The Origin Dime Chronicles, Book Two, Car JACKED, Episode 3

Jack was hesitant to follow Phineas through the swinging doors, but he did. What did he have to lose? He looked around the room. Very few people in this bar would give him the time of day back in the “real world.”

Missing an episode? Find links at the end of the story to Car JACKED and JACKED

The entire ambiance consisted of E-cig vapor, low incandescent lighting, and a rainbow of neon glinting through the smoke from unfamiliar beer brand signs hung haphazardly along the wall.

In the back corner of the room, at a tall bistro table, sat a familiar looking leprechaun and an exact replica of Jack.

“So, I suppose introductions would be redundant,” Phineas said, climbing onto a stool. Jack took the remaining one. No one seemed to notice the odd meeting of two sets of identical twins.

“Surprised no one’s staring. Are twins that common in this dimension?” Jack asked.

“What dimension is that, lad?” the new leprechaun asked. He chuckled.

“We’re in a kind of –no man’s land- at the moment. A turnpike rest stop, if you will, in between dimensions.”

The Jack that was not Jack laughed. “We’re glad you’re here, Phineas. We’ve got a lead on your package.”

The leprechaun placed a tablet computer on the table, and the now-familiar map system opened, revealing what looked to Jack like a prison.

Phineas let out a low whistle, “The Beta Max,” he said. “I knew they would catch up to him sooner or later, but wow. That’s a dark place.”

“The Shadoes that run it are some of the toughest, aren’t they, Phin?” The second leprechaun, that Jack immediately labeled ‘Phineas2’ joked. He offered his beer bottle, and Phineas clinked his own against it.

Phineas squinted. “The two of us spent the better part of a year there a while back,” he explained to Jack.

Phineas2 looked down at the table. “First, the Shadoes in general are not on what you might call ‘friendly’ terms with the Imagoes. But no one really has an influence over this place. It’s run by the Shadoe Guard. They are not what you might call “mainstream” Shadoes."

"They had a little falling out with the Shadoe Librarians, now they manage this place for the Library Council. It’s not within the jurisdiction of any dimension. Their one and only mission is to hold that prison. A prisoner goes in for their sentence and does not come out, unless their time is up, or they die first. Period.”

“So, escapees, what happens to them?” Jack asked.

There was silence for a moment. “No one has ever survived an attempted escape,” the young man, who Jack labeled ‘Jack2’, replied.

Phineas2’s answer had just brought up more questions. Why were these Shadoes rogue, what was the library council and why didn’t it have jurisdiction over the prison? But most importantly, would he be haunted by trans dimensional bounty hunters, if he even managed to succeed?

He studied the faces around the table. His questions would have to wait.
Jack glanced at Phineas. He looked worried.

“Okay, so tell me what we’re looking at here guys. If this is a prison, how do we plan on getting in?” Jack said, with feigned confidence.

Phineas turned to Jack. “Getting in will not be an issue, it’s getting out that may be impossible,” he said.

“Explain,” Jack said.

“Well, they’ll let anyone waltz in without an invitation, but before you think that’s lax security, it’s just the opposite. They are so confident that no one gets out that they are fine with letting you in. Well, everyone but you, that is,” Phineas said.

“What do you mean everyone but me?” Jack asked.

Jack2 picked up the conversation. “We’re unwelcome anywhere near the Beta max. Aedapts could go in and out at will, since we have trans-dimensional abilities. They have sensors on all the major toll roads that hone in on your Beans. Closer in their security is very tight. No Aedapt has ever made a successful attempt at entry.”

Phineas2 chimed in, “But if we could disguise you and get you in. They couldn’t hold you.”

“So, how do we do that?” Jack asked.

Phineas snorted. “Isn’t that the 64 billion-dollar question?”

“Well, it’s dangerous,” said Jack2, “But you could go dark.”

Both leprechauns shuddered. Phineas2 spit beer in surprise. “Dark? Are you daft? The kid’s been at this two days! What if he doesn’t come out of it?”

“Well, I suppose I could go in, but the same risk applies, without someone to pull me out,” Jack2 said.

Phineas agreed. “Out of the question. There must be someone else who knows where Jack’s father is. What about ghosting?” he asked.

“Ghosting?” Jack felt like a kindergarten student who ended up in senior English Comp II by mistake. “What does that mean?”

“Phineas is suggesting we find my father and have him “ghost” yours into his sub conscious and tell us where he is. The only problem is I haven’t seen him in months. And the last time I did, he was so drunk he probably doesn’t remember it. He hasn’t been sober 24 straight hours since Mom died,” Jack2 said.

“But there’s a chance it could work?” Jack thought about the last time he had seen Madison. “You do understand what’s on the line here, right? There’s a girl’s life in danger, and it’s my fault.”

Phineas2 sighed. “No, I’m afraid my Jack’s right. His father isn’t much for cooperating when he’s sober, and drunk? You might as well forget it.”

Phineas was doodling on a napkin. “But what if Jack here, could ghost your Jack, going dark?”

“Was that in English?” Jack asked.

Phineas2 sat up. He pushed his beer aside and took the napkin. He studied it. “This might work. I think you’re on to something.”

Jack2 looked over Phineas2’s shoulder and patted him on the back. “Yeah! I think that might work, him going in, me on the outside to pull us both out!”

“Please tell me what going dark means,” Jack demanded.

Phineas turned to him with a serious look. “Going dark is essentially becoming a chrysalis for soul surrogacy, a ‘pre-nosher’ you might say. You empty your mind, so they can’t scan it. Then, you reboot it once you’re inside.”

It was Jack’s turn to shudder. He’d played a nosher once and the idea of actually becoming closer to one made him sick to his stomach. All of this for a girl he’d only known for one night?

He was beginning to regret his decision to come along on this adventure, but there was nothing left for him to go back to now. “If it’s the only way to save Madison. What do I have to do?”

A short ride later, Jack and Phineas pulled up outside the most terrifying place Jack had ever seen. Phineas parked the scooter. Jack had to focus through the darkness clouding his thoughts to get a good view of the place.

He and Jack2 were sharing his consciousness at the moment, and it was a bit crowded. It was like being in the same sleeping bag with someone. Only the sleeping bag was the size of a tube sock.

Episode one
Episode two
Episode three
Episode four
Episode five
Episode six
Episode seven
Episode eight
Episode nine
Episode ten
Episode eleven
Episode Twelve
Episode Thirteen
Episode Fourteen
Episode fifteen

CAR JACKED

Episode 1
Episode 2