Blue Monday

Epilogue - Oh Come On. You Knew This Was Coming.

To the angel who scanned his ID in the light-rail station, his name was Daniel Florin. To his boss Halpris (better known to the denizens of the Second Universe as President Preston Holly), however, he was Flordai, light scrivener. Not to be confused with Florida, as a few of his buddies in the barracks would tease him about back in basic training.

As his bullet-riddled body started to go limp, he reflected on the nature of the bizarre world he hailed from. So many people there had died in this universe and been reborn on the other side. What would happen to him when he died, though? He'd been born and raised on the other side. Where would he go?

He would soon find out.

Those foolish rebels had failed to shoot Flordai in the head, so he was still alive. But not for long. In a way, he thought it was better. Chances were he would be able to die just as the Sky Train reached its next stop at Terminal 3.

And, as he hoped, the Sky Train pulled up to Terminal 3 right when his vision really began to fade. The last things he saw were the three rebel agents he'd successfully dispatched, but not before one of them managed to get a bullet in his stomach. The pain was excruciating, but Flordai let out no sound to indicate his agony. He simply channeled that energy into keeping his hand clenched around the object in his pocket for as long as possible.

How nobody could have suspected the cargo he was carrying, under a heavy jacket in a desert city in the middle of summer, Flordai had no idea. Perhaps some of his comrades had infiltrated the security team at the light rail station? Considering this people-mover connected to Sky Harbor, one of the busiest airports in the Southwest, that might have been the only explanation.

Flordai looked up at the relatively new Sky Train station - it wasn't even two years old. Such a shame it had to be put out of commission so soon.

But it had to be done.

With his famously friendly smile fixed in place, Flordai let go of the dead man's switch. He only felt the heat and noise of the explosion for a second - then nothing.

TO BE CONTINUED...