Chapter One

“It looks like everyone is here now, shut the door. “

TheDirector drew in a deep breath and fumbled through a few screens before he continued.

“I hope all of you are well rested after having some time off. This next assignment has been marked “urgent” and will require your immediate attention.”

“When has any assignment not been urgent?” Larry whispered to Candy.

She elbowed him to be quiet,

“Tune in to setting R37 and take a look at my screen please.”

The Director stated and turned his screen for all to view. When the presentation was done, the silence filled the room. As usual it was the Professor who spoke first.

“It would appear to me, due to the sensitivity of this case, that we do not have near enough agents assigned.”

“It is because this is an extremely sensitive case, that less is more.” The time of the late 1960’s early 1970’s is a difficult time to work in. Nations at that time were highly suspicious of one another, and spies were everywhere.” The Director pointed out.

“Spies?” Candy asked.

“It will all be in your briefing packet.” The Director said in a tone he did not want to entertain questions at that time.

“This was a time that was known as the cold war. Each of you were selected carefully because of certain skills you have fine-tuned, or another reason that will also be talked about in your briefing packet.” The Director walked around his desk and faced the group.

“If this situation is not handled precisely, hundreds of years of history will be changed forever. It is imperative that we move quickly and accurately. Study up well and quickly, you will need to be ready to transport in forty-eight hours.”

“Director?”

The Professor thought of no less than one hundred reasons why an assignment like this would require a lot more time to prepare, even for the most experienced agents. However, he also knew the Directors pat response.

“You have your orders.” The Director stated firmly.

As the agents made their way to the elevator, the Director called out without looking up from his desk,

“Forty-eight hours, and not a second more.”

The agents traveled down to the floor where the research room was located. All located a station and began to call up the information that was tailored for the role that they would play.

They had not been studying long before Larry asked to speak to Candy privately.

“Candy, I need to know if you have thought about what I asked you last night?”

She took his hand,

“Larry, you know I love you; I just can’t see how it would work right now. You know as well as I do, that each assignment has the possibility of us not returning, and unless both of us are willing to change careers, which I am sure we are not, it would drive us both nuts.”

She kissed his cheek,

“There is no one else I would ever consider settling down with, but you, but just not right now.”

“Candy, I do not know if I can go on being around you with our relationship put on hold,” Larry said as he let go of her hand and turned around.

“I understand, and I don’t blame you. As soon as we finish this assignment, I will approach the Director for a transfer,” Candy said sadly.

“You will have to go through me first.” The Professor said as he came up behind them.

“Look you two, your personal business is none of my concern, except when it come the quality of agents that I lead. Right now, whatever it is your discussing will have to wait. I need both of you one hundred percent focused on our assignment, is that clear?”

“Yes sir,” both Larry and Candy said in unison.

“Good, now back to your research, we have half the time we need to prepare as it is, and you have wasted precious time.”

When they returned to the research room, the Professor focused on who and why someone would be interested in tampering with this timeline. He had been with the agency long enough to know that ones who attempt these kinds of high-profile time crimes, also knew how to fool the profile computers. He did, however, make use of four main categories.

First, those who would have the knowledge, skills, and resources to pull off a crime of this complexity. Then next, those who would want to cause this kind of chaos. Last, the Professor ran a program that he wrote himself. This is what he titled “Wild Card.” This would be suspects that might not make the other lists individually but could manage to pull something like this with some help.

“Okay, let’s see what you come up with when I add these few things.” The Professor mumbled to himself as he worked at the keyboard.

What surprised the Professor was after he added the few things his experience had taught him, how radically the top of the list changed, and even more surprising was how his program had grouped many of the ones on the list.

“Wow! What a dangerous team that would be. Let us see here…”

The Professor continued to mumble as he added and changed around a lot of the criteria. No matter how he changed things around, this group was at or near the top of the lists each time.

“Okay, now how did these managed to get together, and how they could have gotten back to the 1960’s.”

The Professors concentration would be broken from time to time by the agents asking questions. This was one of the things he hated about being a lead agent. He finally made this announcement.

“Agents, If I don’t get my part of the research done right, none of your questions will matter. I need a couple of hours of peace. Unless your question absolutely blocks you from finishing your research, save it for later.”

When he was done, he gathered all together to discuss the case. They had a better idea who and what they were up against, they now need to work on how to stop the group that the Professor dubbed, “The Space Erasers.”

“Let us briefly review your assignments. Agents Speed and Franks, you will handle all communication as well as creating and maintaining whatever security clearance and passes we might need. You two will transport in first and set up our home base just outside the cape. Gather everything you will need and report to the transport room within two hours.”

The two agents left hurriedly. For them to gather everything within the allotted time would be a challenge to say the least. To have everything they needed on sight, the two of them would wind up fabricating most everything from parts gathered in the time in which they would working in.

“This is not going to be easy,” Agent Speed mumbled

“And this is something new?” Agent Franks asked.

“No, I guess not, especially when the Professor is in charge,” he replied and picked up his pace.

The Professor turned to the next two agents.

“Agent Young, you and Agent Oswald will be responsible for acquiring and modifying all forms of transportation that we will need. This will mean both ground, water, and air transportation, as necessary. Once again, on sight builds and modifications will be a must. We have acquired a nearby building where you will be able to work on these. You two will transport next and directly to this fabrication building. Once you have your initial set up done there, report to base.”

They acknowledged their assignment and left.

“Agent Marks and Robinson, you two will serve as personal bodyguards for Agents Smith, Turnbuckle, and myself. This will also require you to be proficient at driving and or flying whatever is necessary. You will need to get with all four of the other agents immediately after you transport. Your knowledge of the communication means, as well as all modifications made to any means of transportation will be vital. You also will have to be able to defend yourself as well as the three of us in a way that would be or gives the illusion of being period specific. Go gather what you will need and then continue your research until it is your time to transport.”

After they left the Professor addressed agents Turnbuckle and Smith.

“I don’t have to remind you how important this assignment is to keep the timeline intact. You both are professionals, and this will require your complete attention and focus. Whatever personal business you two have, will have to be wait. As always, our adversaries know how we operate. They will do everything they can to not only accomplish their objective, but also to make us look foolish.”

The Professor paused and took a deep breath.

“As you are aware, the Director selected everyone specifically for this assignment. I cannot emphasis enough how letting emotions cloud your judgement could affect the outcome of this assignment. Now, let us get what we need, and I will explain our role to you on the way.”

The Professor led the way out. Larry took a deep breath and shut the door behind him as the Professor and Candy were ahead of him going down the hall. He knew what he had to do; he had shut out personal thoughts before he left on this assignment. That was standard for all agents, anytime they were on assignment. This time it would be different because he would be working closely with the one, he would be trying to shut out of his mind.