Jack followed Ted down the ramp on the other side of the gate. The room looked much like it had when they had passed through the gate before. Jack knew where they were, but he had no idea of when they where. As they stepped off of the ramp a sound echoed from the control room and instinctively they split apart. Jack made his way around the left side of the still open gate, while Jack rounded the right side. As they eased up to the edge they could see Atwater and Mike in the control room. Mike was conscious again but still looked groggy. He watched as Atwater attempted to close the gate. Seconds passed as Atwater continued to attempt to begin the shut down cycle as his temper grew ever hotter. For whatever reason, the cycle would not initiate.
“You piece of shit!” He yelled in anger as he drew a handgun from the holster at his side and raised it into the air, ready to smash the control panel in frustration. Suddenly Mike bolted across the room. Whether he had decided to seize the opportunity or if was the fear of losing a link to the present, Jack wasn’t sure what had motivated his brother, but he watched in awe as his sibling attacked the larger man ferociously. Mike grabbed Atwater’s outstretched hand with both of his own and used his momentum to send both of them crashing against the wall. As Mike’s body plowed into Atwater and slammed him against the wall, the gun flew out of Atwater’s hand and clinked on the tile floor. Atwater’s surprise was quickly replaced by his rage.
Jack watched in horror as the large man threw Mike off of him, as he bounced off of another control console. Atwater rose and walked slowly to where Mike had landed. Each step was a determined step. Mike tried to regain his bearings when he realized that Atwater stood over him.
“You bastard!” Mike spat at him, his cheek already showed the bruises of the earlier fight with Atwater.
“You’re a punk, Mikey. Just a fucking punk.” He said as he punctuated his sentence with a kick to Mike’s side. The impact knocked his breath away, and Mike fell back on the floor. Out of the corner of his eye, Mike could see the gun as it lay in the floor. He closed his eyes, and embraced the pain that shot through his side. Atwater reared back to kick him again but just as his foot began to come forward, Mike rolled to his side and narrowly avoided it. He scrambled for the gun as Atwater fought to maintain his balance. Only seconds had passed, but the tides had changed. Atwater stood there with his own gun aimed at him. He stepped back.
“Ju...Ju...Just stay back, you son-of-a-bitch!” Mike said nervously. His hand trembled as he held the gun on Atwater.
“Put it down, Mike. Before you get yourself dead.” Atwater said calmly.
“You were supposed to help him. You said you needed me...that if I helped...that he’d be okay?” Mike rambled. Atwater chuckled in response.
“So I lied. Sue me.” Mike was astounded by his response.
“Mike! It’s Jack!” Jack called from the side of the gate as he and Ted came out of their hiding places. Mike turned and looked into the room. Atwater took advantage of the distraction and leapt onto him. Again the gun was dislodged and sent clattering on the floor, as both men struggled to reach for it. Jack and Ted ran towards the control room, just as the tangle of bodies rolled over the gun. Jack brought his gun up, and tried to get a clear shot at Atwater when suddenly the gun reappeared in Atwater’s hand. The barrel was stuck under Mike’s chin. The struggle stopped and Atwater slowly began to get off of Mike, careful to keep the gun jammed against his neck as he did. Slowly he stood up, and drug Mike to his feet.
“I want to see those guns on the floor gents, and I want to see them now.” Atwater directed Jack and Ted. Reluctantly they both complied. They dropped their weapons on the floor in front of them. “Good boys, now kick ‘em over here, real careful like.” Slowly they kicked them in his direction. Atwater stood behind Mike. He still held the gun against his neck. “You know, boys, I appreciate your determination and all, but...” Suddenly, Atwater swung the gun away from Mike’s neck and aimed it at Ted. He pulled the trigger. The explosion was loud in the confines of the control room. The bullet struck Ted in the left arm. His jacket sleeve ripped in a spray of blood and tissue that flew through the room. Atwater fired again as Ted was spun around by the impact of the first shot and struck him in the chest. He flew backwards as he was hit. Jack reacted and dove for his gun on the floor as Atwater fired at him twice. The first bullet struck him in the side and knocked him off trajectory. He tumbled to the floor. “But...you boys are just in my fucking way!” Mike grabbed the arm which held the gun and once again Atwater found himself in a struggle with Mike. Mike turned around to face Atwater and slugged him in the face with his free hand. Atwater was not phased as his look of determination turned into a maniacal smile. Mike used both hands to grab the hand that held the gun. Slowly Atwater turned the gun towards Mike, and try as he might, Mike looked on in horror as he realized that he couldn’t stop him.
No!” Mike screamed. The gun fired again. Mike’s look of fear swam from his face as his eyes began to loose focus. He fell to the floor. Blood poured from the wound in his abdomen. Suddenly the door to the lab slammed open as a guard entered the room.
“What the hell?” The guard said as he surveyed the bodies on the floor. Atwater turned and fired a single shot. The shot killed the guard even as he still stood on his feet. He fell to the floor as the door swung back against him. Atwater looked around the room briefly, grabbed the metallic suitcase and then turned and ran out of the room. His footsteps echoed down the hallway as he ran towards the main area of the underground complex. He was satisfied. He had stopped his pursuers and was once again in control. His mind ran back through the past, through confrontation after confrontation with Jack and Ted. It had seemed over the years that at every turn they had been there, desperate to stop his plans. He smiled to himself as he thought of what the time project was supposed to be designed for and thought about the millions that he had made playing the stock market. His only research tool had been the time gate. He watched companies as their stocks exploded in value, and then traveled backwards in time and bought them for pennies on the dollar. What better investment strategy could he have ever used, he thought. He smiled.
He knew that there was a lot of good that could come from a device capable of transversing through time, but he was much more interested in the money. The money, and the power. After having been confronted by Jack and Ted not once, but more times than he could remember, he had finally decided that enlisting Jack’s brother to ‘help’ him was the answer. His plans hadn’t panned out exactly the way that he wanted, but at least he had finally taken them down. Now they couldn’t interfere any further. As he crossed the underground opening, he cautiously watched for other guards. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper, and smiled as he looked at it. This was the next move in his plan. Listed on the paper were five names of companies. Technology companies.
“Jack.” The name echoed softly throughout the control room. Weakly, Mike rolled to his side and began to crawl across the floor towards his fallen brother. A trail of blood marked the floor behind him as he moved. “Jack.” He said weakly again, his voice broken as he sobbed. He came to his brother and grabbed him. His body shook in rhythm with his sobs. Jack’s arm moved slightly.
“Mike?” Jack said quietly.
“Jack.” Mike said, relieved. “I’m so sorry, Jack. I-”
“It’s okay, Mike.” Jack said as he rose to a sitting position. He looked around a moment, got his bearings, and reached out to hold his brother. Jack held him quietly and then saw the trail of blood behind him. “You’re hit!” He said as he jumped to his feet and turned his brother over on his back. The bullet had entered his lower abdomen and blood still flowed freely from the wound. Jack quickly took off the bullet proof vest that he wore and wadded it up, and pressed it against Mike’s tender belly. “Hold this here, as tight as you can.” He said to Mike. Mike pulled tight at the wad of clothing, but his strength was fadi
ng. Jack turned to Ted.
“Ted? You okay?” Ted grumbled in response, as Jack approached him and saw that he too had been hit. Blood poured from the open wound on his arm, but the ripped hole in the chest of his flack jacket was dry. Jack unbuckled his belt and pulled it from his pants. He bent over next to Ted and wrapped it around his arm. He tightened it down to restrict the blood flow.
“What happened, Jack?” Ted asked as he began to come around.
“We were shot. The vests pretty much protected us, but Mike’s been gut shot.” Ted grimaced.
“We have to get him back.” Ted said as he tried to get to his feet. Jack helped him up and they both walked towards Mike. “Let’s get him though the gate, call for help, and then come right back. Atwater is still here.” Jack nodded, and reached down to pick his brother up. Mike groaned in pain as Jack lifted him in his arms.
“It’ll be all right, Mike. Just try and rest.” Jack said as he carried him towards the still opened time gate. Moments later they were back in their own time. Jack set Mike down against the wall in the control room and picked up the phone that was built into the console. He called for paramedics. He walked to the door which still had the keys hanging in the lock, turned them and unlocked it. He drew his gun, and opened the door. A soldier approached, gun drawn.
“Stand down, soldier!” Jack yelled in the same authoritative manner that he had been trained to react to. The soldier hesitated slightly, but continued to approach. “Stand down!” Jack yelled again. This time the soldier stopped. “Atwater is being taken into custody, do you want to be a part of his crimes? Are you willing to face court martial for him?” The soldier looked puzzled. Barely a man at his young age, he had always followed orders. Now suddenly in the midst of a skirmish he questioned his actions. He questioned his superior’s motives. “He’s murdered several people, son. Are you willing to be a part of that?” The soldier hesitated. Usually Atwater had seemed to be on the level, but even he had noticed his strange behavior over the last few days. His own orders to ‘shoot to kill’ had been hard to swallow. Now, suddenly, nothing seemed black and white any longer.
“No sir. I was just following orders, sir.”
“I know that, son. It’s what you do now that matters. I’ve got an injured man in here who needs help desperately. The paramedics are on the way. Protect him and see that they get to him ASAP. Can you handle that?” Jack asked.
“Sir. Yes, sir!” The soldier said as he entered the lab. He knew that he was disobeying direct orders from a C.O., but also knew in his heart that his actions now were the right ones. The soldier stationed himself inside the doorway, glanced at Mike, then nodded at Jack. He reached to his shoulder and keyed the mike attached to his two way radio. “Rosco one. Stand down. Repeat. Rosco one, stand down.”
“Echo?” The radio crackled.
“I repeat. Rosco one. Stand down. We have a situation in the lab. One man down, maybe more. Paramedics are on the way. Give them access and an escort.”
“Roger.” The soldier turned to Jack and nodded. Jack touched his shoulder then bent back down to Mike who was barely conscious.
“They’re on the way, Mike. Just hold in there.” Jack said softly.
“He said I was helping you Jack. I never-” Mike began.
“I know, Mike. I know. I understand. Just hang in there.” Jack stood up slowly and looked down at his fallen brother as he labored to breathe. He looked back at the guard. “Protect him.” He said.
“With my life, sir.” The soldier said as he stood rock steady with his weapon raised. Jack nodded and headed back for the time gate.
“Sir?” The guard called after him.
“Yes.”
“Atwater?” The guard asked.
“We’ll get him, son. We’ll get him.” Jack smiled slightly as he saw the troubled look on the soldiers face. The young man nodded at him and smiled slightly, Jack turned and ran up the ramp, and seamlessly warped back through time.
Atwater opened the door to his office, entered, and locked the door behind him. As he walked to his desk he heard the water running in the attached bathroom. He set the metallic suitcase on the desk and fingered the combination. He unlocked it, and opened the case. Inside were stacks of money.
“You there?” He asked.
“Yeah, just a minute.” A muffled answer came back.
“I’ve got the latest stock investments here. And another little surprise. How does two hundred g’s sound?” As Atwater stood at his desk, the light to the bathroom flicked out and a man emerged from the now darkened room.
“Two hundred g’s? Like in two hundred thousand?” The man said. His build was much like that of Atwater, as were his facial features. He did not have quite as much gray hair, nor were the lines in his face as pronounced. But the resemblance was unmistakable. He was Atwater, ten years younger. “I don’t think that I can ever get used to this. Every time you show up, I-”
“Shut up.” The older Atwater said. “I don’t have time for this crap. Here is the list. Deposit the money like you were told and buy these stocks. Each line shows how many shares to buy. Use it all and don’t spend a dime for anything else.”
“But I sure could use a new-”
“You don’t need shit. You do as you are told and everything will come out great for you. Screw it up, and I’ll fuck you over myself. Any questions?” The other man stepped closer to Atwater almost as if to try an intimidate him. Atwater backhanded him across the face. “You insolent little shit.” He said as his other self staggered back. “You still don’t get it do you?”
“I get it.” The man said trying to contain his anger. “You’re playing the Big Man On Campus and I’m your little grunt runner.”
“You know the story. You know the payoff.” Atwater said.
“Yeah, so you’ve told me. You’re me...ten years from now. If I do what you say now, I’ll be loaded in ten years. What was the number you gave me? Five million?”
“You make these investments like I tell you and it’ll be closer to fifty million. You got anything else to say?”
“No. But the next time you hit me, I’ll fucking kill you. Have you got that?” The other Atwater said, as he held his reddened face. Atwater smiled.
“It’s about time you stood up for yourself. I didn’t remember myself being such a Moma’s boy. Go ahead and put this in the safe. I’ve got to get back to my time. I’ve got a little mess on my end to clean up.”
“When do I get a chance to check it out?” Atwater’s younger self asked.
“What? The future?" Atwater chuckled. "You have to earn that. You know how?”
“No. How?”
“Listen to me...and do what I tell you...for the next ten years.”
“Ten years?”
“Yeah, then you’ll be me...now.” He laughed heartily as his younger self looked at him with eyes filled with hatred.
“Will I be such an asshole?” He asked coldly.
“If you’re lucky, you will. Enough with the compliments. You’ve got your own mess to clean up in the lab. Call in Truman. Ted Truman. He’ll ensure that everything is set right. But remember what I told you about the M.P.”
“King?”
“Yeah. He’ll be trouble for you later.”
“I’ve got the dope in the safe. I should be able to plant it in a day or so.” The younger Atwater said as he carried the metallic suitcase to the rear of the room and laid it on the copier which stood silent in the corner. He looked up at the portrait on the wall, and smiled slightly at it, as he remembered the day he had posed for it. He grabbed it by the corner and it swung away from the wall on its hinges. Hidden behind it was a wall safe. He opened it.
“Fuck the dope. This guy is too slippery for that.” The older Atwater said as his younger counterpart began to stuff the bundles of cash into the now opened safe. “You
need to take him out. For good. Just make it look like an accident.” The younger man stopped.
“I don’t know about this. I’ve never had anybody killed before.” He said, the worry evident on his face.
“What, you gonna wuss out on me now?” Atwater asked. He had ordered so many killed over the years that he couldn’t remember a time when he might have hesitated. He walked towards the younger man.
“No. It’s just that-” Atwater began to crowd the younger man into the corner.
“That what. That you’ve got no backbone? That you’re a spineless little shit!” Atwater, enraged, swung again. He intended to backhand the other man, but this time his younger self was faster. The younger man caught Atwater’s arm in mid swing and held it fast. He looked coldly into his face as it reddened with anger. His arm began to shake as he still tried to move it forward, but it was held firmly in place. The anger in his face began to fade, rapidly being replaced with fear as he recognized the coldness in the other’s stare.
As Jack walked down the ramp after having once again gone through the still opened time gate. He saw Ted bent over the guard at the doorway. He just squatted there as he concentrated on the man’s face.
“Dead?” Jack asked as he approached.
“Yeah. No pulse. Do you recognize him?" Ted asked as Jack walked up beside him. As he focused on the man’s face his heart began to race. This was the victim. This was the murder victim. The death that he had investigated so many years ago. The mysterious homicide that had ultimately led to his the discharge from the military. His mind began to reel as he realized that this is where it had all began.
“It’s him.” Jack said.
“I know. And he’s laying exactly like he was the night I had to move him.”
“You? You moved him. I thought you said-”
“Them, us, they. It’s all the same Jack. Don’t you see that?” Jack looked at his friend, and realized that he was right. Ted had told him that he had been involved in the cover-up. Jack’s assumption that his involvement had been minute, had been just that, an assumption. Still he had simply followed orders. And more importantly, Jack now believed that.
“So we’re ten years in the past? This is the night?”
“Looks that way. What now. Where would he go?”
“He has to plan to go back. So he has to leave tonight. He has to be here somewhere.” Ted nodded as he rose from his crouch. The belt wrapped around his wounded left arm flopped as he stood.
“What will we do when we find him?” Jack asked.
“We take him in.” Ted answered.
“And what if he refuses to go?”
“It stops here, Jack. Either he goes, or we stop him here and now.” Jack hesitated, as he stared blankly at his friend, and then nodded his agreement. He knew that Ted was right. The rules of law were good for all things normal, but sometimes judgment and execution had to be a package. He knew in his heart that he could pull the trigger if it came to it, but he would regret his actions. But he also knew the consequences of inaction, and that they had already proved far more deadly. He was willing to pay whatever price it took to protect his family. If the only way to stop Atwater was to do just that, stop him for good, then so be it. Jack bent over and picked up the guards handgun. He checked the clip and ensured that a shell was chambered.
“Let’s do it.” He said. They exited the lab and headed for the common area. Jack followed Ted, and as they crossed the large underground opening, Jack knew that they were headed to Atwater’s office.
When they arrived, they each took a position on either side of the door to Atwater’s office. Ted held up three fingers and Jack nodded his understanding. Ted mouthed the words, and counted down to three. Jack took the lead, with Ted right behind him and they stormed into the room. With his gun up ready to fire, Jack was astounded at the scene before him. Atwater. Two Atwaters. They fought, and had each other by the throat. Suddenly the pair slammed against the wall, and one connected with the other. A right fist to the jaw. The injured Atwater’s eyes rolled into his head as his knees buckled. His large size fell victim to gravity. As the man fell over, the other stepped back and watched him fall. As he fell, his head slammed the corner of the desk, and then he hit the ground, silent. Jack and Ted hesitated. They were unclear of what had happened or of what to do next.
“Shit.” The conscious Atwater said.
“Freeze, Atwater!” Jack yelled. Atwater was startled by his yell. He had not yet realized that anyone else had entered the room. Jack walked towards him and slowly Atwater raised his hands, as he revealed that he was unarmed. As Jack rounded the desk, careful not to step on the fallen man which lay sprawled on the ground, he realized that the man that stood before him, this Atwater, was the man that had attempted to kill them earlier. His younger version lay immobile on the floor.
“Turn around and face the wall!” Jack commanded.
“But he’s-” The older Atwater began.
“Now!” Jack said, as he aimed his gun at the taller man’s head. Atwater silently turned and placed his hands on the wall. Jack approached carefully from behind, and glanced back at Ted to ensure that he was covered. Ted had lost a lot of blood, and was unsteady on his feet, but he held his gun in his uninjured hand rock steady, and just waited for Atwater to make a wrong move. Jack stuck his gun in its holster, and grabbed a pair of handcuffs. He slapped one cuff around Atwater’s upraised right hand, and savagely pulled it behind his back. Atwater groaned. Jack grabbed his other hand and just as savagely brought it behind him, and locked it into the other handcuff. The he slammed Atwater further against the wall, and began to search him. He looked for any hidden weapons.
“How? I thought you were-”
“Dead? You don’t have what it takes to kill a man like me.” Ted said, as he spat the words out in anger. Jack swung him around and pushed him. He stumbled across the room. Ted moved out of the way as Jack shoved Atwater out of the office, and then forced him to the ground in the outside office.
“If he so much as wiggles, shoot him.” Jack told Ted, and then returned to the office.
“We can’t take the other one back, Jack.” Ted said, puzzled as to why Jack had returned to the office.
“I know, Ted. I just want to clean up a matter or two.” Jack disappeared into the office and moments later returned with the metallic suitcase in hand. “Let’s go.” He said as he bent down and grabbed Atwater by the handcuffs, and lifted him to his feet. Ted led the way, and Jack pushed Atwater ahead. They made their way back towards the lab. Just as they reached the other side of the expansive underground opening they heard footsteps on the other side and quickly ducked into the hallway leading into the lab. Jack looked back and saw a young man, an M.P. that led a group of men towards Atwater’s office. His heart quickened as he recognized the young man, and a slight smile spread across his face. Careful not to be seen, Jack pushed Atwater further down the hallway. Ted was already at the entrance to the lab. As Jack pushed Atwater into the lab, Ted checked the settings, and hoped that they had not changed. As far as he could tell, the gateway was still open and still opened to their time.
“Ready?” He asked Jack. Jack nodded, and the three of them approached the ramp. Jack grabbed Atwater by the cuffs and pushed him up the ramp and through the gate. Ted was on his heels. As Ted staggered through the gate into the lab back in their own time, he immediately noticed that Atwater was gone. Jack stood at the end of the ramp. An empty pair of handcuffs hung from his hand. They were still locked closed.
“Ted?” Jack asked, dumbfounded.
“Where is he?” Ted asked, and instinctively drew his weapon. The sudden action was more than he could handle. The lack of sleep, physical exertion, and the loss of blood had finally caught up with him. The room began to swim before his eyes and as he felt himself fall. He could hear the sounds that indicated that the gate was cl
osing. As he fell into a heap on the ramp, his gun clattered out of his hand. He reached for it blindly, but could not focus as blackness filled his vision. He felt Jack next to him, and then was alone as his mind slid from a struggle to remain conscious, to an embrace of the darkness.
Chapter 35