Time Agent | ONC2024

15. Consequences

(This chapter is dedicated to lyttlejoe and his action packed story for the ONC, The Janus Discord. Already completed!!)

Jack laughed. "You're kidding, right?"

Sven smiled, though his eyes were fixed on Jean. "No, I'm quite serious. You haven't heard of a project like that around here?"

"No. I thought time travel was impossible. A matter of pure fiction. You're telling me people are seriously working on how to go back to the past?" Jack's voice was full of disbelief.

"Yes, I am."

Jean cleared his throat noisily, then rose and went to the sink for a glass of water, turning his back on the other two. He took his time, his thoughts racing furiously.

What the hell was Sven playing at? Did he know something? He couldn't believe his appearance here in Jean's home now was a coincidence. That was too much to swallow. But what did he know? What could he know? There was no machine, no laboratory involved, like he was asking about. Just three young people, using an inborn talent.

He turned back and could tell immediately that Sven was suspicious. He couldn't possibly know the truth of course, but he could see Jean knew something.

Jack, normally so quick to pick up on Jean's guilty secrets, was oblivious this time, his gaze focussed on Sven, trying to make sense of what he had told them.

"Are you sure you're not joking?"

"No, it's quite true, I promise you."

Jack ran his fingers through his hair, while he thought how to respond to this crazy idea politely.

"I suppose there's valid research to be done on examining the principles that might be involved," he offered. "But no one could actually go back, or forward for that matter, in time, could they? Not in reality, surely. I mean, what's that example they always bring up? What if you went back in time and accidently killed your grandfather, before your father was born? What would happen then?"

Sven smiled, as if he had answered that one before. "If that happened, you would probably discover you'd been adopted."

Jack laughed despite himself. "Good one! There would still be the risk of paradoxes, though."

"Possibly. There would have to be rules, of course. You couldn't have just anyone going back and meddling with the timeline."

Jean turned back to the sink and filled his glass again. He felt a little sick. Had that been just a general comment, or was it a shot aimed at him?

"How would you manage that? Another government agency? MI7?"

"Something like that, I suppose," agreed Sven. "It's a fascinating idea to think about, isn't it?"

"I guess," said Jack. "I must confess though, I find enough to worry about in the time we're living in now, without worrying about any others!"

"Fair point." Sven paused, then added in a different tone, "Are you all right, Jean?"

Jean wanted nothing more than to run up to his room and call Sophie and Marcel to discuss what had just occurred, but he realised that would be far too obvious. Too much of a red flag saying, "It's me! It's me! I know all about it!"

"I'm fine," he smiled. "Just taking in some water before we have some more of that cognac."

He took his seat back at the table. "Can I top up your glass, Sven?"

~~

Jean waited until Sven fell asleep, his soft snores slow and rhythmic from the bed, before he tiptoed out of the room.

He couldn't wait until morning, he needed to talk about what he had learned with Sophie and Marcel, immediately.

"Come to my house," Sophie told him when he rang. She'd been studying and was wide awake despite the hour. "We need to discuss this in person. Mum and Dad are still in Europe somewhere and there's no one else here. I'll ring Marcel."

Jean left a note for Jacques, Gone to Sophie's, and stuck it on the fridge door where he knew his brother would see it. Then he quietly left the flat.

~~

Seven awoke some hours later to find himself lying in someone's bed, the covers pulled up to his chin. His head was pounding. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so sick. He groaned and reached for the glass of water someone had thoughtfully placed beside him.

What the hell had happened? Where was he? Who-?

He glanced hastily across at the other side of the bed but it was empty. He was alone. He drank some more water, hoping his head would clear, and his memory came flooding back.

That bloody cognac! Jean! Where was Jean?

He saw the shirt he had been wearing draped carefully over a chair and flung back the bedclothes. To his relief, he discovered he was still wearing his trousers, creased, but he thought it was safe to assume he hadn't done anything else he shouldn't. More importantly, the utility belt was still firm around his waist.

He rose shakily to his feet and padded out barefoot into the kitchen.

Jack was there, pouring himself a cup of coffee, looking annoyingly alert and bright-eyed. He smiled at Sven, sympathy in his expression.

"Good morning. How are you feeling? Or is that a silly question?"

"Terrible!" admitted Seven. It wasn't Jack's fault he wasn't used to alcohol.

"Coffee?"

Seven hesitated.

"It might help. Or I have some paracetamol tablets if you'd like a couple."

"I'll stick to coffee, thank you." Seven had no idea what paracetamol was, but it sounded like some sort of drug. Best to avoid anything he wasn't familiar with, considering the circumstances. If only he'd followed that advice last night!

"Where's Jean?"

"He's gone over to a friend's house," Jack told him. "You were a bit under the weather last evening," he added, tactfully, "so he put you to bed in his room and then went to his friend's for the night."

That was kind, thought Seven, his anger with Jean melting away. He'd put Sven in his own bed, without taking advantage of his drunken state.

He saw the note on the fridge. "Who's Sophie?"

"One of his oldest friends. It's a bit of a story. They were all born at the same time, at the turn of the millennium," continued Jack chattily. "And I mean, exactly at the same time. Jean, Sophie and Marcel. The three Millennials."

Interesting, thought Seven, although he didn't see how that bore any connection to time travel. He was as certain as he could be that Jean knew something related to his mission. He had to confront him as soon as possible, even if it meant following him to his friend's house.

Time was running out.