Chapter 4 Why Are You Here?
Gabriel should know better than to call his mother before making one of the biggest decisions of his life. The consequences of this particular meeting would be crucial, and it could either bring his mother joy or more pain.
“Gabriel, what are you doing? Your message sounded strange. Something about making a real difference in the world the right way,” Maria Flynn said concerned. “Where are you?”
“I’m in Connecticut. I’m attending a guest lecture of one of Stanford’s greatest history professors,” he told her. “What’s so strange about that? You know how much I love history.
“I do but when does an engineer have time to attend guest speaking engagements? Is that the only reason you’re in Connecticut?”
“This engineer took some vacation time and I’m enjoying it. You said I needed to get out more and enjoy life. That’s what I’m doing,” Gabriel lied.
Maria sighed increasing his guilt for lying to her. “I did say that. It’s nice to know the old Gabriel is still inside you. I want you to be happy. Your father and Garcia would want you to live.”
More guilt creeps in. “Mom, I have to go, or I’ll be late. I love you mom.”
“Love you too sweetheart. Be safe out there,” Maria replied and hung up the phone.
Gabriel looks at himself in the full-length mirror in his hotel room. He readjusts the cufflinks on his shirt. Cufflinks his little brother gave him a long time ago.
“This is for you baby brother,” he thought.
“Grace Humiston, otherwise known as Mrs. Sherlock Holmes, was the first female lawyer in New York but also a reluctant hero in the women’s movement. She lived in a world where she had to fight for respect by the men in her profession. Humiston thought the women were only fooling themselves in their quest. However, the turning point came, when Humiston solved the murder of Alice Paul,” Lucy lectured.
“Alice Paul was supposed to deliver a rousing speech while President Wilson visited New York. Alice Paul and her compatriots knew this was the moment of a lifetime and they would not squander it. Unfortunately, Alice never got that chance.”
“Grace took up the cause as she witnessed the police brutality against the women and delivered the infamous speech that made the biggest impact in women’s rights in the 1920s,” Lucy continued.
“President Woodrow Wilson was deeply moved and he passed the 19th amendment. It was a rousing speech to witness,” Lucy lectured.
“You sound as if you witnessed the event yourself,” a voice rang out. The comment garnered a laugh from the audience.
“Well, that would be impossible,” Lucy said. “I would be 80 years old by now.” Another round of laughter erupted.
“Or you could be the world’s greatest time traveler.”
Lucy put on a smile. “Anyway, back to Grace Humiston and the women’s movement…
After the lecture she went to the café to have lunch. She was supposed to meet Wyatt on campus but he couldn’t make it due to work.
Lucy looks up at the man’s brown eyes. There’s something hauntingly familiar about his features.
“Are you here to spout off more conspiracy theories?” she asked.
“Not quite,” he said taking his seat across from her. “I was very impressed with your lecture on women’s rights. I’m a history nerd myself. I was wondering if you could autograph this book for my mother,” he continued taking out Lucy’s book from his satchel.
“I would love to,” she said smiling. “What would you like me to write?”
Gabriel watched as she opened the book to the front cover. “Dear Maria, always keep your love of history alive.”
She hands the book back to Gabriel. “Maria is such a lovely name.”
“Thank you. She’s famous in the engineering world…well, at least in my opinion. She’s modest so it’s up to me to put her on a pedestal.”
Lucy laughs softly. “What’s her name?”
“Maria Tompkins-Flynn,” he answered. He watches as the realization hits her fast and the blood drains from her face.
“Gabriel,” she said in disbelief.
“It’s nice to finally meet the woman who changed my brother’s life,” he said. “Garcia admired you.”
Lucy can’t quite believe what is happening in front of her. How did he find her?
“How did you find me? What do you want?”
“Through trial and error. You pulled quite the disappearing act after your last adventure. Settling into domestic life and hiding in the plain sight suits you. It is the family trait after all. Somehow, one trip to 2014 showed up on my radar. I had to reach you.”
Lucy narrowed her eyes. “What do you want?”
“I can’t exactly discuss,” he looks around before turning his attention back to her. “Rittenhouse in the open. I’m not supposed to say the name out loud,” he whispered.
“Says who? Rittenhouse is long gone.”
Gabriel snorted and laughed. “You’re good.”
“You sound as if you actually believe that.”
“I do,” she said. “We destroyed them,” Lucy continued.
There’s something in Gabriel’s eyes that shift. A mixture of incredulity and sadness. “Then you’re not the angel sent from Heaven my brother thought you were. You may have won the battle, but you did not win the war. All you’ve done is create more damage and leave the little people to clean up your mess.”
Gabriel grabbed his satchel and put it on his shoulder. “Here I thought you could help me, but I guess I was wrong.”
He left her sitting at the table aghast. “Come on Lucy Preston. Follow me,” he thought.
He is almost certain that his plan doesn’t work but he hears footsteps trailing behind him. “Wait,” she said.
He walks a few more steps. “Gabriel, wait,” she yelled. He does with an unreadable expression on his face.
“You think you can show up at my place of work and talk about Rittenhouse. I don’t know what you’re up to, but we did destroy them,” he said. “Rittenhouse ended years ago.”
“And you forgot the most important thing about them. People are born into it Lucy. Your family wasn’t the only one. You can’t be that naïve. One event does not erase an organization. They hid underground working to fix the present.”
“And who pray tell is running it?” Lucy asked expecting a ridiculous answer.
“Your brother Ethan,” he answered.
“That’s enough,” she said angrily. “I’ve heard enough.” She started to walk away from him.
His voice was sincere. Every fiber of her being was telling her to keep walking but she didn’t.
“I want to save Garcia,” he said. “To save my mother from heartbreak. If I can somehow save Lorena and Iris…look, I need your help.”
Lucy’s eyes softened at his words. “We tried. We couldn’t do it.”
Gabriel tightened his grip on his satchel handle. “You didn’t try hard enough. However, I want to give you the opportunity to course correct.”
“Gabriel, whatever you’re planning-
“Meet me at this address,” he said pulling out a piece of paper from the satchel. “Tomorrow morning.”
“Whose address is this? We can’t show up to a stranger’s home.”
“The address belongs to my daughter. Meet me there.”
Lucy is left alone in the parking lot after he left. She was too stunned to move. What was she going to do? How was she going to tell any of this to Wyatt?