Algorithm - Book 1 - The Medallion

Chapter 22

"... Dr. Wild claimed that he was attacked by some fanatic, but was saved by an odd-looking stranger. The Schill University professors, Dr. Adam Dove and Dr. Linda Garcia, who found the medallion have disappeared without a trace..."

 "...Wild stated that the medallion was found in a coal mine. Although it is now missing, all the data collected at Brookhaven is secure, along with a three-dimensional image of the medallion itself..."

Percy Wild had achieved fame. The discovery of the medallion, the revelation of its contents, and the mystery surrounding the missing university scientists were hyped by the media with daily updates for weeks after the incident at Brookhaven.  Dr. George Freedman of the Schill University analytical labs had come forward to confirm the existence of the artifact, providing even more details of its composition and underscoring its likely extraterrestrial origins. Not surprisingly sightings of UFOs peaked that September and continued on for several months thereafter.  Meanwhile, the implications of the discovery began to percolate up through the dogmatic layers of organized religions throughout the world. In light of the DNA sequences found in the artifact, fierce arguments ensued between fundamentalists and moderates of Earth's major religions, questioning the origins of the human race in a way that was never addressed in ancient scripture, in a way that pointed to a possible alien origin.  These arguments were only the beginning of a religious upheaval the likes of which the world had never known.

***

Adam opened his eyes. "Where, where am I?" he asked of no one in particular. His voice was hoarse, his mouth felt numb.

Lying on his back, he squinted at a single light fixture embedded in a dull metal ceiling. He sat up and immediately had to fight down a spasm of nausea. He stared at the opposite wall until it stopped moving. A portion of a mirror on that wall reflected back an image of a nude man whose feet were dangling a few inches off the floor. Transparent, flexible tubing containing a clear liquid dangled from a device at his side. Its pointed nozzle left a trail of droplets on the table. 

He looked down and saw that the tubing must have come loose, leaving behind a red streak across his forearm. The room seemed to move again, forcing him to grab hold of the table he sat upon with both hands. Everything was the color of dull, sterile gray—cabinets, or what looked like cabinets, counter tops, floor and ceiling. The place bore a vague resemblance to a doctor's examination room. 

And, where is the doctor?

There was a counter sink below the mirror. Adam got to his feet, swayed a little more, and lunged forward to the sink, catching himself on its rim. A single handle provided water which he splashed into his face. He shook his head and looked about.

No towel ... that figures.

Wiping his hands on his chest he dragged himself to a small rectangular glass pane set in the wall. His legs felt heavy, sluggish. Yet another wave of nausea forced him reach for the wall.  He gazed through the glass and saw only darkness. The glass was imbedded in what was probably a door with its edges barely visible.

There's no handle, of course.

He stood there for a minute, trembling with the effort. He thought back to the shuttle—the chase, Alpha carrying a body, and the door sliding shut. Then things got foggy. He recalled embracing Linda, and kissing her.

A great kiss. 

He looked through the glass panel again. His pupils were growing accustomed to the low light and now he saw muted floor lighting in what was taking the shape of a hallway. It dead-ended to his left, and to the right it disappeared from view.