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Chapter 13: If There's A Rocket, Tie Me To It
"From yesterday, it's coming
From yesterday, the fear
From yesterday, it calls him
But he doesn't want to read the message here"
-"From Yesterday" by 30 Seconds to Mars
Connor and Emily had been stuck in the alternate timeline for a little over a week. Emily seemed to be adapting to living in modern times, while Connor become more and more uncomfortable. He spent all of his time plotting and planning a way to get into Prospero to find out what Helen and Phillip were working on.
"If you manage to get into that building how are you going to know what you're looking for?" Emily asked sipping her tea.
"We'll know for sure when and if Abby and Matt can get the information I need to hack their systems." Connor explained, looking out at the city.
It seemed normal enough.
The threat of Prospero seemed like some fairytale. But with Helen involved, nothing was safe.
She caused this future, with Connor's help, and now he needed to undo it.
"We're back." Abby announced as the door closed and she and Matt came up the stairs into the living room.
"Did you guys manage to get any of it?" Connor asked standing.
"We didn't manage to get you a computer, because Phillip would notice if one had left the ARC; but we did manage to get a copy of the hard drive." Matt explained, handing the hard drive to Connor.
"Don't suppose you have a computer that I could use to go over these files?" Connor asked.
"Yeah, one with a secure line and everything." Matt explained.
"Thanks, I'll see if I can hack into in and find out what's going on." Connor replied, turning the hard drive over in his hands.
A few hours later, Connor was at work hacking into his alternate future's hard drive.
"Have you gotten in yet?" Emily asked, watching carefully.
"I'm having a bit of trouble with these last two firewalls." Connor admitted, not looking up from the laptop.
"No offense, but this is your own hard drive you're hacking into." Matt pointed out.
"No, it's an alternate future me. There are differences between me and him. And I haven't had to do this in over eight years, so forgive me if I'm a bit rusty." Connor said more harshly than he intended.
"You managed to unseal the anomaly."
"That even took more than one try." Connor said as he cracked another firewall.
"So not everything's the same,—"
"I'm in." Connor cut Abby off.
"What'd you find?" Emily asked, as she watched pictures and words flash across the screen.
"Something about harnessing anomalies."
Connor's eyes grew wide when he came across the next piece of information.
"What is it?" Abby asked.
Connor pointed to a picture on the screen. "That's what I was working on when I was kidnapped."
"Which is?"
"An anomaly opener and a generator to power them." Connor spoke.
"This is what everyone's been getting killed over?" Emily shook her head.
"You don't understand, when I started working on it, I had the intention of stopping the anomalies so Helen and the creatures wouldn't be able to come through." Connor clarified, running a hand through his hair.
"A device to close and hopefully prevent anomalies," Connor cut in.
Sarah shot Connor a shocked, yet confused look.
"Really?" Lester asked. "I don't suppose you're trying to create your own personal whatever that time thing was from that show."
"A stargate, no," Connor replied. "This will be much more real, controllable, portable, and maybe even a bit sexy."
Lester gave Connor a slightly disturbed look.
"It'll be complete over the next few months with the help of the Artifact and the Matrix." Connor began to explain. "But with all due respect Lester, I really don't want anyone other than the three of us to know about it, at least until it's been completed and properly tested."
"So, all we have to do is destroy this machine."
"It's not that easy," Matt retorted, looking at Emily. "As Abby and I have said before, unless you're on Prospero's nice list, you're not getting in there alive."
Connor looked down.
As if reading his mind, Abby spoke up. "Connor is."
Connor closed the laptop. "I need to get some fresh air."
He stood and wandered to the roof. Emily stood to follow as well, but stopped herself and sat down again.
The sun was setting.
Connor had been up on the roof for a few hours now. He knew what he had to do. If he was going to set things right, he needed to break into Prospero and stop their projects.
"You told Lester that we'll have a device completed and tested in the next few months, when we're still studying the Artifact and the Matrix isn't even remotely complete!" Sarah shouted.
Connor set the papers down on his desk and motioned for Sarah to close the door.
"Listen to me Sarah, it is vital that we complete this device as soon as possible and stop the anomalies." Connor explained.
"I understand the urgency of wanting to shut Lester up and permanently close the anomalies; but I don't understand why you're acting like this!" Sarah responded.
"Like what?"
"Like you're hiding something! You act like someone is watching your every move and something bad is going to happen if they find out what we're working on!"
Connor heard the door to the roof slam shut. He turned and was surprised to see Abby.
He forced himself to look away. She wasn't the same.
"Can I help you with something?" He asked.
Abby crouched down next to him and gingerly handed him a picture.
Connor looked closely at the picture. It was him. He looked exhausted.
"I had Jess take it via the security cameras."
"Why give it to me?"
"If you're going to break into Prospero, you're going to need to look the part." Abby spoke quietly. "Phillip's no fool."
Connor tucked the picture in his pocket and looked out at the city setting into nightlife.
"It's a suicide mission. You know that?" Abby spoke after several minutes of silence.
"I caused this. I need to fix it."
"Fix what? Phillip and Helen from taking over the ARC?"
"Everything." Connor spoke.
Abby went to say something, but Connor continued. "People died in my timeline. Cutter, Stephen, Tom, all of them died because of this. Danny and Jenny were engaged and planning a wedding. Becker wasn't some angsty soldier. He was happy and in love with Sarah."
"And you?"
Connor laughed coldly in an attempt to hold back the tears at the memories that he forced himself not to confront over the past eight years.
"After nearly dying, I woke up from a coma and the most beautiful girl in the universe told me she loved me."
Abby glanced at the ground.
"'Course there's always that awkwardness that we were still getting over. Like going from sleeping in different beds to the same one."
"I'm—I'm sorry; but—that's not me."
"'Course it's not. The paradox I caused made sure of that."
Abby hesitantly put a hand on Connor's arm. "We were together. Here, in my timeline, for a short while anyway. But you got caught up in your work and—"
Connor moved slightly as if he'd been shocked by Abby's touch.
"Helen's mucked everything up for me. I need to fix the past."
Abby removed her hand.
"I need to restore that happiness to everyone before that incident eight years ago."
"I—I know it's not what you want to hear. But I am happy, despite living with the constant threat of being killed. I—I love Matt."
Connor laughed again. "Yeah, and you sound so sure of it."
Abby slapped him before turning and leaving the roof.
Connor put a hand up to his cheek where Abby had slapped him. This wasn't what the future was supposed to be like.
Connor shook his head.
Back to business: Breaking into Prospero.
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