by Brad Raylend
“So odd,” she giggled.
Todd smiled and opened up the shoebox holding white high-top Nike sneakers. “Sweet!”
The two laughed as they continued dressing. When they finished, they studied themselves and each other.
“What are those?” Todd asked, pointing at the pink knitted bands around her ankles.
“Oh! They’re leg warmers. I have no idea why girls wore these. But it seemed to be the popular thing to do.”
Todd shrugged. “I like it, I guess.”
Kara’s suit and helmet were light enough so that she could place them in her shopping bag. Todd however had to hold his bag from the bottom in order to prevent the suit from tearing through. The two then casually walked down the street towards the hotel. The occasional night-dwelling pedestrian passed by. Todd and Kara greeted them. They received a few hellos in return, but Todd couldn’t help but notice the obvious difference in people’s mannerisms and politeness in this time period compared to the Old West. They then came across a kid who wore a jean jacket covered in metal studs. His hair was long and puffy, much like the females. He wore tight jeans and loose black boots. As he approached, Todd prepared himself for a potential fight.
“How’s it going, man?” Todd said with a nod.
“Bite me!” the kid snarled.
Todd cocked an eyebrow, then looked over at Kara. “What the hell does that mean?” he asked.
“I’m almost certain he doesn’t mean that in a literal sense,” she replied.
The kid looked at Kara and kissed the air, then gave her a devious grin. She giggled at the odd expression, not having ever seen someone do such a thing to a total stranger.
“Get lost, you little shit!” Todd said angrily.
The kid flipped him the middle finger and continued on down the sidewalk in an uneven stride, no doubt constricted by his tight jeans. Todd felt the urge to go pummel him but was taken aback by Kara laughing.
“What?” he asked with a confused grin.
“I foresee a lot of trouble in our near future.”
“Can you believe that guy? What an asshole.”
They finally arrived at the hotel only about an hour later after successfully hailing a cab. The building had multiple stories and a curved pool outside. A few homeless men sat outside the perimeter fence, no doubt breathing out whatever money they had conjured on the streets in long streams of smoke that made Todd wince. He and Kara made their way through the front door and stopped at the front desk. An older man with thick glasses slumped in a chair behind the counter, snoring. Todd cleared his throat, trying to get his attention. Then once more, even louder but without success. Kara stepped around Todd and leaned up against the counter.
“Excuse me,” she said very sweetly.
The man’s bloodshot eyes shot open and he quickly sat up in his chair. “Yes! How can I help you?” he asked, scooting his chair up to the desk.
“We would like to get a room for the night; would that be possible?” she said, her child-like kindness no doubt getting the better of him.
“Well, yes …” The man straightened his glasses on his nose and began thumbing through his logbook. “Hmm, let me see … one bed or two?”
“Um … two.”
“Okay … well, the only two-bed room I have left is on the top floor. Will that be okay for you?”
“That will be fine,” Todd answered. He then pulled an unreasonable amount of cash out of his hip pocket and began thumbing through it, looking at it as if he were using currency from another country.
The man returned with two room keys and set them down on the counter.
“Will this cover it?” Todd said as he set a stack of twenty dollar bills on the counter.
The man’s eyes widened and he looked up at Todd as if he were insane. “Well … yeah, but …”
“Perfect!” Todd said. “Keep whatever is extra.” He grabbed the room key and made his way over to the elevator, looking at the oddly shaped piece of metal in his hand.
“Thank you,” Kara said as she picked up her key and her bag containing the suit and met Todd just as the door of the elevator announced its opening with a ring. They stepped inside and Todd pressed the button to the fifth floor. The door slowly slid shut and he felt the floor lurch upwards. Kara looked at him as he rubbed his narrow eyes.
“You look tired …” she said.
Todd nodded. “Yeah … well we need to get out of here as soon as possible. York could be in the city already. We need to find Michael before he does.”
“He doesn’t have any more information on him than we do. If anything, we have the advantage. Tomorrow night will be our best chance at finding him.”
“Seems very convenient that he would get snatched up for questioning within seventy-two hours of when we go back in time to find him … doesn’t it?” Todd asked.
The doors to the elevator opened, revealing a dark hallway with endless doors on each side. Kara followed him down the long hallway, thinking about what he had just said. It was rather perfect timing for Michael to pop up on the grid. She couldn’t help but wonder if it was just a coincidence, or perhaps something far more unbelievable.
They stopped at their room number and Todd fumbled with the key in the lock. It took him several attempts to figure out which way the key went in and in what direction it needed to turn in order to release the door jam. He finally heard it click, and he pushed the door open, revealing a dark room, lit only by the lights of the city shining through the large window.
He dropped the bag at the foot of the bed and walked over to the window and gazed out at the quiet city. He could see the overpass that connected to the expressway and eventually led to Miami Beach, where his father was currently holing up. It was surreal how impossible the task at hand seemed. Yet his determination and focus helped him overlook the incredible underlying reality of his current situation. However, he was having a hard time focusing due to the lack of sleep.
He closed the blinds, instantly darkening the room, and plopped down face first on the bed. Within seconds he was asleep.
Kara remained awake for a while. She sat down on the other bed, watching Todd sleep soundly. She couldn’t help but worry for him as part of her feared that he was slowly becoming York. She could see it in his eyes that something was burning inside him.
Whether it was sadness, anger, or a toxic mixture of both, she sensed that there was something missing in his life. Something that he had lost, such as close friends in the war, or the love of his only parent. Or perhaps it wasn’t what he had lost, but rather what he had yet to find. Maybe meeting his father would end up giving him some sort of closure, although assuming everything went according to plan, and they might never directly meet.
She rolled onto her side, watching his shoulders slowly rise and fall, silhouetted by the dim light from the city shining through the curtains.
* * *
The street lights passed in a spaced rhythm, briefly lighting his scarred face in the rear-view mirror. His eyes were heavy, and the monotonous humming of the Mercedes’s engine furthered induced his mind’s need for sleep. He had been driving for nearly twenty straight hours and was beginning to question whether or not he could continue. He refused to turn on the radio as he didn’t want to become indulged in the period. As far as he was concerned, he was simply heading to Miami to kill a target. He would blend into the local populace just enough to assist him in closing in on his target. Besides that, nothing in the world would hinder him from completing his mission. A self-induced mission that consistently had him questioning his own sanity, which he felt had been slipping long before he had set out on this escapade.
His mind continued to taunt him with the same memories that were responsible for his unshakable rage. His hatred being towards himself, and the man whose own blood ran through his veins. His mind then went to his other self.
He still found it hard to believe that he had met his same-self back in the Old West, let alone that Todd had someh
ow tracked him down in the nineteenth century. For a moment, seeing that his younger self appeared to be in much better condition both mentally and physically, he had hoped that maybe there was still a chance for them. However, hearing that he was committing the same horrible atrocities and living the same pointless and empty life furthered his belief that they were empty shells shaped as men. And yet, he had seen his same-self give his own life while pursuing him.
But why? Had he known what York was planning to do? Or was he simply driven by hatred and vengeance for York’s shooting of the rancher?
He pulled off to the side of the road and turned off the engine, leaning back in his seat and staring up at the night sky through the tinted sunroof. He felt like an imposter in this timeline, like a cancer.
END OF THE ROAD
Todd limped down the long street cradling his abdomen; his free arm dangled at his side, blood streaming through his fingers and dripping onto the dark pavement. He took long staggering steps in an effort to convince himself that he was going to make it out of this living hell. However, the dimming light and the growing amount of blood leaking from his body was telling him it was merely hopeful thinking.
He grunted and moaned with each painful step, bracing himself against the dark concrete wall, his body riddled with bullet holes. He looked up into the dark red sky, sweat and blood running down his face.
Unmanned drones screamed as they arced across the red sky, launching missiles into the tall skyscrapers around him and sending large chunks of concrete and rebar crashing into the pavement only a few meters in front of him. He fell backwards, landing on the pale bloated body of a Chinese soldier. All around him were the faceless uniformed corpses of his enemy. Their blood pooled together, forming a seamless layer that slowly flowed towards the street gutters. The stench of death flooded his nostrils; the blood running down his extremities trickled down his legs and added to the massive pool beneath him. He cradled Jack’s little body in his arms. His watery eyes and uncontrollable sobbing impeded his ability to observe his surroundings as he stumbled down the long street. To the right-hand side of the street lay a massive figure. His expressionless dead eyes stared up into the night sky. It was Luke, or maybe it was Rob. Todd fell to his knees, his arms now somehow empty. He brought them up to his face and screamed up into the air, a powerful roar of anger and anguish.
“Todd …” a soft voice called to him.
The sky above him then seemed to split in half as a trail of smoke cut vertically towards the ground. Beneath the long trail of smoke was a pointed object. He looked at it in despair, knowing all too well what it was. He sank, his head drooping over his chest, blood trickling out of his mouth.
“Todd,” the voice called out again.
He lifted his head slowly, looking up to see himself standing above him. But it wasn’t himself, but rather an older, scarred version who stared down at him with a look of disgust and hatred. Todd’s mouth remained open slightly, bloodstained teeth concealed by broken lips. York continued to stare at him as if he blamed him for everything that was taking place. Where were they? How did it come to this? Everything Todd had done in order to prevent this had proven to be futile, and through all his efforts, he had come to realize that it was he who was directly responsible.
The small object disappeared behind the tall buildings, and then there was a blinding flash that shook the earth beneath him. The dark alleys lit up and disappeared in fire. The giant wall of flame rushed towards him, engulfing everything in front of it with a bright wave of heat and power. York continued to stare at him, the massive wall of destruction closing behind him. Todd looked into his eyes. Suddenly, he became nothing as he was vaporized in front of him.
“Todd!” the voice said louder.
Todd yelled as he sat up quickly, causing Kara to jump backwards and knock the lamp off the nightstand. He breathed heavily as he looked around the room in confusion, unsure of where he was. He looked out the window and saw the sun shining brightly behind the thin blinds. He could see the small reflection of cars driving over the overpass. He turned to see Kara, grasping the table behind her, frightened by him. It was then that he realized where he was and what had just happened. He brought his hands up to his face, running them up and over his hair to the back of his head.
“What time is it?” he asked, shaking his head.
“It’s almost two in the afternoon. You were muttering and moving restlessly,” she said, remaining clamped to the table. “Forgive me for startling you.”
“It’s okay …” He looked up at her to see her eyes locked on him, as if she were afraid to move. He slowly rotated on the bed and stood up. Walking over to the sink, he fumbled with the faucet until cool water began filling the bowl. He reached in, cupping the water in his hands and splashing his face. He looked up at the mirror, watching the beads of water run down his forehead and cheeks and pool in the overnight scruff. He exhaled and grabbed one of the folded towels on the counter and dabbed his face.
Kara refrained from coming any closer to him. She walked over to the bed and sat down slowly, her eyes never leaving him. Todd turned and made eye contact with her, which she quickly broke, turning to look out the window. It appeared to Todd that Kara didn’t trust him, and that his unpredictability had her on edge. This was an issue, not only because he didn’t like the idea of her being uneasy in his midst. But it could also prove to be a problem as they exercised their cover stories. He needed her to be completely comfortable around him in order to make it appear as if they had known each other for years.
“Hungry?” he asked.
She looked up at him with a curious expression. “Um … yes.”
“Let’s go find a place,” he said as he walked over to the bed and began pulling on his sneakers.
Ten minutes later, the two made their way through the hotel lobby and up to the front desk where Todd asked the employee about rental cars. After a quick conversation as to its whereabouts, and Todd handing the man the room keys and a generous tip, Todd and Kara left the hotel and walked around the corner to the airport rental station. Todd was brief as to what vehicle he wanted. The owner seemed surprised when Todd asked him for the fastest car that he had in stock. He ended up settling on a brand-new blood-red 1985 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, which he seemed unimpressed by and was overly uncaring about dropping a thick stack of money down on the table to rent it. The large amount of cash distracted the owner, making it possible for Todd to get around having to show them a driver’s license.
Kara watched in amusement as Todd struggled to operate the manual transmission. Not amused by his misfortune, but rather his aggravation towards the ancient machine was what she found adorable. He gritted his teeth as he unintentionally continued to kill the engine as the car hopelessly lurched forward towards the parking garage exit. He paused for a moment, looking at the employees who were watching him struggle from behind the large windows. He exhaled, placing his hand on the key. He held in the clutch, then turned the ignition. Kara tampered with the radio, browsing through the loud white noise and squelch until she found a clear deep voice.
“This is 99.7, all the latest and greatest hits. Coming to you live from the beautiful Miami Beach; this is one of my personal favorites … from ‘The Outfield’, this is ‘Your Love.’”
Todd paused for a moment as the song started. He looked over at Kara, who had a smile growing across her face. He put the shifter into first gear, then placed his right hand on the wheel. He then applied pressure to the gas while smoothly releasing the clutch. The engine revved and they gently pulled out of the parking garage and onto the main road. Todd waited for the RPMs to max, then shifted into second gear.
“I kind of like this!” he said with a grin.
“The song?” Kara asked, “Or the car?”
“Both!” he chuckled. “It feels kind of good to be … normal.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “I cannot recall the last time I rode in a car on a normal day like this.”
/> “Me neither.”
They came to a stop light, where he pressed the brake and the car stopped abruptly. “Shit, I’ll have to work on that.”
Kara giggled. He looked around the intersection at the other cars, ensuring he was not violating any traffic laws. “So,” he tapped the steering wheel to the beat of the song. “What do you want to do today?”
Kara shot him an intrigued expression. She thought for a moment, her cheeks reddening. The light turned green and Todd accelerated through the intersection and down a long road with tall white buildings tightly lining each side. Kara’s hair blew in the wind, her long bangs brushing against her face. She swept them away as she pondered for a moment. She wore a tank top and skirt, which she seemed to be uncomfortable in as she was not used to wearing such revealing clothing. However, the warm climate made it impossible to wear anything more. She held her hands down at her pressed-together legs.
“How about a movie?”
Kara smiled. “I am not very familiar with many films … let alone from this timeframe.”
Todd grinned. “Good! I believe there are a few good ones that came out this year. We’ll have to find out where a theater is.”
A few minutes later, Todd and Kara found themselves sitting at a table for two in a crowded restaurant. Todd nearly devoured two whole sirloins, while Kara chose a variety of seafood. They spent nearly two hours at the restaurant, mostly talking about the students and Albrecht, and how Kara hoped they were doing okay. Todd repeatedly assured her that they would be fine and were no doubt far more worried about her. Kara appreciated his reassurance and took his words to heart as she slowly began to become more cheerful as the day went on.
Next, Todd found himself following Kara through the mall for nearly an hour. She was curious more than anything, as she did not purchase much, but rather seemed to enjoy just looking and talking with Todd as they made their way from store to store. Todd took this opportunity to purchase some more suitable clothing; however, he found it difficult to find something that appealed to him. Kara wouldn’t wander far when Todd would stop to look at something. He would find that she was usually within arm’s reach whenever he would catch himself becoming lost in thought.