Broken Dreams (The Chronicles of Mara Lantern, Book 5) Read Online Free Page A

yet. Mara ran over to it and crouched, examining it. The platform was a featureless beige platter, the circumference of a car tire, made of molded plastic with beveled edges, like a Frisbee. There were no buttons or switches, no markings of any kind. Once the attendant had placed it on the floor, he had not touched it. He’d simply activated it with a voice command.
    It couldn’t be that simple. Surely some kind of security prevents just anyone from using it.
    Then she remembered how easy it was for Abby and her followers to access information about the synthetic physiology of the people in this realm. These people didn’t secure anything. To them access and information were like air or sunshine—just here for the taking. No questions asked.
    Nothing prevents anyone from using the holographic interface.
    She smiled and tried to remember what the attendant had said to start the last session with Ping. The memory came to her with such clarity that she wondered if it was because of her artificial brain.
    She shook off the thought and said aloud to no one in particular, “Initiate holographic interface with Receptacle 7542-36-0112.”
    Ping’s image slowly coalesced above the disk on the floor, but this time he was crouched with his arms held over his face, cowering from something.
    “Ping? Are you all right?” Mara asked, approaching the platform.
    “Huh?” He lowered his arms and blinked. “Oh my. For a minute I thought I had been sucked into a black hole.”
    “Black hole?”
    He straightened a little and said, “You’re back, or I’m back with you as a hologram—which is a good thing. I think it might be a good idea for Sam and I to depart this realm as soon as possible.”
    “A black hole? Like in outer space?”
    “No, I’m not referring to the galactic phenomenon. I believe this realm is in the process of collapsing or rending itself apart. Large pockets of darkness suddenly appear from nowhere, as if the fabric of Reality is fraying. A few minutes ago a large rip opened in the sky over downtown and sent people panicking in the streets.”
    “Sheesh. Dr. Canfield confirmed the receptacle occupants had experienced a spike in anxiety. She and the other doctors are concerned they might start losing people because of the stress.”
    “I have no doubt the fears experienced by people in this realm could affect their biological bodies in the receptacles,” Ping said.
    “Is Abby doing this?”
    “That was my first thought, but I’ve not seen her. We have to assume this is the work of the Aphotis. It certainly looks like something with metaphysical underpinnings. If things continue to deteriorate, the devastation will grow to apocalyptic proportions, and it’s likely this realm will tear itself apart.”
    This realm and the dream realm . “All right. I will talk to Dr. Canfield and get you guys out of there,” Mara said.
    “You will remove us from the receptacles?”
    “I’ll have them bring you and Sam out of stasis, but you’ll remain inside the receptacles so you aren’t reexposed to the virus. Then I’ll use the Chronicle to send you back to our realm.”
    “What about Abby?”
    “I’m not sure what to do about her. If the Aphotis is causing these problems, I should disconnect him from the receptacle. But, if we bring Abby out of stasis, I may not be able to control what the Aphotis does or where he goes.”
    “Could you send her back to our realm while she’s in stasis? Or perhaps they could sedate her beforehand?” Ping asked.
    “I’ll talk to the doctor about it, but she’s not being open-minded about what’s happening in the receptacles.”
    “You must convince her. If it’s true that the fear they experience in this realm affects their biological bodies, they could be in grave danger—in both realms.”
    “And here I was hoping talking to you would make me feel better,” she said.
    * * *
    Mara downshifted from a jog to a slow walk when she saw Dr. Canfield and Perry, the