15 August 2012
"Leo, where have you been? Have you been watching the news?" I saw the face of my friend, President of the IoP on the screen. "Paul..." I started to say. "Never mind, I have some people here who want to speak to you." He interrupted. "Dr. Wilkinson, I am Agent Luke and this my partner Agent Monroe. Are you familiar with the ideas of warped reality inter-dimensional travel?" Agent Luke asked me. "Well it's not really..." I started to explain the theory but the expression on their faces told me that they were not interested. "Yes I am, I wrote the paper on it." I answered. "We know." Agent Monroe replied. Then why did you bother asking? I thought. "What's the meaning of this? I need to check on my folks, so if..." I said. "You're parents are fine, we spoke to them earlier when we couldn't find you at your apartment. Your funding has been restored, we will be sending you an address get there ASAP." Agent Monroe said. "It is of the utmost importance that you get to the designated location quickly, we need your help." Agent Luke added, ending the transmission abruptly.
I felt like I should feel drained given all that I had just experience in so short a time but oddly enough I felt invigorated and filled with purpose. Something weird was going on and I was sure it had something to do with my theories. I put the gear in drive and accelerated away from the residential area heading to the address I had just received. As I left I wondered how a crowd hadn't yet formed on the street... How did no one else see what I just saw? I started to think I had imagined it but then I remembered the feelings I felt when he touched my forehead...
Finally, I pulled up at the dockyard to see other unmarked cars parked and there were many people around with different kinds of equipment. I parked the van, turned off the electrics and reduced my engines output. I saw a white tent and outside was a woman waving her hand to catch my attention. I grabbed the tablet and left the van walking towards the woman. As I approached, I recognised her as Agent Monroe.
"Glad you could make it Dr. Wilkinson." She said shaking my hand. "Please, call me Leo." I replied. "So, what's this all about?" I asked. "Follow me." She said simply as she walked through the tent. As I crossed the threshold I saw a familiar sight, it was the faint geometric web. I stood transfixed expecting to see a burst of colours at any moment, anticipating Oasis' return. "Don't worry that's a perfectly normal reaction, what do you think this strange mist is?" Agent Monroe asked me. Mist? Does she not see what I see? "Agent Monroe, I see you've brought some help." I heard a voice call from behind me. I turned around to see a woman in white overalls holding a curious looking device. I wondered if anyone saw as I saw but I said nothing. "Leo, this is Dr. Carla Valentine from ESA." Agent Monroe introduced. "Dr. Valentine this is..." Agent Monroe said. "Dr. Leonardo Wilkinson, call me Carla." Dr. Valentine said. "Please, call me Leo but have we met?" I asked. "No we haven't but I was at your last presentation, you discussed ideas of vacuum engineering." She replied. "Well then I'm needed elsewhere, I'll let you two get to it." Agent Monroe said and as I made to interject she added "Don't worry Leo, Dr. Valentine will bring you up to speed." She exited the tent and Dr. Valentine started to walk away.
"Hold on a second Carla, what's going on here?" I asked her as I followed her to the web. "Since last night we have been getting reports of mists like this all over the place with no explanation. Our best guess is the thesis you proposed on warped reality and the consequences to dimensions." She answered. The outline of the web now looked more defined and I heard a faint hum. I was about to tell her what I saw, when the hum got much loader and a deep purple seemed to pour out from the centre of the web. It became a thick mist and with wispy tentacles it reached out and engulfed those working near it, who began to levitate surrounded by the mist. From the expressions of the others in the tent, I knew they saw what I saw. Suddenly the mist reached out further grabbing others around the tent, which was now engulfed in a haze, giving them no time for panic.
Instinctively I grabbed Carla and receded to the edge of the tent next to the exit, while watching the dark purple mist engulf three others. Armed agents who were already inside promptly opened fire on the mist. I wondered how effectively they thought that would be... I was shielding Carla behind me while the mist engulfed the agents, then it came for me and I raised my hand in defence. Curiously nothing happened, the mist seemed blocked and despite its attempts it couldn't reach me. I looked behind me to see Carla engulfed in the mist suspended mid air like all the others except me and then I heard the commotion outside but it seemed they were unable to enter the tent.
I had a thought and like the equation, it seemed to come from nowhere but now I knew where, Oasis. I studied the mist and I began to see tiny balls of light floating all around but something felt off. That's when I saw and I understood, the mist was driving them away and the geometric pattern of silver lines I saw all around me was in dissonance. I understood but I couldn't explain it... I thought of how the pattern should look, how it should feel and the mist began to loosen its grip on those it held. I saw that the pattern was correcting itself and the hole was reversing and so I continued. I thought of the sound I heard when I met Oasis, the balls of light began to glow and attracted to me adding to my strength. I felt like I was on fire but I wasn't burning, a feeling I couldn't explain rushed through my veins. I thought of the sound again and listened to the hole, willing it to resonate until it did and the mist was gone. I looked around to see unconscious bodies everywhere, I attempted to take a step forward but my legs gave beneath me and I dropped. I heard the sound of agents rushing into the tent, even as I began to lose consciousness.
© 2012 by Pthasse Amadeus
They Saw (Conclusion) • Opuss № I