Running Out Of Time
Chapter 12
Getting Acquainted

It started to get dark out. Dan watched from the window and sighed, as the soft blending of the orange and purple sky filled the last remaining moments of the day. Because of the displacement of time, he was really tired. It was nice to take a time out to actually stop and see the time he was in.

Eduardo started to snore loudly on the couch that was covered with papers. He then rolled over, and put a folder that was on the floor on his head. Dan looked over to him and sighed.

Dan: Bum.

Marty awoke with a start. He looked around to find himself in the Doc's work chair. He saw the man standing over by the window, not paying any mind to him. He started to get up, and head for the door. He was almost to the door, when he stepped into a pile of dog food, and slipped.

Marty: WHAAA!

Dan turned around, to find Marty laying on the floor, with his poncho over his head. He got the poncho off, and started again for the door, when Dan came and tackled him to the ground. Eduardo jumped from the couch, and saw Dan and Marty on the ground fighting. Eduardo ran over, pulled Marty up, and stuck his hands behind his back. Marty screamed to the top of his voice...

Marty: Who the hell are you! What did you do with Jennifer?!

Dan: God Damnit, calm down, before I crack you one, asshole!

Marty stopped trying to fight Eduardo's grip, and said in a low voice...

Marty: You better tell me what you did with my girlfriend.

Dan: She's fine. She's over in the bed. You've been out for a while.

Marty: Who are you guys?!

Eduardo let go of Marty. Marty stood in front of Dan, and waited for an answer...

Dan: Like I told you before, we're the Ghostbusters, except from fifteen years into the future. We came here in a Time Machine that was reconstructed by the government, and now we need your friend, Doctor Emmett Brown, to fix a problem we're having with it to get back to the year 2000.

Marty stared at him blankly. He backed him himself into the chair he was sitting in before. He sat down, as Dan started to explain how they got there, and what the problem is with the time machine...

***

Dan: ...So that's how we ended up here.

Marty: So, you're telling me that all the parts of the time machine were picked up, and then rebuilt?

Dan: Yeah. The destination time memory keeps resetting to a time that you and your friend have visited before. Since I have no idea how he set the thing up, I don't think I should screw with it, because I might make matters worse then they already are.

Marty: Well, you're going to have a hard time trying to find him, because... well... uh... he's out of town.

Eduardo: Why, where did he go?

Marty: Kinda far from here.

Dan saw something in his face. He knew he was trying to throw them off.

Dan: When did he go?

Marty: 1895. Wait, I mean... oh, man.

Dan: So, he's stuck there, eh?

Marty: Yeah. Look, I don't think you should go.

Eduardo: Why?

Marty: Because you might cause a paradox! You could change something that...

Dan: Can erase my existence? Look, I'm a Ghostbuster. I'm supposed to know these things, so trust me when I say this: I know what I'm doing.

Marty: Well... I still think it's a little dangerous.

Dan: Well, if it at all makes you feel safer, I'll take you with us. Just so you can make sure things run... you know... smooth?

Marty sighed, has he nodded his head. Moaning was heard from the other side of the room, as all three men turned around.

Dan: She's coming around. Marty, go aid her.

Marty got up, and walked over to the bed. Jennifer awoke, and saw her boyfriend hovering above her...

Jennifer: Marty... you wouldn't believe the dream I had.

Dan and Eduardo came up from behind. Her eyes widened, and she sat up.

Marty: It's ok. They're good guys.

Jennifer: Who are you?

Dan: I'm Dan Shannon, and this is my partner Eduardo Rivera. We're Ghostbusters from the year 2000.

Eduardo: We were sent here in a time machine that this Doc guy built.

Marty: See, the DeLorean was destroyed, but it was rebuilt. The government rebuilt it, and sent it to these guys. Something wrong happened, and they were sent here, and now they can't get back. They need to see Doc.

Jennifer: Oh, god.

Jennifer turned, and sat on the bed. Marty sat beside her, and Dan and Eduardo kneeled down to be level with them.

Jennifer: So, what? You're stranded?

Dan: Only between the dates of October 27, 1985, and October 21, 2015. It's possible that we could go back to 1895, but I'm not sure. I haven't really tested that yet. But if we can, we're going to get Doc, and get this thing fixed before something else happens.

Marty: So, when do we leave?

Dan: I think we should get some sleep first. I've been awake for a least 48 hours.

Marty: What?

Dan: Between the time we first departed, which was around three in the morning, 12 hours on the road to get here, another hour in the future, and maybe another three messing around New York the first arrival... I'd say that damn close.

Jennifer: Whoa, that's a lot of lost sleep.

Eduardo: And the job of being a scientist takes a lot out of ya, too.

Dan: For the last time, Eddy... you don't know squat about science!

Eduardo: Aw, bite me!

Dan: Eat my shorts!

Eduardo: Oh, that would take a long time!

Dan: Why, you son-of-a...!

Marty stood up, and yelled...

Marty: Hey! There's a lady present!

Dan and Eduardo hung their heads...

Eduardo: Sorry.

Dan: Guess we got carried away.

Jennifer: For guys from the future, you're pretty nasty to each other.

Dan: Hey, it's not the year, it's the location. I'm from Chicago, and he's from New York: A winning combination of assholes.

Marty: Too true.