Time Trap

by Danele J Rotharmel

  Peter shook his head. “If that were the case, Poppa’s NewGen Crew would be taking a more active role in what’s happening.”

  Laura bit her lip and stared out the windshield. “So, basically, we’re facing an unknown foe with an unknown way of traveling through time.”

  “Basically.”

  “That’s encouraging,” she muttered dryly.

  Silence fell as the car ate up the miles between Nicki’s house and the abandoned mirror factory. As they left the city and turned onto country roads, Laura unfolded the map. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, she said softly, “Our turn’s up ahead.”

  Spotting an overgrown dirt lane, Peter hit the brakes. “Here? Are you sure?”

  Laura studied the map and nodded. “Turn left. The factory’s four miles down the road.”

  “You call that weed patch a road? I’m going to kill the suspension in the ruts.”

  “You’d better not. Think how hard it’d be for Nicki to explain a damaged car to her parents. Go slow and be careful.”

  Nodding, Peter turned onto the dirt road. He crept along, dodging potholes and trying not to drag bottom. As overgrown weeds scraped the undercarriage of the car, he slowed even further. Eventually, he pulled up next to a chain link fence topped with razor wire. Stopping in front of a padlocked gate, he looked at the sprawling factory complex. It housed eight buildings, several of which were over three stories high. There were thousands of places where a woman could be hidden away.

  Beside him, Laura groaned. “How are we ever going to find her?”

  “We’ll look for signs of recent activity. Spider wants us to fall into his trap—he’s going to make sure we find his parlor.” Peter stared at the road. It forked and went in two directions around the perimeter fence. “This way,” he said, pointing to the fork on the left. “The weeds look bruised in that direction.”

  Laura gave a ghost of a smile. “Thus speaks the mighty Indian scout, eh?”

  “Just call me Cochise,” he replied, turning onto the left fork.

  “Cochise was an Apache leader, not a scout.”

  “I’m sure he did some tracking in his time.” Peter slowly weaved the car between giant potholes. “Keep your eyes open, Sacagawea.”

  They’d gone halfway around the complex when Laura exclaimed, “Stop! The fence is cut behind that tree.”

  Peter parked and got out to inspect the chain link fence. “This has to be it,” he said, bending over to examine the hole. “Let’s go.”

  “Wait, a sec,” she said, running to the car and retrieving a couple of backpacks. “While you were fiddling around with the Scan Emitter, I packed some supplies.” She tossed him a bag. “If this takes longer than we expect, I thought it might be wise to have some flashlights. I don’t want to be bumbling around in the dark when the sun sets.”

  Peter slipped on the backpack. “I was so focused on getting to the factory that I didn’t even think about gearing up. What else did you pack?”

  “First aid supplies, blankets, water, and food,” she grimly replied. “We don’t know what condition Phoebe’s going to be in when we find her. I thought we’d better be prepared.”

  “Miss Marvel strikes again,” Peter said softly. Clearing his throat, he asked, “Should we take the Scan Emitter or lock it in the trunk?”

  “I honestly don’t know,” she replied. “Either way holds risk. I hate to leave it in the car, but I’d hate even more for Spider to get his hands on Dan’s invention.”

  Nodding, he tucked the Scan Emitter beneath the spare tire. After locking the trunk, he knelt down and hooked the keys beneath the car. Seeing Laura’s puzzled expression, he said, “If things get hairy, we could lose the keys. I don’t want to have to try my hand at hotwiring.” Standing, he made a valiant attempt at a grin. “Are you ready to find Spider, my fellow fly?”

  “That’s what we came for, isn’t it?” she replied in a businesslike voice.

  Peter watched as she shouldered her pack. He stood for a moment staring at the sun glinting off her red hair. Trying not to worry, he pushed the sliced sides of the chain link fence further apart so she could slip through.

  * * *

  Thomas shuffled down the hospital corridor, wiping sweat from his brow. The day had been full of difficult decisions, and he wasn’t sure he’d handled them correctly. He’d be glad when Dan resumed command of TEMCO. Personally, he didn’t like the responsibility. When he reached Gil’s hospital room, he pasted a smile on his face and knocked.

  “Good to see you, Tom,” Sam said, opening the door. “Come in.”

  Leaning forward, Thomas whispered, “I need to talk with you later.”

  Sam’s blue eyes filled with concern as he nodded.

  Walking into the room, Thomas saw Jay snoozing cozily on his grandmother’s shoulder. Gil was propped up by pillows, and Dan was curled next to her on her bed. Nicki was laughing, and cards were strewn across the blanket, indicating he’d just interrupted a game.

  Looking at Gil, Thomas felt the knot in his chest loosening. For the first time since her surgery, he was able to see color in her cheeks. He peered over at his boss and smiled. Dan seemed much more relaxed—his eyes were sparkling as he kissed his wife’s nose and tugged one of her curls. Thomas sighed. Whatever the outcome, he’d been right in keeping Dan and Gil in the dark.

  “Pull up a chair,” Dan said. “We’ll teach you how to play Up and Down the River.”

  Thomas smiled. “Thank you, my boy. That sounds delightful.”

  “If you’re gonna play with us, you’d better watch out for Gil.” Nicki laughed. “She’s on fire! She’s won five games in a row.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Peter walked swiftly through tall, tangled weeds with Laura by his side. Together, they headed for the closest building. It was a solidly built, three-story structure. As they approached the door, he gave Laura a glance. She had beads of sweat dotting her forehead, and her pale face was set in grim lines. He knew she was frightened, but he also knew she’d never agree to wait outside.

  “Should we break a window?” she asked.

  “We don’t have to,” he replied, pointing at the door. It was hanging slightly ajar, and above the doorknob, a rudimentary sketch of a spider was scratched into the paint.

  “How nice of Spider to leave his calling card,” she said dryly, nudging the door open with her foot. “At least we know we’re at the right place.”

  Peter nodded. “All we need now is a winding staircase.”

  * * *

  Thomas wiped a shaking hand across his brow. Gil was being relentless in her attempt to ferret out details about Laura and Peter’s “trip to Alaska,” and he was having a hard time answering her questions.

  “Has Laura’s mom finally given Peter her blessing?” Gil asked, shuffling the cards.

  “I’m afraid I haven’t heard from Laura today,” he lied. “The phone lines are still down.”

  Gil cut the deck and began dealing the cards. “But how did Laura sound the last time you talked? Did she seem to think that Peter would get the green light? Tell me again what Mrs. Nelson said when they arrived.”

  “I…ah…well, let me think.” Thomas tugged at his collar. Gil was obviously deriving great enjoyment from the pseudo-courtship, but he wasn’t used to deception, and he was having trouble keeping his details straight. In desperation, he looked over at Sam.

  Sam jumped to his feet. “Tom, I’m starving. How about we go down to the cafeteria and grab a bite to eat?”

  Feeling a rush of relief, Thomas passed his cards back to Gil. “I’ll admit, I’m famished. Sue, would you like to join us?”

  “Hey, wait,” Gil sputtered, as Sam handed her his cards. “I wanna hear what Laura—”

  “I’d love to get some food,” Sue said, putting Jay into Dan’s arms. “And Nicki should come too. The nurse said the cafeteria is serving spaghetti tonight.”

  Gil struggled up on her elbow. “But Tom didn’t tell me what Pe
ter—”

  “Shh!” Sue chided, giving Gil’s forehead a kiss. “He can tell you about it later. Sam needs to eat, or his blood sugar will dip too low. Besides, new parents need quality time alone with their babies. You snuggle up with Dan, and we’ll be back before you know it.”

  Before Gil could object again, Thomas shepherded everyone through the door. Out in the corridor, Sam immediately asked for an update on the day’s real events. Everyone listened in silence as Thomas told them about the mirror factory. When he came to the verdict about the Scan Emitter, he asked in concern, “Do you think I made the right decision?”

  “You made the only decision possible,” Sam replied. “Danny would’ve offered his invention freely if he’d been asked.”

  “That’s what I thought too.” Thomas looked over at Nicki. “I made another troubling decision, and it concerns you.”

  The teenager frowned and pressed the elevator button. “Are you sending me home?”

  “Not yet. You need to remain here until your house is deemed safe.” He pulled at his collar. “My decision revolved around an unexpected visitor who came to the lab today. It was Nicole Cunning—your older-self.”

  The teenager choked on her chewing gum. “Say what?”

  “I know,” Thomas murmured. “It was most astonishing. Nicole would like to show you her paintings. I believe she’s achieved considerable success in her field.”

  Nicki’s eyes turned luminous. “Can I go? Can I meet her?”

  “It’s already been arranged,” he replied. “Tomorrow night, Nicole is having an exhibition at a prestigious gallery here in town.” He turned to Sue and Sam. “Would you be able to chaperone Nicki?”

  “It’d be our pleasure,” Sam replied. “In fact, we’ll make a day of it. We’ll show Nicki the capital and do the whole tourist thing.”

  “Really?” Nicki asked in excitement.

  Sam gave her a teasing grin. “Sure. And if you’re extra good, we’ll even treat you to Dos Maracas for supper.”

  “One more thing,” Thomas said. “Zeke offered to drive you to the gallery tomorrow night. He knows how much traffic bothers you. I thought it considerate of the boy to offer.”

  Sam’s eyes flickered. He glanced at his wife.

  “Tell Zeke we’ll appreciate his help,” Sue said calmly. “We’ll meet him in Hawking Hall’s parking lot at seven p.m.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Taking one last look at the spider scratched into the paint, Laura walked through the door. The abandoned building smelled strongly of rodent droppings and mold. Looking over at Peter, she saw him ostentatiously plugging his nose. Her lips twitched. She took another cautious step forward. Before her was a huge, empty storage room with a cement floor. The windows were boarded up, and shadows loomed. As she walked further inside, dead beetles crunched beneath her shoes. Thick cobwebs glued themselves to her face. Shuddering, she brushed them away.

  “I think we need the flashlights,” Peter whispered in her ear. “I’m glad you brought them.”

  Laura nodded and flicked hers on, shining the beam around the yawning expanse. She noticed places on the floor where the dust had been disturbed, but she couldn’t see any trace of Phoebe. Shining her light in a corner, she caught her breath.

  “Over there!” she hissed, clutching Peter’s hand.

  Peter put his arm around her waist and drew her protectively to his side. She didn’t object. Standing silently, she stared at the winding stairs gleaming in the beam of her flashlight.

  * * *

  After supper, Sam skillfully guided Gil’s conversation away from the subject of Peter and Laura. He could tell that Thomas was appreciating his efforts, but after several hands of cards, Thomas pleaded weariness and said he needed to walk Prixty.

  Rising to his feet, Sam put the deck of cards in his son’s hands. “Why don’t you show Nicki some card tricks while your mother and I walk Tom to the elevator?”

  “Oh, Dan, please do,” Gil said with a smile. “Show Nicki the one about the four robbers. I love that one. And then do the magician’s nose.”

  Dan grinned and began sorting through the deck to retrieve the jacks.

  On the bed, Gil gave a happy crow. “Now, Nicki, watch closely and see if you can tell how the jacks end up on top of the deck. It took me three months to figure it out.”

  Dan’s eyes twinkled. “I thought I was going to get tendonitis in my hands—you were so persistent. You made me do the trick over and over until you got it.”

  “You big ham! Admit it! You loved all my attention.”

  Dan flashed his wife a grin and shuffled the cards.

  Leaving the room, Sam heard Dan saying to Nicki, “One night, there were four robbers named Jack who decided to rob a house. The first robber crawled through the shrubbery—”

  As Sam closed the door, Sue smiled. “I still remember you teaching Danny and Peter that trick when they were boys.”

  “Me too,” Sam murmured, taking her hand. “Time sure flies.”

  The elevator doors slid open. As Thomas stepped inside, Sam said, “Tell Peter and Laura hello for us when you talk to them.”

  “I will,” Thomas replied, “but, hopefully, they’ll be back tomorrow night with Phoebe, and you can talk to them yourself. Let me know if anything hinders you from taking Nicki to the gallery. I’ll take her myself if you get in a pinch.”

  “I doubt anything’ll come up.”

  “In that case, I’ll tell Zeke to meet you at Hawking Hall.”

  Sam’s lips twitched. Before he could reply, Sue spoke up, “Tell Zeke we appreciate his kindness.”

  Thomas nodded.

  As the elevator closed, Sam chuckled and said to his wife, “Now, what do you suppose is behind Zeke’s sudden desire to be our chauffeur? Traffic’s never bothered me—he knows that.”

  “Zeke has a good head on his shoulders,” Sue replied, squeezing his hand. “If he feels the need to be one of our party, I’ll trust his instincts—and so should you.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Laura stood at the bottom of the winding staircase and shined her light up into the darkness. Although it wasn’t logical, the blackness felt like it was waiting to swallow her whole. Squaring her shoulders, she put her foot on the first step.

  “No!” Peter exclaimed. “Get behind me. I’m going first.”

  Hearing an inflexibility in his voice that brooked no argument, Laura stepped back.

  “Keep close,” he whispered. “We know Spider has set a trap. I don’t want to lose you.”

  Deciding that the worry in his voice excused his slightly domineering tone, Laura nodded. As they started to climb, a cold breeze rushed down the stairs and ruffled her hair. Shivering, she tried to keep her teeth from chattering. When they arrived at the second floor, she looked around in despair at another empty storage room. There wasn’t any sign of Phoebe.

  “Maybe we’re on the wrong track,” she whispered.

  “Maybe,” he replied, “but I think I see a door toward the back.”

  Cautiously, they walked across the shadowy room to the door. Peter turned the knob. A lock released with an audible click.

  “Careful,” Laura warned. “That’s an automatic lock. If the door shuts behind us, we’ll be trapped.”

  As Peter propped the door open with his backpack, Laura stepped inside. The small, windowless room was empty except for a dirty mattress. Walls rose eighteen feet high, and without the flashlights, the frigid cement chamber would have been pitch black.

  Shaking her head, she backed out of the room. “This isn’t the right place. Phoebe’s prison has a wooden floor.”

  Peter nodded and removed his backpack. The door swung shut. The lock clicked into place.

  In silence, Laura followed Peter through the darkness. She could hear rodents scurrying away as they reached the staircase and climbed to the third floor. The beam of her flashlight illuminated cobwebs choked with dust. As she ducked under them, she tried to convince hersel
f that all the creepy-crawlies had long since died. Suddenly, she felt a spider running across her cheek. Biting back a shriek, she batted it away.

  “Will you inspect my hair for wildlife when we’re done?” she asked with a shudder.

  Glancing over his shoulder, Peter winked. “It would be my absolute pleasure, ma’am. Inspecting a gorgeous woman for spiders happens to be a de-finite perk of being out in the field.”

  Brushing away another web, Laura rolled her eyes. “You may convince everyone else that you’re a dignified man of science, Director Matthews—but I can see right through you. You’re just as much of a clown as you were back in college. You just dress better and have a bigger vocabulary.”

  “Don’t tell that to the staff and cadets.” He chuckled. “I need them shaking in their boots to maintain control.”

  As they reached the third-floor landing, Peter leaned forward to inspect a metal door that was blocking the stairway from the room beyond. “What do we have here?” he murmured.

  “Look,” Laura hissed, shining her flashlight at Peter’s feet. “This floor is made of wood—not cement.”

  “This could be it,” he whispered, turning the knob. “Keep your eyes open for a trap.”

  Laura felt her heart pounding as the door opened with a grinding groan. Stepping into the room, she gasped. Hundreds of candles were flickering along the floor. The walls were covered with mirrors, and the shivering lights were being reflected in a ghostly way.

  “The looking glass,” she murmured, putting her cold hand in Peter’s. “We’re in Spider’s parlor.”

  * * *

  Alexander Ableman studied the flames dancing in his fireplace. Although it was summer, evenings in the high Colorado Mountains were chilly. Realistically, he could simply turn up his thermostat, but there was something soothing about watching a fire. Besides, he loved the smell of burning pine. The fire snapped and popped, sending brightly winged sparks flying up the chimney. Outside, crickets and frogs were singing a united chorus as the sunset reached luxuriant fingers across the evening sky.