Chapter 19

1975

Upon ending their shift, Roy agreed to drive Sam with Johnny to meet Colonel Austin. Still in uniform but driving Roy's brand new and newly introduced, Ford F-150; the full size truck was painted yellow and white and Roy had installed a CB radio. It was the first time Sam ever rode in the truck.

She sat between Roy and Johnny. She looked about the vehicle. "This is a cool truck, Grandpa." she stated impressed.

Roy smiled. "It's brand new. The first F-150 that I ever owned. This was a great truck. I drove it for years." he recalled. He pointed. "Check out the CB, Sam."

She noted the radio. "Neat. Like that old movie. Smokey and the Bandit."

"Kind of." he chuckled.

Johnny stated, "I should buy a few classic cars. Get a Corvette and keep it mint." He then nodded to himself. "Those will be worth money."

Sam pondered. "I really should get a car to drive while I'm here. That way I don't have to rely on someone to give me a ride."

Roy shook his head. "Nope! First, you do not have a valid license and next, you could be a target. It's best to have someone with you."

"I can get a license. I know how to drive. Dad taught me. Heck, he taught me to drive the race car too." she reminded him.

"I know." Roy agreed. "Your dad is a good driver and so are you. But, I would feel better knowing you are safe."

She sighed. "I know. Just feel kind of dependent."

"I know the feeling." Roy stated. "That time I fell and broke my hip. Boy, did I ever feel helpless."

Sam stated. "I was there every day helping you."

He agreed. "Thank you. You have no idea how much meant to me. Stuck in a wheelchair. Can't walk, need help to just take a bath…" he complained.

Johnny recalled. "Seeing you in that chair was heartbreaking, Roy. And what was what's worse was knowing it could easily be me in that chair too. One good fall and I'm done."

"Never realize how important your health is until you lose it." Roy stated.

"So true." Johnny agreed.

"I guess I never thought of that." Sam stated. "You know with those advanced bionics, it's a shame they are keeping all that hidden. You could have gotten a bionic hip, Grandpa."

Roy laughed. "And do what with it?"

She insisted. "You would have recovered much faster and not needed a chair."

"Ah-ha." he replied not believing. "Or I just don't break my hip this time around." he suggested.

Johnny added, "Prevention is the best medicine."

They soon passed a few used car lots.

Sam took notice. "I really would like my own car." she pleaded.

"You don't need another car." Roy disagreed. "Besides, where will you get the money for a new car? You are not actually employed, you know."

She grimaced.

Johnny tried to make her feel better. "You can always get a bicycle to ride around."

Roy agreed. "I got an old bicycle at home you can have."

She squinted. "You just said it wasn't safe from me to drive alone but now you are offering me a bicycle."

He asked. "How far will you get on that? We can keep an eye on you."

She countered. "How about a motorcycle then?"

"No way!" he shook his head hard.

"I know how a ride a bike. I can ride motorcycles, water jets, ATV's, UTV's and drive race cars." she added. "I just haven't learned to fly a plane yet but I'm sure I could."

Roy replied. "Heck, you could fly the space shuttle, Sammy. Doesn't mean you should though."

Johnny agreed. "Just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should do it."

She rolled her head back. "You two are like having mom and dad watching my every move."

Roy insisted. "That's what grandpas are for."

Soon, they arrived at the address. The area was a nice middle class neighborhood with grassy front lawns and back yards full of trees. The home was a ranch style with ample room and an oak tree in the front yard.

Johnny observed. "Nice place."

Sam cocked her head. "This looks so average. Hard to believe a Colonel with highly advanced bionic limbs lives here."

Roy agreed. "Like sitting in plain sight." He parked the truck and the trio soon climbed out. They made their way to the front door. Roy rang the bell.

A woman soon answered the door. She was athletic and had shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes and rather pretty features. She gave a smile to the firemen. "Can I help you?" She expected a fundraiser as they were in uniform. She wore jeans and a red sweatshirt.

Roy asked. "We're here to speak to Colonel Austin."

"Um…" she pondered. "If you are collecting for a fundraiser, I'm happy to donate."

"We just got off duty." he explained. "It's a private matter."

Sam asked. "Are you the Colonel's wife?"

She blushed. "We're not married."

"Will be." she pondered.

She found the assertion rather rude. "Excuse me?"

Johnny insisted. "We need to speak to the Colonel."

"Just a second." she closed the door.

In short time the door opened again. Colonel Austin looked upon the trio. He stated. "You must be Sam."

"I am." she nodded. "I know how this is going to sound but I just got done talking to you in the future. You gave me your address and phone number and told me to get a hold of you. Dr. Brackett already told you about me."

"He did." he nodded. "Come on in." he opened the door to his new friends.

Johnny walked in first, followed by Sam and then Roy as the two fireman sandwiched Sam physically for safety reasons. Johnny figured if it was a trap or a set up, he would take the first round.

They were led to a living area that seemed very ordinary. Off in the corner, laying on a large dog bed was a German Shepherd. He perked up and took notice of the strangers but did not bark or move.

Johnny asked. "The dog?"

"That's Max." Steve stated. "He's very well trained. He's Jamie's dog." he motioned towards the woman who answered the door.

Sam paused. "Wait. The first test subject was a German Shepherd."

Steve nodded. "That's right. Max was the first subject for the bionic program." This is my girlfriend, Jamie Sommers. She also has bionics. Not sure how much you are aware of the program. I was the first human test subject."

"I know. Read all about it online." Sam mentioned.

"Online?" Steve asked.

"Internet." she stated. She strained. "How do I explain it?"

Roy stated. "The internet is kind of like a party line but really big and you can find anything on it. You can shop on it. Read old newspaper stories, watch videos…all sorts of stuff."

Steve looked at Jamie for a moment as he pondered such a system. "That sounds incredible."

Johnny gave a slight smirk. "It comes in handy, Colonel."

Jamie asked. "Steve, what is going on?"

"Sam here is an inventor. She built a gravitational wave engine. That's kind of engine you need to power spaceships. Like in Star Trek. She built one in the year 2025. I imagine it got out of hand and that's how you ended up here." he assumed looking at Sam.

Sam gave a defeated sigh. "It ripped a hole in space and time and created a wormhole. One end of the wormhole is in the fire station in 2025 and the other end is in the same fire station, here in 1975. I got sucked through it. My grandfather and Uncle Johnny were helping me. They got exposed to a frequency wave that took a copy of their minds and sent that, with me back to 1975. They were imprinted with the next fifty years of their lives." She then threw up her hands. "It's a complete mess, Colonel. I have no idea what I am doing and my only lifeline to my own time is an unstable wormhole with my grandfather, Uncle Johnny and Chet manning the other end."

Steve asked. "Can you stabilize the wormhole?"

"I really don't know. My best shot is to build another engine here and hope to capture it and pin it down…so to speak." she confessed.

Jamie asked. "Maybe you need to contact NASA for help."

"No!" Roy shook his head. "They can't even keep a shuttle running and left people stranded on the space station."

Johnny winced. "Not really a good track record. And the two shuttles they lost…"

Sam had to agree. "NASA is not doing so well."

Jamie stood wide-eyed.

Steve asked concerned. "They lose two shuttles?"

Roy nodded. "They do."

Jamie asked. "Shuttles?"

"They are development." Steve told her. He looked at Sam. "What do you need me to do?"

Sam stood like a deer in the headlights. The man was asking her what she wanted him to do. She had no idea what to do. She looked to Roy and Johnny for guidance. "Um…" she looked confused.

Roy fell back on his training. He quickly assessed the situation in his mind. "We need security on both ends of the wormhole. We know the Colonel is alive in 2025, so maybe he can help secure that wormhole and the fire station on that end. And, we could use someone with knowledge of how NASA and other agencies work. Keep the rogue players away. Help you anchor that wormhole on this end and figure out how to close it…if it can be closed." He looked past Sam to Johnny for his input. "Sounds about right?"

"Sounds like a plan. Maybe the Colonel can come into the station? We can easily pass him of as a fireman."

Steve eagerly volunteered. "I can be a firefighter." A gleam lit up in his eye. A spark from a long ago childhood dream was lit.

Jamie asked surprised. "Steve?"

He confessed. "When I was a little boy I wanted to be a fireman when I grew up. I became a fighter pilot instead."

Sam mentioned off hand. "I want to learn to fly and be a pilot."

"I can go over some basics with you." Steve offered. He looked to Johnny and Roy as he quickly figured they were guiding Sam with important decisions. "I'm more than happy come into the station and help."

Sam could not help but ask. "Can I see your bionic limbs?"

Roy gave her a stern look. "Sam."

"What?" she asked oblivious.

"You don't just ask someone to show you their artificial limbs like that?" he scolded.

She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Grandpa. He's got bionics beyond anything we have in my time and it's 1975."

"But it's rude." he chastised.

"It's okay." Steve rolled up his sleeve and exposed the access panel on the inside of his arm. He opened the panel and allowed his audience to see the inner workings.

Sam asked. "Titanium?"

He nodded.

"What computer processor does it use?" she wondered.

"It's a liquid crystal. Experimental." he explained.

She pondered. "I bet I could upgrade this with a few chips and programming."

Jamie stood beside herself. "You think you can upgrade Steve's bionics? It's state of the art. You just can't go buy this in a store, young lady."

Sam bit her lip and glanced at Roy and Johnny.

"Actually," Johnny stated. "You can."

"In 2025." Roy added.

"Just order online." Sam suggested.