Free Rewinder by Brett Battles Page A

right, she says quietly, “And look what we’ve become.”
    “I’m sorry?”
    She glances over as if she momentarily forgot I’m here. “Don’t get used to this,” she says, ignoring my question. “Historical moments will seldom be on your agenda. Consider this a present from me, for doing a good job.” She looks back at the now empty river. “Remain true and keep your eyes open, and you’ll be one hell of a Rewinder.”
    She short-hops us back to 2014.
    Before dismissing me for the last time, she takes my Chaser and disables the slave mode. It may not be official yet, but I feel like I’m already a Rewinder.
    __________
     
    G RADUATION IS A formal affair in the gardens behind Upjohn Hall. There must be two hundred people in attendance. The first group to be honored consists of the twelve people who started out as Rewinder trainees but have been reassigned as companions. None of them appear particularly happy, and a few even shoot scornful looks in our direction. And why not? I wouldn’t be happy, either.
    After the new companions have been acknowledged, Lady Williams gives a speech about the obligations that come with being a personal historian, and the absolute dedication each of us needs to bring to our role every single day. She then focuses on the importance of the Upjohn Institute to the empire, and talks wistfully about the beginnings of the organization and all the families it has helped. Her words are met with polite applause, making me think this isn’t the first time she’s given this speech.
    Finally, she calls the new Rewinders one by one to the stage, where each personal instructor gives his or her student a certification of completion. When my turn comes, Marie whispers as she shakes my hand, “Do good.”
    The student in me wants to ask her if she meant to say, “Do well,” but something in her eyes tells me she meant exactly what she said.
    When we leave the stage, we are guided over to where the new companions stand.
    Back at the stage, Sir Gregory takes the microphone and says, “It’s now time for the pairing. The selections are not arbitrary, but the result of considerable analysis and consideration. As each pair is called out, you will stand together.” He reads the pairs but foregoes the usual alphabetical order. Instead of being last, I’m third.
    “Denny Younger and Palmer Benson.”
    What I remember most about Palmer is that he’d often hang out with Lidia during off hours, which is probably why we’ve never shared more than a few words.
    And probably why we share only two now.
    “Hi,” I say as I move next to him.
    “Yeah,” he replies.
    Sir Gregory encourages us to spend the afternoon with our companions, but as soon as we’re dismissed, Palmer takes off. I’m actually glad he’s uninterested in forming a friendship. It’ll be easier for me to forget the pain I’ll be causing him later.
    As Palmer walks away, I notice Lidia watching him, too. Suddenly she turns and looks in my direction, hate oozing out of every pore, and I instantly know what she’s thinking. Palmer should be standing in my spot, ready for his life as a Rewinder, while I should be the companion.
    __________
     
    T HE SUPERVISOR I’M assigned to work with for my first nine months is a veteran Rewinder named Merrick Johnston. He makes it clear from the beginning that ours is strictly a working relationship, and as long as I do exactly what he tells me, we won’t have any problems. I have no doubt the types of question I often asked Marie would not be welcome.
    Johnston turns out to be a master at blending into whatever era we visit. Vowing to myself to be as good as he is, I watch his every move and study each choice he makes. Through the last months of 2014 and the first few of 2015, we trace the histories of dukes and lords and barons and leaders of industry and business. We delve into the past and uncover the expected ancestral triumphs that lifted families to prominence, and the ugly, buried