Coalescence (Camden Investigations Book 1) (33 page)

“I’m sorry for you. But I’m not sorry enough to watch my
boyfriend die. I know I’m selfish. I’m human. I bet all the rapid evolution in
the universe won’t take away the human compulsion for selfishness. Did you ever
stop to consider that? Huh?”

The being didn’t stop to ponder or answer. It fired
again. This time its weapon grazed her wing. But she managed to imagine herself
steering starboard side, it lessened the impact of the blast to avoid the free
fall tumbling. The enemy opted to home in on its damaged target instead of
firing from afar. In seconds, the bio-ship was hovering over Starship Iris. She
was dead in the water.

This fucker isn’t just out to kill. It wants to torture
us with a slow, agonizing death. I’m all out of sorry. Fire all weapons!

She was so mad she felt as if she was temporarily
blinded. How in the universe would her missiles ever find their target? But she
realized a steady stream of fire might deter or even interfere with any more
assaults waged against her or Starship Mitchell. Somehow, as a ship, she
contained all knowledge related to a ship. Maneuvering, piloting—this
knowledge came to her as if it were a sudden download. The missiles missed
their targets by parsecs and resembled a fireworks display more than a galactic
assault.

“That’s it, my love. That’s all I can do. I am so sorry I
failed my team again. I couldn’t protect them when they needed me most. I wish
I could self-destruct. I wish I could self-destruct.”

Starship Iris heeded the command. It took her captain’s
orders literally. But instead of imploding, it split into pieces. One of the
pieces shot forward obliterating a wing of the enemy ship. Other pieces floated
as if a cluster of asteroids suspended in space. The enemy ship attempted to
fire, but its decimated wing left it little capability but to launch into a
permanent portside turn.

“Okay, it’s over. It’s over. I will die for my cause. Can
you say the same?”

Starship Iris repeated her communiqué a few more times
before losing consciousness.

32
MINUTES
and 57 seconds, 32 minutes and 58 seconds, 32 minutes
and 59 seconds, 33 minutes and zero seconds
 . . .
Time/Space expired with the
corresponding failure of the Earth’s core to power the artifact longer than 33
minutes. OBOLs joined in waves and appeared to dance as if they had joined a
galactic chorus line. The threat of takeover had been averted. Space/Time was
back online and Earth’s populace seemed glad to heed to its rules. The majority
of that populace would never recall their paradoxical experiences. But a few
would.

S
HE SHOOK
her head like a wet dog until the gagging
started. A cough emanated from deep inside her chest. It felt like the time she
swallowed pool water learning to swim. DJ competed for oxygen for a moment and
inventoried her situation. She was soaking wet and her blurred vision told her
two men were staring at her. Was this the here? Was this the now? She squinted
from the glint of a sparkly pendant that was equally splendid and blinding at
the same time. It was dangling from the hand of Bill. She recalled the paradox.
Seconds ago she was experiencing bliss. Her body was enveloped in some kind of
energy ribbon but then came a lightning blast. It tore her new world apart,
separated her from her mom and left her soaking in a tub of water.

She struggled for speech. “Am I back? Am I
alive . . . again?”

Evan smiled and glanced at Bill. “You are back in normal
time, yes,” Bill responded. “It can be only due to Quetzalcoatl’s staff and the
power of your Reptilian DNA. Oh,” he paused to raise an eyebrow, “and whatever
else might have happened in the fourth dimension.”

Mom, she did something to me with the lightning.
Connected or recharged me. Even I know water conducts electricity.
DJ pointed at the pendant. “Is that what you
mean by Quetzalcoatl? I thought Quetzalcoatl was an evil serpent?”

Bill shrugged. His noncommittal gesture angered her. Evan
grabbed her hand. “Can you stand? Let me get you out of this tub.”

DJ came to her feet easily but staggered a few times in
Evan’s arms.

“Hey, what are you doing to that woman?” The voice came
from behind. Kassidy’s eyes were beaming. Squeezing into the cramped bath
behind her was Rachel.

“It looks like someone is back from the dead.” Kassidy
squeezed DJ’s hand. The medium squeezed her hand back. “It’s good to see you
guys.”

Bill excused himself and attempted to exit, but he was
pasted between Kassidy and Rachel. Darian and Gavin tugged the spirit guide
until he popped from the quarters. Tawa yipped and danced at Bill’s feet in the
hallway. He patted her head. “Your daddy is back, girl.” Bill glanced at Ron
who was seated on the floor but with his back to the wall. He was lucid, and he
was smiling. “It looks like we’re all back.”

Gavin responded. “But back from what? Did we really
survive the time slip?”

Darian slapped a hand against the doorframe. “That’s
right! We must have survived. We didn’t evolve!”

Gavin reprimanded Darian. “Speak for yourself.”

Darian ignored the barb and raced to the kitchen table to
retrieve the transceiver.

“Yes, we did,” DJ answered. She was speaking to no one in
particular. She ran a hand through damp hair. It felt like the loving touch of
her mother. She wanted to absorb the feeling as if it were the water dripping
from her clothes.

“Here, take a towel or two,” Evan offered.

She waved a hand. “No, I want to experience where I was a
moment longer. DJ felt as if the water was her last connection to her special
moment in time where she was dancing with her mother in no particular time or
place. It was as if time had stopped for them. The water had to be a conduit.
Maybe it was how her mother sent an electric current to her
real
body.
She grabbed a handful of her sopping shirt and squeezed it. Cupping the water
in her other hand, she splashed it onto her face. “Oh, it was glorious.” She
didn’t care if the experience hadn’t been real in the definition of Space/Time.

Her declaration earned blank stares from Evan, Kassidy,
and Rachel.

“You all don’t remember anything, do you?” DJ pondered
why she had recall. Possibly it was due to her telepathic gift. Maybe it was
some kind of residual effect from communing with Galloway. It didn’t really
matter. What mattered was that she remembered.

Kassidy responded. “I had blackouts where I recalled
more.”

“I bet your blackouts didn’t take you to another
dimension,” Rachel said, her tone scolding.

“Maybe not, but I’d like to think I’d been transported to
a rave or a place where everyone feels connected. It’s probably why I fucking
drink so much. I just want to find that place.”

Rachel stared at her for a moment, attempting to discern
if she was pulling her leg. When Kassidy began tearing, Rachel threw her arms
around her. “Why didn’t you ever tell anybody this?”

Kassidy blinked. “It was before I began believing in
Evan’s science. I know it sounds like a child’s dream, but what if it
isn’t . . .”

Evan corrected. “You mean what if it
wasn’t
.” He
glanced at his watch. “Aha. Thirty-four minutes have passed. That means we
could have danced on the moon for all we know.” He patted Kassidy’s cheek. “I
hope you went to your special place, honey; I really do.”

Kassidy smiled. Rachel placed her free arm around Evan in
solidarity.

“It just sucks we can’t remember anything,” Kassidy
complained.

D
ARIAN’S
VOICE
repeated the same mantra.
“Report, Eye Girl. Please report. This is Darian, over. Do you copy?”

Iris heard a faint voice in the background. She was lying
on sand. She grabbed a fistful and began thrashing. “No! I won’t let you hurt
him! I won’t let . . .”

Mitchell shook her hand until it emptied its contents.
“You’re with me, in the here and now. Iris, Iris, do you hear me?” Long seconds
passed, and then Mitchell came into focus. He was hovering over her but as a
person and not a craft.

“Then what is that voice?” She righted herself to a
sitting position. “Don’t you hear that? It could be the woman I
heard . . .” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I thought I was
still . . . up there.”

Evan nodded. “I was
up
there as well. It’s over
now. We survived, somehow. The voice you are hearing is Darian’s.”

Iris hugged Mitchell. “Where’s my dad? Rusty?”

“They’re fine. Your dad is packing up the
equipment.
”
Equipment
had become the new code name for the artifact. Mitchell explained
Dan had suggested they all stop defining the dial so explicitly while waiting
for Iris to revive. “Your Dad says the Canyon has ears.”

“Ooh.” She raised a hand to the back of her head. “It was
so real. The battle between us and the enemy ship . . . I’m just
so glad you’re alive.” She kissed Mitchell’s forehead. “I guess time saved us
in our last moments.”

Mitchell raised an eyebrow. “I can’t be sure of anything.
I don’t know if any of the effects of the time slip would have jeopardized us
now that we’re back in Space/Time.”

Iris squinted. “Then what was it all about? Some kind of
lesson?”

“I wish I knew. I’m just glad your plan worked.” Mitchell
squeezed her hand. “But I am curious about that voice you mentioned.”

“Yes . . . the Voice.” Iris placed a hand
over her mouth. “I don’t know what it was. It wasn’t Galloway. It was more
female sounding but hard to tell gender in thought speak.”

Iris heard the chatter of voices. It was her dad and
Rusty scaling over the stone walling.

“There’s my girl,” Dan said, extending a hand to Iris.

“There’s my dad,” Iris responded. Dan smiled and cupped a
hand to the back of her head.

“Come on, guys,” Dan said to everyone. “We’ve got to
evacuate before the
authorities
or something worse investigates.”

Mitchell nodded. “Just let me answer Darian. I get the
feeling he desperately wants to know if we’re all in the same dimension.”

D
AN CAMDEN
stared at his clasped hands. He and the entire
team, with the exception of Ron, were seated at the command center/dining table
in Iris’s living room. Ron made Dan feel even guiltier. Look what the man had
been through. The only repayment Ron wanted from the team was visiting rights
concerning Tawa. At last check, Ron was resting comfortably without disruption.
His link to the ship had been severed; at least that’s what Ron said he
believed. He admitted he would need to sleep a full week before making a
further prognosis of his mental state.

Dan caught the reflection of his face on the table. He
looked stern. He had to be for the safety of his children. But on the inside,
his heart felt a little lighter than in previous years. He had participated in
an effort to save humanity instead of acquiring technology for the purpose of
enslaving it. In theory, he and the
Organization
were no better than the
Greys. Both wanted to dominate for selfish gain. He was no longer the man who
joined a sinister and secret force in the Arizona desert in the late 80s. He
was above ground, so to speak. Ironically, his recent actions screamed he
retreat. Maintaining a low profile from here on out was imperative if he was
ever going to entertain thoughts of seeing his children grow and have families.

“No, Iris.” Dan responded to Iris’s demand. “I cannot
stay in this house. The
Organization
has probably pieced the puzzle
together. They have most likely scoured the desert and found Jack and Will.
When they determine my body is not among them, they will stop at nothing to
find me. Not to mention, the
equipment.
”

“But . . .” Iris attempted to intervene.
Dan waved a hand at her.

“Even if I wasn’t being hunted by the
Organization
,
I could very well become the target of any remaining Greys still here on
Earth.”

Dan observed Iris biting her lip. “What is it, dear?”

“I hate to say it, but you’re right. The enemy ship tried
to kill me in my time slip and it wasn’t even really a Grey.” She crossed her
arms over her chest. “But where does that leave you?”

Bill raised a hand. “Mr. Camden can stay with Rusty and
me.” Tawa barked. “And with Tawa, on the reservation,” Bill continued. “We will
all stand guard over the
equipment.”

“But what kind of safety will the reservation bring? Do
you have arms?”

Bill teased, “Yes, and we have two legs that can carry us
as swift as any of Mr. Science’s
Fastwalkers
.”

Dan realized Bill was alluding to the
Organization
’s
code name for UFOs. “You see, my darling Iris and DJ. Your father will do quite
okay for himself.”

 
Evan remarked
to Dan, “With honor and respect, I do believe you’ll be in more than capable
hands. We all honor the Hopi for their assistance.” Evan nodded to Bill.

DJ cleared her throat. “Iris was referring to human
weapons, Bill. What would protect you from Quetzalcoatl or other serpents?”

“You probably know more than I do at this juncture. I
think it’s safe to say Quetzalcoatl was on our side yesterday. Maybe it had
something to do with your other half. Regardless, we have other warning signs
to heed like the Blue Kachina. I still believe it has our backs, so to speak.”

“For the stars’ sakes, I hope so,” Rachel said.

Gavin chuckled. “That was very scientific coming from a
ghost hunter.”

Iris rapped the table with her hand. “I don’t think
anyone of us here can draw a clear distinction between being a ghost hunter or
UFO chaser anymore. I believe we have coalesced.” She twirled her index finger
in circles.

“Speaking of which,” Evan said, “I can only theorize what
occurred in the time slip. Having heard reports from Iris, Mitchell, and
DJ—the only ones among us who seem to recall their experiences—I
think it’s safe to assume the event really happened. Having said that, how
might the fourth dimension be capable of distorting our linear perceptions? I
am leaning to several theories. I am wondering if Mr. Camden might shed some
light on the subject.”

“Evan, I have no astrophysical background to confirm or
deny any of your theories. You see,” he unclasped his hands and rapped them on
the table, “it’s how the
Organization
preferred things. They didn’t want
any geniuses. And . . . voila . . . look at what
they got!” He pointed a finger at his chest. “The All American Idiot,
that’s
me
.” He raised a hand like a schoolchild. “I signed up for something I
would never completely understand. Evan and Mitchell were right. Secrets were
kept from the public. But they were also kept from men like me.” He accentuated
his words with the tap of his index finger on the table. “No one was ever to
comprehend the puzzle, only its individual pieces. I really don’t know what
Jack and Will intended to do with the artifact other than hand it over for
reverse engineering. I can only imagine what might have happened. In fact, I
shudder at my ignorance. But . . .” A tear welled in his eye. “I
will tell you I started out doing this for my family. I wanted to be someone
for my dear girls. I may have utterly and completely failed, but I had good
intentions going in. It’s just too bad that I’ll never know what I experienced
in the time slip. I’d like to think I had a chance to start over.” Dan’s head
drooped forward.

Iris reached across the table and placed her hand over
her dad’s. From the other side, DJ repeated the gesture.