The Blueshifters (Blueshifter Series Book 1) (7 page)

“
It's
coming from there. I can feel it.” Mary simply nodded. In the
distance, they heard the rattled groaning of a trailer truck heaving
over old rails and coming down the gravel roads.

“
We
should hide!” She urged. They ducked behind the large blue
garbage bin to the side of the building. Sure enough, the truck came
careening up the driveway of the building. The engine shut off and
someone climbed out. Dan could only hear the crunch of footsteps
coming up the gravel and then up the steps into the building. He
peeked out just in time to see the glass doors close slowly.

“
Did
you get a look and see who it was?” Mary asked.

“
No,
couldn't see them but the building's unlocked. If only we could get
in without having to deal with the receptionist or help desk,”
he said.

“
I
could probably get us past that. I worked, briefly, as a dispatcher
for a trailer transport company years ago.”

”
Really?”

“
Yep.
Can't promise we'll make it past the door but I'll give it a try.”

“
How?”

“
We're
dressed a lot like transport drivers. I'll pretend we're coming in
looking for work and that we'd heard about openings.”

“
Okay.
Let's do it.”

“
By
the way, what are we looking for once we get inside?”

“
Anything
that pings our senses to the power source. You can still feel it
can't you? This is a sensing mission.”

“
Yeah.
Like a heavy low buzzing that grows louder and more powerful with
each step,” she said. They moved from behind the bin after Dan
checked over the scene to make sure no one was watching and they went
up the steps and inside. Dan was the first to open the glass doors.
Inside was the reception desk, but no one was there. They heard
movement and voices somewhere in a room down a hall, copiers going, a
fax and other office sounds, but the front room was deserted. The
lights were on and it did look as if the building was staffed with
people, however.

“
Come
on before someone comes out!” he whispered. They tip-toed
around the counter and off down the right side of the hall. When they
got down to the end there was an exit door and then another door
leading downstairs. Far down toward the other end of the building
they heard shuffling and someone coming out of a room. Dan tried the
door. It opened and they both went down the stairwell and into the
basement.

“
It's
stronger down here,” she said quietly.

“
Yeah,”
he whispered. He could feel it and she could too, an inexorable
thundering on the mind. Power, a great source of power was here. In
fact, he could feel it thrumming, beating in his bones and teeth like
the deep drum of a great heart.

“
I
think we've found a lodestone, so to speak. I wonder how many exist,”
said Mary. They came to a door on the third level down the stairwell.
This door felt warm to the touch. Dan slowly ran his hands over the
surface, trying to understand what might lay on the other side. The
door had a window of thick, dark glass.

“
If
we get caught we could end up in jail,” she said.

“
If
we get caught we could end up worse. But this is the only way we'll
find out anything. Ready?”

“
Ready,
no matter what,” she said heaving a sigh. He touched the door
handle. It was warm and he felt a buzzing sensation through his skin.
He could detect no obvious life signs behind the door. He turned the
knob. It opened to him and they were inside what looked like a boiler
room. The door clicked shut behind them. Mary nearly jumped. Dan held
her close and her face turned beet red.

“
Sorry,”
she said. He smiled. They moved through the boiler room and rounded a
corner and both of them felt a jolt like an electric shock. Around
the corner was what looked like a large mass, or machines covered
with diaphanous materials, curtain-like that swayed and moved slowly.
Light under it pulsed rhythmically. This object, whatever it was, was
a great source of power.

“
Is
it a doorway or a hole in space and time?” Mary asked quietly.

“
I
have no idea. Wait here,” Dan said and he crept forward, taking
out his phone camera getting ready to take pictures. Mary brought out
her phone to record what he was doing. Dan gingerly crept forward to
the mass of light. At certain intervals it seemed to flicker and
pulse louder than usual, then it would go back to its regular
movement and slow pulsing. Suddenly, the door to the boiler room
opened. A blinding realm of red light flashed before his mind's eye.
Mary looked terrified.

“
Run!”
Dan hissed. “Hide!” The mass began pulsing violently with
red and violet light and Dan lost his balance and fell in. Mary
screamed right has deliberate footsteps turned the corner. She turned
and made to scream again but then covered her mouth in shock, shaking
her head in fright.

“
Help!
Help!” She shouted.

“
Really?"
Hissed a voice. "A little late, don't you think? You have no
business here and you've come to the wrong place for help.”

* *
Look for Part 2 of the blueshifters on the blueshift blog in
the spring of 2015!
* *

You can read this on going serial for free on:
www.blueshiftfiction.blogspot.com
!
Check out other stories from this author at:
www.epistlepublishing.com