Jimmy Johan: The Twist

Chapter Three

Jimmy wasn't a big fan of flying, but in this case, it was tolerable. He checked his watch as he and Ray stood near their terminal, their luggage at their feet. "Where is our third companion?" Jimmy asked. "He's fifteen minutes late!"

"Maybe he got caught in security?" Ray offered.

"He has his badge, they would have let him through even with the firearm."

Suddenly, they both saw someone approaching. It was a man, a bit older than Jimmy. He was not a tall man, standing a little shorter than Jim. His mouse brown hair was disheveled, and he had a sour expression on his face.

He skidded to a halt near the two of them.

"I can't believe it. I just can't. I show them my badge, and they still pulled me aside!"

Ray grinned, hearing the secret phrase that signified that this was their third companion. "Seems like you got deep cleaned," he replied as meant to.

The man relaxed his shoulders. "Well, the secret code is dandy, except this happened to me in real life just now."

Jimmy chuckled and held out his hand. "Jimmy Johan, at your service."

The man managed to smile, and shook his hand. "Peter Tuff, at yours."

"So, what's the scoop?" Ray asked. "Do you have all the information?"

Peter nodded and handed them a file. "Yeah, this is it."

Ray opened up the file, with Jimmy looking over his shoulder.

"We weren't sure how advanced the ED really was until Theodore and Emily were attacked. Their surveillance tech is insane, and... there's suspicion that they had possession and use of a time machine at some point."

Jimmy's eyes widened. "Hold up... a TIMR MACHINE? Is that even possible?"

"SHHHH! And yes," Peter answered, agitated,  reaching out and flipping to a page in the files. It was a blurry photograph of a man, short and stocky in stature. He was bald with a thick jawline, a low brow, and clothes seemingly made out of animal pelts.

Ray frowned. "Is that... is he..?"

"A Neanderthal?" Peter finished. "Yes."

"Oh come on," Jimmy protested. "Maybe... maybe it's just a guy dressed up as one? To trick us?"

"Who knows. But the time machine is frankly the least of our problems. Even if they did was to ruin this country from the past, they would only create an alternate, dystopic timeline. Ours would be unharmed..." Peter trailed off once he realized he lost Ray and Jimmy completely. "Nevermind. More importantly, ED has had the RockGuard plans for half a year, plenty of time to construct a deadly laser. Who knows what they are using it for!"

"Right," Jimmy replied, hearing the announcer start to call numbers for the flight. "We better board. Did you book us in first class?"

Peter chuckled. "Nope! Only coach for us with our budget."

Jimmy groaned and picked up his bags.

~

Five hours later the Trio landed in Mexico City.

"This bus will take us to where our fellow agents were stationed," Peter told his younger companions. "Emily is laying low with a family on the outskirts."

Jimmy nodded and hauled his stuff up onto the bus after his two companioms, looking around with narrowed eyes. He needed to stay vigilent. Theodore had been kidnapped here. Sighing, Jimmy unzipped his backpack and took out a black baseball cap and placed it on his head before boarding the bus.

A dust-filled hour later, the three were dropped off near a couple of modest houses. "This way," Ray said, recognizing the address on one of the houses.

A group of kids ran by, startling Jimmy. "Dammit," he said. "As if I wasn't on edge already."

Peter raised an eyebrow. "You don't like kids?"

Jimmy shook his head, warranting a laugh from Peter. "It's just a phase. I didn't want kids either."

"What, are you married? Do you have kids?" Ray asked.

Peter shook his head. "No... neither. But hopefully soon, both."

Jimmy shrugged and walked up to the door of the house. "Are you sure this is it?" Peter nodded, and Jimmy went ahead and knocked. 

The door opened to reveal a short man, who immediately narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing them. Suddenly, he shut the door in their faces.

"Great, wrong house?" Ray put in, scratching his head. Peter shrugged, looking perplexed. "I thought this was it, let me check my instructions..." he started rumaging through his bag with difficulty. After a good two minutes of searching, Peter managed to pull out a sheet of paper. "Aha! Here we-"

The door open, revealing a young woman with auburn hair and green eyes, which she narrowed at the motley crew on the doorstep. "Ray Darzi? James Johan?"

"And Peter Tuff," Peter added dejectedly. 

Jimmy nodded. "I go by Jimmy. You must be Emily?"

Emily nodded and opened the door wider. "Yes, I am. Come in... we have a lot to talk about." 

~

"Theo and I were staying here, making trips to the edge of the city almost every day." Emily was standing near the window in her bedroom, not looking at the trio of men who were trying to get comfortable on the floor. "We noticed planes flying out from a direction that wasn't the airport, so we had to investigate. We discovered a base in the jungle."

Jimmy raised an eyebrow. "A base?"

Emily nodded, turning to look at him. "Can you not wear that hat in the house? It's rude. "

Jimmy shrugged and pulled off his black cap. "Sure, whatever."

Emily smiled smugly then returned to gazing out the window. "Anyway, we returned to this base several times to investivate, but one day, we were seen. Set off some sort of alarm. We escaped quickly, but they had our faces on camera apperently." She sighed and finally moved away from the window, to sit at her small desk.

"We were out one day when a band of men attacked us. They shot Theo and took him away... I managed to escape. I am almost certain that Theo is being held at the airbase."

"Yikes... I hope he's still... okay," Ray said after she was done. "I wasn't always the biggest Theodore Claeton fan, but kidnapped by the ED? Yikes..."

Emily shrugged. "He's tougher than he looks. We just need to rescue him before it's too late."

"So, what's the plan?" Peter asked. "We could try and infiltrate that Base under the cover of night."

Jimmy nodded at the man's suggestion. "We'll need to make sure this area is safe first though... who knows who is watching us."

"Good idea. I have some maps so we can plan a route," Emily agreed, standing up. "But it's time for dinner. My hosts always cook enough for five people anyway." She managed to crack a sincere smile, one that Jimmy thought looked very lovely.

"Hey, Emily... any sign of that Caveman?" Ray asked, snickering.

Emily sighed. "He's a Neanderthal. And no."

Jimmy and Ray glanced at Peter, smug smiles on their faces, as they followed Emily out to dinner.