The Portal

Gail and David never got along that well, but he could tell by the tone she was using with him that she was cracking her husband like a nut, better than any other cop could have in an interrogation room. She was livid that something was going on and was insisting that Ricky be clean with her and David or the trouble she’d raise would make his earlier attacks look mild by comparison. Ricky seemed reluctant to talk, but she insisted that he tell someone and his brother seemed like the most logical choice. Gail was waiting for David to walk in, and as he did he could tell the conversation was very heated. You could cut the tension in the room with a butter knife, but David was glad to see that his sister-in-law was taking what had happened very seriously.

“Tell him,” She ordered, giving Ricky a look.

“I’m not sure he’ll believe me.” Ricky insisted, unsure of himself.

“I believe you,” Gail reminded him, “He’s also family; this situation affects him just as much as it does you.”

“It does?” David said, looking at Ricky, “What the hell is she talking about?”

“You won’t believe me,” Ricky repeated, “I’m the one telling you and I hardly believe it myself. You’ll call me a crack pot and commit me to the nearest psych ward. I would if I was in your shoes.”

“I’ve seen some pretty weird shit,” David admitted, “Try me.”

“Alright,” Ricky said, taking a deep breath. “I’m a time traveler.”

David paused for a moment and looked at Gail and then back at Ricky. There was one or two moments he wanted to say something but paused again. It was almost as if he had trouble trying to repeat what his brother just told him.

“I’m sorry,” David said, trying to process it. “I could have sworn you just told me you were a time traveler. Did you really say that? Gail, did he really just say that to me?”

“Yes, he did.” Gail replied.

“And why did he say that?” David asked, surprised to see that Gail wasn’t surprised at all by the revelation.

“Because it’s true,” Gail informed him. “He’s been doing it full time since your father taught him.”

“Dad taught him?” David repeated.

“He was a time traveler too.” Ricky added, “Taught me how to do it without causing a butterfly effect, breaking timelines, or creating world ending paradoxes. He was really good at it. Not as good as Grandpa, but he knew what he was doing.”

David rubbed his forehead for a moment. “You expect me to believe that Dad and Grandpa were Time Travelers?”

“You see,” Ricky replied, “I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”

“I’m trying,” David said, trying his very best not to laugh in his face. “How does one become a time traveler? Where did you train?”

“It’s hard to explain,” Ricky answered, “But there is a way to learn.”

“Right,” David said, thinking about it. “And that guy, what the hell was he looking for?”

“He wanted to be a time traveler too.” Ricky explained, “He’s a member of a society that’s been trying to steal our secrets.”

“So you did know your attacker?” David asked him.

“There were two actually,” Ricky continued, “They wanted the key.”

“The key to the time machine?” David tried to inquire.

“Not exactly,” Ricky said, trying to compose himself. “The key they’re referring two isn’t physical. It’s genetic.”

“Genetic?” David repeated, “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means our blood is the key,” Ricky replied, “The portal can only be accessed by someone of our bloodline. Everyone else is expelled.”

“The portal?” David said, trying to digest this. “What the hell is the portal and what exactly does it do?”

“The Portal is on our property.” Rick explained, “Do you ever wonder how I can afford to keep and pay all the taxes on that land? No way in hell Dad and I could do it all on a teacher’s salary.”

“Excessive but lucky gambling?” David guessed.

“Time travel,” Rick corrected him, “The portal allows anyone who can access it the ability to travel in time.”

David looks over at Gail who doesn’t seem fazed by the topic. “And you’re in on this too?”

“I can’t do the traveling myself,” Gail said, “but he’s proven to me beyond a reasonable doubt that what he says is true.”

“Shit, you’re serious about this!” David said as noticed the serious look on her face. “And that’s why those two men attacked you? They think there’s an actual key that controls this portal?”

“Yes,” Ricky said, wincing from his pain. “They caught me off guard when I was going into town to buy something for Gail. I should have known better, I should have stayed home where it’s safe.”

“How would you be safer at home?” David asked him, “What stops these men from doing a home invasion to look for this key?”

“I can’t tell you here,” Rick said, trying to be secretive, “But I can explain more when I get home... but I’m not safe here.”

“You are as long as I’m here.” David informed him, “I’m not going anywhere. Not after what just happened here.”

“Thanks brother,” Ricky said, smiling. “You did save me back there.”

“Regardless of our differences,” David continued, “I do love you, man. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

“I appreciate that,” Ricky said, “This is why I think you might be ready.”

“Ready for what?” David asked.

“To time travel, dumbass.” Rick said, laughing.

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this.” David said, “And this portal is on your property?”

“It’s our property,” Ricky corrected him, “That cave and the land surrounding it has been in our family for generations. We’ve been hopping around time and saving people for well over a hundred years.”

“And I can access this portal?” David asked.

“You can, because you’re family.” Ricky answered, “That means any kids you or I have will also be able to access it too, and their kids, and so forth.”

“Wow, that’s pretty deep.” David said, taking a deep breath.

“I know,” Rick said, not trying to press. “It’s mind blowing.”

“Forgive the pun, but I need time to process this,” David said, looking over to Gail. “I’m going to keep watch until the officer gets here to guard the door. Can you hit a fast good joint and grab some burgers and shakes?”

Gail nodded, “Sure, I can do that. Just take it easy, Ricky.”

“Yes dear,” Ricky said as he watched his wife walk out.

David took his hat off and scratched his scalp as he took a seat and sighed deeply.

“I know it’s hard to believe,” Ricky said, knowing where he was. “How do you think I felt when Dad told me about it?”

“Why didn’t Dad tell me?” David asked.

“He considered it,” Ricky confessed, “But when you took off like you did to do your own thing, he decided to use me as a backup. I think it turned out for the better actually. All that experience you’ve gained in law enforcement is going make you one hell of a time traveler, possibly one of the best.”

“I never said I wanted to be one.” David corrected him, “You’re making some mighty big assumptions there bud.”

“I just know how things are,” Ricky said, “How people work. There’s a reason why people are attacking me. They want what I have, and once you get a small taste of it... you’ll never want to do anything else.”

“That’s a bold claim,” David said, smiling. “I love my job.”

“No one says you have to pick,” Ricky admitted, “If I can recover from this, we can share the portal and you’ll have plenty of time to dedicate to your job without any issues.”

“They’re not sure you’ll be able to walk again,” David informed him, “How do you intend to travel without legs?”

Ricky looked at his legs and then back at his brother. “I’ll get around it. I just need a ride.”

“A ride?” David repeated. “Where?”

“The only safe place for me,” Ricky replied, “Home.”

“I’m not breaking you out of here,” David said, “Gail would kill us... me especially. She’s been dying for an excuse for years.”

“She’s downstairs,” Ricky replied, “Waiting with the car.”

“She is?” David said, unsure whether to believe him. “You are in no shape to leave. I don’t think so.”

“I can be treated at the house.” Ricky informed him, “You have to trust me. It will all work out.”

David stood up and paced the room for a moment. His mind was wandering all over the place, but the guard hadn’t arrived yet, so if there was ever a time to pull this off.

“When we get there, you rest and no excuses.” David told him, “If you so much as break a stitch, I’m bringing you right back here. Comprede?”

“Yes, I understand.” Ricky said, “Now get me out of this barbaric place.”

Against his better judgment, David put his brother into a wheel chair and started to break him out of the hospital. He was at the back elevator waiting for it to reach their floor when a familiar face walked out.

“Excuse me,” the nurse asked, “What are you two doing?”

“Hey there,” David said, cracking her an innocent smile, “Ashley, right?”

“Yes,” she said, smiling back. “Still not answering my question.”

“My brother is being moved to a new location,” David informed her, “My boss set up a safe house, and there will be nurses and all the equipment he needs. Unless you prefer I shoot more people?”

“No, that will be fine.” Ashley said, not wanting more gunfire. “Just make sure to change his fluids in three hours.”

“Three hours... will do.” David said as he took his brother’s wheel chair and moved him into the elevator that had just opened.

“Take care,” Ashley said, waving as the door closed.

“I think she likes me,” David said to his brother.

“You wish,” Ricky said, laughing.

“That I do,” David confirmed, “But we’re a tad busy. Let’s get outta here.”

As Rick had indicated, Gail was waiting for them in the parking lot to save them the trouble of coming out to her. David tossed his brother into the back so he could stretch out, and folded up the chair and tossed it into the truck... assuming he might need it again very soon. Gail didn’t even wait for David to buckle his seat belt as she peeled out of the hospital parking lot, and off towards the only place they felt safe.

“What the hell is going on here?” David asked, shocked by his sister-in-law’s sudden improvement in her driving.

“If this happened anywhere else, we would have avoided the hospital,” Gail replied, not taking her eyes off the road. “Even a small report will cause questions to be asked, more attention we don’t need.”

“You guys are really starting to scare me here,” David said, looking back at his brother. “How are you holding up?”

“I’ll be fine,” Ricky said, looking at his wife, “As long as someone doesn’t make the ride so bumpy.”

“Yeah Gail,” David agreed, turning to face her. “Ease up on the gas, there’s no one following us.”

“Not yet,” Gail said, as he could tell she was nervous. “We’re too exposed out here. It’s not safe.”

“I’m riding shotgun for a reason,” David said, gesturing to his sidearm. “I’m one of the best shots in the tri-state area. Something I brag about often. Anyone tries something, and I’ll add a little iron to their diet.”

“Alright,” Gail said, as she eased up and slowed down.

That seemed to calm things down a bit. Everyone stayed silent while Gail rushed to get them home. David wasn’t’ familiar with the route they were taking, but it had been a while since he last visited the house. It had been at least a decades since he had that falling out with his old man. Now it was all starting to make sense. If Ricky was telling the truth, the old man wanted him to take over a very weird and out of this world family tradition. Instead David decided to forge his own path, but now that life his father wanted was starting to catch up with him whether he wanted it to or not.