Chapter 16

For several weeks I had been living back in my apartment, but I no longer had a job. So I decided to do something drastic. I had money in the bank, and Tom said he would bankroll me with a loan. I wanted to buy a house. I would have to pay for it outright, since I had no job, and couldn't foresee getting as good a one as I'd had with the government.

Yes, the government had paid me well, and for the most part I did not mind working for them. I just didn't like being FORCED to work for them. That was my biggest gripe. I was now 21, and had been making six figures a year! Not many 21-year-olds could say that.

So I started looking for a house that was out of the way that had a bit of land to it, and would afford me some privacy. The problem was cost, or it was; until Tom said he would basically give me as much money as I needed, up to a point. Or, I could buy some land, and he would have a home built for me by builders and technology used from the alternate world he was so powerful in.

I liked that second idea better. A home built to my specifications, using the materials and construction techniques of that other world. I would be in the safest strongest house in my area... hell, in my world! I started looking forward to that. The real test would be if the government would leave me alone since I had surfaced. Despite assurances, I was not at all confident of the government, or elements within it, allowing someone with my talent to walk free.

Tom said he would definitely keep an eye on me, and if I turned up missing, hurt, or dead, he would move to intercede on my behalf. He guaranteed that he would not let me stay dead! Now that's power! His only regret would be another fracture in reality. He said it would be unavoidable. Once he took an action that changed an outcome, it created an alternate reality. We would go on from that point, but so would an alternate reality, split off and doing its own thing. Just thinking about it gave me a headache!

"The best way I can explain it," Tom said, "is by what happened to me once. I got a phone call from my future self, explaining that two people had broken into my home in the Boston area at the time, and had stolen the computer and code disks I was using back then.

"Apparently, my future self had gone home, discovered this, and took action. When I got home, I discovered two people trussed up in my house, waiting for me to dispose of. I sent them back to Spain in about the 1500's. Not a good time to be different from others.

"So when my future self did all this, then called me and told me what he had done, It caused a fracture in reality, a split. While I found these guys, he had stopped something that had happened. I really don't like changing reality. However, I have just found you, and I plan on keeping you around for years to come, and if this means changing reality to keep you, or us, safe; then I will chance it," he said with a grin.

I was touched. I felt a greater loyalty to Tom, and maybe even a sort of love, after he told me this. I was actually uncomfortable thinking about emotions and declarations of love. People, these days, use that world casually. I could not do that. I loved my mom and dad, and I think I was beginning to love Brenda. Saying those words out loud was something I was very uncomfortable doing.

It was a few months later when Tom dropped in unannounced as had become his routine.

"Hey, Scott, found any place that you like yet?"

"Hell no. I never knew house or land hunting could be so difficult. I figured I would find something by now, but no luck. I don't know, maybe I am just being too picky," I replied with a sigh.

"Hmm, tell you what. I took the liberty of having my computer do a search with the requirements you had. There are several places, if you're not objecting to moving further away from your parents," Tom said casually.

I looked at him. Uh huh. I looked at him and had a feeling I was being set up. He was trying to look innocent.

"Ok, what's going on? You have that cat swallowed the canary look," I told him after looking at him.

"Well, I did sort of take the opportunity to locate a few properties already. As a matter of fact, if you choose one, I can get a team over here to build a home for you," Tom responded seriously.

Well, I haven't had any luck. Might as well see what you have found," I grumped at him.

He grinned and the next thing I knew I was god knows where, in the middle of a lightly forested area. It was chilly, and a light rain was falling.

"We are in Oregon. Thought I'd tell you before you asked. This area is well inland and away from heavily populated towns. Your closest neighbor from here, if you choose this spot, is about five miles away. The closest town of any size is six miles in that direction," he said, pointing off to the west.

So we tramped around the wet undergrowth and looked the place over. He did say there was a high rainfall average for the area, which turned me off. I told him that while I liked the place, it was not what I was looking for.

He nodded his understanding.

"Ok. Just be warned that you have to take precautions against possible government interference. This is why you want something out of the way, if I recall your own words,"

he said.

I opened my mouth, but we were already at a different place. Over all we checked out four places that day. One had definite possibilities. For some reason he was pushing me for an answer, and that made me drag my feet on this decision. We spent several more days, in all, looking.

"Don't you have a life to get on with? You're spending a lot of time with me over this you know," I told him.

"I'm in a position to help. You're my brother, and I can help you, so by god I will help!" Tom replied a bit forcefully.

Hmm, I had not realized he was so into this relationship thing. I hated to say it, but I did not feel as close to him as he obviously felt to me. That made me feel bad in several ways. The biggest, was I had the feeling I was letting him down a bit with my feeling of distance from him.