11. Another healthy Serving of Einstein's Apple

21

Ken was both excited and worried by Owain’s proposal to travel together. Owain was one of the legendary sleepers of Celtic mythology that his grandmother had told him about. His was one of the legends that had made him think of the possibility of slipping into another time, long before he had thought he might be able to do it himself. It was a perfect opportunity to see if there was anything to his ideas. But he was also worried to leave Atilla behind. It was fairly out of sight, amidst a brushy thicket, but it  could easily be found by some rabbit or deer hunter. What they might make of such a device he had no idea. Would they burn it as witchcraft? And even though he could find it again with it homing signal and it could come to him if he were within line-of-sight with it, hills and valleys would block any attempt he might make to activate it, and he doubted if they were anywhere/anytime covered by Google Maps.

Nevertheless, he accepted Owain’s invitation. ‘Where are you headed?’

‘Northwest to the coast, to go back to Britain to claim what is mine.’

Owain’s response found Kenneth completely off guard. He had assumed that he was near Glastonbury, perhaps in Kings Castle Woods, or maybe around Gypsy Lane, where there were a lot of thickens like the one where Atilla had lodged. He had thought Owen might be bound for Abergwyngregyn or London. He had not thought that they might be east of the Channel. But, he realized, he really had very little idea of where or even when they were.  Indeed he might be in a dangerous time for a Welshman. What better Welshman with whom to face danger than the Red Hand?


22

Min-seo was excited by Marcus’ suggestion that her theories had, or might have, worked. She asked him to send her the files that had to do with the fabrication. And, although she realized that they could easily have worked together online, she suggested that they meet in person, and that they invite Rafael Acosta as well. The only question, beyond when, was where. It did not seem a good idea for the press to have Kenneth’s potential time travel story to sensationalize. Besides, Min realized, there might be intellectual property rights issues she had not begun to think about when she had assumed Kenneth’s work was just theoretical. So it was agreed that they would meet in Glastonbury for a ‘tourist weekend’ the following Friday, and that they would invite Rafael Acosta to join them.

Not surprisingly Acosta was happy for the invitation.