Part 17 (2/2)

He turned to me and laughed. ”You'll have to find them yourself, my boy.” His eyes were red from the liquor, and there was a film of moisture on his lips.

”My wife is waiting for me at home, but I can't get there without my keys.”

”Why don't you ask your lady friend for them,” he said, stubbornly.

I felt a pair of hands move in around my waist; they belonged to the young Asian girl. I turned, still in her grasp, and we began moving back and forth to the music. The bar was empty now, and a tranquil melody drifted from the jukebox. I put my arms around her and pulled her in close. She smelled of sweet flowers in the morning dew. The song ended, but we continued to dance. I wanted the night to last forever.

She pulled free from my grasp. ”I will be back soon,” she said, throwing her bags onto the black leather seat of the red convertible. I recognized the man in the driver's seat, a strikingly handsome man, with curly blond hair, brilliant blue eyes, and a faint scar on his right cheek. Where did I know him from? The girl hopped over the door and blew me a kiss. Tires screeched, and the car spun out of sight.

”Honey? What's wrong?” came Annie's voice from behind me.

”Nothing, just thinking.” I turned to see my wife making breakfast in the kitchen of our old apartment. She broke another egg onto the sizzling surface, and a strange clicking noise began emanating from the pan. Annie's eyes looked at me expectantly. Her lips were moving, but the voice that came out of her was not her voice. It was the voice of a man.

”Next level, split, jump three, stop, negotiate 250 degrees...” My mind struggled to make sense of the words. But instead, the absurdity of them pushed me from the dream.

I became aware of a noise next to my right ear and attempted to open my eyes. But the room was too bright. What was I just dreaming? I tried to remember, but the images were fading fast. There was a weight on my chest and a tightness at my temple. I tried to move, but something was holding my head in place.

A voice spoke. ”We've been trying for four days, and my people need some rest. I understand the importance of finding the key, but without proper sleep there are going to be more mistakes.”

”Just get it done!” said another voice. ”Work in s.h.i.+fts if you have to!”

”Understood.”

I heard footsteps walking away, then a series of clicking noises intertwined with what sounded like voice commands. ”Next level, split, jump three, stop, negotiate 250 degrees.” clickety click clickety click. ”Next level, skip five, negotiate fifteen degrees.” clickety click clickety click. ”Stop. Identify.”

”Pattern-- not present-?” not present-?” He sounded surprised. He sounded surprised.

”What?” clickety click clickety click. ”Search, stop, split.”

”Pattern-- not present.”

”Philip come here a sec.”

”What is it, Brian?” Footsteps approached.

”I was finis.h.i.+ng up my search criteria, and check this out.” clickety click clickety click. ”Search, stop, split.”

”Pattern not present.”

There was a brief silence. ”Are you saying-- they're not in the system anymore?”

”I'm saying, saying, one of the patients is one of the patients is awake!” awake!”

I cleared my throat and swallowed hard. ”Are you, referring to me?” I said in a broken whisper.

”Holy c.r.a.p!” was the response. (Not a very professional response if you asked me.) ”Where...” I cleared my throat again. ”Where am I?”

”Hold on, ah-- Mr. Tardin. I'll get the doctor.”

A doctor? Was I in a hospital? My eyes opened to a squint, allowing the piercing light in at my retina. Blurry forms began to take shape in the sea of white.

More footsteps approached. There was a faint smell of cologne mixed with fresh air. ”Good morning, Mr. Tardin. How did you sleep?” The voice was familiar, but I couldn't place it.

”I'm- not sure.”

”We are going to detach you from the equipment now. Don't be startled,” he said soothingly.

Where had I heard that voice before?

There were hands all over me, a pinch here, a squeeze there, the pressure was released from my temples and chest. I tried to focus on the doctor, but he was nothing more than a hazy shape. The colors were slowly returning, but the definition was yet to come.

”Thank you. That will be all,” he said to the others. ”You will be briefed at the next meeting.”

Doctors? Meetings? A memory flickered; terror in my daughter's eyes, pedestrians moving in slow motion, everyone looking at me... A memory flickered; terror in my daughter's eyes, pedestrians moving in slow motion, everyone looking at me...

”Do you remember dreaming while you were asleep?” There was a sense of urgency in his tone.

”What?”

”Do you remember dreaming?”

”Vaguely.”

”Do you remember Vrin?”

”--What?” My mind tried to wrap around the word. ”Is that a name?”

He sighed. ”Do you remember anything of a world called Vrin?”

It was then that it came to me, just beyond my perception and pus.h.i.+ng in. I wouldn't have noticed it at all, but his words brought it to my attention. On the hard olive green surface of a metal arm near my head, was an imprint. I squinted. It read, V Virtual R Reality I Interface N Network.

”I have no clue what you're talking about. What is this place?” I tried to lift my head.

He put his hand on my chest. ”You're in no condition to get up, Mr. Tardin. Try to relax.” His voice was soothing. ”How do you feel?”

”Like a piece of lead.” I squinted at him, still trying to bring him into focus.

”Are you in any pain or discomfort?” he said, gently pressing a stethoscope on my chest.

”No, not really. Why are you asking me all these questions?” I made another attempt to move, but he reaffirmed the pressure on my chest.

”Please, Thomas. try to be still.” There was compa.s.sion in the timbers of his hauntingly familiar voice. ”I need to check you over.”

Another memory flashed. My little girl sprawled on the sidewalk. A woman screaming. A truck plowing into me... My heart jumped. ”I was, in an accident.” I desperately searched my memory. ”Is this a hospital?” My heart jumped. ”I was, in an accident.” I desperately searched my memory. ”Is this a hospital?”

<script>