Time Travelers Never Die Part 9

"My G.o.d." Dave was having trouble breathing. "What happened to my house?"

"We left it. It's back in 2018."

They were in a theater district. But not the one along Chestnut and Walnut in Philadelphia. They were standing in front of the St. James Theater, which was showing Naughty Marietta Naughty Marietta. Across the street, the Imperial was running Laugh Parade Laugh Parade, and the Schubert had Everybody's Welcome Everybody's Welcome.

The women wore jazz-age clothes, and a lot of them were wrapped in furs. Skirts were long.

Shel's hands were in his pockets. He stood quietly, gazing around, taking everything in, making no real effort to conceal how pleased he was. Behaving as if he did this every day. "Dave," he said, "we're in New York. On West Forty-fourth Street."

Dave's voice had deserted him. He needed a minute to get it back. "Not possible," he said.

"It's 1931."

"Come on, Shel." Dave leaned against a doorframe.

"December thirteenth."

He wanted a place to sit down. But there were no benches. They were standing outside a music store.

"There was no way to warn you about this," said Shel. "Or prepare you for it."

"Time travel-" Dave shook his head. "They only do that in the movies."

"You want to ask a cop?" Shel nodded toward a police officer strolling in their direction.

The policeman took a quick look at them as he pa.s.sed. And apparently decided they didn't const.i.tute a threat. Snippets of conversation caught Dave's attention: "-I heard it on WEAF-"

"-Hoover's going to figure it out-"

"-the Roadster. We're all all going." going."

Dave's hand gripped the black device attached to his belt. "It really is is, isn't it? A time machine?"

"Yes. And it's how I got out into western Pennsylvania."

"And you didn't know know?"

"The thing didn't come with instructions, Dave. How could I have known?"

"My G.o.d, Shel. Where'd you get it?" And suddenly he understood. "Your father."

"Yes."

"It's how he disappeared out of his house."

"That's right."

"So where'd he go?"

"I don't know exactly. He said maybe he was going to talk to Galileo. Maybe Ben Franklin. Maybe Albert Einstein. h.e.l.l, who knows?"

Dave burst out laughing. "Galileo."

"It's why I need you."

"He's dead. They're all dead."

"Come on, Dave. Stay with me."

"You're going after him."

"Yes. I'm going to try Galileo first."

"And you need somebody who speaks Italian."

"Right again."

"Let me understand what we're talking about here. You want to go back to the-what is it?-the seventeenth century to look for your father?"

"You always were quick, Dave."

"Shel, I don't know how to break this to you, but the Italian they spoke several hundred years ago isn't going to be the Italian they speak today."

"Dave, you're my best shot. Please-"

"Do you know when when?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know precisely when and where in the seventeenth century he was planning to go?" He frowned. "Listen to me. I sound like a nut."

Shel managed a pained smile. "No," he said. "Only that he would go to see Galileo."

"Well, you have a time machine. Why don't you go back and ask him?"

"I've already done that. I don't think I can do it again." They were standing with a crowd at an intersection, waiting for the light to change. It did, and the crowd started across. A car making a turn tried to push its way through. There was some yelling.

"Why can't you?" asked Dave.

"It's complicated. But he says if I create a paradox, bad things will happen."

"What kind of bad things?"

"Heart attacks, maybe."

"What?"

"He lost a partner during an experiment. The event's over. I can't go back and change it."

"Shel, I can't believe you're willing to buy that story."

"After what I've seen these last couple of days, I'm inclined to be cautious."

DAVE would remember that moment the rest of his life. Crossing the street, the traffic, the people, Shel talking about heart attacks. "You know," he said, "it sounds as if your father's one of those mad scientists." would remember that moment the rest of his life. Crossing the street, the traffic, the people, Shel talking about heart attacks. "You know," he said, "it sounds as if your father's one of those mad scientists."

"I guess you could say that."

"Who else knows?"

"n.o.body. He wanted it kept quiet." They were still walking. Toward the Imperial and Laugh Parade Laugh Parade. He noticed a familiar name among the cast members. Ed Wynn.

Incredible.

They walked, and stopped, and looked around. And walked again. They stopped at another traffic light. "Just installed," Shel said.

"What is?"

"The lights. They were just starting to use them."

"Hard to imagine New York without traffic signals."

"They've also just finished the Empire State Building." Somebody blew a horn and, as if on cue, the light changed. They started across and turned right onto Third Avenue. "Will you do it?" Shel asked. "Will you help me?"

How could he not? "After we bring him back," Dave said, "is that going to be the end?"

"If we bring him back-" Shel shook his head. "If he didn't come back on his own-" we bring him back-" Shel shook his head. "If he didn't come back on his own-"

"-It doesn't mean something happened to him him. The device, the converter, might have broken down."

"That's what I'm hoping."

"I mean, if the Inquisition or somebody had grabbed him, he can get out just by punching a b.u.t.ton, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay. So it has to be the converter. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"I hope so." They were moving again, pa.s.sing an Italian restaurant. Dave wondered how many of the businesses on that block would still be around in 2018. In his his time. "Shel," he said, "I still can't believe this is happening." time. "Shel," he said, "I still can't believe this is happening."

Shel stopped a couple of women and asked if they had the correct time. It was, one of them said, consulting a watch she took from her purse, a quarter after ten.

Shel adjusted his own watch and flagged down a pa.s.sing cab.

"Do we have an appointment?" asked David.

"Yes, we do." The driver pulled over and they got in. "Seventy-sixth Street and Fifth Avenue, driver," he said.

"Why? What's going on there?"

"We're going to meet someone."

"We know know somebody here?" somebody here?"

"We will, shortly."

They got out across the street from Central Park. Shel gave the driver a dollar. "Keep the change," he said.

The driver thanked him and pulled away.

Dave shook his head. "Where'd you get the money?"

"Always come prepared."

"But how'd you do it?"

"I came back last night with a few old coins. Played the races. Won a long shot."

"You won a long shot?"

He grinned. "It's pretty easy when you have a time machine. And it gave me plenty of spending money."

Dave grinned. "So who are we going to see? Noel Coward? George M. Cohan? Ethel Merman? Al Jolson?"

"Just be patient."

It was cold. "I should have worn a heavier coat."

"Next time we-Wait a minute. This might be him now."

"Who? Where?"

A taxi was slowing down across the street. It pulled alongside the curb and stopped. A man wearing a topcoat and bowler got out. He paid the driver and began looking for a chance to cross.

He was overweight, in his late forties or early fifties, and he looked lost. There was something familiar about him, but Dave couldn't place him. He'd probably turn out to be a character actor in movies of the period. Of which Dave had seen very few.

The cab pulled away.

"Do you recognize him?" asked Shel.

"I've no clue. Who is he?"

"Watch. But no matter what happens, do not intervene." He placed a restraining hand on Dave's shoulder.

The man waited for his chance to cross. Traffic was two-way along the avenue. But he was looking to his right. The wrong way. Dave watched with horror as the man s.h.i.+fted his weight and prepared to step into the street.

Shel's grip tightened. "Habit," he said. "And he doesn't look like the most patient guy in town."