Chapter 15
"Uncle Jack, they got Holly! We have to get her back!" Will shouted to his uncle. The attack was not unusual for the Marshalls, but the humans never got used to it. The Sleestak hated the humans and the feeling was mutual.
"Well, we'll just have to follow standard rescue procedure," said Jack. "Will, gather some torches and crystals. Chaka, you stay here in case Holly escapes. Let's go."
"Not so fast Jack Marshall," bellowed a voice in the distance.
"Enik!" Will exclaimed.
Jack continued to get some supplies, not even looking at the beige Altrusian. "Enik, we'd love to stay and chat, but we're a bit short on time. Your Sleestak friends took Holly and we're trying to mount a rescue here."
"To quote a human expression Jack Marshall, 'that is easier said than done,'" he replied.
Jack stopped and finally made eye contact. "All right. Talk. What is it you are trying to tell us?"
"Holly Marshall is not in the Lost City."
Will moved next to Jack. "Then where is she?" he asked.
"Come on Enik, out with it," said Jack, "where have the Sleestak taken Holly?"
The Altrusian continued. "She has been taken to a parallel universe. You cannot retrieve her. I am afraid she will be dead in 11 hours, 30 minutes."
"What parallel universe? Who took her?" Will asked.
As Jack and Will listened, Enik explained what he knew of the Black Universe. "My people have known about this reality for some time. We have always been disturbed because our counterparts turned to conquest, while we chose logic. Ironically, both of our peoples destroyed themselves. Apparently, my counterpart was also trapped in his future. He is the one who kidnapped Holly Marshall and took her to his universe, in a fit of vengeance."
"Vengeance? What did we ever do to him?" asked Jack.
"The black Sleestak," Will said out loud, making the connection. "Enik, is your counterpart black?"
"I see no relevance to that question Will Marshall, but yes."
Will turned to his uncle and snapped his fingers. "Jack, remember when I told you the story about those other Marshalls that my dad and I helped get back to Earth?"
His uncle nodded and turned to Enik. "Right. Enik, just before I got here, Will and my brother helped another set of Marshalls from a parallel universe get home. We later examined the cave that they were trapped in, but found it to be of no help. Now Enik, could your counterpart be from this universe?"
"We are talking about the same parallel dimension," Enik replied.
"Last time," Will added, "Holly's counterpart somehow communicated with us and led us to her father and brother. She said if we touched them, we would kill them. Dad thought they were made of antimatter."
"But that wasn't quite right," Jack continued. "If they were antimatter, then they would have exploded when they made any contact with our universe, be it the air, the rocks, or the people. Yet they were able to breathe our air and hold the same crystals we use."
"Logical deduction Jack Marshall," said Enik. "The two universes, while generally toxic to each other, do share some common characteristics, like air. However, crystals are the one solid substance able to exist in both universes. But I still do not see the logic in Will Marshall's initial question about a 'black Sleestak.'"
Will answered. "Enik, don't you see? Holly's counterpart mentioned a black Sleestak that could not be trusted. Your counterpart must be him, trying to get revenge on us for stopping him before!"
"That, is logical," said the Altrusian.
Jack spoke up. "Enik, you said that Holly has 11 hours and 30 minutes left. How do you know that?" Jack was almost afraid to hear the answer, since logically, Holly should have died upon contact with the other universe.
Enik explained what he knew about the black Sleestak's weapon and continued. "Soon, the Sleestak will contact you, hoping to lure you to her. My counterpart wishes you to see Holly Marshall alive, so you will obey instructions without question. The Sleestak will provide you with a portal to her, though they will not tell you about the danger of crossing into the other universe. They do not know that you are now aware that Holly is in another dimension and they will expect you to follow blindly. Since you have not been properly prepared by my counterpart, you cannot survive in the other reality. You would perish, Holly will watch, and then she would die herself when the twelve hours run out."
"Why Holly?" asked Jack.
"Because the other Holly used our Holly to stop the black Sleestak the first time," answered Will. "Remember? Vengeance."
"That is correct Will Marshall," commented Enik.
"Well, we'll just have to put a stop to that," said Jack. "Enik, hit me with that gizmo of your counterpart's. I'll go there and get Holly myself."
"It is not that simple Jack Marshall. I do not have that technology."
"Great, so now we're back to square one," said Will.
"I won't accept that. There has to be a way to help her," said Jack.
"Any attempt to travel to the other universe would be impractical and illogical," said Enik. "There are too many variables. But perhaps…"
"Spill it Enik," said Jack.
"My people vowed never to interfere with our repulsive counterparts, but I am honor bound to stop my double from interfering in this universe. Altrusian Code requires me to help you. I may not have technology as advanced as that which my counterpart used to survive in this dimension, but there is a machine, similar to the one used by Holly Marshall's double to communicate with you, that you can use to reach out to your counterparts."
"But how can we do that?" asked Will. "Our counterparts made it home."
"No Will Marshall, they did not." replied Enik. "Before talking to you, I had the chance to research the other universe. While you did indeed save the lives of your doubles, they did not return to their world. When you rescued them, you merely sent them back to this valley, though in their own universe. Only their Holly Marshall ever made it home. She returned to Earth, several weeks later, at the same moment that Rick Marshall departed this universe."
The image of what Enik just said made Will pause. "That means that in the other universe, I have a counterpart and my dad's counterpart is still there. Does Uncle Jack have a double as well?"
"As usual Will Marshall, you have a great grasp of the obvious. The two universes are very similar, and certain events happen in conjunction with each other. When the time doorway opened that sent your father back to your world, a portal to Earth also opened in the other universe. But there, instead of Rick Marshall's counterpart, it was their Holly Marshall that escaped this valley. The Law of Conservation of Temporal Momentum works the same there as here. When their Holly Marshall went through the portal, another human had to enter. In this universe, Jack Marshall restored the balance. In the other universe, the balance was reestablished by his doppelgänger."
"Ok, then we'll have to get our counterparts to help," said Jack. "Enik, you said you have a machine that will let us communicate. Show me where it is and I'll go."
"No," said Will, addressing his uncle. "I'll do it. Jack, it makes sense. I helped them out before. They owe me one." Jack could see he would not be able to talk his nephew out of going and time was running short, so he agreed.
"Then it is settled," said Enik, "Will Marshall will come with me, and through his counterpart, shall attempt to help Holly. I will show you what to do and tell you what to say."
Will agreed. "Let's go." He took a few steps and stopped. "Uncle Jack, what will you say when the Sleestak contact you?"
Jack responded. "I was thinking about that. If I refuse to go into the portal, the Sleestak will know something is up, so Chaka and I will be elsewhere when they come. They'll think we're searching for Holly and will look for us somewhere in the Lost City. But we'll be nowhere near there. We'll meet up near the Medusa River when you're done with Enik. I'll try to think of a backup plan in the meantime."
Will nodded and followed Enik to the Lost City. The Altrusian gave Will instructions on how to communicate with the other Marshalls. Will was also directed to look for the humans at High Bluff, since it was not destroyed in the Black Universe. Only one thought went through Will's head as he stepped into the chamber that would take him to the other universe—help Holly. And with that thought, Will went through the looking glass.