Story # 2.5 How do we go on?

Jay sat, his knees close to his chest and arms draped over them.  He had been in that position for hours now.  He couldn't talk, wouldn't eat, and presumably shouldn't sleep.

All eyes were passively on Jay, as each tried to muttle about while their friend, their colleague, their love sat in solemness by himself.

The kids had long since gone to sleep.  Dana had even crashed on a cot nearby, as had Dr. Blake.  Larry and Linda sat at the table, each taking glances at Jay in the hopes he would begin to show signs of living.

This revelation was almost too much to bear for Jay.  He had contemplated suicide in the moments since, but knew his friends would never allow it.  Nor would Pat or anyone else he assumed at The Fleece.  He was important Pat had told him.  But, Pat had also told him he was a murderer.  How important could a murderer actually be?

Jay took a deep, long sigh, which prompted both Larry and Linda to look up at him from the table.  They were hoping he was finally coming around.  With something like this slapping you in the face, the usually crass Larry had little to say.  No quip could undermind this issue.  Linda was speechless.

How could I have killed her?, Jay thought.

This has to be a dream?  All of this has to be one big, awful dream.  Please God, let it be a dream!  I just can't take this.  I can't take knowing this could be true, is true.  Please God, don't let this be true!

Jay brought his knees up closer to him, and embrace them with his arms tightly.  He was curling himself up into the fetal position as he sat there against the wall.  This brought tears to Linda's eyes, as she looked back down at the table.  She closed her eyes, allowing the drops to hit the reflective surface beneath.  She knew she had been afraid of her husband now for some time, but never really believed he could kill someone.  At least, not her husband.  She believed it had to be his alter ego instead.  But that still doesn't explain how or when Jay, in either form, was in the room with Britton.

"How do I go on", muttered Jay.

Linda and Larry looked at him again.  Their eyes brightened a little, at the thought that Jay might be coming around.

"What did you say, honey?", asked Linda.

Jay looked up from his knees, directly at Linda, "How do I go on from here?"

Linda's jaw began to quiver as she saw the pure sadness on her husband's face.  Tears streamed down her face, as she was unable to answer.

Larry looked down and mumbled, "You get back up."

Linda looked across the table at Larry.  Jay continued to look at Linda.

Larry looked over at his friend, "You just stand up, accept it, and move on."

Linda spoke up, "That's easy to say when you're not the one that was just told..."

"Oh come on, told what?!"

Larry stared at Linda, stopping her midstream.

He looked down at Jay, who was now paying attention to him.

"What have you been told, Jay?  And what proof do you have of that?"

"I had a dream...", Jay replied.

"That's right, a dream", Larry said.  "Just a dream.  People everywhere have dreams like that, and they aren't murderers, nor do they consider themselves such.  Most of them wake up from a dream like that relieved it was in fact a dream.  But it isn't who they are, Jay!"

"This is who I am, Larry."

"Based on what?  What one man says that you hardly know?  That kidnaps you and drags you and everyone you've ever cared about to some blanket plant for all you know, telling you wild stories?  I personally think the meds have messed you up."

"You saw what happened in that room, Larry."

"I don't know what happened in that room, Jay!  No one does."

"How can you deny that?"

"Because there's one obvious possibility.  This is a dream."

"What?"

"You're still in that room, you're still under sedation.  We've never left and none of this is real."

Jay stared at his friend for a while.

Linda stared at Larry too.

"Jay, I study these kind of things all the time.  I'm a psychologist for Pete's sakes.  This has to be a dream that you have manifested us all in.  It can't be real."

"It is real, Larry."

"If it's real, then test it!"

Jay looked at him again, after looking down at the floor.

"Test if it's real.  Do something to prove you're not sleeping."

"Like what?"

"I don't know?  Pinch yourself."

Jay continued to just stare at Larry.

"Pinch yourself really hard", Larry said.

"Would you please STOP!", demanded Linda.

"Well what else can he do?  It's better than him sitting there having a pity party for another four or five hours", replied Larry.

"Pity party?"

"Yes, I said pity party, Linda!  It's time for Larry to stand up and take this like a man.  If you did kill someone, it's happened, own up to it and move on.  Stop making the whole world stop just for you because you can't take knowing the truth about yourself."

"Stop it!"

"If you want to feel sorry for yourself, then do something about it instead of moping.  Stand up and throw yourself out a window!"

"STOP IT!"

"Throw yourself down the stairs!  Break every bone in your body!  Do something about yourself!  That's why you lost your job!  That's why you're losing your wife!  That's why you're losing your kids!"

"YOU'RE GOING TOO FAR, LARRY!"

Linda was about to come over the table at Larry now.

Jay just continued to listen, his breathing increasing with every word Larry said.

"Let's just own up to the truth here, shall we Jay?  You're a quiter, plain and simple.  You gave up on your family, on your job, on your life, and on ME!"

"FINE!!!!"

Jay jumped up to his feet staring at Larry.  Larry and Linda were now fixated on Jay.  Dana and Dr. Blake woke up due to the commotion.

"You want me to do something, I'll do it!", said Jay.

With that, Jay took a running start towards the table, jumping up on it.  He ran across the table, prompting everyone else in the room to jump to their feet.  Jay then dove head first at the window with his arms up to protect his head some.  He dove clean through the glass, shattering it into a million pieces on the floor outside the room.  Jay landed on the floor since the room outside and the room they were in were on the same level.  With blood streaming down from his forehead, Jay jumped back up to his feet and proceeded to run through the white room.  Larry, Linda, and the rest were following very quickly behind.

Some of the nurses and techs were trying to stop Jay, but their efforts were futile.  Jay had a full head of steam and was bent on proving his friend wrong.  He ran faster and faster towards the adjacent wall, as fast as his legs would take him.  Larry was close behind, but was having trouble catching Jay.

Finally, Jay reached the adjacent wall and dove head first again.  As he dove, Jay yelled, "WAKE UP!!!"

With that utterance, Jay crashed into the adjacent wall.  His now limp body fell to the ground in a thud, as he had knocked himself unconscious.  Everyone went down to the ground to check on Jay and make sure he hadn't just killed himself in the process, after slamming into the wall so bluntly.

Jay was still breathing, his heart was still beating.  He was for all intents and purposes asleep now.

Larry looked up from his friend to see Linda hovering over him.  A scowl was draped across her face.  If looks could kill, Larry would already be dead, twice over.  With this event, Larry had to concede a truth they had all just discovered.

"Ok, so maybe this wasn't a dream."

Just then, a hand reached up and grabbed Larry around the throat.  As Larry tried to turn to see who had just grabbed him, he came face to face with a now fully awake Jay, with bright green eyes.  It was Rob, and he wasn't happy.

"You ain't seen nuthin yet, honky!"

Rob then whipped Larry backwards toward the wall, slamming his head into it.  A splatter of blood shot out in all directions as Larry now laid their limp.  The blow had fractured Larry's skull at the base, and he had begun to bleed out.

Everyone backed away from Rob and the now limp body of Larry.  Rob stood up slowly and stared all of them down, a menacing grin coming across his face.  Pat entered the room in the distance, stone faced as ever.  Rob took notice of him, almost acting surprised to see him.

Finally, Pat spoke.

"Rob, it's good to see you again."

Everyone turned and looked at Pat.  He knows this lunatic by name? thought Linda.

"Likewise", replied Rob.

"It's been a very long time", Pat said, finishing with his patented smile.

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 dragged 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?"

"Undoubtedly."

"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 are billions of other possibilities we 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 lose 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 and 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.

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 men 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.

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 drugged 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 publicity's 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 join 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 catwalk, 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 had 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."

Story #2.1 What just happened?

"Would you run that by me again?"

Right outside the lab Dr. Blake, Larry, Linda, Dana, and Jay, presumably, had just had the experience of a lifetime, a police detective was attempting to understand the forensics specialist's assessment of the scene.  Frankly, if you explained it to him one hundred times he probably still could not have understood exactly what had taken place inside the lab.

"I have already explained this five times...", said the crime scene investigator.

"And I'm asking you...again.  I will continue to keep asking you until I get an answer that makes sense to me", replied the detective.

"Well, good luck with that, because if you can figure that out you're doing better than I am, man."

The crime scene investigator walked back to his van as the now exasperated detective turned to stare him down as his back was now to him.

The scowl on his face was more than enough for his partner to chuckle a bit.

"I don't see a damn thing funny going on here, Mike", said the detective.

Mike, his partner, replied, "It's funny every time you get mad, Seth.  You look like a troll hiding under a bridge when you make that face.  It's really not becoming."

Mike sipped his coffee.  He handed Seth his cup as well.  Both men took a sip as Mike attempted to recount the scene of the crime.

"So we have one dead body, that the coroner claims had been dead for about...how long was it, again?", said Mike.

Seth grinned as he stared down at his cup of coffee, "Six weeks, she says."

"Six weeks, but this whole thing only happened two hours ago inside this lab.  According to any witnesses that were in ear shot of the gun going off, no one knows where this 'dead' person came from, how they got in, or even how a gun got on the premises.  Even the eye-witnesses in the room that saw this 'professor' shoot the victim are completely unsure where the gun, or the 'dead' person, came from.  Even the 'professor' has no idea where the gun came from, that he himself used.  And to top it all off, the 'professor' has a personality disorder that led him here to this facility to have a scan to possibly explain his condition, and then this happens.  Make sense?"

"Yep!"

Mike laughed, "Yeah, I'm clueless too, if you listen to that crap and don't read between the lines."

"So you're thinking what I'm thinking then?"

Mike looked at Seth, "Enablers?  Covering for the 'professor' and his condition?"

"Could be, but that still doesn't explain the coroner's initial assessment of the body.  She said it literally had decaying flesh on it's person.  Decomposition that looked like a period of six to seven weeks, as if the body were already dead when the 'professor' shot it.  Now, how the hell do you pull that one off?"

"She is going to do an autopsy, right?"

"Of course, but there's not much to look at and it's pretty cut and dry what killed this thing in the room.  No one is questioning that or denying it.  Only thing I can assume is we're dealing with a potential fraud case here."

"Fraud?"

"Think about it.  The doctor over this facility might be losing money, maybe losing grants for his research.  So, if you can't convince people to send you the money the right way..."

"You create a situation."

"A publicity stunt."

"Something to maybe cash in on the insurance claim for damages?"

"Exactly!"

"And with a stunt like that, you could have a corpse, and a gun handy with a group..."

"Looking for their cut."

"I'm with ya, Seth.  Then use a crazy person who may not know any better, keep them off  their meds for a few days, they'll believe anything you put into their brain if it will make them think for even one moment they aren't crazy..."

"Then go out there telling the right people what happened as well..."

"Maybe get an endorsement from those producers just up the highway filming that television show as well..."

"Hey, easy money!  Then vuala, you're back in business.  That's how you commit fraud."

"Detective Jennings!"

Seth turned his head in the direction of the person yelling  his professional name.

A young woman was running towards him, continuing to yell for him and his partner Mike.

"Detective...", the woman said with gasping breaths, stopping in front of him.

"Slow down now, what's going on, Lucy?"

"The body is gone!", Lucy replied, righting herself.

"What body, the dead one?"

Lucy nodded, "And the gun."

Seth and Mike looked at each other, then darted over towards the coroner's van.  Lucy, the coroner, was fast on their trail and thoroughly winded from  her initial running, yelling trip.

When Seth and Mike arrived at the open rear of the van, the body was indeed gone.

"Was this door open like this?", Mike asked.

"No!  I had just opened it.  When I did, the body just wasn't there.  Then the forensics guy said the gun was missing too, so I ran over to you."

Seth turned around and surveyed the area.  He couldn't believe a body could just disappear in broad daylight with hundreds of people around.

"I want a complete account of who is currently working this case; I want all non-essential personnel cleared out and all civilians removed from the area to a distance of one hundred yards.  Detain anyone in that perimeter that will not cooperate for questioning.  Someone get me the station, we need to confirm the whereabouts of our eye-witnesses.  Let's move people, this body did not get up and walk away", said Seth.

Mike cleared his throat.  This grabbed the gaze of Seth, who had an ickling of what Mike was about to say.

"Technically, it already did once, according to our eye-witnesses", said Mike.

Seth was not amused.

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

Jay, Larry, Dr. Blake, Dana, and Linda were all sitting in an interrogation room at the police headquarters.  No police officer or detective was currently in the room.  Only a camera kept a watchful eye on them, as well as the two way mirror.  All of them sat slumped in their chairs, utterly whipped by the chain of events that occurred in the lab.  Dana had not spoken sense the event.  Dr. Blake was staring at the table, still somewhat mesmorized himself.  Linda had obviously been crying at times, but currently she was sitting there with her eyes closed.  Larry was fiddling with his shirt button with both hands.  Jay was resting his head in his hands on the table.  Finally, Larry broke the silence.

"So..."

No one responded to Larry, as he brushed off his shirt and leaned back forward, resting his arms on the table.

"...anybody else hungry?"

Dana, sitting to Larry's right, turned her head slowly toward him.  Larry looked at her, astonished by her response, somewhat, but acted normally.  Dana gave him a "go to hell" look, then looked back in the direction she had been.  Neither Dr. Blake or Linda responded.  But Jay began to laugh.

Jay leaned back and looked at his friend, "You're thinking about food at a time like this?"

"Dude, I'm starving!  I haven't had anything since last night because I was worried about you, man.  And this whole scan thing was supposed to be simple, in and out, back by lunchtime.  It's almost four o'clock now, man.  I mean, aren't they supposed to bring us something?  Anything?"

Jay just continued to stare at Larry, a slight smirk on his face.

No one else responded to Larry at all.

"Let's not go there right now, Lar", Jay said.

"I think we should.  It's a common need for survival we all share and I'm sure everyone in this room is hungry right now."

"I don't know if I can ever eat again", said Dana.

Larry looked her way, "Oh, she can speak, and from what I can tell you could probably use a few extra sandwiches every now and then."

"Screw you!"

"Love to honey, but I love a little extra cushion, you know what I mean."

"SHUT UP, YOU..."

"ALL RIGHT, KNOCK IT OFF!  Both of ya!  That's just pointless.  You'll both go round and round until you bring us all into a feud that ends up with us all still sitting right here, waiting.  On what, none of us know.  So why don't we just save the energy and see what happens next?", said Jay.

After Jay said this, the door to the room opened.  This grabbed everyone's attention.  With all eyes on the door, a bald man in a dark gray suit walked in.

"Good afternoon", the gray suit man said.

No one responded.

The man closed the door, then proceeded to smile.  He casually approached the table, sitting in the interrogator's chair.  He crossed his fingers together and politely addressed them all again.  It was obvious to everyone already in the room that this man was not a regular cop, if he was a cop at all.  He looked more like a salesman.  His three piece suit was tailor made, with a perfectly pressed white shirt.  The only thing that stood out was the tie.  The tie was multiple colors and not indicative of a man that worked for the government or any other agency.  They had no idea who this guy was, but they were all about to find out.

"So, you all had a very crazy situation unfold this morning?"

Still no one responded.

"Well, I can assure you,..."

The man leaned in a little closer.

"...you're not crazy."

He looked directly at Jay, then looked at everyone else smiling.

"We'd like to take you somewhere, somewhere that you can all clear the air.  Would you all be up for a trip?"

Again, no one responded, but the looks the man was receiving had changed.  They had gone from looks of confusion to curiosity, mixed with confusion.  Finally, someone asked the question that needed to be asked.

"Who are you?", asked Larry.

"Forgive me for not identifying myself.  I'm Pat."

"Pat?"

"Short for Patrick."

"And where are you wanting to take us?"

"Some place where all your questions will be answered."

Larry started laughing at that response.  Pat continued to sit there and smile, then he began laughing with Larry.

"Are you a cop?", asked Larry, still laughing.

"Oh no, I'm no cop", replied Pat.

"Of course not.  So where you gonna take us then?  Maybe Area 51?"

"Oh no, that place is too commercial these days."

Larry laughed even louder now.  Pat laughed with him again.

"Of course, what was I thinking.  There's been too many shows and movies about it.  Maybe it'll be some fantastic island, with a midget.  Or maybe where some mysterious power exists that no one knows about?"

"I've actually been to an island like that before."

"Of course you have, cause you've probably been everywhere..."

"...man", Pat finished Larry's sentence.

That made both men laugh hysterically.

Larry looked over at Jay, "This guy is a riot!  You should try it, man."

"I think I will.  Does anyone else know you're in here?", asked Jay.

"No, no one else does, and no one else knows you're in here as well."

"What are you talking about?  The police put us in here and left us waiting for hours."

"Did they now?"

With that statement Pat stood up and walked back over towards the door.  He opened the door, took a step to the side, and left it open.  He motioned towards the door with his left hand, "Have a look."

Larry was no longer laughing, his laugh had slowly disappeared since Pat's final response to Jay.  Jay looked at Larry, then proceeded to leave his seat.  He walked around the table over to the man standing in front of him.  Pat still continued to smile, his left arm extended towards the door.

Jay peaked around the open door.  What he saw outside was unbelievable.  He stood there, his mouth hanging open.  This had the attention of everyone else in the room now.  Linda finally spoke.

"Jay, what do you see?", Linda asked.

"We're not at the police station anymore", Jay replied.

Everyone else in the room stood up, to join Jay and Pat.

"Of course you're not, Jay.  None of you are", Pat said, continuing to smile.

Jay looked at Pat.

"You're at The Fleece, and I'd be glad and honored to show you around.  We've been expecting you."

Story # 1.11 The Scan Part 2

Dr. Blake took Larry and Linda outside the room, leaving Dana to monitor Jay.  He was still sitting on the side of the table, still with the Versed running into his veins.  But, Dana had already bolted the door to the padded room, unwilling to enter until the others returned from the corridor.

Dr. Blake shut the door behind him, as Larry and Linda turned to face him.

"Ok, so I see what you're saying now", said Dr. Blake.

"That man in that room is not my husband!", said Linda.

"Linda, just try to stay calm", said Larry.

"I am calm, Larry.  I can look in that man's eyes and I can see the same person that had his hand around my throat threatening me that night in our bedroom.  Whoever that is, I know, it is not my husband."

"I understand that, Mrs. Trent.  Believe me, he doesn't look or act like the same man we just examined over an hour ago.  But this is the bizarre nature of Diassociative..."

"No!", Linda interrupted Dr. Blake, "Don't you dare try to cover this up with the same crap those other doctors did.  I don't care about conditions, or mental degradation, or sleep deprivation.  That is not what is going on here.  I've seen it too many times and I'm telling you both right now, that man is not my husband.  HE IS NOT JAY!"

"Ok, I believe you", said Larry.

Dr. Blake just stood there and looked at Larry for a moment, then he looked down at the floor, pondering in his mind all that had just transpired.  Finally he looked back up at them both.

"Ok, if we go on the assumption that the man in the room right now is not Jay Trent...", Dr. Blake paused.

Linda and Larry stared at Dr. Blake, hanging on his every word now.

"...then who is he?"

"Only one way to find out", said Larry.

"We'll ask him questions, controlled questions that make him respond with a more indepth answer.  We'll try to find out where this place Anderson, South Carolina is at.  We'll try to get a name out of him, something to call him other than Jay, since that only serves to enrage him further.  Then we'll try to settle him down enough to sleep and see what happens", Dr. Blake surmized.

"So what happened with the console?", asked Larry.
"I don't know.  I've never had anything like that happen before.  The only thing I can think of is that it was a power surge of some kind.  But from what, I have no idea."

"Could that be part of what happened to him?  I mean before that happened, he was laying that sound asleep and as soon as it cleared, he was sitting up", said Linda.

"Perhaps.  But what that indicates is still a guess at best.  It essentially disabled the scanning equipment.  While we are in there I'll examine it briefly to see what kind of damage we are talking about.  But, why it occurred and if it had anything to do with his shift in personality, I honestly just don't know", said Dr. Blake.

"But what if it was a literal shift?  Like someone or something replaced his personality completely?", asked Larry.

This grabbed Linda's attention.

"Now you're talking science fiction, Larry", said Dr. Blake.

"Yes, but you don't know what happened in there, right?"

"Right."

"Then I don't think we can rule anything out, do you?"

Dr. Blake stared at Larry.  He didn't want to admit it, but Larry had a good point, although highly far-fetched.  No credible scientist is willing to admit an impossibility such as this, but when face-to-face with a virtual impossibility even the most respected of scientists have to lend some credit to the unknown.

"There could be greater forces at work, I'll admit", replied Dr. Blake.

Linda looked at the doctor now, "What forces?"

"Something that caused the surge, and changed Jay's personality, but there's nothing credible to hang your hat on.  I could range from anything.  Could be a complete fluke, to aliens, or even something supernatural.  But you didn't hear me say that."

"Your secret is safe with us, doc.  Let's go ask those questions and see what happens next", said Larry.

"Wait, I want to talk about this more, Larry.  I mean what are we talking about now?  Aliens?  Supernatural, like ghosts?  Demons?", asked Linda.

"It's highly improbable, but so is a man sitting up on a table with Versed coursing through his veins, Mrs. Trent.  We may actually have to consider all possibilities.  But for now, let's try to get more information.  Come back inside with me and let's find out", finished Dr. Blake.

The three of them re-entered the room.  Dana was still sitting at the consoles monitoring the man in Jay's body's status.  She couldn't take her eyes off of him.  She looked scared out of her mind.  The man was still sitting on the side of the table, staring right back at Dana.

"Is he stable, Dana?", asked Dr. Blake.

"He's creeping me out", Dana replied.

"That sounds like a yes to me", said Larry.

"Just keep monitoring him, we're going inside."

Dana wield around in her chair and stared at the doctor after his response.  She couldn't believe he was serious.

"Are you sure about this?", asked Linda.

"I'm sure", Dr. Blake replied, as he leaned down to turn on the intercom to address the subject in the padded room.

"Hello again, I'm sorry we had to leave, sir."

"Don't call me sir", the man in Jay's body replied.

"What should I call you then?"

The man sat there, staring back at the doctor.  He didn't answer for several moments.  Neither man looked away from the other.  Finally, the man answered.

"Call me Rob."

"Rob, I'm Dr. Blake.  It's a pleasure to meet you."

Rob grunted at him and looked away towards another part of the room.

"Is there anything we can get for you?  Perhaps something to eat or drink?"

He still looked away, but hen redirected his eyes back to the doctor as  he responded, "I can use a beer."

"What kind of beer?"

"I could use a Brau Lite."

"Brau Lite, what the hell is that?", asked Larry whispering toward Linda.  She shook her head, unsure as well.

"I'm not familiar with that brand", replied Dr. Blake.

"Why am I not surprised", said Rob, chuckling to himself.

"We will get you something complimentary, along with some food.  Would that be acceptable?"

"And can you take this damn thing outta my arm too?"

"Certainly."

Rob motioned that he was agreeable with these terms.  Larry went to fetch the food while Dr. Blake and Dana prepared to go into the room.

Larry came back with beer and pizza.  Linda found the combo funny, as Jay detested both.  Larry held the pizza up to the observation window and Rob seemed quite agreeable.  Dana stood next to the door to enter the padded room.  She wasn't about to open it until the doctor and Larry both entered with her.

"Rob, we're going to come in now with your food and to take that out of your arm", said Dr. Blake.

Rob nodded, and looked over towards the door as it was being unlatched.

Dana slowly pulled the door towards her to open it up.  Larry moved passed her as it opened fully and went in first.  He had the pizza in his hands.  Dana entered carrying the beer, and Dr. Blake was close behind.  Linda stayed outside in the observation room, waiting to see what happened next.

Rob watched all three of them intently, not moving a muscle.

Larry laid down the pizza on the table beside him.  Dana also laid the beer down, the bottles clanging together in the six pack carton from her own trembling.  She was very nervous around him.  Dr. Blake approached him as well.

"Hey there Rob."

"Hi", replied Rob.

"Do you mind if Dana helps remove that needle from your arm?"

Rob looked over at Dana.  He could see her shaking.  He nodded in agreement.  As Dr. Blake watched him he did notice one unusual difference.  He had noted in his examination of Jay that the subject had blue eyes, but Rob's eyes were green.

Dana moved towards Rob, to begin removing the tape from the IV in his left hand.  Rob reached for a piece of pizza and took a huge bite.  Within a few seconds he had downed the entire piece.  It was apparent he was very hungry.

"You haven't eaten in a while have you?", asked Dr. Blake.

"No", replied Rob.

Rob took a swig of a beer, after popping off the top with his right hand.  He tasted it and loved it.

"That tastes just like Brau Lite", said Rob.

"I've never heard of that beer.  I've never heard of Anderson, South Carolina either.  Can you tell me more about where you're from?", asked Dr. Blake.

"Just that I'm not there anymore, and I'm not planning on going back."

"I take it something happened there?"

"You could say that."

Rob, realizing Dana was now done removing the needle pulled his hand away from her, so he could dig into the pizza much more quickly.

Linda was amazed.

"What happened in Anderson, South Carolina, Rob?"

Rob was eating and paused to swallow his huge bite, "Everything.  Anything."

"Could you be more specific?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Did something bad happen?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it!"
"That's fine, but we just want to know so we might can help you."

"You already have.  I'm not there, remember?"

"Well, how about if I ask you about other stuff?"

"Like what?"

"Maybe like, what country you're from?"

"The United States."

"Can you be more specific?

"You don't know what the United States is either?"

"I do, but what is the full name?"

"Are you going to do nothing but question me all damn day?"

"I just want to learn more about you, Rob.  I'm just curious."

"Well, you know what curiosity did to the cat, right?"

"Can you tell me who the President of the United States is?"

Rob took a deep sigh.  Dana was now back on the other side of the padded room, near to the door.  Larry was till at the edge of the table, and Linda watched on from the observation room as Dr. Blake and Rob continued with their exchange.

"If you must know, the President of the United States of AMERICA is Barack Obama, on planet Earth, with seven billion other people, in the Milky Way galaxy, somewhere in a big, black void we call the universe.  But none of that really matters now anymore."

"It doesn't matter anymore?"

"No, because they are all dead!  ALL OF THEM."

"What happened to them, Rob?"

Rob stared at Dr. Blake, still unsure of what he was hoping to accomplish, but becoming more willing to share information.

"Something bad."

"How bad?"

"Bad enough I never, ever want to go back, ok?"

"I understand, and I don't mean to frustrate you.  But these questions are the only way to help us know what has happened to you, Rob.  We have to ask."

"Well, I have told you enough.  Now can I get some more..."

Rob stopped mid-sentence.  Then he began to shake.  Finally, Rob's body flunge backwards violently and he became rigid.  Dr. Blake rushed over to him, as did Dana and Larry.  Linda came to the opening of the door and stood there waiting to see what was happening.  On the consoles in the observation room the white blinding light returned.  It went unnoticed this time as all four of them were fixated on Rob, in Jay's body, having some sort of convulsion.  Dr. Blake shouted out things for Dana to acquire.  Dana ran out to the observation room as Linda entered.

The light finally diminished, and with that so did Rob's convulsion.

Rob's body was laying there, his eyes closed, drenched in sweat.  Dr. Blake felt he was now calm.

"What in God's name is happening, doc?", asked Larry.

"I don't know", replied Dr. Blake.

Linda was right beside the table now.  She believed her husband may have returned.  But the moment of concern was quickly changed when Dana let out a blood curdling scream.  Dana fell backwards into the room, dropping all of the supplies she had in her hands.  She quickly moved away crawling behind the table.

Larry, Linda, and Dr. Blake looked on at the open doorway, but could not believe what they were seeing walking through.  Into the room walked a person.  A person who's clothes were soiled, torn, burned, and bloodied.  The skin on this person was ashen.  They were dirty, unkempt, and almost looked decaying where they stood.  But the worst part was in their face.  The mouth hung open, lifeless.  The eyes were grayed out, deathly.  This person embodied the appearance of a lifeless corpse, but yet was walking.  It looked like a zombie.

Larry was trembling.  Linda and Dr. Blake both moved back towards the back of the room, as Dana coward down behind the table in fear.  The creature was now aware of them and began moving towards them all.  It's mouth opening wider, and it's eyes seeming to light up with life from the knowledge that something it wanted was present in the room.

As the four of them stood silent, quivering, and unsure of what would happen next, Jay sat up.  He sat straight up at the side of the table.  But he wasn't empty handed as his body had been moments earlier.  This time he was holding a revolver in his right hand.  He cocked the trigger, aimed and fired at the creature approaching Larry.  The shot went straight through the creature's head.  The back of it's head exploded, blood splattering out on the other side of the padded room.  Then the creature collapsed to it's knees and fell limp on the floor.  It now appeared to be dead, completely.

As smoke still bellowed from the end of the revolver everyone took notice of Jay.  Jay lowered the weapon and placed it on the table.  Larry looked at the gun and thought, Where the hell did that come from?

Jay then turned to face Dr. Blake and Linda.  Linda looked at him, but more importantly she looked at his eyes.  They were blue again, even Dr. Blake noticed this.  Linda knew before Jay ever said anything, and ran to embrace her husband.  Apparently, he had just saved all of their lives.

Finally, after embracing Linda for a few seconds, Jay looked back up at Dr. Blake and addressed him.

"Dr. Blake, don't you ever put me back to sleep again!"

Dr. Blake couldn't agree more.

Story # 1.10 The Scan Part 1

Jay laid on a slab-like table in a gray, padded room.  Parallel to the table was an adjacent room, with an observation window.  Linda stared at her husband through the window as she stood in front of several computer terminals.  Her mind was wandering as she stood their watching a research assistant apply electrodes to her husband's forehead.  She was very tense to say the least.  The episodes had subdued, but only because of the medication Jay had been receiving while in the hospital.  However, he had been off his medication for twenty-four hours to undergo this experiment.  An experiment to possibly ascertain why Jay's mind was having such flights of fancy and why it seemed he became a totally different person in his sleep.

"So how many of these have you done?", asked Jay of the research assistant.

She smiled at him, "You're about the fourth we have tried.  Dr. Blake keeps perfecting the scans with each volunteer.  The last one actually caught a brain tumor the subject was unaware of."

"Wow!  It didn't cause the brain tumor did it?"

"No sir," the research assistant said, as she laughed.
**********************************************************************************

"He seems so normal right now," said Linda, watching on.

"He's going to be fine, Mrs. Trent, I can assure you of that," said Dr. Blake.

"Did you really find a tumor the person didn't know they had?", asked Larry.

"Yes.  It was quite impressive.  Unfortunately it didn't turn out to be such a good thing for that subject."

"Why is that?", asked Linda.

"They found out the tumor had metastasized from their lungs.  The prognosis was only about six months for them."

"Six months...for what?", asked Larry.

Dr. Blake looked up at him, "For them to live."

Linda rolled her eyes and acted almost exasperated. 

"But there is nothing to worry about here, Mrs. Trent.  Your husband has already received MRIs and CT scans that indicate there is no tumor present.  The truth of that case, I wasn't even looking for a tumor. It was mere chance that we found it."

"What were you looking for?", asked Larry.

"Basically a similar thing we are looking for here.  How Dr. Trent's brainwaves respond during sleep.  We can measure amplitude, frequency, and create an image of the brain to visualize what might be going on.  In the case of the subject with the tumor, the waves were looping around an object that seemed like dead space."

"Like a black hole?"

"Precisely, Larry.  It warped the waves, and the visualization of this was simply a side effect of the scan itself, but not something we were expecting."

"Well he's in trouble, he has more holes in his head than any other man alive," said Linda.

Dr. Blake looked at her and grinned.  Larry chuckled a bit.

"Ah, marriage", Dr. Blake replied.
**********************************************************************************

"All righty, Dr. Trent, we've got you all wired up," said the research assistant.

Jay looked down his body at all the electrodes connected to his chest.  He tried to look up at his forehead, but of course could not visualize the electrodes there.

"This won't electrocute me, will it?", asked Jay.

"No, Dr. Trent, it won't, I promise," the research assistant said, with a comforting smile as she leaned in and placed her hands on his right shoulder.

"Please, call me Jay", he replied, with a grin.

"Call me Dana, Jay."
**********************************************************************************

Linda didn't like this at all.

Dr. Blake was chuckling, knowing full well his assistant's demeanor was both soothing to men, and dreadful to other women.  That was part of the reason he had hired her for this type of work.

"She's harmless, Mrs. Trent."

"Oh yeah, that's what you said about the last patient, and that the scan was harmless.  Look how that turned out?", replied Linda.

"Yes, but I'm quite certain there's no threat from her of stealing your husband away from you.  She's homosexual."

Larry's eyes lit up as he took a better look at her than he had already, multiple times.

"Damn, such a waste," said Larry.

Dr. Blake laughed.

Linda wanted to throw up from all the testosterone in the room.

Dr. Blake turned on the two-way speakers in the room as Dana exited and closed the door behind her.  She looked at Linda and smiled, as Linda looked away from her in disgust.

"Dr. Trent, can you hear me clearly?", asked Dr. Blake.

"Like I told Dana, call me Jay."

"I'll take that as a yes then, Jay.  Dana has prepped you and started your IV drip.  The agent is Versed, a sleeping drug commonly used for anesthesia during surgery.  Dana is a trained CRNA, so she will monitor your vital signs from here.  I can assure you we have taken every precaution.  We're using Versed to insure you will in fact go to sleep.  At that point we'll begin the scan and monitor your brain activity in a sleep state.  As far as you are concerned though, Jay, it'll be just like when you go to bed at night."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Dr. Blake could see Jay's vitals were starting to alter.  His heart rate and breathing were steadily increasing.

"There's no reason to be afraid, Jay.  We'll be right here the entire time monitoring any activity that occurs.  You'll just have yourself a nice nap."

"I hope you're right, doc."

Dr. Blake chuckled, "Do you have any questions before we begin, Jay?"

"Yeah, can I have one of those really good, juicy hamburgers from downtown waiting when I wake up?"

Everyone in the control room laughed at his question.

"Absolutely, Jay."

"In that case, doc, I'm ready.  Let's do this."

The drip had already begun, with the Versed moving down the tubing and into the intravenous access in Jay's arm.  It felt cool going into Jay's blood stream.  Jay could feel a little tingle as it began to enter.  Quickly the agent coursed through Jay's body, back to his heart, into his lungs, through the heart again, and out through his arteries allowing it to permeate his being.  Jay was already beginning to feel the effects of the drug.

Dr. Blake assessed the vitals with Dana, who gave him the OK.

"Now, Jay, I'm going to countdown from ten.  You will become very drowsy during this.  Ten...nine...eight...seven...six...five...four..."

Before Dr. Blake was even through, Jay had already drifted off to sleep.

"And he is asleep.  Beginning scan and imaging", said Dr. Blake.

Linda stared on at her now sleeping husband.  This was the best he had slept in months, even if it had been only a few seconds.  He was so peaceful, the total opposite of any of the activity she had experienced with him recently.  Compared to that, he looked as if he were a body lying in an open casket.

The monitor brought up an image of Jay's brain, along with an algorithm that was assessing Jay's brain activity.  It was showing low brain function, as it should with an agent such as Versed.

"He is in a deep sleep already.  This is the type of activity you would expect with a brain under sedation.  Little to no activity, so that the subject or patient doesn't experience anything during this sleep.  That's why it is so readily used for surgery."

"So, how will that help us if he won't experience anything?", asked Linda.

"Well, the goal here is to see if anything will happen like you have described.  You can't get in too much of a deeper sleep than this without being in the deepest sleep of all."

"You're talking about death, right?", asked Larry.

"Yes."

"You had to ask that?", said Linda.

"Hey, just clarifying", replied Larry.

"All vitals are normal, Dr. Blake.", said Dana.

"We are at two minutes under sedation", said Dr. Blake, for the record.

Video cameras and voice recorders took down everything being dictated in the control room, as well as any activity in the padded room.  If something was going to happen, it would be documented.

"We are at ten minutes under sedation."

"It's like a watched pot," said Larry.

"Yes, whenever you want something to happen, that's when it doesn't," replied Dr. Blake.

More time passed.

"We are at fifty-nine minutes under sedation."

"What if we go through this and nothing happens?", asked Linda.

"Even a small amount of activity could be useful, but..."

Dr. Blake stopped as the scan began to detect something.  The waves on the algorithm changed slightly indicating a minute amount of activity within Jay's brain.

"Fascinating," said Dr. Blake.

"What?  What's fascinating?", asked Linda, leaning in more over his shoulder.

"We're picking up low levels of activity around the amygdala.  It's minimal, but significant," replied Dr. Blake.

"That's something, right?", asked Larry.

"That is something, but hardly conclusive for the type of activity either of you have described."

"I could just be the beginnings of the REM cycle?", said Dana.

"It could be, but the wave frequencies aren't as profound", said Dr. Blake.

"What should the waves be like?", asked Linda.

"With REM sleep, the activity of the brain should be almost the same as when you are awake.  That's one of the possibilities we were going to investigate today.  Whether or not Jay is experiencing RBD", said Dr. Blake.

"RBD?", asked Larry.

"Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.  What that means is when you're sleeping your muscles normally become atonic, or flaccid.  With RBD, that flaccidity ceases and the person can actually move around, act out violently, even seem awake."

"Like another person?", asked Linda.

"Perhaps, but not typically to the extent you described.  I believe that is why they diagnosed Jay with Disassociative Identity Disorder for the changes in persona you and Larry both experienced."

"Yeah, the doctors couldn't explain that party either, so that was their best guess," said Larry.

"And in the face of not knowing, any practitioner goes back to their roots.  That's just norm...."

Dr. Blake was suddenly interrupted as the monitors showing an image of Jay's brain and brain waves both when white.  The intensity began to grow rapidly, blinding everyone in the room.  Larry, Linda, Dana, and Dr. Blake had to hold their arms up to block out the light because of the intense brightness.  A low, steady hum was audibly heard from the recording devices as the intensity was sending out waves distorting their signals.   Finally, the sound ceased and the light began to diminish.  The four of them could not see in the room again, as their eyes began to re-adjust to their darker surroundings.

"What the hell was that?", asked Larry.

Larry was still squinting and rubbing his eyes, as was Linda.

Then, before both could completely get their bearings they heard Dr. Blake utter something they didn't expect.

"Oh my God!"

Both of them looked down at Dr. Blake.  He sat there, with Dana, both staring straight ahead into the room Jay occupied.  Linda caught a glimpse of the monitors and saw that Jay's brain waves were highly active, as if he were awake.  Then she heard Dana speak.

"That's not possible.  He should be asleep."

Linda looked over at her, then looked up to Jay.  She put her hand over her mouth as she looked on at her husband.  Jay was now sitting up on the side of the table, staring back into the room at the four of them.  The Versed was still running and by all accounts Jay should be completely under sedation.  But he wasn't.

Larry just stood there, staring with his mouth hanging open.

Dr. Blake turned on the intercom to speak to Jay.

Linda looked on in horror at Jay and knew this image all too well.  It was the same man she had seen in her bedroom that first night, the man she had seen multiple times since.  She could see this man in Jay's eyes and knew, once again, it was not her husband.

Dr. Blake finally spoke.

"Jay, are you all right?"

Jay looked around the room, as the sound of Dr. Blake's voice coming in from the speakers caught his attention.  He looked back through the window again, knowing the source of the voice came from one of the people in the next room.  Finally, he spoke as well.

"I've told you people before, my name is not Jay."

Dana looked at Dr. Blake, as the doctor continued looking on at Jay.

"Who are you then?", Dr. Blake asked of the man sitting on the slab.

The man, in Jay's body, looked back at all four of them.  He fixed his gaze on Linda, which sent chills down her spine.  The man's face got more demonstrative and he smiled an evil grin at Linda and the rest in the room.

"Well, you'd love to know that, wouldn't you?", replied the man.

"Please do something!", said Linda.

"Linda, just calm down.  This is what we wanted", said Larry.

"Yes, we need to question what he's wanting, speak to this person like they are the real person", said Dr. Blake.

The man inside Jay replied, "I am the real person."

This stunned Dr. Blake because the intercom had not been on while the three of them had been talking.  The man inside Jay spoke again.

"And what I want is to never leave here, or ever set foot in Anderson, South Carolina again...for as long as I live."