Part 20

Here's to a happy end to 2013, and a glorious start to 2014. Begin as you mean to go on ..... last bit for this year, please leave comments and thanks for reading.

20

Petar had been told to take the Rock with him, why he was uncertain, but he had done as bidden. He had expected to awaken in 2189 with Davi by his side. No Davi. And this did not look like 2189, although he could be wrong of course, he felt it was much later. Earlier than where he had just left. Dates were plain confusing and he shook the thoughts out of his head.
This was somewhere new. A machine of some kind, rows, walls of blinking lights and dials. Power level indicators? Was this THE machine that the rock alone could control?
Noises outside. He hid trying not to shake and give away his presence. People entered, not happy people. He could just make out faces and feet, he dared not move even an inch.
Davi! No, that was NOT Davi. He looked very much like Davi though, but the hair was different, whiter and styled haphazardly. And another, also with similar features. Both were under armed guard.
“Where is it, Doctor Grayson?” The voice was icy. Petar knew that voice, he had to risk a look to see the far figure. Mike! How? …..
“Where is what? I don’t know what you are talking about, Mister Mitchell.” A bitter laugh. “Which Doctor Grayson are you talking to anyway?” A grunt as the man was brought up straight, a tie around his neck tightened.
“Either doctor will do, David or Daryl. And don’t push my patience any further. The colonel won’t be happy if you don’t hand it over and I intend on seeing him happy.”
“Go disappear up your own a**e, Mitchell, like the good parrot that you are!”
Daryl Grayson lay on the floor, head reeling from the sudden beating. He saw Petar out of the corner of his eye, and rolled over to face him, groaning to cover the move.
“OK, Doctor Dave Grayson, where is it? Want to see your brother suffer?”
Daryl was frantically trying to tell Petar something, what he did not know. Petar carefully opened his pocket and showed the Rock to the man. His eyes went wide; then to the drawer underneath the nearest bench. Petar’s fingers worked overtime miming the one rock to the other; he was rewarded by the faintest of nods.
Daryl screamed as a foot slammed into his kidneys, and his legs involuntarily lashed out at the hiding place. Petar jumped up, knocking Mitchell sideways in surprise. Several beams of energy from guns flew across the room, ricocheting back to hit two guards. Daryl lay hit by the last.
Dave ran to his brother. “No, Dave. No time. Give Petar the Rock, he knows what to do.”
Petar barely had time to think. This man KNEW him? He would never understand the confusion!
Dave shoved the Rock from this time into Petar’s hand. Mitchell rose and made a grab for it. Another white flash and Davi appeared, knocking over the few guards that were trying to stand again.
Petar grabbed the rock firmly in one hand, upercutting Mitchell at the same time.
“I’m sorry, Daryl, truly sorry.” Davi looked at the man who was nearly gone. He nodded at Davi, mouthing the one word, GO.
“In the machine with it NOW Petar!”
Petar needed no encouragement and slammed the rock into the space built for it. White light flooded the room. When it dissipated only Daryl lay there. He staggered to his feet and saw the rock had gone with the others. He had just enough energy left to pull the main energy wiring from the thing. More military men burst in to see the grinning figure pull the final connection. He fell before the first energy bolts hit him. The lab exploded taking them all to heaven or hell, but not back.