by Grant Fausey
"By all means: A depository to be exact. I'm not even sure were here is!"
"Then you'd better make you're way to the lost islands. The big one has a connection you might miss otherwise."
"Thank you," said Samuel. "If you'd like a traveling companion I'm heading that way myself. I could show you the way."
Samuel smiled, his prayers answered. "That would be wonderful," he said to her.
"Great. This could be a lot of fun."
Samuel relaxed. It was going to be a long flight.
The swirling energy vortex of a gateway opened into blowing winds of a paper and rubbish filled alley, back of the Thirty Second Street Market across from the University of Southern California's Los Angeles campus. Dr. Reta Jordan, the Governor Colonel and three of his most trusted terminators stepped out into the center of the alley. The gateway vanished behind them. The doctor looked at the hand held device she had activated just before the Governor Colonel's shuttle entered the Netherlands Nexus.
"May 20, 2015," she said to the Governor Colonel. "We've just twenty-four hours to secure the event. After that Samuel Nomad will be unstoppable." The Governor Colonel glared at her; motioned to his men and preceded them, walking briskly out into the public eye. "We're going to need transportation," he said to one of his men. The terminator stepped out into the street. A sedan driver slammed on his breaks, coming to a screeching halt only inches from the legs of the man. The terminator walked around to the side of the car and pulled open the door.
"Get out of the car," he snapped at the occupant. Before the man could rebuttal, he found himself flung across the ground into traffic. Another car slammed on his breaks. A third swerved avoiding the impact of a rear end collision. Then there were the crashes. A compounding event that lead to chaos. Yet, within the confusion the group entered the car, and stole away in it. The man yelled at them, trailing in a brave run down the center of the street. "Damn it," shouted the man. "Son of a bitch! Assholes..."
The car and its occupants were gone.
– 32 –
MAY 20, 2-015
• • •
THE FOURTH UNIVERSE
THIRD DIMENSION
The Skybus raced eastward across the surface of the ocean leaving the Los Angeles islands behind. Krydal watched from the window. The ship dipped low, rocketing across the surface at increasing speeds. The glimmering sun twinkled off the water in a reflection of shimmering white, red and silver streaks. A sonic boom rocked the area north of what was once the dry lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mohave Desert. In a matter of minutes, the Skybus reached cruising speed and headed northeast across what was once known as the California/Arizona borders. The thousand-mile trip would take little more than an hour and Samuel discerned the eventual arrival. He looked at Krydal as she sat back in the seat, her eyes closed. She looked relaxed, but worried. Something was on her mind. "
So what brought you to New America?" he asked her, cordially. Krydal looked up ... concerned. "School of course."
"I mean besides that!" Samuel had added the statement quickly. Her voice had become somewhat relieved. "USC ... actually. I've always wanted to study there. I mean it's a good school. Different maybe than the University of Athin, but educational nonetheless." Samuel agreed. "Three dimensional realities?"
"No. Not actually."
"Oh."
"I'm interested in ancient cultures."
"Awe," related Samuel. This was a common point of interest. She was referring, of course, to the Atlantean civilization, which had orchestrated its existence during the first years of the Regeneration Wars.
"Me too," he said quickly, in his element. "But my approach has been more of a practical experience, rather than the visual interpretation."
Krydal sat forward in her seat. A flight attendant approached and stood at the side of the isle. Her reflection was barely visible in the window at her side. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked in a husky voice.
"Yes," responded Krydal. "I'll have a soda, diet brown, which ever you have."
"All right," said the flight attendant, "...and for you, Sir?"
"I'll try a..." The flight attendant smiled. Samuel watched her as she walked forward to the next isle. He cocked his head, and listened to the tone of her voice. It was husky, but flat somehow like the air, no reverberation.
What is that smell? He asked himself.
Krydal caught the odor at the same moment. Her expression changed from bad to worse. There was definitely something on her mind. "Smell that?" she asked Samuel.
Samuel nodded.
"Trinosian Terror dogs have the same odor. Someone on this ship has been in touch with a fourth dimensional animal within the last..." She stopped. Sat further forward on her seat. Her eyes turned color with fear as it coursed through her body. "Ever heard of a hound?"
Samuel looked at her. Fear on his face; His eyes deepened inset. Terror dogs were one thing, but Hounds were an entirely different story. "Here?” he said frightened.
“Now?"
"On this world?"
"Close. They're within a dimension or two. Closer than I wanna be, that's for sure. They've centered on this flight for some reason." Krydal looked around her, momentarily glaring at each and every passenger she could see on the Skybus. Samuel looked at his wrist. He was quivering.
"The stewardess," he said to her quietly.
"Maybe." His thoughts turned to his companions. Why had he left Jake, Trinod and Jennifer behind? Had they been discovered? Were the Industries here stronger than first appeared? A thought came to Samuel's mind that scared him. Was this an Industries world? Was this the birthplace of the corporate structure that held the universe in an iron-fisted grip? Krydal sat back. The flight attendant returned. "Are you okay," she asked Samuel? "It's just a little turbulence. We always hit a few pockets when we cross the Rocky Mountain Islands National Park."
"Thanks," he said relieved. Samuel grinned. She handed him his Coke poured over ice in a glass.
"There you go," she continued. "Enjoy."
"Samuel," said Krydal. "Welcome to New America."
– 33 –
VIEW POINTS
• • •
THE THIRD UNIVERSE
THIRD DIMENSION
The darkness separated into light, revealing a darkened room, a library of a variety of books set against fine woods and a desk covered with files and loose papers. The image of a young, dark haired woman, in her early twenties with a lose fitting white V-neck T-shirt lying on a couch. The three dimensional holographic image of Reuben hovered over her.
"What light?" asked Reuben, repeating the events of an actual ethereal image? The actual events had taken place years ago, but with the technologies of the Industries, and the help of a friendly hound, Reta Jordan was able to have them holo-graphically reproduced for everyone to see. "I want you to think about the light, Lisa. Nothing will harm you," said the image of Reuben Taylor.
Lisa moved uneasily on the couch as the replicant doctor of Reta Jordan, a well-dressed, middle-aged blond joined her, sitting beside her.
"It's all right, Lisa," she said comfortingly. "Listen to Reuben's voice and guide him through the light. We're right here beside you."
Lisa quivered, every bone in her bodybuilding to hysteria! "No," she screamed. "You can't be beside me. There's nothing left there! She's gone I tell you. The whole side of the car is gone!"
"Gone?" questioned the replicant of the doctor. Lisa hesitated. "Gone where, Lisa?" she asked again.
"I don't know," answered Lisa. "It cut the car in half and took Laura with it. She's dead, all right?" Lisa rolled over, burying her head in the couch. Reta looked up at the Governor Colonel at the same time as the replicant doctor looked up at Reuben, giving him a long stare.
"Kellnar," she said finally. "Any report of an accident?"
"No––" answered Reuben. And there's no sign of her car, either."
"We'd better call the police."
Reuben agr
eed and picked up the telephone. The replicant of Jordan reached in front of him and picked up a small tape recorder, rewinding the tape a short distance. The real Reta Jordan watched as her replicant depressed the play button again. "It's all right, Lisa." said the recording. "Listen to Reuben's voice and guide him through the light. We're right here beside you."
"No––" screamed Laura. "You can't be beside me. There's nothing left there! She's gone I tell you. The whole side of the car is gone!" The replicant snapped off the recorder and returned it to the table.
"Thank you, sergeant," said Reuben talking on the telephone. "That's good news. No––we were just concerned for her safety, that's all. Yes-––yes, of course. We just wanted to make sure she hadn't been in an accident." Reuben paused, listening. "Of course," he continued. "If I find out anything more I'll call you right away." Reuben paused again then said, "Thank you."
He hung up the phone, continuing his conversation with Dr. Jordan. "The police haven't heard of anything," he said to the replicant. "The transfer was a clean break. I don't think there are any loose ends.
The replicant of Jordan crossed the room, standing near Lisa. "All right, she said worried. "Then all that remains is to stabilize the transit block. The less she remembers, the better it is for us."
"We had better wipe her memory of the office too. The longer it takes for her to remember, the better chance we have of securing the bridge. I'm just concerned about her sudden shock. When she wakes up, it's going to be yesterday all over again."
The real Reta Jordan watched, the replicant wasn't worried about the young woman waking up tomorrow; she was worried about her waking up today. If she didn't lock down the fear, her work would be in vain. The fear could destroy all she had worked for.
"I just wish there was some way of softening the blow," continued Reuben. "Altering the DNA patterns in both of girls could have some unusual side effects. We don't know how it’s going to affect Laura. We've never altered the patterns this far before. It could have a serious effect on the rift. There's always a chance of the portal's matrix collapsing.
"No there isn't," snapped the replicant of Jordan, "so don't worry about it. My research here is almost complete, anyway. Alterations to the future occurred in the distant past, thanks to Kellnar. The event didn't occur along this time line. If we need to, we could travel further back, but I don't think it will be necessary. Kellnar's plan had to be executed somewhere in this century if he was going to make the necessary changes to the evolutionary patterns. By doing our implant here, we incur a slight curve to the future and alter selective courses, not the entire universe.
“Why complicate it? Kellnar's not interested in the past anyway, just the final results in the distant future. Once the girls are reunited, the patterns will overlap, creating a second course. Everything should go back to normal. Our only problem will be finding the second window into the gateway, before the course into the future destroys its existence. Transit as a rogue can be pretty exciting I hear."
"Yeah," answered Reuben, "and deadly too."
"As long as the cap holds on Lisa, her sister will be fine. It should protect her during our return transit."
"What about Laura?"
"As long as she's not discovered, the alteration to her DNA and the implant should keep her alive too. Without Lisa on the other side, we can't even begin to get home to our own universe. I hope this was all worth it?”
"Saving the future of the universe is worth it, Doctor. Even if it means destroying a co-existing one like this in the process." Reuben looked back at the sofa. "Just so we don't have to sacrifice Lisa, or Laura's life to accomplish it."
Lisa opened her eyes, hearing every word. "Son of a bitch," said the real Reta Jordan. "The damn replicant was running on her own. She double-crossed the plan right from the start."
"What the hell is going on here, Doctor?" snarled the Governor Colonel. Reta Jordan swallowed hard. She pondered her words. It was obvious to her that a counterplot had been initiated, but how was she going to tell the Governor Colonel it wasn't under Industries control. The truth of the matter was that she was sitting in the midst of a plot launched by her own replicant. It was an ingenious plan. One she wished she had been responsible for. But in fact, she wasn't. In the eyes of the Industries, she would be blamed, even though it was her doppelganger that had committed the crime.
"Conspiracy," she said to the Governor Colonel. "And it’s a damn good one."
– 34 –
DESTINY'S CROSSING
• • •
THE THIRD UNIVERSE
THIRD DIMENSION
The replicant's office filled with light, dawning of a new day. A ray of sunshine draped across the library of books, set against fine woods and across the desk covered with open files and loose papers. The image of Reuben walked through the light stepping back and forth across the room, pacing the floor in front of where the ghostly figure of Lisa Keri laid motionless on the sofa. Lisa's eyes opened. She felt something ripple through her body as she sat up on the edge of the couch. It was as if someone had stood her up and pushed a wake up and walk this way button in the middle of her back.
She was definitely in shock. But she didn't know from what. The real Reta Jordan watched her image closely. Reuben stepped back, his eyes widening as he reached out to tap Lisa on the arm. The replicant stepped quickly to her side. "Watch out!" shouted Reuben. "She's waking up, or at least..."
Lisa hunched over glare-eyed, as if she was about to do mortal combat. She looked to the left, her eyes tracing the books along the levels of the stacks on that side of the room. She looked back to the right to where the replicant Jordan and Reuben watched her. She walked through the Governor Colonel and turned to face the three Hound terminators that accompanied the Colonel.
"I think she's taking a turn for the worse," said Reuben. Lisa stood up, standing her ground. She lowered her eyes, moved her head forward and back as if fighting for her life against an unseen beast or foe. The terminators backed away, giving wide berth to the center of the room. Reta Jordan took the hint and backed up herself. She motioned for the Governor Colonel to do the same, but he stood his ground like a fool. "It's only an image," he said defiantly.
"No––" stated the replicant at just the right time. "I don't think so. It's a mind bridge." The replicant paused. "It's as if she's acting out something, like in a play," she said to the image of Reuben Taylor." Lisa moved again. This time it was into the attack. "PLAY MY ASS," screamed Reuben. "SHE'S GOING TO KILL SOMETHING!"
Lisa advanced around the room, first standing her ground, then moving backwards as if warding off an intruder. "She's bridging her mind with her sister," said Reuben incessantly, taking care not to get to close to her. "Whatever is happening to her sister, it's happening to her."
Lisa leaped back, landing on one knee. The Governor Colonel dove for cover but it was too late. Lisa struck hard from a crouched position, striking with her feet and hands like a professional Karate expert. The Governor Colonel felt the wind of her feet. She was fighting against an unseen foe, bending and twisting out of the way as if attacked by the rival. The Governor Colonel screamed. Limping, she returned to a defensive posture. Red lines streaked across her arm, then blood ran from them.
"Look at that!" shouted Reuben. "Do you see that?"
"She's being attacked," squirmed the replicant. "We have to break the bridge, or there's the chance of both girls being killed." Both the Governor Colonel and Reuben's eyes went wide. The room shuttered like a whirlwind in a confined space. Laura's screams echoed into the library as a long biomechanical arm reached out from infinity to smash through the wooden desk in front of the Governor Colonel. The lightning fast fingers struck into the dignitary as files and papers went flying in an upheaval of thrust like a shot fired from an air cannon. The replicant grabbed Lisa and struggled with her, as she shook her hysterically. The room swept away in a swirling masses, as if it had exchanged its place in time and space with another location
, a different environment.
Snow blew hardy into the room. Books flew off shelves, exploding in an eruption of paper as the location of everything in changed places. The Governor Colonel screamed in agonizing pain as he somehow caught the reenactment, being lifted into the air, only to be torn from limb to limb, before him, in another dimension, Laura stood injured, huddled behind Travis as he stood before the Hound. The devil crouched assuming killer posture having disposed of the Governor Colonel's body. The machine was hunting down an animal.
Help was on its way. Ramious and Nilana, Rune Linka and Maccon came over the hill, rushing down the side of the snow dune. The image of the other universe in the office went dim. The real Reta Jordan was wide eyed. The Governor Colonel was dead on the floor, ripped to shreds by a non existent creature. She lifted her head in awe. In the midst of the reenactment one of the terminators had taken the opportunity to dismember the Governor Colonel. Reta Jordan looked at the machine, then to the dead body. She looked back at the image of Lisa, which was draped over the back of the couch. Reuben rolled her over onto the cushions and breathed a sigh of relief.
"There..." he said. "That's got her. What the hell was that thing?"
"I think it's better to keep her sedated," commented the replicant as she used a hypo to administer medication to Lisa. The young girl's arm swelled a little, especially around the wounds she had sustained during the mind bridge with her sister.
"Didn't you hear me?" Reuben asked worried about the incident that had just transpired. "What was that thing?"
"You know perfectly well what it was, Reuben," snapped the replicant Jordan. "A Hound."
"Holly shit!" spouted the real Reta Jordan. "Somehow it reached across dimensions and struck out into this time plane," continued the replicant in a huff. "I'm not sure we're safe here."