Vortex

by Julie Cross

  “Sorry about that,” Dad said, taking the seat beside me. “This is a very tight-knit group and we’ve taught them to be suspicious of everything.”

  I glanced at him. “I get it … I need to earn my spot … earn their respect. I’ve played this game before.” Yeah, winning over 007 Holly, I couldn’t help thinking.

  Dad must have read my mind. “Are you worried … about…?” Holly. He didn’t say it, but I guessed.

  “I trust you.” My eyes locked with his for a few seconds so he’d know I meant it. It was about the only thing I knew for sure. I turned my eyes back to the window. “I just don’t trust myself, but I’m trying.”

  She’ll be okay … she’ll be happy. I closed my eyes and let my mind drift to Holly, only without me. I smiled to myself. Her life will be perfect. Just perfect.

  I could survive for a long time just knowing that.

  Mason kicked the back of my seat, jerking me out of my daydream. “What happened to your arm, dude?”

  I kept my eyes straight ahead, not turning around to look at either of them behind me, but I spoke loud enough for both Jenni Stewart and Mason to hear. “Gunshot wound.”

  “Cool,” Mason said, then he practically yelled, “Ow! Damn, Stewart!”

  Dad laughed under his breath and I shrugged my good shoulder, hiding my own grin. At least I had made a good first impression with one person. One down … a bunch more to go.

  TEMPEST AGENT TRAINING DIARY

  MARCH 17, 2009

  LOCATION: UNKNOWN. SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

  Adam,

  I’m still keeping this journal for you even though I’ll probably never give it to you. It’s better if I don’t, but sometimes life doesn’t go how I want it to, and if I’ve learned anything from you, it’s to be prepared for the worst. I’m keeping it safe in a lockbox given to me by Dr. Melvin that only opens with my fingerprints.

  The desert sucks. Hot as hell during the day, cold at night.

  Sharing a tent with a 17-year-old whose own journal contains photos and background reports on every single girl I have ever dated. Apparently this was one of Mason’s first training assignments. I can’t picture myself with any of them now. It’s like a different person lived that part of my life and all I can think about is she-who-must-not-be-named.

  Oh, and everyone calls Mason Sterling … Mason. Even Dad and Freeman. Which is really weird. Maybe it’s because he’s so young and Agent Sterling sounds like a middle-aged man on steroids?

  Learned the Tempest mission statement today, though I doubt they have a brochure to advertise this on: “Tempest is devoted to protecting the world from the alterations of our past, present, and future through unnatural or unethical methods. When dealing with technological advancements, Tempest is also looking out for the best interest of not only the American people, but the human race.”

  MARCH 20, 2009

  LOCATION: DESERT. STILL

  Jenni Stewart! Yeah. Not my favorite person. And yeah, she’s the only girl here and that must be hard on her, but that’s no excuse to spend every waking moment making my life miserable. Why not Agent Parker? Or Miller? Not that I know either of them very well yet, but both of them are way more chauvinistic than me. Not to mention shamelessly staring at her ass all the time, which I do NOT do. I think what I hate most about her is that I have no idea who she is. Every single day she tries a new cover … Ghetto girl from Harlem, or Little Miss Southern Sunshine … and then there’s the foreign covers … she’s done them all. I know Foreign Affairs is her specialty in Tempest, but can’t she at least be real for five minutes?

  Learned proper gun mechanics today despite my still very sore shoulder. Agent Freeman says I’m a natural shooter. Remember, he’s the dude that followed the 13-year-old me and Courtney to school every day. Anyway, I was really nervous at first. My previous experiences with guns involve watching Holly get shot and then me killing Raymond, the red-haired EOT (Enemy of Time), in a half-jump when I visited my two-year-old self in 1992. After I got back to home base in 2009, I kept seeing the blood on my hands even though it wasn’t there. But here it’s just targets or cardboard cutouts. I can deal with that.

  Tomorrow’s target-shooting test is my first chance to actually be good at something. Agent Stewart, be prepared to get your ass kicked by the new kid.

  MARCH 22, 2009

  LOCATION: DESERT

  Now that I’ve had a week to acquire data and experience, I have a good idea of what a typical training day looks like:

  5:00–6:30 A.M.—PT (5–10 mile run plus additional physical torture from Freeman or Dad).

  6:30–7:30 A.M.—Shower (only 6 portable shower stalls so it’s motivation to finish PT first) and breakfast.

  7:30–12:30 P.M.—Specialty training. For me and 3 others this means weapons, hand-to-hand combat (more exercise!), and lots of target shooting, both close-range and from a scout location.

  12:30–1:30 P.M.—Lunch (either MREs, PB&J, or we boil hot dogs and beans over a fire, but no one usually wants to make a fire or be out in the sun midday).

  1:30–3:00 P.M.—Foreign language study (I do mine with Dad and sometimes Dr. Melvin, not sure what anyone else does).

  3:00–6:00 P.M.—Covert operations, some specialize in this but we all have to learn how to tail a suspect, know you’re being tailed, plant listening devices, search for devices, recognize explosives … stuff like that.

  6:00–7:00 P.M.—Dinner, usually cooked outside, and we do have Marshall or Dad taking the helicopter into cities and bringing back fresh produce and stuff that isn’t made to survive a nuclear bombing. This is probably the high point of the day.

  7:00–10:00 P.M.—This varies. We’ve done role-playing, practicing different covers, we’ve studied for exams on geography and history. It’s been different every day.

  10:00 P.M.—We’re supposed to sleep at this time, but I’ve noticed that pretty much everyone pulls out books and computers to study past Tempest data and prepare for … well … everything.

  MARCH 25, 2009

  LOCATION: DESERT

  EOT facts: 12 different time travelers have been sighted, dating back to 1983. Memorized all of their photos and basic info today.

  EOTs I’ve encountered:

  Thomas (hasn’t been seen since 2005, apparently this timeline’s data doesn’t include my adventures in the 2007 alternate universe or the previous 2009 I left before coming here. More on that later)

  Raymond (dead. Shoe-print guy)

  Cassidy (biological mother)

  Rena (dead. Blond chick from hotel rooftop)

  Jacob (just learned his name. Helped crash that wedding in Martha’s Vineyard)

  Edward (also just learned his name. The dude that showed up when the storm hit on the boat with Holly, Dad, and Adam)

  Harold (dead. Dad shot him in the 2007 timeline. Apparently he’s a clone made by Dr. Ludwig)

  Based on bloodwork drawn from the EOTs Tempest has been able to capture at one point or another, some show strong evidence of the Tempus gene and some have it hidden in their blood, harder or almost impossible to locate. Mine is hidden. Dr. Melvin suspects they each have different years of origin and therefore are either further or not as far along in the evolution process. Not the monkeys-turning-to-humans evolution, the kind where normal people turn to time travelers. So, does it eventually become harder to detect the Tempus gene in blood or did it start that way?

  And do the EOTs, like, have a meeting place … or a meeting year? What would that invitation look like?

  Dear EOTs,

  Let’s all gather in 1984 … sometime in July. Maybe at the Empire State Building. Bring a future snack to share because McDonald’s is frying their food in animal fat in this year and we wouldn’t want that type of lard to invade the future. Please check your calendars and make sure you don’t have any planned attacks in July 1984. If you do, let me know which day might work best for you.

  Love,

  Thomas

 
APRIL 3, 2009

  Found a report in the CIA database from October 2005—the last time Thomas was sighted in this timeline. It was Dad that he sought out. Dad recorded a three-minute conversation muffled slightly by the sound of wind and New York City traffic in the background. It went like this:

  Thomas: We’re sorry to hear about Axelle Product A. Dr. Ludwig thinks he may have a solution to prevent the tumors … with the other subject, anyway.

  Agent Meyer: I’m not interested in any of Dr. Ludwig’s solutions, Thomas. But I think you already know that.

  Thomas: His scans show no signs of cancer?

  Agent Meyer: His brain function is that of a normal fifteen-year-old boy in the year 2005. Axelle appears to be nothing but several million dollars not worth spending.

  Thomas: I see. And your continued interest in the boy is motivated by what, exactly…?

  Agent Meyer: Human compassion. Something you know nothing about.

  Thomas: I know everything there is to know about human compassion. I just choose not to be trapped by it. But you have nothing to worry about, Agent Meyer. We have no interest in Product B. Not unless things change, and it doesn’t look like that will happen.

  Agent Meyer: And if it does?

  Thomas: Then I suppose we’ll be seeing each other again.

  The conversation ended there and the report states that Dad fired three shots, but Thomas vanished, leaving him no outcome to record. Obviously Thomas survived, since he found me when things did start changing. I wonder, how soon after my first jump, in November 2008, did they figure out what I could do?

  APRIL 9, 2009

  The art of time travel. That’s what we’re studying now. I’m on the edge of my seat memorizing every word that Dad, Marshall, or Dr. Melvin says. Then I have to go back to my journal later and apply the facts to my own experience. Basically, what I learned so far is that half-jumps don’t count as anything related to timelines. Actually, I had to ask Dad this in private because I couldn’t exactly raise my hand and say, “Hey Dr. Melvin … when I’m time-traveling using my gene from a cloned person…” All 12 of my teammates would simultaneously draw their guns and point them at me. Or maybe the idea is so out there that they’d just begin treating me for heat exhaustion.

  For some reason, learning that those jumps almost don’t count makes me feel a little more grounded to one place. Less lost. From the time I was born—June 20, 1990—to the date I left when I jumped to 2007—October 30, 2009—I had been in one timeline. Just one world. I’ve been referring to that as World A. I’ve been calling the 2007 alternate universe World B. This is where I have to stop because I’m still trying to figure out exactly what happened next. More soon …

  APRIL 12, 2009

  It’s like Chief Marshall wants me to fail! Like he expects it. This makes me throw everything out of my mind—saving the world, saving Holly, time travel—and the only thing I can focus on is wiping that stupid-ass stoic expression off his face. He’s, like, carved in stone or something. Everything I do gets that same look from him. He knew I would do this, or ask a certain question. I hate being predictable to anyone, let alone Marshall. He could at least make an effort to help me feel like I belong here, or get the others to understand this. Oh, well. I’ll just have to work harder. I’ll just have to beat everyone.

  APRIL 15, 2009

  Dad and I had an entire conversation today in Farsi. It took me less than eight hours to understand Farsi through Dr. Melvin’s method he used on me in 2007—playing the recording in my ear while I slept. But I’m just now getting down the speaking part of it. And I have been practicing constantly for nearly a month. The other trainees are more than surprised with my quick progress. If only they knew how quick it actually was. Only five of us can speak Farsi, of course Stewart is one of those so I don’t get to feel all that superior. Mason’s another one, but that’s no surprise considering he has the highest recorded IQ in all of North America.

  Dr. Melvin asked me a few minutes ago which language I wanted to learn next and Marshall answered for me, saying, “Mandarin.” Now I’m curious to find out if we’re going to China or if maybe there’ll be an EOT attack and they’ll give important information in Mandarin. Or if Marshall just hates me and so picked one of the hardest languages to learn.

  APRIL 18, 2009

  LOCATION: UZBEKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN, DESERT

  My first field training mission! We took a helicopter to Karshi-Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan. Apparently, the U.S. Air Force used this base from 2001–2005 for al-Qaeda missions. They kicked us out in 2005. Anyway, we had to “accidently” land our helicopter there. The cover was Red Cross workers heading for Africa with a malfunctioning aircraft. The military workers weren’t exactly happy to see us, but they didn’t shoot anyone, which I thought was a plus. Although I might have been willing to sacrifice Stewart for the greater good of the team.

  She was sent inside first to communicate with the director of something, and Mason and I had the job of sneaking through a window and planting 5 listening devices. We succeeded with no major problems and Freeman rewarded all of us with a trip to a bar somewhere in Turkmenistan. It was actually air-conditioned. I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated artificially cooled air as much as I did today. Mason, Dad, and I were the only ones brave enough to sample the food. It wasn’t bad. Different, but edible.

  APRIL 19, 2009

  LOCATION: DESERT

  We’re going to China. I totally called that one. And my Mandarin is coming along nicely. Maybe it won’t be hot and dry there. I can deal with anything but desert conditions.

  APRIL 20, 2009

  LOCATION: XIAMEN, CHINA

  We landed in Xiamen today. It’s on the coast, not far from Taiwan. Mason, Agent Parker, and I were in the city gathering supplies when I saw this blond girl, just the back of her, and I totally freaked out. I think it was because we were in China and there’s not too many blondes here. This girl stood out like a sore thumb. It wasn’t Holly. Not that I expected it to be. Of course I didn’t. But that didn’t keep me from running to Dad and asking him if he’d checked up on her recently. This was the first time I’d asked him for details. I knew he’d tell me if anything was wrong, and I couldn’t bear to be reminded of her unless I had to. He told me he has a source … a non-Tempest source that’s keeping an eye on her, and I have nothing to worry about.

  I just want to be able to move on. Not like move on to another girl. That’s the last thing on my mind right now. I just want to not want her with me. To not feel like I made a mistake. I know I didn’t. Even Dad agrees.

  Sometimes I try to imagine what Holly’s doing, what she’ll look like in ten years, all the amazing things she’s bound to accomplish, and I’m grateful for the fact that she doesn’t have to miss me like I miss her.

  APRIL 24, 2009

  LOCATION: XIAMEN

  The art of time travel, Part 2—okay, Adam, you’re going to love this if you ever get to read it. So, last time I left off trying to figure out what happened after World B (2007 timeline). When I jumped to August 13, 2009, and confirmed that I was not in World B anymore because that Adam said he hadn’t met me until March 2009, not September 2007. According to Dr. Melvin’s time-travel theories, the ones I’m slowly letting my brain slog through because it’s migraine-worthy, I returned to World A. But my steps looked something like this:

  Then the final step includes the introduction of World C … or at least I can assume this. Next, I need to tackle the theories on what I’m possibly able to do. Not that I’m going to time-travel, but I need to know what the EOTs might be capable of. The more I learn about time travel, the more sure I am that I never want to do it again.

  APRIL 28, 2009

  LOCATION: TAIWAN

  We’re doing a mission here but my part is boring, monotonous surveillance. Which means watching video footage from one of the cameras we planted in a government building. I’m not even close to the mission site, so it’s totally boring.

 
; Time travel fact of the day: just learned that a full jump, in the same timeline, like if I did this in World A, is called a complete jump and alterations are possible. Thomas has been known to do this. I can’t find any other EOTs listed with this ability.

  Tempest fact: When Courtney and I were toddlers, rolling around in sandboxes, the entire Tempest division consisted of: Agent Freeman, Sr., Dr. Melvin, Dad, Chief Marshall, and Eileen. That’s it. Only a couple attacks from known time travelers were even reported. There was, however, a division of the CIA that seemed to be against Tempest and especially Axelle. Dad and Agent Freeman, Sr., were constantly creating covers and being chased/followed by them.

  I wonder what changed. Why did Tempest decide to start recruiting more agents two years ago? Did Chief Marshall learn something about the future? I’ve asked Dad and he just said that they’ve always known the time travel war was coming. Maybe it’s the clones?

  MAY 5, 2009

  LOCATION: BEIJING

  Freeman just told us that we’d be getting partners eventually. Tempest agents don’t go on missions alone. Plus, we all have such unique backgrounds and abilities, we need to be matched with someone who isn’t just like us. That way we have a variety of skills to use in a mission. I’m very concerned that I’m going to get stuck with Stewart or Mason. I can’t stand Stewart. Actually it’s mutual hate. We can’t stand each other. And Mason, well … I might just like him a little more than I should. Okay, not like that. Just that he’s so young and what if something happened to him, on my watch … like with Dad’s old partner, Agent Freeman, Sr.? He was killed the same day as Eileen, the woman who carried me and Courtney. The woman who Dad once loved, maybe still does love.

  It would be so much easier if I could just work alone. Maybe in another alternate universe, like World D, you’re in Tempest with me, Adam. I’m sure Marshall and Freeman would partner us up together. You’re the brains, I’m the skilled shooter, and now that I’ve been forced into top physical shape, I could do the running around and you could do all the boring observation, which I’m sure you’d find way more intriguing than I have. You spent plenty of time watching me while I looked like a vegetable. That had to be boring as hell. We’d make an awesome team. And you could help figure me out. I don’t really have anyone to do that with now. Of course, I trust Dad 100% but he’s so careful with me. Always worried about giving me too much information. Like I’m going to break down any second and not be able to handle what he’s telling me. Maybe it’s just out of habit. He kept so many secrets from both me and Courtney for such a long time.