Chapter 15

"Ah ... that won't work either ... nor yours Junior."

Connie and Junior had the same idea at the exact same moment. The disk was right ... damn it all.

Juniors watch sent out the, "I'm being interfered with," alarm. That woke up over three thousand watches on over three thousand watch owners wrists, in pockets and on neck chains all over the known world ... and some of the Unknown world ... at the same time ... no matter when that time was. Tim and Violet were the first to arrive ... their watches sent out the same message..."I'm not working ... someone is fucking with me."

The Powers that Be popped in next and that mostly stopped the influx of rescuers. Those few caught were already in time ... sorta ... on the way, already. Altogether, thirty or so timers appeared.

"You have Company," said One of Seven to Tim.

"Don't look at me," Tim said. "Blame the girls."

"Ah ... the girls. Junior ... I see ... and it's no more than I expect." At that comment, Junior looked peeved. " ... who is the other one?"

"Constance McDavid," said Junior, by way of introduction. "Connie ... the Powers that Be."

Connie gave a worried little curtsey.

"Ah ... the watch less traveled by ... the one we were supposed to exchange before we went on vacation ... at your house, Junior. Wasn't it?" asked Seven.

"Don't remind me ... that was an awful two weeks. You guys are messy and I'm the maid."

"You didn't complain," said Two.

"So long as the guests behave themselves, employees of the Princessapality Hotel and Island Resort are not to complain about the residents." Junior looked sour. "Rule Number 16 in the manual."

"Oh."

"Oh's ass ... you think you guys are gods ... or worse? Wait a minute ... I need to rethink that."

"Good idea, Junior," suggested Five.

Six turned back to Connie, "I thought Andrea Slagle Koenigsknecht," At the 'Koenigsknecht, ' the other six Powers all said, "Gesundheit," and looked concerned.

"What? Koenigsknecht is a perfectly good Austrian name."

"Oh ... good ... we were worried we might be coming down with some human illness."

"We're in perfectly good health."

"You're sure?"

"Yes," said Six. "As I was saying, Andrea had the watch." The MOM look was performed ... Mothers the world over know and use that look ... Over the glasses top frame but down the nose ... Mere males aren't flexible enough ... that look that says ... GUILTY ... and it's time you apologized even if you're not.

Connie gave a GUILTY start and hurriedly explained about the starving seagull and capture of said creature. She was going to commence the story from there but ran out of steam at a look from all Seven of the Powers. Instead, she just looked guilty ... the scar on her chin pulsed ... she teared up.

"Here ... none of that ... give me/us that watch ... Shit! ... here ... take this hanky ... stop that."

"QUIET!! YOU ARE UPSETTING MY CREW!!" said the disk ... at volume ... small cracks appeared in the canyon walls and the extinct volcano to the north let off a puff of smoke and ash.