TEMPUS CHAPTER TWELVE
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead.
Lucille Ball
He woke rested and sharp ready to get work done.
“Watcher let’s go take a look at our new building.”
“He put on his best 1889 suit, fed and petted the cats, changed the litter box. He wolfed down some beans and bread. M1 had made some pan bread before he woke. “Damn M1, good pan bread.”
“Thank you, Cristian. I noticed that Blue Betty has a small oil leak. If you pick up some gaskets and tools, I can repair that for you?”
“Can you ride M1?”
“I can operate most equipment Cristian.”
He threw him the keys. “Bandana and beanie are in the closet.”
There is a little cash in my leathers. There are tools at my house in the shop and a bike stand where you can do the work. Can you fool the public M1?”
To a biker offering his ride to another to use was a big sign of trust and respect, never to be taken lightly. Although he wondered when he was offering his ride to himself what that really meant. He was sure that Freud would have a field day.
“Fooling the public is what I was designed to do Cristian.”
“Sometime we should move that stuff back here. We can discuss that when I get back.”
“If you remember maybe you could pick up a little grub.”
“Will do.”
Fixes the Scooter and makes good pan bread handy to have around he thought to himself. Damn handy.
“Watcher it’s travel time.”
He climbed into Ascalon and started out on another trip. The ship folded space and went through the Blackhole. Arriving in winter 1900 he flew over the new building. He parked the Ascalon in the back alley. “Watcher could you raise the ship just above the building and hover.”
He walked in the front door and up the stairs where he found the door to the offices.
He found the familiar W.S.Inc. painted on the office door. He opened the door and saw that Lorelei was busy at work. Without looking up she said, “I will be right with you.”
“When you have time Miss O’Rourke if it indeed it is still Miss.”
“James” She ran right over and hugged him. “I am so glad you are back. Would you like to see your office?”
“These are for you, Lorelei.” He handed her a small bag.
“I should talk to Arthur first.” Arthur had heard his voice through the door.
“Jimmy it is good to see you.”
“Arthur you have done a wonderful job on this building.”
“Thank you it has been a lot of hard work.”
“I can see that, I knew you were the right man and Lorelei the right woman to help you accomplish this.”
He heard a thank you from both of them at the same time.
“I would very much like to see the Basement.”
“Jimmy I will give you the tour?” said Arthur.
“Is our business concluded at Carrall Street?”
“We own Carrall Street now.”
“Well done Arthur.”
“We also have tenants in the building there.”
“Excellent” Arthur approached an unmarked door, and after producing a key from his vest pocket the door was unlocked. They entered a very well-appointed office.
“Jimmy this office is yours. I have included sleeping quarters and this. Arthur approached a bookcase that was filled with books of the day, Jules Verne, Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, and a ton of other authors, some he had heard of some not. The books here would fetch a fortune in the future. He tried not to think of that and just enjoy them for what they were, first editions of great works of literature.
Arthur tilted a book from a bookcase. A click and the bookcase opened revealing a hidden doorway leading to a stairwell. It was lit by a skylight on the roof. Cristian looked at the book used as a latch lever. “The Time Machine H.G. WELLS”. How appropriate he thought.
“The stairs will take you to the Basement. It was designed for your privacy Jimmy. You can enter through the basement unseen.”
“I am overwhelmed Arthur, this better than expected. Please show me the basement.” They walked the three flights down to another hidden door in the large empty Basement. Arthur flicked a light switch and twenty dim bulbs lit the basement. There was enough room for twenty or more vehicles.
“This lever operates the hidden door at the side of the building.”
He pulled the lever and the door opened.
“Can the door be opened from the outside?”
“There is a small hatch that can be opened with the same key as your office. In the hatch is another lever.”
“I am very impressed.”
“Jimmy is there anything we need to discuss?”
“Actually yes, there are things I would like to share with you if you are ready?”
“Nothing would surprise me, Jimmy.”
“Good, stand next to the wall for a moment.”
Arthur put his back to the wall. He felt a rush of air past his face as if a gust of wind came in through the open door.
“If you could Arthur, close and lock the outer door.” He pulled the lever and watched the outside door close.
“What was that Jimmy?”
“That was the Ascalon, my ship.”
“Your ship? What do you mean?”Arthur said with a slightly worried look.
“Brace yourself, Arthur. This bit of news will be hard to swallow.”
He thought the ship visible.
“What is this Jimmy?”
“This is how I travel Arthur. I am from the future. It is how I know about the things about to happen.”
“How is that possible?”
“It is just future science.”
“Arthur there are nefarious forces at work throughout history. I am setting out to do battle with them.”
“Who are they?”
“I only know them as the Elders. They hide behind many Organizations and orders. You can also find them behind a few of the religions. I am just learning about them.
Although it has been months for you. I have only been travelling for a few days in my local time. I have been travelling back and forth buying and selling Gold and laying down a foundation for the battle.”
“That is where the Gold came from. You have been buying Gold at a low price and selling it in the future at a higher price.”
“Precisely it took many trips to raise the gold for this company.”
“That is a lot to take in Jimmy.”
“It is actually Cristian, and before your time is done you will know also know me as Robert. In 1914 Jimmy will be killed in a shipping accident on the St. Lawrence. For me, that was two days ago. I managed to save one little girl. We will send her money every month in the future. She was the bravest soul I have ever met.”
“Robert is set to inherit your company after your demise. Clever.”
“Necessary Arthur.”
“You are showing a lot of trust Cristian.”
“Arthur I have no doubt of your character, my trust is well placed. Without you and Lorelei all of this wouldn’t be possible. I would like you to do something for yourself. Build a house for you and your bride-to-be. Use company money, and have Lorelei write it off as a bonus. You have complete control of the company. Pay yourself accordingly. Try to make a modest profit and continue to buy properties, and build. In the future, I will sell the properties to finance the fight. Your face will be in the history books. I must stay out of sight. Your hidden stairway is brilliant, ideal for my needs.”
“Somehow I thought it might be. Will you stay for the building dedication tomorrow Jimmy?”
“I wouldn’t miss it, Arthur.” He thought the ship invisible. They walked up the stairs back into the office, Arthur showed him to his new desk.
The leather chair was more comfortable than any chairs he owned in the future. He noticed a small door on the left-hand side of his office. It was a bathroom with a flush toilet. He didn’t realize this was possible.
“We have a water tank on the roof, filled with fresh water from the Capilano River.”
“Interesting. Is anyone hungry?”
“I am feeling a little peckish” answered Lorelei.
“Arthur?”
“Jimmy I know of a place that serves Chinese food close by. It is quite delicious except for something called Fung Zau, which is steamed and fried chicken feet. Not to my liking.”
“Arthur you mean Dim Sum excellent I haven’t had it for years. Har Gow, lo mai gai, finished off with some mango pudding, my mouth is watering .”
They had a great meal and had many conversations about the issues of the day.
“James how can you know so much about the world, but not much about what is happening here right now. I swear I think you are from another time.” Both men looked at each other and paused for a moment. Lorelei noticed the look they gave each other.
“Did I say something?” Asked the redhead in a distinctly Irish accent.
“Interesting conclusion Lorelei. I am sure that Arthur believes that as well.”
“Indeed I do Lorelei,” said Arthur smiling a little.
At another table he noticed a man eyeing up Lorelei like a piece of meat making comments to his buddies at the table. It was really pissing Cristian off.
“Watcher I feel like beating some manners into that fucker.”
“Cristian I may have a better way.”
The man at the table started to hold his stomach and wriggle in his chair. Then he let out a monster fart, loud enough for the whole restaurant to hear. Everybody including Lorelei and Cristian had burst into laughter.
The man threw down money on the table and stormed out.
“What comes around goes around.”
“What do you mean James?” asked Lorelei.
“His manner was not appropriate, he was pissing me off.”
“I didn’t think you noticed James.”
“I did and his sudden gastric distress saved him from an uppercut.”
Lorelei had the confirmation that she needed. James cared for her. He didn’t know it yet, but he would because he could not do anything else. Without knowing it he had passed an important test.
“Watcher you are certainly the king of bodily functions. That was hilarious.”
“Thanks, I think,” said the pocket watch.
Back at the office, it was nearing the end of the day. Lorelei and Arthur were ready to leave. “I think I will try out the sleeping quarters. I will see both of you tomorrow. Are there any tenants in the rental rooms?”
“No, they are not ready as yet.”
“Then please lock all the outside doors if you wouldn’t mind.”
“James I left you some food and drink in the icebox, in case you get hungry at night.”
“Very thoughtful Lorelei, when did you have time to do that?”
“I made arrangements while we were at the restaurant.”
“Thank you, Lorelei. You are quite a woman. Goodnight to both of you.”
The bed took some getting used to, it was quite soft. He wasn’t quite ready to sleep.
“Man Watcher I miss TV or movies. I could do with a duster right now. A John Wayne flic would do nicely.”
“How about the Searchers Cristian? It is listed as the greatest western ever filmed.”
“THE SEARCHERS I love that movie and it is one of my favourites. John Wayne, Natalie Wood, Vera Miles.”
He was suddenly immersed in the opening credits, not only was he watching the movie he seemed to be inside the movie. He could move around and look at things from different viewpoints. The only thing missing were smells and touch. It was breathtaking with detail that was more than he thought possible.
“This is how movies are watched in the future Cristian. Enjoy.”
“Thanks, Watcher.”
He settled back into the bed and was soon lost inside the movie. He thought about the time he was in. This movie wouldn’t be shot for another 67 years; Marion Robert Morrison wouldn’t be born for another 18 years. He wouldn’t become John Wayne until 1930.
“I guess it’s all relative,” He thought to himself.
The next day the building dedication was attended by a very few. A photograph was taken with Arthur and Lorelei in the forefront. He watched the whole ordeal from the wooden sidewalk across the street. Dorothy was at his side watching her soon-to-be Husband.
“You must be very proud of Arthur, Dorothy.”
“To be honest James I was very proud of him as a bellboy, I knew he had great potential.”
“As did I.”
“Thank you for believing in him James. It means a lot to him and to me.”
“I could not have done any different Dorothy.”
He noticed some Chinese men watching with interest. Cristian could see they felt this an intrusion into their territory. This part of the city would become known as Chinatown in the near future. He made a note to mention that to Arthur to find a way to smooth the ruffled feathers, to keep peace in the area. He knew the Chinese people were underestimated and that could make powerful allies or an even more powerful enemy.
“Arthur, Lorelei well done, this is your day. Well done both of you.”
“That is rather sweet of you James, without you we would not have been able to accomplish any of this.” Lorelei was very sincere and at that moment almost on the verge of tears.
“Jimmy will you be staying with us for a while, I know Dorothy would like to have you over for dinner.”
“That sounds nice Arthur, when?”
“How is tonight? Say at 7:00 PM” He turned around and asked Lorelei.
“We would be very pleased if you would attend as well as Lorelei.”
“With James there how could I resist.” There seemed to be a little extra colour in her alabaster cheeks, as she said that.
“Tonight sounds good Arthur, Lorelei.”
“James I could meet you here and we could travel together.”
“Lorelei that would be enjoyable and probably prudent since I don’t know where to travel to.”
“I will be here at 6:30 James.”
Lorelei arrived exactly on time in front of the new building. He had been taught that punctuality was a sign of respect, as a traveller he admired that even more.
“You look very dapper James.” He had gone out and purchased a new off-the-rack suit and now carried a bowler over his high forehead and long curly brown hair.
Dorothy lived in a small rental apartment above a general store in the original site of Granville or what is now known as Gastown. The townsite was named after Gassy Jack, a local saloon Keeper and personality.
As he followed Lorelei into the apartment he could smell roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. It reminded him of a different time, of a mother-in-law that he liked and a father-in-law that he had no use for. She used to cook family dinners, always roast beef, always Yorkshire.
He noticed Lorelei looked very fetching. He studied her long thick wavy red hair as it cascaded out from under a small hat and fell over her shoulders and back. She seemed a little thinner and a little taller than she had been on the day she was hired. She looked radiant. He had a hard time not staring.
This wasn’t a trick of corsets and boots or even makeup. In the dim light of the rental, he could see how beautiful she really was. He wondered if it was loneliness, desperation or a hundred other wrong reasons that made him feel the way he was feeling for her.
He never thought he would feel that for a woman again. He was still carrying the wounds and scars inflicted by a less honourable woman. How could a woman like Lorelei ever see anything in me? He thought. It wasn’t the money, that wasn’t important to her.
He dismissed the idea of pursuing this woman, mostly from fear.
“You have set a wonderful meal before us, Dorothy.”
“Would you do the honour of saying grace, James?”
“Certainly” He whispered a few long sentences and then said “Amen.”
“Why James we didn’t hear a word you said” Dorothy added.
“Oh, I am sorry. I wasn’t addressing you.”
Everybody at the table was satisfied with that explanation. Arthur cut the roast into slices and then passed the plate. Soon vegetables, gravy, beef, and Yorkshire pudding had made it around the table. Forks and food made it to famished mouths with sounds of contentment. Cristian had only one reservation, Brussels sprouts, to him they tasted like little balls of skunk cabbage better suited for a slingshot than putting in your mouth.
Out of politeness he would eat them and say nothing. Growing up his parents had forced him to eat everything on his plate whether he liked it or not.
A little later an apple pie appeared on the table and was portioned out to everyone at the table. He was sure, wars could be averted using apple pie, and there was nothing better.
Cristian studied everyone’s faces he didn’t know these people, but he felt at home, comfortable like he had known them a lifetime.
He remembered reading: Members of a family rarely grow up under the same roof. He felt that they were his family and he would know them for a long time.
“Lorelei, are you still seeing Joey?” Arthur asked with an obvious agenda.
“Arthur you know that there is no Joey” answered Lorelei.
“What about you James? Are you involved with anyone?” This time it was Dorothy asking the question. He suddenly felt ambushed.
“No, it has been a long time. I was married once.”
“What happened?” Dorothy asked.
“I asked her to leave. She had a habit I couldn’t live with.”
“What was that James?”
“Sleeping with other men.”
“That is horrible James.”
“It’s okay Dorothy. In time I could see that she did me a favour.”
“How long has it been?”
“Three years” He remembered exactly how long it was, Nov 7 the day he asked her to leave.
Lorelei took over the interrogation, as it seemed to him. “Has there been no one since James?”
“No Lorelei, my travels keep me occupied. Shall we retire from the table?” He said hoping to avoid the questions.
He walked over and sat on a love seat in the main room. Lorelei soon followed. He got up and offered his seat to the lady as etiquette dictated. He had learned his manners from old movies. His father wasn’t around when he grew up, his mother worked three jobs just to bring them up to the level of abject poverty. When she was home, he experienced her as an angry drunk.
He was raised by John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, George Mason, Gary Cooper and many other actors who portrayed the man he wanted to be. His morals and ideals came from movies from 1920 to 1970. He loved movies.
Lorelei patted the seat beside her and said. “Please sit James.”
He sat beside her reluctantly, ready to launch his body and run at the first sign of trouble. She made him very nervous. He had managed to avoid any close contact with her species for quite a while.
Coherent words escaped him the second he looked into her sea-green eyes. He had no chance of escape; at that moment he would have given up every secret, every treasure and he would have laid down his life if asked, just to spend one more minute beside her. He was lost.
“James are you all right?”
“Yes Lorelei, I have never been better.” They both smiled at that. Arthur & Dorothy were also smiling.
“Finally” Dorothy whispered to Arthur. “They belong together.”
“I think they always have. He didn’t know it” was the whispered reply from Arthur.
They both stopped talking and looked into each other’s eyes for a forever moment. He moved closer and he held her in his arms, as tight as he could without crushing her. He heard her make a small sound and he could feel her sobbing quietly.
“What’s wrong Lorelei?”
“I am happy James.”
“James is not my real name it’s Cristian.”
“Even better” was her reply. Nothing more was said.
Dorothy started to weep watching the two on her love seat.
Arthur felt reservation and emotion as well. He was worried about Lorelei being hurt, and he was worried about Cristian being hurt. He decided it was all up to God and both of them to decide their fates.
“Arthur, Dorothy it has been an interesting evening. Lorelei and I have some things we need to discuss. We will be leaving in a few minutes. Arthur, we should meet in the office tomorrow morning.”
“In the morning then.”
“Dorothy thank you for a wonderful meal.”
“You are quite welcome, James.”
“It’s actually Cristian Dorothy. Please come to the office in the morning with Arthur I will explain everything.”
“I can do that Cristian.”
“Goodnight” Lorelei and Cristian got their outer coats on, he donned his new bowler and they left.”
The buggy and driver were waiting out front where they left him.
“Thank you for waiting driver.”
“It is my job sir.”
Cristian helped Lorelei into the buggy and climbed in. “Back to my office please.”
“Yes, sir.”
He held her hand tenderly throughout the bumpy ride back. On arrival, he helped her out onto the plank sidewalk in front of his office.
“Will you have need of me further tonight sir?”
Lorelei answered for him. “You will not be needed again tonight. Come back at seven in the morning driver.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Cristian paid the driver with a twenty-dollar bill.
“Thank you sir goodnight.”
He took her arm, walking around the side of the building he found the hatch and unlocked it. With the lever pulled the side door opened.
“Watcher thanks for keeping quiet tonight. I need to know where the light switch is. Wow-what was that?”
“I have superimposed daylight images with the direction you are looking in.”
“COOL, better than night vision.”
He easily reached for the light switch and pushed it in. With the inside lever pulled and the door closed, he spun her around and kissed her.
She seemed to melt a little in his arms. “Why are we in the basement Cristian? I have never been down here. Arthur didn’t allow it. I didn’t even know the way in here.”
“It is time that you knew everything about me.”
“Cristian her heart rate is slightly elevated.”
“Thanks, Watcher.”
“Lorelei what I have to tell you will be hard to believe.”
“I have learned to expect the unexpected with you Cristian.”
“I love you Lorelei more than I ever loved anyone in my lifetime or ever will.”
“Okay that, wasn’t expected. I fell in love the first day I saw you in the Carrall street Office.”
“ Will you marry me?”
“Without question.”
“Lorelei I will be born in 1957. I travel in time.”
“I see.”
He thought the ship visible.
“The Ascalon, my ship. This is how I travel.”
“Cristian can you show me how it works.”
“If you could please pull the lever near the door. Pull it again to close the door and step out quickly. Meet me in the back alley. I will show you the ship outside” He kissed her once more and climbed into the ship. He waited in the back alley for her.
“Climb inside Lorelei, I will help you.”
He took off into space. He flew around the planet to meet the sunrise. She held his arm tight and moved closer to him. This all felt right. Lorelei accepted all of this so easily, he thought she accepted it easier than he did.
“Watcher how long have you known she was a future baby?”
“Since she first walked into your life.”
“Did it occur to you to mention it?”
“It wasn’t relevant, not all future babies are here to achieve the same objectives.”
“Cristian can we go back to the office?”
“We can go back there right away Lorelei.”
“Watcher, I have to ask is there any way that ship can be hot wired and stolen?”
“No Cristian the ship is imprinted to you and you only. Trust issues?”
“Once bitten Watcher.”
“I detect no subterfuge or any insincerity.”
“Good I am going to marry her.”
“I know, I am the Watcher.”
He left her inside the ship while he opened the door, Cristian thought the ship inside and helped her out. The hidden doorway to the stairs was opened.
“Lorelei, come this way” He remembered his manners and let her walk up the stairs first. Ladies up first down last. When she got to the top of the stairs she turned the knob and pushed on the door that seemed quite heavy.
“Cristian the door is hidden behind the bookshelf clever.”
“Arthur’s doing.”
“Watcher, no communication till morning unless it is urgent.”
“Understood.”
He sat in the chair across from the bed and watched as she took off her clothes. When she had finished she turned around slowly so he could admire all of her.
“Are you enjoying this Cristian?”
“Very much so, Lorelei. You are very beautiful, perfect.”
He studied her body, her hair completely down almost reached the small of her back. He continued his study until he had gazed at every part of her. She was a true redhead.
Enamoured, he pulled off his clothes as she studied him.
“You really did enjoy seeing all of me. Now you should come to bed. You have a long hard night ahead of you.”
It was a long night not much sleeping happened.
“Cristian it is six o’clock time to wake” came the words through the interface.
“No Watcher I am too tired, need sleep.”
“Your fiancé is watching you.”
“What?” He brought his eyes into focus. She was sitting in the chair across from the bed draped in a sheet from the bed. She was indeed watching him and smiling.
“What is happening?”
“I love you so very much Cristian.”
“Well it’s probably good I feel the same way.”
“I have to go home and change. I can come right back.”
“Did you want me to go along?”
“No, we should maintain some decorum.”
“I understand. Come back as soon as you are able. Please take some money out of my billfold to pay the driver.”
“It is still early, I have some time.”
“In that case, you should come over here.” Her sheet dropped to the floor as she walked over.
He spent the next half hour just making sure the enjoyment was entirely hers. He had taken a sliver in his right knee from the rough floor during the process but never stopped. Lorelei took the silver out with her teeth and then returned the pleasure given. He never dreamed that sex hadn’t really changed since the future. She made him very glad.
Both satisfied and short on time they got dressed. For the first time, he noticed a spot of blood on the sheets.
“Lorelei.” She put her finger on his lips to keep him from saying something stupid. Then she kissed him.
Words could not describe what he felt at that moment, no words spoken or written by anyone could have described what he felt for her.
He helped her climb into the buggy and went back up to the office.
“Watcher our plans may change a little. We can now add a marriage to the tasks at hand.”
“And a jailbreak don’t forget Ezra.”
“What happens when we encounter Ezra?”
“We give him a ride to where he wants to go. We should replace the money we started with. He will be broke when he leaves the hoosegow.”
“What about his interface will I lose control of you and the ship?”
“Cristian this ship is imprinted to you now. His neural interface has been absorbed into his body. There can only be one” answered Christopher Lambert.
“Thank you Connor McLeod” was his sarcastic response.
Arthur, Dorothy, and Lorelei arrived at ten o’clock. He took them through the hidden door where he went through the story again for Dorothy.
He answered a few questions about the future and made them all swear not to discuss any of this. He talked about the Elders and the dangers if they were found out.
“Birds fly, people do not.”
“I assure you we did, I flew last night Dorothy, I saw the earth from above the sky” Dorothy seemed to have no problem believing what Lorelei had just spoken.
He made the ship invisible once more and they went up the stairway back to Cristian’s office.
“Well, where do we go from here,” asked Dorothy.
“You both could come to our wedding,” answered Cristian.
Dorothy glanced over at Lorelei who was beaming.
“That must have been quite a flight,” Dorothy said looking directly at Cristian waiting to gauge his reaction.
He just smiled back.
“That news is bigger than the flying machine” Dorothy added.
Both women then disappeared into the next office to discuss women’s things.
“Arthur you may need to hire someone to replace Lorelei. Maybe consider replacing her with Dorothy.”
“Where or when will the both of you live?”
“I am not sure we haven’t had time to discuss it. Before you ask we haven’t set a date yet. We only know it will happen.”
“Congratulations Cristian, you two belong together.”
“I feel that to Arthur.”
“Lorelei we should go for a walk” he called into the next room. “Arthur I will leave everything in your capable hands.”
The two lovers walked arm in arm down the plank sidewalk.
“Lorelei I have to travel again soon, to fulfil a promise.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“For you, it will be a day, for me an eternity. While I am gone you can decide when and where we can live and marry.”
“Could I see the future Cristian before I decide?”
“Certainly Lorelei.”
“You will come back Cristian?”
“I could not do anything else. You could come to the future with me now. Do you like cats?”
“I love them.”
“Good would you like to accompany me to the future?”
“I would go anywhere you ask Cristian.”
Back in the office, Lorelei addressed Dorothy.
“Dorothy would you mind seeing to my things I think I can vacate my rental.”
“Consider it done Lorelei.”
“Arthur would you store my belongings in the basement.”
“When is your wedding Arthur?” asked Cristian.
“May 28 next year Cristian.”
“We will be back in time for your wedding. Can you make do with the money that is left” asked Cristian?
“With the rentals, we will be fine Cristian, if we run into trouble we will leave a message in the paper.”
“Arthur I need one more thing, in my desk is an address for the mother of my pretend nephew could you pick up a birth certificate. I will need it in the future. If the couple there have any needs, could you take care of them?”
“I will see to it.”
“You two should run off and start your lives. We can handle the business. Arthur has asked me to come to work with him.” said Dorothy.
“Dorothy I am happy that you have joined this venture.”
“Thank you Cristian, you two make such a handsome couple. I wish you every happiness.”
“Time to start our trip, Lorelei.”
“Let me handle the door Cristian,” said Arthur.
Dorothy and Lorelei were hugging and crying.
“Dorothy could I speak to you alone for a second.”
“Yes, Cristian.”
“How would you feel about a double wedding, the company would foot the bill, and you would get to do the planning?”
“That sounds like fun Cristian.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude on your event.”
“I would love to do this for all of us.”
“I could think of no one better for this task, thank you. We will be back a week before, will that give you enough time?”
“Yes, I am excited thinking about it.”
With that Lorelei and Cristian climbed into the Ascalon and left for the future.
“Watcher, when we get close to home, have M1 change his appearance.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”