by Jan Eira
“Well, it’s getting worse,” said Brent. “The whole wide world is going to hell.”
“Computer, coffee,” Ellie said to the wall-mounted unit. She placed the mug in its receptacle. Within moments, she removed the cup from the contraption and took a sip. She looked out the window and slowly shook her head. “Even the coffee has changed. It seems bitter now.” She looked back at Brent. Her face was etched in a deep, dark frown.
“You’re so dramatic, Ellie. I’m sure the computer makes your coffee now precisely like it ever did before. Computers don’t get emotional or gloomy like us. They follow prespecified parameters.” He took a deep breath and looked back at the eTablet he was reading. “Here, take a look at this.” He touched the screen with his open palm and then made a fist as if to grab the bytes of information. He walked over to her and touched her eTablet. Immediately, her screen filled with three-dimensional words and moving pictures. “These are the latest from Europa United.”
She looked at the reader. “This is awful, Brent. Is it any better here?” She pointed at the muted television screen. The war action was now labeled Activities in California.
“Almost thirty thousand confirmed in the US,” she read aloud. She placed her cup down on the coffee table. “We got to get to the bottom of this and quick. We need a worldwide effort to work this. Who else is working the problem?”
“There are a lot of labs all over the country and all over the world. I know William has been in touch with a few investigators in labs around the world.”
A soft woman’s voice spoke from everywhere in the room. “Excuse me, Dr. Smithson.”
“Computer, speak,” said Brent.
“A previously selected topic of yours is on the news. Would you like to view it now, ignore it, or save for later viewing?”
“Computer, state topic,” said Brent.
“Heart disease, Research—”
“Do you mind?” he asked, looking at Ellie. She shook her head, still reading off her eTablet. “Computer, view now,” Brent said.
The large invisible screen several feet in front of Brent took a split second to resume from its paused status and to unmute. A beautiful woman with blonde hair and deep-blue eyes was wearing a blue dress. She began speaking. “CNN-Science has learned that researchers in New Delhi, India, fear that the new worldwide pandemic of heart attacks may be related somehow to a newly discovered viral particle. The exact way this virus causes the deaths remains a mystery. Further studies are necessary to—”
“Computer, pause,” said Brent. The newscaster’s image immediately stopped in midsentence. “We’ve seen that, too. Those particles inside the cells that line the inside of the arterial walls, we’ve seen them in all arterial beds—heart, brain, kidneys. Everywhere. William has been researching them. But so far he’s not come up with anything concrete. I don’t know if we’ve tested the particles for the possibility they’re viruses. But, sure, I buy it.” Ellie shrugged. Brent continued. “Computer, who is the main researcher in New Delhi working on this?”
“Searching,” said the voice. “Dr. Murthy Ravipati. Would you like more information?”
“Computer, yes,” said Ellie. “Computer, do you have contact information?”
“Searching. Contact information found. Searching for availability. Searching. Contact information unavailable to you or Dr. Brent Joseph Smithson.”
“Computer, what is the best way for me to contact him?” asked Brent.
“Searching. Searching. Dr. Murthy Ravipati in New Delhi, India, is in Dr. William August Baten’s database. I will need his voiceprint to OK the call. Would you like me to get you Dr. William August Baten on the phone?”
“Computer, yes.”
“Doctor, I do remind you that the local time in New Delhi, India, is three twelve in the morning. Would you like me to proceed with the call to Dr. Ravipati at this time?”
“Computer, we will place the call to Dr. Ravipati tomorrow morning at nine o’clock,” said Brent. “Oh, and computer, remind me five minutes before nine.”
“Yes, Doctor. Would either of you like to continue with the TV program?”
“Computer, no,” said Ellie. “Call William and route his voice to my phone and Brent’s.”
“Dialing and routing.”
Within seconds, both small invisible earpieces chimed.
“William, could those particles be viral?” asked Brent.
“Yes, I think they are,” said William. “I was going to discuss it with you at the meeting later today. There is RNA and an unusual cell wall. It has to be viral. Why do you ask?”
“Do you know Dr. Ravipati?” asked Ellie.
“Murthy Ravipati in New Delhi? I know him very well. He tried to contact me earlier today. I was busy then. I was going to call him back tomorrow morning. It’s very late there now. Why?”
“He thinks the particles are viral, too,” said Ellie.
“Let’s get our research efforts together with his and see if we can figure this thing out once and for all,” said Brent. “Thousands have died already. At this rate, it’ll be in the hundreds of thousands soon. We have to work fast.”
“What’s our next step?” asked William.
“Brent,” said Ellie. “Brent.”
“Brent,” said an unrecognizable, distant voice.
“Brent, are you OK?” asked a distorted voice.
“Brent, are you all right?” He heard the words now, which were concrete and real. Someone was shaking his shoulder. He looked around, struggling to ascertain where he was and what had just happened.
“Wake up, Brent.” Ellie of his past was kneeling next to him, her hand on his arm. He realized he was on the floor of the cave, where he now recalled he was conversing with the teenagers.
“What happened to me?” asked older Brent.
“You passed out,” said William. “You turned white as a ghost and went down.”
Older Brent scanned the area until his eyes landed back on Ellie’s. She frowned. “We need to take you to the hospital right now. You had a seizure and have a high fever.”
CHAPTER 14
The two police officers drove into the parking lot, parked their squad car, and got out.
“Victor seven, at the scene,” one of them spoke into a microphone attached to his lapel.
The other officer walked around to the back of the car and spied the motionless bodies on the ground.
“Call for an ambulance,” he said. “We got three down.”
“These aren’t what I’d call model citizens,” said the other cop. “Look at these knives and machetes. These three were up to no good.”
Both officers walked quickly toward the bodies but stopped when they spotted the four little girls.
“We saw who killed them,” said Lilly. Four heads nodded vigorously, and four pairs of eyes gazed at the two policemen. The older officer remained with the girls, while the other approached the downed men.
Jessica looked at the officer’s ID badge on his chest. “Officer Spencer, there were four older kids and one old man.”
“The man shot them,” said Lilly. The others nodded, and she continued. “The kids helped. They’re bad guys. Will you put them in jail?”
“Sure will,” said Sergeant Spencer. “Were they fighting before they got shot?”
“No, just talking,” said Laurel.
“Officer Spencer?” said Sophia, her right hand in the air. When he nodded, she continued. “Don’t believe her. They were fighting. They were mad at each other. Real mad.”
“We don’t know for sure,” said Lilly. “That’s when we got here. We were walking through these woods, looking for leaves for our school project.” The four lifted up the plastic bags they were carrying, each containing a multitude of yellowing foliage.
Laurel pointed behind the cops. “We heard people talk
ing in the parking lot and hid behind those bushes over there. Then we saw the man point a gun at these guys and kill them. They fell down, dead.”
“There was no sound,” said Sophia. “He had those things that make shooting guns quiet.”
“A silencer?” asked Sergeant Spencer.
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“Where did they go when they left here?”
Jessica raised her right hand. “I heard them say something about a cave. They left in that direction.” She pointed down the access road out of the parking area.
“Good job, girls,” said Sergeant Spencer. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” He walked toward his partner. “What you got, Coop?”
“Weird, but I see no blood at all. No entry or exit wounds. But the three have very faint pulses, if at all. I can’t be sure. And I’m not sure they’re breathing, either. They’re as cold as ice.” He stood up. “Where’s that damn ambulance? They better get here before these three go into full cardiac arrest.”
“Four teenagers and one adult male fled down that road,” said Sergeant Spencer. “Coop, give EMS another call and tell them to expedite. I’ll go see if they can give us any more info.”
The sergeant walked over to the girls.
“Officer Spencer?” said Sophia. “Can we go see the blood and guts?”
“Well, that’s the thing, girls. There’s no blood or guts. Are you sure you saw the man shoot them with a gun?” The four girls nodded. “Or did he give them something to drink?” The four girls shook their heads. “Was it an injection? With a needle?” The girls looked at one another then back at him. They shook their heads again.
“No, Officer Spencer,” said Laurel. “It was a small gun.”
“Can you describe the man and the kids who did this?”
“Yes,” the girls said in unison.
“Good. What they did look like?”
“I don’t know,” said Sophia. The others shrugged at the same time.
“Could you recognize them if you saw them again, or if you saw their picture?”
The girls nodded. “Two boys and one girl got away on bikes,” said Lilly.
“The man and a girl got in a car and left in a hurry,” said Laurel.
“The car was black,” said Jessica.
“And it had a funny looking L on the trunk,” said Lilly, her right thumb and index finger in the shape of an L.
“Like a Lexus?” asked Sergeant Spencer.
“I don’t know.”
“I wrote down the plate number,” said Laurel, proudly showing her left forearm. “My grandfather was a cop, and he said I should write down plate numbers if I see a suspicious car. So I did!”
“Great!” said Sergeant Spencer. “What is it? I can’t read your writing. Can you?”
“M, O,” she said. “Maybe it’s a D. Then it’s seven, three, and V or U.”
“That’s OK. Still, though, that helps us a lot. We’ll find the bad guys who did this to these men. You girls did great. We’ll need your names for our report, OK?”
Officer Coop was standing by the victims. “Spence, I think these guys are goners.” He knelt again by one of the fallen. “Where’s that damn ambulance?”
“They should be here soon,” said Sergeant Spencer.
Officer Coop shook his head. “I think they’re dead.”
“Call for more help, Coop. We need to look for the man and the four teenagers before they get too far.”
CHAPTER 15
Station Ten was quiet. The paramedics, firemen, emergency medical technicians, and ambulance drivers watched the news. All the couches and chairs in front of the large-screen television were taken.
“Hey, everybody, listen up,” said the lieutenant, walking to the TV set and turning it off. “Station Five got dispatched to a massive pileup on I-41. The reports from callers at the scene say there are five vehicles involved and at least three dead and multiple injuries.” He looked around the room, many eyes staring back at him. “The lieutenant from Station Five called me and told me to get ready. It looks like they’re going to need more manpower. The cops are almost at the scene and will assess the needs. But it looks like we’ll be called in. So let’s get—”
An alarm sounded from the loudspeaker.
“Station Ten, police dispatch request EMS at Crooked Stick Forest north parking lot for three men. Possible drug overdose. Possibly dead. Victor seven at the scene.”
One of the paramedics spoke up. “Lieutenant, that’s not anywhere near Interstate 41.”
“No, this seems unrelated. Sully and Jake, take Rescue Ten Bravo and go up to Crooked Stick. If there’s somebody alive there, take them to the ER stat and then call me. If they’re all dead, as it seems, meet us at—”
“Station Ten, police dispatch and EMS Station Five request all available vehicles and personnel. Fire and rescue to Interstate 41 at mile marker eighty-six for multiple motor vehicle accidents with multiple injuries.”
“Station Ten, copy on both those two dispatches,” yelled the lieutenant into his walkie-talkie. “We are responding to both scenes.”
Within seconds, multiple emergency vehicles exited the large garage. All but one turned right. An ambulance with the designation Rescue Ten Bravo written on its driver’s door turned left and proceeded with lights and siren.
“Sergeant Spencer,” said Jake, getting out of the emergency vehicle. “There’s a big pileup on Interstate 41 with multiple injuries. If these guys are dead, we need to leave them here with you and respond to that location. They need all the help they can get out there right now.”
“Yes, I’ve been monitoring those transmissions. I understand. See if there’s anything you can do for these three.”
“I think they’re goners,” said Officer Coop. “They sure do look it to me.”
Jake walked toward Sully, who was already kneeling by one of the three thugs.
“He’s not responding at all,” said Sully. “I can’t feel a pulse, and he’s cold.”
“This one, too,” said Jake, kneeling by one of the fallen. “What about that one?”
Sully took the third man’s pulse and slowly shook his head.
The two emergency medical technicians walked toward the cops.
“Sergeant, these three are long gone,” said Jake.
“I understand,” said Sergeant Spencer. “You go ahead. We’ll get the morgue to pick up these bodies.”
The ambulance sped away, emergency lights on and siren blasting.
“Now, we’re looking for five murderers,” said Officer Coop. “One adult and four teenagers. The getaway car was a Lexus. We have to find them now.”
CHAPTER 16
“No, no, no! No hospitals,” said older Brent. “No one else must know I’m here from the future.”
“We’re worried about you,” said Ellie.
Younger Brent gathered an aluminum bottle from his backpack. “Here, drink some water. You’ll feel better.”
Older Brent drank the water, and his color slowly began to improve. “I’m feeling much better. My headache has subsided somewhat.”
“We all need something to eat,” said Valerie. “Who wants what? Daddy’s buying.” She held up a credit card in her hand.
Younger Brent took a bite of his cheeseburger. “So, the world will end in about fifty years if we don’t do something about that drug now. What do we do? What’s the plan?”
“Whatever we do, we must not change anything other than Enoxadin,” said older Brent. “We have to be careful not to change the future. Unfortunately, some changes are inevitable. The timeline must progress as close as possible to what it did before. We don’t really know the consequences of changing things from the way they happened, especially significant changes.”
“Why is that?” asked Ellie. “So what if we change everything a
round? The way it went down the first time wasn’t so great after all.”
“Yeah,” said William. “Let’s say we go to the company that invented the medicine and tell them what’s going to happen in the future.”
“For one thing, they won’t believe us,” said older Brent. “They’ll say time travel is impossible. People aren’t ready to accept it.”
“And the company wouldn’t want to hear about it,” said Valerie, sipping from her iced tea. “They’re about to make trillions of dollars on the drug, and they know it.”
Older Brent nodded. “Regardless of whether they would or would not do the right thing now, we cannot tell them or anybody else about my time travel or our mission here. It would change too much and too many people.”
“So, how do we stop this medicine from becoming what it becomes?” asked Valerie. “It’s going to be tough, since it looks so promising for the foreseeable future.”
“Your father was its creator and principle investigator, Valerie,” said older Brent. “The four of you will have to make the drug fail in the early phases of its early research.”
“But how?” asked Ellie.
“What can we do?” asked Valerie.
“Can we destroy the company’s manufacturing plant?” asked younger Brent. “Explosion, fire, some sort of sabotage?”
“They’d just build a new one,” said Ellie.
“Same thing with destroying the computer data or the actual formula,” said Valerie. “The company has already spent a lot of dough on the project, so they’d start all over again. I’m sure they’re pretty committed to the drug and its research at this time.”
“Incidentally, why didn’t you go farther back in time to before the drug was invented or designed?” asked William.
“We had no idea when or where that took place,” said older Brent. “And I had only one shot at this. This time, here and now, when we all met Valerie, is the one point in time I could be sure of. If I went back in time too far, I may not have been able to help the problem at all. I don’t have much time to…” He tapered off into silence.