The Legend of Things Past (Beyond Pluto SciFi Futuristic Aventures Book 1) by Phillip William Sheppard Page A

Donovan’s mind. “This virus…”
    The General nodded as if knowing what Donovan was thinking.
“Yes. It’s the same benign virus that was found in your blood all those years
ago. You were the first known case. And now it’s everywhere. Everyone at this
base has it. You have it. I have it. I have confirmed that your wife and
children have it, as well. You’re wife’s condition is the most advanced of your
family.”
    Donovan’s heart seemed to stop. His brain froze. That’s why
the General was acting so strange. He was dying. They all were. Maybe even the
General’s own family.
    This was the reason his wife had looked so ill recently. It
wasn’t that she was being overworked; it was this virus—a virus that likely
started with him. Flames of hot anger licked through his insides. His sight was
smeared with the force of it. Whoever had done this would suffer for it.
    Donovan’s face was hot. “Why didn’t you tell me? Are you
saying that I caused this?”
    “We’re not accusing you of anything. And, again, I can’t
tell you the details of what I know. Not yet.”
    Donovan had to shake his head to clear away the fury. If he
didn’t calm himself and think rationally, he didn’t know what stupid things he
might say or do.
    “How long?”
    The General looked grim. “We don’t know. We hope we can
avoid this disaster altogether.”
    “Are you looking for a cure? Sir, I don’t see how I can help
with this. I should be going after the people responsible.”
    “You will. The cure is plan B. What we’ll be doing is
sending you back in time.”
    “What?” Donovan was angry again in an instant. There was no
time for games. He didn’t understand what the General meant and didn’t have the
patience to listen to an explanation. He fought with the rage, tamping it down.
    “Your grandfather successfully built a time machine back in
2170.”
    “ 2170? But I worked with him on it. He didn’t have a
power source—”
    “It’s likely that Tobias was testing you. To see if you
could figure out a solution on your own, like he had.”
    Donovan was stunned. Time travel had been available this
whole time and his grandfather never shared it with him.
    “When Tobias shared his invention with my predecessor, he
requested that Tobias not reveal it to anyone—that it remain a government
secret only to be used in the worst of times.”
    “And as an employee of the government, of course, he had to
obey.”
    “Yes—but it wasn’t by force. Tobias, I think, understood the
implications and possible consequences of time travel more than anyone. Only a
very few people know the technology exists—Tobias, the President of the United
States, the heads of all four branches of the military from 2170 onward—and now
you.”
    There was a long pause. There wasn’t enough time to assess
all this—not enough time for him to wrap his mind around the idea of time
travel. What would happen if he went back in time and changed something that
wasn’t meant to be changed? Could he stop himself from ever existing? Could he
stop himself from ever having met his wife? Having children? Not just any
children but his children?
    Now he understood what the General meant. It wasn’t about
sacrificing his life—it was about sacrificing his identity, his family, which
was far worse. But if he didn’t do this, then…
    “Donovan,” the General said, “the world needs you now more
than ever. We have an idea of who’s behind this…”
    “Who?”
    The General tilted his head. There was an odd expression on
his face. Donovan was almost getting used to this new General—the one who had
facial expressions, who felt things, who paced the floor with such energy. He
thought that he might like him even.
    “I can’t tell you that.” General McGregor looked—what? Sad?
Frustrated? “All of the details of this mission are classified until you
actually go back.”
    “Go back to when?”
    “I can’t tell you that either.”
    Donovan