Chapters (45)
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Prologue
- 2046
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- About the Author
Roland doesn’t reply but looks at each of them in turn. ‘Before we proceed I will need a vow from each of you that you will do exactly as I say at all times. We are about to travel to a point in the timeline of humanity. Any interaction we partake in can alter that timeline. We will not talk to anyone. We will not speak within the hearing of any other person we see. We will do nothing at any time to draw attention to ourselves. If I say we abort then we come straight back through the door thing immediately—’
‘Portal,’ Konrad mumbles.
‘Thank you, Konrad,’ Roland says stiffly. ‘We will spend less than a minute there but I am confident it will satisfy your desire for evidence. We cannot stay longer as we do not have adequate clothing for you to fit into the period of time we are going to. This is observation only and for the sole purpose of proving the device’s capability. Do you understand?’
‘Fair enough,’ Ben says, itching to get it done and finished to prove this bloke is a freak so he can find a way out. The more he thinks about it, the more he believes the window was a hologram. But that other warning voice is there too. He ignores that other voice though, as he doesn’t like what it’s telling him.
‘Mr Madden? Do I have your word you will follow the instructions I have given?’
‘Miss?’ Harry asks, which makes Ben blink in surprise at him giving way to Safa again.
‘Okay.’ Safa looks at Roland. ‘But if anything happens to Ben or Harry I will come for all three of you. Are we clear on that?’
‘I accept those terms,’ Roland says with a nervous glance to his two workmen. ‘This is a test of honour and integrity as much as a method of proving the machine.’
‘Whose?’ Harry asks.
‘Both, I rather fancy,’ Roland says with a tight smile. ‘I think we are ready to proceed, Malcolm. We’ll go for that room Konrad rented.’
‘Okay,’ Malcolm says, thumbing the screen with well-practised movements. ‘Won’t be a minute.’
‘Room?’ Safa asks with a questioning look at Konrad. ‘How will a room prove anything?’
‘It will,’ Roland says simply.
Harry moves to stand in front of the device, looking up at the speakers then down to the floor before walking round behind the light.
‘Can you see me?’ he asks.
‘No, mate,’ Ben calls out.
‘Same,’ he says, coming back into view on the other side. ‘Can I touch it?’ he asks, extending a hand towards the light.
‘Done,’ Malcolm says.