Jay woke up to darkness with only a shimmer of light. He looked around the darkened room as he began removing the electrodes and devices from his body. The light shining in was coming around the edge of a circular object. The stone that Dr. Kelly had pushed in front of the passageway. This light allowed Jay to approach the stone and feel it. He began pushing with all his might, realizing how heavy the stone was, and finally began to dislodge it sideways. A crack wide enough for Jay to fit through was finally revealed, and Jay emerged from the tomb.
Upon exiting, Jay was near where the firefight ensued, as the elite guards desperately tried to stop Rob. But their efforts were to no avail. One by one, Rob destroyed each guard. Some Rob ripped to pieces. Another Rob forced the guard to turn his own weapon against him. Rob was relentless, and Jay used that distraction of Rob to run away to another part of the Artifact Room.
Jay had no idea where anyone else was located, trying to scan the area as he ran by. After seeing what he had seen, he started assuming the worst about his family. It was clear that the young boy, Rob, had turned on everyone. Jay expressed concerns about Rob to Linda before he started this journey, but largely, there were no concerns with the boy since then. That was a smoke screen by Rob and Pat. Despite them knowing Rob was Pat's son, Rob was meant to earn all their trust. But knowing what Jay knew now, he knew Rob and Pat were entirely different.
Jay found his way over to the control console, just missing Pat walking by. Jay ran beyond the area of the console and toward the spot where the two guards had died due to the handbag and Rob. Jay saw the blood splattered. He saw the carnage that had unfolded. For a moment, he wanted to break down, believing totally that his family had been killed. But then he remembered something Rapha had said a while ago. Do not be deceived kept echoing through his mind. He was holding out hope that Linda and their children had, in fact, survived. The only question was, would he?
Jay knew now was the time to act. He would get Pat's attention and find a way to stop him. How was truly the question. Jay began thinking thoughts he believed Pat could hear. Jay closed his eyes and focused hard, and finally, Pat recognized his presence. With that, Jay ducked down behind the same carousel Linda had and waited for Pat to come.
Pat was coming, and as he approached, he began to talk to Jay out loud.
"Welcome back, Jay," Pat said with his customary smile.
"How was your trip?"
Jay did not respond because he knew Pat was being sarcastic.
"It's been a little busy here. I'm sure you picked up on that. Why don't you come out and we'll talk about things for a bit?"
Jay still did not respond. He simply looked down the path.
"So, you're not going to respond, huh, Jay? That's so juvenile, don't you think? We're grown adults here and have a lot to discuss."
Pat scanned the area, looking out across the room to see if he could locate Jay, his being, presence, anything. Jay had closed his mind for the time being, suppressing thoughts so Pat couldn't find him.
"You know, Jay, I've been here for a very long time, and I'm sure Rapha has shared that with you now," Pat said as he proceeded toward the carousel.
"What did he call me, to you? An angel, maybe? The beast, perhaps? Rapha has already been unoriginal. He's worse than a Hollywood producer, to be honest. In fact, Jay, Rapha has been so unoriginal throughout all the years I have been here; he just keeps playing the same story repeatedly with your species. With every reset, every incarnation, every twist and turn, the same result is always true."
Pat stopped progressing down the path momentarily.
"Hope," Pat continued. "Hope for every human that has ever existed, since the dawn of time. It's really sad to watch sometimes, Jay. I might add that Rapha holds hope in all of you, to a fault. He genuinely believes humanity is worthwhile and deserves a place in this world. In this universe. And for a time, I listened to him. That is, until I realized how selfish humans really are. For every good and beautiful thing you do, you produce wretched and vile things from it. You cheat each other. You bend the rules. You break the laws. Manipulate and steal. Wreak havoc just because sometimes. It's a vicious cycle, Jay. It's been going on for a very long time and has shown no ability to change. That's why every civilization on this planet, inspired by all of you, humanity, has ended. Every one of them.
"Not one has survived. They've all ended in brutal, terrifying ways, simply because of humanity's selfishness. Even the Atlanteans. They disappeared without a trace, Jay. One day here, the next day gone. It was just like that," Pat snapped his fingers.
"They truly believed their world was incorruptible. That selfishness did not abide. But I showed them what they really are, and Rapha ignored it. Complacency, Jay. The Atlanteans believed they were the best. Perfect in every way. But they had one flaw. Naivete. They trusted everything implicitly, including me. I was put there to safeguard things. I ensured that everything continued moving smoothly, for a society that went on its merry way, doing whatever suited them. Entrusted to run it all, so much so they wanted happiness for me too in the form of a 'family' of sorts. Rob is born out of me, but not in a human way. Britton is born out of me, too."
That statement stirred emotion in Jay, as so much had happened to him because of her.
"That hit a soft spot," Pat said, smiling and moving down the path again, toward the carousel. "Yes, Britton is of me, too, and has been watching you for some time. I once said Jay, you're the one who will set this whole thing free. And you have!
"Because of you, we're all free now. Rob, Britton, and I are together for the first time in millennia, refuting Rapha's efforts to stop that reunion. And we have you to thank for it, Jay. Without you, nothing would be possible. So, I thank you for giving me my 'family' back, I suppose. It seems the least I could do is leave yours be, but unfortunately, we've just run out of hope."
Jay began moving away from the carousel toward another section that aligned him with Pat. Pat continued moving down the path, and now he was away from Jay. But when Jay looked out to see Pat, he saw Britton, in a flowing white gown, looking back at him. Jay immediately lunged away, causing a sound that grabbed Pat's attention. Jay scurried away like a rat evading a predator. Pat smiled again after realizing where Jay had been and proceeded down the path in the direction he had come from.
"Did you see something that startled you, Jay?" Pat asked, then chuckled.
Jay was now ducking behind more artifacts, hoping not to be seen again by Pat. One thing Jay wasn't thinking about, though, Rob was somewhere in the vicinity. It was only a matter of time before one of them found him.
"As I was saying, Jay, there's no more hope for you, or any other human on this planet. It's a done deal, Jay. It took some time, millions of years, but now time is of the essence for your species. I understand Rapha probably told you what the Fleece truly is, too. The Fleece is my ship, capable of some very profound things. You see, Jay, after I finish with you, I will vacate this location with the Fleece and start the final event. You might call it a revelation of sorts. There will be a grand reveal, that much is certain. When it's done, the entire surface of this planet will be reshaped to accommodate its true purpose. To serve me! To serve Rob! To serve Britton! Just us and whatever creatures we deposit on it. Because after this event, there will be no humans again, anywhere in this universe! This is truly the end for you. For humankind. Because frankly, you're kind of a letdown, my friend."
"I'M NOT YOUR FRIEND!" Jay screamed, letting Rob and Pat know where he was in the room.
They converged quickly on Jay's position, as Jay had located an object he had read about from the manifest of the Fleece. It was a particle beam weapon that was still fully functional, long before Jay's world existed. Jay had been working on operating the device and had it ready to fire. As Rob and Pat appeared on Jay's location, Jay readied himself to attack. Rob was the first one to appear in Jay's sight. Jay took aim and fired. When he did, the beam hit Rob in the chest and burst his chest, upper torso, and head wide open. Rob's body collapsed to the ground in pieces, but without any blood. The reason is that Rob did not have blood, after all. Pat came up from the other side, behind Jay, and saw Rob's remains. Pat then focused on Jay, as Jay wielded around and fired again. This time, Jay hit Pat in the lower part of his torso, down through his legs, exploding them into pieces.
Pat collapsed to the ground, as Jay stood there in awe at what he had done with the weapon. As the top half of Pat lay motionless for a moment, Jay moved toward him. Then Pat began moving his arms. When Jay saw this, he started to fire the weapon again, this time at Pat's head, but the weapon would not fire. Jay tried futilely to fire again at Pat, but the weapon was useless now. Pat began to laugh as he looked up at Jay, smiling.
"Nice shot, Jay, but you're only prolonging the inevitable. Then Jay saw something he did not understand. The pieces of Pat's body that had been blown away took on a more liquid state and began moving around. As the pieces grew more liquid-like, they moved towards Pat. It was as if ants were carrying the pieces back to Pat. Jay then heard a rustling sound behind him, and he was still stunned by the action he was seeing. He turned to look back to see the destroyed body of Rob moving toward him, and then coming along beside him. He then heard Pat laughing some more.
"You know, Jay, now might be a good time to run."
Jay didn't hesitate. He dropped the weapon and began running away from Pat. Pat continued talking as his body and Rob's merged.
"You really had no idea what you were up against, did you, Jay. Rapha let me down on that part, I suppose. But I'm sure he told you I'm a creature of unspeakable power and ability. It's amazing what creatures like Rob, Britton, and I can become. For instance, I don't just identify as a dragon; I can become one here and now."
As Pat's body merged with Rob's, his shape began to morph into a larger creature. As Pat had said, he could become a dragon if desired. In this case, Pat was becoming a large Tyrannosaurus Rex, and only this one could breathe fire, with large horns coming out of its cranium and cold, fire-red eyes. The creature let out a tremendous roar, echoing across the Artifact Room as it charged after Jay, who was now running for his life.
Jay did not know where to go. There was no escaping this, as Rapha had warned. Jay was alone with this situation and could only hope for the best. Jay ran into the section of The Beast, where Linda, the children, and Dana hid in the tank. They had heard the dragon's roar, prompting both children to cover their ears as they trembled in fear. Caring for Dana and her wound, Linda raised up to open the tank hatch and see what was happening. When Linda stood up out of the tank, she saw Jay running down the path toward her. She yelled for him to get his attention. Jay stopped and looked up toward her. He was so happy to see her because he knew she and the kids were alive and safe. The moment was short-lived, though, as Pat, as the dragon, busted through other tanks and artillery in The Beast, causing some to explode. The shockwave from he explosion shifted the tank Linda was in, causing her to fall back into the tank, hitting the back of her head. She was rendered unconscious, as Dana leaned in to check on her. Fortunately, Linda still had a pulse, as Dana checked on her and then began to see if she could arouse her.
The explosion also knocked Jay to the ground, as smoke and ash blanketed the area, making visibility near zero. Jay stood back up, trying to catch his breath after the wind knocked him out. Once he could breathe again, he began coughing. All of this noise gave away exactly where he was to Pat. Just then, a large reptilian arm grabbed Jay around the torso and hoisted him upward. Jay was face-to-face with the dragon, its snout only inches away from Jay's face. He could smell the creature's breath, which was repulsive. There was nothing Jay could do; he was caught and at the mercy of this creature. At this moment, Jay wished he were dreaming like his encounters before. Unfortunately, Jay was not sleeping or dreaming this time.
"I've enjoyed the fun, Jay," as Pat's voice reverberated from the creature's mouth.
"But I'm afraid that all good things must come to an end."
Dana stood up out of the top of the tank hatch. She could see through the now dissipated ash and smoke that Jay was in the hands of a large creature, staring back at him. Her eyes got wide as she watched the creature open its mouth.
Jay watched as a dull light formed at the back of the creature's throat and then became intensely bright and hot. The light from it was blinding. The heat began to scorch Jay's hair and turn his skin red. Then, as the intensity grew, a large flame shot out of the creature's mouth. The plume of fire engulfed Jay's upper torso, above the creature's hand. Jay's head, shoulders, and chest were burning, and slowly his flesh began to melt. His hair singed off, his eyes dissolved, his tongue exploded, and Jay's heart and lungs finally failed. The damage to the upper half of Jay's body was mortal. Finally, the creature stopped the onslaught and dropped Jay's now deceased body to the ground.
Lying there, the top half of Jay's body was burned to a crisp. Jay was gone, and Dana saw the whole thing. She covered her mouth to keep from screaming, collapsing back into the tank. Her eyes filled with tears over what she had just seen. Linda began to arouse at this point, but was still obtunded from what had happened. Dana tried to hold back tears and tend to her and the scared children.
Outside the tank, Pat was happy with the final product before him. The creature began walking away from Jay's body. As it did so, power began to swell in the orb at the center of the Artifact Room. The objects began to pulsate wildly, including the new items from Jay's travels through time. The creature approached the orb and placed one of its scaly, reptilian hands on it. Pat looked up at the orb and said, "It's time to go."
With that statement, the orb began to spin vigorously, with all the objects in the Artifact Room lighting up. All but one, to be exact. The tank, Dana, Linda, and the children were in. Dana and the kids could feel the vibrations all around them. They huddled together, Dana trying to protect them from whatever would happen next. Suddenly, the vibration stopped, and no more light came from outside the tank. Pure darkness was all around. Suddenly, Dana felt a bitter cold coming in through the hatch. She stood up to see what was going on. When she did, she found herself inside the crater left by the Fleece within the mountain. The tank, which had been in the Fleece, was now sitting on the ground where the Fleece once stood. The Fleece's departure created a chasm where it once resided in the mountain, bursting out of the side. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the mountain collapsed in weakened areas surrounding the Fleece. Dana did the only thing she knew to do at that moment. She closed the hatch so whatever warmth was still in the tank would remain, and then pulled a device from her pocket. Dr. Kelly had given these to each person after he arrived. It was a homing beacon alerting the GASON group to any concerns. After pressing the button, however, the mountain began to collapse.
As the rocks fell, the tank took a beating, pummelled by the mountain's collapse. Dana, Linda, and the kids were entombed within the collapsed mountain. The only question now was whether the GASON group could reach them before it was too late.
***********************************************************************************
"Wake up."
A voice was communicating to someone who was barely awake.
"Wake up, Jay."
A light began to fill Jay's vision, and he could see shapes and hear sounds. As more came into focus, a person stood over Jay looking down at him.
"Hello Jay, welcome."
Jay continued to lie there as he became fully aware of what was happening. He then remembered the last thing he had seen was the creature breathing fire before him.
"Did I make it?" Jay asked.
The person standing over Jay spoke, "No, Jay, you did not."
Jay was confused now. "Then where am I?"
The person standing over Jay came more into focus. The person was a man, human, just like Jay. He had long, flowing brown hair, a dark complexion, large brown eyes, and a soft look on his face.
"You're with us now, Jay."
Jay didn't know what the person meant. Am I dreaming?
"No, you're not dreaming, Jay," the man responded.
"Who are you then?"
"I'm Rapha, and you're with us in Atlantis."
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