Tempus Fugitive Read Online Free Page A

understand this one.’
    ‘Look it’s this or nothing,’ she said.  ‘In or out?’
    ‘I don’t suppose I’ve got any choice,’ he sighed.  ‘Okay, I’ll get on it.’  He sat at the computer and began typing.  ‘I hate doing this,’ he said, ‘it always leads to trouble.’
    ‘We’re already in trouble,’ said Tamar dryly.
    ‘That’s what I heard,’ said a voice behind her, she spun round.
    ‘Jack!’ she squealed in delight.  ‘What are you doing here?’
    ‘Hecaté,’ he indicated her.  ‘Your little time freeze didn’t affect her, so she unfroze me and we thought you might need some help.’  He shrugged.
    He nodded to Denny.  ‘All right mate?’ 
    Denny shrugged. ‘Okay,’ he said, ‘considering.  I guess it’s my turn to have a mad god trying to kill me.’
    ‘Uh, huh, well, anything we can do …  What are you up to?’
    ‘Hacking,’ said Denny, laconically.
    Tamar explained.
    ‘Sounds – confusing,’ Stiles said, non-committally.
    ‘It sounds extremely dangerous and foolish,’ said Hecaté.  ‘Jack, I do not wish for you to go.’   
    ‘I don’t think you should either,’ said Tamar   unexpectedly.  She had a great respect for Stiles.
    ‘Why not?’  Stiles was hurt.
    ‘Because I think you might be more use here.  We might need somebody to sort of co-ordinate from here.  If we get in, that is.’
    ‘Explain?’
    ‘Oh, yes, yes, I see,’ said Hecaté before Tamar could open her mouth.  ‘That would make it safer.’
    ‘Would it now?’ said Denny.  ‘And what would we have done if Jack hadn’t turned up?’
    ‘Risked it,’ said Tamar.
    ‘I still don’t know what you expect me to do,’ said Stiles.
    ‘I do,’ said Hecaté.  ‘It is probably better if I do it.  You go with them if you want to,’ she added unexpectedly.  ‘I know that you do.’
    ‘And what are you going to do?’
    Hecaté rolled her eyes.  ‘Always with the questions,’ she said.  ‘I will track historical anomalies, so that I always know where you are, and I can pull you out if you get into trouble.’
    ‘Pull us out how?’
    ‘I would have to enter the file to retrieve you.’
    ‘But how would you find us?’
    ‘I will know where you are,’ she said impatiently. ‘ You will be the anomaly.’
    Stiles nodded, satisfied ‘That’s if I’m going,’ he looked at Tamar and Denny questioningly.
    Tamar nodded.  ‘It’s okay, with me,’ she said.
    ‘And it’s okay with him,’ said Denny.
     
     ‘I found it,’ said Denny.  ‘One deleted file ready and waiting, what now?’
    Tamar looked at the screen.  ‘I’m not sure, I think we go in, like before.’
    ‘You think!  What if you’re wrong?’
    ‘Okay, hit “escape” and see what happens.’
    They lost the file. 
    ‘Damn! Damn, damn, damn, damn, DAMN!’  Tamar was making the most of her favourite word.
    ‘Calm down,’ admonished Denny.  ‘I’ll get it back, just as soon as the screen clears.’   
    ‘What’s it doing?’ asked Stiles, interestedly.  He was trying to keep the relief out of his voice.
    ‘I don’t know, I think maybe I crashed it.’
    The screen was sort of – fizzing, not like a snowy TV screen, but more like a carbonated drink, it looked like the actual screen was bubbling, and if there was an image there, then it was badly distorted.  It was kind of worrying.
    Tamar was pacing the room furiously, and it was a large room. She was moving so fast she was practically a blur.  Denny tried to catch her by the arms; it was like trying to catch a psychotic windmill.
     ‘Tamar!  Tamar !  Stop it!  If it crashes then we go and get another one, and try again.  The screen bleeped, and they stopped and turned – Tamar stopped so suddenly that her feet created scorch marks on the floor.  The screen had cleared, and there, clear as a crystal ball, were the words.
    < WELCOME TO MAINFRAME >
    Tamar whooped.  ‘YES! We did it, oh we did it, we – did it.  Well,