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03-07-2011, 03:40 PM

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Cyber Warrior

Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Posts: 10,275

Total Awards: 2

Sticks

Cyber Warrior

Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Posts: 10,275

Total Awards: 2

Episode VII – A Twenty First Century Praetorian Guard

Spoiler:

There is an old saying “It is better to let sleeping dog lie”

Literally, if there is a mean guard dog that is sleeping, you do not want them disturbed

Metaphorically this means that sometimes it is best if we do nothing, as action could lead to consequences we might not be able to handle, and such consequences outweigh any benefits that could have been obtained.

Sometimes the status quo is best kept; sometimes the best decision is to do nothing.

However to some, inaction is not an option and they will cry “Something must be done”, and when they start whatever action is suggested, the consequences will be felt further than anyone ever anticipated, and some will be unintended.

For example, Simon Hargreaves, formally of the Inter Dimensional Entity Control organisation, whose wife Celeste and baby daughter have been abducted, is about to try and use a wormhole generator to try and locate an artificial universe that may be holding them. The problem is, that artificial universe is booby trapped to generate a lethal gamma ray burst at anyone who so tries to gate in

+ + +

Head Quarters of Metro PD Forensic Laboratory
Washington DC, United States of America

Simon pushed the switch on the wormhole generator and it started humming into life

“When does the wormhole start forming?” Iain Davy, Pete Smith’s supervisor and head of the Metro PD forensic laboratory, asked, looking inquisitively at the device before him.

“I have to enter in the co-ordinates first” Simon replied without taking his eyes off of the generator and reached for the keypad to enter the best guess of the coordinates from the data trace they found at the coach station the night before.

Suddenly a mobile phone sounded.

Simon started to panic, he was trying to show something important to Pete and Sue-Lim’s boss and somehow he forgot to switch off his cell phone”

“Sorry sir” Simon said as he briefly left the keypad alone to reach for his cell phone to switch it off.

“That’s ok” Iain replied, “It’s mine; we must have the same ring tone”. Iain explained and then pulled out his cell phone and answered it.

Simon was frustrated. It was always the same, as soon as you are in conversation with someone or trying to show them something, a phone always goes off!

Not knowing how long this conversation would be, Simon switched off the generator to preserve power from the radioactive isotope that powered it. There were no magic devices or major spirits of virtue to recharge this one, unlike the time they had been trapped on IDW02.

From what Simon had learned over the years of coping with high functioning autism, we was just able to notice Iain’s face get angrier. Was he angry at Simon?

Iain hung up.

“We better get that hidden away Simon” Iain said rather quickly, “It seems we are about to get a visit from Homeland Security”

Now Simon was beginning to panic, the one device they had that would rescue his wife and daughter, and now the American government were coming to take it away.

It just wasn’t fair!!!

“Where do we hide it, where do we hide it?” Simon started repeating.

There was a knock on the door of the lab

Simon almost jumped out of his skin

It was not the Homeland Security as Simon feared, but an African American woman

To Simon it looked like both Iain and this woman knew each other

“Amanda” Iain ordered the woman, “take that machine carefully out by the back stairs if you can” he said pointing at the generator. “It is mobile isn’t?” Iain asked Simon

Simon nodded, he had made it so it would be like the early British prototype that he had heard of, and be portable.

“What is it?” the African American woman named Amanda asked

“Something I do not want the people from Homeland Security finding out about” Iain answered with a tint of irritation in his voice, “a source of mine says they are on their way over to this lab”.

Amanda picked up the generator from the bench and headed for the door before stopping. “Why are we hiding it from Homeland Security? I thought we were all on the same side?”

“Not when they have been acting unconstitutionally first in following us from Quantico to the hospital and earlier today in trying to arrest our colleague Sue-Lim on bogus charges, and not when they seem to be trying to cover up a murder of a federal official” Iain answered, “Now go!”

Amanda turned around and was gone with the improvised wormhole generator

Simon looked at Ian in confusion, “They killed Kathryn?” Simon asked with tears in his eyes

“I don’t know” Iain replied, “But after I left the hospital after going toe to toe with these Homeland Security guys I took a call from a certain Jack Maddox. It seems the investigation into her murder that they took away from us, has in turn been taken away from the FBI by this Homeland Security guy who is coming as we speak and placed on a back burner. Smells to me of a cover up”

+ + +

Hounslow High Street
London

Gregory O’Doyle sat in a small café off of Hounslow High Street and stared into the distance for some time, the former head of Ireland’s G2 Special section was stunned by the call he had got from his former ally, Brigadier Samuel Peters.

The young woman Sandra Phillips had told him to text a phone she was going to slip into the possession of Samuel somehow and wait somewhere out of the way, so he would not be spotted at Heathrow

Hounslow had seemed like an ideal part of London, near to the airport if he had to go there after all, or on the Piccadilly line if he had to go into central London. He also hoped it would be out of the way enough to evade any tails either by his former G2 colleagues or perhaps MI5 working for the Irish government.

Gregory had been sitting waiting for a reply by text. To actually get a phone call, brief though it was, was as much as a shock as what Samuel had told him

Sir Sidney Gerald was back, and most likely was the main adversary behind all that was going on, just like three years previously

But how? His essence was supposed to have been spread through out the universe along with that of the Spirit of Lust.

This was indeed troubling news, but what was even more troubling, was it seemed that it was now down to him, to start the fight back, but how. He was just one old man.

Hopefully Gregory could keep off of Sir Sidney’s radar and do some serious damage to whatever that evil industrialist was up to, but there were no guarantees. It was even possible that the leadership of G2 was now in Sir Sidney’s pocket.

Gregory just hoped he could remember some of the debrief, the then Commander Mark Johnston of the American IDEC, had copied to him about the empire of Sir Sidney Gerald.

+ + +

The interior of an abandoned warehouse
Location, unknown

Samuel again was the last to leave the artificial universe that they had passed through. Again he told the others he had needed to psych himself up to going through the red swirling vortex, which had obviously taken him, along with Mr Ex, Tania and Sandra back into the real world as far as e could tell.

The interior was some abandoned warehouse, theoretically it could be anywhere on the planet, however from the way the light came in through some of the broken windows, it seemed that they could still in the same time zone from where they left in London, England.

A young black man in a suit was standing in front of them, by a conference table and chairs. The quality of the furniture seemed quite at odds with the setting

The black man switched off what looked like the old wormhole generators the IDEC once used, situated on a table, and the red vortex behind them evaporated.

“You must be the Americans” The Black man said in a cut glass British accent. “Sir Sidney will be with you shortly after he has met with our Chinese delegation” he added as he picked up the generator device and walked away.

“Let’s sit down” Mr Ex heavily suggested as he pulled out a chair”
“I’d rather stand” Samuel snapped back
“Very melodramatic” Mr Ex sneered.

Samuel noticed both Sandra and Tania sitting down, one woman on either side, as they still seemed bitter rivals since the incident at the airport where Sandra had provoked a cat fight in order to slip Samuel a secret cell phone.

“Well I’m sitting” Mr Ex announced and sat down.

Feeling awkward, Samuel gave up and sat down between Sandra and Mr Ex.

“So what are we offering Sir Sidney again?” Samuel pointedly asked Mr Ex.

“As I said” Mr Ex sneered, “Immunity from prosecution for a start, and a large sum of money”

“How much?” Samuel pressed, “I want to know, if I am leading this sham of a negotiation, how much we are giving that dirt bag”

“I believe our opening offer is ten million dollars” Mr Ex replied without flinching.

Samuel was caught off guard for a moment, but then realised, ten million would easily come out of the US defence budget, or would Homeland Security be picking up the tab

“What do you think the Chinese are offering sir?” Tania chipped in nervously

“I’m not certain” replied Mr Ex, “But it is up to the Brigadier General here to convince Sir Sidney that we are the only real game in town”

After a few moments, the group heard footsteps, and then there were two heavily armed bodyguards with automatic rifles either side of a man in his fifties in a sharp black business suit.

Samuel recognised him instantly, it was Sir Sidney Gerald.

Sir Sidney came up to the table and sat down, while the bodyguards continued to stand.

“Afternoon Gentlemen” Sir Sidney opened with, “So good to see you after all this time Brigadier General Peters” he added with an air of mocking, “I suppose it’s congratulations on your promotion. You were a mere colonel when we last had the pleasure of meeting.

“Let’s get on with this” Samuel said with irritation

“Indeed” Sir Sidney replied, “I have been working on the ability to reconnect your government with the Mystical Realms, or what you boringly called IDW01”

“We got that part” Samuel interrupted, “What do you want?” he asked with venom

“You know” Sir Sidney went on as Samuel felt in his pompous style, “for a start the British Government needs to drop any hopes of putting me on trial for any perceived crimes they might think I may have committed”

“We will have our State Department to put that to them strongly” Mr Ex interrupted.

Samuel looked at Mr Ex with a cold hard stare.

“Dissension in the ranks is seldom a good idea” Sir Sidney told them bluntly, “Can I ask, who is formally leading these negotiations”
“I believe I am” Samuel replied, “Well that’s what I was led to believe” Samuel added as a pointed attack at Mr Ex
“Well that was what I expecting as well Brigadier General” Sir Sidney went on, “As that is what I asked for”
“Why?” Samuel demanded, “Why me?”

Sir Sidney sat back in his chair and gave an evil smile, “Why not?” he replied.

“You just want to humiliate him don’t you” Sandra spat out suddenly.

For a moment it seemed like Sir Sidney had been caught by surprise

“Quiet” Mr Ex ordered

Sir Sidney gave a small evil laugh, “You’re in love with him aren’t you” Sir Sidney accused Sandra

For a moment Samuel saw a slight blush on Sandra’s face, which reminded him of how she was at the settlement of Grytviken on the island of South Georgia in the alternative timeline.

“I’m not” Sandra said unconvincingly, “I just admire the Brigadier General for his record”

“Oh yes” interrupted Sir Sidney, “Would that be his record in Iraq during Operation Restore Freedom, his action in Columbia in dealing with a drug cartel that had captured a dimension jump orb or how he persuaded the leaders of Earth to capitulate to Brameana” Sir Sidney finished with a hint of menace.

“So you managed to obtain a copy of the report into that” Samuel hit back

Sir Sidney leaned forward over the table, “I didn’t need to. I was there, observing you as you issued the surrender and as you fled in defeat leaving the crew of the USS Bataan to face execution”

For a moment Samuel was lost for words. Those events were supposed to have not happened. After all the Lord Low Troll had assured them all that time had been rolled back, and he had helped in preventing those events from happening.

“It’s not a question of humiliation” Sir Sidney continued, “It is a question of showing you once again who it is that is in charge and sets the agenda. Who it is that calls the shots. Something you failed to learn last time we met.”

“Because we defeated your attempt to rule two worlds?” Samuel rebuffed

“A minor set back” Sir Sidney replied, “But we are not here to discuss the old times”

“No we’re not” Mr Ex muttered

Sir Sidney and Samuel did not overtly respond to this interjection, but Mr Ex did have a point.

“My price for connecting you to the Mystical Realms if one hundred million Euros”, Sir Sidney stated with force before adding after a few seconds “with a proviso that who ever I sell the ability to reach the Mystical Realms to, will not interfere in my commercial exploitation of that world”

“Not a problem for us” Mr Ex chipped in, “We might even use you as a sub contractor”

Again Samuel gave Mr Ex a cold silent stare.

“Oh come, come Brigadier General” Sir Sidney chided Samuel in a mocking tone, “It’s good to hear from Anthony once in a while”

Samuel glanced at Mr Ex, and spotted a hint of horror in his face, that someone actually knew his real name. Sir Sidney was definitely up to his old tricks as a spy master, or should that have been a counter-spy master, given that it was MI5 that Sir Sidney had learned the spying game from and not MI6.

“I want something” Samuel spoke up, taking advantage of the awkward silence that the naming of Mr Ex had generated.

“And what pray is that?” Sir Sidney asked in a wistful manner

“Doctor Charlene Henshaw and Celeste and her child” Samuel replied, “They’re my people and I want them back”

Sir Sidney’s voice changed and became darker and menacing, “I’m afraid, they are not on the table here”

“I don’t get my people back” Samuel said with venom, “There’s no deal”

“Have it your way” Sir Sidney said with equal anger, “I can always sell this ability to the Russians, they would like to regain their connection to the drow after all, but I suspect your former comrade, Mark Johnston, his wife Jenny and that girl from near Manchester might not like the consequence of your decision”

Samuel glowered at Sir Sidney.

“Isn’t that right Anthony” Sir Sidney asked Mr Ex, “That was the leverage I suggested John, or is it Mr Double You, use on our Brigadier General here. I so lose track on the code names you Americans keep insisting on using.”

Samuel swallowed hard. It seemed that somehow the man who was running some kind of special section in Homeland Security had more ties to Sir Sidney than he had been letting on. No wonder he had told Samuel that he had no choice, but to comply with the demands of this dirt bag professing to be a knight of the British Realm.

“So what did you want us for?” Tania nervously asked.

Sir Sidney flashed an evil grin, “Both of you it could be said, while in the service of the old Inter Dimensional Entity Control carried out conduct that brought it into disrepute. Miss McCaskey, you were court marshalled for bringing the army into disrepute.

“That was because someone stole my identity” Tania objected

Sir Sidney ignored the intervention and continued “and you Miss Phillips went native whilst serving on the Mystical Realms by insisting on attending meetings with trolls, topless in front of your own subordinates”

Sandra became incensed too “Those troll elders would not listen if I didn’t” she spoke up

“But in front of your subordinates?” Sir Sidney repeated with an expression of disgust

Sandra shook her head “You don’t know what it was like because you weren’t there” she said quietly

“Oh but I was” Sir Sidney said with a menacing whisper, before speaking more loudly, “You two are both to give a video confession of your guilt and how you brought shame on the old Inter Dimensional Entity Control organisation. This will be used to show how inept the old regime that handled relations with the Mystical Realms and how much better it will be, under my leadership”

“Your leadership?” Samuel asked with anger in his voice.

“Yes, my leadership” Sir Sidney insisted, “You will be paying me for access, but I will be running the sole organisation linking our worlds.”

“I’m not sure that is what we initially agreed to” Mr Ex interrupted without thinking

It seemed to Samuel that as he suspected, Homeland Security had been having dealings with Sir Sidney, however this dirt bag in front of them was now changing agreed terms, convinced that he had them over the proverbial barrel.

There was an uneasy silence before Sir Sidney told them that they were his terms and he would leave them for a bit so they could discuss it and if need be contact the US government.

+ + +

G2 Offices
Dublin, Ireland

Kelly McLaughlin sat in her office. She was not in a good mood and earlier that day had had to reprimand the two G2 officers that were supposed to have been guarding the troublesome Gregory O’Doyle and had let him escape to Britain..

Even worse she had heard that the only two agents operating in London had lost tabs on him, thanks to some renegade American agent, and it was looking like G2 would have to inform the British that one of their own had gone rogue.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her cordless phone ringing.

She picked it up with irritation, speaking to someone in accounts as for some reason she suspected it would be, was something she could do with out.

It was not accounts

“Hello Kelly” came the unexpected voice of Gregory O’Doyle,

For a few seconds Kelly was taken by surprise, and then she recovered her wits and scribbled a note on a piece of paper on her desk and waved at another G2 officer.

“We’ve, been worried about you Mr O’Doyle” Kelly said as she handed the note to the G2 officer, “We hear you have gone to England” she went on, “Are you visiting Debbie and your grandson? I mean all you had to do was say that that was where you were going and we could have cleared things here”

“Don’t patronise me Kelly” Gregory retorted, “You know I’m nowhere near where my daughter lives. So Kelly, how much was Sir Sidney paying you” he asked angrily

“What do you mean Mr O’Doyle” Kelly pressed, “That man has been dead for over three years”
“Liar” Gregory accused, “I have it on good authority that that former industrialist is alive and well, and has been behind everything, including the murder of Miss Cooper in America, plus if I didn’t know any better he has got to you too. Why else did you not want me warning the O’Docherty twins about that CIA agent? So what thirty pieces of silver has he been paying you all this time?”

Kelly for a moment was incensed, “It wasn’t like that” Kelly admitted

“So you were in collusion with Sir Sidney” Gregory accused, “I suppose you were in on the abduction of Celeste as well. Have they killed her and her baby as well Kelly?”

“We are not colluding with Sir Sidney, if he is alive” Kelly pressed
“Liar!” Gregory again accused Kelly.

“Look Mr O’Doyle” Kelly went on with frustration, “If you are not in England visiting your grandson, you are to return home immediately”
“Or what?” Gregory asked, “Sir Sidney will get you to send someone after me or my daughter? Are you going to have me or what’s left of my family murdered just like they kill Miss Cooper and possibly Celeste and her daughter?”

“We are not working for Sir Sidney?” Kelly insisted, “They never said he was involved”

“They?” Gregory picked up on

Kelly wanted the Earth to swallow her up, she had allowed her temper with a troublesome former member of G2 to let slip something that she had been hiding.

“They?” Gregory asked again

Kelly quickly closed her office door.

“You don’t know what’s been going on” she angrily accused Gregory.

“So what has been going on?” Gregory asked
“You didn’t hear this from me, but we were ordered to tow the line if we wanted the continuation of American help against dissident terrorist groups. Someone in the US State department told us about that CIA agent. We were ordered not to interfere with him. They never said why. So when you took him down, we had to report that back to them. We told them we would handle it”

“But they didn’t trust you to?” Gregory replied
“Obviously not” Kelly admitted, “But why kill him?”

“No idea” Gregory replied and then added, “By the way Kelly”
“What?”
“Some of these new smart phones you can get are really quite clever. I mean Kelly, one that records phone conversations”

Gregory rang off, leaving a stunned Kelly in her office

The G2 officer knocked on her door and Kelly went over to answer it

“Sorry Miss McLaughlin” The officer replied, “All we could trace the call to was a cell phone in West London, my guess is he will be gone by now, since he was a former G2 officer”

“Thank you” Kelly whispered

“Anything else?” the G2 officer asked

“Just get me a secure line to Washington DC” Kelly ordered
“Who to?” the G2 officer asked

Kelly handed over a slip of paper with a number on it, “To here” she ordered

The G2 officer looked at the number and frowned, “I don’t recognise it” he commented
“You’re not meant to” Kelly barked back, get me a secure line to that number and forget you ever saw it” she ordered.

+ + +

Head Quarters of Metro PD Forensic Laboratory
Washington DC, United States of America

“What’s keeping homeland Security?” Iain asked with frustration as he looked at his watch.

“I don’t know Mr Davy” Simon whined. His world seemed shattered, the woman he loved, and the daughter they had together had been taken from him, and now he was waiting for some one from some federal agency to arrest him and Pete, just because they once worked for an organisation that used to liaise with the authorities on another world in a parallel universe.

It was getting too much

“Sorry Simon” Iain apologised, I was being rhetorical. “Jack said that their paramilitary enforcement team were on the way over to this lab. I just hope they have not gone over to the hospital instead, Jennifer reported that the stress of being followed by Homeland Security may have induced Sue-Lim to go early”

Iain thought for a moment and pulled out his cell and pressed a number on speed dial.

+ + +

Outside George Washington University Hospital
Washington DC
United States of America

Jennifer’s mobile sounded as she waited outside the ward. She had positioned herself so she could see in, should Homeland Security try to get in the other way and get past the Metro PD officer that had been assigned to help guard Sue-Lim.

Jennifer pulled out the phone and looked at it. It was her boss Iain, so she answered it.

“Any news?” Iain asked over the phone

“Not yet Iain” Jennifer responded, “The last thing they told me was that they were trying to establish if she was actually in labour and if they can delay it as she’s early. It’s not looking good”

“Is Ross there yet?” Iain asked, “You will need back up, I got a call that Homeland Security were coming after Simon and Pete at the lab, but something has delayed them, I thought they might be on their way to you instead”

“So far there’s no sign of them Iain” Jenifer replied, “I’m still expecting them to come back with a warrant to take Sue-Lim into custody. As for Ross, he rang twenty minutes ago Iain. He says he’s stuck in traffic””

“Maybe we will get lucky and the infamous DC traffic jams will buy us enough time” Iain responded, before adding a “Keep me appraised” and hanging up.

Jennifer put her cell phone away and continued the look out for a moment before looking into the ward.

To her horror and astonishment she saw a red dot of light appearing in the ward. From what she briefly saw of Sue-Lim’s face, although she could not hear what was being said, it was obvious that whatever this manifestation was, it could not be good.

Jennifer had heard that the wife of a friend of Pete and Sue-Lim and her baby had been abducted, where the only witness who was a known drunk had mentioned some swirling red light. Like all the other officers at Metro PD, she had assumed he had imagined it due to his state of intoxication, and yet here it was, a red swirling light growing bigger by the second.

Jennifer could hear Sue-Lim scream, and from what she could see of her, it seemed she recognised what this phenomenon was, and it terrified her. Jennifer had to act immediately, so she pulled out her side arm and quickly entered the ward, pointing her gun at the growing red swirling vortex. “Get her out of here” Jennifer yelled at the nurses and the doctor attending Sue-Lim.

The nurses and the doctor started tying to move the bed Sue-Lim was in to get away from the rapidly growing red vortex, but it was hard work

Suddenly out of the vortex someone in combat fatigues carrying an automatic weapon emerged.

“METRO PD. DROP YOUR WEAPON” Jennifer yelled above the noise of the vortex.

The man in combat fatigues lifted his weapon to fire at Jennifer, but she was quicker on the draw and let off two rounds.

The man dropped to the ground and his weapon clattered onto the floor.

Jennifer could not be certain if anyone else were coming through whatever this vortex was and fired another three shots into the vortex.

The vortex suddenly evaporated and in seconds was gone.

Jennifer ran over to the man in fatigues on the ground and kicked away the weapon and checked to see if he was still alive, but her aim had been spot on and he was dead

Jennifer swore under her breath, there was now no way to find out who hired him and what that vortex was. It was like nothing she had ever seen before.

Just then through the doors came a white man with a large Afro-Caribbean style haircut brandishing an automatic pistol, as did the police officer through the other doors brandishing his police issue revolver.

“Jennifer we heard shots” the man replied as he holstered his weapon, then as he looked at the man on the floor. “What happened and who the hell is that?”

“I don’t know Ross” Jennifer replied, her face white with shock, “He came out of some kind of red vortex that just appeared in thin air”

“A what?” the man Jennifer addressed as Ross said in confusion

“It was a wormhole” Sue-Lim called out from her hospital bed, “An artificial wormhole”

Jennifer rushed over to Sue-Lim’s bed, “What do you mean by an artificial wormhole Sue-Lim?” she asked

“Its how they got Celeste” Sue-Lim answered before screaming in pain, “My old job” Sue Lim panted, “We came across this technology, it’s a wormhole to an artificial universe”

“We need to get her away from here, she’s not safe” Jennifer instructed the medical staff and then turned to the police officer and the security officers who had arrived and pointed at the body on the floor, “Get that body to Metro PD, we need to find out who he is and where he’s from.” Jennifer then turned to Ross, and indicated she needed to speak to him in private.

Ross and Jennifer stepped out of the ward briefly, making sure they could still see in, in case there was a further emergency.

“How do you want to play this?” Ross asked

“We have to be very careful Ross” Jennifer said with concern in her voice, “It seems Pete and Sue-Lim have been targeted about what they did before they became CSIs Plus if you add that car bomb at the Hoover building and the abduction of the wife and baby of Pete and Sue-Lim’s former colleague Simon, the people we are up against obviously have access to some pretty advanced technology”

Ross shook his head in disbelief, “I knew that Pete and Sue-Lim were involved in stuff they couldn’t talk to us about, but I would never have guessed it was this advanced.” Then Ross added, “Maybe that’s why they’ve been exemplary CSI’s ever since they joined the department”

“I agree Ross” Jennifer concurred, “What ever they did back then in their former lives, must have made them the brilliant CSI’s that they are. I remember Iain telling me when they first joined the department that he had been told that they were part of some ultra secret project working to help protect us and take down some really bad people who used technology we can’t begin to imagine.”

“And I don’t recall them ever saying anything about it” Ross went on, “Even between them selves, it was as if it had never happened. I remember Jane, before she was killed last year, used to complain it was hard on us because we knew each others backgrounds, but they would never speak about theirs”

Jennifer sighed “Well that was Jane for you. Even if she had a point, I would suppose not being able to talk about it has probably been harder on them more than us, having to completely obliterate part of your life?. But you know what Ross, Pete and Sue-Lim as well as being excellent CSI’s are both one of us now, and we have to watch out for each other”.

“Yeah Jennifer” Ross agreed, “But that life they had before they were CSI’s, from what they told me, they were both so convinced was a chapter in their lives that was closed forever”

“Well someone has opened it Ross” Jennifer replied, “and the scary thing is, that whoever is using this technology to go after them knew exactly where Sue-Lim was because someone told whoever it was who just tried to grab Sue-Lim she was in that exact ward if this hospital”

“Are you saying that there’s a leak in our department?” Ross asked

Jennifer shook her head, “I don’t think so, the only people who knew which ward to target, were me, Iain, you, the hospital admin.”

“Then who are you accusing Jennifer?” Ross pressed

A flash of anger went across Jennifer’s steely eyes, “A particular someone from that new Homeland Security special Taskforce. Earlier they tried to have Sue-Lim arrested but Iain stopped them”

“So you’re accusing our own Homeland Security?” Ross asked incredulously

“You bet Ross” Jennifer responded, “You weren’t here when they tried. This so called Homeland Security Task force that has been going around with men dressed like SWAT teams, seems to be acting like some twenty first century equivalent of the ancient Roman Praetorian Guard. I think they’re involved”

“That’s some classical reference Jen” Ross remarked, “They were the imperial bodyguards of the Roman emperors”
“Yeah” Jennifer replied, “but then they got involved in politics and even assassinated emperors. These thugs in uniform that came by here Ross, they just seemed so like them. Ostensibly there to keep us safe, but ending up exerting powers they are not entitled to”

Ross sighed and shook his head. Jennifer’s knowledge of ancient history was better than his, but even he could see the parallels between a unit of ancient soldiers and this so called special task force of Homeland Security”

“So Jennifer as I asked before” Ross asked, “How do we play this”

“We keep quiet about what Sue-Lim said about wormholes” Jennifer replied, “If that was the technology Sue-Lim and Pete were involved with in their former jobs and they are going after them, we can’t give them an excuse to go after us. Iain is counting on us in case he gets taken down by those Homeland Security goons”

Ross sighed and shook his head. It seemed so unimaginable that parts of their own government were going after their own citizens and acting as if they were above the law. “I’ll make sure the patrol officer leaves out that bit about red swirling lights” Ross offered

“Much appreciated Ross. I’ll go with Sue-Lim” Jennifer answered back, “We need to get her to somewhere that Homeland Security can’t find her before they try again”

+ + +

Head Quarters of Metro PD Forensic Laboratory
Washington DC, United States of America

Iain put his phone away, “well they’re not at the hospital” he told Simon, “I’m going to get someone to get you and Pete out of here while you can” Iain reluctantly added, before going onto comment “I never thought I of all people would effectively be having to commit obstruction of justice in order to uphold justice”

Just then Pete raced into the lab. He had been running.

Pete went up to Simon, “Have you tried to use that generator?” he said with panic in his voice.

“I was about to when Mr Davy got a phone call” Simon said defensively

“Thank G_d for that!” Pete exclaimed before looking around the lab and asking where the generator was.

“I got Amanda to take it out of here” Iain explained, “That Homeland Security paramilitary taskforce were reported to be on their way over here, but so far they have been no shows. I’ve just rung Jennifer and she told me that there was no sign of them at the hospital. What’s the problem?”

“Anyone operating that generator as it is will be killed” Pete stated bluntly

“But it won’t go anywhere near the radiation barrier between us and IDW01” Simon objected.
“I’m not talking about that Simon” Pete frantically replied, “I’m talking about the attempt to try and use it to break into that artificial universe we found evidence of”

“Why, what’s the problem Pete” Iain asked

Pete turned to his supervisor, “I managed to use archived servers at the time of Sir Sidney’s original artificial universe and an earlier one identify a sort of data trace fingerprint of computer servers that might be running an artificial universe”

“And you found one” Iain interjected

Pete nodded, “I found it on a groups of servers outside of London, ostensibly tasked with carrying out galaxy super cluster simulations for the University of London”

“So why can’t we gate in” Simon objected

“Because Simon” Pete answered turning back to Simon, “I hacked into those servers” Pete turned back to Iain, “It was what Sue-Lim and I were trained to do when we worked for IDEC UK. We had to be skilled in Cyber and counter Cyber Warfare should what happened with that first artificial universe happen again”

“I get that Pete” Iain replied, “Just get to the part where you say it will kill anyone who operates that wormhole generator of yours”

“There’s a security program” Pete explained, “Our wormhole generators need to use a complex burst of gamma rays and certain neutrinos to punch a hole in the fabric of space so we can cross to other universes. Normally the gamma rays leech harmlessly out of the sides of the wormhole into the void between the universes”

“So what does this security program do” Iain pressed with what seemed like minor irritation.

“It amplifies and sends back the gamma rays back at those opening the wormhole” Pete went on, “It would be like standing next to a mini Gamma Ray Burst”

Iain shook his head and looked up at the ceiling and then back at Pete and Simon, “And they say a gamma Ray burst as far as six thousand light years caused the mass extinction in the Ordovician period”

“No” Simon wailed, “We’ll never get my Celeste and Ashia back”

Iain pulled out his cell phone, “I need to make sure that Amanda doesn’t turn that thing on” he told Pete and then hit a speed dial button and began speaking into the phone.

“They’re dead” Simon sobbed “Because I couldn’t save them”

“Not necessarily” Pete replied before going over to Iain as his cell phone connected, “Tell Amanda to take the generator to the Physics Department of the George Washington University, Simon and I will meet her there”

Iain sighed, “I don’t know if you heard that Amanda” Iain said into the cell phone, “Make for the GWU Physics department” and then closed the phone.

“What’s the plan Pete?” Iain asked

“You want to create another artificial universe Pete?” Simon ventured

“Yeah” Pete agreed, “It doesn’t have to be fancy, and the servers that the university uses for its simulation programs are the only things we can use. Once in that universe we can hack in a data pipeline to whoever is running that artificial universe holding Celeste and Ashia, bypassing their security protocol”

“Well we need to go now” Iain insisted, “Before Homeland Security gets here”

“We?” Pete asked

“Yeah” Iain responded, “even if you weren’t involved there still maybe some chance of tracking down those who murdered my sister to cover up the existence of these parallel worlds you dealt with and that alternate timeline in which Earth fell. Plus I still have my Air force uniform, and we know that worked once before”

+ + +

The interior of an abandoned warehouse
Location, unknown

“That’s not fair” Tania complained to Samuel while Mr Ex spoke on his cell phone back to Washington. “I have spent over four years trying to prove my innocence and that b*****d wants me to confess?”

“I don’t think it’s up to me” Samuel said quietly.

“Four years, no luck” Sandra sniped, “Even with the report on Sir Sidney’s empire they found you GUILTY, so why don’t you just admit it honey!”

Samuel positioned himself between the two women to try and stop any further cat fights breaking out. He had guessed that Sandra was still working undercover, as she had manufactured the earlier cat fight with Tania to get him a mobile phone covertly, and supposed that she had no choice but to maintain the pretence of antagonism towards Tania, in order to avoid suspicion from Mr Ex.

Mr Ex put away his cell phone and wandered over to the rest of the group, “I think I have convinced the administration to ok the acceptance of Sir Sidney’s offer.” Mr Ex announced to the group, “We need access to IDW01, he says he has it or is at least further along than us at restoring it. If he want to share the headache of running any new agency dealing with that world, who are we to turn him down?”

“And we have proof he can deliver what he claims?” Samuel asked
“My understanding Brigadier General” Mr Ex countered, “Is that he has that ability and has been assisted by a top scientist on this project”
“You mean he has Doctor Henshaw” Samuel retaliated
“Who?” Mr Ex spat back pointedly. It was obvious that he wanted Samuel to know that he knew who Samuel had meant, but that she had been deemed by the powers that be, to be expendable, probably in order to fulfil their sacred ”Duties of the State”

Mr Ex slightly walked away from Samuel and turned back to face them, “As For Sir Sidney’s position, our US State Department will make it clear to the British Government that he is off limits”

“They will have to be read in” Samuel replied
“Possibly” Mr Ex said in return
“Does that mean you will explain to them why the Bentley girl is innocent?” Samuel pointedly asked

Mr Ex smiled and then shook his head; “If anything” he went on, “If we extradite her, after we deal with her inexpedient pregnancy that will keep the Brits sweet. Consider it a good will gesture to the British government on our part”

Samuel shook his head in despair, this young woman who once had been the Spirit of Luck, was to be handed over to the Brits for crimes she did not commit. Not only that, but the child of her dead boyfriend was to be terminated, if this Mr Ex was to be believed, because they refused to listen to him, when he had told them that former minor spirits of virtue, once stripped of their powers and given their human souls were just as human as he or Mr Ex.

The same black man that they had first met came up to the group, “I’m afraid Sir Sidney is slightly delayed as has been called away to deal with a slight problem” he told the group.

“How long will he be?” Mr Ex asked with irritation

“Maybe an hour or so” the black man replied, “It seems that someone elsewhere in his organisation was slightly careless carrying out some sub contract work for your government’s Homeland Security. Nothing he can’t fix, I assure you”

+ + +

Hyde Park Corner
London

The big issue seller was having a hard day; nobody seemed to want any of his magazines that day. It was so frustrating, the previous day he had made forty pounds.

Suddenly he was aware of an elderly gentleman standing behind him.

He turned around to try and sell him a magazine and then froze in terror as he recognised someone from his past from when he used to live in Ireland.

What was he doing here?

“John Evans I believe” The elderly man said with an Irish accent.

The big issue seller shook his head, “No I left that world” he told the elderly gentleman
“Come on John, we go back ages” the elderly man went on, “You were my first snout in dealing with splinter republican groups”
“Yeah” the big issue seller complained, “And thanks to that I had to leave Ireland”
“But you fell on your feet” the elderly man went on, “especially your little sideline in addition to the remuneration we were paying you”

The big issue seller showed the elderly man the copies of the Big Issue he was carrying, “What you mean these?”

“No!” the elderly man replied, “I mean your other sideline. Quite profitable too, so I hear”

“What other sideline?” the Big Issue seller replied, “I don’t know what you are referring to?”

“It would be a shame if the local bobbies found out who has been supplying some of the various drug gangs black market East European guns and ammunition” The elderly man said with menace “Or maybe it would be more interesting” The elderly man went on, “If those rival gangs found out you were supplying each other’s competition”

The big issue seller went white and shook his head, How had he found out about his arms business on the side

The Big Issue seller looked around and beckoned the elderly man to come to a part that was a bit more secluded from passing trade.

“What do you want Mr O’Doyle?” the Big Issue seller asked

“Something concealable and maybe some kind of machine pistol” the elderly man answered

“Are you serious” the Big Issue seller asked, “Can’t you get that from you know who”

“I’m kind of freelance now” the elderly man answered, “My former employer has decided throw in its lot with a decidedly shady business partner, and I need to fix that”

The Big Issue seller gulped, “When do you need this?”
“Today” the elderly gentleman snapped back.

“What!” the Big Issue seller exclaimed

“I would hate to see you out of business permanently” the elderly gentleman said in a menacing whisper

“I’ll have it for you in two hours” the Big Issue seller told him with resignation, “But it will cost you”

“Take my silence about your grubby little trade as payment in full” the elderly man said angrily, “And after you have supplied me, I do not want to hear that you have been selling those drug gangs any more weapons, especially after that four year old boy was killed in the cross fire from a gun you supplied”

“I can’t be held responsible for” the Big Issue seller tried to say, but was cut off by the elderly gentleman

“Clock’s ticking Mr Evans” the elderly man said with menace.

+ + +

Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
(George Washington University)
Washington DC

Iain brought the car to a stop outside the front of the university building to let Simon and Pete out.

“I’ll find a place to” Iain tried to say before being interrupted by his phone on the dashboard of the car sounding the arrival of a text message.

“Maybe that’s Homeland Security finally making it to the lab” Iain commented, “I was surprised that we got this far”

“Were we tailed?” Pete asked as he undid his seatbelt in the front passenger seat.

“Not that I could see” Iain mumbled as he pressed a few buttons on his phone to read the text.

“I can’t believe it” he exclaimed, “Of all the times to get a break through”

“What’s wrong” Simon piped up from the back seat.
“It’s another case the lab has been working on” replied to Simon.
“Which one?” Pete asked

“The Dovedale murders” Iain replied.

“That ones been going for a while” Pete replied.

“Look” Iain went on, “You get on with what you got to do and I will sort this out. I’m guessing it’s another bogus lead, but it has to be checked out and they want me. Amanda should be there already”

“Be careful sir” Pete told his supervisor, “It could be a trick by Homeland Security to get you too”

“I’m always careful” Iain shot back, “especially with jumped up petty dictators like that man in charge of that special task force. You just have to know politics to deal with them.”

Pete and Simon got out of the car and headed into the building, not waiting to see Iain drive off.

“How fast can you code” Pete asked as they entered the front of the building that held the physics department.
“I don’t know” Simon replied, “I never thought about it”
“Never mind” Pete answered, “It’s something I’ve been working on anyway”

Just inside the entrance, carrying the makeshift wormhole generator was the African American woman Simon had seen earlier.

“Hi Pete” the woman greeted Pete, “Any news on Sue-Lim and the baby?”

“Only that Jennifer is over seeing her move to another hospital” Pete replied
“Why?” Amanda asked suspiciously, “What’s wrong with the George Washington?”
“Homeland Security?” Pete replied

“I heard that they tried to arrest her there” the African American woman replied with a hint of puzzlement in her voice. Then she asked Pete straight out, “Pete, what’s going on. Iain is accusing the Homeland Security Taskforce of acting unconstitutionally and being involved in the murder of a federal employee”

“All I can say Amanda” Pete went on as they went through the halls of the building to the physics department, “Is that we believe it’s related to the top secret work, Sue-Lim, Simon and I worked on three years ago”
“They took my wife and daughter” Simon interjected
“Why?” the African American woman asked
“We don’t know” Pete answered, “But this is the only place that has the computer servers with enough power we need to find out”

“Are we taking this lady” Simon asked Pete

“Her name’s Amanda” Pete chided Simon
“Sorry” Simon apologised and looked dejected

“Thinking about it” Pete went on, “We need her on the outside world. With what we are about to do, we need to keep this to a minimum number of personnel.”

“That’s OK” Amanda replied, “DNA and toxicology is more my thing than computers”

The three of them found the entrance to the computing department and entered in. Iain had already cleared the way ahead, so Simon and Pete could get to work.

“What are you hoping to do” asked a technician who was still in the terminal room

“Create a pocket size universe and gate into it” Simon replied without thinking
“Yeah right” the technician scoffed, “What are you really trying to do”

Pete realised that Simon had been a bit too honest, but then that was a trait with those like Simon who had high functioning autism.

“We are trying to rescue someone” Pete told the technician, “Simon and I used to work on highly classified projects and we suspect that someone has used one of those to hold someone against their will. The only safe way in to their system to find out where they are being held, is create a sort of virtual universe in your server and tunnel in from there”

“Right” the technician replied, “Anything I can do?”

“Yes” Pete replied, “Leave. This is highly classified and we don’t want you in trouble as we are not sure we still have security clearance to do what we are attempting”

“But this is very expensive equipment” the technician objected

“I grew up around computers so I’ll take good care of your system” Pete assured the technician
“Even so” the technician objected

“I think Mr Smith here told you to leave” Amanda interjected
“And can you go with him Amanda” Pete asked, “what we are about to do not only is classified, but also may go down like a lead balloon with you know who”
“Sure” Amanda replied as she escorted the technician from the computer room.

Pete waited for the two to leave before producing a USB device looking like a flash drive and his small notepad computer. Quickly he put the USB device into the computer terminal and attended to the software the computer needed to run the device while he powered up the notebook.

“This should plant the algorithm by the blue tooth device here so the main frame can create an artificial universe we can gate into” he told Simon as he placed the notebook computer down by the computer terminal.

“I thought you all gave up on that when the IDEC closed down” Simon said in his monotone voice.

“Sir Sidney’s artificial universe always something I wondered about when I heard about it from Celeste” Pete explained, “After separation I wasn’t sure what we were going to do and whether we would still be involved in reverse engineering. I figured the algorithm, but lacked a server big enough to sustain it. Then Mr Vee before he died pulled some strings and we became CSI’s with the DC crime lab, so I shelved it”

Pete then pointed to some numbers on the screen of the notebook computer, “Set the generator to those co-ordinates that will be our artificial universe. Once we gate in, we can use the notepad to tunnel through to the other artificial universe”

+ + +

Howard University Hospital
Washington DC

Jennifer held onto Sue-Lim’s hand as the paramedics rushed Sue-Lim into the hospital from Ross’s station wagon. It had been confirmed that Sue-Lim was going into premature labour. The trip had been a nightmare for all concerned, but they could not use an ambulance as that would have generated a paper trail should the Homeland Security get hold of the records from the George Washington University, nor could they use their sirens

A young African American female doctor met them inside. “I just heard you are transferring the patient from George Washington?” she said with a puzzled expression as she glanced at Sue-Lim’s medical notes that were handed to her by a paramedic, “Why?” she asked

Jennifer shook her head slightly before answering, “Someone tried to attack her there, we are hoping that by moving her here that they may not be able to find her again for a while”

“Isn’t that a police matter?” the young doctor asked, “Couldn’t have got police protection instead of moving her like this?”

Jennifer showed the doctor her ID badge, “We are the police. Those who attacked her were using paramilitary weapons and high end technology. They don’t care if the police are involved or not”

Sue-Lim gave out a scream in agony as contractions set in.

“We need to get her into surgery right now” one of the paramedics told the doctor

“OK” the female doctor replied, before telling Sue-Lim, “We can do just as good a job as the George Washington.

The paramedics then wheeled Sue-Lim through a set of double doors. Jennifer tried to follow but was blocked by the female doctor. “I’m sorry detective but you can’t come through here, medical staff and prearranged birthing partners only. You’ll have to wait outside. Maybe you could get hold of the father, but I don’t think there’s time.”

Jennifer felt frustrated as Sue-Lim disappeared through the doors in to surgery.

Ross came up to Jennifer, “I’ve arranged for a patrol officer to take the car back to the George Washington and park it there” he told her, “maybe if Homeland Security return they might think she’s still there.

“I’m not convinced Ross” Jennifer whispered, “We are up against a federal agency that seems to believe they are above the law”

“I know Jen” Ross replied, “I just heard that someone at the FBI has sent us copies of the investigation reports into that bombing at the Hoover building on the QT It seems Homeland Security is taking over that investigation, and someone at the FBI is not happy. It looks like you’re right someone at Homeland Security could be involved in that murder.”

“Ross” Jenifer began, “Do you think if we found proof that they murdered that federal official it would ever go to trial”
“I don’t know” Ross replied, “We’ve taken down people before who were so high up they thought they could get away with murder, but this is an armed federal agency we are up against”

“We have to bring them down Ross” Jennifer whispered, “We just have to”

+ + +

A dark plane in an unknown artificial universe

Charlene was woken from her sleep by the sound of Celeste shouting at her.

Quickly she sat up on the mattress in her cell and saw what Celeste was shouting about. Between the cells there looked like a white circle floating between the two glass cells, hanging there in mid air

Charlene watched in horror ad fascination as the hole started to grow in size. Then she was able to see inside what seemed like a mouth of a tunnel.

It was like a line drawing of a tunnel, but to where.

Maybe there was a problem with the artificial universe and this was the sign it was being shut down. For a moment Charlene wondered if this was a cyber version of a black hole that would consume both of them.

But why would Sir Sidney dispatch both of them, Charlene was almost finished on a modified generator system that would bye pass the radiation barrier separating Earth and the Mystical Realms

Just then to her surprise, she saw someone she had not seen for three years. It was Pete Smith heer former Brit colleague from her days with Inter Dimensional Entity Control, before it had closed down and she had returned to CERN.

Charlene watched as Pete emerged from the hole between the two cells.

Pete looked at his two former colleagues from Inter Dimensional Entity control and was immediately embarrassed. Doctor Henshaw was standing in her glass cell, without a stitch of clothing on.

Celeste, Simon’s wife was stripped to the waist, as presumably she had been breastfeeding her baby daughter.

Then he remembered he had further work to do. He had to open up the glass cells, and from what had been mentioned by the former Major Mark Johnston, that was a dangerous procedure for the occupants, as one wrong move would see them deleted forever.

“We don’t have much time” Pete said to both women and held out his notepad computer, “Timothy Zachary before he was deleted created code on a PDA to create a door in the glass cells of the original artificial universe the late Sir Sidney used.”

“He’s not dead” Charlene interrupted, “Sir Sidney’s back and he’s been behind this all the time”

A cold horror went down Pete’s spine, Sir Sidney the first time round had penetrated just about every US and UK agency and organisation, except the IDEC. A lot of people had had their careers ended when Sir Sidney went down. Pete had thought it had been one of those behind what had gone on, not Sir Sidney himself.

“Who do I try this on first?” Pete nervously asked.
“It had better be me” Charlene replied, “Then if something goes wrong, not only will you get it right to get Celeste and her baby out, Sir Sidney will no longer have me to further his plans”

“To do what?” Pete asked without thinking, and then he corrected himself, “No don’t tell me we don’t have time”

“Just do it” Charlene barked back at Pete.

Pete tapped a few keys on the notepad and pointed the notepad at Charlene’s cell.

A line tracing where door should be, started to form in Charlene’s cell whilst Pete looked on, but at the same time, Charlene transformed into what appeared to be a line drawing.

“What’s happening to us” Pete heard Celeste scream and he turned around.

Celeste’s cell was also forming a door and Celeste and her child was also becoming like a line drawing. The signal from the notepad was working on both glass cells at the same time.

“Through the door’s both of you” Pete screamed as he pressed another few keys which caused the line tracing the doors in the glass cells to glow white and then fade to black, leaving an entrance.

Charlene left her cell immediately and became solid.

Celeste hesitated for a moment and looked back at retrieving her top, now also a line drawing at the other end of the cell.

“There’s no time for that” Charlene ordered.

Celeste exited the cell, holding her daughter to her bare breasts, and both mother and daughter became solid once again.

Just then, both cells winked out of existence, taking everything left in them.

Charlene looked around as she could see the grid lines of the artificial universe begin to break down. “This place is starting to collapse” she said out loud

“Through here” Pete shouted as he entered the white circle which looked like a tunnel.

Without hesitation, Charlene ushered a shell shocked Celeste through the tunnel and then they seemed to be in another artificial universe. One that was only lit by a green swirling vortex

Pete tapped some keys on his notepad computer and the tunnel back to Sir Sidney’s collapsing artificial universe evaporated.

“I left Simon to maintain our gateway back to the real world” he told Charlene, “But we have to leave as these servers will not be able to sustain this bubble universe much longer” and then he headed through the vortex, and again Charlene had to usher Celeste through the vortex.

Then they were in some computer lab, with several men in black commando uniforms and balaclava hats pointing fully automatic weapons at them.

Celeste saw her Simon, pinned to the ground with his hands, cuffed behind his back and his face covered in blood.

“What’s going on?” Celeste asked
A black African American was also in the room. He came over and switched off the wormhole generator. Instantly the green vortex evaporated

“You are all under arrest on grounds of being a threat to national security” the African American said with anger in his voice. At this the armed men began cuffing Pete and Charlene.

“Take the child from the alien” the African American ordered one of the men

“No that’s my baby” Celeste screamed

“Who should never have been allowed to be born” the African American sneered, “I have a call to make” he coldly added as he opened a cell phone and hit speed dial

+ + +

The interior of an abandoned warehouse
Location, unknown

In the distance Samuel heard the steps of Sir Sidney accompanied by his body guards. The black man with the cut glass British accent turned round as well.

Even though this man had been polite and well mannered, he had been skilled in not revealing anything, especially where they were. Samuel had guessed from sneaking a glance at the cell phone he had been given by Sandra, that they were most likely still in London or at least somewhere in the British Isles as the signal was strong and the logo on the cell phone was a known UK provider. Briefly he wondered if Mr Ex knew where they were, as he was the only one officially authorised to carry a cell phone.

“Here comes Sir Sidney now” the Black man told the group and walked off away from them.

Samuel saw Sir Sidney speak with him about a matter, but could not hear what they were saying.

“It seems we have deal” Mr Ex whispered to Samuel, “Tell him his offer is acceptable to the US government and we welcome his participation in our joint enterprises”

Samuel glowered at Sir Sidney’s approaching figure with hatred. He could not get away from the fact that this so called British knight, was a cold blooded killer and had compromised so many government agencies on both sides of the Atlantic. This man had almost caused the death of one of his people and put her in a psychiatric ward for a month. He was also complicit in the abduction of another member of his old team, from his former time at the IDEC

And yet he was being ordered by his own government to tell this killer that Uncle Sam would acquiesce to all his demands. It stuck in his craw. If he didn’t, then they would go after his former right hand man and his family plus those former minor spirits of virtue who had had to flee to Canada after the change in US policy.

“So sorry to keep you waiting” Sir Sidney apologised in an unconvincing manner, “It seems that a joint mission we had with your Homeland Security went awry because some underlings of mine underestimated the opposition. I had to attend to the matter personally to make sure those involved do not make that same mistake ever again”

Samuel could guess that that coded statement meant that whoever screwed up, had probably been liquidated. Sir Sidney did not tolerate failure gladly

“Meanwhile” Sir Sidney went on, “It seems your request to have the people you mentioned released is now rather pointless”

“Why?” Samuel asked with a feeling of dread passing over him
“The artificial universe I contained that asset in, along with a former disloyal employee of mine has for some reason collapsed.”

“They’re dead?” Samuel only just managed to force out
“Not quite” Sir Sidney replied, “But my associates have got them detained in the real world for attempting to escape.”

“She was your means to connect the two worlds wasn’t she” Samuel said with a cold realisation, “Without her you can’t deliver”

“That doesn’t matter now does it” came a female voce from behind Samuel. It was a voice that was so familiar, but Samuel could not place it.

Slowly Samuel turned around and looked up at Sir Sidney’s former PA. But she was supposed to have been serving a life sentence for conspiracy to commit murder?

“We don’t need that doctor Henshaw” the former PA sneered as she approached Samuel, “I mean who do you think created the artificial universe in the first place”

“You?” Samuel asked incredulously

“Oh yes” the PA replied before adding, “I can easily complete the work Doctor Henshaw has done, as I was working along side her”

“Oh come on” Sir Sidney interrupted with a grin on his face, “Where are your manners Brigadier General, aren’t you going to introduce your colleagues to my daughter Janine?”

To be concluded

__________________
Cyber Devils Advocate (Retired)

Fame, Riches, Adventure, Glory - A Cyber Warrior craves not these things

In Memorium
Wendy (AKA Romantic Old Bird) 1951 - 2008

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