- the last major battle
that took place ten years earlier.”
Bosch pointed at the screen. “That is precisely
where you will materialize. Take note, you will need to
reach those trees as quickly as possible. It is only three
miles from your final destination – Poitiers.”
La Blanc turned up the volume.
“The inferior French army quickly broke up.
Fugitives made their way to Poitiers pursued by the mounted
Gascons, only to be slaughtered upon reaching the closed
city gates. King John found himself alone with his younger
son, Philip, fighting an overwhelming force of Gascons
and English. Eventually the king agreed to surrender. The
English army set about pillaging the vanquished French
knights and the lavish camps of the French. King John
surrendered to a French knight, Sir Denis de Campion, who
personally handed him over to Edward, the Black Prince.”
The commentary faded, and soft music played as
the picture dissolved from the screen.
They moved into a large stainless steel room containing five caskets, each with its lid slid open. The two
nearest caskets were connected to a plethora of wires,
computerized readouts and tubing. Each was filled with a
strange white haze. Bosch touched a control panel and the
white haze dissipated, exposing two men wearing medieval
dress – seemingly two sleeping figures.
“I would like you to meet Dominic Moreau and
Denis Campion. These...” and he waved a hand over the
caskets, “are particle accelerant chambers. The occupants
you see here are in suspension.”
Blake placed a reluctant hand on top of the nearest
casing and moved within two feet of the red-headed man’s
face.
Francois le Blanc spoke in a somber voice. “This
is Denis Campion,” and he tapped on a silver nameplate
as he spoke. “He will remain physically encased until his
return.”
Denis Campion wondered into the clutches of Libra
shortly following Moreau’s move to Zurich. He’d also
attended MSU, but unlike Moreau, he carried a slight Texas
drawl along with his French surname and Mediterranean
good looks. The pair had been referred to as Denise and
Dominique by the frat boys at MSU, a sexual slur that only
served to further galvanize the two handsome young men.
Bosch threw Blake an annoyed glance. “We had a
problem with Denis. We fear things are not going well for
him.”
“ Had a problem?” Blake queried. “That’s past
tense; past tense isn’t what I want to hear!”
Dal moved closer, peered at Campion and said,
“This guy looks like he’s anesthetized.”
“So it appears. He is actually in a suspended state,”
Hans Bosch said unconvincingly. “As such we cannot
intervene in his particle suspension.”
Le Blanc added, “Our intervention at this time
would most certainly prove fatal.”
As Blake hovered over the second container,
Francois la Blanc placed a hand on his shoulder. “And here
we have our second traveler, Dominic Moreau.”
Blake leaned in a little nearer, swallowed hard and
read the nameplate affixed to the chamber. “Yeah, that’s
what it says here, Dominic Moreau.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Particle Accelerant Chambers
March 25
10.22 P: M
Beckman entered the room, waved a hand across
the caskets and motioned at the vacant particle chambers.
“Good evening, as you see we are monitoring our two
travelers.” He passed a nod to Bosch. “Hans, you have
explained the accelerant chambers to our group?”
Bosch gave his heels a slight click.
Blake’s uneasiness showed. He wiped the back
of one hand across his nose and then scratched at an
eyebrow just as Beckman placed a hand on his shoulder
and whispered, “I fully understand your apprehension my
friend, but please - realize we have considered many people
for the undertaking of this mission and Libra’s decision
was not made lightly.”
He sensed Blake’s uneasiness at the hand on his
shoulder. He released the grip and turned away. “Nor was
the decision made in haste,’ he said
that took place ten years earlier.”
Bosch pointed at the screen. “That is precisely
where you will materialize. Take note, you will need to
reach those trees as quickly as possible. It is only three
miles from your final destination – Poitiers.”
La Blanc turned up the volume.
“The inferior French army quickly broke up.
Fugitives made their way to Poitiers pursued by the mounted
Gascons, only to be slaughtered upon reaching the closed
city gates. King John found himself alone with his younger
son, Philip, fighting an overwhelming force of Gascons
and English. Eventually the king agreed to surrender. The
English army set about pillaging the vanquished French
knights and the lavish camps of the French. King John
surrendered to a French knight, Sir Denis de Campion, who
personally handed him over to Edward, the Black Prince.”
The commentary faded, and soft music played as
the picture dissolved from the screen.
They moved into a large stainless steel room containing five caskets, each with its lid slid open. The two
nearest caskets were connected to a plethora of wires,
computerized readouts and tubing. Each was filled with a
strange white haze. Bosch touched a control panel and the
white haze dissipated, exposing two men wearing medieval
dress – seemingly two sleeping figures.
“I would like you to meet Dominic Moreau and
Denis Campion. These...” and he waved a hand over the
caskets, “are particle accelerant chambers. The occupants
you see here are in suspension.”
Blake placed a reluctant hand on top of the nearest
casing and moved within two feet of the red-headed man’s
face.
Francois le Blanc spoke in a somber voice. “This
is Denis Campion,” and he tapped on a silver nameplate
as he spoke. “He will remain physically encased until his
return.”
Denis Campion wondered into the clutches of Libra
shortly following Moreau’s move to Zurich. He’d also
attended MSU, but unlike Moreau, he carried a slight Texas
drawl along with his French surname and Mediterranean
good looks. The pair had been referred to as Denise and
Dominique by the frat boys at MSU, a sexual slur that only
served to further galvanize the two handsome young men.
Bosch threw Blake an annoyed glance. “We had a
problem with Denis. We fear things are not going well for
him.”
“ Had a problem?” Blake queried. “That’s past
tense; past tense isn’t what I want to hear!”
Dal moved closer, peered at Campion and said,
“This guy looks like he’s anesthetized.”
“So it appears. He is actually in a suspended state,”
Hans Bosch said unconvincingly. “As such we cannot
intervene in his particle suspension.”
Le Blanc added, “Our intervention at this time
would most certainly prove fatal.”
As Blake hovered over the second container,
Francois la Blanc placed a hand on his shoulder. “And here
we have our second traveler, Dominic Moreau.”
Blake leaned in a little nearer, swallowed hard and
read the nameplate affixed to the chamber. “Yeah, that’s
what it says here, Dominic Moreau.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Particle Accelerant Chambers
March 25
10.22 P: M
Beckman entered the room, waved a hand across
the caskets and motioned at the vacant particle chambers.
“Good evening, as you see we are monitoring our two
travelers.” He passed a nod to Bosch. “Hans, you have
explained the accelerant chambers to our group?”
Bosch gave his heels a slight click.
Blake’s uneasiness showed. He wiped the back
of one hand across his nose and then scratched at an
eyebrow just as Beckman placed a hand on his shoulder
and whispered, “I fully understand your apprehension my
friend, but please - realize we have considered many people
for the undertaking of this mission and Libra’s decision
was not made lightly.”
He sensed Blake’s uneasiness at the hand on his
shoulder. He released the grip and turned away. “Nor was
the decision made in haste,’ he said
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