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Wormhole

Mike programmed a door inside one of the trees just off his grassy knoll using a ready form programming module known as a wormhole. Entering this passage would lead to a door next to the classroom so he could get there quickly. He finished up configuring it and decided to run a trial. He got up and issued a command to Brutus who immediately rose. They walked to the end of the grass where there was a huge live oak tree. Around the back side there was an open hole with a hidden small door inside. He opened it, bent down and entered through it. On the other side they stood in the hallway. As he closed the door he looked at the room number, XG24. He walked to the next door and felt the handle, saw the room number, XG22. That was it. He opened it and entered the classroom.

Yancy panicked when the door opened thinking it was the virus returning, but was relieved when he saw Mike. “Hi Mike. What are you doing here?”

“Yancy, right?”

“Yes sir that’s my name.”

“I think this virus that you and your friends encountered could be more serious than I originally thought. I have seen remnants of it in other programs I use. It could already be system wide.”

Brutus stood guard while keeping the door from closing. Mike walked around the room and looked for clues. There was nothing obvious showing. On the front desk there was a badge with the teachers picture on it. It was definitely the same person he saw in what he now believed was infected software code. He became concerned.

Yancy watched as he moved around the room. He said, “My Dad got your message.”

“Oh good. I’m glad,” but Mike said nothing more. Yancy new his dad didn’t understand the message but didn’t mention it. “OK,” he said the Brutus, “Let’s head back,” they went back the way they came and found themselves behind the great tree not saying anything more to Yancy on departure. He scratched the white stubble on his chin while sitting down at his computer desk.

Yancy was puzzled by his behavior but went back to his homework.

The next day in class the group assembled early to discuss plan B.

Molly started, “Whatever the group decides is good for me.” Sheri nodded in agreement.

Yancy said, “I have some news. After you all left yesterday Mike visited the classroom and said the virus may be worse then he thought, might be system wide.”

Josh said, “That is news. I haven’t come up with anything else.”

Pete had recovered completely and added, “Why don’t we follow her again. The last time it provided us a lot of information. I will try to stay away from any anti-virus we encounter this time,” he smiled.

“Good to have you back Pete. I like that idea. We should follow her today after class. Does everybody agree?” Josh asked.

“We need someone to stay behind and guard our door here,” Sheri added.

Yancy blurted out, “I’m going this time.”

Molly was thoughtful, “I Think Pete should stay. You worried us with your slow recovery last time. You may not be ready.”

Pete said, “No. I’m going.”

Sheri agreed with Molly, “I think you should guard the door Pete. It is as important as everything else that we do. We can’t get locked out again.”

Yancy approved, “I failed last time so we really need you at this position,” trying to convince Pete that staying behind was a position of strength.

Josh aslo agreed, “It’s unanimous Pete, we need you here at the door.”

Pete accepted their choice but looked hurt at the same time. How was he going to impress everyone with his courage this way he thought.

The teacher entered and the class had filled in. Molly returned to her seat in the front.

Josh leaned over and handed Yancy his second zapper in secret while everyone was facing forward. He whispered to him that he had two, but Mike didn’t know about the second so not to disclose it to anybody unless there was an emergency. Then use it. Yancy nodded and pushed it into his pocket.

Sheri turned and Josh smiled at her and said quietly, “When this all over, we should go back to that beach together.”

She replied, “I know the room number,” grinning.

“OK class let’s get started,” the teacher projected loudly to get their attention. Sheri faced forward.

The day lingered on while Josh kept thinking about what was in store after school. His thoughts transitioned to the beach as the day neared end until the class was finally dismissed. The group took their positions in the closet except Molly who exited. Josh reached up to the shelf and grabbed the second zapper. Miss Ursbrook left through the door. Molly had waited a couple of minutes and reappeared. Josh and Pete went for the door and checked on her position down the hall. She walked along the side wall on all sixes at a slow pace.

Pete said, “They never move fast. Have you noticed?” Josh nodded.

They watched as the virus came close to Mike’s room. It was at the limit of their ability to see well. This time she passed by his door and kept going. Josh said, “Let’s go.”

Pete wished them luck and stood in the door way to guard it.

They entered the hall and moved behind the teacher keeping a distance. She had never turned around when they followed her. Yancy was first staying close to the side wall. He was not only the largest but was wearing light colored clothes that matched the walls and floor the closest. This would make them harder to see should she look back.

Sheri followed next, then Molly and finally Josh. She eventually stopped after they went a lot further than they had gone in the past. She turned right and reached out toward the wall. The gang flattened up against the wall but she never looked at them. Then she entered and was out of site. They ran up to the point where she disappeared.

Pete watched from a far leaning all the way out of the door frame trying to see them clearly. He took one step out and the door slammed shut behind him. “Darn,” he said grabbing the handle. It was locked. Not knowing what to do and feeling vulnerable he ran as fast as he could to catch up with his friends.

“This isn’t an ordinary door,” said Yancy.

“What is it,” questioned Sheri.

“Looks like a fancy elevator,” said Josh.

Molly added, “But look at the markings. Our floor is marked as a large circle and as you look up and down from here the circles become dots and get larger and smaller.”

Sheri said, “Looks like it stopped ten floors above us.” She pressed the up button and the door opened instantly and the indicator showed it was back at their floor. “That was fast. What do we do now?”

“All aboard, up ten floors in an instant,” Molly stepped in and noticed immediately that the rear of the car extended out like the hallways seemingly forever. “Wow, how can…”

Pete watched thinking they entered a room.

Inside the car Sheri said, “This is eerie. Look how far back the car goes.”

Yancy said, “An elevator hallway, what do you know,” as he entered.

Sheri pushed the circle size button that corresponded to where the elevator stopped with the virus. The door closed and instantly opened again. They looked at doors further inside the car and they all opened. They stepped out of the door in front of them and found a circular room with eight radial hallways running out in all directions like spokes on a bicycle tire. They appeared to go forever.

Josh said, “This is unbelievable. Did we exit the right door and which hallway do we select to which door in that hallway. It’s a three dimensional maze?” The door closed.

“We will never find her now,” said Molly.

Pete looked at the indicator and saw where it was, pressed the up button and it opened instantly. He entered and selected the button where is was stopped before but wasn’t careful with his selection. When it opened he found one hallway which bent slowly as it disappeared in both directions. There was no sign of his friends so he wandered down to the left in search of them.

One floor below Sheri said, “Eight halls and four of us.”

“Let’s each check a hallway carefully and meet back here in roughly ten minutes. Check as many doors as you can but don’t enter any. We can try the other halls if we need to afterwards.” They all agreed and started off in different directions.

Yancy decided to walk five minutes checking one side and do the other side on his return. He found none open on the way out signifying the network here was secure. The others encountered the same results. They met back at the central hall with nothing positive.

Josh said, “She couldn’t have gone far. At her speed we would have seen her when we arrived if she walked far down any hallway so she must be close by. Let’s try the other four and meet back here soon.”

Yancy walked his pace jiggling door handles, turned and started back he didn’t get far this time when the second try hit the jackpot. He open it enough to peek in and almost fainted at what he saw.