The Time Traveler

by Tej Pratap Singh

  Knock knock.

  Someone was knocking on the visitor’s cabin doors. He turned around to see it was Glenn, the visitor’s cabin was made of transparent glass, he could see Glenn but he couldn’t hear her, she said something to him and gestured with her hand holding her index finger up. KC could read her lips, she said, “Stay alive for a day, I’ll get you out.” She was smiling; he smiled back and gave her a thumbs up.

  KC turned back and said to himself, I seriously doubt that. I’m going to steer clear of the Dozer.

  As he walked into the common hall, Dozer was waiting for him. KC quickly turned around and started to walk towards the warden’s office, but one of Dozer’s bullies cut his way and cornered him. The other four bullies also showed up and very soon all the inmates were in the hall, waiting for the spectacle.

  “Hey, Dozer, I don’t want any trouble,” KC said.

  “Oh, really,” chuckled The Dozer. “Don’t worry, man, it’s going to be short and sweet.”

  Dozer took out his knife and pointed it towards him, “Let me see you get up after this one.”

  “Look, Dozer, I really don’t want to do this. I…. I am not going to come in your way, trust me. Just ignore me, okay?” he explained running out of place to move back.

  “Goodbye,” said the Dozer as he took his arm back to finally push his blade into KC’s belly.

  KC’s attention moved to the knife in his hand, he noticed that it had some inscription on it, ‘Lurton & Co.’ He also noted the emblem made on it, a capital ‘L’ with a small ‘c’ superimposed on it.

  Dozer’s blade was just inches away from him, when with a sudden movement KC turned to one side and caught hold of Dozer’s wrist and in the same motion took the knife from his hand, turned around and threw the knife at one of his bullies who was right behind him. The knife went dead straight and through his collar just millimeters away from his neck and pinned him to the wall. KC swiftly turned back and hit dozer’s knee from the back, as the huge Dozer came down, shouting in agony, KC got in front of him and slipped his finger on the side of his neck and pressed hard. Dozer lay still, paralyzed, he could move his eyes but not a muscle. Dozer’s remaining bullies didn’t dare to move.

  It was all over within seconds. KC turned around to see what he had just done, he couldn’t believe it, he had just brought down two of the heaviest guys he had ever come across. He looked at the knife he had thrown half way across the hall, how could he have been so accurate? He was just a physicist, wasn’t he?

  I just got lucky, he said to himself as he picked up the other knife lying on the table and threw it towards the bully, who screamed in horror. This knife pinned the bully’s other collar to the wall.

  Bloody crap, said KC to himself. Unbelievable. Just when I thought I figured out everything about myself.

  He turned around to look at everyone and everyone moved one step back. They too were astonished to witness what had just taken place. He straightaway headed for his cell, the inmates made way for him. To them he was the new boss of the premises. The medics came with a stretcher and carried Dozer away. He was in a pathetic condition and was crying out loud in agony. A minor riot broke out between the inmates and Dozer’s bullies had to be rescued by the armed police guards or they would’ve been beaten to death by the other inmates.

  KC, back in his cell, was still trying to process everything. No one could beat a guy of that size so easily. He seemed to know exactly what to do, how to do it, and exactly where to apply pressure to paralyze a person. One doesn’t learn such things overnight, it needs years of practice. Somehow all of this did not seem to fit the profile of a physicist. He felt he was back to where he had started. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, he was just waiting for tomorrow, when he could just get out of the prison and look for answers. He had never missed Jenny more.

  Chapter 4

  India

  It was early in the morning. KC had not slept a wink.

  “Wow, man you’re still awake!” said Jack. “What have you been thinking all night, doctor?” he added with an irritating smile.

  “I am not a Dr.,” KC replied feeling annoyed.

  “You are right,” said Jack, “a doctor doesn’t throw knives with the accuracy that you did and get two 400-pounder guys down with a flip of his wrist. What you are is a killer, man, and gifted one at that.”

  “Shut up, Jack,” interrupted KC, “I am not a killer, no way.” Even as he was saying that he remembered how he had shot Jenny in cold blood, maybe he was a cold-blooded killer after all.

  “Hey, what happened man you froze in time or what? What are you thinking?” said Jack.

  “Uh… no, nothing, just thinking about… well. Jack, I got to go now. I hope you won’t have no trouble around here anymore,” he said stepping out of his cell.

  The captain was standing outside with his bail orders. A brief walk through the hall and he was at the main office where Glenn was waiting for him.

  “Glad to see that you are alive,” said Glenn.

  “Good to see you too,” he smiled.

  “Well, we are all done here. You can change and we will move to the airport, sir,” said Glenn taking out her papers as if she was looking at a schedule.

  “The airport? Where are we going?” questioned KC.

  “To India of course,” replied Glenn.

  “Oh yes, to India then,” he tried not to look surprised. “Kamal must be dying to meet me.”

  “I am sure,” said Glenn. “After all the pain he went through to get you out of here. It wasn’t easy you know.”

  He changed into his own clothes and checked his belongings that were returned to him in a box.

  “Here is your watch and your locket,” said the locker room in charge. “Anything missing?”

  “No, nothing’s missing,” said KC as he examined his time-com.

  KC spotted Glenn waiting in the car as he stepped out of the prison.

  “Glenn, there is one place I have to go to before we get to the airport,” he said.

  “Sir, my orders are specific, to get you straight to the airport,” she protested.

  “Come on, Glenn, five extra minutes won’t hurt. It’s almost on the way,” said KC.

  “So, who are we visiting?” questioned Glenn.

  “Umm, someone who saved my life a year ago. He is like a father to me,” said KC.

  An hour later they were at Mike’s place. KC got off the car and quickly made his way to the front door and rang the bell. No one came out. He pressed it again, almost desperately this time, still Mike didn’t open the door.

  “Maybe he is out?” yelled Glenn from the car.

  “Yeah, could be,” said KC.

  He checked under a huge flowerpot just outside the front door for the house keys, that’s where Mike always left the keys for KC. But it wasn’t there.

  That’s strange, he thought, Mike always leaves the key for me if he is going out. Something’s surely wrong.

  KC looked at the house for any signs of a forced entry, but everything looked in order, nothing was broken. Just then Mike’s neighbor who had seen KC came out.

  “Hey, Jo. Boy, you’re out of prison?” said the concerned neighbor, Mr. Bouch. “I knew it, you could not have killed Jenny. You were so in love. I guess you are looking for Mike now, isn’t it? He moved to the UK, didn’t you know that?”

  “What! When did that happen?” asked KC visibly shocked.

  “It happened rather quickly, I’ll say. These guys told him that he had won a million dollars plus and some property in London. In fact, the men were so good they also helped him pack,” said the old Mr. Bouch.

  “No, Mike would never do that,” said KC in disbelief, “he loved this town too much.”

  “Haha, well, kid, you give me a million dollars, I would gladly leave this planet to stay on the moon,” said
the excited Mr. Bouch.

  “Did he leave something for me?” asked KC. “Anything at all? Did he say something? Any message for me?”

  “No, Jo, not a word. But if I hear from him I’ll tell you, don’t worry.”

  “Jo, we should really get going now,” said Glenn worriedly looking at her watch. “Mr. Kamal is going to be very upset when he comes to know that we stopped here.”

  “You don’t have to tell him,” said KC getting in the car.

  “Oh, but he’ll already know by now, Mr. Jo,” said Glenn not smiling this time.

  They got to the airport finally. A private jet was waiting for them. KC wondered at the whole set up, someone really wanted him to get to India intact, didn’t even bother to book a regular flight. It was a long flight and KC kept thinking why would Mike leave without leaving any trail, it was very unlike him to do so. KC knew something was wrong. He was worried about Mike and was dying to get his hands on that one dollar note that the stranger in the overcoat had given him, it was the closest to a clue that he could come to so far. No wonder the man was telling me to keep the note close to me, he thought and tried hard to figure out who that man could be. Why did he not tell me directly what was on the note? Maybe he wanted me to find out when the right time came. But now he had no clue of Mike’s whereabouts or the note. He was tired, he closed his eyes and fell asleep instantaneously.

  * * *

  “Sir, wake up. Sir, it’s time.”

  “What. What is it?” said a disoriented KC.

  “Sir, we have landed in India, time to deplane,” said Glenn.

  “Okay,” said KC looking out of the plane.

  He could see at least 10 SUVs waiting out there with almost thirty armed men. He wondered why he required such heavy security. If one was to consider the worst-case scenario, which was that A.P.U. would land up there, then thirty men wouldn’t be sufficient to save him.

  He was greeted by Mr. Kamal’s chief security officer as soon as he stepped out of the plane, they sat in one of the SUVs and started for the British embassy. They reached the embassy in less than twenty minutes. Glenn walked him to Mr. Kamal’s office. It was a huge office, beautifully decorated. It had lovely paintings and ornaments from all corners of India. The splendor of the artifacts took his breath away. There were paintings depicting scenes from ancient, medieval, and modern history covering a period of several hundred years. The art collection displayed in that room was indeed mesmerizing.

  “Mr. Jo,” said Glenn, trying to remind him that he was in the room to meet Mr. Kamal.

  “Ah, Mr. Jo, finally we meet,” said a smiling Mr. Kamal folding his palms together as per the traditional Indian greeting, and then extending his hands to welcome KC to sit down.

  “Glenn, great job,” said Mr. Kamal. “Couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for getting Mr. Jo here.”

  “Thank you, sir,” said Glenn, taking her cue to leave.

  “So Mr. Jo, it’s a pleasure to meet you finally. Please sit down. Would you care for some coffee? Something to drink?” said Mr. Kamal.

  “Likewise, Mr. Kamal, I’m eager to know the cause of your interest in me. It would have been quite a fight to get me out of the USA especially under the circumstances I was there,” said KC. “Coffee will be fine, thank you.”

  “You have just got here after a long journey. Why don’t you relax for a bit while I take you over everything,” said Kamal pouring coffee into KC’s cup with a smile on his face. “You know I heard you gave a couple of guys a very hard time in the prison.”

  “Yes, I surprised myself with that,” said KC.

  “Indeed, sometimes a man can astonish himself by discovering new things about himself, isn’t it?” said Mr. Kamal, rotating the paper weight on his desk.

  KC uneasily moved on his chair. “I guess,” he said looking at Kamal closely. A smart Sikh gentleman, his turban immaculately tied. He was dressed impressively, his shoes shined so bright that one could see one’s reflection, his suit had the perfect fitting and the tie he was wearing was of fine silk. Everything on his desk was arranged in the most perfect manner. Nothing out of place, nothing out of order. There were a few books kept at the edge of his table on physics, on current affairs, and others on different cultures of the world. His nameplate lay in a shiny case made of precious stones it read, Kamal Singh, IAS.

  “I learnt that you went for a short visit to Mr. Mike’s place on your way to the airport?” said Kamal pouring some coffee into his cup.

  “Yes, I did visit his…”

  “And you didn’t find him home,” Mr. Kamal interrupted.

  “Yes,” KC paused.

  “That’s because we shifted him to London. We wanted your undivided attention, you see,” said Mr. Kamal.

  “What has Mike to do with any of this?” questioned KC.

  “Not Mike, but that one dollar note that he had did,” said Mr. Kamal. “We have it now and I know that you need it too. So what we propose is that you help us and we’ll help you. Simple.”

  “Is this blackmail?” questioned KC.

  “Leverage Mr. Jo,” replied Mr. Kamal. “If you check your side table, in the top drawer you will find a 9mm pistol, with rounds in it of course, it’s loaded and it’s yours. I know that it will not take you even a second to shoot me and make a clean escape before all the guards outside this room can make their first move. Such are your skills Mr. Jo. So, it’s not blackmail and I am not forcing you. I am merely making an appeal to your finer judgment.”

  “Mr. Jo, if you are thinking we are just a bunch of blackmailers and self-interested scoundrels then let me tell you a very interesting story,” he added as he got up from his chair and walked to the front of the desk and sat on its edge sipping his coffee. “Mr. Jo, the Indian civilization is one of the most ancient in the world. It was a rich and cultured society and, since time immemorial, it attracted the awe of the entire world. It was for this reason that countless number of times this country was subjected to numerous attacks from different dynasties; it resulted in massive plunder and destruction, but due to the tenacity and persistence of its people the country was able to rebuild itself over and over again.”

  He continued, “The first university in the world was opened here in India. This was way back in 320 BC while the world was still fighting with bows and arrows. Subjects from varying disciplines of science, social science, and management were taught at the university. Scholars from all over the world came to study here.

  “Did you know that although the rest of the world believes Galileo to be the first scientist to figure out that it was the earth that went around the sun and not the other way round, an India scientist and mathematician named Aryabhatta had stated this fact in 460 AD long before Galileo did. Aryabhatta calculated the approximate circumference of the earth and the value of ‘Pi’ making one of greatest contributions to mathematics, while rest of the world was still using stones to count and interested in plunder and wealth.”

  “Wow! I didn’t know any of this,” said KC.

  “Of course you didn’t Mr. Jo, and do you know why?” asked Mr. Kamal.

  “Why…?” asked a puzzled KC.

  “Mr. Jo, it is because we Indians are very humble people. We are the people who at the battleground would courteously welcome our enemy before fighting and even offer them water to drink after the war was over. We never boasted of our works and never thought too much of ourselves. We believed in the thumb rule, ‘simple living, high thinking’. But more often than not, this was considered as our weakness and backwardness.

  “Even in today’s world when most of the world economies are crashing, the Indian economy continues to grow. Over the centuries, India was looted by several raiders, one after the other. These raiders kept getting richer and left India to rot and termed it backward. India was stripped off its wealth but the spirit of the mighty Indian people was resi
lient and stood the test of time. Today, it has grown to become the world’s largest democracy. This Mr. Jo was largely due to the fourth Indian quality,” said Kamal picking up a remote and switching on the hologram projector, “intelligence.”

  In the center of the room certain images were displayed, it showed the earth rotating around the sun and then the image was zoomed on to earth and few of its man-made satellites revolving around it. Kamal walked over to the projection as it was moving and touched one of the satellites so they could see it up close.

  “This, Mr. Jo, is the Indian satellite RSAT-1T. It was launched in the year 2012 and was responsible for reading and analyzing radio signals and distant transmissions, if any, in space and on earth. It was minding its business, doing its job when on 3rd March 2017 it picked a massive emission of radio waves over the western coast of the US. This surge lasted for one 100th of a second, it was so small that it was missed by the rest of the world, but lucky for us that RSAT was just passing over the west coast when it picked up this impulse. It was almost unnatural. Such kind of a surge could fry the entire continent within milliseconds, but miraculously it was self-contained and balanced. Something way beyond the science of our times. Am I right, Mr. Kenneth Cent?”

  “So, you know my name?” said KC unable to believe that Kamal has figured it all out.

  “Quite right, we do,” said Mr. Kamal, as he clicked his remote to display three more magnified satellite images. KC instantly got up from his chair to get a better view. “I knew this would most certainly interest you,” he smiled, sat back on his desk and took a sip of his coffee.

  The first image was taken moments before the radio surge. It showed a particular empty street on the West Coast. The second image, taken fraction of a second later, showed KC lying on the ground and surrounded by four men all holding something in their hands which was not clear as the zooming in had distorted the image. And finally the third image showed KC on the street with Mike picking him up, a couple of seconds later.

  “And so, Mr. KC, this obviously attracted our attention,” said Mr. Kamal. “And, you can’t blame us for it. I am sure you would be more thrilled to see this than I was, when I first saw it a year back.”