Present Day
The team gathered around the computer Jiya sat in front of. She typed madly at the keyboard. "It doesn't make any sense..." she muttered to herself.
"What's happening?" Agent Christopher asked.
Jiya sighed, motioning to the screen confused. "It's saying that the Mothership jumped back to 1942, just hours after we returned from rescuing Flynn..."
"Why would they go back there?" Wyatt asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Flynn's brows scrunched together as he listened.
Jiya shook her head. "I don't know but they're not there anymore."
"Where'd they go?" Agent Christopher questioned. "How long were they there for?"
Jiya tilted her head slightly. "They were there for about five or ten minutes before leaving again."
"That's about how long they'd need to drop someone off-" Wyatt started.
"But why would they drop someone off?" Lucy questioned. "We've already been there..."
A pregnant paused overtook the room. Denise asked, "You said they're not there anymore?"
Jiya nodded in confirmation. "They're back in the present."
"Keep an eye on their activity," Denise stated. "I want you to come find me the moment they leave again." Jiya nodded, swiveling in her chair to watch Agent Christopher as she left.
The team started to leave the main area, questioning why Rittenhouse would return to a place just days after they left. Flynn's mind raced as he tried to make a connection. Something felt wrong and he couldn't put his finger on why.
When the alarms in the bunker rang again a couple of hours later, Jiya's head was cocked in utter confusion. "Uh..." she smacked the computer once with an open hand. The screen briefly shook from the impact.
Mason cringed. "Hey! Let's not break the machinery-"
"What's wrong?" Agent Christopher asked, glancing down to see the confused Jiya readying her hand to smack the computer again.
Jiya lowered her hand as she stated, "It says they've gone back to June 12, 1942, but to Amagansett, New York this time."
"1942? Again?" Rufus muttered. "Talk about an obsession..."
"Maybe the system's glitched-" Jiya began.
"No!" Lucy blurted out. "Let me think..." After a moment, she snapped her fingers together a couple of times as though the answer sat on the tip of her tongue. "This was about the time for Operation Pastorius!"
"Operation what?" Rufus asked, brows furrowed.
Lucy didn't hesitate. "A group of Nazi spies infiltrated the beaches of the Hamptons-"
"Wait, what?" Rufus muttered, head shaking slightly. "Why didn't I know about this?"
Lucy opened her mouth to reply but Agent Christopher interrupted, "You can learn about it on the way." She looked about the team. "Be careful."
The usual group rushed to climb into the Lifeboat. The hatch closed and locked before they vanished from sight.
1942
New York
The Lifeboat landed in the grassy knolls of East Hampton. The team glanced about the fields. The beach grass blew against the wind, creating waves to the eye. Seagulls hovered in the breeze overhead, calling out to one another loudly. The fresh sea air was a welcome change of pace from their previous missions.
The team began hiking toward the quaint seaside town, keeping their eyes open for easily accessible clothing for the time period. As they walked, Rufus asked, "So, why is it that I don't remember ever learning about this in school?"
Lucy's head bobbed to the side quickly. "There's a lot of our history that they don't teach in schools."
Flynn cleared his throat. "Sarah Tarrant, for example."
Rufus scoffed, a slight shiver went down his spine as he remembered their encounter with that woman. "I swear, I think she was the sleeper."
"What were these guys doing here anyway?" Wyatt asked, eyes darting about the surrounding area, making sure they weren't being targeted by Rittenhouse or Bloodstone. "It doesn't seem like a place that they'd want."
"You're right," Lucy stated with a short nod. "This was simply their drop-off point."
"Drop-off?" Rufus repeated. "So, you're saying the Nazis brought them here on purpose?"
"In a submarine, yes," Lucy clarified. "They were very well organized."
"So, what happened?" Wyatt asked.
Lucy sighed, thinking over the details before continuing, "They were spotted by a Coast Guard the night they stormed the beach-"
"When - tonight?" Wyatt interrupted. Lucy nodded. Wyatt sighed, shaking his head. "Do you think Rittenhouse is here to help them succeed?"
Flynn chimed in for the first time since the history lesson began. "We need to find this Coast Guard. If Rittenhouse is hoping to help these men succeed in their mission, I'm concerned about this soldier."
Wyatt nodded in agreement. As a soldier himself, he wanted to make sure this man was protected. It was part of who he was - to protect his fellow brothers-in-arms regardless of the time period. "What do we do in the meantime?"
Rufus pointed to an elaborate little beach house with clothes pinned tightly on the clothesline, blowing gently in the wind. "What we always do - find clothes and steal a car...except, you know...without the car part..." His eyes darted to the others. "Right? No car stealing this trip...right?"
Present Day
"What do you remember?" Carol Preston asked, sitting across the metal table from Amy. Amy's brown eyes drifted to the shiny tabletop as she thought. Carol smiled encouragingly at her. "Let's start with the most recent memory and work our way back." She reached forward, covering Amy's hand with her own, squeezing it gently in a reassuring manner.
Amy inhaled deeply before admitting, "I remember getting up this morning. I..." her voice paused for a moment. "I got dressed and you came to get me...brought me in here to talk."
"Good," Carol said, a warm smile still on her lips. "What about last night?"
Amy cleared her throat. "I remember...the...woman..." Amy's face contorted as she struggled with the details.
"Emma?" Carol offered.
Nodding, Amy said, "I remember Emma bringing me to see you at the..." Words were failing her. She couldn't think up the proper words to even begin to explain her thoughts.
Carol nodded encouragingly again. "The Mothership?"
Sighing out of frustration, Amy nodded. "She found me and brought me to see you. We got into the Mothership and you brought me here...where I slept."
"And before that?"
"I woke up in the rubble-"
"I meant before that."
Amy blinked rapidly at Carol before her eyes drifted off in thought again. "I was alone...cold... afraid...surrounded by darkness."
Carol studied Amy's face, a sadness washed over her features. She offered a small smile of comfort, squeezing her hand once more. "You're safe now."
Amy's eyes met Carol's. "What about the man that found me?"
"What man?" Carol asked, brows furrowing together.
Amy said, "There was a man who found me and brought me to the church-"
"Don't worry about him," Carol said, waving the comment aside. "He's one of mine."
"I wanted to thank him-"
Amy didn't get a chance to finish her thought as Emma appeared behind Carol, clearing her throat to announce her presence. "Everything is set."
Carol turned in her chair to face Emma who stood in the doorway. "Are you sure?"
Emma nodded once, lips pursed to the side, clearly frustrated by the question. "They're in 1942 as planned."
"1942?" Amy repeated, confused.
Emma ignored Amy but still glanced at her briefly. "We waited until they showed up before leaving."
Amy shook her head. Too many thoughts and questions were swimming around inside. Her head started to ache as she tried to keep up.
"Good," Carol replied. "We have a small window. We need to act fast."
"What's going on?" Amy questioned, glancing up to meet Emma and Carol's gaze.
Emma scoffed as she saw Amy's 'deer in the headlights' look. "Are you sure she's ready to do this? We only have one shot at this."
"Do what?" Amy asked, eyes wide.
Carol gave her a sympathetic smile. "I hoped to tell you this when your memory came back-"
"Tell me what?" Amy demanded, glancing between the two women. Emma smirked before turning and leaving them alone.
Carol reached forward again with both hands to grasp Amy's. Amy withdrew, placing her hands in her lap as she stared at Carol.
With a heavy sigh, Carol pulled the folder that sat on the corner of the table forward, opening it up. She pulled the top picture from within the folder and passed it forward. The photograph was of Carol and a beautiful woman with dark hair, a gorgeous smile that reached her brown eyes. There was a sparkle behind the woman's eyes as she stared at the camera. The two were embracing one another lovingly. They seemed happy.
Amy shook her head, not recognizing the other woman. "I don't understand...who is this?"
"That's your sister, Lucy," Carol stated, voice filled with sadness. Amy's eyes darted up to watch Carol as she continued, "Lucy was murdered shortly after this picture was taken."
"What?" Amy gasped, eyes darting back to the photo. "Wha- I...how-"
Carol replied, "There was an accident when she was a teenager...car accident." Amy's breathing hitched as Carol continued, "She was driving home one evening after class at the university and her car hit a patch of oil on the road, sending her into a nearby river. The police determined the accident was intentional."
"Who would do such a thing?" Amy balked.
"We have our suspicions," Carol replied, a sad smile on her face as she stared at the image. "However, what you don't know, is that she died in that car that night...trapped..." Carol's voice broke, tears streamed down her face. "I'm sorry..." She took a deep breath before adding, "We were hoping that you had recovered from your mission but the timing has forced our hands-"
Amy's brows knitted together. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"
Carol leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table. "We need you to go back to that night and save your sister."
Amy fought the urge to blink. She knew if she did, the tears would flow. Her stomach balled into knots at what was said. "What can I do? I'm not-"
"You would have a small window to help her out of that car," Carol told her. "And you're the only one who can do this."
Amy seemed confused by the words as she tilted her head. "A small window-"
"We can't go back to a time where we already exist," Carol explained. "You weren't born yet when this happens." Amy blinked at the remark, opening her mouth to counter that when Carol interrupted her, "You'll be going with Quinn."
"Who's-" A familiar face appeared behind Carol in the doorway, stopping Amy's words. Amy's heart skipped a beat as her brain tried to catch up. "You..."
"Hello again," he smiled at her. The man standing behind Carol, smiling warmly at her was the very same man who had brought her out of the rubble that fateful day.
The man stood a couple of feet taller than Amy with nearly perfect posture. He seemed to be about her age, yet seemed wiser somehow with the way he carried himself. His dark eyes lingered on her, almost studying her and stripping through all of her layers to see the deepest and darkest secrets hidden within her - even the ones that were hidden from herself. His shaggy dark brown hair was neatly combed back in a professional manner. His dark suit hugged his frame, showing the subtle muscles underneath.
Amy held his stare, feeling a mix of emotions flooding through her being. She forced her eyes to break the hold he had on her as she turned her attention back to Carol. Carol asked, "Are you okay with this?"
Amy blinked at her, eyes wide with uncertainty. "I still don't know what it is you expect me to do-"
Carol pressed her lips together, growing slightly frustrated. "Quinn will escort you back to the time of the accident. He's going with you to protect you from harm-"
Amy's brows knitted together, mouth falling agape. "Protect me from what?"
"The ones that were sent to kill your sister," Carol replied, voice sharp. "He will make sure you can reach your sister and pull her from the car. Once you get her out of the car and safely out of the river, you must return home."
Quinn cleared his throat. "Don't ye worry. I'll make sure ye get there safely." He gave her a quick wink and sly smile. Amy felt the butterflies growing in her stomach but confusion washed them away. She felt weird about his interactions with her. She had a lingering feeling as though she were betraying someone close to her and she couldn't explain why.
"Do you have any other questions?" Carol asked, standing up from the table. Amy shook her head and Carol turned to whisper something to Quinn. He nodded and Amy watched her mother walk away.
Quinn gave her a half-smile as his gaze returned to her. "Are ye ready to go?"
Amy swallowed nervously as she stood from the table. She wasn't ready - not by a long shot - but she felt this desperation to save her sister's life. Even though she had no idea what was expected of her, she knew that her sister needed her.
