11 Hours

Prologue

" We're gonna die!" Bryson yelled.
" Shut up Bryson, just keep running," I yelled.
I felt my feet pound against the ground rapidly as my heart was trying to break out of my chest. Bryson and I ran as fast as we could to the portal. All I could hear in my head was if we were going to make it or not. I had to make it back.
" How much time do we have left?" I asked.
" 10 seconds," he yelled.
" 10 seconds?!"
I began to run faster, and faster. I could see the portal in front of me, and I was determined to make it.
" Five seconds!" Bryson yelled.
We were steps away from the portal. I could feel the energy of the portal all around me. We couldn't take any more steps. I looked back and Bryson was an arm's length away from me. I flung my arm back, grabbed Bryson's shirt, and dove into the portal right before it closed.

" Welcome back kiddos, I knew you could do it," said Robert.
I sighed and looked down at the floor. I looked up at the Boss Man with an evil glare, then looked over at Bryson. He still had his face buried in the marble floor. I nudged Bryson in the shoulder, then he moaned and nudged me back.
" What?" he said with his face on the floor.
" We're back," I said.
" Back where?"
" We're back in California, in the facility," I said.
Bryson slowly lifted his head off the ground and looked around, then at the Bossman. He immediately shot him an evil glare.
" You," he said sternly.
" What is the matter with you both?" Robert asked.
I slowly got up off the ground, stretched, then stood up straight. I looked down at Bryson and held my hand out, and helped him up off the ground.
" You're a lying piece of crap," said Bryson.
" Pardon me?" Robert said.
" You knew about the robots, about why there was even a World War III in the first place!" I yelled.
Robert looked at us nervously, then spun around and waved to us to follow him. Bryson and I looked at each other, got our guns out, and followed him.
" I assumed I would have to do this. You are both very smart kids," said Robert.
I shook my head in disbelief.
Robert led us into a small room with a small desk and the walls filled with books.
" What is this place?" I asked.
" My old workspace," he said.
" This is where you made the robot," said Bryson.
" Correct," he said.
" You have a lot of explaining to do," I said.
He turned around and looked at us sadly.
" You must know, I never intended for a war to begin," said Robert.
" I don't care, you had us clean up your mess," I said.
" It's not like I could do it," he replied.
" You could have sent your guards to do it," I said.
" Well I didn't, I can't go back in time and change things," he said.
Bryson and I looked at each other and folded our arms. Robert scratched his neck nervously and smiled.
" You know what I mean," he said.
" No, no we don't," said Bryson.
" Well, the good thing is, it's over," said Robert.
" Yeah, thanks to us," said Bryson.
Robert walked over to a metal platform then a digital screen appeared in front of him. He swiped his hand left, and at the top of the screen the date December 26th, 2026 appeared and text below it began to appear. I walked over to the Bossman to get a closer look at what he was looking at.
" What is this?" I asked.
" The newspaper for 2026," he said.
I looked closer and noticed there was nothing talking about a war.
" It's gone," I said.
" The news about the War? Yes, you stopped it, remember?" he said.
I stood there in awe.
The Bossman turned around and looked at me, then Bryson.
" Follow me," he said.
I turned around and looked at Bryson, then I began to follow Robert.
He led us back into the living room. Two guards were standing in the middle of the room with two briefcases.
" Well, I must hold up my end of the bargain," said Robert.
" The money," said Bryson.
Robert nodded his head and stepped aside so we could grab the briefcases. I walked up to the guard on the right, and he handed me the briefcase. I turned around and headed back to Bryson.
" You're not gonna get yours?" I asked.
" Of course," said Bryson.
He walked up to the other guard and grabbed his briefcase, and walked back over to me.
" So this means we're going home?" Bryson asked.
" Why of course! You can't stay here." Robert laughed.
Bryson looked at me and sighed.
" But before you go, I have something for both of you," said Robert.
He walked through the opening Bryson had walked through when I first saw him.
" What do you think it is?" I asked.
" Hopefully more money," said Bryson.
" He already gave us a million," I said.
" Wouldn't hurt," he said as he shrugged his shoulders.
Robert came back out with two black wristbands in each hand. He walked up to us, and held out both his hands, and nodded his head.
" Just in case something crazy happens, you can contact us," said Robert.
We grabbed the wristbands and put them in our pockets.
" At least we get to keep the cool weapons," said Bryson.
Robert put his hand over his mouth and shook his head.
"I'm gonna need those back," he said.
" Even the bags?" Bryson asked.
" Yes," he replied.
Bryson rolled his eyes and removed the bag from across his shoulder. We handed him our bags, then he handed them to the two guards.
Robert looked down at his watch then smiled.
" Your private jet should be outside now," he said.
" There's only one?" Bryson asked.
" Yes, coincidentally you both live in the same state, Michigan," he said.
Bryson and I looked at each other in disbelief. Great, just when I thought I could get away from him.
I sighed and rolled my eyes then started walking towards the entrance door.
" Hmmm, and I thought you both would have gotten along," said Robert.
I got on the private jet and sat down on a couch near the window. I looked over and Bryson was walking up the stairs while running his fingers through his hair.
" Nice ride," he said.
He sat down in a chair diagonal from me.
I sighed and laid my head on the arm of the couch and dozed off to sleep.

"Alex!" yelled Bryson.
I flinched and looked up at Bryson. I sighed and put my arms across my forehead.
" Jesus Christ, you scared me," I said.
" Sorry," he said. " But we're here."
I sighed, and sat up straight, and grabbed my briefcase.
Bryson was already heading out of the plane. I got up off the couch and walked down the stairs and saw Bryson getting into a black car that was parked not too far away from the plane. I followed him into the car and not soon after sitting in the car for a couple of minutes, I fell asleep again.

" ALEX!"
I opened my eyes to Bryson hovering over me.
" What?" I groaned.
" We're here," he responded.
He turned away and got out of the car. I got out of my seat and got out of the car and looked at my surroundings in disbelief.
" We're in my neighborhood," I said.
" Yes, this is also your partner's neighborhood as well." said the guard.
I looked out at my dull neighborhood and looked back at the guard.
" No way," I said.
The guard nodded his head and got back in the car.
" Have a nice life Miss. Brown." said the guard.
The car took off, and I was left standing in the middle of the street. I looked around and noticed Bryson was nowhere in sight.
" Where could he have gone?" I said to myself.

I finally reached my house and knocked on the door twice. I could hear my sister yelling, as I heard footsteps coming close to the door. My mom opened the door and began to cry.
" You're back," she mumbled.
I smiled and shook my head.
" I told you I would be back," I said.
" Those men took you, I thought you were in trouble," she said.
" No mom, I was doing something good for the world," I said.
I held up my briefcase and smiled.
" What's in it?" she asked.
" A million dollars," I said.
She gasped and fell to her knees, and started crying some more. My father quickly ran over to my mom with my sister in his arms.
My sister gasped as soon as she saw me.
" Alex!" she yelled.
She jumped out of my dad's arms and hugged me. I got on my knees and kissed her on the cheek.
" I was so worried about you," she said.
I hugged her back and slowly ran my fingers through her curls.
" Don't worry, I'm back for good," I said.
My sister let go of me, and turned around, and looked at my parents.
" What's wrong with them?" Lily asked.
I looked up at my parents. My mom was still crying and my dad had his arms around her while having complete shock plastered across his face.

" Mom is just in shock," I said.

" What happened to your mother?" my dad asked. " Why is she like this?"
I held up my briefcase and smiled.

" There's a million bucks in this briefcase," I said.
   My dad gasped and gave me a huge hug. He let go of me, smiled, and shook his head.
" How?" he asked.
" I saved the world," I said.
   He gave me a puzzled look, then shrugged his shoulders. We all went inside, and my mom made our favorite dish, Shepherd's Pie.

   I looked at my family as they ate in harmony happily and smiled. This is what I wanted. I sighed and got up from the table and began to head to my room.
" Where ya goin' Alex?" my mom asked.

" To my room. I am really tired." I said.
She nodded her head. " You were gone for 12 hours, I would assume you did something tiring," she said.
I was about to walk up the stairs to my room until I felt someone grab my arm. At first, I flinched and stepped back before realizing it was just my mother.

" I don't feel like being pissed at you for leaving without giving your father and me a proper warning. What you did was unacceptable. It will not happen again." my mom said sternly.
I nodded my head and hugged my mom. It was comforting that she was upset with me. She had every right. After that, I headed upstairs to my room.
I plopped on my bed and grabbed my book from up under my bed and sighed. I looked over at my desk and realized I had left my laptop on the charger.
I got up off my bed and took my laptop off the charger and sat back down. I opened it up and went to safari then went to Instagram. I looked up Bryson's name, Bryson Beach.
I immediately found his profile. His page was filled with him holding beers in his hands, standing with curvy girls, making out with random girls, football pictures, etc. Disgust was wiped all across my face.
" So this is who he is," I said.
I sighed and shut my computer.
I looked outside my window and noticed it was dark outside. I changed into a white t-shirt and black athletic shorts and went to bed.