“I’m sorry, what?” asked Zeb, with his eyes almost bugging out.
Director Sullivan seemed to ignore Zeb’s reaction, “Adolph Hitler. You know! Goofy little mustache. Most evil man to ever live.”
“I’m sorry, Director, but I can’t do that. My heart wouldn’t be in it.”
“Do you think anybody’s heart would be in protecting Adolph Hitler?” asked Director Sullivan, “Sometimes we need to protect evil people in order to protect the timeline. You are the best agent we’ve got!”
Zeb thought for a moment then asked, “So, does this mean I’m going to make sure no one goes and kills baby Hitler or something?”
“Baby? Heavens, no, “chuckled Director Sullivan, “Too many people have tried to kill baby Hitler, but no one is cruel enough to actually pull the trigger. No, you’d be protecting Hitler at the height of his power.”
“What? While he is fighting the Allies in World War II? While he is throwing innocent people into concentration camps?”
Director Sullivan squirmed, “Well, yes. We’ve gotten lucky in stopping these ‘would be’ assassins so far, but this time period is where they seem to be targeting.
Zeb stood, “I’m sorry, Director. This job is beyond me. You need to find someone else to do it.”
Director Sullivan’s eyes narrowed. Where once was a lot of nervousness was now a look of firm determination.
“Agent Zeb, have you considered what would happen if somehow the timeline was broken and Hitler was assassinated? I won’t pretend to know the answer to that question, but I will say that a major change in the timeline like that could cause incredible problems. This is why we do what we do. If you value your job, you will take this assignment.
Zeb sighed as he gazed at the TTSC logo. He had given his life to the TTSC and the TTSC had changed his life for the better. He couldn’t go back to living on the streets. Besides, as much as he hated to admit it, Director Sullivan was right. The timeline was more important than Adolph Hitler.
“Fine,” Zeb finally said, “Send me the specifics on the comm and I’ll go.”
Director Sullivan lightened his posture and smiled, “They should arrive any moment now.”
His comm glasses lit up with a new message in green letters:
NEW OBJECTIVE
TRAVEL TO BERLIN, GERMANY
FEBRUARY 1933
PROTECT ADOLPH HITLER
Moments later, Zeb walked into Time Central Station. People were buzzing all over the place, finding their proper time terminal. Many young families were traveling together either for a time vacation or a live history lesson. There were some businessmen who even had work in other time periods. Zeb looked for for the 1930’s terminal and walked in. Once in the terminal, the atmosphere shifted. The room he found himself in was painted white. There were chairs along one wall facing a bunch of doors. A few moments ago he was surrounded by a sea of humanity, not he was all alone. The room was peaceful.
Zeb stepped into one of the doorways. Inside was a room, no larger than a changing room at a department store. In one corner of the room was a large touch screen.
The touch screen began speaking to Zeb, “When would you like to go today?”
Zeb looked at the authorization code through his comm glasses, “Assignment TTSC 1143820”
The screen went silent, as if it was thinking. It then lit up and said, “Affirmative. Berlin, Germany, February 1933. Enjoy your stay!”
Zeb was on his way, and he had a bad feeling about all of this.
Did you miss the first part of the story? Find it here- The Time Traveler part 1