by Simon Rose
He walked over to the kitchen entrance and there they were. Madeleine was baking, helped by his Abigail, while Noah was colouring in a book as he sat at the table.
“Oh, hi,” said Madeleine. “I never heard you come in.”
“Hi, Dad,” said Noah, scarcely looking up from his book.
“Dad!” Abigail exclaimed, as she ran over to him.
Hammond struggled to contain his tears as he hugged her tightly.
“I didn’t know that you’d be home early?” said Madeleine. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes, yes,” said Hammond, haltingly, regaining his composure. “Everything’s fine. And I just know that it’s going to be fine from now on too.”
She smiled at him but then Hammond was suddenly consumed by incredible pain, clutching at his chest as if he were having a heart attack. His family could only look on in horror but then they were gone and Hammond was back on the table in the laboratory at the clinic.
“Oh, my God!” exclaimed Bethany. “Are you all right?”
“What happened?” Hammond demanded. “You have to send me back.”
“No way,” said Bethany, shaking her head. “I almost lost you. In fact, you were dead for a few seconds. I told you it was too dangerous.”
“But I found it, Suzanne,” said Hammond, grabbing her by the wrist. “It was them.”
“What?”
“They were there,” Hammond replied. “All of them. It was the universe that I’ve been looking for all this time. You have to send me back.”
Bethany shook her head again.
“It’s impossible. You’ll die for sure next time. Maybe you’re just not meant to exist there.”
“The girl’s brain fluid was the key,” said Hammond. “It meant that I could finally go there at last. We have to get her back and use the rest of the fluid from her brain.”
“But that big a dose could be fatal to you,” Bethany said.
“If I can stay there, I don’t care if I die here, Suzanne. We need the girl so that I can stay in the other reality permanently.”
“But we don’t even know where she is,” said Bethany.
“There’s still some of her fluid left,” Hammond explained. “I can use the existing serum to travel into the worlds where she and the boy might be hiding.”
“But you know there are an infinite number of universes,” Bethany reminded him. “You’ll never find the right one.”
Hammond smiled.
“I think I might be able to. When I arrived in my reality there were snatches of what I assume were the girl’s memories. I think that the fluid’s linked me to her somehow.”
“But that never happened with any of the others.”
Hammond smiled.
“Because they didn’t have this girl’s psychic abilities. My link to her will help me to find her and the boy in the right universe.”
Bethany thought for a moment.
“So, you mean like a homing signal?”
“Yes, something like that. I’ve no idea how it works but let’s use the last of her brain fluid so that I can locate them. The boy might have some kind of abilities too, that might explain their connection. Once we have them back here, we can take a look at his brain in more detail. I know that you’ll be here to bring me back if there’s any sign that I’m in difficulty, but I’ll need to take the mobile dispenser this time.”
“But we haven’t used that since the first experiments,” Bethany replied. “When you could only make short journeys because we weren’t sure of the risks.”
“I know, but if my theory’s right and I can home in on the girl, I need a way to return here the moment that I’ve secured them.”
Bethany nodded slowly.
“All right,” she said. “But I’m really not sure about this. You need to rest for a while first. I have something I need to attend to, but it shouldn’t take more than an hour. That should give you enough time.”
“Okay,” Hammond replied, smiling. “If you insist, but I need to find her, and fast.”
Chapter Thirteen
Unfinished Business
BETHANY DROVE THROUGH the private entrance at the rear of Oakbriar Crematorium, an area surrounded by tall mature trees. It was more secluded than the front of the building, designed to provide families with more privacy if they requested it when they were attending cremations. Bethany had decided that it was also wiser if she parked there. Fewer people would observe her presence, although she only saw Krieger’s bright red SUV as she pulled into the shaded parking lot.
She hadn’t told Hammond about the call that she’d received from Krieger the previous day. She’d been concerned about Krieger for a while, but apparently when he was handling one of the most recent victims, the drug that simulated death had worn off a little earlier than expected. Krieger had seen the man’s finger twitch for a fleeting second, and he’d demanded more money in exchange for his silence. It had been very expensive to keep Krieger quiet over the years, but they’d had little choice. However, now that Hammond had identified the girl as the potential answer to all his prayers, the arrangement with the crematorium regarding bodies was no longer necessary.
Bethany parked her car and turned off the engine. She bit her lip as she reached into her purse and took out a small, sealed plastic bag. It contained a silver ring inset with a single clear stone. The ring looked so ordinary but she knew how dangerous it truly was. On the ring’s underside was a tiny needle equipped with a deadly poison, the tip covered by a small protective cap. Only the slightest scratch from the needle was required so she took great care as she removed the ring from the bag. The poison had a delayed effect but was always fatal and was also completely undetectable.
She took a deep breath, got out of the car, and walked over to the rear of the building. She then pressed the intercom button on the pad beside the door.
“It’s Bethany.”
There was no reply but she heard the click of the lock. She eased the door open and stepped inside. Krieger was waiting for her, standing by the door to his office. He was in his late fifties, short and overweight, with what remained of his hair combed over his bald head.
“Where’s everyone else?” asked Bethany, as she walked toward him.
“I gave them the afternoon off,” Krieger replied. “Even though it’s the weekend, we have nothing going on today, which is unusual. I’ll be heading home myself as soon as we’re done. It’s probably good that they’re not seeing you here. Don’t want anyone asking questions.”
“Is there going to be a problem?” Bethany asked, coldly, as she stepped into the office.
Krieger sat down at the desk, inviting Bethany to take a seat opposite him.
“No,” he replied. “No one else here knows what’s been going on. There’s no paper or digital trail, and I’ve been doing everything myself, so you don’t need to worry about anything. Now, you mentioned on the phone that you wouldn’t need me anymore. Why is that?”
“It’s just that Dr. Hammond has gathered all the information that he needs for the projects that he’s been working on.”
“And what are those exactly? You’ve never mentioned any details.”
“That’s not your concern, Mr. Krieger.”
He shrugged.
“Suit yourself. I was only curious. I mean, I only saw movement on one of the bodies, but it was pretty obvious to me that they were still alive, drugged maybe to make them look dead. It made me wonder about all the others. Like I said on the phone, if you’re not going to be paying me for my work anymore, what are you offering? I’m sure you’d like to keep things just between us.”
He grinned, exposing his crooked yellow teeth.
“Yes,” said Bethany. “We’re prepared to make a final settlement.”
“And I’ve given you a figure.”
“Yes, and that’s fine.”
“He’s willing to pay the five million?”
Bethany nodded.
“He thought it was som
ewhat excessive, especially considering what we’ve already paid you over the years, but I was able to persuade him.”
“Well,” said Krieger, grinning again. “You’ve always been very persuasive, Suzanne, a pretty lady like you.”
She forced a smile, hiding her revulsion at his remark.
“Consider it as a thank you and, of course, a parting gift. As usual, the money will be untraceable, but I trust you’ll exercise discretion in how you spend such a large sum, Mr. Krieger. Bringing suspicion upon yourself isn’t going to do you any good. And we don’t expect to hear from you again, I hope that’s very clear.”
“Crystal,” said Krieger.
“Good, I’m glad that we understand each other.”
She looked directly at Krieger to hold his attention as her fingers reached for the ring, slipping the protective cap from the needle.
“Anyway, I’d better be getting back. Thank you for your time, Mr. Krieger.”
She stood up and reached her arm across the desk. Krieger took her hand and shook it but then pulled his hand away with a yelp of pain. There was a small drop of blood on his index finger.
“I’m so sorry,” said Bethany. “That must be from my new ring. I’ve been meaning to get it adjusted. I even scratched myself with it the other day.”
“Not a problem,” said Krieger, putting the finger to his lips and sucking up the blood. “I think I’ll live.”
Bethany smiled.
“Glad to hear it. The money will be deposited tomorrow. Goodbye, Mr. Krieger.”
She then turned and left the office without a backward glance.
ONCE SHE WAS outside, Bethany quickly replaced the cap on the tip of the needle. She got back in the car, carefully removed the ring, and slipped it into the plastic bag, closing the seal. She’d dispose of it in the clinic’s incinerator as soon as she returned. The poison would induce a fatal heart attack within the following four or five hours at the most, although sometimes it was quicker, depending on the individual. Krieger didn’t really look after his health and so a sudden death most likely wouldn’t be seen as suspicious. There would probably be an autopsy but Bethany was confident that no trace of poison would ever be found in his body. Krieger had remarked that he’d be heading home soon, so hopefully he’d be dead before the day was out. Bethany glanced at her reflection in the rear-view mirror and smiled before driving away.
“HOW ARE YOU feeling?” she asked Hammond, as she stepped into the laboratory at the clinic.
“Well rested,” he replied. “Where did you go?”
“To see Krieger. He won’t be a problem anymore. I just heard it on the radio. There are some roads closed not far from Oakbriar Crematorium. Apparently, a man in his late fifties was killed in a car accident. It’s probably on the news.”
She stepped over to the nearby countertop, picked up a remote and turned on the TV. The news channel was showing footage of a multi-vehicle accident, which appeared to have blocked several routes. Police cars and ambulances were present, along with four damaged vehicles. A bright red SUV looked as if it had been driven at high speed into a brick wall at the side of a building.
“Just a reminder of this story that we’re following,” said the announcer. “A multi-vehicle collision in the Oakbriar neighbourhood. Police have indicated that a man appears to have had a heart attack and lost control of his vehicle, which then collided with three other vehicles before slamming into a brick wall. The man was pronounced dead at the scene and five other people were taken to hospital with minor injuries.”
Bethany pressed the button on the remote to turn off the TV.
“I’m surprised that the poison worked so quickly, but then again, Krieger wasn’t in very good shape.”
“How tragic,” said Hammond. “Perhaps he should have taken better care of himself? Then again, what would he have done with all that money anyway?”
Bethany smiled.
“Are you ready for another dose of the serum?”
Hammond nodded.
“Yes. Let’s get started.”
Chapter Fourteen
Realignment
MAX AND JULIA were sitting in the afternoon sunshine on a bench in Castlegate Park overlooking the lake. In the distance were the wading pool and the children’s playground. Max had sat on the same bench when, while in the guise of David Dexter, he’d found Deanna Hastings. He could even see the section of the adjacent woods where she’d been abandoned by Connor and Drake after she’d been subjected to Kovac’s experiments.
“How did we get here?” asked Max, in astonishment.
“This is another reality,” Julia replied. “It’s quite similar to the one where we just were at the clinic but with a few differences. I was briefly in this reality once before. I just wasn’t entirely sure if I could bring us back here.”
“Amazing,” said Max.
He studied his surroundings, still not quite able to comprehend what had happened. Then on the other side of the park, Max saw what appeared to be a familiar figure walking toward the playground. A man in a blue baseball cap, accompanied by a small black dog, was heading for the benches located beneath some of the park’s taller trees.
“That’s John Carrington,” Max said, in alarm. “I’m sure of it. What if he sees me?”
Julia shrugged.
“He may not even know you here.”
“But what if I see myself?” said Max, still struggling to understand how all this was possible. “Isn’t this where I came here to meet him in the first place?”
She smiled.
“I couldn’t work it out at first, since I was traveling so quickly, but I’ve come to understand what I think is happening, as my powers have developed further. You can’t see yourself, unless there’s a glitch, which seems to be very unlikely to happen. When you visit a different reality where you’re still alive, you occupy the same body and simply control its actions. You also keep your knowledge of the other realities. Or at least you do if you have the ability. It’s possible that the people that lost their minds couldn’t handle all the different realities and lost track of what they thought was real, especially if they were skipping between the various worlds at random. It’s possible too that some of those déjà vu moments we talked about before are related to when someone’s other self takes over their body for a brief time.”
“So, in this reality I was already at the park?” Max asked.
“Not necessarily. You could have been somewhere else in this world, but I’ve made sure we ended up here together, rather than appearing in separate places.”
“How did you do that?”
“To be honest, I don’t really know,” Julia admitted. “Like I said, these powers are still developing. Somehow I just knew that I could do it and here we are.”
“This is really weird,” said Max. “How can I move between different universes?”
“You can’t,” Julia replied. “You just have the ability to enter other people’s memories. You also see ghosts, although I’m not sure if that’s just the spirits of people close to you or ones that you’re connected to in some way. David wasn’t related to you, of course, but was specifically trying to reach you, sensing your hidden abilities perhaps.”
“So how come I’m here?” said Max.
“You can travel with someone like me,” Julia replied. “As long as we’re physically connected, like holding hands. It might feel a bit different for you than it does for me.”
“I felt as if I just blinked, but my stomach was a bit uneasy for a second.”
Max watched as Carrington arrived at the bench across from the playground and sat down, his dog relaxing on the grass beside him.
“Hey, won’t the police be looking for us?” Max asked. “After all, you were in that secure clinic. They might think you’re crazy and you’ve kidnapped me, especially after what happened last night near the store.”
Julia smiled.
“This isn’t the same world, Max, although it’s only slightly
different. In this reality, I never appeared in the woods, so Hammond has no reason to know you either.”
“I thought he looked familiar when I first met him.”
“That was just your suppressed memories of the other timeline kicking in, when you went to see him when you were a child.”
“He didn’t seem to recognize either of us just now,” said Max. “I guess in this reality he wouldn’t have known us when we were kids.”
Julia nodded.
“That’s right. Since Kovac never did his experiments in this reality, David Dexter never died as a boy, so you never received a visit from his ghost when you were a child. That means that your dad never took you to see Dr. Hammond. In my case, Kane never became my father so I’m not even supposed to exist there.”
Max sighed.
“I’ve seen the timelines change more than once, but even I’m getting confused now.”
“I know,” said Julia. “And without my help to keep track of it all, the overload of different memories could drive you mad. As long as you’re with me, you’ll be fine. I might even be able to help you to control things too, although it’s even a danger for me if there are too many realities involved. And now I’m beginning to think that some of this is my fault, or at least that I’m part of the problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“Like I said before, I think the way that we changed events and moved between different timelines has somehow weakened the barriers. I also think that it might get worse. Everything seems okay right now but I don’t know if I can risk moving between universes any more. It might cause everything to unravel and all the realities to mix together. You have to go back to the world where you were safe, before I appeared.”
“And what about you?” asked Max.
“There has to be a universe where I can live happily ever after too,” she replied, with a wink. “I just have to find it.”
HAMMOND APPEARED SEATED in a chair behind a desk in an office. He’d been here once before on one of his early journeys into other realities. It looked as if he’d been completing some paperwork related to one of his patients. A set of car keys lay beside the phone at the edge of the desk. The mobile dispenser was still in his hand. The serum it contained would allow him to leave this universe the instant that he captured Max and the girl.