[The Shifters Committee 01.0] Time Shifters

by Rebecca Foxx

  The stubborn ringing continued. Right, Shannon thought, the call.

  “Yes?” she muttered into her phone.

  “Finally,” she heard a very excited voice. “Where have you disappeared exactly for so long?”

  The caller was Shannon’s assistant, Ben Finegold. Shannon and Ben had a very tight professional relationship. Without him Shannon would have hardly reached as many successes as she had in the past.

  Ben was a first class software engineer and one of the original founding members of the firm Shannon controlled as CEO and main owner from the very start. They have built an Artificial Intelligence engine capable of revolutionizing the industry.

  As the company rapidly grew, many of the other founding fathers and mothers departed because they never wanted to work in a big company environment. Ben accepted a job as Shannon’s assistant and in return of a reasonable chunk of the ownership he kept doing a superb job.

  “Ben?” Shannon asked wearily.

  “What is just going on?” Ben demanded. “Are you fine? Should we send someone to pick you up?”

  Ben’s voice felt distant and false through the line. That voice was the last thing connecting Shannon to her usual life.

  She dressed up smart and casual for the trip. Even so now she wished she had picked something lighter – her black dress hang down from her body as if it was produced from dark marble instead of cotton and weighed tons instead of pounds.

  Her high heels did not fit the Nevada desert either – she wished for wearing a pair of short jeans and sneakers.

  “Shannon,” she heard Ben’s voice again. His tone turned by then borderline hysterical. “Shannon, are you still there? Do you need anything?”

  “I could use a pair of jeans and some comfortable sneakers…” Shannon replied. This time she spoke firmly and clearly. She reached a critical state earlier but by now she bounced back from the worst and was ready to continue.

  “What are you talking about?” Ben asked again.

  “Nothing really,” Shannon said. “Listen Ben, it is nice that you called me but I’m fine. I needed this little trip through the country.”

  “Why did you need it?” Ben asked. “You could have come with us on the jet. We have landed an hour ago. Guess what? We checked in the hotel and now drinking cocktails down in the lounge. We made it Shannon.

  We made it big and we will have to get used to top shelf luxury for the rest of our lives.”

  Shannon sighed.

  “We sign the contract on Monday and the money is ours,” Ben added.

  “Listen, Ben,” Shannon sighed again, “I will be there around midnight. Keep up the celebration. We will have a drink together.”

  “You sure you okay, doll?” Ben asked. “It is very uncharacteristic from you to make sudden, irrational decisions like this one was.”

  “Yeah,” Shannon answered. “I just needed this trip to have some fresh air and whatnot. I needed to be alone.” Shannon put a little bit more emphasis on that last word than it was absolutely necessary. Ben understood the point.

  “As you wish, Shannon,” he said, “but please call me at once when you have reached San Francisco.”

  “Sure, Ben,” Shannon answered and cut the call.

  She got back behind the wheel and the Ferrari started to roll. The route was practically empty and Shannon was not afraid of testing the limits of the Ferrari, dashing by the rocks, the dust and the occasional shrubs with the speed of lightning.

  With that momentum, she reached Austin in less than an hour. She turned towards Fernley on the route 50 and did not slow down as much as a mile per an hour.

  Shannon enjoyed the cool wind and the blistering sun – she felt wild and free and most of all fast enough to escape any kind of serious decisions she planned to make while on this trip towards California.

  Then she heard the siren. Glancing at the mirror, she saw a police car struggling on her tail to keep up. Last thing she needed was company and for a crazy second Shannon considered to switch into a higher gear and leave the patrol car behind. But then her better sense triumphed. She pulled over the side of the road and immediately started to prepare a brilliant speech in her defense.

  The patrol car stopped.

  Then the unexpected happened.

  Shannon felt her heart jump. The sweating stopped and her palms turned suddenly dry, their cool surface sticking gently to the leather cover of the wheel of the car.

  The officer approaching Shannon’s car was the most attractive member of the force she had ever seen. And it was not simply that she fitted her uniform.

  The girl seemed to be about Shannon’s age. But unlike Shannon, she kept her body in perfect care. She did not seem to wear bras under her brown blouse but those boobs stood firm and pointy.

  She had long brown hair glistering in the sunshine. Her eyes were hidden behind a huge pair of sunglasses, but everything else what was visible of that face looked just perfect.

  Lovely round cheeks and a petite French nose. Immaculate, peachy skin and a sweet mouth consisting of two sensual lips. Shannon forgot about her witty reasoning regarding how she had not broken the speed limit.

  “Good afternoon,” the girl greeted her once she reached the Ferrari. “That’s a nice ride,” she complimented. “Could I see your driving license, please?”

  “Sure,” Shannon mumbled, still a little bit flabbergasted. She handed her papers over to the officer.

  “You are not from around here,” the girl stated.

  “That’s true,” Shannon nodded, “how did you know?”

  The girl held up her license.

  “It was issued in New York.”

  Shannon felt like she made a complete idiot out of herself. For a second they stared at each other in silence. Then they broke into a smile simultaneously.

  “So,” the officer said, “have you been driving down here straight from New York?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Shannon sighed.

  “What was the last time you had a sleep?”

  “Yesterday I slept,” Shannon answered more or less honestly.

  The girl took off her sunglasses. She had a pair of warm brown eyes with glistering tender sparks inside.

  “Do you know how fast you were driving?” she asked with real concern.

  “I know I was fast,” Shannon replied. “Maybe too fast.”

  The officer sighed.

  “Normally I should take your license away for doing something like that,” she said. Taking a notebook out of her pocket she wrote a speeding ticket then handed it over to Shannon.

  “I will let you go with a fine. You can pay that at any post office in Nevada. And slow down!” She turned away and started to walk back to her car.

  Shannon felt like this should have not ended so quickly. She enjoyed her company and wanted to know her better. She would have been so glad if they met under any other, less precarious circumstances. She could not take her eyes off of those firm buttocks swaying away in the other direction.

  “Wait,” she said.

  The officer turned around. Her lips curved upwards, her eyes were gently shining. All in all she gave the impression that she actually wished that Shannon had not let her walk away so easily.

  “Yes?” she asked.

  Shannon suddenly realized that she had no idea of what to say. Should she invite her for lunch? Maybe a drink? Would not that count as trying to bribe a police officer?

  “Just wanted to say thank you,” she said finally.

  “Listen,” the officer answered, “I took it easy on you. I would recommend you to get into a motel room and sleep it off as soon as you hit the nearest city.

  But if you are in a hurry, and this is how it looks, you should get out of my jurisdiction before stepping on that gas pedal again. If anyone catches you here, we will have to put you away for a day in jail.”

  “Got it,” Shannon nodded.

  Then she let her walk away. The patrol car turned around and disappeared behind Shan
non in the distance.

  She started her Ferrari and hit the road, again.

  What a strange encounter in the middle of nowhere, Shannon thought. The car’s engine did not like the strolling. She gradually accelerated the Ferrari until she got back to her optimal travelling speed – obviously a lot higher than what was allowed.

  What was the worst thing that could happen, Shannon thought. A day in jail? Well, if the police were looking like her around this part of the country, it would be like a day in heaven.

  Just then she run over a road defect and lost her control over the car.

  The Ferrari slid ahead and bumped against a rock standing on the side of the road.

  Shannon did not feel much of it inside the car, she emerged from the driver’s seat without a scratch or a bruise. The Ferrari suffered some heavier damage. One of its wheel shafts was broken. That car would not move.

  Strangely, Shannon did not feel anger. It was rather relief. The last thirty hours of her life was spent on running amok and she managed to survive the last act without any serious wounds.

  A couple of feet ahead she saw a road sign telling her that Fallon lay only two miles ahead of her current position.

  She took her phone and the bottle of water from the front seat and started to walk. All around her the sunshine kept up its wild, blistering dance over the shimmering surface of the tar road.

  Chapter 2

  The motel room was nothing fancy just as Shannon expected. After all it was only one of those drive-ins and not even a particularly busy joint.

  The mechanic she found right on the outskirts of Fallon recommended her the place warmly – probably one of his cousins run the show here. He assured Shannon that he could fix the Ferrari before Monday morning and until then he borrowed her a grey, raggedy Toyota Camry.

  Not that Shannon felt like driving around. Next to the motel she found a little garment shop where she bought a pair of sneakers, short jeans and a couple of T-shirts. After some hours of sleeping she felt ready – for what exactly she was not quite sure but ready nonetheless.

  Shannon stepped to her window and peeked outside. The sun had set down but the memory of its mighty blaze kept the people on the streets warm. They lingered around the scene in quite large a number.

  Just opposite the motel stood a little bar. Judging by how frequented it seemed, it must have been a good one. The neon signs on the top of the building promised the craftiest draft beer with the spiciest chicken wings in Nevada.

  Just what she needed, Shannon thought.

  Before she could leave her room, her phone started to ring again. Ben, just as expected.

  “Hey,” Shannon said.

  “Are you anywhere near, Shannon?” Ben asked. “We are just about to get into town and wanted to tell you where we should meet instead of the hotel. God, this city is crazy!” Ben exclaimed.

  “I’m not there yet,” Shannon answered.

  Ben sounded a little bit tipsy and became suspicious and overprotective at the same time. A very dangerous combination, especially if taken into account how much Shannon wanted to be left alone.

  “How come?” Ben asked. “I cannot hear the engine…”

  “I had to stop, I’m in Fallon.”

  “But everything is fine?”

  “Had a little accident…”

  Shannon heard through the phone the whoosh of air Ben sucked in his lungs because of his surprise.

  “Oh my God,” Ben shouted, “are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” Shannon explained, “not a scratch. The Ferrari needs some fixing. It will be ready by Monday.”

  “We send someone to pick you up,” Ben replied, “what you said you were in where?”

  Shannon sighed.

  “Please, Ben, I do not need anyone picking me up. I will make it on time just by driving down the rest of the route on Monday morning.”

  Ben snapped.

  “You cannot be serious…” he said. “You are lucky I do not remember the name of the city…”

  Shannon saw through her window another group of people entering the bar in front of her motel.

  “Listen,” she said in the phone, “I’m really just fine, Ben. I got to go now, my dinner is at stake here.”

  She cut the call although she heard as Ben started a mild complaining on the other end.

  She threw her phone onto her bed. Picked up her bag and put on her new sneakers. Before stepping out, she checked herself in the mirror for the last time.

  Pretty face confirmed. Those jeans with that loose T-shirt actually made wonders, concealing the most critical parts of her shape. All in all she prayed for any form of adventure.

  Shannon stepped out and closed the door of her room. She crossed the street confidently and entered the bar on the other side without the slightest hesitation.

  The interior of the place reminded her in many ways of the interior of her room. It was crude but not without a certain kind of rural charm. On the upside a band played country music on a podium and the smell of food in the air filled her mouth with saliva.

  Shannon was approached by a waiter at the door and got a table alone in one of the corners.

  She liked the spot – the lighting was not too bright about her table and she could keep an eye over the whole place just by turning her head slightly left and right.

  The local youngsters were starting to enjoy themselves. They moved the tables away from the middle of the floor in front of the podium and began to dance.

  When the members of the band recognized this, they played with even more passion. Shannon’s beer and chicken wings arrived. She felt like a good evening awaited her and the best was yet to come.

  She had just about finished with the wings when the unexpected happened for the second time on that same Friday she decided to exit the highway connecting New York to San Francisco in favor of crossing through the rural parts of Nevada.

  The attractive police officer who fined her a couple of hours ago entered the bar in a civil outfit. She wore similar close to Shannon and arrived alone. Holding her stance at the entrance, she looked around the bar as if she was searching for someone in the crowd.

  For Shannon’s honest surprise the girl recognized her and waved a hand rather timidly. She might have been waiting for Shannon’s recognition or approval. Shannon did not think twice – she waved her own hand in return.

  Like in a dream, the police officer crossed the floor and came to Shannon’s table straight with a huge smile smeared all across her face.

  “Hey,” she said, “is this taken?” she pointed at the empty chair at Shannon’s table.

  Shannon felt too excited and embarrassed, she could not utter any sound. So, she nodded in agreement and the other girl took a seat.

  “Your name is Shannon, right?” she asked with a friendly tone.

  “Ahem,” Shannon nodded again.

  “I’m Bethany,” the other said, “Sergeant Bethany Lyons. Do you remember me?”

  The band stopped playing and suddenly the bar felt all too quiet for Shannon. There was nothing else but the pleasant voice of her newest table company, the pleasant scent she omitted from her luscious body, and the pleasant face with that pair of warm chestnut eyes fixed straight at her.

  It was all too much to wish for, it felt impossible to conceive.

  “How could I forget about you?” Shannon mumbled.

  Bethany felt Shannon’s embarrassment and she started to have second thoughts about her idea of intrusion.

  “I’m not here on any official business and I did not want to freak you out.”

  Shannon trembled. She wanted this to happen so much. She realized that secretly she hoped that Bethany lived in this town and no matter how low the chances were they would bump into each other again some time over the weekend.

  Everything just happened so quickly, her dull mind lagged so much behind her racing heart.

  “No,” Shannon said, “I mean I’m glad to see you again! What a coincidenc
e! No hard feelings about what happened in the afternoon.”

  Bethany risked another smile.

  “Do not take me for some kind of a stalker, but it is hardly a coincidence.”