by James McEwan
They got about a half a block when Fiona turned and confronted them. “Okay what was that with Henry and what did you give him?
Thad explained their deception and promised to explain the rest over dinner. While Quincy handed over the pill bottle. Freya looked at the bottle and then burst into laughter. Fiona gave her sister a look and without having to say a word, Freya handed over the bottle. Fiona took one look and started laughing.
“You ladies want to share with the rest of the class?” Thad asked, wondering what made them laugh.
Fiona held up the bottle. “Your buddy just gave Henry a large dose of a hallucinogen. I suppose he will be tripping pretty hard in few minutes.”
Shocked at what he had just done, Quincy asked. “Is he going to be okay?”
“Yes, he will be fine, although he will probably never take pills from a stranger again.” Freya said.
“Good, I never wanted to hurt the guy. I guess, in hindsight, it wasn’t a very good idea.” Quincy said, with a sigh of relief.
“Now boys, what would you like to eat?” Fiona asked as she took Thad’s arm. Freya did the same with Quincy.
The twins led them to a Chinese place that was just off the campus. Over dinner, Thad kept his promise and explained almost everything to the twins. “That is an amazing story, but there is one more thing I would like to know.” Fiona said, as she popped the last piece of sesame chicken into her mouth.
“And what would that be?” Thad asked.
Fiona was still chewing so Freya answered for her. “What we would like to know is how is it that you can tell us apart. Right from the start you knew our names and not once have you called either of us by the other’s name. Very few people other than our parents can do that and as far as I know you just met us today.”
Thad smiled, he found that these versions of the twins were just as smart as his version. “Yes, I can tell you two apart, and yes, I know you back in my universe. I didn’t want to tell you about your alternates because I was not sure how you would react.”
“We figured that you know our alternates, but that still doesn’t explain how you can tell us apart.” Fiona said.
“You sure you want to know?” Thad asked.
“Damn it, Thad, out with it now I want to know too.” Quincy said, with a mouth full Chow Yuk.
“Okay, Okay, in my universe I’m married to them.” Thad said, giving in.
The twins laughed and Quincy stopped chewing. “Really? You lucky dog!” Freya punched him in the arm. “Ouch!”
Thad was not sure what kind of reaction he was going to get, but laughter was not what he expected. “What? The idea of being married to me is funny?”
Fiona stopped laughing. “No, not at all and if things were different maybe ...” she left off with that.
Thad didn’t understand her. “What do you mean different?”
Freya laughed again. “She means if we played for the other team.”
Really lost, Thad asked. “Other team?”
Fiona took his hand. “What we are trying to tell you is that we are gay. We like girls, although I have to admit that if I had to be with a man you would not be so bad.”
“Oh damn, I didn’t see that coming, and that is too bad because I was hoping.” Quincy said.
“Yeah, and keep hoping, Mr. Jones.” Freya said.
Thad was floored at the thought of his beautiful wives intertwined with a woman instead of him. Fiona noticed the blank look on his face. “What, the cat have your tongue?”
“No, just not sure what to say” Thad said.
“Say “thank you” Fiona said.
“What?” Thad asked, confused.
“For dinner silly.” Freya chimed in.
They all laughed and for the first time since he had been in this universe, Thad felt like things were going his way for a change.
After dinner, they went back to the lab to find Henry licking the window of the door to the lab. “Henry, are you okay.” Freya asked.
He stopped licking the window. “It tastes like blueberries.”
“You weren’t kidding; the poor guy is tripping balls. I kind of feel bad for him” Quincy said, as he felt bad for the guy.
“You should, you did it to him.” Freya said, as she led Henry back to his desk.
Inside the lab, they were met by Doctor Hammer. “Ah, you are back, good. Mr. St. Claire is out of surgery and everything is looking good. He should have his full mobility back in a few days. Now, I think it is about time that I call my wife and let her know to expect guests.”
“Wait, a wife? You never spoke of a wife.” Thad was shocked.
“I didn’t? No, I am sure I told you about her.” Doctor Hammer said.
“Nope, no mention of a wife, believe me, I would have remembered that.” Thad said, with crossed arms.
“Oh, well then I have a wife.” Doctor Hammer said, then turned and walked away. Quincy and Thad looked at each other, neither one knew what to say.
After checking on St. Claire, Thad,and Quincy went home with Doctor Hammer while Kára insisted on staying with St. Claire. In the limo, Doctor Hammer tried to comm his wife, again and again, she didn’t answer. Thad noticed the look of concern on his face. “Everything okay Doc?”
“Not sure, I have commed Eva twice but she isn’t answering. She could be out shopping or with friends, but it is a bit late in the evening for that.” Doctor Hammer said, not really believing his own excuses.
Thad knocked on the partition. “Quincy I think we better hurry up a bit.”
Quincy lowered the partition. “It’s on autopilot, I don’t know London, never been here.”
“You know how to follow the GPS don’t you?” Thad said, with a little irritation in his voice.
“Well, of course, I do.” Quincy snapped back at him.
“Then turn off the autopilot and step on it.” Thad said, loudly.
“Alright, you better hold onto something.” Quincy yelled over his shoulder as he disengaged the autopilot. True to his word, Quincy drove the limo as if it were a racing car. Doctor Hammer and Thad needed to hold on to keep from being tossed around the back of the limo, like laundry in the dryer.
Quincy put the limo sideways more than once. Doctor Hammer would have thought this was the worst ride he had ever had, but then again, this time, no one was shooting at him. After what seemed like hours, which in reality was only minutes, they arrived at the Hammer estate. Doctor Hammer knew something was wrong the moment he saw the gatehouse empty. “Something is wrong! There should be a guard there.”
“Doctor, the gate is still down, what do you want me to do?” Quincy asked.
“Run it! I will have it fixed later.”
Quincy gunned the limo and crashed the gate. The light metal gate was no match for the heavy limo. It burst open and slammed backward, tearing itself from its hinges. The gate dropped to the ground behind them in a cloud of dust.
Quincy pulled the limo up to the main entrance. The house was a historic mansion, one that Doctor Hammer had fully restored to its former glory. Any hint of technology was well hidden. It looked as if they had stepped back in time.
“Nice crib, Doc.” Quincy said, a little awestruck.
“Yes, it is a home.” he said, as he exited the back of the limo.
Thad had kept a pistol when he left Nueva Texas and now he had it in hand. “Let me go first” Thad said, as walked up the steps to the large wooden doors, which were slightly open. Thad carefully pushed the door in. He stepped inside and started to sweep the entryway with his pistol looking for any threat.
“Eva!” Doctor yelled and pushed past Thad, ending any chance of catching anyone or anything off guard. “Eva, where are you!” He when on yelling as he ran deeper into the house.
“Dammit!” Thad said as he ran after the Doctor. He followed Doctor Hammer through the entryway and through a dining room and then into the kitchen. Thad took two steps into the kitchen when he heard the unforgettable sound of a force blade tur
ning on.
The green glow lit up Thad’s peripheral vision and he barely had enough time to lift his arm to block the downward strike. The blow glanced off his forearm sending the force blade slashing through the door jam, leaving a burning mark. Thad tried to bring his pistol to bear on his attacker, but the attacker slammed Thad’s other arm against the doorframe. The pistol was knocked from his hand. Then the blade came slashing at him again. This time, Thad was ready and he trapped the attacker's arm and tried to put it in a lock, but the attacker had been trained and used the counter move, but in doing so lost his grip on the force blade. The blade dropped to the floor and burned a hole, which it disappeared into.
As the fight went on, kicks, punches, and elbows were thrown by both men. It was a man that had attacked Thad. Thad figured it out fairly quickly that he was being attacked by a human because one of his punches bloodied the attacker’s nose and he got blood on his hand. The attacker was good, but Thad was faster and stronger, and he quickly gained the upper hand and was able to get the man into a chokehold.
Thad was in the process of subduing his attacker when the lights in the kitchen came on. “Thaddeus! Stop!” Doctor Hammer yelled out.
Both men stopped fighting and looked at Doctor Hammer, wondering why he wanted them to stop fighting. “Thaddeus, let him go.” Doctor Hammer commanded.
Thad loosened his grip on the attacker when he spoke. “I’m not holding him.”
Doctor Hammer shook his head. “No, not you.” he pointed to Thad. “You, let him go.”
“You know him?” Thad asked somewhat confused.
Doctor Hammer strode up to the two men and helped the other man up. “Yes, I know him. He is my son Thaddeus.”
Doctor Hammer’s son stood up and he was not much taller than his father, but he was well built and had the look of a military man. “You're alive!” Thaddeus said as he gave his father a hug. “I got a message that you had been killed on Nueva Texas.”
“Well, I’m not and I would like to know what happened to your mother and Cassidy.” Doctor Hammer said getting right to the point.
Thad again was surprised by Doctor Hammer. “Your son?”
“Oh, sorry yes, this is my son Thaddeus Hammer.” Doctor Hammer said, as he introduced them. “And this is Thaddeus Hammer, my adopted son from another dimension.”
The two men shook hands. “Captain Thaddeus Hammer, the Fifth Royal Terrain Marines. My father doesn’t approve of my career choice and refuses to use my rank. Another dimension?”
“Yeah, long story.” Thad said.
“Two Thads --- that is really going to make it confusing.” Quincy said, as he entered the kitchen.
“Then call me Captain Hammer, I feel more comfortable with it anyway” Captain Hammer said.
“Great, I’m glad we have figured out what to call people, now can we figure out what happened to my wife and granddaughter please.” Doctor Hammer said. This was the first time Thad had ever seen him this out of sorts. “So, why are you here, aren’t you suppose to be off fighting and killing someone?”
“Dad, I heard about your death and I came home to be with mom and Cassidy, but I got here just minutes before you did.”
Quincy held up something. “I think I found something.”
Everyone stopped and looked at Quincy. “While the Thads were rolling around trying to kill each other I found this on your desk in the study.”
Thad recognized it right away as a holo-data disk. “Here, let me see that.” Quincy handed him the disk. Thad twisted the top half of the disk counterclockwise and the disk’s top lit up.
A hologram of Marcus’ half-burned face appeared above the disk. “Doctor Hammer, by now you will have discovered that your wife and granddaughter are missing. Rest assured that they are fine for now.” Marcus' face disappeared, replaced with an image of Eva and Cassidy and then it changed back to Marcus. “Now, Doctor Hammer, it is said that there is no greater love than to give up your life for a loved one. You must ask yourself, how much love do you have for them? I have a mission, it was to terminate your life, and you and your friends have constantly gotten in the way. Because of this, you forced my hand and brought this situation on yourself. Once this disk is activated you will have one hour to contact me on this comm frequency.” The image changed to a comm frequency. “If you do not, I will send you your wife’s head, and if you fail to contact me after that I will send you your granddaughter’s head.” The disk when dark.
“I see that he survived that plasma grenade as well.” Thad said.
“And who is this?” Captain Hammer asked.
“He is an assassin sent to kill me on Neuva Texas and he would have, had it not been for Thaddeus’ timely arrival.” Doctor Hammer replied.
“Why would anyone want you dead?” Captain Hammer asked confused.
“Apparently, I have garnered the attention of some nefarious people” Doctor Hammer said as he walked to a cabinet. He opened the door and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels. “Anyone else need one?” Quincy raised his hand.
“Sure, I could use with one.”
Doctor Hammer poured. “So what are we going to do?”
Thad replied “You will contact him and find out what details you can, and then we will come up with a plan.”
Doctor Hammer went to his study and as instructed contacted Marcus on the comm frequency. After a few minutes, he returned to the kitchen to report the details, while Quincy had made himself at home and was busy making a sandwich. Thad was in the middle of explaining everything to Doctor Hammer’s son when he spoke. “He wants me to trade my life for theirs which we already know. I am to come alone and unarmed to the site of the new intergalactic trade center at midnight tomorrow night. I am to come to the reflection pool site.”
Thad tapped the table and it lit up. He found an interface and pulled up information about the new intergalactic trade center. The information was basic and not very helpful, but it was the 3D model that Thad was interested in. The site was still under construction and the model was updated every day so people could follow the stages of construction. Thad studied it for quite a while. Everyone watched him as he turned the 3D model around and around. The only sound was the soft chewing of Quincy as he ate his sandwich.
“Okay I have a plan, but I need to make a call” Thad said.
Doctor Hammer pointed to a door “You can use my study.”
Thad went into the study to comm Kára, and there he found a picture of Doctor Hammer and his wife on their wedding day many years ago. “You sly old dog.” Thad said, as he laughed, for Doctor Hammer’s wife Eva was the spitting image of Eve back home. Thad punched in Kára’s frequency. “Hey I have a question about your armor.”
The following day Thad laid out his plan and they spent the day preparing. Quincy and Captain Hammer were tasked with getting an armored van, while Thad and Doctor Hammer explained the plan to St. Claire and Kára.
As midnight approached, everyone knew what do and Quincy seemed to be the only one who was antsy. “How is it that you all can stay so calm? I feel like I’m about to burst.”
“I’m surprised at you Quincy, I would have thought by now you would have learned to trust Thaddeus.” Doctor Hammer said.
Sitting behind the wheel of the van Quincy said. “I do, but I’m still nervous and I’m not the one he wants dead.”
Captain Hammer put his hand on Quincy’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, it’s a solid plan, and if this guy is half as good as you and my Dad says he is, you have nothing to worry about.”
“I hope so.” Quincy said.
“Just do your job Quincy, and let me handle the rest” Thad’s voice said in his earpiece.
“Okay, right it's show time folks.” Thad said.
The intergalactic trade center was comprised of two buildings that made up a half circle with a fountain and reflecting pool. The fountain’s construction had been completed but was not yet in operation. The reflection pool was still being tiled by construction bo
ts that were busily working away and paid no attention to Doctor Hammer as he walked to the edge of the pool. He watched the robot tile layer as it took a piece of tile from a hopper, squeezed out some adhesive, then laid the tile in place, then repeated the process.
“Doctor Hammer, pick up the comm.” Marcus’s voice came from a comm that was lying on the ground. Doctor Hammer picked it up.
Inside the van, Captain Hammer spoke to St. Claire. “Do you have that comm’s frequency?”
“Two more seconds… Got it!” St. Claire said, as he dialed in the frequency.
High above the pool Marcus lay on an unfinished floor watching Doctor Hammer pick up the comm. “I’m here” the voice of Doctor Hammer came over the comm.
“Good to see you, Doctor Hammer. I see that you are a man of your word, and so am I.” Marcus said. He pushed a button on a remote and one of the doors of construction containers popped open. After a few seconds, a gray-haired head peered around the edge of the door. Doctor Hammer spotted his wife and waved to her. She exited the container followed by a brown curly-haired six-year-old girl.
Now the comm became active again. “As I told you, safe and sound. Now, Mrs. Hammer takes your granddaughter and leaves. I promise you, you do not want them to witness this.”
She seemed to hesitate. “It’s okay dear. Do as he says. Get Cassidy out of here” Doctor Hammer said over the comm. She nodded and then grabbed her granddaughter’s hand and ran. As soon as they were out of sight, the comm cracked again.
“Now, Doctor Hammer, I want you to know that this was not personal when I began, but you made it personal. I have never failed a mission and you proved to be a very worthy adversary and for that I commend you, but now it is time to die.” Marcus said.
Doctor Hammer held out his arms to his sides. “I’m ready” was all that he said.
Marcus took aim, centering the crosshairs on his chest, breathed out and pulled the trigger. The massive 50-caliber rifle belched out a ball of fire. The round took only milliseconds to cover the distance. The round struck Doctor Hammer dead center in the chest, but he didn’t explode into a mass of blood, tissue, and bone fragments that should have happened. Instead, there was a blue flash of light, and then Doctor Hammer’s body was thrown backward and slid several feet on the ground. Stunned at what he was seeing through the scope he took aim at his head when he saw why the round had not killed him. Doctor Hammer’s body was blinking then disappeared. It was a trick and what was lying on the ground was a female Eli in full armor.
