In the span of the next two hasty minutes, Superintendent Pearl dashed around her office gathering little books, gadgets, tools, and a black seamed cap. Pearl opened an old file folder and handed two photos to Blinda. She paused to give her longtime friend a somber, knowing nod, and stuffed the rest of the objects into a jet-black backpack. She picked up a steel bracelet off of a silver shelf and motioned for them to follow her to the room’s exit. Superintendent Pearl turned off the lights, closed the electronic door behind her, and whispered, “Follow me to the Observatory.” 

The Portal Observatory was in SIYT’s astronomy wing, housed under a huge glass dome in view of the stars. The mesmerizing classroom was wide enough to showcase SIYT’s historic time portal. It was one of only two operational time portals that weren’t destroyed by the government. 

A few hundred years ago, when the trioka scientist Hardy Flep successfully built the first “time machine,” the idea of time traveling became immensely popular. Daredevils across the planet craved the ultimate adventure of sightseeing history. However, to prevent the pandemonium this could have created, the Global Government outlawed public time travel before it even began. 

Xendo’s father only traveled back in time as a trained government agent under the Continuum Division of the Historical Timeline Preservation Agency. The HTPA’s time portal was rumored to be bright, colorful, and mesmerizing before it collapsed. Xendo was present in this very observatory when his father’s team departed through the portal to 2005 and never returned. However, Xendo didn’t remember any of it; he was too young. Xendo was secretly excited to witness the portal again. 

While racing down the Time Tower corridors outside Superintendent Pearl’s office, they dared not make a sound this late at night. The Human History students may still be on summer vacation, but SIYT’s faculty were already on campus, sleeping in this building. If any of the professors awoke, Xendo, his mother, and the superintendent would be caught breaking global law. His mother would be fired from her position as head chef of SIYT’s cafeteria, Superintendent Pearl would go to prison, and Xendo would be expelled before he even got to choose his graduate program. That would be embarrassingly tragic. The last thing the Quakers needed was more scandal surrounding their family. 

Luckily, the valiant Superintendent Pearl understood the significance of this opportunity. This boy, Philo Nockby, changed everything. The 2005 mission now had missing holes in its story and new secrets to unearth. Philo might know absolutely nothing about Daniel or Ava. He might not help them at all. However, rescuing this boy was worth the risk. Philo could be the key to helping them discover what really happened in the past. Maybe Xendo’s father was innocent! Maybe they could absolve Jerome Quaker from his disgraceful infamy. 

Superintendent Pearl pushed open the doors to the Portal Observatory and, immediately, Xendo’s eyes were drawn upward. The room was a grand, open glass dome that showcased the starry night sky above them. Superintendent Pearl attached the steel bracelet from her office to the control panel, inputted information, and flipped switches to power up the Time Portal Platform. Blinda rifled through the supplies in their backpack. Xendo took a moment to enjoy his first time in this historic wing of the school. 

Xendo snuck toward the observatory’s perimeter and got so close to the domed glass, his breath left a moist residue. He drew a heart in the condensation and chuckled to himself. Through his small drawing, he peered at the moon. Tonight, it was only at half its potential brightness. The moist dew evaporated and his heart faded away as the sparkling stars came back into focus. Xendo headed toward the departure platform to join his mother and Superintendent Pearl. In the dark of night, the large metallic platform was imposing and mysterious, but it was not as dazzling as he had hoped. Xendo preferred the moon and shining stars.