Chapter 3

I tried to relax as the plane took off. I really didn't know what to expect or when to expect it. It was all normal to the other passengers and I had to try and act like it was normal for me too.

After we reached our altitude the seat belt sign went off. I unbuckled and when the attendant came by I asked for a beer. The red head must have developed a fascination with watching poor people, as she obviously considered me. I could barely hear her snide comment about me asking for beer just before the attendant reached her. Of course she had to have champagne. Good, I thought to myself. A toast for the dying.

Two more beers and about an hour and a half later I sensed Argent's voice in my head.

"Sit back and pretend to fall asleep John. It's nearly time."

My heart lurched in my chest and I could feel the sweat start in my armpits. I leaned back and tried to pretend sleep, but I knew anyone paying any real attention to me would be able to tell I was faking. They were all going to die so I don't guess it really mattered. I felt a strong shock to the plane and suddenly it seemed to dive to the left and sharply down. The red head had just started in with a loud scream as I materialized in the chair in the room with polished metal walls.

"I hope it wasn't too stressful John," Argent said.

"Just the tension and the expectation of doom really. The actual events were anticlimactic. I suppose I would feel differently if I were still on the plane."

"Indeed. The plane will not strike the ground for another twenty seconds. I'm sure there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth inside it now," he said.

"You didn't make it explode just for my getaway did you?" I asked, I had to.

"No. It was as we told you. A bomb was planted on it by terrorist. If, for some reason, it hadn't exploded we would have had to find another way to cover your exit," Argent said.

"You could have stopped it if you wanted to?" I asked, somewhat accusingly.

"That would have been within our capabilities, but we don't interfere in anything which isn't absolutely necessary for us. The plane would have been lost even without your presence. It was just a convenient circumstance for our purposes," Argent said, explaining.

"What happens now?"

"We would like for you to return to the table for some final adjustments to your body."

"What type of adjustments?"

"We will effectively be making you younger. We will also modify your immune system to eliminate the possibility of you becoming ill or of you infecting those you will come into contact with. Many diseases from your time would be devastating here and now. We are quite familiar with human diseases and their appearance would not serve any purpose in our experiment," he said.

"How long until I'm released?"

"It can be as soon as three hours. We can delay it for as much as forty-eight hours if you feel the need to rest or if you want to reconsider your supplies or even if you want to reconsider taking part. I should warn you, when you are released you will no longer be allowed to opt out," he said.

"Oh, I'm in for the duration now. In fact I'm actually looking forward to it. There's nothing like the alternative of a slow lingering death to make a project seem appealing."

He led me back through the sliding wall panel and I mounted the table again and put on the helmet. I was out of it instantly.

I came back later, but I didn't know how much time had passed. Removing the helmet let me get off the table. Looking at myself in one of the polished panels surprised me. It appeared my age was around twenty or twenty-one. My height was the same as it had been. I was much heavier and more muscular though. I estimated my weight was now around two-twenty and I didn't appear to be carrying any fat at all.

"How long now Argent?" I asked.

"Anytime you are ready John. Do you want to reconsider your supplies?" Argent asked.

"I think I should take a last look. Do you have a list handy?"

"Yes. Here it is." Argent said, and handed me a printout.

"We thought you might be more comfortable going over an actual printed list."

"Thanks."

I spent three hours going over the list and trying to think of anything else I might need. When I'd finished I told Argent I was ready.

"There is one difficulty waiting for you on the surface John. Hyenas currently occupy the cave you selected. There are six of them in it consuming two young horses they killed this morning. If we put you and your wagon inside the cave we estimate you will not be able to retrieve and load a weapon from the wagon before you are attacked by the hyenas and probably killed. Would you like for us to put you somewhere else?"

I thought about this for a minute. I had spent a lot of time looking over the map and I knew this was the best location of any in the specified area. I didn't want to put the wagon outside the cave because it would be a real bitch trying to move it inside by myself.

"Do all of the supplies have to be transferred inside the wagon?" I asked.

"No. There is no such requirement."

"Good, let me take a few with me and put the wagon inside the cave as planned. Put me down outside the cave right here," I said, pointing to a spot on the map.

"Very well. You may proceed to the wagon and remove the things you think you will need."

Argent led me through a couple of corridors and to a large open room containing my new wagon. It was the first time I'd actually seen it and I spent a minute or two looking it over. The workmanship impressed me.

I was about to open the top and start digging for what I wanted when Argent pointed out I could just tell them what I needed and they would transport it out without the need to search for it. I requested a pair of high top hunting boots. Some jeans, a long sleeved denim shirt, underwear, and so on.

Also I asked for a pair of gloves and my alien modified model 1100 Remington 12 gauge and ammunition. The only modification to the shotgun besides having it lightened by using titanium and synthetics everywhere possible was extending the magazine. There was no three-shell limit here and the Remington now held eight in its magazine. I also had them fetch my low light goggles.

I had specified the wagon have a very loud alarm horn with motion sensors for triggers. I asked Argent to put me down first and then set my wagon in the cave five minutes later. I dressed, loaded the shotgun and signaled I was ready.

Suddenly I was in a small clump of bushes about two hundred yards from the mouth of the cave. I took a quick look around and headed toward it. I stopped just outside the mouth and waited for the alarm.

The wagon must have appeared right on time. The alarm sounded loudly and in seconds frightened hyenas were dashing out. I was able to down each of them as they came out. I waited until the alarm stopped, put on the low light goggles and entered the cave.