Bar Stool: Chapter 6

Raul and I ducked into the small washroom that is attached to the caretaker's room, just as the tech-siders came in through the door.

"See they're not here," the first voice said.

"And the key is still on the table," the second voice said.

"Wonder what could have happened?" the first voice said. "Could the intel have been wrong?"

"No, I don't think the intel is wrong," the second voice replied. "It was too detailed to be something that was misheard, and yet simple enough that it is not fake intel planted by the enemy."

"If the intel is not wrong, then where are they?" the first voice asked.

"I don't know. That's the million dollar question, isn't it?" the second voice replied. "Let's get back and see if the rest of the team knows anything."

"Okay," the first voice said, as they both walked out of the room.

Raul and I waited in the washroom for a minute longer, just to make sure that they were really gone. After about a minute, we opened the door and slowly came out; the coast was clear. Raul then turned around to look at me, and I could see in his eyes, that what I was most worried about was about to come true.

"What's going on, Nate?" Raul said, casting me a sort of accusatory look.

"What do you mean?" I replied.

"I know something's been up. I could feel it from this morning. You were all out of place and didn't seem like yourself," Raul said.

"I just had an off day. It's just one of those days," I said, lightly sweating.

"No, I don't think so. I've known you my entire life Nate. This is something different. What do you know that you aren't telling me?" Raul said, staring straight at me.

I stayed silent, afraid that anything I say in my current state would make things even worse. Raul was onto me, and I did not want to keep things from him. A part of me also wishes that I could tell him and get this secret off my chest. I knew though, that that was not really an option. If I told him the truth, that I'm from the future and know how everything will turn out, we will win the war, and that would change the past too much. Unless…

"Okay, I'll tell you a bit of it," I said.

"A bit of what?" Raul asked.

"The truth. A bit of the truth," I replied. "But you have to promise me something."

"What is it?" Raul asked.

"You have to promise to follow the original plan," I said.

"The original plan? What are you talking about? What other plan would there be?" Raul said, with a confused look on his face.

"Just promise me that no matter what I tell you, you will not change our current plans, and follow it through," I said.

"I promise," Raul said, and he stuck out his hand.

"Okay then," I said, and took his hand, sealing the promise and making it binding.

I then realized that we were still standing in the caretaker's room, where the tech-side could come at any moment.

"Let's get out of here first though," I said, and Raul nodded in agreement. "Take the key as well."

Raul nodded, and put the key in his pocket. We then both walked out of the caretaker's room, carefully looking around for any tech-siders.

---

The layout of the building being the same as the general-side, I easily lead Raul to the main floor washroom. I wanted some privacy, but I didn't know exactly where the tech-side was hiding. I just hoped that the washroom was left empty, and lead Raul there.

When we got to the washroom, I slowly opened the doors and peered inside. After seeing that no one was there, I walked in and checked the stalls; they were empty too. After making sure everything was safe, I motioned for Raul to come in and lock the door behind him.

"So, are you going to tell me now?" Raul asked, locking the door behind him.

"Yeah," I said pausing, unsure of how to explain the situation to him.

"Well?" Raul said.

"Okay," I said. "What I can tell you right now, is that I know how this war will turn out."

"Yeah, so do I. Our plan will work, and we'll defeat the tech-side," Raul replied.

"No, that's not what I mean. What I know is not just a feeling. I actually know what's going to happen," I said.

"Okay, then," Raul said in a mocking tone. "What's going to happen? Tell me the future."

"Raul, I'm being serious here," I said.

"Oh come on Nate! We don't have time for this! Just tell me what's actually going on with you, instead of spouting some 'I'm from the future' nonsense," Raul said, voice sounding slightly annoyed.

"No Raul, I'm being serious. Have you ever known me to be making jokes like this? In this kind of situation?" I said.

"Well no…" Raul replied, his face now slightly unsure.

"Exactly. Today, even before you said anything, I knew what your plan was going to be. I knew about the secret door, the key, and your plan to sneak in," I said.

"Well you could just be saying that," Raul replied.

��What can I say that will make you believe me?" I asked.

"I don't know, that's your job. You have to convince me, remember?" Raul said.

My head started turning, trying to think up of something that I could say to convince him. The problem is that anything I say about how the future will turn out, will be unbelievable to him. It has to be something in the near future, but what can I tell him that can be confirmed right here?

I then remembered something about the original past. In the original past, when Raul and I opened the door to let the others in, Sean had told us that Connor had thrown up while they were waiting. Connor had apparently had a bad lunch.

"Connor will throw up," I said.

"What?" Raul replied.

"Connor will have thrown up already, actually."

"What are you saying?"

"Just call Sean right now, and ask if Connor had thrown up. He will tell you that he did, and it was because of a bad lunch."

"What would that prove?"

"Connor will have thrown up, and Sean will tell us this when we go to open the door for them. If you call them right now, and I'm right, then you will know that I am telling the truth. That I do actually know what will happen."

"Okay, fine."

Raul then pulled out his phone and called Sean. Sean did not pick up immediately, and I anxiously paced the washroom floor while the phone rang. After a minute or so, Sean finally picked up.

"Hello?" Sean said. "Why are you calling me? What happened? I thought you were gonna open the door for us."

"Yes we are, it's just that I needed to check something first," Raul said.

"What is it?"

"This might be a weird question, but did Connor throw up?"

There was a pause on Sean's side.

"How'd you know that? It just happened. Can you see us right now?"

Raul's face lit up in surprise, and when he turned to look at me, I am sure he saw an "I told you so" expression on my face.

"And it was because of his lunch, right?" Raul asked.

Another pause.

"Okay, did Connor tell you this already?" Sean replied. "How do you know this?"

"Don't worry about it. Okay just stay put. We'll open the door for you soon," Raul said quickly before hanging up.

"I'm right, aren't I?" I said, as Raul put the phone back in his pocket.

"Yeah…" Raul said, still in shock.

"Now do you believe me?"

"Yeah, but now I'm wondering how you know," Raul asked, coming out of the shock and returning to his usual self.

"That doesn't matter right now. What's important is that now you will believe me when I tell you that we will lose this war," I said, jumping straight into it.

"What?" Raul said, whipping around to face me. "What do you mean we will lose this war?"

"I'm saying that we will lose, if we keep following the original plan."

"Then change it. If you know how it will end, then you can change the plan."

"No, Raul, we have to lose this war. I told you this beforehand. No matter what I tell you, we have to stick to the original plan."

"Well that was before you told me that you knew the future," Raul said. "If you have the chance to win the war, why wouldn't you?"

"It's too complicated to explain to you right now Raul," I said. "We just need to follow the original plan."

"I can't do that. Not when I know now that we a chance at winning," Raul said, as he made his way to the washroom door to leave. "I'm gonna try and do what I can to win, even if you won't help me."

I ran and slammed the door shut, just as Raul opened it wide enough for him to pass through.

"Please," I pleaded. "I need you to follow the original plan. This is very important to me. I have never asked for any big favours before, but I am making one now. Lose the war."

Raul stared at me, watching me bar the door and asking for a huge favour. The desperation must have really showed on my face, because Raul's expression softened.

"Okay,�� Raul said. "I'll lose this war for you."

"Thank you," I said, coming off of the door. "I know how difficult a decision this is."

"But," Raul stopped me. "I have one condition."

"Yeah…?" I replied warily.

"I'll lose this war, on the condition that you tell me everything afterwards," Raul said.

"Everything?" I replied. "What do you mean by everything?"

"I want to know how you know what's going to happen, how you know that we are going to lose, and why this is so important to you," Raul said.

"Raul…." I started.

"That is the only way I'll agree to lose the war," Raul stopped me.

I stood there for a moment, going over what I should do. If I told him everything, I did not know how it would affect my present. However, I needed him to agree to lose the war. I looked over at Raul's face, and saw that he was impatiently waiting for my response.

"Okay, fine. I'll tell you afterwards," I said, deciding to just get him to agree first, and then figure out whether or not to actually tell him later.

"Okay then, we have a deal. Now let's go," Raul said, moving me aside to open the washroom door. "We have a war to lose."