Page 6 of Dream Mates (Into The Parallel Omegaverse #2)

Agent Weigmier came in with two containers. “What do you think you’re doing?”

His tone made me jump.

“I was just petting the cat? Do I not pet the cat?” I looked at the kitty. “You’re absolutely a shapeshifter, right? Your name is Eugine, and you work in shipping, and you snuck in here to take a nap?”

“I was talking to him. And no, he’s not a shapeshifter, and he shouldn’t be in here.” Agent Weigmier glared at him. “Escaped again, huh?”

Kitty gave him a very innocent look and meowed.

“Awww. I think I’m going to take you home.” I gave Agent Weigmier a sly look.

He sighed. “Please don’t. Here is your food. Please don’t feed him, he has food allergies.”

Yeah, he wasn’t an ordinary kitty was he?

Handing one container to me along with some silverware, he set his down. With a sigh, he did something on his tablet.

“Thank you. Can I let my guys know that I’m okay? They’re going to think I’m dead.” Inside the container there was scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, and some sort of sausages. That would work.

He shook his head as he sat down with his container. “No. They shouldn’t even know that I was there, but there was no time. We had a very small window in which to retrieve you if we were to keep anyone from knowing where you were and still planned on you taking the stand.”

That made sense. I’d seen a few of those movies.

“Will I get to go back to them? I’d like to stay there.” If they made me return to my own realm, I’d be shattered. There was nothing left for me there. I took a sip of the drink, which while clear, was fruity, then gave the kitty a pat.

“It depends on the results of the trials.” Again, there was nothing in his face or voice to give me additional information. He was probably amazing at poker.

My fork full of potatoes stopped halfway to my mouth. “Trial s ? As in plural?”

“Yes. There were two worlds involved, so there are two trials. You are only a minor witness in the other trial, which is currently already in process, so you need not be here for long. They are simple, straightforward trials–two worlds and property. It wasn’t like it was an elaborate multi-world person-smuggling operation. ” He took a bite of his sausage.

“I see.” I had to do this all over? My heart pounded at the idea of being up on the stand again.

“I trust that Fade found you in the park as agreed. I disliked simply thrusting you into that world with nothing set up, especially with you needing medical care. But we had no time, and I couldn’t risk them finding you again, and we needed to minimize contact.

” He took another bite of food, his voice bland as if talking about the weather instead of giving me vital information.

“You knew about Fade. And the park.” I had no recollection of telling anyone about that. But, that meant Agent Weigmier leaving me in that world had been intentional. Huh.

“It was most ideal that you had that agreement in place. Putting you in regular protection wasn’t safe enough.

I normally have no contact with that class of world, so me trying to locate him would arouse suspicion.

It was imperative that no one knew where I was placing you for your own protection. ” He took a sip of his drink.

“Fade, Wes, found me. He was there at the house. Please, let me go back to him. Please. ” It was half-sob, half-whine, especially as I recalled Wes chasing after the car and the look on his face.

I’d been placed with Wes on purpose. Did that mean I could go back?

Kitty meowed and headbutted me again. I rubbed his head, taking the offered comfort.

“I’m happy to have been able to reunite you with your husband,” he said. “You are spoiling him.”

“He’s a kitty. They like pets. How do you even know all this?” I frowned, as I took a sip of the drink that was not water.

“It’s my job.” Agent Weigmier shrugged and started on his eggs.

“You left me on the bench but came to their house. How did you find me? ” I looked at my hands. “Do I have a tracking chip?”

He shook his head. “No. Because they could hack the system and find you.”

“You’re secretive. Are you psychic?” If I wasn’t mistaken there were different types of worlds. Some even had psychics, or supernaturals, and an assortment of variations–like alphas and magic dicks. Wes’ world probably wasn’t even the only one like that.

“You already know too much.” He met my gaze.

“That’s a yes .” I frowned. “Violation of privacy much?”

Brain map. Had he been the one to read my brain, and maybe gotten Wes and the park out of there?

“It was an emergency, you consented, and everything not relevant was erased, with the exception of what I needed to know to protect you,” Agent Weigmier explained as he continued to eat.

That was a lot to digest. But it saved my life–and reunited me with Wes.

“You once mentioned wanting to work here. Is that still something you wish for?” he added.

“No. I’d like to go back to Wes–Fade. Please. I beg you.” My chest shook. “I won’t continue my research. I have a new project. One that doesn’t involve anything you said I couldn’t study.”

“If those from your world are found innocent and set free, then you’ll immediately be put into formal protection.

You’ll be given a new identity and hidden in a new world.

It will not be your world of origin or your world of residence.

You won’t be allowed contact with them. Your old identity will be marked as deceased and you may remember very little depending on the judge’s orders,” he informed me

“No,” It came out as a strangled cry. I’d rather die than be forced to live a new life in some other world unable to remember them.

His look went pained. “Calm yourself. Do you need me to recite equations with you?”

I took a deep breath, trying to push away my impending panic. 3.14159265359

Kitty started kneading biscuits on my thigh like he was trying to comfort me.

“You are such a good kitty,” I told him. “I’m okay. I just want to go back to Wes. Do you really think they’ll be set free?”

“No. If they’re found guilty, the standard witness protocol for your type of world is to mind-wipe you of everything regarding the trial and the Authority and send you home.

I will do my best to ensure that you are sent back to your husband.

But there are things to consider.” Agent Weigmier set his empty box on the table.

“Like if someone still wants to kill me and the fact he’s in a different world and I’m sure that’s not legal?” I prodded, my food no longer that appetizing, not that it had tasted much better than what I’d had previously.

“If you wish to stay with your husband I’ll try my best,” he promised.

I finished my drink. “Yeah, I wish that. But can you please try not to leave me unable to remember my own name this time? That got awkward.”

“Oh. That wasn’t the intention. You are very small. You must have gotten too much. Per protocol you weren’t supposed to remember anything about the trial. I also apologize for any anguish my abrupt retrieval of you caused you, your husband, and family. They clearly care for you,” he added.

“I appreciate it. Being reunited with him…” Tears pricked my eyes, as I set my half-eaten food on the table as the idea I might never see Wes again tore me in half.

What would be worse, loving him and being torn away? Or never having known he was real?

No. The past two months had been worth it. Still, the idea that I’d broken their hearts by leaving suddenly wounded me.

“Just discovering parallel words doesn’t necessarily mean you go to jail, right?” I asked, wanting to clarify something.

“No, of course not. Innocent discovery can be a building block to transitioning classes of worlds. Had you actually accomplished it, someone would have come to educate you and assess your world. It’s those who don’t heed or misuse that are punished.”

I frowned. Should I ask? I didn’t want to put Spencer in danger. But when else would I have the chance to discover what happened to his dad?

“Yeah, I’m not telling you how I know because I want to protect everyone, but…

I… I know of someone, two someones, taken by the Temporal Authority years ago.

Would I be able to know the exact nature of their charges and how long is left on their sentences?

” I asked, hoping that I hadn’t made everything worse.

“Do you know their name and world of origin?” he asked, going to his desk.

“Dr. Thanukos and Dr. Katsopolis, both from Fade’s world.”

He tapped on his weird little tablet and looked up at me. “They were part of a very complex multi-world person- smuggling ring. Both were given life sentences, though it looks like Dr. Katsopolis passed a few years back.” He typed more. “Dr. Thanukos might be released on dotage.”

“If that means you let old people out for good behavior, I’ll take him. I’ll be responsible for him. I promise.” My chest constricted. Spencer’s dad was alive.

Though poor Mrs. K, never getting to see her wife again.

“Person smuggling? Like they were selling people from one world to another?” I couldn’t see someone who raised Spencer doing that. But then I still had problems visualizing Professor Jaffey smuggling weapons.

“No. They were moving vulnerable populations to safety. But there are rules. You can’t just bring people from one world to another without permission, even if it’s for the better, especially across types or classes of worlds.

Most parties had been warned multiple times and told how to appeal.

I wasn’t here then, but it was a bit of a mess and cleanup is still in place.

Every action has a reaction–when it comes to movement between worlds the smallest thing can be catastrophic.

” He gave me a look. “I shouldn’t even tell you this much.

I’m guessing he means something to someone in your life. ”

They were helping people to freedom? Or perhaps moving people from a dying world to another? Now that I could see. I could also understand how that could be problematic even if they were saving lives.

Not that they should put people in jail for helping others. Though that was probably only a fraction of the story. Still, Spencer’s dad was alive.

“Can I see Dr. Thanukos? Please? Or send him a note?” Just to let him know that Spencer missed him, loved him, and had grown into an amazing man.

“Absolutely not.” He kept tapping, then his head tilted. “We need to see the judge soon.”

“Then what? More trials?” I sighed, just wanting a nap and a hug. At least I had a nice kitty to pet. His fur was so soft.

“Indeed. You probably won’t have to take the stand again for this one, but there is the other trial. You will be kept isolated both for your own safety and if you want any chance to return to your husband.” Agent Weigmier gave me a warning look. “Understood?”

“Yes. I’ll do whatever it takes to get back to Wes. What do I tell the judge? Sorry, Kitty.” I removed the cat from my lap and stood, wishing I had a hairbrush and some clean clothes.

“As little as possible. But be truthful. She’ll know if you lie. Don’t tell her where you were, don’t mention your husband and family, don’t elaborate. Just stick to the facts. Change.” He held out a bag.

“Thanks.” I took it.

His eyes focused on the cat. “Stay here. If they have to chase you down again, they’ll be quite annoyed.”

The cat glared at him then started cleaning himself.

Agent Weigmier sighed. “Also, please spray yourself well. Apparently you smell like alpha bait. If you wish to go home, we need to avoid nosy alphas.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” I agreed. The last thing we needed was for some alpha interfering, thinking it was for my own good.

All I wanted was to get this over with so that I could go home to mine.