Rick heard sounds all around him but he couldn’t make them out. Little by little, he opened his eyes. At first, the light hurt his eyes, but now he was getting used to it. He was lying in a bed. To his left a voice he didn’t recognize said something and a large, distorted shape appeared in front of him. A few seconds passed before the unknown figure gained definition and transformed into the face of a woman.

  “How are you feeling? My name is Susan, and I’m your doctor.”

  “Dizzy,” responded Rick, his voice fragile.

  “That’s normal. It’s the effects of the medication.”

  Rick slowly looked around. He turned his head thinking he might recognize the room, but a piercing pain shot through the back of his neck. He completed his scan of the room moving only his eyes. It looked like a hospital room—stark white walls devoid of decorations and a comfortable-looking armchair. Several wires and tubes were protruding from of his body; they went off to the right and then disappeared behind him. Rick had no intention of turning his head to look for fear of experiencing another searing pain in his neck. He heard a beeping sound at regular intervals and thought it must be the machine that monitored his vital signs. He moved his arms a little to see if anything was broken. That didn’t hurt. He took his right hand out from under the sheet and scratched his left arm. His eyes were fixed on the shadow of his hand sliding over the folds in the sheet. He didn’t understand why, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the shadow. Something was forcefully drawing his attention to it. He had no idea what it meant, but he sensed there was something significant about the shadow.

  Susan, wearing a white lab coat, was looking through a folder a few steps from the bed. She noticed Rick, frozen in place with his right hand up in the air.

  “The shadow! The portal!” groaned Rick. An avalanche of confusing memories stirred in his mind. “Tell them to close the portal right now!”

  “Calm down. It’s already done.” Susan approached the bed and put her hand on his forehead. “You need to rest. You have two broken ribs and quite a few contusions.”

  “You have no idea what happened in there! I won’t calm down until that portal is closed. No, not just closed—sealed. Notify Major Gordon.”

  “Listen to me. The portal is sealed. I promise you. You passed out and have been sleeping since yesterday.”

  “Yesterday . . .” repeated Rick, calming down a little. Jumbled ideas were turning around in his head. He’d made it back. But what about everyone else? “What happened to the rest of them? Where are the others?”

  “Only two of you came back. I’m sorry.” Susan held him down, keeping him from getting out of bed. “You have to rest.”

  “Who came back? I want to see him.”

  “You can’t. It’s a soldier named Tom. He hasn’t opened his mouth since he came back. He won’t eat and just stares off into space. He seems to have lost touch with reality.”

  “So, you think he’s crazy,” Rick cut in. “Don’t beat around the bush.”

  The captain gave in to the pressure of Susan’s hands and lay back in the bed. Then, it all came rushing back to him. Everyone but the two of them had died. In all his years in the military he’d never experienced such a crushing defeat, and much less with the speed that this had unfolded.

  There was a knock at the door. Susan left the room and quickly closed the door behind her. Through the window Rick saw her talking with someone dressed in a military uniform. He couldn’t hear what they were saying but it was clear they were arguing. Susan was gesturing emphatically and the volume of both their voices had increased considerably. The exchange didn’t last long. The door opened and the man came into the room. The expression of anger on Susan’s face showed that she did not approve.

  “Hello. I am General Smith. How are you doing? According to our doctor, you’re recuperating nicely.”

  “I’ve been better,” answered Rick.

  “I’m sorry about what happened. I would like to be able to wait until you are completely recovered, but unfortunately we need to know as soon as possible what transpired during the operation.” Smith raised his hand to keep Rick from speaking. “No, not now. I don’t intend to push you more than is absolutely necessary. For the time being I just need to know two things and then I’ll let you get some rest. The first is the status of the men who didn’t come back. The second is when you think you’ll be able to hold a debriefing with us to explain what happened.”

  “I cannot allow that,” Susan intervened, placing herself between Rick’s bed and Smith. “This man just regained consciousness. Even though he’s out of danger he still needs rest. You aren’t a doctor. It’s not up to you to decide what’s best for him.”

  “You think I don’t want him to get better?” barked Smith forcefully. “No, I’m not a doctor, and under normal circumstances I would be more than happy to respect your judgment. But these are anything but normal circumstances. Ninety-eight enlisted men died in that expedition. There are more than three hundred family members and friends wanting to know what happened.” Smith moved closer to Susan. “We have to make decisions of the highest importance, so if this man’s life is no longer in danger we should be talking to him right now.”

  “They’re dead,” announced Rick.

  Susan and General Smith looked at one another.

  “All of them?” Smith asked. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. I’ll save the details for the debriefing, if that’s all right with you. But you should let their families know.” Rick had a faraway look in his eyes. “We can have the meeting tomorrow. I don’t think I can stand to be cooped up in here any longer than that. I just need to clear my head a little. If you can me a sedative, Doctor, I think I’ll be okay.”

  Rick closed his eyes and barely heard Susan’s protests to the general as he gave himself up to sleep.

  He woke up early the next morning. He’d slept almost twenty hours straight, and his head felt better. It didn’t take as much out of him to think now. His body, however, was a different story. The bruises that covered so much of him were inflicting a multitude of aches and pains. He was hungry, but Susan didn’t let him eat much.

  The memory of his trip through the portal was causing a host of painful emotions. On the one hand was the feeling of guilt and failure. Security was his responsibility and everyone had died except him and one other soldier. The pain of having lost so many people overwhelmed him. An even worse sensation was the fear. The horrors he had witnessed compared with nothing he had ever seen before. But the feeling that was eating him up inside was the powerlessness. He didn’t understand what had happened, and it was a struggle to overcome a trauma caused by something unknown. He had to try to think about something else or he’d go crazy before he could explain to anyone what had happened.

  Susan stayed with him all morning. Rick was quickly getting used to her presence. They didn’t talk much, but he discovered that focusing his attention on her was helping to keep the recurring images of what had happened out of his mind. She was probably about thirty years old, and was very attractive. Her brown hair flowed almost to her waist, and she wore it in a ponytail that swung forward when she leaned over him. She moved with a flowing elegance; her whole body seemed to possess a graceful coordination that hypnotized Rick.

  After eating, Susan pushed Rick in a wheelchair to a meeting room where the bigwigs were waiting for him. As they went through the hallways, the captain realized that they were no longer in the foundry. They passed quite a few people dressed in white lab coats and military uniforms.

  This was the second time that the same three individuals were waiting for him in a room. Nathan Brook was present, but a major change was noticeable in him. His round face looked dejected; his eyes were sunken and there were dark shadows under them. Jack Kolby was not as well-dressed as the first time they’d met and was plagued by obvious signs of fatigue. Only Major Gordon looked the same. His uniform was impeccable and his stern face still showed no emotion other than anger.

  They moved some chairs away and Susan pushed Rick up to the edge of the table. Two ashtrays full of ashes, several half-empty bottles, three glasses, and disorderly piles of papers were spread across a tablecloth marred by multiple stains and cigar and cigarette burns. The air was thick with smoke and the smell of sweat.

  Rick missed Susan the minute the door closed behind her.

  “Before we begin,” said Gordon, speaking up immediately, “we want you to know that we’re glad both of you are recuperating. You’ve been through a very rough time.”

  “Thank you. I imagine you’re feeling a bit impatient, wanting to know what happened. I was in charge of security and it’s clear my work didn’t earn me any medals.” Rick avoided looking them in the eyes. “Know that I have no intention of trying to justify what happened. I accept my responsibility in this.”

  “We’re not looking to lay blame,” reassured the major. “This is not an official meeting. We just want to understand what happened during the operation. Unfortunately, it will be necessary for you to recount all the details. You understand, of course, that it’s of utmost importance that we know what we’re up against.”

  Rick did not allow himself to be taken in by Gordon’s friendliness. He was not terribly adept at masking his agenda. The major would not hesitate to hold him responsible for the failed mission as long as nothing could come back on him. Rick didn’t really care what they were intending to do to him, and his feelings of guilt kept him from going on the defensive. What he was about to tell them would be nearly impossible to accept, but he didn’t care if they believed him or not. For the moment, it was enough that they just be made aware of the danger.

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  “I’ll do my best to describe in detail everything I remember, but before I do, I’d like to know what measures you took to seal the portal.”

  “None,” Gordon replied, “but don’t be alarmed. It’s sealed. The portal crumbled to pieces shortly after you returned.” Rick look relieved. “Okay, now we’d like to hear your ideas with respect to the place you visited.”

  Nathan and Jack simultaneously turned their attention to Rick, their faces showing their curiosity.

  “It’s a strange place,” Rick began stiffly. “Right after crossing through the fog we arrived at a meadow. The closest thing to it I can think of would be a wheat field, but that’s not exactly what it was. The sprigs were more golden and had an unusual shine—almost like they were metal, but they weren’t. The first squad was already there and informed me that there was no danger in sight. We waited for the last squad and then secured the area. Then we checked out the surrounding area. At our backs was a wall of fog like the one from the portal. It spread across from both sides of the portal and up as high as the eye could see. If it hadn’t been for being able to see the light on the other side, we wouldn’t have know where we’d just passed through.” Rick paused and took a deep breath. His audience listened attentively. “It’s strange, but I remember that we felt good, really good in that place. We weren’t hot, we weren’t cold, and when I took off my coat I didn’t feel any change in temperature. I would guess it was sunset, because the light was kind of faint. I felt lighter, as if there were less gravity, and I had the sensation I could run for hours without getting tired. I don’t know how to explain it any better than to say it was a nice place, reassuringly comfortable.”

  “Did everyone else experience the same thing?” asked Jack.

  “Yes. They were all commenting on it. But there was also something out of place, something that was not quite right, but it was subtle. The sky was clear and it was a color we’d never seen before. But we saw no sun or any other star or celestial body. Even more strange was that there was no origin for the light. It was disconcerting not knowing where it was coming from.”

  “Go on,” urged Gordon.

  “We secured the area and I gave the order to mark the site where we would cross through the fog on the way back. We were in a hollow and couldn’t see much around us other than a few large formations on the horizon that I think were mountains. I ordered the recon squad to go up a hill that was on our right to explore the terrain. Someone from the squad called out to us and we went to see what was going on. We went around some trees and then saw something incredible. A chunk of earth was floating in the air about three hundred feet from where we were. It wasn’t very big, but it had some kind of structure on top of it made out of a material we didn’t recognize. I think it was a kind of tower.”

  Jack lit a cigar with a rather exaggerated, theatrical gesture and asked with extreme interest, “This material—could it be telio?”

  “I don’t think so. It was different. More clear. But it could be something like it. One of the scientists mentioned it could be a derivative of telio or something like that. I know it sounds bizarre, but I swear to you there was a piece of earth suspended in the air.”

  “Oh, we believe you,” Jack affirmed. Two circles of smoke escaped from his mouth and he beamed with pride, as if he’d practiced long and hard to be able to make shapes out of his cigar smoke. “It’s not that much of a stretch after seeing how the pillars floated in midair when the portal was activated.”

  That comparison hadn’t occurred to Rick. Rick’s mind was still so focused on the loss of his men and the trauma of what he’d seen in the other world that he hadn’t thought about the pillars. That factor alone did make it seem somewhat more logical that things in the other world could also levitate.

  “Are there other details you remember? Anything important about the place?” Jack inquired.

  “Yes, the most incomprehensible detail of all. It took me awhile to realize what was so disconcerting to me there.” Rick’s mind flashed back to seeing his shadow on the sheet the previous day. “In that world, there are no shadows. Nothing projects a shadow.”

  All three men raised their eyebrows, looking at Rick quizzically.

  “I’m not sure I understand you,” said Nathan. “How can there be no shadows? That’s impossible.”

  “Are you sure?” Gordon said, adopting his usual challenging attitude.

  “Absolutely. I did a few quick checks. I held one hand over the other. I held my vest over my head. Nothing. Not one shadow. And like I said, we couldn’t see any source for the light. But there was light all around us. It’s hard to explain it. Being used to our light, the absence of shadows made things seem clearer and more detailed, but at the same time they were less defined. It’s like things had less depth.”

  “That can’t be,” contended Nathan, perplexed.

  Rick coughed and brought his hand to his ribs, wincing in pain. He hated Jack’s damned cigars.

  “What would I have to gain by making up something like that? You can be sure I don’t have the imagination to think up something so bizarre.”

  “It could be you just thought that’s what you saw. Maybe they injected you with some kind of drug or virus,” Jack suggested. “You just said you felt great there. Maybe that effect was meant to alter your perception and make you drop your guard.”

  Rick thought about it for a minute. He was still holding his ribs for fear he’d have another sharp pain if he let go. “If that’s what it was, I can assure you it was no drug from our world. To tolerate my job and the missions I’ve been sent on, you can be sure I’ve taken all kinds of drugs. I’ve smoked and drank everything, and nothing I’ve ever experienced can compare with the sensations I felt when I was in that world. And since they didn’t find any strange substances in my blood work, I’d say that theory’s a long shot.”

  “You don’t have to defend yourself, Rick,” said Jack, appeasing him. More smoke escaped through his lips, but he didn’t make rings this time. “It was just an idea, not an accusation.”

  “Explain to us what happened when they attacked you,” said Gordon, finally bringing the conversation around to the topic he was most interested in. “The main thing is to find out everything we can about the enemy.”

  Rick’s expression darkened and his voice became more subdued.

  “It happened so fast. I heard someone calling out a warning, and I spun around and saw one of the men from the recon group running down the hill toward us. He wasn’t carrying his weapons. He tripped and rolled down the hill. That’s when it all began.” Rick coughed several times, but Jack made no move to put out the cigar. “There was a sudden, blinding flash of light. I covered my eyes; I couldn’t see where the light was coming from. We heard a strange sound all around us, like a rapid whistling. I heard shouts, cracks, thumps, and a shot. Then I was finally able to see a little better—I suppose my eyes were getting used to that light—and what I saw horrified me . . . There were mutilated body parts all over the ground. Legs, arms, heads . . . They were cutting us to pieces . . . literally. I tried to see the enemy so I could shoot, but I could only make out blurry shapes that were moving at an unreal speed. I ordered everyone to retreat . . . then something hit me . . .” Rick’s face was showing the considerable strain he was under. No one interrupted when he paused. “I got up and moved back toward the fog. I was stepping all over body parts. At one point I was near one of the tanks, and that’s when I was able to see one of them. He looked human, but his speed made him a blur. He cut the tank in two like it was a stick of butter, in one second . . . then a soldier that was on the ground nearby shot him. He hit him right in the middle of the back and the guy didn’t even flinch. Then something hit me again and the next thing I remember was crossing back through the fog.”

  Rick was quiet. His breathing was uneven and he was vigorously rubbing his hands together.

  “You couldn’t take down even one of them?” asked Gordon bluntly.

  “The only thing I could see was when the soldier shot one of them. Bullets were worthless.”

  Major Gordon leaned back in his chair, frowning. It wasn’t exactly what he’d been expecting to hear. If a specialist in infiltration operations with a vast amount of experience hadn’t been telling him this, he would have sent the guy packing for suggesting the enemy was immune to bullets, but this man was a professional. “If the shot hit him full on, as you say, then the guy must have been wearing a cutting-edge bulletproof vest, don’t you think?”

  Rick didn’t answer. He avoided Gordon’s stare.

  “Rick?” pressed Gordon.

  “I suppose so; he could have been wearing a v—”

  The major cut him off mid-sentence. “With what you’ve just told us, it looks like we don’t stand a chance of preparing ourselves to face these people,” Gordon said dejectedly. In a matter of seconds, his shoulders and head had dropped a bit, his voice had dulled, and the expression on his face was drawn and discouraged.

  “Maybe that won’t be necessary,” suggested Nathan. “We are the ones who went into their world. If we leave them alone, maybe they’ll do the same.”

  “This is no time for your pacifism,” growled Gordon. “They just killed a hundred of our men, and they stole the portal. Maybe we did go into their world, if that’s what it is, but we didn’t do anything to them. We didn’t attack and we didn’t destroy anything. I don’t get how you don’t consider them a threat.”

  “We didn’t do anything to them, but we went in armed to the teeth, and we brought two tanks. What would you do if you saw a hundred soldiers and two tanks crossing our border?”

  Jack lost interest in the predictable duel between Nathan and Gordon. It was better to let them vent a little before trying to resume the conversation. It was almost like a ritual. They’d continue throwing out the same arguments, incapable of agreeing even once. It was a mystery, even more than the Wave itself, how those two could spend so much time together without killing each other.

  Rick kept his head down, seemingly lost in thought. He looked completely beaten down. Jack wondered what kind of experience could have so quickly annihilated Rick’s arrogance. He had the reputation of being a tough and independent man, with a character that Jack wouldn’t have thought could be tamed. But now he looked defenseless and frightened, and that was not a good sign.

  “Oh yes, I’m sure it would have been better to send our men in unarmed,” snapped Gordon. “After seeing what the Wave did, maybe you’d prefer they go in carrying bouquets of flowers.”

  “We don’t know if the portal has anything to do with the Wave,” argued Nathan. “You’re taking action without having the facts.”

  “Gentlemen,” said Jack, interrupting the interminable fighting. “I think that’s enough for today. We’re not making any progress and Rick needs to rest. He looks exhausted.”

  Gordon and Nathan exchanged one last hostility-ridden glare, but they agreed with Jack. They’d spent too many hours closed up in that room, and it was obvious Rick needed to go back to bed.

  “Fine,” agreed Gordon.

  They started getting up to leave the room.

  “One last question,” said Rick. The three men stopped and looked at him. “No one has come to see me, but I would like to see one of my friends. His name is Eddie. Has he called to check on me?”

  “Actually, he has,” replied Gordon. “But we told him you aren’t ready for visitors yet. The truth is you’ll have to stay here awhile until we’re completely sure you’re not suffering from any secondary effects.”

  “I understand,” said Rick, preoccupied. He barely noticed when Susan came back into the room and rolled his chair out to take him back to his room.

  As Susan pushed Rick through the hallway, he was replaying in his mind what he’d gotten out of the meeting. The portal was destroyed and the enemy had apparently done it; that was the only positive. Since he had no friend named Eddie, he knew they were intending to keep him isolated for some unknown reason—and that was anything but positive.

  They got back to his room and Susan put the wheelchair next to the bed. She leaned down next to Rick and put her arm around his shoulders, ready to help him get into bed. As soon as Rick felt her next to him, all of his worries vanished and he found himself thinking only about her. He got up from the chair with Susan’s help, groaning when a sharp pain shot through his torso.

  “Something hurts?”

  Rick made a face, feigning excessive pain in an attempt to get more attention from her—while at the same time having no idea why he was doing it. He got into bed and sighed, making sure to exaggerate the look of suffering on his face.

  “I need to check your bandages.” Susan lifted the baggy white t-shirt up to his neck and ran her hands over his chest and torso, examining the bandages.

  “It was just a twinge,” declared Rick, trying to sound like a martyr. “Can you get me an aspirin?”

  Rick noticed Susan was especially careful when she pulled the t-shirt back down and covered him up.

  “I’ll get you some right now.”

  Susan got the aspirin, poured some water into a glass, and handed them both to Rick. “I’ll be back first thing tomorrow.”

  “Wait.” Rick took the aspirin, drained the glass, and handed it back to her. “I don’t want to be alone yet. Can you stay with me? Just for a little while.”

  Susan stayed, and it was longer than a while.

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