Voynich Shift - Season One (COMPLETED)

Leonis, 1:1, 2:11 - Part II - Trains And Buses

11:15 AM - Keane

After losing sight of his target in the Train Station, Keane realized that regardless of Parker's disappearance, there was still the need to continue with his assigned orders and rendezvous with another agent to be sent in to this Multiverse. This mysterious agent was understood to be one of the Negexis (Neg-ex-cess) varieties, brought in from some far distant, strangely different Multiverse...rumors indicated it was the same one Emperor Geniel himself came from.

On the surface, these Negexis agents were human in form like the rest, only they appeared to lack any sort of actual humanity. They were strong, agile, and supposedly very deadly. This made Keane a bit nervous. He knew of the rumors floating around the barracks, that once activated and sent into the field, these murderous actors could assume even the sweetest of demeanors. The ultimate human chameleons, known to take on any identity or personality. Once embedded into a society, they would then begin to tear it down from the inside like termites. One-by-one more arrive, planting seeds of destruction in the target society through many various ways. They would produce like-minded offspring and flourish until the command was given...then, they would burn it all to the ground, opening the door for the Geniel armies to march in and take over from another access point in that reality's future timeline. 

These ops were said to be very calculated and efficient, a job that had become even easier with the discovery of the Nanotomic Builders  a couple decades ago and Geniel's recent acquisition of a new type of dial-equipped Horologium. One of which he only recently received himself with this new assignment. Keane felt for the device in his pocket and ran his fingers over its housing. It was, after all, a rather exquisite piece of technology.

Blinking as he exited the smoky station into the sunny outdoors, Keane lifted a hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun above. He recognized the familiar two story hotel across the street he once visited after an evening of local drink at a nearby pub. Oh, how he longed to sample a few more. Nevertheless, there would be no time for any of those frivolities today. There were far too many variables at play...dangerous variables.

The agent made his way from the south of North Terrace toward the nearby bus station and bought a ticket to St. Leonard's, the proposed meet up location. That's when he spotted Parker once more. He nearly mistook him as a local were it not for the young man's familiar smiling face.

11:30 AM - Parker

Parker was surprised to find Mrs. Childers' 'donation' to be quite generous for 1948. He was able to acquire not only a simple meatpie from the cart of a local North Terrace street vendor selling the tasty meat-stuffed rolls, but purchase some clothing from a nearby store with the abundant amount of leftover change. Although the clothes were not particularly expensive, they were far more in tune with the current fashion trends than his previous attire. He now imagined he stuck out less like a sore thumb than he did before on the active city sidewalks of Adelaide, South Australia.

After chitchatting with a newspaper stand vendor regarding the waning and waxing lunar cycle, Parker was able to determine he had approximately twenty-six days to go before the next full moon. He thought of Mrs. Childers' offer and extracted the business card from his pocket to look it over.

"Childers' Farm . Jams, Fruits, and Sauces," it read. "Proprieters: William and Glenda Childers. 321 Southeast Main Road, Adelaide Hills."

Parker supposed he might pay the kind woman a visit and thank her, personally. Maybe even get a job...

<<*>>

Keane eased back into the crowd of people stuffed into the glass and metal bus station. He leaned against a glass window pane and observed Parker  as the young man purchased a bus ticket. He watched Parker point to something in his hand, followed by the actions of the Bus Ticket attendee tapping on a sign above him that said Adelaide Hills. With a nod, Parker fished a coin from his pocket, pressed it in the man's hand, and smiled at the presentation of a small ticket.

Keane noted the time. He had to hurry, the bus to Adelaide Hills was soon to leave. Unable to exchange his own ticket for another and no time to argue, Keane simply pocketed it and purchased one to Adelaide Hills.

Now the trick was to get on the bus without Parker noticing him.