Laws of Time

by Jeff Yee

  “Which way did they go?” Sean asked.

  “The park?” said the sergeant, slightly confused. “They must be around here somewhere.”

  “Perhaps there’s someone here that may have seen them,” Sean suggested to the officer.

  A third police car arrived at the scene just at the moment that the first two arriving officers scrambled into the park in search of the suspects. Freeing himself from the confines of the police car’s backseat, Sean looked around the parking lot for any signs of bodies – Ryan, the suspects or witnesses. There were none.

  “I don’t think they’re here,” Sean told the third police officer who was investigating the van. “Look at where this car is parked. Second to the last stall in the lot. It could have easily blocked a second car from view from anyone in the park that could have possibly witnessed a transfer. It would have made a convenient transfer to another car.”

  “I’m Officer Dillon,” said the third officer, introducing himself to Sean.

  “Sean Harrison. And this is Krishna Parikh.”

  “You might be right Sean. It makes sense to do a transfer here. If that’s the case, I don’t know what kind of car we’re looking for, but I’ll call it in. I’ll be right back.”

  There were no markings, tire prints or anything in the last parking stall to indicate if a transfer was performed, or if it was true, the type of car that would have been used. Sean surveyed the stall and realized there were no clues to prove his transfer theory.

  When Sean opened the van’s door, Officer Dillon yelled across the parking lot, “Stop!” Dillon had one hand on his car radio as he shouted instructions, “Don’t get it dirty. We need to check it for prints!”

  The door was already ajar, but Sean acknowledged and stopped before stepping into the van. With the door already open, he peered inside to see its contents, but it was spotless. The mission had been carefully planned. Nothing remained in the van. Even its license plates were missing.

  “Krishna, can you call Ryan’s family and brief them on the situation? I’ll call Kris to inform him.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Krishna walked around the van to a quiet corner to call Ryan’s family.

  Sean removed his mobile phone from his pocket and dialed his son.

  The voice on the other end of the line answered, “Hello, it’s Kris.”

  “Kris, we have an emergency,” Sean said quickly.

  “What happened?”

  “Ryan Graves was abducted outside of a restaurant here in Old Town. I’m with the police. We chased them down. Found the van at a park. But no sign of Ryan or the suspects.”

  “What!” Kris cried out. Before Sean could say anything, Kris said, “Hold on…”

  Through his phone, Sean could hear a conversation in the background with Kris, but he could not clearly hear what was being said on the other side. He thought it was strange that the kidnapping did not immediately prompt more questions from his son.

  Kris returned to the conversation with his father. “The men that took him. Did you see them? Did they look Asian? Specifically, Korean?”

  Puzzled, he replied, “No. They had masks. Why would you ask if they were Korean?”

  “I’m here with the FBI. They’re chasing down a threat. I thought it was for me, and maybe it still is, but the threats could have been about Ryan.”

  “How long ago and why didn’t you call me?”

  “Just in the last hour. Probably less. They grabbed me right after the CNN interview and I haven’t had a chance to call.”

  “Okay, but why Korean?”

  “The FBI traced the threats to a bank of computers in North Korea. They told me it was almost too easy to trace, like they wanted to be caught. I don’t know if it is related, but the timing is too coincidental.”

  “Kris, stay with the FBI and make sure that they protect you. I’m going to pass this information along to the police here and see what we can do to get Ryan. Stay safe. I’ll call you soon.”

  Sean promptly ended the conversation with his son and then searched through the van a second time to locate evidence that could possibly identify the suspect’s nationalities. Again, he found no clues. Was Kris right? Did the North Koreans kidnap the Chief Scientist that held the secrets to time travel? If so, who else was at risk?

  They were at a dead end. There were no witnesses in the park and the empty van left no clues. Unfortunately, there was no additional information from the traffic cameras that could point them in the right direction. They had no idea if the suspects were on foot or if they had transferred to another car. Ryan Graves and his captors had disappeared.

  Chapter 23

  Back in Washington D.C., Senator Cordeiros stood before the Senate on a Monday morning, only three days after the kidnapping of Ryan Graves. Standing tall and speaking firmly, he began, “The committee you have entrusted me to lead to investigate the necessary laws and impacts of time travel convened in an emergency session this weekend after we learned that the Chief Scientist who developed the time travel technology at Tace Technologies was abducted in broad daylight from a restaurant in San Diego. As many of you are aware, this is a national security matter. We have strong evidence that indicates that the North Koreans may be behind this kidnapping.”

  All of the congressional representatives listening to Cordeiros had been briefed well in advance of his speech. Thanks to the media, news of the abduction had spread quickly around the world. Conspiracy theories varied widely by the reporting agency with some agencies even providing clues that there may have been foreign involvement in Ryan Graves’ disappearance. However, Congress also had access to confidential information directly from the FBI. For starters, the FBI had traceroutes of the network and computers used in the threatening electronic notes to Kris Harrison. More importantly, they also had the vehicle identification number of the van used in the abduction, which was traced back to a man associated with a Korean terrorist group. Congress was privy to these details. Although some of it had leaked to the media, they had no direction confirmation. In fact, the Washington Post had incorrectly reported that the van used in the kidnapping belonged to a group associated with the Russian mafia and not the North Koreans.

  On the Senate floor, Cordeiros continued to lobby for his new bill. “It is urgent that we consider the bill that my committee has proposed. If North Korea, or any unfriendly nation to the United States for that matter, possesses the capability to control time, they control the world’s fate. The balance of power is in their favor. Consider just this one example. Let’s suppose that we elect a president that refuses to continue relations with North Korea. North Korea would then have the ability to travel backwards in time and assassinate the president before he is ever elected into office. Unknowingly, we would elect a different president. Now, imagine that they can keep repeating this process by eliminating potential presidents until they finally approve of our chief executive. They have determined our president on our behalf and we are none the wiser.”

  Silence filled the room.

  “Think about other possible uses of time travel to control global politics. They are endless. This power is too great. Thus it is a matter of national security, if not global security, and we must act immediately on this issue!”

  Cordeiros intentionally paused to allow his colleagues time to absorb the information and to consider the possible consequences. He wanted to instill a sense of fear before introducing his bill. “The kidnapping of a key scientist is unfortunate and our thoughts and prayers are with his family. At this very minute, our executive branch and our very capable law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly on this issue. However, as lawmakers, we must consider the protection of every American citizen at this moment and we have a critical laboratory in San Diego that must be preserved and kept safe. Legislation is our role in this matter, and we must fulfill our job. Therefore, the first measure of my bill mandates the President to use military resources to defend all of the key scientists and admini
strators involved in the time travel project and to place Tace Technologies headquarters under immediate federal protection. Ladies and gentlemen, this is urgent and we must act now.”

  Another deliberate pause by Cordeiros allowed the members of the senate to slowly digest his first proposal, before he began with the second of a two-part proposal. “My bill also includes a moratorium on any time travel experiments involving humans. Let me be clear that I am not proposing that we prevent science from this amazing discovery – lab animal experiments will still be allowed during this moratorium. But until we understand the impacts of time travel, it is too dangerous to give a man or woman the ability to travel in time and affect our future or our past. My committee will begin immediate panel hearings and interview experts in this field. Only after we have presented our findings to this group, and have established any necessary laws, will we remove the moratorium on human time travel.”

  Cordeiros was about to open the floor to debate before he remembered an additional item. “One more thing to consider. I suggest that if we approve this bill, that we begin working with international bodies immediately to adopt and enforce this as a global law. As you may recall, the founder of Tace Technologies has a history avoiding laws by relocating beyond our borders. Therefore, it is important that we prosecute any U.S. company involved with an unlawful experiment regardless of where the experiment is conducted.”

  It was a short debate. The weekend news coverage of the event had caused immense public hysteria and most of Cordeiros’ colleagues, whether they were supporters of his larger agenda or not, agreed that immediate action was required. Ninety-one senators approved the bill. With such large support, Senator Cordeiros knew that it would have no difficulties the rest of the way to the White House. He was ecstatic. For Cordeiros, it was the most successful bill he had passed in his years in the Senate. Ninety percent of his colleagues voted in his favor.

  David Kim waited for Senator Cordeiros in his office. It was shortly past noon when his boss returned for a quick lunch in between meetings. “Well done,” said David. “That passed a lot easier than I thought it would.”

  Cordeiros replied, “Slam dunk. That’s how you generate interest for a bill and get it past the bureaucrats.”

  “If only we had friends that could help us with every initiative,” David remarked with a slight wink.

  The sly gesture was well understood by Cordeiros. “Indeed. Yes, indeed.”

  “The publicity you generated in the past hour is also amazing. You’ve already been dubbed as The Time Crusader. Fitting title, I suppose. Look at these blogs.”

  On Cordeiros’ large wall-mounted computer display, David flashed references of news headlines and blogs covering the events that had transpired earlier in the Senate. Senator Cordeiros was in the spotlight, exactly where he wanted to be.

  “Good,” said Cordeiros. “Let’s maximize this political capital that we’ve achieved. Now, it’s time for the next step in our plan. Our committee hearings will begin immediately. I want the experts that we’ve identified flown here immediately to testify. And bring me Sean Harrison. I want him here no later than Wednesday.”

  Chapter 24

  On an early Wednesday morning in Washington D.C., dark, threatening clouds rolled into the sky directly above Capitol Hill. Sean Harrison looked up into the blackening sky and hoped that it was not a bad sign. He was tired and jetlagged from an all-day commercial flight that had taken most of his Tuesday, and even worse, he was irritated that the government had subpoenaed him at the last minute for the start of a special Senate hearing. Unlike the warm weather he’d left behind in San Diego, it was forty degrees colder in the nation’s capital. Fall has arrived early on the east coast, he thought to himself as he zipped his twenty-six year old leather coat up to his neckline.

  Sean was amazed at the changes in Washington. It had been decades since he had been to the city. Technological advancement was apparent in certain parts of the city, but not others. It was not too different than what he had seen in San Diego after waking up after a quarter of a century from cryogenic suspension. Although a bit of the city was not recognizable because of the changes over the decades, its historic landmarks remained untouched. The White House. Lincoln Memorial. Washington Monument. They all looked exactly the same. The Capitol Building was no different.

  Sean reached Capitol Hill fifteen minutes early for the start of the Time Regulation Committee’s senate hearing. After he casually introduced himself at the reception of the Capitol Building, a security guard escorted him down the hall of the famous building to Room SD-342.

  The décor of Room SD-342 was not surprisingly old-fashioned. An exquisite white marble filled the back wall, with a magnificent United States Senate seal at its dead center. Directly in front of the seal, black leather chairs lined a large table draped with a dark red cloth, designed for the five senators that would conduct the proceedings. Sean read the nameplate of the empty seat directly in front of the senate seal. It read, Mr. Cordeiros, Chairman.

  Sean took his seat at a small desk in the middle of the room, facing towards the senate seal. Although the committee members had not yet arrived, they would look down upon him during the hearings from behind their intimidating, larger table. He retrieved his notebook from his bag and scribbled the names of each of the five nameplates onto a small piece of paper. Reading the senate nameplates from his left to his right, he wrote, Mrs. Schumacher, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Cordeiros, Mrs. Churchill and Mr. Klein. They were the five members of the special committee tasked with proposing rules and regulations to govern time travel.

  A few minutes before ten o’clock, the official start time, the first of the senators arrived. Senator Peterson took his place in his designated seat as the remaining members slowly trickled in. Senator Cordeiros was the last of the committee members to arrive, barely making it before the clock struck ten.

  “Good morning ladies and gentlemen,” said the chairman of the committee as he walked to the table. Cordeiros had opened the hearing before his buttocks even touched his middle seat. He immediately set the tone of the meeting. “We are here today to investigate the impacts of time, the changing of our timeline and the potential impacts of time travel itself. Science has brought us this astounding capability. And laws will protect us from its potential abuse.”

  Given that Sean’s table was between the senators and the entrance, he had to turn and look behind him to see the audience that Cordeiros was addressing. Slightly more than half of the seats were occupied at the start of the hearing.

  Cordeiros continued, “It is the mission of this committee to understand the capabilities of time travel and to recommend any appropriate laws to Congress. In these hearings, we will listen to the testimonies of physicists, psychologists, science fiction writers and other experts well versed in the science of time. We have with us today, to begin these hearings, the founder of Tace Technologies, Sean Harrison. In addition to founding the company, he is uniquely positioned to answer our questions today because of his experience with life suspension and time shifting.” He looked at Sean. “Mr. Harrison, thank you for joining us today. We will now begin these proceedings. Please raise your right hand and be sworn in.”

  Sean took the required oath to begin the session. He was alone in the middle of the marble colored room at a desk facing the five senators – who looked down upon him because of the elevation of their desks relative to his small desk. Behind him, he knew that dozens of eyes were watching him. It’s going to be a long day, he thought.

  The first question began from his far right. Senator Klein, of Massachusetts, started the interview. “Good morning Mr. Harrison.”

  “Good morning Senator.”

  “Let’s start first with the events last Friday evening. Were you with Ryan Graves, Chief Scientists at Tace Technologies, the night that he was abducted?”

  “Yes, I was having dinner with Ryan.”

  “Can you tell us what happened that night?”

 
Angrily, Sean answered, “With all due respect, I thought I was brought across the country on one day’s notice to answer questions about time travel, not a kidnapping investigation. If I’m going to be asked the same questions I have already answered for law enforcement agents in the investigation, I would prefer to be back in San Diego where I can actually help – to get my friend back.”

  Senator Klein was quick with an apology. “We are very truly sorry about your friend. Let me get to the point with my question. It is relevant to our conversation. Do you believe that a foreign entity is behind the kidnapping and could Ryan’s knowledge be used to reconstruct a time machine?”

  “I cannot confirm that North Koreans took Ryan, if that is what you’re asking. The FBI has their theories, but I cannot personally confirm them to be true. I can answer your second question. I believe that with enough time, that Ryan Graves has the knowledge in his head to recreate a time machine. Whether or not he would cooperate is unknown.”

  “Thank you,” Mr. Klein responded. “That is what we needed to know.”

  The senator sitting next to Senator Klein asked the next question. “Mr. Harrison, I’m Lynn Churchill. I have questions for you regarding who you believe should be allowed to travel.”

  “Sure, what are your questions?”

  “In your opinion, should the general public be allowed to time travel, or should it be restricted to our government’s resources?”

  “It was developed by the private industry and it should be an option for all the citizens of this great nation.”

  Senator Churchill challenged Sean with additional questions. “Would that include children? How about convicted felons?”

  “I haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” Sean admitted.

  “Mr. Harrison, if it is open to the general public as you suggest, should it be restricted to those qualified with a license? Such as the license requirement to drive a car or fly a plane?”