Elevators Through Time - Book 1

Part 15: Greetings

Part 15: Greetings

Year: 1990

Time: 7:04am

Location: Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia

Level: Ground

Kate didn't know what was going on but she had a bad feeling but didn't turn away. I expected her to bury her head in my shoulder, but I remember that she is stronger than that.

"Come on pal, we don't need to make a mess here do we?" came a gruff voice from the large figure. "And the name's Deune, since you asked. So shall we do this the easy way or will we leave with your head in a box?"

Bounty Hunters... I knew it.

The pair continued pacing towards us. Their imposing figures awash with colors from the fireworks high in the sky. I saw hydraulics and metal surfaces on the frame of the big one. The sleek female figure had a Kevlar 4 FlexiVest inside with a dark blue overcoat. Her legs didn't seem to be human. Maybe she was augmented as well.

As the fireworks lit up her face I could barely make out a creamy face with some markings just above her cheeks. She wore a pair of goggles on her head. I didn't see exactly what kind and I wasn't going to find out easily.

I slowly stepped back and pulled Kate with me, then whispered for her to get behind me as I reached for my staff.

"Ohoho, okay, let's go. I always wanted to know what's the fuss about that stick you got there." Deune grinned. "Kepler, I'll go first,"

"Hey whatever happened to 'ladies first' huh?" Kepler laughed.

"Oops"

I pointed the staff in the air, like an Olympic torch, squeezed it a little and then pointed it at the ground near Deune like a joust would with his joust.

The end of the staff near the ground started glowing faintly orange and blue.

"Nice," Deune said and then came sprinting at me. I heard some sequencial sounds of hydraulic limbs moving but not followed by the grunts of a normal guy. I guess this guy is full cyborg with just a brain and no strain on human limbs. Hmm, just a guess. I wont't be able to ask him though.

The mass of machine and man sped towards me amid the explosions and flashes high above.

"Kate, stand very still" I told her while keeping my eyes on Deune.

As Deune was close and was just drawing back his hand for a punch, I spun the staff in a circle and then hit the bottom into the ground in front of me. A sphere of illuminated air rose and engulfed the charging man.

Deune was immediately frozen in motion... and in time. There was nothing he could do or say. The space he had run into was compressed null space. Time would be infinite there. From his view he would still be coming towards me but everything would be much faster than him. An hour in null space would seem like a year. He was basically stuck in that pose for as long as necessary for me to get away.

"Forgive me," I said to the frozen figure in front of me.

"Deune!" Kepler screamed, now also running towards us, her hands glistened in the light of the fireworks.

She zigzagged towards me, as I drew more and more spheres of null space out of the ground and tried to block her path.

"Hahaha, I have you now! You're gonna pay for that!" She said as she managed to get right in front of me and Kate and raised a claw-like hand into the air.