by Brad Raylend
He leaned up against a steam pipe on the roof and looked at the time on his HUD. He would do his best to get some sleep, but with the gang of criminals a few floors below him, he felt uneasy about letting down his guard. He ensured he was cloaked and rested his pistol in his lap. The sawed-off shotgun dangled from a homemade lanyard on his shoulder. There wasn’t going to be any blending into the local populace for York. He was going to enter the club once he knew his target was inside, and he would kill him. Whether or not he would be seen doing so was transparent to his success because everything would return to its natural state once Michael was killed.
* * *
Todd woke to the sound of honking horns in the street below. He sat up, glancing at the old clock on the nightstand. On the other side of the room,; Kara lay facing away from him, sleeping on her side beneath the thin white sheet. Rubbing his tired eyes, the reality of day began to set in. Tonight, was it; he would be forced into one of the most difficult predicaments of his life. If he succeeded, his success would no doubt be owed completely to Kara. Once she convinced York not to go through with his dark agenda, he and she would most likely say their goodbyes to Todd, and Kara would be gone, out of his life forever. Although he tried to tell himself otherwise, this was slowly becoming his greatest fear. Beyond death, and the fear of never having existed, somehow Kara had become his only priority. His focus and overall grasp on the task at hand had become blurred due to her presence.
He stood up and stretched out his arms. He walked to the bathroom and flicked on the light. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he saw the bruising in his cheeks and lips had finally subsided, but his body still bore many scars and bruises from the fall. He began washing his face, forgetting that Kara had been sleeping only a few feet away. He quickly shut off the fast-spraying water and peeked back into the room. She was now awake and her eyes were trained on him. He pulled a towel from the rack and dried his face, briefly glancing back at her. Beneath the white sheet, he couldn’t help but notice how much color her once pale skin had inherited from Florida’s tropical climate. It only added to her overwhelming beauty and made it harder for him to accept the impending future, that he would not have her company much longer.
She slowly sat up, stretching out her arms above her head and turning towards the sun shining through the window. She smiled, then looked over at Todd, who stood next to his bed pulling on a shirt.
“Good morning,” she said, brushing away her bangs.
Todd turned and returned her greeting with a small smile. She stood up, pulling the sheets away from her bare legs and standing on the balls of her small feet as she walked over to the bathroom. Todd couldn’t help but watch her pass as he pushed his head through the neck hole of his t-shirt. She closed the door very softly behind her and he could hear the shower turn on. He continued getting dressed, running through the endless amount of scenarios in his head of how the night could play out. The more he thought about it, the more nervous he became. Any sort of confrontation in the club could alarm Michael’s employers, and if they were the typical drug lord types, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill Michael under the assumption that he was either unreliable, had been pinched, or that he had flipped on them. There were a lot of possible scenarios with an endless number of outcomes. It was all extraordinarily overwhelming. Never in his life had he been so nervous on an Op, and never had he felt that the stakes were so high, even when it was the fate of mankind resting on his shoulders in the dark future. Nothing compared to this.
Kara emerged from the bathroom wearing a damp tank top, her skin still speckled with beads of water. She walked over to her bed, drying her hair. Todd did his best to not watch her as he aimlessly stared at the MTX, but could not help himself as she ran the towel down her smooth legs. The more he thought about it, the more it became apparent that Kara was quickly becoming a dangerous distraction. He told himself he shouldn’t have brought her along. He knew that if he had come alone, all his attention and focus would be on the mission at hand; he would only have himself to take care of. However, he couldn’t lie to himself anymore, for the feelings he had described as York’s the night prior were that of his own.
She looked up to see him staring at her. She looked down at herself, then back up at him. There was silence in the room, yet neither broke it Finally, Todd stood up slowly and placed his hands in his pockets.
“You know, I’ve been thinking …” he said.
Kara blinked, shaking her head slightly as if she were snapping herself out of a daze.
“Judging by some of the people we saw last night going into that club … I think we’re going to have to do some clothes shopping,” he grinned.
TROUBLE IN PARADISE
It had been an impatient and stressful event refueling Odin and gathering supplies back at the facility. Albrecht had been relentless with D and his aircrew as they rushed to prepare the aircraft for the long flight back to Miami. Albrecht felt an uncomfortable amount of stress, more than he usually allowed himself to feel.
The plan was to get airborne as soon as possible to time travel back to 1986 once again and send a transmission to Todd’s MTX, warning him of Borden’s intent. He shut off his computer in horror and briskly walked out of his office and down the hallway to the stairwell where Amber was waiting for him.
“We are just about ready, Professor,” Amber said, her hands behind her back.
“Good, we need to get back to that year as soon as possible,” he said, walking past her without making eye contact.
Amber lowered her head. She had rarely seen Albrecht so flustered. The last time she had seen him like this was when York had escaped to the past, and his demeanor brought a sickening feeling in her stomach. She had a feeling that something bad was about to happen. No matter how technologically advanced they had become, they couldn’t change the fact that the world was an evil place. Living in the facility for so long had brought a feeling of immunity and isolation from the rest of the world. It was instances such as this that brought them back to reality.
“Brian!” she called out.
He stopped on the landing and looked back up at her. He exhaled and his eyes softened, no doubt realizing he wasn’t acting like his usual self.
“Yes?” he asked softly.
She took a step down towards him. “Do you think Bohden will try to kill him … the second Todd, that is?”
His lips pressed together firmly. “Bohden will do anything to survive. I should have let him go a long time ago. If Todd disappears …” He fought back tears. “Then Kara will be out there all alone.”
Amber took a deep breath. “Why did you let Kara go with Todd? You knew that it could be dangerous. Why would you protect her like you have for so long, only to let her go?”
He breathed out through his nose, almost sounding aggravated. “Because I have come to terms with the truth that I should have accepted a long time ago … the future cannot be changed, and the only way for us to survive to is to get as far away from it as possible. Right now … they are all converging on the same place, and if we don’t hurry, we will not be able to warn Todd of Steven’s intentions.”
* * *
Todd sped south down Collins Avenue, feeling as if he were late to something to which he had no idea was even going to take place. He glanced over at Kara for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was painfully difficult not to stare at her in her long-sleeved silver mini dress. Her hair was flared out with sweetly smelling products and her piercing eyes were darkened and intensified, surrounded by light purple eye shadow.
It wasn’t who she was, both she and Todd knew it, but it brought out a different perspective on her physical perfection. Todd wore a dark grey suit with the jacket undone and the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. Instead of a dress shirt beneath, he wore a black t-shirt. He was skeptical of this when he tried on the outfit, being that the style would never fly in his day, but the tailor had insisted and Todd finally gave in.
Although he wasn’
t exactly comfortable with what he was wearing, he completely forgot about the whole ordeal once Kara emerged from the women’s department. The woman who did her hair had taken great pride in the finished product and seemed very interested in Kara. Naturally they had sparked conversation during the session and very quickly a mother-daughter type of friendship had formed.
He parked several blocks away due to the lack of parking near the club, and he and Kara walked the rest of the way. He continued to glance back as they walked casually down the sidewalk. He was nervous as hell, and he was having a hard time keeping a relaxed demeanor as he checked every alleyway and eyed every individual who passed them. Kara could sense his nervousness. She felt the entire world was watching them stroll down the street, side by side awkwardly.
“Todd …” she said.
“Yep?” he replied, not making eye contact and continuing to look around as if any moment they would be attacked.
Her lips pursed as she held back a smile. She then grabbed his right arm, holding onto him the way couples would. Todd looked down at her with a shocked expression, and his pace suddenly slowed. Her smile grew, and their walk became more casual, with her clinging onto his arm and him blushing like a boy in grade school. Suddenly the world around them seemed to melt back into its natural state, as if they had finally concocted the proper camouflage to blend into their environment. His attention was now no longer on their surroundings as he stared down at the passing sidewalk, his hands in his hip pockets.
“You should relax more often,” she giggled. “Not everyone is trying to catch you off guard.”
“Well you just did.” Todd grinned.
“I’m simply trying to help us blend in. Must you be so distant and cold all the time?” she asked with a playful scowl, trying to imitate his constant expression.
“Well … why don’t you warm me up? he said with a devious grin.
Kara’s lips curved up, and she grasped his arm ever so slightly harder. Todd could feel a flurry of prickly warmth throughout his body. He pondered on her nonverbal response in silence for a while. The mission at hand completely took the backseat as his conversation with Kara now required his full attention and focus. He was now choosing words carefully, putting together a well-thought-out sentence in his head. However, she broke the silence first.
“Have you ever … been with someone before?” she asked.
He was caught off guard by this question. He didn’t want to lie and say no in order to make her pity him, but he also somewhat feared telling her the truth. The truth being that he never could keep a relationship because women found him to be too internal and eventually selfish in his apparent lack of interest towards them. The mystery that they were initially drawn to eventually subsided and very quickly became an awkward lack of sociability on his part.
He scratched his chin and snorted. “Um …”
“Well?” Kara asked, leaning into him slightly.
He chuckled. “Jeez … Not really. I mean … I’ve gone on dates before while on leave, and well …” he struggled to find the right words.
“What’s that like?” Kara asked.
Todd was taken aback by her child-like curiosity. He looked down at her; her eyes were locked on him; eagerly awaiting an answer. “Dates? Gosh. I don’t know. Usually for me they’re pretty awkward.”
“Why?” she asked.
Todd laughed. “I don’t know … because she and I almost always have absolutely nothing in common. I’m not really sure … wait …” He stopped walking and looked at her. “You’re telling me that you have never … ever been on a date with someone or at least had some sort of significant other?”
“No,” she said bashfully. She brushed a hair out of her eyes. “Is that strange?’
Todd started walking again, pondering her confession. “No …” he said, his eyebrows raised in amazement. “Not at all. Honestly, I think that is a good thing.” He shook his head, almost appearing as if he were angry with himself. “So many people waste so much of their lives chasing things that in the end bring them nothing but heartbreak.” He shook his head once more, pressing his lips together and staring out at the lit skyscrapers in the distance. “I wasted my entire life pursing something that I knew would one day kill me. Twelve years … twelve years of my life given to people who never gave a damn about me, and in the end all I am left with is dead friends and worthless medals.”
They stopped walking once more. Kara let go of his arm, her hands returning to their usual spot—fumbling in front of her. His self-loathing always saddened her. She had seen it enough over the past six years with York.
“But you …” he said.
She looked up at him, becoming nervous as he spoke of her.
“You’re a rare breed, Kara. Special. You are so kind, and beautiful in every way … it kills me to see you so unhappy. You deserve everything you want in life. Someday you are going to meet someone who will give you that. And all I can hope is that he is as perfect as you are.”
She looked down at her feet, her cheeks rosy and her palms beginning to sweat from gripping her hands together so tightly. She looked back up at him, finding his gaze upon her had not moved.
“What about you?” she asked.
“What about me?”
“Don’t you deserve to be happy as well?” She stepped towards him slightly.
He didn’t answer. As if his own bitterness had drawn his attention down the street, he sighed and looked to see the nightclub’s blue neon lights glowing only a few hundred meters away.
“We better get going,” he said. He turned and started down the street. She followed him, watching as his stride started to increase. She once again grabbed his arm, forcing him to slow down. This time he seemed almost irritated but complied nonetheless.
The line in front of the club was not as long as Todd had expected. It was nearing midnight and most of the attendees were most likely already inside. He decided that he and Kara would simply enter like everyone else, seeing that the wait was minimal and there was no real reason to break in unless they were denied entry. It took them a little less than half an hour to finally get in. They were greeted by a heavy-set bouncer and Michael Jacksons “Beat It” as they entered. Todd stopped near the entrance and took a quick moment to ascertain the layout of the place. Overall the place was a giant circle; the dance floor was in the dead center and heavily crowded with lavishly dressed people dancing to the blaring music. On the outer edge of the dance floor was a silver railing which separated the dance floor from the small tables that encircled it. A clear walkway separated the tables from the booths that lined the walls with large mirrors above them, reflecting the beams of light emitting from the ceiling.
With Kara on his arm, Todd first made his way over to the bar. He skillfully pushed his way through the screaming and hollering crowd and ordered himself a glass of bourbon and a martini for Kara. The two then found an open table which overlooked the dance floor and sat down. Neither of them took a drink; instead, Kara watched as Todd scanned the entire building and all its occupants like a predator. He had no idea what his father would have looked like. For all he knew, he had a mustache and a mullet on this night.
Kara slowly and aimlessly stirred her drink, resting her head in her other hand. Todd continued to eye the crowd like a hawk, grasping his drink between both his hands on the table. He was determined to pick out Michael as quickly as possible so that he could ensure his safety. He had done personal protection detail before while with CAG and in doing so he had grown to despise it. Not only was it usually a boring assignment, it was usually also a pain in the ass, as the planning process in preparation and the coordination with outside agencies was always a difficult feat. Not to mention that individuals usually under protection were snobby politicians who didn’t deserve protection in the first place.
Kara seemed almost irritated with him. She watched him as he rotated in his chair, looking at the individuals sitting in the booths behind them. Her irritation le
d her to finally ask the question that had been lingering on her mind since they had left Odin.
“Have I done something wrong?” she asked.
Todd turned back to face her, looking confused by the question. “Huh?” he said, shaking his head.
“It seems that every time we have a conversation about one another, you end it very sternly and abruptly,” she said, her eyes narrow.
The song ended and transitioned to Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” making it easier to hear the exasperation in her soft voice. This intimidated him slightly, causing him to feel an almost intriguing nervousness. Rarely was she so direct with her questions, but he had come to learn that she had an almost supernatural ability to derive the truth from him using nothing more than her sincere curiosity.
He looked out into the crowd and noticed their sporadic movements had slowed exponentially in order to match the song. “I, uh … I guess I’m just not very good at socializing with …”
“That’s not it,” she said, cutting him off. “I have done something, or perhaps said something that has resulted in your bitterness towards me.” Her eyes stayed fixed on him. “I want to know what that is. You brought me here, knowing the dangers that could possibly lay ahead, and knowing that I could prove to be nothing more than a hindrance. Yet you asked me. So, what have I done to cause such a disconnection between us?”
Never had she been so forward with him, and never had she been so passive-aggressive. Todd felt like a child who had been caught red-handed. He felt vulnerable and defenseless against her. He no longer felt as though he were wearing his impenetrable armor. He stared at his hands that wrapped around the small glass of bourbon. He couldn’t think of a way out of this conversation that didn’t result in the disclosure of his most personal feelings.