- For heaven’s sake, man, how many of you are there, after all? Do you all look like this?
- We are a group
of clones from the same original DNA. That’s why we look so much alike. We were
thirteen… in principle…
- Oh, my sweet
Lord!
The three friends looked at each other. Was
History repeating itself… in the future? Or were they just playing it over and
over again?
- What are these
false ‘caches’, after all? They are certainly parts that match together, as far
as we could find out.
The sudden change in the subject was more
than welcome.
- Yes, they are.
They are two parts of a single portal, placed separately, on purpose. They were
not supposed to be used by anyone but the messenger… Me, in this case… They
were left here for one specific purpose: the mission, I have come for, as you
might have noticed already.
The three friends were not surprised at
all. That conversation developed as an interesting series of mysteries unsolved,
soon to be explained.
***
- The past, as
well as the future, belong in where and when they are originally. They must neither
be touched, nor changed, in any way. That’s a sacred rule and ought to be
respected, above everything and all other existing laws, otherwise an unlimited
chaos is the result. When there is a risk that this decree is being broken, the
only way to interfere is to use a subterfuge.
- Oblivion…
- That’s correct.
And then the portal to that opportunity is closed, so it will never arise or
open again.
- How?
- It is completely
destroyed at once.
- But there can be
others…
- Time portals are
not open unless there is a reason… And only the council and the Supreme can
authorize the creation and opening of a new one. There must be a very good
reason to come back to the past and the traveller must always come back using
the same means.
- And there is a
reason, right now, I guess.
- Yes. There is a
reason… a good reason…
Anticipation was stamped on the three men’s
faces. The traveller looked straight at the pale skinned man.
- There is a very
good reason, indeed!
***
- I was sent here,
by the scientists, to look for and take you back to the future, where you
really belong in. It was not easy to find you, as I thought it would be when I
arrived… I have left some clues, but
they’ve never been used. It seems, however, that someone else might have found
them and started looking for the pieces that were prudently placed apart from
each other.
- I read a post
that there was supposedly a false geocache in the lighthouse…
- And I saw the
one about the mill.
- Someone else
must have read about them and wanted to verify what they were all about.
- I don’t think it
was an innocent search. These people know what they are looking for.
- And that is…?
- Let’s get out of
here. I’ll explain everything on the way.
***
- When you were
sent back to the past, there was… there will be… whatever… a rumour about your
presence there. Some say you’ve saved the future of humanity, some say you
brought a critical suspicion about the intentions our Supreme Chief had about
the planet itself.
- Maybe both
things…
The man with pale skin spoke with a tone of
voice that was very grave.
- And what do they
say about the vaccine?
- The vaccine
works well. Everything is under control.
- Well, it seems
the voyage was worthwhile, after all.
- It looks like
it, indeed.
The young man wearing glasses looked at the
three men. He caught a glimpse of a strange gaze amongst the other three men.
They did not seem to be very comfortable with the subject.
- What was that?
- What do you
mean? What was what?
- You three are
hiding something from me, aren’t you? What happened?
The stranger looked at the friends, as if
waiting for a clue on what to say.
- He knows about
the use of Oblivion and that it was obviously an ingredient added in the
capsule before he was sent back to your past, that is, our present.
- Then it’s more
than time for the truth.
***
- But why?
- They sensed you
were going to break the most sacred universal rule.
- Did I do
anything wrong?
- Not really. You just
told Leona that the Supreme would explode the planet.
- Oh. And does it make
any sense? Would he do something like that?
- Not likely, I
guess. He cannot do that without the approval of the whole council.
The pale skinned man and the young man
spoke at the same time:
- But he will!
- What?
- He will definitely
destroy the planet.
- When? Why? How will
he do that and how can you be so sure?
- That was how I
landed here in this time and space, in a capsule that was sent on a trip back
to the past, at the moment the planet exploded. He sent me here… And I did not come
here alone…
***
- What do these people want?
- They are evil, rich and they control one
of the most powerful Pharmaceutical Industries that rule over the present and probably
the future of mankind. They killed the other passenger. If they get access to
the portal, they will have even more power and they can change the things in
the future and past… or at any time… They would transform this world in
complete chaos.
- We need to act immediately. We will be
protected in the woods…
- So, what is the plan?
- We need to reach the facilities before
the Supreme gets what he wants. Otherwise we will be lost in the middle of
nothing, as well as the planet, which will be completely blown to ashes and cosmic
dust.
- What if we get there too late?
- They are waiting for us. It will not be
too late… Maybe late, but not too late… We got to talk to Leona, or her father…
or both…
- First the scientists… Leona used the
Oblivion against him, remember?
He pointed to the man wearing glasses.
- She is too faithful to the Supreme… she must
be convinced first, and we have little time.
- What if you fail?
- Then our fate is sealed. But we must try.
It is our only chance.
The four men got into the woods and found a
small clearing where they put the two parts of the portal together and, with a
key that was brought by the traveller, a curious door opened, as if by magic.
The difference was that the magic was pure science, not yet available in the present time. That technology in the wrong hands would be a disaster to the
world.
The two clones, similar in appearance and
purpose, turned to the two young men and got ready to depart.
- We have little time. We better go. You
will be OK.
The sound of a car stopping and the quick steps running closer put everyone in state of alert.
- Quick. Go!
They made it to the portal, running and
without a proper goodbye. The gateway closed immediately as they crossed it.
The young men ran away to the opposite direction, hidden by the trees and grasses, while two men dressed in black got to the clearing a
fraction of a second too late.
- Fuck! We missed it! We are in big, big
trouble now! The director is going to kill us.
- Let’s go back! We must report it
immediately!
***
- Do you think they got there in time?
- I guess we will never know, will we?
- Probably not. I would like to think they
fixed the things properly.
- Not an easy task, however… but worth the
try…
- What do we do now?
- We go back home… There is nothing we can do about those things anymore… I read about a cache hidden in the other lighthouse… we must stop there and check it.
The young man wearing glasses opened his eyes wide.
- You must be kidding me! I want to be away
from caches…for a time… Let’s just go back home!
The two men got in the Jeep. The night was
falling slowly. The red light flickered in the lighthouse, when they drove past,
as if blinking invitingly to them.
