Chapter-6_Day Dream
"I'm sure you have more questions than I have answers Grant. Problem is, I don't have time to answer them. We've had a couple of good agents get killed in the last 24 hours, and a couple of attempts. You can understand we have more important things to attend to, one of which is just keeping you safe. We are working hard on both sides to do so."
Grant and the well dressed agent were walking down a long hallway. To say it was typical of a top secret environment would be putting it mildly. No frills, no thrills, no color. Eggshell white was the only color, and all doors on either side had simple name plates slid into holders. Grant was still in a state of shock, everything at this point was hard to believe and process. It could have easily been a dream, but it wasn't.
"Ok, wait in here, sir. Someone will be with you shortly." The man motioned with his hand a door with a nameplate that simply said "receiving". How innocent sounding. Grant walked inside the well lit room to see some chairs in a row facing a chalk board and a desk. There was a projector hanging from the ceiling and a white board in the corner. At least the meeting rooms he was use to had color, windows and some form of entertainment. He sighed, and found a chair. He turned it around to face the door, he didn't like people walking in behind him. Not after what had been happening to him lately.
The door opened not moments later, and another couple of people walked it. There was a young girl, probably 18, or 19, and a very poorly dressed man with a long beard who looked scared to death to be there. The young girl looked at Grant and smiled weakly, but sat right beside him, as if finding comfort in someone who seemed normal. The scraggly man just stood there, avoiding eye contact. "Hey" the young girl whispered, "What are you in for?" Grant looked over at her and smiled "J-walking, and you?" The girl smiled a broad smile, showing well kept teeth. "Shoplifting". They both laughed lightly, enjoying the break in what seemed to be a serious situation.
The door opened once more, and 2 more people stepped in, followed by 2 very well dressed men, one with some markings that seemed to signify rank, and the other was the one that had shown Grant in. The badge wearing gentleman walked to the front of the room, and set some papers down on the desk. The other stayed in the back, hands folded in front of him, emotionless. Grant turned his chair back around and faced forward.
"Some of ya might know why you're here, others have no idea." The man spoke as if addressing a group of kids. "There are only 2 rules you will abide by, shut the fuck up, and listen. Disobey those rules and I'll be so far up your ass I could spit out your mouth!"
Grant smirked. He always had a problem with authority. Especially the person who was demanding it seemed like such an asshole. He always wanted to challenge it and he never knew why. Just the way he was. "My name is Tak'nosh, but you will call me "sir". Grant snorted quietly, but the man picked up on it right away. "You have something to say there boy?" Tak'nosh walked around the desk and stopped inches from Grant's face. Grant was fighting the urge to smile. "Sir yes sir, I was wondering who died and gave you authority to keep people in a room and start talking to them like you own them... sir"
Tak'Nosh glared at Grant; if looks could kill Grant would have 2 holes bored right through his own 2 eyes. "My rank and position is none of your concern!! And the reason you are here is so you don't become a blood smear on the street!!" The young girl started sobbing, the bum was squirming uncontrollably and the 2 other men who had come in later were both looking on in disbelief as Grant dared to challenge the person who seemed to be in charge.
"So, what you're saying is, you have no authority to keep us here, right?" Grant said, raising one eyebrow and looking up at Tak'Nosh without lifting his head. Tak'Nosh turned red, and lifted his hand while opening his mouth to start the verbal lashing, but was cut short by the younger man in the back of the room clearing his throat loudly before he spoke. "Sir, please allow me to take care of him, I will see to it that everything is in order." Tak'Nosh head shot upward, snapping his jaw shut. After a couple of tense seconds, he stood upright, dropping his hand, and spun around on his heels. Grant gave a half smile to the young girl who was looking at him with tears in her eyes, as if to say "Please don't leave me". Grant patted her on the leg. "Don't let that guy give you any shit." He whispered through a broad grin. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up. The well dressed man nodded at the door.
"You really know how to make a great first impression don't you?" The man stated. Grant chuckled then asked. "So what do I call you?"
"Brandon"
"So, Brandon, here's where I'm coming from here. I just saw myself turn into a cat on a security tape, then I see a girl I know from work who I was sleeping with turn into a cat in front of me after I find out she was part of this the whole time, and I just had some asshole who is in charge of god knows what try and hold me in a room and yell at me... do you see where I'm coming from now?"
"Yes" Brandon said simply.
"Yes? That's it? I better start getting some fucking answers or I'm taking my chances out there!"
Brandon said nothing, but stopped at a door and opened it. Inside was an array of electronic equipment, which seemed to focus on a single chair in the center of the room. After opening the door, Brandon simply added "There's your answer."
3 guys, in lab coats, turned their attention to Grant. One jumped up immediately and almost ran over to Grant. "Welcome! Oh man it's an honor, I mean, really an honor." He grabbed Grant's hand and shook it hastily, his thick glasses almost falling off his nose. He habitually pushed them back up with his finger while still smiling up at Grant. "Hey come in, I'll explain what's about to happen here as much as I can." Grant looked around. Monitors were everywhere, and so where desks. There was a fridge in the corner and some tubes with different colors of liquids were sitting on a table to the left. Grant almost tripped over a bundle of cables traveling from a bank of computers over to the chair. This was right out of a freaking movie.
"Ok so, this is the awareness room. This is how we make you aware of your alt on the other side, you know you have an alt right?" Grant looked at him, his expression must have gave him away. "They haven't told you anything, have they? Geez, as if I don't have enough to do..." He trailed off, then drew in a deep breath. "Ok so, you have an alt. Most people do. They never know about them. Only one in about 25,000 even has an idea, and only 1 in 50,000 actually remember the 'dreams' they have." The lab tech stopped and looked at Grant to see if his words were actually sinking in. Satisfied enough, he continued.
"So above that, only about 1 in 500,000 can remember their alt's consciousness, and... hell we have no idea how many can phase themselves in and out like you can without becoming aware." The man stopped and looked at Grant as if in awe. "So um, you say your name is Harvark?"
"I never said that." Grant stated, still looking around the room. "Who is Harvark?"
"Well some people on your case think it's you. And if you are THE Harvark, you are the new ranking officer here at... " he cut himself short. "The compound... We've been looking all over for you!"
Grant shook his head. "Ok so, this Harvark is pretty important then?"
"Well no one moves to the front of the line on the list to be aware unless you're important."
Grant turned to the geeky looking lab tech. "What do you mean, aware?" The lab guy nodded, "Ok well, here's some history for you. We have no idea how long this has been possible, but the first clues were the drawings on the walls in the tombs of Egypt. You think those animals on the walls were their pets? Ha! Those animals were them! Those were their alts, and they were aware of themselves! The pyramids... those weren't just tombs, they were a link to the other side! They ruled both sides!"
The tech's hands were both shaking to emphasize his knowledge as if trying to push the facts into Grant physically. Grant was dumbfounded. He didn't know what to think, or how to take all this. The little man dropped his shoulders and sighed. "Yeah no one ever gets it, here, sit down, and whatever you do, try and keep the memories separate.
Grant was strapped into the chair, sensors placed all over his body and a protective cover was placed over his legs and arms. He was strapped in, but loosely, and the straps were soft and gave a little to pressure. Grant was nervous, he was anxious, and he had no idea what to expect. One of the techs, a good looking but reserved gal was tapping on a syringe, while pushing on the plunger until liquid shot out the end. "What is that?" Grant asked, squirming a little at what would obviously be happening. "Just relax, it's to help you sleep, but stay awake." She walked over to him and gently injected the liquid into him. Grant instantly felt the ice cold liquid travel up his arm, and as soon as it hit his chest, it exploded throughout his body, instantly numbing him all over, and narrowing his vision. He blinked, looking around suddenly trying to focus on anything.
"We're dating." The first lab teck announced in a whisper as he winked at Grant. Grant couldn't care less. At this point he wouldn't have cared if the world ended. He suddenly found himself laughing, but when he heard himself he stopped, wondering why. "I think it's going to work well, he seems to be already in phase" the 3rd lab tech stated, looking at the monitor. "Good, we'll let him get to know himself then."
Grant wasn't sure where he was, he suddenly found himself spinning, and his eyes were picking up bits and pieces of things that weren't there, like the ceiling of his hovel. He yawned and scratched behind his ear... which rotated forward. He looked down at his paw, this all just seemed normal to him at that moment. He was supposed to be doing something. Oh, yes, he was supposed to be remembering something. Suddenly a shock wave was sent through his body, both he and his alt shook, memories started to collide as if 2 boxes full of puzzle pieces were being thrown on the floor for him to see. Memories flooded his head, but they were already there. He tried to sort them as they came. But they didn't come in order. They were random, sporadic. Childhood memories passed through his mind, both as a cub, and as a boy. He tried to blink, his eyes watering as he tried to keep things separate.
About 4 hours later, Grant opened his eyes in the chair. Something was different. His entire demeanor had changed. He slowly sat up, gathering the attention of everyone in the room. He looked the room over in quiet contemplation, seeing Lisa, Brandon, the lab techs, and Tak'Nosh. There were a couple of armed guards there as well. He slowly got up, still partly dizzy from the drugs and a little weak from the ordeal. But he walked calmly over to Lisa first, his eyes locking with here. She had a grin on her face, but before she could say anything, Grant pressed himself against her, pinning her to the wall. He grabbed her head in his hands and kissed her deeply, passionately, pressing against her and almost picking her up off the ground. Then he ran his cheek along hers. "Mmm, mine" he whispered in her ear. He pulled back and locked eyes with her again. She let out a long sigh. "Mmmhmhm, Harvark, it is you."
Grant felt the gaze of Tak'Nosh, and turned his head, looking straight into his eyes. Tak'Nosh was glaring at Grant, and hadn't heard the name Lisa had called him. "Now who in the hell are you?" Tak'Nosh snapped, demand in his voice.
Grant turned to face Tak'Nosh, authority and power in his stance and as he spoke, his body phased slightly. The outline of a well built, coal black feline overshadowed Grant and matched his movements. "I am Harvark, alpha male of the Azurites, but you will call me 'sir'." Then, as Grant leaned forward, his pure white teeth contrasted with his black fur and his yellow eyes narrowed as he growled, "And if you speak out of turn once more to me Tak'Nosh, I'll take your head off."