Lost: Somewhere in Time [Published - Sample Only]

Chapter 3 - Time Travelers Never Try to Keep their Grandparents from Meeting

Chapter 3 - Time Travelers Never go back in Time and Try to Keep their Grandparents from Meeting

TIME-COORD: 6/11/2045/1845hrs. GEO-COORD: Cleveland, North American Alliance. Vector: Null

"Okay, I'll show you the main sections and the control panel. The computer core where House lives is above us on levels six through three. Level two is lab space and a secure living area, just in case..."

Hiroko asked quietly. "In case of what?"

James nodded. "Exactly! Anyway, as House indicated, level eight is the main and backup power core."

James looked at his three friends made a gesture to the wonders in front of them. "Okay, full disclosure. Other than a visit to grandfather's downstairs study nine or ten years ago, I had no idea that any of this crap was here until I got that letter a couple of weeks ago."

Hiroko smiled and hugged her friend. "It's okay, but, how did you know all the stuff you know, the codes, and where everything is?"

James shrugged. "It went down like this...the last line of the old letter from my missing and presumed dead grandfather simply said: James I need you to go to my house, go into my library and say aloud: we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. So, as soon as I did that the house, whom I had known for years as a talking light switch became House, the one we all know now. Anyway, he had a series of instructions from granddad as to what he was to do. First, he showed me where the secret doors were and how both of the elevators worked. So I went below. I spent the whole day in wonder. I couldn't, wouldn't tell you guys or anyone. That night I engaged a sleep–teach which grandfather had programmed for just this exact eventuality."

Hiroko smiled and said. "J, you hate sleep teach. They give you nightmares and a headache."

James nodded. "You got that right, and this one was no different but, I had to do it. This one was programmed and delivered in my grandfather's voice. He ran through, well all of his secrets. I will share some of them now but he did show slash tell me everything that is here, how it was built and how it works. There are ten more teaching units that we'll all have to use before we can use the machine and try to rescue grandfather from somewhen..."

Michael spoke first. He was almost serious for once. "Bro, why don't you and our new friend House give us the five credit tour."

James nodded. "House, please give my three friends the level Alpha description of the facility."

From above, the voice of the AI answered. "My pleasure sir. Please proceed three meters forward to the main control room. To the left is the time-space vector display. Doctor Scott wanted to make sure that each part of the current and target vectors were displayed so that error rates could be continuously compared."

Michael looked at the multiple columns of numbers and said. "House, dude. The computational power to do this in real time is..."

The group could almost hear the pride in the AI's voice as it said. "Correct Mister Watson, it is indeed significant. My pure data processing capabilities are second to none in the system as we speak."

Gina interrupted. "System, what system?"

The AI answered matter-of-factly. "Why the solar system of course. This unit is as powerful as any planetary, station or spacecraft AI currently in operation Ms. Lincoln."

James laughed. "What House is trying not to brag about is that he is one of the most powerful supercomputers in the known universe."

Michael laughed. "Right dude and he is in Gramp's basement!"