by Jack Hunt
“You don’t understand, Alex, it’s not as simple as that.”
“Seems pretty simple to me. If you want avoid getting shot don’t move in beside me.”
He breathed a heavy sigh. “I have to be here.”
“Why?”
“I can’t explain why.”
I ran a hand over my head frustrated by his vague answers.
“Now it’s time to go.”
“Look, I just need ten minutes of your time. If I’m the one that has to fix this mess, I need to understand what the hell is going on.”
He diverted his eyes away from me. “You already know too much.”
“Then it won’t harm you to tell me more.”
He stared back at me. “You are persistent, just like your father.”
“My father?”
He turned around and began walking back into the living room. I followed him thinking I had misheard him.
“You knew my father?”
He didn’t reply.
“Harry?”
He blew out his cheeks. “Do you want a drink?”
“Am I going to need it?”
He nodded. I followed him into his kitchen. Everything about his home was normal. There was nothing that would lead you to believe he was anything different to us or that he was from the future. I took a seat at the round glass table in the center of the kitchen. He went over to a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and two glasses.
“What do you know about your father’s occupation?”
“He was a cop for sixteen years and then he shifted over to sales. He was on the road a lot.”
He poured two fingers into each glass. I brought the amber drink to my lips and took a sip. A smooth burn consumed my throat.
“Anything else?”
“No.”
He took a seat across from me and got this look in his eye. He sighed again and I could tell he was struggling to find the words or perhaps wondering how much to share.
“Your father worked for an organization known as the Division. It started out as a black ops group of the CIA.”
I chuckled a little. “CIA?”
“In 1967, using the research of Nikola Tesla, Dr. Martin Whetherby found a way to make time travel possible. Back then it was in its infancy. No one had been through time and he had no plans of using it for anything but medical reasons. By the mid-1970s the CIA learned about his work and the Department of Defense brought him in to assist them with what he called Project Icarus. The main goal of this project was to work with human test subjects. Of course it was a success. Back then it required an astronomical amount of power to allow people to travel. That’s why they created a few large jump sites. Places around the United States where this project could be fully tested. Over time, like most of technology today, Dr. Whetherby managed to find a way to improve and reduce the amount of energy required to create a wormhole. He simplified what originally was a very large device and created smaller technology that could harness that energy.”
He pointed to the watch.
“Large device? What do you mean?”
He nursed his drink and took another swig. “In the early 1900s Tesla built Wardenclyffe Tower, it became known as the Tesla Tower. Essentially this was, how do you put it… an early way to transmit wirelessly. Wireless power transmission would be intended to transmit messages, telephone and facsimile images by drawing upon the planet’s own electrical charge. His goal was to be able to run devices anywhere on the planet using airborne electromagnetic waves by conducting an electrical change from the ground and returning it through the air.” He paused and refilled his drink. “Originally there was only one of these, then he built two and from that he was able to create a field between them that could warp time and space. Anyway, using Tesla’s papers he eventually managed to makes these smaller and they became a bit like cellular towers. If you are within range and you have one of these,” he pointed to the watch, “you can harness it and use it to create a wormhole right where you are.”
I nodded.
“My father worked for the CIA?” I still couldn’t wrap my head around that.
“The CIA were the first to get their hands on this technology. Project Icarus was funded by DARPA. At first they just wanted to experiment. See if it was possible to use the technology with humans. Eventually they wanted to see if it could be used for espionage.”
I let out a laugh. “Forgive me, but you have to understand how this all sounds. I mean, I knew my father, he was no CIA agent.”
“I’ll get to that. Once they established that they could send people back in time, the CIA began using the technology to observe and gather intel. That soon evolved into testing if there was a way to safely assist and guide the destiny of mankind.”
“In what way?”
“By making small changes. Nothing big.”
“Like assassinations.”
“Not exactly. A CIA counterintelligence officer and several others who were involved in the original Project Icarus founded the Division. Their goals were much different to those who were heading up the project.”
I wobbled on the thin line between disbelief and acceptance.
“The Division are the ones that want the next president dead. I work for the CIA, Alex. I was sent back to stop the assassination.”
I sighed and leaned back against the wall. “How many years in the future did you come from?”
“Five.”
“I don’t get it. Why do they want her dead?”
“In the future President Dempsey will prevent World War Three. However, her successor will start it.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “Why would anyone want to start a war?”
“Why is any war started? You are going to hear all manner of reasons why. At the end of the day, our military follows commands regardless of what the truth is about a threat.”
“So how does World War Three start?”
“America will move against North Korea after they refuse to stop testing nuclear weapons. In response, they will launch a nuclear attack at America. The loss of life, Alex, is beyond anything ever seen.”
“Five years from now?”
He nodded. I thought back to all the news reports about North Korean nuclear tests. They had already conducted three nuclear tests in an underground facility. The United States reported a 5.1 magnitude earthquake.
“So you are saying the Division wants that to happen?”
“The Division is an international criminal organization. An enemy of the United States and a rival to the CIA.”
“But you said they were a division of the CIA?”
“Were.”
“And my father chose to work for them?”
“Not knowingly. He thought he was working for the CIA. When we pulled him, he agreed to work as a double agent. His job was to gather intel on what they were doing, in turn our team would attempt to stop them. His cover was compromised. It was the Division who killed your father, Alex.”
My chin dropped. Discovering time travel was overwhelming, but this… This took things to a whole new level. It wasn’t every day a person found out that their father was a CIA agent.
“You mentioned that time travel works using towers. Why not just destroy them if that’s what controls time travel itself?”
“Makes sense but that would mean the CIA would no longer be able to use it and that’s not going to happen.”
“So their answer is to keep hunting down the Division?”
“Something like that.”
“If you’re from the future where President Dempsey is dead, how does this work?”
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you know that I would shoot you?”
“No. This comes back to different timelines and infinite possibilities. Initially in this timeline, I never returned, Dempsey was shot, her successor takes over and World War Three starts. Now in response to that, I returned to prevent it which in turn would change the outcom
e and create a new branch or series of events that would follow. Essentially this timeline would cease to exist.”
“But I’ve come back from Sunday.”
“And by doing so, you’ve reset the timeline and in turn nullified all changes.”
I ran a hand over my face. “This is confusing.”
“Welcome to time travel.”
“So why did you tell me to avoid you?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I really didn’t want to have to drop this on you, Alex. Your father was a good friend of mine.”
I grabbed the bottle and refilled my glass.
“I know it’s a lot to take in. I always remember when I first learned about it. I spent the first night in denial until I saw it in action.”
“What about if I run into myself?”
“A paradox.”
“I disappear?”
“Depends how long you see or hear yourself. Think of it like the same chord being struck at the same time by two guitars. It’s the same notes. Your ear doesn’t hear two chords, one of them is cancelled out. Like a feedback loop. You would disappear from this timeline.”
I downed the rest of my drink.
“Is there no way to save my father? Like, what if I went back and told him what was going to happen?”
“Don’t you think we would have done that by now?”
“Well, why haven’t you? You sent me back.”
He breathed out heavily. “Alex, you need to focus on the now. Not the past.”
“Says the person who sent me into the past.”
“This is about saving thousands of lives not just one.”
“But wouldn’t the very act of saving my father in turn prevent what is coming?”
“Your father wasn’t involved in anything related to the president. Even though we know who originally formed the Division, we don’t know how high up it goes or who is working for both the CIA and them. It’s a tangled mess, Alex. Double agents on either side. That’s why they can’t just destroy the technology. They need it.”
I could feel the effects of the alcohol and a tension headache building.
I sniffed. “What’s the point of having time travel technology if we can’t use it to prevent the death of those we love?”
“There are ripple effects to everything, Alex. The very act of saving your father might cause a chain of events that could be devastating. The risk is too great.”
“How can you be sure Loretta Dempsey won’t eventually start World War Three?”
“We can’t. We just know that the one that took over from her will. That’s the thing about time, Alex. It is not a toy to be played with. No one should have the power to be able to use it in a manner of self-interest.”
“And saving the next president is not self-interest? What a joke.”
“Like I said, it’s not about one person. It’s about the world. There are more lives at stake. This isn’t about saving your father so you can have a few more years with him. So what? You go back and save your dad. What then? Chances are he would still be killed. His cover was compromised. He knew the dangers.”
“So how far can we travel back?”
“Only as far back as this technology. Otherwise you won’t have the means to get back to the future. So early ’80s.”
We sat there for the better part of an hour talking. I looked up at the clock and saw that it was a little after eight-thirty.
“The other me is going to be expecting you to leave at around nine.”
“Why?”
“You already know too much,” I said.
He let out a chuckle.
“So do you know who is going to shoot Dempsey?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t be telling you to go fix this. I’m guessing I find out between now and then. All we know right now is that she will be shot at the stadium. The shooter got away.”
He breathed in deeply then rose to his feet. “I think we are done, Alex.”
“But I still have so many questions—”
“Everything you need to know, you already know. I can’t tell you any more, it might screw up the future.”
“Mine or yours?” I replied sarcastically.
“Both.”
Chapter 17
As much as he wanted me to leave, there was a problem. By now Eric and I would be over at the party. With people outside, the chances were slim of me being able to slip out without being noticed.
Harry’s eyebrows went up. “Another reason why I told you to avoid me. Now my future is being changed by you being here.”
“No, this can still play out. I’ll get in the back of your car.”
He glanced at his watch. “I can’t leave yet. It’s not time.”
“What is your deal with heading out on time?”
“Look, just go out the back, Alex.”
“What? And hang out in my house? Eric doesn’t go back to his dorm tonight. He crashes at my house.”
“Eric?”
“My friend who brought me over.”
He cocked his head. “Oh god. Tell me you did not tell him?”
“Who else was going to believe me?”
He paced back and forth rubbing his hand around the back of his neck. I shrugged when he glanced at me.
“Okay, get in the back but don’t put your head up.”
He led me out to the attached garage through a door inside his house. Under the fluorescent lights the black BMW with tinted windows glimmered.
“That is one slick ride.”
“Just get in.”
I hopped in the back and stayed out of view of the windows. It was getting close to quarter to nine by the time he finished loading up whatever crap he was taking with him in the trunk. Harry then slid into the front seat, cast a glance over his shoulder, shook his head and turned over the ignition. The garage door lifting brought in the noise of the party. Outside I could hear people arguing, and music playing.
“We’re fighting.”
“What?”
“I got caught up in a fight over at the party. You’ll see.”
“What was it about?”
“Do you want to hear Eric’s version or mine?”
“Forget I even asked.”
The car lurched forward and eased out. The bright lights that someone had set up outside Kelly’s home lit up the cul-de-sac. As we got closer to the ruckus, I kept low. I didn’t want to blink out of existence but I was curious to see myself again. I figured being behind the safety of tinted glass would keep me safe from locking eyes. Sure enough I saw myself stare back at the driver’s window. I remembered what went through my mind as my neighbor drove by. Was I in the back at that point? The strangeness of time travel was too confusing to wrap my head around. I didn’t gaze upon myself for long. The idea that I might disappear frightened the hell out of me.
“Harry?”
“Yeah, kid?”
“If I manage to fix the problem, what happens to me?”
“A new branch will be created and the river will flow in a new direction. So when you return to the future you will appear wherever you are meant to be.”
“Would there be two of us?”
“No, just the one.”
“Okay, that is a brain twister.”
He glanced in his rearview mirror. “Sure is.”
The car bumped its way out of my street and I felt anxious. The thought that I might screw it up tormented me.
“Where are you heading?”
“That’s none of your business. Now where’s the dorm?”
I gave him the directions and for the rest of the journey we sat in silence. It wasn’t that I didn’t try to have a conversation but he had become tight-lipped and looked almost annoyed by the fact that he had told me anything. When he dropped me off, I noticed Ash was getting out of a car with his girlfriend.
“Thanks for the ride.”
“Sure. Remember, Alex, don’t mess this up a second time.”
“I’ll try not.”
&nbs
p; As I watched him pull around, I called over to Ash. “You think I could borrow your car?”
“Why?”
“Eric broke down and he wants to know if we could borrow your car. We’ll have it back within the hour.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s got tied up with some girl.”
“Typical.”
He looked at his girlfriend, she smiled and he tossed the keys my way. “Just don’t ding it up. I just had it detailed.”
“You got it.”
I hopped in and pulled out almost hitting another car in the process. Ash grimaced.
“Trust me. I’ll take good care of her,” I hollered out the window. He didn’t look convinced. I slammed the accelerator down and tore away. I wanted to keep a close eye on Harry. There was something he wasn’t telling me. Perhaps he was just being careful but I felt there was something more to it. I kept several cars between us and followed him for about another five minutes until I saw him pull into John Smith Field. Floodlights illuminated the place. A baseball team was playing. I pulled up behind a car, several vehicles down. I sunk low in my seat and watched out the window. Harry put a hat on and pulled up the collar on his jacket as if he was trying to hide who he was.
What are you up to?
I didn’t need to get out of the car. I watched him walk up to the bleachers and stand by the side. There was plenty of seating. Why was he standing there? On the field, two teams were playing their hearts out in white and yellow uniforms. They couldn’t have been more than sixteen years of age. A number of local teams would play there when the university wasn’t using the field. There was a small crowd of people. I watched him ease up the sides. He looked as if he was trying to stay out of view of someone. But who? I saw him glance up into the bleachers. Without being closer I couldn’t tell who it was. I waited in that car for the better part of thirty minutes hoping that eventually he would return and do something that was related to the next president’s arrival. Instead he returned when the game was over. His chin dropped. A few times he cast a glance over his shoulder. Who was he looking at?
Eventually he got back into his car and I assumed he would pull away. Instead he sat there with the window down smoking a cigarette. It was dark out now and after another fifteen minutes I was about to leave when I noticed a woman pull up a car and get out. She waved to some young-looking kid who clasped hands with a few of the other players before rushing across to the car. He got in and the car crawled away. At the same time, so did Harry. I followed him for another three blocks before he pulled into a spot. He was following that car.