It was going to be another late night at the shop. The trio was sitting there just grabbing some food after the last customers had left. James was beginning to admire how Tommy was able to keep everything clear in his mind. The man could go away for years at a time and then return and not miss a beat. He was able to remember client’s names and buying habits as well as what he had to order.

It was uncanny that he would retain that information after being gone so long. He chalked it up to being brought back to reality when he returned. James hadn’t experienced that though. He didn’t know if Tommy was just pulling his leg, or if it had something to do with the fact that he was the main unit when they went back and his was only a tethered thing. When James returned he had to make a concerted effort to remember where he left off.

He had started his own little notebook now, with the notes of what was going on in his everyday life before he left. So, that when he returned he could at least try to pick p where he left off. He started it when they went back for him to get his degree in finance. He found out it would be three years and he figured that he would have a hard time remembering the day they left, let alone any of the little things that were going on. So he started it then.

Tommy had given him a device to track things like he had as well. Though his was for just the sheer volume of dates and places that he had been and not having a conflict. James was just to know what he had for breakfast. He didn’t have to track dates like Tommy because he always went with him. As good a friend as they were he didn’t think that he would ever get to use the device on his own. Nor did he want too. If anything went wrong, he wouldn’t have a clue on what to do.

The temporal engineer among them was Tommy. He was nervous enough when they went back, though so far there had not been any problems. Just in case though he would rather have Tommy with him. James was happy just to tag along. Right now though they were enjoying a week or two back before they ventured out again on their adventures. James was working on the plan for the energy crisis and the second leg of their little empire.

“I was thinking,” Amanda said.

“Is that new?” Tommy asked.

She tossed a paper cup at him as they sat around. “Ha ha, no I was watching Robocop again last night and it hit me, whatever happened to Orion pictures?”

“They’re still around, kind of,” James responded, “At least as of 2013.”

“But they made a lot of good movies. I read they went bankrupt in 1992. Just expensive movies that didn’t make a ton of money.”

“Are you suggesting that I go more into the movie business?” Tommy inquired.

“Why not? It could be a nice lucrative avenue. Think about it, right now you’re dabbling and using it mainly to get access to collectibles.”

“Well that’s my business, why would I want to do it full time?”

“Not you silly. But you could use it as a platform to pick up lucrative properties along the way and make the movies you know will be hits.”

Tommy pondered a minute. “Like buying Marvel and Star Wars before Disney, maybe even before they split the movies rights to the other studios.”

“Exactly.”

“That could work, where and when do I get involved with them though?”

“They started in the late 70’s, try then. I can even give you a list of their movies. The goal would be to get the authority to approve or deny what movies they make. That way you just make winners and stop them from going under. Then you ‘ll have a record of making good films and when the time comes to acquire the other rights, not only will you have the capital but the credibility.”

“I think she’s getting the hang of this thing,” James said.

“I do like it,” Tommy replied.

“Seriously, think about it. You get Marvel and how many billion-dollar movies have they made? Not to mention the merchandising. That could help this place as well as add a bit to the kitty.”

The two men looked at each other and nodded. “How well do you like to teach?” Tommy asked.

“It’s actually kind of fun. The pay isn’t what I like, but I am making a difference.”

“Well, then I guess it might be time to reveal what I want to do. My master plan if you will.”

Amanda and James looked at him. “I thought you were just really greedy,” James said.

“Really dude?”

“Well I knew more had to be going on here than just rampant accumulation of wealth. You have enough of that to buy several small countries, and a couple of big ones. From what I know, you’d just be happy to run this place the rest of your life. So yeah I figured there was more going on.”

“There is. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do, but the actual endgame was elusive. That is until you brought up the financial crash of 08. That was the tipping point. You see nowadays money is what rules the world. So, to be a player in that theater I had to have just that, money.”

“We know. Money is speech and whoever has the most is the loudest.”

“But money alone won’t do it. We see that with all of the cronyism going on now. What if though, instead you had people in place that agreed with you? People you didn’t have to buy, thus enabling the money to be used for actual good things.”

“It would make things a lot easier.”

“Exactly. So, by getting people in place that agree with me, then using my money and influence to get done what I want done, I win.”

“What was your original plan?”

“Basically, trying to force politicians to do what I wanted by threatening the economy.”

“How do you figure?”

“Well you say the overall picture. But imagine someone that controlled so much of the private industry in the country that they could throw it all out of whack just by closing it all down?”

James looked at him a minute. “You would cripple an entire country just to get what you wanted?”

“Yes, that also depends on what I want. We can’t seem to get anything done now. So, one person doing it seems the way to go.”

“Why not just run for president or get someone elected that could do it?”

Tommy started to laugh. “Yeah, right. Like anyone could get that done. It takes more than one rich guy to get anything done, I think you’d have noticed that by now.”

“I get your point, but I’m talking about a rich guy with actual intelligence.”

“What if he never got elected though?”

“I suppose. But I don’t think she’d fair any better, I mean if the Congress stays in the hands of the good ole boys club, it might even be worse.”

“I ain’t talking her. I mean go back and make sure the primaries turn out different, at least the Dem one.”

“You mean him?”

“Yup. If we can get people into office from 2008 forward, we can lay the ground work. I mean reaching out to him before he even starts his run. I think he could’ve done it had he had the name recognition. The problem is him having it before he announces.”

“I might be able to help with that,” Amanda chimed in. “I worked on his campaign.”

“And this is where I offer you a job. Say ten times what you are making now?”

She stopped chewing and started at him a moment. “I don’t actually know him, I only saw him a couple of times.”

“Like that will stop us. Time travel little girl, and yes I will throw in medical and dental.”

“I don’t think I can turn down such an offer.”

“Hey,” James said. “I have been doing this longer and my pay still stinks.”

“Yeah but I tossed you twenty-five mill for a signature.”

Amanda looked at James, “You’re a millionaire and the only place you have taken me is a lousy chain restaurant for dinner?”

“We ‘ve been time traveling a lot. Sorry if I haven’t had a chance to get everything in order back here.” They both laughed.

“Now I guess we have to get someone from the mid-seventies to help us with funding a movie studio and starting European branch of our time traveling financial empire.”