Dream Seeker

Dream Seeker-Chapter Nine

Standing against the pick-up truck, Gael watched the time portal close. David joined her, grinning and slapping the sand off his denim jeans. The portal had created a natural vortex, filling the rear bed with nearly an inch of sand. But something didn't feel right in Gael's mind. By the next day, the pickup used up all of the remaining fuel and they were forced to walk under the bright sun for more than four miles before they began to experience the familiar floating sensation of the rift. Their astral bodies teleported into a windowless room with metal walls and a metal bench along it. Gael was thankful to see David in the same room looking as confused as she felt.

"What is this place?" She asked, feeling the walls for an exit. "I see no way out."

David searched the room for any sort of camera or intercom system but found none.

"I don't know, but it reminds me of a prison cell," he said.

Gael sat on the bench, resting her head between her knees. David looked at her but said nothing as he impatiently roamed the room.

"What if we are stuck?"

"The doctor wouldn't let that happen. We're here for a reason." David said.

"I wouldn't put all of my trust in the doctor if I were you. Sometimes, I wonder if he really knows what he's doing."

David frowned. "What makes you think that?"

"Doesn't a part of you wonder what his motivation behind all of this is? Why would a respectable scientist need the help of four inexperience dream seekers when he could have hired professionals." David did not respond, but, by the look in his eyes, Gael could tell he had asked himself the same question before.

They sat in silence for nearly an hour before they heard a loud robotic voice coming from the ceiling. A spotlight shone upon Gael, and a voice ordered her to stand up. A portion of the wall slid open, revealing a small illuminated room. She walked towards it, glancing back at David who nodded his head in encouragement. As soon as she stepped in, the entrance shut close. The room gave her the greatest sensation of claustrophobia to which she did her best to contain. The wall opened to a different and much larger room. A long row of shelves containing memory screen and data chips lined the walls. There was a table at the far end of the hall with three men sitting behind it. The floor underneath her lit up with every step she took. As she approach the men, Gael was certain they had teleported to somewhere in the future. The men wore insulated suits. The skin over their faces was flawless.

"Sit down," said the man sitting in the middle.

She sat down and forced a smile.

"I am Cicero, on my left is Yasuo and on my right is Adili. We are the captains of this ship."

"Ship?" Gael looked around the room." As in space ship?"

Cicero stared at her. "We have been watching you. We do not understand how you evaded our security system and entered our ship. The ship's database system found an intrusion, and automatically teleported you into the safe room. We had to make sure you were not a threat."

"I see," she said, softly.

Adili, the black male sitting on the left of Cicero, whispered something into his ear. Cicero nodded and turned to Gael.

"Tell us your name," he said.

"My name is Gael Wilson."

Yasuo, the oriental-looking man on the right, smiled and said something in a different language to the other men.

"What is the motivation behind your crime?" Adili asked, sternly.

"My crime? "

"The intergalactic law strictly prohibits the invasion of private ships. We see you are young and we have forgiven you from the death penalty, but we demand answers. From what ship have you been sent? And what are your intentions?"