Henry rushed him, arms stretched out to tackle the man to the floor. If it had been anyone else, it might have worked, but Crazy Henry had the same reflexes. He side stepped and slammed the gun into the back of Henry’s head, knocking him out cold. Crouching and with a delicate touch, Crazy Henry checked to make sure Henry was still alive. Then he climbed through the broken window and into the testing chamber. Jess was still with the kids. Eve had yet to wake. Kelley was standing over them embroiled in another argument.
“Forty-six,” Crazy Henry shouted and pointed his pistol. “You’re reign of terror is over.”
Kelley turned slowly trying not to cause a reaction. “Okay, Doctor,” he said. “Tell me what you want.”
“You dead,” Crazy Henry replied.
“Then the others have nothing to do with this,” Kelley said. He took a few steps away from them. At the same moment, the lights went out again. Crazy Henry fired blindly. The lights came back, and Kelley was on the floor. A woman dressed in all black, with a cloak and mask, was standing in the center of the room. She spun on her heels and sent out a vicious kick. The blow hit Crazy Henry in the chest, knocking him back through the window. He went head over heels with a thud. Then she turned and went straight to Koji.
“Koji,” she said. Her voice was intense. “Everything is going to be okay.” She glanced down at Jess and Eve. “In a second you’re going to feel a lot of pain,” she told him. “But you have to stay conscious. You have to focus on getting home, just like when you open a portal. Do you understand?”
Koji grimaced but nodded.
“I’ll help you as best I can,” the woman said.
“Why are you protecting him?” Crazy Henry was shouting from the observation room. “After everything he does to you.”
Henry woke to see Crazy Henry standing over him and shouting. His face was red with rage, and he was too distracted to see the masked man come up behind him. He was small but moved with the confidence of training. In a flash, he leapt into the air, wrapped an arm around Crazy Henry’s neck and swung him in a circle. The momentum yanked him off his feet and onto the ground. The masked man had him in an arm lock and was ready to snap his neck when he saw Henry. There was a shock in the man’s eyes, but he didn’t hesitate to pull a pistol on Henry. He took aim. Crazy Henry knocked the man’s arm, and the shot went wide.
Shoving his pistol under his chin, Crazy Henry said, “Apparently it’s us,” and pulled the trigger.
Everything went dark, and Henry felt as if he was being crushed to death.
Three Days Later, Los Angeles
Eve woke to find herself in a warm bed. The curtains were pulled over the windows making the room dim. She felt something heavy next to her and rolled over to see Jess asleep. Eve sat up, waking her.
Yawning and rubbing her face, Jess said, “Only meant to close my eyes for a minute.”
“Where are we?” Eve asked.
“Los Angeles,” Jess told her. “It’s been three days since the accident.”
“Oh,” was all Eve said. She was beginning to remember what had happened. There had been an explosion, but everything else was a mess of confusion. She remembered waking up briefly and seeing the test chamber in shambles. After that, there was a hospital, and Jess’s voice.
“Come on, Robert and Alison took some leave,” Jess said. “And I bet you have a lot of questions.”
“Captain Day is here?” Eve asked.
“It is his apartment,” Jess replied.
After taking a moment to stretch her legs, Eve followed Jess to the living room. Robert and Alison were sitting on the couch watching TV. Robert hopped up when he saw them.
“You’re awake?” Alison asked surprised.
“How do you sleep with all the cars whizzing?” Jess asked.
“This coming from the girl who grew up in Japan?” Alison raised an eyebrow then answered, “We've been so busy that we usually pass out when we get home.”
Jess took Robert's spot on the couch then made room for Eve. Robert pulled up a chair from the kitchen. “How are you doing?” Robert asked.
Eve wasn’t sure how to answer because she didn’t know.
She didn't have to because Robert said, “I think about you kids a lot when I'm wandering the city. I miss the Complex. I miss seeing kids who aren't packing guns, or at least know proper grammar. I guess I just miss kids I like and respect.”
“I can’t believe what happened to you,” Alison said. “Any more news on Koji?”
This caught Eve’s attention, and Jess obliged by filling in the information. “He has burns to his legs and arm,” she said, then took a deep breath. “He may lose his other arm.”
“Damn it,” Robert mumbled.
“Henry says he’s working on a replacement,” Jess added.
“And what does he say about what happened?” Robert asked.
The question made Jess uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat and looked at the three of them. “The incident is being classified Ultra,” she told them. “It took a lot of threats and shouting for them to let me take Eve. And they didn’t really let me, they just didn’t stop me. Director Kelley swore me to secrecy from his hospital bed.”
“And how did he get shot?” Alison questioned.
Jess frowned. “I can’t say anything, not even to you, Eve,” she said. “In a way you’re lucky you were unconscious. A lot happened that makes me question everything. I know it was stupid bringing you here, Eve, but I knew I had to get you off the Complex. At least for a little.” Jess fell silent, leaving the room cold and awkward.
“Anyway,” Robert said, “Alison and I were talking and we'd like to extend an open invitation to you guys. We’d like to see you more.”
Alison added, “The holidays are coming, and we want you to come for Thanksgiving. You, Jess and any of your friends if they would like.”
Jess exploded with excitement, hugging Eve in the process. “Oh my God,” she cheered. “This is going to be your first Thanksgiving and Christmas. We're going to make you fat by the time New Year comes.”
The four of them had lunch and made plans for a holiday dinner. When it was time to go they all made promises that they would try and stay in contact. Then Eve portaled her and Jess back to the Complex.
Days Later, Colorado
Eve sat alone in the arboretum staring at the grass. More and more she felt like being by herself. She had no memory of what had happened in the accident, but she had a sense that it wasn’t good. She and Koji had been put in danger, and if that was how The One worked, she wasn’t sure she liked it. They had helped her, but how much was she willing to give back. And yet she couldn’t blame the entire One. She had friends here, like Sergeant Schreier, who had tried to warn her. Recalling his words to her just before the test, made her feel like an idiot. Eve was so sure she understood the intricacies of this world, but the truth was she was lost.
The sound of footsteps on the grass caused her to turn. Joe was standing behind her with a forced smile. “Hi,” he said.
“Don’t you have math class?” Eve asked.
“I ditched,” he replied. “Mind if I sit with you?”
Eve shook her head. The two of them sat silently for a while.
“A couple years ago my dad was working a rescue in the Gulf of Mexico,” Joe said, “There was a hurricane and he was lost at sea. His CO came to our apartment and told us. He was trying to be nice, but everything he said sounded stupid. You know? How could he understand what we were feeling? Everyone said the same stuff to us, and I hated having to hear it and be polite. They found him eventually, alive and well. But that entire time I wanted people to stop reminding me that he was gone, to get a little bit of normality.”
“Yes,” was all Eve said.
“Well, as your friend, I’m making it my duty to help you forget,” Joe said. He patted Eve on the knee and in return she leaned over and kissed him on the lips. It was quick. “Uh, that…,” Joe stuttered.
Before Joe co
uld regain his composure Eve stood and said, “First, I must do something.” She put out her hand. “Will you come with me?”
Joe took her hand. “What do we need to do?” He asked.
They walked out of the arboretum hand in hand. “Visit Koji,” she replied. Joe didn’t say anything. They went outside and onto the snowy parade ground. “I haven’t been to the Research and Development building since the accident,” Eve said as they walked.
“Are you scared?” Joe asked.
“Koji asked me the same thing before the experiment,” Eve told him. “If I wouldn’t have agreed to help, none of this would have happened.”
“We’re going to see Koji,” Joe said. “Let’s just do that and forget everything else.”
Eve squeezed his hand. By touch, she could read that Joe was as scared as her, but either through bravery or stubbornness he was going to be there for her. They went into the building and had to go up three stories to find Koji’s room. Despite it being noon, it was dark, the curtains drawn closed. A single light in the corner illuminated the room. Koji lay on a bed unconscious. The bed was covered in a plastic tent. Before they had a foot inside, Henry Schreier was out of his chair brushing the sleep from his eyes. He had a computer in one hand.
“Must have fallen asleep,” Henry said grumpily. He nodded toward Koji. “He’s been out most of the day. Feel free to stay,” he said. Then made an awkward excuse, “I have something to check on. Jess should be by soon.” Not waiting for a response, he left the kids alone.
His office was on the first floor, so he took the elevator down. Repair was underway on the damaged section of the building. The noise had driven most of the other researchers away. As a bonus, it meant that he had better access to the super-computer. In the corner of his office was a console. He typed something into the keyboard then drew up his sleeve. Underneath, and attached to a data cable that Henry had pulled from his arm, was a small device. It had an antenna and a LED display.
“What’s that?” Director Kelley asked.
Henry had heard him coming and decided on acting nonchalant, rather than trying to hide anything. “A transceiver,” he replied. “I’m running a diagnostic. After the accident, I want to be sure nothing is wrong with me.”
“And is there?” Kelley asked.
“No,” Henry answered. “Can I help you with something?”
“I went over your analysis of what happened,” Kelley said. His arm was in a sling, so he struggled to open the folder he was carrying. “It sounds like you’re theory matched your duplicates. The problem was in the divergence and eliminating the source was the solution. Except that the other Henry was the source.”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Henry said.
“Try me,” Kelley said.
Henry took a seat behind his desk and ran his hands through his hair. “A singularity is all things at once. Time has no meaning,” he started. “That other Henry was the source of the convergence, the reason we were stuck there, and the divergence. A catch twenty-two, to the third power. He was there because he put himself there. He was stuck because he didn’t want to leave. And his effect over the divergence was creating the convergence and the holding pattern. A basic temporal paradox.”
“And his death broke the cycle,” Kelley said. “You also think those two people who showed up were versions of Levitas and Kojima?” Henry nodded his affirmative. “And you have no theories as to what the other you was doing? What he was planning?”
“No,” Henry replied.
“Could it have to do with altering the time lines?” Kelley suggested. “He’d interacted with a lot of alternate dimensions. He could easily have developed a probability matrix to predict future events. If that information was used…”
“Sir,” Henry stopped him abruptly. “The thing about a paradox is, nothing comes out that wasn’t supposed to happen the way it happens.”
“Somehow that isn’t very reassuring,” Kelley said. “Keep me updated on your diagnostic, or any new thoughts about this.”
Director Kelley left the Doctor to his work and headed out of the building. There was a golf cart outside the door. He got in and drove to the Administration building. After a painful walk to his office, Kelley’s shoulder was throbbing. His secretary had indicated that his one o’clock appointment was waiting. Still he took the time to regain his poise. He wiped the sweat from his brow, fixed his hair and sat at his desk.
Pressing the intercom button, he said, “Send him in.”
A second later a man walked into the room and bowed. “Director,” he said with a Japanese accent.
“Major Oyama,” Kelley said, “I appreciate you coming all this way.”
Jigoro Oyama stood straight. His body was a precision instrument, and it did nothing he didn’t intend. So when he smiled, it threw Kelley off guard. Nothing about the man indicated that he smiled much. “I suspect you have a worthwhile reason,” he said.
“I’ve come across some disturbing information recently,” Kelley told him. Jigoro eyed the sling. “We have a very strong indicator that The One may be the target of an impending assault.”
“There must be something more?” Jigoro questioned.
“It’s classified Ultra, and that’s all I can tell you,” Kelley said. “We’re already out of time, and I don’t want to be caught defenseless.” He pulled out a folder from his desk. “If you accept this post it’ll never be spoken of, not even in your service record.”
“I am here to serve The One,” Jigoro said, “Not my ambitions.” He stepped forward and took the folder.
As Jigoro read, Kelley explained, “You’ll have full discretion and requisition priority. I want Project Mirror running in four years or less.”
“Then I will begin immediately,” Jigoro snapped the folder shut, bowed and left.
Kelley pressed the intercom again, “Is that Staff Sergeant here yet?”
“Yes, sir,” came his secretary’s response.
“Send him in,” Kelley ordered.
A balding, middle-aged man walked into the room. He was the kind of man that was passed up for promotion after promotion. The same type that thought all he needed was a leg up. A meeting with the Director was just that.
“Sir,” he said apprehensively. The man hardly made it half way to Kelley’s desk before his nerves overtook him.
“Can you keep your mouth shut?” Kelley asked. The man looked panicked. “I need you to keep a secret,” Kelley explained. “If you can do that then I have a job for you.”
“Yes, sir,” the Sergeant said with a salute.
“I want you to transfer these three people.” Kelley slid a piece of paper across his desk. The Sergeant approached to take it, but Kelley held firm to the paper. “Not necessarily immediately,” he said. “I want this to go unnoticed. Make it look natural and don’t leave a trail.” Kelley let go of the paper.
“There are cadets on here,” the Sergeant pointed out.
“Then you know exactly the best time to transfer them to a quiet out of the way place,” Kelley said.
“Yes, sir,” the Sergeant said.
“Oh, and Herrington,” Kelley stopped him before he left. “Do this right and you’ll have my favor.”
November
It was after exercise and Eve was walking back to the Residence with Sara and Danni. The girls had suspiciously segregated themselves from the boys.
Danni looked back and decided they were far enough away. “So you and Joe have been hanging out a lot,” Danni said.
Her interest made Eve suspicious. “Yes,” she answered.
Danni made a face at Sara, and Sara hesitantly asked, “So do you, uh, like him?”
“He's our friend,” Eve answered.
“No,” Danni said frustrated. “Do you like him, like him? You're not into girls, right?”
Eve wasn’t following along.
“Are you guys going steady?” Sara asked.
“Do you mean mating?” Eve tried to clari
fy.
The two girls’ eyes went as wide as saucers. “We mean, like dating,” Danni said after a moment.
“Dating?” Eve thought to herself. “What's the point of binding yourself to someone of the opposite sex, if not for mating? Aren't Joe and I already friends?”
“Wait,” Danni said suddenly. “Do you mean you and Joe are doing it?”
“It?” Eve asked.
“Have you gone to first base?” Sara asked.
“First base? Like in baseball?” Eve asked confused.
“It's an analogy,” Danni said.
“Metaphor,” Sara corrected. “Or maybe a simile?”
“Whatever,” Danni stopped her. “It means the stuff you do with a guy before sex. Like, getting to first base means making out.”
“I thought it meant holding hands,” Sara said.
Danni laughed and looked over at Sara. “Seriously?”
“I'm pretty sure that's what it means,” Sara said meekly.
“Then what's a home run?” Danni asked her.
Sara's face turned bright red. “You know,” she didn't want to say the words.
“Yeah, I do, but I don't think you do,” Danni scoffed. “It's sex.”
“No, that's a grand slam,” Sara said.
“It doesn't go up to grand slam,” Danni told her. “That's just something someone added on. Its sex, that’s why they call it, going all the way. Like all the way home.” Danni turned back to Eve. “So making out is first base. Touching over your clothes is second. Touching under your clothes is third.”
Sara still didn't agree. “What about...,” she didn't want to say it. “What about with, you know, your mouth?”
Danni waved her hand, “Ah, that's all part of sex stuff,” she answered. Then she asked Eve, “So, how far have you guys gone?”
This entire time Eve had been looking back and forth at them, trying to keep up with the conversation. “I have no idea what you guys are talking about,” she said finally. “And I think if I asked you to explain, I'd get more confused.”
Absolute Power (Book 1): Origins Page 23