Jack sat and waited for Henry to speak.
"Alright," the other man took a seat, "As you know, before I came to Eureka I was working at NASA. I was disillusioned with what I was doing and the people I was working with. I had received the offer to come to Eureka but wasn't going to accept." He paused thinking back before glancing at Rip, "And then a light filled the room leaving a man on the floor with a brightly glowing shard of glass."
Jack looked at him, looked at Rip then looked back and laughed, "You're winding me up."
"No," Henry replied, "I'm not. Rip is not from around here."
"You mean like England?"
"Technically that is correct, but I am also from an alternate universe," Rip told him, pausing for a moment as Jack's eyes widened in shock before continuing, "I was a time traveller and used the core from my ship to stop a demon from destroying time. When it exploded, I was thrown into another universe and I will leave once I find the shard of the core that landed here."
Jack stared at him before asking amused, "Of course and I suppose you need my help to find it?"
"Actually, it's currently in Global Dynamics," Rip replied.
Jack looked between Henry and Rip before demanding, "This is an elaborate joke."
"No," Henry assured him, "Jack, I know how bizarre this is, but I promise you that this is real. You've dealt with enough during your time in Eureka not to close your mind to the possibilities."
Laughing Jack demanded, "But time travel? Alternate realities? That's science fiction. Even Stark would agree with me."
"I'll admit," Henry said, "Until I met Rip, I believed that too but it's not. He's the reason I came to Eureka because he told me I would, because that was when he first met me. And that this was my home."
Frowning, Jack asked, "What?"
"I met Henry for the first time when I stepped into the Sheriff's station earlier today," Rip told him, "But I will see him again when I leave here. Although I have no idea when that will be."
x
"I am not sure this was a good idea, Captain," Gideon noted as she stood at Rip's side watching Jack pace thinking over all they'd told him. They'd decided to turn off the interface while talking to the Sheriff as having Gideon there would possibly be a distraction from what they were explaining, "He is finding it difficult to accept the information you and Dr Deacon are imparting."
"I really don't think being arrested right now is helpful," Rip murmured to her, "Telling him is our best option to avoid having to break out of jail…again."
Jack turned to him, "Where did the papers you wrote come from? Are you taking credit for someone else's work?"
"Both papers I wrote," Rip replied, "Presumably when I meet Henry again."
"So, you just knocked out two papers in the few hours you were there that people like Stark and Alison think are real," Jack demanded.
Rip shrugged, "Actually they were papers I wrote in my first year of training. I have an eidetic memory, so it won't take me long to rewrite or dictate them."
"Training?" Jack asked, looking confused, "For time travel?"
Rip nodded, "I belonged to an organisation called the Time Masters. Our mission was to protect time from those who tried to change it to their own advantage."
He left out the rest, not wanting to get into what had happened to his family, to the Time Masters, or with the Legends.
"What about the AI you had following you around?" Jack asked, "Did you do that in a few hours."
Pulling out the disc, Rip smiled, "Gideon is the AI for my time ship, the Waverider. We have a telepathic connection which allows her to connect to me wherever I end up. Henry created the interface to let her to interact with this world."
"This is crazy," Jack shook his head.
Activating the interface, Rip turned to Gideon, "Can you show him the shard?"
"Of course, Captain Hunter," Gideon replied before turning to the Sheriff, "Please direct your attention to the screen, Sheriff Carter."
Confused Jack turned as she activated the viewscreen, showing the security footage from the lab where the shard was sitting glowing.
"That could be anything," Jack noted.
"Wait till Rip gets near it," Henry chuckled, "He glows too."
Jack rubbed his hand over his face, "Alright, say I believe you. What now?"
"We need to work out how to get to the lab it's in without Nathan or Alison finding out," Henry told him.
"As it has been a long day," Gideon spoke up, "I believe you should discuss this while having your evening meal."
Rip rolled his eyes as the other two laughed, "Ignore my mother hen."
"Captain, we had an agreement," Gideon reminded him.
"But she is right," Rip acquiesced because he'd still be nagged by her if he turned off the link, "And thinking about it, I could use something to eat."
Henry nodded, "Well, I promised Vincent I would bring you back to Café Diem. Jack, want to join us?"
"Why not?" he shrugged.
x
Rip mused as he thought over what he wanted to eat as they found a booth. Gideon was looking around interested, Rip had left the interface on so she could interact with the others. He knew she liked being seen and heard by more than him.
"Welcome," Vincent appeared, "What can I get for you?"
Jack grinned, "I'll take my usual."
"One burger and chips for the Sheriff," Vincent sighed before adding, "One of these days I'll get you to try something different."
Henry laughed, "I'll have the risotto."
"And you two?" Vincent turned to Rip and Gideon.
Rip shrugged, "I think I will let you choose for me today."
Vincent's eyes lit up, "I will make you something very special. And for the lady?"
"Unfortunately, I don't eat," Gideon replied with a sweet smile, "But thank you."
At Vincent's confused look she passed her hand through the table, and he nodded in understanding. Rip smiled, Eureka was in some ways the perfect place for people like him and part of him wished he could stay here but he needed to get back to Gideon properly.
"Okay," Jack said, "I may not fully believe you but," he grinned, "I do want to hear some time travel stories."
"Nathan," Alison walked into the lab, "What do you have?"
He turned to her and smiled, "The energy coming off this thing is incredible. We could power the town with this for hundreds of years."
Alison stared at him, "That's not good, Nathan. This thing appeared from nowhere in the highest security section of GD, we have no idea where it came from or what it's doing here. We need to be careful. Remember the artifact."
Nathan flinched slightly at the thought before replying, "I am just testing it, Ali. I promise no protocols will be missed and no steps will be skipped."
"Good," she replied, "And keep me up to date on absolutely everything that happens."
Gideon watched her Captain as he talked to the other two men. She could see he was enjoying himself, especially as he could be himself and there was no pretence he had to remember.
She theorised if she could find a way to transport the Waverider here and allow him to stay. Unfortunately, it was not possible. Which she already knew but for her Captain, she wanted to check fully. He deserved to be happy, he'd lost so much.
"Here we go," Vincent appeared once more, "Burger and chips for the Sheriff, risotto for Henry and for Dr Hunter I have roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes with honey glazed carrots and parsnips."
Rip took an appreciative sniff of the plate and smiled at Vincent, "This looks incredible, thank you."
As they all began to eat, Gideon excused herself to wander for a little while. She wasn't sure how far away from Rip she could be and still be seen by the residents of the small town. She knew how far she could be from him and still be connected to this world and wondered if it would be the same.
People greeted her as she sat outside the café, taking in the view. No one knew she wasn't human, that she wasn't one of them and she liked it. The only one who treated her like this normally was Rip, to him she had always been more than just an AI.
She wanted him home with her but getting to spend time with him like this was something she would never have been able to experience if Rip had not used the core against Mallus.
An alarm sounded and Gideon checked the Waverider quickly surprised to find it was all quiet. Looking around she saw that no one appeared to have noticed the siren which meant she was receiving data through the interface.
Focussing on the alert, Gideon grimaced, this was not good.
x
Rip finished his meal and agreed instantly when Vincent offered them dessert.
"Is there anything particular you like?" Vincent asked him.
Rip shrugged, "I will leave it entirely in your hands."
Excitement covered Vincent's face, "Oh, you will not regret that."
"You won't," Jack agreed, "Everything Vincent makes is incredible. If SARAH didn't nag me, I would eat every meal here every day."
Chuckling Rip leaned back, "You have an impressive world. There is nothing like this in my own. A town dedicated to learning and discovery is an impressive feat."
"We try our best," Henry nodded, "Don't always succeed but we do try."
Jack laughed, "It's a miracle we're all still here considering some of the things those lunatics get up to."
"I should introduce you to some of the people I used to work with," Rip murmured.
Vincent reappeared suddenly, "Here we go, gentlemen. Triple chocolate fudge cake, Chantilly cream, with chocolate and salted caramel sauce."
Taking a spoonful, Rip closed his eyes. Gideon would not be happy if he ate this too often but for the moment, he was sure she would permit the indulgence.
Just as he was finishing, Gideon returned looking grim. She motioned him to deactivate the interface which he did instantly.
"Captain," she said, "There is a problem with the shard. I set up an alert so I would know if anyone interfered with it. The scientists in Global Dynamics are scanning the energy it is releasing. That energy is connected to you and even with the primitive equipment, could trace it."
"Rip?" Henry asked worriedly, "Is something wrong? Is Gideon alright, has the interface damaged her?"
Frowning, Rip turned to his friend, "We may have a problem."