Voynich Shift - Season One (COMPLETED)

Leonis, 1:1, 2:14 - Roach Hotel - A Parker Bomb. It Stops Them In Their Tracks.

Parker could tell there was no way Katie was going to make it much longer. She was already a half a block behind and quickly falling back further and further. He began to slow down to let the young woman catch up to him when a bright flash of white light burst skyward, erupting from between a cluster of buildings a few streets away. Parker considered it must have originated from their U.N. pursuers until he heard the reports of machinegun fire and men screaming.

He turned to look at Addy just in time to narrowly avoid running into her. It was apparent she had heard the noises, too, and was slowing to a jog.

The pair both stopped next to an underground subway entrance.

"Was that who I think it is?" Katie inquired as she arrived, her breath quick and shallow.

"I'm not sure, but if it is, I don't care to find out for sure," Addy replied.

"Who is what?" Parker asked, resting with a hand on the corner of the subway entrance's handrail.

"Berzerker," both women said, flatly.

"Oh."

"Why in the world would they let that thing out when there are U.N. troops in the dome?" Addy wondered aloud, her eyes on Katie.

Katie shook her head. "Your guess is as good as mine, but my bet is that it must have something to do with the show's ratings. You both have no idea what you have started."

"Started?" Parker asked in confusion.

"Yeah. When I shifted in, the U.N. riot control units were duking it out with the studio audience over you..." Katie pointed at Parker and then Addy. "...and you, and Broadway. Although to be honest, it was mostly the kitty that started the whole thing."

Parker lifted his hands in the air and spread them apart . "Well, that's certainly interesting. Broadway on Broadway...I can see it now, his name in lights, heh!"

Addy closed her eyes and shook her head. "Well, if they released Berzerker then I'm sure that Battlezone won't be far behind. It's beginning to sound to me that they are going for a spectacular finale. And with those two killing machines in here with us, that is going to make getting out of the dome even more difficult."

"Maybe not." Addy removed the metallic paper from her jacket pocket. "I was going to give this to you back there, Parker, but the U.N. showed up."

As if on cue, more distant gunfire popped somewhere in the city.

Parker shook it off, his curiosity was getting the better of him. "What is it?"

"A letter to you from my grandpa, Rudolph Fentz..."

"The Rudolph Fentz?" Addy asked in astonishment. "The time traveler that started all of this?"

Parker instantly recognized the metallic paper. "Where did he get that paper? That's..."

"...Horologium shielding from the Builder's world," Addy said, completing Parker's sentence, but using an unexpected string of words. She placed a finger to the edge of the shiny object and bent it down slightly. "It's also used to convey orders to anyone carrying it. Only people who have shifted can read whatever is written on its surface."

Katie looked at Addy nervously and pulled the paper back. "For Parker..."

The half-Negexis woman glared at Katie.

"Huh? Really? Is that why it's metallic?" Parker asked.

The trio suddenly flinched as another explosion rumbled throughout the city.

Addy looked around and then raised her hands in the air. She shrugged. "I don't know, I'm not a scientist or anything. I just know that it blocks the moon's energy and keeps any Horologium from activating...well, at least that's my understanding."

"Okay, that answers a couple of my questions."

Katie offered the paper to Parker once more, this time keeping it far from Addy.

"...maybe this will answer a few more." As Parker accepted the perfectly proportioned, square paper from the young woman, he suddenly thought about the 'metal tiles' covering the ceiling of his grandfather's bedroom. "Holy crap."

"What?" Addy and Katie asked in chorus.

"Nothing, um, I'm just reading this." Parker quickly scanned the first two lines and then stopped. He glanced up at Katie and then down at the paper. The second time he looked up, Katie's eyes were filled with tears.

"Yeah, I know, r-r-right?"

Parker lifted his face skyward. He eyed the tops of the tall buildings looming over them and sighed. "Oh, boy."

Addy was officially confused and indicated it with a stern look on her face and hands on her hips. "What is it?"

"K-K-Katie is uh," Parker stammered. He cleared his throat as his shirt darkened against the lightening pallor of his skin. He appeared a bit unsteady "She's my and Kate's daughter. According to this, I am the only family she has left."

Addy cocked her head sideways at the tearful Katie. "Say again?"

"Yeah. You heard me." Parker blinked. He did not know what to do. He paused to examine Katie with her head tilted toward the ground and arms crossed as if hugging herself. She looked completely alone, even with Addy and him next to her. He stepped over to the young woman placed his arm around her shoulder. The girl buried her face in his chest and sobbed uncontrollably.

Addy rolled her eyes.

Parker raised an eyebrow at the 'brid's' reaction and then returned to reading the note held in his quaking free hand. "The note also mentions an old tunnel system beneath the Waldorf and from what this says, it might still be there. If it is, we could use it to get out of here."

"That will put us heading back toward all of that," Addy said and pointed toward the flashes of light and sounds of fighting. "I still say we should find the base of the dome and see if we can locate an exit."

"My granddaddy wouldn't have sent me in here if he wasn't sure enough that we could get out," Katie said lifting her head. She wiped the tears away from her eyes and stepped away from Parker. "Sorry."

Parker smiled softly. "It's okay. I get the alone thing. Trust me."

"Whatever." Addy narrowed her eyes at Parker. His color was returning to his face. She pointed toward the edge of the city and then swept her hand around toward the fighting. "Your decision. My way or your, um, daughter's."

Parker scratched his head and looked down at the paper once more. He punched a finger to its surface. "Let's go for the tunnel."

"So predictable." Addy winced. "And here we go again."

"Oh, there's one more thing on this paper, Addy."

"What's it say?"

"It's a shift address."

"And?"

"It has your name written next to it."