“Ok,” Olive said pacing the living room, “I finished the calculations and it has to be tonight. The thing is, I don’t have the equipment ready and I’m supposed to work at the store. I may have to go through the motions today to keep access to the necessary location… unless you want to chance a break in which is still going to have a bigger time cost than we can afford… I don’t know how I’m going to build the vortex before the window closes.”
“I’m scheduled off tonight, perhaps they’ll let me cover your shift and then I can let you in the back before they shut the store down. It will actually be a good position for me to be in to secure the store. How much can you finish off site?” Rana asked.
“I think a lot of it… It won’t leave a lot of time for the final touches that need to be done on site. The power fluctuation is getting weaker. I calculate it will be impossible to tap into by 10:05 pm… we’ll be cutting it close. It’s up to you, Ma’am.” They both turned to Francine for direction.
“I don’t like cutting things close. Do we have any other options?”
“Short of taking hostages and closing the store down? No.” Rana answered.
“No. I don’t want to draw that kind of attention. It’s too risky. Ok. Olive? Any other risks?” Francine didn’t like surprises.
“Well, if I don’t get it just right it will explode, taking out half the shopping center, so there’s that,” Olive said matter of factly, “But that’s always a risk… The time crunch just amplifies it because I’ll have to work quickly.”
“Ok. Then let’s not fuck it up. That’s the plan then. We’ll cut it close. Rana will work. Olive, I’ll stay with you to assist as needed. Good?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” They answered in unison.
Francine was feeling the stress of failure. They weren’t supposed to have set foot on Earth at all. Their mission to intercept the shipment had gone horribly wrong and they had exchanged fire and lost, falling violently through the atmosphere and crash landing on the tiny planet. As the only three survivors they had been hiding here ever since counting on Olive’s expertise for a solution. No help would come. Francine knew they would be considered Killed in Action.
Crap! The store is about to close, Jake thought rushing through the door. If he didn’t pick up that replacement toaster tonight his roommate was going to kill him. He had been promising for days after having killed the last one (and nearly electrocuted himself in the process). He veered wildly into the men’s room in spite of the time crunch. He had stopped off for a beer on the way and wasn’t going to make it home.
Rana knew the drill by now. She and Olive had been hiding in the store after it closed for months while Olive studied the disturbance for viability. She was careful to go through the motions of going to her locker and punching out before excusing herself to the bathroom and ducking behind the stacked pallets. She waited until the store went dark before deactivating the back door and letting Francine and Olive through.
“Ok.” Francine said wasting no time slipping into command mode. “Rana, secure the store. I have a full shopping list. Olive needs 3 heavy duty electric cords and 3 power strips along with 5 toasters. Can you secure those?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Rana left the office briskly.
“Olive, do you have everything else you need?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I just need to assemble the final bits. We only need enough heat to jumpstart our equipment. I just need to strip the toasters and retrofit to our power crystal.”
“We should have procured the toasters in advance.”
“I’m sorry, Ma’am. It actually fulfills a last minute problem I didn’t anticipate. I brought our toaster too. I’ve already stripped what I need from it.”
They took position near the security cameras, Francine keeping watch nervously while Olive got to work.
Jake finished peeing and washed his hands thoroughly at the sink looking intently at his reflection in the mirror. He was pale and thin, his addiction, he knew, had been slowly killing him for years and he thought it might not be long now. He stared into his sunken eyes feeling a strange moment of compassion for his own loss. It didn’t last. His stomach clenched with the onset of withdrawal. He couldn’t let it get out of hand. Latley, there wasn’t much time between feeling rough and nearly dead. He had already been hospitalized twice and had only recovered when a friend brought him more drugs. The medical community was stumped by this new drug that seemed to have no antidote. He wasn’t taking any chances. He went back to the stall and shot up.
Rana finished sweeping the store with the men’s room near the entrance. “All clear. I have the power supplies and just need to grab the toasters.” She said into the radio heading for appliances.
“Good. Grab them quickly and head back. I want to get out of here. I have a bad feeling.” Francine replied.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Rana knew the feeling. Something felt off. She had half expected to find something on her security sweep. But maybe they were just jumpy. Frankly, after months of working this crappy job and fighting off the sleazy manager she was beyond ready to leave this planet.
Jake stumbled out of the Men’s room not noticing that the store had become dark and quiet in the rush of his fresh injection. He continued on his mission towards the Appliance Department unaware that he was nearly alone in the store…
Francine’s radio crackled. “Ma’am, We’re short one toaster.”
“How can that be? Didn’t you text me we were good earlier?”
“I know and I counted again on my sweep. The store was already empty.”
Francine looked over her shoulder at Olive “Any way you can make it work?”
“No, it’s not optional.” Olive answered without looking up from her work. “Without it, we’ll fail and have to start over looking for a new disturbance to manipulate.”
“Shit!” She punched the button on her radio in frustration, “Rana, did you miss someone in the store?”
“It’s possible? I mean this is a big area to sweep alone.”
“OK. Bring us what you have. Then we’ll sweep together.” She looked back at Olive worriedly, “You’ll be ok. Just keep working.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Jake had picked out the cheapest toaster he could find and made his way back to the front of the store. He was now staring worriedly at the empty cash registers while his brain calculated slowly. Empty registers… dark store… no one around… The solution came to him all at once. He placed the toaster down on the nearest one and walked to the door trying to push it open but it was locked. Ok, he thought, cell phone. He felt around his pockets for his phone before realizing he had left it in the car. Shit!
Francine and Rana had left the supplies with Olive and made their way to the front doors. “Rana, look. Isn’t that a toaster on register 9?”
“Yes. I think it is. Francine, I swear that wasn’t there a few minutes ago. I wouldn’t have missed it. Someone has to be in here.”
“It doesn’t matter. Lets just get it and hope to get out of here before they find us.” Rana grabbed the toaster as they passed the checkout and they made their way back into the warehouse moving stealthily so as not to disturb the unwanted visitor.”
Jake wandered through the store looking for a person, a phone, any way to let someone know he was trapped. He had to get out. He only had a single hit left and was sure he would be dead by morning.
“How much longer, Olive? We’re not alone in here. We need to go.” Francine and Rana stood guard with their backs to Olive as she worked, Francine impatiently checking her watch while Rana stood alert weapon at the ready.
“A little bit longer if you don’t want to blow up the building.” Came the tense reply. “And please stop asking. I need to think right now.”
Jake had found his way in the dark to the warehouse door and heard voices within. Oh Thank God, he thought, There’s still people here that can let me out. He pushed through the door and followed the voices to the back of the warehouse.
“Rana, did you hear the door?” Francine asked.
“Yeah. I heard it. I’m ready.” She answered with quiet steadiness.
“Hello? Anyone here? I got locked in,” Came the voice out of the darkness.
Rana flinched as she heard him push the back door release. She had reconnected the alarm after letting the other two in. “Shit. He just tripped the alarm. We’ve got about three minutes before the police show up.
“Hey!” Jake called out, “I heard you talking before. I really need help. I can’t survive the night in here.”
“I was hoping to avoid this.” Francine growled. They could see his shadow advancing toward them. “I’m going to have to engage.” Francine stepped out of the shadows, holstering her weapon and smiling like a store clerk. “Hi!” She said brightly, “Can I help you?”
“Oh, Thank God. I was in the bathroom and got locked… What… what are you doing?” Olive had just encountered a problem that resulted in a flash of sparks.
Francine swore inwardly. The sirens were already approaching. they were running out of time and she had to deal with a stray.
Rana moved out of the shadows, weapon drawn and pointed at Jake while hers eyes flicked nervously to the security feed. “I have a shot Ma’am,” She said crisply.
Francine moved closer to Jake sniffing the air.
“No. We can’t harm him. We came here to save him and we need to take him with us.” She looked back at Rana, “Don’t you smell it. He’s an addict. He got some of the shipment we were supposed to intercept. When did you inject last?”
“What?” Jake asked.
“The Orphium. When did you last inject.” Jake stared at her dumbfounded.
Olive sparked again behind them and called out, “Almost there, Ma’am!”
“Good thing.” Rana called out. “The police just entered in the front.”
Francine sniffed again, “You’re dying soon. I can smell death on you. It’s not too late. We can help you. When did you last inject?”
Jake broke down crying noisily, “Just a few minutes ago. I won’t live through the night in here.”
“Got it in 5… 4… 3…” Olive called out.
“Good thing because they are here.” Rana watched the officers push through warehouse door on the screen.
“Come with us. We can help.” Francine touched Jake’s shoulder, gently. “We can cure you.”
“2… 1!” The vortex flashed open behind Olive. “Woohooo!! It worked! We’re going home.”
“Olive, Rana, Go through!” Francine called out unholstering her weapon. She could hear the officers approaching.
“Not without you Ma’am.” Rana said.
“Go, it’s an order!!”
“Ma’am, you can’t wait long. It won’t last.” Olive called out.
“I can’t wait anyway they’re here. Go!!”
“Ma’am!”
“I’ve got it, Rana. Go!” Rana backed up slowly to the vortex hesitated, then followed.
“You heard her. We don’t have much time. Come with me. We can help.”
“I can’t jump into that. I can’t.” Jake sobbed.
“You’re dying anyway. Take my hand. It’s ok.” She reached her hand out. “It’s ok but we have to go now.”
Jake realized she was right. He was dying. What did it matter how? He reached out his hand. They jumped together landing safely in the vortex just as the officers began shooting.
Originally published here: https://medium.com/@NatolieWebb/vortex-599b98a2a866
Natolie Webb 