Chapter 3

 Chapter 3: Revelations 

    Lengthy silence and a breakfast of instant oatmeal (which was surprisingly better than the mental hospital served us) followed our conversation on the floor.  After breakfast, I decided to reveal to the group what I had discovered.  I told them about the research that was being conducted.  I told them the fragments I put together related to Project Balthazar.  Laurie and I had both agreed that continued looking at the photos and charcoal petroglyph rubbings was beyond our emotional capacity.  Clarence wrestled with curiosity after I told him, but he aired on the side of caution.  Or he simply didn’t want to be the odd one out.   

    During my explanations, my left hand became visible to the others.  This drew concerned looks from their faces. “That explains why your hand was so warm when you, uh... we, had our moment,” Laurie posited. Clarence seemed intrigued and put his hand up in a high 5 pose.  I pressed my palm against his.  His face divulged devilish curiosity.  “That’s the gem making your hand so warm?” He asked curiously.  “Yup.” With our collective stories and secrets revealed, it was time to broach the subject that was quickly becoming an unspoken taboo. With all of the tact of a crying 5 year old, I announced my plan. “I was thinking about taking a look in the crawlspace for gasoline or any other supplies that we might be missing.” Laurie and Clarence both exchanged nervous looks. 

    Clarence casually strode over to where the lever-action rifle was located on the wall. He inspected the weapon and was convinced it was still functional, though we hadn't discovered any ammunition. “I thought I might take it there in case we find a raccoon or something,” Clarence declared in a comical tone. I imagined that any raccoon we might encounter at this point in our adventure would be 8 feet long, have glowing yellow eyes, and spray sodium hydroxide from its mouth. 

    Laurie continued to rummage through the supply closet and cried out in delight when she discovered what she had been looking for. It was a box of rounds for the antiquated firearm. Clarence tried (somewhat successfully) to force an expression of enthusiasm. He had two obstacles to confront from my perspective. The challenge of learning to operate a weapon that looked like it would be home at a museum, and the challenge of mustering the courage to face whatever the crawlspace had to offer us. 

    Clarence explained that he wanted to fire off a couple rounds before he felt confident enough to enter in a potentially hazardous situation. He wandered outside by himself.  Meanwhile, I found an old marble ashtray in the living room that I used to determine if the gem was still working properly. I crushed it into a fine powder in my right hand. At least my hulk-like strength in my average body build was still in effect. The fact that I had no way to turn it off frightened me, however. 

    I was clapping the dust from the ashtray off my hands when I could hear the loud “Pop” and “Bang” of gunfire outside. Laurie was observing him from the window. I got the impression that guns made her nervous. I had no great love of them myself. I would like to think a true gentleman would brandish a potato peeler when entering into mortal combat. But I am a romantic. What can I say? 

    Clarence reentered the cabin with the “I just shot a gun” glow. It was certainly the boost he was looking for. We stood together hovering over the old iron handle to the crawlspace. “Laurie. I think you better wait in the other room in case something happens to us.” At first she tried to ignore my attempts at protecting her lady-like delicacy. She thought for a moment and responded, “If something in there devours you, I want to be able to shut that door as quickly as possible.” I was flabbergasted and Clarence got a good chuckle at my expense. 

    I held one of the kerosene lanterns while Clarence pulled the hatch open. It gave him some resistance but finally gave way and opened with a churning creak. Our faces were peppered by dust and mold. I let out an astonished gasp by what I saw. It was a smooth cement tunnel leading down into the darkness with an iron ladder pegs embedded in the circular passage. “Not quite what I was expecting,” Clarence muttered. He flung the rifle's leather strap over his shoulder where the weapon now rested on his back. 

    I climbed down first. Grasping the lantern in one hand and carefully stepping down each rung of the ladder. I wasn't certain how far down this tunnel went but there wasn't enough room to get a good view. I had to descend on faith alone. Clarence was several rungs above me. He was chanting some kind of prayer. I surmised that he had a fear of enclosed spaces. 

    The ladder stretched for what I estimated to be 2 full stories into the earth. The clang of our feet echoed in the small tunnel around us. I could hear Laurie above us calling out to check on us. I wanted to wait until my feet hit solid ground before doing so. And then, they did. The lantern illuminated what looked like a small research laboratory. Despite the use of the word small in my description, the total size of the open room I saw was still significantly larger in square footage than the cabin above us. I took a few steps forward and noticed a large switch on the wall to my left. 

    I could feel Clarence's presence behind me. He made it down safely as well. I turned the lantern on his face to see slack jawed amazement. I called up to Laurie, “We are fine. There is some kind of lab or facility down here.” I shouted upwards. It's incredible!” I added a second later. I could hear the echoing clang of feet hitting the iron rungs of the ladder. “I am heading down there,” she cried out. 

    Clarence took the initiative and flipped the large breaker switch on the wall and the room flickered with the glow of fluorescent lights. This place was amazing. There were 2 rows of lab tables with 3 tables in each row. A pair of stools stood adjacent to each table. I spotted a large metal disk with some kind of enclosure around it. There was an inordinate amount of wires, levers and buttons covering the enclosure. As well as a pair of what looked like a pair of Tesla Coils protruding from both sides of the enclosure. It looked like the lair of a mad scientist or a Disney villain. Probably both. Definitely both. 

    Clarence and I split up to opposite ends of the lab to inspect at what we had encountered. Clarence was pawing through documents that appeared to be maps or blueprints. I headed over to an unmarked metal door and carefully pulled it open. It was locked, but my strength enhancement caused the door to rip through the double deadbolts and hang limply off one hinge. Despite using a bit more force than I wanted to, I found myself getting a better handle of measuring my newfound abilities. 

    Inside the large supply room, I noticed several strange instruments on the floor. The devices were rectangular boxes with a series of digital readout monitors and a multicolored cornucopia of buttons.  They each had odd metal wands tethered by coiled wires on them.  They looked like Geiger counters or maybe some kind of sophisticated anal probe. I discovered a small cluster of lab coats suspended on hangers on the right hand side of the closet. I pulled one of the coats off the hook and ripped off my slimy, sweat covered, and muddy scrub shirt. I threw the lab coat over my bare chest.   

    I exited the closet eager to make an appearance for an impromptu fashion show for Clarence. Laurie had just finished her climb down the tunnel stairs. They both looked in amusement as I did a slight bow and did my best to imitate an intellectual.  “As persons of science, it is our duty to look the part.” 

    Laurie and Clarence wasted no time bursting into the closet to change their attire. After a brief moment, we suddenly looked like a distinguished group of scientists. Distinguished scientists who were living in the woods for a week. Clarence also discovered a box full of rubber safety boots. My boots were a bit too loose. Clarence's boots were a bit too snug. And Laurie's boots flopped around with a solid two inches of unused space in the toe area. Clarence informed us about a saw upstairs that could at least remedy that problem. 

    Clarence told us that he discovered blueprints for a machine of some kind labeled as the “Daedalus Gate.” I didn’t even bother trying to decipher the complex diagram.  He also showed us a map of the area where we were staying and the cabin we were calling home. He drew his finger across the map and noted in a matter of fact tone, “The cabin is here, and it appears, half a click due north of us, is a helipad.” Half a click. What were we now, Marines? “I guess that explains how the scientists got here without any kind of road connected to the cabin.” Made sense. 

    Laurie meandered around the room and moaned in ecstasy when she discovered an emergency wash station. She turned the shower on to test the water. At least it worked.  We all took turns taking showers in the corner of the room, while the others sat in the closet to give each other privacy.  Since she discovered the shower and she went first. In the spirit of Conventionalist Ethics, of course.    

    Clarence pulled the strap around his shoulder and propped the rifle against the wall of the closet by the futuristic looking gadgets I saw earlier.  We sat on the floor and discussed our next move.  “I figured I would climb back upstairs and grab the ham radio and bring it down here where we can give it some juice.  My old man had one when I was growing up, so I know what I am doing,” Clarence informed me.  I could only speculate whether such a machine would work this far underground, but I had no way to validate such a criticism.   

    He continued his calculations, “If you come upstairs with me and use the blanket on the bed as a sack, we can haul food down here and cook it on the Bunsen burners instead of the fireplace.  I am damn sure it is more comfortable to sleep down here than up there. A lot less mosquito at night”  He had a fine argument.  “I could throw down cushions from the couch as well,” I added.  “Now you’re thinking,” He replied with a comforting smile. Our rickety woodland cabin was turning into a real Hobbit Hole. 

    As we debated for several moments about the logistics of our relocation, I could hear the water stop running in the other room.  The sound of flapping skin, limbs, breasts, and hair could be heard audibly in the other room.  No towels.  I guess flailing around to air dry ourselves was the game plan.  Clarence’s face scrunched in consternation for just the briefest moment.  I had a feeling he wanted to tell me something.  Maybe about himself or our predicament.  Laurie’s call of “Almost done!,” in the other room provided him an out from opening up to me.  “I’m next. I just called it.” He announced with a slight wolfish grin. 

    Laurie appeared outside the doorway, and Clarence bolted out the door.  She stepped out of his way as he charged over to the shower.  Laurie sat down next to me.  Her hair was a sloppy pile pulled over her shoulder.  Her pale skin glistened from the moisture still on it, and the labcoat was slightly discolored from the water it absorbed.  Despite these oddly noticeable details, it was the first time I really became aware of her unique beauty.  She frowned when she realized I was staring at her like a hypnotized goon.   

    She broke the tension by speaking.  “I was thinking in the shower about contacting some old friends of mine.  They also have a ham radio, and don’t live too far off.  We might need a new place to lie low until things die down.”  I was dumbstruck for a second and asked “what to die down?”  She exhaled sharply, as if dealing with a mentally deficient toddler.  “Our escape from the mental institution.”  Oh yeah.  I could only wonder what they would tell the press when asked how we escaped.  Maybe something involving an elaborate catapult we built out of bed sheets.   

    Regaining my composure I affirmed her course of action, “Yeah, that sounds like a good plan.” She scratched her forehead while explaining the major complication to said plan.  “I can’t think of a way for my friends to actually reach us.  There are no trails, paths or roads.  It’s not like my friends own a helicopter.”  My heart sunk.  “At least they’d know we were coming, and that’s something,” I offered feebly.  She sighed.   

    We both heard Clarence singing his heart out in the shower.  He performed a soulful rendition of a breakfast cereal commercial from 15 years ago.  I was sure the folks at Kellogg’s would be brought to tears.  Laurie and I both roared in laughter.  Our gaze met briefly.  Damn, she had the most beautiful radiant green eyes.  How did I not notice before?  We both briefly looked in opposite directions when a wave of awkwardness followed. 

    The awkward silence was broken by Clarence standing outside the doorway still dripping wet.  He gestured to me that I was up next.  I walked past him and he replaced my seat on the floor next to Laurie.  I stripped down and turned on the water.  It was cold and there didn't seem to be any knob to turn on a hot water setting.  How had the others failed to mention this?  When I worked up the nerve to stand under the stream of water. I yelped in shock.  I haven't taken many cold showers before, but I could see why it was a remedy for arousal.   

    The muck and grime slowly peeled off me, though it was a grueling process because of my need to jump out of the water so my eyeballs didn't pop out of their sockets in shock.  I couldn't believe someone would take a shower like this willingly.  I tried to focus on something else instead of an ice cold shower.  Clarence and Laurie were having a loud and heated debate over the merits of either delivery or DiGiorno.  They both offered compelling arguments. 

    I was in the process of washing the grime and dirt from my hair when I heard sounds that stole all interest away from Clarence and Laurie.  It was the sounds of feet clanging down the tunnel and into our new sanctuary.  The others must have heard it too because their conversation ended abruptly.  My heart skipped a beat, and I had just enough nerve to pull the triangle shaped handle of the emergency wash shower off. 

    There I was, standing in the rear corner of the lab, dripping wet, and completely naked when figures entered the room. I recognized their pseudo uniforms.  They were the same types of soldiers that arrived at my house in Humvees and burnt the place to cinders.  For some reason I didn't imagine I would be stark nude when this confrontation inevitably occurred.  The men were armed with assault rifles, all pointed at me.  I could hear one final set of feet climb down from the ladder.  He appeared into view and then faced me.  It was the balding asshole that had a taste for human flesh and tormenting me. 

    Seeing this sick person created a peculiar mix of emotions that stirred within me.  It was something like dread, seething hatred, utter contempt, and sickening curiosity.  He was wearing his signature monogrammed robe (untied of course.)  His disgusting wrinkled and saggy skin fit over his bones like an absurd Halloween costume.  His stretched and bloated belly walked a full 6 inches in front of him.  He clearly savored the feelings he inspired in me.   

    The first look I got from him was a toothy grin revealing a row of sharp teeth.  I swore that his entire row of front teeth was nothing but incisors.  He signaled nonchalantly for his men to storm the closet that Clarence and Laurie were inside before speaking to me.  “Hello Johnathan.” He said with an impish smirk.  He knew I hated to be called Johnathan.   

    “Where are my manners?  Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Thomas.  Thomas Balthazar.”  He paused for a moment, and on cue, an involuntary shudder crept up my spine.  “Though, I have taken to using the moniker, Azmorariel.”  Another shudder.  If he kept this up, I would need to see a chiropractor when this was all over.  

    While Thomas was enjoying his own introduction, Clarence and Laurie were dragged out of the closet with zip-ties around their wrists.  The soldiers were dragging them to the back of the lab.  I prepared to leap into action but the sight of Thomas kept me in check.  “Your friends will remain unharmed if you are cooperative,” Thomas assured me.  “What do you want from me?” I demanded while blood began rushing to my head.  “Such impudence.” Thomas replied with a condescending tone.  “What I want is simple.  The gem embedded in your left hand.”   

    Two of the soldiers that remained by the side of Thomas cautiously approached me with their weapons drawn.  I kept my gaze on the real threat.  The soldiers tried to push me onto one of the lab tables behind me.  It was as if a pair of slow moving bunny rabbits tried to push me over.  They grunted with exertion and desperately looked back at their leader for answers.  Thomas frowned and hissed, “I said...COOPERATE!”  

    With those words, it was like being manhandled by some invisible force.  I was flung into the air and landed on my back right on the lab table. I gasped in pain.  It hurt spectacularly.  One of the guards fumbled around a satchel on his waist and pulled out an electric bone saw.  I guess if I couldn't hand over the gem my hand would be over.  I had to hand it to them; they were quite a handy bunch.  OK, I'll stop now. 

    The whirl of the electric bone saw brought an involuntary gasp of panic.  When the blade hit my wrist the machine sputtered and whined.  There was a burst of sparks and with a loud “pop,” mechanical parts scattered around the room.  The guard, who sported an attractive goatee, cursed loudly and stepped back.  The other guard just looked on with confused fascination.  “I hate getting my hands dirty.” Thomas spat in utter disgust.  Hey, that time it was him, not me, who was milking the hand puns.  

    Thomas had the most fiendish look in his eyes when he widened his jaw and moved swiftly to my wrist.  I tried to jump off the table, to move, to yell, or to... something.  I was totally paralyzed by some sort of spell or entity.  Thomas' sharp teeth descended into my wrist.  I braced myself for whatever supernatural pain was coming.  I could feel his sharp teeth digging at my flesh.  Luckily, the gem protected me well enough that he couldn't break the skin.  However, it hurt.  Extremely badly.  I almost forgot what pain felt like over the past couple of days but this made up for it in spades. 

    Thomas gave a quizzical look at my wrist.  This was a man (and I use the term loosely) who rarely experienced failure or results that weren't expected.  He took a step back and entered into a thoughtful pose while tapping his chin rapidly.  Based on what I could read of his expression, he had an answer, but he didn't like it.  “Axle.  Diesel.”  He called out to the guards that stood watching Clarence and Laurie.  Axle and Diesel?  Were these guys soldiers or washed-up American Gladiators? 

    They understood some kind of nonverbal cue and pointed their rifles at the heads of my companions.  “Here is what is going to happen Johnathan.  I am going to release you from your binds.”  I assumed the binds was whatever in the hell it was keeping me frozen in place.  “Then you are going to join your companions inside the Daedalus Gate.  Next, you are going to sit still and wait for the fireworks to begin.  Any sudden moves or tricks, and your companions will die.  Play along, and I can give you a comfy ride back home.”  Thomas explained to me in a calculating tone.  The idea of complying with anything this guy ordered bothered the shit out me. 

    He could feel my righteous indignation fade after a moment.  He watched my resolve melt away, and when a combination of fear and compassion for my friends sunk in, he released me.  I got up and marched over to the Frankenstein machine with my head hung down.  It was a slow walk over to the shiny nickel colored platform where my friends awaited.  Thomas walked over to the machine and started rapidly inputting calculations into the machine.  There was a hiss of pressure being released as the enclosure surrounded us. 

    Clarence and Laurie both pushed as far away from me as possible.  It was like being stuck in a tube that was 8 feet in diameter with a completely nude person was somehow unappealing.  While trying to brush off my self-consciousness, a deep and resonating hum began to fill the chamber.  I can't find the right way to describe the feeling and sensations that followed after the hum very well.  It was like, moving really fast or flying but going nowhere.  It was like, every cell in my body was vibrating in different directions.  It was like, blinking and seeing the inside of a science fiction machine immediately turn into my front lawn. 

    There we were.  Right in front of the twisted ash pile that was my old home.  On the overgrown lawn where my grand adventure began.  Immediately, I was overcome with nausea and what little food was in my belly emptied onto the lawn.  Nausea must have been a side effect of Gate Travel because Clarence and Laurie were both doubled over and puking in the grass as well.  With their hands zip tied behind their backs.  At least they had clothes on. 

    After the symphony of vomiting concluded, I noticed something stuck to the dirt under a pile of my discarded stomach contents.  I pushed aside the vile mess of recycled oatmeal and discovered a note stuck in the dirt.  I wiped away the whitish-tan grime of it and took a closer look.  It looked like a sheet of paper ripped out of a pocket sized notebook.  The words scribbled on it read, “I WILL TASTE YOUR FLESH.”