The Time to Stand, page 1

This is my first story, so be kind.

I'll try to post some more soon if anyone likes.

Chapter 1 � The Cold, Hard Truth

He stood there with his gun in hand; ready to finish the job he had trained and prepared for. He thought of his little brother, and how he died. He remembered the expression the soldier had who cut his throat. Satisfaction. Not distressed, not cold nor angry, but satisfied. It was like ending that boy�s life brought him some kind of pleasure. Not that he deserved it. He refused to look away when the soldiers were beating their neighbor for having a gun in his home. They told them that should be an example to them. No one should disobey the army.

�I�ve been waiting for this a long time, Mr. President!�

President Yurgo turned and looked into the eyes of the assassin. His eyes were cold. Like the eyes of someone who had nothing left to lose. �I suppose you�re here to kill me,� he calmly stated. �Well, you could at least tell me your name.�

�Cage,� he responded, with a grin. His eyes twinkled. Not as cold as before. �I�m afraid I met with your colleagues earlier.� Cage looked down at the two corpses lying on the floor. Minutes ago these were the president�s most trusted guards. Cage�s heart was still racing from storming the room and killing the guards, finishing a long, bloody trail. They didn�t give up as much of a fight he had expected, he thought. He peered back into the eyes of Yurgo. He didn�t like his calmness. He wanted him to be trembling. He wanted the president to plead for his life. The discomfort of the president�s domineer was getting to him. He gripped the barrel of his shotgun, raised it, and fired.

�Simulation ended,� the computer announced. Cage and the others sighed.

�I think your time has improved since I last saw you.�

Cage turned to see his friend Paul leaning on the doorway to the simulation room. Cage smiled with excitement. It had been 2 months since he had seen his comrade. Paul was his best friend. They had grown up together in the city, and were together during some tough times. After Cage lost his parents in the war, he went to live with Paul�s family. They were very close, but Cage on occasion, had trouble with his temper.

Paul was expected back from his mission over a week ago. Missions usually either went as planned, or everyone died. This was the life of the rebels. �Glad to see you made it in one piece,� he said. �I take it the mission was a success?� he asked.

�We got the computer,� Paul replied. �But we ran into some soldiers on the way back to base. We were forced to split up.�

Cage�s smile retreated to an expressionless face. It was his way of preparing for whatever happened. Growing up he learned quickly to expect the worst, and only hope for the best. This is not the first time something like this has happened, but he always got nervous when it was his commander. His mentor. He knew that his life was more important than anyone else. Cage was trained that no one person was more important than the cause. That one life is of no consequence in the end. But he never fully believed it. There was one who had to live on. The cause might not survive without him.

�Okay,� he said confidently. �Let�s gather together a search party. If the commander is not back in half an hour, we�ll go out looking for him.� Leaving the base was dangerous enough, but search parties were just asking for trouble. If you happened to stumble upon a patrol, you were either killed defending yourself, or worse, taken prisoner.

Everyone was headed to the war room. They were lifting up crates and prying them open, then distributing weapons to the men. Some of the weapons were military issue, and some were obviously modified. There were crates and boxes all around. The entire base was ready to be moved at a moment�s notice. They left nothing to chance. The commander made sure of that. He taught them to always be prepared.

The men worked like machines, not letting any thoughts distract them. They were well trained. They didn�t think about what might happen, or what could happen, only what must be done. They were trained to see the big picture. That some battles will not be won, but in the end, they must prevail.

�Sir!� a young man shouted. �There�s motion inside the parameter!�

Everyone prepared the weapons. Cage looked around the room at the men. They were well chosen, he thought. He motioned for two men to enter the hallway. He followed behind. He aimed his modified m16 at the door ahead of him, and the others followed suit.

Ah-chew!

Cage smiled uncontrollably. He recognized that sneeze anywhere! He opened the front door to the complex to discover his commander. The time traveler. John Titor.