Space-Time of Death: an Al Squires of the Protectorate Novel

Ch.19.2: Just in Time or Out of Time? I Guess We'll Find Out.

"No, no, I don't believe you," Jorge said adamantly as the four of us swiftly made our way to the TU Chamber' s entrance. "El Colonel would never betray Ouroboros!"

"If only your doubts could change the facts, mi amigo," I said to him with a scoff as we continued our pace.

"But I have served under him for years," Jorge disputed. "And not once had he ever tried to do what you claim. Claro, he has his flaws, as all men do. But treachery is not one of them!"

"He was coerced to do it," Norah said to him. "He's under the Power of the True Name the same way Al and I were."

"Yeah, I should have seen it coming," I added, scolding myself while I was at it. "All those times he looked cagey and how he tried to avoid contact with me back in the Commissary. I thought he was jumpy because the protocol was his brainchild." I paused. "I should give my micro-expression identification software an update when this is all over," I muttered to myself.

"This is Agent Dillane," Maddie's voice suddenly sprang from our inner ears. "Can y'all hear me?"

We each took our comms off standby mode as we kept walking to communicate. "We read you, Maddie," Lady Lane said. "Have you found something? Another sighting? A temporal flux?"

"Nope to the first but yep to the second, ma'am," Maddie replied. "There were two fluxes: one on the other side of compound, and one that showed up close to the chamber a minute later. Not only that, but that attachment station outside the chamber was ordered to look for her not long after that second—" The transmission suddenly got cut off with a garbled burst of static, causing the four of us to stop in our tracks.

"What was that?" Norah asked loudly as we rank our fingers in our ears.

"Communications in this area must've been jammed," I said in speculation. "Bainbridge-Smythe must have switched on some kind of signal jammer in this sector. Most likely as a safety measure; to keep anyone from calling for backup. He must've known he'd be found out by now."

"In that case, we must hurry!" Lady Lane said. We resumed our trek, this time at a more urgent pace.

"But where was this supposed to have happened?" Jorge asked as we walked quickly. "When did La Bruja bewitched El Colonel?"

"Before this whole thing started, from the looks of things," Lady Lane answered. "Apparently, she met him at one of those vampire bars that he likes to frequent."

"Ay, los Vampiros!" he lamented. "I knew that they would get El Colonel into trouble. I should have voiced my concern for him, my respect for seniority be damned!"

"So, you knew that your boss is Fang-Curious?" I asked him, more curious than surprised.

"As I said before, Tonto," Jorge said without looking at me, "El Colonel has his flaws." He paused. "As do we all," he added bitterly.

A few moments later, we reached the corridor that connected the hallway we were in and the one leading up to the Temporalmanac Ultima chamber's entrance. But just as we turned the corridor, we were greeted by the sight Lt. Col. talking to Sister Time, as well as the chamber door open. For those among you who are more visual, Sister Time was wearing a long black sleeve cotton t-shirt, a pair of black leather pants, and a pair of thigh-high black boots (Doctor Martens, if I were to hazard a guess). Her hair was done in a Peek-a-Boo style that covered the side where her scar was on her face; the effect made her look like that old movie scarlet, Veronica Lake. Which was ironic because one of Veronica Lake's best films was called, I Married a Witch. But I digress.