It was the movement that had triggered the memory.A memory of an air base in the 1950s.She hadn’t been there long.John had abruptly sent her back, but she’d seen this man and a woman.And John hadn’t liked it.She’d sensed it because John never showed emotion.But he’d vibrated with it then.
After that, she’d been sent on a dizzying number of observations.So many that one of the other agents had commented on how busy she was and asked if she were working on anything in particular.
“Not really,” she’d answered.It was the truth, but it had puzzled her as much as it had puzzled the other agent.Had she been sent there by mistake?Or had she seen something John hadn’t wanted her to see?
She looked at Red, then at Ty.His name hadn’t been Ty back then.
“You have traveled in time.”She could see it now, that waver as if time moved differently around him.She looked back at Red.“He might be what I wasn’t supposed to see.”
She said the words almost dully.Was Red helping her or setting her up?
The couch sagged beside her and Red took her hand.She didn’t resist.It was as if all the fight had gone out of her.
“I’m not with them, Rita,” he said.“I’m not with the people trying to kill you.I almost died, too.”
That was true.She looked at Ty.“They weren’t trying to kill you, though.”
Ty hesitated.“Actually they did try to kill me.”His gaze went to Mel.
She went to a chair across from Rita and Red.
“They lied to you.There are others traveling through time.They don’t like it.”
Rita nodded.She could believe that.
“We think they are trying to alter time, not big things, but small things that could have a lot of impact on the timeline.Have you ever noticed anything that made you wonder?”
Rita bit her lip.Did she trust these people?
Red’s grip on her hand tightened until she met his gaze.
“If you trust me, then trust them.”
“But why should you trust me?”It felt like a good question.
“We don’t actually trust you,” Mel admitted.“But we do trust…Red.”
Rita stared into his eyes.That was how it had been from the first time she looked into his eyes.Trust.It was so complicated and yet so simple.It was there until it wasn’t.He’d lied to her, but she’d lied to him.Was he a time traveler, too?And what had he told them about her?
“Did you tell them I said I was an alien?”As soon as the words were out she regretted them.If he hadn’t…
He grinned.“I did.They loved it.”
“It made me like you even if I didn’t trust you,” Mel said.
Rita managed a half laugh.“My head hurts,” she said.
“Not enough sleep, not enough food,” Red said.
And too much time travel.It really messed with the body’s biorhythms to do it as fast and often as they had.It messed with her brain, too.Was that why John had sent her out so much?He was trying to mess her over without looking like he wanted to mess her over?
“I don’t trust them anymore,” she muttered, rubbing her temple with the hand Red wasn’t holding.The feel of his grip, the warmth of it was the only anchor she had right now.She was afraid to look up, to see time wavering around her.
“That’s a good first step,” Mel said.“Let’s get some food in you and you can sleep.No one will bother you here.”
“How can you be sure?”Rita stole a look at her from under her lashes.
“We have our ways.”Mel grinned.“Come on.”
