EMIT (THE EMIT SAGA) (38 page)

“A few, but the issues have been corrected. The main problem is making sure the machines s where they are programmed to go.”

“
Have they been seen?” I asked.

Daniel said, “Yeah
a few times, but there were two major sightings where lot of people saw.”

“Recently?”

“No, the worst one happened on July 7, 1947 and was one of the reasons my father had to come to DC to take over the Time Travel program at the CIA. Do you know anything about the Roswell incident?”

“The UFO story with aliens?” I had read something about that.

“Yes, but it wasn’t a UFO. It was the first attempt to launch a traveling time machine. At the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico, they sent a test machine to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California. It was to appear at the 7000-acre remote experimental test site, called Site 300. Something went wrong and the time machine appeared 226 miles away in Roswell, New Mexico. The agent was found dead inside, shriveled and aged beyond recognition and that started the UFO stories. James showed me the pictures after it was recovered and it did look like an alien.”

“W
hy was your dad called to DC?”

“A lot of the scientists in DC were sent to Los Alamos after the Roswell fiasco, so Dad was moved to DC to be in charge of the Time Travel program there,” he explained. “Last year, they finally thought all the kinks were worked out, but just in case they decided to do the test in Europe not wanting another Roswell problem. A traveling Time Machine was sent to the Piedmont area in Italy from London. Again, something went wrong and it appeared in the South of France. They got it out of there, but France went crazy with UFO sightings.”

“Wow, people actually saw it?”

“Yeah,
there were some witnesses that reported an object touched down, left scorch marks and zoomed off. The truth was that it appeared and disappeared, but that wasn’t reported.”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I guess that would
sounded too crazy, so no one admitted seeing it disappear.”

“I still can’t believe that this hasn’t leaked out.”

“Only high-ranking personnel who pass security clearance procedures are permitted near the machines. There are retina screenings, finger print checks. No one can get in without proper identification. Besides, even if there was a breach, we could go back in time and correct it.”

“Hopefully, you won’t have to correct telling me.”

“Me too, but I wanted you to know everything before I left.”

I didn’t know what to say. I had no idea what would happen when Daniel went into the future. I hoped that nothing would change, but
that was out of my control.

Trying to change the now somber mood, I asked, “1947, huh? It’s taking a really long time
?”

“Yeah, it is. With stationary time machines, the locations are locked, but with a moving machine there are many variables to deal with. It should be a fait accompli by next summer since the traveling time machines in the future are working.”

“Can’t they send one from the future?” I asked.

Daniel appeared impressed with my suggestion
. “No, the traveling machine is too big, but some scientists are recommending we built one huge time machine for just such issues.” Before I could ask another question, he said, “Come on, enough of this. Let’s go have some fun.”

“Please, just a little more,” I begged.

Daniel sighed and nodded his head for me to continue.

“But if it’s traveling around, aren’t people going to see it?”

“Hopefully not. That’s the reason it’s taken this long to perfect it. An agent will exit the machine and press a button and it will disappear to the lab. When the agent needs the machine to return, it will reappear.”

“Where would that button be? A cell?
What happens if you get caught?”

“You’re right and that’s why the device will be implanted into the earlobe.”

“Won’t that hurt?”

“It’s very
small. Let’s get some gelato.”

“What does EMIT stand for?” I asked not moving.

“This is the last question,” he insisted and I agreed. “Our team initially was part of a group called Echelon. For security issues and to hide our existence, our division was named E.M.I.T-Echelon-Matrix of Intelligence Travelers. EMIT spelled backwards is time.”

“Wow! I didn’t realize that!”

“That’s it. Let’s get out of the car,” Daniel ordered.

I could’ve sat there and listened to him all night. This story was just so incredible. While we crossed the street, we held hands and his touch made me tingle. He was the most amazing person and the thought of him leaving was making me more anxious by the minute.

“Do you have to go?” I asked. Daniel stopped a few feet from the entrance and twirled me to face him. His eyes stared into my soul and he kissed me right on the lips. It was a fast kiss but I almost fainted. This was the first time his lips came anywhere near mine.

“I’ll miss you too. I’m so accustomed to seeing you every day, even when you hated me.” He noticed that I was breathless. “Are you okay?”

“Your kiss just knocked me out, that’s all.”

He gave me quick kiss and I couldn’t stop smiling. “Well, at least you’re not gloomy anymore,” he grinned.

“After that kiss, why would I be?” I said blushing.

He laughed. “Let’s go
inside.”

The store was crowded as it usually was during the summer months. I got a chocolate and stracciatella while Daniel got coffee and caramel. We walked down to the pier and saw a long line of people waiting to get into Claudio’s. Winding around the back, we sat on a bench near the carousel and watched the kids scream trying to grab the brass rings.

After I told Daniel about all the times Lily and I made our parents bring us, he pulled me up and tried to lead me inside.

“What are you doing?” I squirmed, trying to plant my feet firmly, so I wouldn’t move.

“Come on, let’s have some fun.”

“
Okay,” I laughed. “Why not?”

We picked horses side by side and
Daniel helped me on.

B
usy enjoying each other’s company, we didn’t grab at the rings not wanting to make any kids angry. The carousel was inside a glass structure and with the dark night sky outside and the lights shining inside, it was magical.

After four
rides, I had enough and I walked out feeling a little dizzy. “That was fun. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, and you were right,
I did feel like a kid.” Daniel scooped me up in his arms and carried me until I begged him to put me down.

We
stopped at a coffee shop. Daniel got coffee and a sparkling water for me. We sat on bench out front and I started to think about him being here from the past.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course, you can ask me anything.”

“Where do you prefer being?”

“What do you mean?

“Your time or here?”

“Well, that should be perfectly clear to you, I prefer being here with you.” My heart jumped and I couldn’t help smiling. “My life is here now with you. Never forget that.”

I looked at his beautiful face. “I’m so happy you said that.”

“I’m glad.” He looked at his watch and said, “We have an hour what do you want to do?”

“Can w
e go to the Causeway Beach until I have to go home?”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” he joked.

Walking to the car, we both were extremely quiet and I started worrying again. “Daniel, I’ll understand if you have to change things.”

“
Let’s hope for the best. Now, let’s have fun on our last night on Long Island together.”

Our ride back was quiet. T
hank goodness for the radio. Arriving at the beach, we saw a couple walking a dog, heading away from us. It looked like Laura Burke and Cheddar. The man must be her husband.

Daniel retrieved a towel from the trunk and we walked down to the water and sat down. It was dark
, but the stars twinkled overhead.

I looked at Daniel and he started to kiss me. It was the most amazing, tender and loving kiss. I didn’t want it to stop. My heart was pounding and my blood was racing. I couldn’t breathe; the kiss was so intense that I felt dizzy. I
almost fell back on the towel and he grabbed me.

“You okay?” he smiled.

“No.”

“I wanted
to kiss you for so long, but couldn’t because I wasn’t honest with you.”

He cradled my face in his hands and kissed me again. We clung to each other as we shut the world and all the drama out. We were in our own bubble and no one could hurt us or keep us apart. I clung to the possibilities and forgot the worries. We lay down on the towel and watched the stars above. We began kissing again and I felt such a rush of emotions and sensations course through my body. Kissing him was more than I could’ve ever imagined. Things got a little heated. Daniel abruptly stopped and sat up.
Why did he stop?

“Let’s start heading back. Okay?”

He tried to look at me, but I was covering my face. “Are you okay? Did I hurt your arm?”

All the emotions I’d been feeling since I’d met him, all the drama, the secrets, they had all just exploded and tears were streaming down my face. He didn’t say anything. He just hugged me and let me cry.

When we got to the driveway, he pulled me close and gave me another kiss. My breathing intensified and I hoped he wouldn’t leave.

“I want you to promise me something,” I said.

“What?”

“
If you need to change things, you’ll still stay and be a part of my life even though I won’t know your secrets.”

“I told you before, I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’m holding you to that.”

Daniel walked me to the door and
said, “Please be careful.”

“I will. I’ll miss you. Maybe with you gone, I’ll get my poetry reading done.”

Daniel played with my hair and said, “Poetry, huh? One of my favorite quotes is ‘Love is the poetry of the senses.” That was apropos because everything about him was poetry to my senses.

“That’s beautiful. Who wrote it?” I asked. “You?”

“No, a French novelist named Honoré de Balzac did,” he said. “It’s time for you to go in.”

We kissed and I went inside in a state of bliss. I couldn’t believe that I had almost walked, no ran, away from him today.

Mom was watching TV and asked about the movie. I told her that we just went to Greenport and said goodnight. My cell rang. It was Daniel, so I ran upstairs.

“
Hi. I’m happy that today turned out the way it did. I was really worried. Sleep well. We’ll talk in the morning.” What a beautiful voice!

I couldn’t sleep so I started scribbling a song and called it ‘A Little Different.

Gasoline rainbows and laughter on the saddest of days,

They're beautiful to me in all of the strangest ways.

They're perfect like the gentle way you push the hair out of my eyes

Before you lean in and kiss me for a bittersweet goodbye. 

Well maybe it's clear to you like it is to me.

I happen to see things slightly differently.

And your friends, all of them, they say I've changed you,

But why does that matter cuz I know for a fact that you've changed me too.

I'm not the same as when I met you. 

And guess what? I think I like it.
 

Who cares if we're a little different?

Who cares if we're not what they say is okay?

We don't need to listen.

We might be messed up in their worlds,

But we're just perfect in my world. 

Then of course there are those who have a few more decades than us

And they say it can take a lifetime to build love and trust.
 

They dismiss teenage relationships as crushes that won't ever last.

But what if this crush is one that just won't pass?

They say that romance ain't what it used to be

And that the love letter was killed by technology.
 

But I couldn't live without the thousands of texts that we send

Or the hours of time on the phone that we spend.

The hours of time that we spend.
 

The hours of time that we...

Who cares if we're a little different?

Who cares if we're not what they say is okay?

We don't need to listen.

We might be messed up in their worlds,