Timtown

by Ronald Zastre

  “So what have you really gained? I can still follow, eventually,” Clank didn’t sound confident.

  “Nope, and I’ll tell you why. Because Clank, you are ‘in’ the molecular dissimulator. You know that don’t you?”

  The Man-machine said nothing.

  “You see, molecular dissimulation is really far out. You transfer the molecules of solid matter into energy, and then you send that encoded energy to where ever you want, and presto, from point A to point B, just like that. But, the kicker, and you’re going to love this, is you can transfer that energy into the dissimulator and store it. Incidentally the dissimulator can also separate specific energy. Go ahead, try to use your laser. It won’t work because it’s not here with you.”

  Clank was silent for ten-seconds, then spoke. “I can still follow, when you leave.”

  “Guess again! You see Clank, you have followed me to the one place only I have control. You don’t have the codes, yet, and you can’t get out to work, to get them. I can’t believe you could be manipulated so easily.”

  “I’ll get out, you can’t hold me for long.”

  “You don’t get it, do you? We set you up! You were in such a hurry that you took the short cut we planned for you, and you are now completely out of contact with Whuc Seaacki.”

  Clank was silent for a moment, but in a flash he rushed Tim, closing the ten feet in less than a second. Before Tim could react, Clank had him around the neck with one of the mechanical hands. Clank picked Tim completely off his feet.

  Clank said nothing as he applied pressure to Tim’s neck. The protection field surrounding Tim held at first, but Clank’s mechanical hand began to overpower the field, gradually cutting off the air. Just as Tim was about to lose consciousness, Clank relaxed the pressure enough for Tim to get some air.

  “If you kill me, you will be here forever,” Tim managed to gasp, “'trapped', with no way out.”

  “I would figure out how to escape,” Clank said, releasing the pressure even more.

  “No Clank, there would be no way out of here, and eternity is a long time to spend in the same spot. I don’t know how you work, but even you would eventually die here.”

  Clank released Tim, and Tim fell to the floor. Clank rose higher, hovering over Tim. “I can hurt you, force you to comply!” Clank threatened, moving down closer with both mechanical hands extended, a cruel sinister look on his face.

  “You can try!” Tim yelled defiantly, pulling himself up to his elbows, and firing both hand weapons at Clank, ducking his head at the same time.

  There was a blinding flash, and a powerful wave of heat struck Tim. The force of both lasers flung Clank back twenty feet. Tim looked at the Man-machine who still floated in the air, but was surrounded with a glowing corona.

  “You fool! I can destroy you, and you refuse me!” Clank’s voice boomed out. Then Clank moved slowly toward Tim. Tim pointed both his hands, ready to fire again.

  The Man-machine stopped ten feet away. “Why are you so determined, so stubborn?” Clank sounded flustered. “It does not make any difference to you. Your position is guaranteed so why fight me?”

  “Because somebody has to!” Tim exclaimed, getting to his knees. “You’re not of this world Clank, and you made the decision.”

  “I was suffering and I wanted this.” Clank gestured to his mechanical body with one of the mechanical arms.

  “No one is trying to take it back!” Tim exclaimed.

  “But you are trying to keep me from my rightful destiny?”

  “I was the one that gave you the chance, gave you your life back. Now you say I’m in the wrong, that I stand in your way?” Tim laughed cynically.

  “I was in a hurry,” Clank said calmly, just floating. “You planned all this well.”

  “Thank you, but I had the advantage all along because I had help. Do you know who it was?” Tim said, standing up.

  “The child,” Clank said softly.

  “Yeah Jeremy. You knew he was special. How come you didn’t do anything about him?”

  “He was a child, I did not take him serious.”

  “He was out of your league, I think.”

  “Yes, I have made a mistake, I know that now.”

  “What mistake?”

  “I was so impressed with the capabilities of Mr. V, but he turned out to be only a machine. I was presented with two possibilities: one, a very advanced and powerful computer, and two, a little boy. A confusing little boy that appeared to be mentally deficient and lived in a world completely alone. I wanted to be like the machine, not the little boy. I was wrong, wasn’t I?”

  “I was fooled too. I would have never thought that Jeremy was capable of what he has done.”

  “You still performed well. What now?” the Man-machine asked.

  “Leave! Go! Find somewhere, somewhere where you might fit in.”

  “Yes, that would be best. You can give me that?”

  “Yes, the Deep Space Probe.”

  “It is here then?”

  “Yes, and I have a deal.”

  “Is it a good one?” the Man-machine asked.

  “I think so,” Tim answered.

  “I might as well hear it,” the Man-machine said sounding human.

  Chapter 33

  Tim & The President

  The security phone on the President’s desk rang, interrupting the meeting in the President’s office. With the President were: Ed Adams, Samuel Steiner, and three other individuals.

  “Just a minute Sam,” the President said to the Secretary of State as he picked up the phone and listened.

  “Yes, I understand,” The President paused. “Well, get on it, and keep me informed.”

  The President replaced the phone with a smirk on his face. “Ladies and Gentlemen, the White House Security has been breached.”

  “Breached Mr. President?” Samuel asked, an uncomfortable expression on his face.

  “Yes, breached. Someone is inside,” the President replied, looking straight at Samuel.

  “Who?” the President’s Press Aid asked excitedly.

  “They don’t know,” the President answered.

  “Well, they have him, don’t they?” Samuel asked nervously.

  “No,” the President responded.

  “No, then how do they know somebody’s inside?” his Press Aid asked, gulping the question.

  “They have been tracking someone on the motion detectors,” the President advised. “They can’t see anyone, but the computer verifies it is a person walking, and whoever it is, they’re headed this way.”

  “It’s a malfunction Mr. President, it has to be,” Samuel stated, small beads of perspiration appearing on his forehead.

  “Either that or we are about to meet Tim, I would guess,” Ed said, with a big grin.

  “If he’s right, for god’s sake Samuel, behave yourself,” The President winked at Ed.

  Samuel saw this. “Oh shit!” his voice trembled. “Do you think he’s after me?”

  “Wouldn’t surprise me a bit, Sam,” the President said, as the phone rang again.

  “Yes, yes of course Major, I understand,” the President said into the mouth piece.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen,” the President addressed everyone in his office, “Major Sorrell is quite upset, and needs to confer with me, please remain seated.”

  The door opened, and a Marine Major hurried through and headed directly to the President. “I’m sorry for the interruption Mr. President, but I have my orders.”

  “I understand Todd. Now what’s happening out there?” the President asked.

  “I don’t know Sir, it’s really weird. I don’t know what it could be, other than the invisible man, Sir.” The Major let out a small laugh. “But we have checked and rechecked all the systems, and they are operational.”

  A beeper went off. The Major quickly brought up the radio in his left hand and spoke into it.

  “Yes,” he shouted, “what is it?”

  “No chang
e in status!” was broadcast back through the radio.

  “I see! You’re sure?” Major Sorrell answered.

  “I’m sorry Sir, but the system is okay and it still detects the same thing,” came back through the radio.

  The Major was getting real excited and he shouted back into the radio. “Sergeant, how can the system be okay? Is there anyone there?”

  “No Sir, I still can’t see anybody,” the voice over the radio replied.

  “Sergeant, that is impossible! Are you losing your mind?” the Major shouted. He turned to the President. “Mr. President, I don’t know how to explain this. I’m really sorry. I ah, ah, um, I don’t know what’s going on. According to the motion detectors someone is heading down the hall straight toward us, but no one is there. It doesn’t make any sense, Mr. President.”

  “Maybe it does Major, just maybe it does,” the President said quietly. He looked at Samuel as he finished, and could tell the Secretary was uncomfortable. Samuel Steiner was sweating profusely and squirming in his chair. Ed Adams, standing against the fireplace, on the verge of laughing was enjoying what was happening, immensely.

  “Huh?” Major Sorrell questioned.

  “It might make more sense in a few moments, Todd,” the President comforted.

  “I’m sorry Sir, but I don’t understand? I ah, I think we should leave,” the Major said.

  “No Major, I think we should stay,” the President returned.

  “But, Sir, my orders are—”

  “We will be staying Major, we have a very important meeting to attend.”

  The radio in the Major’s hand beeped again.

  “Where are you Sergeant?” he said into it.

  “Walking along side whatever is causing the problem, Sir, and the motion detectors are monitoring me correctly.”

  “Well, who, or what are you walking along with, Sergeant?” the Major asked, sounding apprehensive and impatient.

  “There’s no one here, Sir. Ah, I can’t see anyone, I meant, Sir.”

  “Are you losing your mind Sergeant?”

  “No Sir!”

  “Then make some sense, there can’t be anyone there. Have you—”

  “I hate to interrupt, Sir,” there was uncertainty in the Sergeant’s voice, “but there is something here, it just touched me. What do you want me to do, Sir?”

  The group in the office could clearly hear the excitement in the Sergeant’s voice. The President made a mental note to commend the security team. They had not been briefed about Timtown and they were holding on, in what must be a tremendously, frightening experience for them.

  “Sir, we must evacuate immediately!” Major Sorrell shouted as he vaulted the President’s desk, landing in the waste basket on the other side, tripping and stumbling forward, finally coming to rest in the fireplace. Ed had to jump quickly to avoid the out of balance Major. Luckily it was daytime, and there was no fire. The Major jumped up, retraced his erratic steps, and placed himself between the President and the door.

  “Sir, I insist, we must leave now! It is my job!” the Major pleaded.

  “Major please, your job description doesn’t include what is about to take place. No one has briefed you on this, please trust me,” the President said as he tried to dodge Major Sorrell’s attempts to grab him and throw him to the floor.

  “But, Sir!”

  “Major,” the President countered, “I realize you have had nothing to do for a long time, but trust me, it is still pertinent to do nothing, and this time you will really be earning your money. I promise.”

  “But, Mr. President, it’s my—”

  The Major was interrupted by a sharp pop. Everyone turned their heads quickly, as the door to the office flew off its hinges and crashed to the floor. Everyone in the room dove toward the floor, except the President who remained seated, Major Sorrell who flung himself on the desk between the door and the President, and Ed Adams who was still standing off to the side, laughing.

  “Down!” the Major ordered. The President didn’t respond, and the Major began to grab at him again.

  “Major!” the President shouted. “Major!” the President yelled again, as the Major continued to try to wrestle him to the floor. “Major, this is a direct order, let me loose! Major, I command you to stand at attention!” They were both halfway to the floor, face to face. “Major, please listen to me. We have a guest. You haven’t been briefed properly. I’m sorry, but I have been expecting this. Not to worry, I’m perfectly safe, I can assure you, but, I want to thank you for your dedication to duty. Now stand up, that is an order.”

  The Major looked the President straight in the eyes.

  “It’s okay Major,” the President added. “I promise, I will be safe. Now, let’s welcome our guest.”

  “Yes Sir, if you say so, Sir. Are you sure about this?” The Major’s voice was shaky.

  The President gave the Major a long, reassuring look as they got to their feet. “If I’m wrong Major, I promise you can chew my ass out later.”

  “Oh, why did I ever hope to make Colonel?” the Major commented.

  The President stood up behind his desk and looked toward the door laying on the floor. The Sergeant he had heard on the Major’s radio was standing in the open space, created when the door was blown off its hinges. The Sergeant was crouched in a defensive stance and was turning in an arch with his pistol trust out in front of him. He had both a confused and a determined look on his face.

  “Sergeant, I think you should put your weapon down. There’s nothing to be concerned about,” Ed, who was closest to him, said.

  Ed realized how foolish the statement must have sounded to the Sergeant, when the Sergeant looked at him with a, ‘what the hell are you saying’, look on his face.

  “Sergeant, please trust what he says,” the President added. “Major, can you explain to the Sergeant that there is nothing to worry about?”

  The President could see the Major was also in a state of confusion. He looked around the room and saw everyone but Ed and the President had found a safe place, and were content to remain there until the situation was fixed.

  Samuel Steiner was crouched behind the President’s desk, looking around. He was obviously scared shitless.

  “Tim!” Samuel sputtered nervously. “Look, Tim, I’m sorry about the, ah, little misunderstanding. I was kind of, ah, in, a catch twenty-two, ah, situation. If I hadn’t done what I did, and, ah, you turned out to be not, ah, what you are, I would have been in a, ah, messy position. I hope you will forgive me. I hope, ah, I didn’t cause you or your friends, ah, too much trouble.”

  “Samuel, I must compliment you on your incredible ability to grovel, when you deem it necessary,” the President said.

  “Thank you Sir, that is a compliment to a real politician, I think?” Samuel said with a weak little laugh.

  “I get to meet my first politician, I should be excited,” a voice said from the middle of the room.

  Everyone’s eyes darted to the location the sound came from. The Sergeant pointed his gun there. The Major was about to draw his, but the President put his hand on the Major’s holster, signaling him to keep the weapon there.

  “But, I’m really not impressed,” the voice added.

  “Tim, I’m glad I get to finally meet you,” the President said.

  “Nice to meet you too. What am I supposed to call you?”

  “Mr. President is customary.”

  “Nice to meet you ‘Mr. President’, and how do I address the groveler?”

  “Tim meet Samuel,” the President laughed.

  Everyone in the room was frozen in their respective spots, except Ed, as the President of the United States carried on a conversation with an invisible person. The Major was watching the President intently with his mouth open. The Sergeant still had the gun in his hand, but had lowered it.

  Two more Marines rushed into the room with weapons at the ready, but stopped when the Major held up his hand.

  “I’ve been look
ing forward to meeting you, ‘Samuel’,” Tim said, still invisible. “You have caused some problems, all right, but everything is fine now. Luckily you didn’t get your way.”

  The two Marines just entering, jumped back, and moved their eyes to the location where they thought the voice had come from.

  “I’m sorry, but your story sounded a little hard to believe at first,” Samuel said, a little more confident.

  “And, now?”

  “I’m talking into thin air, aren’t I?” Samuel said.

  “Mr. President, could we talk in privacy?” Tim requested. “I don’t think I want to explain the situation to more people than necessary.”

  “Yes, of course, although I would like to have Samuel remain.”

  “Oh, I ‘definitely’ want his ‘sorry ass’ here!” Tim agreed with a sarcastic tone. “And Ed of course,” he said with a friendly tone.

  “Ha, hey,” Sam gulped, as he gave the President a concerned look.

  “Mr. President, I must protest this—” Major Sorrell protested as he stepped forward.

  “And you should,” the President interrupted.

  “This is completely inappropriate,” the Major countered.

  “Clear this room, and that is an order!” the President barked back. “Major, will you and the Sergeant please escort all the personnel out of this office.”

  “Mr. Pres—”

  “Major, you have your orders! Now carry them out!”

  The Major hesitated, looking concerned, not knowing how to proceed.

  “Major?” The President looked straight at the Major while gestured toward the door with his hands, his eyes, and a nod of his head.

  “Yes, Sir! All right, you heard the man. Sergeant, let’s clear this room. These people have some work to do, and we are in the way.”

  “Good Major, and when you have all the personnel down the hall, please make sure the Sergeant and his men don’t allow them or anyone else back in. Then, I would like you to return, alone. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, Sir!” The Major shouted with great relief.

  The Marine Officer shuffled everyone out the door and then followed.

  “When Major Sorrell returns, could you make an appearance for his sake, he takes his job too serious?” The President directed his request toward where he thought Tim was.

  “Yes, Sir, I understand,” Tim said as he deactivated his cloaking.