The Time Travelers' Club: Chapter 15 -- Group Discussion

Chapter 15 -- Group Discussion

In the back parlor, Mrs. Steers and her guests came back to life.  Stretching, yawning, and rubbing their eyes, the group glanced at each other.

"That was interesting," said Xavier Graff.  "I'm not sure what to think."

"Did we miss something? I'm thinking those scalawags were onto us before we even got there.” Ari, short for Aristotle, stood up from his chair, towering at six feet.  He had been born in Greece, but lived much of his life in a sponge diving community on the Gulf of Mexico in Florida. He arched his back, stretched, and scratched his stomach.

"Xavier, you seem to have led us on a wild chase for the goose.  You had better recheck your notes," said Rose, cocking her eyebrow.  "Maybe the facts were mixed.  Are you sure we had the right place and time?" 

Rose Menowin was youngest, at the age of twenty-two.  Her brunette hair was pulled back so her bright green eyes wouldn't be blocked by it.   She wore traditional clothing of her homeland, Romania, bright and colorful like a gypsy fortune-teller.

"That's ‘wild goose chase’," retorted Xavier. "And the place and time were exactly as I was told."

Rose smirked.  “I know I said that just to annoy you.”

Mrs. Steers rubbed her eyes then glanced over at the crack in the purple velvet curtains.  "I think while we were gone, we had some visitors outside the window.” She winked.

"Really?" said Rose.  "Xavier, what do you think? Peeping-toms, perhaps?"  She got up and poured herself a glass of water from a pitcher on a side table.

"I hope so, Rose dear," said Xavier, sticking his head around the side of the chair.  "Would you be a love and pour me some?"

"Does he know anything?" said Rose.  “Why else perform this charade?”

Mrs. Steers looked up at him.  "Not yet. I've been trying to gain his trust… and even more his interest.  I didn't think an eleven year old would be so hard to convince."   She rubbed the back of her neck with both hands. "First, I've got to get him to believe in time travel before even telling him about us and the boneheaded Doctor."

"We need his help," said Xavier.  "He is our link.   I know you spent a lot of time watching him grow up.   You are sure it's him."

"Yes, I'm positive," said Mrs. Steers.  "It took a long time for me to track him down.  He is the youngest descendant.   There are other family members, but Sam will have to do it.  If I could just get him to believe.  I'm going to try desperate measures next time."

Xavier sipped his water.  "Right now, I am more concerned about this last trip. I will recheck my facts."

"We must have been given bad information," said Mrs. Steers.  "The Doctor and his gang aren't as dumb as we originally thought."

"Given wrong information on purpose," said Rose.   "They know we are getting closer.  Which one do you think it is?   Number one?"

"We've already retrieved three of them," said Mrs. Steers.  "Only four more to go, after I get this one from Rupert.  Let's hope the records in the archives are correct."

Ari opened the pocket doors separating the back parlor from the front library.  They all strolled into the front parlor, all in deep thought.