The hum of the Time Tunnel grew louder and higher. Another 60 seconds and the Tunnel would be ready.
Phin stood up and stepped in front of the entrance to the Tunnel. He often did this when agents returned and could sometimes catch a brief scent, hear a sound, or feel a rush of air from wherever the agent was time-ported. It was another little ritual for him.
Zoe shook her head but smiled. Her brother's familiar habits were amusing to her most times.
Phin had to speak loudly over the hum of the Tunnel. He turned his head toward Zoe and shouted "Here she is!"
Ava was materializing before their eyes. So far so good.
Until...
An alarm sounded. It was loud and startled both of them.
"Shit!" Zoe yelled.
"What's wrong!?" Phin now shouted over the noise of the Time Tunnel and the alarm.
"1202 Alarm!" Zoe worked the controls while checking monitors. While she did so, she managed to turn off the alarm. A 1202 Alarm was an unresponsive computer. They now had a time-portal open in Caledon Mayfair with no means to control its size, scope, and no way to stop it.
"Z!"
Zoe looked up and saw Ava suspended. Ava appeared to be in pain, her mouth was open as though she was yelling something, or was it a scream? It was the most awful sight she'd ever seen as TF10 Director.
Phin started to step toward Ava.
"No, Phin!"
Phin shouted at Zoe, "Something...or someone has her!"
"Don't take another step, Phin!... I won't lose you, too!"
Zoe looked at her station, then up at Phin "We have to let her go!"
Phin gave an angry look to Zoe.
Zoe shouted "If we don't let her go now, the Tunnel...and whatever has her..."
"Two forces will tear her apart!" Phin finished. "Do it!" Let her go!" Phin's shoulders slumped as she watched Ava disappear. The computer errors cleared and the Time Tunnel started its shutdown sequence.
"We need to find her now!" Phin said as the noise of the Time Tunnel died down.
Zoe stared blankly at the monitors...then slowly said... "I don't think we have to look very far."
Phin blinked and then asked "Dreamscape?"
"If we find our cousin we'll find Ava." then Zoe frowned, "The quickest way to find Dreamscape would be through Zabrina... but of course we're not on speaking terms."
Zoe turned to Phin and smiled "She'll still speak to her brother though."
"I'm not sure about that, Z." Phin said.
Zoe nodded and looked straight into Phin's eyes. "For Ava."
Phin read his sister's face and knew better than to counter her determination.
"For Ava" Phin replied.
Readers may visit the Time Tunnel by teleporting (or timeporting) to the following SLurl http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Mayfair/40/243/24. You'll land at my Steampunk home in Caledon Mayfair. Then take the elevator to the Time Tunnel level.
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