Chapter 1: Blythes Error

Professor Blythe shook Jack's hand, "So my boy what you're saying is that you are not the Jack Adams that I allowed to enter my machine? Interesting, what else is different about this world?"

Jack shook his head, "I don't know Professor..." he then hesitated and then added, "well, apart from your attitude, I take it you know Jack Adams from this world? And Susan of course." Jack said realising that he'd neglected Susan since he re-entered the house.

Professor Blythe turned to look at Susan, "Oh my dear, you're not my Susan either?" At Susan's confused look Blythe laughed, "I don't mean it like that, you and Jack ... I mean my Susan and Jack ... are engaged. I don't suppose... ?" He broke off as he regarded the pair.

Susan looked at Jack and blushed, "I've ... I mean no Professor, we're just working together that's all."

Blythe raised an eyebrow, "Really, how sad. Now what we've got to do is to try and sort out where you're from, and how I'm supposed to get my Jack and Susan back, they're in the same position as you are you know."

Susan sighed, "I do understand Professor, but what is there that can identify us? In the last world even our fingerprints were identical and that was with changed gender versions."

"Really, that's interesting. So if you hadn't noticed the difference in the vehicles then you would have thought yourself back home, eh?" He said to Jack who nodded.

"That's true Professor. Everything seemed normal, but then small things, like the way you're reacting to us, our Professor Blythe didn't know us, he only contacted us when our doubles arrived dead in his world, our world ... oh how can I put it?" Jack sat down and put his head in his hands

Blythe sat beside him, "I understand my boy, and this is difficult for you and Susan. Now there has to be some way of identifying you and the world you're from. The question is how? You've found out that fingerprints are not the answer, so blood typing would also be dubious. I suppose we could reduce you down to component elements ... but then that would kill you so I can't see that working ... I'm only kidding about that last part, although there must be something."

Jack sat up, "I do remember a Star Trek Next Generation episode where Worf kept going into different quantum realities, and it was his quantum signature that allowed him to return home, could you try that?"

Blythe seemed interested in the idea, but then asked. "But what is a quantum signature and just who is this Worf? Was he one of the Klazon members of Riker's crew?"

Jack just looked at him, "Worf was a Klingon, and the Klazon weren't part of the Enterprise crew. I'm sorry Professor it seems that even that is different."

But Blythe was smiling, "No my boy, that's a good sign. People stay the same but there are minute differences, like the left hand drive and the cast list for television programmes. Maybe we could use that?"

Susan snorted, "I don't think that's going to sit well with Bracewell, could you picture him with a list of programme details? Asking us questions?" she gave a laugh. "Hell I've forgotten you've never met him, it's just that we've been through so much." She turned to Blythe, "Professor would you mind if I spoke to Jack alone for a few minutes, you'd better let your version of Bracewell know what's happening." She suggested

Professor Blythe nodded and left the room closing the door behind him, Jack faced Susan expectantly.

Susan gave a deep breath, "I work for a top secret section of Military Intelligence, we sort of spook the spooks, anything weird and strange is our area, so when Blythe contacted us about the two bodies we had to check on this, I was told to recruit you to help me and to see if you would be strong enough to join us." She paused as if waiting for Jack to give a response, but he remained silent.

"We didn't know exactly what Blythe had discovered as most of his inventions have been kooky, to say the least, downright impractical at any rate, but this is not one of them. We have to return home to warn our people of the situation and to get a containment area arranged." She was silent now waiting for Jack's response.

"I see ... so what have you decided about me? Am I likely to turn green and attack people?" Jack asked seriously.

Susan gave a smile, "I don't think so," she said stretching out the words. "You've stayed sane through all this which is something that some of our people wouldn't be able to do. But we still have to return to our own world and so I'm going to ask you to follow my lead and to back me up, especially when this world's Bracewell arrives. If he's anything like mine then he won't be listening to us at all."

Jack shook his head, "I don't believe that, he must understand what's happening to be able to have staff like you working for him." He said but noticed the look that Susan gave him; it was a 'you have to be kidding' type of look.

The doorbell rang and Susan went to answer it, a group of soldiers were outside and they soon entered, with them were two men one was already known to Jack as Captain Lloyd, the late lamented officer with the British Free Forces. Jack looked at Janet who shrugged her shoulders at the unasked question.

The second man was obviously Bracewell as Susan stiffened herself for whatever he was going to say. But what he did surprised her, he hugged Susan, "I'm glad you're back, we were all getting worried at the office."

Jack could see that Susan was flustered at this reception and so took up the conversation, "Unfortunately we're not the ones that you think we are. Your Jack and Susan are still trapped in another world, and we'd like to return to ours."

Bracewell took a step back, "Ah, well then I apologise for my actions Miss Pulse, I'm afraid I took you for my own agent." He turned to Jack, "So you are... ?"

Jack sighed, "I'm Detective Sergeant Jack Adams, and Susan here has just let me into what your department does ... at least on my world so I assume it's the same on this one. So what are you going to do now, arrest us?"

Bracewell frowned, "Well ... I'm not sure, technically you're foreign agents and could be treated as such, but then you're also representatives of an allied department, so to speak, and so we could extend a hand of friendship."

Lloyd snorted, "I say we're going to lock them up and make sure they're not carrying any pathogens that could destroy this world. We should smash the Professor's machine and make sure nobody builds one again."

Bracewell turned to Lloyd, "And how do we get our Susan and Jack back? No, we do as this Susan suggested, place a guard inside and outside the room and ensure that whoever arrives is friendly. Now how do we find out when our people return?"

The door opened again and Blythe entered the room, "May I suggest you just run a Geiger counter over them? Sorry for the delay Susan, Jack. But I was thinking about what you said, now everyone has a certain amount of radioactivity in their bodies, depending on where they live and what's in the air, so maybe if we measure the level we'll have an answer."

Lloyd jumped on that, "You see director now they're radioactive; we're going to get poisoned."

Jack sighed, "Oh grow up Lloyd, you're just like that Captain on the fascist world, they shot him and I feel like doing the same thing!"

"Gentlemen, let's not get carried away. Sergeant?" The Sergeant in charge of the troops came forward. "Position you men as detailed. Professor we are going to have to have a method of finding our own people amongst the haystack of possibles, would this Geiger counter prove conclusively that whoever came through that thing can be identified?"

Blythe frowned, "Conclusively? No. but it would give an indication, look..." He held the detector part of the counter in front of Bracewell and it gave a small series of clicks. He showed the screen to Bracewell, "Now you see this measurement here? That is the background level for you, but when I do the same to Susan ... you don't mind do you m'dear?" He asked Susan with a smile before running the detector over her body, "Her background level is higher, so she's either just come from a higher radioactive area, or this is her normal level, different from yours. So I would say that she doesn't come from this world."

"So throw her back into that machine of yours and try to find ours!" Lloyd said quickly.

"I'll decide that Lloyd, not you. And an outburst like that will be dealt with later, go outside and look after the car will you?" Bracewell said dismissing Lloyd who glared at Susan but finally left. Bracewell shook his head, "Sorry about that, but it was his turn to drive today."

Jack nodded, "All the same Sir, why don't you just make us go through the machine to another world? It would save you the problem of dealing with us?" He asked

Bracewell laughed, "And lumber some other poor sod with you is that it? No I need to know just what is out there before anyone else goes through it, at the moment you're the only people I have, could you spare me some time first, please?"

Jack looked at Susan who shrugged her shoulders and then she spoke, "I suppose so Sir, it's just that you're the first one to ask us. Do you know the theory behind parallel worlds?"

Bracewell indicated some chairs while Blythe went back out of the room. "I've read the sci-fi stories, and of course I have you two before me, so let's assume I have a smattering of understanding." He said sitting down in an armchair while Susan and Jack sat on a sofa.

"Well it all started when I was assigned to take Jack to Professor Blythe's house, he'd reported two bodies appearing in his cellar and from their appearance they matched us exactly..." Susan – with some interruptions from Jack – told their story, going through the window to the Nazi controlled world, their escape by the aid of the British Free Forces (including the actions of Captain Lloyd), meeting with the female version of Blythe and their opposites in the Gender changed world before coming through the portal to this world.

This took some time and by the time both had finished Bracewell had sent off for food ("I hope you like Japanese food?")

They finished off the meal which, to both Jack and Susan's surprise, was very tasty. Bracewell was thinking things through, "So in the last world you were able to interact with your others without any problems? That would seem to eliminate the negative elements because otherwise you wouldn't be here to talk about it. So we have to assume that it's not possible to go to anti-matter worlds."

"Why do you assume that? We've no concrete proof of that. Sorry I was so long, I was attaching a rheostat to the equipment, I've spoken to my counterpart from your last world and she seems to be quite knowledgeable about this, she agrees that radioactivity is one way of differentiating between travellers, along with knowledge of television programmes. It's not perfect of course, but until we can devise something better. And good news, I've had a signal from our Jack and Susan, I've checked everything I can and it seems to be them. They're going to come through in 2 hours time." Blythe said excitedly.

Bracewell jumped up, "Are you certain it's them? They could be from nearby."

Blythe shook his head, "I'm certain. They knew all the answers to the questions I gave them; you know how much of a sci-fi fan our Susan is. She even gave all the titles of George Herbert Wells's stories."

Susan frowned, "Don't you mean Herbert George Wells?"

Blythe laughed, "No, so you see Bracewell it has to be ours."

Bracewell gave a sigh of relief, "That's good news. So what do we do about you two?" He said looking at Jack and Susan.

Susan nodded, "It might be better if we're not here when they arrive, can you find a world near our radiation level?" she said to Blythe.

"Of course, but I can't guarantee that it would be your world. Do you want to take the risk?" Blythe asked looking at them both

Susan spoke up, "Why not? We've got to strike lucky sometime." She said.

They emerged into a darkened room, although the machine was there it seemed different somehow, Jack looked at Susan. "This isn't our world." He decided

Susan agreed with him, "Let's get in touch with this worlds professor and see if he can help us?" she suggested opening the door to the basement, unseen by either a light began flashing on the wall.

Susan had picked up a torch from the previous world, that professor Blythe had tested the atmosphere in this world and had announced that it was almost the same radiation signature as she and Jack had. But she realised that close was not home and dry.

"It's strange," Jack started to say.

Susan frowned, "What is?"

"We've been to how many worlds now, three, four? And the basements are the same set up. You'd expect some changes." Jack had reached the door by now, he opened it and a body fell down the steps to the stone floor of the basement.

Susan was the first to reach it, she checked for a pulse which wasn't there. "He's dead." She announced and then turned the body over. "Oh shit, it's Professor Blythe."

They left the Professor's body in the basement, it was obvious that it hadn't been an accident as the Professor had been shot and his body had been left where it had fallen, just in front of the Basement door.

Susan led the way into the house with Jack following, the lights were on and they could see that the front door was open, Jack felt for the pistol he'd been issued with – although he wasn't sure he'd hit anything if he fired it - and then settled for a sword that was hanging on the wall, Susan stood beside the door frame to the Dining Room before pushing the door open with her foot.

There was no reaction from inside and so Jack quickly entered the room with the sword held out in front of him. "Clear." He said a moment later and Susan entered; papers were strewn over the table as if someone had been looking for something, but the Professor had obviously disturbed him.

Susan quickly read a sheet that was on top of the pile, "It's a journal entry, listen. 'I've been hearing odd noises coming from the vision machine, at times I could swear that people were talking although the machine is switched off. I tried contacting the Military Intelligence but they are not responsive, I've taken to installing an alarm connected to the Police Station just in case. I know that the Chinese would be interested in this machine, they would be able to focus it anywhere in the world ... Once I perfected it, of course.'" She laughed. "He won't get a chance to now will he?"

Jack shook his head and then paused, "Hold on, he's rigged an alarm ... oh shit we've got to get out of here before -"

"POLICE! NOBODY MOVE!" The three officers entered the room Asps ready in their hands then one straightened up. "Oh Christ it's the chinless wonder. What are you doing here?" He said to Jack.

"Lucky I was passing the house, I heard a noise and entered through the door, caught this one going through the papers when you arrived. I'll just take her back to Headquarters." He said taking Susan by the arm and walking her to the door.

But he was stopped, "Hold on there Sergeant! We've been assigned to this alarm not you, so we're the ones to take in the suspects; you get back to the paper pushing and leave the work to real cops."

"No you listen to me Constable, this is my collar and I'm going to deal with it, you keep a guard on the door and make sure nobody else gets in." Jack said taking Susan through the door.

"Why did he call you a paper pusher?" Susan asked as they went through the front door.

Jack shook his head, "I donno, it might be something different on this world. Can't you get in touch with Bracewell?"

"I can try. But I don't think -" Susan was stopped when the policeman put his hands on her arm.

"Nice try Sergeant, but you know the rules, you're out of uniform and I'm the senior office in uniform here. You're not going to protest or anything?" The officer's hand was now touching his Asp.

Jack thought for a moment and then saw Susan shaking her head. "No, you're right, but I'll come with you, I need a lift." He said

The officer laughed, "That pile of shit conked out on you then? It was bound to, wasn't it?" He opened the back door and put Susan inside, Jack sat beside her. The officer got into the driving seat and started the engine.

"You don't know what you're missing changing over to the bureaucratic department like you did, we've got better equipment now, and the Asps have a charge in them now, just touch the bastards and they're climbing the walls trying to give themselves up." The officer told Jack as he drove at top speed with the blue light flashing.

"Yeah, well someone's got to do the shit work." Jack said getting a feel for the actions of this world. "So what else has changed?" He asked.

"DI Wilson's out, he told the Super where to put the job, he's now on the at risk register Special Branch is watching him for any suspicious action."

Jack was shocked, "Wilson? But I thought he was an okay guy?"

The officer turned his head to look at Jack, ignoring the traffic ahead, "You okay Adams? You've heard him in the canteen, saying we should let the innocent people go. We've got to keep the percentages up! Look can't you cook the books to improve our ratings?" He turned back to pull the steering wheel to move the car onto the correct side of the road.

"Hey my hands are tied as well you know, anyway you know my boss..." Jack paused as he couldn't think who his superior would be in this world.

"Oh yeah, Brice, anyone would think he had a flagpole stuck up his arse. He'll be the first against the wall should we lose our jobs, and if he doesn't sort out the paperwork that's going to be real soon. Can you see the crap we'd have to put up with when the private firms take over, G4 cops? Probably lose their way running to the crime scene." The officer said as he slid the car around a corner to arrive at the police station.

"I'll have to leave you with him while I try to contact your people, can you give me a contact code?" Jack whispered to Susan.

"Just dial the MI5 number and ask for Bracewell, if that doesn't work then ask for Department 4 and let them know what's happening." Susan said quickly

"MI5 and then Bracewell or Department 4, okay. Sorry to leave you with this jerk." Jack said but moved back as the officer opened the door to grab hold of Susan.