Precedent

Chapter Ten

"That's not possible," I say. "She would have told me." I look to Mr. Anderson for answers, but he has taken to ignoring me again. I scowl and turn towards A-M. "Wouldn't she have told me?"

"When you went back in time, you did actually meet Venus, right?" Having him say it like that gives me my answer.

"She wouldn't have," I decide. "It actually makes more sense if she's my mother. She ignores me more than she does anyone else. Not having a reason to speak with them is one thing, but the way she speaks to me when she does talk to me..."

A-M changes the subject.

"Do you know how to adjust the settings on the machine?" he asks the inventor. Mr. Anderson strokes the keyboard, apparently deep in thought.

"Yes, I believe I do. When would you like to go?"

"Fifteen years ago," I tell him. He ignores me. A-M notices this.

"We would like to go back fifteen years," he tells Cray. "To May 15th." Cray raises an eyebrow.

"What was that about?" I ask. Once again, Cray asks as though I didn't say anything.

Cray types in the date.

"There is already a file in progress," he says, looking interested. "Same year, different week."

"Can you adjust the file?" A-M inquires, stepping into the basin. I follow his lead.

"Yes," he says. "You'll be in the last open location, but you appear on the date that has been put in."

"Everyone will still remember, won't they?" I ask. He tries to ignore me, but I step out of the pool and stomp over to him, standing right in front of him.

"I asked you a question," I snap. "Are you going to answer it, or will I have to repeat it at the top of my lungs in your ear?" Cray looks surprised and, if I'm not mistaken, impressed.

"Your mother would never have done that," he says. "She wouldn't have

"She wouldn't have had to," I retort. "She would have been the one ignoring." A slight smile works at the end of his mouth. I don't get my hopes up though.

"Yes,' he tells me, "everyone will remember the previous time traveler."

"Me," I say. "They'll remember me."

I turn around and get back into the basin.

Surreptitiously, I glance at A-M. I didn't think he'd be nervous, but I didn't anticipate the emotion I can read clearly on his face. His face is a mix of determination and something I've come to associate with vengeance.

Mr. Anderson fires up the machine. No one is required to wear the helmet because Mission Leader's memories have already been synced.

Everything begins to swirl around me. Water fills my lungs. I'm familiar with the sensation now. If my eyes weren't blurred by water, I'd check on A-M again.

The water begins to disperse around us. I risk a look at A-M. With the water around him, he doesn't look so angry. He looks more innocent. He's actually kind of timeless, like a work of art. His eyes really look like lily pads now.

Suddenly we're on the ground now. Elation fills me. We're back at the campus. I'm back at last.