Joe Kimball - Timecaster

Timecaster — read online for free the complete book (whole text) full work

Below is the text of the book, divided by pages. System saving the place of the last page read, allows you to conveniently read the book "Timecaster" online for free, without having to search again every time where you left off. Put a bookmark, and you can go to the page where you finished reading at any time.

Light

Font size:

↓

↑

Georgia Tahoma Arial Verdana

Reset

Interval:

↓

↑

Bookmark:

Make

1234567...60

Table of Contents

CAUGHT ON TAPE...

The murderer looked exactly like me.

His hair was darker than mine and slightly longer than I wore it. But everything else about him was identical.

You! You killed her! Neil backpedaled, raising up his hands in case I was going to grab him and twist his head off.

I didnt kill her, Neil. I was shocked, but kept my voice even. Thats just someone who looks like me. A disguise. Or someone with facial reconstruction. Might even be a clone.

Neils voice was shaky. Hes your age. He would have had to have been cloned at the same time as your birth.

Look, Ill prove it isnt me.

I zoomed out and switched the resolution from the visible spectrum to a preprogrammed wavelength and frequency, bringing up an electromagnetic radiation resolution. The effect was similar to old-fashioned X-rays. The killer and Aunt Zelda became phosphorescent skeletons. I used the joystick to focus in on the mans wrist, then zoomed in.

His chip filled the screen. A twenty-digit ID number, followed by the birth name.

I paused it, and then got an even bigger shock.

The ID number and the name were mine.

You killed her, Neil whispered...

For Talon Ace Konrath

Ecopunk(e-ko-puhngk)

1. A subgenre of science fiction set in a green, utopian future, with a libertarian government. The opposite of nihilistic, authoritarian sci-fi, where no one smiles because everyone is so fucking oppressed.

2. A narrative typified by high-tech gadgetry, over-the-top action, copious amounts of sex, gratuitous and often rude humor, and theoretical physics, taking place in a society that emphasizes personal freedom and respect for the environment.

3. A Joe Kimball story where people get kicked in the groin a lot.

Nothing is improbable until it moves into the past tense.

GEORGE ADE

I wasted time, and now doth time waste me.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Time is on my side, yes it is.

MICK JAGGER

ONE

Chicago 2064

Exactly nine hours and eleven minutes before I was charged with the complete destruction of Boise, Idaho, and the murders of the four hundred sixty-two thousand and nine people living there, I was mowing my roof and collecting the clippings like a good little taxpayer when I noticed a raccoon hiding in one of my hemp plants.

Raccoons were on the endangered list. That meant if one took up residence on my city-mandated green roof, I wasnt allowed to disturb its habitat. No mowing. No trimming. No planting. No gardening at all. Which meant instead of paying my weekly biodiesel tax in foliage, Id have to pay in credits.

I had no desire to part with my hard-earned credits. Or my wifes hard-earned credits. That was why I cut off the lawn mower and pulled my regulation Glock 1MV Taser from my side holster and aimed it right between the animals adorable masked eyes.

Im not a monster, even though the world news would make me out to be one later that day. The Taser was meant for human-sized opponents, but I didnt think it would kill the little guy. It would just stun him long enough for me to toss him on my neighbor Chomskys roof only six feet over. Worst that would happen was a little singed fur. Probably.

The raccoon stared back at me without fear, like he knew he was protected by the government. The fine for harming an endangered species was considerably more money than the biofuel tax. But even if the creature didnt survive, I could still throw it on Chomskys property. Then I could arrest Chomsky for its murder. Chomsky was a dick.

Still, I hesitated. The raccoon grew bored with our staring contest, turning his attention back to the hemp bush. He began to snack on a large bud. I holstered the Taser. Maybe if I left him alone, hed OD.

Sergeant Avalon?

I turned. Neil Winston was standing on my roof, between a large hydrangea and some bamboo stalks. He was wearing a bathrobe and slippers. Though it was a cool sixty-five degrees, he had sweat on his forehead, and I resented what that implied.

What do you want, Neil? My voice was hard, clipped, pure cop. He took a step back, but didnt leave.

Victoria, uh, she said you might be able to help me.

I didnt like what my wife did for a living, and didnt like her clients. Neil was a skinny man with a big Adams apple, a few years older than me, a banker or an accountant or something uptight like that. Victoria respected me enough to not talk about her work, but I did routine background checks on everyone she associated with. Call me Mr. Concerned Husband.

Help you with what, Neil? I could feel my shoulder muscles bunch up.

You sound, um, a little angry. Victoria said you werent a jealous man, that I could come to you without any fear whatsoever. I have to be honest. Im feeling a little bit of fear.

I thought about the Taser, and allowed myself a small grin imagining what hed look like flopping around on the ground, doing the million-volt boogie. Hed look pretty damn good, I decided.

That, uh, scowl makes you seem even scarier. Neil took another step backward. Sergeant Avalon, theres no competition here. Im a thin, homely, lonely little guy who has to pay a social worker for sex.

I hated the term social worker. It sounded like Victoria was helping poor people with their family problems instead of being a state-licensed prostitute. A state-licensed prostitute who made more than double my peace officers salary.

But you, Neil blabbered on, youre a hero, youre handsome, with large, intimidating muscles, you own a beautiful home, and you married a goddess. Theres no need to be jealous of me, Sergeant Avalon.

My wife bought the home with her savings, but the rest of what he said was close enough to true. It looked like Neils knees were knocking together beneath his robe, so I eased off the throttle a bit.

What is it you want, Neil?

Youre a timecaster, right? I mean, well, of course you are. But do you still do it? Use the machine?

Yeah, I said. All the time.

I hadnt turned on the TEV in about eight months. No need to, with crime practically nonexistent these days. All I used it for was show-and-tell at grammar schools.

Well, I, uh, wondered if you couldnt maybe help me with something.

I let my frown deepen. What errand did Victoria expect me to run for this poor shlub? Find his missing kitty? Discover who was peeing on his doorstep?

Help you with what, Neil?

Its my aunt, Zelda Peterson. Neils voice got lower. I think someone murdered her.

I sighed. Besides being thin, homely, and lonely enough to pay for sex, Neil was obviously fuct in the head. There hadnt been a murder in the taxpaying sections of Illinois for more than seven years. There hadnt been a violent crime in more than five. The closest thing to a crime spree these days was a parking ticket followed by pinching an apple from a street vendor.

But since this was one of my wifes clients, I responded with restraint.

Youre fuct in the head, I told him.

Believe me. That was restraint.

Look, Sergeant Avalon, I know it sounds crazy. I know nobody gets murdered anymore. Heck, there hasnt even been a fatal car accident in as long as I can remember. Thats because of peace officers like you. Because of timecasters. Since everyone knows there are no more secrets, everyone is more careful. I was serious when I said youre a hero, Sergeant Avalon.

Next page

1234567...60

Light

Font size:

↓

↑

Georgia Tahoma Arial Verdana

Reset

Interval:

↓

↑

Bookmark:

Make

Similar books «Timecaster»

Look at similar books to Timecaster. We have selected literature similar in name and meaning in the hope of providing readers with more options to find new, interesting, not yet read works.

Wesley Snipes

Talon of God

Laura Wright

Talon/Xavier

Richard Knaak

The Black Talon

Sherrilyn Kenyon

Night Embrace

Malcolm Mills

Beyond the Shickshock Mountains: A Canadian Talon Saga

Henderson

A History of Germany in the Middle Ages

Louis LAmour

Fair Blows the Wind: Talon and Chantry Series, Book 1

Louis LAmour

Borden Chantry: Talon and Chantry Series, Book 4

Louis LAmour

The Man from the Broken Hills: Talon and Chantry Series, Book 5

Louis LAmour

The Ferguson Rifle: Talon and Chantry Series, Book 3

Louis LAmour

North to the Rails: Talon and Chantry Series, Book 7

Louis LAmour

Milo Talon: Talon and Chantry Series, Book 6

Discussion, reviews of the book Timecaster and just readers' own opinions. Leave your comments, write what you think about the work, its meaning or the main characters. Specify what exactly you liked and what you didn't like, and why you think so.