As Alan and the masked boy entered the classroom, the other kids eyed them with curiosity. "Hey, Jason," Binky called out, "how long do you have to wear that dorky mask?"
The masked boy stopped and rubbed the bottom of his mask, thinking.
"I'm not wearing it for grieving purposes anymore," he explained. "You see, I cried and blew my nose so much that the skin on my face became chapped. It's not a pretty sight."
A moment later, the door opened automatically to allow Van to enter in his wheelchair. He waved at the other kids and the teacher, smiling joyfully.
"Guess what, everybody!" he exulted. "Odette's been rescued!"
Astonished at the news, the kids began to applaud and cheer.
"Where was she?" asked Alan.
"Who took her?" Jenna wanted to know.
"The police raided the Higher Power compound this morning," Van explained. "Odette has some bruises, but she's all right."
"Finally, some good news!" Arthur exclaimed.
"Good news indeed," said Mr. Wald, rising from his desk chair. "You can all celebrate during recess. Now let's get started with our science lesson."
----
After school, the kids went to their homes and tuned in eagerly to the news reports of Odette's rescue. At the Powers residence, Alan 1 (wearing a mask) and Alan 2 (not wearing a mask) watched the broadcast along with their parents.
"Taken into custody was one Gus Coleman, a former contractor," said the newscaster. A photo of the scarred, black-bearded aardvark man appeared on the screen.
After that Muffy appeared in the newsroom as a woman interviewed her. "I'm here with Muffy Crosswire, daughter of used-car magnate Ed Crosswire, who witnessed the kidnapping and assisted the police in identifying the suspect."
"Moneyand fame," Alan 2 muttered.
"I can remember faces, but I can't draw them," said Muffy into the microphone. "So I had to go to everybody I knew and describe the kidnapper, until I found somebody who actually..."
Muffy suddenly stopped talking and scowled. "Go on," said the newswoman.
"Forget everything I said," Muffy continued. "It's all a lie. I couldn't have done anything without the help of my blind friend Marina Messersmith. It was her telepathic abilities that identified the kidnapper. I had nothing to do with it."
At the Messersmith home, Marina's jaw dropped in horror as she listened to the newscast.
Her parents looked at her quizzically. "What does she mean, telepathic abilities?" asked her mother.
Marina gritted her teeth in anger. "Of all the times that...that...little snot could have picked to tell the truth!"
The televised interview with Muffy went on. "I understand that the rescued girl's father is involved in a lawsuit against your father," said the newswoman.
"Not anymore," Muffy replied. "Mr. Simon is replacing him. Conflict of interest and all that. Which is great, because now I can hang out with my friend Van Cooper as much as I want." She waved at the camera and smiled bashfully. "Hi, Van. How ya doin'?"
As the broadcast wound to a close, the two Alans discussed what they had just heard.
"Telepathic? Marina?" said Alan 1. "What's Muffy been inhaling?"
"Too much exhaust from Crosswire cars, I guess," Alan 2 theorized.
A second or two later the phone rang, and Mr. Powers rose to answer it. "It's for you, Alan," he called.
Alan 2 picked up the phone and heard Fern's voice.
"I've been reading a book on forensic science," she told him. "Most of it is way over my head. Since you're the science whiz, I thought I would ask you this question."
"Go ahead," said Alan 2.
"I'm trying to determine if there's any kind of poison that wouldn't be detected in an autopsy."
"I don't think so," Alan 2 replied. "If there is such a poison, it hasn't been invented yet."
"Thanks, Alan," said Fern.
Alan 2 replaced the receiver as Mrs. Powers approached him and Alan 1 with steaming TV dinners in her hands. "Dinnertime, boys," she said sweetly.
"Oh, good," said Alan 1. "Mind if we eat in the bedroom again?"
"Fine with me," Mrs. Powers replied. "Just don't get it all over the sheets."
The two Alans carried their dinners into the bedroom and closed the door behind them. They pulled up two chairs and sat down to eat. Alan 1 removed his mask.
"I wonder if they still have TV dinners thirty years from now," he said, taking a bite of mashed potatoes.
"You'll find out soon enough, won't you?" Alan 2 responded.
"I'm going to miss all of you," said Alan 1 with a hint of sadness and a mouth full of potatoes. "Well, except for you."
Alan 2 chuckled.
Roughly two hours later, the two Alans stood in the garage, with one of the two time tricycles sitting between them. Alan 1 removed his mask and dropped it on the floor in front of his feet.
"I guess this is goodbye," said Alan 2. "It was kinda cool to have a clone of myself for a few days."
"As soon as I get to the future and find you," said Alan 1, "I'm gonna take this baby apart and find out how it works. The technology may be useful for purposes other than time travel."
"I'll do the same to the other one," said Alan 2. "Our days of messing with the time-space continuum are over."
Alan 1 crouched down and sat on top of the time tricycle. "Goodbye, Alan," he said, waving.
"Goodbye, Alan," said Alan 2, waving back.
Alan 1 started to pedal, and a second later he was gone.
(Hmm...I could end it here, leaving Francine dead...)
