The Gateway by Steve Simons

  ~~~~ Later ~~~

  It seemed as if Barry and Tom had been in this small locked room for hours. They knew there was no chance of escape, as they had seen the guards posted outside the door as they had walked down the corridor and there were no windows or other obvious escape routes. The air vent was too small to climb through and the ceiling looked like a single sheet of metal. The light panels in the walls were far too small to crawl through. There was nothing for it, but to wait for someone or some thing to take them out of this room and hope there would be an opportunity to make a dash for it. Although quite where 'it' was neither boy knew now, as it was rather dark when they were brought to this building . They didn't have a chance to get any bearings. It was a bit like being in one of those games where you are blindfolded spun around and by the time you stop you haven't a clue where you are or what you are supposed to be doing.

  Barry and Tom discussed what had happened to them and whether the things that had captured them were robots or people, what was possibly going to happen to them and possible escape plans; all this in low whispers in-case the room was being bugged. Conversation exhausted, they sat in silence, staring at the walls waiting for their captors to make the next move. The time was passing so slowly, neither boy had a watch and it was impossible to judge the time.

  Tom suddenly exclaims, I must get watch for my next birthday.

  Barry looks at Tom wondering where on earth that comment had come from. What prompted Tom to think it, let alone say it.

  Suddenly the door opens, both boys stand, more out of shock more than anything else. The armed guards are standing either side of the open doorway.

  Move you out of the room. says one of the guards. Due to their face masks, ist impossible to tell which one of them had spoken.

  The boys reluctantly obey. They are directed which way to walk by pokes in the back by a weapon.

  Tom starts to ask, Where are you.... and then remembers their strange way of speaking and then tries to remember what Barry had said, oh yes it was doing words, names and descriptions or something like that anyway. Tom tries again and asks, Taking us where you?

  Not speak you unless questioned.  replies the guard to the right, then continues, Move you quickly.

  They arrive at another door that starts to slide open as they approach it, Go in you. Prompts the guard.

  As they enter the room they see two things, one appears to be a person or another one of these robots, her face is clearly visible and she appears to be wearing almost normal clothes, although some what futuristic 1960s style, but none-the-less not military like the others the boys have seen. The other thing is a military dressed robot or person., the latter says Sit you please. and it indicates a pair of chairs in front of the desk that is before the pair of them.

  Tom mumbles, First use of the word please that I've noticed in this place.

  The thing nearest Tom laughs, it obviously heard Tom. It removes its helmet.

  The boys are quite shocked to see that it also looks human. It asks, Get here how you do?

  Barry replies, Not know us exactly.

  Know you what then? asks the military looking one.

  Travel us through some invisible gateway. replies Barry.

  The female one asks, How do you trigger the gateway.