“Incredible.” Austin gasps at green pastures filled with thousands of rows of grape vines. “I haven’t been here in decades.”
“Thank you, Austin. I feel alive again.”
“Close your eyes, Olivia. I want to surprise you.”
Dust kicks up as they land on a two-lane concrete highway, driving east past the city of Sonoma. A sign greets them. “Welcome to this world famous wine-growing region. Napa Valley.”
“Are your eyes closed?” Austin asks.
“Yes.”
They turn left on Dealy Lane and drive past a series of small, family-owned wineries, crossing a bridge over the Sonoma River and arriving at a metal gate. A logo appears. “Welcome to Artesa Winery.”
Austin turns his head. “Are you peeking?”
“No.”
“Good. We’re almost there.”
They head along a windy road up a hill, passing a cluster of sheep grazing in the grass and reaching a parking lot high above the Sonoma Valley.
“Can I look now?”
“Nope.”
He escorts her from the car and takes her to a marble fountain with modern art sculptures, then kneels beside a rose garden. “Surprise!”
She takes in the breathtaking view of the countryside. Dotted with chateaus and wineries, the hills and rolling pastures stretch for miles. She grabs his arm. “You brought me here on our first date!”
“Yes, that was forty years ago.”
“That long? It seems like yesterday.”
He touches her. “What memories we made…”
“I wish I could go back in time.”
A bus arrives and offloads tourists on a wine tour. Austin takes her hand. “Let’s get inside before they do.” He guides her to the winery, a contemporary structure built into the hillside. Fountains line the walkway into the entrance where a hostess greets them. “Hello, welcome to Artesa.”
Austin gestures. “I’ve reserved a private wine tasting under ‘Sanders.’”
“Right this way.”
She leads them through the foyer past a series of Renaissance art paintings. They enter a wine cellar packed with oak barrels; a deep wood aroma fills the room. She looks back at them. “Our winery was designed after the Villa San Michele in Capri.”
“Italy?” Austin asks as he takes a deep whiff of the oak.
“That’s right. Our founder was an Italian artist. We are famous for our Cabernet Sauvignon.”
“I can smell that.”
She guides them outside along a stone path lined with flowers and marble columns. The valley comes into view and a cool breeze drifts by.
Olivia closes her eyes. “Is this what Italy’s like?”
“Some parts of it,” Austin says. “Tuscany is stunning.”
“Let’s travel there some day.”
The hostess seats them at a private outdoor table overlooking Napa County. “Your server will be with you shortly.”
Austin spots a landmark on the horizon. “Look, there’s San Francisco in the distance.”
Olivia squints. “Where?”
“You see that tower? That’s Twin Peaks.”
“We had a date there once, didn’t we?”
“Yes, you remember…”
“How could I forget? It was the happiest time of my life.”
As a waiter delivers a bottle of wine, Austin receives a call in his smartglasses. “It’s one of my programmers.” He accepts the call in speaker mode. “Hello Anil, how are you?”
Anil, Prisha, and a newborn baby appear on the screen. “Hi Dr. Sanders, say hello to little Lumi!”
Austin leans forward. “She’s so beautiful. Congratulations!” He hands his glasses to Olivia. “That’s my goddaughter, Lumi!”
Olivia peers through the specs. “What a precious angel.”
Anil, bandages over his wrists, cradles his baby. “She’s my ray of light.”
Olivia hands the smartglasses back to Austin, who smiles when he sees the baby. “She’s so cute. How’s your hospital stay?”
“Lumi was born last night at 3:39 a.m. without any complications. I want to thank you and Dr. Andrews for bringing us here in time. We are so grateful for your help.”
Austin beams. “You are the one we have to thank. Look at all the positive things happening in the world. It’s all because of you, Anil.”
“That’s not true.”
“It absolutely is. Without your insights, Project Titan would have failed. So many generations of scientists gave up on nuclear fusion power, and it was you who made the breakthrough.”
“Thank you, Dr. Sanders, but it’s really thanks to your help and inspiration. You have given so much to Prisha and me. We are forever grateful.”
“I look forward to seeing you back in Mountain View. We have much more to accomplish.”
“We are heading home tomorrow. Thank you again for helping us with the leasing office.”
“My pleasure. I’m happy you left that flooded mess on the second floor.”
“So are we, Dr. Sanders.” Anil waves at the camera. “We don’t want to keep you. We’ll see you soon.”
The call disconnects.
Olivia gleams. “That’s so kind of you to help them, Austin.”
He sips a glass of wine. “It’s been quite a journey. You can’t imagine what we’ve experienced the last few weeks.” He points upward. “You see that fading star?”
She looks at the faint wormhole in the daytime sky. “You mean that strange sun that appeared last week? It was all over the news.”
“Yes, that’s part of the story. I’ll tell you all about it.”
The waiter delivers bread, olives, and foie gras. As Austin takes a bite of the hors d’oeuvres, a video request arrives. Austin puts on the smartglasses. “It’s Beth.”
“Answer it,” Olivia says.
He accepts and his boss appears in his field of view. She appears sullen, frowning. “Austin, we have a problem.”
“What’s happening?”
“The gravity engine is missing,” Beth says tensely. “Someone stole our neodymium laser and accelerator.”
Austin puts down his plate. “What? Who would do that?”
“I have my suspicions. We need to get to work on new fusion reactors.”
He sighs. “When? I was hoping to take the week off.”
Beth shakes her head sternly. “Absolutely not! The government wants twenty reactors and we have to get started right away. The future of our planet is at stake.”
“What do you mean?”
“We can bring the world back from the brink. With this energy surplus, we can reverse global warming and stop climate change in its tracks.”
“How?”
“By reducing methane and carbon dioxide levels. I have a plan to reverse the extinction. Fusion is the only hope to save us from catastrophe.”
Austin’s brow rises. “You’ve got my attention. I’ll be in the office in a couple of days.”
“No, I need you here immediately. There’s someone threatening our plans. If he gets his hand on our technology, we’re doomed.”
Austin pales. “Is it Manos?”
“Yes! He’s trying to hijack our discovery and use it for his selfish motives. And there’s something else. I just found out that he traveled across the wormhole.”
He sits upright. “Are you kidding me? When?”
“A few days ago. He ended up in Barnard’s Star and discovered a land that looks like Earth.”
Austin’s jaw drops. “Barnard’s Star? That’s where the countdown came from!”
“Precisely. The radio signal must have come from an intelligent species there.”
“Was that the message? You think they want us to travel to their home?”
“Perhaps. I can’t be sure. Whatever their intentions, thanks to them we’ve now established interstellar travel.”