Sunday, March 18, 2012

Story # 2.4 The Room

The group at The Fleece was now inside a room adjacent to the area Jay walked into after Pat insisted.  Inside this room, which had a white, ethereal glow, with glass walls, Linda was tending to her two children.  As Pat had said, they were safe and sound at The Fleece.  Dana was helping Linda tend to the kids, while Larry, Dr. Blake, Pat, and Jay discussed the implications that just been revealed.

"This room is amazing," said Dr. Blake, still in awe over what he was seeing.

The room was also white, with medical bays every 10 feet.  In each bay was a person lying in the bed.  Multiple electrodes were attached to each person.  Some of the people were asleep, some awake.  None, however, looked in distress, as a tech or nurse of some sort monitored their station.

"Who are all of these people?", asked Larry, pointing out into the room.

"Those are volunteers.  They are people, just like Jay, that are struggling with the issues they have been experiencing.  We are simply trying to assist them in coping, if not controlling their condition," said Pat.

"Controlling?  What do you mean by that?", asked Jay.

"Take your experience for instance, Jay.  You entered a world in your dream state that allowed you to bring a creature from that world into this reality.  You even brought a weapon with you.  That's the type of control we are trying to harness.  Manipulation of not only that reality, but this one as well for the betterment of all parties involved", said Pat.

"Why don't we talk about this whole other reality thing," said Larry.

"You mean the alternate reality?", replied Dr. Blake, turning to face them all.

"Yeah, let's talk about that."

"Well, we've discussed the possibility of 'supernatural' things.  This is metaphysics at its best.  If what Pat is saying is absolutely true, then when Jay goes to sleep at night he's literally entering another world outside of the one he knows," said Dr. Blake.

"Precisely," said Pat, with a big smile.

"But how?  Why?", asked Jay.

"We have a theory...," started Pat.

All three of them were pressing now, with this acknowledgement.

"...but I am not at liberty to discuss it at this time," said Pat.

"I thought you said no deception?", said Larry.

"There is none," replied Pat.

"Then why are you lying?  If you know, you need to tell us, now," said Larry, stressing the last words determinedly at Pat.

"Easy, man," replied Jay.

"You're really buying into this crap, man?", asked Larry.  "You really believe this alternate reality stuff?  I mean how do you know you're not still lying on that slab in the lab sound asleep right now?  What if this is like that movie a few years ago, where they go to different levels of a dream?  I mean he's telling you that you're entering another world and bringing stuff out, and you just accept it?"

"Nobody is ruling anything out, man.  But we can't afford to go off half cocked here.  We don't know what we're dealing with anymore than what my condition was.  So just take a chill pill!", replied Jay.

"That brings up another valid point, along with the discussions of alternate realities and dreams.  Your condition, Jay...," said Dr. Blake.

Jay looked at Dr. Blake.

"I think we have proven that was a farse," Dr. Blake finished.

"I wouldn't speak so quickly, doctor," replied Pat.

"What do you mean?", asked Jay.

Linda looked up at this statement from the kids playing, Dana as well.

"Jay, your alter ego that your group encountered, that is a real person.  That's not a psychosis, that much we are sure of.  But there's more to it," said Pat.

Jay was listening intently now.

"Does the name Britton mean anything to you?"

Jay had a bad feeling about what Pat was about to say.

"As you know, Britton died due to 'unusual circumstances' that were deemed a suicide, correct?"

Jay nodded at Pat.  Linda was listening intently now.

"But I believe you think something else happened, am I wrong?"

Larry and Dr. Blake looked at Jay, who was staring down at the floor now.  Linda stood up, looking straight at Jay.

The words were hard for Jay as he began to speak, but he knew he had to answer.

"I had a dream...I dreamed something very bad happened to Britton."

Jay looked up from the floor, directly at Pat.

Pat's face was more serious, no smile this time.  He knew this was hard for Jay.

"In my dream, I was responsible for her death.  Then a few weeks later I learned she had died.  Needless to say that started my downward spiral."

"Jay," Pat began.  "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but that was no dream."

Tears began to well up in Linda's eyes.

"What are you talking about?  Are you saying Jay actually killed her?", asked Larry.

"Not Jay, his alter ego did," replied Pat.

"Did I do it with my hands?", asked Jay of Pat.

"We don't know for a fact, Jay.  But all signs point to someone having been in that room with her that night.  Somehow, you both shared the same dream and were in the same world at the same time.  But your alter ego was not so kind to her as you were.  He brutally raped and murdered her...," said Pat.

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!!", demanded Linda, stepping towards the four men.

"Don't you dare accuse my husband of something so horrible!"

"I'm not accusing, Mrs. Trent.  Jay knows the facts for himself," replied Pat.

Jay turned and looked at his wife, tears welling up in his eyes now.

Linda saw the fear in his eyes, as well as the truth.  She walked passed Larry who had attempted to restrain her.  Jay looked back down as he began to cry, mournfully.  He was crying for himself, for Britton, for everything that had happened.  He was at the same time sad and relieved.  Sad over the truth, but relieved he was not crazy.  He was relieved that those events had happened.  At least it let him know where he stood.

The two embraced as Pat excused himself to give them alone time with the rest of the group.

Jay and Linda both were crying, as Jay dragger her down to the floor.  He was now blubbering, unable to control his crying at all now.  He was terrified of what he had become.  He just couldn't believe he was a killer, but the dream had told him that he was.  This  was a new reality that Jay only wished he could wake up from.

***********************************************************************************

Pat entered an office where a man was looking through a television screen at the scene in the glass room, Jay and the group were occupying.  Pat walked up to the man's desk, the serious expression still on his face.  He was staring at the television as the man behind the desk, who was well kept, continued to peer.

"So tell me," began Pat.  "Are we now complete with phase one?"

The man turned off the television and rotated in his chair to face Pat.

"Yes, that is complete.  You can initiate phase two," the well kept man said.

"You believe we will have his full cooperation then?"

"Undoubtly."

"And if we don't?"

There was a long pause.

Finally the well kept man spoke, "We must have his cooperation.  There's a lot more than his sanity riding on this.  We have to determine the cause and a measure to defend against.  It must be successful, or else his reality could become our own."

"You know, that was only one possible scenario that unfolded?"

"I am aware of that.  But there's billions of other possibilities have haven't considered.  And if someone like Jay were to fall into the wrong hands, what reality we are in would be of little consequence."

"You do realize what phase two requires?"

"Yes.  I am well aware it reveals the nature of this reality."

"You know what happened the last time we attempted something like this?

"Don't remind me about RC.  You, I, we don't have time for it."

"I'm just saying, once they have the ability, we loose control."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take.  Based on Dr. Trent's profile, he's one we can handle.  You just make sure it stays that way."

"Will do."

Pat turned and exited the room.  The well kept man sat in his chair looked at the tablet in front of him.  He pulled up the file for R.C.  In the file were images of a stonehenge-like structure, freestanding in the middle of a field.  The structure came to be known as The Georgia Guidestones, and the man Pat was referring to went by the assumed alias, R.C. Christian.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Story # 2.3 Where are they?

"You have no idea where our eye witnesses are at?"

Seth was livid.  Mike was trying to keep his partner together, but even he was having issues with this turn of events.

"I'm sorry, we just don't know where they are", said the dispatcher over the radio.

Seth and Mike were still outside the lab at Crimson, Seth launching the CB back into the squad car.  He walked down the street away from the lab.  Mike was close behind.

"Where you goin, man?", Mike asked.

"I need to blow off some steam", Seth replied.

"This I can see."

"I don't understand it, Mike.  How do five people and a corpse, in custody, just DISAPPEAR?"

"Maybe we should ask a magician?  Copperfield comes to mind."

"Can you just take this seriously for five minutes, Mike?"

"Whoa, Seth," he motions for Seth to stop, which Seth abliges.  "I am taking this serious.  I'm just not going off half cocked about this."

"And why not?  Our case is missing!"

"There has to be a reasonable explanation that makes since here.  Now have you tried raising the car they were in?"

"Dispatch couldn't get them, said all they received was static."

"Tried the phone?"

"No signal."

"Who took them in?"

Seth stared at Mike on that one.

"I can't recall," Seth replied.

"Have you checked any squad car cameras yet?"

Seth pointed at Mike and the two men headed back to the bevy of police automobiles that littered the street.  They found one with a clear view of the location of the lab, where the car that picked up the witnesses would have been located.

Seth opened the door and sat in the driver's seat, pulling up the video files of the camera on the in-car computer console.  He found the most recent files and click the link to open them.  Video began to play, showing the front of the lab with a black and white, unmarked police van present.  Seth fast forwarded to a point where the witnesses were being brought out.  He could see them all clearly entering the van.

"Can you read the license plate?", asked Mike.

"Hardly, we're going to need to enhance it," replied Seth.

"Well, that's a start."

Back at the department the video was being enhanced by the forensics videographer.  He was able to zoom in on the license plate of the van to get a clearer picture of the plate itself, and its lettering.  Finally, they had a break.

"That's T-C-L...", said the videographer.

"Yes...," continued Seth, impatiently.

"...5-4-6.  TCL-546.  South Augustina plates."

Seth began moving away, jotting down the plate number.  Mike thanked the videographer and apologized for his impatient partner.

"Run this plate, get me any and all matches," said Seth, handing his pad to Mike.

"Aye, capt'n!", said Mike, giving Seth a mocking salute.

"You're not funny, Mike."

"I'm hysterical, and you know it!"

Seth actually produced a smile, despite his obsessive compulsive demeanor at the moment.

"Gentlemen!"

A man stopped Seth and Mike in their tracks.  Both me took notice of the bald-headed man now standing before them smiling.  The man had a grin from ear to ear, with no teeth showing.  He bore a striking resemblance to Pat from The Fleece that was currently with Jay and the others.

"My name is Agent Paul, FBI."

"Agent Paul?", asked Seth, staring at the man.

"Yes, I believe you have something I need."

"Oh really?"

"Yes.  I need to confiscate your pad and any tapes you have of the scene at Crimson from earlier this morning, along with any other recording equipment that was used.  This investigation has now fallen under federal jurisdiction, and your captain has assured me your full cooperation."

Agent Paul continued to smile at the two men.

Neither Seth or Mike could speak at the moment.  They were a little in shock.

Agent Paul continued to smile.

"You smile a lot," said Mike.

"I hear it's my defining characteristic," replied Agent Paul.

"Yeah, why don't we go talk to our captain, right now," said Seth, motioning towards the captain's office.

Seth didn't hesitate, he made a b-line for the office, highly perturbed.  Seth and Mike walked in, with Agent Paul close behind.  The captain looked up from his paper work and stared at the three men.

"Come in," said the captain, sarcastically.

"What's going on here, captain?", asked Seth.

"Isn't it obvious?  Agent Paul is taking over the investigation.  A few hours ago the feds came in and reported that this activity this morning was consistent with a string of suspicisious incidents they have been observing for months."

"Did they take our eye-witnesses?"

"Your witnesses whereabouts are still...," started Agent Paul.

"I am addressing my captain, thank you," interrupted Seth.

Agent Paul stopped speaking and smiled at Seth.

"Don't start with me this morning, Jennings.  I'm in no mood.  You hand over whatever Agent Paul wants, without hesitation.  Is that clear?", said the captain.

Seth looked at Agent Paul, who was still smiling.  Perhaps more of a smirk now.  That did no amuse Seth.

Seth looked back at his captain, "Crystal."

Seth slapped his pad in Agent Paul's chest.  Paul caught it before it hit the floor.  Seth and Mike then exited the office.  After Seth and Mike left, Agent Paul expressed his gratitude.  The captain responded with his usual banter of policy and regulations.

Agent Paul agreed with him and made his way out the door.

As Agent Paul went over to the main desk of the station to acquire the necessary information he asked for, Seth and Mike could only watch.

"That's amazing.  Feds just come on in and take our case right out from under us," said Mike.

"Now you're fired up?", said Seth.

"Well, that pisses me off, man.  I was looking forward to finding that van."

"We will."

Mike looked back around at his partner, a smile beginning to form on his face.

"That's what I love about you, man.  Never give up, never say die."

"Never say never either."

"Well, what we waiting for?"

"After he leaves, we'll pull up the back-up files of the scene and still run the plate.  We'll start our own investigation, with or without the captain's approval."

"That will piss him off.  I'm in."

Seth smiled at Mike.

Agent Paul turned to exit the building.  Mike darted towards the door to get a look at the car Agent Paul was in.  Seth urged him not to, but Mike did it anyway.  The only bizarre thing, no car other than those that should be present was out there.  There had not been enough time for Agent Paul to climb into a car, start it, pull off and out into traffic before Mike reached the front door.  It was as if Agent Paul had simply disappeared into thin air, without a trace.  Mike looked around the parking lot, but unless Agent Paul did 100 and squealed the tires the whole way out of the lot, there was no way he could have left in that amount of time.  Mike, disgusted, proceeded back inside.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Story # 2.2 The Fleece

"Where are we?", Jay asked, as he stepped through the doorway, into the larger building beyond.

Outside what Jay thought was the interrogation room, was a massive complex.  The roof was some three hundred feet above him, and a series of cat walk structures littered the compound, taking a person to parts unknown within.  The building resembled one of the newer dome stadiums some major cities now sported for their athletic teams.  But this was something much more than an ordinary dome.

Jay, still enthralled with what he was seeing, turned back to Pat, who was smiling at him.

"What did you call this place again?"

"The Fleece", Pat said.

"Is that some sort of codename, or something?", asked Dr. Blake, who had finally decided to speak.

"No, no codenames.  No deception here.  What you see is what you get", replied Pat.

"So how did we get here?", asked Linda.

"What do you remember about coming here, Mrs. Trent", asked Pat.

"I remember being put in a squad car...", she paused for a moment.  "...and that's it."

"That's all I remember too", added Dana.

"Same here", said Larry.

"Did you drug us?  Some sort of sleep inducing agent?", asked Dr. Blake.

"Do you remember going to sleep?", asked Pat.

They all thought for a moment, but none could recall actually losing consciousness.  It was just as if their minds had all drawn a blank on the whole trip.

"I don't remember anything after getting into the car", said Jay.

"It's called Pense", Pat stated, matter of factly.

"Pense?", replied Dr. Blake.

"Yes, an amnesia drug administered topically.  More powerful than conscious sedation could ever be.  Only instead of sedating...", Pat was interrupted by Dana.

"It immobilizes the subject.  They can still move freely, but have no recollection of the events occurring around them", Dana finished.

"You've done your homework", Pat smiled at her.

"Wait, wait, wait?  So you drug us and brought us to this feast?", said Larry.

"Fleece, THE Fleece", replied Pat.

"Call it what you want, but that's kidnapping, pal."

Everyone else agreed with Larry, but Jay stood silent, staring at the floor below in deep thought.

"Would you rather have us leave you in the custody of the police that, at this very minute, are trying to compile a fraud case against you all?", said Pat.

Everyone got quiet with that remark.

"They think you're all in on some scheme to acquire further funding for Dr. Blake's research, and that this 'deadman walking' fiasco was just a hoax, for publicities sake."

"It was no hoax", replied Jay, looking dead at Pat now.

Pat looked over at him and smiled, "We know that, Jay.  That's why you're here."

"How do you know?"

"Because we've been keeping an eye on you and this whole situation you have succumbed to.  We were quite curious to see what the scans may reveal, and got much more than we bargained for.  Your condition, shall we say, is...unique."

"What do you mean by 'unique'?", asked Jay, moving towards Pat.

"And who's 'we'?", asked Larry.

"Gentlemen, if it's answers you seek, they are right outside this room.  We're not hiding anything from you.  So please, shall we?"

Pat motioned for the others to leave the room and joy himself and Jay in the rest of the complex.  Pat seemed more than willing to provide comfort and answers, something that made them all a little on edge.  But they were willing to tempt fate, and take Pat at his word.

"Jay, if you would please proceed down the cat walk, I'll tell you which way to go as we move along", said Pat.

Jay hesitated only for a minute, then turned and proceeded in the direction Pat suggested.  They all began moving that way.

"The Fleece...", Pat began an almost tour-like narration, "...is a research facility, in the purest form.  There is no military backing, or government involvement.  No fabled hypocrisy to conceal an absolute truth.  All we are interested in is truth and how to understand it, nothing more.  The Fleece is a consortium of international servitude to the grandest truth of all, human existence and unknown possibilities that lie at the very heart of that existence.  The facility is run by physcists, theologians, scientists, doctors, right down to everyday people like yourself.  Truly a land of the free in the most genuine sense.  Because all of the people running this facility have the common goal seeking truth, they came up with a name for themselves, known only as Jason, spelled with a G."

"Wouldn't that be Gayson?", asked Larry, as they pressed on.

"Turn left, Jay.  No Larry, it's Jason, but the G is symbolic.  It stands for a profound wisdom beyond our reach, that we can only hope to obtain", said Pat.

"You mean like God?", asked Linda.

"Perhaps, Mrs. Trent.  Of course they try to refer to that using something less...stereotypical", said Pat.

"Don't tell me, 'The Force'?", said Larry, turning to face Pat.

Pat just smiled at Larry again, "No, too many fair use issues there.  Jay, go left and down the stairs now."

They all followed Jay through the endless maze of corridors it seemed.

"No, we believe in a higher influence, if you will, that can set everyone and everything on whatever path is intended.  Because of interconnectedness, or the 'Laws of Attraction', everything requires all things to journey down the chosen path.  It's inevitable and irreversible.

"But lately, we've been seeing something...different."

Jay stopped and turned to look in Pat's direction, who was at the end of the group.  Some of the others walked into one another because of Jay's sudden stop.

"I'm not much for interconnectedness when I crash into things", said Larry.

"What's different, Pat?", asked Jay.

Pat moved towards the front of the line, right in front of Jay as they all stood in the corridor.

"Well, put simply, Jay, you happened."

"Me?"

"Yes, you, Jay.  You see, for some time we have been studying others with the same issues you have been experiencing.  That's why we've been monitoring you, to choose a certain point when to bring you in."

"Bring me in for what?"

"You're not alone, Jay, the others like you are here as well, experiencing similar issues to the 'dreams' you have been having."

"Like my dreams?  Like I'm in some other place?"

"Yes.  Except, as you and your friends, colleagues, and family have discovered now, these 'dreams' aren't dreams at all.  They are real places, just as real as the reality you currently perceive."

"Wait, reality?  Like alternate reality?", asked Dr. Blake.

"In a manner of speaking, yes, Dr. Blake.  But it exist only inches away from us.  Again, it's that interconnectedness that binds, Jay.  This is not some far off universe in a deep, distant cosmos that might take thousands, even millions or billions of years to reach.  They are all right here, as one.  You, Jay, along with these others have found a way to tap into those realities, but you have done something even more profound."

"What's that?", asked Jay.

"You brought something back with you."

"How did I do that?"

"That's the real question here, Jay, and the only one I can't give you an answer to.  We're hoping you can help us figure that part out."

Jay was beside himself, trying to take in what Pat just said.  Pat could see the wheels turning in Jay's mind.  The rest were quiet, unsure what to say or do.  Then Linda spoke up.

"Wait, before we go any further, what are we talking about here?  Dead things that live?  Other worlds?  What about our lives?  What about our...", Linda put her hand to her mouth, completely having forgotten one important thing, "Our children!  We have to get back to our children!"

"Mrs. Trent, I assure you, your children are fine", Pat said, looking at her smiling.

Linda just stared at him, tears having welled up in her eyes.

"In fact", said Pat, turning to look back at Jay, "They are right through this door."

Jay turned to his right to see a door with a handle barely visible.  In the lighting of the hall, he had missed it.

"All you need do is open it, Jay.  Then you'll receive even more answers."

Jay looked at Pat for a few moments.  Pat continued to grin at him.  Jay saw no maliciousness on this man's face.  He seemed genuine to him, as genuine as the words he had spoken so far.  Jay immediately reached for the door, pulled the handle, and opened it up.

When the door opened Jay walked inside the room, his mouth now agape.  What he was seeing was beyond his imagining.  As he walked in all he could utter was, "Oh my God."