Chapter 23: The Fight for 1865
Chapter 23: The Fight for 1865
The glow from the artifact rippled as another disturbance took center field. This one was a landmark moment in time: April 14, 1865—Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C., the fateful night when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.
As the details of the scene resolved, so did Samara's solemn heart. "The Syndicate is gunning for that event. They could possibly change the face of history well beyond the national borders."
Eli frowned. "Lincoln's assassination is already part of history. What are they trying to change?"
Graves crossed his arms. "Maybe they're not trying to stop it. Maybe they're trying to twist what happens next."
The Syndicate's Plan
Samara accessed the artifact's projections, which outlined Syndicate agents stationed at Ford's Theatre. "They've planted operatives to ensure John Wilkes Booth's escape and secure a cache of critical documents he was never supposed to have. If those documents fall into the Syndicate's hands, they could manipulate Reconstruction and the global balance of power."
Eli's jaw tightened. "So we're not just preserving history—we're preventing a domino effect."
Samara nodded. "This mission will be delicate. We have to avoid interference from the Syndicate, without interference to the timeline our selves. Lincoln's assassination has to go down exactly as it did."
Graves snorted. "Baby-sitting an assassin? This just gets better."
The Jump to 1865
Their arrival in 1865 was less jolting than their leap into the future, but the air was no less electric. Outside the theater, people milled around the streets of Washington, humming with anticipation of what was about to occur.
Dressed in period attire, the team blended into the throngs of spectators. Samara kept her eyes on the theatre entrance, where Syndicate operatives disguised as stagehands moved crates into the building.
"That must be the documents," she whispered. "We need to intercept them without drawing attention."
Eli scanned the crowd. "We'll also need to keep an eye on Booth. If the Syndicate helps him escape, history changes."
Inside the Theatre
Inside, the team split up. Samara and Eli went backstage, and Graves moved to a location near the balcony to take position and cover Booth.
Down in the storage room, Samara and Eli located the crate of the Syndicate tucked away in one of the darker corners. They carefully opened it, revealing a stack of documents detailing concepts in advanced technologies well beyond the capabilities of 1865.
Eli frowned. "It's not just politics out there. If the Syndicate leaks this, a number of technological revolutions get an advance of several centuries at least."
Samara dove for a neutralizer straight away, one that would render the documents useless, though they'd look exactly the same. "We can't take them with us-they have to stay hidden in history.
The Assassination Unfolds
As Samara and Eli secured the documents, Graves watched Booth from the balcony. The actor-turned-assassin was biding his time, a pistol hidden beneath his coat.
Suddenly, a Syndicate operative approached Booth, whispering in his ear. Graves tensed. "They're giving him instructions."
Booth nodded, his face set as he moved toward Lincoln's box. Graves tapped his comm. "They're pushing him to escape faster. He's heading in."
Samara's voice crackled through the comm. "Don't interfere directly. Just make sure he doesn't leave the theatre alive."
Graves gritted his teeth. "Understood."
The Syndicate Strikes
As the fatal shot echoed through the theatre, chaos erupted. Booth leapt from the balcony, landing awkwardly but managing to limp toward the backstage area. Syndicate operatives moved to cover his escape.
Eli intercepted them, his blade flashing in the dim light. "You're not rewriting this timeline."
The operatives fought fiercely, but Eli's precision and Samara's quick thinking gave them the upper hand.
Meanwhile, Graves followed Booth through the backstage corridors. The assassin clutched his injured leg, his escape route blocked by Graves.
"You're done, Booth," Graves said coldly.
Booth raised his knife, but Graves struck first, ensuring history played out as intended: Booth would die in pursuit, but not before history recorded his crime.
Securing the Timeline
With the Syndicate operatives down and the documents hidden, the team reconvened outside the theatre. The city was in an uproar now, its streets filled with shouts and tears as news of Lincoln's assassination spread.
Samara looked weary but determined. "The timeline is secure-for now."
Eli wiped blood from his blade. "They won't stop here. This was just one piece of their plan.
Graves lit a cigar, his voice gruff. "Then we keep fighting. Every time they strike, we'll be there to strike back."
The artifact buzzed faintly, its glow revealing another ripple in time. Another mission awaited them, another battle to preserve the fragile threads of history.