The Second Time Around
18

Gregory checked his watch one last time, and hobbled over tothe stairs. He climbed them with greatdifficulty until he reached the landing where they made a full turn and wentback up the other direction. He settledinto a corner against the wall and braced his arm on the banister to steady hisaim. Suddenly there were two loud boomsfrom outside, and the top and bottom hinges went flying across the room inpieces. Heavy footsteps on the stairsfollowed by a solid thud on the front door and it flew inward and halfwayacross the living room.

A hulking man in a black jacket stepped in the door with adouble barrel shotgun. He flipped thebreach down and began to pop two shells in when Gregory squeezed the trigger carefully,slowly. The bullet took the man justbehind the ear, and he crumpled. Gregorypulled himself to his feet just as Lucas "Lucky" Aricello himselfstepped over the threshold.

"Stop right there, Lucky," Gregory called, hischest burning with the effort of talking. He turned and spat out a mouthful of blood. "One more step and I'll drop youtoo."

Lucky smiled easily and held his hands out to his sides withan arched eyebrow. "You wentthrough a lot of trouble to draw me out, to bring me here, and now you say it'sjust to put a bullet in my head? I don'tthink so."

"I'm here to help a friend," Gregory gasped,"And to make a little money in the process."

"Money?" Lucky said, and he threw his head back and barked a short laugh. "You think I'm going to pay your illegalbet? I hardly think so. I don't even know who you are, beyond thefact that you are most definitely nota quiet little Professor who got lucky."

"You're right," Gregory grated between clenchedteeth as he pulled himself back to his feet. "You don't know me. But youare going to pay the bet because you want a few more minutes drawing breath,hoping you can replace a way to flip the situation around and get your hands onyour ankle holster. Now, there's a slipof paper on the table with a bank code on it. You'll call, now, and transfer the full funds to that account, or I willkill you where you stand."

"And if I do what you ask," Lucky said slyly,"What do I get out of the exchange? Other than a few more breaths, of course."

"I'll let you live," Gregory said, coughing adeep, rasping cough. "You walk outof here a free man."

"Am I supposed to take your word?" Lucky asked, and turned his head to spit.

"It's all I have, I'm afraid," Gregory answeredwith a small shrug, "But I promise you this, if I think I'm going to passout before you finish and leave, I will kill you. I've already made corpses of three of yourpeople tonight because you underestimated me. Do you really want to join them?"

Lucky looked about to say something else, but Gregory raisedhis pistol and the mob boss turned and picked up the paper. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed. From Gregory's end, it sounded like alegitimate conversation. Gregory turnedand called up the stairs, "Professor, check the account."

"So he ishere, then," Lucky growled, and he took a step towards the stairs.

Gregory leveled his pistol at the man, and he stopped in histracks. "You gave your word,stranger, said I could leave in peace."

"And you can, once I know the money's reallythere," Gregory answered.

"It's good," Professor Mathis called down,"I'm starting the second transfer now."

Lucky's face twisted into a sour grimace. He started to say something, but stopped withhis mouth open, his head cocked to the side. Slowly the realization that he was hearing sirens spread across hisface. He turned and spat again. "You said I'd walk out of here a freeman, stranger."

Gregory smiled. "I lied," he said.

Lucky moved quickly, one hand darting behind his back whilethe other flung his cell phone at Gregory. But he wasn't fast enough. Gregory's pistol was already raised, and he squeezed the trigger. Two bullets hit Lucky square in thechest. For a moment, he stopped in middraw and stared down at the bloodrunning from his chest with wide, confused eyes. His small revolver slipped from hisfingers. He tried to speak, but no wordscame, and he fell forward heavily. Hetwitched once, and then let out a long, slow breath and was still.

Gregory tried to take a step down the stairs, but his kneesbuckled and he fell forward. He rolledand tumbled down the half flight. Helanded heavily against the wall, pain shooting up his left side as the bulletwound tore open again. He felt a slottrickle of blood run down his side. Gregory tried to get up, but the pain was too much and he nearly blackedout, so instead he lay on his back panting heavily and bleeding all over theProfessor's floor.

A feeling like pressure began to grow in his chest, afamiliar feeling now. He checked hiswatch and almost laughed. He was aboutto snap back to his own present. Hetried to call out to the Professor, but even pulling in enough breath made hisvision waver and black specks danced in front of his eyes for a moment. As he lay there panting, hovering on the edgeof unconsciousness, the pressure building on every inch of his skin seemed toflicker like a candle in a breeze. Itwaivered, and then suddenly it evaporated and was gone.

Gregory blinked and checked his watch again. The time had passed, and he was still here,in this moment. A chuckle began deep inhis belly and grew slowly until it shook his whole body. It burned and felt like it might tear him inhalf, but he couldn't help it. As theblackness finally rolled over him, Gregory's last thought was he'd finallyfound a way to cross a temporal event horizon.

And all it cost him was his life.