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Back The Desert of Glass Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. BY MICHAEL C. GRUMLEY
  2. Prologue
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. 60
  63. 61
  64. 62
  65. 63
  66. 64
  67. 65
  68. 66
  69. 67
  70. 68
  71. 69
  72. 70
  73. 71
  74. 72
  75. 73
  76. 74
  77. 75
  78. 76
  79. 77
  80. 78
  81. EPILOGUE
  82. II
  83. III
  84. IV

The older man stared at Angela.  “Einstein called the quantum world spooky.  And it is.  Extremely so.  Very much how I considered Morton’s ideas for all those years.  But it turns out they weren’t spooky.  And neither was he.  Electrons, or energy, are inherently unpredictable, and yet they compose most of the world we see around us, even at this very moment.”

“So then, Morton was right?”

“At least much closer than I was willing to admit at the time,” acknowledged Townsend.  “Whatever the two of you saw in South America may seem spooky to you.  And it would to most people.  But it may not be as impossible as it sounds.  The truth is that no one understands energy.  And I mean no one.  In fact, all physicists pretty much agree that if you think you know quantum mechanics, then you don’t.”

“Then it’s official,” Angela joked. “Mike Morton was not crazy.”

From his chair, Townsend’s face lightened.  “Young lady, at the moment, we don’t even know what crazy is.”

A long silence ensued, with the only sound coming from the repeating ticktock of an old German-style pendulum clock hanging on the living room wall.

“So… now what?”

“Now,” Townsend said, easing forward in his chair, “I will help you.”

“You will?”

“Yes,” he answered.  “I will help you find Mike’s second location…”

Excited, Angela prematurely began to rise from the couch before Townsend had finished.

“…after you show me the first one.”

20

20

“Say what?”

“After you show me the first one,” he repeated.

Rickards leaned forward.  “You want us to show you the first one?”

“That’s right.  I want to see what you found.”

“In Bolivia.”

“Yes.”

Rickards stared at Angela as if to say you’ve got to be kidding.

“Um, Professor, I don’t… know if that’s possible.”

“Why not?”

“Well, I can’t speak for Joe, but I don’t have any intention of going back there.  It wasn’t the best experience.”

Townsend nodded.  “Yes, you explained that.”

She grimaced over his response.  “Evidently not well enough.  We almost didn’t make it back.”

The professor turned to Rickards.  “Did you not just say you made a second trip?”

Reluctantly, Rickards nodded.

“Was it a terrible trip the second time?”

He shrugged, still seated on the couch.  “Well, I was with my mother-in-law.”

Townsend responded with a broad smile, looking at them both.  “I would very much like to see it.”

Angela remained transfixed, blinking at the older man before turning back to Rickards.  “Can I speak with you outside?”

“Please tell me you’re not considering this,” Angela murmured.

“I didn’t even want to come here.”

“So, you won’t do it either.”

“I wasn’t planning to.  But…”

“But what?!” she exclaimed.

“We’re not exactly in the catbird seat here.  He is.”

“He doesn’t have to see it to help us find the second location.”