an urge to blurt this out. Unless Astor already knew about his death, telling him about this now would only pitch this whole conversation and whatever help Astor was trying give into wild disarray. But she didn't know how much longer she could keep this out of her mind and her speech.
"You're suggesting we travel to 1899, to protect Appleton?" Max asked.
"Yes," Astor said, "all three of us. He's certainly no match for Heron on his own, especially in his deteriorating health. By the way, William has been thoroughly briefed since 1896 about my knowledge and use of the Chairs, so you need not be concerned on that account."
***
"One good thing about short leaps into the future or past is that you needn't worry about time-appropriate apparel," Astor said to Max and Sierra as the two met him in front of the Millennium Club a few hours later, to take their trip to 1899. It was his way of saying he approved of what Max and Sierra were wearing.
"How far into the future or past have you traveled?" Max asked Astor.
Sierra shot Max a look which she hoped Astor didn't catch. She fervently hoped Astor hadn't traveled anywhere past April 15, 1912, the date of the Titanic's sinking.
"Not very far," Astor said, cheerily. "I'm trying to first develop my time-travel legs."
Sierra smiled. "You've confirmed that the room at the top of the spiral stairs has three Chairs?" She knew that he had, but wanted confirmation anyway.
"Oh yes," Astor replied. "Cyril Charles told me in fact that there were four Chairs up there, not more than an hour ago."
Max and Sierra both started to speak—
"Yes, I know," Astor interrupted. "This raises the question of who arrived here and when in that surplus of Chairs. But if we decide to wait here, until we find out who arrived, well . . . if the people who arrived mean us harm, then waiting is the strategy of sitting ducks, which surely we do not want to be."
"I agree," Sierra said. "Let's proceed with our plan."
Max looked a little less positive about this, but did not raise any objections.
The three entered the Millennium Club. "Good afternoon, Mr. Astor," the man inside said, and smiled courteously at Sierra and Max.
"These are my guests, James," Astor said.
James nodded. "Of course."
Sierra and Max returned his smile and proceeded with Astor.
"I've never seen him before," Sierra said to Astor.
"He's new here," Astor said, "a lot younger than the usual, as you can see."
The three walked up the first, second, and third flights of stairs to the second floor of the library, then up the winding set of stairs to the room with the Chairs.
Astor put a key to the door and it opened.
Sierra looked at Max. Astor apparently had an authorized key, she thought. More evidence that he was truly on their side? No – because Heron's people apparently had such keys as well.
There were indeed four Chairs in the room.
"What specific date in 1899 are we headed to?" Max asked Astor.
"My contact says Heron was spotted in March 1899," Astor said. "We probably should aim for the end of February, to be safe."
"Are we dressed warmly enough?" Max asked.
"Probably not," Astor replied. "But we can see to proper overcoats after we arrive. I know some very nice shops."
The three sat in the Chairs. "I'll do the honors," Sierra said. "I'm setting our arrival for February 25, 1899, at 10 o'clock in the morning."
"Sounds good," Max said, and Astor nodded.
Sierra lowered the go lever. Transparent bubbles arose around each head. The cosmos kissed them and the bubbles receded.
[New York City, February, 1899 AD]
"One thing I need to be especially careful about is not running into myself here in 1899," Astor said. "You two are no doubt aware of the problem. I could be having a drink right now at the bar downstairs."
"We won't stop at the bar," Sierra said, "and the likelihood of encountering yourself as you walk down the stairs is slim."
"Of course," Astor said, and the three left
"You're suggesting we travel to 1899, to protect Appleton?" Max asked.
"Yes," Astor said, "all three of us. He's certainly no match for Heron on his own, especially in his deteriorating health. By the way, William has been thoroughly briefed since 1896 about my knowledge and use of the Chairs, so you need not be concerned on that account."
***
"One good thing about short leaps into the future or past is that you needn't worry about time-appropriate apparel," Astor said to Max and Sierra as the two met him in front of the Millennium Club a few hours later, to take their trip to 1899. It was his way of saying he approved of what Max and Sierra were wearing.
"How far into the future or past have you traveled?" Max asked Astor.
Sierra shot Max a look which she hoped Astor didn't catch. She fervently hoped Astor hadn't traveled anywhere past April 15, 1912, the date of the Titanic's sinking.
"Not very far," Astor said, cheerily. "I'm trying to first develop my time-travel legs."
Sierra smiled. "You've confirmed that the room at the top of the spiral stairs has three Chairs?" She knew that he had, but wanted confirmation anyway.
"Oh yes," Astor replied. "Cyril Charles told me in fact that there were four Chairs up there, not more than an hour ago."
Max and Sierra both started to speak—
"Yes, I know," Astor interrupted. "This raises the question of who arrived here and when in that surplus of Chairs. But if we decide to wait here, until we find out who arrived, well . . . if the people who arrived mean us harm, then waiting is the strategy of sitting ducks, which surely we do not want to be."
"I agree," Sierra said. "Let's proceed with our plan."
Max looked a little less positive about this, but did not raise any objections.
The three entered the Millennium Club. "Good afternoon, Mr. Astor," the man inside said, and smiled courteously at Sierra and Max.
"These are my guests, James," Astor said.
James nodded. "Of course."
Sierra and Max returned his smile and proceeded with Astor.
"I've never seen him before," Sierra said to Astor.
"He's new here," Astor said, "a lot younger than the usual, as you can see."
The three walked up the first, second, and third flights of stairs to the second floor of the library, then up the winding set of stairs to the room with the Chairs.
Astor put a key to the door and it opened.
Sierra looked at Max. Astor apparently had an authorized key, she thought. More evidence that he was truly on their side? No – because Heron's people apparently had such keys as well.
There were indeed four Chairs in the room.
"What specific date in 1899 are we headed to?" Max asked Astor.
"My contact says Heron was spotted in March 1899," Astor said. "We probably should aim for the end of February, to be safe."
"Are we dressed warmly enough?" Max asked.
"Probably not," Astor replied. "But we can see to proper overcoats after we arrive. I know some very nice shops."
The three sat in the Chairs. "I'll do the honors," Sierra said. "I'm setting our arrival for February 25, 1899, at 10 o'clock in the morning."
"Sounds good," Max said, and Astor nodded.
Sierra lowered the go lever. Transparent bubbles arose around each head. The cosmos kissed them and the bubbles receded.
[New York City, February, 1899 AD]
"One thing I need to be especially careful about is not running into myself here in 1899," Astor said. "You two are no doubt aware of the problem. I could be having a drink right now at the bar downstairs."
"We won't stop at the bar," Sierra said, "and the likelihood of encountering yourself as you walk down the stairs is slim."
"Of course," Astor said, and the three left
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