Nothing good ever happens after 2am
Like a visit from the future
Sean woke to the sound of banging at his door. He peered at the clock next to his bed, and it read 2:32am. He wondered who on earth could possibly be banging such a racket at this ridiculous hour. As he raised himself to a seated position and swung his legs off the edge of his bed, he pondered the reason for this unwelcome intrusion into his sleep. No-one ever calls with good news at a time like this. He yawned and scratched the back of his head until the echoing bang started again.
He stood and shoved his feet into the flip flops next to the bed and stretched whilst yawning again. He shuffled down the stairs, and got to the bottom just as the knocking started again. He opened his mouth to tell the mystery door knocker that he was on his way when his eyes suddenly closed. He felt a momentary loss of sensation and a second later had to take a half step backwards to stop himself falling over. He turned to his right and caught his reflection in the hallway mirror. He grinned and ran his hand through his wavy brown hair.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When he opened the door the figure on the other side had a hand raised for yet another knock. It definitely was a strange looking individual, the man stood a few inches over six feet, and had a muscular build. His first thought is that the man looked like an American Football player, as he had a navy blue helmet with a visor covering from the nose up. The outfit was navy in its entirety, he took in the tactical belt with all manner of things hanging from it that he could barely guess the nature of, on the stranger's wrists were guards that appeared to have digital screens, and on closer inspection the visor on the visitors helmet had a faint green glow.
"So what have you come as?" he asks the quite frankly ridiculous looking individual stood in his doorway.
"Sean James?" the voice that comes from the helmet sounds tinny, the acoustics echoing the sound, but it wasn't as deep as he was expecting.
"Yeah, listen, what's this all about? It's the middle o-, OUCH! What the hell was THAT?"
The stranger moved impossibly fast. In the time it took Sean to get out half a sentence, he had pulled a syringe from a pouch on his utility belt and stuck it into Sean's right arm at the top. Sean stared in disbelief at the needle still sticking out of his arm, plunger depressed. The crazy person opposite him whipped it out of his arm and away almost as fast as he had put it in there in the first place.
"Can I come in?" The question was obviously rhetorical as the next second Sean was barged backwards and the man walked past him and down the hallway to the kitchen. He followed in a daze, trying to process what on earth just happened. The light at the end of the hallway flicked on in front of him and when he reached the kitchen he saw this overgrown action figure sit down at the small table against the far wall of his little kitchen. He removed his helmet and laid on the table in front of him. His features were flat, the jaw and nose were wide, and his mousy hair lay flat to his head.
Sean was still short on answers and there were many things that he wanted know.
"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my house?" he thought that covered it pretty succinctly. The man at his table reached up to his chest and pulled down a shiny golden shield, he threw it down onto the table.
"Detective William Abernathy, UC1PD. At your service." Abernathy shot a grin at Sean across the kitchen. "You might want to take a seat." he gestured again.
Sean sank into the chair opposite Abernathy, there were still questions buzzing round his head, making it ache. "UC1PD?"
"Utopia City 1 police department. This is going to take a bit of time for you to wrap your head around, Sean, but I'm from the future." Sean's initial reaction was to snort, but Abernathy raised an eyebrow and continued. "I'm from the year 2244, and I'm here hunting a dangerous criminal. One of the most heinous and evil men of my time has taken refuge in this year, and he's living right next door."
Now Sean actually did laugh. "Really? Gaz next door? Get real!"
As Abernathy spoke, he tapped on the screen of his left wristguard. "The man you know as Gareth Andrews has been responsible for a string of atrocities, firstly across the Utopia Cities, and now across time itself." A holographic figure rose from the screen on his wristguard of a man that looked very much like Sean's neighbour, but somehow not. The image in front of him was sinister, and gave him a bit of a chill. He had known Gareth since he had moved in around 6 months ago, they weren't friends but had a neighbourly relationship. He'd put his bins out for Gareth when he'd been away, they'd talked about sports, that kind of thing.
"This piece of human wreckage has been responsible for loss of life on a massive scale He has organised and taken part in attacks on both government and civilian installations." Abernathy continued unabashed of any reaction from Sean. "In our time, he has been back in the past for a week. A few days ago, our historians found data of an event resulting in considerable loss of life, due to take place today. Your government and media put it down to a terrorist group from this time, but it matches perfectly the style he used in our time."
Sean leans back in his chair and runs his hands over his face and through his hair. "Wow, that's bad. But what does this have to do with me, and why have you told me this at 3 in the morning?"
"Well." Abernathy turns the guard on his right wrist and it showed a countdown, currently at 05:32:27. "This is how long I have to stop this maniac, bring him to justice and save a whole bunch of lives. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that this is one of the most dangerous men of all time. And you're going to help me stop him."
Sean's head snapped up, and he narrowed his eyes as he tried to work out if this was some kind of joke. "From what you've told me, this guy is a complete psycho. Why on earth would I want to try and hunt him down? I want to get as far away from this mess as possible."
"Well I was hoping to try and appeal to your sense of civic duty." Abernathy spoke as he reached back into his belt and removed a small empty vial and placed it on the table. "But I was prepared for the possibility that this might be lacking. I injected you with this on my way in. It is a quite horrible little toxin that should stop your heart in about, I'd say just under 12 hours." he pulled out another vial, this time filled with a luminescent blue liquid. "This here is the antidote. So now it's a matter of self preservation. Help me, and I'll give you the antidote. Don't help me, and it doesn't matter how far away you get, you won't see breakfast tomorrow. It's up to you."
Sean looked horrified and reached his hand to where he could still feel the pain of the injection he was unceremoniously given on Abernathy's ill mannered entrance. He tried to concentrate, to see if he could feel any difference in his body, but he couldn't think over the blood rushing in his ears. "You did WHAT? You can't do that! I thought you were with the police?"
Abernathy removed the antidote from the table and replaced it into one of the pouches on his belt. He stands and walks to the counter, leaning against it. "I am. But this is too important, and there is nothing I wouldn't do to bring this man to justice. One life to save thousands? That's a price that is worth paying."
There was no softness, no regret in his voice. Oh god, Sean thought, he's a fanatic. He's going to kill me. He rose from his chair and dove at his would be murderer, intending to get the antidote by force. He saw Abernathy assess him with cool eyes and then touch the screen of his wrist guard. Sean saw a flash of colour between them and then the next thing he knew he smashed into the counter, no sign of Abernathy to be found.
He stood, rubbing his knee to go along with the pain in his arm and looked about the kitchen. He was confused as not only was there no sign of Abernathy, but it was also dark. The light was off. He headed over to the switch but was stopped in his tracks by a blinding white light. It died away and to his dismay Sean saw Abernathy stood leaning against the table. He flicked the light on and turned to face his tormentor. Abernathy stood impassive, with maybe a hint of a smirk around the eyes.
"What the hell just happened?" Sean demanded. "Why did the light go out, and where did you go?"
"I didn't go anywhere. You, on the other hand, just travelled back in time. Near as dammit 2 hours." Abernathy tapped the console on his wrist. "And the light is off because 2 hours ago you were in bed asleep. Still are in fact, so I'd keep the noise down. If you meet your past self it causes all manner of complications.
Abernathy spoke this as though he was discussing the weather, rather than sending a person through time. Sean looked at the clock on the wall and it did read 1am. So either an elaborate trick was being played or he genuinely had gone back in time two hours.
"And before you think of pulling a stunt like that again." Abernathy continued. "I could have chosen to send you back in time 2000 years. I believe there was a battle fought around here between the Celts and the Romans. Or maybe 100 years into the future. This entire area is a toxic waste dump. "
Sean walked back to the table and sank down into a chair. "You've killed me. You bastard." he voice showed his incredulity. He shook his head as he stared at the table in front of him. This was definitely not how he thought he would die.
"Listen to me, Sean. This mission sanctioned the use of deadly force, and if that is what is needed to bring this maniac to justice, then that is what I will do. " That matter of fact nature was still in his voice. "But you aren't dead yet. You help me bring this guy down, and the second he is dealt with, you get your antidote. This time tomorrow, this can all be a horrible dream. Or you can sit here and wait to die. Up to you."
Sean let out a sigh. It didn't seem like he had much of a choice. "How am I able to help with the capture of a future terrorist? I'm just a guy, I work in an office. I'm definitely not trained in guerrilla tactics."
Abernathy clapped his hands together. "Piece of cake. You help me find him, you identify him, I do the rest." He made it sound so easy. "So let's get back to the right time, get you dressed and let's be off. It'll take an hour, maximum."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sean pulled his shirt over his head and looked at the bedside clock. 3:55 am. If Abernathy was right, then in just under 5 hours a bomb was going to go off killing almost 300 people. But could he trust the information Abernathy was giving him? This man showed up, banging on his door at half 2 in the morning, injected him with poison, then laid down some ridiculous story about hunting a future terrorist.
For a moment, Sean considered bolting out of the bedroom window. He could drop down from the extension and be over the back fence in about a minute. But then what would he do? His own life had a ticking clock on it as sure as the victims of the bombing to come. No, he would have to play the game laid out and see where it took him.
He headed back down the stairs and saw Abernathy in the hallway, pressing buttons on the device on his wrist and frowning. As he saw Sean approach he reached into one of what appeared to be his infinite belt pouches and pulled out a similar device, snapping it closed on Sean's right wrist. He looked down to see the same countdown he had seen on Abernathy's device, just ticking past 4 and a half hours.
"That gives you your own timer." Abernathy explained. "Plus it will allow me to find you should we get separated." Sean shook his arm, it was on tight, but he was just able to shuffle it down into a more comfortable position. Abernathy read something else from his device and continued. "Ok, so let's go see if he's home. From plans I was able to find for these houses, you share a basement wall. I can blast through and we can come up and catch him unawa-"
"Or I could just go round and knock on his door, you complete psychopath." Sean was disdainful of this plan. "I'd like to still have some house left once you've finished your cross-time grudge match."
Abernathy acknowledged this with a shrug. "Meh, try it your way then. You try and draw him out and I will capture him. But be warned, this is the single most dangerous person you have ever met. And if he senses that you aren't genuine, he will kill you. And likely run before i have the chance to bring him down."
Sean nodded and zipped up his jacket. He started to push up his sleeves as he normally did but then remembered the device on his wrist and pulled them back down, making sure no trace could be seen. He walked out of the door onto his path and took in the street. The summer sun was just starting to make its light known, giving a pink tinge to the sky. He walked round to his neighbours gate and hesitated just a second before pushing it open. Once inside the front yard area he noticed just how closed in it was. The fence was 6 foot high, just taller than himself, and the panels were solid, allowing no sight of the road beyond.
He knocked on the door and waited. There was no answer so he knocked again. Still nothing. He heard a thud and turned to see Abernathy vaulting the fence, his booted feet landing with a crunch into the gravel. He peered through the windows but couldn't see anyone inside. He tried the handle and the front door opened.
Abernathy pulled his sidearm and entered the property and Sean followed behind. It was dark, the first rays of the day not able to breach the thick curtains of the living room. Sean idly wandered upstairs. The house was neat, quite the contrast from his own home, although the layout was the same. He should have been more cautious, but the house had an empty feel to it. He pushed open the door to the small bedroom and shouted downstairs to Abernathy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They approached the train station from the side entrance, locating a service door. People streamed in an out of the front of the magnificent building, on their morning commutes. Abernathy pulled another device from his utility belt and sprayed it onto the padlock. A few seconds later it fell into his outstretched palm. He unholstered his weapon once more and led the way into the gloom.
"We're almost done, Sean." Abernathy explained quietly as he moved confidently in the poorly lit tunnels under the station. His helmet must have had an infra red setting, as the lighting situation didn't affect him at all. Sean had to keep his hand on Abernathy's shoulder at certain points to avoid getting lost. "We know from historical records that the bomb is due to go off in about 40 minutes. He timed it for when the commute is in full flow, for maximum damage."
"That wouldn't be good for everyone up there." Sean answered in a whisper. "What about us down here? What do I do if we catch up with Gareth?"
"Just keep your head down and stay behind me." Abernathy answered firmly. He heard a small clang coming from Sean's direction and spun his head round. "What was that?"
Sean held out his arm into the gloom, showing the footlong length of pipe he'd just picked up from the ground. "We're about to head to a potential showdown with a futurist psychopath in one of the creepiest places I've ever seen. Oh, and there's a bomb big enough to bring down half a dozen platforms. I'll feel a lot better with this."
Abernathy turned back and continued working his way down the corridor. "Fair enough, just try not to do anything stupid."
They walked in silence for another minute until a noise up ahead caused Abernathy to stop and throw out his arm to stop Sean walking ahead. "There's someone up there." The gloom cleared enough for Sean to make out a figure at the end of this stretch of corridor. Even from the distance he could make out the familiar features of the man that was until a few hours ago only known as his neigbour. He saw the two men approaching and turned on his heel and ran.
"That's him." Sean confirmed. Abernathy set off in pursuit, weapon held out in front of him and Sean followed.
Gareth took them on a twisting course of turns, and they almost lost him more than once. Eventually they followed him through a room with overhanging pipes and Abernathy levelled his pistol and shot. A bolt of light left the weapon and took Gareth in the knee. He collapsed with a whimper. There was a device set up against one wall with all manner of lights and tubes that it was hard to guess the exact nature of, but there was no mistaking the overall intent. This was a bomb, and a big one at that.
Abernathy strode to his target and flipped him onto his back. Reaching down to grab him by the collar he yelled. "How do you switch off the bomb? Tell me!" He brought his pistol to bear once more, this time directly into the injured man's face.
"I don't know!" was the high pitched reply. "I'm not him! I live down here, he, he came down yesterday and did something and when I woke up I was looking at myself and I was in this body. I swear I don't know anything." he crumpled back onto the floor, holding his injured knee.
Abernathy released him in shock. "He's switched his consciousness into another host. Damn, he could be anywhere."
"No. Not anywhere." The voice was different, colder. Abernathy turned just in time to catch the sight of the pipe swinging towards his face. He felt the impact and then he was falling, and everything went dark.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gareth had been planning this attack for months. He'd established his cover, and the planning that had gone into creating explosives from the materials available in this time period had caused him a considerable headache.
He didn't even want to be in this backwater time period, but the UC1PD were closing in a little too tightly back home, and he needed the breathing space.
Now there was only 12 hours to go until his attack on this time could begin in earnest annd the bloody cops from his time show up! He needed to get inside this operation and make sure it didn't do any damage to is carefully laid plans. His security cameras picked up the arrival of a man who could only be UC1PD. Scrambling his plan, he picked up the necessary equipment and headed into his basement. For the last 6 months he had been tunneling through to his neighbours house and it was time for this contingency.
The knocking started as he was climbing the stairs of his neighbours basement. He caught sight of himself in the hallway mirror and cringed. The homeless man looking back at him was not to his taste, but he had needed the extra level of security. He placed a kitchen knife on the table in the hall and hid in position in the shadows of the stairs.
Eventually he saw Sean shuffle his way down stairs in his flip flops and as he reached the bottom Gareth pounced. He attached the transmitter to the base of Sean's neck and hit the transfer button on his remote.
The transfer always left a residual dizziness, but Gareth was used to it and rode it quickly. Sean, not used to it and not expecting it had fallen backwards. In a flash, Gareth picked up the knife and dove, driving it into the chest of the homeless man that now had the consciousness of his neighbour. As always, he did enjoy the look of shock that comes from someone seeing themselves stood above them but he didn't have time to savour it. Acting quickly, he pulled the body into the open door of the basement and kicked it down the stairs.
Straightening, he checked that there was no blood on the floor. Satisfied, he turned and saw his reflection in the mirror. This body was much more suitable. He walked to the door and opened it.
"So what have you come as then?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abernathy groaned as he came to, a pulsing in his head that he tried to grab. That was when he noticed that he was handcuffed to the piping on the wall of the room. His vision cleared and he looked up to see himself stood over the explosive device, making small alterations.
"Andrews!" he yelled. It was so surreal to watch himself turn around, and the look on the face that he saw was not one he had ever used. He had never seen himself look so sinister.
"Must be going, officer." Gareth nodded to the restrained man. "But thanks for all this equipment. Trying to create this with 21st century equipment would have been such a hassle."
Gareth left the room and made his way through the labyrinthine tunnels to get back outside, ignoring the shouts that faded into silence behind him. Once he was a safe distance away he turned to wait for the spectacle that was about to unfold.
The explosion rocked the entire city, and the sounds of sirens followed shortly after. He watched the fires burn in the distance for a few moments before turning away. He had some scores that he needed to settle in his own time, but they could wait for now. He might be able to have some fun in this century....
About the Creator
Luke Foster
Father. New husband. Wannabe writer.
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Excellent storytelling
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Comments (1)
I love it! It did not go the way I expected 😁 Is it labyrinthesque, or labyrinthine? 🤔