AUTHOR'S NOTE: Finally, an update! Thank you all for being patient! This chapter finally introduces the concept of parallel universes: The Negaverse and The Normalverse. I recently took on a second job, so I'm doing the full-time college thing with two jobs. I'll get the next installment started as soon as possible, but there's no telling when that will be.
TO PAST REVIEWERS: THANK YOU! Thanks so much for all of your kind reviews. Please, keep them coming. I appreciate them very, very much!
DISCLAIMER: Jake Mallard and Agent Anderson are © me. J. Gander Hooter and Drake Mallard are © Disney. Jacob Mallard and Gail Mallard appear courtesy of and are © Amanda Rohrssen.
CHAPTER 12
Becoming the chief agent of SHUSH, I regained two main aspects of my character: importance and power. They were things that I had possessed as a CEO in the past and were a major part of my demeanor. I wasn't myself when I didn't feel important or have power.
After the incident with Ava and receiving my promotion, I became a different person. Nearly unrecognizable. Being double-crossed and betrayed by a woman I had put my trust had in turned me into a cold, cynical bastard. And becoming second-in-command at SHUSH boasted my ego out of proportion.
The first few months of being Chief Agent Mallard were exhilarating. I fell right into the position with no difficulty, for I knew how to run an empire with authority. Director Hooter considered me his prime advisor and put all of his confidence in me. No longer was I following the orders of others. Now I was the one giving orders and relishing in the way that the younger recruits looked up to me. The stories of my own recruitment and experiences became notorious throughout the organization. I had become a towering icon.
However, the adrenaline was short lived. The core of my duties involved supervising the head agents and the occasional mission which no other agent was qualified to perform. Still, I found the lack of challenge I quicky began to experience bored me.
But I managed to find ways to spend my free time. Along with my promotion came an increase in salary. I was able to move into a swank apartment in a high-class area of St. Canard and drove only the luxurious cars, including a beloved new Aston Martin. Perhaps I was only drawn to the high-class lifestyle because it was so familiar and filled with better memories of the past.
And I had women. Many women. They were drawn to my finances, snarling after it like ravaging wolves. And since many of them were recruits at SHUSH, hoping to rise quickly in the positional latter, they were attracted to my position of power. Heartless, greedy wenches. Little did they know that they would meet their match. I held dozens of women in my bed to satisfy my libido, promising them advancement in SHUSH's hierarchy. And every time I was with a woman, I thought of Abigail. I missed her dearly and would always see her face in front of me. After being fulfilled, I would lay awake with a beautiful woman asleep in my arms who meant nothing to me other than sex, counting the minutes until the sun came up and I could escape. Within the week, those women would find themselves dismissed from SHUSH for 'disclosed reasons.' I used women and disposed of them like a tissue.
I continued to be plagued by horrendous nightmares. Every night. The memories of my own abusive childhood and of my murderous rampage on my family played like a movie in my mind. And I was helpless to stop it. No matter how much I screamed, no matter how much I tried, I was forced to watch myself become a monster.
The best dreams I had were the ones depicting my life finally ending. I was with my family again, without a care in the world. Only then would I be purely happy again.
I longed for some excitement. For a challenge. I was still young, only 35 years old, and I desired for more. Little did I know at the time that I was about to embark of the greatest challenge of my life.
"I don't care which one of them had been using the nitrate! The fact that YOU were the head agent in charge of that department shows your neglect in supervising your recruits, Agent!" I barked at the agent who stiffly stood in front of my desk, desperately trying not to flinch at my harsh reprimand. I was sitting in a large, black leather chair and leaning over my cherrywood desk while I shouted my discipline in a strong voice. "And now, the entire east science lab is char-broiled!"
The petrified agent managed to find his voice. "Sir, I assure you that I will..."
"I don't care what you do! Just fix it!"
He nodded vigorously, not daring to utter another word. Quickly, he turned on his heels and opened my office door to make his leave in haste. Just as he left, Agent Anderson had arrived. He watched the fear-struck agent retreat with a raised eyebrow before stepping into my office. "Hey, Jake."
I sighed, exasperated, and leaned back in my chair while stressfully rubbing my temples. "Derek."
Anderson looked in the direction the agent had disappeared before turning back to me with a smirk. "Scare the shit out of another one, did you?"
I looked up at him with a purely puzzled expression. "Why do I have to yell at everyone in order for anything to be done right?"
He laughed at my misfortune. However, I found nothing funny and I glared at him bitterly.
"Well, you wanted to be Chief Agent," Anderson pointed out while he stifled his snickers. "It's not easy as it looks, being all high-and-mighty, is it?"
A scoff resentful scoff escaped my bill. "Now I know why J. Gander has a chief agent. That way HE doesn't have to deal with the incompetent idiots."
Somehow, he continued to find the situation amusing. "Relax, Jake. It can't get much worse, can it?"
I gave him an unconvinced look. "Wanna bet?"
He ignored my comment. "Besides, there's been some good news."
"I'll try to contain my enjoyment," I responded sarcastically, seeming disinterested.
However, Anderson gave me a wry smile. "It's finished."
My eyes lifted to meet his, searching for any sign that he wasn't serious. "You're kidding."
He smiled and shook his head. "The lab has it prepped and ready for testing."
Like a gunshot, I was on my feet and out the door in the direction of the north science lab.
"It's been nearly a year's worth of work but I guarantee the finished product was well worth the wait."
"Impressive, Professor Waddlemeyer," J. Gander complimented.
Myself, J. Gander, several lab technicians, and the middle-aged scientist, Professor Waddlemeyer, were gathered in the lab for the unveiling of the dimensional atomizer that Ava and I had acquired from FOWL the previous year. The heavy-set scientist had been adjusting the atomizer for a distinct purpose: to allow one to slip through dimensions into a parallel universe. This was an event I had anxiously been awaiting. My cool, calm demeanor said otherwise.
"The electron accelerator enables one to pass through one dimension to another. With proper testing, we could acquire knowledge from places that no one else will ever have access to," Waddlemeyer continued to explain.
"And you're positive it works?" I asked skeptically.
His bushy eyebrows lowered over his eyes, passing me a resentful scowl for questioning his work. "We've had several successful test-runs on inanimate objects and animal test subjects. But we still have yet to test it on an individual. However, I'm quite confident."
"Very good, Professor. We'll have the lab go through applicants for a competent volunteer. We'll be discovering new secrets to use against our enemies in no time," J. Gander reassured, an excited sparkle in his eyes.
This was the opportunity I had been waiting for. I had been seeking a chance for adventure, danger, the unknown. And here it was right in front of me.
"I'll do it."
Heads turned in my direction. J. Gander looked up at me, puzzled. "Excuse me, Mallard?"
"I said I volunteer, J. Gander," I repeated in a sincere voice.
J. Gander continued to stare at me with disbelief. "Jake, you're my top agent. This mission is filled with unknowns and possibly very fatal."
"Exactly why you need to send in your best. You don't want someone going in on this mission who doesn't know what they're doing," I pointed out matter-of-factly. "Sir, I insist that I take this mission."
He hesitated. Even the scientist appeared skeptical of the idea. The pause seemed to last forever as I anxiously awaited the answer.
"Alright, Mallard. Go to your office to prepare yourself and return here in an hour."
I couldn't wait the whole hour. Forty-five minutes later, I was in the lab, prepping the dimensional atomizer. The device was an altered prototype of the original atomizer I had stolen from FOWL. It resembled the modern digital watch of today. Instead of displaying the time, the screen on the face displayed settings alongside half a dozen buttons. Professor Waddlemeyer explained to me the functions as I strapped it around my wrist.
"The settings on the device are already tuned to the parallel universe," Waddlemeyer informed over my shoulder. "The code to return is 2-12-85."
"Great. I feel like I'm in some corny time travel film," I muttered with an obvious lack of enthusiasm.
"Now remember, Jake," J. Gander began his repeated lecture that I had already heard twice in the past twenty minutes. "This is merely a trial run. When you arrive, I want you to take only quick observations of the surroundings and report immediately back here."
"And that prototype is singular at this point. We need to know if it works correctly before attempting to duplicate it for extensive SHUSH use," Waddlemeyer chimed in.
I nodded impatiently, anxious to be on my way. "Yeah, yeah. Take a quick look around, return with good information, make sure the thing even works. Got it."
"You have four hours, Mallard," J. Gander informed as I loaded my handgun for precautions. "If you do not return by 1800 hours, we will assume the worse."
"Thank you for your cheerful insight, J. Gander," I scoffed sarcastically and slipped the gun into my jacket. I took in a breath and exhaled deeply as I lifted my wrist. "Alright, here goes nothing."
I pressed the small green button on the side of the watch-like face and turned the bordering dial. The screen on the face began to glow and a beam of light shot upwards. A startled gasp escaped my bill as the light expanded and enveloped me. The brightness intensified, forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut and shield my face with my arm.
Seconds later, the light began to swiftly dim. I lowered my arm and rubbed my eyes to rejuvenate my vision. But when my vision cleared, I was greeted by the sight of a commercial truck speeding towards me and blaring its horn.
"Whoa!" I yelped and dove to out of the street to the sidewalk, just barely missing becoming roadkill.
The car speed by, followed by other traffic that created a wind which blew through my feathers. I leaned against a streetlight on the sidewalk to regain myself. While I caught my breath, I looked around and examined my surroundings. At first, I questioned whether the device had really worked. Everything looked the same–the buildings, the Audubon Bay Bridge, the bay. But I remembered Waddlemeyer mentioning the parallel universe. And I was no longer inside SHUSH as when I left. People walked along the sidewalk, passing me by as if I were just another person who belonged in their society. No one knew who I really was or where I was from.
The dimensional atomizer had worked. I was in the parallel universe. A triumphant smile slid across my bill. But then I wondered what, if anything, was different in this universe. And I remembered the purpose of SHUSH sending agents into this realm: to discover any intelligence that we may not have uncovered yet and could use against our enemies.
Four hours. I had limited time to explore this world. Hesitantly, I began to stroll down the sidewalk, trying to suppress any suspicious behavior. I took in the surroundings, scrutinizing every detail. The further into the city I got, the more curious I became. I even became so involved with my observations that I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and bumped into another person walking in the opposite direction.
"Omf!" I grunted, accompanied by the sound of a grocery bag falling to the sidewalk.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" the woman's gentle voice exclaimed.
"No, no. My fault. Allow me," I replied as I bent down to pick up the bag of groceries that had fallen from her arms in the collision.
She gave a gentle chuckle of gratitude. "I really should pay more attention to where I'm going. I guess I should be thankful that I bumped into a gentleman rather than a disgruntled madman."
The irony of her statement caused me to guffaw as I stood up with her bag in my arms. "Yes, I suppose so. Here you are, Miss..."
My voice was suddenly lost and my words disappeared. I lifted my head to stare into the deep, gentle blue eyes of a familiar, blonde haired woman.
"Abby?" I blurted out without thinking.
She blinked questionably at me. "Oh, no! I'm sorry, my name is Gail. Gail Mallard. Thank you, Mister...?"
"McAllister. John McAllister." I knew that using my real name would be a mistake. And I then knew that this was not my Abigail, despite the shocking resemblance. I was still entranced by this woman in front of me. She looked exactly like her in every detail. Even her soft, enchanting voice.
"Well, thank you, Mr. McAllister," Gail said with a grateful smile. "If you'll excuse me, I have to run. My husband can quickly become cranky if I don't have dinner ready by the time he gets home from SHUSH. It was a pleasure meeting you."
I was reluctant to let her go. I wanted her to stay. The buried sense of being lonely and missing Abigail shouted at me to stop her from leaving. But I fought the sentimental urges and simply replied, "Likewise."
She gave me a final smile before continuing on her way down the sidewalk. I watched her depart until she disappeared around a corner. My throat felt dry and constricted as the realities of this new universe became known to me. The same surroundings, the same people. But things were not the same. Abigail was dead, and she and this Gail were one in the same person.
Then something Gail had said returned to my attention like a boomerang. About her husband and SHUSH. My curiosity perked even more, I made a beeline in the direction that I knew SHUSH would be located.
Everything at SHUSH was the same. The building looked the same. Even some of the people I watched from a discrete corner who went inside looked exactly like my comrades back home. And yet, I found myself intrigued as I continued to observe every passerby. They all appeared so content in their dull, everyday routine life without a concern.
Naive. All of them. So oblivious to what the world was really like. Oblivious to the hell that a significant few had to endure in their lives. Oblivious to the fact that other universes exist. I knew that now. But how many? And what does each have to offer, if anything at all?
I patiently waited from the corner for twenty minutes, watching every person who came in and out of SHUSH. Finally, I couldn't wait any longer. I strolled up the front stairs and through the front doors as if I belonged there. With my head held high in confidence, I strutted through the lobby in the desired direction. Agents acknowledged me with nods and smiles as I passed. While turning a corner, I bumped into a young rookie agent.
"Oh, excuse me, Agent Mallard," he apologized and quickly continued on his way.
So, the 'Agent Mallard' of this dimension was also looked upon with respect. Now, I was more curious than ever. With a cautious eye, I began to make my way towards a particular wing of the building – where my office was located.
"Agent Jacob Mallard." I read the acrylic letters on the translucent window of the office door with a raised eyebrow. It was true. I, too, had a double in this universe. I looked around to see no one present before knocking on the door. No answer. I didn't know what I would have done if the door opened and I came face-to-face with myself.
Convinced that he was not inside, I opened the door and stepped into the office. Upon taking in the condition of the office, I scoffed. Files and supplies were scattered about the desk. Crumpled pieces of paper were carelessly discarded on the floor. Compared to my own office, the room was in disorder.
"Well, some things obviously aren't the same," I muttered to myself and closed the door behind me.
Stepping further into the office, I took a mental picture of every detail. What was the same, and what was different. A bulletin board was hanging on the wall, covered with newspaper clippings and photographs. I stepped closer to take a better look and read over the headings of a few of the articles. But one in particular caught my attention.
"John Gander Hooter: Appointed New SHUSH Director."
A black and white photograph accompanied the article. I recognized Director Hooter shaking hands with a federal commander as he received his rank. And I also recognized the young mallard flanking the new director. The name in the footnote below the photo identified him as 'Jacob Mallard.'
He had the same confident stature with an underlying tone of arrogance. He portrayed an image of success and pride, like me. I scoffed and turned away from the bulletin board, seeing just how full of himself this agent really was.
But something else caught my eye. Among the mounds of disarrayed paperwork, several framed photographs stood upright. I curiously stepped behind the desk and sat down in the chair to observe. Leaning forward, I picked up the silver frame bordering a black and white photo. A wedding photo, of the familiar, handsome young mallard and the beautiful young woman I had met earlier.
"Abigail...?" I whispered mournfully.
But I knew she wasn't her. She wasn't my Abigail. She was Jacob's Gail. They may have looked exactly the same, but I was quickly learning that they were not the same person. Reluctantly, I set the picture back in its place and exchanged it for another beside it. A family photograph, with two additional individuals. One was a young girl around the age of six or seven. Judging from the resemblances, I deduced that she was their daughter. In Gail's arms was an infant. A familiar infant.
"Drake..."
Regret swelled up inside me and I suddenly felt the heavy weight of sorrow weighing down my shoulders. My eyes glossed over as I stared at the picture, taking in the expressions of each face. Particularly, I noticed Jacob. He appeared happy. Purely happy. Something that I had not experienced in years.
I tenderly wiped my thumb over the picture as a tear escaped the corner of my eye. Hastily, I wiped it away with the back of my hand while I realized another difference between him and I. Jacob still had everything important to him. I did not. He was still happy. I was not.
The sound of chatting voices and approaching footsteps snapped me out of my reverie. I lifted my head to hear two people come to a stop just outside the closed door.
"Oh, come on, John! You work too hard." The voice was a slight variation of my own, possessing many similarities. "Come with us Saturday night. It will be just like old times!"
"Jacob, your rambunctious ways haven't changed," J. Gander said with a short chuckle.
"Changed, no. They just have their limits," Jacob corrected. "Come on, John. Gail would love to see you."
"I can't make any promises."
Jacob let out a defeated sigh. "One of these days, I'm going to pull you away from that desk. I promise!" The two shared a friendly laugh. "Wait up a second and I'll walk out with you. I just have to grab my coat."
The door to the office swung open and Jacob stepped inside. But he quickly stopped and stared with a hard, suspicious stare. From underneath his desk, I held my breath, not making a single sound. I waited and listened, deciphering his actions based on what I heard. It was as if he noticed something wasn't right in the room.
"Hmm. Wait a minute..." he muttered aloud.
Ever muscle in my body tensed. Footsteps approached the desk and I scrunched as far back against the desk as I could. Against the wall in front of me, I could see his shadow becoming smaller as he came closer.
"Aha! There you are!"
I squeezed my eyes shut and braced myself. But nothing happened. I opened my eyes to see Jacob's hand snatch his coat from the chair and disappear. I silently exhaled all of the air from my lungs in relief. The footsteps retreated, followed by the sound of the door closing. I waited several seconds before crawling out from under the desk. Quickly, I got to my feet and discretely followed the pair out of the building.
I wanted to learn more, more about Jacob, more about his family. After 'borrowing' a vehicle from the SHUSH and waiting for Jacob to make his leave, I secretly followed him to where I knew he was going. Home.
The sky began to dim into a blend of reds and oranges as the sun began to lower on the horizon. The city lights began to flicker on one by one, announcing the coming of another night. I was parked in the suburban neighborhood, across the street from the Mallard residence. Through the house's front windows I watched, a pair of binoculars held to my eyes.
The family was gathering in the dining room, preparing for dinner. Gail was busily removing the elements of the meal from the oven and stove. A young girl, a teenager, was setting the table. Then I saw Jacob enter the scene. He sauntered over to Gail, sporting a charismatic smile. She turned and greeted him with loveable smile and the two exchange a quick peck on the bill. A scoff escaped my bill and I was about to grudgingly turn away, until the final member of the family came into view. The young, ten-year old mallard bounded into the room and excitedly scampered to his father.
"Drake," I whispered.
Drake tugged on his Jacob's sleeve, who responded with an inaudible laugh and plucked him from the ground in his arms. The family began to take their seats at the table and Jacob sat Drake down in his chair.
I lowered the binoculars from my eyes and begrudgingly turned away with a bitter scowl. The loneliness and spite towards myself was stronger than ever. Seeing my double so happy and fortunate made me realize just how badly I had screwed up my life and how much I missed my family. I never knew how much they really meant to me until now. Now that they were gone.
Jealousy suddenly flared from deep inside me as I looked towards the house again. I wondered why. Why was it I who experienced the downfall? Why was it I who lost everything? Why was it I who went insane and was now left with nothing but my ego? Why not him? Why me?
My eyes narrowed angrily. I wrapped my fingers tightly around the steering wheel and a low growl rumbled in my throat. I turned the key in the ignition the drove the car away as the blanket of night moved over the city. The fact that I was alone and miserable was not unknown to me.
If I was destined to be alone and miserable, then so was Jacob Mallard. I would make sure that happened.
I returned to SHUSH in my home universe with a half hour to spare. When I confronted Director Hooter, he seemed shocked to see me in one piece.
"Agent Mallard!" he exclaimed the second I walked into his office. "I must say, I'm impressed to see you made it back alive. Relieved, but impressed. I take it the device worked sufficiently?"
I possessed a stone-cold expression as I came to a stop in front of his desk. "Yes, J. Gander. You can say that. I have much to report."
"Excellent," he answered. Excitedly, he got to his feet and approached me. J. Gander began to usher me out of the office with him. "Tell me every detail, Jake. And can I count on you to make another journey in the near future?"
A malevolent scowl graced my face.
"I'd be glad to, sir. I look forward to it with MUCH anticipation."
"All around me are familiar faces,
Worn out places, worn out faces.
Bright and early for their daily races,
Going nowhere, going nowhere.
Their tears are filling up their glasses,
No expression, no expression.
Hide my head, I want to drown my sorrow,
No tomorrow, no tomorrow.
And I find it kind of funny,
I find it kind of sad.
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had.
I find it hard to tell you
Cause I find it hard to take.
When people run in circles,
It's a very, very
Mad world."
"Mad World" song and lyrics are © Tears for Fears.