1927: Redemption

Secret Condo and Stranger!

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough, if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day.”

-Albert Einstein

2021-NOVEMBER-FLORIDA

You know the saying, what didn't kill you, made you stronger? Well, that was Adeline, now twenty-three, the innocence she once had now wavered.

Looking at the papers placed in front of her on the white desk, screaming:

“James Martinez, the researcher at London University, was found dead by his grand-daughter!”

“What possibly could be the reasons behind James Martinez's death?”

“JAMES MARTINEZ, DEAD! Could it be due to the research paper he published?"

"Is James Martinez dead because of his rivalry with Archer Lewis?"

Reading that name again, irritation took over her features as she pushed the five years old news-papers aside as her eyes were now fixated on the research-paper, her Grandpa published on that day at the London University.

JAMES MARTINEZ'S REPORT- Is the time portal a lie?

A favorite theme of science fiction is "The Portal"--an extraordinary opening in space or time that connects travelers to distant realms. A good portal is a shortcut, a guide, a door into the unknown. If only they actually existed....

It turns out that they do, sort of, and a WIC-funded researcher at the University of London has figured out how to find them.

"We call them diffusion regions," explains researcher James Martinez of the University of London, "They're places where the magnetic field of Earth connects to the magnetic field of the Sun, creating an uninterrupted path leading from our own planet to the sun's atmosphere 93 million miles away."

Observations by WIC’s team of physicists and researchers suggest that these magnetic portals open and close once in a period of five years for seven days. They are typically located a few tens of thousands of kilometers from Earth where the geomagnetic field meets the onrushing solar wind. Most portals are small and short-lived; others are yawning, vast, and sustained. Tons of energetic particles can flow through the openings, heating Earth's upper atmosphere, sparking geomagnetic storms, and igniting bright polar auroras.

There is just one problem: Finding them. Magnetic portals are invisible, unstable, and elusive. They open and close without warning "and there are no signposts to guide us in," notes Martinez.

Actually, there are signposts, and James Martinez has found them.

Portals form via the process of magnetic reconnection. Mingling lines of magnetic force from the sun and Earth criss-cross and join to create the openings. "Diffusion points" are where the criss-cross takes place. The sudden joining of magnetic fields can propel jets of charged particles from the point, creating an "electron diffusion region."

To learn how to pinpoint these events, James Martinez studied the data collected by previous researchers for about 20 years of his life.

It's a shortcut worthy of the best portals of fiction, only this time the portals are real. And with the new "signposts" we know how to find them.

A few unseen tears gathered in Adeline's eyes as she pushed the report behind and looked outside the room through the window at the cold weather. Five years back the very weather took her closest family away, but this winter she would win.

Let the ice crackle underfoot, for it was nothing as compared to this warm heart and the fire burning within, that steady pilot flame. That was the thing about these tough times, the most loving win because we dig in, we get determined when the greedy cut and run. So, that winter wind with its toothy bite is nothing but excitement to Adeline.

The excitement to take revenge,

Someone cleared their throat, calling, "Miss Martinez?"

Her honey browns turned away from the window as they met the hazel eyes of her doctor, Dr. William Carter.

It was just the another day of Adeline's compulsory visit to her psychologist appointed by the investigator who took her Grandpa's murder case.

Since that horrific night, she was kept in police's protection as the case was transferred from London to Florida.

"Yes, Dr. Carter." Replied Adeline.

Sighing, Dr. William leaned forward, interlacing his fingers, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

Giving a fake smile, she straightened her back, saying, "I'm good, never been better."

Dr. Carter narrowed his eyes as he asked, "How do you feel about the five year Death anniversary of your Grandfather?"

Adeline internally cringed on how Dr. Carter had put it forward so bluntly, keeping the mask on, "I feel good, it's been five years and Grandpa would have wanted me to move forward. And, that is what I will be doing." She replied with a smile.

Well, that was pretty true. She had waited for five years to start implementing the plans into action.

Assessing her face, he leaned back into his chair and asked, "Any nightmares?"

If she would have got time to sleep, maybe. But, Adeline had a task at hand, and she could not afford any nightmares in her life.

Immediately, she shook her head in negation, saying, "No, I have been sleeping quite well now."

Breathing out a sigh, "See Adeline, I know and I understand it's very tough to cope with those drastic feelings. All I want is you to leave everything behind and move ahead in your life."

And that was what she would be doing!

Giving him a smile, "I know." Replied Adeline.

"If you want to share anything with anyone, come and find me, understand?"

Nodding, "Understood. Well, shall I leave now I have got a shift to catch?" Asked Adeline.

He looked at her intently, his features lightening for a moment before he questioned, "Should I be worried?"

Rising to her feet, she smiled at him, "No, of course not. Take care Dr. Carter, and I'm fine."

"You too Miss Martinez."

With that she exited his cabin and walked out of the hospital. Pulling her jacket closer, she briskly walked down the lane and toward her house.

After that night, it had been very difficult for Adeline to cope with the situation. When she told the investigators that a beast saved her, nobody believed. Everyone said it was a wolf, or something that she thought she had seen was the result of her concussion, or PTSD….

But, the men who killed her Grandpa were beasts, and the one who saved her was the protector.

Adeline never thought she would see him again. But, then again nothing happened according to our thoughts. After she came back to her hometown Crestview, Florida; an unknown person started leaving the notes in her bedroom.

In the beginning, the notes scared the hell out of her. She was never ready to be under someone's watchful eyes. Later, she started to understand that he was her well wisher, always directing her in the right direction, as if he knew all of her secrets. The secrets she never disclosed to anyone, the secrets she was working on for the last five years, the secrets related to her parents as well as Grandfather's death.

Unlocking the main door, she entered the house and a very familiar warmth and scent wrapped around her. It always smelled like woods and smoke, though the house was not near the woods area and Adeline never smoked.

Locking the door behind, she pulled off the jacket and kept it on the couch. Nearing the kitchen area, she walked toward the countertop to fill a glass of water for her.

Gulping the whole content down, she was about to move away when a folded piece of paper neatly placed under one of the glasses gained her attention.

Adeline shook her head and pulled out the note as it read:

“Lunch in the microwave.”

"Aren't you being nice today?" Asked Adeline, a smirk made its way on her lips. "Well, wouldn't you answer, STRANGER?" Adeline yelled and made her wary toward the microwave. She knew the reply would never come verbally, but what was bad in trying.

Her eyes sparkled as Adeline yanked open the oven, looking for the lunch that stranger got it cooked for her.

The delicious smell of the 'turkey meatballs in pasta sauce' filled the kitchen area as Adeline's mouth watered at the sight.

Carefully taking the bowl out, she walked over to the coffee table. Pulling a plate out of the stand, Adeline found another note being neatly placed under the stand.

"Always so fast and unnoticed." She mumbled it to herself.

After serving the meal for herself, she sat and unfolded the paper to read the note:

“You have to start preparing for the task. The time has come, and you don't have, even a second to waste.

Enjoy the meal.”

It was like a bucket of cold water thrown at her head. He was right, absolutely right and from tonight the resting time was over.

Soon, she finished lunch and immediately walked into her room. Changing herself into the sportswear, Adeline pulled the blinds down and briskly walked towards the bed.

Shifting the bed backwards, Adeline found the door to the secret condo as she filled in the code. The door slid sideways, revealing a flight of stairs into the secret condo.

Adeline left the door open as she knew the stranger or she should say the Beast would definitely come inside. They established this mutual understanding in five years, as she gradually understood that he was here to protect her from the unforeseen dangers. She had been attacked once and it could happen twice, it took him a huge amount of patience to keep himself in the dark, keeping a watchful eye on her as well as her enemies.

Switching on the light, the dark room was wrapped in the brightness as she walked toward the dustbin, pulling the lighter out of the drawer, she burned the noted Beast wrote as it hurled down into it.

No evidence should be left behind because he lived in the shadows with no voice, no face, no name, no identity, but he had an intention.

What might be his intention?

Who was this Beast?

Was Adeline's life in danger with him?