(story copyright E.N. Boyd) (some cursing in story)
"What? NO! I am not a murderer!", Doc Strong said, pivoting his suit towards Captain Flag, looking at the man in the eyes.
"Interesting. Your demeanor and your eyes seem to be telling the truth but the newspapers said a different story. Growing up I remember the spook story of Doc Strong and the collapsed cave of Tombstone. They said you killed your wife and her lover in a fit of a rage and tried to hide their bodies in a silver mine but the mine collapsed so you left them to rot. You were never found and it was assumed you hightailed it out of Tombstone or had killed yourself.", Captain Flag said.
"What?!", Doc replied. "How can this be?".
"It became a bit of a spook story because the mine was closed off but people were curious and some snuck into the mine, only never to be found again. It was a bit of a Western ghost story.", the Captain replied.
"No, no, no. My dear Rulah...Paulie...no. None of that is true. Rulah was murdered. by that son of a bitch Talon. There were these..creatures..in the mine. I don't know...what..", Doc replied and his eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.
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"Doc. Doc, wake up.", a female voice said, as a female hand ran across his forehead. Doc woke up, his eyes adjusting to the light. Removed from his suit, he was dressed in jeans and a shirt, new clothes he felt and looked at but did not recognize. "Take a drink of water.", Blue Lady told Doc.
"What?", Doc asked. "Come on, Doc, raise yourself up and drink the water. You're among friends. Just drink the water, you're dehydrated and in shock.". Blue said.
While the group had carried Doc inside the ranch house, Captain Flag informed the others an ability he had which was not mentioned in the files, one that he kept secret. He could determine, via his heightened senses, and listening to a person's heart beat, breathing rate, body posture, and other factors, when someone was telling the truth. He had deduced that Doc Strong was in fact, speaking the truth.
Doc drank the water as he sat up on the couch. "Thanks." he replied. He looked at his clothes, then looked around the living room. He could see the deer antlers from a buck he shot in 1900 still hanging above the door frame to a bedroom. He knew this was his home but things were changed, and of course, he didn't know these people. He had a hunch he'd been moved forward in time. So he asked, "What year is this?".
"Well. 1950, of course,", Torpedo Man replied. Doc turned his head towards the direction of the dining room area and could see the man standing, dressed only in his swimming trunks.
"Why are you wearing only swimming trunks? Why are you sweating like that?", he asked, noticing the sea foam green sheen on Torpedo Man's body.
"Well, Doc, it appears you have a lot of questions. As do we. But we also have some answers for you. Your arrival was actually predicted.", Blue Lady said, wiping the sweat from Doc's forehead. The color returned to his face as he looked around some more.
"What?", Liberator asked.
"Yes. General Emmet wanted to keep that info away from everyone but I have a bit of low level telepathy and accidentally "heard" this info from his mind. So I had to ask the General about it. He told me not to inform anyone because it might affect the time drive as he put it, and could alter events. So it was all I could do to keep quiet about this. It appears Doc Strong is a time traveler.", Blue replied.
"Wait? Isn't that impossible?", Man O' Metal stated, as he sat at the kitchen table, looking over at Doc and Blue as they sat on the couch, with Blue pouring Doc another glass of water.
"If it is, then, men, I suggest you explain this.". Blue went to her duffel bag which had been sitting at the entrance to her bedroom door. She removed what looked like a box. She walked over to the kitchen table, and placed the small box on the table. It had several buttons on it. She pushed one, and a three dimensional holographic image appeared, hovering above the table.
The image was of Doc Strong. "Holy Hannah!", Captain Flag said. "What sort of trickery is this?", he exclaimed. Liberator walked over to the image and looked at it. The image began to fluctuate a bit and a voice was heard. Doc rose and walked over to the table.
"If you are playing this message, then I have succeeded in traversing the time drive. Please do not be alarmed. This is coming from Doc Tobias Strong, and I am in your future. Well, at least one that could exist. The paradoxes will be explained soon enough, but know that some things will change for everyone after our first three missions. I cannot reveal what they are but the purpose of this is to inform everyone that the man you found in the bronze suit is indeed myself. I'd been stuck in a time drive or time warp if you will. I cannot explain it all fully at this point and...time...but know I will arrive at my own ranch house on March 23rd, 1950, just outside of Tombstone, Arizona. Please see to it I am tended to and provide me with all the details of the pending mission. General Emmet has the other message box in his possession and he will explain more after our first three missions are complete. My past self will soon begin to deduce what has happened and is happening. Do not be alarmed, Freedom Guard, I am here to help.". With that, the image disappeared and the voice trailed off.
The group all turned their heads and looked at Doc Strong.
"It appears time is of the essence.", he stated.
To be continued.
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The Freedom Guard Files. Introduction.
The Freedom Guard Files. Chapter I.
The Freedom Guard Files. Chapter II.
The Freedom Guard Files. Chapter III.
The Freedom Guard Files. Chapter IV.
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