Yes! I have returned! Faster then a J.K. Rowling, but significantly slower than a bullet :( I'm afraid I got a bit carried away with this chapter, so it doesn't focus as much on Laura as I originally intended to. Anyway, thank you again people for the lovely reviews. Of course the more the merrier, and the more likely I am to remember to update ;)
But yes, the real reason you still here, Chapter 4!
"Could you run that by me again?" Laura said.
"I was the one who brought you here when you were not longer safe in your old home. It was perhaps the hardest thing that I have ever had to do, but it was necessary. It wasn't until I did such a deed that I realised how fundamental your survival and relocation was to the creation of Utopia."
Laura's look incredulity remained as the man's brought nothing but more confusion.
"Utopia? As in the perfect society? Look, as great as that would be, it's impossible, and has nothing to do with my adoption!" Laura countered.
"Ah! But you see it has everything to do with your adoption. I am what you might call a very close friend of your family – your biological family – and in the light of such a crisis as yours, the assistance of myself and my time machine were needed."
Finally Laura had reached her limit. She'd tried so hard to forget about the knowledge of her adoption and this lunatic was rubbing it in her face relentlessly. She needed to get him out of the house and quickly. If her parents came home, she couldn't bear the thought of how much this would upset her mother, or enrage her father.
"I've heard enough. You're not H.G. Wells. Utopia is impossible. And time machines do not exist! Now get out of my home!" Laura growled, having marched within an inch of Wells' passive face.
"What if I prove it to you? Then I can show you my problem." Wells offered kindly.
He could understand the girl's reluctance, especially if she had never experience any of her awesome gifts before, but it was imperative that she listened to his story.
"Say what? Prove it?"
"Yes, I'll show you my time machine. It would be best if we could go outside though."
Laura snorted, "What, you got a Delorian parked out front?"
"No actually, it's in my pocket, but here is not an ideal space for what I have in mind."
The office was shrouded in shadows. Even the desk lamp made a pitiful attempt at illumination in the dimness. A lone figure was seated casually behind a desk with the hand set of a phone placed demurely to the side of his head. The sharp gleam in his eyes belied his self-effacing visage.
"Are you sure this line is secure?" An apprehensive voice from the ear piece whispered.
The man leaned back in his chair and answered in a drawling English accent, "Of course, but I assure you, I'm the only one you should be worried about if you do not have the results you promised me…"
He only just heard the harsh intake of breath from the other end of the line, but grinned to himself in pleasure none the less.
"You have to understand, I'm in an awkward position here. If anybody asks what I'm doing…" the voice quivered.
"Yes, yes. I'm well aware of your situation, but you are being well compensated for it, are you not? Be creative, or better yet use some initiative. I'm certain most of your people are replaceable…"
"What are you suggesting?" The voice replied in horror.
"I leave that to you to decide. Now do I need to make myself any clearer? Have the tests been a success or not?" The figure snapped at the mouth piece.
"It depends on your definition of success. Your copies of Hamilton's research are sketchy at best, but I have managed to make some headway. The reproduced cells have done better than expected, but as far as the accelerated growth is concerned… The process is unstable. Once the subject reaches maturation, well apoptosis accelerates along with growth, so the subject deteriorates rapidly. I can give a wonderful sample of the Junior model, but Senior has been put on hold…"
The man scowled with displeasure, "That is disappointing. What about neurological replication?"
The voice took a moment before answering, knowing he was in a dangerous position with or without his next piece of information.
"As I said when you contacted me, it's not specifically my area of expertise, but even it is was, I'd wager than what your asking for is virtually impossible. As yet I haven't had access to the equipment needed to run the scans, and without previous neurological mapping to compare it to, I can neither confirm nor deny the possibility. From what I can see, Hamilton's success was casual, not genetic. I doubt the fully matured subjects would survive long enough to even give a clear reading either."
It was a moment before the figure answered again, "… I am not happy. I was assured you could give me results. If the situation does not improve dramatically, I may be forced to seek out alternative means, and you of course understand what would mean for you…"
"No! I'm trying, really I am! It's just taking time. You have to realise, this kind of research it years ahead of it's time. If I can't figure this out, I can guarantee no one else on the planet can either. Just give me one more chance!" The voice begged.
"You have one week. I expect far more promising news by then. Goodnight."
The man hung up the phone, cutting short the panic stricken spluttering on the other end. He growled in aggravation and slouch uncharacteristically in his chair. Hand to his forehead, he sighed.
"A successful subject is paramount to the plan. There must be someway of utilizing the formula, but how? There must be a missing component or stage in the process, but where?"
At hearing the faintest of shuffles, the man spun round with a pistol already trained on the intruder. It was impossible to enter or exit this office without his knowledge, thus he already knew this stranger was not to be underestimated.
The intruder, with brown hair and strange clothes, stepped into the dim light surrounding the desk, grinning manically. He held his hands up in mock surrender and regarded the man before him.
"Not where, Nigel…" Tempus took another step forward, "but when?"
Nigel St John, with schooled features, lowered the gun and leaned forward in curiosity.
Laura and Wells were stood in the middle of the front yard of the Fielding's family home. The signs of dusk were beginning to touch the sky and Laura was anxious to be rid of this particular annoyance.
"Alright old man, so where's this fabled time machine of yours?" Her impatience was made even more obvious by her pose. Hips to the side and arms crossed over her chest, she has the potential of being a fierce and imposing woman someday.
"Well it's more of a time device actually. I decided to upgrade after some embarrassing incidents with my previous machine!" Wells chuckled to himself.
Laura rolled her eyes quite obviously now.
"Yes quite, well here goes!" He piped.
From the remote in his hand, only slightly bigger than her own cell phone, Laura saw flashing lights, blinking colours and a strange warping effect in the surrounding air. From it grew what appeared to be some kind of window pulsing and shimmering in the waning light. The window seemed to reach a point of stability and palpitated in rhythm before the girl and the Time Traveler.
She had to hand it to him, if this was a hoax; it was a damn good hallucination. Laura edged forward and reached out to test the surface. At a second thought she backed off cautiously.
"Don't worry my dear it's perfectly safe. Though I do urge haste, as it does not do to leave these windows open for too long…" Wells assured her.
Pulling her features into what she hoped was a defiant and determined looked, Laura charged through the window, swiftly followed by Wells.
My goodness, we finally left Laura's bedroom! Lol! And I promise, we will find out where Laura comes from in the next chapter (so long as I don't get distracted by exposition again... :S)
Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
XJaxX