Relative Time   

    Chris and Jessie were seated at a table in an up-scale, but informal restaurant aptly named 'Casuals'. They had ordered their meal, and were enjoying a carafe of dry white wine. Neither one felt like speaking; the past few days had been completely exhausting . It had also been a frustrating experience; going back in time fifty years, with absolutely no way to prove it.
    Chris eventually spoke up. "I'm not going to let this drop, Jess." He looked serious. "Maybe we can't do anything about it for now, but you know me - I just don't give up that easily."
    "I know...I'm not going to forget it either. But do me a favour, don't go public with anything until you check with me, okay? I know I can't tell you what to do, but revealing this story would automatically involve me."
    Chris had his back to the main floor of the restaurant, so was curious when he saw Jessie's fixed stare over his shoulder. He knew his ex-wife, and he knew that look.
    "Jessie, what is it?"
    "Don't turn around now, but that woman in the corner has been watching us since we came in." She spoke very quietly, and Chris had to lean forward to listen.
    "So? Maybe she thinks we make a cute couple!"
    Jessie rolled her eyes. "In your dreams...but seriously, this woman really looks like that - here she comes."
    The woman in question walked up to their table with an air of both determination and hesitation. She was perhaps in her seventies, and dressed in a rather colourful flower-print dress. Chris turned as she reached their table. Something was oddly familiar about her.
    "Chris? Jessie?...I don't know quite how to break this to you...but I'm Donna."

    In the Spring of 1945, Donna Johnson had just finished her senior year at Western Desert High, a small school on the outskirts of Eureka, Nevada. The end of the war seemed to be at hand, and this was a great relief to her and her friends. Donna didn't understand war, or politics in general, for that matter. She only knew that too many innocent young men had already died. Some of the boys in her class were turning 18, and getting ready to enlist. They wouldn't have to, if the Japanese surrendered soon.
    The town she lived in was quite small, and economically depressed because of the war. The only bright spot was her father's plan to built a new diner. He offered her the main waitress position, and that appealed to her. She wanted to travel, and a good job would help her save up the money. Donna also saw the diner as an opportunity to meet new people. Maybe even exciting young men just back from the war.
    A few of her friends were going up to the lake one afternoon, and they really wanted her to come along. But she tired of the same old crowd, especially those with small town attitudes. The girls all wanted to get married; nothing more, nothing less. She declined the offer.
    Instead, she planned to pursue her latest hobby: Tarot cards. There were books on the subject in the library, and that seemed like a relaxing way to spend the afternoon. Besides, she just liked to be alone every now and then.
    Donna was well known for the spooky way in which she could read people. They called her clairvoyant, and she had an entertaining way of accurately telling strangers all about themselves. Several times she awoke knowing when someone close had been killed in the war. Donna kept this to herself, but wrote it down in a diary. Without fail, her premonitions proved painfully true.
    As she sat in the library, a shadow crossed her desk and paused on the page she was reading. Donna looked up to see an attractive young man in an army uniform. He gave her an apologetic smile.
    "Excuse me Miss," he held up a handful of dusty books, "...do you mind if I sit here, there's nowhere else to go."
    "Sure." said Donna. She was polite, but not particularly encouraging.
    The soldier sat down, and opened up one of the books. Donna glanced over; it was full of schematics, and she managed to read upside down the words 'electrical engineering'. She went back to her book, but it bothered her that he didn't at least introduce himself. There was a definite chemistry between them, and he didn't seem to realize it.
    Why not, she thought. "Hi, I'm Donna. Donna Johnson"
    The young soldier looked up. "I'm Edward Sparks, but my friends call me Eddie."
    "Well, Eddie - I haven't seen you around, have you just come into town?"
    "Yes, I'm with the Army Corps of Engineers. I'm stationed here for awhile."
    Those are the most captivating eyes I've ever seen, thought Donna, I wonder if he has a sweetheart somewhere.
    "Are you on leave right now?" She tried not to sound too interested.
    "Yes, for a few days." He noticed a somewhat puzzled expression on her face. "I didn't feel like getting drunk with the rest of the guys. The reason I'm in the library is to read up on electronics. I'm interested in the possibility of miniaturizing circuits - electrical circuits. I think it'll be the trend of the future."
    "Really?"
    "Sure," Eddie was suddenly enthusiastic. "Could you imagine, for example, a radio small enough to carry around in your purse?"
    "That sounds great!" said Donna. "How long are you going to be in Eureka?" Ouch, she though, that was too obvious.
    "For a month, then I go back home. To Corning, new York."
    Donna had a feeling about him, but she couldn't be sure what it meant. Later that afternoon, they exchanged rather pleasant 'good-byes' and went their separate ways. Had Eddie suggested a date, she probably would have agreed. At the very least, she would have enjoyed the offer.

    Februrary 3, 1946 was to be the grand opening of Dan's Diner. Donna had put more than her share of work into the enterprise. The laborers working for her father thought it amusing that a girl would want to help in construction. But they soon accepted her, if for no other reasons than her enthusiasm and physical attractiveness. Besides, they all loved having their palms read and their future told.
    Donna had so looked forward to her new job. Not that it was going to be much of an intellectual challenge, but she would surely meet new people. There would finally be a little excitement in her life. Unfortunately, this wasn't to last. A strange twist of fate saw to that; a momentous turning point in her life. And it appeared in the shape of a strange couple who entered the diner one Saturday.
    The diner had only been open two days, but Donna was getting the hang of serving friends and strangers alike. When Chris and Jessie walked in from all the commotion outside, she knew something was different. The car they drove was unlike anything she had ever seen, and their clothes were unusual. Donna's extraordinary perceptive powers over-loaded her mind with fleeting images. She talked with them for awhile, but couldn't make sense of anything.
    Donna liked Jessie, but felt a special attraction to Chris. For the first time in her life, she saw a child in her own future. But Chris and Jessie were definitely meant for one another, so she dismissed the notion. And before she could give them any more consideration, this mysterious couple disappeared; but not before leaving her with the most amazing watch. A watch straight out of a science fiction novel.
    Immediately after Chris and Jessie left,  a severe storm came out of nowhere, and sent everybody running for cover. The power in the diner flickered out. Donna went to the window to see outside. The window twisted and buckled under the shifting wind's pressure, but held firm. Dust and bits of paper blew around outside, and all of a sudden Donna felt a cold shiver run up and down her spine. She stood back. Seconds later, the diner's brand new sign swung free and crashed through the window where she had just been standing. It seemed to fall in slow motion, and Donna just stood and watched.
    The next few minutes were confusing, but time perceptively slowed as she helped people to safety. She glimpsed countless layers of history colliding within her mind. The past and future melted into one moment. It was an eerie feeling, one she could never forget.
    As abruptly as it started, the storm ended. Eureka was in a shambles, and Dan's Diner had been badly damaged. Donna stood in shock as she surveyed the wreckage. Still holding onto the mysterious black watch, she looked at the time. The digital display read: 5:59 pm.

    The storm proved to be a financial disaster for the Johnsons'. Without proper insurance coverage, Dan's Diner was closed permanently. Even though her father recovered some of the money, he decided against rebuilding. They were a fairly superstitious family, and the storm was seen as a bad omen.
    Mr. Johnson got a job as a foreman for a local construction company, but his daughter was determined to do something different with her life. She still had no intention of getting married, and being someone's secretary just seemed like subservience on another level. She was full of new ideas, but one thing held her attention: that unusual couple, and the fabulous little watch.
    As Donna experimented, she discovered more about the functions of the watch. Some of the miniature buttons performed different tasks when depressed in various sequences. It was irritating beyond belief, but she eventually found a way to stop it from emitting a high-pitched 'beep' sound every twelve hours. It turned out to be an alarm that could be controlled. Donna never showed  anyone the watch, in fact, she left it in a safe place.
    In an effort to find a similar watch, Donna traveled as far as Los Angeles. No one had ever heard of such a fantastic device, and she was often ridiculed when she described the tiny built-in calculator and alarm.  After weeks of fruitless searching, she came to a chilling conclusion: this time piece was built with knowledge that did not yet exist!
    She soon realized why Chris and Jessie had confused her so much. Her extraordinary perceptive abilities had never failed her before; and yet, she could not read these two. Everything about this couple, from the car to the watch, defied all but one explanation. As fantastic as the idea sounded, they must have come from another time. But why? And from when?
    Donna couldn't tell anyone. Her friends already considered eccentric as it was, and all her family wanted to talk about was when she planned to get married. No, this was a mystery that she had to figure out all by herself.
    Without attracting attention to herself, she asked questions about the fateful day of the storm. It wasn't hard to get people to talk about the odd couple and their futuristic little car. She was able to piece together a rough outline of their visit. Questioning Jack and his brother Ron from the Esso station was especially productive. She even managed to get a peek at a gas receipt to see that Chris' last name was 'Mills'. Everybody that came into contact with them had something to add. Despite wildly conflicting opinions, a clearer picture was forming in her mind. She was now certain that Chris and Jessie, wherever they came from, did not want to be in Eureka in 1946.
    Donna was troubled by one thing, though. The number 50 had been floating around in her head since the day she met them, but it didn't seem to have any relevance. They certainly weren't 50 years old, and it obviously wasn't either one's weight. Looking at the inscription on the back of the watch, she read the words aloud one more time:
    "Candy - 95"
    Donna had originally assumed the words referred to a make and model number, but suddenly a thought crossed her mind. What if the '95' referred to a date? Could that mean 1995? Of course! The number fifty would make sense. Chris was given the watch in 1995 by someone named Candy. They must have come from the year 1996, making them fifty years out of step with 1946. That explained the number 50. Donna smiled; she loved solving problems.

    Dust and fumes followed the Greyhound bus as it shifted gears and pulled onto the lonely highway. In the weak light of the late afternoon, Donna stared idly at the counter in this tiny bus stop. The wood was worn and recently re-varnished; it paled in comparison to her father's diner.
    Tired but happy, Donna had spent the entire day looking at the newest models of cars in a Las Vegas Dodge dealership. Just as she suspected, the 1947 versions looked nothing like the one Chris and Jessie had driven.
    Oblivious to those around her, she was enjoying a root beer and analyzing the possibility of manufacturing watches with numbers instead of hands. Although the technology wasn't available, perhaps the concept could be used in some way. She took another sip through the straw, and furled her eye brows as she thought.
    "What are you frowning about, Miss?" a man's voice interrupted.
    Donna turned around. Another clever opening line, she thought. But something was familiar about the voice.
    "Eddie!" she exclaimed. "How are you?" This was indeed a pleasant surprise. It had been six months, but there was recognition in his eyes.
    "You're the girl in the library." he said with a big smile.
    "And you're the guy who wants to make little radios!" She knew he would be flattered that she remembered that much.
    "Well...I'm not getting very far, but I have all sorts of ideas. Right now I'm looking for lighter material that will conduct and store electricity. Also, there doesn't seem to be any way to actually build circuits any smaller than they are. Oh, I hope I'm not boring you..." Eddie sat down on the stool beside her.
    "No, not at all." she said. Their knees touched, but neither one moved away. "I've been interested in the concept of multi-functional watches using digital display."
    Eddie looked shocked. He was expecting more of a flirtatious reply. "I...ah, You know an awful lot for a girl."
    "Lets get something straight," said Donna, "being a female doesn't make me less intelligent or capable than you; and being a 'girl' doesn't mean that my life's ambition is to get married, either!"
    "Sorry." He was sincere.
    "It's okay. You just have to understand that I'm a little different." She smiled again, to let him know she wasn't angry.
    "I guess that answers my next question." he said with a wry little smile.
    "What's that?"
    "Do you want to get married?"
    They laughed at the same time. Good sense of humour, thought Donna. I really like this guy.
    "Can I buy you a Soda?" Donna knew he was about to make the same offer to her, and she wanted to beat him to it.
    "Sure...I'd like that, but a gentleman is supposed to..." He saw the look on her face, and decided not to finish the sentence.
     They sat quite close to one another, and talked about their plans and schemes. It was surprising how similar they were. Neither one could settle for the world as it was. They wanted to do something with their lives; they wanted to make a difference.
    Donna decided she could trust him. She was, after all, a very good judge of character, and she sensed some kind of future with him, anyway.
    "Eddie," she started hesitantly, "I want to show you something, but it must remain a complete secret, okay?"
    "Fine..." He was intrigued but her tone.
    "Don't ask me where I got this, but I have something that may interest you." She held out the watch. After a quick demonstration of the features, she handed it to him for a closer inspection.
    "Does this run on electricity!?" Eddie was dumbfounded. "How is this possible?"
    "I don't know." Jessie lowered her voice, hoping he would follow suit. "I thought maybe you could tell me."

    Eddie had a little shop on the outskirts of Las Vegas. He repaired peoples' toasters and radios to earn a living, but his real passion was trying to miniaturize electronics. Donna was appalled by the mess and apparent lack of organization, but it seemed to function somehow.
    While Donna held her breath, Eddie carefully took off the back of the watch. To both their surprise, no springs or moving parts were in evidence, just a small metallic disk. It had a plus sign etched on one side, and a minus sign on the other. They put it aside.
    Next, he slowly pried open the layer underneath. That was a bit of a disappointment; There was nothing inside, just an extremely fine geometric design. Eddie took a powerful magnifying glass, and examined the lines. They were definitely arranged in a deliberate pattern, and must have been man-made.
    "We need a microscope," he proclaimed. "I can't see well enough with this. In the mean time, I think I've just figured out what this is." He picked up the disk. "I'll bet it's a battery."
    "Wow!" whispered Donna. "That small?"
    Sure enough, Eddies test equipment barely picked up an electrical charge. They both were excited. If that was a battery, then what were all those lines on the inside of the watch?
    "Okay," said Eddie, "you told me not to ask where you got the watch, but if we're going to work together on this project, I need some serious answers."
    It hadn't occurred to Donna that the two of them go into business, but the thought did appeal to her. After all, she had felt comfortable with him from the minute they met, so why not tell him?
    "It's from the year 1995." she blurted out.
    To her amazement, he did not look at her like she was crazy. Instead, he listened to her story intently, and without interruption. After she finished, he smiled at her.
    "Don't tell anyone else about this. Let's just keep it our secret. Maybe it's a clever joke, or maybe it's for real. But if this turns out to be what we think, then there's an opportunity to be part of something that could change man's destiny."
    Donna kissed him on his cheek. He looked surprised, but pleased.
    "That's for believing in me." Donna explained, then added "Partner."
    The next day they borrowed a small microscope. Eddie examined the back of the watch, while Donna paced back and forth.
    "What do you see?"
    "I don't believe it!" said Eddie. "This is electrical circuitry - only it's so small it's actually printed on the surface. I have no idea how they did this, but I'm going to find out."
    He put the battery back in to test the current through the circuits. The watch beeped twice, louder than usual because the back had been removed. Eddie jumped up, and fell over a chair. Donna laughed, but went over to see if he was all right.
    "Oh, ya - I forgot to tell you about the alarm. It took me two months to figure out how to control it!"
    Eddie got up and brushed himself off. He looked into the microscope again. "Hmmm...there must to be a miniature speaker in here as well. This is absolutely amazing!"
    "But can you figure out how it works?" Donna asked.
    "That's a good question." He was still staring through the microscope. "If I do, we could end up making a lot of money."

    They did make a lot of money. In fact, 'D&E Research' was a fore-runner in the field of micro circuitry by the mid-sixties. A vale of secrecy surrounded the top officers in this leading edge company. Only Donna and Eddie ever knew the truth, although rumours spread through the ranks about advanced technology taken from the lost world of Atlantis.
    With lucrative contracts from the U.S. government, there were never shortages of funds for Donna's real interest: the possibility of time travel. The amount of money being spent lead to a rift between her and Eddie. They eventually split the company up, and Donna went out on her own. She was happier without the responsibilities of shareholders, buy-outs and military concerns.
    Her new research facility worked on the possibility that genetics were partially responsible for the phenomenon of time shifting. Since she had a high degree of psychic perception herself, Donna became the primary subject in her own experiments. By now, most of the leading edge minds had given up on her. They thought she'd just gotten caught up in the mystic of the sixties. She didn't help her image much by dressing like the hippies, either.
    D&E Research, lead by a now hostile Eddie Sparks, attempted several corporate take-overs. Although these were unsuccessful, Donna retained corporate lawyers on a permanent basis. She had to fire several employees who stole documents to give to her former partner. Donna began to realize just how much people can change over the years, especially when money was involved. She also hired her first body guard.
    Donna's personal life took an interesting turn in 1967. She never married, but at the age of 41, she gave birth to a baby girl. Cassandra was her pride and joy, and a busy Donna did her best to spend time with her daughter. There was much speculation, but she would never reveal the identity of Cassandra's father. It was difficult as the child grew, but she wouldn't even discuss the subject. If she was cornered by Cassandra, Donna made up little white lies, but felt terrible for doing it.
    Little Cassandra inherited her mother's ability to read people, but unlike Donna, she learned to keep it to herself. She loved and admired her eccentric mother, and always knew she would end up working with her.

    The prestigious  M.I.T. accepted Cassandra Johnson in 1986, and she turned out to be the only female in the genetics department. Far from being intimidated, Cassandra looked forward to being in an all-boy class. She wanted to prove that she was smarter than any man.
    Come early September, it was time for Cassandra to leave for Boston. She was unsuccessful in talking Donna out of seeing her off at the airport. At age eighteen, she found that everything her mother did was an embarrassment. The airport would prove no exception.
    "Mother - why are you dressed like that? You own your own company, but your wardrobe looks like it comes directly from the Salvation Army."
    Donna smiled. She never took her daughter's criticisms seriously. "I'm comfortable in these clothes. And besides, appearance doesn't matter; it's what's on the inside that counts. I really don't know why you spend all your money on clothes."
    "I like to look my best. You never know who'll you'll meet."
    "A nice man won't judge you on how you look, dear."
    "A lot you know." Cassandra was irritated, but quickly changed her tone. "Anyway, I'm going to school to learn, not to look for a man."
    "Just be careful, and if you do decide..."
    "...Mother..."
    "Well, just use protection, that's all"
    "I can't believe you said that! It's not the fifties, you know."
    As Cassandra walked behind security, Donna felt a sense of loneliness. Her little daughter seemed to have crossed an unseen threshold when she passed through the airport's metal detector.
    Donna glanced down at her glittering Bulova watch. She smiled; it had been a birthday gift from Cassandra. But the time was 9:05 am, and she had two important meetings to attend to before noon.
   
   
    "I'll bet you're wondering how I found you." Donna stood before the shocked couple.
    "Oh, my God - it is you!" said Jessie.
    Chris turned around. Fifty years had taken their toll, but it was definitely Donna. "We were wondering if you would remember us."
    "How could I forget - this watch you gave me helped to start my own company." Donna took the now old watch out of her pocket.
    "You gave her your watch?!" Jessie looked at Chris in dismay.
    "I couldn't resist - she liked it so much."
    "Don't worry," said Donna, "you have always given me the watch."
    Chris and Jessie both looked puzzled. "I'll explain it to you later; but now I'd like to have you two come visit my lab in California. I can afford to pay you quite well, if it becomes a matter of money."
    "Sure...I guess so..." Jessie was still reeling from the shock. "When do you want us there?"
    "We leave tomorrow." Donna was very matter-of-fact.
    Chris and Jessie looked at one another. There was no immediate assignment from the magazine, and they were, after all, free-lance.
    "What d'ya think Chris - should we do it?"
    "Hmmm, California...or snow." Chris thought out loud. "California...or snow - ya, I think I can manage it!"
    "Okay. It's all set." Donna knew they would accept. "A limo will arrive to pick you up tomorrow at 8:00 am. Everything's arranged, first class, to L.A."
    "You know where we live?" asked Chris.
    "I've known for years." explained Donna, "I've being waiting for you to go back to '46 before contacting you."

    Sure enough, they each had a limousine waiting for them early the next day. Chris and Jessie didn't see each other until they met in the first class boarding lounge. They had barely returned from one confusing and exhausting adventure, and were now about to embark on another.
    "Sleep much last night, Jess?" Chris was always talkative first thing in the morning.
    "No, I was trying to figure this out."
    "Same here; and the most interesting part of all this is the time factor. To us, our little trip was three days ago. But Donna has lived fifty years of her life since then. I can only imagine how long it took for her to find us...and when she did, she had to wait until we went back in time and meet her, just so we would know who she was."
    "You just love confusing stuff like that, don't you?" Jessie smiled.
    "I do love the mystery." replied Chris, "but I'm hoping Donna has a very good explanation for all of this, at least one that I can understand!"
    "I'll understand it, but I'm sure she'll have to draw pictures for you..."
    "Will not."
    "Will too."
    "Will not."
    A boarding announcement interrupted the verbal routine, and they gathered their bags for the flight. While approaching the gate, they heard a woman's voice calling out their names. They turned, and saw a vaguely familiar face. She stared at Chris, even though she addressed them both.
    "Hi, I'm Cassandra." She got a puzzled reaction. "I guess my mother didn't tell you about me - she's so forgetful at times - I'm Donna's daughter."
    Jessie laughed. No wonder she looked familiar. But Chris and Cassandra were mesmerized by each other; there was definitely an odd kind of chemistry between them. It irritated Jessie.
    "Well, I guess we should get on the plane. We're in people's way here." Jessie's words broke the spell, and Chris looked around for his boarding pass. He had a very confused expression on his face. He wasn't the only one - Cassandra also appeared to be a little dazed.
    A very large muscular man was following them rather closely as they negotiated the cold, drafty walkway to the plane. He wore a suit, but sported an earring and a pony-tail. Chris was about to say something when Cassandra finally spoke up.
    "Oh, by the way - this is Lorenzo, my 'shadow'. Mother is worried about industrial espionage, so we all have to take a body guard whenever we travel."
    Chris and Jessie said 'hi', but he merely nodded in return.
    "Just a little shy." explained Cassandra.
    Once the airplane was airborne, Cassandra became quite serious and business-like. She told Chris and Jessie all she could about the research lab. She even hinted at the possibility of a time travel test, but was understandably hesitant. The lab was obviously a huge secret, but that didn't stop Jessie from pushing for answers.
    "What do you do at this lab, Cassandra?"
    "My field is genetics. I also study the human brain and the ability to see into the immediate future." She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice. "If controlled time travel is possible, we believe the best chance is with those people genetically pre-disposed."
    "You mean - it's in the genes?" Jessie thought about taking notes, or even getting out her tape recorder, but it didn't seem like a good idea.
    "Well, yes. But it's more complex than that. Evolution may be taking a dramatic turn. It's possible that a new breed of humans is evolving; a breed that will use the power of it's mind to literally move mountains, and eventually time shift at will."
    "That's a pretty drastic evolution." said Jessie.
    "Not that drastic. Don't forget, we humans developed out of the apes. The same apes that exist today. And yet look at the difference between our species. We are self-aware. We build things for no other reason than the appreciation of beauty. We create music because it pleases us. We have developed technology that is now beginning to rival the complexity of DNA coding, and we can destroy ourselves along with every living organism on our planet..."
    "I hear cockroaches would survive a nuclear holocaust." Chris jumped in.
    Both women looked at him. Cassandra laughed, and Jessie smiled reluctantly. Even Lorenzo cracked a smile from the seat in front.
    "Go on." said Jessie.
    "The point is this: How did a mildly successful species of semi-erect omnivores turn into such a omniscient group of animals in such a short period of time? Something in the genetics of our species went into overtime. There is no precedent for this rapid transformation, and it really stretches the basic theory of evolution: random changes being passed on from the most successful individuals to future generations. Just how or why is another matter."
    "Wow," said Jessie with a sideways glance. "you sound like Chris, are you two related by any chance?"
     Chris ignored the subtle jab. "Is that why you want Jessie and me? Because of our genetic make-up?"
    "It is quite likely, Chris." Cassandra spoke in a more relaxed tone to him. "There has to be a link between you and your recent experiences."
    "Neither one of us can see into the future." Jessie wanted control of the conversation again.
    "It may be that you have blocked the ability, or have never learned to use it. That's why we need to do tests with you. As far as we know, you two are the only people to successfully time shift; and you did it by accident."
    Jessie smiled. "Actually, Chris does a lot of things by accident!"

    After collecting their bags in Los Angeles, the travelers made their way to the front of the terminal. The heat was a huge contrast to Toronto, and the bright sun immediately rejuvenated the tired group. One by one they all checked their watches. Chris was the first to adjust for the three hour time difference, and the rest soon followed his lead.
    A huge black limo rolled up to where they stood. There was a deliberate pause; then a tinted window slowly wound down with a soft hum.
    Donna poked her head out. "Welcome to L.A."
    Cassandra laughed. "Oh, Mother - do you always have to be so dramatic about everything?" Turning to Chris and Jessie, she added: "She took the private jet last night."
    Jessie and Chris looked at each other. "Private jet?" asked Chris.
    "I just wanted to get home right away," said Donna. They all climbed into the luxurious limo. "We have a lot to do today. Cassandra, did you fill them in on what's happening here?"
    "Most of it...but I thought maybe you could explain the rest."
    There was an awkward silence.
    "I'll just come right out with it," said Donna, "we are now ready to test the world's first controlled time shift experiment. And Chris has the ideal genetic profile for our subject."
    "Hold on a minute," Jessie looked suspicious. "What do you know about Chris' genetics?"
    Cassandra answered. "I...I know it sounds kind of creepy, but we took a hair from your brush a year ago, Chris. I'm sorry, but we couldn't contact you for your permission. You have to understand one thing; there is a confusing paradox surrounding time shifting. What has happened, must always have happened. To tell someone about their future, especially when their future involves the past, is dangerous. At least it's dangerous from our frame of reference. We call this the 'Time Loop', and it should not be interfered with...does this make any sense to you?"
    "Perfect sense." replied Chris. "If you told me, and I decided not to go to Las Vegas, then your mother probably would have gone into another line of business. Maybe you wouldn't even be here right now, having this conversation."
    "You may be right in ways that you can't possibly understand." Donna couldn't resist the irony of repeating what Jessie had said to her in fifty years ago. Cassandra turned and looked at her mother quizzically. Donna let slip a brief expression of fear, but recovered quickly and changed the topic.
    "It is safe, and there are no physiological side-effects. It's of course completely up to you, Chris. I can offer you a lot of money, or a job...anything you want. But I really need you to do this for me."
    "How do you know it's safe?" Jessie was being the journalist again.
    "Good question." Cassandra thought out loud. "We have no data on this, just projected molecule mapping."
    Donna was quiet and noticeably anxious. "The experiment has already happened. Chris did go back in time, and everything was okay. I was there and saw him."
    There was absolute silence in the limousine. Even Cassandra looked confused at this new revelation.

    When they entered the research facility, a very thorough and intimidating security system met them. Chris and Jessie had their palm and voice prints taken for easier access in future visits. Jessie was perturbed by the amount of information the computer already knew, but Chris found the whole matter amusing. After clearing security, the new-comers were given the grand tour, while Cassandra hung back to talk to Donna.
    "Mother - why didn't you tell me that Chris had already made the trip? And how far back did he go?"
    Donna paused. "I couldn't tell anyone. As it is, I may have already caused a problem...I shouldn't have said anything. It's just that Chris has to go back; for all our sakes.."
    "But if he has gone back, why haven't I seen him before?"
    "It was before you were born. Now please don't ask any more questions. I will explain everything else to you as soon as I can. Okay?"
    Cassandra was hurt, but she understood the significance of the time loop. She didn't not want to interfere with their life as they knew it. Since she always trusted her mother, the subject was dropped.
    They caught up to Chris and Jessie. A lab assistant was explaining how time and space co-ordinates were input into the master switcher. Despite just having experienced time travel, both Chris and Jessie had a hard time believing this. Everybody that worked there seemed so unimpressed with this fantastic technology. It seemed like just another job to them.
    "What do you think Chris?" Donna could see his fascination.
    "This is incredible!" he replied. "And you say that I already did, or already will have entered this thing and gone back in time? Then how come I don't remember it?"
    "Because it hasn't happened yet."
    "But you remember me doing it." Chris asked.
    "Yes, but I was already there. The Chris Mills that visited me from the future would not leave any memories behind for the earlier Chris Mills. You have to go to the start of your own time loop to know it even exits." Donna sensed the explanation was getting confusing. "Anyway, you must not ask me any more. You must go back with an open mind."
    "There are a lot of 'musts' in that statement" said Jessie.
    "It's okay, Jess. I've decided to do it. In fact, I feel good about it...the whole idea seems vaguely familiar."
    Donna looked relieved. "Please ask the technicians any questions you may have about the equipment or procedures.  You may not fully understand the answers, but I want you both to be as comfortable as possible with all of this." She motioned to the banks of flickering LED lights and graphic displays on rows of monitors.
    Jessie wasn't at all comfortable. She didn't think they were being lied to, exactly, but there was definitely something strange about Chris and Cassandra. They were so much alike, and it began to bother her. Maybe it was just petty jealousy, but her instincts told her that something was out of place.

    Today was the day. Lorenzo picked up Chris and Jessie from their hotel. For a professional body guard, he seemed a little bit nervous. As they cleared the now routine security system, Lorenzo put together an actual sentence:
    "Good luck, man - don't forget to buy some shares of IBM."
    Jessie had heard the comment before, but laughed more out of surprise than anything else. At least the comment had broken the tension. They entered a room labeled 'Controlled Staging' and two massive steel doors slammed shut behind them. The sound echoed for a few seconds.
    Since Chris had undergone all the necessary tests and training, he was eager to get it over with. The pressure was beginning to mount in his mind. Although he had many questions for Donna about what she knew, he didn't ask. It was a matter of pride for him: he wanted to appear calm and relaxed.
    "How do you feel Chris?" Jessie tried not to look too concerned.
    "I'm okay." He replied. But then with a serious tone. "Anything you'd like me to change while I'm back in 1967? Warn the other Beatles about Yoko Ono?"
    "You just do as you're told, and get your butt back here." laughed Jessie.
    Donna and Cassandra came in the room. They were engaged in a technical conversation, but stopped to see how Chris was doing.
    "Why is everybody worried about how I feel? You keep telling me how easy this is. And besides, I've already done it, remember?"
    "None-the-less," said Donna, "Nobody has seen you leave from this end yet. The start of your time loop is still a few minutes away."
    "This sure is a confusing line of work." said Jessie.
    While Chris was busy preparing over the past few days, Jessie and Cassandra had become friends. There was an under-current of competition between the two women, but it didn't seem to interfere with the friendship. They had one thing in common: concern for the safety of Chris Mills.
    "You're sure about this?" Jessie asked for the tenth time.
    "There has never been any genetic or molecular variation in the control variables," replied Cassandra, "he can't possibly get hurt by entering the porthole..."
    Neither woman felt any better about the experiment.
    There was a sudden vibration on the floor as the big power conductor switched on. It wouldn't be long now. The noise level of everything seemed to increase, and the air pressure was dropping. Chris smiled at both Cassandra and Jessie as he approached the double red line painted on the floor.
    Donna shouted last minute instructions to him: "When you feel yourself losing consciousness, don't fight it. You will wake up fine on the other side. Good luck."   
    Chris looked around, his expression betrayed an uncharacteristic nervousness. The pressure in the room continued to drop, and ears were popping. Static electricity jumped around the room. It was time to go; the digital clock had counted down to 5, and now seemed to slow: 4 - 3 - 2, Chris stepped into the porthole. There was a blinding flash of green and purple light, and a high-pitched tearing sound.
    And he was gone.
    "Good luck." whispered Jessie.
    Cassandra turned to her mother. "He'll be okay, won't he?"
    Donna paused, she was in deep thought. Slowly turning to her daughter, she hesitated, then spoke:
    "Okay, this is the reason I couldn't tell you until now. Everything about this experiment relied on Chris going back with an open mind. Had he known what I'm about to tell you - had anybody known - your very existence could have been threatened. I just couldn't risk that."
    Cassandra was puzzled and impatient. "Why?"
    Donna put her hands on Cassandra's shoulders, and looked her squarely in the eyes. Everyone in the room focused on mother and daughter as Donna spoke:
     "Cassandra...Chris is your father."