is a Slip.” I didn’t think. I knew.
“What is making you so certain?”
“He’s wearing a shoe I recognize.” I struggled to keep my grip on the bottoms of the shoes as we hauled our burden. “I’d guess that people from different dimensions don’t wear our shoe brands.”
“That is observant of you. Anything else you see on him?” Regulus sounded slightly amused.
“He appears to have poor taste in clothes, and his cologne is overwhelming. I should have smelled him lurking outside my window.” We stood at the top of the stairs with Regulus going backward down them. He waited while I adjusted my hold.
“Why do you think he’s a Slip? Are the people from other dimensions like us?”
“Do I appear that different to you?” His eyebrows rose at the question.
I breathed a little harder in trying to carry the body downstairs while staying upright. “No.” I had never even thought about it before. Except for his stilted speech, he seemed like an ordinary college guy to me. He was ordinary in the perfect sort of way, but not perfectly ordinary.
“My world is not far from yours. That is why we are human like you. If you have a Slip who is very different, he has come far.” Regulus shifted the man’s weight. “We can set him down. I hear Arizona outside.”
Now at the bottom of the stairs, I gladly put the man’s feet down.
“Travel is safest between the dimensions that are very close together. The physics of how atoms are held together would dictate that any farther dimensional travel would cause them to dissolve. If the dimension is not carbon based, it is not possible to exist.”
“Hmmm.” I didn’t want to know that the world was different from what we were taught in science class. Ignorance is bliss. “What about religion? Do you believe in a creator?”
“The IIA Vault Keepers are my creator.”
A shiver ran up my spine and danced around my neck. These statements from Regulus reminded me of the different worlds we knew and loved. I shook off the feeling.
I jumped at the knock on the door even though I knew Arizona was outside. But when the door opened, Austin stood with his hand on the knob. Arizona stood to his right.
“You OK, Mia?” Austin swept his dark bangs out of his eyes, worry written all over his face. “Aliens attacking your house now?” He wasn’t joking like he usually did.
“I’m fine, Austin.” I gave him a little smile to reassure him. “I don’t think this one is alien. His clothes seem to be from around these parts.” I pointed at the shoes.
“Unless he stole those,” Austin said.
“Possible,” I answered. “It doesn’t matter really. It’s still someone breaking and entering.”
“But why?” Arizona asked. “Is there a reason for someone to enter your home? He doesn’t appear homeless or desperate.”
“There is something here he wants. We must determine what the commodity is,” Regulus said.
Chapter 6
Goliath
A fter loading the man’s body into the Jeep, Austin turned to me and frowned. “Using my vehicle to haul bodies is getting to be a habit. These dudes really need to get a car.” He looked from the two motorcycles sitting in my driveway to me and shook his head in disgust. “Is he out for much longer?”
“No, I saw him moving. What’s the plan?” I wondered if there was one.
“We take him to the woods for questioning,” Regulus answered without enthusiasm.
“Why not question him here?” I didn’t know if I should ask or not. Regulus had a reason or he wouldn’t go to the trouble.
As if reading my mind, Regulus said, “If this man is from another world, then we must take him to the Vault for interrogation. If this man is from this world, then we must decide if he goes to the Vault or to your jails.”
“Ah.” I pretended to understand, but I still didn’t know why we were going to the woods.
Austin grinned at me, evidently not fooled. “Yeah. I’m just along for the ride while the
“What is making you so certain?”
“He’s wearing a shoe I recognize.” I struggled to keep my grip on the bottoms of the shoes as we hauled our burden. “I’d guess that people from different dimensions don’t wear our shoe brands.”
“That is observant of you. Anything else you see on him?” Regulus sounded slightly amused.
“He appears to have poor taste in clothes, and his cologne is overwhelming. I should have smelled him lurking outside my window.” We stood at the top of the stairs with Regulus going backward down them. He waited while I adjusted my hold.
“Why do you think he’s a Slip? Are the people from other dimensions like us?”
“Do I appear that different to you?” His eyebrows rose at the question.
I breathed a little harder in trying to carry the body downstairs while staying upright. “No.” I had never even thought about it before. Except for his stilted speech, he seemed like an ordinary college guy to me. He was ordinary in the perfect sort of way, but not perfectly ordinary.
“My world is not far from yours. That is why we are human like you. If you have a Slip who is very different, he has come far.” Regulus shifted the man’s weight. “We can set him down. I hear Arizona outside.”
Now at the bottom of the stairs, I gladly put the man’s feet down.
“Travel is safest between the dimensions that are very close together. The physics of how atoms are held together would dictate that any farther dimensional travel would cause them to dissolve. If the dimension is not carbon based, it is not possible to exist.”
“Hmmm.” I didn’t want to know that the world was different from what we were taught in science class. Ignorance is bliss. “What about religion? Do you believe in a creator?”
“The IIA Vault Keepers are my creator.”
A shiver ran up my spine and danced around my neck. These statements from Regulus reminded me of the different worlds we knew and loved. I shook off the feeling.
I jumped at the knock on the door even though I knew Arizona was outside. But when the door opened, Austin stood with his hand on the knob. Arizona stood to his right.
“You OK, Mia?” Austin swept his dark bangs out of his eyes, worry written all over his face. “Aliens attacking your house now?” He wasn’t joking like he usually did.
“I’m fine, Austin.” I gave him a little smile to reassure him. “I don’t think this one is alien. His clothes seem to be from around these parts.” I pointed at the shoes.
“Unless he stole those,” Austin said.
“Possible,” I answered. “It doesn’t matter really. It’s still someone breaking and entering.”
“But why?” Arizona asked. “Is there a reason for someone to enter your home? He doesn’t appear homeless or desperate.”
“There is something here he wants. We must determine what the commodity is,” Regulus said.
Chapter 6
Goliath
A fter loading the man’s body into the Jeep, Austin turned to me and frowned. “Using my vehicle to haul bodies is getting to be a habit. These dudes really need to get a car.” He looked from the two motorcycles sitting in my driveway to me and shook his head in disgust. “Is he out for much longer?”
“No, I saw him moving. What’s the plan?” I wondered if there was one.
“We take him to the woods for questioning,” Regulus answered without enthusiasm.
“Why not question him here?” I didn’t know if I should ask or not. Regulus had a reason or he wouldn’t go to the trouble.
As if reading my mind, Regulus said, “If this man is from another world, then we must take him to the Vault for interrogation. If this man is from this world, then we must decide if he goes to the Vault or to your jails.”
“Ah.” I pretended to understand, but I still didn’t know why we were going to the woods.
Austin grinned at me, evidently not fooled. “Yeah. I’m just along for the ride while the
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