Sorry for the delay had to do a bit of research. :)
Also I wrestled with part of this chapter. It bothers me to have them bring concealed radios on this trip but I didn't see a way around it.
Title: Future Possibilities
author: Cindy Ryan
notes and summary: See part one
"The main thing to remember well two things."Lucy explained as she, Wyatt and Rufus walked through downtown Chicago in 1864. "Is that the war had been going very badly for the Union. Lincoln was at his lowest with the popular opinion."
"And two?"Rufus prompted.
"There's a planned uprising today by the democratic party and northern confederate conspirators."Lucy continued. "They're trying to rally enough support to break prisoners out of northern prisons especially Camp Douglas here in Chicago. Once they have the numbers they plan to overthrow the governments of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri."
"Is their a main guy we want to keep Flynn away from?"Wyatt asked as they crossed a street.
"Captain Thomas Hines."Lucy replied. "He met with Davis and the confederate leader was so impressed with Hines plans to start northern riots that he approved it and sent him here."
"Because that's what a war needs, riots."Rufus interjected with a shake of his head.
"Well let's find this guy and make sure he never connects with Flynn."Wyatt suggested.
"McClellan was the one who ran against Lincoln, right?"Rufus asked as they neared their destination of Lake Street.
"Yes."Lucy said as they stared at the two story wooden structure surrounded by thousands of people."Gentlemen welcome to the Wigwam. Built in 1860 made entirely of wood and constructed in a month's time for the Republican convention of that year. It later became a prototype for future convention centers."
"Entirely of wood, huh?"Rufus repeated as he gazed warily at the building. "Hopefully nobody drops a cigar."
Wyatt heard a loud moo and looked over at the large stockyard nearby full of animals.
"What year was the Chicago fire?"Wyatt asked looking from the cow to the wood building and back again.
"You know the cow thing was a myth, right?"Lucy countered with a smile.
"Myth or not just tell me it's not 1864."Wyatt grumbled.
"No, it's not until 1871. Come on, we've got a lot of ground to cover."Lucy said as they crossed the street and entered the convention center.
Up on the second floor they used the higher ground to look for Flynn. After an hour Wyatt realized there was just too many people and they needed a plan B.
"Okay, what's plan B?"Wyatt asked. "We'll never find him in this."
"Rufus can the lifeboat ping the mothership?"Lucy inquired looking at the tech.
"In theory and if theory doesn't work I can come up with something else."Rufus replied with a smile. "He's got to come back to the ship eventually."
"Good idea."Wyatt complimented Lucy. "So Rufus head back to the lifeboat. Lucy, you and I will track down Hines."
"We need to find the sons of liberty headquarters too."Lucy interjected as they headed for the stairs. "We don't want those riots to happen or the prison breaks."
"You have the walkie-talkie on you?"Rufus whispered as they stepped outside.
Lucy patted her handbag.
"Okay, good."Rufus acknowledged. "That'll make this a little easier. Wyatt, how's your morse code?"
"Little rusty but I'll get by."The member of Delta Force replied with a grin.
"I don't like us having technology out and about before it's invented but can't be helped with where we parked the lifeboat."Rufus continued. "I'll send a message in morse code at least then there won't suddenly be a disembodied voice out of nowhere."
"Sounds like a solid plan B."Wyatt confirmed. "Let's do this and get home. We still have a lot of work to do there."
The trio split up.
Rufus returned to the lifeboat the journey taking longer than he had thought. Even with a 'borrowed' horse. Rufus sighed as he got off the horse and tied the reins to a nearby tree. As he climbed into the relative comforts of the time machine Rufus found himself wishing for a speedy trip home to modern transportation and other marvels. His back certainly couldn't take too many more rides on horseback.
It took fifteen minutes for Rufus to reconfigure some of the computer programs. And it was another ten before the tech got the new program to work. Once he confirmed the location of the mothership he began to tap out the longitude and latitude coordinates in morse code to Wyatt and Lucy on the radio. A few minutes later he received a response acknowledging the information. Another transmission came through on the heels of that; stay with the lifeboat. Rufus almost replied back a protest; wanting to help. On the other hand he understood Wyatt's logic especially if they needed a quick getaway. With a sigh Rufus responded back that he understood.
After a short rest and a quick meal with the rations they kept in the lifeboat Rufus sat back in the pilot's seat. He pulled up the program he'd written to ping the mothership and began to tweak it. As it was now it worked just fine. Since he had time might as well set it up with a few bells and whistles.
"We should be used to this by now, right?"Lucy asked as they worked their way through the crowd around the outside of the convention center.
"Used to what?"Wyatt asked as they paused on a street corner.
"Being here."Lucy said allowing a smile. "We've gone back over a hundred and fifty years!"
Lucy's smile was contagious and Wyatt returned it glad to see her happy. They'd both been through a lot in such a short time and the foreseeable future didn't look that bright either. As much as Wyatt wanted to indulge Lucy's history fangirl moments; they were here for a reason.
"Lucy, I know you want to play tourist."Wyatt began as they crossed the street. "Wish I could let you even for a little while."
"I know."Lucy acknowledged. "Sorry, just hits me every once in awhile that we..."
"It's okay; hits me sometimes too."Wyatt replied with a quick smile as they reached the next block. "We should be near Hines's office."
Lucy stopped and checked their location.
"Yes, we're close. It's the next block halfway down."Lucy stated.
"Good."Wyatt commented as he took Lucy's right hand in his so they'd look more like a couple. "Quicker we do this the quicker we can get home."
"We don't have anything to offer Flynn."Lucy said worriedly as they turned left and walked down the next street.
"We're not doing a trade."Wyatt replied his voice tense with anger. "He can either cooperate for the greater good or..."
"Since when has Flynn done anything for the greater good?"Lucy asked.
"In this case it fits with his grand scheme."Wyatt countered as they reached a one story brick building on the right side of the street. "He wants to wipe out Rittenhouse; so do we."
"And speak of the devil."Lucy interjected pointing across the street and down to the left. "There's Flynn."
"Hasn't made us yet; let's catch up to him."Wyatt suggested and they quickened their pace.