F
U T U R E B A R R I E R
( The
4th Novel )
Secret Technology,
Unrequited Love, Absolute Vengeance
© February
2020
- Written by David
Wicker
Please do
not reprint without permission
CHAPTER 37 -
"Chief Of Police"
[
CHOOSE A
DIFFERENT
CHAPTER TO
READ ]
* * *
This chapter is
Rated: TEEN
As EVE drove effortlessly through the traffic it rapidly became apparent to me that my car was indeed the sight to see. No less than a half dozen people rolled down their windows to get a better look at my vehicle.
Fortunately as the windows on my car were up they could not see inside to see who the driver was yet somehow I could see them.
And the scene was all too familiar. The hungry look in their eyes. They all wanted this vehicle for themselves and some unsavory looking chaps looked likely wouldn't mind knocking a few heads together to get it.
I wondered now if Darceon didn't so much bless me with car as it was a curse since everyone wanted to own it.
"Hurry if you would please, Eve." I told her not wanting to tarry on the road any longer than necessary as the light turned green.
"Certainly." she said and still maintaining the speed limit pushed it up to the edge professionally weaving in and out of traffic.
In a short while I had arrived at Tyr's. She was already outside because of the odd sound the engine this vehicle made which was more like a jet than an automobile.
Seeing me come out of the canopied door she was all grins and glomped into me.
Wet and sticky kisses later she explained, "I'm so sorry, Dev. Mummy got scared when that gun went off. She's always had a phobia of guns ever since she was robbed working at the Dairy Air late at night."
Dairy Air was our equivalent of 7-11 although they specialized more in ice cream treats than Slurpees. "That's fine." I told her. "Is Lilly here ?"
Tyr nodded, "Yes she is. Did you need her ?"
"Yeah, for a bit."
I looked back at the car and spoke to Eve. "Think you can get yourself in that protect mode I saw earlier ?"
Her digital voice replied, "Yes, Dev." And then like before metal pieces and joints went all around the car protecting it in once again what looked like melted black chocolate. Even the headlights were covered. From a distance I doubt anyone could even tell this was a vehicle rather more a large metal pipes that was melted from both ends.
"Good deal." I told her, then followed Tyr inside.
And surprisingly there was my Mom and Dad !
"We already called the police." Dad told me, "To try and locate you, but here you are. Who drove you ?"
"Eve." I said simply without going into detail about how she was a computer and not a person.
It seemed to satisfy my Dad and I saw the table was already set with good items.
"We were just having a discussion about the strange events that have been taking place this past few months. We're hoping maybe you can shed some light on it."
I swallowed hard at this. "Sure." I started but then added, "I need to speak to Lilly in private though if I can first, please."
Lilly got up from the table to look at me. "Private ?"
I nodded. She grinned, "Must be important then."
I bid her enter the kitchen and we did. All this time I think Lilly thought evil spirits were at work here - to have all the strange things that took place. And perhaps that was what Darceon was, some kind of evil spirit. But I had to tell her.
And right then and there in a quiet whisper I told her everything I knew, about the plugin, Darceon, Arkos, Stefani, Dempsey, Pritchart, Petrov, and Umeya.
Her eyes grew wide with surprise and astonishment.
"You're telling me the truth, right ? None of anything you said is made up, right ?"
I nodded.
She stepped back for a bit. "You've had quite the adventure then. What do you want me to do about it ?"
I whispered again. "I want you to find out what you can about Darceon. Let me describe him. He's tall. Wears this strange black cloak that is like hard plastic, he has needles for fingertips and he told me he's from the SPECTRAL universe."
While none of this seemed to register the moment I said the word Spectral she was all ears.
She whispered back, "Dev. I know about the Spectral universe. I have some books from the library on it, theories really. It's a kind of hell, but it's supposed to be worse than hell whereas everyone in regular hell doesn't want to be there, this particular hell is for the unforgiven, the blasphemous, the destroyers of all that is good and pure. They WANT to be there."
I started to feel my heart beat louder as she explained. A terrible place indeed.
"What do you think Darceon has to do with all of this then ?"
* * *
But before she could answer someone knocked on the kitchen door. "Come on kids, we're waiting. The food's getting cold too."
Lilly gave me a quick hug and whispered, "Don't worry, I'll find out about your Darceon character and let you know."
With that we left the kitchen to return back to the dining room table where all kinds of good food had been prepared. Mashed potatoes, 3-bean casserole, spinach souffle, and seasoned boneless chicken.
I looked to where I was sitting and saw a bit of paper with police written on it followed by a phone number. I spoke then, "You can call off the police, Dad as I'm here now."
Dad looked at me with a smile, "You're right ! They're still out looking for you. Here, I'll make a quick call."
. . .
Back at the police station the two officers Morgan and Dan still had my "registration" papers printed on that strange smoked glass.
Morgan had the piece in his hand and was just going to the Xerox when a senior officer stopped him.
"What is that you have ?"
Morgan sighed and held it up. "It's supposed to be the registration of that hot shot vehicle that's been buzzing about town today, chief Maples. I was just getting ready to xerox it.."
Maples held his hand out. "Let me write down some figures first."
Morgan looked over his shoulder to the Xerox and back at him, "I can make you a Xerox, it'll be faster."
Maples looked straight at him, "No, hand it over. I want to write down a few things manually."
Morgan sighed again. There was great technology all around and Maples one of the last few senior officers in this precinct always wanted to do things manually and by the book.
"Yeah, whatever." and handed it to him.
Maples took the rectangular piece of glass to his office and set it by his desk. Then he took out a piece of new and clean paper and wrote down some figures on it. Strange words in truth, it mentioned the year which was the future, not today's time period at all. The name of the vehicle, Excalibria, and included an onboard computer named EVE.
EVE standing for enhanced vehicle escort. He wrote down the engine type, some kind of futuristic cold fusion. Zero emissions. He heard a knock on his door which startled him, it was Morgan.
"All done, sir ?" he asked him.
Maples nodded, clicking closed his pen.
"Yes I think so. I think that's all I can get of this. Here, go to make your Xerox and hand the copies out to everyone please. I think we have a bit of a mystery on our hands with this one."
"No problem." Murphy took the glass and placed it beneath the scanner for the Xerox.
He set it for 10-copies. He wanted some other eyes to look over the data engraved in the glass - perhaps they might have more information about this strange vehicle than he did.
Taking a long sip of his coffee he saw the 10-copies were done and picked them up in his arm.
First he went to Maples to hand him his copy.
Maples looked at the page and smiled, setting it on his desk. Then he turned to regard Murphy with a quizzical look.
"What ?" Murphy asked.
"Did you check the copies, Murphy ?" Maples asked.
Murphy shook his head but took one of the pages out to read. The page was blank.
He rushed back to the Xerox to open it up and saw that the pretty glass registration page had dissolved into a fine gray powder once the bright light had hit it.
He stared at it with disbelief. There was no way a simple light could -
"Gone is it ?" Maples said with a wide grin surprising Murphy to whirl around and see him there.
"You couldn't have known." Murphy said in disbelief.
Maples explained, "Anytime something is not as it seems - chances are, it's not."
He handed him his handwritten copy. "Here, Xerox THIS, give me 2-extra copies and the 8-copies you had planned for everyone else - that is, AFTER you wipe clean the Xerox of that powder remaining from the last scan."
Maples sat in a nearby chair there and took out some loose buttons he had in one pocket to finger them in his hands as Murphy both cleaned the Xerox and made new copies. He handed two copies and the original back to Maples.
With that Maples went back to his desk. Then the phone rang. It was my Dad.
"Yes, chief of police, Maples, here on Southbend, how may I help you ?"
Dad spoke but it was not heard by anyone except the chief who leaned back in his comfortable wooden chair causing it to creak slightly.
"Oho ! Your son found his way home, oh, to his friend's home, but he's safe ? That's good to know. Good to know."
He sat there and looked at the page he had handwritten. Figuring right in the middle of the page he had written by hand was the single word "Dev" which was originally on the glass page.
"Your son's name is Dev, correct ?"
There was a pause on the phone.
Maples picked up the page with his right hand and tapped the sharp edge against the desk, "Oh we just like to be accurate about these things. All the little records in their proper place - you know how it is in a busy office."
Maples grinned then asked, "By the way, did he come by vehicle. A large rather new looking car ?"
There was another pause. "You're not really sure ? Well that's fine. We're just crossing our T's and dotting our I's here. Glad your son is safe. Thanks for calling, Mr. Borne."
He hung up the phone, got up and straightened his back slightly groaning a bit as he did. Then he took his handwritten notice and went to the communication board where the women directed police cars on patrol.
END OF CHAPTER 37
Return back HOME
prev chapter
Share This
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Read Request
My Library
Subscribe
Flag Writing
