Endless

                                                                                   

  Endless

                                                                                   

© 2013 by O. Wade

Twenty-one year old Denny Dee seethed with anger. Just who the heck did Anna Thomas think she was turning him down? He was the richest kid in a hundred miles of her one story house on the common side of town. Here he was, driving a new Camry, money to burn on a date.
Of course he had wanted his folks to buy him a red Mustang Cobra.

Just like always, they had not bothered to ask him. 'Here you are Denny. Isn't it nice, Denny? We spent half a day looking for just the right vehicle for you, Denny.'

Man, he could have really impressed Anna. He could still, if she would let him take her out. He would tell her his old man wanted to buy him a Cobra but he turned it down because that was just the kind of guy he was. Just because he was rich was no reason to flaunt it. Just thinking about her response gave him a pleasant chill.

But she had turned him down. Her and her common friends. Those asses who dared call him 'Dede' to his face. His mother was responsible for that. Let one of her friends know that was what they called Denny when he was little. He hated her for that. Sometimes Anna's friends stretched it out to a screeching Deeeedeeee. One day, somehow he was going to hurt them real bad, especially that Robbie Hamilton. He was the one Anna had her sights on. She could turn Denny down, but he could make Hamilton wish he had never heard of Anna Thomas. Just had to think on it a while. He knew some bad guys who would do anything for cash, and Denny could lay his hands on plenty cash. He would have to be careful with them though. They were not particular about where or how they got their money.

Needed something to drink. Maybe slip some of the old man's booze, but not now. His parents were downstairs. He went down the stairs but slipped past his parents before they caught sight of him. He was in no mood for one of his father's lectures on how rough it was to make a living, as if the old man had any money problems. Only problem the old man had was stinginess. As for his mother, she would want to tousle his hair and make him give her a hug just as if he were still nine years old.

He grabbed a coke from the fridge and planted his butt on the large freestanding butcher block at the end of the kitchen counter. Leaning against the counter, his eyes landed on the day's paper. A coffee stain on the 'Wanted' ads drew his eye. He glanced at the ads out of boredom, until his eyes fell on one in particular.

Had a large, square red border. Never seen a red one before, then again he hardly ever looked in the Wanted section. He read the ad.

Wanted: Young male over twenty-one to participate in innovative scientific experiment. Be the one to make history. Be like the first man on the moon. Only requirement are good health, not over six feet tall, not susceptible to short periods of claustrophobia, free to be away from home for extended periods. Apply between 4 P.M. and Midnight, Future Resources Corporation, 311 East Goddard, Springfield.

Wow! The ad hit him like a rock. He could be a hero. That would tear Anna loose from Hamilton. Not only Anna, but everyone else would know what a smart guy he was. Tell his old man to take a flying leap. Be the most famous hero in the world.

He looked at his Rolex; three thirty. He slammed the half-full Coke can on the counter, tore the ad from the paper and rushed out of the house.

As he passed the sitting room his mother saw him. "Dede, where are you going?" she called.

"Out," he said rudely.

"Will you be home for dinner?"

He didn't answer her. No need to. He was going to be famous. She would be asking him for favors.

He parked across the street from 311 East Goddard. Big, brick, eight or ten-story building with a larger portion of stainless and dark glass wrapped around it. Had a large sign out front announcing in large golden letters; Future Resources Corporation, and beneath; Out of the Past to the Future.

He locked the Camry, straightened his clothing then strode across the street with the air of a young man on his way to his destiny.

The entrance door was locked. His heart dropped. Too late. Someone had beaten him to it.

"Yes?" a voice asked from a speaker somewhere over his head.

He looked up. "I'm here for…I'm here…uh, just a second," he said, nervously digging the ad from his shirt pocket. He fumbled, held it up, then realized that no one was there to see it. He scrabbled in haste to plaster the correct side of the ad against the glass door, all the while searching through the dark glass for a person.

The loud door buzzer startled him. It took him a moment to realize that the door was opening. He gripped the ad tightly and stepped through into a subtlety lighted foyer. Ahead was a security desk with a uniformed attendant behind. The guard motioned Denny forward.

"Identification, sir," the guard requested.

Denny poked through his wallet for his driver's license. He showed it to the guard.

"Please remove it from the wallet, sir."

Denny complied, though his tolerance for authority tried to boil to the surface like foam on a beer. "I have this…" Denny started to say as he poked the ad at the guard.

"Be patient, sir. First things first."

Denny wanted to tell him what to do with his attitude, but the looming chance to be a world hero was more important.

Thankfully, the process took only a couple of minutes, then the guard informed him that someone would meet him shortly.

"Mr. Dee," a middle-aged man called from an elevator door. "Come with me please."

After an elevator ride that seemed to go down instead of up, he followed the white frocked man as he silently threaded corridors and descended stairs.

He was on the verge of asking just what the hell was going on when they entered a huge brightly lighted area filled with exotic and esoteric devices; all chrome and glass and synthetic tubes. A huge clock on a far wall had the standard numbers but by each number there was cryptic mathematical writing. There were no hands, only various lights beside each number. Tubes like silver snakes dangled out of the bottom of the clock and disappeared somewhere beyond his vision.

A gray metal container with a clear shield of some kind lay at an angle upon a thick, sturdy support cradle attached to what seemed to be hydraulic piston.

A tangled mesh of dangling, hanging, running, myriad colored wires, like tiny strings of candy canes, ran everywhere. He stood gazing at the awesome sight. This was really important stuff.

The white coated man gently tugged at his arm. His trance was broken. "This way, sir"

The man led him through what appeared to be a control room where white coated technician were busy at mysterious electronic panels, then into an office where two older men stood talking.

One man turned as they entered. He extended a hand. "Good evening, Mr. Dee. I'm so glad you could come. "I am Doctor Wyatt, this is Doctor Foster," he said of the other man with him. "And this gentleman who was so kind to show you through is my assistant, Doctor Hamm."

Denny absently shook their hands, his eyes wandering over the strangeness of the place, and not a little frightened. Maybe this hero stuff was not his thing, but he was afraid to say anything. He had seen too many movies where a victim was charmed to their death. Were they going to strap him down, operate on his brain, inject him with chemicals, cut out his gonads, steal his liver? He surely wished he had told his parents where he was going.

"Mr. Dee?" asked Doctor Wyatt. "Would you care for coffee, a soda? I apologize, but this is a no smoking area."

For the first time in his privileged, indulged life life, Denny had no words. He felt numb. They were going to feed him something to put him under.

No way. At the first opportunity he was going to scatter out of this place. He frantically tried to picture the way out, but that was impossible.

"Have you eaten, Mr. Dee?' asked Doctor Hamm.

Denny shook his head no. He felt like crying. That could not happen.

"Good, good," said Doctor Wyatt. "Neither have we. We'll have a good meal and while we eat, we will discuss why you are here."

A man in a steward outfit served the meal, he served everyone from the same bowls and platters, so Denny felt a bit more secure, but he waited until the good doctors began to eat.

By the time Denny was half into his steak dinner, he had gained his nerve and felt fairly secure. The old arrogance was poking its head out.

"Mr. Dee, may we call you Denny?" asked Doctor Wyatt.

"Yeah," Denny answered around baked potato. "What you guys do?"

"Well," Doctor Wyatt said," We need a healthy young man such as you to assist in our work, and we…"

"Yeah," said Denny, "But what do you do?"

Dr Wyatt's eyes met the other doctor's eyes in turn. "Okay, I will give it to you straight on. We have built a time machine."

"Bull crackers," said Denny. "What is this? Some kind of joke set up by my old man?"

"No, Denny. Very serious. Would you like proof?"

"Sure," Denny answered, but he was suddenly not so certain he did.

"Denny, after the meal I have some questions about your health, nothing dire. Do you have any metal in your body? Broken, metal braced bones? Any fillings with gold?"

"No," Denny said.
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In the control room the doctors showed him in short order just how true time travel was. "Denny, do you have on you a knife or something personal that you can be sure to identify as yours?"

"Yeah, I got a knife." He pulled from his pocket a wicked folding knife. He hesitantly handed it to the doctor.

"Thank you," said Wyatt. "Now, come with us so you will be sure to see what happens.

Denney followed them from the control room and out into the morass of shining metallic devices. They stopped at the gray thing held by the heavy cradle. Wyatt turned and waved to someone in the control room. A half lid hissed open atop the long gray steel tube. Wyatt smiled at Denny as he laid the knife inside the machine. "Give me a time in minutes, Mr. Dee."

Denny haltingly said, "Five?"

"Five is good," said the doctor. He held up five fingers to the control room.

The cover on the tube hissed down with a small thump. A thrumming noise began that felt to Denny as if it was deep inside his body. It scared him briefly; so badly that he was afraid he was going to throw up.

"Come," said Doctor Wyatt. "Look inside and see your knife."

Denny went to the round container and strained on his toe to see into the transparent cover. There lay his knife. No doubt about it. Then it was suddenly gone. "What's the trick?" he asked suspiciously.

The doctors smiled at him.

Doctor Wyatt said, "Let's go back into the control center and I will show you your knife."

"Lemme see your hands, Doc."

Wyatt showed Denny his hands. I cannot have the knife, Mr. Dee. You watched it being transferred."

Uncertain whether or not this was a farce to get him off guard, Denny followed the men into the control room. Doctor Wyatt stopped by a smaller version of the one he put the knife into. "Mr. Sutton?" he asked a red headed man making adjustments on a panel. "Ready to open?"

"Yes, sir. Be careful though, may still be a bit warm." The cover on the small tube popped open. A thin white vapor flowed out.

Come here, Denny," Doctor Wyatt said. I won't go near it. You look inside."

Denny cautiously approached the open container. He peered inside. There lay his knife. No doubt about it. "Well, I'll be damn!" was all he could say.
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The next two weeks were ones of intense training. Finally Doctor Wyatt said Denny was ready.

"Your first transfer will be a short one, Denny. We have to make adjustments as to your weight, body density, blood and such, as we discussed last week. You will hardly be aware that anything happened. Before you take a long trip we want to be sure all is in order. You don't have any metal in your body. There is no chance of being burned. You've made all the preparations to explain your brief absence, so we're good to go.

I ask you again, please do not discuss this with anyone. Should it get out there would be no end of powerful people working to get at our device, and some of them willing to kill for it. Now, go suit up and we will do the adjustment transfer. By the way, you won't carry the return transmitter today. We'll control your return with settings we made earlier. For your longer journey you will carry the device with you. That gives you the option of protecting yourself in case of some unforeseen complication."

Technicians suited up Denny. The suit was crammed with a multitude of sensors and very uncomfortable, but most of that stuff would be removed for his extended transfer. The techs slipped a helmet over his head and locked it into place. Even after two weeks of this he was still terrified, but it was worth it.  He would soon be a hero. The world would laud him. Anna would trip over her drawers to get to him.

They hooked a multitude of wires and tubes to his suit then closed the cover over him. Cool air flowed into his suit but he was sweating so badly it only made him shiver. The thrumming began. He saw a brief flash of color and a sense of being afloat on water, and for a second he thought he caught a glimpse of a sailing ship. He was ecstatic when they pulled him from the capsule. He could hardly wait for the long trip.

"I seen a damn ship, Doc! A sailing ship. A big sucker. I'm ready to go long now. Tell me when."

Wyatt chuckled. "If all the parameters are correct, you can make the big one tomorrow evening."

Denny's heart was flat out racing. He was pumped. Tomorrow was a thousand years away. He, Denny Dee, was going to be a hero. Tomorrow early he needed to write an acceptance speech for his return. He wanted so badly to tell Anna. He would give anything to see her face when she found out where he had been. Maybe he could be there to tell her first. No, the news would be full of his exploit. The neat thing about this was he would not have to employ the Chrysene brothers to put a bruising on Hamilton. When Anna learned of his daring exploit, Hamilton would be dust under her feet.

He left the lab by a different route. In the middle of his training Doctor Wyatt informed him that his initial long trip through the building was only for security reasons. He fired up the Camry and burned rubber, flying down the late night streets like his was the only vehicle in the city. He was also fired up. He could not go home. Tomorrow was so far away that he literally ached inside for the time to pass.

He found himself tooling down Anna's street. He slowed at her house. The lights were all out. Only a porch light glowed yellow. He parked across the street. He looked at his Rolex. Ten forty-five. Still early. Her folks retired early and rose early. Had to make that pittance, like all the rest of the common life that lived in this part of town.

He reached to start the car when headlights suddenly froze him in their glare. He hunkered down and waited for the car to pass. He heard an engine quit and car doors close. He braved a look. His rage bloomed like a nuclear explosion. It was Anna and Robbie Hamilton. His hands shook and his heart throbbed so frantically it scared him. He watched them climb the step to the front porch. Hamilton took her in his arms and held her briefly. Then he kissed her. She gave him a last hug around the neck then Hamilton danced down the steps to his car. It was all Denny could do to keep from cursing him.

Anna watched Hamilton drive away. She unlocked the door and started to go into the house then changed her mind. She took off her earrings and sat in the porch swing, tilting her head back in a peaceful way. She slowly, gracefully swung. Denny could hear the faint squeak of dry metal against dry metal as the taut chains strained inside the eyehooks in the porch ceiling.

Now was his chance. He would tell her. Hamilton would not return tonight. He quietly opened his car door and stepped out onto the street. Anna was still deep in reverie, swinging gently. Denny walked softly across the street until he was at the foot of the porch steps.

He felt godlike power in his body. He was absolutely sure that when he told her what was going to happen tomorrow, Hamilton would be a grease stain on her shoe.

He put one foot on the first step, posed dramatically, one hand in a pocket, the other casually touching at his chin. "Good evening, Anna," he said.

Anna gasped and sprang upright. The swing chains rattled as she stood. "Who is…Denny, is that you?" she asked, peering into the darkness. "What are you doing here this late?"

"Came to see you, Anna."

"Denny, go home. I've got to go in now."

"No, no, don't," Denny pleaded. He moved halfway up the steps.

Anna backed up against the front door. "Where are you going, Denny? Stay down there, please."

"Anna, I'm not here to harm you. I could never do that. Please, listen to me for a minute."

"About what, Denny. You know if you're going to ask me out I will refuse. I'm engaged to Robbie to be married. Haven't I told you?"

"You could change your mind, Anna. I can give you everything. What can he give you, snotty kids and poverty?"

"That is none of your business, Denny. Go home or I'll call my father."

"No need for that, Anna. I just want to tell you something important. I'm going to be famous. After tomorrow the entire world will know my name. You can be there with me." Denny had now reached the top step.

"Famous?" she said, sarcasm in her voice. "You Denny? By tomorrow? Go home."

"Anna, I'm going into the future, maybe into the past. The first person to ever do it. I'll be the most famous man in the world. A hero, just like the men who walked on the moon."

Anna laughed. "You're crazy, Denny. What makes you think a silly claim like that would get you a date. I'll never go out with you. I've tried to be nice but you won't have it. Now go home."

Denny felt fire behind his eyes. A rage so hot that it made him almost nauseous caused his entire body to quake. How dare this tramp refuse the hero of the world. He was across the porch and had his hand clamped over Anna's mouth before she could cry out. He whirled around with her in tow and slung her down the cement steps. She landed in a crouch with a heavy thump. She moaned. He went casually down the steps and stood beside her crumpled body.

"We could have been great together, Anna. The most famous and rich couple in the world. "He roughly toed her ribs with a shoe. She flinched away and moaned. "You want Hamilton? You can have him. But not like he wants. I'll fix your cheating face so nobody will want you." He grabbed her by her long hair and snatched her head back. Unable to defend herself she tumbled backwards onto the cement walk,. Denny drew a fist back and slammed it into her beautiful face. "Hamilton will like that. You won't have to wear makeup. I'll give you some of the permanent stuff." He hit her again. He had obviously knocked her out cold. 

A dog barked across the street. Denny turned to peer into the dark. The dog stood at the front bumper of his car, its eyes glinting in the night. "Get out of her!" he whispered roughly, loud enough for the dog to hear.

The dog snarled. Denny opened his pocketknife and started toward the animal. The dog barked. Not what Denny wanted. He ran at the animal.

The dog barked loudly twice, then ran.

He folded the knife and returned to finish his work on Anna. She had somehow crawled up the steps and across the porch. She sagged against the door with her hand on the knob.

"Shit!" He considered running to stop her but she fell against the door, causing it to swing violently inward. Glass shattered and cascaded to the floor. Anna dropped with a meaty thump. From somewhere inside the house came the muted sound of an alarmed male voice. 

Denny ran to his vehicle. He felt as light as a feather. He giggled as he cranked the car. Lights came on in Anna's house. He sped away, sweat trickling down his body. Fear owned him, but it felt good. So good. He wished he could do it again. It was much better than a date with her.
He knew he could not go home. Not tonight. Not ever again. He would go back to the lab, stay there all night. Until the staff returned in the afternoon no one would know he was there. Tomorrow evening he would disappear into another time. Somewhere safe. Where no one could ever find him. He would not come back. He could do that. He would dump the suit. Be no way to contact him. The return device was his to control. That was good. He did not want to come back.
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Denny lay in the capsule, sweating, not so much from fear of the transfer but that he would not get away before the cops found him. He could hear the countdown over the intercom. He could see the huge clock on the wall. Lights came on beside each number in sequence. At eleven and a half he closed his eyes. The thrumming began. In the space of a breath he was gone.
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Sutton the technician's eyes were wide with dread. "There is something…" he called out, then "Stop! Stop the count down!"

"What is it?" Doctor Wyatt cried frantically. 

Sutton hysterically operated electronic controls. "Stop him! Stop him!"

"Too late," Doctor Wyatt said quietly. The control room became almost as silent as a tomb. Everyone stared at Sutton.

"What went wrong?" Doctor Wyatt asked, his voice strained and hoarse.

Sutton stared at his readouts, disbelieving. "The blood count was wrong. How could that be? Yesterday he was clear. The blood count was…the blood reading says there was foreign matter in his blood…or on his body."
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Denny looked at his Rolex; three thirty. He slammed the half-full Coke can on the counter, tore the ad from the paper and rushed out of the house. As he passed the sitting room his mother saw him. "Dede, where are you going?" she called.

"Out," he said rudely.

"Will you be home for dinner?"

He didn't answer her. No need to. He was going to be famous. She would be asking him for favors.

He parked across the street from 311 East Goddard. Big, brick, eight or ten-story building with a larger portion of stainless and dark glass wrapped around it. Had a large sign out front announcing in large golden letters; Future Resources Corporation, and beneath; Out of the Past to the Future.

He locked the Camry, straightened his clothing. For a moment a strange déjà vu dread filled his chest, but it passed so quickly it was forgotten almost instantly. He then strode across the street with the air of a young man on his way to his destiny.