Chapter 5: Family Meeting

"Pim could you come down here please!" Lloyd called up the stairs and continued his pacing. Both Lloyd and Barb looked extremely worried. Their son was being held in custody for breaking time travel laws. Pim made her way down the stairs and stood with her arms folded.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Honey...your brother has been arrested," Barb said.

Pim couldn't help but smile and say, "I knew this would happen eventually. I told you before that he was nothing but trouble!"

"Pim this is no time for joking! Phil...wasn't able to save Keely. No one has seen or heard from her since 2006," Lloyd said and looked down at the floor in silence.

"Oh...wow," was all that Pim could say and even she was a bit taken back by the news.

"Right now we just need to focus on helping your brother. I can't even imagine what he's going through right now," Lloyd said and sat down on the couch next to his wife.

"What are you going to try and bust him out of jail?" Pim said finally breaking the silence in the room.

"Honey that would only put him him worse trouble. Plus your Father can't go near the police right now they are just looking for a reason to bring him in as well," Barb said.

"And those guys at the CTTF are ruthless. They have really been sold on this idea of protecting the time-line and following fate's plan. Quite frankly it scares me. They are one step away from completely controlling our lives!" Lloyd said referring to the Chrono-Terrorism Task Force.

"Well I can sort of see where they are coming from," Pim started to say, but her Parents were giving her a strange look.

"Honey your brother didn't do anything wrong!" Barb said.

"The law is the law Mom. Why do you think Dad had to sneak Phil out of the house in the middle of the night?" Pim said.

"Don't you even care what's happening to your Brother?" Lloyd asked.

"Of course I care! I'm just saying that it will be next to impossible to get him out of this one. Maybe we should just let him take his punishment?" Pim said.

Lloyd stood up from the couch and walked around the living room for a minute or so. He looked deep in thought. Finally he turned to his family and said, "This is my fault and I should be the one to get him out of this. I'm going to turn myself in. Perhaps they will let Phil go if they have me?"

"You are not turning yourself in! You didn't do anything wrong either. Plus as you said earlier those men at the CTTF are ruthless and they have it out for you!" Barb said in desperation.

"I should have destroyed the time machine like I was told to do. I would have returned it if the rental store hadn't gone out of business due to the new laws....and the fact that a store full of water slides just isn't enough to keep a business going," Lloyd said to his family standing in front of him.

"So destroy it now before we all get in trouble," Pim said with a look of annoyance.

"Umm...that will be kind of hard," Lloyd said.

"Why?" Pim asked.

"Because the time machine is still in 2006...and it's cloaked," Lloyd said and quickly looked away just in time to catch a glimpse of a flash of light from outside the window that temporarily distracted him.

"Oh that's just great! Phil got arrested and left our time machine sitting in the past!!" Pim yelled, but Lloyd was only half way listening. "If it falls into the wrong hands they will probably come after all of us!"

"Did you guys just see that...," Lloyd started to say, but he trailed off when he noticed the look on Pim's face. "I'm sure it won't fall into the wrong hands. No one will be able to find it with the cloaking device I invented," Lloyd said with a little pride in his voice.

Pim seemed appeased by this and did not continue her fussing. Lloyd was busy looking out the window for the source of the flash of light, but he saw nothing.

"Is everything okay honey?" Barb asked and Lloyd looked like he was still barely listening.

"Yes...I'm fine," Lloyd lied.

"Honey we should look into getting a good lawyer for Phil. I heard the Clark's son is a great lawyer," Barb said and Lloyd nodded his head in agreement.

"I'll give them a call here in a second," Lloyd said when suddenly the video screen beeped to alert them of an incoming call. Lloyd rushed over and pressed a button. After a couple of seconds the screen lit up to show Phil's face.

"Hey guys they allowed me a short video call. I just wanted you to know that my hearing is two days from now. I'm thinking after all of this maybe I should just take my punishment. It's Dad that they want anyway. It is probably not a good idea for Dad to come to the hearing because they are itching to take him into custody," Phil said and looked more worried than they had ever seen him.

"We understand. Don't worry Phil we are going to get you a good lawyer," Lloyd said.

"Thanks Dad. These guys are pretty serious about this whole Fate thing. Today they told me I was going to marry some girl I've never met in less than a year from now. I don't see that happening. I can't do that to Keely. I just don't believe shes....," Phil trailed off and looked on the verge of tears.

"I understand son. Don't worry about them they are all nut jobs in my opinion. You just stay strong for us okay?" Lloyd said and Phil nodded.

"Love you guys. I gotta go," Phil said and after everyone said 'I Love you" back the screen switched off.

All three of them looked uneasy, even Pim, they were about to speak when the doorbell rang.

"Curtis could you get that please!" Lloyd called out and he heard Curtis groan and head for the door.

Finally Barb spoke up and said, "We all need to be strong. I'm sure we can get through this. We are a family and darn strong one at that!"

"Barbara is right. I just wish I knew how we could help Phil," Lloyd said.

"I think I can help!" a voice said from behind them.

It took a second for what they heard to sink in. One by one the Diffy's looked at each other in shock. Each one wondered whether they really heard it or not. Slowly they turned to look in the direction of the door.

There, standing in the doorway....was Keely.

To be continued...