The Sands of Time 61

 

 It was time. The beacon changed everything. Someone... alternate Jon... wanted him to come... somewhere. 

So he was going to. 

Somehow he knew this glowing blue beacon would take him... wherever alternate Joon wanted him to go. A trap? Very possibly. But then again alt Joon had had him dead to rights, and had only talked. Why lure him now to his death?

Hillier would accompany him. He didn't dare take Maia, not after what the other Joon had said. 

"Some of us have her, some don't. She doesn't always survive."

Maia had agreed, it was too risky- she didn't like him going but she also realized she could be a liability. And she felt better about him having Hiller, although she'd told the bitch to watch her hands. Not everyone was crazy anout the idea of him going- just the two of them- to track down the missing team, if that was where he was going. But he didn't want to risk an entire team on something so slim. 

One thing he was bringing- as insurance- was one of the teleport devices Hillier's people carried. 

"I still don't like this," said Mallory. 

"I know," said Joon. "I'm not crazy about it either."

"Keep him safe," Mallory said, turning to Hillier. 

Hillier snorted. 

Howie gave a long keening wail- he didn't seem to like this either. Then they were gone. 

*******

The other side was a great room with a raised catwalk and a sunken area full of machinery, technicians, and obviously the Gate. And lots of soldiers. They were immediately disarmed and herded into a waiting area until a man arrived to see them. Joon looked around while they waited. He was impressed with the sophistication and apparent efficiency of the operation. And the technology. Everything was so... different. Monitor screens were holographic, hovering in air, and technicians had what appeared to be cybernetic implants or even personal bots floating around their heads. 

Workstations were wraparound and appeared almost... alive. The technicians seemed almost connected to their machinery in some cases. One in particular got up and as he did so a wire connecting him to his station detached itself, almost as if alive. 

The man sent to fetch them arrived with several guards. He was tall, strongly built, with dark hair slightly greying and a short salt and pepper beard. Mid forties, maybe. Striking blue eyes. 

"I'm Jack," he introduced himself. "I'm assuming you're Joon."

Joon nodded. "Jack Tyler?"

"The very one. And you are?" he asked, turning to Hillier. 

"Hillier."

He nodded. "This is rather a surprise."

Joon held up the beacon. 

"Perhaps someone is expecting us."

"Joon! Of course. Have you... met our Joon?"

"I have," Joon replied. 

"Hmmm."

Joon wasn't sure if Jack was bemused or annoyed. 

"Well, we'll sort him out soon enough," Jack said. "In the meantime, welcome to our Sanctuary."

*******

Jack watched as Joon made his way through the complex. Alt Joon. The Joon who'd come via the Gate had called him alt Joon. He'd smiled. 

He knew alt Joon as Joon-352, but did it matter? He'd been with Mallory-3 just now. That was still happening, evidently. 

Why would Joon summon Joon?

Time to find out. 

*******

It was all bad. 

Mallory was pinned down. Bullets were flying and energy weapons- they were hopelessly outgunned- were hitting dangerously close. She had sand in her eyes. They'd walked into a buzzsaw. 

Stella had sent Lawson and his best men to secure the Triassic base. Mallory had insisted on going- she wanted to see Pangea. 

She was seeing it all right. 

The Gate was still open. They could see the control center on the other side intermittently. They had come through, the security team fanning out, while she had stared in awe at the ship. Canted on its side, the sunlight gleaming off its ovoid shape.

And then the shooting had started. 

They had no hope against superior firepower. They couldn't even pin down where the attackers were- they were too well concealed. She and Lawson and a few troopers were hunkered behind a tree, taking fire. 

They had to reach the Gate. 

Another trooper went down next to her. Most of the team were already gone. Mallory had a pistol and knew how to fire it, but wasn't sure if she was hitting anyone. She heard a screeching cry overhead and was momentarily distracted by a huge creature winging overhead. A pterosaur. 

For a moment she marveled- she had seen a pterosaur- before reality intruded. Lawson grabbed her, bleeding. He shoved her towards the Gate. 

"Go! You have to get back."

"What about...?"

"No time. Go!" He turned away and laid down suppression fire, giving her a chance. 

She took it. 

She ran, seeing sand erupt around her as lances of energy came close. She dodged and weaved, and then her heart leapt into her throat as a man, in body armor- futuristic looking, visored, couldn't see his eyes, appeared before her. 

He had her. 

She raised her weapon, knowing it would be useless, but then a fusillade of bullets hit the man, dropping him with the impact even though they didn't penetrate the armor. She looked back. 

Lawson.

He gave her time, and she was so close. Then she saw Lawson go down. She started to scream and then realized she was moving, almost there. The trooper was back on his feet, about to burn her down. 

She could see Stella.