Major Blanc met Ramzi's eyes.
"Don't double-cross us, Ramzi. You know what we can do to you."
Ramzi gave a nervous chuckle, "Of course. We are all friends. You give me what I need. I give you what you need."
Braun watched the exchange with interest. "We couldn't discuss this at the Time Dock. There's too many eyes and ears."
Johansson and Murphy shifted their positions. Now both of their guns were pointed at Kerr. His blood froze. His skin prickled. What was going on?
He placed his silver briefcase on the ground slowly. He held up both hands. He was starting to wonder if the Gift was even in the case. This was too much to take in. He spoke clear and slow. "Discuss what, exactly?"
Braun waved a hand at Johansson and Murphy. They lowered their weapons, but kept them drawn. Braun put on a wide smile, "Hey, We're just talking. No need for violence."
His face hardened as he looked back at Kerr.
"Yet."
Kerr's mouth felt dry. He tried to swallow. Under his clothes, he felt tingling. He would have called it nerves, but he recognized it as the Jump Suit releasing some drugs into his system. He was not the type to fight, but he had come ready to fight, if the need arose.
His heart rate increased. The suit detected this and released some extra glucose. His fear subsided. It must have released something stronger. Some drug was giving him a sense of confidence and a little angry.
He clenched his fists. He gritted his teeth. He buzzed with energy. He shifted his weight forward on his toes. Are we gonna do this?
Braun nodded to Major Blanc. She returned it with a small smile, "We're good to go, sir."
Kerr looked from one face to the other, "We're here to deliver the Gift, but we don't have the Gift."
Braun shrugged, "Oh, we have it." He eyed the briefcase at Kerr's feet. "I never cared much for the thing. Too much scientific jargon for my liking. 'Improving the Human Race,' and all that. I'm more of a fighter than a thinker. I leave that to the eggheads."
He cleared his voice. "We need the Gift as an excuse to get the field. I don't much care what happens to it after that."
He laughed, "Some guy from the floating city of Paris wants me to deliver a package with freakin' time travel?" he shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat, Pierre."
Silence hung in the air. All eyes were on Kerr.
One heartbeat.
Two heartbeat.
Kerr's face burned. "So if you aren't delivering the Gift, what are you doing out here?" He looked from face to face for an answer,"And why are you telling me?"
Braun shrugged, "That's what we call a ness-eh-sary evil, son. As I said. I need the Gift to get out here. Then we are free to do real soldier's work."
Kerr's mind raced. "You're changing past? You're changing the future?"