Hexad: The Chamber (21 page)

How many ripples had been caused by so many people having the ability to jump back and forth? It didn't even bear thinking about really. Each jump would effect the future, maybe wiping out countless people with each deed they did that hadn't been done before. Ripples lapping at the boundaries of what was once reality, twisting things, changing the future forever, creating new timelines and almost-parallel universes with each jump, each action.

Then it all ended, or would end, and there would be nothing, just one world where the madness started up all over again — his world, now already responsible for the creation of countless others just because Amanda had jumped back and the cycle played out in a different way to how she said it had before, one of any number of futures across infinite versions of him and her, sometimes locked together, sometimes never to find the right version of each other ever again.

"What a mess," muttered Dale, finding himself in the bedroom, sliding coat hangers across the rail, looking for clothes for Amanda.

"You can say that again."

Dale's heart froze as the voice whispered out of the darkness, then carried on beating once he realized it was Amanda. Dale turned and said, "Hey, how did you get here so fast? Oh, right. Duh." Dale stared at her, but something wasn't right. "Amanda?"

"How could you Dale? How could you do this to me? To us?"

This wasn't her, not his Amanda. This was the other Amanda, the one he'd woken up to in this very room not long ago and began freaking out as it was the wrong woman. Now she was back.

Amanda stared at him as if she could read his mind, eyes full of sadness, but there were no tears. "I'm sorry, I don't mean that. But she took my life Dale, that other woman, she took you from me."

"But you took my Amanda from me, didn't you? This is who you are Amanda, it's what you do. It's what anyone would do. Look, how are you here? You should be..."

"Where? Where should I be Dale?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know. You okay?" Dale sat on the bed next to her, catching the strange scent that marked her as a woman he had never known in his life, not that he could recall anyway. Did that make it all right? What if he'd just had amnesia, would that make a past with somebody meaningless?

"When I saw you and her, out in the garden, I felt it, felt the pull of something, but I don't know what happened. I just ended up here, but everything feels different. I'm scared Dale, I don't know what's going on. I'm getting flashbacks, or memories, or something, but about things I don't remember doing. Terrible memories Dale, terrible things I did, that we did, that happened to us. At least I think it was you. I've just been sitting here trying to remember what happened, but at the same time I know, I just know, that I've been involved in things that were just awful." She couldn't take it any longer and collapsed into his arms.

"Hush, it's all right. Things have just got a little strange lately." Dale soothed her, rubbing her head, having absolutely no idea what he was going to do. How was she here? How long had she been sat on the bed, lost in memories of things he had no memory of himself? Of time they had shared together, when she'd appeared in his life and his Amanda, now relaxing in a hot pool, had herself vanished and he and this woman had set the world to rights themselves. That was one hell of a past to simply dismiss. "We saved the world together Amanda, you and me. That's what you are remembering."

"Then why does it feel like it's all gone wrong?"

"Because it has. You are better off not knowing, you really are."

"Dale, can you help me? I've been... well, not sure really, like I've been jumping without meaning to. I can feel myself disappearing, leaving here, almost like I'm waiting to go to a final place. I've been flickering, that's the best way I can describe it. Popping in and out of reality, coming back, like I've been waiting for something. For you."

"I'm here now." Dale really didn't know what to do. How could he help her? "Amanda? Amanda?"

It was too late, she flickered like a faulty TV then Dale was left staring at a depression in the bed covers where she had been sat, hand in the air, the soft hair beneath his fingers now gone.

"I'm sorry Amanda, so very sorry. I hope you're safe." Dale couldn't take his eyes off the depression in the bed, hoping Amanda would return, knowing she wouldn't. He sat there in a daze, already wondering if she had been real or if it was simply an hallucination brought on by lack of sleep and the overwhelming number of bizarre things that had been happening.

Eventually he got wearily to his feet, a sudden tiredness threatening to engulf him and send him sinking into unconsciousness on the familiar, inviting bed. What he wouldn't give to just lie down and sleep, wake up and for it all to be over, for the day to be waiting for him, stretching out in front of him with promises of a pleasant relaxing morning in the garden, maybe a pint down the pub. He couldn't though, could he? No, he had things to do, momentous things, but he needed sleep. The rejuvenating effects of the hot spring had gone, leaving him naked and increasingly cold. Alone.

Dale stood shakily, not even realizing he'd sat back down, then dressed in a daze of sadness. Where had she gone to? To The Chamber, her final home? In all likelihood she had, drawn there by whatever cruel trick the Universe was playing on her, all the versions of her. Would she right now be cowering, terrified of the inside-out world populated by others just like her, only to be told of the hellish existence she would have to face if she wished to survive? And when? What time period would she have jumped to?

And it's all your own fault Amanda. What a cross to bear that must be.

Dale realized then, maybe for the first time truly understanding, just how terrible a burden this was for Amanda, knowing that by messing with reality she had brought such things to pass, inflicted such a cruel fate on herself through countless incarnations. How could she cope? It was no surprise that she had become so all-consumed with The Chamber and the events that were continually unfolding around the strange world at countless moments in time in endless almost-parallel universes.

It was time to go, time to return to her and end the nightmare once and for all.

Dale finished dressing, grabbed clothes for Amanda, then stared ruefully at the crumpled bed. He bent and straightened out the sheet, then went back to Amanda.

~~~

9 Hours Future

"Hey," said Amanda, from the steaming water.

"Hey."

"You okay? You look... not sure, just more worried than usual."

"I'm fine, just tired. It really hit me once I was out of the water. Come on, I got your clothes, let's go get some rest."

Amanda stood and moved to the side, as beautiful as ever. She smiled at Dale as she took the offered towel, cocking her head quizzically as she stared into Dale's eyes. "You sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine, but I'm dead on my feet. Let's go sleep."

"And where are we going to be spending the night may I ask?"

"Haha, now that would be telling. Come on, get your clothes on or I won't be taking you anywhere but back into the water." Dale tried to maintain the facade of being upbeat, but doubted he was pulling it off.

Amanda's pink skin shone with vigor after the soaking, and Dale was pleased that she seemed to have returned to her normal self. This was what they needed: time together, just them, no insanity. Well, hardly any, but he felt it best to keep quiet about what had just happened — no point spoiling her mood, it wasn't like she could do anything about it. Not yet.

Amanda watched him carefully as she dressed, clearly unsure why Dale had lost some of the happiness he'd displayed mere moments ago for her, but she kept quiet and dressed quickly.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

They jumped.

A Little Luxury

11 Years Past

"No. Way." Amanda stared around the lavish room with total and utter admiration. Dale couldn't help thinking that it was a little over the top when all he'd done was use the Hexad — it wasn't like he was paying for it or anything. "Is this where I think it is?" asked Amanda, opening the door to the en-suite and returning with a handful of tiny packs of soap and shampoo.

"It is. Yep. It's the Burk Al Arab. Only the best for you."

"But how? How can we be in this penthouse? Surely they are booked up for ages? Have you been jumping without me knowing?"

"No, nothing like that. But I remembered that they closed the place for a night the same day we were passing through on our way to Thailand. Remember, when they had a bomb scare? So here we are, the place to ourselves. There wasn't a bomb by the way, just in case you're getting nervous."

"Cool. Look at that view! You even jumped us to daylight so we could see." Amanda continued stuffing toiletries into her bag, seemingly unable to defy the law of pilfering from hotel rooms even if they hadn't paid to stay there.

"Well, I figured we could do with a nice long rest before we... you know?"

"Oh, yes, right."

The mood changed instantly, the thin veil of happiness lifting to reveal the constant tension and sadness lurking beneath. Dale moved over to her and put his hand on hers. "You don't need to take them, it won't matter. They won't be there if we are successful, none of this will have happened."

"I know, but for now let's just pretend we are on vacation and this is what you do. You nick stuff and you make the most of it."

"Okay, you're right." Dale walked with Amanda over to the window, and stared down at the man-made island the luxury five star hotel stood on, a beacon of wealth in the emerging world-famous tourist destination of Dubai. It was stunning in its scale, yet Dale knew that it would fit into a corner of The Chamber as if it were little more than a toy.

Damn, here I go again, thinking morbid thoughts.

"Let's try the bed. I'm so tired, but I don't know if I can sleep. But just lying down in comfort would be great."

Amanda smiled and followed him through the open doors to the bedroom. Piles of feather pillows complete with welcome chocolates and even a bottle of champagne on ice greeted them. Amanda popped the cork noisily then poured them both a glass. "To us," said Amanda, clinking her glass against Dale's.

"To us."

They lay back on the pillows. Both of them were asleep within seconds.

~~~

"Dale, Dale," whispered Amanda, nudging him more forcefully in the ribs.

With a terrible sense of somebody about to jump him and stab him, or finding Cray stood over them with a gun, Dale reluctantly opened his eyes.

"What? Is everything all right?"

"Yes, but we slept late. It's gone ten already."

"So?" Amanda just stared at him, waiting for him to catch up. "Oh, right, damn. People will be coming up to the room. The guests that booked it, or the staff at least."

"Exactly." Amanda hopped out of the bed, still dressed just like Dale, and moved fast to the en-suite, almost bouncing the carpet pile was so deep.

Dale walked over to the window again, looking across the beach where sun-worshippers were already gathering, probably with bathing suits that cost more than the average person's monthly wage. Dubai always held mixed feelings for him, more so every year as additional hotels were built, each vying with the others to be the tallest, the most luxurious, the most expensive, and it wasn't just limited to the hotels either — Dubai was now synonymous with money, and much as Dale would love to be rich he could never quite feel comfortable with the levels of spending involved with such places.

Material wealth was all well and good but how could you possibly spend a year's wage on a gold tap, or buy a shirt that cost the same as homing a family for a few months? It just didn't add up, but then he guessed he was only looking at it from one side, so who was he to put the world to rights? Ha, that was a funny one, he was exactly the one to put the world right, him and Amanda — the only people that could.

"Lovely, isn't it?" said Amanda, coming up behind him, putting an arm over his shoulder, admiring the view.

"Beautiful. But it's all fake, it's not real. Well, the beach maybe, but this little island is totally man-made. Do you know it took them three years to reclaim the land from the sea, the same time it took to build the actual hotel?"

"No, I didn't, but I do now. And hey mister, stop being so grumpy. Not everything made by people is bad, we've achieved some great things."

"Yeah, and some very bad things too."

"Yes, well, let's not get morbid. Especially before breakfast. Come on, get ready. Then let's explore a little before we..."

"Before we end the madness and wake up like it never happened and get up and mow the lawn rather than jumping through time, staying in nice hotels, seeing inside-out worlds, running away from madmen and then having nice rests in hot springs? That what you mean?"

"That's exactly what I mean. If we aren't going to remember any of this then we may as well enjoy it, just for a few hours. We deserve that much, you were right Dale. I'm glad you took us away from that horrible place, we would have been dead if we'd tried anything."

"Okay, I'm going for a quick wash. Then we'll go get some breakfast."

Dale left Amanda to take in the view while he went to the bathroom.

The taps were gold. Dale wondered what would happen if you sliced a piece off and tried to leave with it in your luggage.

He eyed the soap suspiciously, having the distinct impression that even the soap cost more than he'd normally earn in a day.

He used it anyway.

It felt glorious on his skin; maybe you really did get what you paid for.

~~~

The hotel was as luxurious as Dale had pictured it, although he couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling of not really belonging. Everything was too shiny, and there was definite emphasis on gold — it seemed to be on almost every available surface. As they wandered through the various restaurants, and took in the amazing atrium, he had to admit that it was something he could get used to if he had the money. And why not? If he'd worked for it then didn't he have the right to spend it?