Time-Travel Duo

by James Paddock

  It rang one more time.

  But then it could be one of the men’s wives wanting to know what time he would be home for dinner. He picked it up. “This is Jerry.”

  “Jerry. This is James. We’ve got another problem.”

  Chapter 32

  Monday Evening ~ September 7, 1987

  James turned the page in Newsweek. He sat on the sofa in his low profile, police mode, looking at pictures, not noticing the words, aware of Steven moving around the house. He was waiting, while trying to appear laid-back – not rushed.

  Steven came down the stairs. James stood and stretched. “I guess we should ought to get going.”

  “Sure, sure. Just have to do a few things first,” Steven replied and vanished into the kitchen.

  For years James did just this sort of thing. Waiting, watching, listening, and acting like anyone except who he actually was, an undercover cop. He wasn’t working undercover now but he still felt the stress, the same tension on the inside while maintaining a facade of cool and calm – almost bored – on the outside. It was much easier to do when he was younger and able to focus on being the character presented by the disguise. No disguise now. Not Joe Bum, alias Officer James Lamric. Now it was just James Lamric, alias James Lamric. He was too old for this. He sat back down and picked up the magazine. It was 8:15.

  They were expected at 8:30.

  “An off-site-to-talk-shop-in-a-social-atmosphere-meeting,” Jerry called it. “Let’s have everyone on the same track.” That was really only one of the reasons for the meeting. It was the other reason, the one yet to be revealed, that made James nervous.

  Jerry lived in Summerville, north/northwest of Charleston, in a fifty-plus year old house. “A fixer upper,” he said when he bought it. The board guaranteed four years on this project, plenty of time to put in a little weekend sweat-equity.

  “You’ve done pretty well with this place,” Howard said. He ran his hand along the solid oak banister. Jerry stuck a beer in his other hand.

  “Probably my single largest project, outside of the deck on the back.”

  Howard’s eyes followed the line of the banister to where it curved to the second floor.

  “Had to replace some of it. Hand stripped, sanded and finished it. Same with the cornice molding and all the doorframes. I wanted to keep the original look of the oak as it was the day this house was built.”

  “You know, I thought about doing something like this but where the hell do you find the time? And how do you learn how?”

  “One big difference between me and most other guys is I’m not married. Never have been. Don’t intend to be. I can put in my sixty plus hours a week at the lab and still have time for anything else I want to do – not go to PTA meetings or soccer games or have to take turns walking a baby who refuses to go to sleep.”

  “Yeah, but I wouldn’t give up my kids for anything in the world,” Howard said.

  Jerry placed his hand on Howard’s shoulder. “You know what, Howard. If I had them, I would probably say the same thing. Since I’ve never had any, I don’t miss them. I’m forty-six years old now. Many women have tried, but so far I’ve dodged them all. Got two working on me now. It’s almost funny. One was over just this weekend helping me put up the wallpaper you see right here. I kind of had this out of body experience, found myself sitting right up there at the top of the stairs looking down at myself and this woman trying to woo me. Jessica. Forty something, divorced, one kid in college out west, Denver of all places. My hometown, but I haven’t told her that. Once you tell a woman too much she begins to own your soul.

  “Anyway, I’m sitting up there watching this guy playing her like a fine instrument. First of all, not only do I make no indication at any time that I have any intention of having a relationship, but I also say so right up front. That sucks them right in for some reason. Maybe it’s that they feel safe as well as secure that bumming around together and hopping in the sack on occasion won’t lead to anything. As much as she thinks she can, a woman cannot maintain that kind of buddy-buddy thing with a guy without getting the itches for some permanency. As I sat up there watching, I began to realize Jessica wasn’t only trying to own my soul but she was gaining a connection, an ownership with my house. She says, ‘This is going to be a nice place to sit and cuddle together.’

  “Whoa boy. It might be okay to do a little cuddling, but I start getting nervous when a gal starts talking about it in the future tense while we are putting up wallpaper.”

  “Uh huh,” Howard said. “So what did you do? Dump her?”

  “No. Not just yet. Got to let them down slowly. Cut one string at a time.”

  “Uh huh.” Howard shook his head and popped open his beer. “So where is everyone?”

  “Out back on the deck. Still waiting on Steven and James.” Jerry pointed down a hall. “Straight that way. The patio door is off the kitchen.” Howard headed in that direction and Jerry turned back to look out the front door. He slugged down another gulp of beer, wiped his sweaty palm across his blue jean shorts, and looked at his watch. 8:29. The sound of voices carried in from the deck, then the patio door closed.

  “I’m not liking this much, Jerry.”

  Jerry looked up the stairs to the source of the comment standing at the top.

  “Should be more private.”

  “It will be, Robert. And it will be fine, once he gets past the shock. Once he accepts that there’s no other choice, he’ll be fine and we’ll join the others on the deck.”

  “Do they know?”

  “No. But they’ll buy in with no problem.” He hoped that it would also pull them back together; add a jolt of energy to the project.

  “This James. Who is he? I have the impression he’s not part of the team.”

  “No, he isn’t. Not officially anyway.”

  “Where does he fit in?”

  “I think it best that he fill you in himself on that.” Jerry looked at his watch again.

  “They’re late,” Robert said. “As expected.” He turned and disappeared.

  “God, I hope I didn’t make a mistake,” Jerry said quietly and then emptied his beer.

  James threw the magazine aside, stood, and then said loud enough for Steven to hear in the kitchen, “Jerry said something about doing some kind of presentation and I think he wanted us all there on time.”

  “Okay. Okay.” Steven came out of the kitchen. “I just had these bills to pay. Otherwise, I’d probably forget them. I’m not used to doing this part. Anne always tracked the budget.” He shuffled through desk drawers until he found some stamps. “Now I can put these out. I’m surprised they haven’t shut off the power already. Are you driving?”

  The dirt lawn in front of Jerry’s house was a parking lot. James parked alongside a beat-up Ford Ranger. The clock radio glowed 8:45. He saw Jerry step out onto his porch and then go back in. Steven got out and headed for the house. James lagged several steps behind, then hurried to catch the door Steven was holding.

  “Hope you started without us,” Steven said once inside.

  “Wouldn’t think of it,” Jerry replied. “Everyone is out back admiring the new deck and such. First though, we’re having a private meeting.” He placed a beer in Steven’s hand and pointed toward the entryway into the living room. Steven headed in that direction.

  Jerry and James exchanged looks. “I’ll be out back,” James said. Jerry nodded and followed after Steven. James headed down the hall. Just before passing out of earshot, he heard two voices.

  “What the hell is going on here?” said Steven.

  “I think I’m the one who should be asking that question,” said the other, deeper and just as angry. “More importantly and more to the point, where the hell is my daughter? And my granddaughter?”

  James thought he felt the house vibrate with that last word. He stepped out onto the deck and slid the patio door closed behind him.

  Chapter 33

  Monday Evening ~ September 7, 1987

&n
bsp; “James!”

  James was already turning toward the loud voices emanating from the suddenly open patio door. He was in the middle of the yard listening to Thomas click off the advantages of nuclear power over hydroelectric. He thought to himself how most men stand around and talk football, or hunting. His thought was broken by the louder of the two angry voices spilling out the door and then Jerry’s urgent call. He crossed the twenty yards of lawn, leaped onto the deck where the railing had yet to be installed, and was in the house in a matter of seconds.

  When James reached the living room, Robert Hair had Steven off the floor, pressed against the wall, one hand hooked on his belt, the other around his throat.

  “What in the hell did you do?” Robert kept yelling over and over. Steven’s only fight was to try and keep breathing. He was gagging and starting to turn blue.

  James attempted to push himself between them and to raise his own voice above that of Steven’s father-in-law. “That’s enough!”

  Robert let loose of the belt and shoved James back a step. “No! It’s not enough! And you stay out of this!” Steven’s feet touched the floor briefly before Robert grabbed him by the belt again and slammed him against the wall. Steven’s arms dangled by his sides. James stepped up behind Robert, reached across his shoulder to clamp onto the wrist of the hand around Steven’s neck, squeezed until the hand opened, and then pulled it down behind Robert’s back.

  “Son-of-a-bitch!” Robert yelled.

  James hooked onto his belt and drove him face-first against the wall next to where Steven lay crumpled on the floor. He only had an inch and maybe twenty pounds advantage over Robert Hair, but his life of experience and staying in shape kept the struggling, swearing Doctor pinned to the wall.

  Jerry was helping Steven over to the sofa. None of the other five men came in, but they were all standing at the double-wide entryway, mouths agape.

  “Mister Hair. I’m going to let loose of you. I want you to go over and sit down in the lounge chair, and then we’re going to talk.”

  “Who the hell are you?” The right side of Robert Hair’s face was pressed flat. His words were slurred but still understandable. “Why don’t you just call the cops right now, because as soon as you turn your back I’m going to kill him.”

  “First of all,” James said calmly, “I’m a cop. Second, I don’t think it would be a good idea to get authorities involved. Third, if you kill Mister Waring, you may be sealing your daughter’s fate. And fourth, I know for a fact that he and this team of scientists will figure out how to bring her home. It certainly wouldn’t help if you killed their star quarterback.”

  “Who the hell are you?” Robert Hair asked again.

  “You might say I’m their historical adviser and bouncer. I’m going to let you go now. As I said, I want you to sit in that chair and then Jerry Blaylock is going to call this meeting to order.”

  James waited a few seconds for Robert Hair to respond.

  “Do you understand?” He pressed a little more on the arm twisted against Robert’s back.

  Robert nodded his head and muttered a pained, “Yes.”

  James released the pressure, walked Robert over to the chair, and let loose of him. “Sit down!”

  Robert Hair turned around, glanced his defiance at James, and then shifted his eyes to Steven slouched on the sofa. James altered his position to block Robert’s view and then placed his hand on his chest.

  “Sit down, please!”

  The fire in Robert Hair’s eyes eased and he lowered himself into the chair.

  “Come on in and find a seat,” James said to the group gathered at the entry. “And someone get Doctor Hair a beer.”

  “Water,” Robert said. “No beer. Just water.” He was massaging his arm and glaring at Steven.

  “Make that three waters,” James said.

  A couple of chairs were brought in from the kitchen and James placed himself where he could play intercept if Robert Hair decided to lunge at Steven again. He realized everyone was looking at him. What now? was written across their faces. “This is Jerry’s meeting,” James started, “but I think for Doctor Hair’s benefit I need to tell him who I am and why I’m here. As I said before, Doctor Hair, you could call me their historical adviser.”

  “What does that mean?” Robert said.

  James looked around the room. “I think it’s time I told the entire story, right up until the moment we are all sitting right here. I’m going to begin with the day it happened, July 17, a month and a half ago. You see, Robert. May I call you Robert?”

  “Whatever you like.”

  “You see, Robert, I’m the only one in this room who knows exactly what happened that day and I got the facts directly from the person it happened to. Your daughter.”

  Robert Hair’s eyes were now focused on James instead of flitting angrily back to Steven who was now sitting up, sipping on the water, and rubbing his neck.

  “It was a typical hot and humid southern summer afternoon when Anne left for her eight-month checkup. It was actually her final checkup, but she didn’t know that at the time. She had gone ahead and obtained the picture from the ultrasound because she wanted to know if it was a boy or girl. It turns out it was a girl and she was very excited about that. However, because Steven always insisted on a boy, she decided to break the news to him over a nice dinner out. Her Celica, Robert, was in the shop so she was driving Steven’s truck. She took him to work that morning and was scheduled to pick him up at 7:00. If you know anything about Steven’s truck, you would be very sympathetic toward your eight-month pregnant daughter having to drive it.”

  “I told her to call a taxi,” Steven said.

  “You could have driven her yourself,” Robert demanded.

  James held up his hand. “I agree with Steven, a taxi would have been better because Anne didn’t need to be in the heat. It was your daughter who said no to that. But that’s all hindsight. What should have been done is no longer important. To continue, that day was also an important one for all these men. Their time-travel research and development was about to cross another milestone. A few months back, in May, they successfully moved a baseball 24 hours. This day, July 17, they were going to conduct another experiment, but with a live subject – a rabbit. The problem was it was going to shift into the evening, past the 7:00 Steven had originally figured he would get off. Steven called Anne to tell her not to pick him up, that he would get a ride. Anne did not answer, so he left the message on the machine. She did not get the message.”

  “It was there,” Steven insisted.

  “I’m a witness to that,” James said. “I’ve heard it.”

  “She always checks the machine,” Steven said.

  “Maybe,” James said. “Apparently you called while she was in the shower and she didn’t think to check when she got out.”

  “Why is this important?” Robert asked.

  “It was the first two mistakes that were made, each no big deal standing alone, but combined together, became a minor inconvenience for Anne.”

  “Two mistakes?”

  “The first, that Steven assumed she got the message and didn’t call again. Any one of us could have done that. The second was Anne not thinking that she could have missed a call while in the shower. I, for a fact, have done that.” James wet his mouth with a sip of the water. “So, she gets dressed and heads out to pick up Steven. She arrives late, and of course, Steven is not ready. At that particular moment, Steven and the entire team are in a meeting in the conference room down the hall from the lab. Because it was too hot to wait in the truck, Anne went inside.”

  Robert looked from James to Steven to Jerry. “No security? What the hell kind of operation are you running here? You’ve a nuclear power plant and are doing time travel experiments and anybody can just walk in!”

  “I’ll take full responsibility, Doctor Hair,” Jerry said. “The security is there. I just allowed it to get too lax that day. We have several levels of security. The fir
st is the fact that we have not changed the appearance of the building from the outside. It still appears to be an old World War Two barracks. It does not draw attention. Inside however, it’s different. The lab is behind a steel door with a cipher lock. The power plant can only be accessed from inside that room and has two cipher locks. Half the team has one code. The other half has the other. It takes two to enter that area. I don’t have either, so I’m not allowed in there. As for the front door where your daughter came in, it should have been locked, but it wasn’t. Nobody ever comes to visit us except for the wives. Everyone is married except me.”

  “They, the women, all know what you guys have been doing?”

  “No. None of them do. Every one of us gave oath before the board to maintain our secrecy. The wives do know they are not to go beyond the front room. None of them ever did until that day.”

  James continued. “The meeting, a walkthrough before the experiment, was scheduled for 7:00. Prior to the meeting, though, Steven was doing system checks, arbitrarily dialing scenarios and running non-power tests. The test he ran before Jerry reminded him of the meeting was back in time 44 years.” James looked at Steven. “Do I have that right? You left it sitting so that one switch would throw the system from non-power to full power?”

  Steven nodded his head. “That switch should have had a guard around it.”

  “Another mistake,” Robert commented, not at all disguising his sarcasm. “They seem to keep growing.”

  “But that wouldn’t have done it all by itself,” Steven added. “Once the status of the operation is selected with that switch, nothing will take place until the red button is pressed. That begins the entire event, whether it is test or full power.”

  “Your daughter waited in the outer room for a time but impatience overcame her. She went exploring and discovered the lab door open but no one around.”

  “And growing!” said Robert. He waved his arm and knocked over his glass of water. There was a scramble for a towel and then James continued.