“Uh Right” Drax said.
“Well, here is a little secret you probably didn’t know we figured out, their DNA is almost identical to man and man-like primates like chimps and apes. We are basically identical genealogically.”
“Really?” Asked Drax.
“From what I can tell there was some type of contaminant or hyper meta virus a shadowy substance that spread throughout their universe. God knows what it really is but it transformed a perfectly civilized race of humans to beasts, like men some are good and some are not so good.”
“Really, man and the beasts from this other world are the same?” Asked Drax Shocked.
“The same and yet some persist with the iconic notion of superiority and petty prejudices. But to say that beasts and men are different races is as absurd as saying that men of different colors are different races.”
“Wow” Tina said.
“We have bigger problems. Tell him Doctor.” Said Reman coming back.
“We are facing a plague here. No one knows how it started, somewhere after the great conflict” Kowolski started and Drax and Tina turned to one another.
“A strange disease affects the liver and lungs and destroys capacity. Death is almost instantaneous once the organs are eaten away from within in a matter of days. We have tried every remedy and cure known to our research and can’t find the cure. Top government scientists and private commissioned ones have been working around the clock without hope. We have our own facilities independent of the public and private sectors but we are failing too. It seems the death toll climbs higher every day.” Kowolski said.
“Dear God” said Tina “We’re talking total annihilation in a matter of months in this continues.”
“Is there nothing you could do?” Asked Drax.
“London has a cure, special orchid Onymonos Poulla” said Kowolski “but it is exceedingly rare and practically extinct nowadays. History shows it grew in the wilds of Shireville but no longer. We have been searching caves and lands near Shireville Forest near the old kingdoms of Roy Tan now part of the countryside dead like the rest of the barren earth. It had a strong potent abstract naturally grown, which theoretically might act as a counter for the virus.”
“We are currently searching to find it. But some believe it is a losing battle as we are drawn closer every day to utter extinction.” Said Reman. “The cure to the deadliest plague mankind has ever known may be just within reach but totally unreachable. We don’t even know its full origins. All we had left were what was left in some books salvaged from the library after the great conflict.”
“Even a small amount of the flower’s native toxin would be useful due to our replication technology but none seems to exist anymore, only part known is there in history books.”
“Too bad we couldn’t simply go back for it” whispered Tina.
“We don’t have the time stone” said Drax.
Time Period: 1140 A.D., England
“This strange glowing crystal is all you need to travel through across the eons” said Celia holding the time stone as she lay in bed with her covers on her next to James who smirked while on his back with his shirt off.
“Yes” said James. “We have been trying to get back home.”
“Sounds like a romantic adventure amidst the prized artifact.”
“Yeah, we’re romantics at heart. If you think about it” he reached over and grabbed it from her. “The amount of ingenuity to create such power is beyond imagination.”
“There are greater things indeed in the world so full of mysteries.”
“Yeah” he put it down on a stand beside the bed.
“Which reminds me,” she said “there is something I wanted to share with you. A dream I had recently, more like a portend of omens. I felt something bad was going to happen as I was in a cavern and was beginning to fall but there was no one there to catch me. I fell to my death alone but there was something there keeping me alive, something holding me back from dying, something greater than myself that had to be done, a mission.”
“What do you think the future has in store for us?” Asked James. “
That is any of our guesses. I have always believed in predestination or divine intuition but also free will.”
“Me too. Maybe we can make our own destiny.”
“That would be nice.” She added.
“That is interesting. I see things too that come to me like visions or premonitions.” Said James.
“Really?” Replied Celia.
“Whoa” James look forward with wide eyes as he was shocked in himself as his mind’s eye envisioned the stellar starry sky of the universe and rotated until he was envisioning a cavern with strange writing on the wall similar to what he saw in the other time periods. He saw a strange white flower growing out of the rock floor and lights glowing all around it. He snapped back to his conscious mind.
“Wow!” “Are you alright? You frightened me, James.”
“I think we have to go somewhere, together.” He said smirking and she smiled. “I need my friend Mercedes too” he beckoned as he hopped up and grabbed his dress shirt.
Time Period; 2042 A.D., Chronix Bay
“Yes, that’s them, sire” said a young thief in rags scourging and skewering about like a troll as he looked at a photograph of two people getting out of a red car, Drax and Tina following a well-dressed gentleman into an old factory.
“Thank you Martin, you did well.” Said the cloaked man. “Here is the dollar you were promised.”
“Wait, it was actually two dollars.” Martin replied.
“Get lost” said the other man as his face transformed into Satyr’s face. Martin ran off in silent fear.
“Let’s get them” said Satyr. “We don’t need the police. We need patience and assistance.” The cloaked man removed his cloak and shook his head in pain. It was Broad Staffnight.
“Are you alright Broad?” Asked Satyr.
“Yes, just a little dizzy. We will find the secret entrance and take back what is ours.” His eyes enraged with redness and vigor captivated by his clenched fists in the air.
Tina starts to think about James and an instant attraction she felt for him she looks up at the moon and wonders. “Somewhere out there wherever you are, we are looking up at the stars together. We will be reunited old friend.”
Time Period: 1140 A.D., England
James looks up at moon and night stars as Celia approaches with her knights.
“I have five of my best Knights; some were decedents of the Knight Templar society. We’re ready to go, yet?” Asked Celia as James was tightening his belt buckle with mace and sword.
“With a secret society and some updated quantum physics tech we can do anything,” he smirked to her confusing look. “Never mind, a clean shower, warm meal, and new clothes sure feel good” he said changing the subject as he admired his puffy nobleman white shirt and black pants, a big metal buckle fastening them.
“Yeah, after being locked up in a filthy dungeon for over a day, anything is better” pouted Mercedes rolling up the sleeves of her dark blue shirt matching her pants and belt and foil.
“Sorry, buddy, but we’re ready for another adventure.” James said.
“Grand” Mercedes replied.
Celia wore a more relaxed mode of dress similar to them. “I feel we must make our way east to the cave of Shireville, the closest point in the land similar to the vision James had, prior to day break as the road will be arduous once the sunlight hits the forenoon.”
“Who talks like that?’ Asks Mercedes rhetorically.
James gave her a dirty look.
“We will take two of my finest knights,” the five knights fully armored stood beside her.
“OK,” said James. “Knightly gear and dress, check, our wits about us on any day”,
“Double check” said Mercedes. “Pre-giver care package of dark star and time stone”,
“Check and check.” Said James.
“We’re re
ady to go” said Mercedes.
“Onward.” Said Celia.
The eight marched onward on horseback for miles during the intense heat of the daylight sun and they stopped to rest once before continuing and making their way to the caverns hovering above the terrain in mountains that were raised upward by the shifting land masses.
“Look” said James dismounting his horse, “herbs just like in my vision” he reached for some and then kept walking and climbing upward into the cave.
“Wait here and keep an eye on the horse’s, men” said Celia to the guards as she followed James and Mercedes into the cavern crawling at first then raising up once settled into the narrow dark paths.
“I wish that we were less likely to travel in dark tunnels.” Said James.
“Take what you can get.” Said Mercedes. James pulled out his beacon and lit it.
“Is that future magic again, James?” Asked Celia.
“Sort of” said James leading the way. They approached an opening below a large precipice inside the cave and a cave wall before them. “Dead-end” said James. Then suddenly they felt the ground shake and James turned and saw a large log hauling itself towards them on a series of ropes. James pushed Celia and Mercedes out of the way and ducked down as the log passed them and struck the cave wall before them.
“That was close” said Mercedes.
“Look” said Celia pointing to the log kissing the rock wall and the rock wall had a painting of a red circle and the log had paintings of red lines that seemed to be a natural extension like an arrow pointing somewhere. They followed this and saw upward as the arrow of red touched the walls and ceilings of the cave going back in a full circle to the wall before them. “What could that mean?” Asked Celia.
“A puzzle, all the universe is connected.” James said simply. Then the moment as he spoke those words, the log moved forward more and pressed the wall inward through a hidden button. “Get to the sides quick” screamed James as he grabbed Mercedes and pushed her to the side and then complied and hugged the walls as he held Celia for dear life together from their end facing forward as the floor between them began to liquefy into quicksand.
“Oh my God” said Mercedes “just like in the other cave… how did you know that would happen again?” She looked at him shocked.
“Just a hunch. It’s a pregiver’s cave. Puzzles, booby-traps, hidden treasures within…”
“How do we do undo this?”
“Those lights up there” he looked up and pointed to the blinking red yellow blue green orange indigo and violet colors of buttons blinking in sequence from a machine etched in the rock wall high above them. “I don’t know the combination. Oh hell…” he waved his hands and pressed them all with his powers and they all shut off as the quicksand vanished and became solid floor again after a moment.
“It was an illusion” said Mercedes.
“An illusion with real killer potential if I recall” said James.
“Amazing, “said Celia.
“Indeed” he drops the herbs he picked up from outside there at the end of the dead-end wall and takes out the time stone as it glows with the five orbs within it. To the glare of his comrades he turns it and activates it upright and it glows with the five orbs there and he holds it over the herbs. A small beam of hazy yellow light emerges and the vortex appears over the herbs absorbing them and sucking them up after transforming them to a light ball of yellow energy.
“Why did you do that?” Asked Mercedes.
“I don’t know. I just felt it was necessary, based on my vision and Celia’s dream omen.” Said James. “That might be what you had to do and couldn’t leave the cave in your dream until it was done. You died because you didn’t have us to catch you.” James smiled. “I promise I will always be there to catch you no matter what.” James said.
“And I you” said Celia. They kiss touching their lips with a romantic embrace.
“Oh um guys” said Mercedes “get a room.” The three leave the cave to rejoin the guardsmen and horses outside.
Time Period; 2042 A.D., Chronix Bay
“What is that noise?” Said Tina.
“The police, they are breaking down the door. Someone tipped them off to our secret headquarters of rebels.” Reman said looking at her funny.
“I didn’t say anything.” Screamed Tina.
Reman opens a secret compartment under the steps and everyone is hiding in their respective secret compartments under the steps and Drax and Tina accompany them.
“Can’t you fight back?” Asked Drax.
“We are rebels but mostly scientists and engineers not soldiers and no real weapons exist on the premises.”
“Really?” Asked Drax rhetorically looking up at the laser rifles.
“Those are historical toys, decorations, not active weapons.”
“Great, I got an idea.” Drax uses his wrist remote and types in a few commands as the scorpion car’s primary weapon heats up outside after transforming once again into its full attack mode. Within about a minute as the pounding on the door gets louder and louder and their breach seems imminent, the weapon fires an orange beam of energy and blasts a hole through the warehouse and destroys the complex from the front end and all life in the upper level.
“Come on” Reman said as he leads his people out over the stunned and charred remains of the officers. They all escape into vans parked outside carefully concealed to blend into the fabric of the dark city urban streets. Reman gets into the scorpion car with Drax and Tina and they all drive away. Reman’s pocket phone beeps.
“Hello” he answers it. “What? That’s impossible. Oh thank heavens. That’s terrific news. Our prayers have been answered. OK, we are evacuating now. I will see you back at the club” he hung up the phone and pocketed it again.
“What is it?” Asked Tina.
“They found the herbs. It’s a miracle. They were in the cave at Shireville, in England.” He smiled with a sense of relief and exasperated content on his face. “That was my assistant who was stationed there in the outskirts of London … Amelia Timewalker.”
“Huh?” Drax and Tina look at one another in shock.
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“Well, Master Broad…they got away again” said Satyr in full form flapping his wings.
“Don’t worry old friend, we will get those two and their friends. We have all the time in the world.” He presses a button on his watch and he fades in a bluish dark aura of lightless embrace similar to the beam spot transport mechanism.
“Perhaps” said Satyr standing there in the darkness.
The Scorpion car pulls up to a dock near the open sea.
“That’s where we part company” said Reman. “I love you guys for helping us but we can’t let outsider’s compromise security anymore. We got a new location for our lab and research and we need to keep it completely secret.”
“We understand” said Drax as he and Tina remain in the car and Reman exits. “
Thanks Reman for everything” Tina squinted and kissed him on the cheek.
“What was that for?”
“Good times” she said, “good times.”
“Thanks” he nodded. “Oh by the way, here” said Reman as he pulled out a small box from his coat and handed it to Drax.
“What is this? A going away present?” Asked Drax.
“It is for you. I don’t know what it is. I was given it to hold about twenty-eight years ago and told to hold it for you for someday I would meet you. I didn’t understand it but here it is anyway.” He walks away towards the dock and stops and turns. “Thanks for everything.” He waves and then heads off running and vanishing into the distance near hidden ships concealed into the night ready to fare out to sea to their new location.
“You are going to miss him aren’t you?” Asked Drax.
“No” Tina said overlooking the last of him fade off into the distant darkness.
“Maybe a little?” Asked Drax.
“Right” said Tina. “Do you think we did the right thing by interfering?” Asked Tina.
“We did it before. We might have changed our own future we interfered with if we didn’t interfere here further.” Said Drax.
“Yeah but I hope there are no serious consequences to our meddling.”
“Only time will tell” said Drax smiling.
“Yeah, maybe we’re meant to prevent disasters like the great conflict or other things like the total annihilation of mankind.” Said Tina.
“Anything is possible? Saving lives feels good and it’s kind of fun. But we just got to have faith and believe for all of our futures and our pasts.”
“Yeah… what do you suppose that is? “Asked Tina gesturing at the box.
“One way to find out” said Drax opening it and finding to their surprise the time stone inside with a note, “time waits for no man.”
“Awesome” said Tina, “let’s get out of here” and they turn it together and drive into the vortex vanishing.
Time Period: 1140 A.D., England
“I will miss you, James” said Celia as the vortex roars open in the throne room. They both shed a silent tear and end with a final kiss goodbye. Mercedes looks in sorrow.
“I will come back. I promise.” Said James.
“I know” said Celia as she rose up and took her seat on the throne next to her knights, her handmaiden, and Cornelius. She nods with a salutation gesture. “Thank you for everything, holder of stones.” She spoke with a renewed sense of pride.
“Thank you dear princess.” And without another word James and Mercedes depart in the vortex sucked in as orbs of light as it slowly fades thereafter. Celia nods from her chair with a faint smile. “James Timewalker, I will love you until the end of time!” She remarked.
CHAPTER 80
Time Period: 1947 A.D., Flintown
The foursome, James, Tina, Mercedes, and Drax landed together on their bottoms rolling onto the grassy hill near a mighty oak tree overlooking the plains below, the scorpion car soaring over them and crashing to the lawn nearby as the portal vanished slowly into its subspace dominion. They rolled down the hill until they came to a grassy precipice overlooking a cliff to the valley below with a series of small platforms in the rock face elevation overlooking the valley. A small tree stripped of most of its leaves had branched out over the cliff. As they rolled down, Tina grabbed a hold of the strongest tree limbs rooted near the trunk of the tree and held on for dear life; James subsequently grabbed her legs as he was headed downward and felt himself pull upward. With his free hand, he reached out and grabbed Mercedes’ arm and pulled her up. Drax felt himself head face down over the cliff as Tina let go of the time stone in her attempt to hold on to the tree causing it to tumble down the hill and over the cliff passing Drax in the eye as he felt himself pull upward as Mercedes had grabbed his leg with her free arm. Being the end of the elongated human chain, Drax grabbed the time stone by reaching out with both hands and gripped it tightly. The limb that Tina held broke off and the four fell down a couple of feet to the second grassy platform overlooking the valley below.
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