Chapter 34
I am still amazed by some of the things I can do. One example is that when I 'back time' or view the past; I can stay in one place and view hours and hours of activity from the past, yet when I return to myself in the present, only about 5 minutes actual time has elapsed. And, this is without 'time diving', or going into the past, at all!
It was still my first day in England, and already I had gotten several things accomplished. I had converted one thousand dollars to British Pounds, and had done an in depth study of John Avery-Smythe, at his place of work.
I went into the House of Lords, in the 'between', and then did a lot of viewing of past events. Since I was in the 'between', I was able to get into places most of the general public can't.
The result was that in those few hours, I had listened in on hundreds of conversations he'd had on the phone, and in private meetings. I had seen his votes, press conferences, and a few meetings with two different prime Ministers.
At no time did anything come up, that remotely had anything to do with the 'council'. That didn't mean I couldn't have missed him talking with and discussing things with 'council' personnel, it just meant that everything I viewed was the normal business of a politician, lord, and individual.
I was starving and a bit tired at the end of my first day. I still had to adjust to the time difference, and I was doing that by making sure I didn't go to sleep earlier than 9PM, local time. I went to a bed and breakfast, as they weren't as particular with passports as hotels were. I ate a huge meal, paid cash for the night, and slept the sleep of the just.
Ok, I tossed and turned a bit. It always happens when I am in a new place. So, I wasn't as rested the next morning as I could have been. I know, I could have stayed at home, and teleported back and forth daily, but I enjoyed the feel and flavor of England. Just being there was exciting for me. I was also worried that too much teleporting might reveal me to someone; particularly, a 'governmental' someone.
The next several days were packed. I traveled to the schools that Avery-Smythe attended as a young man, and watched him there. He was definitely an intense student. I was surprised at some of the things he'd studied in College.
Even as a young man, and a boy, he had a sense of honor and integrity. If he gave his word, he kept it. He got that from his father who had told him that despite all the legal contracts, and mumbo jumbo; a man of true honor did not need a contract, to hold him to his word.
John Avery-Smythe lived that sentiment to the fullest. A few times he had been tricked or lied to by fellow classmates, or friends. They quickly found out that they were no longer that friendly with the young lord Avery-Smythe. He had even gotten into a couple fights as a teen over 'besmirched' honor. He was a 'gentleman' in the fine old sense of the word, and was everything it implied.
In fact, the more I studied him, the more I liked him. He was everything I wanted to be! Also, I still did not pick up on anything that remotely looked like 'council'; or what I new of that organizations influence, anywhere in John's life. On the fourth day, I decided to take the plunge.
It was Friday, and I knew he would be leaving the city for his country estate, two hour's drive from London. He had a flat in London for when he worked late, or had to be in the House early. Other than that, he went home. And, he always went home on the weekends.
He loved his wife very much, and missed her when he couldn't get home. He always called and talked with her on those days.
I called his office. I knew he was in. After they answered, I requested to speak with John Avery-Smythe.
"Tell him it's Tom Wilshire. I think he will speak to me," I said to the secretary who answered.
A moment later, the well modulated tones of lord Avery-Smythe was on the other end.
"Tom? What a pleasant surprise. How are you?" He asked.
"Fine. I am in country, and wondered if that invitation to guest at your place was still open?" I asked him.
"By all means! I hadn't heard you had gotten in," he said.
"No reason you should. It's not like I was someone the world gapes over every time I take a breath, like some movie star," I said with a laugh.
"You might be surprised," he replied with his own chuckle.
We made arrangements for me to arrive at his home later that evening. I was actually close by. I stepped through to his office, while in the 'between', through the NTZ. I had taken the opportunity to place an object in the NTZ from there, so I would have access.
The only thing he did was call his wife, and inform her that 'the American' was coming for a short stay. No clandestine calls were made to British intelligence, or to the 'council'. I sighed at this. I'd still had a slight worry that he might be involved with the 'council', that I had not watched the right times.
I went with him. While staying in the 'between', I raced forward and got into his car before him. I wanted to ride with him, as he could still inform someone from the car, or a cell phone. The trip was long, and boring. All he did was read briefs from his work. He was very conscientious.
We arrived at his home. He got out, leaving me stuck in the car until the driver put it away. After the driver left, I exited the car, and made my way to the gate. While I did not know if he would call anyone from inside his home, since he hadn't after I had called him at his offices, I seriously doubted he would now.
I retrieved my suitcase from the NTZ where I had placed it, and started walking up the drive after I left the 'between'. I was only a short way up the driveway, when I saw people coming out the main door of the house.
"Good heavens, man! I would have sent the car for you!" John Avery-Smythe said to me as I finally got to him.
"Not at all. I enjoyed the walk," I said as we shook hands.
Two hours later, after we had eaten, John and I were in his study. I was wondering how to broach the subject when he did it for me.
"So, make any interesting trips. Seen anything in time that was interesting?" he asked casually.
While his voice was casual, his demeanor was anything but. He leaned forward, and I swear I could almost feel his dark eyes boring holes into me.
"Funny you should mention that. I have something you might be interested in," I told him.
I asked him if he would excuse me for a moment, while I retrieved something from my suitcase. He nodded. I walked to my room, and got the video and my laptop. I returned to the study.
"Got a VCR handy? It's an American tape, sorry," I said.
"Not a problem. I have a multi-system that can play most of the tapes of the world," he said, taking the tape and opening a cabinet, which contained a television and small entertainment center.
We sat in silence while he watched the tape I had made of the Kennedy assassination. He didn't say anything, or interrupt. When it reached its conclusion, he turned and looked at me.
"I take it you had something to do with the making of this video?" He asked me.
"You could say that, yes," I said a bit obliquely.
He smiled and shook his head at me.
"Still in denial," was all he said.
I grinned at him. I opened my laptop, and was about to turn it on and start him on the two files I had downloaded into it, when we were interrupted.
"Dear, we have a visitor," Evelyn Avery-Smythe said, breezing into the study followed by a woman of mind-boggling beauty. I stared at her.
"Uncle John!" exclaimed the vision of loveliness and rushed to John, who took her into his arms and hugged her. When they separated, she gave him a chaste kiss on his cheek. She turned to me with a quizzical expression.
"Courtney, this is a friend of ours from America, Tom Wilshire. Tom, our niece, Courtney Foxmoor," John said.
She extended her hand and came to me. I stared at her dumbly. She was a goddess! Dark raven hair, dark eyes, about 5' 2" tall, and features that could only be described as elfin. A compact body that went perfectly with her frame. She was in her early to mid twenties. I just gawked.
"Come young man. Shake the girls hand, she won't bite, you know," Evelyn said.
I felt my face get hot, held out my hand to her, and shook her hand gently.
"Pleasure to meet you. Are you in the politics business, as uncle is?" She asked in a smooth contralto voice.
"Ah, no. I, um, don't really do anything," I said hesitantly.
"Don't let him fool you, dear. Mr. Wilshire has inherited some money. He has donated several million dollars to very worthy causes, and is the owner of a very good private investigations and security company," John said with a chuckle.
I glanced sharply at John. Damn! The man had definitely been keeping track of me.
"Well, I decided to take you and Aunt Evelyn up on your invitation to go horseback riding. The weather is perfect this weekend," Courtney explained.
"Good! Say, do you ride, Tom?" John asked me.
"Yes. I grew up on a farm, but you knew that," I said to John absently.
We talked a for a bit, then Evelyn and Courtney excused themselves, and we got back to the business at hand. I typed in my password, and opened the file I wanted John to read. Twenty minutes later, with a concerned look on his face, he looked at me.
"Between the tape you showed me, this file, the second one, and the name as contact for England, and the fact that it's you who are telling me this; I am inclined to take it at face value," John said, then sighed heavily.
"How do you think I felt? It was some time before I managed to get this much. I just recently came into possession of the files you have just read. It's damned scary," I said to him.
"I can tell. What do you want to do?" he asked me.
"I came to you for help, and for advice. A lot of the names on this list are of people in high positions, or in key positions, within my own federal and state governments. These people will not hesitate to kill people, up to and including a president. I am much smaller potatoes than that. But I refuse to be brushed aside," I said with a grim look.
"No. They are definitely barking up the wrong tree, if they think they can dispose of someone like you very easily," John said in a musing tone.
"I noticed you never told your intelligence people what you suspected of me," I began cautiously.
"No. I told you, I am not your enemy. I noticed that your own government has found out a little about part of your abilities. I don't think they would let you run around loose, or alone, if they knew the full extent of your capabilities. I am not sure I even know them myself. I do suspect, but your very closed mouthed about this," John said with a hint of a smile.
"Well, I have learned the value of keeping things that are secret, a secret. I must admit that a lot of my problems were brought on by myself, though," I answered wryly.
"As you age, you gain perspective. I know the young are tired of hearing their elders tell them we know better. It is not because we are necessarily superior to the young, it's just we have learned a few lessons, already," John told me sympathetically.
John walked over to his desk computer, and turned it on. After a moment, he typed something in, and was soon typing away in concentration.
"I thought so!" I heard him say after a couple minutes.
"That name on the list as the 'council' contact for England... I was sure I had heard the name before. I did. Here it is," he gestured to me to come and look.
I went over and looked at the screen. There was a picture of a man with a pipe clamped between his teeth. He was on a boat, with several other people.
"This man is on the list. He is an under secretary for the ministry of labor. Just like your counter parts in America, it seems we have moles in our government, also," John said, and we both read the governmental 'bio' that was attached.
Edited by TeNderLoin