by Jill Cooper
“Did you go anywhere special today?” I shiver as he rolls over and drapes his arm around me.
“Nooo.” Jeff says with a wide yawn. “Just paperwork at the office.”
Inside I stew. Inside I scream and Jeff starts to snore. Like he doesn’t have a care in the world, but I can’t sleep. All I can do is play crazy what-if scenarios in my head. Each one worse than the one before it.
I need the truth and I know whatever it is, Rewind is at the heart of it. I just hope it’s not as bad as I’m making it out to be and there’s only one way to find out.
The sleep that eventually takes me is restless. I wake when my link goes off. Jeff stirs beside me and rolls away as I answer and step from the bed.
“Hello?” I step into the bathroom and turn on the light. Pushing hair away from my face, I squat low and pick up the ID card and slide it against the palm of my hand. “I see… I’ll be right there. Yes, sir.”
I paddle into the bedroom and quickly throw on a pair of jeans, a comfortable shirt and my leather jacket. When I slip on my boots, Jeff stirs on the bed. “Cass, everything okay?”
“Just work.” I kneel on the bed and kiss him. “Go back to sleep. I’ll be back before you wake up.”
“Be careful.” Jeff whispers, his eyes already closed again. I take a moment to stroke his cheek and with a heavy heart, I slip his ID card in my pocket and then I’m off in the living room.
I grab my electrical baton and holster it to my waist, just in case, pull my hair back into a low ponytail and divert my eyes away from the Rewind cameras.
They’re going to see everything. They’re going to know everything.
But if I’m lucky the data won’t get flagged. The data won’t be reviewed by the human eye. I’m just an officer doing her job.
But if they do get flagged, if Rewind does ask me questions, what I’ll tell them? I haven’t the fainted clue.
****
It’s raining and the bus is nearly barren.
This late at night, not many people are out. I ride at the back and pull up the hood around my hair as the green light at the front of the bus scans the passengers. It’s an eclectic group of college students, an elderly grandma type with a paper grocery bag, and a man with a weathered face like he had a hard life.
Then there’s me.
I don’t know what I’m doing as I step up the bus and run across the street to Rewind’s satellite office. Mostly it’s public relations, lawyers, human resources. Anyone that works with the Global Law force that doesn’t have anything to do with time travel.
The lobby holds the old clock with the spinning backward hands that used to be Rewind’s logo. Now it’s a relic and locked behind in a glass case. The floors are a shiny tile and over in the corner the big burley African American guard rises to his feet. “Ma’am, can I help you.”
“Business.” I flash my badge at him and don’t stop. I make it to the elevator before my heart simmers down. When it dings and the doors slide open I use the mirrors up above to spy on the guard. He’s already sitting back down and playing solitaire on his holo.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I step onto the elevator and call for the third floor.
Soft music comes through the speakers and the ride up is quick. The hall I step into is long with a white cushioned rug. The door at the end of the hall has the nameplate Jeff Wilkins—Lead Council.
Lead council in lying maybe.
I scan the ID card and I’m inside the penthouse office. It’s spacious, but except for a desk and a scattering of chairs, there isn’t much in there. My emotions are all over the place, and I feel guilty as I sit behind his desk and go through his papers and business cards. There’s nothing out of the ordinary.
The picture frame on his desk of me makes my heart summersault in the bad way. I knock it face down so it can’t taunt me any further and I pull the drawers open. The bottom one to the right is a safe.
My eyes widen. Jackpot.
I slide down to my knee and try a bunch of different combinations, but nothing works. Frustration rolls over me and I sigh, glancing up at the frame and bunch in my birthdate.
Nope.
Then I punch in our anniversary date. The one we celebrate every year. The anniversary of our first kiss and date on a swan boat ride after a gallon of fro-yo.
Beep-beep—the light glows green on the safe and I pull it open.
Inside there’s papers. Mostly financial, but on top is a USB computer stick.
I grab it and glance around. I don’t expect anyone to show up, so I pull the USB stick out of Jeff’s computer and plug this one in.
It prompts for the access code and I don’t even have to look for the blue paper I stashed in my wallet. I plug the numbers in 222756 and I’m given full access to the computer. The screen lights up with the background of Reynold and Katie. Hugging close, a crown of flowers in her hair.
It must have been from their wedding day.
My heart aches and my emotion motivates me. My anger. As I search through the folders, the light from the screen illuminating my face.
Will it illuminate the truth? Only time will tell.
Katie was right. Most of the documents on the future were badly written mystery novels. One of them didn’t see too bad and I’m about to throw in the towel, but decide to open one last file.
It was titled Murder Mystery, but when I scan the words I realize it’s not like the others. It’s not laid out like a tale of fiction.
The words read like a non-fiction work. An expose.
I scan further, jumping here and there and realize it’s written about Rewind. Government control. Over reaching of Xavier Daniels and the misuse of power of Global Law, using time travel to squelch and suppress those who would question their authority.
They even say Xavier uses assassins against those who rise up against him, using time travel to stop them before they even have a chance.
Names and notes in the document are familiar to me. They’re the retractors who are trying to reverse time travel law and implement more freedoms to the suspects of the United States of America and the United Abroad.
Maria James, one of the most outspoken members of this group and by most considered to be its spokesperson. Her photo is in the document and I feel like I know her. Feel like there’s something about her that’s familiar, but I can’t place it.
I sit back and realize that Reynold Jackson was a member of this resistance. This coalition. He wasn’t just a janitor or a fiction author which means there was a reason why he wanted to move to Commonwealth Ave, I just didn’t know what it was. He told Katie it was for his book and that means I needed to talk to her again.
Did his wife know? Did he keep it from her to protect her? I need to find out.
Jeff is in on this cover-up to his eyeballs, I’m sure of it. He, along with Xavier Daniels were trying to keep this expose from seeing the light of day, but was it all hearsay? Did they have evidence?
I’m not sure I’ll find out tonight, but I keep reading. And a name keeps popping up in the document saying ‘she’ needs to be found. ‘She’ has the answers everyone is searching for. The missing link. But she disappeared over fifty years ago, apparently. And there’s not much other information about her. But whatever she had, Reynold believed it was a treasure hold of evidence against Xavier Daniels for his past crimes.
I do a search on her from my link and nothing comes up there either. In big red letters my comm flashes NO RESULTS FOUND. SEARCH REPORTED AND STORED TO REWIND.
My heart skips a beat. It’s obvious whoever she is, Rewind wants her hidden. Kept under wraps.
But if she’s so important how come I’ve never heard of her before. I mumble it out loud. “Who the hell is Lara Montgomery?”
****
I grab the USB stick and slide it into my jean pocket. When I heard downstairs the guard is on his link and standing at his desk. “Ma’am, I’ve been asked to detain you. Ma’am!”
The jig is up.
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br /> Scanning him over I see donut crumbs on his wide gut and the way he’s standing makes me think he might have a bum knee. So I ignore him. I keep going, pushing through the glass door.
“Ma’am!” He screams it and comes for me, but I know I can outrun him as I break into a full sprint down the street toward the subway.
When I get to the apartment, the lights glow from under the door. Jeff’s awake.
Crap.
I take a deep breath and tug on my ponytail with nerves. I need to relax. Center myself. But can I do this? How long can I keep up this charade?
Just inside the archway Jeff paces, his shirt is open and his arms wrap around himself. When he sees me his eyes widen. “Thank God, do you know how nervous I’ve been? People have been calling about you. Asking questions. It doesn’t look good, Cass.”
I try to push past him and he grabs my arm. “My ID card is missing.” Jeff’s eyes glower. “And I know your office never called you out on assignment so why don’t we cut the bull and you just tell me what’s going on?”
“So much for you being on my side.” I pull my arm free and Jeff takes a step back.
Studies me. “I’ve always been on your side, but it’s not fair for you to stare at me like I’m guilty when I don’t even know what you think I’m guilty of.”
“Fine.” My tone is anything but friendly. I pull the USB computer stick from my jean pocket. I flash it in his face and then slam it down on the counter. “You think I don’t know? You think you can hide this from me?”
Jeff gawks at it. The guilt is apparent on his face. He moves to pick up the USB computer and I slam my hand down on top of it. “I don’t think so.” I’m barely able to hold onto my rage.
“Cass, listen…” Jeff puts his hands on his hips. “It’s complicated.”
“Complicated? Listen? I gave you every chance to come clean. Tell me you removed this. I told you I was at the Jackson residence and you should have told me then. You should have brought it up.”
He sighs and looks like I’m a misbehaving puppy. “So I didn’t. I do lots of things at Rewind all the time that we never talk about.”
And that’s what scared me. My jaw sets and I clench my teeth. Anxious. Nervous. “Who signed the warrant for seizure?”
Jeff resists and I raise my voice and ask again. “Who, Jeff?”
He shrugs. “Judge Thompson. I got the order yesterday. It was on my desk and I was asked to pick it up.” His voice lowers. “I just do what I’m told. I’m chief council.”
“Who told you? The board?” My voice demands he answer. He’s no longer my boyfriend. He’s one of the guilty and I’ll not be denied.
Jeff shakes his head. “We shouldn’t even be talking about this.”
“Who!” I scream and slam my hand down on the table.
“Daniels!” Jeff screams with small narrow eyes.
All my suspicions are coming true. Is Daniels guilty of setting Reynold up? I still need to find prove such a thing is possible. “What would happen to the computer if I didn’t take it? Were you ordered to destroy it?”
“Cass, you can’t ask what you’re asking. You need to stop.”
But I can’t stop. I’ll never stop. I snort with disgust. “It’s evidence. You just don’t go around destroying evidence!”
“Evidence of what?” Jeff asks and he looks clueless.
“Of everything. Rewind’s corruption. Of Daniels…”
“Do you have proof because last I looked; you’re an officer of Global Law which is run by Rewind. You uphold the law just like I do.”
“I don’t steal evidence.”
“And you’re going to what?” Jeff asks and grabs my arms. “You’re going to take down Rewind?”
“Collect evidence. See where it leads. See if Reynold Jackson was telling the truth.”
“Telling the truth about what?”
“If Daniels is using Rewind’s technology to stay in power. Kill those that will oppose him and win. Using time travel like his own sandbox.” I sigh and put my hands on my hips.
Jeff sinks down into the sofa and his face looks listless. “So you think Daniels is a murderer and you think I’m…his lapdog?”
My face hardens as I look at him. “That’s how it seems.”
“If he’s doing all that, I didn’t know.” His face drops. “I just do what I’m told.”
“No questions.” I sneer and shake my head at him. So much for that law degree.
“Daniels doesn’t like questions. You know that. No one likes to cross him.”
“Yeah and now I know why.” I consider leaving the apartment when there’s a knock at the door. Jeff moves to get it even though I beg him not to. “They know we’re here. We have to get it.”
“Fine.” My face flushes hot and I follow Jeff out. My hand wrapped tight around the computer. If I hide it, I know they’ll find it. So I have no choice but to keep it close, tell them the truth.
And refuse to give it up. Even if I’m thrown in jail.
The door pulls open and two officers and my captain walk in. He’s been raised from bed in the middle of the night. His eyes are lined with sleep and his uniform is unkempt. “Damn it, Winters, what do you think you’re doing going out into Rewind Corporate like that? Using your boyfriends ID card? Do you know how much trouble you’re in?”
My lips twitch. I hesitate. I glance at Jeff and his faces softens, his eyes get that dole eyed expression they do sometimes when he forgets to take out the trash on Friday mornings.
“It’s my fault, Captain Davis.” Jeff steps up between me and the captain. “I had work to do and forgot I asked Cass to pick up my computer on the way home from dinner. In the excitement when you called, I just forgot.”
I hold my breath as the Captain eyes me up and then Jeff. He sighs and rubs his face. “You could’ve saved me a lot of trouble Mr. Wilkins. A lot of trouble.”
“Sorry, Captain.” Jeff says and his head is down low. “I promise it won’t happen again.”
“It better not.” Captain Davis gives me a level stare. “First thing in the morning, my office. We have a few things to work out, Winters.”
“Yes, sir. I won’t be late.”
“You better not.” The captain leads the way out and the officer’s follow after him. I latch the door and glance at Jeff, making eyes at him.
“Let’s go back to bed.” He says and offers me his hand, I take it and we go into the bedroom. Once I’m sure Rewind can’t hear I turn to him.
“What was that all about? Why did you cover for me like that?” I’m aghast at what he’s done.
But Jeff takes my hands and I melt. “I’m on your side, Cass. I don’t know what is going on. I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but whatever it is…I’m with you.”
“Can you promise me that? Where ever it leads? Whatever I find out about Daniels that you’re really with me?” I put my hand on his face. “Your career…”
“Is nothing.” Jeff says and places his hand on mine. “Is nothing if I have to give you up, Cass.”
I lean into him and we kiss. I don’t know if he’s telling the truth, but tonight my heart needs to believe him. If he wanted the computer back, he could’ve turned me over to Rewind, but he didn’t. My heart needs to trust in him.
“What you’re doing is dangerous. Do you have any idea what they could do to us?”
I think of Reynold and his secret execution. I’m pretty sure the answer to that question is yes.
Present Lara Crane
My stepdad Jax will be murdered in just a few hours unless I stop it.
But I don’t know where to start. I retrace our steps as I lightly jog away from the school.
Jax picks me up at school. We stop at the Orange Leaf we always go to for frozen yogurt. We drive, we eat, and we’re stop by the construction going on Mass Ave.
But the men carrying the sheets of glass across the street, the ones that force us to slow down. They looked at us right through the windshield
. I thought maybe they were just bored. But the way they looked at us chilled me.
Maybe they’re the secret. Maybe they’re the clue.
My footsteps slow down as I come to a traffic light. I hit the button for the walk signal when I’m hit by a major headache. Grunting, my eyes squeeze shut and I grab my head. I can’t stop the memory as it hits me full force. I brace the pole and it’s the only thing keeping me upright.
In my memory I’m sitting in the car with Jax. We’ve just gotten on the road. My head turns to roll down the window and that’s when I see the man wearing the orange construction hat. Our eyes lock as he lifts the black walkie-talkie to radio ahead.
Maybe he was telling someone we were coming.
Beside him is a white pickup truck and on it were the words RALPH’S GRAVEL.
The memory fades and I’m pulled into the present again with a jolt. Like someone has wrapped a grappling hook around me and yanks hard. I have no control over the speed in which it happens.
Everything I learned to control in captivity, the time travel, the speed, the ability to jump backwards to specific locations, is completely lost. It must be Rewind. What that Doctor Xavier Daniels did to me.
But I don’t have time to worry about that right now. I’ll have to deal with that later.
Right now I have to save Jax. If I can’t save him, I might as well not be a time traveler.
I cross the street and head for the subway and pull my phone from my pocket to look up RALPH’S GRAVEL’s phone number and location. I don’t know if it’s a cover or if these guys really work there but I’m going to find out.
Sliding my Charlie pass into the turnstile, I sprint toward the oncoming train. The doors slide open and everyone disembarks. I turn sideways and dash between the doors and am almost sandwiched.
Huffing for a breath of air, I grab onto the metal pole on the subway car as it lurks forward. My mind is spinning as I piece together everything that is happening.
Whoever wanted Jax dead knew where we were going to be. That’s the only explanation for why there was someone watching us at the Orange Leaf, which means Jax is being followed. His phone might be bugged. Maybe instead of hunting down Ralph’s Gravel I should be going to Jax. Warn him.
