July 3, 2264
2115
As the shuttle came out of the vortex and banked towards Earth, Alison already has the computers scanning for the key locations that were listed on the Reader. Three different places, none of which were even located any where near each other. Local news feeds were already talking about major build ups in the New York , Chicago , and San Francisco areas of the United States
“Things aren’t looking too good right now in the key locations.” Alison stated as she was flipping through information at a high speed. “So far time doesn’t seem to be effected, but I wouldn’t trust things right now. There are people down there that seriously want to make a change, and the events down there aren’t going to stop them in the least. I’d wager that the people down there would just add fuel to the fire.”
Alex looked at the potential landing spots and realized that it wouldn’t work that way. “We’re going to have to transport down there all at once, other wise to do anything else would take way too long, and we seriously don’t have the time for that.” Alex told them.
Peter was already working the computer to trigger up the transport for energy send off. “The system is up and running. Who ever will go last, will get the shuttle, but at the same time, will have to do a slight delay to get off the shuttle.” Peter stated.
“I’m taking the shuttle and sending you two off. Alison, you’re going to be taking Chicago San Francisco New York San Francisco
“Done.” Peter said. Getting up, Peter headed over to the back where Alex had appeared during the TAR example. “Ready.”
Alex tapped a few controls, and hit the command button. “Transporting.”
Peter vanished in a silver column of energy leaving nothing behind.
“Alison, you’re up.” Alex said, as he jumped the shuttle into Earth Warp speed getting over to Chicago
Alison got up and walked over to the same place that Peter had just been standing. “Ready.”
Once again, Alex entered the same commands and hit the command button. “Transporting.”
Just as before with Peter, Alison vanished as well in a silver column of energy leaving nothing behind her.
Soon as that was done, Alex again punched the shuttle into Earth Warp and headed for New York
Alison has been transported to the roof of a building that the shuttle had been passing over. The moment that she had fully appeared, she saw the shuttle disappear in a wink as Alex had kicked in the Earth Warp and headed for New York
Peter had been transported to street level and hadn’t gotten to see the shuttle head off towards Chicago
Alex smiled at what he heard. “I’ll explain later as to why it’s done this way, but you’re right Peter, we should’ve done it the other way instead. However I didn’t write the book.” Alex told them as he continued running down the stairs. “Damn, why in the world did this building have to have the first door from the roof several levels down instead of one?” Alex griped as he finally came to a door leading out of the stair well.
Opening the door he saw a corridor that was grey and only had doors to either side. “Great, looks like I stepped right into a fucking bad dream.” He stated as he drew his Plasma gun and started heading down the corridor.
Alison had already arrived at the first level from the roof and was amazed at what she was seeing. “Well I’m in a building that at least has glass in it, though it looks like something out of a bad twentieth century movie. However the one thing that I find really strange is that there is nothing here. No equipment or anything, it’s just a plain floor with glass for walls and that’s it.” Alison noted.
Once she got to the other side where the other door was located, she opened it and walked through. She found her self in a foyer area, and noticed that there was a desk set up in front of a set door where the elevators were located. “Ok, this is different.” Alison stated as she walked over to the desk.
There was someone seated at the desk, but at the same time, the person hadn’t even noticed Alison yet. “Ah hello.” She said as she waved at the person. Still nothing. “Ah guys, this is really strange right here. I’m looking at someone seated at a desk, but the person isn’t even looking at me, even when I said hello.” Alison told them.
Walking around the side of the desk where an opening to the back was at, Alison reached for the person, only to discover that the person wasn’t really there. “Holy crap!” Alison exclaimed. “Damned thing’s a hologram.”
Peter smiled at what he was picturing in his mind. He had a feeling that it would be but didn’t want to say anything for wanting to get Alison’s reaction. Looking around, he saw that he was now in a totally different area of the city. Looking down at the Note-Reader, he saw that he was really close. Using the GPS locator, he saw where the location was going to be at, and didn’t like it too much. “Oh man…why me?” He asked himself. “At least it seems like you both are right in the middle of buildings, but what do I get, I get the San Francisco Art District
Looking down at his Note-Reader, Peter checked out what was going to be happening, and the more and more that he read, he liked the situation less and less. “Is there any chance at all that I can switch with one of you?” Peter asked.
Alex had just opened the door to the location that he was going to be hitting and the area lead right outside to another plaza area. It was much the same as Peter’s. “Peter if what I’m thinking is right here, I pretty much doubt that any of us is going to be switching.” Alex stated as he watched the military units rolling in. “I believe that once Alison gets to her location, it’s also going to be a plaza area as well.” Alex said.
Peter was wondering if Alex had been reading his Note-Reader. “Just wondering, are you reading your Note-Reader?” He asked.
“Nope. The tech that’s going to be introduced to the people that would be staying with the government till the riots happened was shown in plazas.” Alex told them.
Alison was now looking at her target area. “You know, I really don’t think that I’m going to be able to handle this. I mean this is way the hell out of my league.” Alison said in almost a near panic.
The last thing that Alex needed was someone in a panic. “Alison, listen to me, you will be able to handle everything just fine. The ones that we’re going to be going up against will be trying to take down the government in the worst way that they can.” Alex told her as he was heading deep into the crowd of people. “All you need to do is look for someone that looks to be out of place. Someone that is trying to look like they belong yet they also know that they don’t and will be looking for the type of people that they want to avoid, and that would be us. Nine times out of ten, the ones that I’m usually going after always take off running when they see a Time Tracker homing in on them. They stick out that badly.” Alex told her.
“Well that’s good to know since I have a feeling that if they’re in contact like us, they might just trigger the whole thing even sooner.” Peter stated as he ran after the guy that had just what Alex had described.
Alex realized what was going on. “Peter, report, what’s going on over there?” He asked.
“Two seconds walking into the crowd I spotted the guy and he started running. I picked him out because of some of the tech gear that he was wearing wasn’t standard for being made during this time period.” Peter said as he rounded a bend and almost ran head long into a dumpster that had been pushed into his way. “Son of a bitch.” He stated as he went around and noticed that the guy had picked up a few friends. “Ok, if this is how you’re going to want to play it.” He said as he took out a piece of head gear and put it on. “Alex, I hate to say this, but I need to run the Avatar program with your help.” Peter said as he got ready to activate the unit.
* * *
Alex couldn’t believe what Peter was asking for, and right in the middle of a mission. “Peter, this isn’t exactly the time for that.” Alex told him. “What in the hell would you need that for anyway?” Alex asked him.
Peter looked at the guys that were moving around him. “I’m currently surrounded by several men, about ten of them to be exact, and I need your help if I’m to defeat them and continue on with the mission.” Peter explained.
That froze Alex right in place. Something wasn’t sounding right by that, why would Peter become surrounded by that many at one time. “Hold on, I’ll plug in and check out what you’re seeing here.” Alex stated as he jogged over to an alley that was not only dark but also out of the way. Plugging him self into his own avatar program, an energy band field came over his eyes and his world became that of what Peter was seeing, and the picture wasn’t good. “Holy shit, what the hell have you gotten your self into Peter?” Alex asked.
Peter now had no control over his own body motor functions at all. What he saw, Alex now saw. “As you can see, the odds are not at all in our favor.” Peter stated.
Alex grinned. “Please, this is a cake walk for me. You should see the advanced training vids I’ve made for the martial arts fighters. I’ve taken on five times this many before, which means that you’ll also be able to do it with my help of course.” Alex told Peter.
The first one came in fast from the front and Alex gave him a quick mid level kick doubling the guy over, and right then everyone jumped in all at once. Alex could tell that they didn’t care if they hurt Peter or themselves. Alex knew that it was time to make sure that these guys felt their own pain, so about a second before they all made contact with Peter, Alex jumped straight up and flipped over backwards out of their immediate reach. However Alex wasn’t content to just let them come back at them, instead he turned things back on them and jumped right into a free for all fight, with feet and fists flying at such speeds that one couldn’t see to keep up.
Peter was amazed at the things that Alex was making him do. “I take it that you’re trying to end this fast?” Peter asked.
“They want a fight, I’m giving them one and making sure that they feel the pain that they were about to give to you instead. I’m turning everything back on them.” Alex explained.
The fight didn’t last long, since shortly after it had started, a few drew weapons that Alex took from them and used back on them. The entire fight from start to full finish lasted a grand total of two minutes exact with both the speed and the weapons that had been used. Leaving Peter standing there alone.
Alex disconnected the avatar programs and looked back towards the plaza that he was going to head right back into. “Now quit looking at them like an idiot and get back to the mission at hand, we need to stop these guys and fast, and I have a strong feeling that they were a delaying tactic that was trying to prevent us from getting these guys. Too bad they don’t know what they’re really up against.” Alex stated as he headed back into the plaza to head right to the main source of the tech riots for his area.
Peter instead of heading further into the alley that he had walked into with the trap, he headed back into the plaza and up to the stand that held the tech that would be part of the spark needed for the riots. Walking up to the stand, Peter had never seen anything like it before, but then when the riots had started up, everything about this piece of tech had been deemed classified by the military for national security reasons, even in his own time period the information was still under lock and key.
“Holy crap, you’ve got to be kidding me.” Peter stated as he looked at the full unit that had been set up. “Do you guys know what this means, that’s the first version, the prototype.”
Alison had been looking at it for a while now and still didn’t understand as to what in the world she was looking at. “Peter do you mind clueing the rest of us in as to what this thing happens to be?” Alison asked.
“Peter do not say a thing, and that’s an order.” Alex ordered as he looked at the unit that had been set up. “Sorry Alison, but Peter and I both know what that is and we also know that it’s what’s going to be setting off the riots, but our mission continues to remain the same, we need to find the…” Alex had spotted one of the guys from the report and knew what they were intending. “I’ve got one of them insight.” He stated as he began walking over to the guy.
Once Alex got over to him, he took out his plasma gun and poked the muzzle right into the guys back. Alex heard a chuckle from the guy. “I was wondering when you would show up officer.” The guy stated as he turned around to face Alex. “By the way, if you think that I’m here to change history the way that you think, you couldn’t be more wrong on that.”
Alex looked the guy right in the eyes. “Guy Lispmen, just what exactly are you planning on doing, if you’re not trying to start a war here?” Alex asked Guy.
Guy smiled. “I’m here to take it. Right now in our own time, there are forces at work that are planning something that will be bigger then the attacks of September 11 2001, only this time instead of a location on a planet being effected, it’s going to be a huge effect on time, and there’s not going to be a damned thing you and the rest of the Time Trackers will be able to do about it.” Guy stated.
Alex looked over Guy’s shoulder towards the device and noticed that there were a couple of men that were walking towards what was in history known as the first prototype energy transport unit. Alex knew that he couldn’t let them do anything to it, or to take it. “I don’t know what you’re planning with it, but you’re not going to do a damned thing with it.” Alex stated, not really knowing right then how he was going to handle things.
Guy looked Alex right in the eyes and smiled a smile so wicked, it was like he was reading Alex’s mind right then. “No, I doubt that you’re going to be doing anything at all. After all your main mission is to preserve time, not change it at all in any way or form. So I honestly believe that you’re going to let us walk right out of here.” Guy stated.
Alex’s mind was racing trying to figure out what in the world to do, and that’s when it came to him. Looking down at his crono, he noticed that it was time for the riots to start, and yet they weren’t, that was his key, the riots. “Alison, how did the riots start?” Alex asked as he watched Guy smile once more at him.
Alison couldn’t believe that he had just asked that question. “It was a shot that had been fired at the officers guarding the units…” Alison said as it slowly dawned on her. “Wait a minute; you’re not saying what I think you’re saying.”
* * *
Alex looked from Guy to the guards standing near the unit. “We’re the ones that set off the riots; it was to prevent the ones that are currently trying to take it from taking it in the first place.” Alex stated, as he watched the smile slowly melt away from Guy’s face.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Alex raised his Plasma gun and pointed it towards a guard at the unit. “Please, you said it yourself, I make sure that time stays the way that it should. Peter, Alison, shoot one of the guards.” Alex said as he pulled the trigger and fired off a shot nailing the guard and catching the attention of the other guards that pulled their gun and stopped Guy’s friend from taking the unit.
The cascade effect was triggered and the riots were starting as everyone around them got caught up in the mayhem and started going completely nuts around the place. Alex pushed around the people to make his way over to the unit, but he also noticed that the other guards had also gotten caught in the free for all and were now down. Guy’s men were making their way slowly over to the unit and were now trying to get to it before Alex could. Alex knew that he had to get their first; he had to guard against them getting it to make sure that they didn’t make off with it for their own plans.
“Give it up Tracker, even if you stop us here, we will succeed in the end, and our plans will come together, and there is nothing that you can do to stop it.” Guy shouted.
Alex was just about there and knew that if he could get to the unit first, he could be able to save it. Just as he made it to the unit, Alex saw Guy and his men there as well with weapons out and pointed right at him. “You know that in the end you’ll end up right where everyone else ends up.” Alex told them.
Guy smiled at Alex once again. “You really are the naive one aren’t you? This isn’t about you or proving that we’re better then the Time Trackers, no this is a lot larger picture. Those earlier hits were a test that was proven all to well. We know how you work and we’re now prepared against it and anything else that you might come up with.” Guy said as his men picked up the unit and stepped back. “After all, in time, history will prove to us in the end what the mighty Time Trackers are really like in the end; they are the same as all the rest of the time police through out history. Question now remains, will you follow us into time and try to stop us. After all you don’t know where we will strike next, it’s out of your hands, since you can’t see us any more. Find us if you can Tracker.” Guy yelled as him and his men vanished in a column of energy that Alex saw was an energy transport effect from his own time period.
“Shit.” Alex stated as he noticed that there was nothing else that he could do here. “I suspect that the rest of you had the same luck as I did, and that the riots are in fully swing around the both of you. Find a hidden spot and return back to the shuttle, we need to get the hell out of here. We lost this battle, but we did pick up information as well, and we need to piece it all together.” Alex said as he headed for a nearby alley.
Once in the mouth of the alley, Alex looked around and noticed that everyone else that was around was dealing with the riot that had started up. Well at least it’s not a war. Alex thought as looked further into the alley and didn’t see anyone. Uncovering the TAR, Alex hit the red button and saw the confirmation in the bars. Alex started jogging towards the back of the alley, he started feeling the pull that the energy field created and noticed the distortions as the air bent around him. Once he had gone into the energy field enough, he was through and into the shuttle that he had parked on the top of the roof. Alison and Peter were already there.
“News coverage shows the riot all over the country, no one here was expecting anything of this level for a riot, but it’s not being considered a war.” Alison told Alex.
Alex sat down in the pilot’s seat and started working the controls. “Any change in the history of the riots at all, anything from our database at all?” He asked.
Alison accessed the history database and looked up the Tech Riots. “There’s nothing listed about a Tech War, only a Tech Riot. History remains the same.” Alison told him.
Alex breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing had been changed, but in fact something had been changed, the prototype energy transport had been stolen. “Strap in, we’re heading home.” Alex told them as he gunned the shuttle and headed into space.
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