CHAPTER FIVE

Sam was still sleeping when the observer stepped into the room.  Sam 
stirred in his sleep. The observer stood watching Sam sleeping. Suddenly 
Sam jumped up with a start. "Wha-what is it?"

"Relax Sam, you'll have another seizure, and we don't want that do we?"

"Oh it's you Al, I didn't know where I was for a moment."

"Thanks pal, always wanted to scare the livin' daylights outta yer. How 
you feelin' anyways?"

"Okay I think. Al, what time is it?"

"Your time or mine?"

"My time!"

The hand-link beeped as the observer pressed buttons. Sam rubbed his 
face with a hand.  "In your time it's 7:15 am and the date is July 15, 
1918, but in my time, oh lordy it 4 am. Don't suppose you know if the 
Royalty's up yet?"

"No I don't."  Sam yawned.

The observer moved to the wall next to the room where the Romanov family 
were sleeping and placed an ear next to it.  "Can't hear anything."  The 
observer then poked his head through the wall.....

Sam looked at his friend quizzically.  "Al, what'ya think you are 
doing?"

Then he pulled it back rather sharply.  "Whooah! He's in the buff!"

"Serves you right for snooping, a lot of men sleep in the buff, I know I 
do. When it's not so damn cold."  Sam shivered.

"I know but this is 1918 and he's only got a lit....."

Sam interrupted, "Al!"

"What!" the observer looked embarrassed. "It's probably shriveled up 
with the cold anyways."

"Yer know, you are so nefarious sometimes."

The observer was upset, and spoke child-like, "Stop usin' those big 
words."

"Okay, you're iniquitous then, is that better?"

"Sounds better."  Then whispered, "I think?"

"Have you found anything more on what I'm supposed to be doing?"

"Well I figured somethin' out, but I don't think you're gonna like it."

"What's that then?"  Sam stood and walked over to one of the windows.

"When you leapt into Botkin you changed history. In the original history 
Botkin died of a heart attack on July 13. Now he's still alive, until 
the assassinations around midnight tomorrow, July 16."

Sam opened the curtains. Sunlight streamed through the window.  "So?"

"So, there's no-one in the Waiting Room! I figure Botkin died just as 
you leapt in, and if there's no-one in your body where is it?"

"Don't get yer, where's what?"

"Your body Sam!"

Sam's gaze was curious. "My body?"

"Yes, your body."

"What usually happens when I'm between leaps, to me I mean, in the 
Waiting Room?"

"Well you're not there, no-ones there."

Sam was thinking aloud, "Right, my body's not there because there's 
no-one in it, so.... it can't be there otherwise it would die, so 
where's Dr. Botkin?"

"That makes sense, cos you're here in Botkin's body," the observer 
scratches his head, "and he-he's dead, but he's alive, I can't figure 
this out Sam."

The door to the Salon suddenly opened and Tschaikovsky entered,  "How 
are you today Dr. Botkin?"

"I'm fine, thaaa....."  A blue aurora surrounded Tschaikovsky, the sound 
of static filled the air. Bright blue lightning waves engulf him, 
turning to white and then fade. Sam watched with mouth ajar.

The observer watched astonished, "He's leaping Sam! Sam he's leaping!"  
The figure standing there was no longer Tschaikovsky, but another.

Sam raced to his fiend excited, "It's him, Al it's him."

The observer looked very confused, "Who?"

Sam seemed to be even more excited, "The Bartender Al, see I told you 
I'd seen him, he's the one that's leaping me around in time.  You can 
see him can't you Al?"

The figure spoke, "That's right Sam. My name is Ethos."

Sam was amazed "So that's what I look like when I leap."

The observer stood looking at Ethos "Yeah sure Sam, I can see him."  He 
then turned his attention to Ethos, "What are you, God?"

Ethos answered the observer, "No. Ha-ha, I am neither Time or Fate 
either, just a messenger."

Sam wanted answers, "Then who sent you? What're you doing here? Why am I 
here? Where's Dr. Botkin? Where's my......"

Ethos replied, "So many questions Sam, so many questions."

The observer looked from Ethos to Sam, "This is weird!"  he walked 
around Ethos, eyeing him up and down. He reached out to touch him but 
his hand waved through his image.

Ethos laughed, "Ha-ha Mr. Calavicci, I'm afraid you can't touch me."

Sam now moved in close to Ethos, the same happened.  "How can that be? I 
should be able to touch you."

Ethos waved an arm, "I'm the same as you Sam, from the future, a time 
traveller, a Quantum Physicist."

The observer's chin dropped in disbelief.  "A time traveller, the 
future?"

Sam echoed, "A time traveller!"

Ethos moved towards the Salon door.  "After you Sam."  Ethos waved a 
hand at the door. Sam opened it.  The three men left the Dinning Room.  
The Salon was quiet apart from grumbling's from the guards below. Ethos 
indicated for Sam to sit.  "I think you might say that I am your 
Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandson, yes I think that's right, four 
'greats', six generations separate us."

Sam stared at Ethos in bewilderment. "But I don't have any children, I'm 
not even married!"

Ethos looked towards the observer and raised an eyebrow. The observer's 
expression changed to embarrassment.  "Oh yes you do Sam, yours son was 
born in 1996 and your daughter was born in 1967, if I'm not mistaken, 
and I don't think I am."

The observer looked even more embarrassed. Sam stood up from the chair.  
"I have children? Al you never told me I had children!"  Sam walked over 
to the observer. Then suddenly turned to Ethos.  "Born in 19 
sixty-s-seven?"  Sam stood thinking, "I was only 14 in 1967."  The 
observer pressed a button on the hand-link. Sam heard it and knew what 
the observer was about to do, "Al don't you go! You've got some 
exp......."  The observer disappeared through the Imaging Chamber door.  
Sam continued his sentence quietly, "...laining to do."  Sam turned back 
to Ethos.  "Oh Boy!"