Through Glass Darkly Episode 1 Read Online Free Page A

turn for the worse.
    ‘I don’t suppose the doctors have thought of something else they could try?’ I asked hopefully.
    They didn’t answer straight away, but instead looked over toward the new Howard Hughes.
     
    ‘Your captain’s condition appears to be worsening. I don’t know the details, but you should know I’ve offered to donate some of my blood.’ He said looking closely at me. It’s being tested now. But, if we are as similar as we appear, then apparently the risk from the transfusion should be reduced.’
    I couldn’t believe he’d be prepared to do that for a complete stranger, but couldn’t bring myself to doubt him openly.
    ‘Mr Hughes, as I said earlier on, I think that might be rather premature, not to mention dangerous.’ Broke in Jenkins with a surprising tone of deference to the man before me.
    ‘I appreciate your concern Special Agent Jenkins,’ responded Hughes, with a degree of cool confidence that for the first time truly resonated with the man I knew. ‘But it is now clear to me that something truly incredible, if not astonishing has happened over this city, and no matter how unexpected, we need to deal with it first and worry about it afterward. I have made my decision, if you feel uncomfortable with it, now would be the time for you to contact your director.
    ‘Frank,’ he said turning to address another man just outside the door. ‘I’d like you to ask my doctor to join us straight away, along with a specialist on blood disorders. I’d also like you to get my best avionics engineering team down here as well.’
    And then, before Jenkins could even get into mid sputter, he simply turned his attention back to me and asked. ‘Can you walk Mr Hall?’
    If being poisoned and appearing over New York City in the middle of a thunderstorm had seemed disorientating, then trying to keep up with the eccentric billionaire as he took control of the situation within the city was a positive blur. I had no idea how big his retinue of staff was when he turned up, but within twelve hours the place was filled with his people. Some of them who’d clearly never worked for him before were slightly star struck, the rest just moved with a practiced efficiency, which again reminded me of life aboard the Goose.
    And then before the daylight had even started to fade, we were again sharing a room with the stricken form of the real Howard Hughes, captain of the giant bronze airship which still hung above the city.
    His double, now lay calmly on another bed beside him, while the specialist and his personal physician, a doctor Zimmerman monitored the blood transfusion which was passing now between the two reflections of the same man.
    It was a mesmerising moment to see the blood being taken from one man to pass into the second. It was both a slow process, the quiet broken only by checks being performed by the various doctors on their two patients’ blood pressure and other vital signs.
    And then, two hours after the transfusion had been completed, and just as I was beginning to wonder if anything would happen, the eyes of my captain first fluttered and then opened.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER 5 - REVIVAL
     
    He was still clearly very weak, but as the doctors busied themselves about the two hospital beds, the man I’d known gradually returned to the land of the living.
    The first questions he had were the obvious ones. What had happened? Where were we? And of course: How had the rest of the crew fared? And as the only available familiar face, it had been decided that I should be the one to explain it to him, especially the bit about the world being somehow changed and there being a double of him in the next room.
    It all gave him further time to recover, but eventually he was ready to answer a few questions so we brought the others back into the room.
    Even though I’d explained about his double, I couldn’t help but wonder how he was going to react when they finally met face to