Gravity Rising (The Parallel Multiverse Book 2)

by Ward Wagher

“I’m very sorry, but our response must h’been sent after you left Boston. We have no openings in our Physics program right now.”

  Larry clamped his teeth together and nodded. He took a deep breath and nodded. “Very well. I can understand that. Would it be possible to speak with someone in that area – you know, to perhaps get some advice?”

  “We are very busy here, y’ know,” Johnson said. “Hain’t got time fer a lot’o interruptions.”

  “I can understand that. I was hoping for just a few minutes with an academic advisor.”

  The registrar bit his lip. “Well, we don’t want to be un-neighborly. Lemme see if anyone maht be ‘vailable.”

  He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

  “Hey Rembrandt, it’s Rikky. Listen, ah got a doctoral student in Physics just got in from Boston and… raht, I know that. He’s askin’ if he can chat for a few with an advisor.”

  Johnson listened for a few moments. “Yeah. Raht. Okay, I’ll tell’im. Thanks.”

  He dropped the phone and looked up at Larry. He scrabbled around on his desk and picked up his glasses again, then shoved them on his nose.

  “Raht. Dr. Russell Keck can give you fifteen minutes. He has an appointment at ten, so y’can’t keep him too long, raht?”

  “That would be wonderful, Mr. Johnson. How can I find him?”

  “Go out the door heah, turn left. Go t’the end of the hall and turn raht. Go all the way to the end of the hall. It’s a lawng way. Rembrandt’s office is at the end.”

  “Rembrandt?” Larry asked, almost involuntarily.

  Johnson smirked. “Our Dr. Keck fancies himself an artist in his spare tahm. Does paintin’, y’see. We nicknahmed him, Rembrandt.”

  “Um. Right. Thank you very much, Mr. Johnson. You really have gone out of your way to help us and I appreciate it.”

  “Ahh, wasn’t nuthin. Yers come a lahng way. Dint want yer t’leave empty handed.”

  “You have been most kind.”

  Johnson made a shooing motion. “Yers get on yer way. Not much tahm to see Rembrandt.”

  “Right. Thanks again.”

  Larry and Maggie scurried out the door and and turned to the left. They walked quickly to the end of the hall and turned right. This was a much larger building than it appeared from the outside.

  “Kind of a strange building,” Maggie muttered as they marched along the hallway.

  “It was obviously not always a school,” Larry said. “Old buildings like this in Cambridge were often some kind of retail, like a grocer or something.”

  “Did you notice the downtown as the train rolled past?”

  “No, I was pretty focused on my work,” he said.

  “If anything, it’s even worse than Boston.”

  “I don’t know, but I think all of North America is that way.”

  “What was that old world like, anyway?” she asked.

  He frowned. “Who can know? It must have been an amazing place. Now it’s mainly a lonely place.”

  “There’s that,” she said.

  A tall, solid-looking man stood in a doorway as they approached.

  “Dr. Keck?” Larry said.

  “Yes. Come on in. I can only give you fifteen minutes or so, but during that period, my tahm is yours.”

  Larry and Maggie followed him into the expansive office and sat in the chairs across from his paper-littered desk.

  “I’m Larry Berthold, and this is Maggie Bosstic. I am, or was a doctoral student at MIT, in Physics. I lost my stipend and I need to find another place to land.” Larry spoke quickly and almost breathlessly.

  Keck had a fatherly manner as he leaned back in his chair. “And what were y’studyin?”

  “I was reviewing the work of Clenèt and Westerly. I have found some inconsistencies in their math and wanted to develop a consolidated approach for my doctoral dissertation.”

  Keck smiled warmly and spoke. “Ah would wager your ideas weren’t t’popular around Cambridge, young man. The scientists there worship at the altars of Westerly and Clenèt.”

  “My advisor nagged me about paying too much attention to the backgrounds,” Larry said. “He told me I wasn’t a history student.”

  Keck’s eyebrows raised. “And who was your advisor?”

  “Dr. Jerzy Pournelle.”

  “Ah know’im. Nice guy, but not very independent. Ah kin understand yer gettin’ into trouble.”

  “The Registrar said there were no openings here,” Maggie said.

  Keck smiled sadly at Maggie. “That would be very true, unfortunately. Is this the first stop of your trip?”

  Larry nodded. “We’re heading to Columbia. They said they would talk to me.”

  Keck nodded. “They will tahk to ya, young man, but I wouldn’t hold much promise there. Have you sent anything t’Urbana?”

  “Actually, yes,” Larry said. “I didn’t hear back. That’s a long ways to travel on a chance.”

  “There’s a man tryin’ to pull together a political unit out there; calls hisself the Paladin. Rumor has it he is also trying to build a school in Urbana and is looking for Physicists.”

  “Ah cain’t do much, young man,” he continued, “but I will put a note out on the Global Net for advisors to look for you. ‘Haps something’ll come up.”

  “That is very generous of you.”

  “And unfortunately, my time is up,” Keck said as he stood up. “Oh, and tek ma cahd. It has my Global Net account. Stay in touch.”

  And with that, Keck launched himself out of the office. Larry and Maggie looked at each other, both with a bemused expression.

  “That was interesting,” she said.

  He stood up. “Come on. Let’s go talk to Mr. Johnson again, and see if he can recommend a cheap place to stay. There’s a morning train to Columbia and I would like to be on it.”

  “Dr. Keck was very helpful,” Maggie said.

  “Surprisingly so,” Larry said. “I think we would do well to stay in touch with him.”

  They began to walk past a doorway with windows in the doors, when Maggie suddenly grabbed him and pulled him back against the wall. He was surprised at the action and shocked at her strength.

  “Maggie?”

  She put her hand over his mouth. “Hush.”

  “What’s going on?” he whispered.

  “I saw through the windows into that room,” she whispered. “Dr. Keck was talking to Mrs. Willow.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  “You have got to be kidding me,” Larry said softly. “You have really got to be kidding me.”

  “Quiet,” Maggie whispered. “She’ll hear us.”

  “I really need to go in and find out what she’s doing here.”

  “I don’t think that would be smart.”

  “We gotta stop this somehow. The old bag has got to be a witch or something. How’d she get here?”

  “Hush,” Maggie repeated. “We need to stop and think.”

  “There’s no time,” Larry said.

  “There’s always time.”

  “So what do we do?”

  “We wait until they’re done and then we follow her,” Maggie said.

  “All right, so where do we go to get out of sight, so we can watch?”

  Maggie nodded to the door across from them. “That looks like a closet of some kind. There’s paper taped over the glass.”

  Larry stepped across the hall and tried the door. It was unlocked. They both quickly slipped inside and eased the door closed.

  “Stinks in here,” Maggie said.

  Larry looked around. “I would guess they don’t rinse their mops. That’s what the smell is.”

  Maggie tore a small corner off the paper, so they could peer through the door. “Okay, I can see them. It’s definitely Mrs. Willow.”

  “Why would she be down here in Charlotte? I don’t understand this.”

  “But it does tell us a lot,” Maggie said. “I wonder if we could make a guess that she is behind a lot of what happ
ened to you in Cambridge?”

  Larry shook his head. “Fusing the locks? Throwing a brick up four floors to go through my window? It just doesn’t make sense.”

  “When you eliminate the impossible...” Maggie said.

  “All right, Sherlock.”

  “Sshhh, sshhh,” Maggie shushed. “He’s leaving.”

  Larry had found another small hole in the paper and was watching. “Okay, Dr. Keck has gone. Let’s wait and see what Mrs. Willow does.”

  The school building seemed to grow quiet again as Dr. Keck retreated to wherever he went – likely to his office. Maggie and Larry continued to peek through the small openings in the paper over the window to watch the large room across the hall where they had seen Mrs. Willow.

  “Where is she?” Larry asked after a while.

  “Is she still in there?”

  “I don’t know.”

  They waited a while longer.

  “I’ve got to go to the bathroom,” Maggie said.

  “All right, I’ll slip across and try to peek into the room,” Larry said.

  Larry eased the door open, and carefully looked both ways along the empty hallway. He took a couple of quick steps to the other side and flattened against the wall. He glanced back and forth again, then stretched to peek in the window. He watched for a moment, then stepped over and opened the door.

  Maggie stepped out of the closet. “What are you doing?” she hissed.

  He shook his head and stepped into the room. Maggie frowned and rolled her eyes. Then she stepped into the room.

  “There’s no other door into here, right?” Larry asked.

  Maggie scanned the empty office. “No windows. No other way in or out.”

  “And we saw Keck leave, and nobody else,” Larry added.

  “So, where did she go?” Maggie asked.

  “Let’s find the restroom for you, and get out of here.”

  “Let’s just get out of here,” Maggie said. “I’ll go behind a tree if I need to. I’ve done it before.”

  They retrieved their backpacks and come-alongs from the janitor’s closet and walked out of the building. Maggie shivered when they got out of doors.

  “I’d forgotten it was this cold today. Where to, next?”

  “There’s a restaurant over there,” Larry said. “I’m about ready for an early lunch. Plus, they probably have a restroom.”

  “I’m with you,” Maggie said.

  They walked across the street and into the small diner.

  “Jes pick a seat anywhere,” a voice called. “Menus on the table.”

  Larry led Maggie to a table in the corner and pointed out the restroom to her. She scampered over and went in.

  “What t’drink?” said the man behind the counter.

  “Tea if you have it. For both of us,” Larry said.

  “Raht. Have it in a mo.”

  The ancient looking man wore a dirty white apron and a paper fore-and-aft cap. He busied himself by grabbing a couple of ceramic mugs and holding them under the dispenser. He walked around the counter and set the mugs on the table.

  “Y’all’er not from around heah, I tek it.”

  “Yes, Sir. We came in from Boston this morning.”

  “Vistin’ the school?”

  “I’m looking for a doctoral fellowship,” Larry said. “There’s nothing here, but I got some good advice from the people across the street.”

  “Fahn people at the school,” the proprietor said. “They don’ git much inna way of students, though. Registrar comes in for lunch. Always complainin’ about not having ‘nuff students to make ends meet.”

  Maggie had slipped out of the restroom and into the chair across from Larry. She quirked an eyebrow slightly as the restaurant operator spoke.

  “Th’beef here ain’t vera good,” the man said, changing the subject. “Ah’d recommend the sausage an’ home fraws.”

  “Thanks,” Larry said. “That sounds good to me. “What about you, Mags?”

  “Sausage and home fries? I think I like it.”

  “Raht,” he said, and turned to go back to the grill.

  “Feel better?” Larry asked, grinning at Maggie.

  “Much,” she replied. “I thought I was going to pop.”

  “Drink your tea. Looks like lunch will be coming shortly.”

  She picked up the cup and sipped, then frowned at it. “Not the best,” she said quietly.

  “It is what it is,” Larry said.

  “Larry, are we sure we saw Mrs. Willow in that room?”

  Larry looked down and drew his finger across the rough woodgrain of the table. “Dr. Keck wasn’t in there talking to himself.”

  “But, where did she go?”

  “Spooky, isn’t it?” Larry said.

  Maggie shivered. “I don’t think I want to stay around here.”

  “I kind of have the same feeling. People don’t just disappear.”

  “We’ll head down to Columbia tomorrow. There are more possibilities there, anyway.”

  “Dr. Keck seemed like such a nice man,” Maggie said. “I can’t believe I misread him like that.”

  “I know what you mean, Mags. I wanted to trust him. It’s pretty clear we cannot.”

  “Here y’go,” the restauranter said as he slid the plates onto the table. “Ah hope ya don’ mahnd, but ah threw a couple eggs on thar for ye. No extra chahge.”

  “Oh, thank you, Sir,” Maggie said.

  He shrugged. “Wasn’t nuthin.’ Now y’all enjoy.”

  “Oh, we will,” Larry said. “Thanks.”

  After they finished the lunch, the restaurateur removed the plates and refilled the tea mugs.

  “Now, ya’ll jes tek yo tahm. No hurry to git out in t’cold.”

  The tea was not great, but it was hot. The diner provided a cozy spot to observe the street corner and the entrance to the University. They watched the sparse traffic, consisting of people riding horses, horse-drawn wagons or carriages, and a few motor vehicles.

  “I think it’s busier here than Cambridge,” Maggie said.

  “I agree,” Larry said. “There is quite a few cargo carrying wagons. I wonder what the business district looks like.”

  The man behind the counter overheard them and spoke. “Th’ business district is about three blocks thataway. Got a couple hotels there’n such.”

  “Do you get much business here?” Larry asked.

  “Most’a m’business comes from the school people. That’n traffic comin’ past. ‘Nuff to keep me goin’.”

  Larry nodded and took another sip of the tea. He cradled the cup in his hands and enjoyed the warmth.

  “Cold today,” he called to the man behind the counter.

  “Yeah. Winters seem t’keep gettin’ colder. Snow stays on th’ground pert much all winter, now. Guess it’s worse where you’re from.”

  The winters are ferocious in Boston,” Maggie said.

  “Plenty chilly, here,” the man said. “But, y’don’t wanna be out tonaht. Lookin’ t’get really cold, then.”

  Larry stood and picked up his backpack. Maggie followed.

  “That being the case, we should probably make our way over there and find lodging.”

  “Y’all have a good day, heah?”

  “Yes, thanks.”

  “Friendly people,” Maggie said as they walked along the street.

  “Seem to be,” Larry replied. “I still cannot figure out Dr. Keck.”

  “And what Mrs. Willow was doing here if that was Mrs. Willow,” Maggie added.

  “You’re doing what I was doing,” Larry said.

  “Looking for another explanation? I can’t imagine another woman looking like Mrs. Willow, but I suppose it’s possible.”

  “Okay, let’s accept the argument that it was not her. Maybe it was just somebody who looked like her. Did Dr. Keck sound reasonable to you?”

  “He reminded me of Daddy,” Maggie said. “I wanted to trust him, and really had no reason not to, until I look
ed through that window.”

  “Right. I felt the same way. Oh, not about him being like my dad. I never knew my dad. But, I felt like I could trust him.”

  “So we head on down to Columbia tomorrow?” she asked.

  “That makes the most sense. We may have to stay there a while.”

  “Money?”

  “Yes. I’m running low. I’ll have to find something to do there until I can build up some more cash.”

  “I’ll help,” she said.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Once again, the clacking of the wheels against the rails, and the swaying of the train cars lulled Larry. He thought this would be a short ride, but the trip from Charlotte to Columbia took most of the day. The train wound its way through the countryside to Pleasantburg, where it moved through a switchyard and then headed to the southeast. They pulled into the station in Columbia later in the afternoon.

  The weather had grown increasingly cloudy during the day. Large snowflakes blew past, driven by a northeasterly wind. Maggie pulled her coat tighter around her as they walked from the station. Compared to many of the cities they had passed during the journey, Columbia seemed intact and functioning. While most of the taller buildings were gaunt shells looming over the city like emaciated giants, the smaller buildings seemed in good repair and there was healthy traffic in the streets.

  The station master had suggested a few hotels within walking distance, and considering the weather, there was no point in lingering. Larry and Maggie set off on a two-block trip to the nearest hotel. The wind continued to kick up, and the temperature was dropping.

  “I don’t mind telling you this reminds of the night I got caught outside,” Larry said as they marched along.

  “I don’t mind telling you that I’m cold, too,” Maggie replied. “We grew up in a place where there wasn’t much of a summer, and I can honestly tell you I don’t like the climate.”

  “As if we could do something about it.”

  “Right,” she said. “The sun is a mildly variable star, according to the astronomers. But, it’s been mildly quiet for the past couple of centuries. Not much variability.”

  “I’ve seen articles about the possibility of spraying carbon black in some of the northern regions, so they would absorb more from the sun.”