Algorithm - Book 1 - The Medallion

Chapter 22

"And do you believe in this story?"

Windstorm tossed a loosened hinge to the floor and started on the next. "It's as good a story as any I suppose."

Hedda grinned and resumed sweeping the floor.

***

Adam lurched into the hallway through the opening. The two panels disappeared into a hidden recesses. He took an extra step to catch himself from falling, and the door hissed shut behind him. He turned and touched it, and the panels parted once again.

He took a few carefully placed steps along the hallway, fighting off a compulsion to retch. The brightness of the floor lighting increased. A few more steps and he could see that the illumination was keeping up with him, brightening ahead and dimming behind. He saw several more glowing glass door panels ahead to his right.

Peering in through the next panel, he saw a room much like the one he left, but empty.  There were four more to go before the hallway disappeared to the left. Adam was about to conclude each room was vacant when he reached the last in the line. It was occupied.

"Linda."

 She was stretched out on a table, much as he had been, naked and attached to a line hanging from the ceiling. The door panels parted as he pressed the outer surface. Linda was lying on her back, breathing steadily. He shook her gently, but there was no response.

He was staring at her body, really staring at it. He turned away and looked into the mirror. The face that stared back at him was book-ended by a pair of very red ears. For some reason, he felt like a child, and being naked just made everything worse.

Adam reached over Linda's prostrate form and gently brushed back a displaced lock of hair. He bent over, kissed her and whispered, "Linda ... it's me, Adam. I'm going to find out what this is all about. I'll be back real soon."

He left the room and continued his walkabout along the curved corridor. His gait and equilibrium had improved. He began to feel steadier on his feet.

After a couple of dozen paces, he came upon an expansive unlit area, a kind of alcove into which the hallway emptied. When he stepped forward into the awaiting gloom, a new set of lights powered on. They were arranged along the facing wall, and as their intensity grew, details of the semicircular room were revealed. Mounted below each light was an instrument panel of some kind, and below that, something that reminded Adam of a casket.

There were six rose-tinted metallic caskets positioned in an arc, radiating out like spokes on some bizarre wheel, or more accurately, half-wheel. As Adam neared the macabre display he saw that each casket sported a little window where the head would be if there was a body within. He approached the one farthest to the left. A dim glow from inside outlined the face of a woman, seemingly quite at rest. A scan of the so-called instrument panel above her head told Adam nothing more than some parts of the display, possibly monitoring gauges, were undulating in a slow but steady rhythm. He studied her face—her eyes were closed, bluish lips slightly parted, and dark hair pulled back. No signs of life. Atop the window pane was a small placard with several undecipherable symbols displayed. He was about to move on to the next casket when his eye caught a small movement across the glass surface. He leaned over to take a closer look and saw a tiny bubble caught in the frame. A moment later, it was gone.

He continued along the arc. Three caskets were occupied by more sleeping beauties—two men and a woman. The next was empty. Its window held a card with his name, ADAM. He leaned across to the last casket, also empty and as he expected, it displayed the name, LINDA.

These could be the devices used to provide stasis, something Alpha had spoken of.

This must be the mothership and we're being prepared for stasis. That would explain the IV's.         Adam decided to get back to his room.  If Alpha was going to show up, it would be there. He trotted off down the hallway. A mesmerizing lighting display followed him along the way. He peeked into Linda's compartment and found her undisturbed. He wanted to go in again, but instead, he blew her a kiss. Moments later he was seated on the table in his room.

            It felt like an hour passed, and Adam had long since decided it would be easier to pass the time by lying down. After a while his eyelids grew heavy and he fell into a light sleep. He dreamed of spaceships, new worlds, stars and galaxies. A deep voice reached him from among the stars.

            "Adam. Relax. No need to get up."

            "Alpha! I knew you'd come."

            Adam's eyes flickered open. The ceiling light kept the figure floating above him in a blurred shadow. Then he felt a pinch on his forearm and the glowing workings of the universe folded about him like a warm blanket. He felt peaceful, cozy and safe while streaking through the dark void wrapped in his blanket, passing planets whirling about their suns. The voice returned.

            "Adam. I've re-attached your medications, getting you prepared for the trip."

            Despite his spectacular flight through and between galaxies, a tiny portion of Adam's thinking brain was aware that it was about to succumb to an even deeper slumber. It took what he had left of his concentration to force out one slurred question. "Alpha ... the guy ... the bad alien ... what happened to ... him?"

            Adam plummeted toward the enormous black hole at the center of the galaxy and began to feel his body being delightfully torn apart. The voice echoed between the vestiges of torn spacetime in a most melodious manner. "Fortunately, we were able to save him. No need to concern yourself. Just enjoy the ride. Good night, Adam."

            Alpha checked the tubing, insuring that it was properly inserted, and scanned Adam with a small hand-held device. He nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave when he saw a face at the door window. The panels slid apart, and a tall man stepped in. His features were pale and expressionless. He wore a hooded sweatshirt, open at the front, revealing a heavily bandaged chest.

            Alpha smiled and said, "I thought that went rather well, don't you?"

                                                      End of Book 1

What was that? What did Alpha just say? 

Book 2 is also now available for iOS and Android devices on RADISH  https://www.radishfiction.com/

The published Algorithm which contains Books 1 and 2  is also available in one volume: ebook or paperback on Amazon, iBooks, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo (look for Algorithm by Doweyko).

Arthur