Outside the Comfort Zone
Disclaimer. The concept of the Tomorrow People ids the property of Roger Price.
Chapter One
"It's okay, duck. You're quite safe" said the nurse as Francesca looked up at her. She tried to speak, but couldn't summon up the energy. She looked down at the cannula in her left wrist. "It's okay, it's just a little something to help you rest." Francesca looked up at the white ceiling tiles above the bed she was lying in. "I'll get you a nice cup of tea, shall I?" Francesca nodded in acknowledgement as the nurse left the room. A monitor by her bed registered her heart rate, blood pressure and temperature via a network of cables. How did she end up in hospital? All she could remember was transporting back to the Lab from the Galactic Trig using a new, quicker transport link when something went wrong. The Lab. She tried to contact the Lab. John? Elizabeth? Carol? No reply.
A tall dark haired man came into the room. "Good morning Francesca, I'm Doctor Davies and I'll be looking after you" said the man. Francesca still couldn't reply. "It's okay, don't try to speak. We got your details from your purse, I hope you don't mind. We've contacted your mum and she's on her way. Just relax".
The nurse returned with a cup of tea for Francesca, which she took. "Captain Halliday is here now, Doctor. Shall I show her in?" asked the nurse.
"Please do, Laura" said the Doctor. Captain Halliday? What could that mean? The nurse stepped out of the room for a moment before returning, followed by Julie Halliday wearing the uniform of a British Army captain.
"Sorry I'm late, Doctor. I'm sure you've heard about the incident on the M6?" said Julie.
"Yes I heard about it in the car on my way in. Very nasty" said the doctor. Francesca looked at her mother and tried to call out, but couldn't.
Julie stopped in her tracks and looked straight at Francesca. "Is this some kind of joke?" asked Julie.
"Sorry?" asked the doctor.
"I don't know who this girl is, but she is definitely not my daughter!" said Julie. Francesca looked at Julie in shock, still unable to speak. "How long has she been here?"
"She was admitted late last night" said the doctor.
"Doctor Davies, I left my daughter at home two hours ago. How could she possibly be my daughter?" said Julie. The doctor looked stunned. "I don't appreciate having my time wasted like . . ." Julie suddenly stopped speaking, seemingly distracted by something. "Doctor, would you mind leaving us alone for a few minutes?" The doctor and nurse left. Julie drew up a chair and sat by Francesca's side. "Who are you?" Francesca didn't reply. "You're a telepath, aren't you?" Francesca still didn't reply, at least not verbally.
*Leave me alone* 'pathed Francesca, almost out of habit.
"I'll leave you alone once I get answers, young lady!" said Julie in response.
*You're telepathic!* 'pathed Francesca.
*Yes, I'm telepathic* pathed Julie, *but nobody's supposed to know that. Anyway, what about you? How can you be telepathic?*
*You know I am. You were there when I broke out* 'pathed Francesca.
"My daughter is not telepathic!" shouted Julie. She suddenly realised she'd been shouting. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have shouted. Listen, it's important nobody knows. Okay?"
Chapter Two
Doctor Davies's office. He is sitting in the chair by his desk, the door of his office is closed. He is on the telephone.
"Hello Philip. Nigel Davies. We have another one - a girl aged about twenty. Yes she's sedated, we've taken all the usual precautions. The only thing is, she's a little different from the others. Can't say I've ever seen one like this before. We've given her a scan and we've found something unusual in her brain. A slight enlargement close to her pituitary gland - more than usual. No, not a swelling. We've ruled that out. Anyway, I think your people should take her in hand."
Chapter Three
Francesca had just finished her tea when Laura the nurse came in to see her.
"So how's the patient?" asked Laura.
"A little drowsy" said Francesca, at last finding the power to speak. She looked down at her left wrist. Her jaunting band, disguised as a wristwatch had been removed, placed on the bedside cabinet and replaced with another unfamiliar band. She tugged it but found it impossible to remove. "What is this?"
"Just something to keep you safe until Mr Boden's people come for you" said Laura. "We wouldn't want you popping off into thin air now would we?"
"Mr Boden?" asked Francesca.
"It's for the best, duck" said Laura. "Listen, it's bad form and unprofessional for me to say this, but there's room in this world for everyone, people like you and people like me. There's no need for all this nastiness. I mean, apart from the fact that you can teleport and read each other's minds, are we so different?"
"You know about the Tomorrow People?" asked Francesca.
"Tomorrow People? That's a new one!" said Laura. "I'll get you another tea." And with that, she left the cubicle.
Francesca thought about what Laura had said. She obviously knew about the Tomorrow People even if she didn't know them by name. She tried to 'path her friends again without any success, but had a feeling that something else or someone else was out there. How did she end up in hospital? Had she perhaps been comatose, to wake in a time when the Tomorrow People were not a secret group? Suddenly, she became aware of a familiar sound - the sound of an incoming jaunt. In the corner of the room, she saw the figure of a teenage boy appear. He approached her.
"Hello" said the boy. "You're Francesca, aren't you? My name's Patrick."
"You're a telepath" said Francesca.
"Yes, and so are you" said Patrick.
"But I don't know you. I know all the Tomorrow People" said Francesca.
"You'll know me soon. You'll know my friends Tina, Julie and Jack soon too" said Patrick. "You're becoming one of us. You're becoming a Novan."
"A Novan?" asked Francesca. Feeling insecure, she replaced the jaunting band on her wrist, hoping that should she need help, TIM could transport her to safety.
"The next stage in human development. The Novans" said Patrick. He looked down at her wrist at the band that had been placed there. Let's just get rid of this thing and you can meet the others. He reached into his jacket pocket and produced a pen-like device. He ran it across the width of the band. The tip of the pen glowed as it cut through the band before it fell from her wrist. At that point, Laura entered the cubicle carrying a cup of tea. Alarmed, Patrick turned and pointed his pen device at her. He squeezed the device which shot an energy beam at her, blasting a hole right through her body. Francesca looked in shock as Laura fell dead to the floor.
"You've . . . you've killed her" said Francesca in amazement.
"It's either us or them, dog eat dog" said Patrick. *Okay Pallas, bring us in* he 'pathed before they were both jaunted away, just as Dr Davies entered. He saw Laura's slumped body and tried to revive her to no effect. A second man, Dr Taylor followed. Dr Davies looked up at him.
"Another Novan attack" said Dr Davies.
"Are you sure?" asked Dr Taylor. "Not the new girl?"
"No. Not if what we've discovered is correct, that'd be impossible."
Chapter Four
Patrick and Francesca materialised. Although her surroundings were unfamiliar, there were certain parallels with the Lab she was more familiar with. They appeared to be standing on what would be the equivalent of a jaunting pad. They were greeted by a petite woman of around 25 years of age with close cropped red hair.
"Hello, you must be Francesca" said the woman. "May name's Tina. Welcome to the Den." Tina gestured towards a tall, well built young man of twenty, "That's Jack."
"Hello" said Jack, as he busied himself, entering data into the keyboard of a workstation.
"And not to forget Palllas" said Tina.
"Pallas?" said Francesca.
"Hello Francesca. Welcome to the Den" said a disembodied female voice. Francesca appeared startled.
"Pallas is our computer" said Patrick. "She is all around us." Francesca looked round the room and noticed a complex system of conduits and display screens stretching to every corner.
"Oh, just like TIM" said Francesca.
"Like who?" asked Jack. Francesca suddenly realised she'd made a mistake. She had just met these people and as yet was unsure as to whether or not to trust them.
"Oh nothing" said Francesca. She turned to Patrick. "Did you say there was someone else?"
"Yes" said Patrick. "Julie, but you'll meet her later. Come and sit down." Francesca sat at the table."
"I imagine you must be hungry" said Pallas. "What would you like to eat?"
"I don't know" said Francesca. She had a feeling of what was coming next, but did not feel that the time was right to reveal any secrets. "Are you going to send out for food?"
"No," said Tina. "Pallas can manufacture anything you care to eat. Just name it. In any case, the delivery people would never find us."
"So where are we?" asked Francesca.
"We're in the cellar of a disused guild hall in the middle of town" said Pallas.
"What town?" asked Francesca.
"You don't need to know right now" said Patrick. Sufficient to say we're in a town in the North Midlands. "Now what would you like to eat?"
"Oh, just a light salad, please" said Francesca. He requested salad appeared out of nowhere on the table. Although she had seen TIM perform the same thing on countless occasions, she feigned amazement. "Oh, thank you Pallas." While Francesca ate, she thought about what she'd seen at the hospital. She's seen Patrick kill Laura. Surely that was impossible. "Why did you kill that nurse?"
"It had to be done" said Patrick. "In any case, she was just a Sap."
"Just a Sap?" asked Francesca.
"It's either them or us, and as they're dying out anyway" said Jack.
"But that's no reason to kill them is it?" said Francesca. "In any case, I thought we couldn't kill." The others looked at each other, puzzled.
"What do you mean, can't kill? Of course we can kill" said Tina.
"I mean, it's illegal" said Francesca, covering her tracks. Whoever or whatever these people were, they certainly weren't Tomorrow People.
"We have to do whatever we can to survive, even if it costs lives" said Patrick. "Anyway, it's getting late and we need to get home. Pallas will make you up a bed in the Den. We have a rule that all Novans should spend one night in the Den.
"I have prepared a bed for you in the dormitory though the door to your right" said Pallas.
"Thank you Pallas. I am rather tired" said Francesca. Francesca went through the door and got into bed. She was so tired that within a few short minutes she had drifted to sleep.
Chapter Five
"Francesca! Come on! Show a leg!" Francesca was woken sharply by Julie in the early hours of the morning.
"Mum! What time is it?" asked Francesca, still groggy.
"Half two. And it's Julie, not Mum" said Julie. "Come with me." Julie led Francesca, still wearing her hospital gown, through the dormitory door into the main room in the Den. Instead of her military uniform, Julie was wearing civilian clothes.
"So you're the Julie that Patrick mentioned?" asked Francesca.
"Yep" said Julie as she made adjustments to Pallas's circuitry.
"Then why the military uniform?" asked Francesca. "Whose side are you on?"
"It's better you don't know that - for now anyway" said Julie. "Sit down." Francesca sat at the table. Julie joined her. "Now who exactly are you?"
"You know who I am" said Francesca.
"I know who you are pretending to be" said Julie.
"I am Francesca Faye Halliday as you well know!" said Francesca.
"At this moment, the real Francesca Faye Halliday is tucked up in bed at home" said Julie.
"I tell you, I am Francesca!" sobbed Francesca. "What's happened? Everything's different! We can't kill! How could Patrick kill that nurse? It doesn't make sense! And my Mum's a musician, not a soldier! Everything's changed!"
"Everything's changed since when?" asked Julie.
"Since I got back from the Trig" said Francesca.
"The Trig?" asked Julie. "What's the Trig?"
"Can I contact my friend John? He'll explain" said Francesca.
"Okay, we'll contact this John. What's his phone number?" said Julie.
"We don't need it. He's a telepath" said Francesca.
"Okay, let's try to get through to him. Pallas, secret protocol JMH754.003 please" said Julie spinning round , placing her hands, palm down on the table.
"Confirmed, Julie" said Pallas. "Please place your hands on the table, Francesca." Francesca placed her hands on the table, her fingertips touching Julie's.
*John? John? It's Francesca* 'pathed Francesca. "I'll try some of my other friends. *Elizabeth? Carol? Can anyone hear me?* "It's like they're not there" said Francesca. *TIM?* She got no response from anyone. "I don't understand it. Even if they were asleep, I'd still feel a presence." Suddenly she had a idea. "TIM! He's a computer! Whatever happens, he'll be in the Lab! The others could be anywhere, but he can't move! He'll still be in the Lab! That'll help prove my story!"
"Okay, so what are the coordinates?" asked Julie.
"I don't know" said Francesca. "Wait a minute! They'll be in my jaunting band!"
"Pallas, can you read the coordinates from Francesca's jaunting band please?" asked Julie.
"Certainly, Julie" said Pallas. "Francesca, please place your wrist on the table." Francesca did as she was asked, The table and her wrist were engulfed in white light for a second. "I have the coordinates, Julie."
"Thank you, Pallas" said Julie. She opened the door of a locker and took from it a torch and a gun.
"You're not intending to kill them are you?" asked Francesca.
"Of course not!" said Julie. "This is a stun gun. It may help avoid some embarrassing questions." They walked to the jaunting pad. "Okay Pallas, jaunt us to the coordinates please."owH
Chapter Six
Francesca and Julie materialised. Instead of materialising, as Francesca expected, in the Lab, they appeared in a completely dark and cold space. Julie switched on her torch and flashed it around the room. The area was derelict, crumbling, dirty and empty. There was no sign that the Tomorrow People had ever established their base here.
"I don't understand it" said Francesca. "This doesn't make any sense! Where's TIM?"
"Nothing makes sense so far" said Julie. "Is this definitely the place?"
"Yes, definitely. I recognise the shape of the room, and that door leads to the Underground platform" said Francesca.
"The Underground! That's a blast from the past" said Julie. "There's been no functional Underground since most of it was destroyed by the Novans!"
"Destroyed?" asked Francesca. "Whose side are you on?"
"Better not to ask" said Julie. "Look, you can't go around in just your hospital nightie. Follow my jaunt, and we'll see what we can do for you." With that, the two jaunted away.
They materialised in the front room of a house. "This looks like my home" said Francesca. "But it's different, somehow."
"It's my house" said Julie. "I thought you could borrow some of Francesca's clothes. After all, they should fit."
Francesca followed Julie up the stairs and into the first bedroom. The figure in the bed stirred and spoke. "Is that you, Mum?" said the figure. Julie pointed the stun gun at the bed and fired. The figure fell unconscious.
"You shot her!" said Francesca going towards the bed.
"She's only stunned on the lowest setting" said Julie. "She won't remember a thing when she wakes up." Francesca went over to the figure and rolled her over. For the first time she realised that the figure in the bed was identical to herself.
"Oh my God! She's me!" said Francesca.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you" said Julie. "She's my daughter, not you."
"So what's been going on?" asked Francesca.
"Don't ask me, I don't know" said Julie. "Listen, before she comes round, you'd better sort through her clothes. See what takes your fancy."
Chapter Seven
Saturday afternoon, and Francesca emerges from the dormitory of the Den for the first time.
"Morning" said Tina, sitting at the table. "Glad you could join us."
"Why? What time is it?" asked Francesca.
"Turned one" said Patrick.
"Crikey! Is it that late?" asked Francesca.
"Don't worry about that" said Tina. "You've had a traumatic twenty-four hours. The rest will probably have done you some good. Let me take that cannula out for you." Francesca seemed hesitant. "It's okay, I'm a nurse. I know what I'm doing." Francesca sat next Tina as she withdrew the cannula. "Can I have a swab and a plaster please, Pallas?" A cotton wool swab and a plaster appeared on the table. Tina stemmed the bleed from Francesca's wrist and covered it with the plaster.
"Thank you" said Francesca. "I feel much better now. My friend Janice is a nurse."
"Is she?" said Tina.
"Yes. She's nice" said Francesca. "She's a Sap." The others didn't look impressed.
"The only good Sap is a dead Sap" said Patrick.
"Patrick! Really!" exclaimed Francesca.
"The sooner they die out the better!" said Patrick.
"How could you say that?" asked Francesca.
"It's true" said Jack. "Time for them to make way and move over!" Francesca appeared shocked.
"Well, you're not like any Tomorrow People I've ever met before" said Francesca, realising that she'd used the term Tomorrow People in front of them.
"Tomorrow People?" asked Tina. "We're Novans!"
"Oh, it's just something I came up with myself" said Francesca.
"I like that" said Jack. "We're the Tomorrow People and the Saps are the Yesterday People!" They all, with the exception of Francesca laughed at this.
"Would you like some breakfast, Francesca?" asked Pallas.
"A bit late for breakfast, isn't it?" asked Jack. "This is what happens when you get up late, you miss the best part of the day!"
"I don't think I've got the appetite" said Francesca, as Julie appeared on the jaunting pad, carrying a small suitcase.
"Oh, here's the fourth member of our team" said Tina. "Francesca, this is Julie."
*Don't let on we've met* 'pathed Julie to Francesca.
"Hello Francesca, pleased to meet you" said Julie. "Tina told me you were here, so I've brought a few things of my daughter's for you to put on. Hope they fit." *It's the stuff you picked out this morning.*
"Oh, thank you" said Francesca. "And please pass on my thanks to your daughter." Julie handed the case over to Francesca, who carried the case towards the dormitory door.
"Perhaps you'd like to hit town with me later" said Julie, "and you can pick out some stuff or yourself." *Say yes* 'pathed Julie.
"Oh yes, I think I'd enjoy that" said Francesca before going into the dormitory and closing the door behind her.
Chapter Eight
Francesca and Julie had spent the afternoon clothes shopping in town. They had found a small backstreet cafe and were enjoying a coffee and a chat before planning their return to the Den.
"I feel really terrible, not having any money" said Francesca. "I must owe you a fortune."
""No, forget it" said Julie. "It's nothing. In any case, we don't even know if your currency would be legal tender here." Francesca looked puzzled. "Well something's definitely different, isn't it?"
"Do you mean we're not on Earth?" asked Francesca.
"Not the Earth you know, perhaps. I know it sounds very sci-fi, but it's like you're from an alternative reality" said Julie. "How did you get here?"
"You might find it hard to believe" said Francesca.
"Try me" said Julie.
"Okay, here goes" said Francesca. "I was on the Galactic Trig . . ."
"You've used that term before?" asked Julie.
"The Galactic Trig" said Francesca. "It's . . ."
"Hold on" said Julie, stopping Francesca. "Is this something everyone would know about?"
"No, only the Tomorrow People" said Francesca.
"Or the Novans?" said Julie.
"Close enough" replied Francesca.
"Well, I'm a Novan and I've never heard of this Trig" said Julie, "so I suggest that you don't tell me anything about it. I don't think we should risk polluting our reality too much. So you were on the Trig."
"Yes, and I was trying out a new type of long distance jaunt back to the Lab when something went wrong" said Francesca. "After a few seconds I started to feel dizzy and sick. Then I passed out and when I woke up I was in the hospital where you found me."
"As crazy as it seems, it's looking more and more likely that you're from an alternate reality. Possibly even a different universe" suggested Julie. Francesca still looked puzzled. "Think about it. I am not your mother, but in a way I am. You have seen my Francesca. She is you, but then again she isn't. Do you get it?"
"Not really. I'm not Stephen Hawking, you know" said Francesca.
"So you've heard of Stephen Hawking?" asked Julie. Francesca nodded. "We have Stephen Hawking in our world too, so whatever has caused the change must have happened since Hawking got famous. Have you noticed anything different?"
"Well, I couldn't help but notice the Police are armed" said Francesca.
"That's because of the stealth attacks by the Novans" said Julie.
"That's another thing. The Novans are almost exactly the same as the Tomorrow People, only the Tomorrow People can't kill" said Francesca. "And the Tomorrow People keep themselves secret from the Saps, whereas the Novans are almost infamous."
"If the Novans couldn't kill, we'd have to go underground. Even so, Novan cell locations are kept secret from Saps all over the world" said Julie.
"So where is the Den?" asked Francesca. "Is it far?"
"We passed it about half a dozen times" said Julie. "It's in the cellar of the disused guild hall opposite the market."
"That's just at the end of the street" said Francesca. She sipped her coffee, deep in thought.
"What do you think of the Novans?" asked Julie.
"Tina's a bit bossy, Jack's a nerd . . . I don't like Patrick" said Francesca.
"Why's that?" asked Julie.
"He seems very angry, very aggressive" said Francesca. "Tomorrow People are not aggressive."
"He has his reasons" said Julie. "Tell me about your Tomorrow People."
"Well, there are about a dozen or so of us" said Francesca. "There's John, his wife Helen and their daughter Rachel. There's Elizabeth, her husband Ed - he's a Sap but he's really nice - and their son Anthony. Carol and her - oh you know Carol! You were friends at school! Do you have Carol in your world?"
"Yes I knew Carol. We were very close" said Julie. She seemed distracted, and fought to hold back tears.
"What's wrong?" asked Francesca.
"It's Carol! She was killed in the London Underground bombings" sobbed Julie. "I miss her so much!"
"Oh Julie, I'm so sorry!" said Francesca, taking Julie's hand. "But surely Carol wouldn't get involved in bombings."
"She was an innocent victim" said Julie. "In this world, Carol was a Sap, and in this world the Novans are the ones with the violent tendencies. She was so kind."
"Just like our Carol" said Francesca.
"Your Mum is so lucky having Carol as a friend" said Julie. "If you ever get back to your world, please tell her I think of her every day."
"I will. Honest" said Francesca. She stopped to think for a few minutes before speaking again. "Do you suppose there's any reason why you can kill and I can't?"
"What do you mean, you can't kill?" asked Julie.
"I can't kill. None of us can" said Francesca.
"I thought you just objected" replied Julie.
"Well, obviously I do object, but I can't physically kill" said Francesca.
"How odd" said Julie. "How long have you had Tomorrow People in your world?"
"John was the first to break out, sometime in the early seventies I think" said Francesca.
"Novans first appeared in the early Twentieth Century. That's probably why your Tomorrow People didn't evolve in this world. If they had, they'd all have been wiped out in the Second World War. The ability to kill allowed the Novans to survive."
"I suppose we'll never know" said Francesca. She looked round and noticed that the cafe was deserted. It was close to closing time and they were the only customers left. "Look at the time!"
"Yes, we'd better go" said Julie, "but before we go I'll need the loo." She got up and went through the door to the toilets at the back of the room. Once through the door, she reached into her jacket pocket for her mobile phone and dialled. After a few seconds, she spoke. "Boden? Halliday. You'll find your target in the Mountain Grill on Castle Street."
Unseen by Francesca, a van drew up outside the cafe and its side door slid open. Two men from the van came into the cafe and stood behind Francesca. Unseen by her, one of the men produced a handkerchief from his jacket pocket. He took a bottle from his other pocket and after removing the top, poured some of its contents onto the handkerchief before cupping it round Francesca's mouth and nose. She struggled for a few seconds before passing out.
Chapter Nine
When Francesca woke up, she found herself seated in a large comfortable wing backed chair in the corner of an office. A tall, dark haired well dressed man stood above her. He smiled at her.
"Hello, my dear. I'm Philip Boden" said the man. "You'll probably feel a bit groggy, so don't try to stand up."
"Where am I?" asked Francesca, looking down at her wrist at a plastic band that had been attached next to her jaunting band. "And what's this?"
"Just a precautionary device. You're in the research department of an internment camp in Staffordshire" said Boden.
"Internment camp? Interment camps are for political prisoners, aren't they?" said Francesca.
"Yes that's true" said Boden, "but you're here because you're special. Unlike most Novans, you can't kill."
"I'm not a Novan, I'm a Tomorrow Person" said Francesca.
"Okay, not a Novan, but you're here so we can investigate those differences" sais Boden.
"Are you a Novan?" asked Francesca.
"No, I'm what you people call a Sap" said Boden. "You're here because we need your help."
"My help? How?" asked Francesca.
"Captain Halliday told us what you said, that you can't kill. We just need to know why and how we can use that information" said Boden.
"Julie? You mean she's working for you?" asked Francesca.
"No. She just has a sense of what is the right thing to do" said Boden.
"And what's that?" asked Francesca.
"Francesca, our world is not like yours. In our world, the Novans have the ability to kill, and they need to be controlled" said Boden. "And that's where we come in. The camp is populated by about two thousand Novans. We keep them docile with medication to curb their lethal tendencies."
"But you can't imprison innocent people like that" said Francesca. "You can't keep me here!"
"Why not? Where would you go?" asked Boden. "You don't have a home in this world. Listen, if you help us, I promise I will do everything in my power to get you back to your world."
"And how can you do that?" asked Francesca.
"Just follow me" said Boden, showing Francesca out of his office and into a large room at the end of a corridor. As they entered the room, Francesca recognised the complex array of tubes and lights that make up a biotrinic computer, and sitting by a table in the middle of the room was Julie in her army uniform. "I believe you've met Captain Halliday."
"You!" exclaimed Francesca. "I trusted you!"
"Easy now Francesca" said Julie. "We've got a lot of explaining to do."
"You can say that again!" said Francesca, approaching the table. "Exactly whose side are you on?" Julie did not reply.
"Let me introduce you to Sax" said Boden.
"Sax?" asked Francesca.
"That would be me" said a disembodied male voice.
"A biotronic computer?" asked Francesca.
"Yes" said Julie.
"How did you get your hands on a biotronic computer?" asked Francesca.
"That's not so important right now" said Boden. "It's more important to show you what we do with him. Sax, could you show the documents we've been working on, please?"
"With pleasure" said Sax. A screen appeared against the back wall with a projection on it.
"While you were asleep we conducted an experiment on you" said Boden. "When you first arrived at the hospital you were unconscious. The doctors at the hospital gave you a scan and found an unusual enlargement of your pituitary gland. At first they suspected some kind of brain tumour but ruled that out. At that point, they got in touch with us. But before we had a chance to speak to you, it seems our Novan friends had already stepped in and spirited you away. What we have on the screen are the findings of our most recent investigations.
"The upper graph shows the activity of the enlarged portion o your pituitary gland" said Sax. "The lower graph shows the control over your motor skills."
"You may notice that the upper graph indicated very low activity where in contrast the lower graph indicates very high" said Boden.
"So when my pituitary gland is relatively inactive, I can move, walk, talk and so on?" asked Francesca.
"Exactly" Said Julie.
"While you were unconscious, we stimulated your brain with violent thoughts" said Boden. "Sax could you please forward to index 288.35 please?" The display moved forwards showing the upper graph go up in value and correspondingly the lower graph go down. "This is why you can't kill. If you harboured any murderous thoughts, the enlargement of your pituitary gland would cause you to lose any motor functions. You'd literally collapse on the spot."
"Very interesting but nothing I didn't already know" said Francesca.
"We also examined your genome and isolated the combination of genes that give rise to the enlargement of your pituitary gland" said Boden.
"Again, very interesting but nothing I didn't already know" said Francesca.
"This is where we need your help" said Boden.
"Mine?" asked Francesca.
"We want to replicate the factors in your genome that make the difference between a Novan and a Tomorrow Person" said Boden. "Once refined and developed, we can apply the treatment to the Novans. We call it gene editing."
"Wouldn't they object?" asked Francesca.
"I'm sure they could be persuaded" said Julie. "Right now, there are so many tensions in the world, particularly between the Saps and the Novans. We're facing some really dark days."
"I know your arrival here was as a result of some accident, but you could be seen as the saviour of our civilisation" said Julie. "Almost as if it were meant to be."
"So what do you want me to do?" asked Francesca.
"We just need your permission to use your genome as a template" said Boden.
"Permission?" said Francesca.
"We're not unethical" said Boden. "We wouldn't just take it without your permission."
"And if I refuse?" asked Francesca.
"We wouldn't argue" said Boden. "But also, we wouldn't feel obliged to help you to return home. After all, your arrival here wasn't our fault. However, we would be obliged to detain you here at this camp indefinitely."
"You have no right" said Francesca.
"An Act of Parliament gives me every right" said Boden.
"Maybe Francesca needs to think about it" said Julie, sensing a build up of tension in the air.
"That sounds like a good idea" said Boden. "Perhaps Captain Halliday would like to escort you into the campus. There are some very nice shops and eateries there. I'm sure you'll be hungry by now."
Chapter Ten
Francesca and Julie crossed the square towards a large red brick building, passing dozens of people, who appeared almost trance-like. At regular intervals were placed uniformed armed guards, making Francesca feel uneasy. They entered the building and climbed a flight of stairs in the middle of the concourse. At the top of the stairs was a large room furnished with tables and chairs, many occupied by people. At one end of the room was a large breakfast bar filled with all manner of breakfasts. Francesca and Julie made their selections and found an unoccupied table.
"So whose side are you on?" asked Francesca.
"Now's not the time" said Julie. "Eat your breakfast."
"Do Patrick and Tina and Jack know about Mr Boden?" asked Francesca.
"Oh, they know about Boden" said Julie. "Best of enemies, they are."
"No, I mean, do they know you're on his side?" asked Francesca.
"Who said I'm on his side?" said Julie. "And to ask the question you obviously want answering, if they suspected, they'd kill me."
"And where did he get that biotronic computer?" asked Francesca.
"He helped build him" said Julie.
"Is he a Novan?" asked Francesca.
"No, he's a Sap. He built Sax with my husband Bob" said Julie. "Bob is a Novan. He's been on the run for three years."
"Why?" asked Francesca.
"Because he's a Novan. Since Parliament passed a law requiring all Novans to be detained at camps like this one and force fed mind numbing drugs, he's been in hiding."
"Oh, that's terrible! Where?" asked Francesca.
"I don't know" said Julie."That's why I can't hold any allegiance to any side. That and what happened to Carol. I just wish there could be an end to it, then I could have my husband back and Francesca could have her dad back. Do you have your dad in your reality?"
"Yes" said Francesca.
"You're very lucky. I hope you love him very much" said Julie.
"I do. Very much. So what is this place?" asked Francesca.
"Like Boden said, it's an internment camp for Novans" said Julie. "Once a week, the inmates get an injection that makes them docile, relieves them of any violent thoughts, then they can do what they like with the rest of the time. Everything they need is here on the campus - residences, eateries, shops, social amenities - you name it."
"Is that what they're going to do with me?" asked Francesca.
"They won't need to drug you. You can't kill" said Julie. "It used to be the university. It still is I suppose. Most of the Novans can still enrol on courses to further their education."
"So what stops me from just walking out?" asked Francesca.
"There's a psychic barrier over the campus. You can't physically get out of here and past the front gates. It's like something pushing you back."
Francesca had dozens of questions for Julie about the campus and about Boden whilst they ate their breakfast. Eventually, Julie made her excuses and left.
"Listen, Philip Boden's really a very nice guy. He hasn't got any axe to grind" said Julie. "Think about what he said." And with that she left Francesca alone with her thoughts.
Chapter Eleven
Francesca had spent about a week in the internment camp. Aside from the armed guards at every turning, it didn't seem like any kind of prison she'd ever imagined. Philip Boden had arranged accommodation for her in one of the former halls of residence, and she had settled in quite well. She had tried contacting the Novans she knew by telepathy without success. In fact none of her powers worked within the bounds of the campus, and some invisible force seemed to be in place at the perimeter pushing her back if she had tried to venture beyond the gates. As Julie said, the campus formerly housed the local university until hostilities between the Saps and the Novans began to escalate. The campus provided for all the needs of its occupants. At one corner of the campus was a well equipped sports centre where Francesca had spent the morning swimming. She was sitting in the adjoining cafe drinking a coffee while her long raven hair dried when she heard a voice behind her.
"Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?" behind her was a portly elderly bespectacled man carrying a walking stick.
"No" said Francesca.
"Would I be intruding on your privacy if I joined you?" he asked.
"I wish you would" said Francesca. She had missed the telepathic banter she enjoyed with her friends, and the drugged Novans, although polite, were far from stimulating. She indicated the chair opposite. The man sat in the chair.
"You're new here, aren't you?" asked the man.
"Yes" replied Francesca.
"Thought so" he said. "I've seen you about. Welcome to the campus. I'm Eric Jackson." He offered his hand, which Francesca took to shake.
"Pleased to meet you, Mr Jackson" said Francesca. "I'm Francesca. Francesca Halliday."
"Eric, not Mr Jackson" said Eric. "We're friends now, so it's Eric. It wouldn't do for me to call you Miss Halliday, now would it? Unless you wanted me to, of course."
"No, Francesca's fine" said Francesca. She looked deep into his kind eyes. This was not a man walking around in a half dazed state like most of the other occupants of the campus, yet there was a simplicity about him that she found quite charming. "Are you a Novan?"
"Does it matter?" asked Eric.
"I suppose not" said Francesca.
"Then neither do I" said Eric. "Suppose, I mean. I just come here to talk to people. "I've been coming here for about fifty years. When it was a university, I talked to the students and now I talk to the inmates. Everyone needs someone to talk to. And do you know what happens when you talk to people?"
"No" said Francesca.
"They listen" said Eric. "They listen and then they talk. Then you listen. You learn a lot about people you listen to them, and then they learn a lot about you when they listen to you. Not enough listening goes on, that's the problem with the world, People don't listen to each other enough. No wonder there are so many wars. So tell me about yourself."
"Well, I'm twenty, I'm from Guildford and I'm a telepath" said Francesca.
"But you're not a Novan" said Eric. "I can tell that."
"No" said Francesca. "I'm one of the Tomorrow People."
"Oh, and who are the Tomorrow People?" asked Eric.
"We are" said Francesca. "We're like the Novans. We can do all the things Novans can. We're telepathic, we can jaunt and we can use telekinesis. It's just that we can't kill."
"That's interesting" said Eric. "A pity the Novans can kill."
"How true" said Francesca.
"I'm not, by the way" said Eric.
"Not what?" asked Francesca.
"A Novan" said Eric.
"I doesn't matter" said Francesca.
"Do you know what's really wrong with the world, Francesca?" asked Eric.
"No" said Francesca.
"Very simply" said Eric, leaning over to Francesca, and almost whispering "nobody in this world really knows what it's like to be someone else!"
"That's so profound!" said Francesca.
"No it's not!" said Eric, sitting right back. "It's simple! It's just that most people are too stupid to see it. Now , where do you Tomorrow People come from?"
"It's hard to explain" said Francesca. "I hardly understand it myself."
"I'm here to listen" said Eric.
"Well, here goes" said Francesca. "I come from an alternative reality. I got involved in an experiment and ended up here. My world is where the Tomorrow People come from, and because we can't kill, things are different. We don't plant bombs or shoot people."
"And I suppose you exist side by side with the Saps?" said Eric.
"We keep ourselves secret from the Saps. They'd try to control us if they knew" said Francesca.
"Wouldn't it be wonderful if the Tomorrow People ended up being the next step in human evolution" said Eric.
"But we are" said Francesca.
"And in our world, the Novans are the next step" said Eric. "How I fear for the future of the human race! Listen, as much as I've enjoyed listening to you, I really must go." Eric got up from his char and took a few steps towards the door. He stopped and turned back towards Francesca. "You're very young and very pretty, Francesca. Be careful!" And with that, he left. Francesca thought very carefully about what Eric had said. He had listened carefully to what she had said and in turn had made her listen carefully to what he had to say. Suddenly her reverie was disturbed by a voice from the doorway.
"Francesca!" It was Julie. "Get your skates on, there's not much time. Boden's on to something!"
Chapter Twelve
So glad you could make it" said Boden, welcoming Francesca as she arrived at his laboratory with Julie. He introduced her to another man, bespectacled, wearing a white coat and working at a small bench populated with a series of agar filled specimen jars. "This is Dr Paul Booth. Dr Booth is our genetics expert and he will oversee the harvesting of your DNA."
"Harvesting?" asked Francesca. "It sounds clinical."
"It's not as bad as it sounds" said Dr Booth.
"You're not getting cold feet, are you?" asked Boden. "Remember, you'll be saving millions of lives."
"Will it hurt?" asked Francesca.
"Not at all" said Dr Booth. "I just need to take a small sample from the inside of your cheek.
"And you can definitely get me home?" asked Francesca.
"We think we've come up with something" said Boden.
"Think? You can't be more definite than that?" said Francesca.
"It involves creating a high energy standing wave" said Sax, "and for that we need a second biotronic computer such as myself."
*What are you going to do about that?* 'pathed Francesca to Julie.
*Don't worry about that* 'pathed Julie in reply. *I can persuade Pallas to help.*
"I think I'm right in guessing you've been communicating telepathically?" asked Boden.
"If you tell me what's required and I'll see about it" said Julie.
"Julie!" exclaimed Francesca, thinking that Julie was about to betray the Novans.
"It's okay Francesca" said Julie. "Mr Boden knows about my relationship with the Novans."
"I only know the bare bones of Captain Halliday's association" said Boden. "I respect her privacy. Trust me, I'm not likely to send the heavies in!"
"I will be able to send you the instructions telepathically when you get to the Novan base" said Sax.
"We've just got intelligence about a new breakout" said Boden "and if we have, the Novans definitely have. They'll most likely be out looking for him themselves, so you shouldn't have much opposition."
"Just in case you're not alone, please take this as a precautionary measure" said Sax as a stun gun appeared on the table in the middle of the laboratory. Julie took the stun gun and placed it in her shoulder bag.
"Wish me luck" said Julie as she jaunted away.
"If you don't mind, Miss Halliday" said Dr Booth, indicating a chair by the side of the bench.
"Oh, of course" said Francesca, sitting in the chair.
"Now, just tilt your head back, and open your mouth wide" said Dr Booth, selecting a spatula.
Chapter Thirteen
Julie materialised in the Den. Jack sat alone at the table, reading a book.
"Hello Jack" said Julie. "On your lonesome again?"
"Yep" said Jack, not brothering to lookup from his book. "They've gone off after some new breakout. Some kid called Danny."
"Oh" said Julie. "So where are they now?"
"They are on the outskirts of Chester" said Pallas.
"Chester? That far?" said Julie, as she approached the inspection panels at the back of the room. She touched them gently, knowing that , according to the instructions given to her by Sax, the delicate circuits requiring the modification to create the standing wave lay behind them. Jack looked up from his book for the first time.
"Are you okay, Julie?" asked Jack.
"Fine, just fine" said Julie, still looking at the inspection panels. "Jack, why don't you go and help the others look for this . . . what was his name?"
"Danny" said Jack.
"I mean, you always get left behind, don't you?" said Julie.
"It's okay" said Jack, returning to his book.
"Patrick and Tina are perfectly able to make contact with Danny" said Pallas. Julie looked at her watch. "Are you waiting for something, Julie?"
"No, I just wondered what the time was" said Julie. "Isn't it time you went home, Jack."
"Tina said I should stay here in case I'm needed" said Jack.
"Well I'm here now" said Julie.
"It's okay. I'd rather stay here" said Jack without lifting his eyes from his book. It was obvious that Jack was in no hurry to leave. Julie pulled at one of the inspection panels. The noise disturbed Jack and at last he looked up from his book. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing" said Julie.
"You pulled at my inspection panels" said Pallas.
"I said it was nothing" said Julie. She looked at Jack, who was looking straight at her. She turned away from him and reached into her shoulder bag. Unseen by him, she removed the stun gun and set it to its minimum setting. "I'm sorry Jack."
"What for?" asked Jack.
"For what I'm about to do" said Julie, as she turned and shot at him. He collapsed unconscious across the table. "Pallas, secret protocol JMH733.027 please."
"Understood, Julie" said Pallas as the inspection panel slid open.
Chapter Fourteen
Boden waited anxiously in his laboratory. It had been an hour since Julie jaunted out. Dr Booth had left with his samples of DNA from Francesca, and now they were waiting for that all important phone call from Julie to say that the modifications to Pallas had been made. His phone rang. He answered it.
"Boden. Good work, Captain Halliday!" said Boden. He turned momentarily towards Francesca. "She's made the modifications." He addressed Julie on the phone again. "I'll establish the link with the unit local to you and send you the coordinates as soon as I have them." He returned to Francesca. "Well my dear, it looks like you'll soon be on your way home!" Francesca smiled. "A little nervous?"
"Just a little" said Francesca.
"There's really no need to be" said Boden.
"Have you ever done this before?" asked Francesca.
"No" said Boden, "but what's to be gained from being nervous?"
"I will need some information from your jaunting band" said Sax. "If you would please place it on the table I can analyse it."
"Sax needs to know the spatial and temporal coordinates of your destination" said Boden. "They are locked inside your jaunting band." Francesca appeared a little hesitant. "It's okay, it won't get damaged and you'll get it back." Francesca took off her jaunting band and placed it on the table. It became engulfed in a bright blue light for a minute. When the light subsided, Sax spoke.
"I have the coordinates now" said Sax. "Francesca, please replace the band on your wrist."
Boden reached for his telephone and dialled. After a few seconds, he spoke. "Captain Halliday? Boden. I have the coordinates. Please stand by to receive." He replaced the receiver. "Sax, could you please establish the link with your counterpart and pass on the coordinates?"
"It will be my pleasure, Philip" said Sax. A low hum filled the room, and the lights in the laboratory dimmed a little.
"Now, Francesca, just stand here" said Boden, leading Francesca to a platform at the far end of the room. "If all goes well, you'll find yourself back home. God speed."
"Thank you Mr Boden" said Francesca. "And good luck with the . . . you know."
"No, Miss Halliday, thank you!" said Boden. " The human race will be forever in your debt."
Chapter Fifteen
Do you have contact with Sax yet?" asked Julie.
"Contact established" replied Pallas. "Establishing standing wave now." The lights in the Den dimmed slightly and Pallas's tubes resonated with a slight hum.
*Sax, do you confirm* 'pathed Julie.
*Confirmed, Captain Halliday* 'pathed Sax. *Ready to begin ramping on five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one. Captain Halliday, Francesca is still here.*
*What do you mean still there?* 'pathed Julie. *Surely she should have gone by now.*
*We suspect there may be a problem at your end* 'pathed Sax.
"Sax is correct, Julie" said Pallas. "A relay has failed in my encoder circuit."
"So what do we do about it?" asked Julie.
"The first step is to survey the damage" said Pallas. "The encoder circuit is behind an inspection panel at the back of the room." Pallas guided Julie to the correct panel and instructed her to remove it. The circuit, however was nothing like anything she had ever seen before.
"What? Where are the electronics?" asked Julie, confused.
"My encoder circuits are biotronic, not electronic" said Pallas. "The relay in question is a large hexagonal structure. Can you see it?"
"Yes I see it" said Julie.
"What colour is it?" asked Pallas.
"It's yellow" said Julie.
"Then it has definitely failed" said Pallas.
"Have we got a spare?" asked Julie.
"No, and I don't have time to make a new one" said Pallas.
"So we're sunk" said Julie.
"Not necessarily" said Pallas. "You can complete the circuit yourself."
"Complete it myself?" asked Julie "What do you mean?"
"Do you see the two nodes on each side of the relay?" asked Pallas.
"Yes, Pallas I see them" said Julie.
"You need to complete the circuit by pressing the two nodes" said Pallas.
"Complete the circuit?" said Julie. "Won't I get a shock?"
"Not at all, Julie" said Pallas. "My circuits are biotronic, not electronic. I need living tissue to complete the circuit." Julie thought for a minute before placing her hands on the nodes. The low hum in the Den increased as the power began to ramp up. "Has the colour changed?"
"It's turned red" said Julie.
"Then it is working" said Pallas. At this point, Jack regained consciousness. He looked round the room and saw Julie with her hands on the exposed circuit.
"What are you doing?" he asked. "I said what are you doing?"
"Not now Jack" said Julie.
"Pallas, stop her" said Jack.
"I'm sorry Jack" said Pallas. "I cannot."
"You've been hacked, haven't you?" asked Jack.
"I cannot confirm that" said Pallas. Jack moved towards Julie, but found himself pushed back by a telekinetic force from Julie. He looked round the lab and saw the stun gun which Julie had stunned him with. He picked it up and checked the setting on it.
"Julie, step away from that panel. This stun gun is on its lowest setting and I'm not afraid to use it!" said Jack. Julie ignored him. He fired, and the beam was deflected by Julie's telekinetic shield. He increased the setting and fired again. This time, the shielding was diminished slightly. He continued to fire, and as Julie's shield became weaker, she herself became weaker.
"Julie, come away from that panel now!" said Jack.
"Jack, let me do this, please" said Julie, weakly.
"Jack, please let Julie complete this task" said Pallas.
"Not until I get an explanation" said Jack, firing the stun gun again, Julie's shield getting weaker still.
"There is no time for an explanation" said Pallas. She targeted the stun gun with an energy beam, which made the gun too hot to handle. Eventually, Jack dropped the gun. In desperation, he reached into his jacket pocket and produced the same pen like device that Patrick had used to kill Laura the nurse. Without thinking, he pointed it at Julie and fired.
Chapter Sixteen
Francesca awoke, face down on a flagged yard. She lifted herself up to her full height and looked around. She was obviously at the rear of some buildings, surrounded by bins. Cautiously. she found her way towards some doors leading into the building, and walked through them into a familiar concourse. Familiar, but for the manner of the other people around her. The appeared more alert than those he'd seen before. She went outside through the doors on the other side of the concourse. She was still on the campus, but somehow something was different. Could she possibly be back in her own world?
*John? Elizabeth? Carol? TIM?* 'pathed Francesca.
*Francesca where are you?* 'pathed John.
*Not sure. I must have had you worried, being away for so long* 'pathed Francesca.
*We only missed you for about a minute* 'pathed Elizabeth.
*A minute! More like a week at least!* 'pathed Francesca. She looked down at her jaunting band. It was completely burned out. *I'm going to need a new jaunting band. This one's peppered.*
*Not to worry* 'pathed Elizabeth. *Once we get a fix on you, I'll bring you a new one.*
*Not just yet* 'pathed Francesca. *There's someone I'd like to see if I can find him round here.*
Francesca turned and went through the double doors into the concourse before ascending the stairs onto the first storey of the building. The large room at the top of the staircase, furnishd by chairs and tables, was populated by dozens of chattering young people. In the far corner, seated at a table was a familiar figure. She approached and sat opposite.
"Hello" she said. "You're Eric, aren't you?"
"Yes I am" said Eric. "You've got an advantage over me."
"Oh, sorry. I'm Francesca" said Francesca. "Do you know me?" Eric looked closely at Francesca, removed his spectacles and looked again.
"I'm sure I'd know if I knew you, but like I always say, a stranger is a friend who you've not met yet." said Eric. "You're new here, aren't you?"
"That's what you said last time" said Francesca. "I mean, not you but . . . well I'm not sure what I mean."
Eric could see that Francesca was in a state of distress. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm just a bit homesick I suppose" said Francesca.
"A lot of students get homesick" said Eric. "That's what I'm here for."
"Students?" asked Francesca.
"Yes, university students" said Eric.
"University? This is a university?" asked Francesca.
"Yes, that's why there are so many students around" said Eric.
"And they can come and go as they please?" asked Francesca.
"Of course they can" said Eric. "This isn't a prison, you know."
"I'm not a student" said Francesca, "I'm not sure what I'm doing here." By this time Eric began to sense that something was wrong.
"Listen, do your parents know you're here?" asked Eric. Francesca shook her head. "Maybe you should give your mum a ring. She'll probably be worried sick." Francesca felt her pockets, suddenly realising that as she was wearing the clothes bought for her by Julie in the alternate world, she didn't have her mobile phone. Eric passed her his mobile phone. "Go on, set her mind to rest."
""Thank you" said Francesca, taking the phone. She dialled. Eventually, an answer. "Hello Mum?"
"Hi Fran" said Julie.
"I'm sorry it's been so long" said Francesca.
"So long? what do you mean?" said Julie. As far as she knew, Francesca had only been absent for a matter of minutes, and had no idea that her transport from the Trig had been diverted.
"Listen Mum, I'll be home soon, so don't worry" said Francesca. "I'm somewhere in the North Midlands."
"The North Midlands! What are you doing there?" asked Julie.
"It's a long story" said Francesca. "Listen, I'm on someone else's phone. We'll talk when I get home, okay?"
"Okay" said Julie. "I'll see you in a minute, then?"
"I'm not sure" said Francesca. "I broke my band. I'll have to wait for Elizabeth to get a new one to me."
"Okay" said Julie. "So I'll see you when I see you."
"Okay, bye" said Francesca. "I love you." Francesca hung up with a tear in her eye and passed the phone back to Eric.
"You live down South?" asked Eric. Francesca nodded without lifting her head. "You look like you don't have two Farthings to rub together." Eric's intuition was almost right. The only currency Francesca had on her person was legal tender only in the alternative world. He looked round and beckoned to one of the students who was just about to leave. "Andy, can you spare a minute?" The student came over.
"Yeah, Eric, what is it?" asked Andy.
"Are you off down town now?" asked Eric.
"Just off now, do you need anything?" asked Andy.
"Could you possibly give this young lady a lift down to the railway station?" asked Eric.
"Oh, it's okay" said Francesca, anticipating Elizabeth's arrival with a new jaunting band.
"It's no trouble" said Andy.
"But I haven't got any train fare" said Francesca, again trying to assure them that she didn't need transport without giving away any secrets.
"You won't need train fare if I have anything to do with it" said Eric, dialling a number into his mobile phone. After a few seconds, his call was answered. "Hello Kevin? It's Eric. I hope you're keeping well. Listen, I'm just wondering if you could do me a favour. I'm sending a young lady down with Andy. She's in need of some transport, but she's, well let's say a bit financially embarrassed. Just wondering if you could see yourself clear. Thank you Kevin. God bless. Bye." Eric hung up his phone and put it away in his pocket. "When you get to the railway station, go to the ticket office and ask to see Kevin O'Malley and tell him that Eric sent you. He'll know exactly what to do."
"Oh, Eric that's too kind" said Francesca " and there's really no need."
"Think nothing of it" said Eric. "Just remember, sometimes, it may be quick and easy to pop off as quick as a blink, but at other times it's better to go the slow way. Gives you time to think." Francesca thanked Eric for his help, and went with Andy towards the staircase at the end of the room. Eric called after her just as she was about to descend the stairs. "And Francesca." Francesca turned back to look at Eric. "You're very young and very pretty, Francesca. Be careful!" Those words reassured Francesca that even when everything changes, at least some good things remain constant.