by John M Grier
~***~
Back at Freedom Base, Jack and Suzie were discussing what just happened. Jack was greatly disturbed by the government coming to collect Paul. He had Suzie searching the web for any information about him. Assuming he had been arrested despite the fancy clothes Janet was wearing, he feared the worse. Contemplating what to do, he was greatly surprised to hear Suzie say “Jack, Paul is calling.”
“Paul! What just happened? I’ve been worried sick thinking you were just arrested!”
“It was the weirdest thing” said Paul. He then proceeded to fill Jack in on what was said during the ride home. When he got to the end of his story, Jack began laughing. He laughed so hard he actually fell out of his chair! Paul naturally had no idea what was so funny and in an indignant voice said “I fail to see the humor in this situation.”
This just made Jack laugh that much harder. Finally, he said “Paul, you may not believe me, but I think Janet likes you.”
“She likes me? She makes my life miserable! She’s always butting in and doing things for ‘my own good’. I wish she would just leave me alone!”
Still trying to gain control of his mirth, Jack said “Maybe that’s just her way of trying to tell you she is interested.”
“But she’s a government worker, I’m a civilian. The two never mix. You must be wrong” said Paul. “However, some good news did come out of all this. She said she followed my signal and that I was out here all alone. Obviously, she had no way of detecting you.”
“That is what I’ve been trying to tell you. I am not from this time. I was born more than a thousand years ago!”
“As crazy as it sounds, I’m beginning to believe you.”
“But it also throws another ‘wrench’ into the gears, so to speak. If she can follow you that closely, how will we ever get to the dig site again?” Neither man had an answer for that and decided to sleep on it and get back together in the morning. Maybe something will present itself by then.
