Fargo North Dakota, June 27th 2006 12:32pm.
The 12 noon siren just quit as a half crazed man in his early 40s exited his riverside home into a well secured garage. He inhaled the smell of car fumes and water as he scanned the immediate area for unwelcome guests. Fidgeting nervously he reached into his pocket, removed a card and inserted it into a slot on the garage door. A smile came across his slightly graying face as he entered the building and quickly closed it behind him, peeking out the window, again looking for any other souls.
"Dam neighbors, thanks to this Mickey Mouse operation Bush calls an administration, nobody can trust anybody else, son of a bitch!" The man said has he flip a switch with sent a cascade of lights and sounds to life.
Music started playing, read-outs on screens and TVs splayed light on a canvas covered object, as the man punched in a code on a hidden keypad on his work table.
"I think today is the day, today is the day!" He said with delight as he pulled back the canvas to reveal a 1991 Saab 900s automobile.
He groped the sides and ran his hand along its strange additions. The silver finish reflected his form in distorted colors. Clearing his throat he removed a small tape recorder from his pants pocket, pushed the button and began to talk.
"June 27th 2006 12:40pm. I Adam Peterson PhD am prepared for the first of what is hoped to be many field tests. Yesterday, I stayed up till 4am aligning the time ports and calibrating the temporal nozzles, and I feel that there is nothing left but for me to be the first human, in recorded history to travel through time. I have made all the arrangements and gave Dean Johnson notice of an extended vacation." Dr. Peterson said as he opened the driver's side door and jumped into the Saab.
"I have released now that all those years of wondering and suffering where now all worth it. Being trapped out here in the shit town, working in such a dysfunctional department has made it all possible. I will live a dream that only few have tried. If you hear this recording then I have succeed and am gone. I have taken my time machine and have left for a better time and place. Goodbye and God bless." He cleared his throat again, picked up a manila envelope that was resting in the seat next to him. He removed the tape from the recorder, dropped it in the envelope and threw it on the work table.
Closing the driver's door, Dr. Peterson buckled up, reached down between the seats and turned the motor of the SAAB on. Reaching for another ignition, he turned another set of keys which then turned gave way to a hum and all manor of readouts and screens came to life inside the car. Adam smiled as he turned around and read a screen.
"All systems nominal, flux transistor at 100, time ports awaiting input, Computerized Automated Time-Travel Entity ready for your command." A high pitched female voice said.
"Thank you CATE, open the garage doors." Dr. Peterson said has he made himself conformable and put the car in neutral.
"Yes Dr. Peterson, Garage door open, awaiting next command." CATE said as Dr. Peterson pulled out of the garage.
The Saab from far away or even up-close looked like any other Saab. Thanks to the spacious interior and large hatch back most of the time travel components and the fission reactor where safely nestled inside the car behind a lead wall. With the exception of the temporal nozzles and the outward aerials of the flux transistor on the rear side of the frame, none would ever see this as anything more than another foreign car. Adam sadly looked into his left rear view mirror has he pulled away from his house. The place where he spent so many years working and hiding. He would miss its broken in feel and security.
"I don't need it where I'm going." He said as he rounded his block, put the Saab in 3rd and headed north out of town.
Adam trembled with excitement as he took the Harwood exit off north I-29. It was literally in the middle of nowhere. He knew that out here, with the exception of a few cows, or maybe a grain-elevator nobody would witness the machine in action. Turning onto a long run of country road, Adam cleared his throat.
"CATE, activate Time ports, bring the core on-line and prepare for temporal bend." Adam said as he slowed the car down and came to a stop.
"Affirmative Dr. Peterson all system nominal, core at -10 degrees and stable, ready for temporal displacement." CATE said as the Y shaped flux transistor came to life with sparks of electricity.
Reaching under his seat Adam removed a CD and inserted it into the player. He pushed the clutch in and push the gas and sent the car flying down the road as the half-crazed sound of a tenor sax filled the interior.
"CATE, sent time ports to June 28th 12:45 pm 2006." Adam yelled over the music.
"Affirmative, time ports set." CATE said as the car sped past 65 mph.
Adam clinched his teeth. According to his calculations his Saab would have to reach above 90 mph to achieve temporal displacement. He hoped the Saab would hold.
The steering wheel started to shake as the speedometer reached 80 mph. Flashes of light and electricity surrounded Adam as CATE's voice outputs came to life.
"Now reaching temporal displacement in 3...2...1 brace for impact" CATE said has a bright flash over-took Adam.
For a second time stood still. Like a snake, bright blue energy crept its way up over the hood and over the cabin of the Saab. For a second everything was still, and a tunnel like structure was all around the time machine. A second later the Saab was flung into the bushes on the side of the road ahead of him. Throwing the car in neutral and slamming the brakes the foliage brought the Time Machine to a gentle but jarring stop.
"The local time is 12:45pm June 28 2006." CATE voice said as Dr. Peterson flung open his door.
Amazed He jumped out of the car and observed hissing melting ice all over the exterior of the time machine. Turning around he saw two large black burn-marks on the road behind him.
Looking around he quickly got back into the Saab, put it in gear and drove towards Fargo.