The Penteract Factor (Science Fiction - Short Story)

"The Penteract Factor" appears in the short story collection Night Alleys, recently published by Paranoia Press. "The Penteract Factor" © James C. Stewart 2014

"The sentiment du déjà-vu is based, as I have found in a number of cases, on a foreknowledge in dreams..."

-C.G. Jung, On Synchronicity and the Paranormal (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1997) p. 94

"We do not, after all, 'record' our impressions of life verbally, and there is no reason to think that they would be 'transmitted'-by tachyons or whatever-in verbal terms, but rather as a full range of sensory images ready to be absorbed and interpreted by the receiver. The difference, if you like, between 'analogue' communication and 'digital' transfer information."

-John Gribbin, Timewarps (London: Sphere Books Limited,1979) p. 135

The sensation of déjà-vu was overwhelming.

He could almost predict the way the smiling receptionist would fold her hands beneath her pretty chin, could almost predict the flirty lilt to her voice, "Welcome to the Syndia Corporation, Mister Allan."

"Thank you," his eyes found a name tag, "Cindy."

She stood smoothing her skirt, "Right this way. Doctor Heller is expecting you."

She led him through a busy maze of cubicles, eventually stopping to open a door and announce, "Mister Allan, sir."

Heller's office was déjà-vu times ten. Across the room a blackboard caught his attention, a blackboard busy with equations he couldn't begin to understand. Reality tilted and the accompanying vertigo knocked him off-balance.

He leaned against a wall.

Doctor Heller came out from behind a desk, "Are you all right, Max?"

The concern seemed genuine. Before he could respond, Heller had shown him to a chair.

Max loosened his tie. The reaction eased and then subsided. Heller used an intercom to request a glass of water. Max said, "Thank you. I'm okay. Just a dizzy spell."

He glanced around the room. Heller's desk was a mess of papers and books. There were shelves with more books. There was a dented filing cabinet. The only thing to distinguish it from any other office in any other building was the blackboard and its indecipherable equations.

Cindy returned with a glass of water.

Heller said, "Perhaps we should postpone?"

Max shook his head, "Absolutely not. I'm here and I'm fine." To prove it, he started the meeting, "Our agency will provide total security for this phase of the Chicago Project."

Heller settled back into his chair. He seemed pleased. He removed his horn-rimmed glasses and gave them a wipe, "We'd trust no one else." He returned them to his face, "They say the device will be more powerful than one hundred tons of TNT...can you imagine?"

a flash of light seven times brighter than the midday sun

"No, sir."

"Should be quite the show."

Max shifted in his seat. He was uncomfortable with Heller's topic.

eternal shadows on scorched concrete and a geiger counter's click

Heller was saying, "...tomorrow."

"Excuse me?"

Heller frowned, "Are you sure you're okay, Max?"