Unintended Consequences

By Kevin Pellegrino

A single dad, wrongly convicted of murdering his ex-wife, is killed during a prison yard fight. Years later it is discovered that his ex-wife's boyfriend was the murderer

40 years later technology advances and man has created the ability to travel back in time. Nick Ryan, the son of the murdered parents is now a successful corporate attorney working for LexiCon Industries, with one primary objective. LexiCon has developed the top secret technology and wants congress to approve human experimentation in time travel. Politicians take sides, some fearful of the ripple effect of time travel, others anxious to take advantage of the power it can deliver.

Lesley Powell works for a division of the justice department and after much debate is the special agent assigned to be the human experiment. Her mission; fix an injustice that happened 40 years ago; save the life of Nick's mother or help defend his father of the wrongful conviction.

Knowledge of the future should be an advantage for Lesley. However, man can not be all knowing and her trip back in time leads her down a path she could not have predicted.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 9, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452071640

Kevin Pellegrino

Kevin Pellegrino currently resides in Roseville, California with his son and daughter. Raised in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York he has an undergraduate degree in psychology and masters in business administration. He moved to the West Coast in 1992 and has a distinguished career working in the education, high tech, health care, not-for-profit and financial planning industries. Growing up his imagination was fueled by the rise of the computer age. Years of experience writing business, marketing and strategic plans helped shape his creativity while also serving a practical purpose. The birth of his children made his imagination leap even further into the future, thinking about the world we are shaping for the generations yet to come. “Everyone has a great book inside of them, and all it takes is motivation to inspire the writer within.” Kevin found this motivation raising his children and tapping into their imaginations, hopes and dreams. “Young minds are not always bound by the constraints of responsibilities, limitations of reality or embarrassment of talking about the impossible.” This is his first venture in fiction, and one that he trusts the reader will enjoy as much as he has enjoyed creating it.

Book preview

Acknowledgements:

There are so many people in my life who helped shaped my thoughts, influence my life and mold my future it’s impossible to name them all. The people who have touched my life each share a special place in my heart. Even though this is a work of fiction, my experiences in some way, shape or form are reflected in this book. I’ll try to point out some of the most influential people below, but know that I can’t cover everyone…

Most importantly, to my kids who over the last few years have become the sole purpose in my life; they bring me joy in their accomplishments and pain in their failures, yet I wouldn’t want one without the other. I hope that I can serve as a positive example in your lives like those below have served in mine.

To my parents who live a very modest life, and with little money managed to raise three boys who love and adore them to this day. They are tremendous parents who never gave up on any of their children or each other. Their perseverance has been a driving force through my life.

To my brothers, who tortured me as the youngest, but who helped me whenever I needed it, without question. As much as we harassed each other as kids, I wouldn’t trade my childhood growing up with you for all the fortune in the world. And let the harassment continue as we grow old.

To my aunt and uncle who were so influential in my life, teaching me importance of a good education, the values of hard work and learning the most important lesson of all; life is what you make of it. They taught me that we live in a country that provides us all the opportunities to be successful and it’s up to each of us to take advantage of it.

To all my friends, and there are so many to mention I would have to write another book. My friends have been there for me in good times and in bad; made me laugh and cry; taught me lessons and allowed me to think I taught them in return.

Finally, to my ex-wife who at times I thought I would have died for. We may have had our bad times, but we also shared a lot of good. And the best thing we did together was create two wonderful children, and I’m proud that you are their mom.

Contents

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 1

April 2048

Nick Ryan was not sure why he was called into this special closed session, nor did he know any of the people he was going to be meeting. All he knew was that he was served a subpoena to appear in the Third District Federal Court. The reason for the subpoena was not specified, which in and of itself was unusual. He was driving down I-34 towards downtown Minneapolis for the hearing.

Nick was a struggling attorney who had opened a fairly successful criminal law practice, but as laws regarding public defenders had changed, he was forced to take on clients that could not pay their bills. The government had decided that it was no longer necessary to fund a public defender’s office, and outsourced cases to criminal defense attorneys. This seemed like a good idea on paper, but like most well-intentioned public policies, it nearly crippled the legal system. With the abolishment of the public defender’s office came regulations requiring all criminal defense attorneys to be assigned up to 50% of their case loads by the government. With this increased case load also came the government bureaucracy problems with billing. Payments were never made on time, and with government capitation policies, you were lucky to receive 50% of what you charged.

Nick was running through all of the new government regulations as he drove and wondered if the purpose of the subpoena was because he had missed something in his billing practices. Had there been a regulation that he overlooked? If so, how bad was it? Would he lose his bar license? What was the penalty? He wished that he studied the new regulations better. This whole system was getting out of control. If I had known about this, I never would have gone to law school, he thought.

Nick glanced in his mirror. He was an attractive man, 45 years old and still in decent physical health; he could stand to lose a few pounds, but he thought with all the work he had been doing these last few years, to be only a few pounds overweight was pretty good. At least he wasn’t like his Uncle Charlie, who he and his sister visited every other summer. He was a great man, one of his father’s brothers, but he lost his hair at the age of 40. Nick was glad he didn’t inherit that gene. He did recall that his dad always had a good head of hair. The pictures he had at home confirmed that, but then again, his dad died at 38 when Nick was only nine.

He pulled into the courthouse parking lot and got out of his car. It was a typically cold spring morning in Minneapolis, but at least the snow had almost melted. Summer would be here shortly, and the land of a thousand lakes would be beautiful once again. He was looking forward to this summer in particular; his sister Ana and her family were planning on coming to visit from California. He loved his sister, their mom had raised them and done a decent job, given the life that she lead after she and his father divorced.

Ana was four years older than him and had three wonderful children of her own. Her husband, Adam, could have applied himself and been a better provider, but from what Nick saw, Adam loved his sister and was good to her. Given their lives growing up as children, it was the best he could expect.

From what Nick remembered from his mother and her stories, she and his dad were very much in love when they met. They dated for about five years, and in the early 1990s, they were married and moved to California. They both grew up in upstate New York, where many of his relatives still lived. Ana remembers better than he the summers they would go back to Buffalo, as a whole family, to visit their relatives, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. Sometimes he wished he stayed in contact with more of his family, but the circumstances around his parents’ divorce drove a wedge between the families. His mother’s family didn’t like the idea of the children spending too much time with their father’s side, even though his mother always tried to reinforce their father’s love for his children.

Nick’s mom and dad were married for about 13 years before they decided to divorce. The reasons behind the divorce were never clear. He knew that his dad had an affair, but was not sure why it occurred. He knew that people grow apart, and that circumstances in life can drive individuals to do irrational things. However, he also met many people as he grew who would tell him that his father always appeared to be a loving and caring man. Yes, he had an affair, and his paternal grandmother told him once that it was a mistake she felt his mother never forgave. He didn’t know what drove his dad to do such a cold-hearted act that he believed led to his early death. Perhaps it was because his mother never forgave his father, or maybe it was because his father never forgave himself. I guess some answers will never be known, he thought.

Like it was for most kids, the initial shock of the divorce was traumatic. Dad moved out of the house and bought a smaller, more modest home close to where his mother lived. The first year of their divorce, Nick remembered adjusting to the new schedules, learning that having two homes could be fun, but getting frustrated when he would shuffle toys and clothes between the two residences. However, over the course of a year, you settle into a schedule and adapt to the new environment. He always thought that his father still loved his mother. When he and Ana lived with their dad, which was half of the time, he always insisted that they call her to say goodnight and made sure that they had gifts on her birthday and Christmas. He could also sense that his mother still loved his father, though she rarely spoke positively about him early on, and rarely encouraged either him or his sister to be supportive of their father. That changed after his father’s death, and Ana and Nick always wondered to each other what events caused that change in their mother’s perception of their dad.

His dad dated a few women over the next few years, but nothing serious. Occasionally he would introduce a friend to him and his sister, but it wasn’t until later that Nick realized these friends were probably woman he was dating and with whom he was trying to establish a relationship. Dad never really seemed interested in a serious relationship after they divorced.

Mom, however, fell in love again three years after the divorce, Nick recalled. He seemed like a nice man, but he could never replace his dad. Still, there was always something about him that made both Nick and his sister feel a little uncomfortable. They could never put their fingers on it, but he always suspected something was funny with Eric Miller. After his mother had been dating Eric for about a year, his father killed him. Later in life, Nick discovered that his mom and Eric were planning on getting married. Dan Ryan, Nick’s father, was a strong man, but never violent, at least not that he could remember. Before his dad was sent to trial, he died of a heart attack while in custody. Nick never got any of the details surrounding the death, but remembered that his father’s family was upset because the body was cremated before anyone even got to see it. The county coroner apparently had made a mistake and sent the wrong body for cremation. That unfortunate event led to a lawsuit by his father’s family, and the proceeds helped pay for both his and his sister’s education.

There was a time when he was in law school that he thought about researching the case and trying to understand more about it. However, at the time, his mother was diagnosed with cancer, and the idea of delving that deeply into her past made him feel like he would be betraying her. His mother, Evelyn, was a strong woman who ended up beating the odds and living 15 years longer than expected; she had passed away 10 years ago.

CHAPTER 2

Lesley Powell awaited the arrival of Nick, not knowing what to expect. Would he remember her from their last meeting, just a few weeks prior? How would he react to the news? What events in his life had changed? She knew for certain that his status as an attorney was dramatically different from the man she had met just eight weeks prior.

Judge Denise Reinhold sat across from Lesley and was still in stunned amazement from the turn of events. She still could not fully comprehend the whole situation, and was just grateful that her past only briefly crossed Nick’s, because had she had been more involved, who knows how her life could have changed. Would she have married her high school sweet heart, raised three boys, and gone on to be one of the country’s top public defenders? That was almost 20 years ago, Judge Reinhold reflected.

Seven years prior, Judge Reinhold was appointed by the Attorney General to lead a newly-created division in the Justice Department. The public description of the division’s charter was to investigate unresolved crimes. The official name of the department was just as obscure, The Department of Judicial Adjustments, but for those that worked in the department, they referred to it as the Department for Government Fuck-Ups. The members of the department all viewed themselves as fixers, because their job was to correct mistakes made by the justice system. Lesley was one of these fixers, but now Judge Reinhold wondered if she felt the same after this assignment.

It was agreed by Lesley and Judge Reinhold that before they jumped into the series of events that led to Nick’s request to appear, Judge Reinhold would disclose to him the technology that was used, and how that technology led to a series of events that changed Nick’s past and would now alter his future dramatically. Both wondered how he would react to the news, and even wondered if he could comprehend all that transpired?

Sitting on top of Judge Reinhold’s desk was one of the newer electromagnetic displays. There was no glass or even plasma in these screens. The image appeared on the desk in a three dimensional form. The intercom screen popped open, and the receptionist’s face appeared as if just floating about the Judge’s desk. Nick Ryan has arrived, the image announced.

Judge Reinhold replied, Please see if he would like a cup of coffee or something to drink, and then send him in.

Already done, he has a bottle of water, and I’ll send him right in. The image on the desk disappeared.

Judge Reinhold and Lesley rose from their seats and walked toward the door. Reinhold opened the door, and Nick was just five feet away from the entrance.

Shit, thought Nick, first they want me to have something to drink, and now the judge is meeting me at the door. I must have really screwed up. They want my ass.

Judge Reinhold extended her hand, Hello Nick, I’m Judge Denise Reinhold. She had a strange look on her face as if she was expecting Nick to recognize her.

Nice to meet you your honor, Nick replied, while extending his hand and grasping hers.

Judge Reinhold turned to Lesley, This is Special Investigator Lesley Powell. Nick’s heart felt like it stopped beating.

A special investigator, he thought, I’m screwed!

He extended his hand to Lesley, who replied, It’s a pleasure to meet you?

Nick was scared, but also confused. It sounded like this special investigator was questioning him as if they had met in the past.

Same here? Nick responded in the same questioning tone.

Judge Reinhold turned toward the door and asked Nick to please step into her office.

Nick stepped through the door and was asked to sit at the conference table in the back corner. He’d have to be sharp for this meeting, and was worried that he might say something wrong.

I should have brought representation, what was I thinking? Nick panicked.

He chose the chair that had the back to the window. If the sun poked through the clouds, its light could be a distraction. A small advantage, but he might need it. Before he sat, he opened his briefcase, and then his nerves got to the best of him.

Your Honor, before we begin, I would like to know if I am being charged with a crime? I believe I have the right to representation.

Judge Reinhold and Lesley exchanged looks. How could they have overlooked the fact that this man would feel like he was coming in to fight a legal battle. This whole thing was so confusing. Eight week prior, at least according to the records and what Lesley had told the judge, this very man stood before them fighting for the right to have his father’s false imprisonment corrected.

Reinhold smiled at Nick. Let me assure you that you are not under investigation for any wrongdoing, nor are we here to accuse you of any crime. In fact, and you may find this hard to believe, we are here at your request.

Nick looked puzzled, I don’t understand.

Reinhold continued, Please, Mr. Ryan, have a seat and let me explain. Reinhold motioned for Nick to sit.

Nick sat, and almost instinctively dropped his guard. Please call me Nick, your Honor.

Thank you, Nick, Reinhold replied. Let me start by explaining the purpose of my department.

CHAPTER 3

Nick sat in stunned amazement at Reinhold’s opening sentence, About three years ago, there were advances made in technology, and man discovered the ability to travel through time.

I don’t understand any of the physical principles behind it; I don’t even know the names of the scientists that invented it, Judge Reinhold stated. All I know is that the technology was created and the government has made every attempt to keep its existence from the public. As you could imagine, knowledge of this ability could lead to all sorts of conspiracy theories.

Judge Reinhold paused and noticed the look of disbelief in Nick’s face. She was expecting him to ask, OK, who’s playing this joke on me? She recalled that show her mother used to tell her about, the one where they hid the camera and played practical jokes on people. Candid Camera, she remembered. I can see that you don’t believe me, Nick? Judge Reinhold questioned.

Nick took a half-breath and paused, trying to arrange his thoughts. He began, I certainly can believe the fact that the government is keeping secrets from the public. For the purposes of national security I think it is imperative for our safety. Nick’s face twisted, But this sounds like something that is just too farfetched. No offense, Your Honor, but are you just trying to bullshit me?

Judge Reinhold gave a half-smile. If she were back on the bench, that type of language would have been unacceptable. However, the years she had spent off the bench had made her a less stringent enforcer of protocol.

Nick, let me assure you that the technology does exist. I think as we explain why we brought you here, well, let me correct that, why you brought us here, you will come to believe me.

Nick was again confused and guarded. What does she mean I brought them here? he thought

Judge Reinhold leaned forward in her seat, looking Nick straight in the eye. Nick, please take a look at Ms. Powell, Nick turned his head first, but kept his eyes on the judge. Reinhold continued, Please Nick, look at her. Nick shifted his eyes.

Do you recognize Ms. Powell? Reinhold questioned. Does she look familiar to you at all?

Nick’s head twisted as he looked at Lesley. She was an attractive woman, probably close to him in age. She seemed to be in better shape than him, which made him adjust his posture a little. Nick shook his head, No, Your Honor, I don’t recognize her at all. Should I?

What about me, Nick? Do I look at all familiar to you? Judge Reinhold asked.

Nick turned his head back to Reinhold, No, Your Honor, have you and Special Agent Powell been following me? Nick pushed, in a joking tone, but also wanting answers.

No Nick, I assure you that you are not part of any investigation, nor have we been observing you, Reinhold reaffirmed.

Lesley, Powell interrupted. Nick quickly turned his head to Special Agent Powell, almost shocked. This was the first time she had spoken since they were first introduced. Please call me Lesley. May I call you Nick? Agent Powell requested.

Nick looked at her again and smiled. He didn’t know why, but he liked this woman. Maybe it was because she was attractive; maybe something in her voice was almost calming and reassuring, maybe it was something about her that was familiar.

Yes, of course Lesley, Nick replied.

Reinhold rubbed her face and decided it was probably time to deliver the next bit of news to Nick. If he is questioning the existence of the technology, then he is really going to flip over this next bit of information, Reinhold thought.

Nick, Lesley has been the first person to have traveled back in time in an attempt to help correct a wrongdoing on behalf of our judicial system.

Oh, come on, Nick said. Now I know you are bullshitting me.

Lesley sat up in her chair, Let me assure you Nick, this is not bullshit. The events of the last few weeks have had a dramatic impact on my life and yours as well.

Nick was caught a little off-guard by Lesley’s reaction, and sat back in his chair in a protective manner.

Lesley relaxed a bit, realizing that she was taking the wrong approach. You see Nick, I was sent back in time, at your request, to save your mother’s and father’s lives.

What? Nick said, begging for further clarification.

CHAPTER 4

Lesley sat back in her chair. Nick, let me start with the person you are today. The man sitting before me now is not the man I met six months ago, and last saw six weeks ago.

I’ve never met you before Lesley, how could you say that? Nick shot back.

Nick, let me continue. You see, because I traveled back in time, I changed history. But once I returned to the present, I was the only one who could recall history before I went back, and then compare it to the history that was altered by my involvement. Lesley wasn’t sure if that made sense to Nick, so she paused.

Nick thought about this, OK, I’ll bite, who ‘was’ I six months ago? he said sarcastically, while holding up his fingers in a quoting motion.

Before I answer that question, could you tell me what you know about your parents and the circumstances that lead to their deaths? Lesley requested.

Nick sat back, his eyes focusing in the distance, almost looking past Lesley. She could see tears welling up in his eyes. She didn’t want to hurt him, she just wanted to understand the life he knows, wanting to know more than just the facts on paper. She wanted to know the emotions he felt, the experiences not documented but seated deep within his mind and heart.

My mother was a great woman. She died a few years ago, much sooner than she should have, Nick replied regretfully.

What about her relationship with your father? Lesley questioned.

Nick shot a look back, as if she hit a nerve. That’s a tough subject to discuss, as you can imagine. My father’s actions destroyed my mother and disgraced my family. I didn’t have a normal childhood after my father, Nick shifted in his seat and put his head down, looking at his hands and clinching his fists, after my father killed my mother’s boyfriend.

Nick, Lesley said, reaching across the table and holding his clenched fists, what if your dad was justified in his actions?

How can you say that? Nick looked up at Lesley, enjoying the warmth of her touch. You’re an attorney, Lesley, there are rules in society, rules that we all must follow, rules that are necessary.

I agree, in theory, Nick, Lesley said, but what if the process slows down the realities of life? What if you knew the future and had to make a decision to change that future for the sake of the ones you love? Sacrificing yourself for others?

Yeah, those people are called heroes, Nick responded.

Yes, they are called heroes, but not all heroes are known in this world. There are acts of heroism that occur everyday that go unnoticed. I learned that from a friend of mine, Lesley replied.

Nick, what are your first memories of your mom and dad? Judge Reinhold stepped back into the conversation.

Nick turned toward Reinhold. Happy, really happy. My mom and dad loved each other, they loved our family. That was my earliest memory. I can remember my dad wrestling with me, God, being tickled by him and just laughing non-stop. A half-smile appeared as a small chuckle came out of Nick. Mom would be cooking dinner and sometimes she would run in to try and ‘save’ me from him. They would play it up like she was saving me from this terrible monster. Then he would start tickling my mom and we would all just laugh and laugh and laugh. Shit, I hate him for those memories. Nick put his face in his hands, trying to hide his tears and trying to hold back the headache that was now forming.

Why would he give that up? Why would he do what he did? I hate him for what he did, but it tears me up inside to think that he didn’t love us! But there is no other reason for his actions! Nick shouted as he lifted his head.

Lesley leaned forward again and grabbed Nick’s clenched fists, What if there was a reason, a really good reason, for your dad to have killed your mother’s boyfriend?

Nick’s head cocked to the side allowing the attorney in him to take control, Enlighten me, what good reason would my dad have for taking another man’s life?

Let me start with the life your mother and father began together over 55 years ago, Lesley began…

CHAPTER 5

It was a cold winter day in Buffalo, New York. The snow had stopped falling for a few days because the temperature had dropped well below zero. Dan Ryan rubbed his hands together as he crossed the foyer towards the coffee station. I hate this cold weather. One of these days I’m going to get the hell out of here, he said to his coworker Tim Simmons.

Tim was the stereotypical sales representative. In his own mind, he was a ladies man. The only problem was that he was the only one to believe it.

Look at her, Tim said in response to Dan while cocking his head to the left. There sat Evelyn Kushner, the new receptionist.

She looks shy and quiet, but those are normally the ones who like to fuck like animals, Tim continued.

Dan shook his head and just laughed. Do you really think you have a chance?

Watch me. Tim said confidently.

They both walked over to Evelyn, Dan walking behind Tim, almost wanting to walk in the other direction to avoid what was bound to be an embarrassing situation.

Good morning, honey, Tim said as he approached Evelyn, who was sitting behind her desk. She looked up and smiled; it was one of those shy smiles, almost with a twinge of nervousness.

Uh, good morning, Evelyn responded.

My name is Tim, Tim Simmons, he said as he held out his hand. Evelyn grasped it gently as she rose.

Nice to meet you, I’m Evelyn Kushner.

Dan was still behind Tim, trying to stay on the

Reviews for Unintended Consequences

[websilk · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Grilled Cheese Please! is not a book that you even want to glance at when you're hungry! The multitude of sandwich combinations has something for every palate. The cheese variations alone will have you standing at your local deli counter getting samples and discovering the various ways that cheese will taste on different breads and with different condiments added. The book explains which sandwiches work well with sandwich makers and on the stove top. If you have a bread maker, this book will trigger that creativity also.If you are looking for ideas for a brunch, potluck, or get together, this book has tons of easy ideas. Your idea of a grilled cheese sandwich will be forever changed.

[dms02 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

it was okay...just okay.