Riding the Florida Time Line

By Robert Lee Thompson

A Florida Historical Fiction with Adventure, Action, Florida Gunslingers, Science Fiction and Fantasy-Two boys are protégés of an elite group of retired military personnel and are trained in combat and survival skills. They were raised to fly an experimental time machine. But things started going wrong. One killed a man and lost his memory. Both must go back in time to escape.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Lee Thompson
• Release date: Sep 6, 2009
• ISBN: 9781452310947

Robert Lee Thompson

Robert was born and raised in Indian River County Florida. He is a military retiree and proud to have served. During Korea Conflict he spent time in Korea aboard the U.S.S. Calvert (APA-32) and during the Vietnam Conflict he did two tours of duty in Vietnam with the Navy Seabees, U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Forty (MCB-40). Other duty stations were the U.S.S. Casa Grande (LSD-13), U.S.S. Willard Keith (DD-775), U.S.S. Tidewater (AD-32), U. S. Naval Training Center, Orlando, Florida, U.S Naval Air Station, Sanford, Florida and U.S. Naval Station, Key West, Florida. These stations are not in the order in which I served. After retiring from the military he was a truck driver, a nuclear plant security officer in Saint Lucie County for fifteen years and did odd jobs while touring the United States. He now lives in Bristol Connecticut. While in the U.S. Navy he was lucky enough to have visited Japan, Okinawa, Spain, Greece, Philippines, Korea, Vietnam, Mexico, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, Italy, Ethiopia, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, France, Red Sea, Nassau and many other places. He has fond memories from each and every country and place.

Book preview

Prologue

The two women become pregnant through artificial insemination and now, nine months later, they gave birth to two healthy boys. Dr. Jackson and his staff at the South Experimental Center had watched over these two women like two specimens under a microscope. The two boys, although they were not any kin, were given the names Elton Thomas South and Oliver Lee South. The names of the fathers had been lost in the paper shuffle, as was intended, and the mothers were paid off, never knowing where they had been during that period of time.

Dr. Jackson carried the two newborns through the halls of the institute thinking of all the projects he had going on here. He made sure no records of the facts of their birth existed anywhere, except in his personal files. He issued birth certificates with fictitious names for the mothers and Alfred South as the father. All the projects at this Center were top secret. The Center is owned by billionaire Alfred South and is located near Ocala, Florida. It is disguised as a horse ranch.

When you get your time machine perfected these two boys will be ready to travel, Dr. Jackson said, handing one of the newborn babies to Dr. Tyler and the other one to Professor Hall. The four retired military and CIA instructors I hired are in place and ready to go.

Chapter 1

Dr. Nora Tyler has been devastated over the loss of her experimental Time Machine. Her laboratory burned to the ground, leaving only the fireproof walk-in vault where all her research papers were stored. Her decision to build another one at this time is on hold until she can regroup.

My going back to a time in early Florida with Oliver is also on hold. Oliver is on the run somewhere in Florida. I’m looking for him and from what I know I’m not the only one. I need to catch him first so I can help him. He has lost his memory and with all his training is a very dangerous man. I’m pursuing him at top speed. A lot of it is my fault so I share the blame with him. We were not raised to know right from wrong but were told if it felt right then it must be right. I already know some of the dangerous and crazy things he’s done and I know if I don’t catch up to him in time he’ll either be dead or in jail. He’s not a criminal. It all started on our twenty-first birthday.

We were sitting on the floor of the gymnasium with our backs against the wall. We’d learned a lot growing up on the ranch. Three things we’d learned for sure and that was to rest, eat and sleep when we had the chance. I glanced over at Oliver and he had his eyes closed but I knew he wasn’t sleeping.

Oliver stood about 6’ 2" tall and weighed close to 200 pounds. His long red hair was tied in a ponytail, his face spotted with a few freckles. I don’t know if he had quit growing or not. I just know that we never did have time to put on any fat. When we were not with Mrs. Hall getting our book learning, we were with one of our male instructors doing physical exercising or learning survival skills and other things.

I lifted my 6’ tall, 190-pound frame up off the floor and walked to the restroom. I used the urinal and looked at myself in the mirror as I washed my hands. I saw a tan face with light blue eyes looking back at me. The fellow in the mirror had long black hair tied in a ponytail. I grinned at him and he grinned back, flashing his pearl white teeth. On the mirror was one of those stickers you peel off and stick on almost anything. The sticker was a green star. When Oliver solved a problem or thought he did good he had a habit of peeling one of those green star stickers and putting it on something that was near. He said when he did well he deserved a star. He always had a roll of them in his pocket. I dried my hands and went back into the gymnasium.

Oliver was standing against the wall now looking at me with his dark brown eyes. What do you think we’ll be doing today? he asked me.

I don’t know, I replied, glancing up at the clock. It was 6 a.m. Maybe we’ll get today off since it’s our birthday.

I doubt that, Oliver replied as he rubbed his neck.

Just then the door opened and Retired Army Colonel Rufus Bulldog Jones and Retired U. S. Marine Corp Chief Warrant Officer Tom Hunter entered. They’d been our friends, family, and instructors as long as I can remember. Of course some of the others on the ranch also fit that category.

Well, boys, today is your twenty-first birthday, Bulldog said as he walked to the blackboard. You’ve known for a long time that Mr. South claimed to be your daddy, and you were named in his will to inherit his estate when you turned twenty-one. Well today is that day, but that doesn’t change anything as far as you and I are concerned. You are just two poor little rich boys. Your training and discipline will continue until the mission you were trained for is completed. This was what Mr. South wanted. I hope I’m not going to have any problems with you just because you turned twenty-one. I need to know the answer to that right now."

 No sir, we’ll not cause you any problems, I told him looking over at Oliver to see if he was going to agree.

That goes for me too, Oliver said with a big smile.

Today is not just another day, stated Tom. It is a little cool so there shouldn’t be too many mosquitoes, but we’ll see what happens. I hope both of you had a good breakfast because it’ll be awhile before either of you will be eating any home cooked meals.

I know you thought you’d be getting today off because it’s your birthday, but I want you to take a little trip, said Bulldog. As soon as the trip is over we’ll celebrate by going to town and you can have a little junk food and spend some time in the mall looking at the girls. In the next few years you’ll be exploring different areas of the state in and out of this time line. Since you know what your future missions are going to be, we want you to bear in mind that the areas you’ll be exploring will not be built up and there will not be very many people around.

How long do you think that’ll be? Oliver asked.

We don’t have an answer to that yet, Tom said.

Let me get on with this, Bulldog said. When we send you back along the Florida time line you’ll have to survive the best you can and I am hoping that we gave you enough training. Today we’ll furnish you with a map, knives, flint, fishhooks, salt, bathing suits, one change of clothes, tennis shoes, and a canoe with two paddles. Maybe I’ll throw in some fishing string too. Other than that you’re on your own. You’ll survive anyway you can. That is your main concern for the next two years and even beyond that. The key word is survival, survival, survival.

Chief Stillwell will transport you and your equipment to Vero Beach, said Tom. You’ll put in somewhere along the Indian River Lagoon. You’ll go north until you get to Titusville. You’ll canoe along the banks, zigzagging from the east bank to the west bank until you’ve explored all the towns, inlets, harbors and wetlands within a quarter of a mile of the river. When you get to Titusville you’ll call us collect and we’ll pick you up. Do you have any questions?

No sir, I said as Oliver was shaking his head.

The Chief is waiting for you outside, said Bulldog. Have a good trip and we’ll see you when you get back.

Having all this money doesn’t seem to help us. I suppose we’ll need this practice in subsistence survival, Oliver said to me in an ironic tone.

We walked outside where the Chief was waiting beside his new four-wheel drive Chevrolet Avalanche 2500 model pickup truck. Tied down on top of the truck and camper top was a 16-foot fiberglass canoe. This was the Chief’s truck. He was the only one that ever drove it. I climbed in the front with the Chief and Oliver climbed into the back seat.

Happy birthday, said the Chief.

Thanks. said Oliver.

What did you get us for our birthday? I asked the Chief.

You’ll see when you get back, the Chief said as he pulled away from the buildings and headed for the gate. Don’t touch that radio.

I had reached to change the channel on the radio. I was hoping to get some classic rock, maybe some Bob Seger. No chance in that as long as the Chief was in the truck. He kept the XM Satellite Radio station tuned to a country music station. I don’t know why he needed the XM Radio to listen to that one station. Maybe it was already in the truck when he bought it.

The Chief was not a big man. He was maybe 5’ 10 tall. His hair was almost all gray and was getting a little bald on top. His eyes were blue and always had a twinkle. We had tried a few times to determine how old all our instructor friends were and maybe we came pretty close .We had figured the Chief retired from the U.S. Navy at about age 38 and came to work here right after that. We were 21 today so add about 20 more years to his life and he would be maybe 56 to 59. You ask any of them how old they were and all you get is, On a need-to-know basis."

The music coming from the Bose speaker system was bouncing everywhere. The Chief reached over and turned it down and reached up on the visor, punching the remote to open the electronic controlled sliding gate. The hidden camera checked us out as we drove through the gate. The gate shut automatically when we exited.

Hey Chief, Oliver said from the back. Why didn’t we wait until Monday to start this trip instead of starting out on a Thursday? We could have planned something big for the weekend.

How much of a bigger weekend would you want than what we’re doing right now? asked the Chief. Look at all the good stuff we’ve planned for you the rest of the week. If you boys want to get a cup of coffee or something to drink I’ll stop at the convenience store before I get on I-75.

That sounds good to me. I said.

The Chief pulled into the convenience store and we got out. I held the door open for them to enter and then held it longer for a nice looking motherly type lady leaving the store. We all got our coffee and set them on the counter.

Will that be all? asked the cute young girl behind the counter as she winked at Oliver.

I think that’ll be all, stated the Chief as he handed her a ten dollar bill.

I picked up my coffee and left the store. The coffee was hot and black. That’s the way I like it. The Chief drinks his out of one of those containers that’s big at the bottom, smaller at the top with a lid on top and some rubber looking stuff on the bottom. He uses a straw to drink the coffee. He says it comes from driving a tractor and trailer when he was in the U. S. Navy Seabees. All those rough roads and sudden stops caused him to dump a lot of coffee. He said that this way you could set the mug on the floor and with the rubber on the bottom it won’t slide or turn over. When you’re drinking it from the straw if you hit a bump the coffee will not spill on you. It sounded like a plan to me and I’m sure somewhere in the future I might do that same thing.

The Chief came out and got into the truck and I pulled myself up into the passenger's seat. Oliver was still inside flirting with the counter girl.

I don’t know what I am going to do with that boy, the Chief said as he blew the horn.

Oliver came hurrying out of the store with his cup of coffee in one hand and pulling his cap down on his head a little. He got into the back seat and shut the door. I’m ready, he said.

The Chief pulled onto the ramp picking up speed as he merged with the southbound traffic on I-75. We got off at the eastbound exit of State Rd 40. I looked out the window at the stores and sipped on my coffee. On the right we passed a Goodwill Store that sold all kinds of stuff by the pound. I went there one time. It had been fun going through all the books. We bought some of them for twenty cents a pound. I didn’t know what we were going to do once the Chief dropped us off at the river in Vero Beach. I did know that on top of what was expected of us we were going to be doing a lot of other things.

Most of our lives had been taken up by training, studying and learning. There had been so many things to learn. We had a lot of good teachers and instructors. Now we were in top condition, physically and mentally, and ready for some fun time. If it feels right, do it. That was going to be our motto. We had talked a lot about what we were going to do once we reached twenty-one years old and had decided on our motto a long time ago. We were there now so we were going to start doing some things we thought we would like to do. Since we’d never done much of anything we didn’t know what we liked and what we didn’t but we’ll soon find out.

How far to Vero Beach? asked Oliver.

I don’t know for sure, replied the Chief. I think it’s close to 170 miles. We should get there in time for lunch. I’ll treat you to a meal before you launch your canoe.

I dozed off to sleep listening to Alan Jackson singing A lot about livin’. The Chief had told us that riding in this truck was more comfortable than riding in a Lincoln Town Car. I couldn’t verify that since I’d never ridden in a Lincoln Town Car but I do know that this truck was a ride in comfort.

When I woke up we were pulling up to a Citgo gas pump. I got out and went in to use the restroom. The morning coffee had done its job and was ready to depart. I walked out to the truck and waited for the other two to come out.

There were two young girls; about eighteen years old, hanging around the telephone booth. One of them had long dark hair, falling down her back and the other one had short black hair that was spiked on top. Both were very pretty, about five feet and maybe three or four inches tall. The one with the long hair was talking on the phone and it looked like the other one kept breaking in on her with information to pass on to whomever was on the other end of the phone. From the few words I could hear now and then it sounded like they were trying to get some boy or boys to pick them up and take them to the beach.

Hello, one of them called waving at me.

Hello yourself, I called back.

They were ready to go, dressed in thong bathing suits covered by extra large t-shirts. The only way I knew they had the thong bathing suits on was when one of them dropped some change they had for putting into the telephone. When they both bent over to pick up the change their t-shirts rode up showing the thongs. My eyeballs popped out so far if the two girls had swung around they may have knocked them out of my eye sockets. Me being the young and healthy boy that I am a thing like that had an effect on me. I wasn’t used to seeing things like that.

I walked over to where the girls were just as a blue and red rusted out pickup truck pulled in beside the phone booth. One of the two shaggily looking young boys stuck his head out the window and said. Hey you back off. Those are our two women. We’re here to give them a ride.

Before I could back off the passenger was out of the truck swinging a big fist at me. I ducked and the momentum of the swing caused him to turn completely around knocking one of the girls down as he bumped her. Give me your hand, I told the girl. I’ll help you up.

Just as I had her on her feet the driver of the truck hit me in the back of the head, knocking me into the passenger. We both hit the ground. While I was on top of him I gave him a hard fist in the nose and watched as blood splattered.

Oh you…you beast. You got blood on my towel, the girl I had helped cried.

I could see out of the corner of my eye that the driver was coming at me full speed. I rolled over three times and leaped to my feet, catching him with my elbow breaking his nose.

Let’s go, someone yelled. "I hear a siren coming this way.

I watched as they all loaded into the truck and sped off. The ambulance with its siren cutting the still air passed them as they entered the highway

Chapter 2

Oliver and the Chief came out and Oliver handed me a Dr. Pepper. I wanted to come out and give you a hand, he said. The Chief told me to stay in the store until it was all over. He said you needed some real world experience and you wouldn’t have any trouble with those two.

He was right, I told him. I learned to be careful when helping someone. They might turn on you.

We got off S.R. 40 at Ormond Beach and headed south on I-95.

It looks like a lot of motorcycles on the road today, I said as we passed the sign showing us where we would have turned off if we had been going to Daytona Beach.

I think its Bike Week, Oliver said.

My thoughts begin to drift. We had been trying to get Bulldog to buy us a Harley Davidson Motorcycle for a long time now. He had one and had taught us to ride. We were allowed to ride his when we had the time and wanted to as long as we didn’t leave the ranch. He had set up an obstacle course on the airstrip for us to practice on. We had a CDL Class A driver’s license with a TX and motorcycle endorsement on them. Bulldog had said we needed to know how to drive everything that rolled on the ground, floated on the water or flew in the air. Between all the instructors we now could do that.

Bulldog had also handed us a Concealed Weapon or Firearm License from the State of Florida this morning before we left. He said he couldn’t give it to us before our twenty-first birthdays. I remember filling out the application and getting the picture made. I don’t know how he got it before our twenty-first birthdays. Who knows? Bulldog knows a lot of people and has a lot of pull where it counts. He still would not let us carry a concealed weapon but somewhere in the future we would. The miles flew by and about noon we got off I-95 and headed east on S.R. 60. Not too far down on the right we saw a homey little eating place called Mrs. B’s. We pulled in and got out.

This looks like a good place to eat, said the Chief. I hope they have a restroom. I’m about to pop.

We walked through the front door. The restroom was straight ahead and that’s where we all headed. Having completed that important task we washed our hands and went back into the eating area. There was a long counter with stools on our left with booths on our right and farther on toward the back were more booths and some tables. We went to the back and sat down at a booth. The waitress came over with menus and three glasses of water.

She handed us the menus, set down the water and said, I’ll give you a few moments to look over the menu, and I’ll be back.

While I was checking out the menu I was listening to, what sounded like, two good old boys discussing the merits of ‘possum meat and raccoon meat? That was followed by a description on how to cook the ‘possum meat.

I’ll tell you one thing, one of them said. That ‘possum meat is so greasy if you’re not careful it will ooze out the corners of you mouth. Sort of reminds me of when you are chewing your tobacco the way the juice runs out of your mouth.

Yes, like when you’re dipping your snuff. The same thing happens to you, replied the other one.

The waitress came strolling back over to take our orders. What’s it gonna be? she asked us.

We both waited for the Chief to order. I’ll have the meat loaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuit, green beans and a glass of unsweetened ice tea without lemon, he told her.

I’ll have the fried fish, turnip greens, cornbread, French fries, and a glass of milk, Oliver said.

You get hush puppies with the fish. Is that enough of cornbread or do you want more? asked the waitress.

No that’ll do just fine, he replied, smiling at her.

As for me I‘ll have the same thing that Oliver here is having except instead of the milk I’ll have the sweet ice tea with lemon, I said.

The waitress brought our food and we dug in. I have at one time or another eaten food this good but I don’t think I’ve eaten any better. That was some good eating. When we finished, the waitress asked if we wanted dessert and we all said no. The Chief left a tip, paid the bill and we left.

We followed S.R. 60 to the Indian River and crossed over the bridge and turned in at the boat ramp.

Well, said the Chief, this is where I’ll be leaving you. Let’s get the canoe in the water and your gear stored in it. You have a long trip ahead of you and I know you’re in a hurry to get started so let’s get it over with. Again I want to say happy birthday to the both of you and good luck. Here is two hundred bucks apiece. I don’t want you to be without any money at all.

We unloaded the canoe and the gear then watched the chief head back to Ocala. Well, I’m guessing he was headed to Ocala but you never know about him. I’ve heard and read a lot about those sailors.

Here we are, said Oliver as he sat down on the concrete boat ramp, swinging his feet back and forth over the water.

So what are we going to do now? Here we are, old enough to drink in a bar and we’ve never been on our own, never been kissed, and never done anything by ourselves. We’ve always been under supervision, someone looking over our shoulders. All we know of real life is what we’ve read and heard from remarks made by the ranch hands. Now instead of being robots and puppets on a string we can flex our muscles. We can make some of our own decisions. What do you think? I asked Oliver.

I think if Bulldog finds out we didn’t do what he told us to we’re going to be in a lot of trouble, but I’m with you. Let’s tie this canoe out of everyone’s way and walk up to that picnic area I saw by the road at the end of the bridge. I saw some people sitting around on the grass and at the tables. Maybe we can talk with them and see what's going on in this town, said Oliver as his big freckled hand grabbed the rope attached to the canoe. He pulled it down out of the way of any boats being launched and tied the rope to a tree.

We walked up the hill toward the road where the picnic tables were. There were not as many people there now as there was when we passed earlier. We walked over to where two women were sitting at one of the tables reading a book and nibbling on a sandwich. There was a cooler sitting on the bench next to them and one of the girls pulled out a Diet Coke before looking up at us.

Hi, she said.

Hello yourself, I said as I looked into her soft blue eyes, featured in a smooth tanned face. Her long brown hair was hanging over the front of her shoulders almost to her breasts. She was about 5’7 tall and about 125 or 130 pounds. I watched her full red lips curve into a smile showing her near perfect teeth as she saw me checking her out. I smiled back and felt a warm glow wash over me. To me she looked a lot like Pam Tillis on the cover of her tape Sweetheart’s Dance". This was one beautiful girl.

Would you like to sit down? she asked. I saw you drive up a little while ago and unload the canoe. It looked like a Marion County tag on the truck. Are you from around here?

No we’re from over in Ocala. That’s in Marion County, I said as I took a seat across from her still feeling that warmth washing through me.

My name is Janice Lynn Dupree and this is my twin sister Connie Marie, she said nodding toward the woman sitting next to her. They looked to be about twenty-one or twenty-two years old. Connie had a perky little nose, brown eyes, short black hair, and small breasts. Sitting there she looked to be about 5’5" tall and maybe 115 pounds.

I am Elton Thomas South and this is my brother Oliver Lee. We were born on the same day but with different mothers and as a matter of fact this is our birthday. We’re twenty-one today, I replied. Do you live here in Vero?

Yes. Connie and I share a house that our parents left us. We were born and raised here. Our parents were from Louisiana. We came here to have lunch. We’re on our way to see our lawyer because we become of age the fifth of March. We‘ll be twenty-one, explained Janice. We’re headed there in about five more minutes. Are you planning on being in town long?

We were going to canoe up the river and live off the land until we got to Titusville. Then call home and have them pick us up. It would be kind of nice to hang around for a while. Are you married or have a boy friend? I asked her.

The answer is no to both questions. I’m not and neither is Connie, she replied as she glanced over to where Oliver and Connie were walking. They had gotten up without my noticing.

To tell you the truth Oliver and I have never had anything to do with any girls and we’re sort of bashful. I know that’s hard to believe at our age but if you heard our story you would understand why. I guess what I am trying to say is would you and your sister like to hang out with us some later? I asked her.

We don’t have any plans for tonight. I would be glad to show you the town and I’m sure Connie would be in agreement with that. What do you say to our picking you up right here at 5 p.m.?

Sounds great to me, I said as we walked to her car. My heart was beating a little faster than normal and my mouth was salivating. This would be my very first date.

Connie and Oliver came back over, Connie got into the car, and we waved as they drove off.

What did you think about that girl? I asked Oliver.

Boy, I thought cuddling up to that would be better than canoeing up this river, responded Oliver with a big grin on his face.

Janice said they’ll pick us up here at 5 p.m., I said. "We’re not in too good a shape for doing anything. We have no transportation except for the canoe. Let’s look at the map and see what we can do for the rest