Chase Hatter's Origin of Pangaea

Chapter Twenty

Sacramento, California became home to the last bio-technology company in all of the former state. Bioxion sat in the center of the city and its height allowed it to be seen from miles and miles away. Andrew never stopped to ask for directions. He only ever needed to look up. He peddled into the city as his Radio Cube played Pamela Watson's hijacked interview. After discussing talent uniqueness and infinite friendship across lifetimes, there was only one topic left to discuss.

The politician stood beside the clean white board with a capped marker in hand, his mind wandering to unknown places. The Grants were silent. Theo Sage was silent. Pamela was confused. When things got awkward, she raised her hand to ask a question.

"Yes?" Axel said.

"What are we doing?" Pamela asked. "What is there to talk about next?"

"So much." Axel promised. "Miss Watson, would you like to hear about my Complex Conjugate?"

"Jack Richards?" Pamela asked. "...Sure."

"You know, he's Pangaea's Greatest Soldier." Axel bragged. "And I am Pangaea's Greatest Politician. What a unique combination. Unique talents, unique pairs, all of them represented on a unit circle-"

"A color wheel." Theo coughed.

"A unit circle!" Elijah told the musician with ever growing spite. "With infinite points!"

"Exactly!" Axel said. "And that is the Spectrum Interview."

Pamela cocked a brow. "Excuse me, what?"

"The discussion is coming to a close." Axel announced. "We have nearly proven the theory of infinite lifetimes in Pangaeans."

"I don't understand how we did that." Pamela admitted. "You barely said anything."

"I didn't need to." Axel claimed. "It was the first thing we discussed without realizing it. We chose three different representations for the interview, all of which have an infinite number of points. If we are to claim that Pangaeans are represented fully by complex numbers, then we are claiming that they, like the points, will persist forever. All that's left to prove now is that we will be reincarnated as these future Pangaeans. Now, that is a daunting task."

Andrew closed his Radio Cube as the front door of Bioxion became visible. He jumped off of his bike and leaned it beside the door. As he prepared to enter, Andrew could hear the sound of men laughing behind him. He turned and found three men in lab coats. The man at the head of the pack walked with a limp. On his lab coat sat a name tag that read Alan Pinch.

Andrew felt confused. He was here to meet a Dr. Pinch, but the man before him was far too young to be the scientist.

Alan Pinch and his friends stopped just short of Andrew at the door.

"Can I help you?" Alan asked.

"Hello. My name is Andrew Valentine. I'm looking for Dr. Pinch. Is that you?"

"I didn't send for anyone, so it's not me. You must be looking for my dad, then. What are you here for?"

"I'm here to build him a Grant & Grant Industries prosthetic." Andrew explained. Alan's eyes widened for a moment before he stomped past Andrew and into the building. The Pangaean turned to Alan's friends for some explanation, but they seemed bewildered as well.

Andrew continued inside and with the help of the receptionist, he found his way to Dr. Pinch Sr.'s lab. He knocked at his door as the voice of an older man beckoned him inside. A grey-haired man in a lab coat turned in his chair from behind his workbench to greet his guest, but when he saw Andrew, he gasped.

"Ha! You must be the Pangaean I sent for!" Dr. Pinch stood up and shook Andrew's hand with vigor. "Welcome to California! I'm very grateful that you took time out to do this for me."

"Certainly." Dr. Pinch took a step back and looked Andrew up and down. He took a deep breath.

"Andrew Valentine." Dr. Pinch said. "What do they call you in Pangaea again? Pangaea's Greatest Scholar, was it?"

"Yes, that's it."

"Ah, yes! Your people fascinate me. I hear rumors about them all the time."

"All bad?" Andrew guessed. Dr. Pinch shook his head.

"Not at all bad. Just... mysterious. For example, one of my colleagues visited recently. He claims that there's a detective in Pangaea that couldn't shoot the side of a barn if he were standing right beside it, but his Complex Conjugate could shoot a ladybug out of the sky with his eyes closed. Is that true?"

"Yes." Andrew said. "I know them both very well." Dr. Pinch was beyond impressed.

"I. Love. Pangaea." Dr. Pinch said. "I've been studying your people for a decade now. But enough about that. I should get you set up. I trust you have the blueprint?"

"I do."

"Good! You may choose a spot anywhere in the lab to work. The next room over is the materials closet. It has everything you may need to build the prosthetic. And if you need any help, I will be around."

"Thank you." Andrew began to stroll deeper into the lab.

"No." Dr. Pinch said. "The pleasure is truly mine and mine alone."

Andrew weaved through the lab until he found an unoccupied table, a little ways away from the other engineers and scientists. He needed quiet and an environment where he could focus, but more than anything, he needed to make sure that the blueprint for the prosthetic remained confidential. After all, it was the property of Grant & Grant Industries and they didn't become one of the world's leading biotechnology companies by sharing their ideas with the first idiot who cared to lend an ear... or an eye.

Once settled, Andrew retrieved the blueprint for the prosthetic from his bag and used it to pick out starter materials from the closet. He was building a prosthetic leg, the latest version cooked up by the Grants, Professor Riley, and Andrew himself.

When he sat down to work, Andrew turned to his Radio Cube to keep himself focused as he hammered away at his new project.

"We should get started on this reincarnation endeavor." Mr. DeWitt said. "Now, Miss Watson, let me tell you about my time as a senator."