FTS

Flashing red lights fill the metallic room. Click.

“Shit! They got the newest locks.” shouted the masked figure.

He began kicking the door and looking for “it”. Time was running out and he just kept kicking the shiny walls. Crash! He found the circuit board to release the locks, and knowing the Fathers were on their way, he started rewiring. Knock-Knock.

“ Better get ready with your hands up in the air Wily!” boomed a voice.

“ Oh you still don’t know my real name Captain Jenson. This new nickname it’s...okay” the masked man remarked, still playing with a handful of wires.

“That sarcasm will add to your sentence!”

The masked man finally found the correct wires.

“5….4...3…” boomed the Captain.

He checked his bag to make sure the $20,000 was secured.

“2….” Captain Jenson took a step back as the doors opened with a gust of wind.

The Captain stood, his mouth in shock as he passed the sign saying “Flemings Vault”, he saw the money stacks were still intact. All $28,000,000 seemed to remain on its pedestal. He looked around with his pistol drawn.

“I’m gonna get you kid, I've been waiting years for this moment. As a last hurrah will you let me see that face of yours?” Jenson mocked.

Out of the shadows emerged a man dressed in clothes so dark the captain hadn’t noticed him. He removed his mask to reveal a face that was no more than seventeen years old. He had intelligent blue eyes, a mess of black hair, a sarcastic smile, and he could easily beat the Captain in any athletic event.

“Sorry I didn’t let you get to 1 Jenson, but you know, where's the drama in letting you have the say in my arrest?” smiled the thief.

Just as Captain Jenson was about to shoot the boy, the alarms started to wail, lights flashed, and the doors kept opening and closing. Jenson looked around panicked, and the boy’s smile grew as he dropped an electronic chip. It caused a surge of thick smoke to fill the room. The Captain coughed, and the boy slid through the door as it opened and closed. He ran, not stopping for anything. He escaped the bank building and made his way into the busy city street. He slowed to a walk, blending into the crowd, but there was no use. Billboards everywhere flashed pictures of his face from inside the vault.

“If you see this man contact THE FATHER TIME SERVICE!” The broadcast continued, “The man has been identified as Benedict Quin...a seventeen year old runaway and thief...highly dangerous and in possession of one of the 10 Notebooks.”

Hearing this, Benedict ran into an alleyway. He didn’t think he would have to use his notebook so soon tonight. Once safe in the dark alley, he knelt down and took out a black notebook. The notebook had soft, lined pages, a single ribbon down its spine, and a worn, black leather cover. The notebook was one of the 10. They were part of an experiment done back in the year 3000, time travel was made possible with just three simple rules:

You must stay in your country’s history

You must possess your “heart’s treasure”

Never let the notebook fall into hands of the Father Time Service

These rules were easy for Benedict to follow, he was stuck traveling within American history, he had $20,000 he stole, and he has the only notebook not in the hands of FTS. All he had to do was flip through and find a time to hide, which was difficult seeing he has broken the hearts of countless girls across countless decades.

His notebook was full of names and dates. He was running out of time, the FTS were hot on his trail. The book said,

1776- Enola Adams

1986- Jessica Daniels

2021- Emma Louis-Yang

The notebook went on, and on. It seemed as though Benedict had flirted with centuries worth of girls.

“ Look over there. I see Quin!” yelled a soldier.

Benedict had no time left, he took out a pencil and wrote a random date as the soldiers approached; they slowly vanished. A swirl of purple, and blue smoke surrounded Benedict. He closed his eyes as the smoke faded and he was left on a gravel path surrounded by flourishing trees. Benedict was shaken, not knowing what time he had written down. Then he looked at the notebook.

“ Oh shit!” he realized he had written down the date 1848 in his least favorite state, Delaware.

“Out of the way!” a scream came from a carriage. Benedict dodged, then decided to follow the carriage’s tracks to the city.

The City Square was bustling, Benedict looked down, not really taking notice of his clothes until now. He looked like a proper gentleman, a man who could start his own factory if he wanted to. He continued walking through the square holding his bag, until WHAM!

“So sorry sir, I did not see you there!” a mysterious girl exclaimed. She was wearing a blue colored dress with her auburn hair messily tied back. She extended her hand to Benedict, now on his back.

“I don’t have all day to help you up” she grumbled after Benedict stared blankly at her.

“Oh I’m sorry” Benedict took her hand and she pulled him up with ease. “Thank you Miss,” Benedict said, unable to stop staring at the girl.

“It was nothing, but could you let go of my hand so I can go on my way.”

He let go and felt his heart racing.

He started the opposite way away from her, but something possessed his feet to run in her direction. “ Hey! Miss! Wait up!” he shouted until she turned around unamused.

“Can I help you Sir? I have to get to my shift ” she crossed her arms. Benedict froze, unable to say anything. She gave him an icy glare and turned to leave.

“I just wanted to know your name, Miss,” he said, keeping up with her pace as they maneuvered around people.

She gave him a quick glance,“My name is Allie Barns”. She continued to walk with Benedict following behind, “May I ask what your name is Sir,” she said sarcastically.

“Benedict Quin. I am sorry for making you late” he announced, almost bumping into Allie as she stopped outside an intimidating black gate.

“Thank you for walking me to the factory...even though it wasn’t needed,” she met Benedict’s eyes and her aggravated look melted away. She suddenly became flustered and her sentences became rushed as she spoke, “ Well I hope to see you around Mister Quinn, and please watch where you are going next time”

“I would like to uh...oh wait she’s gone” Benedict commented, realizing she disappeared into the massive brown building. Benedict felt like he was released from the spell of an enchantress. Then it hit Benedict like a ton of bricks, his bag was missing and more importantly his money and notebook were gone.

Benedict couldn’t believe that this simple 19th century girl was able to scam him so easily. “Just happened to run into me” he said under his breath. This had never happened to Benedict. People have always tried to swindle him out of his money, but it never worked. “You used to be so vigilant” he hit his head with his hand. “Oh no! the notebook,” Benedicts body turned pale as milk with that thought. He knew that without the notebook he’d be trapped in this time forever, and then the FTS would catch him.

After wallowing for what seemed to be hours, it struck Benedict, I’m the greatest thief and playboy to ever live. I can easily get my money and notebook from “Allie Barns” in time to save my ass from the FTS. Benedict stood in front of the factory gates, ready to take on his greatest foe.... a seventeen year old girl

He opened the gates and straightened his posture as he entered the brick structure, to see a room seemed to be more steel than flesh with the looms taking up more space than the girls. He looked through the rows of young girls, and suddenly a hand touched Benedict’s back. He turned around to see a short tubby man.

“Can I help you ?” the man looked concerned after looking at Benedict’s raised fists.

“No Sir...wait I mean yes. I’m looking for one of your workers,” Benedict grinned as his face started to feel warm.

“What’s the name?” The man took out a chart.

“Allie Barns.” Benedict said.

“Barns, she is in that far corner. I’ll take you there.”They passed faces in confusion until they reached Allie.

“Hello, Barns you have a visitor.”

Allie turned to look, and gave him a quick mischievous grin. She definitely stole his money.

“Oh darling, you came for me” she screamed with glee. “I thought that you’d leave me when you found out about my “situation” ” and gestured to her stomach.

The floor manager's eyes filled with anger, and Benedict realized what Miss Barns had done. He didn’t remember a lot about these factories but he did know they hated losing their workers to motherhood.

“You, get out!” the man screeched and Allie started to giggle. The manager turned to her, “you too Miss Barns, you are no longer needed!”. The two were escorted off the premises of the factory.

“I’d like my money back, please” Benedict coughed and Allie glared back.

“Why? You look like you have enough already” she jabbed at him.

“I need it to get home...I’m a time traveler” Benedict confessed to Allie, he’d never told anyone before. But, he felt a connection to Allie, a new feeling. She’d think he was crazy.

“ I believe you...for some reason” she finally said, and handed the money to Benedict, their hands touched briefly. Then, she walked away towards the crowded streets.

Benedict got out the notebook sprawled with pages of names he had encountered on his adventures. However, they all seemed meaningless now after meeting Allie Barns. Benedict hesitated, then wrote:

2020

Knowing no FTS operative would even dare to go near that trainwreck. Benedict waited for the surge of blue smoke to fill the area...Blue?..like Allie Barns, the only girl to actually trust me. As more thoughts filled Benedict’s head, it was clear why the notebook wasn’t working. His heart’s treasure was no longer money but...Allie. He had to get to her before it was too late. Another puff of blue, then Captain Jenson appeared with metallic handcuffs sparkling in the sun.

Swarms of FTS soldiers aiming to capture Benedict surrounded him and he ran into the City Square. Then he saw the blue colored dress, grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her into a dark alley.

“ Benedict?...” she stammered.

“I don’t need money to time travel anymore, I need you...I just need to know if you will come with me” he whispered. “ I know you feel the same, like this was destiny or something...but destiny waits for no one and I need leave soon” he grinned. Then it happened the slightest smile and giggle came from Allie, her heart no longer immune to his charm.

“ I’ll go with you.” she smiled and took his hand. Benedict took out the notebook one more time.

He had written 2020 down and the smoke swirled around him and Allie. She grabbed his face as the smoke almost completely surrounded them and kissed him. The smoke disappeared, and they were in a modern apartment, safe from the FTS. There they would stay until they were ready for their next adventure. The FTS would soon leave Delaware without the money. It was left sitting in the alley unnoticed. Then, an unsuspecting Edward Flemmings stumbled upon the bag. Making the Flemming’s families their first $20,000.

Maybe Benedict was right all along, maybe it was destiny...