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Greg entered Paulette’s office and took a seat across from her. Suddenly he felt a wet tongue on his hand. Smiling he reached down and patted the puppy’s head.
“I see you got that puppy you wanted. What’s her name and how old is she?”
“Her name is Danni, and she’s about a year old.”
“Wow! She’s gorgeous. What breed is she?”
“I was told she was part German shepherd and part lab, but I think she has some husky and chow in her as well. She is so sweet and already obeys well. She has a great disposition and loves pleasing me.”
“That’s amazing that you two have bonded so quickly. You can see the German shepherd in her, for sure, and those droopy ears make her so adorable.” Greg suddenly remembered why he had come to her office. “Sorry, I got distracted by the puppy and forgot why I came in here.”
“No problem. I think she’s gonna be able to do that to just about anybody.”
“Just wanted to know when you plan to contact the construction company about renovating the other six thousand square feet.”
“I thought I’d get in touch with them today. We’re finally making a bucketload of money, and I think it’s time for me to start my pet project. I’ve waited far too long to get this going.”
“Great! And you’ll have them sign a nondisclosure statement, correct?”
Her lips turned down into a slight frown. “What? Do you think I’m stupid?”
“Not at all, but since you spend most of your time working and little time with your friends, I just thought I’d remind you.”
“Well, thanks, I guess. So, what do you mean I don’t spend time with friends? I’m with you every day.”
“With me every day isn’t the same as spending quality time together in a more personal manner.”
“Really? I didn’t think you wanted to get close.”
Greg stood up and left, turning back in a huff. “Whatever, go make your phone call.”
Paulette dialed the number for Newman Construction Company. A pleasant-sounding voice answered, “Good morning, Newman’s Construction Company, how may I direct your call?”
“Yes, I need to speak with Mr. Newman. We had an appointment set up for a phone call.”
“Yes, one moment while I connect you.”
“Hello, Paulette, it’s been quite some time. How are you doing? I see that your business has taken off.”
“Thank you. It’s been going well, and I’m doing good.”
“What can I help you with today?”
“I’ve got a new construction project for you. It will require a nondisclosure statement, due to its sensitive nature.”
With pride in his voice, he replied, “Well, our company builds things, and we don’t ask what we’re building, unless we think it might be illegal.”
She laughed. “Naw, nothing illegal, just a pet project of mine I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid. Are you interested in the construction job?”
“Certainly. Let’s set up a date for me to come by and look at what needs to be done so that we can get started.”
“Sounds great.”
“Are you available for me to come by, say, next Wednesday at 2:00 p.m.?”
Rifling through her schedule on her desk — she was still old-fashioned — to check the date and time, Paulette replied, “Yes, it looks like I’m available then. Let me put it on the calendar so I don’t forget.”
“All right, I’ll see you then.”
“Thanks again for your help.”
Mr. Newman arrived right on time and was ready to look at the special construction project requirements.
“Afternoon, Paulette.”
“Afternoon to you too.”
“What do you need me to do for you this time?”
“Well, I’ve got that extra six thousand square feet in the back, and I’d like you to build a special soundproof, fireproof, EMP-proof, and bug-proof room.”
He looked at her a little shocked. “That’s a tall order. What are you planning to do that requires such extreme measures?”
“I’m most concerned about corporate espionage due to the nature of the project, so I want to protect it against anything that could go wrong. Do you think you’re up to it?”
“Sure. I might have to do a little research to find the right materials for the project, but I think I can get it done.”
Tapping her foot, she asked, “How long do you think it will take to complete?”
“Well, not knowing exactly what I’ll need makes it hard to estimate, but maybe a few months.”
She grinned and then rambled out the rest of the requirements. “That’s a good timeframe. Also, I need a hard line brought in for the computers, protected telephone lines, high-capacity power lines, and a large breaker system — all separate from the main building. I’ll also require several large backup generators.
“I know you use subcontractors to do some of your work. I’d like you to vet the subcontractors for clearance and have them sign nondisclosure statements. This needs to be done as quietly as possible. Like I said, I want to keep my project out of the wrong hands.”
“Wow, I’m not sure what you plan on doing here, but I’ll do my best. This will be the first ultra-secret construction project I’ve ever undertaken.”
“When can you get a quote to me?”
“I’ll get right on it. I should be able to get it to you within the week.”
“That would be great. If I approve your quote, how soon can you start?”
“I could start as soon as possible once I’ve obtained all the materials I’ll need.”
“So, no exact timetable?’
“Not at the moment, but I promise to get started as quickly as possible.”
“Good, thanks again for your help.”
“No problem,” he replied.
After two weeks of planning, getting all the necessary specialty materials, and finding and vetting contractors, Mr. Newman had his handpicked crew working on Paulette’s project.
As Paulette walked through the building, she spotted Mr. Newman. “Ah there you are. How’s everything going?”
“Things are going quite well, Miss Brown. We completed the Faraday cage and other important structural aspects of the room. It didn’t take as long as I had expected.”
“Excellent. So, what are you working on now?”
“As you can see here,” Mr. Newman points to a crew of working men and women, “we’re ready to run the required wiring and cables. Once that part of the job has been completed, they’ll encase the whole area with the soundproofing materials.”
“Wow, you’re doing a wonderful job. I can’t wait till you have it completed.”
“I’m glad you’re so excited. But we still must place the baffling and pump in a foam-like material that will double as insulation and soundproofing to cover all the smaller areas. That will enclose everything between the outer wall and the baffles. Then we can install the drywall and special fire-retardant materials. Once that’s complete, we’ll make sure there are plenty of outlets in the room.”
“You’re doing a great job. Do you have an estimated completion date?”
Mr. Newman tapped his forehead in thought as he looked around at his busy crew. “Hmm, I would say about another month.”
A whimsical smile stretched across her face. “I can hardly wait.”
Paulette skipped back to her office, sat down and began ordering all the computer hardware and software she’d need for her project. She also reviewed Greg’s requests and ordered some of the raw materials for the time pod.
After a month had passed, Paulette rushed into the project room. Scanning the area, she found Mr. Newman and quickly walked over.
“So, is it ready?” She could barely hold her bubbling excitement in.
Mr. Newman turned from the crew member he was talking to and addressed Paulette. “As a matter of fact, we’re finishing up on the generators and power now and putting the final touch on everything else. I figure you should be able to move into the room by the end of next week, so long as we don’t run into any issues.”
“Marvelous. I can hardly wait,” she replied as she turned and skipped out of the room and back to her office.
Monday morning, 5:59 a.m., was like any other — quiet, with most people either asleep or just getting up and ready for work. At 6:03 a.m., however, all hell broke loose. There was a sudden shaking of the building with everything falling everywhere. Paulette was sound asleep and dreaming when her dream changed and she felt as if she were rocking in a boat. What the heck is going on?
A moment later, her dream ended abruptly when she landed face first on the floor, a searing pain in her face waking her up. It took her a few seconds to come fully awake and realize what was happening.
She hollered, “Danni, here.” Danni ran over to her, her whole body trembling. They both sought shelter under her sturdy writing desk.
Cowering under the desk, she zoned out, and like a vivid dream, she began to recall other disastrous events in her life.
I can’t imagine how Mom must have felt when she woke up and was told she had been struck by lightning. She told me how scared Dad had been. He thought for sure he had lost Mom and me. However, the doctors said the strike wasn’t too bad and that we would be okay.
I seem to have nothing but bad luck. Heck, according to Mom, I was born during a major hurricane. I can’t imagine how nervous they must have been trying to drive to the hospital in the storm.
My parents told me how worried they were because I didn’t talk until I was three years old. They had taken me to multiple doctors with no answers forthcoming. Then one day out of the blue, they said I just started talking. What surprised them was the fact that I was saying words most twelve-year-old’s would use. They were shocked at how smart I was.
The rocking, rolling, and shaking continued for what seemed like forever. Suddenly, it was over. The abrupt stillness and quietness jarred Paulette out of her daze.
“Is ... is ... it over, Danni?” She looked at the dog as if Danni could answer her. Instead, Danni stared back at her while wagging her tail.
Shaken and bruised, she crawled out from under the desk and plopped down on her rear end. She took a deep breathe to calm her nerves. She didn’t want Danni to be any more upset than she already was. Calmed down a bit, she then coaxed Danni out and began checking her over for any injuries.
“There, there girl. I don’t see any scrapes or scratches. Seems you got through this okay. Just a bit shaken up is all.”
Danni barked loudly, acknowledging Paulette’s concern and love for her.
Paulette looked around her bedroom to assess the damage. She didn’t see too much, other than the bookshelf and dressers were knocked over, and the windows had shattered, letting in the cool air of the morning. She pushed up off the floor and stood, dusting herself off, and went to inspect the rest of the apartment.
“Geez! It looks like a tornado came through here. What do you think, Danni?”
Danni lifted her snout and woofed in agreement, then went off to find one of her chew toys.
“Sure, run off when I could use your company.”
Danni didn’t even look back as she trotted back into the bedroom in search of her favorite chew thing.
Phew, so glad I spent extra on the rent to get an apartment in a building designed to withstand earthquakes, she mused.
She took a few minutes to gather her wits before calling Greg to see how he was doing after the quake.
The phone seemed to ring forever and just as she was about to give up, a mumbled voice picked up on the other end. “Yeah!”
“Hey, that was quite the ride, wasn’t it?”
“Always the jokester, aren’t you?” he grumbled.
“Well, got to look at the bright side, right?”
“I guess.”
“So, how are you doing? Any damage?”
“I may have broken my arm. Otherwise, I just got a few bumps and bruises. Stupid straps holding the bookshelf broke loose right after the quake shook me out of bed. It fell right on my left forearm. Took me some time to get myself free, then the phone rang. That’s why it took so long to answer.”
“Dang, you’re going to go see the doc, right?”
“Probably, in a little while. For now, I put it in one of my old arm slings. I figure there’ll be people with worse injuries than mine who’ll need help first.”
“If you say so, but I think you should go get it looked at as soon as possible.”
“I will. I promise.”
“Good. So, how did your dorm room hold up?”
“Let’s see. Everything is all over the floor, and the windows are shattered. That’s about it, from my current observation. I’m sure there are more issues outside. Speaking of which, you’ve got a good view of downtown from your apartment. What’s it look like out there?”
“Hang on.” She walked over to her broken bedroom window and looked outside. “Holy crap! It looks bad out there — fires and smoke everywhere. Oh my! It looks like part of the I5 collapsed!”
“This isn’t good. I wonder how the employees are doing and how bad the damage is to the company.”
“I don’t know yet. I suggest you call half of the employees, and I’ll call the other half. We should check on everyone, see how they are, and if they have any damage to their homes. If there is damage to their homes, I propose we help pay for the repairs. Then they don’t have to worry about it and can continue to go to work and make a living.
“Sounds good. I’ll check back later and let you know how everyone is doing that I contact. And yes, before you ask again, I’ll see a doctor as soon as I can.”
“Good, then I’ll talk to you later. Until then, stay safe,” she said.
Paulette checked to see if the shower worked. At least the shower is working; now I can get a shower so I can go check on the company. Then I’ll call the employees from there since there’s a dedicated phone line in the special projects room.
She quickly stripped out of her pajamas and hopped into the shower. She did a quick wash and rinse, got out and toweled off, and got dressed. While getting her pants on, an aftershock hit and knocked her off balance. Dang earthquakes, can’t even wait till I’m sitting down, eh?
She picked herself up and finished dressing. A few moments later, she and Danni walked out of the apartment and headed to the elevator. Just as she pushed the button, she suddenly thought better and took the stairs. All she needed was for her and Danni to get stuck in the elevator with no one knowing they were there. It was quite the jog down five flights of damaged stairs. She stumbled out the door and into the lobby breathing a little harder than normal. Danni seemed excited just to be going outside and couldn’t understand why her owner had paused to catch her breath.
When she walked outside, she stopped cold. All she saw in every direction were broken buildings, damaged roads, fires, and people wandering around crying and confused. Once the shock wore off, she rounded the corner to check on her car, only to find fallen debris had crushed it. Exasperated, she said out loud, “Just great! Now I’ve got to buy a new car. On top of that, we can’t walk to the company because it’s too far. Guess we’ll go back upstairs and check to see if the main phone line works or use the cell phone, if I can get through.”
She did an about-face, with Danni at her heels, and headed back into the building, took one look at the door for the stairs, and sighed. It would be a long and exhausting climb up those five flights. I wish I had spent more time at the gym. This is going to be a long trip back to the apartment. Ugg. By the time she got to the fifth-floor door, she was slightly winded and exhausted from the whole ordeal. She opened the door just enough for her and Danni to squeeze through and proceeded to her apartment. Once inside, she stumbled toward her room and collapsed on her bed. I’ll just lie here and rest for a minute, she thought. Danni jumped up and cuddled up next to her as she slept. She woke up five hours later.
Paulette eventually got in touch with everyone and found most of her employees were okay. Only a few had to go to the hospital; however, a lot of their homes had been damaged or destroyed. That would be a big setback for starting her project. Worse than that, she had to locate transportation so she could check on the condition of the company building. If it rained, things could get even worse.
She sank to her knees sobbing at all the destruction and death and wished it didn’t seem that things always went wrong. She hated her mom’s moving them from hurricane country to earthquake country. It was like swapping one possible and eventual disaster for another, and in her opinion, earthquakes were worse.
It was the next day before she and Greg could get to the company and check on the damage. To their disappointment, it too had suffered some major damage.
The damage to the main portion of the building caused a delay in completing the special project room, even though there had been no damage to the interior. However, the outer brick walls had some minor damage and would need to be replaced. The main part of the building sustained damage to the roof and some inner work areas. The leasing company agreed to fix the ceiling and roof and was kind enough to allow Mr. Newman’s construction company to complete the repairs to the main building. The earthquake probably set them back several months. However, she was happy with how well the special project room had stood up to the quake.
Mr. Newman brought in a larger crew to work on the main building so he and the other crew could continue working on the special project room. He now supervised both crews, which made his job even tougher than it was before the earthquake. Thankfully, the room was completed only a few weeks behind schedule.
However, with all the construction going on in the main part of the building, Paulette decided to hold off on starting her time travel project. She left the equipment and other materials in the storage room near the bay door to be set up at a later date.
I can hardly wait to get started, then I can prove to Greg that time travel is possible. Then maybe he’ll believe me about the Abernathy incident. Still there’s so much to do before I can get it all up and running. Paulette sighed as she looked around at all the construction. I just need to be patient for a little bit longer. Then I can see my dreams come true.
