Part of Jamie was disappointed that Loving hadn't changed his mind. She believed it was something they had to try, but she didn't like the idea at all of stepping into an unknown situation – even less the possibility that she might be teleported back into nowhere land.
A startled murmur rose as two surprise guests entered: Steven and Thomas Mayes, under guard by four Team One members.
"They volunteered for the mission," said Mort Anderson. "I just heard myself."
"In exchange for a full pardon," said Steven. "Should we conduct ourselves in good faith."
"Not that I trust the fascists who run this regime to act in good faith," Thomas Mayes grumbled, "but I need to be there in case my little brother needs me." He nodded to Terry, who stood scowling toward the rear of the mission team. "Gotta take care of family."
"Especially if your black ass would be rotting away in solitary for the next fifty years if you don't," said Hulk Horner.
"Boy, you should treat me with respect."
"Yes, sir!"
Greg Horner's face colored as snickers rose around them. He clenched his fists and regarded the former revolutionary with homicidal longing.
"If he uses his voice command on any of our agents again, Commander Shepherd," said Mort without even the tiniest vestige of humor, "you have my permission to kill him."
"No problem, sir." And Jamie meant it. "With all respect, Colonel, I'm okay with Steven Jackson but I don't think Mayes coming with us is a good idea. He's not trained and he can't be trusted. We work together as a unit. He doesn't have a clue."
"All understood, Jamie." Mort's eyes flicked to his bosses before fixing on their new team appointees. "Both of these gentlemen have agreed to follow your orders, under penalty of death. Don't let him get in the way."
"I won't, sir."
"And keep in mind he has one power none of you have," Director Boltman stated.
"Let's hope angels speak English," said Mort. "And aren't immune to his special charms."
After a few moments passed without further comment, Director Boltman nodded to Brian Loving, who was sitting grim-faced, away from the assemblage. They had stopped his anti-teleportation tranquilizers, but he still wore EAR manacles on his wrists and ankles. He raised his head and glumly closed his eyes.
"Gabrielle, if you are true, forgive me."
A swirl of light appeared on one wall. At first it was as if a projector was shining images on the white bricks, but gradually the images appeared to sink into the wall, conferring a three-dimensionality to the fields and forests extending as far as they could see.
Jamie and her eleven team members – now a lucky thirteen with Mayes and Steven – shuffled up to the image, which was about as large as a double door. Jamie was no more eager than anyone else to be the first to step through. Talk about your leap of faith.
Zachary came up behind her and she turned into his embrace. Their lips gently met.
"Go save the world," he said with a smile.
"Fuck's sake," growled Horner, pushing his way past them to the front of the group. "Pussies."
He strode into the image. Other than a brief hiss like a candle being extinguished, there was no sound. On the other side, Hulk Horner looked around before turning back to the group and raising his large arms in impatient welcome, grinning and mouthing the words: "Water's fine."
Zach released her. Jamie sucked in an unnecessary breath and pushed forward into the wall. It was exactly like stepping out of a house into the open air. All she felt was a sudden cool breeze and warm sun on her skin, while crisp pine needle odors inflated her nostrils. The others stumbled in and joined her in a slow pivot to take in the panoramic view of meadows, lakes, and mountains. It was, Jamie thought with some reluctance, heavenly.
Jamie turned back to the gateway. Zachary, Mort Anderson, and Director Boltman and the room behind them looked like they were standing behind a thick window pane. Jamie raised her hand for a wave – but as Zachary and Mort started to wave back they were knocked suddenly aside, and Brian Loving plunged through the doorway into their midst.
The doorway disappeared. Jamie lashed out at him telekinetically. Nothing happened except a sharp pain in her head. The former Last Days leader stared at his feet and wrists, which were now restraint-free, and broke out in a huge grin.
"Praise be!" he cheered.
Horner reached him in two powerful strides and seized him by the back of the neck, raising one large fist.
"Praise this, you hippie freak!"
"Hold on," said Jamie. She stepped over to the former Last Days leader. "Loving – open the gate and return to the other side."
"I can't."
"What do you mean you can't?" Jake had stepped beside his friend, either to hinder or help him – Jamie wasn't sure.
"Our powers don't work here," he said.
Jamie tried telekinetics again – and again no result except a headache that swelled in proportion to her effort. She jumped, and got a few inches off the ground. Around her, the others were testing their own powers and frowning.
"Nothing?" she asked the group at large. Everyone murmured denials or shook their heads.
"I can't even make static electricity," said Tildie.
Belinda was shaking her head bitterly. "Can't get any flame going."
Joy Kamada was staring at Jamie with fierce concentration. "Do you feel anything, Commander?"
"Nothing. Though my thoughts are already so muddled, maybe I couldn't tell."
Horner raised his fist again at Loving. "Try, you longhaired freak!"
Brian Loving closed his eyes and appeared to murmur something. Perhaps a prayer. No gateway appeared. Where the wall and Tactical Room had been was now verdant forest and mountains. And a squirrel perched in a nearby branch chattering at them.
"Do you hear that?" Jake demanded. "That fucking squirrel is laughing at us!"
"Perhaps it's a holy squirrel?" Loving suggested.
"That does it." Jake attempted to jostle Hulk Horner aside. "I'm gonna kill him myself!"
"But Denise Rogers is here!" Loving cried.
Jake's fist froze in mid-descent. Brian peeked out from beneath his upraised arms.
"You're sure about that?" Jake demanded.
"She's here. We all saw it." He lowered his arms as Jake lowered his fist. Hulk Horner released his grip on Loving's neck.
"You knew this would be a one-way trip once you came through?" Jamie spoke through clenched teeth. Thinking of Zachary and her father, she was about to charge in and start beating on the former religious leader herself.
"I thought that was likely. But look around!" Brian thrust his hands up to the perfect blue skies. "Is this such a terrible place to be stuck in?"
The surly gazes made him back off as from a physical force.
"What is this place?" Tildie murmured. "Did we teleport to another world?"
"The nearest potentially habitable planets are thirteen to fourteen light years from Earth," said Steve. "And they all have greater gravity. Plus the sky is not showing any non-Earth anomalies. The color and size of the sun would be different, and the moon, of course, wouldn't exist."
"I don't see any difference in the sun," said Jay, squinting up at the sky. "The moon usually wouldn't be visible."
"We might be in an artificial world, a space colony, perhaps a giant geodesic sphere. However, a mere change in environment would not account for the elimination of super powers, provided that is true."
"So what's the bottom line, Einstein?" asked Jake.
"We're in a simulated reality."
Everyone stared at him, including Brian Loving.
"You saying we're in a virtual reality program?" Jay asked.
"I'd rate that as the highest probability now. Further observation may alter that."
"This is all fake, brother?" Thomas Mayes tore off some grass and tossed it into the breeze.
"I'm your real brother," said Terry.
"Just an expression, young blood."
/> "It would depend on how you define 'fake,'" said Steven, showing no interest in their dispute. "In the sense of physical external reality, yes. But everything we see is an experience – our mind the ultimate arbiter of reality. It would be illogical to call our experience an illusion, since it is our ultimate source of reality."
Jamie would've thought that feeling trapped and claustrophobic would be impossible in the midst of this vast and beautiful nature panorama, but Steven Jackson's words made her want to claw her way out through the skies.
"You really think we're hooked up to some machine?" said Jake.
"'Hooked up' might not be the correct description. But something equivalent."
"So, if I were to do this" – he punched Brian Loving in the jaw, and the Last Days guru dropped to the grass with a groan – "it's not really happening? Or if I were to do this..." He reared back to deliver a kick.
"That's enough," Jamie snapped. She turned to Steven. "If you're right, how do we get out this?"
She didn't like the grim pursing of the young intellectual's lips or the fact that he was taking so long to answer. But then if he thought it was impossible he would've answered immediately.
"We'd have to wake up," he said.
"So we're living in the Matrix," sneered Jake. "That's original. What bullshit."
"I hated that movie," said Horner. "I can't believe anyone liked that fake crap."
"Wherever we are, we aren't supposed to be here," said Jamie. "Maybe they already know, maybe they don't. If we encounter anyone or anything, let's keep quiet about who we are. Play dumb."
"Doesn't seem to be a lot of people hanging around," said Tildie. "Maybe we're in our own special branch of heaven." She glanced at Brian Loving. "Isn't that what you were telling people? They can be with others or create their own paradise?"
Brian nodded, frowning. "That's what I was told."
"Let's go," said Jamie.
"Where?" Tildie shaded her eyes, peering in all directions. "Where do you think Denise would've gone?"
"Maybe there?" Jamie pointed toward a nearby lake, glancing up at the sun – the same golden-yellow orb she'd always known, seemingly in a late midsummer afternoon position. "That's east, isn't it?"
"As good as any direction, I guess. Aren't we supposed to have a spirit guide or something? I feel gypped."
They hiked toward the lake. Jamie took inventory not only of the country and the creatures they encountered – a soaring hawk, a curious deer with fawns, a chipmunk, something that slunk out of their path that might've been a coyote – but also of herself. She was aware of breathing, of the need to breathe; aware of her heart thumping harder than usual, the flow of blood in her veins, the hint of fatigue in her legs. And hunger. Even more, thirst. She hadn't experienced either of those longings since awakening from her skydive. She liked the idea of food and drink, but it wasn't a need. Now she found herself dreaming of an ice cold beer or glass of lemonade.
"I miss flying," said Tildie.
"Yeah," said Jay. "It seems funny that in so-called paradise we can't even do the things we could do on Earth."
"You can die on Earth," Brian said. "You can't here."
"How do you know?" Terry asked.
"Maybe we should put it to the test," Horner said with a smile, moving closer to Brian Loving, who edged away.
"Not dying seems overrated to me," Belinda grumbled. "What are we supposed to do for forever anyway?"
"Nothing," said Steven. "Because that's physically impossible."
Belinda scowled at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you – the person you are now – will cease to exist in the near-future, to say nothing about forever."
"Is that supposed to be a death threat?"
"No. It's referring to the fact that as you change, the parts that are discarded cease to exist. Over time, very little if anything significant of you as you are now will remain. Your memory of the past maintains an illusion of continuity, but cannot change that your past selves no longer exist."
Belinda eyed him for a long moment before shaking her head. "You're a real downer, you know that?"
"You were the one who said living forever was overrated," Jay chuckled. "You should be happy to know it can't happen – according to Steven anyway."
"Steven might be the smartest person on the planet," Thomas laughed, "but that don't mean he knows everything. He's wrong about religion, for instance. You gotta be spiritual in order to understand. Logic ain't enough."
"I agree with you there," said Brian. "What good is logic if it makes you miserable?"
Judging from his downcast face, Jamie thought Brian Loving probably knew what he was talking about.
They reached the lake. Jamie scooped up a handful of water. She'd forgotten how delicious water could taste. Horner stripped down to his boxer shorts and jumped into the lake with a booming "Hooyah!" What the heck. She retreated with Tildie and Belinda to a big boulder and disrobed. Jamie was grateful she'd opted for underwear, despite the ultra-tough protective layers they were all wearing beneath their civilian clothes. Tildie had followed her example. Belinda not so much. "It's nothing they haven't seen before," she said, shrugging, and added with a laugh: "Of course not in such spectacular form."
Soon everyone was in the water, laughing, shivering, complaining about the cold. This wasn't your grandmother's heaven, Jamie decided. No perfect peace or relief from pain or effortless accomplishment. It took energy and effort to do stuff here. It didn't appear that the makers of this place had any interest in that form of perfection. Any doubts she had about that were dispelled when she stubbed her big toe on a rock in the water. When she returned to shore, her toe was bleeding.
"Ouch," said Tildie, eyes filled with wonder, as if she was witnessing a miracle. "That looks painful."
"It is. It seems like forever since I've felt any normal pain."
"Why are you smiling like that?"
"Because it feels kind of good." Jamie grinned. "I know that sounds strange."
"No, I get it. I know you were worried about losing your humanity or whatever. I've felt the same way. I'd be surprised if most augments haven't."
"You two are crazy," Belinda snorted. "Having endless energy, being stronger than five normal guys, lifting shit without even getting out of your chair? Toasting bad guys. What's not to love?"
Tildie shook her head. "Those things are cool, no argument, but come on, Bell, you don't miss being human? Not even a little?"
"Hell, no. I miss being super-human." Belinda tossed her long wet brown mane over her shoulders. "You two sound like a bleeding-heart liberal newscaster. 'Oh, waah, we're losing our souls!' What bullshit."
"And you sound like your Neanderthal boyfriend."
Belinda stopped running her fingers through her hair and glared at Tildie. She took a step toward her, fists bunched at her sides.
"You better watch who you're calling names, lightning bitch."
Tildie stood her ground. "What are you gonna do, fry me with your sultry eyes?"
"You gonna shock me?"
"Looks like we'll have to settle this womano a womano."
Tildie raised her fists theatrically. Belinda stood with her hands on her hips, her glare slowly turning to a disbelieving smirk.
"You are one crazy ex-librarian bitch."
"That's Ms. Bitch to you."
Belinda snorted out a laugh and resumed arranging her hair. Meanwhile, loud male voices on the other side of the rock seemed to echo their conflict.
"Don't be telling me what to do," Thomas Mayes was shouting. "You ain't no 'Incredible Hulk' no more. Without your superpowers you just another punk-ass white boy."
"And without your command voice you're just another no-account nigger!" Hulk shouted back.
Jamie stepped out from around the rock just in time to see Mayes swing a fist at Horner. Horner ducked the blow and tackled Mayes. They both slammed into the sand, writhing, grappling, throwing short punches. Jay and Barr
y moved forward to intervene, but Jake held them back. "Let 'em sort it out."
Jamie jogged over.
"That's enough!" she yelled, reaching down to pull them apart. She received an elbow in her nose for her trouble. The crunch of cartilage sounded like someone biting into a huge Frito chip. At least that was her thought as she staggered back, the beach going a fuzzy gray.
"Hey." Jake caught her before she fell. Horner, whose elbow had made acquaintance with her face, shoved himself off Thomas Mayes' back and to his feet.
"You okay?" He seemed genuinely concerned. "Is it broken?"
"I..." Jamie felt her nose, amazed by the hot waves of pain her touch generated. "I think so."
"My mom's a nurse – let me see," said Belinda, walking over, prying apart Jamie's hands. She examined her for a moment. "Yup. It's broken, all right. But hey, it gives your face some character. It was too damn cutesy girl-next-door before."
Belinda laughed and patted Jamie on the shoulder. Horner gave them both an uneasy smile.
"Speaking of broke," Thomas rasped, dragging himself up from the beach, wiping blood from his mouth, "this be one broke-ass heaven. What kind of paradise is it where a brother can get his face smashed in?" To emphasize his point, he spat a bloody tooth on the sand. "Must be a white man's heaven is all I'm sayin'."
"Right, since no one's handing out welfare checks," said Horner. "You might actually have to work for a living here."
Thomas made a move toward Horner, whose grin was welcoming. Jamie thrust herself between them.
"I may not be a girl next door anymore," she said, "but I'm still your commanding officer. And I'm ordering you both to stop this shit."
"Blond Bitch," Thomas growled, "broke nose or not, you ain't no commanding officer of mine."
"Fine. You're free to go. But if you stay with us, you will obey my orders, just as everyone else in this team does."
Thomas appeared to weigh that decision, stroking the scruffy beginnings of his usual goatee.
"You should stay," Terry said to him. "Without us, you may never find your way back. And Jamie's a good person. A fair person."
"Without Steven, these people got no chance of making it back, neither. You with me, Steven?"
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