Chapter 10 - Prey

It was a grey morning. The train was at rest and people were moving around outside the window. It took me a few moments to collect my bearings until I noticed a large white sign that read 'Fargo'. Good. That meant we were almost through North Dakota, and over half way. He helped me to my feet and we collected our stuff and hustled onto the platform where a fine mist made the air damp. We hurried under cover and into the small station.

The building itself wasn't very impressive but it was dry, and that was all we could ask for. We found a bench off along a wall and dumped all our stuff. I took the first turn going to the bathroom, and when I came out I felt much better, but I could see that Jacob was in dire need, so I quickly took a seat and waved him away.

I was just looking away into the distance trying not to focus on any specific thoughts when I sensed a presence approaching me. When I looked up I was genuinely startled. It was a man and woman, perhaps in their early twenties. He was tall and thin, pinstriped suit making him seem taller. He wore a rounded bowler hat and carried a cane in his left hand with an immaculate bronze head. She wore a pinstriped skirt just below her knees and a heavy fur coat which buried her top half, but it failed to hide the cascade of blonde that fell around her shoulder in elaborate curls. What struck me most, was how pale they both were. They moved with style and grace and their beauty made me gasp. I felt sure my heart skipped a few beats. I became aware that the area was empty save the three of us. I gulped hard.

"Well dear, I would say we found her at last, wouldn't you?" The man spoke clearly to his companion in a bright English accent. He sounded impossibly proper. The queen could learn a thing or two from him. His friend simply giggled. "Miss Isabella Swan?" He said, extending a hand which I took tentatively. "Delighted. My name is Howe, and this is my associate Miss Brewer. Would you mind if I sit?" He gestured to the empty section of bench next to me. I stammered and shook my head, as he easily lowered himself down beside me while Brewer perched herself on the arm of the bench on his side. Suddenly I felt rather uncomfortable.

"Just on the off chance, Miss Swan, do you know who we are or why we are here?" He asked in a casual, friendly tone.

"Well I know what you are, if that's what you're asking." I said defensively.

"Ah, well yes." He sniggered. "I would suppose to someone in the know, as it were, that would be obvious." He removed his hat, placing it on his lap. "No Miss Swan, I daresay I must fill you in. We are members of a group based in London who make it our business to protect the timeline." My eyes widened. This suddenly felt very bad. "You see, every once in a while someone figures out a way to travel through time. Well that sounds like a lark, doesn't it?" Brewer giggled, not a pleasant sound. "But I'm afraid every change someone like yourself makes to the timeline takes a terrible toll." He paused and thought for a moment. "Are you aware of a concept known as the space time continuum?" I nodded. "Oh dear. In which case you must be from a time much advanced of this one." I opened my mouth but he held up a hand. "Please, don't tell me anything, you've done enough. The continuum is like a rubber band, you see, and each time you change it or even slightly disturb it, then it will stretch. And what happens when you stretch a rubber band beyond it's limit?"

"It breaks." I said slowly.

"Of course it does. Now I don't want to get too technical, but I'm sure we can all agree that would be bad, yes?" I nodded, as did Brewer. "So, Miss Swan, I must get to the point. What is your business here in my time?"

"I need to right a wrong." I said carefully.

"So you intend to make further changes?" His voice remained even, giving nothing away.

"I plan to return things to how they were." I said indignantly.

"Oh but that is just as bad. You see things can now never be exactly as they were, so you will be adding two stretches to the timeline. And one is more than enough." His glare was terrible, his red eyes burning into me, and Brewer was doing the same, only with extreme hunger. Now I felt cold.

Just then Jacob appeared, not seeing my companions. "Whew. I pity the next guy in there... Hey, you made some friends?" He stopped dead and his face fell. "Um Bella, I can't move." I looked around to see Brewer focused on him. Howe smiled.

"Well, isn't this interesting, a companion. Make him sit, please." He directed the last part at Brewer who drew a downward line vertically with one red painted finger nail. Jacob fell to a sitting position on the floor with a confused look on his face. "That's better. Now, if we were to truly prevent you from making more changes, what might you think would be the most effective way? Oh. Yes." His lips curled into a wicked grin and he slowly raised his hand.

Just then there was a massive hiss from the platform and the thundering sound of a train followed by a hundred people quickly filing into the waiting hall. This broke Brewers concentration for just long enough that Jacob could grab our bags and my hand, and pull us into the throng. It seemed that more people had appeared from the street to board the train and we allowed ourselves to be swept on board. From the window in the train carriage I could easily see them, standing under the cover of the large archway that lead into the building. They were both staring directly at me, and as the train began to move Howe took a watch from his pocket, never dropping his gaze, and tapped it three times. I gulped the driest gulp of my life and fell into an empty seat, relieved to see them disappear into the distance.