This time, they find the right time, only problem being they were screaming, falling from a great height.

“That woman lied to us she’s going to kill us now!” Kazue screeches, the wind fluttering in her dress.

“Damn it this is your fault Ditzue!” He shouts.

“Don’t call me Ditzue!” her body writhes closer through the air trying to grab at his throat. He pushes her off causing her to spin mid-air as they were going to their ultimate doom.

“You thunderhead! You’re going to make me h-ha-hack!” Covering her mouth her body pinwheels and then a crash. A water crash.

They sunk to the bottom of a pond, shallow, and discreet in the middle of what almost seemed to be swamp, this wasn’t correct to their location. They both swim up in a haste gasping for breath the moment their lungs are free of their watery confine.

“W-water? Wata-hell!?” Kazue pats at the water, seeming angry that it wasn’t concrete for one reason or the other.

“Did you want it to be road? Concrete? Oh I know maybe asphalt is your forte, what are you complaining about we’re alive!” he growls.

“I know, it’s just now my clothes are all wet and icky, I hate whenever my pretty clothes are all bunched.” They swim to shore and they ring out their clothes on the dry, yet grassy land. The blades of grass here are far sticking, almost like it wants to latch to the sky or provide a hiding space for a prey animal like a rabbit. Any predator would struggle to see from here.

“Hey, this doesn’t seem right. New York in this time wasn’t so grassland infested.” Hideki inspects the surroundings, kneeling to a marshy puddle.

“Maybe we’re in Grand Central Park?” questions Kazue.

“I thought so too, but it’s too natural, no trails, and while swampy it is a lot cleaner.”

“Cleaner? Isn’t the whole point to make all those big buildings have some nature and make it look eco-friendly?”

“Yes, but in this place in time the park was deteriorating, it wasn’t until the mayor next decade committed to cleaning and persevering it. See the bark of the trees? Nothing wrong with them, untouched, trails none, no benches.”

“H-huh? What the heck, how do you even know about the park thing? Do Americans even know about that!? That’s not common knowledge.”

He sighs and stands up in a slump. He trots off, his shoes sinking into the mud stuffing a mean hiking lane.

“It honestly irks me how little you prepare for these missions.”

Kazue’s shoes sink deeper into the mud with each step, at times one comes up to her ankles making her squirm her spine.

“Ugh! I hate this! Why did she drop us here it’s so gross!” Hideki while annoyed by her whining found that a good question. She has mentioned knowing why they had to come to this place as soon as they got here, but no answers. It was worrisome. Could a time anomaly have happened while they traveled back? It wasn’t unheard of, though they can’t contact HQ or go back and ask. The watch only having three charges a week meant they have one left. Their first travel that was interrupted by HQ and the one here. Only one to get back home.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

The second worry comes to his brain. If they spend a week here, that could be catastrophic. Sure, the watch makes them go back, but it can be lost. The first thought brought back his anxiety of that event even if he didn’t voice it in his smooth, voice.

“I think she sent us a little off course. The day seems to be evening, so the sun will go down soon. We have to find civilization before that happens.”

The environment stretches for miles on sight, a mile away is when the sun sets itself below it’s horizon and a sign. In an overgrown area, blades of tall grass covering, there is a hint of a light source. Hideki thinks it to be fire caused by natural elements, yet on closer inspection it appears to be a control source. A human source that dimmers against the backwoods and flickers to a brighter setting. A lantern.

“Take a look Kazue, there’s a light coming from over there, must be a hideout.” He says.

“Hideout? What are they, pirates?” she chuckles.

“No, though we may need to take the same precautions, I have a feeling I know exactly what this is.” He picks out from his pocket a device in the shape of a remote control. One can mistake him for accidently placing it in his pocket after a round of show binging, though this device was given and required by time HQ.

“You planning to kill the people in there?” she asks staring at it and him with a disgruntled expression.

“No, but can’t be too safe especially in this time period.” He adjusts the setting to be at a non-lethal stun. He beckons down to the ground slightly, keeping his body at a nice moving pace and urging her to follow his lead. Getting up to the lantern light there is a hidden shack in the thick of it all. Worn and tattered, the kind of place that would be condemned if not for the activities held inside. No, in this case, Hideki knew it was perfect.

“A moonshiner’s den. Now, why would she drop us close here? Only one way to tell, we’re sneaking in.” he moves forward before being caught by her grasp.

“Are you crazy!?” She exasperates.

“What? Topple a poor child’s ice cream but can’t deal with people who make liquor from old sock water? Typical.” Backing away he proceeds the side of the building, Kazue hesitant shoves herself close. Bad idea, is the only thing thronging her brain.

“I’m going first, keep in mind this might be dangerous.” He puts his weapon into a prepped state gelding it near to his line of sight. One ear against the door, he sought for sound, footsteps, one, two, three, and a voice. The voice slurs.

“Twenty, twenty-five, ain’t enough moonshine here to last just yet, but we’ll get ya’ right as rain before the big day Mr. Reed.” Reed? Hideki thought. There’s no way this is Raymond, perhaps his brother or uncle, Raymond Reed had a bevy of help in his ventures, especially by his own personal family. He snaps to order Kazue to do the same, she leans her ear against the wood.

“Right. I understand. You will have this ready three days from now. No more. Otherwise the deal is off.” A more firm, calculated voice said.

“Got ya’ sir. We know how big of deal this is for ya’, you and your whasets? Party members. Gonna’ get em’ good and take office, cracking down on them, heh, competition of ours, so to speak?” He chuckles.

“You southern types. This upper land is not made for you. I can hardly understand you much less your dribble. All I understand is yes, your competitors will be dealt with, only, and only, no exception, if you fulfill my order.”

“Right, right. Hear that boys!? You gonna get this done or you’re gonna be seeing the long end of a gun barrel!” he shouts.

It makes them both jump, guns, danger. Kazue let’s herself up too far, a wood splint sticks her ear and she yelps.

“Ouch!” she blares.

“Whatsa hell was that?” Another voice beckons.

“I don’t know, go check it.”

Hideki doesn’t hesitate, gripping her arm and pulling her close to cover her mouth from her smaller yelps of pain. Their bodies hidden in a heavier patch of grass.

“Shhh, Kazue. You’re going to get us killed.” He snarls light. He doesn’t dare let go, even if he’s being rougher then he’d like with his friend, this is needed now as the door swings open revealing a man with clothing resembling more of a torn medieval sack and faded patched pants. Ugly too, almost made Kazue want to hurl when she caught the scent of a man better fitted to living in a swamp, and in Hideki’s hand, the pull of that nausea was evident from her chin yanking back and forth.

“Kazue please… Hold it, this is not the time.” He whispers afraid she might give them away. A gun fitted in his hand was the most worrisome, with multiple others inside, no doubt they’d lay into them if they were discovered.

“Well. What is it?” Comes another man, that’s when they realize, it isn’t only a member of Reed’s family, it’s Raymond Reed himself.