CHAPTER 3: SPACE AND TIME

"Okay," Gibbs said with an incredulous grin, "so let me see if I got this right."

Theas, who was standing awkwardly in our kitchen, awaited patiently for Gibbs's recap. Sarah and I were sitting at the kitchen table, and Luca was standing sheepishly in the corner, as if hoping he was unnoticeable by the Universal Keeper.

"So you Universal Keepers," Gibbs pointed accusingly at Theas, "and these Spatial Hunters, have been going at each other like Montagues and Capulets for years now."

"Uh, actually it's not as simple as that," Theas intervened. "The physics of time and space that you all are used to don't quite apply in the Neutrality."

"Which is where you come from," I clarified.

Theas nodded. "Contextually, this war between us and the Hunters has only been going on for a short period of our existence, however by your standard it would be considered about five thousand years."

"Five thousand years?" Sarah asked as she took a step towards Theas.

Theas nodded at her, but he maintained an even expression.

"What are you thinking?" I asked my wife.

Sarah turned to find Gibbs, Luca, and myself watching her, and she steadily gathered her thoughts. Finally, she explained, "The first recorded instances of storytelling date back about five thousand years." We all stared at her, the pieces of what she was insinuating quickly fitting into place. Sarah glared at Theas, who didn't react.

"So, what are you saying?" I asked.

"She's saying that when someone tells a story," Theas interjected, "when someone has an idea in their mind that they turn into a narrative, it's because they are experiencing a glimpse into an ulterior universe."

Gibbs's eyes narrowed while Luca's jaw tumbled open. Sarah and I watched him evenly.

"Stories and narratives take place because people are seeing the events that happen in that universe. It's a bit of premonition, I guess is the best way of phrasing it."

"Okay, but how does that happen?" I asked.

"It's something Universal Keepers have been researching since the establishment of our organization. The best we can tell is that there's a tendency for lesions in the fabric of universal boundaries that allows these premonitions to cross over."

"So, what," Luca asked, "you're saying that someone is writing about this, here, right now?"

Theas shrugged. "That would be a...hell of a feat, but...yeah. It's possible."

"Okay, well this has been really nice," Gibbs said, somewhat facetiously. "We've all really enjoyed the history lesson, but that doesn't answer the big question here."

Theas looked at him, listening intently.

"How did we get here," Luca specified, "and how do we get home?"

"I don't know," Theas answered simply.

Gibbs gawked at him. "What do you mean you don't know?"

The Universal Keepers are only assigned to keep entities within borders. We have no authority to facilitate cross-universal contact. We had nothing to do with your situation."

Gibbs scoffed, and he sat back and shook his head in frustration.

"Okay, but you can still cross universes," Luca noted. "I mean, clearly you can, because you're here."

Theas shook his head. "It's not as easy as you think it is. We have specially designed technology that keeps us safe from all of the negatives of crossing universes. If we tried to take you with us, you'd either be lost in an abyss of inter-universal blackness, or you'd disintegrate altogether. Also, whatever is facilitating your cross-pollination is still happening. People are still coming over. So, even if we did bring you back to your own universe, there would be nothing stopping you from just coming right back here. Until we find what's causing this and shut it down, bringing you back home isn't going to work."

This did not do much to ease the tension in the room.

"So, about these Spatial Hunters," I intervened. "How do we beat them?"

"You can't," Theas stated. "At least, not conventionally. Nothing smaller than an RPG would have any effect on a Hunter. And really, you'd need a missile strike to do any serious damage."

"Okay, but this thing can take them on?" Sarah said, holding out the Keeper rifle she had used to defeat Algaltha single-handedly.

I could see a flash of indignation cross Theas's face as he saw this, and it occurred to me that the only reason we had the weapon was because we killed his partner. Theas made no comment on the subject.

"Our weapons were developed across many battles of trial and error to make sure they would be effective in our battle against the Spatial Hunters," he explained. "You need to understand, we have access to all of the technology developed across all of the multiverse. We have a lot of resources at our command."

Gibbs chuckled dryly. "Yet you still can't get us home." He then let out a sharp breath, grasping his stomach where he had been hit by Algaltha.

Theas witnessed this, and he held up his arm as though he were looking at his wristwatch. He tapped on his watch several times before holding his hand out to Gibbs. A wave of blue light washed over Gibbs. Gibbs let out a heavy breath, and several popping sounds in his gut signified the ribs that had been broken repairing themselves. He looked down at his body, examining himself with his jaw half open.

"Okay, so what do they do in the meantime?" Sarah asked, indicating Gibbs and Luca.

Theas shrugged unhelpfully. "Try and unravel the answers. At some point, something's got to give. Something like this doesn't happen without a reason."

"So, you have absolutely no idea who did this or why?" I asked.

Theas shook his head. "I don't have a clue who would or even could. I've never seen anything like this before."

"Is there anyone else, another Universal Keeper, who may have?" Luca asked.

Theas shrugged, and Gibbs looked like he was about to shoot him again. "I'm actually pretty low on the ladder," Theas explained. "I'm only qualified to lead an investigation into a Universal Anomaly. If I start asking questions, my superiors get bored really quick."

I saw Gibbs's expression ease a bit, and I had to guess that in his professional history, he could understand this.

"Where do the Spatial Hunters come from?" Sarah asked. "And why are they so...violent?"

Theas smiled at this. "The Spatial Hunters were born from a conglomeration of Primordial Energy mutated by anger and hate. They exist with the same goal as we do, to prevent Universal Anomalies. Whereas we try to focus on fixing the damage and reversing the Anomaly as peacefully as possible, reverting the memories of all involved, the Spatial Hunters just kill any Anomalies they can find. You ever seen a show or a series end abruptly, unexpectedly, with no clear reason?" Theas asked.

All of us nodded, including Gibbs and Luca. "That's because a main character became an Anomaly, and the Hunters got to them. Killed them. Ergo, the story ends."

This seemed to cool the temperature in the room by several degrees, and no one had anything to say in response.

I heard playful screaming outside, and I looked out the window to see the younger siblings next door playing in their front yard.

Sarah noticed this as well, and she asked, "Why did no one else seem to notice Algaltha when he came? We heard him clearly, but no one else came looking. Not when he first arrived, or when we fought him. I would have thought that would draw a lot of attention. Police presence at the very least."

"Spatial Hunters have mastered the ability to exist only when and where they want to. That means that only the people they want to see them can."

"So, why didn't he just kill us when we couldn't see him?" Gibbs asked.

"Because he has to exist in order to kill you," Theas explained. "Spatial Hunters don't follow the same rules of reality that you're accustomed to. When you fought him, he existed to you, but he didn't to any of your neighbors. Therefore, he could kill you. If he tried to kill anyone else, it wouldn't have worked. Nothing would have happened."

A beeping sound emanated across the room, and Sarah consulted the Keeper tablet. A new red blip appeared on the map, located just east of Champaign, Illinois. Gibbs and I both started mobilizing, and Theas watched in silence for a moment.

"Okay, well I see this conversation is over," he commented.

"Yeah," Gibbs agreed. He loaded a clip into his gun and holstered it, staring at Theas with a straight face.

"Cool," Theas said dryly. "Well, go rescue this new Anomaly, and I'll be back later on. There are still plenty of things to discuss."

"You know where to find us," I reminded him.

Theas nodded, and he pressed a button on his watch. A portal opened, and he disappeared through it while we watched. The portal closed, and we all looked at each other.

"I hope he doesn't think he's getting this stuff back," Sarah said, indicating the rifle and tablet.

I smiled in amusement, and I gathered my bow and arrow supply. Sarah handed me her waist holster, and I secured it around my body. "What, I don't get the fancy gun?" I asked her.

Sarah looked at me for a second before saying, "No. It's mine."

I unlocked the car with my fob, indicating that Gibbs and Luca go ahead of us. As they closed the garage door behind them, I looked at Sarah. She observed me for a moment, stepping towards me.

I mouthed for a moment, not sure of what to say. "Babe," I started. Before I could go further, she put her hand over my mouth.

"I know," she assured me.

She took her hand away, and I said, "I know this isn't what you want."

"It's not," she agreed. "But it's the right thing. You're doing the right thing. And I support you no matter what."

I smiled, looking her in the eyes before we held each other.

Sarah and I came to my car, sitting down as we prepared to head out.

"I don't really know this area," Luca stated. "How far away is Champaign?"

I pulled up the GPS, typing in the destination, and I said, "About an hour."

We hit the highway towards Champaign, and Luca was looking nervously out the window, as though he were doing this against his better judgment.

"Where'd you learn to shoot?" Gibbs asked Sarah.

"Mom taught me," she answered. "She's an Army Ranger and knew the benefits of knowing how to handle a firearm. She instilled those values into me from a young age."

Gibbs nodded, seeming impressed. "What about you?" he asked me. "How's your aim?"

I scoffed. "I think I've fired that thing about three times since we bought it," I told him. "Sarah's always been the firearms expert. I prefer a knife, or my bow."

"Yeah, well, you're gonna need to learn to shoot," Gibbs informed me. "If this thing goes like Theas thinks it will, you can't win a war with a bow and arrow."

I had already had this thought. Although in the face of portal-hopping investigators and mythic beasts, Gibbs's view on wartime-appropriate weaponry seemed rather antiquated. After an hour of driving, talking, and strategizing, we arrived on the outskirts of Champaign.

"Target's heading north," Sarah informed us. "Make this right."

I banked onto the tiny road that stretched along a creek, keeping my eyes out for any sign of someone. After another five minutes of slow driving, we saw a figure walking towards us. I braked, putting the car in park as Sarah, Gibbs, Luca, and I all disembarked. We all moved towards the person, Gibbs seeming to be a bit more anxious to get there. When the woman came within eyesight, Gibbs slowed to a stop, gazing upon her with an open jaw. We all caught up with Gibbs, looking between the two.

"Well, hell," Gibbs said with a cheeky grin. "Wasn't expecting to see ya this soon."

"Well, you know, I really wasn't planning on it," the woman replied with a smile. "Afghanistan was supposed to be a more permanent endeavor."

Gibbs laughed, and the two stared at each other, not breaking eye contact for anything. "It's good to see you again," Gibbs said in a soft voice, "Jack."

Jacqueline Sloane was smiling, but she took a deep, shuddering breath as she watched Gibbs. "It's good to see you too, Jethro."

Gibbs led Sloane over to us, and while she had her beaming smile, she still seemed quite nervous. Gibbs introduced her to all of us, and she shook mine and Sarah's hands jubilantly. When Gibbs went to introduce Luca, Sloane cut him off.

"Ah, yes, Luca Sciuto!" Sloane said.

Luca was caught entirely off guard, and he looked around nervously for backup as he and Sloane shook hands. "I was hoping I'd get to meet you one day," she said to him.

Gibbs was beaming widely, clearly thrilled at this turn of events. After introductions were complete, Sloane looked around at us as a whole. "So, would anyone like to tell me what in the hell is happening?" she asked brightly.

"Multiverses," I answered simply.

"Ahh!" Sloane said, snapping her fingers as though all the world's answers had been made clear. "Of course, that makes sense. How do I get home?"

"We're still working on that," Gibbs told her.

"Okay, okay," Sloane said. She was keeping her demeanor upbeat, but I could see the growing aggravation. "And, is there anyone else who has passed over?"

"Not yet," Sarah responded. "Right now, this is it."

Sloane's smile finally faded, she seemed deep in thought for a moment. "Does anyone have an idea why this is happening? What are we up against?"

"All we have so far is a massive celestial war between the Universal Keepers and the Spatial Hunters," I told her.

She looked at me with her jaw half-open, and I could tell she was trying very hard not to snap at me in the midst of the several dozen questions I had just given her.

"Look, we'll catch you up on everything," Gibbs assured her. "Let's get back. We'll talk on the way."

Sloane watched me for a moment as I drove, seeming to analyze me. "So, tell me about yourself," she requested. "What caused you to want to take Gibbs in? Or fight a giant monster for that matter?"

I couldn't help but grin in amusement at this, and Sloane let out a sharp laugh. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"Uh, nothing," I said quickly. "No, look, I just saw someone in need, and I couldn't turn them away."

"Really?" Sloane said. "So, you just witnessed a seemingly fictional character spring to life and ya couldn't say no, huh?"

"Yeah, Jack's really good at helping people," Sarah intervened. Gibbs and Luca didn't hear the slightly sharp tone in her voice, but I knew her well enough to know when she was on the defensive. I figured Sloane wouldn't miss it either.

"Of course, excuse me," Sloane said. She sounded sincerely apologetic. "I am simply having trouble processing this whole sequence of events."

"Yeah, I can understand that," Gibbs said.

Luca laughed nervously, signifying his agreement.

We arrived at home, and Sloane followed us all inside while watching Sarah and I analytically. As soon as we arrived into the kitchen, we all stopped, looking on with wide eyes. Theas was there, covered in blood and panting in pain and exhaustion. "I tried to stop them," he told us. "I swear, I tried to give you as much time as I could."

"What is it?" I asked. "What's happening?"

"They're coming," Theas breathed. "The Hunters are on their way."