Chapter 14 Chapter Thirteen

Julia sat in an uncomfortable iron chair, her eyes red and swollen from crying.After ten o'clock in the evening, the moonless night sky enveloped the whole world. She arrived in Boston on time today, took a taxi to Dr. Kofer's office, saw the incredible life on the screen, and she had a new experience.She's a mother now, and her and Nick's baby is growing inside her and will come out to meet them in seven and a half months, and they'll love this baby unconditionally. However, as she was leaving the doctor's office, her cell phone rang. Marcus' voice was strangely calm.

He said Shams' private jet was waiting for her at Logan Airport in Boston and would fly her straight back to Westchester Airport, where Marcus would pick her up and take her to the hospital. On the plane, she couldn't concentrate the whole time.Why was another life taken away when one life just entered her world? Julia got up from her chair and stood beside Nick.He was full of tubes, and the steady beeping of the heart rate monitor kept ringing in her ears, reminding her how close death and Nick had been.Nick fell into a coma, and no matter what the doctor said, she still worried that Nick might never wake up.

Nick is locked in darkness, lost in the abyss of despair.He kept seeing Julia dead on the ground, Marcus killed in front of him, and the bodies at the bottom of the Kesque Reservoir.He saw the plane falling from the sky like a fireball, thick black smoke rose up, and the sky was covered with black fog; he saw hundreds of dead bodies of the victims, and he was also trapped there, walking aimlessly , the dead whispered in his ear. Then Julia filled his field of vision, her face perfect, calling to him, coaxing him, leading him to heaven. He opened his eyes suddenly and saw that she was staring at him, her eyes were red and swollen and filled with tears.

"Hi." He whispered. She hugged him, all the sadness of losing him welling up. After a long time, Julia finally took a few steps back.Paul walked over and looked him straight in the eye. "Glad to see you survived." Nick smiled slightly, and gradually regained consciousness. "This man saved your life." Xia Nuo emerged from the corner. "I haven't brought anyone back from the brink of death since the Vietnam War," Paul said. "It's because of the electric shock device." "I don't know how much time has passed." Paul smiled and took something out of his pocket.He took Nick's hand and slid the thing over to him. "You do lose your sense of time when you're trying to save someone, though."

Nick knew immediately what Paul had given him.The pocket watch was back in his hand, and the familiar feeling was reassuring, like a child's quilt. "Hey." Marcus leaned against the wall watching the touching moment. "Hey." Nick murmured, happy to see his friend alive and well. He looked at everyone around him, Julia, Marcus, Paul and Shano, and felt as if he had just returned from the Magic Kingdom.His mind is full of incredible experiences that no one can understand. He looked at the mahogany box on the table beside him. "I gotta say," Shano patted Nick's leg, "what you did today was really brave."

"Thank you," Nick said. "I'm glad you're safe and sound." Shano walked over to open the door, "but I have to go home. I'm going to find a new partner tomorrow, that rookie named Burnahart. I have to find a way to get him into shape. Nick , although your friend Paul told me part of it, but you still owe me an explanation. During this period, take care of yourself and rest more." Shano walked out the door. "Thank you for visiting me," Nick said to Marcus. "Don't say that," Marcus said, bending over his buddy, "I'd take a bullet for you. I'm not like that with everyone."

"I know you're happy to see me," Nick said, "but you look so happy that you're hiding something. Are you in a relationship again?" "You won't believe it," said Marcus, who seemed delighted to be telling the story, "this young man named Jason Celita..." "Serita?" Julia was taken aback when she heard the name. "Is it a blonde, young man in his twenties?" "You know him?" "We took the same flight to Boston this morning." "Really? It's a small world," Marcus continued. "Anyway, he called a few minutes ago. This kid is very bright, very talented, and he's like a young man with thick hair. Me." Marcus touched his bald head, "just not as handsome as me. He went to Boston today to realize my dream of owning the Harris ski equipment company. Now I have to hire a team to run the company .But it's all worth it anyway."

"Marcus, I want to trouble you with something." Nick sat up in bed. "I know a guy who just got a master's degree in management and is in the National Guard." "A soldier? That's good." "He's seen too many deaths. You've got to hire him." "Did you even save the interview?" Marcus was a little surprised, "What's his name?" "Manas, Private Manas." "His mother gave him a pretty perfect military name. But does this 'Private' have a name other than Manas?" "His name is Neil."

Marcus rubbed the back of his head. "I'd have a little headache taking the risk of hiring someone new, but since you say that, he's accepted." The heavy wooden door opened, and a very old man walked in.He leans on a mahogany cane that supports his slow, swaying gait with a carved elephant's head on the tip; his graying hair and wrinkled pale skin hang down as if twice the size of his skeleton .But his eyes were piercing and focused. Nash, who accompanied him, wore a neat double-breasted coat and white linen trousers with gold.Nick recognized Nash, the man who gave him the pocket watch and started him on this journey back in time.

"Nick," said Julia, pointing to the old man, "this is Shams Hannickle." "Hi, Nick," Hannikle nodded to him, "I'm glad to see you alive and well. I would like to formally introduce my assistant, Sacleia Nash." Nash nodded to Nick as well, as if this was their first meeting.Shams turned to Paul and nodded slightly to show that the two were old acquaintances. "Julia?" Nick took a deep breath and licked his lips. "Can you get me a Coke or something?" "Of course." Julia smiled, turned to Shams and Sacreia, and raised her eyebrows with a questioning expression.

"We don't have to, dear," said Shams. "I can't believe you're here for this," Julia said. "It means a lot to me." "I know you are on the same flight as my wife today." Shams smiled warmly, "I hope you have a pleasant journey." Julia looked puzzled. "She's petite, white-haired, talkative..." Shams gave her a hint. "Catherine? Is she your wife?" Julia asked in surprise. "She said you were nice," said Shams kindly. "I don't know anything about it." Julia looked puzzled. "This shows that your kindness is innate, not deliberate." "I'm a little hungry," Marcus said to Julia, coming over to help her open the door. "I'll go with you." Now, only Paul, Nash, Nick and Shams are left.Shams pulled up a chair and sat down beside Nick's bed. "Your wife's a very nice person, Nick, and you're lucky." "I know," Nick said. "She's even more fortunate to have a husband like you," Shams went on. "Only a man with a heart full of emotion doesn't abuse his power." Nick finally opened his fist, revealing the pocket watch Paul had in his hand. "Julia's death, my wife's death, it's all my fault," Shams said regretfully. "Sadly, time has taken away my youth. If I had been younger, I would never have Not going to make you do this drudgery and make you take this incredible journey. I can't take the time jump process, my mind is no longer clear so I can't go back in time and turn the world to the proper Location." "Wait a minute," Nick asked puzzled, "did the crash happen?" "No," Shams said. "What about the robbery?" "No. Ethan Dance disappeared with that man named Rukai, and no one has ever known his whereabouts since. After they took Paul and Nash hostage at the airport this morning, Police Shano The detectives arrested Randall and Elio on multiple charges." "What about Sam?" Nick looked at Paul. "Sam left first," Shams explained. "He wanted to clear his head. Paul wanted to arrest Sam, but I didn't want his brother to go to jail. Those two police officers had already alerted the police watchdog. , There will be retribution sooner or later. But I think Sam should be given a chance to be born again." "If none of that happened," Nick paused, "how do you remember it?" "I don't remember," said Shams matter-of-factly. "Then how do you know this?" Nick asked. Shams took out the letter Nash had handed to Nick in the interrogation room and pointed out the strange lines below.Nick has never been able to understand what those words mean. (Figure 4) "It's an old Gaelic branch. I wrote it for myself, like you asked your friend Marcus to do. I think we're on the same page." Shams smiled. "I Use this to tell yourself about Julia's death, my wife's death, the plane crash and the robbery, and explain how those events got tangled up with this box." Shams patted the mahogany box on the table. "I specifically wrote down the reasons and intentions for asking Sacrea to find you. I know you love your wife very much." Shams pulled out the printout of The Wall Street Journal and pointed to the image in the center of the crash of Flight 502. "But seeing this picture, seeing the wreckage of the tail of the plane my wife and your wife were on, and hearing you tell Paul about Julia's murderer and the robbery, I'll know the rest of the details." Nick turned to Sacrea. "What do you remember?" Sakria just smiled. "I just remember your heroism at the airport." Nick turned to Paul. "how about you?" Paul took the Wall Street Journal from Shams. "I knew you had what you had as soon as I saw you had this page of news eight hours from now. And I knew that if you went back in time with that, it meant that Shams gave it to you." "It's such a powerful force," Shams said. "As soon as you get close to it, people's hearts change. When you want to get riches, morality and values ​​​​collapse. But in the face of true love, these become secondary things. " Hannik took out a key.This is an octagonal key that Paul made for him.Paul produced an identical key, as did Nash.They each inserted their keys into the three lock holes of the wooden box on the bedside table, and opened the wooden box. Hannickle opened the lid of the box, revealing the flannelette spread to the edge. There was a three-inch circular hole in the center of the box, the same size as the gold watch. He finally understood. "My grandfather found it," said Shams, "stole it from a Venetian, I suppose, who seems to have stolen it from Martinot in France. It was earned by my grandfather." The reason for so much money, he made his wealth by jumping time and space, manipulating fate, that's how his business was built. My father took this business and continued to run it. Both of them are greedy and power hungry, regardless of the consequences . "My father passed it on to me before he died, and I swore to myself that I would never fall into the trap of greed like they did. I wanted to use it for the good of the world. But I soon discovered that even the best So I hid it and refused to use it. Later, I decided to distribute the vast wealth that my father and grandfather had acquired. These were ill-gotten gains, and they did not count on Behavior, consequences, and don't care what impact it has on the rest of the world. "Who knows how our actions will affect the world? Could a butterfly flapping its wings in China cause war in Europe? There is no end to such assumptions about fate. If Queen Isabella of Spain had not funded Columbus , if Hitler had won the world war, if Roosevelt hadn't written to Einstein asking him to invent the atomic bomb... We don't know the outcome, how do we decide everything? How do we play God?" "But, since you know that pocket watch is dangerous, why don't you destroy it?" Nick asked. "People make mistakes, Nick, and no matter how noble we think we are, we all think our actions and beliefs are right. It's a strong and unchangeable personality. I believe I can resist temptation and only use it as a last resort. use its power." "Your wife's death was a last resort." Nick felt the same way. "Nick, your wife's death was a 'last resort'." Nick tilted his head puzzled. "You traveled back in time to save Julia, and would have been willing to go through hell and fire to keep her alive. I know how deep that love is, and I know you'll see these deaths all around you on your journey , you won’t just save your wife, you’ll save my wife and everyone on that dead flight.” Shams held up Nash's letter to Nick and pointed to the Galvins. "After hearing about Julia's death, I sent Nash to you with this watch and this letter. It's one thing for my wife to die in a plane crash, but it's one thing for your wife to be ashamed of me for not handling it properly. Innocent death is another matter. I love your wife like a daughter, Nick. When my wife and I die, the property will go to Julia, but you and I know about it." Sham Smiling and clapping Nick's hand. "So, please put this watch back." He turned the mahogany box to Nick. Nick looked at the gold watch in his hand, opened the cover, and took a last look at the engraving inside.Time flies, gone forever.He covered the watch cover and put the watch on the flannel in the mahogany box. Paul picked up the box from the table, closed the lid, turned the key, locked it, then pulled out the keys, gave one to Nash, one to Hannik, and stuffed the last one into his pocket. Hannickle picked up his cane, stood up and said, "Thank you, Nick, for staying true to yourself." He staggered to the door to leave, followed by Paul and Nash. "What are you going to do with it?" "Don't worry, Paul and Nash will take a boat to the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific, where the water is seven miles deep." Paul and Nash nodded goodbye to Nick, then followed Shams to leave. Julia walks in with a can of Coke and a packet of Oreo cookies. "Breakfast for the hero." She opened the Coke and handed it to him, and then opened the blue wrapping paper of the Oreo biscuit. "I asked Marcus to go home first, and he said some dirty jokes in front of the nurse; you also know that once he is successful in his career, he changes, and the whole world is beautiful in his eyes." Julia Laughing, "I met Shams in the elevator. I should have told you what a wonderful guy he is, and I love him like I love my father." "He feels the same way about you." Nick stuffed a biscuit into his mouth and swallowed it with a sip of Coke. "If I leave," Julia said slowly, "we'll be fine, right?" "Maybe save a little, but I don't care." "I don't care if we live in a hut or somewhere else, as long as the two of us can be together. I just think it's time to think about something other than money." "You're funny," Nick said, "I don't think we're going to have any trouble financially." "How do you know?" Julia asked. "I can see the future," Nick said, smiling. "Now, let's talk about starting a family!" Nick pulled Julia into his arms and kissed her deeply. "You're so funny." Julia sat down on the edge of the bed and placed two wrapped presents on Nick's lap with teddy bears smiling at him. "A gift for me?" Nick picked up the first package, "It feels like a book." Julia couldn't help laughing. "You open the other one first." Nick felt like he was a kid again. "What is this? Christmas in July?" "Better than that." Julia took Nick's hand and squeezed it lightly, just like her mother had squeezed her when she was a child. Nick tore the wrapping paper off another gift, pulled out the frame, and...