《Again. (Old)》 Prologue: last hope The buzz of electricity could be heard from all around in the small, dimly lit room. A rough, disheveled looking man sat strapped into a large machine, with a glowing hole full of needles and blades positioned above his head. Despite his seemingly precarious situation, the man was calm and still. He sat there staring forward In deep thought. After a while, a tall man wearing thick rimmed glasses opened the door and walked inside. He was thin, almost emaciated looking. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting. The last candidate was a bit of a hassle.¡± He chuckled, but it was obvious from his pained expression that the situation was dire. The man in the chair did not respond. ¡°Actually, if you decide not to go through with this- which is totally fair, I won''t blame you at all if you do- we''ll probably have to go into hiding. The last guy was¡­ very upset. He¡¯ll probably tell the government about us.¡± The man in the chair still did not respond. The man with glasses walked forward and began fiddling with the machine. ¡°So, what do you think? Do you still wanna go through with this even after seeing the machine?¡± ¡°Yes¡± the man in the chair responded quickly and quietly, continuing to stare forward. Suddenly a pounding noise could be heard from somewhere outside of the room. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Shit, they got here faster than I thought they would. Looks it''s do or die pal, though I guess technically you''ll die either way.¡± he chuckled again, this time his face did not reflect the situation they were in at all, as though the inevitability of it had caused him to lose all worry. ¡°Do it.¡± The man in the chair commanded, finally breaking his gaze into nothing and staring at the man in glasses with eyes that looked as though they had been through many lifetimes worth of anguish. ¡°Got it.¡± The man in glasses pressed a button, and the room lit up with screens and lights. ¡°You are our only hope now. Please, no matter how tough your job becomes, do not give up. If you do, you will damn every human who will ever live to a bleak future filled with nothing but sorrow and servitude.¡± The machine above the man¡¯s head whirred to life, beginning to descend slowly towards his head. The man in glasses walked over and injected the man in the chair with a needle full of a nearly translucent yellow liquid. ¡°I don''t remember who said it, but I once heard a quote that went something like this: ¡®excellence is not an art, it''s pure habit. We are what we repeatedly do¡¯. Please remember these words, I believe they describe your situation very well.¡± The man in the chair¡¯s conscience began to fade as the machine descended closer and closer to his head. Storming footsteps came from right outside the door, and the man in glasses tried his best to block their entrance, but he couldn''t hold them with his emaciated body. The soldiers rushed into the room, but they were too late. The machine had fully descended onto the man¡¯s head, and had cut and prodded at his head, skull, and brain until it was nothing more than a mashed up pile of flesh and bone. The machinery around the room began to glow brighter and brighter, and then it suddenly shut off, leaving the room completely dark. Chapter 1: again Deep in the forest, fallen leaves blew along the ground. The wind blew quietly through the trees, and the faint sound of a city could be heard from the distance. The leaves crunched as something stood up. It rose from the ground, leaves falling off of its bare back as it stretched its body. It had the body of a young person, no older than 15, yet its skin was far too smooth and young looking even for a 15 year old. Its dark hair fell down just below its shoulders, giving it a sort of androgynous look. And its eyes stared blankly forward, looking as though they had seen many lifetimes worth of anguish. ¡°It worked.¡± The words came out his mouth raspily. He cleared his throat and began inspecting his body. ¡°Looks like it''s been designed exactly as I asked.¡± He inspected each part of his body, getting familiarized with it. The boy looked into the sky for a moment, before walking towards the sounds of the city. The boy¡¯s mind raced with thought, deciding what he would do next. Step one is obviously getting my basic needs sorted. After that, I should gather information. He thought as the city¡¯s skyline appeared through the trees. He entered the city through an alleyway, and searched a nearby dumpster for anything he could cover himself up with. After a minute of searching, he found a dirty shirt and a pair of pants. This will do for now. He put the clothes on and stepped out of the alleyway. Next, a place to stay. I look pretty young, so if I find an orphanage I''d have a place to stay for a few years while I gather information and funds. After a few minutes of walking, he bumped into a man in a suit. ¡°Excuse me sir.¡± He asked the man politely. The man looked up, seemingly exhausted ¡°huh? Do you need something?¡± ¡°Yes sir. Do you happen to know where the nearest orphanage is?¡± ¡°Orphanage? No I don''t. Here, I''ll look it up.¡± He pulled a phone out of his pocket and began typing something. After a few moments, he looked up and held his phone out ¡°here. It''s just a few blocks away.¡± ¡°Thank you sir.¡± Good. Once I get put into the orphanage, I''ll have free food and shelter, as well as some better clothes. He finally made it to the orphanage, and opened the door. Inside, a girl was asleep at a desk in the front. ¡°Excuse me.¡± The girl jolted awake ¡°huh? What''s happening? Who''s there?¡± She picked up a pair of glasses from under the desk and put them on, inspecting the boy in front of her closely. Stolen story; please report. ¡°Do you need something?¡± She asked, yawning in the middle of her sentence. ¡°I need a place to stay.¡± The girl suddenly looked excited ¡°is that so! Hold on just a moment, I''ll be right back!¡± She rushed up the stairs behind her. They''ll probably ask for my name, what should I use? I obviously shouldn''t use my old name. After a while, a middle aged man came down the stairs. He walked to the desk and took a small, worn book out of his pocket. ¡°Hello young man.¡± He said, smiling brightly ¡°may I know your name?¡± ¡°It''s Arthur, sir.¡± ¡°I see, Arthur.¡± He opened the book and wrote something in it. ¡°Nice to meet you Arthur, my name is Steven. I run this orphanage. I heard you need a place to stay?¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¡°I see. What about your parents?¡± ¡°They''re dead.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I''m sorry, but may I ask what happened to them?¡± ¡°They were murdered.¡± ¡°I see, I''m sorry for asking. Do you have a legal guardian?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He closed the book and put it back in his pocket. ¡°Follow me, I''ll show you to your room.¡± He led Arthur up the stairs to a room on the third floor of the building. ¡°This is it. I''ll bring some dinner up to you later, so just focus on getting used to the room, alright?¡± Steven smiled warmly, walking out of the room and closing the door. Alright, shelter and food secured. It''s pretty small, but it¡¯s clean and free, so I won¡¯t complain. Arthur opened up the dresser, pulling out some clean clothes and switching into them, putting the pair from the dumpster into the trash can. Much better. When Steven comes back I¡¯ll ask for a phone so I can start researching and coming up with a plan. He walked over to an open area of the room and began to stretch. Now, I should begin training my body. After he finished stretching, he did pushups. After that, situps. I should buy weights once I get some spending money. After a little while, Steven came back, holding a bowl of soup. ¡°Hello! I hope you like soup. I would have made something better, but I think I should wait until tomorrow to prepare a big welcome dinner, that way you can eat with all the other kids once you''ve all been introduced.¡± Steven placed the bowl on the small desk. ¡°Thank you. By the way, do you have any sort of electronic device I can use? Anything will work.¡± Arthur asked, walking over to the desk. ¡°Hmmm¡­ I think I have an old laptop somewhere, I''ll go try to find it.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Steven stepped out of the room and closed the door. Steven walked back into the room holding a thick laptop, probably at least 15 years old. ¡°Took me a while to find it, but here it is. Do you need anything else?¡± Arthur stood up. ¡°Yes. Could you lead me to the bathroom? I''d like to take a shower.¡± ¡°Of course. Follow me.¡± He led Arthur out into the hallway and down the stairs, stopping in front of a door and opening it. ¡°Here it is.¡± Steven began to walk away ¡°I''m heading to bed now, I''ll come wake you up in the morning.¡± Arthur walked into the bathroom and turned the shower on, stepping into it after the water warmed up. Things are going well so far. He was in deep thought as he washed his long, dark hair. I have enough to survive now, and with the laptop I was given I can start doing some research. Next up is the hardest part¡­ He washed all the shampoo out of his hair and stepped out of the shower. I need weapons. I''ll never succeed if I don''t have a way to defend myself and defeat the enemy. He put his clothes on and walked back to his room. Maybe I should tell someone about the future. It might be good to have some allies. He took his clothes off and put a pair of pajamas on. But who do I tell¡­ He laid in bed, thinking about his plan until he fell asleep. Chapter 2: Do I Know You? ¡°Rise and shine!¡± Steven opened the door, turned on the light, and opened the window curtain, flooding the room with light ¡°I''ve already started making breakfast, it''ll be ready in just a few minutes. Everyone else is already awake and ready to meet you.¡± Arthur sat up, yawning. ¡°If you need 10 more minutes, that''s fine.¡± Steven said, smiling. ¡°No, I''m fine. Just give me a minute to wake up and put some clothes on.¡± ¡°Okay, I''ll be waiting outside your door.¡± Steven walked out and closed the door behind him. The door opened, and Arthur walked out of the room, wearing a hoodie and a pair of sweatpants, both of which seemed to be a size or two too big for him. ¡°Looks like we''ll have to go shopping to get you some new clothes soon.¡± Steven said, chuckling. Arthur looked down, inspecting the clothes, seemingly just realizing how big they were on him. ¡°Alright, are you ready to meet everyone?¡± Steven said, leading Arthur down the stairs. ¡°Yes.¡± Steven led Arthur through a doorway, into a small room with a large, circular table in the center. ¡°This is the dining room. And those,¡± he gestured to the right, where a small group of children were standing ¡°are your new siblings!¡± ¡°Hey hey, what happened to your parents?¡± A small boy with messy brown hair ran up to Arthur and started tugging on his hoodie. ¡°Hey, Albert, don''t ask him that! That''s very rude!¡± Steven scolded the child, pushing him away from Arthur. ¡°No no, it''s alright. It''s been a while, so I don''t mind that much anymore.¡± Arthur smiled reassuringly, bending down to shake Albert''s hand. Steven sighed ¡°well, this one is Albert. As you can tell, he''s quite the troublemaker.¡± Steven walked over to the rest of the children, placing his hands on the shoulder of a teenage girl. ¡°This is Sofia. You met her yesterday at the front desk.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you!¡± She said, revealing a pair of braces on her teeth as she smiled wide. ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡± Arthur replied. Steven walked over to the remaining two children, one of which quickly hid behind his back. ¡°This is Johnny. He''s a little shy, as you can see. Come out and say hi, Johnny.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°H-hello¡­¡± Johnny peaked his head out from behind Steven''s back cautiously. ¡°And finally,¡± Steven walked over to the last child, putting a hand on his shoulder ¡°this is Charlie.¡± What?! Charlie was tall, and had dirty blond hair. He wore thick rimmed glasses, and was very thin, almost emaciated looking. ¡°Nice to meet you, Arthur.¡± Charlie smiled, walking over and holding his hand out. ¡°Ah, uh, yes. Nice to meet you too.¡± Arthur shook his hand, trying his best to prevent his body from shaking. Charlie looked concerned ¡°is everything okay?¡± ¡°Yes, everything is¡­ everything is fine.¡± Arthur stared at Charlie, an obviously shocked look on his face. Steven clasped his hands together ¡°now that everyone has met Arthur, let''s have breakfast!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Albert yelled excitedly, sprinting over towards the table and hurriedly sitting down in a chair. After 30 minutes, almost everyone had finished eating and had already gone back to their rooms. The only ones left in the dining room were Steven, who was cleaning up, Charlie, who ate slowly, and Arthur, who had eaten 4 servings. Charlie sat up and walked over to where Arthur was sitting. ¡°Hey Arthur. Do I¡­ know you?¡± ¡°No, I don''t think you do.¡± ¡°I see. Then¡­ Do you know me?¡± Arthur flinched. ¡°No, uh¡­ I don''t.¡± He began to sweat. ¡°Why would I know you if you don''t know me?¡± ¡°I see.¡± Charlie began to walk away. ¡°If you ever need to talk to me, my room is the one right across the hall from yours. You can''t miss it, we¡¯re the only ones on that floor.¡± Charlie left the room and walked up the stairs. ¡°I''m going back to my room now.¡± Arthur stood up and walked out, heading back up to his room. So this is where Charlie grew up. I had no idea he was an orphan¡­ Arthur walked into his room, closing the door and locking it as he walked in. Memories of his past life came flooding back to him as he laid down on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. ¡°Nice to meet you sir, my name is Charlie. May I see the form you were given to fill out?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡± He extended his hand outwards, inviting it to be shaken. ¡°Welcome aboard, friend. We have a lot of work ahead of us.¡± Arthur reached his hand out above his head, blocking the light with it. I wonder what happened to him after I got sent back¡­ He clenched his hand into a fist. I don''t have time to waste. He stood up, walking over to his desk and opening the old laptop that had been given to him. In the future, information was heavily restricted. Really, the only thing I know is that a dystopia will come to be after the government is taken over. Apart from that, I have the knowledge of any other person from this time period. No, I probably know even less than other people do around this time. Thus, I must devote myself to researching and training, in order to prepare myself. It was 12 pm, and Arthur had spent the last 6 hours on his computer, researching current and historical events. This is gonna be harder than I thought. He stood up, stretching. I¡¯ve narrowed down the possibilities a lot, but I still have no idea who''s responsible for establishing the dystopia. He began pacing back and forth. I probably won''t be able to know who it is for certain until they start to make clear pushes towards establishing their rule, but by that point it''s probably already too late. He stopped, turning towards the door. I think I''m gonna need help after all. He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. And I think I know exactly the person to ask. Chapter 3: My Past, Our Future Arthur walked across the hall, stopping in front of Charlie''s door. He reached for the handle, but hesitated before grabbing it. Do I really want to get him involved? He pulled his hand back and stood still, thinking. He¡¯ll end up getting involved eventually anyway, but still¡­ The door opened, and Charlie stepped out. ¡°Are you coming in or not?¡± He stared at Arthur, his expression cold and stiff. He seemed to be analyzing every last detail of Arthur''s face as he held the door open. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Arthur stuttered. ¡°Just come in already.¡± Charlie walked back into the room, leaving the door open on his way in. Arthur hesitated, then followed him in. ¡°Sit down.¡± Charlie pushed two chairs out into the middle of the room, facing each other. Arthur sat down. Charlie sat down in the other chair and placed his palm on his forehead, sighing. ¡°Explain.¡± He said without looking up. Arthur hesitated. ¡°Do you¡­ do you know?¡± ¡°No. I don''t. I have no idea why you''re acting like this towards me.¡± ¡°O-oh¡­¡± Arthur was shocked. He doesn''t know? ¡°It¡¯s suspicious.¡± Charlie stood up and walked over to his bed, taking a knife from under the pillow. ¡°I don''t trust you.¡± He walked back over to his chair. ¡°I can''t trust you.¡± He sat down. ¡°Explain everything.¡± Charlie stared straight into Arthur''s eyes, unblinking. ¡°It''s¡­ a long story.¡± Arthur scooted his chair backwards slightly. ¡°I don''t mind.¡± He pointed the knife at Arthur. ¡°Now, explain.¡± Arthur paused, unsure of what to do. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. I guess I don''t have a choice anymore. Arthur exhaled, preparing himself. ¡°Alright. But please, believe me.¡± ¡°I''ll think about it.¡± Arthur chuckled. ¡°You never change¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Charlie¡­ I''ve come here from the future.¡± Charlie''s eyes went wide. He looked down and closed his eyes tightly. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°In the near future, a dystopia will take control of the world and make life a living hell. I was sent back to this time in order to prevent the dystopia before it can take control, and the machine that sent me back here was built by you.¡± Charlie was silent. ¡°Do you¡­ believe me?¡± Charlie began to chuckle. ¡°I see¡­ I see!¡± ¡°Charlie?¡± ¡°Arthur, can you draw me a picture of the time machine?¡± Charlie grabbed a notebook and pen and handed it to Arthur. ¡°Sure.¡± Arthur sketched a rough drawing of the machine and handed the notebook back to Charlie. ¡°So it ends up working¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The machine that sent you back, I''ve been working on it for years now!¡± ¡°That''s impossible! We stole the designs from a government researcher! You said so yourself!¡± ¡°I must have lied. I wouldn''t put it past myself.¡± Charlie threw his head back and laughed, his glasses sliding down his face slightly. ¡°Arthur, tell me, what was my future self like.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Arthur hesitated to tell him. ¡°Just tell me, I won''t find it rude no matter what you say. After all, if you''re successful I probably won''t end up turning out the same.¡± ¡°You were¡­ honestly, a little crazy. You never acted that way, exactly, but you had to have been. Nobody can act that calm in circumstances like those if they''re not.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°You devoted all of your time to research. It wasn''t strange to not see you for weeks out of time, only for you to emerge from your room with huge bags under your eyes and significantly less hair, from pulling it out out of frustration I presume.¡± ¡°Ha! So I don''t change much, huh? Good to know! Arthur, I will continue the work of my future self, and help you prevent the dystopia.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°Yes. All I need from you is what you remember about my future creations.¡± ¡°I don''t know how much help I''ll be with that, but deal!¡± Arthur jumped out of the chair and shook Charlie''s hand vigorously. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Arthur sprang into defensive position, readying himself for combat. Charlie laughed. ¡°Easy, Arthur. I doubt there''s anyone out to hurt you just yet.¡± Charlie picked up his knife off the ground, his facial expression becoming more serious. ¡°It might be an issue if they heard our conversation though.¡± The door opened and Steven walked in, his usual bright smile absent from his face. ¡°Arthur, is what you said true?¡± ¡°You heard?¡± Arthur eased out of the combat position, still tense. ¡°Yes, I did. I apologize for eavesdropping, but I must know if what you said was the truth.¡± ¡°Yeah, it is, so what?¡± ¡°I see. Then I, too, will assist you in your fight, Arthur.¡± ¡°I appreciate the gesture Steven, but I''d rather not get you involved with this.¡± ¡°No. I believe I will become involved no matter what you do.¡± ¡°What do you mean?" ¡°Please follow me. Both of you. I have something I must show you.¡± Chapter 4: Give Us A Name They walked down to the bottom level of the building. Steven walked over to the locked door next to the staircase, and pulled a small, golden key out of his pocket. He unlocked the door, and led the boys inside. They walked down a dark staircase, and emerged into an unfinished room through two hanging pieces of cloth hung over the doorway. ¡°What is this room?¡± Charlie asked, inspecting the few pieces of furniture carefully. Steven walked past them, towards a wall covered in a plain white sheet. He grabbed the edge of the sheet, hesitated for a second, then pulled it down. Behind the sheet was a wall covered in guns. There were large automatic guns, as well as small guns. ¡°A good friend of mine loves guns. He started out just working at a gun shop, but he fell in love with them, eventually learning how to make his own.¡± He walked up to the wall, taking one of the guns down and inspecting it closely. ¡°Most of these are his own custom designs.¡± Arthur walked up to the wall, eyes wide. He grabbed one of the stranger looking guns and began to fiddle with it. Steven ran up to him. ¡°Hey! These are delicate you know, don''t just mess with-¡± Arthur expertly took the weapon apart and reassembled it, as though he had used it many times before. Steven stopped in his tracks. ¡°How do you know how to do that?¡± He asked, his voice shaking. ¡°I know this gun. It was the main weapon used by the rebels in the future.¡± ¡°How? That''s the only existing gun of that model. It''s completely unique!¡± ¡°If I had to guess, I¡¯d say it''s probably the same reason Charlie ends up as a rebel in the future.¡± Charlie laughed, walking over to Steven and Arthur. ¡°I see what you mean. You''re saying Steven¡¯s a founding member of the rebellion, right?¡± Steven looked surprised. ¡°I- I am?¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± Arthur said, returning the gun to its place. ¡°Either you, or your buddy who made these.¡± Steven looked down solemnly. ¡°Then it''s me.¡± He walked up to the wall and rubbed a small engraving on one of the guns that read ¡®R.B¡¯. ¡°The man who made these died a very long time ago.¡± He walked back over to Charlie and Arthur. ¡°But why a founding member? Would it not make sense for me to simply be a mere supporter or a weapon supplier?¡± Arthur shook his head. ¡°No, Charlie used to speak of ¡®the father of the rebellion¡¯ a lot. When I asked him about it, he told me he used to know the founder personally. He said he was like a father to him.¡± He pointed at Steven. ¡°And you fit that description perfectly.¡± Arthur stepped away as Steven taught Charlie about the guns. Should I be telling them all this? What if the future changes too much and the rebellion doesn''t even get started? He breathed deeply, calming himself down. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. No, this is good. Now I have weapons. I can finally start the real work. Steven walked over to Arthur. ¡°Do you know anything else about the founding of the rebellion? Other founding members, secret base locations, that sort of thing?¡± Steven asked Arthur. ¡°No. By the time I joined, all of the founding members had already been caught and killed.¡± Steven looked disappointed, and a little scared. ¡°I-I see¡­ does the group you were a part of¡­ does it have a name?¡± ¡°No. It was decided that if our group was given a name, it could potentially help the government discover information about us. The founders were also worried that if our group had become too tight-knit by the time we saved the world, we might end up simply replacing the government, not dissolving the dystopia, merely changing the leadership of it.¡± ¡°I see¡­ that does make sense.¡± ¡°But,¡± Arthur said, walking towards the stairs, ¡°the lack of name did lead to a lack of unity in the group, as predicted. However, this hurt more than it helped. Without unity, different factions would fight over where and when we should hold meetings and operations. In the worst case scenarios, factions would sell each other out to the government to gain more power within the rebellion.¡± Arthur paused as he took a step on the stairs. ¡°So this time, please give us a name.¡± He walked upstairs, leaving Steven alone in the room to think. The door to Arthur''s room opened slowly, and a small head peaked around the corner. ¡°D-Dinner¡¯s ready, Arthur¡­¡± Johnny said, quickly closing the door and running back downstairs to the kitchen. Arthur stood up from the ground, having just finished working out. He picked up his shirt off the bed and put it on as he stepped out into the hallway and walked down the stairs. When he entered the kitchen, Steven ran over to him. ¡°Arthur! I didn''t know what kind of food you like, so I just made some pasta to be safe. I hope you like it!¡± He ran back over to the pot of pasta and began to fill the children¡¯s bowls. Arthur sat down, looking around at everyone else at the table. Everyone was staring at him, except for Charlie, who was playing a game on his phone. Steven brought the bowls over to the table and placed one in front of everyone before sitting down in front of his own bowl. ¡°Everyone, before we start eating, let¡¯s welcome Arthur to our family!¡± ¡°Welcome to the family Arthur!¡± Everyone said in unison. Steven looked at Arthur, smiling warmly. ¡°You''re one of us now, if you ever need anything, don''t be afraid to ask.¡± They all began to eat. Albert shoveled large forkfuls of pasta into his mouth, covering his lips in the source. Johnny stabbed one noodle at a time, being careful to not drop any sauce on the table or himself. Sofia ate at a moderate pace, making quick glances at Arthur while she chewed. Steven didn''t look at his food as he ate, too distracted by something on his phone. Sofia broke the silence first. ¡°So Arthur, where''d you come from?¡± ¡°I don''t know.¡± He answered after swallowing a mouthful of pasta. ¡°I''m pretty sure the place I lived before doesn''t exist anymore. Or rather¡­¡± he cut himself off. Albert spoke next. ¡°So, what happened to your parents? Who killed ¡®em?¡± Steven glared at Albert. ¡°Albert! What did I tell you about being rude?¡± ¡°No, it''s okay. It happened a very long time ago, it doesn''t make me that sad anymore.¡± Plus, they''re still alive at this time. ¡°They were killed by the police.¡± ¡°Did they do something bad?¡± Albert asked, his mouth still full of food. ¡°No. My parents were good people. The bad ones were the police. My parents did nothing wrong, the police only attacked my parents because my mom was wearing an expensive looking necklace.¡± ¡°Did the police get arrested?¡± Alice asked. ¡°No. Nothing happened to them.¡± ¡°Why not?!¡± Johnny yelled out, covering his mouth and shrinking back into his seat after. ¡°Because my parents weren''t important people. The police who killed them were deemed more useful, therefore punishing them for it would be inefficient.¡± Charlie looked away from his phone, staring at Arthur without saying anything. ¡°Anyway, let''s talk about something else!¡± Steven said, a single tear rolling down his cheek, which he wiped away quickly, trying to keep anyone from seeing it. The room was quiet for a while apart from the sound of metal forks hitting glass bowls. Sofia broke the silence again. ¡°So Arthur, what kind of hobbies do you have?¡± Arthur was silent for a few seconds as he thought about it. ¡°I used to play video games a lot.¡± Charlie suddenly took interest. ¡°Oh really?¡± He said, putting down his phone. ¡°Yeah. I was quite a big figure in the speed running community, actually.¡± ¡°Speedrunning?¡± Sofia said curiously. ¡°Basically, trying to beat a game as fast as you can. Trying to find the most optimal route, and then practicing it over and over again once you find it, until you can do it perfectly.¡± He smiled, laughing slightly. ¡°Maybe that''s why I was chosen¡­¡± he said under his breath. Chapter 5: The Calm 3 years later Arthur emerged from the bathroom, only wearing a towel, his chest and muscles now more defined and chiseled. His long, dark hair fell down to the middle of his back, still dripping from the shower. He walked to his room, where he put on a pair of loose fitting, gray sweatpants, and a large light blue hoodie. He walked down the stairs to the kitchen, where everyone was already eating at the table. Steven was in the middle of placing another pancake onto Albert''s plate when he noticed Arthur walk in. ¡°Ah, Arthur! Ready for some breakfast? How many pancakes do you want?¡± ¡°Two, please.¡± He sat down after bringing a plate, fork, and knife over to the table. Steven placed a stack of two pancakes onto his plate, dousing them in syrup. Sofia spoke up, still having a little food in her mouth. ¡°Got any plans for today Arthur?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± He said as he cut off a large chunk of a pancake. ¡°In that case, do you wanna go to the movies with me? There''s a new one I''ve been wanting to see.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Sofia smiled as she continued to eat her breakfast. ¡°Oh by the way, Arthur, we have something to discuss. Come talk to me after your little date.¡± ¡°It''s not a date!¡± Sofia yelled, her cheeks bright red. ¡°Sure.¡± Arthur responded. ¡°Come on Arthur, let''s go!¡± Sofia jumped out of her seat and grabbed Arthur''s hand as she ran out of the room. ¡°So, what''s this movie about?¡± Arthur said as he and Sofia walked into the movie theater. ¡°I don''t know.¡± ¡°Shouldn''t you have found out what the movie¡¯s about before you decide to see it?¡± ¡°Isn''t it more exciting this way?¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± They got their tickets and made their way to their seats, sitting down and talking as the previews played. The movie began, and the theater went silent. The movie was about an ordinary man, claiming to be a mad scientist, who¡¯s world was shaken when he and his friends accidently created a machine that allowed them to send emails back in time. Arthur and Sofia walked out of the theater, excitedly talking about the movie. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°That was amazing!¡± Sofia said, grabbing Arthur''s hand. ¡°Yeah, it was pretty good.¡± He pulled his hand from hers, and rested it in his pocket. ¡°Wanna go get something to eat?¡± ¡°I can''t. Steven needs me for something.¡± ¡°Oh come on, live a little! I''m sure Steven can wait an hour or two.¡± ¡°I''m sorry Sofia, I can''t.¡± Sofia turned away from him, pouting. ¡°You''re so boring!¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± They made it back to the orphanage, and Sofia immediately went up to her room, still upset. Arthur unlocked the basement door with the key Steven had given him 3 years ago and walked downstairs, where Steven and Charlie were already waiting. ¡°Took you long enough.¡± Charlie said, lightly punching Arthur in the elbow. ¡°Good, you''re here.¡± Steven turned around and walked up to them with his hands behind his back. He walked over to a whiteboard and picked up a marker. ¡°We will now go over the plan.¡± He turned towards the whiteboard and wrote ¡®operation Hermes¡¯ in large letters. ¡°We must strike first. If we deal the first blow, we¡¯ll gain a major advantage later on in our fight against the dystopia.¡± He began drawing a diagram of a small building. ¡°We¡¯ve gained information about a meeting full of important government officials going on in 2 days. We have reason to believe that this meeting may be about plans to create the dystopia that appears in the future. Two of the people attending this meeting are known to be important figures in the dystopia. The plan is as follows: Arthur will sneak into the building and make his way into the ceiling. From the ceiling, he will enter the ventilation system in order to bypass the security and make it to the area of the building where the meeting is being held. Then, he will re-enter the ceiling area from the vents. If he went the right way, he should be in the ceiling above the meeting room at this point. He will have a small silenced pistol on him, as well as a knife. If he hears any talk of the dystopia after the meeting begins, he will drop in from the ceiling and kill everyone in the room. If he doesn''t, he will leave the same way he came in after the meeting has ended and the building has been emptied.¡± He dropped the marker and turned towards Arthur and Charlie. ¡°Any questions?¡± Charlie shook his head. Arthur raised his hand and spoke. ¡°What are the names of the two men who become figures in the dystopia?¡± ¡°Shouldn''t you know that? You''re the one who told us about them.¡± Charlie said. ¡°I do know them. I just think we should clarify because of that.¡± He pointed at a camera positioned on a stool in the back, recording the discussion. ¡°Yes, I agree.¡± Steven said, walking away from the whiteboard. ¡°Their names are Johnathan Bates and William Nelson.¡± He stepped in between Arthur and Charlie, rested his hands on their shoulders, and spoke into the camera. ¡°With that, we will begin operation Hermes.¡± He walked over to the camera and turned off the recording. He began to walk up the stairs, stopping to tell Arthur something. ¡°Get good sleep Arthur. You''re going to need it.¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡± Arthur headed back to his room. Will things really go as planned? He was in deep thought as he got himself ready for bed. It''s too strange. The only names I recognized on the list were the two who ended up in the dystopia. Shouldn''t I recognize the others if this meeting is about the dystopia? He took off his clothes, putting his pajamas on. And even if this meeting is not about the dystopia, shouldn''t I at the very least recognize the other names from something? They''re all powerful, important figures in this time, and yet¡­ It''s almost like they didn''t exist at all in the future. Chapter 6: Weather Men part 1 Arthur''s bedroom door creaked open. It was 5 AM, and Arthur was still fast asleep. A shadowy figure slipped into his room, carefully avoiding the mess strewn about the floor. They creeped closer and closer to Arthur''s bed, until¡­ ¡°Wake up!¡± Arthur jumped awake, instantly darting out of his bed and grabbing the knife hidden under his pillow. ¡°Reveal yourself!¡± He yelled. The figure walked over to the light switch. ¡°Calm down Arthur, it''s just me! It was just a little prank.¡± They flicked the switch, turning the light on. It was Charlie. Arthur breathed a sigh of relief and hid the knife back under his pillow. ¡°Don''t do that again, please.¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry. Steven told me to wake you up, so I thought I''d have a little fun.¡± Arthur pulled one of the drawers of his dresser out and removed the bottom, revealing a secret compartment with a tight, all black outfit inside. He pulled it out and put it on. ¡°You ready?¡± Charlie asked. ¡°I think so. I''ve been preparing for this for the past three years, I think I''ll do great.¡± ¡°That''s good. But don''t get too confident. If you get too confident, you''ll get sloppy.¡± Arthur laughed. ¡°I know, I know.¡± ¡°What''s so funny?¡± ¡°You used to say the same thing all the time in the future.¡± Charlie frowned. ¡°Hearing you talk about my future self is kinda creepy.¡± Arthur finished putting on the outfit and walked down to the basement with Charlie. ¡°Good morning Arthur. Are you ready?¡± Steven said as they walked down the stairs. ¡°As I''ll ever be.¡± Arthur and Charlie walked over to Steven and sat down. ¡°Should I go over the plan again?¡± Steven said. ¡°Nope. I''m good.¡± Arthur said, giving a thumbs up. ¡°Alright. Then we¡¯re ready. Here, put this on.¡± Steven handed Arthur a small Bluetooth earpiece. ¡°What do I need this for?¡± ¡°Charlie and I will be on a call with you the whole time to guide you through the mission.¡± Arthur put earpiece in and stood up. ¡°Aren''t you forgetting something?¡± Steven asked. ¡°I don''t think so?¡± ¡°Are you really gonna go out dressed like that? You look like you''re about to commit a crime!¡± ¡°Well, I kinda am.¡± ¡°You don''t want people to know that! Go put on a jacket.¡± ¡°Alright, fine.¡± Arthur walked back into the basement, now wearing a puffy jacket. ¡°Good.¡± Steven said, standing up. ¡°Now let''s get going.¡± Charlie walked over to the small desk that had been moved into the room and messed with the computer that had been placed on top of it. ¡°Arthur, hold down the button on the earpiece please.¡± Arthur held the button, and the earpiece made a small noise after a few seconds. ¡°Alright, we''re connected. Now we can communicate with you while you''re on the mission.¡± ¡°Thank you Charlie. Come on Arthur, I''ll drive you to the building.¡± Arthur grabbed the gun he would be using and a knife from the wall and headed to the car with Steven. They arrived in front of the building at 6:13 AM. Arthur grabbed his stuff and headed inside. ¡°Arthur, am I coming through?¡± Charlie''s voice came through the earpiece. ¡°Yes, I can hear you.¡± ¡°Arthur, the car is through the alleyway in front of the building. It''s not exactly ideal since you''ll be running through the street, but it was our best option.¡± Steven said through the earpiece. ¡°Got it.¡± Arthur said as he removed one of the ceiling tiles and climbed up. ¡°Remember Arthur, do not make any noise. If the targets hear you, the rebellion would be over before it even began.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± He replaced the ceiling tile and crawled towards the vent. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°How long do I have until security arrives?¡± ¡°thirty minutes. Targets start arriving in an hour, and the meeting begins in an hour and thirty minutes.¡± Charlie''s voice crackled in Arthur''s ear. ¡°Got it.¡± He crawled through the vents until he reached a splitting path. ¡°I''m at a split, what do the building plans say?¡± ¡°Go right.¡± Charlie said. ¡°Got it.¡± He went right, continuing forward until he saw a faint light in the distance. ¡°I''ve reached the destination. Exiting the vents and getting into position.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± He entered the ceiling area again, trying his best not to cough from all the dust around him. He crawled his way to the center of the space and got into position. ¡°I''m in position. How much time do I have?¡± ¡°Security¡¯s here, targets arrive in thirty minutes. Meeting starts in an hour.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After what felt like an eternity of waiting, Arthur heard voices in the room below him. He peeked through the small hole he had made in the ceiling and saw a group of men wearing suits walking into the room. ¡°Targets are arriving. Don''t respond anymore, you might be heard, just press the button on the earpiece once for a ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®understood¡¯, two times for ¡®no¡¯, and three times if you''re in trouble.¡± Charlie said. Arthur pressed the button once. ¡°Good.¡± After a while, the men started to sit down in the seats surrounding the large oval shaped table below Arthur. Two seats were empty. The man at the end of the table stood up and spoke. ¡°Welcome, friends! We have drinks and food coming soon, so I hope none of you filled yourselves with breakfast this morning!¡± The men in the room laughed. It wasn''t a genuine laugh, but rather the type of laugh you would make when a superior at work makes a joke. The man spoke again. ¡°Now, before we get to the meat of this meeting, I¡¯d like to do a bit of a roll call to find out who''s here with us today.¡± He began saying names, a hand silently going up each time he said one. ¡°Johnathan Bates.¡± The man said loudly. No hands went up. ¡°Johnathan Bates?¡± the man repeated. Still, no hands went up. ¡°Well, that''s a shame. Looks like someone couldn''t make it.¡± He continued naming names as Arthur silently panicked above. What?! Johnathan Bates isn''t here? Why not?! Damnit! This isn''t looking good¡­ ¡°William Nelson.¡± The man said. No hands went up. ¡°William Nelson? No? Well that''s a shame. But every other seat is filled, so I will assume the rest of the people on this list are here. With that out of the way, let''s begin.¡± What the hell? Neither of the targets are here? What''s going on! He reached up to press the button on his earpiece, but Steven spoke first. ¡°Arthur, there appear to be some¡­ uninvited guests?¡± Thank God! Maybe it''s them! ¡°There''s¡­ about 15 of them I¡¯d say. A bunch of tall guys wearing suits and bowler hats. They all look identical!¡± It''s not them? ¡°It''s weird¡­ It''s almost like¡­ I can''t see their faces? But one of them is facing my direction, so I should be able to¡­¡± Who are they? ¡°I don''t know who they are, but just keep listening in on the meeting for now. I''ll tell you if they make any moves.¡± Arthur began focusing on the meeting below once again. ¡°My friends, we all share one thing in common. We''re all just guys who are looking to make a buck or two. And fellas, I''ll tell you, I''ve got just the scheme lined up for us.¡± Something made a click noise, presumably a remote for a presentation that the man was showing. ¡°I''m sure all of you have heard about how tense it''s been in Asia as of late. It''s all over the news! Everyone knows war is inevitable. So my friends, we¡¯ll strike first- not with weapons, but with deals. You see, I''ve got guys on the inside in practically every country over there, and they all want weapons.¡± The click noise happened again. ¡°So let''s give them weapons. I''ve recently come into possession of a large sum of radioactive material. Perfect for making bombs with. So here''s the deal, I give each of you your own country, and you sell my stuff to them. Of course, I''ll take most of the money since it''s my stuff, but you''ll get a cut since you''re the ones selling it. I''m telling you guys, it''s the easiest money you''ll ever make!¡± What? A war in Asia? And they''re going to provide them with nuclear explosives? None of this happened before I got sent back¡­ Steven spoke. ¡°Arthur, the guys in bowler hats are on the move! I''m not sure what their goal is, but be careful!¡± Suddenly, the building''s power went out, and the room went dark. The men in the room below began to panic. Arthur began to panic as well. He pressed the button on his earpiece 3 times, but nothing happened. Deciding that his life was more important than not being discovered, he spoke into the earpiece. ¡°Steven, Charlie! Can you hear me?¡± Static. A gunshot rang out through the halls of the building. The men in the room below began to panic even more, their phones not working. The man in charge of the meeting could be heard clearly among the chaos. ¡°Goddammit, someone figure out what the fuck is happening!¡± Arthur peaked through the hole in the ceiling, and saw that the room below was illuminated by a dim light in the ceiling, probably from a backup generator in the building. More gunshots came from the hallway. The door in the room below got knocked down, and the men in bowler hats walked into the room slowly. They were all holding silenced pistols, and their suits were stained with blood. They pointed their guns at the business men and shot them, every single one of them being killed instantly. One man emerged from the crowd of men in bowler hats. He looked similar to the other men, but his suit and hat were blue rather than black, and his head was covered by a black mask. It hugged his head tightly, allowing you to see the vague details of his face, but obscuring anything that could be used to identify him. It was decorated by thin pieces of silver that looked like the bumpy bottom of a cartoon cloud. Where his right eye was, there was a blue gem in the shape of a raindrop. He spoke, his voice deep and smooth. ¡°Rain or shine¡­¡± The rest of the men repeated after him. ¡°Rain or shine¡­¡± Arthurs heart raced, and he tried to crawl away quickly, but he made a misstep and the ceiling collapsed beneath him. He scrambled into a corner, and attempted to get his gun out, but he had dropped it during his fall. The man in blue walked over and pointed his gun at arthurs head. He loomed over Arthur, and on his chest was a small silver pin. The pin had an umbrella in front of a large sun, and rain was coming from the underside of the umbrella. ¡°Rain or shine¡­¡± the man in blue said. ¡°Rain or shine¡­¡± the men repeated. The man in blue pulled the trigger and shot Arthur in the head, killing him instantly. 8:46 AM Nobody in the building is left alive. The men in bowler hats leave the building, their suits completely clean. 8:54 AM A group of men in white suits and bowler hats enter the building. 9:04 AM The men in white leave. There are no bodies in the building. No blood on the walls or floor. It is completely pristine on the inside. It looks as though nobody had entered the building the entire day. 2:30 PM Steven leaves, having lost contact with Arthur. Throughout the next week, various articles and obituaries are released detailing the deaths of the businessmen that went to the meeting that day. Two committed suicide. Three were murdered together in a back alley robbery. One died in a plane accident. One went missing, presumably fleeing the country after years of tax fraud were discovered. There were no witnesses. All of their deaths were forgotten within two weeks. There was never a war in Asia. Chapter 7: Weather Men part 2 Deep in the forest, fallen leaves blew along the ground. The wind blew quietly through the trees, and the faint sound of a city could be heard from the distance. The leaves crunched as Arthur stood up, eyes wide in terror. He fell back onto his knees and vomited. What the hell was that? Who were those people? He breathed rapid, shallow breaths. ¡°Rain or shine¡­¡± He collapsed onto the ground and laid there for a while. He stood up and slowly walked towards the city. What should I do? He grabbed the clothes from the trash and put them on. I need to get to Steven and Charlie. He walked towards the orphanage. We need to find out who those people were. He entered the orphanage, where a girl was sleeping on the desk at the front. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Arthur said. The girl jolted awake ¡°huh? What''s happening? Who''s there?¡± She picked up a pair of glasses from under the desk and put them on, inspecting the boy in front of her closely. ¡°Do you need something?¡± She asked, yawning in the middle of her sentence. ¡°I need a place to stay.¡± The girl suddenly looked excited ¡°is that so! Hold on just a moment, I''ll be right back!¡± She rushed up the stairs behind her. Sofia¡­ After a few minutes, Steven came down the stairs. Before he could say anything, Arthur spoke. ¡°Hello Steven.¡± ¡°Oh, uh, hello? Do I know you?¡± ¡°Not yet, no.¡± ¡°Not yet?¡± ¡°Yes. My name is Arthur, and I have come here from 3 years in the future.¡± Steven laughed awkwardly. ¡°I¡­ see?¡± ¡°Please believe me.¡± Arthur pointed to the locked basement door. ¡°Behind that door is the basement, where there is a wall covered in guns, most of which are custom made by an old friend of yours.¡± Steven¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Go get Charlie, I''ll explain everything.¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Steven hesitated before nodding and walking upstairs to get Charlie. Steven came walking down the stairs, with Charlie right behind him. ¡°So what''s going on? I was kind of busy, you know.¡± Charlie said to steven. ¡°Hello Charlie.¡± Arthur said. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°My name is Arthur.¡± Steven took out the key and unlocked the basement door. ¡°Follow me.¡± He said. Charlie stared at Arthur from the corner of his eye, occasionally glancing back at Steven. Once they made it down the stairs, Steven walked over to the wall and pulled the cloth down, revealing the wall of guns. Charlie''s eyes went wide. ¡°What the hell? Steven, what is this?¡± ¡°An old friend of mine was a big fan of guns. Eventually he started making his own. Most of these are originals, made by him.¡± He gently rubbed the barrel of a large gun. He looked back at Arthur, eyes filled with a mixture of fear and confusion. ¡°Now, tell me Arthur, who are you?¡± Arthur turned towards Charlie. ¡°Charlie, you are designing a time machine right now, right?¡± Charlie''s eyes went even wider. ¡°How''d you know that?¡± ¡°Because that''s how I got here.¡± Charlie''s jaw dropped, and he began muttering something to himself. Steven ran up to Arthur and grabbed his shoulders. ¡°You''re telling me Charlie creates a working time machine in 3 years?!¡± ¡°No, it takes much longer than that. I came here from the far future, when a dystopian government took over. I traveled back to this time, and lived life as normal for 3 years, until¡­¡± ¡°Until what?¡± ¡°You, me, and Charlie began working together to prevent the dystopia, and on my first mission I was killed by a group of men in suits and bowler hats.¡± ¡°You were killed? Then¡­ how are you here?¡± Charlie suddenly chimed in. ¡°The time machine doesn''t just send you back. It also allows you to return back to where- or rather, when- you first traveled to upon death.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because, if such a feature isn''t included, it''d be very easy for someone to accidentally trap the world in an infinite time loop that no one is aware of.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Okay, so imagine I build my machine and decide to use it to go back in time and tell myself to, oh I don''t know, where a different color shirt. The reason I''m going back doesn''t matter. But when I go back, I die before I can ever interact with that time¡¯s version of me. This causes the ¡®me¡¯ from that time to continue the cycle by also going back and dying, which traps the world in an infinitely repeating cycle. Sending memories back upon death prevents this from happening.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Steven looked down, processing everything he''d just been told. Charlie spoke to Arthur. ¡°So, what do you know about the people who killed you? Are they involved with the dystopia?¡± ¡°I don''t know. All I really know about them is what they looked like.¡± ¡°Alright, then let''s start with that.¡± He took out a notebook and a pencil and prepared to begin writing. ¡°All of them wore black suits and bowler hats except one, who''s bowler hat and suit was a dark blue. It seemed like that one was the leader.¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± ¡°The one in blue had a mask on with little silver decorations.¡± ¡°Can you draw what the mask looked like?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Arthur took the notebook and began drawing. He gave it back to Charlie, who inspected the drawing closely. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± ¡°Do you recognize it?¡± ¡°Nope. I just think it''s a pretty neat design. Continue.¡± ¡°They all wore a small pin with a small design and some words on it. I couldn''t read the words, but the design was an umbrella in front of the sun with rain coming from under it.¡± ¡°The rain was coming from under the umbrella?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see. Anything else?¡± ¡°Yes. They hardly spoke, and when they did they only said one thing.¡± ¡°What did they say?¡± ¡°¡®Rain or shine.¡¯¡± ¡°Weird. Well, I guess there¡¯s only one thing left to do.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Find the guys who killed you, obviously!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if we should¡­¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried that they¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯ll what?¡± ¡°Nevermind. Let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Alright! Steven, get the computers out, we have a mysterious group of people to find!¡± Chapter 8: Weather Men part 3 ¡°Got anything yet?¡± Arthur said as he looked at the screen of the laptop over Charlie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Not really¡­ I can¡¯t find anything. I think it might be a lost cause at this point. We¡¯ve been searching for two weeks and haven¡¯t found anything.¡± ¡°Damn¡­ Steven, do you have any ideas?¡± Arthur turned to Steven, who was reading the newspaper in the corner of the room. He didn¡¯t seem to hear Arthur, as he continued to look at the newspaper with a perplexed look on his face. ¡°Steven!¡± ¡°Huh? What is it?¡± Arthur walked over to him and looked at the newspaper. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Oh, uh, nothing. It¡¯s just that an obituary was just released for a certain political figure saying he died a few days ago, but the date doesn¡¯t match up with the paper from a few days ago, where it was announced he had just returned from a meeting in France.¡± ¡°That¡¯s odd. Can I see the paper from a few days ago?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± he reached down and grabbed a newspaper from beside his chair ¡°here you go.¡± Arthur skipped ahead to the part of the paper about the politician and began to read. ¡°...Adam Reed returns from successful negotiations in Paris regarding the ongoing conflict in Asia¡­¡± Arthur dropped the paper, eyes wide. ¡°Arthur? What''s wrong?¡± Steven said as he picked up the paper and put it back beside his chair. ¡°What did the paper say the cause of death was?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What killed Adam Reed?¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Oh, uh, let me see¡­¡± he flipped through the paper until he got back to the obituary ¡°It seems he died from an illness, why?¡± ¡°How old was he? Was he in good health?¡± ¡°He was fairly young I think, and I¡¯ve never heard about him having any health related issues until now, why?¡± ¡°I think he was murdered.¡± Charlie looked up from the computer, suddenly interested. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Steven said. ¡°The meeting he went to was about the conflict in Asia. The meeting I broke into and was killed at was also about the conflict in Asia.¡± Charlie walked over to them. ¡°So we found them?¡± he said. ¡°Not yet. They covered up their tracks well.¡± Arthur said. ¡°So how do we find them?¡± Steven said, standing up and stretching. Arthur hesitated. ¡°Charlie, find out exactly where Adam Reed was every hour of every day after he got back from Paris.¡± ¡°Why? Knowing where he was won¡¯t help us, the killers probably already covered up everything we could use.¡± ¡°Maybe. But they hadn¡¯t covered anything up yet a week ago.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Steven said. ¡°Arthur, you¡¯re not saying what I think you¡¯re saying, right?¡± ¡°I am. I am going to kill myself in order to go back to the past and witness the murder of Adam Reed. This time, I will get close and find out what the pin the killers were wearing says.¡± Steven grabbed Arthur''s shoulders and shouted into his face. ¡°Arthur, you can¡¯t! What if they kill you before you get close enough?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll just try again. We aren¡¯t just fighting a dystopian government now. We¡¯re fighting a war on two fronts, and we¡¯re not strong enough to hold them both back. The only way we¡¯ll succeed is if we make use of the one thing we have that they don¡¯t: the power to go back in time.¡± Charlie laughed. ¡°I like it! I¡¯ll get to work on finding where Adam Reed was after he got back.¡± Charlie walked back over to the laptop and began typing furiously. Steven placed a hand on Arthur¡¯s shoulder and looked into his eyes. ¡°Arthur¡­ I can get why you¡¯re doing this now, but¡­ Don¡¯t overuse this. I worry that¡­ That if you use this too frequently something inside your head might snap.¡± Arthur removed Steven¡¯s hand from his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Steven, I¡¯ll be fine. If you don¡¯t want to witness me¡­ dying, then you can head upstairs now. Me and Charlie can handle the rest.¡± Steven sighed. ¡°Alright. But please, Arthur, be careful. Do not overestimate your own mental fortitude.¡± Steven walked upstairs, closing and locking the door on his way out. Chapter 9: Weather Men part 4 Deep in the forest, fallen leaves blew along the ground. The wind blew quietly through the trees, and the faint sound of a city could be heard from the distance. The leaves crunched as Arthur stood up. He closed his eyes and breathed in the cold wind of the forest. Alright, it''s time. He began running towards the city. I have one week to prepare. He rummaged through the dumpster, fishing out the discarded clothes. Adam Reed gets back in a week, and is killed within 2 days of his return. He made his way to the orphanage, dodging the occasional pedestrian as he ran on the sidewalk. I''ll get a change of clothes and a weapon from the orphanage, and then I''ll leave without telling anyone anything. He opened the door to the orphanage and stepped inside. They don''t need to know. I don''t plan on coming back alive, after all. He entered the orphanage, where a girl was sleeping on the desk at the front. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Arthur said. The girl jolted awake ¡°huh? What''s happening? Who''s there?¡± She picked up a pair of glasses from under the desk and put them on, inspecting the boy in front of her closely. ¡°Do you need something?¡± She asked, yawning in the middle of her sentence. ¡°I need a place to stay.¡± The girl suddenly looked excited ¡°is that so! Hold on just a moment, I''ll be right back!¡± She rushed up the stairs behind her. After a few moments, Steven came down the stairs. ¡°Hello!¡± He said, smiling brightly. He walked to the desk and took a small, worn book out of his pocket. ¡°May I know your name?¡± ¡°It''s Arthur.¡± ¡°I see. Arthur, what a fine name. My name is Steven, I run this orphanage. Nice to meet you, Arthur.¡± He extended his hand towards Arthur. Arthur reached out and shook it. ¡°Nice to meet you too, Steven.¡± ¡°So Arthur, I hear you need a place to stay?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°I see. What about your parents?¡± ¡°They''re dead.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I''m sorry, but may I ask what happened to them?¡± ¡°They were murdered.¡± ¡°I see, I''m sorry for asking. Do you have a legal guardian?¡± Arthur was silent for a moment. ¡°I don''t want to talk about it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He closed the book and put it back in his pocket. ¡°Follow me, I''ll show you to your room.¡± He led Arthur to his room, and left after showing him where everything was. Alright, time to get packed. He grabbed a pair of clean clothes and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. It''d be nice to have a weapon from the basement, but if I try to sneak down there I''m sure I''ll be caught. I''ll have to settle for a knife from the kitchen. He walked back to his room, now with clean clothes on, and laid down on his bed. Now, I wait. Nearly a week had gone by, and Arthur had settled into life at the orphanage. He had already met everyone, and even begun to befriend Charlie. But that all ends today. Arthur got up from his bed and put on an outfit before beginning his morning stretches. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. It''s 4 am. Adam Reed arrives at 7 am. The airport is far away, but I have the money to get a taxi. He grabbed the kitchen knife he had stolen and hid it in his jacket. Time to go. He walked downstairs, going slowly and quietly so that nobody would wake up. He unlocked the door and stepped outside. I feel kind of bad leaving the door unlocked, but it doesn¡¯t really matter. He walked away, and began to search for a taxi. After a few minutes of walking, he managed to flag down a cab. ¡°To the airport, please.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Arthur sits in silence throughout the 45 minute drive. After what feels like an eternity to Arthur, they arrive at the airport. He gets out of the taxi, stretches his legs, and pays the driver. It''s time. 4:50 AM Arthur arrives at the airport and walks inside, making his way as far into the airport as possible without arousing suspicion or getting stopped. He finds a small shop with books and magazines for people to buy for their flights. He buys the longest book he can find, and makes his way to a waiting area to begin reading. 5:00 AM Arthur begins reading the book he purchased. Two hours remain until Adam Reed arrives. 5:30 AM Arthur puts his book down and goes to the bathroom. 5:34 AM Arthur returns, and continues reading. 6:00 AM Arthur stops reading, deciding to pay closer attention to what''s happening around him. One hour remains. 6:30 AM Three men wearing suits and bowler hats arrive at the airport. Two of the men¡¯s suits and hats are white, and the other is black. 6:40 AM The men in bowler hats split up. 6:50 AM Adam Reed¡¯s flight approaches the airport. 6:55 AM Arthur stands up and makes his way closer to where Adam Reed will exit his flight. 7:00 AM Adam Reed¡¯s plane lands. Arthur finds a place to hide and waits there. The men in bowler hats regroup and make their way towards Adam Reed. There he is! Adam Reed walked through into the room, his bodyguards to the left and right of him. And¡­ there they are. The men in bowler hats walk into the room from the other side, the men in white standing on either side of the man in black. Adam Reed notices them, beginning to walk a bit faster to get to them. ¡°Hello! Do you fellows need something from me?¡± ¡°No, we don''t.¡± The man in black says slowly as he pulls something from his suit. Now! Arthur jumps out of his hiding spot, dashing towards the men in bowler hats. One of the men in white takes notice immediately, swiftly taking out a gun and shooting Arthur directly between the eyes. Deep in the forest, fallen leaves blew along the ground. The wind blew quietly through the trees, and the faint sound of a city could be heard from the distance. The leaves crunched as Arthur stood up. Damn it! I was right there! He breathed out slowly, calming himself down. It''s alright. It''s fine. I just have to try again. One week later, Arthur had settled into the orphanage yet again. Today''s the day. He snuck out of the building and headed straight for the taxi. ¡°The airport.¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± Arthur put his hand on his face, tapping his temple impatiently. How am I going to pull this off? They arrived at the airport, and Arthur rushed inside after paying the taxi driver. He returned to the waiting area, and purchased the book again, picking up where he left off. He read the book, but most of his mind was occupied with thoughts of the men in bowler hats. I need to get close enough to get a look at the pin before they have a chance to kill me. Time flew by as he thought. Should I try sneaking up from behind them? No, they''d notice. 5:30 AM Should I walk up to them and pretend to just want to ask for directions and use that as an opportunity to get a look at the pin? 6:00 AM No. The pin is small. I can''t get close enough without making them suspicious of me. 6:30 AM I don''t have time. I need to come up with an idea, and fast. He got up and walked to the room where Adam Reed will be killed. I need to get up high. If I drop down on them, I''ll be able to get close fast enough. He looked up, searching for any way of hiding on the ceiling. There! In the direct center of the ceiling, there was a large vent. It''s giving me deja vu of the first time I encountered them¡­ He walked into another room and moved everything he could under the vent in order to create a ladder. I hope it''s not too dusty in there¡­ He climbed into the vent and began to crawl. 6:50 AM He moved the vent cover aside and waited. Just 10 minutes. 7:00 AM Adam Reed walks into the room, followed by his bodyguards. The men in bowler hats enter as well and walk towards Adam Reed. ¡°Hello! Do you fellows need something from me?¡± ¡°No, we don''t.¡± The man in black says slowly as he pulls something from his suit. Just a little more¡­ The men continue to walk until they''re right under the vent. Now! Arthur drops down, knocking one of the men in white to the ground. ¡°What''s going on?!¡± Adam Reed shouts as his bodyguards rush in front of him. The man in black pulls a gun out and points it at arthurs head as the other man in white quickly dispatches the bodyguards. Arthur grabs the pin and brings it up to his face, reading the words as fast as possible. On the bottom the words ¡°rain or shine¡± are inscribed. On the top, ¡°weather men¡±. The man in black fires. To Adam Reed, the sound of the gunshot could barely be heard at all. To Arthur, it was deafening. Chapter 10: Weather Men part 5 Deep in the forest, fallen leaves blew along the ground. The wind blew quietly through the trees, and the faint sound of a city could be heard from the distance. ¡°I did it¡­¡± Arthur layed on the ground, eyes wide as he stared up into the sky through the bare branches of the trees. ¡°I did it!¡± He stood up and ran towards the city. ¡°¡®weather men¡¯...¡± He fished the discarded clothes out of the dumpster and put them on. I''m finally beginning to make progress¡­ He swung the door to the orphanage open, startling Sofia, who was asleep at the front desk. ¡°Woah! C-can I help you?¡± ¡°Yes. Please tell Steven and Charlie to come down.¡± ¡°Alright, wait here for a sec.¡± She ran up the stairs. After a few minutes, Steven and Charlie walked down the stairs together. Steven smiled brightly at Arthur. ¡°Hello! How can I help you?¡± Arthur closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Steven, Charlie, my name is Arthur. I''ve come here from the future.¡± Steven tilted his head with a confused look on his face. Charlie''s eyes went wide as he stopped in his tracks. ¡°Um¡­ is that so? Well, uh, do you nee-¡± Steven said, before being interrupted by Charlie. ¡°No, hear him out Steven. I think he''s telling the truth.¡± Arthur walked up to the locked basement door. ¡°That makes this easier. Steven, please unlock the door.¡± ¡°I-I can''t do that, there''s, uh¡­ private stuff in there.¡± ¡°I already know what''s down there. A ton of custom guns made by a friend of yours.¡± ¡°How did you-?!¡± ¡°I told you, I''m from the future. Now please unlock the door, I''ll explain everything down there.¡± Steven looked at Charlie, unsure. ¡°Trust him.¡± Charlie said. ¡°Alright¡­¡± Steven walked up to the door and unlocked it, heading down first. Arthur and Charlie followed closely behind. They entered the basement, and Steven turned towards Arthur. ¡°Alright, now please explain.¡± ¡°As I said before, I am from the future. Specifically, I traveled back to this time from around 30 years in the future using a time machine Charlie creates.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The world gets taken over by an oppressive dystopian government within the next 15 years. I came back to stop that from happening.¡± Charlie spoke up ¡°and how did you know I was here? And why are you involving Steven in this?¡± ¡°You know how your time machine works, right? If the user ends up dying, they''re sent back once more to the time of their arrival. I''ve died 4 times so far.¡± Charlie nodded. ¡°I see. What happened in your previous lives?¡± ¡°The first time I came back, I made my way to this orphanage without knowing you were here. I ended up living here for 3 years. During this time, I discovered Steven ends up becoming a founding member of the rebellion in the future. After those 3 years, we began our first mission. I was sent to spy on a meeting between a few influential politicians and businessmen, in order to find out if the meeting was about the dystopian takeover. It wasn''t. They discussed selling weapons to the conflicting countries in Asia. I was going to just leave the meeting after this, but a group of men in suits and bowler hats showed up and killed everyone in the building, including me.¡± Charlie nodded, beginning to write something in a small journal he brought with him. ¡°After that, I came back here again and told you two what happened. We spent two weeks trying to find out who it was who killed me, but we couldn''t find anything. Until, we discovered the politician Adam Reed gets killed by them as well.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Steven spoke up. ¡°But Adam Reed is at a meeting in France right now, it says so in the newspaper.¡± ¡°He is killed upon his return in exactly a week. So, I killed myself in order to go back in time and witness the murder myself. My first attempt failed, but my second attempt was a complete success.¡± Charlie put his journal down and looked up at Arthur. ¡°So, what do we need to do?¡± ¡°The name of the group is ¡®weather men''. We know exactly where and when they''re going to be killing someone, so I think we should blackmail them.¡± ¡°That seems pretty dangerous though.¡± Steven said. ¡°Yes. It probably is. But if we can get them to talk, we¡¯ll get valuable information. Worst case scenario, we learn who they are and what their motivations are, so we¡¯re able to avoid running into them in the future. Best case scenario, they''re related to the dystopia and we¡¯re able to finally get some targets.¡± Charlie smiles. ¡°I like it! What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Make a post online about how there''s a group called weather men doing shady stuff or something. It doesn''t matter what you say really, as long as you imply you know who they are.¡± ¡°Alright, I''m on it.¡± Charlie walks back upstairs to get his computer. Steven almost speaks up, but hesitates with a conflicted look on his face. ¡°What''s wrong Steven?¡± ¡°I don''t know¡­ I just¡­ I feel like we shouldn''t be provoking these people. They seem dangerous. Far too dangerous for us to handle.¡± Arthur walks over and puts his hand on Stevens'' shoulder. ¡°It''ll be fine. We have dirt on them, they won''t be able to make any rash decisions.¡± ¡°I hope so¡­¡± 6:00 AM ¡°Alright, I''ve got it typed out. I''m ready to hit send whenever you want me to.¡± Charlie said as he stretched his arms above his head. Arthur stopped pacing the room and walked over to Charlie. ¡°Good. Don''t send it yet, I''m gonna get ready to leave so we can meet up with them as fast as possible.¡± Steven walked into the room holding a cup of coffee. There were large bags under his eyes, and he was still in his pajamas. ¡°If I knew we were going to send the message today I would have gone to sleep earlier last night¡­¡± Arthur put his hand on Steven''s shoulder as he walked by him to go upstairs. ¡°It''s fine. You can go back to bed if you want, we¡¯ll be fine doing this on our own.¡± ¡°No. I''m staying up. I need to be ready in case anything happens.¡± ¡°If you say so. Don''t blame me when you''re exhausted tonight though.¡± Arthur said as he walked up the stairs towards his room. Well, I say that, but I can''t help but be worried too. We don''t know anything about the weather men besides their name. Frankly, we have no idea of what they''re capable of. He opened the door to his room and walked inside. I can only hope they fall for our bluff and peacefully meet with us. He quickly put on a pair of pants and a loose fitting shirt and headed back downstairs. ¡°You ready?¡± Charlie asked as Arthur entered the room. ¡°As ready as I''ll ever be. Send it.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Charlie clicked something on the screen and stood up. ¡°It''s sent. Now we just have to wait.¡± 6:40 AM ¡°Got anything yet?¡± Arthur said to Charlie, yawning. ¡°Nope.¡± He said, leaning back in his chair, ¡°nothing.¡± ¡°Still awake Steven?¡± Steven was asleep in his chair. ¡°Guess not. Well, I''m gonna go get some food. I''ll be right back.¡± ¡°Be quick, we could get something any second now.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Arthur walked upstairs and entered the kitchen, where Sofia was making breakfast. ¡°Good morning!¡± She said enthusiastically as he walked in. ¡°Good morning.¡± He responded. He took a box of cereal out of the cupboard and poured some into a bowl. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. 6:55 AM ¡°I''ll get it!¡± Sofia said, already running towards the door. ¡°Sofia, wait!¡± Arthur shouted. A gunshot rang out, and Sofia fell to the ground. ¡°Sofia!¡± Arthur ran over to her and clutched her body. Charlie came running up the stairs, holding a large gun that he obviously did not know how to use. ¡°What happened?¡± He said. ¡°Run! The weather men are here!¡± Charlie''s eyes went wide, and he rushed back down the stairs without saying another word. ¡°Sofia¡­¡± Arthur looked at Sofia''s body, now creating a pool of blood beneath it, one more time before following Charlie down the stairs. ¡°Steven, wake up!¡± Charlie screamed. ¡°What''s happening?!¡± Steven yelled back as he jolted awake. ¡°The weather men are here! They already killed Sofia!¡± Arthur yelled as he came rushing down the stairs, almost tripping over every step. Steven shut his eyes tight and looked down. ¡°I see. So it''s already all over.¡± His voice shook as the words came weakly out of his mouth. ¡°I''m getting a message from someone!¡± Charlie yelled. ¡°What does it say?!¡± Arthur rushed to the computer. ¡°I don''t know yet, they''re still typing!¡± ¡°Steven, please go hold the door. We need to see this message!¡± Steven nodded and ran up the stairs. ¡°I''ll go as well.¡± Charlie said, following Steven. ¡°It''s all up to you now Arthur. Stay alive until you get that message.¡± ¡°I will.¡± 7:00 AM The sounds of heavy footsteps on the floors above him grated Arthur''s mind, the seconds of waiting for the message feeling more like hours due to the adrenaline. Over time, the screams and disorderly ruckus above him were replaced by an eerily orderly march. The sound got louder and louder, Arthur could tell they were coming back down to check the basement. Come on, send the message already! Arthur gripped the gun in his hand tight. He knew he couldn''t beat them alone, and he knew it wouldn''t matter after he died and got sent back, but he still wanted to kill at least a few of the weather men to avenge everyone else in the orphanage. Ding! Arthur turned around and looked at the computer in awe. He read the message over and over again in his head, unable to believe what he was reading. ¡°Come meet me!¡± Was all the message said. Attached was the address to a building not far from the orphanage. That''s it? It took that long¡­ for that? Arthur laughed. I win. He threw the pistol he was holding aside, and grabbed a large assault rifle from the wall. I guess I''ll let off some steam before going back. Chapter 11: Two Sides Of The Same Coin Deep in the forest, fallen leaves blew along the ground. Arthur stood up and stretched. Should I even meet with Steven and Charlie this time? It would be nice to have a weapon just in case, but they might take it as a threat if I show up with one. He began walking towards the city. I''ll be fine without one. I''ll just end up back here if they kill me anyway. He pulled the clothes out of the dumpster and put them on. Now, I think the address they sent is this way. Arthur began walking towards the address sent in the message. This part of the city was new to him. Even in his first loop, he had never come to this part of the city. The buildings in this part of the city were very clean and modern looking, unlike the maze of red bricks that was the area he was used to. The tall buildings in this area were almost entirely glass, and the shorter ones were mostly made of a beautiful white stone, similar to marble. He reached the address attached to the message. It was a short building made of the white stone, and it had many intricate details carved into it. There were large glass domes on the roof of the building, along with statues of what looked to be angels descending from above. There was a small sign in front of the building that read ¡°Chares city museum of life¡±. Arthur walked inside. The room was large, and much like the outside of the building, had many carvings on the walls. Classical music played quietly through small speakers in the corners of the room. ¡°Hello, how may I help you today?¡± Said a young man seated at an ornate wood desk at the back of the room. Arthur glanced at him suspiciously before walking up to the desk. ¡°Hello, I''m here to meet with¡­ the weather men?¡± The young man frowned for a second before quickly forcing a smile. ¡°I''m afraid I don''t quite understand. I believe you may have the wrong place.¡± ¡°No, I don''t. Now bring out your leader.¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯r-¡± He was cut off by one of the large doors on the side of the room opening. A man wearing a bright yellow suit walked into the room. He looked like he was in his mid sixties, and he had short, light blond hair and a small mustache. He noticed the distressed look on the receptionist¡¯s face and walked over. ¡°Hello, what seems to be the problem here?¡± His voice was deep, and had a slight British accent. ¡°N-nothing sir! This young man is just confu-¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to meet the leader of the weather men.¡± The man in yellow¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°I see. Follow me.¡± The receptionist put his head down and groaned as Arthur followed the man in yellow through one of the large doors. ¡°Who are you?¡± The man in yellow asked. ¡°Who are you?¡± Arthur responded. The man sighed. ¡°I don''t know how you found out about us, but you should probably just go home and forget everything you know before someone else finds out you know. You''re very lucky I''m the one you met here.¡± ¡°I''m afraid I can''t do that.¡± ¡°That''s a shame. you''re so young, you shouldn''t throw your life away by sticking your nose into business that isn''t your own.¡± ¡°If I don''t stick my nose where it doesn''t belong, I''ll lose something far more valuable than my life.¡± ¡°Young people like you really shouldn''t talk like that. You have no idea how valuable your life is until you''re about to lose it.¡± ¡°Believe me, I''ve been in that kind of situation more than enough times to know the value of life.¡± ¡°Then why did you come here? Why put yourself in another situation like that?¡± ¡°I have no other option. If I don''t risk my own life, thousands will lose theirs.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I can''t tell you that.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Well, I guess I could answer your question, if you answer some of mine first.¡± ¡°How do I know you''re not just spouting nonsense to get me to talk?¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°One week from today, the weather men are going to kill Adam Reed at the airport.¡± The man stopped in his tracks. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I wonder, how do I know that?¡± Arthur smirked. The man sighed. ¡°Fine. Follow me, let''s talk somewhere else.¡± Arthur followed the man down a hallway until they reached a door. They walked through the door, and behind it was a large room filled with plants with a glass dome for a roof. Arthur looked around. ¡°The weather men have a pretty bright secret base for a group of murderers.¡± The man sat down at a small metal table. ¡°I believe you''re quite mistaken about the purpose of our organization. We are not murderers.¡± Arthur sat across from him. ¡°You sure? People who aren''t murderers usually don''t kill people.¡± The man pulled out a small coin and played with it in his hand. ¡°How did you even find this place if you don''t even know this much about our organization?¡± He sighed. ¡°Whatever. I''ll explain it to you. We are not really one group. We are three separate groups acting together under the same name. You seem to think the ¡®rain¡¯ portion of our group is the whole thing. It is not.¡± ¡°I don''t understand.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess telling you about why our group was formed would make this easier. You see, our group was created back during the cold war as a joint effort between people, both in the US and the Soviet Union, against a full blown war.¡± ¡°So you''ve been around for quite some time, huh?¡± The man chuckled softly. ¡°You could say that. The group¡¯s purpose back then was simple: prevent a war without being discovered by either side. We worked in the shadows doing all sorts of things, assassination, inciting protests, we even worked as anonymous informants for both sides.¡± ¡°You keep saying ¡®we¡¯. You yourself weren''t around during this time, were you?¡± ¡°Oh heavens no! I''m old, but not that old. When I say ¡®we¡¯, I''m referring to our group, the weather men.¡± ¡°I see. Continue.¡± ¡°Anyway, our purpose hasn''t really changed much since then. The only difference is, instead of trying to prevent a single war, we try to prevent any sort of catastrophic event.¡± ¡°I see. So, what about the whole group made of three groups thing you mentioned?¡± ¡°Right! So, I am the head of the ¡®shine¡¯ group of the weather men. That''s why I''m called Mr. Shine, by the way.¡± ¡°Is that your real name.¡± ¡°No, of course not! It''s my¡­ code name, I guess? Anyway, my part of the group focuses on daylight operations. We make legal money via investments and running small businesses, and then split that money up between the organization and a handful of charities we support.¡± ¡°Charities? Why?¡± ¡°Our mission isn''t just preventing catastrophic events. We also work to maintain happiness and establish high standards of living. That''s the primary purpose of my part of the organization besides just being a way to make legal money for the other parts of the organization to use.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Anyway, the other main part of the organization is the ¡®rain¡¯ group. They''re what you seem to think our organization is. They work to maintain peace via more¡­ unconventional methods. I''m sure you know what I mean.¡± Arthur remembered all the times he¡¯d been killed by the weather men in the past. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°This group is headed by Mr. Rain, which is a code name, obviously. Me and Mr. Rain don''t really see eye to eye, but we work together because we have the same common goal. Personally, I think his methods are a bit too brutal and heartless, and he thinks I''m too soft. That''s where the third group comes in. They don''t really officially have a name, but most people call them ¡®snow¡¯ due to their white suits, and their head¡¯s cold attitude. They mainly work to assist the two main groups and make sure we get along. You could say they''re the glue that holds our organization together. They also provide each group with assistance in various different fields. They''re jacks of all trades.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And I think that''s just about it. Any more questions for me?¡± ¡°Yes. What''s the meaning of your organizations motto? ¡®rain or shine¡¯ I believe it is?¡± ¡°Ah! Well, it means that no matter how bad the situation, we¡¯ll be working behind the shadows to fix it.¡± ¡°I see. I don''t have any other questions. Thank you for your time.¡± Arthur stood up to leave. ¡°Now wait just a second! I answered your questions, why don''t you answer mine? How do you know about us?¡± He can''t know. He''s not trustworthy. ¡°I can''t tell you that.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I just can''t.¡± ¡°Please? I heard you say something about everyone losing their lives if you don''t risk yours earlier¡­ What did you mean by that? Is something happening that I don''t know about?¡± Damn, he''s persistent. Arthur hesitated for a moment, then sat down. ¡°Fine. But don''t tell Mr Rain, or anyone else.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I don''t trust him¡± ¡°Well, alright, whatever you say.¡± ¡°I know about your organization because I''ve been killed by Mr Rain before.¡± ¡°Killed? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I came back to this time from the future using a time machine built by a close friend of mine. This time machine also sends me back whenever I am killed. The first time I returned to this time, I lived normally for three years before I was killed by Mr Rain because I was eavesdropping on a meeting he attacked.¡± ¡°I don''t appreciate jokes, boy.¡± ¡°I''m not joking. In exactly a week, some members of your organization will kill Adam Reed as he tries to leave the airport.¡± ¡°You already told me that, it doesn''t prove You''re from the future.¡± ¡°I know about it because I was killed there twice while trying to find out the name of your organization.¡± ¡°I typically don''t enjoy killing, especially people your age, but I won''t hesitate if you don''t quit joking around.¡± ¡°That''s fine. Kill me. But before you do, tell me something that would convince you I''m from the future so I can convince you next time.¡± Mr Shine took a pistol out of his suit and pointed it at Arthur. ¡°Alright, I guess I can give you that much. Tell me that I plan to throw a surprise party for the receptionist you met earlier in two weeks for his birthday.¡± ¡°Seriously? That''s what will convince you?¡± ¡°Yeah. I haven''t told anyone else.¡± Arthur looked down and sighed. ¡°Whatever, as long as it works. You can go ahead and shoot me now.¡± ¡°Really? You sure? It''s not too late to just tell me the truth about how you found out about us.¡± ¡°I did tell you the truth, and you didn''t believe me. Now shoot me already.¡± Mr Shine had a dumbfounded look on his face. ¡°Well¡­ alright, if you say so.¡± He shot Arthur right between the eyes, killing him instantly. Chapter 11.5: In Orbit Arthur woke up and found himself in a place he did not recognize. Instead of the soft light shining through the bare branches of trees he was used to, he hardly saw any light now, and what little he did see was blinding. The quiet sounds of the forest were gone, replaced by a low, droning hum that came from all around him. He didn''t feel the gentle forest wind, instead he felt as though his body was on the brink of being torn apart by an invisible force. But he did not have a body. He felt no appendages to move, every command his brain sent to his body was lost, having nowhere to go. He tried to look around, but he had no head to move. He tried to scream, but he had no throat to produce the sound, and no mouth to release it. Had he had lungs his breath would have quickened. Had he had sweat glands he would have begun to sweat. Had he had a body he would have curled into the fetal position, closed his eyes tightly, and weeped. But he had none of those things. So all he could do was exist in horror as the sights, sounds, and feelings grated on his mind endlessly. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Arthur woke up. Chapter 12: Deal Deep in the forest, fallen leaves blew along the ground. Arthur stumbled to his feet, then fell over. What? He sat in still silence for a moment, then attempted to stand up again, but fell once more. What was that? How did that¡­ is that possible? He stood up slowly and leaned against a tree, clutching onto one of its bare branches as he attempted to steady his breath. I¡­ was dead. But¡­ I had a¡­ dream? Was that a dream? No, it can''t be¡­ I should have woken up here the instant after I died. How was there something between my death and my waking up? He cautiously attempted to take a step, still holding onto the branch. But if it wasn''t a dream¡­ then what was it? He steadied himself, and let go of the branch. Should I ask Charlie? He began walking towards the city, walking slowly and carefully. No. I need to go straight to the museum. Whatever that was, it''s not important. Gaining information is my top priority. He entered the city, his walking slowly becoming more normal as he entered the alley and put on the clothes from the dumpster. He walked quickly towards the museum, taking every shortcut he could to make up for the time he lost regaining his composure in the woods. He approached the building, only taking a brief moment to take in the architecture this time as he swiftly walked up to the door and stepped inside. ¡°Hello! How can I help you today?¡± The receptionist asked as Arthur walked up to him. ¡°I''m here to see Mr Shine.¡± The receptionist frowned. ¡°I believe you may be in the wrong place.¡± ¡°I''m not.¡± The door opened, and Mr Shine walked out. ¡°Hello.¡± He noticed the expression on the receptionist''s face. ¡°Is there a problem here?¡± ¡°No! There''s not-¡± ¡°Hello Mr Shine. I''m here to talk to you.¡± The bright expression disappeared from his face. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°My name is Arthur, and I¡¯d like to talk to you about something.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can''t tell you here.¡± ¡°Alright. Follow me.¡± He led Arthur back to the room they talked in last time, and sat down. ¡°We''re alone now. What do you want?¡± ¡°I am from the future.¡± An annoyed look appeared on Mr Shine¡¯s face and he began to stand up. ¡°You plan on throwing the receptionist a surprise party in two weeks.¡± Mr Shine stopped. ¡°How do you know what?¡± ¡°You told me to tell you that. You said it would make you believe me.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Mr Shine sat back down. ¡°Alright. I''ll hear you out for now.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Arthur went on to explain what they had talked about together in his previous life. Mr Shine rubbed his temple vigorously. ¡°Alright. Now that I believe you, why don''t you continue from where you left off.¡± ¡°So, as I said before, I was killed by Mr Rain while I was eavesdropping on a meeting. And I was eavesdropping on that meeting because I had reason to believe the subject of that meeting was the organization of a dystopian government.¡± Mr Shine stopped rubbing his forehead and looked up at Arthur with a serious look in his eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Like I said before, I came from the future. And the reason I came back in the first place is because in just a few years, the world is taken over by a powerful authoritarian government. I came back to stop that from happening.¡± ¡°That''s not possible. We would have stopped such a thing from happening.¡± ¡°Well, you didn''t.¡± Arthur stood up. ¡°It was nice to meet you, but I have to get going now.¡± Mr Shine was silent until Arthur was about to open the door to leave. ¡°Wait. Let me help you.¡± Arthur turned back towards him. ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°I believe the prevention of the future you describe would fall under our organization''s duties. I''ll act as your middleman to the rest of the group. You give me information, and I¡¯ll use the weather men¡¯s influence to take the necessary steps to prevent that horrible future.¡± Mr Shine extended his arm out. ¡°What do you say?¡± Arthur walked back to him and stood in silence for a few seconds before grabbing Mr Shine''s hand and shaking it. ¡°Deal.¡± Mr Shine smiled. ¡°Very good. Do you have a place to stay?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°If you''d like, I can provide you with an apartment.¡± ¡°That would be great.¡± Mr Shine stood up. ¡°Come with me, I''ll take you to a building we own.¡± Mr Shine led Arthur out to the front of the building and brought him to a small yellow car. They entered the car together, and Mr Shine turned on the radio. ¡°From now on, call me Andrew. It''d be bad if people heard you call me Mr Shine in public.¡± ¡°Okay Mr Andrew.¡± Andrew laughed. ¡°No, just Andrew!¡± ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± ¡°You''re allowed to be casual with me, kid. We¡¯re equals from now on. Ah, before I forget.¡± Andrew took a phone out of the glove compartment and handed it to Arthur. ¡°Keep this. It''s one of my spares, and has my main phone already registered as a contact. Call me if you ever need anything.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Andrew backed the car out of the parking lot as he typed an address into his GPS. ¡°The place is kinda far away, but it''s in the most quiet part of the city so it''s worth it.¡± After about half an hour, they arrived at a small apartment complex. It wasn''t run down, but it also wasn''t in the best shape. ¡°This is the place!¡± Andrew said, leading Arthur inside. ¡°There should be a vacancy on the third floor I believe.¡± They climbed the stairs up to the third floor and walked up to door 317. Andrew took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door with it, walking inside. ¡°Come on in, I''ll show you around.¡± Arthur followed him inside. The apartment was very small, barely having enough room for the few items of furniture that were already there. There was a small bed against the back corner of the apartment, facing towards the door. At the foot of the bed was a chair facing towards a small TV. In the opposite corner of the room from the bed was a desk and chair facing towards the wall. Directly across the room from the desk, there was a glass door leading to a small balcony. ¡°Where¡¯s the bathroom?¡± Arthur asked. ¡°Right here.¡± Arthur closed the entrance door, revealing another door behind it leading to the bathroom. ¡°And as you can see, the kitchen is right here.¡± He gestured towards the other side of the small entrance hallway, where there was a small, open kitchen area. Much like the rest of the apartment, there wasn¡¯t much room in it. Most of the countertop space was taken up by a microwave, a coffee maker, and the stove, leaving only a space that looked to be somewhere around two square feet. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Andrew asked. ¡°It''s¡­ certainly compact.¡± Arthur answered with a slight chuckle. Andrew laughed. ¡°It is, isn''t it?¡± He walked into the main room and looked around with nostalgia in his eyes. ¡°Ah¡­ this reminds me of my early days in the organization. Good times.¡± He walked back out into the entrance hallway and handed Arthur a key. ¡°This is the key to the apartment. I''ll call you tomorrow and we can decide what to do, until then, get comfortable.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± ¡°Of course. Goodnight, Arthur.¡± Andrew said as he walked out of the apartment and closed the door behind him. Arthur walked into the room and sat down on the bed, sighing. Finally, time to get some rest. He laid there for a few minutes, before getting up to take a shower. After he got out of the shower, he walked back into his bedroom. Ah, shit. I forgot to ask for a new pair of clothes. Chapter 13: Breakfast Arthur awoke to knocking at his door. That''s probably Andrew. I must have slept in. He got out of bed and put on his pants before walking to the door and looking out the peephole. Andrew was standing outside the door holding two large bags in his hands and wearing a backpack on his back. Arthur opened the door and let him inside. ¡°Good morning Arthur! How did you sleep last night?¡± ¡°Fine. I would have slept better if I didn''t sleep in the clothes I found in a dumpster though.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Andrew dropped one of the bags on the floor and rummaged through it. ¡°I thought about that, so I brought you some new clothes today. I''ll call someone and have them bring over some fresh sheets for your bed.¡± He handed arthur a black tee shirt, a pair of light gray sweat pants, and white underwear with a red heart pattern. ¡°What is this?¡± Arthur asked, holding up the underwear. Andrew blushed a little and scratched his head, ¡° ah, that''s just a little joke. I felt like things were kind of tense between us, so I got those to try to¡­ lighten the mood I guess? There are normal ones in the bag if you''d prefer those.¡± ¡°No, these are fine.¡± Arthur said as he carried the clothes into the bathroom, ¡°I''m going to take a quick shower, I''ll be right out.¡± Arthur stepped out of the bathroom wearing his new clothes, his long black hair still slightly wet. The bed already had new sheets put on it, and Andrew was leaning on the door idly. He looked towards Arthur as he walked out. ¡°You take long showers!¡± ¡°Sorry, I still haven''t really gotten used to washing long hair.¡± ¡°Haven''t gotten used to it? How long have you had long hair?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ a little more than three years I think? This body was created when I came back in time, and it started off with long hair. Before that, I always had short hair. So yeah, only a little more than three years at this point.¡± ¡°That seems like enough time to get used to long hair to me.¡± ¡°Well, I lived forty something years with short hair beforehand, and I''ve been very busy the few years I''ve had long hair. I don''t know, maybe it''s just a problem with me. So, what are we going to do now?¡± Andrew smiled, ¡°there''s a great diner nearby, we¡¯re going to go there and discuss our plans over some breakfast.¡± ¡°Sounds good. Let''s go.¡± They walked into the diner together and sat down at a booth by a window. ¡°What are you gonna get?¡± Andrew asked as he picked up a menu and began to look through it. ¡°I don''t know yet.¡± A waitress with a large smile walked up to their table. ¡°Good morning! Are you ready to order drinks or do you need another minute?¡± She said in an almost annoyingly cheery tone. ¡°I''ll have a coffee please.¡± Andrew said, not looking away from his menu. ¡°Just a water for me, thank you.¡± Arthur said. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Got it, I''ll be right back!¡± She began to walk away before being stopped by Andrew, ¡°wait! I''d also like a glass of milk, please.¡± She nodded, writing something on her notepad before walking away. ¡°Why did you order two drinks?¡± Arthur asked as he set down his menu. ¡°I like to put milk in my coffee.¡± Andrew responded, still looking through the menu. ¡°Why don''t you just order your coffee with milk in it?¡± ¡°They get the ratio of coffee to milk all wrong. It''s the one complaint I have about this place.¡± ¡°I see. Have you decided what you want yet?¡± ¡°No¡­ everything here is just so good! It''s too hard to decide.¡± ¡°Decide soon, we¡¯re not just here for fun, we have important stuff to talk about.¡± ¡°I know, I know! Just give me a minute!¡± After a few minutes, the waitress came back holding a tray of drinks. She set them down on the table one by one, then turned to look at Andrew. ¡°Are you ready to order yet?¡± She asked. Andrew set the menu down and sighed. ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± She said, taking out her notepad and pen and getting ready to write, ¡°so, what can I get for you?¡± ¡°I''ll have a waffle, please. Extra syrup.¡± ¡°Got it! And for you?¡± She turned to look at Arthur. ¡°I¡¯d like the pancakes, please.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ I''ll have three.¡± ¡°Okay! Is that all?¡± ¡°Get us a side of bacon, six strips.¡± ¡°Got it! I''ll be right back!¡± She walked away quickly, carrying the empty drink tray under her arm. Andrew took a sip of his coffee, then poured some milk into it and took another sip. ¡°Perfect¡­¡± he said under his breath. ¡°So, where should we begin?¡± Arthur said while tapping his glass. ¡°Ah, right. First off, I''d like more details on the future. Tell me everything you know in as much detail as possible.¡± Arthur recounted what he could remember about the conditions of the world from his childhood before the dystopian government took over. Just as he was getting to the point where the government began to take over, the waitress came back with their food. ¡°Here you go!¡± She said as she placed the plates in front of Arthur and Andrew, ¡°can I get you anything else?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re fine, thank you.¡± Andrew replied. ¡°Got it! I''ll be back when you''re done eating to give you the check.¡± She quickly walked away, disappearing into the kitchen. ¡°Alright, you can continue now.¡± Andrew said to Arthur as he cut off a chunk of his waffle and ate it. Arthur went on, explaining everything from the point of government take over to when he was sent back in time. ¡°I see.¡± Andrew said as he ate the last piece of his waffle and drank the last bit of his coffee, which had gone cold by this point, ¡°this will be more difficult than I anticipated.¡± ¡°Hello again! Here''s your check!¡± The waitress seemingly appeared out of nowhere and placed the check on the table. ¡°Ah!¡± Andrew said, ¡°I''m sorry, but it appears I''ve ¡®left my wallet in summer''.¡± The waitress''s eyes widened a little and she quickly picked the check back up off the table. ¡°I''m very sorry sir!¡± She said, trying to keep her voice quiet, ¡°I didn''t know!¡± ¡°Oh please, don''t worry about it. It''d be suspicious if you did know!¡± Andrew said as he stood up from the booth and stretched, ¡°come on Arthur, let''s go.¡± ¡°Have a very good day, sir!¡± The waitress said as Andrew and Arthur walked away. ¡°We will!¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Arthur asked. ¡°This diner was in a bit of trouble when I first tried it. They weren''t making enough money to pay for their expenses. So, since I was really impressed by the food, I went to the owner and made a deal with them. I paid off most of their expenses, and in exchange members of the Weather Men above a certain rank get to eat for free. It''s a very good deal for both of us.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. So what are we doing next?¡± ¡°We''re going shopping! I may have given you enough clothes to live with, but I think you should pick some clothes for yourself, since I don''t know what you prefer to wear.¡± ¡°You don''t have to do that for me, I''m fine with the stuff you gave me already.¡± ¡°No! You''re a very important man now Arthur, you deserve this.¡± ¡°No, really, I''m fine. Besides, I''m a bit too preoccupied with trying to save the world to worry about how I look.¡± ¡°These things are not mutually exclusive! Why just save the world when you can save the world in style? Besides, we¡¯re already at the store, so might as well buy something while we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Fine¡­¡± This is going to be a long day. What I plan on doing with again Hi everyone! It''s been quite a while, so I''d like to just write a quick update on what''s happening with again. at the moment. Long story short: it''s over for now, but not permanently. Long story long: I started feeling dissatisfied with the quality of the story as it went on, and more and more of my thoughts about it became centered on eventually rewriting it. Due to this, the amount I wrote became less and less. Eventually, I was kinda forced to make a decision when I found the Google document for again. had somehow been deleted. Of course, this wasn''t a real devastating blow or anything, I could always just copy everything from Royal road back into Google docs, all I''d really lost was the few words I''d written of the next chapter. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. But Instead of doing so, I decided to put an end to the story where it was at. So, what''s next? Well, nothing''s set in stone just yet. I have another story called Tandem which I''m currently writing and releasing, so I don''t really have the time to rewrite again. just yet. But I will definitely return to restart and (hopefully) finish again. eventually. As much as I''m disappointed in my work in the later chapters, I do love again., and I enjoy writing it, so I''ll probably try to start writing it again (no pun intended) as soon as I have the time and ideas. So, that''s all for now. I''m sorry for ending again. so abruptly without any notice, and I hope to see you all again when I eventually rewrite it. Also, check out Tandem if it seems like something you''d be interested in, I''m quite proud of it so far. Bye for now!