Parallels

not. All right then, why?'

'We know it was about getting Trevor,' Dante said but he struggled hard to chase off any accusatory tone.

Shep explained. 'According to Nina, Johnny refused to leave Trevor. We all know the Reverend can be pretty damned stubborn.'

Chuckles from around the table.

Jon said, 'But the most important piece of this puzzle…the people who took Trevor were human. And one of them was Nina. Wow.'

'Hold on there,' Shepherd’s protective instincts kicked in. 'From what this lookalike told Nina, she and those other people came from a 'parallel' Earth, whatever that means.'

Lori Brewer said, 'A 'parallel' Earth? A place like here, with duplicates of all of us?'

Prescott cocked his head to the side and said, 'Seen that enough on TV over the years. Pretty hard to believe it might be true.'

'No harder than to believe in aliens and monsters, don't you think?' Lori said.

Gordon Knox assessed, 'This was a well-planned operation on their part. They used someone Nina knew and they figured Ms. Forest’s disappearance would draw Trevor. Apparently they knew something that I didn’t know. How interesting is that?'

Gordon’s words hung over the table. No one knew if he expected an answer or if he already knew the history involved.

'There’s nothing to do,' Brewer said.

Knox agreed: 'We have to tough it out and see through the investigation. Then we’ll get some answers.'

The upstairs door opened and the sound of shuffling feet came down the stairs as well as a voice saying, 'Answers would be nice.'

That voice belonged to Evan Godfrey, with two I.S. agents frantically trailing behind, one being Ray Roos who called apologetically to the meeting, 'I’m sorry, Sirs, but the Senator here bull-dogged his way through us.'

Evan approached the conference table. 'I’m wondering why I have to force my way into the estate and why a Senator is told he can’t enter a conference chamber. Why Trevor Stone keeps canceling meetings. So, yes, I would like to get some answers, too.'

'This is a restricted meeting,' Brewer stood. 'You weren’t invited.'

Godfrey did not flinch. Not one single inch.

'The top minds in The Empire, but no Emperor. I’ve done some checking. It's been at least a week since Trevor has been seen in public.'

Evan scanned the cast of conspirators in the room.

'Where is Trevor Stone?'

Brewer answered for them all. As the General spoke, he inched closer to Godfrey as if his physical presence might force the Senator to accept his words. 'Trevor is on a mission on the front lines. It is top secret. You and no one else have been informed and it is to stay that way. A gag order, Evan.'

'From the Emperor? His gag order?'

'Yes.'

'Do you have that in writing?'

'No. Since when does Trevor have to put his orders in writing?'

Godfrey's eyes narrowed. 'This isn’t his little clan any more, General. There are procedures. There is a system. Trevor may be at the top of that system, but he is a part of it, nonetheless. You’re hiding something, and you’re scared, too. I can see that. You have nothing to fear from me. Unless, that is, you have something to fear from the people. Me and my colleagues, we represent those people. Withholding the truth will do more harm than good.'

'I’ve…told you the truth,' it was possible that Brewer’s lips did not move as he growled the words.

'Understand this, all of you,' Evan again scanned the room. 'I accept that Trevor has been our unquestioned leader. I even accept his title- as foul-tasting as it is — I even accept his title of ‘Emperor’ because it fits what he has made of himself.'

Evan leaned closer to Brewer even though the latter towered overhead.

'But know this…if Trevor is no more, I will not accept a new Emperor. The people will not accept a new despot. And if need be, I will lead an insurrection against all who try to impose some sort of line of succession.'

Lori Brewer's mouth dropped and she said, 'Are you threatening civil war?'

'I’m not threatening, I’m promising that when Trevor Stone is gone so is the office of the Emperor. Nothing less will be accept-.'

Evan stopped mid-sentence as a cold gun barrel pressed against the back of his head.

Gordon Knox held a nickel-plated. 45 caliber with a hitherto unseen fire in his eyes.

'Senator, I do believe you have just threatened treason. I think I speak for everyone in this room when I say I don’t really like that. Now you have your fancy papers and big speeches down there in Washington D.C., but you need to remember something, Senator. We’re still living in the jungle. The lions still eat the antelopes. So maybe you need to rethink your words.'

Ray Roos watched from the stairway. His hand wavered toward his side arm but then retreated. He did not commit to any action.

Godfrey stared directly at Jon Brewer while the gun remained pressed to his skull.

'This is in your hands,' Evan challenged Jon. 'Which way do you wish to go? Will you allow Mr. Knox to blow out the brains of an elected Senator here, in this mansion, on the hollowed grounds of humanity’s rebirth? Or are you more than a lion who eats antelope?'

Jon sighed and held his hands up in a sign of surrender.

'Gordon, put that damn thing away.'

Knox considered for a moment, and then holstered his gun. The room breathed a collective sigh of relief. Jon retreated to his chair and sat.

'You’ve heard what I’ve said,' Godfrey spoke to the entire room again. 'If Trevor Stone is off on a secret mission, fine. I look forward to seeing him when he comes back. I can be patient. But if he isn’t coming back then know that I-and many like me-will not accept a new monarch. If Trevor is gone, then so is the Emperor.'

Evan turned and faced Gordon Knox. 'I won’t forget this. Trust me.'

Gordon smiled and his eyes widened menacingly. 'Good. Remember. Especially when you go to sleep at night…all safe in your bed. Just like that Hivvan governor in Richmond…'

Evan scowled and ascended the stairs to the exit.

Nobody said a word for nearly a full minute until Stonewall spoke.

'Well, I dare say this has been a productive gathering. I think I shall head back to the front. The monsters there are much more pleasant.'

– Lori Brewer turned off the desktop lamp and the dining-room-turned-office went dark with only a trace of light eking through the windows from the dying day outside.

With another bad day behind, she planned to steal her daughter away from the nanny and head to their small, lakeside home. Alas, she found her escape blocked by Ashley standing in the doorway.

Lori said, 'Hello, Ashley' but also gathered her papers into a bundle to send another message: I am leaving.

Ashley ignored the body language and said, 'I know you don’t like me very much.'

Lori could not deny that she had not liked Ashley in the old world. However, since her ark ride, Ashley seemed a changed woman. Quieter, stronger, and surprisingly resilient.

Armageddon tended to change people.

Still, she stumbled, 'Huh? What? Ashley, what are you talking about?'

'That’s why I came to you. Maybe you’ll tell me the truth.'

'The truth? The truth about what?'

'You know, being married to…,' she stopped, considered her words, and then re-phrased: 'Being with Trevor has its advantages. While the rest of you play coy I went straight to one of Gordon Knox’s assistants and got hold of Shepherd’s report summary. I don’t think the poor woman knew I wasn’t supposed to see it.'