Dr. Grant Seeker watched Dr. Helen Marsh walk onto the stage as everyone clapped. It was the annual New Year's Eve gala at the Diggs County Dinosaur Institute, a time for top researchers to impress potential and current investors, and for the students of the institute to earn extra credit by being part of the wait staff. The director for the Dinosaur Institute had announced his retirement and had chosen Dr. Helen Marsh as his replacement starting in the fall.

Dr. Grant Seeker smiled and clapped, but it had stung when he found out it would be her over him. He had spent the last ten years researching, teaching, and studying at the Institute. He had even gotten his doctorate there, but deep down, he trusted her to be the best choice.

He watched her mouth move as she started to speak; her mouth covered in a delicious berry color. The sequins on her dress sparkled in the stage lights.

"...and we are proud to announce to the public our success in time travel. We call this, 'The Time Rover.'"

Grant Seeker sat up in his seat at the table, uncrossing his arms. A curtain fell behind her and she motioned towards a truck, at least that's what it appeared to be at first, sitting on a rotating platform. Twelve seats, he counted. Twelve people could go back in time at once. He had heard the rumors, whispers of the study being performed. He had heard loud noises coming from the Physics building, but he assumed they just liked to party. He also knew that millions were spent on a large garage, but again, he assumed it was just for student parking. Dr. Seeker should have known better, the Institute never spends money on its students. He looked over at a student waiter spilling drinks all over a table of investors. Yes, the time travel machine shouldn't have been a surprise.

"More research will begin immediately, but we can assure you, the future is in the past. I'd like to welcome to the stage, the head of our Paleontology department, Dr. Grant Seeker, who was chosen to be heading this operation under my supervision."

Grant shot up in his seat as if he had sat on a thumb tack. He didn't remember making it to the stage, but soon, Helen kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear, "Do not make me regret my decision." He shivered despite the heat of the stage and she turned away, smiling to the cheering crowd, and clapping for him as well. He grabbed the microphone, "Thank you, everyone. It will be an honor to work on this project, and I look forward to learning more about the past in the present."

Helen nodded approvingly at his concise speech, and she patted his back when the former director of the institute made his way back to the microphone to continue the gala.

"Can I get you a drink?" Grant found himself asking Dr. Marsh. A student waiter came by with champagne flutes, and he grabbed two of them. "Dare I say, you look stunning this evening, Dr. Marsh."

"What do you want?" She asked, but despite her tone, she smiled. "I'm teasing of course. You don't look half bad yourself." She adjusted his red bow tie and patted him on the cheek. His face froze as he stared into her eyes and his heart skipped a beat. She cleared her throat and his eyes darted down to the floor.

"I guess we better go mingle before anyone wonders what the guests of honor are up to."

"Yeah," Dr. Grant Seeker whispered and coughed. He downed the champagne flute and put it on the closest tray. The student waiter turned quickly to see what the noise was and she accidentally flung the glass to the ground where it bounced before shattering. Grant made a face and quickly moved away from the scene and from Helen. He heard her sigh and shake her head in disappointment, but she'd have to chase him down if she wanted to change her mind about making him head of the Time Rover Project, and he was very good at being elusive.

~0~

Dr. Helen Marsh's new office smelled of coffee and vanilla creamer. It only took a few months for the smell to seep into her upholstered chaises and overpower the smell of her leather desk chair. It didn't help that her intern had spilt a mug full over her chaises and the mahogany desk. The desk was easier to clean, but the chaise on the right had a stain down the back. A throw blanket permanently lived there now. She had her elbows on her desk and her forehead in her hands, and with a groan, she reviewed the budget once more.

"Is everything alright, Dr. Marsh?" her intern, Courtney, asked. An archeology student from Texas, she was a nice girl. What she made up for in niceness, she lacked in common sense.

"I'm about to do something very brave or very stupid."

"Then don't do it," Courtney suggested. Helen fought the urge to roll her eyes.

Her eyes found the contract from Chrono-Tech on the other side of her desk and pulled it closer to her. Her lawyers had faxed It over that morning after going over the details with her on the phone, and she had pondered all afternoon over it.

"It simply must be done."

~0~

"This is the CTX-Time Rover, a brand new model of the one we were testing before," Dr. Helen Marsh was explaining to some new students who were there to become part of the research team. "We will use them to study live dinosaurs, and this time we are able to send back more than cameras and probes."

She moved further along through the facility, showing the five rovers they had at their disposal. A sixth was rolled in through the garage doors, smoke was emitting from the back. A research student had tried to turn on the fire extinguisher, and his companion smacked him in the back of the head before grabbing it from him and putting out the smoke himself. The recruits stared in awe at the sudden commotion, and Dr. Marsh tried to lead them away from the scene and closer to the other rovers. "These rovers are state of the art, designed by Chrono-Tech Laboratories, and I am happy to announce that you all will be part of our tourism endeavors in part to raise money for the continued study of dinosaurs, and also to spread the passion of these magnificent creatures."

The door to the hall burst open, and Dr. Grant Seeker came striding up to her. She paused and did a double take. His lab coat had been singed, and his face was red with a scowl. "Dr. Marsh, why was this excursion not approved?" He held out a packet of stapled papers and a stamp in big, red letters said "DENIED."

Her poised demeanor faltered slightly, but only for a moment, and she pinched the bridge of her nose. "It is too dangerous. The climate you would be heading into is not fit for the students, and we don't want to pose them any harm," she gestured to the new students. He looked as if noticing the group for the first time.

He waved his hand holding the papers, exasperated, "I can go on my own then."

"Dr. Seeker, you are the head of this operation, we cannot lose you."

"Yes, but-"

She cut him off. "Dr. Seeker, I'll be in my office in fifteen minutes, and we will discuss matters then."

Small wisps of black smoke started coming up from his coat, and Dr. Marsh's eyes went wide. "You're smoking," she said. His face changed to surprise and flatter, "Thank you, I tried out a new hair gel this morning."

"No, your coat," she delicately pointed out. He flushed red and patted out the small embers on his coat.

"What happened to you?"

"Lava," He stated and put on a blank face. "I will see you in your office." He nodded goodbye to the students and quickly reentered the hall.

She found him fifteen minutes later with his feet on her desk, arms crossed, and eyes closed. He looked almost peaceful, if it weren't for his furrowed eyebrows. His lab coat was on the back of the chair, and she saw his dress shirt was embroidered with small white daisies. She smiled to herself before smoothing her pencil skirt and clearing her throat to announce her presence. His eyes snapped open and he immediately removed his shoes from her mahogany desk and sat up straight in his seat. Helen sauntered to her desk and sat in her chair. "Dr. Seeker," She said.

"Dr. Marsh."

"When I acquiesced to the purchase of Chrono-Tech Laboratories, I did so with the intention and the thought in mind that you would be the right person to lead our team, our students, and even the public into the right direction for research of these mysterious and magnificent creatures." He held his head up a little higher, but his face remained stoic.

"But," she continued. "This isn't without my guidance. I know you, and I know you would risk everything to further your research," Her voice softened. "including yourself. That is why I would like you to be in charge of facilitating these excursions to the past from the control room."

"Helen, please," He said, understanding what she was saying.

"Grant," She interrupted. "I will be frank with you, we do not have the proper funds to continue to train and employ anyone not already on the payroll, and you are the most qualified for the position, having already learned how to operate the rovers remotely. We cannot afford casualties. We need a one hundred percent success rate if we are to start sending the public back in time. Do you understand me?"

His face contorted in frustration and he sat on the edge of his seat to be closer to her. "You're taking me out of the field. What about my research? I was so close to pinpointing a safe spot in time at the location of an iguanodon. This is all I didn't know I ever wanted until you put it in front of my face, and now you're taking it away?"

"No," She said. "You will still be able to enter the field periodically. It's just until we acquire more funds. Time travel isn't inexpensive. It is my duty to maintain not only the reputation of this Institution, but also the finances to continue the research." He nodded, sinking back into his seat a bit. He looked a bit like a child who had just been scolded. "I understand," He licked his lips and looked back at her. "I will do what must be done."