Aftershock

by Sandy Goldsworthy

  After a long mission, I should be entitled to some time off.

  I can read your mind. Or, has that human disguise made you forget our world?

  I chuckled and nodded to the electronic device humans called a phone. It sat on the bench in front of me. The hologram of my brunette partner appeared. We were alone, but I glanced around anyway.

  Maybe Molly was right. I was on earth far longer than any other time since I died.

  “Relax, Benjamin. No one in their right mind would be out at this time of the morning.”

  “Hey! I used to fish in this spot every day when I lived here.”

  Molly’s eyes widened. “That proves my point!”

  “Nice. I’ve been gone for almost ten years, and this is how you welcome me back?” Our laughter was muffled against the thick vegetation lining the shores around us.

  “Tell me. How was your mission?” Molly flashed a telling smile.

  “We both know you came here to lecture me.” Molly shook her head and started to respond. I held up my hand. “No. Before you tell me it’s time to let go, it’s time for me to pick up the pieces of my existence and look to the future, I want you to know I’ve done some serious thinking.”

  “Benjamin—”

  “Nope. You should know this is my last trip. I visited the bait shop in Riverside, said goodbye to the owner this morning, and drafted papers to sell my folks’ house on the other side of the lake… I’m ready.”

  Molly wrinkled her forehead for an instant.

  “Don’t worry. I’m okay with it.”

  Molly looked down, her hands clasped together. “You should really think about what you’re doing.”

  “I did. And I moved on.”

  “Don’t make any rash decisions, Benjamin.”

  “Rash? I’ve been looking for Elizabeth since 1941, and you’ve been nagging me ever since.”

  Molly’s face went pale. I peered into her mind, but her thoughts were clear, an obvious sign she was shielding me. It was a game we used to play when I was in training at The Farm. As a rookie, my skills were constantly tested. At first, Molly was stronger than I was, blocking me out of her mind. Eventually, I learned to break her barriers. All I had to do was concentrate…

  “Benjamin, stop! We got a call,” Molly blurted out.

  “Huh?”

  “While you were on assignment, a call came into dispatch.”

  “So? Hundreds of calls come in every second.”

  “A girl broke her arm. She was rather distraught, I’d say. She was only six years old. Poor thing. Else, I’d never known. Dispatch would have assigned her case to a patrol unit to investigate and then filed it away.” Molly took a deep breath before continuing. “Did I tell you I was assigned to office duty? I can’t say I enjoyed it. Of course, giving tours wasn’t bad. I had a chance to meet some new recruits. Not that I’d want to partner with any of them. Oh! I heard you met Bianca. She told me to say hello.”

  “Molly!”

  She jumped in response. “Oh, yes. My apologies for drifting.” For a slight moment, Molly looked uncomfortable.

  “What are you trying to tell me?”

  After a moment of hesitation, she whispered, “I found Elizabeth.”

  The movement of my fishing pole distracted me. I stared at the spot where the line pierced the water and hung the bait precisely twenty-eight feet, five-and-a-half inches below. Pointing my index finger, I moved it in a slow, circular motion. The line stopped twitching, and the fish moved on.

  Silence lingered in the crisp, predawn air.

  Out of habit, I lit up a cigarette and took a long drag. Regrets suddenly hit me. She was gone. Lost. All those years I looked for Elizabeth, the years undercover I searched for her… Instead, she was living another life?

  “Benjamin?” The water’s surface shivered when Molly spoke.

  I took a second hit and held my breath for a moment.

  Memories of my wife, Elizabeth, warmed me. Her bright blue eyes and gentle smile had caught my attention back in 1931. We were young, innocent, and alive. I didn’t know it then, but that Saturday, at Hudson’s Grocery in Riverside, I met my soul mate. We married a few years later and welcomed a son, Danny.

  Did you hear me?

  I ignored Molly and recalled the last time I saw Elizabeth.

  “These eight months will go by quickly. You’ll see.” It was my last tour of duty on the USS Arizona. “I’ll be home soon. I promise.” They were words that still haunted me today.

  I never made it home and never saw Elizabeth again—not on earth or in my world, either. I died on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. It was the reason I chose to join the Bureau and train as an undercover agent. It gave me a chance to search for the love of my life.

  “Benjamin, she couldn’t contact you. There was a breach of contract.” Her tone was soft. “It wasn’t your fault, or hers.”

  Thoughts circled silently between us. I was numb. Emotions I expected, words I wanted to speak, failed me.

  A fish nibbled on my bait again. This time, I didn’t move to stop it. I watched the tapping of the line in the calm water, one, followed by another. The fish grabbed hold and the line tightened, bending the pole downward. I reeled in my catch and released the fish back to the waters below, in one automated motion.

  To the east, the sky turned a dark purple—the dawn of another day.

  Chapter 2

  Emma's Story

  Four Years Later, Present Day

  I got out of my car as the first bell rang.

  Parked in the last row, furthest from the building, I was sure to be late. Wonderful. Monday morning, the third day of school, and I felt like crap for arguing with Dad.

  It wasn’t really an argument. He told me his opinion, which didn’t match mine.

  I raced to the doors of Highland Park High School, haunted by the image of Dad’s bright red face. “No way. I’m not letting you and your girlfriends drive two hours to a party at some campground,” he said.

  “Dad, I’m a senior, and it’s not just any campground. It’s at Lake Bell.”

  “I don’t care where it is. There are no chaperones,” he argued. “Besides, we’re going to Lake Bell this weekend as a family. Did you forget?”

  How could I forget? Ever since Mom died, Dad and I went to visit Aunt Barb every holiday and most weekends in between. She lived in Wisconsin and owned a fancy resort on Lake Bell. Weekends consisted of me being bored out of my mind while Dad and his sister drank wine and talked with her friends. It was different when I was young. There were other kids my age to hang out with.

  Dad’s angry tone still echoed in my mind when I reached my locker.

  I wasn’t trying to lie to him. I thought he knew about the senior trip to Lake Bell each Labor Day weekend. It had been the tradition for years.

  “Damn it.” I couldn’t get my lock open on the second attempt.

  “Whoa! I never heard you swear before.” Matt’s smile broke my crabby mood and eased my frustration.

  I grinned in response and finally opened my locker.

  “You didn’t answer when I called this morning.” Matt Bishop and I had known each other since sixth grade, even though we had only been dating for a few weeks. Bishop followed Bennett, which put Matt next to me in every class we had together. Our teachers liked alphabetical seating.

  “Sorry. It’s just… Well, I was talking to my dad. That’s all.”

  He raised an eyebrow as if expecting more of an answer. I didn’t respond, and he looked away. Could I tell him my dad had ridiculously strict rules?

  After picking out my books and shutting my locker, Matt and I merged with the stream of students in the hall. A few people looked at us. I wasn’t surprised. Matt was the starting quarterback on the football team since sophomore year and hadn’t ever had a serious girlfriend.

  “I called because of the senior trip,” Matt said.

  Great. Just what I wanted to talk about.

&
nbsp; “Lewis’ parents offered to have a cookout,” he continued. Lewis Warner was one of the super-rich kids in our school and Matt’s best friend ever since I could remember. “They have a cottage—well, more like a huge house—on Lake Bell. Lewis said everyone could hang out at the lake, go Jet Skiing, play volleyball… whatever.”

  “That’s nice.” I wondered if Dad would be okay with that.

  “Best of all, we can stay there. You know, instead of the campground.” We reached my classroom and stopped outside the door.

  Was that an invitation?

  “I heard there are not enough cabins, anyway,” he added.

  “Oh. Really?” Aimee Wilkinson glared at us. She was Junior Prom Queen and rumor had it she was interested in Matt. She was a super-rich kid, too, and anything Aimee wanted, Aimee got.

  “Yeah. So what do you say?” Did I imagine eagerness in his tone?

  “Um… yeah,” Of course, I’d need Dad’s approval.

  “See you in Spanish.” His voice was low, almost in a whisper. He stood close enough that our arms touched. I hoped he would kiss me. Instead, he said goodbye and left.

  ***

  The first three class periods flew by, compared to history, which dragged on.

  There was nothing more monotonous that listening to lectures on World War II and the attack at Pearl Harbor. Instead of paying attention, I sent Dad a text and told him I was sorry I upset him. Not telling the whole story was no different than telling a lie, I realized.

  My best friend, Melissa Ryan, was waiting in the hall after class.

  “So? Did you hear about the party at Lewis’ house on Lake Bell?” Melissa’s energy was in overdrive. “I’m so excited. I can’t wait!”

  “Matt told me,” I answered, when she finally took a breath.

  “Like, omigod. You and Matt, me and Lewis.” She smirked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Uh-huh.” Melissa and Lewis started dating junior year. Even if she and Lewis were getting close in that way, this weekend wouldn’t have the same meaning for Matt and me. He wouldn’t even hold my hand in school.

  “This is going to be sooo great!” She squeezed my arm when we reached Spanish class.

  “Listen, my dad freaked out on me this morning,” I blurted out.

  “What? Why?” She stopped in the doorway.

  I shrugged. “You know. His strict rules.”

  Students pushed past us as the bell rang.

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” She grabbed my arm. “Come on.”

  Senora Gonzalez was talking to a student when Melissa and I took our seats beside Matt and Lewis. Matt greeted me with a smile and suddenly, I felt better.

  “You’ve got lunch next. Right?” Matt whispered.

  “Yeah.”

  “Maybe we could sit together.” It was a statement, not a question.

  “Yeah, that’d be great.” My cheeks warmed. Matt had dark eyes and a warm smile, and he knew when to use it. No wonder girls like Aimee were after him.

  “Did Matt tell you about this weekend?” Lewis asked.

  “Ah, yeah.”

  “Good. My parents are cool with a few people staying over.”

  “Thanks, Lewis. I’ll check with my dad.”

  “Yeah, sure,” he said, like I was rejecting him. “You know, he’s welcome to call my parents. They’ll be there. They got rules, you know. No beer. No smoking. It’s cool, though. The locals party on this island… we can join ’em for a bonfire. I’ve got some friends there.”

  “Emma’s aunt lives there,” Melissa said before I could answer.

  “You’ve been to the island parties?” Lewis seemed interested.

  I shook my head. Dad barely let me out of sight as it was. There was no way he’d allow me to go to a party on an island.

  “Makes Friday nights around here seem tame.” He laughed, referring to the huge parties a few football players hosted every weekend. “There’s a nice beach there. And a resort my parents go to. Only place in town they’ll have dinner.”

  I nodded. “The Carmichael Inn.”

  Senora Gonzalez called the class to attention. I should have said my aunt owned the inn, but when the teacher hushed the class a second time, I lost my chance.

  Class dragged on for eternity. Quiz tomorrow. Review of last year. Study group today after school. Eleven minutes left in class.

  “Abran sus libros en la página diez,” Senora Gonzalez said, handing out packets to each row. Open your books to page ten.

  A knock on the door interrupted Senora Gonzalez from her presentation. When she went to answer it, Melissa brought up the trip again.

  Ten minutes left.

  “You can ride up with us, Friday night,” Lewis offered after Melissa told him I couldn’t drive.

  When I looked up, Senora Gonzalez was headed toward me. “Emma, can you come with me?” Her piercing eyes stared at me. “Grab your things, please.”

  Melissa shrugged. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

  I gathered my books and followed Senora Gonzalez to the door.

  Why was I singled out?

  At the doorway, I paused. All eyes were on me. Matt smiled before I turned and walked out. The office secretary greeted me with an unusual look and escorted me through the maze of hallways to the waiting police officer, Principal Davis, and the school nurse.

  What did I do?

  Chapter 3

  Ben's Story

  Pete Jorgenson waited at the gate, like usual.

  “Good to see you. How was your trip?” He matched my stride.

  “Uneventful.” We walked past the long lines and through the maze of security in the Admissions Center in the Northern Hemisphere. We called it the Hub.

  An older man with a scrappy, peppered beard, wearing a shabby, tan overcoat tried following us through the invisible field that authenticated our identities. I heard the sparking sound of the neon-blue web that prevented his access into my world, temporarily paralyzing his movement. It stirred unrest amongst the pending admittents, those people waiting in line for acceptance. Fear filled their minds, but they didn’t flinch. Within seconds, calmness overcame them again.

  A security officer waved his hand in the direction of the man, and the sparking vanished. The web disappeared, yet the old man did not move. The swarming crowd retreated as an unseen force separated them from him.

  I stopped and glanced at the suppressed chaos. The disruption was so commonplace that Jorgenson didn’t react. Most pending admittents understood they died. After all, their Admissions Guide told them. It was the first words a Guide verbalized to the deceased when they hovered over the remains of their human body. But with so many thoughts, emotions, and memories running through them, it was hard to understand what was happening, and unrest was expected.

  “Molly checked in a short time ago,” Jorgenson said. We followed the crowd. Most everyone was approved for entrance.

  “I didn’t realize she came home for a visit.”

  Jorgenson nodded as we passed slower-moving people in front of us.

  A quick update with her would be good before we were engaged in our assignment, and time in our world would be limited. Molly was placed in the field a human-year earlier. Time passed faster in my world.

  “Libertyville went well, I trust.” Jorgenson referred to the few hours I spent in the small Illinois town for a group compulsion at a high school football game. It was the easiest way to quickly plant memories in humans. Claire, a rookie, was assigned with me. We simply compelled the student body into remembering us before kickoff. Minutes later, we were greeted like long-lost pals by teens we never saw before.

  “Claire did well,” I said, looking Jorgenson in the eye. “She was a bit apprehensive at first, but the cover worked.” It gave us a backstory, should some idiot kid question who we were at some point in our mission. Now, we could legitimately say we were Ben and Claire Parker, two teen siblings previously enrolled at Libertyville H
igh School, active in soccer and well liked. It worked, in case anyone wanted to check up on us. Given today’s technological advances and social networking, we needed to connect the dots ahead of time.

  “Good. I’m sure her handler will be happy. I’ll pass along the news. Claire chose not to come back with you?”

  I shook my head. “No, she wanted to stay.” I chuckled. “She’s enjoying the life of a high school student. Doing better than I expected. She’s made friends.”

  Jorgenson’s smirk was understood without my need to read his thoughts. Claire was a cute kid that spent a number of years in rehabilitation before entering the academy. Her past life ended tragically when she overdosed. It was a breach of her life contract. “She’s young, Pete.”

  Not that young, he said in thought.

  Young enough. She’s only been here a few decades… And she’s a rookie.

  We aren’t old. We’re just more experienced. Pete Jorgenson transitioned decades before me. He was forty-eight years old the day his third contract expired, when his human body died, and he stood in a similar admission line as the pending admittents we passed.

  “I’ll tell her that,” I said aloud.

  “By the way, Bianca asked about you.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “She wants in on your assignment.”

  “Of course she does. Bianca is a very persuasive woman.” And she didn’t take no for an answer, despite the numerous times I told her I wasn’t interested in her romantically.

  She’s also very attractive. Most agents would jump at the chance—

  I’m not like most agents.

  But—

  Look, if you’re interested in her, go for it.

  She’s requesting you.

  “Not interested,” I said. We walked through the last checkpoint in the long tunnel called the Bridge. It connected the Hub with our world and provided a database purge or download, if that was necessary. An admittent, one who was approved for entrance to my world, would regain knowledge lost during their human life, here on the Bridge. Those taking on a new human life would lose our world’s memory as they walked the tunnel’s length on their way out. It was a good filtering system, but one that did not apply to me.

  I was an immortal agent.