Pt. IV
	The throbbing callous at the end of Al’s index finger was his only reward 
for punching every telephone number he could get his hands on. And not a 
single live voice for all his troubles. Strike that –the flat, droning 
speech of the secretaries ~almost~ resembled something human.
	>>I’m sorry, Admiral Calavicci, Senator Barnes is not available to take 
your call at this moment<<
	>>The General is in a meeting right now. Can I take a message?<<
	>>Congressman Fox? I’d be more than happy to forward you to his voice 
mail<<
	He pressed the cup of coffee to his lips and sipped. It tasted like sludge. 
There were only a few other stragglers in the cafeteria, most staggering 
through the line like zombies, digging sleep from their eyes. Al could only 
imagine what a sight he must have been. The sweater he’d had on since 
yesterday was beginning to wilt.
	He stopped by the Waiting Room after the buzz surrounding their new visitor 
died down. Sometimes it was like a zoo over there, people crushed against 
the one-way panels, gawking in on the latest exhibit. There was something 
cruel and unsettling about the way their eyes feasted, like they were 
watching some wild animal in a cage. He shuddered. *High-tech peepholes, courtesy 
of the fine statesman of New Mexico.*
	Fox had strutted into town with an unusually large barrel of pork and a 
smile that was equally as greasy. It seemed that he had saved their "cave" 
from being tanked and in exchange, Stallions Gate would play host to some 
government tours, ones where he could bait the defense-hungry Congress with 
some juicy pieces of the Project’s technology. For three long months, 
engineers from all over the world converged upon the desert, brightening 
Al’s life with such delights as the voice sequencing box and an unpalatable 
disaster called the Replicator.
	And just as Fox had projected, droves of D.C. officials came to be dazzled 
by the possibility of Leaping full-scale armies. They flocked to peer into 
the cold and empty Accelerator Chamber. It was becoming a regular Disney 
World, the number two vacation spot for Star Wars dorks and mad scientists 
alike.
	The Waiting Room whispered of clouds and dreams to Al. Its pulsating blue 
light made him feel as though he were caught somewhere between the sky and 
Heaven. The body lying across the table in a white Fermi suit seemed to 
complete the illusion. Al watched the swell and gentle collapse of the 
unconscious man. One of his arms dangled limply over the side of the narrow 
makeshift bed. Carefully, The Project Observer tucked it back under the 
sheet.
	The door of the emergency exit made a gentle ~whoosh!~ as it expelled the 
older man out into the corridor. Al’s breath exploded from his lungs as he 
leaned against the wall. He felt dizzy and nauseous, like he was going to 
hurl.
	*To die, to sleep*
	"Admiral Calavicci! Just the chap I’ve been looking for."
	Al snapped at attention, pulling away from the crowing technician. "Your 
search is over. Whadda ya want?"
	"Tina."
	"~Excuse me?~" Al tried on a smile that was tight and cool.
	"No, no, no," Cary Masterson laughed, his hands fanning out before him in 
defensive. "I don’t ~want her~ want her. I mean, not that any man in his 
right mind ~wouldn’t~ want her. She’s attractive and quite intelligent--"
	The Italian’s dark eyes glittered dangerously.
	Cary went on hurriedly. "I need Tina --~professionally.~ And I was told 
that you were the man to see."
	Al broke into a brisk stride, leaving the younger man to nip at his ankles. 
"That’s ~Ms.~ Martinez-O’Farrell to you and she’s in Chicago and that’s got 
nothin’ ta do with me."
	"I understand, sir, but I ~really~ need to speak with Ti ...uh, Ms. 
Martinez-O’Farrell as soon as possible. There’s atiny malfunction in the 
Interfacing Program"
	The kid was leaving a trail in his voice a mile long and Al didn’t like it. 
"~And?~"
	"It could lead to a possible shut down of the Imaging Chamber," Cary 
finished quietly.
	An irritated growl crept into Al’s voice. "How long you been having this 
"tiny malfunction?""
	"An hour."
	"~An hour?!~" He whirled around on Cary. "One hour and you’re just ~now~ 
telling me?"
	"We were given strict orders, sir, not to bother you while you were in the 
Waiting Room."
	If he weren’t so pissed off, Al would have laughed. ~He~ had been the 
legislator of those strict orders. "It always comes back to bite ya in the 
ass" he grumbled.
	"Sir?"
	"Never mind. Did you try using the link through her compact?"
	"Yes, but she doesn’t seem to be responding."
	"Then you got one more call to make. This way."
	They veered a sharp left into a dark, narrow tunnel, tucking themselves 
just out of reach of two strolling guards. The Oh-Four Hundred Sweep. Cary 
sucked in his breath sharply and the older man could hear the tech’s heart 
thumping in his labcoat. The corridor soon echoed with emptiness. Al began 
carefully scraping his shoes along the concrete floor.
	*Where the hell is the trigger?* He dragged his heel slowly, his eyes 
sharpening in the murkiness.
	"Admiral?" The kid hovered nervously at his side.
	Just then, a tiny *click!* sounded at their feet. Al stilled the jittery 
young man and pivoted towards the wall on their left, running his hands 
across the stainless steeluntil his nails hooked into a groove. He gave a 
little tug and the panel door of a keypad popped open. His fingers studied 
the coded Braille, jabbing at the buttons after some time. The dazzling aura 
of The Door appeared before their eyes, revealing a tight elevator shaft 
with a simple hydraulic lift. Al pushed smoothly passed the incredulous 
Cary.
	"This wallit-it’s a ~hologram~. But how?" In the gloom, Cary’s slack 
jawed expression was almost comical.
	"It’s called a shortcut. Now get in or security will take you through the 
"scenic route.""
	The intern scrambled into the car and The Door slid shut behind him, 
swallowing up the last sliver of light. The tiny platform suddenly dropped, 
plunging them down into the black gaping mouth of the earth.  Al began to 
buckle his knees as he felt the sudden weightlessness tug at his shoulders. 
A faint chime rang as each level whistled by them until the gradual 
resistance of the brakes stopped their fall, slowing to a  pedal-soft 
landing.
	*Ding!* The Door rumbled open to a dimly lit tunnel of the living quarters 
some 61 feet below where they’d started. Al quickly located the keypad, 
punching commands.
	"C’mon, kid, we gotta--"
	He peered into the elevator. Cary was flattened against wall, heaving for 
breath.

*		*		*		*		*		*	            *

        Quivering drops of sun were tickling his lashes. Or at least, that’s 
what it felt like. He lay still for a few moments more while the golden rays 
kissed his face. It was nice to pretend to he had nothing to do, not a 
single care or worry, except to lie in bed with his eyes shut. Well, maybe 
he’d do some cardiovascular exercises. Get his heart rate up a bit with some 
kissing, then move on to something a little more strenuous. He let out a 
deep, lazy yawn, staring at the empty space beside him. It lay undisturbed. 
Sam slowly took this in.
        An eerie silence radiated through the house as he prowled around, 
peeking into rooms. The nursery was an exquisite burst of color; bold reds, 
greens, blues. Side by side, two corn yellow bassinettes sat under a window, 
their little blankets turned down in anticipation of the tiniest occupants. 
A lush tropical forest wrapped around the walls, boasting toucans and 
butterflies and stealth tigers prowling in bushes. In the way, way back 
corner, he spied a curlicue that he made out as initials. *M.L.O.*
        Gingerly skulking down the stairs, Sam swept his eyes over the funky 
art deco that was thrown together in what he assumed to be the family room. 
The floor was a huge tatami mat patterned with a thousand white cranes 
frozen in flight. Oddly shaped clay pots leaned precariously on glass 
tables. A wooden statue of a dog-faced monkey leered at him from atop the 
TV.
        The adjacent room was an elegant dining room. The rich wine colored 
walls seemed to hug a small cherry table that was set with four places. Dark 
orchids were carefully arranged at the center. Tiny crystals of the 
chandelier shivered and winked.
        Light streaming from beneath a closed door drew him across the hall. 
Timidly, he stepped into the  room. A thick cascade of sun oozed through a 
window fixed in the slanted roof. Piles of books climbed resolutely towards 
the ceiling, snatching up the last few inches of wall in their conquest. Sam 
felt Noah perk at the sight of a ratty recliner that sat opposite a faux 
fireplace. Its weary bones trembled under the weight of sagging upholstery.
        *Grandpa’s chair*
        Sam snatched his hands away from the crackled leather as if he’d 
been shocked. "How’d I know that?"
        The chiming of a nearby clock pulled his attention to Noah’s 
growling stomach. He ambled down the narrow hall, lurching forward at the 
sight of the kitchen. Cabinets, doors and drawers slammed in the wake of his 
glee. He palmed three eggs from the fridge and hovered over a mixing bowl, 
contemplating their fate. Suddenly, an electric spasm shot through his arm 
and pierced the fragile shells, their golden yolks tumbling loose in perfect 
form. The icy grip paralyzed all of Sam’s controland then was gone.
        *What the hell was that?* Sam watched the broken shells slide from 
his fingers and down the garbage disposal. He ran his hands under the tap, 
relieved --just a little-- to feel the stinging bite of scalding water on 
flesh. Noah was too young for a stroke. The idea of a heart attack also 
seemed off. Sam absently diced a few vegetables and whisked them together in 
the bowl while his mind wandered.
        *Maybe he has cardiac arrhythmia and doesn’t know. Maybe that’s why 
I’m here.*
        The thick aroma of sausage and buttered biscuits soon roamed boldly 
throughout the house. Sam pulled the top from a pot of boiling potatoes, 
closed his eyes and leaned into the wonderful rush of steam. It was like a 
warm kiss from a cloud. He added a dash of pepper and turned the burner down 
low. The strains of some song drifted lazily into his mind and he hummed the 
faguely familiar tune. The words were beating against his throat like a 
trapped bird. He parted Noah’s lips to set them free.
        "Theyasked me how I knewmy true love was true"
The harsh click of high-heeled shoes interrupted Sam from his crooning. In 
the doorway stood Lola. The spoon in his hand clattered to the floor. God, 
she was beautiful. Her thick hair had been pulled up into bun so that only a 
few loose spirals bobbed about her shoulders. Her arms were stitched tightly 
across the front of her pressed lavender dress, her breasts swelling 
slightly over the perch of her arm. He felt his host’s young heart thumping 
wildly in his chest. *Down, boy...easy.*
        "~Ah, buenas dias, Senora Jung.~" [Good morning, Mrs. Jung.] Sam 
smoothly skirted around the island, bowing low at the waist. "Jou have come 
jus in time for thee feast."
        "What time is it?"
        "Wh-what?" He glanced at the clock above her head. "Uh, eleven 
thirty-five?"
        "Yes, eleven thirty-five."
        Her cool tone made Sam uneasy. He steadied himself by turning away 
to pull cups and plates from the cupboard. "Well, it’s never too late for 
breakfastor brunch." He chanced a peek back at her.
        "No, but it is too late for ten fourty-five service."
*Service?* Sam pretended to fiddle with setting the table in order to buy 
himself some time. Well, it was Sundayand that would explain why he woke to 
an empty house. "Church," he groaned loudly before he could catch himself.
        He saw Lola’s shoulders stiffen. "I won’t drag you kicking and 
screaming."
        "No, no, no, it’s not like that at all," He gently grasped her 
forearms, stooping low so they could meet eye to eye. "I just thoughtyou 
and I could have some time together. I have a feeling it’s been a while 
since we were alone."
        He was close enough to feel her warm breath on his face. Close 
enough to see the tiny quiver of her pouty lips. The glint in her eye was 
softening. Every inch of Sam’s body felt like it was on fire.
        *If this is a tease* He moved in slowly, not minding the tension in 
her body as he came near. She would resist, oh but it would make winning 
that much sweeter. His mouth watered at the thought of victory.
        "Smoke."
        At first, he barely registered that she had spoken. But it was the 
quiet force in her voice that made him open his eyes and frown. And she was 
looking behind him, rather calmly.
        "Smoke--?" Sam whirled around as the oven gently puffed grey fumes 
in the air. He released Lola, snapping the knobs of the oven off and 
flinging open windows. He shoved his hand into a mitt and hesitantly pulled 
back the inferno’s door. The oven gave one final cough as he retrieved the 
burnt bread. He swiped at the nasty tendrils of vapor.
        "Biscuit, anyone?"
        She was gone.
        Banging the ruined baking sheet into the sink, he turned on the 
water full blast and flipped the garbage disposal switch. The charred 
biscuits were greedily swallowed and gnashed by the whirling gears. He had 
been sounded defeated this battle. Yet the war; the war raged on.
        He could do nothing but shake his head and chuckle. The irony was 
ringing and it didn’t escape him. As he mused over the last few bars of the 
song, he wondered if Noah hadn’t been trying to warn him all along.
        "Smoke gets in your eyes," he murmured, alone again.