The Hidden Corners of the Mind

by JR.sgt

A woman is traveling from the present to the future and back in an emotional rollercoaster brought by a terrible illness. That afflicts millions across continents and through history. It is her personal battle of love lost in the most brutal way that humans have carved through the ages. Her physical and mental abilities are stretched to the limits of human capacity.

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The Hidden Corners of the Mind.

By

Jose Fernandez

It is a regular afternoon, close to 6:00 pm. The customary rush hour it is starting to turn into a slow procession of souls trap in mobile metal cages.

Many drive south others move north on highway 275 from the city of Tampa, to the city of Lutz in the Sunshine State of Florida.

One of them is Diana Dixon trap in the thick traffic.

Diana works as a customer service and as millions like her in the Sunshine State, she is overqualified for the job she does, with a university education earning one dollar an hour above minimum wage.

Paying rent, gas, and utilities and other necessities have forced millions like her to find the economic shelter of their parents' home with the low wages offered in the 21st century. All are returning home.

As always during the rainy season, a lightning storm covers like a blanket the sky above. The first droplets of water hit her windshield.

She looks at the opposite lane of the highway and cars making their way south all drenched in water. Diana sees in the distance the darker clouds, and the glare of lightning to the north toward she is headed.

On her dashboard, a light comes on, and she looks down. "Dammed!" She hits the steering wheel as she sees her gas needle indicating close to empty.

Diana moves to the right lane toward the off ramp of the highway seen a gas station sign indicating a source of the precious liquid on the street below.

Once Diana drives down on the off ramp she can see that the madness of accumulated vehicles is as intense on the streets as it is on the highway above.

Diana finally arrives at her temporary terminus so to continue home. She parks under the gas station cover next to a pump the lightning, the rain and the wind is now more abundant.

She gets out of her car to insert her plastic card in the pump as the wind blows droplets of water under the cover.

She sees the screen of the pump blank. One of the customers at the other pump goes to say. "The ATM in the pump is not working. You have to pay with cash inside."

"That is great, run under…" Diana is interrupted by a lightning strike close by.

All crouch and turn to the direction of the light and thunder. "Wow, that was close." A man said as he pumps gas into his truck.

Diana erects her body and calms down. She walks to the edge of the cover looking both ways and runs the best she can into the gas station store.

The store is full of drench customers from the seasonal rainstorm, and Diana sees two lines to pay for the goods and services rendered in the gas station.

She joins one of the lines and waits for a few minutes and then reaches the counter. "$20 on pump ten please."

Another lightning hit closer and the lights flicker in the store and all look outside.

The electrical power comes back to normal as two women run into the store. One says. "That lightning hit was down the street."

Diana walks away from the counter and looks through the glass door with trepidation. The thunder it is striking a nerve in her.

Diana belongs to a group of honored Americans, that the sudden unnerving loud noise of the thunder. Those not make them or her nervous but the memories that evoke are as loud as the thunder itself.

A man on his 70's with a hat that reads, Viet-Nam Vet, moves next to Diana and says. "Young lady, you can let go of the door."

Diana looks at her right hand, and she realizes that she was holding the glass door push bar with force.

She quickly let's go, and the man opens the door for her. Diana completely snaps out of her memories and smiles at the old gentleman.

"Thank you, sir." He smiles and replies. "It is just thunder, nothing more."

She gently nods her head as to bow respectfully to a senior fellow Veteran and turns around running to her car.

Diana pumps the gas and waits nervously for the tank to be filled. Once done, she gets in her car and drives slowly to the curb on the small exit incline that leads into the street from the gas station.

She puts her signal to turn right and drive around the small cement medium then then to make a U-turn around the medium to drive back toward the on ramp and head north to once again join the crowd of cars on the highway.

A slow moving semi-truck is approaching her from the left side on the street, and she calmly waits for it to pass by at the gas station exit.

A bolt of lightning strikes right in front of her across the street, the blinding light and the thunder with the debris from the electrical wood pole hits her car. Her mind is a blank, and fear runs up and down her body as fast as the electric discharge.

Her mind rapidly finds with what to fill the emptiness and is with bad memories. All she wants to do is to move out from her inner real kill zone, and she accelerates.

She hears the familiar sound of wheels locking in a frantic stop. Diana looks to her left seeing the headlights of the semi-truck approaching.

Her left rear side of her car caves in and she is tossed about in her car.

All turns to darkness, the back of her seat is horizontal, and her car continues to move abruptly. Diana knows where she is at but can't see anything.

As she looks around from her seat Diana hears a soothing female voice saying. "5,000 feet marker is reached, Air brakes active, re-entry engines engaged."

Her vision slowly returns, and Diana commences to distinguish control panels and empty seats next to her. Her first thought is that she is in an ambulance, but there is no one with her.

A loud humming sound is heard, and the place jolts upward, and the sharp movements diminish, the place now moves gently like a swing. "Where am I!?" She yelled but no response.

She hears the sound of electrical fans or engines then the room jolts and all stops. The strange voice it is heard again. "All stop. The Beacon it is active, bio-spherical environmental conditions optimal for debarkation."

Bright lights come on, and Diana looks around. She is strapped to a seat facing the ceiling of a round room. She turns her head and sees someone else strapped down in another seat, a woman.

The woman's head is tilted and her eyes are wide open. Diana stays motionless looking at the woman. "Miss, miss. Can you help me please?" There is no response.

Diana follows her harness straps with her hands and finds the unlocking mechanism over her chest. She turns the knob, and all four straps come unlocked. She slowly erects her upper torso seating.

"Miss, are you ok?" Diana asks again.

Diana gets up from the chair and falls to the floor. She slowly stands up and once again looks around as she walks toward the woman. "Are we in a hospital?"

Diana gently moves the woman that does not react to Diana's presence. Diana reaches for her hand. "Oh! My… what?"

Diana examines the woman's neck closely for a pulse, and the woman is dead. Her neck it is broken. She backs away, and now her nervousness has turned into desperation. She sees what it looks like a hatch and moves to it.

She sees a handle to the right of the hatch inside a metal safety strap. The top of the strap is open. She lifts the handle over the safety strap and the hatch opens outward and downward like a ramp.

In her desperation she jumps out not knowing where she is jumping into.

Diana lands in a patch of tall grass, her breathing is heavy and her body is immobilized.

She abruptly stands and looks about then turns to see that she was not in a room after all but what it looks to be some kind of bathysphere with four legs coming from under it.

Six large plates that together look like a large umbrella are closing on the top of the strange edifice discharging a rush of vapor.

She runs away from the contraption and stops at a safe distance to look at it.

She continues to breathe deeply, her stomach and abdominals are contracting by the sensation of flight or fight.

Diana's hands shake by the adrenalin rush surging in her body but she does not surrender to her lower inner parts of her brain were the human's animals instincts reside.

She squats down looking around for any sign of civilization as she accesses her situation, but all she sees is a dense tropical jungle surrounding her.

She looks at herself and she is wearing a strange tied one piece uniform. It is of a gray dark color and covering her hands black gloves.

The only break from her upper and lower parts of the uniform it's a thick black belt with empty pouches. Diana sees an empty pistol holster on her right side, and her black boots seem to be part of her uniform.

On her right and left shoulders she has patches with gold color symbols. She recognizes the symbols and says. "Captain?"

She examines the ones on her left upper arm and sees a design of a craft in space and the words engraved in the patch, E.V.C. 73, First defense fleet Yadna sector.

She is silent thinking what is going on. A small breeze blows moving gently the grass around her. The strange machine is silent and she slowly commences to calm down.

Now she starts to pay attention to the settle cues of her surroundings. Diana smells salty water as she recognizes the scent from living for so many years in the coastal area of Florida.

She then hears the sound of ocean waves in the distance she slowly stands and walks into the dense foliage just guided by the ocean sound in the hopes to find a road or someone that could help her.

Diana emerges from the jungle into a beach. The water is of a gray dull color and the water looks cold but she is not going to check it out.

A distant explosive echo coming from the sky makes her look up toward the horizon.

A large brilliant white plume arches in the distance as small trails of white smoke separate from the central large one. She stays motionless looking at the awe display in the sky.

She looks both ways on the beach and sees a multistory building over a cliff, Diana walks toward it so to call home and report the dead woman in the strange spherical building.

As she walks she turns to look at the strange heavenly show taking place over the horizon. "That trail is far and whatever it is, it is big." That is all she said as she walks to the building.

She reaches the beach in front of the cliff and on top of the cliff, the building. Diana sees beach tables and chairs as well as other amenities for people to enjoy a day on the beach.

All the outdoor beach furniture it is covered by the sand and turn over on their side.

She examines the building and all the windows are broken and from some windows curtains move in and out by the wind.

Once again the flight or fight instinct re-emerge seen the display of deterioration in front of her dominating the top of the cliff.

She stows her hesitation with the hope to find help. Diana sees a stairway carved into the rock that leads to the building. She walks toward it and then climbs.

She arrives into a large patio and pool area at the top. The pool is half full with dark green water and all the tables are on their side.

The desolate scene makes her nervous thinking no one is around.

Diana's attention is to the building entrance before her. She slowly moves toward it with caution knowing that she is in private property.

Diana enters the building through a broken door frame and walks seen the same desolation she saw outside. "Hello!" She walks into a restaurant area.

Plates with rotten food and drinks are plentiful. Some chairs as well as some tables are on their sides. All looks as if the patrons in the place stood up and ran out.

She continues to walk to the main entrance but without her noticing her walk has turn from a lonely woman in distress walking in someone's property into a soldier with a mission, looking before moving.

Diana can't tell precisely how long ago the building was abandon but by the intrusive sand and dust accumulation she guesses at least one or two years. She looks over the reception counter. "Hello!"

No one replies as she expected but Diana wants to make sure she is alone and then she walks to the main entrance.

Once outside she sees several strange vehicles on a two lane road but all the vehicles are facing away from the hotel as if a hasty escape was taking place.

All the doors of the cars are open as the owners left them, she examines the vehicles and no signs of blood or anything out of place, the owners just left.

The vehicles have been there for a long time. Most of the cars are overcome by foliage and large deposits of sand blown from the beach cover the seats.

"Why they left the cars behind?" She asks to herself and looks both ways; there was enough space for the cars to continue unimpeded. Some other reasons than traffic volume stopped them.

Diana walks on the road following the ghostly scene of abandon cars. So far she has not even seen an animal or a bird, not even an insect of any kind.

She stops and turns to face the building and she says. "What could have broken all the windows?"

She thinks about it and she replies herself. "A shockwave? Wow, an explosive shockwave." Diana turns and resumes her walk away from the building.

She sees a large wood sign posted on side of the road and she walks to it, looking about.

By this time she not only moves her head to look but also pivots her body and walks backwards to then rapidly turn walking forward.

She reaches the posted sign and reads it in a whisper. "Goodbye and return soon to the Yadna prime resort Hotel."

She looks at the bottom of the sign and reads. "Yadna spaceport one mile, Yadna demarcation city seven miles."

She walks passing the sign and heads up the road. About forty minutes later Diana reaches a large structure that looks like an airport were all the cars ended their trek.

Cars coming from the resort as other cars coming from the opposite direction are converging in the large parking lot of the airport.

The cars and other vehicles are parked in whichever way the drivers could park. All the vehicles are as rundown as the ones she has seen on her way there.

At the main entrance she sees several vehicles resembling military Humvees. She stares at them in detail almost fixed unable to turn away from the military vehicles.

When a noise from inside the building distracts her and Diana turns to look. "Hello! I need help!"

She walks into the cavernous building and sees several large piles of suitcases on the floor. A large area in the airport terminal was turned into a medical triage section.

Field medical dressings with blood are abundant in the triage area. Intravenous bags empty on the floor or on the seats. Medical equipment abandon by the users.

Diana stares at the large improvised medical first response area. Civilian attires and military uniforms just like the one she is wearing are spread outside the confines of the triage area.

"A war?" As she says this something grabs her attention on one of the seats. She walks to it and sees a pistol resembling a 9mm handgun.

Diana carefully grabs it and exams it she pulls back on the charging mechanism exposing the firing chamber and a bullet flies out.

She picks bullet up and looks at the strange casing. Diana sees the tips of several small chards sticking out from the casing instead of the single oval aerodynamic mass of a bullet.

Diana pulls the magazine and the top bullet in it is of the same manufacture as the one in her hand.

She introduces the one she took from the floor into the magazine and slaps the magazine in the weapon. Diana releases the charging mechanism forward and she puts the weapon in her holster.

Diana walks about for a few minutes not finding anyone. She sees a close large metal door that its design does not fits with the rest of the building architecture at the end of the terminal.

She walks to the dark metallic grey door and Diana exams it. The texture is smooth and the cold emanating from the door passes through her gloves. Diana searches for any mechanism or electrical interface to open the door but there is none.

Diana feels the impulse to enter but she can't. She gives up and turns away.

She walks up to one of the benches and seats down. Her face shows a blank expression, numb of any emotion just staring forward. "Where am I?"

Then she turns her head toward the strange metal door. "Why I want to go in there?"

Diana looks down and her mind moves Diana back into her memories to the last familiar recognizable place she remembers, the gas station and then her accident.

Again she hears the same sound she heard from the outside near her. She stands and yells. "I need help!" She clears her eyes realizing small tears were coming out.

Diana cautiously walks to where she thinks the source of the noise came from.

She looks at an exit leading to the tarmac. She enters to a small hallway and stops seen that the hallway continues to the left.

Diana resumes her march into the long hallway until she is out on the tarmac and sees two large craft melted by fire and tilted sideways on the runway as if they were getting ready to leave.

She looks through the large gaps of melted metal and for the first time she can distinguish human figures.

The human remains still in their seats and all the bodies are scorched by fire as other bodies are about in or outside the burn fuselage.

A cold sweat runs through her body and turns around to walk inside, when she stops seen a little girl standing behind her.

Diana slowly comes out from her surprise and asks. "What is your name, little girl?"

"My name is Diana."

"Mine as well. Where are your parents?"

"Home, I want to go home."

Diana can see that the girl has been alone for a while. The girl's attire it is similar in texture to what Diana it is wearing but it's a one piece pink dress and she is wearing tennis shoes.

The girl's face and arms are dirty as well as her dress. Diana gets closer to the young one and asks. "What is this place and what happen here?"

The little girl shrugs her shoulders and makes a small frown and replies. "You tell me."

"I don't know either, what happen to those people?" The girl looks pass Diana and replies. "The war killed them. I want to go home."

Diana moves closer and says. "Me too and…" The girl turns and runs away. Diana runs after her.

Diana is about to catch her when the girl turns the corner in the hallway into the main building and the girl is gone.

Diana runs all the way into the terminal. There is no girl, nothing but the wind blowing gently in the empty terminal in front of Diana.

There is nothing close by that the girl could have used as concealment. Diana slowly moves forward at first and then runs to the middle of the terminal looking in all directions.

She looks behind the counters and in several rooms close by and does not find her.

Diana sees at the end of the terminal the metal door wide open showing the interior of an adjacent hangar.

Diana is apprehensive to walk through the now open door but her feet are already moving toward it. Diana crosses over the door threshold and walks into the hangar.

"Little girl! Diana come out, I will not hurt you!" There is no response.

Diana sees a strange construction in the middle of the hangar and she walks toward it.

It is the top of a staircase going down into a large circular shaft where the walls are made of cement.

In the center of the shaft cables of an overhead crane extend downward. Diana looks down and the cables are still attached to a large wooden crate.

Below the crate, the stairs and the surrounding shaft vanish into darkness.

Diana sees the control of the crane and walks toward it when a loud noise distracts Diana from the terminal she just came from and runs toward it.

Once past the metal door she stops and yells. "Come out!"

Diana walks forward and the large door behind closes by itself. The noise startles Diana; she looks back as her entire body is overtaken by fear to the now closed door.

An eerie sensation overtakes her and she runs to the main door of the terminal and yells. "Come out! I am leaving! I want to help you!"

No reply and Diana turns and walks out of the terminal into the parking lot.

Once outside she walks to the main gate of the parking area and turns toward the city. As she walks she sees the same sight as before, cars on the road abandon by their owners.

The bodies in the crafts burned up and the girl that told her that a war killed them gets her unnerved.

She thinks that she should have search for the girl a bit more but she felt something else with her beside the girl in the airport. The door closing by itself that was too much for her. Perhaps she can find someone for help.

The road slowly commences to widen and through the tree canopy she can see tall buildings ahead. The natural silence of the surrounding nature vanishes by the sudden noise of thunder.

Diana looks up through the natural canopy over the road and she doesn't see any thunderclouds.

She continues to walk when the sound of rapid fire in the distance makes her stop. "That is no thunder!" She recognizes mortars fire to her right in the jungle and heavy caliber machineguns fire to her left.

Tracer fire comes through the jungle foliage buzzing over her head and she takes cover behind a car instinctually pulling the weapon from her holster.

The distant hissing sounds of rockets with the mixed echo of explosions are heard coming from the city.

Even though the chaos of war it is taking place a few miles ahead she stays calm thinking her options and one has become clear. "I need to go back."

She stands to look and sees a group soldiers running up the road away from the city. They are wearing the same style of uniform Diana is wearing but darker with camouflage designs and all are wearing helmets.

From the right side of the jungle other soldiers come out carrying mortars and from the left side another group of soldiers carrying what look to be large machine guns on tripods.

They converge with the central group on the road as all continue running toward Diana.

The soldiers reach Diana and only a tall woman stops momentarily to say. "Run!" Diana follows her and the soldiers run down the road zigzagging among the vehicles.

They reach the airport and all enter the building. The tall woman commences to give orders to the soldiers. They take defensive positions throughout the structure.

Diana just stands there silent, not knowing what is going on. The tall woman walks up to Diana and renders a military salutes to her. "Ma'am, I am first Sargent Dana Miller 105th Infantry Company of the 308th."

Diana is confused and asks. "What is going on?"

"The Nan grunts pushed us out from the city, out of thousands Earth soldiers we are it, Ma'am."

Diana is confused still and asks. "Who is the Nan?"

The First Sergeant looks at her in disbelieve one of the soldiers close by says. "First Sarge, she is a naval officer…" The soldier could not finish his sarcastic comment by Miller turning to him. "Kowalski, beat your face… she is a Captain!"

Kowalski goes down and commences to do pushups. Diana looks at the soldier and then to Miller in disbelieve and Diana says. "I really do not know… I was in a gas station. I got hit by a semi-truck and end up in a round building and… I have, no Idea…" Diana's voice trembles and commences to cry.

Miller just gives her a detached look. One of the soldiers carrying a backpack radio, Corporal Smith runs to Miller. "First Sarge, the fleet it is gone. There is no one up there."

"What! No… there must be someone up there."

"All that falling debris from the sky that was the carrier and part of the task force coming down, I think the Captain is from one of the pods." Miller looks at Diana's collar and says. "Support, not a line officer."

Diana looks up sobbing as she clears her eyes. "I support, what are you talking about?"

Miller motions her hand as dismissing Diana and in a condescending aptitude walks away saying. "We need a line officer with leadership, not a Sup officer."

Diana now it is furious and yells. "Hey, bitch I just had a car accident and I am lost in whom…." Miller turns and grabs Diana by her shoulders pushing her against the wall.

Miller yells at Diana with livid anger. "Accident! An accident! I lost good soldiers today. An entire Earth taskforce M.I.A. and you are bitching and crying."

Kowalski and Smith intervene and get a hold of Miller before she punches Diana in the face.

She lets go of Diana that is just trembling The First Sergeant yells. "Get the hell out from my sight, go and bitch some other place!"

Diana runs pass the soldiers out of the building and continues running through the airport parking area overwhelm by a heavy sensation of fear and confusion.

Diana stops on the road and slowly calms down. She turns looking toward the road that leads to the hotel. She takes a deep breath and commences to walk toward the hotel.

She still feels a pressuring un-nerving sensation by her unknown situation.

Once again she encounters the same vehicles on the road toward the hotel. She sees that the beach it is close and decides to walk on the sand close to the dull color ocean to expunge her stress with the perpetual sounds of the waves.

Diana is trying to maintain a level head as to find a logical explanation for her strange predicament and her anxiety continues.

She talks in a whisper recounting all that has happened since she left her job in downtown Tampa. The highway traffic, the gas station then the lighting, and now this place.

She stops, and she says out loud. "Could that lightning… could it have sent me here?" Diana shakes her head dismissing that possibility.

She remembers the semi-truck hitting her car after the lightning strike. She resumes her march on the sandy beach.

Diana notices that her walk was shorter to the hotel. The road curves toward the front of the abandoned building.

She is in the beach area of the hotel and Diana is looking up the cliff as she passes by the turnover beach tables. Something catches her eye, some movement above in the pool area of the hotel.

For some reason, she takes cover behind one of the tables and carefully looks up.

She sees five short, skinny figures walking about by the pool. They are wearing black uniforms way different from what she has seen wearing the soldiers with First Sergeant Miller.

One of the persons moves to the edge of the small balcony area overlooking the ocean.

Diana, it is at a great distance but she can distinguish the person's eyes.

They are large and bulgy, and the nose is indistinguishable is as if the person it is missing the nose bone and the tip of the nose sticks out. The skin is sickly pale.

The person commences turning its head slowly as if looking at the view and Diana goes down behind the table.

She waits for a good fifteen minutes hiding, and her heart is beating above normal as adrenalin in her body is consuming her.

Diana wants to run but she saw the strangers carrying weapons, and Diana will not risk a foolish act like that. She knows that she can't outrun a bullet.

She peeks her head and looks, and she does not see the strangers and rapidly stands and runs toward the cliff for cover. She follows the cliff's contour running as fast as she can.

Diana passes around the bend out of view from the hotel. She rests to take her breath as she looks toward the direction she just came from.

She turns and walks in the shadows of tall palm trees and other foliage in the halfway point where the beach starts and the jungle ends to her left. She can't go to the city; she can't stay in the airport and definitely not in the hotel.

Diana now has to return to the strange bathysphere, where all started for her.

She finds her footprints when she was walking from the jungle on the sand and follows them this time into the jungle. Diana sees her trail and follows it.

She emerges from the jungle into the open field of tall grass and sees the strange round building.

She walks toward it and stops to get her footing to climb when she is hit by a heavy and large duffle bag thrown from the inside. "SHIT!" Diana said as she hits the ground.

She looks up and from the hatch, and a young man is pointing at her with a strange rifle.

Diana freezes, and the man rapidly lowers his weapon and says. "I am sorry… Ma'am."

He hurriedly descends and takes the heavy bag from her. "Who are you!?" Diana asked. "Sergeant Webb, ma'am… 515th space transportation. I did not see you, sorry."

"How you got here?"

"My pod landed several miles that way over a cliff. I was the only one that managed to get out before it plummeted into the rocks below… the ones with me died on impact."

"What did you do with the bodies?"

"I buried them and salvaged all I could from the pod. I saw yours coming down and came to look."

"You arrived first to this world. I can't tell time since I arrived here."

"I am sure I did, and I found the doctor accompanying you. I buried her over there."

"Ah, well… I am sorry you lost your friends."

"Thank you, Ma'am, but I not even knew them. I was the last to enter the pod, and they were there already."

"The pod, what is a pod?"

"This is a rescue pod, Ma'am. The Nan destroyed the fleet in a surprise attack."

"I… I just got here. All I remember it is coming out of that thing, the pod and nothing makes sense to me. This futuristic shit and all that I have seen it makes no sense."

"Futuristic? What year you think it is?"

"It is 2006."

Once Diana said that Webb looks at her with concern and takes a big breath and he replies. "This is the year 2206, Ma'am. I think I know what is happening to you, but we have to move away from the pod. I am sure the Nan sent patrols. I found a cave not far from here, help me with these bags."

Diana rapidly reaches for Webb's forearm and asks. "What is happening to me!?"

"Well, carry that bag I will carry the one inside, and I will tell you."

Diana bends to pick the duffle bag on the ground as Webb pulls a larger one from the pod. Both strap them to their backs, and Diana follows Webb deeper into the jungle.

"What is happening to me?"

"Because you weren't here I rapidly read your medical profile. The doctor was taking care of you. You were hooked to a historical download of the early 21st century."

"A Download?"

"You as all of us now days we use the brain download to learn and play and so on. Well, your B.D. stick somehow suffered a surge, and according to your record, your immersion was so deep that you believe it is the 21st century. Your real memories were juxtaposed or mingle with the historical information."

"And… what, who am I then?"

"You are who you are. Captain Dixon but in your mind, you are someone from the past."

"So you are saying all this is an illusion in my mind?"

"No, this is reality all around you. In your mind is the illusion you believe that you are someone from the year 2006."

"This does not make sense."

"It does not make sense to you because your new inner persona is a person from the year 2006, created by an accident of a malfunctioning B.D. stick. You are trying to make sense of all this but you can't. You are missing 200 years of human history."

"I am 200 years in the future?"

"Ma'am it is more like you forgot 200 years of history and all your personal memories have been converted into a 2006 version of yourself. The cognitive historical inexactitude is in your mind. "

"Can you help me?"

"I am no techno-Doctor. I am just a soldier and I can't help you with that. If you want I could let you read your medical report."

"So all this it is the real world. So who I think I am it is my imagination."

"That is correct Ma'am."

"But how did you know my last name?"

"From your name tag on your uniform."

"I was born on June 15, 1975, in Tampa Florida. This is the illusion, not the other way around?"

"Ma'am, sorry if I intruded by reading your medical record but you are mixing things. In your file states that you were born in the city of Orlampa, Florida on June 15, 2175, you are mixing facts due to your condition."

"Orlampa!? What in the world? You meant the cities of Orlando and Tampa in Florida?"

"I am not a historical buff, Ma'am. I do not know of Orlando or Tampa."

Diana stays silent in confusion, she sees and feels her surroundings even the heavy duffle bag on her back, but she can't shake away 31 years of her life in Tampa Florida.

However, she is in the middle of a jungle following a man that just told her that her entire life in her mind is not true.

Webb stops by a rock face formation cover by dense foliage and takes the bag from his back and he bends and points. "That is the entrance, do not be deceit by the small entrance. Inside it is big."

He kneels and pushes the bag in front of him through the entrance.

Diana does the same, and at the other side, Webb pulls her bag and then helps her to stand. "Welcome to refuge, ma'am."

Diana looks around the cave, and it is enormous. It has a small lake of clean, clear water. The area it is lighted by two round lights at the top of long thin pipes. There are two tents and a cot outside. The temperature is cool and comfortable.

Webb grabs the two bags, and Diana walks behind him. She feels at peace, and the place emanates a calm and protection that overwhelms her. Diana knows that she can rest in this place and be safe.

Webb puts the bags by the cot next to one of the tents.

Diana walks to the light source and says. "A Chem-light… a chemical light?"

"Oh… yes, all I have to do is put them under Sunlight for 12 hours to recharge them. I have two outside above us charging right now. Every 8 hours they go out. That is how I keep track of time."

"But you said you just got here, and you did all this?"

"Yes, the cliff I landed on it is not far from here. The lights here were already charge. The two outside and the three in your pod's survival gears need Sunlight. Take a seat on the cot. I have one for me."

Diana seats and watches Webb pulling a folded cot from one of the tents. He opens it, and Diana says. "Where you got the cots?"

"From my emergency pod, I left the ones from your pod. We don't need them."

"Oh, I see. You set up camp quick. Do you have food?"

"Sorry Ma'am I didn't offer. I'll get it."

Webb walks to the tent and brings a brown plastic bag and hands it to Diana. She looks at it and says. "M.R.E.?"

"Yes, Ma'am. You seem to remember things." As Diana opens the bag, she replies. "No… well, I know them from 2006."

"I guess, I would have to take a B.D. of the 21st century."

"B.D. What's that?"

"Brain downloads. What you were doing when you had your accident."

"Oh, I am here so it must be true."

Webb opens his eyes with surprise and says. "I think all will come back to you here. This place is quiet, calm and very peaceful. I am sure all the excitement outside was pulling you away from reality."

"I guess… can I see the medical report on me?"

"Yes."

Webb searches in one of his pockets and pulls a small elongated flat object and hands it to Diana. She looks at it and asks. "Is this a thumb drive?"

"A… it is a pocket computer. Hold it and ask what you want to see."

"Oh, wow. But where is the screen or the keyboard for it?"

"Your eyes are the screen, just hold it in your hand and ask for your file."

"Ok, show me the medical file of Diana Dixon." Diana hears a female voice. "State Rank?" She looks around, and Webb asks. "What happen?"

"Where that voice came from?"

"What voice?"

"The woman's voice where it came from?"

Webb smiles and answers. "Oh, yes… I do not hear the computer's voice you do. What it said?"

"State rank."

"Your rank, Captain."

"Ok, show me the medical file of Captain Diana Dixon."

Like a transparent vision in front of Diana, a file appears. She moves her hands in front of her face as if trying to find the projection's distance from her. Webb again smiles and asks. "What is wrong?"

"I see an open folder in front of me, and I can still see you through it, but from where is it projected? Is this a brain download?"

"The projection it is inside your eyes. It is not a B.D. is set for visual, auditory and verbal sensory interaction. You can ask the computer to read your file."

"Read file."

The computer complies and reads the file as each word lights showing its progress. Diana finds that her parents' names, as well as her schools and her entire history, are the same but all happening between the years of 2175 to 2206.

Only one difference, her term of her military service ended in 2005 but yet she still in service with the rank of captain in 2206.

Then the computer reads the psychological profile and her illness it is called techno-z-phrenic. The total immersion of a false digital created reality, a rare technological aberration that only two persons have suffered in more than 150 years since the creation of Brain Download technology.

The file goes on to read specific symptoms of the techno-z-phrenic syndrome. Confabulations, confusion and profound sensory immersions in an unreality causing loss of perception of what it is real and what the patient's mind create.

The computer finishes and Diana puts the small computer next to her. She looks at Webb, and she says. "I never knew it was that bad."

"Ma'am as long as you are aware of the problem, you'll be ok. At least here we are protected from Nan patrols."

"Who are they?"

"They are an alien race. Humans encountered them about 150 years ago, the first encounter with an alien race and humans."

"There is a first time for everything."

"Yes, and the Nan were dealing with a second alien race. This other race was clients of the Nan."

"Who were they?"

"Apparently the Nan and this other race were related somehow, just biologically but the Nan received help from the second race when the Nan needed their help. But as humans now know the Nan does not ask for help or give help to anyone unless they get something in return."

"This Nan sound to me like they are opportunistic predators."

"They Nan are. Well, Humans and the Nan met in space. After several diplomatic meetings, the Nan offered Earth the territories that the other race or as the Nan called them. Their client race was working in for the Nan."

"I do not understand, and this other race was working on their territory or the Nan's?"

"On Nan territory, this other race was displaced from their domain and they seek the help of the Nan. This other race was not stupid, and they were on to the Nan but could not say anything because they were on Nan territory."

"That bad the Nan are?"

"Yes Ma'am, the Nan found us and then offered behind the back of the client race the territories the client race was utilizing or leasing. We did not look at what the Nan really are, Backstabbers. The Nan came up with confabulations and created circumstances to get rid of the client race so Earth could take the territories the Nan was lending to the client race."

"But why lie and not just pushed them away, by war or something?"

"For one we were watching, and the Nan didn't want to look as being the belligerents but the victims, in the eyes of the Earth Government. So the client race left and humans took over the lend Nan territories. Without us noticing we became the clients."

"Did humanity have any hint what so ever on how bad the Nan are?"

"In one occasion in a diplomatic meeting, one of Earth's ambassadors meets with the Nan representative and with a client race ambassador. The Nan ambassador was praising the client race in front of their ambassador to the Earth's representative. The Client ambassador walks away for a moment, and the Nan guy started to talk smack about the Client race."

"Wow, and these two races are related? That should have been a heads up for Humans."

"What do you mean, Ma'am?"

"If they backstab their own family, nothing will stop them to backstab anyone."

"You are right, actually right before the diplomatic meeting was over the client race ambassador walked to the Earth ambassador and told him in a whisper, to watch out for the Nan."

"And then what happened?"

"Earth's diplomatic core told the Nan what the client ambassador said, and they went off telling us how bad the client race is and so on. But in reality, the client race was more level-headed and helpful than the Nan ever were."

"Then why Earth sided with the Nan?"

"The client race had whatever they could carry on their backs. The Nan had the territories we needed, and they wanted us to use their territory and give them 50% of whatever we produced as rent."

"The Nan and Humans jumped in the wagon against the client race, I am sure."

"Yes, we did, and now the Nan turned on us."

"Why?"

"We had automatic mining plants and the Nan would enter without permission. They have this conceded self-entitlement aptitude. They are lazy and controlling always looking forward on how to take advantage. They think that what belongs to others is theirs it is just that they do no not know how to get it. We were about to leave."

"I bet they are highly religious."

"Oh yes, they say they are."

"The client race, the other ones, they wanted to move away as well?"

"They were planning on doing that. It was the main underline conflict between them and the Nan. The Nan was desperate to find someone to become their financial source, and they found us."

"Once people get to know the Nan, no one wants to be near them."

"That is right. Even after the client race left, the Nan continued to demand false reparations from them. The Earth government always knew that the reparation demands were just lies, but we looked the other way."

"To get in their territories, I am sure."

"Yes and now look, the Nan expelled us from their territories and are invading Earth's outer colonies."

"Why they attacked us, humankind?"

"We were leaving too. We got tired of their crap. The Nan has abandonment issues, I guess and this invasion is a way to get even."

"What happened with the client race?"

"They left and had not turned back not even to look. We have seen their ships in the unexplored regions, but they not even stop. They probably think we are like the Nan."

"Why not, humans took sides against them. How come you know so much?"

"The news and that my Father works in the diplomatic core."

"This place… the land or planet we are on, what happened here?"

"The Nan took over this Earth colony by surprise about a year ago. The fleet defending this sector it was taken off guard and destroyed. Our task force just arrived to retake this sector and you know what happened."

"No, I do not."

"Our task force was destroyed as we approached this planet."

"How?"

"Surface to space missiles batteries."

"No one thought the Nan would have defenses?"

"Earth's military had no suspicions the Nan is very deceitful, and no one expected the missile batteries, it was such a malicious attack."

"From what you told me of the Nan are callous toward others and self-center. What would anyone expect but to be malicious?"

"We were blinded by their hypocritical congeniality and fake helping aptitude. Is like the Nan puts their arm around you as a friend or family but in their hand they have a knife to stab you."

"But tell me how come you have not joined the other soldiers fighting here?"

"There are other Earth troops, here?"

"Yes, I was on my way to the city when I found them. Well, they found me. They took over the airport and they are still there."

"Ma'am, do you remember their shoulder patch?"

Diana things for a moment and then replies. "Yes, it was a shield with lightning coming from behind."

"Wow, those are the fortitude troops. Those are the tough of the tough and the best of the best. They probably not even know what is going on and they pull back to the spaceport, waiting for orders to attack or for extraction."

"The woman in charge was trying to contact her leadership."

"What is her rank?"

"First Sergeant."

"They need an officer. With the fleet gone all the fortitude units on the planet, must be pulling back."

"Why call them the fortitude units and not… Special Forces?"

"That is their name, and they are Special Forces."

Diana puts the empty M.R.E. bag on the cut. She looks around and asks. "Do you have a sleeping bag?"

"A what… sleeping?"

"A sleeping bag to put on top of the cot, to cover me."

"Ma'am you still think you are in the 21st century. The cot comes with a blanket. Stand up and let me show you."

Webb walks toward Diana as she stands. She turns to look down, and Webb puts his hand into an almost invisible seam, one quarter down from the top edge of the cot.

He pulls hard as the fabric stretches. Diana is surprised at the elasticity of the fabric that serves as a blanket attached to the cut.

Webb touches a small panel on the side of the cot, and a pillow inflates. Diana out of surprise touches the pillow, and instead of air, is filled with a soft sponge.

The blanket flexes, and now Diana slowly gets in. Webb turns to her and explains.

"With this panel on the cot, you can regulate the blanket elasticity, texture, and heat. With the pillow, you can do the same also if you need to go, just pee. Your uniform will take the urine away from you into the cot permeation transport system, but you have to empty the bottle in the left back leg."

Diana is surprised and asks. "Do I have to hook something on me for the cot to do that?"

"Oh… no, Ma'am, the cot's fabric does that. Although for bigger things, you have to seat over there. I pulled the used absorbent sponge from the latrine seat system not long ago."

"An absorbent sponge to shit on, wow. Where do you take the used sponge?"

"It has a bag, I seal it, and the bag has a cord that when pulled burns the bag. Then I cover it with dirt."

"Well, I hope you burned it outside."

"Of course Ma'am."

Diana lifts the blanket to look in as Webb takes the computer and the empty M.R.E. bag. Diana gets comfortable and commences to fall asleep.

Halfway asleep she says. "I wonder if they use toilet paper?"

She hears a familiar voice asking her. "What did you say, honey?"

Diana opens her eyes and sees her mother and father next to her. "I said if they use toilet paper… the cave… where am I?"

"In the Hospital. You suffered a car accident."

Diana looks about and recognizes the common hospital room setting. She turns to her parents and asks. "Where is Sergeant Webb?" Her Mother puts her hand over her mouth as she holds back tears.

"Honey, you are in the Veteran's Hospital in Tampa." Her Father answered.

"Oh wow, I had a weird dream, and it was so real. Why am I here?"

"You had a car accident. Don't you remember? You have been out for three days."

At that moment there is a knock on the open door. The Dixon family looks over to see Doctor Pinal. He smiles and says. "May I come in?"

Diana smiles and says. "Of course doctor. These are my parents, Barbara and John Dixon."

The doctor shakes hands, and Barbara says. "I want to thank you for helping our daughter doctor."

"I guess Diana has mentioned me. You don't need to thank me. It is my pleasure to help Vets."

John smiles and replies. "Never the less, doctor we thank you."

"How am I doing, doctor?"

"You tell me? I am not a medical doctor. You know what do."

"Of course doctor, let me tell you about the weird dream I had."

Diana tells Doctor Pinal everything. He takes notes, and at the end he says. "Those dreams happen a few minutes before you regain consciousness. As your mind emerged from a deep state of unconsciousness, your mind pulled mixed memories and covered them with fantasy. But when you get better, will talk more about it in my office."

Barbara turns slowly to Doctor Pinal and says. "She said that Sergeant Webb was in the dream."

The doctor's eyes open wide, and he slowly turns to Diana and asks. "You never mention that."

"Who is he? Do you know him?"

The doctor taps gently on the bed and replies. "Do not worry, just rest and get better and then we will talk." The doctor shakes hands with Diana parents and leaves.

Two weeks have passed, and Diana is with her mother in the supermarket. Diana is walking with the help of a crutch because of a cast on her right leg.

The two women reach the register and Diana pulls the groceries from the shopping cart. Diana stops to look at a tall man walking out from the supermarket. Barbara notices and asks. "Do you know him?"

"That is the cousin of my ex landlord."

"Oh, he is the cousin of that woman. He must be just like her."

"Actually, he was very helpful. She is the one with the bad spirit. What I think is that he thinks I am like her."

"You were treated badly by her."

"I was misguided by her making me think she was a good person."

"Bad people do that to take advantage of others. If you ask me your ex-landlord is mentally unstable."

The mother and daughter walk to the parking lot and Barbara places the groceries in the back of the pickup truck as Diana waits in the front passenger seat. Barbara gets in and starts the truck.

Diana is looking out in deep thought, and Barbara asks. "Are you still thinking about that guy in the supermarket?"

"Well, I was involuntarily used to do a wrong to him. But I was thinking about that weird dream I had."

"When is your appointment with Doctor Pinal?"

"Two days from now."

Barbara hits the steering wheel lightly and says. "Shut, I have to stop here and get the glue for your father to fix the irrigation pipe on the patio."

Barbara drives into the parking lot of the hardware store. She parks and says. "Stay here. I will be back." Diana smiles as her mother closes the door. Diana then turns on the radio and looks toward the store.

She sees the customer come and go from the hardware store. Cars driving slow looking for a parking place when the radio stops playing music and static comes in.

Diana changes the station and the same static. A distant and indiscernible voice it is heard on the radio. Diana moves her torso forward as to listen better.

A familiar male voice comes through the electronic garble saying. "Line one… 34…789… line two… 39.96, Iron Horse 6. Line three, 4… all urgent Surgical… Enemy troops in the area, we are taking direct fire. Yellow smoke…" The radio is silent, and Diana leans back on the seat.

A person's silhouette comes into view in Diana's peripheral vision standing outside next to her door.

She quickly turns to look and sees a woman in a dark gray camouflage uniform. Diana's eyes open wide seen First Sergeant Miller standing next to the truck, Miller yells. "Dammed Captain, you left us with no orders to follow!"

Diana moves away from the window, and the First Sergeant runs around in front of the pickup and reaches the driver door, and as she opens the door, she yells. "We need to do something captain!"

Diana screams holding her head. "Leave me alone!"

Diana feels two hands holding her and sees her mother trying to calm her down. "Honey what is going on. I will never leave you, baby."

Diana's respiration is agitated as her hands tremble. Her mother holds her hands and slowly caresses her daughter's hair. Then both hold each other and cry. Diana starts to calm down.

"What happen to you, baby?" Barbara asked.

"I… I had a hallucination or something… I was here and…" "A flashback from Iraq?"

"No… it was more like a… the hallucination was intruding reality. Mom, let's go home."

"Ok."

Throughout the way, both stay silent. Once the house is in view, Barbara says in an angry tone. "Those bastards will send other people's children to war for their oil. When you were over there, those rich oil bastards had their kids in school or helping them move up in a corporate ladder somewhere."

"Mom, no one forced me to join."

"You don't see them volunteering."

The pickup stops in front of the open garage and John walks out smiling. "You got the glue?" Barbara slams the door of the truck hard and walks to the back in silence to get the groceries. John smile vanishes and asks Diana. "What happened? Someone cut you girls off on the road?"

"No, dad."

John walks to Barbara and asks. "Honey, what happened?"

"I will tell you what happen… those oil grabbing liars…" Barbara hugs John and cries. Diana walks to them, and all three embrace each other. The two parents know that their little girl has changed.

An invisible illness and none of them know how deep the infection has run its course. They can't even grasp the magnitude of their child's infection.

As the Dixon family walks into the house, Diana commences recollecting the first months after coming back home. Avoiding crowded places the same ones that she used to frequent before the war, the malls, movie theaters even the supermarkets.

Nightmares that she could not remember still waking her up at night. Talking and yelling in her sleep. The lack of concentration, lost memory to the point that she would take several showers not remembering if she has taken them or not.

This made her move from job to job also layoff from others.

High-intensity multitasking jobs were out of the question for her. She slowly retreated into herself as a way to escape.

Painfully searching for a job in a civilian world that could not understand what is not on her resume.

Upper management experience acquired in the military but never taken by her prospecting employers always shoved into lower entry low paying jobs.

One day Diana left her job highly agitated to seek help finally. She walked into the V.A hospital in Tampa, and the first person she talked to was Doctor Pinal.

From then on Diana would see him before starting her noon shift. Diana always feared to be let go by her employer because of her illness with another reason for being laid off.

Doctor Pinal told her that if the management in her job is as she described them, they will not do that by law. They do care for fear of being sued.

With the help of Doctor Pinal, she has improved to hold on to a job and go to the mall or the movies. She started to go Friday nights after work with co-workers and slowly peek out from her shell.

But sometimes she peaks above any soaring eagle, and at other times she is at the bottom of the barrel always looking up to get out.

Forcing, herself to move out into the outside world. You only need one life-threatening traumatic experience in the sandbox and your life forever is changed.

She seats quietly in the living room as her dad moves the ottoman close to her so she could raise her leg. "Thank you, dad."

"Anything for you."

Barbara is in the kitchen storing the groceries in the pantry. Diana finds the remote and turns on the TV. John walks to the kitchen. Diana knows he is going to ask Barbara what happened.

Without Diana noticing it she becomes detached from whatever it is going on away from her view in the kitchen. She stops in a channel showing a black and white science fiction movie from the 1950's.

Her face has become expressionless, and she inadvertently moves her head gently from left to right up and down without taking her eyes from the television. Small tiny movements as if she was sensing her surroundings.

Then her eyes move rapidly up, and her head follows the eye movement. She sees her parents standing in the kitchen door smiling. She smiles and both seat next to her.

John goes to say. "Honey, your mother and I we been thinking that you had not taken a vacation since you came back, even when you were without a job you were stressing and…" "What your father and I want is for you to take a vacation."

"What about work?"

"Well… they might not let you go for your vacation so, your mother and I have saved some money and… you can have fun. Then when you are more relaxed, you can find another job."

"You two know what happen the last time. I used all my savings while looking for work. No, I am not doing that. I need to work no matter what."

"Honey, look at this." Barbara said as she shows a small brochure to Diana. She smiles and gets it. "How long you two been planning this?"

"Your mother and I we been thinking about it before your accident."

"Thank you, but I have to work and…" Diana stops talking as she looks at the small brochure. "Diana, honey what is wrong?"

"This is the hotel from my dream… the outer space dream. Where did you two get this?"

"From the restaurant by the highway. Have you seen this brochure before?"

"No, I have not."

"Well it was on top of the fridge, you might have seen it…" "No dad I have not."

"Well, if you don't want to go…" "I want to go, where is it at?"

"In the Florida Keys, we can call and set up a reservation, but you have to call your job first."

"I don't care. I want to leave today."

John clears his throat and leans forward looking at her daughter. "Let your mother, and I call the airline, and the hotel may be after tomorrow. Go and relax, not much dancing for you."

Diana calms down and leans against the sofa smiling and says. "Ok, sorry but I have to go there."

Barbara puts her head on Diana's shoulder and holds her. "Ok, we are going to make the phone calls and will see how soon you can go."

Diana stands up, and John helps her. Diana says. "Let me work on the computer in my room. I will go to the keys then."

"Leave the door open." Barbara said with concern and John replies. "Leave her; all she wants is to be alone. Nothing will happen."

It is Friday morning, and Diana is in the Marathon Island Airport. She took a plane from Tampa international to Miami and then a small plane to the keys.

She is standing at the gate exit when Diana sees a man with her name on a board. She walks to him. "I am Diana Dixon."

"Welcome, I am Robert. My co-driver is getting your bags."

"Oh, wow. This is a good service."

"The best ma'am."

Diana follows Robert to the mini-Van outside. She sees her bags in the back as she maneuvers her injured leg to sit down. Robert closes the door, and he walks around to get in the driver side.

He starts the mini-Van, turns on the radio and drives off. Diana looks around and asks. "Where is your co-driver?"

"He had to stay to help a group of guests leaving today."

"Oh, I see. Where is the hotel at?"

"Is on an artificial island, well the owners dumped a lot of rocks around a small one and expanded it to what is now."

"Who are the owners?"

"A big company from New York, they come down now and then. They are involved in telecommunications and cell phones."

"Cell phones, what company?"

"Not the phones but cell phone towers. They have an entire network of towers across the United States."

"Wow, I guess they charge a lot for someone to use those towers."

"Yes, and soon I will not have to drive all the way here. They are building a small private airport on the island."

"Wait… how big is this island?"

"It is one fourth the size of Marathon Island. I know what you are going to ask."

"What I am going to ask?"

"How come it is not in the news?"

"Maybe not in the news but for sure not in the brochure."

"Well, yes that is for sure."

Robert reaches the edge of Marathon Island all this time he has been driving east and south through different streets.

He takes a two-lane bridge and crosses over into the Island resort. The road curves to left and straightens out.

Diana is looking out, and she gets closer to the window then she turns to look through the opposite window as if she is finding familiar the tropical jungle view.

She rapidly leans forward and asks. "The private airport is after this curve to the right?"

Robert looks at Diana through the rearview mirror and asks. "Have you been here before?"

"Is it?"

"Yes, look." Robert takes the turn and the airport it is where Diana said it would be. Bulldozers and cranes move about as workers assemble the large terminal building.

Robert slows down, and Diana leans against the seat, and she answers. "No, I have never been here."

"You know, that is the same thing a man said when I was driving him to the hotel."

"Do you remember his name?"

"Kowalski, he came from Iraq or someplace."

"That is not someplace." Diana answered somewhat irritated and turns to look outside. As they pass the airport, the music in the radio stops, and statics comes in.

Robert keeps on driving not paying attention to the missing music. Diana notices but keeps looking at the familiar road and the surrounding vegetation.

When a male voice it is heard from the speakers among the static. "Line one… 34…789… line two… 39.96, Iron Horse 6. Line three, 4… all urgent Surgical… Enemy troops in the area, we are taking direct fire. Yellow smoke… do you copy!?"

Then the music is back on. Diana is looking straight forward at the back of the front passenger seat.

She has learned to hide her P.T.S.D. problem when it surfaces when she is among others, especially at her job.

Diana knows that she was the only one that heard what just came out of the radio.

She slowly turns to look at Robert and asks. "What radio station is that?"

"It is not a station. It is a CD. The hotel makes us play it for the guests. The name of it is Caribbean tropical songs. It is for sale in the hotel."

"I will look for it." She turns to look outside again.

After a few minutes the mini-van parks in front of the hotel. Robert opens the passenger door for Diana as her bags are taken out from the rear.

She walks in toward the counter she notices the exact resemblance of the hotel's interior with the one in her dream, but she keeps walking hiding her concern.

She checks in, and she is taken to her room. Once alone in the room, she walks to the balcony and looks down to see the pool area then the cliff and the beach with the exact tables and other amenities she saw in her dream.

Diana looks toward where she estimates the cave in her dream would be but about the same place she thinks the cave is at Diana sees a sizeable white cell phone tower, bigger than those she has seen before.

Then an overwhelming sensation of desperation takes over, and now away from the view of all she drops her body in the chair and cries.

"How can this be possible? I have never been in the Florida Keys to know this place, and I dreamed about it… and it is here that voice on the radio." Tears are coming down her face she leans back on the chair with her hands on her face. "I want my life back!"

She slowly stands as if she has lost all her strength and walks into the room. She goes to the bathroom to clean her tears in extreme anxiety hoping for soundness to return.

An hour later she is in the restaurant. She already called her parents and told them all was fine and she is having fun.

The hostess takes her to a table by the window. Diana looks about and sees all as it was in her dream. The waiter takes her order, and she starts to calm down.

Exposing herself gradually to large crowds and recognizing her anxiety it is part of the things Doctor Pinal showed her to do to gain the upper hand on her problem.

She looks forward and sees in the other table two men and a woman. The men backs are covering the woman from Diana's view. The three are talking, and one of the men look at Diana and then turns to speak to the others.

The woman rapidly stands up, and Diana recognizes her and turns to look outside and once again she hides her anxiety.

The woman walks up to her table as the two men watch. "Are you Captain Dixon?"

Diana timidly looks up at the woman. Diana is nervous and answers. "No, I was first lieutenant Dixon. You must be confusing me with…" "I saw you in that airport in construction or spaceport… I was there they were there, and you were there as well. We all had the same dream."

"Miller, First Sergeant Miller?" Diana asked and Miller waves at the two men to join her as Miller seats. "First Sergeant Miller, these are Specialist Kowalski and Specialist Smith. None of us ever met until we all had that dream, and here we are."

"No, it can't be. Then I am really in the future. I am sleeping in a cave right now, and all this is a dream?"

"In the dream the Nan attacked us. We were to take back a city pass the airport. We had to pull back because we had no orders or guidance. You were the only officer and left."

"You were about to hit me, what do you expect. But I did remember been from the outside, not part of that future world. You three acted as if you belonged there." Smith answers. "Now we know, we remember."

"So wait, you three are expecting to have that dream again?"

Kowalski answers "Yes. Since it happened I, we had weird flashbacks… from that dream while awake and in all you were there."

"I had one of those four days ago. And it was you yelling at me." Diana said looking at Miller and Miller asks. "What did I said?"

"Something about a leader and not having orders."

The three uninvited guests at the table turn to each other and Miller then turns to Diana and says. "You are the missing leader. You were the Captain."

"There is one more, Sergeant Webb. Have you seen him in your dreams?"

"No, I have not. What about you two?" Kowalski and Smith shake their heads as if trying to remember. Smith answers. "No, I do not know him."

"Me either, where did you saw him?" Miller asked.

"In a cave not far from here. But in the dream all of you stayed in the airport, you never came to the hotel, but you know of this place."

"In our dream, we started in the hotel, and then we took the airport then we move to the city. Then we pulled back after some days of fighting in the city to the airport. That is when we saw you on the road."

"In the airport, there was a little girl did you saw her?" Diana asked, and once again Miller, Smith, and Kowalski move their heads as a no.

Diana goes on saying. "I want to go and find the cave and... I will be sincere. I have no idea what to do if we have the dream again or when it will happen again. If and only if our dream of that future war is interconnected, we have to be ready."

Miller smiles and answers. "You got convinced quickly. It took me a while to accept that my dream is part of these two guys."

"What else is there to think, you three are here, I am here and this place is here."

"What do you mean prepare?" Smith asked. Diana leans forward and answers. "We have to defeat the Nan in our dream. We have to assess what we have in equipment and troops. Communications, ammunition all that to take the city back. I have the feeling the city layout most be identical to Marathon Island."

"So we must be on an island then, in our dream?" Kowalski asked.

Miller turns to him and answers. "It makes sense if all in the real world matches the dream geographically."

Smith turns to Diana and asks. "You mentioned been in a cave dreaming, but dreaming what?"

"I… I, it does not matter. We are in the real world not the other way around."

The three guests at the table look at Diana, not understanding. Diana looks down at the table and nervously looks up. "Well…" The server arrives with Diana's food and Miller stand up then Kowalski and Smith follow suit. Miller says. "When you finish we will find your cave. We are going to the bar."

"Ok, I will find you there."

"Ma'am?" The server said asked with concern and Diana replies. "Oh, I am good. Thank you."

"Are you ok?"

"Yes, I am."

"More water?"

"Yes, please."

About an hour later Diana is with her three companions on the beach. Diana looks up and then along the cliff to orientate herself.

She moves north, and the rest follows. They move at a slow pace due to Diana's leg.

After a few minutes, she stops and turns to look inland. "This is it?" Miller asked. "I am not sure, but it feels right."

Diana moves into the vegetation. Smith and Kowalski walk in front of Diana and Miller opening the vegetation in front. "For been a recently built island the jungle looks as if has been here for years." Diana said, but no one replies.

They reach a clearing and see a large bulldozer and other constriction material about. Diana turns around and says. "This is the clearing the… pod craft landed. From here I walked to the hotel, then the airport."

"Where is the cave?" Smith asked. "This way."

Diana this time leads but their walk is shortened by a chain link fence. At the other side, there is no vegetation. Only sand and the tracks of heavy construction vehicles it is seen.

The group looks into the field, and all see the Cell Phone tower. Diana looks at the base built on the side of a small hill, and she says. "The tower is on top of the cave. We have…." Diana is interrupted by two armed security guards driving in a small two-passenger off-road vehicle.

The driver stays in as he uses the radio and the other walks to the group smiling, and he says. "This area is off limits for the guests." Diana answers. "Sorry, we got lost. We will go back to the hotel. Is it that way?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Walk straight that way to the beach and turn right. You will find it."

"Thank you, sir."

The four turn as the guard with a friendly hand gesture smiles but keeping an eye on the departing group.

They pass the clearing where the construction equipment is at, and they reach the beach. Smith asks. "From where those guys came from?" Kowalski replies. "I don't know, but that fence seems to go forever."

Diana stops and asks. "Did anyone saw anything else besides the tower?" Miller answers. "No. Why?"

"The tower it is expensive but also all that construction equipment outside the fence. Those rent cops were not guarding the equipment. All that equipment could be inside the fence if they value it as the tower."

"Some of the equipment had the letters I.G.C. C. stamped on the sides." Smith said. They start to walk again toward the hotel. As they walk the four, try to guess how big the open field is where the tower it is located.

They arrive at the hotel, and they calmly walk in. They take the elevator, and all go to Diana's room. They seat, and Smith pulls his phone and searches for the letters I.G.C.C. He says to the others. "International Global Communications Conglomerate."

Miller leans forward toward the cell phone and reads on. "Satellite, ground and mobile communications. Wow, they have a large network of cell towers in Europe, Canada, and Australia as the U.S. and the list keep on going. Also, all the space agencies in the world use their satellites. And now they build hotels?"

"Why not, they must have money to blow." Kowalski said. Diana replies. "I do find it odd, but then again they have the money to do whatever they want."

Smith clears his throat and says. "I looked it up out of curiosity, what I.G.C.C. stands for but the reason we are all here is the dream. This conglomerate can have cell towers on the Moon, and I do not care. We have to…" Smith stops at mid-sentence and says with a nervous tone.

"I have P.T.S.D., and I am sure you all have it too. If winning in that dream means some peace for us. We must stay focus on the dream, nothing else."

Miller turns to Diana and asks. "You are the captain, what now?"

"We have to get a count of ammo, equipment, and soldiers when we get back into the dream and…" "If we ever have that dream again." Kowalski said interrupting Diana.

She turns to him and replies. "We might have the dream while we are here in the hotel or twenty years from now, who knows. Even maybe never, but here we are, and when that day comes we have to be ready." Miller asks. "Ok, so you were saying?"

"We need to get a map of Marathon Island and scout the city, where all is at and what an invading enemy would be hiding and defending. A way to approach the city and take it back from them."

"Ok, I have my car downstairs. We get a map and look around." Miller said.

The group stands up and head to the door. As they walk down the hallway, they stay quiet. None of them know if they are doing a good thing to continue but they are all disturbed by the dream.

The uncanny coincidences that had happened up to now are undeniable.

They get in the elevator and reach the lobby area. As they pass the main counter a man in a business suit calls them to the counter. On his jacket, he has a hotel name tag.

He smiles at them and says. "Excuse me. My name is Mr. Donaldson, the hotel manager. Two of our security men told me that you were in the construction area by the tower?"

Diana answers. "Yes, sir. We got taken by the beauty of the place and strayed into the jungle. The two officers were very helpful and pointed us in the right direction."

"Your group, I see. That is great that they help you but please stay on the beach if you happen to walk that way again. There is a lot of construction going on."

Diana asks. "Why the construction if what you guys have is enough to entertain the guests?"

"The hotel company it is constructing a small amusement area and guest housing around the island."

"That is a big cell tower you guys have. You must cover the entire Florida Keys with that?" Diana said, and Donaldson replies. "All of southern Florida and the Bahamas, it is a fancy piece of equipment."

Kowalski asks. "Wow, your company most has done a lot of deals to have the permits for that thing?"

Diana asks. "Your company most has paid a lot of money for the permits to build that."

"That is a different company; the resort and the hotel are separate from the cell phone company."

"There must be a connection between the two companies?"

"Yes, the Parent company in New York."

"I see, well Mr. Donaldson, thank you for telling us. We will not venture again into the construction areas." Diana said, and Donaldson replies. "You are welcome, and you and your group enjoy your stay."

Once again the group heads out into the parking lot. They stand next to Miller's black Mustang GT. Kowalski and Smith seat in the back and the two women in the front.

The Mustang moves slow on the road as Diana makes drawings of the prominent surrounding features which are not much.

They reach the airport and stop on the road to look. Diana sketches the layout as far as she can see. "I never went that far on the road in the dream, is there a bridge?" Diana asked and Miller answers. "No, it is a continuous land connection. This road continues to the North West and to the right there is a city. For what I remember there is another island up north, connected by a bridge but I never saw it."

"How do you know?"

"I saw it on a map, in the dream. We were supposed to reach the bridge and… I do not remember."

Smith leans forward between the front seats and says. "Let me see the map and give me the pen."

Diana passes the map and the pen back, and Smith commences to scribble lines on the map. Kowalski looks over and points. "Those inlets are not in the dream. Here is the other spaceport where the Marathon Island airport is at."

"Yes, I know." Miller turns around and says. "There is another city on the other island in the dream pass the bridge."

Smith finishes and gives back the map to Diana and examines. "So… in the dream Marathon is two separate islands, the second island to the north has another spaceport and a larger city."

Miller hits the steering wheel gently and says. "That is why in the dream the Nan has not moved to take the spaceport we have. They are using the other one."

"Our space fleet got knock out from the sky I am sure they will land troops there to push us out." Kowalski said. Diana turns to them and says. "In my way back to the cave I saw a Nan patrol. I am sure they were scouts."

"They are getting ready to push us out. They must be waiting for reinforcements from up there and land them." Miller said, and Diana shakes her head gently and says. "This does not make sense. Why not just bomb everything on the surface from space and then move in?"

"Because… because they are greedy. They want to take everything with the least damage possible for them to use." Smith said, and all look at him and Diana asks. "How come you know a bit more than us about the Nan?"

"I guess been the radio operator in the dream gave more access to information."

Miller starts the car again, and they cross over the bridge. Once past the bridge, they drive on Tingler Lane and then reach Sombrero Beach heading north.

Miller turns right toward the airport on highway one. They arrive at the Marathon airport, and again they look around. Diana looks south as she looks at the map with the over impose drawings of Smith.

"So, the second city is that way?"

"Yes, ma'am." Smith answered, and Diana rapidly looks at him and says. "Don't call me Ma'am… that was another life for me. Call me Diana."

"I am Samuel Kowalski."

"Dana Miller."

"Mark Smith."

"Good to meet you all." They stay silent for a moment, and Miller takes a big breath and asks. "Where is the bridge in the dream?" Diana turns south and points. "About twenty streets south of here."

"The car needs gas, let me put some in a station. It is getting dark I don't want to walk back in the night."

Miller leaves the airport parking and stops in a gasoline station and parks by the pump. Miller gets out, and so does Diana.

Smith and Kowalski stay in examining the map. Diana says. "I am thirsty. You guys want something?"

"No, I am ok." Miller replies as she fills the tank Smith shakes his head as a no and Kowalski says. "No, I am good."

Diana turns and walks the best she can to the station store. Once inside she takes a soda and joins the line of customers to pay.

She turns to the door and for her surprise she sees Doctor Pinal entering the store with his wife. Diana smiles. "Doc, how are you?"

"Diana, how are you?"

"Doing well. What are you doing here?"

"Enjoying the long weekend with my wife and getting ice. Lara this is one of my patients Diana."

"Nice to meet you, Diana."

"Likewise, Ms. Pinal."

"I called your parents when I saw you canceled our appointment. They told me where you went and I said to wife… why not go to the keys and here we are. How do you get around, you have a rental?"

"Not a rental, a group of friends we came to downtown from the hotel."

"Where are they at?"

"Over there… by pump two."

Pinal and his wife turn to look and they just see a white van and a young girl pumping gasoline in it. The doctor turns and says. "No, that is our van. My daughter is pumping gas. There was no one there when we parked."

Diana reaches the counter and pays, and she replies to the doctor. "My friend is driving a black topless Mustang. She must be around. Well doc, I don't want to hold you. They must be waiting for me. Good to meet you, Ms. Pinal."

"The same Diana."

Diana walks to the door, and the doctor opens it for her. The doctor says. "You have my cell number?"

"Yes, doc."

Diana walks out and as the door closes Diana hears Lara tell her husband. "I never saw a black Mustang when we park."

Diana searches for the Mustang and sees it by the air pump. She turns to the married couple inside and waves them goodbye. Then she walks toward Miller that is putting air in the passenger side front tire. Diana asks. "A flat?"

"I have to look for a nail later." Diana lowers her head and Miller notices and asks. "Don't worry we will make it to the hotel."

"Oh… no, it is something else. Something I know of someone putting a nail on a family member's tire."

"Wow… that is someone idea of been family, that is twisted."

"Yes, an old landlord of my."

"That landlord did the same to you?"

"No, but just as twisted, backstabbing bitch."

"The people you trust are the backstabbers. Let's go back it is dark as it is."

The two women get in the car and drive off. Diana turns to Miller and asks. "You don't like to be out at night, why?"

"I ran convoys at night in Bagdad escorting the soldiers searching for weapons and insurgents."

"What happen?"

"My Humvee was flip over by an I.E.D. four of us in the Humvee we end up injured the fifth was the lucky one."

Kowalski goes on saying. "That happened to me too in a Humvee escorting a convoy. We were five, and we got hit by an I.E.D. Only one got out unhurt from that one."

"Wow. I as well, I was the gunner in a Humvee. It was the captain, the first Sarge and two more. Four of us got medevac by a Blackhawk. What about you Diana?"

"I was in a Humvee…" The radio in the car turns on and by it self-changes the stations and stops. Then the same voice that Diana has been listening comes on again. "Line one… 34…789… line two… 39.96, Iron Horse 6. Line three, 4… all urgent Surgical… Enemy troops in the area, we are taking direct fire. Yellow smoke… do you copy!?"

Diana slowly turns and sees Miller looking at the radio. She turns to see Kowalski and Smith petrified looking straight forward at the back of the front seats.

Miller stays quiet paying attention to the road. No one says anything. The Mustang stops at a red light, and Kowalski leans forward to ask. "Diana, you turned on the radio?"

"No."

"Oh… Ok, that is fine." Diana turns to them and says. "You need one to know one. All of you heard it as I did. You might fake it to the civilians but not among us."

Smith leans forward and says. "I heard it, several times. What is it?"

Miller answers as she looks forward. "That is the nine-line medevac request over a SINCGARS radio for four poor souls that got badly hit."

"Why only we can hear that?" Kowalski asked. "I don't know, but that is the nine-line request."

The light turns green, and the Mustang accelerates. They let the acceleration overtake them pushing their bodies against the seats.

Using the sudden acceleration of the sports car as an excuse to disengage themselves from the conversation about the radio, they all nervously look out at the passing view.

They stay silent, and the only noise is the Mustang's engine. As before they pass over the bridge connecting the resort and they arrive at the hotel's parking.

Miller parks and one by one they get out. Diana walks to the front of the car and leans against it. Smith and Kowalski walk ahead, and Dena and Diana stay looking at the raising Moon from the east. "Are you ok, Diana?"

"No, and neither you three."

"I know, this is a situation that my doctor can understand. The dream and the radio call. It is not normal for a P.T.S.D. patient."

"In my dream, I met a sergeant in the cave. He told me that the dream is the reality and this is the dream."

"That is why you said. You must be in a cave sleeping?"

"Yes, that is why. I am… I don't know how but I want to know. Am I dreaming now or not?"

"That I can't answer. I will see you later." Miller walks toward the hotel and Diana stays in the parking lot.

There is a warm breeze blowing from the east moving the palm trees long leaves. Diana looks up to see the serene passage of the clouds when a flickering light takes her attention.

She looks down toward the Hotel shuttle van the door is swan open, and a person is sitting on the floor of the vehicle with the legs on the pavement.

Diana sees the flicker of light again and is from a cigarette lighter. Diana walks toward the van and asks. "Robert?"

"No, ma'am. I am Daniel. I work with Robert." Diana is close enough to see Daniel wearing a thin cotton black jacket with the hood over his head.

All that Diana can see is the nose and the chin. He flicks the lighter again, but he is not lighting a cigarette. "Are you waiting for more guests?"

"No, ma'am. I am just waiting for my ride. I heard you, and some friends of yours went to the tower."

"Yes, by accident. The manager told us the hotel is constructing guest houses."

"Donaldson, JA. That up tied prick. The owners of the place are constructing dish satellites sites. They could not get the permits to build here their communication dishes if this was not a resort for tourists."

"You mean I.G.C.C." The man is silent and flickers the lighter again. Diana now can see the man smiling, and he says. "Yep, the ones. You have been doing your homework."

"Well, not that is my business just curiosity. I am here for something else."

"Oh, not a vacationer."

"I am but not as everyone else thinks as having one…." Diana is interrupted by the noise of a turbo prop-engine of a large aircraft coming from the airfield on the island.

The aircraft is accelerating, and slowly the noise dissipates in the distance. Diana turns and asks. "I thought the airport was not finished?"

"The runway was the first thing completed after they expanded the island. They have been unloading large wooden crates. In a while, one or two semi-trucks will take them out of the island."

"Where?" The man shrugs his shoulders and answers. "Who knows? Anyway, you are on vacation what do you care."

"Just been curious."

"A cat died because of that."

The man stays silent, and this time he lights a cigarette and says. "I had to change a tire of the van in front of the airport at night. That is when the planes come in, one at 8:00 pm and other at 3:00 am. One of the forklifts misses the flatbed of the truck, and the wooden box fell to the ground. The content came out, and it was a large metallic cylinder 12 to 15 feet tall and wide with three lines of copper wires around it, on the top and bottom also in the middle. They picked up that shit quick."

"Who are they?"

"The night workers and the security people. I changed the tire and left."

"What are those things for?"

"The heck I know… but have you look closely at the cell tower on the original part of the island?"

"Yes, I have."

"I don't think so."

A small car drives close to the van and Daniel stands up closing the van's door. He walks toward the car passing close by Diana.

She feels compelled to extend her hand and then she feels a cold piece of metal in her hand. She looks down to see the hand grip of a prosthesis.

She looks at Daniel, and he says as he smiles. "Nice knowing you Ma'am." Then he walks to the car gets in and leaves.

Diana looks about and heads into the hotel. She passes the lobby and turns to the elevators when Diana is about to call the elevator. She notices that she has been robbing her right hand gently, and stops.

The doors open and she walks in.

Diana enters her room and seats in the balcony. She mentally commences digesting all that has happened on her first day in the hotel.

She is worry that all that is around her is a dream and the so call dream reality.

She looks at the tower again and pays attention to the array of antennas on the top all coming out from a small structure that reminds her of a rotary lighthouse glass gallery cover but without the glass.

The red aviation warning lights blink at the usual slow pace reaching into the small top structure.

She stands and walks to the edge of the balcony and looks at the top structure intently. As the red lights come on, she discerns the outline of the interior. "That is one of those cylinders Daniel saw. Why are they putting that thing in the tower?"

In the morning Diana wakes up about 7:00 am. She notices as always that the sheet covers are bundle by her feet and pulled out from under the mattress.

She knows she has been dreaming but does not remember what.

She stands up and walks to the bathroom as she washes her mouth a memory comes to mind.

She remembers talking to Miller and Smith in the cave, all wearing the military space uniforms. But nothing more of it, just the sensation of not been in control of herself in the dream.

Diana gets ready to go downstairs and eat breakfast. She still struggles with the strange sensation that she was back in the cave with Miller.

But Diana wants to dedicate the day, and even the rest of her stay relaxing. No more dreams, no caves and for sure no towers.

After an hour since Diana woke up, she is in the restaurant. She walks to one of the tables and seats down. The server asks for her order, and he leaves.

Several minutes later Miller and Smith step out from the elevators and see Diana. They walk to her table and seat down. Both highly exited ask Diana. "What happen to you last night?"

"Yes, Ma'am you acted as if you did not know us."

"What do you two mean?"

Miller leans forward and replies. "The dream… Smith and I, we were back. We look for you and found you in the cave."

"Wait… I don't remember any dream."

Smith is more animated and says. "Yes, Ma'am. We found you and Sergeant Webb in the cave. We try to do what we planned yesterday, but you did not remember us."

Miller leans back and says. "Neither Kowalski. I ordered him to come along to find you."

"I woke up exactly at 7 am, and I have no recollection of anything as before, just a memory of talking to you in the cave."

"That is the same what happen to me, Smith and Kowalski the first time. That is why we knew about you and this place. You were not in control of your actions?"

"Yes, that is how it feels like, a passing vision not a lengthy vivid dream as before."

"I woke up at 6 am and went to your room at about 8 am to tell you." Miller said, and Smith says. "I woke up at 6 am as well, where is Kowalski at?"

"I am sure still sleeping…." "No, I am here, good morning." Kowalski seats down with a cup of coffee in hand and says. "I just woke up… I am still tired."

"All the running we were doing last night." Smith replied, and Kowalski asks. "What, doing P.T?"

"In the dream…" "Please stop right there. I was not in the dream." Kowalski said somewhat agitated.

Miller and Smith look at him, Miller says. "You were there, and we know what the Nan wants."

"What is it?" Diana asks.

"There fleet is pressing forward into Earth control space. They left behind some troop transport ships in the solar system of the planet. The transports are hiding, and there are some human warships about. They only landed on the island. The planet is mostly water and millions of islands, no massive continents like on Earth. But on each island there is a… and get this, a communications tower. The communication hub of the planet is the big island we are on in the dream. They want to use that network of towers to send an E.M.P. discharge across the planet. Disable all electronics and take over."

Smith adds to what Miller just explained. "In the dream, all the cars stop running that was an E.M.P bomb that stopped them. They use that and shockwave bombs to take the island."

"But wait, I remember seen airplanes or spacecraft on the runway burned up. They got burned by the E.M.P.?" Diana asked.

Smith replies. "No, those were aircraft from other islands coming to evacuate anyone left behind. They were shut down by conventional weapons. There are more humans on the planet."

"Wow, wait a moment there. How you two got this info?" Kowalski asked Miller and Smith as he nervously passes his hand over his face. Miller answers. "We asked the other soldiers."

Kowalski looks at Diana and asks. "Do you remember all this?"

"Not all just glimpses of the cave. I… I… do have a passing memory not as before, but I was not in control. So this means that sometimes we remember and others we do not?"

"We found another way to enter the cave." Miller said Diana looks at her and asks. "Where?"

"In the back next to the underground lake, there is a small cave that heads west to the direction of the spaceport we hold."

"So possibly we can find it, here and go under the tower."

Kowalski, Miller, and Smith look at Diana as if she was crazy. Smith leans forward and asks. "Wait, why you are so fixated on that tower? This is the real world, and we could end up in jail. In the dream that is another matter."

"There could be a network of caves under the city we could use, in our dream."

"Diana, this island was built, and there is no cave."

"No all of it was. The tower is on the original island."

"How do you know that?"

"The guy that drives the shuttle van for the hotel told me."

"But why, you want to…"

They all stop talking when the server brings Diana's breakfast. The server glances pass Miller, Smith, and Kowalski whom are seating with a baffled expression.

The server turns to look at Diana, and he asks. "Anything else?"

"No, how about you guys?"

"No, I am good."

"I had breakfast already."

"I still have coffee."

The server looks at Diana intently as he smiles and asks. "Ahh… is all ok, Ma'am?"

"Yes, thank you."

The server leaves and Diana says. "Be in my room in one hour, and I will show. Do any of you have binocs?"

"I could buy ones in the gift shop." Miller said. "Good, in one hour in my room and bring the binoculars."

After a few minutes after the hour, the four gather in Diana's room. Diana explains to them what Daniel told her last night as Miller looks through the cheap plastic binoculars.

Miller says. "Ok, I see the thing with the copper wires, so what?"

Diana answers. "I do not know, but we need to see it up close."

"How? For all we know there is no cavern and even if there was one why would there be a way to go up in that tower?" Smith said, and Miller replies. "There is a way. I see a handrail of a staircase in there. I am sure it is for the maintenance people."

"So what, Miller… Look, I am more worry that Kowalski and Diana had no recollection of the dream last night. We all have to be aware of whom we are, in the dream. This tower has nothing to do with anything."

"She is the captain." Miller said as she gives the binoculars to Kowalski. Smith answers in an irritated tone. "Oh, we are back in the Army. The dream I am in an army in a combat area nothing I can do about that, but this is the reality, not dreamland. Breaking an entry that is real shit jail time."

Diana goes to say taking control of the conversation. "Ok, in the dream we need a password to know who of us remember and who does not. A sign and counter sing."

Miller replies. "What about, Blue and Red. Ask by saying blue, and the answer is red. All of us that answer Red they know it is the dream, but do not make it difficult. If the other person does not remember, do not waste time trying to make them remember. Smith and I tried last night, and we wasted time." Diana says. "Well if I do not remember I am dreaming take over as you did last time when we found each other the first time."

"Oh, no that first encounter I do remember pushing you around, but last night you were an up tied by the book officer."

"Diana was an up tied by the book officer bitch." Smith said. All look at him, and he says to Diana. "Sorry I like you more than the other you."

"Glad to hear that."

Kowalski turns around and says. "There are people in the tower." Kowalski lowers his body behind the cement guardrail of the balcony but continues to look. He gives the binoculars to Diana, and the other three follow suit and just peek over the cement wall. Kowalski says. "There are two men, one with a long white coat and one with a business suit."

"I see them looking at the cylinder. Umm? I think they are connecting something."

"Let me see." Miller said, and Smith opens his cell phone and says. "The signal is strong. The tower is still working." Kowalski asks. "What was your M.O.S. in the Army?"

"Communications. If the tower were off, the signal in my cell would be low coming from the small repeater tower in Marathon Island."

"So, what?"

"The tower has to be offline if they are working on that cylinder if it is part of the tower cell system."

"Apparently it is not." Diana said, and Smith replies. "Exactly my point. That thing it is for something else other than to send cell phone's signals."

"We have to get closer to that tower; we need to find that cavern." Diana said as she looks at her companions with determination.

Smith replies with an irritated tone of voice. "Why and how do we found the cavern? Digging holes in trial and error over the island. To me the dream it is more important than the dammed tower."

Miller answers. "Let's talk to the guy that drives the van. He might know something more about how to get close to the tower."

Smith raises his arms to head high and says. "I give up. Do you want to go to jail? Go ahead. Anything related to that tower count me out. Someone needs to be outside to bail you guys out."

Diana turns to Smith and says. "Ok, then us three will go. Smith, get on the internet and find all you can about dreams. Any research on the topic, even myths or bedtime stories about dreams, we need to move on two fronts."

Later Diana, Miller, and Kowalski are standing in front of the hotel. They look about into the parking lot area. "I don't see the shuttle van." Kowalski said.

"They might be picking up guests at the airport." Miller replied. "Why don't we seat in the lobby. The shuttle has to park right here to unload guests. We will see him."

The group turns around and seat down to wait. After a few minutes, Kowalski stands up and says. "I am going to the boy's room. I'll be back." Miller stands and says. "I am going to the restroom." Both head to the bathrooms as Diana waits.

From the administration office, someone opens the door abruptly, and Diana sees Daniel walking out followed by two hotel security guards. He turns and looks toward the door and yells. "Fuck you; I drop that bitch bag because I earned this!" Daniel raises his right hand showing his prosthesis.

Donaldson peeks from the door and nervously looks at the guests and says. "You are not let go for being a wounded Veteran. You fail in job…" "Fuck you, Donaldson!" Daniel turns and walks out. Diana stands and walks out after Daniel. The two guards are talking with him in the parking calming him down.

Daniel pulls his cell phone to call to be picked up and drops the cell. One of the guards rapidly bends and picks it up and gives it to Daniel. Diana is close enough that she can hear the conversation.

The guard that picked up the cell is saying. "Sorry man, but how can't you prove to anyone you got fired because of your probl…" "Missing my hand in the service of this country, Pablo. Thank you, guys. I know you are doing your jobs. You two have to put food on a table."

The other guard holds Daniel's shoulder in a friendly manner and says. "My wife and I we are planning on having a B.B.Q. I will call you."

"Thank you."

"You can work as a mechanic there are plenty of diesel engines in the keys."

"Nowadays I work half the speed I used to work. Thank you, guys."

The two guards turn toward the hotel, and Pablo says. "Call me if you need something."

"Thank you."

Daniel opens the cell and calls. Diana walks to him; she can see how difficult is for him to hold the cell.

Diana waits for him to finish and when he closes the phone, Diana walks up to him. "Hi, remember me?"

"Yes, I do. I guess you saw the show in the lobby."

"Yes and… I do understand."

"This?" Daniel said rising is right arm.

Diana replies as she points with her finger to her head and says. "My missing part is in here."

"Iraq or Afghanistan?"

"Iraq 2004. What about you?"

"Both places and this happen on highway one close to Balad in Iraq."

"Close to the airbase, Anaconda."

"That was where my convoy was heading from Al-Taji."

"I know Highway one like the back…" Diana becomes silence as she opens her eyes and Daniel smiles and says. "Of my hand, I lost it there."

"Sorry, I am…" "Don't be, Ms. Dixon. Where you end up stationed in the lovely sandbox?"

"Mosul, I was in a transportation unit from the First Cav. We ran convoys close to the Turkish and Syrian borders."

"Mosul, been there done that. That is the Ninawa province in Iraq?"

"Yes. I am looking for your help."

"Really? How can I help you?"

"My friends and I want to know if there are any caverns under the Island?"

"I am sorry, but there are no caverns in the Florida Keys."

"Is there a way to get to the tower without calling too much attention?"

"The tower? You mean the big tower!?"

"Yes."

"I think there might be away. I drove the guards that guard the front gate of the fence to the hotel. Um, but?" Daniel stays silent as he thinks and Diana asks. "But what?"

"The guards at the gate, they stay outside the gate. But there would be other guards inside the fence perimeter and always different ones. Somehow the guards inside the perimeter got in."

"What is the gate for, if people get in using a different way?"

"Oh, construction vehicles would now and then go in and out."

"So, those guards behind the fence how they got inside?"

"I don't know. You know, maybe there is no natural cavern but a tunnel."

"Where this tunnel is at and where is the entrance?"

"There are two places, the hotel or the hotel airport."

"I am waiting for my friends to come out, we could look around."

"Friends? I thought you came alone."

Then out of the parked cars, a red car pulls out from its space and accelerates out of the parking lot. Diana and Daniel look at the erratic driver going by. Once out of view Diana turns to Daniel and answers the question he asked before the interruption.

"Yes but I met them here, they are Vet's too. One of them drives a black Mustang GT."

"Wow, I guess some of us end up having good jobs after all. But, I have not seen that car, and I love fast cars. I would have noticed it."

"It is someplace parked around here. So you think there could be a tunnel that goes under the fence."

"I believed so. You do want to check out what I told you last night?"

"Yes, I can see the strange cylinder from my room. One of my friends is or was in the Army doing Commo and can't figure out what the thing it is for."

"Well… I have never seen those other guards in the hotel but, you know. There could be a tunnel going from the airport to the other side of the fence. Check the airport but be careful there are guards in there as well."

"Your friends, the two guards that escorted you out from the hotel, do they work at the airport?"

"Only in the hotel area or the gate by the fence."

At that moment the small car that picked up Daniel the night before arrives driven by a woman. Diana sees that the driver is about the same age Daniel is.

He walks to the car and talks to the woman. He looks toward Diana, and he says. "Come with us. We will take you to the airport and bring you back."

"No, that is ok. I do not want to be a bother."

"That is ok, get in. I am curious as you are."

Diana walks toward the car and Daniel opens the back door. Daniel holds Diana's crutch as she gets in the back seat.

He gives her the crutch back and closes the door. He gets in. The young woman driving has short dark hair a little past her ears. She has several notable tattoos, and she is wearing a black T-shirt.

Daniel looks back to Diana and says. "This is Mildred, Mildred she is Diana."

Mildred looks back and says. "Nice meeting you."

"The same."

"Diana was in the First Cav." Mildred looks through the rear mirror and says. "Really, when the horse is going to jump the fence?" Diana answers. "Hey, hey… no, don't mess with the Cav."

"Sorry, I was with the 101st." Diana smiles and replies. "Oh, the yelling chicken."

"Hey, don't mess with my Eagle and I don't mess with your horse."

Diana answers as she continues smiling. "Ok, deal."

Mildred turns to Daniel and asks. "Where to, fuzzy Television?"

"Park in front of the island airport gate and poop the hood. By the way, Audrey Murphy was in the Third Infantry Division like I was."

Mildred replies. "And P.T.S.D. got the best of him. Well, back in his days it was called shell shock."

Mildred turns the car around driving away from the hotel. Daniel notices that Mildred is somewhat unnerved and asks her. "What happened to you, you look pissed off?"

"Oh, on my way here… pass the hotel island's airport this jerk driving a red car in the opposite direction honked his horn and almost gets in my lane."

"Dammed, they started early. That was the car we saw leaving the parking lot of the hotel. It looks that he was in a hurry. Hey, do you remember that cylinder I saw dropped by the airport?"

"Yes."

Daniel explains to Mildred what Diana is looking for and why they are stopping at the airport. Mildred smiles and says. "Spy stuff, I like that."

Mildred is slowly driving in front of the airport, and she hits the breaks several times. As the car is running, she turns the engine off, and the car continues with its momentum.

Mildred drives it into the gravel on the side of the road and stops.

She unlocks the hood and gets out. Daniel helps Diana out, and both move to the front of the car. Daniel says. "By the side of that building is where I saw them drop the box with the cylinder."

Diana bends toward the engine compartment and says. "The only way to find the entrance is by getting in there." Mildred replies. "They have guards. It will be impossible to look in there." Daniel raises his torso and says. "Look at the ditches at both sides of the road."

"Oh, yea." Mildred said as realizing something, and Diana does not see anything unusual and asks. "What is it?" Mildred answers. "Look at the top part of that sewer cement pipe that goes under the road. It runs from the airport to the hotel."

"Or under the fence." Daniel replies. Diana looks and again asks. "How big you think it is?" Mildred answers. "By the little, I can see the top circumference, I would say… six feet."

"I think more like twelve, not big enough for a semi-truck but big enough for a small van."

Mildred gets in the car as if she is going to start it instead she looks at her little compass on the dashboard and says. "It runs in an Azimuth of 230 to 240. If I would have known I would have brought my compass, sorry cuz."

"That is ok Mildred. It is not much you can do with that compass ball."

Diana looks at Daniel as Mildred gets out of the car. "You two are cousins?"

"Yes, you thought we were married?"

"Well, yes." Mildred answers. "Na, but he is the only man I trust. My big brother, the cousin."

Daniel closes the hood and says. "Let's go to eat something I am starving."

"I have to tell my friends back in the hotel." Diana said.

"It will look strange that we stop here and turn back. We will bring you back in an hour."

"It makes sense."

They get in the car and head to Marathon. After a few minutes on highway one, they park by a restaurant and the three walk-in.

They seat, and the server takes the orders. Diana asks Mildred. "What was your M.O.S.?"

"Helicopter medic but I am a good mechanic. Daniel and I are saving money to open a boat repair shop."

"I guess been mechanics runs in your family." Daniel answers. "It does not. We are the black sheep of the family. We both join the Army back home in Connecticut to travel the world."

"That would have been the Navy." Diana replied. Mildred answers. "He wanted us to join the Navy, but I was afraid I would get raped in a ship and guess what happened to me in Afghanistan."

Diana is surprised at the sudden revelation. She does not know what to say. Mildred smiles and says. "Yep, by one wearing the same uniform, I was wearing."

"What happen?"

"He is in Leavenworth; the Army does not play around with that but… the deed was done."

"The bastard's wife left him while he was in deployment and he took his frustration on my cousin." Mildred adds. "The bitch left him. She was using the divorce card as if the Army would send him back home or something."

"Na, I think she used up all the money he was sending her with her boyfriend and left his ass when he found out. That is what I think it happened."

Diana is still shocked and says. "In my company, we had cases like that. Women and men spouses were backstabbing their spouse soldier. But it is well known that the majority stick to their service spouses on thick and thin."

"Not the bitch of the bastard that raped me."

There is an odd silence among them, and Daniel asks Diana as if to change the topic. "Well, isn't P.T.S.D. a bitch?"

"It is, it is. I have been holding to jobs the best I can. I work as customer service, and sometimes I give the wrong greeting. Instead of saying good morning I say good afternoon or forget things. I forget names or confused them. The big one is thinking I am in a different year. Sometimes I want to walk away from the job, quit but I stay seated. I hear coworkers talking about me in the third person, even laughing at the odd things I do nowadays because of my PTSD."

Daniel replies. "Or when you find a good un-stressful job somehow it is over. Veterans are just a tax break for many companies. They keep us enough time that the company can use us as a tax break during tax season, and then we get fired."

Mildred continues. "The nightmares, the sleepless nights and waking up yelling all that starts slow, you know, small things here and there. Then before I would know, my nails were gone and I was doing errands that I could do in one trip in several. Drive out and do one, go home calm down, go out again and do the next errands. I stayed alone at home; I could not keep a job."

Daniel smiles and says. "Going out way late at night when there is no one around. I guess going to the V.A. has helped. Here we are the three of us in a crowded restaurant and just talking. But I bet you two are doing the same I am doing."

"What is that?" Diana asked. "Tapping one of your feet at high R.P.M's."

Diana and Mildred shift their bodies slightly, and Diana says. "It is true. I try not to do that."

Mildred leans closer to Diana, and she asks. "Why are you so interested in that tower?"

"It will sound strange, but I think it is related to a vivid dream I been having since an accident in Tampa."

"A car accident?"

"Yes, a bolt of lightning hit an electrical pole close to me while driving and I pressed the accelerator. A semi-truck hit me on the side and…" "End up in a hospital with a broken leg?"

"Yes, but something else happened while I was unconscious. I had a very lifelike dream. In my dream, I saw the hotel before I came to it, and here I am."

"Really… wow, I hate lightning and l lived in Florida." Mildred said and leaned backward glancing at Daniel, and he asks Diana. "You have seen the hotel before your accident?"

"No, never only in my dream."

"I have nightmares, some I do not remember others I do. But all are about the past, Iraq, and Afghanistan or of the Army but never about the future."

Mildred says. "Humans only remember the last dream of our sleep period. We are somehow closer to our conscious mind when about to wake up. I do not understand how it works, but that is what happens."

Diana opens her eyes realizing something she heard and says. "Yes, I told my doctor about the dream, and he said it was the last dream before I woke in the hospital."

"There you go, mystery solve." Daniel said, and Mildred asks Diana. "Tell us about the dream."

Diana explains to them what has been happening to her and the others. She also tells them of the strange connection of the dream with each other and why she came.

Mildred and Daniel listen as they eat. When Diana finishes Mildred quickly looks at Daniel, and he says. "That is interesting, ah… I don't know what else to say."

"So, the other three came here because of the dream, wow."

"Yes and we never met until yesterday. Then Daniel told about the cylinder, my friends, and I checked it out. The company that owns the tower it is big in the communications markets."

"I.G.C.C. I already know them. They are not only involved in the civilian markets. You know the drones the government flies over Iraq and Afghanistan?"

"Yes."

"They communicate with them using I.G.C.C. technology. I.G.C.C. started back in 1923 in Germany. They had a different name back then, Cipher Machine Stock Corporation. They used to install there radio's equipment in the German U-Boats. Have you ever heard about the German Enigma decoding machine?"

"I have."

"They help develop that. After the war, a small group of scientists split from the original company, and they made their own company. They made radios and televisions. In the late 50's they changed their name to I.G.C.C. after getting a couple of contracts from N.A.T.O."

"They are big money."

"They are, and now they are in the hotel business. The whole Planet Earth to start their touristic venture and they picked the Florida Keys."

"Why not Orlando?" Mildred asked, and Daniel replies. "Orlando is mouse country. No one goes head-on against it. Unless you share some green cheese with him, especially if you want to build a hotel resort."

Diana asks. "Why hotels? Why even built an Island for one? I.G.C.C. has enough of that green cheese to buy the city of Orlando if they wanted. Why here?"

Daniel looks at Diana's plate and asks. "Are you going for the bacon?"

"No, I had breakfast earlier and…" "Thank you, as I was saying. The whole planet to build a hotel and they do it here and for what I saw on their website. Their towers cover the U.S. and Canada, Europe and all the first world countries inside the Pacific Rim. I want to check that tower out."

Diana smiles and says. "Let me get a hold of my friends, and we will find a way to look at it." Mildred asks Diana. "For how long you had the cast?"

"This is my third week. It should come off next week."

"I guess it is coming off tonight." Mildred answered and turned to her cousin saying. "Let's go to the shop first to take her the cast off. Then get The Warrior from the hangar and check things out from above."

Daniel shakes his head and says. "Why, we have to take old man Pearson with us?"

"Who else and a bird eyes view it is better than walking."

Diana leans forward and asks. "Who is The Warrior?" Daniel answers. "Is not who it is an It. Mildred has been working for Mr. Pearson for a while. You will like him."

After their lunch, the three veterans drive to the Marathon airport.

Mildred drives in the parking area and parks next to an R.V. camper. In the back of it, there is a trailer.

Diana follows Daniel and Mildred to the end of the trailer. Daniel unlocks the padlock and Mildred raises the door.

There are all kinds of wheeled toolbox along the sides secured to the trailer's wall.

Mildred pulls a portable generator and starts it. Diana hears an air compressor in the far back of the trailer.

Daniel walks out with a small handheld rotary saw attached to an air house. "Seat down at the edge. We will take that cast off in a jiffy."

Daniel activates the saw several times. Diana stays standing and says. "Excuse me?"

"Yea, sit down. Look at it as Veterans helping Veterans."

"Ah, ah… no. You are not cutting the cast with that."

Mildred takes the saw from Daniel, and she says. "Don't pay attention to him. The blade is of a soft pumice stone. It will cut just the cast not you."

Diana seats down and Mildred slowly and carefully cuts the cast. Once a deep enough grove runs alongside the cast, Mildred passes the saw to Daniel, and he gives her surgical scissors, and she cuts the cast open.

Mildred and Daniel pull the constraining cast open then Daniel asks. "Can you stand?"

Diana with the help of his new friends stands and puts her weight on the leg. "It is a bit stiff."

"Hairy as well." Mildred said. Diana shyly passes her hand over her leg and says. "I guess so."

"Do you want some jeans? I think you and I use the same size."

"Ah, well… yes. I don't like skirts that much."

"Hey! You, Mildred, did you completed the post-flight on the Warrior?" A robust old man's voice comes from the side of the trailer.

Diana sees that the man must be in his 80's, but he looks strong still showing vitality pass his age.

Mildred looks at him and replies. "I did this morning. The F.A.A. paperwork is in your inbox."

"Bah, paperwork is not for men of action."

The old man looks at the saw and the broken cast on the floor with surprise he looks at the young ones and says. "You cut a cast again, with that thing."

Daniel jumps from the trailer and says. "No loss of blood as it happened to you."

"What! And I let you cut mine." Diana said and Mildred answers. "For been an ex-General Mr. Pearson moved a lot."

"I was drunk, ok. How about the Warrior, can it fly or not?"

Mildred answers. "Of course, that is my baby."

"Good."

The old man turns around and heads to the far end hangar. Daniel is rolling the air hose as Mildred picks up the remainders of the cast and puts them in a plastic garbage container in the trailer.

Daniel throws, Mildred a broom and she sweeps. He jumps out, and he picks parts on the pavement.

Even though the two cousins were doing a trivial task, Diana can see their teamwork interaction as they work. Daniel closes the back of the trailer, and Mildred locks it up.

"Let's talk to the old man." Daniel said.

The three walk to the hangar. Diana moves carefully but way faster than before.

Diana asks. "You said that Mr. Pearson was a general?" Mildred answers. "Yes, I have seen the pictures hanging in his office. He fought in WWII, but he was flying cargo planes. After the war, he flew a big wig general around."

"Really, and he retired as a general?" Daniel smiles and says. "Yep, as Mildred said he used to fly some bigwigs back in the day. One time, he was drunk and told us he was flying spaceships."

Diana smiles in disbelieve and says. "Spaceships? He worked for NASA?" Mildred answers. "No, he was drunk. He is okay."

They finally enter the hangar. The first thing Diana sees is a large single prop engine plane. She walks up to it and gives it a long look.

On the side, in yellow and red large letters are printed in Seoge print style, The "Warrior" and below it the name Sarah. Diana turns to Daniel and says. "This is a WWII plane."

Old man Pearson walks from the back of the Avenger as he inspects the rear stabilizers and answers. "It is a Grumman TBF-1 Avenger. They don't build them as they use to, petty."

"Did you look at the paperwork?" Mildred asked the retired General. "Yes, is all good."

The old man smiles and says. "Let's get in the office. I can tell all of you want something."

They all follow the old general to his office and slowly all take a seat. Pearson looks at Daniel and says. "That security guard at the hotel, Pablo called me. He told me you got fired today."

"Yea, those corporate narrow-minded… Donaldson fired me because this guest's expensive bag got dirty when I drop it. The bitch turned to her husband and said in front of me… uuu, how come they have people like him working here. Bitch!"

"I have two A.S. ground equipment diesel engines that need repair. I will pay as much as I pay your cousin. But you walk into this hangar at 6 am Monday, is that clear."

"Yes, sir as long as there is no traffic."

"For crying out loud, you live in front of my hangar… traffic my ass."

"Who are those in the big picture behind you?" Diana asked. Pearson swings his chair and grabs the picture.

He holds it and smiles as he looks at it. Then he puts it on the desk facing Diana, and she timidly gets it. "Those are my old friends, back in the day. More like family."

"You all served together?"

"You could say that." Diana puts the picture on the desk, and she points. "They are like your extended family, I am sure."

"Yes, they are. No matter what war, it was all the same."

"That is true Mr. Pearson. I most guess this is you here, with your wife in this other picture?"

"Yes, that is her. I was a wild, reckless kid from the Brooklyn before I met Sarah and she tamed me. She was the best damn pilot I have ever seen and hot too."

"Why is she wearing those big sunglasses indoors?"

"Oh… she had a big situation… with her beautiful eyes but she did fine. So, what is going on?"

Mildred answers. "We need the Warrior to fly over the new island and take pictures with the infra-red cameras."

"Oh, really and why is that?" Daniel answers. "There is a sewer pipe of about 20 feet in diameter that we think it is a tunnel that goes from the airport to the back of the hotel. It traverses an azimuth of 230 to 240 degrees, and we want to find how we can get in it."

"Why? Why you have to get inside a crap pipe. That must be the shit flushed from the hotel."

"We think it is not." Diana said Pearson looks at her as he slowly swings his seat from left to right looking intently at her and he asks. "Why do you think it is a tunnel and not the obvious, West Point?"

"My name is Diana sir, and I know."

Again Pearson slightly swings his chair and gives a hard look at Diana as if trying to read her. He leans forward over the desk and looks at the old picture. With a nostalgic tone, he says. "You remind me of some determined ladies friends of mine, also Ms. Tattoos over here."

The old pilot is silent for a minute or so, and he then says. "Mildred, get me from the file closet the Chamber of Commerce folder... 2004 to 2005. I already got your pictures, of that crap pipe of yours." Daniel smiles and says. "When you said crap pipe it sounds like something illegal."

"Well if shit runs through it… guess what, it is a crap pipe. Anyway, if that is a tunnel, then you can call it a crack pipe. Why would they build a tunnel for?"

Diana answers. "To hide something."

"My point and in that case you three should be calling the cops. Not just go in there. Hopefully all you three are going just to get shit all over. To tell you the truth I will be rolling on the floor laughing if you two come to work smelling like crap on Monday."

"Here." Mildred said as she puts the thick folder on the desk. Pearson opens it and looks through the pictures. Some are black and white others in regular colors, but some are either red or purple.

As he looks, Pearson says. "The Chamber of Commerce contracted me to take pictures of the new island at different stages of construction."

"Why?"

"Ah, for environmental impact, beach erosion and who knows what else. Here is your pipe."

The young ones bend closer as Pearson puts three pictures on the desk.

He opens one of the drawers of his desk and pulls a magnifying glass.

Diana gets it and looks at the pictures. "This is when they were laying the pipe sections in the open trench."

"What is that over here?" Daniel asked as he looks at another picture.

Diana gives him the lens, and he looks. "The ditch ends in this rectangular hole." Mildred leans over her cousin's shoulder and looks. "They are pouring cement for walls. That is a large underground building."

"Look at this picture the tower is almost on top of it." Diana said, and Pearson looks at another picture. He turns it around to his guests and says. "This infrared picture is of one month after they completed the island. Look at this. There are vents along the pipe where the heat is escaping from the tunnel."

Pearson reaches for the phone and Mildred asks. "Who are you calling?"

"The police, I know the chief. This might be the largest drug run operation I have known about."

"No, don't call." Diana said, and Pearson looks at her. "Why, you three think you are the musketeers or something. These guys are drug runners. After they chew you and spit you out, they will put your dead bodies in 52 gallons metal drums with holes and dump you in the Atlantic. Na… no heroics, I am calling the cops on this."

"No, I do not think they are drug runners. Please do not call." Diana said, and Pearson puts the phone receiver slowly on its phone cradle and asks. "Then who?"

Mildred answers in a jovial tone. "Maybe is the Martians."

Suddenly Pearson's eyes open wide as if he just realized something. He slowly leans over the desk as if he is about to say something but rapidly leans back in his seat.

Diana asks noticing the old man's reaction. "You seem to know something. What do you think is going on?"

Pearson answers with a trembling voice. "Trouble, way above your heads that is for sure. I think you are right Diana. Those are not drug runners at all."

Mildred stands and asks. "Old man, you are freaking me out, and I have never seen you freaked out since I know you. What's up?"

"What about if you three tell me what is up?" Diana answers. "I will tell you."

Diana explains to Pearson all that has happened to her since the accident. Pearson takes the information with no hesitation. Daniel is surprised that the old man is still listening and believing Diana.

She finishes, and the old pilot looks at the old picture of him with his wife and friends and says. "I have seen my share of truthful but weird shit. What you are telling me has a new twist on what I know. But it is faith that you walked in this hangar, Diana. I still know a heavyweight friend link to the government that can do more than you three or your other friends in the hotel."

"Who is this heavyweight friend?"

"A friend. Go to the hotel check out and bring your friends over. All of you can stay here."

Daniel takes a good look at the infrared aerial picture. He puts it on the desk and stands up saying. "Mr. Pearson is right. Let us take you to the hotel, check out and get your friends."

Diana shows her disappointment, she then looks down and says. "Well, is that is what it is I will get my things."

"Let's go then. We will be back soon."

The three young ones stand and head to the door, but before they open it, Pearson says. "No heroics, go to the hotel and back. I have plenty of space here."

Daniel looks at him and smiles when he replies. "No heroics, general."

The three walk out of the office and walk through the hangar to the exit. Diana is disappointed not doing what she had hoped to do by contacting Daniel.

Once by the car, Daniel goes to say. "Mildred, park the car close to the island bridge on Sombrero road. We are going to check one of those vents."

Mildred slowly looks up and answers. "You heard what old man Pearson said, no heroics."

"We are just going to look, that is all."

"Don't you think we need to get my friends from the hotel?"

"We will get them, later tonight with their help we are getting in that tunnel."

Mildred is driving in the Southeast area of Marathon on Sombrero Road. She parks in a section of the long street overlooking the bridge connecting Marathon Island with the Resort Island.

The three come out from the car and Daniel pulls from the back seat a backpack that he brought from the trailer. He puts it on the roof of the car and opens it.

Mildred sticks her hand in it and gets a compass. Daniel keeps looking at it as if making a visual inventory. "What you guys have in there?" Diana asked and Mildred answers. "That is my survival pack. In case that I or both have to leave for someplace a foot, we take one and leave."

"Let's go." Daniel said, and they walk toward the bridge. Once in the other side, the women follow Daniel and Mildred asks. "How close is that vent?"

"A few minutes away, we have to be as far as possible from the road and the island airport."

They walk through the planted jungle. The ocean breeze blows gently moving the canopy tree. It is not hot from the direct touch of Sunlight but from the high humidity making the walk uncomfortable.

The foliage it is planted artificially, and it is separate at the bases from each tree as to make way for a truck and workers to populate the island with vegetation.

Not much underbrush has grown, due to the large tall trees blocking most of the Sunlight. Large patches of tall grass dominate the open spaces where trees were not planted.

The covered landscape would remind anyone of the same topographical features of a golf course. The island is mainly flat, but small lumps of earth disrupt the dull uniformity of the landscape.

The top floors of the hotel and the large cell tower are seen between the breaks of the canopy. Daniel stops as to get his bearings and climbs on one of the lumps of soil trying to simulate a small hill.

"Where now?" Diana asked. Daniel looks to his left and then to his right. "That is the cell tower to the left and to the right I can see the top of the crane from the airport… so, follow me."

The three descend from the simulate hill and walk forward. Daniel stops looking to his left and Mildred says. "There is one of the vents."

They walk to it. The vent is a cement pipe of about five feet of circumference with a heavy metal grill covering the access.

Mildred pulls her Army compass and takes an azimuth reading. "232 toward the cell tower and…" She turns toward the airport taking the top of the crane as a reference. "… 52 degrees toward the airport. All we need is a map and plot this numbers."

Daniel pulls from his backpack a dull red color chemical light stick. He bends it by the middle until the inner glass capsule breaks, and he sets it on the vent.

Diana gets closer to the stick and says. "That is not lighted at all." Daniel turns to her and smiles replying. "That is an infrared chemo light. We also have night vision for tonight."

"Oh wow, I have not seen those since Iraq."

"They sell them around, but you have to know where to get them."

Mildred looks down the vent, and the other two follow. "You hear that?" Mildred said.

"Yes, it is like an electrical humming." Daniel answered.

Mildred touches the metal grill and says. "Four one inch blots. We will need the diamond saw."

Diana looks at her and replies. "You are going to need a long extension cord."

Mildred answers. "It is not a rotary saw; I am talking about an old fashion saw."

"Let's go back to the car." Daniel said and the three walk the same way they came.

After a few minutes, they are by the bridge and head over to where the car is parked.

Diana waits for Mildred to open the car and Diana says to Daniel. "I am tired; I wish I could take a nap."

"We can't do anything until night. Get your things, and we will pick you up and your friends at… around 9 pm. Make your checkout from the hotel for tomorrow morning tonight."

"Ok."

They get in, and Mildred drives to the hotel. Once there they stop as far as possible from the building and Diana gets out. Daniel says. "We will meet you here on this spot and your friends at 9 pm."

"I will see you then." Diana steps back, and Mildred drives away.

Diana walks to the hotel and looks around in the parking lot. She sees Miller's Mustang parked in the front row as she walks.

Diana enters the hotel lobby, and as always, guests walk about in out the lobby area. She gets in the elevator, once on her floor, Diana goes to her room.

Once there she takes a shower and relaxes. After that, Diana commences packing her bags.

She looks out the balcony at the tower as to try to find a reason why she has to find out about it and her dream.

Diana is tired and sets the alarm on her cell phone for 8 pm, and she gets in bed.

Diana finally closes her eyes when she hears knocking on the door. She hits the bed irritated by the knock.

Diana answers. "Hold a mo…" Diana's eyes open wide, and she lifts the sheets uncovering her body to see the cast back in place around her leg.

She commences breathing heavy as tears appear slowly in her eyes. The knocking continues on the door.

She swings her legs off the bed and while in the seating position she inserts her two thumbs in the cast as if she wanted to crack it open desperately.

The constant knocking becomes intolerable. Anxiety mixed with anger overcomes her.

Diana stands to open the door as she cries. She holds to the drawer with a trembling hand using it as support. Diana reaches the door and opens it.

Miller is standing there, and her smile vanishes. "What happen?"

Diana seats down, and she puts her hands on her face as she looks up and continues to cry. Miller gets closer to her and asks. "What happened to you!?"

"Why do you had to knock so hard… so many times!?"

"I only knock once… what is going on?"

"I… I, don't know!"

"A dream?"

"No, no it was not… what time is it now?"

"8 am."

"Sunday?"

"No, Saturday. Tell me what happened."

"It can't be 8 am Saturday. It is close to 7 pm on Saturday if I am waking up on Saturday again."

"Calm down, Diana. Hold on, let me get you water."

Miller stands, and as she walks to get the water, she keeps an eye on Diana who now has slumped her torso forward as she touches her cast.

Miller offers the cup of water and Diana erects her torso and with trembling hands gulps it down. "Diana, tell me what was the dream about?"

"It was not a dream! It was not!"

"Ok, ok. Calm down and tell me."

Diana tells Miller what has happened to her spending most of the Saturday with Daniel and Mildred also the conversation with Mr. Pearson in his office. By now Diana is calm, and she stands to dress up.

Miller stays with her until she sees that Diana is less agitated. "Diana, I will go downstairs and get the others. Stay here. Then we will have breakfast. I am sure you must be hungry?"

Diana stops what she is doing and turns to Miller saying. "I am not hungry at all."

By this time Miller is at the door, and she replies. "You didn't have dinner last night but if you feel that way… I will come back with the others."

Miller slowly closes the door, and Diana looks at her image in the mirror. "I was hungry when I woke up the first time around. No… today is Sunday, it has to be Sunday."

Diana seats on the edge of the bed, just staring at her reflection in the mirror, when a knock on the door startles her. "Hold on!"

She stands and slowly opens the door, but she is pushed back by the person on the other side. "What…?" That is all she says seen Mildred entering the room. "Diana we have to go, now!"

"What… wait you know me!?"

"Of course I do… your cast is back!? We took that shit off you before. What is going on?"

"Where is Daniel?"

"Downstairs. We have to go now!"

"My friends will be here soon. One of them just walked out of here. You must have seen her in the hallway."

"There was no one in the hallway. Get up; we have to go."

The two women step out of the room and instead of walking toward the elevators, Mildred takes Diana to the stairs. "I am going to take that shit off your leg again."

"What is going on? Why is Saturday morning again?"

"Saturday!? Daniel and I woke up on the side of the road. The R.V. and our trailer are gone. We can't find Pearson and his plane it is gone. These guys… that look like agents showed up in the hangar. Daniel and I left through the side. I hotwired a car in the overextended parking in the airport, and we came for you."

"Government agents?"

"I don't know, and why you say is Saturday?"

"Apparently it is."

The two continue to the bottom of the stairwell and Mildred peeks into the hallway that leads to the lobby area. "All clear, we are walking out through the kitchen."

Diana follows Mildred entering the kitchen. One of the cooks is waiting for them, and they follow him out through the back. Daniel is in a red car waiting in the parking, and he is talking to one of the servers that work in the restaurant.

Mildred opens the front passenger door for Diana and then Mildred seats in the back. Daniel looks down at Diana's leg. "What, the… when did you get that thing back?"

"It grew overnight… I have no idea."

Daniel then says as he drives off the parking space. "Guess what, today is still Saturday."

Mildred leans forward and asks. "Who told you?"

"Manuel just did. He gave the address on a pier of a boat he is taking care of for us to hide."

"Ditch the car far from the boat." Mildred said.

"Mildred, told me that your R.V. is gone?"

"It was not there. We… the last I remember it is dropping you at the hotel and then… I don't know how but we woke in our car close to the Marathon airport."

Mildred moves forward and extends her arm in between the front seats and says. "That is my car! Who is driving it?"

Daniel accelerates and gets closer to the dividing line on the road. When he is close to Mildred's car, he blows the horn to make the driver face them. The other driver moves Mildred's car away from them, but all take a good look at the driver.

"That… the woman looked like me driving. What the fuck is happening!?" Mildred said frantically unnerved as Daniel and Diana stay silent. All three have an uneasy sensation as their stomachs contract.

Daniel is holding back his anxiety as he drives. Diana looks forward as her body tenses, and her head commences to pound with a headache.

Mildred is slowly losing control as she holds her hands tied in a fist and then commences to rob them nervously.

Daniel notices her doing that, and he turns toward her the best he can. "Mildred, Mildred! Calm down… don't fall back cuz. Stay with us."

"That was me, how do you explain that?"

"I don't know, stay calm… ok."

Diana turns to Mildred and says. "Mildred, we will find out what is going on soon."

"Soon!? You talk like we can figure out this madness. Since you arrived, all this shit started."

"I am not the only one that came to this hotel. It is not just me."

Daniel turns quickly to Diana and says. "No one else is with you in the hotel. Diana, you are alone."

"No, my three friends came here without…" "You have been talking to yourself in the hotel. My friend Manuel told me that you talk in whispers to someone while he is serving you in the restaurant. So the other employees have seen you doing that!"

"No, I am not… my friends are real. One of them was in my room just before Mildred got me."

Mildred leans forward yelling. "Drop her off. Daniel, drop her off right here!"

"No! I am not. We are going to the boat. Ditch this car and put Diana on the next plane home."

"I don't want to leave yet!"

"Yes, you are!"

Daniel is driving on highway one north. They pass in front of the Marathon airport, and they see their R.V. and trailer back in the same spot they always park in the airport.

Mildred leans forward and says. "Stop Daniel, drop her off and let's go back to the R.V."

"No, look over there. The goons in suits are still there by the hangar. We are going to the boat and wait. Diana can take a bus to Miami and…" "I am not leaving. I will go by myself to that tunnel if I have to, but I am not leaving."

"Fuck her, drop her off and if she wants to go to that damned tunnel let her."

Daniel is angrily silent, not knowing what else to do beyond going to the boat and hide.

After a few minutes, Daniel stops at a mall and parks the car. The three come out quietly. The tension between Mildred and Diana is evident.

Daniel pulls the piece of paper that Manuel gave him and reads it. "The boat is passing the mall, down this street."

"Where are the owners?" Diana asked. "They are in upstate New York they are snowbirds. The keys of the boat are under one of the seats." That is the last it is say among them.

They start to walk to the boat, and Daniel keeps looking at the paper now and then.

They reach the pier, and Daniel stops saying. "This is it, the Starfish."

Mildred, it is more settled and in a calm tone goes to say. "It is big." Mildred is the first to jump on the rear deck of the 45 feet long sports fishing boat.

She puts her face close to the glass sliding door of the cabin to look. Daniel is helping Diana to pass over the three large outboard engines.

Mildred looks up to the wheel control platform on top of the cabin, and she asks. "How did your friend got to take care of this boat?"

"He used to work in another hotel and met the owners."

Daniel lifts the cushions from the seats and finds the keys. He opens the sliding door, and all come in. Mildred closes the curtains and then she seats down.

"What now?" Diana asked. Daniel answers. "I was thinking about going back and talk to Mr. Pearson. We have not done anything wrong… well, the car we took is a different story but besides that none of us have done anything wrong."

"How do you explain that today is still Saturday morning, I mean… you saw me driving my car to the hotel as I did the first time. Heck, you were the guy that almost runs me over on the way to the hotel after you got fired."

"I woke up with the cast back on, and my friend came at…" Daniel turns to Diana and interrupts her. "You came alone to the hotel. You have no friends there. I don't know…" "Shut up, I am not hallucinating, and I know I am not crazy. You two know that today should be Sunday morning and not Saturday. All of us saw Mildred driving the other way on the road. How do you explain that?"

"I can't."

"I have three friends in the hotel that probably are going through the same crap we are."

"Daniel, let her think whatever she wants."

Daniel stands up and commences to look throughout the cabinets in the cabin. Mildred and Diana are looking straight at each other.

Diana feels somewhat betrayed by Mildred's comments toward her. Mildred breaks her eye contact with Diana, turns to Daniel and Mildred asks. "What are you looking for?"

"A toolbox. I am taking off the cast and tonight we are going to wait in the stretch of the road where and woke up. Something happened there, and I want to know what."

"It already happened." Diana says.

Daniel stops searching as he looks at the open cabinet and says. "I don't know but if now is… Saturday morning, well… I want to be there tonight. To see what happen to us when it was Saturday night."

Mildred leans back on the seat and laughs then she says. "What are you implying, we time traveled, and we are going to see out past time doubles tonight?!"

"I don't know."

Diana shakes her head lightly as a no. She stands up and says in a challenging tone. "No, we have to get into that vent. We have to find out what is down there."

Mildred stands standing in front of Diana matching her tone she says. "Oh really… You two are off your minds. We have not done anything wrong to be hiding."

"Mildred how do you explain that we are one day back?! And you, this isn't the Army for you to give us orders. I want to see what happen where Mildred and I woke up today. If you want to go back to the R.V, go and if you want to go into that tunnel go."

Daniel turns around and continues to look. Mildred seats down and looks down. She nods her head toward the deck. "Daniel, that is the engine compartment hatch; they might have tools down there."

Daniel kneels down and opens the hatch and looks in. He pulls a large toolbox and places it on the deck.

He looks inside and takes a small saw. "I am taking that cast off…" "Why? She came with the cast on." Mildred asked interrupting Daniel as she looks straight at Diana.

Diana can tell that Mildred is blaming her for what has happened so far. Diana avoids eye contact with her and Daniel answers. "Because I want to check that tunnel after I see what happen to us. Anyway, we took it off the first time around."

Diana looks at Daniel, smiles and she says. "Thank you. I will go with you to that road."

"You two are so hard headed, I will go, but we need our gear."

"How do you plan to get it from the R.V?"

"Not us, I will call Leslie. If I remember well, we drop Diana off at the hotel close to 5 pm."

After been on the boat for about an hour Diana as her companions slowly fall asleep.

Then Diana hears several explosions in succession and rapid fire. She rapidly erects her torso, and she is on an open field that is filled with thick white smoke. Tracers pass over her from behind her, and more explosions are heard.

Diana hears Kowalski's voice yelling. "First Sergeant! The captain is awake." Diana looks at her clothing, and she is wearing the gray uniform. Miller comes running followed by Smith carrying a backpack field radio. "Ma'am, how are you holding?"

Diana turns to look and says. "Blue?" Miller, Smith and Kowalski smile and Miller replies. "Red, we are all in the dream again."

"What is going on?"

"We gather all the ammo and soldiers we could find. We even got air-cover now."

"Who… air cover, who is doing that?"

Smith helps Diana to stand up, and he answers. "Other pods landed in nearby islands. We got five Havoc crafts, and two long-range artillery pieces are on the way."

"What is a Havoc?"

"They look like A-10 Thunderbolts, and they land and take off like a Harrier."

"Wow, we have warthogs in the air. I need to know what my other self-was doing."

"Follow us." Miller said, and the group moves west. Explosions continue to be heard, and the smoke gets thicker.

They arrive at a network of trenches, and they go in. "How you build this?" Diana asked. Miller answers. "We have engineers now. They use a kind of Exo-skeleton equipment to dig the trenches. Those suits do the job of a bulldozer."

"There is no messing around in the future."

"No, ma'am."

They enter a command area, and Diana sees a combat communication set up with other soldiers manning the equipment. Miller takes her to one of the stations displaying a holographic image of the area.

Miller explains. "We took the first city near the spaceport from the Nan, and now we are here pass the city limits in this forest before this bridge to cross over."

"How come the Nan has not blown up the bridge?"

"We sent a group to take over the bridge two nights ago and took both ends. The push was to get the bridge, and we did. The enemy has sent their engineers to blow the bridge, but we keep them at bay with the air cover and small artillery fire."

"How many enemy units were in the city we took?"

"Not many, we destroyed their retreating units. Now we are getting ready to push through over the bridge we took two nights ago."

"That bridge is a bottleneck for them and us. Smith mentioned that artillery is on the way. How is it coming here?"

"Civilian transports."

"Ok… we are using the artillery to land here and cover the bridge?

"Yes, Captain."

The Havocs, can they knock out that tower?"

"They have anti-air all over that thing, and they tend to pull back toward the tower to protect it."

"Once it is here, can the artillery knock out the tower?"

"They have to be placed on the enemy side of the island to be effective. Your other self, wanted the artillery to cover our push over the bridge."

"We need Navy Seals." Kowalski said, and Diana turns to him. "Yes, that would do it… um? From the sea… that tower is on the other side of their island by the ocean side."

"What are you thinking Ma'am?" Miller asked. "How many transports are coming?"

"Four."

"Have those land and move three artillery units here to cover the push over the bridge… have them filled up the three transports with troops to land here in the enemy right flank."

"Ok and what about the fourth transport where does it land?"

"I want this whole central area on their side saturated with all the artillery power we have and use the future looking warthogs from the air. Then land the troops from the fourth transport here."

"Then the main body moves over the bridge." Miller said, and Diana replies. "It will be Just a straightforward push. We are going to make it look like a Hail Mary as in the first Gulf War, you will see."

"I understand now. With our troops moving on their flanks they are going to think that our main body already crossed."

"Exactly, I will explain what I want, but I have to tell you something, I need your help back in the hotel. I think I am sleeping on a boat with a man named Daniel and her cousin Mildred."

"Who?"

"It is a long story. There is a tunnel that runs from the Airport of the hotel to the tower."

"You are on the boat… now?"

"That is what I think, and there is more, as weird as it will sound. I have to let you three know what has been happening to me in the real world."

"Ma'am, how are you?" Diana stops talking interrupted by the familiar voice behind her. She turns around to see Sergeant Webb. She smiles and walks up to him. "I am fine, how are you?"

"Out of the cave, well… I am a bit frightened. I am not an infantry soldier, but given the circumstances, I have to. I heard you got knocked out by a concoction shell."

"Oh, that… well, I am good."

Webb goes to ask Diana. "Do you still want to survey the front battlefield area?"

Diana turns to Miller as if trying to get a quick answer from her and Miller goes to say. "Before you got knocked out, you… were on your way there."

"Yes, I want to see and get a briefing on the units in the F.B.A."

"The all-terrain mule is outside," Webb said, and once again Diana turns slightly to Miller as to get an answer. Miller leans quickly toward Diana and in a whisper goes to say. "That is a Humvee."

Diana smiles and replies to Webb. "Yes, let's go."

Smith goes on saying. "I will go with you, Ma'am. You need a radio operator."

"Ok, Kowalski and First Sarge come with Sergeant Webb and me."

The five move out from the underground command center into the trench. The smoke is still thick, and enemy artillery continues to hit the perimeter but the enemy bombardment it is not dense.

One enemy shell every few minutes spread apart landing hundreds of meters from each other.

The soldiers' moral it is high and energized to engage the enemy. The Nan has not used air units, or they are holding back. Several space to surface enemy landing crafts have tried to land, but they are quickly deterred from landing.

Diana continues to receive a briefing from Miller as the walk to the all-terrain vehicle. Miller points out that the Nan spaceships left in the solar system have not approached the planet.

Several surviving Earth space frigates and two destroyers are hunting down the enemy in space.

Webb gets in the driver side and Diana in the back seat behind him. Kowalski takes the top gunner's position, Smith seats in the front passenger seat to operate the radio and Miller seats behind him next to Diana.

Webb drives forward to the bridge area. They enter the main highway. Diana looks back to see the small city behind still burning and getting continuously hit with more enemy artillery than in the forest area. Miller leans toward Diana and says. "You… or you're other persona ordered to abandon the city. She knew that the Nan would be bombarding the city more than any other place."

"How she knew that?"

"She knows that the Nan judge others as they see themselves and the most likely place to hold and have covered is in the city. Let's say it is more comfortable to garrison troops and obtain supplies from an abandoned city."

"I am sure I, or the other me must have stripped down the hospitals and supermarkets."

"Yes she did and hardware stores, but how you knew?"

"I would have done the same, but I have no idea how these Nans are, to do what she did, to leave the city."

After several minutes Webb leaves the highway and enters the forest driving on a dirt road. He stops the vehicle behind a small hill and all dismount.

They walk around the hill and see a network of dug-in positions with two or three soldiers in them. Webb is walking in front of the group, and they head to the forward command post.

Tracer fire is exchanged from both sides of the opposing armies. Mortar fire is heard across the line, and the roar of engines is heard above.

Diana looks up as if she could get a glimpse of the aircraft. "That is ours, dropping ordinance on the front positions of the enemy." Miller said, and Diana continues to walk. They reach the large dug in the command post, and all get in.

Miller looks about and asks the soldiers in the bunker. "Where is the Sergeant First Class?"

One of them answers. "He is out there by the bridge with one of the sniper teams."

"Doing what!?"

"The snipers spotted a small civilian boat on the shore. He was concern that the enemy crossed an engineer unit to our side to blow the bridge."

"Not engineers, the enemy can reach all the way to the city with their artillery and the bridge is closer to them, and they have not touched it. That is a recon patrol." Diana said, all look at her, and she looks over a table and asks the soldier. "Show me on this map where the boat is at?"

"Here Ma'am."

"Umm?" That is all that Diana said as she examines the map.

"This Nan, are coning. They want us to focus on the bridge while they do a Hail Mary on us, as we planned to do on them. But they do not know where our main body of soldiers is at, to do anything."

Miller replies. "They figured out we are not in the city."

"Or they wanted us to be out of the city from the beginning, which is why they are saturating the city to run us out, so… they want this corridor open from the sea toward the city to cut our forces in half retaking the city. Where are those space transports of them?"

"They went up. We launched land to space missiles." Miller answered. Diana looks at her thinking what to say, then looks at the map again. "How many of those missiles we have left?"

"Not many… so that is why they came down to deplete our anti-air?"

"Yes, they might have up there a big transport landing carrier ship. If those ships are as we know them, they do not have big guns. I am sure nukes are out of the question for them. The nukes might damage the tower they have."

Smith gets closer and says. "So, they are planning to land, as McArthur did in the Korean War."

Diana turns to him and replies. "Yes, like in the invasion of Inchon. That cut off in half the North Koreans, and they retreated." Miller looks at the map and says. "That is right, but China it is not going to help us."

"No, but we need to save those anti-air missiles and get that enemy recon unit."

Diana turns to Smith. "Call all units in the net. Tell them that the enemy sent a recon unit."

"Yes, Ma'am." Diana turns to Miller and asks. "Did, I… before had a plan to deter an enemy hail, Mary."

Only Miller, Smith and Kowalski understand the converted question. Miller answers. "Yes and… it had nothing to do with them retaking the city from above."

"Umm? That might be what the Nan is expecting a frontal assault around the bridge. While we are pushing forward their landing crafts with troops retake the city."

"So now what Captain?"

"That is exactly what they are going to see. We have to ambush their transport as they descend into the city. Do we have to talk to the Sergeant First class you came to see?"

"No we have more than enough info now and to be in the safe side I prefer you be back in the command area, having a Nan unit in our side might not be a safe tour for you."

"I want to see the other side of the highway, and then we will leave."

"Ok, Ma'am."

They all walk out from the command center but not before Miller giving instructions to the soldiers. Diana walks next to Webb and asks. "You know, you always looked familiar to me. Did we meet before, you know back in the ship or on Earth?"

"No, I do not think so."

They arrive at the parked vehicle and all get in. Webb drives toward the main highway. "You have not told me what exactly your plan with the artillery?" Miller asked.

"You see the tower they protect…" Diana can't complete her sentence by the vehicle been hit by an explosion from the right side.

Shrapnel perforates the hull of the vehicle as it is flipped over.

Diana, as well as the rest, hit the roof of the upside down vehicle. Black smoke fills the cabin Diana moves the best she can dragging herself out.

She looks in and sees Miller half of her upper torso missing. Kowalski lower body is coming out from the top turret, and he is not moving. The rest of his body is under the heavy vehicle. Smith was decapitated, and Webb drags himself out from the driver side.

"Ma'am!" That is all he said as he takes his belt off.

"What happen?" Diana asked. Webb puts his belt around Diana's thigh and applies pressure. "What are you doing?"

"You lost your right leg!"

Small weapons fire hits the inverted vehicle. Webb gets back in the cab and pulls the radio.

"This is an urgent 9 line message… Line one… 345…789… line two… 39.96, Iron Horse 6. Line three, 4… all urgent Surgical… Enemy troops in the area, we are taking direct fire. Yellow smoke to mark the pickup point…"

Diana's vision commences fading in and out as the green forest vanishes, and all in front of her turns into a desert.

She looks at her uniform and now is an American Army uniform. She turns around, and the futuristic vehicle is an inverted Humvee. She looks inside to see Miller and Smith's bodies wearing U.S. Army uniforms with the First Cav patches.

Webb drops the radio handset and returns fire with his M-4 carbine toward the aggressors. A 5-ton cargo truck serving as a gun truck parks next to the Humvee and opens with the 50 caliber belt fed machine gun. A combat medic runs from the gun truck toward Diana. "Lieutenant Dixon! Can you see me?"

"Yes… what happen, where is Miller?"

"I am taking care of you, don't worry."

A second Army convoy is driving on the opposite side of the road. They stop to cover the damaged Humvee.

From the closest vehicle of the new arriving convoy, a soldier comes to assist the medic as the gun truck opens up to suppress the enemy.

"Doc! What do you want me to do?"

"Cut her sleeve and put an I.V. I will take care of her leg."

"An I.V. I am a mech, I had my combat lifesaver course years ago."

Diana looks up and asks. "Daniel? Is… that you?"

"Yes, Ma'am… how do you know my first name?"

Webb turns around and says. The bird is coming. The Tangos left, we might get hit by artillery, hurry up."

Other soldiers and vehicles from the convoy surround their fallen comrades. Diana is moved away from the road into the open expanse of sand.

Now she can see a small village above the road. The familiar noise of a Blackhawk it is heard approaching. Diana looks up and sees the Blackhawk and two Apache helicopters flanking the medical aircraft.

The yellow smoke moves upward as the Blackhawk descends. Out of the medical transport, a medic and an aircrew dismount and run with a gurney toward Diana. The aircrew opens the, and the two medics put the injured lieutenant on it.

"Mildred!" Daniel said recognizing her cousin. Mildred lifts her helmet visor, and she replies with concern. "Are you ok!?"

"Yes, take care of the LT!"

"Ok, let's go!" Mildred said. Sergeant Webb and the medic from the helicopter carry the gurney. Once the gurney it is secured. Webb leans closer to Diana's ear and whispers. "I love you."

Diana moves her hand and caresses his face recognizing her feelings for him. Mildred holds Webb by his shoulder after listening to what he just said to Diana, she looks at his name tag and yells. "We have to go, Sergeant Webb. Stand back!" Webb moves away from the Blackhawk, and the helicopter takes off.

Diana is looking out toward Webb when for her horror she sees an enemy R.P.G. meant for the helicopter, exploding next to Webb and he flies several feet in the air.

Gunfire from the American troops on the ground as well as from the Apaches pummels the house where the rocket was fired.

"Nooo! Please… not him… stop this, please!"

Then Mildred gives Diana another shot of morphine, and she starts to lose her consciousness as she cries.

Then Diana yells as to stay awake and Mildred jumps to her side. "Diana, are you ok?"

"No… no, he is dead! He died… all died in the Humvee… I was left… I was left alive!"

Diana looks around, and she is on the boat. Daniel walks up to them and says. "Another dream?"

"No… another nightmare."

"What was about?" Diana looks down and then looks up at her companions and answers. "I don't remember."

It is close to 5 pm, and the three companions are in the prone just over a small artificial dune overlooking the stretch of road that connects Marathon Island with the Island resort.

Diana has her cast off, and she looks at the road waiting to see something unusual as her two companions.

She still somewhat upset about the things that had to happen to her but the most of them is that Daniel does not believe that Miller, Kowalski, and Smith are real.

Although it is to her the simplest thing to do, just to introduce them to him and Mildred. She can't at the moment. The rest is still a mystery, but at least one is to be solved.

Several cars had passed heading in both directions, so far nothing out of place. Mildred's cell vibrates, and she answers the call. "We are about 100 meters…" Mildred raises her head looking toward the road and continues. "I see your cell phone light to my right… Yes, it is your left."

Mildred raises her cell quickly facing the road. "You saw the light? Ok, see Ya in a few."

"Did Leslie, had any problems getting our stuff?" Daniel asked.

"Apparently not, just wait until she gets…" Then Mildred's cell vibrates again, and she answers. "Ok." That is all she said and raises her cell again. "I see it!" A young female voice is heard in front of them.

"Shhh, keep it down." Daniel said. Diana asks. "Who is she?" Mildred answers. "My apprentice, she likes to work with planes."

Next, to them, a young teen walks by as she pushes a bicycle. "Here we are." Mildred said.

The young teen looks smiles and walks to them. On the front of her bicycle, she has a large backpack attached to her basket.

"Why are you guys here and why I had to call you on different cell number?" Lesley asks while Daniel gets the backpack and he says. "Now, go home."

"Ahh, why? Are you guys doing Army stuff?"

"No, go home. We will post the pictures online, go."

Mildred asks. "Did you saw anyone new about in the airport?"

"New as in…?"

"Uff, as in… not to belong to Pearson's hangar?"

"No, actually old Pearson asked me where you two where."

"What did you told him!?"

"What you told me, that you are showing around the island to someone."

Daniel this time takes a more assertive posture and tone. "Ok, now you go home."

"Ok, ok… I am going, anyway the…" "You hear that?" Diana said interrupting Lesley.

Mildred lowers her head as to find the almost whispering humming noise. "I hear it too."

Lesley says as she points to the road. "It is coming from over there."

Daniel grabs Lesley gently by her upper arm moving her against the base of the dune as to protect her.

The three adults move closer to the top and return to the prone position overlooking the road. Mildred is looking in the backpack.

At that moment Mildred car parks on the road as it happen before. Then to the surprise of the stealthy onlookers, they see Daniel and Mildred step out from the car.

Daniel, Mildred, and Diana are frozen in disbelieve. "Is that us?" Daniel said looking at Mildred, and she frantically opens the backpack Lesley brought.

"Those two look like you two, even your car Mildred. Hey, what is that… over the water?" Lesley asked.

Diana turns to her right to see Lesley next to her with her cell phone open taking pictures.

"Go back down." Daniel said in a whisper, but this time he is angry at the audacious, curious twelve-year-old. She responds with a defiant tone as she continues to take pictures. "Make me."

Mildred finally pulls the night vision camera and commences to film at the strange happenings in front of them.

"That is the rotor wash of something I can't see it." Mildred said, and Lesley replies in amazement. "Invisible aliens… wow. That is why you guys are here?"

The wind whirl comes on land moving the surrounding foliage and hovers over the car on the road.

Then powerful infrared floodlights appear from on top of the strange aerial commotion over where the car is.

Mildred is the only one that can see the lights through the night vision camera. She rapidly lowers the camera and turns to Daniel. "Our… our time doubles got painted with infrared lights."

"They can see them. But what can we do?" Diana said.

At that moment four large suburban's come rapidly over the bridge and park surrounding the car.

Several men and women in dark one-piece uniforms wearing combat gear and compact night vision spectacles come out from the four vehicles.

They surround the car, then one of the paramilitary men turns and points toward the dune as he calls one other to look in the direction of the hidden spectators.

The four observers slide down from their positions, and Daniel says as he takes the backpack from Mildred. "Take her home!"

Mildred does not lose a moment and grabs Lesley by her waist putting her over her shoulder running away toward the bridge zigzagging among the trees while the young teen smiles.

Daniel grabs Diana's hand, and both run toward the tunnel's vent. They continue to run deep into the tropical forest as far as they could until exhaustion sets in, both stop and look about for shelter.

They find a small trench and dive into it.

"Who were those people?" Diana asked. "They must be the security detail of the Island."

"They look more like private security contractors."

"More like the same government goons we saw by Pearson's hangar."

"What was that thing hovering over the road? I could not see it."

"I do not know."

Daniel peeks out as he uses the camera in night vision mode to scout the area. "Dammed… I see that infrared floodlight is now searching for where we were."

"I am sure Mildred made it." Daniel goes back in and sits next to Diana. "If it were Mildred, I would not be worried, but she is with Lesley."

Diana smiles while saying. "Did you saw Lesley's face? There was no fear what so ever, she was amazed than anything else."

"Yea, the bliss of…" Daniel is interrupted by a loud humming sound coming from the direction of the road. Both look over the edge of the trench.

Daniel looks up through the tropical canopy above searching for the invisible air vehicle's infrared searchlights with the camera. Then a strong wind moves the jungle around them. Both take cover as the small tornado pass over them and then silence.

"What was that!?" Diana asked, Daniel once again looks out from their shelter and taps on the camera as if it was not working. "The batteries are dead… oh, now they work. I see no one after us."

"You want to check on Mildred?"

"No… she is ok and Lesley. Let's head to the vent."

"I thought you need it tools to cut the vent's grill?"

"I have something in the backpack that will do the same."

Daniel extends his hand to help Diana stand then both get out from the trench.

"Which way?" Diana asked.

Daniel pulls his compass and gets situated. "The tunnel is over this way, and any vent we find will do."

They walk east as Daniel continues to use his night vision. He will look at his compass every five minutes or so to stay on the right path.

The pair is silent as they look around. Now and then Daniel would look up, pivot around walking a few steps backward and then forward as he looks through the camera.

Diana does the same, but she is more aware of why she is pivoting around. They both maintain their distance from one another as if they were doing a patrol.

Daniel raises his hand forming a fist, both stop and squat down. "I see the infrared chemical light that we left by the vent."

Daniel stands, and Diana follows suit. They arrive at the edge of the clearing both stop as they look. "There is the vent. I see no one."

"Well, we never saw that thing flying." Diana replied. Daniel looks up and says. "I don't see the infrared flood above us."

They walk to the vent as they continue to look about until they reached their objective. Once there Daniel opens his backpack and looks in. He pulls a small block wrapped in wax paper.

Diana's eyes open wide when he un-wraps the content. "Is that… C-4?"

"One-quarter block is all we need."

"That will be noisy, don't you think?"

"Not the way I am going to use it."

Daniel takes small pieces from the block and plays with them like clay. He puts them over the bolts holding the grill.

When done he puts the rest of the C-4 in the bag and pulls his lighter from his pocket. "I will light them and then with a heavy object hitting hard on the fiery C-4 and the pressure of the blow mixed with the heat will take the bolts off."

"You were an Army engineer?"

"No, one of my girlfriends was attached to an engineer unit."

"She is out of the Army?"

"She… never did."

"Oh, she still in?"

"No, she is back home."

"So you two keep in touch?"

"She died in Afghanistan… can we talk about something else?"

"Sorry."

Daniel lights one charge at the time and strikes the C-4 with a rock. The top of some of the bolts come out but others he has to hit them several times until they come off.

Once the process it is completed both lifted the heavy grill on the side. Daniel gets a Chem-Light and throws it inside the pipe.

"Wait a minute… this is a vertical service pipe. At least it has a ladder." Daniel said

"This pipe goes down next to the large horizontal one."

"I will go first."

Daniel gets a good foothold on the ladder and slowly descends. Once on the bottom, he grabs the Chem-light looks into the central tunnel then looks up. "Is safe, come down."

Diana slowly comes down the ladder until reaching the bottom. Both slowly steep into the dark central tunnel and walk toward the tower.

"This is pavement." Daniel said in a whisper as Diana holds the Chem-light with both hands in a fist to keep the green light from expanding but enough that they can see their path.

As they walk toward the tower, both feel a cold breeze from the direction they are walking. The tunnel is not in a straight line it gently bends never showing its final destination.

After a few minutes, they start to discern and audible sound subdue hum of machinery to them it could be an electrical generator. "We must be close." Daniel said, and their pace cautiously slows down.

They reach the last meters of the tunnel, and both stop seeing a well-lighted loading dock area. They see airport baggage tow trucks parked along the sides of the loading dock. Some have a trailer attached to the rear with boxes others are empty.

"Let's go." Diana said, and Daniel holds her movement forward by grabbing her forearm, then he says. "This is all we need to know. I have it in the camera. Let's go back and tell the police."

"No! There is more to this than just criminals." She pulls from Daniels grip and walks into the loading dock.

Daniel follows her, and both hide behind wooden cargo boxes. Diana scans the area and then she points saying. "There, that door."

"Diana, this is all we need to know. I have all this in the camera." She ignores him, and Diana stands up and runs to the door.

Daniel reluctantly follows her and both enter into a long hallway. She turns to him and asks Daniel. "You not want to be here. Why do you follow me?"

"At first I wanted to get even because I am a veteran that is missing a forearm and I was fired for that by this people. Now I am following you to return you to your senses. Let's go back and show this to the police. It is in the camera."

Diana thinks about it takes a big breath and says. "Ok, let's go back."

Diana turns around toward the door. She opens it, and for her surprise, a security guard is standing in front of her. The guard shuts at her with a Taser gun, and she falls to the deck.

"Wake up, Diana." Diana slowly opens her eyes hearing a small girl's voice. "Where I am?"

Diana is on a bed in a room that is about ten feet by ten feet and as high. A metal fire retardant door with a small glass breaks the continuing white walls, and floor. Diana seats on the bed and touches where the Taser prongs made contact with her body.

Then she remembers the guard shocking her, rendering her unconscious. She is profoundly disoriented, and her hands tremble from her encounter.

"Diana, open the door." A little girl's voice said from the other side of the door. Diana stands and in a staggered walk reaches the door. She puts her hand on the doorknob and her ear on the door. "Who is out there?"

"Come out, hurry!"

Diana opens the door slowly and peeking her head out. A long corridor extends both ways.

She looks at the closest intersection of the hallway and sees the little girl she saw in her first dream in the futuristic airport. "Come… Daniel is here, follow me."

Diana walks out of the room and with a hand on the wall she walks toward the girl. "Who are you?"

"Come, he is over here."

Before Diana could reach her, the girl runs down the hallway out of view. "Wait!"

Diana turns the corner and sees the girl in the middle of the hallway standing by a door. "He is here."

Diana walks to the door, and the girl takes a few feet back. "Who are you, little girl?"

"I told you already, my name is Diana, and I want to get home."

A loud thump comes from behind the door. "Diana! Is that you!?"

"Yes Daniel, hold on!" Diana opens the door, and Daniel walks out and asks. "Are you Ok?"

"Are you ok? I just rescued you."

"How you find me?"

"The girl…" Diana turns, and the little-lost girl is gone. "What girl?"

"She was here."

"Then she walked that way. Let's get out of here."

Daniel helps Diana to walk firmly, and Diana asks. "When you were in Iraq, did you ever encounter a… convoy been attacked near the Sahl-Sinjar airbase?"

"Sahl-Sinjar, why do ask now if I did that and now?"

"Did you!?"

"Yes."

"Mildred was part of medevac aircrew that picked up a wounded female officer."

"Ah… yes, She did, and I was on my way to the airbase when I saw Mildred doing that medevac Ops… but… how you know?"

"I was that female."

Daniel looks down at Diana's legs, and he looks forward to where they are going, and he does not answer. Daniel looks around the hallway corner. "No, you can't be her."

"She was missing her right leg, and I am not?"

"Not only that… Mildred's helicopter got shut down on her way to Mosul from that Evac mission, and all died except Mildred. They had to land for a second time to pick up a soldier that got hit by an R.P.G. that same day from that convoy. Because of the second pick up the bag guys were ready for her helicopter."

"No, I am alive?"

"You are alive, that is right. You weren't in that Blackhawk. Between been raped and that accident… Mildred is not the same."

The two look at each other silently and Daniel breaks the eye connection to once again look down the hallway.

"This way." He said, and both walk toward a large double door. Daniel slowly opens the door and looks in.

He sees that the front of the room it is cement up to three feet high from the floor and the rest is a glass window all the way to the ceiling. He looks both ways, entering the room as the two bend their torso to reach the glass.

Daniel and Diana look down, and the lower floor is full of computer servers and terminals. People in white clean room outfits walk about tending the servers. The pair kneels behind the wall, and Diana asks. "What is all that for?"

"I have no idea. But if I remember the pictures that old man Pearson showed us in his office, this is the large underground building next to the tower."

"Yes and the only way out is the tower."

"No Diana, we have to go the other way into the loading dock through the tunnel and come out the vent."

"I am sure that vent it is sealed up and there must be more guards now the way we came. The tower entrance must be by the end of this hallway."

An alarm goes off, and red lights blink in the room. A voice comes out from the speaker system. "Two unauthorized personnel are in the facility."

Diana turns and runs covering herself behind the wall toward the end of the room.

Daniel follows her, and both run out of the room as silent as possible.

They reach the end of the hallway into an intersection, and they hear several people coming from the far left side of the intersecting corridor.

Both see a door in front, and the two dashed toward it and entered the room. Both are on a balcony resembling the observation booths of an operation room in a hospital.

They run in between the seats and hide. Two guards open the door and step into the room. One stays above by the door while the second guard looks through the rows of seats.

He is getting close to Diana and Daniel's hiding spot at the bottom of the room. Both are sweating, and their hearts are accelerating by the expected physical fight with the armed guards.

"What are you doing, officer?" A voice said through a speaker. The guard is walking down stops and answers through his radio as he looks through the glass. "Sorry sir, we are looking for the couple."

"Leave and lock the door behind you. This is a restricted area."

"Yes, sir."

The two guards walk out locking the door. The rush of adrenalin in the two runaway's goes down.

Daniel rapidly peeks through the large window and seats back down. "What did you saw?"

"They have a layout that would rival N.A.S.A's ground control."

Diana carefully looks and sees several rows of control stations and large screens showing maps of all the continents of the world.

All first world cities are shown, and over the different maps yellow lines are projected and intersecting red dots on the map.

On another screen, satellite orbits are displayed as well. Daniel joins Diana, and both covertly look. In a whisper Daniel says. "They even have the Space Station on their map."

"What are those yellow lines for?" Diana asked, and Daniel looks at the screen she is looking, and he replies. "Look at the Florida Keys. They have a red dot, and most of the lines are coming out from here. The red dots are other towers."

"Those towers are almost covering the Northern Hemisphere and Australia."

"The oil countries in the sandbox area as well. There has to be a way to listen to that guy."

"Which guy, Daniel?"

"That one on the podium, hold on… let me look on that desk."

They crawl to the desk, and both look for a speaker box. "I don't see how there is no speaker."

"Try the screen, touch it."

Daniel touches the screen and comes on. He looks at the menu on display and touches the screen again. A male voice it is heard, and Daniel lowers the volume. They both seat down on the floor and listen.

"… I want to run a diagnostic of all the towers."

A second male voice answers. "Yes sir, last night we reached 99.5% response. However, the tower in Longitude 39.80 Latitude 104.95 in the Denver area had to use the backup."

"If one tower fails all will. I want a diagnostic done in tandem with our satellites."

"Yes, sir."

Diana and Daniel once again peek and look at the screens of the large command center below.

They see the red dot over the Florida Keys turning green and the yellow lines coming out from the green dot turn green the green lines move toward the other red markers in the global map turning the red into green in sequence.

Once all the dots are green a white circular line expands from all the now green dots covering the northern hemisphere. The second male voice it is heard again. "Sir, E.M.P. distribution 100%, diagnostic test it is a success."

"All we need is the satellites to be in the position in five hours for total global coverage."

"Yes, sir it is all on schedule. The support ships are in their assigned areas in all the oceans. Also, our NEST teams will be in position by all the nuclear reactors across the world."

"Yes, we can't have the reactors spent fuel rods pools to get out of control destroying the environment. I want the ships out of the E.M.P. coverage; we need them to start a new world."

"We at the control of a new human renaissance and the few survivors from the general population they will use as our labor force."

Diana and Daniel seat back down and face each other; Diana's mouth is almost open with surprise. Daniel's eyes are wide open with the same facial expression of astonishment.

"Why these people want to send humanity into the dark ages?" Diana asked in a whisper shocked by what they just heard.

Daniel shakes his head looking down and says as he raises his head. "No, they can't do that… How, can they cover the world in an E.M.P blast with those towers?"

"Apparently they can and not just with the towers but also with satellites. Millions will die, just alone with the planes in mid-flight coming down from the sky it will kill thousands of passengers."

"Hospitals, trucks transporting food and ships at sea, wow… you say thousands now, in a few months the death toll will be in the billions around the world."

"Who knows what military posture the countries will take against each other?"

"Diana it is time to go, we have to tell someone about this."

"Who?"

"I don't know… the cops? We have to tell someone to stop these people."

"We have to find a way out."

The two crawl up on the side of the room. Daniel opens the door and looks into the hallway. "Let's go." Both stand and walk in the same direction they came in. "How do we get out?" Diana asked. "I don't know."

So far they have not encountered anyone. Diana sees at the end of the intersecting hallway a door, and she says. "That looks like a fire escape."

They run toward it and stop. Daniel says as he reads the posted sign on the door. "Dammed! If we open it, an alarm will go off."

"As long as we make it outside… we have to try."

Daniel pushes the door open and the alarm for the door activated. The stairwell goes up, and both run several flights. They reach the top and Diana is the first to open the door.

Diana is looking into the living room of her parents' home. Barbara and John are startled by the rapid and abrupt way that their daughter opened the door of her room. John stands slowly seen the disrupt expression on her daughter's face. "Diana, honey, are you ok?"

Diana turns to look behind her, and she sees her room. She slowly turns to her parents that by now both are standing and slowly walking toward her.

"Honey did you had a nightmare?" Barbara asked. Diana moves slowly toward her parents but her right leg does not feel right, and she says. "This annoying cast again."

"What cast?"

"This blasted…." Diana stay silent in surprise seen a prosthesis where her right leg once was. Diana feels she is about to pass out when John gets a hold of her. He moves Diana to the living room and seats her on the sofa.

Both worried parents are flanking their beloved one, and then Diana goes to ask. "What day is today?"

"Oh, baby… today is Thursday."

"Have I gone to the hotel?"

"What hotel?"

"The one in the Florida Keys." Both parents look at each other, and Barbara says. "Your Dad and I we were thinking of paying you a vacation to the Florida Keys."

"But I have not gone there yet?"

"Honey, you and your Mom we are very worried. Since your car accident, you have been more, unnerved."

"I have not been there yet, the Keys?"

"No, you have not."

Then the front door rings and John stands up. "It must be the Pizza guy. I will be back."

John walks to the front door, and Barbara turns to her daughter and asks. "Why you thought you had a cast?"

"Mom… please, I don't feel like talking about it."

John returns and Diana sees her Dad accompanying two Air force officers they stop at the edge of the living room, and John goes on to say. "Diana these two officers want to speak with you."

The entire Dixon family is at aw by the two visitors, and one goes on to say. "Ms. Diana Dixon?"

"Yes?"

"We need to speak with you with regards to a situation that happened in the Florida Keys." Diana stands with a big smile and says. "Yes… yes, all was real."

"If you were to step outside we would like to speak about it alone." John goes on to say. "What has she done?"

"Nothing, we want to talk to her."

"Do not worry dad; I will be alright." As Diana said this, she walks toward the front door. The two guests and her parents follow.

Diana is in front of the house when she notices a police car parked in front. She turns, and the two Air Force officers are wearing now Police uniforms. The female officer goes on to ask. "Do you know Daniel and Mildred Johnson?"

"Not yet… but how I have been connected to them?"

The two officers look at a lost by Diana's answer, and the Male officer asks as searching for a more precise answer. "Do you know them, yes or no?"

"Yes… yes, I do know who they are."

"So you are saying you know of them or that you know each other?"

"What is all this about?"

"Daniel and Mildred were murdered yesterday night on an R.V. in Marathon Island. Among some papers in the R.V., your name was written down. Lt. Dixon, Diana from the First Cavalry, Ft Hood Texas."

Diana stops listening after the officer said that Daniel and Mildred were murdered. She commences to lose her balance and John runs to her, but the two officers get a hold of her. "Honey, what happen?"

"I don't feel well."

"Okay officers, I am sorry, but she can't talk now."

"No, wait Dad."

Diana turns to the officers and says. "I knew them from Iraq in 2004. We met near Mosul. I do not know what document my name was on, but it could be that they were trying to reach me for a get together among old friends from Iraq."

"Okay, Ma'am. Thank you for your time." The officers walk to the patrol car as John and Barbara help Diana into the house.

Diana sits on the sofa, and she reaches the television remote and turns on the TV. "Diana, honey who were the people the officers asked you about?"

In a dis-attached tone with distant demeanor, Diana answers her Mother while looking at the TV. "Some old friends that I was supposed to meet in the Florida Keys but I guess I will not."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes… I just want to watch TV. I am okay."

The two parents retreat to the kitchen as they keep an eye on their daughter and John says in a whisper to Barbara. "She is gone."

"Don't say that."

"Barbara, look at her. She can't stay in one channel for more than five minutes. Her stare is a blank expression."

"John, what can we do?"

"Call her VA doctor. What is his name?"

"Dr. Pinal, I have his card here."

"I don't know what else to do… we both have tried, and Diana has tried as well, but the three of us can't handle her condition."

"Oh, John… if we call, the Doctor is to put her in… I don't want to think about it."

"That would be the best for her at this moment."

"Have her committed to some institution that is not as I imagine her ending up."

"Barbara, I never imagine our girl been put in some place, but we have to. Give me the Doctor's business card, I will call him."

Barbara turns to look for the Doctor's business card and for her surprise. Diana is silently standing at the kitchen's door, and Diana goes on to say. "I am not gone or crazy."

John clears his throat nervously and says. "Honey, we believe that at this point you need help."

"I heard all you two were talking and I have been getting help since day one."

Barbara replies with small tears erupting in her eyes. "We know you have and we also have helped you. We have supported you through all this. But you and us… we have limits."

"Now you are calling Dr. Pinal to have me committed to an institution."

"It is for your good, honey. Your Mother and I all we want is the best for you. Diana, you have not held a job permanently… and we understand that the economy now is not the same as in my and your Mother's times that were meant to be permanent. We are not going to be by your side forever in this world."

"I know Dad all I need now is rest just because the Police came to the house asking about two people I knew those not make it a psychological crisis. I am fine."

The two parents move slowly and embrace their little girl, and all immerse in a healing of the souls. The three have been battling with this situation since 2004, and now all are reaching their emotional limits.

Diana slowly breaks the warmth of the family embrace and says. "I will take a nap."

"Okay honey." Barbara said John is silent but moves his head in approval, and Diana moves to her room.

Diana closes the door, and she seats on her bed. Then Diana plunges her upper torso on the bed with her arms extended to the sides.

The mental fatigue as drawn energy from her body and now she is exhausted, drain. She wants to stay in her room to avoid all human contact.

Then the room vanishes, and she is again on the battlefield in the future. She is laying on the ground raises her torso and looks around seen Miller running toward her. "Captain, Captain… the Nan landed in the city!"

Diana looks around and replies in a nonchalant tone. "Really." By now Miller is in front of her. "Captain, what do we do?"

"Nothing… just nothing." Diana sees the bridge that connects the two warring sides and commences to walk toward it.

Miller holds her seen her moving expose to enemy fire and walking toward their lines. Diana motion her hand in dismissal and says in a calm voice. "Be gone."

Miller vanishes and all the aggressive firepower of the enemy it is aimed at Diana. The detonations and even the small arms fire do not touch her. Diana is both at peace and determinate to cross that bridge.

Diana is at the bridge, and Nan soldiers run toward her in waves all discharging their weapons.

Diana makes it to the other side, and the enemy, thousands of them surround her, but their aggressive acts toward her do not touch her. Diana is surrounded by an invisible force protecting her.

Once again she moves her hand in a dismissing motion in front of her and says. "Be gone." All the enemy troops vanish.

From the friendly side, all the Earth troops cheer and run over the bridge to join with their Commanding officer. Friendly aircraft as troops move forward. Her soldiers surround Diana.

Several formed a perimeter around her and others walk up to her with portable communications devices to continue communicating with the Earth forces around the planet.

Many are requesting orders and so on. Diana looks around seen her soldiers and equipment moving forward, and she says. "All, be gone."

The tumult of Earth soldiers vanish, and Diana turns looking at the tower and says. "It is only you and I." Diana commences her march.

Suddenly Diana is now surrounded by dispersed jungle vegetation, and she notices she is wearing the same attire she was wearing the night Daniel and her enter the tunnel.

From on top of one of the dunes near her she hears the sound of off-road motorcycles. Then two appeared jumping over, and Diana sees Daniel and Mildred ridding on the two bikes.

Both are wearing leather jackets also jeans with backpacks carrying M-4's over their shoulders, and Daniel says. "Diana, let's go!"

From above Diana hears a distinctive noise of a single-engine aircraft, she looks and sees old man Pearson's Grumman TBF-1 Avenger diving toward the cell tower.

The old warrior opens fire on the structure. Daniel is off the motocross bike and as he pulls Diana and saying. "Those bastards activated the towers, and we are forming an underground resistance. The entire East Coast is under their control. We need you!"

Diana looks at him and says. "Be gone." She then continues to walk toward the tower. "This is about you and me."

Diana by now is approaching the hotel and behind it is the ever-present manifestation of the tower.

She walks into the hotel, and the place is empty Diana makes it to the pool area and descends to the beach. Diana walks as she has done before and enters the dense jungle.

This time the jungle is denser and suffocating and the vegetation moves as if a strong wind was creating their motion, but there is no wind.

The earth under her feet moves in small waves as to make Diana lose her balance, and she says. "Stop." And all motion stops.

Diana continues, and once she is out of the jungle, Diana faces the tower surrounded by the fence.

She continues forward and once Diana is at a few feet from the fence she motions her hand and the fence breaks open, and there is nothing between her and the tower.

Diana is closing into the tower when she notices a man wearing the old style DSU Army uniform standing by the tower. Diana approaches him and then she stops. "Robert? Robert Webb?"

"Yes Diana, it is me. I came to tell you… do not go in there."

"Be gone."

"I am still here. You want me here with you."

Webb walks up to her, and both embrace and Diana says. "I have missed you, so much."

"I have as well."

"I have to go in."

"Stay here." Diana pulls away from the embrace and says. "I have to." Diana tries to pass him, but Robert holds her by the forearm and says. "Stay out." Diana goes to say in anger. "You stay out!"

Robert flies several feet away landing on his back. "Diana… please… help, me." Diana turns to see Robert as she remembers him after the R.P.G. exploded next to him.

Mangle twisted body, flesh, and blood mixed on his uniform. His helmet gone and part of his face burned by the explosion. He extends with difficulty his arm toward her, and he says. "Please, Diana… help me."

Diana slowly turns around with tears running down her face, takes a big breath and says. "No, you died." And she walks into the base of the tower passing through the metal and enters.

The interior is an expanse of white only where the horizon line should be there is a brighter hue of white color moving in a swirl. Diana looks around, and the wall she walked through is gone.

Diana feels she is in the middle of the expanse. "Where are you!?" There is no response just her echo.

"Where are you!?" Diana said this time louder as she turns around. Only the echo answers.

"Um? Hello!" She yelled, and the echo returns. "Where are you!?"

Diana turns toward the direction of the echo that this time did not duplicate her last inquiry.

Diana sees herself standing a few feet from her, and her double is wearing different clothing, a white shirt and red shorts and the prosthetic leg. Diana's double goes to say. "I have been looking for you."

"No, I am the one looking for you, little girl."

Diana looks down, and she sees herself being the little girl that has been appearing, lost wanting to return home.

Then the perspective changes to the one standing in front of the little girl. "I am the one looking for you. I just found you."

The girl shakes her head and almost in tears goes on to say. "No… no…no!"

Diana moves closer and crouches the best she can next to the little girl and Diana says. "You are me. You want to go home but we cannot. There is a better for us waiting."

"Why I can't go home, and what better place are you talking about?"

The white expanse transfigures into the terminal of the futuristic airport, and both are standing in front of the large metal door. The door opens, and Diana holds the hand of the girl and says. "This is why."

Both enter, and they see the same as before. The large crane holding the box then the vertical tunnel and last the stairs leading into the tunnel. "Come closer and look."

The two walk up to the edge and Diana tells the little girl. "All your answers are down there."

Then both walk to the staircase and commence to walk down, but at a few steps the little girl stops still her upper torso is level to the ground when the view changes to that of a funeral.

A metal casket is lowered, and the girl hears gunfire. The girl turns to look and sees an Army funeral color guard giving the 21 fire salute.

The girl sees John and Barbara dress in black both parents are leaning on each other surrounded by friends and family. Diana pulls the girl downward and says. "I did not want you to see this."

The little girl says in anger. "No… I am Diana Dixon. Then who are you!?"

"I am, PTSD. Come we have to leave this world of none understanding people. Let's walk away from this meat grinder that is life."

"No… you have destroyed my life… you are but pain and sorrow, you are a mass murderer… a killer."

"No Diana, I am peace… come let's go."

"Noooooo!" Diana breaks free from the grip the murderer and runs up the staircase. As she does, PTSD says. "You are never going to stop me!"

Once Diana is on the top she replies looking down. "Now I know you are an actual persona in me forever looking the easy way out… FUCK… YOU!"

After saying this Diana is back in her room at her parents' home. She rolls out of her bed and falls to the ground. "HELP!"

John and Barbara run into the room, and both parents bend over their daughter. John grabs from the floor an empty bottle of medication and looks at it, and he turns to Barbara. "CALL 911! She… she… tried…" Tears come out from John as he caresses his little girl's hair.

Barbara runs for her cell phone to call for help. John moves Diana's body sideways, and he puts his finger deep in the throat. "Come on baby… you can do it… Daddy is here… I am always here."

The partially dissolved pills come out in Diana's vomit. "They are on their way… Oh, Lord… help my child." John lifts Diana and moves her to the living room.

He places Diana on the sofa and again he makes her vomit, and more semi-dissolve pills are expelled from her stomach.

A few minutes later the paramedics arrived and are stabilizing Diana for transport to the VA Hospital.

John is talking to a police officer as Barbara is talking to Dr. Pinal on the phone. "… We told her about our offer to take a vacation on a hotel in the Florida Keys. She was not too happy about it, but then she wanted to go. She went to her room, and no more than 20 minutes later she is calling for help."

Diana is moved on a gurney to the waiting ambulance. John is going with her, and he gets in the back of the ambulance first.

As Diana is lifted into the ambulance, she turns her head and sees in the crowd her PTSD standing next to the ambulance. "I will always be with you."

"This time I can see you and know you as what you are."

"What I am?"

"You are a separate form of mind set existing in me like a parasite. I can visualize you as for what you are… a mass murderer that inhabits my mind and of countless more. Now I can fight you… I know who you are and does not matter what form you take, no matter what dark past you evoke I will put a fight like the warrior that I am. You are the enemy, and as my enemy, all you want is to murder me."

"I am peace and Tran…" "Oh and by the way… Fuck you!"