Грань будущего

           Itdidn’tlookdifferentfromtheothers-anotherbloateddeadfroginaseaofwaterloggedamphibians.Buttherewassomethingaboutthisonethatsetitapart.Maybespendingsomuchtimeinsuchproximitytodeathhadsharpenedsensesshedidn’tknowshehad,revealingsecretsthatlayhiddenfromnormalsight.

           WhenshekilledthatMimic,thetimeloopbegan.

           TherewasalwaysoneMimicattheheartofthenetwork,aqueenofsorts.Itsoutwardappearancewasthesameastheothers.Justasallpigslookedaliketosomeonenotinthebusinessofraisingpigs,thedifferencebetweenthatMimicandtherestwasoneonlyRitacouldsee.Somehow,asshefoughtandslewcountlessMimics,shebegantotellthemapart.Itwassomethingsubliminal,borderingoninstinct.Shecouldn’thaveexplainedthedifferenceifshetried.

           Theeasiestplacetohideatreewasintheforest.

           Theeasiestplacetohideanofficerwasinamongthegrunts.

           TheMimicattheheartofeachpackwashidinginplainsight.Thinkofitastheserverofthenetwork.

           Whenyoukilltheserver,theMimicnetworkemitsaspecifictypeofsignal.Thescientistswouldlateridentifyitasatachyonpulse,orsomeotherparticlethatcouldtravelthroughtime,butRitadidn’treallyunderstandanyofthat.TheimportantpartwasthatthesignalemittedbyMimicsthathadlosttheirservertraveledbackintimetowarnthemoftheimminentdangertheyfaced.

           ThedangerappearedinthememoryoftheMimicsasaportent,awindowintothefuture.