Chapter One

“I’m very fascinated by them you know. Their little tentacles and the way they move. They really are fascinating. Amazing things they really are. And to think they don’t even have a brain.” Emily forced a smile as she ate a bite of her sushi. She hated sushi. She hated the tank of little blue jellyfish. She hated dating websites. Tony was handsome but she wasn’t sure his looks could ever make up for the last hour he had spent rattling off about jellyfish. He also talked with food in his mouth. She could see that he was obviously nervous but not in a first date sort of way, more like ‘I want to grab my microscope and examine every inch of that specimen but I don’t want to seem rude” nervous. He hardly looked away from the floating fish as he slurped at his clams. Perhaps seafood wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Emily thought of the last few months and each date she had been on. There was the weirdo who said ‘dude’ a lot and smelled like hot dogs. He had taken her to a carnival, which had seemed sort of romantic until he got held up with one of the female game people.

Then there was the one who had black hair and nails and wore more eyeliner than she did that took her to a concert that left her with a headache for two days, and then the guy who took her to a nice restaurant, only to ditch her with the bill after she turned down his advances. And the one before this one had taken her to the public library, which she didn’t mind, except he sat and read silently across from her, apparently engrossed in his fantasy world of Tolkien.

Tony was now fidgeting as he tried to carry on a conversation. She felt sorry for him. Who was she to keep a man from his passion? She put her hand to her head. “I’m so sorry Tony, but I don’t think the sushi is agreeing with me,” she said, expertly making up an excuse to escape. “Perhaps we could reschedule?” she asked, gathering her purse and coat. She pulled out her half of the bill and placed it on the table.

“Of course, I’ll help you to your car,” he said politely, though somewhat letdown, probably because he was leaving his precious jellyfish.

“No I think I can make it thank you though.”

He nodded, standing up. He offered for her to shake his hand. She did and walked toward the door. She opened it, letting to cold winter air take her breath away. She looked up at the starry sky of Glens Falls, New York before she walked to her old car. She kicked the door open, since that’s the only way it’d budge. She prayed it’d start as the key cranked the engine, finally coaxing it to roar to life. She kissed the steering wheel.

It took her all of ten minutes to get to her apartment. She walked up the lonely steps, passing doors with music blaring behind them, children crying, and people fighting. She sighed as she unlocked her brown, chipped paint door. She dropped her keys and purse on the table by the door. She kicked off her wasted heels as she flicked on the light. She stared at her one bedroom apartment, bare and lonely.

Perhaps it was a sign. First her mother left, pawning her off on her aunt Trish when she was ten. Trish had been a friend but eventually disappeared one day when Emily had turned eighteen, leaving a note that gave a bank account number and how to access it. There had been a tiny fortune, enough to pay for her college if she worked part time to pay the bills. She had decided to become a psychologist, and now worked as a mental health evaluator at the Glens Falls State Hospital. Now that she had graduated May it seemed like she only attracted crazy people. She sighed as she spooned chocolate ice cream out of the tub. She stared blankly at the wooden floor as she ate away her loneliness, though she would regret it tomorrow at the gym.

“Beep! Beep! Beep!” the alarm clock screamed at her. She smacked it, making it fall onto the floor. She sighed as she put on Beethoven, undressed, and took a cold shower since the apartment manager hadn’t fixed the hot water yet. She dried off, shivering. She could see her breath. She moaned, walking over to the small space heater. The light wasn’t on. She banged on it, trying to make it work. She hurried up and got dressed into her black pants with the matching jacket, an outfit that made her look professional. She wore a dark green silk shirt underneath the black suit jacket. Her blow dryer wouldn’t work so she clipped up her wet red hair. She grabbed her black heels and slipped them on, wishing fuzzy slippers were fashionable.

When she walked into the tiny kitchen she opened the fridge, grabbing the last yogurt. She made a note to go shopping as she noticed something different about her fridge. It took her a moment to realize that it was the light. It had gone out. She made a mental note to check for a new bulb when she looked at the stove. The little green clock wasn’t there. She froze, with a spoonful of yogurt halfway to her mouth. She ran to the calendar on the other side of the fridge. “No no no no!” she gritted her teeth. She had forgotten to pay the light bill. She tried all of the lights, just to be sure. She smacked her forehead. “Idiot!” she whispered. She grabbed her cell phone, typing in the web address to Glens Falls Electric Company. She paid her overdue bill, which cost twenty-five extra dollars due to the late fee. She grabbed her purse and keys and headed back down the stairs, hoping the day would get better.

Glens Falls State Hospital was tiny. Not even fifty patients. Her job was to sit and talk with each of them once a week to determine their mental health. Most of them didn’t talk except through pictures or pointing to words on a page. Some of them could be violent and some just sit there blankly, as if you weren’t there. She felt sorry for all of them and she tried to help where she could. She walked up to the red brick building, sipping her card. She was thankful for the heat that welcomed her as she took off her coat and walked to her office, greeting the receptionists. Her office was small, big enough for her desk and two other chairs to fit comfortably. She sat and opened her email. ‘New patient needs evaluated ASAP! Police have called twice already. I need that report!’ Her boss’s email surprised her. She had done evaluations for the police before but they had never been this desperate. She grabbed her clipboard, and walked back out, heading for the receptionist. She asked for the persons file and flipped through it.

“Thomas, Jackson A.
Age 25
Height 5’10”
Hair Blonde/Brown
Eyes Blue


Claims he is a time traveler hired by a secret government organization.”

That was all the report said, except for a whole lot of blacked out stuff. She reread it before closing it. She had heard worse. Her heels clicked as she walked down the hall to room 53. She straightened her jacket as she saw two police officers guarding the door. She showed them her ID and they passed glances before letting her inside. She looked at the man in blue jeans and a white shirt as he lay on his bed, facing the ceiling. He was surprisingly handsome. He didn’t look like he was crazy. “Hello, I’m Dr. Smith. I’m here to do your mental evaluation.” He flicked a look at the officer standing beside her with his hand on his gun. She hesitated, wondering what this man had done. “Um officer, would you mind leaving for a moment?” He looked like he was about to protest. “I’ll be fine, right Mr. Thomas?” the man nodded, without looking at her. The officer glared at him before leaving. “Now, Mr. Thomas,” She said, looking at her list of questions.

“You can call me Jack,” he said with a very thick English accent. She stared at him as he sat up, smiling at her unsettlingly big.

“Okay, Jack,” She said, “Where are you from?” He was still smiling, rather, grinning now.

“I was born and raised in London, Dr. Smith. Now that isn’t fair is it? Here I am, on a first name basis with you, and you haven’t told me yours yet.”

She stared at him, knowing he would be difficult. “It’s Ruby,” she lied. His grin got even bigger.

“No it isn’t. I met a Ruby once. She wasn’t anything like you.”

“Jack, do you have any family, parents, brothers or sisters specifically?”

“Not until you tell me your name,” he crossed his arms, laying back down on his bed.

Emily sighed. “Emily, my names Emily.”

He smiled again, but just slightly. “I knew an Emily once,” he said quietly, looking at her thoughtfully.

“Your family, Mr. Thomas,” she said, impatient now.

“I have two living parents, two brothers, one older one younger, and one sister, younger.”

She wrote that down, also noting he had no trouble talking about them, so there must not be conflict. “Are you married, Mr. Thomas?”

“Shouldn’t we at least go for dinner before your asking me questions like that?” he winked.

“I prefer to know if my dates are married first,” she looked at him, serious.
“What did you do to get arrested?”

“I hit a person,” he said, as if it was ordinary to get arrested for such things.

“Why would you be arrested for hitting a person?” she asked, confused.

“You didn’t ask why,” he looked at his fingers before going on. “The person also happened to be a policeman.”

“Why did you hit him?”

“Because he tried to stop me,” he said, still looking at his fingernails. She rolled her eyes.

“Why did he try to stop you?”

“From shooting the Secretary of Defense,” he said, still studying his fingernails, as if he was board.

Emily gasped. She pulled out her phone, typing in ‘secretary of defense’. She covered her mouth as she read the headline. “Secretary of Defense shot and killed this morning getting out of his vehicle by a bystander. Authorities have apprehended the shooter. They have not released any information at this time.”

Jack smiled as if he were proud of himself. Emily was shaking slightly now, and asked the first question that came to her tongue, “Why? Why did you shoot him?”

“Because he was a disgusting man and was getting ready to leave for Washington, where he was going to order the murder of the Russian, Chinese, North Korean, and UN ambassadors.”

“Why would he do that?” she asked, starting to freaking out.

“Uh… shouldn’t a psychologist be able to figure out that on her own?” she thought about it for a moment.

“If what you say is true,”

“It is,” he interrupted.

“Then he wanted to start a war. Another world war…” her voice was carried away by her thoughts.

“Bingo! The cute red head is smarter than she looks!”

“How did you know he was planning that? And don’t you dare say it was because you are from the future,” she spat.

“Fine, I wasn’t going to say that anyway. I’m actually from the past,” he said, winking.

“Oh, and the government has you employed and they ordered you to kill the United States Secretary of Defense?” she stepped closer to him, “Tell me the truth or so help me you will spend the rest of your life in prison,” he stood up to tower above her. She was only inches from a killer. She held her breath as his grin reached his blue eyes, but then dropped. He knew she was thinking he wanted to plead insane. She would mark him as sane. One side of his mouth went up in a grin, “Sounds to me you already know the truth Sweetheart,” he whispered. She opened her mouth to say something but she heard a commotion outside the door. The guards were talking to someone. “Sorry but I’m afraid your time’s up. It was nice chatting with you and all, and perhaps you’ll see me soon,” he winked as he picked up a leather jacket that was hanging over the chair. The door opened and she saw two men dressed in black suits and black sunglasses push past the guards. She was speechless as they escorted him out and down the hall without handcuffs or anything. He walked cockily the whole way. She clenched her fists as she went the opposite way, towards her office.

She put on her coat and walked into the front lobby, where the five o’clock news was on. She paused to watch.

“In the early hours of today, November sixteenth, the Secretary of Defense Keller was shot and killed by an unknown gunman. Police say the shot was fired when Secretary Keller stepped out of his vehicle after it stopped on the crowded street of the airport. There were no other bystanders harmed but police say the officer closest to the shooter was hit in the face when he attempted to stop the shooting. The officer has already been released from the hospital with minor injuries.

At one o’clock the President of the United States addressed the public with more information,” the screen cut to a clip of the president sitting in the oval office. “The gunman, who I won’t name at this time, gave us creditable information about Secretary Keller when he was apprehended. After we looked into his accusations we found that Secretary Keller had exchanged emails with several people, who will remain unnamed on a secret server about assassinating several foreign ambassadors in an attempt to create war. The ambassadors assured me that these countries will not retaliate. Thank you, and God Bless,” the screen went back to the reporter. “The world is shocked by this revelation and it makes us wonder, who this hero vigilante is?” it cut to the weather as Emily walked outside.

She was half way across the parking lot before she noticed the sound of footsteps behind her. She turned around to see familiar blonde hair and blue eyes that reflected the cocky grin on his face. She rolled her eyes, turning to walk to her car. He grabbed her arm and she swung her purse around, hitting him in the head. He let go as he doubled over, grabbing the side of his head. She continued walking as she heard him yell, “Bloody Hell! What do you have in that thing?” She ignored him, as she got to her car. She kicked at the door but it wouldn’t budge. She heard him jog over to her.

“Leave me alone, you psychopath!” she yelled as she walked around to the other side of the car.

“Just wait one minute will you?” he asked, reaching her car and placing his hand on the passenger door that she tried to open.

“Move, before I call the cops,” she said, even though she knew they had no authority over this man. She didn’t look at him but she could imagine the grin on his face.

“Please! I’m sorry I was such a jerk in there! But I was kinda afraid for my life,” she finally glared at his pleading face.

“Tell me the truth,” she said, crossing her arms. He rolled his eyes. She shook her head and tried to force the door open despite his arm holding it shut.

“Fine! I’m not a time traveler. I’m just an agent of the CIA. A very valuable one,” he said, willing her to believe him.

“Why didn’t you just say that earlier?” she asked, yelling now. If there was one thing she hated, it was people wasting her time for something stupid, like he was right now.

“I,” he started, looking for words, “I was full of myself and on a roll, so I said to myself, eh why not?”

She stared at him, her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide. She shook her head and swung her purse again, this time hitting him in the stomach. He doubled over as she opened the door. “Will you quit that?” he shouted as she slammed the door and locked it. She climbed over the consol and jammed the key into the ignition. It turned over a few times before roaring to life. She sped off, looking in the rearview mirror once to see Jack with hands on hips, slightly bent as if he was out of breath.