Time Riders

CHAPTER 47

2001, New York

Foster and Maddy watched the countdown on the computer screen. ‘Thirtyseconds,’ he announced.

Maddy nodded; she could see the display too. ‘And what if they miss this window aswell?’

‘We’ll deal with that when — if — itcomes to it.’

Maddy looked over her shoulder at the floor, an area cleared of cables and detritus with thefaint circle of chalk inscribed in the middle where Liam and Bob were — hopefully- going to materialize very soon. She was glad Foster had sent Sal out to sit in TimesSquare and observe. If she was here, she’d be worrying, interrupting, agitating…distracting. Foster already looked stressed enough as it was, without having to constantlyassure her Liam and Bob were going to be fine.

And what if they came back, Liam wounded… or worse?

Better that Sal was elsewhere right now.

‘Since they missed the other back-ups,’ she said, ‘something must havehappened to them. Right?’

‘We don’t know that for sure. Quite often I’ve missed a scheduled window ortwo on the missions I’ve been on,’ said Foster. ‘The unforeseen happens- that’s why we have several back-ups.’

‘But if they do miss this one…?’

He looked at the display.

Ten seconds.

‘If they miss this one, then we need to communicate a new rendezvous point tothem.’

She looked at him. ‘Communicate? How?’

‘It’s complicated. I’ll talk you through that later.’

She let out a breath. ‘So it’s not the end of the world, then? I thought…you know… I thought we’d lost them forever.’

Foster checked the phase interruption indicator; no sign of any shifting packets of densitywhere the extraction portal was due to open. That was good. The soldiers must have gone.

‘All right… here we go,’ he said.

The displacement machinery began to hum and the lights in the archway dimmed as all powerdiverted towards it. Then, across the floor from them a large sphere suddenly began toshimmer, and through the undulating air Maddy thought she could make out the dancing, twistingform of tree trunks.

‘Come on, Liam,’ whispered Maddy. ‘Move your butt.’

Foster swallowed anxiously. ‘Yes, get a move on.’

If they were there, they should step through immediately. Keeping a portal open unnecessarilywasn’t wise; a window on to chaotic dimensions in which anything could lurk… The sooner it was closed the better.

‘Come on!’ he uttered impatiently.

The sphere hovered, shimmered, glowing a soft blue in the flickering dimness of the archway.Foster glanced at the computer screen. The portal had been open ten seconds and a red cautionmessage had already begun flashing on the screen.

‘I have to close it,’ said Foster. ‘Any longer and we risk attracting aseeker. They’re not there.’

‘No!’ cried Maddy. ‘Let it stay open just a bit — ’

‘They’ve failed the rendezvous,’ snapped Foster. He hit the abort button onthe screen and instantly the sphere vanished, the hum of surging powerdiminished and the dimmed flickering ceiling lights grew bright once more.

‘Dammit, Foster, they might just have been running a bit late!’

‘There’s no running late, Madelaine. You’reeither there or you’re not. The window opens, and either they step through or theydon’t. I’m afraid there’s no leaving it open just to wait andsee.’

They sat in silence for a moment, staring out across the floor at the chalk circle, as ifhoping both Liam and Bob might still magically appear, Liam with a guilty expression on hisface for their rather late arrival.

‘So… OK. It’s not the end of the world, then,’ said Maddy, forcingherself to be businesslike. ‘You mentioned something about sending a message?’

Foster nodded. ‘That’s right. We need to send them details on a newtime-stamp… and perhaps we need to pick another location. Not too far away from thefirst location, but somewhere more discreet, less busy, I think would be better.’

Maddy pursed her lips. ‘And how exactly will they get this message?’

‘Tachyon transmission,’ he replied. ‘I’ll give you the technicalexplanation later… It’s complicated.’

She shrugged. ‘I can wait.’