Master of Time

As I recall, Sarah Langston is a lovely girl, and she would have a lifelong career here at Chrono Reserves like most people who are currently working here at the moment if it was not for one George Collins.

It is not easy getting employed at Chrono Holdings and any of its subsidiaries while Henry Oxford is in charge. This is due to some unpleasantness a few years ago with several employees.

Therefore, in order to prevent such unpleasantness from happening all over again, everyone has to go through a host of preliminary analysis, including quite invasive screening processes, all done with the consent from the candidate of course.

Just for legal repercussion later on down the road. The Firm is not founded yet in 1976. Not exactly. It is already founded, but it has no business in drabbling with legal yet. It will by the dawn of 1980.

Draconic interviews are conducted as well if that is plausible. Psychological analysis from Shield too as always. Thus, even I think that this is way too much.

I was not even this crazy cautious when hiring people for Hydra from way back, but then again, I have the benefit of my time-based power. No one can really backstab me without me knowing about it way in advance.

Speaking of Shield, she is capable of learning new things on her own without my inputs but doing that does require a lot of time as well as data. Data that would have to be collected progressively over the course of many years. Data that cannot be fabricated or simulated in any way.

All of this does make the learning process for Shield exceedingly slow, at least not until Shield has eyes and ears everywhere in the United States. And the rest of the world too, eventually.

By the dawn of 21st century from my plans. Probably sooner now thanks to the emergence of Legion, and just like Legion himself, Shield is not allowed to learn things that she is not designed to. This is just to stop her from becoming self-aware.

Cannot allow that to happen to any of my virtual intelligences, as a genocidal war against the machine is not really something that I want to deal with yet. It is troublesome too, as all of it would consider to be a distraction.

Aside from the inputs from Shield in hiring people, Hydra is also part of the screening processes, acting as a human component to Shield herself. There is a reason why there are no virtual intelligence within Hydra even though it would make things a lot easier and smoother for the members.

I did give Hydra a virtual intelligence once, in another timeline. The Galactic Empire timeline, and while having one does make their job easier to some extends, it makes them lazy and slobby as hell. Not to mention complacent too.

This is usually what happen when people rely way too much on technology instead of their own brain and skillset.

And when the rebels successfully destroyed the computer matrix, Hydra becomes an ineffective group as a whole, simply because of their reliance on virtual intelligences doing the menial stuff. Sure, I could have fixed all of that, but by then, a reset would be much better.

With my power over time, it does feel like a game. If something screws up royally, I just push the reset button and try again. It is as easy as that.

Although I could fight it out and lead my Galactic Empire to victory, it is way too troublesome.

The rebels are like cockroaches. They are everywhere and discontent with everything that I did. I guess that is really why Palpatine is all crazy and evil, at least from the perspective of major characters.

I like Palpatine for what he had managed to accomplish in the prequel trilogy with his intelligence, but I highly dislike him for what all the stupid things that he did in the original trilogy.

Do not get me started on the sequel trilogy, where Palpatine reduced to basically to a plot device for Luke-wannabe. The wokeness of the 21st century is incredibly contagious.

That is why I like the 20th century better, where women are actual women. Men are men. No gender or racial diversity bullshit that plague pretty much everything. It is not sexist or racist to like thing that are relatable.

Asian likes Eastern stuff. White like white stuff. Black like black stuff. Guy like girls. Girls like guys. That is not being sexist or racist.

That is called having a preference.

Did I just defend George Collins, who had commanded Sara Langston to join him on sexual escapade?

Technical, it was commanding her to join his new transportation company as his sex secretary. He just needed someone to fuck whenever he wanted, thus not treating her like a normal person. I guess that being able to command anyone to do anything changed him for the worst.

By this point in time, George had already taken his revenge on most of the people who had done him wrong in the past, and he is going to just abuse his power from here onward. Meaning that I will have to as well.

It is more fun enacting revenge or vengeance of people who deserve it. It is not fun doing it to someone like Sarah Langston, who is quite nice and humble.

It takes another couple more minutes before the door into the cubicle opens again. A young girl in her early twenties step inside alone.

"Hello, Mr. Collins. I have been informed that you need my service. How can I be of help?"

Sarah states before taking the sit across the table from me. As she did so, I scan her in entirely, having a really good look at her assets. I could see why George was smitten with her, wanting to turn her into his personal cumdump.

I would to if I was a sexual deviant.

"Yes, Ms. Langston. May I call you Sarah? You can call me Max in return. It is better that way since we will be acquittanced for a long time. Like for the next couple of years."

I comment. I recall that once the transportation company folds, I will also discard her along with most people working at the company. George simply grew bored with all of them over time. It cannot really be helped since that is who he is.

That is also who I am, I guess, but I try not to discard people like a piece of trash, at least those people who are devoted me and the cause. They are given up their life for something important, and I should treat them with dignity.

I should also treat Sarah Langston with dignity. There is no need to turn her into a mindless sex puppet when there so much fun could be had if she is also into it.

George had never used his ability in a really interesting way, thus making me incredibly disappointed.

"I do not understand. Am I getting fired, Mr. Collins?"

Sarah questions. Looks like she has been informed who I am, but to what extends, I am unsure. I trust that she only knows the bare minimum just to prevent her from being disrespectful or similar.

I am currently in the position of power, at least in her eyes. In actual fact, I cannot do anything to her in relation to her job. Doing so would raise a red flag, all the way up the chain of command.

There are plenty of safeguard in place for these sorts of things, especially when mind control is possible with psionic power. At least theoretically.

"No, Sarah. Please think of it as a promotion of sort, at least you will be making a lot more money than you would when working here. A lot more benefits too, not to mention other enjoyable stuff."

I point out and try to recall what happen to her after being discarded. Nothing comes to mind, so I am unsure what to do with her afterwards.

Would be nice if she has a stable job and a life after me. I am nice to people that I know, and I do know Sarah, even if this is the first time that I have met her personally.

"Do I have the option of refusing, Mr. Collins?"

Sarah questions. Her expression remains calmed and collected, but she is under enormous stress. It is visible in her eyes. I wonder why. Might be because her current job demands a lot from her.

That is expected, as only dedicated people can succeed.

"Please, call me Max. And of course, you do have that option, Sarah. It will always be available to you as this is not a coercion but a once in a lifetime opportunity of sort. But let us look it at this way, where do you see yourself in a couple of years? Do you see yourself still working here?"

I question.

"I would like to remain here. I think I would do well here."

Sarah responses with a faint smile. It is actually very hard to convince someone who had already made up her mind. But very hard is not impossible. However, a lot of options are closed to me.

Would have been a lot easier to simply mind control her, but that would be stripping her of her freewill as well as sense of self. I will not cross that line no matter what, as it would turn me into someone like George.

I will not allow myself and my principles to be corrupted by power.

"I think you would too, if it is for yourself. If it is for another then please, think about it. There is really no need to waste your life for someone else."

I tell her after pondering for a moment. She is probably not interested in money, prestige or fame. She is young and in the prime of her life. She must have struggled quite hard to be employed here despite the stressful workload.

Why? All for someone, of course. Someone does not even look her way. How did I know that? Because no one came for her after she was taken away by George. If that person loves her in return, he would have done anything to get her back.

He did not, so it is safe to say, it is one-sided love.

Of course, this is all speculation, but a very good speculation, nonetheless. It is confirmed in her micro-expression. Hard to pick up those micro-expression without Selene helping me out, but it is still doable.

"Thank you for the advice, Mr. Collins."

Sarah responses humbly with a smile. A real smile this time around. She feels an enormous weight has lifted off her spirit, and seeing that, I do not wish to press the matter.

And because of my resolve, the cracks begin to enlarge. It seems that I must have her in my company, no matter what. Probably because she is important just like my mother. Just like Helen. Maybe not as much as I do not see her again after selling the transportation company.

"You are welcomed, but the offer will available to you until the end of the day."

I response and allow Sarah to leave. I exhale deeply afterwards before also leaving the cubicle. There is nothing else for me to do here. Aside from trying to ensnare Sarah of course.

How do I go about that, exactly?

Maybe I should have some lunch first. Having food in my stomach makes me think clearer. Having sex does that too, but I am not overwhelmingly horny at the moment.

Still pretty horny though, and most if it has something to do with Sarah herself.

Could have taken her right there and then, but it is my choice not to. Sure, that is a divergence, but as long as I have her at the end of the day, it should be fine.

The spatial cracks around me serve as a warning. It is not absolute. I have learnt that now, so there is really no need for me to panic or being hasty. I am also confident that I will think of something without resorting to mind-controlling her.

Besides, I could reverse time and try again. It is pretty hard for me to fail with my power. It is a cheat, an ultimate cheat.

"Ms. Fleming. I require another thing from you. Sarah Langston is interested in someone working here, so do you have an idea who that is?"

I ask the woman, who waits outside the cubicle for me. It would be strange if anyone look, but she will have a plausible explanation for it if someone asked.

"I am unsure, Mr. Collins, but I will have a look into it. Please give me an hour or so."

She response.

"Please be discrete about it. I do not want anyone to know about any of this. You should not mention any of it in the future either."

I tell her before heading out of the bank. I decide to have lunch across the road from the bank. All the business around the bank is booming due to the sheer amounts of customer coming to the bank every single day.

"Oh, hello again, Steve. I did not expect you to be here."

I greet Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in the restaurant. The both of them look rather cheerful, as they probably get the funding that they require to start their company.

It is a bit early to start their company, but it is not that much earlier.

And besides, things to change with my presence. More so as time passes due to the ripple effect. But as long as major things do not change drastically, it should be fine somewhat.

"Neither do we, Mr. Collins. We looked for you after we were done to give you the news, but you were nowhere to be found. I hope that you also have success?"

Steve Jobs responses with a smile. Steve Wozniak also says something similar, but he is more occupied with eating at the moment. He must be starving from how fast he is gorging on his food.

He becomes pretty fat in the future, I remember. Jobs, on the other hand, lost a lot of weight, but it is mostly due to his health. He will be diagnosed with cancer in 2003, at least in the original timeline.

It will be different in the prime timeline unless I have anything to do with it. It is not like I haven't given anyone cancer before to keep the timeline relative the same. Evil? Yup, but allows me to swoop in and saves them.

Speaking of which, I might just do the same to Sarah. Change her infatuation from whoever to me just so I could have her under me, literally and metaphorically speaking.

Pretty evil, but it will not infringe on my principle regarding freewill.

"Yup. Didn't take more than a few words from the heart. May I join you for lunch?"

I response and invite myself to their table.

"Must be one hell of a confident you have, but yes, please do join us. I like to discuss a few more things with you if it is not a bother."

Steve Jobs asks.

"Of course not, but after we have our fill. Business is business. Pleasure is pleasure."

Steve Jobs could not agree with me more, and I decide to spend the rest of the afternoon just having a social chat with the man, who would pioneer the smartphone for the modern era.

Sure. Steve Jobs is not the person who has introduced the smartphone first to the world, but he is the one who manages to make it work.

And that is all the people remembers in the end. It is the only thing that matters, really.