Running Out Of Time
Chapter 6
Future-Tense
Re-Entry Time - 4:30 PM
3 bangs filled the clearing, and the DeLorean appeared in the sky. Dan opened he eyes, and saw a pair of lights in front of him. He then heard a synthesized beeping noise. Then it clicked in Dan's mind...
Dan: AH!
He pulled up on the wheel, and found himself floating above cars... that were also floating! About 60 feet off the ground! Eduardo opened his eyes, and saw taxis, buses, and minivans hovering in the sky. Dan looked over, to see light poles floating freely in the open sky.
Eduardo: Whoa... This is different.
Dan: Can I quote you on that?
Eduardo: Be my guest.
It wasn't long, when a voice filled the cab of the time machine...
Voice: This is Air Traffic Control, Iowa Skyway post 48. DeLorean, why wasn't your transponder on?
Dan and Eduardo looked at each other, and then at the dashboard, where a small box with a speaker and a small microphone sat. Dan picked up the mic, and responded...
Dan: This is the DeLorean... Uh... We seemed to of had a malfunction with the unit. The unit is now working. Uh, how have you been?
ATC: Do you realize you're out of the skyway lanes? You are in violation of the DMH's Skyway Organization code!
Dan tried to think of something fast. The last thing he needed was to be chased by police in a time he wasn't sure of.
Dan: Uh, when we realized the transponder wasn't working, we had to pull out of traffic so I could properly fix it. I ended up flying into the other lanes when I was trying to fix it.
ATC: You should of made a proper exit before trying to repair tracking equipment. This is the only warning you're going to get. Pull back into traffic, and please drive safely this time!
With a beep, the radio contact went dead. Eduardo looked over to Dan...
Eduardo: DMH? What the hell is a DMH?
Dan looked around to see if he could take a guess...
Dan: I think it means "Department of Motor Hovercrafts."
Eduardo gave Dan a face of confusion...
Dan: What? I taking a guess here!
Dan pulled the hovering car into the traffic in the sky. He then wondered how the hell they ended up where they did. Eduardo asked...
Eduardo: When are we?
Dan: That's a funny way of putting it. Without doubt, we're in the future!
Eduardo: How is that possible? We can't enter our time, but we can end up in a time that looks like something out of "Judge Dredd"? What the hell is going on here, man?
Dan: I think whoever invented this machine, must have been here...
Dan pointed to the red LED console. The read-out displayed OCT 21 2015 4:30 PM. Eduardo started to think...
Eduardo: Wait... are you saying that all the times the previous owner went to, those are the only ones we can visit?
Dan: No, only the gaps between certain times we can go. I was able to type in the date before the time we were in before, right?
Eduardo: Yeah?
Dan: Maybe, from what I believe, any time between October 27, 1985, and October 21, 2015, we can't go.
Eduardo: Hold on, what about the time you punched in before, when you said the thing wasn't put together right?
Dan gave this one some thought. He recalled from a couple of minuets ago - or 30 years ago - he was screwing around with the dials on the dash, and hit the black button on the number keypad again.
Dan: I must of hit something when I hit the flying switch. It must of searched the memory, and then pulled up one at random. I'm only guessing, mind you.
Eduardo: Well, go back!
Dan reset the time display. He accelerated to 88 MPH, but nothing happened. He slowed down, then sped up again. Again, nothing. Dan didn't get it. It was then the time display shut off, and the "Y" device stopped fluxing. Most of the weird lights in the cab of the vehicle shut off, except for one, that flashed behind Eduardo's head. An alarm sounded each time the light that said "Empty" blinked. Under the light, a label said "Plutonium Chamber."
Dan: Plutonium? Oh my God! This thing is nuclear powered! We're driving a nuclear weapon on wheels!
Eduardo: Or an A-bomb in the sky...
Dan: Err... That too.
A light then appeared on the dash board, with an LCD counter underneath it. The light said, "Hover Reserve," and the counter under it read 3H, 29M, 57S. Dan didn't exactly catch what it said, but Eduardo knew exactly what the light meant...
Eduardo: Dan... We have little over 3 hours until we crash.
***
Dan and Eduardo pulled off the highway... or skyway... into a two-level hoverport gas station. Dan stepped out of the time machine, as a robotic arm with a fuel nozzle filled the DeLorean. Dan walked to the back of the vehicle, and inspected all the components in the back. Dan stood there, and scratched his head, trying to figure out where the plutonium chamber is. It then snapped in his mind...
Plutonium is not a retail item...
Dan: Ohhhh... We are in trouble.
It was then, a man came up from behind, and yelled out...
Man: Hey, buddy?! You havin' a problem?
Dan turned around, and saw the man dressed in what looked like a business suit... but had to neckties around his neck. He approached, as Dan responded.
Dan: Yeah. Um... I don't know what the problem is. This light popped on that said "Hover Reserve..."
Man: Did you remember to fill your Mr. Fusion?
Dan raised an eyebrow, as he looked at the man funny.
Dan: What the hell is a "Mr. Fusion"? Is that some kind of sick joke, or something?
The man walked up next to Dan, and pointed to a white shaft between the two vents...
Man: That's a Mr. Fusion. Are you new at hover technology?
Dan still didn't have an idea of what he was saying, so he nodded his head.
Man: Here, let me show you how it works.
The man went to the trash can on the edge on the hoverport platform, and picked out a couple of pieces of litter. He walked back to the DeLorean, flipped a red latch down, threw back the shaft, and started throwing the trash into the tank. He closed it up, and turned to Dan...
Man: What a Mr. Fusion does, is it takes the garbage, and turns it into power.
Dan: Whoa! Cool!
Man: These are used to power your hover conversion system. Just be sure to refill it when your power level gets low, ok?
Dan: Alright. Hey, thanks!
Man: It was no problem.
The man walked back to his car. He climbed into a large truck. Dan read the inscription on the back...
Dan: "Chevrolet Avalanche." Hey, those were supposed to be released next year!
The black truck rose up, and flew away off the hoverport platform. The robotic arm stretched over to Dan, and said in its computer-generated voice...
Voice: Cash or Print?
Dan looked to the panel the arm held. There was a money-insertion slot, and a glass plate next to it. Above the plate, it said "Thumb Print Here." Dan placed his thumb to the plate, and a blue transparent plastic receipt popped out of the bottom of the panel. As Dan took the plastic sheet, the arm pulled away, saying...
Voice: Thank you. Fuel with Amoco again Soon!
Dan found that strange, since they pulled into a BP gas station. Ehh... they must of merged he thought. Dan stepped back into the Stainless Steel car. Eduardo turned to him as he shut his door...
Eduardo: Well, what are we going to do about that nuke-thing, man?
Dan: Already done. ::Starts car::
Eduardo: How? I thought you needed to go to the government for that stuff, man.
Dan: There is an place in this time that makes these power reaction devices that powers this thing. I'm starting to suspect this wasn't originally built to serve the government. But, no matter, we have to see the inventor.
Eduardo: Why?
Dan: To fix it, remember?
Eduardo: Oh, yeah!
Chapter 6
Future-Tense
Re-Entry Time - 4:30 PM
3 bangs filled the clearing, and the DeLorean appeared in the sky. Dan opened he eyes, and saw a pair of lights in front of him. He then heard a synthesized beeping noise. Then it clicked in Dan's mind...
Dan: AH!
He pulled up on the wheel, and found himself floating above cars... that were also floating! About 60 feet off the ground! Eduardo opened his eyes, and saw taxis, buses, and minivans hovering in the sky. Dan looked over, to see light poles floating freely in the open sky.
Eduardo: Whoa... This is different.
Dan: Can I quote you on that?
Eduardo: Be my guest.
It wasn't long, when a voice filled the cab of the time machine...
Voice: This is Air Traffic Control, Iowa Skyway post 48. DeLorean, why wasn't your transponder on?
Dan and Eduardo looked at each other, and then at the dashboard, where a small box with a speaker and a small microphone sat. Dan picked up the mic, and responded...
Dan: This is the DeLorean... Uh... We seemed to of had a malfunction with the unit. The unit is now working. Uh, how have you been?
ATC: Do you realize you're out of the skyway lanes? You are in violation of the DMH's Skyway Organization code!
Dan tried to think of something fast. The last thing he needed was to be chased by police in a time he wasn't sure of.
Dan: Uh, when we realized the transponder wasn't working, we had to pull out of traffic so I could properly fix it. I ended up flying into the other lanes when I was trying to fix it.
ATC: You should of made a proper exit before trying to repair tracking equipment. This is the only warning you're going to get. Pull back into traffic, and please drive safely this time!
With a beep, the radio contact went dead. Eduardo looked over to Dan...
Eduardo: DMH? What the hell is a DMH?
Dan looked around to see if he could take a guess...
Dan: I think it means "Department of Motor Hovercrafts."
Eduardo gave Dan a face of confusion...
Dan: What? I taking a guess here!
Dan pulled the hovering car into the traffic in the sky. He then wondered how the hell they ended up where they did. Eduardo asked...
Eduardo: When are we?
Dan: That's a funny way of putting it. Without doubt, we're in the future!
Eduardo: How is that possible? We can't enter our time, but we can end up in a time that looks like something out of "Judge Dredd"? What the hell is going on here, man?
Dan: I think whoever invented this machine, must have been here...
Dan pointed to the red LED console. The read-out displayed OCT 21 2015 4:30 PM. Eduardo started to think...
Eduardo: Wait... are you saying that all the times the previous owner went to, those are the only ones we can visit?
Dan: No, only the gaps between certain times we can go. I was able to type in the date before the time we were in before, right?
Eduardo: Yeah?
Dan: Maybe, from what I believe, any time between October 27, 1985, and October 21, 2015, we can't go.
Eduardo: Hold on, what about the time you punched in before, when you said the thing wasn't put together right?
Dan gave this one some thought. He recalled from a couple of minuets ago - or 30 years ago - he was screwing around with the dials on the dash, and hit the black button on the number keypad again.
Dan: I must of hit something when I hit the flying switch. It must of searched the memory, and then pulled up one at random. I'm only guessing, mind you.
Eduardo: Well, go back!
Dan reset the time display. He accelerated to 88 MPH, but nothing happened. He slowed down, then sped up again. Again, nothing. Dan didn't get it. It was then the time display shut off, and the "Y" device stopped fluxing. Most of the weird lights in the cab of the vehicle shut off, except for one, that flashed behind Eduardo's head. An alarm sounded each time the light that said "Empty" blinked. Under the light, a label said "Plutonium Chamber."
Dan: Plutonium? Oh my God! This thing is nuclear powered! We're driving a nuclear weapon on wheels!
Eduardo: Or an A-bomb in the sky...
Dan: Err... That too.
A light then appeared on the dash board, with an LCD counter underneath it. The light said, "Hover Reserve," and the counter under it read 3H, 29M, 57S. Dan didn't exactly catch what it said, but Eduardo knew exactly what the light meant...
Eduardo: Dan... We have little over 3 hours until we crash.
***
Dan and Eduardo pulled off the highway... or skyway... into a two-level hoverport gas station. Dan stepped out of the time machine, as a robotic arm with a fuel nozzle filled the DeLorean. Dan walked to the back of the vehicle, and inspected all the components in the back. Dan stood there, and scratched his head, trying to figure out where the plutonium chamber is. It then snapped in his mind...
Plutonium is not a retail item...
Dan: Ohhhh... We are in trouble.
It was then, a man came up from behind, and yelled out...
Man: Hey, buddy?! You havin' a problem?
Dan turned around, and saw the man dressed in what looked like a business suit... but had to neckties around his neck. He approached, as Dan responded.
Dan: Yeah. Um... I don't know what the problem is. This light popped on that said "Hover Reserve..."
Man: Did you remember to fill your Mr. Fusion?
Dan raised an eyebrow, as he looked at the man funny.
Dan: What the hell is a "Mr. Fusion"? Is that some kind of sick joke, or something?
The man walked up next to Dan, and pointed to a white shaft between the two vents...
Man: That's a Mr. Fusion. Are you new at hover technology?
Dan still didn't have an idea of what he was saying, so he nodded his head.
Man: Here, let me show you how it works.
The man went to the trash can on the edge on the hoverport platform, and picked out a couple of pieces of litter. He walked back to the DeLorean, flipped a red latch down, threw back the shaft, and started throwing the trash into the tank. He closed it up, and turned to Dan...
Man: What a Mr. Fusion does, is it takes the garbage, and turns it into power.
Dan: Whoa! Cool!
Man: These are used to power your hover conversion system. Just be sure to refill it when your power level gets low, ok?
Dan: Alright. Hey, thanks!
Man: It was no problem.
The man walked back to his car. He climbed into a large truck. Dan read the inscription on the back...
Dan: "Chevrolet Avalanche." Hey, those were supposed to be released next year!
The black truck rose up, and flew away off the hoverport platform. The robotic arm stretched over to Dan, and said in its computer-generated voice...
Voice: Cash or Print?
Dan looked to the panel the arm held. There was a money-insertion slot, and a glass plate next to it. Above the plate, it said "Thumb Print Here." Dan placed his thumb to the plate, and a blue transparent plastic receipt popped out of the bottom of the panel. As Dan took the plastic sheet, the arm pulled away, saying...
Voice: Thank you. Fuel with Amoco again Soon!
Dan found that strange, since they pulled into a BP gas station. Ehh... they must of merged he thought. Dan stepped back into the Stainless Steel car. Eduardo turned to him as he shut his door...
Eduardo: Well, what are we going to do about that nuke-thing, man?
Dan: Already done. ::Starts car::
Eduardo: How? I thought you needed to go to the government for that stuff, man.
Dan: There is an place in this time that makes these power reaction devices that powers this thing. I'm starting to suspect this wasn't originally built to serve the government. But, no matter, we have to see the inventor.
Eduardo: Why?
Dan: To fix it, remember?
Eduardo: Oh, yeah!
