"Have you been to Java Junction before?"  

Dante looked up from his cup of coffee at the waiter then at the young blonde haired woman who was at his side who silently held a coffee mug, her name was Rhea. 

Rhea happened to be his date. His blind-date. Last week his sister had met someone who she thought was ideal for him and suggested- or forced- him to go on a date with her on the same day the world famous Pulsar Labs also happened to be turning on what was to be the very first teleporter.  June 24th. 

He was not particularly excited about the date; from Dante's perspective, it seemed Rhea wasn't exactly excited either. 

Rhea shook her head, her calm olive green eyes nicely complemented her hair which was pulled back in a bun, "No, I haven't" 

"Nope, first time," Dante replied. 

Then the waiter spoke again, "Would you both like a refill for seventy-five cents?" 

Rhea nodded, "Yes," then she looked at Dante who was fingering the coffee stirrer, "How about you Dante?" 

Dante looked up, "Oh sorry, sure, I'll take a refill."

"Alright then," The waiter paused and wrote down on a piece of paper, "By the way, did you know that Pulsar Labs is going to test drive the very first teleporter today at three o' clock? And that Java Junction is conveniently close to Pulsar Labs? You two can walk right over there when they turn it on if you like."  

Dante's face lit up with a smile, maybe if he took Rhea it would liven their date up a touch; he knew that Rhea was fond of science. He looked at Rhea who's face also showed interest at the waiter's comment, "Would you like to go Rhea?" 

"Sure." 

Dante paid the waiter, then he walked out with Rhea. 

Outside, there were many people who were walking towards the great white building with the words "Pulsar Labs" plastered on the front. Just as the waiter said Pulsar Labs was about nine hundred yards away from the Java Junction Cafe. Being so close Dante and Rhea could easily get a front row seat. 

As they walked towards the front of the crowd Dante accidentally bumped into a teenage girl with a baseball cap, "Watch it!" she shouted, then veered left angrily muttering under her breath. 

Dante, still startled by this, said nothing, but kept walking forward with Rhea who was unquestionably excited. Had she noticed? 

When they had made it to the very front there were several scientists wearing lab coats who were standing near a large black object that was in the shape of a torus held up by a foundation. 

Looking at his phone, Dante could see it was two minutes to three, then one of the scientists had stepped forward and started to speak. 

"Today, history will be made. The very first teleporter has finally been invented. With this breakthrough technology, we'll change transportation as we know it, In one minute we will turn this on and send a live human through. Please stand by." 

A murmur swept through the crowd, Dante could *feel* the tension, and excitement that hung in the atmosphere. 

Then Rhea spoke up, "I can't wait to--" Suddenly an emergency alert siren blasted through the air. First they heard a strange sound, then looking towards the teleporter Dante and Rhea could see the teleporter  had emitted what looked like to be a medium electric blue colored energy wave in a spherical shape around the teleporter and quickly moving towards the mass of people who were already running the other way as quick as their legs could take them. 

"Run!" Rhea shouted, over the siren at Dante who was paralyzed with fear.

Then he ran with Rhea towards to closest building. His heart was racing, his was mind reeling while absorbing what just occurred. Then, without realizing it for an instant he accidentally made Rhea trip and fall, "Rhea!" he called out and ran back to help Rhea up on her feet.

Then they looked up, the energy wave was right in front of them. 

Dante's whole body felt like it was on fire. 

Then everything went black. 

Loop I

"Have you been to Java Junction before?" 

Dante looked up from his cup of coffee with a jolt and looked around the cafe. Then he looked to his right at Rhea who was looking around the cafe strangely. 

"Sir?" 

Then Dante looked at the waiter, "Maybe," He answered, then he looked to Rhea who was looking around the cafe strangely, "Have we been here before?" 

Rhea only looked at Dante. 

Then the waiter spoke again, "Would you like a refill for--" 

"Seventy-five cents?" Dante interrupted. 

The waiter grinned, "Yes sir! Would you two like one?" Both shook their heads in a unanimous silent no. 

"Alright then," The waiter paused and wrote down on a piece of paper, "By the way, did you know that Pulsar Labs is going to test drive the very first teleporter today at--"

"Three o' clock," Rhea interjected finally speaking. 

The waiter looked at the two, "Yes," then he walked off. 

"Rhea," Dante whispered, "What's the time, and date?" 

 Rhea took out her phone, "Two-forty, June 24th." 

"Is it me, or has that already happened?" 

"I'm not sure Dante. Let's go outside, I want to check something." Rhea motioned to Dante as she stood up. Dante followed Rhea towards Pulsar Labs. 

As they walked near the front of the crowd that gathered on the street near Pulsar Labs, Dante accidentally bumped into a teenage girl with a baseball cap, "Watch it!" she shouted, then veered left angrily muttering under her breath. 

Rhea turned, her face showed recognition when she saw what had happened, then when they had made it to the front of the crowd she looked at Dante, "I was right, the teleporter is black and torus shaped, with about ten scientists standing near it. There is no way I should have known that."   

Dante looked at the clock again, two minutes to three. Then one of the scientists spoke up, "Today, history will be made. The very first teleporter has finally been invented. With this breakthrough technology, we'll change transportation as we know it, In one minute we will turn this on and send a live human through. Please stand by." 

Suddenly, it hit Dante he could distinctly remember being hit by the energy wave, "Rhea--" Abruptly, an emergency alert siren blasted through the air. The teleporter emitted an energy wave.

Dante heard Rhea yell in pain before the world went black. 

-- 
Loop II 

"Have you been to Java Junction before?"  

Dante immediately looked up at the waiter, "Yes, I have," he turned to Rhea, "We need to warn them." 

Rhea stood up, "Your right." Then Dante stood up to go with her. 

The waiter, clearly befuddled at this called out to them, "Wait! Don't you want--"

"No sir, we don't want a refill for seventy-five cents." Dante returned and ran out with Rhea towards Pulsar Labs. 

"Girl to your left," Rhea mentioned without looking.  Dante then saw the girl and moved aside.

When the two made it to the front of the crowd they walked up to the platform to get the scientists attention. 

"Hey! This thing is going to explode! Call it off!" Dante and Rhea called up to the scientists but was stopped by two police officers. 

"It's not going to explode, you'll see." The first officer declared.

Then the scientist from before stood forward, and began speaking after he was done, Rhea took the opportunity when the officers weren't watching and yelled up to the scientist right before they turned it on, "The teleporter will disintegrate the city! Turn it off before it's too late!" 

One of the scientists, which had white hair, bright gray eyes and glasses turned to them in surprise, just before the teleporter emitted the wave he called back to the two, "Meet me today! Two-thirty sharp!" 

--

Loop IV 

"Have you been to Java Junction before?"  

Dante stood up ignoring the waiter, "Rhea, we have two minutes to meet the professor." 

Rhea nodded and left the cafe with Dante. This was their fourth time reliving the afternoon of June twenty-fourth. The last time they had attempted to meet up with the scientist who had called out to them in the third loop, but was ten minutes late, and only got to know a few small things. 

Nothing important yet. 

As Dante and Rhea ran toward the Pulsar Labs building several people were already starting to make their way toward the building too, but for a different purpose. The two carefully made their way past the police and behind the stadium, where the ground of scientists and teleporter were. One scientist stood alone in the back, anxiously rubbing his hands, his gray eyes showing much concern. 

"Professor Amos!" Rhea called out to the man waking him up from his troubled muse, "You told us to meet you at the two-thirty sharp before the teleporter exploded." 

Dante chuckled, he said that last time. 

The professor turned to Dante and Rhea his gray eyes still showed worry, "You're right on time then. What did I tell you in the last time loop?"

"We were late last time, you only told us your name and to meet you today at two-thirty right before the teleporter exploded," Dante replied. 

Professor Amos frowned for a moment, then he gestured for the two to follow him, "I won't ask you what delayed you last time, but we need to talk, we don't have much time left."  

All three quickly went to the professor's office. The door was shut soon after all three were inside. 

Looking inside the office for a few seconds Dante could see the professor's desk was made from a rich red toned mahogany wood with a layer of glass covering the top. On the desk, besides the many papers scattered on and around it was a small black Lenovo laptop and a white Panasonic handset phone on the other side of the desk. Behind the desk was a large tall window which was longer than the length of the desk. The walls were a clean white and a gray bookshelf was pushed aginst the wall to the right of the desk. Dante only saw three of the book's titles. One was a copy of Eisenstein's book on relativity, the second was a bible, and the third was Euclid's Elements a famous book about geometry.

"How many times have you lived this?" Professor Amos asked Dante and Rhea. 

"Four times so far," Rhea answered. 

The professor nodded, he was quiet for a moment then he began by asking a question, "What were the last events you remember before dying the first time?" 

Dante then spoke up, "An energy wave and a strange sound came from the teleporter. Everybody was already running for their lives, but I was frozen with fear; then Rhea told me to run and I finally snapped out of it. Shortly after, Rhea and I were both running away from the wave but hadn't got very far away from where it came from because I accidentally tripped Rhea in the process, then we were enveloped in the wave, and the time loop started." 

Professor Amos nodded again then began, "I have a theory that certain parts of the universe should not be tampered with, and consequences will follow if we do," he paused, "It seems to me, that you two got hit by the strongest part of the wave, somehow causing both of you to reset the day every time you die. My colleagues, having tampered with the very fabric of time and space, has made what seems to be what I call the broken record effect." 

"Do you have a possible solution to this?" Rhea queried, and Dante leaned in to listen.

"Yes," Professor Amos started, "I do. In fact, I have prepared ahead for something like this. Although it was aginst the will of my superiors." he handed them a metal object which was in the shape of an icosahedron, "Just throw this into the teleporter from behind as soon as they turn it on, just let the device and the universe fix everything else. Now, in exactly two minutes the teleporter will be turned on and the time loop will start over when it hits you both. I want you two to come to me every time two-thirty sharp until we succeed." 

Before Dante could reply the professor said one more thing, "I want to warn you; rips in space should start appearing soon. With each time loop, the fabric of space starts breaking down. Beware of what will literally look like a rip in space. Wander too close to one and you'll die." 

Just as Professor Amos finished, they could hear the teleporter being turned on. 

Loop V 

"What did I tell you in the last time loop?" The professor asked Dante and Rhea, as they walked in the Pulsar Labs building again. 

"You told us your theory that space and time should not be meddled with, then you said it was the broken record effect. After that, you showed Rhea and I the device you had made just in case something like this happened. Then you warned us about space rips right before the teleporter was turned on. And just to prove I'm not lying I saw three of the books on your shelf in the last time loop. One was Einstein's book on relativity, the middle one the bible, and the third was Euclid's Element's." Dante spoke quickly.

"Good," Professor Amos replied as he put the combination into a safe that was hidden behind a framed artwork named "Another World" by M. C. Escher. He then handed the icosahedron shaped device into Rhea's hands, and looked at the two, "This is going to be harder than it looks. Godspeed." 

Dante and Rhea ran outside, about two hundred yards away was the teleporter and the group of scientist that stood round it. On both sides of the stage were several police officers. A few peppered the back of the stage too. 

They weren't there before. 

"Let's go." Rhea gestured to Dante as they bravely made their way toward the teleporter which was to be turned on in a few minutes. Then suddenly, there was a strange sound that almost sounded like something was ripping right in front of them. A bright light flashed for a second then what literally looked like a hole in space its self, was at a forty-five-degree angle to the ground in midair. 

Rhea, alarmed at this, stopped abruptly and grabbed a hold of Dante quickly who she accidentally made trip forward toward the space rip, "Dante!" 

Dante instantly backed away from the space rip, and looked at Rhea, "Thank you." 

Rhea only nodded, a slight smile played on her lips, "We need to go, we only have one minute." 

"Right," replied Dante then they ran towards the teleporter. Just as he threw the device towards the teleporter when it was turning on two police had spotted them and fired. 

--
Loop VIII

"What did I tell you in the last time loop?" Professor Amos asked Dante and Rhea, as they swiftly made their way towards Pulsar Labs.

Dante then speedily relayed what the professor had told them previously, and then what happened in the last three time loops. 

All unsuccessful. 

The professor frowned after hearing this, "You both need to be more careful," he chided, "You two don't have all the time in the world. From what I heard from you, it seems that the space rips are doubling every time; I estimate that space will be too distorted by the sixteenth time loop to even save our world." 

As soon as they were in Professor Amos's office he opened the safe behind the M. C. Escher artwork and took out the device, and gave it to Rhea, "Before you go, I am reminded of a latin phrase. Rursus ea, which means, relive it. You two have had the chance to relive an experience, use what you remember from other time loops to succeed. Now go." 

Dante and Rhea ran out of the building, they both quickly sidestepped a space rip that appeared in the middle of the hallway to the door leading outside. 

"The professor is right," Dante began as they made their way towards the teleporter, "The space rips are the only thing that isn't the exact same in every time loop. But still, they seem to follow a rule, a pattern of sorts maybe."

"Yes, the space rips tend to appear in places where there isn't something within a five to three feet radius. Open spaces are a common place for them to appear." Rhea replied.

Dante paused next to a maple tree and looked at Rhea. In the distance, they could see the back of the teleporter and the stage it was on, "That's the problem, between the back of the teleporter, and the pulsar labs building is a field, an open space. Then if we went in the crowd and stayed there until the teleporter turned on we wouldn't make it to the back in time. The police would see us coming from the side and easily catch us." 

Rhea agreed, "Exactly, our only bet is the field behind the teleporter. I noticed that the police pay more attention in front of them than behind them, except when the teleporter is about to be turned on, then they seem to be looking all around more." 

"So what do you suggest we do?" 

Rhea continued, "This is going to sound crazy of me Dante, but hear me out. The space rips have one thing in common with us humans and that's unpredictability. But we have our human intuition, we can anticipate what's going to happen next. Relying on our intuition and limited knowledge is the only thing we can do now Dante." 

"I see," Then Date looked at his watch, "one minute until the teleporter is turned on." 

"Now we make our move." 

As if on cue, Dante started running with Rhea close behind. He heard a ripping sound and dodged to the left, he kept a tight hold on the device the professor had made. He got a feeling another space rip would appear and moved to the right.

One did. 

"Duck!" Dante heard Rhea shout from behind, and he did just as a police officer shoot at the two. Dante was thankful she remembered the police officer from last time. 

The world seemed to move in slow motion. 

Dante threw the icosahedron into the back of the teleporter as soon as it turned on. 

The two watched as time slowed down to a stop, then they both saw time rewind, and play back differently, but before they could see the rest the world went black. 

--
"Have you been to Java Junction before?"  

Dante looked up from his cup of coffee at Rhea, then he looked back at the waiter, "Is the teleporter turning on today at three o' clock?" 

The waiter frowned, "Teleporter? What are you talking about?" 

Dante was quiet for a minute before replying, "Nevermind sir, I'll take a refill for seventy-five cents." 

He looked at Rhea as she scooted her chair closer to his, they both knew what the professor meant now when he said the universe would fix everything else, "History has been rewritten hasn't it?" 

Rhea nodded, "Yes Dante, it has."