by Adam Benson
Alright, I'm about to start on the first one. Last chance to use this as a weapon. She said.
Just hurry up with the cloaks. Dayk reminded again.
In his display, the group of people came up to and around the woman outside the door. She pointed at a door opposite of where they were, and slightly down the hall from them. Three of the men moved over toward the door. One of them pulled something from his clothing and then opened the door with the object. The three men went inside. She's misleading them! Dayk thought excitedly.
What? Thalia asked, a little startled.
She just pointed them into a different room. Dayk said. He continued to watch as Thalia worked on reassembling the first cloak device. Someone else is approaching, he thought. He watched as a new hologram started approaching from down the hall. The character marched around the corner and approached the rest of the crowd. He stopped.
Twenty eight percent. Thalia said.
Dayk continued watching as the newcomer stood in front of the woman. Something was going on, but he wasn't listening to their conversation. All he could see was their bodies moving about in the hall.
Fifty two percent. Thalia updated him.
The newcomer seemed to be engaging with a few of the different people in the hall. Then one of the men that had been in the empty office started clapping his hands and yelling "alright everybody, back to the conference room." It could easily be heard from inside the bathroom. The men started moving together back into a cluster one at a time.
Sixty nine percent.
The mass of men started moving back down the hall, but the woman and the latecomer both stopped for a moment. Dayk couldn't hear what they were saying, but a moment later the latecomer began to follow the mass of men down the hall, but the woman stayed behind. She appeared to watch them for a moment as they made their way back around the corner of the hallway.
Eighty six percent. Thalia said.
The woman turned back toward the bathroom and began walking the short distance down the hallway toward the women's restroom.
Thalia, as soon as you're able get that thing on and disappear! Dayk thought frantically. She's coming this way now!
I'm at ninety two percent! She thought. Her heartbeat was pounding in her chest almost painfully.
The door opened and someone stepped inside.
"Hello?" The woman whispered.
Catch up as soon as you can! Dayk thought and then powered up his cloaking device. His power was dwindling fast, but it would have to last until the woman was gone.
"Hello?" She whispered again, only slightly louder as the door shut behind her. "I know you're in here." She said. The woman moved very cautiously into the bathroom, her eyes looking this way and that as she crept inside.
Thalia was nearly finished with the cloaking device. She could hear the footsteps slowly moving closer as the beam of blue light finally shut off and the small cloak emitter lay ready to use on the floor in front of her. Without a moment's hesitation, she clipped the archiver back on her belt and grabbed the cloaking emitter. While she was trying to be as quiet as possible, the tiled bathroom made every move she made echo throughout. Her minor sounds were heavily amplified as she clipped the new emitter onto her flight suit right next to the dead emitter and powered it up with a thought. The emitter whirred to life and then in a flash she disappeared.
"Look." The woman said. "I saw you come in here." She moved back toward the first stall and gently pushed it open. It was empty. "You're not the first ones of your kind that I've seen today, you know." She crept forward to the second stall. "There was someone else in your party that didn't make it. I... I saw him today." The second stall was empty. Only the third one remained. She stepped up to the third stall and put her hand on the door. Somehow, she knew there wouldn't be anyone there. She gently pushed it opened and sure enough, it too was empty.
"Listen." The woman said. "I know you're still in here. I don't know how you're invisible, but I know that you are." She stepped back away from the stall and looked all around the bathroom, hoping to see the telltale flicker that she had seen once before. Her eyes carefully scoured every surface in the room. "I don't want to hurt you." She said with a hint of sing-song in her voice. "I might even be able to help you." There was no response.
Naomi looked around the room, listening, hoping for a response, but none came. Her mind was racing with excitement. When she woke up that morning, she had no idea what her day would bring her, but here she was, face to face with aliens from another planet. It was the most unexpected day of her entire life. The adrenaline was pumping hard through her veins, and whatever excitement she had experience during the autopsy had just been multiplied a hundred-fold. "Hey." She said. "I don't know how to say this nicely, but I actually was coming in here for a reason, and as funny as this sounds, even to me, to say this to invisible Martians... If you really are still in here... Look, I want to help you... to get home. I don't know what I could possibly do for you, besides keep your secret, but... well, right now I really have to use the bathroom, and you're making me a little uncomfortable... knowing that you're in here... invisible." She said. There was still no response, and for a moment Naomi started to think that maybe she had imagined the whole thing.
Then, the third stall door creaked open just a little bit. It could have just been settling, or maybe it was releasing some pent-up momentum that she had given it when she pushed the stall door open only moments before. She saw nothing come out, but the door moved all the same. Naomi's breathing got heavier as she sensed a presence around her. Her hairs stood on end in anticipation. Her eyes darted around everywhere, looking for proof of the invisible aliens she knew were in there. But nothing seemed to move or stir. Finally, something happened that could be nothing else. The door to the women's restroom slowly opened just wide enough for two invisible aliens to walk through, and then it shut without any other trace.
Close Encounter
That was too close! How long do you have left on your charge? Thalia asked Dayk as they snuck out into the empty hallway of the military intelligence building, looking for a new place to hide.
I'm just now at ten percent. Dayk said. He looked down the hallway, relieved at the absence of people anywhere to be seen. But I'd have to say we've got a new problem, eh.
You mean the one that just saw us? Thalia asked. What do we do about that?
They both noticed the door that was still somewhat ajar at almost the same time. When the group had been looking for them, misled by the woman who had seen them at the worst possible time, they had failed to shut the door behind them when they left. It was a good bit of fortune for them. In there! Dayk thought loudly.
They moved into the dark office and closed the windowless door behind them. The office was barren, hosting little more than a desk and a file cabinet, a couple of chairs and almost nothing else. In the interest of staying as hidden as possible they walked around behind the desk and squatted down behind it. In a sequential series of quick flashes, they both reappeared from behind their cloaks.
To answer your question, I'm not sure what we do about the woman. Maybe there's nothing to do. He said. Thalia set up the portable archiver and began rematerializing the second cloaking device. Dayk quickly tried to calculate the temporal possibilities and probable outcomes that might surface as a result of the woman they ran into in the hallway. I don't really see her as a threat to the timeline, Dayk thought to Thalia.
Have you checked the temporal key? I mean, What about the others? Thalia asked as she continued rematerializing the cloak. What if she tells them we're in the building? If nothing else, it will make it harder to get in to the ship.
No, I haven't checked the key, but probabilities suggest that she won't. Dayk thought. She already had two opportunities to give us away, and both times she didn't. It follows reason that the trend will continue, unless some other factor interferes with that path. I can't foresee that happening. Not as long as we're cautious anyway.
What do you mean, two opportunities? Thalia asked only a little confused.
Well, first she told us where to hide. Then she misled her own people. That's two opportunities that she had to alter the timeline onto a path that might possibly have... well, made our lives more difficult than they already are. Dayk thought. How much longer? He asked her.
A little less than a hectoChron. She replied. It's almost done.
Dayk opened his palm to check the hologram and see what was going on outside the room. He could see the woman sitting still inside the restroom. There were a few other people sitting in random offices down the hall, and then the congregation of people occupying a conference room at the far end of the hall around the corner. Otherwise, the building was clear, and no one seemed to be roaming the halls or coming their way.
So, got any thoughts on how we're going to get in to the ship? Thalia asked.
I'm hoping we can follow that crowd back inside when they go back. Dayk thought. He scanned his hologram outside of the building they were in and over toward the hangar where the ship still lay in pieces. As best as I can tell, it looks like the ship is still loaded onto the vehicles. Dayk said. I guess they haven't started tearing it apart yet. That may be good news. It may also cause us a few more problems. There's a bunch of men moving around all over the vehicles, and it looks like even part of our ship. They may be getting ready to take it off the vehicles. He thought. He closed his palm and let the hologram disappear. In any case, we'll wait in here until it's time to make the next move.
Naomi came out of the women's restroom and immediately looked up and down the hallway for the invisible aliens. Of course, there was no trace of them, but she looked anyway. She thought about calling out a whispered "Hello?", but then decided against it in case someone else over heard her.
The door to the office that Jesse Marcel and the others had gone in to search for the mouse had been closed. She bit her lip while she vacillated between seeking out the invisible aliens or hurrying up back to the conference room to avoid raising any suspicions. She took a few steps up to the door and put her hand on the handle. Her footsteps click-clicked all the way across the hall. She paused in front, still trying to decide what she should do. After only a brief pause, she took the chance and opened the door. As nimbly as she was able, she darted inside and then shut the door quietly behind her.
The lights were off, and the room was pitch black except for a blanket of light peering in from beneath the door. She stood silently against the closed door, blinded by the darkness. She closed her eyes tight for a moment hoping that having them shut would make whatever light might have been in the room easier to see. When she opened her eyes again they slowly began getting adjusted to the exceptionally dim lighting and she squinted around the room looking for signs of the aliens. She didn't really know what she was looking for; invisible aliens in a dark room.
"Hello?" She whispered. "Are you in here?"
Dayk and Thalia had frozen stiff and immediately activated their cloaks. Dayk had only just clipped his fresh cloaking device to his flight suit and engaged it as the door shut behind the woman. He and Thalia had nothing to worry about as far as the woman finding them again, but at the same time he saw an opportunity arising that was stirring thoughts in his calculatory mind. He listened as her footsteps crept very slowly through the dark and empty room.
"I'm not going to hurt you." The woman said taking another step in the room, her eyes diligently searching the entire room for any trace of an extra presence.
What should we do? Thalia asked Dayk silently.
I'm not sure yet. He replied.
"I... I'm... very curious about you." Came the soft voice through the darkness. "You spoke English earlier. I don't know how you know our language, but I was hoping to talk some more. You know... ask you a few questions. Maybe.... maybe I could tell you... some things too." The woman took another step into the room.
I think we should try making contact with her again. Dayk thought confidently.
Are you serious!? We can't do that! That's a terrible idea!
"Helloooo?" The woman said in a sing-song tone.
I'm making contact. Dayk thought to Thalia.
No! Dr. Dayk! That's illegal! Isn't it? Thalia thought frantically grabbing his arm.
She's already seen us, and perhaps she can help us get to the ship. What's it going to hurt at this point?
He pulled his arm from her grip and walked out a short way from the desk to draw the woman's attention away from where Thalia remained hiding. "We need to get to our ship." Said Dayk out loud. The disembodied voice echoed lightly in the nearly empty office.
Naomi jumped at the sound of Dayk's incorporeal voice. Her eyes darted around the room, looking this way and that for the source of the odd voice coming out at her from the dark. "Where are you?" She said with a tremor in her voice. Naomi stepped back toward the light coming in from below the door and switched on the lights in the room.
The light felt bright as daylight to Dayk. He squinted at the sudden brightness and then continued to walk around the room quietly. "It doesn't matter where I am." He said, his voice coming out from a different direction. "Can you help us get to our ship?"
"You mean the smashed thing loaded on the trucks? Out in the hangar?" She asked, stating the obvious with her hand still on the light switch. Naomi took two steps forward into the room so she could try and hear where the voice was coming from.
Dayk moved off to another part of the room and answered her. "Yes. We need to get to it as soon as possible."
"Why's that?" The woman asked. Her eyes darting around toward the source of the voice. "I mean, you're not going to hurt us, are you?"
"Of course not. We're not here to hurt anyone." He replied. "We just need to get back to the ship, so that we can make it home. That's all we want."
"Your ship's pretty smashed up, you know." Naomi said taking a cautious step toward the voice. "Look. Is there any reason you're not going to let me see you?"
"It's better if we don't. It really is best if we keep this short with as little interaction as possible." Said Dayk. "Can you help us get to the ship. All we need is for someone to get the door opened for us long enough for us to slip in. That's all I'm asking for."
It seemed to throw her off. Naomi stopped for a moment and began processing exactly what was being asked of her, as though she had been in such a dream state upon entering the room that she had forgotten the reality of the situation she was in. "Wait. You need me to get you into the hangar?" She asked. "I... I can't. I'm sorry."
"Please." Dayk said.
"No, you don't understand. I don't have authorization. My job is finished in there, I'm not allowed back in. They wouldn't open the door for me." She said emphatically. "I'm actually supposed to be in a briefing right now. They're... They're waiting on me in the other room." She added with a crooked smile.
"Do you know who will be headed back in there? Is there anything you can tell us?" Dayk asked from another corner of the room.
"I'm not sure who will be headed back in there." She said. "But it doesn't matter anyway. The trucks are about to get moved to Alamogordo. Your ship won't even be here in an hour."
"What?!" Said Dayk with panic thick in his voice. "We have to get in there before they leave!"
Dayk, let's just get down the hallway to the place where they're doing the briefing now! Thalia thought loudly. Surely, we can follow someone in! Or maybe we just wait by the hangar door. Ask her to just lead us outside.
Dayk was about to agree with Thalia and follow through with her request when Naomi spoke up.
"You don't understand." She said. "Those trucks are being secured right now. They're leaving any minute. I don't know how you'll be able to make it in there before they're gone."
"Are you serious!?" Came Thalia's high voice from behind the desk. "Dayk! We have to get out there now!"
Naomi's head snapped around in the direction of the new voice coming from behind the desk. Still
there was no one there, but the voice sounded higher, maybe even female, to her ears.
"Is there any way you can help us get on those trucks?" Dayk pleaded. "Anything!"
Naomi hesitated for a moment trying to consider the consequences herself. She had easily let herself be seduced by the idea of helping the aliens. She hadn't even feigned an attempt at doing her duty in this regard. She had a greedy curiosity about them that made her want to savor an Earthly experience with alien beings all by herself. It was hard for her to do what her superiors would consider to be the right thing, and thus she knew her actions could get her into trouble if she got caught doing anything but reporting the aliens to them. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. "Well..." She finally said. "I actually live there myself. In Alamogordo. I'll be flying back there in just a few hours. I have a lot more access to things like that.... there. I work in the biology lab on the base."
"How does that help us?" Thalia asked with a thin panic in her voice.
"It helps us if she can get us to Alamogordo." Said Dayk.
Escaping the Intelligence Building
They sat hunkered down, worried and tired, under the sink in the women's restroom. Naomi convinced them it was the superior place to hide, since only she and one other woman were in the building. The restroom was eerily dim and acoustically active. Every little noise sounded like a pounding in the dark. The sink above them kept dripping every two or three chrons, plopping its announcement into the porcelain. The flickering low-watt bulbs made the waiting more stressful and the dirt and shadows seem more ominous.
Dayk was quiet as he sat there studying the holographic projection in his right hand, and the Temporal Key in his left. He kept glancing back and forth from the scan of the conference room and its inhabitants to the floating multidimensional shape of the key. The anomaly continued to haunt him, and questions began arising in his mind about his own involvement with this timeline.
