The Gang's All Here

"Are you ready?" Althea smiled, opening her overcoat to reveal a medieval gown. She had come straight to Tony's apartment from work to meet up before the masquerade party.

"Beautiful." Tony put on an eye patch and tied a bandana on his head.

"Pirate?"

"Gypsy," he mimed playing an invisible violin.

"Oh," She nodded, "Shall we go?"

"Just waiting for a friend," quickly enough, a knock came at the door.

It was Doug, dressed in black wearing cowboy boots, hat, and a flowery vest looking like a duded-up riverboat gambler; a woman dressed in black with a cat mask over her eyes accompanied him.

"Ann!?" It was Dr. Ann Macgregor.

"And she says I never take her anywhere," Doug quipped.

"Hello, Tony," she gave him a quick hug, "good to see you."

"Hello," Althea introduced herself, "Are you two in the baseball business too?"

"Yes," Doug winked, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Did you like the gift?" Ann asked.

"Love the gift," Tony answered, putting a cylinder in the Amberola, an Edison-branded phonograph, charmed to hear Rock Around the Clock play on the vintage machine.

"So much of everything at once," Althea assessed. "What is rocking around the clock?"

"Rock is the style of music," Ann explained. "It evolved from ragtime, jazz, blues, and country." She made a selection, handing Tony a cylinder, "Here, try this one."

"Moooooon Riiiiiverrrrr," the voice of Andy Williams filled the room, more to the appreciation of Althea who didn't need anything else explained. She and Tony proceeded to waltz around the apartment like giddy teenagers.

Ann smiled like the cat that swallowed the canary; she was an incurable romantic. A few minutes later they left for the party in a brand new Model T Ford.

Across the city, Jim was radioing Project Tic-Toc, "They stole it before I could steal it," he explained over the radio.

In 1970, General Kirk's eyes widened.

"The bracelet MUST be recovered. It's more important than you know."