I knew we are out of time to try and escape now. I am worried that I don't know the customs of this time, so quickly ask Michael
"Why are they coming here, what should I do?" Michael looks up at me and manages to say
"don't worry, it will be fine", and then looks down as the women arrive at our table.
The tallest woman starts to say something to me, asking me questions. I smile and nod in agreement and open my arms in a gesture that I have no idea what they are saying, but I am sure they are right.
She can see that I do not understand and turns to her companions and carries on talking in frustration. One of the other women gives the tallest one some sort of hearing aid, she looks at it, presses some buttons and hands it to me. She is showing me that I need to put it in my ear. I glance at Michael, he is still with his head bowed. So I take that device and put it in my ear. It is a bit cold and not too uncomfortable until I wiggle it in and then it pinches me with electricity.
A shockwave goes through my whole body and I feel quite a bit lightheaded. I grab the table and take a deep breath not to lose consciousness.
As I am concentrating on not allowing my body to fall down I can hear in the background:
"I honestly do not understand why some people don't follow simple rules, that just doesn't make sense, you are in a foreign country, you stick to the rules... "
"Yes, yes, you are right, maybe there is something wrong with her?",
"Maybe her slave took control of her and she needs some help?" another voice says.
" At least she can count on our help".
"I don't know... maybe we should report her and send her to the safety-net professionals?"
"Do you really think so? She hasn't really done anything wrong except for not wearing the language communicator".
I look up as I am starting to regain my strength again. I look at the women talking in front of me and I am astonished that I can understand every single word they say.
"Let' s find out if she needs help and see what she says first." One of the women standing in front of me says and then realises that I understand.
"Oh, that's great you can understand what we are saying now?" I nod confirming, still speechless.
"Are you ok? Do you need help?" I nod again.
"Is your slave giving you any trouble?" another woman asks. I shake my head to indicate 'no'.
"Then why aren't you wearing a language communicator?" the tallest woman asks.
I look at her, still worried, will she be able to understand what I say? After a moment of uncomfortable silence, I decide to speak up.
"I am sorry," I say, "I apologise for the trouble".
I can see that they are listening and seem to understand so I continue.
"My name is Bethany, thank you so much for your help. I am not from around here. I have been travelling with my... father, Michael, for a very long time and I was very hungry. I wasn't able to think straight. Where I am from they don't have..." I hesitate to try and say something that does not seem like a lie to them.
"They don't have the requirement of wearing a language communicator?" One of them interjects finishing my sentence.
I smile and nod in agreement.
"Michael... my father knows your local language very well, so I was not thinking..."
" Is your father from here? He looks like he only recently has reached 'retirement' age, but still, that is not an excuse not to follow the local rules."
"I sincerely apologise and I am very grateful for you taking your time to take an interest in helping me. We are only passing through. In fact, we wouldn't have entered the city if I wouldn't be hungry. It is entirely my fault. We should be on our way now. "
I smiled at them and start to make a movement as if I am ready to leave.
"Where are you heading to?" The tallest one asks.
"We need to get to the river," I say
"Why is that?" she continues the interrogation.
"Because we need the water from the river to... to..."
I look around for any ideas on how to end this sentence without saying the words 'time travel'.
"to take a sample for your research?" the same woman as before interjects.
"Are you part of the scientific team that arrived in the city couple of weeks ago?" I smile at them mysteriously and say,
" I really could not tell you anything about that." I look at them one by one and they all seem to be satisfied with my answers, some of them seem even quite excited at the prospect of me being a scientist.
"Ok, that's fine," The tallest one says.
"Make sure to pay at the bar, before leaving" she adds as she turns around leading the way back to the end of the room.
I sigh with relief as they leave and sit back down and look at Michael. He gives me a shy look as he appears to continue looking on the floor.
"Good performance" he whispers.
"Finish your food and let's go".
I look at my plate the tasty chicken and rice still there warm and tasty. I finish my food and then ask:
"Michael, what are we going to do about paying for this?"
"Don't worry, I will take care of it", he goes to the bar to settle our bill. While he is gone one of the women from before approaches me and says.
" Hi, I am Ivete, I just finished my work and I would be happy to show you the way to the river if you like? I know how hard it can be to be away from home in a foreign country."
I look at her with a smile on my face, thinking, what does she really want from us? So I answer,
"Thank you so much Ivete, my father knows this area really well, he will be able to take us to the river."
"Oh, of course," she says " I have seen him here before, alone and also... with this other woman... I don't doubt he knows what he is doing, just thought you would like some local help too?"
Another woman?! I thought I wonder who was she? Another unfortunate mother kidnapped from her chores to travel in time? I would love to know more.
"Hang on, " I said
"It actually would be nice to have someone that knows the culture so well to show us around. Thank you for the offer."
When Michael settles the bill he joins us by the door and we start to walk through the city. Michael looking down at all times doesn't say a word. It is quite uncomfortable and I am regretting inviting Ivete and making Michael pretend to be my slave. I really didn't think it through.
Ivete and I walk in front and Michael behind us with his head down at all times.
"Where are you from originally?" says Ivete starting a conversation.
"Oh, it's just this small place in the middle of nowhere, really far away..."
"So how did you become a scientist? Where did you study?" she asks continuing to pry as I think, this was a really bad idea...
"Have you been living in this city all your life?" I ask her to avoid her questions.
"Yes", she says. "
And what do you enjoy the most about this place?"
"I guess... that would have to be the community and how safe it makes the city and how we support each other around here and we can rely on each other."
"That sounds lovely! What a great thing to say about the city you live in" I comment. I suddenly look around and realise that Ivete has led us into a backstreet and that we just have reached a dead end.
"I thought you knew this city really well? What are we doing here Ivette?" I ask.
She smiles at me and says "I didn't think that this would be so easy."
I glance at Michael, to see if he knows what is going on but he is still looking at the floor. Suddenly, a person appears from around the corner. The person is tall and covered up in a black suit like Darth Vader or something. There is a huge weapon hanging off the shoulder, the person walks straight up to us and points the weapon at Michael.
"Give me all your translingual electrofasnigolenital supportive mechanism and energy bio-makers, now!" the strange person says to Michael.
Michael lifts his head up and gives the scary man a charming smile with no sign of fear on his face. After a moment says:
"I don't have any energy bio-makers and I have very little of the translingual electrofasnigolenital supportive mechanism left. I really need to get this lady back to the 21st century" and he points in my direction, making the scary man look at me. Michael continues
"Its really your fault she is here, I was concerned to leave her alone at her home after you released your TMRS at me while I was looking for water."
"Wait, he is the reason I am here?!"
"You know she needs to go back to preserve the timeline" Michael continues.
There is a long pause... Finally, the scary person opens up the helmet. I close my eyes in fear of what or who might be inside, but at the same time I have this great urge inside me to look anyway, so I look and I see... A beautiful woman. She has dark, long curly hair and very pale skin. Her dark eyes are full of anger while looking directly at Michael. She must be just about Michaels age... So maybe they are competitive work colleagues?
"Why do you always do this Michael?" the woman says "you know that I will now have to take you back, you are just making it all a little more complicated bringing her along."
Michael turns to me and says
"Bethany, please meet my wife"
"Ex-wife," the woman says.
"Not ex yet in my timeline" Michael responds "Isabel"
"Nice to meet you, Isabel?" I respond.
"Michael, hand over the goods, I don't want to have to end this here and now," Isabel says, still staring at Michael like she hasn't heard what I said at all.
Michael takes out the white powder from his pocket and gives it to Isabel. She puts it in her pocket while still aiming the gun at him.
"And the bio-marker"
"I don't have any I already said so"
"I know you are lying, you had one back from 120 million BC, you were trying to hide it in the 21st century, but I know you didn't manage to hide it there, so where is it?
"Excuse me" I hear myself say
"Is it the purple glittery big egg you are after? You see, we got into some trouble... and we were covered by an avalanche of rocks in a prehistoric world and in order to escape we needed water, and to make some, we needed a lot of energy... so we used the egg to make water, so we could get out of there and landed here..."
This makes her look at me.
"Is that right?" she says with a smirk on her face
"I don't believe it, Michael, is there anything you are able to fully complete? You destroyed it? You actually destroyed the bio-marker?" and she starts to laugh out loud.
"Ok, then I guess I will have to take you in without it. Give me your AI"
Michael pulls out of his ear a small shiny dot of glitter and hands it to Isabel. She takes out something from her pocket and attaches it to Michael's neck, which makes him cringe a bit. She then comes to me and does the same thing and a wave of pain and electricity goes through my body. I fall on the floor and hearing Isabel murmur something to Ivete. Then I lose consciousness.