Flashback (17 page)
“David!” Max exclaimed. “Is he okay?”
“Yes, he seems to be,” Deanna assured him. “He’s alive anyway.”
“I saw things,” said Max, grabbing her hand.
“Saw things?”
“Things from your life and his, in my head,” said Max, “right up to when Kane collapsed just now.”
“That’s unusual,” Deanna admitted, “but hey, this whole thing’s pretty screwed up, isn’t it?”
They heard a groan and went over to where David was struggling to sit up.
“David, are you okay?” asked Deanna.
“I’m not sure,” David mumbled, as he got to his feet. “I have a heck of a headache. Oh, my god!”
In a mirror on the wall, David caught a glimpse of the blood on his face.
“He, um, hit you with something,” said Max, thinking quickly.
David steadied himself on the drinks cabinet as he wiped his face with a small towel.
“Who is this guy?” said David.
He looked over at Kane, who lay still on the carpet.
“Like we told you, someone wanting revenge,” Deanna replied.
“But for what?” said David.
“It’s all about your father’s connection to Kovac,” Deanna started to explain. “This guy was, er . . . well, what I mean to say is—”
“He was one of the people who were kidnapped and experimented on,” said Max, interrupting her. “He found out that your dad had been involved and knew no one would ever believe him.”
“Yes,” said Deanna, following Max’s lead, “so he wanted revenge on your dad, or rather the next best thing—you.”
“But I had nothing to do with anything like that,” said David.
“Yes, we know that,” Deanna told him, “but there he is, in your house. You’d better phone the police.”
“The police?” said David. “But if this guy’s connected to Kovac’s work, I mean, not that I’m saying my father was involved . . .”
“It’s fine, David,” Deanna assured him. “I understand that you want to protect your father’s reputation, but you really need to contact the police.”
“But how do I explain him?” said David.
“Could just be a break in?” Max suggested. “I mean, your family’s pretty well known and you were just in the paper, plus it’s a big house.”
“Yes, that might work,” said Deanna.
“But look at that blood,” said David, pointing at the wound that Max had inflicted on Kane earlier that day. “What’s that all about?”
“Not sure,” Deanna replied. “Maybe from when he came through the French window?”
“You could say you hit him with a poker,” said Max, gesturing over at the fireplace.
“Would they believe that?” David asked.
“Self-defense against an intruder?” said Deanna. “It’s worth a shot, but we really need to be out of here before the police arrive.”
“Yes,” David agreed, “yes, that might be best. Look, I really appreciate, you know, everything.”
“You’re very welcome, David,” Deanna replied.
“Will we stay in touch?” asked David.
“It’s probably best if we don’t see each other again,” Deanna advised. “This guy could talk to the police about some secret government experiment. Even if they think he’s crazy, they could do some digging and find links to your dad. I think you’d want us to be well out of the picture.”
“You’re probably right,” said David, shaking Deanna’s hand. “Well, once again, thank you.”
He then extended his hand to Max. When their palms met, Max’s mind was once again flooded for a few seconds with David’s memories. It seemed this time as if David had experienced something too.
“Are you sure we haven’t met before?” he asked, looking confused. “I mean, apart from at the cemetery? You seem so familiar somehow.”
“We really do need to go, David,” said Deanna. “And you need to call the police, before he starts to wake up.”
Deanna and Max reached the front door and left the house, just as David began talking to the police.
“So, do you think the cops are going to buy it?” Max asked, as he and Deanna got into the car.
“No idea,” said Deanna, “but it’s better than trying to tell them the truth, don’t you think?”
“But Kane’s bound to talk.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Deanna replied as they drove off. “You remember how he was able to almost fry people’s brains when they doing those tests? I didn’t mean to hurt him that badly, but the intensity of our mental fight may have burnt out some of his brain too.”
“But he still might tell the police about Kovac and everything,” said Max.
“Maybe,” Deanna acknowledged, “but they might just see him as a rambling lunatic or someone with a grudge against David’s father. Now, do you mind if we don’t talk about this any more while I drive you home? I have one hell of a headache.”
“So I really did change things,” said Max as they drove into his neighbourhood “But I still don’t understand. I mean, if David’s still alive, how could I have met his ghost and gone back into his life?”
“I have to say,” Deanna said, “that despite all my years of experience, I have no idea. It’s incredible.”
“And how come we still have memories from both timelines?” asked Max.
“Again, I just don’t know,” Deanna replied. “And I have no idea how long these memories and thoughts will last either. You and I might always remember everything that’s happened or we might not.”
“But how can I just forget all this?”
“You may not have a choice,” said Deanna as the car came to a halt outside Max’s condo. “It could all just fade away. We might both wake up in the morning and not remember each other at all. Either way, I’m glad I was part of this.”
“It wouldn’t have happened without you,” Max conceded. “Thanks for everything.”
“You’re welcome,” Deanna replied, reaching across and giving his hand a squeeze. “Take care, Max.”
“Hey Max,” his dad called from the kitchen as Max opened the front door.
“Hi Dad,” Max replied.
He saw the poker on the carpet in front of the fireplace and hoped that his dad wouldn’t ask any awkward questions.
“So where’ve you been?” his dad asked, when Max reached the kitchen.
“Just out with friends,” said Max, which was more or less the truth.
“Forgot to lock up earlier, didn’t you?”
“Oh yeah, sorry,” Max replied.
Locking the door had been the last thing on his mind when he was trying to escape from Kane.
“I must have just forgotten.”
“Not to worry,” his dad told him, with a smile. “Hey look, I’ve been thinking. Why don’t we take that trip?”
“What trip?”
“The fishing trip we keep putting off because I’m always so busy,” his dad replied.
“Really?”
“Yeah,” his dad continued, “I figured we’ve been putting it off for long enough. So what do you say? We could head out to the lake, maybe make a week of it?”
“That’s great,” said Max. “I didn’t think we’d ever get to the lake, what with you working all the time.”
Two weeks later, Max and his dad finally headed out on their fishing trip. Despite what Deanna had said, Max clearly remembered everything, both in the present and the past. He’d contemplated going to see Deanna, but in the end had decided against it. He was never going to forget what had happened, but wanted to put it all behind him.
Yet, as he sat beside the lake in the summer sunshine, Max knew he’d put things right.
Simon was born in Derbyshire, England and has lived in Calgary since 1990.
He is the author of
The Alchemist’s Portrait
,
The Sorcerer’s Letterbox
,
The Clone Conspiracy
,
The Emerald Curse
,
The Heretic’s Tomb
,
The Doomsday Mask
,
The Time Camera
, and
The Sphere of Septimus
. Simon is also the author of
The Children’s Writer’s Guide
, a contributor to
The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction Volume One
, and has written many nonfiction books for younger readers.
Simon offers programs for schools, is an instructor with the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University and offers services for writers, including editing, writing workshops and coaching, plus copywriting for the business community.
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"Escape into your imagination and always dare to dream."
This book is dedicated to my family, a rock and an anchor in ever changing times.
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Table of Contents
Chapter Four Private Investigations
