at Ying. “I am making some progress. I can use my right arm now.”

  Ying was about to say something when the tent flap was thrown open and a young woman with an AK-47 came bursting in. A younger girl who looked like a sister of the first one followed her into the tent. She held a machine pistol and was pointing it at them as though she knew how to use it. Doug was startled to see that both of them had bright red hair and freckles. He thought they bore a striking resemblance to Erin, which sent chills down his spine.

  “Hold it right there. Put your hands up.”

  Doug laughed at that command. “Only one of my arms is working. Ok if I put one hand up instead.”

  The first red headed girl looked closely at him and said, “Daddy? What happened to you? Where have you been? Where’s mom?”

  Ying turned to Doug and they exchanged confused glances. “They both look like Erin. Why did she call you daddy? Anything you haven’t told me?”

  Doug looked at the two girls and wondered what was going on. “I don’t remember being your father. At least not yet. What makes you think I am?”

  “Because you look just like him. Only younger. But you are still alive. Our dad fell in the ocean two years ago when he was fishing and must have drowned. But we never found his body. What’s your name?”

  Doug felt his head spinning around. This was not going to be easy to come to grips with if these girls were his future daughters, brought back to this time by a vortex event. “Why don’t you tell me your names first?” Doug tried his friendliest smile.

  The older girl pointed her rifle directly at Doug’s chest. “Because I am the one holding the gun. I get to choose who asks and who answers the questions.” The girl wasn’t shy. He had to admit that. She seemed more like Erin all the time. Or maybe more like him. It was easy to believe that this girl could have Erin and him as parents.

  “My name is Doug. Doug Cameron.”

  The first girl’s eyes got really big as she set her rifle aside and stared at Doug. “So is this something to do with the time travel thing that you and mom were always talking about?” She had tears in her eyes as she walked across the tent and put her arms around Doug. Her sister was right behind, but she waited a few feet away. Doug smiled at her as he hugged the first girl with his working arm. “I think you can put your arms down now, Ying. I believe these might be the daughters I may have someday. It appears they have arrived fully grown. What are your names girls?”

  “You don’t know us, do you?” The younger one asked while her older sister cried quietly on Doug’s shoulder.

  “You must come from my future. What’s your mother’s name?” Doug thought he should confirm that much.

  The young girl had a quizzical look on her face. “Erin. Who else could it be?”

  “Don’t ask. I imagine you will meet her shortly.” Doug looked her closely. She must be around fifteen. The older one was closer to eighteen. Two teenagers with automatic weapons. “What next?” Doug thought.

  “Well, Erin and I only met a few days ago and we don’t have any children right now. And to complicate things, Erin was abducted yesterday by some bad people from the future. We are trying to figure out a way to get her back.”

  The older girl leaned back and looked at Doug. “So you didn’t take our mother? We tho
ught the people in this camp must have been responsible. That’s why we showed up ready to shoot you. I guess these future people might be the ones who took our mom too. So they would have two Erins. That has to be a weird situation.”

  Doug was suddenly struck by the prospect of Erin and her older version sitting down together and discussing their lives. He hoped when the future Erin looked back she would say that her version of Doug had been good to her. He had a sudden thought about the possibility of having to apologize for something his future self would do in ten years, but he decided not to dwell on all the possibilities. This latest piece of news took the weirdness of the situation to a new high.

  “I am sorry to have to ask again, but what are your names, girls?”

  The younger one spoke up first. “I am Alannah. She is Katelyn.”

  Doug smiled and felt a sudden strange emotion go through him. Something related to the potential future experience of raising these two girls with Erin and then realizing that now it probably wouldn’t happen for him. “What nice names for two beautiful young women. You both remind me of your mother.” Doug’s emotions were bouncing all over at the thought that he might not see his Erin again. Or that he might see both the current and future versions of her together.

  Katelyn leaned over and kissed Doug on the cheek. “Even if you don’t know us, you are still our father. Is it ok if we call you daddy? At least for now?”

  Doug nodded. “Sure. It may take me a bit of time to get used to it, but any man would be proud to have two fine daughters like the two of you. Any girls who burst in carrying machine guns must be daughters of mine.” Katelyn laughed through her tears at that.

  Alannah walked over and hugged him as well. “I never thought I would see you again in this world. We didn’t notice any specific event, but a couple of days ago we noticed that everywhere we went on the island, there seemed to be more trees and there was a bunch of new stuff in our camp that just appeared one morning. We had no explanation that made any sense and Mom said it must be one of those vortex events. Do you think we traveled to some other time? Is that why you are here and you are so young?”

  Doug smiled at the “so young” comment. “I think we all travelled to a new time and place, far in the past compared to when we normally lived. Somehow, we all ended up here together and now these people from the future are here as well. It has become very complicated.”

  Ying cleared her throat. Doug, Alannah and Katelyn turned towards her, so wrapped up in discovering their temporal family that they had forgotten that she was still there. “I am sorry. This is Ying. She is a scientist for the pirate group that we have been fighting. But she has changed sides and is taking good care of me while I try to get over this injury. And she makes good oatmeal.” Doug smiled at Ying, thinking how much he had come to appreciate her calm and intelligent way of handling every situation.

  Each of the girls shook hands with Ying. “Would you girls like some oatmeal?” Ying was practical and thought something mundane might reduce the weirdness of meeting a younger version of your father for the first time.

  “Yes, please. We have been looking for Mom since yesterday and we didn’t have much to eat since we were so worried.” Katelyn stood up and looked down at Doug. “I am glad we found you. Very glad. Now we can get some help finding mom.”

  “Help from a mostly paralyzed man and a scientist who can make oatmeal may fall short of what is needed. But Tom and Megan will be back soon. I hope.” Doug smiled at the girl. He knew that she felt she had to be tough and strong to protect her sister in this situation. Finding him had relieved her in a way, but also drained her of some of her mojo. She seemed suddenly tired and out of gas. “Get something to eat and we can figure out what to do next.”

  “Who are Tom and Megan? Are they the doubles that mom talked about?” Alannah was curious to meet these people.

  “Yes. They are exact doubles of your mother and me. Just think of them as your aunt and uncle.”

  The two girls sat cross-legged on the floor of the tent and ate the small bowls of oatmeal. They appeared hungry but otherwise healthy. They were wearing camouflaged outfits that Doug seemed to remember seeing in the camp where Peter and John lived.

  “Where do you girls live?” Doug tried to imagine what twists and turns of time and space would cause him to stay on this island with Erin and make a life here. And raise a family. In that reality, they must have never been rescued or found a way home.

  “We have a place on the south side of the island. It was some British guys’ camp. We also stay in a couple of different caves at times if the weather gets bad or if we are out gathering bird eggs and don’t get home before dark.”

  “As soon as I get well enough to walk, we should go back to your camp.”

  Katelyn nodded. “That’s a good idea. We should check on it. You never know when someone might drop in and steal something.”

  Doug thought how right she was about that. He noticed he was gradually regaining the use of his left arm. He had hope now that the paralysis effects from the energy bolt were wearing off. He looked at the two girls and shook his head in amazement. What was their life like, living on this island? He tried to imagine what had happened. It must have been that he and Erin ended up in a past time and there was no rescue possible. And no place to go that would be any better or safer than were they were right here on the island. Not too much of a stretch from their current situation. At least until the future people showed up and started making problems for everyone.

  “Tell me about yourselves. What has your life been like, living here?”

  “We work pretty hard, making sure we have enough to eat. Since Daddy passed away, ah, sorry, I am not sure how to talk about that with you. It seems weird.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Katelyn. Just tell the story. I have learned to roll with the punches after what has happened to me recently. Not much surprises me and nothing will offend me.”

  Katelyn glanced at Alannah who signaled her to go on.

  “We eat a lot of fish. We have a way of drying them that the Vikings showed us. You know about the Vikings, right? There are bunch of them that have a little village with a couple of buildings on a small island to the north. We see them a couple of times per month.”

  Doug felt a sudden pang of fatherly worry about what young Vikings might have in mind for his daughters. He decided he would have to understand all that better, but he let it go for now.

  Alannah jumped in. “Uncle Arny is really nice. He used to bring us Viking toys made out of wood when we were little. Mom and Dad taught him some English so we could talk to him a little. He also tried to teach us his language. It was pretty interesting.”

  Doug thought about his Viking friend and was glad to hear that he was still around, helping out the family as they all tried to survive here. The Vikings knew a lot more about living the natural life than he and Erin would have. They would have been a great help. He wondered if the future Arny was also in this timeline now. He would like to talk to him.

  “Sometimes we get eggs from the birds if we can’t catch enough fish. But we hate to disturb their nesting. Mom told us how people in the future are always disrupting wildlife and causing a lot of problems. And that there are climate changes that are causing problems. We have tried hard to keep this island as nice as we can.” Katelyn was clearly hoping that this new, younger version of her father would approve of the life that she and Alannah were leading.

  Doug felt a sense of fatherly pride in these girls. “It sounds like you have had an interesting life and the family has been up to the challenges of living out here in the wilderness. Did your folks find a way to have school lessons for you?”

  He tried to imagine what he and Erin had done to educate these girls in this world devoid of books, libraries and computers. Both he and Erin had a few books in their luggage, so he hoped the girls had been able to learn to read and write.

  Alannah sighed. “Mom was really strict on the school work. We ha
d to learn reading, writing, math and history. And music. Mom loved to sing.”

  Katelyn corrected her. “Loves to sing. We will find her. We have to find her. . .” She stood up and walked out of the tent, clearly upset at the thought that her mother might be dead.

  Doug, Alannah and Ying looked at each other as she left, and they were shocked when they suddenly heard Katelyn shout, “Oh my God! Look!”

  Doug’s legs were still not working, so he was left sitting there as Ying and Alannah jumped up as one and ran out of the tent.

  “Who are they?” He heard Alannah shout. Then Katelyn shouted, “Mom? It that you?”

  Doug realized that Tom and Megan must have returned. He realized that “even weirder” was about to take place. He hoped they all crowded back in the tent so he could share the fun. He assumed that from a distance, Megan would have looked a lot like Katelyn’s mom.

  Tom and Megan found their way back to the camp after their clothes drying interlude and several hours of hiking through the forest. They were nearing the tents when they saw someone they mistook for Erin suddenly come running out of the tent on the end of the row.

  She turned and looked at the two strangers walking towards her and suddenly realized they were the exact image of her mom and dad as she remembered them when she was a little girl. That’s when Katelyn started shouting.

  Megan and Tom looked around and then realized that the commotion was for their arrival. And the woman by the tents wasn’t Erin. It was somebody who looked a lot like Erin. And then Ying and a younger woman that also looked like Erin joined the first one and they all ran towards Tom and Megan.

  “Something tells me this is going to be interesting.” Megan was trying to get emotionally prepared for what she was about to find out about these girls who looked so much like her.

  “No kidding. If they aren’t younger versions of you, they must be close relatives who came to visit. From somewhere. Or sometime. They could almost pass for our daughters.” Tom choked slightly as he said that, realizing that he may have gotten it right with that last comment. He caught the sideways look of shock from Megan. “Ah, if we had daughters.” Tom added quickly