A Time Traveler's Companion: Chapter 19: Another Secret-Excerpt

 

(Excerpt from Chapter 19: Another Secret)

Trigger warnings: Sexual content

In the previous chapter, Mr. Smith sustained injuries during their latest adventure on another planet and was recuperating in the infirmary. Meanwhile, Remi, feeling restless, decided to explore the intriguing yet peculiar rooms and corridors of the monolith. As she wandered through the vast time ship, she stumbled into the main control room and inadvertently touched one of the crystals on the matrix table, resulting in a powerful shock that knocked her out. When Mr. Smith finally emerged from the infirmary, he discovered her unconscious on the floor and promptly carried her to his room, laying her on his bed until she regained consciousness. Although she had been traveling with him for weeks, once he returns her home, it will feel as if she never left at all.

I would like to mention that Remi is currently 18 years old and approaching 19. It seems important to provide this information for context. Also she still lives with her parents.

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    I found myself lying on his bed. Rubbing my eyes, everything looked blurry then as my vision cleared, I looked around. My clothes were neatly folded on the sofa in his room. I lifted the sheets and discovered I was completely naked, I gasped.

 “What happened?” I said to myself.

“Mr. Smith will be in to explain,” said the AI.

“Oh great,” I paused and realized that I might’ve been here for a few days, well it kinda felt like it.

 “No, oh shit, my parents are going to lose their minds.” Mr. Smith walked into the room, his attire incomplete. He had black cotton pajama pants but was shirtless, and I found myself unable to look away; his face was etched with unmistakable indignation. Gradually, I pushed myself up and leaned against the headboard, wrapping the sheets around me for warmth. He came closer and sat down next to me on the bed. “Remi, do you recall when I warned you about the crystals?” I nodded, feeling like a reprimanded child. “I’m sorry,” I murmured, pressing my lips together and gently biting my lower lip. He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. “You’ll be okay,” he said, then hesitated.

 “But what?” I asked. He shook his head, “It’s nothing, but please don’t let it happen again.” He smiled and kissed my lips. I got the distinct impression that I should be worried, but I decided not to ask him for more information. He stood up. “There is something else,” he said. I gulped, “What is it?”

“When you touched the crystal, the AI scanned your memories.” His brow furrowed, and a flush of anger crept across his face. My eyes widened in realization; he didn’t have to utter a single word. He had pieced together everything about seeing Melanie at the nightclub in 1936 and not telling him and going with her on another time travel escapade, which I had kept from him. I exhaled deeply, “I made a mistake, just try to see it from my perspective,” I implored. He turned his gaze away, clearly let down, before meeting my eyes once more. Rising to his feet, he faced me with his arms folded.

 “You’re not going anywhere,” he said, taking a moment. “I need to think about what to do next, alright?”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked, but he just stayed quiet, which made me restless.

“Hold on, why?” I paused choosing my words carefully, “Okay, I went with her, but you’re the one I choose to travel with, don’t you get it? And what’s the big deal about traveling with Melanie? What are you not telling me?”

“Do you really want to know the truth?” I nodded. “She’s only interested in you as a potential companion because she’s checking you out,” he replied.

“What do you mean?” He settled back on the bed next to me, his face close to mine. “She’s probably after another body, and I think she picked you just because you’re with me. We’re not a couple anymore; we’re rivals now,” he paused, “well I see it that way. I fear that she’s trying to snatch you from me out of spite. I shook my head and said, “You’ve got it all wrong.” Then a thought hit me, and I asked, “So, am I just your possession, like a pet?” He stared at me without saying a word. “So, it’s true, I am his pet, his plaything, maybe his next body, I thought to myself. I trembled. “She is afraid,” the AI interjected.

“Damn that AI,” I mused and frowned. Letting out a deep sigh I asked, “Can I go home?” He responded with a weary sigh, “Not at this moment,” before rising to his feet and exiting the room without a backward glance. Left in solitude, I turned to the AI, seeking to uncover the events that transpired between him and Melanie, leading up to the moment he crossed paths with me. At first, the AI seemed reluctant to share any information, but after a brief pause, a holographic screen materialized in front of me, coming to life and showcasing the moments of their last day together. I won’t sugarcoat it; my heart ached as I witnessed the tender moments they shared. The scene shifted to when Melanie entered his room, taking a portion of the money from every era known to man, before slinging the brown leather messenger bag over her shoulder. I spotted the quantum time manipulator strapped to her wrist. She probably acquired it without his knowledge, clever. In a flash, Melanie sprinted out of the room toward the main control room. Meanwhile, Mr. Smith was oblivious, enjoying a shower and unaware of the unfolding chaos. “Why didn’t you stop her?” I questioned the AI.

“I had no directive to do so,” it responded. My brow furrowed as my suspicion deepened. The AI displayed the location from which Melanie had escaped from Mr. Smith. It turned out they were in the 1950s, which explained the vintage attire she was wearing at the time. As soon as she exited the monolith, she activated the quantum time manipulator and disappeared. "I can't believe she actually pulled that off," I exclaimed. The AI then displayed the moment Mr. Smith encountered me. At that point, he had been on a quest through time to find Melanie. The AI revealed to me, "Mr. Smith had been searching for Melanie for quite some time, but she managed to stay one step ahead. It appears she found someone to help her remain concealed from him." I gasped and whispered, "Jack."

"When Mr. Smith found you, he had tracked her to that spot using the device implanted in her. However, she quickly caught on to his pursuit. With the quantum time manipulator, she transported onto her companion's ship, who was tasked to kill Mr. Smith. He was the man you saw on the hill." I was in shock, struggling to absorb this revelation.

"No," I breathed. A hush fell over the conversation before the AI resumed, “Her new companion took aim at Mr. Smith, but you stepped in front of him and Jack couldn’t get a clear shot. In response, Melanie communicated with him through an earpiece, instructing him to hold off. When you looked back up at the hill before entering the monolith, the man disappeared because he too has a quantum time manipulator.” I remained silent, pondering, then I asked, “Wait a minute. I do remember that moment and Mr. Smith had told me that the man I saw on the hill was coming toward the monolith and then he asked me to make a choice, to go with him or not.”

“Correct,” it replied. With a deep sigh escaping my lips, I found myself momentarily speechless, but eventually I whispered, “Thank you for sharing the truth with me.” At the time, the AI only revealed a portion of the truth. Tears began to stream down my face just as Mr. Smith entered the room. He looked at me, taken aback by my tears, unaware of the reason behind them. I doubt the AI was meant to unveil what it did. “I regret what I said Remi," he hesitated, "My love for you is so deep that I fear you might abandon me, just like Melanie did." In that instant, it dawned on me that his actions were rooted in his own insecurities. How could someone so strikingly handsome and full of life experience such doubt? I wiped my tears and said, "I love you too." 

He leaned in, his lips brushing against mine with a gentle urgency, and soon we were wrapped in each other’s arms, with an intensity that ignited every nerve of my being. He made love to me, his arms enveloping me tightly as if I were the very air he breathed. When he entered me, it was with a powerful thrust, dominant and passionate. His thick member stretching me in ways that sent waves of pleasure coursing through my body. Each thrust was deep and relentless, igniting a fire within me that left me breathless, teetering on the edge unconsciousness. Afterwards we lay in each other’s arms, enjoying the afterglow. As time passed, we journeyed to two different worlds. One was a desert planet, its crimson sands stretching endlessly. The beauty was breathtaking, with the winds carving serpentine patterns across the dunes. Scattered throughout the sands were numerous quartz crystals, but Mr. Smith was on the hunt for something very specific. “Mr. Smith, where are we headed?” 

“Ah, Butterfly, I’m on the hunt for an entrance to a tunnel that leads to an underground chamber housing an artifact that I’ve been seeking,” he answered with sincerity. I couldn’t help but smile and let out a sigh. He scoffed and chuckle softly, “What was that sigh about?” He shot me a quick look as he filled a small glass vial with sand and tucked it away in the pocket of his bodysuit. He stood up. I held the magnetic wave scanner firmly in my hands, my mind drifting back to thoughts of home. It was evident that he had no intention of returning me home—not yet, and a surge of anxiety flooded over me as memories of my family and friends filled my thoughts. As he stood before me, I asked with worry, “Will you ever take me back home?”

He sighed deeply, “Remi, I will. I just want you here with me right now. Remember, I can return you to the exact moment we left.” I nodded, feeling a sense of defeat. He motioned for me to pass him the gun and began to survey the area around us. Our helmets crackled with the AI's voice through the intercom, stating, “The entrance is thirty feet to the south.” The winds howled a bit, but thankfully our environmental bodysuits protected us from both the gusts and the intense heat of the dual suns overhead. And yes, this system has two suns. We’ve finally found the way into the tunnels. Initially, it felt like a cave, but as we moved deeper, it changed dramatically; stone steps wound downwards, and to our astonishment, large glowing crystals were set into the walls, lighting our way as we went down. Once we reached the final staircase, we emerged into another tunnel, where more of those radiant crystals adorned the walls, and the floor was lined with cobblestone path that we treaded on with caution. Then we faced a metal circular door. “What now?” I asked.

“I’ve got a way to open it,” he replied, pulling out an unusual gadget that resembled

a handheld scanner, measuring about six inches long and two inches wide. It was sleek and black, adorned with a gold stripe running through the middle. He positioned the device above the lock, and I could hear a series of beeps each time the key materialized on the scanner. The door opened and my eyes caught sight of another long tunnel. “Mr. Smith, where are we headed?” 

“I adore your curiosity, my dear. The AI will lead the way,” he replied.

 I held the magnetic wave scanner gun. He nonchalantly brought up that the large device is known as the MR-649. While it bears some resemblance to a weapon, it is more like a metal detector, well sort of. It functions on a significantly more sophisticated level, though. Mr. Smith keeps his pistol securely holstered at his waist. He said that one day he will show me how to use one of those sci-fi looking pistols of his, one day. The AI's voice echoed through the intercom, "You're almost there."

Mr. Smith exhaled deeply, and relief washed over him. As we rounded the bend, the rough granite walls of the tunnel gave way to a smooth, unfamiliar metal surface. A strange blue glow illuminated our path from above, guiding us toward a circular metal door that was securely locked. Mr. Smith activated the scanner to gain access, and with a careful nudge, he opened the door slightly and gestured for me to stay back while he assessed the area for any potential threats. Just as he stepped inside, a series of lasers shot out, illuminating the space. He quickly leaped back. “Damn it,” he exclaimed. 

“Will we be able to enter without getting killed?” I asked him, clearly worried about this venture.

“Yes,” he replied and called on the AI for assistance. The AI sent him a layout of the chamber and informed him of any booby traps that might be present.

(Images are for the readers entertainment)

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Excerpt Chapter 20: The AI & Me Part 3

 

Mr. Smith's face changed and instantly he yelled, “Run!” He snatched the urn, feeling a surge of electricity that almost knocked him off his feet, but he fought hard to stay upright. I dashed toward the exit, with the android hot on our heels as we sprinted through the tunnel. It fired its weapon at us several times, but each shot went wide.

"Is it possible for you to teleport the monolith into the tunnels?" he asked the AI. Our breaths matched the frantic pace of our racing hearts, a shared panic settled, as we realized the danger we were in. The monolith appeared a few yards away, however as we neared, I suddenly felt a searing blast go through me, like fire consuming my very body. The next thing I remember waking up in the infirmary. I scanned my surroundings and realized that I was wrapped in that peculiar bio-skin substance that I had to apply to Mr. Smith’s body during his last injury back in the 1930s. I felt completely immobilized, as if I were frozen in place, yet I could still speak and shift my gaze. I shut my eyes, attempting to piece together the events that led me here. 

“Are you having trouble recalling what transpired?” the AI asked.

“Yes, could you please explain what happened?” My voice came out faint and fragile. The AI began to reveal the events on the holographic screen above me. It appeared that the AI had been capturing nearly everything occurring around and within the monolith, which unsettled me. I watched as Mr. Smith, and I raced through the tunnels. Just as we approached the monolith, a sudden jolt of pain shot through my back, courtesy of the android's weapon. The impact was overwhelming. Mr. Smith quickly yanked me inside, and in an instant, the monolith disappeared. I was lying on the operating table in the infirmary, blood seeping from my wound. Mr. Smith looked terrified, his eyes brimming with tears.

 “Can you save her?” he asked the AI, his voice trembling with dread. 

“Yes, but she will need to undergo the same procedure you have experienced each time you were gravely injured,” It paused, “Maybe it’s time to consider letting her go, and possess her body,” it stated bluntly. Mr. Smith’s face turned crimson, “How could you even propose that?” he shouted, his anger palpable. “I already have a new body prepared.” He exhaled deeply, his voice firm as he commanded, “Make her better.” I appeared lifeless on the bed, which was hardly surprising given that I was teetering on the edge of death once again. He exited the room, and suddenly, a brilliant light enveloped my body.

High-tech medical devices descended from the ceiling, beginning the intricate process of mending the wound in my abdomen, where the blaster burned right through me. I observed as the AI worked, injecting nanites into my body that swiftly mended my injury. They resemble tiny mites, bustling around and fixing the damaged tissue. The holo-screen turned off. I closed my eyes; I believe I was unconscious again. An unexpected memory surged into my mind—-I recall having a face-to-face conversation with the AI.

 It was in its true form, it appeared as a black humanoid figure, akin to a mannequin yet possessing the fluidity of human movement. Its eyes were mere slits, glowing with an eerie crimson light. It loomed in front of me as we stood face to face within the wall of the monolith. 

"How can I be here while my body is there?" I questioned, my voice trembling as I gazed at it in terror. 

"Am I... dead?" I asked. It came closer, moving deliberately as it extended a hand toward my cheek. I instinctively recoiled. As it shifted, the AI's movements echoed those of the android from Terminator 2, particularly the police officer in his authentic state. Upon closer inspection, the AI’s skin resembled a dark liquid, shifting and flowing as it changed position. However, there was an unsettling shadow, a foreboding presence surrounding the AI that sent a shiver down my spine. 

“No, you are not dead, I brought your mind to this place while your body undergoes repair,” it replied.

 “Are you really female?” I asked.

“Absolutely, I can be whatever he desires. Since he wished for me to embody Melanie’s image, I appear as her on occasion,” it paused then added, “Eventually, I will take on your likeness, one day.”

Its words sent a chill through me, but I managed to ask, “What makes you say that?”

“Do you not grasp the situation? You won't live forever, but he will and when your time comes, your very essence will merge within these walls. Just like what occurred with Melanie, the woman whose body Ona now possesses.”

 Hearing this from the AI left me in a state of shock and fear. "Let me out of here at once," I insisted. I pressed my hands against the dark glass. Mr. Smith walked into the infirmary, and he stood over my body. I banged on the surface of the glass wall, but he couldn't hear my cries for help.  

“Mr. Smith, please help me! I’m stuck in here,” I shouted. The AI hovered closely behind me, its fingers brushing through my hair with an odd sense of curiosity.

 “It appears he’s more taken with you than I thought,” the AI remarked. I instinctively moved away from it. 

In an instant, I found myself back in my own body. Mr. Smith had just stepped out of the room as my eyes shot open, I gasped for air. I was staring up at the ceiling in confusion. Hours passed, and as my body regained strength, I noticed that the bio-skin substance had melded seamlessly into my own skin. Mr. Smith entered and gently lifted me, carrying me to his room for some much-needed rest.  

“Remi, I promise to take you home after our final adventure. We’re heading to the 1800s, but for now, just rest my love,” he said, kissing me deeply and covering my naked body with the soft, comforting sheets.

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