Chapter Two
Sunday, July 3rd, 2035
3:24 AM
The Delorean broke the cloud's cover and Hill Valley was now in sight. From up there, it didn't look that different, but then again, they were about a mile up in the air. As Doc and Marty neared the town, details became much clearer.
For one, some one had definitely given the Court House a much-needed face lift. The clock had finally been replaced with a new one, although neither Marty nor Doc thought a holographic projection hardly did it justice. The exterior was actually cleaned up as well and Marty noticed a few hovering robots meticulously cleaning and polishing every inch. Even the cheesy-looking fountain that had once been there had been replaced by a very formal-looking metallic sculpture garden. It was kind of amazing that such futuristic objects could compliment such an old building.
The Delorean touched down in front of a large blue building. It was almost all glass and inside, Marty could see various machines performing what looked like an assembly line. The large red sign on top of the building read "BioSyn: turning your garbage into a cleaner future!"
"Doc, what's that?" Marty asked curiously, pointing to the building.
"That's another one of BioSyn's regeneration plants." Doc answered as the wheels slowly folded up, "Your daughter Marlene became quite a scientist when she was older and invented a revolutionary way to take the toxic and waste elements from everyday garbage and turn it into base elements like hydrogen and carbon." Marty just nodded. At least his family wasn't stupid in the future.
Doc placed the Delorean in park and the two time travelers got out. Doc noticed a computer terminal by the entrance to the BioSyn building and placed his thumb on it. The computer screen flashed to life and a digital voice said "You have seven hundred thousand dollars and three cents in your account, Mr. Brown."
"Seven hundred thousand?" Marty said, a little too loudly. He never knew Doc was so freakin' rich. "Where did you get that kinda dough?"
"Unfortunately, Marty, money isn't worth the same in 2035. In fact, I barely have enough to buy us some clothes." If that was what it took to buy clothes in the future, Marty hopped he would be able to curb Jennifer's obsession with shopping BEFORE they were married.
"Well, shall we mosey on over to the mega mall?" Doc said as Marty tried to take in all the sights and sounds of the future. It was really different, but in a cool way. The future couldn't be that bad.
"Marty?"
"Huh?"
"We need to get going to the mega mall and get some clothes soon. Bart Tannen is going to test his time machine tonight."
"Oh yeah," Marty said. Just as they were turning to get into the Delorean, a haggard-looking man came running from behind an alleyway. He was booking it fast and it was all Marty could do to duck out of the way. The thing was, no matter how fast the man ran, two police officers were right behind him and gaining rapidly. As they passed him, Marty could see that there weren't human, they were robots.
"Stop!" The robots' metallic voices droned, "By order of the Hill Valley Law Enforcement Agency, you are ordered to stop!" Then the second robot leaped at the man and tackled him to the ground. It was hardly a fair fight as the robot was far stronger. In seconds, the robots had the man in custody and were walking him towards an armored car that looked more like a futuristic tank. The man was shoved inside and the robots punched a few buttons and the vehicle flew by its self into the sky.
"Holy crap," Marty said as the robots walked away back to the alley from where they came. They passed Marty without as much as a glance. They were cold, impersonal.
"I figured it wouldn't be long before that happened," Doc muttered, "Crime hasn't improved that much apparently."
"But those cops were robots!" Marty said, climbing back into the Delorean with Doc as the engine hummed to life.
"Yes, Marty. A few years ago, a law was passed that made robots perform any duties that would be hazardous to humans. Police officers, firefighters, and even soldiers. As a result, there is a much lower human fatality rate."
"Yeah, but happens if one of those things goes haywire?"
"It hasn't happened," Doc said grimly, "Yet."
"That's heavy."
"Indeed, but come now, Marty. We're not breaking the law so we don't have anything to worry about. Let's do some serious shopping!"
Shopping for clothes with the Doc didn't sound like it was going to be fun, but than again, there were plenty worse things that could happen. It's not that Doc was a pain, it was his sense of style; he didn't have one. Sure, he could make a sweet time machine out of a Delorean, but when it came to dressing himself, Doc came up a few neck ties short of a business suit.
- - - - -
Marty stood a bit aimlessly in the Lone Pine mall store. Apparently the old complex had been modified into what Doc referred to as a mega mall, which basically meant it was a lot bigger and had a lot more places to waste money than before.
It seemed that things had changed and not necessarily for the better. Calvin Klein, his favorite clothes retailer, didn't carry the same clothes he remembered and he was having trouble finding anything that even looked good. The only easy part of the whole process was trying on different sizes; you didn't. Everything was one size and it fit anyone's body type. That was kinda cool.
What wasn't cool was the style. Jackets with armor-plated sleeves (or so it seemed), jeans that were every color but blue, and the strangest thing ever: clear plastic shirts. If the point was to look good, how would that be possible with a shirt that you had to squint at to see if it was actually there? Maybe it was for getting a tan in the winter or something.
Doc was already checking out some silver-colored business suit and a black shirt with a holographic tie that displayed lightning striking. How appropriate, Marty thought. The teenager himself had finally decided on a black and red jeans (the front half was red and the back half was black, go figure), and one of those armored-looking type jackets. At least he now looked like something of a mercenary for hire.
Checking out was even more fun. You didn't have tags anymore. You just walked up to this thing that looked like an airport security scanner and it scanned everything on you and gave the cashier, who incidentally was also a robot, the grand total of your purchase.
After a few faulty starts and lots of stares from other shoppers, Marty finally got the hang of it. Doc pressed his thumb on a keypad and the transaction was complete, with the robot metallic voice bidding them good day and reminding them of upcoming sales.
As Marty and the Doc left the store, the walked down towards a food court to grab a bite to eat. Marty hopped they still ate hamburgers in the future.
- - - - -
But unknown to the time travelers, Doc's transaction at Calvin Klein had put him into the system. The information passed through Hill Valley's background check. Immediately, it was judged that Doctor Emmett L. Brown had died forty years ago; someone was using his thumbprint. The penalty was for that was life in prison.
Immediately, every law enforcement robot was downloaded with the information and simple directions: detain and arrest the suspect claiming to be Emmett Brown. Two officers examining a mall entrance and another two escorting an old woman across the street sprang into action. The suspect was still inside the mall.
- - - - -
"Marty, what'll you have?" Doc asked as a robot waiter from Burger King came to their table and greeted them. Doc had already ordered what he wanted.
"Oh, um, I'll have a whopper." Marty answered.
"Would you like that in micro, small, medium-small, medium-regular, medium-large, large, extra-large, or extreme size?" asked the robot waiter.
"Whoa, um, uh," Mary stammered, a bit aghast at all the choices, "Maybe I'll just get a Pepsi. Small."
"Would you like Pepsi regular, Pepsi with lime, cherry Pepsi, Pepsi with lemon, diet Pepsi, Pepsi with orange, Pepsi with banana...?"
Marty held up his hand to stop the robot mid-sentence. "Just a regular, thanks."
"Very well." the robot said cheerfully, "Your order will be ready in a moment." Marty just nodded and cringed at the thought of banana-flavored Pepsi. Maybe the future wasn't all that it was cracked up to be.
"What a trip," Marty said when the robot was out of sight.
"It's quite interesting isn't it?" Doc agreed, "A whole new society has been created thanks to these innovative machines."
"I don't know," Marty said as he glanced at a robot mopping the floor of a nearby store. "They're kinda weird."
"I was thinking one getting one myself," Doc said, "To help around the lab with heavy lifting and stuff."
"But Doc, I always do that." Marty protested, "You don't need one of those. I mean come on, ever since I was ten I was helping you out with that kinda stuff."
"Yes, but after your accident…"
"Wait!" Marty said, suddenly completely focused on what Doc was saying, "What are you talking about? Why did you come to me?"
"Well, I always come to you when-", Doc replied.
"No, no! I mean, why did you come to me...?" Marty explained, pointing to himself, "Why didn't you go to the Marty McFly from 1986?"
Doc let out a long sigh. "Marty, even if I told you, it would completely disturb the space time continuum. I wish I could tell you about the danger you're in, but..." Doc sighed again, "…I can not put the entire universe at that risk. The results could be catastrophic!"
"Danger...! What danger, Doc! I have to know! What happens to me in 1986!"
"I said too much again." Doc said, "This entire time I've been telling myself to destroy any evidence of time travel so things like this could never happen. I know too much; more than I should."
"So do I, Doc!" Marty said, "But we made things better! I never hit that Rolls Royce!"
Doc stopped cold and turned to face Marty. "What? How did you find out about that?"
"Jennifer told me, Doc. She said it had something to do with me in the future, but she never said exactly what."
"Marty, you've changed the course of history again. That act created an alternate universe!"
"What's alternate, Doc? I changed my future."
"Marty, you're not understanding me. We already live in an alternate universe."
"What? How?"
"When you made the first trip to 1955 you changed your parent's futures, which indirectly changed yours."
"So what's going to change my future if you tell me what happens in 1986?"
"I can't tell you."
"Damn it, Doc. You have to."
"I don't have to, Marty, and I won't. Everyone makes their own future. All I can ask is that you make to most of yours while you still can. While you still have the time."
Then two police robots came into view. They pushed the janitor robot aside as they made their path towards the suspect claiming to be Emmett Brown and his accomplice.
"Suspect is in sight." The one said emotionlessly, "Proceeding to detain." The robots drew electric tasers meant for incapacitating suspects rather than killing them.
Marty was distracted enough from the conversation to notice the two robots coming steadily towards them. "Uh, Doc? I think we have a problem." Marty pointed towards the machines.
Doc's face went almost white. "What in the name of Thomas Edison? I think we need to leave, Marty."
"I totally agree with you on this one, Doc." Marty and Doc slowly rose from their chairs and looked around the busy mall for some kind of exit. After seeing what those robot officers did to that pick-pocket, both time travelers just assumed that getting in their good graces was not possible.
Doc tapped Marty's shoulder and motioned for him to follow. They were weaving between the Burger King crowds when the robot waiter returned.
"Sir," it said, "You have not received your regular-flavor Pepsi in the medium size."
"Shut up!" Marty tried to whisper. He had to get this thing to keep quite and stop following them or they would attract their own crowd of people. Definitely not a good thing to do when you're trying to blend in.
"But sir." The robot was insistent. Marty tried another ploy.
"Hey!" He said to the robot then pointed into the air, "Look at that!" Right on cue, the robot turned and Marty grabbed the Pepsi off the tray. Hmm, at least they had reverted back to regular cups in 2035. He doused the robot in the sticky drink and the machine sputtered and coughed.
"Come on, Marty," Doc reminded him. They had just left the food court and were in the main stretch of hallway. Here, they could see that there were three levels to the mall; one below them and another above them. Each level had its own walkway with occasional aisle bridging the gap so you could walk from one side to the other. In the center was a clear tower that housed about eight equally clear elevators.
Doc looked over the edge of the railing and noticed two more police robots heading through the crowd on level one.
"Damn! They're everywhere!"
"What do we do?" Marty asked, then he turned to Doc and said, "What did you do?"
"I don't know Marty. Maybe I'm not in the system anymore and they find that suspicious."
"They sure figured it out in a hurry." Neither Doc nor Marty wanted to admit it, but they were cornered big time if they didn't find a way out soon.
It was then that the two police robots that had entered the food court finally figured out where their prey had gone. Using a satellite uplink that connected them to other police bots in the area, they gave Doc's exact position in the mall.
Doc was the first to spot them, "Run, Marty! Get the Delorean and get out of here!"
"I'm not leaving without you, Doc!" Marty yelled as he spun around to look for any possible exit he could've missed. No sooner had he turned to look at Doc than the police bots drew their tasers.
"Look out!" Marty said as he tackled Doc to get him clear of the first blast, which struck a support cable that hung from the top of the mall's high ceiling skylight. Attached to that support cable was a huge modern art structure that buckled under the loss of strength. It swayed dangerously and shoppers gasped in horror.
"Halt!" said the metallic voice of the first police bot, "By authority of the Hill Valley Law Enforcement Branch, you are under arrest." The second robot readied some futuristic hand cuffs.
Marty glanced around and noticed that someone had left a hoverboard abandoned by a trashcan in the madness surrounding the swaying art piece. It gave him an idea.
"Doc," Marty whispered, "Try to stall 'em." Doc just looked at Marty confused but tried his best anyways.
"On what grounds are you making this arrest?" Doc asked the robots.
"Assuming the false identity of Emmett L. Brown, deceased." The first police bot answered.
"Great Scott, they think I'm dead!" Doc thought. "Wait…" he checked his wrist watch, "…by now I probably am."
Marty decided he would try his old 'what the hell is that?' trick on the robot with the hand cuffs. "Hey, you bucket of bolts, what's that doing there?"
The good news was, both police bots fell for it and gave Marty ample time to grab the hoverboard. The bad news was he didn't have a clue what to do next.
"Doc, hang on!" Marty shouted as he placed the board beneath his feet and raced at Doc for all he was worth.
"Oaff!" Doc grunted as Marty struck him. Now both time travelers were balancing on one hoverboard that was headed over the edge of the walkway. Normally, they would've hit the railing and fell over backwards, but the swaying modern art piece had tore away a section of railing and offered no resistance.
"Marty…"
Marty couldn't see where he was going, but he was so happy that he had rescued the Doc. Actually, he was even more happy that a plan that he, Martin Seamus McFly had come up with actually worked.
"Halt!"
Oh yes, there where the police bots he had almost forgotten about. The ones that were now running to catch the hoverboard and its occupants from going over the edge.
GOING OVER THE EDGE? Well, maybe Marty's plan wasn't so hot after all. Maybe he was going to have to very quickly learn if he could maneuver a hoverboard in midair.