A crack in the code. Some leak in the system. A glitch. Whatever it was let
something REAL into the cosmic world and now, that real thing, was using
energy at an astonishing rate. Crops were diminishing, more power was
supplied, and more crops diminished. The code would be easily cracked wide
open, completely destroyed soon.
"We must find the source of the drain of power or the Matrix will be in danger of major malfunction."
Smith your assignment; Find the crack in the code, identify the source of energy hemorrhage and resolve it.
Smith walked assertively through the streets of Chicago. He had never lacked confidence, purpose or power, but now the power was weakening. As he approached the lake he felt a drain. "More power is necessary." His words slurred slightly. The Matrix provided him with more energy.
********************************************************
Eventually she shut off the water and climbed out of the tub. Drying herself off she wrapped her long hair in a towel and plopped it atop her head. She walked out of her bathroom into her bedroom to put on some fresh clothes.
"Jacqueline."
Startled she looked up to see Elrond staring at her, and she was once again naked, but this time in broad daylight. "Oh Shhhhhhhhhhh" she ran back into her bathroom and slammed the door shut. "it!" She climbed back in the tub and sat on the cold wet floor pulling her knees to her chest.
Elrond knocked on the door.
"Go away!"
"Please Lady Jacqueline, I need to speak with you."
"My name is Kat. I only gave Gandalf permission to use my other name. Now go away!"
Leaning against the door between them Elrond continued. "Your daughter explained to me her thoughts on how we arrived here. Some inexplicable space and time travel concept. If it was not for the fact that I am indeed here, I would not have believed it was possible, however,"
"Go away!" She shouted at the door while mulling over Jess's newest theory. It was her hope that none of this was real, it was all a bad dream and they really would go away.
"As I see it." He continued undaunted, "we need to repair the machine ah" he paused "computer in order to return us to our proper place and time, which I dearly desire."
"What part of Go Away do you not understand?" she screamed sarcastically at the door.
He opened the door.
Quickly she yanked the towel off her hair and covered herself with it. "Apparently you do not understand any part of it."
"Lady Jacqueline!" The tone of his voice was so strong and stern it scared her. "You will not speak to me with such disrespect."
That just pissed her off. "Listen here Mr. Elrond." She said angrily starting to stand up while keeping herself covered. "This is MY home and YOU are the guest." Putting a sarcastic emphasis on the word guest. "You will not tell me how or what I can or cannot say." Standing to face him, but still in the tub, she slipped on the wet floor. "Oh Shit." In that instant she had to choose between the humiliation of falling and the humiliation of being seen naked again. She chose and fell with a crash cracking her head against the wall on the way down but keeping herself fully covered with the towel. "Shit!" Feeling woozy she rubbed her head and then tenderly examined her hip that was beginning to bruise. "Shit!"
"Lady Jacqueline, please explain to me the fascination you have with excrement."
She looked up at him and blinked her eyes. A sound somewhere between a muffled laugh and a choked sob escaped her throat. Then she began to cry again.
He reached down to touch her and she cringed back away from him.
"I will not hurt you." He assured her again.
Teary eyed she looked into his kind and ageless face. "I'm quite certain you will." She whispered and then pleaded with him. "Please, just leave me alone. Let me get dressed" She had reached the end of her tears and felt completely empty.
Kat waited until she heard Elrond leave her bedroom and close the door before she moved again. Everything hurt. "Oh shit." She said, and then laughed remembering his comment and cringed from the pain of the laughter. She climbed out of the tub trying not to cry out from the pain. She had the usual urge to say shit but she knew the inevitable laugh that would follow would hurt. She crawled to her dresser and pulled out some sweats.
The thought of even attempting to put on more than that made her hurt. She pulled her largest sweatshirt over her head, hoping it would hide the fact that she was not wearing a bra. She was certain she couldn't get one of those on right now. Standing slowly she forced her legs to cooperate enough to get into a pair of loose sweat pants. She tried to stretch. "Oh Shi" she laughed "damn him, he ruined my favorite line." Feeling dizzy and disoriented she leaned against her dresser and rubbed the back of her head. It was bleeding. "Jess" she yelled weakly.
Jess ran down the hall sounding a lot like a herd of elephants and skidded into her mother's bedroom door stopping just short of crashing. "Should I come in?" she asked at the door.
"Please" Kat replied weakly and somewhat irritated as well.
Jess slipped into the room and then stared at her mom. "Mom! What happened?" panic rising in her voice she approached her mother and asked "Should I take you to the hospital?"
"That sounds like a good idea" Kat replied half smiling, always trying to keep things light for Jess. "But you need to call your dad so he doesn't come over." Kat sat down on the floor and then lay down. Jess grabbed the towel and put it under her head. "I'll call an ambulance."
Kat tried to argue but couldn't. Gandalf appeared at the door but didn't enter the room still respecting his promise to Kat. "What is the problem? Perhaps I can help?"
"My mom," distraught she cried "she's hurt."
Losing consciousness Kat closed her eyes and went pale.
"I need to call 911."
Elrond pushed past both of them and went to Kat. Kneeling beside her he stroked her head and gently whispered softly in Elvish to her. Her eyes fluttered slightly as she tried to focus on him. She sighed and closed them again resignedly. The bleeding stopped and almost immediately her color returned. "Go away please." She whimpered, "Let me die in peace."
"You will not die today Lady Jacqueline" Elrond leaned over her and whispered in her ear "Sí are útyel nuruesse."
Everyone else started suddenly with the loud knock on the front door. "Sh" Kat started to mumble but Elrond put his hand over her mouth.
"Mom, dad is here." Jess said panicking.
"JessiLee, you will work with your father to repair the machine. We will wait in here with your mother. I assure you I will not let her die." Elrond commanded her. "Go now, and open the door."
"Okay" she nodded in a confused daze. She stepped out in the hallway and noticed the table full of food and dishes. "Quick, help me clean this up, he'll never believe all that was just for mom and me." She ran to the table but Gandalf held up his staff and said just a few words and the mess disappeared.
"Cool" Jess whispered as she went to the front door. Gandalf and Legolas stepped into Kat's room and shut the door.
"JESSILEE!" her dad was shouting in the hallway now knocking madly on the door. "Are you in there?"
She ran wildly to the door and whipped it open. "Hi daddy!"
"What took you so long? And why didn't you go to school today?"
"Sorry dad."
"What about school?" he asked again.
"Uh, mom, mom is sick, so, I overslept, and I missed the bus." She paused and tried to think of some logical explanation. "And then I figured I'd just hang out here and help her out and make sure she was okay because she stayed home and you know she never does that unless she's like on her deathbed or something." She lied as fast as she could think.
"Is she okay?" his concern was genuine.
"Uh yeah, I think so, maybe it's the flu or something."
"I should check on her."
"No! I mean, no, dad she just fell asleep, and, yeah, um, she is really tired and I don't want to wake her up."
"Okay JessiLee." He patted her shoulder, "Calm down. She'll be fine. Come help me bring up your new computer," he added with a smile. She grabbed her keys and followed him out. "We better use the elevator, it's huge!"
****************************************************
Kat opened her eyes again. Elrond Gandalf and Legolas were watching her. "Your still here?" she asked. She closed her eyes again.
"Perhaps she would be better off in her bed?" Gandalf suggested looking at Elrond.
"Perhaps." Elrond reluctantly agreed, picking her up and moving her. He laid her on the top of her bed and then put a blanket over her. He stroked her head tenderly where the wound had been.
"What do you make of these paintings Master Elrond?" Gandalf asked examining the murals painted on her walls.
Elrond joined him looking at the walls. "I was studying them earlier." He admitted. "They remind me very much of Imladris. Of Rivendell." He gazed at the walls. "This here" he pointed to the west wall, "Reminds me of spring, the wildflowers blooming, the trees just starting their buds, and the children playing."
Gandalf and Legolas followed him. "Ah yes, and north wall, the one with the window, resembles the lush waters of summer. The deep greens leaves, the beautiful full falls glimmering in the summer twilight."
"I agree Gandalf, I thought the same thing, and the children have grown to young adults." Elrond mused. "And this wall" he pointed to the east wall, "reminds me very much of autumn."
Legolas touched the trunk of a painted birch. "The canopy of golden leaves," he ran his fingers longingly on the painted white bark, "the bright bark, the rich mossy green floor. It is stunning. It makes me long for home." His blue eyes misted slightly but he quickly regained his composure. "It is not yet complete though is it?"
"Nay Legolas, it would seem to be a work in progress, one of the many on the walls in this," Elrond paused thoughtfully, "this place."
Jess made as much noise as she could when re-entering the apartment. They took the cue and went silent. Legolas sat on the glider and rocked smoothly.
****************************************************
"There you go JessiLee." He said at last. He had completely disassembled the computer and explained it all in detail to her before completing the installation. He flipped the switch to turn it on. "I also brought you a UPS with a surge protector" he smiled "I can't afford to build you four computers a month."
"Sorry daddy." She threw her arms around him and hugged him hard. "Thank you so much for this."
"Are you okay?" he asked surprised at his daughter's sudden and uncharacteristic affection towards him.
"Yes daddy. I'm fine, just tired I think."
"Should we check on your mother before I leave?"
"No, that's okay dad. She needs her sleep."
He eyed her suspiciously but relented. "I'll see you next weekend?"
"Sure dad." She kissed his cheek. "Bye." He left and she locked the door behind him. Then she raced to the computer and logged on.
****************************************************
She logged on as Ping not wasting any time. She needed help and she needed it quick.
"Ping! You're back."
"I am Giz, and I need help."
"What's wrong?"
"Remember how I was thinking about books becoming real and all that?"
"Yes, I remember."
"Well it happened."
"What?"
"The sites you sent me to, I downloaded some character profiles and some stories from them and the actual characters appeared here in my home."
"No way."
"Yes, way, and I don't know how to get rid of them."
****************************************************
"Is the machine repaired? Can we return home?"
"What?" She spun and looked at Legolas standing behind her. "Don't do that to me, you scared me."
"I am sorry Jess." He smiled at her.
She melted. "Are you sure you want to go home?" she asked.
"Of course, I do not belong here in your world. Mine is quiet and peaceful and filled with music and magic. There is no other place like it and none I would rather be in."
"Of course." She sighed. "I am trying to find out what happened and get help in getting you home, but I don't know how long it will take or even how to do it."
Gandalf joined them. Legolas looked hopefully at the screen as she continued typing.
"When can we expect to be returned to our proper place and time?"
"She does not know." Legolas stated wistfully.
"Very well then, we will simply explore our new surroundings while we wait."
"No!" Jess heard him and stopped typing. "Don't go out there."
"Why not Miss JessiLee?" Gandalf asked.
"There is something I haven't told you yet." She squirmed. "Give me one minute okay? I will tell you in a minute."
****************************************************
"Giz"
"Ping, what happened?"
"Listen, I only have a minute. First, my last computer did that weird green scrolly thing and then blew up, and I mean blew up. It was charred."
"So, you obviously have a new computer?"
"Yeah, my dad took care of it for me. Okay, second, Gandalf, Elrond, and Legolas are here in my apartment with me, right now."
"What the hell are you talking about? They are not real, they are imaginary book characters."
"Giz, they are standing here watching the data on my screen. I don't think they'd agree with your assessment of them."
"Ping, Are you okay? I'm sending someone there to help you."
"NO! Do NOT send anyone yet. There is more. Wait, I'll brb."
****************************************************
"Gandalf." She needed to tell him now.
"Yes?" He had been watching her type. "Ping?"
Wide eyed she stared terrified at him. "Do NOT call me that. It is VERY important you NEVER call me that."
"Very well."
"Gandalf, you know how I kind of somehow brought you here? Well," she paused and took a breath. "I brought some others here too." Breaking out in a cold sweat she was rubbing her fingers together nervously.
"Everything will be fine Miss JessiLee. I assure you. I know that others are here." He touched her head gently and she calmed down and took a breath.
"The others you don't know about are the problem Gandalf." She again stared at her fingers nervously. "I brought two others I didn't tell you about yet."
Legolas and Gandalf stared at her expectantly.
"I brought this." She pulled the one ring out of her pocket. Gandalf visibly upset backed away from the ring. "And, Sauron." She added.
****************************************************
"Ping, Ping, Are you there?"
"Hold on Giz"
****************************************************
She stared at Gandalf again waiting for some kind of response. Legolas was pacing nervously. "I will get Lord Elrond. He must know of this at once." He ran nimbly down the hall to Kat's room where Elrond was looking at her wound. She was still sound asleep.
"Sauron?" Gandalf asked incredulously.
"Yes sir." Suddenly she felt like she was a five year old confessing to having stolen a candy bar.
"Sauron?" he repeated.
"And the One Ring."
Her UPS beeped one quick warning. She whipped around and logged off and yanked the power cord and the network cable out of the wall quickly. The lights in the room flickered briefly and then went out. It was still light out, the sun hadn't set completely, but it cast yellow and orange hues across the room through the northern exposure. The computer was safe, but she was scared to death.
****************************************************
Waves rippled across the surface of Lake Michigan. Boats rocked. Out over the lake a dark form took shape, dissolved and took shape again. The waters crashed into the shores in Chicago, Michigan City, Manitowoc, and Muskegon at the same time. The dark form drifted across the surface of the water, destroying everything in its wake. The cities and surrounding suburbs went dark.
Smith slowed his pace not by choice, but by necessity. The drain was excruciating. He was being drawn along with the rest of the power, to the center of the lake. He resisted.
****************************************************
"Sauron?" Gandalf's voice echoed in the strange light glowing in the room.
"I'm sorry." Jess whimpered.
"And the One Ring?" He took her hand in his but did not touch the ring. "You are not the ring bearer."
She pulled out the ring from under her shirt, the one she had worn since she was ten. "I know I am not the chosen ring-bearer, but I've worn this one around my neck for seven years now. Please trust me, I won't fail you. I want more than anything to undo what I've done, but I need your help. I think in part it is Sauron causing the power drains and surges here. And to tell you the truth, I don't want him to stay here, I want him gone too."
Elrond joined them and heard enough of the conversation to know what had happened. "The one ring" he said with awe and angst. "and Sauron." He looked at Jess, then Legolas and at last Gandalf. "Sauron will not rest until he has the One Ring. Danger is upon us, more than we had feared. I do not know if my powers here will be enough to protect us, to hide the ring."
"No Master Elrond, I fear they may not be. For if our list of allies in our own time and place is thin, even more so here."
Elrond inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly and walked slowly down the hall deep in thought. Jess just sat staring at the black computer screen. Legolas paced quietly and then went to Jess. "Do not be so distraught Jess."
"You are so kind Legolas." Terror in her eyes and her voice shaking "you should be angry with me, furious, and hate me, yet you comfort me."
"This is not your doing Jess, of that I am sure. You will do your best for your heart is good. I see when I look in your eyes. Your heart is good, pure and true." He rested his hand reassuringly on her shoulder.
"Thank you." her eyes misted and a tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it away with the back of her sleeve. "My mother! How is my mother?" she ran down the hall to Kats bedroom. Elrond was sitting on the bed next to her. She was still asleep.
"Is she okay?"
Elrond looked up at Jess. "Yes, physically she will be fine. Her head will heal, as will her bones that may have been broken. However, I fear she will not be the same."
"Why? What happened?"
"She does not want to wake up. I believe she is overwhelmed with all that has happened and cannot accept it. It is probably best that you did not tell her about the One Ring and Sauron." He stroked Kat's hair away from her face again as she sighed softly.
"She looks so peaceful, maybe it's best if she sleeps," Jess stammered, remembering she had told her mom about Sauron and feeling tremendously guilty, "But, but, I need her."
"Yes you do JessiLee, and as a father I understand the bond between a parent and child. It is just that bond that will likely be what makes the difference." Elrond got up and left Jess alone with her mom.
"We must find the source of the drain of power or the Matrix will be in danger of major malfunction."
Smith your assignment; Find the crack in the code, identify the source of energy hemorrhage and resolve it.
Smith walked assertively through the streets of Chicago. He had never lacked confidence, purpose or power, but now the power was weakening. As he approached the lake he felt a drain. "More power is necessary." His words slurred slightly. The Matrix provided him with more energy.
********************************************************
Eventually she shut off the water and climbed out of the tub. Drying herself off she wrapped her long hair in a towel and plopped it atop her head. She walked out of her bathroom into her bedroom to put on some fresh clothes.
"Jacqueline."
Startled she looked up to see Elrond staring at her, and she was once again naked, but this time in broad daylight. "Oh Shhhhhhhhhhh" she ran back into her bathroom and slammed the door shut. "it!" She climbed back in the tub and sat on the cold wet floor pulling her knees to her chest.
Elrond knocked on the door.
"Go away!"
"Please Lady Jacqueline, I need to speak with you."
"My name is Kat. I only gave Gandalf permission to use my other name. Now go away!"
Leaning against the door between them Elrond continued. "Your daughter explained to me her thoughts on how we arrived here. Some inexplicable space and time travel concept. If it was not for the fact that I am indeed here, I would not have believed it was possible, however,"
"Go away!" She shouted at the door while mulling over Jess's newest theory. It was her hope that none of this was real, it was all a bad dream and they really would go away.
"As I see it." He continued undaunted, "we need to repair the machine ah" he paused "computer in order to return us to our proper place and time, which I dearly desire."
"What part of Go Away do you not understand?" she screamed sarcastically at the door.
He opened the door.
Quickly she yanked the towel off her hair and covered herself with it. "Apparently you do not understand any part of it."
"Lady Jacqueline!" The tone of his voice was so strong and stern it scared her. "You will not speak to me with such disrespect."
That just pissed her off. "Listen here Mr. Elrond." She said angrily starting to stand up while keeping herself covered. "This is MY home and YOU are the guest." Putting a sarcastic emphasis on the word guest. "You will not tell me how or what I can or cannot say." Standing to face him, but still in the tub, she slipped on the wet floor. "Oh Shit." In that instant she had to choose between the humiliation of falling and the humiliation of being seen naked again. She chose and fell with a crash cracking her head against the wall on the way down but keeping herself fully covered with the towel. "Shit!" Feeling woozy she rubbed her head and then tenderly examined her hip that was beginning to bruise. "Shit!"
"Lady Jacqueline, please explain to me the fascination you have with excrement."
She looked up at him and blinked her eyes. A sound somewhere between a muffled laugh and a choked sob escaped her throat. Then she began to cry again.
He reached down to touch her and she cringed back away from him.
"I will not hurt you." He assured her again.
Teary eyed she looked into his kind and ageless face. "I'm quite certain you will." She whispered and then pleaded with him. "Please, just leave me alone. Let me get dressed" She had reached the end of her tears and felt completely empty.
Kat waited until she heard Elrond leave her bedroom and close the door before she moved again. Everything hurt. "Oh shit." She said, and then laughed remembering his comment and cringed from the pain of the laughter. She climbed out of the tub trying not to cry out from the pain. She had the usual urge to say shit but she knew the inevitable laugh that would follow would hurt. She crawled to her dresser and pulled out some sweats.
The thought of even attempting to put on more than that made her hurt. She pulled her largest sweatshirt over her head, hoping it would hide the fact that she was not wearing a bra. She was certain she couldn't get one of those on right now. Standing slowly she forced her legs to cooperate enough to get into a pair of loose sweat pants. She tried to stretch. "Oh Shi" she laughed "damn him, he ruined my favorite line." Feeling dizzy and disoriented she leaned against her dresser and rubbed the back of her head. It was bleeding. "Jess" she yelled weakly.
Jess ran down the hall sounding a lot like a herd of elephants and skidded into her mother's bedroom door stopping just short of crashing. "Should I come in?" she asked at the door.
"Please" Kat replied weakly and somewhat irritated as well.
Jess slipped into the room and then stared at her mom. "Mom! What happened?" panic rising in her voice she approached her mother and asked "Should I take you to the hospital?"
"That sounds like a good idea" Kat replied half smiling, always trying to keep things light for Jess. "But you need to call your dad so he doesn't come over." Kat sat down on the floor and then lay down. Jess grabbed the towel and put it under her head. "I'll call an ambulance."
Kat tried to argue but couldn't. Gandalf appeared at the door but didn't enter the room still respecting his promise to Kat. "What is the problem? Perhaps I can help?"
"My mom," distraught she cried "she's hurt."
Losing consciousness Kat closed her eyes and went pale.
"I need to call 911."
Elrond pushed past both of them and went to Kat. Kneeling beside her he stroked her head and gently whispered softly in Elvish to her. Her eyes fluttered slightly as she tried to focus on him. She sighed and closed them again resignedly. The bleeding stopped and almost immediately her color returned. "Go away please." She whimpered, "Let me die in peace."
"You will not die today Lady Jacqueline" Elrond leaned over her and whispered in her ear "Sí are útyel nuruesse."
Everyone else started suddenly with the loud knock on the front door. "Sh" Kat started to mumble but Elrond put his hand over her mouth.
"Mom, dad is here." Jess said panicking.
"JessiLee, you will work with your father to repair the machine. We will wait in here with your mother. I assure you I will not let her die." Elrond commanded her. "Go now, and open the door."
"Okay" she nodded in a confused daze. She stepped out in the hallway and noticed the table full of food and dishes. "Quick, help me clean this up, he'll never believe all that was just for mom and me." She ran to the table but Gandalf held up his staff and said just a few words and the mess disappeared.
"Cool" Jess whispered as she went to the front door. Gandalf and Legolas stepped into Kat's room and shut the door.
"JESSILEE!" her dad was shouting in the hallway now knocking madly on the door. "Are you in there?"
She ran wildly to the door and whipped it open. "Hi daddy!"
"What took you so long? And why didn't you go to school today?"
"Sorry dad."
"What about school?" he asked again.
"Uh, mom, mom is sick, so, I overslept, and I missed the bus." She paused and tried to think of some logical explanation. "And then I figured I'd just hang out here and help her out and make sure she was okay because she stayed home and you know she never does that unless she's like on her deathbed or something." She lied as fast as she could think.
"Is she okay?" his concern was genuine.
"Uh yeah, I think so, maybe it's the flu or something."
"I should check on her."
"No! I mean, no, dad she just fell asleep, and, yeah, um, she is really tired and I don't want to wake her up."
"Okay JessiLee." He patted her shoulder, "Calm down. She'll be fine. Come help me bring up your new computer," he added with a smile. She grabbed her keys and followed him out. "We better use the elevator, it's huge!"
****************************************************
Kat opened her eyes again. Elrond Gandalf and Legolas were watching her. "Your still here?" she asked. She closed her eyes again.
"Perhaps she would be better off in her bed?" Gandalf suggested looking at Elrond.
"Perhaps." Elrond reluctantly agreed, picking her up and moving her. He laid her on the top of her bed and then put a blanket over her. He stroked her head tenderly where the wound had been.
"What do you make of these paintings Master Elrond?" Gandalf asked examining the murals painted on her walls.
Elrond joined him looking at the walls. "I was studying them earlier." He admitted. "They remind me very much of Imladris. Of Rivendell." He gazed at the walls. "This here" he pointed to the west wall, "Reminds me of spring, the wildflowers blooming, the trees just starting their buds, and the children playing."
Gandalf and Legolas followed him. "Ah yes, and north wall, the one with the window, resembles the lush waters of summer. The deep greens leaves, the beautiful full falls glimmering in the summer twilight."
"I agree Gandalf, I thought the same thing, and the children have grown to young adults." Elrond mused. "And this wall" he pointed to the east wall, "reminds me very much of autumn."
Legolas touched the trunk of a painted birch. "The canopy of golden leaves," he ran his fingers longingly on the painted white bark, "the bright bark, the rich mossy green floor. It is stunning. It makes me long for home." His blue eyes misted slightly but he quickly regained his composure. "It is not yet complete though is it?"
"Nay Legolas, it would seem to be a work in progress, one of the many on the walls in this," Elrond paused thoughtfully, "this place."
Jess made as much noise as she could when re-entering the apartment. They took the cue and went silent. Legolas sat on the glider and rocked smoothly.
****************************************************
"There you go JessiLee." He said at last. He had completely disassembled the computer and explained it all in detail to her before completing the installation. He flipped the switch to turn it on. "I also brought you a UPS with a surge protector" he smiled "I can't afford to build you four computers a month."
"Sorry daddy." She threw her arms around him and hugged him hard. "Thank you so much for this."
"Are you okay?" he asked surprised at his daughter's sudden and uncharacteristic affection towards him.
"Yes daddy. I'm fine, just tired I think."
"Should we check on your mother before I leave?"
"No, that's okay dad. She needs her sleep."
He eyed her suspiciously but relented. "I'll see you next weekend?"
"Sure dad." She kissed his cheek. "Bye." He left and she locked the door behind him. Then she raced to the computer and logged on.
****************************************************
She logged on as Ping not wasting any time. She needed help and she needed it quick.
"Ping! You're back."
"I am Giz, and I need help."
"What's wrong?"
"Remember how I was thinking about books becoming real and all that?"
"Yes, I remember."
"Well it happened."
"What?"
"The sites you sent me to, I downloaded some character profiles and some stories from them and the actual characters appeared here in my home."
"No way."
"Yes, way, and I don't know how to get rid of them."
****************************************************
"Is the machine repaired? Can we return home?"
"What?" She spun and looked at Legolas standing behind her. "Don't do that to me, you scared me."
"I am sorry Jess." He smiled at her.
She melted. "Are you sure you want to go home?" she asked.
"Of course, I do not belong here in your world. Mine is quiet and peaceful and filled with music and magic. There is no other place like it and none I would rather be in."
"Of course." She sighed. "I am trying to find out what happened and get help in getting you home, but I don't know how long it will take or even how to do it."
Gandalf joined them. Legolas looked hopefully at the screen as she continued typing.
"When can we expect to be returned to our proper place and time?"
"She does not know." Legolas stated wistfully.
"Very well then, we will simply explore our new surroundings while we wait."
"No!" Jess heard him and stopped typing. "Don't go out there."
"Why not Miss JessiLee?" Gandalf asked.
"There is something I haven't told you yet." She squirmed. "Give me one minute okay? I will tell you in a minute."
****************************************************
"Giz"
"Ping, what happened?"
"Listen, I only have a minute. First, my last computer did that weird green scrolly thing and then blew up, and I mean blew up. It was charred."
"So, you obviously have a new computer?"
"Yeah, my dad took care of it for me. Okay, second, Gandalf, Elrond, and Legolas are here in my apartment with me, right now."
"What the hell are you talking about? They are not real, they are imaginary book characters."
"Giz, they are standing here watching the data on my screen. I don't think they'd agree with your assessment of them."
"Ping, Are you okay? I'm sending someone there to help you."
"NO! Do NOT send anyone yet. There is more. Wait, I'll brb."
****************************************************
"Gandalf." She needed to tell him now.
"Yes?" He had been watching her type. "Ping?"
Wide eyed she stared terrified at him. "Do NOT call me that. It is VERY important you NEVER call me that."
"Very well."
"Gandalf, you know how I kind of somehow brought you here? Well," she paused and took a breath. "I brought some others here too." Breaking out in a cold sweat she was rubbing her fingers together nervously.
"Everything will be fine Miss JessiLee. I assure you. I know that others are here." He touched her head gently and she calmed down and took a breath.
"The others you don't know about are the problem Gandalf." She again stared at her fingers nervously. "I brought two others I didn't tell you about yet."
Legolas and Gandalf stared at her expectantly.
"I brought this." She pulled the one ring out of her pocket. Gandalf visibly upset backed away from the ring. "And, Sauron." She added.
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"Ping, Ping, Are you there?"
"Hold on Giz"
****************************************************
She stared at Gandalf again waiting for some kind of response. Legolas was pacing nervously. "I will get Lord Elrond. He must know of this at once." He ran nimbly down the hall to Kat's room where Elrond was looking at her wound. She was still sound asleep.
"Sauron?" Gandalf asked incredulously.
"Yes sir." Suddenly she felt like she was a five year old confessing to having stolen a candy bar.
"Sauron?" he repeated.
"And the One Ring."
Her UPS beeped one quick warning. She whipped around and logged off and yanked the power cord and the network cable out of the wall quickly. The lights in the room flickered briefly and then went out. It was still light out, the sun hadn't set completely, but it cast yellow and orange hues across the room through the northern exposure. The computer was safe, but she was scared to death.
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Waves rippled across the surface of Lake Michigan. Boats rocked. Out over the lake a dark form took shape, dissolved and took shape again. The waters crashed into the shores in Chicago, Michigan City, Manitowoc, and Muskegon at the same time. The dark form drifted across the surface of the water, destroying everything in its wake. The cities and surrounding suburbs went dark.
Smith slowed his pace not by choice, but by necessity. The drain was excruciating. He was being drawn along with the rest of the power, to the center of the lake. He resisted.
****************************************************
"Sauron?" Gandalf's voice echoed in the strange light glowing in the room.
"I'm sorry." Jess whimpered.
"And the One Ring?" He took her hand in his but did not touch the ring. "You are not the ring bearer."
She pulled out the ring from under her shirt, the one she had worn since she was ten. "I know I am not the chosen ring-bearer, but I've worn this one around my neck for seven years now. Please trust me, I won't fail you. I want more than anything to undo what I've done, but I need your help. I think in part it is Sauron causing the power drains and surges here. And to tell you the truth, I don't want him to stay here, I want him gone too."
Elrond joined them and heard enough of the conversation to know what had happened. "The one ring" he said with awe and angst. "and Sauron." He looked at Jess, then Legolas and at last Gandalf. "Sauron will not rest until he has the One Ring. Danger is upon us, more than we had feared. I do not know if my powers here will be enough to protect us, to hide the ring."
"No Master Elrond, I fear they may not be. For if our list of allies in our own time and place is thin, even more so here."
Elrond inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly and walked slowly down the hall deep in thought. Jess just sat staring at the black computer screen. Legolas paced quietly and then went to Jess. "Do not be so distraught Jess."
"You are so kind Legolas." Terror in her eyes and her voice shaking "you should be angry with me, furious, and hate me, yet you comfort me."
"This is not your doing Jess, of that I am sure. You will do your best for your heart is good. I see when I look in your eyes. Your heart is good, pure and true." He rested his hand reassuringly on her shoulder.
"Thank you." her eyes misted and a tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it away with the back of her sleeve. "My mother! How is my mother?" she ran down the hall to Kats bedroom. Elrond was sitting on the bed next to her. She was still asleep.
"Is she okay?"
Elrond looked up at Jess. "Yes, physically she will be fine. Her head will heal, as will her bones that may have been broken. However, I fear she will not be the same."
"Why? What happened?"
"She does not want to wake up. I believe she is overwhelmed with all that has happened and cannot accept it. It is probably best that you did not tell her about the One Ring and Sauron." He stroked Kat's hair away from her face again as she sighed softly.
"She looks so peaceful, maybe it's best if she sleeps," Jess stammered, remembering she had told her mom about Sauron and feeling tremendously guilty, "But, but, I need her."
"Yes you do JessiLee, and as a father I understand the bond between a parent and child. It is just that bond that will likely be what makes the difference." Elrond got up and left Jess alone with her mom.