by Jan Eira
“I’m in place,” whispered William. “I have a great view of the action inside the Cath Lab.”
The personnel in the room remained busy. Wearing sterile, green outfits, Dr. Rovine and Emma were at the bedside. Two nurses circulated through the room.
William heard Ellie’s voice in his earpiece. “I’m sliding into the A/C vent.”
“Be careful, Ellie,” said younger Brent.
“Most importantly, be silent,” said Valerie.
“Really, Valerie?” whispered Ellie. “Because I was thinking this was a great opportunity for me to practice burping my alphabet while I’m in this metal tube. The echo alone would be—”
“Girls, take it outside,” William said. He slid down and sat on the floor, his back to the wall that separated him from the Cath Lab. He felt the hurried footsteps of the circulating nurses and heard the muffled conversation accentuating the monotonous beeping of the heart monitor.
“The right coronary artery is completely normal,” Emma said. “I would have thought—”
“You’re right, Emma,” said Dr. Rovine. “Given the EKG abnormalities, I would have bet this artery was occluded. Let’s see what the left side looks like.” He quickly switched catheters and soon was injecting dye into the left-main coronary artery.
“Clean as a whistle, too,” said Emma. “What do you make of it?”
“Wow. No heart attack at all. This is so bizarre.”
“What’s that?” asked a different woman. William got up and peered through the window, his heart suddenly jackhammering.
“What the heck is that?” asked a nurse, pointing at the air-conditioning outlet on the wall several feet over the patient’s head. “Is that smoke coming out of that grid?”
All eyes turned. A faint red gas fumed from the vent.
“It’s red smoke,” said Emma.
“Call security and the fire department, stat,” said Dr. Rovine. “Let’s get the patient and all of us out of this room and upstairs.”
William walked toward the door of the small dark room and whispered. “We’ve been found out.”
CHAPTER 37
Hornsby got the call and rushed to Chief Cunningham’s office down the hall. He knocked as he barged into the room.
“Chief, I got a call from the Cath Lab. They’re reporting that red smoke is shooting out from one of the vents.”
Startled, the chief put his pen down and wrinkled his forehead. A wave of irritation washed over his face. “Red smoke?”
“Yes, sir. No report of injuries. They’re taking the patient they were working on to the ER. I’ve already called the police and fire department.”
“Let’s go check it out,” said Chief Cunningham. “I bet you this has something to do with those damned kids.”
“I already put out an internal alert, Chief,” said Hornsby. “All our people are carrying the teenagers’ pictures and are looking for them.”
William entered the stairway and climbed one floor to the ER. The large waiting room was completely full of people.
“I’m back in the ER,” he whispered into a drinking fountain in the corner.
“William, the ER security guards ran downstairs to the Cath Lab, so you’re clear to go out to the car,” said older Brent.
“Ellie here. I’m out of the A/C duct. Where should I go now?”
“Go up those steps right next to you. Up two floors,” said older Brent. “From there, walk to the north hall and then down one floor, using the elevator. Meet Brent in the main-entrance foyer. Brent, stay there until I give you the go-ahead.”
“Roger that,” said Ellie.
Ellie’s short involvement in the school’s drama club had finally paid dividends. Her participation in costume design and preparation for the last musical had provided her with the combination to the keypad allowing her access into the backstage area where all the outfits were stored.
Ellie thought her disguise today would fool her own mother. As a large-breasted woman wearing bright-red lipstick and a white lab coat, Ellie walked through Two-West Nursing Unit with a cell phone to her ear. She smiled at a male nurse who was dialing in a code number on a pad by a door. He pushed the door open with his foot, his eyes still on her. She winked at him as she walked by. The door swung back and hit him on the side of his face. Unfazed, he continued to watch her. She marched on.
Two security guards rushed by in the opposite direction. The jingle of many keys on their belts announced their every step. The guards didn’t notice Ellie as they passed her. Several seconds later, they disappeared around the corner.
Ellie continued her slow stride down the hall, the exaggerated motion of her derrière emphasizing her movements. She entered the elevator.
When she emerged, another “doctor” awaited her. He was also wearing a white lab coat. He had on a colorful bowtie and sported a thick black mustache. She placed her cell phone in her pocket, and the couple walked arm in arm into the main-entrance foyer. The palatial area was mostly deserted, save for a few people in their seats and two groups of older adults talking by the exit.
Three security guards hurried into the lobby from one hall, and two other guards came from another.
The so-called doctors stopped as they noticed the commotion of the security guards. Ellie saw one of them gazing in their direction. Instinctively, Ellie took a step toward Brent and planted a long kiss on his lips. She grinned as she realized her quick action paid off. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the suspecting guard avert his eyes, and soon his focus was away from them.
“Any signs of the kids?” said several walkie-talkies in unison.
“Not at the main entrance,” said the one in charge, his words echoing through all the walkie-talkies.
“Stay there and guard the door,” said the radios. “No teenagers in or out without you checking them out. Understood?”
Ellie and Brent smiled and nodded as they walked by the security guards. The couple held hands and walked right out the front door. The four teens reunited by Valerie’s car and climbed inside.
“I figured out what happened,” said older Brent into their earpieces. “I didn’t see this coming, but they used nitrous oxide gas to sedate the patient. The Enoxadin-tainting gas mixed with the nitrous gas and formed a reddish fume, which gave our plan away.”
“It was a good plan, Valerie,” said William. “Even if it didn’t work.”
“It’s so frustrating,” said Ellie. “It would be nice if something would go our way for a change.”
“I know, right?” said younger Brent.
“Something will work out for us soon,” said Valerie. “We need to figure something else out.”
Future Brent began to grunt and cough.
“Brent, are you OK?” said Ellie.
“My fever is way up again,” said older Brent. “I know I’ll begin to lose consciousness soon. Hurry back to the cave. We need to plan our next move.”
“Brent,” said Ellie, a sizeable amount of anxiety in her voice. “Brent can you hear me?”
“Let’s go, Valerie,” said William. “Get us to Brent quickly.”
Valerie backed out her car from the stall rapidly and drove out to the exit. Two other cars were in front of them at the gate. A Hospital Security van stopped right behind their car.
“Oh, oh,” said Valerie, looking in the rearview mirror. “Security is right behind us. We’re trapped here.”
Two security guards got out of the van, each walking alongside one side of the car. One of them knocked on the driver’s window.
“We’ve been looking for you and this Lexus for a long time now,” Hornsby said. “Roll down your window. Now. We finally got you.”
CHAPTER 38
The car with the four teenagers inside was wedged between the unmoving garage gate and the Hospital Security van.
; “Now what?” asked William. “Any ideas?”
“An unmarked police car is approaching you fast from behind,” said older Brent into their earpieces. The teens looked backward.
Indeed, a vehicle came to a complete stop, its bumper now a few inches away from the Hospital Security. Two familiar faces exited.
“Detective Zachary and my partner, Detective Mack,” said Zach. The pair held up police badges as they approached the security guards.
“Finally got the kids,” said Detective Mack. “Can’t thank you enough.” She removed a pair of handcuffs from her pocket and cuffed Valerie.
“We’ll take them from here,” said Detective Zachary. He cuffed younger Brent and escorted him into his vehicle. Detective Mack did the same with William.
“We need your names for the report,” she said to Hornsby.
“It’s Security Officers Hornsby and Childers.”
“Got it. Good job, men.” She got into the Lexus, where Valerie and Ellie sat, their mouths agape.
“Open the gate,” said Detective Zachary. He got into the unmarked police car, where Brent and William sat in the backseat. The gate opened, and the two cars drove off.
They drove about a mile out and stopped in a diner’s poorly lighted parking lot. The two adults uncuffed the teenagers, and all walked out of their cars without a word.
“We’ve been monitoring your progress,” said Mackenzie.
“We lied to you before,” said Zach. “We’re not cops.”
“My name is Mackenzie, not Detective Mack. He’s Zach.” They both smirked.
“Brent is for real,” said Zach. “He did time travel here to rid the world of Enoxadin.”
“He doesn’t know we’re here,” said Mackenzie.
“Why are you here?” asked Ellie. “And why doesn’t he know?”
“We were sent to help out and make sure you succeed,” said Mackenzie.
“So, why doesn’t Brent know about you?” asked younger Brent.
“It’s complicated and best that we not tell you,” said Zach.
“You have to tell us,” said William. “Or we’re not going to trust you.”
Valerie nodded.
“Sorry,” said Mackenzie. “We know how you must feel about it, but we can’t let you in on the plan. All you really need to know is that we’re here to help you succeed.”
“And Brent from the future must not know we’re here,” said Zach.
“Here are your car keys, Valerie,” said Mackenzie. “Follow your plan. Go meet up with Brent.” She and Zach turned and walked away. Within moments, the unmarked police car sped off down the road.
The teenagers looked at one another, puzzled.
“Now what?” asked Valerie.
Ellie put her hands on her hips. “What was that all about?”
“What should we do?” asked Brent. “Tell? Don’t tell?”
“We don’t have much time,” said William. “Old Brent is dying. Without him, we have no hope of being successful.”
“Let’s go back to the cave,” said Valerie. “We’ll play it by ear.”
“Do you trust Zach and Mackenzie?” asked Brent.
Valerie nodded. “I don’t know why. I know I shouldn’t, but I do.”
“What do you mean the police took them away?” asked Chief Cunningham.
“We had the four of them trapped in the Lexus,” said Hornsby. “Two detectives approached us and took the teenagers under their custody.”
“This sounds very fishy. How did they know you had apprehended the fugitives?”
“Uh—”
“That’s what I thought.” Chief Cunningham picked up the phone and dialed.
“Detective Sparks here,” said the voice on the other end of the line.
“Two of my men apprehended the four teenagers in our parking lot,” said Chief Cunningham.
“Great news. I’ll be right there in a few minutes to bring them in myself.”
“That’s a problem. You already did.”
“What do you mean I already did?” Detective Sparks yelled. “No, I didn’t. Why is everybody screwing with me today? Why?”
“Two of your detectives took the kids into their custody from my men.”
“If that were true, I would have them.” The detective was still yelling. “But I don’t. See the problem here?”
By the time the teens arrived at the cave, older Brent had regained consciousness but had no knowledge of the last incident with the cops. Wordlessly, the kids decided to keep that information from him for the time being.
“What other scenarios were contemplated in the future?” asked Ellie.
“The only other scenario we considered was to release the vasculopathic human virus,” older Brent said. “It will show the researchers now that Enoxadin and the virus combine into a deadly weapon, rather than in fifty years when it causes so much devastation.”
“Where are we going to find VHV?” asked Valerie.
“Brent’s carrying it in him,” said Ellie.
Older Brent nodded. “That’s true enough, Ellie. But the virus in my body is now inside the cells that line all my arteries. We can’t get at it without the proper equipment. However, I have isolates of the virus in a container.” He walked over to the other side of the cave, where a box contained a small glass bottle. “Valerie, this one has to be done by you. If you spray the contents of this vial in the vicinity of your father, he’ll get infected and will infect all the patients he works on. It’ll only really hurt the patients to whom he administers Enoxadin. All others—like your dad, you, and your family members—will experience only a mild flu-like syndrome that will pass in three or four days. It won’t even interfere with his ability to work.” He attached a spray pump to a vial and handed it to Valerie.
“What about me? You?” asked younger Brent.
“My calculations show that I will have a massive heart attack in less than eight hours.” He sighed. “There’s absolutely nothing that can be done about it.”
After a pause where no one said anything, he continued. “I do need one more favor from you kids. You have to destroy my body after I die.”
“We’ve got to be able to do something to help you, Brent,” Ellie said, sobbing.
“Unfortunately, there isn’t.” Older Brent wiped his nose with a tissue. “Even in the year 2058, we’re unable to treat this condition.” He took a deep breath, attempting to compose himself. He looked up again to meet the teenagers’ stares. “Please promise me you will do exactly what I’m asking of you.” The kids nodded. “All my equipment, including the time-traveling capsule, will disintegrate within a minute of my vital signs ceasing. It’s a safety precaution.” He swallowed hard. “Everything from the future will dissolve, except my dead body and this gadget, which is a pulverizer.” He produced a device about the size of a small cell phone.
Ellie wiped a tear. “How will we be sure you’re…” She couldn’t finish.
“The red button on the pulverizer will begin to blink slowly. When the time comes, push the red button once, and it will begin to blink very rapidly. When you push it again for five seconds, it will cause whatever it’s pointing at to disintegrate within seconds.”
Ellie began to weep.
“I know this is painful, kids. But it must be done. Promise me you’ll do this.” He said looking into younger Brent’s eyes. He nodded.
“What about the pulverizer itself?” asked William.
“It will disintegrate within sixty seconds once it is activated.”
“I don’t think I can do it,” said Ellie, her eyes full of tears.
“I will,” said younger Brent. “You can count on me.” Older Brent handed the instrument to his younger self, who dropped it in his right-front pant pocket.
“Place it on the ground when you’re done
. Walk away from it for a few yards. Is that clear?”
“Yes,” said younger Brent. “I’ll take care of it all. Don’t want you to worry about—”
Valerie’s cell phone chimed.
“My dad’s calling,” she said. “I’ll let it go to voice mail, but I need to call him back soon. What should I tell him?”
“Make up some story,” said William.
“When did you turn on your cell phone?” asked older Brent.
“A while ago. Why?”
Older Brent frowned. “I thought your cell phone was off. Your phone signal can be used by GPS to locate us.”
Valerie lowered her head. “I’ll go make the call to my dad. I’ll keep it off afterward. Sorry.” Slowly, she walked to the cave’s entrance, her cell phone in her left hand and the vial of the virus in her right.
As she emerged from the cavern, she heard multiple voices yelling commands. “Get down! Get on your knees! You’re under arrest!” Two men with police uniforms jumped on her and pushed her to the ground. In the process, they sent her cell phone and the vial flying in the air. Both smashed against the rock-covered ground. To Valerie, the vial containing the virus appeared to explode in slow motion, fragments of glass splintering in a million directions.
“No!”
Several other policemen entered the cave, some carrying automatic weapons, others brandishing revolvers. Numerous blinding flashlights pointed at the cave occupants’ eyes.
“Get down on the ground!” the officers said, their guns at the ready. “Put your hands behind your backs. Do it now!”
Instinctively, older Brent and the teenagers allowed their gazes to focus on one of the devices from the future. Perched on a rock, amid other such gadgets, was the one instrument that could rescue all of them from this predicament. Out of their reach, the neuronal synapse depolarizer lay undisturbed, unattainable, and unusable.
CHAPTER 39
William and Valerie sat on the couch, watching the news. On the large virtual screen in front of them, a beautiful woman discussed the war in New Jersey and its devastation.
