Tim was getting bored waiting for Andy to return, so he thought he would go out the back to the river and sit there for a while.
He’d only been there a few minutes when a voice from behind startled him.
“You’re a hard person to find young man.”
Tim jumped in fright. He turned and saw Mr Brown.
“Oh, hello Sir. I didn’t see you there. What are you doing here?”
“I’ve got business in the area.”
Tim nerves were getting the better of him. He was worried about Andy and didn’t need to deal with this as well.
“What sort of business?” he asked.
“Keeping an eye on you and Anderson.”
The words hit Tim like a punch in the stomach. He could feel the blood draining from his face.
“What do you need to keep an eye on us for?” he asked.
“Because you’ve started something very important.”
“I don’t follow you Sir.”
“Oh I think you do. So tell me. Has Anderson gone back to 1936 yet?”
Tim tried to play dumb.
“Sorry?” he said.
“Come now lad. Has he used the Talisman or not?”
Tim knew the game was up.
“Yes he has.”
“Good. Now, you must come with me. There is someone who has been waiting a long time to see you.”
“But I can’t. My parents will wonder where I’ve gone.”
“Don’t worry about that, I’ve already spoken to them. I told them you’re doing a special extra-curricular history project. Come along, you can speak to them on the way to the car.”
“What if I don’t want to go?”
“Then young Mr Anderson may stay in 1936.”
Tim relented. He spoke briefly to his parents who were most impressed he was doing a school project in his own time. Waiting outside was a large black Jaguar car. They got in and drove off.
“This is a flash car for a teacher,” Tim said.
“Yes it is, but sadly it’s not mine; it’s my uncle’s.”
“Who’s your uncle?”
Mr Brown smiled.
“You’ll have to wait for that answer. All I can say is that he is an old man who hasn’t seen you for a long time, although he knows Anderson very well.”
“Is it the same old guy Andy bumped into in the museum?”
“It is.”
“I get the feeling we’ve been set up.”
“Set up is such a crude term in relation to what has been done, but I admit the two of you have been influenced and pointed in the right direction.”
Tim didn’t like the sound of this. It looked like he and Andy were part of something far bigger than they had ever considered.
“Are we in trouble?” he asked.
“Trouble? No, not what you may think is trouble, but you have become involved in something very serious and we must make sure that the both of you are guided and protected.”