Through The Ascension Room***Book One COMPLETE***

CHAPTER FORTY ~PART FOUR~

Tristis and I watch as our past selves stop, search the dark room. Then continue to scurry out of the room and down the hallway to Dr. Finley's room.

"Hey, that was—"

"Us. . ." I cut him off.

"Yeah, so that means. . ." He trails off, head cast downward deep in thought.

I let the situation settle in, giving Tristis a moment to process it all. It's almost as if I am growing more and more desensitized to the whole time traveling thing. Nothing surprises me anymore. Maybe it should. Maybe not. I don't know anymore. I try to just brush it off and not worry about it too much. At least for now. Once this whole thing is over, if it ever ends, I'm sure I'll need a couple of months just to process all this.

"Wow man, I mean. . ." Tristis's face is lit up with a mixture of emotions. "Wow! My head is literally spinning right now. . ."

It takes a moment but he eventually calms down enough for me to be able to go over the plan one last time with him before he goes in and gets the supplies.

"Ok I'm ready," he says looking at me as if he is waiting for me to send him off.

"Go ahead, I'm gonna meet you at the spot where Cynthia is supposed to meet us," I say ushering him forward with my hands.

"Wait, where are you going?" he asks spinning on his toes, knees bent as they swing around still in the crouched position.

"I've got something—someone I need to talk to. . ." I reluctantly admit to Tristis realizing that I shouldn't keep hiding everything from him. I let him know at least what I was going to do, even though I didn't tell him who I was going to see.

He seems more interested in making sure I'm not going leave him stranded rather than what my plans are.

"You're not gonna. . . leave me, are you?" he asks in a shaky, hesitant voice.

"I'll be there, waiting for you. Promise," I say giving him a pat on the shoulder that nearly knocks him over.

He shuffles to keep himself upright. He plants his left hand on the concrete floor for some extra stability, propping himself up with a little more confidence. A smirk slides onto his face, "ok, see you soon."

"Yeah, soon. Be safe," I say nodding in his direction.

He turns and disappears into the hallway that the past Tristis and Alex just slipped down moments before.

An awakening chill runs through my body as I creep through the stone encased walls. I watch as the flashes of lighting bounce off of the walls as if they were mirrors; then promptly ensued by the crack of thunder. Repeatedly, over and over. The light. Then the sound. Unending. Unbearably incessant.

The storm raging outside of the building sounds as if it is deliberately testing the integrity of the structure with everything it has. Purposefully attacking the building.

Rain, wind, lightning. . . .

Pound, Whoosh, Crack. . .

I remember that I've already been through this night, and know I have nothing to worry about the storm destroying the building or whatnot. I try to keep the sounds of the storm from getting underneath my skin by focusing on what I'm doing. Taking my movements, step by step, into thoughtful consideration.

I take a turn down the semi-unfamiliar corridor of the building. Not that I've never been down it, just not as often or as frequently as the rest of the building. Usually we didn't have much reason to visit the sleeping quarters of the instructors other than running an errand for them to pick something up or to drop something off. Get in. Get out. No questions asked.

I reach the door I'm looking for. The name plate strings together letters into a familiar set of words. They read:

Dr. Albus Finley.