The Time Stone, Third Edition (Extended Version)
Chapter 59

Weeks later, the streets of Chronix Bay were littered with the remnants of ticker tape, balloons, and confetti after a grand parade in honor of the heroes who had saved the town from the beast. The local newspaper reporters were reporting it as a miracle from God and some people in town were talking about government cover ups and other worldly visitors, while others were grateful they survived. In the midst of the central tower complex on the top floor, a meeting takes place that projects the hope and vision of the future of the city.

“My friends,” speaks Milton Drax, brilliant legal scholar, thrilling adventurer, strong minded advocate for the wealthiest of citizens, and chief legal officer of Temporo, Inc. “We are gathered here for one of the noblest purposes, participation in a quest unlike no other.” He is a man of excellence and fame, dark smooth hair, thin mustache, large scale ego, brilliant mind, and whimsical personality in his shiny expensive custom made suit and tie. He speaks to a conference room full of eager business people, politicians, and the police chief and commissioner. “We have seen firsthand the evil that awaits us and we have an unprecedented opportunity before us. There is a threat to this city, nay, to this world unlike any other we have ever encountered as evidenced by an attack on our own downtown of Chronix Bay and a similar incident recently near Juarez City, Mexico. We are being threatened by a force not of this Earth and we have to strike back fast with a pre-emptive maneuver before the next one occurs. I suggest a quest of our own. We invest in embarking on a pursuit for the truth behind these attacks.”

“Are you suggesting we invest corporate resources to chase a witch-hunt?” A seventy-seven year old and five foot man with a tight fitting suit rose to his feet screaming.

“Mr. Acherman, as acting chief financial officer you must understand that our purse strings are being threatened and spending money on this venture will be the only way to save money down the road as we respectfully feel, myself and others on this board, that we need to replace out the truth behind these attacks and to do that we would replace out more on the greatest possible adventure humanity has ever embarked on. Further disruptions are bad for society, bad for our businesses, and bad for humanity!” He shouts and there is a loud eruption of applause from the board members on all sides of the room. Mr. Acherman modestly sits down and felt humbled.

“Mr. Drax,” says Broad Staffnight standing up and walking to the podium to stand next to him. “Well said, you shall have your funding.” The room erupted in applause as Milton Drax smiles near Broad Staffnight who smiles in return and shakes his hand, neither man knowing the true purpose behind the other’s smile.

As the winds blew harshly outside, the dark pinstriped suits in the Chronix Bay County Courthouse were like silhouettes in the lighting as the guards out front let in people bit by bit. Attorneys proudly displaying their identification walking by the masses on line waiting for their turn by the great gargantuan titan of justice and infantry of the metal detectors and court officers checking bags filled with makeup kits and gum without even the simplest desire of replaceing some hidden arsenal therein, but merely creating the illusion of security in a system corrupted by fear. The line is filled with men and women in simple pedestrian clothing akin to inner city life. Amongst the chosen few walking past smiling at the guard who ushered him with a nod of the head, comes Milton Drax. He walks, checking the time on his expensive gold watch, increasing the pace in his step to the courteous awaiting of a young woman pacing back and forth wearing a Hijab, waiting by the elevators.

“Hello, Ms. Anderson,” he put down his briefcase and pressed the up button on the elevator panel. “You know the judge is going to be upset over the whole bail jumping thing, but you need to be apologetic, sympathetic, show remorse, and cry a little, she’ll be lenient.” He looks at the petite young frightened child before him, no more than seventeen. He knew Judge Makers is known as a hanging judge, but has a soft spot for truly hard luck cases. “Don’t worry, it is your first offense and you have ties to the community.” He empathetically counseled his client and tried to sympathize, but he felt his mind wander as he is elsewhere and adrift in thought that maybe he is meant for something better or bigger, a higher purpose.

He thought about Temporo, Inc. and the mission he has been authorized to pursue. “Could there really be more beasts? Could humanity have opened a doorway to a world beyond anything we have ever imagined possible? The possibilities were endless.” If the theory on multiple dimensions is true then there were infinite possibilities. He smiles in reverence at the thought of embarking on the ultimate human adventure.