Once Upon a Time in Enchancia
Welcome to Chapter 16 of "Once Upon a Time in Enchancia". This is a chapter I've been wanting to do for a while now, and since Amber is now training to be a Voyager, I decided the time was right to go ahead with this chapter. Be aware this is a time travel chapter, with the destination being … September 11th of 2001.
Chapter 16: A Journey in Time
April 9, 1868
It was a Thursday afternoon at Enchancia Castle. Outside, behind the castle, Candice and Eileen watched as fourteen-year-old Lucinda gave eight-year-old Nonya, and eight-year-old Molly, some magical pointers. Eileen's adoption of Nonya and Molly had been finalized a short while ago, and Eileen, Nonya, and Molly were now an official family.
"As you can see, on that wall, there are two stuffed toys," Lucinda pointed out to Nonya and Molly. "I want each of you to use your wand, concentrate, and will a stuffed toy to you. Remember, the spell you want to use is Accio."
Nonya pointed her wand at the wall, concentrated, and said the spell. One of the stuffed toys flew off of the wall, and landed at Nonya's feet.
"Nicely done," Lucinda smiled at Nonya, before turning to Molly. "Now, Molly, you give it a try."
Molly pointed her wand at the wall, concentrated, and said the spell. The other stuffed toy flew off of the wall, and landed near Molly's feet.
"Good job," Lucinda happily said to Molly.
"The two of you are becoming good spell casters," Eileen praised Nonya and Molly as she hugged them.
"We've got a long way to go, Mom," Nonya commented to Eileen.
"But, we'll get there," Molly said in a confident tone.
At that moment, Baileywick walked up to Candice.
"Candice," Baileywick started. "Your mother would like to see you in her office."
"I'll report there immediately," Candice acknowledged. "Thank you, Mister Baileywick."
In a few minutes, Candice arrived at the door of Violet's office.
"Please close the door, Candice, and have a seat," Violet requested as Candice walked in.
After closing the door, and sitting down, Candice turned toward Violet. "Is anything wrong, Mom?"
"No," Violet said in a reassuring voice. "However, I have been contacted by Voyager Command about Amber. They are pleased at how she is handling her training. They feel it is time for the next step. You and I both know what that is."
"Yes, Mom," Candice acknowledged. "But, is Amber ready for this?"
"Who is?" Violet wondered out loud. "But the pilgrimage is an essential part of each Voyager's training - to go to one of the darkest moments in Earth's history, and see just how bad bad can be."
"I remember when Dorrie and I went," Candice sadly remembered. "It was such a beautiful morning there ... with no indication of the horror to come."
"I remember," Violet sadly recalled. "As I accompanied you and Dorrie there, Amber will be accompanied there as well. And it has been decided that Amber will be accompanied there ... by you."
"I'm honored," Candice remarked in awe. "Are you sure I'm ready for such a role?"
"I am, and so is Voyager Command," Violet proudly said to Candice. "You've been there, and you know what to expect. Just be sure to avoid your past self."
"Understood," Candice acknowledged. "When do Amber and I go?"
"In a few days," Violet answered.
"Then I'll get Amber ready for this," Candice said as she got up, and left Violet's office.
As soon as Candice had left, Dorrie, using her wand, appeared in Violet's office in a puff of smoke.
"I wish I were going with Candice and Amber," Dorrie remarked. "They might need a hand."
"As much as I'd like that, I need you with me," Violet directed. "I have a mission there, and I'm going to need your help to carry it out."
September 11, 2001
In the skies above the Eastern United States, it was 8:37 AM, and Boston Center was watching one of its aircraft that had been hijacked - American Airlines Flight 11. At that moment, Boston Center contacted the Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) about the situation.
"Hi, this is Boston Center, we have a problem here," Boston began. "We have a hijacked aircraft headed towards New York, and we need you guys to, we need someone to scramble some F-16s or something up there, help us out."
"Is this real-world or exercise?" NEADS wanted to know.
"No, this is not an exercise, not a test," Boston answered.
It was now 8:46 AM. On a street in New York City, Candice and Amber, dressed in clothing from 2001, walked along. Off to their side, they saw some workers checking out a sewer. Suddenly, from overhead, they heard the noise of a large passenger jet flying very low. As they looked up, the passenger jet crashed into the 110 story north tower of the World Trade Center as everybody below screamed in shock and fright.
"Oh my God!" Amber gasped.
"It's only going to get worse," Candice quietly warned Amber.
In a few minutes, the news started breaking on television. A male reporter appeared on one of the television networks.
"I'm gonna go live right now and show you a picture of the World Trade Center, where I understand, do we have it? No we do not. We have a breaking story though. We're going to come back with that in just a moment. First, this is This Morning on UBN."
Some commercials aired, then a female reporter came on.
"As Richard just mentioned, we have a breaking news story to tell you about. Apparently a plane has just crashed into the World Trade Center here in New York City. It happened just a few moments ago apparently. We have very little information available at this point in time. But on the phone we do have Joan Keane who apparently witnessed this event. Joan can you hear me?"
"Hello?" Joan asked.
"Hi Joan?" the female reporter responded.
"Hi Maureen," Joan acknowledged.
"Hi," Maureen started. "Can you please tell me what you saw and give me any information about what's going on there?"
"Yes, I have to tell you … um, it's quite terrifying," Joan started reporting. "I'm in shock right now. I came out of the subway at Bowling Green. I was heading to work in Battery Park at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, and I come out … and it, I saw a big, I heard a boom right south and there was a big ball of fire. I'm now looking north at the World Trade Center, and it is the last twin tower, I'm looking north. I'm in Battery Park right now and you can hear the fire engines and the emergency … emergency crews behind me, and it is unbelievable, when the fire first starts it was … hello?"
"Go ahead, we can hear you," Maureen reassured Joan.
"… in the air like I've never seen before … um, and, as you know, I used to work in news, I've never seen any fire like this in the air," Joan continued. "And, pieces of the building were flying down. It looks like, it's the, it's like the top, I can't even tell you, maybe twenty floors. Intense smoke, it's horrible, I can't even describe it."
"Do you have any idea what kind of plane it was?" Maureen wanted to know.
"I'm sorry?" Joan responded, puzzled.
"Do you have any idea what hit the World Trade Center?" Maureen asked Joan.
"What it was?" Joan questioned, again puzzled.
"Yeah, what kind of plane? We're getting reports that an airplane hit the building," Maureen reported.
"Oh, it, I didn't even know that," Joan admitted. "Honestly, I was walking up, and, looked up, and saw a big boom and fire. You know, I gotta tell you, we were all saying around here that it was very interesting that it would be a bomb and it would be so high up. So, perhaps, perhaps it was a plane. We have no … no type of the plane whatever. I have to tell you, there is still things flying in the air. I mean, it, it's mind-boggling and it's horrifying."
Back on the street, Candice turned to Amber.
"We've better be moving along," Candice cautioned Amber. "Emergency personnel will be arriving shortly. We don't want to be in the way."
"My God," Amber said in shock as she and Candice started walking. "From what you've told me, this is just the beginning."
"Yes," Candice sadly acknowledged. "Right now, everybody thinks this is just a tragic accident. The truth will become painfully clear very soon."
As Amber walked with Candice, Amber looked back and looked up at the 110 story World Trade Center tower that had been hit. A gaping hole in the top portion of the tower was clearly visible, with smoke pouring out of the hole, and rising upward.
"There are people trapped up there!" Amber gasped.
"I know," Candice admitted with a sad face.
There was already emergency radio traffic taking place.
"Manhattan calling Division 1," a dispatcher called out.
"Division 1 to Manhattan, go ahead," a man responded.
"Division 1, receiving reports floor one-zero-six, numerous people trapped floor number one-zero-six," the dispatcher reported.
"10-4," the man from Division 1 responded. "We have units on the way up now. We're reporting fire on the 78th floor, that's unconfirmed at the time. We're going to need the PD for security of the entire World Trade Center."
Meanwhile, on an emergency channel, two men were discussing the situation.
"Yeah what do you got?" a man asked.
"We've got a plane into the World Trade Center," the other man reported.
"We know what do you think?" the first man asked.
"Unknown at this time … I'm just letting the hospitals know," the other man answered. "Units unless it is in regards to the World Trade Center standby … Methodist EMS notification standby."
"How bad is the situation?" the first man wanted to know.
"We don't know," the other man answered. "We are just getting onto the scene."
The second tower is hit
It was now 9:03 AM. A few blocks away from the World Trade Center, Candice and Amber stood on a sidewalk looking at the World Trade Center towers. The upper floors of the north tower, which had been hit at 8:46 AM, were surrounded by thick smoke coming from the tower. Suddenly, a Boeing 767 passenger jet came in very fast, and hit the south tower. The jet hitting the south tower created a huge fireball. Thick smoke then started pouring from the south tower.
"Oh my God!" Amber cried. "This is terrible!"
Over at This Morning on UBN, who had been covering the first plane hitting the World Trade Center, the second plane hitting the World Trade Center had been broadcast live. The two reporters on This Morning, Richard and Maureen, were busy talking to a woman on the phone when the second plane hit.
"Have you seen any evidence, Lynn, of people being taken out of the building?" Maureen asked. "You say that emergency vehicles are there, understandably so, but of course the major concern is …"
"Oh my goodness!" a woman in the background cried out.
"... human loss. I mean, do you know if there were many people in the building at the time?" Maureen continued.
"Oh another just hit!" Lynn exclaimed, taken off guard. "Something else just hit! A very large plane just flew directly over my building and there's been another collision. Can you see it?"
"Yes," both Maureen and Richard confirmed.
"Something else has just … and that looked like a 747," Lynn stated.
"You know what, we just saw a plane circling the building," Richard informed Lynn. "We just saw a plane circling the building, a second ago on the shot right before that."
"I think there may have been another impact, can you tell?" Lynn wondered. "I just heard another very loud bang and a very large plane that might have been a DC-9 or a 747 just flew past my window and I think it may have hit the Trade Center again."
"To be honest, Lynn, I didn't get the impression that it was that big a plane," Richard commented.
"It looked big from here!" Lynn pointed out.
"I did see a big plane go by a second ago though, and it has now impacted the building," Richard observed. "I'm trying to see if it's the different tower."
"Yes, it's the second," Maureen confirmed.
"I think it may have been … I believe the first one was World Trade Center One and it looks from what I'm seeing on the television like it may have been the second building hit," Lynn reported.
"We're going to see, this is a piece of tape, and we may actually see another plane enter the picture here in a second," Richard informed the viewing audience.
"I wonder if there are air traffic control problems?" Lynn thought out loud.
"Let's go back to Joan Keane who we were talking to a second ago. Joan did you see this happen?" Richard asked.
"Hello?" Joan responded, trying to connect with Richard.
"Did you just see this happen Joan?" Richard wanted to know.
"Richard, I, I've never seen anything, it looks like a movie, I saw a large plane, like a jet, go immediately heading directly into the World Trade Center," Joan started. "It just flew into it, into the other tower, coming from south to north. I watched the plane fly into the World Trade Center. It was a jet, it was a very large plane. It was going fast, it went past the Ritz Carlton Hotel that's being built in Battery Park. It flew right past, it almost hit it, and then went in."
"This is so shocking, of course, to everybody watching," Maureen commented.
"I've never seen anything like it," Joan continued. "It literally flew itself into World Trade Center."
"Obviously, now, we move from what appears to have … there it is right there!" Richard reported as he reviewed a videotape of what had just happened.
"Again, I'm looking from south to north," Joan added. "It went into the one on the right."
"That appeared to be at least a 727 we saw a second ago," Richard observed. "Here comes the videotape we just showed you. You will see what appears to be a large plane, it could be a 727, right there, maybe even bigger, flying right into the side of the World Trade Center."
"It was at least a 727," Joan pointed out. "It was a jet. I couldn't believe my eyes, watching it right above me."
"And now, you have to move from talk of a possible accident to talk about something deliberate that has happened here," Richard informed everybody watching. "We're going to immediately check with air traffic control in the area to find out if they had contact with either of these planes before the accident. But what we've just seen is about the most shocking videotape I've ever seen."
"What are the odds of two separate planes hitting both towers?" Alex Robinson, weatherman on This Morning, pondered.
On the street, people looked up at the two damaged World Trade Center towers in shock. Thick gray smoke poured from the upper floors of both towers.
"Emergency personnel will be evacuating the surrounding area," Candice whispered to Amber. "We've best be moving up the street."
"Understood," Amber whispered back.
An apparent terrorist attack
Candice and Amber had moved up the street. In a little bit, they stopped in front of a building where a large flat screen television was mounted. People were gathered around the television as it was broadcasting This Morning coverage of the situation at the World Trade Center. Minutes passed, and soon it was 9:29 AM.
"Let's go to the President of the United States, who is in Sarasota, Florida at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School," Maureen informed the This Morning audience.
The live coverage then switched to Sarasota and the President.
"Today, we've had a national tragedy," the President started as he stood at a makeshift podium. "Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country. I have spoken to the Vice President, to the Governor of New York, to the Director of the FBI, and I've ordered that the full resources of the federal government are to go to help the victims and their families, and to conduct a full scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed this act. Terrorism against this nation will not stand. And now if you'll join me in a moment of silence … may God bless the victims, their families, and America."
The President then walked out of the room.
"We'll want to stick around here for the time being," Candice informed Amber. "There's more to come."
Meanwhile, in the large basement area beneath the World Trade Center complex, Violet and Dorrie appeared out of thin air. The basement area had been evacuated, and Violet and Dorrie were by themselves.
"Okay, I'll bite," Dorrie started. "What are we doing here?"
"These are vaults containing gold and silver … and other valuable items," Violet explained. "Among the items in these vaults is the Jewel of Rasnor, a powerful magical jewel. Voyager Command wants us to retrieve the jewel before the towers come down. Otherwise, the jewel will be lost forever."
"How do you suggest we get into the vaults?" Dorrie wanted to know.
"We use our wands to transport ourselves inside," Violet explained.
"And once we appear inside any vault, alarms will go off," Dorrie warned.
"No, they won't," Violet reassured Dorrie as she pulled out a small device from her pocket. "This will immediately disable any alarms we encounter."
"Okay," Dorrie acknowledged in an unsure voice.
"The vault we want is over here," Violet announced. "Hurry. We don't have much time."
Back at the building where a large flat screen television was mounted, it was now 9:39 AM. As Candice, Amber, and others watched the continuing This Morning coverage of events at the World Trade Center, new information came in.
"John Michlin has some information from the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.," Maureen reported. "John?"
"Maureen, I don't want to alarm anybody right now, but apparently, it felt, just a few moments ago, like there was an explosion of some kind here at the Pentagon," John informed Maureen. "We're on the E-ring of the Pentagon. We have a window that faces out toward the Potomac, toward the Kennedy Center. We haven't been able to see or hear anything after the initial blast. I just stepped out in the hallway, security guards were herding people out of the building. And I saw just a moment ago as I looked outside, a number of construction workers who had been working here, have taken flight. They're running as far away from the building as they can right now. I hear no sirens going off in the building, I see no smoke. But the building shook for just a couple of seconds. The windows rattled, and security personnel are doing what they can momentarily to clear this part of the building. Again, I have no idea whether it was part of the construction work, whether it was an accident, or what is going on. We're going to try to find those details and get them to you as soon as possible. But interestingly enough, one intelligence official here in the building said when he saw what appeared to be the coordinated attack on the World Trade Center, his advice was to stay away from the outside of the building today just in case. Now again, nobody has any indications of exactly what happened. But it appears, that there has been some kind of, it felt like a small blast of some kind. Again, the windows shook, the building shook, the windows rattled, and people, if I'm looking out the window now and the construction workers are still keeping a good … oh, I'm sorry. The construction workers are still keeping a distance. That's all I can see. And I see no other extracurricular security activity right outside. But to get more information, I'm going to have to break away, and walk down the hallway, and see what it is exactly that happened here just a few moments ago."
"John, see what you can find out," Maureen requested. "Please be careful and let us know what's going on there."
"Now their attacking Washington?" Amber asked Candice in shock.
"Yes," Candice confirmed.
The This Morning coverage continued.
"John, we're hearing it again, unconfirmed reports, that this was the result of a plane crashing in the area as well," Maureen informed John.
"I have no idea, Maureen," John started. "All I know is that people who were in the building who came running from that part of the building, thought it was a bomb of some kind. According to my colleague, who just came in, it appears that whatever it was, and perhaps it was a plane, Maureen, if those are the initial reports, crashed into, or the damage is on the roof of the building, at the heliport side of the Pentagon which is just opposite of the Potomac River as I just said."
In a few minutes, live pictures from outside of the Pentagon started to be shown on television. There was thick gray smoke pouring from one side of the Pentagon, as those watching the live coverage gasped in horror.
Cutting it close
In the vault that contained the Jewel of Rasnor, Violet and Dorrie were searching the vault when Violet called Dorrie to come over.
"I've found it," Violet announced as she carefully picked up the jewel, and placed it in a protective bag.
"What time do you have, Mom?" Dorrie asked.
"9:57 AM," Violet answered as she looked at a wristwatch on her wrist. "Let's get out our Omnis, and get out of here while the going is good."
Dorrie pulled out her Omni, and set the dials. At that same moment, Violet pulled out her Omni, and set the dials. As they finished, they heard a rumbling above them. It was 9:59 AM.
"GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" Violet shouted at Dorrie. "I'LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU!"
Violet and Dorrie activated their Omnis, and each disappeared into thin air just before tons and tons of debris fell onto the area where the vaults were located.
At the building where the large flat screen television was mounted, everybody gathered watched in horror as the 110 story south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed. As it collapsed, a large cloud of dust spread out in all directions. Candice grabbed Amber's arm, and the two started running.
"Where are we going?!" Amber asked Candice in shock.
"Anyplace where we can ride this out!" Candice quickly informed Amber.
In a few moments, Candice spotted a diner which was open for business. Candice and Amber quickly ran inside. Before closing the door, Candice turned to a handful of people who were standing outside.
"The tower is coming down!" Candice shouted at the handful of people. "Get in here, now!"
The handful of people ran into the diner, and Candice and Amber then closed the door.
"Everybody away from the windows!" Candice ordered.
In a few moments, a thick cloud of dust engulfed the area, blocking out the sunlight, and turning day into total blackness. In a few minutes, the cloud of dust dissipated, and the sun returned. As everybody in the diner looked outside, everything outside was covered in a thick layer of dust. Candice saw a large group of firefighters, police officers, and civilians who had been caught in the dust cloud, their eyes blinded by the dust.
"We need as much bottled water as you have," Candice directed a waitress in the diner.
As the manager of the diner helped the waitress get as much bottled water as possible, Candice and Amber ran outside, and started tending to those who had been caught in the dust cloud. In a few moments, the manager and the waitress came out with bottled water.
"Tilt your head back," Candice gently said to a firefighter who had been caught in the dust cloud. "I'm going to wash the dust from your eyes."
"Thank you," the firefighter said gratefully as his eyesight returned. "What happened?"
"The south tower just came down," Candice informed the firefighter.
"My God!" the firefighter exclaimed in shock. "That means the other tower might come down as well!"
"My thoughts exactly," Candice agreed.
"Do you have any other news?" the firefighter wanted to know.
"The slime balls crashed a plane into the Pentagon," Candice reported.
As everybody tended to those who needed help, Candice and Amber looked at the sight in awe.
"This is the human race at its best," Candice remarked to Amber. "When the chips are down, everybody pitches in to help. Let their deeds stand as monuments, so that when the human race is called to judgment, we may say, this too was humanity."
At Voyager Command
Violet and Dorrie, within seconds of each other, appeared out of thin air on a street in Voyager City.
"Well, that was close," Dorrie remarked.
"I'll say," Violet agreed. "We've best be getting this jewel to the Voyager Storage Facility."
"Voyager Storage Facility?" Dorrie asked.
"Sort of the Voyager version of our Warehouse Ten," Violet explained. "A place where paranormal items, as well as items of historical significance, are stored in a safe environment."
"Well, fancy that," Dorrie said in awe. "Voyager Command has its own warehouse."
In a little while, Violet and Dorrie wound up at a huge building on the edge of Voyager City. There was a huge door which led into the building. Next to the door was an intercom-type system. Violet walked over and activated the system.
"This is Violet and Dorrie Cooper," Violet spoke into the intercom. "We have the Jewel of Rasnor."
"Excellent," a man's voice responded, pleased. "We've been expecting you."
The door then opened in an upward manner.
"Please, come in," the man's voice invited. "Follow the signs to the facility office."
Violet and Dorrie walked into the facility, and soon made their way to the office where a man and a woman in their 50s were waiting.
"I'm Pete Lattimer," the man smiled as he shook Violet's hand. "And this is my partner, Myka Bering. We're the guardians of this facility."
"Pete Lattimer? Myka Bering?" Dorrie questioned. "Are you the same Pete Lattimer and Myka Bering from … Warehouse 13?"
"Yes, we are," the woman smiled at Dorrie. "But, how did you know?"
"As an agent for Warehouse Ten, and an Auxiliary Voyager, I've gone through the Voyager database and looked up information on the various warehouses that existed throughout time," Dorrie explained.
"It's always a pleasure to meet a fellow warehouse agent," Pete happily said as he shook Dorrie's hand.
"How did the two of you wind up here?" Dorrie wanted to know.
"We were about to retire from serving Warehouse 13 when Voyager Command approached us," Myka answered. "Lets just say that the ability to travel through time was too tempting an offer to pass up."
"Plus the items in this facility are very impressive," Pete added in awe.
"Here's another item to add to the collection," Violet announced as she handed the Jewel of Rasnor to Pete.
"Ah, yes," Pete acknowledged. "The Jewel of Rasnor. It has the ability to allow its owner, over time, to travel among people without being noticed."
"Quite the dangerous little jewel if it fell into the wrong hands," Myka spoke up. "We'll put this in our maximum security vault."
"Dorrie and I should be going," Violet said to Pete and Myka. "It was nice meeting you."
"Nice meeting you as well," Pete smiled at Violet and Dorrie.
Back on September 11th of 2001
In New York City, it was 10:28 AM, and the north tower of the World Trade Center had just collapsed. As with the south tower, the collapse of the north tower brought a thick dust cloud with it. As Candice and Amber ran up a street, Candice noticed a sandwich shop that was open. Candice and Amber quickly ran into the sandwich shop, and closed the door behind them. In a few moments, the dust cloud reached the sandwich shop, blotting out the sunlight outside, and turning day into blackness.
"What's going on?!" the male clerk at the sandwich shop asked, shocked.
"The other tower just came down," Candice responded. "We'll be safe in here."
In the sandwich shop, there was a small television on which was tuned to This Morning.
"Let's look at these live pictures at the World Trade Center," Maureen announced. "The other tower of the World Trade Center has just collapsed. You are looking at live pictures of the second twin tower at the World Trade Center collapsing as a result of the crash of an airplane into its side. That I believe was the first tower that was struck this morning at 8:42 eastern time. That is now … fallen to the ground and collapsed."
"The profile of Manhattan has now been changed, there has been a declaration of war by terrorists on the United States, there's nothing short of that," Thomas Bronson, a senior reporter with UBN News, noted.
"Paul Driskel … Paul Driskel, excuse me Thomas, is down at the scene," Maureen reported. "Paul?"
"Where's Will? Where's Will? Where's Will? Will!" Paul's panicked voice came over the air.
"Paul can you hear us?" Richard asked. "Obviously there is pandemonium downtown. Paul is not far from the World Trade Center as you can hear from the sirens. And you can only imagine the confusion and the terror that is in the area after not one, but both, Trade Center towers have now collapsed."
"My God!" Amber exclaimed in shock as she watched the This Morning coverage. "Can you imagine the loss of life down there?"
"Firefighters, police officers, office workers," Candice sadly acknowledged. "All good people."
The dust cloud from the north tower collapse dissipated after a few minutes. As with the south tower collapse, the dust cloud from the north tower collapse left behind a thick layer of dust in its wake. As those outside helped each other recover, Candice looked at a clock in the sandwich shop, and noticed it was rapidly approaching 10:40 AM. On the shop's television, This Morning was still covering the tragedy.
"We now have an AP news alert out of Pittsburgh," Richard reported to the television audience. "Officials at Somerset County Airport are confirming the crash of a large plane just north of the airport. That's about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Again, officials at Somerset County Airport confirm the crash of a large plane north of that airport which is located about 80 miles to the southeast of the city of Pittsburgh. We do not know whether that crash of that plane is related to what has become an obvious terrorist attack both here in New York City and in Washington, D.C. at the Pentagon."
"That would be United Airlines Flight 93," Candice sadly said to Amber. "It was hijacked, too. The passengers managed to disrupt the plans of the hijackers, but … the plane crashed."
"Where was it heading?" Amber asked.
"It was always speculated it was heading for some target in Washington, D.C." Candice answered.
A policeman came into the sandwich shop.
"The Mayor has ordered an evacuation of Lower Manhattan," the policeman announced. "Your best bet would be to go to Battery Park. We've been told that boats are coming which will transport people over to New Jersey."
As customers started leaving the sandwich shop, Candice gently took Amber's hand.
"You'll want to see this," Candice smiled at Amber. "Come."
Candice and Amber joined a large group of people who started walking toward Battery Park. In a little while, they had arrived at the park which looked out into the East River. As Candice looked out onto the water, she saw many boats approaching: ferries, tugs, dinner boats and fishing boats, craft of all types and sizes. Everybody else saw the boats approaching, and the crowd started cheering.
"Would you look at all those boats," Amber observed in awe.
"Many of them came on their own, without having to be asked," Candice pointed out. "People helping people in a time of crisis."
The boats started arriving at the edge of Battery Park, to be met by fences that separated the park from the water. Acetylene torches were brought in, and the fences were cut away so people could start boarding the boats. Amber and Candice wound up on a tug heading to the New Jersey shore. As they traveled across the water, they looked back to where the World Trade Center towers had been standing. There was thick smoke coming from the rubble.
In a little while, the tug reached the New Jersey shore along with other boats. People got off from the boats, and found a variety of volunteers waiting for them. As the people from the boats were asked where they lived, Candice quietly took Amber into a nearby public restroom. As they walked in, they noticed they were the only two in the restroom.
"I think it's time we made a quiet exit," Candice suggested as she brought out her Omni, and adjusted the dials.
Amber walked over to the door, and looked out across the water for a few moments. From the New York City side of the water, she could see thick smoke continuing to come from the rubble where the World Trade Center towers had stood.
"I will always remember," Amber sadly thought to herself.
Amber walked back over to Candice, and took hold of Candice's arm. Candice pressed a button on her Omni, and Candice and Amber disappeared into thin air.
April 14, 1868
It was a Tuesday afternoon at Enchancia Castle. Outside, in back of the castle, Amber was overseeing the planting of a small tree. As the workers finished planting the tree, then walked away, Violet, Dorrie, and Candice walked over.
"Between the four of us, this small tree is more than just a small tree," Amber revealed to Violet, Dorrie, and Candice. "This is my secret way of remembering September 11th. It will grow into a full tree, and stand as a monument to that day."
"I think that's a wonderful thing, Princess Amber," Violet approved. "Perhaps each of the four of us, every September 11th, could come to this tree and spend a few moments in silent reflection."
"That's a wonderful idea, Violet," Amber smiled.
"We'll do that, then," Violet acknowledged. "This small tree will grow into a fine monument that will make the future proud."
Amber, Violet, Dorrie, and Candice stood looking at the small tree for a few moments. Only the four of them would know the small tree's true meaning … and they would always remember that September day that would come in one hundred and thirty-three years.
(End of Chapter 16).
Behind the scenes
In this edition of "Behind the scenes", we continue our time traveling as we look at what stood on the World Trade Center site before the World Trade Center came into being.
Before the World Trade Center existed, that area of New York City was known as Radio Row, a business district which specialized in selling radios, radio parts, and later sold televisions along with radios.
Radio Row came into being in 1921 when Harry L. Schneck opened up City Radio on Cortlandt Street. Radio at that time was just starting to take off. As radio became popular, other radio stores opened in that area, including Metro Radio, Arrow Radio, Digby Auction, Fox Radio, Publix Radio, Leotone Radio, and Oscar's Radios. Despite its nickname, Radio Row didn't exclusively sell radios - there were restaurants, clothing shops, hardware stores, jewelry retailers, and even a barber shop in that area.
Radio Row attracted a great number of customers looking to buy radios and radio parts. Business was so good that it was not uncommon for businesses there to open as early as 7:00 AM, and stay open into the evening.
The area suffered with the start of World War II in the early 1940s. At that time, rationing and shortages caused by wartime, plus a shortage of electronics (now needed for the war effort), put a strain on Radio Row businesses. However, businesses there found ways to survive. One shop said it was practically able to stay in business just by making repairs on the electric meters burned out by the students of the city schools who were studying radio.
After World War II, Radio Row made a comeback when surplus radio equipment made its way into the marketplace. By the 1950s, television had taken off, and television stores found their way into Radio Row. It was a peak period for Radio Row, with more than 300 businesses and over 30,000 employees located there. In addition to radio and television, businesses there also sold appliances which added more customers to Radio Row.
The end of Radio Row came in the early 1960s when plans were made to build the World Trade Center there. Many businesses in Radio Row fought the idea in court, but ultimately lost due in large part to the urban renewal movement of the day. Some businesses in Radio Row relocated to 45th Street and other nearby areas, but many other businesses simply closed their doors never to be seen again. By 1966, Radio Row had ceased to exist, bringing an end to an era.
Author's notes
Accio is from "Harry Potter".
AP: Associated Press.
Eileen is an original character created by Brigade701, and is used in this story with the permission of Brigade701.
EMS: Emergency Medical Service.
"Let their deeds stand as monuments, so that when the human race is called to judgment, we may say, this too was humanity." - I borrowed this line from the 1980s "The Twilight Zone" episode "Profile in Silver". The entire line from that episode was "Let the record show that in any age - good or bad - there are men of high ideals. Men of courage. Men who do more than that for which they are called upon. You will not always know their names. But let their deeds stand as monuments, so that when the human race is called to judgment, we may say, this too was humanity."
Molly (Red) and Nonya (Angry) are originally from "Tangled: The Series" and "Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure".
Omni, and Voyager, are from the "Voyagers!" TV series.
PD: Police Department.
Pete and Myka are older versions of Pete and Myka from "Warehouse 13", now recruited into Voyager service.
To avoid using real people who are still alive, I opted to create fictional reporters and observers in this chapter, while still using real reporting from September 11th of 2001.
UBN: United Broadcasting Network - a fictional television network I created for this chapter. This Morning is a fictional version of NBC's Today show.
Warehouse Ten is from my stories "Dorrie", "Dorrie: Book Two", "Changes", and "Enchancia Castle". It is a warehouse housing paranormal artifacts which existed before the current Warehouse 13 (as seen in the TV series "Warehouse 13").
Disclaimer
Eileen and the other original ideas from Brigade701 are the property of Brigade701, and are used in this story with the permission of Brigade701.
"Harry Potter" and everything associated with it © J. K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Arthur A. Levine Books, Little Brown, Heyday Films, 1492 Pictures, Patalex IV Productions, and Warner Brothers Pictures.
"Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure" and everything associated with it © Disney.
"Sofia the First" and everything associated with it © Craig Gerber, Jamie Mitchell, Disney Television Animation, Toiion Animation Studios, Team TO, and Disney-ABC Domestic Television.
"Tangled: The Series" and everything associated with it © Disney.
"The Twilight Zone" (1980s version) and everything associated with it © CBS Productions, London Films, Atlantis Films, MGM/UA Telecommunications, and CBS Television Distribution.
"Voyagers!" and everything associated with it © James D. Parriot Productions, Universal Television (MCA), and Scholastic Productions.
"Warehouse 13" and everything associated with it © Universal Cable Productions, NBC Universal Television Distribution, and SyFy.
I only own Candice Cosmarune-Cooper, Dorrie Cosmarune-Cooper, the Jewel of Rasnor, the Voyager Storage Facility, and the tree that Amber planted behind Enchancia Castle.