All at once, things happened fast. Great-great stumbled over something and went reeling across the room. He was so surprised that he shouted, "But it doesn't belong there! I couldn't have tripped over it! It isn't in the restoration, I tell you."
I didn't have time to point out that the restoration might not be quite accurate. Because the commotion woke up Angus Haney.
He came springing off the cot—fully awake and alarmed in the split-second it took to open his eyes.
"You'll have to kill me first!" he cried, moving in front of the machine and preparing to defend it like a mother lion defends her cubs.
My companion ignored him, trying to work around behind him toward the time machine. I advanced straight for Angus Haney.
"Be sensible, jack," I said, "and you won't get hurt. I'm bigger than you are and I know how to fight. I don't want to hurt you, but—"