Chapter 13 – The Dangerous Truths
"... and tomorrow, we will take Dimitri to Celeste's place to get a look at the machine. After that, who knows how long t will take for him to be able to establish what has to be done t it to get it to work, let alone be able to fix it," the professor said.
"It won't take too long for that," Layton replied. "I think I would be able to lend a hand in that regard."
"What do you mean? Do you mean to say that you already know what has to be done?" Luke asked.
"Bits and pieces, yes, but I would need a fully-qualified doctor of poly-dimensional physics to assist me and do the actual work, though. I am nowhere near qualified enough to be able to do that kind of work on the time machine," Layton replied. "That is why we need Dimitri."
"And... fifteen years ago, you managed to get hold of Dimitri, and you never got in any sort of trouble?" Emmy asked, looking anxious.
"Yes, we did. I know how anxious you are about all of this, but you don't have to worry. Your Layton has an excellent plan to prevent any trouble in that regard." He turned to the professor.
"You mean... the idea of sending Dimitri back in time after he completes the time machine to fool the police into thinking that he is with them?"
"Precisely. Now, I suggest that Dimitri takes a look at the machine today, and I have a rather urgent reason for suggesting as much."
"And that is?" Bronev asked.
"You remember with Claire, when she was forced to return to her own time due to molecular instabilities regarding the incomplete nature of the time machine?"
"Yes?" the professor said.
"Well, I'm afraid that is the case with me, Emmeline and Alfendi, as well as Little Emmy, Hershel and Leon. And the case with Little Emmy, Hershel and Leon is rather a dangerous one."
"How so?"
"Well, you and Emmy have absolutely no recollection of ever travelling to the future. So therefore, if they are dragged back to their own time, then it is entirely possible that we will all disappear."
Everyone froze.
"WH-what?!" Emmy choked.
"You see, if none of you three have any recollection of ever travelling to the past, then when your younger selves do go back, then they will know too much about their futures and destinies that it will be inevitable that things will change. They will not become you, so therefore in order for there to be room in the timeline for their new older selves that they will become then you will be erased from existence. All of you."
"But why all of us?" Flora asked.
"A good question. You see, you and Luke will have to be erased from existence because if I did not become a Professor of archaeology, I would never have met Luke in Misthallery and we would never have solved your father's inheritance dispute and I would never have adopted you. You would not become the person that you are and neither would Luke, so therefore, in order for there to be room for the people that you would become, you would be erased from existence."
"But... we wouldn't be the only ones, would we?" the professor asked. "All of the people we have ever come across in our travels... everyone we know... everyone we have ever made an impression on would fade away..."
"Exactly," Layton nodded, "which is why we must act as soon as possible, before Hershel, Emmy and Leon fade away and go back to their own time."
"But even if we do fix the time machine, how will that help? A time machine won't make them unsee or unexperience what they've witnessed in this time," Emmy pointed out.
"In time, the answer will become obvious to you, but until then, I cannot say any more," Layton said.
"How long until they have to go back?" the professor asked.
"Well, one can last in a different time for about a week before they are forced to return to their own time. We have been here for five days after today, haven't we? So, realistically, we have today and tomorrow to fix the machine, and then the day after to go back."
"We also have to figure out what Andrea is up to," Emmy added. "We need to stop her from getting to the machine."
Emmeline looked at Layton who nodded. "You all try to figure out her motives and plans, while myself, Emmeline and Alfendi fix the machine. And we must act quickly."
"I just received a message from Bloom; he and Dimitri are on their way," Bronev confirmed.
"Well then, we have to get prepared and set out as soon as they arrive," Layton declared, standing up. "I'll go and get my briefcase." He and Emmeline left the room.
Luke looked at Flora uncertainly, who nodded. "What can we do?"
"I think we ought to try to track Andrea down," the professor said. "We ought to ask around and see if we can get an address or location for her. We need to track her down as fast as possible, so I think we should split up."
"I agree," Emmy said. "We should split into three groups. I'll take Luke and Hershel, you can take Flora and Leon can take Emmy. My Uncle Leon can go with our older counterparts and Dimitri to fix the machine."
"Yes, I think I'd better. I have a feeling that Andrea will send a few cronies of hers to try to get access to the machine," Bronev agreed.
"Good," the professor said. "As soon as Dimitri gets here, we'll get right to work."