Evening to Eternity: Midnight to Morning Trilogy, #3

By H. Glogau-Morgan

In Evening to Eternity, Harlie Berryman finds herself in the farthest most point from where she wants to be. The future is not at all how it had been described to her. The short time she is there has a profound effect on her, and its consequences linger far after she, Rick and James have been reunited. Once placed in their new timeline, Harlie must learn to survive and thrive outside of the bunker and Alpha team. Learning how to blend her "past life" with the one she has worked so hard to build, and knowing there is a better chance here to stop the Universum than on her home Earth, helps her focus on the overwhelming tasks in front of her. There are early successes but there is also heartache. Join Harlie in the conclusion of the Midnight to Morning trilogy and see how she takes the evening she was forced into and forges the way forward to eternity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: H. Glogau-Morgan
• Release date: Sep 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393537793

H. Glogau-Morgan

Holly lives in the Piedmont Valley of Virginia with her husband and menagerie of rescued pets. In her spare time, she enjoys adaptive gardening and preserving the food she’s grown in an effort to live more sustainably and embrace the homesteader mentality. She mentors young adults, is an active member of a charity quilting group, promotes awareness of Ehlers-Danlos and Dysautonomia (she suffers from both,) and spends a lot of time chatting with various friends online. When she isn't busy writing, she can be found roleplaying in an MMORPG or sewing. All of her novels and her blog are written using adaptive equipment.

Book preview

Prologue

Her story starts in Midnight to Morning as Nicole, a refugee, fleeing the devastation in the United States after multiple nuclear bombs went off in a dozen main cities, followed by secondary bombings in key locations to cripple the country. She and her husband pushed through the conditions before them and tried to make the best out of it. That is, until he died and her newborn daughter followed shortly. This and her successes make her the target of one of the guards, but those who care about her tried to protect her. All along, she is being watched by someone from a hill outside of the camp. When she is about to be released, her freedom secured by the one watching her, the guard decides to kill her. The attempt is thwarted, but not until she at the point of death.

As she starts to heal, she learns who rescued her and why. She has a key skill the secretive organization needs to help take down the evil who set the bombs off and who has plans for global domination. She’s given the chance to start anew and takes the opportunity, giving birth to her new identity, Harlie Berryman. After surgery to bring her latent talent to a higher level, she’s welcomed with some reservation by the eight others she will be serving with. As she continues to recover, she trains harder than anyone there, and soon shows that she is meant to be part of the team.

All the while, their commanding officer is monitoring, helping mold the team around their new member while he works with her on the key skill - being a strong empath able to sense the emotions of those hundreds of meters around her. He has the same gift but is consistently blown away by how fast she is learning and how strong she really is. It causes an intensity between them that no one can explain. There is ample conflict because of that intensity, but there is also a deep connection.

Through missions, trials, and misadventures in places like Poland, Panama, Brazil, and more, Harlie comes alive again. The team accepts her and together they thrive, having more successes than anyone had expected.

Sunrise to Shadows brings an increase in the enemy’s activity. Harlie must train harder, work longer, and push her abilities to the limit in order to help the organization stay one step ahead. She comes face-to-face with one of the sources of evil, and its results have long-reaching effects.

The team has many successes, but it also has several failures that take a lot out of them and their newest member. They are spending more time in missions than ever before, traveling to Ireland, Russia, Hong Kong, and multiple locations in Africa. The enemy has gone to great lengths to ensure that they will be able to dominate globally in one big swoop of activity.

The intensity between her and the commanding officer continue but now in a direction which must be kept secret. It is both a dangerous and beautiful thing. He finds himself making critical mistakes with her and conflicts arise with the people in charge of them both. Through it, Harlie learns that, once again, the world is not how it appears to be. The unraveling of her reality and weaving her life into what she learns is the truth ends up being the biggest challenge she’s ever faced.

In the end, the organization is able to overcome and claim victory but at a cost no one was expecting...

Awake

Dizzy... so very dizzy . Was the world ever going to stop spinning? How long had passed? Had it been just hours, or have days gone by? I could not get my eyes to open to tell me when. I only knew where, and the location was the farthest most point from where I wanted to be. It was the farthest point a person could currently go for all I knew.

I was over one hundred years into the future and on an Earth from another timeline. Over one hundred years from those who had become my family. Over one hundred years from the life I knew. Over one hundred years from the man I loved. The pain those thoughts caused ripped through me. I could almost... almost... feel what was happening outside my spinning mind.

Scenes from the last hours on my home Earth raced through my mind again. First, the final night, with Jamyson handing me new art supplies along with the drawing of the engagement ring he was planning on having made. From there, our night together and the beauty of every single moment. Come morning, our laughter while getting onto his electric motorcycle for the ride to work. We had so much success with our overall mission and had been spending the last couple of days celebrating. The masterminds, Unus Universum, who had tried to unify the planet through violence, nuclear threats, and destroying more than just the United States, were now in their death throes. We had found and taken their most dangerous arsenal. We had finally decimated their main compound, killing three of their highest leaders in the process. Media had caught wind of the pseudo-government run by wealthy businessmen and women as they tried to control the entire planet. We had stopped them from pushing Earth past its tipping point and into a tailspin which would have destroyed all human life.

My memory then slowed to frame by frame. I looked up and saw the unexpected drone. I asked James about it, only to hear we were not expecting an inspection so nothing should be in the no-fly zone around the research and development focused military base we called home. My eyes focused on the drone and saw the two bombs mere seconds before they dropped. James was already turning the bike and speeding towards a side exit. Time froze for an instant as the explosion from the bunker buster bomb crashed through the warehouse entrance and down the elevator shaft to the underground structure we worked in - and most of the time we lived inside of. The memory picked back up until the second blast seconds later. This one landed on top of the clinic where vital tests were being run and processed - tests which would have further buried our enemy. That blast also was big, and hot, and I could hear my scream from when the fire melted the leather jacket into my back and from the flames which seared the back and back of my legs. The sound of James yelling to keep me awake as he raced across the bridge and dumped us into the water happened next, followed by darkness, then his face and eyes. I remembered James’ mind reaching for mine, forcing me to stay conscious as we make our way to the secondary bunker. No. I didn’t want to remember any more. I wanted it to stop!

The memories didn’t stop, though. I saw and felt every second as we made it underground and the pain as James looked at the burns and wrapped me in an emergency blanket. He told me what would happen and tried to get me to not panic. He didn’t think I would survive without advanced medical help, and Traveler protocol is to make an escape as one becomes available. This was a moment to send at least one of us back to the home Earth... their home Earth. My mind flashed through each step as we stopped halfway in the tunnel under the river and went through the process to get into The Vault. My eyes focused on the machine which would prematurely tear me away from those I loved. This wasn’t to happen for at least ten more months! James had to get strict with me to snap me out of the panic and sorrow enough to get into the device. I heard myself scream in pain as the bars and tube hit into the burns to hold me completely immobile. James soft kiss and a promise was the last thing my ears picked up before the flashing lights and thundering sounds tore me away.

As this round of memories faded, and the dizziness returned, so did a new sensation. Concentrating, I realized sensation had returned to some of my body again. The feeling was strange as if I were floating in the water. The burns, which had nearly paralyzed me with pain, only stung a little. Reaching out, I tried to move my hand. The task was arduous, trying to focus inch by inch down my arm and command the hand to respond to my request to make a fist. I think it did, though. The warm, floating sensation kept grabbing my attention. It was quite soothing. I started to think of other soothing things, like quiet moments with my best friend, Rick, or when the Special Forces team I belonged to would stand arm in arm during various moments together. Sorrow hit like a train at that moment. I would never see the team, my family, again... at least not in the timeline I came from. Ryan, Mitch, Dara, Skull, and Jason were not Travelers. Until around two months ago, I wasn’t either - though James and Rick, Max, and our leader, General Smiths, knew I would become one. Feeling as if I was crying, my mind wandered down the fifteen months of memories.

At some point, the floating sensation stopped. I could feel a bit more, especially where the burns were, but still not really bad pain. Had I been asleep so long that most of the treatment had been completed? Could one even stay unconscious through debriding, cleaning, and skin grafts? Was that even the treatment one hundred years into the future? So many questions! The dizziness wasn’t as bad, so the time had come to search for answers the only way I knew how. I was a strong empath, enhanced through a device someone here in the future had sent back through time. When in top form, I had the ability to sense minds over a thousand meters out. To those closer, I could look deeper than emotions, to the level of mild telepathy, and sense distinct thoughts or images. If someone else with similar skills happened to be within range, we could even speak to each other mentally. Taking a deep breath, my mind started to stretch outward... and was stopped. By what, I wasn’t sure. At the same time, the implant in the back of my head started to tingle. A clear warning, and one which I already knew well.

Why? I thought outward to anyone who might sense the word.

The silence was part of the response, that and the tingle becoming stronger. Warning two. I knew better than to push my luck. Whoever was out there taking care of me wanted to remain in the unknown, for now. It was disturbing, but there wasn’t anything I could do. With no other options, I gave into the dizziness and darkness once more.

It didn’t seem as if much time had passed, but then again, I had no real way to judge. The dizziness faded even more, and with it, more sensation returned to the rest of my body. This time, I felt more pain, but it still wasn’t the level one would think of for the injury. One more thing changed as well. I could hear again. At first, the sounds were faint, as if listening in from a distance, but slowly grew louder and clearer. There were machines. I heard a hissing noise from one and buzzing and clicking from another. The voices still sounded faint and seemed to be in-passing comments versus a conversation. A male voice was asking what the plan of action for my care that day. A female answered with something about movement and weaning me off of something. Both clearly had Welsh accents, some proof that I arrived on the island where the Travelers compound was. I had been there in my timeline when it was a simple house with a Vault and transportation system in the basement.

Traveler Berryman. The female's voice became louder now. If you can hear me, we are getting ready to do another treatment for your burns. Please move one of your hands again if you understand.

Her words gave me a bit of hope, knowing my first attempt had actually done something. I focused, trying to force my hand to make a fist again.

Excellent, Traveler. She said. My name is Sierra, and I am the caregiver assigned to your primary well-being and recovery. Can you move your hand other than to make a fist?

That took a bit more effort, but I managed to make my hand move up and down, then side to side.

Perfect! You are not quite ready to awaken fully yet. Trust me, Traveler, those burns are not something you want to be feeling much of. Right now, it is time to put on the next new patch on your burns. The treatment is not like from the time you are from. We rapid grew this from your surviving epidermis and dermis. You won’t have near as many scars and not that horrible looking skin from the grafts you are used to. Show me you understand.

My hand moved up and down.

Good! Due to the other treatments you’ve been through, only around thirty percent of the burns need this done. The rest has been healing well enough. The back of your knees is what we are fixing today. You’ve had two patches on your back done already and still need one more. As we grow enough, we place it. Understand?

I repeated the action, then made a fist to show frustration.

Yes, I know this isn’t enough information, and I’m sorry. Sadly, you are going to need to be sedated a bit more for this. Hopefully, for the last time at this level. With that, the dizziness turned to oblivion.

Once more, the absence of everything faded, and this time so did the dizziness. The floating sensation lingered, but at least the world didn’t feel like it was still spinning. I zeroed in on my hands, hopefully making them both move to signal my level of alertness.

Moments later, there were noises closer to me. I heard a hiss and felt something cold go through my body. My heart started to beat faster and harder, and I fully felt my arms and legs - including the burns.

I first had to find my face in the sudden return of physical sensations. Just like with my hands, it was an inch by inch attempt to make my chin move, then the nose, and finally eyes. Opening them, the world was a blur at first but slowly started to clear, though something still seemed to be warping my vision somewhat. Looking around, I realized I was alone. Who caused whatever medication to be injected into me then? Above me I saw some sort of digital projection with slowly changing scenes. Those were nice to look at, though confusing. To my right sat a couple of chairs and a wall with a cabinet on it. To my left stood the equipment I was attached to. Blinking a few times, I tried to figure out what was making my vision seem distorted. Finally, I realized what it was and instantly started to panic. My body lay inside of some sort of case and was indeed floating! The monitor chirped as it detected the increase in heart-rate.

Physician Tanner, she is awake. I heard nurse Sierra call out, though I still did not see her.

Easy there, Traveler. The one called Physician Tanner said, and I heard footsteps. The chamber you are in is helping heal your injuries faster. The lack of pressure points and higher oxygen concentration and humidity has already caused vast improvements since your arrival. The voice sounded male, mid-range, probably someone around his forties. I had to pause and mentally smirk at that, though. With the enzyme therapy Travelers receive, our aging process slows down. The physician could easily be near sixty and still look like forty. He came around the corner and over to the chamber-bed, the one called Sierra close behind him. His appearance matched my guess.

I nodded that I understood and tried to calm myself down. Moving my arms and legs, I felt something attached to me at three points.

He noticed where my attention was. One of the lines is providing your nutrition and fluids. The other is removing waste. A third is against your neck and providing any medications required. All will be removed once you are out of the chamber.

Now seemed a good a time as ever to try to talk. I forced my mind to focus on a word and my mouth and vocal cords to try to get it out. When? It came out more of a squeak.

Likely tomorrow. We need to give the patch time to settle. When you get the final one, you’ll either go back into here or have to lay on your stomach or side for a few days.

How... long?

He seemed to be trying to figure out to which I was referencing, but Sierra answered. Fourteen days. We wanted to make sure you had plenty of time to heal before being allowed to awaken and start on needed tasks here.

Jamyson?

The physician shook his head. Not yet. He is scheduled to arrive next week.

Rick?

They both looked uncomfortable, and I started to shift and move my head back and forth to force a response. He arrived very badly injured but is here and is alive... though critical.

That had me going completely still, breath catching in my throat. Instantly, I wanted to see him, needed to see him. My stats reflected the change.

Don’t start to struggle or we will have to sedate you again. Physician Tanner warned.

It took some effort, but I made my muscles relax again. By now, I was feeling the wounds on my back, neck, and legs and being tense made the pain worse. I sighed, and they both smiled slightly.

Now what? I squeaked out.

Physician Tanner stepped back to check the equipment and Sierra came forward. I’ll show you how to use the projection system. If you are up to it, there is even paperwork you can start on. I’ll show you how.

Bracing myself for even more future weirdness, I nodded. It did no good to reflect on how the bombs made my life so that I wasn’t prepared for any of this ahead of time. I had to brave up and just deal with the situation head-on. Sierra moved to the right side of the case and used a port on the side to reach in and slipped a mesh glove onto my hand. She then moved to the other side and placed another one on the other hand.

This is not the typical way the technology is run, but it is hard for the sensors to read hand signals through the case and with the way your hands are free floating. The gloves will detect purposeful movements. Move your right hand up and over.

I did so, and the scenes vanished on the ceiling, changing into an interface page. Over the next ten minutes, Sierra showed me how to use my hands to type, navigate the system to pull up the reports and paperwork, how to switch back to the soothing images, and even how to listen to a pre-selected list of music.

The card which was in your... I think it is called a tablet on your Earth... The card from that is similar to what runs the display. It will move with you to any terminal you end up being given access to. It contains much more than just this, but most need to be unlocked by your interim Trainer or other authority. The card holds as much information on just it as what would be in one of your computers.

Impressive, I muttered.

I will be nearby if you need any help. Don’t forget that you are still healing from critical injuries and need to still rest.

Thank you, Ma’am.

She smiled. None of that. I’m Sierra or Caregiver Sierra if you insist on being proper.

I nodded in understanding, then focused on pulling up the first of the paperwork. The task was tedious, especially since my brain still felt like it existed in a fog, but I made some progress before pausing to rest. After the nap, I went right back to work and repeated the cycle until the next day, fully pausing only when Sierra or Physician Tanner came to check on me. It wasn’t very often, and I spent most of the time completely alone.

When the time came to remove me from the case, I managed to remain calm. There was a third person with them, someone of European descent who looked quite stern. He was in a uniform and the familiar symbol of our organization was on his shirt. The entire time the air streams in the case were being lowered, he watched me, and I watched him. I still hadn’t tried reaching out mentally again, so decided to do so as the process continued. I instantly hit that same wall. Something kept preventing me from looking more than a few feet out. I sensed Sierra and Physician Tanner when they were the closest to me. Otherwise, there was the same sense of my abilities being suppressed. The implant started to buzz again as well. This time, starting at the second warning level. The stern male smirked slightly as if he knew what had just occurred. I found the whole moment quite irritating.

Once the air streams had been lowered enough, they had me shift to being on my side before turning it off completely and allowing my body to touch the lightly padded bottom of the case. Physician Tanner then unlatched one side and the entire device was moved up and away. The blast of room air made me feel like I was choking at first.

Slow and deep breaths. The air here is different from what you are used to, even with the filtration systems in the facility. Your body needs a moment to adjust to that and to not be in the higher oxygen environment. He moved to the foot of the bed and started detaching something, before coming back to my side. I’m going to unhook the feeding and waste removal lines and seal the wound from those. You need to keep the medications line in for a bit longer, especially with your reputation. Now, on the count of three, take a breath and hold it.

He counted. I held my breath and felt some kind of tube being removed from my side. It didn’t hurt bad or anything, just was really uncomfortable. He then picked up a device and held it over the area. I felt tingling and warmth around that same area. Next, Sierra showed me a small patch of some kind. It was the bandage for the hole but seemed to be very malleable. She said it would conform exactly to the small wound and the treatment the physician just used would help heal twice as fast.

They let me lay there for a few moments before Sierra handed me a very loose-fitting top, which sealed in the back, and matching loose and flowing pants. The material was incredibly light, silky, and breathable. Looking down, I noticed I only had on a long night-shirt looking garment on. Physician Tanner turned away politely, but the other male did not. He stayed leaning against the wall. Though irritated by his silent presence, I kept my gaze on Sierra.

This isn’t going to be pleasant, but at least you have some pain control in your system right now. You haven’t had to use your muscles much in the last two weeks. We’ve been working the arms and legs while you were unconscious, so atrophy didn’t happen, but this is the first time you’ll be having to support the rest of your body while working around the burns. She looked apologetic.

It’s okay, Caregiver Sierra. Talking was a bit easier outside of the chamber.

With her help, I sat up, wincing at how stiff and sore my back and legs were. Some spots were painful but not as bad as anticipated. Despite the audience, we carefully got the nightshirt off and shirt and pants on, as well as socks. It barely felt as if I had anything on at all.

This material... I started to ask.

A fiber manufactured on the mainland. Do you like it?

I nodded, and she smiled a little. I then reached up to run my fingers through what I was sure would be a tangled mess of hair, only to realize it wasn’t there anymore. What remained in its place was cut very short, almost like a crew cut. At my expression, she explained. Anything not protected by your helmet was burned, and it ended up easier to just cut it all instead of figuring out what would work around the damaged parts.

May I see what’s left?

Not right now. I know Physician Tanner was going to show you the other wounds and how we’ve been treating it. You’ll see then. She glanced at the man uneasily. For now...

He stood fully from where he had been leaning against the wall. For now, you are going to rest. When you are up again, you will be otherwise occupied until it is time for your next treatment. The accent was clearly German, and the tone as stern as the facial expression. He walked out, Sierra nodding quickly before also leaving.

With that, I sighed deeply, carefully laid on my side on the thin pad of a bed and shut my eyes. The desire to give in to the fear and sadness and insecurity was great. I couldn’t allow it, though, not yet. I had to be strong.

First Week

Sometime later, I woke to the sound of footsteps coming back into the room. Instinctively, I reached out mentally, and almost instantly, the implant shocked me painfully. It seemed there would be no other warnings.

Is it necessary to cause pain when I was just acting on the instincts you trained me to have? I said before opening my eyes.

It was. You didn’t learn with the first warnings. The man was back and standing in the entryway.

Why am I banned from using the abilities your people caused to exist at such a level?

We haven’t seen those in action here and will not until the proper time. After that, a decision will be made as to if you can use those gifts here or if you’ll be made to remain silent until your arrival on the next Earth. His tone left no room for argument.

Yes, Sir. I started to sit up, trying to ignore the increased discomfort. Whatever pain management they had me under, it was clearly starting to wear off. I reached up to touch the device on my neck. It did not feel like the IV ports I knew from my Earth; this was thin and nearly flush along my neck. It barely felt as if anything was there.

No more until we are finished. Stand up, Traveler Berryman. Again, that stern tone which left no option but to obey.

Sliding slowly off the thin bed, I winced a bit as my feet hit the floor. I didn’t dare let go yet as a wave of dizziness and nausea hit hard. He waited, arms folded. Once it faded, I cautiously lifted my hands off the frame and stood formally.

Good. He walked up, then around me, looking at me from all angles. Obviously not in the shape we were expecting, but still remarkably good for someone who had transitioned only two months prior and who is a bombing victim. From your records, you are quite tenacious and should rebound quickly. We’ll need that as, with a little careful planning, your new assignment might take you early.

Not without Jamyson, Sir. Now my tone left no room for argument.

We are quite aware of that demand, Traveler. Lucky for you, your skills and talents seem to be so strong that we are willing to comply... though there is the matter of your formal training. He paused to stand in front of me.

Which is why you are here, Sir. At the change in his expression, I elaborated. Intuition picks up where empathic abilities leave off.

Looks like I will need to be heeding all warnings about you, Traveler Berryman. Yes, my name is Ernst, and I will be your Trainer from here on out.

Until Rick heals up enough, you mean. I had to be hopeful.

If he heals up enough to bear such responsibility, though the struggle to separate personal feelings from professional duties is something we witnessed a few times. I did not like the look in his eyes when he said that.

It all worked out well enough, Sir.

I will be the judge of that. He walked around me again. You seem fairly sturdy for one who was on death's door two weeks ago. Try walking across the room.

It’s not my first rodeo with death, Sir. It must be worn out trying to off me. There was just a hint of sarcasm in my voice. Controlling it wasn’t going to be easy. I cautiously took a few steps forward, wobbling a bit, before taking a few more. It took a fair amount of effort, but I made it across the room and started back again. Two steps from the bed, one leg gave out, and I nearly fell. Ernst reached out and gripped my elbow hard before pulling me to the bed. That contact broke through whatever barrier they had placed to stop me from sensing outward. I did not like what I sensed coming off of him. Ernst didn’t seem to notice.

A good start. Work on the reports for an hour then try again. Repeat until I return. If the need to use other facilities arises, the door is on the other side of the cabinet. Understood?

Yes, Sir. It was going to be hard to submit to this man, I could already tell.

He turned and left the room as briskly as he came into it. I got comfortable on the bed again, pulled the gloves on, and started working on the overhead system again - my mind drifting to the comment he made about Rick. He was correct, of course. Rick was my best and dearest friend before he became my Trainer. He became it, by default, when his blood ended up being the base fluid for the enzyme and other compounds which transformed me into a Traveler. Those first days of my formal training were hard. Our relationship had been built on our love of music and storytelling and developed as deeper feelings had also grown. It was a new dance we had to learn when neither of us knew the steps. Oh, how we had conflicted during that time! However, we learned it well enough so that no one around us knew the change had even happened.

A few rotations of work and walking later, Physician Tanner and Sierra walked in. She had a bowl of some sort of food. I couldn’t quite identify what it might be and wasn’t going to ask. I still didn’t know if it were day or night so couldn’t even figure out if this was breakfast or dinner. I ate the whole thing though it tasted really bland. Hunger had kicked back in hours ago, but I was at the mercy of the staff here. She then gave me something to drink. It had a citrus flavor, but again I couldn’t identify what it was supposed to be. I made sure to thank her for the meal.

Next, Physician Tanner had me lay face down on the bed, so he could examine and treat the healing burns.

I’m going to need you to hold still for this. Putting something for the pain in you as well. He walked over and pressed a few buttons on one of the machines next to the bed, then came over and touched something to the thing on my neck. I heard a couple of clicks and felt the relief start coursing through my veins. While I wanted to ask, Rick had long gone over how it was best that I learn as little as possible about this future Earth and its technology. They had to offer the information for most situations.

Physician Tanner unsealed the shirt and examine all the damaged spots. Sierra came to stand near the head of the bed and handed me a mirror. She changed the settings on the overhead system so that it acted like a camera and relayed images of my back. Using the mirror, I could see the damage. My entire back was in various stages of healing. It looked like much was past the peeling and blister phase but there were still some and a lot of the area was in the raw, pink, new skin phase. One red area stood out.

All of my back was burned? All the way down to where I was seated?

All of it, plus the back of your knees and lower legs as well as your neck. The metal arch on the motorcycles’ seat left the worst burns. It looks like you either hit it when it was super-heated or was pressed against it while it was still hot. That needed one of the grown patches. He pointed to the location. As Sierra told you before, we just did the back of your knees. Currently monitoring this wound here. He pointed to the red area. As it isn’t coming back how we’d like it to. It’s likely you’ll need a patch there. What I’ll be doing now is similar to the scrubs which used to be done to burn patients. However, it will be done with this device and given a light treatment to help encourage healing.

I could see in his voice that he wanted to tell me more but also knew the rules. My reply was to move the mirror to see what was left of my hair. It was barely longer than a crew cut, maybe a half inch long, and absolutely awful. I hated super short hair. The thought was quickly squelched when Physician Tanner started the treatment. It stung! I sucked in a breath and tried to stay still as he slowly went over the needed spots. He then did the other treatment on every single inch of my neck and back before moving to my legs. I was grateful for the pain management by the time he finished.

Even more so when, minutes later, Trainer Ernst walked back in and wanted me up and moving. As soon as I crossed the room, he had me stand formally there. Two others came in and took the bed with the case out of the room and moved in something which looked more like a regular bed. The mattress was still really thin, but it had a blanket and pillow on it at least. Next, they moved in some sort of desk and a chair. It looked like I wasn’t escaping the room any time soon.

He noticed my expression. Not until Jamyson Davies returns and the two of you are ready to move into the next phase of preparation for your next mission.

Yes, Sir. I hope he didn’t get tired of that response. But I really want to see Rick, if it can be arranged, I added.

I’m going to transfer the overhead system to the desk - where you are going to learn to use it and get right back to your studies. I noticed you filled out almost all the required paperwork over the past two days. Ignoring my comment about Rick, he walked over to the desk and started moving his hands over it, then put a thin card into a small slot on it and did a few more things like seeming to press buttons where I couldn’t see any.

That’s your card, by the way. Colonel Davies sent it over a few days after the bombing, when he could get to your old quarters and retrieve it. I’ve been looking over what you covered so far. I agree with the other's assessment. It is impressive how much you mastered in such a short time. However, it means I am going to be expecting that, and more, while you are here. Understood?

Yes, Sir. While I was still standing, my knees were throbbing, and my legs started to shake.

Sit facing the desk and I will show you how to work its systems.

I did as ordered, and was surprised to see that, as I walked closer, holographic projections could be seen above and around the desk. Watching his every move and trying to memorize the directions, Trainer Ernst showed me how to work the technology using hand and eye movements, then had me practice. Once he saw I understood enough of it, he pulled up my last lessons and started me on a review of the temporal mathematics and mechanics segments and left. While it was a struggle to work through again, I found it fascinating how one little, very unexplainable, fluke around this Earth allowed for them to first see other timelines and eventually travel to them. It was even more amazing how those few who knew about the ability decided to use that fluke to help save other timelines while holding out hope that they would learn ways to save their own. I paused to look around the room. This Earth barely had two hundred years left with human life on it if the situation didn’t change very soon.

The alternation between studying and rest continued until Sierra walked in with another meal for me. This at least looked like a proper lunch or dinner, with some sort of meat or meat substitute, vegetables, and bread.

Caregiver Sierra, what time is it? I’ve been confused on days and times since awakening. There isn’t any clear way to tell in here. I asked.

It is nineteen-hundred-seventeen on the twenty-fourth day of June. She held back the year. I can show you where to look on the terminal, to help you keep better track.

I nodded to let her know I wanted to learn that, then dug right into the meal, surprised at how hungry I was. She showed me as I ate, making sure I could look it up on my own. Once finished, she took the tray out and returned right away.

It has been requested that I bring you down the hall to the bathing facility and show you how to get cleaned up. You may not be in the hall unescorted and must go there and back without pausing to inquire. She looked as if the rules annoyed her.

Why are they so strict on Travelers? It isn’t as if they haven’t seen some of this technology and don’t know about who is behind it all and what the goals are here.

She sighed. These rules apply only to you. Remember, there have only been five other non-native Travelers. Personally, I do not agree with it. Yes, there needs to be some sheltering, but you are being excluded from all parts of life here and are being treated almost like a prisoner. It won’t change until Colonel Davies returns, and then only because they are prepared for him demanding it. He has enough rank and pull here to get what he wants.

I had to smirk at that. Ah! it wasn’t only on my home Earth that he became used to getting his way.

She shook her head. His father is one of the key reasons why we have this program and have learned as much as we have through it.

Tears suddenly welled up in my eyes. Sierra noticed and wrapped me in a gentle hug while I let them fall. I missed James and Rick so badly! Not being able to see Rick was torture, as was knowing I was stuck in this room at least until James returned. It took a few minutes to regain composure, then she walked me to the door.

Here is where it got tricky. By Traveler and Guardian law, no one was to lower their head or eyes to anyone else. We were all supposed to be considered equal. Yet, here I stood, the outcast, being kept isolated and away from most everyone and everything. Walking down the hall, I still had to look ahead, make eye contact with strangers, respond to any greeting, and act as if I was an equal.

Sierra ushered me into the facility, which was lined with what looked like shower stalls. We turned into the first one, and I noticed a bench, a few hooks, a small shelf, and a glass-enclosed shower. That is where the similarities ended though. There wasn’t a proper shower head. I saw no place for shampoo, soap, or anything. It looked like one of those showers where multiple sprays jetted out from a dozen holes. Sierra watched as I looked it over and processed it all. She then explained.

Water is a luxury here. We recycle much of what we use, as access to fresh sources is never a guarantee, even on this island. This cleans with a combination of air, sound, and a fine mist of water. There is no need for anything else. She showed me how to turn the shower on, how long the cleaning cycle was, and then stepped out to give me privacy.

We were on the way back, with me feeling very tired and with a headache brewing, when an older gentleman, who reminded me instantly of General Smiths, stopped us in the hall.

Traveler Berryman. He came over to stand in front of me.

I instantly saluted, Yes, Sir.

He looked me up and down, as I pretty much did the same. Older, at least in his seventies as he looked more like in his fifties. His dirty blond hair starting to gray just a bit, and his blue eyes seemed a bit faded as well. There were a few facial wrinkles to give away his age.

I am General Chapman and will be overseeing the next mission - which you will be on.

A pleasure to meet you, General Chapman. I smiled slightly.

"The same to you. I’m relieved to know we will have such talent