Chapter 1: I Found Out Somebody Was Listening

Howdy folks I have read many a stories here on SOL, and I have reread more than a few also. I have my favorite Genre’s also. I won’t bore you with authors, genres, or stories. Today after rereading “John & Argent” from CMSIX I wanted to try my hand at this time travel to the past. I read on average one of my favorite Time Travel stories per month.

Now as someone from Argent’s company will be contacting me I will still remember parts about John. But not remember nearly enough to truly interfere with me and my adventure, should I decide to take the trip to the stone age. As they have also learned from their mistakes, both good and bad. Their goal is not to lose direct control of this assignment like they lost with John’s.

I am as different from John as night and day. (Please pardon any puns.) I am a TRUE ‘City Boy’ and so proud to say it too. I don’t camp, or hunt. I have not gone fishing in well over 50 years. I have never gone hunting ever, I am too afraid of being shot by some drunk amateur, who may be shooting at anything that moves. I want to say to all of those who choose to hunt more power to you, no matter your age. But I can promise you Alexander O’Neal Nelson won’t be there to bother you. My idea of camping is standing around outside late at night. As long as it is warm, and also dry outside. Basically when it comes to meat that I intend to be eating, it will come packaged from the local ‘Grocery Store.’ And it used be a part of somebody’s herd of cattle, or pig farm, or from their chicken coop. I mainly only deal with a few choice cuts, though when chicken is on the menu most of the bird is fair game to my pallet. I am an expert with the ‘Yard Pimp’ though it is always dead, and had its feathers plucked before we ever inter-act with each other. And no I don’t care for every type of seafood you find at the store. Though I am passionate about few types of fish I do like to eat.

So I will need plenty of training to prepare me much more for this job. What I have going for me is I don’t mind being alone. I also do get along with others well. While not power hungry, I am one who is not scared to be a leader. I long ago learned from a older family member there is no I in the word team, but if a person needs you to hand them a part no matter how big or small you are part of the team. But I find being the power behind the throne has its own advantages, as well as headaches.

All that said; let’s see if I can do something to remotely close to CMSIX. I hope that wherever CMSIX is he has a good laugh at my attempt to dabble in his greatness. I would prefer to read more of John & Argent new material but as CMSIX if he is still with us is not writing anymore. This is my tribute to him. I will have some similarities to John as our situations will be somewhat similar it is not my intention walk all over his great work. Just work with me is all I ask of you the reader, no more, no less.

Let me tell you how this all started because I had been rereading another ‘Time Travel’ story while watching an afternoon PGA Golf Tournament with Tiger Woods grinding his way around the gulf course. I was thinking most of that I had read sure sounded like fun, knowing I wasn’t suited in any way, shape, style, or form to do anything that I had just read about. “I would have liked a trip like that when I was old enough to have learned a few things, but not so old, and worn out as I am now. A man would need to be in great shape be able to work and live that type of life. If Argent did show up he would not have to ask me twice if I really wanted to go.” I said out loud to nobody. I was alone as always in my clean little hovel that I lovingly called an apartment. My apartment is just too small for all the things I have. But I truly can’t afford anything bigger in this area. This is just one the true costs of getting old in America. Most of us older people were too busy living our younger lives too long, to prepare for our later years. We tell ourselves we have to start saving next year. But by the time we really get serious about saving for the later years we are so far in debt to do any real savings for those later years. We tell ourselves at that time we won’t live that long anyway.

“If you would really like to travel back in time, and live a life where you can really make a difference, I can make it happen for you.” I heard this voice say inside my own head. Let me tell you I that I really saw some visions of a life in a room with rubber walls. Along with those special jackets with the buckles in the back flooding my mind and right quick too! I was also struck speechless, and truly afraid of what might be happening to me. I mean was this really contact by Aliens? Or was I just a case of being old, and crazy, making up this conversation talking only to myself? “Relax Alex if I may call you Alex, my name is Gazoo by the way,” the voice said.

“Well my name is Alexander Nelson, but most folks just call me Alex.” I still believe I am not in my right mind, unwilling to talk to myself. Now I have talked to myself many times before, just about like everyone else. But truly this seems a little different because I can’t seem to control both sides of the conversation, and this is really starting to scare me to no end.

“WHO EVER YOU ARE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME ALEX!” I shouted out loud. I was both afraid of this voice, and also scared I was dead, and just somehow didn’t know about it yet. “Alex you are not dead, please go, and lay down in your bed please. It will be much easier for us to communicate if you are asleep.” Although I was scared to death, I also wasn’t even remotely sleepy at all. But I did as I was asked to do; I went along with the flow and got onto my bed. I was thinking I would just be staring at the ceiling until I had the good sense to get back up as I had a NASCAR race to watch later that night, and I still had not made any concrete plans concerning dinner.

I was asleep before my head hit the pillow! After a relaxing slideshow of some land, and a cave I couldn’t see into. The voice returned with a face from my childhood, Gazoo from the ‘Flintstones’. (He was a little green man who could fly with magic like abilities.) “Alex I am real, and the offer I made to you is very real as well. If you are willing to walk away from your life here on this earth I will send you back in time on another earth to live a life there to the best of your abilities.

“Well Gazoo that might be a problem going back in time means you only eat what you can shoot, or catch, and kill, and know what fruits, and vegetables you can safely eat. I am a city boy through and through, I have shot handguns before, but I have never had to hunt for dinner with a gun of any type. Hunting for meat to me is getting it from a butcher, or at a local grocery store. That said I have no butchering skills let alone the ability to shoot accurately enough for any seriously long range shooting. Not to mention I wear very thick eyeglasses that are the first thing I put on in the morning, and the last thing I take off at night,” I said.

“As I have no family here to speak of, nobody would really miss me if I suddenly disappeared right now. I want to go, but at 65 years old, and with no outdoor survival skills I would be a very poor candidate for this mission.” I said.

“Alex everyone you have ever read about on SOL had to be taught something that would help them after their placement. The real key is finding someone willing to go, and what compromises have to be made by both you and me so both sides are happy. And so each side thinks they have got the best end of the deal so to speak. I am sure you understand the basics what you would want to take, and would need before you leave for this situation. If you are willing to go we will pay you two million dollars for every year you stay in the past, up to, and including the fourth year. And then we will pay you five million dollars a year for year Five and every year beyond. There will be a bonus one hundred million dollars to be paid for whenever you return after completing five years or more. This bonus is in addition to your regular yearly salary,” Gazoo said. “Now before we go any farther you should know most your memories of these types of stories will be gone when you arrive at your placement site. Any memories from these stories will seem like deja vu to you. And you will be on your own after you arrive at your site. You need to act accordingly as in being armed and ready to defend your life at all times,” Gazoo said.

“I can and will try to save you if you are injured, but you can be killed. Please remember this as you live your life. That said please don’t take foolish risks just because you have a better than average chance to be saved. As you have not always lived in the best neighborhoods here on earth please let that be your guide. If you even think pain, or death may occur remove yourself if possible from the situation at your best possible speed. In other words don’t get trigger happy, but don’t get hurt trying to save an animal, or some fool who thinks of you as easy prey.” Gazoo said.

“We are giving you a Titanium Conestoga wagon complete with 5 Clydesdales draft horses. These horses are the only living things besides yourself that will be going on the trip. Your weight limit is 8,000 Lbs. and that has to last you one calendar year. With a 12,000 Lbs. renewal limit for each of the following years unless other wise notified. Now you need to fill your needs as though you will never hear from me again until the next year after your arrival. I will be in direct contact with you to adjust anything you want to change within reason for 72 hours after you get to your final destination. I will talk with you only as you sleep unless an emergency occurs, or you need to know something immediately for safety or comfort.” Gazoo said.

“Please use this computer only when you wake up, to look up and list your items, as the computer will be going along with you on your trip.” Gazoo said. The computer looked like a normal tower sitting in my living room. So this would be real if there was a desktop computer in my living room that wasn’t there before I met Gazoo.

“Before you ask we are not going to abandon you, but I don’t want you calling me every 5 minutes I only want you and I to have minimal contact after we get you completely settled in. I don’t expect us not to talk often although I can be called on to answer questions I just don’t want it to turn into a habit. I just want you to understand from the get go that you are alone until you meet up with your neighbors. I have been monitoring you earthlings too long, I sometimes sound like you do, now that is scary. I want to leave you to your shopping for the things you will want to be taking with you,” Gazoo said as he disappeared.

With that I woke believing more than I did before I went to bed. I stopped in mid-step upon seeing the tower computer with a desk built around it in my living room. It wasn’t there before when I left the room. I lost my couch, but what the hey I was leaving soon anyway. Well now that I have been told to get all I need to make me happy living in the past what do I pick out first? Though not the absolutely most important thing, transportation has been arranged.

Guns came to mind as I would need them for both protection, and to put food on the table as they say. Now what kind of guns to take with me, as I am no gunsmith this was going to be the first challenge. Well after a little searching I choose both the Glock 17, and the 19, choosing 15 of each model as they are very dependable damn near indestructible. Hell they are the Police’s weapon of choice that’s good enough for me. As an afterthought I got 22 of the Glock 26 two for me as a hideout gun, and the rest should I choose to arm my mates at some point.

All the Glocks are 9mm so one size fits all for all 3 different models with extra magazines for all the pistols numbering 50 not including the magazines that came with each pistol. I chose 20 web belts to carry the weapons on my person. I also bought 2 Desert Eagle 1911.45 cal. ACP pistols with a double shoulder holster rig. 5,000 hollow point bullets for the 9mm with reloading equipment for me to reload come this winter. 3,000 hollow point rounds for .45 cal. with reloads for them as well.

Long gun wise I chose the 4 AR-15 assault rifles, for self protection with 10 extra magazines with 5,000 rounds with reloading equipment also. I chose to get 4 of the M1 with the magazine conversion to load it like a M16 with the banana clip, as my primary hunting rifle with 10 extra magazines, with 5,000 rounds and reloading equipment. And 4 Barrett .50 cal sniper rifle with 10 extra magazines, 3,000 rounds with reloads as well with hard cases for all the guns. All 3 versions of long gun have the best Alien made Day/Night scopes.

While they didn’t have guns and bullets they did have spears, and since this is how they put food on the table, I was quite certain they knew how to use their weapons very well. Chain Mail was the answer I hoped would save my bacon, as Kevlar would make me sweat all day, more so if I was working hard to build the different things that I will need. It worked during the days of Camelot; it should work for me where I am going. I made sure it was understood I wanted chain mail for my legs if possible if it could be made light enough to not cause me to limp, or draw attention to itself.

Knives were a whole separate matter, as I am a novice in the knife game. I knew to ask for 20 Bowie knives, 20 Rambo like survival knives, 120 folding knives, 120 fillet knives, 50 machetes, 50 meat cleavers, 50 drop pointers, 50 throwing knives, 120 skinning knives. 10 pearl handled straight razors, with razor strops also. That is just off the top of my head.