Out of Time Read Online Free PDF

would never knowingly endanger you.”
    She paled a little more. “I know that. I…You think I’m in…I mean, we’re in danger?”
    “We’re in an unknown situation. I’d prefer to err on the side of caution.”
    “Agreed. Let’s err there.”
    Simon couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was going to happen. It was more than the lingering memories of his dream. More than the situation they’d been thrust into. He’d never given much credence to hunches, but he had a sense he’d started something in motion bringing them here. Something he wouldn’t be able to control. Something inevitable.
    “Professor?” Elizabeth said, breaking him from his thoughts. “Maybe we should try to get back home?”
    “Agreed. But the question remains—how?”
    “We’ll just re-create everything,” she continued, her usual exuberance returning. “You were holding the watch. Did you do anything to it? Push any buttons?”
    “The stem did extend, but…”
    “Okay. Just do exactly what you did before.”
    “I’m not sure that’s wise. I’d much rather be sure of what I’m doing before I make another mistake.”
    “It’s worth—”
    A thick metal door swung open with a loud clang. Elizabeth jumped at the sound and grabbed Simon’s arm. A large, burly, unshaven man stepped into the alley. His white undershirt was stained a sickly yellow with sweat. “What you doin’ here?”
    Simon put his hand over Elizabeth’s and pulled her slightly behind him. He turned to glare at the man. “We were simply—”
    “Do it someplace else,” the man growled with a thick Brooklyn accent, as he threw his bucket of empty bottles into a nearby trash bin. “Go on, get out of here!”
    Simon ignored the man and started to turn back to Elizabeth.
    “You want I should call the cops?” the man said with a sneer, as he looked Elizabeth up and down. She was wearing a tight blue T-shirt and jeans, but his eyes traveled her figure as if she were naked. Her clothes were far too form-fitting for the period to be anything other than something a tramp would wear. “Take your quiff and get a room.”
    Simon’s body tensed. He slowly pulled out of her grasp and took a long direct stride toward the man. “I beg your pardon?”
    The big man only smiled. “You heard me.”
    Simon started forward again, but Elizabeth pulled on his arm.
    “We can’t afford to see the police,” she whispered. “Let’s just go.”
    Simon’s eyes flared, and he turned back to the big man. Long dormant emotions boiled to the fore. His instinct to defend Elizabeth crashed into his common sense. He’d known more than his fair share of bullies, and most could be cowed with a biting remark. But this was something different. He’d never felt such an overwhelming desire to punch someone in the mouth.
    “Professor,” Elizabeth urged and tugged on his arm.
    Simon gave the man a long, steely glare before he turned back to Elizabeth. Without another word, he took her by the arm and led her out of the alley.
    “Good idea, Professor,” the man called out after them.
    ~~~
    Elizabeth could feel Simon’s tension and anger radiating off him as they walked away. They’d nearly gone halfway down the block before he relaxed enough to finally release her. Frowning and apparently embarrassed by his show of emotion, he shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’m sorry.”
    Elizabeth couldn’t help, but grin. “You’d better stop apologizing. Might be habit forming.”
    Simon smiled back. Why couldn’t he have smiled like that back home? Had to be here, she thought, and looked around at the busy street. Wherever here was.
    The cars were huge, and there were so many of them. Big black sedans with cloth-canopied tops and headlamps sticking out like bug eyes meandered along the street creating some semblance of lanes. The foot traffic surged around them, and Elizabeth felt terribly underdressed. Some men wore knickers and bow ties, or Oxford bag pants that