Running Out Of Time
Chapter 4
Out Of Time
1:57 P.M.
On the airstrip, a lone pilot radios the tower to take off...
Pilot: Harlan Tower, this is 137A, requesting takeoff on runway 2-9. Over?
Tower: 137A, you are cleared for takeoff on runway 2-9. Over.
The plane taxied out to the end of the runway, and began to roll forward. The small plane almost had enough speed to take off, when 3 flashes and bangs appeared in the clearing of the runway. The pilot covered his eyes.
The DeLorean appeared on the runway, still speeding, but at least slowed down a bit. Dan and Eduardo looked at see large blade of a plane prop in front of them. They screamed, as Dan took a tight grip of the wheel, and pulled the stainless auto to the right. The car ran off the runway, and into the field, kicking up bits of dirt and grass. Dan tried to regain control of the DeLorean.
The plane also pulled off the strip in light of the auto popping out in front of the runway. Dan slammed on the brakes, and opened the door. He hit his head on the gull wing door as he stepped out. He rubbed his head, then looked at the surrounding...
Dan: ::confused face:: Is it me, or is it daylight?
Eduardo stepped out of the other side to join Dan. He squinted his eyes as he looked at the sky. He turned to Dan. They looked at each other with blank stares. Eduardo looked behind Dan, and saw the lone pilot walk up behind him, and tapped Dan on the shoulder...
Pilot: What the hell is your problem, pal?
Dan: ::spins around:: Look, we're sorry. I didn't. Uh...
Pilot: Where the hell did you come from?
Dan: That's a damn good question. I have no frickin' idea!
There was a long pause, as the pilot looked Dan straight in the eyes...
Pilot: Look, you better get out of here, or I'll report you to the tower!
***
2:13
Dan and Eduardo, now back in Manhattan, looked to see that surroundings were, without a doubt, different. Dan wasn't sure, but he thought that some things were missing...
Eduardo: What the hell happened back there?
Dan: I don't know. Whatever happened, I sure as hell didn't like it. That airport was abandoned! I know it was!
Eduardo: Do you think you were right about the time-freezing thing?
Dan: I don't know. I'm still thinking up an answer to that one. ::looks at gas gauge:: Better get gas.
Dan saw a Shell gas station, and pulled the DeLorean in. Dan and Eduardo stepped out. Eduardo pumped gas, and Dan went in...
Dan: ::walks in, looks at clerk:: Hey, how ya doin'?
Clerk: Fine, dude. You?
Dan: Fine. I've been better, but I'm ok.
Dan looked at the clerk. He had long, surfer-blonde hair, and wore a cheesy Shell attendant uniform, one Dan hasn't seen since the late 80's. To sum it up, the guy looked like the lead singer for Everclear...
Clerk: Is that yer DeLorean, dude?
Dan: ::slowly:: Yeah.
Clerk: Gnarly!
...Not to mention he sounded like Michelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...
Dan: ::Looks at gas price sign:: When did the gas drop?
Clerk: What, man?
Dan: The gas... when did the gas prices drop?
Clerk: Whadaya mean, dude?
Dan: That last time I looked at the gas prices, it was a dollar fifty-five a gallon. When did the prices go back down to ninety-two?
Clerk: They were never that high, dude.
Dan: ::confused face:: What the hell are you smokin', man?
Clerk: Nothin' yet.
Dan shook his head, and walked to the beverage coolers. He peered in to see an unusual assortment of drinks. He looked at the labels and his eyes widened...
Dan: What the hell?
He looked at the bottles of coke and other, and saw that they were in glass bottles. The last time he saw those, it was 1989. He backed up, and ran into the newspaper stand. He looked at the headline, and looked at the date. Dan, spooked, walked back to the counter...
Dan: How much for the gas?
Clerk: 9.74.
Dan pulled out a 10, and handed it to the guy...
Dan: Keep the change.
Dan ran out, and saw Eduardo leaning on the side of the DeLorean. Dan hit him, and gestured him to get in. They both lifted their doors, stepped in, and closed them...
Dan: Eduardo, you going to think I'm nuts, but I think this is a Time Machine!
Eduardo looked over, and stared. He stayed silent for a moment, then finally answered...
Eduardo: You're right... you do sound crazy, man!
Dan: Thanks! You know, that really helps!
Dan started the car, and screeched off. At the next stoplight, pointed around, as he tried to illustrate an explanation...
Dan: Look around... what do you see?
Eduardo looked around. He decided to point out an obvious object...
Eduardo: Cars?
Dan: That's a good one. Do you see cars that were made in 2000?
Eduardo: No.
Dan: '95?
Eduardo: No.
Dan: '90?
Eduardo: What's the point of this?
Dan: Indulge me for a moment. Do you or do you not see any cars made any time after the 1986 model year?
Eduardo: No.
Dan: That's the point I'm trying to make here! We're in the year 1985!
Eduardo: How do you know?
Dan pointed to the red LED panel that was embedded in the dashboard...
Dan: It says it right there. This is where you must set the time you want to go. I remember hitting this black thing that's behind the gear selector. This must be the switch to turn on the time machine part of this damn thing!
Eduardo: Well, why can't we just put in our time?!?
The red light turned green. Dan shifted into 1st, and pulled away as he punched in the time on the keypad...
Dan: 09-14-2000-2-26-1. I think that's how you set it.
Dan hit the black key that was on the left side. It gave a prolonged beep, then reset to the time it was set to before - OCT 27 1985 11:00 A.M.
Eduardo: I don't think that's it, man.
Dan: That's got to be it! ::long pause:: wait a minuet...
He started to punch numbers in the keypad again...
Dan: Lets try 10-26-1985-10-59-2.
He hit the black key again. This time, it made a short beep, and the red LED popped up OCT 26 1985 10:59 P.M. Dan pointed to the console...
Dan: This wasn't put together right!
Eduardo: How do ya know?
Dan: Any time I set higher then October 27, 1985, 11:00 A.M., it sends it back to that date!
Eduardo looked at the console for a moment, silent. His eyes then widened, as he turned to Dan...
Eduardo: Oh crap! If we can't enter our time, that means we're stuck here, man! We're stranded!!
Dan: Oh my god, you're right! Oh, shit! We're screwed!
Eduardo: Well, what are we going to do?!?
Dan: I don't know. I just don't know.
***
2:45
Dan and Eduardo sat at the counter in a diner on the southeast end of Manhattan. People continuously looked at Eduardo's clothes, and mainly, his goatee...
Eduardo: What is everybody's problem here? It's like, they've never seen a goatee before, man.
Dan: They've see a goatee, but they only saw them on a goat. Not just that, they've never seen a leather jacket like yours before, either.
Eduardo: Oh, yeah? What about your clothes, man? They've never seen baggie pants before, either!
Dan looked down to his shirt. He had on his AC/DC Stiff Upper Lip tour shirt. He looked at the Gold-covered Angus Young statue on his shirt. He had a white long sleeved shirt underneath it. It was no uniform, but he was at least comfortable...
Dan: You're right. Most of these people have heard AC/DC, but they've heard of the Stiff Upper Lip CD.
Eduardo: Most of them never have heard of a CD.
Dan: Not yet, anyway.
The waitress walked up to the two Ghostbusters, and took their order...
Waitress: Like, what can I ge chya?
She was a Valley Girl. Dan immediately wanted to jump on her, and strangle her just from that first sentence...
Dan: I'll have a Coke.
Waitress: Um, we don have Coke. Just Pepsi.
Dan really wanted to shoot her because of that damn accent...
Dan: Alright, I'll have a Mountain Dew.
She turned to Eduardo...
Waitress: Ok, what can I get you, fuzzy?
Eduardo blinked. Did she call him what he thought she called him?
Eduardo: What?
Waitress: What do you want, goatboy? I don got all day, ya know?
Eduardo started to rise from his stool, when Dan grabbed his jacket, and pulled him back down...
Dan: He'll have a Dr. Pepper.
Dan gave a cheesy smile, as the waitress went to fill the drinks in the kitchen. When she walked out of sight, Dan's smile disappeared, as he turned to Eduardo...
Dan: What the hell's your problem?
Eduardo: Did you hear what that bitch called me?
Dan: Look, you can't just get in everybody's face just because they call you a name. I learned that the hard way!
Eduardo: But that bitch...
Dan: Is a bitch. She's a goddamn Valley Girl, she has no manners. She's the cholesterol of today's society. A little of it, and you can't function. Too much will give you high blood pressure. Metaphorically, and literally.
The Waitress came out with the drinks. She walked back to the other end of the diner. Dan took the set of keys out of his pocket, and set them on the counter. As he did, Eduardo started to ask...
Eduardo: How are we going to fix this thing?
Dan: We find the guy that built the damn thing.
Eduardo: How are going to do that? We don't have the guy's name, man. We don't even know he started that thing in this time.
Dan: It has to be 80's, I know for a fact. During 1983, The DeLorean Motor Company went out of business. There were a lot of those things around for a cheap price in this particular time. He could of picked one up, and converted it for the bear minimum of expense.
Eduardo: Why would it be different in this time, then in our time?
Dan: DeLoreans in our time are worth more then here, because they're so rare. In this time, since the company folded up recently, they're selling the car so cheap, that the Government decided to use them for this project. Or at least I think. All I know is, the Government is cheap, and they used a cheap car in the process. Besides, if it was in our time, they would of used a PT Cruiser.
Eduardo: But still, how are we going to find the guy?
Dan: I haven't quite figured that out yet. But until we do figure it out, try not to do anything stupid. If we screw something up in this time, we might screw up the future.
Eduardo: What?
Dan: Damnit, do I have to explain everything? Don't be yourself, be normal! Don't dick around! Yeech!
Dan grabbed the keys off the counter. As he tried to put them in his pocket, he dropped them, and shattered the blue ID tag on the ground. Dan jumped off the stool, and picked up the keys, when the paper inside the tag fell out. He picked up the tag, and looked at it. He stood up, and looked at Eduardo...
Dan: I think I have a general idea of who made it.
Eduardo looked up at Dan...
Dan: We have to go to California.
Chapter 4
Out Of Time
1:57 P.M.
On the airstrip, a lone pilot radios the tower to take off...
Pilot: Harlan Tower, this is 137A, requesting takeoff on runway 2-9. Over?
Tower: 137A, you are cleared for takeoff on runway 2-9. Over.
The plane taxied out to the end of the runway, and began to roll forward. The small plane almost had enough speed to take off, when 3 flashes and bangs appeared in the clearing of the runway. The pilot covered his eyes.
The DeLorean appeared on the runway, still speeding, but at least slowed down a bit. Dan and Eduardo looked at see large blade of a plane prop in front of them. They screamed, as Dan took a tight grip of the wheel, and pulled the stainless auto to the right. The car ran off the runway, and into the field, kicking up bits of dirt and grass. Dan tried to regain control of the DeLorean.
The plane also pulled off the strip in light of the auto popping out in front of the runway. Dan slammed on the brakes, and opened the door. He hit his head on the gull wing door as he stepped out. He rubbed his head, then looked at the surrounding...
Dan: ::confused face:: Is it me, or is it daylight?
Eduardo stepped out of the other side to join Dan. He squinted his eyes as he looked at the sky. He turned to Dan. They looked at each other with blank stares. Eduardo looked behind Dan, and saw the lone pilot walk up behind him, and tapped Dan on the shoulder...
Pilot: What the hell is your problem, pal?
Dan: ::spins around:: Look, we're sorry. I didn't. Uh...
Pilot: Where the hell did you come from?
Dan: That's a damn good question. I have no frickin' idea!
There was a long pause, as the pilot looked Dan straight in the eyes...
Pilot: Look, you better get out of here, or I'll report you to the tower!
***
2:13
Dan and Eduardo, now back in Manhattan, looked to see that surroundings were, without a doubt, different. Dan wasn't sure, but he thought that some things were missing...
Eduardo: What the hell happened back there?
Dan: I don't know. Whatever happened, I sure as hell didn't like it. That airport was abandoned! I know it was!
Eduardo: Do you think you were right about the time-freezing thing?
Dan: I don't know. I'm still thinking up an answer to that one. ::looks at gas gauge:: Better get gas.
Dan saw a Shell gas station, and pulled the DeLorean in. Dan and Eduardo stepped out. Eduardo pumped gas, and Dan went in...
Dan: ::walks in, looks at clerk:: Hey, how ya doin'?
Clerk: Fine, dude. You?
Dan: Fine. I've been better, but I'm ok.
Dan looked at the clerk. He had long, surfer-blonde hair, and wore a cheesy Shell attendant uniform, one Dan hasn't seen since the late 80's. To sum it up, the guy looked like the lead singer for Everclear...
Clerk: Is that yer DeLorean, dude?
Dan: ::slowly:: Yeah.
Clerk: Gnarly!
...Not to mention he sounded like Michelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...
Dan: ::Looks at gas price sign:: When did the gas drop?
Clerk: What, man?
Dan: The gas... when did the gas prices drop?
Clerk: Whadaya mean, dude?
Dan: That last time I looked at the gas prices, it was a dollar fifty-five a gallon. When did the prices go back down to ninety-two?
Clerk: They were never that high, dude.
Dan: ::confused face:: What the hell are you smokin', man?
Clerk: Nothin' yet.
Dan shook his head, and walked to the beverage coolers. He peered in to see an unusual assortment of drinks. He looked at the labels and his eyes widened...
Dan: What the hell?
He looked at the bottles of coke and other, and saw that they were in glass bottles. The last time he saw those, it was 1989. He backed up, and ran into the newspaper stand. He looked at the headline, and looked at the date. Dan, spooked, walked back to the counter...
Dan: How much for the gas?
Clerk: 9.74.
Dan pulled out a 10, and handed it to the guy...
Dan: Keep the change.
Dan ran out, and saw Eduardo leaning on the side of the DeLorean. Dan hit him, and gestured him to get in. They both lifted their doors, stepped in, and closed them...
Dan: Eduardo, you going to think I'm nuts, but I think this is a Time Machine!
Eduardo looked over, and stared. He stayed silent for a moment, then finally answered...
Eduardo: You're right... you do sound crazy, man!
Dan: Thanks! You know, that really helps!
Dan started the car, and screeched off. At the next stoplight, pointed around, as he tried to illustrate an explanation...
Dan: Look around... what do you see?
Eduardo looked around. He decided to point out an obvious object...
Eduardo: Cars?
Dan: That's a good one. Do you see cars that were made in 2000?
Eduardo: No.
Dan: '95?
Eduardo: No.
Dan: '90?
Eduardo: What's the point of this?
Dan: Indulge me for a moment. Do you or do you not see any cars made any time after the 1986 model year?
Eduardo: No.
Dan: That's the point I'm trying to make here! We're in the year 1985!
Eduardo: How do you know?
Dan pointed to the red LED panel that was embedded in the dashboard...
Dan: It says it right there. This is where you must set the time you want to go. I remember hitting this black thing that's behind the gear selector. This must be the switch to turn on the time machine part of this damn thing!
Eduardo: Well, why can't we just put in our time?!?
The red light turned green. Dan shifted into 1st, and pulled away as he punched in the time on the keypad...
Dan: 09-14-2000-2-26-1. I think that's how you set it.
Dan hit the black key that was on the left side. It gave a prolonged beep, then reset to the time it was set to before - OCT 27 1985 11:00 A.M.
Eduardo: I don't think that's it, man.
Dan: That's got to be it! ::long pause:: wait a minuet...
He started to punch numbers in the keypad again...
Dan: Lets try 10-26-1985-10-59-2.
He hit the black key again. This time, it made a short beep, and the red LED popped up OCT 26 1985 10:59 P.M. Dan pointed to the console...
Dan: This wasn't put together right!
Eduardo: How do ya know?
Dan: Any time I set higher then October 27, 1985, 11:00 A.M., it sends it back to that date!
Eduardo looked at the console for a moment, silent. His eyes then widened, as he turned to Dan...
Eduardo: Oh crap! If we can't enter our time, that means we're stuck here, man! We're stranded!!
Dan: Oh my god, you're right! Oh, shit! We're screwed!
Eduardo: Well, what are we going to do?!?
Dan: I don't know. I just don't know.
***
2:45
Dan and Eduardo sat at the counter in a diner on the southeast end of Manhattan. People continuously looked at Eduardo's clothes, and mainly, his goatee...
Eduardo: What is everybody's problem here? It's like, they've never seen a goatee before, man.
Dan: They've see a goatee, but they only saw them on a goat. Not just that, they've never seen a leather jacket like yours before, either.
Eduardo: Oh, yeah? What about your clothes, man? They've never seen baggie pants before, either!
Dan looked down to his shirt. He had on his AC/DC Stiff Upper Lip tour shirt. He looked at the Gold-covered Angus Young statue on his shirt. He had a white long sleeved shirt underneath it. It was no uniform, but he was at least comfortable...
Dan: You're right. Most of these people have heard AC/DC, but they've heard of the Stiff Upper Lip CD.
Eduardo: Most of them never have heard of a CD.
Dan: Not yet, anyway.
The waitress walked up to the two Ghostbusters, and took their order...
Waitress: Like, what can I ge chya?
She was a Valley Girl. Dan immediately wanted to jump on her, and strangle her just from that first sentence...
Dan: I'll have a Coke.
Waitress: Um, we don have Coke. Just Pepsi.
Dan really wanted to shoot her because of that damn accent...
Dan: Alright, I'll have a Mountain Dew.
She turned to Eduardo...
Waitress: Ok, what can I get you, fuzzy?
Eduardo blinked. Did she call him what he thought she called him?
Eduardo: What?
Waitress: What do you want, goatboy? I don got all day, ya know?
Eduardo started to rise from his stool, when Dan grabbed his jacket, and pulled him back down...
Dan: He'll have a Dr. Pepper.
Dan gave a cheesy smile, as the waitress went to fill the drinks in the kitchen. When she walked out of sight, Dan's smile disappeared, as he turned to Eduardo...
Dan: What the hell's your problem?
Eduardo: Did you hear what that bitch called me?
Dan: Look, you can't just get in everybody's face just because they call you a name. I learned that the hard way!
Eduardo: But that bitch...
Dan: Is a bitch. She's a goddamn Valley Girl, she has no manners. She's the cholesterol of today's society. A little of it, and you can't function. Too much will give you high blood pressure. Metaphorically, and literally.
The Waitress came out with the drinks. She walked back to the other end of the diner. Dan took the set of keys out of his pocket, and set them on the counter. As he did, Eduardo started to ask...
Eduardo: How are we going to fix this thing?
Dan: We find the guy that built the damn thing.
Eduardo: How are going to do that? We don't have the guy's name, man. We don't even know he started that thing in this time.
Dan: It has to be 80's, I know for a fact. During 1983, The DeLorean Motor Company went out of business. There were a lot of those things around for a cheap price in this particular time. He could of picked one up, and converted it for the bear minimum of expense.
Eduardo: Why would it be different in this time, then in our time?
Dan: DeLoreans in our time are worth more then here, because they're so rare. In this time, since the company folded up recently, they're selling the car so cheap, that the Government decided to use them for this project. Or at least I think. All I know is, the Government is cheap, and they used a cheap car in the process. Besides, if it was in our time, they would of used a PT Cruiser.
Eduardo: But still, how are we going to find the guy?
Dan: I haven't quite figured that out yet. But until we do figure it out, try not to do anything stupid. If we screw something up in this time, we might screw up the future.
Eduardo: What?
Dan: Damnit, do I have to explain everything? Don't be yourself, be normal! Don't dick around! Yeech!
Dan grabbed the keys off the counter. As he tried to put them in his pocket, he dropped them, and shattered the blue ID tag on the ground. Dan jumped off the stool, and picked up the keys, when the paper inside the tag fell out. He picked up the tag, and looked at it. He stood up, and looked at Eduardo...
Dan: I think I have a general idea of who made it.
Eduardo looked up at Dan...
Dan: We have to go to California.
