Cloud to Cloud

Episode 62: Part 1 - Kick it Up a Notch

Evan waited in the rear of the small library of Bisbee, Arizona. It was more active than he had anticipated, recalling the last time he visited the tiny mining town-turned-artist retreat. Though, that had been before the crashes, when far fewer people bothered with actually entering a library.

Before she even came into view, Evan sensed Hannah climbing the stairs. He turned to see the woman in a broad sun hat, large glasses, and a cotton scarf wrapped high on her neck and chin.

"Movie star chic, or terrorist camouflage?" He whispered as the woman lowered herself into the chair back to back with his.

"I'm so glad you have a sense of humor about all of this," Hannah grumbled.

"You can relax now. I promise." Evan hoped his words carried as much weight as he wanted them to.

"We're parked out back." Hannah whispered. "Shall we continue to travel separately and meet at my shop?"

Evan twitched at the mention of the little store.

"What?" Hannah sensed his shift.

"Change of plans." Evan turned to glance over his shoulder at the woman. "They know all about your store. Plus, there is no place to meet."

"What did you do to my store?" Hannah hissed over her shoulder.

Their faces were so close, Evan could not help but feel something else stir within him.

"Ask your friends at Wave7," Evan shot back. "They seem quite skilled with EMP bombs."

Hannah slumped in her chair. "Damn. Is it really all gone? And I am not their friend."

"I'm sorry about your place. Truly." Seeing her grief, Evan reached for Hannah's arm behind him.

Hannah slid her arm away. "So what's the new plan?"

"My mom's house." Evan grumbled. "And what do you mean we're parked out back?"

"I acquired a few assistants." Hannah murmured.

Anxiety flooded Evan's senses. "Wait. Are you actually working with the terrorists?" He hissed.

"Keep your voice down." Hannah insisted. "No. I mean, they're working with us now. I guess."

Evan pushed his fingers through his hair. "Linc told me to trust you."

"And Fred told me to trust them." Hannah countered motioning toward the back lot. She added somewhat facetiously, "Thanks for telling me Fred crossed over by the way."

Evan closed his eyes. "Right. I didn't think about it. Things were a bit chaotic when we connected. And, I didn't think it would be a great way to open our little conference call with 'Hey, Fred's dead'."

"It's fine." Hannah sighed. "He told me himself, and maybe that was better for all of us."

"How did you call Fred, anyway?" Evan pressed.

"You haven't talked to him since he crossed over?" Realization filled Hannah's voice. "Come on. Meet me in the van out back. I'll show you."

The pair left the library separately. In an incredibly archaic choice, Evan passed a handwritten note to Hannah indicating the directions and address where they would meet and when.

***

Hannah took in the site as she left the library. The top of the crumbling staircase was an icon in the tiny town. She wondered how many people had walked those stones. What would remain of them in another thousand years? Would the graffiti mean anything, if it remained at all? What strange rites would the future attribute to this staircase to nowhere? She wondered this as she wondered at the crumbling notions of the past that fell around her. With each new discovery on this adventure, new questions flattened old answers.