The Mandela Effect

Chapter 65

"Jesus Christ," Jon says, looking into the passenger window.

"Thanks," Mark grimaced, "You should see the other guy."

Jon popped open the back passenger door and threw his bag in. Closing it, he opened the front door and climbed in. After he sat and closes the door, he turned towards Mark.

"You says you were a little bruised," Jon says.

"What?" Mark asks sarcastically, looking into the rearview at himself, "is it that noticeable?"

Mark's left eye was swollen; not shut, but it might have been a few days before. The underside and outside were partial concentric circles of dark purple, blue, red, orange, and yellow. He had a cut vertically across his bottom lip. Generally, his skin was punctured with small marks and cuts. He even had bruising partially visible around his neck.

Mark realized Jon was looking him over.

"Back and chest too," Mark sighed, "got a little worked over."

"Oh man," Jon's eyes and mouth fell, "I am so sorry."

"Hey man," Mark smiled, showing all his teeth, "still got the pearly whites, two eyes, two ears, and ten fingers. I'm good."

"Well, thanks for the help," Jon struggled to smile, "today and that night."

"Happy to do it," Mark smiled, pulling away from the curb and merging into traffic.

There was a few moments of silence as Jon tried to full take in the damage to Mark.

"So," Mark says finally, "I need to know the whole story. Skip the recap. I want the full version and we have a drive ahead of us."

"Traffic?" Jon asks.

Mark looked at him and smirked, "of course."

Jon laughs. Some things he wouldn't miss about Chicago.

"So, the only thing I know," Mark clarified, "is the conversation in the hallway and you running out the door. Go."

Jon sighed and tried to figure out where to begin. Then, he dove into the story, wrapping up with the airport in Virginia, but leaving out T's real name.

"Wow," Mark says, "it's like a movie. Better than most of the thrillers I've seen recently."

"Life is stranger than fiction," Jon says, "sometimes anyway."

"So," Mark asks meekly, "what's the next move?"

"Well," Jon mused, "assuming I still have a job, after my second disappearance in a semester..."

"Yea," Mark nodded, "I talked to the dean."

"Like that?" Job asks.

"It actually helped sell the story," Mark continues, "but I says that we got jumped and you needed a few days to get yourself together. They are being very supportive."

"Well," Jon sighed, "thanks. I have to say I'm surprised but, good."

"Yea," Mark agreed, "but, next move?"

"Right," Jon started, "well then, get things ready and try to finish this semester. Maybe take a vacation on break?"

"A vacation?" Mark exclaims, "who... who are you?"

They both laughs.

"I've actually been thinking about taking a sabbatical," Jon says.

"Really?" Mark questioned.

"Yea," Jon repeated, "but not a vacation. I want to go back to the field. Get my hands on something dirty and old."

"You've earned a real vacation old friend," Mark seconded, "but maybe being out in the middle of no where again will do you some good."

"I heard they are opening up Gobekli Tepe again this fall," Jon continues, "I feel like there is some amazing science to be done there."

Mark smiled, "ok, that might even make me want to leave the classroom again."

"Not sure I could even get a spot," Jon sighed, "but imagine having something real to publish again. Not just rehashing arguments from an older ignorant age. But screaming to the world 'we were all wrong. Twelve thousand B.C. is just the beginning!'."

"Are you going all 'History Channel' on me," Mark asks, "after this whole experience."

"No," Jon chuckles, "no, no, no."

"Ok," Mark answers warily, "don't make me worry about you stepping into a stargate or something."

"Am I Spader in this metaphor?" Jon asks, "because I might be ok with it in that case."

They both laughs again.

"No, not science fiction or conspiracies," Jon explained, "but maybe a little more open to pushing the edges of the comfort zone and taking off the rose-colored sunglasses."

"And what about the Netherlands?" Mark asks.

"Well," Jon considered his response, "if Wolfe calls me, I won't ignore it. Or T I guess. But I find that in these kind of situations, its the immediacy that draws action. We have a few months until then. Who knows if Wolfe will remember me or T will still be on this conspiracy. He was pretty messed up, he may find a new obsession."

"But if he is?" Mark asks, "or Wolfe calls?"

"Then," Jon admitted, "I guess I'll go to Bildaberg."

"Just like that?" Mark chuckles.

"Listen, I had a long plane ride to think about it," Jon explained, "the truth is, I don't truly understand how it works. But I think I get enough of the idea to know, this is beyond my ability to control. I can't go punch my way into getting everything back, even if I was a guy who went 'punching my way' into things."

Mark chuckles, "Indiana Jones!"

"Right," Jon laughs, "I'm not Indiana Jones. But this whole thing gave me a chance to feel alive, and part of something bigger, even just for a few days. I got to lean over the edge and look into the abyss. Then, I got pulled back. You have to take a minute and just access the situation. I did. So, let's see what the next twenty years have to offer and then maybe I'll get what I wanted this life in the next."

"That is pretty fucking deep," Mark smiled, "like real, personal growth."

"Thanks?" Jon half-asks, "I hope that's not too much sarcasm."

"We'll see," Mark answers, "All of this has seemed kinda crazy, especially for you. I hope you come out of the other side of it with something big. Big but manageable."

"Me too," Jon responded, "but tell me how things have been here. I feel like I'm out of the loop."