[ WP ] Teleportation is finally invented . Your friend is one of the first people to use it . After coming out on the other side , the more time you spend with him , the more you realize that this is not your friend

I popped up quickly when I heard the polite knock on my office door. My research assistant, Doug poked his head in. 
 
 `` Sir, Dr. Marcus just called. You can see Patrick now.'' 
 
 I thought about what we accomplished on my way through the facility toward the medical ward. 
 
 Patrick and I had invented teleportation travel. This was a lifelong dream of ours. We had been best friends in the same small town, both kind of intelligent outcasts and developed a love of science from all the nerdy movies we used to watch. We used to talk about the plausibility of every sci-fi trope out there. Time travel, faster-than-light speed, but we had always been enthralled by teleportation. 
 
 We pushed ourselves together through our school science courses, urged each other on to enroll in the toughest college courses, determined to be better than the other. It was a symbiotic, friendly rivalry between us. 
 
 But the common dream was the same: Teleportation. Eventually, our combined successes allowed us the position and funds necessary to put together this facility and through hard work, we had managed to get it done. 
 
 We started with inanimate objects, of course. And, the entry and exit points were contained within a sterile room. A large room, but still, just a single location inside of our secure research lab. 
 
 I had turned the corner toward medical when Dr. Marcus stopped me. 
 
 `` Do you have a moment, Jim?'' 
 
 `` Sure, doctor. What's up?'' 
 
 `` It's about Patrick.'' 
 
 I frowned. `` Is he better?'' 
 
 `` In a manner of speaking. Now, you can visit him, but we're still not sure what the total psychological damage is. We've had to keep him sedated, but you should be able to talk to him.'' 
 
 `` I feel awful about the whole situation.'' 
 
 The doctor sympathetically smiled. `` I would n't blame yourself.'' 
 
 I shook my head, `` I mean, he comes back, but he does n't look the same. He's the same guy sure, but different hairstyle and in street-clothes. Even his physique was different. And the way he just freaked out on the staff. I had to call security on my best friend.'' 
 
 `` You did what you had to do at the time, Jim. But the good thing is that Patrick is back and he's alive. It's important that he be with his friend.'' The doctor patted me on the shoulder. `` I'll be in my office.'' As he started to walk away he paused. 
 
 `` Oh, Jim. I was curious. You both love this kind of stuff, but why him and not you for the maiden voyage.'' 
 
 I laughed. `` We flipped a coin.'' 
 
 I turned toward the closed door to the room Patrick was in and thought to myself. I had so many questions. For myself and the rest of the research staff, Patrick's trip seemed instantaneous. But Patrick was clearly different when he returned. He could have been somewhere or `` some-when'' for who knows how long? Had we discovered time-travel by accident? 
 
 I opened the door to Patrick's room. It was pretty much like any generic hospital room, so I was n't surprised when he asked, `` What hospital is this?'' 
 
 `` Hey, Patrick, welcome back.'' 
 
 `` Back? I've never been here. What hospital is this?'' 
 
 `` It's the facility, Patrick. Our facility.'' 
 
 `` I do n't own a facility. Where's my wife?'' 
 
 `` Home, probably. She's aware of the situation.'' I smiled. `` I'll invite her to see you soon. I just wanted to be the first visitor.'' 
 
 `` First visitor? I thought you were another doctor. Look, I'm clearly fine. I want to leave. What's going on? Why is my wife at home? Is she okay?'' 
 
 I shrugged. `` Yeah, I guess.'' 
 
 Patrick became agitated and started to raise his voice. ``'Yeah, I guess.'? Are you kidding me!? Is my wife okay!? I was driving the car!'' 
 
 I got confused. `` What?'' 
 
 `` How bad was the accident? Is my son okay?'' 
 
 `` Patrick... You do n't have children.'' 
 
 `` The fuck do you know? Who the fuck are you?'' 
 
 `` Patrick, please, calm down and just tell me the last things you remember.'' 
 
 Patrick took a deep breath. `` Okay, whatever. Karen, my wife, and I had been fighting about something stupid. I did n't want to have to drive over to her mother's place on my day off. But, she wanted to see her grandson. So, we got into my car and I was driving on the turnpike. Now I'm here.'' 
 
 I leaned forward and put my hands under my chin. `` Patrick, are you sure that's what you remember?'' 
 
 `` Yes. Now who are you?'' 
 
 `` Listen. Dr. Marcus says you may have suffered some psychological trauma so I'll humor you. My name is Jim Stevens. And I'm your best friend.'' 
 
 `` That's not fucking funny.'' 
 
 `` It was n't meant to be. Why?'' 
 
 `` Your name is Jim-fucking-Stevens?'' 
 
 `` Yes.'' 
 
 `` And who am I?'' 
 
 `` Patrick Gordon.'' 
 
 `` Of course, you read it off my file. But you being Jim Stevens is bullshit.'' 
 
 `` Why would you say that, Patrick?'' 
 
 `` Because I knew a Jim Stevens and, yes, he was my best friend. But he died when we were kids, okay? It's a pretty sick fucking joke.'' 
 
 I shuddered. `` What happened?'' 
 
 `` One day, at school, some kid just snapped. He went psycho and shot a bunch of kids. The'weird' ones. We were just a bunch of science nerds. I got hit too, but Jim did n't make it.'' 
 
 `` I do n't believe you.'' 
 
 `` Yeah?'' Patrick lifted his hospital gown, exposing his abdomen. Two bullet-sized scars were on his lower torso. `` Jim took the third one. He... leapt in front of me. Saved my life.'' 
 
 I was in stunned silence. 
 
 Patrick asked, `` Is my family okay?''
