The Time Turner Society { Undergoing Edits! }

Chapter 3:

I sit on the floor of my bedroom, staring at the rectangular silver box in front of me.

It's old-fashioned, with a turning lock rather than a touch screen. This doesn't surprise me; Blayke never did trust in the Dominion's technology. I can't say I blame him.

I let out a shaking breath.

Six numbers, six letters.

Knowing Blayke, he would have left a clue somewhere. I enter 09-14-91 for the numbers. The letters, however, I still have no clue about. It could be BLAYKE, but it seems too obvious. And Blayke isn't narcissistic enough to use his own name in a lock combination. EVALINE seems likely, but has one too many letters. NETHANYEL has three too many. So what could it be?

I think back to Blayke, to every insignificant memory I have of him. I know - knew? - Blayke; somehow, somewhere along the line, he gave me a clue.

"... I've never trusted them."

"They think they're almighty, when in reality, they can't even control what goes on in their own cities."

"They're worse than the Society, Ev."

"... they're murderers."

"There's not a day that goes by where I don't resent them."

DMNION. If I knock a couple out, there's six letters. The light above the lock turns green and the safebox pops open. My hands are shaking, my palms slick with sweat. Everything feels like pins and needles. My heart's racing and I think I feel dizzy. Slowly, I reach forward and open the box.

A piece of paper. A single piece of paper taped to the bottom of the box. A single piece of paper taped to the bottom of the box with the simple instruction of RUN.

I don't think. I don't question it. I just run.

I toss all the necessities into a backpack and add a couple small items with sentimental value. I dash upstairs, unlocking all my encrypted files and loading them onto a flashdrive. Then I do something that makes my gut ache. I completely erase the data on my touch-pads. All three are completely empty, equipped only with the starter programs they have when you take them out of the box. I clear out the system again, just to be sure. I grab the safebox and rip the paper out from the bottom, tossing it into the incinerator. I then reset the code on the box and kick it under the couch.

I grab my sweater and Dannie's hat off the couch on my way out the door. My phone buzzes in my pocket. One buzz for messages from the Society. Two buzzes for calls from Nethanyel. I'm not ready to answer either of them yet.

When I reach the elevator, I start to crumble. Adrenaline no longer overrides my system. I begin to think rationally, to ask questions I hadn't even thought of before. Why am I running, and to where? How would Blayke know I'd need to run on this exact day? What is going on?

The buzzing in my pocket finally annoys me enough to answer.

"What?"

"The Dominion has invaded the Society."

~ ~ ~ ~

I'm standing in the main square of Freight, watching the big screen just like everyone else.

"At 3:27 this afternoon, an anonymous tip was called into the Dominion offices. We will play this phone call for you now." subtitles appear on the screen, accompanied by the fuzzy audio of the anonymous tip.

Operator: You have reached the Dominion offices. How may I direct your call?

Caller: I need to speak with Officer Perce.