I see the flashing messages from my AI appearing in front of my eyes:
"Critical... Status Critical... Calculating... Traveling... Emergency home destination..."
I didn't even feel the journey this time. I'm not sure if I even managed to travel. I start to dream of Robert and the kids, envisioning a sunny summer day in the park, enjoying ice cream together. The kids are laughing joyously, and Robert looks at me with love in his eyes. I'm filled with overwhelming love and happiness, and I can't help but laugh as I pull Robert closer for a kiss, while the kids protest playfully.
However, my dream is abruptly interrupted, and I become aware of the sound of waves crashing. I must be at the beach; I feel the gentle breeze brushing against my skin, offering a sense of comfort.
I open my eyes, and I find myself in a white room. As I look around, I realise there's no one else here. My head throbs with pain, and I instinctively press my AI for answers, asking, "Where am I?"
The response appears before my eyes: "Emergency home destination, Europe, England, 3073 AD." Ah, this must be Michael's emergency home from the year 3073.
Despite my shaky legs, I decide to stand up. Surprisingly, I feel fine, as if nothing had happened to me. I survey the room and recognise it as the place where Michael and I were once held captive. I make my way to the door, trying to open it quietly, and step out into the hallway. Taking cautious steps, I navigate towards the room where Michael showed me Isabel kept the travel items. I enter the room and spot Michael's jacket lying on the desk. I pick it up and check the pockets, only to find them empty.
"It's all empty," I hear Isabel's voice behind me. "I emptied it out while you were sleeping to recharge it," she explains.
I turn around and half-sit on the desk, my legs refusing to support me. Although I'm struggling to breathe, I try not to show it. Isabel continues speaking, "This is crazy. I traveled across all times to look for you, and you turn up at my home. How did you know where to find me?"
"Why are you keeping me here, Isabel?" I demand.
She appears taken aback. "Wait, what? I didn't kidnap you. You arrived at my home. All I did was try to help you. You were seriously injured."
"Drop the act, Isabel. It doesn't suit you. What do you want from me?" I challenge her.
"Drop... what?" she looks at me, completely shocked.
Isabel is wearing a light pink dress with flowers at the bottom, resembling the Isabel who first appeared to me in the forest, rather than the vengeful Isabel who kidnapped me in ancient Asia.
"Isabel," I attempt to sound confident, but my vision starts to blur, and I suddenly feel weak. Nevertheless, I continue, "Where is Michael?" As I speak, I collapse to the floor, losing consciousness.
I awaken in the same white room, with Isabel seated beside my bed.
"Isabel?"
"Oh, you're awake. How are you feeling? You had a secondary internal haemorrhage. You need to rest and let the nanobots do their job properly," she informs me, her tone serious and confident.
I perceive sincerity in her eyes, but in my fragile state, nearing the edge of death, I wonder if I could be mistaken. Yet, what do I have to lose?
"Isabel, can you just take me home, please?" I plead, tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Of course," she responds, holding my hand.
"You know, you haven't even told me your name yet," she remarks.
"It's Bethany, but recently everyone has been calling me Beth," I reply, noticing the shock on her face and a glimmer of realisation before she asks, "Bethany... are you from the twenty-first century?"
"Yes."
"Are you the mother of Emily, Jack, and Bo?"
"Emily and Jack... I miss them so much... but who is Bo?"
"Oh, I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said anything. Just rest, Bethany."
And I drift back to sleep.
Upon awakening, I find Isabel asleep by my bedside. This time, I feel much better. As I survey the room, pieces of the puzzle start to come together. The recent travels and now this... could it be possible that this is Isabel before she becomes the Isabel who kidnapped me?
Isabel wakes up and looks at me. "I'm sorry, I fell asleep. How are you feeling?"
"Much better, thank you... I'm sorry, Isabel. I think I got confused. I think I met another version of you from the future and mistook you for who you are today."
"I figured as much... So, you don't know either where Michael is?" she asks, her expression filled with hope.
"To be honest, I'm certain that in the future you have him... I think you took him a few months ago, and you must be keeping him somewhere... He wouldn't just leave me..." I burst out with a cry, my voice filled with desperation and anguish.
I proceed to tell Isabel everything—the story of Michael coming to my home, taking me on a journey through time, and his sudden disappearance in 1000 AD, leaving behind only his jacket. I recount the trials and experiences I've faced in the past few months, including my time with the Vikings, leading up to my arrival at her home.
"Michael must have duplicated his emergency settings with your AI... that's why it brought you here... Did Michael tell you anything about... you?" Isabel asks, her voice filled with curiosity.
"No, not really... I know from the future you that I am important to history and that I need to return home. Other than that... Michael said it wouldn't be good for me to know anything, as it could change things..." I reply, my tone tinged with uncertainty.
"Good, he did the right thing... But you mentioned meeting Bohnan in 2982?"
"Yes, for some reason, he wanted to show me all the different achievements our family has provided to the world... He felt it would be important for me to know how much my grandchildren will do for the world... apparently, we get to save the world quite a few times..." I recount, recalling the awe and pride in Bohnan's eyes as he spoke.
Isabel gazes at me in silence for a moment, uncertain of how to respond. Finally, she speaks, "I see... I know I need to refrain from revealing anything to you to ensure history remains intact, but... I just wanted to mention that Bohnan was my grandfather..."
I'm completely shocked by her revelation. The same woman who, just a few months ago, threatened me with harm is now awkwardly letting me know that we are family?
"I didn't know... You must be very lucky. He seemed like a very good man," I reply, attempting to process this unexpected connection.
"He truly was, the very best..." Isabel reflects, a sense of warmth and sadness in her voice.
We sit in silence for a moment, each lost in our own thoughts. Finally, Isabel breaks the quiet, saying, "According to my AI, you need another fifty minutes until your injuries are fully treated. Once that is settled, would you like me to take you back home?"
"No... I would like you to help me find Michael first. Is that okay?" I implore, my voice filled with determination and longing.
"Okay..." She responds, looking away briefly, her expression unreadable.
"Do you have any ideas where the future you might be keeping him?" I inquire, hoping for any clue that might lead me to Michael.
"Some... rest. Let me get everything ready. We will leave in an hour," Isabel replies, her voice tinged with a mixture of resolve and concern.
I lie in the white room, surrounded by the gentle ocean breeze and the soothing sound of waves crashing nearby. My mind races, replaying the recent events and emotions that have overwhelmed me. Meeting Michael, traveling through time, encountering Boleslaw... My heart still aches, knowing that I will never see Boleslaw again.
"Okay, you can get up now. It's been over an hour. The nanobots have finished their work. You should feel like new," Isabel says as she walks back into the room, wearing a white suit similar to the black one I saw her older self wearing.
"Do they come in different colours?" I ask, attempting to lighten the mood.
"Why? Would you prefer to have yours in pink?" she responds, a faint smile playing on her lips as she places another suit on the bed.
"This one's for you. Put it on. You'll be much more comfortable," she suggests, extending the suit towards me.
"Are you sure?" I ask, a hint of hesitation in my voice, still unsure about placing my trust in her.
"Definitely, and yes, you can choose whatever colour you want. I just like it white. I think it's the best colour for traveling in time, as you can blend with the bright sun or hide easily..." Isabel responds, acknowledging my preference.
"Good to know you think so... I'll stick with white then. Do you have any idea where we should go to find Michael?" I ask, slipping into the suit with Isabel's guidance.
"Well... I've been thinking. If I were to capture a dangerous time-traveling individual, I would most likely take them to the Tower of London. I'm just not quite sure when... My first guess would be 1300 AD. It's a busy time for King Edward, with his focus on wars and paperwork. Many people are taken to the tower, and it's a bit chaotic. I could utilise the facilities there without drawing too much attention. Shall we start there?" Isabel suggests, sharing her strategy with me.
Isabel explains how the suit works, demonstrating how I can access its various features through my AI. Once I am fully instructed and aware of the suit's capabilities, we embark on our journey to 1300 AD England.
This time, the journey and landing are surprisingly comfortable. I don't feel any disorienting sensations, immediately regaining my balance upon arrival.
"Follow me," Isabel instructs, and I dutifully comply.
With the suit's assistance, I notice the AI taking charge of everything, ensuring clean air, maintaining a suitable temperature, and even altering my outward appearance to resemble that of a guard.
We navigate through corridors and descend stairs, descending deeper into the dungeons of the Tower. The AI provides me with a map of the area, indicating our location and potential exits, as well as access to freshwater. Eventually, we arrive at the end of a corridor, where we take cover behind a wall, adjacent to one of the cells. Isabel turns to me, excitement in her eyes, and whispers,
"I think we may have found him. Look."
I cautiously peek around the corner and spot a figure in a black suit pacing within the cell in front of us. It must be the future version of Isabel. If she's here, there's a good chance Michael is here too.
"How should we proceed?" I ask, my voice hushed.
"We need to wait for her to leave. I can't risk a face-to-face encounter," Isabel replies, her tone determined.
"Okay," I agree, settling into a patient stance as we prepare for the opportune moment.
As we wait, we're able to communicate easily through the suit's built-in AI, engaging in a private conversation without being overheard. Isabel expresses her concern about potential complications and emphasises the need for me to identify her accurately in a critical situation. We agree on using the password "Rose" as a recognition signal.
After a while, we finally see the person in the black suit depart from the cell, creating an opening for us to proceed.