Clues he had ignored now laid plain in front of him, a mystery revealed that had been, in fact, poorly hidden. He only failed to see the truth because accepting the lies had been easy.
Director Snowe and Major Forest knew there were no more human beings on this planet because the only humans on this world had come through the Gateway to Thebes.
The words of a Committeeman: "We should halt outward bound cross-dimensional research until such time as additional assets are made available."
Yes, outward bound. But inward bound continued in the form of supplies. On this world, no one had yet shutdown the invaders' gateways.
At the estate on this Earth, the Geryons had issued a warning before attacking. When had an invader on Trevor's home Earth ever given a warning? But from one invader to another, such a courtesy might be extended to avoid 'destabilizing' the border between territories. Perhaps the Duass failed to counter attack from Erie Coast for the same reason.
His mind cycled through hint after hint, sign after sign that all was not as it seemed. Nina's people used numbers and grid references the way an invading army would categorize and organize foreign territory. Nina’s explanation of ‘forgetting’ the old was so broad and foolish he should have seen through it but it was easier, more convenient, to accept without question.
The architecture at the lake and the Chaktaw base resembled cliff dwellings, yet Thebes resembled a more traditional human city built on open plains, yet he asked no question.
Why didn’t I ask more? Why did I accept it all?
Cities and playgrounds and air ports and farms and all the other trappings of civilization overrun and replaced with bases and mining operations.
An armada of invaders had come, including humanity, competing for territory like European settlers landing on the New World, but sharing the primary goal of beating down, defeating, subjugating the indigenous species.
No wonder Nina had never heard of the estate. The Trevor Stone of this reality had never been at that estate. The estate had belonged to someone else.
The Chaktaw?
"Please, Trevor, snap out of it!"
And he had replaced the Trevor Stone who had led the human invaders; stepped into his shoes easily. Trevor saw Chaktaw bodies hanging from crucifixes.
Reverend Johnny’s ghost spoke, "This world is having a strange effect on you, Trevor Stone. It is bringing out a side of you that you had previously kept in a cage. I remember when you were saddened by the idea that your life would be one of killing and destruction. Now it seems as if you are embracing your fate with welcoming arms."
No, Reverend, Trevor thought. This world merely showed me who I really am.
How else could he explain it? On one world, a warrior fighting to save his people, on another, a warrior conquering new territory. A difference in only purpose, not methods. Yes, this is why the Old Man chose Trevor Stone for his gifts, because of his black heart.
Trevor became vaguely aware that he was moving, of a hand pulling him along. He blinked rapidly and slowly returned to the world around him. He felt his steps on the catwalk, heard the heavy breath of Major Nina Forest as she encouraged him along.
"Down. You have to go down, Trevor. Down this ladder."
He scanned the floor and saw a portal there, like an open manhole cover.
"Hurry! Hurry, if we can duck down here, we can hide. I can get you out of this."
Trevor did as suggested, still too groggy from realization to offer any protest. He descended into a dark, humid area that smelled of steam and rusting metal. Around him, walls lined with pipes and wires and small lights.
She whispered urgently, "Hurry, Trevor. Please. Hide. We have to hide."
A new sound reached his ears, the sound of heavy boots marching along-no, jogging along-with a metallic clank-clank.
He finished his climb down and moved away from the ladder. Nina slid down and landed with a heavy thump next to him. She grabbed his arm again and pulled him into an even smaller and darker passage.
After several seconds, a line of heavy boots marched overhead. When they did not stop, Nina let out a long sigh and slid to the floor, her back against the wall in a seated position.
Trevor waited with his hands over his head. He fought to comprehend the enormity of the revelation, beyond his personal role.
"Listen, Trevor I can explain everything. I can." The quiver in her voice suggested that might not be true.
Nina stood and turned as if to lead him in a new direction, saying, "If we can make it back to the Operations Center, I know most of the soldiers will follow you instead of Snowe. If we can get out of here alive we can-"
Trevor leapt to her and placed a firm finger over her lips.
"Shhh…shhh."
She stopped talking. He grabbed her shoulders and shoved her against the wall.
"What brought you here? Who brought you here? Why are you here? Why are you invading this world?"
She shook her head. "I don’t know. I’m just a soldier."
"Don’t lie to me. Don’t lie anymore to me!"
His hands shook but he found enough control to pull one of her silver pistols from its harness and shove the barrel to her nose. She tried to turn away but he grabbed her hair with his free hand and ordered, "Answer me."
"I-we followed Trevor. We followed you…you brought us here…"
She sobbed. Nina Forest sobbed. "Don’t…don’t kill me… please…"
Trevor felt his entire body burn with anger. He gripped the pistol so tight it was a wonder the handle did not squish in his palm. He wanted to push the barrel straight through her head. He wanted to hurt her for lying to him, for being a conqueror for He stopped. He stopped and shuddered at the feelings flowing through him. Feelings of rage and anger and the desire to do harm. To do harm to Nina Forest.
What have I become?
Trevor loosened his grip and pulled the barrel away, holding it aloft in the dark corridor and glaring at the weapon as if it were a rattlesnake in his grasp.
Nina slumped to the floor caressing the red mark on her face.
"My…my God…" he stumbled."Look…look at who I am. Look at what I am."
He dropped the pistol. It hit the metal-grated floor below with a reverberating clang.
He turned to her. She sobbed with her face in her hands. As he spoke, his body shook with fear, fear of himself.
"You took me from my world to save you. That was the truth, wasn’t it? Wasn’t it?"
The Major wiped the sleeve of her battle suit across her nose to clean off some of the mess. As she did, she answered in a contrite, soft voice, "Yes."
"But you didn’t tell me that you were-you ar e-invaders here."
She could not look him in the eye. Instead, she faced the wall and answered, "No. Everyone knew we couldn’t do that."
"Snowe? The Committee? All of Thebes?"
"Snowe, The Committee, the top Generals, and most of the squad leaders in Third Legion. I told you, Third L had been Snowe's outfit. As things changed, we briefed more people. Just told them to be quiet, mainly."
"You controlled access to me and you never wanted me thinking about supplies and industry or manufacturing or any of this stuff. You didn’t want me to see this place. You didn’t want me to see…" his voice grew louder, "you didn’t want me to see your gateway. Did you think you could hide it forever? Did you?"
She answered only with a sniffle.
He seethed, "You knew I'd find out sooner or later. Did you think I’d just accept it? You thought I’d just…" his voice trailed and he found the answer himself. "Christ, you thought you could make me like it here. All the things you — we- did. Oh sweet Lord. And I almost…I was becoming…I was becoming him."
No, no, Trevor. You were finding the part of him inside of you. She couldn’t make you into a monster; no one can do that to a man. But she didn’t have to, did she? She just had to find the monster in you. Ask the people of New Winnabow. They know.