The Business of Time Travel Tourism

Chapter 27: The Return of The King

July 1, 2014. Tuesday.

Alfonso stood by an open window. Radiating with pride and satisfaction, he stared up, at the nearly completed rocket covered in scaffoldings. The rocket was twice the height of his mansion. Four massive engines carried a missile attached to their top.

An elderly man in a white coat was standing on the topmost scaffold by an open casing, holding dangling wires in his hands. A large guard carrying a CXX8 orb wrapped in the Vibro-belt approached him. The scientist gave instructions to the muscle and together they focused on putting the orb inside the rocket. After completing the task, the scientist picked out the 'Detonator' joystick out of his pocket and waving the subordinate away, he turned and twisted a couple of sticks. The eyes and the diamond of the Ultraman were installed in the cut-out holes of joystick frame and blinked in random colors. With great focus, breaking a sweat, the old man tuned the device.

A line of heavy duty trucks standing by the rocket had their hoses connected to it, 'Rocket Fuel' written on their trailers. A large newly painted container stood by the gate, its name painted in white on blue: "The Book of Orders".

"Is everything going well?" a deep voice spoke from behind Alfonso.

"Everything is going according to the plan."

"Good."

Alfonso turned his head to the side so that he could take a glimpse of the visitor, whose voice he had recognized. It was the man in the black scuba suit. "Why did he send you?" Alfonso asked.

"To help." The man took a few steps closer. "Bottlemore received some backup. So I came here to make it even. I will not intervene with your affairs. I will assist June, the two of us will be more than enough to take any army down."

"Mhm." Alfonso nodded with a frown.

"Do you still hold a grudge on me, Alfonso?"

The large sad man stood silent.

The ninja continued, "You know I'm just a tool, right? Tools do not make choices, they do the job. I did the job on you back then. And now, I'm here to help you."

"I'm fine with you being here. I just find it strange that he considers you expendable."

"He considers everyone expendable."

Sometimes Alfonso limped and sometimes he did not. Now that the man in scuba suit was in the room, the pain had returned to his leg. The sad man slowly walked to the visitor, said, "Welcome to the team, Kevin," and extended his hand.

———

The size of the ancient world overwhelmed Zoop. It was just too big. He had so many unanswered questions bothering him, and when George showed him a map of the world in the press shop on the train station, Zoop was left speechless for the whole journey to the terrible motel.

The sun was setting down when the four heroes got to their resting place. The terrible motel was a dump for George, a strange place for Sally, a luxury suite for Zoop, and for Max... Well, Max just did not care.

The manager was doing his thing: sleeping in his chair, which currently stood on two legs rammed against the wall. He let out a loud snort when the last entrant of the four, Zoop, closed the door behind him.

"Wake up!" Max shouted at the man and slammed the reception table with his fist.

His blow resonated to the ground and then to the chair. It was all it took for the chair to dismantle. The manager fell on his back in most clumsy manner. The way he got up was not the most gracious either.

"So, now," said the manager, cleaning his clothes, keeping his face straight as if nothing had happened. "How many rooms would my precious guests like to order?"