Jane was terrified beyond measure. She did as she was instructed. She acted as if she had put her brain on an autopilot switch. She didn’t talk, she didn’t question. She just moved. The reaction of a group of armed men entering a police station with a hostage was what you would expect. Officer reacted, and tried to talk the gunman down. Tried to talk to Jane. It didn’t end well for them. The gunman didn’t say anything nor did the others. They only moved with precision. One by one the officers fell in the small police station. The room smelled faintly of cordite. The shots the gunmen took were clean and precise; leaving very little blood. The gunman instructed Jane to pick up the keys around the dead policeman’s hip and she did without hesitation. She walked over to the door that led into the holding cell and she opened the door without saying anything.

On the other end of the station, Evelyn was still lying on the ground when the commotion started. She immediately spun around on the floor and looked up. Io’s body jerked in reaction as the gunshots echoed throughout the police station and had already stood up with her back to the wall. Samantha was laying down on the bench with her hands covering her ears. Jane was the first one to be seen by the group. She walked stiff like she had a steel rod for a spine. Cold, stiff and unwavering. Behind her the man followed with his pistol visible behind her back. Evelyn looked up at Jane. She noticed the gun and the keys in Jane’s hand. Several armed men came up to the guman.

“Sir, the security footage has been deleted. All records have been deleted. The building is secure.” One of the armed men reported. The gunman only smiled at the news.

“Excellent. Rendezvous back to the facility with the others. I’ll deliver the package personally.”

The men only nodded and property left the room.

“Making new friends I see.” Evelyn said with a weak smile. In tense moments Evelyn has a terrible habit of resorting to jokes or sarcastic comments. It was just how she adapted. Jane didn’t react to Evelyn’s comment only nodded. Io stood perfectly still. Samantha looked up and let out a shriek. Jane opened the holding cell with the keys and the guman motioned her to step inside with everyone else. Jane stepped in and dropped the keys to the ground.

“Easy there tiger” Evelyn said as she looked up at the gunman. “Let the kid go.”

The gunman smiled and said, “Gladly.” Then he shoved Jane towards the side where Io was standing. Io caught her and eased her down gently. Jane let out a panic cry as Io caught her.

“Let go of me you pugnacious brute!” Jane cried out. Io blinked her eyes in surprise and gently let go of her. Jane took a few steps away and dusted herself off. The gunman smiled and looked over towards Samantha.

“Am I to assume young lady that you are the mechanic for the machine wonder that was discovered by the authorities on the beach a few hours ago?” The gunman asked in a very gentle polite tone. Samantha said nothing but shivered for a bit. “Ah yes. I can see it on your face. Don’t be afraid. Marvelous device you have constructed. My employer has instructed me to...escort you to your new career.” The gunman said with a toothy smile. He reminded Evelyn of a smiling shark.

Samantha blinked in confusion and silence. Evelyn looked back at Samantha and then back at the gunman.

“Uh, I don’t think she wants to go with you, Dick Tracy.” Evelyn said. The gunman didn’t say anything to Evelyn. His foot spoke more as he kicked Evelyn in the head. Evelyn took the blow and rolled over. Blood ran down her head as she let out a roar of pain. Io tensed up, she was getting ready for a charge. The gunman saw this and turned the pistol towards her.

“I was hoping for something a little more civil. I do request that no one else try anything. I am only here for the little one.” The gunman said as he looked back at Samantha. By this point, Samantha was curled up into a ball on the bench. She was scared.

“Please, sir. I’m scared. I don’t want to go.” Samantha said with her voice trembling. Evelyn quickly glanced over at Io and their eyes locked. Both of them, in that moment, agreed to not let the gunman get anywhere near Samantha.

The gunman slowly made his way over to Samantha when suddenly Evelyn reached out and caught his leg. The gunman reacted and that was all that Io needed.

Io charged in at the gunman head first. The gunman raised his pistol and fired. As luck would have it; the bullet missed Io’s head but impacted her shoulder. The impact did little to slow her down as she tackled the gunman and wrapped herself behind him holding his arms back. The gunman let out a grunt as he fell to the ground.

Evelyn rolled over and got up and stomped on the gunman’s chest. He let out another groan as her heavy motorcycle boot came down on his chest. Io held the gunman back as he tried to struggle to get out of her grasp. The gun went off with a pop in the gunman’s hand. The bullet hit the ceiling. Evelyn wrestled the gun out of the gunman’s hand. After she got a hold of it she stood back as Io continued to struggle with the gunman. Slowly Io moved her arms until they were around the gunman’s neck and she gently started to squeeze.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

The gunman tried to let out a cry but nothing came out. Slowly he stopped trying to struggle and went limp. After a few seconds Io let go and stood back.

“Murderer!” Jane cried out at Io. Io looked at Jane with a look of bewilderment.

“He’s not dead Parker” Evelyn said as she placed her hand on her head where she was bleeding and looked over the gunman. “He’s just asleep. She let go of him just in time. He’s still breathing.”

Jane shook her head. “Fine. Granted. Just…” Jane let out a small cry. “I am way off my schedule now. And you’re bleeding! Both of you!” Jane shouted as she pointed at Io and Evelyn. Io looked over at the wound on her shoulder with a surprised look. Evelyn took her hand off her head. There was a small patch of blood on the palm of her hand. She casually waved with it at Jane.

“Huh. 22. I’ll be fine.” Io said.

“No! You both need medical attention. Come over here.” Jane demanded. Io look at Jane with a look of shock.

“You better do it. She’s a doctor. She’s like this all the time.” Evelyn whisphered towards Io. Io blinked and walked towards Jane. Io looked back at Evelyn in confusion and then back at Jane. Jane reached out and grabbed Io’s arm and pulled it towards her and sat Io down on the bench. Evelyn walked over and sat next to it.

“Take a number. Get in line.” Evelyn said with a sigh as she pressed her hand against the wound on her head again.

“You do this to every cute girl you meet?” Io said as she looked at Jane with a flirtatious look. The comment made Jane pause for a moment but she quickly resumed her work. Samantha slowly unfolded herself from her ball and stood up staring at the sleeping gunman breathing heavily.

“Hey, Blondie. Are you going to be okay?” Evelyn asked as her eyes wandered over focusing on Samantha. She didn’t say anything. She just took slow deep breaths.

“I can’t do anything for you here in a filthy place like this. We need to take you to a hospital and get you cleaned up.” Jane said as she let go of Io’s arm.

“Oh no, Red. I’m not going anywhere near a hospital.” Io declared.

“No?”

“No, cause as soon as I walk in and they see it's a gunshot, they’re going to report it to the police and that's not going to look good for me.” Io said as she stood up.

“She has a point.” Evelyn said as she looked at the gunman. “We’re not in a favorable situation. Looks bad on all of us.”

“Preposterous! Surely the proper authorities will conduct an investigation. And when they see that we are innocent they will let us go.” Jane said with a dash of hysteria in her tone.

Evelyn and Io looked at Jane with an equal amount of confusion and worry on their faces.

“Parker, I have never been to England but that's not exactly how the constables are run here.” Evelyn said.

“Oh, you’re from England. Thought you were Australian with that accent.” Io said. Jane looked back and forth in silence. She then turned around and faced the wall.

“It’s a dream. A bad dream. Wake up.” Jane said to herself as she pinched her arm. “Ow.”

“Believe me Parker. This dream is real.” Evelyn said as she just noticed the gun in her hand. “And you’re not the only one who wants to wake up.” Evelyn gently placed the gun on the ground. “This is bad on so many levels. We need to leave.”

“You’re suggesting we leave? Just like that? You're also injured. I need to examine you as well.” Jane said.

“I’m fine Parker. Minor concussion at worse. Now pip pip tally ho. Let's go.” Evelyn said in a mockingly british accent as she made her way towards the cell door and gently pushed it open.

Io looked at Jane.

“You can stay. I’m not.” Io said.

“Wait!” Samantha cried out. She faced everyone.

“It speaks.” Evelyn commented as she turned around to face Samantha.

“My ship. The man said something about it being discovered. I need to go to it. If it is compromised then...well it's not very good.” Samantha declared.

Jane and Io looked at her with a curious look.

“Oh right! Your time machine.” Io said. Jane looked at Io the same way a teacher would look at a child who just gave the most ridiculous answer to a simple question. Like if you asked someone what's one plus one and they say blue.

“I do believe this to be a farce.” Jane said as she rubbed the brim of her nose.

“A what now?” Io asked.

“She means to say that she believes your statement is to be taken as a joke. But it's not. Honest.” Samantha said.

Jane said nothing. Nothing followed after her silence but a very slow blink. Jane took a deep breath.

“Your hands. Let me see them.” Jane said as she reached out with her hand. Samantha blinked for a moment but sheepishly walked over and reached out her hands towards Jane’s. Jane roughly grabbed them and pulled them over closer to herself. Samantha let out a small cry of surprise. Jane’s hands and fingers felt hard and cold like smooth stone. She examined Samantha’s hands and gently rubbed her fingers over Samantha’s palms.

“Rough. Callus. Dirty. Scars. Stains. Burn marks. What is your occupation?”

“I worked at a factory, fastening steel.”

“And you made a time machine?”

“I...think so.” Samantha said with uncertainty. She looked away for a brief moment recalling the events that led up to her arrival. She was fairly uncertain as to what had caused her to move through time but it empowered her curiosity.

Jane gave a small smirk. “I’ll need more evidence. I will not be made a fool of.” Jane said as she let go of Samantha’s hands. Jane at the moment didn’t fully believe that Samantha was a time traveler. Though her clothes and manners were a diverg of the norm she suspected that Samantha was an actress or a con artist. But seeing that her hands and skin were in rough shape did point in the direction of factory work as hard workers in those times developed hard callist and scars on their hands from working all day. She needed more concrete evidence.

“You still got that car of yours?” Evelyn asked. Jane let out a sigh and turned to face Evelyn with her hands in her pockets.

“Yes.”

“We need it.”

“We?” Jane said in a surprisingly calm voice but everyone else could feel the tension.