Special Post – Beyond the Majestic: The Final Chapter

This is the third and final installment in the Majestic Trilogy. After several months of waiting for the next developments in the story line of the original “Stopover at The Majestic“, and its sequel, “Beyond the Majestic: The Evil Doer“, comes the Final Chapter. This special blog post highlights this last installment.

Majestic Hotel, Lake Charles, LA, circa unknown

Previously at The Majestic

As we were about to leave the last part of the Evil Doer sequel, the lobby was a scene of chaos. Mr. Curtis, still somewhat dazed, began to slowly move around and see to the cop. It would be a few minutes before emergency personnel would appear on the scene. In the midst of all this, Mr. Curtis wondered if the explosion were merely coincidental or if it was a plan by the GM to help him get away and remain on the Galaxy’s Most Wanted List.

That would have to be a question left for another day. Why was the GM/Time Traveler doing all this? Why did he want the Majestic transported to another time? Why be so reckless? Too many questions. Too few answers, thought Mr. Curtis. Now what?

As he tried to make his way around the immediate chaos where the cop lay, Mr. Curtis felt unsure of himself. He got more woozy and unsteady. Then as he got to the cop, Mr. Curtis suddenly fell to the floor, unconscious. Their search for answers would have to wait.

 

And Now, The Final Chapter

“Get that damn light out of my face!,” exclaimed Mr. Curtis. “Relax sir,” intoned the stranger. “Just checking your reflexes and your cornea.”

“Who are you and where am I?,” asked Mr. Curtis. “You’re in the hospital. I’m Dr. Zooski. You’re doing just fine, all things considered,” he said.

“Whaddaya mean?,” retorted Mr. Curtis.

“You’ve suffered a concussion and been in a coma, sir,” explained the good doctor.

“How long have I been out?,” inquired Mr. Curtis.

“Three months, fourteen days, seven hours and some assorted minutes,” said Dr. Zooski.

“Three months!,” exclaimed Mr. Curtis. “I’ve gotta get outta here! Wait, how’s the officer who was injured nearby? I need to talk to him. I need to find the GM of the Majestic, find out where he went,” explained Mr. Curtis.

“Hold on, sir. You’re not going anywhere for awhile. You just woke up from a three-month coma and we want to make sure you’re okay,” said the doc. “As for your officer friend, I’m sorry to say he didn’t make it. His internal injuries were more than he could overcome. And I have no idea about the Majestic GM,” said the doctor.

Mr. Curtis then realized that now he was on his own if he wanted to get to the bottom of the GM’s involvement with the explosion and the status of the Majestic. But where would he go and what would he do? These questions naturally troubled Mr. Curtis and also made his headache worse. No matter, he obviously wasn’t going anywhere for some time and now had more time to think and consider possibilities.

 

******

 

It has been several weeks since Mr. Curtis awakened from his coma and he was feeling much more like his old self. He thought in order to start gathering some clarification on the explosion, he’d return to the scene of the crime, the Majestic. He would talk to management and find out what, if anything, they knew. Maybe a few clues would emerge.

What he learned was that the explosion was no accident, it was arson. Evidence on the scene indicated that the former GM had indeed played a part if not planned and executed the whole thing. Question is: Where is he now? And why did he do it?

Mr. Curtis found himself wondering if other, additional sites have been targeted by this fellow and if they would alter the Space-Time Continuum. Curtis had to find out and subsequently stop him.

If the GM had been set on “moving” the Majestic into the future for whatever the reason, Mr. Curtis thought, wouldn’t it make sense for him to set himself up as general manager of the futuristic Majestic and have it serve as his HQ for more evil doing?

With this in mind, Curtis set out to locate him and confront him, and, hopefully, put a stop to the madness. So, with his time-traveling cane, Mr. Curtis set off to the future, the 24th Century to be exact. This is where he felt the GM had settled with the new Majestic.

Upon reappearing inside this futuristic Majestic, Mr. Curtis wasted no time in searching for the GM. In a matter of minutes, he found him. Not ever knowing the man’s name, Curtis opted for an introduction of himself and immediately knew the GM recognized him. After a few moments of surprise, the GM collected himself and introduced his person to Mr. Curtis. However, the look of surprise and concern were still evident on the GM’s face.

Nevertheless, the GM did not try to run away. Instead, he remained calm and in conversation with Mr. Curtis. He even acknowledged he was aware of what happened to the old Majestic and felt bad about the explosion in the historic landmark. He was not aware, however, that the officer at the scene had died. He also never admitted responsibility.

Mr. Curtis laid it out clearly for him who he was and his mission: Making the GM pay for his crimes. The GM seemed unflappable and unmoved by the possible repercussions. As such, he turned away from Mr. Curtis, answering no more questions, and proceeded to walk away.

Just then, Mr. Curtis picked up his walking stick and adjusted the very top where the indicator light showed “stun.” Pointing it toward the back of the GM, Mr. Curtis activated the setting and in a flash the GM crumbled to the marble floor unconscious.

Because a crowd had begun to gather around the two men, Mr. Curtis flashed his badge-like credentials and assured the gathering that all was under control. After a few minutes, Mr. Curtis had the GM moved to a private room where he could question him more and, if needed, to transport him back in time to the old Majestic or, possibly, even to the Space-Time Continuum Enforcement Council for trial.

Upon the GM regaining consciousness, Mr. Curtis continued with his interrogation. During questioning, he learned that the GM had indeed been responsible for the Majestic arson explosion in order to give himself a diversion for escape into the future. He had also rigged it so that he would in effect take the Majestic with him into a future setting so that he could reestablish his headquarters.

When pressed, Curtis also learned that the GM apparently acted alone in this evil deed but the GM never admitted it. Mr. Curtis thought that even if the GM acted alone, it was not beyond the realm of possibility that there were others who had been influenced by the GM and would follow him to other sites for more destruction and damage to the timeline.

Having received the information needed, Mr. Curtis decided it was time to move on and take the GM with him. He would transport him to the Enforcement Council for trial and processing. Holding up his walking stick, he merely stated, “Space-Time Continuum Enforcement Council, two to transport.” Then, poof, they were gone in an instant.

The evil GM was turned over to authorities, tried and convicted. Mr. Curtis had repaired the Space-Time Continuum and, for the moment, all was back to a rather normal state. Unfortunately for the Majestic, it would be torn down in the early 1960s for a parking lot. Thus, the Majestic of the 24th Century would cease to exist.

After the trial, Mr. Curtis returned to the Majestic of the Sixties before its demolition and was rummaging around the evil GM’s office when he came upon an oddly shaped locket. It had a ruby red crystal in the middle which was obviously designed to be pressed into some form of action. Upon closer examination, Mr. Curtis discovered that it was already set to activate and, not only that, but was currently set to emit a beacon of sorts. 

Mr. Curtis felt a deep, unsettling tenseness in his gut when he realized the beacon was “live” and transmitting. Was this some sort of homing mechanism and to whom was this signal being sent? In the pit of his soul, he didn’t really want to know but he feared it was already too late.

~

Beyond The Majestic: The Evil Doer

A sequel to the short story Stopover at the Majestic

PROLOGUE

When last we visited, the year was 1965 and our two strangers were chatting up one another in the lobby of the Majestic Hotel, just before it was to be torn down. One of the strangers is Timeline Police. The cop knows our Time Traveler is not from 1965 but the closely guarded Timeline has been disrupted; how is not known. The police are investigating. Could our time-traveling Stranger end up being trapped in 1965 at the Majestic? After their conversation, our Time Traveler, Mr. Curtis, decides it is time to move on. So with a doff of this hat and a swirl of his cane, he does and in a flash, he’s gone. Again. Only to encounter unexpected twists along his journey through time.

 

 

The year is 3068 and Mr. Curtis is now visiting another world in the Gamma Quadrant of the Solexa Solar System. The planet, similar to Earth, is not all that old. However, the surface is desolate except for one large city. Mr. Curtis, it seems, has been drawn here to see the city’s largest building. He is, among other things, a curiosity seeker.

The building is a relatively old hotel, rather grandeur in stature. Upon first glance, he thought he recognized it but he’s never been here before. Then it hits him: It’s a replica, an exact replica but a working replica nonetheless of the long-ago demolished Majestic Hotel in Lake Charles, LA, back on Earth in 1965.

How could that be? Who built it and why the Majestic?

As he stands there in front of the lobby admiring its architecture, he feels a tap on his shoulder and a voice, “Hey there. Fancy meeting you here.”

Startled, Mr. Curtis swings around to see who is disturbing him.

It’s the Timeline Police cop from Earth!

“I could say the same thing about you,” retorts Mr. Curtis. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m investigating the breakdown of the Timeline back in 1965, when you and I first and last met,” says the cop. “You seemed to have left the Majestic awfully quickly. And now I see you here in front of another Majestic Hotel more than 200 years in the future. Curious! What gives?”

“Well, it is curious. I felt a strange yearning to come to this planet and when I arrived, I was drawn to this spot, where the hotel is. Believe it or not, I did not expect to see another Majestic Hotel,” explained Mr. Curtis.

“You said you were investigating the breakdown of the Timeline back in 1965,” inquired Mr. Curtis. “Have you any answers?” he asked. “I know I did nothing to impact the Timeline. That’s not to say I wasn’t tempted, mind you.”

“Well,” intoned the cop, “something happened to the Timeline because the Majestic Hotel back then was not torn down in 1965. Oh, sure, a parking lot is in its place or was but that was later.”

Mr. Curtis interrupted, “But, all the history books say the hotel was torn down in 1965 and show photos of its demolition. How could that be if it was not torn down then?”

“Trust me,” said the cop. It wasn’t. And the only way for that to have happened was for someone to adjust the Timeline. I don’t know who and I don’t know how but it was done. The evidence is where we are standing. This is not merely a replica of the Majestic, Mr. Curtis. It is the Majestic. Somehow when the Timeline was altered, the hotel was transported to 3068, right where we are standing.”

“Okay,” sighed Mr. Curtis, “now I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone. Before we know it, Rod Serling is going to come out from behind the Concierge Desk!”

“So where does this leave you in you investigation, Mr. Timeline Policeman?,” asked Mr. Curtis. “Since this happened back in 1965, wouldn’t it make sense to return to that time and ask around?” he said.

“I’ve considered exactly that, but I may need some help to draw out our Timeline provocateur,” said the cop.

“What did you have in mind?,” inquired Mr. Curtis.

“Come join me for a cocktail at the Majestic Bar and I’ll fill you in with my plan,” invited the cop.

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