[ WP ] The date is July 13 , 1836 . You 're the clerk at the front desk of the U.S. Patent Office on opening day . Things are going just fine until a number of strangely-dressed people get into an argument about their placement in line . Coincidentally , they 're all trying to patent methods of time travel .

The Secret Ways 
 
 I'd grown to love this period, even with its hardships but I knew the mission was nearly complete and I'd soon be going home. 
 
 It was near to closing July 13 1836 Common Era, London England and I was in my role as patent office clerk. The three travelers approached, one from I'd guess the early 20th century, 1940 or so, another, in the utilitarian jumpsuit so popular a from a hundred years or so before my time, and the last, dressed to thrill, well for 1690 anyway. 
 
 I took the patents, looked them over, all genuine. 
 
 `` Gentlemen'' I said `` Can you step forward? I need to figure out order of precedence. `` Like so many inventors who discover one of the myriad ways to travel through time they were too excited to think things through. As they stepped forward I pulled out my temporal relocation gun, now disguised to look like a percussion modified duck's foot pistol. Each barrel contained a single shot which was enough. 
 
 I fired three shots and the men were gone. Catapulted to my time, the secrets, our future protected. 
 
 We are n't savages and the men were n't hurt, they'd have a good life ahead of them. Still though I would have done my job anyway, it was a balm to my soul that none of them would leave loved ones behind. 
 
 I would though, I had against orders taken up with a a talented young prostitute named Molly. Its unwise to fall in love on a mission and even more unwise to fall in love with a prostitute, even one forced by circumstances but she truly was exceptional and even the best of us can give into loneliness and love. 
 
 Once I arrived home she was waiting there for me. I kissed her and she tasted of apples. I'd miss that. As I picked up my return unit. Held it I swallowed as I say her pretty face and thought about her bleak past and uncertain future. Thought about my responsibility. 
 
 Sod the rules, I pulled out my TRG and shot her 
 
 I pressed the return button. 
 
 There would be hell to pay for the risk to the timeline and the cost of the dark matter I used and the screw up just having the relationship but I'd deal 
 
 A flash of light signaled my arrival and my boss was very angry. Ah well, I knew it was coming. 
 
 He question was one word `` Why?'' 
 
 I could have lied but maybe I'd been in the field too long and had grown reckless. `` Boss, people are what matter. The rest is just bollocks anyway, I love her. Besides.'' I turned on the charm `` She's smart enough to be an agent.'' 
 
 The boss sighed, she looked unhappy `` Every deep agent screws up at least once. I just wish yours had been less of a pain to sort out'' She sighed. `` Head to checkup than debriefing'' 
 
 
 

