The LZ display flickered and sputtered as I walked to the door. Jasmine's sexy voice, which I had chosen from the pull down menu, reminded me, "Derby, your signal has gone soft. I'd be glad to help you with that. Just return me to your lap..."
She continued to chatter other suggestions and the display crackled and blinked like some kind of ancient Princess Leia projection from R2D2.
Ryan burst in, rubbing his hands. "Shit man, it's freezing out there!" He looked at my LapZol, "Please turn that thing off. That's obscene. Zol almighty get a different program or get a room, that's embarrasing!"
He was smiling but I could tell he wanted me to lay off the Zol.
He continued with a level of excitement that helped me transition from ecstatic religious experience to life in the mundane lane. Jasmine's last plea blended with her closing salutation, "Derby, I miss your hard data, please put me back on your...see you next time!" Then the eyes of the LZ blinked and the image fell like metal objects released from a switched off magnet.
My head was clearing quickly because the intensity of the situation had caught up with me. Even though I had sought relief in Zol, it was time to get down to business. "First of all," I started, "as much as I love Keya, I'm worried about my mom. You say this cat DuBois is cool but my mom is old. What are you talking about and what do you know about DuBois. And what does this all have to do with Keya?"
"Good." His eyes were darting around the room. He moved in to the kitchen table and rubbed his neck. "You shut down that vulgar voice on your LZ but we may need to fire her back up, or we might have to use another device. You were telling me the other day about the new ap you've got for IGod--the turban?"
"Wait man, " I urged. "First you freak me out to the point of craving a Zol fix. Then you tell me to lay off the Zol. Now you want me to summon the Big Sneeze? You suck man. Make up your mind!"
"It can wait." He continued to examine every corner of the room, as if he was searching for the right angle. DuBois is like a guide."
"A guide? Like a travel guide? You mean to the Himalayas? Is that what you're talking about? Is this about that Schmiginar or whatever it was?" I went to the fridge and opened us a couple of beers.
"No dude, and by the way, it's Srinigar. And I mean like a spirit guide. You know, like, every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings?"
"What the f....Ryan. Stop goofing around man. My mom, Keya...this isn't a joke."
"Brother, I'm telling you--DuBois--I know this sounds freaky--but he's like a multidimensional being from another realm."
He looked at his watch. "In less than a minute, you'll be receiving a transmission. Where's your JetPhone?"
I gestured toward the front room, where I had layed it down when I came in.
He continued, "seven, six, five...."
Like clockwork, the JetPhone rang as he predicted and I tuned in on my internal monitor to the call. It was mom.
"Hi Honey. Don't worry. I'm fine."
The strange thing is she never looked better. At least I hadn't seen her so happy for years.
"Keya is fine too. But you're going to have to travel to the Himalayas. You've got some miles to log and I don't mean just flying around the world. Hasan will assist you with your shift." Then she faded, but before she did I saw her look up and to the right, as if she was being prompted.
Ryan could tell I was in a sort of shock. "She mention Keya and the trip?"
"Yeah. Says she's ok and I have to go to Chinindia." I was in a daze.
"WE have to go to Chinindia." he corrected. "DuBois contacted me first. Derby, you're going to freak, but nothing is like what you think. Not Zol, not our PIS systems, not POP, not life. Nothing. Hold on to your britches brother. Toto has left the building and Elvis aint in Kansas anymore!"
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