Coin #2 - Quantum Coin (31 page)

intrst11r-pig: Is it still happening?

Jimmy01sen: No. Everything's back to normal now.

Ephraim switched on his webcam. When he looked at his room through the tiny video screen he saw something moving directly in front of him—over him. He slid his chair back and saw a ghostly image of one of his analogs typing at his computer. No, there were two phantoms, and one of them was apparently looking at porn.

Ephraim hastily tilted the camera to take in more of the room. It was full of other versions of himself, watching TV, playing video games with Nathan, jerking off, making out with analogs of Jena, making out with analogs of Mary—or Shelley.

He could barely pick out individual versions of himself, the screen was so full of them, many more than he'd seen on Nathan's camera at prom. The multiverse was getting worse, and he worried that just having the coin in his pocket was doing more than letting him see it. Maybe its presence in this universe was making it less stable.

How did the multiverse ever sort all of this out? It was just arbitrarily mashing universes together. Maybe Dr. Kim was right—if it was that senseless, if one Ephraim was as good as another on that macrocosmic scale, then why shouldn't someone enforce some order?

The coin would protect him for a little while, but what about his mother? And Nathan? They couldn't hold hands forever to stay in contact with the coin. Eventually the coin would run out of power, and even he would be vulnerable.

Ephraim put his head down on his desk, wrestling with the idea that there was nothing he could do.

He lifted his head and stared at the computer screen. He'd left the camera facing his bedroom door. He saw another Jena standing there, looking at him as though she could see him.

He'd left her and Zoe behind in Nathaniel's universe. He would never get to see either of them again.

“I'm sorry, Jena,” he said.

“For what?”

Ephraim jumped out of his seat and spun around. The Jena standing in the doorway was real, not a phantom.

“Jena!” he said.

She smiled.

If this was Jena, and not her analog who'd been sexting with a different Ephraim a few minutes ago, she had to have come here with a controller.

“How'd you get here?” he asked.

“Zoe sent me. She slipped me her controller as soon as Nathaniel told her you'd left.”

“So he did let me get away. Why didn't they come with you?”

Jena's smile faltered. “Zoe stayed to reason with Dr. Kim.”

“How's that going?”

“Not well. Dr. Kim doesn't know I've left.”

Ephraim sat on his bed, suddenly overwhelmed with fatigue and relief. “I'm glad you're here. I didn't mean to leave you. I just didn't know what to do.”

“I know,” she said. “You didn't have time to think about it. I'm glad you got away.”

Ephraim had needed to hear that.

Jena sat close to him on the bed and wrapped an arm around his waist.

“You got here fast,” he said. He'd arrived here only ten minutes ago, tops.

“I took Nathaniel's car before I used the controller to follow you,” she said. “Since a pantsless analog of yours swapped places with you, we figured we'd probably find you at home.”

He laughed.

“I don't know how anything can be funny when everything is so screwed up,” he said.

“Not everything. We're together.” She leaned her head against his shoulder and wrapped her arm around him, sliding her fingers into the right pocket of his jeans.

“How'd you get in my apartment?” he asked.

“Your mom let me in,” Jena murmured.

“Mom's home?” he asked.

He disentangled himself from Jena's arms.

“She's supposed to be at work now, but maybe that's different too,” he said. “She could walk in on us at any minute.”

“She reminded me that it's a little late to be coming over to see you, but that she trusts us.” Jena placed her hand on Ephraim's thigh, and he closed his eyes. “She also said that if we're quiet for too long in your bedroom, she's coming in here with a Super Soaker filled with cold water. I thought she was kidding, but I saw her put it in the freezer.”

His mom's sense of humor hadn't changed, at least.

Jena kissed Ephraim on the back of his neck. “Tell me what happened,” she whispered against his ear. He felt a shiver run down his skin.

“Mmmm,” he said. “Jena?”

“Don't mind me. Go on.”

“This is really not the time.” He pulled away and stared at her. He hadn't had a chance to tell her that he wanted to be with Zoe, but this wasn't the time for that conversation either.

He stood up and paced between his bed and desk.

“Dr. Kim's exploiting the collapsing multiverse to create a perfect universe for herself, with handpicked analogs of all of us to keep her company.”

“When you put it that way, it sounds pretty bad,” Jena said.

“It sounds bad no matter how you put it. She's going to throw all those other universes away to save herself.”

“And to save the people she loves,” Jena said. “Is that so wrong?”

He stared at her. “Are you serious?”

Jena stood up and smoothed her hands against the back of her shorts.

“I'm just saying, maybe we should hear her out,” Jena said.

“No, Jena. She's
evil.
How can you even consider her plan?”

“Dr. Kim's had more time than any of us to figure out what's happening. If there were a way to stop it, she would know. Maybe she's right, we should just get the people we care about into her universe. Sort it all out once everyone is safe.”

“Jena, she only wants one of each of us there. You and Zoe…she was going to get rid of you, somehow.”

“She wouldn't do that to herself.”

“She certainly doesn't want me in her ideal world,” Ephraim said.

“But I do,” Jena said. “Come back with me. She won't be angry. I promise. She just wants your help. Or if you won't help, she wants you to agree not to interfere.”

“She wants the coin,” he said. “Did Dr. Kim send you here?”

“No,” Jena said.

“You're lying,” he said.

“She didn't send me.” Jena looked Ephraim in the eyes. “I volunteered. This was my idea.”

Ephraim groaned. “Why?”

“She told us what she's planning and I know she's right, Eph,” Jena said. “I could just feel it. I just have to bring the coin back to her and everything will be okay. She has the coordinates for this universe. She can save my parents, and Mary and Shelley.”

“It's too late for Mary and Shelley, remember?” he said.

Jena's eyes teared up. “I don't want to lose anyone else,” she said. “And I don't want to die.”

“Hugh says what happened to Mary and Shelley suggests that multiple analogs can't stay in one universe for long, not while the multiverse is this unstable. You'll just merge or disappear. Dr. Kim knows this. She was there when he told me. She doesn't care about anyone but herself anymore—
her
, not her analogs. I've seen the way she acts around you. She's jealous of me and Zoe and you and Hugh.”

“What are you talking about?” Jena said.

“I know you like Hugh. He certainly likes you.”

Jena shook her head. “What did you mean, you and
Zoe
?”

Ephraim licked his lips. “I tried to talk to you before, when I came to the lab.”

“After you got back from your shopping trip. With her.” Jena pursed her lips. “Did something happen, Ephraim?”

“Not like you think. We only talked. Jena, I'm so sorry. I've always wanted to be with you, you know that. But…it turns out that I love Zoe.”

Jena stared at him blankly, which unnerved him more than if she'd reacted with anger or sadness. Then she laughed.

“I'm not joking,” he said.

“I know, but…” She wiped a tear from her eyes and tried to stop laughing. “I told you so!” she gasped out. “And I can't believe you're telling me this now!”

“Uh. This wasn't what I was expecting. Not that I want you to be devastated or anything, but are you all right?”

She held a hand up and sat on the bed, still laughing.

“Not to flatter myself, but I thought you'd be more upset. After the way you acted at prom,” Ephraim said.

“That was ages ago, wasn't it?” Jena looked up at him. “Eph, I'm not surprised. I knew you still had feelings for her. The kiss I saw only confirmed it. Of course I was upset, but we didn't expect this to be for forever.”

“I wanted it to be,” he said. “I thought I did.”

“Oh,” Jena said. “I just assumed, with college next year…”

“Yeah,” he said. “Now there might not even be a next year for any of us.”

“It doesn't have to be that way,” she said. “I love you, and I still want you in my life. Come back with me. Help us. You'd be helping Zoe, too.”

He looked at her sharply. “Is she onboard with Dr. Kim's plan?”

Jena hesitated.

“I wasn't lying about that. Zoe really is trying to get them to change their minds,” she said. “Looks like you chose the right girl.”

“We're just back where we started,” Ephraim said. “She's in another universe, and you and I are in this one.”

“Oh, I'm not staying,” Jena said.

“You don't have a choice. I'm not bringing the coin to Dr. Kim's universe,” he said. “And the controller can't take you back there without me.”

“I'll manage.”

Ephraim's bedroom door opened. Jena's eyes flicked behind him. “See? My ride's here.” She stood up.

Dammit. Ephraim should have realized Jena wasn't alone. She had said “We figured
we'd
probably find you at home.” He turned around to see her companion, with a sick sense that he already knew who it was.

Ephraim's analog sauntered into the room like he owned the place, which he had only half an hour ago, before Ephraim had bumped him out. He had a backpack slung over one shoulder.

Even after meeting multiple analogs of his friends, Ephraim had yet to talk to one of his own. It had always been a possibility, but it had seemed like a remote one; the nature of the coin's design had prevented him from ever running into himself unless he was also using the controller.

The analog looked between Jena and Ephraim. “You were right,” he said to Jena.

“I told you it was a stupid idea. I don't know how to seduce someone. Even my boyfriend.” She glanced at Ephraim. “Ex-boyfriend.”

The analog's eyes lit up. “I can teach you a few things,” he said.

“I doubt that. Feeling better?” she asked.

“You could have warned me the trip would make me throw up,” the analog said.

Jena smirked.

It was incredibly surreal to see himself standing on the other side of the room, not so much like looking in a mirror, but more like an out-of-body experience—like he was somehow standing outside of himself, looking at his own body.

His other self seemed just as fascinated, but a moment later his stunned expression changed to contempt.

“This is yours,” the analog said. He threw the backpack to the floor at Ephraim's feet. Then he put an arm around Jena's waist. “And
this
is mine.”

Jena stepped on his foot. The analog yelped and let her go.

Ephraim checked inside the bag. His tuxedo was crammed in there. Nathan's video camera was on top, along with the paperback Dickens novel he'd found in his room at Greystone Manor.

“Nice of the Doc to return my stuff,” Ephraim said. “She didn't expect me to come back either.”

“Hugh packed those,” Jena said. “He says good-bye.”

“Tell him I said thanks. For everything.” Ephraim couldn't have used the coin to get away if Hugh hadn't switched off the LCD.

“Hold on.” The analog strode to the bag and snatched the strip of condoms peeking out from the Dickens book. “You won't be needing these,” he said. He winked at Jena.

“Ugh,” Jena said. “You won't need them either. Not with me.”

The analog shrugged. “There are plenty of options in the multiverse. Where does he keep the coin?” he asked.

Jena glanced at Ephraim. “Right pants pocket,” she said. “I checked. It's there.”

“Jena,” Ephraim said.

The analog walked up to Ephraim, smiling thinly, and punched him in the face. Ephraim saw stars and ended up face-down on the carpet. His eye was already throbbing.

Through the dull buzzing in Ephraim's ears he heard Jena shout his name, but he didn't know which of them she was talking to. She sounded freaked.

The analog reached into his right pocket. Ephraim tried to twist away. He kicked out at him, but the analog danced away.

He held the coin up between his finger and thumb to show Ephraim. It flashed once in the light before he flipped it over to Jena.

“Last summer I went through hell because of you,” the analog said. “I didn't know what had happened, but I learned pretty quickly that I had to stop telling people that the world had changed around me. No one remembered anything was ever any different.

“Eventually I figured out I was in a parallel universe, but I kept that to myself. You turned my mother into an alcoholic, you douche. You made me live like a poor person.”

“I tried to swap everyone back where they came from,” Ephraim said.

“Only so you could feel good about yourself.”

“No,” Ephraim said. “I'm sorry. I don't know why it didn't work.” He sat up, massaging his temple. He winced with the pain.

“I think I do,” Jena said. “Eph, it wasn't your fault. While you're in a universe with the coin and someone has a controller, that universe can't split off. But as soon as you and Nate left, it was able to branch just like any other universe. Every decision spawned another, similar universe—with whichever Ephraim analog was in it at the time.”

“Even though Zoe and I backtracked through the universes I'd visited with the Charon device, we only returned the analogs from the parent universes.” He closed his eyes, but he opened them again when he saw bright spots against his eyelids. He was having trouble focusing his left eye.

“You're from one of the universes that branched off.” Ephraim climbed to his feet slowly. “I had no idea. I wanted to put everything right.”

His analog scowled. “You ruined my life, so I'm taking yours.”

“It's time to leave,” Jena said to the analog. She slotted the coin in the controller. “If you wanted revenge, you got it. If I know Eph, this is going to eat him up with guilt.”