Blood on the Water

by Mark Hildebrandt

  Shit he needed to make sure Aeliana was out of harm’s way. If Kukulcan harms her, Marcus decided he would get more than a pound of flesh to even the score. “Look you seem to have questions, and they don’t seem to be questions I wish to answer, so I think this meeting is concluded.” Marcus got up and bowed his head and started to turn.

  “Marcus wait, please, for just one minute.”

  He stopped and faced Kukulcan, “I’m not sure I’m interested in anything you have to say.”

  “On the contrary. Perhaps you might reconsider answering my questions in exchange for, say the safe return of your sister.”

  There was that damn smile again. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you, when playing poker, never give away a bluff with an obvious facial gesture?”

  That brought on an outright laugh, “Marcus, I don’t bluff in the game of politics. It doesn’t work. One either has the hand or not. Once you prove you don’t have the hand, you will never be allowed back in the game. No, I have dispatched a team to collect Cassandra and James. I was prepared to give you Cassandra, and just keep James, but now I think I’ll keep both.”

  “That’s not possible. I don’t even know where they are.”

  “I know you don’t, and neither does Josephus. That was very clever of your team, but unfortunately, like you, they were sloppy.”

  Marcus was holding his anger in check, he had to, he had to hear what the Senator had to say, “How so?”

  “Two days ago, twenty-three decums left the base in Cuba for training. It was a good disguise, in battle dress everyone looked the same, there were no individuals, just teams from the Third, but of those twenty-three decums only one had twelve members.”

  Chapter 26

  - Everybody gets it -

  What a day, James thought. After the brief holo-conversation with Marcus this morning, everyone pitched in, and finished cleaning up the shelter. It was clean, neat and all the gear stowed long before midday. Somehow during the cleanup, Team Two had managed to piss off Optio. James didn’t have any idea what the actual transgression was, but he was pretty sure he was going to appreciate the outcome of the punishment. Optio ordered the team to double time down to Phelps lake. Stay there and gather no less than eight pounds of trout, double time back to camp, clean and cook the fish, and serve dinner at seven. Optio made certain, in his own special way they understood, if for any reason they failed to make it in time for dinner, he would get really upset. James suspected, somehow, Team One would manage to irritate Optio tomorrow.

  Several times during the afternoon James walked over to the cliff face where he could look down on Phelps Lake, and try to monitor Team Two’s progress. But the lake was too far away and surrounded with trees to see any individuals clearly. The only time the three members of Team Two were visible, was on the trail running to the lake and later returning with dinner. The trip down was two hours and the return just over three. Much to James amazement the Team members, Drusus, Janus and Varinius completed the task showing little sign of wear and tear.

  Early in the afternoon Optio sequester Team one and Three for a discussion on defensive tactics, leaving James and Cassandra alone. Cassandra took James hand and led him off up the trail leaving camp. The trail followed the stream uphill from the shelter, and into the dense woods. After hiking for thirty minutes they found a fallen tree that formed a bridge across the stream. James turned to Cassandra and said, “This looks like a good spot to sit and enjoy the afternoon.”

  “I agree, let’s take off our boots and sit on the log.” Cassandra said with a newfound girlish enthusiasm. She quickly turned and kissed James.

  “Ouch.” James said touching his lip.

  “What do you mean ouch?”

  “I seem to be getting a cold sore.” That’s very odd, James thought, he hadn’t had cold sore for years, not since he was a child. “You may not want to kiss me for a couple of days, at least till this thing goes away. I don’t want you to catch it.”

  Cassandra gave him a somewhat stunned look, “James everyone on the planet has had cold sores. You can’t give one to me. I might not know much about medicine, but I do know they are caused by a virus that once caught stays with you, granted most of the time dormant, but for the rest of your life.”

  James still palpating the small pimple like sore that had formed at the corner of his mouth said, “That’s odd.”

  “What’s odd?”

  “In my world a lot of people have the virus that causes cold sores, but not everyone.” James wanted to ask if cold sores and the herpes virus were related to her brother’s work but decided to wait. It was too nice of a day and this was just about the perfect spot to sit and enjoy it, and he wasn’t going to let talk of cold sores ruin the setting. Besides what difference did it make now. In a week they would be back in Rome, then one way or another Dr. Marcus Vespus was going to explain the link between him and the damn virus.

  James mind did not stay in Rome but wondered a bit further to London and then home. Home that thought precipitated a torrent of emotions, mixed emotions. On the one hand this world was both crazy and confusing, and he could not wait to leave. But on the other, because it was crazy and confusing, it was very intriguing. There was much to learn, and then there was Cassandra.

  James realized he was just staring blankly at the stream when he heard Cassandra call, “Hey come over here, but take off your boots first. Then sit with me and we can dangle our feet in the stream. It is so cold it hurts,” She said with a laugh and a fake shiver, “but it is SOOO invigorating.”

  After quickly unfastening the Velcro like bindings on his boots, James was soon sitting next to her on the log. He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. Yes, there was Cassandra, he thought, and realized he didn’t want to lose her.

  The two sat on that log talking and laughing all afternoon. James felt almost like he was in Junior High School once again, because for the moment, all troubles were gone. The only thing that mattered was the two of them, the bright sunny day, beautiful forest, mountains, the cold stream and most important, the feeling of contentment, which seemed to erase the better part of fifteen years.

  Their solitary respite was disturbed when Drusus suddenly appeared sitting on the log next to James. The unexpected occurrence prompted an involuntary flinch James hoped it wasn’t mistaken for fright. “Drusus how was your trip to the lake?” He asked, trying to conceal the surprise at his stealthy appearance.

  “The lake was fine. We caught fifteen large cutthroat trout. Janus is going to cook them in a nice smoky fire. I promise they will be excellent.” Drusus was smiling, clearly proud of the accomplishment. “I think that is why Optio sent me to find you. He doesn’t want you to miss out on dinner.”

  “Well let’s go” James said, handing Cassandra her boots.

  Both quickly got their boots on and fastened. Standing, Cassandra turned to Drusus extended her hand and said, “After you.” The trail was narrow and the three walked back to camp single file. Very little was said which gave James time to think, but watching Cassandra walking directly in front of him significantly influenced his thought process. Before leaving camp, they had taken off the heavy outer portion of the battle fatigues and were only wearing the light form fitting moisture transport undergarment. Watching her firm body walk down the trail just a few feet before him, he realized regardless of the angle, the sight of her excited him. He knew he wanted her but was beginning to realize some things just weren’t meant to be. If she were good to her word, she would be sending him back to his universe in a week or so. If not, they both might end up dead in some strange political battle he could not hope to understand. Either way, he didn’t really see a future where the two of them were together. Perhaps it would be best to back away, he thought, but then again, what difference would it make. He wasn’t sure, but the hands were already dealt, so he spent the rest of the walk back to camp pondering how he should play his.

  A fire had been started near the shelter. Optio
was supervising Varinius, who was cleaning and dressing the trout while Janus was forming saplings into cooking skewers. Optio called out when he noticed the three coming, “Hey back just in time to help supervise dinner. I hope you had a nice stroll in the woods?”

  “It was lovely,” Cassandra replied, “But you know we could have found our way back without Drusus.”

  Optio patted Varinius on the back and walked over to Cassandra and James. “I have no doubt. I have been watching you. I’m not worried about your survival in the wilderness. I just wanted everyone back at camp. It will be getting dark soon and in addition to dinner, we have a few things to discuss.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like I have been waiting patiently to hear about how James was here, but not here. As I recall, you said you would tell me the whole story when we got to camp. Well we have been in camp for,” he paused and looked at his watch, “twenty-nine hours, and I’m still waiting.”

  “I said I will tell you and I will! But I will explain when I’m ready!”

  James could feel the tension mounting between the two. He had no idea why. Why should telling Optio about him be that difficult. Hell, chances were Optio wouldn’t believe the truth anyway, and she would have to make something. If someone had told James the story a week ago, he would not have believed it. He decided to break this up before they started really butting heads; both were so stubborn, someone was likely to get hurt. “Hey, I’m really excited about the fresh trout for dinner. Perhaps Cassandra and I will just go over to the stream and wash our hands.”

  “James you don’t need to be involved in this discussion!”

  “I know but since I seem to be the focal point, maybe you and I can talk about it for a few minutes?” Before Cassandra had a chance to say anything else, James took her hand and the two walked to the stream. “What’s the big deal? Why are you so afraid of telling him?” James asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know, and what’s more I don’t really care at this point.” Her voice was still several octaves above normal.

  James stopped. They were several yards from camp and well out of earshot. “I’m sorry Cassandra, but I’m confused. If you don’t really care what you tell him, why the argument?”

  She slowly turned and took both his hands. Her breathing had slowed, and she appeared to have once again regained control. “James something you said early this afternoon has been bothering me. I guess, I let it consume a bit too much of me, and that is why I snapped at Optio. I apologize, and I will to him when we go back to camp.”

  James confusion had not diminished, “What did I say to make you angry? I don’t recall ever enjoying an afternoon on a log as much as I did today with you.”

  She moved closer and gently kissed him, “James you did not say anything to make me angry. But you did say something that has been bothering me.”

  “What?”

  “You said, not everyone in your world gets cold sores, and I said everyone here does.”

  “Yeah, but so what? Cold sores aren’t that big of a deal, they go away and might not come back for years.”

  Cassandra was still holding his hands, but broke eye contact and glanced down at her feet. She took a deep breath and looked back into his eyes, “I know that’s not the issue. What is at issue is that everyone gets cold sores in this world…everyone has the virus. In your universe, not everyone gets colds sores, and no one has the virus.”

  James was beginning to understand where she was going; it wasn’t difficult since he tread that ground in his mind at the creek this afternoon. “How do you know no one in my universe get the virus?”

  “Oh James, your world may not be as advanced as ours, but you and the rest of your world, would definitely know if people were dying from a virus infection near the end of middle age.”

  “Yes, I suppose you are right. The medical world is aware of viruses, and I have never heard about one like yours, but so what?”

  “I should have kept you locked up at the research institute in London.”

  “Why?” James protested. “This place has been strange, but it has also been wonderful. And you, if you had kept me locked in a cell, I would never have gotten to know you.”

  Cassandra was shaking her head, “James don’t you see, I promised to send you back as soon as we can manufacture the fuel.”

  “Okay, and your brother said the fuel would be ready next week.”

  She stared at him with sad big brown eyes, “If you have contracted the virus, I can’t send you back.” She paused but did not break eye contact. “It would be the same thing as exporting death. I can’t keep a promise that would mean death to billions of people.” Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes, and traced lines down the inside of both cheeks. Then without a word, she guided James’s arms around her shoulders and wrapped hers around his waist, buried her head in his shoulder and began sobbing.

  James hugged her back and considered what she had just said. Well, he thought, that takes care of how to play the hand. It appears my choices weren’t really mine to make after all. “Cassandra,” he whispered softly, “I told you a couple of days ago, neither one of us can see the future that hasn’t changed. I may or may not have your virus, we won’t know for a week, but if I do then I agree. I can’t go back, and I understand you cannot keep your promise.” He then reached down and lifted her head, so he could look once again into her lovely dark eyes. “But that only makes a very difficult decision easy.”

  James held her for several minutes until the sobs subsided. She looked up and he kissed her. “Now let’s go to the stream, wash our hands and face, and then go back to camp for a fresh trout dinner.” He said smiling.

  They took enough time at the stream so that when they got back to camp, there were no visible signs Cassandra had been sobbing. Janus was busy tending his skewered fish at the fire, and Varinius was tending a large pot of boiling water. While surveying the activities, James heard Cassandra say, “Optio, I didn’t mean to be sharp earlier. I will tell you exactly how James was here, yet not hear.”

  Looking at Optio, James thought Cassandra’s words of contrition had started to crack his crusty exterior. His look almost took on a fatherly appearance when he answered, “Thank you. It is a story I want to hear.” Then smiling he said, “But first I think dinner is ready. Let’s eat.”

  The atmosphere reminded James of the camping trips he had organized while an undergraduate. The only difference was the lack of beer. The trout was excellent. Of course, he didn’t think it was possible to make fresh trout taste less than excellent. Even the pasta was good, dehydrated fettuccine alfredo that didn’t taste like cardboard. It was far superior to the stuff sold at the backpacking outfitters in Ann Arbor.

  Team three was finished first and hurried off to relive Team one. The sound of the stampede Team One made hurrying inside to take a turn at the food sounded more like a full regiment than three men. And once everyone had had a chance at it, the huge pot of pasta, and what appeared to be an equally large pile of cooked trout was completely consumed. James felt comfortably full. Fortunately, the fish was properly rationed, had there been an extra, he would have eaten it, and been unable to move for the rest of the night.

  It was getting dark when Team two began cleaning dishes. The shelter did not have running water, but it did have a lever-actuated water pump and sink to aid the task. The pasta pot transformed into a hot water tank, and the job was done quickly and efficiently.

  Optio added a few branches to the smoky pine fire and found a comfortable seat on the ground up wind with Cassandra and James. He quickly surveyed the area, and once satisfied his men were carrying out his instructions turned to Cassandra, “Clearly James, Dr. Woodman, has been in this area at some time in the past. He knows the terrain which could have come from studying maps, but I have trained men for years on the holo-maps, and they never gain the understanding I have seen in him. You said he hasn’t been here, I don’t see how that can be. Now it appears like we have a ni
ce evening, clear sky, bright stars and quarter moon, and I have all the time in the world to hear your story.” Optio said looking intently at Cassandra.

  “I’m not quite sure to begin.” She said looking to the waxing quarter moon for inspiration. “How much do you know about physics?”

  “I had physics in high school, before I joined the legion. I remember some. Let me see.” He said rubbing his shaved head, “Yeah, force equals mass times acceleration. Isn’t that one of the basic equations?”

  Cassandra looked like she wanted to shake her head in disbelief, but James thought to her credit, maintained an expression free of condescension. “Yes, Optio that is one of the very basic laws of mechanics. My work involves multi-dimensional physics, and I don’t think that is covered in high school, so I’ll try to explain in common Imperial. If I use words you are not familiar with, please stop me, and I’ll try to clarify. Okay?”

  Optio slowly nodded and said, “Yes ma’am. I usually pick things up quickly, and I have no problem asking questions if I don’t understand. Go ahead.”

  “Very well. There are an infinite number of different universes that intersect this universe in waves. What’s more at every instant there is universe that diverges from this one at a right angle in space-time. Huge energy barriers called folders separate the waves and universes. We have devised a way to identify the different universes, and with carefully directed folders punch a whole into nearby universes. James is from one of our neighboring universes.”

  Cassandra paused to watch Optio’s reaction. Before she could continue he asked. “What do you mean by universes. Is that like another galaxy?”

  “Not exactly. You see, this campsite, where we are sitting exists in other universes, but we only exist in this one. In the other ones, there may or may not be a campfire. There may or may not be people sitting here. In those other universes this might not be military preserve, and the Third probably doesn’t exist.”