But I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.” —Lewis Carroll “Take me back where? To Lake Vostok? You’re nuts!” “Zach, the space-time portal you accessed allows you to move within the multiverses of your soul’s existence. You can use the portal to access the future. Not only can you learn what disaster awaits us, you can determine the proper course of action that will save our species.” “And how the hell am I supposed to get back down into that godforsaken lake?” “The Colonel will explain everything. For now, let’s get you cleaned up and moving about.” I let out a loud yelp as Susan removed my catheter. She pulled loose the Velcro straps from my ankles and wrists, then removed the EKG tabs from my chest. “Ow.” “Sorry. Try to stand.” I attempted to climb out of the chair, but my legs lacked the strength. The Colonel summoned his physician, who returned with a wheelchair. “Susan, take him to the dining hall and get him something to eat. The transport leaves tomorrow morning at 0800 hours.
