Forever Until Tomorrow (War Eternal Book 5) (24 page)

Mitchell clenched his jaw. He needed to say it in a way that didn't sound completely crazy. Was that even possible?

"Colonel Mitchell Williams," he said.

"I thought it was Captain?" Max said.

"I had forgotten about my promotion. Colonel Mitchell Williams, United Earth Alliance Space Marines."

"Space Marines?" Lyle said.

"It's a long story, and it's going to sound crazier than anything you imagined. You both need to know what we're up against because it's nothing you can prepare for. We have to be smart about this. Detective, you remember I told you I thought my memories were blocked? They were. I was the one who blocked them. They came back to me on the train. I know who I am, and why I'm here. Four hundred years in the future, an advanced artificial intelligence will appear from forty-thousand years ahead of that with the intent to destroy human civilization. It's already happened more times than I'll ever know. I'm trying to stop it from happening again."

Mitchell paused, his face serious while Lyle and Max processed the statement.
 

"I don't even know what to say to that," Lyle said after a long silence. "I mean, I heard what that guy was saying to you, and it backs up what you're telling me, but."

"I barely believe it myself," Mitchell said. "I've lost too much not to."

"Why is it that damn AI always wants to kill us?" Max said. "Why not end world hunger, or come up with a recipe for the perfect cheeseburger or some shit?"

"I don't know why they do it. I know that Watson is their leader, and he's damaged. Something happened to him. I think we did it. I think we made him worse to weaken him, but so far that plan has backfired. He's smarter than Origin gave him credit for."

"Origin?"

"The only good AI. The first one. They call themselves the Tetron."

"The future," Lyle said. "I knew there was something to you when you got picked up. But this? How did you wind up in a St. Louis alley?"

"I don't know. I can't remember that part."

"What happens to us in the future?" Max asked. Some of the soldier bravado had faded, leaving him curious and shaken.

"It isn't this future. It's the future of the last time recursion. It's complicated, but I'll try to explain it to you. If we can stop Watson from grounding the Dove, this future will see mankind traveling the universe and settling dozens of planets, only to be exterminated at the hands of Tetron. If we don't stop him, we're going to die a lot sooner than that."

"I have to tell you, Colonel," Max said. "I'm not a fan of those scenarios."

"Neither am I. I'm leaving out a lot of detail right now, but the important part is that we've managed to wound Watson to the point that he's vulnerable. This is our shot to get the killing blow in, against him and against all of the Tetron. You saw what happened on the train. Watson has the power and the ability to do a lot of damage. I think he's holding back, and I think he has a reason for it. I'm not sure what that reason is yet, but it doesn't matter. It's my job to stop him before that happens."

"What about Katherine Asher?" Lyle said.

Mitchell felt his heart jump at the name. So many emotions had come rushing back with his memories, and all of them started with her. They were connected in a way he didn't understand. He loved her in a way that made no sense, despite the fact that they had never met.
 

"In my timeline, she helps bring the Dove into the future. We use it to fight back against the Tetron. It isn't about the ship, though." Mitchell paused, the realization striking him.
 

"Are you okay?" Max said.

"It isn't about the ship," he repeated softly before looking at both of them. "It's about the people."
 

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't matter right now. Look, I understand if you think I'm out of my mind. I understand if you don't want to be part of this. Watson is out there, and I can tell you things are only going to get worse. He isn't destroying everything, which means he wants something, and he risks losing it if he does. Somehow, we have to figure out what it is he's after."

"How do we do that?" Max asked.

Mitchell shook his head. "I don't know yet. First, I need to know if you're with me."

"That asshat tried to blow me up," Max said. "I told you I've got your six, Cap - Colonel."

Lyle pushed himself to a sitting position and then saluted. "Maybe it's just because my head took a beating, but even if you're crazy about the whole future thing, what happened on that train is real. I won't change my mind about that."

"Thank you. Both of you. I know we were heading to New York to try to meet up with Major Asher. That's not a good idea right now. Bunching up will make it easier for Watson to take us all down at once. It's better to keep his attention diverted."

"What do you want to do instead?"

Mitchell reached into his pocket and removed the data chip from it. "This is the only thing I was carrying when I was brought to St. Mary's. Evelyn died before she could tell me what was on it. I still don't remember its purpose, which leads me to believe it's pretty damn important. I think knowing what's on it will give us a clue about what Watson is after."

"I don't know anybody in Denver," Lyle said.
 

"Max?" Mitchell said.

"Sorry, Colonel. Most of the action is on the coast." He stopped for a second. "Actually, I have an ex who moved here a couple of years ago. She was in intelligence. She might know somebody."

 
"Then that's where we're going. Can you walk, Sergeant?"
 

Lyle nodded and reached out. Mitchell grabbed his hand and pulled him up, holding him steady while he got his balance.

"I'm okay," Lyle said. "Some pounding, but I've taken worse hits."

"We've got a bit of a walk ahead of us, and it's going to be dark soon," Mitchell said. "Let's see how far we can get."

"At least we're off the grid out here," Max said.

Mitchell's thoughts turned to Katherine. The configuration had claimed Watson had arranged for her to be discharged, and that in turn would draw Origin out of hiding. That Origin hadn't been keeping watch over him only solidified his belief that the chip he was carrying was important, and that he was making the right decision to stay away from Major Asher. As much as he wanted to meet her, to see her with his own eyes, to touch his hand to hers, he wanted to protect her even more.

He had lost everything else, but he hadn't lost her.
 

Not yet.

For the second time in as many days, Katherine found herself waiting for Trevor Johns. She hadn't gone to the cafe to track him down this time, knowing now that it wasn't safe to make an appearance anywhere that public without preparing for it. Fortunately, Origin had ways of acquiring information that wasn't readily available to the general population, and she knew how to get it without tripping any of Watson's alarms.

Origin. Katherine still struggled with the story her twin had told her. She still had a hard time coming to grips with the idea of time travel, or the Tetron, or even that there was a man out there that she was supposedly destined to love. It was all a lot to take in, and a lot to try to believe. She was doing her best, but the most comfort she found was in moving forward, taking action, and at the very least working to get herself back on the Dove. The launch was apparently more important than she could have ever realized, and she would be damned if she was going to miss it.

The Tetron had urged her to be cautious when dealing with Trevor, as they had no way of knowing if the soldier was under Watson's control, or had simply been monitored as a former acquaintance of hers. Origin had even volunteered to meet him in her place, an offer that Katherine was quick to decline. If she was supposed to be part of this, she was going to be part of this, not let someone else fight her battles for her.

She kneeled behind a wide metal column, careful to stay out of sight of the cameras spaced around the parking garage. She had been warned that showing too much of her face would draw Watson's immediate interest, but she also needed Trevor to be able to see her and to know who was confronting him.

A soft hum signaled the approach of a vehicle. Katherine raised herself slightly so she could see around the edge of the beam and over the back of a separate car, squinting in the combined brightness of the overhead lights and the headlights of the transport. She had watched Trevor leave on the small, red, bike two hours ago, on his way out to the gym. Once Origin had tracked down his home address, catching up to him was easy. He was still on the same workout schedule he had kept during his time in Project Olive Branch.
 

The bike rolled gracefully across the garage. Trevor's face was hidden by an opaque helmet, but she could tell it was him by his physique. Not many men were as lean and at the same time muscular as Trevor, his body built to win triathlons and seduce women. And Katherine had seen him with women. She didn't hold any illusions that she was anywhere near the first or last female he had been to bed with.

That was all ancient history. The only thing that mattered now was that he had been the one to tell her where to meet the dealer, and that meeting had gone completely sideways. Maybe it wasn't his fault, but she was having a hard time believing he was completely innocent. If someone had been tailing him, he was experienced enough that he should have noticed.

She crept around the parked vehicles as Trevor slowed and pulled the bike into a smaller spot near the stairwell door. She was a good ten meters from him, far enough to get his attention without making him defensive. Close enough to catch up to him if he tried to run. Not that she could imagine why he would try to run. They had sparred a few times in the past, and he had always gotten her to submit.
 

He parked the bike, climbed off the left side, and pulled off his helmet. Katherine remained hidden from the cameras but had moved over enough that she would be in his view when he turned.

"I wasn't sure you would still be here when I came back," Trevor said, his back still to her.

Katherine was only half-surprised he had noticed her. To her, it was vindication that he hadn't been followed. That if he were involved, it was directly.

"We need to talk," she said.

"You know where I live. You could have just come up." He turned around. "You still can. Anytime."

He smiled at her, turning on the charm. She knew what he was suggesting. In another time or place, it might have been a little tempting.
 

"You heard what happened to Sergeant Jackson?" she asked.

"I read the report. What really happened, Kate?"

"Why don't you tell me?"

"You think I had something to do with it?"

"Did you?"

He took a few steps toward her, pausing when he noticed how she tensed slightly, preparing herself to defend.
 

"I'm not a threat to you," he said.

"How do I know that? Two thugs came after me last night. Two very professional thugs. You were the only one who knew where I was going to be at that time."

"We're dealing in illegal guns here," Trevor said. "I can't promise one hundred percent loyalty from them. I pinged my contact and told him where and when to meet you."

"And that's it?"

"That's it. I swear on the soul of my dead mum."

Katherine stared at him, trying to decide whether or not to believe him. She needed more information.
 

"Who's your contact?"

"You know I can't tell you that."

"I need to know, Trev."

"Why?"

"Because someone is trying to kill me, and I don't like it. Help me out. Give me a name."

"You're going to have to give me more than that. Look, why don't we go up to my apartment, we can talk about it over a nice glass of Claret."

Trevor took a few more steps toward her. Katherine reached to her back and drew the gun Origin had given her, causing him to laugh.

"I thought the deal went bad?"

"I have other sources," she said. "Give me a name, or I shoot you."

"You wouldn't shoot-"

She pulled the trigger. The bullet went wide, hitting the bike behind him. It still came close enough to prove she was serious. "If it wasn't someone else who set me up, then it was you. If it was you, I'm not going to miss again."

Trevor put up his hands. "This whole thing has you pretty rattled, doesn't it?"

"Wouldn't you be?"

"Maybe a little. I'll give you the name. I just want you to know that I had nothing to do with it."

"Fine. You had nothing to do with it. I still need to trace the problem back to its source."

"Good luck with that. I know you don't have experience with this sort of thing. That isn't how terrorist organizations work. They'd rather die than give up information."

He was moving toward her with each sentence, approaching cautiously. Katherine lowered the gun. The only reason she had not to trust him was circumstantial. Even so, she would be stupid to drop her guard completely. She reached behind her back, tucking the gun back where she had retrieved it and getting her hand on a small device Origin had given her. Just in case.