ã€ŠSchr&#xF6;dinger&#x2019;s Boxã€‹


 The Box

    Chapter 1

    The door from the hallway popped open. Doctor Kelton swept into lab MCB 432. His eyes took in the room. ¡±Stand back! We are making history today!¡± he exulted.

    The stark, bright lighting in the lab brought the devices on the table into sharp focus. It looked sterile, with just a hint of menace. On the table at the center of the room sat a coffin-shaped framework. Chromium joints at the intersections of black rods described the framework that surrounded a prototype stainless-steel thorium reactor space heater; the blinking lights, the multitude of wires running between the reactor and the gauges and dials, the Volt meters, and the Geiger counters were impressive looking. The mad scientist setting was completed by a wall-mounted display of lab glassware, flasks, test tubes, and vacuum condensers, with colored glycerin bubbling in the confusion of tubing between the glassware. It had no function, it was just a display piece, but Doctor Kelton thought the ¡®lab-warming¡¯ gift from his wife looked awesome mounted on the shelves high on the wall.

    ¡°Are we all set?¡° Kelton asked.

    ¡°Beta, were you able to establish a field this morning?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I got here first this morning and started running tests. It is behaving just like it did in the other tests,¡± said Beta.

    Behind Beta¡¯s back, Chaz rolled his eyes and mouthed the words, ¡°I got here first this morning¡± to Alex. Alex snickered quietly and chucked Beta on the shoulder.

    ¡°Everything is tested and ready,¡± said Chaz.

    Kelton looked at Beta ¡°Are you recording, Beta?¡±

    Alex couldn''t resist. ¡±I¡¯ll bet we are the only lab in the building with a Beta recorder. ¡°

    All the eyes in the room rolled.

    ¡°I¡¯m recording.¡± Beta reported, then hissed under their breath to Alex: ¡°Nobody knows what that is. ¡°

    Ignoring the comment, Alex grinned snarkily at Beta ¡°Don¡¯t you mean, we¡¯re recording?¡±

    ¡°Let''s focus people¡± intoned Kelton.¡± Are the connections secured, Chaz?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the connectors are secure, let''s get on with it.¡± There was an edge of impatience in Chaz''s voice.

    ¡°OK, It¡¯s 9:35 AM on October 4. I am powering the capacitors. I''ve opened the liquid nitrogen valve. And I''m engaging the circuit in three, 2, one, now!

    SNAP

    They flinched at the sound of an electrical arc being struck, but instead of a flash of light, there was a collapse into black. What had been an open framework an instant before, was now a black monolith sitting on the table. All was silent except for the quiet whine of a charging capacitor, and someone drawing a deep breath in preparation for¡­

    Chaz shrieked,¡± Turn it off, turn it off, turn it off, turn it off, turn it off!¡±

    Kelton punched the power kill switch. Alex rushed to the liquid nitrogen tank and twisted the valve shut. The box stayed black. Chaz¡¯s hand was embedded in the box up to his forearm. In a panic, Chaz jerked and pulled at his arm. The table slid across the floor, but Chaz''s hand remained firmly embedded in the box. ¡°My hand, my hand my, my hand! Get it out, get it out, get it out! Turn it off!¡± Already high-pitched, Chaz''s panic continued to rise.

    Kelton grabbed Chaz by the shoulders and shook him.

    ¡±Stop!¡± he commanded.

    Chaz gave Kelton a glazed look. ¡°My hand, my hand, my hand,¡± he whispered.

    Alex reported, ¡°The field won¡¯t shut off for another 11 minutes.¡±

    Chaz''s eyes got wide, his face went red. ¡°Why did you engage? I wasn''t ready yet! Were you even looking? You are gonna be so ripping sorry when I can move away from this table.¡± His already tall frame grew larger and more imposing the angrier he became. He threatened the team, he pulled and strained at his arm, he threatened the university, he jerked and pushed the box across the floor, he threatened physical harm and legal action against Kelton and his family.

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    Kelton caught Beta¡¯s eye. Beta, nodding at Kelton assured. ¡°We¡¯re still recording¡­¡±

    Chaz continued to lash out cursing and swearing. He yelled, whispered, muttered. The team tried to calm him,

    Alex approached Chaz, trying to offer comfort but retreated quickly as Chaz turned his glare on him. The team waited while his fury slowly dissipated.

    ¡°Shall I call 911?¡± Alex asked Kelton quietly.

    ¡°Not just yet. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening yet.¡±

    Kelton approached Chaz gently and, in a quiet, assuring voice, told Chaz, ¡°OK. The worst is over. You are going to get the care you need.¡±

    Chaz was quiet for the first time in minutes.

    Trying to get Chaz¡¯s mind off his panic, Kelton whispered ¡°OK, what happened?¡±

    Looking confused Alex said, ¡°Well, you know, the box trapped Chaz''s hand.¡±

    ¡°I''m talking to Chaz¡± Kelton said through clenched teeth. ¡±Chaz, what happened?¡±

    ¡°I noticed the locking ring on the connector was not engaged properly. I told you not to start. I reached in and twisted the ring, but you engaged the box before I was ready! I told you not to start!¡±

    Alex, Beta and Kelton looked at each other with doubting eyes.

    ¡°Dude¡­¡± Alex started.

    ¡°Not now¡± said Kelton to Alex. Looking at Chaz again he asked quietly. ¡±Can you feel your hand?¡±

    ¡°I don''t know. It feels weird. I''m trying to wiggle my fingers, but I can''t tell for sure what''s happening. It¡¯s almost like my hand is asleep but without the tingling. My hand, my hand, my hand¡­¡± His voice trailed off. There was starting to be a little less panic in his voice, but he was still not completely coherent.

    The analysis seemed to calm him. ¡°Let¡¯s report on this experiment, Chaz, is there any pain at your wrist?¡±

    ¡°No Pain¡±

    Beta moved to get close-up shots of the wrist.

    -SNAP-

    The black sides vanished. Chaz staggered backwards and fell to the floor as the box he was straining against suddenly disappeared and released his hand.

    The team flowed in around him. They looked closely at his hand and wrist. There was a stark line of contrast in the skin tone where his hand was in the box, but the contrast faded quickly. Chaz checked the motion of his fingers, wrist, and hands. Everything seems OK¡± he said as he flexed the fingers of both hands .

    Beta trained the camera on Chaz¡¯s hand. ¡°Hey! Check out your watch.¡±

    His watch was eleven minutes slow. The four looked at each other. What had just happened?

    The frame still sitting on the table was a result of Kelton''s experiment with exotic materials. In his experiments, he applied cryogenics and electrical current. He had observed some exciting and unexplainable reactions. On a hunch, he had built a framework of the rare earth materials. An experiment that had started in cryogenics and superconductivity had turned into something entirely different. In its inactive state, it was a frame of black tubing about the size of a refrigerator tipped on its side. The team referred to it as ¡°the Box¡¯ whether the field was active or not. All they knew at this point was when the box was on there was no telling what was going on inside. Walls of impenetrable abyssmal black filled the open spaces of the framework - and it took exactly 678 seconds for the field to dissipate after it was turned off. So far the team had been unable to come up with a theory about about how it worked or why it worked. All that they knew was that by accident Dr Kelton had stumbled onto something that hadn¡¯t been seen before and was described nowhere in the literature. Kelton''s team and his wife, Gillian were the only ones who knew about the device. They had agreed amongst themselves the discovery was staying in the lab, at least until they had a theory of what the mechanisms involved. The stakes might be very high on this project. They didn¡¯t want another ¡®cold-fusion¡¯ media circus to distract them, and they really didn¡¯t want Tilly involving himself in the project. Tilly was the department head and the epitome of academic ladder-climbing, back-stabbing, and envy.

    Alex offered Chaz a hand to get up from the floor.

    Two quick and entirely unnecessary knocks came at the door, and before anyone could respond Robison Tilly stormed into the room.

    ¡°What is going on in here?¡± He sniped. He paused for effect and glared at each member of the team in turn. ¡°Everyone in this wing can hear the shouting. The University has a strict ¡®no profanity¡¯ policy and everyone in this lab knows it. I don¡¯t want to be managing hostile environment complaints for the rest of the week.¡±

    Still a little dazed, ¡°I fell down¡± Chaz volunteered.

    Kelton glanced around the lab. Everything looked to be in order. The frame looked innocuous on the table. The LED temperature indicator on the reactor was still showing the warming-up phase; It was just reaching the two-minute mark.

    The team looked back and forth at each other. The message was clear: ¡®Don¡¯t say anything!¡¯

    ¡°You fell?¡± demanded Tilly. Liability meetings and post-accident reports ran through his head. ¡°What caused the fall?¡± Tilly¡¯s eyes ran the room, looking for potential slip and fall hazards.

    ¡°Yeah, I think I¡¯m ok. Thanks for asking.¡± Chaz said sarcastically.

    The team didn¡¯t like Tilly. Everyone thought him a self-centered, officious little weasel. At 5¡¯4¡± with a slight frame, he was the smallest person in the room. The fluorescent tubes in the overhead lights reflected clearly on his bald head.

    Tilly waived his hand dismissively. ¡°You have got to tighten up your procedures, Dr. Kelton. This incident is going into your lab utilization records and personal file.¡±

    Alex mugged, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little repressed.¡± Addressing Tilly he said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you late for your microaggression workshop?¡±

    Tilly huffed and tried to slam the door on the way out. The hydraulic arm on the door cushioned the last three inches gently.

 Time Stops

    Chapter 2

    They all waited a few seconds for the sound of Tilly''s quick footsteps to fade. Kelton waved his hand dismissively at the door and then turned to look at the framework on the table. ¡°What have we got here? What do we think we know?¡±

    ¡°We got ourselves a primo monkey hand trap,¡± chirped Alex.

    ¡°Say what?¡± challenged Chaz. At six foot three, Chaz towered over Alex and Beta, who were both around five feet eight inches tall.  His features were ethnically ambiguous, but his skin was cocoa-colored. His lab coat strained against the muscles in his arms and chest. Chaz''s belt was cinched tight around his waist. His belt told the story of a recent weight loss. The tongue of his cracked belt dangled about 12 inches from the buckle. Wear marks at each belt notch and the obvious new holes Chaz had worn into the belt with office scissors testified that Chaz was no slave to fashion. His teeth looked like he hadn''t bothered to brush in a day or two. He smelled of axe body spray, and the slightly musty smell of jeans that had been pulled out of the dirty clothes hamper for one more day¡¯s wear. He leaned toward Alex. ¡°Who you calling a monkey?¡±

    The blood drained from Alex''s face. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean, you know¡­, In Indonesia, they trap monkeys by the hand. You know, with a hole in a box,¡± he stammered. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean¡­ They do the same in the south with racoons¡­¡± Realizing what he had just said, his eyes got wide,  his jaw opened and shut like a fish out of water.

    ¡°Raccoon? You really going there?¡°

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t, ¡­. I didn¡¯t mean¡­!¡±

    Chaz grinned. ¡°You¡¯re just too easy¡­ I¡¯m just messing with you.¡± To the rest of the group, he added. ¡°Nothing gets in or out of the box, nothing happens inside the box.¡± He glanced at his watch. It was still eleven minutes slow. ¡°Look here, at the very least we know momentum is conserved. My mechanical watch is still ticking, does time stop inside the box?¡±

    Kelton pushed ahead. ¡±We are all excited here. Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves. Let¡¯s focus on what we know.¡±

    ¡°Chaz brilliantly proved that you can''t get your hand in or out of the box after it''s engaged, ¡° grinned Alex.

    Beta jumped in, ¡±Chaz¡¯s hand was not hurt.¡±

    ¡°Not that we know of,¡± chimed in Alex.

    ¡°It''s still feeling fine. We know the watch stopped while it was in the box. How do we test why it stopped?¡±

    ¡°What do the instruments say?¡± asked Kelton.

    ¡°All of the gauges outside of the box went to 0 immediately when the box was engaged.¡±

    ¡°What about the reactor? What does it tell us?¡± said Alex.

    Chaz pulled readings from the onboard monitors of the reactor. ¡°The reactor was engaged at 9:20 AM. It had a baseline temperature of 72¡ãF. At 9:35 the temperature was 99¡ã. That''s when we engage the box. Between 9:35 and 9:46 we are seeing an open circuit. At 9:46 the reactor is still at 99¡ã. The temperature should have raised at least another 48¡ã in those 11 minutes. The reactor¡¯s monitors lost connection to the Wi-Fi at 9:35 also. And it has not reconnected yet. Whoa¡­ hold it, the internal clock is off by 11 minutes! WIFI routers don¡¯t like that.¡°

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    ¡°So...¡± said Kelton,¡± We know electrical signals don''t get in or out of the box when it''s engaged. Atomic and electrical activity appears to stop.¡±

    The team discussed and argued about their observations for the next two hours. One suggestion after another about how they were going to measure what was happening inside the box was considered and discarded.

    Chaz''s eyes lit up. ¡°I got it,¡± he said. He pulled a box of sparklers from his backpack.

    ¡°You carry sparklers around with you?¡± asked Beta.

    ¡°They are for a birthday cake,¡± Chaz seemed evasive.

    ¡°Who''s birthday?¡± asked Beta.

    ¡°You missed the headline, Beta; where is the cake?¡± asked Alex. Alex¡¯s black eyes sparkled with wit. He wore a plaid shirt with a slight three-corner tear at the sleeve protruding from his lab coat. The tear drew attention to a WWJD wristband. Not many who worked or studied in the Milton Cohen building would admit to a belief in God, let alone advertise it.

    Beta was wiry and androgynous and insisted on the pronouns they/them. Under their lab coat, they wore a vintage AC/DC T-shirt and jeans over their slim frame. Their spikey, straight black hair sported a white patch at the temple, creating a striking ¡®look.¡¯ An almost invisible nose ring and a hint of mascara completed the ensemble.

    Beta caught a glimpse inside Chaz¡¯s backpack. ¡°That''s a lot of sparklers you got in there.¡±

    Chazz ignored Beta. ¡°Let''s light a few sparklers, stand them up in the box, and engage the box. For control, we will light a sparkler outside the box as well.¡±

    ¡°I like it,¡± Kelton jumped in. ¡°It''s simple. We have what we need, and I think if we don''t try something right now, there is no way I¡¯ll be sleeping tonight.¡±

    In just minutes, the team assembled the test. The reactor was moved from the frame and replaced with three pop cans. A fourth pop can sat on the table outside the frame. Alex stood ready to engage the box. Beta had their phone in hand, recording the entire event. Chaz lit the sparklers, stood one in each pop can, and jumped backward about 3 feet, standing well clear of the box. The sparklers had burned down about 1 inch when Kelton commanded, ¡°Engage the field.¡±

    SNAP

    The black box was back. Just outside the box, a sparkler hissed and sputtered as it burned, but no light from the sparkler reflected on the side of the box. Forty seconds elapsed, and the sparkler outside the box gave one last hiss and went out.

    ¡°OK disengage the box. ¡°The soft whine of the charging capacitor stopped. The team walked slowly around the box, trying to observe any change.

    ¡°Any observations?¡± queried Kelton.

    There was no reply from the team. Inside the room was silent. They heard footsteps and muffled conversations coming from the hallway. 11 minutes seemed like hours.

    SNAP

    Inside the frame, there were three sparklers still burning.

    ¡°The sparklers were lit 11 minutes and 25 seconds ago,¡± Kelton said to the camera as he consulted his watch. The team watched the sparklers burn for another 40 seconds until they went out. ¡°At the time the field disengaged the sparklers continued to burn for approximately 40 seconds. Similar in duration to the control sparkler.¡±

    The team cheered and Alex danced and pumped his fists. Chaz¡¯s rapt attention was on the sparklers¡¯ glowing wires as they cooled.

    ¡°We have a lot to think about,¡± said Kelton. ¡°Let''s all come back tomorrow morning with some ideas for further experiments. It''s way too early to celebrate. Right now, we have no idea what''s going on in that box.¡± He looked fondly at the team. Each of them occupied their own special spot on the autism spectrum. Central casting couldn''t have done any better in assembling the prototypical band of nerds one would expect in a laboratory. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day,¡± he said.

 Trouble in Paradise

    Chapter 3

    Deke Kelton stood six feet tall with a medium build. He was getting just a little paunch around his middle that had developed in the months since he and Gillian married. At 29, he was the youngest PhD who had been assigned their own laboratory in the Milton Cohen Physics building.

    On his way home, Kelton''s mind raced with possibilities. He didn¡¯t recall getting into his 30-year-old Nova or the effort it usually took to get it started for the drive home. He was pulling into his driveway before he even realized he was home. He looked at his house. It was one of the hundreds of houses built in subdivisions that popped up around the University just after World War II. Many of the houses in the neighborhood were well-kept and tidy. Not Kelton¡¯s. It needed paint and the lawn was about a week overdue for mowing. In the driveway the Nova¡¯s shabby exterior paired perfectly with the house and yard. Its paint was scratched and faded. The driver''s side window was marked with vertical scratches. The seat cover Kelton sat on was torn at the seams and the vinyl was cracked where it wasn¡¯t torn. Sometimes pulling into the driveway was a reminder of his disappointments with himself. Every month they ran out of money before they ran out of month.

    Today he had other things on his mind.

    The door handle on the inside of the car broke months ago. He rolled down the window until it stopped rolling with about 2 inches of glass still protruding from the door. He reached his hand out of the car and lifted the latch. Today he was so excited to tell Gillian about his day that he didn¡¯t even roll up the window before shutting the car door. It took some effort to close the door. The hinges groaned and the door slammed shut. The top of the window fell into the door with a thump. He hardly noticed.

    He ran into the house eager to tell Gillian about his day. They had been married just 11 months ago. They had met in a physics class where Deke was acting as a grad student assistant and Gillian was a third-year student. She was tall and slender. Her black hair and her features were Asian. Deke always thought she looked like an Indian Princess. He sometimes called her ¡®Maharani¡¯ or just ¡®Rani.¡¯ They were immediately attracted to each other. Deke had waited until the semester was over to ask her out. She happily accepted but was surprised at the invitation because she thought he wasn¡¯t interested in her - he hadn¡¯t even flirted with her in the classroom. They had waited for Gillian to finish her degree to get married, and already she was anxious to start a family.

    Gillian sat on the floor near their secondhand couch with her elbows on her knees and head in her hands, her eyes red with tears.

    Every other thought fled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Rani?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Deke. I¡¯ve just been thinking about my dad. I really miss him today. It¡¯s been one month ago today that he died. ¡°

    Deke knelt at her side and put his arms around her to comfort her. Her father¡¯s suicide had been very hard on her. Her sobs increased with his arms around her. Not knowing what else to do, he held her more tightly and let her cry.

    After a few minutes, he tried to make her feel better. ¡°Whatever was bothering him, he''s out of pain now." Deke tried, ¡°I think he would want you to be as happy as you can be.¡±

    Gillian cried even harder. Deke knew he wasn''t good with emotions. Physicists want to solve problems, but this wasn''t a problem he was equipped to address. Grasping at straws, he thought a cup of tea might be soothing for Gillian. He moved as though to get up. She held his arms tightly to keep him where he was. They sat on the floor by the couch quietly for the next few minutes.

    It¡¯s time for a little distraction, Deke thought. ¡°Something amazing happened in the lab today, Rani¡±

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    ¡°Hmm?¡± She lifted her eyes a little. Her beautiful face was tear-stained and splotchy.

    Encouraged, Deke pressed forward. ¡°We had another very interesting accident in the lab today.¡±

    All Gillian heard was ¡®accident.¡¯ Her eyes cleared, and she looked him intently in the eye. ¡°What accident?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°Don''t worry. No one was hurt!¡± Deke quickly reminded her of the solid walls that had formed when they engaged the box for the first time just yesterday. They tried to penetrate the box physically with blades and spikes, but no matter how much force they applied, they couldn''t even put a scratch on it. They tried lasers and ultrasound. The red aiming dot from the laser wasn''t even reflected. The box reflected no light of any kind or color.

    He told her about Chaz''s hand and his watch. He told her about the experiment with the sparklers. ¡°It''s way too early to be thinking about this, but I just can''t help it. Nothing happens inside the box when the field is engaged. No atomic activity, no electrical activity, heat is preserved, momentum is preserved, no mechanical activity. It''s like time stops inside the box. And it takes almost no electricity to sustain the field.¡±

    Now the floodgates were open, Deke gushed, ¡°The applications are mind-boggling. It could be used to replace refrigeration; it could even be used to hibernate to enable people to travel to the stars. Imagine crating and shipping extremely fragile items. It wouldn''t matter how badly the box was handled, the goods inside would arrive completely intact, the way they went into the box. Organs for transplant could be kept viable for as long as the field can be sustained! And I''m sure we haven''t even scratched the surface of the applications yet. This is world-changing stuff!

    Dekes'' enthusiasm had distracted Gillian from the thoughts of her father.

    ¡°Is Chaz ok?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It''s too early to know for sure, but his hand looked like it was fine. He was able to use it the rest of the day. We have got to do a lot more experimentation to know exactly what''s happened, but I''m very optimistic he will be fine. What''s more important, well maybe not more important, but more exciting right now is there are some incredible practical applications for this - if it''s what I think it is. The team is always talking about how to monetize what we''re doing. Last week, I thought that there was no commercial application. We were years, if not decades, away from being able to make any money with my work. Naturally, the university has the primary stake in my research, so it''s not like we''ll be the only ones making money. I wasn''t expecting anything like this. This technology could be worth billions very soon. It''s almost like we won the lottery!¡±

    ¡°Let''s not get ahead of ourselves,¡± said Gillian. ¡°It''s really exciting, but I don''t want to get our hopes up about money. I''m pretty tender about the whole money thing right now.¡± Gillian was extremely sensitive about money issues. Her father had lost his business, drove home, parked his car in the garage, and finished a bottle of Scotch with the motor running. He was found dead the following day in his car. Was it accidental, or was it suicide? Either way, the effect on Gillian had been devastating. She had been very close to her father. For the last month, she had been alternating between tears of sorrow and raging anger.

    Deke put his arms around her and held her tightly.

    Without warning, Gillian pushed him away and looked him directly in the eye. ¡°You need to promise me you will never get in that box.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Promise me you will never get in that box. I can''t be losing you, too.¡±

    ¡°How did we get here?¡±

    ¡°Promise me!¡±

    ¡°What would I get in the box for?¡± evaded Deke. The idea of getting in the box to see what was going on in there had occurred to him on more than one occasion over the last two days. They were frustrated about not getting any data back out of the box. ¡°You don''t need to worry. The university has extremely strict rules about experimentation. I don''t want to lose my position.¡±

    ¡°You will lose more than your position if you get in that box,¡± said Gillian fiercely.

    Deke was relieved to realize she wasn''t crying anymore. ¡°What are we doing for dinner?¡± he said, changing the subject.

    ¡°I am very hungry,¡± she said. ¡°Do you feel like leftovers, leftover Chinese takeout, or shall we just eat popcorn in front of the TV tonight? We don''t have much in the house, and we don''t get paid until Friday.¡±

    ¡°Leftovers it is! Let''s go for the full smorgasbord experience!¡±

    They ate stir-fried noodles and popcorn in front of the TV. But Deke''s mind was elsewhere. Midway through the movie stood up. ¡°I''m really tired lately. I think I''ll go to bed now. Goodnight, Nicolai,¡± she said as she bent over to kiss him goodnight. Her pet names for Deke were always the first names of world-changing scientists.

    Deke stayed on the couch, staring at the screen, but his mind was one million miles away.

 Like a Chicken with Its Head Cut Off

    Chapter 4

    When Deke got into the lab at 7:00 AM, he was surprised at what he saw. He wasn''t usually the first person in the lab, but he usually wasn¡¯t the last. This morning, he was the 4th one in the door. Unless you counted the Lab Rats, the Rhesus monkey, and the chicken. The animals were all securely in cages.

    ¡°What''s this?¡± asked Kelton.

    ¡°I brought in the rats.¡± Said Beta. ¡°I adopted them after I finished the psychology project. The black one is Cagney and the tan one is Lacey.¡±

    ¡°I got the monkey from a friend in the veterinary department. He''s recovering from the removal of the small growth on his foot. The monkey is recovering, not my friend,¡± said Chaz. ¡°My friend said he wouldn''t be missed today. Again, the monkey won¡¯t be missed, not my friend.¡± The monkey chattered loudly, shook the door on the crate, and stuck his hand out of the wire mesh to fiddle with the latch. ¡±You really want out of there, dontcha buddy?¡±

    Alex stepped forward, holding the chicken in a small chicken wire box. ¡°I borrowed this chicken from my Tia. It''s going to be lunch on Sunday. So I figured, ¡®What the hey?¡¯ Check this out: I made the cage myself. If the physics stuff doesn''t pan out, I can always be a cooper.

    ¡°A cooper makes barrels,¡± corrected Beta.

    ¡°I know, there are a lot of jobs that are misnamed. A cooper should make coops. For that matter, why do we call ourselves physicists? I think bodybuilders should be called physicists.¡± Alex was on a riff now. ¡±Chaz here is a perfect example of a physicist. Check out those guns. I don''t know how he even got the lab coat on over those arms!¡±

    Kelton interrupted. ¡°So, you guys are already on to animal experimentation? The oversight committee might have something to say about that. I think we''ve got a lot of ground to cover before we get there.¡±

    For the next few hours, the team ran more tests with materials at hand.

    They each took blood samples from themselves and quickly prepared slides. The monkey watched them intently. Chaz put the lancet to his fingertip and pushed out a drop of blood. The monkey got very agitated and began shaking the cage door, and despite the close quarters, it bounced from wall to wall in the cage.

    ¡°What''s gotten into you, buddy?¡± Chaz asked the monkey. ¡°You''ve seen experimentation before, hmm?¡± He addressed Kelton. ¡°The monkey must have seen and smelled this sort of thing before...¡±

    Kelton ignored the monkey. ¡°OK, the slides are ready. Charge the capacitor. Let''s get this run going while the blood cells are still viable.

    Chaz hit the function key that charged the capacitor. The monkey shrieked and cowered against the back wall of his cage, chattering. The chicken tried to flap its wings and pecked at its cage. The rats slept.

    This time, Alex recorded the experiment in video. Beta put three of the prepared slides with the blood cells in the box. She put three on the bench.

    ¡°Get clear, Beta!¡± commanded Kelton. ¡°Engage the field.¡±

    Chaz winced a little and hit the command key.

    SNAP

    Once again, the monolithic form sat in the middle of the lab. The monkey and the chicken settled in their cages.

    ¡°That amazes me every time I see it,¡± said Kelton. The team nodded in agreement. ¡°OK, disengage the field.¡±

    They each recorded their notes as they waited for the field to dissipate.

    SNAP

    The Box¡¯s black sides disappeared. Beta snatched up the slides and took them to the microscope. The control slides from outside the box were already dark, and a crust had formed around the edge of the slide coverslips. The blood cells were definitely dead. Kelton peered into the microscope for a few minutes.

    Kelton turned to face Alex, who was still recording. ¡°The control blood slides all have the appearance of having been created...¡± He checked his watch. ¡°14 minutes ago. The samples retrieved from the device are still fresh, and the cells are still alive with significant activity consistent with a freshly drawn sample.¡± Kelton drew his finger across his throat to signal Alex to stop recording.

    Over the next few hours, they scraped cells from inside their cheeks; they took samples from standing water to see the effect on microorganisms. Always with the same result: no change was observed. New ideas for tests occurred to them as they waited for the field to dissipate after each experiment. They tried each new thought until late afternoon. The animals in the lab seemed to get more and more agitated with each test.

    ¡°I think it''s time to try Cagney and Lacey,¡± volunteered Beta.

    ¡°We are not going to experiment on your pets!¡± Kelton was adamant. ¡°I just don''t think we have any justification for that right now ¨C especially not for experimenting with anything that has a proper name.¡°

    Chaz huffed, ¡°They''re just stupid rats. And nothing will happen to them, and we''ve proved that over and over. And even if something we don''t expect happens, nobody cares what happens to the filthy, greasy, stinking rats.¡±

    As Chaz spoke, Beta became visibly upset. Their eyes got wide; they took a deep breath, getting ready to explode into anger or tears.

    Alex nudged Beta. ¡°I think he just became an astrophysicist,¡± he grinned.

    Beta stared at him blankly for a few seconds.

    ¡°You know, ass-tro-physicist,¡± Alex prodded

    Beta burst out laughing. Kelton joined in with a little chuckle.

    ¡°How droll¡­¡± Chaz said flatly. ¡°You''ve been holding on to that one for a while, haven''t you?¡±

    ¡°For weeks now!¡± Alex said in triumph. ¡±Comedy is a demanding mistress.¡±

    Getting back to business, Kelton cleared his throat to get everyone''s attention. ¡°It''s getting late and although it''s not by the book, but¡­ I''ve just got to know. Let¡¯s run one more test with Tia Louisa''s chicken.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Alex laughed. ¡°Either way, the chicken is going to be Sunday dinner.¡±

    Beta shuddered at the thought of eating meat. While Beta recorded, Alex took the chicken from its cage and placed the chicken inside the framework. He crumbled a cracker in front of it, and the chicken pecked at the crumbs.

    ¡°Charge the capacitor.¡± The capacitor whined. The chicken started to flap its wings in agitation. The monkey chattered, shrieked, and shook its cage wildly.

    ¡°Engage the field quick!¡± Alex shouted.

    SNAP

    The black box reappeared. But instead of the usual smooth black sides, a chicken¡¯s head and wing tip protruded from the inky blackness.

    ¡°Disengage!¡± shouted Kelton. Chaz had already hit the kill button. The team watched helplessly as the chicken¡¯s head and eyes jerked, its beak opening and shutting soundlessly and sporadically.

    Two officious knocks came at the door and in the door walked Robeson Tilly. Kelton and Alex stood between Tilly and the box. Beta quickly dropped a towel over the chicken''s head. All four stood wide-eyed, staring at Tilly.

    Robeson looked quickly around the room. He took several quick, small steps toward the lab table that held the monkey and rat cages. ¡°I don''t recall any applications for animal experimentation from this lab. Who approved this?¡±

    ¡°What, that? This is our bring your pet to work day!¡± chirped Alex. ¡°We''ve all been feeling a little anxious lately, and Doctor Kelton thought these support animals would help lower our anxiety a little.¡±

    On cue, Beta pulled Cagney from the cage. She offered Cagney to Tilly. ¡°You look like you could use a little snuggle right now.¡±

    Tilly scowled. ¡°Get that filthy animal away from me.¡± He glared at Kelton. ¡°I just came by to get a quick review of your progress. Your plan had such promise, but we haven''t been seeing the result we expected.¡±

    Alex drew in a breath to say something. Beta elbowed Alex peremptorily. Alex stood down.

    Tilly paced slowly about the lab, counting out his footsteps. He checked out the shelves and the power supply. He completely ignored the black box. The only sounds in the room were Tilly¡¯s footsteps, but everyone on the team heard the loud ticking of a clock inside their heads, ticking down the time when the field would dissipate and the chicken would start running around the room. Tilly went on, ¡°You know there''s a lot of competition for this lab right now. Step out of line and you are out on your ear. Get your reports up to date and on my desk. I want them by the end of the week.¡± Gesturing toward Beta, he said, ¡°Get your girl to tidy up and get the reports in order. I want them by the end of the week,¡± he reiterated.

    ¡°Girl?¡± Beta hissed. ¡°I think it''s apparent that we are non-binary. My pronouns are they/them. What¡¯s more,¡± she turned to Alex, ¡°How many microaggressions did you count?¡±

    ¡°I kinda lost count,¡± said Alex with a blank, innocent look on his face.

    Tilly''s eyes grew wide as he realized the minefield into which he had stepped. ¡°I didn''t mean you!¡± he sputtered. ¡°I obviously was referring to his secretary, err, office assistant.¡±

    Beta enunciated each word. ¡±I happen to know that an office assistant was not approved on this project, and you, personally,  were the one who cut the assistant from the budget.¡±

    ¡°I''m sure you¡­both¡­ are mistaken.¡± huffed Tilly as he backed out the door.

    The team drew and exhaled a collective cleansing breath. Alex started to chuckle. ¡°I''ve never been more attracted to you than I am at this moment. That was magnificent!¡±

    Beta smiled back shyly at Alex.

    Chaz ran out the door and into the hall after Dr. Tilly.

    Alex moved to the box and pulled the towel from the chicken¡¯s head. The head protruded from the smooth blackness at an odd angle. The beak was still. The chicken¡¯s eyes looked glazed.

    ¡°It looks like we''ve saved a step for Tia.¡± In a descending-pitch comic voice, he continued, ¡°I don''t think that''s a healthy-looking chicken head.¡±

    Kelton glanced at the door. Very quietly, he pronounced, ¡°This stays in this room. Just ourselves, got it?¡±

    SNAP

    Inside the framework, the chicken fell to the tabletop. It lay motionless for a few seconds. The team stared in horror. Academic discipline committees, fines, and expulsion flashed through their brains. Without warning, the chicken flapped its wings, and its legs kicked. It was suddenly up on its feet, wings flapping frantically. It fell from the tabletop and careened wildly around the room, crashing into cabinets and wastebaskets.

    ¡°Grab it!¡± cried Kelton. The three were chasing after the chicken as it darted around the room. They bumped into each other and into the lab equipment in the chase. The monkey shrieked and jumped around its cage as though anxious to join in. It shook its cage door furiously. With each shake, the cage got closer to the table¡¯s edge. Before anyone could react, the cage fell off the table, and the door to the cage sprang open. In a flash, the monkey joined in the chase, careening like a pinball across the floor. He ran to the rat cage and knocked it to the floor, shrieking in glee.  The rat cage door popped open, and the rats joined the chase, scurrying across the floor.

    ¡°Don''t let the monkey get the chicken!¡± shouted Beta. Alex jumped between the chicken and the monkey, startled, howled, sprang to the shelves, and then jumped between the hanging fluorescent light fixtures. The lab was in pandemonium. The monkey threw books and feces at the team. Miraculously, one of the books hit the chicken as it darted between the table legs and knocked it off its feet. Beta threw the towel over the chicken. The chicken struggled under the towel but seemed to be calming down. The monkey continued to howl and throw things. Kelton turned his attention to the monkey and tried to reassure it.

    ¡°That''s good, that''s good, that''s good...¡± Kelton spoke calmly and quietly to the monkey on the shelf.

    ¡°The chicken''s dead,¡± Alex said flatly.

    Kelton shifted his attention to the chicken. ¡°But that''s impossible. That chicken was just running around like a,... Ohh¡­ like a .¡­ ¡°

    ¡°Like a chicken with its head cut off.¡± Beta finished Kelton¡¯s sentence for him.

    ¡°Dunh,da dunnn,¡± sang Alex.

    Kelton¡¯s heart sank to his stomach. This was not going to end well.

    Chaz came back in the door. ¡°Where did you go?¡± asked Alex.

    Chaz stammered ¡°I just uh¡­¡±

    Crash! A Pyrex flask exploded on the floor. The monkey had discovered the lab apparatus display on the shelf. The floor was now slick with colored glycerin. Chaz was closest to the monkey. He put up his hands and approached the monkey slowly and calmly. ¡°Good monkey, good monkey.¡± The monkey shrieked, pulled the test tube from the rack, and threw it at Chaz. Chaz ducked, and it shattered on the edge of the table.

    Kelton commanded, ¡°You three take care of the monkey. I''ve got to secure the chicken.¡±

    Alex laughed, ¡°That''s a sentence I wasn''t expecting to hear today; it''s going in my journal!¡±

    Impatiently, Kelton turned to Alex and, under his breath, said, ¡°Alex, please take this situation seriously.¡±

    As the three approached, the monkey continued to throw glassware from the shelf. It pulled the vacuum desiccator from the display rack and held it over its head.

    ¡°No, no, not that one,¡± Chaz said as calmly as possible. To the team, he said, ¡°Be careful; the glassware he''s holding is dangerous. If that vacuum chamber shatters, sharp glass will be flying everywhere.¡±

    ¡°We know what a desiccator is; just get it from him,¡± Beta whispered between clenched teeth.

    Chaz put up his hands and walked slowly and carefully towards the monkey. ¡°Steady now, that''s a good monkey.¡± The monkey seemed to relax a little and brought the desiccator glass down to its chest. Chaz continued to move slowly towards the monkey. He was within just a few inches of being able to take the desiccator from him. Lacey took the opportunity to scramble for shelter up Chaz¡¯s pant leg. Chaz jumped and squealed like a little girl. The monkey screamed a blood-curdling cry, threw the desiccator, and jumped up and down on the shelf. Time slowed as Alex, Beta, and Chaz watched the glassware arc through the air and hit the ground right next to Doctor Kelton. There was a loud pop, and Pyrex exploded in every direction. One large and sharp shard hit Kelton just below his left earlobe. Kelton brushed it away and covered his hand in blood. He pressed his hand back to the wound, and blood spurted between his fingers. It spattered the floor, the table legs, and the bottom of the tabletop.

    ¡°Whoa! That''s a lot of blood! Call 911,¡± exclaimed Alex. The monkey shrieked louder at the smell of blood.

    ¡°This isn''t good,¡± said Kelton. ¡°I''m going to bleed out before you can get an ambulance here. I¡¯m already about to pass out.¡± Kelton pulled himself into the frame. Blood sprayed from between his fingers and onto the tabletop. ¡°Charge the capacitor!¡±

    ¡°But the chicken...¡± argued Beta.

    ¡°The chicken had no blood or oxygen to its brain for 11 minutes. I''m going to be dead in 2 minutes unless we do something. Get me to the hospital and in the emergency room before the field dissipates. Got it?¡±

    ¡°We gotcha, Doc,¡± Alex affirmed. Chaz and Beta nodded.

    ¡°OK,¡± Kelton took a deep breath and checked his position in the frame. ¡±Engage the field.¡±

    SNAP

 There and Back Again

    Chapter 5

    For Kelton, the light suddenly dimmed. He watched the team as they scattered around the box. The only illumination in the room seemed to emanate from Alex Beta and Chaz. Alex disconnected the hoses, and Beta disconnected the wires; Chaz fished the rat out of his pants and then disengaged the locks on the table¡¯s casters.

    ¡°The power has gone out! It didn''t work!¡± shouted Kelton. ¡°Call 911!¡±.

    The team ignored him and started pushing the table that Kelton was on toward the door. He rolled off the table, still clutching his neck. The team continued to push the table with the fully black Box towards the door. Kelton jumped out of the way. He yelled as the team pushed and pulled.

    ¡°They can''t hear you.¡±

    Colton''s attention shifted in the direction the voice came from. A man in his 30s stood there surveying the wreckage of the lab. Books and broken glassware were strewn across the floor, wires and tubes hung from various devices. Air hissed from the liquid nitrogen tank, which hadn''t been fully shut off. There was blood spatter everywhere. It looked like a war zone.

    ¡°You''ve really made a mess of my lab!¡± chuckled the man. ¡°Oh, and you can take your hand from your neck. You can''t bleed anymore!¡±

    ¡°Where did you come from?¡±

    ¡°This is my lab. I''m Milton Cohen. I''m often here. I''m glad I didn''t miss that experiment. It was right out of a Marx brothers¡¯ movie! Except the blood, of course. That¡­ that was a bit off-putting.¡±

    Kelton was still agitated and was having a hard time focusing, but this was catching his attention. ¡°But you died 20 years ago. You are dead.¡±

    ¡°I think I have evidence to the contrary,¡± smiled Cohen. ¡°But of course, you were asking yourself, ¡®Is this life after death? Is this the activity of an oxygen-deprived brain?¡±

    Kelton scoffed, ¡°Life after death? I''m just hallucinating. I''ve passed out from loss of blood, and now I''m dreaming. Let''s be real here.¡±

    ¡°You''re pretty rational for a hallucinating man.¡±

    A new voice came from another corner. ¡°Who''s this? Have we got a new arrival?¡± A slender man of about 30 walked up. He looked to Kelton like a gangster from an old movie, like Dan Duryea in a pinstriped suit and a fedora. He slouched against Kelton¡¯s desk. A gray glow surrounded him, illuminating the area around the desk. Surveying the wreckage of the room, the tough guy said, ¡°Looks like I missed out on all the fun. What''s happened here?¡±

    In the time it took Cohen him to say, ¡°This is what you missed,¡± the images of the events in the lab from the entire day flashed through Kelton''s mind. The gangster saw it, too, and laughed uproariously.

    ¡°A monkey, two rats, a chicken, and four idiots walk into a lab. Sounds like the start of a joke. It''s got everything!¡± His laughter died down after a few seconds. He held out his hand to Kelton. ¡°I''m Jacob. Like, anything you wanna know, I''m your guy.¡±

    Still dazed, Kelton reached out his hand. His hand passed right through Jacob''s hand.

    ¡°Psych!¡± Jacob shouted with glee. His eyes narrowed. He looked intently at Kelton and breathed out quietly. ¡°Hey, what''s this? You still got your silver thread! I haven¡¯t seen one of those in years and years.¡±

    Kelton was still dazed. The reality shift had completely disoriented him. ¡°Silver thread?¡±

    Cohen moved closer to him. ¡°There''s a silver thread from the crown of your head that is still connected to your body. I think that means you''re not dead yet.¡±

    Kelton put all his attention on Cohen, trying to process the thought. ¡°I''m <u>not</u> dead yet. I''m not dead <u>yet</u>. <u>I¡¯m</u> not dead yet¡­<u> </u>So, what does that make you?¡±

    Cohen shrugged. ¡°The question I want to answer is, what are you? Your body is in the box, and your consciousness is not. You¡¯re both alive and dead. You are Schr?dinger¡¯s cat! Well¡­<u>I''m </u>not dead¡­ I''ve come to think of my condition as separated from my body.¡±

    Jacob smirked, ¡°Speak for yourself.¡± He turned to Kelton. ¡°There''s all kinds here. Kinda surprised, aren''t you? Maybe you¡¯re just hallucinating? Your synapses are firing up a storm in that box, are they?¡±

    Kelton nodded. ¡°Hallucination seems like a good explanation.¡±

    ¡°Ha! That''s classic! Not very original, but classic,¡± derided Jacob. ¡°If only I had a finger -or even a toe for every time I''ve heard that in this building.¡± He went on in a mocking voice, ¡°You are just a bit of underdone beef or an overcooked potato. There''s more of gravy than grave about you!¡± As he spoke, his image morphed from that of a gangster to that of Alistair Simm, who played Ebenezer Scrooge.

    Cohen ignored Jacob. ¡°Hallucination. That''s what I told myself the first five or six years. Brain synapses firing as my brain died.¡± Kelton felt like he was being talked to like a 5-year-old. ¡°For the last, what is it now, 36 years, I''ve been exploring the universe. Jacob''s been an occasional guide of sorts. It''s incredible what you can learn - and how fast you can learn - unhindered by distance or brain chemistry.¡±

    ¡°Exploring the universe?¡± The question popped out of Kelton. ¡°What are you doing here? There''s a lot more to be learned out there than in here, isn''t there?¡±

    Cohen nodded. ¡°I''m back here from time to time. Being an unfettered mind has some advantages, but the body was handy when it came time to set up experiments. Here in the lab, occasionally, I''m able to exert some influence, make some suggestions, and see where it takes us. It''s hit and miss whether the lab teams will accept the suggestions¡­ Truth be told it''s more miss than hit. But on occasion, I''ve been able to influence the odd line of inquiry.¡±

    ¡°Yak, yak, yak,¡± Jacob interjected. He put his hand on (in?) Kelton¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Boring. I''m more interested in that silver thread of yours. Where do you think it goes?¡± he said with a sly grin.

    Kelton had the visual sensation of walking through a sheet of falling water. His perception sizzled. He found himself (floating?) in the back of a speeding pickup truck. It was as dark as midnight. The only light he saw came from the pedestrians on the sidewalks and from inside the cars they passed, and a faint glow from the rocks, trees, and other greenery.   Some lights were bright, and some were dim. He saw that Chaz was driving, and Alex and Beta were sitting next to Chaz. They had loaded the box into the back of the pickup truck. The truck was speeding and weaving through the traffic, narrowly missing a Prius in the turn lane and finally fishtailing into the emergency room entrance of the university hospital parking lot.

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    ¡°Pull in right under the canopy,¡± said Beta.

    ¡°That''s some wild driving!¡± shouted Jacob from behind Kelton. ¡°He''s gonna get us all killed!¡± Jacob shrieked with laughter as though he¡¯d just said something hysterically funny.

    Chaz pulled the pickup truck under the canopy to the emergency room entrance. He pulled in too fast, and the tire struck the curb. The team in the cab all lurched forward as the truck came to an abrupt stop. Kelton didn''t feel a thing.

    Chaz threw open the door of the truck and jumped out. ¡°How long have until the field dissipates?¡± he asked urgently.

    ¡°About 6 minutes,¡± Beta said.

    Alex ran inside the building, shouldering the sliding glass door that didn''t open fast enough. I need some help here!¡± They heard him yell.

    ¡°Such drama,¡± noted Jacob. ¡°Look around. There''s likely some things here you will not have seen before.¡±

    Kelton looked around. The only sources of light were the people inside and outside the building. Looking more closely, Kelton determined that there was a phosphorescent light coming from everything in his field of view. The living things, he observed, had a brighter glow than the buildings and other inanimates.

    ¡°Look! There''s a newbie over there,¡± Jacob pointed in the direction of the gurneys being wheeled into the emergency room. ¡°Watch this, we¡¯ll have some fun!¡±

    The faded image of the woman on the gurney walked alongside the gurneys. She shouted instructions to the EMTs, but the medics were oblivious to her. Jacob was suddenly at her side.

    ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s some serious head trauma you got there. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re gonna make it. I hope you¡¯ve got your affairs in order,¡± he said. The faded woman looked terrified.

    ¡°What should I do?¡± she implored.

    ¡°Get back in your body! You gotta get up on that gurney!¡± encouraged Jacob sarcastically.

    The woman jumped on the gurney and scrambled frantically to get back into the body. Jacob laughed hysterically.

    ¡°Look at that!¡± Jacob was back by Kelton''s side. ¡±Yesterday, you never thought you¡¯d see somebody sitting on their own head!¡± He called to the woman, ¡°Jump harder! Keep trying!¡±

    It made Kelton mad. ¡°I don¡¯t think that was funny,¡± he said

    ¡°Lighten up, Doc, she¡¯s nothing. Look at that idiot. What a riot! You gotta take your fun where you can get it.¡±

    Three medics rushed out the emergency room door, pushing a Gurney. Alex pointed, ¡°That''s my truck. He''s in the back.¡±

    The medics pushed the Gurney up to the tailgate and looked around, confused. ¡°Where''s your guy?¡±

    ¡°He''s in the box!¡± Alex said. Alex tried to explain about Kelton, the box, and the bleeding, but even Kelton was having a hard time following Alex''s explanation.

    Trying to make sense of the situation, the tallest medic demanded that they open the box and get the patient out.

    Beta looked at their watch. ¡°The box will open in 4 minutes.¡±

    Chaz explained to the medics, ¡°When the box opens, we''ll be able to pull Doctor Kelton out. His neck has been slashed by some exploding glassware. We think he¡¯s stable while he''s in the box. If we''re right, there''s going to be spurting blood when the box opens. You''ve got to get him inside and ready for what''s going to happen. He''s already lost a lot of blood.¡¯

    The tall medic shook his head in disbelief. The shortest medic took a deep breath. ¡°This sounds crazy. But I''m taking this seriously because of the amount of blood spray on you guys. Let''s get this box into trauma room 3.¡±

    Alex turned to Beta. ¡°Has anyone called Gillian?¡± Kelton¡¯s thoughts turned to his wife.

    SIZZLE

    He washed through the water wall again, and he was in his living room with Gillian. Once again, Gillian was sitting on the floor in tears. Her Dad, in mental turmoil, wrung his hands behind her.

    ¡°¡­ please believe me! I am sorry! I¡¯m sorry,¡± her father pleaded with her, his face contorted, and he wrung his hands in anguish, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hurt you. I just wanted the pain to stop. I never thought that I would transfer that pain to you¡­.¡± With each declaration, Gillian cried even harder. It almost seemed to Kelton that Gillian could hear her father. Deke moved closer.

    Looking up, Gillian¡¯s dad was startled to see Deke standing there. ¡°Did you have an accident? Did you die? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Dev, I was just going to ask you the same thing,¡± said Deke. ¡°I did have an accident, but I think I¡¯m ok.¡±

    ¡°Not if you are here like this- You are not ok.¡±

    ¡°I still have the silver thread,¡± pointed out Deke, distracted for an instant. ¡°That¡¯s not important right now. What are you doing to my Rani?¡±

    ¡°I need her to forgive me. I keep coming back to her, trying to give some comfort,¡± Dev¡¯s voice still had the Punjabi accent. ¡°I try to make her understand. But she is always crying,¡± he gnashed his teeth in turmoil. ¡°I tell her I miss her, she cries. I tell her I love her, she cries. I tell her I am here with her, she cries. I want her to know that I am sorry! I want her to stop being sad for me. This is so terrible. I thought the loss of my business was bad. This is a million times worse.¡±

    Gillian''s sobs got louder.

    ¡°I need some time with her,¡± Deke said. ¡°Alone.¡±

    Dev nodded, and his light faded from behind Gillian.

    Deke did his best to put his arms around Gillian. Her sobs diminished. ¡°I wish Deke were here right now. she sighed.

    Her phone rang. She cleared her throat, sniffed, and answered the call. ¡°Hello?....Oh, Hi Beta!¡±

    Kelton could not hear the other end of the conversation.

    The call continued, ¡°¡­No! ¡­Is he OK? ¡­. Where is he? ¡­.What do the Doctors say?... They what? ¡­ I¡¯ll be there in 10 minutes!¡±

    Gillian jumped up, passing through Deke¡¯s arms like fog.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be OK, Rani,¡± he tried to reassure her.

    She was already out the door. Deke wondered what she would find at the hospital.

    SIZZLE

    Once again, Deke passed through the wall of water and found himself in the trauma room. Chaz, a doctor and a nurse, stood around the box. They donned surgical gowns and gloves.

    ¡°Nurse Schmedlap, have you ordered the plasma?¡°

    ¡°Yes, Doctor,¡± the nurse responded with a smile.

    For a moment, Kelton was distracted by the nurse, who had the broadest, toothiest smile he had ever seen. Her white teeth were a sharp contrast to her coffee-colored skin, and she had such a memorable name. Her smile disappeared as she fixed her surgical mask in place. A tray of surgical instruments sat nearby.

    ¡°How much longer till the box opens?¡± the doctor asked.

    ¡°I think the field will dissipate in less than a minute,¡± Chaz said.

    ¡°Mmm hmmm.¡± the doctor breathed out. ¡°You are just here for support with your technology. You need to leave through that door as soon as the box opens.¡± The doctor pointed. ¡° I''ve got to tell you I don''t hold out a lot of hope here. Your description sounds like both the carotid and the juggler were cut. He would have bled out in seconds. I am just afraid we are going to have a lot of blood and a dead guy spill out.¡±

    ¡°Well, I''m not ready for another death,¡± said the nurse. ¡°I just spent the last 45 minutes with the Dawkins family. Mr. Dawkins passed on this morning.¡±

    ¡°At least his family was there with him. That doesn''t happen often here in the emergency room.¡±

    The nurse smirked under her surgical mask, ¡°There were a few family members there that I couldn''t see. He was talking to his mother and grandfather. He had lost it there at the end.¡±

    The doctor nodded. ¡°When they are hallucinating family members, they usually don¡¯t last much longer.¡±

    ¡°They are pretty interesting, though; I like to hear the one-sided conversations. It¡¯s kind of comforting.¡±

    Deke felt a strange surge of anger, but the anger lacked a dimension. It wasn¡¯t something he could put his finger on. He opened his mouth to set the doctor and nurse straight.

    SNAP

    Deke''s point of view abruptly shifted. He was looking up at the assembled team from a supine position on the table. Blood spurted from between his fingers. ¡°I need help. I''m bleeding...¡± he gasped to the astonished doctor and nurse. The Box¡¯s framework clattered to the floor as the trauma team pushed it away and swarmed around Kelton. Chaz protested as the team rushed him from the room. The room spun as a warm darkness enveloped Kelton.

 Memories at the Corner of My Mind

    Chapter 6

    Deke awoke to find himself in a hospital bed, with Gillian holding his hand. Through the window, he could see that it was dark outside. The sights, sounds, and smells of the hospital room gradually coalesced around him.

    ¡°What time is it?¡± slurred Deke.

    ¡°You''re awake!¡± murmured Gillian gratefully. ¡°You gave us all a scare. How are you feeling? Are you OK?¡±

    Deke tried to turn his head to see her better. The thick bandages around his neck wouldn''t allow it. ¡°I''m feeling pretty good, but still, I''m a little groggy.¡±

    Alex''s voice came from the doorway. He stepped up behind Gillian, his shirt splashed with Deke¡¯s now-dried blood. ¡°Groggy''s a good step up from unconscious. Although... You are easier to get along with when you''re comatose.¡±

    Gillian pushed Alex playfully away. ¡°How did you get in here?¡± she asked him.

    ¡°Nobody asks a lot of questions to a guy covered in blood walking the halls of a hospital.¡±

    ¡°Thanks so much for getting him here.¡±

    Deke¡¯s head was clearing. ¡°How did you get me here?¡±

    Alex responded, ¡°In the back of my Tio¡¯s farm pickup truck. Lucky, I had borrowed it today to get the chicken to the lab. Don''t worry,¡± he grinned, ¡±the manure doesn''t stick to the box when the field is engaged.¡± Then, in a more serious tone, he asked, ¡°What do you remember? Did you get a look inside the box?¡±

    Kelton thought for a few seconds. He opened his mouth to respond a few times and took a thoughtful breath. Finally, he spoke, ¡°Imagine blinking and finding yourself in a totally new place. From my point of view, the best I can do is say that it felt like I had been teleported. In one instant, I was lying on my back, bleeding in the lab. In the next instant, I was lying on my back, bleeding in the operating room. It was very disorienting. I tried to talk to the Doctor, and then I passed out.¡±

    ¡°Chaz and Beta are going to be very relieved that you¡¯re ok.¡±

    ¡°Where are they?¡±

    ¡°They are in the waiting room down the hall. Chaz might have gone for coffee.¡± Alex whistled, ¡±That was some intense afternoon. I thought we were gonna have to put a tourniquet around your neck.¡±

    Nodding toward Gillian, Kelton looked intently at Alex. ¡° That¡¯s enough lab business for now. Why don¡¯t you go let Chaz and Beta know I¡¯m ok. I need to spend some time with Gillian. Can you give us a few minutes?¡±

    Alex left the room. Deke took Gillian''s hand. ¡±How are you holding up, Rani?¡± he asked gently.

    Gillian looked into Deke''s eyes, and her emotions flooded out with tears of concern, love, gratitude, and distress. He held her hand more tightly. ¡°I''m so glad to see you awake. You really, really scared me. The university seems like it should be such a safe place. Your experiments were just kind of boring, and I loved that. But since you''ve been experimenting with your box, I have just been on pins and needles.¡± She continued in her stream of consciousness, ¡°I was having another cry about my dad when I got the phone call from Beta. I almost passed out. It was all too much. Just as I was about to collapse, out of the blue, I had the feeling that everything was going to be OK. Somehow, I was able to make it to the hospital. I''m so relieved to talk to you. You are going to be OK.¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Yes, I think I''m going to be OK,¡± Deke smiled. He felt the stitches under his ear pull a little bit when he smiled.

    ¡°I''ve had a bad feeling about that box for the last two days. I knew something bad was going to happen.¡± Gillian said. ¡°I told you not to get in that box. You promised!¡±

    ¡°That box saved my life today,¡± Deke said quietly.

    Gillian inhaled deeply, opened her mouth, then closed her mouth. It was apparent to Deke that she was trying to change the direction of the conversation.

    ¡°I must look a mess. I''m in my sweats; I''ve been crying all afternoon.¡±

    The nurse in the doorway said, ¡°Honey, you''ve been through a lot today.¡±

    Deke and Gillian were startled out of their conversation. They looked at the doorway to see a nurse with a broad smile carrying a tablet, walking towards the bed.

    The nurse continued, ¡°I can tell by the look on his face that he thinks you''re the most beautiful thing he''s seen today. I can tell you I''ve seen lots worse, sweetie.¡± Bending over Deke, she adjusted the tubes and wires attached to him and took a glance at the monitors. ¡°You''re looking pretty good for a guy who had a zero percent chance of survival just a few hours ago. Is there anything you need? Can I get you anything? We''ll have you out of the recovery room in just a couple of minutes. We''re all pretty interested in that box you were delivered in.¡±

    ¡°I think I''ve got everything I need right here,¡± smiled Deke, squeezing Gillian''s hand. ¡°Thank you for your help, Nurse Schmedlap.¡±

    Gillian looked at Deke quizzically. ¡°How do you know her?

    ¡°I guess I saw her in the operating room. She has a very distinctive smile.¡±

    Early the next morning, Gillian showed up in Deke¡¯s hospital room. ¡°How are you feeling this morning?¡±

    ¡°About the same way I always feel when a monkey has cut my throat the day before.¡±

    Alex, Beta, and Chaz appeared in the doorway. ¡°Good morning, Doc!¡± said Alex. ¡°We were just on our way to clean up the lab. And thought we''d better check in and see how you''re doing.¡±

    They talked for a few minutes about the events of the day before. ¡°The doctor said that surviving an accident like that is pretty unlikely. You have to get into a treatment room almost immediately if you''re going to survive.¡±

    Gillian took Beta''s hand in hers. ¡°Thank you so much for getting him here on time. All of you.¡±

    Chaz said, ¡°Well, I think we found a new application for the box. Patient transport looks like a natural application. The early money will come from emergency services. There are hundreds of thousands of ambulances around the world. Every one of them needs to be equipped with a box.¡±

    ¡°Or organ transportation. A heart could be moved and maintain viability for days, weeks, or even months,¡± added Beta.

    Chaz jumped in again, ¡°Bomb disposal units! Think how much safer we could make bomb disposal!

    Kelton gestured with his hands to keep the volume down. ¡°Keep thinking, but let''s discuss it in a more private setting. We still need to limit access to this information.¡±

    Kelton was discharged, and Gillian took him home. As they walked through the front door, Deke saw the magazines scattered on the floor. It triggered a vague memory. ¡°I had a strange dream yesterday. I came in to see you sitting on the floor there crying.¡±

    ¡°That''s not such a strange dream,¡± said Gillian. ¡°I''ve been doing that a lot lately.¡±

    Deke wrestled with whether to tell her the rest of the dream. ¡°Well, you were sitting there on the floor, crying, but your dad was standing behind you, saying he was sorry and pleading with you to forgive him. You got a call from Beta, your dad left the room, and then I told you that everything was OK, that I was going to be OK.¡±

    ¡°That''s pretty wild,¡± Gillian said, ¡°I was sitting right there on the floor crying about Dad again when Beta called me.¡±

 Down the Rabbit Hole

    Chapter 7

    The next morning, Kelton arrived at the Milton Cohen building 20 feet in front of Beta.  Kelton looked at the label on the door. How did he know that name? Images hit him like a brick to the solar plexus. His head pounded as memories flooded in a single wave. Jacob and Milton and Dev and Gillian and the pickup truck and the doctor and the nurse converged on his memory. He felt the memories in every part of his body. He dropped to his knees and then collapsed prostrate on the floor. Beta ran up behind him.

    ¡°Doctor Kelton, are you OK? What happened?¡±

    Kelton struggled to his feet and leaned against Beta for a few seconds. ¡°I may be having some side effects from being in the Box. Stay by me for a few seconds while we get into the office. I need to sit down for a while.¡±

    Beta and Kelton walked into the lab together, Kelton still leaning a little on Beta. Chaz and Alex were already there. The two had recovered the box from the hospital. It sat prominently on the table in the center of the room. ¡°We need to huddle. There''s been a significant development in the last few minutes.¡± Kelton said as he shuffled to the whiteboard.

    The team pulled up chairs around Kelton. Beta handed a cup of coffee to Kelton, who was already starting to feel better. Kelton told the team about his experience. He struggled with the words it would take to share the experience. He reminded the team about the struggles they had had getting the box out of the laboratory door. He skipped the part about Jacob and Milton. He shared his observations about what he had seen and heard and his ability to move instantly from place to place just by thinking about it. He told them everything about his conversation with his dead father-in-law and the phone call that Gillian had received from Beta.

    Turning to Chaz, ¡°I saw you and the doctor and nurse Schmedlap in the trauma room. I saw that enormous bright, white smile of hers.¡±

    Chaz scoffed, ¡°Well, that smile and that name are pretty hard to forget.¡±

    ¡°She was wearing a surgical mask when the field dissipated. When I saw her with my eyes for the first time.¡±

    The team had many questions, but they all boiled down to the same question, ¡°Were you hallucinating?¡±

    ¡°If I was hallucinating, these are the brightest, clearest, strongest memories I have ever had from a dream.¡±

    Alex chuckled, ¡°We are so busted! And I had been so glad that you didn''t see us drop the Box while we were trying to get you into the back of the pickup truck.¡±

    ¡°I guess I missed that,¡± Kelton chuckled. ¡°There were a lot of distractions.¡±

    ¡°Distractions? What kind of distractions? Have you told us everything?¡±

    Most of Kelton''s strength had returned. He shifted in his seat. ¡°This next bit is going to be a bit hard to swallow.¡±

    Alex laughed, ¡°What, it''s harder to swallow than spiritual migration, faster than light travel, and talking with your dead father-in-law? In for a penny, in for a pound. Let''s hear it.¡±

    He told them all about Milton and Jacob.

    Chaz laughed derisively. ¡°Life after death? I hope you''re not going to suggest we write a paper on this. We would get laughed out of the building.¡±

    ¡°Whoa, hold it. We were already there with Gillian¡¯s father.¡± Alex tugged at his wristband. ¡°This may be the most important thing discovered in the last 2000 years.¡±

    Kelton, Beta, and Chaz rolled their eyes.

    Chaz said, ¡°Get serious, Jesus boy. There''s no need to go down that rabbit hole.¡±

    ¡°So - you want to limit our paths of investigation?¡± asked Alex.

    ¡°You want to investigate the hallucinatory extrapolations of a traumatized brain? Good luck with the peer review.¡±

    ¡°Some things justify going around the usual systems. There¡¯s never been a double-blind test on the effectiveness of parachutes. Shall we try that? You want to be in the control group?¡± Alex said.

    ¡°We don''t know what I saw. We don''t know anything based on a single experiment,¡± said Kelton.

    ¡°Mmm hmmm,¡± said Alex. ¡°The undercooked potato/ undigested beef theory. Let''s try another theory. I suggest that no time elapses inside the box. Time and space are not the typical environment for his spirit. Remove time from the equation, and your spirit is freed from your body but somehow still connected. Have you ever felt frustrated about the passage of time? Maybe time isn¡¯t our natural habitat. Fish don¡¯t complain because they are wet.¡±

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Everyone started talking at once. They argued and discussed the theory for almost 30 minutes. ¡°Such nonsense!¡± concluded Chaz.

    ¡°You sounded just like Tilly,¡± snickered Beta.

    ¡°We''ve got to increase the sample.¡± Alex turned to Kelton, ¡°Put me in, coach; I''m ready to play.¡±

    The argument erupted again with greater intensity. Chaz erupted, ¡°You are going to get killed, or worse, we are all going to be fired and expelled.¡±

    ¡°I think Hermione said it better,¡± said Beta.

    ¡°There is no way we can do this. We can work our way up to it over a couple of years, but we have to do this the right way,¡± said Chaz.

    The team left the lab that night disappointed, frustrated, and angry with each other.

    The next morning, they unlocked the lab door as Chaz waited behind Beta. They stepped into the brightly lit room. They heard the capacitor whine. It took a second to recognize that the engaged black box sat on the table in the middle of the room.

    ¡°What the what the...?¡± muttered Chaz.

    Kelton walked in the door behind them. ¡°What is going on in here? We decided yesterday that there were no new tests - not until we came up with the protocols. What are you doing here?¡±

    Beta protested, ¡°We just got here. The lights were on, and the field was engaged when we came in the door.¡±

    Chaz continued. ¡°For the sake of clarity, by ¡®we,¡¯ Beta means both of us - Beta and I just got here.¡±

    ¡°Where is Alex?¡±

    On cue, Kelton, Alex, and Beta turned to look at the box. ¡°That''s Alex''s laptop over there by the controls.¡±

    ¡°How do you know it''s Alex''s laptop?¡±

    ¡°Do either of you have an Our Lady of the Guadalupe sticker on your laptops?¡±

    SNAP

    The sides of the box winked out; Alex lay in the framework; he had four wristwatches on his arm and a tablet computer on his chest.

    Startled, Alex jerked and twisted his head to look at the team. ¡°Where did you guys come from? Busted again!¡± grinned Alex.

    For the next hour concern, jealousy, frustration, paranoia, and anger rained on Alex from three directions.

    As the heat of the discussion dissipated, Beta said, ¡°We have no idea what could have happened to you. You were in the lab alone. There were no safety measures. No one to even video the experiment. If anything had happened to you...¡±

    ¡°None of us would have ever worked in a research lab again,¡± Chaz continued.

    Beta bristled, ¡°That''s not what I was going to say. How did you even get it to work by yourself?¡±

    Alex brightened, ¡°That''s kind of the cool part; I used an automation app, plugged a couple of USB switching devices in, and set up a timer. It really wasn''t hard for a computer geek like me, and DANG, if it didn''t work like a charm.¡±

    ¡°But what if it hadn''t?¡± Drawing a deep breath, Kelton got the team''s attention. Looking directly into Alex''s eyes he said, ¡°I don''t know that I have any choice. I think I will have to cut you from the lab team.¡±

    A strange look flitted across Beta''s face.

    Before Beta could say anything, Alex responded, ¡°Yeah, I get that. I didn''t follow protocol, but in my defense, there was no protocol. I had a window of opportunity, and I took it. So yeah, you can fire me, but wouldn''t you rather get some notes on my experience?¡±

    They spent the rest of the morning in fierce discussion. Gradually, the argument wound down.

    Chaz turned to Alex, ¡°OK, I''ve got to know; what did you see in the box? What was your experience?¡±

    ¡°I got here at 2:00 this morning. I set up the automation, put every wristwatch I''ve ever owned on my wrist and got in the box. And don''t worry, I made sure that every part of my body was inside the framework. I clicked on the start button on my tablet here, and suddenly, you three were standing around the box.¡±

    Kelton dropped his notepad onto the desk. ¡°Did anything else happen?¡±

    Alex shrugged, ¡°I should think that was quite enough. I clicked on the start button and made you three appear. My mechanical watches are all 11 minutes off. My Apple Watch shut down entirely but rebooted itself, and it''s showing the proper time. I got here, but no, I experienced no consciousness inside the box. It took you a while to remember,¡± he said to Kelton, ¡° Let''s see what happens tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no tomorrow in this lab for you¡¯¡± said Kelton flatly. ¡°Clean out your locker and take your things with you. I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s the way things have to be.¡±

    ¡°Ahem,¡± said Beta. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you are going to have to let me go too. ¡°

    ¡°Did you help Alex?¡± asked Kelton.

    ¡°No, I stayed late last night, and one thing led to another, and I tried out the box.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kelton exploded. ¡°How about you, Chaz? Are you conducting unauthorized experiments, too?¡±

    Chazz held up both hands, palms outward. ¡°Not me. I don''t fit. I don''t want to lose a foot or a shoulder or the top of my head.¡±

    ¡°So, you tried it on for size?¡± questioned Kelton.

    ¡°Well, you know, the day of the accident, I brought the frame back here after things calmed down. I cleaned up a little, and I kind of slipped on the glycerin on the floor into the frame.¡±

    ¡°But did you inhale?¡± Alex had an enormous grin on his face. The others looked at Alex like he had stripped a gear somewhere. ¡°Why do I have to keep reminding you guys how hysterically funny I am?¡± Looking at Beta, he asked, ¡° I gotta know, though, how did you get it to turn on?¡±

    ¡°I used the Clapper and a lamp timer. ¡°

    ¡°What Clapper?¡± asked Chaz.

    ¡°You know, clap on.¡± Beta clapped twice, ¡°Clap off,¡± and clapped twice again.

    Alex and Chaz burst into laughter. Kelton put his head in his hands and tried in vain not to laugh.

    It got very quiet after the laughter died down. Kelton looked from Beta to Alex and back to Beta again.

    ¡°And what was your experience in the box, Beta?¡±

    Beta shook their head slowly, ¡°I didn''t think it had even worked. I lay down in the frame and clapped my hands, and from my point of view, nothing at all happened. Except the wall clock was now advanced 12 minutes.¡±

    ¡°12 minutes?¡±

    ¡°Well, lamp timers are just not that accurate, are they?¡±

    That started the team laughing again.

    ¡°You haven''t remembered anything else since then? You''ve been out-of-the-box for about the same amount of time that I was when I had my ¡®memory¡¯ episode.¡± Kelton held up air quotes.

    Chaz was getting angry now, ¡°Episode is the correct term. Especially now that Alex and Beta haven''t been able to replicate your experience. Maybe you need a neurological exam.¡± Picking up steam now, he said,¡± I think you all need your heads examined. What were you thinking? When this gets out, they''re going to shut us down, and we''re all gonna be flipping burgers! That is not going to happen to me!¡± He jumped up and stormed out of the laboratory. The door closed gently behind him.

 Once More into the Breach

    Chapter 8

    The team spent the next 10 minutes arguing about what they should do. Kelton shook his head slowly. ¡°This could go badly for us.¡±

    As if on cue, two officious little knocks came at the door. Robeson Tilly stood framed in the doorway until all the eyes in the room were on him. Chaz stood a few feet behind him. Tilly took several small, quick steps toward the group.

    ¡°Good morning, Doctor Kelton. I''m very relieved to see you in good shape. Reports have come to me about the commotion in your laboratory. They were very disturbing. I''m pleased to see you are doing well. That¡¯s a nasty-looking bandage on your neck. Can we expect a full recovery.?¡±

    ¡°Why do I get the feeling you are not really concerned with Dr. Kelton¡¯s condition?¡± Alex asked pointedly.

    Ignoring Alex, Tilly went on enunciating each word with care, ¡°This is not a social visit. I''m here in an official capacity on university business. I''ve just seen the video of your experiment. I''ve never seen such chaos in a university laboratory before. The floors were littered with papers and books, chemicals smeared across the floor, and broken glassware under every footstep. Feathers and feces were scattered everywhere. A live monkey was running unfettered through the laboratory and swinging from the light fixtures. There was a dead chicken on the floor.¡±

    ¡°Science can be messy,¡± suggested Alex.

    ¡°Not when conducted properly!¡± snapped Tilly. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to count the infractions. You didn¡¯t register your experiments with the board. You conducted unauthorized animal experimentation, resulting in the death of an animal.¡±

    ¡°The chicken was Tia Louisa¡¯s dinner that night. So, really, no loss,¡± said Alex sotto voce. ¡°She said it was very tender.¡±

    Tilly continued. ¡± Improperly housed animal subjects,  inaccurate and incomplete lab files, theft of property.¡±

    ¡°When you describe it like that, it does sound kinda over the top,¡± said Alex.

    Kelton cleared his throat, shook his head, and put his hand on Alex''s wrist to stop him from saying anything else.

    ¡°Theft! What theft?¡± objected Kelton.

    ¡°Where did you get the monkey and the thorium reactor? Those items are not in your inventory.¡±

    Alex and Beta glared at Chaz, who was looking uncomfortable.

    ¡°I authorized no transfers,¡± Tilly droned. ¡°Why are they in the video? And the cherry on top, the thing that we can¡¯t possibly overlook is human experimentation. There were no protocols submitted and no board review. If anything had happened, the university would have paid dearly.¡±

    Beta surprised everyone by speaking up, ¡±I don¡¯t think you realize the importance of what happened.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°I think you mean the importance to the university,¡± said Tilly with a heavy emphasis on ¡®university.¡¯  ¡°As of this moment Doctor Kelton, you and your team are denied any access to your laboratory or the university. You are to turn over your notes, papers, and all equipment to the faculty so we can reassign the research.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my research!¡± objected Kelton.

    ¡°Not according to the research standards of conduct agreement you signed when you were assigned the lab. Everything reverts to the university now.¡±

    ¡°I would like to access my personal property and notes.¡±

    ¡°As far as your personal effects are concerned, I can''t imagine what interest you would have in your personal effects; what¡¯s left of your laboratory should be tossed in the dumpster after the monkey got through with them. Your notes, research, and equipment are now in university custody- my custody- pending investigation and hearing.¡±

    All eyes in the room were on Tilly.

    Beta broke in, ¡°The project is ours. The materials may be the universities, but you have no right to our intellectual properties or to our personal effects....¡±

    Alex motioned with his hands for everyone to calm down. He looked intensely into Tilly''s face. ¡°This would all have a lot more impact, Doctor Tilley, if your zipper weren''t down when you delivered the message.¡±

    Tilly glanced down at his pants.

    ¡°Made you look!¡± sang Alex.

    ¡°Childish oaf! Unprofessional twit!¡± huffed Tilly.

    Beta drew in a breath, winding up for an angry response. Kelton put one hand on Beta¡¯s arm and stretched his other arm out towards Alex and Chaz. He addressed Tilly quietly. ¡°This is a very serious action. Please consider the impact on the overall research capabilities of the university. This sort of thing tends to chill innovation. Is that something you want to be responsible for?¡±

    ¡°I''ll tell you what impacts state universities'' research capabilities,¡± hissed Tilly. ¡°Unauthorized animal research, theft of materials from neighboring laboratories, mishandling of test subjects. And worst of all, experimentation with human subjects.¡±

    Beta drew up to their full height and, with their face just inches from Tilly¡¯s, raised their voice. ¡°Human experimentation? You are completely clueless. The ¡®research¡¯ saved Doctor Kelton''s life. There was no other choice!¡±

    ¡°So you say,¡± said Tilly blandly. A small smile flickered across his lips. He was obviously enjoying the confrontation. ¡°The university needs to protect itself against loose cannons. I shouldn''t be surprised if you were all served with a civil suit in the very near future.¡±

    ¡°But you promised...¡± Chaz started, then bit his tongue.

    A large woman appeared in the doorway. ¡°You need to keep it down in here. You¡¯re  disturbing your neighbors.¡±

    ¡°I have finished my business,¡± said Tilly and made his way to the door. In the doorway, he turned and faced the group. ¡°Security will be here in minutes. Collect your things and go.¡± He turned and left.

    The group looked at each other nonplused. No one could think of anything to say. Alex picked up his computer bag and stuffed his papers in it. ¡°I''m glad I''ve been using my personal laptop. Security''s not going to have any interest in my 6-year-old Costco laptop.¡±

    ¡°I guess I''ve got my lab notes stored in my personal cloud. I haven''t lost everything,¡± said Kelton wearily.

    Beta said, ¡°We will get reinstated after a faculty hearing. Nobody likes Tilly. The infractions are all explainable. At least the ones he knows about¡±.

    ¡°Yes, but until he controls the schedule. It may be months or more before we ever get a hearing.¡±

    Chaz glanced from face to face and at the doorway. ¡°I have to go now, too,¡± he said and rushed out the door.

    Beta called out, ¡°You''ve left your stuff here. You may not be able to get in to get it later.¡± Chaz was already gone.

    Kelton paused while packing his papers into his briefcase. ¡°We may have time for one more test. Shut the door. I''m going back in.¡±

    ¡°But...¡± Alex started to protest.

    Climbing into the framework, Kelton spoke urgently, ¡°We don''t have much time. You were unable to replicate my experience. We need another sample. Right now! OK, I''m in position. Engage the field.¡±

    Beta stepped to the controls and punched a button.

 Speak of the Devil

    Chapter 9

    SNAP

    The laboratory was suddenly darker. Kelton rolled out of the box and stood directly between Alex and Beta.

    ¡°How long should we leave him in there?¡± Beta asked.

    Kelton told them, ¡°Go ahead and hit the kill switch now. It will give me the same 11-minute experience you had.¡±

    Alex responded to Beta, ¡°He didn¡¯t say. Should we give him a little extra time?¡¯

    Kelton put his face right in front of Alex''s. ¡°Hit the kill switch now.¡± Alex looked right through him.

    ¡°I don''t know. He didn''t say.¡±

    A man and a woman in blue security uniforms came in the door, handcuffs and radios hanging from their belts. ¡°We are here to escort Doctor Kelton and three of his team from the building. We''ve got two of you here. Where are the other two.?¡±

    ¡°Well, you just missed Chaz. He left about a minute ago.¡± Alex punched the kill switch. ¡°Doctor Kelton will be back in 11 minutes.¡± Alex and Beta shared a sly smile.

    ¡°Look,¡± the woman said, ¡°I know this is a hard time, and none of us wants trouble. Let''s just get your stuff and get out of here. We will escort you to your cars.¡± She turned to the other guard. ¡°You stay here and wait for Kelton.¡±

    Kelton watched for a few minutes as Alex and Beta picked up their papers and personal items and put them on the cart the security team had brought with them.

    Kelton called out, ¡°Doctor Cohen, are you still here?¡± Kelton took a step. There was a sizzling sensation as he passed through a shimmering wall and found himself just outside Robeson Tilly''s office, face to face with Milton Cohen.

    ¡°You''re back! I''ve been wanting to talk to you. I have a special interest in your research.¡±

    Kelton raised his eyebrows in surprise.

    Cohen continued, ¡°It appears the weasel Tilly has taken an interest as well. Your very large lab assistant just went into his office and shut the door behind him.¡±

    SIZZLE

    Kelton and Cohen stood inside Tilly''s office. Chaz had both hands flat on Tilly¡¯s desk.

    Pleading with every word, Chaz said, ¡°You can''t take me off this project. I had nothing to do with the experiments. I was trying to rein them in. I was keeping you informed when it looked like they were going to cross the lines. You know that! You can''t expel me. You need me on this project.¡±

    Tilly gave no indication that he had even heard Chaz. He continued shuffling papers as though he were alone in the room.

    ¡°You can''t shut this project down.¡± Chaz continued. ¡°The commercial potential is going to be... I don''t know... Unlimited.¡±

    Tilly gave Chaz a benign smile, but there was a glow in his eyes. ¡°What you say may be true, but it doesn''t alter the fact that you stole materials,¡± he glanced at his notes, ¡°A prototype thorium space heater and a monkey, hmm?- from other labs in the building. I''m sure we will have a surveillance video of this somewhere. I think we need to make an example of you. We simply can''t have this sort of thing going on in the Milton Cohen building.¡±

    ¡°Oh, he''s smooth, isn''t he?¡± chuckled Cohen.

    ¡°Chaz, stop!¡± Kelton pleaded. ¡°He doesn''t have the power you think he has. Just leave the office now! It will all work out.¡±

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Cohen shook his head, ¡°That rarely works. He¡¯s not tuned in.¡± He told Kelton, ¡°It''s just as well that we can¡¯t communicate well, really.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Well, what would Jacob do if more people were paying attention to him? He''s such a schlimazel. A mischief maker.¡±

    ¡°¡­  is going to make the university a lot of money. It''s going to make everyone involved a lot of money.¡± Chaz continued pleading.

    ¡°I''ve seen no evidence of that,¡± said Tilly. ¡°If you can convince me, perhaps we can keep your position on the research staff. We don''t necessarily need to go looking for security videos, now do we? That would be such a bother. So, tell me, what don''t I know?¡±

    Chaz started at the beginning and laid out the entire chain of events. He was leaving nothing out.

    Cohen moved between Kelton and Chaz. ¡°You need to keep an eye on that one. I have been watching him.  He''s a little unstable, and possibly prone to violence. And the steroids he''s taking don¡¯t do him any good, either. Is it an advantage to build up the muscles and lose the weight if you lose your mind?  And what is he doing with all of those fireworks in his backpack? I am most concerned about Chaz. It seems Jacob has taken a special interest in him.¡±

    ¡°Jacob? Where is he?

    Jacob tapped Kelton on the shoulder. ¡°Speak of the devil.¡±

    ¡°Devil?¡± Kelton repeated.

    ¡°Figure of speech,¡± Jacob smiled.

    ¡°Where did you come from?¡±

    ¡°You know me. Going up and down, to and fro, in the earth. Man about town, Man of Mystery.¡±

    Jacob made Kelton uncomfortable.

    ¡°Why do I keep running into you?¡± Kelton asked.

    ¡°Who do you want to run into?¡± Cohen asked. ¡°There¡¯s the whole world out there. The whole universe.  I¡¯m even starting to wonder about the entire timeline spectrum. There¡¯s a lot to explore.¡±

    The non sequitur diverted  Kelton¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to understand where I am and what¡¯s happening. Why didn¡¯t Alex and Beta have this experience?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t they?¡± asked Jacob. ¡°They¡¯ve both been wandering around here dragging those silver threads in the last few hours. If this keeps up, pretty soon everybody¡¯s gonna want a silver thread!¡±

    Cohen shrugged. ¡°Maybe they just don''t remember, can''t remember, or don''t want to remember.¡±

    ¡°Why do I remember?¡± asked Kelton.

    Cohen put out his hands palm upward and tucked his head, ¡°I''ve been exploring for the last 20 years. There¡¯s much I don''t know. You want a theory? This is my theory: We exist in our thoughts and our energy in a universal cloud storage device. The human brain is kind of like a hard disk drive that, under proper conditions, synchronizes to the cloud storage. And so far, my experimentation seems to bear that out.¡±

    ¡°You seem to know a lot about technology that has come out in the last 20 years.¡±

    Cohen shrugged, ¡°Eh, I try to keep up.¡±

    Kelton nodded. ¡°Your theory fits my experience. I¡¯m not sure how it fits with Beta and Alex.¡±

    Cohen held up an admonishing finger. ¡°You really didn''t replicate the experiment, though, did you? Alex and Beta didn''t cut their throats before they got into the box. They weren''t administered anesthesia after they got out of the box. There are too many other possible variables. Your scientific discipline leaves a lot to be desired, don¡¯t you think? But I''ve certainly enjoyed seeing your work. Truth be told, I¡¯ve been very pleased at how receptive the three of you were. To a smallish extent, you''ve been following my suggestions, but it seems we have gotten you all in trouble.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the research may be coming to a screeching halt. Tilly has gotten a stranglehold on it. I''m going to be locked out of the lab with no rights to the intellectual properties.¡±

    Cohen waggled his hand. ¡°Mmmm. Maybe not. There are some simple improvements to the design. You may be able to continue the research without a lot of resources.¡±

    Schematics, design drawings, and formulae flowed into Kelton¡¯s mind. Kelton staggered. ¡°Wow. We were doing it the hard way, weren¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°The hard way. It sums up the human experience, don¡¯t you think?¡± laughed Jacob, mimicking Cohen¡¯s accent. ¡°Always doing things the hard way. It could have been so easy if you had just listened to me. You don¡¯t have too much time left. Let''s get a change of scenery.¡± Jacob touched Kelton and Cohen.

    SIZZLE

    The three stood in a large, dim courtyard lit only by the glow of the thousands of people who were walking around talking with each other.

    Kelton looked around. ¡°Who are these people?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Well, last week, you probably would have referred to these people as dead people,¡± said Cohen.

    ¡°Boy, were you wrong. Again. What a moron! Do you ever get things right?¡± taunted Jacob.

    A new thought overpowered Kelton. ¡°Where is God in all of this?¡±

    ¡°I''ve got an open mind on the subject,¡± said Cohen. ¡°There''s lots of people here willing to share their opinions with you.¡±

    ¡°God?¡± chided Jacob. ¡°Look around. Do you see any God here? Don''t be an idiot. Believe what you see.¡±

    Two new people approached.  Kelton was startled again by the sudden apparitions.

    ¡°Zenek and Alice! Two of my favorite people!¡± snarled Jacob.

    Ignoring Jacob, Alice said ¡°Hello.¡± to Kelton and  Cohen. ¡°Are you open to another viewpoint about God?¡±

    Zenek smiled warmly at the group.

    Cohen said to Kelton. ¡°These are some of the people I was telling you about. Lots of people, everyone has an opinion. I¡¯ve been hearing from¡­¡±

 Paradise Lost

    Chapter 10

    SNAP

    Kelton found himself lying in the frame in the lab, face to face with a security guard. The guard whooped in surprise and staggered backward away from him. The guard landed in a heap on the floor, staring at Kelton. ¡°Jiminy Christmas! Where did you come from?¡±

    The woman guard appeared at the door. ¡°Stand back!¡± she commanded. ¡°Stay where you are. There''s no need to get physical here. Jimmy¡¯s just doing his job!¡±

    Jimmy flustered, ¡°He just came out of nowhere. He must have been in that magic box on the table. He jumped me when I could only see him out of the corner of my eye.¡±

    ¡°Jumped him? How could I jump him? I''m lying on the table.¡±

    The woman in blue helped Jimmy from the floor. ¡°Sir, you just need to get your things gathered up. We will escort you to your car. I warn you against any further assault. This is going into our report.¡±

    ¡°I didn''t even touch the guy. There was no assault!¡± Kelton shook his head. This day had taken a terrible turn.

    The guards watched as Kelton stashed his papers and the cardboard boxes holding his personal effects into the back seat of the Nova. It had started to rain. The driver''s seat was wet because of the window he had not been able to roll up. It took a few tries to start the car. He backed up, shifted into drive, and drove slowly from the parking lot. The security patrol car followed closely behind until he was clear of the campus.

    Deke drove slowly home, trying to figure out how he was going to tell Gillian about all of this. Yesterday he was on the verge of riches. Today he''s unemployed.

    He pulled into the driveway. Climbed out of his car and walked slowly up the steps. He leaned his head against the door for a few seconds, then turned the knob. The front room was empty. ¡°Gillian?¡±

    ¡°I''m in the laundry room,¡± she called as she walked into the kitchen/living room and threw her arms around Deke. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to see you. I just had to rinse out the detergent bottle to be able to run a load of laundry. I''m really looking forward to payday! We are out of everything,¡± she said. Deke felt the strength leave his legs.

    ¡°How was your day?¡± asked Gillian. She pulled back to arm¡¯s length, still holding his hands, and looked into his face. ¡°Oh no, what happened?¡±

    Deke took a deep breath and told her about the day''s events. He started with Alex and Beta¡¯s unauthorized experiments. He went into detail about his frustration that he had not been able to replicate his experience. They had experienced no consciousness while in the box.

    Gillian dropped Dekes hands and put her hands on her hips. Her face got hard. ¡°You let them get in the box? What were you thinking? I''m already freaking out about you having been in the box. I know it saved your life, but what else did it do to you?¡± She started to pace around the kitchen in a small circle. ¡° I don''t know! You don''t know! Nobody knows. And now your team is experimenting on themselves? You''re lucky you haven''t been escorted off the campus.¡± She glared into his eyes.

    Deke looked at his scuffed shoes. He tried to look back at Gillian and could not meet her gaze.

    ¡°What?¡± she demanded.

    Ever since Tilly had left the lab this afternoon, the stress had been building up in Kelton. He had been blindsided by his team, by Tilly, and the security guards. It had all happened so fast that he hadn''t considered how he felt about it. Gillian''s tone was the final turn of the screw. To his surprise, the floodgates opened.  ¡°What do you mean ¡®what¡¯?¡± He raised his voice. He had never raised his voice to Gillian before. ¡°I''ve had a wild, wild day.¡± His voice got even louder and more intense. ¡°The people I work with, the people who are supposed to have my back, did everything they could today to mess up my life. Alex and Beta with their loose cannon experiments. Chaz narcing on the team to Tilly. Do you know I got marched out of the lab and to the parking lot by a security team? Everyone saw me. The entire physics department thinks I''m a thief or worse. My crappy Nova wouldn''t start. When I finally did get it started, I barely made it home on what gas was in the tank.¡± Tears of anger and frustration ran down Kelton¡¯s face. ¡°I drive up into my crappy yard and my crappy house. Somehow, I think I''m going to get some understanding when I come in the door... and now this?¡± Kelton¡¯s eyes challenged Gillians.

    Kelton imagined that Gillian would soften, put her arms around him, and try to offer some comfort. He was mistaken.

    Gillian''s voice grew sharp and quiet. ¡°Don''t you raise your voice at me. I will not allow you to speak to me like that. Your team screwed up under your direction. You''re trying to justify playing fast and loose with the protocols because you''re ¡®changing the world.¡¯¡± She held up her fingers in air quotes. ¡°You''re endangering yourself, your sanity, your job, and security... and your marriage! I''m with Tilly on this one. You have gone too far. The only reason I haven''t escorted you out of the house myself is that you didn''t get in the box again.¡±

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    She glared at Kelton. Something in his face must have betrayed him. ¡°You got in the box again?¡± she asked incredulously.

    ¡°Yes, I got in the Box again. I had to! Tilly was closing the lab and shutting the project down. I had to know,¡± Deke said through clenched teeth.

    Gillian turned away. ¡°Don¡¯t speak to me in that tone! In fact, don¡¯t even speak to me! The damage you''ve done to our lives today, it''s just... I can''t even get it out. I have to leave. We need a break.¡± She paced the room. ¡°My mother''s been having kind of a tough time lately. I''m going to stay with her. You can do whatever you want. I just can¡¯t watch you destroy our lives.¡±

    Deke stormed out of the house and slammed the front door on his way out.  He stomped down the walkway, waving his arms, mentally continuing the argument. A tiny blue smart car pulled up in front of his house. Distracted, he nearly walked into the car. Looking up, he saw Alex and Beta were in the car.

    ¡°What''s up doc?¡± called Alex.

    Kelton looked up. ¡°Oh, hi Alex, Beta. It''s been quite a day, hasn''t it?¡± He tried to smile but couldn''t quite manage it. ¡°What are you doing in this section of town?¡±

    ¡°We need to talk with you. You weren''t answering your phone, so we drove over.¡± Beta said from the driver''s seat.

    ¡°I''m not sure I can manage productive conversation right now,¡± said Kelton.

    Beta plowed ahead. ¡°Alex and I have already received emails from Tilly. Tilly put Chaz in charge of the project. The email says we have a contract with the university that needs to be fulfilled. We are to report back to the Milton Cohen building tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM. He wants to get the project back on track.¡±

    This stopped Kelton in his tracks. ¡°It''s only been one hour since we left the lab. That''s an incredibly short time to get any kind of action, especially in a university.¡±

    Beta said, ¡°That''s exactly what we were saying. Tilly must have been planning this for days!¡¯

    ¡°By ¡®we,¡¯ Beta means both of us.¡± Alex interpreted. ¡°If we don''t report tomorrow, we¡¯ll be expelled from the university and forfeit this semester''s credit hours. The worst part is that we are expected to testify against you in an upcoming hearing.¡±

    ¡°If we comply, any complaints against us, against us and Alex, will be held in abeyance,¡± said Beta.

    Kelton sat down on an unkempt patch of grass, his elbows on his knees and cradling his head in his hands. Beta and Alex got out of the car and knelt on the ground next to Kelton.

    Kelton pulled out his phone and scanned the notifications. ¡°I''ve got an e-mail from Tilly here, too.¡± He tapped the phone.

    Notice of Disciplinary Action This is to formally notify you that a disciplinary hearing regarding allegations of professional and clinical misconduct has been scheduled. The details are as follows:

    Date: Tuesday, October 9

    Time: 3:00 PM

    Location: Dean¡¯s Chambers, Room 605, Milton Cohen Building

    You are required to attend this hearing. Failure to do so may result in further disciplinary action being taken in your absence. Please come prepared to discuss the matter and present any relevant documents or information.

    Sincerely,

    Robeson Tilly PhD, FAPS

    ¡°This day just keeps getting better and better.¡± Kelton shook his head, laid on his back, and stared at the sky. ¡°Well, it looks like we all got bit in the backside by our enthusiasm.¡±

    ¡°It''s just so unfair. We are on to something huge; I mean, this is a paradigm shift. And now they''re cutting us out of it. This is our work. Your work, Doctor Kelton!¡± Said Beta.

    ¡°They can''t make me testify against you,¡± said Alex. ¡°It was my chicken that caused the whole problem. Don''t worry, Doctor Kelton, Beta and I won''t cooperate with them.¡±

    Kelton drew in a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and then blew out a sigh. He sat up and looked at Alex and Beta. ¡°Yeah, we cut some corners today, but I have seen lots worse done in the Milton Cohen building. This isn''t about protocols or rules or even scientific integrity. It''s just academic politics and greed. We should have seen this coming- I should have seen this coming. Tilly¡¯s had way too much interest in my work- In our work. His unannounced appearances in the lab should have been a big red flag. There is no way that all these notices and documents were created in the last two hours. He''s obviously been planning this for weeks. Chaz just gave him the opening he needed today.¡± His head slumped to his chest. ¡°What a weasel.¡±

    ¡°Well, Chaz had a tough couple of days,¡± Beta defended.

    ¡°I don''t mean Chaz Is a weasel. I''m talking about Tilly.¡±

    Alex jumped in. ¡°Yeah, Chaz had a scare, but I''m still P.O.¡¯d with him. All this time we''ve been working with him on this project, hanging out together. It''s a huge betrayal¡­ And he''s now in charge of the project- and who knows what''s going to happen to us. I can''t afford to get expelled. I can''t even afford to lose my job.¡±

    As they discussed what to do next, the door to the house opened, and Gillian appeared on the front steps carrying a suitcase and her purse. She fumbled down the steps, made her way to her car, and threw the suitcase in the back seat. She noticed Alex and Beta sitting by Deke on the front lawn. ¡°Deke, I''ll be visiting my mother for a little while.¡± She looked like she wanted to say more but shook her head, got in her car, and drove off.

    Kelton acted like he didn¡¯t hear her.

    ¡°Is she going home to mother?¡± Alex tried to joke.

    Beta elbowed him and gave him a harsh look.

    Kelton ignored the exchange. ¡°Look, there''s no reason for you guys to get crushed in these wheels of academic politics. Just go to the hearings, talk as little as possible, and keep whatever position you can. This is either going to get resolved, or it''s not. For now, let''s just assume everything is going to work out O.K. Don''t get expelled, don''t lose your positions¡±.

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± asked Beta.

    ¡°It looks like I''ve got the house to myself for a little while. I''ll give it some thought, make some calls, and hope for the best.¡±

 Marathon Man

    Chapter 11

    Kelton spent the next few hours trying to keep himself occupied and working out of frustration and anger. He mowed the lawn, pulled weeds, and fixed the window in the driver''s door of the Nova. As he was reassembling the door and repositioning the wires in their channels, the diagrams and schematics that Milton Cohen had shown him flashed back through his brain. His head pounded, and he lay down on the seat. In one gestalt, Kelton saw a new strategy for the box. In his mind''s eye, he saw where he could easily source the materials he would need to reconstruct the frame. He knew where he could set up a laboratory. Every detail of the project was simultaneously present in his head. His vision went dim. The details of the project pierced the dimness like a beaming flashlight in a tight, dark cave.  ¡°Can it really be that easy?¡± he asked himself, fighting through the pain of a blinding headache.

    His headache was slowly replaced with a voracious hunger.  When he could move, he staggered into the house and went through the refrigerator and cupboards. He stuffed his mouth with some stale coconut cookies while he stashed some jerky, the rest of the stale cookies, some peanuts, and four cans of diet cola into a grocery bag. He carried the bag out to his car and tossed the bag onto the passenger seat. He glanced to make sure his tool kit was still on the floor in front of the passenger seat.  As soon as he was able to see clearly enough to drive,  Colton was in his Nova, making a beeline for Jimmy Bob¡¯s Army / Navy surplus store 200 miles down the highway.

    The three hours on the turnpike seemed to go on forever. He couldn''t remember ever having been so frustrated at the amount of time it took to travel. It felt like he was crawling when he should be flying. ¡°Do fish complain because they¡¯re wet? Maybe you have a point, Alex,¡± he mumbled to himself. He occupied his mind rehashing the events of the last day. His anger flared as he thought about Tilly and Chaz. His heart raced as the anger pounded in his veins. He thought about how angry Gillian had been with him. His chest tightened, and a wave of nausea swept over him.  ¡°You knew who I was when you married me. You can''t ask me to change now,¡± he said out loud.

    He had never seen Gillian so angry before. He knew she didn''t want him to get in the box, but history couldn¡¯t be changed,

    The need to know about everything had consumed his entire life. In grade school, he was bullied and called ¡®the professor¡¯ because of his intense interest in the sciences. He hadn''t helped himself by wanting to share everything he had learned with those around him. He had participated and placed in every science fair in every year of junior high and high school. His projects in cryogenics and particularly his resourcefulness in assembling the materials and apparatus for his experiments using available materials had impressed recruiters from several schools.

    The same resourcefulness had made him very popular with his instructors and advisors. He distinguished himself among other grad students and lab assistants because he was able to design experiments efficiently and cost-effectively. When there was no apparent path forward, Deke was able to find a workaround. In performance reviews, his critics thought he was too willing to cut corners to advance his projects. He disregarded the criticism as professional jealousy.

    After what seemed an interminable drive, Deke pulled into the parking lot at Jimmy Bob¡¯s. Deke brushed aside the cans and wrappers from snack foods, found the handle to his toolbox, and made his way to the entrance.

    Jimmy Bobs had been Deke¡¯s secret weapon since junior high. The Army-Navy surplus store was two acres of Quonset huts, tents, and boweries. The motto on Jimmy Bob''s billboards was ¡°I got everything you need if I can find it.¡± The merchandise was in a jumble. Whenever a new shipment of surplus items came in, they were dumped where it was most convenient for Jimmy Bob. Machine tools sat next to air conditioning units, which were partially obscured by draperies of bladder fuel tanks. Desks and office equipment were piled with test fixtures and $10,000 toilet seats, all of which Jimmy Bob had purchased at pennies per pound.

    One time, he had found a $25,000 spectrum analyzer that wasn''t working. He picked it up for $25, replaced a blown fuse, and for a few days, he was the king of the lab.

    For the next three hours, Deke dug and explored the mystery piles.  He found plastic 5-gallon buckets of the rare earths he needed lying on their sides near a stack of ominous-looking unlabeled barrels. He found a variable frequency variable voltage power supply under a tangle of cables and connectors. The power supply was 20 times more powerful than he needed, but it would do the job without any strain. In a stack of kitchen utensils and pots and pans, he found a 20-gallon liquid nitrogen tank that felt like it was still half full. A stack of 8-foot-long 2¡± copper pipes, some pipe fittings, and three catalytic converters still new in their shrink wrapping completed his shopping list. He had conflicting emotions each time he found an item. He was thrilled at the find but worried about how he was going to pay for it. Would his credit card stretch to cover it? He had never been so successful in finding what he was looking for at Jimmy Bob¡¯s in such a short period of time.  The thought crossed his mind that maybe Milton Cohen was helping him out somehow. ¡°Are you there, Doctor Cohen?¡± Deke said out loud. He listened for a few seconds but got no answer.

    He piled his finds into a wheelbarrow and made his way to the checkout counter. As he made the long walk over the uneven path that led to the main building and checkout counter, a cash register peeking out from under a stack of tarps caught his eye. On a hunch, he uncovered the cash register and pulled it towards him. It was much heavier than he expected it to be. He pried open the bottom cash drawer. Rolls of nickels, dimes, and quarters fell onto the ground at his feet. Glancing around quickly to make sure Jimmy Bob wasn¡¯t looking, he scrabbled up the rolls of coins and dropped them into his toolbox. He was hit with a brief twinge of conscience. Under his breath, he said to himself, ¡°I''ll make this good later. I will pay Jimmy Bob back as soon as I can.¡±

    Jimmy Bob himself sat at the checkout desk, stroking his gray, stubbly beard. He brushed some crumbs off his vintage Navy peacoat and looked up at Deke.

    ¡°Well, lookie here! I¡¯m thinkin¡¯ I found everything you need, just like the sign says!¡± He gave a quick assessment of the items in the wheelbarrow. ¡°That looks like about a $300.00 load. Cash or charge?¡±

    ¡°Maybe both,¡± said Deke. ¡°Let''s see what I''ve got in my toolbox.¡± He pulled out the rolls of coins and placed them on the counter in front of Jimmy Bob.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    They counted out the rolls of coins. There was only about $220 in the stack. ¡°I''d best check these coins,¡± said Jimmy Bob. ¡°A businessman like me has got to keep his eyes open.¡± He touched his forefinger to the side of his nose with a nod at Deke.

    Jimmy Bob opened a roll of the dimes. They spilled out on the counter with a ringing sound. Jimmy Bob''s eyes lit up, ¡°Well if this is all you''ve got, I think we can let that stack go for 220 dollars.¡± He held out his hand. ¡°Shake on it?¡±

    Deke had never seen Jimmy Bob act like this before. He shrugged and shook Jimmy Bob''s hand. A big toothless grin spread across Jimmy Bob''s face. ¡°I think I pulled one over on you, young feller. I don''t think you noticed that those dimes were pure silver. I made out pretty good on this transaction. You need to keep a better eye on what you got in your pockets,¡± he chuckled.

    Deke was caught by surprise. He had been feeling guilty putting the rolls of coins on the countertop. For a second, he found himself a little ticked off at having been taken advantage of like that. That roll of Dimes was easily worth $150. Were the other coins in the rolls all silver? That stack of rolled coins could be worth $3000 or more. Deke wanted to know. ¡°Maybe we should check those other rolls.¡± He suggested.

    ¡°Nothing doing. A deal''s a deal. We even shook on it. You need some help getting this stuff out to your car?¡±

    Deke smiled inwardly, secretly glad that his misdemeanor hadn''t turned into a felony. ¡°You got me, Jimmy Bob. You know? I''m glad this deal worked out for you. I love this place. I hope you never have to change a thing.¡±

    Deke had to shoehorn all his purchases into the Nova. He hummed the Tetris theme as he stacked and restacked the items to get them in his car. The copper pipe had to be duct taped to the roof. There was barely enough room for him to sit in the driver''s seat, but he had found a way to make it all work.

    All day, Deke had been giving serious thought to where he was going to set up his new apparatus. He couldn''t afford to rent a lab or even a storage unit. He didn''t need a lot of space. He didn''t even have any exotic power requirements. He just needed half a garage somewhere. Preferably somewhere out of the way where he could work without being disturbed. As he drove past a junction sign, the perfect plan occurred to him. He turned his car around and took the turnoff that led to Gillian¡¯s parent''s get-away cabin near Heaven Lake. No one ever used the cabin this time of year. It had water and electricity but little else. Heat was provided only by a wood-burning stove. One had to travel two miles from the cabin to be able to get a spotty cellular connection. It was rustic and picturesque and had a small garage where they stored the boat in the winter months. The spot where they usually park the car would be perfect for setting up his equipment.

    The next few days and nights, Kelton busied himself preparing the equipment. He was invigorated by the clarity of his intent. He electroplated the copper tubing using the platinum and neodymium that he scavenged from the catalytic converters. He filled the tubing with the rare earths. He cut and soldered the tubes to the fittings. He drilled and tapped pressure fittings to the framework for the liquid nitrogen connections. He hardly ate or slept. He was fueled by Diet Coke and the instant coffee he found in the cupboards.  He inserted coaxial power fittings into the framework. The work went quickly because of the diagrams and schematics indelibly imprinted in his mind. He knew exactly where every component should fit, the exact dimensions of each member in the framework, exactly where and at what frequency the power should be applied, and hundreds of other minute details, all critical to generating the field consistently and reliably.

    He had paused his work only twice in those three days to drive his car miles down the mountain road to where he could get a cellular signal. He tried to call Gillian both times. She didn''t answer. He left her messages asking her to forgive him and asking her to talk with him.  Text messages from Alex and Beta and various spammers appeared on his phone. Deke ignored them all. He had to get back to his work.

    He worked the rest of that day and into the night, creating the control panel. Deke wasn''t a programmer, but he knew how to get the AI to develop the code snippets he needed. At 2:00 AM, everything was tested and ready. He had set up a timer and a USB relay board interface to the power supply. He wouldn''t need any assistance conducting his tests. All the controls were now automated. The timer programs could initiate and kill the field.

    Deke surveyed his work. Everything was ready to go. Without warning, a wave of weariness swept over him. He had pushed himself for almost four days now without food and only the occasional cat nap. He left the garage. And stumbled to the cabin. He lay down on the couch and pulled a thick quilt over himself. He was asleep before he even got comfortable.

    He awoke a few hours later to the sun streaming in the window and hitting him directly in the face. He rolled off the couch and stretched the kinks from his neck and shoulders. He felt wrung out and had a pounding hunger headache. He looked around the cabin. The shelves were cleaned out for the winter. There was no food in the refrigerator. There were a couple of cans of string beans and pickled beets. Kelton was going to need more than that. He jumped in his car and drove five miles to a small cafe. He went in and sat down at the counter.

    A heart-shaped waitress in a pink uniform leaned across the counter. ¡°Oh, honey, are you feeling OK? You''re looking a little rough.¡± Without waiting for a response, she asked, ¡°What can I get for you, dear? I think we¡¯ll get you started with this.¡± She poured a cup of coffee for Deke.

    Deke looked at himself in the mirror across the counter. He didn''t recognize himself. He had four days of stubble on his chin, and there were dark circles under his sunken eyes. He hadn¡¯t showered in all that time, so he was probably smelling a little ripe. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said,¡± I think I''ll get started with everything on the left-hand side of the breakfast menu. Eggs over medium.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Hon. Breakfast was off two hours ago. I could get you the left-hand side of the sandwich menu,¡± she smiled.

    Deke Looked in his wallet. There was a lone ten-dollar bill. ¡°What can I get for ten dollars¡¯¡± he asked.

    The waitress laughed. ¡°How about a double cheeseburger, some fries, and a chocolate shake?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good!¡±

    ¡°You got it, sweetie. We''ll have it right out.¡±

    The food arrived, and Deke wolfed it down.

    ¡°You looked like you needed that,¡± the waitress said through a wide smile.¡± Is there anything else I can get for you?¡±

    Deke was feeling much stronger. He pulled the $10.00 bill from his wallet and put it on the counter. ¡°It was exactly what I needed. Thank you.¡±

    The waitress smiled knowingly and pushed the $10.00 bill back towards Deke. ¡°This one was on the house, sweetie. I like to see a man enjoy his food like that.¡±

    ¡°That''s not necessary,¡± protested Deke. ¡°I''d like to pay for my food.¡±

    ¡°Just come back and see us someday when you''re having a better day. Til then, I think you better hang on to your ten dollars.¡± She said, looking out the window at the old Nova in the parking lot. She turned and walked through the swinging door into the kitchen.

    Deke left the cafe and walked towards his car as he fished his phone from his pocket. He clicked Gillian¡¯s name on his favorites list. The call rang once and then went to voicemail. Deke opened his mouth to leave a message, then decided that he''d already left two messages and there was nothing more to be said. There was no sense in leaving a third. She would know he had called. She would know that he wanted to talk to her. He had told her he loved her.

    Twenty minutes later, he was back in the garage. He thought about showering, but getting back to his work won out.

    He opened his laptop and selected the manual controls button. It was time to test if he could establish a field with the new framework and simplified technology. He clicked on ¡®Start.¡¯

 At the Speed of Thought

    Chapter 12

    SHHNAP

    It had taken a split second longer, and the ¡®snap¡¯ sounded a little different, but there stood a perfectly black 8-foot cube in the garage. It looked like a bottomless hole. He poked at it with a pen. It was as impenetrable as ever. With this whole force, he swung a hammer into the nearest face of the cube.  He felt the impact shoot through his wrist and arm, but the hammer blow made no sound at all. He made a couple of quick notes in his journal and clicked on the ¡®stop¡¯ button.

    Clicking on the stop button initiated a countdown clock in the new software. ¡®687¡¯ appeared on the screen and slowly began ticking down. He continued making entries in his journal.

    Although he hadn''t consciously formed the plan, as he made notes, he knew it had been inevitable that he was going back in the box. In his heart, he had known it even before he had been scavenging at Jimmy Bob¡¯s. Now, he had admitted it to himself. The countdown seemed to go on forever. His chest burned with the need to continue exploring the unseen universe. While he waited, he put away the tools and swept the clutter from the floor with one eye on the countdown clock. He sat on a stool to watch the clock decrement for the final 37 seconds. The seconds ticked off one by one. When it reached 3 seconds, he turned to look at the new box. He had seen it wink out many times on video. This would be the first time he actually watched the field dissipate in real time with his eyes. 3-2-1-0.

    Nothing happened. The field persisted. The box stood in front of him. Perplexed, he checked the wiring to the power supply. The power indicator light was out, confirming there was no energy being applied to sustain the field. He checked the laptop. The seconds display was incrementing. He rechecked everything. Everything was as it should be. ¡°What is going on here?¡± he asked aloud.

    The counter reached 582.

    SSCHNAP!

    Kelton snapped his head around to see that the framework now stood empty. The thought occurred to him that maybe the larger the field was, the longer it took for it to dissipate. It was as good a theory as any and a good place to start. He hurriedly recorded his thoughts in his journal. He was anxious to get back in the box.

    Addressing his laptop once again, he toggled the manual controls to the Start / Stop timer function. He smiled, thinking how Beta had used a Clapper and a lamp timer to start and stop the field. It was that kind of resourcefulness that made Beta so valuable to the team. Now, the tools had to become more sophisticated. Kelton felt a little surge of pride as you looked at the elegant controls he had built into the system. This sort of thing I''ve gotten so easy in the last few years instead of having to create software from scratch. A programmer could now just borrow snippets of code from here and there and end up with a very attractive user interface. One didn''t even need to be much of a programmer. Just tell the AI what you wanted, and it did most of the work.

    With the touch of his finger, he set the hour, minute, second, and date for the start and stop time. The last two times in the box, he had been frustrated because the field had dissipated, and he had been pulled back to the box just as he was about to learn something important. He wanted to give himself more time to explore and more time to learn from his guides. He set the start time to 5 minutes from the current time. He spun the counter on the stop time one hour and five minutes later. He would explore for 1 hour.

    He checked around the room one last time. On a whim, he grabbed an Adirondack chair and placed it inside the framework. He might as well be comfortable while he waited for the field to engage. He sat in the chair; from his seat, he could see the timer counting down. It was just 7 seconds until the field engaged. He relaxed into the chair.

    SSCHNAP

    The room went completely black. He strained to see anything. The only illumination was a faint glow emanating from his solar plexus. He rolled out of the chair and looked back at his body, completely motionless, seated in the chair. A silver thread of light wafted like a cobweb between the crown of his head on his body and his¡­ what?... current point of view?   He drifted to the outside of the box. Everything was still dark, but he could see the workshop. He glanced quickly at the laptop screen. Everything appeared nominal. The timer continued counting down. He looked at the box. The sight gave him overlapping emotions: excitement at the box¡¯s prospects, pride of accomplishment, and guilt; Gillian was going to be angry about this. He hadn¡¯t actually promised not to go in the box, but he knew she had very strong feelings about it.

    SIZZLE

    Deke found himself in Gillian¡¯s mother''s house in the kitchen. Gillian and her mother were seated at the kitchen table, just finishing their tea. Deke¡¯s full concentration was on his wife. He was so happy to see her face. The flurry of activity over the last few days had helped him keep his mind off how much he was missing her. The accumulated distress hit him all at once.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Though she was smiling now, the puffy red eyes were evidence that she had been recently crying.

    Gillian''s mother was in an attitude of trying to comfort her. She leaned across the table with her arms stretched towards her. Her mother had a sad smile on her face. ¡°Your husband still doesn''t know, does he?¡±

    Gillian shook her head. Deke could tell that another surge of anger had welled up in her. The glow in her chest took on a different energy.

    ¡°How will he know unless you tell him? And how can you tell him unless you talk to him?¡±

    ¡°But I''m so angry with him. He knows better. He knows I didn''t want him experimenting on himself. He can''t conceive how any of this affects anybody but himself. All he can think about is his work. That stupid box. His stupid team. The stupid university politics.¡±

    ¡°And he hasn''t even tried to contact you in four days. Your husband is a beast. I was against this marriage. A nice Indian boy would never have treated you like this.¡±

    ¡°He has tried to call me,¡± Gillian defended. ¡°I just haven''t been picking up his calls. He has left me messages. But you know that... Oh, Mati, you''re just trying to get me to see his side.¡±

    Gillian''s mother smiled and waggled her head. ¡°You see right through me. But if you had married VJ...¡± Her voice trailed off with her eyes beaming brightly at her daughter.  She put her hand on her daughter¡¯s hand and looked deeply into her eyes. ¡°You must take advantage of every minute together. You never know¡­¡± she whispered.

    Deke knelt on the floor in front of Gillian. He looked into her face. Feelings of love and concern washed away the resentment he had been feeling. ¡°What do you need to tell me, Rani?¡± he reached to touch her face and move the hair from in front of her eyes. He could do neither.

    ¡°I want to tell him. I wish he would call me right now. I really need to talk to him. I need to tell him how angry I am that he got in that box again. He has no idea what the long-term effects might be. I asked him to promise me he wouldn''t get back in, but he is so stubborn. I need him around. For a long time. We both need to be there for...¡± Gillian¡¯s fingers stroked her slightly swollen tummy.

    Deke looked at Gillian. He had never looked at her like this before. He couldn''t really identify how it was different, but it was different. He saw more than he had ever seen before. He looked at her fingers. He realized that there was a second flicker of light glowing beneath her hand. It all came together. Her appetite and fatigue. She had been so emotional lately.

    ¡°Are we having a baby?¡± Deke asked. ¡°Is it a boy or a girl?¡± He wanted to throw his arms around her and feel her arms around him, to smell her perfumed hair. He needed to put his hand on her hand. A confusion of feelings wheeled within him. He called out, ¡°Dev, are you here?¡±

    Gillian''s father appeared behind her as though he were walking in from an adjoining room. ¡°I can''t bear to be too far away.¡±

    ¡°Did you know about the baby? Did you know Gillian was going to have a baby?¡±

    ¡°Baby! Is my baby going to have a baby? I''m going to be a grandfather?¡± Dev delighted.

    ¡° I''m definitely not going to be getting any new information from you.¡± Deke turned his attention to Gillian. ¡°How long have you known? When were you going to tell me?¡±

    Gillian drew in her breath and opened her mouth as though she were going to say something, then shook her head and let out a sigh.

    ¡°I''m going to be a grandfather!¡± Dev repeated ecstatically. There was a hopeful look of long-absent joy on his face. Deke looked about the room. It began filling with a warming glow. Without seeing them, Deke somehow sensed the presence of hundreds of mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts and uncles, and brothers and sisters, all of them contributing to and taking part in Dev¡¯s and Deke¡¯s experience.

    Deke tried to identify what he was feeling and experiencing. He tried on thoughts: his heart was full, or his chest was bursting with feeling, but those descriptions really didn''t apply. He had no heart; he had no chest. His entire being was irradiated with feelings of love, fulfillment, connection, peace, and comfort. He knew what it was like for a moment, an all-too-brief moment, to be a member of always, a part of the eternities.

    He listened to Gillian and her mother converse and tried without success many times to join the conversation. It wasn¡¯t unusual for Deke to just sit and listen to a conversation at family gatherings. He was often at a loss for things to contribute to the conversation, and because of his native ADD, he often lost the thread of the conversation because his mind wandered so readily, but he loved being part of the group. Listening to their conversation didn¡¯t feel like eavesdropping. It felt warm and familiar.

    Deke basked in the family glow for more than half an hour. He expected to be pulled back to the box at any minute. He needed to tell his wife something before he was pulled back.  Deke put his face just inches from Gill¡¯s. He focused on her eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t get in the box again. I won¡¯t leave you again,¡± he promised.

    The conversation between Gillian and her mother lulled. Gillian put the teacups in the sink. ¡°I hope he calls again soon. I¡¯ve been hoping he would show up at the door. I want to talk with him. It¡¯s time to make up,¡± Gillian told her mother.

    ¡°Look at the time! We have been talking for almost 2 hours!¡±

    Deke had been expecting at any moment to be pulled back into the box. In each of his experiences he had been interrupted from learning something important. He was grateful that he had enjoyed the full experience this afternoon. He glanced at his wrist. There was no watch there. He went to the stove. He had to get very close to the digital clock to be able to see the time. He felt a flush of concern. He had been in the box for more than 90 minutes. What had gone wrong?

 Back to School

    Chapter 13

    SIZZLE

    Deke was suddenly back in the dark garage. The only light was the glow that came from his own chest. He could barely make out the box. It loomed over everything. The field hadn''t dissipated. He shifted his attention to the laptop controlling the timer. He had to get very close to the screen to be able to see it. The elapsed time counter continued to increment. He tried to touch the screen to open new tabs. Nothing happened. He looked closely at the power supply and the connectors. Whenever there''s a problem, always check the connectors first, he told himself. He was frustrated again when he tried to wiggle the connectors, and his fingers passed through. Everything looked the way it should. He walked all around the box, looking at it from every angle.

    He tried to rationalize. The field had taken longer to dissipate with the larger box. Was that the problem? He shifted back to his position in front of the laptop. The timer switch hadn''t toggled yet. He checked out the settings on the timer. The date was correct, but the setting of the hours, minutes, and seconds indicator had been exceeded. That made no sense. According to the display, the box should have shut off more than 40 minutes ago. He went over each item on the dial again. Date, hours, minutes, seconds, everything was correct. Then he saw it. Somehow, the year indicator had rolled to a year in the future. He staggered. This can''t be happening! Such a stupid mistake. His situation flashed to his consciousness. Nobody knew he was here. It was unlikely anyone would be visiting the cabin in the woods for at least three months. It had been winterized. He couldn''t be tracked with his cell phone because there was no coverage here. He tried desperately to come up with a plan. It was so frustrating. He could have killed the field with just a tap on the kill switch, but that was impossible in his current condition.

    ¡°Ok,¡± he said out loud. ¡°I am not going to find a solution here. Let¡¯s go back to school.¡±

    SIZZLE

    Students and faculty were beginning to fill the halls for a new day of schoolwork. He glided effortlessly around the people in the hallway as he made his way to his laboratory. He called out for Dr. Cohen, but there was no answer.

    He hung outside MCB432 for a few minutes. Tilly walked past Kelton with short, quick steps. He rapped twice on the door and pulled the door open.

    Kelton flashed with anger, frustration, and jealousy. He had never used the words popinjay or martinet before. At that moment, they seemed to be the perfect description for Tilly.

    Kelton followed Tilly into the lab. Alex, Beta, and Chaz were busy at their stations. Uncharacteristically, Chaz was wearing a tie beneath his lab coat. The tie had gravy spots and didn''t match his shirt.

    Chaz looked up from his laptop. ¡°Good morning, Doctor Tilly. We are nearly ready. Everything''s been organized just like you wanted.¡±

    There was an obsequiousness about Chaz that Kelton had never seen before. Beta caught Alex''s attention and rolled their eyes.

    Tilly cleared his throat, ¡°You are all here at my will and pleasure. I will not tolerate any of the shenanigans that have been going on in this lab in the past.¡± He nodded in Chaz''s direction. ¡°Chaz will be the interim project manager until we find more suitable leadership. The university has a significant interest in this project. It must be handled in an orderly and scientific fashion. The device is not to be engaged until we have an approved project plan and protocols in place. I want to know how and why the device works before it is ever turned on again.¡±

    Alex moved as though to speak, ¡°But if...¡±

    Tilly turned on Alex. ¡°Mr. Gutierrez, I urge you to think over what you were about to say. If it was another of your sad attempts at humor, perhaps you''d better save it for another day - in the interest of your job and your enrollment in the university.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Alex closed his mouth and drew his finger across his lips, zipping his mouth shut.

    Tilly addressed Beta. ¡°Mx. Beta, I expect you to appear in the lab properly and professionally attired tomorrow. This is an institution of learning and not a rock''n''roll festival.¡± Turning his attention back to the group, he said, ¡°For the next week, I expect daily progress reports. I want a new schedule and protocol statement on my desk by Friday. I will submit them to the committee for review.¡±

    ¡°You are all aware of the hearing scheduled tomorrow. If there are any more notes or videos pertaining to Doctor Kelton''s experiments and activities I haven''t yet seen, I want them by noon today. I need time to assemble a proper presentation for the council. Failure to comply with these requests will result in your immediate termination and expulsion from the university. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°You''ve made yourself clear,¡± muttered Alex. His clenched jaw clearly indicated he was having trouble restraining himself from further comment.

    Tilly responded with a tight, mirthless smile. ¡°You, and I mean all of you, are on a very short leash. Don''t disappoint me. I will see you all at the hearing tomorrow.¡± With staccato footsteps, he turned and went out the door, singing under his breath.

    ¡°What was that? Was he humming ¡®No Business Like Show Business¡¯? That guy is a piece of work.¡± Alex shook his head in wonder.

    Chaz clapped his hands together and held them at chest level. ¡°We have a lot to do. Let¡¯s get busy. Beta,  assemble the notes and videos for Doctor Tilley. Alex, please start drafting the protocols. I''ll focus on the theory of operation since I was closest to Dr. Kelton.¡±

    Beta exploded, ¡°I don''t even know where to start. How do we cooperate with that? Chaz, you''re an idiot! Tilly has an agenda, and we don''t have any idea what it is.¡±

    Alex put a calming hand on Beta¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It''s ham and eggs.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡­¡± responded Chaz and Beta in unison.

    ¡°If we had some eggs, we could have some ham and eggs, if we had some ham.¡±

    ¡°I don''t get it,¡± said Chaz.

    ¡°We can¡¯t run any more experiments until we know how the box works. We won''t know how the box works unless we can run some experiments. It''s a catch-22.¡±

    Beta smiled wryly at Alex. ¡°That some catch, that catch 22.¡±

    Alex returned the smile, grateful that Beta had caught his literary reference. ¡°I knew there was something I liked about you. You, uh, your group, umm, you all, are pretty sharp.¡±

    Beta¡¯s face flushed a little in appreciation. Chaz¡¯s eyes rolled at Alex¡¯s awkwardness.

    Kelton was caught by surprise. He looked into Alex¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you starting something with Beta?¡± Apparently, Alex was as unsure of addressing Beta¡¯s pronouns as Kelton was, but there was also a schoolboy shyness in Alex that made Kelton smile. Kelton was delighted. The entire team was usually so oblivious to social cues any kind of romantic relationship seemed unlikely.

    Chaz looked back and forth between Alex and Beta. The look on his face was plain to read. He didn''t like being left out of whatever was going on.

    Chaz moved between Alex and Beta. ¡°There is no catch. We can make this work. There is always a workaround. I¡¯m good at finding solutions. This work is important to the University and to Dr. Tilly.¡±

    Beta rounded on Chaz, ¡°We want to see this research move forward, too. What we have seen so far is way too important to be playing politics. It was Dr. Kelton¡¯s insights and modifications that led to the box. Sure, we can do it without him. But should we? This is Dr. Kelton¡¯s project. Tilly¡¯s just trying to take over. He needs us now - how long will it take him to replace us?¡±

    ¡°Tilly has made it clear ¨C to me - that he wants to bring this technology to the world. He has tasked me with making it happen. I can do it. I can put together protocols that will satisfy the council and Dr. Tilly, and we can continue with experimentation,¡± said Chaz as he strutted around the laboratory table. ¡°In the meantime, we need to create the documents he asked for. Beta, have all of the videos been uploaded to our shared drive?

    Beta scowled, ¡°Yes, you know they are. Since you shared them with Tilly already.¡±

    Chaz winced, then advanced, ¡°And your lab notes?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Beta said impatiently.

    ¡°And yours, Alex?¡± asked Chaz.

    ¡°I submitted my notes the day we were escorted from the building. My white paper on the Kelton Field has been uploaded to the shared drive.¡±

    ¡°The Kelton Field?¡± asked Kelton, Beta, and Chaz simultaneously.

    Alex tilted his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t like the way things were headed. I wanted to make sure that Dr. Kelton received credit for his discovery. I also delivered my draft to the review committee.¡±

    Kelton chuckled. ¡°Tilly¡¯s not going to like that.¡±

    Beta echoed, ¡°Tilly¡¯s not going to like that.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to like it,¡± Alex said, crossing his arms. ¡°It¡¯s done. First draft of history. ¡±

 Intrigue

    Chapter 14

    Kelton wandered to Tilly¡¯s office. Tilly was seated at his desk on an enormous faux leather office chair. His feet barely brushed the floor. He was dictating an email to his laptop computer. ¡°¡­ unbecoming to the physics department and to the University. Dr. Kelton¡¯s experiments have been haphazard and unreviewed. He has put himself and his team in danger with unsanctioned animal and human experimentation. He can provide no credible evidence for any of his claims. His report is a fantasy with no scientific basis. His reported experiences while in the device he refers to as ¡®the box¡¯ are indicative of a psychotic break. In short, in light of the thefts by his laboratory team, by name Alex Guttierez, Beta No-last-name, and Charles Dixon, which were obviously ordered by Dr. Kelton, the mishandling of nuclear materials, the animal and human experimentation, the Physics department has no choice but to protect itself from further liability and embarrassment by discontinuing and disavowing any and all research under Dr. Deacon Kelton¡¯s direction. Dr. Kelton will be afforded the courtesy and opportunity to defend himself and his team against these charges at the special hearing of which you have already received notification. ¡± Tilly clicked on the screen to stop dictation. ¡°I think this will be the last I hear of you, Dr. Kelton,¡± gloated Tilly as he reviewed the text on the screen in front of him.

    A voice came from beside the bookcase. ¡°Academic intrigue. It gets a little tiring, don¡¯t you think?¡± Shifting his attention from Tilly, Kelton saw Milton Cohen walking up to read the screen over Tilly¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I can do. I mean that literally. I don¡¯t have any idea what I am capable of. I¡¯ve been looking for you. I need some help.¡± In an instant, Kelton shared his predicament with Cohen. ¡°What can I do? How can I shut the box down? I can¡¯t be stuck here for four months until somebody goes back to the cabin. If I am not here to defend myself at the hearing, everything will be lost. ¡±

    Jacob appeared behind Cohen. ¡°Four months? You think you got that long? Your silver thread is already looking a little wispy. Maybe you¡¯re gonna be here with us, permanent like! How long can you maintain that connection?¡± Jacob chopped with his hand through the silver thread connecting Kelton to his body in the box. Kelton felt a surge of fear, panic, and surprise. Jacob''s hand passed through the thread, or the thread passed through Jacob¡¯s hand.  Jacob lit up at Kelton¡¯s sudden panic. ¡°I love newbies.¡± He chortled. ¡°Take it easy, Doc. I can¡¯t do nothing with your thread. I can¡¯t do nothing with nothing. All I have here is my good looks, my persuasive voice, and my stunning intellect.¡±

    ¡°Does he follow you everywhere you go?¡± Kelton asked Cohen.

    ¡°Did I invite him? Often, he¡¯s behind me. He¡¯s a useful but unreliable guide.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s me. Useful and unreliable,¡± grinned Jacob.

    ¡°Dr. Cohen, do you have any thoughts about how I can shut down the field?¡±  Kelton asked.

    Cohen shrugged his shoulders, ¡°Eh, I''ve had no luck at all with any of these physical things. Not a single touch!¡±

    ¡°What you need is a poltergeist,¡± suggested Jacob. ¡°One that can pull a power cord and stack a few chairs around.¡±

    ¡°How do I find a poltergeist?¡± asked Kelton.

    Cohen said, ¡°I don¡¯t know any. Jacob, are you giving Dr. Kelton¡¯s a spiel?¡±

    Jacob howled, ¡°You are one gullible scientist. You just swallowed a camel, Doc. There are no poltergeists. I just told you, none of us can¡¯t do nothing with nothing. We are all just people here. People with no hands, legs¡­ or any other appendages.¡± He leered expectantly but got no response from Cohen or Kelton. He shrugged, ¡°You eggheads just have to get used to it. You may be with us a long time.¡±

    ¡°Is there any way to get a message to my wife?¡±

    Jacob got a serious look on his face. ¡°Has your wife got an Ouija board? Maybe we can find a s¨¦ance somewheres.¡± He stared seriously at Kelton for a few seconds, then burst into derisive laughter once again.

    Cohen ignored Jacob. "Ah, listen, maybe I managed to pass along a feeling here, a fuzzy thought there, you know, like I did with you. It¡¯s a hit or miss, really. And let¡¯s say you really tried, gave it everything¡ªyou might get your wife thinking of you, sure. But, nu, what will she feel, eh? Will she miss you, or will she still be angry? Communication is hard at any time, even when you¡¯re face to face. Is the message sent the message received?¡±

    ¡°But that download thing you did.  You shared months of research with me in an instant. Or that time when I was on the steps of the building, and all those memories hit at once. It was painful, but it¡­¡± Kelton trailed off.

    ¡°We have some shortcuts here because we are not limited by chemistry. Just because we have high bandwidth communication, you can¡¯t assume the message is either true or reliable.¡± Cohen said, nodding in Jacob''s direction.

    ¡°Was that directed at me?¡± Jacob said with a glint in his eye. ¡°Right or wrong, I¡¯ve been here a lot longer than you two. I know the ropes. You wanna know how things work here? I¡¯m your guy. Speaking of what makes things work, check out what Tilly¡¯s up to now.

    The three moved behind Tilly and looked over his shoulder. The screen displayed a still photo of a spectacularly muscled woman in a black leather bustier, holding a vicious riding crop over her shoulder.

    Tilly spoke as he typed, ¡°BikerBabe1999¡±. He paused a few seconds, ¡°I¡¯ve been very bad lately. I think you need to know about it.¡±

    Kelton turned away in disgust.

    Stolen story; please report.

    Jacob hooted, ¡°No, wait! This honey is something special, and you are gonna get to know Tilly in ways you never even imagined.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I am afraid of¡­¡± said Kelton and Cohen in unison.

    Tilly sang a few bars of ¡°My Friends¡± from Sweeney Todd while he waited for an answer.

    The woman¡¯s head and shoulders appeared on the screen, ¡°This is the third time in a week, you slimy worm. You need to refresh your account credits. You¡¯re getting low!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± he flustered. He moved the mouse around on his desk and clicked a few times. ¡±There, I put another $200 in the account. Is that enough?¡±

    BikerBabes face got very close to the screen. She scowled, ¡°Maybe. Maybe for another 10 minutes. You bore me. Nothing you say is of interest. You look like Gollum¡¯s twin brother. You have 10 seconds to catch my interest, or this call is over.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve stolen the most valuable technology I have ever seen, maybe that anyone¡¯s ever seen from its creator. I¡¯ve fired him from the university for the flimsiest of reasons: I stole his team. I have lined up the board to support me. And he can¡¯t do a thing about it.¡±

    ¡°You idiot!¡± she murmured threateningly. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything right. You¡¯ve stolen something valuable. How can you expect to keep it? You are a kelp-headed weasel. Why keep his team? You bag of pond scum, you are going to screw this up somehow.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am pond scum.¡± Tilly bowed his head unctuously, then rushed to explain, ¡°I¡¯m going to get rid of the team as soon as they have finished the work. I¡¯ve already got one of them to turn on the other two, and I¡¯ll get rid of him as soon as the hearing is over. Maybe even during the hearing! That would be delicious!¡±

    ¡°That would be delicious,¡± BikerBabe said mockingly. ¡°Put your tutu on if you¡¯re going to talk to me like that.¡±

    Tilly giggled with delight and started to pull a wad of nylon netting out of his bottom desk drawer.

    ¡°Did I just hear a giggle?¡± the computer demanded.

    ¡°Was this worth the wait, or not?¡± Jacob chortled.

    A knock came at the door.

    Tilly stuffed the puff of nylon back in the bottom desk drawer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you shut me down, you pimple!¡± were the last words out of the computer as Tilly closed the laptop.  He shuffled some papers and hurriedly tucked some objects into his desk drawer.  ¡°Enter!¡± he said loudly.

    Chaz entered, holding a stack of notebooks.

    Kelton said, ¡°I¡¯ve never been happier to see you, Chaz.¡±

    ¡°What do you want? Next time, make an appointment!¡± Tilly snipped, trying to regain his composure.

    Chaz looked bewildered. ¡° I thought I heard someone in here with you¡­These are the lab notes¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you see anyone else here?¡±

    ¡°I do!¡± volunteered Jacob. ¡°If only Tilly knew! Wouldn¡¯t that be delicious, Deke?¡±

    ¡°Are those the logs I requested?¡± asked Tilly.

    ¡°Yes, and before the noon deadline,¡± said Chaz.

    ¡°What about the new protocols and schedule?¡±

    ¡°Alex is working on them right now, and they should be on your desk within the hour.¡±

    Tilly took a deep breath and leaned forward at his desk. ¡°This is all progressing adequately for now. If we continue to work together, there are some things you need to know about me. I demand loyalty, and I have a very long memory. Two years ago, Doctor Kelton tried to embarrass me while presenting his thesis. He didn''t know it at the time, but he made a big mistake. It didn''t sit well with me. It still doesn''t sit well with me. Kelton is not the man to be making earth shattering discoveries. He hasn¡¯t put in the time or effort to be worthy of that kind of recognition. He doesn¡¯t have the intellect to understand or identify the political processes in play.  For that matter, I''m not even convinced that what I''ve seen in the video is real. I have long suspected that Kelton is falsifying his research data. On top of all that, we know he''s delusional. His accounts of a ¡®spirit world¡¯ are simply psychotic.¡±

    ¡°Get that, Doc. You¡¯re psychotic!¡± chirped Jacob to Kelton.

    Kelton shushed Jacob. ¡°I need to hear this.¡±

    Chaz drew in a breath to reply. ¡°I''m not sure what you''ve seen, but...¡±

    Tilly interrupted. ¡° I need to know right now. Are you on my team?¡±

    ¡°On your team?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be blunt because I can be blunt, and there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. If you tell anybody about this conversation, I will simply deny it ever happened. You will be fired and expelled. One way or another, Doctor Kelton''s research will be repudiated. You can help me, or you can be discarded. Dr. Kelton has already been discredited with theft and unauthorized animal and human experimentation. My findings will demonstrate his malfeasance to the board. Between you and me, he might have had some insights that will prove valuable to the NEW team who will be researching and commercializing this technology. With the right guidance, this project could be worth tens of millions of dollars. I plan to put my name on the project. Will your name be beneath mine as we explore and monetize the Tilly-Dixon Effect?¡±

    Cohen said, ¡°Tell me I didn¡¯t see Dr. Tilly wink just now.¡±

    Chaz was momentarily dumbstruck. Kelton could see that Chaz was being charmed by the appeal to his pride.  After a few attempts to reply, Chaz said. ¡°Of course! I''m definitely the man to make it happen. This work is too important to leave anything to chance. You can leave it to Chaz! ¡±

    ¡°Another weak attempt at humor? Get out of my office before I change my mind about you. Get busy. ¡±

    Kelton stood between Chaz and the door.  ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Chaz!¡±

    Chaz walked right through Kelton with a smug half-smile on his face.

    Cohen caught Kelton¡¯s eye. ¡°Here, you¡¯ve got a political problem, I think.¡±

    ¡°What can we do? I need to appear at the hearing. I have a 2-hour drive from the cabin. I have to be out of the box by Noon tomorrow!¡±

    Jacob smiled wickedly at Kelton. ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re gonna make it. Have you got a career plan B?¡±

    ¡°Plan B?¡±

    ¡°Well, Doc, it looks to me like you are out on your ear. Let me see if you got all the details. 1. Nobody knows where you are. At least no one able to get you out of the box. 2. Your body is stuck in the box. 3 Your thread is getting wispy. You may not make it back at all. 4. Your team is turning on you. If that Tilly had a red-hot poker, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate for a second to light you up with it. Take a look at his laptop. He¡¯s inventing new claims and charges for you right now. Making them up out of whole cloth. Most of the list anyway.  Just to be sure, did item seven on the list actually happen? I¡¯m a little disappointed. There¡¯s a lot more stuff he could have added. I expected Tilly to be a lot more creative.¡± Jacob waved at Tilly. ¡° I gotta tell you, I love this guy. He knows how to get what he wants! I¡¯m gonna be surprised if you ever get within 100 feet of the laboratory again. He already has ¡®restraining order for Kelton¡¯ on his task list. Turn him over!¡¯ hooted Jacob, waving both palms toward Kelton. ¡°He¡¯s done on this side. Come to think of it, he¡¯s done on both sides.¡±

    ¡°Are you enjoying this?¡± Kelton asked.

    ¡°I get my fun where I can.¡±

    A chill went through Kelton at Jacobs''s viciousness. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going to ask this. Are you the devil?¡±

    ¡°The devil? Are you serious? I¡¯m no devil. Like I said, we¡¯re all just folks. Getting by day to day.  Are you really a scientist? I got my doubts. Scientists don¡¯t believe in a Devil ¨C or a God.  There is no devil, you meathead. Ask Uncle Milty here.¡± Jacob gestured toward Cohen.

    Cohen shrugged. ¡° My mind is not made up yet. Occam tells me that he is just a schmuck with some occasional useful information. I have no evidence otherwise.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a jerk?¡± objected Jacob. ¡°Looks who¡¯s talking. Your ¡®suggestions¡¯ got our friend here in all this trouble.¡±

    Kelton had enough. He took one last look at Tilly and his laptop.

 Changing Loyalties

    Chapter 15

    SIZZLE

    He was back in lab MCB432. The familiar surroundings comforted him. Alex, Beta and Chaz busied themselves at their desks, their backs to the box¡¯s framework in the center of the room.

    Alex cleared his throat. ¡±OK. I have revised the boilerplate protocols to fit our project. It''s 50 pages of blah blah blah, just exactly what Tilly would want to see. Since we don''t know what''s going on or why it works, I think we''re going to have to publish our observations. In the meantime, I''ve identified 23 experiments that we can run with the Kelton field engaged but nothing inside the box. That should satisfy Tilly and the review board. The experiments will provide more data to the international community so we can develop some theories of operation.¡±

    ¡°Doctor Kelton wanted us to keep this among ourselves. He wanted to avoid a media circus.¡± Beta protested.

    ¡°It doesn''t matter what Deke wanted. Not anymore. He¡¯s off the project. Let¡¯s find out what the community has to say. ¡± Chaz concluded.

    ¡°Deke, now is it?¡± Jacob''s sniggering voice came from behind the coat rack. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were on a first-name basis with the staff. I think your big buddy here is getting a little full of himself.¡± He put his face right in front of Chaz¡¯s, ¡±Ain¡¯t that right, Mr. High and Mighty?¡±

    Chaz brushed his face and shifted in his chair.

    ¡°I came in here to get away from you,¡± Kelton told Jacob.

    ¡°How¡¯d that work for you?¡± Jacob paused to wait for a response from Kelton that didn''t come. ¡°I got news for you, bud. You''re gonna be seeing me around a lot. I¡¯ve been working this gig quite a while and it suddenly got a lot more interesting. I usually like to spend my time in war zones, around criminals and murderers, any place where there''s some excitement and drama. But this one, this gig, has some pathos. This whole thing here is heating up nicely.¡± He spread his arms slowly, his gesture taking in the box, the lab, the protocols, the letter to the board, and even to the administrative offices, ¡°I''m gonna stick around for the fireworks. This could be huge!¡±

    Deke paced around the lab, looking at the work each of the team was doing. The snooping made him uncomfortable, but he couldn¡¯t come up with any other plan to keep in touch with the research. He kept right on reading over their shoulders. Alex was right. It was just a lot of blah, blah, blah. The plan the team had laid out at Tilly¡¯s request was busy work, but it was guaranteed to stretch out the development cycle by months or even years.

    Kelton wanted to see what Jillian was doing, to see her, and to hear her voice, but he definitely didn¡¯t want to lead Jacob back to Jillian. Deke would be happy if Jacob and Jillian never crossed paths. A terrible thought struck him. Can Jacob hear my thoughts? Did I just lead him to Jillian? He watched Jacob closely. Jacob was leaning over Chaz, whispering furiously in his ear. Kelton saw no reaction to his thoughts. He needed to understand this situation better.

    SIZZLE

    Kelton found Cohen on the couch in Tilly¡¯s office. Tilly was nowhere in sight. ¡°Can you help me understand the rules, how things work here?¡±

    Cohen tucked his head and looked past his eyebrows at Kelton. ¡°What little I know, I am happy to share. Mostly I know that I know very little. What do you want to know?¡±

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    Kelton related his terror at the idea that Jacob could read his thoughts.

    Cohen nodded. ¡°This, this, is an interesting question. The short answer is no. I don¡¯t think Jacob can read your thoughts. You may be interested in my longer theory. It¡¯s one I have given much thought to.¡±

    ¡°Right now, I have a lot of time on my hands, with no place to go. Tell me. When will I ever have a chance to learn like this again?¡±

    ¡°First-principles first. What do you see?¡±

    ¡°I see the world as I used to, but very dimly. Everything seems to be lit by its own dim light source. It takes a lot of effort to tell if a lamp is lit or not.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I don¡¯t think you are seeing reflected photons. How could you? You have no photon receptors-no rods or cones in your eyes.¡±

    ¡°So what am I seeing?¡±

    ¡°I believe that everything is projecting its image, for lack of a better term, psychically. We have the ability to receive that psychic projection. The more intelligent the object, the brighter it appears. You may have noticed your ability to illuminate other objects the closer you got to them. I still don¡¯t have a theory why that works, but it seems to be the case.¡±

    Cohen put his hand behind Kelton¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t turn your head. How many fingers am I holding up?¡±

    ¡°You want me to guess?¡±

    ¡°No, I want you to see my hand. You are still seeing things the way you are used to seeing them. Looking out of your eyes. Nudnik, you may not have noticed it yet, but your vision extends 360 degrees in all axes.¡±

    Kelton tried this thought on. It was true. He could focus on single objects, but peripheral vision was completely unlimited. ¡°Three fingers!¡±

    ¡°Gevaldig! You are catching on. You are seeing what I am projecting.¡±

    ¡°In my theory, every atom, every particle projects what it is in all directions. Light and optics have nothing to do with what you see now. It is your intellect, whatever part of you that <u>is</u> you, not your eyes, that receives the projections. It is your intellect that projects how you want to be seen, how you see yourself, to those around you. You are projecting to me your mental image of yourself. Fortunately, your image of yourself includes clothing!¡± Cohen chuckled. ¡°As a mensch, you are different from the inanimate objects. Although you have no atoms projecting their presence, your consciousness somehow projects itself. You are using the same strategies for communication you learned in your body. You want to talk to me like you are speaking using your lips and mouth and vocal chords, all working together. Your intent is for me to hear you, so I hear you. If you want to think I am meshuga, you keep it to yourself; it stays in your head- as though you had a head.¡±

    ¡°So, I could alter my appearance like Jacob did when we first met just by thinking about it?¡±

    ¡°Crawl before you walk, my boy.¡±

    ¡°So, to be clear, I can think things, and they stay private?¡±

    ¡°Your thoughts are your own,¡± said Cohen. ¡°I have no experience and seen no evidence otherwise, but it is a very large universe. Anything that can happen¡­¡±

    A knock came at the door.  When there was no answer, the door opened slightly. ¡°Dr Tilly?¡± It was Chaz at the door. The door swung open, and Chaz entered the room carrying a stack of papers. He looked around the room, admired the plaques and diplomas on the wall, and walked around the desk. He placed the stack of papers centrally in the workspace. ¡°Dr. Tilly will see these the first thing when he walks into his office.¡± Chaz looked around furtively as though looking for a security camera. He sat down in Tilly¡¯s oversized office chair. The chair was set low, so Chaz¡¯s knees extended almost to the desktop. He swiveled back and forth. He picked his nose, rooted around with his finger inserted almost to the second knuckle, sighed with satisfaction, and threw the booger on the floor.

    Cohen and Kelton watched the performance with gritted teeth. They struggled for a few seconds, and then both burst out in embarrassed laughter. ¡°When you get out of the box, my friend,¡± Cohen chortled, ¡°Always remember, you might not be alone!¡±

    A noise came from the hallway; Chaz jumped up, straightened the chair, and quickly left the room.

    Kelton walked to the desk and leaned over the papers. He read the cover page out loud. ¡°Protocol Registry and Project Timeline for Undefined Field Research.¡±

    ¡°Nu? I think your team is giving conflicting signals.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to check in on them,¡± said Kelton.

 A Millennial Romance?

    Chapter 16

    SIZZLE

    Back in the laboratory, Kelton looked around. He tried out his newly discovered 360-degree vision. Beta and Alex were the only ones left in the lab. Maybe Jacob was shadowing Chaz, wherever he was.

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into Chaz?¡± asked Beta. ¡°He used to be so much easier to be around. He has turned against Dr. Kelton. And what a micromanager! I feel like he¡¯s hovering over me every second, checking every mouse click, correcting every entry.¡±

    ¡°I think Tilly has turned him to the dark side. I think he¡¯s gonna turn out to be an astronomer.¡±

    Beta looked at Alex, puzzled for a second, and then their face lit up with a smile. Beta joined in the joke. ¡°You mean he¡¯s going to be a proctologist?¡±

    ¡°No. That would make him an asphyxiator.¡± Alex grinned.

    Beta laughed out loud.

    Kelton could see that Alex really liked the sound of Beta¡¯s laugh.

    Through their laughter, Beta said, ¡°I think he¡¯ll be a Naval Astrogator.¡±

    Now, it was Alex¡¯s turn to look puzzled.

    ¡°You know, an astronomer who has to peer out through his belly button to see where he¡¯s going.¡±

    Alex laughed so hard that tears came out of his eyes. ¡°I really like a joke you have to work for.¡±

    The laughter died down, and a silence descended. Kelton sensed that a private moment was coming. There was something happening between these two very awkward people that he really liked. He was fascinated and should give them privacy ¡­ and couldn¡¯t look away.

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    ¡° So¡­ Beta.¡± Alex started.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Do you think we could, you know, go to a movie or dinner or something?¡±

    ¡°You mean, like a date?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah.¡±

    ¡°I like you a lot,¡± said Beta. ¡°But I¡­ Are you wired for that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Alex said. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve always been wired for AC. I am attracted to you. But I¡¯m not sure I can work with DC. It¡¯s kind of tricky for me.¡±

    ¡° I can understand that.¡± Beta said. ¡°It¡¯s not always clear to me either. I¡®ve felt attracted to you. It¡¯s hard for me to make those kind of connections. I¡¯ve never had a boyfriend or a girlfriend.¡±

    Alex stammered. ¡° I had a girlfriend once. For a little while. No. What I¡¯m trying to say is. I like the way you look. I like the way you talk. I like being around you. You are great. You are fun. You are the whole package. I¡¯m a little concerned about¡­I don¡¯t know how to say it ... Logistics?¡±

    Beta had the puzzled look on their face again.

    ¡°You can do it!¡± Encouraged Kelton.

    Alex stumbled on. ¡°Well, you know. It¡¯s like this¡­Genetically, I¡¯m XY. Maybe XYY, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never actually been tested...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re getting sidetracked. Get back on the subject,¡± Kelton whispered.

    ¡°Well, what I am saying is for us to have ¡®that kind¡¯ of relationship,¡± Alex held up air quotes, ¡° your genetics are important. To me. A lot of people would say that shouldn¡¯t be important. But it is. To me. So I kind of need to know. I mean. No matter what, we will always be friends, but¡­¡±

    Kelton could see that Beta was kind of enjoying watching Alex stumble. Alex was usually so glib, always quick with a quip or a well-timed observation. This was entirely out of character for him. He had never seen Alex working so hard to be politically correct. Kelton was expecting a sanctimonious reply from Beta and was surprised when Beta let Alex off the hook.

    Beta put their hand on Alex¡¯s knee. Alex stopped stammering. ¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± Beta said. ¡°We are XX.¡±

    Alex let out the breath he had been holding. ¡°I can work with that.¡± He said with a broad and relieved smile on his face. ¡°You maybe wanna get some dinner after the hearing?¡±

    Beta¡¯s face lit up. ¡°That¡¯d be cool. Let¡¯s do it... I mean, let¡¯s get dinner... Together.¡± Beta stammered.

    Kelton laughed with happiness at their unlikely connection.

    Watching them set up a date made Kelton¡¯s thoughts turn to Jillian. He scanned the area once again for Jacob. He was nowhere in sight.

 You Are Only Coming Through in Waves

    Chapter 17

    SIZZLE

    Jillian and her mother were in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Jillian was busy cooking the spinach and peeling the cooked potatoes while Maji patted and stretched the dough for the Naan. There was something missing. He realized immediately that the delicious smells of Maji¡¯s cooking, the meats, vegetables, and spices, were missing. He could smell nothing. Deke was surprised at how much this bothered him. He missed the wonderful smell of this kitchen. His mind wandered a little as he wondered why spices projected their visual image but not their smells. Maybe they don¡¯t know what they smell like? The sound of Jillian humming brought his attention back to the kitchen.

    Deke liked being here. It was a happy place for him. Deke had been very worried about meeting Jillian¡¯s parents. He was afraid they weren¡¯t going to like the Irish boy with red hair who was going to marry their daughter. He didn¡¯t have to worry. They got along wonderfully from the very first meeting. Her father had encouraged Deke to call him by his first name, Debasis or Dev. Her mother insisted that Deke call her Maa. Deke learned later from Jillian that Maa meant exactly what it sounded like: mother. Jillian suggested that he could score some points with her mother if he modified Maa to Maji. She explained that adding the ¡°ji¡± would communicate more love and respect. Her mother was delighted the first time he called her Maji, so he had called her Maji ever since.

    Deke smiled, remembering the joke that Dev had told him at dinner that first night. ¡°Do you know what they call Indian food in Mumbai?¡± Not waiting for a response, Dev laughed. ¡°They call it food!¡±

    Kelton listened for a few minutes as Jillian and Maji talked about the garden and the weather.

    ¡°I miss you, Rani,¡± Deke whispered.

    Jillian¡¯s face clouded. ¡°Oh, Maa. Why hasn¡¯t he called? I haven¡¯t gotten a message since Saturday. Has something happened to him?¡±

    ¡°Have you tried to call him, Mitti?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It goes right to voicemail. I have already left three messages. But he hasn¡¯t called back. I don¡¯t know if he is angry or in the hospital. He still has that bandage on his neck. Did he tear his stitches? Did his experiment finally kill him? Is he dead? I should never have left him.¡±

    ¡°What about that nice ..uh.. person who works for Deke.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Beta? That¡¯s a good idea. I can call Beta.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK,¡± said Deke.¡± I¡¯m OK. Everything is going to be OK.¡±

    Jillian left the kitchen and walked out on the back porch, dialing her phone. She talked for a few minutes while Deke watched.  She came back into the kitchen.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°They haven¡¯t seen Deke since the day I walked out on him. Beta is worried about him, too. Beta told me that he is required to attend a hearing tomorrow. He may be fired, and any claims to his work may be revoked. Beta said Deke was very upset when he received the hearing notice. It has been five days today since he has been seen or talked to by anybody. I¡¯m more worried than ever.¡±

    ¡°What time is the hearing? Your Deke will have to be there. Maybe you can see him and talk to him then.¡±

    ¡°Late tomorrow afternoon.¡±

    They talked some more and decided that they would enjoy a nice Saag Aloo dinner, and Jillian would drive home early in the morning.

    Deke sat in the room with Jillian and Maji for the rest of the evening, watched television with them, and listened with interest to their conversations about family, friends, and the weather. It really wasn¡¯t much different from any other night at home. Deke rarely contributed to a conversation, but he enjoyed participating as a listener. The connections were precious to him.

    After a few hours, Gillian said goodnight to her mother and went to her bedroom. Deke followed behind, wanting to put his arms around her waist and nuzzle her neck.

    Jillian put on her pajamas and laid down on her side of the bed. Deke lay down on his side of the bed. Deke stared at the ceiling. His heart was breaking for Jillian. He had been unable to come up with a plan to get out of the Box. He had no idea when he would be able to be with her physically again. Or even if he could be with her again. Deke was unsure whether Jacob was telling the truth about his silver thread getting weaker. How long could he stay out of his body? This was all new territory for him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He tried to tell Jillian.¡± I¡¯m sorry I got back in the box again. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t stop you from driving off. I¡¯m sorry we¡¯re not at the dinner table tonight eating leftovers and figuring out how we were going to pay for everything. I want things like they were. This is so hard.¡± He heard a sniff from the other side of the bed. He saw Jillian wiping tears from her eyes.

    I¡¯m just making things worse by being here, he thought. She¡¯s picking up something from my presence, some kind of vibration, but it¡¯s not comforting her. A new thought occurred to him.

    ¡°Rani, go to your parents¡¯ cabin,¡± Deke whispered into her ear. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯ll find me. I¡¯m in the garage, I¡¯m in the Box. Next to the boat.  You just have to unplug the power supply and wait about 15 minutes. Then we can be together again.¡± Deke repeated the message at least three times. Jillian continued to cry. Her sobs gradually diminished.

    A voice came from outside the door. ¡°Mitti, are you ok?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK, Maa. Just a little sad.¡±

    ¡°Try and get some sleep,¡± her mother said softly.

    Within a few minutes, Jillian had already cried herself to sleep. Deke wanted to let her sleep, so he gave up trying to talk to her.

    He lay at her side for a few more minutes.  I can¡¯t do any good here, he thought. I¡¯m probably upsetting her, just like her dad did.

    ¡°I have the entire world just a step away. Where are the answers?¡± He thought of his parents and grandparents. They were practicing Catholics. He thought of Dev and Maji¡¯s Islamic roots. They weren¡¯t very religious but still took part in the traditions and customs of Islam.  Deke and Jillian were both scientists and had no interest in religion - until just a few days ago when his worldview changed. His experience of the last few days was pretty convincing that there were flaws in his philosophy. ¡°Mike Tyson was right when he said, ¡®Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.¡¯ I took a pretty good punch. I need a new plan.¡±

    Maybe Jerusalem might be a good place to look? His people, Jillian¡¯s people, and even Dr Cohen¡¯s people had ties there.  He thought about it for a few seconds, nodded his head, and rolled off the bed. Jillian continued to sleep.

 "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

    Chapter 18

    SIZZLE

    Deke found himself outside the wailing wall in Jerusalem. He could tell that it was still early morning; there were many embodied who were setting up their kiosks and booths, getting ready for the new day. The courtyard was brightened by thousands of the disembodied who were gathered here. He wanted a higher viewpoint. He shifted to the top of the wall and looked out over the crowds. They were gathered in groups of various sizes. Each group congregated around one or two of the disembodied who seemed to be preaching to the groups.  Some of the disembodied wandered from group to group. Kelton had just decided to join the largest group to get a better understanding when a voice came from his left.

    ¡°We may want to find another place to go. There are those behind you who won¡¯t take kindly to our standing on this wall.¡¯

    Kelton recognized him. ¡°Zenek?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and you are Dr. Kelton.¡± Deke was a little flattered that Zenek remembered his name. ¡°You are surprised! Bey Xan! Be not surprised I remember you. You have created a small stir. Oh, we get sometimes the holy man or yogi wandering around with the silver thread, but, as far as I know, you are our first man of science. I have been trying to keep up with you as you jump, jump, jump from here to there and there to here. In and out of your body.  I would like to talk to you. But not here. There is no point in angering the children of Ishmael behind you.¡±

    Deke turned his attention to the gardens surrounding the shrine. Tens of thousands more of the disembodied were gathered there in groups similar to the groups in the courtyard below. He put his hand on Zenek¡¯s shoulder, and Deke found himself back in the courtyard, surrounded by the tens of thousands gathered here. The clamor was overwhelming. Thousands were speaking and arguing. Some groups were listening in rapt attention to a speaker at the center of each group.

    Kelton turned his attention to Zenek. ¡°I need some help. I need to get back to my body,¡± he shouted, trying to be heard over the tumult.

    ¡°No need to shout, my friend! You focus on me, and I will focus on you. We can talk normally.¡±

    Deke shifted his focus to Zenek. The background noise fell to a low buzz. ¡° That¡¯s cool. I wish I could do that in a noisy restaurant.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± asked Zenek.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here a while, haven¡¯t you, Zenek?¡± Kelton guessed that Zenek had forgotten some of what it meant to have a body.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have ever been in a restaurant! Time is a little different where we are, but Ja¡¯aj ¨C yes, I have been here for quite a while.¡±

    Kelton¡¯s mind wandered. The entire universe was at his fingertips. New thoughts and experiences were coming at him from every angle. The background noise began to increase.  It was too easy to get distracted. He had come here looking for help getting back to his body, but even out of his body, ADD threatened to derail him. Kelton¡¯s native curiosity threatened to sidetrack his objectives. He wrestled his attention back to Zenek. The background noise subsided.

    ¡° I need to get a message to someone. How do I communicate to the embodied?¡±

    ¡° The embodied?¡± asked Zenek.

    ¡° You know, the living.¡±

    ¡°Living? Look around you, do you see any dead here? They are all looking lively to me!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I call them the embodied. They have a physical body.¡±

    ¡° Ma¡¯aloub- Good! I think of them as souls. So! You see already that those souls have two parts. What are those parts? What does your recent experience tell you?¡±

    Kelton struggled to answer ¡°Body and ¡­¡± Kelton was still not ready to use the word spirit. ¡°Mind?¡±

    Zenek waggled his head. ¡°Not bad¡­ I would use another word, but that works.¡±

    ¡°So, how do I communicate? I need to get a message to someone to turn off the box my body is in.¡±

    Zenek patted the air with both hands. ¡°Patience. We get there when you are ready. I think you know what a body is. For that matter. I think you know what the mind is.¡±

    ¡°I do?¡±

    ¡°OK. I¡¯ll show you. Tell me about an experience you had while in your body when you wanted to remember something important but couldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡° In my work, I often refer to the formula for thermal electric analogy for RC circuits. I often use it, but I have to look it up every time.¡±

    ¡° And what is that formula?¡±

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    ¡°T of t equals T sub infinity, plus the quantity of T sub zero minus T sub infinity, times e raised to the power of negative t divided by the product of R sub th and C sub th.¡±

    ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t forgotten it. What else haven¡¯t you forgotten?¡±

    Kelton¡¯s mind flashed every moment of his life. Every thought, feeling, experience, conversation, every word he had ever read, every smell, every taste. He staggered at the rush.

    ¡°Pretty impressive use of a rhetorical question, no? ¡°Zenek asked with a proud smile. ¡°So then, does your brain contain all of that information?¡±

    ¡°My brain doesn¡¯t work like that. I think the information is there, but not that easy to access.¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm. So then, where is that information stored?¡±

    ¡°My mind. As you demonstrated.¡± Kelton felt a rise of impatience. ¡°What, is the brain chemistry limited? Is the mind-brain interface limited somehow?¡±

    ¡°Ha Ha!¡± Zenek gave an encouraging laugh. ¡°That is an excellent question that you may find you have already answered. Now, ask yourself. What is your mind?¡±

    ¡°What I have seen so far would suggest that it is a collection of all of my experiences and thoughts. My self-image¡±

    ¡°That covers some of your past. What about the future?¡±

    ¡°My ability to make choices and observe my surroundings?¡±

    ¡°That will do for a start,¡± said Zenek.

    Zenek¡¯s condescending tone irritated Kelton.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get impatient. You are drinking from the waterfall. A good place to get water, but if you get in too deep, too close, it will take your head off. You¡¯ve got a good head. Let¡¯s keep it where it belongs!¡±

    ¡°The next question. Where are you storing all of this information? What do you know that can be applied?¡±

    Kelton thought about the question. ¡°Philosophy 101. Descartes had a lot to say about the connection between the body and the mind. How does the immaterial interact with the material? There has to be some interface. An infinite number of divisions or steps between them. That doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±

    ¡°I met Rene¡¯. Delighted, he was to learn what he had guessed right. Even more delighted to learn where he had guessed wrong. You, though, you are on the right track. Continue!¡±

    Kelton made a mental note to come back around to ask to meet the great scientists and philosophers, but he was on a roll now with the mind/body connection.

    ¡°I can¡¯t touch anything, and I can¡¯t taste or smell, but I do feel intangibles. I can¡¯t hear noises, but I am able to ¡®hear¡¯ people- when they are projecting or intend to be heard.  I am experiencing emotions, and feel the emotions that are projected by others. I am not seeing with my eyes. My memory is perfect. I can relive every detail of my life. But where is the new information processed, where is the memory stored? There must be something tangible. Nothing comes from nothing. Is my mind an organization of subatomic particles? Each particle storing bits of information in its individual spin? Or is it an energy force?  But we are projecting our thoughts and images to each other. So, if they are particles, they are behaving simultaneously as particles and waves. At a level of reduction where energy turns into matter and vice versa?¡±

    ¡°Such a vocabulary! I must say, it has gotten easier in recent years to discuss this with scientists. We used to have to start out with discussions of a fine type of matter that couldn¡¯t be seen or touched. It always took a while to get to where you are now.¡±  Kelton felt just a glimmer of new understanding of the Universe dawning. He felt like a flat earther who had been content with the image of the earth riding on a turtle and then questioned, ¡®What was it that the turtle was standing on.¡¯ Kelton was peering into the infinity that was ¡®turtles all the way down¡¯. He was a grain of sand in a universe of things to be learned and understood.

    ¡°Here¡¯s an extra credit question. How much space does your mind occupy?¡±

    Kelton mulled it over. ¡°Does it occupy space? I can store all the maps of the globe and satellite imagery of everything on a single thumb drive. But the thumb drive itself doesn¡¯t get any bigger no matter how much information I put into it.¡±

    ¡°You are generally correct and precisely wrong. You have much to learn, but you have a good foundation to build on ¡­ but close enough for our purposes of answering your other questions,¡± Zenek went on.

    ¡°Other questions?¡±

    ¡°Did I distract you? You wanted to know how to communicate, yes,  with the souls, with the ¡®embodied¡¯ as you call them¡±.

    ¡°I guess my mind was elsewhere. Yes. How do I communicate with Jillian or Alex  or anybody?¡±

    ¡°Again, can you apply what you already know and observe?¡±

    ¡°None of them have heard me. I have tried to communicate. She did seem to be affected by her father¡¯s presence. She felt him. He was making her cry. She also seemed to feel me nearby. I think I was able to offer her some comfort, but I added some distress as well. So why can¡¯t I get a simple message to her?¡±

    Zenek nodded. ¡°Go on. You are doing well.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t remember anything that happened out of my body. At least not for many hours, then it hit me all at once.¡±

    ¡°You are a special case, Dr. Kelton,¡± smiled Zenek. ¡°That is why I have been giving you so much attention. Your circumstances and recall of events that happened while you were outside your body is unique. But¡­you did remember at least one other thing before that event in the doorway, right?¡±

    Deke reviewed the events of the last few days. A point of light emerged. ¡°I knew the nurse¡¯s name and remembered her smile. Jillian asked me how I knew her. I had only seen her smile and heard her name while my body was in the box. I knew her name when I first saw her. That was before the big memory download.¡± Kelton mused. ¡°I do not see how that bit of information helps me communicate.¡±

    ¡°Have you been learning new things while you have been with me, or have you been remembering what you already know?¡±

    ¡°I  guess I have been remembering things I already knew or experienced, but your questions have been incredibly helpful in organizing the memories.¡±

    ¡°I like to do what I can. So, you can¡¯t get a message directly to your wife. How can you use what you have learned?¡±

    ¡°Can I share feelings with her that will stir memories to make her want to go to the cabin?¡± asked Kelton

    ¡°I think the most important things we learn feel like we are remembering something we already knew.¡±

    ¡° Are you answering my question?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± asked Zenek.

    ¡°I think I want to give it a try. ¡±

    ¡°Be patient. You have hours before she is awake.¡±

    ¡°Can I talk to her in her dreams?¡±

    ¡°Pak¡¯ ach.  Slow down a little. Are you getting ahead of yourself? Isn¡¯t there another factor that you need to consider?¡±

    Kelton didn¡¯t know how to respond. He was irritated that Zenek wouldn¡¯t just answer questions and simultaneously thrilled with the answers he was discovering within himself. ¡° Can you give me a hint?¡±

    Zenek smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s take a little field trip.¡± He put his hand on Kelton''s shoulder.

 A Glimpse of Hell?

    Chapter 19

    SIZZLE

    The disk of the earth spun in a sea of blackness. The moon peeked out from behind the earth. Kelton found himself seated next to Zenek on the solar collector array of a satellite 30,000 miles above the Earth. The sun hung in the sky behind them.

    Kelton was astounded. ¡°Breathtaking¡± was all he could manage to say.

    Zenek laughed. ¡°That word doesn¡¯t really apply,  but it is amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Hold on. I tried to travel to the moon earlier. Why couldn¡¯t I do it? How did we get here?¡±

    ¡°Does a baby walk before it crawls?¡± asked Zenek. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on today''s lesson. Tell me, what do you know about satellite communication, specifically about signal-to-noise ratios?¡±

    ¡°Well, the satellite receives a signal from the earth, amplifies it, and relays the signal to the ground.¡±

    ¡°How powerful is that amplifier?¡±

    ¡°They range between 2 and 20 watts. Really not terribly powerful. The bulb in a nightlight is more powerful than a lot of the transmitters on this satellite.¡±

    ¡°You have gotten right to my point. So, what is illuminated by this transmission?¡±

    ¡°Everything in its beam path. Everyone and everything. Entire continents¡±

    Zenek put his hand on Kelton¡¯s shoulder again.

    SIZZLE

    Kelton now found himself in a large antenna farm. There were many satellite antennas pointed at the sky.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s jump to the point. How do these antennas apply to your dilemma?¡±

    ¡°We are irradiated by hundreds of satellites every time we step outside. However, in order to get a usable signal, we need to focus on the signal source.  But there are so many other objects producing noise in the electromagnetic spectrum, the listener has to be tuned in and focused on the sender.¡± As Kelton turned the ideas over in his mind, he began to be overwhelmed by the difficulty he faced in getting a message to Gillian. ¡°It¡¯s going to be just about impossible, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Difficult, yes. But not impossible.¡± Said Zenek. ¡°Many events need to converge. All you have to do is try to communicate with her when 1. She is thinking or focused on you. 2. Her mind is quiet enough that you aren¡¯t competing with ideas, music, television, or conversations. 3. Her mind isn¡¯t on other things like hunger, fatigue, and stress. Anger could get in the way as well. Emotions create a lot of noise. These are all things that introduce noise into the signal, and like the satellite transmitter, your signal is very weak indeed - compared to everything else going on around her. You know her better than anybody. When is her mind the quietest?¡±

    ¡°Probably when she is just waking up.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a good time to me. I encourage you to try it then.¡±

    ¡°What about when she is asleep? Can I appear to her in a dream?¡±

    ¡°You can try. A baby can make the occasional brick while playing in the mud. That is a pretty advanced procedure. I don¡¯t hold out much hope for success.¡±

    ¡°You have the experience! Can you give her my message?¡±

    ¡°How much focus has she given me in the past? She isn¡¯t tuned in to me any more than the billions of people who have lived and died.  There¡¯s really no hope for communication.¡±

    ¡°But Dr. Cohen said he had some influence on me. Why can¡¯t you influence Gillian the same way?¡±

    ¡°Dr. Cohen had been waiting decades for someone with objectives similar to his. You weren¡¯t focused on him, but you were both focused on solving the same problems. Your unity in problem-solving created a conduit between you. You did spend a lot of time mulling over your research, no?¡±

    Kelton reluctantly admitted that that made sense.

    ¡°You have a few hours before she wakes up. Would you like a guide in your explorations?¡±

    ¡°Where should we go?¡±

    ¡°That depends on what you want to learn.¡±

    Kelton closed his eyes.  Struggling with his thoughts. ¡°I want to see God. Can you take me to God?¡±

    ¡°Are you ready for that?¡±

    Kelton felt suddenly angry. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be ready? When I read accounts of near-death experiences, the reports always include music, love and light, beautiful colors, beautiful scenery, and beautiful buildings. They encounter a being of pure love who meets and guides them. They meet relatives who have passed on. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I''ve seen a lot of amazing things, but I have seen nothing that inspires me to believe in God.¡±

    ¡°Ma'' ma''alob a ka''aj? No kidding? What do you see?¡± asked Zenek in surprise.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Everything is dark, like twilight, in shades of gray. I see no colors. I can tell if a light is on or off. I can tell there is a sun or a moon in the sky, but it gives no more light than the moon. Every object projects its own pale light. People seem to produce their own slightly brighter light. Your light is somewhat brighter than mine, but nothing like I would have expected it to be. Everything looks normal, just darker.¡±

    ¡°So why are you not receiving the projections that others claim to be getting?¡±

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you answer my questions?¡± exploded Kelton. ¡°All I get from you is more questions!¡±

    ¡°Why are you asking questions that you already know the answer to? The answers are there inside you.¡±

    Completely frustrated, Kelton pleaded. ¡°How about just a clue? Just a hint of where I should be looking, what I should be thinking!¡±

    Zenek chuckled and asked, ¡°What other purpose could I have with my questions?¡±

    He had walked right into that. Slowly, he shook his head and laughed at himself. ¡°OK. We will come back to that.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s try another approach.¡± Said Zenek. ¡°While you have been on this side, did you ever feel in touch with the infinite?¡±

    ¡° There was a beautiful moment when I found out that Gillian was pregnant. I couldn¡¯t see them, but I felt the presence of family. My grandparents, Gillian¡¯s family. There may have been thousands of family members there. I can¡¯t describe it. It was a wonderful moment. My focus was shifted when I saw the light from the baby in Gillian''s abdomen.¡±

    ¡°So, was the family gathering a short-lived event? Or did you get a glimpse into ¡®the way things are¡¯ in eternities? Don¡¯t feel like you need to answer that today, but I do want to know - why were you able to experience it?¡±

    ¡°Because that¡¯s where my focus was, and for a short time, all the noise and distractions fell away.¡± acknowledged Kelton.

    ¡°It¡¯s really kind of simple, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Can¡¯t you even confirm my answer without making it a question?¡±

    ¡°Now your answers are questions! Do you think it¡¯s contagious?¡± Zenek said with a wink.

    ¡°So, take me to God,¡± Kelton said, getting back to the subject.

    ¡°When you are ready.¡± Zenek put his hand on his shoulder.

    SIZZLE

    They stood in the center of a Black tie state event. The US president was there. There were world leaders milling through the crowds; kings, queens, and dignitaries of all sorts were talking, laughing, and drinking wine. Celebrities and stars with a connection to green energy were everywhere. Speechless, Kelton walked through mingling crowds with Zenek close behind him.

    Zenek said,  ¡°Oh, and look over there.  There is Shawn Qu and Jesse Jenkins.¡±

    Kelton was awestruck. ¡°I have always wanted to meet them. Their work is amazing!¡±

    Zenek continued. ¡° They are being honored for their work in solar energy generation. Let¡¯s pretend that you are going to meet them, the president, and everyone else here. You get to discuss your work with them. How would you feel about that.¡±

    ¡°I would be excited and very nervous. I really don¡¯t think I fit in here. At least not yet.¡±

    ¡°Look at your shoes.¡±

    Kelton looked down at his shoes. They were scuffed and dusty. A hole in his sock was visible through a tear in the toe cap. Kelton instinctively tried to hide the hole.

    ¡°How about that stain on your shirt?¡±

    Kelton threw his hands back and looked at the tuxedo shirt he was now wearing. There was a large smear of mustard just below his bowtie. Kelton pulled his lapels, trying to cover the stain. The stain remained prominent.

    ¡°And what about that tear in your pants?¡±

    Kelton twisted himself to be able to see his backside. A large three-corner tear flapped at his thigh. ¡° My bare butt is hanging out! Let¡¯s get out of here!¡±

    Kelton couldn¡¯t remember ever feeling so exposed. He was certain that everyone in the room was aware of his clothing, and they were politely ignoring him. It was worse than the schoolboy dreams of presenting a report at the front of the class and realizing he was in his underwear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to meet Jenkins and Qu?¡±

    ¡°Not looking like this!¡± Kelton huffed.

    ¡°Do you think they would not be happy to meet you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they are perfectly nice people who would be very interested to hear about my work. But I won¡¯t be able to think clearly. I don¡¯t fit here. I¡¯m out of my league. I¡¯m not prepared! Let¡¯s get out of here!¡±

    ¡°Relax, they can¡¯t see you or me. And your clothes are fine. It was just a little object lesson.¡± Once again, Zenek put his hand on Kelton¡¯s shoulder.

    SIZZLE

    Kelton and Zenek were once again shoulder-to-shoulder with the crowds outside the western wall in Jerusalem.

    ¡°What was all that about?¡± asked Kelton.

    ¡°The very same question I was about to ask you. You wanted a hint. I gave you a hint.¡±

    ¡°I have never felt so naked, exposed, vulnerable, and ashamed in my entire life.¡±

    ¡°How would you like to spend the rest of eternity feeling like that?¡±

    The thought filled Kelton with horror.

    ¡°Now ask yourself: What if instead of the beautiful and important people of the world, you were going to approach the most beautiful and loving Being in the universe? One whose love will overwhelm and fill you with the certain knowledge that you are not worthy to be in that presence. Your every flaw exposed to God¡¯s penetrating gaze. He wants you there, but you cannot stand to be there. You think the mustard stain was bad? What about the stain that every petty or selfish act has left on your psyche? The corners cut, the anger and violence that you have expressed. Your memory of your entire life is more accessible to you than ever before. Do you have memories of anything that you are ashamed of?¡±

    Thousands of incidents, maybe even tens of thousands of dirty little deeds and secrets, flashed through Kelton¡¯s vision. He desperately tried to keep them to himself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Zenek said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know. I have enough of my own to remember. Every dirty secret you have is laid bare when you meet God. It¡¯s just the way things are. You have forgotten nothing. It''s all there, and nothing can be hidden from God. You felt shame when you thought your backside was hanging out. How will you feel when that shame is multiplied by factors of millions and billions?¡±

    ¡°That would be hell.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it would,¡± confirmed Zenek.

    Kellan protested, ¡°If there is a God, and God loves me, why would he make me feel that way?¡±

    ¡°Can you imagine that a loving God would want you to feel that way?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Deke felt like Zenek was looking into his heart when Zenek said, ¡°Neither can I. But before you conclude that this is proof that there is no God or God doesn¡¯t love us. You already know there is a way to be reconciled- to clear your conscience. Try to remember what that would be. You are on the right path. It¡¯s an important one.¡±

    Kelton was silent.

    Zenek broke the silence. ¡°Let¡¯s try out another path of inquiry. Is there another explanation that reconciles the two thoughts? Directly to the point - does God get everything he wants?¡±

    Once again, Kelton felt like he was peeking over the edge of his flat earth.

    ¡°I will leave you with that question.¡¯ Zenek clapped his hands together. ¡°This might be a good time you went back to your wife. She will be waking up soon. Can you apply what you have learned that you already knew?¡±

    ¡°Will you come with me?¡±

    ¡°Do you need me to?¡±

    Kelton thought it over and then smiled. ¡°Are you ever going to stop answering my questions with questions?¡±

    ¡°Would you find that useful?¡± Zenek asked with a wink of his eye. ¡°Good luck! I hope you can get out of your box in time for your hearing. It¡¯s just 9 hours away now.¡± With that, Zenek was gone.

    Kelton thought of Gillian.

 Plan B

    Chapter 20

    SIZZLE

    He was at her side. She was still asleep in bed. She had rolled to the very edge of her side of the bed, the crook of her elbow over the bridge of her nose, trying to keep out the morning light. She was starting to stir.

    Deke lay down on his side of the bed. ¡°Good morning, Rani!¡± He whispered. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me. I¡¯m ok, but I need your help.¡± He knew he needed to share ideas with her that would awaken her memories of the cabin. ¡°I have been thinking about the good times you and I had at your parent''s cabin at Heaven Lake. We just had each other there. No phones, no TV. We were just able to give each other our full attention. Sharing our dreams while we walked along the shore in the twilight is one of my most precious memories. The smells of the laurel and pine trees and the sounds of the waterbirds were so clear as they glided over the still water. I added such new depths to my feelings for you that day, and I love you even more today.¡± Deke was overcome by his feelings for Gillian. Reminding her of their experiences together reawakened his own memories. He remembered every detail, every sight, sound, and smell. For a few minutes, he was there. He tried to share every detail with Gillian.

    She began to stir. Tears formed on the eyelashes of her mostly closed eyes. She curled into a fetal position. ¡°Oh, Deke! Where are you?¡± she turned over on her back and slowly opened her eyes. She stared at the ceiling. Deke repeated his message over and over while she lay there.

    Without warning, Gillian rolled out of bed, looked at her phone, sighed, threw her robe over her pajamas, and walked to the kitchen. Her mother was there laying out a breakfast of cucumber slices, toast, and yogurt. ¡°Maa! I just checked my messages. Still no message! Nothing since Saturday. Has something happened to him? Has he had an accident somewhere? Is he unconscious in the hospital?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you said yesterday. Maybe it¡¯s time to call the police,¡± her mother said quietly.

    Gillian nodded. She took the phone from the pocket in her robe and dialed. She asked for the missing persons dept. She repeated Deke''s description, the description of his car, and details about his habits to three different officers. After 45 minutes on the phone, she sighed and hung up.

    Gillian turned to her mother. ¡°They didn¡¯t seem to be too concerned. There are no accidents reported and no John Doe reports. They said I should come into the station if he doesn¡¯t show up in the next few days. I am still worried. I need to see him. I guess I will show up for the hearing this afternoon. He should show up for that, right?¡±

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Deke, following closely behind Gillian, said, ¡°Rani. I won¡¯t be at the hearing. I don¡¯t care about that. You know I hate all that academic posturing and preening. Remember the cabin. Remember how happy we were there. That would be the place to look for me. That¡¯s exactly where you should expect to find me. Come find me there.¡±

    Gillian got dressed and packed her suitcase. She told her mother goodbye and got back in the car for the long drive home. Deke sat beside her in the passenger seat. Deke shared every thought and memory he had of the two of them at the cabin. He reminded her of stories that she had told him about happy childhood memories at Heaven Lake.

    Gillian turned on the radio and listened to Morning Edition on NPR.

    ¡°Not now, Rani! I¡¯m trying to talk with you,¡± Deke pleaded.

    Gillian drove on. She switched the channel to an oldies station. She hummed along with the tunes she knew.  Deke continued to try to nudge her memories. They were just a few miles from the turnoff to Heaven Lake now.

    Deke became more frantic. He had said everything he could think of. ¡°Please, Rani! Come find me at the cabin. You must know that¡¯s where I would go.¡±

    Gillian started crying again. She slowed the car and pulled off to the side. She turned the radio off.  She threw her hands up. ¡°Deke, where are you? I can¡¯t take this anymore!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m at the cabin in Heaven Lake. Come get me. Pull the plug on the box. We¡¯ll be together again.¡± Deke whispered gently in her ear. ¡°Look, there¡¯s the sign for the Heaven Lake turnoff. Turn in there. We will be so happy to see each other!¡±

    Gillian¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Oh, Hi, Beta!¡± Gillian sniffed back her tears. ¡°No. I still haven¡¯t heard from him ¡­ You haven¡¯t heard from him either? ¡­Deke¡¯s a big boy; he can take care of himself¡­. Yes, I am worried¡­ well, I talked to the police. There are no reported accidents involving a Nova and no John Doe reports¡­ oh you mean the hearing? I am hoping he¡¯ll be there. I am going to be there just in case he shows¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ either that or punch him in the face.¡± Deke was relieved to hear Gillian laugh a little when she mentioned the punch. He gave Beta a mental thank you.  ¡°¡­If he¡¯s not at the hearing, I¡¯m going to go check in on my parent¡¯s cabin. He might have gone there to get away for a while. But I just can¡¯t imagine that he would let anything stop him from being at the hearing. Ok, Beta, see you in a few hours.¡±

    Gillian dropped her phone on the passenger seat and pulled back onto the highway.

    ¡°Turn, Turn, Turn!¡± shouted Deke as they drove past the turnoff. Gillian continued straight ahead. She was headed home. She turned the radio back on and listened to the traffic report. Deke could tell she was expecting to hear the accident report that never came.

    Gillian continued straight ahead. She was headed home. She turned the radio back on to listen to the traffic report. ¡°No accidents! No accidents!¡± She pleaded in a whisper to the universe.

    ¡°Ok.¡± Deke sighed. ¡°On to Plan B. Whatever that is.¡± As the miles went by, Deke formulated and discarded plan after plan. He still needed to get a message through. He thought about his first experience in the box. It took many hours before he recalled any of his experiences. He wondered if having been in the box, being exposed to the eternities, would make Beta or Alex more receptive to a message. ¡°Let¡¯s see what I can do with Alex and Beta,¡± he concluded.

 Who are You Calling a Seismologist?

    Chapter 21

    SIZZLE

    Alex, Beta, and Chaz sat around the utility table in the lab, hunched over their laptops.

    Chaz was talking loudly, ¡°¡­ until 4 AM creating a market and financial analysis for the box. We have only scratched the surface of the commercial applications for the box. It¡¯s all going into the presentation for Dr. Tilly. Beta, how are the test protocols? Did you complete the document?¡±

    Beta puffed out an exasperated breath. ¡±I gave them to you yesterday afternoon. Three days ahead of schedule. You submitted them to Tilly already.¡±

    ¡°What about the revisions I requested at 1:30 this morning? I sent you an email.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t checked my emails yet,¡± Beta replied.

    ¡°You are going to need to be on top of things if you want to be on my team,¡± Chaz said crisply.

    ¡°Are you going into Seismology?¡± Alex asked Chaz with an innocent look on his face.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°It just seems like you might be trying to compensate for something.¡±

    Beta stifled a laugh and looked away.

    ¡°I¡¯m not getting your joke. Alex, if you have to work that hard for it, it must not be funny - and we don¡¯t have time for jocularity. We are on a tight schedule. Get busy!¡±

    ¡°Spoken like a true ¡®size-small-ogist,¡± enunciated Alex.

    Kelton laughed. ¡°We¡¯ve got a second seismologist in the research department, now.¡± He was thinking of Tilly.

    Kelton decided that there was no use trying to communicate with the team while they were so occupied with their work and talking with each other. He waited for a lull in the conversation.

    Two quick knocks at the door announced Tilly¡¯s arrival. The door swung open. Tilly stood framed in the doorway for a few seconds until all eyes were on him.

    Kelton could tell that Alex was biting his tongue. ¡°That¡¯s right, Alex,¡± Kelton said. ¡°Keep whatever it is you''re thinking to yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking over the protocols and schedule you submitted last night. Mr. Dixon, if you can¡¯t get more precision from your team, you can be replaced. The taxonomy in the protocols was inaccurate. The schedule is much too protracted. I want results, and I want results this week.¡±

    Chaz protested. ¡°You said the field was not to be engaged until we have a working theory! You said¡­¡±

    ¡°That is nonsense,¡± interrupted Tilly. ¡°How are you supposed to develop this product without experimentation?¡± he demanded. ¡°You are chasing your tails. You need to rework the schedule and revise the protocols to meet the schedule. It¡¯s like you weren¡¯t even talking to each other. I¡¯ve never seen such unprofessionalism in a university laboratory. The revisions shouldn¡¯t take more than an hour. I want them on my desk in 45 minutes. Or do I need to look for more serious researchers?¡±

    Chaz joined in. ¡°You are right, Dr. Tilly. The work has not met my standards. I sent emails to Alex and Beta last night, asking for revisions. They have been completely unresponsive.¡±

    Beta sputtered. ¡°You sent them in the middle of the night. We have been meeting since we came in the door. It¡¯s 9:20 now. When are we supposed to have¡­¡±

    Chaz spoke louder. ¡°I spent most of the night working on a market analysis for commercial applications for the Box. I think the board is going¡­¡±

    Tilly interrupted, ¡°We need to make it clear to the board that Dr. Kelton''s research has been entirely at my direction. It is predicated upon hours and hours of conversations between Dr. Kelton and myself. My insights led to the construction of this framework.¡± He waved his hands in the direction of the box. ¡°I should think his logs would detail my contribution!¡±

    Kelton was dumbfounded at the scientific and academic misconduct. He brought his face inches from Tilly¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯ve never had an original thought in your life. There is a reason you are called Dr. Cut-and-Paste.¡±

    Alex and Beta started to protest. Chaz shut them down. ¡°Dr. Kelton always gave us strict instructions that we were to keep the results of our experiments between ourselves. He specifically told us that you were not to be informed until we had more data.¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Professional piracy, exactly as I suspected, and by your admission, you have all been complicit.¡±

    Chaz jumped from his chair. ¡°We didn¡¯t know he was working under your direction. He kept all that to himself!¡±

    Tilly squinted. ¡°Then I suppose you all had better revise your lab notes.¡± His voice a menacing whisper. ¡°I should think you wouldn¡¯t want being expelled for scientific misconduct reported on your final transcripts.¡±

    Kelton shook his head in disbelief. Tilly managed to bully and threaten while simultaneously providing the narrative to rewrite the history of the box. ¡°You are a devil.¡± He scowled.

    Jacob walked up behind Tilly, ¡°Tell them they only have 40 minutes now.¡±

    Tilly looked at his watch. ¡°You have 40 minutes to make the revisions. I want them on my desk. Get busy.¡±

    Jacob laughed, ¡°Ha. He did it! Just like I told him. Sometimes I amaze myself!¡±

    ¡°Or were you predicting the inevitable?¡± asked Kelton.

    ¡°Oh, you! It¡¯s cute the way you are catching on in your small way. You¡¯re getting to know your way around a little, aren¡¯t ya?¡±

    Kelton wasn¡¯t really surprised to see Jacob. Birds of a feather.

    As the team busied themselves at their tablets, Tilly walked towards the door. He turned. ¡°Mr. Dixon. Please walk with me.¡±

    Chaz and Tilly left the lab, with Jacob and Kelton following closely behind. As they walked down the empty hallway, Tilly turned to Chaz. ¡°We are going to ask you for a little demonstration of the device today in the hearing.¡±

    ¡° I can do that. It¡¯s easy to operate,¡± said Chaz.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Tilly said firmly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t operate.¡±

    Chaz had a puzzled expression on his face.

    ¡°Why do I always have to work with the mentally deficient?¡± Tilly asked the sky. ¡°Do I have to spell it out for you?¡±

    ¡°Oooh, yeah.¡± said Jacob with glee, ¡°Spell it out. Dr. Deke here needs to know what you are up to. Don¡¯t leave anything out!¡±

    ¡°If the box isn¡¯t operational - never was operational, it is evidence of a gross deception by Dr. Kelton. The board will strip Dr. Kelton of his status. His research will be discredited. He won¡¯t be allowed within a mile of the University.¡±

    ¡°But Alex and Beta won¡¯t¡­¡± objected Chaz.

    ¡°Leave Alex and Beta to me¡¯¡± said Tilly. ¡°They can be managed. You really don¡¯t need them on the team, do you? Do they have any skills that you don¡¯t?¡±

    Hesitantly, Chaz responded, ¡°I have to think¡­ They take care of ¡­¡± More confidently, he said, ¡±They won¡¯t be missed. They have just slowed down the research with the stupid jokes and the moony eyes. I have everything we need to proceed. We will need a couple of research assistants for scut work, but¡­¡±

    Tilly interrupted, ¡°Yes, yes. We will need assistants, but Alex and Beta are on their way out. Will you have a problem with that?¡±

    Chaz shook his head.

    ¡°I love ambition!¡± Jacob hooted. ¡°You gotta really admire that can-do attitude, eh, Deekie-boy?¡±

    Kelton tried to reason with Chaz. ¡°You can¡¯t trust him. You¡¯re going to be next on the chopping block. If he¡¯ll do it with you, he¡¯ll do it to you! Use your head!¡±

    ¡°Give up, Doc! You aren¡¯t going to get through to this one. Look at those stars in his eyes!¡±

    Kelton was surprised to see cartoon-like stars appear over Chaz¡¯s eyes, which were immediately replaced by dollar signs.

    Jacob laughed at Kelton¡¯s surprise, ¡° I love messing with you new guys. ¡±

    Tilly stared at Chaz. ¡°I am a little concerned about the documentation that might be presented at the hearing today.¡±

    Chaz nodded. ¡°Everything will be ready for the hearing this afternoon. You can count on it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m counting, Mr. Dixon. Now, get busy. I have more preparation for the meeting.¡±

    Jacob shuddered extravagantly. ¡°Brrrrr! That guy gives me chills. He¡¯s so good! A little flattery, a little coercion, an appeal to pride -did you ever see such an abrupt conversion? This is really shaping up to be a great day!¡±

    Something about Jacob¡¯s enthusiasm left Kelton feeling uneasy. Jacob¡¯s investment in the academic intrigue was out of proportion. ¡°What are you getting out of this?¡± Kelton asked him.

    Jacob shrugged, ¡°Like I told you. I get my fun where I can find it. I¡¯m having fun, aren¡¯t you? I think today¡¯s hearing is gonna be a blast! Hang on to your hat and keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times. We are gonna see some fireworks today!¡±

    Chaz rose from his chair. Jacob followed Chaz out of the room, whispering frantically into his ear.

    Kelton pleaded with Tilly. ¡°There¡¯s no need for this. There are too many problems with your plan. The emergency room team saw the box in operation. When I get out of the box, if you stay on this path, I have information that will end your career. There is still time to reconsider.¡°

    Tilly picked up the phone and dialed. ¡°This is Dr. Tilly in the research dept. I am trying to get in touch with the University counsel. Please get back to me as soon as possible. I believe we are going to have to issue a restraining order for Dr. Deacon Kelton. We should act on this as soon as possible.¡± He left his phone number and hung up the phone. ¡°There¡¯s one more nail in your coffin, Dr. Kelton.¡± He said with a self-satisfied smile.

    Kelton paced the room, trying to come up with a plan. The frustration was devouring all conscious thought. There had to be something he could do, but his experiences so far were no help. He couldn¡¯t communicate with the embodied in any meaningful way. He couldn¡¯t touch or move anything. Jacob had cheered the annihilation of his career, his research, and his team. The threads that tied him to all that was important to him were being severed one by one while he watched. It would have been easier if it had all been done behind his back. He was an impotent participant in his own destruction. He wondered what he could have done differently. The experiment with the chicken was a mistake. It was a little thing that had turned into the pivot point that had rocked his entire life. Why should one little mistake cost him everything?

    Tilly was typing away on his laptop. ¡°Here we go,¡± he said to himself. He jumped up, locked his office door, and returned to his computer. ¡°We got interrupted earlier. I still need to be punished,¡± he said with a sly grin on his face. He typed a few keystrokes. ¡°Talk to me, BikerBabe,¡± Tilly said under his breath.

    The computer speaker purred, ¡°What do you want now, you slimy little worm?¡±

    Kelton fled the room. He went to the hallway and to his lab.

 Crawl, then Walk

    Chapter 22

    ¡°Dr. Cohen?¡± called out Kelton. There was no answer. Apparently, Cohen was occupied elsewhere.

    ¡°Zenek?¡±

    There was no answer. Kelton decided to retrace his steps. He popped in at the Western Wall. The crowds of the embodied and the disembodied still thronged the Plaza. He listened for a few minutes, trying to make some sense of what he was hearing. None of the preachings caught his ear. Kelton jumped to the cathedral in Vienna. The discussions continued, nothing had changed here. His frustration got the better of him. ¡°You people don''t have any better idea than I do of what''s happening here,¡± he yelled.  A few of those gathered turned to look at him, shrugged their shoulders, and resumed their conversation. He called out to Zenek once again, and there was still no answer.

    SIZZLE

    He appeared in the garage. The box loomed large. He poked his head through the wall of the box. It was very disconcerting to see his body sitting still as a statue on the Adirondack chair. ¡°What have you gotten yourself into?¡± he asked himself.

    He looked at the equipment. The counter continued to tick off the time. There were just three hours left before the hearing. Kelton groaned in despair. He needed familiar surroundings. He went home.

    SIZZLE

    He stood in his tiny living room. The curtains were drawn. He looked at the honeymoon photos on the wall. The happy couple looking back at him filled him with longing and despair.  Looking around him, he was reminded again and again of what he had lost. Last week, the dripping faucets, the aging cabinets, the threadbare carpet, and the peeling paint were a constant source of irritation. Today, he would give anything to go back to the way things were.

    He wanted to see Gillian.

    SIZZLE.

    He found himself sitting in the back seat of the car. Dev was sitting in the passenger seat. Deke could tell that Gillian had been crying. The radio was playing the traffic report.

    ¡°Hello, Dev,¡± Deke said. ¡°How is our girl doing?¡±

    Dev responded. ¡°Deke, this is a mess. How did things get the way they are?¡±

    ¡°Things just spun out of control at the university, and they just keep getting worse and worse. I cut a corner, and the department head¡­¡±

    ¡°I don''t know what you''re talking about. I''m talking about how I messed up my life and my family. I don''t think I can ever get over it. I want my little girl to understand that I''m sorry I left her alone. I''m sorry that I left her mother. I would give anything to be able to go back and change things. It can''t be done. I tried to explain to her, and she just started crying and then turned up the radio.¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Dev, I don''t think you''re helping things. Your apologies seem to be getting through on some level, but they just upset her.¡± Deke told him. ¡°Do you want to keep hurting her? Have you considered that your apologies might be selfish?¡±

    Dev exploded, ¡°Selfish? I killed myself to take care of my family so they wouldn¡¯t have to live with my failure. I just need them to understand that I am sorry. That I did it for them. They won¡¯t hear me. They won¡¯t listen to me!¡±

    ¡°Are you listening to yourself, Dev? You keep saying me, me, me when you should be thinking about what your family needs. You weren''t thinking about your family when you pulled your car into the garage. You were just thinking about yourself. It was a selfish act that you are going to have to live with. Pain is always hard to live with, but things will get better, right?  ¡±

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t get any easier,¡± wailed Dev. ¡°Day by day, I expect the pain to ease like it used to when I was alive. It doesn¡¯t get better. I remember each hurt I caused with exquisite, crystal clarity. I can¡¯t forget. Each day, I discover new dimensions to the pain I caused. The effects of my actions expand outward like the ripples that form when I throw a pebble in the pond. Each day, I find additional consequences causing pain in those around me and then in the people around them! There is no end! There is no relief! The ripples don¡¯t diminish as they expand. They continue to roil outward. They create new ripples. Sometimes, the ripples combine with other ripples and make waves that roll me and tear at me. I tell you, I cannot bear this pain. I need Gillian and her mother to forgive me!¡±

    ¡°How is creating more pain in your family going to calm those waves? I need you to think about what Gillian needs now. Your daughter is hurting. Your presence is breaking her heart. She obviously feels your pain when you try to apologize. But she doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s you. She just knows that she is missing you. Maybe the best thing you can do for her right now is to stop. When you are in a hole, sometimes it¡¯s best to drop the shovel.¡±

    Gillian started to cry again.

    Dev¡¯s face was wracked with guilt and anger. ¡°How do I stop?¡± He moaned, ¡° I am chained to it. There is no relief.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you can get your mind off of your pain,¡± Deke suggested. ¡°I need some help. Gillian needs your help. I thought I was getting the hang of things. I thought I knew how to get around. But the things I thought I knew aren¡¯t working. There are some people I have met that I want to talk to again. I think they can help me. I have talked with them a few times in the last hours, but I can''t get in touch with them now.¡±

    ¡°What do you need to know?¡± asked Dev.

    ¡°How do I get them to come to me?¡±

    ¡°Come to you? You want them to come to you? You want these people to come to you when you snap your fingers?¡±

    ¡° I called out to them. They answered my call earlier,  but they didn¡¯t respond when I tried again. I called out to them them by name. I looked for them where I had seen and talked to them earlier.¡°

    ¡°Why did you not just go to the people you wanted to talk to?¡± asked Dev.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. It¡¯s ¡­¡±

    ¡°It is a simple matter of imagining that person and stepping in their direction. Why is that so hard?¡± Dev said. ¡°You thought that just by taking thought, you could order people around? This isn¡¯t the internet. It doesn¡¯t work that way. You have to put in some effort. You have to move toward them. ¡°

    ¡°Will you come with me? It hasn¡¯t been working for me.¡± Deke put out his hand to Dev. He thought of Zenek. He took a step towards Zenek.

 If there is a God, then Why does He ...?

    Chapter 23

    SIZZLE

    He was standing in a great courtyard surrounded by massive stone walls. Thousands and thousands of people were milling around and talking to each other.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± asked Dev.

    ¡°You¡¯re asking me?¡± Said Deke. He looked around, and there was Zenek seated on the ground, surrounded by a few who were listening to him. Alice was seated with Zenek. Kelton recognized her from the first time he had met Zenek. He and Dev approached and listened to the conversation for a few minutes. Once again, Zenek was talking about God and answering questions with his own questions.

    Kelton almost laughed when he heard Alice and Zenek say to the group, ¡°Yes, it was painful. What has your pain taught you?¡±

    Kelton approached the group, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you will ever get a straight answer out of this guy.¡°

    Zenek looked up at Kelton, ¡°We were just talking about your situation.

    Alice said, ¡°It must make you so angry that your colleagues turned on you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. My body is not going to make it to the hearing.¡±

    ¡°How did you do with your message sending?¡± asked Zenek.

    Kelton answered, ¡°I think I was able to communicate with my wife a little. I was almost able to get her to go to her parent¡¯s cabin to find me. But at the last minute, she was distracted by a phone call, and now she is on the way back to the University to try to find me at the hearing. I heard her tell one of my team that she was going to the cabin to find me if I wasn¡¯t at the hearing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s better than I would have expected. You¡¯ll be together by the end of the day, God willing.¡±

    Kelton became impatient. ¡°¡®God willing¡¯? If there were a God, why would he ¡®will¡¯ something like this to happen? I am about to be cheated out of my work, a fortune in licensing revenues, and my scientific reputation. It¡¯s all about to vanish as a small, angry man exploits his power¡­¡±

    ¡°This is a very important question you have asked. If you are really interested and not just wanting an argument, I have a few questions for you.¡± Zenek said.

    ¡°What a surprise! Zenek has some questions.¡± Kelton told Dev sarcastically.

    ¡°You already have the answers. You just need to remember them.¡± Alice chimed in.¡±

    Dev was surprised at Deke¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°I have never before seen you act disrespectful. We came here looking for help from this man. Now you don¡¯t want to listen? This is not like you, Deke. Please do not add to my regrets. Allah knows I have enough regrets of my own.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I am stressed out.¡± Kelton conceded. ¡°Zenek, Alice, I am interested. I¡¯d be foolish not to listen. I¡¯m sorry about my outburst, but I can¡¯t imagine how you can make me understand why a God who supposedly loves us lets garbage like this happen. Why do people who think they have a little power use it to grind others down?¡±

    Alice smiled a gentle smile. ¡°Dr. Kelton, those sound like first-world problems to me. I don¡¯t think you are being very sensitive to the others gathered here. Maybe they can put your problems into perspective. Kim, tell Dr. Kelton your story.¡±

    Kim stood. She was a tiny Asian woman, no more than 4¡¯6¡¯. ¡° I am Kim. I was forced to watch as soldiers dragged my husband and sons into the street. Soldiers slaughtered my husband and sons with machetes. The soldiers killed them just because they were men. I was taken prisoner. For more than 5 months, I was tortured and abused. I was given so little food that I finally died of starvation. My body was dumped in the center of town near the fountain. No one was willing to bury my body for fear of the soldiers. Most people who came for water turned away without water because my body lay rotting in the sun and rain for more than 2 weeks. ¡±

    Alice said, ¡°I must ask you Dr. Kelton, do you think that Kim would have traded places with you? Would you have been willing to put yourself in her place? Would you agree that your problems pale in comparison to Kim¡¯s experience?¡±

    ¡°Wow! My complaints are just embarrassing now. I don¡¯t belong on the same scale, but I think you are making my point. Certainly, any supreme being would not allow those atrocities to happen.¡± Kelton countered. What are God¡¯s objectives? What does he want?

    Zenek answered quietly. I was just going to ask you the same question. Let¡¯s talk first principles. For any of this to make sense you need to know: God does exist. He loves you, and he wants the best for you. I have been in his presence, and his love is overwhelming.¡±

    Kelton said, ¡±I can¡¯t argue this whole life after death thing. I can¡¯t deny it now. I have had an entirely new life view forced on me. Last week, I would have thought anyone who believed in life after death was deluded or misguided, but I still haven¡¯t seen evidence of the existence of a God. To me, your friend Kim here is a powerful witness that there is no God. At least not one who loves us.¡±

    ¡°You are not a man of lazy intellect. Why are you unwilling to apply your scientific method to what you see and experience?¡± Zenek countered. ¡°Once again, we find ourselves covering the same material, Dr. Kelton,¡± said Zenek. ¡°The same questions apply. Can you come up with a hypothesis that reconciles your observations?¡±

    Impatiently, Kelton said, ¡°I think you want to reconcile the irreconcilable. You tell me God loves us. He created us. He wants the best for us. If he is responsible for the whole of the universe, then he is pretty powerful. He could do anything he wanted to, and yet 95% of the world lives in filth and blood and poverty. These are the people he loves? I would hate to see the condition of anyone he didn¡¯t love. Look, I¡¯m embarrassed that I even compared my problems to Kim¡¯s and billions of others who have had it worse than me, but it doesn¡¯t change the way I see things.¡±

    Zenek said, ¡°So, because God doesn¡¯t treat you like a pampered pet, he can¡¯t possibly exist? You, a scientist, should be able to come up with at least 2 or 3 hypotheses to explain that problem.¡±

    ¡°OK. Here¡¯s one. If God exists, he is a scientist himself. And we are his lab rats.¡± Kelton challenged.

    ¡°That opens a door!¡± laughed Zenek. ¡°Try another hypothesis.¡±

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°We are the pets of a God who is indifferent to our pain. He is the equivalent of a pit bull breeder, who raises animals to fight to the death.¡±

    ¡°You are thinking now, aren¡¯t you? Can you come up with a theory that is a little less angry? Humor me. Try to come up with a theory that fits your observations with my report of a loving God.¡±

    Kelton replied, ¡° You are going to have to help me with that one. I¡¯m drawing a blank.¡±

    ¡°May I share a memory with you? I have an experience that may help you with this.¡± Zenek reached out his hand to Kelton.

    Kelton¡¯s point of view suddenly lurched. He was now in a city. People and animals walked the narrow streets between houses made of logs and stacked stones. Kelton knew that he was approaching the royal estate of the king of the city. The compound was grandly ornate, with carvings and designs that looked kind of like a Polynesian block house. It was raised on a mound of earth so that it overlooked the other structures in the city. Kelton climbed the mound. He walked in through a grand entrance that opened onto a courtyard. There were rooms and dwellings situated all around the courtyard. Kelton walked to one of the larger rooms. There were seven children of various ages. Each sat on a mat on the floor, side by side with an adult.

    ¡°This is a day in my life. I was a mentor to one of the chief¡¯s children.¡± Zenek said.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± asked Kelton.

    ¡°I suppose you could say that we are near Toledo, Ohio.¡±

    ¡°When are we?¡±

    Zenek smiled. ¡°According to your calendar, this is roughly the year 342. I want you to see the school where I was supposed to teach one of the king''s sons. You are seeing my memory as I saw it.¡±

    Kelton felt like he sat down next to the boy, pried open a clay tablet, and began to read aloud. As soon as he began to read, the boy jumped up and began playing with his brothers and sisters in the room. The other tutors seated on the floor were reading aloud as well.

    Zenek¡¯s voice narrated. It felt to Kelton like he was watching a DVD with the director''s commentary. ¡°You will laugh when you see the school. I''m now embarrassed I was involved in it. However, the king had very strong opinions about educating his children. We were given the best of tools and the best rooms in the great house for teaching; we had the best of everything. No expense was spared. The king demanded that his children be taught. He wanted the best for them. There was a catch, though; the children were to be indulged in their every whim. The king insisted that the children were to expend no effort. They were royalty, and no work should be required of them. It was our duty as mentors to learn for the children. The mentors read and studied while the children ran about. They would occasionally show some interest, listen while the stories were read. They would watch for a minute or two as we wrote in the clay tablets, but the king insisted that such menial labor should be left to us as the instructors. The king said it was beneath his children''s station to soil their hands with the clay. Or even to pick up a stylus.¡±

    Kelton asked, ¡°How did they learn anything?¡±

    ¡°How, indeed? They learned only what we shouldn¡¯t have wanted them to learn. We taught them to let us do their thinking for them. The King''s children became quite dependent on their mentors. They were quite useless as scholars and completely worthless as successors to the King.¡±

    ¡°How did things turn out?¡± asked Kelton.

    Zenek opened a collage of memories to Kelton. He watched as mentors manipulated the children, using the children as leverage as they vied for power in the city. Over time, the teachers became advisors and, ultimately, puppeteers. The youngest son was manipulated by his advisor to murder the oldest. The murder set off a decade of intrigue and backstabbing, both political and literal. The advisors prodded and pushed, and one by one, the children of the king disposed of one another.

    ¡°You were part of this? You were one of the manipulators?¡± asked Kelton.

    ¡°Yes, to my shame. Today, it feels like someone else was doing those things. My pupil, Estinalor, came out on top. Under my influence and my direction, we formed and dissolved alliances as it suited me to do so. Together, we disabled, poisoned, blackmailed, and murdered his brothers and sisters. I effectively ruled the city. Estin was completely incapable of rule. He was unable to make the simplest decision without me.¡±

    ¡°So, you got what you wanted?¡± Kelton asked.

    ¡°For a time, but our infighting had weakened the city. I thought we needed more people and resources, so I began a campaign to attack and enslave the neighboring city-state, Maher. I wanted more gold, power, and riches. We were on the verge of victory. A few more days and Estin¡¯s realm would have doubled. Unfortunately for both of us, Estin started thinking for himself for perhaps the first time in his life and decided I was getting in the way of what he wanted, so he had me blinded and my tongue cut out.¡±

    Kelton was dumbfounded. ¡°That¡¯s just crazy!¡±

    ¡°It was definitely insanity,¡± confirmed Zenek. ¡°For me, it was the best thing that could have happened. Without my help and support, the tide soon turned for Estinalor and his armies. The people of Maher regrouped and counterattacked. They swept into our city and killed Estinalor and his cronies. Everyone else who was unwilling to swear an oath of allegiance was killed or banished from our city. I lay nearly dead from blood loss and fever, and the insurgents dragged me from my cell and threw me into the street. I was no threat. They thought they were freeing me from my imprisonment-and they were, but not in the way they thought. I spent the last years of my life begging in the streets. It gave me a lot of time to reconsider my career path. For the purposes of this conversation, we have strayed off course a little. I want to ask you now, what did you think of my pedagogical methods?¡±

    Kelton was confused at the sudden shift of the conversation. ¡°Your what?¡±

    ¡°What do you think about the way we were teaching the King¡¯s children?¡±

    ¡°Were you teaching them anything?¡± asked Kelton.

    ¡°Excellent! I have taught you something. You are answering questions with questions,¡± laughed Zenek.

    Kelton grinned, ¡°Am I? Seriously though, did you teach them anything?¡±

    ¡°Nothing that benefitted them. To their detriment, they learned that they didn¡¯t need to make any effort. They learned to be dependent on people who turned out to be wholly unreliable. However, we are straying again from our lesson. Why were our teaching methods counterproductive?¡±

    ¡° You were trying to learn something for somebody else. If I do your homework for you, you are not going to score well on the test. Your students didn¡¯t even learn anything from the test. I don¡¯t know why you even thought of yourselves as teachers. You were effectively crippling your students. They were meant to be kings and queens, princes and princesses. Your teaching methods left them unfit for power or authority. They could have been rulers. Instead, they were useless lumps of hedonistic flesh.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! At the command of the King, I ensured that Estin never struggled and never had to make any effort. Under my tutelage, he never experienced anything unpleasant. He never struggled, didn¡¯t grow; he didn¡¯t develop. He was completely unprepared for the hard knocks that were to come. I crippled my student by removing any challenge or obstacle in his path. I saw what was happening to my poor Estin. If I had loved Estin, I would never have let him stagnate.¡± Getting back to the lesson, Zenek continued. ¡°Can you tell me how my story relates to your question?¡±

    ¡°My question?¡± Kelton asked.

    ¡°You wanted to know why God lets bad things happen to his children.¡±

    Kelton was not ready to concede. ¡°That¡¯s quite a cautionary tale. I see how you connect growth with the need to struggle, but the amount of evil in the world is just beyond anything that I can reconcile with a loving God being in charge. I just can¡¯t see it.¡±

    Zenek smiled. ¡°So, are we neglected pets of a disinterested God, subjects of an elaborate experiment by a scientist God, or are we something more?¡±

    Kelton held out his empty hands. He didn¡¯t want to go down that path right now. ¡°We have gotten well off the track of what I needed from you.¡±

    ¡°Which was?¡±

    ¡°Can I have any influence on my hearing today? It¡¯s very important to me. Things are spiraling out of control.¡±

    Zenek asked, ¡°What influence have you had?¡±

    ¡°I think I got through to Gillian a little. She was almost turned her car when I told her to, but then she was distracted by a phone call,¡± said Kelton.

    ¡°Those phones appear to be very distracting. What other success have you had?¡±

    ¡°I think Gillian was missing me when I tried to talk to her.¡±

    Zenek asked, ¡°Would your presence if it was felt by the others, give you the result you want?¡±

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ¡°Probably couldn¡¯t hurt.¡± Zenek corrected.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a question! Am I getting some answers from you now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, are you?¡± Zenek winked. ¡±Where is your wife now?¡±

 Pinhole

    Chapter 24

    SIZZLE

    Deke found himself back in the car with Gillian. She was pulling into the parking lot outside the Milton Cohen building. ¡°Hi, Darlin,¡¯ thanks for trying to find me. Please turn off the radio; you might be able to hear me better.¡± Deke said to Gillian. ¡° I really wish you would not attend this hearing. It¡¯s going to be ugly. Just go inside, find out I¡¯m not there, and then go back to the cabin. I need you at the cabin.¡±

    Gillian turned off the radio.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, Rani! I¡¯m here! I want to keep you as far away from Dr. Tilly and Jacob as possible. This is not going to be pleasant. Tilly has been building a case against me for some time. I¡¯ve always known he didn¡¯t like me. He smells blood in the water now. Don¡¯t go into the building. Please turn around.¡±

    ¡°Ahem,¡± Zenek alerted Deke that he was in the car with them. Startled, Deke turned his attention to the back seat.

    ¡°You followed me here?¡±

    Zenek continued. ¡°Funny, the things that persist. I cleared my throat to let you know I was here, but I don¡¯t have a throat to clear. I don¡¯t want to eavesdrop on a personal conversation, but I feel I have a stake in what is happening this afternoon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what a private conversation is anymore. I think I¡¯m glad you are here,¡± Deke said. ¡°I am flailing around in the dark. I need a guide. I¡¯m not sure you are the right guy for the job, but your questions have been helpful. I gotta say, though, straight answers would be even more useful.¡±

    ¡°Would they? I guess it depends on our objectives,¡± Zenek said.

    Gillian pulled the car into a parking space. She unfastened her seatbelt.

    Deke tried again, ¡°Rani, it¡¯s me. Don¡¯t go in. I have a bad feeling about it. I¡¯m not in there.¡±

    Gillian checked her makeup in the rearview mirror. She sat quietly in the car seat.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, Rani! Don¡¯t go in. Go back to the cabin.¡±

    Gillian took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and pulled the keys from the ignition switch.

    Zenek said, ¡°I thought you were getting through to her for a minute there.¡±

    Zenek and Deke followed Gillian into the building. They passed a few groups of students talking or studying. They walked to the elevator. Gillian pushed the button. The door opened. Beta and Alex were in the elevator.

    ¡°Hi, Mrs. Kelton! I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you here. Are you here for the hearing?¡± asked  Alex.

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    ¡°I was hoping to find Deke here. I expected him to be here for the hearing.¡± Gillian said.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen him here for days,¡± said Alex as the elevator door closed.

    At the last moment, Jacob squeezed into the elevator. ¡°Hiya, Doc!¡± Jacob said. ¡°I thought you would be back for this shindig. Things are shaping up. Hey, the capacity of this elevator is only four people. We got six people here. This is right out of a Marx brothers¡¯ movie! Here, trade me places.¡± He walked through Beta to the corner of the elevator.

    Beta shuddered as though she had just taken a chill. ¡°The last time we saw him was when he was terminated at the lab. The day we were outside talking to him when you, umm,¡± Beta¡¯s eyes grew wide as she realized her conversation was getting too personal, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself, ¡°when you got into your car to visit your mother.¡±

    Jacob snickered, ¡°She went home to mother? How clich¨¦!¡±

    Gillian politely smiled and put her hand on Beta¡¯s shoulder. Beta pulled back involuntarily. Deke knew that Beta didn¡¯t like to be touched.

    Gillian told them, ¡°I am so worried about him. He left a few messages on Friday and Saturday, but I haven¡¯t talked to him. When I tried to call back, the calls went straight into voice mail.¡±

    Alex and Beta looked at each other and back at Gillian. Deke was touched by the concern on their faces. Gillian told Alex and Beta that she had contacted the police and called the hospitals in the area. ¡°No one has heard from him in days. There have been no charges on our credit card or our debit cards. He has just disappeared.¡±

    Jacob positioned his face a few inches from Gillian¡¯s. ¡±He¡¯s right here, you idiot!¡± he shouted. ¡°He¡¯s gonna get a complex if you''re talking about him like he ain¡¯t in the room!¡±

    Deke bristled at the attack on his wife. He tried to push Jacob through the wall of the elevator. At the attempted touch, Deke was revolted. He felt like he had pushed his hands into a septic tank.

    ¡°Take it easy, Doc! It don¡¯t work that way; she can¡¯t hear me. I¡¯m just trying to teach you something here.¡±

    The elevator stopped on the fourth floor. They all stepped out and walked toward the administrative offices.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll turn up. We¡¯ll find him.¡± Alex told Gillian and Beta. Deke could tell Alex was trying to reassure himself as well.

    Beta confided to Alex,  ¡° I don¡¯t like talking to groups. I am afraid I¡¯ll have an anxiety attack.¡±

    Kelton found himself in the vestibule outside the conference room where the hearing was to be held. Jacob shouted out, ¡°O-ye, O-ye,  O-ye. The man of the hour has arrived. Make way and give ear! Oh, and by the way, yeah, Dr. Kelton is here too!¡±

    In the waiting area were groups of faculty and graduate students in intense conversations. Tilly dominated the discussion in one of the groups. ¡°¡­hasn¡¯t been seen in days. Dr Kelton is too ashamed to show his face here.¡±

    A woman in a stained, white lab coat objected. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dr. Tilly. That doesn¡¯t sound like the Dr. Kelton I know. There must be some reasonable explanation. More to the point, we have all borrowed items from other labs on occasion. It¡¯s what we all do to deal with limited budgets. You will have to make a stronger case to convince me.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for that, Lucy!¡± Kelton said. He felt the first ray of hope in days. ¡°There are still some people who will stand up for me.¡±

    Zenek smiled. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t these people support you? Haven¡¯t you treated them fairly and with respect?¡±

    ¡°Support?¡± interrupted Jacob. ¡°Respect? You''re using the wrong currency here, bub, if it¡¯s respect that you want. You''re kidding yourself! Tilly¡¯s got them eating out of the palm of his hand. They are all scared of him. Their imaginations are running wild because they have no idea of his boundaries. If he¡¯ll do this to Dekie Boy, what would he do to them if they cross him? That¡¯s respect! I love this guy, Tilly!¡±

    Milton Cohen appeared. ¡°You may have a point, Jacob. Oy, it¡¯s not always the talented or the brightest who do well in these halls. Dr. Tilly has some skills to be reckoned with, to the detriment of his department.¡±

    Kelton knew that both Jacob and Cohen were right. His optimism for today''s hearing was deflating like a balloon with a pinhole.

 The Hearing

    Chapter 25

    The heavy double doors to the conference room opened. A group of administrators from the previous meeting flowed out. The physics lab department staff waiting in the hall made their way to their seats in the conference room. The utilitarian room held a thick slab conference table with thirteen chairs. Dean Marcos sat at the head of the table. Each position around the conference table had a desk lamp. The desk lamp lit Dean Marcos¡¯ face from below. A large video screen dominated the wall behind the head of the table where Dean Marcos was seated. The light from the hall was extinguished as a student assistant shut the doors. The room was dimly lit by the video screen and some indirect lighting around the perimeter of the room. The conversations between colleagues hushed as the door closed.

    Jacob broke the silence. ¡°What? Are we gonna be telling ghost stories around the campfire here? Get a load of these guys!¡±  Kelton ignored Jacob.

    In addition to Dr. Tilly and Dean Marcos, Kelton recognized the others seated at the table as faculty members. Eleven seats were filled. Kelton thought he could tell a lot about those in attendance by how they dressed. There were five, including Dr. Tilly, who were in business attire. Dr. Marcos stood out from that group with the Filipino barong he wore. The rest were in their usual lab clothing.

    He watched Dean Marcos and Dr. Tilly talk in hushed tones. Although they were across the room from Kelton and couldn¡¯t even be heard by the other faculty members sitting next to them, Kelton could hear every word plainly by focusing.

    Tilly said, ¡°He hasn¡¯t even shown up for his hearing. He is obviously ashamed of his conduct. His research is indefensible and hasn¡¯t been able to be replicated.¡±

    ¡°Your notice did say that the hearing would be held whether he was present or not?¡± asked Marcos.

    ¡°Yes. And I have the confirmation that he received the email right here,¡± Tilly said, gesturing to his tablet.

    A few desk lamps clicked on at the seats where people took notes on yellow pads. Others at the table added to the eerie lighting with their mobile devices on the table in front of them.

    Just as the doors were about to shut, Chaz pushed into the room with the Box¡¯s framework supported by a rolling gurney. Chaz parked the gurney in the corner near the door and sat in front of the Box. Chaz had a triumphant look on his face.

    Cohen said, ¡°That one has something up his sleeve.¡±

    ¡°Or he¡¯s just excited to be sitting at the grown-ups table for the first time,¡± suggested Kelton.

    Jacob chortled, ¡°I¡¯m with Uncle Milty on this one. I think he¡¯s gonna surprise everyone. I like that kid. He takes coaching well.¡±

    The Dean cleared his throat. ¡°Thank you all for your attendance here at the disciplinary hearing of Dr. Deacon Kelton and his team. Mx Beta and Mr. Gutierrez also stand accused. At this point, we have no evidence that Mr. Dixon participated in the most egregious offenses, and at this time, no complaints are leveled against him. As you can see, Dr. Kelton has chosen not to attend. Let the record show we have a delivery confirmation that Dr. Kelton received the notice. Dr. Tilly will present the case against Dr. Kelton. Since Dr. Kelton is not here, who will speak in his defense?¡±

    Light from the hallway lit Marcos. The people around the table turned to see a woman leaning through the doorway.

    ¡°Excuse me. I was waiting in the hall for Dr. Kelton,¡±  Gillian opened the door wide, and light from the hall flooded in. She stood framed in the doorway. ¡°He hasn¡¯t shown up. I intend to represent him in this hearing.¡±

    Dean Marcos responded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t recognize you. Can you tell us who you are?

    ¡°I¡¯m Gillian Kelton. Dr. Kelton is my husband.¡±

    Tilly objected, ¡°You have no standing in this hearing; you are neither faculty nor staff.¡±

    ¡°I have a stake in these proceedings. My husband has discovered something significant. It¡¯s a world-changing technology that may be worth a lot of money. My husband, Dr. Kelton, deserves credit for his work!¡±

    ¡°Go, Mama Bear!¡± Jacob sniggered.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Kelton shouted at Jacob.

    ¡°Ooh! Strong comeback,¡± said Jacob with a smirk.

    Tilly stood and addressed Marcos. ¡°I strenuously object to Ms. Kelton¡¯s presence in this hearing. She has no direct knowledge of the events leading to the complaints. She can contribute only hearsay¡­ And emotion.¡±

    ¡° You shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Deke whispered to Gillian. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be pretty. Some things will be said about me that will be hard for you to hear, especially because they aren¡¯t true. Go back to the cabin.¡±

    Dean Marcos extended his hand towards Gillian. ¡°Please come in and join us. Here, sit in the chair to my right. We had reserved this seat for your husband.¡±

    Gillian sat down across from Dr. Tilly. Tilly scowled. Then his eyes lit up, and he smiled.

    Cohen said, ¡°Nu, now that one has something up his sleeve, I think.¡±

    Jacob and Kelton both gestured for Cohen to hush.

    Tilly stood, ¡°Ms. Kelton, I apologize for my previous statement. I was out of line. I am happy - I am sure we are all happy - to have you here. In hearing like this, we always want those facing censure to be heard, to have a voice, and to be able to defend themselves against the accusations, which, in this case, are profoundly serious, possibly criminal, accusations made against them. I want you to feel as comfortable as you can. Since many of those in attendance are not acquainted, we should all introduce ourselves.¡±

    Dean Marcos cleared his throat as he rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll be conducting this hearing, Dr. Tilly. Please be seated.¡±

    Tilly sat down, a smile on his lips but not in his eyes.

    Jacob sang, ¡°One point for the guy in the fancy shirt! I like to keep score!¡± A fiery slash mark appeared in the air above Marco¡¯s head.

    Marcos continued, ¡°We should introduce Ms. Kelton to the assembled board. I¡¯m sure you already know...,¡± Marcos glanced at his notes, ¡°¡­ Beta they/them, sitting next to you, Alex Gutierrez he/him, and Charles Dixon he/him.

    ¡°Chaz Dixon,¡± Chaz corrected.

    ¡°That¡¯sama boy!¡± cheered Jacob as a slash mark appeared above Chaz¡¯s head.

    ¡°Yes,¡± acknowledged Marcos. ¡°For the benefit of those assembled, these are the accused parties. Ms. Kelton, seated next to Mr. Dixon, is Dr. Che¡¯ Alvarez she/her,

    ¡°That¡¯s a sturdy-looking woman,¡± Jacob remarked.

    ¡°¡­Dr. William Robinson he/him¡­¡±

    ¡°I call him Pocket Protector,¡± said Jacob in a loud whisper.

    ¡°¡­Dr. Daniel Dee he/him¡­¡±

    Dr. Dee had long, unwashed hair and a long, sparse beard. He wore a stained lab coat over a t-shirt with a third sleeve sewn into the chest. ¡°Mutants for Nuclear Energy Research¡± was written with felt-tip marker above the third sleeve.

    ¡° Dan Dee - Dandy! You gotta love the irony! That guy is a schlub. Get this guy a comb,¡± said Jacob.

    ¡°¡­Ivan Blatter, he/him¡­¡±

    ¡°Look at the way Dandy is leaning away from him. You think he smells bad?¡± Jacob kibbitzed. ¡°I¡¯m gonna call them Pot and Kettle.

    ¡°Dr. Lucy Templeton, she/her. Dr. Templeton is a department administrator.¡±

    ¡°That tiny woman is an administrator? Who did she ¡®administrate¡¯ to get that position?¡± Jacob leered.

    ¡°¡­our Human resources representative, Hailey Brown, she/her¡­¡± Hailey Brown was dressed in a brightly colored Dashiki.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s a Baptist. Do you think she¡¯s a Baptist? She¡¯s not happy to be here. Stand back, everyone. I think she¡¯s gonna exhort!¡±

    ¡°Exhort?¡± asked Zenek.

    ¡°Preach,¡± Cohen translated.

    ¡°Exhort¡¯s funnier,¡± said Jacob.

    ¡°¡­ And finally, sitting at my right is Drew Cranston they/them. Drew will be taking minutes at this meeting.¡±

    Jacob started to say something. Kelton interrupted. ¡°Jacob, please shut up. You are getting irritating.¡±

    Jacob grinned, ¡°Mind your manners! I¡¯m providing the color commentary.¡±

    Marcos continued. ¡±We are here today to consider the accusations that have been leveled against Dr. Kelton, Mx Beta, and Misters Dixon and Gutierrez. Dr. Tilly, would you please read the allegations.¡±

    Tilly slowly rose to his feet. He shuffled the papers in front of him. ¡°Before I begin, Ms. Kelton, I am deeply distressed that this hearing is taking place. I am uncomfortable reading these accusations in front of you. It grieves me that I have to paint an entirely different picture of your husband than you are familiar with. I have no desire to add to your burden. It will be challenging for you to be here to learn of the low opinions  that your husband¡¯s colleagues have of his ethics.¡±

    ¡°Check out how his eyes sparkle when he¡¯s grieving,¡± laughed Jacob.

    Gillian¡¯s face clouded; she looked like she would explode with rage but then composed herself. Alex and Beta frowned and shook their heads. Chaz tried to suppress a smile.

    Kelton exploded, ¡°Marcos, will you let him get away with that?¡±

    Cohen said, ¡°Gird yourself, my friend. I have been watching Dr. Tilly preparing for this meeting. He has been kibbitzing with the review board¡­ and you cannot defend yourself. He appears disappointed that he was unable to get your wife angry.¡±

    Jacob said, ¡°Whaddaya talk? Look at the glow in his eyes! He¡¯s enjoying every second; I¡¯m gonna give him a point for pure malice!¡± A slash mark appeared over Tilly¡¯s head.

    Alex leaned forward and said loudly, ¡°I think we are all looking forward to a quick trial, a fair decision by the board followed by a summary execution of the accused so that the panel can get back to fundraising.¡±

    Jacob said, ¡°He may be right, but I can¡¯t award any points. It just wasn¡¯t all that funny.¡±

    Beta whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t make things worse.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been tossed out of the plane at 20,000 feet without a parachute; the only thing to do now is try a few somersaults and pirouettes on the way down. I intend to fall spectacularly.¡± Alex whispered back sotto voce, ¡°We already know the outcome.¡±

    Tilly ignored the outburst and continued.

    ¡°On Thursday last week, Dr. Kelton and his team conducted unauthorized experiments. Experiments that have brought shame to the university and to the physics dept. I inspected Dr. Kelton¡¯s lab that day and found experimental animals. I warned Dr. Kelton that there had been no panel review of proposed animal experimentation. Dr. Kelton and his team assured me that the animals present were merely there for emotional support.¡± Dr. Tilly went on to describe the subsequent events that resulted in the death of a chicken, the destruction of lab equipment, and the injury of Dr. Kelton.

    Dr Blatter raised his hand. ¡°What can you tell us of the project that Dr. Kelton was working on?¡±

    Chaz raised his hand. ¡°I was the second lead on this project. I worked directly under Dr. Kelton and Dr. Tilly. Alex and Beta assisted me.¡±

    ¡°We what?¡± sputtered Beta.

    Chaz continued, ¡°Dr. Tilly and Dr. Kelton were experimenting with the superconducting properties of rare earth compounds.¡±

    ¡°Not bad for a first draft of history,¡± Jacob chuckled. ¡°One point for Mr. Dixon!¡±

    Intimidated by the assembled panel, barely above a whisper, Beta said. ¡°Dr. Tilly was not involved in our research. There was no collaboration!¡±

    Chaz patted Beta on the shoulder. Beta flinched at his touch. ¡°You and Alex were not involved in those top-level discussions,¡± Chaz said.

    Kelton shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Chaz! You can¡¯t trust Tilly! Why are you saying that?¡±

    Alex laughed derisively, ¡°Those top-level meetings were so exclusive I don¡¯t think even Tilly and Dr. Kelton were there. Security must be pretty tight in those imaginary meetings of yours.¡±

    Jacob said. ¡°Sorry, still no points for Alex. Nobody else laughed.¡±

    Tilly slapped the table. ¡°Mr Gutierrez, you do not have the floor. And in the future, please refer to me as Dr. Tilly.¡±

    Chaz continued, ¡°We observed some strange characteristics of the EMF around the superconductors. Dr. Tilly suggested further experiments, and we constructed the framework you see in the corner. In the lab, we refer to it as the Box.¡°

    Chaz related the experiments they had conducted. He referred to the lab notes. He carefully avoided any mention of the Thorium reactor space heater.

    ¡°We were conducting yet another experiment on the system. We were about to engage the field once again. I noticed a loose connection, so I told Dr. Kelton not to engage the field. He ignored me and flipped the switch while my left hand was still inside the framework. My hand was trapped due to inadequate attention to the basics of lab safety.¡±

    Gillian raised her hand. Tilly and Marcos took no notice. ¡°That¡¯s not the way it happened.¡±

    Tilly shushed her. Kelton swung his fist through Tilly¡¯s head. Jacob shrieked with laughter, ¡°If only¡­!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get your turn,¡± Tilly told Gillian. ¡°Please continue, Mr. Dixon.¡±

    ¡°After my hand was freed, I noticed that my mechanical watch was slow by 11 minutes. The exact time my hand was in the box. I was the first to theorize that the box may slow or inhibit the passage of time within the field. My discovery saved Dr. Kelton¡¯s life the next day.¡±

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    Beta raised their hand.

    Kelton said, ¡°That¡¯s it, Beta. Be brave! Get the true story out.¡±

    Chaz ignored Beta and continued. ¡°We believe the box has enormous commercial potential. If we can get it to work.¡± Chaz glanced at Tilly, and Tilly gave a discreet nod in return. ¡°The Box works intermittently. We can¡¯t shut it off when we want to. We don¡¯t know why it works. I can demonstrate it for you if you like.¡± A murmur of approval rolled around the table.

    ¡°Does anyone here have a mechanical wristwatch?¡± Chaz asked.

    Dr. Dee offered his vintage Timex watch. Chaz looked at the watch. ¡°It is 2:16 now,¡± he said. He put the watch inside the box¡¯s framework, opened the valve on a small liquid nitrogen tank, and pushed the power button.

    There was a snap and the whine of a capacitor slowly discharging, but the watch was still visible to all in the room. A small puff of smoke roiled towards the ceiling and dissipated.

    ¡°It must have worked better in rehearsal,¡± joked Dr. Robinson. Everyone laughed except Alex and Beta.

    Beta hissed at Alex. ¡°It has always worked before. What has he done to it?¡±

    Cohen bent over the controls. ¡°Alzo! Look here! The frequency output of the power supply is set to 60 cycles. It won¡¯t work like that. Oh! And a foil gum wrapper across the power leads. That¡¯s the source of that puff of smoke.¡±

    ¡°My boy loves his pyrotechnics!¡± laughed Jacob. ¡°Another point for Tilly!¡±

    Kelton was disappointed in Chaz. He stood directly in front of Chaz and looked into his eyes. ¡°I keep telling you this won¡¯t work out well for you¡­ you are not listening!¡±

    Chaz shrugged his shoulders. ¡°As I was saying, it¡¯s intermittent. We need to pour a lot more time and money into this to make it commercially feasible. We are going to need this panel¡¯s support.¡± Chaz enthusiastically recounted the commercial applications of the Box to the people around the table. Eyes around the table lit up with interest as Chaz recited the revenue projections.

    Alex whispered, ¡°He¡¯s not on our team anymore, Beta.¡±

    Dean Marcos stood. ¡°We are not here to address the commercial potential of this project. We are here to decide the future standing of Dr. Kelton and his associates. Let¡¯s address the claims. Please proceed, Dr. Tilly.¡±

    Dean Marcos sat as Tilly stood up. He looked at each person in the room. He drew in a deep, dramatic breath.

    Cohen scoffed, ¡°You are trying to create some tension, Dr. Tilly, but you succeed only in irritating your audience, I think.¡±

    ¡°The most egregious offense is detailed in item one. Unauthorized experimentation on animal subjects, which resulted in the death of one of the subjects and the destruction of laboratory equipment.¡±

    ¡°Item two. Using university resources, Dr. Kelton and his team deviated from the research plan he had submitted, which was approved by this panel. It was a misappropriation of university resources.¡±

    ¡°Item three, disregarding safety protocols. Potentially exposing the University and our department to untold liabilities and increases in insurance premiums.¡±

    ¡°Item four. Improper use of pronouns. Dr. Kelton has, on many occasions, used improper pronouns when addressing his team members, creating a hostile work environment. This has the potential to limit the University¡¯s access to grant funding.¡±

    Beta whispered to Alex. ¡°What¡¯s he talking about? Even I get a little confused sometimes and they are my pronouns!¡±

    ¡°Item five. Misappropriation of University resources. Lab rats and a rhesus monkey were stolen from other projects under Dr. Kelton¡¯s orders. Again, without permission from the project leaders or authorization from this board.¡±

    ¡°Item 6. Dr. Kelton¡¯s mental fitness has been called into question.

    Hailey Brown raised her hand and spoke before Dean Marcos recognized her. She had a surprisingly deep voice that commanded everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Let¡¯s get it in the record that a lot is on the line. Potentially, millions or even hundreds of millions are in play. Today, we are deciding whether to strip Dr. Kelton of his standing at the university, his claims on intellectual properties, and the revenues resulting from the IP. This is a serious business. We cannot hold this hearing without Dr. Kelton in attendance. I want to hear from Dr. Kelton.¡±

    Tilly responded in crisp staccato. ¡°Dr. Kelton was given every opportunity to be here. If you look at page 2 of the materials I have supplied, you can see a copy of the letter requesting his appearance. You will also note that I received confirmation that Mr. Gutierrez, Mx Beta, and Dr. Kelton received and read the notice. Dr. Kelton has elected not to attend. The notice clearly states that the hearing will be held, and a decision made with or without his presence.¡±

    Hailey wasn¡¯t impressed. ¡°Mmm Hmm? And what about Mr. Dixon? Clearly, he was part of the team,¡± she addressed the panel, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s odd that no complaint has been issued against him?¡±

    Tilly huffed, ¡°I have thoroughly reviewed Mr. Dixon¡¯s involvement. His infractions were under orders and duress from Dr. Kelton. He has been very forthcoming; his cooperation has been exemplary. I think we can expect remarkable things from Mr. Dixon. We can¡¯t throw the baby out with the bathwater.¡±

    ¡°Mmm Hmm,¡± said Hailey Brown skeptically.

    Zenek said, ¡°She can put a lot of different meanings into those sounds, can¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°Mmm hmm,¡± said Jacob.

    Hailey Brown continued. ¡° Mr. Dixon, we have heard about the lab accident. Can you tell us who brought the lab animals into the lab that day?¡±

    Chaz cleared his throat nervously. ¡°Alex brought the chicken from home. Beta brought their pet rats.¡±

    ¡°And the monkey?¡± asked Haily. ¡±Who brought the monkey?¡±

    A little too loudly, Chaz replied, ¡°Dr. Kelton told me to. I was just following his instructions.¡±

    ¡°Mmm Hmmm.¡±

    ¡°Mx. Beta, is that how you remember it?¡± asked Hailey.

    Beta slid behind Alex.

    Alex stood. ¡°Beta sometimes has some anxiety with public speaking and around groups of people. If I may answer? Beta brought their rats. I brought the chicken. Chaz brought the monkey. Dr. Kelton was angry with all of us about the animals.¡±

    ¡°Says you,¡± smirked Jacob.

    Gillian jumped into the conversation. ¡°I can confirm that. My husband told me all about it in his hospital room.¡±

    Dr. Tilly jumped up. ¡°This meeting is getting out of order. Let¡¯s address the charges in an orderly fashion. Mrs. Kelton, you are out of order. The chair has not recognized you, and your evidence is hearsay. Let¡¯s watch the video of the experiment. I have taken the liberty of editing this mess of a clinical video in the interest of respecting your time.¡±

    The video of the experiment played on the screen.

    Dr. Tilly narrated the video. ¡°We see here clearly that a chicken was used as a test subject. Inadequate measures were taken to secure the chicken, and the chicken died as a result.¡±

    Alex spoke up. ¡°In our defense, that chicken would die one way or the other that night. Pollo en Caldo was on the menu at Tia Hurtado¡¯s. It was delicious, I might add.¡±

    A few chuckles went through the room.

    Jacob said, ¡°He finally got a laugh. I guess he gets a point.¡±

    The video screen displayed the chaos that resulted from the chicken running about the room and the sounds of the monkey shrieking and glass breaking. The video ended with Dr. Kelton clutching his neck with blood spurting between his fingers. Dr. Tilly switched off the video. ¡®There is no room to misinterpret what you are seeing. There were no safeguards and no attention to safety procedures. It resulted in a near-fatal injury for Dr. Kelton. There is no room for this kind of malfeasance in our department.¡±

    Beta nudged Alex. Alex spoke up, ¡°You left out one vital detail. We were able to save Dr. Kelton¡¯s life with the Box.¡±

    Tilly sniffed, ¡°The video was so poorly shot that it was impossible to tell what was happening. The excerpts I am showing here are unambiguous. We have only your description, which frankly beggars belief, especially considering the performance of your Box during the demonstration here today. ¡±

    Hailey Brown raised her hand. ¡°Dean Marcos. I would like to ask a few more questions with your permission.¡± Without waiting for a response, she continued. ¡°Mr. Dixon, how do you reconcile your claim that Dr. Kelton told you to get the monkey and Alex¡¯s claim that Dr. Kelton was angry that the monkey was in the lab.¡±

    ¡°Alex wasn¡¯t there when Dr. Kelton and I were in planning with Dr. Tilly.¡±

    ¡°So, you say that Dr. Tilly was involved in the plans for the animal testing?¡± asked Hailey Brown.

    Flustered, Chaz responded, ¡°Yes, well no, not with the animal testing. That was all Dr. Kelton. He told me we should keep that part secret, especially from Dr. Tilly. He said Dr. Tilly would complicate the project. He said Dr. Tilly was a weasel in a man suit.¡±

    Everyone laughed except Tilly. He buried his attention in his notes on the laptop in front of him.

    Jacob droned, ¡°The defense is willing to stipulate that the suit doesn¡¯t fit very well.¡±

    ¡°Mmm Hmm,¡± Hailey Brown¡¯s disbelief was evident. ¡°OK then, back to the test on the previous day. The day your hand was stuck in the box, what were you testing that day?¡±

    ¡°We wanted to see the effect of the device on nuclear materials and atomic decay.¡±

    ¡°And Dr. Tilly was informed of these experiments?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He played a vital role,¡± affirmed Chaz.

    ¡°There seems to be a video of all the other experiments. Can we see a video of this experiment?¡±

    ¡°No, unfortunately, the video file was corrupted on the lab server, and it has been lost.¡±

    Beta whispered to Alex. ¡°I still have a copy on my phone.¡±

    ¡°Put it up on the screen,¡± Alex told Beta.

    Beta tapped their phone a few times. A second later, the video screen behind Dr. Tilly began to display the experiment, starting with the countdown. Everyone in the room heard the preparations. They heard the impatience in Chaz¡¯s voice as he replied that he was clear, and the test was ready. The field engaged, and the thorium reactor vanished behind a black wall. They heard Chaz shriek.

    ¡°Please stop the video,¡± said Ms. Brown. ¡°I think we have seen what we needed to see. Mr. Dixon, the video conflicts with your testimony.¡±

    ¡°But that video was deleted¡­¡± protested Chaz.

    Daniel Dee interrupted. ¡°That was my prototype Thorium reactor model! You had no business using the model. No wonder it isn¡¯t working! I haven¡¯t been able to connect to the diagnostics since last week. You stole it, and you damaged it.¡±

    Jacob snorted. ¡°This is your cue to backpedal, Dr. Weasel! That¡¯ll be three penalty points!¡±

    Beta whispered to Dr. Dee, ¡°You just need to reset the internal clock. It¡¯s probably 11 minutes off.¡±

    Dr. Tilly slammed his laptop shut. ¡°I was unaware that Chaz had stolen the device from your laboratory. My instructions for setting up the test were, unfortunately, vague. I had instructed Chaz and Dr. Kelton to experiment with a Geiger counter and a radioactive sample, like uranium ore or something. They had no business misappropriating materiel from neighboring labs.¡±

    Dr. Blatter protested. ¡°Lighten up, Tilly. We all do it all the time. Budgets are tight.¡±

    Tilly huffed, ¡°DR. Tilly, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Encouraged by Dr. Blatter¡¯s statement, Chaz said, ¡°We needed to be able to measure more than rate of decay. I saved days of work in setting up the test by using the Thorium reactor. It had the networked diagnostics we needed to test the Kelton Field.¡±

    Tilly jerked his head to face Chaz. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®Kelton Field¡¯?¡±

    Jacob said, ¡°Hoo-boy, Chazzy. You really stepped into it that time. Talk about leading with your chin! That¡¯ll be ten penalty points.¡±

    ¡°You know, the Box, the ¡®unexplained phenomena.¡¯ We call it the Kelton Field.¡±

    Tilly was irate, ¡°This is the first time I have heard that term. It is inappropriate. It doesn¡¯t recognize the contribution of the research team.¡±

    Hailey Brown pointed to her tablet screen and shared it on the big screen. ¡±You haven¡¯t read the published lab notes? They are uploaded here by Alex Gutierrez. It clearly identifies the unexplained phenomena as the Kelton Field throughout. You were supposed to have prepared all the exhibits for this council. What else have you missed?

    ¡°Oops!¡± said Jacob. ¡°That¡¯s another penalty point for you, Dr. Weasel!¡±

    Tilly raged at Alex. ¡°You had no authorization to publish those lab notes. Have you no regard for IP security?¡±

    ¡°Belay that penalty point! He¡¯s regrouping! He¡¯s on the offense!¡± Jacob sang out.

    Chaz sputtered, trying to get a few words out. Tilly shouted him down. ¡°You have deceived me, Mr. Dixon, and you have deceived this board. You will join your colleagues when they are expelled and dismissed. Moreover, we have determined that we cannot rely on anything you say. You are excused from this meeting. The board needs to deliberate on the perjured testimony and evidence.¡±

    Marco¡¯s raised his voice. ¡°Dr. Tilly! I am in charge of this disciplinary council. Please seat yourself.¡± Tilly sat down with a huff. Marcos continued, ¡°I agree the board does need to confer. Perhaps it will be best to have the accused¡­¡±

    Cohen pointed to Chaz, ¡°Mr Dixon is not taking this well.¡±

    There was fury in Chaz¡¯s eyes as he tried to be heard, ¡°But Dr. Tilly, you promised me that¡­¡±

    Jacob gritted his teeth comically. ¡°Uh-oh, Tilly, he¡¯s gonna spill the beans! I don¡¯t think you can afford any more penalty points! Time for you to come out swinging!¡±

    Tilly cut Chaz short. ¡°You lied to me about your participation in the project, and by the admission of your colleagues, you are guilty of theft and unauthorized animal experimentation. I have no choice but to include you in the complaint with the rest of the team.¡±

    Kelton turned to Cohen, ¡°What is Tilly doing? His case is a mess. He is making conflicting statements; there is no consistency. He says the box doesn¡¯t work; then he says it does; he gets the testimony he wants and then claims they are lies. It doesn¡¯t make sense!¡±

    Cohen responded. ¡°This must be your first disciplinary hearing. Tilly¡¯s not worried about the facts. Tilly doesn¡¯t need to make a case. He just needs to keep talking and making accusations. Watch how he doesn¡¯t give the board time to think. Before they get a handle on one accusation, he¡¯s off on the next. It¡¯s like trying to nail eggs to the wall. It can¡¯t be done, and it makes a mess. For Tilly, it¡¯s a useful mess. He just needs to get the board irritated and confused. Soon, he will shift the blame for their irritation and confusion to you. It doesn¡¯t need to make sense; it just needs to make the council impatient and eager to conclude. You and your assistants will be offered up as scapegoats. Your colleagues will vote against you because that¡¯s the quickest way to get on with their lives.¡±

    Chaz had tried again and again to argue. Tilly cut him short each time. ¡±It¡¯s time for you to leave and take that box framework with you. It smells of burnt electronics.¡±

    Chaz, Beta, Gillian, and Alex looked at Marcos to see how he would react.

    Dean Marcos addressed them, ¡°Would you mind staying? We still have item 6 to discuss¡ªDr¡ªKelton¡¯s mental health. Your input will be valuable. There are conflicts in the allegations.¡±

    ¡°Mmm Hmm,¡± Heather Bailey agreed.

    Chaz responded with a low growl. ¡°I have nothing more to add. I am leaving now.¡± He continued muttering under his breath as he angrily pulled the power cord from the wall and wheeled the Box framework out of the room. Jacob followed him, leaning over his shoulder. The door slammed behind them.

    Dean Marcos continued, ¡°In the interest of time, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. We are concerned with your husband¡¯s mental health. His lab notes describe hallucinations he experienced while in the Kelton field .¡±

    Gillian responded, ¡°Yes, he told me about his experience, but you must remember he was recovering from a serious injury and general anesthesia. I don¡¯t think that means he¡¯s going crazy.¡±

    Dr Tilly pounced, ¡±His lab notes provide detailed descriptions of meeting and conversing with the ghosts of Milton Cohen, for whom this building is named, your deceased father, and several others.¡±

    Alex interrupted, ¡°He never used the term ¡®ghost¡¯ in his lab notes. That¡¯s your word, not his.¡±

    Tilly said, ¡°Don¡¯t let¡¯s mince words. Dr. Kelton¡¯s notes made it clear that he thought he was communicating with spirits. What would you have me call them? I can¡¯t imagine a better way to demonstrate one¡¯s mental instability than claiming to speak with the departed spirits. I¡¯m only surprised he didn¡¯t try to share a ¡®message from God¡¯ with us.¡±

    Hailey Brown said, ¡°There are some present who would disagree with you.¡±

    Tilly scoffed, ¡°Only religious fanatics would disagree, and there are plenty of studies that clearly indicate that the religious experience is an imaginary event.¡±

    Cohen smiled. ¡°I would have agreed with him 100% a short while ago. I don¡¯t think you are losing your mind if it makes you feel any better.¡±

    Alex tried to defend Dr. Kelton. Beta stood behind him, nodding vigorously.

    Tilly smiled a vicious smile. ¡°Mr. Gutierrez, your lab notes omit some additional human experimentation, do they not?¡±

    Alex winced.

    Kelton tried to encourage Alex. ¡°Don¡¯t deny it, Alex; you must know by now that Chaz ratted out the entire team.¡±

    Alex shrugged, ¡°Yeah, but without Dr. Kelton¡¯s permission. Dr. Kelton didn¡¯t know. Beta and I  tried out the Kelton field ourselves. Independently. I didn¡¯t know Beta had gone in, and Beta didn¡¯t know I had tried it out.¡±

    Ivan Blatter spoke up, ¡°That was a stupid thing to do,¡±

    Alex replied, ¡°That¡¯s what Dr. Kelton said.¡±

    Ivan continued, ¡°But I have to say, I admire the commitment to science. We are all about creating experiments with replicable results. Tell us about your experience while you were in the Box. Were you able to confirm Dr. Kelton¡¯s experience?¡±

    Alex shook his head, ¡±No, neither Beta nor I were conscious of the passing of time while we were in the box. I was looking at the wall clock when the field engaged. To me, it looked like the clock jumped ahead 11 minutes. I had no other indication that the Kelton field had engaged.¡±

    Everyone one in the room heard the emphasis on ¡®Kelton¡¯.

    Dean Marcos said, ¡°I am afraid your testimony doesn¡¯t help Dr. Kelton¡¯s case. Your results were not consistent with Dr. Kelton¡¯s reported experience. Thank you for your truthful response. I feel rather more confident in your report than others I have heard today.¡±

    Jacob said, ¡°Does anyone else get the feeling that the council is getting skeptical?

    Tilly pounced, ¡°You and Mx Beta could not replicate Dr. Kelton¡¯s experience in the box, even in separate experiments? We can only conclude that he was hallucinating. Dr. Kelton¡¯s mental health is clearly in question. Any claim to an out-of-body experience is prima facia evidence of another psychotic episode. ¡±

    Hailey Brown interrupted, ¡°Dr. Tilly, are you saying that any religious experience should be characterized as a psychotic episode?¡±

    Tilly replied, ¡°You are twisting my words a little, but overall, I would have to characterize any experience or interaction with any stimulus that can¡¯t be empirically measured is, by definition, a psychotic event. An event purely in the mind or imagination of the afflicted.¡±

    Hailey leaned in. ¡°Are you dismissing the experiences of billions of people around the world as psychotic? Do you call yourself a scientist? How can you ignore the data? Billions believe in God. Isn¡¯t that widespread belief in itself some evidence of the existence of things you can¡¯t prove empirically?¡±

    Tilly waved his hand dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s only evidence of the human capacity to deceive ourselves.¡±

    Hailey Brown sat up straight in her chair. ¡°I suggest that this board consider this wholesale exclusion of the believer to be an attack on the values of inclusion at this university.¡±

    Someone gasped. Tilly shifted uneasily in his chair.

    Jacob hooted, ¡°I think she scored a hit with that one! They may not believe in God, but they sure do believe in inclusion!¡±  A fiery ¡®one¡¯ appeared above Hailey¡¯s head.

    Tilly looked around the table expectantly for any indication of support for his position.

    Marcos patted the table with both hands. ¡°My friends, we have gotten off track. We are here to consider Dr. Kelton¡¯s standing in the university. The panel will now review the testimonies and evidence. Ms. Kelton, Mx Beta, and Mr. Dixon, would  you mind waiting in the vestibule?¡±

    Gillian, Alex, and Beta made their way out of the room through the heavy double doors.

    Cohen told Kelton, ¡°You go with them. I¡¯ll stay here and let you know what the panel says.¡± Kelton followed Gillian out of the room.

    ¡°That didn¡¯t go well,¡± whispered Beta.

    ¡°At least Tilly took a few hits,¡± said Gillian. ¡°It was never going to go our way; Tilly had the outcome sewed up before we ever got here.¡±

    The three talked for a while about the proceedings, then fell into silence. Kelton put his head near Gillian¡¯s ear. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more you can do here; go back to the cabin and find me, get me out of the Box.¡±

    Zenek appeared at his side. ¡°Jacob and Chaz are up to no good. Your wife and her friends should leave. Immediately.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I am trying to get them to do. Show me what Chaz is up to.¡±

 The Tides Turn

    Chapter 26

    SIZZLE

    Kelton found himself in a maintenance room, where pipes and tools were scattered on the workbenches. The cart holding the Box¡¯s framework was pushed against the wall. Chaz was busy packing sparklers from his backpack into a pipe that was two feet long and eight inches in diameter. There was a threaded cap at one end of the pipe. He was muttering to himself. ¡°Tilly thinks he can double-cross me? Here¡¯s your wake-up call, Dr. Tilly.¡± He found a box of screws on the shelves and poured them into the pipe. He pulled boxes of chemicals from his backpack, opened them carefully, and sifted their contents gently over the screws and sparklers in the pipe.

    Jacob was exultant. ¡°This boy¡¯s a genius. He¡¯s done this before. I watched him. He¡¯s pretty good at it. You know what he¡¯s building?¡±

    ¡°A bomb,¡± gasped Kelton.

    ¡°And a pretty big one!¡± laughed Jacob.

    ¡°The biggest bomb I¡¯ve ever made,¡±  murmured Chaz.

    ¡°Can he hear us?¡± Kelton asked incredulously.

    Jacob shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve been working on him a long time; I have some influence now and then. But he¡¯s probably just talking to himself. He¡¯s been doing that a lot lately. It¡¯s been fun to watch.¡±

    Kelton pleaded with Chaz. ¡°Chaz don¡¯t do this. Stop now. This is something you won¡¯t be able to undo.¡±

    ¡°I think the video games have taught him otherwise. He gets a new life if anything goes wrong.¡±

    Kelton jumped in, ¡°Chaz, Beta, and Alex are your friends. Tilly¡¯s a jerk but think of your good times with Alex and Beta in the lab.¡±

    Jacob argued, ¡°Good times? They have been getting all lovey-dovey and leaving you alone in the cold. Chazzy boy, you can¡¯t let them get away with that!¡±

    Kelton stood between Jacob and Chaz. ¡°Jacob! You can¡¯t do that! You can¡¯t encourage this! This is people¡¯s lives you are playing with. ¡°

    ¡°Not really, Doc. I¡¯m just playing with their minds and bodies. Nobody dies. They change a little, but you already know that.¡±

    ¡°But the pain he¡¯ll cause¡­¡± objected Kelton.

    ¡°Is pretty interesting.¡± Jacob finished the sentence. ¡°You see, I never had a body. I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like, but maybe I find insight with my little experiments.¡±

    ¡°Please stop him.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think so. You can give it a try.¡±

    Kelton watched as Chaz finished assembling the bomb. He pleaded continuously with him to stop. Chaz gave no indication that he heard Kelton. Chaz returned to the Box, started adjusting the controls on the power supply, and brushed away the burnt aluminum foil from the contact leads. Kelton¡¯s thoughts turned to Gillian.

    SIZZLE

    Kelton appeared in the vestibule with Alex, Beta, and Gillian. They were silently waiting outside the door. Kelton implored them to leave. He spoke to Gillian first, ¡°Rani, you have to leave, right now! It¡¯s going to be dangerous to be here. You could be killed!¡±  He turned to Beta, then Alex. ¡°You¡¯ve been expelled, you¡¯ve been fired. Why are you wasting time here? Get out of here now!¡±

    Alex spoke up. ¡° I don¡¯t know why they are taking so long. We already know what the decision will be. They already know what the decision is.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Kelton shouted. ¡±Get out of here, take Beta and Gillian with you!¡±

    ¡°I want them to say it to my face,¡± said Gillian. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make it easy for them.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t make any difference,¡± Deke cried in frustration. ¡°And Tilly is going to enjoy telling you! He wants to see you get hurt when he wins. He wants to rub it in your face!¡±

    Beta said. ¡°It may not be easy for some of them. But the weasel will love seeing our faces when he tells us we have been beaten. I don¡¯t think I want to give him that satisfaction.¡±

    Gillian sighed. ¡°Beta is right. We should get out of here.¡± She stood, put on her coat, and picked up her notepad.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Rani,¡± Deke encouraged. ¡°Go now, go fast!¡±

    Chaz appeared at the corner, leading into the vestibule and pushing the Box on the gurney. It was entirely black. ¡°I fixed it!¡± Chaz called. ¡°I¡¯m going to show it to the panel. They¡¯ll see Tilly can¡¯t be trusted. I¡¯ll show them!¡± He pushed past the group and through the doors into the council room.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°That was unexpected,¡± said Alex, ¡°maybe we ought to wait a while longer. It just got a little more interesting.¡±

    ¡°No! You need to leave now!¡± Deke moved to Gillian. ¡°Rani. Leave now. There¡¯s danger! Chaz built a bomb!¡±

    Gillian looked at Alex and Beta. ¡° I¡¯m not feeling good about our prospects. I don¡¯t trust Chaz anymore.¡±

    Beta said, ¡°Let¡¯s give it five more minutes. What can it hurt? They can¡¯t fire us any harder than they already did.¡±

    Frustrated, Kelton left the team and went into the conference room to Cohen¡¯s side.

    Cohen chuckled when he saw Kelton. ¡°Things haven¡¯t been going well for Dr. Tilly. His version of events has been called into question by at least four of the board members. I wish I could say it was going well for you, but sadly, you have two PETA members on your review board. They said¡­¡±

    Kelton waved his hands. ¡°That¡¯s not important right now. Chaz has a bomb in the Box. Do you have any influence on any of them? We need to get them out of here. ¡°

    Cohen thought it over. ¡°Mmm. Maybe I have gotten a few thoughts across to Dr. Tilly but none of the others.¡±

    ¡°See what you can do with him. I¡¯m going to work on Chaz.¡±

    Eight of the members of the board surrounded the box. Tilly sat at the other side of the room behind the heavy conference table. The scowl on his face confirmed Cohen¡¯s statement.

    Chaz was the enthusiastic Kelton Field demonstrator. ¡°¡­there¡¯s nothing there, but the sides feel solid. Nothing can penetrate the sides. We tried lasers, we tried drills. It doesn¡¯t reflect light, and it doesn¡¯t dull the drill bit.¡±

    Daniel Dee asked, ¡°Does it allow gamma rays to escape?¡±

    ¡°Nothing gets in after it¡¯s engaged, and nothing gets out,¡± Chaz said as proudly as if he had designed the Box himself. ¡°We can¡¯t explain it, but as I said, we think time stops within the Kelton Field. You¡¯ll note that the field is engaged even though it is no longer plugged into the wall.¡± Chaz checked his watch. ¡°It takes 11 minutes for the field to dissipate after removing power. Again, we don¡¯t know why. This field will dissipate in another, oh, 4 minutes and 30 seconds. I have taken the liberty of recreating one of the early experiments you read about. I lit a sparkler before I engaged the field. You will see the sparkler still burning when the field dissipates, even though it should have burned out minutes ago.¡±

    Dean Marcos pushed his way to Chaz. ¡±Why didn¡¯t the device work for the first demonstration?¡±

    Chaz glowered at Tilly. ¡°Because Dr. Tilly told me to make sure it didn¡¯t operate. He told me he would protect me and make me lead  on the¡­¡±

    Tilly jumped up, passing through Cohen who had been trying to warn him. ¡°That is a lie! Look at this buffoon. Only a fool would conspire with his ilk and I¡¯m no fool!¡±

    Cohen said loudly, ¡°Dr. Tilly, there is a bomb in that Box. You need to get everyone out.¡±

    Tilly blinked and shook his head.

    The room erupted in chatter. Kelton could see that the room was turning against Tilly. He saw a fiery glint in Chaz¡¯s eye. Jacob stood behind Chaz, whispering in his ear. ¡°You have nothing to live for. You¡¯re fat, You¡¯re ugly. You don¡¯t fit in. You have no friends. You¡¯re always gonna be used and abused. These people deserve everything they are gonna get. You¡¯ll never have another chance like this. Seize the day! Go out in a blaze of glory!¡±

    Dean Marcos pounded on the table with a book. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to order! Quiet down.¡± The chatter died down.

    Haily Brown spoke up, ¡°I have been concerned about this hearing since I received the notice, about the precedent we will be setting here today. We are considering claiming Dr. Kelton¡¯s work, depriving him of intellectual properties and possibly even millions of dollars. I am not willing to be a party to it. If that¡¯s what is in the employment agreement, the agreement needs to be changed. It seems apparent that many of the charges leveled against Dr. Kelton are the product of an avaricious and overactive imagination. I make a motion that we table this hearing until Dr. Kelton can participate and perhaps consider some countercharges against Dr. Tilly.¡±

    At least four voices rang out, ¡°Seconded,¡± and once again, the room erupted in multiple conversations, all discussing charges against Dr. Tilly.

    While Tilly protested, Kelton approached Chaz. ¡°Chaz, you don¡¯t need to do this anymore. The board is backing down. You won¡¯t be expelled. You won¡¯t be fired. Everything is going to be ok.¡±

    Jacob snarled, ¡°Butt out! I been working this gig a long time. It¡¯s payday!¡± He addressed Chaz, ¡°They deserve it, all of them, they been laughing at you, you heard Tilly, they all think you¡¯re a fat, lazy buffoon. Don¡¯t let ¡®em away with it this time!¡±

    Kelton spoke loudly. ¡°Chaz, I¡¯m your friend. You have made major contributions to the project. You¡¯ll make more contributions. You¡¯re on the ground floor; you stand to collect millions from your work. You aren¡¯t fat! You have made amazing progress. You¡¯re a physicist! Just like Alex said. Disable the bomb, we¡¯ll blame it all on Jacob!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you flatter me, Doc. I can¡¯t take all the credit!¡± Jacob smirked.

    The board continued in their heated conversations around the Box. Tilly stood alone on the other side of the conference table glowering. ¡°Kelton Field, such nonsense¡± he muttered under his breath. Tilly jumped as he heard a ¡®Pop,¡¯ and the black sides of the box winked out to reveal dazzling light and sparks flying out and dying in tiny starbursts from a single sparkler mounted in a small hole drilled into the wall of the galvanized pipe.

    Kelton could see that Chaz had used a sparkler as the timer fuse for the pipe bomb. The sparkler continued to spark and pop as it flared toward the touchhole.

    SNAP

    Ivan staggered a little when the side of the box he had been leaning on winked out. Cheers rang out from the board members, all murmured in disbelief and delight.

    Chaz watched with soft eyes and vague smile, hypnotized as the sparkler slowly popped and sparked toward the bomb¡¯s touch hole. He hummed softly to himself.

    ¡°I likes me a pyromaniac!¡± laughed Jacob.

    Tilly was suddenly frightened by the look on Chaz¡¯s face, and he dove beneath the conference table.

    Kelton tried again. ¡°Chaz, you still have friends. You don¡¯t want to hurt yourself or your friends, please, stop it now.¡± His voice was enriched with his love for his wife, his co-workers, his sympathy with Chaz and the intensity of the situation. ¡°Gillian has always been kind to you,¡± he pleaded.

    Chaz cocked his head to the side, blinked, shrugged, and reached into the framework and plucked the sparkler from the touch hole. Kelton cheered and flashed a thumbs-up to Cohen.

    Chaz waved the sparkler around, looking like he was cheering in celebration of the demonstration. Ivan Blatter and Dean Marcos patted him on the shoulders. Others grinned their approval. The group crowded into Chaz, pushing him back against the Box. As Chaz danced with the waning sparkler, the last sputtering spark popped and flew in slow motion, improbably, into the touchhole of the pipe bomb.

 Both Sides, Now

    Chapter 27

    Violent fire instantly filled the air. The explosion plastered the bowed-out walls with the remains of the board members who had been standing around the box. It blew out the windows of the conference room and peppered passersby below with flying glass, screws, blood, and bone. Instantly, Deke was in the vestibule, standing between Gillian and the conference room doors. He saw the large double doors torn from their hinges and they whipped through the spot where he stood. Fire and shrapnel filled the air behind the doors. The doors and shockwave hit Alex and Gillian with such force that Alex was blown out of his shoes. Gillian struck Beta who was thrown to the floor as Gillian tumbled through the fiery air, impacting the cinder block wall with such force that the wall cracked and was pushed outward. One of the doors had partially penetrated the wall and stuck out from the wall at an obscene angle. Deke was left standing where Gillian had been just microseconds before. The vestibule was filled with fire and smoke.

    For many seconds, Kelton stood, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Water sprayed from broken pipes and the fire suppression sprinklers in the ceiling. Scorched acoustic tiles fell from the twisted gridwork in the ceiling. Fluorescent light fixtures swung like jagged metal pendulums tethered to fractured conduits.

    He ran to Gillian. Her twisted and bloody body lay partially concealed beneath the door that had just passed through him. Depths of anguish he had never experienced before welled up from fountains he never knew existed. ¡°No, no, no!¡± he wailed. He thrashed through the room, swinging his fists at the dangling light fixtures with no effect. He threw himself at the door covering Gillian. He peered through the door. He couldn¡¯t say how he knew, but he knew she was dead. Alex lay dead next to her. An 18-inch fragment of the door was embedded in his chest. Beta lay beneath both of them. She struggled to breathe. There was nothing he could do for any of them. He roared his anger, and grief wordlessly. There were no words to express it. The horror was unspeakable. ¡°Zenek, where is this God now?¡± he demanded.

    A gentle voice came from across the room. ¡°Deke? When did you get here? I have been looking everywhere for you.¡±

    Deke was immediately at her side. ¡°Rani! You¡¯re alive!¡± He tried to throw his arms around her. Although his arms passed through her image like smoke, he felt a powerful connection just by being in contact that somehow was more than an embrace. It felt like communion.

    ¡°Deke! Deke! Of course, I¡¯m alive; what else could I be?¡± she asked. ¡° I am so sorry. I was worried that I would never find you again!¡±

    ¡°Rani, I love you so much, I am so sorry this all happened. Everything that happened, it¡¯s all my fault.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing now! I love you, too. I shouldn¡¯t have walked out on you. I am so happy to see you again, I have been so worried.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s so much to tell,¡± Deke said. ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start.¡±  Deke led her to the pile of wreckage where her body lay. ¡°Things have changed. That¡¯s your body over there.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? I mean, I¡¯m right here.¡±

    Deke said, ¡°Yes, I think that means your body is dead.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s kind of funny, but that seems only a little inconvenient. I had planned to go to the cabin to look for you this afternoon, and here you are! My afternoon has freed up.¡±

    Deke laughed despite himself, ¡±Rani, you are amazing, you are taking it well. Does everyone act like this when they find out they are dead? Is that the normal reaction?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I¡¯ve only died just the once. Oh, Deke! I¡¯m so glad to see you again. You look so good to me! I was afraid you were dead off the side of a road somewhere. Now you¡¯re back with me!

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand, sweetheart. Your body is dead.¡±

    ¡°No, I think I do understand, right now, that doesn¡¯t seem particularly important. It hurt for a second, but everything is ok now. ¡° She looked at her arms and legs that were partially visible underneath the wet rubble. ¡° Hunh! That¡¯s interesting. My body is dead, but that body really doesn¡¯t feel like it was me. I  feel bad for that person, but I can¡¯t relate to it, it¡¯s not me. I am here, this is me, I am here with you!¡±

    Alex approached. ¡°Anyone who can keep a cool head in a crisis probably doesn¡¯t understand the situation.¡± He laughed.

    A new thought occurred to Gillian, she cried out, ¡°Deke, are you dead, too?¡±

    ¡°No, my body is in the Box. My spirit is running loose.¡±

    Alex¡¯s said, ¡°You¡¯re finally ready to admit you¡¯ve got a spirit? Seriously though, this is fantastic! Tilly tried to convince us that your reports were fever dreams. That you were losing your mind. Your results couldn¡¯t be replicated in the experiments Beta and I conducted so you had to be crazy! Ha! You weren¡¯t hallucinating! Your body is in the box now, right? And you can see me? Hoo yah! Take that, Tilly!¡±

    Alex waved at his own body on the floor. ¡°That guy over there is such a disgusting heap. I would probably be heaving my guts out if I saw that while I was in my body. I must be dead, too. Ha! Who woulda guessed that would be such a cool thing to say? And wow! It¡¯s beautiful here! Have you ever seen such colors? And where is that music coming from?¡±

    Deke wanted to ask Alex about the colors and music, but another group of people appeared around Alex. Alex danced with joy. ¡°Abuelo! Tia Maria! Francisco! I have missed you so much!¡±

    Alex turned to  Kelton, ¡°Dr. Kelton, this is my grandfather Pancho,  and my auntie Maria. And this is my little brother, Francisco. I haven¡¯t seen him since his funeral!¡± Alex turned back to his family, ¡°It is so good to see you, I have missed you all so much! What a great day! Is it always so beautiful here?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen the best part yet!¡± said Tia Maria.

    Gillian¡¯s father appeared at her side. ¡°Sweetheart! I wasn¡¯t expecting to be able to see you here so soon!¡±

    Gillian shrieked with excitement, ¡°Baba! I have missed you so much!¡±

    Dev¡¯s face contorted with grief. ¡°I should never have left you! It was so selfish of me! I¡¯ve been following you around trying to get you to forgive me.¡±

    Gillian embraced her father, ¡°Oh Baba! It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±

    Dev shook his head, ¡°It still matters. There is so much damage that I have done to everyone I love, and to everyone they love.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me, now. You are here with me, that is all that matters,¡± Gillian told her father.

    Deke broke in, ¡°I told you that I had talked with him.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t quite believe you.¡± Gillian laughed. ¡°I am going to have to reconsider my position! Do you think the faculty counsel might be changing their minds now?¡±

    Twenty minutes ago, that question would have seemed petty and darker humor than what Gillian was capable of, now standing amid the destroyed walls and furniture and the fire sprinkler system raining down in the smoke-darkened devastation. Now it just seemed like healthy curiosity. Deke himself had been skeptical of everything despite his experience and the visual evidence. Deke turned to look through the falling water and twisted door frames into the conference room. Where there had once been a large window with a view of the quad there were only the tortured widow frames bulging outwards. The heavy conference room table had collapsed to the floor, and Tilly¡¯s crepe-soled shoes could be seen. It reminded Kelton of the wicked Witch of the West¡¯s legs sticking out from under Doroty¡¯s dropped house.  He saw the other nine members of the faculty disciplinary council. Some were talking together. Every few seconds additional people would appear. In just a few minutes there was a crowd of laughing , happy people embracing and communing.

    Deke called out to Dean Marcos, ¡°What do you think? Were my reports imaginary? Are you hallucinating?¡±

    Marcos laughed and called back, ¡°If this is a hallucination, I¡¯m in no hurry for it to stop. Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡±

    ¡°I did; it¡¯s all in the lab notes.¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°But you never told us about the colors!¡±

    Kelton wondered if Marcos was hallucinating. ¡°I still don¡¯t see any colors,¡± he thought.

    Gillian told Deke and her father about everything she had done to track him down. She told them about her drive from Maji¡¯s house. Kelton and Dev smiled at each other. Gillian paused and looked at her father and Deke. ¡°You were there! Weren¡¯t you?¡±

    A wail of sorrow filled the room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t want this! I changed my mind! I tried to stop the bomb! I pulled the fuse!¡± A 300-pound version of Chaz emerged from the curling smoke and water that filled the air.

    Kelton heard Jacob¡¯s voice, ¡°Get a load of this guy! So, that¡¯s the way you see yourself, Chazzy? You¡¯re always going to be a fat guy in your head. What a big, fat loser!¡±

    Chaz contorted with pain. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I took the fuse out of the bomb! This shouldn¡¯t have happened!

    Kelton almost felt sorry for Chaz as conflicting emotions coursed through his mind. ¡°Gillian¡¯s dead, we have lost our child¡­ But I haven¡¯t lost Gillian, she¡¯s here. She will always be here.¡° He would never be able to forget the depth of pain and horror of seeing his wife¡¯s dead body, seeing many lives snuffed out in an instant. The wrenching, long moments of despair, of feeling that all was lost. He never could have anticipated this change in perspective. He looked around at the explosion¡¯s aftermath. The devastated rooms were terrible to see, but now he was able to see past the curtain and he was amazed at the entire picture that had opened to his view. He saw happiness and joyous reunion lighting up the smoke, water, and debris-filled room.

    But not everyone was happy. Ivan Blatter launched a profanity-filled tirade at Chaz ¡°You did this? Why would you do this?¡± What did I ever do to you?¡± he demanded.¡± My wife has lost her husband, my kids won¡¯t have a dad! What are you going to do about that! There is nothing you can do to fix that.¡±

    A few others joined in grasping and swinging their fists at Chaz. ¡±My daughter was about to quit drinking. She was going to get her husband back. You killed her before she could make things right. Now she has to live with all those regrets.¡±  ¡° You have no idea what you have done.¡±

    With each accusation Chaz curled more tightly into a fetal position. Jacob approached Chaz, turned, and faced the angry group of people. ¡°Look at the guy. He¡¯s torn up about this. He can¡¯t even stand up. You gonna kick a guy while he¡¯s down?¡± He smiled a wicked smile. ¡°Nice work! I like it!¡± He kicked at Chaz in emphasis.

    Beta walked up to Deke and Gillian. Beta looked dazed and confused ¡°What happened? Are we dead?¡±

    Alex said, ¡°You look pretty good to me! Some first date, huh?¡±

    Kelton was sad and happy to see Beta. ¡°It¡¯s been quite a day,¡± he said.

    Gillian asked, ¡°Why do you and Beta have silver strings floating from your heads?¡±

    Kelton was startled to see the thread on Beta¡¯s head. ¡°I think that means that you¡¯re not dead yet, Beta.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? A few seconds ago, I was pinned under Alex and Gillian, I couldn¡¯t breathe, and everything hurt. Now I¡¯m feeling surprisingly good. No pain, no pressure.¡±

    ¡°Some people told me that the thread means we are still connected to our bodies,¡± said Deke.

    Jacob called out, ¡° You¡¯re hanging by a thread, Beta. You should try jumping on your face¡­¡±

    Deke told Beta, ¡°Ignore him. He¡¯s an idiot.¡±

    A line of firefighters entered the room. One spoke into his radio and the spray of water into the room stopped.

    ¡°This is a mess. I don¡¯t see any structural damage. Check for survivors!¡±

    ¡°No hope in the conference room. There are only pieces in here.¡±

    Kelton gestured towards the pile of rubble where Alex, Gillian¡¯s and Beta¡¯s bodies were. ¡°Beta¡¯s over there.¡±

    The firefighters swept through the room completely unaware of Deke or the crowds of people who had gathered there to greet their family members.

    ¡°There are some bodies here, underneath the door.¡±

    ¡°These two are gone. They are jelly.¡± The firefighters quickly lifted the door and debris. They carefully moved Alex¡¯s and Gillian¡¯s bodies from the pile. Beta lay beneath them.

    ¡°We may have a chance with this one!¡±

    ¡°Get the EMT¡¯s¡±

    Alex had been watching ¡°Dang, Beta! You¡¯re looking even paler than usual. Man, that¡¯s real Goth! How do you make it look so good?¡±

    ¡°Really? I can¡¯t believe you just said that,¡± said Beta, but a smile flitted across their lips.

    Alex replied. ¡°I guess I don¡¯t know how to act. I¡¯ve never been dead before. It¡¯s kinda hard to be serious when I¡¯m feeling so good, and you¡¯re looking better than ever.¡±

    A beautiful woman appeared by their side. ¡°Mormor!¡± exclaimed Beta. ¡°You look so young and beautiful!

    The woman replied, ¡°I¡¯m glad I got here. I need to talk with you, sweetheart! Some dreadful things happened here.¡±

    Beta introduced her grandmother to the group. ¡°This is my grandma. She¡¯s the only person in my whole family that loved me. Oh, Mormor! It is so good to see you.¡± Beta tried to embrace her.

    The EMT¡¯s had arrived, and they checked her. ¡°This one¡¯s not breathing! There don¡¯t seem to be any serious injuries. Maybe we can get this one back.¡± They ripped open Beta¡¯s shirt and started CPR. One of them attached electrodes to Beta¡¯s chest and armpit. ¡°She¡¯s in defib!¡± she said.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s got a chance. Keep it going!¡± the medic yelled.

    ¡°They have a chance!¡± Alex corrected.

    Beta laughed at Alex. ¡°Let¡¯s not sweat it right now. But you need to stop peeking.¡±

    Beta¡¯s Mormor said, ¡°Punkin, you look so beautiful. I am so proud of you. You have done big things. You are going to do remarkable things. But you need to go back. God has a work for you to do. You have a lot to do!¡±

    ¡°But it feels so good here! What do I have to go back to? Mom and Dad can¡¯t stand to be in the same room with me. I never had a boyfriend before, now I had a boyfriend for like 20 minutes and he died.¡±

    ¡°I think she means me,¡± Alex interjected. ¡°You called me your boyfriend!¡±

    Beta continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back. I want to stay here with you. I want to stay here with Alex.¡±

    ¡°It will get better. Just trust yourself!¡± Mormor told Beta.

    Kelton had a thought. ¡°Beta. I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, but if you go back to your body, you may be my only hope. My body is in a new Box I built. It¡¯s in the garage in Gillian¡¯s parents¡¯ cabin at Heaven Lake. The timer is set to turn the box off a year from now.¡±

    Alex laughed, ¡°A year! Did you get a little sloppy with your settings, Doctor?¡±

    Deke responded, ¡°Yeah, I needed my team to keep me straight. Beta, I need you to remember this. Go to the cabin. Its address is Avalon Way 17. Turn off the box. It¡¯s in the garage. There¡¯s a key wedged behind the door trim on the hinge side. Can you remember that?¡±

    ¡°Memory doesn¡¯t seem to be a problem.¡± Beta said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a pulse.¡± the medic called. ¡°Let¡¯s transport¡±

    Beta¡¯s body drew a pained breath and the Beta that had been there a few seconds before evaporated. The medics put Beta on the gurney and navigated the destroyed room to the elevator. Mormor followed them out.

    One of the firefighters yelled. ¡°Hey! This foot under the conference table is attached to a body!¡±

    They lifted the table. Tilly lay on the floor motionless. ¡°This one¡¯s still breathing! Let¡¯s get a gurney over here.¡±

    ¡°The table must have protected him from the blast. His foot is pretty torn up, but the rest is looking ok.¡±

    ¡°Get him to the ambulance, fast. The pressure wave probably damaged his internal organs.¡±

    Jacob called out, ¡°At least he has some internal organs! Unlike some people I might mention.¡±

    Ivan Blatter shifted his attention from his family to Jacob, ¡°Is that supposed to be funny? You better shut your mouth, pal!¡±

    Jacob said, ¡°What, too soon? Lighten up, buddy. Nobody gets out of this alive. Or is it everybody? I get so confused sometimes!¡±

    Kelton tried to ignore the tumult as the families of the dead board members swore and cursed Jacob. ¡°You are not helping!¡± ¡°You should leave.¡±

    Jacob jeered at the crowd, ¡°I¡¯d rather be mobbed than ignored, but maybe you really ought to be cursing the guy who made the bomb. Look, there he is!¡±

    More of the disembodied clustered around Chaz, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hurt anybody! I tried to stop it!¡± he wailed again and again.

    Kelton tuned them out and focused on Gillian and Alex. ¡°It looks like you two saved Beta.¡±

    Gillian spoke up, ¡°And look at that; Tilly¡¯s going to make it out alive. That¡¯s just not right. None of this would have happened if not for him.¡±

    Alex spoke up, ¡°I gotta say it again. This place is not bad. Maybe too good for the likes of Tilly. Maybe we¡¯re better off without him? I really think I¡¯m gonna like it here.¡±

    Deke turned to Alex, ¡°That reminds me. You are seeing colors?¡±

    ¡°Not just colors, colors I¡¯ve never seen before; wild, vibrant, beautiful colors- and what a sound system! Have you ever heard music like that?¡±

    Deke and Gillian looked at Alex in surprise. ¡°Music?¡± Gillian asked in disbelief. ¡°Are you hearing harps?¡±

    ¡°Oh man! You can¡¯t hear that? Yeah, sure, harps and pianos, trombones, trumpets, saxophones, violins drums and guitars! You know what an Aeolian Harp sounds like? It¡¯s all in there! The only thing that¡¯s missing is a theremin. No! There it is! It¡¯s amazing. It feels like it¡¯s lifting me from the floor. I¡¯m walking on the music. It¡¯s a cushion all around me. It¡¯s warm.¡± Alex noticed the puzzled looks on Deke and Gillian¡¯s faces. ¡°You really can¡¯t hear that, dude?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± answered Deke. ¡°All I can hear is you.¡±

    ¡°That would be a relief,¡± said Gillian. ¡°The noise in this room is getting unbearable. The volume goes up every time somebody else shows up, and more are showing up every second!¡±

    Deke told her about how Cohen had shown him how to focus. ¡°It didn¡¯t take me too long to figure it out. You¡¯ll get used to it soon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s funny,¡± Alex said. ¡°I guess I¡¯m a natural. I can hear what I want to hear. So, what are you seeing?¡±

    Kelton and Gillian described the horrific surroundings and the dull gray tones they could see.

    ¡°Sure, I see that, too,¡± said Alex. ¡°But that part feels almost transparent. I can see forever in every direction. What a view! You should see it. It¡¯s amazing.¡±

    Gillian asked Deke, ¡°Why can¡¯t we see this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe Alex is hallucinating, for all I know. I¡¯ve had couple of guides who have helped me figure things out.¡± Deke told her about Cohen, Zenek, Alice and Jacob. ¡°You¡¯ve met Jacob. He¡¯s that vile loudmouth. Cohen has been useful, at least I can get a straight answer out of him, but usually his answers are ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯ or ¡®I¡¯m still working on that.¡¯ Zenek has been the most help, but don¡¯t ever expect a straight answer from him. He¡¯s Mister Socratic method. He is most helpful when Alice is with him. They seem to pair up quite a bit.  Your father even gave me some insight into what I was seeing and what I could do.¡±

    Alex interrupted. ¡°Sorry to interrupt. I¡¯m going to go with my family. They say they have a lot to show me. Let¡¯s talk again. Dr. Kelton, it looks like you might be here for quite a while. What am I saying? We¡¯re all going to be here for quite a while. Let¡¯s get back together and compare notes soon!¡±

    Gillian said, ¡°Please don¡¯t go, Alex. I want to see what you are seeing. Can you help us see it?¡±

    Alex waved as he walked away from Deke and Gillian. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you. I¡¯m new here, too. Just thinking out loud; maybe you have to believe it to see it?¡± With that Alex and his family were gone

    Jacob¡¯s voice rang out, egging on the group to torment Chaz.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here, too.¡±  Deke said. ¡°Hang on, this is pretty cool. You are going to like this.¡±

 Second Honeymoon

    Chapter 28

    SIZZLE

    Gillian was surprised and confused, then her face lit up. ¡°Vienna, just like on our honeymoon! How did we get here?¡± Deke and Gillian stood in Stephan Platz outside the cathedral.

    Deke excitedly explained as much as he could about getting from place to place. ¡°We¡¯re not limited by speed or distance anymore. I have been to some amazing places. I sat on a satellite! I tried to go to the moon! I think I can get there, but I just don¡¯t know how to yet. Oh, and get this! You want to know what happened to me the last week?¡± In the blink of an eye, Deke shared with Gillian his experiences of the last week.

    The download staggered Gillian. For a moment, she was speechless as she processed what she had just learned. ¡°You were with me! You were watching out for me! You really, really love me!¡±

    Deke told her, ¡°Is that amazing, or what?  You know the word grok? There¡¯s really no other word for it. Instant, complete, gestalt understanding. It¡¯s so much more meaningful with you though. To be able to communicate without fear of misunderstanding. I want to know how it works! I want to know how much I can learn this way!¡±

    Gillian laughed, ¡°Ever the scientist!¡±

    They walked the pedestrian zone in deep communion, taking in the sights, sharing their perceptions. Listening in on conversations. Gillian said, ¡°This is so nice! It¡¯s amazing! Why is it so much easier to focus on each other here? ¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s because we don¡¯t have the distractions of our bodies. Before, we were distracted, without our knowing it, by hunger, thirst, aches and pains, and even pleasure and lust. The chemistry of the body got in the way. Especially in memory recall.¡±

    Gillian gushed, ¡°Oh, I know! That clich¨¦ of your life passing before your eyes? That¡¯s real! I saw everything. I can remember every instant of my life with crystal clarity.¡±

    ¡°That has some drawbacks. I have a lot of regrets. I want to forget so many things. All the memories are not great.  There is so much that I don¡¯t want anyone to know about me.¡±

    Gillian let that sink in. ¡°It¡¯s terrible to remember those moments so clearly. It¡¯s funny, though. The things that were done to me don¡¯t trouble me. It¡¯s the things that I did, the things that I regret that bother me the most.¡±

    They spent the next days exploring places they had always dreamed of seeing. They visited with the family members and friends they could find. They wondered why they were able to find some of the people they were looking for but not others.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    A few days after the explosion, Gillian said, ¡°Let¡¯s go see how Beta is doing.¡±

    SIZZLE

    Before Deke could respond, they were standing by Beta¡¯s hospital bed. A nurse in mid-sentence stood beside the bed .¡°¡­bathroom? You¡¯re getting around really well. Have you been eating?¡±

    Before Beta could answer a doctor knocked on the door and entered the room. ¡°Good morning, Beta! You are awake and looking much better today! How did you sleep?¡±

    Beta responded tiredly to the doctor¡¯s chit-chat questions.

    Deke encouraged the doctor, ¡°Ask her what she remembers!¡±

    The doctor asked Beta, ¡®Can you tell me about the explosion? What happened?¡±

    Gillian asked, ¡°Did the Doctor hear you? Why could she hear you and I couldn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°What the doctor said was probably a coincidence.¡±

    Beta was struggling to answer. ¡°The last thing I remember is driving to the hearing with Alex. We were going out on our first date. We were going to dinner after the hearing. Ohh, Alex! He died, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m so sorry about your friend.¡± The doctor had a solemn look on her face. ¡°But it¡¯s good that you are remembering. Yesterday you asked about Alex three times .¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK, Beta!¡± Alex¡¯s voice came from the hallway. ¡°Oh! Hi Dr. Kelton, Gillian!

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time you called me Deke.¡±

    Alex grinned and nodded. ¡°I figured you two would show up. I¡¯ve been popping in now and then to see Beta. She¡¯s looking much better today. Beta has a lot of cuts and bruises, and she had a nasty concussion but seems to be getting better. She¡¯s been walking, just holding on to her IV roll-around. She¡¯s talking much more clearly today.¡±

    Deke said, ¡°It looked like you two were getting along pretty well. I was there when you asked Beta out.¡±

    Alex was a little embarrassed, ¡°You saw that? It was... I was¡­¡±

    Deke said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be spying on you. It¡¯s hard to know where to draw the line! I couldn¡¯t look away. I was so excited to see you two get something started. You are two of my favorite people. It makes me sad that you didn¡¯t get together. ¡±

    ¡°You can never tell who¡¯s watching,¡± shrugged Alex. ¡°Frankly, that¡¯s one of the things that I¡¯m really P.O.¡¯d about. Chaz cheated me. I thought that I was finally going to get to kiss a girl! It was a weird relationship, but I know I¡¯m a weird guy. I really liked how weird Beta was, you know, in the good way! I dunno, maybe I even loved Beta! I thought Beta was cute and funny and we got along really well. That¡¯s an experience I¡¯ll never have.¡±

    ¡°The advantages of having a body,¡± Gillian said. ¡°I think that¡¯s the saddest story I have heard in a long time. Today, that¡¯s really saying something!¡±

    ¡°Spilt milk and all that,¡± Alex said. ¡°You want to know another thing that ticks me off? Tilly walked out of the hospital yesterday. His foot is in a cast. His eyes were all red as blood, petechial hemorrhaging they said, but in spite of that, he is on his feet. He¡¯s probably back at his desk in full weasel mode.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard not to feel that the wrong people died in that explosion,¡± said Deke.

    ¡°Yah, Buddy!¡± Alex agreed.

    Gillian gasped, ¡°Deke, Alex, I can¡¯t believe you said that.¡±

    ¡°It was a bit over the line. Sorry. That sort of thing has been on my mind a lot lately. It¡¯s just something I¡¯m going to have to take up with Zenek,¡± sighed Deke.

    Jilian changed the subject. To Alex, she said, ¡°Thanks for being here with Beta; I¡¯m glad you were here to be able to tell us about Beta¡¯s progress.

    ¡°It sounds like you are getting ready to go,¡± said Alex.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. Thanks for the updates.¡±

    Alex smiled and waved, ¡°Hasta la vista, baby!¡±

    Deke laughed, ¡°Maybe ¡®baby¡¯ is a little over the top. Let¡¯s stick with ¡®Deke¡¯,¡± he waved back.

 Salt in the Wounds

    Chapter 29

    SIZZLE

    Deke and Gillian were in the Milton Cohen building in lab MCB432. The room was bare except some chrome tubing and boxes stacked in the corner, a desk, and a black granite-topped table.

    ¡°They are not letting any grass grow under their feet, are they?¡± Gillian observed.

    Deke said, ¡°Let¡¯s find Cohen.¡±

    SIZZLE

    They were in Tilly¡¯s office. Tilly was shouting at some grad students. ¡°¡­and be careful that you pack the files in the correct order,¡± he shouted.¡± I don¡¯t want to spend the next four months cleaning up the messes you make because you don¡¯t understand simple filing practices. How did you get to be a grad student? Don¡¯t you have to graduate to be a grad student? How did you ever graduate?¡±  The women just kept packing the records into the bankers¡¯ boxes and tried to pretend they didn¡¯t need this job.

    Cohen stood in the corner of the room. ¡°Ah! Dr. Kelton! Such a time we¡¯ve been having here! Your boy, he made a mess of my building!¡±

    ¡°At the last minute, he was not trying to. You saw him. He changed his mind. I know he¡¯s sorry.¡±

    ¡°Sorry doesn¡¯t put students in the seats. ¡®Sorry¡¯ doesn¡¯t help my physics building! Your boy didn¡¯t just blow up a conference room. He blew up the entire physics dept. My physics department! ¡®He¡¯s sorry¡¯ just put an incompetent into the Dean¡¯s office.¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°The Dean¡¯s office?¡± asked Kelton.

    Cohen continued his tirade, ¡°That¡¯s not the worst part! I have known for years that Dr. Robeson Tilly was an incompetent schnorrer. A stuffed shirt, a bully! Not capable of a single original thought or idea. Apparently, that¡¯s what the chancellor¡¯s office is looking for in a Dean.  They feel bad for him. He wasn¡¯t even out of the hospital yet and they voted to make the sole survivor, that brave, brave, schmuck, Dean of my college of physics. They don¡¯t know it yet, but it¡¯s the end. The end, I tell you! If they wanted to choose a survivor, they should have chosen Beta. That one has a head!¡±

    ¡° Tilly¡¯s in charge?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I ever want to go back.¡± Deke shook his head in disbelief, then tried to change the subject. ¡°Have you met my wife?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve met. At least I¡¯ve seen her before. She was in the conference room for a little while. I saw her because  I was the mensch standing 3 meters from the explosion. That boy killed all of the senior staff. Good people. Sure,  they can continue their research on this side, but it¡¯s not the same. Pffft! There goes my legacy. When people think of Milton Cohen now, all they will remember is the bombing. The chancellor¡¯s office is even wondering about tearing down the building. For the sake of public relations, no less.¡±

    Cohen droned on, ¡°They already have a stack of CVs on Tilly¡¯s desk. He is going to hire a bunch of Tilly clones, teachers and professors who won¡¯t challenge him or the students. It¡¯s the end, I tell you!

    An operatic voice sang , ¡°Where are the clones? Send in the clones, don¡¯t bother, they¡¯re here!¡±

    ¡°Jacob! Shut up!¡± shouted Cohen and Kelton simultaneously.

    ¡°This is a pleasure. We can admire my work together! Just when I thought it couldn¡¯t have gotten any funnier, Tilly himself gets put in the driver''s seat. This is something I can work with!¡±

    Kelton shuddered in disgust. He touched Gillian. ¡°I can¡¯t stand to be here any longer, let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Come by again when you can stay longer! I¡¯ll stay here and talk with Milt. I got me some salt that needs rubbing into the wounds.¡± Jacob said cheerily.

 Mustard Seed

    Chapter 30

    SIZZLE

    Gillian and Deke went back to exploring the world. They visited Rome, Egypt, and England.

    They walked through Buckingham Palace. Chambers were packed with hundreds or even thousands of other disembodied tourists. ¡°It seems this wasn¡¯t an original idea,¡¯ said Gillian.

    They stood inside the glass case in the London Tower and passed their hands through the crown jewels. ¡°I want so bad to take a selfie right now!¡± she said.

    They stood at the top of the tallest buildings and the top of the tallest mountains. They walked through driving snowstorms at the center of a Class 5 tornado. Metal panels whipped around them at terrifying speeds. They laughed when they realized that they were ducking and dodging.  They stood hands on hips and legs akimbo feeling like superheroes. ¡°This would be a lot cooler, if we could hear the wind,¡± Deke lamented.

    ¡°Where else can we go that we would never have dared go before?¡± asked Gillian.

    Deke took her hand.

    SIZZLE

    ¡°Where are we?¡± asked Gillian.

    ¡°We are in the inner compound of the Sinaloa Drug Cartel,¡± Deke told her. ¡° You¡¯ve always wanted to be a detective. Well, here we are.¡±

    ¡°Where are our badges? Don¡¯t we need badges?¡± Gillian taunted.

    ¡°Badges? We don¡¯t need no stinkin¡¯ badges,¡± Deke replied in a terrible Mexican accent. ¡°Maybe, that''s what I can do, when I go back. I¡¯ll open the world''s most successful detective agency. You think the Shadow was a great detective? You ain¡¯t seen nothin yet¡±. They soon learned that it was nothing like the romance of a detective novel. The living were selfish, boring, and violent. They spent their days on their computers, or on their phones, or bullying the hired help. The disembodied Deke and Gillian encountered were angry, confused, in pain, or all of the above. They encountered people who had been murdered by the cartel who were trying to find a way to retaliate. Others were family members of people who had been addicted, ruined, and lost their lives, who had endless energy for shouting their hatred and contempt for the cartel. Still others were faithful cartel members endlessly in a war of words and emotions with those who wanted to destroy the cartel. Deke and Gillian fled from the spiritual warzone.

    Gillian said, ¡°Let¡¯s go check on Beta again.¡±

    SIZZLE

    They found Beta in MCB432, Deke¡¯s laboratory. Beta and a small team of lab assistants were reconstructing the frame of the box. Deke was not surprised to find Alex in the midst of the activity. They greeted Alex happily.

    Deke asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Alex?¡±

    ¡°Tilly has been remaking the physics department in his own image. The chancellor''s office has been giving him everything he wants. He has made the ¡®Tilly Effect¡± a top priority.¡±

    Deke and Gillian both started, ¡°Tilly effect?¡±

    ¡°You know, the Box, the Kelton Field. After the explosion, Tilly went wild. He revised all of the lab notes. He put his name as lead on everything.¡±

    ¡°And Beta is going along with it?¡± asked Kelton.

    ¡°Tilly has Beta convinced that you were working under his direction. He¡¯s taking advantage of her shaky memory.  He offered her job back at a significant raise if she signed a release of liability. Tilly convinced Beta that Tilly was doing Beta a favor. The legal department and the Chancellors office think Tilly is a genius. Beta doesn¡¯t know it, but Tilly needs Beta. Beta is the only one left with experience with the components of the Box. The original was completely destroyed in the explosion.¡±

    Gillian told Deke. ¡°You have got to stop Tilly.¡±

    Deke laughed, ¡°I¡¯d like to. I think you''re stuck with me for at least another 2 months until your mother visits the Heaven Lake cabin and unplugs the Box. I¡¯ll try then. Until then, I like exploring the universe with you.

    Gillian asked Alex, ¡°How is Beta doing?¡±

    ¡°Beta still has a lot of headaches, and gets tired easily. She still can¡¯t remember anything about the day of the explosion.¡±

    ¡°Do you ever see Chaz?¡±

    ¡°He pokes his head in now and then. Say¡¯s he''s really sorry and leaves. That pendejo Jacob is usually right behind him, making fun and teasing him. I¡¯m almost starting to feel sorry for Chaz.¡±

    ¡°How is Beta getting along with the other assistants?¡±

    ¡°Beta keeps to Beta. They have been doing better since they started rebuilding the Box. I think Beta likes working with their hands. But they don¡¯t mix much. The team keeps trying to be inclusive. They are having a birthday cake for the tall one in the next few minutes. Usually Beta doesn¡¯t join in. I try to offer encouragement, but you know how it is. I can¡¯t tell if I am getting through.¡±

    Deke said, ¡°Cake in the lab? Tilly will have a fit!¡±

    Alex shrugged, ¡°It was Tilly¡¯s idea. I guess he likes cake. I think he¡¯s trying to suck up to the team.¡±

    As if to illustrate, there were two quick knocks at the door and Tilly came in followed by his secretary who was pushing a gurney that held a chocolate cake adorned with 2 lit sparklers.

    The team cheered. Someone started singing Happy Birthday and others joined in. Beta¡¯s eyes and face went blank as their mouth dropped open.

    Beta gasped, ¡°That smell! That sparkler smell!¡±

    Gillian said, ¡°Beta¡¯s remembering! The smoke has triggered a memory!¡±

    Deke stood at Beta¡¯s side, ¡°C¡¯mon, you can do it! Remember!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here with you!¡± encouraged Alex. ¡°It¡¯s time to remember!

    Beta fell to their knees and collapsed into a fetal position. The singing stopped.

    Deke touched the crown of Beta¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s time to remember, my friend.¡±

    Beta cried out in terror as though reliving the explosion, then lay motionless on the cold tile floor. The team crowded around Beta. A red-haired lab assistant pulled the emergency defibrillator from the wall.

    ¡°Beta¡¯s still breathing,¡± the tall lab assistant said. ¡°We won¡¯t need that.¡±

    ¡°Is Beta epileptic?¡± asked another while taking off her labcoat. She wadded it up and put it under Beta¡¯s head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She¡¯s not wearing a med alert bracelet.¡±

    ¡°Elevate their legs¡±

    Little by little Beta¡¯s strength came back. Beta began to roll over.

    The lab team helped Beta to a chair and brought a bottle of water.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Beta apologized to the group clustered around. ¡°I think it¡¯s just a little flashback from the explosion. I¡¯m feeling better now.¡±  Someone brought Beta a piece of cake.

    ¡°Beta hates the attention,¡± chuckled Alex, ¡°but the cake probably won¡¯t hurt.¡±

    Beta slowly ate the cake as the team''s attention shifted gradually back to the party.

    ¡°That first memory download is powerful and painful. I felt like molten¡­ something¡­ knowledge¡­ had been poured into every cell of my body,¡± Deke said. ¡°It laid me out. It¡¯s crazy luck that we were here when the memories hit Beta.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, lucky,¡± Alex shook his head in disbelief. ¡°You still haven¡¯t noticed that there is a higher power at work here?

    Beta got up from the chair and quietly shuffled to the coat hanging on the wall, put the coat on and made short painful steps towards the door. None of the team noticed that Beta had left.

    ¡°What¡¯s Beta doing?¡± Gillian asked.

    ¡°Beta¡¯s not much of a talker. We would have a hard time figuring out what they¡¯re doing even if we could talk together. We just gotta watch to find out,¡± said Alex.

    The three watched as Beta got in their car. It looked like a brand-new top-of-the-line model Toyota. Beta sat for a few minutes breathing deeply.

    ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s a nice car, Beta,¡± Alex said. ¡°That must have been some settlement from the university! ¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Deke said, ¡°Beta, you are in no shape to drive right now. Believe me, I know. Give it a few hours at least.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Siri,¡± Beta said weakly.

    A voice from the display on the dashboard answered, ¡°Um hmm?¡±

    ¡°Navigate to 17 Avalon Road, Heaven Lake.¡±

    Alex said, ¡°Deke, that¡¯s the address you gave her just after the explosion. What¡¯s there?¡±

    Deke said, ¡°I am, err¡­ my body..in the Box.¡± He thought a few minutes. ¡° I was in such a hurry to get back in my body a few months ago. Now, I¡¯m not sure I want to go back.¡± He looked at Gillian. ¡°I don¡¯t want to give this up. We¡¯ve only scratched the surface.¡±

    Gillian said, ¡°Not yet! You have to straighten things out with Tilly first, with the university. You need to get credit for your work, for your insights and discovery. Your name should be in the journals. Not Tilly¡¯s.¡±

    Kelton flashed with an indignant anger at the thought. ¡°Tilly needs a serious tune-up,¡± he agreed.

    Gillian continued, ¡°But not just that. Think of our families. I need you to take care of my mother for me; she is all alone now.¡±

    Deke said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to think of you as dead. It just doesn¡¯t fit. I know Maji is going to be sad, but¡­ she doesn¡¯t need to be! You are right here with me.¡±

    ¡°I always will be. Do you think you can make my mother understand?¡±

    Alex jumped into the conversation. ¡°You can make her understand that you¡¯re out of your skull. Believe me, I know. I tried and tried to get you guys to even consider believing in Jesus. I never even got to first base. You all smiled and patted me on the head. You¡¯re still patting me on the head. Even though you have firsthand experience  of an afterlife. What proof will you give her?¡±

    ¡°I guess all she will have is my word for it.¡± admitted Deke.

    ¡°And the comfort from the Holy Spirit,¡± Alex said solemnly.

    Deke and Gillian looked at each other skeptically.

    ¡°Oh, man! I actually heard both of your eyes roll that time. Be careful, you might hurt your ocular muscles!¡± Alex laughed. ¡°You¡¯re getting there. You both want to know the truth. The truth will find you! Maybe then you will be able to see what I am seeing. Hear what I am hearing. It¡¯s incredible! I can¡¯t wait for you to see it too! There is a light that you can¡¯t see yet that shines in the darkness.¡±

    Gillian said, ¡°I really want to see it. Alex, how can we see it?¡±

    Alex said, ¡°I just got here myself. There must be people better equipped to tell you than me.¡±

    Gillian said, ¡°How about Zenek? Can we go talk to him?¡±

    Alex said, ¡°You go talk to him. I¡¯m going to stay here with Beta. Beta¡¯s still kinda weak and not driving well. If she runs off the road and dies, I want to be right there when she crosses over.¡±

    Deke laughed. ¡°You are one lovesick puppy. A few months ago, that would have been a really creepy thing to say¡±

    ¡°Has it got to stalking yet? You¡¯ll let me know if I get creepy, right?¡± Alex said.

    ¡°How would I know? I just got here too.¡±

    ¡°Deke,¡± Jilian interrupted. ¡° I want answers to the big questions.¡±

    ¡°Which are¡­?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was so sure death was the end. I was so surprised to see you standing over my body. I was wrong about life after death, and I was wrong at the top of my lungs. What else am I wrong about?   What is right? What is the truth? I want to answer the big questions; Is there a God? What even am I doing here?¡±

    Alex cheered, ¡°You go, Mrs. Kelton! Those are the questions!¡±

    ¡°We have about 2 hours before Beta can let me out of the Box. Zenek¡¯s been helpful. Maybe we should go talk to him¡± Deke looked at Alex. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to join us?¡±

    Alex held up his hand and pointed to his ¡°WWJD¡± wristband. ¡°I¡¯ve got my answers already. I¡¯ll stick here with Beta. Beta¡¯s still looking a little shaky.¡±

    SIZZLE

    Gillian and Deke found Zenek and Alice seated on the edge of the Trevi fountains. They were deep in conversation with three other people.

    Alice looked up. ¡°Zenek, look who is here! Come join us!¡± she extended her hands to Deke and Gillian.  We were just finishing a session with this group, we are so happy to see you!¡±

    Deke and Gillian sat with the group.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t believe in an afterlife. Apparently, there is one.¡± Deke said gesturing all around, ¡°We don¡¯t believe in God. Are we wrong about that, too?

    Zenek asked, ¡°What have you seen that led you to conclude that there is no God?¡±

    Gillian reminded them about the explosion. ¡°It is so hard to reconcile the idea of any God allowing an explosion like the one we were in. Tragedies and outrages like that must be occurring every minute around the world.¡±

    Alice nodded solemnly. ¡°That is a big one to get over.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s try another path,¡± suggested Zenek. ¡°How do you think life came about? What does science teach you?¡±

    ¡°Happy accident? Chemicals and processes that had an affinity for each other came together. It¡¯s all rather unlikely, but in an infinite Universe, it was bound to happen. ¡±

    ¡°Anything that can happen, will happen?¡± asked Zenek.

    ¡°So goes the argument.¡±

    ¡°In an infinite Universe, why couldn¡¯t God happen?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying God evolved from a chance amino acid? Or a single cell?¡± asked Gillian.

    Alice jumped in, ¡°We just want you to open your minds to the possibility that there is a God. We want to plant a small seed. Is it a good seed? If so, it will grow.¡°

    Gillian said. ¡°Why should that argument make sense today? Why is today different?¡±

    Zenek smiled, ¡°I thought asking questions was my job! Deke, why do you think today is different for Gillian?¡±

    Deke said, ¡°It¡¯s pretty easy to get our attention when we get hit with a two-by-four. Even a metaphorical two-by-four.¡±

    Zenek and Alice both laughed.

    Gillian added, ¡±I love the thought of creative intelligence. I do want to believe.¡±

    Alice nodded, ¡°Desire is powerful. Give that desire a little room to grow.¡±

    ¡°If there is a God, why so much suffering. It doesn¡¯t fit with my experience.¡±

    ¡°May I share my memories with you?¡± said Zenek.

    The gray-scale world to which Gillian and Deke had become accustomed was suddenly full color. Lush green foliage surrounded them. They were awestruck with the sudden appearance of color. They knew it was the King¡¯s courtyard.

    ¡°Here is the King¡± said Zenek.  A portly man dressed in flowing colorful robes appeared in the courtyard. He strode to an obese young man with long black hair slouching on a chair in the courtyard. The young man was attended by four very obsequious people. ¡°My King was expecting Estinalor to be prepared to rule the city, and the King was greatly disappointed. The boy never had to think for himself, never had to answer a question, never struggled with anything. He wasn¡¯t prepared to inherit the city. What growth has the boy ever experienced?¡±

    Deke laughed, ¡°His waistline.¡±

    ¡°Deke!¡± Gillian hissed.

    Zenek continued. ¡°I didn¡¯t prepare the boy to inherit. He didn¡¯t prepare himself, he was replaced with someone who was prepared.¡±

    The colors faded. Deke and Gillian saw everything in grayscale once again.

    Alice said, ¡°Growth and development don¡¯t come without pain, struggle and effort. Think of your experiences. When did you learn the most?¡±

    Deke said, ¡°When I struggled the most, when I pushed myself the hardest. Are you saying growth and pain are inseparable?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Growing pains can be real pain or just mental stress,¡± said Alice, ¡°but there is a reason we call them growing pains. Change is hard! Zenek¡¯s king wanted the best for his children. He wanted them to inherit all that he had. He wanted them to enjoy the power, prestige, glory, honor and blessings that were due to the children of a king, but coddling those kids resulted in the opposite of what he wanted.¡±

    Zenek said, ¡°So Gillian, if there is a God, and I promise you there is, and if he loves you, and I promise you that he does, what does this tell you about your relationship to Him.¡±

    Deke and Gillian paused for a long moment. Deke broke the silence. ¡±I was raised by parents who took me to church on Easter and Christmas. As a boy, I imagined God as an angry overseer who was eager to punish me for just being me. Around 14 I began to realize how ridiculous the entire idea of such a God was. People who did bad things weren¡¯t punished. Instead, they thrived. I didn¡¯t want to do bad things, and I didn¡¯t want to mix with that kind of people, so I guess I gradually evolved into an atheist and humanist. I don¡¯t want to offend you, Zenek and Alice, but I still don¡¯t see it. Maybe I am just being stubborn. I have to say though, I had never considered the idea of a God who uses pain and suffering as a tool to teach and prepare his creations to inherit. It¡¯s an abhorrent idea I am unwilling to consider.¡±

    Gillian said, ¡°Deke, I¡¯m seeing it. The hardest times in my life have been the times when I have learned the most important lessons. I got blown up. That sounds a lot worse than it was. Three months ago, I would have said that was a terrible thing. How could God let it happen? Why did he let Chaz build the bomb? Why does he let anybody build bombs? I have a new view of the situation. It wasn¡¯t the end; it may have been a new beginning. If there is a God, I want to know. I want to know Zenek and Alice¡¯s God He sounds like a God worth knowing. What do I need to do now?¡±

    Alice said, ¡°Honey,  you have made a spot for the seed. Let it grow.¡±

    Deke said, ¡°Rani, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m doubting my doubts, but I need more time.¡±

    Zenek asked, ¡°You already have the answers, you just need to dig them out, and I believe that there is some time for you to find the answers in yourself, but there is one more thing I want you to consider; Should you feel some urgency about this?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t I have eternity to work this out?¡± Deke asked, ¡°But I need to ask another question. I think my time here is short. Beta is probably getting close to the cabin to let me out of the box. Why do you and Alex see colors and hear music and we don¡¯t?¡±

    Zenek said, ¡°Hmmm. How is Alex¡¯s experience different from yours? What did he tell you?

    Deke said, ¡°He said I have to believe it to see it.¡±

    ¡°What do you think he meant by that?¡±

    Alice scolded, ¡°Oh, for heaven''s sake, Zenek. Can¡¯t you ever just answer a question?¡±

    Alice turned to Gillian and Deke, ¡°It¡¯s way too easy to limit ourselves with our beliefs. Have you ever heard whether you believe you can or if you believe you can¡¯t, you¡¯re right! What you believe makes a big difference. I believe that God is the light that shines in darkness and darkness can¡¯t see that light. Alex was partially right; you need to believe to see, but if you believe you will see unicorns, you are in for disappointment. You are on the path. Keep exploring. Little by little, that light you can see will reveal not just the most wonderful colors but the wonders of the Universe. You will hear the music. The process is wonderful, but not just wonderful. I think you will find it¡¯s crucial.¡±

    Deke said, ¡°OK. I want the universe. I want to keep exploring. But Zenek, you took me to space, to the satellite, why couldn¡¯t I visit the moon?¡±

    Zenek asked, ¡°Why do you want to go to the moon?¡±

    ¡°Not just the moon, I want to explore the universe, I want to find other life on other planets.¡±

    ¡°And when you find other planets, just like ours, with people just like us, what will you have learned about the universe?¡±

    ¡°That there is either an intelligent creator, or the universe was seeded by an alien race.¡±

    ¡°Who created this alien race?¡± Zenek laughed. ¡°I got you there! I think you would have proof that God exists, you would have evidence! Why would God want you to have evidence? What have you seen that makes you think that God wants to give anyone irrefutable proof that God exists? ¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t think of a thing¡±.

    ¡°Exactly¡± said Zenek. ¡°I think God won¡¯t provide that kind of proof, because the learning process is important. You have free will regardless of what Spinoza tried to tell you.¡±

    ¡°You know Spinoza?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he was even more surprised to be here than you were. Between you and me, I think Baruch is still in denial. But back to the subject  If you have proof forced on you, it is a form of coercion. You can¡¯t be forced. It can¡¯t be done for you. It didn¡¯t work for Estin and it won¡¯t work for you. The desire to be prepared needs to come from within you.¡±

    Gillian said, ¡°I think Zenek is trying to get you to realize that if God wanted to remove all doubt, he could easily manage it. For some reason, the process of belief must be important.

    Alice said ¡°Faith can become perfect knowledge, but the process of how you get there is important. God doesn¡¯t want to force belief on anyone. Forced obedience doesn¡¯t produce the necessary result. And nobody can want it for you. You have heard the saying, ¡®A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still¡¯.

    Deke said, ¡°I get it, I gotta wanna.¡±

    ¡°Nice summary!¡± said Zenek. ¡°It¡¯s the difference between being and doing.¡±

    Deke was frustrated. ¡°So, if I believe in God, THEN I can explore the universe? That still feels like coercion to me.¡±

    Alice replied, ¡°It is just a promise of things to come. ¡®Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.¡¯ I think of it as being enticed upward, but if you just¡­¡±

 I Won

    Chapter 31

    SNAP

    The fluorescent lights suddenly illuminated the garage. The digital wall clock jumped back two hours from the time Deke had engaged the field. ¡°Interesting,¡± he said out loud. ¡°The field state toggle must be instantaneous. I didn¡¯t even notice a blink.  Well, at least this time I didn¡¯t end up in an operating room. How did the lights get turned on?¡°

    ¡°Welcome back, Dr. Kelton¡±.

    Kelton, startled, jerked his head towards the voice and jumped out of the chair. ¡°Beta, you scared the daylights out of me!¡± He put his hand to his chest and tried to control his breathing.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone get out of one of those chairs so fast!¡± Beta laughed, then wrinkled their nose, ¡°You are a mess! You look like you haven¡¯t slept, showered, or shaved in days!  And¡­You are a little ripe smelling.¡±

    Kelton told Beta about the marathon construction session. Beta laughed when Deke described the free meal at the diner because the waitress thought he looked homeless.

    ¡°How did you get here?¡± Kelton asked.

    ¡°You told me how to get here.¡±

    ¡°I did? When did I do that?¡±

    ¡°After the explosion.¡±

    ¡°Explosion? What explosion?¡±

    Beta''s face clouded, they tried to talk, choked, and started to cry. ¡°Oh, Dr. Kelton! I can¡¯t¡­ I never thought¡­ ¡°. Beta¡¯s stifled sobs turned into wails of distress. ¡°There was an explosion! Your wife is dead! Alex is dead! Chaz is dead! I thought you would know. I can¡¯t be the one to tell you. I¡¯ll do it all wrong! I just can¡¯t¡±

    ¡°Gillian¡¯s dead?¡± Deke staggered and fell backward into the chair. ¡°How did that happen?¡± It felt to Kelton like a veil had darkened the room.

    Over the next 15 minutes, Kelton was able to piece together the story between occasional episodes of his own and Beta¡¯s racking sobs. The reality of Gillian¡¯s death hit him like a stack of stone blocks to his chest. New blocks piled on from minute to minute threatened to suffocate him. He wanted a rewind and a replay.  He despaired as the sun set on his hope. The strength left his body. The realization distilled in his heart that his way of life, his family, and his plans for the future were now forever out of his reach. He paced around the garage, walking in and out of the box¡¯s framework, hoping to find a position that would offer him some relief from the pain. There was no relief.  He tried to put his arms around Beta. The pain was magnified for both by the awkwardness of the gesture.  Kelton wanted to comfort Beta; he needed contact to comfort himself.  Beta didn¡¯t like to be touched. They cried together from opposite sides of the garage.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m not the one who should be doing this,¡± Beta whimpered.

    The spikes of grief in Kelton¡¯s chest eased as Kelton noticed the depth of Beta¡¯s pain and frustration.  This was very hard for Beta, too. Beta wasn¡¯t good at emotion.

    Kelton took a deep, cleansing breath and tried to change the subject, ¡°Beta, thanks for being here. Something must have gone wrong with the Box. It seems I  have been in the Box longer than I planned.   How long have I been in the Box?¡±

    ¡°Almost 3 months now. Nobody knew what happened to you. There were rumors that you had killed yourself. I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Three months? I had the timer set for 24 hours!¡±

    Beta said, ¡°You told me that the year selector on the timer got set for next year.¡±

    Kelton looked at the computer screen. ¡°How did I miss that? Beta, when did I tell you? I don¡¯t remember telling you that.¡±

    ¡°It was right after the explosion when you told me, but it was more than 12  weeks before I remembered.  I jumped in my car and drove here as soon as I could walk.  I still have a headache from the memories coming back.¡±

    A sad thought occurred to Kelton, ¡°I missed the funerals?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. They had the funerals for Alex, Chaz, and Gillian just a week after the explosion. I missed them, too. I was still in the hospital. I was laid up for more than a week.¡±

    ¡°Let''s get back. I need to go home.¡± They turned off the lights in the garage, locked the door behind them, and stepped out.  Beta climbed in the Toyota and watched while Kelton got in his snow-covered Nova. He brushed off the snow, opened the door, and tried to start it. The battery was dead.

    ¡°Beta, can you give me a ride home?¡±

    ¡°I would like to.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡° I think your house has already been rented to someone else. I heard your mother-in-law put all of your stuff in storage. You may not have a home to go to.¡±

    Kelton sighed and settled into the passenger seat nonplussed. ¡°Now what, Beta? What do I do? Where do I go?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, you can stay with me? Until get your feet on the ground again,¡± Beta offered. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to my place, it¡¯s near the University.¡±

    Kelton started to argue, then realized he had no money, no prospects, and nowhere else to go. ¡°Thanks, Beta.¡±

    As they drove toward home, Kelton borrowed Beta¡¯s phone and dialed his mother-in-law. ¡°Maji?¡±

    ¡°Who is this¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Deke¡±

    ¡°Oh, Deke! Allah Akbar! Where have you been? What happened to you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, Maji. I will tell you all about it someday. The short version is I got caught in a lab accident. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m perfectly OK now. I was trapped for 3 months and couldn¡¯t communicate.¡±

    ¡° Are you working for the CIA?¡±

    ¡°No, Maji, at least not yet. I was unconscious. I was unconscious for more than 3 months. ¡±

    Gillian''s Mother broke down in tears. ¡°I was so afraid you were dead, too. Oh! My! Do you know about Gillian?

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Kelton burst into tears and cried with his mother-in-law.

    ¡°She loved you so much! She was so worried about you!¡± she told him. ¡°She was with me the night before she died. She was trying so hard to find you. I am so glad to hear your voice. Do you know anything about the explosion? Who was responsible? Some are saying that you were angry and upset and you planted the bomb.¡±

    ¡°No, Maji, that wasn¡¯t me. Beta says it was Chaz.¡±

    ¡°Who are those people?¡±

    ¡°My lab assistants.¡±

    ¡°Your lab assistant blew up my daughter? How did you let that happen?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Maji.¡± They talked and cried together for another 30 minutes. She told Deke that she had packed up all of their belongings and put it in a storage unit. ¡°I still had hope you would come back, and you did. I am so happy!¡±

    ¡°Maji! I am very sorry to ask. I have no money. Can you help me?¡±

    ¡°You have money. Gillian had a life insurance plan since she was a small girl. I deposited a check for $10,000 into your checking account a month ago. You see? I was counting on your coming back.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Maji. So much has happened. It¡¯s going to take a while to get back on my feet again. I have some things to take care of at the University then I will come to see you.¡±

    He hung up and wiped his eyes.

    As they drove the next hour Beta filled Kelton in about what was taking place at the university.

    ¡°Dr. Tilly has assumed complete control over the Box research. He calls it the Tilly Effect research. I am afraid I went along with it. I had no memory of the days prior to the explosion until this afternoon. I smelled a sparkler burning  and the memories hit me like a wrecking ball.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know how that feels,¡±  Kelton said.

    ¡°Tilly had told me that you were working in collaboration with him to develop experiments to confirm his theories. We have been trying to rebuild the Box under Dr. Tilly¡¯s constant supervision. He¡¯s been a jerk. He has locked down all the lab notes. We can¡¯t access them, every morning, he shouts some vague instructions at us based on his reading of the lab notes. Every day, we try to do what he said. The next day he shouts contradictory orders.¡±

    ¡°My memories have been a little hazy since the explosion, but they are as sharp as 4k now. Tilly put me on the project because I was the only one who had any experience with the construction of the Box. We haven¡¯t had any success re-establishing the Tilly Effect¡± Beta blew a raspberry, ¡°I mean the Kelton Field. Every day, Dr. Tilly gets more and more worked up and threatens us with our jobs. I can¡¯t wait to see you go in and take over the project again. I have only been able to put up with his craziness, because I wanted to be in on developing the technology.¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    They talked on and off throughout the rest of the ride. Deke said, ¡°I am glad you can confirm my experiences in the box. It doesn¡¯t actually replicate the experiment. I think your experience was more of a near-death experience.  It¡¯s hard to explain away the result; You found the cabin and turned off the Box because I told you to. I don¡¯t remember telling you. For that matter,  I don¡¯t have any memory of anything that happened the last 3 months. It feels like I just got in the Box a few hours ago. ¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen when you download those memories? Retrieving a few minutes of memories just about knocked me out.¡±

    Deke shuddered at the memory of the pain of the first download. The second hadn¡¯t been as bad but he had spent a lot of time in the Box. What happens if it¡¯s accumulative? Three months of memories might be excruciating. ¡±Maybe your experience is different than mine. Maybe you were just hit with traumatic memories. Either way, I hope it gets easier,¡± he said.

    ¡°I saw my grandmother; she sent me back here. Oh, I saw Alex and Gillian there, too.¡±

    ¡°You did? What did they say?¡±

    ¡°They were in a surprisingly good mood, considering that they had just been killed. Alex was positively giddy. He was making jokes just like always. He can¡¯t even take his own death seriously. He was going on and on about the colors I couldn¡¯t see and the music I couldn¡¯t hear. He was almost dancing when he saw his brother again. Gillian looked happy. It was so¡­ incongruous¡­ how happy she looked standing there in the middle of the destruction and fire sprinklers raining on us, er through us. Oh, and there was a man who was happy to see Gillian¡±

    ¡°Probably my father-in-law. I don¡¯t know how that makes me feel that Gillian was there. I am relieved and sad and angry and, I don¡¯t know what-all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s making me rethink everything I ever thought about what happens after death. I¡®m not sure, but I imagine I feel their support. Is it my imagination or wishful thinking? Are they here with us?¡±

    ¡°I think there is a lot going on that we don¡¯t see. We have new worlds to explore. There are a lot of questions we are going to be able to answer that no one has been able to answer before. Well, at least not answer them scientifically.¡± Changing the subject, Deke said, ¡°Beta, it¡¯s nearly 7 PM. I need to confront Tilly tonight while I am still riled up. Can we go to his office before we go to your house?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in the Dean¡¯s office now. He¡¯s the Dean. He has been working late these last few weeks. He¡¯s probably still there. We can give it a try.¡±

    They climbed the stairs. Kelton had flashbacks of his first memory download as he pushed open the door labeled Milton Cohen Physical Sciences Building. They made their way to the elevator and pushed the button for the 6<sup>th</sup> floor. The doors opened on the 6<sup>th</sup> floor. There were drop cloths on the floor, ladders, and scaffolds that highlighted the near completion of a recent construction project.

    Beta shuddered and put their hand to their nose. ¡°The last time I was here was the day of the hearing and the explosion. I think I can still smell the smoke.¡± Beta winced and blinked. ¡°Dr. Kelton, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t stay with you.¡±

    Kelton made his way alone down the dark hallway. The Dean''s office was at the far end of the corridor. Occasional splashes of light coming from the windows of the administrative offices lining the hallway dimly lit his path. The Dean''s office at the end of the hall was brightly lit. The obscure glass on either side of the office''s double doors spilled light across the floor in front of him.

    Kelton picked up his walking pace the last 20 feet of the corridor and, without knocking, pushed open the doors.

    Tilly sat at his desk, dictating to his computer. He glanced up momentarily and, in a comic doubletake, jumped to his feet, throwing his notes in the air.

    ¡°Dr. Kelton!¡± Tilly¡¯s voice squeaked. He cleared his throat and tried again, more loudly this time,¡± Dr. Kelton. What are you doing here?¡± He reached for his phone and pushed a single button. ¡°Security? I need a security team in the Dean¡¯s office right now.¡±

    Kelton said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for security. We just need to talk.¡±

    Tilly shuffled to the left to keep his desk between himself and Dr. Kelton, ¡°We have nothing to talk about. There is a restraining order barring you from the campus. You need to leave immediately.¡±

    ¡°I have to disagree with you on two points, Tilly.¡±

    ¡°Dean Tilly,¡± Tilly corrected.

    ¡°Point one, we have a lot to talk about, IP theft, malfeasance, plagiarism, and my work. Point 2, I haven¡¯t been served with a restraining order. I don¡¯t need to leave.¡±

    ¡°You are wasting your time here, Dr. Kelton.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my time to waste,¡± Kelton said quietly.

    ¡°You only have minutes; Security will be here shortly to show you out. ¡± Tilly sniffed,¡° You are a mess. You stink. You look like you have been sleeping in your clothes, you obviously haven¡¯t shaved in days. I can smell you from here. I¡¯ll have no trouble convincing security you don¡¯t belong here.¡±

    Kelton looked down at himself. He realized that he was wearing the same clothes that he had worn during his marathon construction binge ¨C what three months ago? He felt his face. He had 5 days of stubble on his face. He imagined how the security team would react to his appearance. He was going to have to make his point quickly.

    ¡°Before they get here, let me tell you, if you think you can steal my work, take credit for my work, you are due for a wake-up call. I will drag you through every court you can imagine. The collegiate disciplinary council is going to hear from me. You will be exposed in every scientific journal - everything about you, from the lifts in your shoes to your video chats with BikerBabe1999. She¡¯s right, you have been a slimy worm of a man.¡°

    Tilly blinked.

    Kelton wondered, where did that come from? BikerBabe1999? He exhaled. An image was forming in his head. He drew in his breath, and the inhale went on for seconds, like a dropped baby who grasps for air, then shatters the pause with an ear-splitting scream. His lungs could hold no more air. The office was silent except for the ticking of the desk clock. Tic¡­Tic¡­

    Every instant of the last three months hit him like a city bus. A grunt of surprise pounded the air from his lungs. The images and experiences swept his consciousness from Tilly¡¯s office. Every frame, every face, every conversation, every city, every thought from his time in the box landed in his skull simultaneously with hyper clarity, as though he had been nearsighted his entire life and was suddenly seeing through corrective lenses for the first time. The details of the memories were more real than anything he could sense with his eyes, ears, hands, or nose. It was like he had been listening his entire life to a tinny wind-up gramophone that had abruptly changed to a symphonic orchestra. The strength left his legs. He collapsed to the floor, half sitting, half kneeling. He flailed with his arms for support and caught the side of an armchair.

    Tilly pounced, ¡°Dr. Kelton, you have clearly been drinking or using drugs. Leave my office at once.¡± He walked to Kelton flailing helplessly on the floor. ¡°You have disgraced the university, you have disgraced yourself. You are not worthy. You don¡¯t deserve any kind of recognition. You would never have made any progress without the tools and support that the university provided, that I provided. The Tilly Effect will change the face of science, of space exploration, interstate commerce, food production, travel¡­everything. I will make sure of it.¡±

    Kelton¡¯s mind raced with the indelible images. He remembered Gillian. How happy and beautiful she was. Getting blown up hadn¡¯t slowed her down a bit. She was better than ever. With the thought of Gillian, there was an instantaneous change in his body and soul, from a state of depression and misery to one of thrill and ecstasy. Gillian was still alive, and his heart cheered. He would be with her again. She wasn¡¯t lost. As soon as he thought about her, he realized she was here, with him now.

    Tilly was encouraged by Kelton¡¯s blank stare. He continued with increased venom. ¡°You have no cards to play. You have been censured by the committee. The minutes show that the last thing they decided before your assistant blew up the lab was that you were to be fired from your position, stripped of any intellectual properties you may have developed while you were associated with the University, and a restraining order issued against you. I was the sole survivor; The record stands as I reported it.¡±

    Kelton leaned against the chair and tried to catch his breath. Vivid, vibrant, crystalline images, too real to be called memories, electrified his body as though he had touched a live wire.  ¡°I received volumes of information, theories, and diagrams from Milton Cohen in a single gestalt,¡± he thought. ¡°I communicated perfectly with Gillian, with everyone; every nuance, every thought and feeling in the tick of a clock. There is infinite room for differences of opinion, even deliberate deception, but misunderstanding feels impossible. I can talk to the greatest minds that ever lived. I can learn what they learned. I can share their experiences. Why would anyone want to be confined to a body?¡±

    ¡°Dr. Kelton, it is apparent to everyone that matters that you were angry about the disciplinary meeting, your personal life was in tatters, your wife left you, you were penniless,  you were about to be disgraced. We wonder, did you play a role in the explosion? Did you coerce young Chaz to build and plant the bomb? Campus security will investigate. Will we find evidence that you killed your wife and the board? It seems likely to me.  Why else wouldn¡¯t you attend the hearing? Why didn¡¯t you want to defend yourself against the accusations? You weren¡¯t here because you knew what was going to happen. You knew your wife was going to die, you knew the council was going to die. Unfortunately for you, I survived. I will make sure you are prosecuted!¡±

    Kelton¡¯s body ached, feelings of nausea fought with every other impulse. My body smells, it hurts. I am so tired. It has to sleep whether I want to or not. It¡¯s weird. I am thinking of my body in the third person.

    He was immediately contradicted by his own thoughts; he remembered how Cohen was frustrated by not being able to conduct experiments. He was pelted with image upon image; His own disappointment when he was unable to throw his arms around Gillian, the unsatisfactory, unfulfilled anger he struggled with when he tried to punch Jacob. It had been hard to identify emotions without the pounding heart, the muscle contractions, the blush of anger, or the tightening of the fists or stomach. He realized how much he had missed having a body while he was out of his body. He thought, ¡°My body frees me and confines me. I am unique. I can be freed and confined whenever I want. I am the only one who can research this. The Box has opened a two-way door for me.¡±

    Tilly continued, ¡°Whether you are guilty or not, it makes no difference to me. If you are found guilty, you will go to prison, and out of my concern. If you are not guilty, the taint of scandal will ensure that you never work at another university. Either way, it works for me. You will never again have access to the resources you will need to duplicate the Tilly Effect. You are dead in the water. Your career is over.¡±

    Kelton didn¡¯t hear Tilly. ¡°I travel at the speed of thought; I can be anywhere, I can see anything. There is nothing that I can¡¯t see. No one that I can¡¯t find. No mystery that I can¡¯t solve. I can be with Gillian whenever I want. We will explore the world. Before we are done, we will explore the universe.¡±

    Kelton imagined Alex laughing, ¡®Boldly going where no man¡­ in the last 5 hours has gone.¡¯ He wondered, ¡°Was that really you, Alex?¡±

    Kelton¡¯s nausea faded and his pulse raced. Excitement grabbed him like an anaconda.  He thought, ¡°This is research only I can do. People used to say no one has come back, no one can come back, to tell us what happens. Well, I¡¯m back! I have feet in both worlds. I have only scratched the surface. I have insights into understanding the greatest mysteries known to man. I can dig deeper and go farther.  It doesn¡¯t matter what Tilly does. I won. I don¡¯t need the university. I have the Box. I can go anywhere. I can see anything! I don¡¯t have the limitation of a single lifetime.  My body doesn¡¯t age in the box. I have hundreds of lifetimes available. I can skip into the future like a pebble across the lake while Tilly implodes. I can¡­¡±

    Two security guards lifted Kelton to his feet. Tilly waved his hands dismissively, ¡°Take him to the police and have him charged with trespass.¡± They started to move towards the door.

    ¡°Hold a minute,¡± Tilly said. Tilly moved forward until his face was inches away from Kelton. His eyes burned with delight, ¡°Dr. Kelton. You have no options,¡± he gloated. ¡°I hold all the trump cards. You have violated your employment agreement. The university now has full control of your Intellectual Properties and any and all resulting technology.¡±

    Kelton imagined Alex dancing in glee behind Tilly. ¡°I just gave him a spiritual wedgy!¡± An amused smile came to his face as he wondered what a spiritual wedgy might look like.

    Tilly droned on, ¡°I have been in contact with the Department of Defense. By tomorrow, the technology will be declared classified and crucial to national security. It will be treason to publish or continue your research.  Only I, and by extension the university, will have authorization to conduct research. Maybe in a few years, we will begin to explore the Tilly Effect¡¯s commercial applications, until then, the research dollars will roll in like an avalanche. You are left out in the cold. You are left with nothing. You can do nothing. The Tilly Effect will change the world, but not your world. You have lost, and I have won. ¡± Tilly¡¯s lips tightened into a fierce smile. ¡°What do you think of that?¡±

    Kelton¡¯s amused smile faded. He tilted his head back in deep thought, breathed deeply, exhaled, and then focused his attention on Tilly. ¡°I almost forgot you were in the room,¡± he said. ¡° What were you saying? You may have to repeat yourself. I¡¯m afraid my mind was somewhere else.¡±