"Why do you have to go?"

"Because if I stay you will get hurt."

"By what? Why would I get hurt?"

"Me."

"Don't be silly, you would never hurt me."

"Not on purpose, but if I stay... I will watch you grow old. You, you will watch me stay young. Believe me, it hurts. I can't grow with you, I'm stuck. It's better this way."

"What if I became immortal too?"

"I would never forgive you. I'm not a good enough man to forgive someone who did something so terrible to someone I love. Even if those people happen to be one and the same."

Joshua decided he was very satisfied with his day's work as he stretched out in his room. He had begun a reformation process on several young delinquents by organizing them into a fan club for Erin. Hopefully they will be useful at some point. But what Joshua was especially thrilled with was Bill/Ted.

"If ever there was a diamond in the rough it is Bill/Ted." Joshua mused to himself. "My assistants have been royalty, warriors, and intellectual giants. It is my greatest sign of respect to invite someone to be my first assistant. He will do well."

You see, I know Bill/Ted's type. He could be anything, grade A material just waiting to be molded. A Blank Canvas that became mine when he accepted his name. His life led so far was quite telling. He basically took care of his parents the last several years, that shows initiative and responsibility. Sure Bill/Ted had some confidence issues and a lack of general social experience, whatever. The potential is there. Why? Because I say so. This kid was going places, I'm just going to speed up the process, and probably save him from being some boring politician or C.E.O.

Joshua's mind then turned to his previous first assistant, Alfonso. How he betrayed Joshua and turned him over to the Pact. That event led directly to the Pacific Ocean incident. Joshua didn't hate Alfonso for this or even particularly dislike him. He actually had almost forgotten about it. But there had to be consequences.

What would happen if he just let people betray him willy nilly? Nope, it just wouldn't do. Time to call John, I need his help to set the record straight.

Joshua pulled out his phone and tapped the app "Summon John", John said he had designed it himself. The app grew to fill the screen and played an animation of a pixelated John running. Ooh, there is an Estimated Time of Arrival count down too! Joshua watched the timer eagerly. Six, five, four, three, two, one, the door to Joshua's room flew open and John barrel rolled in, skillfully coming to a stop five feet in front of Joshua in a kneeling position. Impressive.

"John, you have been watching too many ninja movies. But I applaud your style."

"Joshua! What do you need! I'm ready for anything!" John waited patiently for further instruction.

"Do you have some kind of high tech specialty room? You know, the kind I like with lots of screens. I have some business I need to take care of." I need information on Alfonso, lots of it.

"Of course, right this way." John stood up and led the way to the elevator. There, he pushed a complicated set of numbers and the elevator went down, and down. It went way down. The doors opened to an underground room filled with all sorts of electronic wizardry. Small flashing lights lit up the room like a starry night before John flicked a switch to turn on the overhead lights.

"Do you know how to use all of this equipment John?" Asked Joshua.

"Of course, I am actually specialized in cyber espionage and warfare." Said John. "I'm nothing to laugh at in physical areas but that is really my wife's specialty. They say that together we can pull off any operation!" John was obviously pleased to get the chance to show off his toys a little.

"Glad to hear that! I'll keep it in mind. Now, how long would it take you to teach me to use all this?" The advance in technology is what troubles me the most about my time skip honestly. I'm used to following stuff as it develops but ever since the Internet became so widespread too much is being done at the same time. Even ten years ago I was starting to fall behind in various areas of human knowledge. Now I'm just lost, and I don't like that feeling.

"Ehh, six months, give or take."

"That would be about three for me then, but I don't have that time right now. John, I'm going to need you to help me with an extremely important issue of policy." Can't help it. I need to start outsourcing much as I despise it.

"Of course! I am honored! My skills, position, power, my very life, it is all yours Supreme Master Joshua. What is this issue of policy?"

"Retribution John, we will be delivering retribution." The words left Joshua's mouth like the north wind. Cold. John shivered at the icy tone and knew that for someone somewhere a Judgement had been made.

"What do you need me to do then?" Asked John.

"Gather all the information you can on Alfonso."

John was astonished. "Alfonso? But he is your first assistant! None has been more valiant to the cause of the Historians than he. It is because of him taking charge in your absence that we are what we are now! That we have flourished and not withered away!"

"I have a new first assistant now John. I pronounce Alfonso guilty of betraying me and now he must bear the consequences. Now get to work, the sooner this is resolved the better." John immediately set to work, putting away all his previous objections and questions. Screens lit up displaying pictures of Alfonso, notes of Historian meetings he participated in, company memos and announcements. But not long into it something went wrong.

"Joshua, I've got almost everything but his own personal information, he has that protected by a program I designed myself. I can get that information of course, but not without him knowing it happened." John paused his work and waited for a decision.

Hmm, what to do. What will make things the most interesting? The answer is obvious, bring Alfonso into this little game. I owe him a polite hello anyways. "Go ahead John, get everything you can. Plant all sorts of nasty viruses while you're at it too."

"Yes sir! How nasty do you want them?" John was excited, he never got many opportunities to use some of his more deadly viruses, they left computers brain dead. Or perhaps chip dead would be a better term.

"Do your worst. But first, let me call him. He's not finding us, we are finding him. As soon as he begins to speak launch your attack." I'm excited! This will be so interesting!

John stopped and spoke hesitantly, “If… If Alfonso has really betrayed you Joshua. Wouldn’t revealing yourself to him also clue in the Pact to your return? Forgive my impertinence but, we aren’t equipped to deal with them.”

“Probably not? Alfonso wouldn’t actually join the Pact. He is a man of principle afterall. No, any dealings with them would first need to be carefully considered and planned. Besides, clearly the Pact failed, he wouldn’t trust them to do a task they already failed once at.”

"I see... Ok then, would you like me to make the call untraceable?" Asked John.

"That would be excellent, no need to make things easy for him. Good suggestion John." John then showed Joshua another app that was installed into his phone, "Untraceable Mode". The app was activated and Joshua dialed Alfonso's personal cell phone. There was no way he would have changed it.

"Ring. . . .Ring. . .Hello, this is Alfonso."