Story #331 ("Truth-Seekers: The Metagene Wars" Story #2) Note: Turn on "word wrap" in Notepad before viewing. "Rebirth" By Richard Broadstreet ---------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - 07:43am EST Richard Broadstreet's Residence - near Nathrop, CO, USA ---------------------------------------------------------- Scott stood, rubbed his eyes, walked to the door. The knocking repeated once more before he opened the door. Who Scott saw at the door amazed him. His eyes and mouth opened wide. "Ri- Richard?" Scott stuttered. "Hey, bro." Richard told Scott. "I'm back." "But you can't be Richard. He's..dead." Scott explained. Richard looked down at himself. "I don't look or feel dead." he said with a smile. Scott went over to Tabitha and shook her awake. "What i- Oh, my god." she said upon seeing Richard. "Hey Tabitha." Richard said. "I missed you both." "I went your funeral... You are not Richard." Scott told him. "Funeral?" Richard replied. "I'm here, Scott. I didn't die. And I found Isabel. She led me here." "Isabel?" Scott said. "Where is she?!" "She's in the car." Richard explained, pointing behind him. Scott ran past Richard and out to the blue car that Richard had pointed toward. "Isabel!" Scott called. Isabel opened the passenger side door, got out quickly, and met Scott in a hug. Scott kissed Isabel's cheek. "Where were you?" Scott asked. "Well...I..." Isabel began. "I remember you and me here... then everything's a blur... then I met Richard and we came here..." Scott was overjoyed to have Isabel back. "Isabel, I'm sorry for bringing you into this." Scott said. "And it ends now. I'll stop researching. We'll go home." "Thank you, Scott." Isabel told him and they passionately kissed. "I've missed you so much." "I missed you too." Scott replied and kissed her again. Richard walked up to them. "Where are the Spheres, Scott? I need them." "Well...I...don't know." Scott lied. Scott had hidden the Spheres in his car. He didn't quite believe Richard yet. "But wouldn't you already know since you hid them." "I've...forgotten..." Richard said. "Please, Scott. I need the Spheres." "I don't know where they are." Scott insisted. Richard scoffed and began walking back to the house. Once he was out of earshot, Scott turned to Isabel. "I promise. After this whole 'Richard imposter' thing is over, we're going back to New York. Back to normal life." Scott told her and smiled. "Now go back to the house. I'll be there in a minute." "Okay." Isabel said, kissed Scott, and walked back into the house. Scott reached into his car, took out his laptop computer, and checked for new e-mail. There was one new message, and Scott opened it immediately. > Scott, > > Your suspicions are correct, > Richard is not Richard, > Beware... > > Nikolas Scott read the e-mail message. "Then I've got to prove it." Scott said. "Prove what?" a voice asked behind Scott. Scott turned around to see Richard then quickly closed his laptop computer. "Umm...nothing." Scott replied. "Why keep secrets from me?" Richard asked. "I'm you brother." "But you're not my brother. You can't be." Scott told him. "My brother died three years ago." Scott finished speaking and walked away, back toward the house with his laptop in hand. Richard watched Scott go and sighed. Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - 08:21am EST Richard Broadstreet's Residence - near Nathrop, CO, USA ---------------------------------------------------------- As Richard entered the living room, Scott turned to look at him. That isn't Richard, Scott thought. "If you are Richard, you would know where the Spheres were." Scott said. "I told you... I've forgotten..." Richard replied. "That's pretty convenient, isn't it?" Scott said. "The memory loss, I mean." "I understand your paranoia, Scott. I would be doing the same thing." Richard told Scott. "You're just one of those stupid clones from the Moonbase that my sister's clone told me about." Scott said. Richard looked a bit shocked at what Scott knew. He was silent for a moment before he spoke. "Yes. I am a clone." Richard revealed. He suddenlt raised his arm, looked at his watch, pressed a button on it, and he abruptly disappeared right before their eyes. An amazed look appeared on Isabel's face. Scott wasn't that surprised. This kind of odd stuff used to happen virtually every week when Richard was alive. "Isabel and I are going back home in the morning." Scott announced and then left the room. Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - 05:32pm EST Cemetary - near Nathrop, CO, USA ---------------------------------------------------------- Isabel waited in the car as Scott went back to Richard's grave to say goodbye. Scott slowly walked up to Richard's tombstone like he had only days before. "I thought I could continue what you started... but I can't. I just can't. You made it seem so easy, brother." Scott said, staring down at Richard's final resting place. "I'm going back home. I've come to say goodbye. So... goodbye, Richard. I hope you're enjoying your time... wherever you are..." Scott placed some flowers in front of the tombstone, then turned back to the car and sadly walked away, on his way back to New York City. :: End of Story #331 ::