EMIT (THE EMIT SAGA)

by Barbara Cross

  “Now what?” I asked.

  “James said he’d look into it through NSA channels, but he thinks that the boys might have powerful connections and it was buried. I will be so disgusted, if that’s true.” Mom left the room.

  Daniel stared at the wall, deep in thought, and finally said, “Paige, EMIT has one week left before James orders us to start back at the beginning of the year to give us more time.”

  “But if you can keep going back in time, how can this attack happen? Don’t you keep trying until it’s stopped?” I asked.

  “No we can’t keep going back. The scientists can’t figure it out, but at a certain point time travel to certain years gets blocked. We can still enter those years but none of the changes we make stick. We try not to go back until we have no other options. The scientists thought that the definitive number of entries per year for changes was one hundred, but one year we got blocked at sixty entries and we don’t want a reoccurrence of what happened that year.”

  “What year?”

  “The year of 9/11.” All the chaos of that day began bombarding my brain. Dad was in London on business and Mom had picked me up early at school. We went and stayed at Aunt Cecile’s house when we were able to leave the city.

  “How many times has EMIT entered this year?”

  “Almost fifty.”

  “That’s why you kept saying that James didn’t want to waste a time travel trip for my arm and dad’s concussion. James doesn’t want this year to get blocked. What happens if you can’t stop this or the year gets blocked?” I asked, understanding that the event would happen.

  Daniel looked uncomfortable. “We’ll worry about that when we have to.”

  When we heard Mom coming downstairs, Daniel kissed me and said, “I better get going.”

  After he left, Mom said, “I’m taking Amber for a walk. Want to come?”

  “I’m really tired. I’m going to bed. I’ll clean this room in the morning, okay?”

  She said fine and gave me a kiss goodnight.

  Seeing my journal on the nightstand, I quickly jotted down the crazy events.

  Daniel called my cell. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, but I wish you were here.”

  “Me too. Now go to sleep and please have pleasant dreams tonight.”

  18. ENVELOPE

  “The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” Einstein

  The next morning, Daniel called my cell and woke me. “Morning, beautiful. Your mom just left to go to the hospital and I need to see your face.”

  Laughing, I said, “Give me fifteen minutes, I need a shower.”

  “Okay, I’ll run and get breakfast. What would you like?”

  “I would love a blueberry muffin and you, of course.”

  “Okay, you’ll have both shortly.”

  Jumping into the shower, I daydreamed about him. Remembering our last talk, I started thinking about this attack, the what-ifs, Daniel leaving and me not remembering him. I descended into a panic attack. By the time he arrived, I was in quite a state.

  “It’ll be okay. No matter what, we’ll figure it out.” Daniel’s confidence calmed me.

  “Anything new on those two guys you’re looking for?” I asked. “Gilbert and Farid, right?”

  “Yes. Unfortunately, we’re down to one. Gilbert, the banker, committed suicide.” That meant only Farid was left and that made me shudder.

  “Why didn’t your agents change that outcome?” I asked, perplexed since they were watching him.

  “We found out where he was and the agents saw him enter a building. They decided to wait before entering arresting him. For safety reasons, they wanted to find out what was in the building such as terrorists, explosives. When they were confident it was safe, they went in and found him dead. They never considered suicide. It was past thirty minutes, therefore, it was too late to change anything. Our agents are going into the past to search for Farid because we have not been able to find him in the present.”

  “I can’t believe this.”

  “Let’s eat breakfast then start our hunt again,” Daniel said, trying to distract me.

  As we ate, something occurred to me. “Daniel, don’t you know if I find the envelope or not? When you go into the future?” I asked.

  “No, we don’t know. That’s the frustrating part. Everything keeps changing.”

  “But if I’ve never found it, maybe I don’t have it?”

  “I don’t know, but I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  When we finished breakfast, I left Daniel in the kitchen and I went to clean up the living room. I didn’t want Mom to come home and have a fit. The throw pillows were placed back on the couch and the magazines that were scattered on the floor were neatly stacked back on the cocktail table. Peeking from under one chair was one of my sandals. I wore them last on the day Lily got abducted. Where was the other one? On my knees, I looked under the couch. Holding the fringe to one side, I saw my sandal, and there was something else! Next to the shoe, there was an envelope. Reaching blindly under the fringe, it was hard to reach with one arm and I fell over. Lying on my back, I grabbed for the envelope.

  I was afraid that my eyes were playing tricks on me and hoped that it was the envelope we’d been looking for. How did it get under the couch? Vaguely, I recalled coming in one day with a package for Dad and throwing it on the couch. All the contents had spilled out. The envelope must have fallen out of the redweld folder and fallen under the couch.

  “Daniel, I think I found it!” I screamed, as he came in from the kitchen with a cup of coffee.

  “Found what?” It took him a second to realize what I meant. “Are you kidding?” He put his cup down.

  “No, it’s been under the couch this whole time!” I screamed.

  “Are you sure?” he asked and took the envelope from my shaky hand. He ripped it open and the paper had words on it that I didn’t understand, Sabah Al Khair along with strange symbols. Daniel smiled. “I knew you had it.”

  “What does it mean?”

  “It means good morning, how appropriate, since it sure is.”

  “What about the symbols?”

  “I’m not sure. Let me call James. He’ll have someone look at it and figure it out.”

  He grabbed his cell. “James, Paige found it. Do you want to come up and look at it?”

  “I can’t believe it! I’m so happy,” I shrieked with joy.

  The front door opened and my parents were standing there. “Hi, you two. What are you happy about?” Mom asked me.

  Daniel and I looked at each other in unison and nothing was coming to me. I ran over to Dad and hugged him. Maybe that would give me time to think. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

  “What were you so excited about?” asked Mom, not letting me off the hook.

  “Daniel got a job in London. He’s leaving this weekend, too. Isn’t that great?” I hadn’t planned on telling them, but there was nothing else I could think of.

  “How exciting is that!” said Dad, but it sounded very sarcastic.

  I looked at Daniel and he seemed unfazed by the disapproving glares from my parents. They would have been thrilled if he got a job in London, just not while I was there for two weeks without them. At the same time, maybe they’d figure he’d be busy and I’d be alone, at least during the day. Possibly, the added bonus that Daniel would stay in London while I returned to New York would please them.

  “Where are you working?” Dad asked.

  “I’ll be interning at an engineering firm.” Daniel didn’t skip a beat.

  There was a knock on the door. Mom turned around in the foyer and answered. James Haydin was standing there and she invited him in. We introduced Dad to James. Mom raised her eyebrows at me as if she was asking me a silent question.

  “Oh, James called and told Daniel about the job. He was nearby, so I invited him over and told Carl to let him up when he got here.” It was getting so easy to lie. James had to know my p
arents were home, but he had to get that envelope.

  “We’ll get going. Come on Daniel, I’ll tell you all about the job on the way home.” Thank goodness, James went along with the story since I’m sure Daniel was using his jammer and he had no idea what we were talking about. I just prayed Mom and Dad didn’t ask James any questions.

  “Sure. Paige, want to come?” Daniel asked. I looked pleadingly at Mom, then Dad.

  “Go ahead. I’ll be very boring,” Dad said.

  “Daniel, I need to grab my bag from upstairs. I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

  When I came back down, they were sitting in the living room waiting for me. “Did you know Daniel was job hunting in London?” Mom asked accusingly.

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “Where is he living?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. He just found out about the job fifteen minutes ago,” I sighed.

  “Please let us know when you find out,” she demanded.

  Dad just listened and watched from the couch, not sure what to make of the news.

  “Okay, I’ll, see you later. Bye.” I wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

  Daniel was alone in the lobby texting. “Hey, I thought we weren’t going to tell them.”

  “I’m sorry. I was so excited that I couldn’t help it.”

  Daniel tried reasoning with me. “Now that they know I’ll be in London, they can change their mind about letting you go.”

  “I don’t think they will. They already told my grandmother I was coming,” I said, praying I was right.

  “We’ll find out soon enough. At least, they’ll warn your grandparents about me as opposed to me just appearing one day. Since I’m supposed to be working, you’ll have to come to me every day,” he said, raising his eyebrows jokingly.

  “See, there was a method to my madness even if I didn’t think of it until now. You’re right about my grandparents knowing. If I had to lie to my grandparents or my parents every time I talked to them, it would kill the fun for me,” I confessed. “By the way does James own the house in London with you?” I couldn’t imagine Daniel inherited all the real estate.

  “James inherited my grandparents’ house in London and my parents house in DC,” Daniel said as we exited the building and jumped into the waiting car.

  Could I dare to believe my life was going to be normal again? No more bugging or spying? I couldn’t wait to have my life be private again. When we entered the apartment, I heard voices in the kitchen and I saw from Daniel’s face that he wasn’t pleased. At the kitchen table, James was sitting and talking with a girl. She had shoulder length, brown wavy hair, dark eyes, light skin and was very pretty. As Daniel walked to the table, she glanced up and excitedly jumped up from her chair.

  “Daniel, bonjour.” She kissed him on both cheeks and Daniel looked stunned. “It’s so good to see you,” she said.

  “You too,” answered Daniel and awkwardly reached for my hand.

  “Who is this pretty young girl?” she asked. I didn’t like the way she said young.

  Daniel looked at me and said, “Paige, this is my friend Juliette. Juliette, this is my girlfriend, Paige.”

  “Hi,” I said in a state of shock, smiling like an idiot, knowing exactly who she was.

  “Oh, girlfriend! It’s nice to meet you. Quelles belles fossettes!” What cute dimples! Her mentioning my dimples annoyed me and I didn’t respond, pretending I didn’t understand. Daniel squeezed my hand as I grinned awkwardly at this woman.

  James stood up. “Daniel, I called Juliette to help with questioning Gilles Barnes. I forgot to tell you with everything that’s been going on.”

  “Juliette works for the NSA?” I asked, not directing the question to anyone. Was she a traveler too?

  “Yes, I do,” she answered. The way she said that annoyed me.

  Ignoring her, Daniel said, “Yes, she does.”

  James interjected, “Juliette, we have to go. Daniel, I’ll be back in half an hour. Please wait. I need to talk to you.”

  “Goodbye Daniel, it was so nice to see you,” she said and kissed him on both cheeks again. As she raised her left hand to his shoulder, I saw the three-dot tattoo on her hand. Turning to me, she said, “Au revoir, Paige. It was nice to meet you.”

  “Bye,” was all I could manage to say.

  When they walked out of the room, Daniel said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know she was here.”

  “Is she a traveler?” I asked, but I already knew the answer and wondered if he’d tell me.

  Daniel looked torn, but finally said, “Yes. That’s how we met.”

  There was no point in telling him that I knew. We’d talk about that another time. Right now, all I wanted to know about was Juliette. It was one thing hearing of an ex-girlfriend, but it was totally different now that I met her.

  “When did you two break up?”

  “Two years ago.”

  “Who broke up with who?”

  “I broke up with her,” he said.

  “How long did you two date?”

  Daniel looked uneasy. “I believe we stayed together as long as we did for companionship.”

  As long as they did, what did that mean? “How long did you date?” I asked again.

  “On and off for about five years.”

  “Five years!” I felt numb.

  “You know my job. It was more off than on, but yes.” Flabbergasted, I stared at him in disbelief. I heard footsteps and James entered the room.

  “Daniel, let’s talk about the next step in the library. Paige, make yourself comfortable.”

  Daniel didn’t move. “We need to talk about Juliette.” James stopped in the middle of the living room and looked at Daniel with a confused look on his face. How come men are so obtuse? “I wish you had told me she was here.”

  James sighed and answered, “I’ve been a little busy. Your love life is the least of my concern. We’re trying to stop a disaster here. Please focus on that and know that she is here to do her job. I’m confident she’s over you.”

  That’s what I wanted to hear, but I wasn’t sure that James was accurate. When she had looked at Daniel, I had sensed something.

  He turned to me. “Thank you for your help. We couldn’t have done it without you.” James looked at his cell and said, “Daniel, I’m sorry, but I have to go take care of something. I’ll be right back. It shouldn’t take long.”

  After James left, Daniel asked, “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. It was just weird finding your ex here.”

  “I know. I planned on telling you about her since I knew there was a possibility that you two might meet, but I thought I had time. I had no idea she was in New York since she’s been investigating the staff at the nuclear plants.”

  Daniel got a call and went into the library.

  When he came out, he said, “That was James. One of the agents just got back from the future and the attack was stopped.”

  “Oh, I’m so happy that means I’m getting my life back.”

  “Yeah…but I’m still not letting you out of my sight,” he said weirdly and that troubled me.

  “I don’t understand. Why?”

  “Because things just aren’t adding up,” Daniel said as he played with my hair.

  “Now you sound paranoid,” I teased, hoping Daniel was wrong.

  Daniel looked at me and shook his head, saying, “I know.”

  “Let’s be happy that this is over. Has Farid been found?”

  Smiling, he said, “I’ll tell you later.” And he began kissing me. Daniel and I were the only two people alive.

  When we heard a door slam, we glanced up to find James walking towards us smiling.

  “Daniel, I’m going to DC tonight. Can I see you in the other room?”

  I realized that Daniel and I would now be a normal couple. Well, as normal as we could be with a time traveler as a boyfriend. Daniel returned and was in such a good mood.

  “I’m off duty and you and I ar
e going on vacation.” I jumped in his arms. He was mine completely and entirely now. “But while in London, we’ll have some surveillance,” he added.

  “Why?” I asked annoyed.

  “I’m still not so sure about your safety. James agrees, so we’re just going to see what happens next. Someone from the agency might be involved.”

  “But why? There are no more envelopes, the attack has stopped and you have the bad guys.”

  “I don’t want to scare you, but Gilles Barnes has no knowledge of that fake Laura Burke woman or anything about that tracker. We have no idea who implanted Amber. Since that tracker is from the future, I’m concerned.” He started kissing me and said, “So, no arguing.”

  Who could argue with him kissing me? At least we’d be together and I’d pretend that the surveillance team didn’t exist.

  My cell rang and it was Mom telling me to come home that Lily was there. After everything that happened, I had forgot about Lily. I wondered why she hadn’t texted me herself.

  As we walked home, Daniel told me the rest of the saga. Right after I’d found the envelope, EMIT arrested Farid in the South of France. He wasn’t cooperating, so they planned on giving him the truth serum. He said that international law forbids the use of the serum, but the one that EMIT uses was from the future and was totally safe and untraceable. The NSA was accessing the bank accounts and freezing the assets. Another team was working with the European authorities to locate everyone responsible for the plot.

  When we walked into the kitchen, Lily and Mom were talking.

  “Hi. Why didn’t you call me you were on your way?” I asked Lily.

  “I was talking to Chad the whole way here and I figured you were home.”

  “So what are your plans for tonight?” Mom asked us

  “I don’t know yet. How’s Dad? Is he sleeping?” I asked.

  “I’m not sure. Would you go up and make sure he’s not working?”

  “No problem.” I looked over at Daniel and Lily and said, “Why don’t you guys think of something to do tonight?”

  I peeked in and Dad looked like he was sleeping. I turned to leave I and he called out, “Paige, don’t go. I just had my eyes shut.”