4.12 Secrets, Lies and Deception

Peter went in search of Emit having grown tired of the man's stalling tactics. "It's been a month," he said upon finding the man standing immobile in front of a window "I really need an answer."

Rubbing his chin Emit turned slowly towards him "I know you do. Don't you think I'd tell you if I had the answers you want?"

Walking towards the window Peter took a moment to appreciate the view "do you really want me to answer that?"

Shrugging Emit moved several feet away "not really."

Peter blew air through his nostrils. There had been a time he would have trusted the man before him without doubt without question. Now he wouldn't trust him any further than he could throw him. "You must know something" he insisted.

Crossing his arms Emit gave the impression of not having heard Peter as he walked from the room. He didn't look behind him to know Peter would follow him. He knew Peter wouldn't give up until he got the answers he sought. Stopping in front of a computer he pulled up several files. "This is all I know about Lincoln's dimension" he stepped back to allow Peter access "I do have feelers out for more."

Peter took a step forward drawn to the images on the screen "thank you" he mumbled "I'll review it with Lincoln."

Nodding Emit walked several paces away "I never thanked you for helping me find Chase."

"I did it more for him than you," Peter replied. He saw the pained expression in the man's blue eyes

"I miss the days when you trusted me," Emit said throwing himself in a nearby chair.

Grunting Peter watched his once trusted friend for a moment. "So do I" he replied "what else could you expect? You tricked me..."

"Would you have gone through with it if I hadn't" he asked.

"Of course not," Peter glared at the man "that's not the point..."

Lincoln walked into the room. Glancing from one man to the other "should I come back later?"

Peter broke eye contact with Emit to smile at the young man "no we're finished. He was just showing me the information he had on your dimension." He motioned for the boy to come over "I want you to review it with me since you know your dimension better then me."

"Um ok," Lincoln said giving Emit a quick uneasy glance before allowing Peter to guide him to the computer.

"Don't worry kid I'm not going to hurt you," Emit chuckled while staring coldly at Peter "if you need me I'll be in my room." He got up and left the room without so much as a look behind.

Taking a position beside Peter in front of the computer Lincoln murmured "I don't like him."

"That makes two of us kid," Peter agreed watching to make sure Emit was out of sight. Satisfied they were alone Peter mumbled "I have a feeling he's hiding something. Something he knows will be unforgivable."

"Can we trust the information he gave us?" Lincoln asked fear making his voice quiver

"To a point," Peter told him "that's why I need you. You'll be able to spot any discrepancies in the information. I need your knowledge of your world."

Swallowing Lincoln nodded overwhelmed at the enormity of the task. "Maybe Everett should have come with you instead of me."

"You'll do fine," Peter put a comforting hand on the boys shoulder "Everett and Adam are already putting the second part of the plan in operation."

***

Everett reached a hand out to steady his companion as they emerged through the dimension portal. "Careful the gravity is heavier than your used to."

Adam straightened looking around at his surroundings. Terror filled his mind and heart "where the hell did you bring me?"

The man's anger washed over him like a tidal wave. Everett took several swift steps backwards "this...this...is my home. Lunar Lakes."

Hands clenched tight, fingernails biting into his palms Adam squeezed his eyes shut. "This is....this can't be happening." 

Sensing the man's distress Everett asked "where do you think you are?"

"A bubble universe," he muttered in distaste "you tricked me. Tricked me into coming here."

Everett gasped as Adams eyes narrowed to slits turning red to match his anger. "I..I...don't understand," he stuttered "I was born here. It's a different planet. It's easy to get to from anywhere in the universe."

"I've never heard of Lunar Lakes before," Adam muttered eyes wide with disbelief and fear.

Everett stared at him in shock. He had never seen a vampire look so scared or vulnerable before. He was used to rage that drove them to kill at a moments notice. Adam had always appeared so calm, level headed. He put a hand on Adam's shoulder then hesitated. "Haven't your scientists discovered Lunar Lakes?"

"No I...." he closed his eyes casting his mind back "there was an expedition several years ago that failed in there teraforming attempts."

"Did it fail?" Everett persisted "my dad told me stories of how the citizens tried to cut themselves off from the rest of the world by saying the mission failed when it was a roaring success."

"Maybe" Adam mumbled "but it doesn't explain the messed up passage of time if this is what Silver used as his bubble universe."

"Come on," Everette  urged "I have something to show you."

***

"I'm coming with you," Kimberly announced as she followed her dad from the house.

"No you're not," he frowned at her "I have to do this."

"No you want to do this," Kimberly corrected.

"I don't have a choice," he countered back "Silver said to come alone."

"So what" Kimberly retorted "I heard the whole ultimatum. I'm coming," she said leading the way.

Sighing Heath hurried after her "I want you to go home right now."

"Not going to happen," she said determined to do with him "Malachi is my boyfriend. It's my responsibility to bring him home."

"What about Everett?"

"What about him?" she asked keeping her eyes facing forward "he left..."

"He and Dad had things to do in his dimension," Heath explained to her.

"He didn't say goodbye," she stopped abruptly causing her dad to bump into him.

"He's planning on coming back," Heath told her gently putting his hands on her shoulders.

"So was Malachi," she said her voice low sad "I can't handle having another person I care about lost with no way back. Grandpa Peter is in Oasis Landing and who knows what Emit will do. Then Grandpa Adam is with Everett in a different dimension. Now your wanting to go with Silver." She turned to look at him "everyone I care about are disappearing I don't want to lose anyone else."

"Sweetie" Heath half sobbed as he pulled her close "you'll never completely lose those who love you. We'll always be right here." He touched his chest indicating his heart.

"It's not the same," she mumbled taking his hand "whether I go with you or not is up to Silver but I'm staying by your side until I can't."

They walked in silence the rest of the way to the appointed place. Both too deep in their own thoughts to notice the young white haired boy following behind them.

***

He woke up with a start. Heart pounding. Something wasn't right. His feet weren't where they were supposed to be. Had he shrunk overnight? With a feeling of dread he dragged himself out of bed and trudged to the bathroom. With horror he stared at his reflection. The face staring back at him had been one he hadn't seen for almost two decades.

He grabbed the sides of the sink with both hands while his body convulsed with tremors and shudders. Was this how Malachi felt each time he manifested symptoms of aging backwards? He knew this would happen eventually. His mind recoiled at the ramifications as he tried to convince himself it wasn't so bad as he was assaulted by waves of dizziness. A faint cry from the other room broke him free of his shock. Running into the room he found a small child about the size of a four year old lying on the floor crying. He scooped up the child trying to offer comfort in a situation fast becoming intolerable. It was somehow more tolerable when he hadn't noticed any effects of the backwards aging process. When he still looked the way he should. His entire world was different now. Things that used to be easy required more effort. He hadn't realized he had been so short as a teenager.

"It happened again," Malachi muttered "I wasn't expecting it. Didn't realize until the floor wasn't where I expected it." Malachi looked up eyes widening in shock as he took in Don's changed appearance. "It's happening to you now too."

"Yeah" he looked away unable to look at the boy. His green eyes seemed to penetrate into his soul "I'm about sixteen or seventeen now." He took a chance to look down at the boy in his arms. His green eyes mirrored his own. Everyday that passed he'd grow less able to do the things he used to. He'd grow smaller and smaller until eventually he wouldn't be able to care for himself. In the end he'd starve long before he vanished. Malachi would be spared that. Don would take care of him as he regressed through the baby years.

***

Keenan watched as Heath and Kimberly slipped from the house. He followed at a distance he felt they wouldn't notice. Careful not to draw attention to himself by making unnecessary noise or sudden movements. This would be his one chance to meet Silver for himself. He needed a face to go with the image he had of the man that was responsible for his existence. Silver was his donor father as Keenan referred to him as.

All he knew about him was he was both feared and hated by everyone in his family. A powerful creature that had lived thousands of years. He was told he received his white hair and pale skin from that man. He despised his looks because of him. He hated he was a constant reminder to his father of what that man did to him. Maybe if he had a face other than his own he could hate the man and not himself.

His fingers curled into fists. He could feel his nails digging into his flesh drawing blood. The pain was nothing compared with the pain he felt each time he looked at himself in the mirror. He hated knowing he had Silver's blood running through his veins. What if that wasn't all? What if he was evil? An evil buried so deep inside lurking, waiting for an opportunity to be released. 

He couldn't let that happen. He had to protect his family from himself. He had to understand what made Silver the way he was in order to understand himself. He ducked into some bushes as Heath and Kimberly stopped walking several feet ahead of him.

***

Peter glared at the images on the computer screen. At first he was shocked. Even surprised at what Lincoln told him. Now all he felt was anger, a deep burning rage. He was staring at the source of his families troubles. Emit had concealed it from them for reasons only he knew. With this knowledge they could have gotten rid of Silver the first time he reared his ugly head.

Cautiously Lincoln gazed up at the older man sensing that his words had ignited a fire within the other man. "I'm sorry I..." he stammered unsure what he said or did to cause this unpleasant outcome.

Taking a deep breath Peter closed his eyes counting to ten or a thousand but his rage didn't abate. Opening his eyes he found Lincoln staring at him like he had become a fire breathing dragon. "It's not you son," Peter attempted a reassuring smile before getting up to find the culprit of his current foul mood. Lincoln watched him go uncertain he wasn't to blame for the sudden change in the man who had seemed so unflappable. 

Peter barged into the room Emit had indicated he would be in. He was standing in front of a window staring out across Oasis Landing. "Why didn't you tell me?" Peter demanded wanting nothing more than to smash his fists into the man's arrogant face.

Emit turned from the window smirking a little at Peter's tone "certain things had to happen..."

"Don't hand me that shit," Peter snarled using words he hardly ever used "I'm not buying it anymore."

"When  you're in my position you can judge me. Until then don't presume to tell me how to balance time."

"I'd do a hell of a lot better job than you," Peter retorted "all you've ever done is lie and trick us to do your bidding."

"Boo hoo," Emit retorted "most people would be thanking me for the gift I gave you. Immortality without ever growing old or dying."

"Maybe if you had asked," Peter crossed his arms turning his smoldering gaze upon the view of Oasis Landing "you didn't give me a choice."

"If I had would you have gone through with it?" Emit asked.

"No" Peter told him with no hint of doubt in his voice "all I've ever wanted was to go home. To be with my family. You knew how I felt. How important my family is to me. Still you robbed me of the time I could have had with them."

"The same wife and kids you wouldn't have if it weren't for me," Emit countered with "I did you a favor. You owe me."

Shaking his head Peter couldn't believe his ears "it came with a price didn't it? You didn't do it out of the kindness of your heart. Everything you do comes with a price tag. What you did wasn't for me or my family. It was to save your miserable existence."

Grunting in dismay Emit turned away from Peter saying "my counterpart should have done the same as me. He'd still be alive if he had."

"I was right" Peter muttered "Lincoln's dimension doesn't have a time keeper. He opted to die instead of saving me."

"Sometimes you're too smart for your own good," Emit told him "a time keeper can be replaced with someone with the same gene marker." Something in his eyes sent a chill down Peter's spine a moment before Emit's hand leveled a stun gun at him dropping him to the ground without a sound. "Sorry old friend" Emit stooped over Peter's still form "fate once again has decided you're needed elsewhere."

***

Adam tried to still the hammering of his heart. Was it possible that the bubble universes that plagued his family were an actual planet? "What is this place?" he asked Everett waving his hands towards a lot that appeared to be empty.

"I don't know," he shrugged "when my brother and I were kids we thought it was haunted. The city founders put a force field around the house that once stood here."

Shaking his head Adam took a step closer to the force field. He could feel the tingle of energy flowing around him. "Does that house still exist on the other side?" he asked "when I was inside the bubble universe I was inside a house. It's where Silver had trapped Heath and Don. It's where time becomes warped."

"This Silver person must be experimenting with how time flows," Everett said breaking into Adam's thoughts "the only way I can think of finding out for sure is figuring out how to break into the force field."

Turning towards the young man he nodded "that sounds like a good idea." He rubbed his chin "I wonder if Silver is dimension hopping or if he's using the same dimension each time? If this dimension really has no time keeper this would be the ideal spot to experiment with time."

"If you're right we'll find Don and Malachi," even as he said it Everette could feel his insides twist. He didn't want to give Kimberly up. The way she felt in his arms. The way she looked up at him. The way he became lost in her beautiful blue eyes. Mentally shaking himself he found Adam gazing at him in concern. 

"She's just as confused as you are," Adam said "if we do find them she'll need time to figure out her feelings."

"I know," Everett sighed walking away "it's just been so long since I felt this way about anyone."

"I know I'm not your dad," Adam said coming along side the young man "if you need someone to talk to I'm here."

Stopping Everett sniffed a few times while his fingers traced the scar upon his face "I appreciate the offer." He shook his head straightening his shoulders "it won't be necessary though. I belong here and Kimberly belongs in her dimension. There can never be anything between us."

"I told you to come alone," Silver snapped upon seeing Heath and Kimberly together.

"You can't always have what  you want," Kimberly snapped back as she took her dad's hand squeezing it tight.

"I don't want you," Silver retorted turning his attention from her "go home little girl."

"I won't let you take my dad," she cried taking a step forward "you've taken enough from me. It stops now."

Eyes sparking with barely contained rage Silver demanded "either make her be quiet or I will." His voice left little to the imagination. The menace was clear.

Turning to his daughter Heath said "sweetie please go home. There's nothing you can do."

"I don't want to lose you," she sobbed clinging to him.

"I'm losing my patience," Silver snarled grabbing Heath dragging him away from her "you're mine now."

"Let him go," a young quivering male voice called out.

"Who are you that I should listen to you?" Silver challenged.

"I'm your son," Keenan announced. An eerie silence filled the park. Silver release his hold on Heath pushing him away as he stepped towards the white haired boy. "How is this possible?" he demanded  reaching a hand out to touch the boys cheek. The tingling in his skin confirmed the validity of the boys claim.

"Who is your father?" Silver demanded. Before Keenan could respond Silver ripped through the boys mental barriers extracting the information for himself. "Perfect" he said before vanishing with his son.