Citizen Brown

Ch 8

He roared, "Stop trying to confuse me!" That outburst attracted the attention of Citizen Edna, who started to listen by the door. He added, "My whole life has been dedicated to the practical use of technology to shape a more efficient, orderly society. Ask anyone, it's a fact, you can look it up."

Marty was disgusted at the phrase. He bit down the venom but pointed out, "But you know better right...Emmett?"

Citizen Brown stammered, "I... I... Wrong!" That's when he brought a picture. He explained, "Do you see this picture? I keep it close by me of the moment when my life's course became clear. August 25th, 1931. The day I single handedly captured Kid Tannen, the scourge of Hill Valley."

Marty repeated, "Single handedly?"

Citizen Brown stated, "And not incidentally, the day I caught the eye of Edna Strickland, my scientific muse and the love of my life." Marty felt disgusted again, this time for Clara and the boys sake. He instructed, "Take a look. What you see there is a young man who understands his destiny!"

Marty shook his head, "That's not what I see..."

Citizen Brown asked, "What do you see?"

Marty took a look and noticed something, "Can it be...? I think it is!"

Citizen Brown asked, "What is it?"

Marty explained, "It's me! And you, the other you."

Citizen Brown got out a magnifying glass and confirmed, "It is me! And you..."

"Marty, Annie. Please, a man mustn't know too much about his own destiny."

Citizen Brown frowned. Not again. "But...how...?" Citizen Brown got a good look at Marty and it finally started to piece together. "Michael...? It's impossible."

Marty shook his head, "No. It's science. Your science."

Citizen Brown curiously asked, "In this...other world, the one you say that you are from. Am I...am I happy there?"

Marty confirmed, "Very happy! You've got two great sons... and a fantastic wife."

Citizen Brown asked, "Not Edna?"

Marty commented, "Not even remotely." That's when Citizen Edna frowned. He added, "And your invention - jeez Doc... you can go anywhere you want to, anywhere in time. You are the luckiest guy in the universe. And Estelle...she was very happy. She had a beautiful family and she even had a grandson."

Citizen Brown did a double take, "I have a great nephew?"

Marty said, "Yes, who loves you so much. He's a time traveler too."

Citizen Brown questioned, "What about Hill Valley?"

Marty admitted, "You know, it's got its problems. Little bit of urban decay here, little bit of crime there. It's a normal city. People are happy, mostly. And even when they're miserable, they're not miserable like they are in your Hill Valley."

Citizen Brown huffed, "Stop! There are no miserable people in my Hill Valley."

Marty started to say, "Gimme a break. You don't really believe..."

Citizen Brown hissed, "My citizens lead lives of order and peace. Nobody worries, nobody complains..."

Marty pointed out, "Only cause they're too afraid to. Geez, open your eyes willya? You and Edna have them all terrorized!"

Citizen Brown protectively told him, "That's Mrs. Brown to you, sonny."

"Doc..." Marty said, a bit worried.

"Kindly address me as 'Your Honor'." Citizen Brown told him coldly. He added, "We've worked over fifty years, my wife and I. Every waking moment, devoted to ridding Hill Valley of vice and disorder. And you dare to claim our citizens are...unhappy?"

Marty defended, "Yeah. Yeah, I do. I've seen it. They're just too afraid to speak up."

Citizen Brown asked, "Afraid? Afraid of what?"

Marty answered, "Afraid of the consequences of their actions, Doc. You run this place like a police state."

"Nonsense!" The older man cried.

"I can prove it!" The youngest McFly declared.

Citizen Brown smirked, "Alright, time-travel boy." God, why did that nickname sound familiar? Why was this happening again? He added, "You do that. And until you do I'm treating your wild story as just that - a story told by a madman. And I've determined that the best treatment is simply to let the insanity run its course."

Citizen Brown turned his chair to Marty. He asked, "So is the interview over? Should I leave?"

Citizen Brown coldly answered, "Please do. I'm very busy...I've got a city to run."

Marty stated determined, "Fine. But I will be back...with proof!"

Before Marty got to the door, Citizen Edna quickly left before she was discovered. That left Citizen Brown alone in his office to think over Marty's words.

"Let's just say someone just recently showed me what the world would be like with no Timmy Turner in it."

Why...why was this happening? Was this Timmy Turner the great nephew Marty was talking about? Why is he remembering all these things that never happened before? Why does he feel like Marty was right?

...

Marty had arrived back at his house. He thought, 'Doc wants proof that Hill Valley isn't the perfect place he thinks it is? One smoking gun coming right up.' That's when he saw his dad on the ground, out cold.

"Dad!" He shouted.

"Pop out the tape, son. I think it's done rewinding..." George said, getting up.

"Take it easy, dad. Sit here." Marty stated, bringing up his chair.

George sat down and replied, "Guess I blacked out for a minute there. Fell out of my chair."

Marty was furious, "Fell? Someone whacked you!"

George did a double take, "Whacked me? Impossible! We take great pride in the fact that incidents of psychical violence in Hill Valley have fallen to virtually..."

That's when he groaned in pain.

Marty asked, "Who did it? Can you tell me?"

George groaned, "This can't be happening!"

Marty mused, "There's gotta be a clue around here somewhere..." Marty turned and saw a metal baseball bat on the ground. He asked, "That isn't one of our bats, is it, dad?"

George answered, "No.... No... McFly's never use aluminum bats. Curious..."

Marty saw that George was going to pick it up, "Don't touch it. It's evidence."

George raised a brow, "Of what?" Marty acted out that someone had knocked him out with the bat. George stated, "Why would anyone do a thing like that to a nice sector-L citizen like me?"

Marty questioned, "What's the last thing you remember?"

George sighed as he answered, "I saw sitting right here, copying another incriminating scene onto my..." That's when he realized, "My tapes! My tapes! What happened to the tapes?"

Marty advised, "Stay calm, dad."

George was panicking, "Are they on the floor? Do you see 'em? They're in a box marked 'raw footage'." Marty found the box on the floor but it was empty. George paled, "But I was sure that they were in there before!"

Marty replied, "Before whoever-it-was whacked you in the head and took 'em!"

George was freaking out, "Oh my gosh, I've been mugged. Mugged in Hill Valley. They can't get away with this!"

...

Wishmaker1028: I really like the way that this is going, I'm really proud of myself. For now, please read and review! And always think outside of the box!