One of the doors clicked. All the heads in the room turned, just in time to see the door swing open.

A man stepped into the room, wearing a sheeny green suit that covered his entire body, except for his face, which could be seen through a window on his helmet. He was pale, sweaty, nervous, and seemed completely miserable. Despite this, he wore a red-spotted yellow ribbon tied at his neck.

Karl wondered if the man was insane.

There was swelling on the back of the suit, as if a pack had been built into it.

Karl noticed the man was quietly muttering to himself. His gait was unsteady, like a limp, only stranger. He pulled out a stool from under a counter and rolled it across the room toward Karl and the others. He made a fuss about sitting down in it, hesitating for a moment, positioning himself awkwardly before getting settled. He tugged at the edge of his ribbon before looking Karl and his friends in the eyes.

Karl saw Geoffrey’s expression tighten. The Count of Seasweep stepped up, toward the man from the future.

“You…” Geoffrey brought his hand to his mouth to cover a cough. “I remember you,” he said. “You were there, during the battle.”

The man nodded. “I told you…” he said. “You’ve traveled forward through time. You didn’t believe me then. Though, from what I’ve heard, Nurse Kaylin had better luck convincing your youngest member.” Smiling weakly, the man locked eyes with Karl.

His gaze was overly curious and off-putting. Almost invasive, as if he was trying to piece together every bit of detail he could notice.

Crossing his legs, Bever bobbed his head toward Karl. “Yes,” he said. “Young Prestingham has been showing us, both the glory, and the horror.”

Karl averted his eyes, feeling stupidly embarrassed. “It was Nurse Kaylin who…” He gulped.

His whole body felt off.

“She showed me how to use these, uh… console-machines,” Karl continued, raising up his console. “The vid-eos took care of the rest.”

The man smiled sadly. “They’re incredible, aren’t they?” He shook his head. “The technology, I mean, not the fact that the world is ending.” He sighed. “I wish you could have seen it a week ago.” “But,” he said, after a moment of silence, with a light slap of the tops of his thigh, “where are my manners?” He placed a gloved hand on his chest. “I am Dr. Genneth Howle. I’m a neuropsychiatrist here at West Elpeck Medical Center—WeElMed, as we call it; that’s capital W, lower-case E, Capital E, lower case L, capital M, lower case E, lower case D, no spaces. Though I…” he bit his lip, “…I don’t suppose you know what neuropsychiatry is, now, do you?”

“Does everyone in Hell spell their words aloud?” Morgan asked. “Or is it just you?”

Dr. Howle frowned. “Well… that was uncalled for.”

Karl watched intently, feeling strangely bewildered. Dr. Howle seemed to have things even worse than him, and that was no small feat.

“No,” Karl said, shaking his head, “we don’t.”

“I… um…” Dr. Howle started to speak, only to stop and softly hiss the word “Fudge” while clenching his fists. A moment later, he looked up at Karl and the others with renewed vigor. “No more beating around the bush.”

“What?” Bever said, furrowing his brow.

Karl could have sworn he’d just heard Dr. Howle mutter, “No, there’s no bush.”

“If you are a doctor,” Duncan said, “you must be here to heal us. But… what is there to be healed? We are unstuck in time, and this world faces the Moonlight’s judgment.”

“Why are you here, Dr. Howle?” Geoffrey asked.

He pursed his lips. “I… I…” He huffed. “Alright, so… this is going to sound strange—”

“—Everything here is strange—” Morgan quipped.

Howle looked Geoffrey in the eyes. “—I need your help,” he said. “We need your help.”

“What do you want?” Geoffrey asked.

“It takes guts to ask a favor when you kidnapped one of our brothers-in-arms and house the Mewnee who beheaded another,” Bever said.

Howle shook his head. “This is a hospital, meant to serve the people of Elpeck. The military is not normally here, but, then again, these are hardly normal times, are they?” he sighed. “I am not allied with the people who took your colleague. That’s part of why I need your help.”

“Oh?” Morgan asked, eyebrow perking.

Dr. Howle’s expression turned grave.

“Yesterday morning, a contingent of the Trenton armed forces arrived at WeElMed under the command of General Vernon Marteneiss. The fungus has started turning the infected into zombies—uh, those are—”

“—I told them about the… zombies, sir,” Karl said.

“Hell is mustering its troops for the Last Days,” Morgan muttered.

Dr. Howle nodded. “Yes, well… all over the world, people are turning into zombies, like what happened when you arrived, and they’re going on rampages, attacking the innocent, spreading the plague.”

“But they stopped,” Duncan said.

Howle chuckled, “I’m aware.” He cleared his throat. “And that’s why the military is here. WeElMed stands alone, safe from the zombie scourge, and General Marteneiss is here to learn why.”

“Has he made any progress?” Karl asked.

The doctor shook his head. “No, and if he doesn’t make progress, soon, they’re going to bomb the city. Elpeck will be wiped off the face of the earth.”

“What…?” Duncan said, speechless. In his shock, he let go of his console. The device hit the floor with a sharp thud. The lanky, blond rifleman stooped over and picked it up.

“Yeah,” Dr. Howle said, “and, being a good guy, General Marteneiss doesn’t want that to happen, so… because he’s a good guy, he’s been kidnapping our patients and taking them to the basement of the General Labs building across the courtyard to… experiment on them.”

“What?” Geoffrey said, wide-eyed with shock.

The doctor nodded. “It’s worse than you can imagine,” he said. “He’s been turning the captives into zombies in order to figure out how the process works. It’s a two-for-one torture-murder deal, and the hospital is doing nothing to stop it. Because that’s what good guys do, right?”

“Kaplan said Eylon…” Karl exhaled, “he’s been taken to General Labs. I remember that much.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The good doctor hung his head down low. “Then he’s probably being experimented on right this second. What better way to learn about time travelers than to cut them open? It’s barbaric.”

“And your people allow this?” Geoffrey asked, standing up stiff.

“What else can we do?” Dr. Howle said. “On one hand, if we try to go in and stop them, our people are going to get killed, and there might be a riot, and, even if there isn’t, everything will go to go to Hell—perhaps literally, especially if the demons start invading in earnest and zombify people en masse. On the other hand, if we do nothing, all of that will happen anyway once the military inevitably loses control of their experiments.” He frowned. “I think the latter would be slightly worse, though. At least, if we tried to right this wrong, we’d stand a chance of keeping the people’s trust. But if we idly sit by, doing nothing, they’ll turn on us. And then what will we do?”

Geoffrey’s gaze moved from one pair of eyes to the next. The look in Count Athelmarch’s eyes told Karl everything he needed to know.

Here was something they could do.

“And for this, you would seek our aid?” Geoffrey asked.

“Yes,” Howle said, with a nod, “but there’s more.”

“More?” Duncan asked, placing his console on his bed. “How can there be more, when what you have asked is already too much for us? The guns your soldiers wield… they’re unlike anything I’ve ever seen. They’re a terror to behold. What threat could we pose against such a defense?”

“And without the benefit of even our own weapons,” Morgan added.

Their armaments had been missing since they’d awakened in this room. Nurse Kaylin had mentioned something about them having been confiscated, for reasons of safety.

Howle gave Karl and his friends a thorough look-over, as if he was searching for something. By the end, his pallid expression had gotten paler still. “You’re all infected with the Green Death,” he said. “Geoffrey’s case is the most advanced, though the rest of you will catch up with him soon enough.”

“What…?” Duncan said, astonished. “You can’t mean…”

“Trust me,” Dr. Howle said, “I know what I’m talking about.”

Karl turned toward the door. “Then… we are not long for this world…”

Dr. Howle nodded. “I’ll be blunt. Right now, everyone is dying. This disease destroys its victims’ minds. Their memories shatter. Since you are in the early stages, your mental and physical faculties are still in full working order. That gives you an advantage over our soldiers. This will be in close quarters, and one of my colleagues will help me guide you to where you need to go without being detected by the General’s men.”

“What do you expect us to do?” Bever asked.

“Free the captives and kill the zombies.”

“What will stop us from becoming demons?” Duncan asked.

“You’ve only just been infected,” Howle replied. “It will be a while before the fungus can control you.”

Morgan glared at him. “Why would we risk—” but Geoffrey stuck out his arm and cut him off.

“—How will you and your colleague guide us to this General Labs building?” Geoffrey asked.

“We have maps on our consoles, for one. It’s in, uh…” Dr. Howle turned to face Karl. “You, uh… what’s your name?”

“Karl,” Karl said. “Karl Prestingham. Son of Markus.”

“Karl,” Howle said, “you said you know what a video is?”

“Yes,” Karl answered.

“Well,” Howle explained, “to make a video, you need a camera. Cameras have lenses in them, and anything they see, they can make a copy of, to form a video.” He pointed up at a small, black hemisphere jutting out from the corner of the ceiling. “See that?” he said. “That’s a camera. It is watching us as we speak. There are others like it all across the hospital.” He lowered his arm. “My colleague can access all of the hospital’s cameras. He will have eyes in every hallway. We’ll know which ways are safe to take, and which are not.”

“We cannot help you while we are trapped in here,” Geoffrey said, “without our weapons.”

“Your weapons?” Dr. Howle asked.

“Yes,” Duncan said. “When we awoke, they were nowhere to be found.”

“I accept,” Geoffrey said. “But, first, we will need our weapons. Would you happen to know where our possessions were taken?”

“Your weapons?” Howle said. He pursed his lips in thought. “They’re probably in the security office. That’s where we put weapons and other contraband. But, don’t worry, I’ll show you where it is, myself.”

“You?” Karl asked.

“Yes,” Howle replied, “I’ll make sure you get to General Labs. I want to help you rescue your friend, and you’ll need my help in return, and my colleagues’.”

“We can’t open the doors,” Bever said.

Howle nodded. “That’s alright, I’ve already taken care of that. I’ve unlocked the doors. So,” he added, “what do you say?”

“Geoffrey,” Morgan said, “surely, you can’t—”

But, again, Geoffrey cut the bitter pikeman off. “I accept.” He nodded. “These monsters who would torture the people and abduct our companion… they must be stopped.”

Karl noticed a steely calm had settled over Geoffrey. This was the old Geoffrey, the one that had taught him so much. Gone was the sense of loss and aimlessness in the face of this doomed future.

Geoffrey had a mission, and he would see it through to the end.

“As for yourself, Dr. Howle,” Geoffrey said, “you said you had more to address?”

“Yes,” Howle nodded. “I’d, uh… I’d like to ask you about what happened when you time-traveled.”

“I already told Nurse Kaylin and Lt. Colonel Kaplan everything I know,” Karl said.

“Well… would you mind telling me?” the doctor asked.

“Are you in league with the Mewnees?” Geoffrey asked. “I won’t stomach any more traitors.”

A spat of confusion graced Dr. Howle’s face. “Mewnees…?” But understanding soon blossomed. “Oh,” he said, eyes wide and twinkling, “you mean… you’re from the Sparking.”

“The what?” Karl asked.

“The Third Crusade, to drive Mu out of Trenton.”

“That we are,” Bever said.

Dr. Howle shook his head. “I’m sorry, there’s… there’s so much I’d like to ask you, but… we just don’t have the time.” He bowed apologetically.

Geoffrey narrowed his eyes at that.

Bowing like the Mewnees did had become a habit among Trentoners since the start of the occupation. Other than Markus, Geoffrey was the only person Karl knew who made a habit of not doing it, or who encouraged others to do the same. Apparently, when the Mewnee fled Trenton, they hadn’t taken their habits with them.

“Why do you want to know about… time-travel?” Karl said.

“I think it’s our only chance to figure all this out.”

Karl turned to Geoffrey. “Should I, sir?”

Geoffrey narrowed his eyes at Dr. Howle, perhaps searching for any sign of Mewnee influence on him. After a moment, he nodded.

“Dr. Howle has aided us,” he said. “I see no reason why we should not return the favor.”

And so, with a nod, Karl began to nervously recount the events leading up to the moment time had come undone. The memories were strangely vivid, as if he was rehashing them again, as he had in his dream. Dr. Howle listened attentively, not interrupting once. But the biggest surprise were the questions he asked once Karl had finished.

“Back in your time,” Dr. Howle said, “in the days leading up to the moment you time-traveled, did you see any sign of the Green Death?”

“Only darkpox, doctor,” Geoffrey said, gravely. “The land barely endured that plague. I shudder to think of what the Green Death would have done in its place.”

Dr. Howle turned to Karl. “But, you’re certain you saw a rift appear in the past?” he asked.

Karl nodded. “More than certain.”

The doctor shook his head. “But… that makes no sense. What colors did you see around it, if any? Please, think carefully.”

“There were many colors,” Duncan said, “if I recall correctly. They were quite faint, and at the rift’s edge. It lasted for but a moment. Then we were drowned in light, and… you know the rest.”

Dr. Howle hunched forward. “That just makes things even more complicated…” He groaned.

“What do you know that you are not telling us?” Geoffrey asked.

There was a pause.

“I think…” Howle said. “… I think the fungus might be attacking time itself.”

What in the world? Karl thought. He could feel the hairs on his neck stand on end.

“What does that mean?” Bever asked.

The doctor shook his head. “I’m not entirely sure. That’s what terrifies me.”

“Can you stop it?” Karl asked.

Again, the doctor shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Suddenly, Dr. Howle’s console vibrated in his hands like a haunted rattle. He tapped the screen and then, wide-eyed, muttered, “Heggy? Darn it! Why now?”

“What is it now?” Morgan asked.

“One of my colleagues wants to speak with me. It’s urgent. Ugh…” He got up from the stool. “She can’t see me here, she’d go ballistic if she knew we’d gone and done exactly what she told us not to do. I’m sorry.” He bowed again. “I’ll be right back. Just wait, I’ll be as quick as I can.”

Then he got up and left the room, muttering something beneath his breath about blues and golds.

As soon as the door closed, Geoffrey turned to their companions. There was a fire burning in his pale green eyes.

“Move,” he said, “quickly.”

Bever and Morgan got up from the floor, with the pikeman dusting himself off as he stood.

Startled, Karl got off his bed. “Wh-what?” he stammered. “What are we doing? What about Dr. Howle?”

“There’s no time to wait for him,” Geoffrey said, “and even if there was, I would not do him the courtesy.” He pointed at the door. “You saw his suit. It was embossed with Mewnee script. And he bowed.” Geoffrey shook his head, flicking about his raven-black hair. “He seems like a kind man, but I do not trust anyone in this demon-touched world. The Mewnees are still here, in league with Hell itself. We must act, and quickly. We will rescue Eylon, if there is anything left of him to save, and we will smite these demon zombees in their nest, once and for all.”

“God,” Morgan said, “we don’t know where to go!”

Geoffrey beckoned Karl with a wave of his hand. “Karl, come here, and bring that console-machine with you.”

Karl did as he was told.

“Here,” Geoffrey said, pointing at one of the icons—an image of a large-faced, blonde-haired man.

Karl pressed it. The screen filled with a new image: a grid riddled with blinking text.

“What next, Geoffrey?” Karl asked.

“I…” Geoffrey stammered, “I don’t know the words. Just please, give it here.”

Handing his console to Geoffrey, Karl watched as the Count of Seasweep pressed a symbol in the upper right corner consisting of four, short horizontal lines stacked on top of each other. A separate box opened up on the side of the screen. Karl’s eyes leapt down the words to the one that he knew Geoffrey had had in mind:

Map

“Gather round!” Geoffrey said. “Gather round!”