"Dr Khan, I need you to be transparent with me. Who were those men and what's going on? How has your existence been erased as well?

Dr Gabriel Khan had awoken after sustaining some injuries from the scuffle earlier. The yellow button that Andrea had pressed had brought them to an unknown place, where the laws of physics seemed to have ceased existing.

"Andrea my dear, I'm sorry for hiding everything. But I didn't think that I should have told you all this," said Dr Khan.

"Why? This is only because I'm a girl right!"

"No it's not because of that. It's..."

"Just because sci-fi doesn't portray female characters as people who are willing to take an adventure, you automatically assumed that I wouldn't be able to handle the truth!" said a perplexed Andrea.

"Andrea, in no way am I a misogynist," said Dr Khan, "The reason why I didn't tell you the truth was because I presumed it was going to be too hard for you to handle."

Andrea was about to protest but Dr Khan continued with his words.

"The mechanics of the time-travelling world is too complex for anyone to comprehend," said Dr Khan, "It took me 18 years to understand what was happening in this infinitely large vacuum of time. And even today, as I stand in front of you, I still can't make out what's happened to you, and me."

Andrea realized that there were elements of sincerity in Dr Khan's words.

"I think it's time I told you what's happened to your life, and mine."

*********************

"Our existence has been erased by the Tifias."

"Who are the Tifias?"

"They're the Time Mafias. They are a crime organization in the distant future, who travel back into time to dispose their victims."

"So they're some kind of time-travelling hitmen?" asked Andrea. Dr Khan nodded.

"Why did they target me of all the people?" Dr Khan shook his head as he did not know the answer.

"So where are we now exactly? Where did this yellow button take us to?"

"It's a safehouse for all time-travelers. Any time traveler who sustains injuries while on their adventure can come and get treated here. It's a standard privilege for anyone with a time machine," said Dr Khan.

Andrea and Dr Khan shared a long silence.

"So Ryan is a Tifia?" Dr Khan nodded.

"Tifias' really have the technology to do whatever they want don't they?" remarked Andrea, "I'm pretty sure that Ryan is a magician." Andrea proceeded to link the Tfias with her phone and told Dr Khan about it.

"The question is, how did I survive if they erased my existence? And also yours?" asked Andrea.

"That's what we'll have to find out."

*********************************

A few hours passed as Dr Khan rested after the incredible turn of events that had occurred.

"Everything okay Dr Khan?" asked Andrea with a twinkle.

"I guess, although I think my right hand is numb?"

"Wait a minute Dr Khan," said Andrea, "What's happened to your right hand?"

Dr Khan looked at his right hand. His arm was still there, but there was no right hand extending from his arm.

"Holy cat!" yelled the scientist as his right hand was gone.

"Our existence is going to be erased Andrea," said Dr Khan, who was still in tremendous amount of shock, "We need to leave this place now. Help me get off this bed."

Andrea tried to help Dr Khan but suddenly she had tremendous pain in her left hand. Her fingers were slowly disappearing one by one.

"Dr Khan, take my right hand," said Andrea. Dr Khan managed to grab her right hand as he got off the bed."

"Doris," said Dr Khan, "Where's my time machine at?"

A fair and petite lady named Doris turned back and told Dr Khan, "It's in the depot."

"We need to get there now Andrea," said Dr Khan, "Let's go!"

They ran across to the depot. As they arrived at the depot, Andrea noticed that her entire left hand was gone; and so was Dr Khan's right hand. They had to rapidly walk without their respective hands. It was a mammoth task as they had very little support. But Andrea had no time to worry about all this; the future is more important.

"There it is," said Andrea as she and Dr Khan raced to the machine and got into it. It was quite hard to distinguish the machine from the others, for it was a depot to park time machines.

"Now," said Dr Khan as the two of them entered the machine, "Say goodbye to pseudo-2015. I don't think we're ever going to return unless we make it."

"What do you mean?"

"It's going to be a hell of a task to restore the timeline," said Dr Khan, "No one's ever successfully done it."

"You mean it's happened before?" asked Andrea. Dr Khan nodded with a laugh.

"The Tifias are hired to kill so many people in the past. Only thing different between you and those people, is that you cheated death."

"Looks like the Tifias aren't so smart after all," said Andrea, "I always hated Biff whenever I watched the Back to The Future trilogy. Guess we've met his match."

"Possibly," said Dr Khan, "Wait... who are you talking about?"

"Dr Khan!" yelled Andrea in shock, "Didn't you watch Back To The Future?"

"I prefer to not fantasize about Marty McFly and his adventures," said Dr Khan amicably, "We have timelines to restore here."

Andrea chuckled.

"Hold on tight. I've set the machine on course for Tuesday, 12 November 2115."

"2115? That's a century from now Dr Khan!" yelled Andrea, "You mean the Tifias are from that era?" Dr Khan nodded.

"The Tifias are from that century. I don't know much about their history, but when you were fighting with those men, a piece of paper fell out from someone's pocket."

"What was on that paper?"

"It was 12/11/2115, and something like Target Must Be Eliminated."

"That means the Tifias are definitely after me," remarked Andrea.

"Once we get there..."

"Dr Khan, could you please stop saying that? It's going to jinx our journey. The last time you said it, I had to fight off four Tifias."

"Fine," said Dr Khan with disappointment.

"I'd probably be dead by then," said Andrea, "Probably dead by natural causes, and not by the Tifias!"

"Don't put your hopes too high Andrea," said Dr Khan, "We might find much more than we think. Besides, you'll only be 124. I'm the one who's probably gonna be dead." Andrea smirked at the scientist's words.

Dr Khan pressed the green button that was the assent for them to begin their journey to the future. Leaving pseudo-2015 behind them, the TiMo sped and disappeared into a portal, emitting a spectrum of light as it traveled an astounding century into 2115.

Next Chapter: Chapter 7