Troy Holmes

“Orange Line train departing from Rosslyn, next Stop Foggy Bottom and as always thank you for riding Metro.” The conductor said in a robotic voice.

 

With that new information, Edwards haze started to lift. He now knew where he was and the next stop was his. He knew his mission. He started to then inspected himself. He gave himself a pat down and then seemed relieved. He then started to look around the Metro car. There were 11 people in total. A family of four occupied the front of the train. The father tried to keep the kids occupied as their mother napped. He was doing a good job as it looked like the kids were starting to get tired from a day at the National Zoo. Their clothing worn as souvenirs were evident of their exhausting day. Then close to the door sat Edward as an older couple in their 50s sat behind him. They were sitting quietly not making much of a fuss at all. Then scattered throughout the rest of the car was a mix of city workers, lawyers, and students all on their phones minding their own business. After this “inspection” of the train car, Edward looked down and exhaled deeply. He smacked himself in the face in succession waking himself up fully. As he emitted a yawn he arose from his seat and headed toward the doors of the car. He smiled at the father of the family of four at the front and gave him a little nod, as if to say, “hang in their buddy”. He then closed his eyes and waited for the next stop.

 

“Approaching Foggy Bottom, please stand clear of the exits and wait for a complete stop. Next stop Farragut West and thank you for riding Metro.” The conductors voice said in the same robotic tone as before.

 

As Edward opened his eyes, the door opened and he saw her. He was stunned. Just the site of her made him stop in his tracks. He just stood there not leaving the train. The woman looked up at him and waited for him to get off as she was the only one there. After a couple of seconds, she smiled and try to slide past him awkwardly. Breaking the awkwardness, she spoke.

 

“Wrong stop huh.” She said with a chuckle to Edward as she walked to a seat near the door and sat down.

 

“Ya, you could say that.” Edward said trying to play off the fact that he seemed star struck. She gave him an out and a reason to talk to her so he decided he should probably take her lead.

 

“I am pretty new to the city, these stops always confuse me”. Edward said chuckling back to her. He walked over to the map of the stations and pointed at it. “I should probably give this one another look.”

 

“Ya, tell me about it. I moved out her about three years ago, from Illinois, and I still get lost occasionally, don’t worry about it.” She chuckled again as she pulled out her phone and started to go through some of her emails.

 

Edward took this as a sign that the conversation was done so he left her be and sat down in the aisle across from her. The two didn’t speak for a couple of stops. After a couple of glances toward her way he realized he had to talk to her. He couldn’t wait for chance any longer. He slid over a seat and the two locked eyes.

 

“Im sorry if this is too forward, but I have to say…” Edward paused and mustard up the courage and continued, “but you are beautiful. I never say something like this to strangers but I feel drawn to you. Like, you are my destiny. Like, we are meant to be together.” He said with a wink.

 

“...thank you.” She said with hesitation. “I’m flattered I really am, but I am seeing someone I’m sorry.” She said as she looked away.

 

“Damn, that was way too strong wasn’t it. I shouldn’t have played it that way.” He started to say as he got up and walked over to her seat.

 

“Eh, no that’s ok you don’t have to come over. I am sorry I just really like the person I’m seeing. You seem like a really nice guy and all but..” She said as her voice started to trembled getting nervous over Edwards actions and words.

 

“Now, Now. We both know you are not seeing anyone, Amanda.” Edward said as he sat down at the seat directly next to her and placed a hand in his jacket.

 

“How do you know my name? Who are you?” Amanda said as she started speaking louder and started standing up.

 

“Shhhhhhh. Now please stay quiet Amanda this can go a lot of ways.” He said as he opened he jacket revealing the handle of a gun.

 

“What the fucc.” Amanda started to say as the words just escaped her mouth as a whisper.

 

“Oh that. That is a silence Beretta 92fs and I really don’t want to use that. But, let’s just say I did want to use it. See the silencer on that will make everyone else in this train car think you are just tired and want to take a nap. No one will know till I am long gone. So, as I said, this can go many ways Amanda.” He said as he placed his other and on her leg. The mere touch of him made Amanda jump back in her seat but the hand held her in place.

 

“Who are you and what the hell do you want with me.” She whispered as her speech was staggered and she began to cry.

 

“Oh, don’t you worry, I really want nothing from you. I just need you to sit exactly where you are for the next 35 minutes. After that you are free to go. That is, that’s one way to play it. The other ways, well let’s just say…..you won’t like any of those scenarios at all. Nope I don’t think you will.” Said Edward in a very smooth voice.

 

So far, he was doing a good job in not alerting anyone. Either the other car patrons simply didn’t care what was going on, or he was just simply good at his job. Either way Edward felt things were going smoothly.

 

“What the hell is going on.” Amanda said simply as she put her hands in her face a quietly cried.

 

“It’s ok, Amanda its ok. Just take a nap or something and everything will be okay.” Edward said as he patted her back. His other hand still on his gun.

 

“Ok.” Amanda said as she stopped crying. “The least you could do is tell me why you are going this. What did I do to you?” She said still whispering not wanting to alert anyone to her captivity.

 

“You are right. I could answer your questions. You have been good so far. Ok, what do ya got for me.” He said as he shifted in his seat to take on her questions.

 

“Who the fuck are you?” Amanda said in a flat tone a slight higher volume than a whisper.

 

“Let’s just say Amanda, my name is Edward May, but you can call me Mr. May. But these names the come and go like stars in the sky. Today I have a job, and that job is to sit with you on this train for the next…… 28 minutes.” He said looking at his watch.

 

“What the hell does that mean.” Amanda said still with her hands in her face.

 

“That means well, shit, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you. So, let’s just say I’m keeping you company while something else is taking place.” Edward said laughing.

 

“You’re fucking crazy. Please let me go, I didn’t do anything.” Amanda said as she started to rock back and forth in her seat.

 

“Well maybe I am, and yes you are right Amanda you didn’t do anything. None the less you are my mission.” Edward said still laughing.

 

“You aren’t making any sense, you know my name, you say I’m your mission, and I didn’t do anything wrong. Who the hell you do you work for.” Amanda said as she stopped rocking back and forth and glared up at him with her dark green bloodshot eyes.

 

“Well I guess it’s as good way to pass the time as any other. Hmm well let’s just say I know everyone on this trains name. I know yours is Amanda, I know you were going on a blind date tonight that your best friend Linda set you up on. I know that little girl down there with the elephant mask on playing with her rhino masked brother is Ashley and her brother his Desean. I know in two years she will be hit by a car walking to school and die. I know her brother will use her death as motivation for the rest of his life as he will reach one of the highest ranks in our military. I also know that man sitting four rows behind us with the horned rimmed glasses as a net worth for 4.5 million. Why he is riding the metro today I do not know, but I do know he will kill himself tonight after his dinner with his wife. He hangs himself tonight in his bathroom.” Edward said staring right back into Amanda’s eyes his voice low but stern.

 

“What are you? Some sort of demon or death? Amanda said frightened not wanted to really know the answer.

 

“Ha Ha Ha, that’s a new one.” Edward said laughing very loud. “No, no I am nothing like that. Hell, I’m on the good guy’s team. Well you have been good today Amanda so I will let you know. It won’t truly impact my mission but may but some peace in your heart. It will more than likely cause some future psychiatric trips but hell let’s do this.” Edward said as he cleared his throat. Just as they did they reached the next stop.

 

“Now, now be a good girl Amanda and just sit quietly don’t try anything stupid at this stop. I would hate to shoot little Desean right now and stop the family line.” Edward said as he put his hand back on his pistol.

 

“Don’t worry, just talk. I want this to be over and figure out what the hell is going on. Now talk.” She said she pushed Edwards hand off her shoulder and leaned back into her chair.

 

She wanted answers.

​

“Ok, what if I told you someone was going to kill a billion people. And you worked for a group of people that believed they could stop this massacre from happening. To stop this from happening all you had to do was one simple thing. Sit down in a chair and talk to someone for thirty-five minutes. Just by doing that you could prevent a billion people from being killed. You see in the history books I have seen from this era you always see crazy ways to stop mass murders. Bombing cities, waging war, damaging the planet; all of this was done in the past to stop the Dictators of Earth’s History, which only resulted in more and more death and destruction. We have a better way.” Edward said to Amanda looking for justification.

 

“And that way is to sit down and talk with me? Your just crazy, what the hell are you saying right now. You talking as if you’re from another planet. I am crazy? I am not going to kill anyone you have the wrong person” Amanda said not knowing what to think next.

 

“No, me and my colleagues are not from another planet and you are not crazy and I do not have the wrong person. You see in my history books today is a special day. For today is the day that Amanda Banner and Richard Mosby meet for the first time. They meet and its love and first sight. Two years later the marry and two years after that they have their first child. One year later their second. That second child grows up and becomes a lawyer, then congressman, and then Secretary of Defense of the United States of America. That man then stages a coup and takes over power by force and nothing is the same again. Millions are killed as Nuclear weapons ravage the earth forcing many people underground. There, disease and pestilence takes out millions as the United States of America becomes no more. The world is in shambles, if you can even call it a world anymore. You see Amanda, your son is the Devil, your son is Death. I am here to stop him. Before if even starts. It’s funny in the old movies you always see people trying to go back in time to stop a horrible event from happening. The always go back to kill someone and it’s this crazy convoluted scheme. You don’t have to kill anyone, you have a time machine. You simply just go back and stop two people from having sex. You know how crazy genetics are, it’s a glorious thing. So, me and my college went back into time to do just that. Stopped two people from having sex. My colleague probably will have better luck then me since her mark is a guy, haha and she is a little smoother with the opposite sex then I am. Nonetheless we will complete out mission. One way or another”. Edward said looking in Amanda’s eyes convincing her it was the truth.

 

She didn’t know what to say she just sat there and didn’t speak. She knew that if she tried to run then Mr. May would surely kill everyone aboard this train. She may not have believed his whole story but that fact she knew.

 

Three or four stops went by before she spoke another word. All the time Edward just sat next to her with his hand still in his pocket, his finger on the trigger. She didn’t say much over the rest of the ride, Edwards talk put her into a shock. She didn’t know what to think. Time travel? Future Wars? Her Son? These thoughts put her into a sort of coma. She didn’t even see Edward leave. After about four hours she realized he was gone and she has been riding the Orange Line back; late into the night. She didn’t get out of her daze till she heard the crackle of the microphone as the conductor announced that last stop was coming.

 

“We have reach Foggy Bottom going to the last stop of the night Vienna. Please keep from the doors as they open and thank you for riding Metro.” The conductor said in a robotic voice.

 

Amanda stood up and left the Train.  

 

 

 

                                                                   The End