Chapter 67

Day 251:

As Adam and Master Chief Chatman walked out of the planning meeting for Adam’s upcoming trip to the portal stone in South America, Adam signaled the older man with his chin.

“Want to grab a quick bite before we split?” He asked, overly casually.

“ ... Yes, let’s.” Chatman replied, after figuring out what Adam really wanted.

Chatman put the sound dampener between them while they ate.

“Is it just me,” Adam inquired, “or is there definitely something going on that I’m not privy to?”

Chatman shook his head. “It’s not you. I think there’s a couple of different things happening behind the scenes.”

“Okay, good.” Adam sighed. “I mean, is the General oblivious to it, or what?”

“That I don’t have a read on.” Chatman admitted. “She’s top notch, from all reports and what I’ve seen personally, but she was the Activity commander before getting her star. Either she’s been snowed, or she doesn’t care that Colonel Tuiaa and Major Brandao are on their own program. I can’t tell which.”

The planning meeting hadn’t been disastrous or anything, but Adam’s unease had continued to grow throughout. The mission specifics weren’t at issue: there was already a small recon and intel team from the Activity in the area. They were slated to receive a security element in the coming week. Due to ongoing politics between the U.S. and both southernmost South American countries, the CIA Special Activities Division (SAD) would take the security role using Private Military Company (PMC) contractors. The SAD team was taking the quickest route. They would fly into Bariloche, Argentina, that country’s version of Aspen, Colorado, since it was mostly empty during the summer months. From there, the PMC’s would use rental vehicles and take a road that led right to the foothills southeast of Mount Tronador, which straddled the border between both countries. Then they would hike across the border into Chile, where the portal cave was located.

Once the PMC’s had completed a surreptitious sweep of the area, Adam and the others would travel separately, using false passports and arriving on flights from non-U.S. countries. They estimated it would take at least ten days before everyone was in position, set up for Adam’s trek into the mountains. Adam and those with him planned to stay on the Chilean side, connecting through Santiago into Puerto Montt before driving northeast toward that same mountain. From the closest road, the map showed that they were in for a 25-mile hike to reach the cave. Everyone expected the trek up into the remote Andes Mountains to take several days, depending on how overgrown the area trails were.

In addition, it was nearing the end of the South American summer. Their window before snow began accumulating in that area was only a month and a half. Adam really didn’t want to be freezing his nuts off unless there was a very good reason to do so.

Adam’s subconscious kicked in when Colonels Nunez and Tuiaa, as well as Commander Conley all insisted on going with him. That’s exactly what the independent, self-reliant SEAL needed: a trio of senior officers to micromanage his mission. He’d been flying, riding and swimming around the globe, leading high-risk operations into shithole countries for years. By his estimation, Chile and Argentina failed to qualify for that epithet; the countries were doing well enough these days. And the more of them that traveled, the higher their likelihood of being burned, in Adam’s qualified opinion. So the hand-holding officers were only going to pose a risk to detection, without providing any true help.

That possibility wasn’t a large problem, but given Adam’s status as the only person who they knew could use the portal, he’d argued they should let him go in separately from the officers. His idea went over like a lead balloon. By the time the dust had settled, he’d been saddled with three very senior officers and told to ‘live with it’. The only saving grace out of the whole mess was that Colonel Nunez had exerted his rank and received the General’s approval to act as mission commander. From the way Nunez treated Adam, the SEAL believed he’d gotten the best of the three to report to.

Then they decided Adam would escort Nunez and Conley through the portal, where they would act to assuage any issues those stuck on the other side were concerned about. Decided it without his input; even going so far as to order him to be quiet while they finalized their idea. Nunez, Adam could understand and wouldn’t have much heartache with, but Conley? Adam never could get a straight answer on what the Commander intended to accomplish by going through.

So, Adam was now convinced the officers had other plans. Plans he wasn’t part of, but that they expected him to execute without question. He hoped they weren’t the kind of plans that he’d be morally obligated to refuse. That could get ... messy.

“You got any input on the SAD guys?” Adam inquired.

“I could probably swing a few.” Chatman acknowledged. “You thinking you’ll need some backup?”

Adam gave him a significant nod. “Never hurts.”

Chatman winked. “I got a few in mind.”

“The other thing I’ve been thinking about...” Adam licked his lips.

“Spit it out.” Chatman instructed after a few moments.

“Well, look,” Adam started, “this is big. Huge. We’re only a few steps in, and already it’s political as all get out. Until they get somebody else that they feel is reliable to ferry people through, I’m all they’ve got. You know they have to be thinking about ways to keep me in line. SEALs ain’t exactly known for being receptive to orders from officers who don’t wear a trident. And that doesn’t even count the Chinese, if they figure out who I am.”

“Okay, that’s a legit concern.” Chatman conceded. “What do you want me to do?”

“In addition to backup from SAD?” Adam asked. “Take care of my family. My wife does her own thing, and isn’t going to want your help. But I need you to keep her safe.”

“You got it.” Chatman assured him. “Whatever it takes. I’ll put the word out.”

“Thanks, Master Chief.” Adam said with feeling.

“I got your back, Adam.”

Day 263:

Surprising Adam more than a little, everything went off without a hitch. Even with their own connections from other countries, the SAD team was in place by the eighth day and Adam’s group took their first hiking step on the tenth. He and the three officers were dropped off at the end of a barely-maintained one-lane road that extended up into the mountains from a tiny village named Los Landrillos. The group rented a cabin in the town, then started out in the morning.

The local temperature had already fallen into the temperate range, and would continue to do so for the next several weeks. But the foliage was still full, green and thick. To call the path they took a ‘trail’ might be overstating it. Machetes weren’t called for, but the men were breaking bush almost continually.

One thing Adam had to acknowledge with regard to the officers was that all three matched whatever hiking pace he set. And since he had the ‘honor’ of all enlisted special operators riding on his shoulders, Adam practically jogged everything but the steeper uphill and overgrown portions. There was a good amount of ball-busting after he made them set up camp in the dark. But the following morning, even Colonel Tuiaa uncomplainingly brought up the rear while the sky was beginning to lighten.

They linked up with the Activity recon team the second evening, but the male and female pair who briefed really had nothing of substance to report. They’d already helped the SAD security personnel get into position and unobtrusively marked the last part of trail so Adam couldn’t miss it.

On the third morning, only an hour past dawn Adam found the first sign. The foursome took a brief ‘water break’ until one of the SAD guys appeared.

“Hey there!” He called, without giving his name. “This way.”

Adam pushed through the low-hanging branches for a few moments before popping out into a small cleared area with a higher canopy of branches above. Four others were lounging around, cooking breakfast, but separated enough from each other that they could provide tactical cover. Two were former regular SEALs, who Adam knew tangentially. Both gave him a serious nod as he dropped his pack nearby and took a drink.

It was another hundred yards into a narrow cut in the mountainside before they reached the cave itself. The thick underbrush was hacked away and used to give the SAD campsite greater camouflage near the trail. A small generator was hooked up to several portable lights, which their guide cranked as the four men clustered around the arched stone.

Adam looked around as they entered. “How’d we find this place, anyway?”

Colonel Tuiaa shrugged. “S-media posting. Some archeologist found it a couple decades ago, and put a picture up on the net as a curiosity. Obviously, there hasn’t been much interest since. No-Such* came across it when we asked them to do a data-scrape.”

The lights flickered on as the generator sputtered to life and the men stared in silence for a few minutes. The cave floor was littered with loose rocks whose origins were obvious in the spider web of cracks along the walls and ceiling.

“Good thing it never caved in.” Colonel Nunez remarked, pointing.

“Luck, or... ?” Adam wondered.

“Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?” Nunez replied.

“You’re up, Chief.” Commander Conley prompted him.

Heart hammering in his chest, Adam nodded and took a deep breath.

“Here goes nothing.” He muttered, stepping up onto the platform.

His first step ignited yellow-orange flames on both sides, with blue sparks dancing above the flickering. The next took him into the Network.

Welcome back, Traveler. Your current form is incongruous with your saved avatar. As a Traveler, you cannot have multiple forms. How do you wish to proceed?

Adam had been wondering how this would go ever since they’d shown him the picture of the portal stone.

“So, what can I do here?” He asked.

“My friend, John took the third option, right?” Adam inquired.

The Network may not reveal other Traveler’s actions without their express consent.

“So, if I decide to do the ‘merge’ or if I keep my avatar appearance, I can keep my dragon weapon? But otherwise, it’s gone?” Adam wanted to know.

That is correct. The other choices will result in your First World weapons being lost.

Adam looked down at himself. His Earth clothing was significantly better in every respect than what he’d worn as a Djinn. But there was no way he could lose the weapon he got as a reward for completing the Challenge.

He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “Can I go get rid of these clothes before I tell you my decision?”

There is a precedent for this. You may use this opportunity only once. When next you enter as a Traveler, you must choose quickly, or the decision will be forced upon you.

“Send me back to Earth, then.” Adam instructed.

And reappeared in the Chilean cave. The three officers broke out into giant smiles while the SAD contractor stared at him in amazement over their shoulders. Colonel Tuiaa and Commander Conley bumped fists while Nunez strode over to shake Adam’s hand.

“You did it, Chief!” Nunez exclaimed.

“Thanks, Colonel.” Adam replied, stripping his shirt off.

“There some reason we get to see your pasty, scrawny chest, Chief?” Nunez asked sarcastically.

Adam pulled off his shoes and socks while answering. “It won’t let me go through without either sacrificing my stuff from here, or the weapon I got for doing the Challenge.” He shrugged. “I didn’t pack enough clothes to just throw an entire set away, but there’s no way I’m letting it take my magic blade either.”

“So, you go naked and it’ll let you keep your sword?” Nunez guessed.

“My knife, yeah.” Adam clarified. “I’ll be right back.”

He skinned down his pants and underwear then immediately jumped under the arch again. This was his decision, and his alone.

Welcome back, Traveler. Your current form is incongruous with your saved avatar. What is your decision? Note: you must decide now.

“If I take the merge option, can you make sure I keep my human face?” Adam asked.

That is an acceptable requirement. Is it your choice?

Adam took a deep breath. “Yes. Merge me, and keep my original face.”

Remain calm, the merging process is ... unsettling.

His body lifted into the air and a weird itching crawled up each limb, then his torso to his head. He took deep breaths but closed his eyes until everything faded away. His feet returned to the stone.

Merge complete. As you entered without clothes or equipment, this indicates you wish to use your saved weapons, armor and gear. Is this correct?

“Yeah.” He coughed. “Yes. I do.”

Done. Do you wish to return to your previous portal on First World?

He looked down, examining his arms. Those parts that were tanned remained darker than other spots, but everything had a purple tint instead of the normal underlying pink hue. A frayed robe hung from his body, with a sheathed blade at his waist. Heartrender, his rewarded weapon looked like an oversized knife or very short sword with a straight, rune-carved, wooden hilt below the slightly-too-wide crossguard with a small upward-pointing spike at each end.

And for the first time in decades, his utterly repressed addiction craving was absent.

“Uh, can I ask you a question about the merging process?” He offered.

You may ask. Note: some information regarding it is restricted from Travelers.

“I ... did you change my chemical makeup? I feel ... different.” Adam asked.

Your true form carried a mental craving for toxic substances that are incompatible with the Djinn heritage your new body contains. This weakness was removed. In balance your Djinn transformation talent was only decreased by a half, as you have successfully ignored the desire for a great length of time.

Adam was gobsmacked. I’m free?

His heart cracked, and he sank to the ground with tears welling in his eyes.

Your discipline is what makes you free. Heartrender intoned.

Adam’s sobs turned into a rueful chuckle. Thanks, Jocko**.

... I do not believe I know that name, or title. Heartrender sounded annoyed to be confused.

He’s a well-known warrior where I’m from, even if he did go into politics.

Ah, you meant to compliment me in return. It’s good that you know other, wiser warriors.

The Network sounded impatient. Without a reason to keep you, such as your avatar merging, or choosing a Visitor race for First World, you may not remain here for much longer.

“Okay, send me back to Earth.” Adam instructed.

This time, all four men stared at him in shock.

“Chief, what did you do?” Conley asked in horrified amazement.

Adam affected nonchalance. “I couldn’t keep my weapon without getting an upgrade.”

“But, but, you’re purple!” Conley scoffed. “And your ears!”

Adam shrugged. “All the better to hear you with, my dear.”

Nunez pointed. “Can I see your knife?”

“Sure.” Adam unsheathed the now all-black blade and held the hilt out to the Colonel.

Nunez hefted it experimentally. “It’s really light, but feels solid too.”

With looks to Adam for permission, the others held it in turn as well.

“Okay, Chief you ready to take me through?” Nunez asked, returning the weapon.

“Yeah.” Adam motioned him up. “I’m guessing that we need to be touching or something, so I’ll just put a hand on your arm.”

“Sound good.” Nunez licked his lips.

Adam could feel the tension in the Colonel’s arm.

“Relax, sir.” He dragged Nunez forward. “This will only hurt a little bit.”

“Ha-ha.” Nunez gasped. “Oh, wow that’s weird.”

Welcome back Traveler, please note that your Visitor status is now defunct. You have a total of three previously-encountered portals that you may choose to exit using. Please indicate which destination you desire.