Complicated Murders

The Station

The Station gleamed with shine clear floors clear roof not really a futuristic setting, but time was just a concept in the year this was. Security was like walking into an airport bags being scanned robots escorting people to the time pods, the boys our main characters walked into the station Zak, Josh, Leo, Arthur and Matthew. All the boys friends from a young age since almost birth nursery to now 16 and 17 years of age Zak the youngest Arthur the oldest. The first time they would go to a travel pod they meant to go earlier but there was a lot to sign and matthew had to read it all making sure he wasn't selling his soul, so finally they were walking into the station there was a giant golden clock in the middle of the station. Surrounded by marble tiles in the middle of the station like a tower, the clock was spinning rapidly as time wasn't anything in the station as time froze. You didn't so you would age but the station was the fountain of youth for time. The boys smiled at the beauty of the station as Mathew and Zak looked at the photos more impressed than ever, arthur wasn't amazed just looking around then looking at his phone, josh and Leo were talking so they didn't even  notice. Until a robot scanned them the boys jumped shocked by the floating scanning robot, as Arthur showed the passes to the robots and got the all clear they met the time instructor who would tour and tell the rules. Mathew knowing all the rules just took notes in his blue book Arthur still staring at his phone playing a futuristic game or on a social media a couple hours Passed for relative time for the Station time not a second passed. But the boys tour was finished they approached the time pod as they approached a follower caught Arthurs eye he told the guys to go ahead "pee break" he quoted he walked to the lavatory still bieng followed by a hooded figure. He entered a cubicle waiting for his follower the door opened. "The boss isn't happy he wanted his money last Tuesday its now Thursday". the stranger said with a deep clear voice Arthur returned with a glance to his hand where he was carrying a blade an obsidian blade the blades of legend a prick on the finger gave instant death with a regular cause of death the stranger noticed him look at the blade he grinned "the boss has a few friends in the time law department I got in with more than just this now the money" Arthur returned with a smirk "I've got your money two days I need" "the boss is sick of your excuses you wouldn't want me harming your friends" the stranger replied Arthur gritted his teeth with anger for a moment then relaxed "they don't mean anything to me I just need them to go back so I can get the money" the stranger looked puzzled probably not understanding Arthurs meaning. "the boss hires just muscle should tell him to hire some brain as well" he laughed the stranger gripped him by the back of the neck and grabbed something from his pocket that he stabbed into his neck "it's a micro chip tracker to know where you are and when, you have a day Arthur now go enjoy seeing the dinosaurs or wherever the hell your going just don't come back without the bosses cut" the hooded figure walked away leaving Arthur there punching the door "Fuck!" Arthur screamed a day he would never be able to get that much the dinosaurs funny guy he thought to himself he had to it was possible but 24 hours of today time fuck he got his phone set a timer on his phone "24 hours 100k I can do this" he sighed leaving the cubicle and smiling to his friends as they entered the time pod "took you so long man" Zak said yeah waited for awhile everyone added "I'm here aren't I" he replied "Matthew did you get the death dates" Arthur asked "not yet" he replied quietly "you'll be all right man we are all here nwt to be afraid of" everyone reassured him he gave a small smile as a woman approached "group #7774 all right death dates remember it is illegal to see your death so doing so will be charged with a time slaughter, you will be removed from history and the memory of everyone you ever knew" the woman clearly stated "ah that's strange you all die in the same week well stay away from 5078 July the 18th to the 25th other than that enjoy your time with us at time station. Remember press the button on your time watch three times to return, two to input a new date, and once to open the map to see where the others are in your group and have fun". The woman smiled turned and walked away, the boys closing the doors to discuss where in time they would travel. It was the beginning of the end for the group of friends Matthew still taking in what she said the same week that couldn't be a coincidence he thought. Matthew spoke up "let's go a day before the week we die that way we don't break the laws,we get to see what we look like and if we stay all day we find out how and when one of us dies we don't prevents it this time but we could prevent it in the past remember time isnt written in stone as father days but we can't intevene with the past or future only when we are in the present"the boys were curious as anyone would be everyone agreed but arthur was hesitant his face gloomy and his eyes wwlled up with tears "I'm sorry guys I lent some money now I owe a loanshark 100k the boys froze in place 100k they all thought Arthur had really done it now  which loan shark Zak asked arrhur was suprised what did the youngest know about any of them has he lent money before he answered with the boss doesn't use his real name zak removed his supercomputer from his bag and starting clicking away where we're you gonna get this money then Arthur I was gonna get 3 bars of solid gold from the wild West before the Americans came take some gold what was worthless to the Indians and use that Mathew tuned to zak can he do that he asked Mathew mumbling himself doing the math and science in his head zak just continued clicking zaks head popped up simultaneously with Mathew's "it's possible!" they said in sync