Scars Of Time

Time Drift

New York

March 13, 1895

The team, dressed in appropriate clothing, walked together down the boulevard of New York's Fifth Avenue. Wyatt asked, "So, how much time are we talking about before the fire takes place?"

Mason shrugged. "It's hard to say," he explained. "All I remember is that he had been working on several experiments but lost it all in that fire."

Lucy nodded, chiming in, "They said that it started in the basement but it spread so quickly that it engulfed the whole building. His lab was set up on the fourth floor. It came crashing down into the second floor."

"That's one hell of a fire," Rufus commented.

"Okay," Wyatt began. "So, it burns fast...which building is it?"

Rufus, Lucy, and Wyatt had continued walking, but Mason had stopped dead in his tracks. When the other three noticed that he wasn't behind them anymore, they turned to address him.

Mason's eyes were glued to the people across the street at a cafe on the corner. Wyatt turned his attention back to Mason. "What's up?" he asked.

Mason raised his eyebrows momentarily. "That's him...In the flesh..."

The three turned back to the cafe's crowd. Lucy's smile started to form across her lips as she finally saw who Mason was seeing.

Sitting at a table in front of the cafe had been Nikola Tesla. He sat there, staring off into space, seemingly distracted. A couple of people had tried to speak to him, but he didn't seem to hear them. Whatever was on his mind seemed to take up all of his attention.

Wyatt nudged Mason. "Let's go talk to him."

"What? Now?" Mason asked. "I don't think that's-"

"It's why we're here," Wyatt reminded him. "All you have to do is start talking to him."

Hesitatingly, Mason started over towards him. Just as he neared the famed inventor, another man stopped at his table. Mason paused for a moment, listening in to their conversation.

"Mr. Tesla?" the man began. "Are you all right, sir?"

Tesla blinked up at the man. "I'm sorry, but I'm not very pleasant company to be around right now."

"Why is that, sir?" the man asked, sitting down at the table without an invitation.

"I almost died today," Tesla admitted. He still seemed almost shaken.

"What happened?" the man asked, pulling out a small notebook from his coat pocket.

Tesla glanced down at the paper, sighing. "Reporter?"

The man nodded. "I hope that's not a problem?"

Tesla sighed again, running a hand through his hair. "If it had not been for my assistant, I would have been killed today," he continued. "He had shut off the experiment that had sent a three-foot spark of electricity at me."

"Oh my!" the reporter gasped. "That sounds quite horrific!"

Tesla held the man's stare. "I'm sorry, but I'm just not interested in speaking any more about this."

"Of course," the reporter stated, standing up from the table. He continued scribbling the notes into his notebook before leaving.

Mason watched the reporter for a moment before stepping towards Tesla. "Mr. Tesla?"

Tesla slammed his fist on the table. "What now?"

"Sorry to disturb you, sir," Mason replied. "I overheard part of your story to that reporter."