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.