TIMESCAPE

16

When Evelyn opened her eyes, she was back on the platform in the professor's house. Will and Lincoln stood next to her. The Professor was standing at his control station right where they left him. Evelyn glanced at the clock on the wall, the time was the same as when they'd left.

The smile on the professor's face vanished when he saw them "Where are the others?"

"We got separated," Will said. He climbed down from the platform "If we're going to keep doing this, we have to talk about weapons."

"We can talk about it," the professor said, his eyes on the box in Evelyn's arms "You found it?"

"Yes."

"Obviously we found it, or we wouldn't have come back!" Lincoln was already stripping off his camo gear.

Evelyn looked at Lincoln and smiled "Guess we didn't die after all."

"Well there's fifteen bloody missions left. Give it some time."

Evelyn walked down the steps. Professor Campbell took the box in his hands, carrying it delicately, as if it were a newborn baby. He carried it over to an observation table and set it down.

At that moment, there was a flash of light and Paige, Evelyn, and Dante were back. Paige lay on the ground, unconscious. "Quick! We need to get her to a hospital!" Will rushed up the stairs, he and Will carried Paige out across the room and into the elevator. Katrina went with them.

As the doors were closing, Will looked at the professor "We're not done with our conversation."

The Professor turned to Evelyn "What happened to her?"

"She was attacked by a pterodactyl."

Campbell looked at the ground, as if he were ashamed "Ah...yes, an occupational hazard."

"Occupational hazard? That's what you call a girl getting ripped apart trying to find some sodding disc for you?" Lincoln glared at the professor, daring him to try and make an excuse.

"It's part of the job, I'm afraid. When you leave the safest period of human history for another...you're guaranteed to find less safety. But you are all here because you wanted to be. You wanted to experience time travel, and you have. And I still need your help. There is a treasure waiting to be found."

And not just treasure, Evelyn thought, documents, historical documents that no one's read in thousands of years. We're literally saving history.

"Do I understand that you're resigning, Mr. Craig?" The professor peered at Lincoln through his glasses, that look that seemed to see exactly what you were thinking.

"Me? No. Not when there's treasure to be found. I'm just saying, next time I'd like to be a little more prepared."

"How so?"

"A gun would be nice."

"A concealed weapon, perhaps. We can discuss it further at another time."

Lincoln seemed content, he headed off towards the locker room to change. Now it was just Evelyn and Professor Campbell. "Professor," she began "Where is Professor Lima?"

The professor looked at her like he were looking at a child "He couldn't make it today, I'm afraid. He's a very busy man."

Somehow Evelyn didn't buy that. It was a Saturday. And this was his project, as much as it was Campbell's! Lima was the one who had approached her about it. So where was he?

"Will he be here next week? I'd very much like to speak to him." I need to quit, was what she really wanted to say, and I don't trust you enough to tell you.

"I hope so, my dear. But he is my friend, and I can't speak for him. You'll just have to ask him yourself."

"So that's it then, we're done."

The professor smiled weakly at her "For today. For this week. We'll meet again next week for the second mission."

Evelyn felt unsatisfied. She wanted to see what was inside that box, but she wasn't brave enough to ask. The professor must have seen her looking at it and read her mind.

"You want to see what's in it, don't you?" He looked at her curiously, as if she were a puzzle that he was trying to put together. "If you come back next week, I'll show you what's inside. I promise."

Evelyn wanted to see what was inside, but she didn't want it that badly. But still, leaving without seeing it left a bad taste in her mouth, she hated leaving things unfinished. Strangely, it was tempting, but she had to speak with professor Lima! That was what she had to do. Then she could decide what came next. There was something off about Professor Campbell, she decided, there was something he wasn't telling her. Like the bit about him finding this key to the treasure. How did he find it? How did he know it led to a treasure? Who scattered the pieces to the map in the first place? So much was missing. Lima would tell her. She could ask him anything. She would find him and she would tell him that she quit, that's what she would do. Evelyn headed into the locker room to change, surprised at how tired she suddenly was.

This had been the greatest adventure of her life, and she was glad it was over. And in a strange way, she was glad she had done it. It made for an excellent story, something she had very few of. But she was excited to get home, back to her cat, back to her couch, back to her library and her tea. But if this was all over, why wasn't she satisfied? Why did she feel unfulfilled? They had set out to accomplish something, and they had done it.

Evelyn tried to shrug the feeling off. It was probably nothing. Probably just leftover shock from her near death experience earlier. Yes, that's what it was. But deep down Evelyn knew it wasn't. Deep down she knew that this wasn't over. She knew that she'd be back.