Enter Fractured Time!

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Bob Smith looked solemnly through the blinds across the sunlit yard and pondered everything that happened the last few weeks. Now, he found himself at the observatory with his colleague, Dr. Joseph Miller, still sorting out the events that transpired in such horrific fashion. Across the way, he eyed the mountains and forests that seemed to be waiting for them like a wild animal stalking its prey. Bob recalled the terror that befell them back at the camp. Somehow, he still had a hard time accepting everything that happened.

So where are we? Is this the past, the future, or another domain? Why are we here? Is this our fate? There must be a reasonable explanation.

He arrived by a small shuttle plane late yesterday afternoon. The observatory and the surrounding buildings appeared to be the last remnants of civilization that he was aware of. He rubbed his chin several times and paced the room.

I wonder what's happened to the rest of the world. Is it destroyed or just misplaced? Perhaps we're the one's who are misplaced.

Joe Miller entered the large white conference room and greeted Bob, "Good morning, Bob. How does it feel to sleep in a real bed again?"

"Good morning, Joe. It makes everything else seem like a bad dream. Did you have any luck with the satellite images?"

"Yes, I did. Unfortunately, we are receiving intermittent signals from the satellites. We've been able to catch the signals that come through, though. I think you'll find them very interesting."

Bob wore a gray wool sweater and corduroy pants provided by Dr. Miller's people. His thin hair and big-rimmed glasses gave away his age at fifty-five. A hot shower and clean clothes renewed his enthusiasm regarding the cataclysm and why he flew down to meet with Dr. Miller in the first place.

Joe was a longtime friend and colleague. The two men jointly investigated the changes in the earth, which, they believed, induced the frequent earthquakes plaguing the planet prior to the cataclysm. They spent many hours comparing notes and debating their findings.

Joe was older than Bob at sixty-two. He was only five feet tall and balding. Many scientists regarded him as the most brilliant eccentric in the world. His theories were quite ahead of their time and he always had a rational way of explaining them. He refused to let the disappearance of civilization around him change his routines. He continued to show up at the observatory everyday in a suit and insisted on punctuality among his coworkers.

Bob examined the icons on the computer screen before shifting his focus to the projection on the wall. After several keystrokes, Joe made the large projection screen change from a modified map of the world to four satellite images. He used a laser pointer to draw Bob's attention to four blue patches on each of the images.

"These shades indicate very intense energy fields. They are comprised of wavelengths and frequencies of light and sound in a way that I've never seen. It seems like the fields are made up of a combination of energy properties, blended together unlike anything we've ever seen. These are the first images taken about the time your plane landed in Philadelphia. In fact, when you contacted me by radio, I was in the process of analyzing them."

Bob examined the images, noting the various colors in the terrain. He mentally traced the various land elevations and bodies of water. His eyes followed the mountain ranges and river valleys, which in some cases outlined underground fault lines.

"That's odd. There's a small pink field centered near Philadelphia. Our camp is just south of that location. Any idea what that indicates?"

"You may want to save your questions until you see the remainder of the data. You'll see why in a moment. We should be receiving another set of images very soon and we'll see what the fields are doing. I'll check with my people for the next uplink while you examine the images. I'm anxious to hear your assessment of the situation. See you in five minutes."

Joe left the room, leaving Bob alone with his thoughts. He sat down in a plush blue chair and leaned back while he attempted to decipher what was happening.

Why the mystery? What does Joe think he's found?

He focused on each of the images and tried to make sense of them. Maggie repeatedly warned him that he had a tendency to look too hard into problems and often overlooked the solutions because of it. He remembered her chastising just before they left Boston, "Bob, sometimes you have to step outside the circle to see what's inside."

Bob cleared his mind and gazed at the images. He focused on what the images looked like instead of trying to match known theories with them.

Now, if I didn't know better, what would I see?

After several minutes of careful inspection, Bob yelled, "I've got it!"

Joe returned and asked excitedly. "What do you see, Bob?"

"Each of the large fields was centered on Philadelphia and Washington. The energy fields manipulated the landmasses into another dimension! That is how we've become misplaced!"

Joe pressed three keys and new images appeared on the screen. He pressed another key and the screen split into two halves. The left half retained the original images, while the right half exhibited the new images.

Joe exclaimed, "Look what's happening! The fields are gone except for two small pink ones. These fields work like swapping out pieces of a jigsaw puzzle."

Bob asked, "But what about that small field? It's near my camp."

"It's a smaller quantity of energy that also establishes some sort of field, but it's not very big. I believe it's a portal for transporting someone or something into the region. If I didn't know better, I'd say that someone has discovered how to use wormhole technology! It appears as though a trio of energy beams of significant power forms the field. With this quantity of energy, a wormhole could be positioned anywhere using a positioning device. It appears that someone is swapping out sections of our civilization with sections from another time or place. Perhaps we have been projected into the past, the future, or possibly another dimension. We don't know what the future is so who knows what to expect?"

"It sure looks like our planet, even though the continents are somewhat different."

"Yes, but imagine how much energy it would take to perform such an act. Perhaps this is one of the keys to understanding the secrets of the universe. We'll need to investigate the fields more closely."

"But, the army of creatures that attacked us… What if there are millions of them? If our theory is true, then they could come through the portal in larger numbers next time. Maybe they plan to eradicate the human race or what's left of it. We have to do something!"

"Relax, Bob. Before we do anything, we need more facts. There's a lot more to this but I think we're getting warm."

"Imagine this, Joe; if the window between our world and this new world were left open, then that would explain the random satellite signals. When the satellites, on both sides of the window, are lined up with the portal opening, we can receive the signals from the other side. That will tell us what's happening to our world. We're in another dimension! It seems that two of our satellites have come through this anomaly with us but are positioned in an orbit at the other side of the planet. They transmit their signals through the window to the satellites in the other dimension that, in turn, bounce back through the window to our location. But that can only happen when the portal opening is lined up between the two groups of satellites and us. Otherwise, those satellites have no one to transmit to."

"Bob, do you realize what this means if we're right!"

"Yes, think what this could mean if someone caused this cataclysm. It's too much power for any one individual to possess."

"I believe that if the energy fields are directed through wormholes and strategically placed each time, we could predict the length of time it takes before they can complete the transformation of landmasses."

"Joe, I don't care how long it takes! How do we stop it? How do we reverse it?"

"I don't know. We have to keep our wits about us and dissect this problem one piece at a time."

"I don't know how you can be so calm about this."

"What else is there? Relax, Bob. We may be on the verge of understanding something great!"

"The second pink field formed near Hatteras. We could fly over the area and investigate what's happening! Then we'll see firsthand if it's really a portal."

"That's a good idea, Bob, but it won't be us going. Our work here is more important. We'll send scouts to investigate for us. Why don't you get some lunch and I'll make the necessary arrangements."

"Good idea. I'm famished. See you in a while."

Maggie and Penny sat on an old iron bench in front of the observatory. A cool breeze rustled the trees around them. Maggie transcribed several pages of her husband's shorthand notes into a copybook while Penny stared quietly at the eerie mountains looming in the distance. The sky was bright blue and the temperature was about seventy-four degrees.

"It's such a beautiful day, Maggie. I wish the city were still there. This would be a perfect day to go shopping."

"Yes, I'm going to miss the stores. How are you holding up without Billy?"

"Okay, I guess."

"Have you thought about what you're going to do when you get back?"

"I don't know. I really like him. If I could be part of his daily activities, then I'd be much happier with him. It seems like he always has to disappear somewhere with Randy and Ronnie. I know they are only friends, but I'd like to be part of that, too."

"Maybe you should make yourself a part of his activities. Don't think about it, just do it. I had to make the same decision with Bob and it's not easy. I wanted to be with him so badly that I forced myself to be a part of his everyday activities. If he took issue with it, things would have turned out different between us."

"Do you ever regret giving up your life to be with Bob?"

"Sometimes, but that's what love is all about. Being with him was more important than being alone. When I made my decision, I promised myself that I would never look back. The only problem I ever had with it is that people came to know me as Bob's assistant instead of his wife."

"I would like to be part of Billy's life but every time we're close to making something happen, he acts like he saw a ghost. When Jerry made the hut for us, I was ready for a permanent relationship. I offered him that relationship and he balked at it."

"Maybe he did see a ghost, Penny. Did you talk to him about it?"

"No, I was too embarrassed."

"It might be the smart thing to do before you lose him. There's probably a logical reason for his reaction."

"You're right. If he is still interested in me when we get back, then I'll have that talk with him. I'm afraid he's already given up on me."

"I don't think so, Penny. I'm sure that if you talk things over with him, you'll feel much better. One way or another, you'll know where things stand."

"Hey, Maggie, not to change the subject but, it's lunchtime. Are you hungry?"

"I sure am. Let's go to the cafeteria and see what's for lunch."

A young marine stood in the distance, ogling the two women. He was enamored with the young brunette. She was very attractive, wearing tight blue jeans and a white blouse. The marine figured that she was in her middle twenties but that didn't deter him. He was only nineteen and young men were scarce since the cataclysm.

The other woman was much older and might have been her mother or aunt for all he knew. She was dressed in black corduroy pants and a brown sweater. She wore her hair in a bun and had the appearance of an old fashioned schoolteacher. When the women walked away, he figured it was time to make his move. He rushed across the green stretch of grass to catch up with them.

"Good afternoon, ladies. I'm Corporal Jarret Kincaid. How are you today?"

Maggie replied, "Fine, but we're leaving for lunch."

"That's great. I was thinking the same thing. Mind if I join you?"

The two women looked at each other curiously. Maggie preferred their privacy but wasn't sure how to convey her feelings. Penny didn't want to seem ignorant and buckled first.

"I don't see why not. What do you think, Maggie?"

"It's your call."

So, Jarret accompanied the girls across the courtyard to the cafeteria. It was a short distance and one of the few walkways that was unimpeded by debris.

The front of the observatory was like a small park. The grass was like a smooth green carpet and the walkway wound through the large poplar trees and across the lawn, giving them a pleasant view of the surrounding area.

"So, ladies, do I get an introduction?"

Maggie reluctantly answered, "I'm Maggie Smith. My husband is Dr. Robert Smith. This is my friend Penny Nichols. We're visiting from a camp near Philadelphia."

Jarret kidded, "That has a ring to it."

"Are you making fun of my name?" asked Penny, defensively.

"No, just small talk. My, you're a feisty young lady."

Who's this kid calling a young lady? I'm older than him by at least six years.

The young corporal was captivated with Penny. He walked closely by her side and tried to strike further conversation with her. Maggie felt uneasy about his presence but didn't know how to deter him. She sensed that he would only cause trouble for Penny but it wasn't her place to interfere. Jarret asked, "So, Miss Nichols, how long are you here for?"

"Probably another week. Once Bob has finished his work with Dr. Miller, we'll fly back. Bob plans to stay down here eventually, though."

"What business brings you down here?"

"I needed to get away for a while. Things were a little hectic back at our camp."

"I presume that you'll go back with Bob."

"Yes. Why wouldn't I?"

"Oh, I thought you might change your mind. We still have some civilization left around here. Do you have a real bed to sleep in or a building to live in?"

"No, we are literally roughing it. My friends are building huts and we just got running water in the compound last week."

"I'm surprised you would choose that kind of lifestyle over this. Anyway, it's interesting that part of Washington might be the last remnant of civilization on the continent or the world for that matter. Granted the Whitehouse is gone, but we still have half of the Pentagon and several of the smaller buildings. Most importantly, we still have power, even if it's only for a little while. We're working on that problem though."

"I have friends back at the camp, Jarret. We've been through a lot together. Since then, I've grown accustomed to the camp and it's like home now."

"Well, it does sound more exciting than this place. I was hoping that we might get to know each other better before you leave."

Penny blushed and bit her lip. What's he up to? He's just a kid. Why is he hitting on me like this? Maybe that's not so bad. Maybe I could have some fun.

She smiled at him and replied, "We'll see, Corporal Kincaid. If you behave yourself, we might get to be friends."

Maggie fretted. I know how determined a young man can be. This one will not go away easily. When they arrived at the cafeteria, there was a small line to the grill. It wasn't very long since there were only about seventy total people, at the observatory and its surrounding buildings. Bob entered the cafeteria and filed in behind Maggie. He asked anxiously, "Have you had a chance to look around the site? I can't believe how much of it is still intact. Many of the facilities are still operational."

"Yes, Penny and I did quite a bit of site-seeing since we got here. Were Dr. Miller's people able to link up to the satellites?"

"Yes and you won't believe what we've found."

"What is it?"

"Wait until we're seated."

Bob looked curiously at the young marine escorting Penny. "Hey, Maggie. Who's the new kid?" Maggie glanced back at Penny and Jarret. She whispered to her husband, "That's Romeo and he wants his Juliet."

Bob giggled and remarked slyly, "I think Penny should stay away from men. Every time she gets near a guy, she has a meltdown."

Maggie smacked her husband's elbow and replied, "Robert, that wasn't nice. She has problems." "Yes. That's what I mean."

Maggie frowned at her husband. She was used to his cynicism when it came to young people. They were married twenty-five years ago. Maggie enjoyed working with him, but unfortunately, they never had time to start a family of their own.

Bob and Maggie placed their trays on the counter, anxious for the taste of a hot meal. The cook served them cheeseburgers and fries.

When he realized that they were new, he smiled and apologized, "Sorry, we only have a limited selection these days. Tomorrow we're having hotdogs and potato salad."

Bob replied, "No need to apologize. This is an improvement from what we're used to. We're grateful for burgers and fries. Thanks."

The foursome took their trays and sought an open table. Bob and Maggie sat down first, while Penny and Jarret elected to take the next table down. Conversation was somewhat strained with all the chatter. Word of the possible discovery of wormhole technology traveled quickly among the group. Penny was silent and picked at her fries. She felt awkward with Jarret hanging around and Maggie sitting nearby. Meanwhile, Jarret continued his efforts to court her. He was confident that he could win her over before she would leave.

"You can call me Jarret. Can I call you Penny?"

"I guess so."

"Are you married, Penny?"

"Boy, you don't waste time. Why do you want to know?"

"Is there any reason you wouldn't tell me?"

"No. It's just that I've known you all of twenty minutes and you're already asking personal questions."

"Okay. Let me rephrase the question. Is there a significant other in your life?"

Penny hesitated, unsure if she wanted to answer the question. Jarret caught her reaction immediately.

"Okay, let's try this again, Penny Nichols. Do I have a chance with you or not."

Maggie couldn't help overhearing the conversation from the next table. She looked back and saw that Penny's face was red with embarrassment. Penny appeared ready for help so she interrupted, "Penny, you may want to hear what Bob and Dr. Miller have discovered. It sounds pretty important."

Penny was relieved. "Sure, Maggie. We're coming over."

Jarret was relentless in his questioning. "Penny, are you avoiding the question or ignoring me?"

"No. I mean I'm not sure. It's a long story and I'd rather not talk about it right now."

Bob kicked his wife in the shin. She glared at him and tapped her fork on the table in a threatening gesture to her husband. Bob could tell that Maggie was serious this time. He usually preferred to stay out of matters that concerned Penny because they usually turned ugly, but he was quite amused with Penny's current situation.

When Penny and Jarret were seated, Bob related the details of their discovery. After he finished one of the cheeseburgers, he elaborated further on their theories. "We suspect that the phenomena that altered our world may be part of a plan orchestrated by someone with technology well beyond anything we have. The earthquakes occurred in strategic locations and were initiated by huge energy fields created and directed with a powerful instrument. We're still not sure of the makeup of the fields. They seem to be quite complex."

Penny was shocked by his revelation. "How can anybody create such a disaster? I can't believe something like this could really happen."

"Dr. Miller has arranged for a scout to fly our plane over one of these fields near Cape Hatteras. If we are correct in our thinking, we'll find an army of soldier-like creatures like the corpse that Billy brought to the camp. If it is a portal, we'll know when and where they are positioning armies. So far, the Cape Hatteras area is the second such location. If Billy and the others finished off the first army, then they are okay so far. If there are reinforcements coming, then they could be in trouble." Penny asked, "So, you think these creatures that attacked Billy are responsible for everything that's happened to us."

"They are involved somehow. We don't know what role they play in this or why. They seem too primitive to execute a scheme of this magnitude on their own. There is probably a higher intelligence involved." "Then we need to go back and warn the others, don't we?"

"Yes, we do. There may be more of these things coming. We'll see what Dr. Miller's scouts find at Hatteras, first."

Maggie remarked, "These armies could be the leading edge of a much bigger invasion force. Perhaps they are measuring what resources we have left."

"Yes, it's possible. I think the key to stopping them, though, is through understanding how they are using the wormhole technology. Then we might be able to shut them down."

Bob quickly finished his second cheeseburger and his fries. Maggie and Penny lost their appetites by now, while Jarret wasn't too concerned about the situation. He was focused on Penny and what his next move would be.

Bob remarked, "You girls had better eat something. We may be leaving sooner than we planned. I have to catch up with Joe. Maggie, I'll need you in an hour in the projection room."

"I'll be there. See you then, honey."

Bob left the cafeteria to rejoin Joe. Maggie remained at the table and sipped from her soda.

She was worried that their friends at the compound could be in danger.

Jarret broke the silence and asked, "Can I go back to your camp with you, Penny?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Jarret. Besides it's not up to me."

"I'll go make the arrangements. This will be fun."

"Jarret! No!"

Jarret rushed out of the cafeteria, oblivious to Penny's plea.

"Well, Maggie. I guess I handled that well."

Maggie replied, "You have to be direct with men. If not, they'll walk all over you."

"I should be used to men walking on me. Maybe he won't get permission to go. I'm sure they need him here."

"Let's go for a walk, Penny. I'd like to enjoy the scenery around here one more time."

"Do you think we'll leave today?"

" I'm sure of it. Dr. Miller is a brilliant man and if he and Bob agree on what they've found, then I'm sure their assumptions are correct. We'll need to warn the others as soon as possible."

Later that evening, the plane returned. Bob and Joe anxiously waited to hear the pilot's report. As soon as the pilot climbed out of the plane, Bob asked impatiently, "Well, what did you see?"

"It was just as you predicted. There was an encampment of about two hundred of the soldiers in black uniforms about twelve miles west of Hatteras. We flew by several times but couldn't see anything that resembled a portal, though."

"Bob, how much do you know about these creatures?"

"Just a little bit. One of my men brought back a corpse. The soldiers are primitive but appear to be controlled by a higher intelligence. I believe their superiors command them through a transmitter of some sort. They wear these transmitters on their wrists like a watch. They could also be locating devices, though. The leaders are very tall and seem to have some special mind-altering ability. One of them attempted to use it on a friend of mine. That's all I really know. This friend of mine is back at the compound and has met them up close and personal."

"When are you going back to the camp, Bob?"

"I should leave right away. I'll contact you by radio if we find anything. What's your next move?"

"I'll speak to our resident marines and see what they can do about the army at Hatteras. In the meantime, I'll continue to monitor the satellite images. If I find anything new, I'll contact you. I'd prefer if you stayed, but I understand your concern."

"Thanks, Joe. I'll gather my wife and her friend and we'll leave immediately. I'm concerned that the camp may be in danger."

"Good luck, Bob. I'll talk to you soon. Call me on the radio when you can."

"Thanks, Joe, I will."

Maggie and Penny wandered back to the projection room in search of Bob. When they entered the room, the satellite images were still displayed on the large screen.

"Gee, Maggie. It doesn't look like our world anymore, does it?"

"No. I guess it really is a new world. I feel like an orphan without a home."

Bob entered the room. "Great. The two of you are here. We're leaving immediately. We have to warn the others. I hope that nothing has happened already."

"We're ready when you are. Penny and I will grab our things and meet you at the plane." "That's fine, dear." He kissed Maggie on the forehead and gave her a hug.

Penny thought, Boy I could sure use one of those. I guess I really do miss Billy.

The women hurried to retrieve their belongings from the dorm. Penny was excited, knowing that Billy would be waiting at the camp for her. She forgot about Jarret and instead, thought about how she would greet Billy.

He'll be so surprised to see me back so soon. Should I play hard to get? No, maybe I should just hug him and kiss him. Perhaps he's realized how much we mean to each other.

Maggie couldn't help noticing the sly grin on Penny's face. She was glad for her. Maggie's sister, Celia, was killed in a car wreck when she was about Penny's age and she couldn't help noticing that Penny resembled her.

"I can see you're looking forward to going back, Penny."

"Yeah, I can't wait to work things out with Billy. It's long overdue."

Maggie and Penny arrived at the plane first, and waited. Bob arrived a few minutes later, carrying a large folder full of maps and notes. He handed them to Maggie, and she stowed it in her carry bag. Meanwhile, the pilot finished preparing the plane for another flight.

"Hey, Penny. Did you think you could sneak off without me?"

"Jarret! What are you doing here?"

"I'm going with you. I told you I'd work it out."

"But, Jarret, I don't think that's a good idea."

"It's got to be more exciting in your camp than this stuffy old place. Besides, I'd like to see some of these creatures that Dr. Smith told my friends about."

"Jarret, I don't…"

Jarret cut her off with a quick kiss on the lips. Penny was stunned and speechless. She looked at Maggie and Bob for help. Bob shrugged his shoulders and smiled. Maggie was appalled by the boy's brashness. They boarded the small plane without saying another word. Penny sat in the last of the half dozen rows of seats, wondering if Jarret would leave her alone. Maggie and Bob chose to sit in the first seats. Bob wanted to be close to the pilot in case he saw anything that required a closer look. Jarret entered the plane last and proceeded to the rear where he sat next to Penny.

Maggie wasn't sure how she could help Penny with her predicament. Bob sensed her concern and advised her, "She's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"But, Bob. That boy is so bossy."

"So what! Penny will be fine. She's a big girl."

The plane took off smoothly into the blue sky. The pilot leveled off at five hundred feet so Bob could survey the ground below.

Jarret wasted no time in his relentless pursuit of Penny. He placed his arm around her and asked, "How do you know that you wouldn't like me? I may be younger than you, but I would do my best to take care of you."

"You don't understand, Jarret. Things are complicated right now and I don't want …"

She stopped talking and found herself staring into his big brown eyes. Jarret seized his moment of opportunity and kissed Penny. At first, she wanted to push him away, but then realized how much she missed the warmth of a man. Soon she relaxed and enjoyed Jarret's advances. The remainder of the flight was full of coddling and kissing. Penny missed being romanced like Billy had done in the past. But today, she wasn't going to be denied.