A Rift in Time

by Clark Graham

  Wilson smiled, “She’s moving. It should be smooth sailing until we reach the shelf. We’ll drop off your plane and then blow her to bits with the charges we set. I do have to say, it would have been cheaper for you to let me blow it in place.”

  “I want to make sure no one ever finds it. The future of mankind is at stake.”

  Wilson turned, “You’re joking, right? I mean, this isn’t that important, is it?”

  Dalton nodded. “It is.”

  “Wow.” Wilson watched the horizon. “Ted is going to be angry. Why did he want this thing, anyway?”

  “He wanted to change the world to his advantage. Now he’ll never be able to.”

  “I didn’t like the guy, anyway.” Wilson moved to the front of the barge. Looking down, he pulled one of the lines tighter on the timbers that held the barges together. “Not much longer and we’ll be there. We’re going to leave a trench where we pulled this along. One good storm will wash it all away. It’s not every day you get to save the world.”

  Dalton didn’t say anything. He didn’t know if Wilson was baiting him or not. He had just met the man and couldn’t size him up yet. An hour later, the tugs stopped. The crane had let out chain as the depth increased. It was now at the end of its spool.

  “Here we are. My divers can’t swim this deep so I’m going to let the chain go then back off when we set off the charges.”

  Dalton nodded. The end of the chain slipped into the water. Wilson and Dalton climbed aboard a tug. The timbers connecting the barges were loosened and the other tug took the two barges in tow.

  Wilson held the plunger to the detonator. “Just say the word.”

  Dalton took a breath, “Now.”

  A column of water thirty feet high pushed up from the depths. Both Wilson and Dalton were drenched despite being back, away from the explosion. “Wow,” Wilson brushed his face with his hand. “I didn’t expect it to be that big.”

  Dalton sat there a moment. I just blew up the remains of Captain Myers. He knew he had to fix that. “It was impressive. Let’s get out of here.”

  As they sailed back to New York, in the distance they could see a barge carrying a long crane. Wilson pointed it out to the captain of the barge, steer clear of that ship. I don’t want them figuring out what we did.”

  The captain nodded and changed course. Back on dry land, Dalton drove home. Mary met him at the door. “Well, is it done?”

  “Yes, blown to bits.”

  “No more planes landing in my backyard in the middle of the night?”

  “No more.”

  “Good, now I can get some sleep and the children will stop having nightmares.”

  “We can only hope.” He looked her in the eyes. “I need to do something for Myers. I blew up his remains. I need to leave at least a marker there.”

  “Where you blew up the plane?”

  “No, I don’t want to bring attention to that spot. I’ll leave it where he was in one piece last. Where the plane rested for all those years. That’s where I’ll put it.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  New York, New York

  1914

  “Just a cup of coffee, Ma’am.”

  Diana almost dropped the pot when she realized who it was. Instead of pouring the coffee, she ran back into the kitchen. “It’s Dalton. He’s here and he doesn’t look happy.”

  Felix wiped his hands on a towel. Leaving his sink full of dishes, he walked out into the diner and sat down across from Dalton. “What do you want?”

  “I’ll start with some coffee.”

  Felix nodded for Diana to pour him a cup. She did, but stayed at the side of the booth, still holding the pot.

  Dalton took a sip. “That was quite the stunt you pulled, showing Ted where to find the plane.”

  “It’s too late for you to stop him. His equipment is already on site,” Felix replied.

  “And what are you going to do when he asks you to fix it?”

  Felix shifted nervously in his seat. “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. For now, I’m getting the plane. I can let the future know I’m here. They will come and rescue me.”

  Diana piped up, “We’re going to end all wars and make the world safe.”

  Dalton stood up, put a dime on the table for the cup of coffee. “Idealist. You can’t stop a war without creating three more. More suffering is what you accomplish, not less. You can destroy your very existence if you’re not careful.” He faced Felix. “You’ll never be rescued. You have to realize that. Make a life in the here and now and live it.” He walked out.

  Diana turned to Felix. “Is he right? Will we just cause more problems?”

  “I could destroy my very existence.” He shivered. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “What about all those that will die? I don’t know what to do.”

  He turned to face her. “They died last time. They will die again.”

  Tears formed in her eyes. “It’s so horrible.”

  Felix’s door splintered open and Ted’s goons barged into his apartment and dragged him out of bed. They didn’t wait for him to get dressed, but forced him down the stairs in his pajamas and stuffed him into the awaiting black sedan.

  “What’s this all about?” Felix demanded.

  “Shut up while you still can.”

  The car drove up to Ted’s hotel. They dragged him through the door and sat him in a chair. They stood on either side of him.

  Ted walked into the room. He pointed a gun at Felix. “I spent all this money to bring that time machine to the surface. Where is it?”

  “It’s there, just where I showed you it was. You saw it right?” Felix swallowed.

  “It’s not there anymore. Where did you take it?”

  “Dalton.” Felix stared straight ahead. “Dalton has it. He came to the diner to scare me off, but I didn’t scare. I didn’t tell him we had found it. He seemed to already know. He called me a fool. He has it, I’m sure he does.”

  “That girl of yours tell him?” Ted stood closer to Felix.

  “No, she would never. She wants to end the World Wars. She wouldn’t tell him. I want to get back to my time. Why would I tell him? He would destroy it, I’ll be stuck. I have to go and see if I can get it back. It’s so important. I’m the only one around, besides him,who can fly the thing.”

  “Go, then.” Ted motioned with his gun.

  The two men brought him back to his apartment. He grabbed some clothes then took the train over to Dalton’s place.

  It was a cold reception this time. He was led into the parlor without a word being spoken. He sat down and waited a while before Dalton made it downstairs.

  “Please tell me where you took the Vmax3 drive. I need it intact.”

  Dalton sat down and smiled. “I dragged it away and then blew it to tiny bits. You’ll never find it.”

  “I’m stuck!” Felix went pale.

  “You always have been stuck. You don’t have it so bad. The girl likes you. Settle down, raise a family. Enjoy your new life.”

  Felix stood up. “You have just ruined my life. I’m stuck here now.” He stomped out and slammed the door behind him.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Budapest Hungary

  1914

  Felix and Diana stood on the sidewalk. Felix found himself wishing he knew his history better. He didn’t remember the man’s name, but he knew it was during the ArchDuke’s visit that the assassination would happen. He and Diana had eloped so her father would allow her to go with Felix on the trip. He was old fashioned. They would spend their honeymoon stopping the Great War.

  The ArchDuke’s motorcade was coming down the street. It was coming fast. The only thing Felix could do was yell, “Watch out. They are trying to kill you.” He heard Diana screaming the same thing.

  Policemen came up behind them. “Šta radiš?”

  The ArchDuke’s car made a wrong turn down an alley. As it backed out, two shots rang out. Mass pandemonium erupted, people ru
nning in all directions.

  One of the officers grabbed Felix’s arm and led him away. He looked over his shoulder to see Diana also being detained. They were both thrown into a cell at the police station and left there.

  The holding cells were next to each other. A young man was put in with Felix also.

  Felix turned to Diana. “We failed. All we have succeeded in doing is getting ourselves in trouble.”

  Hours passed by before someone came in to talk to them. It was a dour, pudgy man in an ill-fitting suit. He couldn’t understand them, so he left. An hour later, he came back with a young, tall man who was very thin. They took Felix to an interview room.

  “I am Huran. Um, I can talk to you. What is your name?”

  “Why do you need my name? You have my passport.”

  Huran turned back to the other man, “Pasoš.” The man handed the passports over to Huran. “I see, Americans. Yes, Mr. Felix Schmidt. Why did the Americans want the Arch Duke dead?”

  “No, we tried to warn the ArchDuke of the murder plot. We tried to stop it.”

  “So, you deny that you are from America?”

  “I’m from America, but America didn’t want the Arch Duke dead.”

  “So, how do you know this? Did your government tell you this?”

  Felix sat back in his chair, his heart racing. “I want a lawyer.”

  “Of course, you do, but that is not up to me.” Huran leaned forward. “Were you part of the planning for this assassination?”

  “No, I just barely got here.”

  “So, you came to make sure the deed was done right?”

  “No, I came to warn him. I came to save his life.”

  “So, you admit you knew about the plot in advance? How else would you have known to warn him?”

  “I’m not answering any more of your questions.”

  Huran turned to the large short man sitting behind him. They talked, but Felix couldn’t understand a single thing they were saying. They both stood up. “You will see the judge in the morning.”

  Diana was brought into the same room that Felix had been in. Wide-eyed, she gazed around the room. It was no more than a square box with a table and some chairs. Huran and the pudgy man walked in and sat down.

  “Please be seated, Mrs. Schmidt.” Huran motioned to a chair.

  Reluctantly, she sat down.

  “Please tell us how you learned of the plot to kill the Arch Duke.”

  “I didn’t know. Felix told me. I tried to stop it.”

  “I see, Felix has put you up to his scheme.” He leaned back in his chair.

  “Yes, we were going to stop the war.”

  Huran turned back to the other man and they talked for a minute, before turning back to Diana. “What war?”

  “The Great War.”

  “No war is great. Who are the other conspirators?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I see.” Huran wrote down some notes. “Will you testify to the fact that Felix knew the Arch Duke was going to be assassinated?”

  “Yes, if you want me to.”

  To Diana’s surprise, they released her. She walked back to her hotel room. The military was out in force. Slipping past the desk clerk quietly, she made her way up to her room, then crumpled on the bed and sobbed.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Budapest Hungary

  1914

  Felix stared up at the ceiling of his cell. It was dirty with cracking plaster, like the rest of his cell. A clank brought his attention to the metal door. It swung open. The guard grumbled and motioned him to come. He climbed off his cot and walked toward the man. Two more guards appeared and shackled Felix, then led him away.

  The courthouse was full of people. They jeered Felix as the police led him through the room. One person took a swing at him, causing the police to push back the crowd. Right before they led Felix into the courtroom, the policemen took off his shackles. With two police officers on either side of him, they marched him into the room.

  After the judge came in, Felix was sat down between two men at a table. One stood up right away and addressed the judge. Felix couldn’t understand a word being spoken except he heard his name mentioned once in a while.

  “You very lucky. You have a good lawyer,” The man on his right whispered.

  “What are they talking about?” He whispered back.

  “Um, how do you say, um, deal. You are being sentenced, but only ten years, very lucky.”

  “What? I didn’t plead guilty.” Felix’s voice was raised.

  A rap on the bench by the judge’s gavel drew Felix’s attention. His lawyer sat down next to him. “Yes, you did plead guilty. I entered the plea for you. If I let you go free, the crowd would rip you to pieces. They want blood and yours would do as much as the real culprits.”

  “But, I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “It doesn’t matter. You’ve already pled guilty. The United State’s government and Mr. Dalton want you out of the limelight and into prison as quick as possible. They do not want to be implicated in the death of a foreign head of state in any way shape or form.”

  They all stood up as the judge did. He left to his chambers. Felix turned to his lawyer. “So, I’m a scapegoat?”

  “No, you’re a fool who should have minded his own business. I had no way of winning this case. My government and your government hired me to sweep this under the rug as quickly as possible. Your own wife was set to testify against you.”

  “My wife? Where is she?”

  “On her way back to America.” The lawyer walked out of the courtroom.

  Outside, they shackled Felix up again, then marched him out of the courthouse. Again, people screamed at him. One lady threw a shoe. It hit one of the guards. The guard struck Felix on the back of the head. “This is all your fault. I should let the crowd kill you.”

  “Stop it,” The other guard rebuked.

  When they all arrived at the cell, Felix felt safe for the first time that afternoon. The bars kept him in, but it also kept those who hated him out. The quiet gave him time to reflect. Ten years. I’m sentenced to prison for the next ten years. She’s gone! On her way back to America. Your own wife was set to testify against you. “Why did you abandon me Diana.” He slumped down in the corner.

  A loud knocking came on the front door. “Mr. Dalton, Mr. Dalton. They have Felix, Mr. Dalton.”

  Mary answered it. “Come in, you poor dear. What are you going on about?”

  “The Austrians took Felix. Mr. Dalton has to come and help.”

  Mary led Diana into the parlor. “I’ll go get Adalwolf.”

  “I’m here.” Dalton walked into the parlor from the study.

  “They took Felix.”

  “I know. He’s been sentenced to ten years. There’s nothing I can do.”

  “But he didn’t do anything.”

  Mary brought in some tea. “Sit, I just made a pot. This will calm your nerves.”

  Diana sat down and balanced the teacup on her lap. “You must help, Mr. Dalton.”

  Dalton sat down and leaned back, crossing his legs. “I did help. I told you not to go. You didn’t listen.”

  “But what can we do now?” Her eyes filled with tears.

  “Nothing. It’s the timeline correcting itself. Felix was a blip, and now he’s gone. His chances of surviving ten years in an Austrian prison are not good.”

  “Adalwolf, don’t be so heartless.” Mary scolded. She patted Diana’s hand. “There, there.”

  “Heartless? They almost ruined the timeline and threatened my very existence. She was set to testify against Felix at the trial.”

  “I was not!” Diana’s face reddened.

  “You didn’t read the papers, did you? We’re you going to say that Felix knew that the Arch Duke would be assassinated?”

  “Yes, because he did.”

  “That makes him a conspirator. Only the conspirators knew of the assassination beforehand.”

  She gasped an
d put her hand over her mouth. “I didn’t think…”

  “With your testimony, the prosecution had an airtight case. They would have hanged him. I did do something. I hired the most expensive lawyer in Austria. I got him off with only ten years in prison. If he can survive that, you’ll see him again.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Budapest Hungary

  1920

  Diana went back to work in her father’s café. She wrote Felix weekly, but never knew if her letters were getting through. There was no response from him.

  One day, after the war, she determined to see him. She knocked on Dalton’s door in the early afternoon.

  Felix, for his part, was miserable. The food was bad and the sanitation non-existent. He was often sick. Still, he knew he was much better off than the poor men in the trenches.

  Princip died in prison. He was the man who shot the Archduke, thus starting the war. Felix had met him, but avoided him afterward because Princip had tuberculosis. As the war raged on, the conditions in the prison deteriorated. Food became scarce and most of the competent guards were sent to the front. The ones left were scoundrels in Felix’s mind, pitting prisoners against each other. Most of them would have been incarcerated themselves, if not for the war.

  By the end of the war, Felix had lost half his body weight. He was sick more than he was healthy. He mostly sat in the corner of his cell staring into space. One day, a guard opened the cell door and threw in some clothes. “Get dressed,” he said.

  A few minutes later, the guard led him out of the cell and to the front gate. “You are free to go.” The gate closed behind him. He tried to see, but his eyes weren’t accustomed to the bright noonday sun.

  “Felix,” a voice rang out.

  “Diana, is that you?” He squinted to see three people coming towards him.

  “Don’t touch him, Diana, at least until we get him cleaned up and deloused,” Dalton urged.

  Diana stopped in her tracks. A car pulled up.