The Olive Theory ~ Adam Reed

11. Guns and Farewells

•○•☆•○•

•○•☆•○•

An hour has gone by and the four are now sitting at the picnic table eating while discussing a plan. "You know what you have to do," Laura said as she rubbed Adam's cheek. "Nooooo. No, I came back for you." Adam said shaking his head.

Hailey stared at her food as she listened to Laura and Adam talk. "I know. But we can't have a life here. Not like this. Now you have to go back to 2018, and you have to put things right. You have to put an end to all this." Laura said catching the attention of younger Adam.

"What do you mean "put an end to it"?" Adam asked, worried. "I mean, stop time travel from ever being invented and save the future." Laura clarified. "Fine, come with me, and we'll..." Adam said but was interrupted when Laura let out a weak laugh.

"Your jet is meshed for your DNA. It won't fly with anyone else." Laura reminded him causing young Adam to glance over at Hailey who was rubbing her hands up and down her legs. Adam reached over and grabbed her hand stopping her movements and gave her a reassuring smile.

"You're smart. You can figure it out." Adam argued not wanting to accept the fact he will have to leave behind Laura. "Adam!" Laura raised her voice causing the two kids to snap their attention at her.

"We meet in the program. We meet there. Do you understand that? We can't..." Adam begins to say before stopping mid-sentence. "If I go back and stop time travel, and that's an extremely big "if" with Sorian on my ass, we never meet. We never happen. We never happen, Laura." Adam says his voice cracking a little.

"We did happen. Every moment we ever had will always have happened. Even if we correct the time stream, somewhere in us will be the echo of this one. And we will find each other. I really believe that." Laura said with tears in her eyes as she cupped Adam's face.

"What if we don't? What if... what if you're wrong? And you're probably wrong." Adam questioned. "When am I ever wrong?" Laura joked as she smiled. Hailey stared at the couple before staring at Adam, trying to figure out a way to say goodbye.

"Hey, hey. I can't do this again, okay? I can't do this again, please. I can't afford to lose you. Don't do this." Adam cried as he and Laura lean on each other's foreheads. The four looked toward the house when the sound of loud bleeping distributed the sad moment.

"What is that?" Hailey asked as she scooted closer to Adam. "They found us," Laura said looking at Older Adam. Hailey watched as Laura abruptly stood up and marched toward the house.

"There's a dirt road around the bend. I'll buy you time to get to your jet." Laura said as she walked out of the house, handing Adam his duffle bag. "No, no, no. Hey. I'm not leaving." Adam protested. "You have to," Laura said pulling him along behind her.

"What are you talking about? Those guys will kill you." Adam said as he pulled and tugged his arm away from her. "No! I've had years... I've had years to rig my defenses. They'll never see me coming. If they catch you, it's over." Laura shouted as she held Adam up against the car.

"Hey give this to my family when you get back?" Hailey said handing Adam her necklace. "What? why?" Adam said as he hopped out of the car. "I can't go with you, you know that, so please don't be a bitch and just take it," Hailey demanded as she held her necklace out for him to take.

Adam slowly took the necklace from her. "Don't do anything stupid," Hailey smiled as she hugged him. "How could I, you're keeping all the stupid with you," Adam joked as he hugged her back. 

Hailey backed up as she watched Adam drive off. "Come, on," Laura said as she pulled Hailey back to the house. Laura immediately pushed the table over and threw the rug into the corner, revealing a trapped door underneath.

"Ever used a gun?" Laura asked as she examined the weapons she had stored. "Sorta," Hailey said. She wasn't lying she has, but it was a BB gun. "Well today you're going to," Laura said as she pulled out a small handgun.

"You know the basics?" Laura asked as she bent down in front of Hailey. "Yeah," Hailey nodded as she grabbed the gun from Laura, studying it. "Here use the table as a shield and only shoot if it's someone that's not me walking through this door, got it?" Laura said as she grabbed her own gun and attached the magazine. 

Hailey nodded before moving the table and hiding behind it. Hailey took the gun off the safety and rested her finger next to the trigger, in case she needed to shoot.

"Don't put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to shoot. Don't put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to shoot." Hailey repeated to herself as she dug her nails into her leg.

The sound of an explosion disrupted Hailey's words, signaling they were here.

•○•☆•○•

•○•☆•○•