Hannah didn't care much for body odour, but this time it was her own. She had been diligently working on the machine commissioned by One for several hours. She had lost count of how many. How many hours had it been since she saw the others. She hadn't seen or heard from them since they were captured, leaving her to wonder if they were dead, alive, or facing something much worse. One seemed to lack any concern for human decency and had no shred of it himself. Hannah had to adapt quickly. Although she had received brief teachings on the tech when she was in college, it wasn't something she was entirely familiar with. Reflecting on the ease with which she had seen Oz use it, she truly understood his genius and how his prodigious nature made him an invaluable asset to her and the team.
"How is it coming along?" said One.
"You do understand that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing because you won't tell me what the purpose of this machine is," replied Hannah.
"I suppose that is a fair point," One replied. "I have languished in this time for more years than you can imagine, and each one feels longer than the last. You cannot fathom what it's like for someone with my abilities, both physical and mental, to be stuck with what I can only describe as Neanderthals. And then, one day, we find this sphere on the beach. Honestly, if I believed in God, I thought he had placed it there himself. It confirmed two things to me: I was not alone, and I could leave."
"You want to leave this time?" asked Hannah.
"I did once. But no longer," One replied.
"Why not?" inquired Hannah.
"Well, because of you, of course," said One.
"I don't understand," said Hannah.
"It is not your job to understand, but I suppose I can offer you a bit of kindness. When you arrived here and I learned more about your little band, I discovered that the future you came from did not follow the same path as mine. This led me to the conclusion that time can be changed, or that multiple timelines exist. So, why would I want to return to a time where my planet is dying, and the people despise both me and my followers?" explained One.
"One, I know you can't possibly understand this, but people will despise you wherever you go. That is simply who you are," said Hannah.
"I didn't ask for your input on this, so shut your mouth," snapped One.
Hannah tried her best to quiet herself. She knew that the only thing she could do for the team at this moment was to uncover as much as she could about One's plans.
"Once it became apparent to me that travel between timelines was not only possible but had been accomplished by you idiots, I realized it was well within my power and intelligence to do it myself. However, that isn't the end goal here," stated One.
"Then what is?" asked Hannah.
"You'll have to wait until the final day to find out. On that day, everything will become clear, and every single member of your team will be in this room, witnessing me achieve something that most people would find impossible," said One.
"The only thing impossible here is your ego, One," replied Hannah.
"Hannah, I know you don't have a small mind, so stop pretending that you do," said One. Hannah raised an eyebrow.
"I know all you want is to gather as much information as you can to try and help your little band of ingrates stop me. But listen to me, and listen well, girl. You, Clock, Oz, even the old bastard. None of you mean anything to me. I don't fear you. I don't even really see you. You are insignificant. I could, if I wanted to, reveal all my plans, the ins and outs, every little detail, and you would still not even scratch the surface of getting under my skin. You hold no power. You have no cards. You are dead broke, and it's time to fold. You call it ego; I call it confidence. I know what I'm capable of. I knew I could prevent you from interfering with my plans. I knew I could stop Clock from trying to kill me. I knew I could get you in this room to do the work I needed you to do so my plans could come to fruition. Your tiny little lives mean nothing. But do not fear because, Hannah, the work you do today will at least earn you a footnote in my epic rise."
A tone rang out from the Tech-Man, a sound Hannah wished she would never have to hear again. It signalled that her work was complete, all the parameters given by One's team had been input into the new system. One smiled.
"Well, Miss Kraft, it seems our time together has finally come to an end. I can't say I'm greatly displeased with that, but I must commend you on the good work you've done," said One.
"Go to hell, One," Hannah retorted.
One pulled a small communication device from his pocket and dialled a few numbers. It started to ring, and a female voice came through on the other end. It was Three.
"Three, gather all the members of our foolish team. I want them to witness what their science of dreams has led to," instructed One. Three acknowledged the order and hung up, placing the device back in his pocket.
"Now, Hannah, I think it's time you give me your opinion on the work you've done. Is it up to scratch?" One asked.
"Thankfully, I have absolutely no idea. At no point did you bother to tell me what this godawful machine was meant for," Hannah replied.
"Haha, I can't believe you still think this machine is some kind of weapon," One chuckled.
"Isn't it?" Hannah questioned.
"For someone with such an outrageously high IQ, you can be unbelievably dense. This machine is far more than any device ever created. Its singular objective is to save this world and every other world possible," One explained.
"You actually expect me to believe that you, of all people, have a goal to save the world?" Hannah challenged.
"You will remain ignorant for a short time. Once the rest of your band is in this room, we will begin the process of healing not only this world but every world. And you will sit there and thank me for it," One declared confidently.
"One, I have travelled through time, witnessed an organization withholding science and releasing it at a snail's pace, and seen things I once thought impossible. And even with all that, I know without a shadow of a doubt that there isn't an ounce of philanthropy in you. You are a monster," Hannah asserted.
"Oh, Hannah, that's a start, but you still cling to this nonsense. Even after all the time we've spent together in this room, working on this glorious device, you still believe the worst of me," One responded.
"There is no goodness in you, One. Your soul is black," Hannah insisted.
"A scientist talking about the soul. Maybe now I've finally seen it all," One remarked.
Their attention turned as they heard the doors unlock. Clock, Oz, and Ernest walked into the room; their movements restricted by chains. They approached the edge of the sphere and knelt on their knees. Hannah noticed a slight relief wash across Clock's bearded face as he looked at her, but Oz remained devoid of any reaction. Guilt overwhelmed Hannah as she thought about Ernest, who had no role in this other than the one forced upon him. He was an innocent. The men who had brought them in left the room, and the heavy metal door slammed shut with a resounding metallic thud, followed by the sound of the door locking.
"Ah, now that we're all finally together, we can bring this sorry tale to an abrupt end," One declared.
"Whatever it is you're doing, One, just stop," Clock pleaded.
"You don't understand. None of you understand," One exclaimed. "This world we find ourselves in, whether by choice or accident, I don't care. Can't you see that its fate? That I would be stuck here, and you would find me, bringing me everything I need? There is no other way to look at it. This was meant to be."
"Just get on with it," Oz said in a solemn tone.
Hannah looked at Oz, knowing that his whole being was shattered into pieces.
One walked to the sphere and clicked a button on the outside. A door opened, allowing him to step inside its interior. He positioned himself exactly in the centre before turning to look at the three people kneeling on the ground. A smile crept across his face, one filled with both hope and evil.
"Well, I only have one thing left to say," One announced. "Welcome to the New World."
YOU ARE READING
Time Flux: Welcome to the New World
Science Fiction[This version of Time Flux is in progress and is without any proof reading or editing, professionally or otherwise. Read at your own risk! On completion it will be edited, rewrote and chopped to bits so enjoy the unabridged raw version of Time Flux...
