It was not too late at
night, in the suburbs. The silhouettes of two people, with very dissimilar looks,
moved among the shadows, among the narrow streets and the dark alleys. Some
people were still walking outside, others were chatting happily in the pubs and
restaurants. It was quite a pleasant and fresh autumn night, fresh but not
chilly at all. To the stronger man, that temperature was ideal, but his
companion was uncomfortable, feeling his pale and fragile body tremble with
cold.
- Let's go that way. We are not far by now. I just hope I don’t give the old
man too much of a fright.
The other man looked at him, not quite realizing what that really meant and
continued to follow the strong man, first behind a large house, which covered a
whole block, in the farthest part of the village, then through a children’s
playground at a small park and then they finally crossed a large patio that led
them into a dense group of large trees.
When they started walking through the woods, they hit some branches of the Swan
Milkweed that were hanging on their way and that had a surprising effect
on some of the forest's temporary residents. A rustle of movement and color
impressed the clone, but irritated the man who led him down those dark paths in
the cool autumn night.
- Oh! What are these?
- They're butterflies. Monarchs, more specifically...
- How interesting... They are so...
Words failed him. He could not, with such a short life, say what he felt about
beauty, one of the few things that really impressed him.
- ...annoying when they fly around us. We should avoid these swift moves
because anything we do can raise suspicion and put us in danger. We have to
keep our presence as discreet as possible.
The clone looked at the man, who was annoyed with such beauty and did not
understand why he did not enjoy that unusual moment. The man pulled him by the
arm, whispering, irritated.
- Let's go! Every minute we waste is too precious and we'll miss them eventually.
You'll know more about the Monarchs, if you ever have the time... Now, let’s
move on!
They finally arrived at the entrance of a tunnel, hidden in the basement of a
building. From there, after passing through a series of other passageways,
tangled in a rather intricate network, they finally got into a small old shed,
built in the backyard of an ordinary house.
From there, they noticed there were lights on in the house, showing evidence
that someone was still up. They were careful to stay hid in the shadows until
they were absolutely sure no one could see them. The silence was proof enough
that there was no danger. The two of them stepped up to the door. The stronger
man knocked on the door with his knuckles. He then stopped for a short while and
knocked again twice. That was the code he reminded. At the sound of footsteps coming
from the inside, he felt a strange apprehension.
A middle-aged man opened the door, but his expression soon changed from a smile
to a mix of worry and fear. What those two strangers were doing there at his
door, using the code only known by his son and daughter, was unknown to him,
but he felt they were no good news. The strongest man reminded him of someone
he knew, but he could not recall who that could be.
- What can I do for you?
The man kept the door half open, trying to control the situation. He sensed
that he was at a disadvantage, but he had to try and intimidate the visitors,
who still stood somewhat in the shadow of the night.
- Can we come inside? It is important.
- No. You cannot, without telling me who you are and what you want.
The younger man stepped forward, while the older man grabbed the door
firmly, trying to close it, before he lost control, but his strength did not
match that of the other one.
- Father?
The man's eyes widened. That was unexpected. He was absolutely sure he had no
children that age. The younger man's eyes, however, when they were struck by
the light from within the house, were as green as his son's, but he immediately
refuted that common characteristic.
- My son is a lot younger than you and I'm pretty sure I've never had another
one. I do not know who you are or what you want, but you will not get anything from
me.
- I know it sounds unbelievable, but I can explain... Let us in, please. We are
all in danger.
The older man’s face changed immediately to a very serious and hard expression.
The younger man then tried his last attempt.
- I’m not trying to fool you. Look at this! Do you believe me now?
The man pulled the door open, carefully, so as to let the two visitors in.
Until then, he'd hardly noticed the features of the little man, which he now
watched, attentively. He was extremely pale, young and almost hairless. His
head seemed to be disproportionately larger than those with whom he used to be.
Her skin looked very thin. The green eyes also reminded him of someone, but he
did not catch it at first. He was now busy examining that strange being whose anomaly
he had already seen before in his own son.
- How could this be possible?
- We believe the answer is here at this time. That's why we need your help.
The three of them turned their attention to a spot in the shadows, behind the
old man, from which the female voice was coming.
- Leona? What happened to you? You're so different...
- We are all, Father, but…
- You shouldn’t have come.
- And let you trigger a catastrophe? This untimely behavior of yours has
already put us in a very big trouble... We have to interfere as little as
possible with this time and place. Everything we do here, will surely have consequences
in that world.
- What world? Can anyone explain this whole mess to me?
Before her brother began telling improper truths, Leona went forward. She would
be more careful with the words and say only what would not change… much… the
course of the events, but their father had to know what happened... or was
going to happen... as a matter of fact… so he could help them.
The scientist listened quietly but not without showing how impressed he was. He
would never imagine how important his research would become in the future. In
his modesty and simplicity, behind all intelligence and brightness, he did not
foresee that his work would bring so much benefit to mankind... or at least to
a portion of it...
***
- Father, the chief scientist, who is a very experienced and competent man,
could not find out what caused that anomaly in the clone. The concern is that
it is serious and that will put a good part of those who are born at risk, as
if it were an epidemic, difficult to control. Some element in the vaccine might
have stopped working, or there was some mutation of a sort.
- I brought a sample of the new vaccine, which is under test, to be analyzed by
you. How did you reverse the effect when it happened to me? There is no record about
this in the known data.
- I know. I never left any of it written in the official records. I only made a
few notes in my diary, which I kept out of sight for everyone. But I know what
to do... I dealt with it not so long ago. But we're must first go to the University's
laboratory, do some more tests. We have already eliminated the... err... I do
not know if it will result in a clone, whose DNA may have already undergone
many mutations, nor do I know what kind of reactions can still happen, but it’s
worth a try.
Before they left, however, the man looked at the three visitors and, frowning,
asked, with childlike ingenuity.
- What are clones for, anyway?
The three of them looked at the old scientist, as if he had said an obscenity.
Leona laughed tenderly and said to him,
- I’ll try to explain on the way...
***
- What is it? It's so nice...
- It’s music. Let's go.
- Where is it coming from?
- Come on! Quickly! We do not have time for this.
The father, much more patient than his son, tried to explain, in a more or less
coherent way:
- Music is the language though which the souls of men talk to those of the gods. It
is capable to touch the most intangible living being. There are many different types
and styles. This one that you hear is by a famous artist, who no longer walks
on this Earth.
- No? Where does he walk on, now?
- He’s dead. His name was David Bowie. The music comes from the club bar ahead,
but we should avoid going there. We cannot raise any suspicion and it’s too
late in the evening already...
- By the way, we have to find a name for you. If someone stops us, for some
reason, it will be the most convenient... and appropriate way. We should not
take unnecessary risks.
- I am the Thirteenth.
- Yes. But that's not a decent name for this place. We have to choose another
one; more common and suitable...
- Could it be David Bowie?
Leona chuckled loudly.
- It can be David. Forget the Bowie. It will raise more suspicion if it is used
here.
***
The university campus was practically deserted when they arrived. There was a
white van at the entrance, parked near the research area, where the lab was
located. The letters N. M. E., painted in red, on the sides, did not raise
suspicions, when the four characters descended the flight of stairs, which took
them to their destination. As soon as the scientist took the key out of his
pocket and turned the lock in the narrow metal door, a hiss was heard and a
deep mark was engraved above his head, in the light gray hard metal. They threw
themselves in, closing the door behind them so to gain some time and rushed to
the Main Lab.
- Who are these? We are being attacked by fire guns. We have to get away and
try to get back to the terminal. Let's all go. Run!
As they entered the lab, they dragged a large cabinet and blocked the door.
- We must use the emergency exit that is located at the opposite end of the
laboratory. I'll show you the way. Now, hurry and keep on walking to the end of
the hall and go through the door where it’s written "To the roof"
and, instead of going up, go behind the stairs. There is another door there, at
the bottom of the broom and cleaning cabinet, painted the same color as the
walls, to make it difficult to find. I’ll have to go back and get my notes.
At that moment, they heard a loud blast. The front door had been broken into
with explosives. The sounds of footsteps running down the hall, very close to
them, made them panic and imagine a hurried escape plan.
- There is no time to go back. We have to get out of here as soon as possible.
They are already coming after us...
- But it's extremely important... it's right in the desk drawer...
The younger man knew his father was right. It was extremely important to seek
the information, to fulfill the purpose of that time travel or else it would
have been useless. Without thinking much, he decided:
- I’ll go back. I'm faster and stronger. I can defend myself better, and
besides, when we get back to the terminal, we will not be able all four to
travel at the same time. The programming will be done for three, only...
- We can reprogram it.
- If we have time... Let’s hurry. I’ll come back. Don’t wait for me. Don’t
worry, I'll find a way. If the portal is not open anymore, I’ll wait for a
signal.
- We'll send one, as soon as we get there, programming the terminal for a
passenger, only, so it closes as soon as you get in and we bring no more danger
along with us to the future.
- OK. Now, let's move on. Time is short.
Leona felt a sting in her chest. Things had gotten out of hand. The whole
operation had been too risky, and now they were struggling to stay alive. She had
the lead and show the way, but they had to be fast and unsuspecting, until they
reached the terminal.
Then they heard a series
of gun shots. What an efficient and dangerous way to rush things...
