hand as if to encourage memories. “A member of the United States Navy Special Forces...”
The man shook his head. “I was with the Seventh Amphibious Scouts.”
What the hell? The Seventh Amphibious Scouts were active during World War II. This guy was probably in his mid-thirties and obviously delirious.
Mitchell’s voice sounded low, controlled. “What year is it, Lt. Buckner?”
“Here? Or at home?”
Aidan said, “What do you mean here or-“
Mitchell cut off Aidan. “At home, Lieutenant.”
“Nineteen forty-four.”
The pieces fell into place like a child’s puzzle box. The Junior Commandos, the retro Navy uniforms, the need for gun technology, the limited transportation capabilities.
The man had traveled to the future to buy weapons.
The machine they saw last night was a freaking time machine.
“Mitchell, we need to regroup,” Tristan said.
“You think ?” Shock left Aidan paralyzed.
“Lieutenant, why did you come to the future?” Mitchell said.
Henry glanced at Aidan. He covered his fist with his other hand. The man’s eyes grew wide with fear.
The bastard had better start singing like a lark.
“Me and Johnkowski were ordered to escort the dame to the future and make sure we brought back the computer and the gold.”
Hundreds of questions zipped through Aidan’s head like bullets. The three of them spoke in unison.
Tristan said, “You were supposed to bring the gold with you.”
Mitchell said, “Who ordered you to escort her?”
Aidan said, “Who is she?”
Buckner shook the water from his eyes. “You guys are going to get me killed.”
Aidan said, “Look at it this way: you’re guaranteed a painful death now, or you can take your chances when and if you get back.”
Shutting his eyes, Buckner shook his head. “God above, help me.”
What a damned hypocrite. “Did you ask for help when you tried to kill the woman last night?” Aidan took a step toward him.
“Okay, okay.” Buckner took a deep breath. “The dame is Professor Chalmers’ daughter. She works with the Professor and his wife, and Professor Einstein.”
Mitchell juggled the camera in his hands. Tristan whipped around to stare at him. Shaking his head, Mitchell leaned against the door frame.
“Professor Nathan Chalmers?” Mitchell said.
The man gave a brief nod. “I was ordered to escort her by…” He swallowed again as he gazed at Aidan.
“You’re screwed either way, Buckner.”
He cursed under his breath. “Colonel Otto VonFussenhoffer.”
Aidan pulled back his head. “A freaking German?”
Tristan fisted his hands at his sides. “You’re a spy?”
“Germany’s going to win the war. I want to be on the right side.”
Aidan closed in on him, stopping just shy of the water. “Let me fill you in on a little something, asshole. Germany loses.”
He gave Aidan a superior grin. “Not if we change the future.”
Rage exploded inside of Aidan, flakes of electricity zapping around him. Images of pale, starving prisoners in concentration camps shot through his head. The guy deserved to die a slow death.
Grabbing the man by the arms, Aidan shook him. Buckner bucked and convulsed where he hung.
“You bastard, you’ve already changed the future by coming here.”
Buckner’s grin showed weak, but arrogant. “Yes.”
Tristan pulled away Aidan. He twisted and fought to release himself.
“Don’t you freaking shock me...”
Mitchell said, “Are the Professor and his wife working for the other side, too?”
He nodded under the trickling water. “Einstein and Jocelyn, the professor’s daughter, are clean.”
“Where’s the gold, Buckner?” Tristan let go of Aidan. “You can’t buy weapons without money.”
His voice sounded weak. “We brought the gold… the first time.”
Electricity zapped around Aidan in frenzied streaks. Tristan and Mitchell backed away.
“You were here before?” Aidan said. “When Jim Monroe was shot?”
He nodded.
Tristan’s eyes grew wide when
The man shook his head. “I was with the Seventh Amphibious Scouts.”
What the hell? The Seventh Amphibious Scouts were active during World War II. This guy was probably in his mid-thirties and obviously delirious.
Mitchell’s voice sounded low, controlled. “What year is it, Lt. Buckner?”
“Here? Or at home?”
Aidan said, “What do you mean here or-“
Mitchell cut off Aidan. “At home, Lieutenant.”
“Nineteen forty-four.”
The pieces fell into place like a child’s puzzle box. The Junior Commandos, the retro Navy uniforms, the need for gun technology, the limited transportation capabilities.
The man had traveled to the future to buy weapons.
The machine they saw last night was a freaking time machine.
“Mitchell, we need to regroup,” Tristan said.
“You think ?” Shock left Aidan paralyzed.
“Lieutenant, why did you come to the future?” Mitchell said.
Henry glanced at Aidan. He covered his fist with his other hand. The man’s eyes grew wide with fear.
The bastard had better start singing like a lark.
“Me and Johnkowski were ordered to escort the dame to the future and make sure we brought back the computer and the gold.”
Hundreds of questions zipped through Aidan’s head like bullets. The three of them spoke in unison.
Tristan said, “You were supposed to bring the gold with you.”
Mitchell said, “Who ordered you to escort her?”
Aidan said, “Who is she?”
Buckner shook the water from his eyes. “You guys are going to get me killed.”
Aidan said, “Look at it this way: you’re guaranteed a painful death now, or you can take your chances when and if you get back.”
Shutting his eyes, Buckner shook his head. “God above, help me.”
What a damned hypocrite. “Did you ask for help when you tried to kill the woman last night?” Aidan took a step toward him.
“Okay, okay.” Buckner took a deep breath. “The dame is Professor Chalmers’ daughter. She works with the Professor and his wife, and Professor Einstein.”
Mitchell juggled the camera in his hands. Tristan whipped around to stare at him. Shaking his head, Mitchell leaned against the door frame.
“Professor Nathan Chalmers?” Mitchell said.
The man gave a brief nod. “I was ordered to escort her by…” He swallowed again as he gazed at Aidan.
“You’re screwed either way, Buckner.”
He cursed under his breath. “Colonel Otto VonFussenhoffer.”
Aidan pulled back his head. “A freaking German?”
Tristan fisted his hands at his sides. “You’re a spy?”
“Germany’s going to win the war. I want to be on the right side.”
Aidan closed in on him, stopping just shy of the water. “Let me fill you in on a little something, asshole. Germany loses.”
He gave Aidan a superior grin. “Not if we change the future.”
Rage exploded inside of Aidan, flakes of electricity zapping around him. Images of pale, starving prisoners in concentration camps shot through his head. The guy deserved to die a slow death.
Grabbing the man by the arms, Aidan shook him. Buckner bucked and convulsed where he hung.
“You bastard, you’ve already changed the future by coming here.”
Buckner’s grin showed weak, but arrogant. “Yes.”
Tristan pulled away Aidan. He twisted and fought to release himself.
“Don’t you freaking shock me...”
Mitchell said, “Are the Professor and his wife working for the other side, too?”
He nodded under the trickling water. “Einstein and Jocelyn, the professor’s daughter, are clean.”
“Where’s the gold, Buckner?” Tristan let go of Aidan. “You can’t buy weapons without money.”
His voice sounded weak. “We brought the gold… the first time.”
Electricity zapped around Aidan in frenzied streaks. Tristan and Mitchell backed away.
“You were here before?” Aidan said. “When Jim Monroe was shot?”
He nodded.
Tristan’s eyes grew wide when
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