THE HANGAR.

JOHN E. STERLING.

After a face rippling descent Agent Herman stepped out of the seamless elevator and started along an equally featureless corridor.

Apart from the deep hum of life support his shoes provided the only sound. He looked down at them as they paced along, very shiny, just like this place, but he did like the way his new briefcase matched the metallic passage.

The smart chip in his temple allowed him to navigate his way around the uncharted complex, it also operated the elevators and opened doors. He rubbed his head, the scar was sore, the techs said he would get used to the tingle.

‘The Red alpha chip though, unlimited access.” He thought to himself.

Herman walked towards what appeared to be a dead end, a tingle and a door appeared and silently slid open.

‘cool.’

Agent Herman was halfway down the next corridor when he felt another tingle, different, he saw a narrow door appear ahead to his left and slid open, military he guessed, sure enough two armed securisoldiers stepped out and began to march towards him. Herman shifted to his right, the soldiers passed by his left with no acknowledgement, it was well known that military hated the suits.

Another door opened ahead but there was no tingle this time, ’oh no, this could be one of my superiors, or worse.’

Agent Benjamin and his toothy smile jumped into the passageway. The door closed behind him and turned back into a wall. Herman relaxed and exhaled, “oh man, it’s you.”

Agent Benjamin regarded him, then still smiling he extended his arms dramatically. What the hell are you doing down here?” Before Herman could answer Agent Benjamin reduced his smile to fifty percent and cocked his head. “ Don’t tell me one of mine gets down here at last?”

Herman rocked his head nervously, “Yeah,” he tapped his forehead. Agent Benjamin’s smile fell, he drew back his arms.

“Where are you headed my friend?” He gestured behind him, “This is the way to the Hangar you know?” Agent Herman looked at his shoes. “ I’m going to the Hangar, that’s why I’m here.”

Both men were slim but Herman was tall, and now Agent Benjamin was looking up sternly at his fellow Agent, then grabbing his arm asked, “The hangar, already?”

Herman gently freed his arm and looked up at the ceiling, which was exactly the same as the floor. “Well congratulations.” Expressed Agent Benjamin only slapping Herman’s’ arm this time.

Herman noticed his smile had returned. “Well come on let’s go, I’ve got a project down there too today.”

“ I know.” The two men carried on down the passage. “ I just can’t believe one of mine got down here so soon, I mean it usually takes an age, hell it took me an age, literally, but really welcome to the club, you’re going to love it.” A door appeared and the men stepped through it.

“ I just don’t know, I mean you call it a club, it’s so casual, I often think about if people knew, you know what we do.”

“That’s the whole point Hermy, if people knew, the world wouldn’t be the world.”

“ Exactly the world wouldn’t be the place it is now, the whole thing is based on what we do, our manipulation, our control.”

“ Trust me, that’s the way they like it, they don’t want to know, they like it simple, I mean imagine trying to explain it to one of them, time travel and everything else we do, controlling dimensions, space travel as easy as catching a bus, what do you think would happen? It would like trying to give a Neanderthal a job in an office.”

An elevator appeared, the two men stepped into it and the door slid shut. Agent Benjamin looked up at Herman. “It’s our world, our universe, they have no say.”

The elevator read the chips in the men’s heads then sped them off.

They stepped out of the elevator into a larger corridor than before. Agent Benjamin had his hand raised as a barrier to his companions words. “Everything they learn in school, it’s a lie, a joke, a complete smoke screen, we’ve changed everything, the Continental shift, we invented the Romans, Kubla Kahn, That Hitler bastard.”

“Yes we did.” Benjamin interrupted triumphantly. “We did it all, except that we didn’t manufacture them. No, they were already here, we just manipulated them for the Earths own good. Look at it this way, no body ever likes the guy in charge, it’s the way Humans are. Whether it’s the President, the factory boss, the school principal, whomever wears the pants in the household, it’s all the same, everybody hates the boss.” Benjamin looked up at the stoic Herman hoping for a positive reaction, there was none. “And so it’s like I say they don’t real want to know what’s going on, as long as they have their television, movie stars, have you ever heard them talk about the weather, which they do a lot, trust me moan about the Government, blame the weather on the Government, there’s one for you, and have you heard them when you change the appearance of their precious money. I mean there's been revolutions about that one. You really think they could handle this.” He gestured around with his arms.

Agent Herman looked around at the prompt. “So how does the light thing work down here, I mean there’s no lights but it’s light.” Agent Benjamin shook his head, “Don’t you start.” ‘Anyway,” he continued, “Believe me this job is hard enough without them, knowing stuff. We’re nearly there.

Ahead of them was a huge circular door, and in front of that, two huge securisoldiers. Agent Herman stopped, Agent Benjamin stopped and wheeled around to face him. “Look, I knew what I was getting into when I joined the agency, every conspiracy theory, every U.F.O. sighting, or abduction, you know it was all us, me.”

“Ha ha, yeah that’s the way we keep em distracted, running around in circles, worrying about their own little lives, jut makes it easier for us.” He looked at the door, then back at Herman. ”This is it.” He patted Herman’s’ back, then smiling said, “Lets go.” Benjamin nodded slightly and they walked towards the door. The Securisoldiers stepped to one side as the door rolled open.” I was serious about the lights.”

The men entered the Hangar.

It wasn’t huge, it was endless, no architectural rules applied here. Three huge shatter craft drifted in front of them silently heading towards their gate, behind the ships untold thousands of warriors marched, their attire and weapons hard to distinguish from any one age. Planet maps, and star charts framed the whole thing into infinity. There was a huge flash to their left, a volcano and a lava monster appeared, both silently roaring.

“Here it is man,, the past, the future, the sideways.” He nudged Herman with his elbow.

The light room operators sat a big black desk, they wore goggles but didn’t look up anyway as they handed the men shiny plastic tablet keys. Following Benjamin’s lead they moved towards the light rooms and entered their keys. Agent Benjamin looked over to Herman. “Hey man, have fun, you’ll get used to it.” the men began to fade into the bright white.” I’ll find you at a happy hour some century, okay, and oh, don’t forget about the witches man, the bitches, they are everywhere, kill with extreme prejudice man, the only good witch is a burnt witch, god I hate them.”

The two men disappeared.

THE END.