Story # 4.3: Where is the Fleece?

Jay moved fast through the corridors of the Fleece, headed for the main control room. When he arrived, those in the room were somewhat astonished to see him.

"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?

Story # 3.10: Escape to the Fleece Part 1

 

A group of individuals walked through the corridors of the Fleece, determined in their gaits. As they passed by one security guard, the guard jumped to their feet and watched them pass by. The guard had been watching television before the group walked through. The television showed a documentary about the Sahara Savanna, a lush, green region occupying the northern parts of the Mauritan continent. In what was once known as Africa, the area known as Egypt, now called Alexandria, showed the metropolis of Ramses, formerly Cairo. The ancient Egyptian pyramids were even more in ruins now than the prior civilization of Anderson, SC. Much of the structures collapsed, with the Sphinx head gone and the body overgrown by vegetation. Twelve thousand years had eroded the once grand structures. But that was also due to the civilization's restart after the Zombie Apocalypse. Now, it was time to deal with the situation at hand.

The individuals walking through the corridor were Pat, Jay with Britton still being held hostage, Larry, Dr. Blake, Dana, Mike, Seth, and at least fifty armed soldiers surrounding them all as they progressed towards the Artifact Room. Jay watched Pat closely, not trusting anything he said, even more so now that he discovered Britton. Britton was calm but unnerved at what would happen next. Pat had strong intent in his eyes as he took the group down into the bowels of the Fleece. He pulled out his radio and contacted the control room.

"We will be at the Artifact Room in 5 minutes. Stand by."

The technicians were at a loss in the control room for what to do. GASON was on its way, Pat needed to be apprehended, along with Dr. Trent, and somehow, they had to stop the zombies in the Anderson, SC universe from destroying Linda Trent before it was too late. One technician picked up the radio and replied, "Affirmative. Standing by."

"What are you doing?" another technician asked.

"Let's corner them down there in the Artifact Room. We can seal them off from the rest of the Fleece until GASON arrives."

"Good plan. Now, how will we get that guy's wife back here?"

"I'm working on it."

Then the consoles lit up in the control room. Another power surge formed from the orb, this time much more intense than previous surges. The technicians were now concerned that the Fleece itself was in jeopardy.

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

Linda and Rob were running for their lives. The zombies were pouring into the power station, walking, running, crawling if they had to. The creatures moved like a flood, filling every crevice Linda and Rob passed by en route to the main containment buildings for the nuclear facility.

"Don't look back, lady!"

Rob didn't need to tell Linda twice. She tried to run when she could, having even run half marathons before, but the recent events with Jay left her unable to practice. However, when death is chasing you, that's all the motivation you need to run faster.

The corridors were tight and winding as Linda and Rob ducked around each corner as fast as they could. The horde was gaining quickly, ripping down parts of the walls in their wake. In a long stretch of corridor, Linda and Rob entered; a strong metal door resided at the end. Linda and Rob kicked it into overdrive to make it to the door before the horde overcame them. The horde also picked up pace, only feet away from catching them, before Linda and Rob shot through the doorway and closed the large door.

Before the door completely closed, however, one zombie got an arm through, keeping the door from closing. This action allowed another and another arm, leg, and head to push through the crack as the increasing weight of the horde was pushing against Linda and Rob, trying to close the door behind them. 

"We can't hold this for long!"

Rob yelled as he pushed against the door with all his strength. Linda was pushing with all her might, too, but it was getting harder and harder with each second. Soon, the door would burst open, and zombies would overwhelm them. 

"I can't...keep...pushing..." Linda said through gasping breaths and strains, trying to keep the door from coming back open. But it was too late. The zombie horde had piled up so much, with so much weight and bodies, it was only a matter of time before the door ripped off its hinges. Linda and Rob would have to stop pushing and hope for the best or die when the door collapsed with all the zombies on top of it.

Rob looked at Linda, and she looked back at him.

"Thanks for caring, Mrs. Trent."

A tear ran down Linda's cheek, "Thanks for trying to get me home, Rob."

With that, they both let go of the door and darted away from the area. The door burst open, ripping off the hinges. The zombies poured into the containment room. Linda fell to the ground as Rob tried to run away from there with her. Rob was ahead of her but stopped when he saw her fall. He rushed over to her, lay beside her, and embraced her. The zombies took notice of them quickly and darted toward them both. As Linda and Rob embraced, lying on the floor, they closed their eyes and waited for whatever happened next.

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

In the control room of the Fleece, the technicians attempted to stop the zombies but were having a hard time accessing the cancellation program. For whatever reason, the connection was severed. Nothing he pressed seemed to be working.

"Can you stop them?" asked the female technician.

"I can't. It won't override."

Finally, the screens showed the zombies were put in calm mode, but not because of anything the technician attempted. The male technician kept pushing buttons, tapping screens, flipping switches, and trying anything to override the zombies.

"Look, on the screen. They've entered calm mode. You did it!" said the female technician.

"I did?"

They both looked at each other and then back at the screen.

"What sequence did you use?"

The male technician looked back at her, "Panic? I don't know. I didn't stop anything. I was just pressing buttons because nothing worked."

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

Back at the Oconee Nuclear Station, the zombies had stopped. Mere inches from grasping hold of Linda and Rob, the zombies stopped their pursuit, with many lying down flat or standing back up straight, staring off into the distance.

Linda and Rob were still lying there, embraced on the floor with their eyes closed. Rob opened one eye to see the Zombies had all stopped. Then, both opened their eyes, released their guard, and embraced as they stood to their feet, looking at the massive horde directly before them. Linda and Rob began to chuckle as they looked at each other and laughed. Finally, yells of joy came from both of them, knowing the horde had been stopped and they were safe, at least for the moment.

"Someone is looking out for us," Rob said.

"Thank you, Jay," Linda said, smiling.

"How do you know it was Jay?"

"I had to be. There's no other way."

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

The doors to the Artifact Room opened wide for the whole party to enter. Jay saw the massive doors open and chuckled.

"You didn't want us to just walk through it, Pat?"

Pat looked back at Jay, "Not everyone is like you or me, Jay. Let's keep moving."

The group made their way through the chamber. Dr. Blake, Larry, Dana and the others were in awe of what was in front of them. These relics and things they had never seen before were all around them. The head of the Sphinx. A full pyramid from China. Rocks from the Eye of the Sahara. So many things were there from ancient history, but it was only the tip of the iceberg.

Next, they saw cars, planes, and ships they had never seen before or seemed all too familiar. The remains of a rotted, destroyed vessel were sitting there with a pulsating light originating from it headed toward the orb. This ship's name could still be seen slightly through the worn-down paint reading TITANIC, having been raised from the ocean depths some time ago.

The group passed by other artifacts, some from biblical history now. The Ark of the Covenant was clearly seen. Part of the temple wall was standing nearby. The rock from inside the Dome of the Rock was there. More parts of Gobecli Tepe were seen, glowing like the pulsating lights in the cords lining everything. The orb shone more intensely as the group approached it with more sophisticated relics nearby.

A computer system that appeared highly progressively advanced was near the orb but wasn't powering it. It was connected by the cables and cords as well, but it was not functional. The computer system looked years more advanced than today's technology by hundreds of years. There were other futuristic-looking devices near the orb, but one showed a name. It was shaped like a Christmas tree, with multiple pulsating lights and a cord connected to it that was connected to the orb. The name of the device was the Time Displacement Assimilator or TDA.

Pat stopped the group a hundred feet from the orb. The light was so intense it was hard to see. The orb was truly as luminous as a star in this enclosed environment below the confines of the Fleece.

"This is as close as we will get," said Pat.

"Ok, so how do we get my wife back?" Jay asked.

Pat turned to face Jay and moved into a position where both men didn't have to shield their eyes.

"That's up to you, Jay."

"What are you talking about, Pat?"

"You're the only one that can bring her back. You did it before with the zombie. Why couldn't you now?"

"I don't even know how I did that. Come on, Pat, you know you have a way to send people there and bring them back. Now, do it already!"

Pat smiled, "No."

"What do you mean, no, Pat? Do it, or she dies."

Jay buried his pistol into Britton's head, causing her to grimace. The guards hoisted up their weapons, aiming them at Jay.

"Eh, go ahead."

Britton couldn't believe what Pat just said.

"Dude, don't do this," Larry said to Jay.

"He's forcing me to have to. I'm warning you, Pat. No more games."

Jay cocked the trigger on the gun. Britton closed her eyes.

Mike and Seth got out their guns and aim them at Jay.

Pat stood there smiling at Jay.

Jay glared back.

"Come on, Jay. show me."

Pat stood there with a maniacal smile, tilting his head slightly to the left as he stared at Jay.

This look was the most terrifying one Jay had ever seen from Pat. The look sent a chill down Jay's spine. He finally spoke, "I'm going to count to three."

Pat stood there, unphased.

Jay spoke aloud, "One..."

The guards readied their rifles.

"Two..."

Mike and Seth cocked their guns. Pat was still unphased.

Jay looked intently at Pat; his eyes widened, and he was nervous about what he would be forced to do. Pat could hear Jay's thoughts, as Jay couldn't believe Pat would let Britton die. But Jay and Pat both knew Jay would never pull the trigger.

Jay couldn't do it. He couldn't say three and pull the trigger. He knew Pat wanted him to. So, Jay lowered the gun and eased his grip on Britton.

Britton opened her eyes; some tears had welled up, and she sensed Jay releasing his grip. She grabbed Jay's gun and darted away from him. She turned to face him and aimed the gun at him, standing beside Pat.

Pat laughed and said, "What did I tell you, Britton. He's not so special after all."

Britton smiled, still aiming the gun at Jay.

Jay stood there defeated and awaited whatever would be. He had let down Linda, his family, everything. He did something he never thought he was capable of, threatening another human being with murderous intent. He looked down the barrel at Britton, who was clearly unhappy with him. This might very well be the end for Jay.

"Shoot him, Britton. Shoot him now," Pat said.

With that, Britton pulled the trigger.

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

At the Oconee Nuclear Station, a light began to form behind Linda and Rob near the old reactor. The leftover fuel rods had been sealed, but the light was siphoning energy from the old rods. This siphoning was heating up the rods exponentially at the same time.

Linda turned around, "What is that?"

She put her hand in front of her face to block the ever-growing light from her eyes.

"I think that might be our way home. Your way home, I mean."

"Jay!"

Linda believed Jay had figured out a way to bring her home. The light was getting more intense as more and more energy was absorbed from the fuel rods.

"You're coming with me, Rob."

Rob looked at Linda and smiled. He liked that gesture. Then Rob noticed the increasing heat coming off the old fuel rod location. The area was beginning to glow orange from the heat.

"We better get out of here now!"

Rob pointed to the area past the orb forming. Linda saw the area was now red hot. What neither knew is that the fuel rods were not just heating to the melting point. They were going to explode in a nuclear reaction, essentially a nuclear bomb. They would both be disintegrated soon.

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

The orb in the Artifact Room began pulsating. All of the other artifact cords began pulsating faster. The pulsations were growing in intensity. Pat and the group did not notice the intensity immediately, but the pulsation did one thing no one expected. The bullet fired at Jay stopped inches from his head. The pulsations had triggered a cascading effect, pulling on the fabric of everything in the room, including objects and people. The bullet fell harmlessly to the ground. Britton watched it fall and then looked back up at Jay, a shocked look on her face. Jay just stared back at her and Pat. Then, the orb's light brightened intensely, blindingly. The guards, and Mike and Seth, all lowered their weapons to hold up a hand to cover their eyes. Pat just turned towards the light and stared at it as Britton shielded herself. Jay shielded his eyes and tried to look in that direction but to no avail. They couldn't see what was about to happen.

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

The fuel rods were becoming critical at the station. Rob focused back on the orb and saw an opening. He grabbed Linda's arm and yelled, "Let's go!"

Linda and Rob ran for the orb as the fuel rods began to breakdown. They charged headlong into the envelope in the center of the orb. The zombies took notice of the orb and looked into the light but offered no movement towards it. From the zombies' point of view, they saw Linda and Rob diving head first through the orb light just as a fire ignited behind the orb and encompassed it. Finally, the orb light dissipated, and all the zombies saw was a bright flash of light. 

In the distance, away from Keowee Toxaway Nuclear Station, near Clemson, a mushroom cloud could be seen rising above the horizon. The concussion wave rolled up Highway 123 and 93, ripping through the remains of the former college town. The stadium crumbled in areas from the blast wave and began to collapse. The buildings, like Tillman Hall, erupted into pieces when the blast wave hit. Sikes Hall, Cooper Library, Edwards Hall, and Hendrix Student Center were all destroyed, crumbling remains of their once grand design. This incident marked the end of an era as the twelve thousand-year-old civilization came to a close with no more connection to the current-day Smithville world. 

The zombies that had taken notice of the blast stood there looking at the mushroom cloud rising higher and higher into the grayish sky. As they watched the cloud rise, they all began to fall. All of the zombies, everywhere on this Earth, fell to the ground. Their connection determined by the Fleece had been severed for good, and their lives were mercifully over. This ending would allow a new world to begin again. The Smithville world.

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

Linda and Rob dove through the orb and plummeted to the ground before Jay. The orb's light diminished greatly, and the pulsations stopped. Everyone in the room could let down their guard to see Linda and Rob lying before them.

Linda looked up at everyone in the room, and finally, her eyes found Jay.

"Linda?"

"Jay!"

Linda sprang up to her feet and rushed over to Jay. They embraced and then kissed passionately. Jay knew instantly that this was his Linda.

Britton stared on, still confused by what had happened and now somewhat annoyed at what she saw.

Rob began to stand up as Pat looked at him. Rob looked at Pat, his dad, and then looked away to Jay and Linda.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so glad you're alive!"

Jay was holding Linda tightly. They looked at each other, Linda smiling brightly.

"I knew you would get us out of there, Jay. I just knew it."

Jay knew he had done nothing but wondered how they got away, "How did you get out of there?"

"Someone created this orb over there. All the energy from the power plant," said Rob.

"An orb?" Jay asked.

"Yes, this big orb opened up, and we jumped through it. You must have opened it up for us."

"I didn't do anything, Linda. I was right here, but I couldn't do anything."

"Well, I don't understand. Who did?" asked Linda.

"I believe they did," Pat said. He was looking up at the area in front of the orb.

Jay and Linda looked up, as did Rob and everyone else in the room.

Standing in front of the orb was a figure. The light from the orb shrouded them in darkness, so only a silhouette could be seen. Additionally, the being was semi-transparent, as you could see through it in some places. Parts of its body were shifting in and out of space and time as they stood there looking out across the room.

The being had a human-like form but was decidedly not human-looking. There were no facial features apparent, no discernable look about them. Just a being of some kind.

Finally, they spoke, "I guess you are wondering why I've called you all here tonight?"

TO BE CONTINUED...

Story # 4.2: The Dream of Adam and Eve...

"So, after years of research, beginning in 1949, Cuvier's challenge had an answer: Yes, indeed the cataclysms do happen. And the last one, 6,500 years ago, was Noah's Flood!

All right. So they happen. What is it that happens each time? The challenge was really two-fold: Find the process - what happens in a cataclysm; and the trigger - what causes a cataclysm to start?"

Except from The Adam and Eve Story by Chan Thomas, Anderson Loop 1966 A.D./C.E. Link to document.

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

Jay was in his quarters with Linda, huddled together in a loving pose. Their heads touched ever so slightly as both pondered what was to come.

"What do you think will happen?" Linda asked as she leaned back to look Jay in the eyes.

"Rapha said I'll be sleeping and dreaming. It might be my best sleep in a long time."

"Can you really trust this thing? What if it kills you, Jay?"

"He won't. I know it."

"So, it's a he now?"

"I'm just speculating there, but I trust this being with all my heart, Linda."

Linda looked down, worried immensely for her husband. Jay took his hand and nuzzled it next to her chin, slowly lifting her head to meet his gaze.

He could see the worry in Linda's eyes. He tried to calm her, "I will be back, Linda. I'm not done here yet."

Linda wanted to believe him, but so many doubts crept through her mind. She had almost lost Jay once to a dream world. Then, she almost lost him to death. Then again, she almost lost him by being separated from him in another world where she nearly died. Now, Jay was purposely going to put his life into this creature's hands and hope for the best? It was truly more than she could take. Selfishly, Linda didn't want him to do it because they had been too far apart. But she knew Jay had to do it if only once more, to understand what was happening.

"Just promise me when you return, you're not someone else this time, ok?"

Jay chuckled, "I promise."

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

Jay walked through the doors of the Artifact Room and made his way over toward the orb. In front of the orb awaited Rapha and a portable fold-out examine chair/table for Jay. No one else was allowed to be present after bringing the equipment down to the room. However, monitoring was still going to take place with an electromagnetic sensing device, which Dr. Blake and the technicians from the Fleece left attached to the underside of the table. This device detects the human body's electromagnetic energy, allowing for monitoring of vital signs, electrical impulses in the brain, and stimuli reactions. The team at the Fleece would be able to sense what was happening to Jay at all times and also see if they could detect anything about Rapha. So far, no detection devices within the Artifact Room had identified any trace of Rapha's existence, meaning his being was both existent and non-existent within this reality simultaneously. Surely impossible, but it's happening nonetheless.

Jay was not nervous as he approached Rapha and the resting station. He was borderline excited about the possibilities that awaited. As excited as the first person to stand on the precipice of an unknown land or an astronaut first stepping on the moon. Jay stopped before Rapha and looked up at the towering being.

"Are you ready, emissary?"

"Yes," was all Jay replied.

"Then let us begin. Take your seat."

Jay slid onto the chair from the side. It was quite comfortable despite the situation he was in. He reclined into the seat, leaning back as Rapha stood beside him. Rapha did not touch Jay but continued standing there as Jay readied himself for whatever was next.

"Now take a deep breath and exhale deeply. Then close your eyes."

Jay did as Rapha asked and closed his eyes. What Jay didn't realize was how quickly he would fall asleep. He was sleeping almost instantly after breathing and closing his eyes. Darkness consumed his entire field of gaze, with the faith hue of light coming through his eyelids from the orb nearby. He felt himself drift away to sleep as if sedated under anesthesia. Quickly, he was in REM sleep, where dreams began to happen.

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

Jay could feel illumination all around him, like daylight. Soon, he saw images of a park he was in somewhere. He could feel the grass under his bare feet, thick and lush. He could sense the air going by in a breeze, with a crisp autumn-like feel. It felt like early October to him. The sky was perfectly blue, not a cloud in it. After taking in what he was sensing, he closed his eyes momentarily. When he opened them again, the park was bustling with activity. People everywhere. Kids playing. Couples eating at a picnic. Dogs playing catch and fetch. In the distance, he saw towering structures that clearly were buildings. But these buildings were like nothing he had ever seen in his world. Some of the buildings stood two hundred to three hundred stories high. Objects glided around them in organized patterns, much like cars following a road on the ground. Other plane-like vehicles were moving through the sky effortlessly, some climbing high into the stratosphere as if they were leaving the bounds of Earth.

As Jay watched all this happening, a voice began to speak only to him.

"Welcome to the past, Jay."

Rapha spoke to Jay, but no one around him could hear. Jay wasn't even sure if other people could see him.

"This is the past? Not a dream?"

"You are still dreaming, but I can show you what your world has been through this dream."

"This is my world. I don't recognize anything. These people are strangely dressed. I don't recognize the buildings."

"You are in the midst of the capital city of the Atlantean civilization over three million years ago."

Jay looked around at the inhabitants of the park. They were wearing clothes that looked flowing, like gowns, but could mold to the shape of their body when needed. Digital displays could be seen around the park, addressing aspects of the civilization in other parts of the world.

"What is the name of this city?"

Rapha replied, "This is Atlantis. It is located in what you call the Saharan Savanna."

"Atlantis? It was real."

"Yes, as real as any other city you have ever seen in your own world."

"I don't understand. If this was here millions of years ago, what happened?"

"Destruction, Jay."

"Destruction? What like a war?"

"In a way."

"What war, though? This place seems peaceful and harmonious. It's like a utopia."

Then Jay saw something he hadn't expected. Emerging through the trees was a reptilian creature with large protruding horns on the nose and forehead. As the beast walked on all fours, Jay recognized it immediately from pictures he had seen.

"That's a Tricerpod! They were interacting with Reptopods?"

"Yes. These creatures were part of this society. You call them Reptopods. Other civilizations called them Dinosaurs, Scalibirds, but the Atlanteans called them dragons."

The Tricerpod, also known as a Triceratops, moved across the open field with a rider on top. Children ran alongside it, playing and enjoying the creature. The creature seemed as happy about them being there as they were about it being present.

"This world is unbelievable. What happened to them?"

The image Jay was seeing shifted to showing the entire planet from orbit. Space stations, satellites, and mega structures could seen. A massive elevator propelling people from the planet's surface to the orbiting space station above grabbed Jay's attention. He saw vessels carrying people moving around in the space near the stations. Then, after a bright flash, the vessels would streak away faster than Jay could comprehend. 

"This civilization thrived for millions of years, achieving great wonders. They settled planets and other bodies throughout your system and continued to expand outward into your surrounding galaxy. Their numbers were vast. They encountered new worlds and other civilizations across the galaxy."

"Extra-terrestrials? These people interacted with otherworldly beings?"

"Yes. It was a peaceful coexistence with knowledge sharing to help all civilizations grow and thrive. There were no wars. No disease. No sadness. People here still died, but they could live for thousands of years. Their reach was limitless."

"So how did this end?"

"Your world had a sentinel. A guardian of the most sacred of knowledge for all time. This sentinel resided in one place in your world. A place your world refers to as the cradle of civilization. This place housed the garden, where ripe trees blossomed. Where all souls flourished. From this place originated an entity you are quite familiar with now. Back then, they called it the home. In your world, it's called..."

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

Jay sprang back to life with gasping breaths. He was breathing in air as quickly as he could. A light sweat was glistening on his forehead. He looked to where Rapha should be, but no one was there. Jay was disconnected from Rapha, but Rapha appeared to be gone. But Jay received the message clearly.

As Rapha had said, the place in the garden millions of years ago was a location Jay was quite familiar with.

Jay said the name out loud, "The Fleece."

The Fleece had been there millions of years ago. It was at the center of what had destroyed the Atlanteans. Now, Jay had to figure out the rest of what Rapha was suggesting about the Fleece before it was too late for him and his civilization.

Story # 3.11: Escape to the Fleece Part 2, The Visitor

 

Footsteps echoed through the corridors of the Fleece as a group of people walked past the same security guard station as Pat and the others did just a few hours earlier. On the television, an episode of E.T.s of Antiquity was on, showing images of alien beings depicted on ancient ruins from millennia earlier. The host, a mid-80s former movie star Willem Thatcher, narrated the show, posing whether we would ever truly want to meet an alien.

The group entered the control room of the Fleece, prompting all of the technicians to stand up and face them. The lead person stopped the group and spoke to all the technicians.

"We are with GASON. Where is Pat?"

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

No one in the Artifact Room could move. They could barely breathe. The shock of seeing a being materialize from seemingly nothing was staggering. Only Pat didn't seem surprised. The rest were quite humbled.

Jay and Linda stared at the figure, unsure what to say.

The armed soldiers stood ready in case they needed to open fire. None were sure firing on this being would be of any use.

The being stood before them, towering from the platform of the orb. The orb was now dimmed, revealing the being more fully. The being stood roughly seven feet tall, had large, broad shoulders, and a muscular-looking build. But the form of the being kept phasing in and out. The voice was what shocked them the most. It was mechanical, borderline artificial sounding, but with a deep baritone that made it distinct. When the being spoke, it shook you to your soul, echoing through the chamber. The being stood there, waiting patiently for someone to respond.

"Welcome," Pat said with a customary smile.

The being said nothing in reply.

"What are you?" Jay asked.

For a moment, the being did not speak; it just kept phasing in and out. Finally, it spoke.

"I am what I am."

"What, like God?" Larry asked.

"If you say so," the being replied.

Jay moved away from Linda towards the being. She reached for Jay, trying to stop him, but Jay reassured her and continued forward.

"Why did you come here?" Jay asked.

The being did not answer right away. It stood there, arms hoisted some to the sides, in a defensive posture.

"To reveal the truth."

"What is truth?" asked Pat.

"Yeah, you would ask that wouldn't you?" Linda replied, glaring at Pat.

Pat looked back at her and smiled. Linda looked away, back to Jay and the being.

"Let those who have an ear hear the words I am saying now. I will answer any questions you have, provided they all come from the one who has approached me. Any others responding will be dealt with swiftly and harshly," the being replied.

The person the being was referring to was Jay, who had approached him. No one argued, not even Pat.

"What truth are you going to reveal?"'

"The truth of your world."

"Pat has already told me about this world. What else is there to know?"

"Much more."

Jay thought momentarily, "I've been shifting between realities in my dreams. Are you the cause of that?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because it was necessary."

"Will it always be necessary?"

"No. Are these the questions you really want to ask?"

"Where do you come from?"

"From a place beyond your comprehension. I have assumed this form because you would never understand my true appearance. That's why I am what I am."

"Do you have a name?"

"Rapha."

"Then welcome, Rapha."

Rapha began moving off the platform and stepping down toward Jay. This movement prompted all the soldiers to take several steps back. Larry, Dr. Blake, Dana, and Linda all moved back. Pat, Britton, and Rob stood firm in their locations. Jay remained where he was, looking up at the being.

Rapha stopped two feet in front of Jay. The being towered over Jay, who was of average height for a human male.

As Jay and Rapha looked at one another, the doors to the Artifact Room opened again. The GASON group walked in with some of the technicians and more guards. When they came around the corner and saw Rapha, they all stopped.

"You said you are here to reveal the truth. Are you going to conquer us as well?" Jay asked.

Rapha did not respond right away. The being stood there phasing some more and finally spoke, "Not all visitors are conquerors. Only your world has ever done that."

"So what then? Are you here to destroy us?"

"If it is necessary."

That remark sent a cold chill through everyone in the room. It was all Britton could stand. She was breathing heavily and becoming eradict. She held up her gun and aimed it at the being. This action caught Rapha's eye. Pat tried to motion for Britton to stop, but it was too late. Rapha was already making a move.

Before Britton could speak, Rapha had taken her ability away. Before Britton could pull the trigger of the gun, Rapha had dismembered the fingers of her hand holding it. Before Britton could scream, Rapha dematerialized her body in bits and pieces, sending them plunging into the orb to an unknown destination. Britton was no more, and Rapha dispatched her quickly.

Jay couldn't believe what he just saw. He moved back slightly from Rapha, who now took notice of him.

"I warned you, only you can respond."

"Did you kill her?"

"She was not a being like you."

"What does that mean?"

"Some of you have been recreated after death. That is not a natural process for your beings. They are easy to find. They will be eliminated when necessary. I will commit no more harm to anyone else, provided you maintain the rules I have laid out."

"So, what is the truth you want to reveal?"

"There are many truths to reveal about your world. But the first one is that we are not your adversary."

"Then who is Rapha?"

"Your adversary stands there."

With that statement, Rapha pointed to the right and looked in that direction. The being was pointing directly at Pat.

With Rapha still pointing, the armed guards raised their weapons and aimed at Pat. The leader of the GASON group looked on and began to smirk. Linda approached Jay and looked on at Pat. Rob turned to face Pat. The whole group was fixated on him.

As Pat stood there, watching what was happening before him, his smile was finally gone. He stood there and said the only thing he could think of at the time.

 "Great."

Story # 4.1: Answers?

Dr. Blake was walking the corridors of the now bustling Fleece. There were people everywhere, thanks to GASON. All manner of tech support, security, engineers, and so on. The once seemingly hidden location was a booming metropolis all its own. Dana walked alongside Dr. Blake as they approached the control room of the Fleece.

“How do you feel about all of this?” Dana asked.

“I don’t know. I’m still processing what happened the other day. But right now, I’m hoping for some answers.”

Upon entering the control room, members of the GASON group and technicians from the Fleece were there. An armed team of infantry was also present. They appeared to be an elite special unit from the decal on their shoulders. Dana had once dated a man in the armed forces, so he told her about them and his unrealized dreams of becoming one.

As Dr. Blake and Dana entered the room, a man from GASON turned around to greet them.

“Ah, Dr. Blake, Dana, thank you for joining us. I was about to explain some things.”

Larry, Mike, and Seth stood by as they looked at the main video screen on the wall before them. The man from GASON went up to the console and began entering codes. The computer then spoke.

“Prepare for full body identification scan.”

The man from GASON stood there with his arms to his sides as a bright red laser scan engulfed his body and disappeared.

“Security access granted. Welcome Dr. Leonard Kelley.”

“Please bring up historical documents for Anderson Loop 20121221.”

The screen began to fill with documents, images, and videos. Dr. Blake could hardly take it all in. The amount of information available was overwhelming. Dr. Blake asked the most logical question, “Dr. Kelley, what is this?”

Dr. Kelley responded, “These are the historical documents available on the previous loop.”

“Loop? What do you mean loop?” Larry asked.

“Apologies, we refer to these repeat civilizations as loops because whatever happened in the previous loop seems to be made manifest again. You may have heard it as a historical recurrence.”

Larry looked at Dr. Kelley, “Yeah, I’ve heard of that, but it’s referring to historical patterns that seem to mimic themselves somewhat. It’s similar but not exactly the same.”

“Right, and it’s the same situation here. Take the schematic of Anderson, South Carolina, circa 2012 A.D. or C.E. There is the full topographical map of the city before the plague. Now let’s overlay the city of Smithville, South Augustina over Anderson.”

The computer overlayed the two maps and showed the statistical result. The cities were 97.1% matched for topography, population density, and other factors. A virtual carbon copy of the same city thousands of years apart.

Mike spoke up, “Wow.”

“But it’s not an exact match. Look at some of the variation in locations, the topography changes,” Dana added.

“True, but almost every map of cities today corresponds to a similar variation, within a 3% difference. That’s pretty significant,” Dr. Kelley replied.

“So, you’re saying our civilization rebuilt an old one directly over it? Almost identical to the last?” Dr. Blake said, mesmerized but still trying to sound logical.

“Yes.”

“How? How long ago was this civilization in existence?”

“I’m so glad you asked, doctor. We located a calendar from that time, which was still accurate. They referred to their calendar as the Gregorian Calendar. Based on our best calculations, the plague wiping out humans occurred in 2012, with the final destruction of their ruins in 2333, meaning for us the year would currently be 15,989 A.D. or C.E. from that civilizations record.”

Everyone looked at Dr. Kelley. 

“This civilization existed thirteen thousand years ago?” asked Larry.

“Give or take a year, yes,” Dr. Kelley replied.

Dr. Blake grabbed his hair and pulled on it, a nervous tic. He looked down at the floor as he did this, then asked more questions. "So, a civilization very similar to ours ended thirteen thousand years ago due to some type of zombie plague, based on the dead person walking we've encountered. And our civilization continued after that. But you said loops. Was there more than one loop?"

Dr. Kelley pulled up more documents, and a timeline appeared on the main screen. Different points along the line were highlighted as significant events. "All told, there have been ten loops throughout human history. The first ended three million years ago with the end of the Atlantean Civilization. Atlantis was considered a KL-type three civilization. They were super advanced, traversing the galaxy with colonies on multiple exoplanets in other star systems. We don't know what caused that civilization to end, but it was nearly one million years before the next civilization came into being. The next civilization was a KL-type two, destroyed one hundred thousand years later by a gamma-ray burst occurring only 50 light-years away. That is conjecture, though, as we don't have a record of a GRB that close in history. But it took roughly eight hundred thousand years for the next civilization to arise, becoming another KL-type two civilization. This civilization had colonies on Aries, or what other prior civilizations called Mars, but the two planets went to war. They annihilated one another in an interplanetary thermonuclear war around nine hundred thousand years ago. About one hundred thousand years later, a KL-type 1.5 civilization arose but died fifty thousand years later because of a Malthusian Catastrophe. What happened there is that the population exceeded resources to a degree that they could not be supported. Famine, plague, war, and death ensued, and eventually, the population dropped rapidly."

They were all entranced to listen to Dr. Kelley talk about this timeline. He continued on.

"The fifth civilization was a KL-type 1.2 that lasted one hundred thousand years and was destroyed when the Wonderland caldera erupted. This caldera has also been called Roche Jaune, Burning Mountain, and Yellowstone. Following recovery from that destruction, the next civilization was KL-type 1, roughly fifty thousand years later. This civilization lasted one hundred fifty thousand years but was destroyed by a severe period during the ice age. The next civilization, number seven, began roughly two hundred thousand years ago and grew to a KL-type 0.9 before collapsing due to the Toba Eruption eighty-eight thousand years ago. After that, the Annunaki civilization arose twenty-five thousand years later and lasted twenty-eight thousand years until it was destroyed in a massive flood generated by a comet. This civilization was the most primitive as a KL-type 0.5. The civilization seemed to have a massive slave population. Following the flood twenty-five thousand years ago, the Anderson civilization arose as a KL-type 0.7 and was obviously destroyed by a zombie plague twelve thousand years later. Finally, that leads to today, number ten, a KL-type 0.8 civilization on the brink of its demise."

"Demise? Our civilization is going to end?" Dana asked.

Dr. Kelley turned and looked at her, "Yes."

"By what means?" Dr. Blake asked.

"Well, put it simply, we've reached the limit of the human species," Dr. Kelley replied.

This comment shook Dr. Blake, "Are you referring to the doomsday argument?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"What's the doomsday argument?" Seth asked.

"We've calculated the number of humans that can exist anywhere in history. Each rising civilization had a minimum of one hundred billion humans that lived during that time. The maximum number calculated is 1.2 trillion humans can exist. Currently, we are at 1.2 trillion humans that have existed today."

They all looked at the screen, which showed the population figure based on the prevalence of the human species occupying the galaxy.

"So, when this loop ends, so does the human race?" Dana asked.

Dr. Kelley turned and looked at them all, "Unfortunately, yes."

"Can we stop it?" asked Larry.

Dr. Kelley turned to face them, "That's the real question we need to answer, and Pat is the only one who can."

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

Pat sat alone in the same room Jay and his people sat in weeks earlier upon their arrival at the Fleece. He sat there, occasionally chuckling to himself. The ever-present smile always showing on his face. He tapped his fingers on the table before him, waiting for whatever was next.

His attention was grabbed by the door unlocking and opening up. In walked four security guards, the elite special forces members, along with Mike, Seth, and Dr. Kelley. It was clear to Pat what was about to happen next.

"Hello there, gentleman," Pat said with a smile.

"Save the pleasantries. We're here for answers," Dr. Kelley said.

"I'm sure you are."

"So, I have a question," spoke up Seth.

"Shoot," Pat replied, still smiling.

"How does it feel to have the shoe on the other foot?"

"I wouldn't know. I don't put my shoes on backward."

Seth chuckled, "You like being cute, don't you?"

"I've been told that on occasion."

"Were you being cute when you had your guy kill my partner and I?"

"And me."

"Answer the question, Pat. Enough games," Dr. Kelley spoke up.

"On the contrary, Leo, this is the perfect time for a game, don't you think?"

"Why is that, Pat?"

"Well, you're sitting there next to two technically dead men, part of a civilization that has died so many times I've honestly lost count at this point, in the only place in the world that has access to that lost history where no one could possibly find it except for those that need to know. They are controlled by a group of elitist, self-righteous scientists who think they have it all figured out until something reminds them of how small they really are. I think it's a great time for a game, don't you? Perhaps chess?"

"When is the doomsday effect supposed to happen?"

"How should I know?"

"Because you set it into motion. When you came to us, you used us to start it. So, when?"

"What would Jesus say, doctor..."

"Stop that! Right now. Enough, Pat. Stop the games, the lies, the deceit."

"There is no..."

"Deception, yes, we've heard," Mike chimed in.

"You listen? That's good, Mike," Pat said, smiling.

Dr. Kelley, Seth, and Mike sat there looking at Pat, who was still smiling at them, a big toothy grin.

Pat finally spoke, "Listen, gentleman, I would love to tell you how and when the world will end. But I can't. No one can. Not even the Rapha you just met. Where is Rapha, by the way?"

"Don't you know? Can't you read thoughts?" Seth asked.

"Ah, you've been doing your homework, Seth."

"Answer his question," Dr. Kelley stared at Pat, emotionless.

"Sadly, I can't at the moment. Not Rapha nor Jay. Where are they?"

"That's for us to know and you to answer the questions," Mike said.

"Well then, I guess we may all be here until doomsday," Pat said, smiling big that time.

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

Jay was alone in the Artifact Room with Rapha. He sat at a table before the being, his arms to his sides, staring at the creature. Rapha was still phasing in and out of space-time. Rapha looked around the room at the artifacts before kneeling to speak directly to Jay.

Jay was not nervous or scared, just calm. Completely and utterly calm. It was as if Jay was doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing for the first time in his life. He was at ease and relaxed, more than he had ever been before. Linda and the kids were safe. His friend Larry was alive at the moment, in some state. The world seemed safe, for now. Even being in the presence of Rapha made Jay calm.

"These things in this room are meant to deceive you," Rapha spoke, the beings shifting to a sitting position before Jay.

"How so? Pat says they are part of ancient history," Jay replied, somewhat confused.

"That is his ploy, manipulate information to deceive from the truth."

"In what way? By hiding it from everyone?"

"By showing it to you in the first place."

"Why?"

"He lies in plain sight. It's the easiest form of deception. Twisting the truth to confuse you."

"He claims never to deceive."

"The best way to deceive is to deny deception."

"By tricking you."

"Yes."

"So, everything Pat does is a trick?"

"Yes."

"For what purpose? What's the ultimate goal for Pat? For all these civilizations? For all this chaos and deception?"

"He has been doing it a long time now. Persecuting. Accusing. Tormenting. He will continue to do it until the end."

"What does it have to do with me and my dreams?"

"You are an emissary."

"An emissary, like a messenger?"

"Yes. A task master."

"To stop Pat?"

"Yes."

"How? How do I stop someone like him? You said he's been doing this for a long time now. How could I stop him?"

"To answer that, I'll have to show you."

"Show me?"

"Yes. You will need to sleep. Do you trust me?"

Jay didn't know what other choice he had. But deep down, he trusted Rapha with his soul. As he stared at this being, he couldn't help but wonder if he was being fooled again. Pat smiled at him and admitted no deception, and Jay was listening to him implicitly. Was Jay about to make the same mistake again?

"The decision is yours, emissary."

"I accept, Rapha."

"Then we will begin."

Story # 3.9: Jay is the Man

 

Jay was stunned, silent for a moment.

He approached Larry and put his hands on the man's shoulders. Larry greeted that gesture with a smirk.

"I'm real, man."

"I can't believe it! Larry, you're fine."

"It's about time you said that," Larry's comment prompted a laugh from everyone else in the room.

Along with Linda and the kids, surrounding Larry and Jay were Dr. Blake and the two detectives, Mike and Seth, and Pat, along with one security guard.

"You're always a dirtbag," Jay said, laughing and lightly shoving Larry.

"I'm glad you're all right too, man. You gave us a scare yourself."

"Yeah, I'm fine now."

Pat walked up behind Jay and slapped his hand on Jay's shoulder, "He's more than fine. He's ready to roll. Jay, these are two of my associates, Mike and Seth. They'll work with Dr. Blake to assist you with our recent discussions."

Jay looked over at Mike and Seth and nodded. He looked back slightly at Pat, glaring to some degree but still playing along as best as he could.

"That's good to know, Pat."

"Say, man, you wanna go grab something to eat? I'm starving, and your kids look like they could eat too. Are you not feeding them again?"

"Oh, hush, man. Yeah, I could eat for sure."

"Why don't we all go eat together and discuss a few things about what's next here at the Fleece," Pat chimed in with his patented smile.

"That sounds good to me," Larry replied.

"Let me go change right quick. Why don't the kids go down there with you and Linda? I'll be down in just a few minutes."

"We'll see you down there, man," Larry patted Jay's shoulder and the others in the room began exiting.

Linda was following close behind, pushing the kids forward toward the door. Jay went towards the back bedroom to change clothes. As the children walked through the door, Linda motioned for Larry to hold up for a second.

"Why don't you take the kids on down? I'll be down in just a few minutes with Jay."

"I gotcha, just need a little...alone time," Larry smiled.

Linda slapped Larry on the chest, prompting a laugh from him. He exited with the kids as Linda closed the door behind them. Linda let out a sigh, standing next to the closed door. She had her eyes closed for a moment and gathered herself. She was tired. Tending to the kids was exhausting.

After righting herself, she turned around and saw Jay standing directly before her. She was startled and gasped.

"Honey, what are you doing?" Linda laughed sheepishly.

Jay just stood there, looking at her. He was trying to see how this person was faking being his wife. But after all Pat had just told Jay, he knew this place was one big lie. It was now or never to find out who was playing his wife.

"You know, you've done pretty good so far," Jay said.

Linda looked at him funny, "So far at what, honey?"

"You've called me every name in the book I can think of over the years. What are some of my favorites? You remember them, right?"

Linda laughed, "What are you talking about, Jay? Of course, I remember them."

"Well, name a few."

"What?"

"Come on, name of few of the pet names you have for me," Jay was smiling and picking at Linda, poking her in the sides and stomach.

"Jay, I don't wanna do this right now, honey."

Jay still smiled and picked at her, "That's just it."

Linda was smiling, looking at him as they moved toward the kitchen. 

Jay suddenly lost the smile and stared at Linda, "You've never called me honey."

Linda's smile faded away.

"Not one time, until recently. Why?"

Linda laughed nervously, "You can't be serious? You're questioning the pet names I have for you?"

"That was never a pet name for me. You should know that if you are my wife."

"What? Have you lost your mind, Jay?"

"Who are you?"

"Stop this, Jay! This isn't funny."

"I'm not joking, lady. Who are you?"

Jay grabbed her arm tightly, squeezing it until Linda grimaced.

"Jay, you're hurting me!"

"Who are you?"

"Let go of me, now!"

"I'll let go when you tell me who you really are."

"I'm Linda Trent, your wife!"

"No, you're not!"

Jay shoved her into the island in the kitchen. When Linda hit the island, she stepped awkwardly and tripped over a toy on the floor. This action caused her to fall to the ground, hitting hard on the left side of her neck. Jay stood over her, watching her every move. He was convinced this woman was not his wife. He was going to find out now.

Linda started picking herself up off the ground and back on her feet. She turned around to face Jay. She was mumbling something, but Jay's attention was diverted to the side of Linda's neck. A flap of skin that hadn't looked that way before was sticking out on the left side of her neck. Jay reached for it and grabbed it.

This action by Jay made Linda stop talking immediately. She looked at his arm and then back at Jay, "What are you doing?"

Jay began pulling on the skin, which stretched and ripped away from Linda's neck. Linda grabbed his arm, trying to stop him, but Jay shoved her into the island again and pinning her left arm behind her as he held her right arm to the side.

"Stay still. This will only take a second," Jay said, staring at Linda's face.

She glared back at him.

Jay grabbed a chunk of the skin and began pulling hard. Linda grimaced, but as she did, her face began to contort. Jay saw this and saw that other skin was showing beneath the skin he was gripping. The skin pulled away rapidly from Linda's face, distorting her complexion. Finally, the whole face and hair ripped away completely, pulling the woman to the side.

Jay stared in awe at the woman before him. Instead of his blonde-headed wife, a beautiful woman with brunette hair rose slowly to face him. He looked at her and couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Britton?"

Now leaning against the island was Britton, his former colleague at the school. "Hi, Jay."

Jay's mind was racing. He had so many questions, but only one mattered right now.

"Where is my wife, Britton?"

"She's not here. Not anymore."

"Where was she taken?"

"She was taken nowhere, Jay."

"Then where is she?"

"When is she is the better phrase."

Jay realized with that statement from Britton that his wife was in the other place. Jay walked away from Britton and sat down on the chair nearby. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. He looked back up at Britton, who hadn't budged an inch.

"You sent my wife to that hell hole world? That destroyed civilization of the past?"

"I didn't. He did."

"Yeah, I figured. But you've been pretending to be Linda. Why?"

"Because it's all part of the plan."

"What plan?"

"His plan."

"Do you know anything without him?"

"He keeps us all on a very tight, short leash."

"Yeah. I imagine he does."

Britton was slowly moving her arm still behind her, between her and the island, trying to reach for the small firearm she had stuffed in the back of her pants. She kept it just in case Jay ever found out who she was so she could hold him at bay.

Jay was looking down at the floor, rubbing his temples. While he did this, Britton moved more quickly to get the gun before Jay looked up. But as soon as Britton grabbed the handle, Jay hopped off the chair and raced over to grab her left arm. He struggled with her as she revealed the gun in her left hand. Britton was strong, but Jay was stronger and pried the weapon from her hand. Once he had the gun, he held it up to Britton's head. Britton stared back at Jay, nervous about what he might do.

"So what do we do now?" Britton asked.

"I'm sure your boss already knows something. There's no way he wouldn't.

You're quite right, Jay.

Jay heard that thought in his head. He then grabbed hold of Britton and held her in front of him, blocking his body from the line of sight. The door to Jay's living quarters sprang open. Two heavily armed security guards walked in with their rifles aimed at Jay. After they entered, Pat walked in, always smiling.

"Oh, Jay. I was really hoping it wouldn't come to this."

"Where is my wife, Pat?"

"I'm pretty sure Britton just told you, Jay."

"Then how do we get her back?"

"I wish I knew."

"Liar! That's all you do is lie! I want my wife back now!"

"Well, I guess you've forgotten one thing, Jay. I have your kids with me. Those are your kids, even you know that."

Larry walked up and into the room, "Jay? Man, what the hell are you doing? Britton? What is going on?"

"Not to worry, Larry. Everything will be explained in due time."

"Give me my kids back and take me to my wife, Pat."

"Or else what, Jay? This entire living quarter is surrounded by elite security forces at my command. You need to put down that gun so we can handle this more appropriately."

"I'm not letting her go until I learn where my wife is. Besides, you still need me, remember?"

With that statement, Jay turned the gun on himself. Pat looked startled and raised his hand to persuade Jay to stop.

"Lower your weapons."

Pat ordered the two guards beside him to stand down. The guards complied.

Jay, still holding the gun up to his own head, stood there waiting for a reply from Pat. Pat glared at Jay, trying to read his mind. Jay was blocking his thoughts and keeping information away from him.

Pat began to smile, "Ok, Jay. You want to see your wife again? You'll need to follow me back down to the Artifact Room."

"Yeah, I figured that thing had something to do with it. After you. I insist."

Pat smiled at Jay, chuckled at bit, then turned and exited the room. The two guards followed close behind, their guns aimed at Jay again. Jay now held the gun on Britton again, and proceeded to walk out of the room. Larry stood there stunned.

"Jay, I don't know what is happening, but this is crazy, man."

"Just follow me, Larry. Bring the kids, too. You need to see this place below."

Jay exited the room with Britton held close to him with the gun up aimed at her. Armed guards were on either side of the door as he walked out. At least five on either side. In front of him were more guards, another ten to either side of Pat. Pat turned back around to look at Jay holding Britton.

"Let's go, Jay. Time is of the essence."

"I'm pretty sure we have all the time in the world, Pat."

"Maybe," Pat replied to Jay, turning to walk down the corridor.

Pat led the way back to access the Artifact Room. Holding Britton close with the gun in hand, Jay followed, along with the armed guards, Larry, the kids, Dr. Blake, Seth and Mike. They were all headed to the final showdown between Jay and Pat.

One thing was for sure: Jay would either see Linda again or die trying.

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

URGENT COMMUNICATION

The screen lit up in red before the technician sitting in the control room. When they saw this, they clicked the link to access the message.

PRIORITY MESSAGE

PATE COMPROMISED. PAT ASSAILANT. DETAIN PAT AND JAY TRENT. PROTECT TRENT FAMILY AT ALL COSTS. GASON ON THE WAY.

The technician had to read the message again. He couldn't believe what he just read. Gason group is on the way? Detain Pat? Pate Compromised? What is going on? Protect Trent fam...

With that last thought, the technician looked at another screen. The flashing light was still going off where the zombies had been activated. He knew the zombies were headed for the power plant where Linda and Rob were currently. The goal for the zombies was to kill both of them. He had one final thought.

Oh no...