BackTrek (15 page)

“Then I guess I’ve got no reason to be here,
sir. This has all been a mistake.” Jack said as he rose and
immediately headed for the door. As he reached it and grabbed for
the handle, Atwater called after him.

“I could still use a good agent.” Atwater
said. Jack hesitated as he began to realize that Ted wouldn’t have
led him on, not after what had happened the night before. Not after
last night. Not after the deaths of his whole family. There had to
be something more to this whole thing. The huge building, the
subterranean installation, and the secrecy. There had to be
something more. Jack turned back to Atwater.

“Why are you doing this?” Jack asked. The
question surprised Atwater.

“Whatever are you talking about?”

“Cut the bullshit!” Jack said as he began to
approach the desk. “This is not an interview for a job at some fast
food chain. What? You want my undying loyalty before we talk
turkey? Is that it?" Jack reached the desk, threw his hands down
hard on its surface and leaned over it. He crowded Atwater
back.

“Look, Jack, I-”

“Shut up! You said your little piece, now
it’s my turn! I’m not here to play your little mind games, or jump
through your damn hoops. I’m here for one reason and one reason
alone. My family. If there is a single chance in hell that you can
help me, then you better damn well spit it out and make it
believable, or I’m going to mop this tidy little office of yours
with your ass!” At first shocked, Atwater began to sit back in his
chair and smile.

“Sit down, Jack. We’ll talk.”

“Answer me!” Jack fired back. In a fraction
of a second Atwater was on his feet and had Jack firmly grasped by
the throat.

“I said sit down, soldier!” Jack began to
sit. Atwater released him and returned to his chair. A few seconds
passed of awkward silence, before Atwater began to speak. “I guess
Ted was right. You do have the fire in your belly after all these
years.” Jack stared coldly across the desk. “That’s okay, son. You
don’t have to like me at all. What I told you earlier is true.
Though I didn’t quite finish what I should have said. What’s done
is done and nothing can change what you’ve been through or what
you’ve seen.” Jack still stared across the desk. He did not move
nor flinch. He did not even blink his eyes. But after a pause from
Atwater he spoke.

“And?”

“Well to explain that, I need to back up a
little. We’ve been working on this project for over ten years,
Jack. But then you already knew that. What you don’t know is what
the project was, or what it is now. What I’m about to tell you is
beyond secrecy. Our organization itself is so secret in its
existence that none of the branches of the military even really
know who we belong to. The Army thinks we’re part of the Marines.
The Navy thinks we’re part of the Air Force. Hell, the CIA thinks
we’re part of the NSA, and even they don’t know where we belong.
But the reality of it is, they all know we exist, they just don’t
know why.

“Originally we were developing the ultimate
weapon. One that would make war truly obsolete and protect our
borders from any possible invasion. Ever. A crack tool for
assassination of errant leaders of terrorist nations. The ultimate
solution for elimination of the proverbial thorns in our side. But
what should have taken a relatively short time from concept to
usefulness, turned into a ten year string of failures. Those
failures and delays over the years have shifted our focus to
smaller issues for now. At least until we have a running track
record and recruit a large enough team. In the last few days, after
ten years of failures, our systems went online for a few trial test
runs. And today, our project works.”

“I still don’t get it. What’s this got to do
with-”

“I’m not done. You see, our little project
revolves around a concept originally theorized by Einstein, but
never really extrapolated upon. We can travel back in time,
Jack.”

“Back in time? You mean really? Go back in
time?”

“Exactly. We done it a few times so far, and
aside from a few issues about sanity, we’ve had no real
problems.”

“Sanity?”

“We’ve had to develop a distinct
psychological profile to protect our agents. It appears as though
only a certain type of mind set can handle this time travel thing
without cracking up.”

“How many agents do you have that fit this
psycho profile?” Jack asked, as he suddenly realized why he was
here, and why they needed him.

“Including Ted?” Atwater asked, and Jack
nodded in response. “One.”

“So Ted is currently the only sane person to
have completed this travel?” Jack asked. Atwater nodded. “And for
whatever reason, you believe that I fit this profile?”

“As closely as we can determine, you’re
almost an exact match.”

“And if you’re wrong.”

“Then I’ll say I’m sorry now, because later
you’ll never understand a word I say.”

“So you need me.”

“You’re a hard man, Jack. Yeah. We need you.
But in exchange for your help. In exchange for joining the team,
we’re willing to help you. So far, we can travel back to a very
specific time frame. A time that is exactly eighteen hundred and
forty five hours on seven June.”

“That’s two days ago. You’ve only been online
for two days?”

“It works Jack. Do you want an opportunity to
save your family?” Jack didn’t even have to think, but he was still
leery.

“But what do you want out of me after I get
what I want.”

“We’re a covert operation, Jack. Our business
is a tough one.”

“Am I selling my soul?”

“In a way, yes. But not to the devil. To the
good ole U.S. of A. Our intentions are good, and as time
progresses, our focus will expand. For now, let’s say that you’re
part of the experimental team, and the opportunity to save your
family is a test of our facility.”

“Why just June seventh?” Jack asked.

“At first, we had no idea. But as it turns
out it had something to do with the portal being accidentally in
synch on that day, at that time. As far as we know, that’s the only
link back, at least for now.”

Suddenly Jack’s cell phone began to ring. He
removed it from his pocket and excused himself from Atwater. As he
answered the phone he stepped to the corner of the room.

“King here.”

“Jack. This is Captain Howe. I need to see
you.”

“What’s up, Cap?”

“I need you in here right away Jack.”

“You’ve got a lead on the killer?” Jack
asked, but silence responded. “Cap? Are you there?”

“The blood tests came back, Jack. The blood
they found on the door...your blood. It was fresh. I’ve had to
issue a warrant for your arrest, Jack.”

“But Captain-”

“With instructions that you are armed and
dangerous. Do you understand, Jack. Turn yourself in, son.”

“There’s no way that I was there, Captain.
And you know it.”

“It doesn’t matter, Jack. Come in now. I
don’t want to see you get hurt.” Jack hung up in disbelief.

“Problems?” Atwater asked.

“Yeah. You could say that.”

“They think that you had something to do with
the murders?” Jack turned towards him. “Something about your
blood...fresh blood...being at the crime scene?”

“How did you know that?”

“We have contacts everywhere, Jack. I knew
before you came in here that the warrant was being issued. You
didn’t have anything to do with those murders, did you Jack?”

“No. God, no. I couldn’t have.”

“But your blood was there. How did it get
there?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea.”

“What if you were there.” Atwater asked. Jack
looked at him, puzzled. “But you just haven’t been there yet.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Eighteen hundred forty five, seven
June.”

“What? You’re saying that I will be
there?”

“It’s your decision now, Jack. It’s all up to
you.”

“What about what you said to start
with...about ‘what’s done is done’ and all that crap. Are you
changing your story now?”

“No, Jack. No matter what happens from here
forward, you will always remember the loss and pain of the last few
days. Nothing will erase that from your mind, even if we change the
actual outcome.” Jack sat back down. He stared at his feet for a
few seconds, and then looked up and caught Atwater’s fiery blue
eyes.

“I’m in.”

“Welcome aboard, son.” Atwater rose up from
his chair and shook his hand before he pressed a button on his
desk. In response, the door to his office opened, and Ted
entered.

“Good call, Ted. He’s a good man. Debrief
him, and let’s get this ball rolling.” Ted nodded and led Jack out
of the office. Once they were back in the hanger complex, and
headed back across to the other side, Jack tapped him on the
shoulder.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me, Jack. This is just a quirk
of fate. I’m glad that I can help, but you don’t owe me any
gratitude, not after what we’ve been through over the years.” Jack
nodded and they continued to another office. The door was unmarked.
Once inside, Ted placed his hand on a scanner by a door at the far
end. The scanner lit up, and the door slid open. He led Jack down a
hallway into an empty conference room. Again Ted placed his hand on
a scanner, and the door slid open. He walked across the room and
accessed the computer terminal against the wall. He typed a few
commands, and then pressed his thumb on a flat spot on the side of
the keypad. The words ACCESS GRANTED, appeared on the screen. A
video screen on the wall came to life. The lights dimmed as the two
sat down. An image of a man appeared on the far wall.

“This is our man, Jack”

“Hey, that’s the same guy!” Jack blurted out,
as he recognized the image of the tall man in the restaurant
parking lot. The man who had killed the two victims, and took a
couple of pot shots at him.

“You know this guy?”

“Let’s just say that we’ve met. He pulled a
double homicide the night that the murders occurred. How do you
know it’s him?”

“Well. We were not exactly sure, to be honest
with you. The no DNA M.O. is pretty unique, and he’s the only
professional hit man with that kind of M.O. that is currently in
the region. But the facial recognition software that we ran on the
surveillance video from your home confirmed it.”

“Professional hit man?”

“Yeah. No, we don’t know why a hired gun took
out your family. But when we get this son-of-a-bitch, I’m damned
sure going to find out. Unfortunately all we have is a picture, and
his hired name, Mr. Smith. We’ve checked with the other agencies
and nobody has any other information. Hey, did you say that your
altercation with this scumbag happened the same night that they
were killed?”

“Yeah. About seven or seven thirty. Somewhere
around there.”

“Then that’s it! That’s where we’ll get the
bastard. We’ll set up and catch him in the parking lot. That’s
going to make our job a lot easier.”

“Dr. Morgan. Jack King. He’s the newest
member of our team.” Ted said.

“This is the one? He’s passed the
psychological profile?” The bespectacled doctor asked as he peered
over his glasses.

“He’s the one.”

“The PSYOP profile?” Morgan asked.

“Yes, the PSYOP profile.” Ted replied. Morgan
turned to Jack and looked him over hesitantly before he smiled
slightly and extended his hand. Jack shook it.

“Glad to have you with us. Has Mr. Truman
here covered everything with you?”

“Kind of, but I still don’t get it.”

“Sir, I’m not all that sure that we even ‘get
it’, as you said. Step over here and I’ll try to explain the basic
concept.” He walked over to a flat panel computer monitor. Suddenly
he looked distracted. “Phillips! Have you seen my coffee?” He began
to look around the desktop nervously. “Phillips! My coffee! Where
is my coffee?” Jack looked down at the white knuckled grip that the
Doctor had on a large half filled coffee cup, and smiled slightly.
“Phillips! Where is my-” He paused as he noticed that Ted pointed
towards his hands, and immediately began to relax. Jack looked to
Ted and both smiled slightly as a thin young man, presumably
Phillips, dashed into the room, with another cup of coffee. He saw
that the Doctor was now pacified, and quietly left with the cup.
The Doctor refocused on the monitor and typed in a few keystrokes
which brought up a demonstration file. A wire-framed grid appeared
in red on a black background. “This is a single slice of time. Each
square represents an area of space in that timeline. Now if we add
another grid representing another timeline, the corresponding
squares are connected through space.” The first grid turned
slightly sideways as another grid slid onscreen and positioned
itself parallel to the first.

“They occupy the same space, the same place,
just at different times.” Jack said.

“Exactly.” The Doctor said as he peered over
his spectacles. “So the question is, how to go from one time line
to the other. Early Einsteinian theories said that to do so would
require a vehicle that could travel at near light speed.”

“Is that even possible?” Ted interjected.

“Near light speed…theoretically. But you
certainly wouldn’t want to reach light speed, because the theory
held that if the vehicle was able to accelerate at light speed,
then it would spontaneously become energy. Poof. No vehicle.” Dr
Morgan said as he clicked another button on the keyboard.

“E equals MC squared.” Jack said.

“Ah, yes. A smart one you are. Okay so how do
we do it? Look here. Since these squares occupy the same space,
they are already interconnected. There exists a connection. A
tunnel, if you will, between the two timelines.” On screen a pair
of lines connected the two squares from the parallel grids, and the
grids began to warp towards one another as they created a funnel
effect on each side and distorted the previously rigid grid
pattern. “We refer to it as a wormhole, but the catch...the catch
is to open this tunnel on both sides simultaneously. And therein
lies our problem.”