{I apologize now for putting in characters that I didn't mention in the Dramatis Personae - but I did say it was tentative, right? Anyway, I don't own any characters from Digimon Tamers, I don't own Samuel Adams beer, nor the Global Weekly (which was made up by the authors of Left Behind), nor the United Nations ('cause if I did, there'd be world peace). I also am sorry for using the concept of a knife that cuts through dimensions - I got that from the His Dark Materials series. And I apologize for having the World Trade Center still standing - but in both Left Behind (manga) and Digimon Adventure 02, the Twin Towers were still standing in 2002.}

[VERSION UP and starting animation plays....]

Backstep 14
Strangers in Their Own Home

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Location - Washington, DC
Time - seventeen days since start of Digital Conundrum
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Washington, DC in the early afternoon was usually crowded, with cars filled with politicians returning from their luncheons. But that was on any normal day, and today was not one of them.
When Frank Parker and Buck Williams emerged from the Digital Gate with their digimon in front of the Capitol Building, they found themselves amidst the still-smoldering ruins of cars that dotted the road. White and orange barriers blocked the intersections of Pennsylvania and Maryland Avenues, where a few government vehicles had driven by.
"I guess we won't be finding a taxi out here," Buck grumbled, letting Elecmon jump out of his arms. "You're the government agent, Parker - couldn't you just flash your ID and get us a car?"
"We could just have the digimon evolve and ride on them," Parker replied. "Arlington isn't that far away."
"Frank, be realistic here," Buck scolded. "I have to get to New York - my boss might be worried, and I'd like to get some stuff from my apartment. Besides, won't we look rather suspicious if we ride on digimon?"
Parker sighed in resignation. "Okay. You've got a point. Let's just walk to the nearest car and take you to the airport." He walked up to the barrier along Maryland Avenue, Tentomon following behind, where a nondescript black limousine had parked. A man in a black suit, dark sunglasses, and neatly combed blond hair had stepped out. He flashed an ID card as Parker drew closer.
"Are you Frank Parker?" the man queried. His voice was rather deep for such a young man.
Parker pulled out his NSA identification from a pocket in his jumpsuit. "Yeah."
"I'm Mitsuo Yamaki," the man said, pocketing his ID. Parker did the same. "The Backstep Panel told me to get you." He released his gaze on Parker, seeming to look out at Buck standing in the distance. "That man Cameron Williams?"
Buck seemed to perk up at the mention of his name and walked up to Parker, with Elecmon by his side. "I'm him," he replied, pulling out his press pass.
"He's coming, too," Yamaki said, moving one of the barriers. "Get in."
Silently the men and the digimon entered the limo, finding a place to sit in the darkened interior. Yamaki sat across from Buck and Parker, right against the screen that separated the driver's cabin from the passenger area. The tinted screen had been raised up, but Yamaki pressed a button on the roof, and the limo started on its way down Maryland Avenue.
"I assume that you two got yourselves out of the Digital World," Yamaki said, pulling out a grape soda from the refrigerator in the wall. "Want a drink?"
"I'd like a Sam Adams," Parker said.
"And a root beer here, please," Buck requested.
Yamaki tossed two bottles out of the refrigerator at the men. "Here." He took a sip at his soda. "So, do you two want to get in contact with your families?" he asked. "I have a cell phone here if you need to talk with them."
"I have to check on my kid in Arlington," Parker said. "And my ex-wife."
Yamaki shook his head. "Can't do that, Frank. Your wife's house burned down in the wake of the disappearances. Proof shows that she and your kid disappeared." He bowed his head, but kept his covered eyes even with Parker's. "I'm sorry."
Parker set down his beer and covered his eyes. "Damn," he muttered incessantly, shaking his head. "This can't be right."
"Could I call my dad in Tucson?" Buck queried. "I'd like to get a hold of him before I go back to Manhattan."
Yamaki tossed the cell phone to Buck. "Make it quick," he warned; "phone lines are tied up easily these days."
Buck caught the phone and quickly typed in the number. After three rings a gruff, kindly voice responded from the other side.
"Williams Trucking Services, Pete here."
"Dad? It's me, Cameron."
A sarcastic laugh. "Cameron? You've gotta be kidding! Reports say that you're presumed missing after those disappearances three weeks ago. Give me some proof."
Buck scratched his head in thought, somewhat puzzled. "Uh, you moved to Tucson in 1984. And you founded Williams Trucking in 1960."
Another laugh, but this time it was more sincere. "That's definitely you, Cameron! Always remembering dates like that. No wonder you didn't go into the trucking business. So, what's going on? Your boss has been calling me day in, day out!"
Always like Steve to get parental on me, Buck thought gloomily. "Just checking on the family, you know. How's Jeff?"
A pause. "Cameron … Jeff's lost his wife and his kids."
Buck gasped silently - he liked his niece and nephew, mainly because they acted so much like he had. So curious, so playful - yet sometimes troublesome. They were the kind of kids he would have … if he had ever bothered to get married.
"Oh," he finally responded - it was a rather blank reply. "I'm sorry."
"It's alright, Cameron - I was shocked, too. Kind of like when your mother died."
"Don't remind me," Buck whispered, the last images of his mother flashing through his mind. "So, is business back to normal?"
"Don't think it ever will be. I lost half my drivers. And Jeff is the only office worker left. It'd be nice if you left the reporting fold to help out."
"Dad! Come on! I like my job." Except for what I've been through, he added mentally, fingering the Tag beneath his shirt.
"Suit yourself. Oh, wait - I've got another call coming through. I'll talk to you later, son, okay?"
"Alright. Bye, Dad."
Click.
Buck shut off the phone and tossed it back to Yamaki. "Thanks," he said, settling himself into the plush leather seat. "So, how did you know where to find me and Frank?" he asked, finding that Parker had stopped shaking his head.
"Reika - she's our driver - has a device that could pinpoint Digital Gates," Yamaki explained. "And who else would come out of a Digital Gate except for you two?"
"You've got a point," Parker muttered. "Yamaki, do you work for Backstep?"
The man shook his head. "No. I work for Project Hypnos, a program that monitors activity in the Digital World. Our headquarters are in West Shinjuku District of Tokyo, Japan, in the world of 200X."
"Wait - you come from another world?" Buck burst, now leaning forward towards the agent. "But … how did you get here? We didn't see you at the Center!"
"The senior staff of Hypnos has created a way to travel between other worlds," Yamaki said, bringing a hand beneath his suit jacket. From an inside pocket he pulled out a small knife engraved with Digital Hieroglyphs. "This is a miniature of the Omega Blade," he explained, "the sword that Holy Angemon possesses. We've learned that it could cut the fabric of space-time by resonating with the texture of other worlds. Each one of these blades is tuned specifically to two worlds - the one I have is tuned to 200X and Earth." He returned the knife to its place within his jacket.
The two Chosen Children nodded blankly. "That still doesn't explain much why you're here," Parker spat, "other than to find us."
Yamaki seemed to be taken aback by Parker's attitude, but his even tone didn't even show that. "Reika and I are going to be infiltrating the Carpathia regime. If you ever need to get an ally on the inside, Frank - which you'd probably want, considering this period in time - I'll be going by the name David Hassid."
"David," Parker muttered. "I'll try to remember that."
The car had by now pulled up to the main terminal of Dulles Airport. Yamaki reached over to open the door. "There's a Learjet in the hangars," he said in a low tone, "but you have to go through the terminal. Security's been tight since the disappearances."
Parker gave a mock salute. "Thanks, Yamaki," he said as he clambered out over Buck, Tentomon flying out behind. "Come on, Buck."
"If you don't mind, Frank, I'd like to speak with Cameron for a moment," Yamaki called out. "Just stand out there by the baggage check-in and wait for us."
Parker sighed, exasperated. "Okay. Just make it quick." He trudged off to the closed check-in booth through the strangely abandoned terminal entryway, without bothering to hide his partner as they moved away.
Now alone, Yamaki closed the limousine door and bent close to Buck. "Cameron?"
Buck sat up at attention, bringing Elecmon close to him. "Yeah?"
"Reika and the senior staff of Hypnos have been monitoring happenings in the Digital World since Parker went back through time-"
"Backstepped," Buck corrected curtly.
"Yes … Backstepped … to undo this 'Digital Conundrum' thing. Well, Cameron, we've noticed in the course of the past few hours some strange … disturbances … in the Digital World - not to mention some other dimensions."
Buck shrugged indifferently. "Okay. What's this got to do with me?"
"Isn't it obvious, Cameron?" Yamaki asked, pointing to the chain around Buck's neck. "Take out your necklace."
Buck had enough experience with government officials to know that this was an order. He pulled out the Tag from beneath his shirt, being sure to show the side engraved with the Crest of Truth.
After some seconds in which Yamaki stared silently at the dog tag, he leaned back and sighed. "Just as I expected."
"What?" Buck tucked the Tag back beneath his shirt.
"That symbol, on the Tag - it covered the monitoring screens at Hypnos!" He leaned towards Buck again, putting his face close to the other man's. "Cameron … does that thing do anything … strange?"
Buck prepared himself to speak, but found himself nodding his head slowly in response instead. There's no way I could tell anyone else about this, he told himself; Frank and the digimon were enough … and what if Andrew and Chloe were watching, too, on the D3?
Yamaki, though, didn't seem to mind Buck's silence. "Well, if whatever that thing does is powerful enough to set off alarms in Hypnos … then it must be important. You be sure to take care of yourself, Cameron."
Buck nodded in farewell as Yamaki pulled himself away from him. He took Elecmon in his arms and opened the door. "Well, if I ever do run into you again, Yamaki," he called out as he walked towards Parker, "be sure to call me Buck."
"Why?" Yamaki yelled from the limo.
"'Cause everyone calls me that!" he replied as Yamaki slammed the door shut and the limo slipped silently away.

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Location - Manhattan, New York
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The jet ride to New York City was rather uneventful. Buck had immediately sunk into sleep, while Parker was corresponding with Owsley on the D3. The digimon had seats to themselves on the plane - there were no other passengers.
Strangely, the pilot - a Hypnos agent named Kenta Kitagawa - didn't ask any questions about Parker and Buck's strange companions. "They're cute little stuffed animals," he had said upon their boarding - but Parker knew it was all a front. There was a shiftiness in his eyes that gave it away all too easily.
Two hours and a hectic taxi drive later, the men and their digimon arrived on Fifth Avenue in the East Village section of Manhattan. Ten-story condominium complexes were sprawled on both sides of the street, easily dwarfed by the silhouette of the Twin Towers to the south.
The taxi driver had dropped his passengers off in front of a fanciful beige-walled condominium complex on the north side of the street. Buck had pulled a traveler's check and handed it to the driver before he drove off. New York cabbies had a taste for traveler's checks: they were exchangeable in dollars, yen, or marks - the three global currencies.
"He likes your traveler's checks, but not Ramsey's credit card," Parker muttered to himself jealously. "I saw that credit-card machine in there, but did he ask me to swipe it? No!"
"You should know by now that traveler's checks are the way to go these days," Buck scolded.
"So now you're the expert. Of course, you're the one with the job that requires you to jump around the globe."
"Just shut up, Frank," Buck grumbled. "I need to get back to my apartment." He pushed past the chrononaut to the entrance of the complex. He shoved his way through the gate, slowing down so that Parker and the digimon could make their way through.
Ten flights of stairs later, the two men reached Buck's penthouse suite. The door, riddled with bullet holes from a raid nearly a month ago, was weak enough for Parker to push over with a light nudge with his elbow. The door fell with a crash, revealing the chaos that had been left untouched.
"Does your place always look like this, Buck?" Elecmon grumbled, jumping into Buck's arms.
Buck gaped in shock. He had known that Mummymon had shot up his apartment - and destroyed his television - but the late-night darkness had hid the rest of the carnage. Now he could see that his entire living quarters had been reduced to fabric, wood, and stuffing strewn across the wooden floor. The entryways to his private office and sleeping quarters, though, still seemed to be intact.
"No, Elecmon," Buck sighed; "I keep this place looking much nicer than this."
The journalist stepped inside, then turned to enter his office. Even after three weeks, the computer was still running - his screensaver with the animated Global Weekly logo was displayed on the monitor. After setting down Elecmon, he moved the mouse, clearing the screensaver. A message on the bottom corner of the screen displayed how much e-mail he had received - almost two hundred.
"Oh, damn it," he muttered, clicking on the number. Immediately a list of mail subject headings flashed on, all of them basically the same thing: WHERE ARE YOU?
The weighted sound of boots on wood signaled to Buck that Parker was entering as well. Footsteps echoed into the office, telling him that the chrononaut was headed for the kitchen nearby. Thankfully, Buck never bought anything perishable - instant ramen was the only thing he could cook.
Lazily, Buck clicked on the most recent of the e-mails, which he had received only - he checked the date on the calendar - five minutes ago. It was from Steve Plank, his boss at the Global Weekly. A brief message flashed onto the screen:

"Cameron, if you're still around, show up at the Weekly today. Nicolae wants you at a press conference. Dress nicely!!! Steve."

"Just what I needed," Buck groaned. "Another close encounter with Nicolae Carpathia. Just my luck."

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Location - Global Weekly New York Headquarters, Manhattan, New York City
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Frank Parker and Buck Williams stood in the opulent - by journalistic terms - office of Steve Plank. The man seated by the desk was only ten years older than Buck, but he still had a youthful air about him. Seemingly authoritative, he sported a gray formal suit, and his graying hair was neatly combed. He eyed Parker suspiciously - he had reason to, for the chrononaut was still in his casual jumpsuit, while Buck had changed into a casual suit.
"And who's this guy that's with you, Buck?" Steve grunted, leaning back in his leather chair.
"I'm Frank Parker, NSA," Parker said, pulling out his NSA identification. "I knew Buck when he was little."
Steve nodded. "You can put that away, Frank," he said, waving him off. He looked to Buck, an angry glint in his gray eyes. "What kind of trouble did you get yourself in to this time, Buck? Your apartment was shot up three weeks ago! I thought you died, until half the computers here showed some kind of battle in a parallel world - and you were in it!"
"I just got some kind of disk from President Carpathia, that's all," Buck said, trying hard to keep himself from saying more. "I guess somebody wanted it."
"I see," Steve muttered. "Well, we're going to hope that this guy doesn't show up at the UN meeting today. President Carpathia moved it to today - thought it wasn't right to have it the day of the disappearances. I'll meet you at the UN Building. The meeting's at three-thirty."
"Alright." He walked out of the office, letting Parker exit before him. He was about to close the office door when Steve called out to him.
"Hey, Buck, what's with that box with stuffed animals you brought to your office?"
Buck chuckled - almost everybody he ran into that day had thought the digimon were toys. "Oh, my brother sent them to me - they belonged to my niece."
"And why bring them here?"
"Uh … they made out to be interesting decorations. Besides, my niece was a casualty of the disappearances - it'd be nice to have something to remind me of her."
"Ah … I see." Steve settled back down in he chair and chewed on a pencil. "Go on then, Buck … and take those stuffed animals with you - the others are jealous."
Buck laughed as he closed the door. "Okay!"

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Location - Assembly Room, United Nations Building, Manhattan, New York City
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Buck and Parker walked calmly into the crowded assembly room twenty minutes early, surprised to find that three-quarters of the people invited were already present. It seemed to be a more formal event than they had assumed - everyone in the room was dressed in formal business suits, and their hair was neatly combed or done up.
Parker was carrying the nondescript cardboard box that held Tentomon and Elecmon. He set it down in the back of the circular room, deep in the shadows where it couldn't be easily detected. "You two doing fine in there?" he said, tapping on the box.
"Just peachy," Elecmon grumbled, obviously displeased. "I just hope this meeting is only a few seconds long."
"Too bad - you're stuck in there for an hour," Parker scolded, rising from his knees and walking back to Buck. "So, where're we going to sit?"
Buck pointed to the circular table in the center of the room, which was surrounded by ten chairs. "I'm sitting at that table," he said. "You have to sit with the rest of the press back here."
Parker nodded. "Good enough for me. I could watch the box." He turned his head around, looking at the group of people milling about the center of the room. "So, who's supposed to be here?"
"Well, Nicolae, apparently," Buck sighed, walking to the center table. Parker started to follow close behind. "And that doctor that created that formula-"
"Chaim Rosenzweig?" Parker gasped. "He's here?"
"According to an e-mail Steve sent me, yeah." He pointed to a gaggle of people near the table. "There he is."
An elderly man, maybe a few inches shorter than Parker, noticed Buck's gesture and excused himself from the group. He scurried over to Buck's side, taking care to smooth out his unruly gray hair and polish his spectacles.
"Ah, yes - Cameron Williams, senior reporter for Global Weekly," the botanist mused in his thick Israeli accent, extending a hand. Buck took it and squeezed it generously. "What a pleasure to meet you again," Chaim continued.
"Same here, Doctor," Buck replied. "I'd like you to meet my friend, Frank Parker."
Parker offered his hand, which Chaim took gladly. "I'm from the NSA," he said.
"Oh, yes - some of your friends offered to guard me, but I shooed them away. Nicolae had a better offer for my formula." The doctor chuckled.
"Right," Parker muttered, freeing his hand from Chaim's grip. He has no idea what he got himself into.
"You know, Cameron-"
"Please," Buck interrupted, exasperated. "Call me Buck."
"Right. Buck. Well, you see, Nicolae is a little late for the meeting. He was supposed to be here ten minutes ago - right when you walked in, as I recall. I'm afraid he may be sick. Do you mind going up to his office down the hall and checking on him? You know where his office is."
Just great - house call on a digimon, Buck thought in disgust. "Sure," he replied reluctantly. "I'll be back soon."
"All right," Chaim sighed. "And you'd better have Nicolae with you when you get back!"
Buck turned and walked away. "If you say so."
Instead of heading for the door, Buck turned to the cardboard box next to it. He opened it, finding Tentomon and Elecmon waiting inside.
"Hey, Elecmon - we're going somewhere," he whispered, making sure nobody was nearby to hear him.
"That's a relief," the digimon sighed, clambering into Buck's arms. "Where to?"
"We're off to President Carpathia's office."
"How lovely," Elecmon grumbled.
Nicolae's office hadn't changed much in three weeks. The nameplate still read NICOLAE CARPATHIA - PRESIDENT OF ROMANIA, but this time the title SECRETARY GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS was added below. The door was opened a crack, a sliver of sunlight flooding onto the carpet in the hallway.
"You think he's in there?" Elecmon said, looking up at Buck. "I wouldn't think he'd leave the door open."
"It doesn't hurt to check," Buck breathed, searching his jacket pockets for his D3. After a few minutes he pulled it out and pointed it at Elecmon. "Digimental Up!"
"Elecmon, armor evolve! Mysterious truth, Kyuubimon!"
The giant golden fox barged into Nicolae's office, taking care not to break the door off the hinges. Beyond the door, the office looked mostly abandoned. A laptop was upon the oak desk, a few CDs scattered by it. The minibar was still fully stocked. The window still opened out to a view of Manhattan dominated by skyscrapers.
"Nobody's home, Buck," Kyuubimon growled. "I think we should check the men's room."
"There is no chance of you escaping from here, Mr. Williams."
"What was that?" Buck asked, stepping into the room until he was flush with his partner. "Who's there?"
The door slammed shut behind him.
"Oh, just an old friend," the crooning voice replied.
Buck spun around, finding a woman with long white hair, purple sunglasses, and a red dress staring back at him. She slapped a tall, red hat over her hair, then chewed lazily on her purple-gloved fingers.
"Delores," Buck breathed, pocketing his D3. The Crest of Truth beneath his dress shirt started to glow slightly. "What are you doing here?"
"Setting my grip on the world - what else would I do?" She started to chuckle. "Nicolae's already at the meeting; I just let Doctor Rosenzweig come up with an excuse for you to come here."
"Shoot," Buck cursed under his breath. "And what are you going to do now?"
Delores removed her finger from her mouth and reached for a few strands of hair. "I'm going to finish what I started!" She ripped five strands of hair from her head and threw them at Buck. "Spider Thread!"
Kyuubimon turned towards Delores and spread out his tails like a fan. "Demon Fireball!"
Nine balls of snickering blue flame shot out from the fox's tails, flying at the thin projectiles. The hairs burned to ashes and scattered onto the floor.
"Damn you, Buck!" Delores shrieked, running out towards the man. She barged into Buck, throwing him to the ground with a thud and harshly knocking the wind from him.
Without time to recover from his shock, Buck threw off Delores, sending her wheeling into the door. He rubbed his neck - it was rather sore - and stood up, but Delores ran to him again and caught him by the throat. Her other hand held up one of her hairs, stiffened into a potent needle.
"You're not going to escape, Cameron Williams," Delores crooned, increasing her grip on the man's neck. Her eyes, hidden behind her sunglasses, squinted sinisterly as Buck struggled to breathe, his hands pawing at hers.
Don't do it, Archnemon!
Delores turned at the sound, laying low her weapon. "Who dares tell me?"
I do. The voice seemed to come from the laptop.
Delores seemed to now recognize the voice's authority. She dropped the needle and released Buck. The journalist gasped and rubbed his neck, where red marks showed where Delores had gripped him.
It is not his due time yet, the voice from the laptop lowed. You know what he is. Stand down! You'll get your chance seven years from now.
Delores sighed in disgust. "I hate how destiny works," she grumbled as she walked to the laptop. She pressed a finger against the screen and looked up at Buck. "I'll get you one of these days, Buck," she crooned. "Digital Gate … open!"
And in a flash of blue light, Delores was gone.
Kyuubimon padded to Buck's side and looked at him. "Who was that, on the computer?" he asked, staring at the desk.
"Beats me," Buck sighed, pulling his Tag from beneath his shirt. "I just wonder … does he know about my connection with the Guardian?"
Kyuubimon turned his head from Buck. "For some reason, I don't think it was talking about that," he muttered.
"What? I didn't hear that."
"Oh, nothing." The fox glowed with a golden light and reverted to Elecmon. "Besides, I think the meeting's over. Let's get back to Frank."
Buck nodded. "Sounds like a good idea."

['Til the End of the World, ending animation, and credits play....]

NEXT TIME ON DIGITAL CONUNDRUM....
Buck returns to the United Nations meeting - and he and Parker find something strange going on! But that's not all that goes wrong! When the Chosen Children return to the temporary Backstep headquarters in Chicago, they find a message from the last Chosen Child - Tsion Ben-Judah! Now it's a race against time to get to him, before Delores and Nicolae do! And at the same time, a terrible contract that begins the true atrocities of the Digital Conundrum is signed by two renowned men.... To find out more, read on in Backstep 15: The Last Chosen Child Found! Tsion's Revelation!