The Target
"Your target is a young man in nineteen-sixteen. His location is Los Angeles, California."
A hidden figure in the darkness of the room handed over a file from across his desk, leaning up in his seat.
Taylor reached forward and took the file, opened it to read the important bits.
/
Target: Jonathan Matthews
Location: Los Angeles, California, United States
Year: 1916
Born: 1902
Code: Red Flagged
/
He stopped reading as he processed the information of the two dates.
"Sir, this is a fourteen-year-old boy!" he protested. "What could he have possibly done to warrant such a red flag?"
The hidden figure sighed, "I didn't wish to throw this upon you, but my superiors wish to see your demonstration of loyalty to this organization."
"Sir, what have I done to cause this? You've been keeping up your part of the bargain and I assure you that I am upholding mine. I have more to lose by not doing so."
"I know that," the man's smiled, part of his face still hidden in the darkness of the room. "You don't need to prove anything to me, but it isn't me who needs proof, son. It's for others who do not share my faith."
Taylor nodded, "May I ask why this boy is being selected?"
The man sighed, "Very well. But only what I can get away with. Even what I'm going to share can have consequences for me if the others were to learn of this."
He nodded with renewed interest and motivation, "Yes sir."
"In this timeline, there's going to be a Split."
Taylor's eyes widened in surprise.
"Young Matthews is going to cause something major. Not even he knows what just existing will cause this. Regardless, your mission to terminate him. Do that, and your loyalty will be proven to us."
He opened his mouth to speak but paused. Controlling himself, he sighed and asked, "What about the mastermind behind this? An anomoly such as Matthews doesn't just happen."
"We'll deal with him. Your mission is to deal with Matthews before its too late."
/
Taylor awoke, staring up at the ceiling as he pushed the dream to the back of his head. As his vision cleared, he removed the layers of blankets and got up, heading to the restroom to freshen up before the others did the same. He saw Jon's sleeping figure before disappearing into the bathroom.
After brushing his teeth while the tub filled with hot water, he undressed from his night clothing and took a moment to bathe himself. He focused on being quick, not wanting to keep the others waiting. Something he had started doing since Jon joined him. And then Tony. It took a while to get used to it, as he always wished to take his time in the water, but he managed to discipline himself over time.
Once drying and redressing, he exited the bathroom to find the other two still asleep. He couldn't help but smile at the two.
Just two years previous, Tony had entered their small group, having found him wondering the streets of Paris as an orphan. Just three years after he had taken Jon under his wing. His time with the two reminded him of his brothers.
His heart sunk at the very thought of his family. Especially his mother.
It wasn't hard to be reminded of them. After all, they were the very reason he was working hard to achieve his mission and get back to what was taken from him.
At the very least, having Jon and Tony in his life made things easier. On that, he couldn't help but be thankful to God for.
Shaking his head, he walked over and shook Jon awake.
"Hurry up and claim what's left of the hot water."
Jon's eyes shoot open as he flew out of bed, with Tony in hot pursuit but too late as the door slammed shut in his face.
"HEY!!!" Tony cried out, banging his fists on the door.
"You can join me if you'd like!" Jon shouted from the other side, making Taylor laugh as Tony cursed him some more.
/
Lily arose from her large bed, stretching as the sunlight shined on her with welcoming warmth. Just as she got to her feet and began to brush her hair, her handmaiden Mandy knocked on the door and entered.
"Good morning, milady."
Lily turned to her and genuinely smiled to her, one that was very rarely ever seen by others.
"Good morning, Mandy," she turned back to the mirror.
"Mrs. Cornelius is washing up as we speak, so we have half an hour before she will be ready."
"Mandy, there's no reason to be so formal around me. Won't you call me by my first name?"
"And risk suffering the wrath of Mrs. Cornelius? I think not."
Lily laughed, "Fair enough."
Mandy began to make the bed before preparing the dress and setting it on the bed, "Looks like it's going to be another sunny day. Your mother will be hosting dinner with some nobles later this evening, and tea with her friends in the afternoon. For now, it looks like she wishes to have dinner with your father in the suite-"
Lily sighed, at least happy that the list was short for the day.
Entering the bathroom, she bathed and brushed her teeth while drying herself. After getting into her dress, she joined her parents for breakfast, keeping quiet the whole time unless spoken to.
She stared out the window and towards the horizon, enjoying the beautiful morning.
/
"You know, I bought these new clothes so we could blend in."
Jon ignored his friend as he put on his regular clothes.
Meanwhile, Tony was trying on his own new clothes that Taylor had bought, smiling as he presented himself in front of the mirror.
"I hear that the third class was having a party last night," said Jon. "We should join them for the next one."
"If we do, that's when we should be in our regular clothes. Don't want to look out of place or be the center of attention."
"Oh, so now you're fine with me wearing regular clothing," Jon teased.
"Only when it is useful. I was able to get us a first classroom for our benefit of a pleasant journey. That being said, we need to keep up appearances to lower suspicions."
Jon's expression changed to worry, "You really think Prometheus is here?"
Taylor nodded, "Yes. Despite his surgery, I can still catch him. I just need to know who he's after."
Tony frowned, "Wait, so the target is a person?"
Nodding again, Taylor finished his tie, "I thought it was the ship itself before boarding but that can't be the case. If he was to sink The Olympus, then there's no way for him to escape. Possibility of dying is too high."
"Unless if he's planning to destroy it in the harbor in Boston," said Jon.
Taylor thought about that possibility but shook his head, "No. He would have done something in Queensville if that was the case. It has to be a target on this ship. Someone with great importance."
Tony frowned, "If he's trying to cause a Split, then why not go after anyone else."
"There are rules to this kind of thing. Yes, killing anyone can be damaging, but to cause something truly devastating like killing a high-ranking individual would be more than enough to ensure a Split. And it's best to do it in a way that time cannot fix."
Tony rubbed his head, "This is all so confusing."
Jon sighed, "Well, regardless, I prefer my time spent on the deck and exploring the ship. Anyone want to join?"
"I'll come," cried Tony.
Taylor shook his head, taking his briefcase and setting it on his bed, "I need to finish up on my homework. Don't wait for me."
"What's homework?" Jon asked, slightly teasing him.
Taylor waved him off, "Just get out of here."
Jon tapped Tony on the shoulder, nodding to the door.
As the two exited the room, leaving Taylor alone, he took the briefcase and opened it. A screen pulled up as a light scanned his eye, granting him access. He began to search through his private system and came across a new notification that read:
/
- Time-Locked
- Possible Lift in process
/
Taylor frowned.
He wasn't surprised to see the "Time Locked" but the second worried him deeply. Why now?
But it also brought up another possibility that made his heart leap with excitement.
If whatever was happening soon was to be a factor in determining the time-lock, it could mean that he would be able to make contact with his superiors again. But he also feared not knowing the full details. It all came down to what it was related to, and he feared that it had more to do with Prometheus than it did with him.
He hated uncertainty.
Sighing, he pulled something else up on the screen, checking for any messages or ways of communication, but found that the notification meant little in helping his situation to contact his superiors.
Nothing made sense when he tried to think it through. Everything should have fine. Unless…
No, he refused to go there. He made the right choice. He double-checked for any Splits after that day. It was still one singular timeline as it was meant to be. He had succeeded without sacrificing his morals.
No, it had to be Prometheus. He was his only chance in ending the Time-Lock so that he could be free, and finally achieve his mission.
Taking the tape recorder out of the briefcase, he began to play it again.
"Your target-"
Static overlapped what was said next before resuming.
"-the Olympus. Details are in the case on how to proceed."
Taylor pressed paused before pressing the rewind, stopping after a few seconds to let it play again as he listened more closely.
"Your target-" Static overlapped once again, making him sigh, unable to understand what was being said. Pressing pause, he moved to his computer and began to type away.
He couldn't take the recording at its word that the ship itself was the target. Something else was said. Behind the static had to be the target. His instincts kept coming back to that conclusion no matter how he looked at it.
/
Meanwhile, Jon and Tony explored the Olympus and all that it had to offer. As they passed by the third-class area, they stopped to have some cheap beer and talk with the men. They also ran into Michael again, who was sitting at a table with several others.
"Ah, I had feeling we would meet again."
Meanwhile, Tony turned and saw a cute French woman on the other side of the crowded room. When her eyes met his own, she blushed and shyly smiled back. Smiling in return, he picked up his beer, and also Jon's, before heading towards her.
Jon and Michael watched him in amusement, giving each other a knowing look as Tony sat down next to her and offered her Jon's cup. She laughed and took it. The two knocking the glasses slightly against each other in a toast that was unheard by anyone else.
Though she couldn't speak English very well, Tony was able to speak French just fine, due to his time in Paris.
/
In one of the first-class rooms, a man prepared for tonight's dinner with the higher society. He dressed in a fancy suit and put on some cologne.
Staring at the case that held his payment, he vowed not to fail. After all, he had a reputation that he didn't wish to see tarnished.
There was a part of him that wondered if his enemy was onboard like he was warned. Worry filled him until it receded, being reminded that there was no way anyone could identify him, allowed for the element to hide in plain sight.
No, his focus needed to be on the target.
/
As the night sky loomed overhead, Jon laid on the bench, staring up at the stars while lighting a cigarette.
He left Tony and Michael a while back, letting them have their fun in the company of the other third-class party members down below. He knew Taylor would be busy on his… well, he couldn't remember what he was doing. So, he decided to lay beneath the stars and enjoy the sound of the ship cutting through the Atlantic.
In a weird way, he was at peace, despite the cold.
This was the life he wanted.
He was thankful for meeting Taylor all those years ago after the death of his parents. The man promised him a life of adventure and freedom on the open road. He had become a brother to him, teaching him how to be a gentleman and how to be a good person in general.
Money was never an issue for them, not with that case of his. It granted him more freedom and fewer worries than he believed he would have to face the day his parents died. Even when Taylor was away on his missions, he was well taken care of.
But he did worry about him, especially when he revealed that he was stranded due to the Time-Lock. He didn't know how it all worked but he had a general idea. Which was why he was so willing to stay with him and help, as a way to repay him.
Clearing his mind, he continued to stare up at the cloudless sky, basking in the presence of so many stars above him.
/
As Lily sat at the dinner table with her mother and the other ladies, she stared down at the empty plates, like an empty shell. No one noticed or addressed her, almost as if they had forgotten about her. She was internally screaming deep down, barely able to keep the frustration, panic, and anger down.
The men, including her father, had already excused themselves to a room where cigars and bourbon were waiting for them.
But every second that ticked by, the more she began to realize how this would become her entire life. Parties and polite conversations meant to stroke the egos of others, with no room for error. It felt like a prison. One that she desired to escape from, even for a bit.
Without turning to her mother, she quickly said, "Excuse me."
Rebekka frowned at her as she got up and quickly walked towards the exit.
Unknown to them, a man watched her from the corner of his eye, eating his meal. Some glanced his way, trying to recognize him from somewhere. Some wrote him off as new money. Some grew curious.
The moment Lily rose from her seat, he did the same and followed, offering a smile to a woman who was staring at him, making her blush.
/
Taylor moaned as he replayed the tape again, only for his trick to use a cup against it to fail him like the others. Suddenly, a new idea came to mind, this time trying to perform a trick by having the computer record the tape as it played, hoping that it would catch everything on it.
Playing the tape aside, he played the new recording on the computer, trying to lower the static as much as possible. As he did, he listened.
"Your target is Lily Cornelius. She'll be on the Olympus. Details are in the case on how to proceed."
His eyes widened as he jumped off the bed, quickly closing the case shut before rushing to the door, making it bounce off the wall as he ran out into the hallway, almost bumping into two women who gasped in surprise. He sprinted towards the nearest officer, almost running into him.
"Officer!" Taylor panted. "I need you to tell me where Augustus Cornelius is!"
The man narrowed his eyes at him with suspicion, "Sir, I cannot offer that information at this hour-"
"It's about his daughter! She's in danger! Now, tell me where he is!"
The man stared at him, suspicious but recognizing the desperation and fear in his eyes, "He's... he's in the smoke room. But it would be wise to inform the Master-At-Arms."
"Then do it!"
/
Once outside and onto the deck, Lily nearly burst into tears. She felt as if she was drowning in an ocean of emotions, especially with how her mother was treating her. She panted as she began to run, bumping into people without concern or acknowledgment of their presence. She felt the need to run, to escape.
As she did, she passed a bench, catching the eye of the young man who was laying on it.
Unknown to her, the man from the dining room followed, keeping his eyes on her as she ran. He quickened his paste, which caught the attention of the young man who had leaned up on the bench. But due to his attention being on the girl, the young man went unnoticed.
Soon, Lily reached the stern of the ship, stopping the moment she saw the railings. Taking a few deep breaths, she calmed down and closed her eyes, finding peace in the sound of the ocean passing below.
From behind, the man began to walk towards her.