Chapter 33 (Jeffery Sinclair)
Sinclair did not know what the chilling words meant. Nor did he understand how the strange beings had arrived in the city.
As he cautiously approached, Sinclair thought that the creature looked like some kind of curtain he'd expect to see at his grandmother's house and with a plastic head wedged on top.. He had never seen this race before, but he'd heard the rumors about them, even before Marcus mentioned them at the park.
He was so surprised by the creature's appearance that he blurted out the first thing into his head. "Are you a Volvo?"
The ghostly figure hovered in one spot, silent as a mouse. But soon after his question was asked, vibrant tones and whirling noises gave Sinclair the impression of life.
Vorlon.
"What?" Sinclair asked. "I don't understand."
Seconds later, a second figure slowly crept out of the pool of darkness and joined the first Vorlon. He heard some more incomprehensible chatter before the second Vorlon spoke. We are the Vorlons.
The first Vorlon spoke straight after the second, like it was some kind of competition to see who could talk the fastest. You must come with us.
"What?" Sinclair stepped back evasively. "Now wait a minute, I'm not going anywhere until you explain yourselves."
There is no time. You must come with us now. The urgency in its tone was enough to frighten Sinclair. He immediately tapped his wrist COM to contact security. He still did not understand how the Vorlons had entered the city undetected. Sinclair was determined not to go anywhere with some unknown aliens. It was the Vorlons who had stepped into his part of hyperspace.
Stepping back, he called out into his device, confident in a response and swift action. "Sinclair to security."
It was at that precise moment Sinclair discovered the horrible truth.
We have deactivated your communication device in this area, the first Vorlon said.
You will do what we tell you to do, the second Vorlon ordered. You must come with us.
"The hell I will. I can't just get up and leave. I'm the commander of this city and I have a duty to perform."
Sinclair was doubtful that these Vorlons were real and assumed someone had set him up for a prank with some robotic toys that could be used as vacuum cleaners. He stood his ground as a city commander should do and challenged the Vorlons authority. But at the end of the day, he had no idea what they were talking about. I am the one? I must go with them?
The first Vorlon slithered forward, like a ghost hovering in the air. This was enough to make Sinclair step back and consider fleeing the scene. But he was the commander. Fleeing in front of some suited men would seem odd for someone of my status.
He tried the communication device for the final time. Again, nothing but silence. Okay, now it's time to flee. The situation was so strange that he wasn't about to take any chances. The haunting words of, you must come with us continued to rattle his mind. What do they want with me?
The streetlights whizzed past overhead as Sinclair ran as fast as he could. The footpath that snaked its way through the park appeared longer than before. Perhaps it was some trick of the mind, perhaps it was his heavy feet that threatened to give in, but the faster he ran, the farther the gates appeared. Each yellow light was like the hand of a clock, ticking away. He felt his own heart beat faster and faster.
Sinclair didn't know how much more he could take. But curiosity forced him to look back and see if those so-called Vorlons were following him.
They were.
Dancing in and out of the shadows, the haunting curtains with the plastic heads continued to hover like some eerie apparition that was barely visible in the dark. Once they vanished away from the orange streetlight, the reflective heads were seen against the swirling blue clouds that were filtered through the shield.
No matter how fast he ran, the things kept up a steady pace.
He ran past a lake now and saw the reflective clouds in the water; the objects that were chasing him seemed to have vanished. A streetlight that was there had a busted bulb and the shadows lingered in that area, concealing whatever was inside.
Sinclair was tired. His legs faltered and he could no longer run but the murky shadows continued to hold something deadly inside. A ripple in the water indicated a disturbance nearby. Perhaps the Vorlons dislodged a stone and it fell into the water. The ripple was strong, indicating that the dark shadow was near. The Vorlons were hiding inside.
But he wasn't finished yet. With very little energy left, he bolted for the gate that was within eyesight. He could see the gate and the beginning of the streets. Perhaps he could flag someone down to return him to his home. It was a best choice and he made a run for it.
More crackling and strange incomprehensible sounds echoed behind. Were the Vorlons talking to each other? Were they planning a new trap? Sinclair didn't know the answer, but he wasn't going to give up without a fight.
The gate was in reach; he could see the two high-powered lights shining up the bars, hovering overhead like two huge beacons. He made every effort to reach the street and he deliberately resisted the urge to look back. Perhaps that was when they would get him. The moment he looked back, the Vorlons would paralyze him, drag him into the darkness and do whatever they wanted.
Still, that burning sensation, the knowing that he was being watched burned on the back of his neck. It was like a second set of eyes hidden in the back of his head, just wanting to spring open and see the creatures that were following him. He didn't want to turn his head, but wished he had eyes in the back of his head.
Then a hollow voice cracked his thoughts. "Sinclair, you must come with us. You must prevent a time paradox."
He didn't listen to the words, he couldn't. The ghostly voice was all he needed to get one last dose of adrenalin and he dashed out into the street.
Headlights blinded Sinclair as he stumbled into the main road. He heard an ear-piercing screech and the vehicle came to a halt just a few inches from his face. Sinclair sighed and struggled to the hood of the electric vehicle. A young woman with pink hair stepped out of the car; she was flabbergasted at her own driving and apologized profoundly, more than necessary. Sinclair wanted to leave this area.
"I am so sorry sir," she wailed. "I didn't mean to drive so fast, and I am so sorry I nearly ran you over. My mother always said I'd run over someone one of these days."
Sinclair got to his wobbly feet and leaned on the overtaken woman.
"My boyfriend always drove crazy and I left him because I feared for my life. But now I'm doing the same thing. Are you okay sir? Do you need to go to a hospital? I'm very sorry sir. I'm an idiot. I'll do anything to make up for my..."
Sinclair wanted to tell the woman to shut up, but his haunting thought about the Vorlons crept into mind again. He gazed towards the lit gates and into the darkness of the park. That one streetlight was still not working, and deep within its darkness, a small green light hovered in the air. He had to look closely, but it was there and frightfully menacing.
"What's your name, sir?" the woman asked.
Sinclair was still locked on that green light that faded with time. He wasn't listening to the commotion in the vehicle and it took several attempts on the woman's part before she caught his attention.
"Sir, what's your name?"
"Um, sorry, its Sin…" He paused. He'd better not give out his name, or this woman might get excited. In fact, he was surprised that she didn't recognize him from the video footage. He gave a fake name and asked her to take him home.
The ten-minute journey home was more hassle then he ever experienced. She talked and talked and talked. It was similar to a moment he had the unfortunate encounter with one of life's little surprises that loved to talk the entire journey on the public transport. Sinclair wanted to get to work on time and he wasn't in the mood to speak to anyone. But that someone sat opposite and he talked and talked and talked all the way.
This woman was the same. When he eventually left the vehicle, with painful legs and back, he slammed the door and waved the woman past. She seemed so dull; he nearly fell asleep in the sudden silence of the outside space. Then the memories came flooding back. That pink haired woman had made him forget everything for a moment. But as the memories continued to flow back, he dashed inside to his home.
Half way through the night, a noise disturbed him from his slumber. Sinclair had been having a nice dream, about the pink-haired woman. Why, he didn't understand, but he saw that green light again in the corner of his room. He rubbed his eyes thinking it was some kind of afterimage of a dream, but the moment he opened his eyes it stood in front of him.
The Minbari need you, the howling voice demanded. You will come with us now!
Sinclair felt a wash of light come over him and then he vanished from his very bed.
The commander would never be seen again.