Days of Future Past - Part 1: Past Tense

by John Van Stry

  "I'd like to talk to Sarah please," I told her.

  "And you would be?" she asked looking me over.

  "Paul Young."

  "Is she expecting you?"

  "Yes, but I didn't have a set appointment," I said with a smile.

  "I see," she replied giving me the once over. "Wait here; I'll go see if she's available."

  I nodded and looked at something in one of the display cases that looked a lot like a space helmet. I was trying to make out the letters on the back when I heard some one enter the room.

  "Paul!"

  I looked up and smiled, it was Sarah.

  "Hi," I said and walking up to her I shook hands, "thanks for taking the time to see me."

  "How is Heather?"

  "Energetic," I said with a grin, "but I suspected you probably knew that already."

  "Oh?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

  "You were the one who told her to take me home, after all," I said, but wondered if there might have been a little more between them with the way she looked at me.

  Sarah recovered quickly, "Oh, yes. There is that."

  "And I know that you were friends, she does have some pictures of the two of you around her apartment," I added, a bit curious now to see her reaction.

  "She does?" Sarah looked surprised at that.

  "I get the impression that you two are currently on the outs with each other," I admitted to her.

  "And yet you still came to see me," she said looking at me curiously.

  I nodded, "I know exactly two people in this city now, and you're one of them. Besides you did extend an offer to visit."

  She nodded, "Yes, I guess I did. So what brings you to my families business?"

  "Well, honestly, I need money. I'm just about broke, and I need to head out to the west in a few months."

  "Why?"

  "It's just something I have to do," I told her.

  "Oh? Care to elaborate?"

  I shook my head, "Maybe later, but right now I need to see what I can put together to make the trip easier. I'll be going all the way to the coast, and I'll be needing to bring a few things back with me."

  "Intriguing," she said putting her hand under her chin and slowly tapping on her lips with a finger. "Expeditions to the coast are not cheap. The mountains can be dangerous, especially in the winter and early spring. The coast itself is a rather nasty place; you never know exactly what you are going to run into there."

  "So, I'm going to need a lot of money," I said.

  "Yes, a lot of money."

  I sighed, "So, short of prostitution, any suggestions on how to make a lot of money fast?"

  Sarah laughed, "Prostitution? Where did that come from?"

  "Heather," I sighed, "though I think she was just teasing me."

  Sarah smirked, "Yes, I could see her saying that."

  "So, suggestions?"

  She tapped her finger some more, "The best way to make a lot of money fast is to go on an expedition to someplace that has something people want, and bring it back. After that, well, are you any good at cards?"

  "Gambling?" I said, surprised.

  "Well, you already said prostitution was out," she said giving me an up and down look with a wink, "Though you probably should not give that idea up so soon."

  I sighed, "You haven't even slept with me, so how would you know?"

  "Oh, Heather has excellent taste in men. So, if she suggested it...."

  I stopped and looked her over as well; the low cut top she was wearing really did show off her assets rather nicely, as well as the tight slacks hugging her butt.

  "If you're about to proposition me, the first one is free," I said and winked right back at her.

  "Oh! Well, in that case," and grabbing my hand she dragged me off, out of the room, down a hallway, and then up a flight of stairs. I thought about telling her I was only joking, but watching that nice tight butt of hers as she led me along made me start to have other ideas.

  She led me into a bedroom, and closed the door behind her.

  "Strip," she said with a leer.

  "Right after I help you out of those tight things," I said putting my arms around her and smiling down at her.

  I pulled her close, snuggling up against her and giving her a kiss on the back of the neck. One thing I'd learned a long long time ago, what you did after sex with a woman was just as important as what you did during it.

  "That was nice," she sighed.

  "Umm hmm," I said, still catching my breath. Sarah was definitely a demanding lover, but then, so was Heather. At least those months of working my butt off as a slave had gotten me into excellent shape. I did briefly wonder if I should feel guilty or not? I was kind of living with Heather, even if it had only been two days, but then she'd been ready to sell my ass to the hangman for half of whatever I owned before that.

  But still, I actually liked her. Then again, I think I was starting to like Sarah as well. I hugged her again and kissed the back of her neck and gave her a nibble.

  "Somebody getting ideas already?" she chuckled.

  "What can I say? I'm just an affectionate guy," I said softly.

  "That was a pretty amazing display of affection," she teased.

  "Uh-huh. So, tell me. What really happened between the two of you?"

  I felt her stiffen a little, so I wrapped my left leg around hers and moved up to nibble on an ear.

  "Why do you want to know?" she gasped, squirming a little.

  "Oh please, you all but threw yourself at me," I told her, "you are either checking me out, trying to steal me away, or getting your revenge."

  "I did not see you resisting all that much," she grumbled. She had enough sense not to try and get up, she could tell I wasn't about to let her go anywhere.

  "After all I've been through, do you think I'm going to turn down a romp with a hot and sexy young lady? Besides, she was going to have me hung! So while I like her a lot, I'm not exactly sure I want to make a commitment. Maybe once she's over the guilt sex I'll investigate if she's relationship material."

  "At least she has discovered guilt," Sarah sighed.

  I gave her another kiss, "So, tell me about it."

  "It was about money."

  "Really?" I said surprised.

  "Well, money and loyalty."

  "Oh, this I have to hear," I said, running a hand down her sweaty body to stroke her hip.

  "We were out on an expedition to examine some old ruins we had heard about, to see if there was anything of value there. What we did not know is that there were some other things already there, and they did not appreciate us coming along.

  "It got bad pretty quickly, we were in a bad way, a couple of our people were already hurt, but this guy came to our aid. We knew him, he had a rather large bounty on his head after all, but he came and helped us anyway. He had seen that we were in a serious amount of trouble and he came along and saved our asses. He did not have to do it, but he did, so we owed him."

  "And?"

  "Heather wanted to take him in for the bounty."

  I laughed, "Seriously?"

  "Yeah, seriously," Sarah said sounding glum.

  "So what happened?"

  "What happened was we had to restrain her when she refused to listen to us, she was just too interested in the money."

  "That doesn't sound good."

  "It got worse; I ended up knocking her out."

  I gave her a hug, "That must have been rough, having to do that to your friend."

  "She was not 'just my friend,'" Sarah sighed and rolled over to face me, "she was my girlfriend, my lover. We had been together for years."

  "Ouch, I bet that must have really hurt."

  "She was so angry, that when we got back here, she stormed off and we have not talked for over two years."

  I rolled on to my back and looked up at the ceiling and shook my head, "Damn."

  "So yeah, I'm checking you out, and yes, maybe getting a bit of revenge. I still love her, but I'm no
t so sure she loves me."

  "Cops here must make pretty good money, if she's doing that now."

  Sarah laughed, "Cops make nada."

  "What about that apartment she lives in? That's pretty nice."

  "She earned the money for that when she worked for us. Ever wonder why a girl as hot as she is, doesn't have any lovers?"

  I nodded slowly and rolled back over to face her, I had noticed the definite lack of any signs of others at her apartment. "Yeah, the thought had crossed my mind."

  "Everyone knows how mercenary she can be, and they all know that she will turn someone in for the money, even her lovers. So, they avoid her. Most cops have a reputation for looking the other way when they are off duty and when friends or family are involved.

  "She does not."

  "That's pretty harsh."

  "So, you may want to move out."

  I shrugged, "I can't really afford to, plus I do actually kind of like her. She seemed more embarrassed than upset with what happened to me."

  "That is because I called her out on it," Sarah said with a derisive snort. "So, why do you want to go to the coast?"

  "I need to get a bunch of weapons out of an armory at the old marine base at Camp Pendleton," I told her and smiled.

  She stared at me a moment, "Does insanity run in your family? Assuming you could even find it, or get into it, everything in it is probably rusted away from the sea water."

  I put my hand back on her hip and started to pull her close again. "I have it on good authority that the weapons are still fine."

  "Oh? What authority is that?"

  "Something I picked up from my time with the Navajo. I can't really tell you more than that."

  "Can not, or will not?" She asked looking at me closely.

  I smiled, "Won't. Because you wouldn't believe it, I don't really believe it either."

  "So, why go then?"

  "There are a number of reasons, there are some pretty powerful weapons there, given what the place once was. I know I can sell some of them to make some money, and I have this suspicion that we'll be needing some of them soon enough."

  I leaned over and kissed her, "Besides, I know where the armory is, so finding it shouldn't be an issue, once we get there."

  "You do? How?"

  "Do you always interrogate your lovers during sex?" I asked and letting my fingers start to distract her.

  She said something I didn't understand then, and put her arms around me and looked into my eyes, "You really know where an old military armory from before the big blow-up is?"

  I felt a strange compulsion then to be honest with her, but as I was already being honest however, I wasn't all that bothered by it.

  "Yes, I know where it is, I've seen what it looked like before the 'blow-up' so I don't think finding it will be all that hard."

  "How do you know these things?"

  I looked at her and I could really feel that compulsion now. I started to wonder if she was doing something to me.

  "Why? Are you planning on coming with me?" I asked.

  "Answer me," she insisted.

  "You first," I smiled and kissed her.

  "Maybe, now, how do you know?"

  "Did you see that small white object that flew overhead four or five months ago? The one that caused what sounded like a thunderclap?"

  "People talked about that for weeks," she said looking at me.

  "I was one of the two people in it."

  I felt her stiffen then, and push against my shoulders as she looked into my eyes again.

  "I told you," I smiled, "I'm not from around here."

  She started to say something else, but I kissed her and broke her concentration.

  "Why don't you wait until later?" I said and started to kiss down the side of her neck, "It's not like I'm going anywhere, and I do need your help."

  "So, let me understand this," Sarah said. It was a couple of hours past noon, we had showered and gotten dressed and she was treating me to a rather nice lunch. Which, considering how I felt she was responsible for my current appetite, was only fair.

  "You came here from a place far away from here, in a craft that no one around here has ever seen before, so the man you came with could save the Navajo from some upcoming war?"

  I nodded, I hadn't told her everything yet, because I had no way to prove it. "Yup, that's right."

  "And why should I believe that any of this is true?"

  "Well, you saw the jet fly over, right? Even got some pictures of it I believe?"

  "That doesn't mean you were in it."

  "Well, I left my helmet in it, but if any of those pictures were good enough, you'll see the flight suit I was wearing. Which I still have."

  "I do not think anyone got pictures that good. Now, you are saying that the man you came here with, he is going to lead a group of Navajo to this same armory and clean it out?"

  I nodded, "Probably, and he's just the kind of asshole that would destroy whatever he can't carry. So I figure we get there first, take what we can, and leave the rest for him."

  "And the Navajo believe their gods sent him?"

  "You don't believe in gods?"

  "Yes, I actually believe in them quite a bit. I am a magic user after all, and that comes from the gods, in a roundabout way. However getting involved with them is never safe."

  I nodded and took another bite of my sandwich.

  "So why are you here, and not with this Riggs?"

  I chewed and swallowed before answering, "Because he's an asshole? Because he made me a slave? Because I don't trust him not to screw this all up? I'm stuck here, I can never go home, whatever happens, I have to live with it. But that asshole was promised he could go home again if he wanted to when all this is over. He's like the chicken who provides the eggs at the breakfast table, he's just a contributor. But I'm the pig that they make the sausage from, I'm committed."

  "You know, that is not a very good business relationship for the pig," Sarah pointed out.

  "Yeah, I know. Metaphors were never my strong suit."

  She smiled and nodded, then sat there and thought a while as I finished my sandwich as well as the two large side dishes that I'd gotten with it.

  "I'm interested," she said finally, "but I can tell you right now, that you are going to need to come up with a good deal of money. I do not have the funds right now to finance this myself, not all of it, and I would not be willing to go unless you put a decent stake in yourself, anyway."

  "Don't trust me?" I asked, curious.

  "You could be insane for all I know, I can tell you believe what you are telling me. But I am not going to risk a lot of my family's money on this."

  I nodded, "Well, then we're back to square one, how do I raise money, and how much will we need?"

  "Oh, twenty thousand should be enough; twenty-eight would guarantee it though."

  "How long do I have?" I sighed, setting my fork down.

  "Well, we need to start putting everything together in about two months. When we leave really depends on the weather, the mountains between here and the coast are not as bad as the ones further north, but a late winter storm could still cause us a lot of trouble."

  I nodded and looked at the clock on the wall.

  "I probably should start heading back to the apartment, Heather will be there soon."

  "You know she is going to find out about us," Sarah said.

  I smiled at her, "Us? Is that an invite for another tryst?"

  Sarah blushed, "Umm, maybe."

  I chuckled, "Why did you take her with you, if you don't mind my asking? It wasn't just because she was your girlfriend, was it?"

  Sarah smiled and shook her head, "Heather is an amazing shot, with pretty much any kind of weapon out there, even a bow. She is also a decent fighter, with a knife or a sword and is completely fearless. Those are skills you really need when you are out there, trying to scavenge in any of the old cities or other installations."

  I nodded, "Well thanks for lun
ch," I said and standing up I walked around the table, then bent down to kiss her, putting my hand on the back of the neck, "And for all those other things as well," I smiled and she smiled back.

  "I'll be back in a day or two. I think I need to investigate one of these casinos and see if I have any luck at the card table."

  "I will be looking forward to it," Sarah replied, still smiling.

  - 10 -

  I walked into the casino and looked around. Heather had given me a list of the better ones to check out, as well as the ones to avoid. There were a lot of casinos in Havsue. Fifty-three that she knew about and a good eighteen of those she advised me to avoid because of their reputations, and another twelve she said just wouldn't have any thing but slot machines and table games, nothing you could make real money at.

  That left twenty-three that I could investigate, and I spent the morning doing a little research. Ten of them were pretty high-class establishments, and there was no way they'd let me inside, not until I looked like I could actually afford to be there at least.

  The remaining thirteen pretty much ran the gamut from medium to high, and as I only had fifty dollars left to my name I figured I'd start with one of the lower ones, which was where I was now, the Havsue Sands. I picked it because I'd been to a Sands casino back when I'd gone to Vegas on leave once, so it was a name I recognized.

  I stood there and looked around for a minute; I saw the usual slot machines, as well as some that weren't so usual. There were the usual table games, I could see they still played twenty-one, pai-gow, roulette, craps, and one or two things I didn't recognize.

  I knew how to play craps; I was actually a pattern roller, something one of the guys in the barracks had taught me when I went to OTS after I'd first joined. He was a fairly big roller, and I figured if it worked for him, it just might work for me.

  Plus it was only a two-dollar table.

  "Do you allow odds?" I asked the dealer.

  "Yes we do, double odds after the come out," he told me.

  I nodded and handed him my fifty dollars, "One dollar chips, please."

  He nodded passed the money to the boxman and put two stacks of twenty on the table, and one stack of ten, then slid them over to me.

  I put them in the rack on the side of the table, put two dollars on the pass line, and he pushed five dice over to me. I looked at them, they were red and clear enough to see through, so far everything seemed to be as I recalled it. I picked up two, set them the way I wanted and tossed them down to the other end of the table.