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The Stepping Stone
Chapter Four: Darcy Confronts Her Father
Scott A. Gese
Chapter 4
Darcy Confronts Her Father
Darcy had arranged to meet her father at Brasos Diner for lunch on Thursday. She replayed their upcoming conversation in her head until she grew tired of it. It had to be perfect. Ultimately, it would be her father's decision whether they would return to talk with Leeson.
John was busy finishing a couple of important white papers while keeping an eye on the trail cams. It was Tuesday morning when he noticed the first sign of movement in the area. A group of six men—two in suits and four soldiers in uniform—hiked past the cameras. They had missed the turnoff and had yet to arrive at the Stepping Stone by sunset.
On Wednesday morning, there was a knock on John's door. He didn’t answer it. His phone rang several times, but he ignored it as well. Instead, he texted Darcy to inform her of the situation and advised her to do the same. Since she wasn't home, not answering the door wasn't an issue. She confirmed she wouldn't answer her phone either.
By Wednesday afternoon, John realized he was being watched. Two men in a dark sedan were parked in front of his house, obviously waiting for him to make a move and show himself. He texted Darcy again to let her know about the surveillance, figuring that if he was being watched, so was she.
Darcy decided not to return home. Instead, she spent the night at a friend's house, preparing for her meeting with her father the following day.
She arrived at the diner early and found a quiet booth. Though she felt nervous, she was well-rehearsed in how to approach her father.
As she sat quietly sipping coffee, her father slid into the booth across from her.
“Hey there, youngster. How's my favorite daughter today?”
After exchanging pleasantries, Darcy's father got straight to the point. “So, why did you want to meet me for lunch? Don’t tell me it’s just because we haven’t talked in a while. I know you better than that.”
“You know me too well. I won’t beat around the bush. I need to ask you a question, and I need an honest answer.”
“This sounds serious. Okay, what’s the question?”
“What do you do for a living... honestly?”
Dawson searched Darcy's face and recognized the concern in her eyes. He hesitated, attempting to ease her worry with a less-than-honest answer. “You know what I do. I’m a CIO for—”
Darcy raised her hand to stop him. “No, please spare me the cover story. I want an honest answer. I’ve heard what you do. I want to hear it from you.”
Dawson was taken aback by Darcy's bluntness and felt a stir of concern. “Why do you want to know this?”
“Because depending on your answer, I might have another tough question to ask.”
This time, Dawson was straightforward. “I work for a rather large security company.” He paused and looked deeply into Darcy's eyes. She didn’t flinch, and he recognized her seriousness. “I’m a hacker. I hack into high-security quantum computers for the U.S. Government and other private corporations.”
He had said it. Leeson wasn’t lying. The truth was in some ways a relief, but it also terrified her.
Dawson became more forceful. “Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“Yes, that’s it.”
“Nobody knows this! How the hell do you know? I’m compromised. This is bad news. Who’s your source? What else do you know?”
“Dad, calm down. You haven’t been compromised. Let me explain how I know. Here’s the nutshell version: I met a man named John who discovered a set of stairs deep in the woods. The stairs led to a door—a portal that allowed us to cross into a parallel universe. There, we met a man named Leeson. He knows about you and said he needs your help.”
Dawson listened intently, considering her words carefully. “What the hell have you been smoking?”
“What? Is that the best you can come up with? Are you telling me you don’t hack quantum computers? You don’t understand what a parallel universe is? You don’t believe it’s possible to travel between them? What?”
Dawson gestured for Darcy to lower her voice. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to find the right words, and I’m failing. The quantum system is my specialty. There’s nobody better. As for parallel universes, it’s a plausible theory, but to my knowledge, no one has ever crossed over, let alone come back.”
Darcy looked him in the eye. “You know someone now.”
“You’ve been in a parallel universe?”
“Yes, I have.”
Though still skeptical, Dawson knew his daughter well enough to give her story serious consideration. “Let’s say this is true. Why does this Leeson person need my help?”
Darcy continued, “Okay, hold on tight. This is where things get a little wild. The universe Leeson lives in is a lot like ours, but they are much more advanced mentally and politically. They went through the same challenges we face now. The problem is that the citizens were complacent, and the deep state came out on top. They control the masses. It’s a slave system. Leeson is part of the deep state, but he told me he and several others like him have had a change of heart. They want to make a difference. They want freedom for everyone.
“He says there are other gates in this universe called the Gates of Hell. They are allowing the transfer of negative energy and power to our deep state. He knows a portion of this energy reaches the people in charge in his universe. If those gates can be closed here, they will cut off access to the deep state’s energy source, both here and there. As he puts it, cutting off this negative energy will bring both our universes closer to the light.”
“And he thinks I can do this? This is quite a story, Darcy. I’m still not sure if I believe it. Are you being initiated into a cult?”
“I’m telling you the truth. We filmed it. I should have brought my laptop to show you the video. I can tell you more, and so will he, if you decide to meet him.”
“I’d love to meet with him! But I’ll tell you straight out, if this guy is scamming you, it won’t go well for him. I’ll make sure of that.”
“Good! We’ll take a hike into the woods this Sunday morning, walk up a set of stairs, and step through to the other side. Are you willing to do this?”
Dawson sat with his hands folded in front of him on the table. Fingers intertwined, he slowly bumped his thumbs together as he thought. “Do you trust this Leeson person?”
“I only met him for a few hours. He seems okay on the surface, but my gut tells me to be wary. So I guess my answer would be not fully.”
“Well, at least you have that going for you. Fair enough. I’ll tell you what: it’s been a few years since I’ve had a break from work. If nothing else, I’ll enjoy a good hike with my daughter. I’m willing to at least talk with this Leeson person. I’ll try to get a feel for him. Whether or not I help him will depend on how the conversation goes. Also, I want to see that video. Any idea how long this will take? I’ll need to come up with a reason for being out of reach.”
“Tell them you’re going hiking with your daughter. You won’t have phone service for a few days.”
Darcy was relieved to see her father believed her and was willing to meet with Leeson. “One more thing. I think my house is being watched. Can I stay at your place for a few days?”
“Watched? Watched by who?”
“The NSA. At least that’s what John has told me. They seem to be watching him too.”
“This John person is your friend? Is he the one who introduced you to this Leeson guy?”
“Yes, he’s my friend, but no, he didn’t introduce me. We both went through the portal, and we both met Leeson.”
“Does he know about me?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure I’m not compromised?”
“I don’t believe so. I’ll text him to make sure he doesn’t say anything.”
“Text him? If the NSA is watching you two, they’ve already been tracking your phones, your calls, and your texts. Let me see your phone.”
Darcy handed her phone to her father, who fiddled with it for a minute. “Is this John’s number in your contacts?
“Yes.”
Dawson played with the phone for another minute before handing it back to Darcy. “They won’t be able to track either of you now. And yes, it would be a good idea to stay with me until Sunday. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. Let’s order some lunch.”
It was Friday afternoon when John called Darcy. “Have you looked at the trail cams recently?”
“No. Why?”
“You better take a look.”
Darcy took out her laptop and opened the trail cam page. Two men in uniform stood at the turnoff. The camera at the Stepping Stone showed an even more disturbing sight: four more men in uniforms were positioned around the area, and two men with equipment were at the top of the stairs.
“Are you seeing it?” asked John.
“Yes, they found it. Now what?”
“Not sure. There’s no way we can get through the gate with them there. If Leeson activates the gate, they’ll know it.”
“I think I need to let my father know what’s going on. It looks like we may be dead in the water.”
“I’m not ready to give up yet,” replied John. “Maybe we can figure something out.”
“You’re more optimistic than I am. Let me know if you come up with anything. For now, I’m going to give my father a call.”
Darcy was still on the line when John heard a knock at his front door. Distracted by his call, he automatically went to answer it. As soon as he opened the door, he knew he had made a mistake. Two suits greeted him.
“John Hindle?”
John hesitated. He considered lying but decided against it. They knew who he was. He cautiously replied, “Yes.”
One of the men showed his badge. “We’re with the NSA. We have a few questions. You need to come with us.”
“I don’t feel like I have the need or desire to do that,” John replied.
“Let me put it to you another way. You are coming with us... now.”
“And what if I refuse?”
“You’re coming with us one way or another. Don’t make it hard on yourself.”
One of the men noticed John was holding his phone. “Leave your phone here. You won’t be needing it.”
John disconnected his call with Darcy and placed the phone on a nearby table. He locked the door on his way out and got into a car with the two men.
Darcy had heard it all and was now growing nervous. What had she gotten herself into? Things seemed to be going from bad to worse, and she was at a loss as to how to proceed. Her father was out of the house for the afternoon. All she could do was wait for him to return and fill him in on what was happening. He was very level-headed, someone who always seemed to have the right answer. Right now, that was exactly what she needed most.
She tried to focus on her studies until he showed up, but her active mind wouldn’t allow her to concentrate. Finally, she gave up and tried to think of a way to get to the gate. Any scenario she envisioned seemed impossible. In her frustration, she more or less convinced herself that what had happened was for the best. In the back of her mind, she knew better.
Darcy’s father came home late in the evening. Darcy was waiting. She poured them each a cup of coffee and began to explain what was going on. She showed him the images from the trail cams and told him how John had been picked up by National Security agents while she was on the phone with him. She couldn’t see how meeting with Leeson would even be possible under the circumstances.
Dawson took a more pragmatic view. He wasn’t ready to give up before he even had a chance to get started. It wasn’t in his nature.
Dawson finished his coffee and set the cup down. Looking across the table at his daughter, he reassured her. “Darcy, if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my line of work, it’s that there’s always a way. You just have to find it. Let me think on this.”
“I’m worried about John. I hope he’s alright.”
“The NSA can play hardball when they need to. My guess is they want access to the portal. They think you and John have it. They don’t realize the key is held by someone on the other side. My guess is they’ll try to bribe him for it. If that doesn’t work, they’ll up the ante. What’s John’s last name?”
“Last name? Hindle, why?”
“No reason. Just curious.”
When Darcy headed to bed, Dawson made a call.
One of the Feds climbed into the back seat with John. “You’re a hard man to get a hold of. I’m glad you finally answered the door. I was getting tired of this stakeout.”
“You got lucky. I forgot you were out there. Am I under arrest? Where are you taking me?”
“No, you’re not under arrest, but if you resist our 'invitation,' I’m sure we can come up with a charge or two. As for where you’re going, let’s just say a nice, comfortable room at our downtown office.”
They drove into Portland, past areas where some heavy rioting had taken place a couple of days earlier. “How do you like the way we’re remodeling the city?” the Fed who was driving asked.
“Yeah, lovely,” John sarcastically replied. “Why are you letting this go on?”
“It’s not our jurisdiction,” he replied. “You’ll need to ask the Governor about that.”
They arrived at their destination and escorted John inside. They took him to a small room—more like an office.
John was a bit surprised. “This doesn’t look like the interrogation rooms I’ve seen on TV.”
“Oh, those rooms are for hardcore interrogations. We’re not there... yet. Let’s hope we don’t get to that point.”
The other Fed was ready to get serious. “Look, we know about the stairs in the woods. We know you and the girl went through some sort of portal. We want to know how you came across these steps. We want to know how you accessed the portal. We want to know what is on the other side. We want to know it all. Why don’t you start from the beginning? Who told you about the stairs?”
John suddenly felt intimidated. These guys weren’t fooling around. The intimidation brought out his stubborn side. He decided to try and stall them. “Can I use the restroom?”
“What? Use the restroom? Are we scaring the piss out of you already? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. No, you can’t use the restroom. You can sit here and piss your pants as far as I’m concerned. Who told you about the stairs?”
“Okay,” thought John. “Stubbornness is not a good tactic.” He decided to answer the question. “No one told me about the stairs. I literally stumbled on them while hiking.”
“Is that so? You just happened to be hiking out in the middle of nowhere and just happened to stub your toe on those steps?”
“Yes, basically.”
“And I suppose the portal just happened to be in working order, and you just happened to figure that out?”
John was about to answer when someone stuck their head in the door and motioned for the two men to step outside, where they could talk in private. The two men stepped out.
The third man spoke up. “Cut him loose.”
“What? We just brought him in. We’ve just started to question him.”
“I don’t care. The word from up high is cut him loose, and leave the girl alone as well.”
“What? What else can’t we do?”
“You can start by not questioning my order. Now cut him loose.”
John could see them arguing through the glass. The sound was too muffled to hear what was being said. The third man walked off, and the other two returned to the room. They didn’t look happy.
“You’re free to go.”
“Really?”
“Yes, get the hell out of here.”
As John headed out the door, one of the men commented, “I don’t know who your connection is, but you’re damn lucky you have one.”
As he stepped outside, he turned back toward the men. “I need a ride home.”
If looks could kill, John would be a dead man. One of the men pointed toward a phone. John called a cab and waited out front.
It was Saturday morning. Darcy was still in her pajamas and a robe. She stumbled into the kitchen looking for a cup of coffee. Dawson was up early fixing breakfast. “How do you like your eggs?” he asked.
Darcy sat down at the table, still half asleep. “Cooked.”
“I hope you’re more awake tomorrow morning when we head out. I don’t want you getting us lost in the woods.”
“John knows the way, not me.” Darcy suddenly became more alert. “How is that going to happen? We can’t get near those steps, and the Feds have John.”
Dawson set a cup of hot coffee in front of Darcy. “Don’t be so negative. It’s like I said last night. There’s always a way. You just have to find it.”
“And you found it?”
“We’ll see.” Dawson set a plate of bacon and eggs on the table in front of Darcy. “Bon appétit.”
He had just returned to the stove when Darcy’s phone rang. She pulled it from the pocket of her robe and answered. She was relieved to hear John’s voice on the line. “John, are you home? I thought you were in jail or something?”
“They took me in for questioning, but the strangest thing happened. Just as they were about to pull out their rubber hoses, they were told to let me go. I don't know why, but they sure weren't happy about it. They mentioned something about me having good connections, but I'm not sure what that was all about. Did you tell your dad about what we saw at the Stepping Stone?”
“Yes, I did, but it doesn't seem to have phased him. He's all gung-ho about going tomorrow, so I guess nothing has changed. He seems to have a plan or something. I guess we'll find out when we get there.”
“Great! See you bright and early in the morning. Be here around six.”
“See you in the morning. Bye.” She laid the phone on the table. “That was John. They let him go.”
“Oh, well, that's good. See, things are looking up already.” Dawson began to whistle as he turned his eggs.
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