Lost In Time

by W M Wiltshire

  Richard had previously tucked the small metal chest inside his shirt. He needed both hands to make the climb. He was determined not to leave the chest behind; after all, he wanted something for his efforts today.

  Richard could hear Bear’s claws coming down the other set of stairs and now he could clearly make out Daric’s voice egging Dani on. Richard had to put more distance between himself and the lower lab. Bear may be small, but she could be a real problem, if she suspected something was out of place and tried to investigate.

  Wait, did I close the lower door? he thought, trying to remember whether he had pulled the small door closed behind him. He took a quick look over his shoulder; everything was in darkness. He relaxed; he had remembered to close ‘this’ door. Bear couldn’t follow him. He quickly continued up the narrow steps.

  Richard’s head suddenly struck something hard. “Ouch,” he exclaimed, quickly biting his tongue, so he wouldn’t be heard.

  Richard reached up, groping in the dark. He felt the outline of a circular metal hatch. He felt for a handle or knob that would open it, but what he found felt like a small wheel instead. Spinning it counterclockwise, he unlocked the hatch. He moved up the ladder. Crouching, he put his shoulder to the hatch and pushed up until it fell back and rested against a wall.

  He climbed the remaining few stairs and stepped onto the floor of a dark tunnel. Before closing the hatch, he felt along the tunnel walls for a light switch. Once he found one, he lowered the hatch into place and spun the wheel to lock it. He was conscious now of not leaving any evidence of his visit or his retreat.

  Once the hatch was secure, Richard turned on the light. A string of overhead lights revealed a small tunnel carved out of stone, about thirty feet long, running horizontally toward the lake. On the wall above the light switch, hung a dive mask and snorkel. Odd, he thought.

  Richard walked to the end of the tunnel. He came to what appeared to be a small metal door, which he assumed was the exit, but he could find no way of opening it; he could see no latch, key hole or release switch.

  Richard retraced his steps back to where he had entered the tunnel to examine that area more closely. “There has to be a way out of here,” he reasoned. Right next to the light switch, under the mask and snorkel, was a red button. “This must be it,” he surmised. Then he pushed it.

  There was a mechanical creaking sound, followed by a tremendous roar. Richard spun around in time to watch a wall of water thundering down the tunnel. Panic quickly ensued.

  “Crap.” Richard frantically reached up and grabbed the mask, pulling it on. He took a couple of deep breaths, hyperventilating, before he became totally submerged underwater.

  Richard tried to pull his way along the tunnel against the force of the incoming water, but it was useless. He would have to wait until the tunnel filled with water, before he could swim out. Thankfully, the tunnel was filling quickly. He calculated he would have enough time to swim out before his lungs started to scream for lack of oxygen.

  As the tunnel continued to fill, it occurred to him that Quinn must have designed the tunnel to act, not only as an emergency exit but also as a fire extinguisher. All he’d have to do is leave the hatch open and allow the lower level of the lab to flood.

  Once the tunnel filled sufficiently for the rush of incoming water to diminish, Richard pulled himself along the wall. Upon reaching the end, Richard surfaced quickly to get some much-needed air into his starving lungs and to get his bearings. Deciding on a stealthy retreat, Richard submerged again and swam toward the eastern edge of the estate, where he had left his car hidden among the trees.

  Richard pulled himself out of the cool water and, running among the trees, out of sight, headed for his car. Just as he reached for the door handle, he heard a hideous wail.

  “Was that Quinn?” Richard muttered. “He must have noticed his metal chest is gone . . .”

  Pulling the chest out of his shirt, he held it up in front of him. Richard wondered, “What could be in this small chest to cause Quinn such anguish?”

  9

  “Quinn, what is it?” Sandra asked while bending down next to her distraught husband.

  “What have I done?” Quinn moaned, kneeling on the floor below the table, still clutching the two small cases.

  “Quinn, what is it?” Sandra pleaded. “Talk to me, Quinn. What’s going on?” Sandra had never seen her husband, in their thirty-two years together, so distressed.

  “Professor, we have a problem,” said a voice from out of nowhere.

  “Awroooo,” Bear yowled as she sprang from her prone position, scanning the area for the source of the intruder.

  “I know, I know,” Quinn countered. Quickly realizing sobbing wouldn’t solve his problem, he pulled himself up off the floor. He placed his hand on the security scanner which brought the computer to life. He flipped through several screens, looking for specific data, and then threw them up on the projection screens on the wall.

  “Who was that?” Sandra asked, referring to the disembodied voice. Still kneeling on the floor where Quinn had been, she slowly got to her feet, looking earnestly at Quinn.

  “I am so sorry, Dr. Delaney. Allow me to introduce myself,” the voice added.

  Sandra spun in the sound’s direction. She noticed a thin vertical string of pale blue light emanating from a five-by-five-foot platform in a vacant corner of Quinn’s laboratory. The light grew in mass. Sandra took a glance over her shoulder in Quinn’s direction to see whether he was watching this, but his attention was completely focussed on the stream of data flowing across the numerous screens projected on the wall.

  “Awrooo,” Bear repeated, as she cautiously made her way to the corner to investigate.

  “My name is Hermes. I am the professor’s so-called sparring partner.” The light slowly dissolved, revealing a three-dimensional hologram of a man.

  Quinn had created an artificial intelligence, a second generation cognitive computer; he called him HERMES, named after the messenger of the gods, also known as the god of travellers. Hermes was a 3-D hologram, programmed with every scrap of information related to time travel, quantum physics, and quantum theory. It was the first computer of its kind that had the ability to learn and to adapt. Quinn enhanced the program so that Hermes could also simulate human emotions.

  “What took you so long?” Quinn agitatedly asked, never relinquishing his concentration from the screens in front of him.

  “I didn’t want to pop in here, like a genie from a bottle, and startle Dr. Delaney,” Hermes retorted.

  When Bear stuck her nose close to Hermes, the image wavered and distorted, startling her which resulted in another vocal protest.

  “Well, you can cut the dramatic entrance. I need your help,” Quinn demanded, still focussing on the data projected on the walls.

  “So you’re an A.I.,” Sandra concluded, staring at the apparition in front of her.

  “I assure you, Dr. Delaney, there is nothing artificial about my intelligence. My database contains a complete history of the world, every known fact and theory regarding the laws of physics, quantum mechanics, every assertion on wormholes, cosmic stings, black holes and I am just getting my introduction to the medical aspects of homo sapiens.”

  “Wait, you said your name is Hermes,” Sandra restated.

  “That is correct, Dr. Delaney,” Hermes replied.

  “Then why do you look like Albert Einstein?” Sandra asked.

  “The professor found it a little frustrating discussing the laws of physics and quantum theory with a toga-clad Greek god and decided to give me a second alter ego, one he felt he could realistically interact with on his level.”

  “If you two are finished with your introductions, I could use a little help over here,” Quinn interjected.

  “Excuse me, Dr. Delaney, the professor appears to need my help. He could use a little help with
his manners, too.” Hermes apologised for Quinn’s abruptness.

  Hermes vanished, startling Bear again, and re-materialized beside Quinn. “Yes, Professor, how may I be of assistance?”

  “Tell me what’s happening. Where is he?” Quinn demanded.

  “What?” Sandra interjected, walking up behind Quinn. “Where is who?”

  Bear had trotted over beside Quinn to continue her investigation of this intruder. But since no one else seemed concerned with the stranger among them, Bear lost interest and went back to her previous duty; to guard what she believed to be a hole in the floor.

  “As I started to say when you first came in, Dr. Delaney, we have a problem.” Hermes started to explain to Sandra before he was cut off again by Quinn.

  “Do you mind?” Quinn interjected, exasperated at Hermes. “Sandra, sit down, please. This will be a little hard to digest.”

  Sandra pulled out a chair from behind Quinn’s computer console and sat down, crossing her arms over her chest. “Okay, shoot, I’m all ears.”

  “As you know, the door to this level automatically closes and seals when I leave. When I came in just now, it was open. How, I don’t know.”

  Quinn stared at Sandra, trying to judge her reaction to this news. It was the one stipulation Sandra made when he was planning to build his lab: his children were never to know about this level, nor would they ever gain access to it. Quinn had installed a state-of-the-art security system to ensure that his promise to Sandra would never be broken.

  Sandra took a breath and was about to remind Quinn of his promise when Quinn held up his hand.

  “Please, Sandra, let me finish, then you can lecture me,” Quinn pleaded, knowing there would be hell to pay when he finished his story. Sandra crossed her legs and sat back in her chair, waiting for Quinn to continue.

  “When I went back to the house to shower before dinner, I went in the side door. Not knowing I was already in the house, you sent Daric to find me.”

  “That’s because dinner was almost ready,” Sandra reflected. “I suppose it’s ruined by now.”

  “If you had sent Dani, I think none of this would have happened,” Quinn reasoned.

  “What wouldn’t have happened? Quinn what’s going on?” Sandra asked, moving forward in her chair, quickly losing patience with Quinn.

  “I can only assume what happened next.” Quinn held up two blue velvet-lined cases. “In these two cases were two bracelets. Now they’re gone. The only thing I can think of, that could have happened, is that Daric got in here somehow and put the bracelets on.”

  “So?” Sandra responded curtly.

  “You know what I’ve been working on for years. Finally, after all that time, I’m extremely close to making a significant breakthrough,” Quinn said rather proudly. “Sandra, I . . .” Quinn’s next sentence was cut short abruptly.

  “Excuse me, Professor,” Hermes interrupted.

  “What is it?” Quinn said exasperatedly.

  “It would appear that we have two sets of vital signs,” Hermes replied, pointing at the display screen he had been reviewing.

  “That can’t be!” Quinn ran over to the display screens. “That’s not possible!” After a brief review, the screens confirmed his worst nightmare.

  “Oh, my God. Both of them?”

  10

  “Quinn, what’s going on?” Sandra was out of her chair and standing beside Quinn, looking at the screens. The displays showed blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and body mass for two people.

  “What’s that?” Sandra asked, pointing at the vital sign readouts.

  “That, Sandra, is Dani and Daric,” Quinn said sadly. “And that would explain why Bear is down here too. She must have come in here with Dani.”

  “Explain yourself now, Quinn! What’s going on?” Sandra insisted angrily. She was terrified of what Quinn was about to tell her.

  “As I started to explain a minute ago, you know I’ve been working on my special project for years,” Quinn began, taking a deep breath before explaining the most unbelievable thing she would ever hear.

  “Sandra, I have finally made a significant breakthrough. I built a prototype which was in those two blue cases. It would seem that the kids have tested my prototype.”

  “Go on,” Sandra ordered.

  “I have built what I call travel bands. You put one on each wrist. The wearer of these bands will eventually have the ability to travel through time,” Quinn explained cautiously, allowing Sandra to fully comprehend what he was saying.

  “Are you saying you built a time machine?” Sandra said incredulously.

  “No, mine is quite unique,” Quinn swaggered. “It’s not like the big bulky ones they persist on using in Hollywood science fiction movies and that, of course, never work. Mine works.”

  “Professor,” Hermes warned.

  Quinn noticed Sandra’s face going pale as the information sank in. He quickly grabbed the chair, positioning it behind Sandra just as her knees buckled, catching her gently. He walked around, kneeling to face her.

  “Are you trying to tell me that my children are somewhere in another time period? That they have actually travelled through time?” Sandra was having difficulty even hearing what she was saying, let alone comprehending it.

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Fine, now bring them back,” Sandra demanded coldly. She was quite finished with this experiment and wanted her children home–now!

  “Well, therein lies the problem?” Quinn said sheepishly.

  “What problem?”

  “I haven’t finished my calculations yet. The travel bands weren’t ready for testing,” Quinn continued. “I built two sets. Once I was satisfied they would work, I was going to test them on Bear first. That’s what the small set is for.”

  Bear raised her head from the floor upon hearing her name and looked in the direction of Quinn’s voice.

  “You were going to experiment using Bear?” Sandra asked incredulously, looking at the despondent family pet lying at the base of the table.

  “Please, Sandra. Only once I was certain it would work. Believe me, I would never put Bear in harm’s way,” Quinn said imploringly.

  Bear finally got up after hearing her name a third time. She left the spot she was so vigilantly guarding since Dani and Daric vanished. She walked over to Sandra, curling up on the floor, resting her chin on Sandra’s foot. Sandra reached down and gave Bear a gentle pat on the head, then scratched her behind her ear.

  “Okay, so now they’ve been tested and they work. Great, now get my children back,” Sandra repeated in earnest.

  “As I said before, Sandra, I haven’t finished my work. The travel bands weren’t ready for testing yet.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? You’ve seen for yourself that they work, so get them back!”

  “Sandra, I can’t get them back.”

  “What?” Sandra couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  “The travel bands are currently configured only to move the traveller into the past,” Hermes said. “We haven’t finished the computations to allow the traveller to come forward in time,” he finished, hoping his explanation would assist with Sandra’s comprehension.

  From the confused expression on Sandra’s face, Quinn realized she wasn’t quite getting the whole picture.

  “To get them back, they will have to move forward, from their current time period,” Quinn stated uneasily.

  Part II

  Lost Somewhere in Time

  11: Unknown

  Black slowly dissolved into grey and the immediate surroundings gradually came into focus. The grass still held the early morning dew.

  “What happened?” a dazed female voice uttered.

  “Oh my God! He did it. He actually did it!” Daric cried excitedly, like a
child on Christmas morning.

  “Where are we?” Dani asked, slowly getting to her feet.

  Daric had already sprung from his prone position and was spinning around, taking in his new surroundings, not quite believing what he was seeing.

  “I think the better question is ‘When are we?’” Daric replied cryptically.

  They were standing in the middle of a field. The grass to the north of them was cut short and ran in a straight path approximately three-thousand feet long and seventy-five feet wide. The air held a cool, crisp, freshness of early spring. The sun was slowly rising in the east and the clear blue sky was a sure indication it was going to turn into a beautiful day.

  “Daric, what’s going on? Last thing I remember, we were in Dad’s lab. How did we get here?” Dani asked.

  “Don’t you get it?” Daric taunted.

  “Get what?” Dani replied irritably. She wanted answers, now. She was very much like her mother in that regard.

  “Dad finally did it,” Daric stated excitedly, still taking in his new surroundings.

  “Will you quit dancing around and just spit it out!”

  Daric, being more accepting and in tune with their situation, heard a faint noise in the distance. It was rapidly increasing in volume. He recognized the sound instinctively. He didn’t need to look to verify that he was right and that time was of the essence. He spun around and launched himself at his sister, taking them both to the ground.

  “Stay down,” he yelled over the roar of engines, while trying to keep his protesting sister down and as low to the ground as possible.

  A twin-engine airplane was coming in for a landing on the grass airstrip. Because of the nose attitude and low wings of the aircraft, the pilot wouldn’t have been able to see them on his final approach to the airfield.