Page 340 of Every Almost

"What particular day in 1990?"

"Now, see, that's the funny thing. You say today is New Year's Day? Well, it just so happens that this box was decommissioned at 23:30 on New Year's Day, six years ago."

"January 1, 1990."

"January 1, 1990," Emma repeated.

Katie couldn't stop her hands from shaking.

"Emma..."

"I know," Emma replied, her voice gentle. "Just come here tomorrow morning at seven"

"Emma." Katie sat up further. "Your visa. If I get caught with you, they’ll deport you so fast. Don't get in trouble for me."

"Mm," Emma hummed. Then her voice brightened. "Fine, nine o'clock, then."

“Nine,” Katie replied. “How is that any better? That still doesn't sound like a good time to sneak someone into JPL."

"No, it's actually perfect. You can come here in the morning. It'll be a ghost town with the parade, I'll have no problem getting you in. Nobody watching or asking or looking too closely. My visa will be safe. Everyone wins."

Katie looked over at the clock again. "Okay, I'll be there."

"Good," Emma said. "I'll have the box in my lab."

"Emma," Katie said, her voice charged. "Emma, this is insane. What if it's...?"

"It could be," Emma said quietly. "I don't want to get your hopes up but, this is the closest we've gotten to something that could hold the answers to what happened to your sister."

Katie took a shaky breath.

"Thank you," she said at a whisper. She imagined Emma smiling through the phone.

"Don't mention it. I kind of liked having a mission to solve for the past three years."

Katie laughed, a little rough as tears formed in her eyes.

“Nine AM, Dr. Wickett," Emma said. "I'll be waiting."

“Nine AM," Katie confirmed. "I'll see you then, Dr. Holloway."

?JET PROPULSION LABORATORY, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES?

January 1, 1996, 09:07AM

The loading dock on the east side of JPL didn't have a camera, which was the entire reason Emma used it.

"You know the way, Katie. Just get through here. Quick." Emma held the door with her shoulder, badge already back in her pocket. "And for God’s sake don’t touch a damn thing. I mean it. Nothing."

"I touchedonething six months ago. You're still on me about it?"

"You touched a replica of Voyager 1, in front of the Deputy Administrator, with the single most insolent finger I have ever seen deployed by an adult woman." Emma pulled her throughand let the door hush shut. "One finger. Like God reaching for Adam. In front of leadership. You should be happy if I stop talking about this ten years from now."

Ten years,Katie thought. It was a pleasant thought to think that Katie would still know Emma in ten years.

"He was being condescending," Katie replied, quieting her thoughts.

"He banned you from the campus."