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Bromley South Railway Station, Bromley, Kent
Ari and Cadence arrived back in 2029 within two seconds of each other.
About three dozen people were on the platform, waiting for the next train. Cadence nodded towards Danuska Stepánková.
“Keep out of it this time, Aristotle Dunn. Or I will kill you.”
A train approached, its electric motor humming and its wheels clickety-clacking as they rumbled over the track joints, accompanied by a light screeching of brakes. Books were put away into bags and earpods adjusted as people prepared to board the train as soon as it stopped.
Ari scanned the group of people on the platform and watched as Cadence moved behind Danuska.
The train continued to approach.
Danuska moved forward.
Cadence moved forward.
Ari felt an urge to move forward and gripped the side of the board that held the train timetable to prevent himself from doing so.
The train continued to approach.
In her excitement, Danuska inadvertently crossed the yellow line that was painted on the platform.
Cadence moved closer still.
The train continued to approach.
The front of the train was almost level with Danuska.
Cadence was right behind Danuska.
Ari forced himself to stay where he was.
Cadence gave Danuska a shove and the Czech lost her balance, falling towards the tracks.
The train wasn’t able to stop in time.
People on the platform shouted and screamed and rushed forwards to see a tangled mass of flesh and bones where the train wheels had crushed her.
Cadence walked back to Ari as if nothing had happened.
“It had to be done. I’m sorry but I have to think about the future.”
Ari was momentarily frozen with shock at the event he had just witnessed.
Cadence slapped his cheek hard and he dragged himself out of his stupor. She glared at him.
“I suggest we go back to our respective Temporal Affairs HQs. I need to give a progress report and you need to convince your guys to back off and let me finish my job. We’ll meet at 09:30 on Tuesday 20 August 1991 in the reception area of the Bournemouth Convention Centre. Ryan Chandler’s father will be attending a seminar there about, rather ironically, the future of the human race. Agreed?”
Ari reluctantly agreed.
“09:30 on Tuesday 20 August 1991. I will be there.”