CHAPTER 10
Jim walked into the little café and saw that his newly arrived brother was already sitting in a booth toward the rear. He sat down and ordered a cold drink and told Jarvick the bad news.
Jarvick asked “Let me get this straight. If you walk through the doors out to the parking lot, the alarms will sound if you have this disc on your person, right?”
“Yes.”
“What if it just disappeared and showed up at your house, without going through the scanners? Will they know?”
Jim thought about this and said “I’m pretty sure they won’t.”
Jarvick stood up and said “Then meet me here tomorrow morning, on your way into the facility.”
“Why? What do you have in mind?”
“Just do it, I have a plan.” Jarvick insisted.
“Okay, see you tomorrow.” Jim said.
Bright and early the next morning, there he was, sitting in the same spot as yesterday. Jim walked in and sat down, asking Jarvick “Now, what’s the plan?”
Jarvick said “Go into work like normal and have the disc nearby. When you are alone, THINK the words I’m Ready. I’ll “pop in”, as you say, and take the disc out with me when I jump back here.”
“So you are going to do what that other guy did and disappear with it.”
“Exactly.” Jarvick smiled.
“And you’ll be here when I leave, then we go to my house so you can see the video.” Said Jim.
“That’s the plan.”
Jim arrived a little late and went to his office, greeting Linda like he usually does every morning, adding that he will be participating in a conference call and he was not to be disturbed for a few minutes. After closing his door, he retrieved the disc and sat down to take a deep breath.
I’M READY he thought.
Jarvick materialized five feet in front of his desk and said “Give me the disc and I’ll be out of here. Meet me at the café tonight.”
Jim said “Why don’t I just leave early and we can meet in about an hour?”
“Even better, I’ll be waiting.” Jarvick said.
“Ok, see you then.”
Jarvick is gone in a flash, and Jim sat down to check his email. After 45 minutes, Jim walked out and informed Linda that he wasn’t feeling well and was leaving.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Wilkins. I hope you feel better.”
Jim said “I think it’s just a headache, I should be in tomorrow back to normal.” He then took the elevator topside and left. Jarvick was waiting at the booth, smiling.
“Did any alarms go off?” he asked.
“No alarms, let’s get to my house. I want to get this thing back as soon as possible.” As Jim drove toward his home, he thought this was a better time to look at the video because Sylvia was at the school teaching her third graders. He may not have to explain his new sibling just yet. They pulled into the driveway and parked, and both walked into the house. Jim showed him to the living room where the TV was and went to the kitchen. He returned with two bottled waters and offered one of them to Jarvick, then inserted the disc and sat down.
A view of the vault appeared on the screen and Jim explained the location. Then in a flash, a figure appeared, and then disappeared. Jim backed it up and replayed it in slow motion.
The video resumed frame by frame, but this time when the face appeared in the grainy picture, Jarvick jumped up and exclaimed “That’s Drago! And he’s got a jump belt!”
“Who’s that?” Jim asked.
Jarvick, still standing, says “Drago, a guy I arrested back on Gavilon. We put him in detention in connection with a missing person investigation. We also detected uranium at his warehouse.”
“Is that ‘jump belt’ thing how you and him pop in and out of places?”
“Yes, it is. They are very useful devices but highly restricted. Only Directorate personnel may have them. We use them in public transportation for special purposes, but that’s it.
This reminds me, I need to go to my ship and look for something. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
At which point, Jarvick touched his belt and disappeared. Jim turned off the video player and waited. Five minutes later Jarvick reappeared, holding a small box and said “I’ve got to get back to Gavilon, but I need to make a stop first.” He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. “How about we talk while you drive me to this location?”
“Sure. Where are we going?”
They both exited the house and Jim locked the door as Jarvick says “Cindy Young is staying with a friend at that address. She is the woman who climbed the fence at your facility. I need to have a talk with her.”
Jarvick knocked on the apartment door and Jim stood off to the side, out of view. When the door opened, it was Cindy, who said “Hello again.” Jarvick replied “Good morning, Miss Young. I need to speak with you. Can we come in?”
“What do you mean, ‘We’? I only see you.” At this point, Jim stepped into view, which caused her to look at both and say “Twins, huh.”
Jarvick repeated “May we come in, please?”
Cindy opened the door wider and ushered them in. “Come in, sit down.”
When they were seated at the kitchen table, Jarvick said “I’m sorry for the intrusion, but I need to ask you for your assistance on a matter of great importance.”
“What is it?” she asked.
“You said you could sense, during your ‘vision’ that the Earth was in grave danger, right?”
“Yes.” Cindy said warily.
“Then I need to explain something to you.” Jarvick went on to tell Cindy what he told Jim about the twins of Gavilon, where he was from, the separation of twins, the whole story. After about twenty minutes, with Jim’s help, she began to believe what she was hearing. Jarvick then said “I just need you to do one thing for me.”
“What is that?” she said.
Jarvick then opened the box he was carrying and took out what looked like a belt with an oversized buckle. “I need you to put this on and go back to Gavilon with me.”
Cindy thought for a few seconds, then said “Okay, I may as well if this planet is going to go boom anyway.” Cindy began to put the belt on as Jarvick turned to Jim, no words were spoken.
Thanks for your help, brother.
Jim: You’re welcome. When will you be back?
Jarvick: I’m not sure, but I would like to return one day. Are you going to tell your wife about us?
Jim: Of course. Tonight. She won’t believe me so I’ll need you to come back and vouch for me.
Jarvick: Then count on it then.
Then Jarvick faced Cindy and said “Place your hands at your sides and remain calm.” He then placed one hand near her belt and one near his and said “Goodbye Jim”, then they both vanished.