Page 12 of Dream Mates
“No. I’d like to go back to Wes–Fade. Please. I beg you.” My chest shook. “I won’t continue my research. I have a new project. One that doesn’t involve anything you said I couldn’t study.”
“If those from your world are found innocent and set free, then you’ll immediately be put into formal protection. You’ll be given a new identity and hidden in a new world. It will not be your world of origin or your world of residence. You won’t be allowed contact with them. Your old identity will be marked as deceased and you may remember very little depending on the judge’s orders,” he informed me
“No,” It came out as a strangled cry. I’d rather die than be forced to live a new life in some other world unable to remember them.
His look went pained. “Calm yourself. Do you need me to recite equations with you?”
I took a deep breath, trying to push away my impending panic.3.14159265359
Kitty started kneading biscuits on my thigh like he was trying to comfort me.
“You are such a good kitty,” I told him. “I’m okay. I just want to go back to Wes. Do you really think they’ll be set free?”
“No. If they’re found guilty, the standard witness protocol for your type of world is to mind-wipe you of everything regarding the trial and the Authority and send you home. I will do my best to ensure that you are sent back to your husband. But there are things to consider.” Agent Weigmier set his empty box on the table.
“Like if someone still wants to kill me and the fact he’s in a different world and I’m sure that’s not legal?” I prodded, my food no longer that appetizing, not that it had tasted much better than what I’d had previously.
“If you wish to stay with your husband I’ll try my best,” he promised.
I finished my drink. “Yeah, I wish that. But can you please try not to leave me unable to remember my own name this time? That got awkward.”
“Oh. That wasn’t the intention. You are very small. You must have gotten too much. Per protocol you weren’t supposed to remember anything about the trial. I also apologize for any anguish my abrupt retrieval of you caused you, your husband, and family. They clearly care for you,” he added.
“I appreciate it. Being reunited with him…” Tears pricked my eyes, as I set my half-eaten food on the table as the idea I might never see Wes again tore me in half.
What would be worse, loving him and being torn away? Or never having known he was real?
No. The past two months had been worth it. Still, the idea that I’d broken their hearts by leaving suddenly wounded me.
“Just discovering parallel words doesn’t necessarily mean you go to jail, right?” I asked, wanting to clarify something.
“No, of course not. Innocent discovery can be a building block to transitioning classes of worlds. Had you actually accomplished it, someone would have come to educate you and assess your world. It’s those who don’t heed or misuse that are punished.”
I frowned. Should I ask? I didn’t want to put Spencer in danger. But when else would I have the chance to discover what happened to his dad?
“Yeah, I’m not telling you how I know because I want to protect everyone, but… I… I know of someone, two someones, taken by the Temporal Authority years ago. Would I be able to know the exact nature of their charges and how long is left on their sentences?” I asked, hoping that I hadn’t made everything worse.
“Do you know their name and world of origin?” he asked, going to his desk.
“Dr. Thanukos and Dr. Katsopolis, both from Fade’s world.”
He tapped on his weird little tablet and looked up at me. “They were part of a very complex multi-world person-smuggling ring. Both were given life sentences, though it looks like Dr. Katsopolis passed a few years back.” He typed more. “Dr. Thanukos might be released on dotage.”
“If that means you let old people out for good behavior, I’ll take him. I’ll be responsible for him. I promise.” My chest constricted. Spencer’s dad was alive.
Though poor Mrs. K, never getting to see her wife again.
“Person smuggling? Like they were selling people from one world to another?” I couldn’t see someone who raised Spencer doing that. But then I still had problems visualizing Professor Jaffey smugglingweapons.
“No. They were moving vulnerable populations to safety. But there are rules. You can’t just bring people from one world to another without permission, even if it’s for the better, especially across types or classes of worlds. Most parties had been warned multiple times and told how to appeal. I wasn’t here then, but it was a bit of a mess and cleanup is still in place. Every action has a reaction–when it comes to movement between worlds the smallest thing can be catastrophic.” He gave me a look. “I shouldn’t even tell you this much. I’m guessing he means something to someone in your life.”
They were helping people to freedom? Or perhaps moving people from a dying world to another? Now that I could see. I could also understand how that could be problematic even if they were saving lives.
Not that they should put people in jail for helping others. Though that was probably only a fraction of the story. Still, Spencer’s dad wasalive.
“Can I see Dr. Thanukos? Please? Or send him a note?” Just to let him know that Spencer missed him, loved him, and had grown into an amazing man.
“Absolutely not.” He kept tapping, then his head tilted. “We need to see the judge soon.”
