CHAPTER 24

  "My mind has been a racing

  Got somethin' inside of me that wakin'

  Come girl, come inside, I know ya

  There's a fire inside of ya that's growin'"

  -The velvet revolver

  ...

  Carl was peering into the oven.

  "Ya know, if I have to settle down in a foreign universe, at least this one has taquitos."

  Steve laughed.

  "Yeah, well I wish I could try this "Taco Bell" you're always talking about. Have you tried T3?"

  "T3?"

  "Yeah, "Tacos,Tacos,Tacos"

  "Thats a really stupid name for a restaurant."

  "I guess. There's no confusion about what they serve."

  "Whats a nice sit down restaurant?"

  "Oh...are you gonna do it?"

  Carl looked at Steve with an embarrassed smile.

  "I'm working on it. The timing hasn't been right."

  "Dude, I see her look at you...its the same way you look at her. Just ask her."

  "I know, I just..."

  "CARL! Nut up buddy."

  "You're right, you're right. Tomorrow, I'll ask her."

  "I'll believe it when I see it."

  "Well, I mean, theres other factors involved here."

  The timer dinged. Carl went to the oven with an oven mitt on and pulled the taquitos out.

  "They're ready!"

  "Good, but dont change the subject. Its been over three years Carl, you're allowed to move on...to find some happiness."

  "I know. I mean, I am happy."

  "Yeah, sort of. You spend all your time hanging out with me though."

  "So?"

  "So...I'm not gonna kiss you."

  Carl burst out laughing.

  "I sure hope not!"

  "So you know what you need to do."

  "I said I'd ask...OW!...these are hot!"

  "Well no shit dummy, they just came out of the oven!"

  Carl flipped him off.

  "Uh-huh. Just remember who kicked your ass in all three tournaments on "Drive or die".

  "I told you, I was more of an action adventure/rpg guy. I never played many racing games on my world!"

  "Excuses."

  "Just eat your damn taquitos!"

  Carl poked his head into Royles office.

  "Hey. You wanted to see me?"

  "Take a seat."

  "Whats up?"

  "I've been trying to get you on the payroll as a permanent member and not just a temporary consultant. The Protectorate insists that you have the proper qualifications...from this world. Would you be interested in going through our academy?"

  "Oh wow. Uh...yes sir."

  "You dont seem too sure about that answer."

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  "I am. Would this mean I could take a more active role in the investigations?"

  "Yes."

  "How long does it last?"

  "About five months."

  "Where is it?"

  "We're actually pretty close, theres a facilty about two and a half miles away. You could continue to live and work here."

  "So I'd be doing both?"

  "Your duties here would be diminished, but yes, you could continue to consult. Steve is comfortable exploring the rifts while you go to your classes."

  "When does it start?"

  "Two weeks from now. All I have to do is make a call."

  "Do it. I'm in."

  "I'm pleased to hear that."

  "Thank you for this sir."

  Royles smiled at him.

  "You're dismissed, I'll make the call."

  Carl got up and left. He was giddy with excitement. He couldn't wait to tell Penny.

  "You have gained muscle mass Carl."

  "Well...I cheated."

  "I do not think nearly dying is cheating."

  Carl looked down at Nano, this was the first time he'd worn the suit in almost twenty months. It had a comforting familiarity.

  "Lets change some things buddy. Can you form the D7 crest on my shoulders please?"

  The crest appeared on the shoulders of the armor.

  "Nice. That feels a little more official. Now maybe a muted grey like their uniforms instead of the flashy chrome."

  The armor darkened.

  "Perfect. Lets get to the rift room."

  Andy was waiting for him.

  "Oh, nice. You made the armor look like our uniforms! Uh, you forgot the name over the breast pocket though."

  "Nano?"

  "Maitland" appeared on the right side of his chest.

  "Better?"

  "Yeah, now we match...sort of. You ready?"

  "This is the only rift jump Royles would authorize before I start the academy...you bet your ass I'm ready!"

  "Lets roll. Oh, can you take Matt's latest version of this frequency finder thing? You got the muscles."

  "Yeah of course."

  Carl hoisted the bulky machine onto his shoulder and they stepped through the rift.

  "Log rift 202, entering at 13:35."

  "Got it."

  Andy wrote the rift number down and logged the time, then went back to setting up Matt's machine.

  Carl flew through the rift. At first glance this world looked normal. Then Carl started flying towards the buildings on the horizon. They were overgrown with vines, windows broken...abandoned. Cars were rusted out and strewn around. There were some bodies, but they were nothing but bones, dried out long ago.

  "I'm detecting radiation Carl, use the anti-radiation pen included in your go-bag."

  In an effort to plan for any situation, Royles now made all "rift jumpers" carry a bag with emergency supplies, gas mask, and a few other survival things. He dug around in the small bag slung over his shoulder. He found the pen, pulled the cap off with his teeth and injected himself in the neck.

  "Was this a nuke?"

  "Possibly. Gain some altitude and fly between those buildings Carl."

  Carl did as Nano asked. As he flew between the buildings he could see the massive crater on the other side.

  "Jesus fucking murphy! Look at that."

  He stayed on the outside of the city after that. Meandering through old storefronts, seeing if there was anything he could salvage. This world was dead, it didn't matter if he took stuff. That was something he'd been thinking about a lot lately. Everytime he entered the hub world, he still had to look at the two corpses of the deaths head warriors he'd killed. Not killed...murdered. That was something he had to live with now. Maybe they were the bad guys on that world, but the reality is, he had stolen from them, then murdered the two that chased him. One of the first things Royles had said when they set this whole thing up was "use diplomacy".

  He sighed loudly.

  "Am I a bad person Nano?"

  "No Carl."

  "Are you sure you're not biased? Those two aliens I killed, the ones rotting on the hub world..."

  "Their deaths were unfortunate, but they would have killed you."

  "Yeah, because I stole from them. How can I be the good guy if I'm stealing and murdering?"

  "Every world exists in many shades of grey Carl."

  Carl stopped walking.

  "That was very unlike you Nano. You've always dealt in absolutes."

  "I have watched you try to be better Carl. I too am trying to improve."

  "Do you think I can change?"

  "You already are. Since the coma, you've been very focused."

  "I think thats because I finally let go."

  "Its a good world Carl, you could have ended up on..."

  "Oh! I know buddy. Im not saying anything about that world. I know it could be worse. Its just...will I ever see my family again? 26? My son? Thats what I keep coming back to. Sure I want to ask Penny out and have some kind of life, but it feels like I'm betraying them."

  "Its been a very long time Carl. How long are you supposed to wait?"

  "Til death do us part. I said those words."

  "Those words do not take in to account being trapped in a different universe."

  Carl sighed and kept walking.

  "Yeah. I know."

  "I agree with Steve. Simply ask her."

  "Shes really special isn't she."

  "Penny is a very good agent, and a very good friend. Yes, I believe she is special."

  "Well, I dont see anything here...lets get back. Switch to the rift finder program."

  The visor shifted to teal and carl looked in the general direction he had come from. He spotted the rift and shot up into the sky toward it.

  "Anything?"

  "No. That world was nuked. I took a radiation shot."

  Andy pulled his little notepad out and wrote it down.

  "Is that all you used out of the bag?"

  "Yeah. Mines bag three."

  "Another rift? We still have about 45 minutes. If youre back in under an hour we should only lose a day."

  "Time dilation is a bitch."

  Andy laughed.

  Carl smiled at him.

  "Log rift 203, time entered, 14:50."

  "Got it."

  Carl flew through the rift.

  This world was frozen. Snow covered the flat, featureless ground. No trees, no plants, no buildings...nothing. he walked out into the snow a bit, looking around. Above was some sort of sun, he had to squint because the snow was so bright. Fuck it.

  He flew back through the rift, landing with a thump next to Andy.

  "Nothing but snow."

  "That was all of five minutes. Let's do two oh four."

  Carl nodded.

  "Log rift 204, time entered 15:02."

  He flew through the rift.

  He entered the rift room, or at least it looked like the rift room. Everything was backwards. The door opened out on the wrong side.

  Alternate version of D7?

  He stepped out slowly. Royles was standing there talking to a man Carl didnt recognize.

  "Royles?"

  Royles turned around, his eyes got wide.

  "Who are you?"

  "I work with Department seven in another universe. We've been exploring the rifts. May I enter? I dont want to cause any problems, just talk."

  Royles stared at him a moment, his eyes sliding to the D7 crest on his shoulders.

  "Lets go to my office."

  Carl followed him. Everything was so similar, just off a little.

  They entered the office and sat down.

  "So, basically we're seeing if we can trade for new technology. Things that can help our world. In relation to us, you are a couple hundred rifts away. Is that what you guys are doing?"

  Royles seemed hesitant to answer, finally he said.

  "Yes."

  "Well, you didnt recognize me, so who's exploring? Andy? Steve?"

  "Andy is our medic. Our explorer is named Michael."

  "No Steve Hicks on your team. Huh. Thats a shame, hes a great guy."

  "Steven Hicks was fired couple of years ago."

  "Hostage situation where he refused to kill the guy, the lady died."

  "Yes."

  "Too bad. My Royles allowed him to stay on. He eventually became a huge asset."

  "I see."

  "Im sorry. I'm rambling on, listen, if youre interested in working with our world, I can tell my version of you. Whattya say?"

  Royles had his elbows on his desk, his hands folded in front of his mouth. He peered at Carl over his hands intensely.

  He reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a "visitor" badge and slid it across the desk.

  "Should you return, wear this. Bring an example of your tech. Maybe we can trade, or work something out."

  "Ok, great! Uh, I'm about to go through the academy though, so it'll probably be Steve. I hope thats ok. My Royles is really good friends with Steve. If thats a problem, I'll let them know and we can send someone else."

  "No. That would be ok."

  Carl stood and stuck out his hand.

  Royles stood and shook it.

  "Thank you sir."

  He started to leave and turned back.

  "Ya know, you're the third version of Phillip Royles I've met. So far, you've stayed consistent. I can't say that about anyone else I've met multiple versions of."

  Royles gave him a small smile.

  "Thank you."

  Carl was walking back to the rift room when he saw the Penny from this world. She had her hair dyed black in a pixie cut, smoky eye shadow and thick black eyeliner made her eyes pop when she looked up at him. He caught his breath, and almost tripped over his own feet. She smiled at him and walked by.

  Carl darted into the rift room, his heart hammering in his chest. What the fuck was wrong with him? He didnt even know that version of her!

  "Nano, can you save an image of her to show our Penny later?"

  "Of course Carl."

  "Thanks buddy. Lets go home."

  He stepped through the rift and flew towards Andy. A thought in the back of his mind surfaced. It no longer felt weird to refer to the world he lived in as home, because it had gradually become home.

  Later that night he sat at Steve's kitchen table with Steve and Penny. They were drinking and playing cards.

  "...I told him, You are consistent in every world. Its true. All three versions have been exactly the same. He may be a robot."

  Penny burst out laughing and smacked the table with her hand.

  "Oh, you can laugh all you want. I saved a picture for you. Nano? Can you project "goth Penny" on the wall?"

  Penny's smile disappeared.

  "Goth?"

  The picture of the raven haired version of her appeared on the wall.

  Penny's mouth fell open.

  Steve was giggling.

  Carl looked at her.

  "I think shes pretty hot."

  Penny slapped his shoulder.

  "Oh my god! Thats so weird seeing a different version of myself. Nano, please take it down."

  "Ok Penny."

  The picture disappeared.

  "Did you see anyone else besides goth me?"

  "No, just you and Royles. That Royles fired Steve though. They may all be the same, but our Royles is a little nicer."

  Steve took a swig of beer.

  "Yes...he is."

  "Its your deal Penny."

  Her face still slightly red from embarrassment, she scooped up the cards and started shuffling.

  Carl met her eyes and they smiled at each other.

  He still hadn't asked her.