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Chapter -28- Powerful Allies

May 13, 1893 San Francisco ...

Reno stared at the small, yet elegant manner on the hill. It wasn't nearly as large as the Parker mansion in the future, however there was a great deal of land.

A small house at the front corner of the property was barely large enough for a single bedroom and maybe a bathroom or a kitchen.

Nevada made his way onto the property and saw a Mexican man working on the landscaping. "Jesus, some things never change." He approached the man, who was weeding, and said, "Uhm, excuse me, por favor. Donde esta..." He trailed off, trying to think of how to say 'the proprietor' or 'home owner.' The words weren't coming to mind. "Senor Parker?"

The man stood up, removed a straw hat and wiped sweat from his forehead. He held his hat over his chest and, in proper English with only the faintest Hispanic dialect, said, "Mister Parker has just returned from a business trip. I imagine you might find him in his garage behind the house."

"Oh." Reno licked his lips. "You are ... you speak really well. Sorry for assuming."

"Mr. Parker spares no expense on the education of those under his employ, sir. I am honored to work for him. He has put my wife and two sons through college."

Reno glanced back at the little house at the corner of the property, wondering how they would have fit into the tiny cottage.

The Hispanic man smiled. "You thought that was for the groundskeeper? Mr. Parker built that cabin to paint. Rumor has it the smell of paint can have less than desirable effects with prolonged exposure. He keeps his paint outside of his home."

Reno rubbed his forehead. "I'm sorry for making all these assumptions. He sounds like a very gracious employer."

"Yes, very much so. He is very generous. Excuse me, sir. I want to finish this flower bed before my wife is home from her classes."

Reno offered a weak smile and headed through the yard, alongside the manner. He stopped on the side of the hill and gazed down over the view of the neighborhood.

There was an empty field where he remembered seeing expensive homes. In the distance, he saw the next hill over. Reno stared at it.

He had a flashback to a month after the eruption of the nuclear bomb in San Francisco.

He remembered it was around October of 2049. Unable to get into the city by conventional means, he recalled using the mirrors of the Celestial Realm and emerging from an expensive home that would eventually be located on the distant hillside he was staring at.

Reno remembered climbing through the fancy house and stopping to look at the spray-painted message. He remembered that it read something to the tune of, 'We will rebuild,' and that it mentioned the quake of 1906.

It was difficult to grasp the fact he'd traveled back in time to 1893.

Why now? How did it all work?

He remembered glancing back just in time to see Sigyn and Raul become vaporized. Their bodies were ripped apart by the energy stream.

But if Reno survived, could they have survived too? Did they disintegrate because their bodies were affected by the temporal energy? Were their bodies thrown through time, and if so, did Sigyn survive it? He felt it looked fatal, the way they were ripped apart.

Reno sighed. It was all so much to take in. All he wanted was to find Raul and get back to his time. He rubbed his face, staring at the empty adjacent hillside.

He wondered if it was this strange for Raul to travel through time. Reno ran his hands back through his tousled black hair. He took a deep breath to compose himself and continued around behind the house.

Sure enough, there was a garage. As he approached, he was able to hear a loud engine inside.

Reno stood in the large opening at the front of the garage. Inside was a small vehicle of some sort. Along the far wall, there was a collection of steam engines.

Catering to them was a lithe, yet athletically tone man.

Reno approached the man and called out to him. "Sir!"

The man turned to face Reno and lifted a pair of goggles from his eyes. He tilted his head, quick to notice the way Reno was dressed. A white t-shirt and black dress slacks.

The problem was, the design of the shirt and the fabric used in the pants ... it was nothing like how clothing looked or was made in this time period.

The man reached for the steam engine. Reno couldn't see, exactly, but assumed the man was operating some sort of choke device or doing something, because the engine sputtered to a halt.

The man turned around, now that the sound had stopped, and offered his hand towards Reno. His hands were surprisingly clean for having been working on engines. "Eli Thomas Parker, and to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking, sir?"

Reno took Parker's hand firmly. "Nathan Carrington. So, did you build these?"

Eli nodded towards the automobile. "Not that one, but the rest - yes."

Reno glanced towards the engines. They released one another's hands. "I don't know much about mechanical stuff like this, but it's pretty wild that you made these. Did you machine the parts to yourself?"

"I did, yes. I enjoy it as a hobby, as I have a great deal of free time."

Reno remembered once when Conner mentioned the name 'Eli Thomas Parker.' Nevada smiled and asked, "Do you machine small tools, too?"

"I make every tool I use to build my steam engines. Are you looking to have something made?"

"I had it on good authority that you made lock picks."

"Lock picking isn't very difficult. The technology to lock something is simple by design. Then again, it depends on the application."

"You mean like ... a bank vault?"

"Vault? Small banks rarely need vaults. They keep money in large safe boxes. Unless you're talking about the federal reserves, or some ... rich, eccentric person wanting to stash their money somewhere far away in a safe location. But, yes, I suppose if you wish to crack a safe..."

"I'm not talking about Fort Knox, man."

"I'm sorry?"

"Fort Knox, like, where the country keeps all the gold?"

"In what state is it located?"

"Kentucky."

Eli shook his head. "If the United States or any European country has a collection of gold, trust me ... I know a great deal about it, sir. I have never heard of Fort Knox."

Reno frowned. "Oh. Must not be ... oh, man."

Eli tilted his head in confusion.

"I just failed as an America." Reno ran his hands through his hair. "I should know this. I saw Goldfinger. The gold depository won't be built until the 30's when America outlaws private possession of gold."

Eli's eyes widened somewhat. "America's federal government? They wouldn't dare."

"Uh, yeah. They do. I remember that much. It's all refined and stuck in Kentucky. Make sure your family keeps their gold on that island in the South Pacific."

Eli's eyes widened further. "What exactly is it that you think you know, Mr. Nathan Carrington?"

Reno held his hands up. "Whoa, hold up. It's complicated."

"I would greatly appreciate it if you simplify the matter. What island are you speaking of?"

"Doesn't your family have an island full of gold in the South Pacific?"

Eli's eyes narrowed. "Where did you hear such a thing?"

"I..." Reno said the first thing that came to his mind. "I know an oracle. I'm not here to take anything from you, man. I admire your family regulating stuff to keep economies from toppling. It's one hell of a burden."

Eli crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing Reno carefully. "Mister Nathan Carrington, what brings you to me?"

"God this is all coming out wrong."

"So speak to me without reservation. I cannot trust a man who tells half-truths."

"I can't tell you everything. It's..."

"Then our conversation is over."

"You wouldn't believe it, that's the point."

"Try."

"If I tell you, and you don't believe me, you'll know stuff that nobody else should know. I've been advised to keep my mouth shut, y'know?"

"No one, and I do mean no one knows about the South Pacific. The fact you know is very disconcerting. You keep my secret, I will keep yours. Are we able to agree?"

"Look, I admire how the Parker family has protected that place for ages. I won't jeopardize it; I won't tell anyone."

"Four family branches are directly responsible for the protection of that vault. It is a secret that is extremely well guarded. We rarely tell our children unless we feel they are capable of being trained to take our place."

"Yeah, I get that. You guys have trials and some of you die proving yourselves. I get it. I'm not about to tell anyone. But my secrets ... they are a little more screwed up than money."

"My family funds the global Esoteric Council. If I am in jeopardy, you would deeply regret it with your last moments, Mister Nathan Carrington. I suggest you find it in your heart to make an acceptable display of honesty."

Reno sighed. "I'm from the future. I know your family members, James and Conner, in the year 2049. I lived in that island vault with them, and a small handful of others, for almost six months. I know where it's at. I know what's in it. I know about the annoying sand flees. I know there are rooms that are constantly being built by each generation that takes their duty responsibly. I know about the gold and silver, sitting in the huge room inside the mountain, and that it's even with the water level. I know it's impossible to get that crap out of there without a fleet of ships, because it's been something your family has been adding to for centuries."

"I never invented lock picks."

Reno blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You asked about whether or not I invented lock picks. I did not. If you are from the future, you are one of the mythological beings rumored to control the flow of time. Prove it."

"I'm not able to do that. I was with two people who had that ability, and there was a sort of ... electricity field. I was at the center of the field, they were several feet away. Next thing I know ... I'm here, alone."

"Convenient."

"Is one of your family branches named 'Pendleton'?"

Eli narrowed his gaze again. "My family keeps the branch names a secret. There is no possible way you should know that name."

Reno exhaled. "Unless I've met them in the future."

Eli grimaced.

"It's hard to swallow; I'm sorry. I'm still weirded out about all of this. The Pendleton guy I met was a bit of a jerk. He spoke with a British accent."

"The Pendleton family has two homes, one is in Manchester, and the other is in London. They hate each other. The Pendleton brothers had a falling out and grew into two very different families. Joseph Josiah took his family to London to get into business and politics. Liam stayed in Manchester with his loved ones. He married a Scottish girl and had two sons, Fox and Conner Pendleton. They're a fine lot, the Manchester Branch."

Reno shrugged. "There aren't many of your family members left in the future. There's Jonathan Conner Parker, his twins, Fox and Topaz, and his sister Nicky - Nichole Parker. She is my fiancée. I was going to marry into the family; she doesn't have an ability but I don't care. I love her for who she is. Anyhow, Fox and Topaz have..." Reno paused.

"Yes?"

Reno licked his lips. There was no point in going into the twincest relationship of Fox and Topaz. He took a deep breath and said, "Fox has a son named Conner, named after Jonathan, who was killed. Topaz has a daughter named Carmen; she uh ... Topaz married my little brother, Vincent."

Eli laughed. "Well, Mister Carrington, it seems to me the Parker girls can't stay away from the Carrington boys."

Reno replied with a half-hearted smile. "I guess not."

"Where did James come from?"

"Jonathan's wife died from cancer," said Reno. So far as he knew, in 2023, his brother-in-law-to-be was still living in the wake of Sinopa's death. The rest of the details were too difficult to explain. Reno decided to keep things simple.

"Yes?"

"Anyhow, Jonathan remarried a woman named Fara, and they had a son named James. After Jonathan died, Fara remarried."

"So James was raised by two people, neither of which were of the blood? Good heavens."

Reno shrugged. "Topaz trained her half-brother - James turned out great. He ... hates stealing. He's an honest guy. But he's a natural with his ability."

"A Master Thief who hates stealing? What a waste of potential."

"James used his ability to fight people with abilities."

"It's heartbreaking to think he'll never use his ability to do anything truly important, because he won't steal."

Reno frowned. "With all due respect, don't judge him. You'll never live long enough to meet the kid."

"Our family takes our profession seriously. We don't steal from people. We take from the undeserving. We repossess from those who come to possess things that should never see the light of day."

Reno crossed his arms over his chest. "Listen, pal, James got his hands on the staff of Moses and used it in ways that are best described as biblical. Don't judge him. Jaye used it to save the lives of everyone on either side of the Atlantic. You should be more worried about the Pendleton family; they tried to kill everyone in their way and they destroyed the vault in 2049. There's nothing left. It's at the bottom of the Pacific."

Eli opened his mouth for a moment. He lacked the words to express his feelings on what he'd been told. He licked his lips and frowned.

"They used a weapon that is made in the future. It's a type of bomb with a large blast radius. As I understand it, the Parker family is the only family left. But there's no vault to protect, now. It's at the bottom of the ocean."

"It would be safe there. Unless, of course, the Nautilus exists in the future. So ... is Verne right? Do we have technology like that seen in 'Vingt Mille Lieues sous le mers' or is it rubbish?"

Reno shrugged. "If I knew what that meant ... it sounds French."

"It is. It's a novel by a fictional science writer from France. I suppose he was forgotten by time in your future. It's a story about how a professor accompanies a Captain, named Nemo, around the globe in a submersible that travels twenty thousand leagues, hidden beneath the depths of the ocean."

"Oh. Jules Verne. Sorry, everything is available in every language where I'm from. I just know it by its English title. Look, submarines and stuff - that's all reality where I'm from. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if the Parker family funded half of the future I know and love."

"Anything is possible. I _do_love this world of invention we ... I live in."

Reno continued, "But all I want, right now, is to get back to it. I need to find people I believe I can trust, and find a way to get back to my time."

"You must really miss your fiancée. Parker girls are sharp, witty and intelligent, aren't they?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that describes Nicky to a 'T.' Will you help me?"

"I don't see how. If you, yourself, cannot travel through time..."

Reno ran his hands back through his hair. "I need to find this Spanish guy named Raul. He can move through time. He can get me back to my time."

"And if Raul will not help you? What if you were fated to come back in time, Nathan Carrington?"

Reno sighed. "Then I will find my own way. Energy brought me here. I'll find Niall Kincade - he's a mathematician. I'll go back to Nikola Tesla, and we will find a way to get me home. I have to get back. We were in a war, man. There were only a handful of people with abilities left in the world. They need me."

Eli frowned. "What is it that you can do, Nathan?"

Reno glanced out of the garage entrance. The area was clear. There were no yard workers in the backyard. He turned back to Eli and held his hands apart.

A glowing arc of electricity formed between Reno's palms, dancing about wildly. After a moment, the arc stabilized and connected from palm to palm like a light bar.

"Well now ... Nichole and Topaz Parker are smart sisters to marry boys with powers the likes of yours." Eli's smile broadened. "Carmen - that's what you said Topaz's daughter will be named? Does she have any active abilities?"

"Not that I'm aware of. She's in her early twenties. Maybe something will manifest, but your family has strong genes - your family might have the dominant gene traits or whatever. As I understand it, Carmen's grace and agility manifested at a young age."

Eli's smile brightened. "Carmen. It's a lovely name."

"She's a smart, beautiful girl."

Eli laughed. "You really don't know, do you?"

"I don't follow..."

Eli shrugged. He set down his tool belt and brushed himself off with his hands. He picked up a metal wedding ring from his workbench and slid it onto his left hand. "Come with me."

Reno nodded and fell into step behind Eli.

As they walked through the backyard into the courtyard, Eli said, "Do me a favor and keep your future-talk between the two of us. If you find the Spanish fellow, make him the only other one you tell. Knowledge is power, and if someone believes you know the future, they will kill you and attack everyone you befriend in order to extract what they perceive you may know. This is why our kind is so very protective of seers. Their knowledge of the future is very limited - a few years at most. And what they know is also very limited. They may have dreams about someone, or something. But they don't go into the detail you're using."

"Understood."

Eli opened the back door and whistled long and loud between his teeth. He paused, adding, "Love, there is someone I would like you to meet!"

Reno followed Eli into a hallway that led to the foyer. Two beautiful staircases came wrapping around the far left and right. They stopped on either side of the main entrance.

Eli gestured his hand up to his wife. "Does she look familiar?"

Reno shook his head. "No, sir, Mr. Parker." He nodded his head. "Mrs. Parker, it is a pleasure. Nathan Carrington."

She smiled, making her way to the bottom of the stairs. She possessed no facial features that would wind up in any future generation of the Parker family. She lifted her hand towards Reno, fingers curled downward.

He'd seen enough movies set in the 1800s to adlib his actions. He took her hand, kissed her knuckles and said, "The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Parker."

"Please, call me Carmen."

Reno stole a glance at Eli, who replied with a grin. It all became clear - Eli brought Reno inside to meet his wife after Reno mentioned information about Topaz's daughter ... Carmen.

Reno took a deep breath and offered a slight bow. "Nathan, ma'am."

Nevada licked the inside of his teeth and took a calming breath. Memorizing the Parker family tree was starting to get confusing.

Eli placed a firm hand on Reno's shoulder and gave a friendly pat. "Carmen, why don't you tell Mr. Carrington the names you've chosen?"

She grinned a bit. "We haven't a clue on the baby yet."

"So tell him both ideas."

"Oh, very well." She turned to face Reno directly. "Nathan, I'm in my second trimester." Her gown was flowing and fashionable - it hid the fact she was pregnant. "If we're having a boy, I'd like to name'em after his father. Eli Thomas Junior. If we have a girl, I would like to name her Nichole." She shrugged, "But I only told my husband these names two days ago. We haven't had any feedback from anyone else - do you like them?"

Reno swallowed with a weak smile. "Yes, uhm..." he cleared his throat into his left fist. "Excuse me."

It was all ... too much. It was all too real. Hearing the two name decisions ... it legitimized everything.

Reno felt sick to his stomach. The reality of his situation was becoming crystal clear. "I think Nichole is, actually, a lovely name. But I have a feeling you're having a son."

Eli cut his gaze back to Reno. "Oh? What makes you so sure?"

"I ... have a feeling you'll teach your trade of machining to your son, who will take notice of the evolving technology of locks," said Reno, recalling Conner's fondness for an old lock pick set said to be made by 'Eli Thomas Parker.'

Again, Reno cleared his throat. "I have a feeling he'll be the one who makes the tools I told you about earlier."

Eli remained silent. He cut his eyes to his wife and smiled. "A son," he whispered.

Carmen Parker tilted her head somewhat. She brought her hand up and pinched the bridge of her nose - a gesture made infamous by Topaz and Conner every time they were frustrated or confused.

Reno exhaled softly. He licked his lips and said to Carmen, "I, uh ... sometimes have strange dreams about things. I came by to see if this one would come true. I'm very sorry if I caused any trouble or confusion."

She shook her head and smiled somewhat. "Do not apologize. Did you know Eli consulted one of your kind before proposing to me? He asked the oracle if I would say 'yes' before showing me the ring. My husband is silly that way - he researches things and only acts on what he considers to be a sure bet. The fact he brought you in the house ... well, you must be an impressive oracle for him to trust you. He is very protective of me."

Eli nodded firmly. "You're one of a handful of people to meet my wife. You're the first to meet her while she's pregnant," he explained, adding, "A Parker's children are his legacy. And the legacy of the family, as you already know, is an important burden. I would never allow someone near my wife, especially while she is expecting - so, Mr. Carrington, I hope this is a satisfactory way of showing you that I believe in your cause."

Reno turned to Eli and shook his hand. "I appreciate you, sir."

"Just Eli."

"Just Nathan, then."

Eli grinned and looked up at his wife. "Carmen, do you remember when I told you that there are people with abilities that hire this family to do jobs that esoteric abilities, alone, cannot accomplish?"

"Yes, of course I do. You pride yourself on these mysterious people, Eli."

Eli nudged Reno with an elbow and winked. "Go on, show her."

Reno blinked. He'd never been winked at by a man before. He cleared his throat, turned to Carmen and demonstrated an electric arc between his palms. The current caused the room to glow, despite the sun shining through the windows.

Carmen stood in silence and awe.

Reno closed his hands and the light disappeared. "I, uh ... sorry. I'm ... I mean, I'm sorry if I scared you."

"No. I'm not afraid, Nathan." She folded her hands so as to keep from fidgeting. "Questioning what I've learned about humanity and God, yes, absolutely ... but I'm not afraid of you. There is a kindness in your eyes, Nathan." She smiled somewhat. "But Heaven help you if you are crossed, or your loved ones are jeopardized."

"That's ... yeah." Reno nodded. "That's me, alright."

Eli winked at Reno again. "She's a perceptive woman, isn't she?"

"Very." Reno nodded his head. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

Eli turned to Reno. "How would you fancy a ride in my steam-powered motor wagon, Nathan? I'd like to go into town for a bit. Would you accompany me?"

"I'd be honored."

Eli turned to Carmen and they shared a kiss. He whispered softly, but it was loud enough that Reno could hear. "I won't be long. I love you."

She whispered back the same sentiment, but with the refinement of a lady. Reno couldn't hear her.

Eli turned to Reno and tilted his head. "Back to the garage, then. Come along, friend."

Once outside, Parker gave Reno a firm slap on the back. "So ... Carmen and Nichole Parker. You might have been clever enough to know my wife's name, but there is no way you could have known she would name our daughter 'Nichole.' I'm happy the name is used later on. Our family is on the traditional side of things. We like reusing names, or variations of names used by our ancestors. It's our sentimental way of showing respect."

Reno slid into the passenger seat of the motor wagon and folded his hands. "Why did you decide to believe me?"

"I already believed you."

"I spent half an hour trying to prove myself to you, and you're saying you already believed me?"

"Just because you're from the future means nothing. You could still have been at threat to me and my family. I wanted to listen to you prattle on a while. Learning about my descendants was delightful, though."

"Jesus. I shouldn't have told you all that stuff."

"My family keeps secrets. We protect secrets. It's why we are valued by the Esoteric Council - not because we fund them, money can come from anywhere. It's because we are a protector of secrets."

"I see. Sorry. So, how'd you know, anyway?"

Eli pushed the cart out of the garage with ease. He got down in front of the automobile, started the engine, and climbed up onto the bench besides Reno. "Because I have seen nearly every corner of the globe, yet I've never seen textiles or fabrics like your undershirt. You were all-but-naked in front of my wife wearing only that undershirt."

Reno blinked. "Naked?"

"Surely people have looked at you strangely." Eli nodded towards Reno's shoes. "The tread left lettering in the dirt. I noticed it when we first spoke, earlier. Finally, you have a small white square sticking up from the back of your shirt."

"Sounds like Carmen isn't the only one who is perceptive."

Eli's grin broadened. "It has fine print lettering. One side is English, the other side is Spanish - it reads 'made in Mexico.' Now, I know Porfirio Diaz is doing good work to bring 'order and progress,' but no one in that country can create fabric the likes of your undershirt. Not to mention, the printing on that label on the back of your collar ... that is even more impressive."

"I have no idea who you just mentioned."

"General Diaz is the President of Mexico," said Eli. "It's obvious you're not from around here, Nathan. You could find your way to my home by foot, with no map; you don't know the President of our neighboring country. You're not a small-minded 'nobody,' who stays within their county. I know this because you have a worldliness about you."

"You're deducing a lot about me, Sherlock."

"Sherlock? As in Holmes? You may know of the Pendleton family, but you're worldly enough to know about a character with less than a handful of stories published in the past six years. That means you know more than you've let on."

"Sherlock Holmes is a world-famous name."

Eli laughed. "Only a few pieces were published." He drove out of the backyard, down through the front yard, and down the hill, towards the city.

"Well, it becomes a lot more, followed by TV shows, movies ... never mind. Look, you're right - I don't know anything about this time period. I'm screwed. How do I fit in until I get back to where I belong?"

"Let's start by buying you something period specific - when in Rome, do as the Romans, hmm?"

Reno rubbed his forehead. He ran his hands back through his hair. "You're the second person to say that today."

"You could use a haircut, Nathan. It's starting to cover the tops of your ears. A proper gentleman should have a few moments with a proper barber." Eli smiled. "Oh, and your teeth."

"What? What about them?" Reno rubbed the front of his teeth with his fingertip.

"They're as white as a toddler's first. I smell coffee and lemonade on your breath, but your teeth are perfect."

"Oh. God, I'm having a flashback of Marty McFly right now, from the third movie." Reno grimaced. "You know what? I'm just going to talk a lot less until I get home. You won't understand a single thing I'm saying anyhow."

"Movie ... I assume you mean it as in a moving picture. We have those, you know. We're not complete troglodytes. Compared to how people lived a few decades ago, I am quite pleased to live in the modern age. Every day brings a new invention that improves the quality of life, Nathan."

Reno grinned inwardly. "Yeah, well, things are going to get even better, real soon."

"Impress me."

"A decade from now, people will start inventing ways to make powered flight. Sometime before 1930, I can't remember the year because I'm not a history buff, we have this guy named Lindbergh who flies across the Atlantic, from New York, I think, to France - nonstop. Once you can fly anywhere, the world becomes a much smaller place."

"I rather love the world, and watching how it progresses."

Reno leaned back in the car as it rolled down the hill at a low speed. "Well, it's going to get even better, man. You'll be driving seventy-five miles an hour in no time."

Eli arched his brows. "Can the human body breathe at that speed? It seems likely that you would have difficulty breathing."

Reno chuckled. "Ever been in a high wind storm? No one has ever died from asphyxiation because the wind."

Eli glanced at the grass dawdling by at a mere six miles an hour. He lifted his gaze towards the city in the distance.

They transitioned onto a dirt road, making the drive less bumpy. Eli glanced back towards Reno. "When will automobiles have the ability to travel so quickly?"

Reno shrugged. "Just wait another decade, humanity will start to hit a hundred miles an hour. That's why powered flight becomes a reality - people figure out how to make lighter engines that use less gasoline; you mount that on a box with some chairs and put wings on it. You run cables from a control stick to flaps on the wings ... and by the end of the 1960's, you've got humans walking on the moon."

Eli gave pause to the thought of lunar travel. He gave the frame of his automobile a firm knock with his knuckles. "This is technology made by a German man named Daimler. I've modified it," Eli smiled with a proud smile. "I brought this on a train, across the country, and spent two years upgrading it. It can reach a top speed, on a flat, level ground, of about six miles an hour. It's just a matter of time before someone is building motor wagons en masse."

The flat road turned to cobblestone.

Reno said. "I thought I saw a car earlier."

"A car? A carriage without a horse? I know of only one other person in San Francisco with such. He is a very close friend of the man you mentioned earlier - Niall Kincade."

"Steven Milford."

"I'm sorry?"

"Isaac?"

"No. He's quite a skillful inventor. His name is Clarence Dawes. He's quite an exceptional man."

"Yeah..." Reno shrugged and chuckled. "I'm more impressed by what you're doing. You know, I don't think a proper car has been invented yet, but you're right - it's coming." Reno cleared his throat, adding, "He never struck me as a 'Clarence.' Anyhow."

"Perhaps what you saw wasn't a gasoline-powered motor wagon. Steam engines generate propulsion. People are building them, after all, even if they're not getting patents." They came to a stop in front of a small shop.

Reno looked around at the small town and its quaint layout.

Eli put on a parking brake. "One moment, Nathan." He stepped off the motor wagon and went inside.

Moments later, he came back out with a freshly printed newspaper and climbed up into the driver's seat. He looked at the front page, which displayed local news. However, on the second page, Eli froze and stared at the content.

"What?"

"What've we been talking about, Nathan?"

"Speed?"

Eli opened the page so that Nathan could see a headline title.

Reno read aloud, "So the Empire State Express Triple Nine broke the land speed record?"

"Mm, on the tenth of May. One hundred twelve and one-half miles an hour. I suppose you're correct - one cannot die of asphyxiation. Apparently the news just made it out west this way."

"Damn..."

"Well, Nathan, a locomotive can travel over one hundred miles an hour. Tell me again, when do you think a motor wagon will surpass that speed?"

"Ten to twelve years, maybe. I'm sure it'll be a V-8. But cars are lighter than trains, so it won't take much."

"An eight cylinder engine, I suspect you mean?"

"Yeah."

"This will be marvelous. It is a wonderful time to be an inventor." Eli cut a sly smile towards Reno. "We should find you something to wear. Remember, this will be the _very_last time we speak of the future. I appreciate what you've told me. I want you to take into consideration that you are putting yourself at risk."

"I understand."

"Do you?" Eli arched his brows.

"I do. I can protect myself if I have to, but you're right - it's better to play along, like I belong here than to put myself into a position to fight."

"Then let us help you fit in before people think you're an idiot or worse - insane." Eli released the brake. "It isn't far - we'll pick you out a suit and some casual clothing. I know someone who can tailor your sleeves and cuffs today, without waiting."

"Sounds like a good plan."

Eli scoffed with a grin. "First, let's find you something to change into before seeing a clothing expert. Something inexpensive or, perhaps, second-hand. Then we will hide your current clothing."

"You're the man with the plan."

Eli shook his head, turned the small wheel, and continued up the street, navigating horse manure on the bricks. "I do hope the motor wagon catches on quickly. It will be refreshing to come around a corner and not have to be concerned whether or not I'll have to avoid dung."

"Don't worry, man. Soon, buddy. Soon."

Eli shook his head. "You should listen to those around you and speak in a way that best emulates their manner of speaking. Until then, speak as little as possible in public, else you will draw attention to yourself."

Reno nodded. "Understood."

"Very good."

Reno zeroed in on another newspaper article and took the paper from Eli. "Don't read and drive."

"What did you find that suddenly grabbed your attention?"

Reno smirked. "Just ... this is where it all began - the confusion over tomatoes."

"Excuse me?"

"Right here, page two - Nix vs. Hedden, May 10th in the supreme court. Based on the Tariff Act of 1883, under US customs regulations, the Supreme Court of the United States has passed decision that a tomato should be classified as a vegetable in America, rather than a fruit as its technical botanical meaning."

Eli shook his head. "And now the rest of the world will judge us as idiots for not knowing the difference."

"Yeah. Well, in my time, that's nothing new."

"God help America."

"This country will be just fine. But do yourself a huge favor."

"Yes, Nathan?"

"Take all your money out of the stock market before the end of the 1920's. I'm not sure what year it happens, but ... it's going to be bad."

"Nothing can be worse than this year. People thought 1873 was bad, but this year has been quite a slide. I pulled all my money out of the railway system in February."

"I thought the railway is making headlines," Reno said. "They just broke the land-speed record."

"It's difficult to explain, Nathan," said Eli with a sigh as they began driving through town again. "The banks are too invested in the railroads, the situation with silver, and there are talks with a bank in Argentina. Not to mention, an oracle has told me that a wheat crop and a coup in Buenos Aires will ... just know this, Nathan, the world is a global place, now. As Niall puts it, when a ripple is caused in a Japanese pond, there's always the mathematical chance it could create a tsunami in San Francisco."

"It gets better."

"How can you be sure?"

"I watched enough History Channel to know the country goes through a time called the 'Roaring Twenties.' But it falls apart on something called 'Black Tuesday.' I don't know what month or what day of the month, but it happens at the end of the 20's, and it's the worst there is, followed by an upswing for the next eight decades."

"My family is really ... well off in the future?"

"No one has heard of them, so they won't be a target - but yeah, Eli. Even without counting your 'unofficial offshore account' in the Pacific, your family is very, very well off. But they stay under the radar."

"How does a family so rich stay below the radar?"

"They're not officially One Percenter's."

"What does that mean?"

Reno laughed. "Nothing, man. It just means they're not a target. Don't worry, though. Your family weathers every storm from now until the world ends, okay? Just relax."

"I appreciate the reassurance, Nathan." Eli slowed to a stop and removed his driving gloves. "Now, let's speak to my friend. He has unnatural speed, which will allow him to tailor you a proper wardrobe in no time at all."