Infinite Horizons

Grit buckled himself into the flight seat along with the others, but could’ve sworn that there had only been two seats before. He’d sat in one, and Cassia in the other. Now, though, the ship was easily holding the two of them, plus Mel and Kevin. Each one of them had their own seat, and the interior didn’t feel cramped. Grit shook his head and let it go. It was unimportant for right now.

He watched Cassia place her hand on the ship, and he braced himself. He had never really gotten used to jumping across the multiverse, even though he was forced to fairly often. The ship jumped. He could tell by the small pulse that went through the ship. Other than that, and Cassia jumping out of her seat towards the exit, there was no indication anything had happened at all. The door of the ship opened and sunlight streamed in. Grit was relieved to see that they were not on top of a mall this time, though he couldn’t tell where they had set down in this universe.

“Yay, Paris!” shouted Mel, clapping her hands like a child. Grit blinked until his eyes got used to the sunlight and he could indeed see the Eiffel Tower looming nearby. Mel gestured for everyone to follow her, so he scooped up Tango and set him on his shoulder. The group followed Mel as she led them closer and closer to the tower. They received a number of strange looks from passersby, and Grit felt that they were all directed at him. He was, after all, still wearing his jungle camouflage outfit, and he also towered over everyone else. He frowned and focused on walking and observing.

Finally, Mel stopped and pointed down a street full of obviously expensive apartments and penthouses.

“This should be it,” she said. “Looks like my kind of place! Let’s find number fifteen.” She was halfway there before Grit grabbed her arm.

“Shouldn’t we scout ahead for enemies?” he asked. “Look what happened last time.” Mel rolled her eyes.

“I’m sure even The Singularity isn’t moving this fast,” she said in an exasperated tone. “But fine. I’ll go knock and you cover me from the bushes.” Grit was fairly certain that she was joking, but he nodded his agreement anyway. Then he hustled around and put the bush at the front of the walk in between him and the front door. Unholstering his pistol, he clicked the safety off and immediately started scanning for trouble. Across the sidewalk, Cassia and Kevin did an awkward imitation of him. Grit hoped Kevin wouldn’t try to shoot the gun he’d pulled out. Based on the way he handled it, he was just as likely to shoot any of them as he was an enemy.

At the door, Mel tapped out a complicated knock, which resulted in a tiny electronic device extending from the middle of the door.

“Password required,” said a metallic voice. Mel laughed, then cleared her throat and spat a glob of saliva onto the screen. Grit frowned, and readied himself for action. That girl was too brash. There was no chance the owner of the ritzy penthouse would accept that without hostility.

“Password accepted. Welcome, Melissa Alfaro,” said the computer, then the electronic device slid back into the door. Mel grinned back at them.

“You can put your guns away now, children,” she called out to them. Grit lowered his weapon, meaning to click the safety on, but then things went south. The front door opened right as Grit realized that Tango was no longer on his shoulder. Then he noticed the pangolin tugging at Mel’s pants. She frowned at it and then bent down and shoved it away, right as a bullet exploded into the wall at head height. Mel hit the ground with a yell, and Grit saw Cassia charging out from behind the opposite bush. Mostly though, he heard the distant thump of helicopter rotors.

Everything in real life seemed to slow down for Grit, the thump of the rotors magnified and bouncing around his brain. Suddenly he was back in the foxhole, explosions providing a constant white noise in the background. He could see Jorge’s body laying in an unnatural position halfway out of the hole. He could see the other men running, retreating, towards that fortified position in the rocky hills. And he could see the helicopter slowly rising up over that hilltop to face the men running towards it. The rotors thumping, always thumping. Everything was happening fast, and he was too slow, and then the helicopter was gone and the world was silent.

Grit blinked in surprise to find his face flat against the pavement. He sat up slowly to get his bearings, and realized the other three were surrounding him.

“You ok there, big guy?” asked Mel. “‘Cuz you look like shit.” Cassia frowned at her but then looked to him for an answer. He nodded slowly.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry,” he grunted his answers. Cassia didn’t seem to believe him, but Mel was fine with his answer.

“Let’s get inside,” she said. “Who knows how many of these fuckers are still out here.” Turning, Grit could see two bodies in all black lying prone on the walk. He gestured to Kevin, who quickly stepped forward and helped him to his feet. As he stood there was movement in his peripherals. A black shape stepped out from between apartments and fired towards them. Instinctively, Grit shoved Cassia to the side, already drawing his own pistol and firing back. The bullet hit the man center mass, and he dropped immediately to the ground.

“Very nice,” Mel said, then turned to Cassia. “Soldier man is ok, so let’s get the hell inside.” She didn’t wait for a response, just turned and ran back up the walk and shoved open the front door. Grit followed, with Cassia and Kevin right behind. Kevin slammed the door behind them, and Grit wondered if he thought that would keep out bullets.

They gathered inside the front door on the marble flooring. Grit was fairly certain it was real marble. The excess expense vaguely irritated him, but he pushed it down. There was a small sitting room off the hallway, and he could see a small man laying back on an oversized chair, one hand lightly resting on his forehead. He was wearing a tight fitting suit with pinstripes, and a white lacy shirt that bubbled up out of the jacket. Mel stomped over to him.

“Sit up, you dumbass,” she said as she grabbed the man by his slim striped suit jacket. The man groaned and sat up, then glared at Mel.

“Melissa, please,” he scolded. “Have some tact.” Mel smiled at him, but it wasn’t nice. The man looked around.

“Who are these…people?” he asked with a slight frown. Grit saw Mel reposition herself so she was behind the chair. Then she looked over at him and gestured to the door. Grit tried to be subtle as he eased himself into the doorway.

“They’re here to save your ass, so you better listen up,” Mel replied. Something in her tone must have alerted the man, as he glanced sharply at her. Cassia stepped forward.

“Mr. Thorn,” she began, and the man raised an eyebrow at her. “I apologize for bringing trouble to your door…” Thorn held up a hand to cut her off, and then turned to smirk at Mel.

“This is how one speaks in a civilized world,” he said, then looked back at Cassia. “Please, continue.” Grit rolled his eyes, but Cassia simply proceeded.

“We are here for two things. First, any information you may have about the Weft and Warp.” She paused as Thorn gasped in surprise, but then continued. “Second, we believe The Singularity may be searching for you.”

If the first statement had surprised Thorn, the second sent him into a panic. He leapt up out of the chair and tried to head towards the bookshelf on the back wall, but found Mel blocking his way.

“Sorry, pal,” she said as he turned and ran for the door. Grit set his feet and glared at Thorn, who quailed and simply sat down on the floor.

“I must leave,” he mumbled. “But I thought they were simply ruffians. I am a dead man.” Cassia knelt down by the distraight Thorn and put a hand on his shoulder until he looked up at her.

“We can help get you out of here,” she said softly. “But we need the information.” Thorn looked at her wildly.

“But I don’t know where the Weft and Warp are,” he said. Cassia looked at him sadly, then stood up.

“Let’s go find the next Thorn,” she said to the group. Kevin was shocked, but Mel just nodded and joined Cassia. Grit was surprised that Cassia would simply leave the man, but when she looked at him he shrugged and moved from the doorway.

“Wait!” shouted Thorn. “There are few of me who even believe the Weft and Warp are real. You want to talk to Thorn-41. He’s crazy about that legend.” Cassia turned around.

“We just came from Earth 41,” she said, and Thorn’s face fell. “That Thorn is already taken by The Singularity.”

“But that’s the Thorn you need,” said the one on the ground. “No one else knows what he knows!” Grit looked around the room. Cassia was considering this, but Kevin seemed anxious. Mel looked mostly indifferent, but then Grit was fairly certain she could survive anywhere. Maybe in a different way than him, but they were cut from the same cloth. He realized Cassia was still debating.

“Look, I don’t know what The Singularity is,” Grit said. “But if we’re going to have to fight them every time we visit this guy, we may as well fight them for the first Thorn.” He wasn’t entirely sure he’d said that right. Talking about the multiverse often got complex quickly, so he was relieved when Cassia slowly nodded.

“Yes, we’ve got to get Thorn-41 from The Singularity,” she said. The Thorn on the ground looked overjoyed.

“Thank you, thank you!” he said, standing up from the floor. “Mel! Get The Singularity off my back and I’ll have the biggest job I’ve ever had for you!” Mel snorted derisively, but Grit could tell she was already interested.

“What is this damn Singularity anyway?” he asked. “Some sort of government group or something?”

“More like religious,” Mel muttered. Grit gave her a confused look, but it was Cassia who responded.

“They’re a fanatical group that believes there is one copy of each person, across the multiverse, that is better than all the rest,” she explained. “They see it as their mission to either eliminate the weaker ones themselves, or by pitting them against each other in fights to the death.”

“They are growing in reach,” said Thorn, shakily. “They’re certainly not the biggest group across the multiverse but they are…relentless.” He shuddered. Cassia shook her head, as if to clear it, and then strode past Grit and into the hallway.

“Let’s go,” she said. “If The Singularity isn't here yet, it’s only a matter of time. And we have to go across the city to get to the Pathfinder.” She looked at Thorn and hesitated for a moment.

“Thorn, we can take you with us, but we have to leave now,” she said reluctantly. Thorn shook his head rapidly.

“Oh no, I’ve prepared for this moment,” he said, seemingly gaining confidence. “All Thorn’s know that such a time may come. Thank you for the warning.” He bowed low to them, then turned to Mel.

“Don’t forget, Melissa. I will reward you for getting rid of these guys!” Anxiety returning, Thorn turned and bounded over to the bookshelf. He pulled a specific book, and Grit expected the bookshelf to swing open. Instead, a trap door slid open below Thorn’s feet, and he dropped from view. The door slid back into place immediately. Almost simultaneously there was a loud crash from the front of the building.

“They’re back!” Kevin shrieked, and Cassia shushed him as Mel directed them towards the back of the penthouse. Suddenly both entrance doors slammed open, kicked in by the men outside. Smoke flooded into the house. Grit grabbed Kevin and hurled him towards a side door.

“This way!” he shouted to the others as he flung the door open and shoved Kevin through. He slammed the door behind him as Mel and Cassia sprinted by. They were in a garage of sorts, though it was fully taken up by the shiny Land Rover in front of them.

“Oh, hell yes!” shouted Mel. “I’ll drive!” As she spoke, bullets came whizzing in through the door, causing everyone to duck.

“Get in the car!” Grit bellowed and everyone moved except Mel. She was holding her left side, and blood was seeping through her fingers. She slowly looked up at him.

“Shit,” she said, and then she collapsed on the floor.