"Dr. Trent, we weren't expecting..." started Dr. Kelley.
Dr. Blake, Dana, Larry, and other members of the Fleece staff were present. The elite security forces were also present. Linda had stepped out to tend to the kids. Mike and Seth were still holding Pat in the interrogation room.
"Where are we?" Jay interrupted.
"I beg your pardon?" Dr. Kelley asked.
"Where is the Fleece?"
"I'm not sure that is relevant..."
Jay moved closer to Kelley, being more insistent, "Where is the Fleece located?"
"Dude, is everything ok?" Larry asked.
"Why do you want to know the location of the Fleece?" asked Dr. Kelley.
"Because we've never been told," Jay replied.
"He's right, we've never been told exactly where we are in this place," added Dr. Blake.
"I'd like to know, too," Dana replied.
Dr. Kelley looked at them all before speaking, "Very well."
Dr. Kelley turned to face the main view screen, "Computer, pull up the mapped location of the Fleece."
The computer displays a topographical map of the region where the Fleece currently resides, with a marker indicating the exact position. As the map was completed, the computer spoke.
"The Fleece is currently located at 27.9881° N latitude, 86.9250° E longitude, in the Mahalangur region of the Hamelah Mountains."
"What? The Hamelah Mountains? In Hindia?" Larry spoke up.
"We're located at Mount Sagarmatha? The largest mountain in the world." Dr. Blake said.
Dr. Kelley stared at the screen, then said, "Yes."
"We're on the other side of the planet, and you're just now telling us this?" Larry was fuming.
"It wasn't necessary to tell you until now."
"There's more to it than that, isn't there, Dr. Kelley," Jay asked.
"There always is. What do you want to know, Dr. Trent?"
"I know this place has been here for a long time."
"Yes, that it has."
"How long?" Larry asked.
"It's been here through all the loops, all the way back to the Atlanteans, right?" Jay addressed Dr. Kelley.
"Atlanteans? What?" Larry said.
"Just listen for now, Larry," Jay said, looking at him.
Larry raised his hands and moved to another part of the room. Linda walked back into the control room at that moment.
"Yes, Dr. Trent, the Fleece has existed for millions of years, residing in this location deep under the mountain, which has had many names at this point in history. Mount Everest. Mount Bengal. Mount Mahal. Depending on which loop you want to address it by."
"We'll go with this loop for now. What is the true purpose of the Fleece?"
"The Fleece serves as a research facility to preserve the history and future of humanity. Being buried deep underground allows us to use geothermal power to maintain operations outside the superstructure underneath that go undetected by anyone attempting to climb the summit."
"So, no one else knows we are here. No one else on the planet."
"Correct, and we will keep it that way for as long as possible."
"Why?"
"Because no one outside here would understand this place or why it is needed."
"How do you know? Have you ever even tried?"
"Someone has tried before, and it caused one of the loops to cease."
Jay thought for a minute, "Which loop, there's been fifty."
"Fifty?" asked Dr. Kelley.
"Yes, do you not know that?"
"There's only been ten, Dr. Trent."
"Ten. That's not what Pat said."
"And do you really believe Pat?"
Dr. Kelley looked at Jay and stared at him.
Jay knew Dr. Kelley had a point there.
"He's told us all of this, Jay," Linda spoke up and approached both men. "There's been ten loops throughout history that led to where we are today. But like Jay asked, which loop was ended by learning of the Fleece."
"My loop," a young voice from behind them echoed in the room. In walked Rob to the control room. "My loop was the one that ended because of people learning about the Fleece."
"Yes, that is correct," replied Dr. Kelley.
"His loop, the Anderson loop. Why?"
"Because of Rob, Dr. Trent. He escaped from the Fleece and began informing people about the nature of this facility. Because of that, the SARS-CoV-3 virus was released."
Jay had to take that in for a moment.
"So, this place deliberately destroyed an entire civilization?" Larry asked.
"Yes, it was unfortunate, but it was done."
Jay walked around and then looked back at Dr. Kelley, "By who?"
"My dad," Rob spoke up.
Everyone in the room looked at Rob except Linda and Dr. Kelley.
"Your dad? Who is your dad?" Dr. Blake asked.
"Who do you think. Dr. Blake?" replied Dr. Kelley.
"Pat? Are you kidding me? This is some Star Battle BS," Larry said.
"Why would Pat want to destroy that world to continue hiding the Fleece?" Jay asked of Dr. Kelley.
Dr. Kelley finally looked at Jay. Jay could tell the answer from the look on Dr. Kelley's face. He said what the man was thinking.
"You don't know, do you?" Jay asked.
Dr. Kelley gave no response.
Jay looked over at Rob, "Do you know?"
Rob looked at Jay, "I always thought it was to get rid of me. But I don't know anything beyond that."
"Well, I think I have some idea."
Jay walked over toward the computer.
"Dr. Kelley, you said there have been ten loops. You're sure about that?"
Dr. Kelley had the computer bring up the timeline he had shown to the others when Jay was with Rapha.
"These are the loops we have factual proof of, some of which are in the Artifact Room and some in documents. As I said, we have no evidence of anything beyond the ten loops, and much of our ancient relics are from the Anderson loop."
"Right. But I think Rapha is trying to get us to piece a puzzle together. You are saying the Fleece has always been under this mountain?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"But when Rapha showed me the Atlantean civilization, the images I saw flashing before me put the Fleece somewhere else. It was part of a massive city in the Saharan Savannah."
"The Saharan Savannah? How?"
"I don't know, I just know it was there and even above ground then. It was just part of that world."
"You're suggesting the Fleece can move?"
"Yes. I think the orb allows for it. I believe the orb channels a pathway through space and time. You saw what happened with Linda and Rob. They came through time to the present day from the Anderson loop. There was a connection to those other worlds allowing something to go there and for it to come here too."
"Fascinating, Dr. Trent. We've never considered that possibility about the orb before. That it can act as a conduit to another world. If what you're saying is true, then it might be possible for us to go to these other loops."
"Exactly!"
"The purpose being?" Dr. Blake asked.
"The purpose is to discover what is causing these civilization extinctions," Jay replied.
"So, if the orb can do that, how do we get there?" Dana asked.
"We would have to have some way to harness a loop to go there. A catalyst," Jay said, leaning against the consoles.
"What would be the catalyst, Jay?" Larry asked.
Linda looked over at Jay. She didn't like the thought going through her mind at that moment. But finally, Jay confirmed her fears.
"I believe it's me. I'm the catalyst."
After Jay said this, all eyes were on him as they pondered the greatest mystery. For many millennia, something was wreaking havoc on humanity, and for the first time, these people might be able to find out how and why. Would this be the team that can stop the civilization loops from happening?
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