Through Time She Came

Ch.22 Tuesday, July 4th

April 2010

"We're honing in between 1925 and 1935. I'm trying to tighten the gap, but I'm getting more resistance now."

"Alright. I'm going now, before it snaps back."

~•~

Olivier spent the next few hours tracking down Anet. He discovered along the way that it was the Fourth of July. The day had been a scorcher, the evening warm.

"Anet Peters? Oh! Yeah she's that dame what sings at that Angel Club."

"Thanks!" Olivier hopped into the cab. "Take me straight there! Fast!"

"Sure, mister."

At last! He had been searching for weeks he'd finally broke through the early twenties after being stuck in the year 1924 just different months.

The cab screeched to a stop on the curb of The Angel Club.

"Thanks!"

"Hey, chump! Ya gotta pay!"

"Here!" Olivier threw him a gold pocket watch. "Keep it!"

He hurried through the doors.

"Whoa, whoa! Hold on there, pal."

"Is Miss Peters here?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm... her father."

"She just left. She's probably at some ritzy restaurant with her boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? Do you know what restaurant?"

"Search me."

"I need to speak to someone who would know."

"Look for Mr. Tom Graft. He should still be in the game room. He's her watchdog."

"Thank you!" he found the game room. "Excuse me, can you tell me which one here is Mr. Tom Graft?"

"Over there at the roulette table. The one with a blonde in each arm."

"Thank you, young man."

"C'mon, ladies, a kiss on the cheeks for luck." his face sandwiched between two blondes. "Alrighty! Come on, come on!"

"Excuse me! Mr. Graft?"

"NO! Now see here, pally, you don't just—,"

"Mr. Graft, I need to find Anet Peters."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Olivier, a friend of Miss Peters."

"Eh-heh." he looked him over. "She ain't here." He turned.

"Please, sir! It's very important! I know she's out with her boyfriend, but do you know where?"

Tom let out an exasperated breath. "You'd better scram, buster!" He raised his fist.

Olivier stepped back. Muttering under his breath as he walked away. He waited outside. It got later. And later. Tom Graft had yet to come out. He checked the time.

Finally Tom came out. The two blondes in arms. All laughing.

"How 'bout a night cap at my place?"

The girls giggled. "Oh, Tommy!"

"Sorry, ladies, Mr. Graft here has dinner plans with me tonight."

The girls pouted.

"Say, what's the big idea?! Girls! Come back! Aargh! What's your problem?"

"Get in the cab." He had his hand in his coat pocket... index and middle pointed like gun aimed at him.

"Yeah. Sure, Mister." he didn't know whether it was real or not, but he didn't feel like chancing it. He got in the cab, Olivier behind.

"I'm not going to hurt you, son. Just have the cabby here take us to Ms. Peters."

Exasperated breath. He did as he was told.

Minutes down the road...
"What's that car doing!?" the taxi driver yelled. Swerving clear of the sedan. The opposing vehicle flew off-road, crashing into a light pole.

"Stop! That's Vic's car!" Tom yelled. The driver slammed his brakes.

Tom and Olivier ran out of the cab.

Anet stumbled out of the crashed car. Began running down the street. Vic clambered out.

"NO, VIC!" Tom yelled running at Vic, "DON'T!"

Olivier ran hard after Anet.

Beep beep beep.

His watch.

"No! Not now!" He kept running.

Beep beep beep.

"Detective Peters!"

"Professor Olivier?!"

BANG!

"ANET!!!" Tom yelled.

Olivier kept running.

Beep beep beep.

Almost— beep beep— he reached— beep...
Beeeeep.

"NO!" his cry disappeared with him.

He was too late.

~•~

April 2010

"Daniel! What happened!"

"I'm sorry! I had to pull you back! The computer was going berserk. If I hadn't, you'd be lost too. It would be impossible for me to find you both and pull you out of time."

"Coolant issues?"

"Things were freezing up. The system was crashing. Both the portal and the machine this time."

"Come on! We gotta hurry and get this fixed!"

"What happened back there?"

He paused. Catching his breath. Still shocked. "She... died."

"Date?"

"July 4, 1933." Deep breath.

"Where are you going?"

"To get an old watch. I need to make another anchor."