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  FOURTEEN

  The new guy, Tucker, just liked to talk. He carried on a conversation about some guy named Merks and how cool the White House was, but he didn’t give any real information. Finch barely understood. He did lead them all the way to the open staircase of the subway and Finch figured he’d wait until they were outside and no longer trapped to get a grasp on what he was talking about. He knew by the way he spoke he wasn’t a native, and by the way they dressed in their uniform jumpsuits similar to the Omni’s they weren’t part of Genesis. “Okay, please, stop. I would love to hear more but…How do you two know us?”

  “Him,” Sam said. “Not me. I’ve heard of you. This guy has followed your story since he was a kid.”

  “Oh boy,” Rey said. “How long after us did you leave?”

  “Twenty-five years,” Sam replied.

  “Twenty-five years?” Nate asked. “Same time as Genesis.”

  “Three weeks before,” Sam answered. “We were part of a private civilian funded mission. Partially civilian funded.”

  “I wanted to be on the Genesis,” Tucker said. “But I wasn’t picked.”

  “He should have been,” Sam replied. “The contributions he’s made to man’s long-term survival are insane. But he’s with us.”

  “Yeah, good thing,” Nate stated. “You’d be around sixty now.”

  Finch explained, “Genesis landed here twenty-seven years ago.”

  “Have you seen them?” Sam asked. “Quinn?”

  Finch nodded. “We have. They’re well.”

  “For us it was like last week that we saw them,” Tucker said.

  “Then they’ll look older to you,” Finch said. “But I bet they’ll be glad to know you’re alive.”

  “They probably know by now,” Tucker replied. “Yesterday we split off in teams to scout. Our commander set out for a village near where Baltimore would be. Was that them?”

  Rey replied, “It is. And this…this is fantastic.”

  “What are you guys doing in D.C.?” Tucker asked. “Did you land here?”

  “No,” Curt said. “We landed in a pretty bad area. Worst place imaginable. Worst place we could have landed. But, hey, we’re still learning. We haven’t been here that long. We’re more sightseeing the revamped Earth.”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t see our ship,” Nate said. “In the Potomac?”

  “You landed the ship in the Potomac?” Tucker asked.

  “Former,” Nate said, “it’s a dry bed now.”

  “That’s like…right over that way,” Tucker said. “Holy cow. I need to see the Omni.”

  And just like that, he took off.

  Finch looked at Sam. “Is he always so excitable?”

  “No, he’s really laid back,” Sam replied. “It’s you guys. He’s wanted to be in space since he watched you prepare for the Omni mission, and since he watched that Omni-4 TV show.”

  “I’m sorry,” Finch said. “The what?”

  <><><><>

  They set up camp for the night next to the Omni, with plans to all return to Quinn’s community the next day. Rey could listen to Tucker talk all night because he was so entertaining. He’d never suffered from the shock of learning he landed on a future Earth because, as he explained, they knew going through that would be the outcome.

  She was sure he’d wear thin on her but for the time being, as they all sat around the fire, he made them laugh.

  “So I cured the alien plague?” Sandra asked.

  “It was great and just in time to deliver the alien triplets. That was a surprise,” Tucker replied. “I don’t know why that wasn’t the season finale. Instead, it was Clutch asking Rey to marry him and she said yes.”

  Rey laughed hard.

  Curt looked at her. “That’s funny?”

  “Yeah, me and you.” Rey cleared her throat. “Wouldn’t happen. Not that there’s anything wrong with you, but People’s Sexiest Man alive isn’t for me. And I’m never getting attached or in a relationship again. But it’s fiction, right?”

  Tucker nodded. “That’s right. But they had it all wrong from the get-go. There aren’t any aliens.”

  “That we know of,” Sam said.

  “True. I’m curious,” Tucker said. “What was your Planet of the Apes moment?”

  Rey looked at him curiously. “I’m sorry my what?”

  “He has this thing,” Sam explained. “Like at the end of Planet of the Apes they see the Statue of Liberty and the character of Taylor freaks realizing he’s on Earth.”

  “Uh, Sam,” Tucker said, “you needed to say spoiler alert.”

  “I don’t think that matters,” Sam said. “Even though we knew, I still had that moment when I saw the Washington Monument.”

  Rey nodded. “It was the space station. We found a piece of it not far from here. But Finch knew”—she pointed—“before us.”

  “I found a coin. I just didn’t know how to tell them,” Finch said.

  “What made you guys decide to stay and not hit the Androski again?” Sam asked.

  Ben answered, “Some of us did want to and some didn’t. We took a vote. Majority would decide, stay or go. Westerman was the deciding factor. Because we split the decision.”

  “So…why didn’t the ones who wanted to go, go?” Sam asked.

  Ben shrugged. “It was a matter of leaving the rest behind without the tech, taking the only working ship, because Genesis doesn’t work anymore. It didn’t matter to me. I wasn’t going anywhere.”

  “Me either,” Sandra said. “But I needed the medical tech stuff on board and if they left, I’d lose it.”

  “Some of us wanted to go,” Finch said. “Me, for one. I mean, this really isn’t our Earth anymore, so why not see where it takes us next? That was my thought. Who knows, maybe we’d end up able to warn people, tell them the safe places on Earth so people could live.”

  “Are there any safe places?” Tucker asked.

  “Several states went unharmed,” Finch said.

  “Will you…” Rey stood. “Excuse me for a second. I need to get something to drink.” She walked from the circle to the ship, carefully stepping over Westerman who was fast asleep by the door.

  As soon as she stepped inside, she heard a loud burst of laughter. Tucker probably said something funny again.

  She made her way to the kitchen area, checking cabinets.

  “You can’t find water or juice?” Finch asked.

  His voice startled her and she grasped her chest and spun. “No, I was looking for Curt’s stash. I’d like a drink.”

  Finch reached around her to a drawer and opened it. “One of his hiding spots.” He pulled out a bottle and handed it to her.

  “Drink?” she asked.

  “No, I’m good. Everything okay?”

  “Yes.” Rey poured a drink into a glass and set the bottle on the counter. “I was thinking about what Ben said.”

  “About?”

  “Why those of us who wanted to leave didn’t. It made sense, we couldn’t leave Sandy without her med bay.”

  “Very true,” Finch agreed.

  “Finch, you heard Sam. The comments he made about the Omni, about how they used to think it was so high-tech and how their ship was far beyond us in technology.”

  “But they don’t have touchscreens,” Finch said.

  “Yeah, Tucker was shocked about that.”

  “Why are you thinking about this?” Finch asked.

  “If the Lola is far superior than the Omni in all ways, but the touch screen, then…we wouldn’t leave Sandra, Ben, and Curt without technology, would we? There would be a viable ship left behind.”

  “What are you suggesting?”

  “I think you know,” Rey said. “I think, before it closes, me, you, and whoever else wants to go should hit the Androski. What do you think?”

  “I think I need that drink.” Finch reached to the cabinet and pulled out a cup. He lifted the bottle and poured some.

  “That’s not an an
swer. Seriously,” Rey said. “What do you think of my idea?’

  “I think…let’s do it. Let’s go through.”

  “To the other side?” Rey held up her cup.

  Finch tapped his cup to hers. “To the other side.”

  FIFTEEN

  Genesis Village

  Silence.

  There was complete and utter silence inside the Omni-4 just moments after Finch let the crew know what he and Rey wanted to do.

  “As Ben told Tucker and Sam,” Finch said, “the reason those of us who wanted to leave didn’t was because we couldn’t take the ship. The Lola is bigger and has everything you would need. So with a clear conscious, we can do this.”

  “I don’t understand,” said Sandra. “There is still so much to see here. How can you make that decision before you have seen everything?”

  Nate answered, “Because if they don’t go soon, the Androski will close.”

  “I know you’re probably angry,” Finch said.

  “No.” Curt shook his head. “Not angry at all. I understand. I do. This could be one of the last times I see you, Finch.”

  “I for one,” Ben spoke up, “envy his decision. I do. I would go, but I am fearful of going back to a world that is a constant reminder of all that I lost. Here, now, it’s not.”

  “What about you, Nate?” Sandra asked. “What are your thoughts on what they want to do?”

  “I think I want to go with them,” Nate replied. “Yeah, like Ben, I worry that we may end up right back where we left. But that’s a chance I’m willing to take.”

  Sandra huffed. “Unreal. We all lost. Every one of us lost. But we gained each other. We came through the Androski together. Right here, right now, we know we can survive. It’s a gamble, you guys know this, right?”

  Finch nodded. “We do. I don’t know about all of you, but I was anxious to join this mission to be an explorer, so I want explore. I knew there was a chance we wouldn’t go back. And more than likely when we go through the Androski, we won’t go back to our time. Maybe we’ll get close. Maybe we won’t. But we have to see, we have to try, right? As far as I know, no one has ever gone back through.”

  “The NOAA satellite did,” Nate said. “It went through the Androski in 1993 and took pictures pretty much of this planet, right here and now. When it went back through it came in decades later, yes, but close to our time. We may do that as well.”

  “You all could come with us,” Rey said. “You could. We came through as a team, we can leave as a team. Really, what is there for us here?”

  Ben stood. “About the same as there is for us back there, less the visual memories everywhere. Look around, Rey. We know what happened to the world. Do you really want to live through it?”

  “Let’s not do this,” Curt said. “We can’t guilt them for making a decision and, technically, staying on mission. We were to go through and return. They are. I’m here. I’m not leaving. You guys have your adventure and I’m certain staying here won’t be adventure free. Hell, I’m waiting on those future mutant animals to attack Ben.”

  “Ha, ha, ha.” Ben shook his head. “And you know they will.”

  “When?” Sandra asked. “When will you leave?”

  “Since the ship is still packed,” Finch said, “and will be fully charged by tomorrow, I say we leave in the afternoon.”

  “And I say…” Curt stood. “Let’s not mope, let’s not be angry or sad. Let’s get out there and enjoy the welcoming party Quinn threw for the Robinson, and we make the best of this night. I won’t say it’s a last night. I firmly believe, someway, somehow, in some point in time…” Curt said. “We’ll see each other again.”

  <><><><>

  Tiki style torches made up a perimeter around the area that was center of the village.

  A single bonfire was in the middle of it all. It was massive and roaring. People laughed and children ran.

  Quinn and his people welcomed the newcomers.

  Rey walked around a lot, looking at everyone, watching those from the Omni-4 that were staying behind. Perhaps it was a subconscious thing, but Curt, Sandra, and Ben seemed to be going out of their way to be friendly to those who lived in the Genesis Village.

  She carried around her cup, and it never seemed to get empty, no matter how many times she took a drink. Someone running around with a jug of wine would pass her and add to her cup.

  It was a beautiful cup, hand crafted and ceramic.

  She made her way to Tucker who sat with Quinn. They chatted away like two long-lost friends. Even though to Tucker it had only been a week.

  “There she is,” Quinn said, looking up when Rey approached. “Enjoying your last night in this time?”

  “I am. Your community is wonderful,” Rey replied. “The Robinson Mission are certainly fortunate to be here.”

  “Better us than the other half of the Genesis.” Quinn held up his cup.

  “Whatever happened to them?” Tucker asked. “Did they move far away or did they go back through?”

  “If you would have asked me twenty years ago,” Quinn said, “I would have told you no, they didn’t go back. But the Androski opened back up, and they got ahold of the ship about fifteen years ago.”

  Rey looked quickly at him. “You said they were dangerous.”

  “They are and there are plenty of them still around. But there’s always a chance some tried to go back,” Quinn replied. “We’ll never know, will we?”

  “No, we won’t.” Rey caught a glimpse of Finch. He stood off to the side at the edge of the perimeter, staring up to the sky.

  After excusing herself, she walked over to him. “Everything okay?”

  “Oh, yes, thank you. Just thinking and looking. Tell me…were you always the type at a party that went off by yourself or in a corner to talk to one person?”

  “I didn’t make it a habit to go to parties outside of my family. But if I did, I preferred smaller groups. You?”

  “Yes. I was asking because you and I seem to venture off.”

  “Are you having second thoughts?” Rey asked.

  “Not at all, just looking up. Wondering how many ships have gone through the Androski.”

  “I don’t recall any in our lifetime being lost.”

  “Just us,” Finch said. “Which is a good thing. I mean, anywhere in the future that we go, we won’t be like some alien life appearing. We won’t be a surprise. They’ll know us. Like Tucker, they’ll expect one day for a ship to appear. I do.”

  “Do you believe that?” Rey asked.

  “Absolutely I do. As long as we go to the future, they’ll know us. Tales from generation to generation.”

  “Are you scared?” Rey questioned.

  “I am nervous. Not about handling this, but nervous about where we will end up,” Finch replied.

  “Any guesses?”

  “Like you, I haven’t a clue. But,” Finch said, “we will know tomorrow.” He looked up again to the sky. “Tomorrow will tell.”

  SIXTEEN

  The last of the fresh supplies were loaded onto the ship. Even though they had food to last a while, Quinn wanted to give them a jump so they could save the long-term surplus.

  There was excitement mixed with a certain sadness in the air.

  Curt, Sandra, and Ben stood outside the ship, now relocated away from the Genesis village for a better takeoff.

  “And this is one of my tablets.” Sandra handed it to Nate. “Should you need something, just hit search. The database on this is amazing.”

  “You don’t need it?” Nate asked.

  “The Lola has two. I’m good. Make sure you keep a log.”

  “I will.”

  She embraced him.

  “Well, buddy.” Curt held out his hand to Finch. “This is it.”

  “Not goodbye.” Finch shook Curt’s hand then brought him in for a quick embrace. “You lead the team. Don’t give up on finding what’s out there.”

  “I have no plans to give up. I’ll search he
re, you”—he pointed to the sky—“go there. You’re okay with going back through the Androski.”

  Finch nodded. “I have Nate trained on restarting the engines the second we get through.”

  “Well, you’ll be ready, unlike last time.”

  “I’ll be ready.” Finch turned to Ben. “Be careful.”

  “Is that a comment geared toward the hatred this new Earth has for me?”

  “It is. Maybe you should come with us to change your luck.”

  “No, no.” Ben shook his head. “With my luck, I’ll lose a limb.”

  “We better go.” Finch turned his head. “Rey, we’re ready.”

  She emerged from the ship, having secured the new supplies. “Did Quinn leave?”

  “Didn’t you say goodbye?” Finch asked.

  “I did, but it was quick.” She walked to Curt and hugged him. “Don’t settle. Explore this place.”

  “I got the same advice from Finch,” Curt said.

  “And Ben.” Rey faced him.

  “Don’t tell me to be careful and don’t get hurt,” Ben said.

  “I was going to tell you to find love.”

  “Really?”

  “No, I was gonna tell you to not get hurt.” Rey hugged him. “Thank you for everything. For being the one who believed in me.” She kissed him on the cheek. “I’m gonna say bye to Sandra.”

  Finch nodded and stepped back to the ship’s door as Rey walked toward Sandra and Nate. He sucked at goodbyes and just wanted to get going. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see his friends for a little more, just that dragging it out made things worse.

  As he stepped onto the Omni, Finch heard the beeping of a horn and looked up to see a solar buggy.

  It was driven by Commander Merks.

  Tucker got out, along with Sam. Finch figured they were saying goodbye, until he saw them lift bags out of the back.

  “Glad we caught you,” Tucker said. “Let me put these inside and I’ll get the rest.”