Eventually, they reached a rocky plateau which proved to be the top of the mountain. They unpacked the sleds, sat down on them and waited. Above, the heavens sparkled with millions of brilliant, glittering stars. The clouds had vanished and a yellow crescent moon sat coyly just above the horizon.
Suddenly, there was a double explosion and a brilliant flash of green light. An object appeared in the sky to the north.
“It's a plane!” cried Alaric.“It's a plane about to crash!”
They watched in horror as the bright object zoomed towards them. Just as it appeared certain to crash into the mountain, the object suddenly jerked upwards and executed a perfect landing on the flat mountaintop.
It rolled to a stop near to them.
“It's not a plane,” said Jake. “It's an old bus!”
And the object did indeed appear to be a battered old bus. It was colored red. A large sign on one side said Multiverse Bus Company. Above the drivers cab a destination board read: Universe 1 Down. The bus stood with its engine running. The engine sounded rough, missing beats and back firing. Yellow smoke poured from the exhaust, causing the waiting passengers to cough and splutter. Abruptly, the engine stopped and the exhaust ceased. Lights inside the bus stayed on as the driver climbed out. The driver wore a cap with a shiny peak and a badge Multiverse Bus Co. He had a peculiar face. His eyes were set wide apart and he had no nose! There were only a pair of flat slits where his nose would normally be. He had another horizontal slit which might pass for a mouth. He did not appear to have any ears.
Still, he did appear to be friendly.
“Welcome all,” said the driver. His horizontal slit of a mouth appeared to be the source of the words. “I'm gonna let 'er cool down before we jumps but you can git aboard. It be horrible freezin' out here! Can I sees youse fares?”
Jake produced his vial of Virtue.
The globe illuminated the entire mountaintop.
“Gawd!” said the driver “I'm suprised yous goin' on a bus wiz all that credit!”:
He had a sudden thought.
“I knows! Yous big wigs from somewhere Up! Buyin’ a sausage factory for your conglomoratation! Climb aboard and get warm while I waits for 'er to cool down a bits. I don't want 'er conkin’ out in-between! The idea of conkin’ out in between Universes makes me feel fraught! Proper fraught!”
The travelers all climbed onto the bus. They piled the sleighs and rucksacks into a luggage area and sat down. Inside, the lighting had a peculiar reddish hue. They sat on metal seats and immediately noticed the high temperature inside the bus.
“It's a trifle warm in here,” said Jake.
“I can't get it proper warm because she is having a rest, little sir,” said the driver. He appeared to have misunderstood the remark. “It is only a trifle warm right now. She's not givin' out ‘er full ‘eat. Yous’ll have to shiver a bits till she warms up proper. She's usin' all 'er power to get fully charged.”
He settled on a nearby seat as the elves and dwarves shrugged off their packs. They all started stripping clothes to cope with the waves of intense heat circulating inside the bus. The driver looked at them curiously.
“Well, sirs, is you visitors from an 'igher universe?” said the driver. “Dropped off on Zero for sight seein' and get some souvies? Next trip in a years time we should be goin' back up to Universe Plus One. That's assuming she can do it then. At the moment I don't think she could jump up! She needs a full rebore and a new fusion chamber. But what are youse plannin' to do down in Minus One.? Buy a factory for speculatin’ ? Or will you be biddin' to build the sewage works? Streets is filfy. Gutters runnin'. Whole place stinks!”
He had a sudden idea. “Hey! Is you from Multiverse Central? You can tell the big wigs that this bus needs a full rebore and a new fusion chamber! Clapped out she is. Last year I was doing the run to One Up and she did it easy. But this year, even though we is going Down and its an easier run she is really feelin' her old bones! She ain't 'ad a proper service since you knows when! . And look at er, just look at 'er! She's stuffed that's what she is. I call Central and they just leave me on 'old. Anyhow, I'll try a quick twitch on the starter now! Finges crossed! We'll be off before you knows it!”
He went forward. and began adjusting knobs and levers.
Jake and Alaric immediately decided to get off the bus.
They scrambled to collect discarded clothes, rucksacks and sleighs as the driver moved to the drivers cabin and cranked the engine. As they fled the engine fired and burst into thunderous life. The bus shot directly upwards, moving in a shower of sparks before vanishing with two loud bangs.
They were left under the bright canopy of s.
“Well,” said Alaric, “So much for the supposed news about Gateway Four. It is not a proper Gateway at all! A bus stop for a bus travelling down to a Minus Universe! Specifically going down to a planet which currently lacks even a sewage works! I suggest we sleigh back to the train and find out what to do next. See you at the station!”
With a whoop he pushed his sleigh over the edge of the plateau and vanished in a flurry of snow. Jake, preferred to lie flat on his sJackach and look down at the slope. He set off with a powerful kick. As the sleigh accelerated he decided that he should stand up and perform some acrobatic tricks on his descent. But disaster struck before he could stand up. His sleigh suddenly ran into a protruding rock and stopped abruptly.
Jake did not stop with his sleigh.
He continued to dive forward and plummeted into an icy crevice.
He fell headfirst into a deep ice cave.
CLEO waited in the railcar and shortly decided that Jake was over due. She sent FIDO to provide Search and Rescue. The robot drew skis from the equipment store. He climbed the mountain at high speed.
And saw Jake’s sleigh sitting forlorn in front of a hole.
FIDO peered down the hole in the snow and saw Jake lying upside down. The problem of retrieving Jake, who was wedged between rocks some 30 feet down confronted FIDO. It did not trouble him for a second.
The robot braced himself and lowered both arms into the hole. The arms telescoped ourward to a truly astonishing length.
They eventually reached Jake, some thirty feet below.
The robotic thumbs,burrowing through the ice until they met around Jake's waist.
Metal fingers now clasped to form a secure hold.
Jake was effortlessly lifted to the surface.
He rose feet first in one smooth pull.
FIDO immediately placed Jake onto the sleigh, wrapped him in a thermo blanket and tied him down with a length of elastic rope. They began a rapid descent. FIDO held the sleigh firmly using one extended arm while sliding across and down the icy mountainside in a series of giant zig zags
FIDO brought the sleigh down to a place close to the path.
The robot now kicked off his skis and dropped his poles. He released Jake from the sleigh and carried his charge back to the station in his arms. Since he had already selected appropriate metal feet for the muddy condition, the robot did not lose his footing on the muddy path.
Alaric was eating sandwiches when FIDO returned.
“What happened?”
Jake mumbled a few confused replies about an ice cave. He was immediately put to bed. He was still wrapped in the thermal blanket but he was now also covered with three army blankets. He was given two aspirins and a drink.
He fell asleep and knew nothing until he awoke late the following afternoon.
CLEO sent FIDO back to retrieve ther skis and poles.
The robot was then admonished to “waste not ,want not.”
Chapter 15
Pernambuco!
Jake X (1) Multiverse Fugitive Page 14