And no, there is no reason that each bit of the story begins at 54 minutes past the hour - it just seemed funny. :-)

"Remember, this test is very important," said Mr Lloyd. "Anyone who gets a B- or below will have to redo it."

It was the last lesson of the day at Hill Valley High School. Important tests were looming, and maths teacher Mr Lloyd was eager for his students to pass.

"Homework tonight is to revise. Don't forget!!!" Mr Lloyd said as the bell rang and the students left.

"Hey Jen, doing anything tonight?" asked Marty.

"No, just studying," answered Jennifer.

"Wanna come by my place? We can test each other."

"Sure, I'll just go home and check with my parents."

Jennifer arrived at the McFly household at 5pm. She and Marty went up to his room. They had to revise equations and Marty was finding it difficult. Jennifer, who was better at maths, was helping him out and gradually Marty found them easier.

After 3 hours, and after tea (which Jennifer stayed for), it was time for Jennifer to go home. She had to get up early for work next morning and she wanted an early night. They walked to the outskirts of Lyon Estates.

"I thought you worked the afternoon shift on Saturdays," said Marty.

"I do normally, but Gloria's taking time off to have a baby and we're one down at the moment." Jennifer turned to Marty. "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"

"Oh yes," said Marty.

The two leaned forwards to kiss each other. Just as they were about to, they heard a large explosion .

"Marty, I didn't know you made the Earth move like that," said Jennifer, only half-joking.

"What the hell was that?" wondered Marty. Looking towards the city centre, they saw a blazing fire in the sky. Looking into the road, they saw the Army driving towards Courthouse Square.

"Excuse me, what's going on here?" yelled Marty. But no-one in the Army bothered to tell him. Instead they carried on their way.

Jennifer read the sides of the truck.

"Bomb Disposal Team," she read. "Oh my God!!!"

Marty and Jennifer ran back to his house. They got into the truck and drove towards Courthouse Square.

Of course the Army wouldn't let them get too close, but Marty and Jennifer asked some soldiers.

"What happened?"

"Bomb went off, in a car outside the Courthouse. Place was packed too. It was someone's birthday and they were all having a party."

"Great Scott!!!" said Marty.

The sergeant walked over. "Get the medics, quickly!!!" he said. "We have over 40 people here who need urgent care." He turned to Marty and Jennifer. "Excuse me sir, miss, we need all civilians to leave the area."

"Sorry sir, we're just leaving," said Jennifer.

And they did.

Since all the roads were blocked, Jennifer spent the night with the McFlys. Linda was out of town with her boyfriend so Jennifer slept in her room.

Next morning, Lorraine was cooking breakfast when Marty and Jennifer woke up.

"Morning you two," she said. "Do you want...."

"Lorraine, come quick!!!" George called from the living room. "Come and see this!"

It was a TV news report about the blast.

".....estimates show over 50 people were killed at last night's explosion. Joining us live from Hill Valley is our correspondent, Tom Wilson."

"Thanks Bob. I'm live in Hill Valley, California, scene of last night's explosion which has left 53 people dead and 100 more injured. As you can see here, Courthouse Square is in ruins. A Libyan group of terrorists claimed responsibility for the blast 5 minutes before it occurred, sadly too late for anyone to stop it."

Marty nudged Jennifer and they stepped outside.

"Libyans!!! Jen, do you realise what this might have meant?"

"No."

"They were after Doc!!! Remember the bomb...."

"God Marty, you're right!!!" Marty had told Jennifer everything about his first visit to 1955, including the events with the Libyans. "We'd better go over there and see him."

After telling George and Lorraine, the two set off on foot. The roads were still being used by emergency vehicles and traffic jams were everywhere.

When they reached the Brown household, Marty saw that Doc hadn't gotten the mail from the mailbox.

That's unlike him, thought Marty as he picked it up and knocked on the door.

No answer.

"Doc, it's us!!" called Marty. Then the door opened.

"Quick, come in!!!" hissed Doc. Once they were in, he shut the door quickly.

As they entered the TV room, Marty noticed lots of suitcases everywhere. Clara was packing another one.

"What's going on here Doc?" asked Marty.

"The Libyans, they're after me!!!" said Doc. "That blast last night - it was meant to kill me!!!"

"Because of that phoney bomb you made for them?"

"Exactly. And now, I fear for my life and those of my family. That's why we're leaving 1986."

"Leaving 1986? But for where?"

"Don't know yet. Probably back to 1895 for a bit."

"Doctor Brown?" asked Jennifer. "Why did they blow up the Square?"

"Because I was due to go to the Aerobics Studio that night. As you know, Clara and I go there every Friday night. We've only got 12 years there until it becomes the Cafe 80's - but that's besides the point. We go there to meet friends and to get fit. The bombers must have found this out and arranged to blow up the Square - with me in it."

"But you're still here."

"Well, just as we were about to go last night Verne was sick, so we stayed home to look after him instead of sending him and Jules over to their friends like we normally do."

"Luckily for you."

"Indeed." Doc replied.

"Doc," asked Marty, "Why are you hiding if the bombers think you're dead anyway?"

"Because I was seen this morning when Einstein was barking and I went to see what was happening. You can't be too careful."

"What a shame," said Jennifer. "If only none of this had ever happened.....Hey, I have an idea."

"I'm listening," said Doc as he and Marty sat down. Clara also came in with coffee for everyone.

"Marty and I could go back in time and warn everyone about the bomb, That way the Army can come in and defuse it before all those lives are lost, and they can arrest the terrorists."

"That's not a bad idea," said Doc. "Clara suggested it, but I daren't send Clara or myself back in case the terrorists recognise and kill us. And Ritchie is in New York visiting friends, so he can't go....."

"Well, the terrorists don't know what we look like," said Jennifer.

"Hold on," said Clara, "we can't risk you running into your other selves. Or our other selves."

"Not to worry," said Jennifer. "Marty and I were in school yesterday afternoon until 4, so we'll go back before then. What about you?"

"I was at the school picking up the boys," said Clara. "And Emmett was in the lab, I think."

"I was," said Doc. "We have mice. I was setting traps and keeping Einstein away from them."

"So that's settled then," said Jennifer. "We shouldn't run into anyone. And if we do, we'll just have to do what you did in 1955 when you saw your other self, Doc."

"Not show your face and hope to God he doesn't recognise your voice?"

"Something like that."

The time machine was soon prepared. Marty and Jennifer got in. They took with them the newspaper, which had the headline Explosion & Disaster In Hill Valley. Doc set the time circuits.

"Good luck," the Brown family said as Marty began to reach 88.

"OK Jen, we have an hour before school ends," said Marty as the DeLorean entered the past. "What's your plan?"

"Firstly, we 'phone the police," replied Jennifer. "Then we hope they call the Army and evacuate the Square."

"Sounds good to me," said Marty.

Landing the DeLorean in an alley and turning on the invisible mode, the two walked over to Lou's Aerobic Studio.

"We'll use the 'phone in there," said Marty.

They walked in.

"Excuse me, can we use your 'phone?"

"Sure, through there," said the assistant.

Marty picked up the 'phone and dialled 911.

"Jen, what do I say?"

"Tell them you're the terrorists."

"Uh hi, Hill Valley Police please." Then to Jennifer, "Then what?"

"Tell them about the bomb. The terrorists left the car in which the bomb was in outside the Courthouse at 7.55pm, 9 minutes before the blast."

The police answered the 'phone. "Hill Valley Police."

"Hi, I'm just 'phoning to warn you that I am a terrorist. I know that tonight, at 8.04pm a bomb will go off in Courthouse Square. We will arrive in a....." To Jennifer: "What car?"

"A 1985 Toyota."

".....a 1985 Toyota 10 minutes beforehand."

After Marty hung up, Jennifer said, "How'd it go?"

"Great, they're going to call the Army. It looks like everything will be fine."

Jennifer looked out the window. "Oh my God, it's your parents!!!"

Marty looked out. George, Lorraine and Dave were entering the studio. Dave was visiting his family for a few days, He lived in Los Angeles normally, since he had been promoted last December and had moved there then.

"God, if they see us we'll be in big trouble," whispered Marty.

"Mom, I need to use the 'phone," said Dave. "I need to 'phone the office."

"David, it's your day off. Can't you forget about work just for one day?" asked Lorraine.

"No, it's urgent. I need Robert to send me that fax."

"OK, but make it quick."

During this Marty and Jennifer had tried to make an escape, but there was not a way out where they would not be seen. And now Dave was walking towards the 'phone!!!

The only other way to go was in the ladies' toilets (the gents were at the other end of the aerobics studio.)

"Quick, in here," whispered Jennifer, dragging Marty in with her.

They listened to Dave's call.

"Yeah hi, is Robert in? It's Dave McFly here....yeah, I'll hold."

"Honey, I'm just going to the little girls' room," Lorraine told George.

"OK love," George answered.

"This is heavy Jen, my mom's coming in!!!" whispered Marty.

"We'll have to go in there," said Jennifer. There was one spare cubicle, and the two quickly went inside. However they soon discovered why it was spare. The lock was broken.

So that it was not obvious that two people were inside, Marty sat on the toilet with his feet in the air whilst Jennifer stood up holding the door shut. It looked like she was doing her business, and looked normal.

Lorraine entered. A toilet flushed, and a woman went out. Lorraine used the cubicle.

As soon as she was sure Lorraine had gone, Jennifer opened the door. Then she and Marty ran out, much to the bemusement of the other women there.

Dave had finished his call and was waiting with his father outside the main door. An army truck drove past.

"Wonder what they're doing," said Dave.

"You know, Biff was almost in the Army," George said. "Back in 1955, he claimed he'd seen a flying car with flashing lights outside the tunnel. Of course he crashed into a manure truck soon afterwards, so everyone said he'd been hallucinating. He kept insisting, and people began to think there was something wrong with him. His grandma decided to send him into the Army to 'sort him out', but then all of a sudden Biff didn't remember a thing and was back to normal. We never knew why."

Marty smiled as he heard. He knew. Doc had gone forward to 2085 recently and had bought back with him a memory loss ray gun. He'd then gone back to 1955 and had used it on Biff. Biff now thought the almanac and the flying DeLorean was just a dream. Doc had also used the same thing on everyone in Hill Valley, so everyone in the town thought he'd always had a wife and two sons. Only Marty and Jennifer knew any different.

Lorraine joined them and they walked away.

"That was close," said Marty as he watched them leave. "Now to get to the DeLorean."

They left the building, only to hear a truck pull up. It was someone familiar.

"Needles?" muttered Jennifer.

Needles and his gang were skipping school. They were riding through Courthouse Square laughing and joking. Then they turned the corner and vanished.

That corner was the alleyway that the invisible DeLorean was parked in. Needles' truck bumped into it. Of course they couldn't see why they couldn't go any further.

"What's going on here?" asked Needles.

"Marty, what are we going to do?" asked Jennifer.

"I know," he replied. "Listen."

Marty cleared his throat. "Needles!!!" he shouted in his best Strickland imitation.

Needles and his gang looked around.

"Quick, get out of here!!!" Needles hissed. They reversed the truck (the alleyway was a dead end due to some boxes in the way) and left.

"I didn't know you could do impressions of him," giggled Jennifer.

"I've been practising them," said Marty. "The guys think they're hysterical. You should hear me do Lloyd or Zemeckis....."

"Never mind now," said Jennifer. "We need to go further into time....."

".....to see if the plan worked," finished Marty. "Let's go.

"10 minutes to go," said Marty as they entered Courthouse Square 10 minutes befoire the blast. Staying in the invisible DeLorean, and hovering overhead, they watched what was going on below.

The police and Army were there, and the Square had been evacuated. The police and Army had hidden away their vehicles and were dressed in civilian clothing. They were in the Aerobics Studio, Cafe, bookshop etc, acting normal.

One minute later, the 1985 Toyota pulled up. Marty and Jennifer watched as the terrorists got out of the car after parking it outside the Courthouse.

Then suddenly, the police ran outside. They pounced on the terrorists whilst the Army got in the car and drove it away. Hill Valley was saved.

"Jen, look!!!"

The headline was changing. It now said, "Hero Officers Save Hill Valley From Disaster." The article now said the Army blew up the bomb in a controlled explosion outside Hill Valley.

"Mission accomplished. Let's go home." 

One minute after they left, Marty and Jennifer returned. The Brown household was back to normal. There were no suitcases out, everything was in its place.

"Marty, Jennifer, did you hear the good news??? The terrorists were caught last night!!! They tried to blow up Hill Valley."

"Now Emmett, they must have seen it on the news," said Clara.

"Yes, but that means we're completely safe," said Doc.

Marty smiled at Jennifer. It was clear that Doc and Clara had no memory whatsoever of the original timeline.

"So, where did you go in the machine?" asked Doc.

"Oh just to the past," said Marty. "A few days back."

"Any good?"

"You could say it was a blast," said Marty.

Last Revised: June 4th 2004

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