Alice and What Came After: Between the Glass
Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than my original characters.
Chapter Twenty-four: Collision
The Looking Glass Hall was deserted.
The Glass, which usually had several technicians and a few Suits around, was turned off and alone. The Hall was full of dust and broken pieces of window glass. Cobwebs hung in the corners and also in her face.
There was a small disturbance near the Glass. Dust had been disturbed near the Glass—she could see footprints. The box that usually held the Stone was broken, lying on the marble floor in pieces.
Someone had been there recently. Someone tried to work the Glass.
Jessica headed straight toward the Glass. She touched the surface. It was solid.
She stared at all the switches on the side, trying to remember a tutorial she'd had as a child on how to control the Looking Glass. Her father—well, her step-father—had insisted that they learn about the Glass. He even let them set the Glass up for a routine trip.
Her fingers brushed against the switches.
The Glass whirled to life.
Jessica took a step back in shock. The Glass had never functioned without the Stone of Wonderland before. When it did, it was only for a short time. It must have been ages since the Stone was used.
Fifteen long years since King Jack died. Since she was disinherited and murdered.
Her hand went through the Glass's surface. The Looking Glass was active.
She stepped closer. What was it Caterpillar said about my father and the Looking Glass?
Jessica touched the Glass again. Her arm slid through up to her elbow.
She smiled at her distorted reflection. The mirror had always fascinated her.
There was a flapping sound behind her. She turned to look.
A bird flew past, but her sudden turn caused her to lose her balance.
With a yell, Jessica Hatter fell through the Looking Glass, unconsciously following her father's own path.
He stumbled out of the Truth Room, dripping with blood—a mixture of his own and the doctors'. He felt completely numb despite the aching in his fist and the rage in his blood.
Connor had a taste of power. He took two lives without extra thought. Sure, they were killers, but had he needed to take their lives? Did he need to end their lives so violently? With his own hands? Since when did he decided who lived and who died?
Sarah… I need you…
Of course, Sarah couldn't hear him. He couldn't hear her either. For the first time in a long time, he was completely alone.
Except for the ever present Suits. He couldn't seem to get away from them.
Connor pressed his back against a wall, trying to blend in. He wasn't in the mood to deal with any armed foot soldiers. He wasn't up for another fight. Sarah was the fighter. She was meant to be a fighter. He was meant to be far from the action.
But he didn't have his older sister with him. This time it was just him. The future of Wonderland rested on his slim shoulders. Well, that and the shoulders of his other self—Kyle. And if Chase could help them, they would stand a better chance.
This is for you, Sarah. I know you would want me to do this.
Jessica woke up in a daze in a medical facility.
"Hi, honey… how are you feeling?" a kind nurse said, offering her a sip of water through a straw. She sucked at it greedily, quenching her thirst and her dry throat.
"Where am I?"
"You're at the hospital. You've been in a coma."
"What?"
"You hit your head rather hard. A taxi just missed hitting you… Apparently you just collapsed in the street."
"I can't remember…" Jessica whispered.
"Is there someone we should call? A friend? Family?"
She shook her head. "No… no one. I'm…my parents are dead."
"Aww, you poor thing…"
"I never knew them. They died a long time ago. I just… where am I?"
The nurse looked around. "London. Are you on holiday?"
"No, I'm trying to find a man. He's my… uncle. I've never met him before."
"Well, do you know what his name is?"
Jessica almost said "Hatter", then thought better of it. "I don't know what name he's using now. But he's got dark hair, dark eyes… slight build, under six feet tall…"
"Luv, you just described half the blokes in London and the surrounding areas!"
"I know. It's hopeless."
"Chin up, dear. You're alive and well. That's something."
"I guess."
"Murdered? By who?" Chase asked, taking over as Alice sat in stunned silence.
Dead? How can I be… this doesn't make any sense…
The bartender refilled their drinks. "I 'eard it was the Queen o' Hearts who did her in. A bit of poison or somethin'. Died not long after her children were born."
"Children?" Alice asked after a long drink. Connor, Sarah…
"Twins. One boy and one girl. Jessica and Kyle Heart."
Chase choked on his drink. "Did you say 'Heart'?"
"That I did. Queen Alice married King Jack Heart. Prince Kyle and Princess Jessica, God rest their souls, are King Jack's children."
Alice tried to remain calm. She never would have married Jack—not when she had Hatter. It didn't matter what Tea she drank. There was no way she would marry Jack, let alone have children with him, when her heart belonged to David Hatter.
"What happened to them? The Hearts?"
The bartender shifted closer after a glance around. "Rumor has it…after King Jack's unfortunate death, the Princess had an accident. There's no known burial ground for her or her brother. He vanished as well. Their half-brother took the throne."
"That would be Damon?" Alice asked, trying to fit this reality's pieces in with her own past.
"Aye. Son of the Duchess of Diamonds, King Jack's second wife. They had two sons—Damon and Chase. Both still live up at the new palace."
"We saw the ruins of the Manor on our way. What happened there?"
"Oh, that's old news. Been like that… I dunno, fifteen years if it were a day!"
Chase sipped at his drink, occasionally glancing over at Alice. They had anticipated changes in regime, but not a completely different history.
"And the Hatter? Queen Alice's companion… whatever happened to him?" Chase asked for Alice's sake.
The man behind the counter sighed. "No one knows. He might have died, might be livin' out in the woods, no idea. It's just assumed he's dead. No one's seen him in over thirty years."
"He's pretty smart though. He might be alive," Alice said, still clinging to hope that her husband still lived in this strange version of Wonderland. "I mean, he's the Hatter. He's good at hiding and lying low in order to survive."
"It's a mystery," the bartender agreed. "You two need a place to stay tonight?"
"Is there a motel around here?"
"Upstairs we have a few rooms for rent. You want one?"
"Yes, please," Alice said. She didn't want to sleep in the woods if she could help it.
Chase nodded in agreement. The best part of Wonderland was that it was an economic system built on trades and bartering. There were no magic plastic cards. There were no IDs to copy or check. They could disappear into the wild if they wanted. No one ever had to know.
At the same time, it made finding people even harder.
On her second day after waking up from a coma, Jessica vaguely remembered her life and her quest for her father. She continued to feign ignorance and stuck with the "Jane Doe" moniker assigned to her by the nurses. They were rather kind to her and several of them asked about her missing uncle. None of them had any idea where he might be.
Then chaos broke out in the London hospital. The power surged and went out. Footsteps sounded in the halls and men in military dress patrolled the halls. Most of the nurses scattered. Jessica didn't run or hide. She stayed strong, more interested in why they were there than afraid.
She slipped into a set of scrubs that allowed her to blend in with those who remained in the hospital. She went room to room, casually checking for anything out of place.
A creature scuttled around her, running down the hall on stumpy legs. It was mostly brown with a tail, buckteeth, and big eyes. It was cute, but ugly, like a strange beaver. She followed the creature into another room, colliding with a man a bit taller than her.
His hand came out steadying her. "Hey, you okay? You look lost…"
"First day," she lied. "Still getting the hang of things."
The man in black nodded. He had an ear piece in and also carried a gun. "Well, this section is closed. Electrical issues. Where were you trying to go?"
"I was just looking for a bathroom, honestly."
"Around the corner to your left," he suggested.
"Thank you so much!"
Jessica hurried off, pretending to be following his directions. She wasn't about to stop investigating without answers. Even if this was the Oyster's world, military personnel weren't commonplace. She knew that from old stories.
The Suits faded into the distance, leaving Connor free to sneak toward the exit.
He was almost there when a hand closed on his shoulder. He tensed, trying to decide whether he should fight back or flee. Flee was about to win out when a low voice said, "Settle down, mini-me."
Kyle. Kyle had snuck up on him.
"C'mon, let's go," the older man suggested.
They slipped down a back passageway that brought them out into the backyard in between several hedges and trees. The woods and the remaining Resistance members were only a few meters away.
Connor jogged ahead, eager to put the Truth Room and Damon Heart far behind him. If Kyle could handle it alone, Connor would gladly stay in the woods, hidden in a tree. He didn't care if he was a coward. He just wanted to be safe until he could find his family and get home.
"Get down!" Kyle shouted in warning, grabbing his ankle. The pair fell to the ground and a bullet meant for one or both of them buried itself into a tree.
They crawled, heading for cover instead of the woods. Where there was one Suit with a gun, more were sure to follow. If they did make it to the woods, they would be giving up a hiding spot. Holding off on their escape would be the best.
That's why they ran directly into the hedge maze.
Author's Notes:
I meant to have this up on Monday, but I've got a lingering sinus infection. I finally got this typed out tonight. Anyways, please comment as always. In the next chapter we will learn why/how the mirror broke.
Thanks for reading and reviewing! Don't forget to vote in the poll—I'm extending it to Thursday.