Chapter 5
Roy and Johnny noticed a familiar white VW bug on the scene. They spied Dixie, still in her uniform as she was assisting one of the drivers in the car accident. They parked the truck, climbed out and gathered the needed equipment. They made their way to the pickup truck that was on its side.
Johnny spoke. "Where is Sam, Dixie?"
"I sent her to call for help." she informed. "The driver is unconscious. He's breathing, bleeding from his head."
Roy took over stabilizing the man. "I got him, Dixie. Stay with Sam. This is her first day here." he stated concerned.
She stepped away. "I will." She found the fireman soon had the scene under control. She noticed Sam leaning on the car staying back and out of the way. She made her way to her car. "Driver of the truck is in bad shape." she reported.
Sam stated. "This is grandpa's gig. He will save him."
She corrected. "Roy and Johnny will do everything in their power. But he has a bad head injury." She reached into her car and grabbed a towel she had in the back seat to wipe the blood off her hands. "You okay?"
"I'm fine." she nodded. "I feel pretty stupid though. I ran all the way to the pizza place to call. Wish I had my phone." she mentioned. She then went to the side door and climbed into the car as Dixie got back behind the wheel.
"What kind of phone is it that you keep talking about?" she wondered.
Sam informed. "A cell phone. It's basically a radio. Everyone has one. We have cell towers or radio repeaters set up all over. Each phone has a number, it's encrypted so you call someone like a regular phone. Can use it to get on the internet, make phone calls, play games, take pictures, play music."
Dixie paused for a moment trying to envision such a device. "That sounds like something from one of those science fiction movies."
Sam's mind recalled one very famous movie. "Kind of like Star Wars, I guess." she chuckled slightly.
"Star Wars? What is that?" Dixie asked.
She paused. "That movie came out in 1977. That's not for two more years." She then gasped, "I screwed up so bad I sent myself to pre Star Wars seventies."
"What?" Dixie asked.
She miffed. "I should find George Lucas and warn him to not sell it to Disney."
Dixie asked. "You know George?"
Sam did a double take. "Wait! You know George Lucas?"
Dixie stated. "I have a friend named George Lucas. He's a screen writer and made a movie last year. American Graffiti. I met Ron Howard." she stated rather pleased.
She asked, "Wasn't Harrison Ford in that film too?"
"Who?" Dixie asked.
She smirked, "You will find out. Hey, he would be making Star Wars now. I wonder if I could meet the cast. That would be so cool."
Dixie pondered. "I suppose I could call ask him if he's making a film now and if he would let a visitor on set."
"That would be sick." Sam stated excited.
"How is that sick?" Dixie wondered confused.
"Means cool." she explained.
She gave a nod. "Ah!" She started the car and started back towards her home.
Later
Roy and Johnny had completed their jobs and were back in Rescue 51 and going back to the fire station. As Roy drove, Johnny came to a startling conclusion.
"You know, Roy. We know everything that is going to happen for the next fifty years. We know what companies make it big. Know what movies are hits. What songs will be popular. We literally know the future." Johnny observed.
"We're just reliving it, Johnny. We don't actually know the future." Roy disagreed.
"We know what to invest in." Johnny countered. "The computers, the cell phones, the next big toy."
Roy stated. "My kids want an Atari."
"We know Atari goes bankrupt in the next decade. Remember the eighties, Roy?" Johnny asked.
He nodded. "Computers became a thing."
"A few key investments and we could be millionaires." he told him.
"We could." he had to agree. "Could that affect our futures?"
Johnny smirked. "That's the idea."
"But could it badly affect us?" he wondered.
"I don't see how being a millionaire is a bad thing, Roy." he shook his head.
"Wouldn't there be some kind of paradox?" he wondered. "Like in those movies. Remember Back to the Future when Marty goes back and accidentally splits up his parents. He was nearly never born."
Johnny shrugged. "Don't know. But that Delorean was a cool time machine though."
"Maybe we should ask Sam?" he pondered.
"I think she has enough to worry about." Johnny stated. "She's got a rogue engine on her hands."
"That she does." he had to agree.
Meanwhile
The three doctors all sat in a private meeting in Dr. Kelly Brackett's office.
Dr. Joe Early sat in a chair beside the desk. He was a middle aged man with blondish gray hair and a rounded face. Standing nearby was Dr. Mike Morton, a black man with dark, tightly curled hair. All three doctors sported the lab coats as the spoke of Roy, Johnny and the young mystery woman.
Joe asked. "Maybe it's a mass hallucination?"
"Could be." Kelly agreed. "But I can't find anything to explain the hallucination. Roy and John's blood are normal. Physically, they are fine. The girl did have some bruising and mild anemia."
Mike suggested. "What is it's not a hallucination and they are telling the truth? What if the girl really did time travel? We don't know much about her."
"I asked Dixie to keep an eye on her. She's taking Sam shopping and letting her stay in a spare room at her place."
Joe suggested. "If Roy and John really are living their lives over again, that would be a hell of a gift. Think about everything you could do. Things you would change. I know if I had that chance, there are some things I would change."
"I think we all would." Dr. Brackett agreed. "My concern is the girl though. If what she says is true and she really did make an engine that can warp space and time, there would be a number of government agencies who would want that technology and her."
Mike suggested. "Like the Soviets."
Joe stated. "Our own government would want it. If that engine is real."
"For sure. I think the best course of action right now is to just monitor Roy, John and Sam. Keep an eye on them and run some more blood work in a week."
Joe gave a nod. "Weekly blood work and vitals would be a good idea."
Mike confessed. "Deep down inside I kind of hope that engine is real."
"Why is that?" Kelly asked him.
"I want to go travel the stars in a space ship, like in Star Trek." he had to admit.
Joe asked. "Be Captain Kirk?"
He shook his head. "Spock is my guy. I would be Spock."
Kelly chuckled a bit. "I guess I would be Dr. McCoy then."
Station 51
Firefighter Chet Kelly had just finished checking the bay for any oil that could have caused Sam to fall. As he walked towards the rear of the garage bay he heard a hum. "Where is that hum coming from?" he wondered. He walked to the corner listening intently. He then felt shaking as if an earthquake had hit. He thought for sure it was an earthquake and then the shaking suddenly stopped. The humming seemed to be coming from directly behind him. He turned and found Engine 51 was gone and a large table was sitting in the bay. In the center of the table was a odd looking contraption that seemed to be the source of the humming. Then he noticed two bodies slumped on the floor.
Chet came to aid fallen men. He came to Roy's body first. He rolled him to the side and immediately recognized the face though he was much older. He felt for a pulse and found the older Roy was breathing.
"Roy," he rubbed the man's sternum.
Roy's eyes fluttered open. "Sam!" he called.
"It's me, Chet." he told him.
His mind was slightly scrambled for a moment. "Chet? Am I dead?"
"No you are alive but…old." he told him.
Roy's head pounded. "Johnny?" He pushed himself up.
Chet then rose to his feet and went around the table to check on Johnny. He found he too was alive and much older. "Johnny." Chet rubbed his sternum as well.
Johnny started to come too. "What happened?" he asked.
Roy stated. "We were sent back. Remember?"
Johnny head hurt. "I think so."
Chet helped Johnny to his feet. "What is that thing on the table?"
"Sam's engine." Johnny told him. "Sam said we can only turn it off by throwing the breaker."
Roy looked at the engine before them. "Sam is not here. She back in the past. How did you get here, Chet?"
"I heard a hum and then felt an earthquake and then I found all this." he explained.
Johnny asked. "If we throw the breaker and shut down the engine, can Sam get back and Chet get back to his time?"
Roy threw up his hands. "I don't know. How do we even get Chet back?"
"I don't know!" Old Johnny shrugged.
Chet asked. "What is going on?"
Johnny looked at him and stated frankly. "Welcome to 2025, Chet. This is an experimental engine that somehow sent Sam to the past and brought you to the future."
"I'm in the future!" he gasped.
Roy nodded hard. "Yes." He gave a heavy sigh. "How do we fix this? How do we get Sam back and send Chet home?"
Johnny told him. "This is our one last rescue, Roy. We will figure it out."
Authors note: I accidently put down some of the actors name instead of characters in my show notes. I fixed it. Appreciate all the reviews. I don't have a beta or second set of eyes to edit. Thank you letting me know. That one got by me. Thank you.