Winds of Change

After dinner, they cleaned up, took their drinks and sat on the back porch listening to the night come alive. Rudy was casting to and fro in the field, searching for anything that moved or didn't move. Several times, he brought to the porch a stick, which John took from him and tossed out into the night. Around midnight, the pair went to bed. They were now very comfortable with each other and snuggled up. After a short time, they both fell into a deep, restful sleep.

The next morning the two were up early and in the barn saddling the horses. The sky was ablaze with the early morning light of the sunrise. John had packed a picnic lunch the previous night, along with the device from his safe. He wanted to get familiar with its operation in a remote location. Although, if they, whoever they were, really wanted to get to him quickly they could use a helicopter, John was betting they still wanted to keep a low profile. As the horses trotted out of the yard, Rudy came running from the field to join them.

The ride out to the meadow they had lunched in last time went by quickly. After eating, John took out the device and the manual.

"What are you going to do?" she asked John, fright in her voice.

"I want to become familiar with the controls and how this thing operates."

"But won't 'they' show up?"

"Not for fifteen minutes after I get back... err... turn off the machine," John chuckled.

"And what am I supposed to do while you're gallivanting all over time? "

"Just sit here and look pretty for me. You'll never know I'm gone," John told her.

"Ah, forget I said that. Really, forget I said such a stupid thing. It's true if you get back to here and now before you turn it off."

"Yes, there is that. But, if I'm somewhen in time and turn it off, does time pass here?"

"You're right, it does not. It shouldn't continue until you get back at least from your perspective. Temporal grammar is not sophisticated enough, yet. God, now I have a headache. "

"You and me both," John laughed as he opened the manual to the page he wanted. "Here, read this and tell me what you think it means."

Michelle took the book from him and read the page John indicated. John watched as her eyes moved quickly to and fro, as she read. John couldn't help himself, he sat there about to embark on one of the greatest adventures of his life and all he could think of was how cute the petite redhead across from him was.

Michelle shook her head and scrunched up her face in a frown of disapproval. Then she relaxed and started reading again. This time she read slower. John could tell by her eye movement. He also noticed her go back and reread parts before she looked up at him shaking her head.

"I couldn't possibly tell you until I have seen this HUD thing they are talking about."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. I wonder if it's the machine being on or the traversing of time that alerts whoever is lurking about."

"Have you ever just turned it on without going any when?"

"No, I always went somewhen, when I had it on or at least had it in temporal mode."

"Well, why don't we pack everything up and ride on up to the bluff and try it out. If I remember right there was a nice shady spot where we can see for miles all around us."

"There is," John nodded starting to pack the picnic basket and his saddlebags.

They were riding out of the meadow within minutes. John led the way to the bluff at a fast trot, not wanting to tire the horses unnecessarily, they might need their speed and agility later. It took them twenty minutes to get to the bluff. Both were in high spirits and laughing as they arrived. Rudy was waiting for them at the top of the bluff.

"That was fun," Michelle said as she quickly dismounted.

"It was," John replied. Rudy came trotting up to where John would dismount.

He was a bit slower in sliding from the saddle than Michelle, yet felt as exhilarated as she did. They both walked their horses around the bluff for a few minutes to cool them off. There was a small creek just down the hill and John led them down to let the horses drink. Rudy joined the horses in drinking deeply.

Then he dropped the reins to let the horses crop the grass near the stream. Taking his saddlebags, Michelle had the picnic basket, they walked back up the hill to the bluff and spread a blanket in the shade, they sat there looking around at the vista presented them.

Chapter 33

Sitting, John pulled his hat from his head and gently set it down on the blanket beside him. He then opened his saddlebags. Pulling the device and its manual out, he set them down in front of him. Michelle handed him a canteen so he could drink.

John looked at her quizzically. "There's no telling how long you'll be gone."

"Ah... thank you."

"I know you think I'm crazy, but while no time will pass here, wherever you do go, time will be passing for you. Time is, after all, relative."

"I see. Again, thank you," John said taking the canteen and drinking deeply. "Now explain to me what you mean."

"I'll try. While you are in the time-stream time will pass for you. It will have length while you move around in the stream. Here, where I will be, time will not pass as long as you are gone. It will only start again when you get back, from your perspective. For me, no time will pass."

"Huh?"

"What happened the first time you used the device, from your perspective?"

"I took a step back and there I was, with you, frozen in place looking at the device in my hand."

"And how long would you say you spend looking at yourself and me?"

"A few seconds... oh, I see. While I was out of time... "

"You weren't out of time, you were back in time. What did you do next?"

"I took the same number of steps forward and pressed the button."

"That's when everything was back to normal from your perspective?"

"Yes."

Michelle sat looking at John waiting. When John didn't say anything, she shook her head and sighed.

"All right... think of time as a string. You and I are on the string together along with the rest of the universe. Living our lives and wishing for a better future. When you pressed the button, the field generated by the device allowed you to step away from the present. That spot on the string where we all exist together. You, my dear John, were back three seconds or so in the time stream, along that string. When you stepped back into place, you moved along the string until you were in the present. I hope that's clearer?"

"What would have happened if I turn off the device when I was three seconds back?"

"I don't know. The end of the universe as we know it or nothing, I have no way of telling."

"What does theory say?"

"A paradox would have been created and the universe would end if you came into contact with yourself."

"I see. Then I will have to endeavor not to touch myself if I find I'm in that situation."

John was quite serious, but Michelle started to laugh. When John looked at her as if she was a mad woman, she stopped, nodded and took a deep drink from the canteen.

"Inside joke," she mumbled. "I think I recall reading about some safeguards being built into the device," she said flipping through the manual.

"Okay, never mind that for now. I want to look at this HUD thing with you, so get over here and sit next to me and we'll see if we can both see it."

"Oh, goody," Michelle squealed as she moved over next to John.

Turning to look behind him, John saw Rudy laying at the edge of the shaded area watching the two of them.

"Rudy, guard," John said. Rudy didn't move except to raise his ears.

"Will he?" Michelle asked.

"Will he what?"

"Guard us?"

"Yes, he will. At the expense of his life if need be," John said somberly.

"Oh," Michelle whispered, her throat suddenly had a large lump in it.

John took the envelope with the disk in it, from his pocket, spilling the disk into his hand. Picking it up, he placed the disk on the device on the ground in front of him.

"You better hold on to it," Michelle whispered, "we wouldn't want to lose it."

Nodding, John picked the device up as the disk disappeared inside. The buttons all started to glow as the device read the data on the disk. Holding the device, John notices for the first time that it was vibrating gently as the information from the disk started the power-up cycle of the device. Looking down at the face of the device John now notice two other buttons light up as power was restored to the thing.

"That's the HUD button," Michelle said pointing to the button in the upper right corner.

"I know. I'm wondering if the HUD will come on without our... shifting, was that the right word, into the time stream?"

"That would be convenient," giggled Michelle.

"What?"

"Just press the HUD button," Michelle retorted.

"Fine," John said pressing the button.

Just above the device, a transparent holograph of a sort appeared.

"Damn, when did they perfect this technology?" Michelle whispered looking closely at the device to see if she could discern where the holograph was coming from.

As the picture cleared and solidified, John saw all the indicators the manual mentioned but failed to explain. Both of them just stared.

Chapter 34

Looking at the device in his hand, John placed his thumbs on the small wheels sticking out of the side. Watching the display, he moved the one under his right thumb. The top arrow in the display moved. Almost jumping out of his skin, John removed his thumb from the dial.

"What's the matter," Michelle asked trying to keep from giggling.

"Nothing," John huffed placing his thumb back on the dial.

Watching the display again, he moved his left thumb and wasn't surprised to see the second arrow move in the direction the dial moved under his thumb. A shiver ran up John's spine as he studied the rest of the display. Michelle leaned in placing her head on his shoulder, her arm around his back. In the upper right corner, the display showed a digital clock, keeping perfect time. Below this was another digital readout of the same configuration as the clock above, yet this one was blank.

"Maybe it only becomes active when you are in the time stream," Michelle muttered in answer to a question he was just formulating.

"What?"

"That second clock," Michelle said pointing to the blank place under the numbers in the left-hand corner, "maybe it's only active when you are in the time stream."

"Oh, yeah, probably," John muttered. He was surprised when he felt Michelle's lips on his cheek.

"It's exciting, isn't it?" she asked.

"It is," replied John looking at her.

Michelle squeezed his arm as she laid her head back on his shoulder chuckling to herself.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing really, it's just where we are, out in the middle of nowhere and we're both jumpy as hell."

John laughed as he placed his arm around the petite redhead, giving her a squeeze. He then pressed the HUD button again and it blinked out.

"What did you do that for?"

Without answering her, John turned the device over and pressed the eject button, catching the disk in his hand as it popped out of the device.

"Now we wait."

"For what?" asked Michelle.

"To see who, if anyone, turns up in the next fifteen minutes."

"Oh," Michelle said meekly. "What should we do?"

"There is a bottle of wine in the cooler and cheese in the basket, let's eat."

Michelle laughed as she reached into the picnic basket for the plate of cheese bites. John pulled the bottle of wine out of the cooler, took a towel from Michelle and wiped it down. John opened the bottle and Michelle pulled two plastic wine glasses from her purse. When John saw them, he laughed as he poured them each a large sip.

For the next thirty minutes, the two nibbled the cheese and sipped their wine. Looking at his watch, John reached into his saddlebags and pulled out a large pair of binoculars. Michelle looked surprised but said nothing.

John stood and put the glasses to his eyes. He slowly surveyed the surrounding plains. He was looking for any sign that someone was coming. Dust had a tendency to rise when disturbed. He saw no sign. He was also looking for the flash of metal or glass like that from a vehicle traversing the plains, although a vehicle would raise more dust than horses or men would. John then scanned the skies around them.

"Well, either they aren't going to bother us or just powering up the device and turning on the HUD sends no discernible signal," John said absently.

"The last time you powered up the device, were they here fifteen minutes from the time of power up or power down?" asked Michelle

"Fifteen minutes from the time I turned it off. Why?"

"How long did you have it on... yes, yes, I know about the first time. It wasn't on for more than a few minutes."

"The same the other times, I only had it on a few minutes," John replied.

"Then I don't think the thing sent a signal, it's been more than a half hour since you turned it on."

"It's been longer than a half hour since I turned it off too."

"There is that," Michelle smiled at him. "Well, what do we do now?"

"Finish our wine. Pack everything up so we can leave minutes after we come back from our trip."

"What trip?"

"Our first trip through time together, unless you don't want to go."

"You better not go without me!"

The pair finished their wine, packed the basket and John's saddlebags. John brought the horses back up the bluff, tethering them a short distance from them in the shade. Then sitting on the blanket, an item they could leave if necessary, side by side, John placed the disk on the device. It disappeared inside and the buttons lit. John pressed the HUD button first, then the button to place them in the time stream.

"You still with me?" he asked.

"Yes. Now what?" Michelle's voice sounded flat and without emotion even though John could see the excitement in her eyes.

John placed his thumbs on the dials at the sides. Then turning the left hand one he saw the second clock start to move. Looking around he saw that the horses were gone and it was night. Looking at the clock, he realized that it was not only showing the time but the date as well, as was the top one. According to the bottom clock, it was several nights ago. Spinning the dial more, John watched the days fly past.

Chapter 35

"Are you planning on going somewhere or do you just like the pretty light show?"

Looking up, John now saw the sky as it flashed from day to night. Laughing he looked back down at the clock. It now read five years ago at four in the afternoon.

"Do you have a destination in mind?"

"Yes, but I don't want to re-live that," Michelle croaked.

John knew what she was talking about and nodded in answer. Spinning the dial in the same direction he watched as the years flew past. As the readout came closer and closer to the date he wanted, he slowed the turning of the dial. As the day approached, John stopped turning the dial. Just a tad more and they would be back on that day. Shaking his head, he gently nudged the dial and the display showed October 16, 1979. John shivered.

Turning the other dial and this part wasn't quite clear, he watched as the second arrow swung around to point to the southeast. Then pressing the triangular button, the two were flying across the landscape at a fantastic rate.

"What the fuck!" Michelle shouted.

John just watched, ready to lift his thumb when they were close to the physical place he wanted. He could see the lights of cities pass under them. They appeared to have climbed a fair distance into the air. He saw the Mississippi river pass below and he lifted his thumb from the button. They slowed, it took a number of minutes for them to come to a halt. He could see the lights of the city on the horizon.

"Is that Chicago?"

"Yes," John replied.

"Why are we here?"

"I need to see something."

"Okay. Will we be getting out of the time stream?"

"No."

John gently pressed the button and they slowly started moving forward. While they were stationary, they had started slowly sinking to the ground. Now that they were moving, they rose back into the air. It became brighter as they approached the city. Michelle hadn't a clue where they were, but John seemed to know what he wanted and where it was. After about thirty minute, and three direction shifts, they halted over a house in the suburbs. It wasn't near where Michelle had grown up, but she was sure it wasn't too far from there.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Once upon a time I lived here."

"Which house?"

"The third from the corner, we're facing it, right," John said pointing to the house, "there."

"Ah, nice looking house. Oh, who is that?"

A young blond woman had just pulled up in a car and was climbing out. She was walking up to the back door, which was at the front on the side of the house.

"She's my wife, Carla," John said softly a catch in his throat.

"Wife?"

As they watched, two men came out of the shadows to surround the young woman. Carla turned and rushed back to the car, but was not fast enough to get the door unlocked and opened. The two men grabbed her, dragging her back toward the house. The scene froze as she watched.

"What happened," she said.

"I don't need to see anymore," John said flatly. "Would you like to go somewhere, somewhen?"

"No, no, not now. Was she killed?" Michelle asked knowing the answer long before she finished it.

"Yes," John croaked, a lump in his throat causing him pain and heartache.

John pressed the button that moved them physically, twice fast. A whoosh announced their arrival back on the bluff. Michelle gave a squawk of fright as they settled in place.

"Don't turn it off just yet."

"Why?"

"I want to talk first before we leave the time stream. We may not have the time afterward."

"Not about her," John said flatly.

"No, about us," Michelle whispered.

"Oh... of course," John paused, "you do know I care for you very much."

"I do. Know. Oh, posh. I care for you... a lot, also."

"I suspected."

Michelle leaned in and kissed John on the lips softly. "I just wanted to clear that up."

"Can I turn this off now, or would you like to take a trip around the world?"

"Bring us back to the proper date and time and turn it off, please. Then take me back to your place and love me."

"I will."

Spinning the wheel John watched the date and time flash ahead to that time which they had left. When the two clocks matched, John pressed the button to take them out of the time stream. They both scrambled to their feet, Michelle grabbing the blanket and folding it so it would fit in her saddlebags. John popped the disk out of the device and shoved the disk in his shirt pocket and the device in his saddlebags. They were all trotting away from the bluff within minutes.

Rudy sprinted out into the lead until John called him back as Michelle and he took the left fork in the trail. Once Rudy caught up, he looked up at John for direction.

"Scout," John shouted pointing down the trail, which they now trotted.

Rudy dashed down the trail as John slowed their pace.

Chapter 36

"This isn't the way we came," said Michelle looking around.

"No it isn't, but we will, after a few more twists and turns, arrive home some twenty minutes later, than we would if we took the direct route."

"And I bet it will come out from a completely different direction too."

"Indeed."

"You are a devious man. I like that," Michelle laughed.

Three hours later, John and Michelle sat in the woods to the northwest of the house, watching. Rudy paced behind the horses, patiently waiting for John to release him.

"I don't see anyone," Michelle said looking through the binoculars.