Insequor

by Richard Murphy

  Grey’s science was sound but his respect for human life wasn’t. Jones had uncovered reports of illegal experiments for the Russians deep in the Ukraine; tragic losses of life, devastation to whole areas of Eastern Donetsk. Initially, he hadn’t fully understood what Grey had been doing. Radiation leaks, poisonings of local water resources and instances of still births had all been attributed to his work. But nothing had ever been proven.

  The experiments were so secret that nothing was ever published and Grey’s name was often missing from what issued reports or stories there were. So Jones had dug deeper, like he knew best. Contacts at the FBI and the Pentagon had given him access to field reports and observations from overseas agents. Purchase orders for large amounts of chemicals and hardware; often very advanced. It had taken him months, chewed up most of his money and almost cost him his sanity. But now he knew what Grey was really up to.

  As he’d suspected, it had been far too neat for a mad scientist to turn up on their doorstep with all the answers. But Daniel had been so desperate he’d let him in. Poor Daniel; he was so out of touch with the real world now he could barely see the things going on under his own nose.

  People had been taking advantage of his money ever since it had arrived. In those early days Jones looked out for him. He’d been that initial point of contact for so many con artists and quacks that he’d always been able to weed them out before they got an audience. Daniel was always looking for answers; answers Toby had never been able to provide.

  But Grey had a much higher cause than taking Daniel’s money, which he did just fine. Jones had come upon a white paper the Professor had written whilst at University in Europe. He’d spent weeks puzzling over its meaning before finally handing it over to an acquaintance at MIT.

  The paper was called ‘Accessing the Multiverse.’ In it, Grey theorised that there were infinite copies of our universe. Nothing new in itself, but he also asserted that each had their own laws of physics. He believed taking matter, or in his paper a person, from one universe to the other could potentially bestow upon them powers beyond the local physics. Perhaps in another universe there was no gravity so everyone flew around; there’d be no need for fuel or pollution. Infinite energy perhaps? Or maybe the speed of light was different. Maybe you would come back being able to move at something approaching our own speed of light.

  And that’s what Grey wanted to do. Bridge the gap and bring something back. Someone back. On its own the paper had barely registered with Jones. It was all a bit ‘Superman’ for him. But it was the reaction from the academics that made him take it seriously. Moving matter from one universe to the other could cause all types of quantum issues and you’d never really know what laws applied in the other universe until you got there. Supposing gravity did exist only it was a thousand times stronger? All matter, everything and everyone in our universe, could be pulled through the portal and squashed down to the size of a tennis ball. Or maybe the resulting mass would create a black hole on earth? Billions would all die instantaneously and the future of the whole galaxy put into doubt.

  So it was scary shit.

  Chapter 51

  The thick lead screen had one small opening in it, a slim crack where you could see straight through to the impact area. It was about ten feet across with easily enough room for two and Daniel stood behind it, peering through the fissure. The laptop was back in the tower and he pulled out a tablet and checked on a map.

  “About fifteen minutes, now,” he said, as Toby arrived creeping into the side of his gaze. Toby’s manner was all different; his steps were careful and calculated, his eyes darting around when he thought Daniel couldn’t see.

  “What is it, Toby?” he said, before slipping the tablet into his back pocket. “Who are you waiting for?”

  Toby froze; but the look disclosed guilt. “I’m not sure.”

  “Interesting,” said Daniel, “so the government has sent someone? Special Forces? CIA?”

  “No,” said Toby, “I assure you no operation has been authorised. It’s what hasn’t been authorised I’m concerned about.”

  Daniel shook his head. “If you’re trying to frighten me into calling this off – “

  “Stagg,” said Toby.

  He felt his neck tighten and his jaw clench. Stagg. The general who had authorised the rocket test. “I thought he got court-martialled?”

  Toby put his hands in his suit pockets and they brought down the shoulders of his jacket tightly onto his frame. “No, he just got a slap on the wrists.”

  He saw Veronica’s face flash before him, heard her say his name. That bastard was here. If only he hadn’t sent his security home.

  “He’s going to try and stop you, Daniel.”

  “It’s too late. There isn’t a big red stop button; believe me I’ve asked the question. This facility takes about three days to shut down. What’s Stagg going to do? Christ, even you don’t know how all this works.”

  Toby shrugged. “I have no idea what is going through his mind. He and a lot of his important friends stand to lose so much by the antimatter research alone. But I also know Stagg is a man in a very bad place. He’s obsessed with you, has been ever since you first met. Do you remember? In the desert. He sees you as the biggest threat to his beloved country since the communists. He’s on a crusade.”

  Part of him thought about trying to find Stagg. After all this time, he still held him responsible. But he was outgunned and out of time. He had to press on and finish what he’d started. Stagg had cost him dearly, but today was about ending the robot. It was a chance to live his life how he wanted and be free of the burden. His eyes welled at the thought of stopping; of standing still.

  A beeping sound pulled him from these thoughts as he looked down at his tablet. “Someone’s breached the gates.” They stepped outside the protection of the lead screen and both scanned the buildings for signs of activity.

  The noise was closely followed by another sound, a groaning of metal, the start-up of motors and the unmistakeable crackle of power in the air.

  “If Stagg is still at the gates he’s too late,” said Daniel, “The robot is here.”

  Toby turned, his eyes scanning the horizon. Forest was scattered across the floor of the valley, a small brook weaving its way toward the dense green. But then, amongst a copse, there was the unmistakable glint of metal as birds were scattered upwards. A tree was knocked aside and Daniel thought he could hear slow rhythmic footsteps.

  “I guess we should take our seats,” said Toby.

  They went back behind the lead screen opposite the large space occupied by the synchrotron which was now vibrating heavily; dust was kicked up off the surface revealing the metal plates beneath. Daniel ran through a list of final checks on the tablet. Everything was set and he acknowledged his readiness through the communications program.

  When he next looked back through the hatch the robot was well within sight; maybe no more than a kilometre away.

  A flare shot up from the distance, the smoke and fire crackling into the sky followed by a bang and Toby turned back. “That was an automatic marker. How long?”

  “Ten minutes,” said Daniel, “Looks like I underestimated.”

  He consulted the tablet again, everything was green, and he exhaled with satisfaction. Toby meanwhile was looking over his shoulder, through the hatch or turning and scanning the buildings. Whether he was checking the progress of the robot or looking out for Stagg, Daniel couldn’t tell.

  The tablet blinked into life again as more sequences ran and more green lights appeared. He’d lied to Toby about the automation of the complex; there was an override of course. He wouldn’t have wanted to step into a gigantic science experiment without one, but he didn’t want to reveal that. Even though Toby said he was here to observe he didn’t know how much he could trust him.

  “Okay, looks like the intruder detection has picked up Stagg and his men,” said Daniel.

  “Where is he?” asked Toby.

  �
�He’s actually over by the warehouses; he must have walked straight past us. Wait.”

  “What?” Toby was stood by his side.

  “There’s another alarm just gone off by the magneto-optical trap.” He clicked on a numbered monitor on the laptop screen. Up popped a high definition security camera image of the interior of the building that housed the antimatter. It was Professor Grey, exiting the building with a large box on a trailer.

  “What is that? What’s he doing here?” He reached for his cell phone.

  Toby stared at the screen, tilted his head to one side and squinted.

  “Daniel, I think we ought to leave.”

  He turned, the phone at the side of his head, and mouthed, “Why?”

  “Because I think Professor Grey is about to do something extremely dangerous.”

  “He’s not answering,” said Daniel. “What’s he got there?”

  Toby had started to step back away from the shelter of the lead screen. “Something that went missing over thirty years ago.”

  He tried redialling Professor Grey but got voicemail again. Meanwhile, Toby had taken the tablet and had zoomed in on Grey and was tracking his progress around the side of the generator house to the synchrotron platform. The thing was about the size of a large suitcase; a grey metal chest, with a curious wheel sticking out its front rather like a hi-tech windmill.

  “What is it?”

  Toby looked up to the sky. “It’s a top secret missing experiment. It’s called an Alcubierre drive.”

  “A what?”

  “It’s designed to bend space and create a wormhole. It went missing from Yugoslavia in 1983.”

  He looked out through the hatch again; in the distance he could see Grey walking across the platform to a storage area at the side.

  “What’s it doing here?”

  Toby stood around the side of the screen, his hand covering his eyes from the low sun. He looked down at the tablet again, his hand moving from his eyes to create a canopy over the screen.

  “Jones is here too. He’s behind Stagg and his men,” said Toby. “He might know what’s going on. Call him.”

  Daniel quickly brought up the number of his old friend who had lost faith in him. Emotions came avalanching back; he didn’t realise how much it had hurt him when he left. As the phone rang he looked at the screen in Toby’s hand, saw Jones drop back from the soldiers, deliberately waving them on as if he was catching his breath before ducking into a doorway and taking the call.

  “Hello?” said Jones, the familiar old, wise, voice whispering.

  “It’s me,” said Daniel. “How are you?”

  “Good.” On the screen Jones looked around, he was checking for cameras and he immediately spotted the one staring straight at him. “This is not what you think, I’m not with them,” he said, gesturing to the soldiers gradually creeping out of shot. “I came to warn you about Grey.”

  “We know,” said Daniel, “You were right. But what’s he up to?”

  “We? Is Toby with you?” Jones popped his head out from behind the wall that was covering him.

  “Yes, hang on.” Daniel put the phone on speaker and held it out between himself and Toby. “Go ahead,” he said.

  “Hello, Bob,” said Toby. “We’re in quite a pickle here. Have you any idea why the Professor would be activating an Alcubierre drive on the synchrotron platform?”

  On the screen Jones frowned. “Say what?”

  “Never mind. Just tell us what you do know.”

  Once again, on the tablet, Jones checked Stagg and the soldiers’ progress; they had marched on ahead, unaware he had dropped back.

  “I did some research on him,” said Jones, “I have friends inside the agency. Pulled up a study paper he did way back. It’s called ‘Accessing the Multiverse’ and it was basically rejected. He figured there are multiple copies of our universe each with different properties, laws of physics. He believes if he can get to another universe he can apply their laws of physics to himself; change anything he wants to.”

  “I’ve read about this,” said Toby, “there’s a ridiculous amount of risk.”

  “Exactly,” said Jones, “one of his critics pointed out that the biggest danger was gravity. If gravity is no longer a constant it could change the entire fabric of our universe. Send it scattering away to nothingness or compact it to the size of a tennis ball.”

  “I believe it was a soccer ball,” said Toby.

  “Whatever,” said Jones, “the point is that gravity, light, even sound…if any of these change it could mean disaster for us. What if light had a different mass? Every time the sun shone you could get knocked to the ground.”

  Toby stepped back, looked out across the dirt to Professor Grey. “He’s going to try and open a wormhole; he’s going to use the antimatter to do it.”

  Daniel shook his head. “No, this can’t be it. Not now. What about Stagg? Is he here to stop him?”

  “No,” said Jones, “he’s here for you. Daniel, you have to stop all this now and get out of here. Leave Professor Grey to Stagg and his men.”

  “You can turn everything off, right?” said Toby, and this time Daniel knew he had seen through his lie, but he also knew he could trust him again. It was a good feeling.

  He nodded and then flicked over to another application on the tablet. “Jones, get over to the generator building, we’ll meet you up top.”

  Daniel and Toby left the lead screen behind and headed up some stairs behind that took them to a walkway where they could tread across to the rooftop of the enormous generator house.

  “Okay,” he said, as he brought up another login screen and entered his details. A red message flicked up. He tried again, but already he knew what had happened.

  “I’m locked out. Grey!”

  Toby looked at the screen. “He’s disabled you. Do you have another login?”

  “No.”

  “Who wrote the software?”

  “We outsourced it.”

  “We?”

  “Grey,” Daniel’s head fell down and he saw his reflection on the tablet’s glass. The eyes were looking for answers.

  Toby walked toward the edge of the rooftop and looked over the edge. The robot was in the complex now; maybe five hundred meters away from the platform.

  A breathless Jones suddenly appeared at the top of the staircase. “We have to get to the generator; cut off the power.”

  “He would have thought of that,” said Toby, “there’ll be a backup.”

  “What can we do?” Daniel looked at Jones and they exchanged the briefest of nods. It was instantaneous, but it was enough.

  Toby had his hands on the side of his head, his eyes closed. “Think,” he said.

  “Stagg!” said Jones, pointing down from the rooftop at approaching figures. “His men are setting charges by the generators. We have to get out of here.”

  All three turned, headed for the stairs and scurried down the five flights at speed. When they got to the bottom they took the back exit which brought them around to the side of the complex.

  “When that thing blows we don’t wanna be around,” said Jones.

  “It wouldn’t do any good,” said Toby. “We have to stop the reaction itself.” Then Toby looked straight at Daniel. “You can do it.”

  “How?”

  “Lead the robot somewhere else.”

  “On foot?” said Daniel.

  “Yes, you’ll have to.” Toby turned and pointed out across the valley. “See that line of hills over there? Head in that direction. He’ll follow and won’t hit the synchrotron platform.

  “But surely Grey would know he could run,” said Jones, “he would have thought of that.”

  “But he doesn’t know we can see him,” said Daniel.

  “How?” said Toby.

  “I put in the security cameras without him knowing,” said Jones. He looked around and gestured, “It was my one contribution to all this.”

  “Daniel,” said Toby, “if he d
oesn’t know we’re watching he doesn’t know we’re on to him. He’s still expecting the robot to hit the platform. You have to run and lead it away.”

  “But then what?” said Jones. “He’s on foot and there are no vehicles left. He’d have to keep on running.”

  “I’ll try and call in a chopper, maybe even a jet.”

  “What?” said Daniel.

  “But it could be an hour away; the nearest airbase is in Turkey.” Toby had his phone out immediately. “Go!”

  Daniel looked at Jones and the forgiving brown eyes looked back and he nodded. “I’ll come with you,” he said, pre-empting the question.

  Chapter 52

  Professor Grey flipped the final switch on the power unit before taking a step back and surveying his work. A quick check of his watch assured him everything was on schedule. He looked back at the complex, the empty buildings devoid of life. Somewhere back there Daniel was getting ready to sit behind ten inches of lead to await his destiny.

  Daniel had been so frantic for a way out it had been relatively easy to sell him ideas. Everyone in the organisation had fallen into line; eager to please and less eager to question. All except Jones; but he had been gone a long time now. Probably sitting back with the rest of the world watching the news channels speculate on Daniel’s secret project.

  It had incensed Grey how the media always focused on Daniel. To him, he was just the source of funds; a project manager at best. It was Grey who had been the creator, who had patiently researched and then waited for the right opportunity. His whole life was in this project and, if successful, he would live on forever. The first person to cross through to another universe and the chance to be a different type of human being. Because the end game wasn’t the journey, or indeed the destination, it was the return trip.

  He flipped back to his tablet and checked the final stored procedure. Suddenly, he noticed something else. A set of lights had gone red. Looking up at the skyline he blinked, then stared back at the tablet in confusion.

  “It’s over, Professor,” said a voice, behind him. Spinning around he saw Toby stood at the edge of the platform.