The Portal At The End Of The Storm

Chapter 5

Chapter 5Jane

THE COMPUTER SHUT off. That had never happened before. The lights went out. Our back-up systems and emergency power didn't activate. I'd been checking my computer for messages that required immediate attention. The lights abruptly switched off. As suddenly as it had cut off, power returned, and everyone went back to work. I rebooted and waited, hoping no files had been lost. If we had been cyberattacked, Tom Andrews needed to check my entire system. Important information should not have been in jeopardy. Supposedly, the firewalls were taller and wider than the proposed wall along Mexico. I chuckled at that, but my computer contained files about the portal and my relationship with the president that no one else needed to see.

After a few messages from the server about searching for corrupted files, everything had returned to normal. While I waited for the reboot to complete, my cell buzzed with an unexpected caller.

“Jane, do you know where Ashley is?” asked George.

* * *

Ash's car was gone, so I drove to the school. A bright red anything stands out, so the Mustang was easy to spot. I walked into the school but someone else sat in his chair. At the office, I asked George if he had any information. He said he found a substitute at the last minute, but still no call from Ashley.

I called Linda while I walked back across the parking lot. Something had happened, I told her. He made it to school and vanished. She said I should stop by whenever I could. I said I'd come by after work.

Colonel Mitchell's men were busy packing. The colonel had told me that General Beech said the president didn't want to leave a trail to the portal.

“Yeah. The world's all of a sudden a paradise,” I said. “Are you taking everything?”

“Not yet. We'll rotate five to ten guys and a medic, just in case,” the colonel said. “I don't think the boss plans to tell the new administration about the portal or this place.”

“Do you know his plan for Tony?”

“Tony stays, for a while anyway.”

“When are you leaving, Colonel.”

“I'm going at the end of this week. I'll be back after New Year's, probably to shut down. I think they want us off the radar before the inauguration.” He grinned. “It's been quite a year, hasn't it, Colonel?”

“It sure has. Wait. What?” His grin expanded and the men nearby began to clap.

“The general told me this morning and said I could tell you. Congratulations, Lieutenant Colonel Barclay.” Although I hadn't really noticed them, cheering, smiling soldiers surrounded me. Every one of them had been part of one portal mission or another, and most had been in all of them.

The choking sensation prevented the words of gratitude and appreciation from being said. “Thank you. All of you,” I sort of croaked. When the colonel reached out his hand, the men lined up behind him to shake mine, sunburst smiles on all our faces.

After the unofficial ceremony, I asked Colonel Mitchell if I could speak to him privately. We found an empty table in the lobby area. I told him that Fritz had disappeared into the portal and that Ashley had spent the weekend trying to figure out how to find him.

“General Beech told me about it yesterday,” he said. “I wish I could help. I like Fritz.”

“A new twist wriggled in this morning. Ashley's missing. He went to school. His car's parked in its usual spot. But no one saw him or knows where he is. I think he may have gone after Fritz.”

“That kind of takes the sugar off your promotion. Sorry. Again, I wish I could help. Does the president know about this? Does the general?”

“Not yet. It's only been a few hours. He may turn up. Still, I'm worried. He wouldn't just take off and for sure he wouldn't skip work. I don't think he ever missed a day until last spring. After Palestine.”

I'm sure he'll be fine, Jane. But maybe we're closing this place too soon. We may need it.”

“Not if no one can open the portal, Colonel.”

I drove past the school. Ash's car sat right where it had been earlier. George would have told Ash to call if he'd shown up, so I continued home. I checked everywhere. Normally, I'd have clicked into 'analyze' mode, but I was just plain worried. Before I called Linda, I phoned the president. Ms. Crispen connected him right away.

“I've been expecting your call all day, Jane.”

“Sorry, Mr. President. We have a problem here. Thank you for the promotion. I know you made it happen.”

“Actually General Beech made it a point before I leave here. It'll be effective on December 15. But what's the problem?”

“I think Ash went after Fritz.” Then I told him what the day had been like.

As the story unfolded, the president said, “If he and Fritz are both stuck inside, we need to make sure the portal's protected, or they won't have a way to get back.”

“I was thinking the same thing when you closed the airport.”

“Well for now we can't use it to go anywhere. I hope we don't need it. But maybe we should slow the change-over.”

“Especially since Koppler's loose.”

“Jane, or should I say Colonel Barclay, let me think about this for a bit. I still have six weeks or so. If he's still after me, or Fritz, we should have a plan to respond.”

“I'll think about it, too. Thank you again, Mr. President.”

My next call did nothing to ease my concern. Linda had no news from Ash. She invited me for one of Emily's creations, and since I had no intention of cooking for myself, I accepted. When we disconnected, my phone buzzed. To add to the strangeness, no name popped up on my caller ID.