Prologue
Expedition 58
ISS ORBITAL PLATFORM
GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBIT ABOVE NASA SPACE COMMAND
2021 AD 17:34 EST:
An astronaut aboard the ISS bobbed against the restraints of his seat unconsciously, as he half slumped over the laptop secured to the control console. The monitor showed a live camera feed of an Arial view over the Lucas Oil Stadium as it panned across downtown Indianapolis. The players that were practicing on the field now lay unconscious scattered across the grass. The camera moved on to the city's residential area. Cars were scattered haphazardly, some ran through buildings and others crashed into trees, polls, and other vehicles. All of the occupants and surrounding pedestrians lay unconscious.
This scenario was displayed all across the world on the monitors in the astronaut's cabin. A few people were also seen walking around assisting the few military personnel that had come to help. Suddenly, the monitors all went static.
Outside the station's viewport, in the distance just beyond the moon, a small tear in the fabric of space began to form.
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UNDISCLOSED
MILITARY BASE
EARTH: 2021 AD
17:48 GMT:
Frankie walked around the hospital bed, admiring the young man laying in it.
"How is he?" A scientist asked as he walked into the chamber behind him.
"Surprisingly well. In fact, we actually have an unexpected Allie that decided to make herself known. I don't know much about her, but apparently we have a mutual enemy." Frankie said in response as he turned to look at the scientist.
"Her? Another mind?" The scientist asked as he rushed over to the control station, bringing up charts and 3D images of the patient's brain.
"No, a conscious yes, but...I don't think it's from any person...not here anyway. Seems we're NOT alone in this. Like I said, I can't explain it, hell I can't even explain MY predicament but, yet...here I am." Frankie said as he looked at the glass wall behind the scientist at his own dimly lit reflection.
He looked down at the young lad and couldn't believe how young he looked compared to how he looked when they first met. It almost reminded him of Benjamin Button, and he was Mr. Button. He admired the guy and found a new bond with him for in their time together, he never knew him to care for him that deeply. To him, Frankie was his son. Especially since then he thought he did lose his son. He wanted Frankie to be alive after the accident so bad that he manifested him into the real world, and upon doing so, unwittingly gave him the ability to travel back and forth, amongst a few other things. Scared the hell out the scientists when he popped up. That's when he found out what was really going on. He couldn't just wake him because that would definitely be the end to all. He couldn't just tell him in fear it would disturb him and wake him and...well, don't want that either. His only choice was to let him play it out but he couldn't let IT win and take over his mind. So he decided to lend a hand and use his own mind to aid him, but apparently someone new decided to help him remember. He doesn't believe she means him any harm, but he doesn't think she knows the full scope of the situation.
"I see," the scientist said as he looked up from the monitors to look at Frankie. "That is another mystery to be solved."
He too was also perplexed as to Frank's arrival. He was studying his patient's brainwaves when suddenly they began to spike. Everything went dark for a brief moment before returning to normal. When he looked up Frankie was standing next to the bed looking at his glowing neon blue self. Freaking out at first, then finally calming down after a little convincing on Frankie's part, he was able to compose himself and find out how Frankie came to be. They ran test after test but found nothing, literally. Although he could interact with people and objects both visually and physically, all the scans read as if he doesn't exist. X-rays, EKGs. If you stuck a needle in him and tried to draw blood, nothing would enter the needle. Frankie was like that of a solid hologram.
"Can you find out more about this mystery...guest?"
"I can try but, she's pretty elusive herself. Hell she fit into the roll so well that I didn't even pick up on her until she helped Crystallina with her memory." Frankie said as he looked down at the young Jason.
"Chrisawho?" The scientist asked as he raised an eyebrow.
"Another one of his characters" Frankie said, dismissing it. Then thought about it. How DID she interact with Crystallina?
"He's got a whole Star Wars thing going on huh..." The scientist said as he looked up from the monitors with a slight chuckle. "Ok, I have him stabilized. What is it you're planning on doing?" He asked.
"Me? Nothing. He's doing all the work. I'm just moving the pieces, but I have to be careful so IT doesn't pick up on me. Now, since Crystallina has kind of jumpstarted his memory, I'm really just along for the ride...for the most part anyway...and yeah, its actually pretty cool. Can't wait til you guys actually get that far." He finished as he walked around to the monitors.
He looked at the screens and then at the bed before going back to the monitors. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and concentrated. He heard the monitors start beeping as he opened his eyes.
"There!" He said as he pointed to the yellow oscillating line that had begun to spike up past the blue one. The green and red lines remained at an even level. "That's the one I need you to watch. If it drops, inject him with this..."
He raised his hand palm up and a small syringe with a black oily looking substance in it appeared. He placed it on the desk then looked at the scientist.
"It doesn't exist yet in your world, but they're nano bots programmed to stimulate his anterior cingulate. It just may give him the boost he might need." He said as he started walking towards the bed.
Now standing next to the bed, Frankie looked at the young lad.
"Don't worry buddy. We're gonna bring you home. Then we can deal with this...other problem." He said, then nodded to the scientist.
The scientists took a pair of dark shaded spectacles out his pocket and put them on. Frankie lit up bright blue before disappearing in a neon blue sparkle of lights.
"Don't think I'll ever get used to that." The scientist said as he watched the last of the light shower fade away.
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