Bridger: a Dystopian Serial

Is there a portal?

Greta Erwell's breath shuddered as she marched down the tunnel behind the alien and his two escorts. His tall, slim figure towered over Char and the other soldier as he walked meekly between them. He kept sneaking furtive glances at each open door and back at the two scientists walking behind her. His silver eyes would catch hers from behind the rim of his hood.

God, it felt like someone was standing on her chest. She was so hyped.

The cold air and sunlight hit her then simultaneously. Erwell heard the alien suck in a choking breath.

Yeah. It's cold. Erwell flipped up her hood.

"Why does it smell like burning flesh?" the alien said to Char. He burrowed deep into his borrowed, over-sized, down jacket.

"There is a city burning across the sea, behind us," Char replied softly.

"Why?"

"Because we are at war."

They marched the alien across the crunchy snow to where Linc said they'd found him. All traces of his tracks and blood had long since been erased by wind and snow. The alien stood still with his pale brow furrowed and his eyes slightly rolled back.

"Are we close?" Char asked him.

He nodded.

"You can hear it?" She circled to face him.

He nodded again.

Char glanced significantly at Erwell.

"All right," Erwell said to the two scientists, Jeff and Marlene, who were following her.

They crouched down and began unpacking their sound metres and computers.

"Does it have a physical location?" Char asked the alien, off to the side. "The portal?"

"Yes," the alien said. He extended a hand slightly, then drew it back. He pulled off his mitten, revealing slim, fair fingers. He took two steps forward. "Can I?"

Char nodded and took a few more steps with him, with one hand hovering as if to grab him.

"Sound metre is up," Marlene said. Erwell hunkered down beside her and watched the computer begin to chart all the waves the sensitive device was picking up. Beside them, the Jeff had set up a magnetometer and was typing at his computer.

Erwell glanced up to check Char and the alien's progress. They'd walked about ten feet forward.

"It's right here," the alien said to Char. He extended his bare hand.

It vanished.

Char yelped.

Erwll sucked in a sharp breath and slapped the arm of the scientist beside her. "Marlene. Look."

The alien stood there, one arm completely invisible.

"Holy fuck," Marlene said. She swallowed hard.

"I'll be damned." Erwell leapt up and jogged over to where Char and Venn stood.

Venn jerked his hand back, and once again it came into view. He eyed her.

"So you could step through right now," Erwell said.

He nodded.

"Put your hand through again," Erwell ordered.

He extended his arm. Instantly, his hand vanished up past his wrist. Erwell waved her hand where his was. Nothing happened.

"Director Greta Erwell," the alien said. "If you would give me your hand."