“She’s got a point there,” Andi said.
Kale raised his eyebrows. “A lot of help you are,” he complained. He looked back at Jordan. “Okay, but only if Peter gives his permission. You need to clear it with him first. You’ve got some convincing to do. Don’t forget that his original instructions had you taking it easy for a few more days.”
“I can handle Peter,” Jordan said. “Which one of you is volunteering to take me to the office this morning? I can’t wait to tell him about the time machine.”
“Hold it right there, girlfriend,” Kale exclaimed. “You can’t be serious. Do you know what Peter will do if he finds out about the machine? First, he’ll throw all three of us off the implant project, and then he’ll have us committed to the insane asylum. You can say good-bye to any plans you have of dropping in on your dead girlfriend if that happens.”
Jordan grinned. She knew her comment would push Kale’s panic buttons. Andi smiled.
Kale finally caught on to the teasing. He approached Jordan’s hover-chair and placed his hands on the armrests. He leaned in close so that he and Jordan were face-to-face. “You are so lucky that I love you. Otherwise, I’d have to beat your ass.”
“Luck has nothing to do with it. I’m just irresistible and you know it.” Jordan placed a quick kiss on the end of his nose. “Now, how about a cup of coffee?”
“Grr!” Kale responded. As he poured her coffee, Jordan caught Andi’s eye and winked.
* * *
“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company today, Jordan?” Peter asked as he enveloped Jordan in an affectionate hug. “You aren’t due for your checkup for another few days.”
“I’m climbing the walls with boredom. I want to go back to work.”
“Absolutely not. It’s only been, what, two, three days? You’re not ready to spend that much time in your chair. In fact, you’re supposed to be in bed right now.”
“Peter, I can’t stand it anymore.”
Peter sat down behind his desk and leaned forward on his elbows. “You should take advantage of this time and do some reading. Knit. Write. You have a marvelous brain. Surely you can think of something to keep you busy while you convalesce.”
“Knit? You want me to knit? Honestly, do you really see me as the knitting type?”
Peter chuckled. “Well, no. I confess I was grasping. But surely you can think of something to do. How about reading those diaries you found?”
Jordan frowned. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea,” she replied, thinking about how upset she’d been with the last entry. The last thing she needed was to read more about how happy Maggie was with Cleft Girl.
Peter studied Jordan for a few moments while she sulked. Finally, he spoke. “I have an idea.”
Jordan perked up. “Yes?”
“I understand that you’re bored, but it’s vital for you to allow the incision to heal properly. If you’re sitting up, you’ll only aggravate it. So let me propose this. What if Kale found a way to set up a computer that would allow you to conduct some of the research from a reclining position? Maybe you could even use a thought projection system while lying prone? It might be possible to set it up inside the new lab so you can actively participate in the development and testing of the new implant. Would that be acceptable to you?”
Jordan was definitely interested. “Hell, yeah. It would be a thousand times better than lying alone in the house every day for the next few days.”
Peter smiled. “All right then. I’ll talk to Kale this afternoon.”
Jordan turned her hover-chair toward the door then looked back over her shoulder. “Thanks. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
“No thanks necessary. All I want is for you to be happy and to live a full and healthy life. If we can accomplish that and make medical history in the process, the world will be that much better for it. What you need to do is listen to your doctor and do nothing to sabotage our efforts. I know how stubborn you are, so I appreciate you coming in here today to discuss this before going ahead with your own agenda.”
Jordan pretended to be insulted. “Would I do that?”
Peter grinned. “That, and so much more. Now get out of here. Go home and get out of that chair.”
“Aye, aye, Doc!”
* * *
Jordan was lying on the bed beside the time machine as Kale positioned the boot in the center of the platform and carefully wrapped the grounding hardware around it. “I can’t believe you talked Peter into letting you do this.”
“He was putty in my hands. What’s the filament for?”
Jordan watched as a knowing look passed between Kale and Andi.
“Okay, you’re scaring me here. I’ll ask again. What’s the filament for?”
“It’s a ground,” Andi said. “We discovered during the first round of anti-gravity testing that a high level of molecular activity within the object made it heat up. We realized that was due to the buildup of electrical charge within the center of the rings. We can dissipate the charge by grounding the object to the platform and then grounding the machine to the earth.”
“Holy shit! How did you discover that?”
“Kale burned his hand while retrieving a bucket we had levitated. It was so hot it blistered the skin on his fingers,” Andi said. “But don’t worry. Grounding the object ensures that it comes out of the machine at the same temperature it went in.”
“Okay, ladies. I think we’re ready for our first test. Andi, why don’t you move Jordan behind the barrier? The first time I tried this, the blast knocked me off my feet and threw me against the wall. I’ll join you after I set up the remote program.”
Jordan propped herself up on her elbow so she could see the platform through the observation window. She watched as Kale positioned the old boot on the center of the platform and programmed the computer for remote control. He joined them behind the barrier.
“All right. Here we go.” Kale initiated the inner sphere program and then slowly turned the speed control dial as they watched the rings begin to spin. “I’m going to start by rotating the outer rings in a counter-clockwise direction.”
They watched as the rings gained momentum.
“Maximum velocity, Kale,” Andi announced as she watched the speed gauge stabilize. “Go ahead and start the inner ring rotation.”
“All right. We’re almost there,” Kale said.
Jordan watched, wide-eyed.
“Watch carefully, Jord. Once the rings reach maximum velocity, something amazing happens.”
Jordan’s gaze never wavered from the boot in the center of the platform.
“Maximum reached,” announced Andi.
The loud humming from the spinning rings made it virtually impossible for the three to communicate as they watched the boot slowly rise. The boot was very old and the leather so worn that it floated bent in half over the platform.
“It’s floating,” exclaimed Jordan. “Kale, it’s floating!”
“Watch it carefully, Jordan. Let me know when it’s dead center,” Kale instructed.
For the next several moments, Jordan watched the boot intently until finally it became eerily still as it hovered like a bent old man in the exact center of the spheres. “Okay. Dead center,” she yelled.
“Put on the dark glasses. You’ll need to protect your eyes from the flash. I’m going to release an energy surge into the center of the rings. If this works, the two sets of rings will produce the amount of energy needed to create and rotate a black hole. In theory, this will open a wormhole to alternate time.”
Andi signaled to Kale that they were ready then held tightly to both her companions as Kale initiated the power surge. Suddenly, the barn was illuminated by a blinding flash of light as a wave of energy passed over them. A steady, but gentle tug of gravity pulled them in the direction of the machine while sucking the air out of their lungs. A moment later, the pull of gravity ceased and they were jolted back. The room became still.
Ka
le looked at his companions. “Are you two all right?” Each nodded her head but continued to stare at the platform in the center of the machine.
“It’s gone! The boot is gone,” exclaimed Jordan.
Kale powered down the rings and the room quieted. He gathered Jordan in his arms and together, the trio emerged from behind the barrier and walked toward the machine. There on the platform was the filament, and nothing else.
“We did it! I can’t believe it. We actually did it,” Andi exclaimed.
Kale replied calmly, “Yes, we did. But where did it go? Better yet—can we get it back?”
Jordan massaged her forehead. She looked up at Kale, then back at the computer. “The stats are stored in the computer. We need to record the exact timing and coordinates of the event and then reverse the process to retrieve the boot.”
“Of course. We’ll have to reverse the direction of the rings and apply the power surge with the exact same timing that was used to send it. Jordan, you’re the computer savvy one. Maybe you can search the event logs and find the information we need to reverse the process.”
“I can try. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll see what I can do.”
As Jordan searched the logs, Kale and Andi walked around the lab, inspecting the other equipment that had been exposed to the black hole. Everything seemed to be intact, with the exception of loose papers that had been sucked toward the machine
“Got it,” Jordan said. “Everything is here.” She handed a list of numbers to Kale. “Here they are. I recorded them exactly as they appear in the log. These two numbers represent the points of maximum velocity for the inner and outer rings, and this number is the point at which you applied the energy surge. That’s the one I’m most worried about. I’ll need to program the computer to apply the surge at exactly 249.3 seconds after the rings reach maximum velocity. ”
Kale looked over the numbers and smiled at Jordan. “Great job. Get back behind the barrier. Let’s see if we can retrieve the boot.”
The rings were again spinning at maximum velocity, only this time in the opposite direction.
Jordan watched the timer carefully. “Okay. Watch the monitor carefully. The computer will apply the surge when the timer reads exactly 249.3 seconds.”
Three pairs of eyes watched the monitor as the seconds counted down. At exactly 249.3 seconds the room filled with a blinding flash of light and a surge of energy washed over them. This time, however, the energy wave pushed against them and away from the machine. Kale powered the rings down. From their vantage point behind the barrier all three strained to examine the results.
“Stay here,” Kale instructed as he approached the machine. Andi and Jordan held hands and waited for him to return.
Moments later he did—carrying a brand new boot.
Chapter 18
Kale paced back and forth across the living room, visibly shaken by the time travel experiment. “It’s over, Jordan. I’m sorry, but I can’t risk it.”
“It was only the first trial. I’m sure we can figure out what went wrong. Please, don’t give up,” Jordan begged.
Kale stopped in front of Jordan and fell to his knees. He took her hand in his and looked directly into her eyes. “You saw what happened to the boot. It came back altered. Sweetheart, consider what might happen to you in that circumstance.”
Jordan grinned in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Well, worst case scenario—I come back as a baby and you’ll have to raise me all over again.”
Andi’s smirk earned her a glare from Kale.
“Andi, come on. I’m trying to be serious here.”
“I’m sorry, Kale, but Jordan is right.”
Kale rose to his feet and began to pace again. “How can you say that?”
Andi looked squarely at him. “Love, look at what we’ve accomplished. Time travel! You did it. You are the first person in history to accomplish that. Sure, there’s a lot of work to do to perfect it, but damn, you did it. Don’t run scared now. There’s a long way to go before we put Jordan into the machine, but damn it—don’t give up now. Only a coward would do that, and you are not a coward.”
“She’s right, you know,” Jordan said. “The Kale Simmons I know isn’t a coward.”
“Jord, I don’t want to hurt you. I am so afraid of that. I could never forgive myself if anything went wrong.”
“Kale, you know I love you. I am so very proud of you. Only someone driven by love would have been as devoted to this as you’ve been. I desperately want you to finish the job, but I will always love you, even if you decide to walk away. I will also love you if you continue this and everything goes terribly wrong. This is my decision too, and I’m willing to risk it.”
Kale closed his eyes. “I need to think about it. I need time to think about it.”
Jordan nodded. “I understand. Really, I do.”
Kale rose to his feet, lifted Jordan from the couch, and carried her into her bedroom. Andi followed close behind. He sat her carefully on the edge of her bed and placed a kiss on top of her head.
“I need to sleep,” he announced.
Andi wrapped her arms around his waist and placed a kiss in the middle of his chest. “I’ll help her get ready for bed. Go. I’ll be in soon.”
* * *
“Kale... Kale. Wake up.”
“What is it?” Kale raised himself up onto one elbow, trying to see Andi in the darkness.
“Listen. Do you hear that?”
Andi and Kale remained as still as possible, trying to hear any unusual sound or movement in the house.
Andi grasped his arm tightly. “There it is again. Did you hear it that time?”
Kale threw back the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “Yeah, I did. I’m going to check it out. Maybe Jordan’s in trouble.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Kale and Andi quietly tiptoed through the bedroom and into the hall. The first thing they noticed was that the door to Jordan’s room was open. As they approached, they heard a noise coming from the living room.
“There’s someone in there,” Kale said.
“No,” Andi said. “Wait for me. I want to be sure Jordan is okay first.”
Kale stood quietly by the door to Jordan’s bedroom, but he kept his eyes fixed firmly on the living room.
“Kale,” Andi called from Jordan’s bedroom. “She’s not in there. Her chair is there, but she’s not in her bed, nor in her bathroom.”
“Jesus Christ! What’s going on here?” Kale said. “I’m going to check out the noise in the living room. Wait here.”
“Not on your life. I’m coming with you.” Together, they slowly made their way down the hallway toward the living room. Just as they approached the archway at the end of the hall, Kale stepped on a board that creaked loudly beneath his weight. They immediately froze.
“Who’s there? Show yourself,” came a frantic voice from the living room.
“Jordan?” Kale whispered hoarsely.
“Who are you? I have a weapon.” The voice was female, and its owner was obviously very frightened.
“Jordan? Is that you?” Andi asked.
“Jan? Jan? Thank God! It’s me, Maggie. Jan, I need your help. I can’t walk.”
Andi gasped and made a move forward. Kale stopped her. “No. Something isn’t right.”
Andi pushed Kale’s arm aside. “She needs me. It will be okay.”
“I’m coming with you,” Kale insisted.
Andi placed a restraining hand on Kale’s shoulder. “I’ll be okay. She’s obviously dreaming, and she’s frightened. Let me talk to her alone. It might be dangerous to startle her awake.”
“I’m not letting you go in there alone. I’ll keep my distance, but I’m going with you.”
“Okay, but please let me talk to her,” Andi insisted. She turned toward the living room. “Maggie, where are you?”
“By the fireplace. Jan, please hurry. There’s something wrong with my legs. They won’t move.”
/>
“I’m coming, Maggie. I’m just going to turn a light on first.” Andi switched on the table lamp near the archway and flooded the room with light. Jordan was lying half-reclined against the hearth on the floor by the fireplace. In her hand was a poker that she wielded like a sword. She raised it the moment she saw Kale.
“Who are you? What are you doing in my home?” Her gaze shifted quickly back to Andi. “Jan, who is he?”
Andi moved to Jordan’s side and removed the poker from her hands. “It’s okay, Maggie. He’s a friend. Don’t be afraid.”
Jordan peered into Andi’s face with a look of terror and desperation in her eyes. “Jan… I can’t move my legs. Something’s wrong!”
Andi took Jordan’s face between her hands. “Maggie, sweetie… calm down. It’s okay. How did you get out here?”
Jordan was clearly confused. “I... I remember waking up because I heard a noise outside my bedroom door. My legs wouldn’t work. I had to drag myself out here. I didn’t know where you were.” Her eyes suddenly locked on Andi’s face. “Jan, where were you? I looked for you but you weren’t there. There wasn’t even a dent in your pillow. When I went to bed last night, you said you’d join me soon, but you didn’t come. Don’t you want to be with me anymore?”
Andi looked worriedly at Kale then turned her attention back to Jordan. “Maggie, I’m going to ask Kale to put you back to bed, okay? It’s not good for you to be on the floor like this.”
Jordan looked at Kale. “Who is he?”
Andi stroked Jordan’s face. “Don’t be afraid, Maggie. Kale is a friend.”
She looked back to Andi once more. Anger suddenly flashed across her face. “You’re sleeping with him, aren’t you? Is that why you don’t want to share my bed anymore?”
Andi was taken aback by the tone in Jordan’s voice. Not wanting to upset her further, she played along with the charade. “Maggie, you know that I love you.”
Karen D. Badger - Yesterday Once More Page 16
