Anthony DeCosmo - Parallels

"I agree, Trevor. No different. What I saw today was as horrific as the vengeance I visited upon those who killed my family. Congratulations, you were able to summon such darkness for your victims even without losing your wife and daughter. Why, it seemed second nature to you."

Trevor did not know how to answer Johnny. He did not know why he felt an overwhelming desire to find — justification — an answer.

"I did what I had to do."

"Yes, yes, I’ve heard that excuse already, Mr. Stone. Tell me, now that you have shown how far you feel you have to go, tell me how more than a year of retrospect has played on your conscience. Tell me how you feel about New Winnabow."

"How I…how I feel about…what does that have to do with anything?"

The Major asked, "Who’s New Winnabow?"

"Trevor Stone unleashed an army of his personal avenging demons onto a town that interfered with our military plans; a town of human beings who had refused passage to our forces on the grounds that they were pacifists. Trevor labored to reach an agreement, but when they showed their stubborn pride he visited great destruction unto them."

Trevor ringed his hands.

Nina said, "Sounds to me like it was justified. You have to do what needs to be done. It’s a war and all, you know?"

"I am not surprised by your opinion on the matter. And indeed, Ms. Forest, I share your evaluation to some degree. But for my friend Trevor Stone, it was a decision he did not make lightly. It was a decision that struck a blow to his very soul. He never-"

"They deserved it."

Silence for a moment, and then he went on, "They were stubborn. They were unreasonable."

Trevor stared out the window at the hiding city.

"You must feel a great burden lifted from your shoulders. In some ways, I am thankful for that," Reverend Johnny spoke soft to his friend and leader.

"What? What do you mean by that?"

"You have been absorbed in guilt ever since you made that decision. But now, now you are absolving yourself of that guilt. Throwing away your conscience makes things easier, of that I am sure."

"You’re talking nonsense."

"I second that," Nina added.

The Reverend spoke in barely a whisper; a whisper laced with sadness, as if Johnny spoke of a deceased friend. "This world is having a strange effect on you, Trevor. It is bringing out a side of you that you had previously kept in a cage. I remember when you were saddened by the idea that your life would be one of killing and destruction. Now it seems as if you are embracing your fate with welcoming arms."

"Reverend, I’m trying to remember that we’re friends. I think-"

"We’re here," Nina interrupted as she pulled the sedan to the curb outside the hotel.

"Trevor," Nina turned in her seat to speak. Johnny grunted, opened the side door, and left his friend and the Major alone inside the car.

"Here," Nina handed Stone a key card. "This is for the penthouse on the top floor. It was…it was your room at one time."

"You mean his room. The other Trevor."

She nodded. "It’s yours now. That is, for as long as you’re here. You’ll find some clothes that should fit you. Try them on."

"Clothes? I figured I’d shower and change into a new battle suit. Seems like that’s all I’ll be wearing for a long time."

His tone suggested that perhaps the Reverend’s words had scored a hit or two in Trevor’s psyche. Nina did not seem comfortable with that.

"Hey, no, we’re not all about fighting around here. Put something sharp on. After what happened today, well, it’s party time."

"Party time? Is that your way of saying The Committee will be sending someone over to arrest me?"

She shook her head. "I told you, they move real slow. And they’re cowards. I don’t know…after what happened today I don’t know if they’ll have the balls to stand up to you. The most they’ll do is send you a memo."

"I guess I’m making more impressions, huh?"

She smiled. "Just put something cool on. When you’re ready, c’mon down to the front entrance. I’ll have a car waiting for you."

"A…party?" He was not sure she had been serious.

"Yeah. I mean, I told you, the Trevor Stone I remember fought hard and partied hard. I got to believe you guys had a lot more in common."

"A lot… more? What have we had in common so far?"

Her deadpan stare served answer enough.

Trevor got out of the car. The sedan pulled away.

He surveyed the city without lights. The only illumination nearby came from a small band of soft bulbs outside the main entrance to the tall hostel. Johnny stood near that entrance, his eyes staring into the distance.

Trevor approached his friend and tried to paint on a big smile.

"Hey, yeah, there’s a party tonight, praise the Lord."

"A party? I shall pass, Trevor. I do not feel in the mood to celebrate."

"Jesus Christ, Johnny, will you just let it go. Will you just give me a break?"

"I love you, Trevor," Johnny said it frankly. "You gave my post-apocalyptic life direction and allowed me to contribute to mankind’s salvation, but that salvation is a world away. This place is not where we belong. I fear it is a world where you in particular do not belong."

Trevor realized he could not be angry with Johnny. At least not for long.

He absently rubbed the penthouse key card between two fingers as he collected his thoughts. "There are answers here, Rev. I can almost…I can almost see them. Like images behind stained glass. They’re there. I just need more time to make them out."

"Are you sure of that, Trevor? Are you sure you think there are answers here? Or is that just another excuse to remain? Another excuse not to find a way home."

"These people are human beings like us. The same species. The same bodies. A different Earth but still, their Earth. Their home! You would have me leave them to die when I might be able to help?"

"Yes! You have responsibilities to your people back home, Trevor. To your son. To Shepherd and Stonewall and our Jon Brewer! What is happening without you back home? Maybe the lesson here is that you are an important symbol, even if you’re stuck behind that desk you hate so much."

Trevor shook his head, "I might be able to find out why I failed here."

"You can’t undo that failure! It’s not your fault that some other man that looked like you made choices different from the ones you made. This is one place-one Earth-where you are not responsible."

Stone insisted, "I can make a difference here. I can feel it."

Johnny paused, huffed, and with a sharp edge in his voice berated, "Yes, it is so simple and easy for you here. Why, I think you prefer having your back against the wall. Just like it was for us in the early days, kill or be killed. So simple. Why, you can justify just about anything when you are fighting for your very survival. But Trevor, you are fooling yourself. Your responsibilities back home may not be as simple, but they are as real."

Stone deflected, "I can’t leave these people. I can’t abandon them."

The Reverend scolded, "I know why you can not leave them. You have everything you want right here. You can lead the battles from the front lines like Alexander the Great. And all the time you think you have the woman who was stolen from you. But, Trevor, she is not who you think she is. She is an echo of the Nina you knew."

Trevor pinched his nose and bit his lip.

Johnny pushed, "You know that, don’t you? That’s why you indulge your passions so intensely. You are hoping that the physical will take you to the places your heart cannot go with her, because you do not love this woman, you only wish you did."

"It’s been a rough day," Trevor jumped. "For both of us. Tomorrow morning…tomorrow I’m going to wake up and forget we had this conversation. In the mean time," Trevor wagged the key in the air. "I’ll be staying in the penthouse. You’ve got the room to yourself."