Cathy and Mike

"I can do it. I’m convinced that if she survives the 30th, even in one universe, the whole stream will benefit from it."

Caleb closed the trunk. He held a paperback book in his hands. "If you say so, Kohei."

They tossed the anachronisms on the ground in a little pile. Jared closed his eyes, "Athena, I need you to pick up some items and dispose of them downstream."

The items shimmered and faded away.

Caleb gestured toward the diner, "What about the truck?"

"The rancher will find it and think someone took it for a joyride."

"And him?"

Jared looked at his watch, "He’s local now, no way home but the long way. Besides, he’s happier this way."

"But we can’t leave him here. He knows."

"He got a D- in history, Caleb. He doesn’t know enough to do any damage. And no one but her will believe him."

"But what about the Committee directive? That guy in Poland-"

Jared interrupted, "The Polish guy is a mechanical engineer! And nobody knows how he got there. Besides, that whole stream is classified, meaning off limits. Even for discussion."

Caleb winced, "Athena, what’s happening downstream?"

A small voice sounded clearly to the two men. If another person were standing next to them, they would have heard nothing.

"Sub sequential stream has increased by four temperons."

Caleb’s eyes flew open and focused accusingly on Jared, "Four…How!?!"

Jared smiled serenely, "We saved four strands, just now."

Caleb stared uncomprehendingly.

Jared ticked off two fingers, "We resolved the paradox. Then there’s Mike, and Cathy. They’ll have very different lives this time. Who knows what they’ll do, now." He ticked off another finger, "They will have a child. Not a paradox this time. A brand new strand."

Caleb held out his hands, "And number four?"

"The trucker’s baby. His wife is with child. She’s thinking about aborting." Jared squatted and drew a line in the dust. "He gets in an accident with a fatality. It sets him back about two days, and by the time a new truck is lined up to take his load and his truck is fixed, he gets home four days later. Two days too late to stop the abortion."

Caleb got it. He began to shake his head.

Jared drew a new line at an angle from the first, "He will now get home in time to talk her out of it, and the baby is born. His name, coincidently, turns out to be Michael as well. That baby grows up to be a genius, and he has big plans for the world. He does some things downstream that the committee considers very substantial."

Caleb laughed, "I admit it. You are good."

Jared accepted the praise of his trainee with aplomb, "Athena, am I cleared to jump beyond the restriction zone?"

"Permission granted."

"Good, set jump for Rouen, France, Noon, May 29th, 1431."

Jared stretched, readying himself. "You know something? I fell in love in the desert, once. I never should have let her get away."

Caleb was not impressed. "So, what is your strategy this time?"

"I’m going to speak in her defense."

Caleb was taken aback, "You?"

Jared stretched again, "Well, not as me of course. As an emissary of God. An archangel. That smug, self righteous prick, Cauchon wants a miracle, I’ll give him one!"

Caleb paused, considering. It was a new approach, at least, "Which archangel?"

Jared began to shimmer, "Michael, of course."

Patriarch Pierre Cauchon bellowed in the dim chamber, "Joanne, I order you to answer! On whose authority did you commit these crimes against the crown!?!"

The nineteen year old faced him squarely, chin set defiantly, absolutely fearless, "Je suis cy envoye’e de par dieu, le roy du ciel." (I am sent here by God, the king of heaven.)

10…