****
Sarah found herself compressed, contorted, then thrust into the midst of a bubble that frothed from the time machine. Matt was pushed up beside her. Sarah couldn’t remember her own birth, but this was probably what it was like. The bubble burst and she landed kersplat on her father, who still clutched her boot in his hand.
“Hi, Dad.” She hugged him so hard he couldn’t breathe.
Matt struggled to his feet. He turned to Nadine, whose face was wintry white.
“How is this possible?” she said.
“Failsafe error,” said the computer. “Failsafe error.” The screen flashed the words in bright red.
Matt looked at Sarah. “You still have Chogan’s shirt and his moccasin.”
“My sweatshirt’s in the river back there.” She tipped her head in the direction of the bubble.
“Well, we’re not going back to get it. Computer, deactivate failsafe.”
“Yes, Mr. Barnes.” The flashing lights stopped.
“He’s not your programmer,” said Nadine.
The scrolling numbers on the computer screen slumped, as if it had shrugged. “Close enough,” it said.
Matt smiled. “I’m getting to like you more and more, computer.”
“Thank you. And my name is Isabelle.”
“Isabelle?” said Sarah. She pushed herself up from the floor and helped her dad up, too.
“My mom,” said Matt. “Maybe my dad was a workaholic,” he paused to glare at Nadine, “but at least he cared enough about Mom to name his pet project after her.” He patted the console.
Nadine scowled.
“He was also smart enough to install a backup system. He didn’t tell you about that, did he?”
“I don’t understand. H-he would have told me,” sputtered Nadine.
Sarah’s father walked towards Nadine, his eyes burning.
“I can’t comprehend any of this.” He waved his arms around the room. “But I know that kidnapping kids is illegal and stuffing them down that machine must warrant a good twenty years in jail.” He tapped the screen on his phone and barked the address to someone on the receiving end.
Nadine mumbled something from the side of her mouth. Sarah craned her neck and heard the last words.
“Open lab door, Goliath.”
“My name is Isabelle,” said the computer.
“Just comply, you idiot.”
“There’s no need to be rude,” said Isabelle. “Just learn proper names, please.”
The lab door clicked open. Nadine turned and dashed towards it.
“She’s getting away,” yelled Sarah. She took two steps, slipped on the slimy floor, and toppled back down. Her father jammed his phone into his pocket and skated towards the door. But, since skating wasn’t his forte, he slid headfirst into the wall. Only Matt, who’d been standing near Nadine and had shaken off the oily remnants of the bubble, managed to dive through the opening before it clanged shut.
Time Meddlers Page 30
