The Heretic
Chapter 1

Copyright© 2013 by onevu

My Name Is Sam

Three years ago: August 26, 2031

"Today instead of boring everyone with the contents of the syllabus, let's talk about the possibility of a multiverse," the professor declared in a deep voice.

My name is Sam Hunter, and I am attending my first lecture in Physics. Exciting right!? The instructor looked to be in his late thirties with a commanding aura as he stood in the center of the auditorium. His face was long with a squared jaw, knowing eyes behind a small pair of glasses and hair uncombed even though he wore a suit.

"That's a load of crap!" "Isn't this Intro to Physics?" shouted a couple of students in the back.

The professor thought for a second before answering, "Well then before we begin, we will treat this as a thought exercise and will ignore any discussion on God. If you guys think this is unfair or do not want to participate, you can leave now."

About half the class got up and started leaving. The remainder sat, and seemed genuinely excited. I stayed for several reasons, but mainly because there was something odd about the professor.

"Now, let's begin. Several experiments, such as the double-slit experiment in the early 1800s, were performed on the properties of light. The results have shown that we have massive interference in the micro level, which forms the basis of Quantum Mechanics. Despite our level of technology, the University still forces us to attend class. Here are further readings, for anyone who is looking for a good night's sleep", with that he slapped his palm on a stack of paper.

His breathing was unnatural, I couldn't place it.

The professor continued, "The key concern today, is how much interference? Is it just gravity? If universes are sharing gravity, why not other properties? How do you feel that your safety or entire existence could depend on people you will never meet? Maybe someday we can interfere with others ourselves and open a door to their side. Maybe these doors already exist."

By now the entire class was skeptical as he continues on with other laws and variables found in nature that do not fit into conventional macro physics.

"Alright, it's been fifty minutes. Your instructor couldn't make it, today. I am just subbing, so anyone that took notes wasted their time. Thank you."

He walked out a side door, leaving a roomful of pissed off students.

I slowly fitted myself into the long line of students heading towards the main dining area for lunch. Later, I settled down reading a textbook for class. I was eating at the same time when I was interrupted.

"Hello Sam? You mind if we talk?" inquired a voice.

I looked up and saw the professor sitting across from me, with just an apple in one hand and a bottle of water in the other.

"Um, sure..." I said hesitantly. He opened the bottle, poured a little bit onto the cap and started swirling the water by rotating the cap.

"So what did you think of my lecture?" he said as he pulled the stem off the apple with one hand while continuing to swirl the cap with the other.

"I thought it was alright; but many students there are freshman, and the material was over their heads. Few of them had any idea what you were talking about, and your topics were kind of unrelated to Newtonian physics," I said.

I watched his motions as he dipped the apple stem into the water of the cap.

"Ha, that may be true, but the topics are no longer fiction," he stated as he stared at me.

He placed his elbows on the table, and wrapped both hands around the apple.

"There's an underwater lab named Atlantis Station, which was originally built to study micro-organisms in the deep. They receive about 50% of their funding from the government. In return they let other researchers explore ideas that they think are ... safer ... deep below. For example, one of their projects is to create a micro-black hole in order to harness the energy for tomorrow. They should succeed in about ... now."

As soon as he said that, his fingers strengthened, causing the apple to be split perfectly in half. He continued to stare at me as he took the stem, and started carving hemispheres into the apple's flesh, removing its core.

I got up and excused myself, saying, "I, uh ... I should go, now."

He bit into the apple and waved back, saying, "We'll talk another time."

I walked into the men's room and hid inside a stall. My eyes proceeded to glaze over as my mind envisioned a web of events. My vision quickly filled as an infinite number of threads continue to move in every direction. While my mind raced to focus on today, I saw an expanding hole growing in the near future. As the hole grew, threads around it were cut and disappeared. I locked onto the core of hole and memorized its coordinates.

<Shit, I'm going to miss the rest of my classes, > I thought as I changed the coordinates of my body.


10 minutes previously

Atlantis Station

North Atlantic Ocean

The Director of DARPA stood at the large bullet-proof window and watched as technicians inside the lab finished the last status check.

He glanced at the project lead and asked, "Have you created any singularity before during testing?"

"No, sir, but we are confident that the science checks out. Our preliminary results were very promising," the leader stated nervously.

"Good. I have some bad news, though," he sighed and continued, "For years we have been keeping this operation on a need to know basis; but the Church found out, today. They have insisted on being present."

The director glanced back as the elevator opened to reveal a group of twenty men stepping out. People around stopped working and parted way to make room for the group.

"Just in time, thank you for having us", announced Cardinal Lucas Moreau as he stepped into the room. Pulling his hood back, he revealed an old and weathered face. Prominent was a long scar that ran under his left eye and across his nose. The man wore a long white cloak with red stripes wrapped around his waist. Underneath his cloak was ceramic plated armor with guns strapped on both sides of his hip. His followers all wore black exoskeleton suits, and were armed with heavy assault rifles. On their left chest plate was their insignia, each symbolizing his rank and status within the church.

"We have tried to warn your government on moral grounds, but few people listen."

"Why all the guns?" the director said, still surprised by the sudden appearance.

"Oh, this is a precaution in case we were attacked on the way here," the Cardinal shrugged.

"One minute left until we have enough power", announced a technician over the intercom.

"Five years your country has left us in the dark about this venture," the Cardinal sighed as the elevator opened again. Four Exos proceeded to pull large crates into the hallway, past the observation room. The director didn't take notice, as his attention was diverted to the reports pouring in. The churchmen positioned themselves around the room with the Cardinal in front to witness the view.

"Ten seconds. The Singularity formation is ready when you are, sir," a voice from the lab intercom said.

"May God bless us all," Cardinal Moreau whispered grimly.

The director noticed that all the Exos had their weapons drawn, but were pointing them at the ground. He simply glanced at the project lead and nodded, who in turn tapped an icon on his screen.

The lead updated the audience, as numbers poured in from several sensors.

"Singularity successfully formed, gravitational pull is contained, energy readings climbing. We're ninety-nine percent certain that we can achieve perpetual motion by the end of the week. Looks like...

"Wait. Something's wrong!" He frowned and began to type frantically on his keyboard as voice levels started to rise in the lab below.

"What has happened?" demanded the director.

"The singularity is no longer absorbing the surrounding volume, it's ... releasing foreign air into the volume and it's growing!" said the lead as his legs tremble in fear.

The Cardinal stood in silence as a tiny bright light began to glow brighter in the lab.

The director grabbed the lead and shouted, "SHUT IT DOWN!"

"We've been trying to! It's somehow sustaining itself..."

The director snarled, "THEN CUT ALL POWER LEADING TO THE LAB, NOW."

Chaos erupted as people panicked when their workstations lost power. Nevertheless, the lab continued to glow brighter, as the point grew into a miniature sun, stabilizing with a diameter of three meters. The staff shielded their eyes, and stared in awe. A few ran to the exits, only to find the blast doors sealed. The Cardinal unconsciously drew out a handgun along and his followers leveled their rifles.

The glow died down, and changed to a bright red. Suddenly, a stream of blue fire burst out. It incinerated everyone in the lab, leaving behind ashes floating away from the fire. The paint dripped off the walls into small puddles, and evaporated into the air. As the fire continued to rush out, metals on the wall were glowing bright red with the floor blacked out.

The Cardinal touched his earpiece and announced, "Deploy our dogs down there, and leave two back here to guard."

Ten large crates immediately snapped open, and the dogs emerged. These were modified versions of the BigDog robots, which had been introduced in 2005. Redesigned to act as fast walking mobile tanks, they were armed with a radical weapons system and covered by the latest in Nano-fabrics. They ran out and proceeded to jump to the floor below just as the fire subsided. In midair, they expelled dozens of tiny drones whose purpose was to cover the area and provide any possible assistance.

As the dogs landed, they targeted the sphere. An RPG was launched just as shapes emerged.

The director glanced below, "What in God's name..."

Suddenly an Exo knocked him out with the butt of his rifle.

"Sound the alarm for everyone to evacuate," the Cardinal told the remaining technicians, at gunpoint.

An alarm rang out with a computerized voice speaking over the intercom:

ATTENTION, STRUCTURE FAILURE IMMINENT! PLEASE EVACUATE TO THE NEAREST POD.

The message continues to repeat as the Cardinal and his followers stepped out the room with an Exo carrying the director's unconscious body. Moreau stopped at the stairs and placed his right hand on the shoulders of a follower.

"My Son, stay here and keep me updated on the situation. Your priority is to ensure the complete destruction of this lab."

"Yes Father, but what of the portal?"

"We'll set up a one mile containment zone, follow with a taskforce to close the portal. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LIVE, FOLLOW US", he shouted to the surrounding staff as he turned away and rushed up the stairs. Some of the staff followed the group, while the rest ran to the elevator.

It was at this moment that my body came into existence, in the midst of a firefight.

Edited By TeNderLoin

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