Fernando reaches into the picnic basket to open it. He pulls out a couple of glasses, a bottle of wine and another bottle of water. This is followed with him reaching into his pocket and pulling out a packet of pills. Two of them had the letters 'RU-22' on its packages. The third was wrapped in paper, which he unravels, revealing a pill that seem to glow on its own, with an ever changing pattern of swirls against its silvery color.
 
Fernando (as he holds the pill between his thumb and index finger to her face too see it up close): Our marriage vows are for 'until death do us apart.' But Tammy, I don't want you to die.
Tammy: But, we all live and die.
Fernando: Think about it, I should have died a long time ago from just time traveling alone. But I have not aged since 33, since the day I took a pill like one. And now, I offer this to you. Immortality, Eternal Youth and the ability to heal from most injuries, but with a catch- you can still die by the most extreme of situations. Like I did once before.
Tammy: When you got shot on our wedding day?
Fernando: No. It was when I as Aiesha's father, and shortly after a couple of little accidents that gave me these powers of time and space. A long time ago, The Orions, who deemed themselves as the Time Police, saw that Earth reached Time Traveling Capabilities and decided that such a society was not worth having that ability and decided to destroy us. In a plan to stop their attack, A group of time travelers was led by Fernando went forth to stop the attack. The plan was to release an Orion Rift Generator in the middle of the Orion Armada. The group made it but problems arose, forcing Fernando to remain at the entrance of the time portal while the Orion Rift Generator was launched in run-away mode. The resulting explosion destroyed the Orion Armada and lead to the Temporal Peace Accords with all Time Traveling capable societies of the known universe. It was decided than that individuals causing damage by universal temporal incursion will be held guilty and not the societies that they came from.
Tammy: So Fernando was killed in the resulting explosion?
Fernando: No. If Earth would have felt the explosion, it would not have survived. Instead, Fernando was hit with various energies, including a Gamma Ray burst. He would die from radiation poisoning 10 days later. A cure that came for him, came too late. The Sirians who were at war with the Orions because of Time Travel incursions, created this cure. It gives any carbon based life form a boost of energy, giving that life form immortality along with Eternal Youth, or at least stopping the aging process. When it was decided to pull another Fernando from the alternate universes, I was chosen and given the pill. I was also given a stash of them, to give it to anyone who I deem needs it. There are two kinds- one to heal those from near death injuries, the other for immortality. I gave Hondo one for his injuries. This one is for you to live forever.
Tammy: Forever?
Fernando: Until the end of Time.
Tammy: But...
Fernando: But nothing. A future without Tammy is no future at all. Understand that.
Tammy: What...
 
As she spoke, Fernando pops the pill into her mouth hard, making it hit the back of her throat hard, making her gag before it gets swallowed. He takes the bottle of water for her drink, which she does in a hurry.
 
Tammy: Why you did that for?!!
Fernando: I said it a couple of times, and I'll say it again. A future without Tammy is no future at all.
Tammy: What do you mean by that?!!
Fernando: I cant tell you, but I will say this- your inability to shoot back will be your death. Now don't say nothing of it or try to change because I told you. You are to be able to defend yourself with what you have and know. You seen me die once, you seen me almost die not too long ago ether. I don't want to see you die... I want you to do your best.
 
Tammy leans against him and holds him. For a moment she does not say a thing.
 
Tammy: I promise to do my best... but Let Me Make Those Decisions!! I swear! When will this thing take affect?!!
Fernando: It should have by now.
Tammy: I'm not happy with this!
Fernando: Why?
Tammy: Because! I'm going to spend the rest of forever watching my friends and family grow old and die!
Fernando: Most of your friends will be dead within 5 years because of their own fault. And its not because you or I could not save them, we tried. But I'm say that you will not be dead with them.
Tammy (giving a blank stare): My friends, dead? Gadget?
Fernando: Yes.
Tammy: Chip?
Fernando: Him too.
Tammy: Dale? Monty, Zipper?
Fernando: Yes, yes, and.. hmmm... Zipper too.
Tammy: How?
Fernando: Why you want to know?
Tammy: Because I want to save them!
Fernando: Like I said, we tried. You tried until I had to pull you away and dragged you kicking and screaming into a rescue life pod. I had to yell at you that they were already dead.
Tammy: But what happened?
Fernando: Galactic war breaks out because of Jeanette and her friend Misao. It was the Terrians- us, vs. the Atlanteans- them along with many other factions who wanted to join. Now, as my wife, I want you to learn what I have to teach. I want you to be able as I do. I might be a time traveler, but I am just one. But most importantly, I want you to be my wife.
 
Tammy could just sit there in awe, trying to soak it all in. Fernando takes one of the RU-22 pill packets and puts it into her hand before taking the bottle of wine and filling the glasses. She looks down at the packet of pills.
 
Fernando: What happens in the future, remains in the future. All we can do is what is here and now. One mission, to find my murder before she finds you. I gave you a chance to at least survive being shot at like I did.
Tammy: But...
Fernando: But nothing. I need you as you needed me. I gave you what can save you because you will need that sword you fight with to have an edge. You need to be my wife as like you said I need to be your husband. And together we will do things that we can not do alone. Do you understand me?
Tammy: Yes.
Fernando: Do you still want me? As your husband? As your lover? And as your friend?
 
Tammy was hesitant in answering.
 
Tammy: Yes...
Fernando: You sure?
 
She only nods.
 
Fernando: Until death or Time does us apart, I will do for you as you need of me and you will do for me as I need of you. It wont be easy, Tammy. But I promise you that I will be your loving husband as I promised you before even through the hard times that we face now and forever.
Tammy (as she nods slightly): I will. But can I ask a question?
Fernando: Anything.
Tammy: Why?
Fernando: Why?...
Tammy (interrupting him before be can answer): Yes.
Fernando: Because... no man is complete without his wife at his side. That's why.
 
She just looks at him, not believing what he had said. Nor noticing that he was drawing closer to her until their lips met. At first she was unresponsive, then her eyes slowly closed and her arms wrapped around her as one of his arms did the same while the remained on the on the ground to hold their balance.
 
In a brownstone tenement in Rome, an old man washes his hands in a dirty sink.
 
"You should remain on that bed for the next few days for that leg to heal....
 
"I need to find him and make sure he is dead!...
 
"Annie... you have the resources of Padania and access to the mafia to kill anyone you want, Mistress Annie....
 
Annie: You don't understand- I shot him in the heart and yet he returns from the dead!
 
'so did you, Mistress Annie. You tell me who he is, and I will place a reward on his head.
 
Annie: No need for that, Remi. I will take care of it myself.
 
Remi: Are you sure? You know I have been taking care of your family for a very long time now and will anything to protect them.
 
Annie: I know Remi. You have been a grateful butler and you will be rewarded for your hard work. But this is something I have to take care of myself.
 
Remi (handing her a cellphone): Very well Mistress Annie. May I recommend Bruno.
 
Annie smiles, then dials her cellphone.

Some time has pasted but no more than an hour and a half. Much of the food has been eaten and at least one of the bottle of wine was empty. Empty glasses lay on their side on the blanket, with what dregs that were on the glasses bottom, now staining the sheet where they glasses lay.
 
Tammy was sitting across on Fernando's lap, holding on him as they kissed passionately like they had never had before with each other or any anyone else. In fact, they were going at like a pair of teenage squirrels in heat during mating season. But eventually this has to end.
 
Tammy puts her hands against Fernando's chest and pushes herself away from him to separate and end their lip-lock and feel-up session. She takes a sigh before leaning towards him with a slight and unsure smile.
 
Fernando: Too fast for you?
Tammy: Uhm... I don't know.
Fernando: We should be able to do anything together.
Tammy: No, its not that. Its... you know. Not so much like my little girl's dream of being picked up by a prince and ride with him on his white horse.
Fernando: I am all that I got.
Tammy: And I accept you to be my prince.
 
Fernando does not say a word to answer.
 
Fernando: We have so much to do and so little time to do it in.
Tammy: But now that you forced me to be immortal, doesn't immortality grants more time to wait and take action with?
Fernando: No. We can wait it out in hiding for the next 30 years for our enemies to die but that does not give a solution to their actions they now take. We have to act swiftly in order to insure that they are met with the solution of death because death on their part will guarantee that they will never act in such a way again. Not towards us and not towards anyone else.
Tammy: Can I at least a have a few days together with you before going out and save the world?
Fernando: I can only give you one day.
Tammy: One day?
Fernando: One day, and its today.
Tammy: Just one day?
Fernando: If we delay any more, the consequences of what may happen will increase exponentially.
 
Tammy just sighs.
Fernando: Seriously. Our little friend is hiding somewhere and might be gathering other friends and resources. The more time we give her, the more time she has in gathering more resources.
 
Tammy just nods.
 
Fernando: Good. Lets go.
 
Fernando gets up after putting away the items of their picnic. He helps her up onto her feet and takes the blanket that laid on the floor. Heading to the rear of the car to put the stuff away, Tammy follows him.
 
Fernando gives her a look for a moment before closing the rear hatch. He then picks her up and carries her to the passenger side, opening the door and setting her into the seat. He reaches over and does the seatbelt for her.
 
Tammy: You did not had to do that!
Fernando: If a man wants to carry his woman, then she should not complain.
Tammy: But I could have walked myself!
Fernando: A man has to do what he has to in order to be a man. A woman has to do what she has to do to be a woman. I know my place, not many modern women do in theirs.
 
Before she could answer, Fernando closes the door and walks around the front to the driver's side. There he enters the car and gets ready to drive home.
 
Tammy (as he puts the car in gear): I know my place.
Fernando: And where would that be?
Tammy: Uhm... I'm not supposed to tell you.
Fernando: In the contrary, you do.  
 
Fernando stops the Porsche by the gate of the park.
 
Fernando: As a husband, I'm supposed to love and honor you, give you what you need to make things better for us. I am supposed to make the decisions that effects both our lives.
Tammy: Of all the male chauvinistic attitudes I ever heard!
 
Fernando turns to face her, reaching over and unbuckles her seat belt, then his before turning off the engine. He gets out of the car, Tammy watches him bewildered and unsure of what he is going to do. The door opens on her side.
 
Fernando: Step out.
Tammy: What for?
Fernando (getting angry but holding back against his temper, though the change of tone in his voice would say that he would chop her head off): I SAID FOR YOU TO STEP OUT!
 
Tammy slowly does get out of the car. Once she has taken a couple of steps away from the car, Fernando slams the door hard enough to make the Porsche rock on its shock absorbers.
 
Tammy (trying to show some bravery): I'm out.
Fernando: Don't You Ever Go Against What I Have To Say! NEVER! I Already Lost One Wife For Not Listening To Me! I'm Not Going To Lose You! You Think That This Woman's Liberation And Equality Makes You Equal To Me?!! Think And Choose Your Words Carefully, Because There No Such Thing As The Crime Of Rape Of A Woman Against A Man. I May Trust You But I Don't Trust Your Actions Totally. Nor Do I trust Ex Boyfriends, Past Lovers, And I Don't Trust The Rescue Rangers! Do You Understand What I'm Telling You?!!
Tammy: Yes I Do.
Fernando: Don't Ever Cross This Line With Me Again.
Tammy: And if I do?
Fernando: If you want a taste of Freedom, you can start walking.
Tammy: You Wouldn't Dare.
 
Fernando opens the driver's door of the Porsche, and reaches down to the power lock switch, locking the passenger door. Realizing what happened, Tammy grabs on the door handle and tries to open, but finds the door locked. Fernando gets in through his door and closes it. The engine is turned on and his seat belt snapped into place. The car is put into gear and slowly pulls away while Tammy was still holding on, trying to open the door. Before she would be dragged, she lets go of the door. Seeing that she was clear, Fernando drives off through the gate, then stops once he was on the other side.
 
The passenger door opens by itself. Tammy trots over and gets in closing the door behind her.
 
Fernando (as Tammy does her seat belt): The price of freedom is not free. With me, your price is to be without me. With people out there wanting to see you dead, it is a very heavy price to pay. As my wife you are to be part of me. Going against me goes against being my wife. I will love you, cherish you, honor you but you are not to go against what I hold dear. What I do is to have you alive for one more day. Go against that, dare to be free and you die by the hands of others.
 
Without saying a further word, Fernando revs the engine and snaps the clutch into gear, making the Porsche spin its wheels on the gravel before catching the ground underneath, launching itself forward harder than what astronauts feel during a space shuttle launch.  
 
The ride was fast as long as traffic allowed it. Most of the time Fernando had the engine near red-line in what ever gear he had the transmission in as kilometer markers past by them every 6 seconds.
 
It took less than 1/2 an hour to get to the house near the other side of Rome from Nemi
He rode the brakes for the last couple kilometers trying to slow down to make the turn into the driveway and the parking area behind the house. Fernando didn't notice Hondo on the roof. Once in the parking area, Fernando turns off the engine. The power locks trip, unlocking the doors.
 
Tammy does not say a word, but gets up and out of the car, heading to the house, holding all emotions in trying to be strong but failing once she enters and runs up the stairs. She enters Fernando's room, diving onto the bed and taking a pillow to beat up on as she lets go of all emotional control. Her actions do not go unnoticed.
 
Hondo walks over to the other side of the roof and looks down at Fernando by the Porsche, emptying the trunk. He silence tells him that things were not well between him and Tammy. He hops down off the roof to the balcony below it.
 
Hondo: Yo Boss.
 
Fernando looks around him, not finding Hondo anywhere until he look up at the balcony and finds him there.
 
Fernando: Wus Up?
 
It struck Hondo odd that Fernando did not complain about being called 'Boss'.
 
 Hondo: I'll be right down.
 
It didn't matter to Fernando what Hondo did. But he had to put his feelings in check , for being annoyed and angry at Tammy does not mean that he held the same feelings to Hondo. He continued to take out the picnic items out of his car.
 
Jeanie enters Fernando's room unnoticed, as Tammy kept crying into the pillow she had beaten. Quietly Jeanie walks to the bed and sits on it gently. She gently puts her hand on Tammy's back, gently rubbing it. Whether Tammy noticed it or not during the time being, she does a few seconds later, pushing the arm out the way and staring at who it was with her.
 
Tammy: You!...
Jeanie: Everything alright?
Tammy: No! And its All Your Fault!
Jeanie: How is it my fault?!!
Tammy: He never wanted Me! He Wants You!
Jeanie: I think you get it all wrong.
Tammy: How would you know! You Want Him! You Even Said You Want Him!
Jeanie: I did say that I do want him, but I did not know that he was married to you. And I will say that I still want him but I would never disrespect his marriage to anyone- including you. Understand that what we have is a friendship that only exists because of who we are to each other. He saved my life and I owe him everything in that life. I'm a multi-billionaire Asian news publisher, he wants nothing to do with my money or property. Believe me, I have friends only because I can drop 40,000 dollars their way. But not Fernando, he want to work for what he has, he wants to earn for what he got. He has you, and I know through our friendship that he will not do you wrong.
Tammy: That's A Lie! What He Wants Is...
 
Tammy is a lost for words.
 
Jeanie: What does he want?
 
Tammy tries to find the words but they still elude her.
 
Tammy: He wants... I don't know what he wants! All I know its not me!
Jeanie: He would not have married you if he didn't like you. Why else would he marry you?
Tammy: He married me because he loved me. But he was killed and then he returned as a different person!
Jeanie: You mean his agency double.
Tammy: No!
 
Tammy just stares at her.
 
Tammy: You don't know?
Jeanie: Know what? There are not many secrets he has that I don't know.
Tammy: Then you know that he is a time traveler?
Jeanie: Time traveler? No. He's a US Secret Agent. He has access to things that I would not want to know.
Tammy: No... I mean besides that. He is a time traveler. I mean'
 
Tammy goes to his desk and takes his laptop from it and brings it to the bed. Opening it up wakes it from sleep mode. She goes through the application folder but finds nothing out of the ordinary.
 
Tammy (almost to herself): Its here... somewhere.
 
Jeanie closes the laptop and take it from her, putting it on the desk where she took it from.
 
Jeanie: I'm sure it is, but that's his personal property. Even if you are his wife, you are to respect his personal property.
Tammy: But... it was there... somewhere.
Jeanie: Look. Something tells me that you fell in love and got married to his agency double.
Tammy: NO!  
Jeanie: Then tell me how you two got married.
Tammy: We got married ten days before he was killed.
Jeanie: How he is still here alive after being killed?
Tammy: I don't know. He's a time traveler!
Jeanie: Even if he is a time traveler, dead is dead. He would not be coming back. How do you know its even him? You're his wife, you should know him intimately.
Tammy: We... never had a chance.
Jeanie: Not even the basics?
Tammy: Basics?
Jeanie: Basics, like: His multi-iris-ring angel eyes colours (No...); his ears prematurely ending where they should be pointed (no...); hidden scar by his left eyebrow on his forehead (no...); mole in the middle of his right forearm (no...). You know none of this about him?
Tammy (putting her head down): No.
Jeanie: Then you probably don't know about the white square patch of fur behind his left leg above the ankle.
 
Tammy shakes her head.
 
Jeanie: I wont mention the birthmark behind his right testicle.
Tammy: What?!!
Jeanie: He has a little birthmark behind his right testicle, looks like a mini cashew.
Tammy: And how would you know!
Jeanie: Been there, done that with him while you were probably in school learning your A B Cs. Seriously, I'm twice your age and I am younger than he is by a couple of years, and I have known him, his friends and his first wife while you were probably crying in Kindergarten because Mickey stole your crayons. I'll admit that I have not gone all the way with him as I would have wanted too, but we came very close to it on several occasions. Therefore, you should know him as intimately as I do and even more so. You should be carrying his squirrel puppies by now. You fail on being a wife to him on many levels. You don't marry somebody just because it is convenient for you. You are giving him a disservice if you are!
Tammy: Then what does it mean to be a wife?!!
Jeanie: To be a wife means to be many things depending on who she is and who he is. The basics for us women is simple, we give up everything in our lives to make his better; we are loyal to him and not just in the sexual term to being loyal. We have to be his best friend, do things with him that he would only trust with his male friends, support his hobbies, understand his deficiencies, strengthen his weaknesses, and most of all- no matter how wrong he may be you have to back him up. You do all that for him, he will the same for you but more so.
Tammy: And what if he would cheat on me?
Jeanie: A man would only cheat on his wife if she is not giving him what you are supposed to give him or you cheat on him first. If he does, you need to be forgiving to him because without him, you are nothing.
Tammy: I am too somebody!
Jeanie: Then divorce him and walk out on his life if you think you are. But listen to me first. Nobody in this world is capable of living alone happy. No one is able to do for themselves those things they need others to do for them. In short, no matter how many friends or family you may have, you do not want to live alone, you do not want to die alone. This is what love and acceptance is all about. You are nothing without him because he compliments you as you compliment him. It goes both ways. I know Fernando enough to know that he wont do you wrong, but you are doing wrong to him by not being his other half. Like I said- you don't give a man what he wants and needs, he will find somebody else to do it in your place. I understand you American women wanting to be free because I am an American woman too, but that does not make you his wife. It makes you an incomplete and incompatible half. If you want sex, you can go out a screw who ever you want to satisfy your lust, but if you want love, there is one person out there willing to give it to you unconditionally but only if you give it first. All I see you doing is nothing but excuses. You are not a wife by any mean or form.
Tammy: I Too Am His Wife!
Jeanie: Then prove it. Not to me, nor to him though you should but to yourself. All I see right now is a little girl who lost her teddy bear. That teddy bear is not going to her, she is going to need to go looking for it, for all this crying wont find it for her. You have a lot to learn, and don't use your age of inexperience as an excuse. He was married to his first wife at 22, I was married to my husband at 25 and we did our best with what little we had to make it work. You are not. You are just making excuses.
 
Jeanie gets up out of the bed and heads to the door and stops before opening it.
 
Jeanie: He tells you something, you listen. He tells you have to do something, you do it. I'm not telling you to be his robo-wife, I'm telling you to be a wife.
 
The door opens and she leaves.
 
Downstairs in the parking lot, Hondo tries to make conversation as he helps Fernando carry the things into the basement to put away.
 
Hondo: How did it go.
Fernando: Not well.
Hondo: But its fixable. Right?
Fernando: Nothing to fix.
Hondo: So...
Fernando (dropping his things): Look. I'm not going to forfeit my life because she's too reckless with hers. I don't care about her past, her ex-boyfriends or her former lovers, she is with me. She says that she loves me, she knows nothing of what that means or entails. The only good thing in this relationship is that I never consummated the marriage with her, therefore I can go to the bishop, make my payment and annul this marriage once and for all. She wants to endanger her life, fine by me. She can go endanger it without me.
Hondo: Whoa... back up a step or two. What happened?
Fernando: I just said everything. Weren't you listening?
Hondo: I was. But details. What you mean you wont forfeit your life for hers.
Fernando: Like I said, I wont. I gave her the bio-energy pill so that she wont be killed if it got to that point. She did not wanted it even after I shoved it down her throat.
Hondo: Wait, you cant force immortality on anyone like that.
Fernando: I just did. And I dont care anymore. She thinks that her friends are more important than I- her husband. She said that she is more than capable in making her own decisions but she is going to be killed by them. She does not understand what shit she is in and how much of a chunk of her ass its going to bitten off. She thinks that she can do this all by herself. In short she has went against everything this marriage stands for.
Hondo: If I can ask, what does the marriage stand for?
Fernando: Saving her life.
Hondo: And?
Fernando: And what?
Hondo: She went against in you saving her life. Right?
Fernando: Look. I am going to take care of Anne. You are going to take are of whoever gave you strife and grief over here. Then we are going to take care of Misao. You do me a favor and put on the trench coat in your closet. You may not like dressing up in suits like I do, but like my suits, the trench is bullet proof.
 
Jeanie walks in to the basement room, Hondo gives a Fernando a nudge to get his attention and points to her.
 
Fernando: Something wrong?
Jeanie: We need to talk. Alone.
Fernando: Hondo...
Hondo: Yeah, yeah. I'll wait upstairs. Maybe I can put some burgers on the grill.
Fernando: Thanks.
 
Hondo leaves the basement. Once up the stairs, Jeanie closes the door behind her.
 
Fernando: Going to tell me what you have to say or are we going to play 50 questions?
Jeanie: I had a long talk with your wife. Damn girl is daft in the head.
Fernando: What did she say?
Jeanie: Among other things, that you are a time traveler. That is was you that was killed and not some agency double.
Fernando: And you believe her?
Jeanie: Of course not. The girl is insane.
Fernando: There are certain things I don't tell you because I don't want them to be plastered on tomarrow's headline news. But, what ever comes out of her mouth is the truth. One thing I can say about Tammy is that she does not lie, no matter how crazy the truth seems to her.
Jeanie: What are you trying to say?
Fernando: Maybe I am a time traveler. Maybe I was killed and brought back from the dead. But either way, I do not want this information made public. I'm asking you not too.
Jeanie: You need to prove that to me.
 
Fernando pulls out his Paw 3000 device and taps on his screen. A bright flash happens on one of the washing machine, where his laptop is when it was not there before.
 
Jeanie: Teleportation has been around for a while now.
Fernando: True but... hmmm... you would agree that some 23+ years ago, we did not have the technology we have today. Right?
Jeanie: Yes.
Fernando: So miniature tv cameras with audio did not exist.
 
Jeanie nods. Fernando types on the laptop, and a bright orb appears, floating by him. He takes Jeanie by the hand.
 
Fernando: Remember the day you nearly drowned?
Jeanie: Of course. You saved me on that day.
Fernando: But you never knew who pushed you in. Right?
Jeanie: I had my suspicions.
Fernando: Then look.
 
The orb opens up showing the events of that day.
 
Mr. Braum showed up to talk with Ms O'Rerdin, passing by the group as he approached her. Without warning or reason, he reaches out and pushes one of the girls into the pool, all of whom can barely swim. But the girl Mr. Braum had pushed in was one who could hardly swim at all: Jeanie Chin. From where Fernando stood, he takes a couple of steps and diveve into the deep end, grabbing Jeanie by her mid section and pulling her out of the pool. She was already passed out and not breathing, probably because she gasped when she was pushed in and breathed in water, causing her to go into pulmonary shock and stop breathing.
 
Fernando puts her on the floor, positioning her head to the side to expel the water she might have swallowed, putting his hands on her lower chest and push down on her. She coughs up a bit of water as Fernando pushes down on her, but was still not breathing. He then switches to beside her head and reposition her to give her mouth to mouth resuscitation. The class gathers around us and watched. After a few breathes, Jeanie crunches upwards and starts coughing. The class starts clapping and cheering, though Mr. Braum and Ms O'rerdin quickly quiets them down.
 
"You alright?", Fernando asks Jeanie. At first she nods her head and then grabs him and hugs him tightly and starts to cry. "There, there... you're safe now...", he tells her. She starts to quiet down a bit but does not lets him go.
 
"Come on, I need her to fill out an accident report.", Ms O'rerdin stated as she reached over to us.
 
"I'll do the paperwork, you just sign it when I'm done.", Fernando tells Ms O'rerdin as he picks up Jeanie and carried her to the office. He sits her down on a bench on the far side of the room while he looks for the paper work, and fills it out. He just fill out the facts, checking the little boxes of listed items and write the statement below. Everything else, he leaves blank, like her name, class/homeroom, date and time. Nor does he allows her to sign it, as its required at the bottom of the page.
 
Fernando walks up to her and stick his hand out to her for her to take. She does, and uses it to help her get up, and she grabs him again, holding him tightly.
"You saved my life.", Jeanie stated emotionally.
"I do it all the time, Jeanie.", Fernando tells her.
"I owe you my life.", he can hear her say quietly to herself as she held on tightly.
 
With a few keystrokes, the orb disappears.
 
Jeanie: What was that?
Fernando: It was an observational portal into the past. Your, make that, our shared past.
Jeanie: But...
Fernando: I created this version of a time machine in order to save Cathy on the night she was killed. Little did I know that there are certain events that can not be changed.
 
Jeanie just stares at him.
 
Fernando: This is not the only Time Travel device out there, but this is one of two that I built using Dr. Kaku's theoretical design. Mind you, there are other Time Travel devices out there, some by alien races that I rather not speak about. Now, to answer your question, I am a time traveler who decided to protect those few around him for what ever reason. I do not go back to change events to my advantage, but I do prepare for future outcomes that become known to me and manipulate the present to alter that outcome if needed. Right now, my wife needs me or else she will end up dead sooner than the marriage with my first wife. If I fail, she dies. I don't intend to fail.
 
Jeanie snaps out of her fazed state of mind as she absorbed all this information.
 
Jeanie: Wife, you mean Tammy, upstairs Tammy?
Fernando: Who else would I be talking about?
Jeanie: So, what she said about you being killed, is it true?
Fernando: Depends on your point of view of the truth.
Jeanie: What is your POV (Point of view)?
 
Fernando access the video surveillance library from the house's intrusion system, accessing the event in question. He brings her over to the laptop to see the events as they happen.
 
Fernando walks around the service island into the kitchen and gets out a clean glass for her. He fills it with ice and then water. Anne had found his gun neatly holster away on the table. She quietly removes it from the holster and takes aim to him. He turns to put the glass on the service island, seeing Anne having his weapon already aimed at him.
 
After a long round of dialog a shot rings out, Fernando get hit near center of his chest. Breathing for him just become difficult, the pain unbearable, nerve signals to his legs and lower body gone. His white wedding shirt, turning bright red at the site of impact and spreading fast. But yet he manages to holds on to the island to keep him standing. He looks at his shirt as it turns from white to red before looking back at her. After an exchange of words he stumbles a bit as he gets weak. After a while he falls to the floor and dies.  
 
Jeanie: That was you. But how?
Fernando: All I can say is that a Time Traveler can never be killed, but they can die of old age. That is best I can explain it.
Jeanie: But...
Fernando: Quantum Immortality. Out of two possible outcomes to happen, both happens to me. I got killed in one outcome but continue in another, both exist at the same place and time. I can be killed an infinite number of times, but die once.
Jeanie: Because Natural Death only has a single outcome.
Fernando: Now you got it.
 
Jeanie tries to think what to say next but falls short for words.
 
Fernando: Don't worry about it. Like I tell you that I dont need your money because I have an infinite supply of my own. And also, my missions are to help save you guys. Tammy is currently first since she is the next event to happen. In the future, it will be you and the Asian community when I go against Misao and the Atlanteans. When I need help in that one, I will be calling you. But for now, I want you to never say a word I mentioned here, about me being a time traveler and the events yet to happen because in telling others, you alter the events in a gross way that will make it difficult for me to deal with manipulating that event. You understand what I am telling you?
 
Jeanie only nods.
 
Fernando: Good.

Fernando: I'll go get Tammy, or deal with her being finicky.
Hondo: We'll be waiting, but not forever!
Fernando (as he walks up the stairs): Yeah, yeah...
 
He walks up the stairs and enters him room, finding Tammy still crying on the bed. Closing the door softly, he walks to the bed and sits on it. Tammy props herself up and turns to him.
 
Tammy: YOU! What Do You Want Now?!!
Fernando: Jeanie and Hondo made a small dinner for everyone, and they would like you to come and eat.
Tammy: They? Why not you!
Fernando: Look Tammy. What I have to say is going to be ugly. But its going to be said. Now, not too long ago, in the US of A, when a man marries a woman, that woman automatically becomes his property. She looses some rights as an individual. In fact, a husband could rape his wife and he would not get arrested for it. Plain and simple, until 1992, such things were as such- ugly. As far as the rest of the world, this still holds true, women become less than individuals when they get married. We got married here in Italy, did we not? The laws here are worse than they used to be in America.
Tammy: So you are going to force me to be your wife, make me do things that I would not want to do! You going to be a MAN and enforce your will on me?!! Is That IT!
Fernando: No. I would not force you to do something you would not. Look. As much as I may not show it, I do care about you and I do love you. But I do not want you to do things you believe are right that are going to kill you!
Tammy (as she kneels up and tries to push him away): YOU MADE ME IMMORTAL WITH THAT STUPID PILL!
Fernando: The pill has its limitations.
 
He pulls out his gun from inside his suit jacket and places it to her temple.
 
Fernando: A bullet to your head will scramble your brains that it will take 1000 years for you to recover from. Even then you are not going to be 100 percent.
 
He moves the gun to between her breasts.
 
Fernando: Bullet to your heart will take years to heal from, like it did with me. Only a jump back to the past allows me to be here with you. I seen the future Tammy. It is one without out you if I do not intervene, if you do not fight back.
 
He puts the gun down on the bed.
 
Fernando: I don't want to lose you. But I'm not going to force you either. But maybe that little pill will give you a second chance that you would not otherwise have. That's why I gave it to you. Call me selfish but I don't want to lose you. I already lived through the pain of losing one wife, I do not want to live through that again through you.
Tammy: Then let me make my own mistakes. Let me be who I am.
Fernando: No. Not when it will cost you your life.
Tammy: Then tell me what happens, and let me make my own decision.
 
Fernando gets up and gets his laptop from the desk and takes it to the bed. He opens it, and types his codes on the keyboard and activates the time observation orb. It opens up to the size of the screen of the laptop.
 
Date and Time stamps are unknown and represented as question-marks, but it was a bright sunny day in an outdoor farmer's market. Tammy was shopping, Bink at her side carrying the bags of fresh produce. She picks up a large Roman Apple and gives a sniff before asking the farmer who grew it, how much it costs and does he have more. A red hair mouse comes out of the crowd and puts a SiG 229 to Tammy's temple and pulls the trigger. The blast from the bullet fired echoes across the open market, the hollow point bullet exits out the other side of Tammy's head, creating a larger exit hole than the entrance, spilling brains and blood about the area and on Bink. Tammy is dead before she hits the floor. The red haired mouse escapes in the panic that ensues.
 
The series of images stop at this point.
 
Tammy: When does this happen?
Fernando: Don't know. The Time Stamp is confused, meaning that it can happen in several locations in time. In short, if not now, then later but when is not sure.
Tammy: Then how about where?
Fernando: Background is too blurry to make out the city you were in when it happens. Could be here in Rome, or in Milan. Could be New York City, I know you like shopping in those farmer's markets in the city.
Tammy: What happens to Bink?
Fernando: She gets sent back to the SWA Section 2 where her mind will be wiped again and given to another handler, an abusive handler who will take advantage of a little girl who will do anything he tells, make that orders her to do.
Tammy: You're lying, aren't you?
Fernando: When have I ever lied to you? I mean, when it does not concern my person.
Tammy: I cant tell anymore.
Fernando: Anything that concerns you, I don't need to lie.
Tammy: Wind that back to when she kills me.
 
Fernando types a few codes to the keyboard, rewinding the events to when the red haired mouse puts the gun to Tammy's head. Tammy looks at the mouse, and the area.
 
Tammy: That clock in the back ground.
Fernando (typing a code on the keyboard, showing three images): There is a clock in Rome, Milan and New York that looks like that, near a farmer's market. There is also a similar clock in Madrid, Spain and San Juan Puerto Rico. This could be anywhere.
Tammy (looking at the red haired mouse): Why does she look familiar?
Fernando (typing a code on the keyboard, showing another image): It was Annie.
Tammy: Annie?
Fernando: There is only one Annie who is a cold blooded murderer. There is one more thing I have to tell you.
Tammy: What's that?
Fernando: Though there is an infinite number of possibilities in which this could happen, a small number of them which seems to register further into the future, it shows that you were pregnant at the time.
Tammy: Pregnant? Me? But we never did it.
Fernando: I know. It only means that there is a possibility that day we will within a year's time. I'm not forcing you into something you don't want to do.
 
He shakes his head.
 
Fernando: Look. There are many more chances of this event happen within a few days from now. Others within weeks and months from now. If we fail, and if she also fails to kill you, she is willing to wait until she can successfully strike again. A year, two years, three. I'm not asking much from you, just be a wife ' what ever it means to you but do not go against me. This shows that you are not safe until the danger is dealt with. Immortal or not, a bullet to the brain and you might as well be dead because 1000 years is too long to wait.
 
Tammy pushes the laptop screen closed, turning off the temporal observation orb.
 
Tammy (softly almost in defeat): What would my husband want of me as his wife?
Fernando: Nothing that she wont do for herself. Look. Hondo and Jeanie made a small dinner and want you to eat with them. Please join them.
 
Tammy sighs. Then she looks up at him.
 
Fernando: Its up to you. I'm going to stay up here for a minute before going downstairs.
 
He gets up out of the bed and walks over to the desk, taking his laptop with him. Tammy looks at him for a while before getting up and walking to him. She puts her arms around his neck. He puts his hand on one of her arms.
 
Fernando: Look. We will always have disagreements. We will always have arguments. And we will even have fights. But Tammy, like I told you before, I don't want you sharing my bed angry at me. Call me selfish or stupid, but the bed should be a place where we should not be angry or else somebody will be sleeping on the floor. I just want you as my wife, what ever that means to you but you are not my property, you're not less of an individual because of it. You are still Tammy. Tammy G-Squirrel.
Tammy: No. I'm Tammy G. Formerly Tammy Squirrel. Formerly a single squirrel, now a married squirrel. A wife to a wonderful man who can be an asshole at times, but he's doing for me what he thinks is right and is protecting me from the evils of this world even if I disagree with it. He is trying his best to be a man to his woman, and I'm not helping. If that does not count as anything, then I wont know what does. I'll see you down stairs?
Fernando: Yes. Later.
 
Tammy kisses him on the temple, above the stems of the glasses. She then lets go of him and walks out the room.
 
Fernando leans back against his chair, pushing it back against the support springs, and lets out a sigh.
 
Fernando (to himself): I don't remember being married being so difficult. Cathy, I swear, I don't know what to do with her at times.
 
He gets a mental answer that he already knew, involving patience, love and understanding.
 
He opens his laptop and sends it through its shutdown sequence. Closing its lid, he goes downstairs to meet with the rest of the group.
 
He takes his seat at the that of the table. Jeanie sits on the other end, Hondo to his left, Tammy to his right. Though it should have been 'serve yourself", Tammy and Jeanie go out of their way to serve Fernando. Hondo does not say a word, seeing Fernando as annoyed about the situation as he was.
 
Fernando gets up and walks to the kitchen, opening the refrigerator. He takes a bottle of red wine and takes it to the table. He fills his glass and drinks it with his meal.

Usin' pictures she got off the internet while on the plane, Valentine found the gas station where the shoot-out took place between the cowboy an' the red headed woman. 'When she arrived she parked her 1948 Harley panhead out front.  
 
 The sight of the classic motorcycle brought many stares, looks an' even a few cat calls. A few people came up to her to ask its year an' model. She was polite but quick with her answers. One young fellow even made a broad hint about her comin' over to his place for a physical activity. She smiled sweetly an' acted like she had no clue what he meant. This confused him enough for her to get away. Inside the store she questioned the employees about the shootin'. Only a couple spoke English, but she managed to pick up enough Italian to mix with her Spanish to be understood. 'No one knew where the woman was or who she was. The manager suggested to try Rome, to the south, as that was the direction the cowboy an' the red head had came from. She thanked them, bought a couple food items, an' went out to her bike. She loaded the food items into the saddle bags , climbed on, an' started the engine. She was lost deep in thought as she pulled out. Had she not been, she might have seen the black car with tinted windows follow her out.
 
 'On the road she cruised at 80 mph, while thinkin'. She was a long way from home, not that she hadn't been before while flyin' cargo planes, but then she was expected somewhere. If somethin' had gone wrong on a plane an' she had to ditch she would have people that cared about her welfare out lookin' for her. Now she was alone. No help if she had to ditch this time, an' this time, if anyone came lookin' for her it was not with her welfare in mind.  
 
'she sighed a bit as she thought about this. She missed her Pa an' his friends, as they had been like uncles to her, but they were dead now. Dead because of her. 'All of them dead because of her, an' now she was left alone. She told herself that she should have been the one killed not them. Deep guilt sat on her heart, an' an inward depression held it there. She had not really cried over what had happened. Yes, the night she got away she cried bitter tears, tears of anger toward those that had taken her pa, tears of anger for those who had taken her 'uncles", tears with revenge muttered through them, but never the tears of pure grief an' sorrow, no, never the deep cleansin' tears that could relieve her soul an' spirit. That sorrow she hid deep down, pinned in her heart by a feelin' of self blame, an' survivor guilt.
 
 Valentine pulled into a shabby little hotel just north of Rome an' rented a room on the ground floor and around back of the buildin'. She found her room, unlocked the door, an' pushed her motorcycle inside the room with her. The room was shabby, an' the fixtures were antique, but it was fairly clean.
After a quick shower an' some food she laid back to rest, though it was only 2:00 in the afternoon. The time change added to the fact that she hadn't slept in days. She planned on catchin' a nap then walkin' about town after dark to see if she could learn anythin'.  
 
 As she laid in the bed her mind turned back to the meetin' of the dark haired man an' the red headed woman that had meet with her father that fatal night an' had threatened him. What had they talked about? What had they wanted from her father? What had they wanted from her? Were they still after her? Were they here now? She tossed an' turned, tryin' to sleep as these questions raced through her mind. Even as tired as she was, sleep did not come easy, nor had it since that fatal day. All she knew that she had to kill them, make them pay, even if it meant the loss of her own life. '
 
 The debt that all men pay: Death.
 
 Valentine was not afraid of dyin'. She had believed in the Lord for salvation of her soul. She had been raised in a Baptist church most of her life, an' knew where she was goin'. Death did not scare her. More so, death felt as if it would be a relief. She had no family left, very few friends left, owed no man or woman anythin', no ties, no hopes, no dreams, other than seenin' these two dead. After this she had no plans, an' felt that makin' plans would have been foolish anyway. There was no way she could possibly walk out of this alive.

Hondo drove into Rome, stickin' to back streets mainly, keepin' the exhaust on quiet mode an' usin' as few runnin' lights possible. The black ford blended into the shadows an' was practically invisible to passersby. 'Hondo wore his .50 cal dragoon in a cross draw shoulder holster, a .36 cal 12 shot walsh in a back holster, an' two colt anacondas in hip holsters. He also donned his black bullet proof vest an' the bullet proof duster/trench coat. 'In his normal black garb Hondo moved easily through the shadows, bein' invisible or seen as he wanted.  
 
 'Hondo approached a few people here an' there, showin' them pictures of Laurie, Annie, an' El Grande. To help confuse the enemy, if word when word got back to them of someone askin' questions on them Hondo also stuck in a couple other know wanted fugitives an' a few other random pictures of people that he had found pics of online. When questioned as to what authority he asked by, he showed them an SWA badge an' a fake ID namin' him as Agent Lynch. From what he gathered they were all keepin' a low profile, but these local's that lived in the hours from dusk to dawn knew each other well, an' new comers were noticed. Hondo got random hits on sightin's of those he looked for but no one had seen any of them together in any of the local shops, but from what he was told they were more sightin's of these 3 in the last two days than before that, but all 3 had been identified as bein' seen several weeks before hand but not as much as recently. He knew that this most likely meant that they were gearin' up for their final strike.  
 
 By 1:00 am he had visited most all the local hotels, open street shops, an' had talked to several people on the street. A couple Euros usually opened information to him an' had with it promises of silence. Hondo knew some of these folks would not stay quiet about what was asked of them. He knew they would be beatin' it to the door of one of these three to let them know that someone asked about them in hopes to make another few Euros. Never the less, he took great cautions on who he asked. 'By now, he had the names of 4 probable hotels that might house their enemies, 3 local bar hang-outs, an' had a fairly good idea one where an' what time of day they shopped. Strangely enough Hondo also was told of a young woman dressed in a similar style as he was askin' about two of the people in the pictures, Laurie an' El Grande. He found this odd but decided to keep an' eye out for this person as well. He didn't like it. She might be after the same folks, but why? One lone woman wouldn't stand a chance against those two, but if she was tryin' to join them it could be more trouble.  
 
Once he was done with this he asked a couple folks that he knew would not give him all they knew in hopes of collectin' double rewards. These he waited an' followed, after they thought he was gone, to see where they would go. These folks helped eliminate 3 hotels an' added one name to the list. From what he gathered Annie was at a hotel that was beside a military installation an' behind a police station. It was scratched from the lists as a good place to hit her. The place was rough an' dirty lookin', an' had security armed with machine guns. The hotel that was added was one of the most upscale hotels in Rome. This, he decided, was Laurie Ann an' El Grande's hotel. Hondo asked a few folks around both. All three were seen leavin' their hotels at different times, but no one saw them come back. 'A door attendant of the hotel where Laurie was supposedly staying also told Hondo f a young woman in a brown duster, ridin' an antique motorcycle that had asked the same question. Now Hondo knew she was on the same track he was, but which side was she on?
 
 As Hondo climbed on the runnin' board of his truck to swing into the seat he stopped for a moment. He could not see much around the darkness of the buildin's across from the hotel as the lights from it cast deep dark shadows in that area, but he felt he was bein' watched. He tipped back his hat an' looked off at the buildin's One alley way help his attention most. It was as if he could feel someone lookin' him right in the eyes. It was almost as if he could feel there very soul an' spirit. The feelin' he got was not of one huntin' him, nor of one to fear, but of someone that needed help, that needed him. Feelin' that there was no threat he tugged his hat back low, an' sat himself down inside the truck.
 
 It was almost 3 am by the time Hondo got to the first bar. He started with the least likely of the three an' worked his way up. The first bar was the closest to both hotels. Hondo set up to the bar an' ordered a whiskey. 'He sipped on it an' played with it as he talked to the barkeep. The place was fairly dead an' the barkeep was lonely an' willin' to talk. Hondo didn't learn much new, other than Laurie Ann an' Annie were seen together here on the day he had been in the shoot-out with Laurie. The barkeep didn't hear what they said, but they ordered drinks to celebrate. Hondo figured it was to celebrate his supposed demise. 'After a while another customer came in. While the barkeeps attention was elsewhere Hondo poured his half finished drink into a hip flask, laid his money down plus a generous tip, thanked the bar keep an' left. As he drove away from that bar an old Harley Motor cycle passed him an' pulled into the bar's parkin' lot.
 
 The next bar was quite similar. Hondo ordered his drink, got info, an' poured rest of drink into flask. Here the barkeep had seen El Grande mostly, several times talkin' to some 2 bit thugs, an' one time talkin' to a red head the barkeep identified as Annie. as he stood at the bar 2 guys came up behind Hondo, one standin behind the other.
 
Thug #1: Mister, we need to talk with you.
 
Hondo: No interested. Go away.
 
 Hondo had seen them come in right after he had an' they had sat at a table an' watched him, talkin' back an' forth.
 
Barkeeper: Leave him alone.
 
Thug #2: You'll stay out of this if you know what is good for you.
 
Hondo (to the barkeeper): It's alright I'll handle this.
 
 Hondo stayed with his back to them, but watched them through the mirror behind him.
 
Hondo: If you boys know what's good for ya, you'll walk on outta here now. Ifin ya don't I can't promise that I won't kill one or both of ya.
 
The thug closest to Hondo pulled his gun as he spoke.
 
Thug #1: I'd like to see you try. AHHHH!!!!! *THUNK!!*
 
As the final words came out of the thugs mouth, Hondo spun around. As he did so he trapped the thugs left arm between his left side an' arm. As he did so he slammed his elbow into the thugs back, slammin' the thug into the bar, smashin' his nose an' sendin' his gun flyin'. as he did so the surprised other thug went for his gun, but in a sloppy manner. The thug got his gun out, but that was it. Hondo had pulled that big .50 cal dragoon from it's shoulder holster. One shot an' the thug crumpled to the floor. Hondo 'gave the one thug's arm that was still 'pinned under his arm a nice snap, breakin' it at the elbow. The thug screamed in pain as Hondo then spun him around to face him an' shoved the .50 cal up one of his nostrils.  
 
Hondo: Now listen! I gave you a chance an' this is what ya chose. Now you hear me good! You go back an' tell your boss the next time he tries to kill me, either send a man, or come himself, but don't send no snivelin' punk.
 
Hondo slammed him to the floor an' stomped on his other hand to make he couldn't use a gun on him. The barkeep came up to Hondo.
 
Barkeep: Senor, please out the back. The police ill be here soon. You get out. I'll lead them astray. Them was bad men, Senor. We are glad you take them out.
 
Hondo: Thanks, Senor.
 
Hondo slipped out the back an' got into his truck. He knew now that he had rattled a cage. He must be gettin' close.
 
 As Hondo arrived at the next bar he parked the truck across the street an' settled in. He didn't get much time to talk to the barkeeper this time, as the place was fairly busy, but he got all he needed to know. All 3 had been seen in here, more often in the last 2 days. There was a storm on the horizon, Hondo could feel it in his bones.  
 
 Hondo settled down at a table in a front corner by the bar. Here he could see the window's an' the door. More importantly he could see them in the mirror as well, to hide the fact that he was watchin'. There he sat nursin' a double whiskey an' waitin'. This time he'd get a look at this Motorcycle drivin' cowgirl if he had to stay there all night. Hondo casually glanced at a neon wall clock. The time was 4:00 am.
 
Around 5:00 am Hono ehard the sound of an' ol' Harley motorcycle pullin' up outside. He waited, but knew it had to be her.