Millennium Crash

by James Litherland

  “Simple indeed.” Though it would make more sense if the red bars indicated the relative direction rather than compass points. “So how did we end up in the same place we left from this time? Instead of being thrown clear to Long Island?”

  “It must be because we each had a device when we Traveled this time. I told you one device wasn’t meant to carry two people. It threw things off.”

  “So this time, everything worked right.”

  “No. At least, the spatial displacement on landing isn’t supposed to happen.”

  Matt winked at her. “Sounds like someone got their sums wrong. A mathematician. Couldn’t have been you by any chance?”

  Page glared. “No, not my area. Now, if you’re finished asking questions, why don’t we get on with some shopping?”

  “Why don’t we find someplace to eat first? I haven’t eaten since—” Breakfast in the summer of two thousand. “I don’t know when you last ate.”

  She shrugged. “We ate before we left. But I am starting to feel hungry, so find us a place. At least four stars.”

  “I don’t think so.” He would have to put up with enough of that sort of environment at the places she liked to shop. “I want to eat now instead of spending an hour waiting for a table before I even get to see a menu.”

  Matt was definitely getting hungry—chasing after Page was giving him an appetite. He pointed. “See the hotdog stand across the street. That’s fast.”

  “That’s a long way from the kind of meal I was thinking of.”

  “It’s also quicker, easier, and delicious. And the sooner we eat, the sooner you can shop.” And he’d need a full stomach to endure that experience.

  “That makes sense.” Without hesitating, she’d already started striding down the sidewalk, making for the intersection and expecting him to catch up.

  But when they reached the cart, Page shook her head as she peered at the piled-high hotdogs others were walking away with. “Too messy. Is there anything fast and neat?”

  Matt sighed. “Maybe a burrito—they’re all over the place and less messy than anything else I know. At least that we could find in a hurry.”

  They still had to wander down several blocks to find a burrito vendor, but Page enjoyed examining the stores they passed. When they lined up before the cart, Matt realized he’d better not dip into the bag for cash. This meal would be on him. At least he had enough money left for that.

  His free hand dug out his wallet and handed it over to Page. “While I’m carrying your bag, this is too awkward for me to manipulate. Keep it for now and pay for our meal.”

  When they reached the head of the line, he ordered two of the giant wraps. Page gave the vendor a twenty and told him to keep the change. She’ll pay me back for that.

  Matt wondered how much of the burrito she’d manage to eat as they walked toward Times Square. She focused on each and every shop they passed and still scarfed down her food. Without paying it any attention. When she finished, she absentmindedly tossed the wrapper in a nearby waste can. Then she wanted to go into a store.

  Hampered as he was by having only one hand to eat with, Matt hadn’t finished however. Swallowing a big bite of burrito, he protested. “There are better shops further on.”

  Page shook her head but kept walking. “With all these restaurants everywhere—doesn’t anyone ever eat at home?”

  He thought that was rich coming from a woman who didn’t seem the type to do any cooking herself. Then he realized her question gave him an opportunity.

  He shoved the last remnant of his meal into his mouth and waited until it cleared his throat. “That’s a complicated subject. I’m willing to expound on it for you. In exchange, you could tell me some things about the future. I admit I’m curious.”

  “The question was rhetorical. And if I need to find out more about contemporary dining habits, I will do proper research. Not rely on the unsupported anecdotes of a biased contemporary subject.”

  “I see.” And he did. He agreed with her reasoning, in terms of methodology, even as he missed the chance to satisfy his own curiosity. Well, Page was loose enough with the little details—he only had to get her to talk more and he ought to be able to pick up a picture of the future world she came from.

  Noticing that he’d finished his burrito, she held up a hand to stop him. Then she looked around at the shops around them and picked one. She waved at the main entrance to a building full of expensive boutiques. “I want to shop in there.”

  Matt sighed and tossed his empty wrapper in a trash can. “I’m not stopping you. I’m just following your lead, remember?” He wasn’t about to suggest where she should buy her clothes. Considering her attitude, he didn’t hold out hope she’d ask his opinion what clothes she looked good in either.

  Page squinted at him for a moment before pulling the large glass door open. Grinning, he stepped through ahead of her. Now that he had both hands free, he shifted the heavy bag full of money back up into his arms.

  He stopped and let Page precede him. Presumably she knew where she’d want to shop, but as soon as they had entered, it occurred to him how out of place they looked among the well-heeled clientele. Hopefully people would assume Page was eccentric—a star or something. She looked the part. Matt surely had to look as if he were waiting attendance on her. I’ve turned into a gofer.

  She wandered first into a jewelry store and took half an hour to examine earrings, finger rings, and necklaces—while Matt stood there and tried not to sweat. A security guard stared at them suspiciously the entire time. And after all that, Page didn’t want to buy anything.

  Matt goggled when she told him. “Why not? I don’t care about jewelry, but it seemed nice.”

  “I don’t care much about jewelry myself. I just wanted to look at what they had.”

  Matt sighed. The burrito had left his throat dry, and he needed water, but this place didn’t have any conveniently located water fountains that he could see. Or bathrooms. There had to be facilities somewhere, but he didn’t want to have to search through the building for them.

  Besides, he couldn’t leave Page alone. Although right now she needed him to carry her cash around, he wanted to stick close so he’d be there if and when she got into trouble. Which seemed only a matter of time. Thinking of that, he checked and saw that the afternoon was already passing—this late in the year it would be growing dark soon.

  She proceeded to spend over an hour browsing through three more shops, examining all manner of hats, scarves, belts, and bracelets. She hadn’t even started on shoes yet, much less actual clothes. Only the accessories. It was going to be a very long day—maybe a long night at this rate.

  Then she pushed into a purse store.

  Matt tried talking to her in a low voice, to avoid attracting attention. “Why here? I’d have thought you’d want to get shoes first, then get your new bag to match them, or your clothes.”

  Page turned to roll her eyes at him. “Once I find the right purse, I’ll look for the shoes to match.”

  “What about a dress?”

  “To wear where? First, I’ll find something fashionable to wear shopping, then I can concentrate on the luxuries.”

  Matt couldn’t stop the escaping sigh. This was not the Page who had intrigued him when they first met, but it was too late now. Perhaps the other Page would return once this one had finished shopping.

  A thin man with a ghost of a beard and a plastic smile walked up to them with a questioning look in his eyes. “Can I help you find anything?”

  Matt shook his head, and Page just stared at the man, who shifted his gaze to the bag Matt was holding. “Not many places carry that brand, but we sell that purse here.” The man stretched to try and peer inside the bag. “It looks brand new. Where did you buy it?”

  Matt saw the man’s eyes were disapproving. Of course it was rude to purchase something at a competitor’s and then waltz in here flaunting it, though he doubted that concerned Page. “Not here. We did not know you
carried it.”

  Page gave the man a haughty stare. “It is brand new, but I didn’t buy it. I’m not sure where it came from.” She turned her glare on Matt. “It could have been bought at this very store.”

  The man cocked his head at her. “You admit it’s brand new, but you say you didn’t purchase it?” His welcoming smile had faltered.

  Page started shaking her head, and Matt knew she was giving the man the wrong idea. But he can’t think Page shoplifted the bag, not from here. Then he glanced around and saw the security guard from the jewelry store hanging out at the entrance to this shop. He’d left his post and followed them through the mall. Why?

  Matt hurried into the breach. “A friend bought this for her. The woman didn’t say where.”

  Page nodded. “The receipt’s still in the bag.”

  Right away Matt realized it was a mistake. He tried and failed to catch her eye to give her a meaningful look. “Why don’t you show it to him?”

  Page looked at him now, clearly realizing she’d landed them in it. She sighed and reached into the bag. Matt could feel the tension rising in the atmosphere. She grabbed the papers from on top of the cash and looked at them before handing one over—hopefully it wasn’t the bank receipt for this money Matt was holding.

  The man examined the receipt she’d given him, and his weak smile turned to consternation. “It’s a rather stupid forgery. They carry that purse as well, but who knows if they’ll still be selling it a year from now? No one bought this, did they?”

  The little man waved to a tall man in a tan suit who was emerging from a back room. The newcomer was slim and athletic, and Matt recognized him as store security and also noticed that the guard by the door had gone on alert, his hand hovering over his holstered weapon.

  Tan security man approached them slowly. “I’m afraid I’ll need to see what else you have in that bag. I’m sure you understand.” He held out his hand.

  Matt didn’t understand that one bit, but he had to buy time while he calculated all the variables. “I have to decline. I’m afraid this bag and its contents are the property of the lady, and I won’t be handing them over to a stranger.”

  Once they got a look at all that cash and a bank receipt also dated a year in the future, there would be no explanation that would satisfy the cops. And Matt presumed the police had already been called, were on their way right now. He couldn’t delay any further. He’d have to cooperate.

  Tan security man reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew his identification and detective’s license to show them. “I’m in charge of security here, and I’m afraid I must insist.”

  Matt glanced at it but didn’t really pay it any attention. “Of course, we want to help.” He looked at Page. “If you’ll just hand me that other receipt, I’m sure it will help the gentleman understand.”

  Her eyes held confusion, but Page passed over the paper without question, into one of Matt’s waiting hands stretching out from underneath the bag. He folded the paper roughly in one hand while his other grabbed her wrist.

  He looked back at tan security man. “Take the receipt and the bag and the time you need to satisfy yourself.”

  The detective nodded and replaced his identification in his suit pocket before reaching out to take the paper and the purse. Matt shifted, and the bag toppled forward into the other man’s arms.

  “I’m so sorry.” Matt grabbed at the receipt and the bag and helped the heavy weight push the man backward.

  Fortunately Page reached out to take the paper out of Matt’s hand and stuffed it into the top of the purse. Matt stepped forward and slid his hand under the man’s elbow and lifted to help him loose his balance backward as Page helped take the weight of the bag off his hands. Tan security man tumbled to the ground.

  Page kept firm hold of the purse, and Matt kept his grip on Page’s wrist and dragged her toward the back of the store and the other door. The one that detective had come from. Which was preferable to going through the security guard—who was probably drawing his weapon even now.

  Matt didn’t turn to look, just pulled Page along with him. The guard wouldn’t fire on an unarmed woman, especially not in the back as she fled. The man yelled ‘Stop!’ while Matt dragged her into the back room. He hoped she was still holding tight to all that money—not because he cared, but because he could imagine how cranky Page would be if it got lost. And he knew she would blame him.

  He didn’t pause to examine the room—he just scanned swiftly, noting a small space crowded with extra stock and a desk with phone, and a door opening out into a white corridor. He ran toward it and thankfully Page kept up. He pulled her through into the hallway and closed the door behind them. But he had no way to bar it shut.

  Then she wrested her hand away from his grip and lifted the heavy bag she still carried up into her arms. “What now, Matt?”

  Busy looking up and down the corridor and trying to think, he didn’t have the time to answer her. He saw no hint at an exit to the outside. Their time was running out to escape the building, with those security men surely knowing where they must have run and the police likely on the way. Of course.

  Not being a seasoned Traveler, he hadn’t realized soon enough that they already had the perfect means of escape. If only they’ve recharged enough. They just needed a bit of privacy. And time.

  It might not work, but they were running short of options. Matt glanced again at the line of closed doors up and down the hallway, discounting doors with plates proclaiming store names. A door with a staircase sign tempted him briefly. But if it came to a chase through the building, eventually they’d be caught.

  It was an unmarked door he looked for, supply closet or restroom or something like that, and one that locked from the inside to buy them time. That should get them a few minutes at least. He hoped. He chose the one closest to them to try first.

  The closest unmarked room was already locked though. He ran down to the next possibility. This door opened, and he saw it could be locked.

  He shoved Page in ahead of him as he glanced up and down the corridor. No one had yet followed them this far. He ducked into the room after her, swinging the door shut behind him.

  He pushed the lock in and prayed. The security people would have to find where he and Page were hiding, then maybe have to find the right key to get at them. If only they didn’t discover where he and Page were hiding too quickly.

  Worried she wouldn’t keep quiet long, he cut in ahead of an anticipated complaint with a whisper. “Stay silent.”

  “What do you think you’re doing?”

  At least she’d whispered too. Matt should have known she wouldn’t keep quiet at his command.

  He lowered his voice even more. “Be quiet. We don’t want them to hear us.”

  Her return whisper was low and harsh. “They’ll find us soon enough anyway, won’t they?”

  Matt glanced around. It was dark in the small room, and he couldn’t make out much, but he could feel the cramped space and shelves, and it smelled like a supply closet. “Hopefully we can Travel out of here before they do. That’s what I’m counting on.”

  “Matt, you’re a gambler.” Page turned to look at him in the dark. “I told you we’d have to wait a full day for my device to recharge. I know we Traveled early before, but that’s why we’ll have to wait longer this time. And it’s only been a few hours.”

  He was glad she couldn’t see the consternation on his face. It had felt a lot longer than that. “And I told you light bulbs blow if I get too close. Maybe it’ll have enough of a charge—if it can even take us one day into the future or past, we’ll be free.” Anyway, he wasn’t going to just give up.

  There had to be a way. He grabbed Page by the arms and pulled her close, moving his lips to her ear so she could hear the faintest whisper. “The helper devices like the one you’re wearing generate a field of their own? That’s what you said. So they have to have a power source. Some kind of battery?”

  Page whisper
ed back. “Yes, but they’re not programmed to actually generate the field except when linking to a leader. I hope you’re not suggesting we try to reprogram it here and now?”

  “Does its battery have the same amount of power as yours, though? How much of its charge does it use for just tagging along? If it uses less, it may be fully recharged by now.”

  He heard her sharp intake of breath. “Matt, we could swap the batteries. It might work.”

  She was quick, and he appreciated that. He did some fast thinking himself. “When you were holding onto me that first time, this device transported both of us. What would happen if we Traveled that close with both devices? Would they still generate two fields? Would they merge? Multiply?”

  She stared at him for a moment, then he felt her hair swish against his face as she shook her head. “I guess we’ll find out. It’s our best shot. But I’ll need light to swap the batteries.”

  “There must be a light switch here somewhere, but once we turn it on, they may notice through the crack under the door. So we won’t have much time to work. Think through exactly what you’ll have to do, so you’ll be ready once I switch on the light.”

  “I’m sure I won’t have any trouble with that, but things will be iffy enough without you trying to operate my device. You’ll have to let me.”

  Matt nodded in the dark. “Anything we can do to increase the odds. Just leave it on my wrist when we Travel.” She could operate it a lot faster anyway. It wasn’t like she could take her device back and run at this point.

  While they’d been talking, he had stretched out his hand and carefully felt along the wall. “I found the switch. I can turn on the light whenever you’re ready.”

  Page turned to face the door and backed closer into him. “Put your arms around me. We must be as physically close as possible when we Travel, if we want this to have any chance of success. It will help me swap the batteries and make it easier to set the coordinates.”