The Time Portal 4: The Inquisition

by Joe Corso

  “You did what you came here to do. You took care of my Krystina. When we get back home, just load me up with the medications I need and I’ll try to finish here. Do you think the women you trained have learned well?”

  Grossman thought a moment then nodded. “Sort of. I tried to make it easy for them. I used a color-coding system. For example, fever is yellow, venereal disease is blue, measles – green and so on. Let’s just hope that they don’t administer the wrong medication, but it’s the only thing I could think of to do. I have two more days and I plan on using them. I’ll let the ladies administer the medications as I watch them. Sort of a test, you know.”

  Lucky retired to his room early that evening. He needed to formulate a plan to deal with Shan. From experience, he knew that a plan, no matter how well thought out, could somehow turn around and bite ya in the ass. He decided to create a portal to take him to Shan’s location. Then what? He could grab Shan and take him to . . . where? He had to think of a place in time. Where? He kept thinking, but nothing came to mind. Lucky ruled out Egypt and the ancient Colosseum. He didn’t want him meeting up with anyone else from the twenty-first century.

  Finally, “Ah ha,” he said aloud.

  The next two days passed quickly as it was nearing time for Lucky and Grossman to return to the present. They said their goodbyes to the royal couple and Lucky went upstairs to see Krystina to tell her he was leaving. He knocked on her door. The door opened and there stood the mother of his child, looking more beautiful than ever. Motherhood certainly became her.

  “I will return once my affairs are in order. I will bring more medicines,” he said while standing in the hallway. “I love you,” he said, “or, you have my heart, as you would say.” Krystina smiled. She loved the way that Lucky tried to fit in, always attempting to speak the language like the natives. Sometimes he was successful, sometimes not so. It mattered not to the Princess. In her mind, the wizard was her prince, much more so than any of the true princes in the kingdom. She adored him. Krystina pulled Lucky into her room, took his face in her hands and kissed him tenderly and passionately.

  “Please journey in haste back to me, back to me and your son. We need you,” she said lovingly, yet firmly. “I will count the days until you return to me.” Lucky held her tight, looked into her eyes, and turned and walked back down the hallway.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Dr. Grossman handed his wife the package. It was oddly wrapped but his wife said nothing to that effect. Slowly, she unraveled the diamond necklace and earrings. Her face said it all. She looked up at her husband, back down at the exquisite jewelry before her, and gazed back up.

  “You deserve it,” Grossman said. “I promised you a surprise. Here it is. I have always wanted to find you something so unique, something far outside the standard pieces offered by our local jewelers. Well, I found it. I found this set and knew that it was for you.”

  “How . . . . why . . . ? It’s gorgeous. It’s the most beautiful piece or should I say ‘pieces’ that I’ve ever seen. The workmanship is unlike anything I’ve known. Oh my . . . .”

  “Just enjoy it. And now, please pack a suitcase. We’re taking our trip. It’s time we enjoyed life a little.”

  Bobby Boots, Lucky’s private pilot, had Lucky’s company credit card. His instructions were to be at the Grossmans’ disposal, to make sure they had fun, and to let them shop without limitation.

  “Whatever they want to do,” Lucky said, “so be it. Grossman deserves this vacation. Let them spend all the money they desire, but do not let them out of your sight. Go with them wherever they go. When you’re not piloting the plane, you will be their body guard. First stop is the Charlie Hodges Ranch in Australia.”

  Besides being a pilot, Bobby was also a two time martial arts world champion. The Grossmans were in good hands. Bobby called Charlie Hodge and told him to expect company. Charlie hung up the phone and told Anastasia that some friends of Lucky’s were coming to the ranch for a vacation. Anastasia was quite excited about having guests. The ranch was fun and she loved it, but having visitors, which was rare, was also good.

  As for Gerri Grossmam, the doctor’s wife, she could barely contain her enthusiasm either. Sure, they traditionally took a vacation at least once a year, but her husband, ever the dedicated physician, never wanted to wander too far from home, away from his patients and any potential emergencies. His partner was capable, but patients were funny. Once they latched onto a professional medical caretaker, they didn’t much like being passed off to someone else, even if it did mean a once a year vacation.

  Lucky himself drove the Grossman couple and their two children to the airport and he personally escorted them safely onto his Gulfstream G550 jet. Lucky walked into the cockpit and reminded Bobby, once again, to watch over them carefully. Bobby acknowledged with a nod.

  Now, this was living. Geri Grossman could not believe that someone had ‘gifted’ them with a pilot and co-pilot at their disposal and an unlimited expense account. Grossman had done his part. He had kept his word and requisitioned all the medicines and supplies needed to treat the remaining villagers of King Robert’s kingdom. He had sorted them and readied them for Lucky to take back. On the plane, the doctor reflected upon the past week. It was almost hard to digest. He had done something no doctor had ever done before. He had treated patients from another time period.

  Lucky portaled back to the safehouse where the requisitioned drugs were stored. The boys were there and they used the opportunity to bring Lucky up to date on what was happening with the company. Lucky liked what he heard but wanted to see it for himself.

  “Tell you what. I’ll take two of you with me. Who wants to go?”

  Casey got up. Nicky said, “I want to visit my money, so count me in.”

  The three men appeared in the hallway behind the emergency exit door of TCI’s corporate office. Nicky opened the door and walked past the receptionist who recognized him and said nothing. He guided Lucky past the long row of secretaries to Flackstein’s office. After they passed, the ladies traded comments about the nice looking billionaire who, according to everyone, was a bachelor. While some of the women were married, there were several single ladies who bantered about how best to get his attention.

  Flackstein smiled as he spotted Lucky with two of his board members. After polite hellos were exchanged, he began the same tour that he had given Mickey with one difference. When they had completed the tour, Flackstein took the men to a room on the other side of the building. Inside, the room was dark, with a large screen hanging on the main wall. Smaller screens flanked it. Young men and women sat in front of the monitors busily working and typing on their keyboards.

  “Sorry,” he said to Nicky. “This room wasn’t active when I took you on your tour. It’s active now and doing very well as you can see.”

  Lucky questioned him. “Active doing what exactly?”

  Flackstein answered. “We’re doing what we do best and we also do a little of what Paine Webber does best. We’re investing in stocks. The bottom line is we’re out of the red now and showing some profit. We’re a private company but when the economy rebounds, I suggest we put out a major public offering. When the offering successfully closes, you can take all your money out of the company and we can work with the public’s money. We will then be a force in the financial world – a true Fortune 500 company. I think we can shoot for a billion dollar offering if we do it right. At the very least, we’ll aim for five hundred million.”

  Lucky thought that one over for a moment. “Look, it’s too early to go public. The SEC wouldn’t approve an offering from our company at this time. When the time is right, we’ll discuss it, but right now I don’t recommend doing it. I don’t need the money and I certainly do not need the SEC breathing down my neck with their rules and regulations. You’re doing a good job, Leonard. This is what I envisioned. You’re going to be a very rich man without a public offering.” Lucky felt the need to say that. Greed. It was always about gr
eed, but he understood it. Greed was the reason he was a billionaire. They headed back to the boss’s office. The men plopped down on Flackstein’s leather sofas.

  Lucky began the conversation. “Do you have enough money to run this operation?”

  Flackstein looked at Lucky, a little puzzled by that question. “You gave me plenty of money. I still have a lot of it. The company has generated enough money that we have enough socked away to cover your original investment. Gentlemen, I envision this company being a fifty to one hundred billion dollar company within a few years.”

  Lucky stared at Flackstein . “It all sounds good, Leonard. And to ensure that we are indeed covered, playing by the rules, I’m bringing in an independent accounting firm to go over the books. I know that we have someone in-house that you hired, but let’s make sure we’re doing this right.” Flackstein seemed unfazed.

  “No, you’re absolutely right. I did hire an in-house accountant. In fact, at present we have an entire accounting department, because one man could not keep up with all the work that’s coming in. And as far as your independent accounting firm goes, I welcome them. I want nothing to interfere with me becoming a disgustingly wealthy man.” Lucky laughed.

  “Don’t you worry about that,” Lucky said. “You’ll get your wish. You will definitely be a disgustingly rich man. Just keep doing what you’re doing and in the meantime, if you require anything, let one of the board members know. They’ll see to it that you get whatever it is you need. I’ll be out of town a lot so I won’t be of much use to anyone until I get back.”

  Flackstein wondered about Lucky’s travels and disappearances, but he never asked. He just dared not risk doing or saying anything that might draw the ire of the man who was singlehandedly changing his life. Lucky sensed what Flackstein was thinking. It was almost as if he could read his mind. He wondered if mind reading was the next step in his evolution.

  “In case you’re wondering about the original start-up money I gave you,” Lucky said, as it to circumvent any thoughts of another kind, “it’s legit – every penny of it.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  On the flight to the ranch, Dr. Grossman told his wife the story of how Lucky and Charlie saved Princess Anastasia from being killed and brought her back with them to our time. Of course, she didn’t believe him, and even commented as to how that was a cute story, but then again, she still wasn’t sure about the beautiful jewels adorning her neck and ears, either.

  Charlie watched as the sleek jet touched down at the airstrip Lucky had built on the outer edge of his property. The jet’s engines wound down and the door of the craft opened. Bobby and the Grossman family walked down the new movable ramp that Lucky had shipped to the ranch. Charlie welcomed them and asked them to have a seat in his brand new fullyloaded Nissan X-Trail SUV, complete with a navigationsystem, something else that Lucky bought him. It replaced the decrepit excuse for a truck that Charlie had been using for everything – from the ranch to basic errand shopping. Charlie placed the luggage into the trunk and took off. On the drive, Charlie told them about the ranch and about the beautiful cabins he had all set up for the couple and their children. Charlie’s ranch was quite large and it took a while to get there. The car pulled up in front of the main building and a pretty young girl ran out to greet them. Charlie took her by the hand, “Mr. and Mrs. Grossman and kids, I would like to introduce you to her Highness, Princess Anastasia of Russia.”

  Mrs. Grossman didn’t know what to say. She thought it might have been a joke. How could anyone from the past be standing here in front of her? She didn’t know what to make of it. After all, she looked just like any ordinary young lady.

  “I’m so happy to meet you Anastasia,” Geri Grossman replied. Anastasia beamed. She loved being treated like any ordinary teenager.

  “Please call me Anna. and I am also very pleased to meet you too. Come. Let me help you with your bags. I hope you enjoy your stay. It is really a very special place.”

  Bobby, Charlie and Anastasia then walked with the family, chatting all the way about the ranch and the town and shopping until they reached a cabin door. Geri Grossman entered the room to the sight of a multitude of beautiful flowers, in every color imaginable. They filled every corner, every table, every ledge and perfumed the air with their sweet scents.

  “This was Lucky’s doing,” Charlie said as he placed a suitcase onto the floor in front of the closet.

  “They are so beautiful. They take my breath away.”

  “Yep. They sure are nice,” Charlie added as he turned and headed toward the door. Me, Anastasia and Bobby will be in the main building whenever you feel up to joining us.”

  About a half hour later, the Grossman family joined the rest of the group in the main building. They settled themselves comfortably onto the couches in the main room of the ranch house. Charlie and Anastasia poured everyone a drink – Solo, Australia’s favorite drink – a lemon flavored, carbonated soda. Charlie sipped his and sat back in his favorite chair. He lit his vanilla scented pipe, which wasn’t the least bit offensive, and looked around the room.

  “So, how do you know Lucky?” Grossman asked, breaking the silence.

  Charlie told him everything, from the beginning, how he found Lucky wandering around, picked him up in his beat-up old truck, took care of him for a while, how they discovered the nearby portals, rescued Anastasia, how Lucky bought him his brand new truck. Charlie grabbed hold of Anastasia’s hand and explained how she had become the daughter he never had and how he truly loved her. It showed. The Grossmans sat transfixed at his stories, the adventures of Charlie and Lucky.

  “Then Lucky hired a team of workers to build everything you see. Couldn’t make this stuff up,” Charlie said and then paused. Dr. Grossman picked up on it and asked him what’s wrong.

  Charlie said, “Well, there’s more to tell, but I don’t know if it’s right of me to say anymore without Lucky’s approval.”

  “Look Charlie, I been cleared for the governments highest top secret security level. I saved Lucky’s wife,” Grossman answered.

  “Wife?” Charlie asked.

  “Well not so much wife, but girlfriend. Okay – the mother of his child,” Grossman answered.

  “Well, now,” Charlie said as he leaned back again into the sofa, “there must be a few things that my buddy Lucky hasn’t shared with his ole Aussie friend Charlie,” he said, a little surprised about this revelation, but in a quite-happy-for-him tone.

  “Well,” Charlie continued, “you see that barn out back? Not the old one, the new one. Well Lucky brought the professor here because his life was being threatened because of an invention that everybody wanted. Well, he built it right in that barn out back. Took quite a while, but the professor built it and when it was finished – crikey, it worked.” He stopped there.

  Charlie looked at Grossman, and then at his wife and kids. It was obvious to Grossman there was more to the story. Charlie glanced at Anastasia and said, “Honey, why don’t you take the boys to the stable and show them your horse? And then let them each pick one of the other horses to ride. You can saddle them up and take them on a tour of the ranch property. Would you like to go also Mrs. Grossman?”

  “Maybe I’ll pick out a horse and do that,” she answered.

  With everyone gone but the three of them, Bobby, Grossman and Charlie, Charlie felt comfortable enough to tell Dr. Grossman the rest of the story.

  “That barn is where he built the flying machine.”

  “What flying machine?” Grossman asked.

  “Why, the flying saucer – that flying machine. Yep, he built it right here on my property in that big barn. Darned if the thing didn’t work right off the bat. It just up and flew away.”

  “What was so special about his flying machine?”

  “Well for one thing, it had no motor. It used magnets.”

  “Magnets?” Grossman said. He was clearly intrigued.

  “Yep, magnets. He even made it so you can’t see it. Then he ma
de suits for the boys right here in that barn and when they put them on, you couldn’t see them neither.”

  “Charlie, I’m sorry I asked. This is some dangerous shit. I mean, it could be dangerous for you if anyone found out about it. You should never tell anyone again, even if they have a top security clearance like me. Give me your word that you won’t tell anyone ever again unless Lucky tells you to do so. Promise?”

  “Yeah . . . I guess I see your point mate – won’t speak of it again.”

  No wonder people wanted to kidnap Lucky, Grossman thought. He had more going on than just the time travel, which in itself, was pretty heavy duty. Charlie got up and said, “Well, Boots, let’s get this barbie started and prepare us a Charlie Ranch feast for our guests here.”

  Bobby got up and the men all went out back. Anastasia had laid out the shrimp and three chickens to be placed onto the rotisserie. Charlie asked for Bobby’s help as they pulled out a suckling pig from a spit under the ground.

  “Feel free to carve into that if you like,” Charlie said. “She’s been cooking for hours. Nothing like fresh off the bone pork cooked the Charlie way.”

  The cookout area was impressive. It had a large sitting area, a fire pit, an impressive circular grill, and a fully stocked outdoor kitchen. The men began fetching and assisting Charlie as he placed the chickens onto the special rotating spit cooker and marinated the shrimp while Anastasia, the Grossman kids and Geri Grossman rode all around the ranch on their horses. They loved it.

  “It was exhilarating and the country is so beautiful,” Geri said, upon their return.

  Dinner was a hit. Charlie had prepared a special treat as desert – Cedar Bay Cherry, also known as Beach Cherry – a fruit with thick leaves and small white flowers. The fruit is sweet and can be eaten fresh. A lot of fruit in Australia contain poisons, but when cooked are harmless. The Beech Cherry, the most popular fruit in Australia, can be eaten raw or cooked and that was what that was for desert tonight – and a nice chocolate layer cake. It was a big crowd pleaser but once the food hit their stomachs, most all of the passengers on Lucky’s jet realized that they were tired. Twenty hours in the sky had taken its toll.