JACKIE:

I snapped out of the Bennu Island stream and landed back in the void of endless slipstream portals. As they swirled around me, I felt overwhelmed and dizzy. I needed to know what happened to Grace and Zayne, whose plight shook me to the core. Also, Firestorm hadn’t yet answered any of my questions about how the slipstream worked, how we could use it to take down Life Rite, and, most importantly, how to save Baxter and find my mom. I could clearly affect the streams because I totally punched that scary bird away. Could I change other streams? How do changes affect things overall if they technically already happened in the past?

I felt as clueless as when I arrived. The insane amount of fire portals were like a churning sea, poised to swallow me whole.

“Get a grip, Jackie.” I refocused on the spark I just exited. It felt closed, unwilling to let me back in. I examined another nearby portal, but that felt shut, too. It was like the slipstream rejected me. The field of portals floated up and away until all that remained was that crushing darkness once more.

“Firestorm? Help!” I needed his guidance more than I cared to admit. I couldn’t see him, but luckily I heard his response.

“You’re leaving the slipstream,” he explained, “but you can come back. Death and near-death experiences are the most powerful way to enter. But because you’re a gene carrier, you can also use fire as a way in.”

“Gene carrier?”

“I thought we’d have more time. There’s a lot to explain. Come back as soon as you can. I’ll be waiting for you.”

His voice sounded more distant than before. It felt like I was being pulled out of the void.

“How do I get back?” I asked, desperate to stay and determined to find out the secrets of the slipstream.

“Stare into a large fire, and then…” Firestorm’s voice trailed off as a piercing white light evaded the blackness of the slipstream.

Where was it taking me? I didn’t want to go back to the humdrum life I’d lived before. There was no going back now that I knew this place existed.

Firestorm piqued my curiosity about using the slipstream to save Baxter, but I still had no clue how. I vowed to do anything in my power to figure out how to help him.

I suddenly became aware of my physical body, which I had all but forgotten about. My head pounded, and a loud ringing screamed in my right ear. The white light surrounding me faded, a beeping noise replaced the ringing, and an awful pain in my abdomen joined my headache.

I opened my eyes and found myself in a hospital bed. The room was small, with the bed and one chair taking up the space. The room was pure white; walls, ceiling, floor, and linens. It was extremely clean.

Sunlight refracted off the Grid and poured in through the window, tinging my bedsheet with a streak of red.

I spied the Life Rite logo on the white curtain and on the closed door. Great… I couldn’t shake them.

I looked down and saw a bandage around my gunshot wound.

Did that actually happen? I questioned what reality even meant anymore. Had I dreamt of the slipstream and Firestorm as a coping mechanism? Was Pops getting shot part of the nightmare? I hoped he was still alive and needed to find out stat.

I heard a click and realized the Alpha drone was perched in the corner of the room, spying on me. It blinked several times fast. The clicking noise made my teeth hurt.

I had to get out of there. I swung my legs out of bed and hobbled to my feet. My stomach pulled and pained me. Yup, the gunshot wound was real.

The door opened, and I braced myself for who it might be. It shocked me to see Miss Beatrice Claudi, dressed in a royal blue dress and matching heels.

“Please, don’t get up,” she said. “You’re hurt and need to rest.”

“I’m fine.” My voice cracked. Beatrice’s confident presence made me feel like a peasant who didn’t deserve to speak.

As I wondered if she remembered me, Alpha made sure she did.

“Jackie Cooper is the janitor involved in Incident R64,” it said.

Its clicking sound amped up my anxiety.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“Yes, Jackie. I remember you. How could I forget that distinctive red streak in your hair?” Beatrice looked me dead in my eyes and smiled. “What an eventful week for you.”

I got goosebumps under my hospital gown that was open in the back. I sat on the edge of the bed, vulnerable and afraid.

“Well, Jackie. I have good news and bad news for you. Besides being shot,” Beatrice said, “you tested positive for PX. But the good news is, we can treat you. We’ll even compensate you for being part of our trial research on the virus.”

Another pay out? This time, I knew better than to accept her tiny stipend blindly. I stiffened, emboldened by the power of the slipstream.

“No, thank you. I’d like to go home now.”

The drone spoke with disdain in its mechanical voice. “The PX virus is highly contagious! You cannot leave for risk of infecting others.”

Beatrice gave me an insincere look of sympathy. “Follow me to your temporary living quarters. I’m sure you’ll find them more than satisfactory.”

Beatrice turned on her heels and left the room. Alpha zipped behind her.

Not knowing what else to do, I followed Beatrice into the sterile hallway. I had cleaned the complex enough to know we were in the hospital wing. I remembered the luxury apartment accommodations. No way they’d put someone like me in one of those suites.

I felt a chilly breeze in the back of my hospital gown and abruptly closed it with my hands to make sure no one saw my bare butt. I felt vulnerable again as I followed Beatrice sauntering down the hall, her heels clicking with every powerful step. She turned the corner and used her Universal DNA Identifier to open an apartment. I meekly followed her and Alpha inside.

“Welcome to your temporary home here at Life Rite.”

I walked into the modern apartment that was definitely meant for someone important. A marble island greeted me in the open-concept space that started with a kitchen. It led to a comfy living room area with a fireplace and large windows overlooking the city. We must have been at least thirty stories up. Not the penthouse, but better than I’ve ever experienced.

Alpha said, “The CDC mandates you quarantine here for two weeks so you do not infect others. Everything you need is here. I’m sure you will find it quite comfortable.”

Beatrice opened the stainless steel fridge, fully stocked with fresh fruits, vegetables, sweet treats, even bottles of pure, clean water. I couldn’t believe it. I salivated at the sight.

“Help yourself,” Beatrice said with a smile.

I forgot my manners and rushed over to the fridge like a pig at a trough. I pulled out a container of fresh strawberries and stuffed one in my mouth. Its sweetness exploded like a firework in my mouth. The sensation almost brought tears to my eyes. I hadn’t had a strawberry in years!

Remembering my present company, I looked at Beatrice, who quickly hid a smirk. She knew the power she wielded with something as simple as a strawberry. I was such an easy target.

Trying to grab onto any thread of leverage, I said, “My father, Baxter. He also got shot. Where is he? I need to see him.”

Beatrice smiled and spoke with precision. “He’s alive and well, thanks to Life Rite. He’s getting the best care here, top of the line.”

Alpha added, “Life Rite is not legally obligated to continue free care, but if you cooperate, we will accommodate.”

Checkmate.

Beatrice smiled again. She knew there was nothing I could do but comply with whatever she said.

What did she want from me, though? What could I possibly have anything that she needs?

“All I have to do is stay here for two weeks while I recover from the PX virus?”

I tried to hide the distrust in my voice, but we both knew something about this setup was false. Only Beatrice knew the real reason behind the charade.

“We’ll need daily blood samples from you,” Beatrice replied.

Off my deadpan look, she added, “To test the levels of virus in your body.”

An arm attachment with a needle on the end snapped out of Alpha side plate. It flew over to me and pricked the back of my neck. Its glowing green insides zipped past my face. My blood filtered into the bottom of its eye, into its belly, so to say.

“Ow!” I protested and grabbed the back of my neck.

“No need to be dramatic,” the creepy drone chided. “My medical programming runs with one-hundred percent accuracy.”

Beatrice turned on a dime and left without another word. Alpha followed, and the door locked behind them.

So much for sticking up for myself. I didn’t have a chance in this world. The drone had more authority than me. I wiped the leftover blood off my neck with my hand and looked at it.

Did I have the PX virus? If I was contagious, why would someone like Beatrice stand in the same room as me when she could send her drone? Was I now Life Rite’s prisoner?

Feeling sorry for myself, I popped more strawberries into my mouth and tried to find the silver lining. This apartment was next level! I touched the fleece sofa and noted the Life Rite logo on the fluffy throw pillows. I walked over to the window and looked at the hustle and bustle of the city outside. The Grid looked so imposing from up there. At least I was stuck in a gilded cage.

My mind snapped back to Zayne, who didn’t have such luxuries.

“Fire!” I exclaimed to myself, realizing I was standing in front of a fireplace. I wasn’t stuck there… if I could figure out how to use fire as a portal back to the slipstream. I needed to find Firestorm.

It was a gas fireplace with a fancy remote control, so it was easy to get started. I sat on the sofa and watched the flames flicker and dance. Fire was always a powerful force of concentration for me. It always brought me a sense of peace, but I had never entered the slipstream that way. It took time, patience, but most importantly, it took belief. I had to believe in Firestorm. Although he initially rubbed me the wrong way, and I still didn’t know who he even was, I needed to trust him now. He was my only hope.

I took a deep breath and concentrated on the fire. It was hard to get comfortable. My gunshot wound called out for my attention, and so did my pounding headache. This wouldn’t be easy.

After shifting around restlessly for a few minutes, I exhaled and let the fire consume my mind. All other thoughts melted away, and I blocked out my physical surroundings. I intuitively let the fire sweep me away from the here and now. My eyes crossed. My breathing slowed, and I lost consciousness. In a moment of breathlessness, I let it all go and felt the power of the slipstream rush over me. What truths would I find in this ethereal place this time? Could I reconnect with Firestorm to learn more about Grace and Zayne or would I get lost in the void of endless probabilities?