Chapter Six
Lucky picked up the phone and dialed Jack Kinsey’s number. Jack was at one time CIA Director Dirk Sommerville’s second in command. It was money that had made Jack an accomplice to Sommerville’s evil plot to kill Lucky, money he needed for medical expenses related to a surgery his son so desperately needed. But to his credit, once Jack was free of Sommerville, due to his mysterious disappearance, he aligned himself with Lucky and was instrumental in helping him capture a terrorist and thwart his goons from dispersing nuclear suitcase bombs to major cities in the United States. When Kinsey answered, Lucky told him he was calling from the safehouse and explained the Russians’ intentions. Lucky filled him in on Doctor Henry Lindstrom and his invention.
“We have a Russian operative chained in the safehouse in Astoria, Queens,” Lucky said. “Jack, my suggestion is to get some people over here as quickly as you can and take this guy to the compound to debrief him. Do me a favor, Jack. Make sure you send enough men so that some can stay at the safehouse to corral the others that will be coming. We were told to expect them tomorrow morning. The Russian was using a DirecTV truck so you might as well take that with you too. Who knows? You might find something useful in it.”
Lucky brought Jack up to date all the while trying hard to contain his anger.
“How the hell did the Russians get their hands on a copy of the tape Dirk Sommerville took of me, Jack? I thought all the records were destroyed.”
“Lucky,” Jack responded, “I didn’t know another tape existed. We destroyed all the records. I have no idea where that tape came from, but I intend to find out. I’m putting a call into my boss, Murray Manheimmer to see if he knows anything. I can tell you this, if I didn’t know about this mystery tape then, I’ll bet everything I own now that nobody else does either. This will be news to Manheimmer.”
“Jack, get on this right away. I need to know what I’m up against.”
“I’ll get right on it Lucky. I’ll have men on their way to the safehouse the minute we hang up. Two of them will bring the Russian to me and I’ll work on him as soon as he gets here. The rest of the men will stay behind like you asked.”
“Sounds good and Jack, just so you know, I’m leaving town tonight with the professor, but I’ll be in touch with you periodically using an encrypted satellite phone.”
“Gotcha,” Jack answered. “Take care of yourself, Lucky. I have you covered on this end.”
Lucky placed the phone down and retrieved another cell phone from his coat pocket, this one a temporary, pre-paid phone. He made a call to Charlie Hodge in Alice Springs, Australia. Once he got Charlie on the phone, he asked how he would like a few houseguests for a while, already knowing the answer. Charlie was a friend from way back. Lucky had met him when he escaped from the CIA compound through a portal in the jail. When Lucky emerged, he found himself in the bush, the Australian Outback. After traveling for a day along the river scouting out the area and searching for a new portal, Charlie, traveling in his old beat up truck, happened to see Lucky walking along the road. He stopped to give him a lift. Lucky was so grateful to him that he bought him a new truck and a new friendship was forged, a strong one. Yes, Lucky could have retreated to the original portal and returned to the compound, but what use was that? He needed a safe haven and Charlie provided it.
“Good,” Lucky answered, “cause we’re arriving day after tomorrow late afternoon,” he chuckled and so did Charlie. Just like Lucky, Charlie thought – always the thrill seeking, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type of guy. “I’ll ring you when we’re just about a half hour from landing,” Lucky said and then hung up.
Charlie was happy to be having guests at his ranch. It was a pleasant change from the lonely solitary life he led. Whenever Lucky visited, he always brought excitement with him.
The Alice Springs airport has two runways. The largest can accommodate a Boeing 747 or 777. Lucky and entourage landed on the larger one. The only scheduled flights to use the airport are normally domestic, although international charters do occasionally fly in. The airport is not subject to a curfew and operates twenty-four hours a day. Charlie, as planned, was there to meet them just as they touched down. With Charlie’s help, the passengers loaded their gear into the back of his truck then Sam, Mickey and Professor Lindstrom hopped inside. Nicky, Bobby Boots and Dukie followed behind in a cab. About an hour later, they arrived at the ranch. Charlie showed each of his guests to their rooms. Each, but the professor, agreed that a nice shower and a cozy bed might be what they needed as the trip was a long one, over twenty hours. As nice as the private plane was, equipped with loungers and beds, there was still no substitution for a bed on the ground.
Charlie asked the professor if he’d like to take a quick tour of the ranch. He readily agreed and the two of them began a slow walk around the property as Charlie pointed here and there, explaining what everything did. But it was the barn that caught the professor’s eye. It was a large. One section held stacks and rows of hay and another was the horse stalls. The professor knew he could build his flying machine, here if Charlie would first agree and if Lucky would allow it.
Lucky’s vision, his secret ability, remained the same. No matter where he looked, he could see it, that energy field surrounding every object. Whatever he looked at spewed this force field as if he were looking at a solar flare. He began to recognize a system to the time portals, those mystical gateways into the past, the doors to cultures and countries ripe with history, the avenues of explanation, the foundation of today. Every portal he discovered seemed to have a second portal nearby, and at times multiple portals. At the compound in Ossining, New York, Lucky had discovered two portals, and while in twelfth century England, at the castle, he discovered two more portals. At the Coliseum, he discovered two portals. At the Great Pyramid he discovered four, but here in Australia, so far he had only seen one, the one he had discovered while being detained at the compound’s prison, the one that had landed him right here on Charlie’s ranch and the one responsible for their friendship. According to past experience, there had to be another portal. He would look for it the following day.
The next morning, Lucky arose early and knowing that Charlie, being the rancher he was, would be up, asked his friend to take him for a tour of the Outback.
“What time do you want to leave?“
“Now,” Lucky answered.
“Well, dang, Lucky, what are we waiting for?”
The men piled into Charlie’s new truck and headed out. The truck made a right onto Undoolya Road. Undoolya turned into Stott Terrace. They continued on Stott Terrace for a while, made a left onto Telegraph Terrace and drove past Traiger Park. Charlie made a sharp left, almost a U turn, and drove onto Gap Road which took them back to Undoolya Road. The men continued on Undoolya, chatting and talking about old times, as they drove for about forty-five minutes until the road ended. Charlie pulled over, put the truck in four-wheel drive, and the two buddies drove for what seemed like hours until they were deep into what appeared to be completely uncharted territory.
“Damn, Charlie,” Lucky said. “I have a good sense of direction but every mile we drive looks the same as the miles we’ve already traveled. Good thing there’s a river beside us. It’s the only thing keeping me focused right now.
Charlie laughed and said, “And we’re not even there yet.”
They drove and drove until Lucky finally spotted something familiar. It was the copse of woods, the area where he landed after making his way through the prison portal.
“There,” Lucky pointed. “Head that way.”
Charlie pointed the truck in that direction.
“Stop here,” Lucky said as they approached the outer rim of the woods. Charlie obliged and parked the truck near the river close to the woods.
Lucky and Charlie hopped out and began to walk around. Unbeknownst to Charlie, Lucky was hoping to find a second portal he believed had to exist. It was almost like a given now – find one portal, find two . . . or
more . . . close by.
Charlie was a friend so Lucky thought he had earned the right to know what he was searching for. As they walked through the trees and shrubbery, Lucky explained how Dirk had him set up to be killed and the full sequence of events leading up to his unusual gift.
Charlie listened attentively, cocked his head, and spouted off, “Now Lucky, I might be a rancher. I might not have the world’s greatest academic education but never take a rancher or a farmer for a fool. What the . . . ? Seeing things? Invisible doors? Lucky, I believe you when you say that that explosion hurt your head. I really do.”
Lucky just smiled and put his arm around Charlie and said, “Charlie, I know it’s hard to believe, what I’m telling you, but if I find it, what I’m looking for, then I’ll take you with me so you can experience it for yourself, and then you’ll understand that what I’ve told you is the God’s honest truth.”
Charlie looked at him, shook his head, and said, “Jesus, Lucky, I only met you a short while ago, but I took to you and I don’t do that with many people. I never had so much excitement at one time in my life as the times you’ve been here. Okay, sure. If you want me to believe you, then hell, I believe you mate. I trust you like you’re my own kin so yeah, I’ll play along. I believe you. Don’t worry, Lucky, I know that you’re telling me the truth, even if it’s the truth as you know it to be,” he said with a wink.
Lucky smiled and shook his head. How could he blame the guy? It was preposterous, the whole notion of “seeing” energy and walking through energy “doors.”
The men walked deeper into the woods as Lucky, slowly and methodically searched for a second portal. After hours of walking and talking, Lucky had had enough for the day. He told Charlie that he would like to return tomorrow and start fresh. Charlie agreed, stating, “Lucky, we can search as long as you want. To be honest, I’m right here in the woods where I was meant to be and having some company to tour the Outback with me is just fine, mate.”
The men turned and began their walk back to the truck. As they did, there was a movement, a lot of it, making noise, a lot of that, too. Lucky’s eyes opened wide and he froze into position. Charlie kept walking and as he did, it jumped out in front of him. Charlie turned to find Lucky with an odd look on his face and Charlie burst out laughing.
“What’s the matter, Lucky? You see portals, but you’ve never seen a skippy?” He bent over laughing. Lucky chimed in.
“Yeah, well, back where I’m from, we don’t normally have kangaroos hopping around in the woods!” he said as he, too, laughed. “I’ve been in some crazy positions, Charlie, but I just didn’t expect that out here, in all this peace and quiet.”
“Lucky,” Charlie said. “You’d have thought you’d seen Bunyip.” And he howled some more.
“Bunyip?”
“Yeah, mate. Look it up some time. Mystical Aboriginal creature. He lurks here in the Outback.” And he laughed again.
“Very funny, Charlie. Very funny,” Lucky said as he walked toward him.
The men walked around the outer ring of the woods, along the river toward the truck and as they rounded a path, there it was. The portal was right between two trees adjacent to the river. Lucky put out his both arms, signaling Charlie to stop, and said a little louder than he had intended, “I found it.”
Chapter Seven
Charlie held on for dear life as he gripped his fingers around Lucky’s belt inside the portal. When they reached the end, they looked out at the scene before them – a small stone bridge with two arches supporting it, suspended over a small, almost dry, river leading up to a picturesque little village. Lucky checked to see if anyone was around and gave the all-clear for Charlie, still holding his belt, to step outside.
“Where are we going?” Charlie asked.
“Let’s just walk in the direction of the bridge and see where it takes us,” Lucky answered.
“Hey, Lucky,” Charlie said.
“Yeah?”
“Remind me to never, ever question you, mate, for the rest of my life. Matter of fact, you have my word. This is surreal.”
“Yeah, well, I can’t say I blame you, Charlie,” Lucky said as he let out a small laugh.
Lucky and Charlie walked until they crossed the bridge. Off to the left and a little in the distance, they could see the hub of a town so they headed in that direction. As they entered the village, they passed a building on the right that had the number 1803 in large letters over the entrance of a building called the Beddgelert Hotel. Only later would the men learn that the name was eventually changed to the Royal Goat Hotel and that part of the village between the Royal Goat Hotel and the church was mainly built in the 1900s. Even though the area of Bwthyn Llewellyn dated back to the late 1500s and Church Street to the early 1800s, there were no traces of them as the buddies walked through the town. As they walked, Lucky kept looking for any other portals along the way. They passed through the village and walked south following the footpath along the banks of the Glaslyn leading to Beddgelert's most famous historical feature, Gelert's Grave, the final resting place of Prince Llewelyn's faithful hound. They stood for a moment taking in the story as written on the tombstone:
"In the 13th Century Llewelyn, prince of North Wales, had a palace at Beddgelert. One day he went hunting without Gelert, ‘The Faithful Hound’, who was unaccountably absent.
On Llewelyn's return the truant, stained and smeared with blood, joyfully sprang to meet his master. The prince alarmed hastened to find his son, and saw the infant's cot empty, the bedclothes and floor covered with blood.
The frantic father plunged his sword into the hound's side, thinking it had killed his heir. The dog's dying yell was answered by a child's cry. Llewelyn searched and discovered his boy unharmed, but nearby lay the body of a mighty wolf, which Gelert had slain.
The prince filled with remorse is said never to have smiled again. He buried Gelert here".
It was a sad story and one that was legendary, yet no one knew for sure if it was true or pure folklore.
Charlie and Lucky headed back toward the portal. Charlie was now a believer. What he had just experienced was nothing short of amazing – Wales in the 1800’s, and this for a guy who had never left Alice Springs, Australia. On the drive back to his ranch, Charlie was mostly quiet, still trying to absorb what had happened and Lucky became pensive, trying to decide how best to tackle his next feat – that of securing a location for the professor’s creation – his spaceship invention. Charlie had a lot of idle land, so now was as good a time as any. That was the real purpose of the trip anyway.
“Charlie,” Lucky said, breaking the silence, “I need a large area, a few acres of property, quiet, remote. I need to rent it for a while as we work on a project. Needs to be enclosed and private.”
Charlie looked up with his eyebrow arched a bit, and said, “Hold on now, Lucky. What the heck are you up to? Nothing funny going on here, is it? Nothing . . . illegal?”
“No, no, Charlie, nothing like that. Oh no, what from CIA to what, meth manufacturer? No, no, I give you my word that it isn’t anything at all like that.” He laughed. “But I take no offense at the question.”
“Well, then, let’s see what we can do,” Charlie said.
“Tell ya what,” Lucky added. “If you build another barn somewhere on your property, not only will I pay for it, but I’ll also pay you to allow me to rent the property while we work on this project of ours.”
“Dang, Lucky, that’s a pretty good deal. I’ll have a construction crew over tomorrow afternoon.”
Lucky went on to explain how that when they left, Charlie would then have the barn to expand his ranch, add more horses, have a bigger space for dairy cows; whatever he chose. Both men agreed – it was a win/win all the way around. Lindstrom could live and work there in total privacy and Charlie would inherit a great real estate addition to his land.
The following morning, Lucky could smell the coffee and bacon as he came down the stairs. Charlie was busy on the
phone lining up construction crews and ordering materials for delivery later in the day. That afternoon, just before three p.m., two large flatbed tractors arrived, carrying a heavy load of lumber and most of the other materials needed to build the barn. At seven the next morning, the work crew arrived. After eating a quick breakfast, compliments of Charlie, they left and joined their foreman who was standing at a picnic table, in front of where the barn would be built, with the plans spread out, the table brought there for that purpose alone. It would serve as the foreman’s table of “operations.” The foreman glanced once again at the blueprints and gave instructions to each man who quickly set about assuming his role in the building of the new structure.
The new barn would be built farther down from the existing barn, left of the ranch house. To the right of the present standing barn was a horse stable and, next to that, a corral. Beyond the corral, the new structure would stand, with ample space to expand to the left into the vacant property on that side. The house itself was rather spacious, with a six car, covered garage extending out from the right side, but built so that it had continuity with the building. Behind the home was a large parking area with a covered walkway leading to the rear entrance door and eight foot patio. Charlie’s ranch was beautiful, but quite run down and in dire need of repair. As a bachelor living in the Outback, receiving few visitors, Charlie saw no need to borrow money for repairs. Lucky had just solved that issue by investing in its upkeep with a new barn, even adding guest cottages in the back so Charlie could expand his business by making it a dude ranch and taking in tourists.
The Time Portal 2: Escape in Time Page 5