The Unknown Future

Chapter 6

Praise the heavens that I got back somehow. Those six hours were terrifying.

To be fair, I was extremely grateful that I didn't get into any trouble along the way. The forest was dark and dense and damp and I didn't want to be there, but a mission is a mission.

I tried to make sense of this all.

Soon I realized that in doing so I made myself feel more lost, confused, scared. I decided to force myself to believe I was in my own time and that I belonged there, rather than being a drop in from the past that just decided to go with the flow of futuristic life.

Looking at my watch, I noticed I was late by twenty minutes to half an hour. I soon came to regret that.

When I enter the headquaters I was met with silence. The monitors were on and several people were working on different tasks. Some turned to look at me on hearing the door open, but their natural, calm, focused faces soon turned into angry and disappointed ones.

I treaded carefully to Xenon's part of headquaters. I gasped, understanding why I was in deep trouble.

Coming up to the room, I already saw Diega and Xenon in the room. Diega knelt before Xenon as he berated her, no, yelled at her. Already, I could see anger in his eyes. I wished I could've taken this much more seriously-I wish I knew the severity of the situation in this universe.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LET HER GO ON HER OWN!?!? SHE'S HARDLY BEEN WITH US FOR A FEW HOURS. YOU MUST BE AND IDIOT TO DO THAT! WHAT IF SHE IS WORKING FOR THE NIKKIANS?"

"I'm sorry. I am very sorry. I...I thought that she could be trusted and-"

"No! You didn't think at all!" rumbled Xenon's voice as he took a step closer to Diega.

Poor Diega. I could feel her trembling from where I was standing.

"Anyway, she is unaware of the danger in these times, so even if she is to be trusted, didn't you THINK for ONE MOMENT that she could run into danger?!"

"You are right. I probably didn't think, and I regret it very much, Sir."

"For your own good, you better hope she gets here soon," threathened Xenon, "or else you will be punished!"

I could see Diega wince and cower back on hearing that, and I decided I couldn't hide anymore and I walked into the room.

"I am so sorry sir. I lost track of time....and I was trying to work out how these things worked....and I just, I don't even know what happened, but I am back...and I am safe, so...it...is..all...good...now."

"I heard what happened," Xenon said, his voice still cold but more serene, "now, go to your room and rest for a while."

"Yes, sir."

As I was leaving the room, I could hear Diega stand up, and hear her gentle voice ask Xenon, "Sir, I apoplogize for my mistake with all my heart. Could you ever forgive me?"

By the silence that followed, I inferred that everything was once again unified and calm in our headquaters.