Time Traveler Part I (Feeling Like The World Forgot Me)

Chapter 18

"Zach and Geoff are bringing Patty," Ali told the room.

Foley frowned. Shouldn't he be resting?

"Is he okay to be walking around?" Cody asked, apparently thinking similarly.

Ali shrugged.

"How is he?" Ben asked, looking apologetic. He seemed a bit more relaxed now that they'd locked the door and all had their weapons ready.

"His head augment was badly damaged, but we managed to get it functional again," Ali answered.

Foley wondered why he didn't just say they fixed it. They did, didn't they?

"So what's your story?" Awsten asked from the corner of the room, arms folded. He'd been standoffish with Ben since they'd all met up and come home. Maybe he thought he was to blame for what happened.

"I used to investigate an organisation called One Great Race," Ben told him, "I worked here back when the station was a small luxury resort and sent sensitive information I found to my people. I got caught and they gave me all these." He gestured vaguely at the mess of augments on his head. "Then they cryofroze me. Ali, Foley and Patty found me and woke me up. Now I'm here."

Foley found it almost amazing that such a story could be condensed into a few short sentences and that everything that actually happened, the worry, the heartbreak, the pain, could so easily be left out.

"You must be over a revolution old," Awsten speculated, his cold composure melting as he took a seat on the crate next to Foley.

Ben tilted his head. "I hadn't really thought about it like that, but yeah, probably."

"You look good for your age."

"Thank you."

Foley pat Ben's back, trying to fake a smile but feeling like everyone saw right through it even though nobody was really looking at him.

Ali stood up. "I'm going to do some tests, okay?"

Foley stood too, feeling like he'd had more than enough of sitting around and waiting to hear bad news recently. "I'll put some food on."