Tales of the Journeyman. The Elvanol Paradox

Chapter 2 Derenby's Whistle

                          Chapter 2 Derenby’s Whistle

 Fred put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the silver whistle; he looked at it wistfully for a moment and then handed it to the little Invar.

 All was now silent on the other side of the wall and the children had  regained their breath after their panic and fear of  being pursued  by the creatures in Room 4.

 “How did you find us Derenby just when we were being attacked?”

 “Well actually Fred I didn’t find you in the strictest sense of the word, I found my whistle.”

  “But how did you know where we were?”

 “I didn’t, as I said I came for the whistle and I knew where to find it. It just so happened that you were having a few problems as I arrived to retrieve it”

 “A few problems, that’s a bit of an understatement,” muttered Fred

 “But how did you know where to find the whistle?” Hannah had now joined the conversation.

 Derenby held out his left arm and drew back the sleeve of his tunic to reveal what appeared to be a watch on his wrist. “This is a monitoring device and the whistle contains a sophisticated beacon signal, so I know exactly where it is at any time.”

  “So it was just our good fortune to have been with the whistle when you came along to get it back”. Fred said with a definite look of disappointment on his face.

 “Well yes I suppose you could say that but, well let’s just put it down to serendipity, you know a happy accident and as I said it’s always good to see you, how are you both. We still talk about you”.

 “Derenby what’s going on? You didn’t travel all the way back from who knows where just to get your whistle back. Why is the whistle suddenly so important?”

 “I don’t really know where to start or how to explain things; it’s all so complicated and confusing.”

 Hannah had been listening to the exchanges between Fred and Derenby but was by now becoming impatient. “Alright Derenby but if you can’t explain, it’s lovely to see you but can we just get back to the museum and normality?”

 “Er, I don’t think so. Someone is after you and I think it must be apparent to even you that you are in grave danger”.

 The two children looked at each other resignedly

“Yes I think you are probably right.” Fred said..  “Do you know anything about those things that were chasing us. Were they holograms of the statues in that room?”

 Derenby shook his head “No, not holograms but holoforms. Much more advanced, they actually have physical form and yes they are a projection of the originals  but have physical properties and almost approaching AI status.” 

 Hannah’s impatience was increasing by the minute. “Derenby what is AI?”

 “Oh sorry, it’s artificial intelligence.”

 She looked quizzically at him: “Derenby, you know a lot more about all this than you’re telling us. So why is it not safe for us to go back?”

 “I’m sorry Hannah but I just can’t risk putting you in danger so I suppose we have to move on. I don’t even know if they, whoever they are, might have the ability to pursue us through this temporary portal we are in at the moment. I think we need to keep going and until I know why you were attacked I must protect you and the only way to do that is to get away from here. Follow me.”

 Derenby began to usher the children back down a passage which seemed to proceed downwards on a straight path. After a few minutes Fred stopped, “Hold on Derenby, what is this, where are we going?”

 Derenby paused for a moment and then motioned back to the way they had come and then forward down the path before him. “You know those long walkways at your big city airports like Heathrow or Gatwick in London? Well this is just like one of those walkways.”

 “So we are heading towards an airliner, is that what you’re saying?” Hannah said, no longer hiding her frustration..

 “Well sort of, but nothing quite as large, but a lot more technically advanced I’m sure. In essence, it’s my own personal galactic shuttle.”

 By now Hannah was not prepared to accept anything other than her return to normality. “Here we go again. Derenby, we need to get back to our parents, tonight.”

 “Hannah’s right we can’t just leave with you, wherever you’re going.”

 “Listen to me both of you, your lives are in danger and until I know why and what I can do to prevent any harm coming to you, we cannot go back. Things are on the move again, a lot has been happening since last we met and there is currently a very bad situation developing. Ah, here we are at last.”

  They had arrived at a large open dais in the middle of which stood a silver dome shaped vessel ringed with black tinted screens around the full circumference of this sleek metallic discuss.

 Fred gasped in astonishment “Wow, it’s a flying saucer Hannah!”