Time Leap
by Steve Howrie
How many of us have wished for the ability to travel through time? With such a power we could save loved ones from personal tragedy, prevent major World disasters and catch a glimpse of what the future holds in store for us. Joe Cooper has found such a power – and uses it. Together with his partner Niki Ling and Russian hit-man Smirnoff they embark on a series of mind-boggling adventures.How many of us have wished for the ability to travel through time? With such a power we could avert past wrongs, save loved ones from personal tragedy, prevent major World disasters and catch a glimpse of what the future holds in store for us. Joe Cooper has found such a power – and uses it. Together with his partner Niki Ling and Russian hit-man Smirnoff they embark on a series of adventures in an attempt to change the world for the better. But, as they soon discover, altering events in one reality can have alarming effects in another.Whilst waiting to board his plane to New York from London Heathrow, Joe discovers that the mobile phone his Chinese wife Niki gave him for his birthday has one function that other phones just don’t have: the ability to travel through time. Confused by finding himself in the year 2001, and astonished at becoming a real-life time traveller, he attempts to use the situation to stop the 9/11 World Trade Centre attack, which is due to happen that day.Returning to his London home in the present time, he discovers that his actions have had a far greater affect than he could ever have imagined. Not only events, but his wife’s memories have been changed to in order to accommodate the new future he has engineered. He attempts to prove to her that he can travel though time, and eventually Niki has to believe him. This prompts the two to embark on a series of time travelling adventures in an attempt to change the past, and thereby affect the future. Their travels inevitably bring them into contact with other versions of themselves in past and future time zones, with mind-boggling consequences.Finding the need to assassinate an evil dictator in order to avert World War Three, they employ the services of a Russian hit-man called Smirnoff, recommended by Niki’s Chinese uncle. Smirnoff also helps prevent the death of Diana, Princess of Wales – though again with consequences they had never envisioned. At other times, they use their amazing gift to become time tourists for a while, visiting ancient China (where they narrowly escape with their lives) and a civilisation predating the ancient Egyptians - the Boskops. Curiosity finally drives them to find out what the World will look like in two thousand years’ time. Again, they take Smirnoff with them - only this time he steals the phone from Simon, preventing the time-travelling duo from returning to the present and condemning them to live in a disaster-hit Scotland in the year 4,200 CE. Or so they think.