The Best of All Possible Worlds

by Richard D. Parker

  “I’m coming,” he whispered aloud as he pulled out onto Highway 61 and switched on the GPS monitor. The Buick was no more than five miles north of his position. She was there. She was in that car…the blip on the screen could be hers. Nico smiled and followed her north, knowing one thing for sure. He would kill her with his bare hands…or die.

  †

  They drove for hours, always heading north, moving quickly through northeast Missouri and into southern Iowa. On and on they drove, past small town after small town. Vio was amazed at the consistent speed and the amount of territory they covered and all while sitting on some of the most comfortable seats she’d ever experienced. The car was amazing, not only did it move across country very quickly but it also had something called an air conditioner, which cooled the inside and kept it very comfortable despite the fact that it was quite hot outside. There was music playing, but Vio could not understand what the singers were saying or just what the appeal was for the others. To her ears it was harsh and grating, but Adam kept it low so she managed to tune it out.

  Avigail and Galen were softly talking, but they were speaking in the strange tongue and Vio could not understand them either, so she just looked out the window. They were moving through very fertile country, and the size of the cultivated fields they passed was astounding. This area could feed thousands upon thousands of people. Every now and then Christine would turn around and speak to Galen but Vio ignored her. She didn’t know exactly who she was, but she didn’t think she and Adam were joined, but her familiarity with the man was definitely a concern. Vio didn’t like her much but couldn’t have said why. Adam however, intrigued her. He was tall, strong, obviously fit, but there was a softness about him, a gentle nature that was almost feminine. Despite this gentleness, he was attractive to her in a way she’d not experienced since Gwaynn. But Adam was different. He was simply the most beautiful man she’d ever come across.

  ‘He’s much better looking than Gwaynn,’ she thought and her eyes darted to the nape of his neck while he drove. She gazed at the soft black hairs that grew just beneath his full head of hair and then studied his profile. He had a strong face, closely shaved, which Vio appreciated. She’d never been much for beards. His ears were on the small side but they were well formed and his nose was large but not overly so and from the looks of it had never been broken but it was Adam’s eyes that truly intrigued her. When he looked at her it was if she were standing naked in front of him. His eyes saw everything, took her in body and soul. Vio shivered.

  “Are you cold?” Adam spoke and Vio glanced up to find the man looking at her through a tiny mirror attached to the front glass and felt a thrill of pleasure. He was attracted to her; she could sense it, but even so, she knew from experience that such feelings could not always be trusted. Such feelings could be painful, very painful and were best avoided. She scowled and then glanced at Galen, who translated. Vio shook her head negatively, catching Adam’s eye in the mirror for a moment before quickly glancing back out the window.

  They traveled through the remainder of the morning and into the early afternoon moving past the small Iowa towns of Mt Pleasant, Swedesburg and Olds before finally driving up toward Iowa City. Vio continued to stare with fascination out at the landscape as it flew by, though she was keenly aware of Adam sitting in the front seat at all times. Several times she’d caught him looking at her in the small mirror but each time she glanced away quickly, fighting the blush she knew was rising on her cheeks.

  She didn’t know the names of the towns and couldn’t read any of the signs, but she was deeply interested in the architecture of the buildings and the landscaping of the surrounding land, but what truly amazed her was the level of cultivation. Everywhere there were endless fields of farmland. In a few of the fields large machines were rolling about, obviously tending to the never-ending rows of small plants. Such cultivation could feed thousands or millions and as they drove it hit Vio that perhaps such fields fed even more than millions. The scale of the operation was staggering and once more she felt an overwhelming awe for the people of this land.

  Vio was so engrossed in the passing landscape that she was caught completely off guard when the car suddenly slowed, turned off the main road and pulled in front of another small shop. Vio was glad, she was growing stiff and needed to stretch a bit.

  As soon as the car stopped Vio pulled on the piece of metal that cleverly opened the door and gratefully stepped out into the afternoon air. The day was very warm, but the heat was welcome for a time. It did not take Vio long to realize however, that to travel for hours through such heat and humidity would have been extremely uncomfortable without the atmospheric conditioner. She found herself very thankful for it.

  Vio arched her back, first to the left and then to the right, before turning around. She turned so quickly she caught Adam staring at her, his dark, kind eyes boring into her. He smiled at her and a sudden warmth spread up from deep within her belly. Vio smiled back, feeling self conscious. She found she liked the man immensely, though she did not truly know anything about him.

  Christine said something to Adam drawing away his attention and Vio fought not to scowl at the woman.

  “We’ve come a long way,” Avigail said as she came around the back of the car; Galen tagging along after her, smiling happily.

  Vio nodded. “Yes…I can see why they don’t Travel. They move so fast in their cars. We’ve probably gone from one end of Massi to the other,” she said and started toward the shop as Christine motioned her to follow.

  They didn’t stay inside long. Adam and Galen were already waiting at the car by the time the girls finished.

  “Avigail,” Christine said as they approached the car, “do you think Vio would mind sitting up front. I’d like to know more about you and where you come from?”

  Avi nodded and put the question to Vio, whose heart soared. She wanted nothing more than to sit up front with Adam…though what good it would do, she didn’t know since they couldn’t communicate. But she nodded to Christine in any case, trying to hide her happiness. She pulled open the door and climbed in beside Adam, almost giddy with anticipation. She smiled at him shyly.

  “Vio,” he said and smiled back.

  “Adam,” she answered and her grin grew wider.

  “Vio,” Adam repeated and started the car.

  “Oh my God! You like her!” Christine said directly behind Adam and he frowned though she couldn’t see his face.

  “Of course I do,” he admitted as he pulled back onto the interstate. “Look at her, she’s gorgeous,” he added.

  “He thinks you’re beautiful,” Avi told Vio with a squeal.

  “What did you say?” Adam asked Avigail, feeling a bit panicked.

  “I told her what you said,” Avi answered with an impish grin. Adam stared at her in the rearview mirror for a moment then risked a glance over at Vio. She was staring straight ahead, ignoring him but he fancied her cheeks were a little pink.

  “Well don’t do that…unless I tell you,” Adam finally said.

  “He’s mad at me for telling you,” Avi explained to Vio.

  “Avigail!” Adam said loudly but couldn’t help but grin at the girl.

  “Oh Adam…you’re not in Junior High anymore,” Christine teased. “You’re a man. You can tell someone when you like them.”

  “I would rather just tell her myself,” Adam retorted and his sister laughed.

  “Alright, alright, I’ll give it a rest,” Christine replied, though she continued to chuckle softly for a few minutes.

  Adam continued to glance over at Vio every few miles but she steadfastly stared out the windshield, and though she acted as if she was very engrossed in the surrounding countryside all her senses were utterly in tune with Adam’s every move. Her heart was pounding in her chest and only thumped harder when she knew he was looking her way.

  “Vio,” Adam finally said and handed her a Snickers bar, his personal favorite. She took it tentatively and he tossed th
ree more in the back, then he tore open his own and glanced at Vio, who was staring at him. He smiled and took a bite. Vio smiled back and opened her own. Whatever it was it looked odd so she smelled it first, but it didn’t smell like anything she’d ever known. She looked over at Adam again, and he motioned for her to take a bite. Her heart fluttered but she did as he suggested, though her initial bite was a small one.

  “It’s delicious,” Avigail said first in English and then in the language of the Inland Sea.

  Vio nodded happily in agreement and took another bite.

  Adam and Vio ate their candy in silence as Christine grilled Avigail about her talents and her world. Avigail tried to explain and Galen came to her aid on a point or two but for the most part he just let her tell the story on her own. Adam listened on in amazement as they closed on Iowa City.

  ‘Another world!’ He thought and risked another glance over at Vio. She looked human, but he couldn’t see how that could possibly be true. ‘An alien,’ he thought and considered the implications.

  “What world is this that you come from?” Christine asked from the back, voicing what was going through Adam’s mind.

  “Where is the Inland Sea?” she added.

  Avigail frowned, not really knowing how to answer. She posed the question to Vio.

  “Tell them we come from Earth,” Vio told her.

  “Earth?” Adam repeated. The word was the same in both languages. Vio turned to the man and nodded.

  “Earth,” she repeated and Avigail repeated what she was told.

  “Tell them there are many Earths…many times many,” Vio continued.

  “Earth,” Adam said again then felt like an idiot.

  Again Avigail repeated what she was told.

  “A parallel universe,” Christine blurted. “You’re telling me you come from a parallel universe?”

  Avi frowned, not really knowing what the other woman was asking.

  Without thinking Adam turned west on I-80 heading toward Des Moines.

  Avigail again turned to Vio for help but she also was unsure how to answer the question.

  “Not a parallel universe,” Galen finally said, and everyone grew quiet. “They are from this universe, but from an alternate reality.”

  Christine frowned over Avigail at him. “What do you mean?”

  Galen remained silent for a time, thinking, before he slowly tried to explain. “There are a countless number of Earths. Spacetime is not static, not predetermined but is always growing; physically, chronologically, dimensionally and paradoxically. The universe cannot be hemmed in by misconceptions,” Galen replied.

  Christine frowned and Adam just shook his head, not having the slightest idea what the boy was talking about.

  “Do you know what he’s talking about?” Adam asked his sister.

  Christine shook her head. “Not exactly, but there are theories about the multiverse; the idea that our universe is not the only universe, but instead is one of billions or possibly an infinite number of universes.”

  Galen smiled at her. “Yes,” he answered simply and said nothing more.

  Christine stared blankly ahead for several minutes, thinking. She was no expert on theoretical physics. It could be possible but even if what Galen claimed was true, it still didn’t explain how these two women came to be in her world.

  “But from what I’ve read,” Christine continued, playing the devil’s advocate, “the multiverse is a product of black holes and that the possible other parallel universes would not necessarily operate under the same physical laws as our own.”

  Now it was Galen’s turn to frown, not being an expert on theoretical physics either.

  Adam drove on pushing the speed of the car up to near eighty to keep up with the general flow of traffic. They were eating up the miles and with each passing second moving farther and farther from St. Louis, which was making him very happy.

  “This place…” Galen began very slowly, trying very hard to be understood. “We create this place…this universe. It is we who make it so. The universe is a reflection of us and we are a reflection of it,” he added tapping his chest.

  “Adam,” Vio said softly and Adam looked over at her surprised. She smiled at him and his heart jumped in his chest.

  Vio held up the wrapper to the candy bar. “Good,” she said.

  Adam raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You spoke,” he answered and glanced happily into the back seat.

  Avigail said something to Vio and then she looked to Adam. “She’s a fast learner,” Avigail commented.

  “Car,” Vio said pointing to the vehicle they were riding in.

  “Right!” Adam exclaimed.

  Avigail spoke to Vio again.

  “Right,” Vio repeated and the next few hours were spent in teaching Vio as many English words as possible. Avigail was correct; Vio was a very fast learner.

  “Adam,” Galen said from the back in the midst of the lesson. “Turn off here,” he said and motioned for Adam to get off the interstate.

  They were still around fifty miles east of Des Moines driving past a multitude of cornfields and small towns and from the looks of the surroundings there was not much more out there. Adam said as much.

  “Adam please,” Galen implored.

  “Adam please,” Vio mimicked.

  Adam smiled at her and pulled over and onto the off ramp. Vio smiled back at him.

  “You like him too!” Avigail said in the language of the Inland Sea. She spoke as if solving some great mystery.

  Vio shot her a look, but didn’t deny it.

  “Where are we going?” Christine asked Adam, but Galen answered.

  “This way,” he said pointing north, the direction of Kellogg, Iowa.

  “Kellogg?” Christine commented.

  Adam shrugged, but didn’t argue. He had no real destination in mind in any case. His entire plan was just to get as far away from St. Louis as possible.

  But Galen led them through Kellogg and then farther north along Highway 14. They passed through another small town named Laurel before coming to the nearly gargantuan Marshalltown, Iowa. But they did not stop; instead Galen led them back east along county road 35 before turning north once more on county road 29.

  “Galen, we’re out in the middle of nowhere,” Adam finally said. “Just where are we going…do you know?”

  Galen nodded and smiled, then pointed to the north. “A little farther,” he said encouragingly.

  Adam laughed and drove on. They continued north past isolated farmhouses and vast open fields. They truly were in the middle of the heartland, the middle of absolutely nowhere, and it wasn’t until they began to approach an enormous dead tree trunk that the place took on a hint of the familiar for Adam. He slowed the car to thirty, twenty, fifteen and finally ten miles an hour.

  “What is it?’ Christine asked.

  “I’ve been here before,” Adam said gazing out the passenger window at the large dead tree as they rolled past. He quickly turned and looked out the other side, out across an enormous field of corn. “A long time ago,” Adam continued.

  “Yes,” said Galen and pointed up the road. “There,” he added.

  Up ahead was a lone farmhouse, set back off the road, but waiting at the end of the drive, standing near a mailbox shaped like a John Deere tractor, was an old couple. And as the car drew nearer, the old woman began to wave to them.

  †

  “His name is Harold Carmichael,” FBI Agent Manny Garcia said and watched through the pane of bullet proof glass as the old man fidgeted in the sterile interrogation room. “He claims he’s just borrowing the car while his is in the shop.”

  “Who in the hell is he?” Armstrong asked, a feeling of dread coming over him. Dawkins and the boy could be a very long way from St. Louis by now.

  “Night watchman at the Dorchester Apartment complex,” Garcia replied wondering just what these DOE pukes wanted with the old man and why they were stomping all over his territory. He would have like
d to say as much but knew better. The DOE’s funding had exploded exponentially over the last decade and the agency’s power with it. Finding a way to break the country’s dependence on foreign oil supplies was now considered the most important project in the nation’s history and the federal government was throwing money at the issue on an unprecedented scale. The size and scope of the project was mind-boggling. While they had the funds, the DOE was taking full advantage of their position to branch out into all manner of clandestine areas of study, which was probably why they believed they needed their own investigative agency. To Garcia, however, it was the perfect example of governmental waste. Why build one agency to do a job when you could have two…or three…or even more? And now there was word that the NSA was involved. Whatever this old man was mixed up in, it couldn’t be good and Garcia almost felt sorry for him. Mr. Carmichael did not know it yet, but the government was going to come crashing down on his head and whatever happened, Garcia was sure it would not be very pleasant for the old guy.

  “Have we confirmed his story?” Armstrong asked. “What repair shop was he using?”

  “We’ve men working on it now,” Garcia answered just as a call came in on his cell. He answered, talked a moment and then hung up. He looked over at Armstrong and shook his head.

  “Son of a bitch,” Armstrong said softly and turned to Collier. “Dawkins has his car…I want to know the make, the color, the year, the plates, everything. Hell I want to know if the old man ever got lucky in the damn thing and I want to know it now!”

  Collier nodded and left the room, moments later the door to the interrogation room opened up and she entered and marched directly up to Carmichael, who greeted her with a large smile.

  “You’ve been lying to us Mr. Carmichael,” she began, “and the United States Government does not take kindly to such activity.”