Chapter 24

Wednesday, June 2, 3109, 9:20 p.m. Her Bizzy K ball cap.

“Son of a bee,” she muttered, stooping to snatch it up. She’d last seen this beautiful cap the afternoon of December 18, 2014. Gunther had promised to return it. Like that ever happened, she thought.

Carrying the cap to the control console, she placed it carefully atop Leda’s hand-written lexicon on the shelf below. Young-Rebecca might, or might not need it in 3089, Causal Expression, et. al. She glanced at the clock floating above the gate: 9:21 p.m.: 8 minutes to go.

“Siri, this level is completely clear?”

“Yes, Rebecca.”

“How is Arma?”

“Her stress level is expectedly high: like your own.”

“Yeah,” Rebecca grumbled, back to pacing again. In a shorter amount of time than expected, Young-Rebecca tumbled backwards through the gate and crashed to the floor, making her yelp in surprise. “Crap,” she muttered, hurrying over. Young-Rebecca moaned and rubbed the back of her head. “Are you all okay?” she asked.

Trembling, Young-Rebecca cracked an eyelid. “What happened to me? I don’t feel so good. Who are you?”

“I’m ... Leda,” she answered cautiously. “Can you sit up, dear?”

Young-Rebecca swiveled her left eye, examining the unfamiliar surroundings. “How did I get here?” she asked.

Eying the girl’s badly split lower lip and developing black eye where Iris—one of the Iris’s--had punched her, Rebecca helped her sit. “You fell backwards through the gate, dear, and cracked your head. I hope you don’t have a concussion.”

Young-Rebecca rubbed the back of her head again. “I fell through backwards. Fell through what?”

Rebecca nodded toward the hovering oval.

“Oh, crap,” the youngster moaned. “I remember now. I didn’t fall—I was pushed through!”

Rebecca took the teen’s hand and helped her stand. “You should know that you’re in The Hall of the Gate. In the High Palace of Norkaal.” She smiled apologetically. “What’s more important is when you are, sweetie.” She hesitated. “Did someone mention 1000 years?”

Young-Rebecca groaned and held up her hand. “Please, no more of this time travel nonsense.” She eyed the gate warily. “Will that take me back?”

Rebecca cautioned: “Let me care for your wounds, first, and get you something to eat and drink. The gate takes a nasty toll on travelers. I’m sure you noticed the nausea?”

Young-Rebecca put a hand on her stomach and burped discreetly. “I thought I was gonna throw up for a minute.” She looked around, warily curious. “This is a weird looking place, Leda.”

You don’t know the half of it, Rebecca thought. “I’m sure you’d like to know more about the High Palace. It would be to your benefit to know more, I assure you, Rebecca.”

Young-Rebecca cocked an eyebrow at the use of her name. “Oh, shit!” she cried, suddenly. “I have to get back! Right now! Before my mom finds those two idiots in my room!”

Rebecca put a restraining hand on her forearm. “Don’t worry about your mom, sweetie. Time stands still until you go back. And your two visitors—Iris and her sister, right?—your mom won’t ever even meet them.” She carefully reached out and grasped the swaying teen’s forearms.