Chapter 6

Sam stepped out of the dressing room in the clothing store. She soured as she did not like the look. Sporting brown bell bottoms, a flower pattern blouse and sandals she proclaimed. "There is no way in hell I am wearing this. I look like a hippie."

Dixie had changed into bell bottom jeans and a white blouse. She asked. "Hippies are all the rage. Everyone your age is a hippie."

She shook her head. "The hippie movement died by the eighties. Let's leave it dead."

Dixie gave a sigh. "Is everyone in the future as difficult as you?"

Sam paused and pondered the notion with a slight pucker. She had to agree. "Yeah, it's a millennial thing."

Dixie rolled her eyes for she knew at that point that taking Sam shopping was going to be more of a chore than a pleasure. "Alright, let's find another outfit." she sighed.

2025

Chet looked over the computers as older Roy and Johnny gave him a tour. The older men loved seeing Chet again and had recalled fond memories. Chet sat at a computer amazed by the color monitor before him.

"These computers are neat." Chet stated.

"Computers come a long way." Johnny agreed.

Roy sat at another computer nearby. He was searching the internet. "I think I know how Chet got here and Sam got sent back."

"How?" Johnny wondered.

"A wormhole." he replied.

Chest asked. "What's a wormhole?"

"It's a hole through the fabric of space. Like a short cut. I bet there is some kind of wormhole connecting our time to 1975." Roy proclaimed.

Johnny suggested. "Maybe you're right. Kind of like what we are dealing with. What can we do with it? How can we control it?"

Chet typed in wormhole into the search bar before him. Soon, he found all sorts of information. "Like this!" he pointed to the graphic. "That must be what your engine made." he agreed. For a moment Chet realized they were way over their heads. None were scientist. Then he pushed the notion aside as the first responder in him wasn't about to give up. He started to read. He pondered, "I wonder if we could send radio signals through a wormhole?"

Johnny asked. "Radio?" he looked at Roy sitting nearby.

Roy perked up. "If we can send a radio signal maybe we can establish communications on the other side of the wormhole?"

"There are some old radios in the supply closet." Johnny recalled. He walked away from Chet and over to the door to the closet. He entered the area and then soon emerged again holding a very old radio with cradle charger. "Wonder if these old radios still work?" he asked.

Chet recognized the radio as the brand new model the station just received. "We just got those." he mentioned.

"This is real old now, Chet." Johnny told him. He turned the knob and as much to his surprise the radio came to life. "Still works!" He keyed the radio. "Cage to Station 51. Can anyone read me?" He waited for a few minutes. He then keyed the radio again. "Station 51. Come in station 51."

Much to his surprise the voice of the old captain came over the airways. "This station 51. Cage, is that you?"

He grinned. "Cap!"

"You and Roy okay?" he asked bewildered. "Rescue 51."

Before Johnny could reply he heard his much younger self over the radio. "This is Rescue 51."

Older Johnny keyed the radio. "Rescue 51. This is Gage. Tell Sam that Chet came through. We have a wormhole. Ask her how do we send him back."

"Got it." Younger Johnny replied.

"This is Station 51. What is this transmission about?" the Captain asked.

Older Johnny stated. "Just keep the men away from the back of the engine bay and let Sam in the station."

The Captain paused unsure how to respond. "Where is Chet?" he finally asked.

Johnny handed the radio to his friend.

Chet keyed the radio. "I'm okay, Cap. I'm still in the station. There is wormhole in the back of the engine bay. I got caught in it. It brought me here. I'm in 2025. You won't believe the computers here. I'm here with Johnny and Roy. They are both old men."

Johnny took the radio back. He wondered if Chet said too much. "Just get Sam." He then lost power as the radio battery died.

Roy pondered. "I wonder if that transmission went out for everyone to hear?"

"I wonder." Johnny winced.

1975

Dixie had finished shopping and then drove home with Sam. She led Sam into the nice two bedroom apartment. The living room was nicely decorated with southwestern theme. In the center of the living room was a red sofa and a bulky television. Dixie gave a brief tour to Sam.

"Kitchen is to the left. There is a bathroom between the bedrooms you can use. Landry is in the basement of the building.

Sam carried a bag of clothing. She noticed the television. "Boy, you guys really did have a box for a t.v. back then."

Amused Dixie asked. "And what are the televisions of the future like?"

"Lot thinner." she informed.

"Ah-huh." Dixie replied trying to visualize a thin television. She walked over to the bedroom door and opened it. "This is your room."

Sam stepped inside with Dixie in tow. She spied the single size bed, a dresser and nightstand. The walls were painted white and sparsely decorated. "Very clean and neat." Sam noted.

"And I expect it to stay clean and neat." Dixie stated one of her rules.

"It will." Sam assured placing the bags down.

The telephone rang from the living room.

Dixie stated, "I'll get it." She walked out of the room as Sam tended to putting away the clothing she purchased. She lifted the receiver of the phone. "Hello."

"Dixie. It's Roy." he informed. "Is Sam with you?"

"She is." she replied. She then placed her hand over the lower part of the handset and called. "Sam. Roy is on the phone and wants to speak to you."

Sam soon emerged from the room. She was handed the hand set. She placed it to her ear. "Grandpa."

"I just got a radio transmission from Johnny in the future. Chet went through some kind of hole and is in the future with me and Johnny. Older me and Johnny. I guess we survived it like you said." he informed.

"Hole?" she questioned. "A hole?" she cocked her head in thought. Suddenly her eyes grew wide. "A wormhole!"

"That's what they called it." Roy told her. "Older Johnny told Captain Stanley to let you in. Chet told him what had happened. I guess radios can go through this wormhole thing."

"That's how I got here. I think when the gravitational wave pushed my back it ripped a hole in space fabric. This is huge, Grandpa. This is beyond just an engine. This would make traveling from one planet to another like walking through a portal or doorway."

"Portal?" he asked.

"Yes. A portal." she nodded. "I'll have Dixie drive me to the station. You guys there."

"We just got back." he told her.

"I'll be right there." she stated and hung up the phone. She looked to Dixie. "You need to drive me to Station 51. Chet went through a wormhole and is now in my time."

"Um…" she winced. "What happened?" she asked confused.

"My engine made a hole and some guy named Chet fell through it." she threw up her hands. "As if this whole thing couldn't get any worse. It got worse."

Dixie stated. "Let's get to the station then."