Chapter 11

When Ralph regained consciousness, he was debriefed by Eric and the science committee about his experiences in the MIB timeline and what he had discovered about Merlin wearing a suit from 1500 years ago. Merlin could have only gotten one from a Hero, probably Pam. She must have somehow gone back in time in the MIB timeline. That was why she wasn't there when he went through. He also told them about the deal he had brokered: a few Heroes with telepathic abilities to be stationed in the MIB timeline in exchange for the technology they used to stop invasions. Eric and the committee all liked this plan.

Ralph said, "I told them this trade couldn't start until Pam was found and returned to our timeline. They understood and agreed." Eric and the committee all agreed as well.

With the new information, the scientists started working on how Pam may have been sent back in time in the MIB timeline. They had never even considered the portal being able to send someone back in time. They again reviewed the recordings of Pam's entrance into the portal. They found that at the exact point where she entered the portal, there was a tremendous power surge, which blew the circuit board, and she disappeared but at a 90-degree angle, basically sideways inside the portal slit. This must have sent her back in time. With all the data from the recordings, they programmed the computers to duplicate the power surge simultaneously, thus reproducing time travel transport.

Again, Ralph volunteered to test the theory and be sent back 1500 years in the MIB timeline. They opened a pinpoint portal, used the radio C had given to Ralph, and told C they would run a time travel test so the portal could open, but no one should come through. C understood.

It took about two weeks for the programming to be completed, the equipment recalibrated, and the generators fully charged. A secondary quantum generator was brought in for the time travel power surge.

On the day of the time travel transport experiment, Ralph went up to Arnold Burns and said, "Arnold, I want to apologize for how I treated you when Pam first disappeared; I kind of go crazy when something happens to her."

Arnold said, "Yes, we all know. That's okay, I understand."

Ralph replied, "Yeah, I know you all know how I am, and I appreciate you putting up with my control issues. I can handle just about any situation, except when it comes to Pam being in danger. She is my trigger," he said ruefully, shaking his head.

Arnold smiled and said, "We know and feel bad about what happened to her. Shall we go through what to expect with the time travel transport?"

Ralph said, "Yes," and listened intently to everything Arnold told him.

Arnold explained, "The computers have been programmed to duplicate the power surge when Pam first disappeared. This time, you will stand closer, five feet in front of the transverse portal columns, and allow them to pull you in instantly. When you enter the portal, the power surge is programmed to occur, hopefully pushing you back to the same time and location Pam went to. Depending on what happens after this, we are unsure how long it will take to reverse the polarity and recalibrate and recharge. When we are ready, we hope to open a pinhole portal, and Eric will send a telepathic message telling you the plan. Do you understand everything?"

Ralph answered, "Yes," and walked over to the position marked on the floor before the portal columns.

The generators were started, and the building began to vibrate. The toroid sparks linked, the pungent smell of ozone permeated the air, the slit of light appeared, and the portal opened. Ralph could immediately feel the stretching and pulling. Again, everything looked distorted and bulbous. The instant his body was entirely in the portal, the power surge was released, and he was shot at a 90-degree angle down a tunnel. He was tossed and buffeted around violently and was hit several times by unseen forces.

Finally, he came through, stretched away from the portal, snapped back to three dimensions, and landed on the soft grass. He felt dizzy and beat up but didn't black out. He stood up, looked around, and telepathically called to Pam, 'Pam, I'm here. Where are you?'

He got a reply, 'Ralph, is that you?' But before he could answer, he felt a white-hot surge of pain in his left shoulder, was knocked off his feet, and fell unconscious with a crossbow bolt now lodged in his left shoulder.

A guard atop the castle rampart wall jumped up and down, whooping and hollering, "I got it! I shot the demon!"

Eric approached the scientists and asked, "Do you think he went through okay?"

Arnold said, "It looks like it, but we must study all the data first to be certain."

Eric said, "Let me know if there are any problems."

Arnold said, "We will."

The End

(To be continued in the Greatest American Hero: (Hero League 10) The Pam Paradox