Chapter 13 Dumb Love Smart Comebacks

Leer knew that Max was terrified of her father and could guess why. He was undoubtedly the "Boss" whether it was mob, gangs, freedom fighters, unions, foundations or something like the Illuminati didn't matter, Sal was the top dog in the big hotel. He was Brando in real life, or at least this real life and Leer was smart enough to respect that but aware enough of the bigger picture to not give it much credence. So when Max began to rush him out the door, he responded with just enough energy to keep her from panicking that her father was going to kill the man she found herself falling for in a way she had never expected to. "C'mon Victor, I'd better drive, no time for your usual cruise down Market Street to remind the "little people" that Victor is watching." Max said as she brushed by him and gave his ass a little pat just to let him know that she was still feeling good about the way things had been playing out between them.

Victor probably wouldn't have liked that very much but Leer found it endearing. "I'm all worn out," he replied quickly, "so I think I might catch a nap on the way. After all, if I'm going to get killed again, I want to look well rested."

It was just the right sort of reply to put Max at ease and it gave Leer a great way out of driving. Max would normally have to compete with Victor over whose reason made more sense or which vehicle was better suited to the time of day or the weather conditions, but Leer had no way of knowing these things so he didn't pursue them, besides, he had no idea where they were going. When they got to the garage, Leer paused. He had never seen anything quite like it and he had seen a lot. There were three rows of cars with enough room in between each car and spacing in between the rows to accommodate a brisk deployment of any number of them. Max walked her way toward a sleek black coupe that tucked itself down inside a little corner at the end of the furthest row saying, you do not want to drive me, I am far too fast and will be extremely upset with you if you scratch my ridiculously lustrous finish in any way at all. She ran her fingers over its profile with the same sort of stroking attention she had paid to Victor moments earlier.

"On second thought, I think I'll keep me eyes open, I want to watch how you make this baby follow your every command," Victor flirted and Max responded with a kiss which she blew across the roof of the car like she was sending it directly across the lustrous finish, directly to Victor's lips. As they entered the vehicle from either side, they kissed one another passionately across the center console, the stick shift in Max's hand ready to drive. And there was no mistaking, she was going to drive it hard.

Chapter12 Shadowlanding Tommy and Mojahdii

One by one the men and women who had gathered within the hut of Mojahdii began filing out into the evening air. It was a warm evening with the slightest breeze, just cool enough to make it the perfect night to soothe the disappointment they were all feeling. Even though Mojahdii acted as if they hadn't a care in the world that the crystal had mysteriously vanished, the people were inconsolable. They had been trying to accomplish the very thing that Tommy had accomplished though they looked for the crystal in very different ways. The people of the Shadowlands were many, so these few who had assembled in the hut of Mojahdii were a privileged group, chosen by Mojahdii himself to witness the very event which was now causing them such anguish.

"They will survive," Mojahdii intimated to Tommy as the last of the group left the hut."They will soon come to understand that by helping you with their thoughts, intentions and meditation, they will be a part of what must be, facilitators of the new way, conductors for the great passage." Mojahdii smiled as Blue sat silently listening, acutely interested yet patient. "I realize that you were not looking for Shedavah, Blue, but now that you have it, you must learn to use it." Mojahdii paused, looking deeper into Blue, his eyes telling Blue that it would be proper to ask his next question while letting him know that he did not have to. Blue remained silent. "You are truly the right man for the job, Blue. It was good of you to come so far, you must have great faith in your friend John Tanner. Leer has done well to bring you this far, but even he cannot give you what you need to move forward, but I imagine he has already told you as much." Blue heaved a sigh of disbelief and relief with the same breath, Mojahdii would clearly be able to tell him whether he was a Quanji or not."No, I cannot, Blue," Mojahdii said as he placed a hand on Blue's shoulder,"I am not permitted. Only you can discover whether or not you are Quanji. What I can do is help you to discover the answer, and yes, I will also explain what I mean when I say that you have Shedavah. There is someone coming who will help you first. You may have noticed that she left the hut when I revealed that you were in posession of the crystal. Do not misinterpret her silence for unhappiness, nor her humility for ignorance. She did not need to see the crystal to know that you had Shedavah just as she has no need for speech to teach what you must learn."

At this very moment she entered the hut. She was more beautiful than Blue was able to appreciate at first glance. She entered with a slight bow and held a small bundle of freshly picked herbs, leaves, grasses and flowers in her outstretched hands, seemingly from nowhere, Mojahdii produced a uniquely carved wooden tray upon which she set the plants. Blue had only one thought in his mind as he looked at her but he could never tell you what it was, in fact, he was pretty sure that he was able to think of nothing. He did this for several minutes while she slowly fanned the plants out on the board, arranging them very carefully, then looked directly into his eyes.

As Blue became immobilized Mojahdii said softly, "Tommy this is Anna Marie, Anna Marie, this is Tommy." Anna Marie smiled at Tommy then took his hand in hers. In his palm she placed the single blossom of a flower. It was the most brilliant blue flower he had ever seen. Anna Marie gently curled his fingertips around the blossom and held his hand between both of hers as she bowed sweetly to him, then slowly opened his curled fingers and the flower was gone.

Chapter 10 Ice Cream at Jen and Barry's

"Single?" the girl behind the counter asked Blue.

"Who me?' Tommy responded dimwittedly.

"Just don't even tell me you're going to start down that road. sugar, I meant the cone. Single or double scoop. Actually, you're a pretty tall order yourself, how ' bout a triple?" the girl continued, obviously flirtatious but in no mood to hear the same old puns for what Blue quickly guessed had occurred far too often.

Tommy was supposed to be something of an ice cream freak, according to Vinny, who had made it clear, several times, during their ride over to Jen and Barry's Ice Cream Parlor that they were on a mission to complete the ultimate JumpJuice rush. Blue had decided to go along with whatever Vinny wanted to do for a couple of days, if he could live through it. That would give him time to figure out who he was and what he could do with the OmegaLux Crystal, if anything. Blue was a little concerned that he may not be able to keep pace with Vinny's JumpJuice schedule, but the ice cream was definitely going to be a welcome tonic for the dry mouth he was experiencing. So Blue went for the double.

"Better make it a triple!", Vinny laughed and slapped Tommy on the back. Blue smiled reluctantly in the girl's direction and she eagerly heaped three large scoops of "Funky Monkey" onto a chocolate dipped sugar cone.

The cone went down surprisingly easily. In fact, it was so delicious and consumable that Blue was finding it easier and easier to assume the person of Tommy. He was far more comfortable being someone completely different from himself than he had ever thought he could be. He was thinking that he was either like Tommy on several levels or that people are like one another, in general, on a far more basic and essential level than he had ever imagined.

"I just love to watch you eat that shit, Tommy," Vinny beamed, " it does my heart good to see my little brother so happy. I mean, you seem to be really happy, and you haven't mentioned Victor Alonso or Sal Lorenzo the entire time we have been hangin' together."

Blue turned white.

He wasn't sure what to say. He really liked Vinny. He wanted a friend, maybe even better, a brother, but this was weird. If he exposed himself, Vinny could never be expected to understand. If he told Vinny and Vinny understood, Vinny would realize that his brother really was dead. So Blue said, "I just don't even want to think about those guys."

"Yeah, Tommy, I can tell," Vinny apologized, I didn't mean to ruin your buzz man!"

Tommy responded," What the Varst!, let's get another bastin' cone and forget about it!"

Chapter 9 Unreal Reality Check

Leer stopped himself from saying anything more that might incriminate him. He was remembering a time with Catherine Kent when she was Mona, a time that only he knew about but planned to share with Blue, when he was John, before he went back to being Leer but he never got the time. One of the things that is truly hard to grasp about alternate realities and parallel universes is that they are NOT the same thing yet they both exist, and one can become the other, while the other can't unless it is a mistake or a miracle, which many mistakes are. Mona was not a mistake but mistaking Max for Mona and talking about a past which wasn't hers would have been just the kind of mistake that would have ruined all of the progress that Leer was making with Max. But Leer did stop himself and that left a silence which hung in the air perilously.

"You remember what?" Max asked with an expectation fueled by the far away look she noticed in Victor's eyes though it had been fleeting.

"What?", Leer mumbled.

"Yes, Victor," Max urged, "What do you remember?"

Leer couldn't think of a single thing he could make up that would fit. He was completely at a loss so he said, "Nothing."

"C'mon Victor, you were going to say something," Max cooed.

Leer has spent over twenty years away from the Earth on which he knew Blue, but he has spent more than that away from Mona. He would have loved to talk about the feeling he remembered, but he knew he couldn't do that with Max. But he had to talk to Max about something and it had to make sense at this time, on this planet - with this woman! He decided to take a chance,"It's something I can't describe. I mean, it's how I felt," he sighed deeply, "I..."

"Victor," Max cut in,"it's okay, you never can express your feelings. So," Max beamed,"I am going to help you out." She sat down next to him on the grass. She walked her hands toward him, so her face was inches from his," Now Victor, tell me, were you remembering something about me, about us, or about the JumpJuice? And it better not be about the JumpJuice," she winked.

Leer was relieved to be past the intial blunder but feared the direction in which the conversation was going. There was only one hope in which he had any chance of survival, "Us," he said and leaned directly into her lips. Leer kissed Max for a very long time, after which he slowly withdrew. Max remained weighted in Victor's direction with her eyes closed and her lips soft. She slowly opened her eyes, gently biting her lower lip as if to check on the reality of the kiss and whispered,"You were saying?"

Before she could ask again, he held her, pulling her close while laying her gently back upon the soft grass and kissed her.

Chapter 9 Unreal

the moonlight

Chapter 9

Chapter 8Quest for the OmegaLux Crystal Game Over

Vinny watched from below as Tommy lifted out of the craft. Tommy began to move as if swimming through the air, more of a breaststroke than a crawl. Surprisingly, he actually moved faster. He pulled with his arms and kicked like a frog with his legs.  On his third such effort, as he brought his hands forward and kicked, a single point of light appeared above Tommy's head. Vinny thought for sure that this was an opening through which a weapon would appear to blast his little brother from the game. In fact, he was amazed that Tommy still showed up in the game at all. After all, he was clearly outside of the craft now, and definitely not in a marked zone. Tommy was blissful. Blue knew that he was doing the right thing, like he was in control of his most lucid yet fantastic dream. For a moment, thoughts of the giant peanut, the yeti and Glurp skittered across his mind but he quickly made them dissolve. This was his world now and he knew it. Blue had no idea what to expect next, he only felt certain that whatever was about to happen, had to happen, so he just kept going. As he raised his arms above his head to reach forward for another stroke a giant white dome began to take shape overhead. The dome quickly became a globe, encircling Tommy, Vinny and the small craft, isolating them from the rest of the complex. Tommy reached even farther forward, directly toward the center point from which the light originated. Vinny saw Tommy as he almost touched it as the light became unbearably bright, then suddenly, darkness.

Vinny was sitting in total darkness all alone in a pitch black room. He was no longer within the game. He was no longer sitting in his craft or even in his gaming chair. He was on Tommy's game room floor, in total darkness without Tommy.

Blue placed his hands around the precise area of origin of the point of light. Although the light was blinding, he looked straight into it. He felt neither heat nor cold. There was nothing solid to the point of light yet he held it between his palms. Intuitively he rolled it in his palms and as he did facets began to appear and dance between his open cupped hands. The facets solidified into a crystal. Blue was standing in the center of the globe. He stood upon nothing, yet felt remarkably secure. Around him stood seven figures dressed in white. An ethereal voice spoke a single word, "Welcome". Blue said nothing. He simply smiled.

Tommy sat directly across from Vinny in the total darkness of his game room. He let out the slightest laugh as he realized where he was.

"Tommy? Is that you?" Vinny almost whispered.

"Yeah, it's me." Tommy answered, the laugh still warming it's way through his response.

"What the Varst just happened?" Vinny gasped. "Did you get to see the crystal? Did Z blast you, or did you just fry in space? I mean, I didn't even get fired upon and I ended up back here before you did, what in Farb's name is going on?"

Tommy opened up his cupped hands, the OmegaLux Crystal illuminated the whole room as if he had just thrown the switch on a thousand searchlights, he rolled it up to his fingertips and it calmed to a gentle glow.

Tommy smiled across the room at Vinny and said, "Game Over".

 "Bastin" Farbunkle, Tommy, you got it,"Vinny shouted," BEEZLE little bro" it's REAL!

Chapter 8Quest for the OmegaLux Crystal cont.9

"Ah,Kowalski, you recognize a friendly voice." Z drawled as the Z-Bird loomed into view.

"Friend?" Kowalski gritted his teeth,"more like traitor!"

"Now if you're not going to say anything nice, don't say anything at all," Z oozed with sarcasm, "Perhaps I should put that another way, have a nice day, Kowalski," Z punctuated his rapport with a searing blast that eliminated the last of the free source trio who only moments earlier seemed to be on their way to the final prize.
"Game Over, Game Over, Game Over", the omie cry went up throughout the complex as the event was broadcast system-wide. Wherever Z went, broadcast followed. One thing that could be said for Omnifab, they fostered loyalty like no other organization. With the millions of fighters, free source and subscription, one would imagine that Z's status as exterminator within the OmegaLux complex would be common knowledge within the game. It wasn't. Most fighters who made it to Z would do just as he imagined, give up the game, refusing to go up against a system which afforded them no chance. Those who chose to fight or tried to expose Z by getting back into the game were often ridiculed, humiliated or painted as conspiracy theorists by a marketing machine that made other product line corporations look like amateurs. Inside of Omnifab omies shared stories of all of the victories, but outside, never, and if things became too transparent to free source fighters or the rarest of subscribers, Z would be eliminated publicly in battle and simply move  on to another free source core. he had been X, Flash, Flint and his own favorite, Fuse. To Z, every victory was sweet. Another opportunity to bask in his own superiority. He may as well have been Farb himself for all of the power he had. Today, however, was a special thrill. Five free source fighters eliminated including a core leader, Vinny Levito. Z gracefully banked the Z-Bird into a full 180 degree turn and cruised off in the direction from whence he came.

"Bastard", Tommy and Vinny said simultaneously as Z left the area. "Bring us out," Tommy said as he removed the vent. They quickly worked to replace the vent then turned the small craft toward the center of the area. "Let's do a little clean up and look around, Vinny," Tommy said calmly. Within moments, they found a small chunk of debris from Kowalski's vehicle and placed it in the dumpster. "Debris contained-additional debris detected," the voice said. Several minutes passed, Tommy and Vinny continued collecting debris until at last the voice said, "Debris contained - area clear."

At that point, Tommy pressed a small blue button on the comm panel. Instantly, both men were surrounded by their own personal cockpit. "Keep her steady," Tommy said as he looked over at Vinny, who now had full control of the vehicle.

"What are you up to?" asked Vinny with what could only be described as fear in his eyes.

"I'm going out," Tommy responded.

"What in Farb's name do you mean by going out?" Vinny asked incredulously.

"Out there," Tommy motioned upward with his head.

"No!", Vinny shouted, You can't, You'll die! The game will end, you will lose everything. Everyone knows, you can only exists within your craft or in a marked zone, outside your craft. This is NOT a marked zone!"

"We don't have any more time, I have to go," Tommy urged,"Z is too powerful, we won't get back into the game anyway."

"Look Tommy, we came this far to look for the crystal and it's nowhere in sight. We have to keep looking until we find it. It's hidden somewhere within this complex," Vinny pleaded.

"Vinny, you gotta trust me. It's like everything else I've been able to do, I don't know how or why but I'm pretty sure that this is the ONLY way to get the OmegaLux Crystal. Now just keep her steady and let me go, please!"

Tommy sprung a hatch just above his head and pushed off with his feet like he was diving into deep water as his body left the craft.

Chapter 8Quest for the OmegaLux Crystal cont.8

"Not good," Vinny moaned softly as the large warbird hung menacingly between the Levitos and their chosen path. Tommy calmly maneuvered their craft directly toward the warbird. "Are you insane?" Vinny whispered. Tommy raised one eyebrow and the corner of his mouth as if to say maybe, then banked the tiny craft slightly, deploying a large robotic arm which reached out toward the warbird. Vinny thought for sure that they were toast. The crew of that warbird would see the little craft coming at them with it's little robotic arm and fry it without warning. Then, through a small observation window he saw the answer. Tommy was guiding the arm toward a small piece of debris floating aimlessly in the shaft. Tommy grabbed the debris with the robotic arm and disposed of it in the rear of the craft which opened like a dumpster to receive the load. Vinny heard a synthesized female voice say,"debris contained - area clear," as Tommy guided the small craft around the large warbird, directly toward the duct work vent. Using the same robotic arm, Tommy melted four contact points on the vent and removed it. He slid the craft inside the duct work and resealed the vent from the inside. "Beezle, Tommy, bastin' beezle!" Vinny cooed as the small craft eased its way down the duct work of level 4. They reached level 5 without incident.

Tommy maneuvered the robotic arm into position to melt the contact points on the vent to level 5. Just as he melted the final point, a blast erupted outside of the duct work. Tommy held the vent in place as he maintained the position of the craft. I don't think they're after us," he said to Vinny, "but I want to get a look at what's happening out there. You hold the craft steady and I'll keep the vent in position." Tommy managed to keep the vent right in position, while adjusting the camera on the arm to get a view of the area just beyond the vent. What they saw was incredible. Three ships, most likely free source fighters, were in an all out battle with the warbird they had steered around just moments earlier. By the looks of things, the warbird was losing. All of the ships were fighting in the central area where the passages converged, the very spot that Tommy had pointed out on the holographic model. The free source fighters encircled the warbird, firing a ceaseless and beautifully orchestrated series of phazer blasts and torpedo attacks. The warbird rolled a little to one side then launched a powerful blast from the center of its nose, striking one of the fighters and disintegrating it instantly. Vinny had one hand on the steering and one hand busily searching frequencies when they heard, "We lost Jeffers, keep up the pattern and stay away from the nose."'Vinny leaned over as close as he could to Tommy and whispered,"Sounds like Kowalski." Tommy nodded. Just then, a huge explosion rocked the area and the entire warbird disintegrated. "Oh yeah!", the cry went up from the free source fighters. Immediately, another explosion shook the place hard. One of the two remaining free source fighters just shattered to bits.

"Hello Kowalski," said a familiar voice.

"Z? Is that you?" Kowalski asked in disbelief and anger.

Chapter 8Quest for the OmegaLux Crystal cont.7

Tommy touched the comm panel, bringing up a holographic model of the inside of the OmegaLux complex.

"Oh, this just keeps getting better and better Tommy! I get the feeling that I'm going to find out that you really did die and that by some odd coincidence, I died with you and this is heaven. If it is, so be it, Praise Farb and Hallelujah! I am going to savor this moment in heaven and the first thing I will do in heaven is to find that damn crystal!. I will hold it in my hands, unleashing whatever amazing power it may hold. I will be all merciful and understanding because I am now in heaven. I have no enemies, no one to protect or be protected from. I will forgive all who have wronged me and you including that bastard Z, that bastin' little prick, Victor, even that little bitch Max. Then, my dear brother, I'm going to find momma. I will throw my arms around her, give her a big kiss and ask her if we can go bake some of those delicious "Momma's Crack Cookies", you remember those, doncha? Varst, of course you do, it wasn't that long ago - Tommy?!?"

Blue felt like shit that he wasn't really Vinny's brother but there wasn't a thing he could do about that. "It's been too long and I hate to say it, but this isn't heaven," Tommy said softly and regretfully, " but we are going to get that crystal." Vinny smiled with understanding as Tommy continued, "Look here," he said as he pointed out a large duct work system dead ahead of the little craft. "We'll follow that system right fast level four and drop in mid-way on level five," he continued as he pointed out the spot on the holographic diagram. "With any luck that message you broadcast to the the other free source fighters during the fight in the arena will draw in some help. At least enough to distract the omies, Z and the rest of Omnifab long enough for us to gain some ground. This is where we are headed," Tommy indicated on the model, "This looks like the place where nearly every passage converges. Nothing appears to be there. Either everything goes out from there, or comes in from there and I aim to find out which." Just as Tommy finished saying these words, a large warbird, nearly the size of Z's emerged from another shaft and hovered between the small craft and the vent they were headed for.

Chapter 8Quest for the OmegaLux Crystal cont.6

As Z celebrated, Vinny's entire craft shook, even in his position behind the pods with the sound of Tommy's exploding craft still ringing in his ears. The sound that went unnoticed was more of a "Pop" as his own fighter shook slightly as if it had been hit from above. Instinctively, Vinny looked upward toward the bump and there he saw Tommy with a finger to his lips. He acted out Vinny's next move, his right hand representing Vinny's fighter, his left the giant warbird. Tommy gave Vinny a communication headset just like the one he was wearing.

Suddenly Z's voice broke the silence,"I'm coming for you now Vinny," he teased.

"No, Z, I'm coming for you," Vinny responded as his ship cruised out from behind the pods, arching upwards in a tight barrel roll toward the megafighter, phazers blasting, This one's for Tom...," before Vinny could finish his dedication, his fighter was blasted from the air, quickly and decisively by Z's awesome warbird. The omie crowd burst into cheers of "Game Over, Game Over, Game Over". One of the omies on the warbird bridge turned to his captain, "Commander Z, won't the Levitos just tell their friends that you're a commander with OmegaLux now that you have eliminated them from the game?"

"Of course they will. However, that is of no significance. You see, I know all of the access codes as well as the usernames, passwords, Gear Point totals, frequencies even the favorite maneuvers of Vinny Levito's little group of free source fighters," Z bragged. "They'd have to start all over, and guys like that never do. i just wish i didn't have to blow up that little fighter that Tommy managed to slip into the game. That thing had some nice features, especially the gyro rings. I'll have a talk with the boys in development, they never should have let that one in, still they can probably grab the code, so all is not lost. I'm going to mount a few of those handy little projector devices on this baby before the next time we head out. But enough about that, all of you have earned a health 100 credit as well as a plus life 3 bonus from tonight's little festivities. I'd say it's time for a cold one."

From within the safety of their secret craft, Tommy and Vinny could still hear Z. He was so sure he had wasted the two of them that he never bothered to disengage from Tommy's frequency. Z's gloating was so nauseating to Tommy that he placed his fingers down his throat like he was going to vomit as he turned the communication system off ensuring that he and Vinny would no longer have to endure Z or the continued cries of "Game Over" from the omie crowd as they revelled in the kill. Tommy and Vinny drifted out of the arena in the small craft that Tommy had released earlier. His plan had worked. Z was so pleased with himself when he disintegrated the camera unit that he convinced himself that Tommy was without any means of diversion or deception. Z never even noticed the small craft which floated harmlessly by during the battle. It resembled the worker robots which drift regularly around the OmegaLux complex. On its side it had the words Keep it Clean, bookended by the Farb Sees logo. it was shaped like the love child of a New York City dumpster and a late 1960's model of a VW bus, but smaller. Though tiny, it sat two comfortably and more importantly, it flew extremely well. Completely loaded with four phazer banks, two rocket launchers and a Quar X module, it was every free source fighter pilot's dream. Particularly when you factor in the finest point of all. It was on it's way to level 4, completely undetected by anyone or anything in the complex.

This was the exact thought which crossed Vinny's mind as he beamed with pride,"Z just got himself T-Boned!"

Tommy grinned equally wide as he responded in a hushed but clearly excited voice, "and I would say that the game is FAR from OVER!"