He quickly stood up straight and saluted her. “Ma’am.”
She stood still for a moment.
Emersyn exchanged a glance between the two, confused. Wasn’t a Specialist of a higher rank than a Private First Class?
After a moment, Tanner Highwall started busting up laughing. Naomi Sandovol turned her head and rolled her eyes, trying to hide the smile that was taking over her face.
“I can’t stand this boy.”
His eyes widened. “’Boy’? I’ve got at least ten years on you, Sandovol.”
She shoved past him playfully. “And we’re going into the future. You’re going to be a gray old man where we’re going.”
“I get more attractive with age!” he called after her as she walked towards a group of guards surrounding a prisoner.
Bravon Pearson approached Emersyn from the side. His eyes had heavy bags under them. It looked like the Sergeant hadn’t gotten any sleep. “I see you met my two hand-picked soldiers for this mission.”
“Fine soldiers,” she said with a smirk.
“They’ll get the job done. I wanted to meet with you last. I briefed my team on where we’re going and what to expect, but please, come over to my table. There’s some things I’d like to show you.”
Bravon led her back to the table set where she’d first seen him. There were new papers and documents strewn about the table. Emersyn glanced over a couple of them. They dealt with time travel theories, issues of paradoxes, and what looked like hand-scribbled notes.
The Sergeant picked the notes up and pointed to one of the documents titled ‘A Multiverse With Perspective.’
“So this is everything I took down across multiple interviews with Mona.” He shook the hand-scribbled paper. “And this is what our head scientists were able to theorize based off said notes.” He tapped a finger on the paper his other hand was on top of. “I won’t bore you, but from what she’s said, so far we’ve got confirmation that every time the Requiem gem is used, it confirms a new universe in existence.”
She studied the document. Most of it was gibberish to her. “How many universes are there, exactly?”
He bit his lip and considered his answer. “It’s… hard to say, for certain. From what Mona told us, we can only confirm a new universe or a new instance of a universe when the Requiem is used to go back in time and change events. Then that universe plays out in a different fashion, forging its own way. The problem is in her universe, they didn’t use it for more than studies, so we don’t know how drastic of a change it makes. To answer you, she said in her timeline, the gem was used four times. There’s at least four other universes out there, five counting hers, and six counting ours.”
There’s six other Emersyn Mona Bergs out there, she thought. She sucked in a breath and reached a hand out to the table, steadying herself. “By going back to her time… looking for this evidence, are we ripping open a new one or returning to hers?”
He set the hand-written notes down and shook his head. “That’s tough to say. She said all the prior time travelers returned to her time with no problem. But she’s not a Requiem operator, she’s just a soldier. Mona said she saw someone do it once, she thinks she knows how to program it.”
Emersyn looked over the pile of notes. She reached down into them and pulled a folder from beneath the mountain of documents. It contained pictures of a large cavern, a pool of water growing as the floor dipped. Work lights had been set up around the perimeter.
“That’s the activation site,” Bravon noted. “We’ve had a dozen teams in and out of there over the last 48 hours.”
Emersyn eased herself into one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs surrounding the table. She studied the picture, but it only resembled a regular cave to her. She had no idea what the significance of it was. She let the photo drop to the table and turned to Bravon.
“Do we know why she came here? If there’s, what, four other universes, why not warn them?”
He shrugged. “It’s hard to say. From what Mona told me, these time travelers are kept under scrutiny. She had no idea what those other universes are like; they could be in a state significantly worse than her own. Coming here, she knew she’d have something to work with at the very least because it established a new timeline.”
A soldier tapped Bravon on the shoulder and whispered into his ear. He acknowledged them and turned back to Emersyn. “Mona’s two minutes out. We’re going to get you, my soldiers, the prisoners, and her all at the front of the room while I lay out the mission. You’ll meet with everyone, and then tonight, we go.”
Emersyn swallowed hard. In less than a day, she’d either be in a universe separate from her own, or she’d be dead.
After Mona arrived, Emersyn was escorted to the front of the tent. There was a rising platform where Bravon Pearson stood. Guards were positioned at their front and back. She was situated next to Mona, who winked at her out of the corner of her eye.
Emersyn got her first good look at the two prisoners. Catalina Hernandez looked frailer than she’d anticipated: like a paranoid mouse, constantly on alert for an attack. She was smaller, with long black hair running down her back. Tattoos decorated both of her arms, almost covering them entirely.
Joey Del Core couldn’t have been more opposite. He was an older, obese man with a round face and multiple chins. His black hair was slicked back, and he wore a nasty expression that made him look like he’d hit anyone he didn’t like.
Sergeant Major Bravon Pearson took the stage and welcomed them all. He praised the scientists on the base and explained their plan. They’d fly to St. Charles, Idaho where Mona would lead them into the activation site and use the Requiem, in conjunction with the activator, to transition them back to just before the war during her time.
Once there, they’d do their best to blend in, take photos and videos of local news and reports, establish what the cause of war was within their allotted time, and what the state of Russia’s Prime Minister was. From there, they’d re-activate the Requiem, transport back with their findings, and if sufficient, President Warren would begin necessary negotiations and diplomacies to prevent the war from happening.
Bravon stepped down from the platform and motioned for all six of his crew to step forward. He glanced over each of them, keeping his expression plain.
“I know a lot of us haven’t worked together before, some of us aren’t soldiers, but we need to get along to make this happen. I need to know you will all follow my command above everything else. This is still a military operation. Is that clear?”
Everyone agreed, except Joey Del Core. He folded his tree trunk-like arms and frowned. “I’m jus’ doin’ this for the time off my bid. That offer still stands, yeah?” His Italian accent was unmistakable, as was the confidence in his voice.
Bravon clenched his hands. “Whatever offer our recruitment team made you stands, Mr. Del Core.”
Joey twisted his mouth into a sarcastic grin. “Capiche, then, boss. We’re a-okay.”
“Where’s the Requiem? And the activator?” Mona asked.
Bravon pointed at a guard behind them. “One of my transport guards has it stowed away in a briefcase. You’ll be given it at the activation site, and then we’ll begin.”
“It’s going to take at least ten minutes for me to get it set up and programmed. While we’re transitioning, I need absolute protection. If we’re attacked mid-transition, well, some bad things will happen.”
Catalina raised her hand. “Sergeant-man, you said we were goin’ to end up before this… apocalypse, right?” Catalina asked, extending a finger at Bravon. “Will we see ourselves?”