Trapped in Time 1: The Time Takers (22 page)

“I’ll go get her.”

Andy waited and in four minutes, Linnae returned with Carrie. Andy looked at Carrie, “I need to know when you lived before you arrived here.”

“Why?”

“You might be a resource.”

“I can assure you that isn’t possible.”

“Why not?”

Carrie stared at Andy and sighed, “You’re not going to let me off without telling you, are you?”

“Carrie, I won’t force you to tell me; but I really wish you would. If nothing else it will give me more information about what the Time Takers are trying to do here.”

“Time Takers?”

“The ones that brought us here.”

Carrie looked at Linnae and then turned to Andy, “I lived in the year 3469.” Andy and Linnae were stunned. Carrie saw their expressions and shook her head, “I won’t be a resource for you.”

“Why not?”

“I was born in the rubble fifty years after the nuclear holocaust. All I ever knew was hiding and running through the ruins of my city trying to stay alive. Any technology or things used by the people of my time was blown away in the nuclear bombs before I was born.”

“Who dropped the bombs?”

“I don’t know and my parents didn’t know either. It had happened long before I was born; all my parents knew was what their parents told them.”

Linnae looked at Cassie shaking her head, “What was that?”

“The story says that one day everything was normal and the next day everything was gone. I don’t think anyone knew what happened; at least anyone that survived the blasts.”

Andy stared at Carrie and shook his head, “How are you able to smile like you do?”

Carrie’s smile grew larger, “Even at its worst, life here is so much better than where I came from. Survival was, at best, almost impossible. Very few lived longer than twenty years. “

Andy looked at Carrie, went to her and gave her a hug, “Well, we’re blessed that you were brought to us. Thank you for your honesty.”

Carrie hugged Andy back, turned, and left the room. Linnae looked at Andy, “She just appears to be so physically gifted. I’m amazed at what she can do.”

Andy smiled, “She’s from a time more than a thousand years in my future. I suspect that humans were somewhat more physically gifted at that time. Or, their genetics had been deliberately improved.”

“Is that possible?”

“They were looking at doing it during the time I lived.”

Linnae shook her head, “Maybe that explains it.”

Andy nodded and tried to think about a nuclear war that far in the future. Something just didn’t seem right.

H
arvey and Andy sat on the top of the cliff staring out at the vast ocean. Jenak appeared in the box and pulled it over to the cliff top. Harvey said, “I was wondering who was coming up.”

“Maxus asked me to check the cutter on the rock here on top of the cliff.”

Andy listened to Harvey but was looking at the Pteranodons circling high overhead. They would come in toward the cliff and catch the wind blowing up the cliff wall to soar to an incredible height. He glanced at Jenak and saw him take a cutter with a six foot handle and extend it to thirty feet. He heard Harvey say, “Won’t that handle flex too much to use it to cut rocks?”

Jenak held the cutter out with two hands and the long handle didn’t sag an inch, “No, this is one of the stiffest metals we made. It’s also incredibly light.”

Andy’s eyes narrowed and he looked up at the huge flying reptiles. He looked at Jenak and stood up, “May I hold that cutter?”

“Sure.” Jenak handed Andy the long handle and Andy raised it and lowered it quickly. The handle didn’t flex. Andy looked up at the Pteranodons again and smiled, “How many of these long cutters do we have?”

“Several thousand, counting those we took from the other cave.”

Harvey looked at Andy, “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking of a way to take a look at the other communities without having to hike there.”

Andy went to the box and got in, “Jenak, I need you to follow me down. I have something I want to try.”

Jenak looked at Harvey and shrugged, “I’ll come right behind you; send the box back up when you reach the bottom. Andy nodded and disappeared. Jenak looked at Harvey, “What do you think he’s talking about?”

“I have no idea.”

• • •

Maxus walked over to Andy and Jenak and stared at what they had put together over the last ten days. Andy had delayed the scouts from leaving and told them their trip might prove to be unnecessary. Maxus stared at the small metal frame with two long triangles coming out of it. Another triangular shaped metal frame hung under it. “What are the two of you building?”

Andy smiled, “I’ll tell you when I’m finished.” Maxus shook his head and walked away. “Jenak, make sure the two wings will fold in.”

“I’ve put the pins in to lock them in place. They’ll fold easily when you pull the pins.” Andy nodded and went and checked the alignment of the long cutter handles that had been forged to create the frame. Jenak lifted the triangle flight control bars and said, “The cutters on the end of the tubes are all operational; the activation switches are on the side tubes.”

“Good.” Andy looked around, “Where’s Arashi?”

“He’s bringing the packets. He’ll be back in a few minutes.” Andy nodded and checked out the alignment of the long central spine that extended fifteen feet in back of the main frame. He grabbed the long tube and pushed it inside the hollow shell. It disappeared into the main frame. He pulled it out and smiled. The alignment was perfect. Karon walked up with a water pouch and Jenak took a long drink and handed it back to her. She hugged him and went over and sat down on the ground to watch their efforts.

Arashi arrived and handed Andy ten archery uniform packets, “Andy, what are you going to do with these?”

“See how far they’ll stretch.”

Arashi nodded and watched Andy take two packets with an archer’s uniform inside and move to the end of a long tubular triangle, “Come help me with this, Jenak.” Jenak came around the frame to the end of the long triangular wing as Andy opened the packet and pulled the left sleeve of the uniform over the end of the wing. “Pull this with me.” Andy and Jenak grabbed the uniform and pulled it toward the center of the large frame. Andy saw the sleeve start to move up the wing and he looked at Arashi, “Hold it on the end and don’t let it slip up the wing.” Arashi went to the end of the wing and held the end of the sleeve in place. The fabric of the left arm stretched an incredible amount and in thirty minutes covered the entire frame on the left side of the construction.

Andy held the uniform in the center and yelled, “Maxus, come help us!” Maxus came running over and Andy handed him the right sleeve,” See if you and Jenak can stretch this so that the right sleeve is at the end of the wing.”

Jenak and Arashi grabbed the uniform at the body and pulled it toward the end of the other wing. It was easy at first but two more archers came and helped them. Once the sleeve opening was at the end of the wing, Andy and Arashi guided it over the wing tip. In another forty minutes, the sleeve was stretched over the other wing. Jenak said, “Hold the sleeves in place” as he walked over and picked up a triangle shaped cap and slid it over the end of the wing and clamped it down. He then went to the end of the other wing and clamped it down as well. He went to the center spine and put eight smaller clamps on each wing trapping the blue material against the frame. Andy smiled. “Jenak, fold the wings back.” Jenak pulled a pin out of the front bar of the metal frame and pushed the right wing backwards. It pivoted and folded tightly to the box frame. He pushed the other wing and it also folded back against the box. Andy grabbed one of the wings with his right hand, slid it inside the tubes and lifted the structure off the ground. He was amazed that the total weight was less than fifteen pounds with the wings pushed inside the tubes that formed them; the device was easily handled. Andy carried it toward the cave entrance and Jenak helped move it through the short corridor.

Jitzi met him in the center of the cave and he pulled the wings out of their tubes and smiled as the blue material stretched out to cover them. He unfolded the wings and pinned them in place. Andy looked at the small Japanese woman as she said, “This is what you want covered with camomaterial?”

Andy nodded, “Do you think you can do it?”

Jitzi smiled, “The Camo-material stretches as much as the archery uniform; however, it can be cut and stitched. Give us a day; we should have it done by then.”

“Thanks, Jitzi.” She nodded and walked toward a group of women walking around the large frame.

“Tell me again what you’re going to do with this.”

“Jenak, I built one of these during my first year of college. It’s called a hang glider and is used to fly using wind currents.”

Jenak stared at the frame and shook his head, “I don’t see how this will do anything but just fall toward the ground. You don’t have anything on it to provide power to push it.”

“Have you watched the reptiles flying overhead?” Jenak nodded. “They use the updrafts coming up the cliff walls to carry them up into the sky. As long as I stay near the cliff, I should be able to stay up indefinitely.”

Jenak shook his head, “The reptiles flap their wings; these wings are locked in place. Are you sure this thing will fly?”

“I am.”

And you know how to fly it?”

“I do.”

“Why did you put so many cutters on it?”

“I want a way to keep the Pteranodons off me.”

Jenak shrugged, “Well, you have enough of them set up to cover most any approach toward you; I doubt they’ll see it if it’s covered in camo. I suspect if you take a whistle, you might not need them.”

“I’d rather be safe than sorry. I’m also uncertain if they will be able to smell me and find me using that sense.”

“What does Linnae say about this?”

“I haven’t told her what it does. She thinks I’m building a shield to use against arrows.” Jenak started laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“You’ll see.”

Andy sighed, “I guess I should tell her and get it over with.”

Jenak shrugged, “How do you intend to test it?”

“I’ll take it to the top of the cliff and jump off.”

Jenak stared at Andy, “Say what?”

“It’ll work.”

“And if it doesn’t?” Andy shrugged. Jenak rubbed the back of his neck, “I suspect Linnae might have a problem with your doing this.”

“Jenak, we need a way to keep tabs on the other caves. This device will allow me to check up on them without having to walk sixty miles. The camomaterial will keep it hidden from the ground; we need this.”

“We need you more than we need this thing you’ve built. If it does work, you need to train someone else how to use it.”

“I do intend to build more of them, if this works out like I hope.”

“When are you going to try this out?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Maybe we should tie a line to you just in case.”

“It would interfere with the aerodynamics. Trust me, Jenak; I’ve done this before and I know it’s going to work.”

• • •

“Andy, I’m going to kill you if you kill yourself.”

Andy looked at Linnae and shook his head, “You need to think about what you just said.”

“I can’t; this is stupid. It’s a long way down and you think this thing is going to fly you down? I can’t bear to see you do this!”

“I want to see if it works.”

“Carrie, you don’t care about what happens to him.”

“Yes, I do; I just hope it works. I want one of my own if it does.”

Maxus and Togawa stared at Andy shaking their heads. Andy saw them and smiled, “Let’s get this done.” Andy looked at Jenak and Arashi, “Hold the wings until I buckle in the harness.” Arashi and Jenak extended the wings out of the tubes and pinned them together at the spine. Andy extended the main spine and slid under the hang glider and buckled the harness. Arashi and Jenak were having difficulty holding the wings against the wind blowing up the cliff wall.

Andy stood up and Linnae ran forward and hugged him, “I never should have let you talk me into letting you do this.”

“I’ll be fine.” Linnae stepped back and Andy stood up holding the control bar. He looked out at the ocean and ran forward and launched himself over the edge. The glider caught the updraft and immediately shot above the cliff and headed toward the forest. Andy moved his weight to the left and the glider banked left and began a slow turn that took it higher. He held the turn and his altitude increased rapidly.

The group of Pangeans watched Andy climb into the sky and Carrie said, “I have got to have one of those!”

Maxus stood and shook his head, “I thought he was crazy.”

Togawa continued to stare at Andy getting smaller and smaller, “He is; would you do that?”

Maxus smiled, “I might.”

• • •

Andy was still climbing and knew he should stay lower than ten thousand feet; he wanted to stay below the clouds. He came out of the bank and turned toward the vast plain beyond the community. He made a small dive to pick up speed and flew back over the cliff wall and was over the forest in less than two minutes. He flew over the vast plain and saw thousands of dinosaurs under him. He crossed the long line of trees and saw the carnivores moving along the edge of the forest looking for a good place to spring an attack. He saw an Allosaurus getting ready to attack a group of duckbills. He knew that plain was extremely dangerous but from eight thousand feet, it was beautiful.

He sighed and knew he should go back and try to get Linnae to calm down. He looked at the plain again and saw something flash out of a distant tree line. He made a hard bank and came back around. He saw the flash again and marked it in his mind. He wanted to go take a look but he wasn’t wearing a camosuit. He banked the glider and headed back toward the community. He moved in lower than a thousand feet to stay below the cliff wall and the sea breeze blowing over it. He came in low over the forest and turned north. He saw the group that were on the top of the cliff were now on the ground watching him fly by. He banked the glider and came in over the north wall. He dipped the nose as he shifted his weight forward and came gliding into the clearing. He slid back lightly and landed on his feet as he leveled the glider. He wasn’t out of the harness but a moment before Linnae and Anna arrived and bowled him over. “Hey, hey! I’m fine.”