travlbug

I love the conceit of a date as a quest! I'm sure that Milo and Sebastian will both have fun. As for Kai, the sooner he accepts his role as a BL sex toy, the sooner he'll enjoy his new life! (He is still fighting against "doing naughty things with dudes," but I have a feeling that Conrad and Pepin will change his mind. [A threesome might change it sooner! 😂])

If the communists already have a working time machine, then bombing ours makes much more sense than trying to steal it. (Much more final. ) If they have yet to finish their own machine, have doubts about it working, or fail to build it at all, then stealing ours (or kidnapping or killing Sean and/or Mr. Rush) becomes reasonable, though in that case, why start lobbing nukes before achieving their objective? In fact, as Davey mentions, the communists, in sparing Eureka from a tactical nuke, or any kind of bombing, simply telegraph their intent to make a move on our machine. Could they be doing so from hubris, or because it's "in their DNA?" Possibly, depending on the leader at the time, but the decision to change from conventional to nuclear warfare seems to me to be premature and a tactical mistake. (I can't see destroying the world as a tactical victory, and nuclear warfare is not specifically necessary for the theft of the time machine, though it makes for a horrific, gut-wrenching chapter!)

"Shevardnadze hadn’t started this war over a lust for power in the here and now. He knew as well as anyone that this war would leave Earth a lifeless hulk. He somehow also knew that a few hundred feet away was a machine that would make it as if all this had never happened. 'They won’t nuke us if they plan to take the machine, and since we’re still here it is safe to assume that is their plan.'" Wait a second: I thought that Shevardnadze came back in time with memorized blueprints to allow the Russians to build their own time machine. If they fail to recreate the machine such that they need to steal ours, then how did they find out about the project in the first place? (The mad scientist is dead, and Davey vouches for everyone who works for the project. Could it have been a mole higher up in government?) More to the point, would Shevardnadze, Putin, or whoever's in charge really start a nuclear war--destroy the planet--in the mere hope that a.) the time machine would be ready to steal (just before it could be used--what tricky timing!) and b.) they could steal said machine without our destroying it (or booby trapping it) to prevent them from using it? Suddenly, the reasoning behind the use of nuclear force seems impossibly flimsy.

While Davey's location may have been tracked by one of the spy rings which had infiltrated from Mexico (which is actually what I thought when I first read about the snipers), I can just imagine mom going ballistic at the thought of "Davey the Devil" at a religious retreat. While I doubt she would purposely give information to enemies of the US, I can see her running her mouth to anyone who'd listen, anywhere she might be, making it easy for the spies to learn that he'd be off base and easier pickings.

Sounds as if Davey could never give himself fully to David (because he could not let go of Brian) and that David finally had had enough. Could Davey have loved him otherwise? At least, Davey experiences a passionate kiss with Brian before the world goes to hell. (Personally, I found it difficult to accept Brian's participation in the kiss, even with three years to have changed his personality. Even now, a few minutes before the kiss, he says. "Most people still aren’t like our friends. They wouldn’t understand and I don’t know if I’m ready to live my life… as some freak in the eyes of most people...." After the kiss, Davey refers to Brian as his "love," but I think that Brian would never have allowed their "relationship" to become public.) Yep, WW III, right on schedule. I presume that the communists have proceeded with their invasion because they now have a working time machine. Davey notes that that the U.S. still needs up to 2 months to create a working model, but a lot can happen in two months!

"After a month, Trevor and Brandon had begun showing up, and I’d noticed Brandon taking several long walks with Sean. By the time school let out, Sean had let me know with a hint of sympathy for me, that Brandon and he was a couple again." I would have loved observing Brandon's apology for stuffing Sean into the trash, and I bet he didn't say it with flowers! 😉 "Once that [time] machine was built, this time-line would cease to exist. What was the use of beginning a new relationship that would cease to exist in a few years?" So who is becoming a bitter old man? Yes, Davey, you might lose a new relationship, but would you have given up your relationship with Brian in the last timeline if you had known it might not survive in this one? Those memories are what you treasure most, but "your" Brian would not have wanted you to live without love. Even if you don't fall in love with David (and maybe you will), a new relationship will help to remind you of why life is worth living. “Who would have ever thought I’d be on the verge of being outmaneuvered because I’m too liberal.” President Reagan murmured…. I just love this line! (Only in literature! ) So neither Davey nor Sean wants to be involved in another Do-Over. On that basis, a.) there will be no additional Do-Overs, b.) the Do-Overs in the future will introduce new characters and story lines, or c.) Davey and/or Sean will be forced by circumstances to go back in time regardless of their preferences. Since authors love to make their characters suffer, I'll bet on the third option, but I would also be happy with the second. 🤗 Poor Davey, having to make a deal with the man who authorized his kidnapping and torture. Yes, Reagan needs Bush's support, but I wonder what the real, or ultimate, cost will be (for Reagan or Davey) in the end.

"At that moment, for the first time since the latest trip back in time had begun, I realized the 'Brian' I had loved for two decades, had been married to, was dead." Davey's recap of the highlights of their relationship is all the more poignant as he loses his hope for a rekindling of their love in this timeline. "Your mother told me all about you and your little plan for me." Mom really needs to have her tongue ripped out of her mouth. At least, after a round of violence, Brian hears the truth about his prior relationship with Davey, and we learn that his repugnant present persona is based on fear--fear that he'll die like Uncle Rich. (Sad that he has allowed himself to become so emotionally stunted, and the internalized homophobia hasn't helped!) After Brian shatters his hopes, and with his soul enmired in pain, loss, and anger, Davey finally confronts his m̶o̶n̶s̶t̶e̶r mother. She has continued actively to undermine him--in this latest instance, by poisoning Brian's mind against him--and while Davey's decision to repudiate her is a good one, I can't see it changing her behavior (she'll continue to malign him behind his back). Now, one last question: Does this emotionally draining chapter merit a bourbon or a scotch?

Kevin's parents are equal-opportunity haters, looking down on Blacks and Hispanics in addition to gays. Supposedly well educated, they accept the false, fixed belief (the definition of psychosis) that gays can be "cured" and have no problem with the idea of torturing their own child into a semblance of their "normal." Kevin's dad, who probably thinks of himself as a good man, has no compunction about throwing a naked, wet 13 year-old boy into the snow and "bitter cold." He has no justification for this act of child abuse, and I'm sorry to see that he gets away with it. Lance's mother is even more extreme, threatening her son with death and leaving the room to retrieve her gun. (Talk about religion becoming insanity.) That Serena has heard that Alice was gay friendly suggests that Auntie had a reputation for helping multiple gay kids, not just Ty and Ricky. (May she rest in peace.) Wonderful to see Ty and Ricky again. And Jerry's a kick! He certainly calls it as he sees it! Yay for Lance's Dad, not to mention Barbara and Rick! A "happy ever after" ending is never certain, but I'm glad that Kevin and Lance ultimately have the opportunity to pursue their love and their relationship. (But Kevin, get out of pre-med while you can! Trust me.... 😂)

Trevor actually describes the incident where Brandon stuffs Sean into a trash can. I wonder how Trevor, Brandon, and Brian will react when they see Sean in school and find out that he's Davey's friend. (I hope they feel shame and beg for forgiveness, but I'm not holding my breath.) Brian seems conflicted during his wrestling match with Davey, with desire and disgust warring with each other after he feels Davey's erection. (Come on, Brian, even straight teens can bone up while wrestling, and you should know this in view of your years of experience. Heck, you boned up yourself, so where is all this disgust coming from? [Sad to see so much internalized homophobia.]) I love that Davey has taken the idea behind the Iran-Contra scandal and recommends it to raise funds to aid against Argentina and Venezuela. (Why not? 🤗) Very sneaky. So Sean thinks he might have a new time machine ready by 1987. If so, the communists will likely have one ready around the same time, and that will be the date when WW III begins.

Everyone should have an Aunt Alice! Bagels and lox in Indiana? Who knew? (My Sunday breakfast for decades!) "Renovating the house ourselves would be fun!" Ok, Barbara, now you've done it! Ty and Ricky are very lucky to have had Aunt Alice in their corner and, subsequently, Barbara and Rick. Would that all gay teens wind up with as happy an outcome.

Hmmm. Stray thought: The U.S. cannot yet duplicate Do Over technology (computer tech is not yet sufficiently advanced), and the communists won't have it either, even if Alexei has the blueprints memorized. The communists may hold off on their attack until the Do Over tech is recreated so that they have a backup if the war goes badly for them.

I don't think that WW III has been averted at all: It just won't be triggered by a bombing run on a Russian city. The Chinese and Russians continue to take steps which would place them at a strategic advantage for when they attack the U.S. (e.g., the Politburo has just been cleansed of any peacemakers), and the Chinese have already committed an act of war against the U.S. WW III will commence when the communists are ready.

Ok, so we won't be taking out Shevardnadze after all. The Chinese are likely intending to obtain the Do Over technology from the Russians when the future Shevardnadze returns to his past body. With the coup, new leaders/politburo members are already in place to pursue war, as per Shevardnadze's insights, and neither he nor Putin will have to delay the agenda while installing the right people to make it happen. (In this timeline, they're already there!) I love that Davey enjoys Chinese food while writing his reports. Life's little ironies. Interesting that Sean and Davey hold opposite views about their friendship with Trevor, Brandon, and Brian. As Sean points out, "They aren’t even your friends right now, much less mine." That Sean's viewpoint enrages Davey shows that Davey is thinking with his heart as opposed to his mind, disregarding the reality right in front of him. The solution? Davey clings to hope while Sean drains a bottle, but neither approach is sustainable long-term.

"How can there be a coup yet?" "Preliminary word is coming out that it was the result of a meeting between a KBG man named Putin and members of the Chinese embassy a month ago.” Barstow said. “CIA is reporting that Putin then met with several military leaders and key members of the Politburo." I agree that Putin "wasn't too important in this time period" and that he isn't pulling the strings. Rather, the Chinese are doing so, and their rationale for choosing Putin as their working partner is not made clear. We are not made privy to what the Chinese at the embassy actually tell Putin, but it motivates him to confer with certain military and Politburo leaders, with the end result being the coup.

The first salvo in WW III is when the Chinese conduct an armed assault on U.S. soil in order to kill or kidnap Davey. The second salvo is the communist takeovers in South America, which can lead to more direct U.S. exposure when (not if) the Chinese and Russians arm the new communist countries with nuclear missiles. The third part of the communist plan is the coup that Putin has carried out in Russia, after discussions with the Chinese, to put a government into place ready to exploit Shevardnadze's information when his future self arrives in a week. (The chess pieces are clearly being put in place.) The President's decision to bomb the Russian city where Shevardnadze is residing is an excellent move: It prevents Putin from getting hold of him; and as South America is not yet armed and ready, it catches the communists before they are prepared to go forward with a major offensive. Thus, Putin will not declare WWIII just yet (he will likely bury the strike the same way that the Chinese incursion into Modesto was buried), but I doubt that the strike will do any more than delay matters. With or without Shevardnadze, the communists are going to war.

Hmmm. Lothar, in talking to Cromwell, makes clear that the demons have nothing to do with Ida's disappearance; and Zelig has confirmed that Helga (and presumably Ida) has truly been kidnapped by angels. (What's the world coming to? 😂) "He knew very well what his job was, and he would get it done." So, entrapping Edwin's soul was just a side project: What is Lothar's true goal? Does he even know?: "[Lothar] was tired of discussions about the war between demons and angels. They were as pointless as the war itself. They had been going at it for centuries, yet neither side could win. All they managed to accomplish was endless casualties on both sides. When would they finally realize that and give up?" Losing Adrian has made Lothar rethink his priorities, and I wonder what actions he might take in consequence. “'Find them [Helga and Ida]. Whatever it takes,'the demon lord ordered. 'And bring them to me alive.'” Is Cromwell speaking to Zelig, Lothar, or both? Is he crazy? (He is asking them to kidnap angels-in-training from the angelic realm itself!) Neyra, we thought you were Lothar's friend, but here you are, acting like a demon. Oh, yeah…. 🤗

"Kai snickered. He was starting to infect Pepin with his stupidity." He's going to start an epidemic! (He also needs to act more evil, as his men are starting to worry....) Peppin, did you really shrink Conrad's clothes overnight to give him that "slim fit" look? I like the way you think! Conrad, of course you're not wearing a shirt: In a little while, you won't be wearing pants either! "[Sebastian] had never washed dishes, but he had seen the kitchen wenches using large buckets with soapy water to clean them. How difficult could it be? He had slain dragons!" At least, Sebastian is trying to help, though slaying dragons might ultimately prove easier. 😉

Davey and Sean's tacit dismissal of their alcohol-fueled discussion from the prior evening is a good development and is necessary for them to continue a relationship built on trust. Dad's decision to switch to politics is not a complete surprise, and at least he is following his heart. (The church, though, has better music! ) Sorry to hear that Mom is still pissing in the punchbowl. Now that she has violated her national security NDA, a few days in jail should really be considered to give her a more reasonable perspective. Perhaps then she would stop trying to enlarge the anti-Davey hate club. Responding to his father's query (about his intentions towards Brian), Davey says, "I’ll settle for just being his friend again…. If our love is meant to transcend the barriers presented by time travel, it will. It can’t be forced, it can’t be rushed, but I’ll start by being his friend.” With Brian dating Marcie and demonstrating discomfort with homosexuality, Davey's statement is measured and mature--hopeful, yes, but accepting of the real possibility that his love won't be returned in this timeline.

Next time I attend a town hall meeting, if the Air Force is hosting it, I won't believe a word I'm told. 😂 "...I should be depressed right now because today had been the funeral for my family members, but I couldn’t help but feel a little upbeat. Brian was coming back into my life…." Davey may be a realist overall, but not where Brian is concerned. That said, I can't really fault him for being hopeful. In the first timeline, Sean becomes involved with manslaughter and its coverup as the mad scientist's assistant. He is actually willing to throw the body into a back room and proceed with the next v̶i̶c̶t̶i̶m test subject, fully expecting that person to die as well, rather than reporting the death and shutting down the experiment. By choosing Davey as the next time traveler, he is choosing to attempt murder (though choosing any "volunteer" at this point would be morally corrupt). So, how did Sean become such a monster? What starts as a simple, throw-away act of bullying on Davey's part (Davey had actually forgotten it) becomes such an ingrained part of Sean's psyche that it poisons him: That one incident sets the stage for his ultimate moral collapse. How do we know this? After Sean reads Davey's online diaries and sees how friendly Davey has become to him, Sean forgives him [a bit simplistic, but I'll accept it] and is willing to risk time travel himself to save his life. Thereafter, Sean remains Davey's friend, with his moral compass restored. (There is a clear link between how Davey treats Sean and, in consequence, how Sean treats Davey--and the rest of the world.) That said, Sean has not forgotten the original act of bullying, and I hope that his confession of attempted murder does not destroy their friendship going forward.

First, Helga the priestess disappears; and then, eight years later, Ida the priestess-in-training disappears. While both women served the same temple, they vanished while outside its walls, so the physical temple is not involved. If the two incidents are connected, then why the long delay between them? Does High Priest Agilmar know anything about either disappearance? He seems distraught when Ida vanishes, but Giselle may know more than she's telling (she has lied previously). Further, was Giselle a priestess, or Agilmar the priest, when Helga disappeared, or do they have alibis for that point in time? Lothar suggests that angels have abducted Ida for their own purposes, but how can you trust a demon? Further, Mildberg has just been found dead, and I doubt that any angel has stabbed her in the back. If she were killed to keep her from helping Edwin, then the culprit is human or devil. Further, the black stone residing on the floor likely slipped from her grasp as she died, suggesting that she wielded it to fight off a demon; but if so, why didn't it work? (I wonder if the stone is her onyx, not her tourmaline, such that she grabbed the wrong black stone in the urgency of the moment. Would Edwin be fooled if he expected to see black tourmaline?) She was also stabbed in the back, so could she have been confronting a demon to its face while a confederate delivered the killing blow? Finally, how can Edwin reclaim his soul? (I think that he'll need Ida's help, so it won't be happening any time soon.) Thanks for this intriguing mystery! Can't wait for more clues!

I'm a bit confused about the "pact" that Edwin makes with Lothar. In the prior chapter, Lothar says, "My dear, you made a pact with me the moment you agreed to let me into this world.” That said, one doesn't lose his soul for being tricked into allowing a demon to visit. Rather, a clear bargain must be struck, and Edwin did not agree to give up his soul (at least, during the chapter itself). Is Lothar trying to trick Edwin into thinking he's traded his soul away? Does he truly give up his soul, just offstage, after the chapter? Or are the rules of this universe different in that he truly did lose his soul simply by inviting the demon inside (after being tricked to do so)? At least, Edwin believes that he has forfeited his soul, as per his own statement. "'I can’t help you,' the hermit replied, lowering his head to avoid Edwin’s gaze." Of course Reiff has important information: This is the second time he's run away, and he won't even look at Edwin while speaking. Hmmm. Black tourmaline can damage the demon. A good thing to know….

The chapter begins with a sullen, angry Brian who then becomes more understanding towards Davey as his personal tour goes on. The author seems to be rehabilitating Brian's character to make friendship possible between the two, but the situation feels a bit forced in my viewpoint; and Brian still harbors his discomfort with homosexuality. Davey makes a wise decision when he decides against revealing that Brian was married to him in the previous timeline.

Hmmm. Lothar is an anagram for harlot, and he is certainly suggesting that sex is included in his offer to find Ida. (Also, note that his offer is specifically to find Ida, not return her.) Interesting that Lothar admits to being a demon and appears completely truthful in his discussion with Edwin. That said, his deceit is obvious when considering his disguise as Florian and his ruse to gain admittance to Edwin's home. His cruelty is also in evidence when he pushes Edwin out the window: While he ultimately catches Edwin, he smiles "smugly" at the fear that Edwin is forced to endure. If Edwin doubted Lothar's malevolence even after these examples (he can't seem to feel it directly), Mildberg has confirmed feeling the malevolence herself. The idea that Edwin would sell his soul to "find" Ida is ridiculous. He hasn't even tried to question the angels (I presume through a church) or search for her in earnest; and selling one's soul should be a last resort, not a first. Hopefully, he'll turn Lothar down flat.

What secret? 😂

"You could do worse than listening to country music." Great presidential words to live by! (Every so often [OK, rarely] while changing radio stations, I hear a country song which forces me to make a purchase. I think my last two such acquisitions were American Ride by Toby Keith and White Liar by Miranda Lambert [so admittedly some time ago. That said, I am open to recommendations ].) "'I don’t want to lose you, son.' Dad said, putting a hand on my arm. For some reason, that gesture did bring the tears to my eyes." As strange as it seems, David Sr. seems to be the person in this timeline who can give Davey the most comfort. “Nothing will ever convince me that you couldn’t have saved Uncle Rich!" Sounds like Susan and Brian are suffering from the same kind of crazy. Sad to see that Sean is proving right. (The situation reminds me of It's a Wonderful life: Without Davey's influence, Brian has turned into a sullen, angry young man who allows himself to be ruled by emotion instead of logic.) At this point, I don't see much hope for Brian and Davey recreating their relationship.