Journey Through Ages

Chapter Four

In his cluttered lab, Samuel Hartman anxiously paced back and forth, his mind consumed by worry. The portal was still open, the time-travel experiment, which had once promised great discoveries, now seemed to teeter on the brink of disaster. And with each passing moment, his anxiety mounted, a gnawing sense of unease settling in the pit of his stomach.

Samuel knew that things had gone awry, and he desperately needed to find a way to close the portal before it caused any further harm.

"Come on, come on," he muttered to himself, his fingers flying across the keyboard, desperately trying to close the portal that had spiraled out of control. But try as he might, the swirling vortex of energy continued to pulse, its ominous glow casting long shadows across the laboratory walls. He furrowed his brow in deep concentration, his heart racing as he wrestled with the malfunctioning equipment.

Frantically searching for a solution, Sam ran his hand through his disheveled hair, his eyes scanning the control panel. The moment his gaze locked onto the screen displaying the coordinates of the portal's connection, he dropped his jaw in utter disbelief and confusion. They matched the location of his device—the same one in his lab, which meant that the portal was connected to itself.

Immediately, he suspected that someone else had activated another device using the same signal as his own, creating a feedback loop that kept the portal open. But if so, what could it mean? He needed to find the person responsible for activating the second time travel device before it was too late.

With a sinking heart, he quickly grabbed his laptop and checked the readings and coordinates of the 'Master Source Signal' displayed on the monitor before him, his breath catching in his throat as he realized the truth. The signal was emanating from a location in the same street in Piccadilly where his beloved girlfriend, Eleanor, resided.

A surge of panic coursed through him, and his heart pounded furiously in his chest. Could this connection have anything to do with Eleanor? Was she safe? His mind raced with a thousand questions, each more urgent than the last.

Baffled beyond words, Samuel realized that if the portal was indeed connected to Eleanor's location, then she could be in grave danger. He had to contact her, at least to make sure she was not in trouble. His fingers tapped rhythmically in suspense against the sleek, metal device that had caused such chaos, his features trembling, praying for her safety.

In one swift, decisive motion, he reached for his communicator, a determined glint in his eyes, and dialed the number he knew by heart. He tried to reach Eleanor, but the line rang and rang with no answer. His fears only intensified, each unanswered ring echoing like a drumbeat of dread in his ears.

"Eleanor, please," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "Answer the damn phone!"

Regardless, there was still no response—only the cold silence of an empty line.

Nervous and tensed, Samuel dialed her number again, his fingers quivering with every digit he pressed. But the situation remained the same, there was no answer. The seconds ticked by agonizingly slow, amplifying his growing unease.

A sense of urgency burning in his chest, it dawned upon him that he was running out of time. He reached for his communicator once more, this time dialing the number of his colleague, Dr. Alice Alderman. If anyone could help him unravel the mystery of the portal and ensure Eleanor's safety, it was Alice.

With each passing ring, his anxiety mounted, knowing that time was of the essence. Finally, the call connected, and a voice filled with warmth greeted him on the other end.

"Hello, Sam. Still at the lab?" Alice's voice crackled through the speaker, her tone laced with curiosity.

Alice was not just any colleague; she was Samuel's closest confidante, a brilliant mind who had been instrumental in helping him with his groundbreaking research and experiments.

"Alice, I need your help," he blurted out, his voice laden with anxiety. "I was testing my device and something went terribly wrong."

On the other end of the line, there was a brief pause before Alice replied, her tone laced with concern. "Samuel, calm down. What happened exactly?"

Samuel took a deep breath, attempting to steady himself. "There's been an incident with the portal, I can't shut it down. I suspect someone else has activated a time-travel device using the same signal as mine, and it probably created a loop, causing the system to malfunction. I've been trying to close it, but it's not working."

"Another device? What do you mean? Who else has a device like yours?"

"I don't know. That's what I need you to find out. Alice, listen to me. I've traced the portal Source Signal, it seems to be coming from a specific location in London. Piccadilly Circus precisely. You know where that is, right?" Samuel asked, his voice urgent.

Alice was calm and collected on the other end of the line. "Yes, I do," she replied, her voice cautious, but eager.

"Good. I need you to go there and find out what's happening," Samuel explained.

Alice's brow furrowed in concern as she listened to Samuel's words. She knew that if Samuel was calling her, then the situation must be dire. There was a moment of silence, followed by the sound of rustling papers as she gathered her thoughts.

"Are you sure it's safe? What if whoever activated it is dangerous?" Alice asked, her voice laced with caution.

Samuel sighed. "I can't be sure, but I have to find out," he replied, his eyes fixed on the lab's computer screen.

"Alright, Samuel. Send me the coordinates, I'll go right away. But what about Eleanor? Is she okay?"

His heart clenched at the mention of Eleanor's name, his mind racing with heightened worry and fear. "I don't know, Alice. I've been trying to reach her, but she's not answering her phone."

Alice's voice turned serious. "Samuel, this is urgent. I'll head there immediately. Keep trying to contact Eleanor and stay by the portal. We need to figure out what's going on."

Samuel quickly relayed the coordinates to Alice, his thoughts whisking with the implications of what he had discovered. If someone else had activated a time travel device, it could have disastrous consequences for the past and the future.

"Please, just...find out what's going on. And make sure she's safe," Sam pleaded.

He knew he was taking a huge risk by involving Alice in this dangerous game, but he had no other choice. And besides, he was glad to have someone to share the adventure with.

Alice tried to reassure him. "I'm on it, Sam. I'll meet you at the lab as soon as possible," her mind was already racing with thoughts of how she could help her friend and colleague. She knew that Samuel trusted her implicitly, and she would do everything in her power to live up to that trust.

However, his mind was fraught with apprehension. He couldn't shake off the thought of Eleanor being caught in the chaos he had unwittingly unleashed. He felt the need to emphasize the urgency of the situation again to Alice.

"Time is running out, Alice. If we don't act fast, we could be dealing with a catastrophic timeline."

"I understand," Alice replied simply, nodding her head in determination.

Sams's heart swelled with gratitude, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him.

"Thank you, Alice. I don't know what I would do without you. And good luck."

He hung up the phone, hoping that Alice would find the person who had the device and that they would cooperate.

He pressed the emergency button in his lab and waited for the portal to close.