Page 48 of Erase Me
Unlike last night when she caught me off guard, she didn’t have that advantage today.I was bigger, stronger, and faster.I was reasonably confident I could take her down.
I shook my head.“I want some answers.”
“Good for you.”
“You’re a quantum jumper.”
“Surprise, surprise.You finally figured it out.”
“You have some explaining to do,” I told her.
“Do I now?”she replied, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips.
“What year are you from?What section do you belong to?”I asked.“What are you doing here?”
She moved with lightning speed, but I was ready for her.As she launched a flurry of blows, I fended them off.But just barely.
She backed off, and tension in the air sharpened as we found ourselves locked in a silent showdown.Once again, she darted forward, swift as a falcon, and I countered, moving quickly to block her attack and her advance.Another standoff.
Time travel, no matter how brief, exacted a significant toll on the body.She was very good, but neither of us was in any position to engage in prolonged hand-to-hand combat.At least, not if we could avoid it.
“I don’t owe you any explanation.I don’t answer to you,” she said finally.“But, given the favor I did for you last night, you need to step aside.”
She sidestepped, and I moved with her.Even as we adjusted our positions, we were studying each other carefully.This was starting to look like a fight I couldn’t avoid.And, to be honest, if I wasn’t careful, there was a chance she could beat me.I definitely didn’t want that to happen.
“I don’t see time jumping involuntarily as a favor.”
“Listen to yourself,” she scoffed.“Why the fuck would I take you with me if not to save your life?Both of us were in danger.”
“What danger?”
She gestured towards the door behind me.“Last night, somebody slammed that door shut and locked it when we were in here.”
“You mean, after you knocked me out.”
“Exactly.”
She pointed at some junk stacked against the wall.“Whoever it was, they remotely opened a gas canister that was in a bag, right behind that cart.There wasn’t enough time for me to determine if that gas was meant to be lethal or not.What choice did I have?I wasn’t about to jump and leave you here alone.”
That made sense to me.If her intentions were sinister, why would she orchestrate a scenario where we both ended up in the same time and place?Aside from just leaving me here, she didn’t need to put herself in the situation where she was right now.
I turned and shoved the cart out of the way before pulling out a couple of bags.As soon as I moved, she slipped past me and headed for the door.
“There’s nothing here,” I told her.“Are you sure there was?—”
“Yes, I’m sure.And this door that was locked last night is open now,” she retorted, peering out into the yard.“Whoever it was came back, they came back...most likely to finish the job and clear away the evidence.And I’m not waiting around.”
Turning her back on me, she pushed the door wide open and stepped outside.I took one last look around and followed her.She was already halfway across the yard and had her phone in her hand.
“Avalie,” I called out, trailing behind her.
She ignored me.
A couple of pickup trucks were parked by the ramshackle office, and two men standing by a forklift glanced at us with surprise.Avalie waved at them and kept walking.
When I reached the open vehicle gate, she was moving briskly toward El Camino Real.
“Wait up,” I shouted.“Avalie!Is that your real name?”
