When Are You?

Science Illustrated, 2021 edition. Dr. Drake Cole is a true genius according to the science magazine. He's working on the development of the portable time machine. Although some humans can alre travel on time, the time machine is too expensive for normal people.

His mission is to make everybody have their time travel gadget that won't cost them too much. That way, anyone can travel through time without difficulties. It should be affordable and effortless which will make him the best time travel scientist of all time!

Celine folded the science magazine and put it back on the rack. She has a collection of these to keep on track with what's going on. It's been a year since the quarantine happened because of the pandemic. But until now, some areas and countries are still suffering from the spread of the virus that changes the world.

Although many people are more interested in finding the cure to the virus, Celine is not bothered. She works from home even before the pandemic happens. That's why she doesn't mind staying locked from home most of the time. But she wants to be in action where she can work with the genius Dr. Cole.

She already submitted her resume via email to become the genius scientist's assistant. It catches her attention because the job ad said that the successful applicant will work in the year 2030. That's the year where everything is possible when it comes to technology. Plus, the pandemic will be nonexistent by then.

She will be forty by the time the job starts but at least she can make her dream come true. Being an assistant scientist is her dream since she also considered herself one. Her major is Psychology which will help time travelers to cope with the shock a wormhole can provide. She's also a biologist who can help people who will do time travel.

Celine is thirty-one years old now and working as an academic writer online. She writes scientific reports for experiments and also writes about science in general. She has high hopes for this job post and that will make her the perfect candidate for that job. It's a good thing it doesn't have to start right away.

She will pick up some groceries with Derek today. Because of the pandemic, they can only see each other whenever they buy the essentials. He's an emergency doctor which means that he is too cautious about health. Although the pandemic subsided, he still doesn't want to visit her place.

Derek insisted that he might be infected because of his job. He doesn't want to infect her by being irresponsible. That's why going to the grocery with a face mask on is now considered their date. She misses him so much since she can't even hug him for more than a year now. But at least they can see each other with proper social distancing.

Before she could head out of the door, her phone started to ring. Celine picked it up and noticed that it's an unknown number. Who would be calling her during this day? Most of her friends and family members' numbers are saved on her contacts. But she still chooses to answer the call in case it's important.

"Hello! Is this Ms. Celine Montgomery?" It's a man's voice on the other line.

"Yes, this is her. Who's asking?" Celine asked.

"I believe you're applying as an assistant scientist. This is Dr. Drake Cole."

"Hi, doctor! It's for the job in 2030. Why are you calling me now?" She asks, confused.

"I'm developing the time machine technology. What do you think?" Dr. Cole said sarcastically.

"I'm aware of that doctor. But can you tell me more about the job?" She asks.

"I will text you the address of my lab. You can visit by tomorrow morning." Dr. Cole informed her and hung up.

"Hello?"

Her future boss just hung up on her! She can't believe how rude that genius doctor is. But she's intrigued by the sudden phone call. The job ad is confusing enough. But getting a call from the scientist nine years before the job starts is more mind-boggling.

Drake stares at his phone and wonders how odd is that lady he just spoke with. When he posted the job ad, he was expecting to receive a lot of resumes. But to his dismay, he only received the one from Celine Montgomery. Nobody ever asks if it's a typographical error.

But the year on the job ad is accurate. After all, he posted it on June 28, 2030. When he visited that date, the virus outbreak was over. Even cryogenics is already possible. Some scientists are defrosting the bodies from the past years. They burned the ones that have been infected by the virus though.

It's the perfect time for him to create the time travelers' gadgets. Technology has advanced so much since 2021. Space travels are even commercialized in 2030. That's why he needs to have his assistants and bring them to the same year. But there is only one applicant and he needs to start the project as soon as possible.

It's a nuisance to go back to the present time when he needs to find some assistants to work for him. Maybe one should be enough for now and he can just hire more from the future. The problem with the working time machine is that it can only go back and forth from the present time to the future. He needs to make a device that can also go back to the past.

The time machine that he currently has was funded by the government. They only want to go to the future to make advanced technology. But now that he has his funding, he wants to create the ultimate time travel device. He needs to have an assistant to test his technology. Maybe that applicant will be perfect to go back to the past. He typed his lab address and hit the send button for tomorrow's appointment.

"Hi, Dr. Cole! I'm Celine. You asked me to meet you today." She introduced herself politely.

"Get inside the lab! We can talk there." Dr. Cole instructed in a cold tone.

Celine felt the chills coming up through her spine. Dr. Genius is a hunk! A cold one for that matter. She can't take her eyes away from his beautiful face. His chiseled chin makes him masculine and his eyes make him adorable. Even the crest of his nose suits him very well.

"You never had any lab experience. How can you call yourself a scientist?" Dr. Cole's voice echoed from the walls of the laboratory.

"I have a major in Biology and Psychology. My experience is from the college lab. I graduated top of my class." She boasted a little bit.

She can't concentrate on this unusual interview they are currently having. They are both standing up on the different sides of the laboratory table. Plus Dr. Genius is facing her with a deadly cold expression. He's super attractive for a scientist. Not to mention his lean and toned body is making her blush!

"You call that experience? The only related job experience you have is being an academic writer. But I don't need a writer here. I need an assistant to make a time travel device!" Dr. Cole explained.

"It's only the year 2021 doctor." She replied trying to stay calm

"What are you saying?" Dr. Cole snapped.

Celine tried her best to keep her cool even if she's starting to lose it. She doesn't care if this scientist is a genius and hot. If he continues to be rude, she's going to walk out of this interview. Sure, she doesn't have any experience working in a laboratory. But she knows her stuff and she can be a good assistant scientist in this lab.

"Based on your job ad, you need an assistant on June 28, 2030. That's nine years from now. I can get more lab experience before that." She defended her crushed ego.

"Hah! Ha...ha...ha..." Dr. Cole started to laugh.

What's wrong with this guy? She only told him about the details of his job ad. How come he's laughing right now like she said something funny? It's not her intention to be in this situation. Maybe walking out of that laboratory should be her next move.

"I'm building another technology for time travel. I don't plan to wait for 2030 to happen. I'm using the existing time machine to go to the future. It's easier to make that device on that date since the technology is already advanced on that timeline." Dr. Cole informed her after he stopped his evil laugh.

"So, if you hire me, I have to go to the future? As in we will be working in the year 2030 while it's 2021 right now. Is it already possible at this age and time?" She's blabbering now because of what Dr. Genius just told her.

"Yes, you can start now. You can use the lab coats over there! Don't forget to wear the goggles." Dr. Cole instructed.

It can't be happening... She already got the job just like that! After he just told her that she's lacking experience and she can't call herself a scientist, he accepted her in his lab. It doesn't even make sense how she got hired. She also needs to think about the working conditions.

Traveling in time can be very dangerous especially if the technology is not ready for it yet. She never read anything from the Science magazine or website about a successful time machine. Although the pay is good, it's not enough if she has to risk her life for the job.

"Sorry, I have to think about it first! There's no way I can work right away with this working condition." Celine said and walked out.

Dr. Cole was left in confusion since he's already getting the time machine ready. He thought that she's willing to be his assistant. But it seems that she has to think about the job first. What if she didn't go back to work with him? He doesn't have any applicants to fill the position.

He's sure that it's about his social skills. After working alone in the lab, he doesn't know how to talk to people. Another reason that she walked out maybe because she got intimidated. Not just from him but also about time travel. She may not be ready yet about the idea that they can go to the future right away.

It's such a waste if she will not go back to work for him. Celine is the kind of person he would like to train to specialize in time travel. He's been doing it alone for a long time now. But he needs to train someone to continue his legacy before he goes back and stays in the past. He will go back to the year when he's still powerful.

Celine was able to get back to her place after that unexpected encounter with Dr. Genius. She calls him that because of a magazine article from the past. Little does she know that his lack of manners compensated by being a genius. But he never allows pictures during his interviews. She never thought that he would look gorgeous in person.

Her cell phone rings while she's into deep thought. The idea of time traveling herself never occurred to her. She can't believe that there's a time machine that works from Dr. Cole's lab. She can deal with his rudeness but she's not planning to endanger her life. Maybe she should just forget about it.

"Hello? Who is it?" Celine finally answered the call after a lot of rings.

"Is this Celine Montgomery?" The lady on the other line asks.

"Yes, this is Celine. How can I help you?" She asks as well.

"I'm calling to inform you that there has been an incident here in the hospital. Dr. Simmons was killed from the shooting." The lady informed her without beating around the bush.

Celine passed out in an instant...

Derek Simmons 1990~2021

"I hate to leave you all behind, but we'll meet again one day."

Derek's gravestone made Celine cry even more. It's so sudden and she never thought that it could happen to one of them. Due to the pandemic, they weren't even able to hug each other. But now that he's gone forever, all she can think of is how to make up for their lost times together.

The funeral is very simple and only close family and friends are allowed because of social distancing. Since he died because of an incident, the government officials allowed him to have the traditional funeral. Most people who died because of the virus were cremated.

If only Derek's parents allowed him to be frozen. When the cryogenic technology is already available, he can be resuscitated. But they are very religious and they are against the scientific way of waking up from the dead. It's frustrating for Celine to even think that he will decay and turn into dust.

The moment she arrived at her place, Celine burst out in tears once again. She tried to stay calm for the entire process. Seeing the love of her life slowly going down six feet under makes her want to pass out. But she didn't and successfully cried in silence to pay respect to his mourning parents.

She no longer has to hold back herself anymore. Celine decided that she would cry her eyes out until she was able to properly mourn for Derek. Right now, it seems impossible to move on after losing him. But someday, time will heal her wounded heart and spirit.

A month has passed and Celine is still not holding properly. It may be because she lives alone and doesn't have anybody around to console her. She felt like she'd been abandoned. Her parents died in a car accident when she was twelve. It was just like any other people who got unlucky driving their car.

That's why she swears that she will never touch the steering wheel of a car ever. Even if she makes more money than she needs, the thought of having a car made her shiver. But now, she will be scared to go to the hospital because of what happened with Derek.

She's back from having a traumatic life now that her supposed to be husband is dead. He's already six feet under and there's no way that she can take him from death. That's why she became an atheist. She just wants to rely on science where everything is possible. It can even stop death and nobody will ever be left behind.

Her home looks like a dark place right now because of what happened. She's only using dim lights because she can't stand bright lights anymore. The place looks trashed since she doesn't have the energy to clean after herself. She thought that maybe if she live like this, she will end up dead without committing suicide.

Her phone starts to ring again like usual. It happens every day since Derek's funeral. But all she can do is stare at it and wait for it to stop. She's not done mourning and she plans to keep on doing nothing about it.

Depression feels like her comfort right now. Allowing herself to sink to it deeper and deeper, makes her feel numb. She wants to challenge her brain and see when it will give up. If she ends up crazy, at least she might be able to smile again.

Finally, after almost a minute, her phone stops ringing. She lazily looks at its location and even her phone looks dead. Charging it feels like a chore and she's not planning to answer it anyway. She decided to let it die like everybody else in her life.

Another sudden gush of emotions flooded her with that thought. She started crying but her eyes don't want to cooperate anymore. Having some tears fall is now labored. It's more painful now that she no longer has tears to shed. But before she started to become violent, she heard knocking at her door.

Celine looks in the door's direction trying to find hope from her current condition. But she knows that Derek will no longer visit in surprise. He can't escape his death as well as his grave. That's why she wonders who that would be? It can't be his parents since they are also mourning for their son.

Maybe it's death and it came to take her away. She wishes but she knows that it's a long shot or it may be just the delivery guy. But she didn't order anything. How come someone is knocking at her door? She didn't even bother to shower for a week now. How can she face another person?

Celine felt obligated because the knocking is not seizing. Whoever is on the other side of her door seems to be determined. She doesn't have a choice but to get up from her bed and get out of the bedroom. It feels like she has to walk a thousand miles to get to the main door.

After what seems like forever, she unlocked the bolts of the main door. She's living in a building so she doesn't have the luxury of having a gate. If she can afford that type of house, she would love to surround it with an electric gate and fence. That will keep out everyone and she can wallow in sadness forever.

"Thank goodness! You're still alive. It's been a month Celine." The tall and handsome man immediately said upon opening the door.

She opened her mouth but no words came out. It's an unexpected visitor and she knows his face even though she just met her once in person. Dr. Cole seems to defrost his expression a little but still cold to look at. She didn't expect to feel comfortable seeing his face after all!

"You look worse than I expected. Hurry! Take a shower and change with some decent clothes. We're going to the future today!" Dr. Cole instructed.