Through the Storm

Chapter Sixteen

Saturday, September 15, 2007, 12:05 a.m.

Just seconds before I attempted another jump back to 2009, someone plopped down in the seat beside me.

"Hi, Scott."

I turned and looked right into my reflection in Kevin's glasses.
"You followed me?"

He crossed his arms, glaring at me. "What are you going on a train to New York after midnight?"

"My dad works nights in the city, I usually help out."

"Where?"

"Loyola Academy. He's a janitor."

"Like father, like son."

"Yep."

"Bull. How did you know my name? Before anyone told you."

"I'm from the future and we're friends in 2009."

He ignored what he took to be a joke. "You know what I think?" I leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes. "What's your theory, Kevin?"

"Government agent."

No, but I might be the son of one.

"I see. So, I'm not a time traveler, I'm an agent studying your science project because the government wants to steal your theories and use them to make weapons."

"Well...not weapons."

I laughed and sat up to look at him. "I don't work for the government. I promise. And I have no desire to steal your project or bust you for hacking."

His face tightened. "I didn't say anything about hacking."

"Oh....right."

"So, you do work for the government?"

"Kevin, I want to tell you the truth, but you probably won't believe me."

He relaxed back in his seat. "Try me."

I took a deep breath, ready to attempt a very drastic and risky identity switch. "We'll take this slow. I don't want you to have a heart attack. First of all, I live in Manhattan."

"Okay."

"Do you want to come to my place? I'll tell you the rest there."

He nodded, slowly. "Just so you know...I've got friends who know exactly where I am, in case I don't show up later."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure you do."

*

Kevin looked up at the building with wide eyes. "You live here?"

"Yup."

We took the elevator up. During our ascent, Kevin was twisting his hands and darting his eyes around like someone was going to jump out to get him at any second.

"Who's your friend?" Dad asked when we walked past him in the front room.

"This is Kevin Olusola. Kevin, this is my dad."

Kevin shook his hand. "Nice to me you, sir."

"Scott, I'm going out of town for a couple of days."

"For what?"

"Business in South Korea. I left you a message earlier, but you didn't return my call. Someone's picking me up in five minutes. Will you be okay?"

"Since when do you have business in South Korea?"

His eyebrows lifted as if to say he wasn't going to talk about this with a stranger present.

"See you in a few days." I walked down the hall with Kevin trailing behind me. I led him to my room and shut the door before pointing to the couch on the far side of the room. He walked over and sat down, watching closely as I pulled a silver lockbox from my desk drawer. After sifting through a stack of pictures, I handed him a few. I had just made prints from my 2009 memory card yesterday, thinking they might seem more real like this.