highflyingadventures

                                                                                                                  Chapter Eighteen


Present day

A visibly shaken Herman Valenski allows the phone's receiver to settle into its cradle with a hollow kathunk; for what Captain Seloco had just conveyed to him was his worst nightmare. Grabbing a nearby paper towel he wipes away the beads of perspiration which dot his forehead. An old dream -- as vivid now as it was years ago is recalled. Beware the Quantum Man, he is your mortal enemy. Apparently whoever or whatever this Quantum Man might be, he was now upon the earth and posed a significant threat to his operation.

Valenski absentmindedly nods. "I can't have this joker f^@%!n up my operation. We're gonna have to fry this guy's ass reeeeeeeeeeeeal quick."

???

Early morning, the ranch of Dr. Anna Lewis

After softly touching down just beyond the back door of his "home" upon this world, Zev quietly enters -- showers and then hits the sack for some much needed sleep.


Later that evening.

"Well," Anna smiles, "I'd just about given up on you today. Are you up for some dinner?"

"Hi, Doc," replies Zev with a smile of his own. "Yeah, I believe that I can handle that."

"Good. Dinner will be up in a few minutes." Anna's upbeat tone quickly changes. "Did you have any luck," she intently asks.

Zev slowly nods. "I did," he calmly replies. "I believe that we was able to find the creature that's responsible for the murders both here and in Neon City."

"You're kidding me," Anna gasps.

"I am not attempting any humor. We found the thing just outside of Neon City. By the time that we arrived on scene it had already pretty much destroyed a car and was on the verge of attacking the driver. I got there just in time,"he quietly says.

"Then you were able to kill it," Anna says with a broad smile.

Zev slowly shakes his head -- the anger and disappointment within his voice apparent. "No. I was only able to inflict some superficial damage. Before I could kill it the creature ran off into the forest and disappeared."

"You lost it? How'd you manage that," Anna asks, her voice tinged with anger and no small amount of disappointment. "You mean to tell me that you couldn't follow its trail," she shrieks.

Zev was not surprised at his friend's outburst; for both she and the people of Neon City had all literally been through Hell the past few years. He paid no attention to it -- dismissing it out of hand. "No no, you don't understand, Doc," he softly adds. "The creature really disappeared. One second it was there and the next it had vanished. Even QI couldn't find it or tell me how it had managed to pull the stunt off -- only that it did."

"I'm sorry. It's just ….."

"Don't worry about it, Doc. I completely understand."

"Sooo what's the plan now?"

Zev tilts his head slightly to the right -- screwing his face into an expression which doesn't give Anna the greatest of confidence. "Right now I really have no definite plan," he says with the slow shake of his head. "QI made some scans of the area before I took the lady home; so I'm just going to have to wait and see what he manages to come up. After I hear the intel that he's gathered I'll take it from there."

Anna sighs dejectedly -- disappointed that Zev had not been able to rid the city of the creature. After taking a deep, calming breath she lightens their conversation a bit. "That QI of yours seems to be pretty handy to have around."

Zev smiles and nods. "If that means he's quite a valuable asset, you're dead on, Doc."


"Well; it's nice to be appreciated, Zev."

"Your welcome, buddy. And where've you been?"

"Hard at work analyzing the scans which I made at the attack site."

"Tell me that you found something useful," Zev hopefully pleads.

"Indeed I did. Utilizing my many skills, which we both know I have in abundance, I have been able to significantly refine and upgrade the creature's ETS (energy trace signature). Further analysis of my scans also indicated that there were traces of organic material adhering to the vehicle."

"Most likely from its claws," Zev quietly replies.

"I find that I agree with your conclusion, my host," replies QI in a matter of fact way.

"Hmm," muses Zev to himself. "He agrees with me. And without any snide comments to go along with it either."

"No, there were not," replies QI quietly.

"Hey," snaps Zev. "You're up there but you stay out of my thoughts. Ya got it?"

"As you wish, Zev" QI calmly replies. "I shall now continue with my previous train of thought. My scans of the vehicle revealed an excellent DNA and molecular print of the creature. Kudos to me."

"Oh brother," groans Zev.

"I therefore believe that once I combine those with the creature's enhanced ETS (energy trace signature), we stand a much greater chance of locating the Vole."

By now Anna realized what the silence most likely meant. She leaves Zev alone with his QI and checks on dinner.

"Is that what it's called?"

"I thought that I had already stated what the creature was called, Zev."

"I don't think so, QI."

"Well don't have a cow. Consider yourself informed, as of now," comes the testy reply.

Taking several, calming breaths Zev allows his QI's agitation to slide. "It seems as if someone's been picking up some of the local slang, buddy."

"Affirmative. I do try to immerse my self in the local color."

"That's fine, QI. But right now I don't have time for your BS. I need to know about the creature."

"Well well; it looks as if I'm not the only one whose been soaking up the quaint, local color from this backwards world."

"That's enough, QI," scolds Zev as he thoughtfully glances Anna's way. To be sure the technology upon this world was ancient when compared with many of the other civilizations. But it seemed that there were many upon this world that had kind hearts. Zev couldn't help but wonder in the grand scheme of things if that wasn't more powerful and important than technology. "Just tell me about the Vole."

"Understood. I must caution you that intel concerning this particular species is quite difficult to acquire -- leading to assumptions which may or may not be accurate. There are however two things of which we are certain; these creatures are highly intelligent, and quite dangerous -- as the events of the past few years demonstrate. And given the fact that they have only rarely been seen on far flung worlds leads me to suspect, but not state with a definitive mind, that they are quite rare.

As to their world of origin -- the records which I have access to give no indication as to its existence; if any. And this gives one pause; for if we, given our extensive explorations, do not know of their home, I must speculate that the world which we seek may not even be within this galaxy."

"Hmm. Now that's interesting," Zev muses. "They may not be from here at all ----- And if that proves to be the case -- perhaps an alternate reality, time or even universe must be considered."

"If what you postulate is indeed the case then there would have to be some sort of natural aberration occurring. Perhaps as you speculated, we have some sort of fluctuation within time and space at work here. The possibility exists that even reality itself may be in flux on some level which we are as yet unaware of. But what doorways may exist and what type of energy, either positive or negative, drives them ----- I'll tell you, Zev," continues an obviously excited QI …..

"Ok, ok. Calm down. I think it best that we put our speculations aside for another time, buddy," interrupts Zev. "Wherever it came from, the thing's here and we've got to deal with it. That's our reality."

"You shall receive no argument from me on that score, my host. But it was a nice, mental exercise; was it not," replies QI wistfully. "Perhaps the answer could be as mundane as our extensive explorations simply have not been as extensive as I believe them to have been.

"Whatever."

"Zev," Anna calls. "Come in here and take a look at what's on the five o'clock news."

Leaving the large, combination living room, dining room Zev follows the thickly carpeted, central hallway a short distance to the house's den -- a smallish room, paneled in stained pine taken from the surrounding lands. It's beautiful floor, something which Anna remembers helping her Dad lay down -- something which almost drove her crazy trying to get right -- is covered in smooth, two inch, pine squares with a Native American rug covering its center.

The furniture within the room, a couch, two sturdy, thickly padded chairs along with a rocking chair were all made there at the ranch as well. With the exception of the new, HD television, there was nothing fancy about the room.

As a matter of fact; nothing fancy, just comfortable from exterior to interior, is a very good description of Anna's ranch house. All of the furniture, flooring and paneling within the rest of the house had also been made using the trees from the ranch itself.

As Zev entered the den his obviously upset friend was sitting upon the edge of her chair, intently watching the television. "And Mrs. Hermski, you said that the creature which attacked you was driven off by a man that could fly. Is that correct?" The reporter's attempt at maintaining a noncommittal tone proved to be a futile effort; for the skepticism within her voice was clearly evident.

"Yes Ma'am," replies Joyce Hermski in all seriousness. "If it hadn't been for him," she slowly shakes her head, "you and I wouldn't be having this conversation right now. By the time he arrived the thing had already destroyed my car." She begins to tremble. "It would have.....it would have killed me like all the rest."

"And that's when the flying man showed up?"

"Listen," snaps Hermski as she glares at the camera's lens. "I know it's hard for you to believe but it's the truth; I swear it." Hermski continues, the strain within her voice apparent. "Just as the thing was about to attack me I heard several explosions close by -- the ground shook they were so strong." She slowly shakes her head. "I was soo scared; it was terrible," she says -- her eyes glistening under the light. She wiped away the streak of moisture winding its way down her cheek. "Anyway, I heard the creature let out a roar the likes of which I've never heard before. I guess the man must have hit it, because I could hear the thing smashing its way through the forest. After several more explosions in the distance things got real quiet -- I mean, you could have heard a pin drop. The next thing that I saw was this man in a dark suit with a mask on. He told me he was called Quantum Man and that he was here to help."

"And how did you manage to get home?"

"It sounds kinda funny," she says with a sheepish smile, "but he kinda cradled me in his arms and flew me home."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hermski." The reporter turns her attention away from her nervous subject and back towards the camera. "And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen; Joyce Hermski's harrowing account of her close brush with death, and subsequent rescue. This is Brenda Fisher reporting for Channel Nine News."

"Thank you very much for that story, Brenda," says the news anchor with a practiced nod. He swivels in his chair to face the older man seated to his right.

"Dr. Edward Fullhafit, noted Psychologist joins us now. He not only has extensively studied the effects of stress upon individuals in traumatic situations for many years but he has also treated many individuals suffering from its effects. Dr. Fullhafit, you've just heard Joyce Hermski's account of her experience. Calling on your many years of experience and great expertise, what can you tell us?"

Dr. Fullhafit was a distinguished looking, slightly overweight man of perhaps fifty five. Although balding on top, he had plenty of hair around the sides and back of his head. He wore a well cared for handlebar mustache which he kept waxed and curled. His expensive, albeit conservative, dark blue suit and Italian loffers completed his overall look.

He calmly nods -- certain of his diagnosis. "I have indeed treated, successfully I might add, many people throughout the years for problems resulting from traumatic situations similar to the incident which Mrs. Hermski has just related to us all."

"Quickly Doctor, we have about a minute left," says the time watching anchor.

"Very well." Another studious nod. "Two things come quickly to mind. First and foremost; no one, at least to my knowledge, has ever survived an encounter with the Neon Slasher."

"So Dr. Fullhafit, are you saying that she made the entire thing up?"

"Oh, no no no," he quickly interjects. "I am certain that something happened to her on that darkened roadway. Perhaps a blow to the head," he postulates with an educated bob of his head. "She really does believe that what she just related to us actually did happen to her. But as I pointed out earlier, no one has ever met the Slasher and lived to tell about it. And as for a flying man; well ..... that speaks for itself, now doesn't it," he says with a tiny smile and disbelieving tilt of head. "Mrs. Hermski," he says -- his eyes locking onto the camera. "If you are watching, I urge you to please give my office a call. I will be very happy to talk with you."

"Thank you for your time, Dr. Fullhafit. Now in other news"..... Click! Dr. Lewis angrily punches the remote. The news disappears and is replaced with a blank, dark screen and easy listening tunes.

"Satellite television, Zev. It'll pick-up just about anything that you want to see or hear nowadays," she says in a matter-of-fact way. "I can't believe what they just said about Joyce Hermski," a steamed Anna angrily exclaims. "They made her sound like something was wrong with her mind. That so called doctor even hinted that she might be lying. That really burns my ass," Anna exclaims -- giving her arm rest a healthy pop.

"Anger isn't going to help, Doc," Zev calmly replies.

Anna nods. "I know; I'm sorry," she sheepishly says. "I guess I just lost it there for a second."

"Don't let it bother you, Doc," Zev says with a smile. "We and her family know what she said to be the truth. Besides, I'd just as soon people not believe her. I care not for your world's publicity. I'm here to do a job -- to help the people here as much as possible."

Anna nods. "I understand that, Zev. But be that as it may; you've got to realize that the very nature of your job -- the remarkable things which you can do -- will virtually insure your celebrity. And once the public becomes aware of your existence I honestly don't believe that there'll be anything that either you or I can do about that. So you might as well get prepaired for it."

Zev grudgingly agrees with a nod. "I fear you are correct, Doc. It's just that I could care less for the attention ..... but it's coming, isn't it," Zev asks -- the dread within his voice apparent.

Anna calmly nods. "I believe that it is; but it won't be for you," she says, jabbing a finger Zev's way."It'll be Quantum Man that grabs all of the attention. Not you, Zev. Your life here will continue to be private, out of the public's eye. And that should make things a bit easier for you."

"I certainly hope so. Because truthfully, I don't feel the least bit heroic, Doc." Zev allows a brief snort of memory driven laughter to escape. "If those people out there could see my performance in school, grades and otherwise, and the way that I arrived here, they might not be so inclined to turn me into a hero."

Oh, yeah." Zev continues a bit sheepishly. "There is one other thing," he cautiously adds -- wincing a bit as if in pain. "I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but my assignment here was not highly regarded by my classmates. Your world is definitely not a duty station which one strives for after graduation ----- It's kind of what you might call a wide place in the roadway. A dead job."

Anna laughs softly. "That's a wide place in the road, and a dead end job."

Zev nods. "Ahhh. Ok. Just give me some time, Doc. I still have much to learn about your world and its customs."

"You know, Zev," Dr. Lewis continues in a thoughtful, measured tone. "Given what you've related to me since your memory returned, the Earth could prove to be a pretty valuable piece of real estate in the not too distant future."

Zev nods. "I believe that to be a very real possibility."

"Well, didn't you say that your teacher".....

"Lazarous."

"Your teacher, Lazarous had told you that the oldest of the machines wanted you sent here?"

"He did," Zev respectfully replies as he wipes a small bit of moisture from the corner of an eye. "Teacher Lazarous said that the Ancient One had said that I was the one for this world. But he never explained to me just why the Ancient One felt that way."

Anna tilted her head thoughtfully to the left. "Teacher Lazarous helped you a great deal, didn't he?"

"Yes he did. He was like a second father to me at the Academy."

"You trusted him back home, didn't you?"

"Absolutely."

"Then trust his judgment now. Stop downing yourself and just concentrate on doing what you're capable of, to the best of your ability. I firmly believe that if you do that, you'll find that everything else will most likely take care of itself."

"Your advice is sound, Doctor Lewis. ----- Are you certain that you're not related to, Teacher Lazarous," Zev asks with a smile.


Quantum Man HQ. New Quantum

"Finally," exclaims Argon. "We've got him, sir! Stal's intel stream is clean .. and clear -- systemic --- tactical --- world view -- all feeds are now strong into his reporting database, sir."

"It's about f&*(!n time, Argon. What was the holdup," growls Zypher.

"In this instance the distances involved are greater than usual, sir." Argon quickly scrolls through the QM historical, assignment database. "As I thought, sir. Stal's posting places him further into the void than any previous assignment ever has, sir."

"When you consider the distances involved, loosing our lock on him early on really, and I mean really screwed things up, sir. And on top of that, once we had managed a tentative re-lock on him, we had to go back and re-calibrate our entire system. Not a fun thing under the best of circumstances. Anyway, everyone's been nothing but asses and elbows around the clock since we achieved re-lock. I don't anticipate any further problems, sir."

"Let's hope not," replies Zypher with a worried shake of his head. "Let me see what you've got so far."

Deft fingers fly over the keyboard -- touch buttons quietly popping under their expert pressure. The holo-projection flickers to life in front of the older man's scarred face. Argon silently breathes a sigh of relief; for no one, and I mean no one messed with a tough nut like Vrillion Zypher -- a one of a kind first name and one which he would just as soon forget about -- one which no one in their right mind mentioned, at least not in his presence.


Having been a survey pilot for New Quantum's government, it had been Zypher's job to locate and map mineral deposits, useful and otherwise, on newly discovered worlds. It was on one such primitive world that he had gotten caught between two warring tribes of vicious humanoids; a situation that to this day neither can he understand or explain.

With guile and an iron will which refused to give in to death, he was barely able to fight his way to safety. In due course his ship eventually found him, bleeding and gravely wounded. After retrieval of the almost dead survey pilot his ship had placed him in a life saving protein bath. Upon awakening the badly scarred pilot found that he would forever walk with a decided limp -- not good for his chosen profession.

After returning home he fought reassignment to data collection with all of his strength -- calling in more than a few favors owed him -- but in the end, despite his best efforts, the higher ups had prevailed with a simple proposition. Either accept the position of Watch Controller or retire; it was as simple as that.

Zypher took the position -- grudgingly; for retirement, at least from his point of view, signaled the end of the action -- the end of everything that he loved -- the end of the mystery which far flung worlds held.

As time passed he adjusted -- for the most part -- accepting that his life amongst the stars, at least in an official capacity, was over. But then there was the odd vacation now and again, when those above him held no sway on his activities -- when he and his old, but trusty plain ship, could venture where he so desired ----- so he accepted the position of Watch Controller. To be sure, the action was virtual, but as time passed he could almost feel it surging about him.

He did however manage to drag one concession out of the higher ups, tight $&^#!N asses, as he loved to call them -- something which, through the years, had brought a satisfied smile to his lips. On more than one occasion, Zypher had made it a point to remove the bindings which held his hair in a shoulder length pony tail -- in the presence of those guys upstairs, of course -- dearly loving every second of the anger which boiled just beneath their calm exteriors. And he didn't mind getting in their faces either -- reminding them how he had earned every strand -- when one or two of them made the mistake of suggesting that a trim might be in order.


Powerful, scarred hands grab the back of Argon's chair. Zypher leans forward, intently studying the information provided by the holo-projection floating before him. A quiet whistle fills the small room. "Have you seen this, Argon," Zypher asks, the shock in his quiet voice evident.

"No, sir. I haven't had the time to delve deeply into Stal's files just yet, sir."

A puzzled Zepher momentarily studies the strange display before him. "I'm no Watch Tech, and certainly no Healer; but this looks awfully strange to me. It seems as if we have some sort of generalized, mental spiking, for lack of a better term, going on here. Ever seen anything like this, Argon?"

One .. moment, sir." Trained fingers fly over the complex/multifaceted keyboard before the Watch Tech. "Running diagnostics now, sir." (Momentary delay.) "I see nothing wrong with the display or the data stream, sir." Argon twists his head slightly, looking upwards at Zypher over his right shoulder. "It looks as if the display is accurate, sir. But I must confess, I've never seen readings quite like these, sir." The ever vigilant, albeit puzzled Watch Tech returns his gaze to the screen before him.

"No sir," Argon says with a definitive shake of his head. "I've never seen anything quite like this before. But whatever it is," thoughtful rub of the chin, "it appears to be taking place throughout Stal's brain. It's not extreme by any stretch of the imagination. ----- There just seems to be some sort of constant, low level energy spiking throughout his neural area." Argon quickly checks another portion of the screen and then shakes his head. "His med reports from the Academy mention nothing about this, sir."

"And you're certainthat you haven't seen anything like this before," asks Zypher -- his eyes playing over the unusual display before him.

"Absolutely. As far as I can tell we're seeing a first, sir."

"I know you're Stal's assigned Watch Tech, Argon. And you're supposed to keep an eye on him -- data retrieval and otherwise. But those spikes are damn peculiar. And take a look at that action summary on the left side of the screen." Zypher motions toward the left edge of the display.

The slightly embarrassed Watch Tech allows a quiet whistle to escape. "I'm sorry, but with the problems that we've been having reacquiring him I haven't really had the time to scrutinize that side of the screen, sir ----- But that is definitely unusual, considering the time frame involved, sir. "

"Unusual? Hell, that goes way beyond that, Argon. He hasn't been planet side on that rock longer than a nat's fart and things are already popin for him. Double damn peculiar, Argon."

"Ya know, I've taken a look at what the rest of those guys from Stal's class are doin. And believe me, there ain't one of those tight assed, sobs that's gone through what Stal has in such a short period of time. His ship explodes right out from under his ass, almost killing him. The guy gets amnesia, recovers from it and then runs into a Vole of all things. What a combination," says Zypher with a shake of his head and rueful smile. "And he's gonna have to find it and stop it -- if he can.

Argon snaps his chair around to face the older man. "A Vole," he says, the horror within his voice apparent. "I didn't think that those things were real. I thought that they were just a legend to keep the little kids in line, sir."

"Oh, they're real enough," says Zypher with a, you better believe it smile on his face. "They're the stuff nightmares are made of, Argon. I saw one once; years ago." Zypher stares ahead, seemingly seeing nothing but the past -- his voice growing quieter as his distant memories return. "I was on some wild ass world way the hell out on the rim; somewhere -- tracking Trivillium. We used alot of the stuff back then. Anyway; I was on the edge of a deep valley -- nothing much but rock and dirt really. I looked across towards the valley's western wall just before I started down. No particular reason," he says with a shrug, "I just did. And lucky for me I did. The thing was already half way up the far wall." Zypher gives his head a disbelieving shake. "Argon, I'm telling ya, it took that wall like there was no slope to it at all. Luckily it didn't see me." Even after all of these years Zypher can still feel the sweat begin to trickle down his back.

"Are you certain that it was a Vole, sir; not something else," asks the younger man, his voice betraying his doubts.

Zypher nods, the certainty within his mind absolute. "Even at that distance I'm sure that that's what it was. I'll tell you Argon, a sand flea wasn't any closer to the ground that day than I was. The thing stopped and kinda casually glanced over its shoulder." Zypher slowly shook his head. "Those few seconds felt like hours. And then it disappeared over the far rim. And I was one, happy survey pilot when it did. That was the first and last one that I ever saw. And I never want to see another one." Zypher's mind is once again in the present. "If Stal has to face a Vole, he's going to have his hands full."

The eyes of the Watch Tech nervously shift from Zypher to the screen and its displayed data ------- and back again. "Do you think that he can stop it, sir?"

Zypher slowly shakes his head. "I dunno, son. In due time we'll know; one way or the other," he worridly says.


The ranch of Dr. Anna Lewis

"I have completed the integration of the creatures DNA and molecular print with its energy trace signature, Zev."

"That's great news, QI," Zev says as he quickly downs the last bit of pie upon his plate. "I'm ready to go."

"Your enthusiasm is admirable, my host, but I believe that it would not be in your best interests to follow that course of action. You must realize that the Vole is an extremely dangerous and powerful adversary. I would strongly advise that you rest this night and then begin your search in the morning; for you shall not aid anyone if you can not stop the creature once you encounter it."

Zev takes the ominous warning to heart. "Very well. Tomorrow it is."

"You are learning, Zev."


"Talking to your buddy?"

"I suppose you might call QI that," Zev says with a bit of a smile. "I'm certain that before everything is said and done upon this world I'll most likely call him a lot worse."

"So what are you're plans," Anna intently asks.

"QI told me that he had been able to upgrade his profile on the Vole....."

"A what," Anna snaps. "I ah; I don't believe that I've ever heard of anything like that."

"Trust me, Doc; it would have been better if you had never heard of a Vole. Apparently even we have very little knowledge about them. As far as we can tell they are not indigenous to any world in this galaxy -- at least those we have surveyed. And this is the worst part, they are exceedingly dangerous. But then I really don't have to tell you that, do I? For the past two or three years you've unfortunately seen and heard first hand, just what one of these things can do."

Zev's shocked friend slowly nods. "My God, all the deaths. You mean one creature has been responsible for all of these murders?" Zev nods. "These past few years have been like a nightmare that you just can't wake-up from."

"I understand," says Zev with a sympathetic nod. "I just hope that the new profile that QI has come up with will help us to locate it soon. We're going to begin our search early tomorrow morning."

"Not tonight," Anna demands, her voice betraying her agitation.

Zev shakes his head. "No. QI advises against it. He says that I shall need all of the rest that I can obtain this evening."

"Is this; Vole, really that tough," Anna grimly asks.

Zev nods. "Judging from what QI has told me; yeah, I believe that it is."

"But you can stop it? Right?" Dr. Lewis' asks, her voice betraying her great concern.

"I dunno. In time we shall receive the answer to that question. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get to sleep. I have a feeling that it's going to be a long day tomorrow."

 

Ten miles North of Neon City.
 
 
 
 

A flash of light illuminates the darkened forest. Seconds later, the creature stands alone, motionless within the darkness; its mind racing through all of the possibilities. Brief moments later it has reasoned it out; it knows.

The man which deflected the rock which it had thrown had to have been the Quantum Man for this world. And the men with him -- perhaps friends who he works with. And somewhere there must be a dwelling within which they live.

Seconds later it is certain that it knows of such a place -- a place which it had briefly seen before. The creature turns its hulking, twelve foot frame North; toward the ranch of Dr. Anna Lewis.

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