“I’m sorry, have we met?” Commander Wilkins asked the pale woman in a white suit that approached his table. He was sure they hadn’t met, but she approached him for a reason. After the unexpected work troubles he’d had, he appreciated the distraction she offered. It helped that she was easy on the eyes. Tall and lean with dark shoulder-length hair and a crisp, perfectly tailored suit.
She shook her head as another woman Commander Wilkins didn’t notice pulled out a seat for her at his table. The second woman shorter and fuller than the woman in white; she wore a black suit; Commander Wilkins assumed she was a chauffeur or an assistant.
“Not yet, My name is Dana Sharp,” she said as she sat down. “I have an offer for you, Commander. Or would you prefer, Roger?” she asked with a faint smirk. Roger Wilkins immediately shifted his mental state to be on guard. His full name was Wilbur Roger Wilkinson, but he never used his middle name for anything. He put his work complications from that morning out of his mind. He could never articulate the feelings that came from knowing there were other universes out there; but, he ruminated on the subject regularly.
The fact that he considered Dana Sharp very attractive made it difficult to stay focused and guarded. Any other day he might not have starved for attention; but, that morning he felt an almost unbearable sense of rejection. Having a beautiful woman that wanted to talk to him improved his day substantially.
“Roger’s fine, Dana. May I call you, Dana?” he asked with a grin.
“Ms. Sharp will do,” the assistant in black spoke up to correct him.
“Okay, Ms. Sharp,” he said. “What’s your offer?”
“Before I make the offer, I feel it’s important to establish my credibility. To ‘prove that I can do it’ so to speak,” she said.
“Alright,” Roger nodded. “Prove whatever it is to me,” he said. Ms. Sharp giggled lightly; it was echoed by her assistant in black.
“I already have; all that’s left is to make the link for you. Tell me; did you have an eventful morning?” she asked. Roger’s eyes widened. That morning over twenty alternate Earths, the only ones they’d found so far, broke contact with Roger’s Earth. They all claimed that they’d found a “Better Earth” to bargain with. Taking an early lunch after the last one disconnected was the only thing Roger could do to not take it personally. The 63-year-old soldier felt like an insecure child asking himself, ‘Was it something I did?’ He had been the lead point of contact in all cases.
“How did you get 27 Earths to listen to you?” Roger asked. The assistant giggled again, but Ms. Sharp did not.
“Exactly like this,” Ms. Sharp said. “By proving what I can do.” Roger jumped when the woman in black dropped a large black case on the table between them. He did not see where she pulled it from, and as far as he could tell she hadn’t left Ms. Sharp’s side.
“Inside you’ll find a business card with various samples of medicines, advanced technology and magic. A hint of what I have access to,” Ms. Sharp stood from her seat.
“When you’re ready for more or…,” Ms. Sharp said. Though Roger focused on the assistant as Ms. Sharp spoke. The black-suited woman wiggled her fingers at the air next to them. “…want to see the rest of the multiverse, use the card.” A tall black portal hovered in the air next to them. Ms. Sharp walked in followed by her assistant. Both disappeared into the darkness, then the portal swallowed itself.
