Time Travelers Never Die Part 4

IT was dark when they stopped at a roadside diner. While they ate, Shel figured it out. The Q-pod induced some sort of mental disruption. That would explain why his father wanted them destroyed. It was a weapon! Though that still didn't explain how he'd gotten to the Allegheny National Forest. was dark when they stopped at a roadside diner. While they ate, Shel figured it out. The Q-pod induced some sort of mental disruption. That would explain why his father wanted them destroyed. It was a weapon! Though that still didn't explain how he'd gotten to the Allegheny National Forest.

Dave shook his head. It still didn't make sense. "I think it has to do with the pressure you've been under. It's your father's disappearance, Shel. It's been eating at you. It can't be a coincidence that this happens just after you lose him."

"How did I get out there?"

"Maybe you caught a bus. Rode a taxi, for that matter."

Finally, desperate to change the subject, Shel asked about Helen Suchenko.

"She's pretty nice, isn't she?" Dave said.

"Yeah. She looks like a heartbreaker."

"She's a doctor."

"Really? Ummm-" He hesitated. "You introduced her as an old friend. How good good an old friend, exactly?" an old friend, exactly?"

Dave smiled. "No problem," he said, with a touch of jauntiness. "Nothing serious between us."

Shel thought he detected a reluctance in the answer. "You sure?"

"Absolutely."

HE delivered Shel to his front door shortly before eleven. The outside lights came on as they pulled into the driveway. First thing they did was check the garage. The Toyota delivered Shel to his front door shortly before eleven. The outside lights came on as they pulled into the driveway. First thing they did was check the garage. The Toyota was was there, just as Les had said. there, just as Les had said.

Shel sighed. "Now we get to break in." He looked helplessly at the house. "I keep an extra key at the office, but I have no way of getting in there, either."

"Why don't you stay at my place tonight?"

"That doesn't really work." He thought he saw movement in one of the windows. A face drawing back. "Wait. What's that?"

"What's what?"

But it was gone now. "I thought I saw somebody inside."

"Are you serious?"

"Right there. In the dining room."

Dave went over and looked in. "Don't see anything."

"Neither do I, now."

"There's a light on in there." The den.

"I had that one on last night."

"Shel, maybe we should call the police."

"I feel as if I'm in a rerun. But no. It was probably my imagination."

"So why don't you spend the night at my place?"

"Dave, I'd still have to come back here to change for work. I couldn't go in like this. Well, I could, but it's more trouble than it would be worth. No, it's okay. I'm getting good at break-ins." He was tired. Scared. Literally terrified about the possibilities of a brain tumor. Maybe he was was coming apart. coming apart.

Dave was still looking through the window. "I don't think you should take any chances. Call nine-one-one."

"I don't want to bring the police here on a false alarm."

"Best to play it safe, Shel."

"I don't even have a key. They'd think I'm a mental case."

He tried the side door. It was, of course, locked. "Thought I might get lucky."

Dave walked around to the front of the house. Climbed four steps onto the porch. And tried the k.n.o.b.

It turned, and the door opened.

"That's odd," said Shel. He stepped past Dave, went inside, and listened. Air moved through vents.

Dave pushed in behind him.

"Who's here?" said Shel. Outside somewhere, a dog barked.

He turned on more lights. Looked around. Saw nothing. No sign of a forced entry anywhere. "I'm going upstairs," he said.

Dave went with him. They looked in the closets and under the beds. Checked all the windows. Everything seemed secure. He saw no indication anything had been taken. "Must have been my imagination."

His keys were downstairs in the wicker bowl where he customarily dropped them when he came in the door.

"It's been a long day," Dave said.

"Yeah."

"You want me to stay over?"

"No." Shel was feeling silly. "I'll be fine."

"Okay." Dave started for the door. "I'll call tomorrow," he said.

"All right. Good night, champ. And thanks."

Shel stood at the door while Dave walked out to his car. He got in, gave him a thumbs-up, don't worry, everything will be fine, and started the engine. Shel remembered he'd left the Q-pod in the backseat. "Wait," he said.

IT was good to be home. He sat down on the sofa and turned on the TV. He watched it for a while, not really paying attention, still thinking about the lost eight hours and the way Linda had responded on the phone when he'd tried to call in. was good to be home. He sat down on the sofa and turned on the TV. He watched it for a while, not really paying attention, still thinking about the lost eight hours and the way Linda had responded on the phone when he'd tried to call in.

Eventually, he wandered into the kitchen, and raided the chocolate chip cookies. It was almost midnight, but he was still not sleepy.

He turned out the lights, all except the lamp on the table beside the sofa, and of course the electric candle at the top of the stairs. The house felt very still. He sat down and picked up the Q-pod. On a whim, he raised the lid and the screen blinked on. It said: ENTER ID.

He poked in Galilei Galilei.

Then it asked a question: RETURN?

He stared at it.

RETURN?.

Return where? The Allegheny National Forest?

The smart thing would be to leave it alone. Put it on the coffee table and forget it until tomorrow. But when he tried, when he shut the lid and set it down and closed his eyes, he couldn't get it out of his head.

Return where?

Okay. Settle it. He put on a jacket, just in case, and touched the YES key, just barely, thinking how cold it might be out in the woods.

Ridiculous.

He pressed ENTER.

The dim glow of the electric candle faded and went out. Then the lamps came on. Two of them. Including the one he'd turned off just a moment ago.

He felt himself lifted off the sofa and dropped immediately back onto it. He sat listening to the silence. Got up. Looked at the lamps. But he was still at home. Still in his town house. Thank G.o.d for that.

But it had happened again. Something Something had happened again. His heart pounded. had happened again. His heart pounded.

He hung on to the Q-pod. Hung on as if it were a lifeline.

The Q-pod was doing it. He didn't know how, didn't even know what what. But the G.o.ddam thing . . . !

He sat, not moving. Whatever it was, at least it hadn't been a stroke.

Finally, he put the Q-pod down on the coffee table. Gingerly. Then he got up and made himself a rum and c.o.ke.

CHAPTER 4.

To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour.

-WILLIAM BLAKE, "AUGURIES OF INNOCENCE"

THE sun was bright through the curtains, and the events of the day before seemed far away. Shel got up and looked at his watch, as was his habit. It showed 4:02. His alarm clock, which he hadn't bothered to set, read 7:12. He checked the TV. The seven o'clock shows were on. But why was the watch three hours behind? Fear settled in. He tried to push it aside, made the watch right, and went over to Maggie's for some pancakes. sun was bright through the curtains, and the events of the day before seemed far away. Shel got up and looked at his watch, as was his habit. It showed 4:02. His alarm clock, which he hadn't bothered to set, read 7:12. He checked the TV. The seven o'clock shows were on. But why was the watch three hours behind? Fear settled in. He tried to push it aside, made the watch right, and went over to Maggie's for some pancakes.

Usually, he allowed himself time to relax and read the paper before going into the office, but he wanted to set his mind at ease and get back into his work routine, so after he'd finished his breakfast, he headed directly for Carbolite. He wondered what Linda's explanation was going to be for hanging up on him the day before. Twice. She wasn't exactly the most even-tempered person in the world, but that was way out of character.

When he arrived, she was in her office. "Hi," he said.

She looked up from her keyboard. "Good morning, Shel."

He sat down. "I don't quite know what happened yesterday," he said. "I got stranded. But anyhow, I'm sorry I didn't call earlier."

"Call about what?"

"About not showing up for work."

She gave her head a shake, as if a ghost had appeared in the doorway. "What are we talking about, Shel?"

"About my not being here yesterday. Or didn't you notice?"

She dropped her eyes to the floor, then came back to him. "Shel, you were were here. At least until yesterday afternoon. Is here. At least until yesterday afternoon. Is that that what you're talking about?" what you're talking about?"

"Yesterday afternoon?"

"You do do remember, right? I suggested you take the rest of the day off, and you went home early." remember, right? I suggested you take the rest of the day off, and you went home early."

"Linda, that was two two days ago. I wasn't here at all yesterday." days ago. I wasn't here at all yesterday."

"It was yesterday yesterday, Shel."

"No. We're confused here somewhere," he said quietly. "I spent the entire day yesterday trying to get home from western Pennsylvania."

Her eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about, Shel?"

"Just what I said."

"Western Pennsylvania?"

"Yes. A town called Sheffield. Dave came and got me."