Chapter fourteen:
It is a quiet walk to the scientists home as they don't seem to be attracting attention on the path that the man takes them on. It seems to help that the man is walking close to them now showing comfortableness around them.
Plus the disguises are probably helping.
Just before they can step up to the home an officer calls their attention. They all turn to see the officer approach.
"Officer Jonas! Nice to see you!" The man greets to which the officer glares at the man.
"Cut the crap. I don't care what crazy nonsense you want to throw my way. I'm not here for you." Officer Jonas hisses then turns suspiciously at the three. "Who are you and do you have any form of ID?" His tone shows that he is trying to assert dominance over them in authority and as a warning to not try anything.
This time Mello is glad to actually have something to show that goes with the disguise. "We sure do." He is the first to hand his ID along with the other two doing the same. "You can scan them if you want to see that they are legit." He adds as the other two actually let him speak. He can feel Near watching him to make sure that he doesn't screw up. He is at least a little glad at their trust to have a chance to make things go right. "We came here hearing about the changeling problem. So we came to check it out. He might have a solution that could be helpful."
"I think you mean crazy. I wouldn't advise you to go with him. Perhaps talk to the changeling hunters instead." Officer Jonas pulls out a small device scanning the ID cards. "Alright. They are legit." He hands them back seeming to have relaxed a little. He turns to the man as if to finally really talk to him. "And you are sure that they aren't hidden changelings?"
"Of course!" The man confirms to the officer with a nod. He is rather confident despite knowing that they are changelings. His confidence probably comes from knowing about the threes situation. "I spent a little time making sure that they weren't myself. Before agreeing to clue them in on everything that I had found. I don't see any reason to reveal it to changelings after all. The research is meant to find a way to get rid of them after all. Can't have them clueing in to what I am doing."
Officer Jonas snorts and rolls his eyes before turning to the three. "Seriously. You're better off going with the changelings hunters for a way to stop the changelings."
"We appreciate your input." Near is the one to speak this time instead of Mello. "Though we would like to look at all angles. No matter how crazy that they may seem. This is not a simple situation after all."
"You're telling me." Officer Jonas agrees looking like he is so done with chasing new comers to make sure that they aren't changelings. "Well good luck to you. And don't take what he suggests seriously. He's gone a bit mad." He turns and leaves them alone with that.
"This way." The man leads them to the front door where he rings the doorbell.
Hesitant shuffling is heard against the door about two minutes later.
"Hey Maverick! It's me! Let us in! Trust me you'll be interested in what they have to say!" The man calls before several locks can be heard opening before the door opens.
There stands a slightly disheveled looking man. He has messily cut black hair, almost looking like he would cut it himself just with horrible results, rather pale white skin as if he hasn't seen the sun in a long time, his dark brown eyes slightly squinting in the sun's rays to get a look at those that have arrived, he is wearing a black turtle neck sweater, black sweatpants, black socks, and a white lab coat stained from various experiments plus machines. He nods them inside to which the four go in.
The place doesn't stink and actually looks clean with some messes here and there consisting of papers, books or machine parts.
Maverick closes the door after they have gotten inside. He turns to them crossing his arms over his chest. "Alright. Tell me what you think that I would like to hear." He presses to which the man lets the three take the stand so to speak.
Mello and Matt let Near take this one as this man seems more like a man Near could convince to help them.
Near takes a step forward. "We actually come from another world." He admits to the man. "We were accidentally sent here and put into the bodies of those of us that are here."
"Changelings right?" Maverick instantly knowing surprises the four.
"How'd you know?" The man gasps looking wide eyed at Maverick who snorts.
"I've seen your little ID cards. While you were distracted. I know that those ID cards aren't for anyone real. And who can pull off a convincing look? Changelings. However I also know that you wouldn't just lead any normal changelings here." Maverick points out to the man as he pointedly stares at him. "I am a cautious man about who I interact with Omar." He turns back to the three. "We don't care who you are. If you convinced Omar here then I know you can be trustworthy. You can drop your disguises. I keep all windows blocked."
The three do so to which Omar looks shocked.
"Whoa! I didn't expect it to be you three!" Omar admits gaping in surprise.
"And you won't say a word of this." Maverick points out to which Omar shuts his mouth quickly nodding. "They are misplaced in our world and clearly cannot get back on their own. They are not those from our world. So they should not be treated as such."
"We don't want to cause trouble here." Matt adds before shying back as Mello gives him a warning glare to not blow this opportunity for them. "We just want to get back home. In our own bodies."
"I am sure that you do. This way." Maverick takes the lead with all of them following along. He takes them to his basement where it looks like a full lab was made here with even machines dotted around. He takes them to a specific large machine. "This is it. The machine to travel to other worlds."
"Does it work yet?" Omar questions to which Maverick goes to a laptop by the machine.
"We are about to find out." Maverick tells Omar and begins typing on the laptop. "If this works then we can work on trying to find their home world. We will start with a world close to our own. It will be the easiest for the machine to reach." He goes quiet for a few moments then the machine starts to life. "I need to remind you that this is the first test I am running. Do not be surprised if it fails in some way."
The other four nod in understanding and watch the machine with hope that it will work as intended. They especially watching the space between two rows of what could be ray beam parts usually seen in cartoons. They can tell by the look of the machine that this is where the portal should open up.
In the orphanage the three come to the same room where they had entered this world.
"Okay. What is it that you wanted to share with us?" Near inquires noticing Rodger is standing with a certain orphan who is holding something.
"We think that we have things ready to potentially send you back home." Rodger informs them as the orphan holds up what she is holding. "And if things go as expected then this mess will be resolved and things can go back to normal."
Mello and Matt glance to Near at hearing this to see what he will say about this.
