He knew Lucy well enough to know he did not have to wait for her answer. By all means, if they were both able to do their jobs now, they’d meet each other back at HQ.
He darted out of the hallway and sprinted into the stairwell. There were only 2 ways out of the building, either the lobby, or the emergency exit. Instinctive he chose the emergency exit, not thinking she’d want to risk the lobby in case more people were waiting for her there.
As he got out, he looked around to see if the girl was in sight.
He didn’t see her, but he saw a towel with some ice spread over the ground. It must have fallen, but from the direction Jason could see in which direction she was going. He jogged forward, not fast, but he needed to make sure he wasn’t running past her hiding in one of the many alleyways. The light wasn’t the best, instead of the neon lights he was used to for NY, the moonlight had to do for now.
He saw groups of man laughing and watching after something that had come past them. Yet another danger in the times, men, even more now than they were now. He sped up his pace, hoping to get to her before anyone else did. He saw the grand entrance of the Grand Central Terminal coming up. He guessed, as it was a common sight for the girl, it would be something she would go to for shelter.
It was lighter in the hall than it was outside, even though there were not as many lights as there would be 100 years later. The temperature wasn’t much better though, Jason was cold, and he was wearing a leather jacket. On the outside it looked like it fit right in these times, but Tempus had altered it with thermal elements, and it was probably warmer than any jacket you could get in these times. He looked though the building and saw her, finally, sitting on one of the benches. Unlike modern times, the benches were still made of wood, and not yet the marble that decorated the rest of the building.
The dress she wore was still the same as the one she had worn during her performance. Jason’s mind was cast back again to how irresponsible she had used time travel. She must have no idea what she was doing.
She was rocking back on forth on the bench, chicken skin all over her arms betrayed how cold she was. He walked closer to her, slowly, not wanting to alarm her. However, she did not seem to pay him any attention. He took off his coat and held it out in front of her. ”You must be freezing, here.”
———————
Lucy jumped forward. She only needed half a word from Jason to know the plan. Plus, the bitch had a smirk on her face that Lucy liked to wipe off. She did not lose sight of the women for one instant. She jumped down the steps faster than any training she had ever done. She was barely using the steps, just jumping from 1 platform to the next.
The last 3 metres she jumped down all the way to the ground, hoping to gain some distance on the women.
The women was fast, it almost looked as she was barely touching the ground. Like floating while making running movements. She realised the sound wasn’t there either, no tapping, no scuffling, just dead silence apart from Lucy’s own footsteps. Something wasn’t right.
Lucy turned the corner just 2 seconds after the woman, but was stopped dead in her tracks. She could have only lost sight of her for a second, but she was gone. No trace of the woman, and none that she had ever been there.
It took a few seconds for her to get it. A… mirage? She had just made a horrible mistake. She found it hard to believe how easily she had been mislead. She turned around and started running back. She had no idea where Jason went, so she had to go back to the hotel. She would have to find some clue to see if Jason was in trouble, and if the ladies were now going after him together.
Back at the hotel Lucy went back in the same way. She ran towards the ladder of the fire escape, jumped high towards the wall and pushed herself off with her left foot against the wall. With the tips of her fingers she was able to grab the lowest ledge and she puller herself up from there.
Running up the stairs she neared the same window she had jumped out of earlier.
———————
Jason sat down on the bench next to her. Not so close and overbearing, but distant, trying to make her feel safe. As he sat down he crossed his legs and spread his arms over the backrest, trying to look confident and relaxed.
”So, you have to help me a bit here…. After a close encounter with someone who seems to be chasing you, namely moi, you go back into history the very next chance you get? I don’t know exactly how you do it, but I am smart enough to know you involve magic in your process. It’s a rare talent, I’ll give you that… to be honest I never met anyone else like you. But your talent doesn’t stop you from realising history is dangerous, and changing history is even worse. I can tell you hundreds of stories of how time travel can go wrong. But…I need to know if I am wasting my time here. Your friend… I have an idea what she would say, but you need to decide for yourself if you are open for the truth.” he looked over at her, hoping she would at least stay and engage in conversation. If she wouldn’t cooperate, she’d be forcing his hand, so he prayed silently she would take the bait.