Kevin once again felt the horrible sensation of being ripped out of being and forced through some kind of cosmic garlic press into the fabric between worlds. For the second time in a day, Kevin glanced around as his body felt like it was being forced through a sieve. Having a little more mental preparation for the jump made the process a little easier and he took in his surroundings. Once again, he saw a burst of color and reality warped around him. He thought he saw a large stone door covered in symbols to one side and as he glanced at it he even thought he saw a shock of silver hair flinging into it. Kevin returned his attention forward toward a set of elevator doors and just as suddenly, he felt himself flex forward in his seat against the belt and stars burst in front of his eyes as he took a sharp breath.
“Good news, we lost the robot.” Mel glanced over at Kevin and scrunched her nose. “Do not even think about hurling all over our new ride, these things are nearly impossible to acquire for the average non-rich civilian!”
Kevin forced down the bile rising up his throat against his better judgment and took slow deep breaths while Mel began searching around the vehicle’s cabin. She rubbed her hands along the interior of the Pathfinder walking in a full circle. Pressing a hand to the wall she addressed the ship.
“Location?” A dull red pulse emanated from the spot her hand touched. “Start! On! Fly! Fucking move!” She slapped the wall hard as red pulses continued to extend out from where her hand had been.
“At least we can get out?” Kevin leaned around and pointed to the back of the orb where the door had once again materialized. “I think I could use some air.”
“Oxygen 97% breathable, atmosphere deemed safe.” Kevin and Mel started at the robotic feminine voice that issued from the ship.
“Oh you’ll talk to the moron, will you?” Mel slapped the ship once more for good measure as Kevin frowned at her.
“We only just met, you don’t know I’m a moron.” Kevin crossed his arms and after a beat extended an arm. “I’m Kevin and I work in the service industry and I have had a very confusing morning.”
Mel considered his hand with indifference then slapped it like a high five. “Mel. There. Now can I call you a moron?” As Mel turned to exit the ship Kevin let out an exasperated sigh before following.
They stood outside the ship and looked around. They were on the roof of a large flat building that stretched out a long way in all directions. Kevin could see an access door popping up in the distance and pointed.
“That’s probably our best way down, huh? Oh and by the way, where are we and what the hell is going on?”
“My God, you’re such a whiner.” Mel waved off his question as she walked to the nearest edge. “Hm, I think we’re on a mall.”
“On a mall, ok that answers the first part but can you get to the what is going on part now?” Kevin joined her and looked over the edge at a parking lot full of cars that stretched out in front of them. He craned his neck to see a section of the building off to his right and could make out the familiar logo of Barnes and Noble.
“I guess if you’re going to be following me around we should get you caught up on the basics. Sit.” Mel turned and examined the roof before going carefully into a crouch and gestured for Kevin to do the same. “The Earth that is all around you right now? It’s not the Earth you were on when you woke up. I don’t think, at least. Wait, what Earth did you come from? Oh right, you probably don’t know that.”
“This is very helpful so far, thank you.” Kevin said as sarcastically as possible.
“Watch it, I am still very much considering dumping you off this roof.” Mel squinted at him then continued. “The multiverse is real, like in comic books or whatever. There’s a bunch of different Earth’s and each one deviates from the next a little bit. The further you jump into the multiverse, the more different it gets but this one doesn’t seem too weird.”
“But hold on, the jumping? How is that possible? And why am I here, I didn’t know anything about this stuff and suddenly I’m bouncing between Earths willy nilly.”
“Willy nilly? Slow down grandma, you'll have a heart palpitation.” Mel snickered and got to her feet again. “I’m not a fucking scientist, I don’t know how it works, it just does. I mean you can’t just do it, you have to have a jumper of some kind. That Pathfinder back there, for example. Top of the line and prod…” Mel trailed off as she pointed over her shoulder and realized the ship was gone. She let loose a string of creative expletives as she dashed back towards the middle of the roof. Kevin followed calmly and caught a shimmer in the air ahead.
“I think it’s still there, just camouflaged.” Kevin said just before a thud rang out as Mel ran face first into the hull of the cloaked ship. Kevin couldn’t stop his chuckle, clamping both hands over his mouth as Mel rounded on him.
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“Think that’s funny, huh? And you! You can cloak yourself now, that’s just great. What the fuck kind of ship just does whatever it wants?” Mel started to storm off towards the access door, still ranting.
“Wait for me! Where are you going?” Kevin jogged to catch up to her as she swung open the door.
They walked in silence down a rusty stairwell until they came to the back hallways that ran through the mall. Mel walked with confidence as if she belonged and Kevin tried to match her bravado. Kevin’s nerves began to subside after they uneventfully walked past a delivery driver and a Hot Topic employee. Finally arriving at a door that seemed to go out into the mall, Mel turned to Kevin.
“Keep your eyes open out there. We need to figure out what city we are in, what year it is, anything about this Earth that might help us blend. Apparently I am stuck with you now, so you’re going to do this shit my way, got it?” Without waiting for a response, Mel opened up the door and pushed Kevin out into the mall.
Kevin looked around and wrestled with the idea that this was a separate reality from his own and thought about the fact that these humans were fundamentally different from him in some way. Blinking hard he fought down an existential crisis and tried to focus on what Mel had said. He looked at the store signs, he looked at the people, he listened for bits and pieces of conversation. It was Mel who caught something useful first though and nudged him.
“Army recruiter on the first floor, read the sign.” Kevin glanced over the railing to the lower level and immediately found it. Drone Pilots Needed for the War in Europe, Signing Bonus Today! “Must not be very serious yet, people seem pretty calm.” Mel continued as she looked around.
“Cassia chose this destination, right? Shouldn’t we look for her? Or something?” Kevin was trying very hard to trust Mel but in his brief time away from his original Earth, Cassia seemed a much safer travel partner.
“Shit happens when you make distant jumps, we’ve still got the ship and we’re wanted so we stay here and lay low until we can’t. If she finds us, great but I’m not risking my ass to go looking for her.” Mel waved around at the mall, “Right now, we need to find supplies. And when I’m jumping there’s three important things: Currency, bed, weapons.”
“Sure, I’ll just pop over to the mattress firm then. What about food Mel?”
“Currency buys food.”
“It can buy a bed too?”
“Kevin, I’ve been jumping since I was 15, don’t question my process.” Mel turned towards the aroma of the food court forcing Kevin into a trot to keep up. To his surprise, she walked confidently toward an older couple carrying trays to the garbage.
“Excuse me, I’m so sorry to bother you! My brother here misplaced my purse while I was trying on some clothes!” Mel gestured to Kevin who stood nearby dumbfounded. “He means well, he just has the worst memory since the accident. Have you seen a dark blue purse anywhere? I’m afraid we won’t be able to get lunch today!”
“Oh poor dears, I’ve got memory trouble myself. Here’s a twenty to hold you over till you find it, I’m sure it will turn up.” The old man handed over the bill and Mel thanked him profusely as she pulled Kevin away towards the nearest fast food counter.
“Suckers, good job Kev, you caught on quick standing there with your mouth hanging open. It really sold the scam. Now let’s double it.”
Forty five minutes later, Kevin’s pockets were filled with cash. Mel had tricked the cashier at the McDonald’s out of another 20 dollars, bought a fake ring at Claire’s that she passed off as a 14K ring from her broken engagement to generate another $150. Kevin’s head was spinning, he wasn’t a gifted liar and conning innocent people didn’t come naturally.
“Don’t you think we’ve got enough for now?” Kevin asked awkwardly as Mel pocketed another $15.
“Still have that old moral compass, hm? Don’t worry, you’ll get over it. Lucky for you we have a place to sleep tonight already or we’d need triple this.” Mel stepped up to a map in the middle of the walkway and studied the stores listed. “Ah, here we go. There’s a sporting goods store. We should be able to steal some weapons there after close.”
“What do we do till then?” Kevin sighed, resigning himself to his new life of crime.
“I’d like to figure out what city we’re in. Fancy a drive?” Mel held up a stolen key fob and smiled wickedly.
It took nearly half an hour of walking through the vast parking lots before they were able to find the match for the fob. Mel quickly got into the newer model Sedan and began rifling through the glove box. Joining her inside, Kevin looked around nervously.
“What are you looking for?”
“Aha! Hell yeah, registration. Based on all the Arizona license plates, this registration, and the fact that I’m nearly sweating through this shirt, I’m thinking we’re in Phoenix. Ever been before?” Mel turned on the engine and tossed the registration into Kevin’s lap.
“No, till this morning I had never left Colorado actually.” Kevin looked out his window then snapped his attention back to Mel confused. “Wait, I got arrested at night, after my shift.”
“Time is one of those things that differs from Earth to Earth. Your Earth to Zero must have been about a twelve hour deviation, it was mid morning when you screwed me over.” Mel had a smirk that gave Kevin the idea she was enjoying his total confusion.
“Well, we’ve got several hours till night, where are we going till then?”
“If we’re going to be hiding out on this earth a little longer, there’s a few more things we should swipe. That reminds me, you any good with a gun?”