What James Did: The Accidental Time Travellers-Book 3

by Marc James

  Book Three – What James Did

  Chapter 1

  “So where would you like to go Mr Faraday?”

  “That’s an excellent question Dr Teller.” Faraday replied.

  Edward Teller looked surprised. “You haven’t decided?”

  Faraday shook his head. “I can go to any time and any place in history, it’s a big decision.”

  Edward nodded in agreement. “It certainly is.”

  Faraday stared at Teller, he hadn’t expected it to be so difficult. “Have you used the machine?”

  “Yes, but only for test purposes.”

  “Where did you go?”

  “I went to the day of my birth, I saw myself as a baby. It was a humbling experience.”

  Faraday nodded his understanding. “I can imagine that it would be. How did you get back here?”

  Teller smiled, I have made smaller devices that can be taken with you. He walked over to the large computer and picked up what looked like a remote control for a toy car. He handed it to Faraday. On the left-hand side were three small black screens, each around two inches in height. On the right-hand side was a little white keyboard.

  “The top screen is for date selection. You type in the time, day, then the month and then the year. Below that we have the location, it is best to be specific, a street name, is far better than the name of a city or country because you could appear anywhere. Alternatively you can enter coordinates like I did for your friends.”

  Faraday glanced at the man, he was sure he had heard friends, rather than friend. “What friends?”

  Teller looked incredibly flustered. “Ah, I misspoke. I meant friend.”

  “No you didn’t, who else has used this?”

  “It isn’t my place to say Mr Faraday. As I understand you all made your own choices.”

  Faraday was confused now. “Who else used this? Was it Jane?”

  Teller shook his head. “It was not Jane, I simply misspoke.”

  “Bobby?”

  Teller looked away awkwardly.

  “Where did he go?” Faraday demanded.

  “It isn’t my place.”

  “Is he in trouble?”

  Teller sighed and his eyes gave the slightest twitch, he would never make a poker player. “If I tell you, then you must promise me that it goes no further, I would be killed.”

  “You have my word, this will not get back to anyone.”

  Teller paused for a moment before he spoke again. “They were here just before you arrived. Your friends were sent through time against their will.”

  “More than one friend?”

  Teller nodded. “I sent three of them back in total. They were brought in by some mobsters who made a deal with Abaddon. I believe the two others were named Chase and Sarah.”

  Faraday was completely baffled. “Sarah?”

  “Sarah Salmond, she writes for the Washington Post.” Teller clarified.

  “Why were they sent through time?”

  “They were seen as threats.”

  “So where are they?”

  Teller shook his head. “You cannot save them Mr Faraday. They have each been sent to a horrid demise.”

  Faraday’s heart was pounding in his chest, he knew that he had caused this. “Please tell me where they are Edward.”

  “You cannot save them.” Teller repeated.

  “Please let me try?”

  “You would need to take the portable wormhole generator with you, I cannot allow you to do that. I can’t trust you with that device. It is too much power to entrust to one man.”

  “But how can you say that, you have that power just now.”

  Teller nodded. “And I am not proud of what I did to your friends.”

  “We can fix this Edward, together we can save them.”

  “Mr Faraday, I am a theoretical physicist, I am sixty-one years old. I am no soldier of war.”

  “I have a gun Edward, if you just come with me so that I can save them, it will be more than enough. Surely you must feel guilty for what you have done?”

  Edward Teller looked amazed at Faraday’s words. “Would you like to know what some people call me?”

  “I’m sorry?”

  “I am known as the father of the hydrogen bomb Mr Faraday. Do you really think I can feel guilt for what I have done today, knowing that I have caused so many deaths?”

  “Surely that is all the more reason to clear your conscience.”

  “Mr Faraday my conscience is clear, I am a scientist, no more and no less. I did not drop the bomb’s, I did not wage a war, I simply provided man with a way of killing one another. They were the ones that chose to use it.”

  “But it was you that sent my friends to their deaths. No one else did that, this one is on you Edward.”

  Teller was silent for a moment as he considered Faraday’s words. “I suppose you are right. But there is nothing we can do.”

  “Of course there is, you know where and when they are, you can take us there and we can transport them back.” Faraday tried.

  “The situation is complicated Mr Faraday.”

  “Explain it to me, we can find a way.”

  “Chase can probably be saved, the other two are not so lucky.”

  “Edward, I’m tired of repeating myself, just tell me!”

  Chapter 2

  Bobby looked up at the sky above, the thick black smoke was filling the air, the stench was repulsive. It was a cold day and the cloud was overcast. He had no idea where he was, there were some buildings in front of him, they looked as though they could be army barracks. Around the perimeter were high barbed wire fences. To his left he could see the source of the smoke, it was emanating from a massive stone chimney.

  His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a man shouting, he couldn’t make out what the man was saying, he wasn’t speaking English. The man raised a rifle he was holding and shot the ground in front of Bobby. Bobby jumped backwards, dropping his cane. He almost lost his footing, but managed to stay upright.

  The man with the rifle ran towards Bobby, he was wearing an all black military uniform. As the man got closer Bobby noticed there was a silver skull on the man’s hat, a Swastika was on the man’s arm. Bobby felt like he was going to be sick, the man got to Bobby and hit him hard in the stomach with the butt of the rifle.

  The Nazi was shouting something in German, which Bobby couldn’t understand. The man picked up Bobby’s cane and admired the gold eagle at its tip. He forced Bobby to his feet and began to march him towards the buildings that Bobby had previously thought were barracks.

  As they got closer to the buildings Bobby could make out a sign made of metal, it read “Arbeit Macht Frei”.

  Chapter 3

  Faraday removed a cigarette from his packet and looked at Edward as he nervously sat down by the computer. He was a well-dressed man in a black suit, white shirt and red tie. He had dark brown hair that was combed in a neat side parting. Faraday lit the cigarette and enjoyed a long draw, once he had done so he looked towards Teller, who was still silent.

  “Ready when you are.” Faraday said.

  Edward sighed, he looked as though he would rather be anywhere else at this moment. “As I said, your friends were brought in by a group of mobsters. I believe Meyer Lansky and Abaddon made some kind of arrangement over Mr Stinson. I think the young man, Chase and the woman, Sarah may have been more of an impulse.”

  “So where did you send them?”

  “I did not choose the locations.” Edward blurted out quickly as if trying to exonerate himself.

  “Okay, where are they?”

  “Chase
was sent to the year 1605, below the Houses of Parliament in London.”

  “Why?” Faraday asked in confusion.

  “It was the night of the Gunpowder Plot, the night Guy Fawkes was arrested. He will be captured and then he will be hung, drawn and quartered.”

  Faraday felt repulsed as he learned of Chase’s fate. “And the others?”

  “Miss Salmond was sent back to the year 1912. She arrived on the Titanic just moments after the ship hit the iceberg.”

  “Jesus Christ. Why didn’t they just kill them here?”

  “I believe they wanted to make them suffer.”

  “And you just let them do it?” Faraday barked in astonishment.

  Edward looked stunned by the outburst. “What exactly should I have done? They were heavily armed and they had made a deal with the new President. They would have killed me had I not done as they asked.”

  “What about Bobby?” Faraday asked unable to hide his anger.

  “Auschwitz.” Teller looked away uncomfortably.

  Faraday again felt the urge to vomit. He tried to fight it but could not help the dry retching.

  “Are you alright?” Edward asked, feigning an interest.

  “I’m fine.” Faraday coughed before he could continue. “You need to help me save them Edward.”

  Edward looked quite irritated by Faraday’s words. “It cannot be done.”

  Faraday removed the gun from his holster. “Well, we are going to try.”

  “You would kill an innocent man in cold blood?”

  “You are far from innocent. Will you help me?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “Well, only one answer will keep you alive.”

  “Where do we start?”

  “Los Angeles, 1996.”

  Chapter 4

  David lay on the sun lounger, the LA heat was beaming down on the large garden. He watched as his little girl ran towards him, she squirted water at him from her new Super Soaker and ran away giggling.

  “I’ll get you Jane.” He yelled jokingly.

  Sharon appeared at the back door of the house, she was wearing a black bathing costume and David could not help but stare.

  “David, there are two men here to see you. They said it is urgent.”

  David took a sip from his beer and removed his aviator sunglasses. “Who is it?”

  “A man named Dr Teller and another man with an eye patch, I can’t remember his name.”

  David had hoped he would never have to see Faraday again, he didn’t need reminders about what he had done.

  “Can you send them through?” He replied reluctantly.

  Sharon smiled and disappeared into the house. David lit a cigarette and watched as Jane ran around the garden with her Golden Retriever named Toby. Within a few minutes Faraday and Edward Teller came out of the back door of the house, Sharon followed them.

  David rose to his feet and forced a smile while shaking both men’s hands.

  “Could you give us a minute?” He said to Sharon, she smiled and took Jane by the hand before leading her back into the house.

  “How are you both?” David asked.

  “Fine. I see you saved her then?” Faraday replied.

  “Yes, she doesn’t know anything about it though, she thinks Kenny and Barbara went alone on the helicopter. So why are you here?” David asked bluntly.

  Faraday glanced at Teller, he looked uncomfortable. “We need you to help us.”

  “Help you do what?” David asked before taking a draw on his cigarette.

  “Abaddon sentenced the others to their deaths.” Faraday replied.

  “You mean Clint Hill?”

  “No, what did he do to Clint?” Faraday asked in surprise.

  “Clint was executed for the murder of Martin Luther King.” David stated without even the slightest hint of emotion.

  Faraday glanced towards Teller. “Another one for the list.”

  “What list?” David asked.

  “We need to save the others David; Abaddon sent them to their deaths.”

  “Who?”

  “Bobby, Chase and Sarah Salmond.”

  David nodded. “What does that have to do with me?”

  Faraday could hardly believe David’s reaction. “We helped him David, this is our fault.”

  “I hardly knew Chase and I didn’t know Sarah Salmond, it has nothing to do with me.”

  “What about Bobby?” Faraday argued.

  David sighed, before taking a draw of his cigarette. “Everybody dies James, he had a long life.”

  “So you don’t care?”

  “Honestly, I really don’t. I have a daughter and a wife to think about.”

  Faraday lit a cigarette from his pack and took a long draw. “I can’t believe you David, after everything we’ve been through?”

  “Faraday it will never end if you keep trying to change the past. You can try and save them and then something else will happen. So you’ll need to save someone else, or kill someone else. What’s done is done.”

  “You say that now that you have your wife back!” Faraday yelled.

  “That’s right, I’ve fixed things. I’m done.”

  “So you don’t care at all about the others?”

  “That’s right.” David replied coldly.

  “David if it was the other way around, you know Bobby would try to save you.” Faraday tried.

  “But it isn’t the other way around. He chose the wrong side.”

  “No he didn’t, we did. Abaddon sent him to Auschwitz.”

  “Auschwitz?” David asked in horror.

  Faraday almost smiled, he had him. “Yes, can you imagine what that must be like?”

  “No, I can’t say that I can.”

  “We owe him.”

  “I owe him nothing.”

  “Come on David, I need your help.”

  David was silent for a moment. “How do you intend to get him out?”

  “I don’t know yet.” Faraday conceded.

  “It is insanity, it can’t be done.”

  “Please David, after this we can go our separate ways.”

  “Sorry, but the answer is no.”

  Faraday could not believe the way that David was acting. “Well, I guess there’s nothing I can say.”

  “I guess not.” David replied.

  David watched as both men turned on their heels and left the garden. They went back into the house and were once again gone from his life.

  He took his seat on the sun lounger and opened another beer. He could finally enjoy the life he was supposed to have.

  Chapter 5

  Bobby was pushed violently into the room, the guards instructed him to remove his clothing. Bobby did as he was told, the concrete floor was cold on his bare feet and any dignity he had taken into the room with him had now deserted him.

  He stood in the room completely naked as three guards stared at him, another man then shaved Bobby’s black hair off. He was then pushed into a shower, there was no soap and the water was cold. When he was hurried out of the shower, he was instructed to put on some dirty clothes that lay on the floor. They consisted of a blue and white striped jacket, a striped hat, a vest and a pair of blue and white striped trousers. The shoes he was given had wooden soles and a linen strap. The number 221163 was sewn onto the jacket, as was a red triangle.

  Bobby was not given a walking stick and tried to hide his limp. He knew that if this was a labour camp then he knew he would only stay alive if he looked fit enough to work. As he was led back outside into the cold, his hip ached. He could not hide the limp, but he managed to walk quickly. He was led to one of the brick buildings and entered a dimly lit corridor.

  The walls were grey and Bobby was led to a metal door, it was opened and Bobby was pushed into the room. The door was closed and he was left in complete darkness. He could feel that he was pressed against someone else, but there was no light in the cell. The smell was repulsive, whoever was in there with him had apparently n
ot been allowed out to go to the toilet.

  Bobby had no idea what to do, he was paralysed by fear, he would surely be killed in this place. He tried to move, but the room was so small, all he could feel was another person and the brick walls. There wasn’t even enough room to sit down.

  “Do you speak English?” Bobby asked, in hope rather than expectation.

  “Yes.” Came the whispered reply, it was an American accent.

  “Where are we?” Bobby asked.

  “Auschwitz.” Came the reply.

  Even though Bobby had been expecting this response, he was far more terrified now that his suspicions had been revealed to be true. Bobby couldn’t help but throw up, he managed to get most of it down himself but some went on the other man. He broke into a coughing fit.

  “I’m sorry.” He finally managed.

  The other man sighed loudly. “Believe me it is the least of our worries.”

  Chapter 6

  Faraday and Edward Teller were sat in a restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel in LA. Both men had a plate of steak and chips in front of them, Faraday had a beer and Edward had a Cola.

  “So we will spend the night and leave first thing in the morning.” Faraday instructed.

  “We have all the time in the world James, perhaps we should spend some time thinking about this a little more carefully. Any attempt we make to free Bobby will be incredibly dangerous.”

  Faraday nodded. “But couldn’t we just appear in Auschwitz, grab him and then disappear again?”

  Teller shook his head. “It doesn’t work like that. The machine takes time to gather a reception, it can take hours, sometimes even days to generate the wormhole. My bunker in Nevada was different, the wormhole has been established there for years. But with the handheld device, it is a little less reliable. In some locations, it would be impossible to even use it.”

  Faraday sighed. “Then what options do we have?”

  “I cannot see a way of breaking Bobby out of Auschwitz. Chase should not prove to be that difficult, as long as we time our arrival perfectly. Sarah is saveable, but there is no guarantee. Bobby in my opinion is a lost cause.”

  “What about Clint?”

  “I have no interest in saving him, it had nothing to do with me.”