Lukas took one more look at the manor before he hopped in the old Bronco and pulled out of the drive. He could not explain the feeling, but something told him this was his last time seeing it. The thought bothered him, but not as much as he would have expected. Everything about the beautiful structure that made it a home was gone now. It was just a cold, empty shell housing nothing but painful memories, just like him.

Perhaps it was coincidence, perhaps fate, but Lukas’s home was not far from the closest gate. That was not to say it was an easy trip by any means. The gate was located in the Adirondack Mountain range in upstate New York. Two hours of driving would take him to a trail. He then had to hike in the last two miles. Lukas was unsure why the U.S. government had not seen fit to add a road when the gate appeared. Perhaps they hoped it would discourage people from trying their luck.

He made the trip in silence, going over every detail about Gamus that he could remember. If there was one thing Lukas had learned in his forty-four years, it was that proper preparation and planning could make even someone with below-average talent seem extraordinary. He had made that truth something of a personal creed, and it was the reason he’d been so successful.

The two-mile trek up the mountain served as an excellent reminder of how out of shape he was. During his time on Gamus, he’d never been much of an adventurer. Most of the planeswalkers who survived were stronger and faster than him. Still, he had done regular training to keep up his fitness. It was a requirement in a world where every day held a new life or death struggle. In the decade he’d spent back on Earth, that lack of a fitness regimen had caught up with him.

Lukas was panting hard by the time the first government checkpoint came into view. It was a testament to the mindset that permeated this world that people hardly batted an eye when the U.S. government, along with others around the world, had stepped in and assumed control of the gates. Indeed, it seemed like people almost expected it, even approved of it. The locals on Gamus would have never tolerated such an overreach.

As he approached, two bored looking military guards exited a shack. They look so young, he thought. I really am getting old.

“Excuse us, sir, but access to the Eastern Gate is restricted. Without proper clearance, I’m afraid we are gonna have to ask you to turn around.”

Lukas almost snorted. It had been a long time since he’d been near a gate. When did they start naming them?

At one point, he’d been part of a list of V.I.P.’s the guards were required to memorize, so as to avoid annoying security checks. He supposed he’d been removed when he retired from interdimensional travel. That was annoying, but understandable.

Lukas smiled at the young sergeant, obviously new to his rank and position, before presenting his left wrist for inspection. On that wrist was tattooed a series of symbols similar to the cuneiform used by ancient Mesopotamian civilizations. Of course, the symbols did not belong to any language used on earth, past or present. It was Nezarian, according to the inhabitants of Gamus, some kind of universal language of the multiverse.

It had been years since Lukas had given the symbols a second thought. Now, they would be his ticket off-world. He was once again drowned in memories from that fateful day. The symbols had appeared on his arm the second he’d walked through the gate, like some sort of brand. They were unique to him, not unlike some form of fingerprint, and that was exactly how the government treated them once they locked down the gates.

One of the symbols identified Lukas as a trial survivor from the initial group of planeswalkers from Earth. Anyone with that particular symbol had been given unrestricted access to the gates, at least back when Lukas was still a traveler. From the look of shock on the sergeant’s face, he had never encountered an Elite marking. Lukas knew he should have called ahead.

“Uhh…erhm…Y-yes sir, that will do. Let me scan that for you. It’s just a formality really-gotta keep the records up to date on who’s walking after all!”

Lukas had expected this, having looked into the updated security protocols during his planning. He held his hand out to the specialist, who seemed a bit calmer as he scanned the symbols. He’d no doubt been at this post a little longer. In no time, his details had popped up on the tablet the sergeant was holding.

“Mr. Carmichael…wait…the Lukas Carmichael?” The sergeant looked confused. “The billionaire? You’re an Elite?”

Lukas would have chuckled at the man’s reaction had he not been in a hurry.

“Was. I’ve been inactive for a while now. Is everything in order?”

“Well…yes…” the sergeant seemed hesitant as he continued, “but typically the brass likes to be involved when VIP’s pass through. I’m gonna have to call this up.”

“I can respect that, Sergeant…Phillips, is it?” Lukas put on the most disarming smile he could as he continued. “I know you’re just trying to do your job, but I’d really like to avoid the headache that comes with involving your superiors. I’m on a bit of a tight schedule as is, and you know how officers like to drag stuff out, am I right?”

The specialist snorted at this, and even the sergeant smiled a little.

“Look, notify anyone you feel the need to. Protocol is protocol, after all. Just wait til I’m through the gate. If they give you any grief about it, tell them I threatened legal action. Since I’m cleared for walking, you technically can’t hold me here anyway.”

Come on, do the smart thing, kid. I don’t want this to get ugly.

The sergeant looked uncertainly at the specialist, who shrugged.

“He’s technically right, sar’nt. We don’t have any legal right to detain him. Getting chewed ain’t near as bad as pissing off a VIP and then getting chewed.”

The sergeant slowly nodded, coming to a decision.

“You’re free to pass through, Mr. Carmichael. Good luck on the other side.”

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Lukas thanked the men and walked up to the gate. He’d forgotten how impressive it was. Symbols not so different from the ones marking his arm adorned the massive stone archway. It almost looked empty, except for the occasional ripple that distorted the view of the clearing and forest behind it, as though the air were actually water. The distortions were the only hints of the energy hidden within the arch, energy that bent the laws of time and space.

The gate had been awe-inspiring the first time Lukas had laid eyes on it, but that was many years ago. Now it was simply a means to an end, and he walked through it without a moment’s hesitation, leaving behind the life he had worked so hard to build.

**************************************************

...

Initializing...

Processing request...Planeswalker status confirmed!

Accessing stored data...Existing profile found!

Synchronizing...Successful!

Multiverse Transportation System accessed!

You have unlocked [1] destination.

Do you wish to travel to [Gamus]? Y/N

Destination confirmed!

Transferring to new location...

ERROR!

Possible contraband detected.

ERROR!

New location [Gamus] temporarily locked by Admin. Unable to fulfill transportation request at this time.

ERROR!

ADMIN OVERRIDE

Redirecting. Please wait a moment...

ACHIEVEMENT!

New gate location accessed!

Saving location...

Location [Pocket Dimension - Admin] has been saved!

Please stand by for insertion...

**************************************************

Lukas blinked several times, willing the world around him into focus. There was always a slight bit of disorientation when jumping to a new plane, but it seemed so much worse than he remembered. Finally, his head began to clear, and he was able to sort through the notifications running rampant through his mind.

One of the precious few boons of being a planeswalker was access to the Logistics and Information Neuro Codex, or LINC. The LINC was, essentially, an information system not unlike the internet on Earth. It was a direct connection to the multiverse through some sort of neurological link that provided all sorts of benefits, of which the notifications Lukas was currently sorting through was just one.

Most of what he saw was pretty standard when jumping to a new plane, and he summarily skimmed through it. He paused, however, when he came to the first error message. That was definitely new. He’d heard of planeswalkers attempting to bring what the LINC considered contraband through a gate before, and typically the items in question were simply removed from the walker’s possession without disrupting the jump.

An uneasy feeling settled into the pit of his stomach as he finished reading through the messages and looked around. He’d never heard of any kind of administration, nor had he heard of this kind of direct interference in any way, shape, or form. Just what was going on?

Upon taking in his surroundings, he noted that he was in a small but elegantly furnished office that would not have been out of place on Gamus. He was sitting in one of two comfortable armchairs with a hand-carved wooden table between them. On the table was a thin stack of parchment, the top piece containing his specific set of symbols.

In the chair opposite Lukas sat a man who could have been close to his own age. He wore a smart, well-tailored suit cut in the London fashion on Earth. Everything about the man, from his neatly trimmed goatee to his flawlessly shined shoes, screamed professional.

“Oh, good!” The man smiled as he spoke, noticing Lukas staring at him with no small amount of apprehension. “I do apologize for the barrage of confusing notes, but that is the LINC for you. Ever thorough in its explanation of every single detail.”

Not only was the man wearing fashion from Lukas’ own world, he also spoke with a polished British accent. That was odd, to say the least. The people of Gamus had a variety of distinctive dialects and accents, some not so different from many on Earth, but Lukas was confident the man across from him was either from Earth, or doing a very good job of feigning it.

“I’m sorry, I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure Mr….?” Lukas let the question hang in the air, hoping etiquette could compel the man to answer.

“No, no you have not! Quite understandable, really. Think nothing of it! Opportunities for meetings such as this are disappointingly rare. I was beginning to wonder if we would get the chance to meet at all!”

The man’s chipper demeaner was in stark contrast to the ominous messages Lukas had received and did nothing to ease his concern. He also noted how the man easily side-stepped the question he’d implied. There was little question that the man represented whatever admin had interfered with his jump, but beyond that Lukas was completely in the dark about who the man was and what exactly he wanted. That left Lukas at a huge disadvantage. Not having many options, he decided to play along and see if the man gave away any information.

“Again, I apologize. I was not aware you wanted to meet. I’ve been…out of the game, so to speak, for a few years now.”

“Yes, I’m well aware,” the man laughed. “Ten years, five months, and…thirteen days? If I’d known you were going into hiding for that long, I would have scheduled this on your way out!”

Lukas froze at this statement. This man not only knew exactly how long it had been since he left Gamus, but also that he’d effectively gone into hiding. The man was…well-informed, to say the least.

“Do relax, dear boy. You’re going to give yourself a tension headache, and you have not even figured out my identity yet!”

The man regarded Lukas with a smirk for a moment, as though waiting for him to speak. Lukas just stared right back. He might have been ignorant, but he saw no reason to reveal the level of that ignorance to some eccentric man who seemed to be playing games with him.

“Oh fiiiine,” the man rolled his eyes before spreading his arms wide. “I am the Administrator, Lukas.”

Lukas supposed this was some grand announcement, given the man’s theatrics, but it meant little to him. He continued to stare at the man, unimpressed.

“Oh, for crying out loud!” The man grumbled in exasperation. “I always forget how spoiled and sheltered you earthlings are! Personally, I blame Hollywood.”

The man scratched his chin for a moment.

“Let’s see, how can I explain this without being overly dramatic…”

Lukas’ stare had turned deadpan at this point. Either the man was acting like a baffoon, or he really was one. Regardless, he was wasting Lukas’ time. Before Lukas could comment, the man continued. It was not long before that ominous feeling returned to his gut.

“Lukas, the multiverse to which you belong is self-aware. I am the embodiment of that awareness. I know you’re a busy man, but if you can spare them I’d like a few moments of your time.”