ATLANTIS

The Ones Before

As Dane climbed down the rubble, he heard something to his left. He spun in that direction, weapon coming up, even though he sensed no threat. The muzzle centered on two women, one black, one white. 

“Ariana!” Freed ran forward. 

Dane lowered the weapon as Freed reached the women. He followed with Beasley at his side. Freed rapidly did the introductions. 

Ariana took them in with a sharp glance. “How do we get out?” 

Dane almost smiled. She was wasting no time getting to the heart of the matter. 

Freed pointed back in the direction they had come. “That way.” 

Dane shook his head. “We haven’t accomplished what we came for.” 

“I have,” Freed said. 

Dane swept his hand toward the moat. “You’re welcome to go back.” 

Freed paused. “We wouldn’t have a chance without you.” 

Dane turned in the opposite direction. “That’s what we’re here for.” 

Ariana followed his gaze. “A similar beam came out of our plane, but we blew it up.” 

“Do you know what it is?” Dane asked, even though he already knew the answer. 

“I don’t know what any of this is,” Ariana said. 

Dane focused for a moment on the other woman. “You’re with Foreman also?” he asked Carpenter. 

“How did you know that?” 

Dane gave a short laugh. “Seems like his reach is everywhere. He’s had many years to prepare for this.” 

Carpenter shrugged. “You obviously know more than I do.” 

“What are we doing?” Freed asked in exasperation. “Let’s get out while we can.” 

Dane shook his head. “If we don’t stop that--” he pointed at the beam--”there will be nothing for us to ‘get out’ to.” 

“How do we stop it?” Freed demanded. 

But Dane wasn’t listening. There was a crackling noise to the right. A small black circle appeared in the air, about a foot in diameter and four feet off the ground. The circle grew elliptically, extending down to the stone street. 

“Hold!” Dane ordered as Freed brought his M-16 to bear. 

A man with a large red mustache stepped through the black and the circle disappeared. 

“Ed,” Dane whispered. 

“Dane,” the man acknowledged. 

Dane stared in disbelief. His team leader looked the same as he had the day Dane had last seen him, over forty years ago, his face drawn with fatigue and stress, but his hair was still bright red, his body still straight and hard with youth. 

“How--” Dane began, but Flaherty stepped up to him and gripped his shoulder. 

“There’s not much time. We have to stop them.” 

“Stop who?” Dane asked. The others had crowded around, watching the reunion silently. 

Flaherty pointed at the golden beam. “The ones who control that.” 

“But--” Dane stepped back, his system overwhelmed. “But who are you? You can’t be--” 

“It’s me,” Flaherty assured him. “I know it’s hard for you to accept but it is me.”