The Mission

Chapter 3 Forward to go back

Alatem and Charles had been talking it over for over an hour, they were still no closer to a decision about what to do with Alatem's sister. "As you know she's also a royal, meaning now you could have a double death penalty on your head. Though father is starting to warm up to you, we still aren't to the point that he'd suspend killing you for touching a royal." Alatem was slightly pissed at her sister for following her, plus there was the fact that she was now privy to the biggest part of her plan.

Charles knew they had a major problem, he'd racked his brain for some type of solution to this problem. A few moments later his wrist com. chirped. "Charles, I've completed the search of all the research files; it appears you do have a concept to do what you require. I have no practical application as of yet, though with the help of Ally's resources we are progressing toward a resolution."

"Thank you Cici, please bring up the tactical display of the plans I have so far," Charles hoped he'd progressed far enough to begin a practical building of the device.

"Compliance," Cici replied as the plans appeared before Charles.

Pouring over the plans, Charles reformed the design working at an almost breakneck speed. two hours later Charles was testing the concepts as hard and fast as he could, Dammit! He needed to start updating his device plans as soon as possible, had he done that earlier they wouldn't be having this trouble right now.

"So far all tests confirm the device is working as you intended. All results show only a three hour window, no adverse effects detected but we still have one hundred tests to run. It will barely be in time," Cici replied. Charles noticed that Cici was slightly more emotional, good the brain cells were starting to integrate into its personality programs. Checking all the results so far Charles could see that the device was working far better than he'd hoped.

With only fifteen minutes to go Charles explained to Alatem what he was about to do. Alatem wasn't happy with what had to be done. Unfortunately, her sister had the biggest mouth on the planet. Walking back to her sister she explained what was about to happen, the little girl's eyes grew large then she asked. "Will I be able to remember you later, can you give the memories back?" Charles just shook his head yes before he activated the device.

"We have to get back to the palace as soon as possible, I've called our guards here, so hurry my love." Alatem was still afraid that Charles would be captured if the guards got close enough, even with his tech.

"Remember, you'll have to supply believable answers to her questions or it might not hold. Her mind is young and their minds are far less concentrated, making it easier for them to break the memory block." Alatem shook her head placing her sister on a nearby couch, watching Charles slip out the back.

Within minutes both set of guards appeared at the doors hurrying in they were concerned that Alatem's sister was hurt. Explaining that she'd followed Alatem and fallen asleep not long after getting there, only put half the guard's fears to rest. "I suggest you find out how she is slipping past you and amend the fact that you can't seem to keep her in the palace. Up till now I have been tolerant but this can't continue."

Not really wanting to have them dismissed or punished Alatem knew she had to threaten them if they were going to continue to be her sister's protectors. Trok could only smirk as he thought she ought to take her own advice. Though he knew how well she was trained she could hold her own in a true fight; an assassin was a different matter all together.

Charles was hiding not too far away, looking at his wrist com it was strange that after he'd stopped each attack, the history that Cici had of this time changed. He'd asked Cici and Ally about it, as far as they could tell, because he'd used his own brain cells after he'd been irradiated, that the living part of Cici was also outside of time. Therefore as events changed here, the history changed, Cici unaffected by it.