Mikayla and I had a great time on the virtual yacht out on the virtual Mediterranean Sea. Thanks to Vira, my wife and daughter would never even realize that I was gone. Controlling time has its advantages.
I knew that I was falling hard for Mikayla, and I was hoping I'd find a solution. One that would let me have what I wanted without anyone getting hurt. I was contemplating my choices when another critical question arose. Would I really desire Mikayla above all else for the rest of my life? Or, in my case, possible lives? Or was she just a phase that would burn out eventually?
Having learned about Vira's powers, which can erase someone's memory or embed new ones, gave me more options than ever. I wouldn't even have to hit the reset switch if I didn't want to. I could simply erase Mikayla's memories of our adventures. It wasn't something I wanted to do, but I could if I had to.
I needed some time to clear my head. I looked into Mikayla's eyes as I was about to give the command to return to my basement lab. It was at that moment that I telepathically gave Vira the command to freeze time for Mikayla.
"Time is frozen for Mikayla," Vira said.
"Now, send me somewhere," I said. "Somewhere I can clear my head. I don't even care where."
"Understood," Vira said.
Vira worked her magic, and in an instant, I was standing in a large hallway in the bowels of what appeared to be a large stadium. I could hear a buzzing noise that could only be the sound of tens of thousands of fans out in their seats.
"Where am I, Vira?" I asked.
"Dublin, Ireland," Vira replied in my head.
"Am I me?" I asked.
"I'd certainly hope so," the machine quipped.
"You know what I mean," I said. "What year is this?"
"2024," Vira said.
"Am I here for some kind of soccer match or something?" I asked.
"No, John," Vira said. "A concert."
"Interesting," I said as one of the doors close to me opened up, and a tall, leggy blonde appeared. She was wearing black yoga pants and a tight red tank top.
"What's interesting?" she asked, looking around to see who I'd been talking to.
"Sorry, I was talking to myself," I said as I looked into eyes. They were a stunning shade of blue.
"Better be careful. Someone might think you're crazy," she said with a smile. It was at that moment that I realized I was talking to Taylor Swift.
"I can assure you I'm quite sane. Though, I guess that's exactly what a crazy person might say, right?" I asked. "By the way, I'm John. John Stevens."
"Hello John, John Stevens," Taylor said. She looked down at the badge that was hanging from a lanyard around my neck. "I'm Taylor, Taylor Swift."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," I said, taking her in. "So, you're a smartass, huh?"
"I am! You have no idea," she laughed. "You're with the label?" she asked. She was quite beautiful and even warmer than the Taylor from the earlier simulation. All of Vira's vast capabilities started to run through my head.
"You own a large part of Universal Music," Vira said. Of course, only I could hear her.
"Yes, I am," I said. "I figured it was time for me to catch one of your shows. I've heard they are quite legendary."
"Thank you, John," Taylor said. "How have we never met before this?"
"Bad luck on my part, I guess," I said.
"I was on my way to stretch and get warmed up. Care to join me?" she asked, her blue eyes were intoxicating.
"Sure, why not? I'm sure I won't hurt myself too badly," I replied. The idea of spending some one-on-one time with Taylor Swift was surreal. Knowing Vira's bag of tricks, I believed I understood why she put me here.
Taylor led me down the hall and into a private room. The space was spacious yet cozy. It had a plush carpet and a few yoga mats laid out on the floor. A full-length mirror covered one wall.
Taylor dropped to the mat effortlessly. Her body moved with a grace that seemed almost ethereal. I joined her, albeit a bit less gracefully.
"So, what brings you to Dublin?" she asked, leaning forward to touch her toes.
"Mainly business," I said. "And the chance to see one of your shows, of course."
"Flattery will get you everywhere, John," she laughed softly.
"I aim to please," I said.
We continued stretching in silence for a few moments. I could feel the tension building inside me. I wondered which of Vira's powers I should use, if any. Taylor moved through a series of stretches with ease, and I did my best to keep up with her.
"So," she said after a while, looking at me through the mirror's reflection. "How long are you in town for?"
"A few days," I said.
"Same, the tour is here for three nights. Would you want to join me for dinner after the show tonight?" she asked casually. "I'd love to get to know more about the man behind the label."
"I'd like that," I said. Even knowing I had Vira's powers, I was still excited at the thought of spending some time with the beautiful pop superstar.
Taylor finished her stretches and stood up, extending a hand to help me to my feet. Her grip was firm yet gentle.