In the heart of Fort Bliss, amidst the Main Post Historic District, where the architecture tells stories of times when the base was a beacon of military might and history, I found a quiet corner to meet with Jamie. The old buildings, with their red brick facades and white-trimmed windows, stood as silent sentinels to our clandestine gathering. The air was thick with the scent of the past, the whispers of a hundred years seeping from the very stones and into our conversation.
Jamie’s approach was noiseless, almost blending into the rich tapestry of the district’s legacy. She appeared like a ghost from the shadows of the storied officers’ quarters, her face etched with concern.
As I relayed Rashmoor’s chilling display—Natalie, my heart and soul, bound and silenced in his custody—the gravity of my situation felt all the more real against the backdrop of the historic district.
“The LHC is moving forward,” I admitted, feeling the weight of my words against the enduring brickwork of the old fort. “But Natalie… I can’t leave her to Rashmoor’s mercy. And the Blue Hole… Jamie, what if it’s all for nothing?”
Does she know something I don’t?
Jamie’s demeanour had softened over the course of our clandestine meetings. Still, tonight, under the sad glow of the historic street lamps of Fort Bliss, her empathy shone through with an intensity that was both comforting and unsettling. She reached out, her hand briefly touching mine in a rare display of camaraderie that transcended our professional bond.
“Jack,” she implored, her voice laced with a heartfelt urgency that resonated deeper than the usual mission briefings and strategy talks. “What I am about to say isn’t just about the science anymore, it’s about you. You may be chasing shadows into a vortex that may not lead where you hope.”
Her eyes held mine, and in them, I saw a glimmer of something more—an indication of knowledge or intuition that seemed to go beyond the briefings and reports as if she knew something I didn’t.
“You’ve poured your soul into the Blue Hole, hoping it would unveil a path to what’s been lost,” Jamie continued, her tone insistent, nearly pleading. “But I fear… what if it’s a path to further loss? What if, instead of answers, there’s just… absence?”
There was a gravity to her words, and how she spoke suggested she wasn’t merely speculating. Jamie had always been perceptive, her instincts sharp, but this was different. It was as if she was cautioning me about something.
“You might step through that portal and find nothing on the other side—or worse, what if the portal malfunctions?” she said with a voice dropping to a whisper. The implication hung heavily in the air, a spectre of potential regret that mirrored the haunting history of the fort around us.
Jamie’s hand retreated, but the concern in her eyes remained. “Please, think about Natalie, about what’s here and now. What you’re looking for… it might not exist at LHC, or anywhere. Rashmoor’s threats are real and immediate. The Blue Hole… it could lead to a big disappointment.”
Her words struck a chord, echoing the fear that had been growing in the back of my mind. What if Jamie was right? What if in seeking to bend time and space and bring Nate back, I lost my grip on the very fabric of my current reality—the life with Natalie I was so desperate to salvage?
The silence of the district was a canvas for her words, painting a picture I couldn’t ignore. The Blue Hole, my life’s work, might indeed be a journey into the unknown with no guarantee of a destination. And with Natalie’s life hanging in the balance, could I afford to take that step?
But still, as she left, merging with the encroaching shadows, the ambiguity of her words clung to me. She reminded me of Natalie to discourage me from going to LHC, but I felt something else was at play here.
The earnest look in her eyes seemed to convey a knowledge of unforeseen outcomes tied to the Blue Hole, a profound understanding she chose to share through camouflaged caution rather than transparent declarations.
She was clearly trying to discourage me from going to LHC, hinting at something and cautioning.
What is this about?
