That evening the church minister dropped by. Mr. Peebles had been the minister as long as Clint could remember. Peebles was not that tall, maybe, five-six, a hundred and ninety pounds with a pronounced bald spot on the back of his head. No matter how nice he was and he was inarguably a nice man, Clint had always been in awe of him. Clint knew he was in for it, now.

The four of them went to the den with instructions not to be disturbed. Mr. Chernenko closed the door and Mrs. Chernenko spoke up. “Now Lewis said that we are not to talk about what happened at the sergeant's house. Fine. I want to know how you got out of this house and back in again without my knowledge. I was in that living room watching a movie with your sister and you never went in or out and I know that you did not go out the back door. I would have felt the draft. What have you been doing and how have you been doing it?”

“Well,” Clint said. He hadn't seen his mom that upset at him in quite a while. “It's a long, complicated story.”

“We have the time,” his father said.

“You might want to sit down, because when I tell you this, you're going to fall down,” Clint said.

“Fine,” his father said. The adults sat down.

Clint stood in front of them. “Well, I have been going out after dark from my bedroom window. I can fly,” Before they could say a word, he lifted off of the floor and quickly flew across the room, back and forth, for a couple of seconds. He stopped in front of the adults. The silence was deafening.

“How can you do that?” Mr. Peebles asked quietly, as Clint landed.

“Because I'm a 4400,” Clint answered.

“You are going to have to explain that,” his father said.

The pressure and loneliness of not being able to talk about everything for the last four months came out in an incoherent babble. Clint bounced from subject to subject. After a couple of minutes of this, Mr. Peebles raised his hand.

“I want you to sit at that computer and write it out like an essay. It will help us to understand what you are trying to tell us.” Mr. Peebles said.

“Okay,” Clint said. Clint sat and started to write. He worked on the paper for about an hour. For a moment, the adults thought that they heard Clint sobbing. Mrs. Chernenko went and got some juice and cookies for everyone. After an hour, Clint printed the document and closed the word processor without saving the document. He handed it to Mr. Peebles.

Clint's parents read the document over his shoulder. After they finished, Mr. Peebles said, “I want to see that church directory.”

“I should warn you that the you will find something that is going to rattle you,” Clint said as he went back to the computer and typed a couple of commands to bring up the directory.

“What am I going to find?” he said as he took the seat in front of the computer.

“In the original timeline, you were married to someone else,” Clint said quietly.

Mr. Peebles head snapped over to look at Clint and then he quickly scrolled down to his family photo. Instead of seeing his beautiful red headed wife of twenty-three years, he was looking a petite brunette. Instead of his four children, he was looking at six faces that he had never seen. He looked just the same in that picture as he did in the current church directory. There was something familiar about the woman. What was her name? Yvette. “The only Yvette that I ever knew was Yvette Marceau but she died in a swimming accident when she was in sixth grade. I was in seventh grade at the time.”

“That was her maiden name, Yvette Marceau. She didn't drown in the original timeline. Your daughter, Nora, was in my class.” Clint said.

Mr. Peebles looked totally stunned. There was no other way to describe it. Clint reached over his shoulder and opened another window and typed a couple of commands. A song started playing over the speakers. “This is a song that I know that all three of you liked. This band didn't make the transition. The band is called The Beach Boys. The song is called Sloop John B.” Clint leaned against the wall, right behind the computer.

After the song ended, his mother asked, “Are you happier here or there? I have to think that you chose that song for a reason."

Clint went to a chair, sat down and ran his hands through his hair. “I don't know. Like I said in the essay, I have two complete sets of memories. In some ways, it is better here. I'm not looking over my shoulder near as much. On the other hand, I'm a lot lonelier here. I feel like Superman in that I am the last of my kind. I miss Mrs. Williamson. I miss daytime flying. In a weird way, I miss who you were.” He laughed, “How weird is that? I am telling my parents that I miss my parents.” He laughed with a touch of hysteria in his voice.

“What'll happen to them?” Clint asked. He had clamped down on his emotions as he asked in a matter -of-fact voice.

“What will happen to whom?” his mother asked, gently.

“What will happen to your counterparts? You're genetically the same people, but you've lived different lives. Part of me remembers you as Mom and Dad. Another part of me remembers the other Mom and Dad. I love both sets of you, equally. Or what about the other Mrs. Peebles? They have been erased from history. Will we see them in Heaven or will they just, be gone. If it happens again and I don't..” Clint stopped.

A look of comprehension came across Mr. Peebles face. “If it happens again and you don't survive the transition, can you lose your salvation? Will you simply cease to exist? Is that what you are afraid of?

Clint nodded starting to sob a little and said, “The thought hit me around Halloween and I have been reading a lot of Scripture and praying and I'm still scared.”

“I'm surprised that you don't have ulcers. You say that you have been reading Scripture? Well, there are a few passages that I want you to read right now. Where is a Bible?” Mr. Peebles asked. He flipped through a few pages. “Let's start with this one. John 6:38 and 39. You read it,” he said handing the Bible to Clint.

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again on the last day.

“Read John 10:27 through 30,” Mr. Peebles instructed.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.

“The point is, you can't lose your salvation. No timeshift will ever affect Scripture. God won't let it happen. I repeat, the events in the Bible will never be altered because God won't allow it and God will NEVER lose one of his own. I know that we will see Yvette and Nora in Heaven. You will see your other parents, whether they will be separate persons or if they will have double memories like you have, we will have to wait and see,” Mr Peebles said firmly. “Does that help?”

After a couple of seconds, Clint said, “Yeah it does. Thanks.”

“I'm concerned about something. Is the Agent Green in your essay the same Agent Green that was here today?” Mrs. Chernenko asked.

“Yeah and he remembers everything. He called me today and warned me they were coming. He told me about the videotape and what was on it and he told me what to say,” Clint answered.

“What!” both men exclaimed.

“We've got to tell Lewis this,” Mr. Peebles said starting to reach for his cell phone.

“No! No! No! He is the LAST person to tell! In the original timeline, he was one of the leaders that tried to run me off! He wasn't the worst one, but he was close to it! This is my second time around. I know who not to trust. I didn't want him here at all. The only reason that he was here today was that Daddy called him,” Clint insisted.

“Okay. we don't tell Lewis. By the way, how did I handle you being a 4400?” Mr. Peebles asked.

“You and Mrs. Peebles were awesome.” Clint responded.

“Yeah. Yvette,” Mr. Peebles shook his head. “I came in to do some pastoral counseling. I did not expect to have my world turned upside down.”

“Sorry,” Clint said apologetically.

“Not your fault son,” Mr. Peebles replied.

“What about this Agent Green? What does he want?” Mr. Chernenko asked.

“Well, the only way to know is to ask him. Did he happen to say what motel he is staying at?” Mr. Peebles asked.

“The Royal,” Mrs. Chernenko replied. Clint snorted.

“What?” his dad asked.

“The Royal hotel chain is so big here, but it didn't exist before the 240,” Clint said.

“The 240. The 4400. Your life sure has a lot of numbers in it,” Mr. Peebles said.

“Hey, I'm a 240 4400. What can I say?” Clint joked.

“You and I should go visit this Agent Green, tonight,” Mr. Chernenko.

“No, Andy. I should go, alone. If his partner should see you, that could present a problem. She has never seen me. I will just go to the main desk and call his room and ask him to come down. We can talk in the hotel's bar. With this weather, we won't have trouble finding a quiet table,” Mr. Peebles said.

“You'll have to tell him that you know about the 240 being true and that I told you about the 4400 or he won't talk,” Clint said said. He picked up the essay and quickly put it in the shredder.

“I wish you hadn't of done that,” Mr. Peebles said.

“I don't want to leave it lying around.” Clint said

“Yet you have kept your music and your videos and whatnot,” Mr. Peebles.

“It never leaves the house and it is under lock and key. I have a couple of well hidden backups, just in case of a fire or something. It's all I have left. My UWV hoodie looks pretty much like other hoodies, but I know that I can't wear my Orioles t-shirt in public. Say, when you talk to him, can you ask him a question for me?” Clint asked.

“If I get the chance, certainly,” Mr. Peebles responded.

“Ask him what happened to Diane Crowe and Maia Rutledge,” Clint said.

“Were they other 4400s?” Mr. Peebles asked.

“Yeah. Maia was a creepy little kid, but I liked her. He'll know who she is. She was the first 4400. Diane Crowe was one of my friends. I met them both in quarantine. I know what happened to the rest of my friends,” Clint said.

“I would rather know what happened to the conspirators who tried to kill you,” his father said.

“I'll see what I can find out. I'll call you in a while,” Mr. Peebles said.

After Mr. Peebles left, Clint's father said, “Go get your Dick Tracy collection. I want the three of us to watch one while we are waiting. I want to see how they compare to the ones I remember.”

The three of them had watched the first Dick Tracy movie on the computer in the den. Mr, Chernenko told his older children that the folks were spending a little private time with Clint and that he wasn't in trouble. Though, his siblings were curious about why the Pastor had been in private conference for over an hour, they figured that whatever the problem had been was straightened out or their daddy wouldn't have said that Clint wasn't in trouble. From personal experience, each of the older siblings knew that if Clint were in trouble, there would be no ambiguity about it, so they went about their own affairs. The Chernenkos had been raised to appreciate confidentiality.

After the movie was over, Clint went through his collection, playing songs he knew his parents would like. Though the Beatles had survived the 240, their membership wasn't the same so though some of the first timeline hits had survived, others had been replaced. Clint had a couple of the hits that didn't make it across. He wasn't a big fan but he like a few of their songs. A lot of bands that survived the 240 had different hits than they did before the 240. Naturally, there were many post 240 groups that didn't exist before. The two groups other than the Beach Boys that didn't survive the 240 which Clint had shared his other parents appreciation for were the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac.

While the music played, Clint talked. He talked about the day he had been taken. He talked about quarantine and the friends that he had made and had since lost. and how the community reacted when they had learned what he was. He described some familial differences. His cousin hadn't been arrested in the original timeline. He talked about television shows that didn't exist anymore and about post 240 shows that didn't exist before. He talked until the doorbell rang.

Mr. Peebles had called to say that he was dropping by for a minute to tell them what he had learned so no one was surprised when he was the one at the door. “Well, that went very well,” he said as he quickly closed the door, with snow falling off oh his coat onto the carpet. “I believe that we are going to get another three inches before morning.”

“What did he say?” Mr. Chernenko demanded.

“Pretty much what Clint figured he'd say. He doesn't think that Clint is a danger and he doesn't want to destroy Clint's life. He has a strong sense of biblical justice. He is a good man. Actually, I wound up giving him counseling. His wife has had the same fears that Clint has had, so I gave him the same Bible verses and left him my card. Except for his wife, he hasn't dared talk to anyone. He was very relieved to be able to talk to someone. By the way, those girls you asked about?”He turned to Clint. “Maia grew up in northern California and married a man who wound up owning a sawmill. She raised a family and is a senior citizen, living in Eureka, California. One of her sons is Lieutenant Governor of Oregon. The other girl didn't come through, It's a good thing for you that John Green is so thorough. He memorized Diane's file because of her affiliation with you. He learned that her paternal grandfather died as a teenager. She is like Nora, someone we will see in Heaven, assuming that she was saved when the 240 happened.”

“What about the conspirators?” Mr. Chernenko asked.

“A couple of them are dead. A couple didn't survive the 240 and the ones that are left, he doesn't know. He is trying tto keep an eye on those, especially Dennis Ryland, who is an FBI Agent. He can't find any evidence that they have been in contact with one another or that they have been making any queries into the remaining 4400. It is improbable that they all remember it. In all likelihood, none of them remember it. There is no way to know for certain unless they do something.”

“So, we wait and see,” Clint summarized.

“We wait and see,” Mr. Peebles answered.

Author's Note. I am no Preacher. I don't meet the biblical minimums for the job. I don't want the job, either. I do meet the minimums to be a Christian. I am a sinner. That means that I have done evil in God's sight. That is what a sinner is. The reason that I can go to Heaven is not because God is cutting me some slack. My evil has to be paid for in full. I can't do that and go to Heaven. Someone else paid for it. Jesus went on to a cross and was executed as payment for my sins and for the sins of everyone who has gone or will go to Heaven. He lived a perfect life and could pay for my sin since he had none of his own. Becoming a Christian is really a transaction. Christ takes all the evil you have ever done or will ever do and puts it on his own shoulders and puts His righteousness on your shoulders. If this paragraph makes you want to have Christ's Gift,pray and ask for it. I won't tell you what to say. You won't need me to. Just remember, if you believe this, it is because the Holy Spirit is opening your eyes, it is not because you are any smarter than anyone else. No boasting allowed.

That being said, I wrote this story because I wanted to read a Christian SF story. I saw the reboot Time Tunnel pilot on You Tube and I got to thinking about the 4400 in that story line. and as I started writing this, I realized that I needed an external conflict and the idea of bringing in NCIS took hold. I honestly don't believe that time can be altered. I don't believe that alternate universes exist either. If alternates are being created all of the time, where is the mass of each new alternate coming from? They can be fun reading though. I may write another adventure for Clint Chernenko. I haven't decided yet.

Well drop me a line. Let me know what you think of my story.

RL Seward