Chapter 11

 

 

Gravity worked. Newton's law was right.

They were plummeting toward the earth.

In the instant it took, he held his breath, closed his eyes and pulled the cord. He expected to fall hard and fast. When the chute deployed, the jolting uplifts shot them like a cannonball higher into the sky. It terrorized him, especially to be dropped moments later with such force he thought the bindings would surely break. Tranquility immediately followed. Nothing but the sound of air rushing over his ears. Finally exhaling, he looked up to the green-and-white material puffed out above them. Damnedest thing. It worked.

Jack held Mairie so tightly to his chest, his natural fear of the unknown and desire to protect her almost made him forget the 'reins' he needed to guide the chute. They dangled out in front of them. Pull the left to go left, the right to go to the right.

In spite of it all, he remembered.

Except for riding a horse or traveling in a wagon, his feet had been on the ground his entire life. He slowly eased his hands away. For just that second, letting go of Mairie scared him more than anything else. Hands trembling, he reached out and grasped the handles. Looking down to the earth made him dizzy, so he attempted to focus on the task before him.

He pulled on the left handle.

His vision altered as they turned slightly toward a different view of sky. The clouds he had been using to provide cover now danced so closely. Close enough he thought to reach out and touch them. He didn't even notice when it began… the easing of gripping fear. Perhaps that's why his gaze lowered to the mountains. His dizziness was gone, replaced by awe.

This was living a vision quest.

From somewhere in his mind, he saw himself days ago. Sitting quietly on the tallest mountain in his world, looking out over this valley, feeling at one with Mother Earth. But now… this was like being nature. This must be what the eagle and the hawk felt. Maps couldn't do this justice. How could a drawing ever define what he was seeing?

This was being alive.

He pulled the right handle and felt an almost childish delight in the graceful drift in the other direction. He forgot they were falling at a speed he had never thought a human could experience. All he could think, in that glorious timeless instant, was he was part of something so much larger than he ever imagined. Something exciting and creative… his mind was expanding beyond anything he could have ever conceived.

Suddenly the vision quest turned into a nightmare.

White light flashed around them, blinding him at once. In terror, he seized Mairie to his chest as something, some heat, entered his body, racing along his spine and sending an unfamiliar tingling sensation everywhere. He immediately thought he had died, and a part of him wondered how he could think at all if he were dead. His heart slammed against the wall of his chest, as though it might explode through, and his dizziness returned with a vengeance. Clutching Mairie in desperation, he fleetingly thought that death awaited them both, and wasn't all that surprised to see his vision narrow in darkness as he allowed the dizziness to take over and cover in him in soft, welcoming shadows.

It was the perfect silence and the warmer wind that brought him out of it. Jack jerked his head upright and he felt the life force surge through his body. Mairie was still unconscious and he immediately grabbed the handles. He looked down to the ground and saw the earth was much closer. Turning to the mountains, Jack pulled harder on the handle and caught his breath at the back of his throat.

What he saw defied explanation.

Strange lights glittered through the hazy sunlight, and they were coming from… from a city of some sort. He had never seen such a large settlement. Pulling the handle harder, they turned sharply and he came fully around. The mountains were still in the same place, but this… this city… where was this? It seemed from another world.

He had no more time to worry about strange lights and buildings as the ground appeared to be racing toward them.

Pull both handles down hard between the legs.

The command repeated in his head. Those were the last of the instructions. Taking a deep breath, he mustered all his strength and pulled down hard. It seemed to be slowing the descent and he held the downward force as long as he could. When he let up, he felt their bodies falling through the air with more speed and again pulled down. How could he pull all the way between their legs? He couldn't. Not with Mairie attached in front of him. What was he going to do now?

There was no time to ponder the question.

To hell with pulling between the legs. He'd do it at his sides.

He pushed down and held it for so long that the muscles in his arms started trembling, yet he kept up the pressure. Closer and closer the earth came, and Jack thought for certain they would be crushed. He looked up to the green-and-white material and saw that it was narrowing as Mairie had said and knew he had to apply more pressure. From somewhere within him he had to find the strength to pull the lines harder.

Instinctively he raised his legs and brought both arms down straight below his sides narrowing the chute as much as possible. He growled in a primal voice of desperation as his arms shook with the strain. It was working… the descent was more graceful, yet he felt unsure he could keep it up until they were on the ground.

The brown desert floor, dotted with sagebrush, flew past his vision and he again felt the incredible, fleeting sensation of being a bird… on its awkward first flight. As landing became imminent, he growled again, knowing he had to pull out any last reserves of strength if they hoped to make it alive. Everything, every single thought and sinew of his body, was focused on landing this contraption.

He knew it was possible, Mairie had done it.

The last thing he recalled were his boots slamming into the ground, and he was sure his ankles broke with the impact as pain shot up his body and rammed into the top of his skull. Suddenly he was jerked backward and his legs crumpled under them. His back and head hit the sand as Mairie flopped like a rag doll against his chest. For the second time on this flight, darkness overtook him.

He passed out.

 

Mairie felt bruised and battered. Her head hurt like hell and she couldn't breathe. She lifted her chin up and gasped for air. She opened her eyes just the slightest bit. The pain increased and she immediately shut them in defense. Her chest ached and she forced her arms to move. Slowly placing her hands in the hot sand, she attempted to raise herself. Everything hurt, and something was restricting her from getting up. She squeezed her eyelids tightly, then opened them to find herself face to face with a lifeless Jack. Her hand felt a rope at her breasts and around her back. Why was she tied up… and to him? Fear slammed into her.

"Jack…" She breathed his name and touched his jaw. "Wake up. Did Harmon get us?" Fear and confusion overrode the pain and she commanded her brain to think clearly. Why were they like this? She looked down to his chest and saw the thick knot of rope and immediately began to free herself. She had to get Jack away from Harmon. Even as she was struggling with the intricate knot, a part of her wondered why Harmon would leave her arms free to untie herself and Jack. Maybe he thought they were dead.

It never occurred to her.

Terror raced through her system. He couldn't… Jack couldn't be dead.

"Jack!" Desperate, she again called out his name as she scrambled to untangle the last few slips of the knot. Finally free, she pulled the rope from her shoulders and back and with a quick look around her, Mairie started slapping Jack's cheeks.

"Wake up. You can't be dead." She threw her head against his chest and had to hold her breath in order to hear his heart.

It was pumping, and she felt his chest expand with his shallow breathing.

"Okay, then wake up," she cried, and shook his shoulders. "C'mon, Jack. Get up… get up, get up…"

He moaned lightly and Mairie froze in mid shake, her eyes clouded by a film of tears. "Please, Jack… please wake up. That's right, you can do it. I'm here, right here and I need you. We have to get up. Now, Jack… right now. Come on…"

His eyelids fluttered once and he moaned louder.

"Yes, that's it. Come on. Wake up." She tapped his cheek lighter this time. "Jack… it's Mairie. Wake up!"

"All right," he mumbled. "Stop… yelling."

Stunned for a moment, Mairie stared at him and then broke into a soft smile. "You're okay… Thank God, you're okay… I thought you might be—" She stopped herself short with the thought and continued in a whisper, "Jack, what happened? All I remember… we were talking in front of the cave… and… and I was about to jump… then I saw this really strange look on your face, Jack… and I don't remember anything else. What happened? Did Harmon get us?" She began frantically to look around them. "Damn. We've got to get up and get away from here. Open your eyes, Jack. We've gotta move now."

He opened his eyelids and blinked a few times as another painful moan escaped his lips. Mairie winced, sure he was injured somehow, but time was of the essence here. "What happened? Tell me, Jack. What the hell happened? Where's Harmon?"

"Harmon… he's not here anymore… at least, I'm pretty sure he's not with us. He was on the mountain just behind us when—ahh…" Pain wracked his body as he attempted to sit up. "I think I'm going to have to rest here a few minutes more." He fell back down with a groan.

"Jack, I need to know what happened. Please tell me." Her voice was frustrated.

She could only stare and force her mind to function as she listened to his two words.

"I jumped."

It took time to assimilate his muttering. "You did what? You… jumped?"

He nodded and sucked his breath in sharply between his teeth. "Yes, I jumped," he repeated, with emphasis on the last word.

"Jumped?" Her brain couldn't get past it, until something new started to register.

A distant noise grew in rapid intensity and Mairie clutched Jack to her as the ground started to vibrate with the thunderous roar. This was no freight train. An earthquake?

"Wha…? What…?" Jack brought his hand up and grabbed her sleeve.

Mairie didn't know who was holding whom for protection. They anchored themselves together to face whatever force was about to descend on them.

"Oooohhh, shit!"

She didn't hear Jack's loud objection. They instinctively released each other to cover their ears in protest of the engine's shattering squeal. The air felt still as they gaped up to see the huge white belly of a jetliner flying toward the earth.

An airplane.

She tried to make her brain function, but she was frozen in shock.

"What the hell was that?" Jack demanded. He sounded wide awake now.

"An airplane," she managed to whisper, since it was the only cognitive thought she could muster.

She turned her head and stared after the plane heading for a landing at McCarren airport.

It's… an… airplane, she repeated slowly in her mind. An airplane!

She was back.

Joy surged through her body, replacing shock.

She was back!

She forgot about the pain as she scrambled out of the rope and sat up. Looking around her for the first time, she saw that the desert extended further to the mountains. They didn't land in the same spot, but they had landed.

She looked down to the man before her who was still staring into the sky, as though he'd lost all ability to speak.

"Jack… I'm home," she whispered.

He didn't say anything and continued to stay frozen in shock. She waved her hand in front of his eyes to remind him he was conscious.

"Jack, didn't you hear me? I'm home!"

He blinked and barely turned his head to stare into her eyes.

"What… the… hell… was… that?"

She giggled and had to stop herself. "I told you. An airplane."

"You… you threw yourself out one of those?"

Why did he look and sound like he was about to throw up? Mairie wondered. She dropped beside him. "Not like that, exactly," she said and again put her hands on his shoulders.

"Who cares?" she exclaimed and giggled again. "Don't you get it? I'm back! We did it. We did it. We—" She stopped short and stared at him for a few prolonged seconds. "Ahh, how did we do it? We got to my original landing sight?"

What had happened up there by that cave? All she recalled was talking to Jack and then… it was all a blank from there.

"I jumped," he repeated while looking back to the sky, as if not believing it himself.

"Did I faint?" She remembered the feeling when the sunstroke hit her, but she didn't remember anything about this.

"Harmon shot your horse and you fell and hit your head. You were out."

She took in the information and started putting it together. "And… and you tied me to you and… and… you jumped? You jumped?"

He simply nodded, as though even that was taking more effort than he wanted to expend.

"You saved my life."

He closed his eyes and she fell forward to hug him. Hearing his rush of breath leave his chest, Mairie quickly sat upright. "My God, I can never repay you. You brought me back to my own time, to my brother. We can do this now. We can help him. How can I ever thank you?" Even the word thank seemed inadequate. There should be something, some expression, to describe the magnitude of her gratitude.

"You can hold your hands over my ears," he muttered, then groaned. "Here comes another of your air-planes."

It took them some time to get Jack upright, and Mairie knew they had to move out of the runway flight path as there would be another plane in a few minutes. Jack was bruised and rattled, as she led him north away from the mountains. She had already gathered the parachute and had hidden it behind some brush, since neither had the strength to carry it. For Mairie to support Jack, who had thrown his arm around her shoulders and leaned on her in order to walk, it was enough. She would do anything, whatever it took to help him. He had saved her life … and sacrificed his own.

That thought slammed into her when they had begun to walk. Jack had left behind his life. She couldn't get him back to his own time. He had left his Paiute brothers and the peace he was desperately hoping to find with them. Her love for the man increased a thousandfold. How courageous to leap off that mountain… just on her word that it would work. And he did it for her. She knew that without even asking. Jack Delaney would have stayed and fought it out with Harmon to the death.

"I saw… something," he said through strained breaths, as they slowly walked under the intense sun. "A city… something, when I was landing. It had… lights… strange lights."

"Las Vegas," she automatically answered. "That's what I had hoped to see, instead of O.D.'s place when I fainted. I know the feeling, only in reverse, Jack."

"Wait… you are telling me that in one hundred and twenty-two years, O.D.'s small ranch has turned into that?"

She nodded, shifting her shoulder to accept more of his weight. "I know it's hard to imagine, but it's true."

"This is… is… it's unbelievable, Mairie."

"This is the present, Jack. My present and your future." She wanted to hug him in sympathy, but knew she couldn't. "Now you're the time traveler."

In silence they walked further through the desert. They stopped several times to catch their breath and finally Mairie spied a cottonwood tree that could provide some shade. They needed to get out of the merciless desert sun. Although he was acclimated to the desert, the time travel had taken more out of him, and Jack was fading fast.

She helped him sit down, with his back leaning against the trunk, and sat cross-legged in front of him. "I wish I had some water to give you." How her heart ached, to see him in such pain. She knew they couldn't walk any longer in the sun. Especially Jack, since he had taken the brunt of the fall.

"I should have tied the canteen to myself when I jumped, but I wasn't thinking of anything except getting to the floor of the desert."

She smiled tenderly. "Oh, Jack, you did an incredible thing, something I can never repay. You left your time to bring me to mine."

Leaning his head back against the tree, he sighed before closing his eyes. "I didn't know what time it was, or that this would happen, Mairie. I only wanted you to get to the spot where you had landed. Where you said you could get back to the future. This… this was not a noble gesture."

She sighed and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Still… what courage it took, Jack. I'm in awe. I know what it took for me to jump out of that plane and I had training."

He laughed. In spite of his bruised body, his shock, his fatigue… he laughed. "I had training. Your frantic instructions before Harmon shot the horse. Thanks to you, we're here."

"That bastard," she muttered. "He shot my horse." Shaking her head, her heart filled with remorse for the animal.

"You fell and were knocked out. I dragged you into the cave and that's when I came up with this brilliant plan. Seems the Coyote had a hand in this, too. The future…"

She was glad to see a smile still on his face, for she knew he was exhausted. His eyes were closed and his breathing became steady. Within moments he fell asleep, and Mairie sat before him, studying his face. They might as well just stay in the shade until the sun started to set. Without water, neither of them had the strength to make much progress. It would be better to travel at night, she thought. Besides, she couldn't be sure if Harmon made it back or not, and he might be out there looking for them. Or maybe someone from the government would be watching for them. She had waited this long to contact Bryan. She could wait until tonight when she would find a way into the city and locate him.

She studied Jack's jaw and saw the shadow of his beard in contrast to his pale cheeks. He needed this rest. What was he going to think of the world a hundred years into his future? She knew how she had felt in his time, but at least she had some reference by reading books. There was nothing to prepare him for the shock he would endure. All she could do was hold his hand and walk him through it.

She was back.

The thought raced through her mind and she wanted to shout out with happiness. How could she sleep when every nerve in her body was active and alive with gratitude? She couldn't. She simply sat and looked at the man who had altered her life… her past, her present, and now her future.

She loved him.

And she couldn't let him know it… at least, not yet. She knew from personal experience that Jack would need time to adapt to her present and now, his future. He deserved that time, she thought, imagining his reaction to modern Las Vegas. To blurt out her love for him and overload his emotions would be unfair. Smiling with tenderness, she vowed to be patient.

 

The huge orange ball of the setting sun appeared to be resting on the crests of Spring Mountain, and the air became cooler as the shadows grew longer. Mairie and Jack continued their trek through the desert, arm in arm, leaving the mountains behind. Neither spoke much, conserving energy, and Mairie wondered how long it would take before they reached some sign of civilization.

It seemed hours had passed. Her mouth was so dry. Every muscle in her body rebelled at movement, yet she continued without protest. She felt she had to support Jack any way she could. If he, injured as he was, could endure this in silence… so could she.

But a part of her was wondering how he was doing it… from where did this man draw his incredible strength? She remembered his Indian brothers and his inner knowledge of Mother Earth. She knew Jack Delaney was a rare man.

She looked up to the sky and saw stars beginning to appear.

Immediately she remembered sweet Fenton. What had he said to her? Follow the North Star. It would lead her home. Spying it, she smiled while thinking of the boy. How precious those memories… she would keep them all, priceless jewels to treasure for a lifetime.

The sound of something registered in her brain and her mental rambling ceased as she concentrated. It was distant and then came closer, a whooshing sound…

Cars.

Energy surged through her body. "Jack!" Her voice was hoarse, a mere whisper. "We're gonna make it. There's a road up ahead."

He simply nodded. So great was her need to cross the last rise in front of them to verify the road, Mairie wanted to run, yet she continued to step slowly in unison with him. Patience, her mind commanded. It's there… it has to be there.

With great effort, they cleared the incline and together held their breath at the top. One of them, in relief; the other, in disbelief.

A steady stream of traffic raced on Interstate 15 and Mairie almost sobbed with appreciation. She had never been so grateful to see cars and trucks. She wanted to hug each driver, to shout out her joy.

"What are those?" Jack demanded in a raspy voice.

Turning to look at his shocked expression, Mairie grinned. "Cars. Trucks. Ahh… vehicles of transportation. Instead of horses and wagons."

"What powers such… such things?" His expression remained incredulous.

She wanted to laugh. "Gasoline. Oil, from under the earth. I can't explain it, Jack. Let's just get down there so I can flag one of them down."

"Look at how fast they are going! I… I'm going to get in one of them?"

She laughed. She couldn't help it. He sounded like a little kid about to ride a roller coaster for the first time. "Yes, Jack. With any luck we'll both hitch a ride into Las Vegas. Come on…" she urged. "This is my world. Trust me."

"Your world is foreign, Mairie."

She turned her head and saw fear in his expression. She knew how he felt. "Listen, Jack," she whispered, "once I realized I was back in time, in your time, I recognized that you were the expert, and I should follow you. When we left the ranch, you were in charge. I thought of myself as your copilot…" Realizing he couldn't relate to the term, she added, "… your relief wagon driver; I had to follow your lead. You're going to have to make that same adjustment now. This is my time, Jack, and I know what I'm doing. You're going to have to trust me. I would never put you in danger."

Taking a deep breath, he nodded. "Just explain everything as we go, and…" He paused, putting his arm around her shoulder. "I do trust you, Mar."

She slipped her arm around his waist and hugged him lightly. "Thank you, Jack," she replied, and they began their descent into modern civilization.

She could feel the tension in Jack's body increase as they neared the road. The noise from the traffic became louder, and several times he stopped and took a deep breath. She knew even if he were not injured he still would be shocked to see what the future held. The horse had been the main form of transportation for hundreds and hundreds of years, and trains were a recent invention. To see this had to be a major cultural shock.

"Here," she said, just below a billboard advertising a casino. "Sit here. I'm going to get us a ride."

"How will you do this?" he asked, easing himself to the sandy earth. No sooner had he sat when a loud tractor trailer passed, causing the wind to blow around them. "Not in that," he added in a shaky voice.

Mairie smiled. "I don't get to pick, Jack. Whatever stops for us, we'll use. Don't worry. You'll be safe."

She walked to the edge of the road and waited a couple of minutes until she saw the headlights of a car approaching. Then she flipped back her hair, plastered a smile on her face, and stuck out her thumb.

There was a first time for everything. And hitch-hiking was a first.

Two cars passed, not even slowing down, and Mairie felt disappointment. She was reminded of how many times she had passed by those seeking a ride. Fear. That's what had made her not stop to help another. Seeing no other cars heading north, she took a deep breath and walked back to where Jack was sitting.

Unzipping her jump suit, she said, "Drastic times warrant drastic measures."

"What are you doing?"

She didn't even glance in his direction, as she pulled the heavy dark suit away from her. Cool air immediately made goosebumps rise all over her exposed skin. "I'm doing whatever it takes to get us a ride," she explained.

"Mairie Callahan… you cannot stand on a road in your underwear!"

She could only stare at him for a couple of seconds before bursting out laughing. "This isn't my underwear. Is that what you thought all this time? That I was prancing about in 1877 in my underwear?"

He didn't answer, just continued to look affronted by her behavior.

She shook her head. "Jack, that's another thing you'll have to get used to in this time. There isn't… well, your sense of propriety is going to need adjustment. This," and she looked down to her black leggings and white cropped top, "… this is considered normal attire at times, even for going out in public. And I was skydiving, so I was dressed appropriately. No one is going to be shocked to see me in this."

"I'm shocked," he muttered. "It's… it could be inviting the wrong type of person to assist you."

Her amusement lessened. "That's what is considered a judgment in this time, Jack. To believe that, to say that a woman can't be dressed any way she chooses and still be safe, is unfair and opinionated. Can't you see how thinking like that—" She left off the impending speech when she glimpsed another set of headlights in the distance. Besides, who was she to lecture this man? He'd just pushed a sensitive button within her.

"Okay, keep your fingers crossed for luck," she said, heading back to the road.

"Be careful," he called out to her.

Nodding, Mairie took a deep breath and held out her arm, her thumb pointing north.

It took five more cars to pass before a van slowed. She followed the speed of the headlights until they passed her and the van stopped about twenty-five feet up the road.

"Okay," she yelled to Jack, and raced back to get him.

They limped toward the van and the side door slid open. Music blared from speakers, music so loud that even Mairie's ears were assaulted with the barrage of sound.

Jerry Garcia's stunning guitar solo from "Touch of Gray" seemed to leave the van and envelop them. Jack stood frozen in shock and even to Mairie the amount of sound after so much silence was disorienting.

"Hey, there's two of ya. Didn't see the big guy."

The words were barely audible over the music.

Mairie tried to respond, yet her senses were on overload. Suddenly, the music lowered, and her blood pressure along with it. "Ah… thanks for stopping," she muttered. "We're going into Vegas. Can you give us a lift? We've been out here a long time."

There was a pause, and then the voice said, "Okay, but we got to make a stop first. We can take you about fifteen miles and then you can hop another ride or wait until we drop off our equipment."

Fifteen miles closer to her brother, Mairie thought.

"Great," she managed to say, while pulling Jack forward. His body was moving as though she were leading him to his slaughter.

Stepping up into the van, she pushed some wrappers off the back seat and reached out to help Jack. "Come on," she urged. "Get in and sit next to me."

She was glad that the overhead light didn't seem to work. Fortunately, it hid the sheer terror on Jack's face as he followed her instructions. Once seated next to her, the van door slid closed and Jack jumped at the sound. "Relax," she whispered in his ear, pulling him back against the seat.

The van took off and Jack immediately held his body rigid against the motion.

"How long you two been out here?" the driver asked.

"Since one in the afternoon," Mairie answered, still trying to reassure Jack by squeezing his hand and stroking his arm.

"No shit! Wow!" another young male voice blurted.

"Give 'em some water," the driver instructed.

The passenger opened the glove compartment and a tiny light illuminated the front of the van. Two young men, dressed in jeans, tie-dyed and printed T-shirts, and bandanas around their long hair looked around the floor of the front seat. The younger one, the passenger, pushed his hair behind his ear, grabbed something, and handed it back to her with a smile. His ear was pierced.

"Here," he said, offering her a plastic bottle of water. "You two look wiped."

"Thank you," Mairie said, as the light was turned off. She unscrewed the cap and handed it to Jack.

"Drink," she ordered, trying to bring him out of his frozen posture.

"Who… what are they?" he mumbled, just as the music resumed its pulsating volume.

Leaning sideways, she stretched her neck toward his ear and said, "Deadheads."

"What?"

"Deadheads!" her voice shouted over the music, only to have the song end so abruptly that her word rang out in the moment of silence.

The passenger turned around and stared at her. The driver looked at her from the rearview mirror. Both suddenly smiled.

"Us, too…" the driver said.

The passenger brought up his two fingers and grinned. "Peace."

Mairie smiled back and raised her own hand. "Peace," she repeated, and almost fell on the floor in laughter when she saw Jack raise his hand.

He held the bottle of water in his left hand and made the symbol of peace with his right. He looked at her, as if trying to judge her reaction. "This is what you did when I first met you," he said in his defense. "I thought it was a greeting."

"It is," she said, and allowed the laughter.

"Is it about cattle? Why are they referring to themselves as dead cattle? You too are a dead-head, Mairie?"

"It's not about cows!" Laughing even more, she realized this was going to be more difficult than she had originally expected. The thought became sobering as Jack looked to the driver and his friend.

"What do they mean then? Their heads look quite alive."

She bit her bottom lip to distract her from the waves of laughter that demanded release. "It's just a name, a term, used to label people who follow around this group that's playing."

Hearing the opening bars of "Truckin'," an old favorite song, Mairie managed to say, "I guess I am a deadhead, Jack. Never knew it until now. If the Grateful Dead can get me to Las Vegas, if they can pull off this one… then I'll be a dedicated deadhead from here on."

"Where is this deadhead sound coming from?"

"The radio. I think it's a tape."

"What is a radio? That machine with lights on it?"

"Yes. Well, it's… like a telegraph. It picks up signals and sends them back. But this is a tape. A… a recording, like a phonograph record. Do you know what I mean?"

He didn't answer. He brought the bottle finally to his lips, as if he were attempting to assimilate her words.

She watched him drink and then hand her the bottle. Taking a few mouthfuls, she swirled the refreshing liquid over her tongue and moaned with pleasure. She couldn't wait to get to her room at the Luxor. As soon as she saw Bryan and explained everything, she was going to pamper herself royally. And Jack, too… she thought, seeing him steel himself against the assault of sound. He deserved to see that the future could also be quite nice.

Starting to hum along with the music, Mairie looked out the window to the night. At least if she gave herself over to the music she wouldn't keep picturing Jack Delaney soaking in a Jacuzzi. That long wet hair over his shoulders. His eyes shining with pleasure. Sheesh…

"Truckin'…" she began singing along with the kids in the front seat. Anything to direct her brain away from that mental path. He was like an innocent now. Like a child. She had to remember that. Plus, just because she loved him didn't mean it was returned. His actions indicated a little more than like, but far away from love yet.

He did jump, though, and she knew it had been for her. That had to have taken love. Some kind of love.

She couldn't think of it now. Now she had to focus on getting to Las Vegas and finding her brother. Patience. She had to have patience with Jack now.

He was the time-traveler.

Still, the driving beat was stirring up some hormonal reaction that she couldn't deny. She'd just have to remember that she couldn't take advantage of someone with a child's view of his new world. Until he was comfortable in this time, she owed him that respect.

What if he never got comfortable? Suddenly, she was submerged in dejection.

The world, his world, was going to expand with every new experience. It might take him years, maybe even his whole life. How long could she pretend to be just good friends, partners, copilots of this adventure, when every nerve in her body came alive with yearning whenever she looked into his eyes?

It didn't help that he grabbed her arm in that moment, as a cyclist on a Harley passed them.

"A motorcycle," she informed him, patting his forearm like a reassuring teacher.

She had to remember that. She was his teacher now.

His teacher.

Yeah, right…

Hard to believe, after everything she had gone through, mentally, emotionally, and physically, that she was capable of being aroused. But she was… she wanted to hold him, reassure him, stroke him, calm him, love him…

Love.

It was one powerful force.

They stopped about twenty minutes later at a roadside bar and restaurant. Her stomach growled as she and Jack got out of the van. Their peaceful benefactors wished them well and left them on the side of the road as they pulled around the back of the building.

Now what, Mairie thought, as she looked at the few trucks parked on the side of the road. How would they find another ride?

"What is this, Mairie?" Jack asked, standing straighter and wincing. "An outpost?"

She chuckled. "I guess you would see it that way. We've just traveled about fifteen miles in the van, and it's around five more miles to the city. Yeah, this is an outpost. Let's see if we can clean up and get something to drink. I don't suppose you have any money on you?"

"Money…?" He started to reach into his pockets and Mairie grabbed his arm.

"Come on," she said, pulling this wide-eyed man with her to the entrance. "We can at least use the bathrooms. There's running water in them."

She led him through the large glass door into the lobby and Jack stopped short.

"What?" She turned to see his face.

He was staring at a slot machine, the video screen inviting anyone with promises of Lady Luck… "Jackpot worth $8000."

Tugging his arm, she said, "It's a game, Jack. Gambling. That's what Las Vegas is known for in this time. Come on."

He didn't budge. "You said you would explain, if I asked. You said that while we were waiting for the dead-heads. I know what gambling is, but I've never seen anything like this."

She exhaled and shook her head. "Okay. People put money into it, pull the arm or push the buttons and the machine eats your dollar. It's a shot in the dark at winning money, Jack. They don't pay out. Come on, let's get cleaned up."

Leading him by the hand through the small casino, with great relief, she spied the sign, "Restrooms." The pleasant thought of using a modern bathroom raced through her mind. How she had taken for granted simple conveniences. They were luxuries. "Here they are, Jack. You go in here, the ladies room is down the hall. I'll be right back."

 

Jack stood, hesitantly, before the wide door. Suddenly, it drew open from the inside. A burly man with suspenders and a strange, brightly colored hat stopped short and looked at Jack blocking the way.

"You gonna come in or just stand there, buddy?"

"Ahh, excuse me… yes. Yes, sir. I'll think I'll come in."

"Another wacko. World's full of them," the man mumbled, as he slightly pushed Jack aside.

The room was bright and cool. There was no foul odor. There was the sound of water rushing. Another man walked in and around Jack to several large white bowls hung on the wall. Jack nonchalantly attempted to watch as the man unzipped his pants and began to relieve himself.

"What are you starin' at, ya pervert?" The man blurted out.

Jack quickly turned away to find himself facing a huge mirror on the wall. For the first time in a long while he viewed himself as large as life. He was accustomed to shaving in a small, cracked and discolored pocket mirror he kept in his saddlebag. He'd seen himself in picture windows on city streets in Washington, but never with this clarity.

His mind went briefly to his life in the desert. Bathing in a waterfall. Drinking from a clear stream. Everything he needed in life was provided by Mother Earth. Now he felt entombed in a cold and clinical prison. In fact, it did remind him of the hospital in Washington where he was taken when he had influenza as a boy.

The dirt on his face and hands brought him out of his memory. He looked like he'd been through the war again, he thought, as he continued staring at his image. Jack Delaney, you are not in a dream, he reminded himself. This is real. Unfortunately, very real.

Beneath the mirror were the washbasins. The man who had grunted at Jack while using the white bowl on the wall now stood beside him at another basin. Jack watched from the corner of his eye. The man pulled a handle under a small box on the wall and a pink liquid fell into his hand. He then pushed a button above what appeared to be a spigot and water began flowing from it. He washed his hands until the water automatically stopped, then turned to dry them with paper he pulled out of a metal cabinet in the wall. The man crumpled and threw the paper into a metal barrel, then turned toward Jack.

"You gotta real problem, fella. Better watch yourself before somebody breaks your face." Leaving Jack with the warning, he pulled the door open, banging it hard against the wall, and stormed out.

"I've got a problem, all right," Jack mumbled to himself. "I'm lost."

Looking down at the basin, Jack figured he'd better get accustomed to it. He went to the wall with the bowls on it and relieved himself. He returned to the basin and washed his hands just as the other fellow had. He splashed his face until the flow of water stopped. The coolness felt soothing as he closed his eyes. Opening them to his own reflection, he saw a worried image of himself.

But for their attire, people in the future didn't look much different, he thought. They were men the same as he was. He just might make it through this, however long it lasted, he reassured himself. A grimace of pain came over his face as he slowly stood upright. He was reminded of the landing he made with Mairie on the ground, and he took a deep breath while drying his face on a rough paper towel. He could really use a bath, he thought, taking one final look at himself in the mirror.

The truth, the reality, of his situation finally hit him.

What if it was for the rest of his life? What if there was no way to get him back?

It was a possibility. A strong possibility.

Turning to the door, he pulled it open.

He was inundated in a sea of people talking, laughing, smoking, drinking, and eating. The aroma of cooking food wafted by. He was starving. Mairie must also be hungry, he thought. There was only one way, one chance. Something within him alerted his instincts and he maneuvered through the casino and back toward the entrance.

Standing in front of the slot machine, he pulled the silver dollar from his dirty pants pocket.

"Jack! What took you so long back there?" Mairie grabbed his arm. "I thought I'd lost you."

"It took me a while to experience all the outhouse improvements, that's all." He raised the coin to the slot.

"What are you doing?"

Grabbing him again, she almost spun him around. "Where did you get that?"

He looked at the coin in his hand. "You asked me to buy them from Virginia. Don't you remember?"

"I wanted one, for Fenton. You bought them both?"

"I thought you wanted them both. Virginia gave me a hard time of it, too."

"That's our only cash right now until I get back to the hotel, Jack. You can't throw it away in a slot machine." She closed his hand tightly around the coin.

He looked deeply into her eyes. "Mairie, this entire adventure has been a gamble. My jumping with you from the mountain was a chance I took and it brought me here, into the future with you. We need to eat. Maybe this silver dollar is supposed to be another chance for us. So much has happened. I swear, something is going to break if I bend anymore."

He watched the light fade in her eyes. "Do what you need to do, it's your dollar," she said, turning away. "I'm going to find us another ride into town."

He watched her walk stiffly toward the bar. Hope. He must draw upon it again because he believed she was his gift. At this moment, his angry and hungry gift.

The coin left his fingers slowly and slid down into the machine. He grasped the handle with his right hand. Pulling down deliberately, his eyes were mesmerized by the flashing colors and sounds emanating from the metal and glass box. Almost in embarrassment he stepped back from the ostentatious contraption. Pictures spun around, then began to flip and bounce into place.

"Bar—bar—bar—bar."

What sounded like a firehouse bell started ringing as a brilliant light flashed around and around on top of the box. Jack panicked and stood still.

"Winner, winner, winner," the display repeated. A small crowd of people gathered around him.

"Don't just stand there, take it! Take it, ya fool!" An old woman yelled at Jack. "Get your ticket! You're a winner! You hit the jackpot!"

Jack looked at the small white paper the machine spit out. He ripped it off and turned, looking puzzled at the woman.

"Don't you know anything, darlin'? Take the ticket to the cashier's box over there and they'll give you your money! You're the grand prize winner… eight thousand dollars!"

A smile began to overtake his face. He turned to look for Mairie, who was pushing her way through the crowd of people toward him.

Strangers slapped him on the back with congratulations. The old woman coyly smiled at him and remarked, "If I was twenty years younger, son, I'd ask you to marry me! You an actor or something?"

"Jack! What's happened? You won?"

"This lady says I hit the jackpot, but all I got was this paper."

"Oh my gawd!" Mairie screamed, as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him. "I can't believe you, Jack Delaney. You are absolutely amazing!"

He almost fell over with her enthusiasm.

"Oh, oh… I'm sorry," she giggled, pulling back and straightening his shirt. "I was so excited I forgot all about your back. Geez, and I almost took that money away from you!"

He pulled her close to him again and laughed, as the truth hit him. He had just won eight thousand dollars! A fortune! The future suddenly wasn't as threatening. "Things are definitely looking better."

Her giggle increased and he saw in her eyes the light return with such intensity that he felt stunned, as though in the middle of a group of yelling and happy people, he and Mairie were standing alone. For just a brief moment the sound around him lessened. The clarity of the crowd dimmed. Nothing seemed as real as the space around him and the woman he was holding. His chest welled with emotion and he pulled her tighter.

"You're a winner, Jack," Mairie said, looking directly into his eyes with her smile.

In that moment, he sure felt like life in the future had something to offer.

They paid the old woman five hundred dollars to claim the jackpot, since identification was required at the cashier's window. With seventy-five hundred dollars all in one hundred dollar bills stuffed into the handbag Mairie had bought in the gift shop, they hired a car to take them the rest of the way into Las Vegas.

Jack, feeling sated by a steak dinner and the money in his pocket, sat back in the conveyance as it carried them north. As the vehicle rode over a hill, Jack was presented with the most amazing sight he had ever seen in his entire life. A city… a city of lights, brightly colored and shooting into the sky, this amazing city stood in the middle of the desert. An oasis beyond imagination.

"Oh… my… God…"

Mairie took a deep breath and whispered, "Welcome to my world, Jack."

Why didn't her voice sound excited?