Time Quest - 3

It is six o’clock in the morning when I step through the Time Portal and onto the short ramp. I slowly amble down the ramp and stand on

the metallic floor. There is supposed to be a Federal Medical Technician waiting for me when I arrive through the portal. I glance around the

huge room and there is no Federal Medical Technician in sight. I am a little offended and angry as I turn to one of the Portal Crew members.

The crew member is Toby Wilson and I am curious if he informed the Federal Medical Technician that I would be arriving at the moment. Toby

Wilson replies that he indeed informed the Federal Medical Technician’s office but the technician is obviously running a little on the later side.

I let Toby know that I will hang around the room for fifteen minutes but if the technician does not show up I am going to leave for my

apartment.

It has been fifteen minutes and the Federal Medical Technician still has yet to enter the room to record my arrival. Every single Time

Jumper needs to be cleared before their jump and when they arrive to the current time. The Federal Medical Technicians all know that when

the Time Jumper arrives they are more than just exhausted. So I am flustered and unwilling to wait for the technician. I let Toby Wilson know I

am heading home to the Hunter Building and if the technician shows up that is where I will be.

I am emerging out into the frigid air. I am not dressed properly for the weather, I have no jacket, and I glance around for the Haverhill

Taxi service that is usually here waiting for a Time Jumper to emerge from the building. I spot the taxi and trot to the vehicle and I slide into

the sedan. The driver smiles as he wonders if I live at the Hunter Building where most Time Jumpers reside. I nod my head and weakly state

that the Hunter Building it is. It is only a ten minute walk to the building I live in but it is too cold today and it is snowing heavily as well.

The driver pulls up to the building and I pay the man the small fee for taking me home safely. I run to the doors as they slide open and I

enter the Hunter Building. I quickly walk to my first floor tiny apartment and place my palm on the plate next to the door to verify that I am

home. The metal doors slide open and I enter the small foyer as the door slides closed. I order the door to lock for I am going to take a hot

shower then go to bed for a few hours. I take off my combat boots and I strip down to nothing and I walk through my apartment in the nude. I

enter the bathroom, command the shower on as hot as I can stand it, and I brush my teeth for they feel grimy.

The door alarm is buzzing frantically and I am jolted awake. I sit up on the edge of my bed as the buzzing continues. I slowly amble to

the door and I rub my eyes as I ponder who is on the other side of the door. Cooper Thomas’ familiar voice states his name. I order the door

to open and Cooper steps into the foyer stating that it is snowing like a freaking bastard out there still. When I was out there it was snowing

heavily and Cooper is stating that it is snowing even harder out there. Cooper says vision is near white out conditions. I glance down at my

watch and it is already ten thirty in the morning.

Cooper looks like hell worn over as he sighs heavily. What is on Cooper mind? Why is Cooper here? Cooper is my very best friend so he

knows that when I arrive home I usually do not like to be bothered until after noon. Whatever is weighing on Cooper’s mind must be important

unless he would not be here in my home. I wonder what is going on and Cooper wonders if I have seen the news reports yet. I shake my

head and say I took a hot shower then went to bed when I got home early this morning. Cooper asks if we can have coffee while he catches

me up on everything that is going on at the moment.

I ask, “What has Lander done now? You would not be here at my place if something isn’t seriously up.”

Cooper sighs again, “Storm Jones is dead and Lander states Storm attempted to attack him in his office.”

I wonder, “What happened?”

Cooper states, “Lander shot Storm in the abdomen and in the chest. I recorded the scene but I know that Lander is lying about what happened for there is no indication that Storm charged Lander.”

I comment as I am pouring steaming coffee into cups, “So this is why you’re here. Lander wants you to collect me for another freaking mission. Well I am not going. Lander can find somebody else. I have to have my down time for my body is in crisis.”

Cooper says, “Lander ordered me to pull things together and bring you into his office.”

I reply again, “I am not going on any mission until I have had my seventy-two hours of rest. Lander cannot keep doing this to me.”

Cooper says, “The Federal Police are at BioGenetics due to a great attack. The Federal Portal was breached by a member of Hell’s Gate. Sky Banks and Oliver Casey have been arrested for aiding the individual through the Portal and Storm has been murdered.”

I say, “This sounds very chaotic and I am sorry that you are in the middle of it all. Lander should never have done that to you but I am still not going to take this mission until I have had my down time.”

Cooper says, “I don’t blame you for standing up for yourself. Lander is always doing shit to you and you despise him with a damn passion. It is about time you stood up for yourself.”

I wonder, “So Hell’s Gate is behind all this pandemonium?”

Cooper nods his head as he finishes his coffee, “That is what Lander claims. The guy who escaped through the Time Portal is Jester Harold and Lander is unsure of what his status is with this terrorist organization.”

I ask, “What year did Jester go to?”

Cooper responds, “2050.”

I wonder, “Why that year?”

Cooper states, “I ain’t sure and Lander doesn’t either. But I am sure that Lander has knowledge on why that year and knows more than he is letting on.”

I state, “Lander has always been like that Cooper. Growing up with him as a brother was freaking torture. Granted he is five years older than I am but he has always attempted to bully me. Well it is not gonna work this time.”

Cooper says, “You always dealt with it well Alexis. I knew Lander was giving you a difficult time as you guys grew up and he still has yet to stop.”

I wonder, “So this BioGenetics attack is really a disaster?”

Cooper informs me, “Seventy people have been killed and thirty more are in critical condition.”

I respond, “Damn it all to hell. Do you think it is a Hell’s Gate attack?”

Cooper says, “I think it is Hell’s Gate that did this but Lander does not seem so distressed about the entire ordeal. I think that Lander knows
who the founder of Hell’s Gate is or is involved with this terror organization.”

I nod, “When Lander suffered from his nervous breakdown I thought it was the biggest mistake to let him go back to the Presidential position. Lander is scum and he is not very good at the job. I think you might be right. Lander has to be involved somehow.”

Cooper rises to his feet, “Go back to sleep Alexis and I will let Lander know that you are not taking this assignment until you have had your full rest.”