Machia Veil Timeline
Nate went blank, struggling to find words. The person following them was Clarice Peppercorn.
“Move! Quickly, follow me!” she said.
Her presence paralysed him.
“Hurry!” she grumbled. “No time to waste!”
They were out of options. No less apprehensive, he nodded, and Kenya followed suit.
Clarice opened a latch that led to another cavity of the sewer. Holding their breath, they stumbled in, coughing and gasping for air. There was more oxygen here. A long tubular exit lay above them with a steel ladder.
A hose hung from the side wall, which she took, opened it, and sprayed Nate and Kenya with it.
Kenya let out a squeal, and Nate covered her mouth. Then Clarice hosed herself. The water trickled through a floor cavity.
“Ah thank heavens, that was torture!” Clarice whispered as she ascended the creaking metal ladder. “Well, don’t just stand there! Unless you want to die,“ she said.
They trailed behind her without a word.
Nate’s hair stood on end each time the ladder creaked, a sound that echoed through the empty chamber.
At the top, Clarice lifted a latch, and they poured out onto the ground floor of Club 7.
“I recognise this. It’s where I came in!” whispered Kenya.
The kitchen was visible at the end of a long corridor. But going through it was too obvious. They glanced at Clarice.
She strode towards a wall. Another hiding place. This needed a code, which she had.
“The search is still on. Going through the sewers helped. They won’t expect us to be here. We’ll have to wait,” said Clarice.
Nate’s eyes widened. His gaze fixed on Clarice. “Why?” he asked, agape. “Why are you helping us?”
“My name is not Clarice Peppercorn,” she said. “It’s Sophie Morecombe, and I am also a fallen Quotidian.”
Nate’s mind was racing.
“I am SIS, investigating the Club 7 portal into Quotidian,” she said.
It took a moment.
Then Nate reacted.
SIS! Clarice!
MI6!
Could he believe her?
Kenya’s eyes were wide with fear. Nate kept rethinking their options. He wasn’t sure they had a choice. He recalled his family’s dinner with the head of the SIS before the security overhaul.
“If you’re SIS,” Nate imagined something only SIS knew. “If you’re SIS, you’d be familiar with the Umbra Protocol?”
“Nice try Nate. There is no Umbra Protocol. But I commend you for trying to trick me.”
“You got that from spying Q,” said Nate.
“Only Archs spy Quotidian. Did anyone say I was an Arch?”
“But-”
“-Nate,” she said, breathing in. “Let me help you get back to your mother. Trust me. You can’t leave without me.”
They stayed silent. She had a point.
“Why didn’t you help me sooner?” he burst. “I have been desperate to-”
“-your mother is also under surveillance. She is a prisoner in Bellatorn.”
The news of his mother hit him like a tidal wave.
“Has she searched for me?” he asked, breathless.
“She has. Desperately. But they gaslight her daily,” said Sophie.
“What’s gaslight?” he asked.
“Each time you questioned something logical, what happened? Everyone made you think you were insane,” she said.
Nate paused. “They did,” he said, glancing sideways. “They did!” his eyes widened.
“She’s not well, Nate. But I don’t see an escape. Unless…”
“Unless?”
“You cross the Loch Lorian.” She bit her lower lip.
A heavy silence filled the room.
“She’s right,” said Kenya, making Nate turn towards her.
“It’s the portal the Archs are desperate to find. It’s in the Loch Lorian,” said Sophie.
“She’s right. No one knows about this. You can trust her,” said Kenya.
“What is going on?” asked Nate.
“Brace yourself, Nate. What I’m about to tell you won’t be easy,” said Sophie, taking a deep breath. “Starting with Castar. He has been an unwitting pawn in a nasty chess game.”
“How so?” asked Nate.
“Kit. The man is a megalomaniac.”
“Another tough word,” he said.
“Power-crazy. Delusional with aggrandising thoughts. His goal is complete control of the Timelines.”
“The Timelines?”
She nodded. “This is one of four timelines, The Machia Veil Timeline. We belong to Quotidian. There are another two timelines we know of.”
“Okay. I get it. I am in a nightmare timeline. But wait. Kit, Castar. How does this affect me?” asked Nate.
“You both, you mean,” said Sophie.
“Me and Kenya?”
“No, you and your mother’s other son, Finch.”
“What?“ asked Nate, wide eyed.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Where to begin…”
“At the start, please!”
“Good thing we have time. They won’t search for us here,” she said, listening for footsteps. “Okay, here’s how it is,” she lowered her voice and explained, “Archaemenes led by Kit Mannon, not only found power in stolen portal keys. -”
“There are portals. Okay,” said Nate, focusing on her every word.
“You came through a portal,” she said.
Nate bobbed his head up and down.
“…So back to what I said earlier. Kit Mannon, leading the Archaemenes, found power with stolen portal keys. Making millions. They manipulated events in Quotidian to suit their plans. For example, businesspeople contracted them to numb influential elite that worked against their interests in Quotidian.”
“Okay,” said Nate.
“They targeted your mother because of her influence. She was a threat to the status quo. Despite her addictions and problems, she still shined a bright light on the injustices of the world. Kit and Castar worked together to persuade your alternate mother to make the journey to Quotidian, intending to drive your actual mother to the brink of insanity here in Machia. They had no intention of ever exchanging your mothers again. Keeping Aria here and her alternate self in Quotidian would mean a complete undoing of all your parents’ hard work.”
Nate tried to formulate a sentence.
Kenya swerved to Nate. “You’re rich and famous?”
Nate was silent, until he said, “my parents’ film The Light,” he paused. “Of course! It challenged the elite about climate change.”
“You’re rich and famous?“ asked Kenya, spellbound.
“Among the many causes your mother fought for,” said Sophie. “However, Kit’s plans went astray when they overlooked the fact Ava in Machia Veil did not have you. She had another boy. Your brother Finch.”
“Yes.” He could barely believe it.
“He is your age, a month younger,” said Sophie.
“Weird,” he paused. “Wait. Do I have an alternate self here?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
“In Quotidian. Homeless, most likely.”
Nate cleared his throat. “So much to take in. Why keep me in Club 7?”
“So, the unusual circumstances of you and Finch caused your alternate mother to collapse in the film premiere.”
“Wait. That wasn’t my mum?” Nate gasped.
“No. That was Ava Kenler, your alternate mother.”
“That’s why she asked for Finch! Wait. There was a photograph. Is he a redhead?“ asked Nate.
“Yes, he is.”
Wow. Now it all makes sense!
“Then, Finch, on hearing the news of his mother’s collapse, jumped during the last few seconds of the open Solstice bridge. The Portal. However, no other Finch arrived through the bridge. This was unexpected. Panicked, the Bridge team began an emergency black magic spell to bring the Quotidian version of Finch into Machia. But they made the mistake of saying Aria and Emins’ second son,” she said. “And not Finch. This is how you travelled to Machia into the wrong location.”
“Wow,” said Kenya.
Nate shook his head.
“This messed up Kit Mannon’s plans,” said Sophie, “because it was no longer a case where they could kidnap Aria here forever. You ran loose around Denewood, and you knew about the Machia Veil. That’s why they forced you into Club 7 until they found a solution.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just reunite Aria and Nate in Machia?” asked Kenya.
“This is where your alternate father comes in,” said Sophie.
“Ah,” said Kenya, her voice filled with confusion.
“Emyn has been fighting to get Finch back since he jumped,” said Sophie.
“Ah, yes, Finch,” said Kenya, counting the facts with her hands.
“He is a powerful man. He has the means to close Club 7 if we do not return Finch. Emyn can’t find out no alternate Finch lives in your Bellaton. That he is homeless, as you were when you arrived. So, Kit’s plan has been…” she hesitated.
“Yes?” asked Nate, wide eyed.
“To kill you all, I’m afraid.”
“Why?” asked Nate.
“Why!” joined Kenya.
“You know their secret. You could blow their cover,” said Sophie.
“How?” asked Nate.
“Your social influence could change the fundamental nature of Quotidian, altering their operations,” said Sophie.
“How on earth would I do that?”
“You could make a difference through social media. Or share your thoughts during a film premiere. You underestimate your own power.”
“But it’s too absurd! No one would believe me,” said Nate.
“No one? You’d be surprised what people believe these days,” Sophie said with a snort.
Nate stared at Sophie. “I never thought about it that way.”
He glanced at Kenya. “Of course! Everything is falling into place,” he said, taking a deep breath, “I must get to my mother.”
“It won’t help. Kit’s agents are keeping a close eye on her. Going to Bellatorn will end your life,” said Sophie.
Leaning forward, Nate rested his hands on his knees. He darkened. His body shaking. “I want to get out. Get me out of here.”
“First, calm yourself,” said Sophie.
“I am going to kill him. Kill them both!” said Nate, searching for something to break.
“Nate breathe, being out of control will get everyone killed. Breathe and control your anger. It’s the only way,” said Sophie.
“What should we do?” asked Kenya.
“Okay, here’s the plan,” she said. “Find the lady of the Loch.”
Kenya went white. “It’s, it’s not for the fainthearted!”
“No,” said Sophie. “But it’s the only way.”
The women exchanged a glance.
“What, what is it?“ asked Nate, shaking his head.
“So, you have been through One yourself?” Kenya asked Sophie.
“Tried and failed,” said Sophie.
“Same,” said Kenya, shivering.
“Someone please explain?” burst Nate.
“Wait. Is that why I’m here?” asked Kenya. “You had it all planned!”
“Operation Russet. Yes. You must lead Nate to Loch Lorian,” said Sophie.
Kenya staggered. She moved her eyes around the room. “It can’t be possible. I don’t understand,” she said.
“I knew that if you found a way into Club 7, you would lead Nate to Loch Lorian. This way, I can keep my cover intact,” she said, then turning to Nate, “your only way home is through Veil One,” said Sophie, matter of fact.
“What is Veil One?” asked Nate.
“Another Timeline. A kind of heaven. But not quite,” said Sophie. She lowered her voice, “as Kenya said, it’s not for the fainthearted.”
“Why? What happens there?” asked Nate.
“There is a force. It’s strong. Either you learn to navigate it or it will crush you,” said Sophie.
“Like water,” they both said in tandem.
“Water?” asked Nate.
“Water is mysterious. So is One. Water is adaptable. But transformed, it’s deadly like the iceberg that downed the Titanic,” said Sophie.
“Or a giant wave killing a surfer,” added Kenya, biting her lips.
Lauryn flooded Nate’s mind, but circumstances helped distract him.
“Why do I have to cross One to make it home?”
“Because the alternative is death for you and your mother. You won’t survive another four months before the Solstice Bridge reopens. Finch and Ava also need to return, or Kit will have won.”
“In One you can meet your RayCrest,” added Kenya.
Nate breathed in. “What is a RayCrest?”
“Angel-like beings. Phenomenal sight to behold,” added Sophie.
“Angel-like warriors, more like,” said Kenya.
“So, wait a moment. There is an unpredictable place called Veil One. Like a heaven. Where we may escape the Archs, but is a deadly risk?” asked Nate.
“In a psychological way. Yes,” said Sophie.
“What other choice is there?” asked Kenya.
“Finch will not survive that long. He is homeless and unrecognised like you were when you arrived. Or your mother. She is not doing well,” said Sophie.
“Take me to her!“ begged Nate.
“I can’t. The best way to save her is to find your RayCrest. They know about Russet. They want to help.”
“But we may get pounded to death? What sort of heaven is that?” asked Nate.
“Well, it’s not heaven exactly. It’s a realm, an alternate timeline,“ said Sophie.
“Have you seen these RayCrests?” asked Nate.
“Of course.”
“Here in Machia?”
“In videos, never face to face.”
“Can’t we just meet one here? If they know about Russet?”
“They don’t move to our will. We move to theirs,” said Kenya.
“Well, not exactly,” said Sophie. “They move to our freewill when we ask. But in this case, we must search for them. Veil One has a frequency that lifts you. This allows you to detect a RayCrest. Then cross Veil One, onto the Veil of Inspiration and back to Quotidian.”
“Or get pounded to death by water?” asked Nate, shaking his head.
“Or, hmm, yes, your mind can,” said Sophie.
Nate’s face creased into a frown. He glanced around the room. Full of angels and yet so dangerous. “Wait. How come Kit hasn’t killed me already?”
“He was poisoning you, drink by drink. Keeping you alive longer in case of an unforeseen change of circumstance.”
A chill ran down Nate’s spine.
“I couldn’t cross One. But I hope you will,” said Sophie.
“Why?”
“You have survived Club 7, haven’t you?” she said.
***
Above them, a door creaked open, and they overheard loud stomping footsteps.
Sophie motioned they stayed silent.
Nate and Kenya froze.
They waited.
The stomping continued.
“There is a hiding room here,” they overheard.
Sophie pressed her finger against her lips.
Nate stopped breathing.
“You have the code?” one of them said.
“Clarice will have it,” said the other.
“Dialling.”
“Well?”
“Voicemail.”
Their radios crackled.
“Copy!”
“Copy.”
Then they left.
***
Phew!
“Wait for me. I’ll be back,” said Sophie.
Nate and Kenya went white as she stepped out of the room. All they could do was wait.
***
The next morning. Sophie opened the hiding room, and they jumped as the light filled the dark space.
“Quick! This way!” she said, opening a door.
“There was another door?” asked Nate.
“Yes, I was uncertain which way they’d come. Now I know,” she said.
She led them to another secret passage. She opened it with a key.
“Come with us,” said Kenya.
“No time, run!” said Sophie.
“Come with us, Clarice!” insisted Nate.
“Save your mother. When you cross, find a RayCrest. They will help you find your mother. Do not deviate from this plan, Nate,” her voice strained.
“We will not leave you!” said Kenya.
Sophie’s firm insistence propelled them onto the street. “Kenya, be sure he gets to One.”
Outside, the blinding light greeted them, and Nate’s eyes stung from weeks spent indoors.
“Quick!” called Kenya as she led Nate out towards the direction Sophie signalled, “I can explain more on the train!”