Continued (PART 14)...
* * *
Merlow, after reading Alex’s report on his last trip, gave him a three-day day off so that he could rest and come to his senses. Alex spent one day healing his cuts, abrasions and getting some sleep. The next day I called Linda to ask her out. Linda did not flirt and agreed almost immediately. Alex puzzled for a long time about where to take her on the first date. A girl who has everything she wants will not be so easy to please. He had a good nest egg and could, in principle, afford to arrange a romantic evening for her. The choice fell on a seafood restaurant. This was no ordinary restaurant, it was located deep underwater at the bottom of the ocean. Above them there was a glass dome and the same glass walls through which the entire oceanic world under water was visible. Special lighting made it possible to see everything that was happening on the sandy seabed within a radius of 100 meters. Sharks and rays swam lazily above them, exotic fish circled in schools, looking at the people inside in surprise. Dim light pouring from somewhere from different sides created a comfort and intimate atmosphere inside the restaurant. They sat on comfortable sofas at a table with a snow-white tablecloth and drank an aperitif. Linda, holding the glass by the stem, looked at the greenish liquid in it and said thoughtfully:
“I really didn’t expect that after such adventures at sea I would agree to a date again in the ocean.” She laughed loudly. Alex grinned back, admiring her. The hair on her head was pinned up in a neat hairstyle, she was dressed in a beautiful purple dress that fit her figure perfectly. Around her neck hung a white gold necklace, at the end of which hung a huge blue heart-shaped diamond in the same frame. He whistled:
- Linda, is it really the same stone that King Louis 14 gave to his beloved? And which, according to some sources, sailed with a certain passenger on the Titanic.
She smiled contentedly, her emerald green eyes sparkled defiantly, exactly like a diamond.
- No, this is his exact copy. My father gave it to me for my eighteenth birthday. I found it in a catalog and ordered a copy of that same jewelry from a jewelry shop, and now... - Linda lifted the pendant in her fingers so that Alex could see it better. He could not resist and took it into his hands with two fingers. The decoration looked amazing. The diamond shimmered with its edges. And the endless blue drew him into himself as if into the depths of the sea. He felt the warmth of her small fingers, which involuntarily touched his hand. Their eyes met. His lips whispered:
—Le Coeur de la Mer.
—I don’t understand!?—Linda raised one eyebrow in surprise. Alex, continuing to look into her eyes, replied:
—That’s the name of your jewelry, translated from French—“Heart of the Ocean.”
- Yes? God, how romantic this is... -she shot her eyes in his direction, touched her hair with her hands and thoughtfully repeated her earlier phrase:
- I never thought that I would agree to visit the ocean again... Alex looked away from her and releasing the diamond, he answered embarrassedly:
- Hmmm, when I was choosing where to invite you, I was guided by the beauty and unusualness of this place... And somehow I lost sight of the fact that you probably spent these 12 hours on the Titanic I saw enough of the ocean. Linda waved her hand:
- Don’t pay attention, I was on the surface. And now I want to be in the depths of this ocean.” She again gave him a charming smile and took a sip from her glass. A robot waiter, dressed in a white suit with the head and body of a human, but with a unicycle instead of legs, rolled up to them, took their order and drove off to the kitchen. Less than ten minutes had passed before he brought the dishes they ordered, deftly arranging the plates on the table and wishing them “Bon appetit!” he quickly drove off to another table. Linda ate slowly and tastefully, Alex secretly admired her. Somewhere from hidden speakers under the ceiling, lyrical compositions were playing, setting the guests present here in a romantic mood.
- By the way, Linda, what is your father, has he decided where he will go with a certificate from our company?
- Oh, no, she and mom can’t decide where they want to go. Father wants to see how the pyramids of Egypt were built, and mother wants to go to the concert of the French singer of the early 20th century Edith Piaf. She’s just crazy about her.
- It’s not surprising, your father is a construction businessman, and your mother, as far as I know, loves piano music, hence their differences.
- Where does this information come from?!- Linda She pushed the empty plate away from her (it immediately disappeared, swallowed by the light box for dirty dishes) and smiled at him. Alex dabbed his lips with a damp napkin and answered:
- Nothing special. Our database contains all the information about a potential client at once. This is necessary in order to understand what kind of person is in front of us, what he does, his level of income, etc. For general safety, when we play games over time, this is a good idea. Linda took a large sip of wine from her glass and nodded in agreement.
- Well, did you yourself want to go somewhere just like that as a tourist?
- I somehow never thought about it ...I visit different eras almost every day and this is quite enough for me to be impressed. - Alex grinned, rolled the napkin into a tight ball and with a precise click sent it into the same light box after his dirty plate.
- You know , and I would like to go live somewhere... - Linda thoughtfully turned her glass in her hands. - Somewhere far away from this hectic 22nd century. There, where there was no technical progress yet, where people lived by trade, by their labor and were happy... My father is still a snob. He wants to go and look at the pyramids just to understand the technology with which the Egyptians built them, so that here he can try to create a formula and apply it in his own construction. She’s thinking of outwitting her competitors and creating another advertisement with a slogan like: “Our houses will stand on par with the pyramids of Cheops, because only we build them using the same technology.” She again took a large sip of wine. “You know, I was an only child as a child.” in the family and all the best, of course, went to me. But that’s not all I wanted. I wanted my parents to simply love me, but my father was always busy at his construction site, and my mother seemed to be trying to pay more attention to me, but she also often had no time because of her concerts and tours. I spent time with robotic house workers. I talked to the kitchen and poured out my soul to the robot tutor. My passion for history became an outlet for me and at the same time helped me find myself. I suddenly realized that for some 300-400 years people lived much better and happier without having anything that I have now. Alex wanted to hug her and comfort her. He even opened his mouth to say something encouraging to her, but somehow nothing worthwhile came to mind, so he decided to change the topic of conversation.
- You know, our director Merlow, somehow on general meeting told us that the government wants to expand funding and staff, and they seem to be thinking about introducing guides like me into different eras in advance, so that people can go back in time not only to admire different events, but also just maybe, who wants to live there, say, a week or two, and we will be some kind of hotel or inn owner, so that we immediately have somewhere to accommodate them, feed them and conduct excursions.
--So, you will become a kind of guide-hotel owner?!- Linda smiled.
- Yes, no, I don’t think so... We will most likely remain the same as we were, but Others will be hired for these positions. Our job is to protect and entertain guests as before, and make sure that they do not change anything in the past. But this is still in the plans, but time will tell how things will turn out.” Alex finished his glass of wine and pressed the button to call the waiter. The same robot waiter rolled up to them and in a melodious, pleasant voice asked if the dear guests would like anything else? Alex looked questioningly at Linda. She smiled and said that she was full and happy with everything.
-Then please count us. -he said. Inside the robot, something buzzed and a white rectangle of paper with a printed bill suddenly emerged from the side pocket of his jacket on his chest. The robot picked it up and handed it to Alex. While he was examining its contents, a living rose flower on a short stem popped out of the same pocket. The robot carefully took it out and, bending slightly, brought it to Linda. She laughed in surprise and accepted it with gratitude.
- This is a miss for you! A small present from the service staff. - The eye on the robot’s face suddenly winked at Linda. If Alex hadn’t been completely sure that in front of him was just an android on a wheel, he would probably have been jealous. Quickly placing his finger on the scanner on his chest, he waited for the money to be withdrawn from his account and stood up. Linda followed suit.
A special elevator brought them to the surface and they found themselves in the cool of the evening city. Alex wanted to call Linda a taxi, but she suggested they go for a short walk. She was interested and happy in the company of Alex, taking his arm they walked along the pier. The sun, like a giant red coin, fell into a crack in the horizon above the ocean. Numerous couples in love stood right there and admired the sunset. Seagulls flew screaming above their heads, a fresh sea breeze blew, and it seemed that at that moment the whole world belonged to them alone. They walked slowly along the embankment, the evening illumination of the city filling the darkness with might and main. Cars rustled quietly along the road, couriers and mail modules continued to fly silently through the air.
Sent after 2 minutes 32 seconds:
Continuation (PART 15)...
Alex, in order to fill the pause in their communication, suddenly said:
- Do you know Linda , the legend about the diamond, what kind of diamond are you wearing? They say that the Titanic sank because of him. And everyone who owned this diamond subsequently had big troubles...
Linda looked at him in surprise.
- Mr. Foley, are you saying that I carry a bad sign of fate?
- “I didn’t say that,” he allowed himself a smile, “I only said that the owners of this diamond at one time came to a bad end. According to one version, it was used in ritual sacrifices in India and for four centuries it was sprinkled with human and animal blood. Again, if you believe the legend, then the mysticism with this stone began with theft... - he laughed mischievously looking at her confused face.
- Are you interested in this?
- You intrigued me. Continue. Let’s assume that our joint excursion continues.” Linda looked at him with a mixture of interest and slight fear on her face. He continued:
- So, several centuries ago, a man named Tavernier traveled to India. He stole a huge blue diamond from a local temple. The stone was removed from a statue of the Hindu goddess Zita. After this, the priests of this temple allegedly placed a curse and misfortune on the stone. And death awaited everyone who touched it... - Alex noticed that Linda turned slightly pale, but tried not to show concern, so he hastened to reassure her: - But on the other hand, you only have a copy of that jewelry, which means it cannot I think I’ll harm you somehow.
- Well, thank you, you consoled me...- Although Linda’s voice was cheerful, he heard notes of confusion in it.
- Did I upset you?! Don’t worry - this is just part of a beautiful legend. In fact, historical facts indicate the opposite, in 1642 French jeweler and traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier came to India. Here he bought a large blue diamond mined in one of the Golconda mines. The diamond weighed 112 grams and was shaped like the eye of a goddess. Upon returning to France, the jeweler was presented to the court of King Louis 14 and received a noble title. Louis XIV bought the diamond from Tavernier. Well, then this diamond wandered from hand to hand. It even visited private collections at the end of the 20th century, but then disappeared... However, whether it is a coincidence or not, everyone who owned this diamond was haunted by misfortunes. I emphasize, those who owned the ORIGINAL of this diamond, and you just have a perfectly made copy, so I’m sure you are in no danger.- And to change the subject of conversation, he casually asked:
-Do you have a dog at home? ?
-Yes, Labrador.
-What is his name?
-Ralph.
-Ralph?! A strong name for a dog...
They descended from the embankment and now walked along the alley illuminated by neon light of advertisements past spreading maples. Teenagers raced along the alley on aerial boards, performing complex pirouettes on them. They walked closely touching each other’s hands, talking about various trifles and laughing at each other’s jokes. The road led them to a wide multi-tiered building consisting entirely of hundred-story skyscrapers with mirrored stained glass walls. The site was fenced off by a low fence behind which a row of pneumatic cars stood in the parking lot. To one of the entrances there was a path lined with fresh flowers and at the entrance there was a barrier with the inscription: “ENTRANCE ONLY BY INVITATION OF HOUSE RESIDENTS.” On the side there was a scanning sensor flashing a red and green indicator. Alex knew that behind the barrier and along the entire perimeter of the parking lot there was a force field that protected more reliably than any security. It was impossible to enter here without a special key, unless, of course, the owners of one of these fashionable apartments let you in. In this area lived those whose income level exceeded the level of 1,000,000 credits per month. Linda applied the electronic key to the scanner and, with a joyful squeak, it lit up with a steady green light. The barrier gently rose to let her through. They stood opposite each other and it was clear that both did not want to leave today, but Linda preferred not to rush things.
- Thank you for a wonderful evening, Alex. See you again.” She kissed him on the cheek and easily ran to the entrance of the front door. At the entrance she turned around and waved her hand with a flower to him. He waved back, involuntarily moving very close to the force field. The barrier fell into place and the indicators on the scanner began flashing again. He felt a slight jolt, as if he had bumped into an invisible elastic wall. After standing for a couple more minutes and looking at the windows of the house glowing with soft light, he sent the most gentle air kiss towards the skyscraper and walked to the taxi stand.
* * *
Three days later he returned to his work . Entering the lobby of the “time agency” building, I immediately noticed two people in black suits, holding tablets in their hands, talking about something with David Merlow. Alex didn’t like their appearance, and judging by the president’s angry look, these two clearly didn’t come here for time travel experiences. He walked into the locker room when one of the technicians, Martin Grace, came in wearing a white coat over his casual clothes and conspiratorially told him:
- Alex, it looks like we have problems. Someone tried to hack our database and penetrate our time travel control system. These two in suits are FSK employees who are supposed to control time travel. Alex frowned:
- Why would someone want to penetrate our system’s database?
- Foley, don’t be stupid! If someone can penetrate our system, they will be able to completely control the processes of launching the time machine, which means someone wants to invade history and start changing something there. Of course, hacking the security of our system is not easy, but there will always be some smart guy who can do it and gain control. By the way, I almost forgot to tell you: we carried out diagnostics on your chronometer and I can say that the reason for its breakdown was not only a rivet from a ship that got into it, I discovered a virus in it, which was activated at the right moment and tried to penetrate our system. I’ll tell you more: I have an idea that the rivet that flew to us from the past and damaged our computer was also not an accident. I’m sure someone planned everything very precisely. Alex zipped up his overalls and opened his mouth to answer something, but the next moment the door opened and two FSK agents walked inside the locker room. Merlow was with them, pale and upset. They showed Foley their badges and walked around the perimeter of the room without invitation. One of them stopped opposite Alex and, looking at his tablet, said:
- Mr. Foley, I am Agent Wislow. And my partner is Agent Smith. We are federal time travel agents. I’m sure Mr. Grace brought you up to date and told you what happened. We interrogate all agency employees and you will not be an exception. So, we need to ask you a few questions...
Sent after 4 minutes 54 seconds:
Continued (PART 16)...
Over the next hour, they asked him in detail what eras he had been moving to in the last couple of months. Have you noticed anything strange in the behavior of clients? They asked in detail about his last stay on the Titanic and especially about his broken chronometer. Alex answered all questions in detail and without holding anything back. The agents recorded all his testimony on tablets and made some notes on them for themselves. After a couple of hours, the agents left the building and everyone was able to breathe a little more freely. By this time, all the guides had already gathered here and the agents had similar conversations with each of them. Merlow loosened the tie on his snow-white shirt, poured himself half a glass of cognac and drank it in one gulp without even grimacing. Then he called all the employees and announced:
- Ladies and gentlemen, you all know perfectly well what happened and how it can threaten us and our business if the press gets wind of it. Therefore, first of all, everyone should keep their mouths shut and not tell anyone anything. FSK and our technicians will monitor the problem and try to trace where we may be in danger. All guides should pay double attention to all clients. Carrying a concealed firearm is mandatory. Be vigilant and remember: the fate of the entire history of mankind may depend on you. And now it’s all about jobs. In an hour we will have clients, I need to change clothes and get myself in order.
Over the next week, Alex continued his travel excursions through the eras. He didn’t notice anything suspicious. Yes, and others too. There was also no news from FSK, but Merlow was sure that they were now actively studying everyone who had ever been a client of this agency. Alex continued to see Linda whenever he had free time. They walked together, went on attractions, sat in cafes, swam in the ocean... In a word, they spent a rich life as young lovers. The fact that he fell head over heels in love with Linda was not a surprise to him; rather, he accepted it as a gift from fate from above and was grateful to her for it. Linda reciprocated his feelings. He was even honored to visit her several times, where in an informal setting he became better acquainted with her parents. Mr. Thomson behaved surprisingly kindly to him. Thomson’s wife also showed favor despite her and Alex’s different social status. Once he was honored to be invited to dinner with them and they were all together on the veranda of the 54th floor, which had a breathtaking view of the ocean, sat at a set table, ate, drank, talked about various trifles and listened with interest about their joint trip with Linda to "Titanic". Thomson also turned out to be an avid fisherman and was happy to tell how he managed to catch particularly large fish. (Alex
noted to the impressive number of stuffed fish on the wall in the hall and was involuntarily amazed by it). Thomson paternally patted him on the shoulder and promised to take him and Linda fishing on his pleasure yacht. After dinner, he invited Alex to share a glass of brandy. The women went to the kitchen to gossip. Having poured brandy from the bar into two "sherballs", he handed one to Alex, took the other for himself, sitting down in two wicker chairs made of real rattan, they simply savored the drink for a few seconds. Alex didn’t know much about drinking, but he acknowledged that what he drank before was significantly different from what he drank now. Mr. Thomson treated him to a large real Cuban cigar, he dipped the tip into a glass of brandy and smoked it while sucking, assuring him that this way he could feel the taste better. They silently looked for several more minutes at the blue of the ocean until Thomson finally said:
- Tell me son, is everything serious with you and Linda?
- Yes, of course sir, I love your daughter and I think she does the same to me. You have nothing to worry about, I assure you. Thomson, crossing his legs, looked at him thoughtfully and blew out a large puff of smoke.
- Linda didn’t tell you that suitors were wooing her whose fortune was estimated at ten zeros, but she refused them. Why do you think Linda has a crush on you?
Alex didn’t like the question.
- Well, I don’t know, it seemed to me that she wanted the same thing as me in life, we have many common interests and most importantly, we feel good together. And those with ten zeros, I think, were just zeros in her eyes.” Alex himself was surprised at his own bold answer and prepared for Thomson to make some kind of barb at him. But he looked at him silently, then turned his gaze to the ocean, after a pause, he suddenly said in a slightly hoarse voice:
- Linda, reminds me of my wife in her youth... She was the same age when we got married... She was a provincial girl from a poor family, obsessed with classical and pop music, long-dead performers of the 19th and 20th centuries. And I was already fully involved in the construction business and understood well what I wanted to take from life. Before her, I had many different women, but none could have such an impact on me as my Brenda. Her bottomless eyes captivated me, and her modesty and self-esteem finally made me fall in love with her... We got married, Brenda could not get pregnant for a long time, due to an old injury she received in childhood when she fell from an air scooter. But when we succeeded and our Linda was born... I realized that I would lay the whole world at their feet if my girls were happy and did not need anything.
He fell silent for a long time, thoughtfully blowing puffs of blue cigar smoke . Alex froze, realizing that a person like Thomson would not tell just anyone about this, which means they trust him and will most likely accept him into their family despite the difference in income. Forgetting about my cigar and brandy, afraid to move, I listened to him
memories about childhood, youth... however, at some point, Thomson, as if shaking off an invisible web of memories, immediately returned his former arrogant expression to his face and looked straight at Alex.
- Linda told me about your adventures... I looked at the recording of everything that happened with you... I’m glad that you showed yourself like a real man and saved my girl... By the way, I made inquiries about you (don’t blame me, but I need to know who my daughter is dating) and came to the conclusion that you both really look alike. Both are passionate about history and both love what they do. But most importantly, you have no craving for free wealth and you firmly want to get on your feet without anyone’s help. Well, that’s commendable. I don’t need a rogue son-in-law who wants to seduce my daughter for a rich dowry. For me, Linda is the center of the universe. And if you try to deceive or offend her, I will grind you into powder! - The last phrase was said as if Thomson told him the weather forecast for tomorrow. Alex felt a chill on his skin, but restrainedly nodded his head and calmly looking into Thomson’s eyes replied:
- Mr. Thomson, believe me, my intentions regarding your daughter are the most sincere and serious.
-And you have no other choice.- Thomson grinned and put out his cigar in an unfinished glass of brandy.
* * *
Three days after this conversation, the Thomson family finally decided where they wanted to go. For the sake of his wife, Thomson gave her the right to choose and they all went together to the mid-20th century for a concert by the then famous French singer Edith Piaf. Of course, Alex was chosen as our guide.
A month later, Linda agreed to live with Foley together. Now the smart home greeted her with “good morning” in the morning and sang her praises about how amazing she looks today. Alex listened to this with a smile, but sometimes he felt that he was beginning to be jealous of this electronic brain and asked him to stop showering her with compliments, threatening to otherwise flood his microcircuits with water. Linda was amused by this, and every time Alex threatened the smart home to “rip all the wires out of its ass,” she burst into happy laughter, and the electronic voice, offended, but with a sense of dignity, answered something like: “Oh! Mr. Alex knows how to convince.”
Another month later, Alex made Linda
proposal and gave her an engagement ring with a blue diamond in the shape of a heart. Linda did not immediately answer, she said that she needed to think about it. Alex was a little confused by this, but decided not to force things, giving her time. A couple of days later, she gave her consent, smiling happily. The parents were not against it and they applied. They decided to have the wedding in Tahiti. Mr. Thomson promised them to pay for a honeymoon trip around the world on a state-of-the-art cruise ship sailing on water, land and air. On the day of their marriage registration, two hours before the private jetliner departed for Tahiti, a snow-white limousine decorated with fresh flowers stopped near the “time agency”. One of its doors opened and Alex Foley stepped out onto the sidewalk in a black formal wedding suit and crocodile leather shoes. He extended his hand and Linda followed in a chic wedding dress. On her head she was wearing a golden tiara with precious stones, and a veil train descended from under it. She was dressed in a short white dress that favorably emphasized her figure, on her hands were white gloves and brand-name white sandals. On the chest was a necklace from earlier with a blue diamond set in white gold. On her finger, matching the color of the necklace, was an engagement ring with a stone—a gift from Alex. In her hands she held a huge bouquet of fresh flowers. They were followed by Linda’s parents, Alex’s best man, and several bridesmaids. The whole ceremony entered the building, where David Merlow personally met them and with a smile made a small solemn speech that the company takes care of its employees and, in honor of the wedding, gives the newlyweds 100,000 credits for their “honeymoon.” In addition to him, all the employees of the company gathered and everyone congratulated and gave some kind of gift from themselves. The small festive table, where there were already drinks and snacks, was immediately filled. Toasts and wishes to the newlyweds came one after another, glasses clinked in the air. Linda, flushed with embarrassment, kissed Alex at the request of the guests. And they, in turn, supported them with joyful cries. It was Mr. Thomson’s turn to make a toast. He importantly raised his filled glass of champagne and said:
- Our dear Linda and our son-in-law Alex! I want to raise this glass to you...so that you don’t forget your promises to be a support for each other, to love, to be there for each other in poverty or wealth, in happiness and in trouble, in health and illness. Many events await you ahead, now you are a family and... - He didn’t have time to finish his toast, four people in black closed suits, balaclava masks on their faces, armed with automatic assault rifles burst into the hall of the building.
Sent after 3 minutes 18 seconds:
Continued (PART 17)...
They immediately fired a line over their heads and shouted loudly:
- Sorry for not being invited, but we have an urgent matter.
Everyone present in the hall looked at them in bewilderment and fear. One of the attackers closed the entrance doors, blocked the electronic lock on them and lowered the armored blinds on the windows. Three approached the festive table, among them a tall, strong man especially stood out; he poured himself a glass of champagne and rolled up his mask to his nose, poured it over himself with the words:
- To the health of the young! - Then he took an empty chair and sat down calmly into it, putting the rifle on his knees, he said measuredly:
- Please forgive my intrusion, but the business I have in mind cannot be delayed. Gentlemen! You will save me a lot of time and perhaps save your life if you help me get to the transfer room and tell me the codes. “No one at the table moved or said a word. The strong man turned to one of his accomplices and said:
- Mr. Varen, please... - The one who was called Varen walked around the table and pulled out technician Martin Grace by the collar and put the muzzle of a rifle to his cheek.
-So, Mister how are you there?..Grace it seems...Would you be so kind as to take us inside?- The sitting burly man clearly liked to clown around. The technician looked towards the pale Merlow and shook his head:
- Sorry, I have no right without the permission of my boss...
The strong guy turned his gaze to Merlow, who was sitting like a stone statue.
- Mr. Merlow, your subordinate does not want to violate the rules you have established and kindly asks you to allow him to help us get inside. Merlow feverishly tried to collect his thoughts and cursed himself for ordering the security system at the entrance to be turned off during the young couple’s visit.
- Gentlemen, you will have big problems if you don’t get out now. I give you my word that I will not report you to the police.” He said, trying to make his voice sound firm and confident. The beefy man jumped up from his chair and leaned over the table and handed Merlow across it, sweeping plates and glasses onto the floor, then holding him by the tie with one hand and hissed in his face:
- You have
one minute bastard to open the doors and escort us all inside. If you refuse, I will kill one person at a time, and then I will begin to slowly kill you until you tell me what I want to know.
Merlow tried to object, but the strong man’s accomplices had already grabbed him by the arms and, leading him to the first door, pressed his face against the scanner as hard as he could. Merlow’s face immediately became covered with blood and he began to lose consciousness. But he was prevented from doing this by placing his hand on the scanner and then pointing his eye at the reading device. The door leading to the corridor opened. The two dived into it and dragged the technician and Merlow with them. The remaining two turned their attention to the hostages for a moment. Alex, without taking his eyes off them, ordered Linda and her parents with his lips to dive under the table as soon as he began to act. Having exchanged glances with his two partners, he threw an empty champagne bottle at one of the bandits with a backhand; the blow from the bottle to the chest caused him to stagger for a moment and the muzzle of his rifle went to the side; a plate thrown by the well-aimed hand of Stephen Buck flew into the second one. Linda and her parents ducked under the table, and the others also hesitated a little. Alex threw his trained body forward and jumped on one; two jumped on the strong man, trying to snatch the rifle from his hands. A fight ensued. The strong man turned out to be a strong and dexterous opponent. Almost immediately, with one blow, he knocked out Jones and broke his jaw with the butt of Baku’s rifle. Alex knocked down his attacker and tried to strike him in the head, but he dodged and managed to attack himself by placing his foot on his chest and pushing him away from himself. Alex fell to the floor, feeling the shards of broken dishes digging into his back through his jacket. The bandit jumped to his feet and tried to fire a rifle burst at him, and then Linda appeared on his side. With a precise kick of her sandaled foot, she knocked the barrel out of his hands and, catching it in the air with her hand, shouted:
- No! We will still need him.
Alex looked at her from the floor, puzzled, and thought that he was seeing a bad dream. By this time, the strong man who apparently led this gang, breathing heavily, tore off his balaclava, under which the face of a young, high-cheeked guy of about 28, with short hair and blue eyes was revealed. He looked around the room and approached Alex for several seconds, studying him intently, and then said to his partner:
- Take him.
Alex was lifted to his feet, he did not resist, looking with all his eyes at Linda, who was talking sweetly about something with the leader and smiling at him, like an old acquaintance. They dragged him to the door, at that moment Linda’s father rushed to his rescue, but they fired at him from a rifle and he fell holding his bloody hand. There was chaos in the hall, the women were screaming in fear. No one remembered that two minutes before the attack, Elaine, the boss’s secretary, apologized to the guests and ran to the toilet to “powder her nose.” When it all started, she watched what was happening with her eyes widened in horror, opening the toilet door slightly. Fortunately, the attackers had no time to see if they had all the hostages in their hands. With trembling hands, Elaine activated the videophone and dialed emergency services. She explained for a long time and confusingly what had happened, and when the operator promised to call a patrol to help them, she dived into the toilet stall and, having locked herself in it from the inside, climbed onto the toilet with her legs afraid to move. Within five minutes, police sirens were wailing outside the building. Police technicians rushed to the door and began rummaging through the electronic scanner, trying to unlock the entrance.
A voice amplified by the loudspeaker came from outside:
- Resistance is useless! The building is blocked. Release the hostages or we will begin the assault. You have two minutes to surrender.
Alex was dragged to the doorway, where two criminals and Merlow and the technician had already disappeared. They found themselves inside the corridor and stopped: four charred bodies lay on the floor. Their clothes were burned and metal parts melted. It seems they chose death, giving the bandits the wrong code and dying along with them. The security system made it impossible for outsiders to get to the center of the time machine. One of the bandits yelled:
- Your mother! Why didn’t anyone talk about these fucking lasers? So much time to prepare this operation and fail on such crap.
- Calm down! We have someone who can take us inside, otherwise he will also be fried with us. - Alex decided that he was going crazy - the voice belonged to Linda. His Linda! At the same instant, he was turned around and he was stunned to see his bride in a wedding dress with a face twisted with anger and a knife in her hand.
- What? “I didn’t expect such a development of events, did I, handsome?” She muttered, “Come on, cancel the security and take us to the transfer center, we have very little time.”
- Linda! What are you doing? I do not understand anything! Are you in league with them? - Alex tried to delay time to allow the police to capture them, but she rudely shoved his face into the scanner and said: - You have five seconds to do everything! Then you will see how your blood floods your face. Alex closed his eyes and prepared to die. At that moment, the entrance doors opened and flash-noise and gas grenades were thrown into the building’s lobby. A bright flash of light and clouds of smoke filled the room. Linda, who was closest to the door, pushed it with her foot, and the armored door reliably cut them off from the external influence of tear gas. You could hear the heavy boots of the police in the hall and the blows on the locked door.
Linda pressed the knife to Alex’s throat and screamed:
- Turn off the security, you son of a bitch! “Alex decided that he would not die so absurdly and mechanically pressed the code on the scanner and put his eye to the sensor. He was dragged further along the corridor to where the transfer center was located. Another armored door with a code. While Alex was fiddling with the lock, the police managed to blow up the door and clouds of smoke burst into the narrow corridor. The door leading to the transfer room opened. Police dressed in gas masks and protective equipment opened fire on the fleeing bandits. The bullets howled as they ricocheted off the walls and when they hit the electronics, they noisily exploded in a shower of sparks. One of the attackers fell screaming and gasping as the bullets hit him and severed the aorta in his neck. The second one collapsed on the floor, howling and holding his leg. The pant leg quickly began to become soaked in blood. The door managed to close almost in front of the police and this saved the bandits from certain death.
-Give the program!- Linda shouted, rushing to the wounded man. He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a pyramid with convex edges, shimmering in all the colors of the rainbow. Linda grabbed it and ran to the computers and put it into the electronic brain system unit. I typed the program activation code on the virtual keyboard and the time machine came to life. There are dull knocks on the door and screams from the police demanding that it be opened. Linda ran up to the lying bandit, grabbed a pistol from his holster and pointed it at Alex and said:
-Tell them, if they try to break in here, you will die!- Alex looked at her reproachfully. But he obeyed and, approaching the door, shouted through it:
- Don’t shoot! I’m a hostage! They said they would kill me if you tried to break the door. – There was silence behind her. Apparently they had a meeting. Meanwhile, Linda again jumped to the keyboard and feverishly began to enter new commands on it. Linda’s mother’s voice came from behind the door.
- Alex! Is Linda with you? Tell me, is my girl alive?
“She’s alive, and it looks like she’s running everything here,” Alex answered gloomily through the door. Linda’s mother began to sob and another voice was heard:
- I am a police psychologist, what are the terrorists’ demands?
- “I don’t know,” Alex answered honestly and looked at Linda.
“It’s done!” she cried out joyfully and, as if to confirm her words, the matte ball under the ceiling lit up and began to emit blue discharges. The bandit lying on the floor tried to get up, but he didn’t succeed. Linda approached him.
- Robert, we did it! Get up, we’ll leave now and no one will ever find us. And in an hour we can buy this shitty world! - She helped the wounded man get up and drag him to the transfer site. The buzzing intensified. Alex stood helplessly and watched them. Linda held him at gunpoint and never took her eyes off him.
- Sorry, dear. But here our paths will diverge. You’re a good guy, but I’m afraid you won’t appreciate what I have in mind. I’m sorry that this happened...I’m really sorry... - The gun in her hand saluted him in the air. Purely on reflexes, he jumped on her. The pistol fired and he felt the bullet burn his cheek, passing a millimeter from him. At that moment, the front door flew off its hinges with a noise. The police burst in. The bandit, wounded in the leg, raised his rifle and fired at them. But the protection worn by the guards of the law reliably protected them from bullets, but several ricocheted and landed in electronic media. Sparks rained down and everything around began to blink and explode. In response, the bandit was killed with a precise shot. Alex fell on Linda and grabbed her hand with the gun. The bluish glow of the ball intensified and at that very moment it exploded deafeningly, showering everyone with glass shards and causing even greater destruction. Fog began to envelop them, as if during a transfer. Alex tried to jump out of the circle, but he couldn’t. The protective force field prevented him from doing this. The last thing he saw was a fire starting, his mother’s tear-stained face and Linda’s father, twisted with anger, holding his bloody hand. They were enveloped in a bluish fog.
* * *
Sent after 3 minutes 57 seconds:
Continuation (PART 18)...
There was real chaos in the time transfer room. Electronic equipment was torn apart, colored cable wires popped out of their niches like veins. Plumes of suffocating smoke and a fire beginning to flare up completed this picture of the apocalypse. Rescuers began to remove survivors and wounded from the building. Some suffered bullet wounds and tear gas poisoning. Crowds of onlookers gathered near the building ironically joked that now the Time Agency would seem to be out of time. A small two-seater helicopter was already hovering over the building, from which there was a live broadcast and the journalist was commenting on what happened in the building. "So,
dear ladies and gentlemen, something that has been warned about for a long time has happened: a group of terrorists tried to seize the Time Travel Agency. From our reliable sources, we know that this action was planned. Fortunately, the terrorists did not have time to carry out their dark plans, thanks to their work. the police managed to neutralize them in time. But according to our information, two managed to escape - this is a certain Linda Thomson, the daughter of an industrial millionaire, Mr. Bert Thomson, and as we learned, her fiancé Alex Foley works as a guide in this company. There is a suspicion that Linda Thomson led this attack. and Alex Foley was their accomplice. Unfortunately, the two of them managed to travel in time, but the exact location is unlikely to be found out in the near future, given the fact that the head of the time machine was also dead, and all the electronics were destroyed in the same place. as a result of damage caused by fire and explosion. Federal services will investigate and try to find out at what time these two escaped. And we will keep you updated on the news. Vanessa Green was with you, television channel "news 24."
* * *
The darkness around them gradually dissipated and they were able to look around. It was early morning and a damp fog still shrouded the space around them, making it difficult to look around. There was silence. There was green grass underfoot and a pine grove as far as could be seen. Linda looked around and exclaimed angrily:
- Damn it! This doesn’t look like South America! – Then she turned abruptly to Alex and continued in a hoarse voice:
- Alex, motherfucker! Do you know how long it took us to prepare this? And now everything has gone to hell, because you interfered with us at the last moment..- She cursed, exhaustedly sank onto the grass. Alex finally came to his senses and moved closer and yelled at her:
- Linda, what the hell is going on? Why did you become an accomplice of these people? Who the hell are you really?! “If it weren’t for the gun in her hands, he probably would have grabbed her and shook her until she told him the whole truth.
- First of all, shut up and better tell me where we are?-Linda looked distantly into the distance.
-Where are we?!- he looked at his chronometer, just as he was afraid of the device it broke when it fell and now looked like a dark screen with glass shards. - Alex unfastened it with irritation and threw it far into the bushes.
- And who the hell knows where we are now. Thanks to your friends and to you personally, because the transfer module was destroyed during the move and now we will not be able to return back. I don’t even know what time it took us. I pray that this is a civilization, otherwise we are doomed to death... Linda made a circle with a pistol in the air, and looking around, said in a low voice:
- According to the plan, we were supposed to move into the past of South America, to the times of the ancient Mayans. We knew they had a place where they kept their gold. With modern weapons we would have captured it. And then, when the Spanish conquistadors arrived, they would have killed them. Thus, Columbus will not be able to discover America in time, and with this pile of gold we created our own world. America did not become the country it was known before...We would have changed history!
Alex listened to all this with undisguised amazement and could not believe it
-So you used me to find out the secrets of our center?! To carry out this stupid adventure? And I believed you! How could you do this to me Linda?! What were you missing in your life?
- Stop wailing! - she cut him off sharply. “You still won’t understand this.” We’re probably in some ancient hellhole right now, it’s cold here and I have no desire to have family scenes with you right now. We need to figure out where we are. Then we will decide what to do next. It seems to me that there is a road nearby, I think I heard the noise of a car. Alex opened his mouth to object. But then he decided that he could find out everything to the end a little later. However, Linda has nowhere to go and she cannot leave him here alone. He listened. And in fact, in the silence of the forest, he clearly heard something similar to the noise of the wheels of a car driving along the asphalt. His heart jumped with joy. If they were abandoned nearby, there is a chance to return back, or at least not to die from the arrows of savages or in the teeth of some prehistoric predator.
They followed the sound through the tall grass wet with dew. Linda’s feet, dressed in light sandals, quickly became wet and began to rub her skin. Alex, unlike her, was wearing shoes and felt relatively normal, except for his wet pants. About ten minutes later they actually came out onto the asphalt road. Alex had no doubt that gasoline-powered cars were driving here. The clear tire tread marks on it spoke for themselves. Beyond the road was a plowed field lined by a tractor into neat mounds of beds. Further as far as the eye could see there were forest plantations and nothing else. Although the fog had almost cleared, it did not add any visibility. The first timid rays of sunlight appeared from behind the clouds. A new day was beginning. Linda shivered chillily.
- Damn, looks like we missed. The explosion damaged the time travel module before we started moving and the defense threw us out impromptu to another time so that we wouldn’t die... - She muttered and grinned sadly. Alex looked at her. Her gorgeous wedding dress had taken a lot of damage in the last hour. It was dirty, covered in grass and now had an unpresentable appearance. She lost the golden diadem when Alex fell on her into the room during the start of the transfer. The only thing was that the “Heart of the Ocean” necklace somehow miraculously stayed on her neck and the ring was placed on her white-gloved finger. Alex’s breath caught in his throat when he saw him. Just an hour ago he was supposed to get married to the most beautiful and wonderful girl in the world, as it seemed to him. He built rosy dreams... dreamed of children and a warm family hearth... and now, due to the fault of the one he loved, he found himself unknown where and due to whose fault now his life will not be worth a damn. And then...he didn’t even want to think further. His gloomy thoughts were interrupted by the roar of a car engine moving along the highway. Alex was hoping to see a modern car, but instead, a miracle of the American automobile industry from approximately the 30s of the 20th century was driving towards them. Alex even immediately identified its make: it was a green Cadillac 341 sedan. Quite a good model for its time. He walked out into the middle of the road and waved his arms. The car smoothly braked next to them. An elderly couple was sitting in the cabin: a man dressed in a gray three-piece suit with a tie and his companion in an elaborate cream-colored dress pinned on the shoulder with a brooch with stones. They looked at Linda’s short, dirty wedding dress with undisguised surprise, and Alex’s appearance clearly embarrassed them, given that he was clearly not dressed in the fashion of the 30s. Linda looked at them detachedly through the windshield of the car, holding her hand with a pistol behind her back and wondering whether to use it or wait?! Alex smiled sweetly with all his might, radiating friendliness and, approaching the driver, said:
- Sir, please forgive us. My future wife and I found ourselves in an unpleasant situation, we were going to a wedding, but before that we decided to call our friends who live in one of the suburban villages, about twenty miles from here our car broke down and we were forced to walk to call them. help.
-Why are you dressed so strangely for the wedding?- the voice of the elderly driver was full of suspicion-And why is this young lady showing her bare legs having lost all shame?!- Alex involuntarily looked at Linda’s outfit and answered:
- You see, she had a dress like everyone else, but when we walked through the forest planting to take a shortcut, it constantly clung to everything and we were forced to cut it off, otherwise she risked being completely without it - Alex smiled guiltily. Linda finally came out of her stupor and, continuing to hide the gun, approached the cabin from the side of the passenger seat, where an elderly lady was sitting and made pitiful eyes and said:
- It’s true, we would be very grateful to you if you would give us a lift to the nearest phone. – The driver’s elderly companion looked at the diamond necklace on Linda’s chest with poorly concealed envy. The driver thought for a few seconds, but then suddenly announced that there were a lot of crooks now and he was very suspicious of both of them! - With these words, he briskly began to turn the window lift handle on the door. Linda pulled a pistol from behind her back and pointed it through the glass at his elderly companion with the words:
- Come on, both of you are out of the car alive!
The elderly driver and his passenger immediately raised their hands up and unquestioningly got out from the cabin, staring at them with fear. Alex didn’t like this idea, but there was no other way to get somewhere without arousing suspicion in anyone. Linda, holding the gun at eye level, walked up to the driver and with her free hand pulled out a large leather wallet from his bosom. Unfolding it with one hand, she looked inside. A skinny wad of dollars, gas coupons and some small change. She pulled out all the bills, then fanned them out in her hands, assessing the denomination. Three five dollar bills, one ten, four one dollar bills and one twenty dollar bill. She silently tried to remember the story and evaluate how much or little money there was, or rather their nominal value. Handing the money to Alex, who was standing like a pillar, she ordered the driver and his passenger to move away from the car to the side of the road. She threw him an empty wallet and sat down in the driver’s seat without taking her arms off them. Alex had no choice but to sit next to her. Linda studied the antique car dashboard with a little confusion. Alex looked at her mockingly, and then said:
-Do you know how to drive this car?- Linda turned the key in the ignition, the engine purred contentedly. Then she carefully moved the gearshift lever. The car jerked forward sharply, the engine sneezed and stalled. Linda started the engine again and this time squeezed the clutch more smoothly, and the car quietly rolled forward, pouring exhaust over its former owners standing on the side of the road in confusion with their hands raised.
—No more difficult than riding a bicycle, honey.— She answered him with a slight smile.
I love writing fantasy novels. I present the beginning of one of them to your attention for evaluation. If someone likes it, I will publish a sequel. It is already completely finished and I can publish new chapters according to the interest of those who will read it. So...
