Alternate Soul

Chapter 16

Jared walked into the cabin and practically fell on the couch. He was so exhausted. He had tried to delegate some of the decision making to others but everything kept coming back to him. But tonight he had made sure he wasn't to be disturbed for a few hours. He left Shannon and Tomo in charge. He had to talk to Jessie. He hoped she would tell the truth but he would respect her decision if she didn't. It would hurt though knowing she didn't trust him enough to be honest.
"Oh, hey babe," Jessie said as came into the room. "How long have you been here?"
"Not long. I left Shannon and Tomo in charge so we could talk."
"Ok." She got nervous. "You want a glass of wine? I'm going to get one."
"Sure." Jared followed her into the kitchen.
"Here you go." She handed him a huge glass full of wine. She drank about half of hers and refilled it. Hoping he didn't notice. Jared laughed a little as he turned her towards him.
"It's ok. You can't tell me anything that would change the way I feel about you." He kissed her gently. "Come on let's go sit in the living room." They both sat on the couch. Jessie took another drink from her glass. Jared watched her, patiently waiting for her to speak.
She could feel his eyes on her. She took a steadying breath. "I'm not sure exactly where to start, Jared. I don't know what you want to know."
"Yes, you do Jess." He tried to reassure her. "I want to know everything about you. But like I said if you won't tell me I'll try to understand."
"You're not going to want to believe what I'm about to tell you." She took another drink. "But I'm not going to lie anymore Jared." Here goes nothing and everything. "I love you and I want you to know who I really am or rather who I was." She looked at Jared and saw him smile and relax a little.
He had thought for sure she was going to lie to him. He was glad she had decided to tell him the truth.
"I'll start with what I think is important then you can ask me whatever else you want to know."
Jared nodded.
"My name really is Jessica Chambers. My twin brother, Robert, and I skipped a bunch of grades in school and graduated from college before we even got our drivers license. We went to work with a group that was working on a faster interplanetary travel. Robert and I thought we figured it out but what we had discovered was a way of traveling between alternate universes. We had to test it. Animals wouldn't work because you had to know the calculations to get back. Robert and I decided we would do it. The more I thought about it the more dangerous I realized it was. I rigged an accident for my brother so he would get hurt and couldn't come with me. I didn't want him getting stuck with me or worse if it didn't work. So I ran the experiment with just me and I ended up here. I guess our calculations were off because Robert didn't pull me back. After waiting a few weeks for him to come get me. I did some research and figured out exactly where I was and found out my alt here was dead so I just took her identity." She turned to him and looked him in the eyes hoping he would see all the love she had for him. "And then I met you. You gave me the opportunity to travel around and I didn't want to stay in the same place for long. It didn't take me long to find out about the A2. I managed to cover my tracks so they couldn't find me. Once I was established I started helping others like myself disappear. I do occasionally work with some scientists trying to travel between universes. That way the ones that want to go back can one day. The rest you know."
Jared sat there listening. If he hadn't seen other evidence he would have thought she was crazy. Hell, he thought he was crazy or having some kind of crazy ass dream. "When you say alternate universe does that mean it's like a mirror image of here?"
"No, it's where some decision was made differently and it changed the timeline somehow."
"Is it like time travel then?"
"In some ways. Like I know you taped Haley. She knows all your songs because in her world they have all been released so it could be a little bit of time travel like. But in some things, it's just too different and the timelines don't match at all."
"Why can't you just recalculate your equations and go back the same way you came?"
"The technology doesn't exist here yet."
"Jess, if it did and you could go back would you?" He was scared of her answer but it was something he needed to know.
She didn't hesitate. "No. I've made my life here now." She dropped her head. "Of course I would love to see my brother again. I miss him a lot. Other than him everyone I love and care about is here." She touched Jared's hand. He turned his over and held hers. They sat quietly for a moment.
Suddenly his radio came to life. "Jared we need you at the command center."
"Be there in a minute."
"I have to go." He said as he got up.
"Jared are we..." Jessie started unsure.
"We are fine. I don't care where you're from. I care about who you are." He stood her up and hugged her. "You are my friend, my lover and the love of my life, Jessica." He kissed her passionately and walked out the door leaving her breathless.

___________

"Dwight just got here a few minutes ago," Tomo told Jared as he came into the command center. "Sorry for interrupting you but we thought you would want to meet with him right away."
Jared went right into his office. He used every bit of confidence he had and then used his acting skills for the rest. He knew who Dwight was now. He had to get him on their side.
"Dwight, it's nice to meet you," Jared said as he shook his hand.
"Likewise," Dwight answered.
Jared noticed that Dwight was watching everyone and everything at the same time it seemed. Like he was on guard.
"I was wondering if you could tell me what happened after the concert. I'm trying to figure out what happened to that woman and if she managed to tell anyone about the others."
"So you tracked me down and brought me all the way here just to ask me that?" Dwight sat forward in his chair.
"Yes, I like to look a person in the eye so I can tell if they are lying."
Dwight smiled slowly. "Bullshit! You may want the answer to that question but that's not why you brought me here. Just cut to the chase and tell me what you really want."
Nice Jared couldn't fool him. Good, he needed that. Someone who could see through the veil.
"Ok, I need a man like you to help me and protect us. We don't know who to trust anymore. I have asked around about you and everyone I have talked to says your the best and most trustworthy person they have worked with. No one knew you had it in you to kill that woman though." Jared watched him looking for some kind of reaction. "That kind of decision making and steel will is what I'm going to need soon. So what I wanted to ask is will you come and work for us?"
"No." He said matter of factly. "Look I took care of that woman to protect everyone there. Not just you. I don't want to make any more trouble for myself."
He had known it wouldn't be easy to convince him but he tried to reason with him. "Do you know why I put a call out for help Dwight? Do you know who I'm going up against? Didn't you hear what we were talking about in that suite?"
"Thanks but no thanks Jared. I hope to see you again sometime." Dwight got up and walked to the door to leave. Just as he put his hand on the door...
"So you're going to make like a ghost and disappear Dwight?" He stopped but didn't turn around. Jared knew he had him now. "Yes, I know about Ghosts. We need help. We have a common enemy. You know you don't want the A2 around any more than we do. I've heard the rumors that Ghosts have attacked high-level A2 officials."
"Have a good evening Jared. I'll be in contact." He walked out.
"What was that?" Shannon asked looking at the door to Jared.
"He's part of a secret organization. Mike told me about them but we weren't 100% certain Dwight was one of them until now. Now I know he is." Jared sat back down in the chair behind his desk. He hadn't wanted to let Dwight know he knew about Ghosts yet but he needed his attention and help now.
"Do you think it's a good idea to get involved with a secret organization?"
"We need their kind of help if you want to find Haley and defeat the A2 Shan."
"You know I'll do whatever I have to get Haley back," Shannon growled clearly frustrated with the lack of progress.
"It's time we act, we have to draw them out somehow, try to get them to make a mistake." He got up and went to the door opening it, "Andrew!"
"Yes!"
"Give the orders to blow the building in Atlanta. Have them do a sweep of the building first. I don't want anyone in it when it goes. I don't want anyone killed. This is just a show of force. Understood?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Thank you, Jared," Shannon said.
He could see the pain in Shannon's eyes. He may have had his reservations about Haley but after finding out about Jessie he understood she wasn't a threat. "I talked to Jessie. I understand more now. I'm not going to pretend I know and understand it all but I know she's not going to hurt you."
"I'm glad you talked to her. Are you two ok now?"
"If you mean do I still love her? Then yes I love her regardless. I wish I had realized it years ago. So much time with her has been wasted."
"You weren't ready Jared. You would have never believed her back then."
"Your right Shan. Your right."