Facing Worlds - Chapter 1

Chapter 9

After a quick rest on my bed, I decided that I needed to see Rook straight away. I grabbed my coat, and hat from the floor of my bedroom, and rushed out onto the streets of Chandler Ave.

The crowd had died down since I was last out here about 20 minutes ago. And the Police had lost a few numbers too... Only 1 police speeder was still here out of the 15 that were here earlier.

The dead corpse was also gone, and I guess Mac Malden was flown to hospital. I walked over to my speeder which was still parked outside the Brew and Stew. Just before I got in, I noticed something.... Some strange... The lights were all off in the Brew and Stew... Then I noticed the Closed sign with some writing underneath it...

"Gone to visit close friend of mine in hospital.. Back soon..."

Must of gone to visit Mac, as Rook does not have a friend in the world. I chuckled to myself as that thought slowly exited my mind. I took one more look around Chandler Ave, and noticed most of the places on the street looked abandoned and all shut up... Must because all all the crisis that happened out on the street today. It's not often something happens in our quiet neighbourhood.

I hopped in the speeder, and set course for New San Francisco where the hospital had been rebuilt after the war. Of course Old San Francisco did not get a new hospital, as a lot of people want the mutants to not exist.

Within minutes I arrived at the hospital and entered the lobby. I walked to reception and noticed she was a lovely young lady probably only 18. Whoa, for 18, I could easily fall in love with her. She is beautiful.. Calm down Murphy she is way out of reach for you. Don't forget your in your late 40s. But still, long brown hair, lovely blue eyes, and lips as big as Angelina Jolie.

She smiled at me...

"Hello, how may I help you?" she asked.

"Yes hello, I'd like to visit a Rook Gardner, he would of been brought in about an hour ago."

"One moment please" and she started typing into a computer to her right, "I'm sorry but Rook is still in surgery"

Damn, now what? I really needed to speak to him.

"You look pretty down. Tell you what, my shift here is now over, so why don't you and me go over the road to the cafe. I'm waiting for a friend over there as we are going to the movies, so you can wait there for his surgery to finish." She asked smiling at me in flirtish manner. She couldn't be remotely attracted to such an oldie like myself, could she?

"Sure" I said not thinking about the answer. Whoa, is this a date with an 18 year old or what? Think straight Murphy, your just there for company, until she meets up with her friend. And besides I'm working on a case...

"Follow me" and she walked off, into the doors behind her. I walked through the plastic doors, and she walked in another door and shut it. It said Change rooms straight ahead, so I guess she was getting changed. I took a seat by the near by door...

As I was sitting there, I could see through the plastic doors, and could see Zack Williams from the Electronics Shop enter. I wonder if... Gee I don't even know her name... would mind if I went out and talked to him.

I walked though the door which I thought lead to another corridor which lead to the change rooms.. I was really mistaken.

"Oh hi, sorry Ill just be a minute..." Mum-a-mia... I was in the change rooms, and there stood the girl, wearing nothing but her underwear and bra.

I could feel my mouth drop to the ground... That's when I knew I was in love...

"Get out!" she screamed.

I knew I couldn't argue a reason to stay in there, so I went back out into the hallway. Just then I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was the girl who had invited me out just a few minutes ago.

"Where are you going? This hallway just leads to our rehabilitation centre. The exit is this way," she began to walk.

"Sorry. I thought you were going to the change room. I thought it best not to follow you."

"I see."

We continued to walk down the hallway, and through the hallway I originally thought led to the change rooms. I passed by Zack Williams, and gave him a little wave my hand. He gave a nod back, but I didn't stop. We continued down the hallway, towards the exit in awkward silence. I decided to break it.

"My name's Tex Murphy, by the way."

"Cate Michaels."

"You enjoy your job at this hospital?"

"It's okay. I get to meet a lot of interesting people like you here."

We reached the doors out of the hospital and I opened them for Cate. I needed a cigarette real bad. I don't think I've had one for nearly 24 hours. I pulled out the pack, and popped one in my mouth. I lit it. I needed that.

Just then something weird began happening. Objects in the city began to disappear. This was not good. Speeders, trashcans, parking meters, people, even buildings began vanishing into thin air. It didn't take long before the entire city was gone. I found myself in what appeared to be some sort of desert wasteland. There was nothing as far as the eye could see, except for a desert road and a single roadsign. I went over to the sign and read it, "500 miles to paradise." Paradise? I began walking down the road. I felt as if I was getting faster and faster, until I must have been going faster than sound. Suddenly, I stopped. I wasn't in the desert anymore. I was in what appeared to be a tropical resort. I turned around, the desert was still behind me. This was getting too weird. Had I died? Was this heaven? I turned back around to the resort. There were people in it now, at least 50 from my viewpoint. They were clearly enjoying themselves. Swimming in the pool, lounging in the chairs or enjoying a drink at the bar. A young woman approached me. It was Cate.

"Hello, Mr. Murphy. Welcome to paradise. Our leader would like to speak with you," she took my hat and coat, and several other woman, directed me towards the so-called leader.

He sat atop a large chair, overlooking 'paradise.' I recognized the man instantly. It was Jules Franklin, "Welcome Mr. Murphy. Please sit down," He motioned for me to sit in the chair that faced him.

"I understand my dear friend Chester hired you to look into my disappearance, as well as that of the statuette."

"That's right, he did."

"End your search now, Mr. Murphy, and you can spend the rest of eternity, right here, in paradise."

"I'm not sure I can do that."

"Mr. Murphy, this situation is out of your control. Pagunda's plans for Earth will go ahead, regardless."

"Just what are these... plans?"

"I think your friend Gary has already told you enough. Pagunda is offering you a spot here, in paradise, but only if you end your investigation."

"What's the alternate to paradise?"

"Well, I think it's best described as Hell."

"I'm sorry Mr. Franklin, I can't accept. Something's going on, and whatever it is, this 'Pagunda' is involved. I'm not the kind of person who will give up just because someone throws me an offer like this. I won't be happy living the rest of eternity in paradise if I don't figure out what's going on here."

"Is that your final decision?"

"Yes."

"Well then, Pagunda will put you back on the list he originally had you on. You made a foolish decision, Mr. Murphy, but if that's what gets you to sleep at night, then so be it."

I awoke. I was in my bed at the Ritz. I must've fallen asleep when I came in here to rest. That means everything that happened at the hospital was a dream. I got out of bed and went into the office and looked down at Chandler Ave. Several police speeders were still down there, but the man who jumped of Rusty's body had been removed. I sat down in my office chair and thought over my most recent dream. Something didn't make sense. My first dream was a nightmare, it was like a warning, this one, it was completely different, I had been offered a spot in paradise, for eternity. There was nothing frightening in the dream. I thought about what Gary had told me. Pagunda will take the the truly good people to a sanctuary. Was this sanctuary the paradise I had just visited? It seemed logical, at least no less logical than anything else that had happened over the last few days. Pagunda was offering me a place in his sanctuary in exchange for me dropping the case. He wouldn't have done that unless he knew I posed a threat to him, despite the fact that Jules Franklin said I was powerless to do anything. At that point I knew I had continue on with this case, and do my damnedest to succeed. I wasn't about to let the end come now. I grabbed my coat and hat, ran down in my speeder and set a course for Chester's museum.