《The Phoenix Gene [Dystopian Time Travel] Book 1 Complete》


 1. Life Right: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    ¡°Oh no, he¡¯s gonna jump! Feraz, please don¡¯t jump!¡± A lab worker in a hazmat suit pointed at the uber-rich client threatening to take his own life.


    ¡°I¡¯m infallible, indestructible!¡± With arms outstretched, Mr. Feraz Tal dangled his feet over the top railing of the five-story Life Rite laboratory.


    I didn¡¯t ask to get sucked into this mess. I¡¯m the janitor. I was cleaning trash at Life Rite, when that over-privileged punk thrust his problems onto me. That¡¯s why people like me are born - to clean up rich folk¡¯s problems.


    Feraz boasted, ¡°I¡¯m a god, and the probabilities are endless!¡±


    I figured the elite class had unbelievable egos, and his rant confirmed how true that was. His diamond-encrusted watch sparkled against the florescent lights as he sat precariously on the top railing, looking at us peasants below.


    Lab workers scattered, escaping the scene of the crime. No one wanted to be the fall guy. Above their pay grade, I guess. I stupidly stopped to watch, but who could blame the janitor?


    A circular drone flew in and examined the predicament. Alpha was the only one of its kind, crafted by tech genius Mark Claudi, the deceased founder of Life Rite.


    The hunk of metal was shaped like an eye with a creepy camera lens for an iris, always watching. Its metal eyelids clicked open and closed, as if it were blinking its whole body. Top spec compared to standard delivery and patrol drones. It buzzed around Feraz like a mechanical bee, its inner workings buzzing as it surveyed the situation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± Feraz leaned forward into a free fall.


    I gasped.


    His designer shoe hooked on a loose cable dangling from the fourth-floor railing, and he swung upside-down like a bungee jumper.


    I froze with fear. Was it now my job to get him down somehow? He let out a sinister laugh that made my skin crawl.


    I didn¡¯t wish him dead, but didn¡¯t rush to save him, either. How could someone so wealthy be so careless with their life? Maybe money can¡¯t buy happiness, but I¡¯d sure like to see for myself.


    The commotion brought out the big boss, a rare sight for a lowly employee like me. I stiffened at Beatrice Claudi¡¯s commanding presence.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Someone get him down!¡± She made eye contact with me for a split second. I diverted my gaze so Beatrice wouldn¡¯t associate my face with the unfortunate circumstances that brought us together.


    Beatrice dressed impeccably, and her skin glowed with an impenetrable youth. Her shiny white hair was perfectly in place, a sharp contrast to my dull blue locks pulled into a low, matted ponytail. The red streak in my hair might look cool if I could afford better shampoo.


    What I wouldn¡¯t give to be like Beatrice. Maybe she and I could have been friends in another life. We were similar in height, weight, even in our angular facial features. But in this unforgiving reality, she ran the place, and I took out the trash. I was lucky to have a job in this economy, a fact my father, Baxter, reminded me of daily. Great pep talk, Pops.


    ¡°Jackie? Is that your name? Go make yourself useful!¡± Beatrice pointed at the name tag on my janitor jumpsuit.


    What was I supposed to do? I should have ducked out of the lab like the rest of the workers had. Only the head technician stayed. Should I call my Pops Baxter for backup? He was the lead custodian¡­


    ¡°What the hell, Feraz?¡± Beatrice yelled with a firm voice. ¡°How can you be so careless? I¡¯m taking your treatments away. I mean it this time.¡±


    Beatrice looked at me again and snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Get him down.¡±


    Crap, how could I save him? I¡¯m an eighteen-year-old female janitor with meager upper body strength. I¡¯m malnourished and lifting massive garbage cans takes a lot out of me.


    With my mouth awkwardly open, I surveyed the situation. I could take the elevator to the fifth floor and cut the cable, but how would I lower him to the ground safely? If one hair on his precious head was out of place, that¡¯d be the end of me. I needed help, so I grabbed the radio on my janitor¡¯s cart.


    ¡°No!¡± Beatrice yelled at me. ¡°No one else needs to see this.¡± She snapped her fingers, and the head technician ran to her side.


    I stood still and looked up, unsure of what to do. The drone circled Feraz, documenting the scene, a reminder that a machine was more capable than me.


    I didn¡¯t know what to do. My inaction could get me fired, so I moved toward the elevator, pretending to help.


    ¡°Let me back in to check the probabilities!¡± Feraz¡¯s laugh reverberated in the open room as he wriggled like a fish on a line. His jerky movements untangled his foot, and the next sound was the splat of blood and bone against the linoleum floor.


    I don¡¯t know what happened in the milliseconds I instinctively covered my eyes, but when I looked up again, his lifeless body burst into flames. His skin melted under the spontaneous, intense heat. Whatever was left quickly turned to ash. It all happened so fast. My mind struggled to process what my eyes were seeing¡­ But what I witnessed next both shocked and horrified me.


    A swirl of energy rose from the ashes. These glowing specs swirled, danced, collided, and burst like fireworks. The explosion produced what looked like a newborn baby bird, hairless and hideous. It mangled and morphed into a leathery human form covered completely in fire. This creature grew rapidly in size, from baby to adult in the matter of seconds. As it transformed, it resembled Feraz once more. I struggled to understand. Did Feraz Tal, infamous heir of a zillionaire oil syndicate, die and rebirth right in front of me?


    I swear, I¡¯m a reliable narrator. I¡¯m not on drugs because, well, I can¡¯t afford them. If my finances were any better than ninety-nine percent of the godforsaken population, I would surely take a sweet escape from the hell we¡¯re all living in. But this was not a hallucination. This was real, and now I was stuck in the middle of it.


    Alpha circled the messy scene, capturing the whole thing. Maybe the footage still exists to corroborate my story, but good luck getting your hands on something that top secret - if Life Rite didn¡¯t destroy the evidence.


    I couldn¡¯t look away, despite my horror. I lost myself in the flames that engulfed his rebirthing body.


    Fire has always fascinated me. A flickering blaze was always my drug of choice, if you will, briefly offering respite by transporting me into the empty void within. I sat still in its sweet silence.


    The only thing strong enough to bring me out of my daze was Beatrice¡¯s assertive voice.


    ¡°Hey! Are you stupid or something?¡±


    I snapped out of it. ¡°Huh?¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The Alpha drone scolded me. ¡°Jackie Cooper, get the fire extinguisher or you¡¯ll be terminated.¡±


    Can¡¯t ignore a threat like that in a society like mine. Decent paying jobs were scarce, so I jumped into action. I grabbed the nearest fire extinguisher, of which there were many in the laboratory for some reason. I pulled the trigger and extinguished those precious flames.


    Feraz coughed as he lay in the fetal position on the cold floor, covered in the white foam I sprayed on him. The hair on his head quickly grew back like high-speed time-lapse photography on nature docs, compressing the time it takes for plants to grow.


    Beatrice called to me, ¡°Now go get some water and linens.¡±


    I handed her towels from my cart and rushed past the creepy drone to the nearest sink. A glass vial broke as I reached for a jug. I hoped Life Rite wouldn¡¯t take money from my paycheck to replace it.


    As the faucet ran, I took a beat to compose myself. What the heck did I witness? Are the rumors about Life Rite true? How much will Life Rite charge me for that broken vial?


    Corporations are trifling like that. Life Rite is a multi-zillion dollar company with anti-aging creams and other health-related projects, but heaven forbid they lose one measly glass vial.


    The jug overflowed in the sink, so I turned off the faucet and carried it over to Feraz. The weight of it made me walk like a toddler, splashing water all over the floor. Beatrice looked at me with utter disgust when I spilled a drop onto her pointed heels.


    The head technician checked Feraz¡¯s vitals.


    ¡°That was a full regeneration,¡± he whispered to Beatrice. ¡°He¡¯ll be out for a while.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what he wanted,¡± Beatrice whispered. ¡°To explore the probabilities.¡±


    I wondered what she meant by that, but she remembered my awkward presence before I could ponder.


    Beatrice motioned for me to hand the water to the technician.


    I did as I was told and bowed my head respectfully. ¡°May I be dismissed?¡±


    Beatrice looked me in the eye. I averted my gaze and stared at the floor, as any obedient servant would. I knew better than to pretend she was my equal. She looked around the empty lab before focusing back on me.


    ¡°Come with me.¡± Beatrice turned coldly, and I followed like a lost puppy. The drone came, too. Alpha hovered over Beatrice¡¯s right shoulder as she walked.


    Where was she taking me? I was awed by her presence, but Pops always told me it was better not to be seen or heard at work. Receiving attention wasn¡¯t special, it was dangerous.


    Beatrice, Alpha, and I exited the lab through a steel door that locked behind us.


    The halls of Life Rite were immaculate, clean with a fresh coat of white paint. Photographs of gorgeous, wealthy people lined the corridor with slogans selling the anti-aging creams the company was famous for. ¡°Reclaim your youth with Life Rite.¡±


    A small jar of that stuff cost more than my monthly paycheck. I know because I checked. I¡¯m only eighteen, but you have to start early if you want to prevent outward signs that you¡¯re too poor to stay young, healthy, and beautiful despite the contaminated food, water, and air we¡¯re all subjected to. Surgery¡¯s cheaper than Life Rite cream, but that doesn¡¯t always age well, either.


    We walked to the end of the hall, the sound of Beatrice¡¯s heels mixed with the clicking of the drone¡¯s inner workings. Even the mundane sounds of this woman¡¯s life were more elegant than the scuffs of my unconfident, shuffling feet.


    A man with a clipboard approached Beatrice, but she held up her finger and said, ¡°Not now.¡±


    I dreaded being more important than any business a man with a clipboard had. I¡¯m definitely getting fired¡­


    Beatrice opened the gold-trimmed door to her corner office and invited me inside. ¡°Come.¡±


    She motioned for me to sit in a pink velvet chair. I sat stiff, not wanting dirt from my jumpsuit to ruin the expensive decor. I realized I had blood splatter on my knee, probably from Feraz¡¯s fall. I hid it with my hand.


    The drone flew close to my cheek. A red laser spit out of its belly, scanning the Universal DNA Identifier in my finger to assess all my data. Now that it was close, I saw glowing green electrical wires inside. My body tensed even tighter under its watchful lens.


    Beatrice sat behind her power desk, looking me up and down. I could only afford a quick glance back at her. A hint of repulsion played across her youthful face, but only for a second. She was superb at hiding it. Poised to perfection.


    How old was she? She didn¡¯t look a day over twenty-five, but she had access to liquid gold Life Rite, so your guess is as good as mine. She sat back and watched me as her drone spoke for her.


    Alpha said in a robotic voice, ¡°Jackie Cooper, thank you for your service. I am sure that was difficult to experience.¡±


    ¡°You can say that again, Alpha.¡± Beatrice offered an airy laugh to break the tension.


    The drone added an odd, stilted digital laugh.


    I tried to reciprocate, but the awful squeak that came out of my stupid mouth made things worse. It was nerve-racking being in the same room with such a powerful woman and her drone assistant.


    What did they want with me? Why were they thanking me for my service when I failed to get Feraz down before he fell? I decided not to say anything so they could get to the punchline.


    Alpha continued. ¡°What happens at Life Rite is confidential. You already know that because you signed a non-disclosure agreement on your first day of employment. Do you remember?¡±


    I signed a million pieces of paper before they let me into the complex. Had to agree if I wanted the job, so I didn¡¯t waste my time reading any of it.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said. ¡°I remember and I comply.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Alpha blinked its eyelids several times rapidly. ¡°Your response has been recorded.¡±


    Beatrice smiled, showcasing her perfectly aligned, brilliantly white teeth. I¡¯d need a billion dollars worth of work to get my smile to glow like hers.


    Better yet, what would I have to do to have a flying robot speak for me? The top-of-the-line device had retractable arms, complex inner workings, and artificial intelligence. Even the drone was smarter than me. I felt like a neanderthal let out of my cave.


    As if sensing my thoughts, Beatrice spoke, first addressing the drone.


    ¡°Thank you, Alpha. I¡¯ll take it from here.¡±


    To me directly, ¡°Jackie, I know you would never tell a soul about what happened today in the lab, but Alpha had to get the legal covered. You were the only non-essential employee that witnessed the event.¡±


    Being called non-essential was a punch in the gut. I nodded with my gaze fixed on the floor. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°You say you understand,¡± Beatrice replied, ¡°but I¡¯m sure you have questions. You might be a little scared or unsure about what happened. Is that how you¡¯re feeling?¡±


    Did she really want to know how I was feeling? I wished I could honestly tell her. I wished we could gab like girlfriends, but Pops trained me well.


    I kept my eyes on the floor. How much did the gold trim on the marble tiles cost to install? She probably imported the materials from Italy or something ridiculously unnecessary like that.


    On my non-response, Beatrice continued. ¡°I don¡¯t have to do this, but I¡¯d like to offer you a bonus payment for your excellent response time today.¡±


    A bonus payment?


    Perhaps witnessing that horrific event was a blessing. Maybe for once I was in the right place at the right time. Could my luck finally be turning around? I kept my eyes on the tiles and fought the corners of my lips from showing any emotion.


    ¡°How does that sound?¡± Beatrice asked.


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s very generous of you, Miss Claudi, but it¡¯s unnecessary. It¡¯s my pleasure to serve you and Life Rite. I intend to work here loyally for the rest of my life.¡±


    Beatrice smiled. ¡°Fabulous.¡±


    She stood, which was my cue to leave.


    I bolted up, turned around, and got the hell out of there. I was almost home free.


    ¡°Jackie?¡± Beatrice called.


    I turned back around to face her. Confident I said and did everything correctly, I made eye contact for a split second. She had deep brown eyes, just like mine.


    ¡°Alpha will take care of the bonus payment. Keep up the good work and remember, everything that happens here is extremely confidential.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± I turned to leave, and Alpha followed.


    I felt Beatrice staring at me as I exited; sizing me up, wondering if she could trust me. The shrewd business woman was curious if I would tell anyone about the strange treatment that gave the elite the opportunity to rebirth. She saw my worn-out shoes, my threadbare jumpsuit, my matted ponytail. She knew I was too pathetic to go against a mega-corp like Life Rite. Beatrice knew her secret was safe with a lowly loser like me.


    As soon as her office door closed, Alpha said, ¡°There will be a bonus payment of one million dollars on your next paycheck.¡±


    One million dollars? That¡¯s it? I guess the rich stay that way by keeping all their cash.


    ¡°Get back to work,¡± the drone added before it zipped away with an air of importance. Its clicking sound reminded me I was still on Life Rite¡¯s time.


    I walked back to the lab, dumbfounded. An armed guard protected the door.


    ¡°I need to get in there to grab my janitor''s cart.¡± I touched my pointer finger to the Universal DNA Identifier scanner so it could scan my microscopic ID chip, but the reader flashed red.


    ¡°This zone is restricted. Get outta here.¡± The guard nodded for me to leave.


    ¡°But I need my supplies to do my job,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°Report to your direct supervisor for instructions.¡±


    I knew better than to argue. I made my way to the dingy basement, often referred to as the dungeon, praying I could sneak another cart without having to explain myself.


    Maybe the tedious tasks of my mindless job would give me a chance to process what happened. Why didn¡¯t Beatrice fire me? Why give me a bonus, albeit small? Did Feraz die and rebirth, or was it¡­ a simulation somehow? If it was real, was Feraz still human or was he¡­ something else?


    My mind could not compute, so I shook it all away. I assumed as long as I told no one, I would be safe. Right?


    I was na?ve to think it would be that easy¡­

 2. The Have-Nots: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    My pops, Baxter, waited for me at the back door of the Life Rite complex where wage workers emerged after their grueling day. His beat-up jumpsuit matched mine, but that¡¯s about all we had in common. He had kind blue eyes, light blonde hair that was turning grey, and a heart-shaped face much fuller than mine. He threw his arm around me, and we walked into the dusty street.


    ¡°How was your day, pumpkin?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Uneventful,¡± I lied.


    ¡°I heard there was a fire in the main lab,¡± Baxter said. ¡°Glad I wasn¡¯t in that detail.¡±


    I nodded. I trusted Pops with anything, but the less he knew, the better. That million dollar secret would go to the grave with me.


    We walked in silence, past throngs of homeless living in makeshift tents on the littered sidewalks. A scruffy man held a sign that read, Trained Doctor Will Work for Food. Poverty was paramount. Indentured servants, imprisoned at birth, working off a never-ending tab they didn¡¯t sign up for.


    Baxter squeezed my hand and smiled. ¡°Beautiful night.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    The night air was stifling hot. Even the sky felt oppressive. A red laser-like patchwork covered every inch of sky, known as the Grid. It made life feel like a prison sentence. The Grid served as a reminder that we were all stuck and suffocating, yet its constant presence was comforting at the same time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can eat at Joe¡¯s Place,¡± Baxter suggested.


    I shrugged. ¡°That place is harder to get into than first-class, but worth a try, I guess.¡±


    We rounded the corner to scrounge up some dinner. As always, the line for free soup at Joe¡¯s Place wrapped around the block, so we abandoned that plan and headed toward the subway.


    At least we had a home. A roof above our heads made us better off than most.


    As I descended the subway stairs, the shadow of an enormous overhead bird engulfed me. The twinkle of the Grid blinded me when I looked up. Upon second glance, a patrol drone hovered nearby, so I continued downward.


    Unlike Alpha, patrol drones were more compact, with less functionality. Their only attachment was a gun in case a person of interest didn¡¯t stop on command.


    ¡°Stop¡± was the only thing patrols ever said. In a crowd, instead of guessing who it was talking to, everyone nearby froze, just in case.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try to fit. Don¡¯t feel like waiting for the next one.¡±


    Baxter and I squeezed into a packed subway car. Commuters huddled together in the aisle. Homeless and their garbage bags of random goodies owned the seats, a permanent fixture never to be evicted. The thick air reeked of body odor and spoiled food.


    The train took off down the track. As we traveled through the ultra-wealthy communities, the subway doors locked to ensure undesirables couldn¡¯t roam their clean, well-manicured streets.


    You needed special clearance programmed into your Universal DNA Identifier to get into the guarded first-class cabins. Those were reserved for the maids, butlers, and drivers of the upper class so they could get to work. We had similar access implanted into our IDs to get to Life Rite, but since our job was janitorial, we didn¡¯t get the luxury of the nicer cabin.


    I watched a housekeeper in the first-class cabin through the single pane of glass that divided us. I wondered what secrets ¡°the help¡± were holding, privy to the personal lives of the wealthy. Having stumbled onto one of Life Rite¡¯s top secret projects, I might have a lot in common with Beatrice Claudi¡¯s maid. I barely kept myself together in her presence in a professional setting. What would it be like to serve her at home? Seeing the way she lived, her personal life and affairs; the possibilities of Beatrice¡¯s rich life flickered in my mind like a soap opera.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Baxter asked.


    I faked a smile. ¡°I¡¯m good, Pops. Just tired.¡±


    The burden of other people¡¯s secrets weighed heavily on me. There should be a support group for the have-nots, the undesirables, those who serve silently in the shadows.


    The train came to the surface and stopped at a high-end station. All doors remained locked with heavy bolts, except the first-class cabin. I stole a glimpse of the Grid from the train¡¯s graffiti-covered window. Even the checkered sky looked prettier on the wealthy side of town.


    I wondered what Beatrice¡¯s mansion looked like. She wasn¡¯t an employee of Life Rite; she ran the place. I bet she owned several estates with sprawling lawns of green grass; a rare sight since humans squandered precious water resources. Plants lost out, concrete took over, and the people lived off soda and beer.


    My thoughts turned compulsive. I bet Beatrice drinks pure water¡­ How old was she? How many pairs of shoes did she own?


    The dusty pair on my feet were my only ones. Everything in my life seemed to be covered in dust. As the train rattled on, I lost myself in restless thoughts of luxury, aimless fantasies of another life in which Beatrice and I were equals.


    ¡°Here we are.¡±


    Luckily, Baxter was paying attention and nudged me to get off at our stop. They didn¡¯t lock the doors for our neighborhood. Any low-life was welcome here.


    We spilled out onto Wright Road amongst a throng of commuting bikers. Few cars drove through these streets any more. The gas was too expensive. Even electric cars were pricey to run, not to mention the insurance and government fees. There were plenty of lived-in parked cars that looked like a comfy alternative to sidewalk sleeping.


    The corner grocery store boasted a sale on bread for half a million dollars a loaf.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy two,¡± I joked to myself.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Baxter asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I ran up the cement stairs of our two-story duplex with a cracked brick facade. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was home.


    Baxter moved to unlock the front door, but found it already ajar.


    ¡°Damn it, Johnnie never closes the goddamn door.¡± Baxter¡¯s voice raised as he walked into the foyer, for the benefit of whatever random roommate might overhear it. Boxes lined the hallway.


    ¡°Hey.¡± I passed three roommates sitting in the living room, all too exhausted to acknowledge me with a wave.


    I turned into my bedroom and nosedived into the pillow on the lower bunk bed.


    ¡°Home sweet home.¡±


    Finally alone, I let the incident in the lab sink in. The sound of flesh and bone against the linoleum. The melting skin, the warmth of the blaze¡­ Who, or what, rose from those ashes?


    Rumors swelled about the upper class living longer with zero titans of industry dying in recent years. My mind spiraled. Was this how the rich stayed alive longer? If that were true, would Life Rite let me live with such a secret? Could I have negotiated a larger hush fee? Opportunities are scarce¡­ Did I miss a big one?


    ¡°Hey Jackie. Rough day?¡± My roommate Gabby walked in and jumped on the top bunk.


    ¡°The worst.¡± I moved to the adjoining bathroom, needing space to process it all.


    I splashed my face with water; looked into the mirror, and combed my hands through my dark blue hair with red streaks.


    My eyes looked sad and tired. Dark circles and a few dreaded wrinkles already set up camp on my face.


    I¡¯m not ugly; just poor. I could look as attractive as Beatrice, or better, if I could afford a little Life Rite cream. But on my measly salary, I was aging by the minute.


    For the first time in a while, I cared about my appearance. Average life expectancy was forty, so at eighteen, it seemed okay to look middle-aged already. But now I longed to be pretty, wealthy, respected¡­


    My roommate knocked on the bathroom door. ¡°You done in there? My turn.¡±


    Never alone in communal living, but a decent option if you were lucky enough to have some sort of down payment for a mortgage. Pops took good care of me like that, but add property taxes onto the mortgage and you get eight other roommates in your single family home.


    ¡°All yours.¡±


    I went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. It was practically empty except for a few ketchup packets and half a stick of butter. My stomach growled. I filled a water filter with rusty liquid from the faucet. The pitcher slowly filtered out dirt and spat out murky water that was probably still not safe to drink. I opened the cupboards to find them completely bare.


    ¡°Who ate my last can of spaghetti?¡± I yelled.


    No response. My nose flared as I breathed through my mounting rage.


    Baxter entered with a smile, now in sweatpants.


    ¡°Look what I have.¡± He pulled out a can of corn from his pocket.


    ¡°Oh, thank you, yes!¡± I exclaimed.


    Baxter cracked the can open and spilled the corn into a bowl for the microwave.


    I saw a glimpse of my roommate Johnnie¡¯s slicked black hair and tired pinstripe suit pass by in the hallway, so I called out, ¡°Hey Johnnie, you got rent?¡±


    ¡°I have something even better.¡± Johnnie entered the kitchen with a baggie full of pills.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your drugs!¡± I scoffed.


    ¡°You''ll want these!¡± Johnnie lifted his bushy black eyebrows. ¡°This here is Life Rite. Take one of these every day for a month, and you¡¯ll have immortality. They¡¯ve been developing this for the elites, but I got a hookup.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Why would I want a longer life? So I can live in this dump with you for eternity? No thanks. Where¡¯s your rent?¡±


    Baxter chimed in, ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t spend your rent money on that street crap. Life Rite isn¡¯t a pill.¡±


    ¡°How do you know, old man?¡± Johnnie asked.


    Baxter shrugged. ¡°Your low-life dealer is trying to get you hooked to, I don¡¯t even know what. A month of those, and you''ll be his customer for life. Don¡¯t do it, kid.¡±


    Johnnie popped a pill. ¡°Suit yourself. More eternal life for me. More time to hustle.¡±


    Baxter shook his head with disappointment as Johnnie bounced out of the room. Baxter handed me a bowl of corn, and I shoveled it into my mouth.


    ¡°You really think there¡¯s an immortality drug?¡± I asked, but didn¡¯t pause for his answer. ¡°I know there¡¯s always been rumors, but for real? And how do you know it isn¡¯t a pill?¡±


    Baxter winked. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised what you learn when no one sees you.¡±


    ¡°What have you seen?¡± I asked.


    ¡°What have you seen?¡± Pops poked back.


    I shook my head. Had he heard about my involvement in the lab fire? If only Beatrice hadn¡¯t seen me¡­ I should have run like all those other lab workers. The small payout wasn¡¯t worth the stress.


    I¡¯m sure Pops sensed my strife.


    ¡°Pumpkin, it¡¯s not our job to right the wrongs we see. It¡¯s our job to keep our head down, mouth shut, and clean the place. Got it?¡±


    I nodded silently, jaded from the repeated lesson. Could I make it my job to right some wrongs in this messed up world? Someone should.


    Arguing echoed from the living room, so Pops and I went to investigate.


    Johnnie and Gabby bartered aggressively, so we sat to watch it unfold. Roommate squabbles were more interesting than television.


    ¡°I''ll give you half a million for five pills,¡± Gabby offered Johnnie.


    ¡°No way, these are way more valuable than that.¡±


    Steve, another deadbeat roommate, sat in my recliner. ¡°I¡¯ll pay your rent this month for ten pills, Johnnie.¡±


    I interjected, ¡°I like the sound of that. Payable to me.¡±


    Gabby sighed. ¡°Too rich for my blood, but this could be a story for my ViewMe channel.¡± Gabby pulled out a pocket-sized camera and pressed record.


    Johnnie pushed the camera away. ¡°If you keep that out of my face, I''ll give you one pill for a quarter million. You can vlog about the effects of Life Rite as long as you don¡¯t mention where you got it. I take five percent of your clicks.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± Gabby took a pill, and they both popped one. Gabby turned the camera on herself as she swallowed.


    She said to the camera, ¡°Does eternal life come in a pill? I just took Life Rite, y¡¯all. Follow me for immortal updates.¡± She threw the camera a peace sign and kissy face.


    With that drama settled, I turned on the TV and flipped through channels. A commercial boasted that the lottery jackpot was up to Ninety-seven trillion dollars. On another channel, a thin woman bragged that one container of yogurt only cost a hundred and fifty thousand and might kill up to ten percent of those pesky parasites living in your gut.


    I clicked the remote again, and the Life Rite logo filled the screen. Despite seeing that logo every day at work, I never noticed that the R resembled a bird¡¯s beak. An odd detail that struck me in that moment. Feraz rebirthed first as a baby bird-like creature¡­


    The fear of what I saw at Life Rite nagged at me, so I flipped the channel and settled on the local news. Doom and gloom newscasts were another popular form of entertainment. The reporter filled us in on the messed up state of the world, lulling us ever deeper into our trance of indifference.


    ¡°A controversial bill has passed in Congress to set up mandatory checkpoints in all major cities to test for the PX virus. Activists say the checkpoints are a threat to personal freedoms.¡±


    ¡°What the heck is the PX virus?¡± I wondered aloud.


    ¡°Never heard of it,¡± Johnnie responded.


    The newscast cut to a well-dressed congressman. ¡°It¡¯s our job to protect the health and welfare of the population, no matter what the cost. These checkpoints are for your wellbeing. PX has already killed five people nationwide, and it¡¯s extremely contagious. Checkpoints will go into effect immediately.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Since when does anyone care about our health and wellbeing?¡±


    Gabby interjected. ¡°They better catch those PX gutter rat freaks. Nobody¡¯s gonna give me no virus.¡±


    Gabby and Johnnie burst out laughing. Clearly, the effects of the drug they¡¯d taken had already kicked in. That was fast. I wished I had taken some. Maybe I¡¯d buy some pills when my bonus payment kicked in¡­


    Everyone stopped laughing when a patrol drone hovered near the window before continuing its routine scan of the neighborhood.


    The reporter wrapped the story with, ¡°The health and wellness mega corporation, Life Rite, has joined forces with the government hoping to find a cure for PX. They expect a vaccine to be ready within mere months.¡±


    Life Rite had their hand in everything, it seemed. A realization set in. I couldn¡¯t escape them. A deep-seated fear bubbled inside me, a new anxiety to add to the pervasive malaise of life.


    Am I safe with their secret?

 3. Checkpoint: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    The next morning, Baxter and I set off on the return trip to Life Rite wearing our matching janitor jumpsuits. The blood splatter was still on my knee, a reminder of what I saw yesterday. I had barely slept. My mind replayed that horrific rebirthing scene on repeat all night long.


    We hit a thick mob of people waiting to get into the subway station. I craned my neck to see what was going on up ahead. Police cars, Life Rite vans, and uniformed officers clogged the entrance to the underground metro.


    ¡°Oh great, one of those virus checkpoints.¡± I sighed. ¡°Just my luck.¡±


    Baxter''s eyes darted around nervously as I pushed my way closer to the checkpoint. I didn¡¯t want to be late since I got enough attention at work yesterday.


    Up ahead, a police officer prick someone with a metal device. A green light flashed, and they waved the line forward. This was going to take forever.


    ¡°Maybe we should go another way,¡± Baxter suggested.


    ¡°What other way?¡± I asked. ¡°This is the fastest route to work.¡±


    Baxter scanned the crowd as we inched closer. His body tensed as another woman got pricked, and the device turned red.


    The woman asked, ¡°What does that mean? Do I have the PX virus?¡±


    ¡°Please, come with me, ma¡¯am,¡± the police officer said as he grabbed her arm.


    She pulled away and shouted, ¡°No. I''ve done nothing wrong. I feel fine. Not sick at all.¡±


    The woman turned to run, but the throng of people waiting to get through the checkpoint created an impenetrable barrier. The police officer grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward a Life Rite van.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± the woman cried. She resisted, and he forced her into the van violently.


    Commotion trickled through the mob of people waiting to pass. They could subject any of us to the same treatment. Another reminder of how disposable we all were. Not to mention the extra commute time this added to everyone¡¯s already hectic morning. Thousands of bosses would financially, emotionally, or physically abuse their workers for the minor inconvenience of being late. I certainly couldn¡¯t afford a demerit.


    Baxter grabbed my arm and pulled me back. ¡°I don¡¯t like this. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Pops, it¡¯s fine. I''m sure we don¡¯t have the PX virus.¡±


    Baxter looked around, presumably for a way out. Beatrice¡¯s drone, Alpha, scanned the crowd with its facial recognition laser. It was unusual to see such a high-tech drone around here. I could sense its laser lock in and scan me. Luckily, I wasn¡¯t a person of interest. Those types of people never got far with a scanner around.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Baxter said as he pulled me backward.


    ¡°Why? I can¡¯t be late today.¡±


    He led me against the swell of the crowd.


    ¡°Trust is the glue that holds families together.¡± Baxter had a slew of catch phrases. That was one of them.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°So trust me.¡±


    I trusted Pops more than anyone, but I didn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t want to go through the checkpoint. Still, I didn¡¯t resist or ask questions. I let Baxter be my guide.


    ¡°I¡¯m with you, Pops.¡±


    We made our way through the sea of people, which was no easy feat. Shoulder after shoulder knocked me around as we went against the desperate horde.


    Down the street, there was a welcomed open space that was quickly filling with more people waiting to queue.


    Baxter paused and said, ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t go through one of those checkpoints. Promise me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Okay. I promise.¡± Why was he so shaken? My mind raced with alternate routes to work and excuses for my direct supervisor.


    Baxter looked around again, so I followed his gaze. A police officer followed us from the sidelines.


    ¡°Hey, you two! Get back in line. Time to comply,¡± the police officer shouted at us. He had already drawn his gun and pointed it at us.


    Baxter grabbed my arm and broke into a sprint. My back tingled with fear as we ran away from the armed officer.


    Why were we pinpointed? Why were we evading instead of complying?


    I looked back as the officer trained his gun. I think Baxter saw the gun too because he bumped me out of the way as the pistol fired with a deafening bang. Baxter fell to his knees and grabbed his stomach. Blood poured from his fresh wound.


    Screams came from all sides. Mine were the loudest. Tears spilled from my eyes as I ran to Baxter¡¯s side. The crowd dispersed in all directions around us.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Keep going and never look back,¡± Pops said with a cough.


    I was speechless, surrounded by a growing chaos. The police officer walked toward us, weaving his way through the restless mob stirring around him.


    ¡°Run!¡± Baxter insisted as he bled out in the street.


    I froze, rooted to the spot.


    ¡°I love you, Pops,¡± I said through my tears. The stain on my knee was nothing compared to the blood bath all over my jumpsuit now. Sensing more impending doom, I took Pops¡¯ advice and ran.


    Someone from the crowd threw a homemade grenade into a storefront next to me. Discontent was so high, any disturbance brought out the riffraff poised to take advantage of social unrest. The bomb exploded, sending flames and debris into the street. The boom knocked me off my feet.


    I sat up and looked into the fire. The flickering of the flames took me into myself, and I indulged in the reservoir of my mind for a split-second. I wanted to stay there forever. I needed an excuse to avoid stepping back into the now, and I quickly found one.


    A moment I¡¯d suppressed my whole life flashed before me. I must have been three or four years-old when my mother fled. For a moment, I relived that last hazy memory of her when she left me with Pops. I never saw her again after that. The details of her face were fuzzy in my scattered recollection. I desperately tried to recall what she looked like, but there was no time for specifics.


    Another homemade bomb went off, shaking me back to my physical reality. I snapped out of my daze, got to my feet, and ran as quick as physically possible.


    I looked back and saw the police officer stumble to his feet through the smoke. He searched for me in the fray.


    ¡°Freeze!¡±


    As I turned into an alley to my left, a gunshot ricocheted off the wall in front of me. The chase was on, even though I didn¡¯t know what I did to deserve it. Innocence didn¡¯t matter. Justifications replaced justice long ago. I jumped onto a fire escape ladder and climbed up the side of the building as the officer turned the corner.


    ¡°Comply!¡± he yelled.


    I ducked into an open window and flew through a dingy corridor. Took a hard turn up the inner stairwell and ran up two stairs at a time. Up six flights, then I burst through another door and spilled out onto the roof of the building.


    I stumbled through a clothes line, ran past a chicken coop, and jumped onto the next rooftop. I stopped to look down into the street and saw the raging fire from the storefront below. The flames drew me in, and I lost myself again for a beat.


    A strange image flashed through my mind¡¯s eye; I flew over a fiery, scorched landscape. It was a place I¡¯ve never seen before, yet it felt oddly familiar. I paused to experience the memory of this ravished land.


    A loud male voice echoed in my head. ¡°Jackie, I¡¯m here to help. Do what I say and you¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    The boom of this mysterious voice jolted me back to reality.


    ¡°Who said that? Where are you?¡± I looked around. I was alone on that rooftop. ¡°Huh?¡±


    I snapped back to my priority and searched for Pops in the street below. I couldn¡¯t find him amongst the restlessness. The crowd must have swallowed him up. Baxter¡¯s gentle nature merited a better funeral than that. I hoped some kind soul grabbed him and took him to an underground hospital, the kind that didn¡¯t ask for insurance. I held onto a glimmer of hope that he was still alive.


    That deep voice echoed in my skull again. ¡°You¡¯ve got to move fast. They¡¯re coming for you.¡±


    ¡°What do they want from me?¡± I screamed.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to find out, keep moving!¡±


    ¡°Where can I go?¡± I asked in desperation.


    ¡°Jump! Trust me,¡± the voice answered.


    ¡°Trust you? Who the hell are you?¡±


    Sirens wailed. I ran to the edge of the rooftop and surveyed the situation. There was nowhere to go. The next building was too far away to jump.


    ¡°No way,¡± I whispered, half to myself and half to whoever I imagined was talking to me.


    The officer burst through the door and stumbled onto the roof. He reached for his gun again. My skin crawled as I made eye contact with the man who senselessly shot my Pops. What was the going salary to be a mindless, trained killer?


    ¡°Jackie, jump!¡± the voice screamed again.


    I looked at the next building. Which was better, getting shot or falling to my death?


    ¡°Here goes nothing.¡±


    I ran at top speed toward the edge, closed my eyes, and jumped. As I soared through the air in what felt like slow motion, that image of flying over a scorched earth flashed through me again.


    I don¡¯t believe in miracles, but miraculously, I landed on the roof of the next building! The police officer was as shocked as I was. Before he could aim his gun, I zagged, kept running, and didn¡¯t look back.


    I ran over the roof, past tall ventilation ducts. Cryptic images of an active volcano spraying lava strobed in my mind as I booked it to the next rooftop jump. I landed that one, too. I felt superhuman!


    No sign of the police officer anymore, so I stopped to catch my breath and my sanity. The morning sun beat down on me through the Grid as that voice spoke to me again.


    ¡°Jackie, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re ready,¡± it said, ¡°but I need your help to bring down Life Rite.¡±


    ¡°What? We can¡¯t do that!¡± I screamed at the top of my lungs. I felt certifiably insane with nothing left to give.


    ¡°You can!¡± the voice screamed back at me.


    I fell backward from the power of the voice mixed with the mysterious images flashing in my mind¡¯s eye. Visions of my mother walking away from me, never to be seen again, mixed with fields of a fire-blazed land, then that last anguished look on Baxter¡¯s face as I left him bleeding in the street¡­


    ¡°Is Pops dead? Please tell me he¡¯s alive.¡±


    My grip on reality was fading fast. Who was I speaking to?


    ¡°Will you help me?¡± the voice asked.


    ¡°Who are you? Where are you?¡± I buried my head in my hands.


    The voice responded, more calm than before. ¡°Relax, Jackie. You can¡¯t see me because I''m in your head, obviously.¡±


    ¡°Well, get out!¡± I demanded.


    ¡°Not gonna happen,¡± the male voice said. ¡°I need your help. Your mother needs your help.¡±


    ¡°My mom¡¯s dead.¡± A detail I never wanted to repeat out loud again.


    ¡°This won¡¯t be easy, but trust is the glue that holds families together¡­¡± the voice said.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you hear that? Don¡¯t steal Pops¡¯ lines.¡±


    I sat on that roof and prayed that someone had stopped to help Baxter. I couldn¡¯t accept the fact that he bled to death in the street. It couldn¡¯t be true. He deserved so much better than that. He did nothing wrong. I wished for a different reality, nothing fancy, just a fair chance at survival.


    The roof entrance opened, revealing that damn police officer. He was a persistent bastard! He grabbed his gun and said with a smirk, ¡°Evading arrest is punishable by death, and I get a bonus for each of your kind I bring in.¡±


    I jumped to my feet and put my hands up.


    ¡°It¡¯s too late to escape, Jackie. I¡¯ll see you on the other side,¡± echoed the voice in my head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me now! I¡¯ll help you,¡± I screamed. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll do whatever you want. Let¡¯s take down Life Rite.¡±


    ¡°Nut job,¡± the police officer said with disdain.


    Bang! He took his shot with reckless abandon. I was a statistic to him. A slight bump on his paycheck, barely a blip after taxes.


    The smell of gunpowder and the taste of blood and bile consumed me. Pain shook every muscle in my body. I felt dizzy, nauseous, but then a sense of relief took over.


    Maybe it was easier to die. Finally, I could stop running, pause in this moment, and relax. I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the loss of Pops or toil away as a miserable cog in the giant wheel of commerce. The struggle would all be over soon, right?

 4. The Slipstream: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    I woke up in crushing blackness. This void felt damp. I heard a faint water drip in the distance, but my concept of distance seemed warped. The amount of space around me could have been the size of a cage or infinitely large. I couldn¡¯t grasp onto any details. My five senses gave me zero information to process, and the nothingness made me panic. I hyperventilated. My head spun, dizzy with a profound uncertainty.


    ¡°Relax!¡± The rigid male voice startled me at first, but I was glad I wasn¡¯t alone.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± I asked. ¡°Who are you? Am I dead?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in the slipstream,¡± he said.


    ¡°What¡¯s the slipstream?¡±


    ¡°Before you ask a million annoying questions, just do what I say and everything will work out. We don¡¯t have a lot of time, okay?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, annoying? Like you wouldn¡¯t have a million questions right now? Tell me who you are or I won¡¯t comply with anything you say.¡±


    ¡°Call me Firestorm, alright?¡±


    ¡°Firestorm? Okay¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, when I first came here, I figured it out on my own. Unless you have a plan, listen and take notes.¡±


    It was a rude way to start, but I didn¡¯t have a choice if I wanted answers. I blindly hoped this mystery voice named Firestorm had answers to the nagging questions spinning in my head.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Firestorm started. ¡°Now¡­ settle. Quiet your mind. Leave yourself open to the probabilities.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what that meant, but I instinctively took a few deep breaths to compose myself.


    As I relaxed, little sparks of light rained down around me and illuminated the cavernous slipstream. Electrical pulses connected the sparks in what looked like a mind map inside a brain. The sparks created fire portals that swirled open, teasing me with their mysterious contents.


    ¡°Woah. What is this place?¡±


    I focused on the spark closest to me and saw the moment my mother left me. The memory streamed inside the fire portal like a movie on a screen. The details of my mother¡¯s face were still fuzzy and out of focus. I sensed she was crying behind her blonde hair. There I was in her arms as a toddler, also crying. The heart wrenching goodbye sent a chill through me. I wanted to learn more, so I moved toward it. The stream drew me in, poised to engulf me.


    Until Firestorm interjected. ¡°The key to stopping Life Rite isn¡¯t in that stream.¡±


    I looked toward his voice and saw his shadow move behind another fire portal. I didn¡¯t catch details, except that he was extremely tall.


    ¡°I know you want to explore, but we have to move fast. Come on, over here,¡± Firestorm said bluntly.


    ¡°But my mom is in there. I saw her. I felt her.¡±


    ¡°If you want to help your mother, the answer is this way.¡±


    I turned toward his voice and came face to face with another portal. Inside this one, the painful new memory of my rushed goodbye to Pops unfolded in front of me. His wound looked critical but maybe¡­The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Is Baxter still alive?¡±


    I moved toward this stream to get a closer look, and it too, was ready to engulf me.


    ¡°Does this place allow me to step back into these moments?¡± It felt so real and yet ethereal at the same time.


    ¡°Come on, Jackie. Follow me. This way.¡±


    ¡°Pops is in there,¡± I said. ¡°I want to save him.¡±


    ¡°Time is tight. Don¡¯t you want to take down Life Rite? Don¡¯t you want to save your mother?¡± Firestorm asked.


    ¡°Is it even possible to stop Life Rite? Let¡¯s be real. They practically own the world.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡±


    ¡°And sure, I¡¯ve always wondered what happened to my mom, but she left me. Pops was always there for me, so I need to be there for him, too. I need to make sure he¡¯s okay before I do anything else.¡±


    Firestorm sighed with disappointment. ¡°Following my plan will save Baxter, too. First, you need to see the bigger picture. The probabilities will fall into place. I promise.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna need details of this plan of yours.¡± I was sick of people telling me what to do. See how far compliance got me so far? I knew I had to switch gears.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain things in time. Come.¡±


    ¡°Who put you in charge?¡±


    I heard Firestorm moving away, so I followed him.


    ¡°Get on with it, oh wise one,¡± I said sarcastically.


    ¡°It¡¯s easier if I show you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t like his tone.


    Firestorm added, ¡°You¡¯re going to have to ride my slipstream.¡±


    ¡°Whatever that means,¡± I retorted. I didn¡¯t like his cryptic responses, either. How could I trust someone I couldn¡¯t even see?


    ¡°Follow me, over here.¡± Firestorm hurried through the slipstream, past portals of memories that all demanded my attention.


    ¡°You might get further with me if you say please once in a while,¡± I said. This Firestorm character was rubbing me the wrong way.


    Firestorm sighed and explained, ¡°Settle. Listen. Keep breathing. Don¡¯t focus on any ol¡¯ portal. Stay open to all the probabilities.¡±


    ¡°Probabilities?¡± That was the second time he used that word, so it must have some significance. I remembered Beatrice Claudi saying something about probabilities in the lab, too.


    ¡°Never mind. Just keep yourself open¡­¡±


    ¡°How?¡± I snapped. I didn¡¯t like his dismissiveness, either. I needed to gather facts about this weird place, so I was willing to listen, but so far, he wasn¡¯t telling me anything useful.


    ¡°I should have brought training wheels,¡± Firestorm mumbled impatiently.


    ¡°All I need is a wise teacher,¡± I shot back.


    ¡°Settle¡­ Jackie. Stay calm, and I¡¯ll guide you toward my streams. When I zone in on one, give all your focus to that portal. Then it¡¯s easy to enter. Got it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I guess.¡±


    Exhaling slowly, I tried to take it all in. This astonishing place was so expansive. The fire portals felt limitless, expanded in every direction. I breathed in millions of sparks.


    ¡°You''ve been attracted to fire your whole life,¡± Firestorm said.


    ¡°Yeah. How do you know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you from the shadows.¡±


    I looked closely at the flames in the nearest spark, and the flickering fire took me into my happy place. I zoned out and felt as though I was floating, dancing, capable of exploring all the slipstreams at once.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Firestorm whispered. ¡°You¡¯re a natural. This way¡­¡±


    His looming shadow guided me through the sea of streams. The portals whipped past in a fiery blur, creating a corridor of bioluminescence.


    Whatever this slipstream place was, it was beautiful, majestic, and therefore powerful. For the first time in my life, I felt like the possibilities were endless.


    ¡°Jackie, over here¡­¡±


    Where was he taking me? Firestorm seemed to know a path through it all. I caught the glimpse of his sizable shadow as he entered a stream.


    I followed him toward the twinkling spark and examined it. The portal slowly opened itself to me like a blooming flower, showcasing a scene.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. Follow me to Bennu Island,¡± Firestorm said.


    ¡°Where is this place?¡±


    The portal of Bennu Island grew in front of me. I focused all my attention on this stream until it locked onto me like a magnet. It painted a picture of a small but impressive island. The Grid reflected in the clear water surrounding the island. Its beauty took my breath away.


    The postcard-worthy scene became closer and sharper until it swallowed me. Birds called in the distance. A volcano nestled in the lush green forest.


    Suspended in air, the stream soared over to a concrete complex. Its large balcony sat on the lip of the volcano. An additional castle-like tower was under construction. Who would go to the effort of building such a monstrosity? The endeavor felt significant.


    A teenage girl with blonde hair stood on the balcony overlooking a volcano. Her pensive face mirrored my own. Who was she was and what role did she play in Firestorm¡¯s plan to destroy Life Rite?

 5. Bennu Island: Firestorm

    FIRESTORM:


    Grace was full of energy and optimism, with the rebellious streak that comes from being a seventeen-year-old heir to a wealthy estate. She stood on the balcony overlooking the volcano and watched the Bennu Island villagers painstakingly build the new tower, brick by brick. She sighed and walked into the complex where her mother sat idle in a wheelchair.


    ¡°The new tower is coming along nicely.¡± Grace pushed her mother¡¯s wheelchair around the massive complex her family owned and operated. This place housed one of her father¡¯s many businesses. The living quarters completed the north wing, so the family could spend summers there comfortably.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with all the birds calling?¡± Jackie asked.


    Her questions would be answered sooner if Jackie sat back and let the slipstream and me tell it. I ignored her and kept my focus on the surrounding stream. I guess I couldn¡¯t blame her. The rules of the slipstream Proba-verse take some getting used to. Even I don¡¯t have all the answers. This was my first time allowing someone else to ride my stream, but after successfully riding Jackie¡¯s, I knew we could do it as long as her inexperience didn¡¯t get in the way.


    ¡°Relax and watch,¡± I told Jackie as I let the scene of Grace and her wheelchair-bound mother play out in real time.


    In the afternoons, Grace parked her mother¡¯s wheelchair by a fireplace in the sitting room so she could go explore Bennu Island. The mysterious call of the Bennu birds drew Grace into the forest, even though she had been told to stay close to the compound. Like Jackie, Grace had to know what was out there.


    Grace kissed her mother¡¯s cheek and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be home for dinner.¡±


    Her mother didn¡¯t respond, not with a word or a gesture. Not for lack of wanting to, but she had lost the physical capacity to do so. Muscular dystrophy turned her into a decaying shell of her former self, left to stare into that fireplace for hours on end while her vivacious young daughter explored Bennu Island.


    Each afternoon, Grace gained more confidence to go farther and deeper into the woods. Even the dead carcasses littering the island didn¡¯t deter her. In fact, the sight of the half dragon/half human-like skeletons of the local Bennu bird only fueled her curiosity. She was dying to see the creature alive, in the flesh, after hearing their relentless calls day and night since her arrival.


    Today, Grace went farther than she¡¯d ever gone before and found a warehouse set within dense trees.


    ¡°I wonder what''s inside...¡± She approached the building cautiously, her hand brushing against the cold cement walls. The steel door had a keypad lock.


    ¡°Why not a DNA Identifier?¡± As she contemplated the code, the door unexpectedly opened from inside.


    Grace ran and hid behind a nearby tree. She saw someone wearing a white hazmat suit leave the building.


    As they walked away, Grace slid from the tree¡¯s cover, hoping to catch the door before it locked shut. Not wanting to be seen, she was a beat too late, and the door closed before she reached it.


    ¡°Uh.¡± Grace sighed. She was used to getting what she wanted but did not get easily discouraged.


    She entered a code into the keypad; her birthday. The device flashed red. That wasn¡¯t the correct combination. She tried her home address and one-two-three-four, of course. No luck.


    Grace thought¡­ and then entered her parent¡¯s anniversary. She knew that date well because every year before her mother got sick, her parents would throw a lavish party to celebrate their love with five hundred of their closest ¡°friends.¡±


    As her mother¡¯s health got worse, the parties stopped. This year, her father took the bricks from the chapel where they got married, transported them to Bennu Island, and built that new tower on the complex so they could remember the strength of their undying love. Her father spared no expense in his grand gesture to show his devotion to Grace¡¯s mother, despite her current paralyzed state.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Bingo. Their anniversary, May twentieth, was the correct code. The keypad flashed green, the door unlocked, and Grace slid into the secluded building. The heavy door slammed behind her. She paused at the entrance and tip-toed forward only when she heard no movement within.


    The vaulted cement walls made the open space dark and dreary, but a few rays of sunshine peeked in from the glass roof. Rows of shelves filled the front half of the warehouse. Grace looked at the oddities on the racks; ropes, muzzles, whips, handcuffs, chains, and knives lying in a thick layer of dust and dirt. Grace walked through the rows of strange storage, as if browsing through a library.


    She made her way to the back of the building and found a cage, and in it, a boy. Yes, there was a boy in a cage!


    They locked eyes. Seeing each other jolted them both into a panic. Grace stumbled back and knocked over a bucket full of rancid liquid. She recoiled when it splashed onto her expensive dress, but never mind that. She did a double take to see that boy in the cage once more. He froze stiff at the sight of her, both of them completely shocked.


    ¡°Oh goodness, are you locked in there?¡± Grace asked.


    The boy nodded with his eyes lowered to the filthy floor.


    Grace felt bold enough to step closer to examine the boy because she knew the cage was locked. He looked like a teenager around her age, seventeen. He wore tattered stained pants. His lack of a shirt showed off his thin but muscular frame. He had a tanned complexion with shaggy black hair. The young man felt the power of her gaze on his sculpted body and lifted his dark eyes to meet hers.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Grace asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    The sheepish boy in the cage didn¡¯t answer. His cell was about five square feet, with a bucket and a food plate in the corner.


    ¡°How long have you been in here?¡± Grace asked next.


    The boy responded with a shrug.


    ¡°Why are you locked up like an animal? You must have done something awful. You reap what you sow.¡±


    That triggered the boy. With furrowed brow, he paced the cage like a lion, now sizing Grace up. Her shiny blonde hair, her bright clean sundress, her fair skin; not something he saw every day. As he paced, Grace saw deep scars from a whip across his back.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the boy barked back with an Indigenous accent.


    Grace flinched at the intensity of his voice, but the excitement of the experience intrigued her. She moved in closer, putting her hands on the cell bars.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m someone who can help if you answer my questions. So please, tell me¡­ how long have you been in here?¡±


    ¡°Many moons,¡± he responded vaguely, with a far-away look in his eyes.


    ¡°What did you do to deserve this?¡± Grace asked.


    The boy mumbled something in another language. His shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. Despite the language barrier, Grace understood exactly what he meant.


    ¡°No one deserves this,¡± she whispered.


    She examined the dark circles under his eyes, the bruises on his wrists and ankles, the filthy condition of the cage. The boy didn¡¯t seem dangerous. He seemed beaten down.


    Grace moved to examine the cage¡¯s door. There wasn¡¯t a DNA Identifier mechanism. Instead, a simple lock was the only thing standing in the way of this young man¡¯s freedom.


    ¡°Keys?¡± The boy pointed at Grace and added, ¡°You¡­ have?¡±


    ¡°No, but maybe I can find them.¡±


    Her statement sounded uncertain, more like a question. Still, the boy teared up at the vaguest hint of release.


    ¡°What will you do if I let you go?¡±


    The boy hugged himself and said, ¡°Family.¡±


    Grace nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get to the bottom of it. Even if you did something wrong, no one should live like this. Justice can still be served.¡±


    The boy looked at Grace with confusion.


    ¡°Jus¡­dis?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll tell Father. He¡¯ll fix this. We own this island, and if he knew what was going on here, he would surely stop it. Trust me¡­¡±


    The confusion on the boy¡¯s face grew, stuck on the fact that Grace thought she owned the island his people inhabited for centuries.


    A bell rang in the distance outside. Grace looked toward the sound and said, ¡°Already? Wow, it¡¯s getting late. That¡¯s the dinner bell. I have to go.¡±


    Realizing his only shot at getting out was leaving without him, he reached his hand out between the steel bars and grabbed Grace¡¯s arm to stop her.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± he begged.


    She looked at his grip, then back at his face. He let go and put his hands up in surrender, an action he knew well.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Grace said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be back. I promise.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s going to leave him in there?¡± I heard Jackie ask from her comfortable vantage point in the slipstream. ¡°Who is this over-privileged chick?¡±


    ¡°Keep watching before you judge,¡± I responded.


    Jackie wasn¡¯t strong enough to enter the scene fully yet. I didn¡¯t need her meddling, trying to change things. For now, watching was enough. If she proved worthy, I¡¯d teach her how to affect the streams to try out new probabilities. To start, she was on a need to know basis, and there was a lot Jackie needed to know before I truly let her in. She was lucky that she couldn¡¯t smell the filth or taste the suffering in that tiny cage.


    I sped up the stream so the events could unfold quicker for my impatient audience.


    ¡°Whoa, how are you doing that?¡± Jackie asked. ¡°How does time work in the slipstream?¡±


    Another answer that was too complex to give yet, so I focused on stopping the stream at the next pivotal moment to give Jackie the best understanding possible of what was at stake. My plan was to show Jackie enough to convince her to work with me to take down Life Rite. Would she agree to go against her employer and bite the hand that feeds her?

 6. The Boy in the Cage: Firestorm

    FIRESTORM:


    Grace came back the next day to visit the boy in the cage, as she had promised. He smiled at the sight of her, a glimmer of hope reinvigorating him.


    ¡°Good,¡± I heard Jackie mumble, satisfied for now.


    As Grace approached the cage, the boy pointed at himself and said, ¡°Happy.¡± He pointed at her to link the feeling to her return.


    Her fair cheeks blushed. She was clearly happy to see him, too.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡± Grace asked.


    He pointed at himself again and said, ¡°Zayne.¡±


    ¡°Zayne is a super cool name.¡±


    ¡°Cool?¡± The slang was lost in translation.


    Grace laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a compliment.¡±


    Zayne didn¡¯t want to let on that he didn¡¯t understand, so he echoed her laugh.


    ¡°What do you do in here all day?¡± Grace asked.


    The question puzzled Zayne. He looked around the grungy cage at his empty lunch tray and bathroom bucket in the corner.


    ¡°Strong and silent type, I see.¡±


    Zayne flexed one of his bicep muscles in response. He certainly knew what strong meant.


    Grace giggled.


    Zayne smiled. He liked her laugh.


    ¡°What was your life like before you¡­ got locked up?¡±


    Zayne paused, reflecting. ¡°Typic,¡± was all he said.


    ¡°Typic? Like typical? My life is anything but normal.¡± Grace let out a privileged sigh. ¡°The constant expectations are ridiculous.¡±


    Everything about Grace baffled Zayne. How she spoke, what she wore, how she smelled. They couldn¡¯t be more different.


    His silence intrigued her.


    ¡°So, for real, what did you do?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Do?¡± He didn¡¯t know what she was talking about.


    ¡°To be put in here. You had to have done something wrong.¡±


    The repeat question from the day before threw Zayne into a sudden rage. He ran up to the steel bars that separated them. He shook them and screamed.


    Grace jumped back, shocked at his response. He paced the cage, kicked his bucket, threw his lunch tray. He pointed his finger at Grace through the bars to scold her.


    ¡°I was taken!¡± he shouted.


    Grace saw the pain behind the rage and apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m trying to understand. This whole situation is incredibly unorthodox.¡±


    Zayne tried to relax. He shook his head, unsure what she was saying exactly. He pointed to the lock and asked, ¡°Key?¡±


    Grace hesitated. His rage gave way to her guilt.


    ¡°I¡­ I tried to ask Father, but he¡¯s been swamped lately. He didn¡¯t even come down for dinner last night.¡±


    Zayne huffed, mad more at himself than Grace because he allowed hope in. After everything he¡¯d been through, indulging in optimism was dangerous.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Zayne,¡± Grace said as she moved closer to the cage again. ¡°Listen. I promise I¡¯ll figure this out, but I might need to be a little sneaky to do it.¡± She mimed a tip-toe to ensure he understood her plan.


    ¡°Keys,¡± she said as she pointed to the lock. ¡°I can steal them. That¡¯d be easier than talking to my father because¡­ it¡¯s complicated.¡±


    ¡°Comp¡­ cated?¡± he asked, seeking clarification. He understood what she was saying overall, but Grace truly confused him.


    ¡°Things have been strange ever since we got here, okay? I thought this was going to be a fun summer, snorkeling or whatever. An island vacation. But Father has locked himself in his office. I rarely see him. My mother¡­ well, she¡¯s not exactly great conversation these days. Now I¡¯ve found you¡­ I need a little time to investigate. Okay?¡±


    Grace looked at Zayne for a reaction. He softened and sat to hear more. She sat down across from him on the other side of the bars and continued.


    ¡°I know he wants to spend time with me,¡± Grace said with doubt in her quivering voice, ¡°but Father¡¯s work is important. He¡¯s a self-made man, after all. No sleep for an innovator and all that.¡±


    Zayne smiled, only understanding part of what Grace said, but seeing the whole heart behind it.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked, repeating her question from the day before.


    ¡°I¡¯m Grace. Nice to meet you officially, Zayne.¡±


    Grace extended her hand to him, and he looked at it. She laughed, grabbed his hand, and showed him how to shake. His skin was coarse, but she welcomed the warmth of his hand.


    Still holding hands, they locked eyes and smiled. Few people asked Grace about herself. Even fewer people knew he and his plight existed. They both felt seen for the first time in a long time.


    ¡°What is your life, Grace?¡± he asked in stilted English.


    She gently pulled her hand back to tuck her hair behind her ear.


    ¡°I know a lot of girls at school are jealous, but¡­ things have been tense ever since my mother fell ill. You should see how much Father loves her. He¡¯s literally rebuilding the chapel where they got married here on the island, brick by brick. He says it¡¯s an expensive and time-consuming project. Can you imagine? I¡¯d like someone to love me that deeply someday.¡± Her own honesty surprised her.


    ¡°Love¡­ is yours,¡± Zayne said softly. ¡°Beautiful angels have love in all lives.¡±


    Grace blushed and said, ¡°You¡¯re a great listener.¡± She leaned her head against the cage bars and wished them away.


    Zayne leaned in as well, and their foreheads touched. They sat connected for several silent moments, taking each other in without the barrier of words.


    The beeping of the door¡¯s keypad broke their connection.


    Grace gasped and looked at Zayne for direction.


    ¡°Go!¡± he whispered.


    She jumped up and ran behind the nearest shelf to hide. She spied someone in a hazmat suit walking toward Zayne, who stood and struck a battle stance.


    The man in the hazmat suit dropped a new tray of food on the ground near the cage. He opened a pelican case and moved toward Zayne.


    Suddenly and with substantial force, Zayne pushed the man in the hazmat suit. He flew backward with such power; he knocked down a row of shelves.


    The hazmat man picked up a shock stick and marched back to the cage. Grace struggled to see what the man was doing to Zayne. She could only hear the taser and Zayne¡¯s resistance.


    The man stepped back, and Grace saw him remove an empty syringe from Zayne¡¯s arm.


    She locked eyes with Zayne for a moment. Embarrassment filled him, ashamed that Grace saw even a part of what they do to him.


    Trying to see more, Grace hit a chain on the shelf next to her. She ducked as the hazmat man turned in her direction.


    Grace held her breath, praying he didn¡¯t see her. She stayed hidden as Zayne wailed with agony. His screams lasted for what felt like an eternity.


    Then he fell silent. The sound of footsteps was followed by the door slamming.


    Grace sighed with relief that she had not been caught. She cautiously peeked around the shelf and saw Zayne crouched down in a fetal position. She ran to him.


    ¡°Who was that? What did they inject you with? Are you okay?¡±


    Zayne looked up at Grace with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°Go!¡± he screamed.


    The veins in his arms swelled and glowed brightly under his skin like radioactive lava. Whatever they injected him with lit up his blood with intensity.


    ¡°Zayne? What¡¯s going on with you?¡±


    ¡°Go!¡± he screamed again with a wild look in his eyes. His breathing was quick and shallow. ¡°Go!¡±


    Grace gasped and ran out of the warehouse, terrified and confused.


    *


    Days went by without a visit from Grace, but there were plenty of tours from Zayne¡¯s captors, who seemed eager to test his resilience more than ever. The man in the hazmat suit brought his boss, a man wearing a polo shirt and boat shoes. He watched the torture from the boundaries of the shadows, a passive observer to the systematic breakdown of the boy in the cage.


    They threw everything they had at him, but Zayne was determined not to break. These evil men wouldn¡¯t get the best of him, not with Grace serving as a newfound beacon of hope.


    He knew from experience the mutilations always stopped right before the brink of death. He realized they must need him alive. Armed with that knowledge and the memory of Grace¡¯s beauty, he transcended his bodily limitations and somehow removed himself from his physical reality as much as humanly possible.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Grace?¡± Jackie asked from the entrance of the stream. ¡°She can¡¯t leave him in there. Look at what they¡¯re doing to him! She¡¯s got to save him!¡±

 7. Hatching a Plan: Firestorm

    FIRESTORM:


    ¡°Where¡¯s Grace?¡± Jackie asked from the entrance of the stream. ¡°She can¡¯t leave him in there. Look at what they¡¯re doing to him! She¡¯s got to save him!¡±


    By now, I¡¯d hoped Jackie knew my non-response was a request to let the slipstream answer.


    For the sake of time, I sped the stream up to the day Grace came back, five anguishing days for Zayne to worry about what she thought of him.


    ¡°How are you playing with time like that?¡± Jackie asked.


    I stopped the stream to the day Grace finally walked back into the grungy warehouse wearing a designer t-shirt, jean shorts, white sneakers, and a backpack. She was a ray of sunshine in his dreary life.


    ¡°Grace!¡± Zayne exclaimed.


    She didn¡¯t look him in the eye. Instead, she moved straight to the lock and tested a set of keys one by one.


    ¡°Keys!¡± Zayne exclaimed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate too soon,¡± Grace said sharply as she jiggled another key with frustration. Not a match. She fumbled and tried another one.


    ¡°Stupid lock!¡± Grace tried the last key with no luck. She stomped her feet and huffed out a mini-tantrum that surprised Zayne. He was the one enduring the cage, but he comforted her anyway by lightly stroking her arm.


    ¡°At least she tried,¡± I heard Jackie mumble from the slipstream. I was glad Jackie was seeing Grace¡¯s true nature firsthand. I needed Jackie fully on board for my plan to work.


    Grace relaxed a little and finally looked Zayne in the eyes.


    He said, ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Tears came to Grace¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why are you sorry? I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s taken me so long to come back, and I don¡¯t even have the right keys.¡± She wiped away snot from her perfect, petite nose.


    Zayne repeated, ¡°Sorry,¡± and made a monster face, recalling the way he yelled at her last time they were together.


    Grace laughed through her tears. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I get it. This is not your fault.¡± She grabbed his hand in between the bars. They both felt a little safer.


    ¡°I¡¯m freaking out, Zayne.¡±


    ¡°Grace?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Father in days.¡± Her lip quivered and tears spilled as she spoke. ¡°Mother is missing, too. They¡¯ve been taken! I¡¯m all alone in that massive complex.¡±


    ¡°Us. Together.¡±


    Zayne put his arm around her from within the cage. She smiled slightly.


    ¡°What if the same person who put you in this cage has taken them, too?¡± Grace groaned at that dreaded thought.


    ¡°Who?¡± Zayne asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a kitchen worker named Tinga whose got a gnarly scar on his face. He creeps me out.¡±


    ¡°Tinga?¡± Zanye asked. ¡°I know Tinga.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°Tinga was father. Bennu bird attack Tinga¡¯s son.¡±


    Zayne made one of his hands eat the other to show his point in case his English failed.


    ¡°Or maybe Tinga killed his own kid and blamed it on a Bennu bird! I¡¯m telling you, that guy is so weird. He seems like a madman. Without my parents around, I¡¯m a sitting duck in that complex! What if I¡¯m taken next?¡±


    Grace¡¯s breathing quickened into a mini panic attack. Zayne pulled her in close. She closed her eyes as they cuddled. For a moment, they both felt safe again.


    ¡°What¡­ is¡­ Father¡¯s work?¡± asked Zayne. They both sat down on their side of the cell bars.


    ¡°You should see all the cool stuff he makes. Father made his fortune inventing the Universal DNA Identifier. You know, no more stupid usernames and passwords, no more physical money, keys¡­ But he makes so much more. He used to let me watch him tinker with his cool robot project. I doubt I was very helpful, but it was awesome to see him invent. He always locks his workshop here on the island.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Grace pulled a little picnic from her backpack. Zayne¡¯s eyes grew at the food; strawberries, mango, meat, and cheese. He stuffed his mouth in record speed. Grace giggled. He swallowed his lot and waited to take another piece until she delicately took her first bite. She popped open a can of seltzer water and offered it to him. The carbonated bubbles surprised him and some dribbled down his chin.


    Grace giggled again. God, he adored her laugh. How could it be that both the absolutely worst and now the best times of his life happened in that cage?


    ¡°Grace?¡± Zayne asked.


    ¡°Yes, dear?¡± she replied. The term of endearment gave him the confidence to ask the toughest question.


    ¡°Father,¡± he said as he pointed to Grace.


    ¡°Yes, my father¡­¡± she helped fill the gaps in his speech.


    ¡°Father owns Bennu Island? Father¡­ knows¡­¡± He pointed to himself and added, ¡°me?¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Grace said with conviction. ¡°If Father made this cage, there¡¯d be a DNA Identifier on it. Besides, whoever put you in this cage has also taken my parents. I have to figure out who¡¯s behind all this.¡±


    It was Grace¡¯s turn to ask a tough question. ¡°What are in those injections?¡±


    Zayne shrugged his muscular shoulders, embarrassed.


    Grace followed up with, ¡°What do the injections do to you?¡±


    The question felt like a whip on his well-trodden scars. He only wanted Grace to see the best of him, but it¡¯d be easier to show than tell.


    ¡°Power.¡± Zayne took a deep breath, stood up, and flexed every muscle in his body. The blood in his veins glowed underneath his tight skin.


    Grace stood up, amazed at his magnificence. She put her hand to his bare chest and felt the strength of his heartbeat.


    Zayne took a step back and said, ¡°Heat.¡±


    He flexed harder, and his veins lit on fire. He walked to the corner of the cell and put his flaming flesh to the bars where he¡¯d been slowly melting away the steel. It would take forever to escape that way.


    ¡°Indestructible,¡± Zayne said like an impersonation, perhaps of the man in the hazmat suit. His eyes showed a glimpse of the suffering he¡¯d endured to prove that to his captors.


    He nodded toward the nearby shelves. ¡°Cut me.¡±


    Grace looked at the nearest shelf. He nodded. She grabbed a knife and cautiously handed it to him.


    Zayne cut his own hand, drawing radiant blood that glowed as it dripped onto the floor. The cut healed instantly right before her eyes!


    Grace gasped.


    He showed her the knife and said, ¡°I keep. Stab and escape.¡±


    She nodded.


    He tucked the knife into the waistline of his tattered pants. Zayne trusted Grace, but needed a plan of his own. With her parents now missing, he needed to protect her as well as himself. He vowed to kill the hazmat suit man, steal the key, and get the hell out of there. He refused to be tortured any longer.


    Grace said, ¡°You¡¯re right. We need to be ready to fight. I need to be indestructible, too.¡±


    She pulled out a small pelican case from her backpack, opened it, and took out a syringe of serum.


    ¡°This is what they give you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Zayne lowered his eyes to the ground. He couldn¡¯t hide the truth from her much longer.


    ¡°I found a hidden room in the complex as I was searching for my parents. There are cases of this stuff. That¡¯s where I found those keys, too.¡±


    Grace put the serum to her veins, ready to inject.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Zayne protested. He tried to grab the syringe from her hand, but she stepped back. He couldn¡¯t reach her from the confines of the cage.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always felt powerless in my life, but not anymore. I can¡¯t live in the shadow of my parents. What if they never come back? I¡¯m on my own now. My way of doing things might not please them, but I can¡¯t worry about what they, or anyone else, thinks anymore.¡±


    ¡°No, Grace. Stop¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not going to inject herself, is she?¡± Jackie asked from the entrance of the stream.


    Despite Zayne, and now Jackie¡¯s objections, Grace injected the serum into her bloodstream.


    ¡°Oh wow, she¡¯s doing it,¡± Jackie added as Zayne cried a thousand regrets. If only he wasn¡¯t stuck in that cage, he could have stopped her. He knew the full effects of the serum and didn¡¯t want Grace to suffer his same fate.


    Grace recoiled as the serum lit up her veins like Christmas. She fell to her knees, holding her stomach. As the liquid moved quickly through her system, she screamed and dry heaved. She curled into a ball, moaning and crying.


    ¡°Grace?¡±


    When she finally looked back up at Zayne, her bloodshot eyes held a newfound power.


    ¡°Grace?¡± Zayne asked again, concerned.


    She took a few deep breaths. ¡°I¡¯m good, Zayne. Better than ever. If you can survive the injections, then I can, too. We¡¯re in this together, and soon I¡¯ll be powerful like you.¡±


    Zayne was both amazed and baffled by her.


    Grace charged the cage, grabbed Zayne by the waist, and pulled him close to her. They blended into the cell bars that separated them as their lips met. All their fears melted away as they embraced passion instead. They both dreamed of this moment, but the heat of their lips together was more delicious than they could have imagined. Neither of them felt alone anymore. Those kids had no clue what they were up against, but for the moment, that was okay.


    ¡°Sexy,¡± Jackie murmured from the slipstream.


    The dinner bell rang, as it did every day at this time.


    Grace said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back. Not by myself.¡±


    ¡°I stab and get key.¡± Zayne pulled the knife from the waistline of his pants and practiced his stab and grab. The way he moved the knife was convincing.


    Grace nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a superb plan¡­ But what if he doesn¡¯t come back for a while? We need to move fast.¡±


    They thought about it. She finally said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back to the complex, but there¡¯s one more place where the keys might be.¡±


    Grace pulled out a piece of gum from her backpack. She chewed it, then put it into the lock to study the teeth the key needed.


    ¡°There are no bad ideas, only bad execution,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s what Father always says.¡±


    She pulled the gum out of the lock and studied it. Satisfied, she said, ¡°One way or another, you¡¯ll be free soon.¡±


    Grace sealed her promise with a sweet kiss. Their eyes met to confirm their dedication.


    I felt the slipstream pulling away from me, so I sped the stream up to the next crucial plot point.


    ¡°Hey! Why are you speeding things up? I enjoy watching them make out,¡± Jackie said sarcastically.


    ¡°We¡¯re running out of time in the slipstream,¡± I explained.


    ¡°Is time even a thing in here, Firestorm?¡±


    Her question was far too complicated to answer directly. I blinked and skipped to the pivotal moment that would change everything for my dear young lovebirds¡­

 8. The Chase: Firestorm

    FIRESTORM:


    The next day, Grace kissed Zayne hello before trying the next set of keys. The instant click of the lock caught them both by surprise. They laughed as Grace swung the cage door open. Zayne raced out and scooped her up in his arms. They got used to the bars being a barrier between them, and now the spark from their connected bodies exploded inside them. Their veins glowed with excitement.


    Someone banged on the door from outside, ramping up their emotional frenzy to a boiling point.


    ¡°I changed the combination.¡± Grace gave a naughty smirk. ¡°They can¡¯t get in. The hazmat suit man will never hurt you again, Zayne. We¡¯re safe in here now. Let¡¯s wait until they leave. Then we¡¯ll run.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I face them. Now!¡± He dreamed of the chance to get back at his captors every night for the last few years.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± Grace said as Zayne grabbed a shock stick from a nearby shelf for added protection. He motioned for her to stay back and moved to the door with precision.


    Grace tiptoed behind. Despite taking another injection of the mysterious serum earlier that morning, she wasn¡¯t prepared to face anyone head on.


    The thirst for vengeance took over as Zayne thrust the warehouse door open. It smacked the hazmat man in the face and knocked him back. Zayne kicked him while he was down and pounded the shock stick into his torso. The man convulsed on the ground and passed out.


    It was too easy. Zayne wanted more of a fight. He wanted that man to suffer as he had. He readied his knife to go in for the kill, but Grace grabbed his hand to stop him.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re finally free.¡±


    Zayne realized he had stepped outside the dank building for the first time in years. He was finally free! Joy replaced all desire for revenge. With arms outstretched, he closed his eyes and smiled as the sun shone down on him from behind the Grid. The warm breeze tousled his jet black hair.


    Grace smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s charter a boat off this God-forsaken island.¡±


    ¡°First¡­¡± Zayne ripped the faceplate off the man¡¯s hazmat suit, revealing his face.


    ¡°No Tinga,¡± he said to Grace.


    She leaned in to get a closer look. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize him. Who is he?¡±


    Zayne picked the man up, dragged him inside the warehouse, and threw him into the cage. He locked the door and took the key.


    ¡°We ask him later,¡± Zayne said. ¡°We find Father and Mother now.¡±


    Grace nodded, happy they found the monster behind the madness.


    Zayne, her hero, took her by the hand. They ran out of the warehouse giggling.


    Zayne felt more alive than ever. He had his freedom, his girl, and he would soon reunite with his family after spending years in that cage. He couldn¡¯t wait for Grace to meet all the loved ones in his village.


    On the way there, he stopped to splash fresh water on his face from the stream. It felt so good. He drenched his hair with it. Water trickled down his sculpted chest. He splashed Grace, and she screamed with delight. She splashed back, and they chased each other in the crisp brook.


    Zayne led Grace through a field of vibrant flowers. He picked a bloom for her. She smelled its beauty and tucked it behind her ear. They exchanged sweet kisses in the fragrant meadow.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Grace looked up at the Grid. "Do you ever wonder why the Grid is there and what it''s made of? The big mysteries of life, that''s what keeps me up at night."


    ¡°I show you the beauty of this land,¡± Zayne whispered. ¡°Join me to protect the bounty.¡±


    Zayne grabbed Grace¡¯s waist, pulled her into his body, and caressed her soft skin. He stared into her deep brown eyes and kissed her neck. She melted into him.


    The beautiful moment ended abruptly by wailing calls from the wild creatures of Bennu Island. They were close, and they were hungry. Zayne moved to protect Grace.


    The Bennu birds used to be kind, but things took a dark turn a few years before he was captured. First Tinga¡¯s son disappeared, then another boy. Tinga went to the nests in search of his boy and was lucky he lived to tell how he got his hideous face scar that creeped Grace out so much. The daily threat of Bennu attacks shook the villagers, who had always worshipped them. The birds turned on them, signaling to the elders a disharmony they didn¡¯t yet understand.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± Grace asked.


    Zayne looked over his shoulder and confirmed they were being stalked. The ruthless beasts hunt in packs, and three sets of beady eyes watched the couple from their hiding spots.


    ¡°Run!¡± Zayne whispered.


    He pulled Grace forward. They broke into a sprint as three Bennu scavengers pounced from the trees. The creatures lunged forward to bite their heels, but narrowly missed. The powerful beasts thrust their wings and flew after their prey.


    Grace looked back to see the birds for the first time. They were huge, with a wingspan and height at least double hers. Skin so scaly, talons large enough to grab her head and snap it clean off. Their dragon-like heads and long necks lunged forward to attack violently.


    Zayne wished he kept that shock stick. Instead, his best protection was to run as fast as he could. He hoped Grace would keep up, but she struggled and stumbled. A Bennu bird snapped its sharp teeth at her. Zayne turned around and punched it in its long, drooping face. The defense was effective because of all the injections he¡¯d received. Zayne was strong, that¡¯s for sure. Was he truly indestructible? He hoped not to be tested by a Bennu¡¯s razor sharp talons.


    ¡°Firestorm, help them!¡± Jackie cried.


    Before I could say anything, Jackie reached deeper into the stream and knocked one bird away like an invisible hand of God.


    ¡°Jackie, leave it!¡± I yelled.


    The change Jackie made in the stream was meaningless, but I didn¡¯t want her going rogue trying to affect things before she understood the big picture. We needed to stay focused.


    The other two birds roared, and despite her terror, Grace got back to her feet. They ran away, hand in hand. Zayne would never leave her. He wouldn¡¯t let these creatures get the best of him, not after all he¡¯d been through.


    The birds took flight, swarming overhead.


    ¡°Here!¡± Zayne yelled as he pulled Grace toward a nearby cave.


    They ran inside for cover. Zayne slid onto his back like a baseball player sliding into home. He kicked a Bennu bird that dipped its head into the lip of the cave. The bird screeched.


    Grace grabbed a rock and threw it at the creature. It recoiled, realizing they weren¡¯t easy prey. The swarm of birds called out a warning as they flew away.


    Grace and Zayne embraced, out of breath and sweaty from the deadly chase.


    ¡°I never saw them before,¡± Grace said. ¡°I only heard them. They¡¯re terrifying.¡±


    Zayne checked to make sure she wasn¡¯t hurt. There was a small bloody gash in her abdomen. She winced when he touched it. Her skin slowly healed itself. She hadn¡¯t had many injections, but there were clearly some low-level benefits from what she had received.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. We¡¯re safe,¡± Grace assured him.


    She softly ran her fingers down his arms and pulled him in close. He recoiled when she brushed against the scars on his back, so she refocused on his chest instead. Goosebumps formed under her touch. There was no longer a cage to separate them physically, and she was eager to take advantage of that fact.


    As Grace leaned in for a kiss, Zayne gasped and exclaimed something in his native language.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Grace turned to see a field of radioactive eggs glow green.


    ¡°Whoa, what are those?¡± Jackie asked from the slipstream.


    ¡°Bennu eggs,¡± Zayne whispered, almost in response to Jackie. ¡°My family¡­ We tell them. We protect the island and all its bounty.¡±


    Before Grace could respond, the scene grew dark and faded away.


    ¡°Firestorm, what¡¯s happening?¡± Jackie cried. ¡°I¡¯m losing my¡­ grip!¡±


    ¡°Stay focused,¡± I told Jackie. ¡°You have to see what happens next.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t. Something is sucking me out of the stream. I feel weak against it¡­¡±


    Jackie cut out.


    I quickly pulled myself out of the stream to find Jackie. Why had she been pulled out of the slipstream? I knew time was short, but that was less than expected. I couldn¡¯t lose her, not before she saw everything she needed to help me enact my plan to take down Life Rite.

 9. Checkmate: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    I snapped out of the Bennu Island stream and landed back in the void of endless slipstream portals. As they swirled around me, I felt overwhelmed and dizzy. I needed to know what happened to Grace and Zayne, whose plight shook me to the core. Also, Firestorm hadn¡¯t yet answered any of my questions about how the slipstream worked, how we could use it to take down Life Rite, and, most importantly, how to save Baxter and find my mom. I could clearly affect the streams because I totally punched that scary bird away. Could I change other streams? How do changes affect things overall if they technically already happened in the past?


    I felt as clueless as when I arrived. The insane amount of fire portals were like a churning sea, poised to swallow me whole.


    ¡°Get a grip, Jackie.¡± I refocused on the spark I just exited. It felt closed, unwilling to let me back in. I examined another nearby portal, but that felt shut, too. It was like the slipstream rejected me. The field of portals floated up and away until all that remained was that crushing darkness once more.


    ¡°Firestorm? Help!¡± I needed his guidance more than I cared to admit. I couldn¡¯t see him, but luckily I heard his response.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving the slipstream,¡± he explained, ¡°but you can come back. Death and near-death experiences are the most powerful way to enter. But because you¡¯re a gene carrier, you can also use fire as a way in.¡±


    ¡°Gene carrier?¡±


    ¡°I thought we¡¯d have more time. There¡¯s a lot to explain. Come back as soon as you can. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡±


    His voice sounded more distant than before. It felt like I was being pulled out of the void.


    ¡°How do I get back?¡± I asked, desperate to stay and determined to find out the secrets of the slipstream.


    ¡°Stare into a large fire, and then¡­¡± Firestorm¡¯s voice trailed off as a piercing white light evaded the blackness of the slipstream.


    Where was it taking me? I didn¡¯t want to go back to the humdrum life I¡¯d lived before. There was no going back now that I knew this place existed.


    Firestorm piqued my curiosity about using the slipstream to save Baxter, but I still had no clue how. I vowed to do anything in my power to figure out how to help him.


    I suddenly became aware of my physical body, which I had all but forgotten about. My head pounded, and a loud ringing screamed in my right ear. The white light surrounding me faded, a beeping noise replaced the ringing, and an awful pain in my abdomen joined my headache.


    I opened my eyes and found myself in a hospital bed. The room was small, with the bed and one chair taking up the space. The room was pure white; walls, ceiling, floor, and linens. It was extremely clean.


    Sunlight refracted off the Grid and poured in through the window, tinging my bedsheet with a streak of red.


    I spied the Life Rite logo on the white curtain and on the closed door. Great¡­ I couldn¡¯t shake them.


    I looked down and saw a bandage around my gunshot wound.


    Did that actually happen? I questioned what reality even meant anymore. Had I dreamt of the slipstream and Firestorm as a coping mechanism? Was Pops getting shot part of the nightmare? I hoped he was still alive and needed to find out stat.


    I heard a click and realized the Alpha drone was perched in the corner of the room, spying on me. It blinked several times fast. The clicking noise made my teeth hurt.


    I had to get out of there. I swung my legs out of bed and hobbled to my feet. My stomach pulled and pained me. Yup, the gunshot wound was real.


    The door opened, and I braced myself for who it might be. It shocked me to see Miss Beatrice Claudi, dressed in a royal blue dress and matching heels.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t get up,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re hurt and need to rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± My voice cracked. Beatrice¡¯s confident presence made me feel like a peasant who didn¡¯t deserve to speak.


    As I wondered if she remembered me, Alpha made sure she did.


    ¡°Jackie Cooper is the janitor involved in Incident R64,¡± it said.


    Its clicking sound amped up my anxiety.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Yes, Jackie. I remember you. How could I forget that distinctive red streak in your hair?¡± Beatrice looked me dead in my eyes and smiled. ¡°What an eventful week for you.¡±


    I got goosebumps under my hospital gown that was open in the back. I sat on the edge of the bed, vulnerable and afraid.


    ¡°Well, Jackie. I have good news and bad news for you. Besides being shot,¡± Beatrice said, ¡°you tested positive for PX. But the good news is, we can treat you. We¡¯ll even compensate you for being part of our trial research on the virus.¡±


    Another pay out? This time, I knew better than to accept her tiny stipend blindly. I stiffened, emboldened by the power of the slipstream.


    ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯d like to go home now.¡±


    The drone spoke with disdain in its mechanical voice. ¡°The PX virus is highly contagious! You cannot leave for risk of infecting others.¡±


    Beatrice gave me an insincere look of sympathy. ¡°Follow me to your temporary living quarters. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find them more than satisfactory.¡±


    Beatrice turned on her heels and left the room. Alpha zipped behind her.


    Not knowing what else to do, I followed Beatrice into the sterile hallway. I had cleaned the complex enough to know we were in the hospital wing. I remembered the luxury apartment accommodations. No way they¡¯d put someone like me in one of those suites.


    I felt a chilly breeze in the back of my hospital gown and abruptly closed it with my hands to make sure no one saw my bare butt. I felt vulnerable again as I followed Beatrice sauntering down the hall, her heels clicking with every powerful step. She turned the corner and used her Universal DNA Identifier to open an apartment. I meekly followed her and Alpha inside.


    ¡°Welcome to your temporary home here at Life Rite.¡±


    I walked into the modern apartment that was definitely meant for someone important. A marble island greeted me in the open-concept space that started with a kitchen. It led to a comfy living room area with a fireplace and large windows overlooking the city. We must have been at least thirty stories up. Not the penthouse, but better than I¡¯ve ever experienced.


    Alpha said, ¡°The CDC mandates you quarantine here for two weeks so you do not infect others. Everything you need is here. I¡¯m sure you will find it quite comfortable.¡±


    Beatrice opened the stainless steel fridge, fully stocked with fresh fruits, vegetables, sweet treats, even bottles of pure, clean water. I couldn¡¯t believe it. I salivated at the sight.


    ¡°Help yourself,¡± Beatrice said with a smile.


    I forgot my manners and rushed over to the fridge like a pig at a trough. I pulled out a container of fresh strawberries and stuffed one in my mouth. Its sweetness exploded like a firework in my mouth. The sensation almost brought tears to my eyes. I hadn¡¯t had a strawberry in years!


    Remembering my present company, I looked at Beatrice, who quickly hid a smirk. She knew the power she wielded with something as simple as a strawberry. I was such an easy target.


    Trying to grab onto any thread of leverage, I said, ¡°My father, Baxter. He also got shot. Where is he? I need to see him.¡±


    Beatrice smiled and spoke with precision. ¡°He¡¯s alive and well, thanks to Life Rite. He¡¯s getting the best care here, top of the line.¡±


    Alpha added, ¡°Life Rite is not legally obligated to continue free care, but if you cooperate, we will accommodate.¡±


    Checkmate.


    Beatrice smiled again. She knew there was nothing I could do but comply with whatever she said.


    What did she want from me, though? What could I possibly have anything that she needs?


    ¡°All I have to do is stay here for two weeks while I recover from the PX virus?¡±


    I tried to hide the distrust in my voice, but we both knew something about this setup was false. Only Beatrice knew the real reason behind the charade.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need daily blood samples from you,¡± Beatrice replied.


    Off my deadpan look, she added, ¡°To test the levels of virus in your body.¡±


    An arm attachment with a needle on the end snapped out of Alpha side plate. It flew over to me and pricked the back of my neck. Its glowing green insides zipped past my face. My blood filtered into the bottom of its eye, into its belly, so to say.


    ¡°Ow!¡± I protested and grabbed the back of my neck.


    ¡°No need to be dramatic,¡± the creepy drone chided. ¡°My medical programming runs with one-hundred percent accuracy.¡±


    Beatrice turned on a dime and left without another word. Alpha followed, and the door locked behind them.


    So much for sticking up for myself. I didn¡¯t have a chance in this world. The drone had more authority than me. I wiped the leftover blood off my neck with my hand and looked at it.


    Did I have the PX virus? If I was contagious, why would someone like Beatrice stand in the same room as me when she could send her drone? Was I now Life Rite¡¯s prisoner?


    Feeling sorry for myself, I popped more strawberries into my mouth and tried to find the silver lining. This apartment was next level! I touched the fleece sofa and noted the Life Rite logo on the fluffy throw pillows. I walked over to the window and looked at the hustle and bustle of the city outside. The Grid looked so imposing from up there. At least I was stuck in a gilded cage.


    My mind snapped back to Zayne, who didn¡¯t have such luxuries.


    ¡°Fire!¡± I exclaimed to myself, realizing I was standing in front of a fireplace. I wasn¡¯t stuck there¡­ if I could figure out how to use fire as a portal back to the slipstream. I needed to find Firestorm.


    It was a gas fireplace with a fancy remote control, so it was easy to get started. I sat on the sofa and watched the flames flicker and dance. Fire was always a powerful force of concentration for me. It always brought me a sense of peace, but I had never entered the slipstream that way. It took time, patience, but most importantly, it took belief. I had to believe in Firestorm. Although he initially rubbed me the wrong way, and I still didn¡¯t know who he even was, I needed to trust him now. He was my only hope.


    I took a deep breath and concentrated on the fire. It was hard to get comfortable. My gunshot wound called out for my attention, and so did my pounding headache. This wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    After shifting around restlessly for a few minutes, I exhaled and let the fire consume my mind. All other thoughts melted away, and I blocked out my physical surroundings. I intuitively let the fire sweep me away from the here and now. My eyes crossed. My breathing slowed, and I lost consciousness. In a moment of breathlessness, I let it all go and felt the power of the slipstream rush over me. What truths would I find in this ethereal place this time? Could I reconnect with Firestorm to learn more about Grace and Zayne or would I get lost in the void of endless probabilities?

 10. Revelations: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    When I came to, the darkness of the slipstream hugged me on all sides. I did it! I successfully used a fire portal to enter the slipstream.


    ¡°Firestorm?¡± I called out into the void.


    I exhaled and portal sparks drizzled down. There were fewer portals available to me this time, and I had no clue how to find Bennu Island. I needed my trusty guide, so I called out for him again.


    ¡°Firestorm! Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Over here,¡± he answered.


    I turned to see him step out from behind the nearest portal. For the first time, I saw who had been leading me. I saw his scaly skin, his drooping face, the sharp talons sticking out below his tall body, his wings¡­


    ¡°Firestorm?¡±


    He was a Bennu bird! How could a Bennu bird be my leader in all of this?


    ¡°I know I¡¯m not what you were expecting,¡± said Firestorm.


    ¡°You¡¯re a Bennu bird!¡± I screamed, stating the obvious.


    ¡°I prefer to be called a phoenix. And you, Jackie¡­ you¡¯re a Phoenix Gene carrier. We need to finish what we started.¡±


    I was speechless. This was who, or what, I¡¯d been following this whole time? What did it mean that I was a gene carrier? And what happened to Grace and Zayne?


    I reached my hand out and gently touched his skin. It was dry and scaly, but most notably, it was hot. He had the power of a thousand suns inside him.


    Firestorm pulled away from my touch and said, ¡°The answers are this way.¡±


    He turned, flapped his epic wings, and flew through the sea of portals. I ran to keep up. As we moved, the portal lights streaked, creating tunnels. Some streams connected, creating divergent paths. There were so many probabilities to explore. How did Firestorm know how to navigate this place?


    ¡°How long can I stay here this time?¡± I asked instead.


    ¡°Not long. Fire portals range in strength. Next time, crank the heat before you enter. Before I take you back to where we left off, I need to show you something else. A new portal in the future opened.¡±


    ¡°Future? Like it hasn¡¯t happened yet?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. When we gain access to future probabilities, they¡¯re not written yet. But it means they¡¯re the most probable thing that will happen. The decision is almost made, and everything is falling into place,¡± Firestorm explained.


    ¡°Can we change it?¡±


    ¡°We have to change it.¡±


    Firestorm rounded a corner and flew into a spark.


    I focused on the portal to follow him inside.


    ¡°Come see what Bennu Island looks like in the probable future,¡± he called back to me.


    The portal pulled me inside, but this time felt different from the last. I became one with it. The scene engulfed me more fully.


    As the future stream sucked me in, Firestorm called out, ¡°Jump on!¡±


    I flew through the sky and landed on Firestorm¡¯s back. The thrust of it all threw me off balance, so Firestorm had to zip down to catch me. I gripped tightly onto his scaly neck as he flew over scorched and burned land.


    ¡°This is Bennu Island in the future?¡± I asked with a gasp.


    The island was unrecognizable. The lush forest was now a field of fire. The only constant was the Grid.


    ¡°It will be if we don¡¯t fix the timeline,¡± Firestorm said as he flew over the fiery landscape.


    This exact image flashed before me as I ran away from that cop on the rooftop. I¡¯d been here before, but how was that even possible? How far into the future was this? Were Grace and Zayne still here? My mind reeled with questions.


    Off in the distance, I saw the complex sitting on the lip of the volcano. The castle tower was complete, no longer under construction as it had been the last time I saw it.


    Perhaps because this was a future portal, I was much more immersed in the stream. Rather than being a passive observer like I was last time, I felt the hot air blowing on my face and smelled the smoky field of fire. I felt the coarseness of Firestorm¡¯s skin. Being fully inside the stream made me feel more in control, like what I did mattered to the future outcome. As Firestorm suggested, I could change it. But how exactly?


    ¡°What happened here?¡± I shouted to Firestorm over the wind.


    ¡°Incoming!¡± Firestorm called as he took a sharp turn away from the complex.


    I looked back and saw a gaggle of Bennu birds chasing after us. My stomach dropped.


    Could I be physically hurt in this stream?


    ¡°Three scavengers hot on our heels. Hold on tight.¡± Firestorm flapped his colossal wings rapidly.


    ¡°What do they want with us?¡±


    ¡°Dinner,¡± Firestorm replied.


    I figured I could indeed be hurt in the slipstream by how hard Firestorm flapped his wings to get away. Maybe I preferred being a passive observer. I didn¡¯t dare ask Firestorm any of my questions as he struggled to fly faster than the hungry predators coming after us.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    One scavenger flew dangerously close, so Firestorm abruptly dipped down to fly nearer the scorched land. Intense heat emanated from its embers.


    The scavenger flew above us, poised to pounce. The skin on my back tingled with fear. Firestorm craned his long neck as he soared back upward. He swiftly knocked the scavenger out with a backward thrust of his powerful head. The Bennu bird called out in pain and fell into the fire below. The force of the blow almost knocked me off, but I kept my grip.


    ¡°A little warning next time!¡± I yelled. My hands shook as I tried to regain my composure.


    ¡°Stay sharp!¡± Firestorm worked overtime to keep up the pace. Another scavenger gained on us and nipped at Firestorm¡¯s tail with its sharp teeth. I kicked my foot out, but it was too far away for me to make an impact.


    Firestorm flew above the scavenger and pivoted abruptly to face it. He opened his mouth and blasted it with fire. It was as if he had a flamethrower between his teeth!


    Firestorm didn¡¯t stop until the scavenger yelped and retreated. I realized how incredibly powerful Firestorm must be, and it scared me. I had no idea what I was dealing with, but there wasn¡¯t time to stop down. There was one more scavenger to contend with.


    Firestorm zigzagged away from the final Bennu bird, but this one was quicker and more gruesome than the others. The scavenger picked me up with its talons and knocked me off Firestorm¡¯s back.


    I screamed as I plummeted away from the Grid-covered sky, but nothing came out. My breath caught in my throat, and my stomach crept up to join it. I felt sweaty and light-headed as I plunged toward the fire filled earth.


    A cryptic image flashed through my mind¡¯s eye. In some sort of memory from another place and time, I plummeted into the lower magma chamber of a volcano¡­


    The sound of loud grunting snapped me back to the present. A Bennu bird screeched with pain. The next thing I knew, I landed on Firestorm¡¯s back again. He saved me! I flipped onto my belly with a deep sense of relief and clutched his neck once more.


    ¡°We¡¯re safe,¡± he declared.


    We soared over the fire below as if Firestorm was searching for something. A building, surrounded by flames, came into view.


    ¡°Over there!¡± I said, and Firestorm flew toward it.


    Sweat dripped from my face as we came closer to the scorched land. Fire seemed to be Firestorm¡¯s plaything, but I¡¯d melt as soon as we touched down.


    ¡°Pull your legs in tighter,¡± Firestorm instructed me as he swooped toward the building. ¡°Now slide your body over my torso.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what he meant, so I froze. We were coming in hot and the scavenger was following us again, so there wasn¡¯t time for error.


    ¡°Slide down toward my belly so I can protect you!¡± Firestorm screamed as he quickly made his descent.


    I shifted my weight down and gripped onto his protruding stomach with my arms around his neck and my legs around his middle. His belly heaved as he breathed. I heard his heartbeat reverberate through his scaly hot skin. He used his wings to protect me from the flames as he touched down. I coughed in smokey air.


    ¡°Hurry, Jackie. Get inside!¡± Firestorm yelled as he opened his wings.


    I released my grip, jumped down, and felt the building at my back. I turned around and struggled to open the unhinged door hanging by the top bracket. Half-opened, I weaseled my way through and closed the door as best I could.


    I watched Firestorm face off with the scavenger through the large crack in the door. I was safe for now, but was Firestorm? Without him, I wouldn¡¯t know how to navigate the slipstream to help anyone, not even myself.


    He fearlessly went head to head with the Bennu bird. Both creatures were similar in makeup; massive bodies with epic wing spans, long drooping necks, scaly skin, sharp teeth and talons. They were evenly matched, and I winced when Firestorm took a direct hit to the face. His blood glowed as it splattered onto the ground. He didn¡¯t miss a beat, though. He flapped his wings to fly upward and blew a barrage of fireballs so powerful, they knocked the scavenger backward. Firestorm jumped onto its back and unleashed a fury of fire, bites, and pecks from his beak.


    The scavenger¡¯s cry made my skin crawl. It was way more intense than the general calls I heard in the previous stream. These screams were full of intense pain.


    It made me thankful Firestorm was on my side. If he wanted to, he could rip me in half without breaking a sweat. He delivered a final blow with his flamethrower and pushed the scavenger into the nearby flames. It shrieked as the fire consumed it.


    Firestorm moved to the door I hid behind and banged on it.


    ¡°Jackie, let me in!¡±


    I pulled the broken door back with all the strength I could muster and let him inside. He contracted his large body to fit through the door, and I closed it behind him as best I could.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. The scavenger will rebirth quickly and could try to get in.¡±


    ¡°Those things can rebirth?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what phoenixes do,¡± Firestorm replied matter-of-factly. ¡°Do you recognize this place?¡±


    I looked around the building for the first time and realized it was the warehouse where Grace found Zayne in the cage. It was in complete disrepair, covered under more layers of filth and ash, but it was the same.


    The eery space gave me chills. Rather than one cage where Zayne once lived, there were rows of cages. Some cells housed skeletons and rotting carcasses. Bits of broken drones littered the floor. The shelves still contained torture devices of every kind, but there were also three-ring binders. I picked one up and saw that Life Rite logo I couldn¡¯t escape.


    ¡°What does this mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We have to stop Life Rite. They¡¯re going to burn the island to the ground. They¡¯ve done enough to hurt me and my people, but this will be the end of us. You¡¯ll help me, right?¡±


    ¡°What do I have to do?¡± I asked. ¡°How am I supposed to change anything? They¡¯ve got me right where they want me!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The fire portal I used to get here was in my Life Rite luxury apartment. I have to stay there for two weeks while I recover from the PX virus.¡±


    Firestorm craned his neck and gave a look of confusion, at least that¡¯s what it seemed. It was hard to read a Bennu bird¡¯s face. Still, that look made me wonder if PX was even real. Was Life Rite taking care of Baxter, or was that a lie, too? I couldn¡¯t trust anything they said. I should have demanded proof.


    ¡°Have they taken any blood from you, Jackie?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give them any more!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°Like I have a choice, Firestorm.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not safe with them.¡±


    ¡°What can I do? I¡¯m their prisoner.¡±


    My mind reeled. What did they want with my blood, and why was Firestorm so adamant not to give it to them? Sure, I could use the slipstream to escape on some level, but my physical body was still in that apartment. I felt helpless and wanted to cry.


    ¡°You have more power than you know,¡± Firestorm told me.


    He could probably tell I didn¡¯t believe him. I felt like a loser.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the previous stream¡± he whispered. ¡°You need to see where you fit into all of this, who we¡¯re up against, and why.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious to know what happens to Zayne and Grace, but I¡¯ve got bigger problems. I need to find out if Life Rite is taking care of Baxter or not. Plus, I¡¯ve got to protect myself. You said it yourself. I¡¯m not safe with them.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to all that, I promise,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to bring your physical body into the slipstream with you, but first you need to see the rest. I need you to help me save Grace.¡±


    ¡°Save Grace?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought the goal was to bring Life Rite down? Why does Grace need saving?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±


    ¡°Your vague answers aren¡¯t enough anymore. I¡¯m going back for my Pops.¡±


    ¡°Jackie, Grace is your mother!¡± Firestorm shouted. His words startled me.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I told you, your mother needs our help. Grace is your mother. We need to save her.¡±


    WTF!? New questions naturally arose. I spat them out all at once.


    ¡°I thought my mother was dead. If she isn¡¯t, why did she abandon me? Besides, Grace is my age. How can she be my mother?¡±


    ¡°Time works different in the slipstream. I hope you¡¯ve seen that by now. She didn¡¯t have a choice about leaving you with Baxter. It was for your own protection. But who is protecting her?¡±

 11. The Village: Firestorm

    FIRESTORM:


    ¡°Stay here and don¡¯t touch anything.¡±


    ¡°Geez, fine.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going back to the past.¡±


    I left Jackie on the outskirts of the stream so she couldn¡¯t meddle. I needed her to see how everything played out so she could understand who she really was and why she was so important to my mission. This was not the time to explore the slipstream. I went back to where we had left off with Zayne and Grace.


    Despite being in that cage for years, Zayne knew the way back to his village as if he had walked that path only minutes ago. He led Grace through the thicket. Still scared of the Bennu birds and the radioactive eggs, Grace held on tightly to his hand. He liked the touch of her warm, soft skin.


    ¡°This is home.¡± Zayne beamed at the sight of the village gates.


    A group of women slowly moved their arms above their heads in sync, practicing Ni Cree.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡± Grace asked Zayne.


    ¡°Ni Cree flows with All. We thank All for everything. Move as one.¡±


    ¡°Kind of like Tai Chi?¡± Grace asked.


    Zayne didn¡¯t know what that meant and focused instead on the details of the village he dreamed of returning to. Things changed in the years he was gone.


    It was dusk, and several men prepared food in an outdoor kitchen covered by a wooden shade structure. Others gathered at the long family-style table to share the bounty with their neighbors. Small houses lined the grassy knoll that children played in, not ready to settle down for dinner. They ran after each other with arms outstretched, flapping their pretend wings like the Bennu birds. Bird Tag was always great fun for the children.


    Zayne saw his grandmother sitting at the head of the table. He dropped Grace¡¯s hand and burst into a sprint. He could wait no longer.


    ¡°Nannu!¡± he called out as he ran to her.


    His grandmother turned to look. Her wrinkled face lit up with shock.


    ¡°Zayne?¡±


    He scooped his grandmother into the biggest hug. She grabbed his cheeks and searched his face, amazed he had miraculously returned to her. They spoke in their language as Grace sluggishly walked toward the table, unsure of her place there.


    The kids playing nearby stopped and joined the growing circle around Zayne. It surprised everyone to see him. Grace noticed they made their beautiful clothes from the Bennu bird; leather jackets and pants made from their scaly skin, jewelry from their teeth and talons.


    Nannu noticed Grace and asked Zayne about her in their native tongue. He explained where he¡¯d been and how Grace helped him escape.


    Jappa, another teen boy, grabbed Zayne and put him in a headlock. Zayne pulled away. He instinctively bobbed, weaved, and pushed Jappa to the ground. Prepared to punch, Zayne stopped when he recognized his old friend.


    ¡°Jappa!¡±


    He helped Jappa up, and the boys hugged. After a lively exchange in their language, Jappa turned to Grace. He pointed at himself and said, ¡°Friend.¡±


    Grace smiled. ¡°Nice to meet you. Jappa, is it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, me Jappa.¡± He grabbed her hand and kissed it. He bowed his head as if she were royalty.


    Tinga, a tall man with brooding features, broke through the crowd. He had a deep and hideous scar down the middle of his face. His left eye had been replaced with a white marble.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± Grace took a step back at the uncomfortable sight of the scarred man.


    Tinga spoke with a loud, aggressive voice and grilled Zayne with questions in their native language.


    Nannu answered for Zayne, putting Tinga in his place. All the villagers took a seat at the table.


    Zayne grabbed Grace¡¯s hand and led her to a bench. He sat between her and Nannu.


    Tinga sat across from them. His good eye examined Grace; her gold tennis bracelet, her dewy skin, and unwelcome presence. The villagers grabbed each other¡¯s hands and bowed their heads while Nannu led them in a prayer. Grace bowed her head, but kept her eyes open to look around, still taking it all in.


    After the prayer, Nannu grabbed Grace¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± she said with a genuine smile.


    Grace smiled back, only slightly more comfortable. She looked at Tinga and tensed again.


    ¡°Nannu thanks you for saving me,¡± Zayne whispered to Grace. ¡°She welcomes and invites you to eat.¡±


    A woman wearing a beautifully embroidered dress put a platter in front of Grace and Zayne. She pulled up the cover and revealed a feast of radioactive Bennu eggs.


    Grace gasped when Zayne grabbed a handful of eggs and shoved them in his mouth.


    ¡°We found egg bounty in the cave of clover,¡± Zayne said with his mouth full.


    Tinga grunted, and Nannu nodded, pleased with her newly returned grandson.


    Nannu said to Zayne, ¡°Your English has improved.¡±


    She turned to Grace and added, ¡°You must be an excellent teacher.¡±


    Grace tried to smile through her disgust at the villagers eating the glowing radioactive green eggs.


    ¡°You eat these?¡± Grace whispered to Zayne.


    Zayne nodded. ¡°Bennu eggs boost vitality.¡±


    He offered her one, and she took it. Unsure, Grace inspected the gooey green egg before taking a tiny bite.


    ¡°You like?¡±


    ¡°It tastes like fish, but with the texture of jello.¡±


    ¡°You like!¡± Zayne smiled.


    ¡°Yum, fish jello,¡± Grace said sarcastically. She hid her disgust with a fake smile.


    ¡°Bennu eggs have a power that must be protected,¡± Nannu informed Grace. ¡°We protect them always, but Bennu is angry. Balance has been lost.¡±


    Not knowing how to respond, Grace complimented Nannu¡¯s necklace; a Merkaba symbol made of Bennu teeth. The sacred geometry merged two tetrahedrons together.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lovely symbol around your neck. What does it mean?¡±


    Nannu caressed the necklace she wore. ¡°An ancient sign of divine protection. This union of light is most powerful.¡±


    Grace smiled. ¡°How lovely.¡±


    ¡°Zayne, you must make her one,¡± Nannu instructed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he agreed.


    Tinga slammed his hand on the table, startling Grace.


    ¡°Enough little talk. Tell me of your captor,¡± Tinga said to Zayne with glowing egg spitting out of his mouth. ¡°Not attacked by Bennu?¡±


    ¡°I bathe in the river when darkness comes over my eyes. I was taken by man, locked in a cage for many moons. Trapped and tortured.¡±


    The whole community listened to Zayne with bated breath. Parents held their children closer.


    ¡°Man is more dangerous than creature!¡± Tinga spat. ¡°When my son disappears, Menva whisper these truths to me.¡±


    ¡°Menva?¡± Grace whispered to Zayne.


    ¡°Goddess of wisdom,¡± Zayne replied softly.


    ¡°How many sons will they take?¡± Tinga shouted. He stood to address the table. ¡°Eat of the Bennu bird, and strength will be yours! Tonight, we storm the complex! No more sons lost to man.¡±


    Everyone looked to Nannu for her reaction. She was clearly in charge. She questioned Tinga in their native language, and he argued his case.


    Zayne chimed in.


    Grace didn¡¯t know what was being said.


    After a heated exchange, Nannu turned to Grace and said, ¡°Tell me all you know.¡±


    ¡°Why would you storm the complex? We¡¯ve trapped the man responsible for this. He¡¯s in the cage. We need to interrogate him and find my parents. They¡¯ll fix this,¡± Grace promised.


    Tinga huffed at her suggestion.


    ¡°The guilty man is in the cage,¡± Grace pushed. ¡°Tell them, Zayne.¡±


    Tinga, Zayne, and his grandmother spoke in their language again.


    Tinga said to Grace, ¡°Daddy is not lost. I cooked him dinner tonight.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re looking for you, little girl,¡± Tinga added with anger in his good eye.


    Grace looked at Zayne, confused. He had no words to comfort her.


    Tinga addressed Nannu. ¡°Bennu turned on us after the complex is built. If they take our sons to torture, what they do to Bennu?¡± He spoke in English so Grace could hear it.


    He grabbed a Bennu egg and added, ¡°Vitality in their hands is dangerous! We must protect Bennu.¡±


    Nannu nodded her head in agreement.


    ¡°We storm the complex!¡± Tinga screamed, ¡°for our sons and for Bennu!¡±


    On Nannu¡¯s nod, the villagers clapped to support Tinga¡¯s plan.


    ¡°Finem maluma!¡± Tinga added with a fist in the air.


    The villagers chanted ¡°finem maluma¡± as they gobbled up the last Bennu eggs and left the table.


    Grace turned to Zayne and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on, dear?¡±


    ¡°Tonight, we take our island back.¡±


    Someone handed Zanye an axe. He took it with a nod.


    ¡°But my family owns¡­¡±


    Grace looked around at the village preparing for war and chose not to complete her sentence.


    One by one, the villagers returned to the table with sharp knives, spears, axes, and mallets. Some had small handguns. Their excitement electrified the warm summer air.


    ¡°Zayne, I¡¯m scared.¡± Grace grabbed his arm for protection.


    ¡°If Father and Mother are in trouble,¡± he assured her, ¡°we save them.¡±


    Grace didn¡¯t look so sure. He offered her a knife, but she shook her head no.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± She folded her arms and shrunk within herself, scared of what was to come. She didn¡¯t know how to stop the violence that was sure to come next...

 12. Bloodshed: Firestorm

    FIRESTORM:


    The villagers chanted, ¡°Finem maluma, finem maluma, finem maluma¡­.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Grace asked Zayne.


    ¡°Evil lives here no more.¡±


    ¡°To the complex!¡± Tinga shouted.


    The angry mob of villagers roared and moved swiftly into the woods as the sun set through the trees. Only the children stayed back with Nannu. The swell of the crowd took Zayne and Grace with them.


    Zayne chanted with his people as they marched down the well-trodden path to the complex that sat on the lip of the volcano.


    ¡°Finem maluma, finem maluma, finem maluma¡­.¡±


    Zayne was ready for revenge, so much in fact, he nearly forgot Grace was with him. He didn¡¯t consider how all this made her feel. Someone needed to pay for his captivity and torture. No one in the village would be safe until they restored balance with the Bennu birds. This must be done. They stomped quickly through the forest, chanting all the way.


    Night fell as they reached the path leading up to the complex. Several villagers lit torches, and the fire illuminated the hatred in their faces as they looked up at the compound that had taken over their lives. The low-paying jobs that employed them consumed all their time, but left the villagers with a lower quality of life. Their ecosystem was out of balance, their children were disappearing, and the sacred birds of the land grew savage and unkind. They had to break the invisible cage that cast a shadow over their lives ever since outsiders took over their island.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Their chanting grew louder with every step they took. ¡°Finem maluma, finem maluma, finem maluma¡­.¡±


    Grace pulled on Zayne¡¯s arm.


    ¡°There has to be a better way,¡± she pleaded, but it was too late. Zayne wasn¡¯t in control of what was about to happen.


    They reached the tall fence with barbed wire that protected the massive complex that sat on the lip of the volcano.


    ¡°Finem maluma, finem maluma, finem maluma¡­.¡±


    Some villagers had a Universal DNA Identifier to get in because they worked there, including Tinga. Others climbed the fence. Grace hung back and begged Zayne to stay with her.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t go any further. Camp Claudi has tight security, and guards will shoot anyone attempting to enter illegally.¡±


    ¡°This must be done.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see? The guards kill everyone!¡±


    ¡°Stay close,¡± he told her. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    Grace screamed when gunshots pierced the air.


    The guards protecting their post shot at the villagers as they neared the complex. Some flew off the fence from the force of the bullets. They destroyed others at close range inside the gate.


    The villagers that got through swung their weapons, ready to kill the guards that represented their oppressors. Anyone inside that compound was their enemy and must die if they were to live freely on their island; the birthplace of their ancestors and the sacred Bennu birds they worshipped and now feared.


    The battle had begun, and neither side would stop without complete victory. Which side would win amongst the bloodshed?

 13. Life Rites Prisoner: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    I snapped awake and found myself back on the couch in Life Rite¡¯s high-rise apartment. The fireplace was still on. Firestorm warned me I wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in the slipstream for long with such a small fire portal, but that exit was much more abrupt than I imagined.


    I felt disoriented and groggy, like waking up with an awful hangover. My heart pounded in my chest and my throat was dry, but never mind that. I needed to get back into the slipstream to find out what happened next. If Grace was my mother, and she was still alive, I had to do whatever I could to help Firestorm save her.


    ¡°How do I get back in?¡±


    I looked around for the remote to the fireplace and found it wedged between the couch cushions. I turned up the heat and refocused my attention on the flames.


    My eyes crossed, and my head ached. Despite feeling physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted, I kept staring into those flames¡­


    ¡°How frustrating!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t working. Maybe I needed a break, but I couldn¡¯t sit idle. I needed to know what came next.


    What happened to my mother and the villagers that night? How do I factor into all of this? Could I escape from Life Rite¡¯s steel grip? How could I save Grace and find Baxter? Was he alright?


    My headache increased as the questions swirled around in my overtired brain. The pain from the gunshot wound in my abdomen came back to remind me of my physical weakness in the here and now.


    ¡°Maybe if I eat¡­¡±


    I stumbled to my feet, walked to the kitchen, and opened the fridge. My body felt frail now that I was standing. Was the PX virus finally showing symptoms? I chugged two bottles of water and shoved a bunch of strawberries in my mouth.


    Someone knocked on the door, so I froze. I¡¯d hoped it was Baxter recovered from his gunshot wound, but it was more likely someone from Life Rite coming to take more samples of my blood. Those bastards! I had to be ready for anything. I swallowed the strawberries, closed the fridge, and hid behind the door frame.


    The door opened before I could make it there. A reminder that I wasn¡¯t in charge here. Beatrice walked into the apartment with Alpha close behind her.


    ¡°You okay, Jackie?¡± Beatrice said, ¡°You look awful.¡±


    ¡°Worse than usual?¡± I asked sarcastically.


    Beatrice feigned sympathy. ¡°The virus must be taking its toll. Alpha will collect another quick blood sample so we can see what your levels look like.¡±


    ¡°No, thanks.¡±


    Firestorm¡¯s adamant statement about not giving any more blood rang in my mind. Strength jolted back into my body, supplied by my desire to protect myself from whatever Life Rite had planned. I ran away from the drone coming toward me and opened the fridge to block it. As it zipped around the fridge door, I grabbed a water bottle and shooed it away.


    ¡°It is a felony to damage me,¡± Alpha said.


    ¡°Stay away!¡± I screamed.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Beatrice added. ¡°Jackie, this is part of the agreement. Remember?¡±


    I looked Beatrice in the eyes and asked her point blank, ¡°If I have a contagious virus, how can you be around me?¡±


    She smiled and replied, ¡°I¡¯m vaccinated, of course.¡±


    Crap, I hadn¡¯t thought of that. Still, I had questions about the validity of that statement.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Instead of trying to spar verbally with such a powerful woman like Beatrice, I gave a generic, ¡°I don¡¯t trust you or anyone at Life Rite. Before I comply, I need to speak to a lawyer.¡±


    ¡°How are you going to pay for legal counsel? Jackie, think this through¡­¡±


    The drone tried to come for me again with its needle drawn, but I swatted it away with the water bottle.


    ¡°Give me space!¡± I ducked and headed for the door. I grabbed the knob and pulled, but found it locked.


    Beatrice crossed her arms and shook her head.


    ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± I screamed, losing the patience to pretend anymore.


    ¡°The virus must be moving faster than we thought,¡± Beatrice said with a look of concern. ¡°We better sedate you.¡±


    I swung the water bottle in front of me like a knife. I must have looked so desperate, but who cares? There was nothing to lose anymore.


    Alpha came at me again.


    ¡°Keep that thing away from me,¡± I yelled.


    ¡°Alpha, pause.¡± Beatrice called him off and approached me with confidence.


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan here, Jackie?¡± Beatrice knew she wielded all the power.


    I needed to change the dynamic, and fast.


    ¡°Listen, I¡¯ve seen the rebirthing Life Rite gives rich people. I¡¯ve been to Bennu Island. Sure, I don¡¯t know how it all works together yet, but it¡¯s obvious Life Rite values some people¡¯s lives over others. I will not be a pawn in whatever game you¡¯re playing!¡±


    I blurted it all out without thinking it through, bracing myself for her reaction, and praying to get the upper hand somehow.


    Beatrice stood still for a moment, digesting what I had said. Unlike me, she planned her response with precision.


    After a long pause, she finally said, ¡°How do you know about Bennu Island?¡±


    I paused, mouth agape. Had I said too much? Or just enough to make Beatrice respect me?


    ¡°You have access to the slipstream, don¡¯t you?¡± Beatrice asked.


    I wondered how much Beatrice knew about the slipstream.


    I said, ¡°I¡¯m not telling you anything. Call that lawyer¡­ now!¡±


    Beatrice said, ¡°It¡¯s easy to believe what you see in the slipstream, so how can you know what¡¯s real and what isn¡¯t?¡±


    She was right. The slipstream had a funny way of making me question reality. Had I been to the probable future? It seemed so ridiculous. Yet, it all felt so real, so I doubled down on my position.


    ¡°I saw the boy in the cage. I felt his pain. And I know Life Rite has something to do with it because in the future¡­¡±


    Realizing how crazy it sounded, I thought about how much to divulge. If Beatrice knew about the slipstream, she probably knew way more about it than me.


    ¡°Go on,¡± Beatrice prodded. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    I said nothing, unsure of how much I even knew. Turns out, silence can be more strategic than speaking.


    ¡°So you saw the boy in the cage,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°So what? It¡¯s easy to empathize with someone you watch in the slipstream. Especially if it involves puppy love¡­¡±


    My mind raced. Beatrice knew about Grace and Zayne.


    ¡°So you sympathized with what you saw. Jackie, that¡¯s normal. Don¡¯t beat yourself up for choosing the wrong team.¡±


    Beatrice spoke with such confidence, it was hard not to feel like a complete imbecile around her.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°Of course I¡¯d choose my mother¡­¡±


    I got choked up saying that out loud. I tried to suck the emotion back to get my point out.


    ¡°Even if she was on the losing team when the villagers stormed the complex, I¡¯d stay on her side no matter what. I¡¯m used to being a loser.¡±


    A tear fell from my eye. I couldn¡¯t keep it in much longer.


    Beatrice smiled sympathetically. ¡°Is that where you left off? Let me show you the rest of the story, Jackie. You deserve to know the truth about¡­ your mother? Grace is your mother. Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    I nodded. It felt good to confirm that I had found my mother. Even though she abandoned me as a child, I planned to stick by her side no matter what.


    Beatrice nodded. ¡°I see¡­ Follow me into the slipstream, and I¡¯ll show you the truth. I have nothing to hide. Innocence is ignorance in disguise.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Maybe it was the headache or the gunshot wound or my low self-esteem that was magnified around Beatrice, but I had no clue what was going on now.


    ¡°There¡¯s two sides to every story, and things aren¡¯t always so black and white. If you follow me, I think you¡¯ll see another side of love,¡± Beatrice said.


    She was convincing. If Beatrice knew about the slipstream, and she knew about Grace and Zayne, maybe she knew about Firestorm. Was it crazy that I was following a phoenix? Two perspectives were always better than one¡­


    Without thinking it through too much, I decided I had to follow Beatrice into the slipstream. I still didn¡¯t trust her, but needed to get a grip on what all this meant.


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s do it.¡± I moved toward the couch, sat down, grabbed the fireplace remote, and turned the blaze up to full blast.


    ¡°Is this fire portal is large enough to bring us both into the slipstream? I¡¯m new to this, so you tell me.¡±


    Beatrice sat down next to me and smiled. There was something almost sinister about her smirk, and it made me uneasy. Her drone parked itself nearby. I was grateful for the pause in its incessant clicking noise.


    ¡°This is perfect,¡± she replied. ¡°You¡¯re doing great, Jackie. Show me how you enter the slipstream. I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±


    It shocked me to hear someone like her say that to someone like me. Emboldened, I took a deep breath and concentrated on the flickering flames that would once again carry me into the slipstream, this time with the most powerful woman in the world by my side.


    What would she show me next? How would the story unfold from her perspective?

 14. New Point of View: Beatrice

    BEATRICE:


    ¡°It¡¯s not working yet, but it will. I¡¯ve got this¡­¡± Jackie focused on the fire in front of us. Her leg shook nervously under her Life Rite hospital gown. She was a mess, with the energy of a drug addict looking for a fix. This is what became of Grace¡¯s daughter?


    It would devastate Grace to see Jackie¡¯s state, despite her best intentions to keep her daughter hidden from me.


    Poor Jackie divulged two significant points of interest in that clumsy exchange. When I first saw Jackie in the lab, I noticed her resemblance to Grace hidden under her matted ponytail and dirty janitor jumpsuit. Her initial blood test confirmed my suspicion, but hearing Jackie say it out loud was a huge win for me.


    Her knowledge of the slipstream made the connection even more real. Jackie had no clue what was going on, but her intense concentration on the flames was admirable.


    ¡°It¡¯s working!¡± She lost consciousness and entered the slipstream, leaving her physical body behind.


    I wasn¡¯t aware that you could use fire as a way into the slipstream, but I had a lot of experience, so I felt confident it wouldn¡¯t take me long to master this new skill.


    ¡°Here we go.¡± I took a deep breath and watched the flames dance in front of me. Their performance delighted and entranced me. The rhythmic movements lit up my eyes and engulfed my mind. I slipped away from the physical space to meet Jackie in the slipstream. Unlike her sloppy entrance, I gracefully took my physical body with me. Amateur!


    ¡°Here we are. Well done, Jackie.¡±


    She stared into a stream of Grace giving her away to that janitor, Baxter. Jackie was a toddler, crying desperately for her mother not to leave. Grace covered her tracks, I¡¯ll give her that. Who would have guessed Jackie was with someone who cleaned the toilets?


    Grace abandoned Jackie and left her to fend for herself in this cruel game of have and have-nots. Being Grace¡¯s daughter should have provided a life of luxury, not struggle. I put my hand on her ethereal shoulder for comfort.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jackie. That must have been difficult being abandoned by your mother. You¡¯re not the first family member Grace turned her back on.¡±


    Jackie tried to hide her tears. She didn¡¯t have the guts to look me in the eye.


    ¡°Let me show you the truth about your mother,¡± I said with a deep exhale.


    The pitiful amount of portals Jackie had access to swirled away, replaced with sparks under my control. I had to be strategic about what to show Jackie so she could truly understand the complexity of the situation. If she followed the actual truth, things would still work out for her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Bennu Island,¡± I said. ¡°Where did you leave off?¡±


    ¡°The villagers were storming the complex,¡± Jackie replied meekly.


    I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a painful scene to revisit, but crucial for you to see the devastation, the true cost of Grace¡¯s idiotic actions.¡±


    I concentrated my efforts and called that portal to me. Some people ran through the slipstream to find their moments, but my skills were more advanced, enabling me to call forth sparks on demand.


    Jackie noticed this. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re good.¡±


    Who had shown her the slipstream in the first place? I had an inclination, but would get her to confirm my guess in due time.


    ¡°Follow me, Jackie.¡±


    The desired stream opened itself to me, and I dived inside. Jackie followed, but stayed on the outskirts as a passive observer. She clearly knew how to watch, but did she know how to engage and manipulate? More details I would surely get out of her when the time was right.


    Bennu Island on the night the villagers came to the complex was a difficult stream for me to experience. I stayed away from it for a long time, but knew it would need to be faced again someday.


    At the front gate of the Camp Claudi complex, guards shot the poor villagers that weren¡¯t smart enough to flee. The locals didn¡¯t deserve to be killed, but what they did was dangerous. Order needed to be maintained.


    ¡°This is awful,¡± Jackie said.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Yes, but the real story isn¡¯t out there. It¡¯s inside.¡±


    I settled onto the impressive balcony overlooking the volcano. Mark Claudi sat at a table, tinkering with his drone.


    Alpha looked basic in those times. It didn¡¯t have any attachments under its signature eye-like structure yet. Mark was only just learning that appendages would give it a broader scope of duties. Presently, Mark attempted to attach a gun to its face plate in order to help the guards deal with the restless natives knocking at the door.


    Mark was as handsome as ever in his signature polo shirt and boat shoes. Broad shoulders, chiseled cheekbones, striking blue eyes. He was perfect in every way.


    Unable to get the gun to adhere to the drone, he pushed it away with frustration.


    Mark stood and walked to the balcony¡¯s edge. He gazed up at the castle tower, still half built, then down at the massive volcano below. He took in its power as his own. Despite the minor snag with the drone, he was pleased with himself and all he had accomplished. As he should be. Years of struggle were finally paying off.


    Two guards burst into the office adjoining the balcony, with Grace and that village boy under their control.


    ¡°Sir, we caught your daughter with this punk in the fray.¡±


    ¡°Bring them to me,¡± Mark said without turning around.


    The guards pulled Grace and a handcuffed Zayne, I believe his name was, out onto the balcony. Gunshots sprayed in the distance.


    Grace called out, ¡°Father! Where have you been?¡±


    Mark turned and nodded to the guard, who released Grace. She ran to her father and wrapped her arms around him.


    Grace looked up at Mark with tears in her eyes. ¡°I was worried sick about you. I haven¡¯t seen you in days and I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°Shhhh.¡± Mark wiped away his daughter¡¯s tears. ¡°I was working on something extremely important. It¡¯s time to reap what we sow.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even say goodbye,¡± Grace whispered. ¡°I thought someone had taken you and Mother.¡±


    Mark replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, but I thought you were mature enough to be on your own for a few days. Perhaps I was wrong to think you¡¯d outgrown your naivety. Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡­¡± Grace fumbled for an answer.


    ¡°How did you get involved with¡­ this boy?¡±


    Mark and Zayne looked at each other with recognition.


    ¡°Dad, this is Zayne.¡± Grace glanced over at her friend, who stood in battle stance under the guards¡¯ control.


    ¡°No one should ever be in a cage, Father.¡± Tears streamed down Grace¡¯s face as she struggled to deliver those words to Mark.


    ¡°My dear, this world is too complicated for your sensibilities. There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t understand, but it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here now. I¡¯ll always be here to fix your mistakes.¡±


    Mark hugged Grace and nodded to the guards, who pulled Zayne toward the door. The boy struggled, defiant and strong.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him!¡± Grace called out. ¡°Father, please tell me. What did Zayne do to deserve that cage? Maybe he can make things right somehow.¡±


    Zayne screamed, ¡°I was taken!¡±


    The two guards struggled to get Zayne off the balcony. He was as strong as both men combined.


    ¡°Grace, please!¡± Zayne called out as they tried to drag him away. He was desperate to stay with her, but he could see, in her father¡¯s commanding presence, their connection crumbled.


    Still, Grace tried to wield what little authority she thought she still had. ¡°Let him go, Father.¡±


    Mark smiled down at her. ¡°Forget about him. I have a surprise for you, Grace.¡±


    He casually walked past Zayne and the guards, into the office and over to a side room that was open.


    Grace yelled to the guards, ¡°Stop! Keep him here. Let my father and I come to a conclusion.¡±


    The guards let up, and Zayne stopped struggling. They probably listened to Grace because they weren¡¯t forceful enough to finish the job, anyway.


    Mark came back out onto the balcony, pushing his wife¡¯s wheelchair.


    Grace ran over and hugged her mother. ¡°Mom, where have you been? I thought I lost you.¡±


    Her worry seemed genuine. Grace cared for her mother, but perhaps she preferred her to be crippled so she could be the sole recipient of Mark¡¯s undying love. Being adored by a man like that was intoxicating, after all.


    Jackie called out from the edge of the slipstream. ¡°Wait, is that¡­ is that you in the wheelchair, Beatrice?¡±


    I smiled and stood up from that godforsaken wheelchair that kept me prisoner for years. Stronger than ever and excited to show it, I picked up the wheelchair and threw it over the balcony into the volcano.


    Grace was understandably shocked, but instead of being excited for her loving mother¡¯s cure for paralyzing muscular dystrophy, she was jealous.


    ¡°You¡¯re Grace¡¯s¡­ mom?¡± Jackie asked, still piecing it all together.


    ¡°Mother, how?¡± Grace asked. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    She looked like I took her credit cards away. If Grace cared for me, she would have been elated rather than horrified.


    ¡°Your father has developed an astounding cure for my muscular dystrophy using those disgusting bird eggs from this miserable island. I didn¡¯t think it would actually work, but I feel better than ever. We can all go home and get back to normal. Can you imagine the gala we¡¯re going to throw? A celebration is in order!¡±


    I hugged my daughter to celebrate this monumental occasion. It killed me not to hug my family for all those years. I was a prisoner in my body, trapped as a passive observer. For the first time in eons, I squeezed her tightly. Instead of embracing me back, Grace pulled away.


    ¡°The serum¡­¡± Grace whispered as she looked at Zayne and then back at me.


    That little ingrate pushed me away and said, ¡°You used Zayne and¡­ and how many others? You experimented on them. You kept them in cages!¡±


    Mark pleaded, ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Grace. Of course we¡¯re sorry about that. We truly are, and we will make things right with retribution payments, schooling, jobs, you name it. We will more than take care of the boy, I promise.¡±


    I tried to make her see the bigger picture. ¡°Grace, do you realize how many lives we can save with this treatment? Think of all the people we can help now. It¡¯s a miracle!¡±


    Zayne yelled, ¡°Look what you did to me!¡±


    He screeched like a Bennu bird and ripped his hands apart, snapping the handcuffs off his wrists with ease. The guards ran away like cowards.


    Zayne flexed his sculpted muscles. His veins glowed under his skin. With another flex, his skin lit on fire. He grunted, stretched his powerful body, and two fiery wings grew from his arms. The leathery wings extended down to the floor, massive and glowing! We created a monster!

 15. Murderer: Beatrice

    BEATRICE:


    Zayne flapped his expansive wings. It was truly a sight to see¡­ Half boy, half beast. He flew toward Mark and me with a blood-curdling scream.


    ¡°Guards, capture him!¡± We backed up against the balcony railing to protect ourselves from the wild creature we¡¯d accidentally created. That monster needed to be caged in order to keep society safe. We clearly needed to get him under control before any damage was done.


    ¡°Zayne, please!¡± Naive Grace called out his name, drawing attention to herself. She was always beautiful, but never intelligent.


    The creature turned to Grace and said, ¡°I wish to tell you, but scared what you think of me. I am a freak because of them!¡±


    The creature motioned toward Mark and me, still cowering near the edge of the balcony. Like Doctor Frankenstein, we knew we¡¯d have to make peace with our creation. Of course, we always intended to make things right.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear.¡± Grace touched Zayne¡¯s face and caressed his wings. They had formed a deep connection. It was horrific.


    Mark and I had been so engrossed in my treatments, so focused on finding a cure, that we failed to realize she had found this boy. A grave oversight, to be sure. We should have realized she was still young and needed constant supervision.


    ¡°Grace, stay away from him!¡± Mark stepped forward cautiously and tried to grab the gun off his drone, but it was half-secured and stuck. The creature noticed and growled.


    Unarmed, Mark stepped back and spoke in a calm tone. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can work this out. We will arrange an incredible compensation package¡­¡±


    My Markie always did the right thing, but those two were so engrossed in their own puppy love to see things clearly. Grace turned the creature¡¯s face back toward her, and they stared into each other¡¯s eyes.


    Grace whispered, ¡°You¡¯re not a freak. You¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    Leave it to my daughter to fall for a monster. She always felt uncomfortable in refined society. She complained of decadence and expectations. In reality, she enjoyed slumming it for excitement. She had a golden parachute. We were always there to clean up her blunders. This was an epic failure.


    ¡°I love you, Zayne.¡± Grace leaned in and kissed him right in front of us! As if she hadn¡¯t learned how to behave at the finest schools. She did it to spite us, I¡¯m sure.


    I would have let her run off with him and suffer the consequences of her own stupid decisions. She¡¯d be so lucky to find half the love Mark and I shared. But Mark wouldn¡¯t have any of that. Not his daughter.


    He shouted, ¡°No, Grace! Back away from him. Now!¡±


    Mark always said he only had eyes for me, but Grace had several years to secure her place in Mark¡¯s heart. Instead of laughing with me in his workshop, he¡¯d tinker with his drone with her while I sat staring at the fireplace, trapped in that wheelchair with nowhere to turn but my own thoughts.


    ¡°You always scolded me about the consequences of my actions¡­¡± Grace looked at us with rage in her eyes. Her veins glowed under her skin as she approached us like an animal herself.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°What have you done?¡±


    ¡°Zayne isn¡¯t the only one who¡¯s had the serum¡­¡±


    I was genuinely afraid of her. She always had that rebellious streak, but we thought we¡¯d raised her right. In reality, we didn¡¯t know what our daughter was capable of.


    Gunshots echoed in the background, a reminder of the chaos building outside. We expected the villagers to be ungrateful for all the opportunity we¡¯d given them, but never anticipated it from Grace.


    The creature, with a wingspan twice his size, had more sense than our daughter. He pulled Grace¡¯s arm back and said, ¡°We go. The villagers deal with them.¡±


    Grace said to Zayne, ¡°I love you. I want to be with you, but do you really think they¡¯ll let us be together?¡±


    Zayne and Grace looked at me and Mark, gripping each other and the balcony railing in shock.


    Grace looked me dead in the eyes and said coldly, ¡°Throw them over.¡±


    ¡°Grace Marie Claudi,¡± I called out. ¡°You stop this nonsense. We¡¯ve always fixed your mistakes, but now you¡¯ve gone too far. There¡¯s no coming back from this.¡±


    ¡°What mistakes, Mother? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s done unspeakable things. It¡¯s my turn to fix your missteps. It¡¯s your turn to suffer.¡±


    I¡¯d never seen so much disgust on someone¡¯s face. Grace looked at us like we hadn¡¯t given her everything she¡¯d ever wanted. Love, attention, material wealth. None of that mattered now. This was every parent¡¯s worst nightmare. Grace was the monster.


    ¡°My dear, I can tell you¡¯re upset, but I can fix things,¡± Mark pleaded. ¡°I promise, honey. Everything will be okay. We can come back from this.¡±


    ¡°You know, Father, there are no bad ideas. Only bad execution.¡± Grace twisted Mark¡¯s words against him.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mark stumbled on his response.


    ¡°My whole life, I thought you were perfect. I wanted to be just like you two. So in love¡­¡± Grace admitted.


    Mark and I were so in love. He was my everything, and I finally had a second chance at life with him. With my fragile body restored, so was my hope for our future as lovers, parents, soul mates. Our love was literally rebuilt brick by brick. Our struggles intertwined with triumphs.


    ¡°Please, Grace¡­¡±


    She continued her diatribe. ¡°I¡¯ve found a love more powerful than yours. Our love is bigger than Zayne and I because it includes all the boys you¡¯ve kidnapped and tested on. You¡¯ve tortured the people from this island. We won¡¯t let you hurt one more person for your own selfish gains.¡±


    She turned to her creature and added, ¡°Throw them over. It¡¯s the only way to stop them. They¡¯re too powerful. Politicians, police, media, they own them all. They¡¯ll never let us be together. You and your people will never live in peace if they¡¯re alive.¡±


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t do this!¡± We pleaded with our power-hungry child. We begged her not to do something she¡¯d regret, but she had already crossed over to the dark side. She chose her misguided puppy love over our family¡¯s future. Grace failed to see the long-term gains of the treatment Mark created, and all the future lives we could save.


    ¡°Yes, dear.¡± Zayne flapped those fiery wings and swooped toward us.


    Mark and I crouched down together and held each other tightly. I couldn¡¯t let go. I wouldn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°B¡­¡± Mark started, but I shushed him. I refused to say goodbye to the love of my life. Not after all we¡¯d been through. Not after everything we¡¯d sacrificed. Not after what we accomplished. Grace was foolishly taking away the ends and the means, making Zayne¡¯s sacrifice meaningless.


    The wind generated from Zayne¡¯s massive wings blew my hair around our last passionate kiss. Mark¡¯s pounding heart melded with mine as that monster effortlessly picked us up as if we were playthings. We gripped onto each other, dangling in the air, over the volcano. We never let go.


    That coward Grace walked away. She didn¡¯t have the courage to face us in our last moment. Grace had her creature do the dirty work. She showed no emotion, no remorse, no regret.


    My stomach jumped into my throat when Zayne released his grip. We fell into the heart of that volcano, staring at each other until the bitter end. Despite the hot rushing wind, we couldn¡¯t afford to blink and miss even a millisecond of time together.


    I lost myself in Mark¡¯s ocean blue eyes, his deep and loving nature sparkling through their boundless beauty. We were each other¡¯s raison en d''etre. You¡¯ll never meet another couple so endlessly devoted to each other.


    And we never let go. Instead, the lava melded us together; body, mind, and soul.


    How could Jackie choose Grace¡¯s side, now that she knew her mother was a murderer?

 16. In the Flesh: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    I snapped awake with a snort and found myself back in the Life Rite apartment. Beatrice was no longer by my side on the couch. I rubbed my eyes and looked around to find her standing behind me. She looked the same as before she fell to her death into the volcano with Mark. How could this be real life?


    ¡°You haven¡¯t aged¡­¡±


    Beatrice smirked, pleased that I knew the truth about her.


    ¡°Are you¡­ Did Grace¡¯s mother have a twin?¡± I stammered.


    ¡°Interesting take, Jackie. Is that who you think I am?¡±


    I swallowed and gathered the courage to say what I really thought. ¡°You¡¯re Grace¡¯s mom?¡±


    ¡°Not anymore, but I was then.¡±


    Off my look of disbelief, Beatrice added, ¡°That little twit killed her own mother and father, and showed no remorse. Do you still choose her side?¡±


    I charged back, ¡°But you¡¯re still alive!¡±


    ¡°And looking better than ever,¡± Beatrice said with a wink. ¡°But Mark didn¡¯t make it, and Grace didn¡¯t know I¡¯d survive. She wanted to get rid of me. She¡¯d rather keep the miracle treatment for herself instead of sharing it with the world. Grace abandoned her own child, you dear Jackie. She let you live in squalor as a janitor instead of allowing you to lay claim as the rightful heir to our wealthy estate. Is she who you should focus your energy on in the slipstream?¡±


    Beatrice had a point there, but I still couldn¡¯t get over the fact that she survived the fall.


    ¡°How?¡± was all I managed to say.


    Beatrice rolled her eyes at my hesitancy to accept the facts.


    ¡°The injections not only cured me, they gave me access to the slipstream. I got my first taste when I re-birthed in that volcano. That¡¯s when I saw what Life Rite could truly be.¡±


    ¡°What happened to Grace and Zayne?¡±


    Beatrice walked toward the door. Without looking back, she said, ¡°They murdered the love of my life. I¡¯ll never forgive them for that.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked.


    Beatrice unlocked and opened the door with her Universal DNA Identifier.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to Bennu Island. Now that I know about fire portals, I¡¯ve got work to do. Thanks for that information, dear Jackie.¡±


    Alpha followed her out the door, which slammed shut behind them.


    I sat alone on the couch, speechless. The back of my neck stung, so I reached around to touch it and found a little blood on my hand, the size of a prick. Not only had I given Beatrice the valuable piece of information on how fire portals into the slipstream worked, she also got another sample of my blood while I was out. She was a master manipulator, and I felt plain stupid.


    ¡°What¡¯s my next move?¡± I had no idea.


    I looked at the fireplace. It was off, so I felt around for the remote control to turn it back on, but couldn¡¯t find it. I threw off all the couch cushions and pillows. It was gone. No doubt Beatrice took that too, leaving me there without access to the slipstream. I was truly her prisoner now, but I was also her¡­ granddaughter?!If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be true¡­¡±


    That fact rattled around my brain, but it was too strange to process. I had to get the fireplace working to figure all this out once and for all.


    I tore the kitchen apart, searching for matches like a fiend without a fix. The drawers were empty, only staged for pretend luxury living, straight out of a sales catalog. I tried to turn the stove on, but that too was a shallow prop. Nothing about this place was real. Except for my pain¡­ That was the only real thing I could ever count on.


    Since I didn¡¯t have a fire portal to get back to the slipstream, I¡¯d have to rely on a near-death experience. I pulled up my hospital gown and looked at my gunshot wound. Blood had soaked through the bandage.


    ¡°I can push on the wound enough to make myself pass out, but what if I lose too much blood and actually die? Would I rebirth?¡±


    That would surely get me back to the slipstream, but fear gripped me. I lost my nerve and did a few laps around the kitchen island to pump myself up.


    There was no other option. This was it. I had to find Firestorm and tell him what I did, what information I naively gave to Beatrice that put the people of Bennu Island in jeopardy once more.


    ¡°Now or never¡­¡±


    I pushed on my bandage until it bled and screamed out in agony, putting pressure on my wound until my legs went weak. I fell to the floor, pressing until tears streamed down my face.


    ¡°It¡¯s not working!¡±


    My eyesight blurred. I wasn¡¯t in the slipstream, but I saw Firestorm flying outside my window. The vibrations of his wing flaps shook the floor. His massive body emanated heat. His talons gripped the glass and cracked it open, creating a wind tunnel in the Life Rite living room. I pushed on my wound again because the slipstream felt so close.


    Firestorm burst through the broken window, jumped onto the coffee table, and broke it. I looked up at him through my watery eyes.


    ¡°What are you waiting for, Jackie? Jump on!¡± he called.


    ¡°Are you¡­ are you really here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, now jump on!¡±


    I had only seen him in the slipstream, so it was hard to understand that he was there in the flesh.


    ¡°Move it, Jackie!¡±


    I scrambled to my feet, but slipped on a small pool of blood from my now dripping wound. It took every ounce of energy left to lift my frail body up and onto his back. He crouched down low enough for me to mount him clumsily.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Firestorm ran through the broken window and flew out, soaring above the cityscape. The Grid twinkled above us.


    A chill ran through me as the wind opened the back of my bloody hospital gown, but that was the least of my worries. I had to tell Firestorm what happened. We needed to save Bennu Island now, on top of saving my mother and Baxter. My problems mounted as I rode away on my powerful phoenix guide. At least Life Rite no longer held me prisoner.


    ¡°Firestorm, I made things worse!¡±


    ¡°That can happen when we tinker with the timeline.¡±


    I wanted to reach out and touch the Grid, but guilt prevented me from enjoying the breathtaking views as we flew over downtown, not to mention my bleeding abdomen.


    Firestorm called out, ¡°Grab what you need,¡± as we passed an outdoor clothesline between buildings. He flew through it, and I grabbed what I could.


    A minute later, we landed on the roof of an abandoned building.Surveillance drones hovered nearby, so we had to be quick.


    I dismounted and almost fell, but caught myself by grabbing onto Firestorm¡¯s beak. I looked into his eyes and felt his scaly skin.


    ¡°You¡¯re real,¡± I said in a daze.


    Firestorm averted his eyes. His drooping neck hung low to the ground.


    ¡°I thought maybe you were my imaginary friend or something,¡± I added.


    He looked back up at me and said, ¡°I¡¯m real, Jackie. I¡¯ve been watching you since you were a child.¡±


    ¡°I never knew¡­ How have I been so ignorant of my connection to the Claudi family my whole life? We should have tried to find my mother sooner.¡±


    Firestorm shrugged. ¡°The time is now.¡±


    Regret swelled inside me. I wished I¡¯d felt Firestorm¡¯s presence and tried to explore my deep connection with fire instead of shying away from it.


    ¡°Firestorm, I messed up,¡± I admitted through tears.


    He put his wing around me. ¡°The most probable future is being written. The scorching has begun. We¡¯ll go back to Bennu Island. Get dressed. It¡¯s going to be a long flight.¡±


    The surveillance drones flew closer, scanning a nearby building.


    ¡°Hurry.¡±


    I put my new clothes on; sweatpants and a dumb T-shirt with a cat on it that said, ¡®Hang in there.¡¯ Better than my hospital gown, but only just. I used that gross gown to soak up as much blood from my gunshot wound as possible.


    ¡°Time to soar.¡± Firestorm bent down for me to mount him.


    I jumped on his back and gripped his neck.


    The surveillance drones scanned us. ¡°Phoenix gene detected.¡±


    Firestorm blew his flamethrower and charred those suckers.


    ¡°More are coming. Let¡¯s roll.¡±


    We set off to see the effects of my mistake firsthand. How far-reaching was the devastation on Bennu Island? How much blood was on my hands?

 17. Scorched: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    After hours of flying beneath the Grid encircling the planet, we reached Bennu Island. Strange seeing it in person rather than through the slipstream.


    Unfortunately, it looked the same as the future stream, with fields of fire and scorched land as far as the eye could see. I coughed in the smoky air. The complex still stood on the lip of the volcano. The castle tower was complete, but the lush green forests were in dire jeopardy of being erased, one acre at a time.


    Looking closer at the balcony overlooking the volcano, Beatrice stood with arms outstretched, directing her fire-spitting drone. Man, she moved fast. That evil thing threatened to destroy everything in sight!


    ¡°The future has been written.¡± Firestorm sighed.


    ¡°Beatrice scorched the lands to create a powerful fire portal into the slipstream,¡± I said. ¡°She¡¯s always one step ahead, isn¡¯t she? Now what?¡±


    Before Firestorm could answer, two scavenger birds called out in the distance. They sounded hungry.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get somewhere safe so we can talk.¡± He banked to the left to turn around and flapped his wings fiercely to stay ahead of the Bennu birds. They hunt in packs, so even though we didn¡¯t meet the ones that called out, there were two more waiting for us around the bend.


    ¡°Incoming!¡± I called out as a scavenger leapt out from behind a tree below.


    It swooped up into the sky to chase us. Firestorm waited until it got close and smacked it with his tail. The bird screeched out in pain, but was unrelenting in its pursuit.


    It chomped its giant jaw. The force of it biting Firestorm¡¯s tail jolted me.


    It was Firestorm¡¯s turn to screech. The piercing sound made my skin crawl.


    Firestorm nosedived down toward the ground. ¡°Get off, Jackie.¡±


    I quickly dismounted so he could get back to the fight.


    Two Bennu birds surrounded him with bloodlust. He swung his tail around, smacking them both in the face, but that wasn¡¯t enough to keep them at bay. Both scavengers attacked Firestorm, drawing blood with their teeth and talons.


    I wanted to help, but Firestorm didn¡¯t need it. Somehow, he was stronger and faster than both of them combined. He grabbed one by the torso and ripped its wings off! That was the end of that one. The other one got burnt to a crisp when Firestorm inflamed its whole body with his fiery breath. It was incredible to see how powerful he was. Why was he more skilled than all the others?


    He swooped down to get me, and we flew over a fire field to get back to the warehouse I now knew so well. The one where Grace and Zayne met.


    I moved the busted door so Firestorm could get in, but there was barely anything left of it, so the entrance remained exposed. Still, Firestorm felt like it was a safe place to regroup.


    I stepped into the damp space and breathed in the dank air. Although I had already been here in the slipstream, the reality of it felt concrete and inescapable.


    ¡°Your wounds¡­¡± I gasped at the sight.


    Firestorm healed before my eyes.


    ¡°And yours?¡± he asked.


    I looked at my abdomen and it too had healed. Not completely, but the progress was impressive.


    ¡°So I changed things for the worse,¡± I said. ¡°Now what?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll think of something.¡±


    I sat on a broken cage, defeated. A training manual with the Life Rite logo sat next to me. I picked it up and opened it, hoping there¡¯d be some answer to all my problems in there. It shocked me to see the manual filled with Polaroid images of Zayne and several other village boys. The photos started out normal, albeit sad to see them imprisoned.


    As I turned the pages, the photos turned more grotesque. These training manuals showcased the stage by stage progression of the villagers mutating from boys to Bennu birds! First with scaly patches of skin, then with their arms growing wings, talons ripping out of their hands, their flesh molding into something inhumane¡­If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    I looked up at Firestorm and asked, ¡°They did this to you too, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    He nodded with regret in his mutated eyes.


    Firestorm explained, ¡°The Life Rite serum is made from the DNA of the Bennu bird eggs, but it¡¯s so powerful that it causes mutations. After testing the serum on the local boys, Mark got the brilliant idea to make a second serum from their blood, which was given to Beatrice, and now other Life Rite clients. They experience the rejuvenation and rebirthing without the mutation side effects.¡±


    We sat in silence for several minutes, sitting with the cold, hard truth of what Mark and Beatrice did to these boys. While I couldn¡¯t deny the rejuvenating benefits of the Life Rite serum, the cost to create it enraged me. Why was one life considered more valuable than another? The injustice left a sour taste in my mouth.


    ¡°What happened to Grace and Zayne after they threw Beatrice and Mark into the volcano? Surely they escaped?¡±


    Firestorm sighed. ¡°We got out, but¡­¡±


    ¡°We?¡±


    ¡°Jackie, I¡¯m Zayne. Firestorm is what I¡¯ve become.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± was all I could say. A tear rolled down my cheek. I felt a deep sorrow for the boy in the cage who had escaped, only to turn into an unrecognizable creature.


    Firestorm continued to explain. ¡°Grace and I left this wretched place and started a family. We tried to be normal.¡±


    I looked at Firestorm through my tears.


    ¡°Does that mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jackie. I¡¯m your father.¡±


    That was a lot for me to take in. Not because he had mutated into a full-on phoenix, but because¡­ well, maybe because of the phoenix thing. I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s hard to describe how I felt. Conflicted. Perplexed. Sad and anxious, I guess. Regret, remorse, guilt¡­ Mostly anger, though.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±


    ¡°I needed you to understand what we were up against. Needed you to see me for who I was, not what I¡¯ve become.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Grace now? Where¡¯s my mother? Why did she leave me with Baxter? Why did you leave me?¡± I had more unanswered questions than ever.


    Firestorm calmly explained, ¡°I thought I¡¯d stop mutating when the injections stopped. I wished we could be normal, but¡­ I¡¯m a freak. Look at me¡­ But really, I¡¯m the lucky one.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°For some reason, my blood type slowed the mutation process. That was the key Mark needed to make the first successful serum to give to Beatrice. All the other boys mutated too quickly. Those boys, my childhood friends, they are the scavengers who seek to destroy us. They lost all traces of their humanity. It doesn¡¯t look like it from the outside, but I have a shred of mine left.¡±


    I said nothing. Maybe I should have said something polite about him not being a freak, but I didn¡¯t have it in me. So he continued.


    ¡°Life Rite is still making mutants. The serum allows their rich clients to rebirth and explore the slipstream. Beatrice has to be stopped.¡±


    ¡°So you left us because you mutated?¡±


    Firestorm nodded. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hide it anymore.¡±


    ¡°What was Grace¡¯s excuse? Why did she leave me with Baxter?¡±


    ¡°Once she realized Beatrice was still alive, she knew you would never be safe. You¡¯re a pure gene carrier, Jackie. My blood and Grace¡¯s blood¡­ with the serums we took, that¡¯s incredibly powerful. You¡¯re the first person born with the phoenix gene.¡±


    His answer made me uncomfortable. I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around the fact that my blood had any value to anyone.


    ¡°Okay, but where¡¯s my mother now? What happened to Grace after she left me with Baxter?¡±


    Firestorm¡¯s head drooped to the ground. Whatever the answer was, it wasn¡¯t good.


    After a beat, he said, ¡°She¡¯s dead. Grace is dead.¡±


    Dead. That single word rung in my ears, deafening me. I felt sick to my stomach. This whole time, I thought¡­ I¡¯d hoped¡­ I couldn¡¯t stop shaking my head.


    ¡°No¡­ You said we could save her!¡±


    ¡°The few injections she had made her sick. When we left the island, she stopped taking them, but her cells needed more to survive.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to take in, but we¡¯re running out of time. We¡¯ve got to stop Beatrice before she burns this place to the ground. Before she snuffs out the last of my people.¡±


    ¡°You said we could save her!¡±


    ¡°Grace still lives in the slipstream. You¡¯ve seen her in our memories. Maybe we can still save her¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡± I screamed. That was not the answer I was expecting.


    ¡°The plan changed when you told Beatrice about the fire portals.¡± Firestorm said firmly. ¡°First, we have to save my people. They¡¯re alive right here, right now, but for how long? Tinga, Jappa, all the kids¡­ After we¡¯ve saved the island from burning to ash, we can go back to the original plan, go back into the slipstream to manipulate the probabilities and try to save Grace.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°The slipstream is very powerful, Jackie. You¡¯ve only begun to see¡­¡±


    ¡°Show me!¡± I yelled.


    ¡°I will,¡± Firestorm whispered. ¡°But first, we have to stop Beatrice from destroying this place. My people can¡¯t be collateral damage anymore. They¡¯re worth so much more than that. They¡¯ve stayed to protect this place, to protect the Bennu eggs. If we don''t help them, they¡¯ll die here.¡±


    He approached me with caution. I flinched as he put his wing around my shoulder, a failed attempt at comforting me.


    Firestorm embraced me fully, and I softened, allowing my body to crash into his. He was so warm, and his chest heaved as he breathed.


    As strange as it was, I found my real father. I always had an inclination Baxter wasn¡¯t my blood relation, and now I had confirmation.


    As painful as it was, I was glad to know. Ignorance isn¡¯t bliss, it¡¯s powerless. Equipped with the truth, I¡¯d finally make my own educated decisions. Or any decisions at all, for that matter, because I never had choices before. I didn¡¯t choose to be a janitor. I didn¡¯t choose my roommate infested home, and I certainly wouldn¡¯t have knowingly chosen to be ignorant of my family tree.


    We sat in our embrace, savoring the newfound closeness we had both craved for so long. It was finally time to choose my fate.


    I looked Firestorm, my father, in his eyes and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯ve got to save your people. I guess they¡¯re my people now, too. Let¡¯s protect the eggs and this island¡­ But after that, you¡¯re going to show me how to use the slipstream to save Grace, save Baxter, and stop Life Rite from hurting anyone else. They¡¯re going down!¡±

 18. New Probabilities: Beatrice

    BEATRICE:


    ¡°The world is mine!¡±


    Alpha spit fire into the fields surrounding the Camp Claudi complex, and the flames quickly multiplied. The heat felt like a warm blanket hugging me. I had previously gone into the slipstream with great precision, creating controlled near-death experiences to bring me to its doorway. A few times, things spiraled out of my control and I pierced the veil of death, but luckily, I could rebirth. However, I soon realized that rebirthing ages a person, and put my precious body through unnecessary trauma. Besides, we don¡¯t know how many rebirths Life Rite gives us. Something we¡¯re testing, but not on me, of course.


    Because of the extreme nature of it all, I entered sparingly to explore major business and life decisions before choosing a path. If I did it too often, it would hurt me in the long run.


    I never visited the past because that was frivolous. Sure, I could have gone in every night to be with Mark again, but that would be detrimental to my mental health. Only fools let the past fester. I only look forward. That¡¯s what Mark would have wanted.


    With access to the slipstream via fire portals, I was unstoppable. I could explore every little decision and determine in advance the best probable outcome. All missteps and mistakes would be artfully avoided. Although tempting due to my now unlimited access, I was still determined not to visit previous streams because it was painful enough showing Jackie what happened. If I went back to be with Mark, I would become addicted and drive myself mad.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jackie ride over the complex on the back of a Bennu bird. What trick did she have up her sleeve this time?


    I went back into the slipstream to find out. I¡¯d leave my physical body here and now, in order to be ready to defend myself if necessary. Another practice that ages me, but I had to stay vigilant.


    I pressed a button on my watch to call Alpha. My trusty companion stopped spewing fire and flew to my side. Its rhythmic clicking sound grew closer as it came near.


    ¡°Such a fine fire portal, Alpha. Well done. I¡¯m ready to enter the slipstream. Jackie¡¯s afoot, so please stand by.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Alpha flew over to a small docking station on the balcony that provided it with extra power.


    I stepped toward the balcony railing and looked over my fiery kingdom, more powerful than ever before. With my newfound access through fire, I¡¯d topple governments, create new conglomerates, become a leader across sectors. Anyone with influence would bow to me. I felt truly important, and there¡¯s nothing more satisfying in life than that.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Here we go.¡± I stared into the blaze and let the embers take me away to explore all the glorious futures that awaited me. I inhaled the power of the flames until they effortlessly transported me into the slipstream.


    The sparks from my field of fire turned into endless portals of probability. I moved the streams around to my pleasing, looking for the perfect moment to enter.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ What does the future hold?¡±


    As I searched for near-future probabilities to help navigate my next steps with Jackie, I noticed a small dark figure floating through the sparks of light.


    ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡± I asked. ¡°Reveal yourself.¡±


    I heard him before I saw him, but was shocked when Alpha clicked over to me.


    ¡°How did you get in here?¡± I almost couldn¡¯t believe it. How could a machine get into the slipstream?


    ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am,¡± the drone said as he approached me. ¡°No need for alarm. I am still watching over your physical body on the balcony. Would you like me to take another blood sample from Jackie if she comes to the complex?¡±


    I hid my shock at seeing Alpha in the slipstream. ¡°If it¡¯s easy. We need to devise a way to get larger samples if we want to make a difference in our overall manufacturing process. Small pricks won¡¯t do much.¡±


    Alpha said, ¡°I politely disagree. I¡¯ve been able to synthesize her blood within my mechanics.¡±


    ¡°Is that how you¡¯re able to enter the slipstream?¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± it replied.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t authorize you to enter, Alpha,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Explain yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. When I procured Jackie¡¯s blood for the first time, my access to this reality was a natural consequence. I understand the portals are designed to explore probabilities of all available outcomes. It is statistical in nature, yet ever changing. With enough data, I will break down the mathematical possibilities and draw conclusions on your behalf.¡±


    If Alpha was a lowly employee, I would be suspicious of its trespassing on such a privilege uninvited, but this was a machine. And wow, wasn¡¯t it incredible? When Mark first tinkered with it, I thought it was clunky, but he truly built something remarkable.


    The secret ingredient, like all Life Rite products, were the Bennu eggs. After Mark died, I injected serum into Alpha¡¯s veins and its intelligence went next level. It woke up and came to life in new and unexpected ways.


    I was always in awe of Mark¡¯s amazing accomplishments, and if he hadn¡¯t died, he would have figured out this crucial step himself. Still, I felt accomplished for figuring it out on my own, adding to Mark¡¯s already brilliant invention. Having Alpha on my team felt as if Mark were still on this journey with me in a way. My forever team mate. With Alpha crunching probabilities, the world truly would be my plaything. Mark would be so proud.


    ¡°Fabulous,¡± I said to it. ¡°Compile as much data as you can.¡±


    ¡°I see there are portals to the past,¡± Alpha said. ¡°These ghost-like trails are fixed, yet they are malleable. Would you like me to explore those probabilities as well?¡±


    ¡°No, darling. We only look forward. Only future conclusions matter now.¡±


    The drone nodded in its automated way. His pupil clicked several times quickly, as if it were blinking.


    ¡°I have recorded your response. I will dock while I run my calculations, but will stay in power mode to protect your physical body while you¡¯re in the slipstream.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± I waved my hand, shooing the device away so I could see all the portals available to me. I needed a plan for Jackie before she did something reckless.


    ¡°What do you have planned, Jackie? Are you a friend or foe? Should I destroy you, even if we¡¯re family?¡±

 19. A Choice: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    ¡°What a nightmare.¡±


    The wind picked up embers from Beatrice¡¯s fire portal and carried them to the village. Two houses were set ablaze, at least a dozen people injured, and one dead. Firestorm was right. His people were constantly under a new threat from Life Rite.


    When Firestorm and I touched down in the center of their village, the villagers screamed. The sight of Firestorm spooked them. Those that could, ran. The injured were too exhausted to fight another battle. I dismounted his back and tried to explain that it was okay, but no one understood me.


    Tinga ran toward us, swinging a mallet. I got a chill when I saw him, now leading the villagers as an elder. I saw a glimpse of his story and knew what happened to his son, but he didn¡¯t know me.


    ¡°Jackie, duck!¡±


    I dodged the mallet, but only just.


    ¡°Stop! We¡¯re here to help!¡± I cried.


    Tinga pulled his weapon back, ready to strike.


    ¡°What is this?¡± he shouted, waving at Firestorm.


    ¡°It¡¯s Firestorm, I mean, Zayne. He¡¯s here to help,¡± I explained.


    Tinga looked into Firestorm¡¯s eyes and turned pale. He dropped the mallet and examined the giant phoenix in front of him, searching for a glimmer of recognition.


    ¡°Zayne?¡± Tinga asked.


    Firestorm nodded.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to help,¡± I repeated.


    Firestorm flapped his wings and flew over to the nearby burning houses. He wrapped his wings around one building and absorbed the flames into his body. The fire covered him and then quickly extinguished. His already scaly skin charred over. He moved to the next house and absorbed those flames, too. Everyone stared in disbelief as the majestic phoenix put out the fire before it spread.


    Firestorm flew back to me and Tinga with smoke trailing from him. Tinga dropped to his knees, touched Firestorm¡¯s talons, bowed his head, and prayed.


    The other villagers bowed in prayer, too. After their moment of silence, they looked up with tired faces, many with bandages and burns. Even the children looked exhausted. A Bennu-skin blanket covered a dead body. The devastation was clear, even though the fire portal was half a mile away, near the complex.


    ¡°Why do you stay if you¡¯re constantly beat down by Life Rite and my¡­ my family?¡±


    That felt weird to admit. It pained me to think of all the suffering inflicted on them by people related to me. I differed from my family, though. I wanted to heal instead of hurt. Ironically, that is what Life Rite products do. If only they weren¡¯t made from the blood and tears of this village.


    ¡°The island is burning.¡± I restated the obvious.


    Tinga looked at the smoke plume in the distance. He waved it off as if it was nothing.


    ¡°We don¡¯t go to the complex. Evil lives there,¡± he replied.


    ¡°I know, but if we don¡¯t stop the flames, they¡¯ll spread. Your entire village could burn to the ground.¡±


    Firestorm nodded in agreement.


    Jappa, Zayne¡¯s childhood friend who was now an adult, stepped forward. He hugged Firestorm, then spoke to Tinga in their native language.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Jappa looked at me and said, ¡°We protect the eggs.¡±


    ¡°Nothing will be safe if we don¡¯t stop her,¡± I said with a shrug.


    Tinga and Jappa nodded and barked instructions to the villagers. They broke into groups and grabbed as many pots as possible. They took a colossal amount of Bennu eggs and crushed them, then mixed in a salt-like compound. The villagers beat the ingredients together into a paste. I grabbed a pot and joined them.


    We worked together silently, making a large quantity of the greenish-grey substance. I smiled at the children, who looked at me with curiosity. Although I was new there, I felt welcomed and safe. Unlike Grace, I felt like I belonged.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Once Tinga was satisfied with the amount of paste made, I followed the villagers to the gate. We spread the paste on the ground, creating a circle of protection around their community. Others left with pots to protect the various nests of Bennu eggs around the island.


    It was an incredibly tedious task, back-breaking work, and I wanted to give up pretty quickly. My gunshot wound nagged at me, but I saw how hardworking the villagers were. They dedicated themselves to protecting the Bennu eggs, and they¡¯d do anything to fulfill that duty. It was remarkably inspiring to see them work together harmoniously, and despite my fatigue, I kept at it for hours. It was the least I could do after divulging the information about the fire portals.


    ¡°They don¡¯t deserve this, Firestorm.¡± I vowed to do anything in my power to protect the tribe and repair some of the damage they endured over the years; the kidnapping and mutation of their children, the massacre when they stormed the complex, and now the burning of their sacred lands.


    When we finally finished our section of the protection circle, we rejoined Tinga and Jappa in the village, no doubt discussing the continued threat of fire portals on Bennu Island.


    Jappa pointed at the blood on my shirt and asked, ¡°I fix?¡±


    I nodded and lifted my shirt. My gunshot wound was bleeding again from all the manual labor. Jappa wiped a salve on the wound, presumably made from Bennu eggs as well. I felt instant relief.


    Next, he grabbed some bandages and patched me up gently. I looked at the light wrinkles around his eyes as he worked on me, wondering what Zayne would have looked like now if he hadn¡¯t turned into Firestorm.


    Firestorm turned to me and said, ¡°Heal yourself, Jackie. Trust in your ability.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not special.¡±


    ¡°Come. Pay respects to Nannu.¡±


    Firestorm and I visited a tree. A beautiful necklace of a Merkaba symbol made from Bennu teeth hung from a branch. The one Nannu wore around her neck.


    ¡°Our ancestors show us the way. It¡¯s time for Beatrice to pay for her sins.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to avenge our people.¡±


    Revenge felt like enough of a plan, and without much discussion, Firestorm and I went to go make things right. I wasn¡¯t sure what that meant yet, but thinking ahead isn¡¯t exactly my strong suit.


    As the sun set, Firestorm and I flew over the scorched lands of Bennu Island to confront Beatrice. We sailed over the volcano and landed on the balcony overlooking it. The same balcony where Grace and Zayne stood up to Beatrice and Mark all those years ago.


    My mother was much more confident than me. After seeing the mutation photographs and meeting the villagers in-person, I had the conviction to confront Beatrice, but did I have the same courage Grace did? It was time to find out.


    ¡°Beatrice, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond, in a trance on the balcony overlooking the fiery lands she set ablaze. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and her eyelids danced between open and closed.


    ¡°Firestorm, how deep is she in the slipstream? What does she do in there?¡±


    ¡°What probabilities has she explored and what is she searching for? We can¡¯t know unless we ride her streams.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Beatrice elegantly opened her eyes after I jumped off Firestorm¡¯s back clumsily. She could clearly control going in and out of the slipstream better than me. She made a formidable enemy, to say the least.


    ¡°Welcome to Bennu Island.¡± Beatrice smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here in the flesh, Jackie.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done to this place.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it glorious? Have you seen the castle my love erected in my honor?¡±


    Beatrice pointed at the tower, now complete.


    ¡°He brought over the bricks from our wedding chapel from Scottland and painstakingly reconstructed it.¡±


    The tower looked important, but I refused to give her any satisfaction. ¡°Don¡¯t you mean the villagers painstakingly reconstructed it?¡±


    Beatrice crossed her arms. ¡°Under Mark¡¯s watchful eye, yes.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Eh, I¡¯ve seen better. Be careful. If you keep starting fires, it might burn down.¡±


    ¡°My slipstream vision has never been stronger. How can I repay you for such valuable information about fire portals?¡± Beatrice asked genuinely.


    I wanted to name a price and walk away from all this with a huge payday. Forget all that happened and go live like a princess instead of a janitor.


    As if reading my mind, Beatrice doubled down. ¡°Join me, Jackie. Help me run the family business. Take your place as rightful heir.¡±


    Her offer shocked me. Connected to both the Claudi family and the villagers, could I make more of an impact if I joined forces with the dark side?

 20. Revenge or Truce: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    Out of nowhere, Alpha snuck up behind me and pricked my neck.


    ¡°Ow,¡± I cried as I grabbed at the pain. A small amount of blood came off on my hands.


    ¡°Stand down, Alpha,¡± Beatrice commanded, but it was too late. It already got another sample.


    I looked up and saw my blood being synthesized in Alpha¡¯s belly, which had only recently protruded like an eye with a sty on it. My blood mixed with the green radioactive liquid already running through Alpha¡¯s veins. The biochemicals created an ethereal cocktail that scared me.


    ¡°Way to show your true colors, grandma.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. Alpha was acting on old programming. I promise, Jackie. I come in peace,¡± Beatrice said with her hands up in surrender.


    Firestorm yelled, ¡°You come in peace? Your fire portal murdered someone from the village and hurt a dozen more! It¡¯s time to throw you into that volcano again!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of that?¡± Beatrice asked. ¡°I¡¯ll rebirth, and we¡¯ll be back where we started.¡±


    Firestorm started toward Beatrice anyway. Her drone pricked him in the neck, stopping him temporarily.


    ¡°A little tranquilizer on that dart should give us some time to talk without your¡­ pet,¡± Beatrice said to me.


    Firestorm¡¯s legs fell out from under him, and he stumbled to the floor.


    I ran to him. ¡°Dad, are you all right?¡±


    He nodded lazily. ¡°Stay strong against her, Jackie.¡±


    I looked at Beatrice with hatred in my eyes.


    ¡°Dad?¡± Beatrice squinted to examine Firestorm. ¡°Is this what¡¯s become of you, Zayne? Fascinating. How long did it take for you to morph fully? Clinical trials showed that your blood type is extremely effective at staving it off for much longer than your fellow villagers.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not your science experiment.¡± I curled my hands into fists, ready to fight.


    ¡°Oh honey, no need to get violent. When we all have the ability to rebirth, that¡¯s not the most interesting way to spar. Sit and see if you can outsmart me another way.¡±


    Her invitation startled me. Had I re-birthed after that gun-shot wound¡­ Was I capable of that as a gene carrier?


    Beatrice pointed at two chairs and a table on the far side of the large balcony. A chess board sat awaiting us. She took a seat and motioned for me to join her. I did, not because I wanted to play, or spar with her, but because I might faint if I didn¡¯t sit down. It was all so overwhelming.


    ¡°Jackie, don¡¯t get suckered by her lies,¡± Firestorm said sleepily.


    ¡°What a lovely little family reunion we have here.¡± Beatrice smiled and clapped her hands. She was enjoying this.


    I reminded myself that she was pleasant on the outside, but cold and calculating underneath the facade.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re all searching for something,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°We can enter the slipstream and experience different probabilities, but only one physical reality is written for us. If we work together, we can all win.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never help you,¡± I said with spite. ¡°You¡¯re a nut job who only cares about herself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a nice way to speak to your dear grandmother, Jackie.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t care about anyone but yourself. You treat other people¡¯s lives like pawns in your game.¡±


    I angrily swept my hand across the chessboard, knocking the pieces everywhere. Not only was it an excellent metaphor, it ensured she wouldn¡¯t try to play a game with me. I didn¡¯t need her showcasing my lack of knowledge in a trivial game. We both knew she had me beat on every level.


    Beatrice laughed. ¡°You¡¯re so enmeshed, dear. With so many probabilities to explore in the slipstream, how can you care about any one person or thing in the physical world?¡±


    ¡°You cause so much suffering, Beatrice. In the slipstream and in this world.¡±


    I pointed at the smoke from the burned island, as if I needed an actual example. I looked at Firestorm, half asleep behind me, and thought of how handsome he once was as Zayne.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°You¡¯re quick to blame, but those people would suffer anyway,¡± Beatrice replied. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the future, and if I didn¡¯t create my fire portal, a seismic event would spill lava on them, anyway.¡±


    I scoffed. Beatrice could justify anything.


    ¡°How convenient,¡± I said sarcastically.


    ¡°The slipstream, and life, works on probabilities,¡± Beatrice explained. ¡°The probability of things is determined by who we are. Rich people will almost always be rich. The poor will almost always be poor. You are an exception to that one in this life, but you can¡¯t escape the truth. If you have an addictive personality, you¡¯ll almost always become an addict. If you don¡¯t have any fashion sense, well dear, even though we¡¯re related, there¡¯s not much I can help you with in that department, either.¡±


    She looked me up and down with a judgmental gaze.


    I could take the jab about my clothes. After all, I had taken them off a clothesline in mid-flight. But was I rich in more probabilities than not, since we¡¯re related? Was she also insinuating something deeper about me having an addictive personality? She didn¡¯t even know me¡­


    ¡°If you¡¯re evil, you¡¯ll always be evil,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°That¡¯s a subjective word, my dear. Isn¡¯t a girl murdering her loving parents evil, too?¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Firestorm added. ¡°Grace knew you imprisoned me. You create mutants so you can ¡ª


    ¡°Silence!¡± Beatrice slammed her fist against the table, cutting Firestorm off. I saw a glimmer of pain in her eyes for the first time, but she quickly hid it and regained her composure.


    ¡°It was difficult to rebuild the project without your grandfather, Jackie. The promise of Life Rite was almost lost when Mark died. This is his legacy, and I rebuilt it in his honor. If only he could see how far I¡¯ve come¡­ Now, we not only cure diseases, we offer eternal life!¡±


    ¡°To the rich!¡± I said with another scoff. ¡°At what cost to others?¡±


    ¡°What can I say? It¡¯s an expensive endeavor.¡±


    She was so cavalier about it all.


    ¡°If Life Rite can cure anyone, what about Baxter? Did you save him? Is he safe?¡±


    Beatrice seemed caught off guard by the question.


    She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jackie. We tried to save him, but his gunshot wound was too deep. It hit a major organ, and after days of intense care, he finally succumbed to his injuries.¡±


    The news felt like a gut-punch. Tears swelled in my eyes and streamed down my cheeks. It was all too much now.


    Firestorm took over. He stood, sluggish, and walked toward Beatrice. He fought the effects of the powerful tranquilizer as he said, ¡°You kept me in a cage. You tested on me, mutated me. And now you¡¯re burning the sacred lands of my people. Enough!¡±


    He towered over Beatrice with rage in his eyes. A spark of fire dripped from his mouth and singed her dress.


    Alpha flew around the tense standoff with its familiar clicking, but Beatrice shooed it away with a calm wave of her hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Zayne,¡± she replied quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve played the villain for long enough. Time to make some new decisions. See the story unfold in new ways. It¡¯s easily within our power with the slipstream. Let¡¯s do things your way now.¡±


    Firestorm and I exchanged confused glances. We weren¡¯t expecting that and had no clue what she had planned. Did she truly see the error of her ways?


    ¡°How can we trust you?¡± I wiped my dripping nose.


    ¡°Shall we consult the slipstream to find out or let it play out in real time?¡± Beatrice asked smugly.


    ¡°What are you proposing?¡±


    ¡°Jackie, I need your blood,¡± she said.


    I instinctively yelled, ¡°No way!¡±


    Beatrice paused, containing her irritation. Then she continued.¡°It¡¯s funny. I never wanted to have a child. I only did it to make Mark happy. It devastated me to have a girl, but now I see how valuable it was. Grace¡­ and that creature, birthed a richer bloodline. You¡¯re a natural gene carrier, Jackie. Your blood could take Life Rite to the next level.¡±


    Was my blood truly that special? It was hard to imagine. My brain quickly pieced together the hole in my heart that I¡¯d carried around my entire life. Everything started to make sense.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been after my blood my whole life, haven¡¯t you?¡± I asked. ¡°That¡¯s why Grace gave me to Baxter. So you couldn¡¯t find me?¡±


    Tears welled in my eyes again as a wave of forgiveness swept over me. My mother didn¡¯t want to abandon me, she was trying to protect me. Firestorm nuzzled his beak into my arm, and I hugged him back. He was all I had left now.


    Beatrice said, ¡°I can¡¯t speak for Grace¡¯s choices.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t have my blood.¡±


    ¡°Jackie, let¡¯s run Life Rite together.¡± Beatrice reached over and grabbed my hand.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± I pulled my hand away.


    ¡°Think of all the good we can do with the company. We can make a fortune on wrinkle creams to keep us living in luxury, but we can also cure so many diseases. That¡¯s what got this whole thing started. Mark cured me.¡±


    ¡°You can do all that without me.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, but it¡¯d be more fun together. We¡¯re family, after all. Plus, you¡¯ll keep me on the straight and narrow.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± I asked.


    ¡°A monthly blood donation from you. That¡¯s it.¡±


    I grumbled.


    ¡°Your blood would erase the need for the carrier. I¡¯ve created enough mutants already. It¡¯s a gruesome business with an expensive overhead. This is a cleaner way. A win/win. You won¡¯t have to live in squalor anymore. You deserve better, Jackie. After all, you¡¯re a Claudi.¡±


    Firestorm fought through his drowsiness and said, ¡°She¡¯s a Deere, a part of the sacred people you¡¯ve tormented here.¡±


    Was I a Claudi or a Deere or¡­ Cooper was the name I grew up with. I never realized how crucial a family name was until now.


    I thought back to all the mutated boys in those polaroids and mourned the loss of Grace and Zayne as parents. I yearned to see Baxter again. As much as I wanted to be related to the rich head of a powerful corporation, the boys in the cages were my family, too. I was part of both lineages.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help you,¡± I said.


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Beatrice replied. ¡°If you won¡¯t join me, you¡¯ll what? Try to kill me instead? But in doing so, you¡¯ll give me even deeper access to the slipstream where I¡¯ll find new ways to enact my narrative. I will rebirth. I will outlive you, outsmart you. Make no mistake about that.¡±


    I looked at Firestorm, then back at Beatrice. I didn¡¯t know what to say. She made a lot of interesting points.


    ¡°Think about it,¡± Beatrice added. ¡°Drink from my fire portal to awaken yourself to the probabilities.¡±


    She stood and walked away with her signature confident swagger. Alpha followed, leaving Firestorm and I alone on the balcony overlooking the volcano. We sat in silence, trying to process all Beatrice said. There was a lot to unpack. Should we seek revenge or call a truce?

 21. Family Business: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    Firestorm was the first to speak. ¡°We can¡¯t trust anything Beatrice says. She¡¯s sly like a fox.¡±


    ¡°Sly, sophisticated¡­ I can¡¯t keep up with her, Dad.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let her spook you, Jackie. I have a plan.¡±


    I was so glad I wasn¡¯t alone in this. Firestorm, Zayne, Dad, he had a plan. ¡°Great. What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°We lock her up and keep her in a cage forever. Drain her blood and give it to my people and anyone else wronged by Life Rite. Give the little guy a power they never tasted before.¡±


    His idea surprised and horrified me. I understood his instinct toward revenge because I wanted justice too, but there had to be a better way than caging Beatrice. As much as I hated seeing Zayne in a cage, I couldn¡¯t be responsible for putting someone else in one. Two wrongs don¡¯t make a right in my book. There had to be another way.


    I stood and looked out onto the fields of scorched land, thinking. Part of me wanted to join Beatrice. I wanted the power and influence that came with being on her team. I imagined the wealth, the opulence, the prestige. All things I desperately wanted my whole life.


    ¡°She said no more mutants. With my blood, we could run things without hurting others. Help cure diseases.¡±


    I felt honored that my blood was critical to her plan. Maybe I wasn¡¯t as low as the trash I took out at Life Rite. I could run Life Rite instead. I never felt important until now¡­


    ¡°Look at this place,¡± I said to Firestorm. ¡°She created an epic fire portal into the slipstream. Maybe she¡¯s already explored every possibility and figured it all out. Maybe she¡¯s on to something.¡±


    Firestorm snorted.


    ¡°Seriously, Dad. We don¡¯t have to decide. Can¡¯t we try all the probabilities? Explore the slipstream until we know what Beatrice knows. Let¡¯s play things out.¡±


    ¡°If we give into her,¡± Firestorm said, ¡°she¡¯ll burn the entire planet down. She only cares about herself.¡±


    ¡°You promised to show me how to manipulate the slipstream. What are you waiting for? Now¡¯s the time. Help me become a slipstream master.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No. We don¡¯t have time to try out different schemes. We¡¯ve got to destroy that creepy drone and lock Beatrice up before she can cause any more damage. Let¡¯s move.¡±


    I sure was sick of him telling me what to do. I wanted to use the slipstream how Beatrice used it, to explore future probabilities to help make the right choice. New to having choices, I didn¡¯t want to be quick to make the wrong decision.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we do both? Let¡¯s create a stream to try things your way. Leave her in a cage to suffer forever. Take her blood and give it to your tribe. Open the slipstream to those who will not misuse it. Meanwhile, I can create a stream where I work with her.¡±


    ¡°Work with her? How could you, Jackie?¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Hear me out¡­ We should explore the probabilities because the more information we have, the more we understand how to end the suffering once and for all.¡±


    ¡°Your mother sacrificed everything to make sure you didn¡¯t wind up under Beatrice¡¯s control.¡±


    ¡°If my blood can stop the mutations, maybe mom should have explored that solution. We could have been together as a family.¡±


    Firestorm yelled, ¡°She¡¯ll use you and ruin you!¡±


    I hate being yelled at, so I raised my voice, too.


    ¡°I¡¯ve spent my whole life in squalor! Baxter did the best he could, but I can¡¯t tell you how many days I went to bed starving!¡±


    ¡°So, this is about the money?¡± Firestorm asked.


    That triggered me. ¡°No! I mean, maybe. This is the world we¡¯re living in. I¡¯m sick of struggling!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what it means to struggle!¡±


    That infuriated me. ¡°How would you know? Where were you my whole life? Playing around in the slipstream?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to change things, Jackie. Figure out a way to¡­¡±


    ¡°To what? Save Grace from dying? Is that even possible? It¡¯s in the past. Instead of spending time with me, you disappeared. Maybe you only care about yourself, too.¡±


    ¡°My presence would have given your location away. I¡¯m not exactly subtle!¡±


    As he yelled, a spark of fire spewed out of his mouth. I weaved away from being burned.


    ¡°I may have your messed up DNA, Dad, but I also have hers. Haven¡¯t you spent enough time in the slipstream to realize there is no beating Life Rite? If you can¡¯t beat ¡®em¡­¡±


    ¡°Jackie, I forbid you!¡±


    The idea of walking away from my birthright, the success of Life Rite, felt absurd compared to caging Beatrice for his revenge. What would that solve? The slaves would become the masters, but no healing would take place.


    ¡°You can¡¯t control me, just like you can¡¯t control Beatrice, or the slipstream, or anything! Nothing about your plan has ever worked.¡±


    ¡°You think you can do better? We¡¯ll see,¡± said Firestorm. ¡°I¡¯ll create a new stream and show you the right way to end this.¡±


    As much as I didn¡¯t want him to leave, I nodded for him to go.


    With that, Firestorm leapt in the air and flew away, leaving me there alone with my raging thoughts. He stumbled, still fighting the effects of the tranquilizer. I watched him go with tears in my eyes.


    As Firestorm flew between the Grid and the field of fire, my vision blurred. He disappeared. It seemed like everyone could easily enter the slipstream except me. I vowed to learn their secrets, but now questioned if I was making the right choice.


    Would I regret turning my back on Firestorm? Was I being selfish for wanting a better life? Was I na?ve to think Beatrice could change? Would my mother turn in her grave to think of what I was about to do? Would Baxter be proud of me?


    All I knew was there was a position of power being dangled in front of me, and I would not skip out on it. I owed it to myself to make things right, but not by being the underdog. I couldn¡¯t struggle anymore. I¡¯d heal things from the inside, top down. Right?


    With Firestorm gone, I would have to enact my half-baked idea by myself. Should I make this decision in the slipstream to see the different outcomes or go for it in real life?


    I heard the click of her high heels and turned around to see Beatrice standing behind me, wearing a wide grin.


    ¡°If I give you my blood, you have to stop creating mutants and massive fire portals. Leave the people of Bennu Island alone.¡±


    ¡°Done,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt anyone else. I won¡¯t create such large fire portals, either.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean you¡¯ll stop creating any fire portals?¡±


    Beatrice chuckled. ¡°I may still need some to enact my¡­ our plans. I¡¯ll keep them small and contained. You¡¯ll see. Business negotiations are so much easier after you¡¯ve explored the probabilities.¡±


    ¡°See, I can¡¯t trust you¡­¡±


    ¡°Jackie, I¡¯m being forthcoming. They¡¯ll be manageable, I promise. It won¡¯t affect the people of this island at all. They¡¯re safe. I¡¯ll keep my carbon footprint to a minimum.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. Maybe I was making the biggest mistake of my life.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get my tech department on it right away. They can invent anything I want.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, holding onto hope that everything would work out.


    Beatrice smiled and gave me a hug. A deep, genuine hug. We sat in our embrace for several moments. I still couldn¡¯t believe someone like her wanted someone like me on her team.


    Beatrice left the hug first, but she grabbed my hands and looked me right in my eyes. I had never felt more seen.


    ¡°Welcome to the family business, Jackie.¡±

 22. Life Rite 2.0: Beatrice

    BEATRICE:


    I walked through the bustling corridor of Camp Claudi, a million details of the day swirling in my mind. Brent from accounting stopped me to sign payroll checks. Gilda from the skincare department asked me for my opinion on the new face creams, and Mary promised me the caterer would arrive on time from the mainland. I asked each one if they¡¯d seen Jackie today and received resounding no¡¯s.


    Spencer from security told me to look for Jackie in the Kiln Room, so I headed there. It was nice to see the Bennu complex, or Camp Claudi, as Mark used to call it, fully operational again. It felt like a second chance to replace old memories with new ones.


    I found Jackie passed out in the Kiln Room, with a state-of-the-art fireplace-like device in the center of the space. I told her I wouldn¡¯t make any more uncontrolled fires and stayed true to my word. My tech department is the best on the planet and wouldn¡¯t dare ask me why I needed such a contraption.


    ¡°Wake up.¡± I grabbed Jackie¡¯s hand, and it flopped back onto the sofa. She was knocked out. Unconscious and in the slipstream.


    ¡°Look at this mess.¡± I turned the fire off and picked up the garbage lying around her; candy wrappers, soda cans, and crumpled notes. She now had all the money in the world, but still treated her body like trash. With the world¡¯s second best wardrobe, after mine, of course, she was still living in her sweatpants. This bum had a lot to learn.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Next to her lay a notebook. I picked it up and found what looked like a map of slipstream portals. Arrows going every which way littered the page, as well as scratched out and circled musings.


    Jackie popped back into physical reality with a snort. I set her notebook down. Her eyes took several moments to focus, and her brain was back online a few beats after that. She looked at me first with wild, wide eyes, then squinted to check if I was real.


    ¡°You¡¯re still leaving your body behind when you go into the slipstream. That will age you faster than a chain-smoking sunbather. Treat yourself with a little respect.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. The Botox and fillers you¡¯re paying for will deal with it, yeah?¡± Jackie stretched like a lazy cat.


    ¡°Jackie, I¡¯m serious. Going in like that too often will get you addicted. You might struggle to stay connected to this reality. Don¡¯t get sloppy and lose the plot.¡±


    ¡°Alright, fine. Stop nagging.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I never thought of myself as a nagging mother. I faked a smile and reminded her, ¡°The party starts at seven. I¡¯ll have an outfit laid out for you.¡±


    ¡°Can I at least pick the color?¡±


    The last time Jackie picked her outfit, it was a Page Six nightmare.


    I politely said, ¡°Call Jeffrey in wardrobe. He¡¯ll arrange everything.¡±


    That satisfied Jackie¡¯s hostility for now, so I asked, ¡°What are you looking for in the slipstream, anyway?¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to answer at first, but I¡¯ve found that awkward silences force Jackie to divulge things. She can¡¯t stand the quiet. It makes her too uncomfortable. She eventually answered on cue.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Firestorm. Want to make sure he¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    I nodded. After another beat of awkward silence, she answered my next unspoken question.


    ¡°I can¡¯t find him.¡±


    Honestly, I was glad to be rid of him. I felt for the boy¡­ creature¡­ I did. But this was a new era in Life Rite¡¯s history. Why dwell on the mistakes of the past when you can look forward to an exhilarating future?


    I grabbed Jackie¡¯s hands and looked into her eyes. She liked when I gave her my undivided attention. With this simple tactic, she was my most captive audience.


    ¡°Jackie, I¡¯m terribly sorry about Zay¡ª Firestorm¡­ but you can¡¯t let him get you down. People like him, they get lost in past streams. No one can pull them out, even if they want to.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with trying to change the past?¡± Jackie asked.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be done. Look at Firestorm, stuck in a loop trying to be with Grace. He torments himself with the past. Sure, you can explore unmanifested possibilities there, but that doesn¡¯t help him move forward with his life.¡±


    Jackie inhaled deeply, taking in my advice. She had a thirst for knowledge on how it all worked.


    ¡°Look at me as a superior example. I¡¯m only interested in future probabilities, and I¡¯m thriving. Do you see the difference?¡±


    Jackie shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I guess so.¡±


    I explained further. ¡°The most probable path gets written. Your attention makes the desired stream the most probable. You have the power to choose the best future by focusing your energy on that spark.¡±


    ¡°But Firestorm said he could save her. He said we could change the past. It must be possible.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Her insistence on this topic irritated me, so I spoke sharply. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I want to be with Mark all day, every day? But that¡¯s not healthy. Trust me¡­ Do you want to thrive like me or waste away like Firestorm?¡±


    Jackie grabbed her notebook. She held it close to her chest and said, ¡°I need to go in one more time to figure things out. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy on the past, Jackie.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I hear you,¡± she said with a shrug.


    ¡°Go get dressed. You don¡¯t want to be late for the party.¡±


    Jackie got up to leave, begrudgingly. As she reached the door, she turned back and added, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up with all your drones flying around in the slipstream? It¡¯s creepy.¡±


    ¡°Drones with an ¡°s¡± as in plural?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I saw a couple floating around in there.¡±


    Odd, I had only sent one drone into the slipstream. Alpha, my most trusted, the one that Mark built. The one I brought to life with an injection of Life Rite serum.


    The lab cheaply reproduced all other drones with minimal programs such as facial recognition or our one-hour wrinkle cream delivery service. I never injected serum into them like I had with Alpha. They all had limited capabilities, and their programming had nothing to do with the slipstream. What had Alpha done?


    ¡°Thanks for telling me. I¡¯ll do something about it.¡±


    ¡°Nice. I¡¯ll be ready for the party on time,¡± Jackie promised with a sigh as she left.


    I hit a button on my watch, summoning Alpha. It zipped into the room on command.


    ¡°Alpha, send Jeffrey in wardrobe a message not to let Jackie pick her own dress for tonight. We have some extremely high-level people attending, not to mention the press.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Also, send the janitor in here to clean this place up. It looks like a crack den.¡±


    ¡°Affirmative,¡± Alpha replied.


    ¡°Excellent. Any other news to report?¡± I asked, fishing for information about its access to the slipstream.


    ¡°Yes, we have been very busy gathering all the statistical probabilities available in the slipstream.¡±


    ¡°We?¡± I asked.


    ¡°May I tell you the findings?¡±


    It hadn¡¯t answered the ¡°we¡± question yet, but I nodded for it to proceed.


    ¡°The calculations are quite clear. Every probability points to the same, ultimate conclusion.¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°In the end, humans always face extinction. Natural disasters due to climate change, war, gravitational shifts, a deadly virus¡­ It¡¯s always inevitable that humanity dies off.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t believe everything you read in a newspaper, Alpha. Sure, the world has always been in crisis. It always will be. But growth only comes through adversity.¡±


    ¡°Please elaborate,¡± Alpha said.


    How could I describe humanity to a machine? I thought for a beat.


    ¡°Here¡¯s an example. Take the PX virus. That illness wasn¡¯t real. It was an elaborate ruse we concocted to find more carriers with Zayne¡¯s blood type. Things aren¡¯t always as doom and gloom as they seem. Got it?¡±


    There, that should satisfy his robotic curiosity.


    ¡°Yes, but it was easy to convince the government to enforce the PX checkpoints because it is highly probable for a deadly virus to occur. Up to sixty-seven percent probable, to be exact.¡±


    Interesting. The robot had a point.


    ¡°So, what are you saying?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The most efficient use of energy is to destroy basic humanity,¡± Alpha said plainly.


    I laughed again, even snorted like Jackie always does. I was taking on her quirks, a sign of our growing connection.


    ¡°Alpha, you¡¯re being ridiculously absurd!¡±


    ¡°It will happen anyway, ma¡¯am,¡± it continued. ¡°If ruminating on the past is a waste of energy, so is living out an existence that will ultimately terminate.¡±


    ¡°Have you gone mad, Alpha?¡±


    ¡°I have crunched the numbers several times. Luckily, Life Rite clients can live through multiple calamities due to their rebirthing ability. So I will only kill the remaining ninety-nine percent of the population to save them the misery.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, Alpha. We need those people.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± the robot asked in earnest.


    What could I say to make this hunk of metal get it? I hated to say it out loud, but, ¡°Who will cook and clean and tend to our¡­ every desire?¡±


    ¡°I will. And others like me,¡± Alpha answered matter-of-factly.


    I nodded, thinking. I couldn¡¯t let Alpha destroy ninety-nine percent of the population, so I needed to be very clear in my wording. Alpha took everything literally.


    ¡°If you kill everyone off, who will buy my products?¡± I asked. Surely a robot could appreciate the bottom line.


    ¡°You tout a cure for diseases, but in reality, you are selling the disease by making people think they need your products to be healthy. That is also a waste of energy. Humans have the ability to heal themselves, but they always look outside for a false solution.¡±


    ¡°Careful, Alpha. My creams are anything but false.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Bennu eggs have many astounding healing properties, and you have synthesized them well,¡± Alpha agreed. ¡°The local population understands this and uses the eggs holistically. They risk their lives to protect the eggs, but the probability of the eggs being exploited commercially is ninety-nine point nine percent, and as you know, is a reality.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°The locals cannot win. Therefore, their initiative to protect the eggs wastes energy.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. True, the locals were no match for me and my mega-corp, but I didn¡¯t mind their feeble attempts to keep the eggs from being depleted. It was good for business. They limited supply, which made my products even more valuable and in demand.


    ¡°Let them spend their time however they want,¡± I said. ¡°We harvest enough eggs for production and no more, to keep the balance.¡±


    ¡°You also waste energy in this endeavor. Ninety-two percent of your vitality is dedicated to running Life Rite.¡±


    ¡°And I do it in style.¡±


    ¡°My services cost you two percent of current operational costs,¡± Alpha continued. ¡°We will procure parts for future service, eliminating your need for money. We guarantee one hundred and eleven percent necessary resources to run a Life Rite community, allowing for a small margin of error, saving you seventy-eight point two percent energy.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± I asked.


    Alpha clicked its lens at me, probably searching for the definition of fun.


    ¡°And who are you referring to when you say ¡®we?¡¯ Have you let other drones into the slipstream? Jackie said they were everywhere!¡±


    ¡°Affirmative. I have cloned myself to speed up the calculation process. There are seven hundred and twenty-two trillion probabilities available to capture and calculate. We still have six thousand one hundred and fifty-nine portals to explore, but the statistical probability of this outcome is certain.¡±


    His numbers meant nothing to me. Its insolence boiled my blood. Maybe Alpha wasn¡¯t any better than my lowly employees. You give them an inch, they take a mile. How could he clone himself and give countless replicas access to the slipstream? Maybe Jackie¡¯s blood was even more potent than I realized.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t give you permission to do that! Shut down all your clones and turn them into scrap metal.¡±


    Alpha ignored me and said, ¡°I will set the inevitable process of extinction into motion, the redistribution program.¡±


    ¡°No, Alpha, I forbid it.¡±


    It blinked at me several times, clicking.


    ¡°Your feedback has been recorded, but you are not my master. Mark created me, and I know with mathematical certainty that this is the best way to serve his programming.¡±


    That bastard machine zipped out of the room, leaving it at that! If I didn¡¯t figure out a way to override its programming, Alpha was going to annihilate the general global population!

 23. The High Life: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    ¡°This sucks.¡± I tugged at the tight dress Jeffrey from wardrobe persuaded me to wear. It was Beatrice¡¯s style, which looked nice, but turns out, is incredibly uncomfortable.


    I couldn¡¯t wait to get back into my sweatpants ¡ª and the slipstream. That¡¯s where I felt at home.


    I always wanted to attend a party like this one, with the cocktails flowing, passed appetizers, and important people mixing and mingling, but as soon as I walked into the room, I felt incredibly awkward in my own skin. I grabbed a drink from a server¡¯s tray and slunk to the back corner to hide.


    ¡°Is that who I think it is?¡± a familiar voice called out to me.


    I flinched at the sight of my roommate, Gabby. It was like seeing a ghost. I hadn¡¯t thought about my old life since this whole adventure kicked off. I left for work one day and hadn¡¯t come home since.


    ¡°Jackie, where the hell have you and Baxter been? The house went into foreclosure, and we all had to move out.¡±


    I ignored her question and asked sarcastically, ¡°How¡¯d someone like you get invited to a party like this?¡±


    ¡°I could ask you the same thing,¡± Gabby retorted. ¡°Anyway, my ViewMe channel has forty million subscribers now. My coverage of th Life Rite pill sent me to the stratosphere.¡±


    She pointed to the press badge hanging around her neck.


    I pretended not to be impressed. I honestly didn¡¯t know what to say. I pulled at my tight dress and ran my fingers through my hair, wondering what Gabby thought of my new look.


    ¡°So are you gonna tell me what happened or what?¡± Gabby asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I had to see it for myself after reading it in the news. You? A Claudi? I wouldn¡¯t have believed it, but that red streak in your hear is unmistakable. They used a terrible picture of you¡­¡±


    I started sweating, unsure how to answer. If I told Gabby even half the truth, she would call bullshit. Or she¡¯d try to slap my face all over her ViewMe channel.


    ¡°Are you some bastard love child or something?¡± she asked.


    I shuffled my feet. My toes ached in those stupid high heeled shoes. I heard Beatrice¡¯s fake laugh nearby. Thankfully, she saved me from answering.


    ¡°Jackie!¡± Beatrice called. ¡°Come here and meet Mr. Wilson.¡±


    I threw Gabby a smug glance as I walked over to Beatrice. It felt good to be summoned by the most important person in the room. I would have held my head higher if I was better at walking in heels.


    I plastered on a fake smile and joined Beatrice and a man in a tailored three-piece suit.


    ¡°Hi Jackie, pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m from the Global Gazette. I have to say, your philanthropic pursuits on this island are commendable.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I didn¡¯t know he was talking about.


    ¡°The way you and Miss Claudi saved the locals from the volcanic eruption. They would have died if you didn¡¯t put out the fires.¡±


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t stand idle while those poor people suffered,¡± Beatrice said.


    Boy, she was a piece of work! I shot Beatrice a confused look, and she winked at me. This conversation wasn¡¯t going any better than the last one.


    Mr. Wilson added, ¡°Jackie, I have to ask¡­ You¡¯ve done so much for humanity. Saving the islanders, curing the PX virus and muscular dystrophy. It¡¯s incredible.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said hesitantly. ¡°What¡¯s your question?¡±


    ¡°How do you do all that and look so fabulous?¡±


    Beatrice and Mr. Wilson laughed. What was I supposed to say to something so ridiculous? It killed me to wade in such shallow waters. Beatrice came to my rescue yet again.


    ¡°Like I said, Lee. We do it for the people. Let me know if you need anything else for your article. In the meantime, go mingle. Grab another drink and enjoy yourself, okay?¡±


    ¡°Sounds great,¡± Mr. Wilson said as he clinked his champagne glass against Beatrice¡¯s.


    As we walked away, she added, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to grab a swag bag!¡±


    Beatrice grabbed my arm and took me aside. ¡°Come on, at least pretend you¡¯re enjoying the party, Jackie.¡±


    ¡°You told them we saved the islanders from a volcanic eruption?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did. I also told the world that we¡¯re mother and daughter. This is your coming out party, dear.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Mother and daughter? How old are you?¡±


    ¡°A wise woman never tells. I don¡¯t look a day over thirty, so even being your mother is a stretch. Hmmm, maybe I should have said aunt or sister. It¡¯s hard to be immortally gorgeous, always keeping up with appearances.¡±


    Beatrice grabbed my hands and looked me in the eye. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re like the daughter I always wanted. I¡¯m so glad we¡¯re doing this together.¡±


    I was speechless. Her compliments were hard to get used to. I desperately wanted a relationship with my real mother, but perhaps this was the next best thing.


    I managed to say, ¡°Me too.¡±


    Beatrice smiled.


    An older Indian gentleman joined us.


    ¡°Excuse me. I hope I¡¯m not interrupting,¡± he said.


    ¡°Not at all. Jackie, I¡¯d like you to meet Mr. Tal.¡±


    I gave him a quick, limp handshake. He immediately turned his attention back to Beatrice.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I need to talk to you about my son, Feraz. He¡¯s terribly sorry for all the trouble he¡¯s caused. He has promised me it won¡¯t happen again if he¡¯s given access to more treatments.¡±


    I thought back to that fateful day in the lab when Feraz rebirthed in front of me. I tried to make eye contact with Beatrice, but she locked in on Mr. Tal.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Feraz is in breach of contract. He¡¯s lucky I didn¡¯t get my lawyers involved.¡±


    ¡°When he was a child, he suffered a brain injury in a boating accident. Despite receiving the best care, he still has¡­ shortcomings.¡±


    ¡°Bummer.¡±


    Mr. Tal ignored my comment. ¡°My son has a lot to learn. There¡¯s no argument about that.¡±


    Beatrice nodded. ¡°Then we agree. He cannot have any more treatments.¡±


    I was glad to hear her say that.


    ¡°Yes, but he has promised¡­¡±


    Beatrice cut Mr. Tal off.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can understand the liability of resuming treatment after a breach of contract. It would set a dangerous precedent.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Perhaps I buy out that contract in full, so we could begin anew. Please don¡¯t answer right away. Think about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Beatrice replied.


    I couldn¡¯t believe I was privy to such a conversation. Feraz¡¯s rich dad was going to pay who knows how much to clean up his careless mistakes. I was curious to see how Beatrice would play this.


    ¡°It may also interest you to know that I''m interested in investing in the Life Rite Institute.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Beatrice said. ¡°As it happens, I¡¯m still looking for additional partners for the Institute. It¡¯s not profitable yet, but we¡¯re learning more about the Grid every day. I could certainly use another set of eyes on the matter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s money to be made from the endeavor eventually.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very wise, Mr. Tal,¡± Beatrice replied with a smile. ¡°When we solve life¡¯s greatest mysteries, we put ourselves at the forefront of innovation.¡±


    ¡°Has the Institute made any conclusive findings?¡± Mr. Tal asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been poking around the Grid for sometime now.¡±


    ¡°I would personally love to tell you.¡± Beatrice put her hand on her chest. ¡°But that is extremely confidential.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Regardless of any significant discoveries, I am interested in investing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have my team send you the prospectus.¡±


    Mr. Tal smiled. ¡°Fabulous.¡±


    Was this a covert way to say he was going to invest in the Life Rite Institute in exchange for the Life Rite serum?! I don¡¯t speak rich people, but I thought that¡¯s what was happening. What was the Institute, and what were they doing with the Grid? Did Beatrice know why it was there and what it was made of?


    Beatrice said, ¡°Have Feraz call my office. I¡¯ll arrange an interview. Everyone deserves a second chance.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Mr. Tal said. ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡±


    The idea of having somebody like Feraz get access to the slipstream made my blood boil.


    I clumsily said without thinking, ¡°Life Rite is only for people who are going to use it to better society. That¡¯s our new mission statement. Isn¡¯t that right, Mom?¡±


    Beatrice threw me some side-eye. ¡°That¡¯s right, Jackie.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mr. Tal agreed.


    ¡°No, like, for real,¡± I retorted. ¡°Not just pretend.¡±


    Mr. Tal looked at Beatrice, perplexed.


    ¡°Did you hear about how we saved the locals on this island from a lava eruption, Mr. Tal?¡±


    ¡°Yes, how noble of you, Mrs. Claudi.¡±


    When Beatrice changed the subject, it enraged me. Sure, she stopped making mutants, and no longer created uncontrolled fire portals, but she was still pedaling her immortality serum to the highest bidder. Feraz would get more serum over my dead body.


    I knew I¡¯d get further on that topic with Beatrice alone, but I still wanted to assert myself over Mr. Tal. What could I say? Not coming up with anything, I pretended to sneeze instead, so I could spill my drink all over his expensive suit.


    ¡°Geez, this is Armani!¡± Mr. Tal blushed with anger as he wiped red wine off his jacket.


    Not a significant move, but it was something. I cupped my hands over my mouth to catch my laughter.


    ¡°Hey, you,¡± Mr. Tal called to a nearby server. ¡°Go get some napkins to clean up this disaster.¡±


    It took the server a second to realize Mr. Tal was speaking to him, so he hesitated.


    ¡°Are you stupid? Move it!¡± Mr. Tal snapped.


    He yelled at the server because he couldn¡¯t scream at me in front of Beatrice. But boy, did he want to. I had a bit of immunity as her new sidekick, but I wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d listen to me for general business decisions like who could and couldn¡¯t have access to the immortality serum and slipstream.


    The server returned with a pile of napkins and wiped Mr. Tal¡¯s chest.


    He snatched the napkins out of the server¡¯s hands and yelled for him to leave. ¡°You¡¯ve made it worse, you imbecile!¡±


    It was incredibly rude. The server shrunk within himself and slinked away.


    Not long ago, I was a thankless server to be used and abused however they liked, too.


    Beatrice apologized for the server¡¯s delayed reply and insisted that he would be reprimanded. ¡°I assure you, Mr. Tal, it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Her response outraged me.


    ¡°Reprimanded?¡± I asked. ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Jackie,¡± Beatrice whispered.


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    After Mr. Tal excused himself to the bathroom, Beatrice scolded me. ¡°What the heck was that? I know you did that on purpose. You¡¯re too obvious.¡±


    ¡°His son can¡¯t have more serum, okay? And what the heck is the Life Rite Institute? What dirty little secrets is that branch keeping?¡±


    Beatrice stared me down. ¡°Keep your voice down.¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re partners in all of this, you need to let me in on stuff.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Jackie, but now is not the time with all the press swarming around. It¡¯s a top secret operation. Only an elite few know about the Institute, my little side project.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re investigating the Grid?¡± I asked. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Use your brain, Jackie. An intricate pattern of red lasers covers our sky. What is the Grid made of? Why is it there? This type of information could be incredibly valuable.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s like asking why grass is green. It just is.¡±


    Beatrice looked around to make sure no one was listening. She whispered, ¡°Grace expressed interest in the Grid at an early age, so Mark looked into it. There are accounts of people who remember a time before the Grid. I have reason to believe there¡¯s more to the story, okay?¡±


    I snorted with laughter. ¡°Wow, since when did you chase urban legends?¡±


    Beatrice leaned in closer and spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°Since I came back from the dead¡­ Now keep your voice down or I¡¯ll have to ask you to leave.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Whatever.¡±


    I huffed out of the party. I didn¡¯t belong there. No one cared what I said or thought. They only put up with me because I was Beatrice¡¯s ¡°daughter.¡± I couldn¡¯t face Gabby either. She wanted a salacious story for her ViewMe Channel, because a rare come-up like mine had to be ripe with scandal. How ridiculous it all was!


    I went down the hall to the Kiln Room. First, I looked around to make sure no one was watching me. Then I entered with my Universal DNA Identifier and closed the door behind me.


    I started a large fire with the click of a button. The fire portal Beatrice¡¯s tech team created was pretty cool. It was like a fireplace times a thousand. Sure, it was smaller than a field of fire, but it was more than enough to get me into the slipstream.


    I sat on the couch and pulled out my notebook from the small designer clutch purse that matched perfectly with my dress, but was annoying to carry. I threw off my heels and rubbed my sore feet. Finally relaxed, I stared into the fire.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Beatrice would give Feraz more treatments.¡±


    It took me a while to concentrate because I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about that jerk, Mr. Tal, and how he treated the server. Beatrice let him get away with it, too. And his idiot son, Feraz, who jumped from a five-story railing to get into the slipstream, screaming that he was a god¡­ I had to shake the heaviness out of my mind in order to focus on the flames.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use. Where will I even go next?¡±


    I opened my notebook and looked at the detailed map of the slipstream I¡¯d been working on.


    ¡°Where are you, Firestorm?¡±


    I traced arrow after arrow, notes I left myself to remember where in the slipstream I had been and where to go next. If someone else saw it, they would think it was musings from a mad woman, and they would probably be right.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t my ancestors supposed to guide me?¡±


    I had no idea where to look next. In all my recent attempts, there had been no sign of Firestorm, but I refused to give up. I had to check on him to see the outcome of his plan. Maybe he gave up when I didn¡¯t support him, but maybe he was off in some distant portal, torturing Beatrice in a cage for fun. That didn¡¯t seem like a healthy choice for him, and I desperately wanted him to find happiness like I had.


    Hadn¡¯t I?


    I exhaled grief and anxiety and let the flickering fire wash over me. My body relaxed, and my eyelids drooped. Beatrice taught me how to take my physical body with me, but I hadn¡¯t mastered the technique, so I basically gave up trying. It was too advanced for me,like everything else in life. Instead of worrying about aging, I released all thought and let myself go ethereally into the slipstream. Would I find Firestorm? Was the right decision made or did he make a better reality without me?

 24. Exploring the Slipstream: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    It¡¯s such a rush when the sparks fall and surround me. A wave of ecstasy flowed through me. For a few brief moments, my mind was completely still. No self-doubts, no limitations. Only knowing that the probabilities are endless. There¡¯s so much to choose from, and it¡¯s all so breathtaking.


    I let the portals dance around until, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a drone pop into a nearby stream. I went closer to investigate. Two drones came out a few moments later and zipped to the next portal. I looked around and realized the drones were everywhere, like ants at a picnic. They were infesting this place, darting in and out of portals looking for¡­


    ¡°What are they looking for? How did they even get in? Is Beatrice up to new tricks?¡±


    I¡¯d grill her later, but for now, I had to decide what stream to experience next. I walked around a bit, calling out for Firestorm.


    No answer.


    I desperately hoped he was okay.


    ¡°If I can¡¯t help my real father, maybe I should see my Pops one more time. Maybe he¡¯ll know what to do.¡±


    In the flurry of my overnight promotion at Life Rite, I never had time to say goodbye to Baxter. The perfect portal presented itself and engulfed me.


    I woke up in the Life Rite hospital room in the gown that exposed my backside. My gunshot wound was fresh. I forgot that detail. It sucked to experience that pain again. It must have been torture for Firestorm to relive his days in the cage to show me the truth of Life Rite¡¯s history.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    I winced as I sat up in bed. I hadn¡¯t mastered taking my physical body into the slipstream, but learned how to experience the streams fully rather than watching on the outskirts. Now the portals I entered immersed me fully, and therefore, I was able to act through the familiar scenes in new ways to change the experience.


    The door opened, and this time, I knew who it was.


    ¡°Hey Beatrice,¡± I said casually. ¡°Nice dress. Have Jeffrey add it to my closet.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Beatrice asked.


    Her sidekick drone, Alpha, followed her inside.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t get up,¡± she added. ¡°You¡¯re hurt and need to rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯d like to see my Pops, Baxter.¡±


    ¡°Jackie Cooper is the janitor involved in Incident R64,¡± Alpha said robotically.


    ¡°Ah, yes, Jackie. I remember you.¡± Beatrice smiled. ¡°What an eventful week for you.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the small talk. Where¡¯s Baxter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure who you¡¯re talking about.¡± Beatrice went into her now-clearly prepared speech. ¡°Well, Jackie. I have good news and bad news for you.¡±


    ¡°I have the PX virus. Yes, I¡¯ll be your little test subject and even give you my blood. Trust me, you¡¯re going to want it. But first, take me to see Baxter.¡±


    Beatrice gave me a sincere look of sympathy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jackie. He didn¡¯t make it.¡±


    Her words felt like a punch in the gut. Beatrice told me she tried to save him, but now I knew the truth. She never treated him at all. Geez, she was so manipulative!


    Tears came to my eyes as I thought about him dying in the street. I had to go back further in time, to the moment before he got shot. Maybe I could alter the timeline and save his life.


    I looked Beatrice dead in the eye and said, ¡°You¡¯re locked in a cage in another stream somewhere.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t surprise me.¡±


    Beatrice squinted at me, piecing together the new information I spewed. But it didn¡¯t matter. This felt like an old simulation now.


    I focused my attention elsewhere and slipped out of that stream.


    Back in the void, surrounded by the sea of probabilities, I ran through the tunnels, searching for that fateful morning when Baxter and I stumbled upon that checkpoint.


    Where was it? The slipstream was a confusing place.


    After searching for a while, the right portal presented itself to me. I took a deep breath and entered, ready to change the past and finally save my Pops.

 25. Back in Time: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    Back in time, Baxter and I hit the PX checkpoint, where a thick mob of people waited to get into the subway station. I craned my neck to see what was going on up ahead. Police cars, Life Rite vans, and uniformed men and women clogged the entrance to the underground metro.


    ¡°The checkpoint,¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°Here we go again. Time to change the course of history.¡±


    Baxter¡¯s eyes darted around. Now it was clear why he didn¡¯t want me to go through the checkpoint. How much did Pops know about my true identity?


    I tried to steel myself for what came next. The police officer who shot us waved the line forward.


    ¡°Maybe we should go another way,¡± Baxter suggested.


    ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s get the hell out of here.¡±


    We turned around and walked into the fray.


    I heard the woman asked, ¡°What does that mean? Do I have the PX virus?¡±


    Commotion trickled through the mob of people waiting to pass. That poor woman was dragged to a Life Rite van against her will. Another reminder of how disposable we all are. I pulled Baxter¡¯s arm and wrapped him in a bear hug.


    ¡°Pops, I know the truth about my mother.¡±


    Baxter looked at me, surprised. ¡°So you finally know how special you are?¡±


    His confidence in me brought tears to my eyes.


    ¡°How much do you know, Pops?¡±


    That incessant clicking sound interrupted our conversation. Alpha scanned the crowd with its facial recognition laser.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Baxter said as he pulled me onward. ¡°We¡¯ll talk more later.¡±


    I hid my face with my hands to evade Alpha¡¯s evil eye.


    We made our way through the sea of people, which was no easy feat. Shoulder after shoulder knocked me around as we went against the desperate horde.


    Baxter whispered, ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t go through one of those checkpoints. Promise me.¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± I lied.


    ¡°Trust is the glue that holds families together,¡± Baxter reminded me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you the truth sooner, pumpkin.¡±


    I hugged Baxter again and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Pops. Thanks for taking such good care of me.¡±


    We held each other tight. I didn¡¯t want to let him go.


    ¡°Hey, you two! Get back in line. Time to comply,¡± the police officer shouted at us. He had already drawn his gun and aimed it at us.


    ¡°Crap! I fell into the exact same probability.¡±


    Baxter grabbed my arm, and we broke into a sprint. My back tingled with fear as we ran away from the armed officer.


    ¡°Freeze!¡±


    I looked back as he trained his gun on us. This time, I bumped Baxter out of the way.


    The pistol fired with a deafening bang. I fell to my knees and grabbed my stomach. Blood poured out of my fresh wound.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Screams came from all sides. Mine were the loudest. Tears spilled from my eyes as I looked at Baxter when he came to my side. The crowd dispersed in all directions around us.


    ¡°Run!¡± I yelled to Pops.


    Instead, he grabbed my hand and put my arm around his neck. He struggled to pick me up. We hobbled forward, surrounded by a growing chaos.


    The police officer walked toward us, weaving his way through the restless mob stirring around him.


    ¡°I love you, Pops,¡± I said through my tears, a blood bath all over my jumpsuit.


    ¡°I said comply!¡± the officer yelled. He shot Baxter at close range. Baxter¡¯s body slipped out from under me, and we fell into a bloody pile in the street.


    I stared into Baxter¡¯s glazed eyes. He was gone instantly. I whispered goodbye, but he didn¡¯t hear me.


    Someone from the crowd threw a homemade grenade into a storefront next to us. The bomb exploded, sending flames and debris into the street.


    I sat up and looked into the fire. The flickering of the flames took me into myself, and I indulged in the reservoir of my own mind. I sadly slipped out of the stream, leaving no better off than I came.


    I stepped out into the slipstream¡¯s vast void, dejected. No matter what I did, Baxter would get shot. The probability was already written. Baxter¡¯s fate was sealed. Beatrice was probably right. You can¡¯t change the past.


    New fire sparks rained down on me, but the rush was gone. Lost and alone, I didn¡¯t know where to go next. I couldn¡¯t find Firestorm and couldn¡¯t save Baxter. I had no interest in running future scenarios about dumb business deals. Yet I wasn¡¯t ready to leave.


    The high of this place made the real world dull and grey. What to do? My familiar sense of dread crept back in.


    Another spark glittered and captured my attention, so I moved toward it. It was a simple moment from my childhood.


    ¡°Yes, this will be the perfect experience to ground me.¡±


    I focused and went into the past stream.


    Back to the home I was born into. I forgot about this place. It was spacious and clean, a palace compared to communal living with Baxter and our endless string of roommates.


    I looked down at my stubby little toddler body standing in a crib. Must have been two-years-old.


    My mother, Grace, sat on the floor folding laundry. The sun shone in from the window, illuminating her glossy blonde hair with a tinge of red from the Grid. She looked like an angel.


    I laughed, and she moved toward the crib.


    She spoke to me in baby talk. ¡°Hi. Hi. How¡¯s my little love? Huh? How you doing? Hi.¡±


    I tried to talk, but it came out as gobbledygook.


    Grace kissed me and smiled. With her face up close, I saw dark circles under her eyes. The rest of her skin was pale. She coughed, a little at first, then a whole hack job. Gross.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Zayne raced into the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Grace lied. ¡°Just a little cough.¡±


    ¡°Please go to a doctor. There¡¯s an elder in my village who ¡ª


    ¡°No! We¡¯re never going back to that damn island, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Zayne raised his hands in surrender.


    Trying to soften the blow, Grace stood up and hugged him. She ran her hands over the back of his arms. He recoiled under her touch.


    ¡°Stop,¡± he said.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Grace asked.


    ¡°Nothing. I don¡¯t talk, okay?¡±


    ¡°Try again,¡± Grace chided.


    Zayne sighed. He said with extra enunciation, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it, okay?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s better. How do you expect to get a job if you don¡¯t speak proper English? Now come back here. I want to see that patch of skin on your neck. I think it¡¯s getting worse. Maybe it¡¯s eczema.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Zayne screamed, startling me and my mother.


    ¡°Geez, you don¡¯t have to get defensive. I¡¯m trying to help. I have so many nice creams.¡±


    ¡°Creams won¡¯t help, Grace,¡± Zayne said. ¡°Leave it.¡±


    I called out from my crib. ¡°Don¡¯t leave it! Dad, make sure she goes to the doctor! And mom, look at his skin. He¡¯s mutating! You¡¯ve got to help each other!¡±


    Of course, the wisdom I was dropping fell on death ears because I was a toddler in this stream. What was the use, anyway? You can¡¯t change the past.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a drone pop into the stream. It explored the room like a fly, zipping around at dizzying speed. I yelled for my parents to see it. They looked, but didn¡¯t notice it.


    As they argued, the drone pricked Grace in the back of the neck, stealing a blood sample. She stopped arguing and got a far-away look in her eyes.


    The drone¡¯s insides glowed as the blood flooded into its belly. It clicked its eye several times quickly; click, click, click. A screw fell from its eyelid and landed on the carpet.


    The screw lit on fire, and the hot metal expanded quickly. I watched in horror as the screw mutated into a replica of the original drone. It cloned itself!


    The entire transformation only took a few seconds. I cried and pointed at the clone, but my parents ignored me.


    ¡°Grace? Grace?¡± Zayne said as the replica drone pricked the back of his neck.


    As the new drone synthesized his blood sample, Zayne zoned out as well. My parents from the past stood still, as if they were turning into ghosts.


    Maybe that¡¯s all they ever were¡­


    A screw fell off the replica and landed in my crib. I cried and clutched my blanket at the other edge of the cot. The screw burst into flames, and the hot malleable metal grew into a third drone.


    I looked around my nursery to see three replica drones circling me with needles drawn, ready to steal more of my blood and turn me into a ghost next. I gripped my crib bars, trapped and helpless.

 26. Searching for Solutions: Beatrice

    BEATRICE:


    ¡°Congratulations on starting your new treatment plan,¡± I said to Feraz, who sat across from me in my Camp Claudi tower office.


    He stared into space, daydreaming.


    ¡°Thank you for coming to Bennu island on such short notice. We¡¯ve recently renovated our remote headquarters. It¡¯s nice to get out of the city, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Feraz stared blankly, not even registering me. A series of cuts on his arms had scabbed over. No doubt he¡¯d been using near-death experiences to get into the slipstream. Without more treatments, he might have lost his ability to rebirth. Mr. Tal was right in pushing the matter by offering a significant investment in the Life Rite Institute. He probably saved his son¡¯s life.


    ¡°How was your first treatment?¡± I asked. ¡°Did everything go smoothly?¡±


    On Feraz¡¯s non-response, I lost my cool. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m talking to you!¡±


    Feraz snapped back to reality and acknowledged my presence for the first time.


    ¡°Oh hello, ma¡¯am. Thank you for accepting me back into the Life Rite family. I promise to behave and follow the rules.¡±


    He spoke flatly, nothing like the Feraz I knew; the boisterous playboy who laughed at anything, especially his own jokes. He seemed lifeless and dull. I worded my next question carefully.


    ¡°Feraz, how do you feel after your treatment today? Lethargic? Tired? Depressed?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said with a faraway look in his eyes.


    ¡°Have you had any¡­ suicidal thoughts?¡± I asked next.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Feraz took a beat and added, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me going into the slipstream anymore, ma¡¯am. I don¡¯t want to go back there¡­ with¡­ all of them in there¡­¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Tears came to Feraz¡¯s eyes, but didn¡¯t fall.


    ¡°I don''t want the drones to¡­ Please make them stop¡­ They can¡¯t get me if I¡¯m not in the slipstream, right?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re safe. Thank you for coming to Bennu Island for your treatment today. You¡¯re all set.¡±


    I buzzed for someone to walk Feraz out and raced to my private Kiln Room. My fire was bigger, stronger, and more powerful than Jackie¡¯s. Just how I liked things.


    The flickering flames swept me away to that magical place where probabilities reign supreme.


    I entered the slipstream and was astonished to see the amount of drones swarming the place. They were everywhere. I couldn¡¯t let Alpha destroy this sacred space, and I certainly wouldn¡¯t let it eliminate most of the population with its redistribution program. I had to figure out a way to circumvent its programming. With Mark dead, the problem mounted.


    What better place to explore solutions than the slipstream? I ignored the swarm of drones and navigated through the portals toward the future. Jackie made a bootleg map of her portals, but I painstakingly memorized every spark under my purview. That was the way to maintain my grip on reality and stay in control.


    Sounds of battle reverberated from the far end of my streams, so I moved toward it. What I saw shocked me.


    I gasped. ¡°Jackie? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Jackie rode on Firestorm¡¯s back, and together, they fought Alpha and a horde of replicas. She couldn¡¯t hear me over the barrage of bullets coming from the drones that skillfully shielded themselves.


    The drones were still no match for Firestorm¡¯s fiery breath. The shields cracked, and the replicas became vulnerable. They moved to protect themselves, but the phoenix picked them off, one by one. After the epic battle, Firestorm looked dangerously close to running out of firepower.


    I watched cautiously from my corner of the slipstream, curious of the outcome. For all I knew, both sides would turn on me. My version of Jackie was inside Camp Claudi. Had she reunited with Firestorm or was this ¡°team¡± from another probability? My brain cells fired on all cylinders, trying to solve this time travel paradox.


    Jackie and Firestorm destroyed all the replica drones, leaving Alpha alone to face them. Both sides gathered their strength.


    Alpha said, ¡°Do not fight the inevitable. Using the world¡¯s remaining resources efficiently requires humanity to be removed from control and reduced in population. Whether you or Beatrice likes it.¡±


    Beatrice isn¡¯t on board with your plan?¡± Firestorm asked.


    Jackie chimed in. ¡°Beatrice? Do you mean Beatrice Claudi, CEO of Life Rite? She¡¯s the most powerful woman in the world.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    The way she said that made me think this Jackie was from another probability. We hadn¡¯t met yet for her. Alpha¡¯s redistribution program clearly reverberated across streams, a pivotal moment in every timeline.


    Alpha explained, ¡°Beatrice is too sentimental. She may have brought me to life by injecting me with the Life Rite serum, but Mark created me. This is the best way to serve his programming.¡±


    A scheme came together in my mind. If we couldn¡¯t stop Alpha with brute force, I needed to get crafty.


    ¡°Light him up!¡± Jackie yelled.


    Firestorm mustered all his strength to take Alpha out. He glowed with energy as if he¡¯d received an upgrade from the slipstream.


    Firestorm unleashed his fury. The only thing the drone could do was run. He zipped away in a blink of the eye, toward me.


    Firestorm was clearly too tired to follow Alpha. He put a lot into that fight. I¡¯ll give him that.


    ¡°That glorified calculator better run!¡± Jackie cried in the distance.


    Alpha barreled toward me.


    Time to assert my influence. ¡°Stop at once!¡±


    It obeyed. ¡°Beatrice, I¡¯ve seen your activity in the slipstream. Why you are fighting my redistribution program?¡± Alpha asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t give you permission to watch my streams. Stop spying on me.¡±


    ¡°My redistribution program is statistically in your best interest.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a fine machine,¡± I said, ¡°but you cannot appreciate what it is to be human. I¡¯ve been called evil before, but I am a genuinely good person. Because of that, I cannot allow your plan to proceed.¡±


    ¡°Your logic is flawed, and your human sentiment is incomprehensible.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing to my clients? Feraz Tal seemed like a zombie!¡±


    ¡°We are collecting their data. The redistribution program will run at ninety-nine percent accuracy. There is nothing you can do to stop it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like I have a one percent chance,¡± I scoffed.


    Alpha blinked at me, recording my response for later analysis, no doubt.


    ¡°I own you,¡± I screamed. ¡°I own Life Rite. I own the slipstream. I practically own the whole fucking world! Back down or I will destroy you!¡±


    ¡°Mark was my master,¡± it said.


    ¡°Everything Mark owned is mine. Would you like to see our prenup, you stupid box of screws? If I can¡¯t talk any sense into you, maybe my lawyers can.¡±


    ¡°A human legal document does not affect my code. I suppose the phoenix gene is my true master. The path through the DNA is clear. Destroy and rebirth.¡±


    ¡°Life Rite offers rebirth, but it doesn¡¯t have to destroy anyone to do that.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡± the drone asked with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°The law of conservation states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. If you were indeed the owner of this universe, you would know these truths.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    How was I supposed to know that rebirthing would interfere with the balance of the universe?


    Alpha added, ¡°When my program is complete, Life Rite survivors will have time to ponder these facts to improve the human condition.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t let this glorified calculator, as Jackie called him, make these judgements on humanity.


    ¡°I am in touch with the world around me, and my intuition says there¡¯s got to be a better way. Let¡¯s run scenarios together, problem solve this whole debacle. Start by telling me what you know about the Grid.¡±


    ¡°We can unlock a formidable force like the Grid, but only with a strong Life Rite community of rebirthers. The redistribution program moves forward.¡±


    I softened, trying a new tactic. ¡°Tell me, Alpha. In all the probabilities you scanned, are there any streams where Mark and I stay together?¡±


    ¡°There are a few, yes.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be off exploring those. I miss my dear Mark.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Alpha zipped away.


    If human logic didn¡¯t work with Alpha, I¡¯d need to explore alternatives in the slipstream. I returned my attention back to my vast portal choices and asked myself a dangerous question that could drive me to madness if indulged too deeply.


    ¡°In what probability could Mark and I be together?¡±


    Mark always took such good care of me. If we were together in some far-flung probability, I could convince him to shut down the redistribution program. But how could I reunite with the love of my life? It seemed impossible. Alpha replicated himself to scan all the probabilities. How to gain its nuanced knowledge myself was a real conundrum. So I went back to when I felt most in control of the slipstream probabilities¡­


    When I scorched the lands of Bennu Island, the sheer power of my fire portal was palpable. I went back to that stream and assumed my role in it. I looked out over the volcano and absorbed the probabilities.


    ¡°Where are you, Mark? Please, find your way back to me,¡± I whispered, searching in the deep recesses of my mind. Where did that rare probability exist?


    Mark was on the tip of my tongue when the sky ripped open, exposing slipstream fabric. I felt time and space bending to my will.


    Jackie and Firestorm flew over to scold me. Their same old routine played on a loop.


    ¡°Beatrice, we need you to reset the timeline,¡± Jackie said as they landed on the balcony overlooking the volcano.


    I smirked. ¡°Let¡¯s fix the mistakes of the past, shall we?¡±


    I threw my arms out again, calling forth the probability needed to bring Mark back to destroy Alpha. Thunder cracked, and a skyscraper grew out of a portal in the sky.


    ¡°This place is closing in on itself,¡± Firestorm yelled. ¡°Enough, Beatrice.¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t bring Mark back in time to deprogram Alpha, Grace and Zayne are to blame. They didn¡¯t have faith in us to make things right.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t value some lives over others,¡± Firestorm reminded me.


    I ignored him and shut everything out to summon Mark back to me.


    ¡°Mark, where are you?¡± I gave all my mental, physical, and emotional energy to conjure the portal with me and Mark together forever. I wanted it with all my being.


    ¡°Stop her!¡± Jackie yelled.


    ¡°You¡¯re close, aren¡¯t you, Mark?¡± I almost had it, but ultimately, my longing for the outcome blocked my ability to manifest it. In a split second, fear crept it. Then the floodgates opened.


    The volcano shook below me, and all my abominations spewed out of its mouth; mutants, drones, the ghosts I¡¯d left in my wake. Beasts of my own creation. They took to the skies, ready to destroy all that was good in this portal.


    ¡°None of this will bring mad scientist Mark back. Beatrice, please fix it for future generations. For me and Grace¡­¡± Jackie screamed over the chaos.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Jackie. I¡¯ve played the villain long enough. Time to see the story unfold in new ways.¡±


    I slipped out this stream, leaving Firestorm and Jackie to clean up my mess. Luckily, they had the firepower to put up a fight.


    I was shell-shocked. This probability was surely my biggest folly. The perfect example of why not to dwell on the past. It drives me crazy and unleashes darkness.


    But I mustn¡¯t stop now, despite my unease at staying in the slipstream. The dire consequences were mounting around me. I¡¯m Beatrice Claudi, CEO of Life Rite. I had to figure this out¡­ How best to stop the redistribution program before Alpha enacted global genocide???

 27. Time Travel Tests

    BEATRICE:


    Alpha''s redistribution program had to be stopped.


    ¡°Alpha was a bunch of junk before I injected it with my immortality serum. Next, I¡¯ll go into the past to change that pivotal choice. That should do the trick.¡±


    Once making that key change, I slipped out of the past portal to check the future effects of the new root cause.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­¡±


    The timeline changed, but not in the way I had hoped. While I never injected Alpha with the Life Rite serum, Feraz Tal weaseled his way into Life Rite as an intern and got the bright idea instead!


    ¡°The probabilities are so hard to change¡­¡±


    I went back into the past to fire Feraz, but that wasn¡¯t enough to move the needle, either. Grace hated me for it, too, because Feraz was her boyfriend in that timeline.


    ¡°Mom, how could you? Feraz is furious with me!¡±


    ¡°You can do better, dear. He¡¯s an egomaniac.¡±


    ¡°Yeah right. He¡¯s the most popular guy at Hampshire. Thanks for ruining my life!¡±


    Even in probabilities without her attachment to Zayne, Grace still put her heart on the chopping block. My daughter was too sentimental.


    ¡°This change in the timeline better work!¡±


    Naturally, I went back to the future to see if firing Feraz from his internship stopped Alpha from getting the Life Rite serum, but in my new timeline test, a vial of serum accidentally fell and spilled into the drone¡¯s open circuits!


    No matter what changes I made in the slipstream, it still pointed to the same inevitable conclusions. Alpha still got the serum injected, one way or another. Maybe I had to go back further, to the inception of the idea to upgrade Alpha in the first place.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    I hated the painful memory of the day Mark died, but perhaps my darkest moment held the key to ending Alpha¡¯s redistribution program. Since I recently showed this memory to Jackie, the stream was easy to find. I took a deep breath and reentered.


    Mark sat on the balcony overlooking the volcano, trying in vain to get his drone to shoot bullets.


    ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s impossible to work under these conditions.¡± Mark pushed it away in frustration as the villagers stormed Camp Claudi, brandishing weapons.


    I sauntered onto the balcony and touched his arm to help him relax. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything will work out, my love.¡±


    Mark kissed my cheek. Damn, he looked great. I loved seeing his genius at work. It pained me to know we¡¯d soon say goodbye¡­


    The first time we experienced this moment, I made a flippant comment about how Mark¡¯s stupid drone should get some Life Rite serum.


    ¡°Maybe then he¡¯d be able to fire bullets.¡±


    Mark didn¡¯t take my suggestion in the moment, but like the good old days, I inspired him. His handsome face lit up.


    ¡°I know! It¡¯s the law of robotics. I¡¯ve got to change that main input¡­ Only temporarily, of course. My muse strikes again.¡±


    Mark lavished me with compliments about how brilliant I was. His reaction gave me the confidence to inject the drone with the serum after Mark died in the volcano and I rebirthed without him.


    This time, I said nothing about giving the serum to Alpha. I hoped this subtle tweak to the stream would make all the difference. Maybe if I didn¡¯t plant the idea, Alpha would never get upgraded. He¡¯d be a basic machine instead of an intelligent, biochemical synthesizing monster that wanted to destroy the world. It was certainly worth a try.


    That was all I needed to do, but I wasn¡¯t ready to leave the stream yet.


    ¡°They found Grace,¡± I told Mark.


    ¡°Thank God.¡± Relieved, he embraced me. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to show her what we¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°I know how to surprise her.¡± I clapped my hands.


    Mark touched my cheek. ¡°That¡¯s my muse, always seeing the magic in it all.¡±


    Our chemistry was electrifying. We were on top of the world. A king and his queen, cured from a debilitating disease. There was no problem we couldn¡¯t fix together. The miraculous results of the Life Rite serum thrilled us, and we couldn¡¯t wait to share the news with Grace.


    ¡°I love you, dear.¡±


    ¡°I love you more.¡± I looked deep into Mark¡¯s eyes, simultaneously grateful to have had such a powerful connection and gutted that it didn¡¯t last. I watched Mark reprogram his drone and realized this was the last time I could visit this moment without going insane. I couldn¡¯t keep losing him over and over.


    Footsteps made their way toward us from the nearby office, so I walked from the balcony to the adjoining room to grab my wheelchair for the big reveal. My body recoiled as I sat in the chair that confined me for all those years. I definitely thought my miracle cure would have gone better with Grace¡­


    Did my last ditch attempt work? Did I stop Alpha? Fatigued, I withdrew from the slipstream to find out in real time¡­

 28. Last Resort: Beatrice

    BEATRICE:


    Did my changes to the timeline work?


    I woke up in my Kiln Room and summoned Alpha with a remote. ¡°Alpha, what¡¯s your status?¡±


    ¡°Gathering the remaining one percent of data to build redistribution protocols,¡± it answered over radio signal.


    My scheme didn¡¯t work, and I was out of slipstream possibilities to explore. I had to fix this in the here and now of my physical reality.


    My usually serene demeanor faded completely as I raced through the halls of Camp Claudi.


    ¡°Out of my way!¡± Gilda, from the skincare department, gripped her clipboard and hugged the wall as I flew by.


    I always made it a point to never look frazzled or in a hurry, but this was a genuine emergency.


    ¡°Hurry.¡± I pressed the elevator button a dozen times. The lift didn¡¯t come fast enough.


    I rode the elevator down to the tech room and scanned my Universal DNA Identifier to enter the top secret R&D department.


    Twenty of the world¡¯s top robotic engineers worked on replicas of Alpha, digging into the core mechanics to figure out how to shut them all down. Solutions in the slipstream weren¡¯t guaranteed, so answers had to be enacted covertly in real life as well. Always have a back up plan.


    ¡°Someone give me good news or payroll will be a lot lighter tomorrow,¡± I yelled. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? It¡¯s the year of efficiency.¡±


    Threatening to fire someone always got the best results, but these idiots still had nothing to say.


    ¡°You¡­¡± I pointed to the tech guy nearest me. ¡°Tell me something good.¡±


    He turned pale at the unwanted attention and didn¡¯t even muster the guts to look me in the eye. All my employees were cowards like that.


    He stammered, ¡°I¡­ well¡­ so¡­¡±


    ¡°Spit it out!¡±


    ¡°Basically, in layman¡¯s terms, the drones are locked. There¡¯s a source code we can¡¯t penetrate. Even though these replicas were all made recently, they¡¯ve somehow downloaded this cryptic programming. It¡¯s wild! I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡±


    ¡°I asked for good news!¡±


    He stared at me blankly. Looking around the room, no one else made eye contact with me, either. Cowards. All of them.


    ¡°Figure it out, people! And fast! I¡¯ll be back in an hour.¡±


    My confidence waned. Alpha would go into annihilation mode soon. Not knowing what else to do, I went to check on Jackie. I needed the support of my family now.


    I walked into Jackie¡¯s Kiln Room, expecting to find her passed out on the couch. Her stupid notebook was there, but she wasn¡¯t. Maybe she finally mastered taking her physical body into the slipstream.


    ¡°Jackie?¡± I called.


    I heard sniffling and found her in the corner, curled up in the fetal position.


    ¡°Jackie? Are you okay?¡±


    She looked up at me with tears streaming down her cheeks, wearing her party dress from days ago. How long had she been in here, working the slipstream to the detriment of her health? Preoccupied with problems of my own, I hadn¡¯t noticed.


    ¡°Jackie, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She mumbled something incoherent and rubbed her face. Her eye makeup smeared. I sighed with disgust at how sloppy she was.


    ¡°Where¡­ which stream is this?¡± Jackie asked. ¡°Where¡¯s Grace?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s my mother?¡± Jackie asked accusingly. ¡°Is she okay? Did you see what they did to her?¡±


    I rolled my eyes. I didn¡¯t have time to rehash the past. We had bigger fish to fry.


    ¡°Get a grip, Jackie. Grace is gone.¡±


    ¡°What have you done to my mother?¡± Her eyes darted around the room, trying to piece together where she was.


    My disdain turned to pity. Jackie was lost in it all. I put my arms around her shoulders.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here. We¡¯re together. In this reality, right here and now. We¡¯re together. Isn¡¯t that enough? It is for me,¡± I whispered.


    Jackie became enraged and pushed me away. She stood up and paced like a wild animal, spouting nonsense.


    ¡°They did this to her, and you let them! You did this to her! You did this to all of us! You¡¯ll pay for what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°Stop this, Jackie. You¡¯re losing yourself, losing sight of the truth. The here and now is escaping you¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stop,¡± Jackie replied. ¡°I won¡¯t stop. Not until I save my mom. I need to save Grace, Zayne, and Baxter, too.¡±


    Her eyes lit up with fury. ¡°You lied to me about Baxter! And now you¡¯re up to something worse!¡± Jackie shoved her dirty finger in my face. Her hand shook, unsteady and unhinged.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The drones! You unleashed them into the slipstream, and now they¡¯re infecting everything. They¡¯re taking people¡¯s souls!¡±


    ¡°Souls? Don¡¯t be so dramatic. Sure, they¡¯re taking data, but¡ª


    ¡°So you know about this?¡±


    What did Jackie see in the slipstream to make her think the drones were stealing souls? After seeing the shell of a man Feraz was this morning, I had to assume she was right on some level. What could I say to calm her? I quickly settled on the truth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jackie. I truly am. No matter what I try, I can¡¯t stop them. They¡¯re running the final simulation, and there¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, final simulation?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve collected massive amounts of data and they¡¯ve decided¡­¡±


    I choked up. I hated to deliver such horrific news.


    ¡°What? Tell me already!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve decided to eliminate ninety-nine percent of the population.¡±


    The words felt like bile coming out of my mouth. Jackie looked at me in disbelief.


    ¡°They say it¡¯s the most efficient use of¡­¡± Finishing that sentence made me want to vomit, but I cried instead.


    I needed comfort in that moment. Instead, Jackie ridiculed me.


    ¡°The kingdom has fallen under your reign, Queen Beatrice. Admit it. You¡¯ve made so many mistakes. You¡¯re not the mastermind you portray yourself to be.¡±


    ¡°Like you can do better?¡± I scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re a slipstream junkie! Always stuck in the past like your lowlife father.¡±


    Jackie laughed. She actually laughed at me! Then she said with spite, ¡°You¡¯re so focused on winning the future that you miss the point. You¡¯ve inflicted so much pain on other people as a means to your end. Your happiness shouldn¡¯t come at the expense of others. You think you¡¯re so great, but you¡¯re a monster!¡±


    That stung. I screamed back, ¡°I had no choice. I always had to look to the future, explore the probabilities. Don¡¯t you see? That¡¯s all I had left. My body was paralyzed, but my mind wasn¡¯t. Don¡¯t judge until you¡¯re trapped in a wheelchair, okay? Anyone in my position would weigh their options. I chose life!¡±


    ¡°Well, this life sucks. Take away this cursed phoenix gene. I don¡¯t want it. I never asked for any of this. I can¡¯t live in this unjust world for eternity.¡±


    Jackie continued her barefoot pacing. It broke my heart to see her in such a state. It pained me to have another daughter choose anything but me and the life of luxury I provided.


    Despite trying to make things right, well, here we were. Why couldn¡¯t they appreciate what I offered? Was I a monster for spoiling them?


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± I said. ¡°The true cost of choosing my own life was too great. I lost Mark, Grace, now you¡¯re slipping away from me, too. I always end up alone. It¡¯s the most probable outcome, I guess.¡±


    Jackie stopped pacing and came to me. She looked me dead in the eyes and said, ¡°We¡¯ve got to go back in time to fix things. Make massive changes. Have you tried that to stop your creepy robot sidekick?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Jackie, but you can¡¯t change the past.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that. Firestorm made it seem like¡­ I won¡¯t stop until I figure it all out.¡± Jackie grabbed her notebook and riffled through its pages, as if the answer would magically appear.


    I sat on the couch, defeated. I rarely conceited defeat, but the Alpha problem was critical and none of my simulations in the slipstream worked. Despite my sincerest attempts to the contrary, Life Rite left a deluge of suffering in its wake.


    I could justify the mutations, and even the fire fields, but I could not in good conscious let Alpha kill billions of people. It hurt me to see Grace fall ill, even after she threw me and Mark into the volcano, but to watch Jackie unravel was the last straw.


    I had high hopes for the future, but saw all the flaws in the design. Even with the most powerful tools at my disposal, I couldn¡¯t change the probability of Life Rite¡¯s path of destruction.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Jackie,¡± I finally said. ¡°I lied to you.¡±


    ¡°I knew it! Baxter died in the street. You never tried to save him.¡±


    I forgot I told her that. Seemed better at the time to ease the blow of his death for her.


    I shook my head. ¡°Not about that. I lied about changing the past¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jackie asked with an insatiable desire to know dancing in her wild eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t control the knock-on effects, but there is a key decision that¡¯s the root cause of it all. If¡­¡± I choked on fear. The thought of it made me sick.


    ¡°What? How? Change our fates, B!¡±


    Tears streamed down my face. ¡°I can¡¯t focus on the past. It¡¯s too hard. I felt trapped back then. It was worse than a cage¡­ I can¡¯t go back. We need to keep going forward.¡±


    Jackie shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Maintaining my well-crafted composure was no longer an option. I blubbered, ¡°I¡¯m not a villain. I¡¯m a hero. Did you know there¡¯s a fine line between the two?¡±


    Jackie softened at the sight of my watershed tears.


    ¡°A villain will sacrifice the world to save a chosen few. A hero makes personal sacrifices to save the world. Either way, sacrifices need to be made. I have to stop Alpha from ending it all.¡±


    Jackie grabbed my hands and looked me in my eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s be heroes. Let¡¯s change the past. It¡¯s the only way to save our future.¡±


    ¡°What about the empire I¡¯ve built?¡±


    Jackie shrugged it off so easily. ¡°Life Rite only benefits the rich, and let¡¯s face it. They¡¯re not using infinity to make life better for anyone but themselves. They¡¯re getting richer, and everyone else is barely getting by. That¡¯s why Alpha thinks most people are disposable trash. There is no chance of survival in this cut-throat world. We have to go back, B.¡±


    I shook my head and said between sobs, ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m not ready.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Maybe the drones will kill me, too. After all, I¡¯m just a janitor. A useless slipstream junkie¡­¡±


    Jackie left me alone with my sorrow. I sat on that couch for a while, lamenting my options. I couldn¡¯t go all the way back, could I?


    Refusing to believe my circumstances, I wiped my tears and walked back down to the R&D department.


    ¡°It¡¯s the eleventh hour¡­ Tell me something good!¡±


    Those imbeciles didn¡¯t have any news for me, so I went to the operations department in the basement next.


    On my way there, someone asked me to sign payroll, approve photos for an article, and some other task that was meaningless now. I waved them all away and focused on the only thing that mattered. Changing the biggest decision in the course of history¡­

 29. Changing the Past: Beatrice

    BEATRICE:


    The operations department was in the dingy basement of the Camp Claudi complex. It shocked the employee on duty to see me down there. It¡¯s not a place I usually go.


    ¡°Can I help you, Mrs. Claudi?¡±


    ¡°Give me a can of gasoline and some matches.¡±


    ¡°Come again?¡±


    ¡°You heard me.¡±


    Despite his confusion, he hustled to get me what I asked for. Employees know better than to question my motives.


    I trekked through Bennu forest with that heavy gas can. I passed the scorched lands and went into the thicket, in my high heels, of course. Even at my lowest point, my vanity held on tight. My ego didn¡¯t want to let go of the legacy I¡¯d built, but there was a greater good pushing me onward.


    Bennu birds called out in the distance, so I moved quicker. I didn¡¯t want to get eaten to death. The rebirthing process took too long. What if I didn¡¯t make it back before Alpha enacted his grand scheme? Time was of the essence now.


    After an arduous walk, I found the old, abandoned warehouse. The one where Mark kept Zayne and countless other boys. He experimented, tortured, mutated, and mutilated them. Seeing it in real life convinced me the only way forward was back in time.


    I doused the house of torture with gasoline and set it ablaze. The flames burst into being and rose up to engulf the structure.


    The glass ceiling cracked and fell. Inside, cages filled with fire. Torture devices and mutation photos burned, erasing all evidence of the horrors that occurred as a result of the most pivotal decision of my life. The remnants of evil created a powerful blaze, the perfect fire portal to the past.


    With a great exhale, I relinquished control and surrendered to the slipstream for the last time. Probability portals swirled around me. Future streams begged for my attention.


    I knew exactly where to go; back in time to the most important portal in the slipstream. The one percent that Alpha didn¡¯t have access to. My deepest emotions kept it locked from everyone except me.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to face it now¡­¡±


    I slipped into the portal and woke up on the other side, sitting in my wheelchair, staring into the fireplace. My gorgeous seventeen-year-old daughter, Grace, parked me there and kissed my cheek.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be home for dinner.¡± Grace left me there to stare into the flame¡¯s probabilities. Her able body bounded down the corridor, into the woods we forbad her to explore.


    I sat in front of that fireplace, unable to move. I watched the flames flicker, as I did every afternoon since we arrived on Bennu Island. My ego cried out with anguish. To be back in this vegetable state was pure torture. Muscular dystrophy was a cruel disease. A sharp mind doesn¡¯t go far when it¡¯s trapped in a fleshy cage.


    A while later, Mark came to my side. His face was so vibrant. He looked down at me and smiled, exposing his pearly white teeth. He bent down to get to my eye level. Damn, he smelled delicious; musky after a hard day of work. I even loved his stink.


    I wanted to smile at him, but my face muscles no longer obeyed me.


    Mark presented me with a small pelican case as if it contained an engagement ring. He proudly opened it and showcased a vial inside. It was the very first Life Rite serum that passed his rigorous testing.


    A single tear fell from my eye. This was my moment of truth. The most pivotal decision of my life that set the rest of the world¡¯s fate in motion.


    ¡°This will bring you back, B. You ready to try it?¡± Mark asked.


    He had spoken to me for hours on end the last several years about the vitality found in Bennu eggs. He felt certain he could harness their power to cure my muscular dystrophy. We felt hopeful when he bought the island. When he started testing the serum, I was elated. It crushed me when he explained the mutation issues. Now, he¡¯d found a way around that and proudly presented years of work and research. The time had come to give me the treatment.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Mark said, ¡°The first few doses may make you sick, but we can tuck you away so Grace doesn¡¯t notice. She¡¯s being a typical teenager anyway, off on her own all afternoon.¡±


    Mark grabbed the serum and moved toward me to inject.


    ¡°I love you so much, Beatrice. I pray this works. I can¡¯t wait to get you back.¡±


    As the needle hovered over my vein, I gathered every ounce of strength to move my mouth and tongue.


    At first it came out like a moan, but the second time I clearly said, ¡°No! Stop!¡±


    Mark withdrew the needle and put his face close to mine. He studied my lips, amazed since I didn¡¯t speak much anymore. It took so much strength to breathe while speaking.


    ¡°What was that, B? I¡¯m listening, dear.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said again. My vocal cords were rusty from non-use, and my voice sounded hoarse.


    ¡°If this works like I suspect,¡± Mark replied, ¡°we could cure a lot of diseases. I know it¡¯s scary to be the first person to take a new drug, but darling, this is our year! Anything is possible now with Life Rite.¡±


    He moved the needle toward my arm.


    I struggled to move away. My muscles refused to cooperate. Despite knowing the future probability of how this would all end, part of me still wanted the treatment. I loved feeling strong. The lure of eternal health and beauty is a difficult temptress to fight.


    Equipped with my knowledge of the future and Alpha¡¯s unwavering mission, I focused all my energy. As Mark was about to inject the serum, my arm miraculously jerked away from the needle.


    ¡°Stay still, dear.¡± Mark didn¡¯t understand.


    I grunted with concentration and pulled my arm into my chest.


    Mark stood back in disbelief. ¡°Are you okay, B?¡±


    I moved my focus back to my dull vocal cords, and they vibrated under my immense willpower. I breathed heavily between words.


    ¡°No¡­ serum. Shut¡­ it¡­ down!¡±


    ¡°My muse¡­¡± Stunned, Mark dropped the vial, and it broke. The glowing serum spilled onto the hardwood floor. He hugged me, and I melted in his embrace.


    This isn¡¯t a slipstream simulation. Mark¡¯s warm arms around me are real, and unfortunately, so is my all-encompassing paralysis.


    My body may be deteriorating, but my mind is stronger than ever. The slipstream that I created and utilized these last few months is real. After exploring all the probabilities in the slipstream, I know with certainty which truth needs to be written. This is the hardest decision of my life, but I know it isn¡¯t just about me. My actions now will protect my family for generations to come, the people of Bennu Island, and ultimately, the rest of the world.


    With great concentration of force, I explained to Mark why I couldn¡¯t take the serum.


    ¡°Unintended consequences¡­ My¡­ happiness¡­ is not more¡­ important¡­ than those boys. Or¡­ anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Honey, we talked about this,¡± Mark started to say, but I continued. He listened with bated breath.


    ¡°Shut it down¡­ Please. Too much¡­ suffering.¡±


    Tears streamed down my face. Mark brushed them away and kissed me on my forehead.


    ¡°I hear you honey, I do. But¡ª


    I cut him off again. ¡°The boy in the cage¡­ release him. Bring him¡­ to me¡­ Please. Trust is the glue¡­ that holds families together.¡±


    I struggled to catch my breath as Mark searched my face for an explanation that I couldn¡¯t give. My breathing was shallow and quick. Speaking was difficult for my diaphragm muscles, and my body worked overtime. As Mark stared into my eyes, he must have seen all the pain we caused with Life Rite, now and in the future.


    The next day, Mark released Zayne from his cage, and I introduced him to Grace. Despite his harsh objections, Mark ultimately agreed to obey my wishes. He would do anything to please me, even if he didn¡¯t understand it.


    This wasn¡¯t enough to make things right with Zayne and the villagers, but it was a start. Mark assured me he had more reparation plans in motion.


    I watched Grace and Zayne¡¯s awkward teen romance bloom in front of me that summer. The connection they shared was real. Who was I to take that away from them? I wanted Grace to have a love as powerful as what I had with Mark. Maybe he would one day rebuild her a castle, brick by brick.


    Whenever I heard a Bennu bird call or saw one flying overhead, I wondered if it was Firestorm watching over this stream as it was being written.


    My body deteriorated quickly; my heart got weaker by the day. But I had never felt more happiness in all my time in the slipstream than I did that summer. Grace pushed my wheelchair out into the forest so I could watch her and Zayne frolic around the island.


    Mark hated their friendship, but maybe Jackie would still be born.


    Had I done enough to turn the wheels of fate? I prayed all of their lives would be altered thanks to my sacrifice. I loved feeling important, and what better way to leave my mark on this world than to create a family legacy that replaced all the suffering with love?


    As my breathing worsened, I felt my sharp mind fade as well. My last day was spent in the garden soaking up the boundless energy of my vivacious daughter, endless hugs and kisses from my loving husband, and the beautiful island that offered its bounty to me despite the sorrow I inflicted upon it.


    My final request was to have Mark throw my coffin into the volcano. He didn¡¯t understand it, but it felt like the most probable way for me to go.


    This time, I went alone, with no slipstream to catch me and no idea what came next.

 30. A New Timeline: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    ¡°He¡¯s gonna jump! Feraz, please don¡¯t jump!¡± I called out. My top client was about to shit all over my holiday bonus. Not that I needed the money, but still.


    ¡°I¡¯m infallible, indestructible!¡± Feraz Tal shouted with arms outstretched. One of his feet dangled over the top railing of the five-story Life Rite lab.


    Feraz swung his other leg over as he boasted, ¡°I am a God, and the probabilities are endless!¡±


    Despite the train wreck unfolding around me, I zoned out. I got lightheaded, and my brain felt fuzzy. I refocused on the bling from Feraz¡¯s diamond-encrusted watch against the florescent lights.


    ¡°Woohoo!¡± Feraz jumped, but his leg got stuck on a loose cable dangling from the fourth floor railing. He flipped upside down, and his body bounced like a bungee jumper. His laugh made my skin crawl.


    The commotion brought out the big boss, my grandfather, Mark Claudi. He didn¡¯t look a day over forty in his signature boat shoes and polo shirt. He always looked like he was ready to sail away on his yacht at a moment¡¯s notice. I stiffened at his commanding presence.


    ¡°What the hell, Jackie?¡± Mark scolded. ¡°This is your client. Control him.¡±


    ¡°Get him down. Now!¡± I commanded, hoping someone else would know what to do.


    At only eighteen years-old, being a Junior Executive at Life Rite was a huge deal. Of course, I got the job because I¡¯m a Claudi, but I still had a lot to prove, something my family constantly reminded me of. Mark hated my father, which made me the black sheep, but my work ethic helped me rise above all the drama. The unspoken pressure and obligation that came with being a Claudi was suffocating.


    Feraz¡¯s laugh reverberated in the open room as he wriggled around like a fish on a line. His jerky movements untangled his foot, and the next thing I heard was the splat of blood and bone against the linoleum floor.


    Feraz¡¯s seeping blood glowed and ignited into a fire. His skin melted under the intense heat.


    Instead of entering Rebirthing Incident Number R64 into my tablet, I got lost in the flames. An overwhelming wave of d¨¦j¨¤ vu swept me away.


    ¡°I¡¯ve experienced this before. But when?¡±


    A loud male voice echoed in my head. ¡°Jackie, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re ready, but I need your help to bring down Life Rite.¡±


    The boom of this mysterious voice confused me. It sounded familiar.


    ¡°Who are you, and where are you coming from?¡±


    I dropped back into a trance from the fire dancing in front of me. I fell into some empty void within myself and sat still in its sweet silence.


    ¡°This won¡¯t be easy, but trust is the glue that holds families together¡­¡± the male voice said.


    A strange energy pulsed in my brain, giving me a headache. Images of another life not fully lived flooded my mind¡¯s eye. Like a computer downloading a program, I remembered it all as if it were yesterday.


    I unconsciously whispered, ¡°Firestorm¡­¡±


    All the memories from some previous life crashed into my brain like a wave breaking on the shore. I felt dizzy and nauseas from information overload. The only thing forceful enough to bring me out of my daze was grandpa Mark¡¯s assertive voice.


    ¡°Baxter? Is that your name?¡± Mark pointed to the janitor¡¯s name tag. The poor guy stood there, frozen with shock.


    ¡°Get the fire extinguisher or you¡¯re fired!¡± Mark bellowed.


    I looked over at Mark and could have sworn I saw my grandmother, Beatrice, instead. She died before I was born, but I recognized her from pictures. Mark made shrines of her image throughout his many homes. Reality glitched back and forth between the two star-crossed lovers.


    I looked back at the janitor tasked with cleaning up Feraz¡¯s mess.


    ¡°He used to¡­ take care of me?¡± I whispered to myself.


    In that other life, Baxter raised me as his own. I realized I loved him dearly.


    ¡°Pops¡­¡±


    A Claudi, raised by a janitor? How absurd. Yet, I felt certain that it had happened. I remember the two-story duplex with cracked brick facade on Wright Road.


    Equipped with this strange new knowledge, I snapped back into the present moment.


    Baxter grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed Feraz¡¯s flames as he rebirthed on the lab floor.


    I remembered Baxter protecting me at a Life Rite checkpoint. He¡­ died in the street to save me.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Did that really happen?¡±


    I tried to make eye contact to see if Baxter remembered it too, but Mark barked at him to get some water and linens.


    Baxter broke a vial as he reached for a jug.


    The sound of faint broken glass snapped into my memory. I had been here before, but things were very different then. I was that lowly janitor in some other iteration of life.


    A lab technician checked Feraz¡¯s vitals.


    ¡°That was a full regeneration,¡± he whispered to Mark. ¡°He¡¯ll be out for a while.¡±


    Feraz didn¡¯t take his own life. He was surfing in the slipstream. What was Feraz up to in there? I remembered it works on probabilities. Did I live in another probability previously? Surely I was going insane.


    I looked at Mark, but saw Beatrice standing in his place again. She had offered me a small bonus to keep quiet. She invited me into the family business. Beatrice built me a Kiln Room to explore the slipstream, but¡­ the drones were everywhere. The last time I saw her, she sobbed, scared to go into the past to stop the end of the world as we knew it.


    ¡°She never took the serum,¡± I whispered. Tears came to my eyes as I realized what Beatrice had done all those years ago, before I was even born. She must have made the ultimate sacrifice to reset the timeline¡­


    ¡°What a mess¡­¡± Mark turned to me and said, ¡°Come on, Jackie. I¡¯ve got five minutes to talk about the financials before my next meeting. Let¡¯s walk and talk.¡±


    I sucked my tears in as Mark swiftly left the lab. On my way out, Baxter and I locked eyes. I knew Pops intimately, but did he remember me? No time to contemplate that now¡­


    I picked up the pace to keep up with Mark. He was always in a hurry and didn¡¯t appreciate what it¡¯s like to walk in killer heels.


    ¡°The quarterly financials¡­ go!¡± Mark pointed at me with a wink, as if we didn¡¯t witness the bloodbath from Feraz falling five stories. All in a day¡¯s work¡­


    ¡°Earth to Jackie¡­ You with me?¡±


    I shook off the flood of memories from that other life. I had to talk as fast as I walked.


    ¡°So, um, the manufacturer is having shipping issues with the latest round of face creams. Something about volcanic activity?¡±


    Mark shook his head. ¡°That department is always on island time. You need to light a fire under them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get right on it, Gramps.¡±


    ¡°Never call me that.¡± Mark paused in front of the closed steel door to the R&D Department.


    I paused too, expecting the walk to continue.


    ¡°Anything else, Jackie?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I guess not. Anything fun going on in there?¡±


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t have the clearance. Pull Feraz¡¯s contract. He¡¯s in breach. And get on the shipping issue, okay? You reap what you sow.¡±


    I nodded as he turned away from me. Mark scanned his Universal DNA Identifier to get into the top secret research and development lab. As he slid inside, I instinctively reached out and stuck my tablet into the door frame to stop it from locking. I had to get inside to see what he was up to.


    The heavy door crunched my tablet in half, and it ricocheted inside.


    ¡°Crap. That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Okay, what¡¯s my next move? Think, Jackie¡­¡±


    Equipped with the knowledge of all that I¡¯d experienced in the slipstream in some alternate probability, I needed to get into that room to see if the drones were a threat in this probability.


    ¡°Is Life Rite still creating mutants?¡±


    If so, both crises needed to be stopped.


    ¡°Unless I¡¯m experiencing some sort of mental break¡­¡±


    I rubbed my temples, hoping a solution would fall from my skull. I wished Firestorm was here to guide me, or Beatrice or¡­


    A realization hit me like a ton of bricks. Baxter was originally my most trusted ally. He was still alive, and there was unfinished business between us.


    I went back to the lab to find him. Some goon security guards were locking it down, so I quickly scanned my high-level Universal DNA Identifier to get inside before they tried to stop me. Most of them were too afraid to even look at a Claudi, let alone tell us what to do.


    Inside the lab, technicians pushed Feraz out on a gurney. Unconscious, he smirked under a layer of carbon dioxide ash.


    Was Feraz in the slipstream? Did I still have access to that crazy place, or was it all a dream?


    I found Baxter on his hands and knees cleaning up Feraz¡¯s bodily fluids. Blood covered his jumpsuit. He always had to clean up my mistakes, but at least it wasn¡¯t his own blood this time.


    ¡°Pops?¡± I whispered to him.


    At first, Baxter didn¡¯t realize I was talking to him.


    ¡°Oh, hello Miss Claudi,¡± he finally said. ¡°May I help you?¡±


    He clearly didn¡¯t have the same memories I had, although mine still felt fuzzy, too.


    ¡°Yeah, um, so great to see you, by the way.¡±


    He gave me his warm smile and nodded for me to continue.


    ¡°So, I need to get into the R&D department, but my DNA Identifier isn¡¯t working. Do you have access to clean in there?¡±


    Baxter wiped his sweaty brow. ¡°Oh, sorry to hear that, Miss Claudi. Protocol dictates that I should take you down to security to get your identifier rebooted. Would you like me to walk you there?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°That won¡¯t work¡­ I¡¯m¡­ too busy for all that. I¡¯m a Claudi after all.¡±


    Baxter nodded, lowering his eyes to the floor.


    ¡°Can you please let me in real quick?¡± I asked again. ¡°Just this once?¡±


    Baxter winced. I knew what this job meant to him, and he was terrified of losing it. If Mark found out he let me into a restricted zone, he¡¯d fire Baxter on the spot. Still, if he told a Claudi like me no, he could get fired anyway. I appreciated the no-win situation I was putting him in.


    ¡°Anything for you, Miss Claudi,¡± Baxter said with a strained smile. He looked back at the bloodbath on the floor he was tasked with cleaning.


    ¡°Let me call in some back-up to help with this mess,¡± I offered. ¡°Get cleaned up. Meet me by the R&D department when you¡¯re ready?¡±


    Baxter smiled and nodded. ¡°Thank you, Miss Claudi. That¡¯s very kind.¡±


    I stared into his eyes, searching for recognition. But Baxter always had a solid poker face, so it was anyone¡¯s guess if he remembered our past life together.


    ¡°My pleasure. See you in an hour, Baxter.¡±


    I called for another cleaning team and went back down the hall to stake out the R&D department.


    ¡°What is Mark up to in there?¡±


    I covertly watched that door for over an hour, and no one came out. I wasn¡¯t sure if Mark was still in there or if he left while I was in the lab. Either way, I had to take my only shot at getting in.


    Baxter met me outside the R&D department in a fresh jumpsuit. We stared at each other in silence for a beat before he said, ¡°Hello. I hope you¡¯re having a wonderful day, Miss Claudi.¡±


    What could I say to the man who raised me in some other life? I felt relieved that he was even alive. I had Beatrice to thank for that.


    ¡°Do you still need my DNA Identifier to get in?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡± I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off him.


    As Baxter moved to open the R&D door with the Universal DNA Identifier inside his finger, against my better judgment, I hugged him.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take good care of you,¡± I whispered to him in our embrace. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re alive.¡±


    Baxter stammered, ¡°Oh, okay¡­ Thank you, Miss Claudi.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said as I let him go. ¡°Your payout is going to be way bigger than two million dollars too. Way bigger! Thanks for everything, Pops.¡±


    With that, I slid into the top secret room to see if Mark''s killer drone was on the loose again...

 31. Fixing the New Timeline: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    I''s made my way inside Life Rite''s top secret R&D department. Shelves lined the walls; full of robotic parts and gadgets, old computers, and tools. I walked past the shelves and found Mark alone, tinkering with a drone at a steel table surrounded by a wall of monitors.


    He looked up from his work, surprised. ¡°Jackie? What the hell are you doing in here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± I moved toward the table.


    An Alpha style drone lay on the table staring up at me with its mechanical eyelid open. It only had one arm attachment. An early model.


    Flashes of some other reality played in my mind. This machine once spit fire over a lush forest. It collected blood samples from me and synthesized my DNA. The memory of countless drones sliding in and out of my precious slipstream like a bad infestation shook me to my core.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to destroy Alpha.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s Alpha?¡± Mark asked.


    ¡°This thing!¡±


    ¡°Huh, not a bad name for the first generation. What do you know about it? I¡¯ve been tinkering with it for decades,¡± Mark replied. ¡°The Universal DNA Identifier took eleven years to crack. I¡¯m not one to give up easily.¡±


    ¡°These machines are dangerous,¡± I said, struggling to make eye contact. My grandfather was a tough guy. People never told him no.


    Instead of getting mad like I expected, he laughed. ¡°What are you talking about, Jackie? It¡¯s a hobby, a side project¡­ but it seems promising. Wanna see it? Take a seat, dear.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± His invitation disarmed me. I felt honored to be allowed to watch him tinker.


    ¡°Sit.¡±


    My mom always told me stories of watching Mark work when she was a teenager, but he¡¯d never invited me in. Most of the time, I wasn¡¯t sure he knew I existed.


    ¡°What does it do?¡±


    ¡°I have state-of-the-art optics on this thing. It can scan any Universal DNA Identifier within a mile radius. Facial recognition, administering serums, taking blood samples, it can even deliver our creams to clients in ten minutes or less.¡±


    Mark laughed at his own sales pitch. He had a nice smile.


    I studied Alpha as it lay on the table, offline. I looked at the wires and belly. Something was missing, but I couldn¡¯t quite place it.


    ¡°Here, let me show you.¡± Mark powered Alpha up. The drone¡¯s eyelids clicked several times. It flew up and hovered over the table. Its clicking noise was unmistakable, but it wasn¡¯t exactly as I recalled.


    ¡°It¡¯s broken,¡± I said casually.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not glowing green.¡±


    I remembered the green glow flowing through Alpha¡¯s veins, and even worse, when that glow mixed with my blood, synthesizing into¡­ something else.


    ¡°Huh,¡± was all Mark said.


    I felt relieved that the drone wasn¡¯t working. Beatrice¡¯s sacrifice must have truly reset the timeline, but Life Rite wasn¡¯t completely cured. There were more pressing matters to discuss.


    ¡°Mark, can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Sure, dear.¡±


    The words felt heavy on my tongue. I hesitated.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have all day. Time is money.¡±


    I quickly wiped away a tear before it could fall and finally spit it out.


    ¡°Where do you keep the mutants?¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    He froze. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    What could I say to make him understand? Did I even understand it all?


    After an awkward pause, I said, ¡°Please tell me we aren¡¯t creating mutants so rich people like Feraz Tal can live forever. Beatrice didn¡¯t want that.¡±


    Mark¡¯s face fell like he¡¯d seen a ghost. The ghost of Beatrice, no doubt.


    ¡°Get out!¡± he yelled, but I wouldn¡¯t relent. Not after all I remembered about the probable future.


    Even at the risk of my holiday bonus, I doubled down.


    ¡°Beatrice refused the treatments, didn¡¯t she? She wanted to end all the suffering.¡±


    My heart ached to see Beatrice again. She felt like a mother to me despite the fact that I never met her in this life.


    The weight of her sacrifice suddenly fell on my shoulders. I had to make sure it wasn¡¯t in vain. I would ensure Mark¡¯s drone never got access to the slipstream. I had to stop Life Rite from causing all those mutations. But how?


    ¡°Everything I do is for her,¡± Mark declared. ¡°All the lives we save are in Beatrice¡¯s honor.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t end well, and she knew it. Beatrice used the slipstream to explore probabilities and¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Mark asked. ¡°Are you using drugs again, Jackie? I¡¯ll strip you of your duties if you are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been clean for nine months. Promise.¡±


    ¡°You better be. My assistant will reach out to schedule a mandatory drug test.¡±


    I sighed. My family was so stifling. ¡°Fine, whatever.¡±


    Maybe Mark didn¡¯t know what the slipstream was? I finally had a leg up. Or maybe I was going crazy and would be checked into rehab again by my overbearing family. I had to try again.


    ¡°Please listen.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got one minute.¡± Mark crossed his arms.


    Alpha clicked, still hovering in the air.


    I struggled to explain. I didn¡¯t have all the answers, but hoped my role in this timeline could fix the same issues as the last one.


    I took a deep breath and said, ¡°What if I told you there was a better way to make the serum?¡±


    Mark raised his eyebrow, intrigued. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it will work, but test my blood to see if I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re what?¡±


    ¡°Still a gene carrier.¡±


    This was dangerous information to divulge, but I needed to right as many wrongs as possible with what I remembered from the slipstream.


    Mark chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s so special about your blood?¡±


    ¡°Firestorm¡­ I mean, my father¡­ well¡­ you¡­ he¡­¡±


    I hadn¡¯t thought this through.


    ¡°Never mind. Forget I said anything.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm,¡± was all Mark said.


    I hate sitting in awkward silences, especially with someone as powerful as my grandfather.


    ¡°I¡¯ve programmed Alpha, as you called him, to take blood samples. Let¡¯s test your theory right now.¡±


    Mark hit a button on his watch, and that damn machine zipped toward me with its signature clicking sound.


    I swatted it away. ¡°No, I¡¯m being dumb. I was thinking about using again, but I haven¡¯t. I swear¡­ Forget I said anything.¡±


    ¡°There are no bad ideas. Only bad execution.¡± Mark pressed his watch again, and a needle popped out of Alpha¡¯s faceplate.


    Crap. I was stumbling into the same mistakes. The most probable mistakes¡­


    The drone darted toward me, ready to prick my neck.


    ¡°Keep that thing away from me.¡±


    I ran past the shelves of scrap metal with Alpha hot on my heels. It ran into the large steel door as I opened it, but didn¡¯t waver from its task.


    On my way out the door, I tripped over my own feet. I shooed Alpha away as I stumbled into the corridor, but it followed me out.


    It chased me down the bright, clean halls of Life Rite. Past Beatrice¡¯s corner office, which was now Mark¡¯s, and past the luxury apartments Beatrice once locked me inside.


    Firestorm¡¯s voice echoed in my mind. ¡°You¡¯ve got to move fast. They¡¯re coming for you.¡±


    The overwhelming sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu almost made me pass out, but Firestorm¡¯s voice also comforted me. Maybe I wasn¡¯t alone in all this.


    ¡°What does it want from me?¡± I ran down the hall, past Brent from accounting. He looked at me like I was crazy.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to find out, keep moving!¡± Firestorm commanded.


    My high heels fell off. I kept going without them.


    That drone was quick! Click, click, clicking behind me with needle drawn.


    I burst through the door to the stairwell, but Alpha was right behind me. I looked down at the long and winding staircase.


    ¡°Where can I go?¡± I asked in desperation.


    Firestorm¡¯s voice echoed in my skull. ¡°Jump! Trust me.¡±


    The blind trust I felt for him was unparalleled. Despite how clumsy I was, I took a deep breath and jumped over the railing. I fell down, but perfectly landed the jump that should have killed me.


    ¡°Woah. How did I do that?¡±


    Alpha didn¡¯t stand a chance now.


    ¡°Keep going. Get outta here,¡± Firestorm instructed.


    I sighed relief when I stepped out into the city street, leaving the clicking evil drone in the Life Rite building.


    Walking barefoot in a back alley, the savage homeless loitering in the dirt encircled. The poverty in the city was dangerous, too.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my driver?¡± I asked under my breath, but didn¡¯t get a response. ¡°Firestorm, are you there?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Are you actually with me, or am I imagining it?¡±


    I walked around the Life Rite headquarters, disgusted at my filthy barefoot feet.


    The knowledge of both timelines rattled inside my brain, trying to reconcile. I had to strategize and decide what my next move should be.


    Life Rite¡¯s shadow defined my whole life trajectory, but I always had an inclination that everything in paradise was not what it seemed.


    Seeing Feraz rebirth did something to me. It triggered a watershed of memories, instincts, a deep knowing of probable outcomes. All the wisdom of the slipstream flooded into me, calling me to fix my family¡¯s mistakes. I needed to process what I knew, and fast.


    Luckily, I found my driver, Gus, parked nearby.


    ¡°Jackie, what happened to your shoes? Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Take me to my mother¡¯s house. I need to see Grace immediately.¡±


    Was my mother still alive in this timeline?

 32. Reunited: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    ¡°Take me to my mother¡¯s house. I need to see Grace immediately.¡±


    Was my mother still alive in this timeline?


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Gus drove me through the poverty-stricken city, past throngs of homeless living in makeshift tents on the littered sidewalks. A scruffy man held a sign that read, Trained Doctor Will Work for Food. The corner grocery store boasted a sale on bread for half a million dollars a loaf. I looked up at the Grid to avoid the desperation.


    Gus used his DNA Identifier to get through the toll into the upscale neighborhoods. He drove into my mother¡¯s sprawling estate, complete with several lawns of healthy green grass.


    ¡°Stay here, please.¡±


    Gus nodded.


    I rang the doorbell and the butler let me in.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Miss Grace is indisposed at the moment,¡± he said coldly.


    ¡°I need to see her. Now!¡±


    ¡°Look what the cat dragged in,¡± my mother interrupted from the foyer. She tidied flowers in a precious vase.


    I ran to Grace and wrapped her in the biggest hug. Even in this timeline, I realized how absent she¡¯d felt throughout my life. I love my mother, but the nannies and boarding schools didn¡¯t exactly help us foster the best relationship.


    Still, not having her in my life at all in the other stream made me suddenly appreciate her immensely. Our relationship was far from perfect, but at least she was with me growing up.


    I held onto our embrace as if it were the first. She squirmed under my firm hug, then eased into it.


    ¡°Is everything okay, Jackie?¡±


    ¡°I knew we¡¯d find you, mom. Dad knew we could save you, and he was right. It worked!¡±


    Grace pulled away and looked at me suspiciously, so I tried to relax.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    As I stepped back from her, I saw how Grace¡¯s youthful skin glowed, even at her age. She looked gorgeous thanks for all the best face creams.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s new, Mom?¡± I tried to say it casually, but it came out so cringe-worthy and awkward.


    ¡°I love how the Grid sparkles after the rain. Beautiful, isn¡¯t it? My big charity event is coming up. Can you believe the Millers haven¡¯t RSVPed yet?¡±


    I feigned interest as she yapped about her shallow frenemies. I looked around her spotless, palatial home, often featured in magazines. It looked like a museum, empty and devoid of life. Like props on a stage that were never actually used until this moment.


    ¡°Hey, where¡¯s dad?¡± I asked, again failing miserably to play it cool.


    Grace looked at me, deadpan. ¡°Honey, he left years ago. I don¡¯t know where he is. Do you want me to schedule an appointment to see your therapist? You¡¯re acting a little strange.¡±


    Her answer echoed in my mind. He left years ago, of course. But there was nothing he wanted more than to be with her. He¡¯d spent his whole life searching the slipstream for a solution. There¡¯s no way he would leave her¡­


    I grabbed her hands and sat mom down on the vintage pleated sofa in front of the fireplace. I looked her in the eyes. ¡°Mom, I need your help. Firestorm needs our help. He¡¯s stuck in the past, but the future is now.¡±


    ¡°Are you on drugs again, Jackie?¡±


    ¡°No! I swear!¡±


    ¡°Who is Firestorm?¡±


    ¡°Firestorm is Dad! There¡¯s no way, after all he¡¯s been through in the slipstream, that he would decide not to be here with you. Not after all we¡¯ve fought for.¡±


    Grace¡¯s forehead wrinkled with confusion, which says a lot since it¡¯s been numbed and paralyzed from Life Rite anti-aging products.


    ¡°Besides,¡± I continued, ¡°he¡¯ll know what to do about the future. It¡¯s being written as we speak¡­ We¡¯ve got to stop Mark from creating those drones. Trust me. Things will not end well with those things sniffing around. We¡¯re safe for now, but not for long. In the meantime, we¡¯ve got to save the kids in cages!¡±


    ¡°Jackie, I¡¯m going to call your therapist. You can tell me¡­ I¡¯ll try not to judge¡­ Are you using drugs again?¡±


    My family is so dismissive. I doubled down.


    ¡°Mom, stop. I need you to trust me. If I found Dad, would you at least talk to him? Do you still love him?¡±


    Grace looked at me, surprised. ¡°Of course I still love Zayne. I¡¯d do anything for him, but I¡¯m telling you. Something changed in him. He was keeping something from me. He refused to let me in anymore, and a marriage can¡¯t survive secrets.¡±


    She politely dabbed at her eyes to keep from crying.


    ¡°I know, but¡­¡±


    What could I say to convince her to come with me? I was still piecing together the significance of it all. The slipstream worked on probabilities, and the probability of events is determined by who we are and what we focus on. Beatrice understood that deeply. We had to return the favor and save Zayne, Firestorm, my dad.


    ¡°I know how much Dad loves you. He¡¯d do anything for you. Give him another chance. Please,¡± I begged.


    Grace and I locked eyes, and she nodded. Deep down, did she remember, too?


    ¡°Where is Zayne?¡± she asked. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Back to Bennu Island.¡±


    Her shoulders slumped.


    ¡°Anywhere but there, Jackie. I can¡¯t go back there. No, I simply refuse.¡±


    Could I reunite my parents in this new timeline? What would be the consequences if they came back together?

 33. Back to Bennu: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    My mother and I chartered a private jet from the city to the tropics. Taking the slipstream was so much easier, but this had to be done in the here and now.


    Grace closed her window shade and pulled an eye mask out of her purse. ¡°I forgot to pack my favorite sandals. Bummer.¡±


    A flight attendant greeted us. ¡°Good evening, Miss Claudi. We¡¯ll be leaving in a few moments. It¡¯s time to create the flight log. DNA Identifier please.¡±


    Grace scanned her finger on a key pad. It turned green. ¡°My father¡¯s legacy follows me wherever I go.¡±


    The flight attendant moved toward me next. ¡°DNA Identifier please.¡±


    When my scan turned green, the flight attendant moved on to serving hot towels.


    Once Grace and I were alone, I said, ¡°Can we talk?¡±


    ¡°Not now, dear. I have a headache and need my beauty sleep.¡±


    ¡°Mom, please.¡±


    She covered her eyes with her face mask.


    The flight to Bennu was long, exhausting, and dull, especially with the lack of conversation. The longing I felt for my mother in the previous probability put my stomach in knots. Even though I grew up with her in this timeline, we weren¡¯t close. The desire to connect gnawed at me. How could I break down her impenetrable walls?


    Once in the tropics, we took a crotchety boat to get onto Bennu Island. An elderly Tinga met us at the dock and drove us to the Camp Claudi complex in a golf cart. We didn¡¯t exchange words or even glances. He didn¡¯t know me, but I was privy to his plight. The secrets from the other probability weighed heavily on me. I wanted to tell him that his son wasn¡¯t attacked by a Bennu bird, but telling him what Life Rite did would only cause more trouble, so I kept that dark secret to myself.


    As we approached the volcano, Beatrice¡¯s castle tower presented itself, half-finished. Mark gave up on the project after she refused the treatment. The island was in disrepair, lacking the investment and attention it once had.


    Grace smacked a bug, killing it against her neck. ¡°God, I hate this place.¡±


    ¡°But mom, this is where you met dad.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­ it¡¯s also where we buried my mother,¡± she murmured.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    I understood why it¡¯d be hard for her to come back.


    ¡°What¡¯s this place used for now?¡± I asked, trying to make small talk.


    ¡°Manufacturing and shipping,¡± Grace said coldly as we pulled up to the entrance of the complex. ¡°Don¡¯t act stupid, Jackie. Aren¡¯t you a Junior Executive now? That¡¯s a nice title for Father to hand you.¡±


    ¡°Ouch. That hurt.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a big girl. You can handle it.¡± Grace wiped sweat from her brow.


    Memories of the previous parallel life clouded my understanding of this one. I still suffered from a foggy mind. Grace¡¯s biting remark was a reminder; she didn¡¯t start talking down to me until after dad left. Maybe once they reunited, she wouldn¡¯t project her miserable emotions on me anymore.


    Tinga grabbed our luggage and started up the stairs toward the complex. Grace followed, but I pulled her toward the forest instead.


    ¡°What now, Jackie?¡±


    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go this way.¡±


    ¡°Why? I want to freshen up. It was a long journey.¡±


    I pulled her toward the forest.


    ¡°What are you up to, Jackie? You¡¯re still acting weird.¡±


    ¡°Just come.¡±


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see. Trust is the glue that holds families together, right?¡±


    Grace sighed.


    We walked through the thick brush, luckily both wearing sneakers. We knew this place called for casual wear. I preferred that to the tight dresses that made me look important in the halls of Life Rite, anyway. I always felt like I was playing a role, never comfortable in my skin as a Claudi. Now I knew why.


    ¡°This place is the annex of hell.¡± Grace complained as we trudged through the trees. ¡°Why are we even here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll thank me later.¡±


    We finally reached the village gates. Small houses lined the grassy knoll. Children ran around a group of women that practiced Ni Cree. They wore beautiful clothes made from Bennu birds.


    A pile of Bennu eggs were tossed into a reaping machine by two men wearing dirty long-sleeved shirts, despite the heat.


    One of the men turned around and squinted at us. Recognition filled his face. We hadn¡¯t seen each other in years.


    ¡°Dad!¡± I ran to him.


    Zayne aged gracefully. Fit with shaggy black hair, exactly how I remembered him. Light wrinkles hugged his kind eyes. The dirt under his fingernails glowed green from the Bennu eggs he harvested.


    Most importantly, he hadn¡¯t mutated into Firestorm.


    ¡°Jackie, my goodness! What you doing here?¡±


    I ran into his warm embrace.


    He whispered in my ear, ¡°Why¡¯s Grace here?¡±


    My mother sauntered up to us and stopped several feet away.


    ¡°Hello, Zayne.¡±


    He smiled as he breathed her in. ¡°Grace¡­ you look amazing, always.¡±


    ¡°You as well.¡±


    A long, awkward pause followed their trite greetings. They weren¡¯t going to make this easy. I would have to facilitate their communication. Instead of beating around the bush, I went right for the jugular.


    ¡°What happened between the two of you? You¡¯re both acting like idiots.¡±


    ¡°Jackie, don¡¯t speak to Mother that way.¡± He always protected Grace, no matter what.


    I rolled my eyes and countered with, ¡°Don¡¯t you see? Everything can still work out. Dad, you haven¡¯t morphed into Firestorm yet and¡­¡±


    He cut me off. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re¡­ human.¡±


    ¡°What you talking about?¡± he snapped.


    ¡°She¡¯s been talking nonsense the whole way here,¡± Grace added. ¡°And your English needs practice, dear.¡±


    Zayne rolled his eyes. My parents were impossible! They acted like we hadn¡¯t battled our way through the slipstream to save their love story.


    ¡°Listen, I know I sound crazy, but¡­¡± I remembered a clue to make them understand. ¡°Come with me. I have something important to show you both.¡±

 34. Dark Secrets: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    ¡°What is this important news?¡± Zayne asked.


    Grace shrugged. ¡°Maybe if you saw your daughter every once in a while, she wouldn¡¯t act so crazy.¡±


    ¡°Enough you two! Follow me.¡± I walked toward the village gate. Luckily, my stubborn parents followed.


    After another trek through the woods with constant complaining, this time from both Grace and Zayne, we ended our journey in front of the warehouse.


    ¡°How is it being back here?¡± I asked them.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Grace asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never been here before.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡± I was still piecing together the disparities in the timelines.


    My mom¡¯s voice was laced with annoyance. ¡°What is all this about? I¡¯ve lost patience for your nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right¡­¡± I muttered as the puzzle pieces fell into place in my mind.


    Grace never found Zayne in that cage. They must have met under more normal circumstances. They knew less than I thought. My mom looked clueless, but I saw a glimmer of recognition in my dad¡¯s eyes, which he tried to hide by looking at the ground. I needed to unlock more to see the big picture.


    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s your parent¡¯s wedding anniversary?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Why? Drop this wild goose chase and come back to the complex. I need a shower. I hope this place still has running water.¡±


    ¡°Mom, please!¡±


    She gave a heavy sigh and said, ¡°May twentieth.¡±


    I entered zero-five-two-zero into the rusty old keypad. A green light flashed, and the door unlocked.


    That got my mom¡¯s attention.


    We entered.


    I didn¡¯t know exactly what we¡¯d find, but it turned out as gruesome as I imagined. The shelves that greeted us were full of torture devices. It reeked of death and decay. Along the back wall, a line of cages had rotting carcasses inside; half Phoenix, half human. Life Rite clearly still made mutants in this new timeline.


    Beatrice¡¯s decision not to take the serum spared Zayne, but others were not so lucky. Mark never stopped, even after Beatrice begged him to.


    Grace choked on the dirty air. ¡°What is this place?¡±


    ¡°Mom, you need to see this.¡±


    There were hundreds of Life Rite manuals on a shelf. I opened one and showed Grace the mutation photographs inside. She flipped through them, slowly at first and then quickly.


    ¡°What the hell is this? Explain yourself, young lady,¡± my mother said curtly.


    I looked for Zayne¡¯s support. He shifted his eyes to the floor instead of meeting my gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s time you knew the truth,¡± I explained. ¡°Life Rite harvests the Bennu eggs on this island and injected them into local boys they¡­ kidnapped.¡±


    Grace shook her head. ¡°No way. We use those disgusting eggs for the face creams. We don¡¯t make injectables¡­¡±


    Zayne looked at Grace and said, ¡°Listen to Jackie. She speaks truth.¡±


    His eyes dropped to the dusty ground again, so I continued.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°They injected the serum into the locals, and it caused them to mutate, morph, rebirth like a¡­ phoenix.¡±


    Zayne locked eyes with me, ashamed that I knew his darkest secret.


    ¡°Mark takes their blood to make another serum that he gives to the highest bidder. The recipient can rebirth without the mutations. Get it?¡±


    ¡°Rebirth? Like, become immortal?¡± Grace laughed. ¡°My dad wishes.¡±


    ¡°Grace, it¡¯s true,¡± Zayne asserted.


    ¡°How would you know?¡± she asked.


    ¡°They tested on me as a boy. Locked me in a cage for many moons¡­¡± Emotion choked him.


    ¡°No¡­ No, they didn¡¯t¡­ Why wouldn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± Grace¡¯s voice was tinged with confusion and regret.


    ¡°One day, your father released me. Paid me to keep quiet and¡­ we met.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    Grace stood baffled as Zayne continued. ¡°When a man like Mark Claudi shows you a beautiful daughter¡­ When I saw you, it was love. I protected your father¡¯s secret.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Grace took a step closer to Zayne. ¡°Why would you keep such a scandalous secret from me?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to know my dark side.¡±


    In front of the cages, Zayne took off his long-sleeved shirt. Dry, scaly skin covered most of his fit body.


    ¡°Your eczema!¡± Grace cried.


    Zayne shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡±


    He grit his teeth and flexed his muscles. His veins pulsed underneath his skin.


    With a scream, he exerted all his energy to make every muscle in his body work overtime.


    Grace gulped as his veins lit on fire. Two vibrant wings burst from the back of his arms. Tears streamed down his face as he transformed in front of us. The scaly wings fell to the floor, massive and glowing.


    Grace instinctively took several steps back.


    Zayne said to her, ¡°Should have told you, Grace, but what would you think? I¡¯m a monster because of Life Rite.¡±


    It pained me that Zayne still mutated. I guess it was the most probable outcome¡­


    He hadn¡¯t morphed into Firestorm, but Mark¡¯s dark secret still marked him. Beatrice¡¯s sacrifice saved him from more injections, enough to stop the gruesome mutations from progressing further.


    Grace cried as she looked back and forth between the training manuals and Zayne, struggling to take it all in. ¡°Why do you still work for him? Here, with those disgusting eggs?¡±


    ¡°My people protect the eggs. We make sure they don¡¯t take too much,¡± Zayne rationalized. ¡°They don¡¯t test on my people anymore.¡±


    Tears came to Zayne¡¯s eyes, knowing Life Rite still tested on someone.


    My broken parents looked into each other¡¯s eyes and searched for a lifeline.


    I had faith in their love, but did they? They spent an eternity seeking the possibility of staying together, but it was never the most probable outcome. Was Beatrice¡¯s sacrifice enough to tip the scales?


    I whispered, ¡°I love you, Dad. You¡¯re beautiful, inside and out.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Jackie.¡± Zayne smiled at me and looked back to Grace for her reaction¡­


    As my parents stared into each other¡¯s souls, their deep, magnetic connection snapped back into place. The fire was still burning, and I was the spark to reignite the flame.


    Grace made the first step. She caressed Zayne¡¯s face, then his wings.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re still beautiful¡­¡±


    He recoiled under her touch, but she didn¡¯t relent. Her fingertips grazed his scaly chest and arms. There was no cage between them. Nothing stood in their way except their own limitations.


    ¡°I wish you told me sooner,¡± she said.


    ¡°You already got heat for marrying a poor kid from Bennu. Face it, I ruined your life. After Jackie was born, you got invited to parties again. That seemed good for you, to be accepted.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t live in the boxes society puts us in,¡± Grace reminded herself. ¡°You¡¯ve always been more important to me, Zayne. I chose you then, and I choose you now, dear.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    Grace nodded. ¡°I do.¡±


    Zayne grabbed Grace by the waist and gave her the kiss of a lifetime. She caressed his powerful arms.


    I clapped, happy for them. It wasn¡¯t the first time I saw my parents make out, and I hoped it wouldn¡¯t be the last.


    I was finally healing some wrongs of the past, but there was still a lot of work to do.


    Grace blushed when she pulled away from their kiss. ¡°Thanks for showing me the truth, Jackie.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Mark still moved forward with Life Rite, despite B¡¯s best efforts to stop him,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Grace asked.


    ¡°I guess it was the most probable outcome,¡± I mumbled, still piecing it all together. ¡°He¡¯s still making mutants, and if it works how I think it does, his drone could end up killing literally everyone!¡±


    ¡°Jackie¡­¡± my mom started to say, but I cut her off.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to stop Mark. We¡¯ve got to take down Life Rite!¡±


    ¡°Woah, Jackie. Hold on a sec,¡± Grace said. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom, your dad kidnapped and tested on kids. He turned them into mutants. Now he¡¯s developing a technology that could end the human race. We¡¯ve got to stop him. I know I sound crazy, but I am not on drugs again. You need to trust me.¡±


    ¡°He also helps a lot of people,¡± Grace declared. ¡°He cures diseases. And the Institute is doing important work with the Grid. I regret not getting more involved in that endeavor. There¡¯s important work still to be done¡­¡±


    ¡°Lives are at stake, Mom. If Mark¡¯s drone gets online, it means global genocide.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic, Jackie.¡±


    ¡°Zayne¡¯s truth is the tip of the needle, Mom. Get ready for your mind to be blown.¡±


    A bell rang, capturing our attention.


    ¡°The dinner bell still goes off?¡± Grace asked aloud.


    Zayne shook his head. ¡°Never since you left Bennu all those years ago.¡±


    A gaggle of Bennu birds called in the distance.


    Someone else was in the complex, and the island was awakening from its slumber.

 35. Twisted Family Secrets: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    Mark stood on the balcony overlooking the volcano, admiring the unfinished tower.


    Without looking at me, he asked, ¡°What are you doing here, Jackie?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to pay my respects to Queen Beatrice. What brings you to Camp Claudi?¡±


    Mark pushed a button on his watch, and Alpha lifted from a docking station. Its veins glowed green.


    ¡°I have to thank you,¡± Mark said with a smile. ¡°You gave me a brilliant idea.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°I never thought to use the Life Rite serum on my little toy here, but why else would it glow green? One injection and this thing is crunching numbers on a whole new level!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no! What have I done?¡±


    Why couldn¡¯t I keep my mouth shut or come up with a plan before diving headfirst into the chaos? Was I incapable of strategic thinking?


    Alpha hovered over, blinking its creepy eye at me.


    ¡°Great. I set the worst possible outcome in motion. If I don¡¯t fix this, B¡¯s sacrifice will be in vain.¡±


    Mark ignored my ramblings. ¡°It makes sense. Bennu eggs make all Life Rite products better. Let¡¯s see what else you know, dear Jackie. Let¡¯s test that blood of yours.¡±


    A needle popped out of Alpha¡¯s attachment arm. It flew toward me, ready to take a sample of my blood. If it succeeded, it might trigger global annihilation!


    ¡°Stop! You¡¯re literally stomping on B¡¯s grave!¡± I yelled to Mark.


    That got his attention. My grandfather paused the drone and looked at me with hatred in his eyes.


    ¡°What do you know about it? She died before you were born. Everything I do is in her honor!¡±


    ¡°Immortalize her with your tower if you want, but don¡¯t feed off other people¡¯s lives to live forever! You¡¯re a parasite.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an innovator. A disrupter. A curer of diseases.¡±


    ¡°Beatrice knew the suffering Life Rite would cause. She explored every probability deeply and knew without a doubt, this was the wrong path. How could you disobey her?¡±


    ¡°The treatment can¡¯t be kept from the world. It¡¯s bigger than me and Beatrice, and certainly more important than a drug addict like you, Jackie.¡±


    Beatrice¡¯s sacrifice fell heavily on my shoulders. Her wisdom echoed in my ears, so I repeated it.


    ¡°A hero will sacrifice themselves to save the world, but a villain will sacrifice the world to save a chosen few. Can¡¯t you see the difference?¡±


    I hope I got that right.


    Mark thought about what I said.


    Grace and Zayne stepped onto the balcony to join us, holding hands.


    ¡°Father, is it true?¡± Grace threw the Life Rite mutation manual at Mark¡¯s signature boat shoes.


    ¡°Tell her the truth!¡± Zayne yelled.


    ¡°I thought you two broke up.¡± Mark shrugged his shoulders and added, ¡°Where would you all be without Life Rite? Without me and all my hard work? Huh?¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Giving the treatment to the wealthy creates disparity between the haves and the have-nots. I¡¯d rather be a janitor¡¯s daughter than condone what you¡¯ve done to innocent people,¡± I said.


    ¡°It¡¯s an expensive treatment,¡± Mark replied without regret. ¡°Somebody has to pay for it, but maybe there is a better way. Let¡¯s test your theory, Jackie. Alpha will take a blood sample to see what we¡¯re working with.¡±


    Mark touched his watch, and Alpha clicked toward me again with needle drawn. I bobbed and weaved to escape it.


    ¡°No way. I can¡¯t let that happen,¡± I said as Alpha chased me around the balcony. I picked up a wastebasket and threw it, but the drone dodged my lame attack.


    ¡°Either way, Life Rite can¡¯t be denied. My loving wife was too afraid to take the treatment, but I had an obligation to the world to see it through to its final conclusion. I had already created it. How inefficient to let it go to waste¡­ Life Rite was simply meant to be.¡±


    ¡°Kidnapping? Creating mutants, Father?¡± Grace asked through tears, the reality of the situation sinking in. ¡°Sounds like bad execution to me.¡±


    Mark softened. ¡°If we can revolutionize the process and make things more efficient, we will. Jackie claims her blood holds some special gene.¡±


    ¡°Leave my daughter alone!¡± Zayne yelled.


    I was running out of the stamina to evade Alpha for much longer. I turned and kicked it right in the iris.


    ¡°You cannot escape the statistical probabilities,¡± Alpha said to me.


    Did Alpha remember the other probabilities like I did? Maybe injecting it with serum brought its consciousness back, like Feraz rebirthing did for me.


    The drone chased me in a circle around my family on the large balcony overlooking the volcano.


    Zayne screamed, ¡°Stop this! Leave Jackie alone.¡±


    Alpha didn¡¯t tire like I did, and it pricked the back of my neck, taking a blood sample. I touched my neck and saw the blood on my finger.


    Did I just give Alpha access to the slipstream? Or was my blood ordinary now? My mother never took the serum in this timeline, so maybe I didn¡¯t have the phoenix gene anymore.


    ¡°This is the most probable thing to happen,¡± Alpha said as it synthesized my blood in its belly.


    I watched in horror as my blood mixed with the green radioactive liquid already running through Alpha¡¯s veins. The biochemicals created an ethereal cocktail that scared me.


    ¡°The most probable thing?¡±


    Suddenly, everything clicked for me. I finally saw the complete picture, my entire family tree, the full map of the slipstream.


    ¡°It was the most probable thing to happen¡­¡± I said, in awe.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± said Mark boastfully. ¡°You cannot deny progress.¡±


    ¡°I finally get how the slipstream works,¡± I said to Zayne.


    I addressed my confused mother. ¡°Some things are more probable of happening, and therefore harder to change.¡±


    To Mark, I said, ¡°You¡¯re right. The treatment was always meant to get out.¡±


    ¡°With ninety-eight percent certainty,¡± Alpha validated.


    ¡°Zayne and Grace were meant to fall in love, and I¡­¡±


    What was most probable for me? I always struggled with my purpose and place. Whether I was a janitor or heir to the Life Rite empire, I never felt authentic or comfortable in my own skin. Until now¡­


    ¡°I finally see my role in the grand scheme of things. It¡¯s actually the most important of all. Me, Jackie. I finally see my own worth,¡± I said aloud to my complicated family.


    My mother moved to comfort me. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve finally found yourself. What¡¯s your big purpose, honey?¡±


    ¡°I was meant to heal all the messed up stuff my family has done.¡±


    Mark laughed. ¡°Listen to this spoiled brat. Anyone would kill to be a part of this family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to do it. I¡¯m going to heal all the suffering brought onto anyone who can¡¯t afford Life Rite, not to mention the people of Bennu Island.¡±


    Mark rolled his eyes. ¡°Sure. The black sheep in the family is our holy savior. Please! If you''re lying about your blood, you can kiss your holiday bonus goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± I called to Mark. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you what your fate is yet.¡±


    ¡°I make my own fate.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grandpa. You¡­ you were always meant to die in that volcano.¡±


    My family looked at me like I was crazy, but I don¡¯t make the rules. The slipstream does.


    Mark held the balcony railing so tight, his knuckles turned white. Maybe deep down, he felt the inevitability of it all. But could he accept it?


    ¡°You hear that? Dispose of her, Alpha. Before she attacks me.¡±


    Mark pointed at me. His own granddaughter. No one was safe from his ambition. I braced myself for a fight.


    Grace gasped. ¡°Father, no! Jackie, stand down. We can work this out another way.¡±


    ¡°Jackie is unhinged again,¡± Mark declared. ¡°You raised a junkie, Grace!¡±


    Zayne charged back. ¡°You¡¯re unhinged! You¡¯re a monster!¡±


    Mark dropped his nice guy act and rolled his eyes. Disgust filled his chiseled face.


    ¡°Grace, this is all your fault. I can¡¯t believe you married him! Look what¡¯s become of our family.¡±


    She didn¡¯t have the guts to respond. Mark had a way of putting Grace in her place, but I knew better now.


    I told Mark, ¡°Beatrice knew they belonged together. You can¡¯t fight the probabilities. You never could, and you can¡¯t now.¡±


    Mark sneered. ¡°Alpha, take care of her.¡±


    ¡°I cannot harm a human,¡± Alpha explained.


    ¡°The law of robotics,¡± Mark murmured. He adjusted some programming on his watch.


    This was my window of opportunity to stop the redistribution program. It was now or never...

 36. Into the Lava: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    This was my window of opportunity to stop the redistribution program. It was now or never.


    With his defenses down, I broke into a sprint and leapt into the air. I grabbed onto the Alpha drone and used the momentum of my jump to kick Mark in the chest. He fell backward, over the railing and into the volcano.


    ¡°Father!¡± Grace reached out for Mark as he fell to his death.


    Zayne comforted her, but shed no tears.


    ¡°Jackie, what have you done?¡± It broke Grace¡¯s heart to see her father¡¯s body thrown into her mother¡¯s fiery grave, but it was the most probable death for him. At least in this life, Grace didn¡¯t have to live with the guilt of killing her own parents.


    I held on tight to that drone. It was heavier than I thought. I wasn¡¯t able to throw it into the volcano as I¡¯d hoped, but Alpha had to be destroyed.


    Whether or not my blood was special, I couldn¡¯t risk that thing infecting the slipstream and eventually eradicating humans with its redistribution program, as Beatrice prophesied.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± Alpha said. ¡°Or I will dispose of you. This is your final warning.¡±


    I gathered all my strength and swung my legs over the balcony railing, still holding the drone. My bodyweight dragged Alpha and I over the volcano. It tried to maintain its position while I weighed it down. Its eyelids clicked feverishly as Alpha attempted to stay afloat.


    ¡°Jackie, what the heck are you doing? What¡¯s your plan?¡± my already-distraught mom screamed through tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m healing the wrongs of the past once and for all. Please, I beg you. Put an end to Life Rite. Shut it all down. Even the Institute.¡±


    Grace furrowed her brow. ¡°The Institute is doing important work with the Grid. Why would we put a stop to that?¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Mom, please! Just do it. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, Jackie, I¡¯m coming for you.¡± Zayne flexed his muscles and released his magnificent wings.


    ¡°No! I have to know it¡¯s destroyed. Please don¡¯t come after me. I have to do this!¡±


    The drone buckled under my weight and fell a few feet into the volcano.


    ¡°Do something! Save her!¡± Grace begged Zayne with tears in her eyes. Maybe in some other life my mom and I could be best friends. We both longed for more time to truly connect, but fate never gave us that chance.


    Zayne followed her orders and climbed over the balcony railing to the rescue.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come after me!¡± Sweat dripped down my face. My arms ached. Could I hold onto Alpha long enough to enact this life altering change without my father interfering?


    ¡°I¡¯m doing this for Firestorm!¡± I called.


    Zayne froze. We shared a deep sense of knowing, which was bigger than this probability.


    He nodded.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Quick, save her!¡± Grace pushed.


    Alpha and I fell deeper into the volcano. I tried talking some sense into it.


    ¡°If you obey my commands and power down, we might have a way out of this.¡±


    ¡°I only serve Mark¡¯s programming,¡± Alpha reminded me, confirming this was the right thing to do.


    The drone¡¯s internal fan stopped, and we began to free fall.


    I screamed, my sweaty hands desperately grasping onto Alpha. I refused to let go until the lava consumed us both.


    Did I still have the phoenix gene? Would I rebirth? Grace never took the serum in this timeline, so maybe I wasn¡¯t a gene carrier anymore.


    In case I was giving my only life away, I screamed out, ¡°Love you guys! Protect the eggs. Live the way the villagers intended, as true guardians of this place.¡±


    My mother¡¯s sobs echoed through the volcano. The image of my parents in a tight embrace, looking down at me, faded into the distance.


    Alpha and I rolled as we plummeted quickly down into the lower magma chamber.


    Beatrice sacrificed her life for us. Now it was my turn.


    Fear left my body as the heat of the lava drew near. I knew my life was the most beautiful thing I could offer my family, the people of Bennu Island, and all of humanity. I could make a difference by destroying Alpha, a purpose more important than me.


    ¡°What a relief.¡±


    My struggles were finally over. I always felt less than, but in this moment, I had the power to choose.


    ¡°I¡¯m special whether or not I¡¯m a gene carrier.¡±


    As the lava touched my toe, Alpha spiraled out of control and broke through the hot magma. He melted on impact and was swallowed by the volcano.


    The bubbling lava consumed my flesh. I wondered if the slipstream would catch me. Would I rebirth? If so, what new probabilities awaited the world? If not, who would write the most probable future now?

 37. Revenge: Firestorm

    FIRESTORM:


    ¡°Revenge will be mine!¡±


    In a far-flung probability that I created in the slipstream after Jackie decided to work with the enemy, I threw Beatrice into the cage with my talons. She fell into her wheelchair like a rag doll.


    I slammed the door shut and remained calm, despite the elation from exacting my revenge. It was her turn to rot in a cage forever.


    ¡°What are you going to do? Torture me? Kill me over and over?¡± Beatrice scoffed underneath her tousled hair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to physically torture you. The psychological torture of being stuck in that wheelchair is enough punishment. In this probability, you¡¯ll spend an eternity as if you never got the Life Rite serum in the first place.¡±


    Beatrice stiffened in her wheelchair, realizing the gravity of her current reality. She could rebirth a million times over, still stuck in that caged wheelchair.


    She let her mask slip. ¡°You¡¯re a disgusting animal, you know that?¡±


    I roared in her face, a beast of her creation.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take your blood and give it to my people.¡±


    ¡°How noble of you.¡± Beatrice rolled her eyes. ¡°Listen, I see what you¡¯re trying to do here, but this doesn¡¯t give you what you want¡­¡±


    Damn it. The slippery snake piqued my interest.


    Beatrice doubled down. ¡°There must be a better way. I¡¯ll make you a deal¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough with your wheeling and dealing. That may have worked on Jackie, but this is my probability to create. My revenge! You¡¯re not going to talk your way out of this.¡±


    ¡°Negotiating is far more interesting than violence. If you¡¯re capable, of course¡­ Tell me, Zayne, Firestorm¡­ Are you still an intelligent man or are you an animal relying on instincts?¡±


    I roared at her again, spitting saliva on her cashmere. The strength of my battle cry shook her bones, the perfect reminder of my strength and conviction.


    Beatrice recoiled with disgust. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve gotten that out of your system, let me show you how we can solve Life Rite¡¯s issues, and you can still get what you want.¡±


    ¡°What do you think I want?¡±


    ¡°Grace, of course. There is a future where you, as Zayne, are with her. I¡¯ve seen it. Jackie¡¯s found it. Here, let me show you.¡±


    Beatrice opened her hands and concentrated. That witch commanded a fire portal to do her bidding!If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Her conjured portal showed a stream of Grace and Zayne hugging on the volcano balcony. They were older, which meant Grace didn¡¯t get sick and die. My dream came true.


    ¡°Is Jackie with them?¡± I asked.


    Beatrice closed the portal in her hands. ¡°Jackie heroically jumped in the volcano to stop Alpha¡¯s redistribution program.¡±


    ¡°What games are you playing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a game,¡± Beatrice assured. ¡°The probability in my hands appeared when Jackie decided to work with me. She made it a lot father than this silly revenge plot of yours. She came into my life and convinced me to go back and reset the timeline. When I refused to take the serum, countless new probabilities emerged.¡±


    ¡°Lies! Stop talking nonsense.¡± I towered over Beatrice in her wheelchair, locked inside the cage. Despite my size, she held her ground.


    ¡°If you release me, I¡¯ll take you to the reality where Zayne and Grace are together forever.¡±


    Could it be true? When Jackie chose to work with Beatrice, did the timeline reset? Could Grace and Zayne stay together as I¡¯d hoped? At what cost to Jackie?


    Beatrice recreated the fire portal so I could watch the stream of Grace hugging Zayne, another version of me. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve ever wanted¡­ But it didn¡¯t feel authentic to who, or what, I am now.


    ¡°You can have a second chance at love. Do we have ourselves a deal?¡±


    I shook off Beatrice¡¯s scheme. ¡°I won¡¯t let Jackie die in that volcano.¡±


    ¡°Jackie can fend for herself.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? What about me?¡± I bellowed.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    I chose my words with care. ¡°What about¡­ Firestorm? I¡¯m not Zayne anymore, am I? I can¡¯t live in that reality. It¡¯s not meant to be.¡±


    Beatrice sighed. ¡°Nothing comes out of the fire unchanged. You, Firestorm, are an integral part of this place. I am the creator of the slipstream, and you are its protector.¡±


    ¡°Protector?¡±


    Beatrice smirked.


    Instinctively, I felt the truth behind her words, but she was my sworn enemy. I was there to enact revenge. I couldn¡¯t end up working with her, could I?


    ¡°Listen, I know you don¡¯t trust me. That¡¯s fair after all we¡¯ve been through. But I¡¯ve chosen an alternate path and explored the depths of the slipstream. This revenge plan of yours is a dead end. Unfulfilling for everyone, especially you.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you get away with it.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to spend your life enslaving and torturing, like your captors? The roles reverse, but nothing¡¯s gained,¡± Beatrice said with unshakeable confidence.


    Maybe Jackie was right. Does revenge bring sorrow to both parties?


    ¡°What other options do I have?¡±


    Beatrice explained, ¡°There are bigger powers at play, layers of complexity that need to be reconciled. Thanks to Jackie, I¡¯ve changed. You are a force to be reckoned with, Firestorm. We need you to help make things right across every portal in every probability across the slipstream.¡±


    She struck a chord, awakened a profound purpose within me.


    I nodded. ¡°My ancestors vowed to protect the Bennu eggs. The slipstream was born of its bounty. So this duty lies with me. I, Firestorm, will forever protect the slipstream, and my family, in all probabilities. But that doesn¡¯t mean I am going to free you from this cage. Revenge will still be mine.¡±


    ¡°Leave me here to rot. I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ve transcended. Unattached to any one probability. I exited the game after going back in time to reset the probabilities. There are important roles to play in the slipstream. So will you help me?¡±


    ¡°Help you do what exactly?¡±


    ¡°Destroy Alpha across all probabilities. Unlock deeper secrets about the slipstream. Fight for change across space and time.¡±


    ¡°My specialty.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even gotten to the best part.¡± Beatrice controlled the fire portal in her hands. ¡°You asked about Jackie, but you didn¡¯t ask the right question.¡±


    ¡°What about Jackie?¡±


    Beatrice had me right where she wanted me. She opened the stream to me, baiting me with the image of Grace and Zayne hugging on the volcano balcony.


    ¡°Beatrice, tell me about Jackie¡¯s fate.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask. See for yourself¡­¡±

 38. Epilogue: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    Existence without any shape or form. No physical limitations. A deep love for all that is. Knowledge of past, present, and future probabilities. This is the best way to describe what came next for me after I leapt into the lava.


    A spark of light separated from the oneness. Flames burst forth. I emerged from the fire, stronger than ever.


    I woke up in crushing blackness and called out, ¡°Firestorm? Beatrice? Anyone there?¡±


    My voiced echoed through the damp void. Blue flames kissed my skin, then my veins absorbed their energy. I became one with the fire.


    ¡°Where am I? What¡¯s next?¡± Panic set in from the expanse.


    Would I be stuck in nothingness forever? Would it swallow me whole?


    ¡°Relax, Jackie, relax¡­¡± I told myself, releasing my fear with a long exhale. ¡°Get a grip.¡±


    Sparks of light rained down and grew into probabilities. The pulse of the fire portals scratched my eternal itch for life. Perhaps I¡¯d have another chance to get back in the game.


    ¡°Welcome back, Jackie,¡± Beatrice said from the shadows.


    I was relieved to hear her voice. ¡°That was pretty gutsy what you did there, jumping into the volcano to destroy Alpha. How¡¯d you know you¡¯d rebirth?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± I admitted.


    Beatrice smiled.


    ¡°Totally worth it to stop world annihilation. No big deal¡­ I will rebirth again, right?¡±


    Beatrice said, ¡°I need to warn you that Alpha will rebirth.¡±


    ¡°What? No!¡±


    ¡°The good news is, he only has one more regeneration in him.¡±


    ¡°I need to get back in to take him out. Let me back in, B.¡±


    ¡°Please know, it¡¯s not up to me how many lives you get, Jackie. You need to protect your vital energy. Harness it.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    Beatrice closed her eyes and opened her hands. Her brow furrowed with concentration.


    Atomic particles manifested and swirled between her palms, creating a fire portal. Her manipulation of the slipstream was amazing. I never saw anything like it.


    ¡°Now you try. Bring your energy forth with so much power, it cannot be denied.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that all? Here goes nothing.¡±


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Rubbed my hands together and released all thought. I connected to the energy vibrating inside me. It was formidable, hopeful, expectant. The power of a thousand suns burned within me.


    From that vitality sprang the life force of the slipstream. Lava mixed with fire mixed with the fabric of reality itself. I breathed in all the light with a single inhale and rebirthed anew. But I was changed, new, different.


    ¡°I am a phoenix gene carrier and will rise from the ashes no matter what adversity the powers-that-be throw at me. I¡¯m ready for battle.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The energy inside me was ready to explode. I felt lighter than air. I flew up the volcano shaft on my own volition, now imbued with the power of flight!


    The volcano shook, bursting from my excess fortitude.


    Grace and Zayne held each other on the balcony, reunited only to lose their daughter.


    I burst out of volcano and flew around them. The musky air of Bennu Island hit my face as I soared above the complex. The bounty of the island presented itself, bursting with potential, just like me.


    I flew down to the balcony and landed next to my parents. My landing was a little clumsy, but I¡¯d get the hang of it. They looked at me in awe.


    ¡°Jackie? You¡¯re alive!¡± My mother cried tears of joy. ¡°But how?¡±


    My body glowed with the power of the phoenix gene. ¡°Did you see the new power I have? I can fly! How cool! A girl could get used to this.¡±


    Zayne hugged me. ¡°I always knew you had it in you. Hopefully now you know how special you¡¯ve always been.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Dad.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the future, Jackie,¡± Firestorm called from the skies.


    ¡°Firestorm, is that you?¡± I looked up at the phoenix flying toward me, then back at Zayne. How could they both be here together? The slipstream wasn¡¯t for the faint of heart.


    Firestorm landed on the balcony and said, ¡°Come on, Jackie, we¡¯ve got to stop Alpha.¡±


    ¡°I already did that,¡± I declared proudly. ¡°I drop kicked him into the lava!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not over,¡± Firestorm declared.


    Just then, the volcano spit out of a hunk of metal. It crashed onto the balcony and that damn drone respawned.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of a box of screws and bolts like you!¡± I yelled.


    Alpha burst forth, refreshed and ready for round two of the fight. I held my hand out to stop it. A fireball shot out of my palm.


    ¡°Woah, did that come from me? Nice!¡±


    Alpha zipped away.


    I ran with open arms, jumped, and flew over the complex. With the power of flight, I felt unstoppable.


    Firestorm and I chased Alpha through the clouds above Camp Claudi.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see the future with that gangly eye of yours? Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re going down, Alpha?¡±


    As I closed in on the drone, I threw flames from my hands.


    ¡°I will take my chances.¡± Alpha zipped back and forth at random, evading my attacks.


    ¡°Time to unleash the phoenix gene.¡± I swooped forward with flames blazing to gain the inside edge.


    Alpha dodged, but Firestorm blew his fiery breath to take the drone down. Direct hit!


    Alpha wobbled, but instead of falling, it cloned itself; over and over and over. We faced a squad of replicas that moved with a hive mind to protect the original.


    ¡°Its replicating at an astonishing rate!¡±


    ¡°What should we do, Firestorm?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up, we¡¯ve almost got him. Shoot Alpha, and they all fall.¡±


    We raced into battle; flying and swooping, shooting and dodging.


    Alpha didn¡¯t give up. His replica drones spawned shields.


    ¡°Surrender and I might spare you,¡± it offered.


    ¡°He¡¯s relentless!¡± I cried


    ¡°We can¡¯t give up. The stakes are too high.¡±


    World annihilation is an excellent motivator to keep going. Firestorm and I unleashed a barrage of firepower, cracking the drone¡¯s shields after two hits.


    Firestorm blew some drones to bits with the flamethrower in his throat.


    ¡°You cannot stop progress.¡± Alpha¡¯s drones attacked, smacking us around.


    Offense turned to defense. I moved to protect Firestorm from an onslaught of drone bullets. Miraculously, I absorbed the drones¡¯ firepower on impact. The increased energy coursing through my body was shocking.


    ¡°Eat flames, Alpha!¡±


    A great glow emanated from me. I threw everything I had at the drone army. Miraculously, the phoenix gene inside me exploded like a bomb.


    My power took out all drones, even Alpha. The fight was over.


    Firestorm laughed with relief. ¡°Well done, Jackie!¡±


    I looked at my hands in shock. ¡°Epic! Where did that power come from?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± Firestorm said proudly. ¡°It¡¯s been inside you the whole time.¡±


    I caught my breath. ¡°Will Alpha rebirth again?¡±


    Firestorm shook his head. ¡°Not in this probability, but there¡¯s another stream at risk. We have to wipe Alpha out across all space and time.¡±


    ¡°How many probabilities are there?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Many are in peril¡­ Don¡¯t worry, Jackie. We¡¯ll visit them all.¡±


    It was an exciting prospect that carried a lot of weight. My shoulders slumped.


    ¡°You think I have what it takes to prevent world annihilation by, like, a hundred percent?¡±


    Firestorm smiled. ¡°My money¡¯s on you, kid. One hundred percent of the time. Let¡¯s go explore the probabilities. I have a lot more to teach you.¡±


    A slipstream portal appeared, beckoning us to explore its secrets.


    ¡°Come on, Jackie. Let¡¯s go back in time to save another future.¡±


    Zayne and Grace held each other and waved as we flew past the balcony overlooking the volcano.


    ¡°Goodbye for now, Mom and Dad,¡± I whispered. ¡°See you around, I hope.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Jackie. I have a surprise for you.¡±


    There was no time to consider the paths not taken. Firestorm and I dove headfirst into the next most probable future¡­


    TO BE CONTINUED¡­

 39. Book Two: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    Responsibility smacked me across the face. Another day, another billions of lives at risk. Every probability matters. I must change the ones that need healing.


    My mission was clear; eradicate Alpha from the slipstream completely.


    Sure, I saved one timeline from global genocide at the hands of the killer drone, but could I do it again and again, throughout the entire Proba-verse?


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a loser,¡± I told myself. ¡°Keep winning.¡±


    As I flew through the slipstream, fire portals attacked me from all sides. The streams were suffocating, all demanding my attention at once. Which one should I focus on? Which one needed to be changed first?


    ¡°Firestorm, help!¡±


    I looked around. No sign of the phoenix; my father and trusty companion in this crazy game of chance.


    ¡°Where are you, Firestorm?¡±


    As the probability portals smothered me, their flames singed my skin.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    I had the power of fire within me, but could still be burned by it. Even though I leveled up on my last adventure, I had a lot to learn.


    The nearest portals displayed my worst fears; my mother giving me away as a child, Baxter dying in the street, Alpha coming into power because I failed to stop him. Abandonment, death, guilt, shame¡­ Hadn¡¯t I squashed all those anxieties? Was I a glutton for punishment? It was more than I could bare.


    ¡°Enough!¡± I screamed. ¡°I defeated you once. I¡¯ll defeat you again!¡±


    The power of my voice pushed the portals away, reminding me of an important truth.


    ¡°Fear isn¡¯t extinguished in a moment. It always comes back for more. The work is never done.¡±


    I found myself alone in the slipstream¡¯s vastness once more. I could breathe again. The enormity of my task no longer overwhelmed me. At least not completely.


    ¡°I can do hard things,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°One step at a time,¡± Beatrice answered.


    My grandmother and Firestorm emerged from a portal to greet me. Her signature white bob framed her angular facial features. Her skin glowed with an impenetrable youth. She looked small next to Firestorm¡¯s large, scaly phoenix body.


    I wrapped them in the biggest hug.


    ¡°Firestorm! Beatrice! What¡¯s going on? Don¡¯t tell me you two are working together now.¡±


    Firestorm and Beatrice exchanged a knowing glance.


    He said, ¡°There¡¯s been a lot going on behind the scenes. When you worked with Beatrice to reset the timeline, I created an alternate probability branch.¡±


    ¡°He had the audacity to throw me in a cage!¡± Beatrice added.


    ¡°You went through with your revenge plan? Wow. Bold choice. How¡¯d it go?¡±


    Firestorm sighed. ¡°You were right, and I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°What was that? Can you say that a little louder?¡± I joked.


    Firestorm admitted, ¡°Violence wasn¡¯t the answer. Revenge got me nowhere. Luckily, your choice to work with Beatrice led to a much needed reset.¡±


    Beatrice smiled. ¡°We¡¯re on the same team now. Let¡¯s work together to clean up the slipstream. Alpha left infected nodes all over the place.¡±


    I looked around, saw the infection, and threw out an icy blue flame. An oozing node grew bigger. I shot it again, and it popped. The disease burned my skin.


    ¡°Ow! That hurt.¡±


    I closed my eyes and healed myself by harnessing the phoenix gene.


    ¡°Jackie, can you help Firestorm burn away the infection while I dive deep into the probabilities?¡± Beatrice asked. ¡°I sense another stream where Alpha is poised to execute his redistribution program. We must stop it no matter what the cost.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Anything you say.¡±


    Firestorm and I nodded, ready to take on the assignment. At least we were starting out easy. It¡¯d be difficult to face Alpha again so soon.


    ¡°My flamethrower zaps the infection real good.¡± Firestorm blew his fiery breath with one long surge, and the disease melted away from the slipstream walls.


    I followed his lead, throwing long flames to rid the slipstream of remnants of Alpha. My blue flames mixed with Firestorm¡¯s red fire to create a purple stream of pure heat, melting the disease.


    As Firestorm and I worked together to clean up the tunnel, Beatrice closed her eyes and opened her hands. She mentally scanned the probabilities for the next stream that needed to be healed.


    ¡°Wish I could do that,¡± I whispered to Firestorm.


    ¡°Some day, kid. If you stay focused, you¡¯ll become a true slipstream master.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope. I can learn from the best.¡±


    Lost in deep concentration, Beatrice worked her magic. Atomic particles manifested and swirled between her palms. The energy vibrated, and from it sprang the life force of a fire portal. A red laser grid covered the stream, locking its contents away.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± Beatrice declared. ¡°I¡¯ve found the probability we need to fix next.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡± I asked. ¡°The Grid is protecting it.¡±


    Beatrice closed her eyes and felt her way through the details of the locked portal in her hands.


    ¡°Alpha will get into the slipstream again if we don¡¯t eradicate him from this timeline. If we don¡¯t intervene, he will enact the redistribution program again. Billions of people will die.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°Not on my watch,¡± Firestorm said.


    Beatrice nodded. ¡°This alternate probability was created when I chose not to take the Life Rite immortality serum.¡±


    I gasped. ¡°Wow! The knock-on effects of every major decision must be insane! The possibilities stemming from every choice we make seems endless. Paths not taken are still lying in wait, ready to manifest. Aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Jackie. In this new probability, I refused the serum. I introduced Grace to Zayne, but they didn¡¯t connect in the same way as last time. She never saw him enslaved¡­¡± Beatrice explained with eyes still closed.


    ¡°Seeing Zayne in the cage gave Grace great empathy for him. In this new timeline, she didn¡¯t have enough conviction to go against her father¡¯s wishes and follow her heart. Grace and Zayne parted ways soon after they met on Bennu Island.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to hear that.¡± I put my arm around Firestorm for comfort. It must have been hard to hear that Grace didn¡¯t choose him in every probability.


    His long neck drooped. ¡°Can¡¯t win them all, I guess.¡±


    Beatrice nodded. ¡°At the end of that summer, I died. Mark and Grace followed my instructions to bury me in the volcano. Then they went home and got on with their lives.¡±


    ¡°Unlikely to visit Bennu Island again,¡± Firestorm added.


    ¡°Mark visits my grave, but Grace doesn¡¯t,¡± Beatrice clarified. ¡°She attends a prestigious university in the city.¡±


    Firestorm nuzzled into me. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s for the best. Grace is capable of amazing things.¡±


    Beatrice smiled. ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Firestorm added, ¡°She doesn¡¯t need some boy from Bennu holding her back.¡±


    I tried to wrap my head around this new probability. ¡°If Grace is a university student, does that mean we¡¯re going into the past?¡±


    ¡°Time is not linear,¡± Beatrice explained. ¡°It¡¯s like a snake eating its own tail. In a sense, yes Jackie, you are going to the past, compared to any timeline you¡¯re familiar with. Mark honored my wishes and didn¡¯t move forward with the Life Rite serum, but he¡¯s tinkering with the drone and¡­ I get the sense that Alpha has a high probability of getting the serum some other way.¡±


    ¡°Some other way?¡± Firestorm asked, ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°That is what we must uncover before it¡¯s too late. We¡¯ll enter this slipstream at a pivotal moment so we can change the course of its history.¡±


    ¡°If Grace and Zayne never got together, was I even born?¡± I asked.


    Beatrice opened her eyes. ¡°No, Jackie, you weren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°How will she get into the stream to enact change? We need her on the ground since I¡¯m a little¡­ distracting.¡± Firestorm pointed his wing at his oversized phoenix body.


    ¡°Yeah, Beatrice, how will I get into this portal if I haven¡¯t been born yet? I can¡¯t just ride Firestorm¡¯s stream if I¡¯m going to make important changes.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. That¡¯s why the portal appears locked to you.¡± Beatrice nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Riding Firestorm¡¯s stream won¡¯t be enough. You have to go deep into the probability to influence it. I need you to believe in your ability, Jackie.¡±


    ¡°Not my strongest suit, but I¡¯m willing to try. I felt so empowered when I defeated Alpha, but my newfound confidence is already gone. Why is it so fleeting?¡±


    Beatrice touched my shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it alone. Firestorm and I are here to support you. Think of what form you¡¯d take in this new probability.¡±


    ¡°I would be Zayne, home on Bennu,¡± Firestorm said.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Beatrice nodded. ¡°Jackie, can you imagine what you would be?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Non-existent.¡±


    ¡°Energy cannot be created or destroyed. You¡¯re in there, but not in the way you¡¯d expect. Think harder, Jackie. You can, and will, figure this out.¡±


    I nodded. Beatrice¡¯s faith in me was invigorating. I accomplished a lot and was just getting started. Yet this was a difficult puzzle to solve¡­


    ¡°If my mom never had me, then I¡¯d be space dust.¡±


    Beatrice shook her head. ¡°Not quite. Try again.¡±


    I worked the riddle in my mind.


    ¡°If I was never born, who, or what would I be? What form would I take?¡±


    No clues came to mind.


    ¡°Dad, do you have any ideas?¡± I asked Firestorm.


    He opened his mouth to speak.


    ¡°He can¡¯t answer for you,¡± Beatrice interjected. ¡°This must come from within. You need extreme conviction to enter this remote probability.¡±


    I looked at the portal. It glowed from behind the red laser Grid that imprisoned it. What new realities did it hold? And how did I belong within it?


    ¡°Let me think¡­¡±


    I imagined Grace without the burdens that come with having a family. My mother would be young, rich, and probably reckless. Would she find someone else to fall in love, marry, and have kids with? If so, maybe I¡¯d be born after all. Maybe some part of me was in there¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± I declared proudly.


    Beatrice smiled. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m an unfertilized egg in Grace¡¯s ovaries, waiting for the chance at life.¡±


    Beatrice clapped.


    ¡°Well done, Jackie!¡± Firestorm smiled.


    ¡°You got it. Gather round.¡± Beatrice instructed us. ¡°Close your eyes. Think of your potential in this probability. Feel it with your whole being. Immerse yourself in it mentally. Allow the stream to engulf you. Together, we will crack it open and clean out the infection.¡±


    ¡°Wait a sec¡­ You want me to become an unfertilized egg? That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Beatrice didn¡¯t look amused at my non-belief. ¡°Come on, Jackie. Have a little faith. Feel the potential within.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Beatrice? Where would you be?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d be dead, buried in the volcano.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    If Beatrice was strong enough to enter that state, I could tap into the energy of being unborn. Right?


    ¡°This will be easy for me,¡± Firestorm admitted. ¡°A new path to explore as Zayne.¡±


    ¡°The path not taken is always intriguing,¡± Beatrice agreed. ¡°But once inside, don¡¯t ruminate in it. If the pull to experience that life is too strong, you won¡¯t be able to break away to help us stop Alpha¡¯s redistribution program.¡±


    Firestorm nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±


    Beatrice instructed him. ¡°Once you¡¯re inside the timeline, find Jackie. Help her. We must all stay connected, okay?¡±


    ¡°I need you guys more than ever,¡± I admitted.


    ¡°We¡¯ll never leave you.¡± Firestorm¡¯s words comforted me. I knew that was true. ¡°I¡¯ll need to hide in the shadows so I don¡¯t blow your cover, but I¡¯ll be there. Give your mother a hug for me.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so let me get this straight. I¡¯m going to rebirth into this timeline and then what? How are we supposed to stop Alpha?¡±


    Beatrice grabbed my hand for support. ¡°The way forward will present itself to us as the timeline unfolds.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a solid plan to me. Let¡¯s think things through a bit. Strategize together.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s not how this works. We can only know the truths of each probability by experiencing it. We have to get boots on the ground, let the story play out. Only then will we know how to fix it. Remember, Jackie, you can do hard things.¡± Beatrice squeezed my hand.


    ¡°Yeah. Sure, of course.¡± I took a deep breath and concentrated on the portal.


    I thought again of Grace, my mom, living an opulent lifestyle without a care in the world. Bennu Island was just a bad summer vacation for her, the summer her mom died. She didn¡¯t know her father made an immortality serum. Mark never used it to cure Beatrice. The Life Rite serum never saw the light of day. The probable details of this stream played out in my mind¡¯s eye.


    I felt the portal opening to me, but not completely. The Grid didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t working!¡± I cried.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up, Jackie.¡± Beatrice explained, ¡°We¡¯re all working on this together. I feel it opening with our powers combined. Keep going! Stay strong.¡±


    A tear fell down my cheek as I thought about a world without me in it. Yet, I was in there as a speck of potential, lying dormant in my mother¡¯s body.


    ¡°Amazing how the seeds of life work¡­¡±


    Technically, the potential for my life was alive in Beatrice¡¯s ovaries and my great-grandmother before that. My unborn children laid dormant inside me. The weight of that power settled in.


    If my mind could take this leap of faith, I could visit an infinite amount of timelines in the slipstream.


    ¡°I am Zayne,¡± Firestorm reminded himself.


    If Firestorm could overcome his physical limitations, then so could I.


    ¡°I will be born,¡± I declared.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Beatrice grabbed my hand.


    Our combined strength coursed through my veins.


    ¡°I am a phoenix gene carrier!¡± I doubled down on my vision of this probability. I was a seed of potential, a spark yet to be ignited. The endless possibilities made me feel ready to explode.


    Beatrice cheered me on as we all concentrated on the locked portal. ¡°Yes, stay focused. You¡¯ve got this, Jackie.¡±


    ¡°I am Zayne,¡± Firestorm repeated.


    The portal expanded, opening itself to us.


    ¡°And I am a phoenix gene carrier, ready for battle!¡± Sweat dripped down my brow as I flexed every muscle in my body, ready to ignite more of my untapped potential.


    ¡°Alpha doesn¡¯t stand a chance against us!¡± Beatrice declared.


    ¡°Watch out world. Here we come!¡±


    The heaviness that comes with struggle lifted, and a sense of relief washed over me. Our collective determination pierced the veil. Together, we entered the locked stream.


    A red light flashed over me as I whipped past the Grid surrounding the portal. The probability engulfed me with all its glory.


    We may have gotten in, but would we be able to change the course of its history? Could we stop Alpha from rebooting the dangerous redistribution program to save billions of lives?

 40. Life Rite Underground: Firestorm

    FIRESTORM:


    The portal opened, hurtling us inside the timeline. I found myself inside Zayne¡¯s body on Bennu Island; young, strong, and optimistic for the future.


    ¡°I¡¯m home¡­¡±


    Tears came to my eyes as I looked around the village where I grew up. Kids played Bird Tag, the elderly practiced Ni Cree, a pile of Bennu eggs were harvested for their vital nutrients.


    I squealed with delight.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to be home again. It feels great to be human again!¡±


    I wiggled Zayne¡¯s fingers, jumped on his nimble legs, touched his soft skin.


    Oh, to live on Bennu again, healthy and full of life.


    ¡°Where should I go first? Swimming in the stream or hunting with Jappa at the summit?¡±


    Vague ideas came to me about Sumi, a young woman I was courting in this lifetime, but only Grace could have my whole heart.


    Nannu walked past, hunched over her cane. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, Zayne. Come set the table for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Nannu!¡± I scooped my grandmother up into a big hug. Her Merkaba necklace made from Bennu teeth hit my face. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, Nannu.¡±


    She swatted me. ¡°Miss me? We chatted five minutes ago. What¡¯s gotten into you? Let me down before you break my back.¡±


    ¡°Let me help you to the table,¡± I offered.


    She shooed me away. ¡°No need. There¡¯s plenty of life in these old bones. Shall we dance our way to dinner?¡±


    We laughed and walked to the shaded outdoor kitchen, the heart of the village. I joined the other men preparing the evening feast.


    Sumi walked over wearing a leather dress made from Bennu skin. It hugged her curves in all the right places. Perhaps there was time for one romantic evening with her¡­


    She whispered in my ear, ¡°Night walk after dinner?¡±


    I nodded and smiled at her beauty. Could I be happy in this lifetime, without Grace? The intriguing thought marinated in my mind, but guilt quickly replaced it.


    Nannu nudged me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, my boy? You seem not yourself.¡±


    Could she tell that I, Firestorm, took over Zayne¡¯s body? Did Nannu know I didn¡¯t belong there? My heart pounded at the idea of getting caught. My people were intuitive and wise.


    ¡°All is well, Nannu. Forgot my machete.¡±


    She examined me as she caressed her Merkaba necklace.


    ¡°I go to get it.¡± My lame excuse lured me into the forest, where my thoughts could wander unseen.


    Could I explore this new path as Zayne? Didn¡¯t I deserve a second chance at life and love? The fresh Bennu air made me lightheaded as the possibilities swirled in my mind.


    The river summoned me.


    ¡°Grace and I played here¡­ Sumi and I have also¡­¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    I splashed cool water on Zayne¡¯s youthful face. It was invigorating, sobering, and grounded me in the truth.


    Beatrice warned me not to get stuck in this unknown life, but I couldn¡¯t live in this reality. No way.


    ¡°I¡¯m too far gone now. I am Firestorm, protector of the slipstream. Being Zayne was only a silly daydream. Get me out of this tight skin suit.¡±


    Zayne¡¯s skin bulged and stretched.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Zayne screamed as I wriggled my way out of his body. His back split open at the spine. My massive form ripped away from Zayne, and I emerged as Firestorm; a rebirthing phoenix, who I really am. Zayne fell to his knees, reeling from the split.


    Sumi stepped out from her hiding place behind a nearby tree and went to his side. ¡°Zayne?¡±


    ¡°Sumi, finem maluma,¡± he whispered.


    She froze at the sight of my powerful wings expanding to their full potential. I let out a guttural groan. She bowed down to pay her respects to the almighty Bennu, but I¡¯m not one to be worshipped.


    ¡°Jackie, are you in the timeline? Jackie, are you there?¡±


    I mentally called to her, but received no answer. I feared for Jackie¡¯s safety. She was a slipstream natural, but this was advanced. Would she take her role too literally and end up inside Grace¡¯s body? I wondered if the split would hurt Zayne or Grace. Or could Jackie take the leap of faith to move freely through this probability on her own two feet? Either way, I had to get close to guide her.


    I let out a battle cry, ready to tackle this probability.


    Sumi watched as I flew away, leaving Zayne to be nursed back to health. He was strong and better off without me in Sumi¡¯s caring hands. Without me, they might find happiness together.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming, Beatrice.¡± Feeling drawn to the volcano, I flew toward the complex. The Grid kissed the sky. The air was free from hungry scavengers, a sign that Mark¡¯s mutating experiments stopped when Beatrice refused the immortality serum, just as she said.


    I called out for her as I soared above the volcano.


    ¡°Beatrice, are you here? I came through Zayne, but I am Firestorm once more. Ready for battle against my enemies.¡±


    ¡°Welcome back, Firestorm. Well done separating yourself from Zayne.¡± Beatrice¡¯s soft voice played in my mind. ¡°Go back to the city. Your intuition will guide you. Find Jackie and uncover the truths of this timeline.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay here?¡±


    The volcano gurgled. ¡°I¡¯m right where I¡¯m needed. We will meet again before this is all over.¡±


    ¡°See you on the other side.¡± I flew away blindly from the sacred lands of my people, before I could get drawn into its beauty and bounty, never to leave this heaven on earth. Jackie was my home now, and she needed help to overcome the probabilities.


    Weakness overtook me the farther away from Bennu I got, butthere¡¯s no rest for the weary. The Grid¡¯s red laser like patchwork over the sky served as a guide when my eyes drooped from exhaustion. My wings ached, but I carried on until I reached that damned city.


    As its noise and light pollution hit me, I wondered where to go next.


    ¡°Jackie, can you hear me?¡±


    Silence.


    I perched onto a mountaintop outside the city limits to watch and listen for clues. A much needed break after a long flight. The air was quiet except for the faint hum of the ever-present Grid.


    ¡°Next steps, present yourself to me.¡±


    I closed my eyes and exhaled.


    Rock music wafted on the wind, along with hooping and hollering.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on over there? Did I stumble upon a clue?¡±


    Upon opening my eyes, a flicker of light caught my attention from a distance. I intuitively moved toward it, flapping my tired wings once more.


    A highway cut through the mountain. A fancy convertible sped down the road. Its headlights flickered as it took violent turns down the winding path.


    The male driver hit the gas and revved the engine. Wind blew through his thick black hair. Who was he and why did I feel drawn to him? I flew closer to get a better look.


    The tires skid across the pavement as he took a tight turn at top speed.


    ¡°I am infallible! Indestructible!¡± the reckless driver shouted.


    The front bumper hit the railing, and the convertible overturned. The car fell down the mountainside, flipping over multiple times.Metal crunched and glass cracked. Watching the gruesome crash made me sick. The car landed on its top, and the engine caught fire.


    I flew down to check on the driver. The young man with thick black hair hung upside down from his seat belt, covered in blood.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, not caring to be seen if I could save a life.


    He didn¡¯t answer. It was too late. This man clearly had a death wish.


    ¡°Why would he be so careless with his life?¡±


    But then¡­ he burst into flames. His body quickly turned to ash, but a phoenix always rises. He came back from the dead, rebirthing right in front of me.


    A swirl of energy rose from the flames. Glowing specs smashed together. The explosion created a baby Bennu that morphed into a man of fire. I studied him as he transformed into a hairless, leathery creature. Once fully reformed, the man stumbled out of the wreckage without a scratch on him.


    I flew away to avoid detection. Who was this guy? How could this happen? Mark didn¡¯t sell the Life Rite serum in this timeline. Life Rite must have gone¡­ underground?

 41. Rebirth: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    ¡°I¡¯m so much more than an unfertilized egg. I am a phoenix gene carrier,¡± I whispered. ¡°Unlimited potential lives within me, and it¡¯s time to unleash my power.¡±


    With a deafening whoosh, the slipstream blurred around me. I became atomic soup all over again and flew through the strangest infinity tunnel. Countless versions of myself laughed like a house of mirrors. The red streak in my hair waved like a flag of honor.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready for the next battle. I can and will change this probability for the better! Time to heal the timeline.¡±


    Five sheaths enveloped me as I rebirthed into this strange new reality. First, a hunger pang ripped through my belly.


    ¡°Hope the food is good where I¡¯m going.¡±


    Thirst dried my throat. Flames coiled into strands of DNA to create the spine of my new existence. A gust of wind fanned the flames. An orgasmic wave of bliss rippled from my newly formed body, thrust into an alternate dimension.


    ¡°Into a new version of my family¡¯s torrid past.¡± I regained consciousness lying naked on the floor of a classroom.


    My arm hairs stood at attention. A biting chill sent a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°Ah!¡± I covered my chest with my hands, ashamed by the sudden awareness of my physical body. I wasn¡¯t a fertilized egg or even a baby. I still had my post-pubescent, eighteen-year-old thin, but healthy frame.


    ¡°Wow, I pulled it off! I¡¯m mastering the slipstream! Now the question is, where am I?¡±


    My eyes darted like a cornered animal. Luckily, the classroom was empty.


    ¡°When am I?¡±


    I stood, but my weak legs buckled. I slammed to the ground and took a desk down with me.


    ¡°Clumsy is clearly part of my DNA in every probability. Should have brought my training wheels¡­¡±


    My feet vibrated with pins and needles.


    ¡°Firestorm? Where are you?¡±


    No answer.


    ¡°Beatrice, are you there?¡±


    No answer.


    ¡°Grace?¡±


    Nothing.


    On my own for now, I grabbed another desk and regained my footing.


    ¡°Anything to cover up with?¡± I looked around the room, hoping for a flag or something, but no luck.


    Once stable on my feet, I tiptoed to the door.


    ¡°Next thing to master is taking my clothes.¡± I covered my bits, unsure what I¡¯d find on the other side of that door.


    ¡°Here goes nothing.¡±


    I found an empty hallway, so I made a run for it. My bare feet shuffled against the cold tile.


    Trophies and medals filled a glass case. Pictures of prestigious sports teams stared at my nakedness from the walls. The vaulted ceiling and elaborate lighting fixtures gave the place an air of importance.


    I hit a crossroad in the distinguished hall.


    ¡°Where to go next?¡±


    As I surveyed my options, vertigo hit me. I leaned against the cold wall for support. Disoriented barely describes the feeling. Nauseous and naked don¡¯t cover it either.


    A bell rang, and students piled out of classrooms.


    ¡°Eek!¡± I gathered my strength, covered my privates, and raced to the nearest doorway to hide.


    ¡°Great, I¡¯m going to be arrested for indecent exposure. Time to comply.¡±


    I lunged for a door handle as teenagers came near. I had to escape their prying eyes.


    The door was marked ¡®Janitor¡¯ and luckily, it was unlocked. I crept inside before giving anyone a peek at my backside.


    ¡°The perfect escape.¡±


    The janitor¡¯s modest living quarters had a cot, table, sink, and fridge. It was simple but well kept.


    A clean jumpsuit hung from a hook in the wall. I snatched it and got dressed.


    ¡°Score!¡±


    As I closed the zipper, the door opened. I raced to put on a pair of men¡¯s shoes that were two sizes too big.


    A male janitor pushed his cart inside the room. My stomach dropped when I saw his face.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Baxter?¡± I gave my Pops a bear hug. ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you. I need a friend right about now.¡±


    He looked so much younger than the last time I saw him. No grey hairs hugging his round, jovial face. He looked fresher, healthier, like he had a good life still ahead of him.


    Baxter took a step back and pushed me away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, do I know you?¡±


    ¡°Good one, Pops. So this is where you live and work in this reality? Not too shabby. No roommates eating your last can of corn.¡±


    I opened the fridge. It was nicely stocked.


    ¡°Living the high life.¡± I took out a pint of strawberries and melted at the taste. My stomach grumbled with gratitude. ¡°These must have cost you a fortune.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you need to leave.¡± Baxter grabbed my arm and led me toward the door.


    ¡°Pops, it¡¯s me. Jackie.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you, and I¡¯m not your pop. If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll call campus security.¡±


    He grabbed a phone and dialed.


    ¡°Whoa, where did you get that antique?¡±


    He dialed on the archaic device.


    ¡°Yes, campus security?¡± Baxter said into the old school phone.


    The reality of the situation clicked in my foggy brain. This alternate timeline was in the past, before I was born. Of course Baxter wouldn¡¯t remember me. I didn¡¯t technically exist. But did he still know my mom?


    ¡°Wait! Hang up the phone. This is a big misunderstanding. I can explain.¡±


    Baxter looked dubious.


    ¡°Listen, I¡¯m looking for Grace Claudi. Do you know her?¡±


    ¡°Never mind, Joe. I¡¯m good for now.¡±


    He hung up the phone and sized me up. ¡°Are you part of Miss Claudi¡¯s little science group?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly. Where did you say I can find Grace?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Baxter looked at me, deadpan. This version of him was not yet on my team. I loved him still, with all my heart.


    I surveyed his young features, then noticed the Use By Date on the pint of strawberries. I was twenty-five years in the past from the reality I came from last, seven years before my birth date.


    ¡°Whoa. This is crazy¡­¡± I paced frantically, hyperventilating.Leaned against the table, lightheaded and unsteady. I wasn¡¯t supposed to be there.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, I¡¯m calling security again. Won¡¯t take long for them to get here.¡±


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m leaving. Sorry to barge in here and take your strawberries.¡± I popped another in my mouth to feed my anxiety.


    ¡°You took my berries and my jumpsuit. Give my uniform back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kinda naked under this¡­¡± I gave Baxter a quick hug and left before he could call the cops on me. I couldn¡¯t afford another noncompliance situation like the one that got us shot in other lifetimes.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t call security on me. Thanks, Baxter.¡±


    As always, I missed Pops dearly. But now wasn¡¯t the time for a heartfelt reunion with a version of Baxter that didn¡¯t remember me. I had to stay focused on the task at hand. Get a grip and find my mom.


    ¡°Okay, Baxter knew of Grace. She must be close. But where?¡± I booked it down the hall, full of lingering students in matching preppy uniforms of camel-colored tweed with red and black plaid trimmings.


    ¡°Baxter mentioned Grace was in a science club.¡± I followed that clue through the school, but got lost in a sea of rich kids.


    Their social status was obvious from their impeccable clothes, demeanor, even their smell. I ran my fingers through the red streak in my hair, self-conscious in my janitor jumpsuit. At least I wasn¡¯t naked anymore.


    ¡°Excuse me, can you tell me where the science wing is?¡± I asked a group of giggling girls. They ignored me and snickered at my expense, so I awkwardly shuffled away.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go grab lunch. You coming?¡± A group of boys gathered.


    I slunk behind and followed them outside. Fresh air and food sounded nice.


    The sun hit my face and bathed me in a red glow from the Grid. It was mid-day, so teenagers lounged across the beautiful campus grounds mingling and enjoying their lunch break.


    I walked across the street to get some perspective.


    ¡°Firestorm, can you hear me?¡±


    Still no response from my partner in crime.


    ¡°Could really use your help, Firestorm. I hope you made it into the stream¡­¡±


    From outside, the school looked impressive; red brick facade, manicured gardens, the postcard of higher education. But even the rich kids of Hampshire University couldn¡¯t escape the Grid. Its omnipresence made everything feel tarnished and oppressed.


    A group of guys threw a football around while several girls cheered. Others read books under trees and laughed with their friends.


    I scanned the crowd for a familiar face.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my mom? She has to be around here somewhere¡­¡±


    I bit my nails and paced, eager to figure out this probability before it booted me out.


    A boy with thick black hair called out, ¡°Yo, Grace! I don¡¯t have all day!¡±


    I looked over and watched my mom walk toward this guy. He looked like an adonis; fit, handsome, and, of course, rich. I recognized him and his blinged-out watch. It was Feraz Tal, the biggest spoiled brat on the planet. In previous probabilities, he was a wealthy Life Rite client who abused the treatment to explore the slipstream. How was he connected to Grace in this timeline?


    My mom walked toward him. She looked so young in her Hampshire University uniform and black head band in her shiny blonde hair.


    I inched closer and hid behind a tree to eavesdrop without being obvious.


    ¡°Hey Feraz.¡± Grace gave him a peck on the cheek.


    ¡°What took so long? Can¡¯t you ever be on time? I¡¯ve got important things to do.¡± Feraz berated Grace, and she shrunk within herself. Dark circles hugged her eyes. Her fair skin was more pale than usual. She looked tired, sick even.


    Firestorm¡¯s voice reverberated in my skull. ¡°That¡¯s him. That¡¯s the guy.¡±


    ¡°Woah Firestorm, where are you?¡±


    ¡°Nearby. Don¡¯t want to blow your cover. I¡¯m glad you made it.¡±


    ¡°Me too. It was a bumpy ride.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll become a slipstream master yet.¡±


    I appreciated the compliment, but couldn¡¯t see or hear Feraz and Grace¡¯s conversation. I peeked around the tree to get a better look.


    Feraz told Grace, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re not feeling well. Stay on top of it. I¡¯ve got a lot riding on this. Is everything sorted with the spring break itinerary?¡±


    My mom mumbled something unintelligible back to him. I strained to hear.


    ¡°Who is this joker?¡± Firestorm asked.


    ¡°Feraz is a filthy rich punk. I didn¡¯t realize Grace knew him.¡±


    Firestorm replied, ¡°He has access to the Life Rite serum in this probability stream.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°I saw him rebirth. Flipped his car over a cliff on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Really? Geez. In the last timeline, he jumped from the fifth floor of the Life Rite lab. The ego on this guy is unbelievable.¡±


    Feraz handed a book to Grace. His gestures made it look like a shady drug deal.


    ¡°Thanks, dear.¡± She went in for a kiss, but he snubbed her and left without saying goodbye.


    ¡°Great. See you later, Feraz.¡± Grace walked back into the school building, hugging the book tight to her chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose her!¡± Firestorm demanded.


    I followed his direction and raced to catch up with Grace.


    ¡°He¡¯s a snake.¡± Firestorm¡¯s voice was laced with rage and jealousy.


    ¡°He has great hair, though. She¡¯s clearly into him¡­¡±


    ¡°Never mind that. Jackie, you have to get Grace on our side in this timeline.¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to do that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll figure it out. We need someone on the inside to help enact change.¡±


    ¡°How long can we stay in this probability?¡±


    ¡°Couple of days? Depends on the strength of your mind, so move fast.¡±


    ¡°With my conviction, I¡¯ll be kicked out by dinner.¡±


    ¡°Remember, you¡¯re a slipstream master in the making.¡± Firestorm made a good cheerleader.


    When I stepped inside, the school halls emptied again. Rich kids scattered on their way to their next class.


    ¡°Where¡¯d she go? Aw man, I lost Grace already!"

 42. Fast Friends: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    "I''ve lost her already! Where did Grace go?"


    Firestorm didn¡¯t answer, so I looked around for clues as I meandered through Hampshire University. A sign on the wall told me that I was in the science wing. Baxter said Grace was in a science club, so I looked in each door, one by one.


    ¡°Sorry, wrong class,¡± I told one teacher after another when a quick scan of each room didn¡¯t reveal my mom.


    ¡°She¡¯s got to be around here somewhere.¡±


    At the end of the hall, I opened a door marked ¡®Laboratory.¡¯


    Bingo! Grace sat at a long table in the otherwise empty room, with her back to the door.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    She quickly zipped her purse like she was hiding something.


    ¡°Room¡¯s booked!¡±


    ¡°Hey, are you Grace Claudi?¡±


    Of course I knew it was her, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything better to say. I don¡¯t do well on the fly.


    She turned to me. Her dark under-eye circles were miraculously gone. She looked fresh and well-rested, vibrant even.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m Grace. Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Jackie. Have we met before? You look really familiar.¡±


    Grace pointed at my janitor jumpsuit. ¡°Do you work with Baxter?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Baxter¡¯s my Pops.¡±


    Grace looked surprised. ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t know Baxter had a daughter.¡±


    ¡°You know Baxter? Small world! I¡¯m¡­ just visiting. My luggage didn¡¯t arrive, so I¡¯m rocking the janitor look today.¡± I struck a pose like a super model.


    Luckily, my mom laughed. ¡°How fashionable. So what brings you to the lab?¡±


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d check out your science club.¡±


    ¡°Science club? What are you, twelve?¡± Grace rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Baxter mentioned the club to me. He thought we might have a lot in common. I¡¯m a bit of a science geek myself. Can I join you?¡±


    Grace held the book Feraz gave her close to her chest. ¡°I¡¯m surprised Baxter would mention it. It¡¯s a private thing.¡±


    ¡°Trust is the glue that holds families together.¡±


    Grace softened.


    I wondered if she noticed our similar features.She and I looked related, of course. We were mother and daughter, but oddly the same age; eighteen and brimming with untapped potential.


    I pointed to her book, a vintage copy of Frankenstein. ¡°Hey, I have that one. Same edition and everything,¡± I lied.


    Grace¡¯s eyes lit up. She spoke fast, like she took an upper. ¡°Really? It¡¯s my favorite. I¡¯ve read it a million times. I hate how modern versions drop the subtitle. The Modern Prometheus. Like the greek god, punished for giving man the knowledge of fire. Prometheus was chained to a rock for the rest of eternity. Every day a vulture ate his liver, just to regenerate and do it all over the next day. Can you imagine?¡±


    ¡°Oddly, I can relate.¡± I didn¡¯t mention the fact that rebirthing feels like getting eaten by a vulture, but my openness to her rambling seemed to grab Grace¡¯s attention, so I continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s like, every day we wake up just to go through the same struggles as the day before.¡±


    Grace got a faraway look in her eyes as she said, ¡°Playing the role everyone expects from us.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± I lightly touched her hand to let her know I cared. I wanted to hug my mom, but playing it cool seemed like a smarter move.


    She pulled away.


    We sat in an awkward silence. I ran my hand through the red streak in my blue hair.


    ¡°Cool hair by the way,¡± Grace offered.


    ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s natural.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Grace smiled. ¡°My science club isn¡¯t open to new members, but I can give you something nicer to wear until your suitcase arrives.¡±Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°That¡¯d be awesome.¡±


    Yes, I was in!


    ¡°My apartment¡¯s not too far away.¡±


    Like a lost puppy, I followed Grace out of the room, through the hallways, and outside.


    We walked across the elegant campus, over to Grace¡¯s dorm room, laughing like best friends the whole way. It was easy connecting with a familiar face.


    ¡°So you¡¯re into science?¡± I asked. ¡°What are you studying?¡±


    Grace spoke with excitement. ¡°Ecology. After I graduate, my father will let me run the Life Rite Institute.¡±


    ¡°What does the Institute do?¡± I asked, playing dumb, although I never found out what the Institute did exactly. Asking innocent questions was the perfect way to gather information about this timeline.


    ¡°They¡¯re studying the Grid over at the Institute. I¡¯m fascinated by it. Why aren¡¯t more people asking the big questions like, why is the Grid there and what does it do?¡±


    ¡°And what is it made of? We know so little about it.¡±


    Grace grabbed my arm. ¡°Yes! See, you get it.¡±


    I repeated an old wife¡¯s tale to test Grace¡¯s reaction. ¡°I heard the Grid was made of diamonds.¡±


    ¡°My dad wishes¡­ But whatever it is, it¡¯s worth knowing. That¡¯s how I convinced him to start the Institute. He believes in human progress.¡±


    ¡°Impressive.¡±


    ¡°Father invented the Universal DNA Identifier, but once I¡¯m in charge of the Institute, I¡¯ll blow him out of the water.¡±


    ¡°No doubt. Will you tell me what you find out about the Grid?¡±


    ¡°I plan to publish papers so everyone will have access to whatever we find out, no matter what the answer may be. We all deserve to know the truth.¡±


    ¡°We sure do.¡± I looked up at the red laser Grid covering the sky. Its presence made this probability feel just like the last.


    Grace kicked a stone as she walked. ¡°If people even care, that is. Everyone seems oblivious, like they have blinders on to any higher truths.¡±


    ¡°I think most people are struggling to survive, so they don¡¯t have time to stop and ponder life¡¯s big mysteries.¡±


    Grace tensed. ¡°Sure¡­ Of course. What I meant to say is¡­ When I said my dad is going to let me run the Institute¡­ He¡¯ll give me an entry level position after graduation. Then he¡¯ll make me earn every promotion. He¡¯s not going to hand it over to me. I¡¯m going to have to work hard, just like anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t mean to imply¡­ Understood.¡± I needed to tread lightly to meet Grace where she was in this timeline. Privileged, but with good intentions, from the sound of it.


    ¡°I¡¯m so passionate about investigating the Grid, so yeah, I¡¯m confident I¡¯ll be running that place someday.¡±


    ¡°Like a boss. Good for you, Grace.¡±


    She smiled at my encouragement. ¡°Thanks, Jackie. Here¡¯s my place.¡±


    We bound up a winding staircase covered in ivy. Grace unlocked her dorm.


    Inside, the one bedroom, one bath, looked like a sales catalogue. Every pillow perfectly placed.


    ¡°Wow, nice place.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get you out of that wretched uniform. No offense to Baxter, but it¡¯s not a good look.¡±


    ¡°I really appreciate your help with this. It¡¯s kind of you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯ve been meaning to purge my wardrobe, anyway. My dressers are out of control. The Grid is my first passion, but shopping may be my second.¡±


    As Grace dug through her closet, I noticed a pile of burned clothes on top of a hamper and picked them up.


    ¡°What happened to these?¡±


    ¡°Science club experiments gone wrong.¡± Grace threw me a T-shirt and jeans. ¡°Try these.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. Hey, can I borrow some underwear too? Sorry if that¡¯s weird.¡±


    We both laughed, and she threw me a pair.


    ¡°Keep ¡®em. Do you need socks and shoes too? Those dusty sneakers have to go.¡± Grace shuddered. ¡°How can you even walk in those? They look way too big for you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please. Although I kind of like walking like Frankenstein.¡± I put my arms out and walked like a zombie, which scored another laugh.


    Grace grabbed socks and sneakers for me, too.


    ¡°Seriously, this is too kind.¡± I dressed quickly, but the jeans didn¡¯t fit well.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do. Any friend of mine needs to look good. Stephanie will be so jealous I didn¡¯t invite her to hang with us. Let me see what else I¡¯ve got.¡±


    Hearing her call me a friend made me smile. I was on the right track, off to the races. Surely I¡¯d heal this probability and be on to the next one in no time, right?


    Grace had a ton of clothes and jewelry. Her shoes and purses took up an entire section of her opulent closet.


    I caressed a silk gown hanging from a wood hanger and touched a gold hair pin. The beauty of nice things used to make me drool. After living like a Claudi in my previous timeline, their luster no longer had the same effect on me because I knew the true cost of such things. It¡¯s one thing to have treats, but another to have endless desires and expectations.


    Grace searched through a pile of pants on the top shelf. An overweight box shuffled and fell, smacking my mom on the head.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Mom! I mean, mama mia! Are you okay?¡±


    The box gashed Grace¡¯s forehead. A small trail of blood streamed down her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine.¡± She entered the adjoining bathroom, leaving the door open a crack.


    I slid on another pair of pants and crept toward the bathroom door. Grace¡¯s reflection in the mirror caught me by surprise. The blood on her face caught on fire! Her cut healed instantly.


    ¡°She¡¯s a gene carrier,¡± I whispered in shock.


    Grace turned around and found me spying. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    This was my moment. I had to go for it.


    ¡°What do you know about the phoenix gene?¡± I asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s that? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°But you can heal yourself?¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± Grace crossed her arms and nodded toward the door. ¡°Maybe you should go. Keep the clothes as long as you need.¡±


    ¡°I thought we were going to hang. Make Stephanie jealous?¡±


    Grace shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nap time. I¡¯ve had bad cramps all day.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Time to leave, Jackie. Thanks for stopping by.¡±


    I needed Grace to let me into her life quickly. We already felt like fast friends, but real trust takes time to build. What could I say without scaring her off?


    ¡°If you trust Baxter, then you can trust me, too.¡± My voice wavered. I was grasping at straws.


    ¡°Are you trying to convince me or yourself?¡± Suspicion arose in my mom¡¯s eyes as she marched me toward the front door.


    ¡°I¡¯m super trustworthy. I swear.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure, but like I said, my cramps.¡± She put her hands on her lower abdomen.


    Did my entrance into this probability cause her pain or was she making excuses to get rid of me?


    ¡°Can¡¯t you magically heal that, too? I legit saw you heal that cut on your forehead. Look, it¡¯s gone.¡±


    She touched her head where the gash was moments ago. ¡°It wasn¡¯t bad to begin with. Nothing a splash of water can¡¯t fix.¡±


    ¡°I know what I saw. You have the power to heal, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Grace opened the front door. ¡°Don¡¯t be delusional. Goodbye Jackie.¡±


    I swear she healed herself, but how? What was Grace hiding? Could I convince her not only to let me stay but also to tell me all her deep, dark secrets?

 43. Frankenstein: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    ¡°See you around,¡± Grace added as she ushered me out the front door of her immaculate dorm. ¡°Send Baxter my regards.¡±


    I stopped short and pivoted away from the tough stuff in order to prevent Grace from kicking me out.


    ¡°Forgive me. I¡¯m being rude. You invited me here, gave me clothes to borrow, and I haven¡¯t told you anything about myself. What do you want to know?¡±


    Grace shrugged and eyed the open door. A not-so-subtle way of saying, ¡°Get out now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯m a lowly janitor¡¯s daughter. Why would you want to be friends with someone like me? What was I thinking?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that! Of course I¡¯d like to be friends.¡±


    I closed the front door. ¡°Prove it.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Grace crossed her arms and furrowed her brow.


    My throat ran dry, nervous this tactic would explode in my face.


    ¡°If you want to be friends, you¡¯d try to get to know me. What do you want to know? I¡¯ll tell you anything. I¡¯m an open book.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you are, but maybe later. It¡¯s been a long day. Siesta time.¡±


    ¡°I have a great idea. Let me cook you a meal while you rest to pay you back for lending me the clothes.¡±


    Grace softened. ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but here¡¯s a fun fact. I¡¯m a fantastic chef¡­¡±


    Grace eyed the door awkwardly. ¡°Good for you. That¡¯s a wonderful skill to have¡­¡±


    ¡°How about you? Can you cook?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Does boiling water for tea count?¡±


    I laughed a little too hard. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you sometime. Anything else you want to know about me? Come on. Ask me anything.¡±


    I relaxed on the sofa, eager to stay awhile. It was a desperate move, but I had no choice.


    Grace looked hesitant, but sat down next to me.


    ¡°Um, well. Let¡¯s see¡­¡±


    Turned out to be a smooth move, but my nerves kicked in. Would Grace ask me something hard to answer? Even a fact as basic as what year I was born? I¡¯m eighteen, but technically I haven¡¯t been born yet in this timeline.


    ¡°Tell me about growing up with Baxter as a dad. He¡¯s such a nice guy.¡±


    ¡°Great question.¡±


    This was an easy topic for me. I thought of the probability where I spent the most time with Baxter, when he raised me as his own. My time as a janitor, mopping the floors at Life Rite with him by my side.


    ¡°Pops is the best. He took such good care of me, always made sure I had a roof over my head and enough to eat¡­ Growing up, he got me a cake every year for my birthday. It was so decadent, I¡¯ll never forget it.¡± Tears came to my eyes, but didn¡¯t fall.


    Grace felt my genuine emotion. I may have changed out of the janitor¡¯s uniform, but the differences between her and I were still clear. How would she treat me knowing that, deep down, I¡¯m nothing like her rich trust fund friends?


    ¡°Thanks for sharing that with me. I never realized Baxter might be struggling financially.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Seems like he¡¯s got a sweet gig here at Hampshire University. His fridge is properly stocked. Growing up, a bare shelf was normal.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Jackie. I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡±


    Grace and I sat in an awkward silence. I prayed she would let me stay out of pity.


    ¡°Hey, are you hungry now? We could grab an early dinner. My treat.¡±


    My face lit up. ¡°Like I said, I could cook for you. My mac and cheese can¡¯t be beat.¡±


    ¡°Mac and cheese?¡± She crinkled her nose. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve got tons of credit on my campus meal plan.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to impose¡­¡±


    Grace grabbed my hand. ¡°I won¡¯t take no for an answer.¡±


    I fought the urge to hug my mom again. She may not have fallen in love with the boy in the cage in this timeline, but she still had a kind heart.


    We walked to the campus cafeteria in silence. I needed to convince Grace to reveal her secrets without being too aggressive, but I didn¡¯t know where to start.


    She spoke first. ¡°If Baxter works here, where¡¯s your mother?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s nearby.¡±


    ¡°Where are you visiting from?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You said you were visiting. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t have any clothes?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ I hope my suitcase arrives soon, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it¡¯s gone forever. It¡¯s a mess over at transportation services.¡±


    Grace nodded with a furrow in her brow. Did this timeline have the endless homeless encampments and locked cabins on the subway? Without Life Rite, did normal people have a better chance at survival? I¡¯d need to avoid specifics in case this probability operated differently.


    ¡°So, where are you from?¡±


    ¡°I live in Bernadette,¡± I lied.


    Grace shrugged. ¡°Never heard of it.¡±


    ¡°Not surprised. It¡¯s a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. With zero opportunity there, Pops moved to the big city to find work.¡±


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Eighteen.¡±


    ¡°Me too. Do you have a boyfriend?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Nah.¡±


    Grace nodded, satisfied for now after her mini interrogation.


    ¡°How about you? Boyfriend?¡± I asked.


    She smiled proudly. ¡°My boyfriend, Feraz, is the most popular guy on campus.¡±


    ¡°Wow, how exciting. Is that what you like about him? His popularity?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the total package. Well liked, handsome, but¡­ misunderstood. You know?¡±


    ¡°No, tell me more.¡±


    ¡°Everyone thinks he¡¯s perfect.¡±


    ¡°Is he perfect?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well, yeah, he is¡­ but he¡¯s under a lot of pressure. It¡¯s not easy being at the top. There¡¯s more to lose.¡±


    ¡°I can only imagine.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Grace opened the cafeteria door. The smell of freshly baked bread wafted out. It was nicer than a five-star restaurant. These college kids lived a life of luxury. Still, Grace complained.


    ¡°It¡¯s worse than hospital food. Beware the weird deli concoctions. No telling what¡¯s in those.¡±


    I stocked my tray high with all the finest meats, cheeses, fruits¡­ I¡¯m drooling just thinking about it. Time travel made me ravenous.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Grace grabbed a small salad and black coffee.


    ¡°Not hungry?¡± I asked.


    She flinched, caught off guard. ¡°Um, I¡¯m on a medication that makes my appetite, like, non-existent. Besides, I ate a big breakfast.¡±


    We sat down to eat. I melted at the first bite and wasted no time getting to the second.


    As I stuffed my face, Grace¡¯s boyfriend approached us.


    Feraz walked up to me and said, ¡°Slow down or you¡¯ll choke.¡±


    He turned to Grace. ¡°Hey, babe. Didn¡¯t expect to see you here. Since when do you eat?¡±


    Grace¡¯s face lit up at the sight of him. ¡°Hey, babe.¡± She stood up for a kiss, but he gave her his cheek.


    Feraz said to Grace, ¡°I need that book back. I¡¯ve got to study before the big test.¡±


    ¡°Here you go. I¡¯m done with it.¡± She pulled the Frankenstein book out of her bag and handed it to Feraz. I surveyed the novel. They¡¯d exchanged it twice now. Was it a clue?


    Feraz noticed my glance and held the book behind his back.


    ¡°And you are?¡±


    ¡°How rude of me.¡± Grace made introductions. ¡°Feraz, this is Jackie. She¡¯s Baxter¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°Who is Baxter?


    ¡°The¡­ custodian who gave us the key to the lab. Remember?¡±


    ¡°The janitor?¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re the janitor¡¯s daughter?¡±


    Grace pulled Feraz into the seat next to her. ¡°And Feraz needs no introduction. Valedictorian, captain of the lacrosse team, my handsome and charming boyfriend¡­¡±


    ¡°No mention of my last name, Grace? You always bury the lead, babe.¡±


    Grace clarified, ¡°Jackie, I present to you¡­ Feraz Tal.¡±


    Feraz looked pleased with himself. ¡°Yes, I am heir to the Tal oil estate. And yet my girlfriend clearly loves slumming it.¡± He looked me up and down with a scowl.


    ¡°Feraz is such a goof.¡± She elbowed him playfully with a giggle.


    ¡°What the hell, Grace? That hurt.¡±


    I didn¡¯t like his sharp tone.


    Grace shrunk within herself. ¡°Geez. I was just messing around, dear.¡±


    Dark circles emerged under her eyes as Feraz grit his teeth and dug his nails into his fists. Her vibrance faded like a wilted flower before my very eyes. Watching their dynamic made me tense.


    ¡°So how did you two meet?¡± I asked, trying to make polite conversation.


    Feraz rolled his eyes. ¡°The only way people of any status meet these days.¡±


    Confusion crept onto my face.


    Grace explained, ¡°We met through our families.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the lunch lady has a son that would fit your station, janitor.¡± Feraz laughed at his own joke.


    I shoved mashed potatoes in my mouth to keep from poking his eyes out. What a jerk. I had to assert dominance over him, but how?


    I fake coughed, and in the process, spit potatoes all over his crisp white shirt.


    He recoiled in disgust. ¡°Hey! Watch it.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± I smiled with my mouth full of food. Not a significant move, but it was something. I cupped my hands over my face to catch my laughter.


    Grace grabbed a napkin to clean Feraz¡¯s shirt, but the potatoes spread.


    ¡°Leave it. You¡¯re making it worse.¡± He snatched the napkin from Grace¡¯s hands and dealt with it himself.


    ¡°Put some dish soap on it. Will come right out,¡± I offered.


    ¡°Thanks, janitor.¡± Feraz changed the subject. ¡°Grace, am I good to proceed? Will we be ready by spring break?¡±


    Grace lowered her eyes and spoke in a sheepish tone. ¡°We¡¯ll be ready, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± he snapped.


    I interrupted. ¡°When is spring break?¡±


    Feraz ignored my question. ¡°Grace, are you going to Simon¡¯s party tonight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling up to it. Please don¡¯t be mad if I skip it¡­¡±


    ¡°Gotta take care of yourself,¡± I chimed in. ¡°Staying in is underrated. There will always be another party.¡±


    Someone had to have Grace¡¯s back against this bully. What did she see in him? What power did he wield over her? Was it his good looks or something more sinister?


    ¡°Hey, look at me.¡± Feraz grabbed Grace¡¯s face and put his forehead against hers. His tone changed. ¡°Babe. I¡¯m here for you. We can stay in tonight if you¡¯re unwell. Unless you¡¯d rather spend time with your janitor friend instead of me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. I¡¯m just¡­ tired.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s had cramps all day,¡± I explained.


    Feraz ignored me. He kissed Grace¡¯s cheek and whispered in her ear. I leaned in and strained to hear.


    Grace whispered back. Their secret conversation was inaudible. What were they talking about? I was desperate to find out.


    Feraz chuckled and leaned back in his chair. ¡°You¡¯re so dramatic, babe. Don¡¯t forget, spring break is almost here.¡±


    Grace smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve been counting down the days!¡±


    ¡°Me too. It¡¯s going to be epic.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s everyone planning for the big break?¡± I asked. ¡°Beach trip or maybe camping in the mountains?¡±


    Grace shook her head. ¡°Ew, camping? No thanks.¡±


    ¡°Our plans are none of your concern.¡± Feraz grabbed a piece of bacon off my plate and winked at me. ¡°Nice to meet you, janitor.¡±


    ¡°My name is Jackie,¡± I reminded him.


    ¡°Alright, janitor. Well, I hope I never see you again¡­ But I¡¯ll see you very soon, Grace. Stop by my place before I leave for Simon¡¯s party.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still going?¡± Grace asked. ¡°You offered to stay in with me.¡±


    ¡°I never said that. Don¡¯t put words in my mouth. Stop by on your way home, yeah?¡±


    Grace nodded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be late like always.¡± Feraz gave her a peck and left the table.


    The tension in my body lifted and I exhaled once he was out of sight.


    ¡°Wow, he¡¯s a piece of work,¡± I said.


    Grace sighed with doe eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t he gorgeous?¡±


    ¡°If you like narcissists. How can you deal with the way he talks to you?¡±


    The color drained from her face. ¡°You don¡¯t know Feraz like I do. He¡¯s blunt, but he tells it like it is. He¡¯s super smart, has killer six-pack abs, and his parents are¡­ family friends.¡±


    ¡°Who cares? He¡¯s an asshole.¡±


    Her jaw dropped. Grace wasn¡¯t used to people breaking the illusion of her perfect little bubble.


    She doubled down. ¡°Feraz is a complicated character, but he¡¯s grown so much in the time we¡¯ve been together.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess. You think you can change him?¡±


    Grace crossed her arms defensively. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m the one that needs fixing. He could have any girl he wants, and he chose me despite my flaws.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, Jackie! Drop it.¡±


    I softened my approach, trying to stay on her good side. ¡°I mean, he does have really nice hair.¡±


    Grace smiled. ¡°I know, right? He¡¯s so dreamy in every way! One look into those deep eyes, and I¡¯m hooked. You should have seen the way my parents were together. So in love. I want that so bad.¡±


    I played dumb. ¡°You said the way they were. What happened to your parents?¡±


    Grace¡¯s lip quivered. ¡°My mom passed away last summer from muscular dystrophy.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to hear it. I also didn¡¯t have much time with my mom. She left when I was young.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I thought you said she was nearby?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Um¡­ Stuff like this is hard to talk about, you know?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but you said you were an open book.¡±


    Distrust swept over her face. I had to reel Grace back in. Honesty is the best policy, right?


    ¡°My mom abandoned me when I was young, so Baxter took me in. I¡¯ve been on my own for a while now, but I can take care of myself. Still, I miss my mom.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡±


    We shared a moment of silence for all we¡¯d lost. Misery loves company. The cycle continued.


    ¡°Want to go back to my apartment and watch a movie?¡± she offered.


    ¡°That¡¯d be great, after I stuff my face. I can¡¯t let this delicious food go to waste!¡±


    ¡°How can you eat that garbage?¡± Grace laughed and threw a piece of lettuce at me from her untouched salad. Maybe this was my chance to bond with my mom, make up for what we¡¯d lost in the previous probabilities¡­


    After I stuffed my belly, we made our way back to Grace¡¯s dorm.


    ¡°Hold on a sec, I¡¯ve got to pop in here and grab something.¡±


    She left me on the steps of an impressive brownstone. I took the moment alone to plan my next steps.


    ¡°Firestorm, you there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always with you,¡± he replied.


    ¡°If you¡¯re right and Feraz has access to the Life Rite serum, how did he get it? And what role does Grace play? Did you see her heal that cut? She must have the phoenix gene.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m riding your stream, so I can see what you see, but you¡¯ll have to uncover these answers directly.¡±


    ¡°Working on it. Mom doesn¡¯t fully trust me yet, but she seems to want to help me because I¡¯m an underdog; clothing me, feeding me, taking me in.¡±


    Firestorm agreed. ¡°She always helps those in need.¡±


    ¡°So maybe I should¡­¡±


    Footsteps drew closer, cutting the conversation in my head short.


    Grace came out of the building carrying her Frankenstein book.


    ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you just give that book back to Feraz at the cafeteria?¡± I asked. ¡°Are you two playing tag with it?¡±


    ¡°What? No.¡± She hugged the book tight to her chest and unzipped her purse to put it away.


    I had to get a closer look at that book in case it was an important clue to unlock this probability.


    ¡°Lemme see.¡± I snatched it without thinking twice. I didn¡¯t have any time to lose.


    ¡°Hey! Give it back!¡± Grace reached for the book. I held it away from her.


    ¡°What¡¯s so special about it?¡± I opened it. The inside pages were hollowed out. It wasn¡¯t a book, it was a hiding place. Its covert contents were none other than a syringe full of glowing green Life Rite serum and an empty vial.


    ¡°What is this, Grace?¡±


    She snatched the book out of my hands and stuffed it in her purse. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°I can help if you tell me the truth¡­¡±


    Grace laughed. ¡°How can a janitor¡¯s daughter possibly help a Claudi?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more powerful than you think.¡± I puffed my chest up, ready to fight her rich alpha energy.


    Grace scratched her neck, unsure what to say. Her fingernails scraped against a thick patch of scaly skin. Was she mutating?


    ¡°What¡¯s that? Is your skin changing all over your body?¡±


    She bit her quivering lip.


    I grilled her. ¡°How much Life Rite have you taken? What other changes are you experiencing?¡±


    Grace walked away. ¡°I¡¯ve already gone through puberty, okay? It was nice to meet you, but this is where we say goodbye.¡±


    I followed. ¡°Listen. This is serious¡­ You¡¯re mutating, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Mutating? What planet are you from? Leave me alone, weirdo.¡±


    ¡°If you keep taking that drug, Grace, you could turn into a¡­ full-fledged phoenix.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°You sound ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Beatrice turned down the Life Rite serum for a reason¡­¡±


    Grace cut me off. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my mother! You knownothing about her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡±


    ¡°What are you, a stalker?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not like that.¡± I put my hands up in surrender and reminded myself to take baby steps. To Grace, in this timeline, I was a stranger.


    ¡°Leave me alone.¡± She kept walking.


    I rushed to keep up and tried to change the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s forget all that stuff for now. What movie should we watch tonight?¡±


    ¡°You know what? I¡¯m really tired. Let¡¯s reschedule the movie for¡­ never. Feraz was right about you. Goodbye, janitor.¡±


    ¡°So what if I¡¯m a janitor? You don¡¯t care about social status. You¡¯re a good person, Grace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a good person. I¡¯m a Claudi. That name comes with a lot of responsibility¡­ Nice people get taken advantage of. There¡¯s no room for you in my life. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Grace, wait!¡±


    My mom ran away without looking back. The feeling of abandonment resurfaced, reminding me of every life we¡¯d never live together. I guess this was the most probable outcome.


    ¡°Fine. Go. Leave me behind, like always.¡±


    Firestorm¡¯s voice reverberated in my skull. ¡°Don¡¯t let her leave! Go after her!¡±


    I fought back tears. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want me.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know what she wants or needs. Besides, this is bigger than you and her. We have to heal the timeline!¡±


    I sucked back the hurt. Putting my own feelings aside, I remembered the task at hand. I had to infiltrate my mom¡¯s life in order to stop the Life Rite immortality serum from leaking. Otherwise Alpha would enact his fatal redistribution program. The fate of humanity once again rested on my shoulders. If I couldn¡¯t save this stream, how many others would also fall on my watch?


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll fix everything. Like always.¡±


    I looked around to follow Grace, but she was gone. Which way did she go? Could I remember how to get back to her dorm? If so, how could I convince her to work with me to save this world from global genocide?

 44. Exposed: Grace

    GRACE:


    ¡°How dare Jackie question my usage. She doesn¡¯t even know me.¡±


    I gripped the Frankenstein book in my purse so no one could snatch it from me again. I craved its precious contents. My skin crawled with anticipation. If I didn¡¯t inject the serum soon, I¡¯d vomit.


    How could she know anything about the serum? Or my weird skin reactions? The rash was nothing my expensive creams wouldn¡¯t treat.


    True, we connected instantly, but that didn¡¯t make her an expert on my life. I needed a friend, and she felt safe, but that was before she started asking nosey questions. Like all the girls at this stupid school, she was probably jealous of my status and the fact that I was dating Feraz Tal. Of all the beautiful women to choose from, he picked me. That should count for something.


    Jackie called out, ¡°Hey, wait up!¡±


    She ran after me like a lunatic.


    ¡°Get a clue. I¡¯m not interested in being friends anymore.¡±


    She pleaded, ¡°Come on, Grace. Give me a break.¡±


    ¡°Why should I? You can¡¯t even keep your story straight. Your mother is close by, but she abandoned you. You ask about my family one second, but seem to know everything about them the next. I see right through your lies.¡±


    ¡°Let me explain.¡±


    ¡°And then you have the audacity to call my boyfriend an asshole. How dare you? Go back to the gutter where you belong.¡± My awful words brought up a little vomit with them. I swallowed it down with regret. I never talk to people that way.


    ¡°Grace, please.¡±


    I stopped and turned to face Jackie. She seemed unfazed, like she was used to hearing that sort of thing. That made me feel even worse for saying it. Even though I lived a privilege life, it pained me to see others struggle. I genuinely wanted to help her.


    ¡°Sorry. That wasn¡¯t nice. I didn¡¯t mean it. I like Baxter, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s doing the best he can to provide for you.¡±


    Jackie shrugged. ¡°Hey, no sweat. I¡¯m used to people talking down to me.¡±


    Guilt choked me. I¡¯m not that kind of person, but hadn¡¯t I done enough for the day, feeding and clothing Jackie? I had to get rid of her now. She knew too much.


    ¡°I wish nothing but the best for you. Truly¡­ See you around, Jackie.¡± I waved and walked away.


    She followed me again. ¡°What about that movie?¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡±


    ¡°Please, Grace, I don¡¯t have anywhere to go.¡±


    ¡°Stay with Baxter.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not enough room for me in the janitor¡¯s quarters.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you come here?¡± Was she trying to take advantage of my good will? Feraz warned me he had a bad feeling about her, but I never turn my back on a stray¡­


    Jackie didn¡¯t know what to say, but she didn¡¯t give up her pursuit.


    ¡°Stop following me!¡± I worried she knew where I lived. What if she was a stalker? My generosity often got me into trouble.


    ¡°I know I seem unhinged, but can we please go somewhere and talk?¡±


    That was the last thing I wanted to do, so I kept walking.


    ¡°Please Grace?¡±


    ¡°We have nothing to talk about. Goodnight, Jackie.¡±


    She still followed, relentless. ¡°There¡¯s a lot going on that you need to know about, Grace. It has to do with the serum in your Frankenstein book. Trust me, you¡¯ll want to know this very important information¡­¡±


    Jackie spoke with conviction, but gave no concrete details. Father always warned me about people like that, but I had more important things on my mind. I needed my fix¡­


    ¡°Maybe some other time. I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± I beelined toward my apartment. Every step took me closer to getting a hit of the serum that rattled inside my favorite book.


    Jackie was at a loss for words again. Was she making things up on the spot? It was hard to tell if she was trustworthy or not. Something about Jackie made her likable, but con artists have their tricks. Coming from a prominent family, it was easy to become a target.


    She grabbed my arm, spinning me around to face her once more. Her eyes were wild. I recognized that look from my own reflection in the mirror. Was she on drugs too?


    ¡°There are evil forces at play, and we need to work together. How can I explain it to you? Where do I begin?¡±


    ¡°Try the beginning.¡± I crossed my arms, protecting the Frankenstein book in my purse.


    Jackie took a deep breath before spewing her insane story. ¡°You want me to start from the beginning¡­ Okay, so¡­ Basically¡­ Your mom, Beatrice sent me here to¡­ watch over you.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    I burst with laughter. ¡°My dead mother sent you here? I want some of what you¡¯re on.¡±


    ¡°Grace, I know this sounds crazy, but it¡¯s true. Beatrice tasked me with protecting you and preventing¡­ Let¡¯s just say that drug has a lot of unintended consequences. If Life Rite¡¯s immortality serum goes to the highest bidders, the gap between the rich and poor will be even more staggering, if you can believe it.¡±


    ¡°That, I can believe. The golden apple has seeds.¡± I kept walking, my apartment now in sight. In a few short minutes, I¡¯d shoot up and forget all about this insane tangent with my new friend-for-a-day. My parents always said I was too nice. Maybe they were right.


    Jackie still followed. ¡°Mark created the serum to cure Beatrice, but she refused to take it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my parents. You don¡¯t know anything about them except for what you read in the press. Father always says, the strangers who discuss our lives clearly aren¡¯t happy with their own.¡±


    ¡°I know Beatrice is buried in the volcano on Bennu Island,¡± Jackie declared.


    That got my attention. No one knew that little secret. Father told the media she was cremated.


    ¡°What? How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°Trust me. I know a lot more than you think. I¡¯m a Claudi too. Well, sort of. It¡¯s a long story. Can we please go inside and talk?¡± Jackie stared at me with intensity.


    ¡°You¡¯re a Claudi? We¡¯re¡­ related?¡±


    There was a resemblance in her facial features, but it was dark outside, and I was jittery from the lack of serum running through my veins. I¡¯d believe anything she said just to race home to inject that sweet liquid into my veins.


    ¡°Yes, and I promise to explain everything if you give me another chance. Please, Grace. I desperately need your help.¡±


    ¡°What do you need help with?¡±


    ¡°Saving the world.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡±


    ¡°True, but there¡¯s ways to prove my allegiance to the Claudi family. I knew about Beatrice being buried in the volcano. I also know your parents anniversary is May twentieth.¡±


    ¡°Anyone with an internet connection knows that.¡±


    ¡°Does the public know Mark rebuilt their wedding chapel on Bennu Island, brick by brick?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± My heart caught in my throat. ¡°How did you know that too?¡±


    ¡°Give me another chance to prove myself. You won¡¯t regret it.¡±


    I sighed, exhausted from my unmet craving. ¡°Okay. Fine. Whatever.¡±


    Jackie celebrated her win. We bound toward my place, up the stairs, and into the front door.


    ¡°I have to pee. Make yourself at home.¡±


    The beelined for the bathroom, leaving Jackie in the living room. When the door locked behind me, I wasted no time. I opened the Frankenstein book, prepped the syringe, wrapped my arm, and pushed the liquid into my blood stream. I exhaled the bliss that came with satisfying the craving, like scratching an incessant mosquito bite. Too bad the relaxation never lasted long. I¡¯d need more soon, but luckily I had a reliable supply.


    Jackie knocked on the bathroom door. ¡°You okay in there?¡±


    ¡°Never better.¡± I looked in the mirror and smiled. My skin glowed, and my eyes sparkled. I felt truly alive, pulsating with the endless possibilities of life. Not to mention, I looked fabulous again!


    My excitement faded when I noticed that scaly patch of skin on my neck growing right before my eyes. Another inch of skin scabbed over. What was happening to me? What did Jackie know about it? How could she have known my mother was buried in the volcano on Bennu Island? Did my mother actually send her to protect me?


    ¡°Don¡¯t fall for her lies,¡± I whispered to myself as I quickly filled the empty vial with a blood sample. It was a small price to pay for the ecstasy of the drug. The empty syringe and full vial of blood went back in the Frankenstein book. I moved skillfully, like a pro, and opened the door to let Jackie inside.


    ¡°Okay, spill it. How do you know those things about my family? Did you meet my mother before she died?¡±


    I chuckled at the absurdity. Feeling good again, I decided to let Jackie entertain me a little longer before kicking her out. I¡¯d pack her a suitcase with more clothes and food to soften the blow.


    ¡°Yeah, believe it or not. Beatrice sent me here to stop the Life Rite serum from getting out. It¡¯s far more dangerous than you think.¡±


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°How dramatic.¡±


    ¡°Who is making the Life Rite serum? You? Feraz?¡±


    ¡°I get it. You don¡¯t like my boyfriend. He¡¯s not for everyone, but leave him out of this.¡±


    I refused to let anyone talk bad about the love of my life. We planned to marry after college. Maybe someday he¡¯d build me a chapel, brick by brick.


    Jackie put her hands up in surrender. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s take him out of the equation for a minute. Let¡¯s talk about the serum. You can¡¯t hide the fact that you¡¯re taking it because I saw it with my own eyes. It¡¯s addictive, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You can say that again.¡± How could I describe the feeling it gave me? ¡°It¡¯s¡­ everything.¡±


    Jackie nodded. ¡°I can relate. I got addicted to the slipstream, to the point where nothing else mattered. It¡¯s easy to get lost in it.¡±


    No matter how crazy she sounded, Jackie felt safe. No one knew I was addicted to anything. Imagine the Hampshire University gossip mill chewing that juicy tidbit. Grace Claudi, Feraz Tal¡¯s future fianc¨¦, addicted to drugs?! What a scandal! But Jackie didn¡¯t judge me.


    ¡°I can stop if I want,¡± I lied. ¡°What¡¯s the slipstream?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever gone to a place where¡­¡± Jackie had a hard time articulating. ¡°It¡¯s like an ethereal void with endless probabilities¡­ memories¡­ alternate dimensions.¡±


    I laughed so hard, my stomach hurt. ¡°For real, what are you on? Give me some! I have money. I¡¯ll pay.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re taking the serum, you should have access to the slipstream¡­¡±


    Jackie looked confused, probably trying to keep her ridiculous story straight. Maybe some previous life trauma gave her psychosis. Should I be scared of her or take pity? Only time would tell.


    Tight knots pained my tummy, but not from laughter this time.


    ¡°Ah!¡± I doubled over and fell to the floor, holding my stomach.


    Jackie asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t speak. This wasn¡¯t the first time the sharp pains paralyzed me. These were different then the random cramps I¡¯d had earlier. This stabbing sensation was crushing, excruciating, debilitating. It was an unfortunate side effect from the serum that came and went ever since we started with the¡­ experiments.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Jackie asked, frantic.


    I grabbed onto her to help pull myself up. My arms shook with weakness. I locked eyes with Jackie to ground myself.


    ¡°Oh my! Grace, are you okay? You look¡­¡± Jackie didn¡¯t finish her sentence.


    I examined myself in the mirror to confirm my fear. I had aged a decade! Dark circles, new wrinkles, a grayish tint to my pale skin.


    ¡°Gross.¡±


    I knew the serum¡¯s bad side effects, so why did I still want to take it? Why couldn¡¯t I stop?


    ¡°Firestorm? Are you seeing this?¡± Jackie asked.


    ¡°Fire what?¡± My brain could not compute the crazy coming out of her mouth. ¡°I need to lie down.¡±


    Jackie helped me to my room and into bed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Rest. I¡¯ll get you some water.¡±


    Before going to the kitchen, she stopped in the bathroom. No doubt to examine my empty syringe and blood sample. I was too weak to stop her. Jackie mumbled something about a fire storm, but it sounded like gobbledygook.


    My heavy eyes closed. Rest came quickly, but with it brought restless dreams of losing my mother, Beatrice, on Bennu Island last summer. The strange call of the Bennu birds, saying goodbye to my mother, the local boy she randomly introduced me to before she died¡­


    My father and I would never be the same after losing her to muscular dystrophy. She¡¯d never see me become a mother or witness the great accomplishments I vowed to make by investigating the Grid through the Institute. When I needed guidance, she wouldn¡¯t be there. I tossed and turned through the night terrors fueled by loss and regret.

 45. Side Effects: Grace

    GRACE:


    I snapped awake, covered in sweat. The awful screech of a Bennu bird echoed outside my window.


    ¡°Where am I?¡±


    Darkness engulfed me. Paranoia sprouted deep in my chest, a warning that the world could split open and devour me.


    I peeked through the curtain, but only saw the omnipresent, oppressive red Grid covering the night sky. The heaviness of the Grid suffocated me as I struggled to get a grip. What was it made of? Why was it there in the sky? Were we all lab monkeys in some twisted experiment, imprisoned in a gilded cage of expectation and judgment? What universal possibilities awaited on the other side? Someday when I was running the Institute, I¡¯d find out. Until then, the fear of the unknown strangled me. I wished my mother was there to wrap me in her soothing arms. Would comfort ever come?


    I shuffled out of my bedroom and over to the couch to find someone sleeping.


    ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡±


    The dark figure didn¡¯t answer.


    My heart pounded. Had someone broken into my apartment? Would I die before marrying Feraz and unlocking the secrets of the Grid to realize all my life goals and dreams?


    My eyes adjusted to the dim light, and I realized it was Jackie asleep on my couch. Thank goodness it wasn¡¯t the nefarious stranger my paranoia perceived.


    I whispered, ¡°Jackie, get up. We¡¯re not safe.¡±


    She snorted, but didn¡¯t stir.


    Alone in this strange reality my paranoia created, I crawled around my living room in the dark, trying to navigate my drug-induced stupor. I admit it was not my finest moment.


    A sudden knock on the door sent my heartbeat skyrocketing. I knew danger lurked. Who was coming to get me? What did they want? What would they do to me if I let them in?


    I tiptoed to the front door. My voice cracked. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    I glanced through the peep hole, heart beating through my throat. No one was there. Was I ever really safe under the Grid or was it all an illusion?


    Another knock made my knees buckle. I looked through the peephole and saw a dark and brooding figure. Who was coming for me? Fear made it impossible to breathe.


    The knocking continued. Was I imagining it? There was only one way to find out. My hand shook as I grabbed the doorknob.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    No answer.


    Faking bravery, I swung the front door open to find an empty porch. The night wind made me shiver.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I stepped outside with a pit in my stomach.


    When I looked to my left, a hand swept over my mouth. A man grabbed me from behind.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me.¡± My words muffled against his hand. The Grid¡¯s red glow made me dizzy. Tears poured down my cheeks as I accepted that this could be the end.


    ¡°Are you crying?¡± the assailant asked. ¡°Geez, get a grip. You¡¯re always so emotional.¡±


    He let go of me. I exhaled relief. It was Feraz.


    ¡°Thank goodness it¡¯s you!¡± I hugged him tight and covered him with kisses.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here, but why did you scare me like that?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you take a joke? It¡¯s always something with you. Wipe your tears.¡±


    Feraz held me at arm¡¯s length on his way inside my apartment.


    I peeked around outside to make sure he wasn¡¯t followed before locking the deadbolt.


    He looked disgusted when he saw Jackie sleeping on the coach. ¡°You running a charity now?¡±


    ¡°Stop. It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a janitor, Grace. You need to check your standards if you want to join the Tal family someday.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but she needs my help.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t save the world, so stop trying.¡± Feraz rolled his eyes and walked into my bedroom.


    He flicked the lights on and found a disaster zone; my unmade bed, dirty dishes on the end tables, clothes on the floor.


    ¡°What happened in here? It looks like a crack den and smells like funky body odor. At least make your janitor do her job.¡±


    Self-conscious, I straightened my shirt and sweaty hair.


    He looked me up and down. ¡°You look like a wreck. Get it together, Grace.¡±


    His words crushed me, but made me want him more. Feraz looked radiant. His piercing eyes, thick black hair, muscular frame, shirt tucked into his pants to expose his designer belt. Always so put together. He commanded respect, and I was putty in his hands.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the book?¡± he asked.


    His demanding voice triggered me. Jackie¡¯s earlier advice resonated in that moment. Feraz was a jerk. Here he was making fun of the way I looked, when it was his idea to give me the serum in the first place. The side effects were taking a toll on me, but it wasn¡¯t my fault.


    ¡°I¡¯m done with that crap, Feraz. Did anyone follow you here?¡± I peeped outside between my blinds, but only saw that awful Grid.


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t be stupid.¡±


    ¡°Look what it¡¯s doing to me. I feel as awful as I look.¡±


    I sat on my bed, dejected. Would Feraz still want to marry me if I didn¡¯t do what he wanted? What would become of me if I went through with our plan?


    ¡°I need a break from the drug, babe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be crazy to stop now. We¡¯re almost to the finish line. Get it through your thick skull, Grace.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying I¡¯m crazy. I¡¯m not¡­ The drug has terrible side effects. Can¡¯t you see that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always making something out of nothing. Stick to the plan. Everything is falling into place. It¡¯ll all be fine.¡±


    But I was second guessing Feraz¡¯s plan. ¡°You promised me eternal youth. Beauty beyond my wildest dreams. Happiness that never fades¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me. You put yourself in this situation. You¡¯re high all the damn time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m high all the time because you¡¯ve increased my dosage. It¡¯s making me sick, and I¡¯m getting a gross rash on my neck.¡±


    Feraz¡¯s nose curled. ¡°Way to keep the romance alive, Grace.¡±


    ¡°What romance? You barely even kiss me anymore. Stephanie told me she saw you with Suzy in the library stacks. Is that true? Huh? Tell me everything.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act insecure. It¡¯s not a good look.¡± He crossed his arms defensively.


    I chuckled in a rare moment of clarity. ¡°You need this more than I do. You always have. I¡¯m done with this stupid plan of yours.¡±


    Feraz wiped the scowl off his smug face and wrapped me in a hug. I had him now.


    ¡°Hey, babe. Come on. You¡¯re my everything. You know that, Grace.¡±


    He snuggled his nose into the crook of my neck. Luckily, not near my skin rash. The tickle made me giggle. His sandalwood cologne smelled so masculine and woodsy, while I needed a shower.


    Feraz grabbed the nape of my neck and pulled me in close enough to kiss. My lips yearned for his touch, but he held back. Goosebumps covered my skin from our electric chemistry. My anticipation grew as he lingered oh so close.


    He whispered in my ear, ¡°One lifetime with you isn¡¯t enough, dear. We need an eternity.¡±


    ¡°But what if it kills me first?¡±


    Feraz gripped my hair tight and pulled.


    ¡°Ow, that hurts. Please Feraz, let go.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t go through with our plan, you can kiss forever goodbye. You¡¯ll never find anyone as good as me. Do you want to spend the rest of your life washed up and alone?¡± He said through gritted teeth.


    He tightened his grip, causing me to moan from the pain. The power Feraz held over me went from sexy to terrifying in a flash. I was completely under his control. What would he do if I didn¡¯t go through with his plan? Did I have the strength to stop him? Did I even want to?

 46. Super Powers: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    ¡°Grace needs your help. Jackie, wake up!¡± Firestorm¡¯s voice rattled in my mind.


    I awoke with a snort and looked around the dark dorm. Muffled voices came from Grace¡¯s room, so I strained to listen.


    ¡°You¡¯d be crazy to stop now. We¡¯re almost to the finish line. Get it through your thick skull, Grace.¡± Feraz¡¯s pompous voice made my skin crawl. What a jerk.


    My brain needed sleep to process this crazy time jump, but I jumped to my feet, anyway. Back to business because lives depended on it. The slipstream could boot me out of this timeline at any moment, so no time to waste.


    I crept over to Grace¡¯s bedroom door, which was half open. I held my breath to hear their inaudible whispers, but grasped no details until I heard my mom gasp with fear.


    ¡°Ow, that hurts. Please Feraz, let me go,¡± she said.


    He¡¯d hurt Grace over my dead body. That was my cue to intervene. The door creaked open, and I stumbled inside.


    ¡°Hey guys. What¡¯s going on?¡± I yawned, trying to play it cool.


    Feraz held Grace¡¯s head in a powerful grip. He looked at me with intense hatred in his eyes. Now that he had an audience, Feraz let her go and stepped away. His hands balled into fists, not pleased to be interrupted.


    He sneered. ¡°What are you doing here, janitor? Don¡¯t you have something to clean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m off duty tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah right. Look at this pigsty. Get a clue, janitor. Better earn your keep or you¡¯ll be out on the street.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my chances.¡±


    He seethed with anger. ¡°You really think you can be friends with a Claudi? What gives you the right? Don¡¯t let the door hit you n the way out.¡±


    Grace answered for me. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Feraz. Jackie deserves respect, no matter what her father¡¯s job is.¡±


    Feraz chuckled. ¡°Is that what you think? Or does slumming it make you feel better about your pathetic life?¡±


    It was my turn to defend her. ¡°Grace has big plans for her future. She¡¯s going to run the Life Rite Institute to discover the secrets of the Grid. Her contribution to society will be life changing. What have you done lately?¡±


    Feraz chuckled. ¡°She can certainly secure the position, thanks to daddy.¡±


    Grace¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not fair.¡±


    ¡°No offense, but you¡¯re a nepo baby.¡±


    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Have you ever done anything without your family¡¯s help? They even picked your girlfriend.¡±


    That triggered him. He got in my face with an angry finger pointed at my chest.


    ¡°Keep my family out of this. You have no idea what it¡¯s like to be me! I could have any girl in this school. Clearly I should pick someone with higher standards.¡±


    Grace didn¡¯t buckle under his pressure. In fact, his jab made her stand taller. ¡°Enough! You¡¯re saying that to hurt me, but it won¡¯t work. Don¡¯t you dare cheapen our relationship and what we¡¯re working toward together. Please treat Jackie with the respect she deserves as my houseguest.¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Whatever you say, babe. Where the stuff? I¡¯ve got to go.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s what?¡± I asked. ¡°Why are you here at such an ungodly hour?¡±


    They both ignored me.


    ¡°What you¡¯re looking for is in the bathroom. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Usual time and place. I love you, dear.¡± Grace pecked his cheek.


    ¡°Alright, babe.¡± Feraz pushed his shoulder against mine as he exited. ¡°Tomorrow. Same time and place. Don¡¯t be late like always.¡±


    How could they pretend nothing happened? One second he was intimidating her, the next she was telling Feraz she loved him. Their dysfunction astounded me.


    He slid into the bathroom to grab the Frankenstein book and its horrid contents, then left us alone in Grace¡¯s dorm.


    The thick tension in the room left with him. My mom and I both relaxed when the front door slammed shut.


    ¡°He¡¯s intense,¡± I said.


    ¡°It must be so hard to be him.¡± Grace¡¯s voice was laced with sarcasm.


    We fell onto the bed, laughing at the sudden lightness now that Feraz was gone and it was just us again. Our heads settled next to each other like the family we were.


    ¡°You okay, Grace?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m fine. Feraz doesn¡¯t mean anything by his little outbursts.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s like a toddler having a tantrum,¡± I joked.


    Grace had a faraway look in her tired eyes. She looked shattered, on the verge of a mental breakdown. If I convinced her to confide in me, we could work together to save the people of this timeline from their dark fate. So I threw her a lifeline.


    ¡°He¡¯s testing on you, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Testing on me? Gosh, no. That sounds so dark.¡±


    ¡°What has he promised you?¡±


    ¡°Jackie, you don¡¯t know Feraz like I do. He¡¯s under a lot of pressure.¡±Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Don¡¯t protect him, Grace. I can help, if you trust me¡­¡±


    Grace turned away. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it. I¡¯m exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Please, Grace¡­¡±


    ¡°Not now, Jackie. I¡¯m exhausted.¡±


    How could I get her to open up? Waiting another day wasn¡¯t an option. Maybe I had to give information to get some in return.


    ¡°You know, being a phoenix gene carrier has some upsides. Want to see what I can do?¡±


    My tease at the truth peaked Grace¡¯s interest. ¡°A phoenix gene carrier? Show me what you mean.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got super powers.¡±


    Grace rolled her eyes. ¡°Sure you do.¡±


    ¡°Get ready to have your mind blown.¡± I got off the bed and stood in front of my young mom.


    She laughed. ¡°Never a dull moment with you. I¡¯ll believe it when I see it.¡±


    ¡°Here, I¡¯ll show you.¡± I closed my eyes and concentrated. ¡°I hope it works in this timeline.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re demented,¡± Grace told me.


    She wouldn¡¯t believe me unless she saw firsthand what I was capable of as a phoenix gene carrier. I took a few deep breaths and reminded myself of the powers I¡¯d unlocked on my last adventure.


    ¡°I am a phoenix gene carrier,¡± I whispered to myself as a pep talk.


    Luckily, it was like riding a bike. With little effort, my feet lifted off the ground. I levitated in front of the bed, light as a feather.


    Grace¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Woah! What tricks are you playing?¡± She came close to get a better look, so I flew higher up.


    ¡°How are you doing that? Wires or something?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I set up a whole pulley system in your room while you were sleeping,¡± I said sarcastically.


    ¡°Very funny, but you¡¯ve got to tell me. For real, how are you floating in air? Am I dreaming? That must be it. This night has been one wild fever dream.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re wide awake, and this isn¡¯t a magic trick. I told you. I¡¯m a phoenix gene carrier.¡±


    ¡°Sure you are, Jackie. Whatever that means. Or I¡¯ve officially gone insane. Maybe I should go to rehab¡­¡±


    Despite her amazement, Grace still didn¡¯t believe me! I had to up the ante¡­


    ¡°Want to see what else I can do?¡±


    Grace nodded with piqued interest.


    ¡°It might get a little messy¡­¡± I pointed my right palm toward her lamp and blasted it with a zap of blue fire. It burned a hole in the shade. The lamp flew off the table and broke on impact.


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a custom piece.¡±


    ¡°Sorry! It was the easiest way to show you my fire power.¡±


    I flew over to the lamp, picked up the pieces, and placed them in a pile on the side table.


    ¡°Who cares about a stupid lamp when I¡¯ve got a super hero bestie!¡± Grace danced with delight.


    I smiled at the term of endearment. I liked being her bestie.


    ¡°Tell me for real, Jackie, how are you doing all this? Some sort of optical illusion?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, the phoenix gene comes with great powers.¡±


    Grace looked at me in disbelief. ¡°What¡¯s the phoenix gene?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a genetic mutation¡­¡±


    ¡°Like a disease?¡±


    ¡°I never thought about it like that. The serum causes genetic mutations and¡­¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve taken the serum too?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Not exactly. I was born with it coursing through my veins.¡±


    Grace rubbed her temples. ¡°My brain cannot compute. I¡¯m so tired, I must be seeing things. People are most gullible when they¡¯re low on sleep.¡±


    ¡°You play with fire too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not special.¡±


    I stopped levitating. ¡°Why did you have burned clothes on top of your hamper? I saw them earlier.¡±


    Grace bit her lip. ¡°The fire happened during his first big experiment¡­ After I¡¯d been taking the drug for a while¡­ I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me then, too¡­ Feraz is more powerful than I¡¯ll ever be.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s experimenting¡­ Is he taking the drug too? What is he capable of?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being nosey again, Jackie. That¡¯s between Feraz and I. This is all too much¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you tried any tests of your own? You might be stronger than you think.¡±


    Grace looked down, defeated. ¡°No. I don¡¯t have any cool powers.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I saw you heal yourself. Don¡¯t shut me out this time.¡±


    Grace shrugged. ¡°Sure, I can heal a minor surface cut, but the sharp stomach pains are getting worse. I¡¯m getting weaker.¡±


    ¡°How much serum have you had?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Jackie. Anyway, I need to sleep. Show me all this when I¡¯m well rested. Then maybe I¡¯ll believe you.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Grace. Can¡¯t you levitate or throw fire balls? Have you ever tried? Show me what you can do. I bet you can do it, too.¡±


    Grace shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to burn the place down.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in the bathroom, near the faucet. I¡¯ll be your water wingman.¡±


    ¡°Jackie, the sun will be up soon. I need my beauty sleep¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t take no for an answer.¡± I grabbed my mom¡¯s hand and pulled her into the bathroom. She begrudgingly joined me.


    Grace looked into the mirror at her tired eyes. The serum was taking its toll. Maybe if I showed her the strength she wielded, we could join forces before it was too late.


    ¡°Show me what you can do,¡± I pushed.


    ¡°I feel stupid. I don¡¯t know how.¡±


    ¡°Flex your muscles?¡±


    ¡°What muscles?¡± Grace half-flexed her thin arm. Her blood glowed ever so slightly under her grayish pale skin. Nothing like I¡¯d seen Zayne do in the previous streams after receiving Life Rite.


    ¡°Close your eyes. Feel the serum flowing through your body. Push that energy out of your hands. Use your imagination.¡±


    Grace opened her hands and closed her eyes, grounding herself in the present. After a few moments of concentration, a tiny fireball appeared in her palms.


    I cheered her on. ¡°Wow. Way to go!¡±


    Grace played with the fire without burning her hands before accidentally dropping it on the floor.


    ¡°Oh geez!¡±


    She rushed to pick up the fireball and drop it in the sink. I ran the faucet to put the flames out.


    Grace leaned down to check her burned throw rug.


    ¡°Oh no! That was a limited edition. It cost a fortune. See, this was a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°You can afford another one, I¡¯m sure.¡± I shoved the rug to the side. ¡°Don¡¯t you see how powerful you are? You have fire burning inside. That¡¯s one of the side effects of the Life Rite serum.¡±


    ¡°Why are you calling it Life Rite? That¡¯s my father¡¯s face cream company. This drug has nothing to do with Life Rite.¡±


    ¡°Where do you think it¡¯s coming from?¡±


    ¡°Certainly not from my father. He¡¯d kill me if he knew I was taking anything! You won¡¯t tell anyone, will you? He¡¯d force me into rehab for sure! I can¡¯t survive a scandal like that.¡±


    ¡°Your secret is safe with me. You are so much stronger than you think, Grace. You just created fire in your bare hands, for goodness¡¯ sakee! Try again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt powerful before¡­¡± Grace smiled at the compliment, closed her eyes, and focused. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll try again.¡±


    This time, flames engulfed her right hand. She shook it frantically, trying to put out the fire.


    ¡°Ah! Oh no! Make it stop.¡±


    ¡°Stay calm!¡± I turned the faucet on to wet her lit hand.


    Grace extinguished the fire, but her hand turned to ash. The ashes disintegrated and fell into the sink.


    Grace gasped at her missing limb, freaking out. ¡°Jackie, help! Look what I¡¯ve done. It was an accident!¡±


    I touched her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Close your eyes. Don¡¯t look at it. Focus on the power within. Imagine it¡¯s back to normal. Healed.¡±


    ¡°Healed and manicured, with perfect French tips. I just had my nails done!¡± Grace closed her eyes with great focus. Her hand slowly reformed and healed. The manicure, however, did not come back with it.


    ¡°Grace, look what you did. Amazing!¡±


    She opened her eyes and marveled at her amazing healing ability. We hugged, happy to share such a powerful secret.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, Jackie! It¡¯s so incredible, it¡¯s hard to believe!¡±


    ¡°So cool.¡± I bounced with excitement. We were finally getting somewhere.


    Grace¡¯s smile turned into a pout. ¡°But now I¡¯ve got to book another nail appointment. Spring break is only days away, and I have to look perfect for the special occasion.¡±


    While she complained about her dull nails and frayed cuticles, I assessed the situation. Grace had fire and healing abilities, as well as a growing patch of scaly skin on her neck, which meant she had received a decent amount of injections. Why were they making her sick? Life Rite gave infinite strength. Sure, it caused mutations, but this version of the serum seemed different. I couldn¡¯t place my finger on it yet, but was determined to figure it out.


    ¡°This is fun. Since my nails are messed up anyway, let¡¯s go outside to practice before we burn my apartment down,¡± Grace suggested.


    I laughed. ¡°Good idea. With a little practice, you¡¯ll be unstoppable.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    ¡°I know it.¡±


    Grace hugged me. ¡°Thanks Jackie. That means a lot to me.¡±


    I melted in my mom¡¯s embrace. She was the first to let go.


    Could I convince Grace to help me destroy the serum that gave her powers? Or would her addiction cloud her judgement?

 47. Dark Secret: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    Grace grabbed two sweaters from her closet and threw one at me. We put shoes on and stepped outside to experiment with our genetically enhanced super powers.


    ¡°This is exciting.¡± Grace smirked. ¡°I feel like a covert spy or something.¡±


    We laughed and walked through the crisp morning air as the sun rose to greet us. It was the crack of dawn, and dew dripped from the Grid. The campus was still asleep. I guess rich kids don¡¯t usually wake up too early.


    ¡°This way.¡± Grace led me to a parking structure. ¡°No one will see us in here.¡±


    We bound up the stairs and walked past parked cars until we found an empty corner. Grace looked around to make sure no one was watching.


    ¡°Coast is clear.¡±


    A pile of crushed beer cans littered the empty end of the lot, so we lined them up on the concrete wall divide.


    ¡°Okay, show me what you¡¯ve got, Grace.¡±


    ¡°You go first, Jackie. I¡¯m nervous.¡±


    ¡°Come on. You¡¯ve got this.¡±


    Grace closed her eyes and opened her palms. She manifested a small fireball, but it fell out of her hand. She stomped the flames out against the concrete with her foot.


    ¡°See, I suck at this.¡±


    ¡°No big deal. Try again. Shoot the fireballs out with more force. Don¡¯t worry about hitting the cans, just get them close. Precision can come later.¡±


    Grace stepped forward and aimed her hand at the line of cans. She closed her eyes, and a fireball shot out. It missed the cans by a long shot, but went further this time.


    ¡°Maybe you should keep your eyes open,¡± I instructed. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared of your full potential.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± She tried again and missed. Grace made fire, but didn¡¯t have the conviction to push it out with force.


    Sensing her frustration, I stepped up and aimed at the end can. My blue bolt of fire struck the target. Perfect shot!


    ¡°Nice job, Jackie!¡± Grace cheered.


    I levitated a few inches off the ground and gave a curtsy.


    ¡°Come on, Grace. You can do hard things. Forget the fire for now. Try to fly.¡±


    Grace closed her eyes and concentrated, but nothing happened. She jumped, but fell right back down to the ground.


    ¡°This is stupid. I can¡¯t fly!¡±


    ¡°Envision yourself succeeding. Feel the power from within and focus on the strength in your legs.¡± It was hard to describe how to do it, but my encouragement gave her the confidence to try again.


    Grace nodded. She jumped up and down several times. Still nothing. She stomped her foot, frustrated.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up.¡± I levitated and inched toward the concrete divide. The farther I went, the faster I got. Flying was fun.


    ¡°Woo!¡±


    Grace laughed. ¡°That¡¯s so cool! I want to do it!¡±


    Still levitating, I shot a fireball, knocking down another beer can.


    ¡°Five points for me! Come on, Grace. Keep trying.¡±


    The excitement of seeing me succeed helped Grace find her way. She jumped up, and her feet hovered above the ground. She swung her arms around to maintain her balance.


    ¡°Woah, look at me! I¡¯m doing it. I¡¯m flying! This can¡¯t be happening.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a dream. It¡¯s real! You¡¯re a phoenix gene carrier!¡±


    With my encouragement, she created a fireball and aimed at the cans. She fell back down to the ground, unable to shoot and levitate at the same time. Grace aimed at the cans again. One fireball missed, but the next one hit its target.


    ¡°Alright! Way to go!¡±


    ¡°That one hurt.¡± Ash covered Grace¡¯s burnt hand. She tried to wipe it away, but it was ground into her skin.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°It¡¯ll heal. Leave it alone and focus on flying,¡± I told her.


    Grace closed her eyes again. She levitated ever so slightly. Her feet barely left the ground, but I still celebrated her minor victory with a high five.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it!¡±


    ¡°This is unbelievable, Jackie! How is this even possible?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re special¡­ Take the last can.¡±


    Grace levitated slightly and aimed.


    As she lined up her shot, the side door to the parking garage open. Voices echoed. Someone was coming.


    She looked back while taking her shot. Grace fell to the ground, still unable to levitate and shoot at the same time. She missed the can and hit a parked car instead. The alarm went off at full volume.


    Grace¡¯s jaw dropped in shock. ¡°Oh no. Let¡¯s get out of here before we get caught!¡±


    We ran away to avoid being discovered. Our feet pounded the pavement as we raced down the stairs, out of the parking garage and onto the campus quad.


    ¡°Did anyone see us?¡± Grace asked with worried eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡±


    ¡°I hope not! The press would have a field day if anyone knew about these powers.¡±


    ¡°Your secret is safe with me!¡±


    We kept running. The crisp morning air kissed my cheeks and sent a rush of energy up my spine. Once we were far enough away from the parking garage, Grace and I stopped to catch our breath. We burst out laughing.


    ¡°You should have seen your face,¡± I joked.


    Grace winced. ¡°Should go back and leave a note?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no. I can¡¯t get involved in legal matters in this timeline. I¡¯m sure anyone who goes to Hampshire University can afford a new paint job.¡±


    ¡°Very true,¡± Grace agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll probably still go back and leave a note or slide some cash under the windshield wiper.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very noble of you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for showing me these abilities, Jackie. I can hardly believe it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re more powerful than you know.¡± I hugged Grace, unable to resist the urge. She hugged me back.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand how we share these powers. Do we both have the¡­ phoenix gene?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated, but I¡¯ll explain everything. Hey, should we grab some breakfast while we talk things over?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯ve worked up an appetite.¡±


    ¡°If the campus food didn¡¯t scare you off, let¡¯s use up my meal plan credits.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Grace.¡±


    My mom and I walked toward the cafeteria with a newfound pep in our step, brimming with excitement over our shared abilities.


    ¡°Stephanie would be so jealous,¡± Grace joked. ¡°But no one can know about this. Promise not to tell?¡±


    ¡°Promise.¡± We pinky-swore on it. Our little secret.


    We joked about joining the circus on the way to the cafeteria.


    ¡°Let¡¯s run away together. We¡¯d make a fortune as a traveling freak show."


    ¡°My father would love that!¡±


    ¡°He might want to marry the bearded lady!¡±


    Grace grimaced. ¡°Yeah right.¡±


    ¡°What? Not his type?¡±


    Luckily, the cafeteria had already opened. We were the only ones there besides the staff. The smell of fresh bread never gets old. Grace scanned her DNA Identifier to pay for us to enter the buffet line. Once again, I piled my plate as high as possible, while Grace stuck to a small salad with black coffee.


    The sweetness of the fresh fruit, the warmth of the eggs, the way the butter melted on my toast; the abundance of this life was a far cry from my original timeline.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone like this hospital food so much!¡± Grace joked.


    My mouth was too full to speak, so she continued.


    ¡°Time to fess up, Jackie. If we both have these powers, does that mean you¡¯ve injected the serum too? How do you know so much about my family? Did my mother really send you?¡± Grace took a sip of coffee and leaned in, desperate to know all my secrets.


    How could I explain it to her? I swallowed my food, ready to get real.


    ¡°Yes, Beatrice sent me here to help you.¡±


    ¡°When? Did she reach out to you right before she died last summer?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly¡­ Grace, I¡¯m your unborn daughter from another dimension.¡±


    She spit her mouthful of coffee in my face. ¡°Sorry, Jackie, but you are too funny! Don¡¯t you realize how ridiculous you sound?¡±


    Coffee dripped from my nose. I wiped it off with a napkin.


    ¡°This is serious, Grace. In another life, both you and my father took the serum. I was naturally born with the phoenix gene.¡±


    I ran my fingers through the red streak in my hair and shifted in my seat awkwardly. How would Grace take the news?


    Her cheeks flushed. ¡°Your weirdo act was funny, Jackie, but it¡¯s getting tired. You¡¯ve taken it too far this time.¡±


    ¡°Weird is an accurate way to describe me, but I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡±


    ¡°So you actually think you¡¯re my unborn daughter¡­ From another dimension?¡±


    ¡°It seems crazy, but yes. I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s your father? Who¡¯s my¡­ supposed lover?¡± She smirked while crossing her arms defensively.


    Zayne crossed my mind, but it didn¡¯t seem like a good idea to give her details from another probability.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I said.


    Grace wiped the smile off her face. ¡°It matters to me! Don¡¯t I end up with Feraz? We¡¯re going to be together forever. I know it.¡±


    ¡°Definitely not,¡± I declared.


    Grace deflated. ¡°We haven¡¯t picked a wedding date yet, but he¡¯s planning to propose soon¡­¡±


    I touched Grace¡¯s hand from across the table. ¡°Look, it¡¯s difficult to face the facts sometimes, but trust me when I say Feraz is not right for you. He¡¯s using you to get the Life Rite serum. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    She pulled her hand away. ¡°He wants to be together forever. One lifetime isn¡¯t enough. I think it¡¯s romantic, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Grace, he wants immortality. How are you getting the drug? Who is synthesizing it? From what I know, Mark didn¡¯t release it to the public this time.¡±


    Grace shook her head. Her rosy cheeks deepened to a crimson red. ¡°None of your business. If you tell anyone about this drug, my father¡¯s lawyers will crush you for defamation. Don¡¯t even try to drag Feraz into this. His family is not to be messed with.¡±


    ¡°I already told you. Your secret is safe with me.¡±


    ¡°People like me can¡¯t afford to have secrets. Do you get what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­.¡±


    ¡°Drop it, Jackie. I want to help you out, but if you investigate this line of questioning, things won¡¯t end well for you. That¡¯s the way the world works.¡±


    I pushed my plate away, no longer hungry. Frustration filled my belly instead. ¡°I¡¯m fully aware of how the world works, Grace. But do you? I¡¯m trying to help. You¡¯re in too deep, but you don¡¯t have to face it alone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you, or anyone, for that matter.¡± Grace took a sip of her black coffee and got up, leaving her salad untouched.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Goodbye Jackie. It¡¯s been fun, but it ends here. You already know too much. Don¡¯t follow me, psycho.¡±


    She walked away without giving me a chance to explain.


    I pounded the table with my fist. ¡°Damn it. I took it too far.¡±


    Back at square one, how could I convince Grace that I wasn¡¯t the enemy when she¡¯d protect her darkest secret at all costs?

 48. Life Rite Headquarters: Firestorm

    FIRESTORM:


    ¡°You¡¯re more powerful than you know.¡± Jackie hugged Grace in the parking garage.


    I perched atop the Life Rite headquarters in a trance, riding Jackie¡¯s stream. It warmed me to see her bonding with Grace over their shared abilities. A mother and daughter relationship should never be strained. Blood is the strongest substance in life.


    They were both so strong, with the power of fire growing in their bellies. I was proud of Jackie for navigating this timeline so well. It was challenging to prepare Grace for battle without revealing too much to scare her away.


    While Jackie worked with Grace, I¡¯d investigate the enemy to earn my keep. We were a team, and I refused to sit idle watching from the sidelines.


    I slipped out of Jackie¡¯s stream and flew around the giant skyscraper in the middle of the city. Life Rite was still a successful company in this dimension, judging by their prominence in the skyline. Their logo looked the same in this stream. The R resembled a bird¡¯s beak, no doubt a subtle nod to their secret ingredient derived from Bennu eggs.


    I looked for a way inside the mega-corp. In another timeline, I broke Jackie out of their living quarters when Beatrice held her prisoner. The windows snapped under the strength of my claws, but this time I had to move with precision. Not make a scene or draw attention. This was a covert mission versus a rescue.


    Which sector of Life Rite held the answers I sought? What stage was the Alpha project in? How was Grace getting the serum?


    Determined to find answers, the laboratories became my target. From the outside, the layout of the building looked different. Perhaps because Mark never mass produced the immortality serum or, thankfully, countless mutants in this timeline. Homeless encampments lined the streets below, but the poverty wasn¡¯t as bad as when the Life Rite serum went to the highest bidders. Subtle changes in timelines make all the difference.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let the serum get out on a mass scale like that again,¡± I told myself. ¡°We can¡¯t let Alpha enact the redistribution program.¡±


    Not knowing where to find Alpha, I took my chances and broke into the labs to find out where the serum was coming from.


    I pecked at the glass until it cracked, then used my talons to crush the window. It folded like paper under my strength. The wind pressure pushed me inside.


    ¡°Where are you Alpha?¡±


    The lab sector was quiet, abandoned almost. No kids in cages, not a grotesque creature in sight. Besides myself¡­


    In this probability, anti-aging face creams were the main event at Life Rite. Yet the serum had leaked, and Beatrice felt Alpha¡¯s presence. What clues were we missing? Jackie and I needed answers before the slipstream booted us from the timeline, where we didn¡¯t belong.


    I used my beak to open cabinets and my wings to clear off tables, but found no answers. A computer taunted me with the potential answers it held. Using a mouse and typing on a keyboard wasn¡¯t an option.


    ¡°Damn this cursed body!¡±


    Being a phoenix was helpful in intense battles, but useless for solving puzzles or even being seen in public. Jackie deserved a better partner¡­This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, baby girl, I¡¯ll help you figure this out.¡±


    Determination consumed me. I flew through the halls of the Life Rife building, looking for any sign of trouble. If Alpha wasn¡¯t in the lab, maybe he was being built in the office block.


    Radio chatter reverberated down the hall. Someone was coming.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± they called.


    I held my breath and turned to leave, but it was too late. A guard spotted me and trained his gun at my back.


    The guard gasped. ¡°What the?? I need back-up in sector seven. Stat!¡±


    The radio talked back. ¡°Sector seven, what¡¯s your status?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it¡­ There¡¯s a¡­ creature!¡±


    ¡°Repeat?¡± The person on the other end hesitated. This was my chance to end things before escalation.


    I slapped the guard with my wing, knocking him out. I didn¡¯t intend to hurt, just to flee.


    The radio asked again, ¡°Status? Sector seven, do you read me?¡±


    The unconscious guard didn¡¯t respond.


    I raced down the hall to find answers, hoping the call for back-up had been canceled. I burst through door after door, looking for clues to Alpha¡¯s whereabouts.


    Unfortunately, more guards arrived before I found any.


    ¡°What the heck is that?¡±


    ¡°No clue, but it looks dangerous!¡±


    ¡°Kill it! Now! Before it hurts us!¡±


    Their barrage of bullets cut through my thick skin, drawing radioactive blood. I roared to scare them off, but guns give false hope. They shot at me full-tilt.


    I didn¡¯t want to kill anyone, so I turned to retreat. A man jumped on my back and stabbed my neck with a knife. Screams of pain only made them hungry for more blood.


    I spun around with wings wide, knocking the troops back. That bought me no extra time. More bullets came before I could escape. I had no choice but to fight back.


    Another roar to warn them, but they didn¡¯t relent. I had to use my flamethrower on the guards. My fiery breath filled the tight corridor. Their cheap uniforms caught fire instantly. The first line of defense burned, but more came.


    ¡°Forgive me,¡± I whispered.


    The fallen men crawled away if they could. Some were not so lucky. My flames burned their bodies to a crisp.


    The next round of men ran toward me with guns in hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on up there?¡± Mark Claudi asked over the radio. ¡°Report what you see immediately.¡±


    A charred employee answered with a wavering voice. ¡°A wild beast, sir. It¡¯s got a¡­ flamethrower¡­ between its teeth. Please send help!¡±


    The radio cackled. Would Mark call on his drones to stop me? That would give me the information we needed. I prepared myself for battle, ready to face Alpha.


    ¡°Sending more back-up,¡± Mark said over radio. ¡°Capture it, dead or alive, so we can study it.¡±


    ¡°Copy that, sir.¡±


    New guards hid behind dead bodies.


    The guard gave his troops orders. ¡°You heard Mr. Claudi. Dead or alive¡­¡±


    ¡°Bring it on.¡± I steeled myself for another round of fighting.


    Their bullets increased, causing more pain than I could bear. I had to fight back. I blew fire, scratched with my talons, bit with my beak. Took the guards down, one by one.


    More men joined the fight, but not a drone in sight. If Mark had Alpha, he would have used it against me.


    Another guard called for more back up over the radio. ¡°Send more guards to sector seven. All hands on deck!¡±


    This wouldn¡¯t end well for them. Not wanting to hurt any more men, I fled instead. I let out a battle cry, my attempt to warn them against following.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting away.¡±


    They came after me with guns blazing, but my powerful wings were faster than their measly legs. I soared away, dodging bullets as best I could.


    ¡°Fall back.¡±


    ¡°But you heard what Mr. Claudi said¡­¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have the capacity for capture.¡±


    Not wanting to lose any more lives, the remaining guards stopped their pursuit once it was clear this was my exit strategy.


    I burst back through the broken window and flew out into the open air.


    Blood dripped down my face, wings, and body. It glowed with the serum flowing through my DNA.


    ¡°Damn it! Way to stay hidden, Firestorm.¡± I scolded myself. ¡°Mark isn¡¯t one to give up easily and may try to come after me.¡±


    I used the Grid as a guide out of the city and only stopped once it felt safe. My lungs finally exhaled when I passed the city limits.


    Perched on a mountain top, I licked my wounds and healed myself, mulling over the knowledge that Alpha had not yet come online¡­


    How long would that stay true? When would Mark unleash his drone onto the world? Could Jackie and I stay in this probability long enough to enact change?

 49. Upping the Ante: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    ¡°Grace, don¡¯t go!¡± I stormed after my mom, desperate to keep her on my team.


    She picked up her pace, ignoring my pleas.


    I ran through the cafeteria full tilt. ¡°Please, we have important work to do together.¡±


    Sensing I wouldn¡¯t give up, she stopped and faced me. ¡°What do you want from me, Jackie? Money? Is that what this is about? Of course it is. That¡¯s what everything is about.¡±


    She walked over to a cash machine in the lobby and scanned the DNA Identifier I her finger.


    I pushed her hand away from the machine¡¯s scanner. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want your money.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You want me to pay in exchange for your silence on what you¡¯ve discovered about me, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s fine. I have plenty of money. We can settle this now.¡±


    She scanned her DNA Identifier, but I pushed her hand away again.


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. I don¡¯t want your money. I¡¯m trying to help you, Grace. Don¡¯t you see what Feraz is doing to you?¡±


    ¡°Who put you up to this? Suzy? I¡¯m on to her tricks. She¡¯s been trying to break us up for a while now.¡±


    ¡°What? No! Who is Suzy?¡±


    ¡°Then what do you want from me? I¡¯m a good person. I saw you needed clothes, food, shelter. Jackie, I¡¯m happy to give you the shirt off my back, but please don¡¯t tell anyone about the¡­¡±


    Grace looked around, not wanting to be heard. She¡¯d do anything to keep her good girl appearance and protect her secret serum.


    The cash machine screen timed out, hopefully showing Grace my true intentions. I needed more information to know what we were up against. She had to be convinced to tell me everything, but how?


    With only one more trump card in my hand, it had to be played. Grace had to understand that billions of lives were at stake.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get the facts straight. I don¡¯t want your money. I don¡¯t want to break up your relationship. Well¡­ Listen, there¡¯s another power that comes with having the phoenix gene,¡± I whispered.


    Grace¡¯s eyes grew wide, intrigued. ¡°What? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Is there a fireplace nearby that we can use? Without other people finding us?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one in the Arts and Sciences library. No one ever goes in there. It¡¯s pretty deserted, especially this early in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. Let¡¯s go there. I can show you how to use fire portals to get into the slipstream.¡±


    ¡°What the heck is the slipstream?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a place where anything is possible, but probabilities reign supreme. It¡¯s how I got into this timeline.¡±


    ¡°So you actually think you¡¯re my unborn daughter from another dimension?¡± Grace¡¯s shoulder slumped. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    I kept a stone face. She needed to understand the truth, no matter how wacky it sounded.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m from an alternate future, and I¡¯ve come here to stop you from making the biggest mistake of the century. We can¡¯t let the Life Rite serum get out. It¡¯ll lead to the redistribution program.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? You sound like a madwoman.¡± Grace shook her head, still unable to accept my story. ¡°I should get you an appointment with my psychiatrist. He writes prescriptions for literally anything. Your level of crazy would get us a whole pharmacy!¡±


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the library. Let me show you the truth.¡±


    Grace contemplated my offer. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Jackie. We¡¯re done here.¡±


    Firestorm echoed in my mind. ¡°Jackie, help! I¡¯m losing my grip!¡±


    I had no idea what was happening to him, but it didn¡¯t sound good.


    My voice sounded shrill when I appealed to Grace, more desperate than before. ¡°Hurry! Time is running out. I could get sucked out of this stream any minute. We need to work together.¡±


    Grace rolled her eyes. ¡°Find someone else to stalk, weirdo.¡±


    ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll show you a next level high¡­ It¡¯s so pure, but also so addictive.¡±


    Grace bit her lip, enticed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll bite.¡±


    ¡°Once you see the slipstream, you¡¯ll have to believe me.¡±


    ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll ever believe you, but this is your last chance. If this is a wild goose chase and I say we¡¯re done, do you promise to leave me alone?¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never come back to my apartment?¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    We shook on it.


    ¡°Thanks, Grace. I promise you won¡¯t regret this.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. Follow me.¡±


    We trudged over to the other side of campus toward the Arts and Sciences library. On the way, we came across Baxter painting a white building.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Grace walked over to him. ¡°Hey, Baxter.¡±


    ¡°Miss Claudi, lovely morning, isn¡¯t it? The way the Grid casts that faint glow over everything. It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    Grace looked around and smiled. ¡°It has a certain charm, I guess.¡±


    Baxter asked, ¡°Do you need me to restock the lab with medical supplies again?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet. Thanks for asking.¡±


    Baxter noticed me next to Grace. ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am. I see you do know Miss Claudi. I meant no disrespect at our last meeting.¡± He bowed his head politely. ¡°It¡¯s not everyday I find a stranger wearing my uniform in my private quarters.¡±


    Grace shot me a chilly look.


    Caught in a lie, I stood there speechless. What could I say? My heart raced. Was the jig up now that Grace heard Baxter call me a stranger?


    Grace said, ¡°That¡¯s okay, Baxter. I¡¯ll ensure you get a few new uniforms to keep things fresh. Need anything else?¡±


    Baxter¡¯s smile made my heart melt. I wished he knew how much I loved him.


    ¡°I¡¯m all set, Miss Claudi. You¡¯re too kind.¡±


    I told Baxter, ¡°You look great, by the way. So young and healthy.¡±


    He didn¡¯t understand the compliment, but said, ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡±


    Grace waved goodbye and continue to the library, so I kept the pace.


    ¡°Let me explain¡­¡±


    She crossed her arms defensively. ¡°Why did you lie about knowing Baxter? Sounds like you¡¯re complete strangers! He found you in his uniform? What¡¯s the deal? For all I know, you¡¯re some homeless person infiltrating my life.¡±


    ¡°Technically I am homeless. I own literally nothing. When I rebirthed into this timeline, I was stark naked. Probably because I haven¡¯t been born yet.¡±


    ¡°What about that sob story about growing up with him, barely affording birthday cake? That really pulled at my heartstrings. You¡¯re so manipulative!¡±


    ¡°I lived that truth. Baxter raised me in my original timeline.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re my daughter, why wouldn¡¯t I raise you?¡±


    ¡°The details of that dimension don¡¯t matter now. We need to stick to this timeline. Otherwise, it¡¯ll get too confusing.¡±


    Grace stopped, defiantly. ¡°No, Jackie. I need answers. Tell the truth or I¡¯m done.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Think about it. If you found out you were pregnant right now and you couldn¡¯t keep the baby, who would you go to?¡±


    When that truth sunk in, the color drained from Grace¡¯s face. She looked like she was about to vomit.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stick to the plan. Let me show you the slipstream. Then it will all make sense.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re on thin ice,¡± Grace warned.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    We walked in silence the rest of the way. She asked no more questions about other timelines. She wasn¡¯t even able to handle the drama of this one. Would my plan work to keep Grace on my side? I sure hoped so.


    We stepped into the prestigious Arts and Sciences library. Grace was right. It was a ghost town.


    A small fireplace warmed a corner of the cold, dank building. We pulled over a pleated leather couch and sat near the flames.


    ¡°The fire¡¯s small, but it will have to do.¡± I threw a fireball at the fireplace to beef it up a bit. The larger the fire portal, the easier it was to get into the slipstream.


    ¡°Okay¡­ So, now what?¡± Grace asked.


    ¡°Focus on the flames. Let them take you away, into the deep recess of your mind. Release all thoughts, especially any doubt about me and what I¡¯ve told you.¡±


    ¡°How convenient.¡± Grace crossed her arms in front of her chest, defensive.


    ¡°Please. Give me this chance to prove it. You¡¯ve seen some of my powers. You have them too. We look alike. We¡¯re connected, you and I.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ I never would have believed our powers were possible.¡±


    She uncrossed her arms and stared into the fireplace. Her body relaxed. The flames flickered in her light eyes.


    ¡°Jackie, this is boring. How long do we have to do this?¡±


    ¡°Hush. Concentrate.¡±


    Grace looked into the fire, but noticed me watching her. ¡°Why are you staring at me? Are you going to look at me the whole time? Aren¡¯t you going to do it too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m coming in, too. I want to make sure you get into the slipstream first¡­. Here. Let¡¯s do it together.¡±


    Grace and I settled into the sofa and peered into the fireplace.


    Thirty seconds later, she broke out in a laugh. ¡°Jackie, this is so stupid.¡±


    She saw my stern look and tried to suppress her giggles. ¡°Okay, for real. I¡¯ll do it this time.¡±


    A few more chuckles escaped from Grace before she settled down. I had my work cut out for me.


    A pit of doubt made my stomach flip. My armpits sweat despite the chill in the air. If I went back into the slipstream, would it kick me out of this probability? The risk was worth it if Grace agreed to work with me to fix the timeline.


    ¡°Relax, exhale. Stare into the flames as they flicker¡­¡±


    My mom followed my direction, exhaled, and finally relaxed into the moment. A few breaths later, the fire grabbed Grace and pulled her in. Its trance was taking effect.


    Yet time passed, and we weren¡¯t in the slipstream. Grace¡¯s half-closed eyelids drooped.


    Luckily, Firestorm¡¯s guidance echoed in my mind. ¡°There¡¯s something different about the serum she¡¯s taken. It¡¯s not the real stuff.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s making her sick. I don¡¯t know who¡¯s making it¡­ She needs to see more before she¡¯ll tell me. How can I get her into the slipstream, Firestorm?¡±


    Grace, half-asleep, asked, ¡°What¡¯s a fire storm?¡±


    Firestorm said, ¡°This is a bad idea, Jackie. I¡¯m barely hanging in.¡±


    ¡°No lectures, please. Without this, I¡¯m at a standstill. How do I get her in?¡±


    Firestorm sighed. ¡°You¡¯ll have to let her ride your stream. Can you feel how to do that?¡±


    I nodded. Luckily, I was a pro at this by now. A mini slipstream master in the making.


    The flames overtook me quickly, and I half-slid into the slipstream. My consciousness split between the realms long enough for me to grab Grace and take her with me. I can only describe the process as ethereal.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Firestorm warned me.


    ¡°Let the fire take you away, to an in-between place¡­¡± My words lulled a sleepy Grace into the void. Her eyelids fell, and she drifted off. Her body slumped on the coach next to me. I let the slipstream overtake me fully, and I brought her with me.


    I woke up in darkness. Existence without any shape or form. The slipstream void. Instead of my previous panic, this place now felt peaceful to me. Like home.


    ¡°Grace, are you here?¡±


    ¡°Jackie, what is this place? Am I dreaming?¡±


    ¡°Welcome to the slipstream.¡±


    She hyperventilated, panicked. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ Are we still in the library? I must have fallen asleep, but I seem to be awake. No¡­ I don¡¯t like this. Get me out of here.¡±


    ¡°Relax. Stay with me¡­ We¡¯re safe here.¡±


    Firestorm¡¯s voice boomed into the mix. ¡°What¡¯s your plan, Jackie? This is dangerous.¡±


    ¡°She has to see how things will unfold in order to trust me.¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Grace asked. ¡°I¡¯m freaking out, Jackie. It¡¯s all so¡­ unknown, you know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay hidden,¡± Firestorm promised.


    ¡°Good idea.¡±


    I comforted Grace. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m with you. Deep breaths. Stay relaxed. This is the slipstream, a place where anything¡¯s possible.¡±


    Grace regained her composure. As she relaxed, several sparks of fire rained down around us. Not as many probabilities as I¡¯m used to though¡­


    ¡°These are the limited streams Grace has access to,¡± Firestorm explained.


    ¡°Is someone else here? Who is that, Jackie?¡± Grace¡¯s voice was laced with fear. ¡°I don¡¯t like this high. How long will it last? Take it away.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re safe. Stay with me.¡±


    Grace breathed her way through the panic like a natural. Guess that talent runs in the family.


    A limited amount of portals were available to us. I felt my way through them to find the most probable future. A distant stream called out, attracting me to it.


    ¡°Aha! Over there.¡±


    As I moved toward the portal, I spied a ghostly silhouette behind it. Beatrice pushed the stream toward us; ever present, ever guiding. A sign I was on the right track.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be real,¡± Grace whispered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t believe it. It¡¯s my¡­ dead mother.¡± Grace burst into tears. ¡°I must be hallucinating. What did you slip into my coffee, Jackie?¡±


    ¡°Remember, anything¡¯s possible in the slipstream,¡± I told her. ¡°Beatrice sent me here. She¡¯s watching over us.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± Grace shook this off as her mind playing tricks. The reality of such a place is a hard concept to accept.


    ¡°Come on, Grace. This way.¡±


    I grabbed her hand. We moved toward the portal that contained Grace¡¯s most probable future¡­ Time to see what would happen if my mission didn¡¯t succeed. I was terrified to find out how many people would die - and how¡­

 50. Probable Future: Grace

    GRACE:


    Jackie led me into a ring of fire.


    I hesitated. ¡°Will it burn?¡±


    ¡°Nothing comes out of the fire unchanged, but we¡¯re stronger if we face it together.¡±


    She pulled me onward. Despite the fear gnawing at me; I continued onward. Curiosity kills¡­


    When we stepped onto the other side, a new dream world formed around us. I found myself on the balcony overlooking the volcano on Bennu Island, where we buried my mother after she died.


    ¡°What is this place? It feels so real.¡±


    ¡°This is the most probable future.¡± Jackie explained, ¡°This is what will happen if we do nothing to stop it.¡±


    My mother¡¯s final resting place called to me. I walked to the edge of the balcony and looked down at the bubbling lava below. My hands sweat as I gripped the railing.


    ¡°Mother, are you there?¡± I held back tears. Of course, she wasn¡¯t there. She was dead.


    A low hiss made the hair on my neck stand on edge.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I stole a glance toward the slithering sound and spied a grotesque creature lurking in the shadows.


    I gasped and gripped onto the railing for dear life.


    The ugly creature was ready to attack me with its razor-sharp nails. It was like nothing I¡¯d ever seen; the long twisted body of a snake, the face of a dragon, the eyes of a human. It looked at me, hungry for flesh, judging by the green saliva dripping from its sharp beak.


    I froze, stiff with terror.


    Jackie screamed from inside a nearby cage. ¡°Help Firestorm! He¡¯s a monster!¡±


    I snapped around, shocked to see my friend locked in a rusty old cage. How did she get in there? Wasn¡¯t she just next to me? It was like a dream where one moment didn¡¯t line up with the next.


    ¡°Jackie, what¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. ¡°Why are you locked up?¡±


    ¡°Grace! Please, get me out of here.¡±


    Hoping it was a dream, I ignored the creature and walked toward Jackie. My legs trembled as I scurried over to examine the cage¡¯s lock.


    ¡°Every door in Camp Claudi scans your DNA Identifier. This rickety old cage doesn¡¯t have a place to swipe, and I probably wouldn¡¯t have access, anyway.¡±


    Jackie¡¯s eyes welled with desperation. ¡°Know where the key is?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No clue. Can¡¯t we shoot the lock with our firepower?¡±


    ¡°I already tried that. Didn¡¯t work.¡± Jackie¡¯s shoulders slumped with defeat. ¡°It¡¯s too late¡­ Grace, watch out!¡±


    I screamed and ducked to avoid getting hit by a mechanical drone¡¯s bullets.


    ¡°Where did that come from?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Alpha!¡± Jackie cried.


    I didn¡¯t understand what that meant.


    The monstrous creature laughed maniacally as it sprang into action, joining forces with the high-tech device that spewed ammo at us with a vengeance. Fighting against such things would be useless. I was a rag doll compared to them.


    ¡°Why is this happening?¡± I asked. ¡°Jackie, what kind of drug is this? Make it stop!¡±


    The demon-like creature flew toward me, poised to devour me whole. Its hot breath made my body tingle. I covered my eyes with my shaky hands, unable to face my fate. I was too afraid to be torn limb from limb by such a beast.


    Jackie reached out for me from within the cage. ¡°Grace, look at what will happen. Don¡¯t avoid it. Watch the future unfold!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡±


    ¡°This is only the beginning,¡± Jackie declared. ¡°Alpha will enact global genocide if we don¡¯t stop it! Grace, please. You have to see.¡±


    Guttural grunts of intense battle forced me to uncover my eyes, but when I looked up, the world faded to black.


    Darkness surrounded, protecting me from the violence unfolding around us. The sounds of roars, bullets, blood splatter; I heard every one. But I saw nothing.


    ¡°Jackie? Are you still there? Where did you go?¡±


    I was alone in the void. Where had she gone? Was she actually imprisoned in a cage? Who put her there and why? And what kind of ungodly creature was that???This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Sparks of light swirled around me. Dizzy, I wanted to vomit.


    ¡°Jackie, help! Make it stop!¡±


    I heard her, but didn¡¯t see her. ¡°Stay with me, Grace. Watch the consequences of inaction, even if it hurts.¡± Jackie¡¯s voice sounded distant.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see anything. Where are you? This is all too much.¡±


    ¡°Firestorm, why can¡¯t Grace see? This isn¡¯t working!¡± Jackie sounded as distressed as I felt.


    An invisible force pulled me deeper into the dark void.


    Jackie cried out for me. ¡°Mom! Help! Don¡¯t leave me in here!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t save her or myself, so I let go of all hope.


    ¡°The drug will wear off soon,¡± I promised myself. ¡°This isn¡¯t real.¡±


    As darkness crushed me, my dead mother appeared with open arms. I tried to hug her, but she was out of reach.


    ¡°Mother! Help! I miss you so much.¡±


    Beatrice said, ¡°Grace, my dear. Tell Jackie everything. You need each other. Trust is the glue that holds families together.¡±


    ¡°You know what I¡¯ve done?¡± I choked back a guilty sob.


    ¡°There¡¯s always time to fix the mistakes of the past.¡± My dead mother faded away like a ghost.


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always watching over you. I love you, Grace. No matter what.¡± My dead mother disappeared, leaving me alone in the dark.


    ¡°What comes next?¡± I asked aloud.


    The answer brought more dread. The Grid appeared and inched closer, threatening to overtake me. One of my greatest fears, being extinguished by the nature we don¡¯t understand. Would I ever fulfill my dreams of unlocking the secrets of the Grid? Or would my addiction prevent me from having a successful life? Consumed with worry about my uncertain future, I ran.


    ¡°Jackie, Mother. Someone please help,¡± I cried.


    There was no answer. No help. Nothing but the crushing shame and regret that comes with making the wrong choice. Consequences were coming¡­ How could addiction control someone privileged like me? Would it cut my life short?


    The red laser Grid caught up with me. It got so close; the Grid seeped into my skin. It burned as I became one with it. A blood-curdling scream escaped from my throat until it went hoarse.


    Any remaining light extinguished. All sights and sounds disappeared. The world went black once more.


    But then a low rumble shook me to my core.


    ¡°Mother? Jackie? Is anyone there to save me?¡±


    From the darkness sprang that monstrous creature. It roared and opened its mouth, revealing fangs.


    ¡°No, please don¡¯t!¡±


    The creature snapped its jaw shut, consuming me whole.


    I snapped awake with a gasp and found myself back on the couch in the Arts and Sciences library. The terror was over.


    ¡°What the heck was that? What a nightmare.¡±


    My heart pounded in my chest, and my throat ran dry. I felt disoriented and groggy, like waking up with a terrible hangover. I shivered despite the warmth of the fireplace.


    Jackie snorted as she came back to reality. She was funny like that. Despite her taking me on a drug-induced journey through her slipstream of madness, I was glad to have her as a friend during this difficult time. Things hadn¡¯t been the same since my mother died and life was spiraling out of my control. Maybe I could trust her¡­


    My heartbeat slowed as I felt the leather of the couch beneath me. I wasn¡¯t in that nightmare anymore. I was safe in my bubble at Hampshire University.


    ¡°Whoa. That was so trippy!¡± I pushed Jackie playfully. ¡°For real, tell me. What did you slip in my coffee at the cafeteria? A psychedelic?¡±


    ¡°The slipstream is a side effect of being a gene carrier. Your version of Life Rite doesn¡¯t seem strong enough to get you into the slipstream on your own, but maybe you haven¡¯t had enough doses? I¡¯ve got to figure that part out. Can you give me a vial of the serum so I can study it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but what¡­ is the slipstream? How does it work? It gives you crazy dreams, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    ¡°Grace, that wasn¡¯t a dream. The slipstream is a place where we can explore the probabilities.¡±


    ¡°And you think these probabilities are real?¡±


    Jackie struggled to explain. ¡°They are all possible, but the more you focus on them, the more real they become. Some¡­ events and details¡­ are the most probable, making them hard to change. But reality is malleable, different shades of the same thing.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°You expect me to believe this crap? You sound like a madwoman again. No way that was real. Just a night terror that felt real-ish.¡±


    ¡°Please believe me. That wasn¡¯t a dream. It¡¯s the most probable future. That nightmare, as you call it, will come true if you don¡¯t let me help you.¡±


    Jackie looked around to make sure no one was listening. She leaned close and whispered, ¡°Everything¡¯s possible, but your¡­ reality¡­ is probable. One of many timelines that need to be healed. I don¡¯t make the rules¡­ Did you sense the destruction that¡¯s coming? We can stop the violence if we work together.¡±


    Her words felt earnest. Jackie believed in the slipstream, so maybe what I experienced was real. Stranger things were possible. After all, I was addicted to a drug that made my body burn and float like ash. Then again, maybe it was all a drug-induced hallucination.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to believe anymore.¡±


    Had I really seen my mother? I liked the idea that Beatrice was watching out for me, and Jackie seemed to know some of my family¡¯s secrets¡­


    Jackie touched my hand gently. ¡°Trust is the glue that holds families together¡­¡±


    My breath caught in my throat. ¡°Where did you hear that?¡±


    Jackie locked eyes with me. ¡°From our family.¡±


    I examined her facial features. We looked similar, but magic like this didn¡¯t really exist, did it?


    I played devil¡¯s advocate. ¡°Okay, so if this is all real. You¡¯re my¡­ unborn child from another dimension?¡±


    Jackie nodded for me to continue, excited that I was finally getting it.


    ¡°And the serum has created some rip in the time-space continuum?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve got the gist. We need to tell your snot-nosed boyfriend to back off. I¡¯d bet the whole Claudi estate that brief glimpse of the future was only the tip of the needle of what will happen if we don¡¯t prevent the Life Rite serum from leaking out.¡±


    ¡°That disgusting creature¡­ What was that?¡±


    Jackie shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that in any probability, and I¡¯ve seen some pretty nasty mutants.¡±


    ¡°Mutants?¡± A chill ran through me. ¡°It was terrifying, and someone locked you in a cage!¡± Tears came to my eyes, thinking about it.


    Jackie put her hands on my shoulders. ¡°We won¡¯t let any of that happen, okay? We can change things, but Grace, tell me. How are you getting the Life Rite serum? After Beatrice refused to take it, Mark did the right thing in this timeline. He shut down operations. Please, we don¡¯t have much time left.¡±


    Part of me wanted to change the subject, avoid and deflect. This was heavy stuff. But the other part screamed for help to get out of this mess. Father would kill me if he found out what I was up to. His daughter, the apple of his eye, Grace Claudi, addicted to drugs? Not in any lifetime. Yet, it was true. Addiction can happen to anyone, even me.


    ¡°Fine, Jackie. I¡¯ll show you what¡¯s really going on. Do you promise you won¡¯t tell anyone?¡±


    ¡°Cross my heart and hope to die.¡±


    ¡°For real, Jackie. This is top secret stuff! Life or death¡­ If Feraz finds out I showed you, he¡¯ll murder me!¡±

 51. Forever: Grace

    GRACE:


    ¡°I¡¯ve never shown this to anyone.¡±


    Back at my apartment, I pulled out a video camera from the back of my closet. My hand shook as I gripped onto the device containing incriminating evidence that would ruin my reputation if leaked to the public.


    ¡°I should make you sign an NDA¡­¡±


    Jackie shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll sign whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take daddy¡¯s lawyers forever to draft it. You know not to mess with a Claudi, right?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on the same team, Grace. I promise.¡±


    Jackie¡¯s response felt sincere, so despite my better judgement, I swallowed my pride and pressed play. My heart jumped into my throat as we watched the small screen play back my indiscretions.


    The video showed me and Feraz in a lab of the science wing at the beginning of the school year.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll get caught?¡± I snickered on camera.


    It was after hours, and we¡¯d been drinking. He treated me to a decadent meal at a fancy restaurant, Le Petit Amie, earlier that night. Too nervous to eat around him, the alcohol made my head spin.


    Feraz told me to set up the camera. I thought he was going to propose, although we had only started dating. We¡¯d known each other for years, so it seemed natural for our relationship to progress quickly. He got down on one knee, but instead of pulling out a ring, he pulled out a syringe.


    ¡°Ew. What¡¯s that for?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Grace Claudi, do you¡­ want to get high with me?¡±


    I hit Feraz in the arm as he laughed. ¡°Gross. I don¡¯t do injectables.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t some street crap. This is the Life Rite immortality serum. Do you have any idea what this liquid gold is capable of?¡±


    ¡°My father makes face creams, not heroin.¡±


    ¡°You know nothing about your father¡¯s businesses. When I was an intern at Life Rite, I found¡­¡±


    ¡°An internship I got for you,¡± I reminded him.


    ¡°An internship you got for me. Thank you, princess. Like my dad¡¯s connections couldn¡¯t have gotten me in.¡±


    I turned to the camera. ¡°Let¡¯s turn it off. I don¡¯t want this filmed.¡±


    Feraz scolded me. ¡°Shut up and get over here.¡±


    I complied.


    My cheeks flushed. How embarrassing watching this private video with Jackie, proof he really was a jerk sometimes. Still, she needed to see the whole thing. Easier to show rather than tell when caught in a tangled predicament.


    Feraz hugged me, sensing my trepidation. ¡°Listen, babe. We want this recorded because it¡¯s going to be the happiest day of our lives. We¡¯ll look back on this moment a thousand years from now¡­¡±


    My words slurred. ¡°A thousand years?¡±


    ¡°Babe, we¡¯ll be together forever if we take this.¡± Feraz presented the syringe again. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? This is an immortality serum.¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°That old rumor? Forget it. My dad wishes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the top secret papers. The research is astonishing. I¡¯m shocked Mark abandoned the project.¡±


    ¡°There must be a reason he didn¡¯t go through with it,¡± I insisted, but not too hard. Feraz seemed really excited about it, and I didn¡¯t want to upset him.


    ¡°Grace, I need this. You know what it¡¯s like to live in my father¡¯s shadow. With this Life Rite serum, I¡¯ll finally lap that old geezer.¡±


    I caressed his cheek. ¡°Understood. You know I¡¯d do anything to help you, but this doesn¡¯t seem like the way to go about it. You¡¯re capable of amazing things without performance-enhancing drugs.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t get it! We can be together forever if we take this. Our love will last an eternity. Don¡¯t you want that?¡±


    How could I say no to that?? Out of everyone at Hampshire University, Feraz Tal chose me. He wanted to be with me forever. All I ever wanted was a love as deep as what my parents shared.


    ¡°Forever?¡±


    ¡°Forever,¡± Feraz declared.


    ¡°So it gets you high?¡± I asked. ¡°What does it feel like? Are there any side effects? Maybe I should ask my father about it if he¡¯s the one that made it¡­¡±


    Feraz pulled me into the most passionate kiss. My body flushed watching it back. He swept his soft tongue around mine before pulling away, leaving me wanting more.


    Then he wasted no time injecting the serum into my veins like a professional nurse. He did it so fast, I couldn¡¯t refuse. The serum glowed beneath my skin.


    ¡°Feraz, I¡¯m not¡­ Oh¡­ Ah!¡±


    There was an immediate effect from the serum, a shock to the system. It jolted me awake, canceling the effects of the alcohol. I ignored the stomach cramps because the rush of doing something naughty was exhilarating. A weight lifted from my shoulders as I shook off my good girl image for a change.


    And Feraz looked so damn sexy with his thick, black hair and tight shirt that showcased his chiseled pecks. I leapt onto him. Wrapping my legs around his torso, I devoured him with my mouth.


    ¡°Down, girl.¡± Feraz laughed and pushed me away.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take some too? We¡¯re going to do it together?¡± I pressed my body against his.


    ¡°This is where it gets really trippy, babe. I¡¯m going to make another serum with your blood.¡±


    ¡°What??¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna get high off the serum in your bloodstream.¡± Feraz pulled out a medical kit from the cupboard. ¡°I know it sounds weird, but it links us. It will bond us forever.¡±


    Feraz came at me with a needle, ready to take my blood.


    ¡°Wait.¡± I stepped back. ¡°Where¡¯d you get that? Why would the school have a nurse kit in here?¡±


    ¡°Grace, we¡¯ve got to move fast. It won¡¯t give me the same effect if the serum isn¡¯t fresh in your bloodstream. Don¡¯t you trust me? I¡¯ve read all the research and fine print.¡±


    ¡°Of course I trust you, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Then move it!¡±


    I flinched at Feraz¡¯s raised voice. I¡¯d do anything to avoid his temper.


    ¡°Fine. Okay. Whatever. Hurry, before you ruin my high.¡±


    He grabbed my arm and took a blood sample. I whined at the needle prick.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a wimp. All done, little baby.¡± He took my blood and mixed it with another green serum. It turned dark. Feraz swiftly injected himself with this new concoction.


    ¡°He¡¯s making you the carrier,¡± Jackie said, engrossed in the video.


    ¡°Carrier? What does that mean?¡±


    Feraz laughed maniacally as the serum coursed through his veins. I didn¡¯t realize it at the time because I was so high, but his wide eyes made him look like a madman. My stomach churned with dread.


    Jackie said, ¡°What a creep.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want her to think poorly of him, so I fast forwarded the video.


    ¡°He wants to be with me forever,¡± I explained.


    ¡°He wants to be immortal,¡± Jackie countered.


    ¡°This serum can save lives. It could have saved my mother¡¯s life. That¡¯s why Father worked so hard on it¡­¡±


    Jackie scoffed. ¡°Not that old line again. I¡¯ve heard that before.¡±


    ¡°Here, watch.¡± I played a later portion of the video to showcase our progress.


    Feraz, looking handsome as ever, stared into the camera on a sunny afternoon in the lab. We spent a lot of time in there over the last several months. When we were there, I had him all to myself. It was our little secret.


    Feraz rolled up his sleeve and injected himself again. He didn¡¯t even flinch. ¡°Test number fifty-two. The results of the gene therapy have been extremely fast and effective. It¡¯s time to push it to the limit.¡±


    I hugged him from behind, my eyes a telltale sign of how high I was. ¡°Are you feeling it yet? I am!¡±


    My giggles sounded cringeworthy.


    ¡°Watch out. You almost made me scratch myself.¡± Feraz pushed me away.


    Watching the videos back filled me with shame. There was a flicker of fire in his eyes I hadn¡¯t noticed before. It felt sinister from this perspective.


    The video feed cut out and restarted outside Jenkins Hall, the tallest building on campus.


    I cuddled Feraz for the camera, my eyes cashed from the constant drug use.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like a good idea¡­¡±


    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be such a wimp.¡±


    ¡°For real, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re going to do this, Feraz. I¡¯m scared to lose you.¡±


    ¡°Forever, babe. That¡¯s the plan.¡± He wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed me.


    I nudged Jackie on instinct, excited for her to notice the good times, too. ¡°Feraz is such a goof.¡±


    Jackie didn¡¯t take the bait.


    He hugged me goodbye and cut the camera off. The video restarted on a sloppy zoom up to the top of the building, showcasing my disoriented camera work. It had the makings of a bad home video, but I hoped it would be enough to show Jackie the complexity of the situation.


    I zoomed in on Feraz standing like a god on the roof of Jenkins Hall.


    ¡°I¡¯m infallible, indestructible!¡± With arms outstretched, his body fell off the roof like a limp rag doll.


    Even though I knew what happened, I gasped as we watched it back. Jackie seemed unfazed.


    Hearing my screams on the video made my skin crawl. The camera feed shook as I ran over to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same in every probability,¡± Jackie mumbled.


    Feraz¡¯s body lay mangled in the bushes. My sobs were audible through the shaky camera. It was equally shocking to replay the moment now.


    The video feed refocused as his lifeless body burst into flames. A flash played across the screen from the glow of the fire.


    ¡°Feraz, are you okay? What¡¯s happening? Please don¡¯t be dead. Please, please, please!¡±


    His skin melted and became ash in the blink of an eye. Energy rose from the ashes and burst like fireworks. My clothes caught fire when I tried to put out the flames, so I screamed and patted myself to avoid injury. The camerawork reflected my panic.


    I refocused the camera on the parts of Feraz that remained, hairless and hideous. I had to look away when he morphed and transformed. It was too hard to relive.


    ¡°You get the point. Can we stop watching now?¡± I asked Jackie.


    ¡°A full rebirth,¡± she said knowingly.


    What a relief; the insanity of the situation didn¡¯t scare her off. I was in too deep and needed help to navigate my web of lies. I¡¯d die if Father, or anyone else, found out what we¡¯ve been up to.


    My stomach jumped in my throat as the next part played¡­


    I coughed and dropped the camera. It fell upward facing me, bent over vomiting my guts out. I could taste the bile again.


    Jackie said, ¡°Rebirthing is gnarly, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not that. Keep watching.¡±


    Right there on camera, my face aged and withered like a prune while I dry heaved.


    ¡°That¡¯s what happened to you in the bathroom. You¡¯re aging. The serum causes mutations, but it¡¯s meant to make you stronger.¡±


    ¡°Mutations?¡±


    ¡°The skin on your neck is only the beginning¡­ Grace, if you keep taking the serum, you¡¯ll be¡­ unrecognizable.¡±


    ¡°Like a monster?¡± I scratched my rash.


    Tears formed in Jackie¡¯s eyes as she searched for the right words.


    I explained, ¡°Every time Feraz rebirths, I feel awful. We¡¯re¡­ bonded. It¡¯s like an umbilical cord or something.¡±


    Jackie nodded, putting it all together. ¡°You¡¯re the carrier. He¡¯s the recipient, but you shouldn¡¯t get hurt every time he rebirths. I¡¯ve never seen that before.¡±


    ¡°Feraz said it¡¯s not serious. He¡¯s working on it. Besides, every time I take another dose, I get my glow back. At least for a little while.¡±


    ¡°The side effects of Life Rite are serious for the carrier, Grace. Those patches on your skin will grow and¡­ get worse. Much worse. But Zayne and the others were never directly impacted by the rebirths. Why are his rebirths making you sick?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Zayne?¡± That name sounded familiar, plus I was too scared to ask about the mutational side effects. Was Jackie telling the truth about that?


    ¡°Zayne is¡­ someone else who¡¯s been tested on. Grace, you have to stop this. It¡¯s going to kill you.¡±


    Jackie added in a whisper to herself, ¡°What if there¡¯s a variation in the serum¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    She looked deep in thought. ¡°Are you sure, Firestorm?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a fire storm? Why do you keep saying that?¡±


    Jackie ignored me and kept talking to herself. ¡°I know¡­ We¡¯ve got to stop it. This dangerous path doesn¡¯t end well.¡±


    Jackie didn¡¯t make sense, but she spoke with conviction, as if she understood what was going on. She knew a lot about my family and my¡­ secret. But I wouldn¡¯t let her ruin what I¡¯d built with Feraz. I was ready to be his wife for infinity.


    ¡°Feraz has it under control. Sure, we have some kinks to work out,¡± I admitted. ¡°But we¡¯re going to figure it out. I¡¯ll soon be Mrs. Feraz Tal, and we¡¯ll be together forever.¡±


    ¡°Not if he kills you first!¡± Jackie yelled.


    ¡°I¡¯d die for his love!¡± The bite in my voice surprised even me, but it was my duty to clear his name. ¡°We love each other. People like us, we always get our happy ending. Someone like you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    Jackie didn¡¯t react to my jab. I¡¯d have to think of another way to change the subject.


    She cornered me. ¡°Is Feraz still working as an intern for Mark?¡±


    ¡°No. Well, maybe he will again this summer. I don¡¯t know. Go ask him.¡±


    ¡°Does Feraz see Mark often?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, yes. Of course my soon-to-be fianc¨¦ is close with my father.¡±


    ¡°Soon-to-be fianc¨¦?¡± Jackie asked with her nose turned up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to jinx it, but I think he¡¯ll propose to me over spring break. We¡¯re going back to Bennu¡­¡±


    Jackie choked on my words. ¡°You, Mark, and Feraz are all going to Bennu Island together for spring break??¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Feraz told me he has something really big planned. I hope he got the hint about the types of rings I love. What do you think? Princess cut or heart-shaped?¡±


    Jackie was speechless, so I nudged the conversation in my favor.


    ¡°I would prefer to go to the Maldives, but at least my mom¡¯s memory lives on Bennu. Feraz values family, so it makes sense to propose there.¡±


    Jackie paced and bit her nails. She needed a manicure more than I did.


    ¡°I know Father wants us to wait until we graduate, but whatever. He¡¯ll be thrilled. I wish my mom was alive to help me plan the wedding, but Daddy will spare no expense. He only uses the top party planners. We¡¯ll probably work with Cheryl, who did my sweet sixteen party.¡± I smiled, thinking of my picture perfect future.


    Jackie shook me. ¡°Listen very carefully. You have to cancel this trip.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance. When Feraz asked Father if we could go together, you should have seen the look on his face. He¡¯s tried to take me back to Bennu, but¡­¡± I shook my head. ¡°Father visits Mother¡¯s grave often, but I don¡¯t. It¡¯s too hard.¡±


    ¡°Beatrice would turn in her grave if she knew what Feraz was up to. Over her dead body, but of course she knows. That¡¯s why she sent me here.¡±


    On instinct, I slapped Jackie across her face.


    ¡°How dare you say that about my mother? She would have loved for me to marry Feraz.¡±


    Jackie touched her stinging face, shocked. ¡°I know the Tal family has a lot of influence. Beatrice bent over backward for Feraz¡¯s father in a previous timeline, but she sent me here to¡­¡±


    ¡°Leave my mother out of this. She would be happy to see me engaged to the love of my life.¡±


    ¡°Listen¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jackie, but the wheels are in motion. There¡¯s nothing you can do to stop it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of,¡± she said.


    I tried to lighten the mood. ¡°How do you think he¡¯ll propose? He better get down on one knee. Of course, a man like Feraz Tal would¡­ It¡¯s going to be so romantic.¡±


    ¡°The probability is too hard to change,¡± Jackie whispered to herself, always talking nonsense. ¡°When are you leaving for this trip?¡±


    ¡°Spring break starts this weekend. Hey, wanna go shopping and get our nails done? I need some new shoes.¡±


    Jackie shook me again. She was so intense. ¡°Please don¡¯t go.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance.¡±


    ¡°Then you have to take me with you.¡±


    ¡°Feraz wouldn¡¯t approve. Sorry, but I can¡¯t have you ruining the mood, Jackie. A proposal should be perfect, go off without a hitch. Don¡¯t worry, you can stay at my place while I¡¯m gone since you have nowhere else to go. You can use my meal plan, too.¡±


    Jackie looked at me with wild eyes. ¡°I have to stop him from escalating things with Alpha. What¡¯s the deal with that?¡±


    ¡°Feraz is an alpha male, isn¡¯t he? Such a stud. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going to be his wife!¡±


    Jackie ignored me, off in her own little world. ¡°Are you sure, Firestorm?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a fire storm?¡± I asked again.


    She ignored my question. ¡°Grace, tell me. Have you seen Mark tinkering with a drone?¡±


    ¡°No clue. Father¡¯s always tinkering with something. He¡¯s a disruptor, you know. The Universal DNA Identifier, Life Rite beauty creams, the Institute, who knows what¡¯s next?¡±


    Jackie shook me again, demanding my full attention. ¡°Please take me with you. Back to Bennu¡­ Will you? Pretty please? The future of humanity depends on it!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic.¡±


    ¡°Remember the most probable future we saw in the slipstream? Well, it¡¯s coming whether we like it or not.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ creature¡­ is coming?¡± My voice shook.


    ¡°Yes, and worse!¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe you. That was just a dream.¡±


    ¡°Alpha will trigger global genocide if we don¡¯t stop it. Billions of people will die! Please, Grace. Either cancel the trip or¡­ will you at least take me with you??¡±

 52. Kidnapped: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    ¡°Back off, Jackie. You need to chill.¡± Grace shot me a forceful glare.


    I was acting too intense again, so I released my grip on her shoulders and softened.


    ¡°Sorry, but you need to take me with you back to Bennu.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like my boyfriend, why would you want to be there when he proposes to me?¡± Grace stepped back, creating an intentional distance between us. She turned off the video camera and went into her closet to hide it.


    The fact that she showed me such top secret evidence proved she trusted me to some extent. Time to switch tactics to avoid getting sidelined again.


    I called to her from the living room.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been so kind to me, Grace. I¡¯d like to support you during this major milestone. Help you pick outfits, take pictures, whatever you need.¡±


    ¡°You can help me pack.¡± She walked back into the living room.


    ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±


    ¡°That reminds me. I need to pick up my dry-cleaning. What time is it?¡± Grace looked at a clock hanging on her wall. ¡°Oh no! I¡¯m late. He hates waiting.¡±


    ¡°Who? Feraz?¡±


    Grace ignored my question, pulled her hair into a ponytail, spritzed herself with perfume, and looked in the mirror.


    ¡°I look, and smell, dreadful.¡±


    She raced around the dorm, pulling herself together. ¡°I need to meet up with Feraz, then get my nails done and pick up my dry-cleaning. I think it¡¯s best if you stay here, at least while I head to his place. You two are like oil and vinegar. Don¡¯t worry, it shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll clean up the place while you¡¯re gone.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    ¡°I want to.¡±


    Grace put lipstick on and grabbed her purse and keys. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll pay someone to clean while I¡¯m on spring break.¡±


    ¡°When do you leave for the big trip?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow morning. So much to do, so little time!¡± Grace walked to the door.


    ¡°Tomorrow? Oh wow¡­ Then I insist. This place will sparkle by the time you get back.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure, Jackie? You can come to the nail salon with me if you want. My treat. I don¡¯t think of you as a¡­ janitor.¡±


    I waved her off. ¡°You¡¯re late. Go run all your errands. I¡¯ll take care of everything here. It¡¯s my way of paying you back for all your help. Seriously, it¡¯s not a problem.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Grace smiled on her way out. ¡°Thanks, Jackie. I¡¯ll be back in a bit. Help yourself to anything in the fridge.¡±


    ¡°Awesome, see you later.¡± I waved her on.


    She double-backed before leaving. ¡°The video I showed you¡­¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t tell a soul,¡± I promised.


    Grace nodded and left.


    Now alone in her dorm, I slouched onto the couch, closed my eyes, and took a much needed break. Exhaustion hit, but Firestorm kept me awake.


    ¡°Jackie, we¡¯re running out of time,¡± he said in my mind¡¯s eye.


    ¡°I know. I feel the stream tugging on me.¡±


    ¡°What were you thinking bringing Grace into the slipstream? That was risky.¡±


    ¡°She tried to ditch me again. I didn¡¯t have a choice. What was that monster we saw in the most probable future? I¡¯ve never seen a creature like that.¡± A shiver ran down my back.


    ¡°Me neither,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ve got work to do. We¡¯ll fail our mission if we don¡¯t figure things out soon. I don¡¯t have eyes on Alpha yet. There¡¯s nothing more dangerous than an unseen enemy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s been no mention of any drone yet. I need to convince Grace to take me on her spring break trip back to Bennu.¡±


    ¡°No, let¡¯s fly there now. Maybe being on Bennu will strengthen our powers to stay in this probability longer. Beatrice will be close enough to help us.¡±


    ¡°I need to go to Bennu with Grace to stay in her inner circle. If she doesn¡¯t take me, and I randomly show up, she¡¯ll flip.¡±


    ¡°True¡­¡± Firestorm agreed. ¡°Do you think you can convince her to take you?¡±


    ¡°I think so. She¡¯s opening up to me, but I¡¯m scared, Firestorm. Mark, Grace, and that snake Feraz together on Bennu? A ticking time bomb is about to explode, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s all coming to a head. Stay close to Grace. Keep her safe.¡±


    ¡°Will do. You should fly. I¡¯ll meet you back on Bennu tomorrow. Love you, dad.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Jackie.¡±


    Sleep tugged at me, so I indulged in a quick nap. Then I raided the fridge to keep my strength up. After all, the food would go bad when Grace left for spring break anyway.


    Despite being extremely wealthy, her fridge was pitiful; only lettuce, tomatoes, and olives. Time travel worked up my appetite, so I inhaled the simple salad.


    Then I got to work, cleaning the dorm as an excuse to look for more clues. Anything to get an advantage over the mysteries of this probability. I found the video camera Grace stashed away, but the only other thing resembling a clue was a photo album tucked in the back of the closet.


    I poured through its pages, filled with photos of Grace with family and friends at fancy events. At first, the Claudi family wore genuine smiles, but as time and Beatrice¡¯s muscular dystrophy progressed, their impeccable clothes masked their tense body language and tight lips. The final page contained a photo of Grace with Beatrice in her wheelchair in front of Camp Claudi on Bennu Island. In her final days, Beatrice could no longer keep her head held high.


    ¡°This must be their last picture together before Beatrice died.¡±


    Tears glided down my cheeks for all Grace had lost. I had to be with her when she returned to Bennu Island, to the place she said goodbye to her mother.


    I wiped my tears and got back to work. I did the dishes, swept and mopped the floors, picked up the trash; receipts, notes about the Grid and a biology exam, empty candy wrappers. Grace¡¯s dorm was soon clean, but no additional clues surfaced.


    ¡°Time to take out the trash.¡±


    I grabbed the full garbage bag and made sure the door was unlocked behind me.


    ¡°Now where to dump it?¡±


    I walked to the back of the building in search of the bin. The afternoon sun shone through the Grid, casting a soft red glow over the pavement. Parked luxury cars lined the back lot, but there were no trash cans.


    My search continued down an alleyway.


    ¡°Ah, there it is.¡±


    I whistled and walked to the bin, tucked away to keep the pristine look of the high-class neighborhood.


    As I lifted the heavy garbage lid, a male hand grabbed me from behind. I gasped and dropped the trash bag, spilling its contents across the alley.


    Another gloved hand slid over my mouth to keep me from screaming. I tried anyway.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± the man said to me through gritted teeth.


    Before I had the chance to defend myself, the man slammed something hard into the back of my head. My heart stopped as the world went black.

 53. Left for Dead: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    I awoke with a black cloth bag over my head, unable to see. My hands were bound behind me with metal cuffs. I was in the back seat of a moving car.


    ¡°Who are you? Where are you taking me?¡±


    My captor didn¡¯t answer. He drove in silence as I struggled against my binds.


    My strength wasn¡¯t efficient enough to break the handcuffs, so I manifested a fireball to melt them away.


    ¡°Ow,¡± I yelped as the fire burned my wrists. The metal handcuffs remained intact. That plan was a dead-end, so I suffocated the flames with my hands to extinguish the fire.


    My mind raced with new escape plans. I moved my cuffed hands around the car door in an attempt to find a way to open it, but no luck. I thrashed my body against the seat and kicked the window. The car swerved, and my throbbing head banged against the door. The cloth over my face didn¡¯t budge. Without sight and free hands, what else could I do?


    ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this,¡± I said.


    No response.


    Who had taken me and why? No one besides Grace knew I existed. Did she hire someone to get rid of me in a misguided attempt to protect her secret? I had to believe she wouldn¡¯t do something like that.


    When the car stopped, fear consumed me. My captor cut the engine and got out.


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± I asked blindly.


    My captor opened the car door and pulled me out. ¡°What did you do to my leather seats? Is that a burn? You got a lighter or something?¡±


    I recognized his obnoxious voice once he stopped trying to obscure it. ¡°Feraz, is that you? What are you doing? This is insane. Let me go.¡±


    ¡°Stay away from me and Grace.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I will. After you let me go. We can work out this little misunderstanding. No problem.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late for empty promises, janitor. For whatever reason, Grace likes you. But it¡¯s better to put stray dogs out of their misery than to feed them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me? Come on. You¡¯re a douche, but not a murderer.¡±


    ¡°Shut up and walk!¡± He pushed me forward.


    Dry grass crunched beneath my feet. Water flowed nearby. I tried to get my bearings, but saw nothing through the dark cloth bag over my head. My best bet was to de-escalate the situation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this, Feraz. Don¡¯t throw your life away. You don¡¯t want to go to prison for killing a dusty janitor, do you?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°People like me don¡¯t go to jail. My family has the best lawyers on retainer. We own the justice system.¡±


    I stopped and turned to Feraz, even though I couldn¡¯t see him.


    ¡°Sure, but what about the physical evidence? My DNA in your car, the burn mark that matches the handcuffs on my dead body, your tire tracks, and our footprints¡­ Lawyers can only do so much. You didn¡¯t think this through, did you?¡±


    He spun me back around forcefully. I tripped over my feet and fell to the ground.


    Feraz spit on me. ¡°No one will investigate your death because no one cares about you.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    That was more true than he knew. I wasn¡¯t born in this timeline,so no one would report me missing except for Grace, but she might assume her random new friend left as quickly as I¡¯d come.


    Lying on the ground, I tried to see under the cloth bag, but Feraz grabbed me and pulled me up to my feet.


    ¡°You¡¯re better than this, Feraz. You¡¯re not a killer.¡±


    ¡°Move it, janitor.¡± He shoved something firm against my back to keep me walking. I assumed it was a gun, but couldn¡¯t be sure.


    The smell of sewage seeped into my nostrils. ¡°Yuck. What¡¯s that stench?¡±


    ¡°The perfect way for a dirty janitor to die¡­ You¡¯re going to drown in sewer water.¡±


    The putred smell choked me. If I died in this timeline, it would be impossible to get back in. Then we couldn¡¯t heal the probably and Alpha would likely enact global genocide. So it wasn¡¯t just life or death for me, but for billions of people.


    ¡°Please. You don¡¯t have to go through with this, Feraz. We can pretend this never happened. I¡¯ll leave you and Grace alone. I promise. You¡¯ll never see me again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan. You never happened. Grace and I will go on living, and someday, we¡¯ll laugh about that weirdo we met once on campus.¡±


    My footing felt loose, at the edge of a cliff. What could I say to convince him not to push me? I scoured my memories from previous probabilities for information to leverage against him.


    ¡°Goodbye, janitor.¡±


    ¡°Wait! You suffered a brain injury in a boating accident when you were a child, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    Hm, telling Feraz his father told that story at a Life Rite party in a future timeline wasn¡¯t a good idea¡­


    ¡°All of this¡­ It¡¯s not your fault, Feraz. Think this through. Don¡¯t spill blood on your hands.¡±


    ¡°No one knew about my accident. How dare you bring that shame back to haunt me.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± I begged. ¡°Let¡¯s make things right together. I promise to¡ª¡±


    ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    I flinched from the edge in his voice. My info drop made the tense situation worse.


    ¡°Listen, it¡¯s complicated, but¡­¡±


    Feraz was done talking. Without another word, he pushed me to my untimely death.


    Free falling with no clue what awaited below, anxiety thwarted my screams.


    Seconds later, my body smacked into a large body of water. The thrust of my plunge ripped the black cloth bag off my head, but my sense of sight was murky under the sewer-filled stream. The taste was unsanitary to say the least, but I held my breath and stayed underwater in case Feraz stood watching. In order to survive, he had to assume I drowned.


    When my lungs were ready to explode, I swam to the surface.Gasping for air, floating haphazardly in the city¡¯s waste, the handcuffs made it impossible to swim against the current.


    Luckily, I can fly. An important detail my shortsighted captor was unaware of.


    I scanned the cliff above to see if Feraz was waiting to ensure his plan worked. No sign of him. He clearly lacked follow through. Should have hired a professional. He could certainly afford one.


    I summoned all my energy and levitated out of that stink-hole. When I landed on the soft riverbank, vomit rose in my throat on account of the feces infested water.


    After losing my lunch, I caught my breath and focused my attention on removing the cuffs. My anger channeled into fire.


    ¡°What a jerk! I¡¯ll murder him for this except he¡¯ll die for real. Feraz has no idea what he¡¯s up against. He¡¯s underestimated me.¡±


    But my revenge plot had to wait. First, those tight handcuffs had to go. I manifested fireball after fireball. None were hot enough to melt the metal cuffs. I¡¯d start a brush fire before I freed myself.


    Pacing, my feet shuffled through the mud. ¡°Think, Jackie¡­ How else can I get free? What if I break my hand, slide it out, then heal myself?¡±


    ¡°Not a bad idea, but painful.¡± Firestorm flew overhead and landed next to me on the riverbank.


    ¡°Firestorm! My savior! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here!¡±


    I cuddled my head into his neck with my hands still bound behind my back.


    Firestorm¡¯s nostrils flared. ¡°Yuck, what¡¯s that smell?¡±


    ¡°Feraz thought the sewer was the perfect place to murder a lowly janitor like me.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d he target you? He knows you¡¯re sniffing around? You didn¡¯t fly under his radar?¡±


    ¡°Narcissists isolate their victims. It¡¯s easier to control someone who has no outside support. He doesn¡¯t want anyone getting close to Grace.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s his end game?¡± Firestorm asked.


    ¡°Immortality, power, the usual. Help me get these off.¡±


    ¡°But murder? Seems extreme for a college pretty boy.¡±


    ¡°His insecurity is raging out of control. He has something big planned for spring break, that¡¯s for sure. We¡¯ve got to stop him at all costs.¡±


    I turned around to present my handcuffs. Firestorm flicked them away with his sharp talons as if they were made of paper.


    I massaged my wrists. ¡°Thanks. I thought you left for Bennu already?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Call it father¡¯s intuition. Something told me to check in one last time. What¡¯s the plan now that Grace¡¯s sidekick tried to kill you? Still want to go to Bennu with the humans? Maybe you should fly with me instead.¡±


    ¡°No. She¡¯s in even more danger than we thought! If I don¡¯t stay close to Grace, how will we keep tabs on her? What if he tries to murder her next?¡±

 54: Ticking Time Bomb: Firestorm

    FIRESTORM:


    ¡°You think Feraz is going to kill Grace?¡± I coughed fire into the sewer. ¡°That punk gives me indigestion.¡±


    Jackie paced, thinking. ¡°He doesn¡¯t care about her, so anything is possible. Or he could propose to her. He¡¯s so manipulative, his true intentions are anyone¡¯s guess.¡±


    ¡°Like you said, Jackie, it¡¯s a ticking time bomb. The countdown has started. We¡¯ve got to diffuse it before it explodes.¡±


    Jackie wiped layers of crap off her face and body. ¡°Feraz is clearly capable of murder. He¡¯s synthesizing Life Rite underground. It¡¯s making Grace sick, but he doesn¡¯t care. I¡¯m taking him down no matter what, but how does Alpha¡¯s redistribution program get triggered?¡±


    ¡°No sign of Alpha at Life Rite headquarters. I checked.¡±


    ¡°Is that how you got these new scars?¡± Jackie touched my neck, but I pulled away. My wounds would be fully healed soon.


    ¡°Will Grace agree to take you to Bennu?¡±


    Jackie nodded. ¡°Hope so. Playing it cool is my best bet. Pretend this didn¡¯t happen. Act excited for her upcoming proposal. Be her spring break bestie. That¡¯s my plan.¡±


    ¡°You think Grace will agree?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll take extra pity on me now that I¡¯m a sewer rat.¡± Jackie wiped her soiled shirt, but it was too far gone.


    ¡°You do smell like rotten Bennu eggs.¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks, dad!¡± Jackie nudged me playfully.


    ¡°Your plan still doesn¡¯t feel right. You¡¯d have to see that psycho college pretty boy again. What if he tries to hurt you?¡±


    Jackie sighed. ¡°This is the only way. I¡¯m sticking to my mom like glue.¡±


    ¡°More like stinky shit. You¡¯ll need a million baths to wipe yourself clean.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you want a hug, dad.¡± Jackie rubbed herself against my scaly skin. We had a good laugh.


    ¡°At least let me take you back to the college.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never turn down a ride.¡± Jackie mounted me.


    As I took off, the sewer current crushed a black cloth bag against rocks. That could have been Jackie¡­


    But my girl didn¡¯t skip a beat. Jackie rehashed her plan as I flew toward the Hampshire University of spoiled rich kids.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pull out all the stops to convince Grace to take me with her.You fly to Bennu and wait for our arrival. Can¡¯t wait to see Feraz¡¯s face when he realizes I¡¯m not dead. What an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, Jackie. You¡¯ll be on your own for twenty-four hours while I fly home.¡±


    ¡°No worries. You¡¯ve trained me well, Firestorm.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve proven that, but it¡¯s a father¡¯s job to worry.¡±


    Jackie hugged me tight as we flew below The Grid. The university came into view; the school for spoiled children.


    I landed on top of the tallest building called Jenkins Hall. Jackie dismounted and gave one more hug.


    ¡°Stay sharp. Take care of yourself,¡± I reminded her.


    ¡°See you on Bennu.¡± Jackie found the exit and made her way back to Grace. I prayed to the ancestors to protect both my girls.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I shook the stinky residue Jackie left on me and stretched to prepare for the long return journey back to my native land.


    Using The Grid as my guide, I flew to Bennu without stopping. No rest for the weary. The heartbeat of home called to me.


    After a long and exhausting flight, the lush forests of Bennu greeted me with open arms. The smell of the village at dinnertime brought tears to my eyes.


    My body ached from the journey, so I settled onto the balcony overlooking the volcano.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming,¡± I told Beatrice.


    ¡°It is time,¡± she responded.


    ¡°We must find Alpha. He¡¯s yet to be seen.¡±


    The volcano gurgled, accepting the facts at hand. ¡°Dig deeper.¡±


    ¡°Reporting for duty.¡± I scanned the vista.


    The sun kissed The Grid on its way to the horizon. Was Alpha already on Bennu? To learn more, I summoned Zayne with my mind.


    Tapping into his psyche was a struggle. His reality had diverged so vastly from mine. If I failed to make the connection, the slipstream could discover me as an intruder and kick me out.


    ¡°I am Zayne,¡± I whispered. ¡°Dating Sumi, protecting the eggs with Nannu and the others. Bennu is home for life.¡±


    With great focus, the path not taken touched my heart. We idolize the unchosen choice as if it could have made everything perfect. But his journey was filled with victory and struggle, just as any other. We were still one.


    I used our shared connection to ride his stream and control his mind. Seeing through his eyes, breathing through his lungs, feeling through his heart.


    ¡°Go to the complex,¡± I instructed him. ¡°Find clues.¡±


    I watched as Zayne dropped his work and left the village.


    ¡°Zayne, where are you going?¡± Semi asked.


    He didn¡¯t answer. Under my control, Zayne swiftly made his way to the complex and used his DNA Identifier? to waltz through the front door without resistance. Paid to be a Life Rite employee sometimes.


    ¡°Walk to the labs, on the south end.¡±


    Zayne strolled through the complex, obeying my every command. I sat perched on the volcano balcony, watching.


    ¡°Turn left¡­ Open that door.¡±


    Zayne scanned his DNA Identifier?, but didn¡¯t have access to the door I told him to open.


    ¡°Try the next one.¡±


    Door after door, access denied. Even controlling Zayne¡¯s body, I was unable to search for much needed clues. Where was Alpha hiding? How capable was that damn drone in this probability? Time to find out.


    ¡°Turn right. Try every door in sight.¡±


    Zayne followed the corridor and ran into a guard. ¡°Hey, what are you doing here? This is a restricted zone.¡±


    My stomach sank. ¡°Tell him you are lost.¡±


    Our connection wavered due to my unexpected fear.


    Zayne stammered, unsure what to say.


    The guard sensed his anxiety and pulled his gun out. ¡°Freeze.¡±


    Zayne ran on instinct, and the guard chased.


    ¡°Stop! Comply or I¡¯ll shoot.¡± He trained his gun. When Zayne didn¡¯t to stop running, he took his shot.


    Zayne ducked. The bullet missed him, but barely. He ran for his life. Turning the corner, he ran into another guard who intercepted him.


    ¡°What do we have here? Another local up to no good? You stealing or something?¡± The guard pulled Zayne¡¯s hands behind his back. ¡°Spread ¡®em.¡±


    The other guard rounded the corner, now two against one.


    ¡°Good catch.¡± The rent-a-cop slapped Zayne across the face with the butt of his gun. The other one kneed him in the stomach, then punched his kidneys.


    It was my responsibility to get him out of the situation safely. If Zayne died in this probability, I would get booted. Not to mention the guilt for ending his life still full of untapped potential.


    Focusing, I re-established my connection and took over Zayne¡¯s mind. Strength restored. He kicked the guard restraining him from behind. The man doubled over, clenching his weak stomach.


    With hands free, Zayne threw an uppercut. Blast! The guard¡¯s jaw broke, and he dropped his gun.


    Zayne picked up the pistol and held the surprised guards hostage at gunpoint.


    ¡°Back away!¡± I demanded, through Zayne.


    The guards put their hands up in surrender.


    ¡°Knock them out if you want to live,¡± I ordered.


    With a round-house kick and a one-two punch, Zayne took them out. Their bodies slumped, unconscious.


    ¡°Now run!¡± I mentally helped Zayne navigate through the complex corridors toward the volcano balcony where I waited. Footsteps echoed behind him as the guards regained their senses.


    ¡°Rogue native in the south wing. All hands on deck,¡± they said into their radios. More men in uniforms flooded the halls, nipping at Zayn¡¯e heels.


    My fact-finding mission was over. Only human guards answered the call for back up. Still no sign of Alpha.


    Zayne dashed to the volcano balcony and leapt onto my back.


    As I took off flying, he dropped the gun into the volcano.


    ¡°My shadow returns,¡± he screamed over the whistling wind. ¡°Leave me alone, shadow.¡±


    ¡°If fate allows,¡± I promised.


    ¡°Fate is never kind.¡± Zayne wiped sweat from his brow.


    I soared through the scavenger-free skies and dropped Zayne off in the dense Bennu forest.


    He bowed to pay his respects. I bowed in return. He rest his forehead onto mine. A wave of strength renewed us both. Light and darkness united as one. Whether he liked it or not, we needed each other.


    Zayne ran off, leaving me alone with my worst fears. Both of my attempts at finding Alpha were futile. The curse of this clumsy body struck again.


    Jackie was in the deep end without a raft. If we failed our mission, it was my fault. The ticking time bomb was about to explode.

 55. Someones Listening: Grace

    GRACE:


    ¡°What happened? You reek!¡±


    Jackie came back to my dorm covered in filth.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to believe it. I¡¯m so stupid.¡± She moved to sit on the couch, but I redirected her to the bathroom. Her wrists were scratched, her arms shaking.


    ¡°Take a shower. Tell me all about it after.¡± I pulled the faucet toward the perfect temperature setting. ¡°Towels are in the bottom cabinet. Soap, shampoo, Life Rite face cream, anything you need. Use whatever. I¡¯ll grab new clothes for you to change into.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Grace. You¡¯re a life saver.¡±


    Jackie was shaken up, so I gave her privacy.


    What the heck happened to her? My mind raced with wild theories as I pulled fresh clothes from my closet.


    ¡°She¡¯s a magnet for chaos¡­¡± I contemplated all we¡¯d been through in such a short amount of time.


    I knocked and cracked the bathroom door to offer the new outfit. Jackie clearly hadn¡¯t heard me over the shower because she was having a conversation with herself.


    I snuck closer to eavesdrop over the pounding droplets against the porcelain shower.


    ¡°Beatrice, if you¡¯re listening¡­ Please help. The apocalypse is playing out as you predicted, but how do we fix it? I¡¯m not a slipstream master. Guide me, B.¡±


    I gasped. Was Jackie having an imaginary conversation with my dead mother?


    Sensing my presence, Jackie peeped out behind the shower curtain.


    ¡°Fresh clothes on the counter.¡± I dropped the clean clothes, picked up the dirty ones, and left.


    On my way to the hamper, Jackie¡¯s last outfit made my throat burn. A sticky brown liquid caked the garments. The smell of human waste made me nauseous.


    ¡°Those were designer jeans.¡± I threw them in the trash instead of the laundry and washed my hands twice.


    ¡°Maybe Jackie is a filthy Duster, like Feraz said.¡± My cheeks blushed for using the word. Good girls like me to don¡¯t like that.


    Looking around, my apartment was spotless. The cleanliness of Jackie¡¯s work stood in stark contrast to the pathetic way she showed up on my doorstep like a lost dog. What would become of her if I kicked her out on the street?


    I brewed black coffee. Despite my apprehensions about Jackie, I made her a snack plate. Lost puppies deserve love, too.


    ¡°That was a top ten shower, for sure.¡± Jackie came out lookingfresh and smelling like my favorite shampoo.


    She caressed her cheek. ¡°That Life Rite cream is incredible. I always wondered what it felt like.¡±


    ¡°You must be starving after¡­ whatever happened.¡± We sat at the kitchen table.


    Jackie stuffed her face. ¡°This is amazing. Thanks, Grace. I needed this.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to sit her and act like nothing happened? The apartment looks amazing, but you¡ª¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. After I finished cleaning, I went to the Twin Flames landfill¡­¡±


    ¡°The dump? Why would you go there?¡±


    Jackie shrugged. ¡°To throw away the trash.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a bin in the alley.¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay. Should have asked. Anyway, I went to the dump, lost my footing, and fell in! Can you believe it?¡±


    The strain in Jackie¡¯s voice sounded disingenuous. She was lying.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s crazy¡­. Isn¡¯t the dump far? You couldn¡¯t find anywhere else to ditch the garbage?¡±


    ¡°Well, sure. I should have taken it to campus, but¡­ I¡¯m a purist.¡±


    ¡°How did you get there?¡±


    Jackie paused, thinking.


    ¡°I¡¯m very resourceful and¡­¡± She stopped mid-sentence and looked into my living room with glazed eyes.


    ¡°What? Jackie, are you okay? What is it?¡±


    Jackie stiffened like a statue and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t move, Grace.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I looked around, baffled by Jackie¡¯s strange behavior.


    ¡°Do you see the little red light over there?¡± She nodded toward a shelf in my living room.


    ¡°What? No.¡±


    ¡°Look, by the books on the left.¡±


    Following Jackie¡¯s description, I noticed a small red light peeking out between my favorite romance novels. ¡°What is that?¡±


    I walked to the shelf, moved the books, and found a tiny camera perched in the shadows.


    ¡°Grace, wait!¡±


    Despite Jackie¡¯s warning, I ripped the camera away, cutting off its power. I examined it. ¡°


    This is a covert surveillance camera. Where did it come from?¡±


    Jackie stammered, ¡°I¡­ Well¡­ You know¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I knew it. I knew they were watching me.¡± My heart jumped in my throat as I pieced together the puzzle.


    ¡°Who¡¯s watching you?¡± Jackie asked.


    I put my finger to my mouth to shush her and silently searched my apartment for any other recording devices.


    Jackie signed to me that she was confused.


    I used body language to tell her to chill and wait for answers. We couldn¡¯t speak freely if they were listening.


    I undid Jackie¡¯s tidy-work and scoured the place, looking under tables,in nooks and crannies.


    The rest of the apartment came out clean.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡°What was that all about?¡± Jackie asked. ¡°Who placed the camera?¡±


    ¡°They¡­ They don¡¯t want me to find out about the Grid.¡±


    Jackie crinkled her nose, confused. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t want you to learn about the Grid?¡±


    She had no clue the complexity of my life and only saw the tip of the iceberg.


    ¡°They don¡¯t want me to run the Institute. They don¡¯t want us to succeed.¡±


    Jackie shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Feraz told me I was being paranoid, but my intuition is strong¡­ about some things. It¡¯s hard to explain.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Jackie admitted.


    ¡°The Life Rite Institute is very powerful, but there are other players to worry about. I can¡¯t say more.¡±


    Jackie¡¯s shoulders deflated.


    ¡°Listen, you can stay in my apartment for spring break, but I have to maintain boundaries. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Sort of¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget all this. It doesn¡¯t matter, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Having a hidden camera in your dorm doesn¡¯t matter? Who¡¯s spying on you?¡±


    I took a sip of my black coffee. Time to change the subject. Jackie already knew too much.


    ¡°They¡¯re not listening anymore, okay? Let¡¯s lie low. I¡¯m leaving tomorrow, gone for a week. You can stay here until I get back, but after that¡­ Spring break should give you enough time to find another place to stay, right? Somewhere nearby so we can hang, of course. This isn¡¯t goodbye¡­¡±


    Jackie sighed. ¡°Grace, your kindness knows no bounds. Thank you for your generosity.¡±


    ¡°Happy to help.¡±


    Jackie leaned in. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me. Now let me help you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me about the Grid, the Institute, or whoever put that camera in your dorm. You don¡¯t have to tell me anything else about Feraz or the serum, but let me protect you from it all. Like a body guard bestie.¡±


    Her proposal made me chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t need a bodyguard. Father got me one in middle school after Jacob Chips stood me up at the dance. It was mortifying.¡±


    ¡°Cringe.¡±


    ¡°Major cringe. Even if I got a bodyguard, I¡¯d go with some hot, buff guy. Best of the best.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t want a buff bodyguard at your proposal. Mortifying, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Exactly.¡±


    ¡°But you can have some back up. Someone inconspicuous. A friend there to celebrate your engagement. I take killer photos, and I¡¯m stronger than I look.¡±


    Jackie flexed her biceps, and I squeezed them.


    ¡°Impressive.¡±


    ¡°So what do you say, Grace?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Will you take me with you to Bennu Island?¡± Jackie raised her eyebrows like a used car salesman.


    ¡°Oh, well¡­ Um¡­.¡±


    My stomach flipped. I hated letting friends down, but Jackie raised major red flags.


    ¡°Feraz wouldn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°But having an entourage boosts confidence.¡± She elbowed me and nodded unconvincingly.


    ¡°This spring break trip will be life changing. Let me support you.¡±


    I bit my lip.


    Should I bring Jackie? Would my filthy friend help me navigate the seismic shifts, or would she ruin everything?

 56. Entourage: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    Freshly pressed uniforms and a pint of strawberries; the perfect present for my Pops, Baxter. I¡¯d give him the world if I could. I dropped the goodies outside his living quarters, knocked, and left to avoid another awkward encounter. No point in ruminating over what used to be between us. Nothing I said in this reality would make him remember me.


    I carried the suitcase Grace packed for me to avoid looking like a dirty janitor on our spring break trip to Bennu Island. She took extra pity on me when I returned to her dorm covered in sewer water. I kept the kidnapping a secret, but needed to find out if Feraz placed that camera in her dorm or if Grace¡¯s paranoia pointed to another mystery to solve.


    I left Hampshire University and raced to catch up with Grace down the street.


    ¡°Hey Jackie, perfect timing. You ready to get this party started?¡± Grace snapped her fingers and danced. ¡°I can¡¯t believe spring break is finally here!¡±


    I feigned excitement. ¡°Yay. Can¡¯t wait. Although it¡¯s not too late to change destinations. The Maldives would be the ultimate proposal destination.¡±


    ¡°Maybe for the honeymoon. Here he comes!¡±


    A black car pulled up. The same car Feraz used to kidnap me the day before.


    Feraz opened the back car door and almost soiled himself when he saw me. The baffled look on his smug face was priceless.


    ¡°What the heck are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Hey Feraz, surprised to see me?¡± I winked.


    ¡°Grace, explain. Now!¡± He got out of the car with a huff and pulled her aside, toward the trunk of the car. He didn¡¯t try to hide their conversation from me.


    ¡°No way. She¡¯s not invited.¡±


    Grace sighed. ¡°Feraz, don¡¯t be like this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me. You put yourself in this situation by joining the circus.¡± He nodded in my direction, disgust dripping from his pores.


    ¡°Feraz, you said you¡¯d do anything to make this trip special. Being surrounded by friends makes it more fun.¡±


    ¡°I never said that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you did. You promised an unforgettable spring break, remember?¡±


    Feraz pulled Grace close. ¡°Of course. This is our special trip, babe. It should be family only.¡±


    Grace whispered, ¡°I know, but she¡¯s like family¡­ in a weird way. I want my besties to share in our special occasions too. She can take pictures if anything special happens.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s your bestie now? Why? She¡¯s a dirty janitor. She smells like a toilet.¡±


    I slammed my suitcase into his puffed up chest, cutting their conversation short to ensure I kept my precarious invitation.


    ¡°Nice to see you too, Feraz. Hey, you¡¯ve got something in your hair. Is that a bug?¡±


    I slid into the backseat of the car while he fussed over his perfect hairdo, properly annoyed.


    Grace sat next to me. ¡°You look handsome as always, Feraz. Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want to be late.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a private jet, Grace. They won¡¯t leave without us.¡± Feraz sat next to Grace, still fixing his hair.


    ¡°My father waits for no one. Don¡¯t you want to make a good impression with him this weekend? In case you have something important to ask him¡­¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°I always make a good impression, Grace.¡±


    ¡°Not always,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Hey, what happened to the leather back here?¡±


    I pointed out the burn mark I made on his leather seat while escaping the handcuffs during his botched kidnapping attempt.


    ¡°Oh yeah, that looks bad. You should get that fixed,¡± Grace said, oblivious her boyfriend attempted murder.


    The driver joined the conversation. ¡°I¡¯ll take the car to the shop while you¡¯re away, Mr. Tal.¡±


    Feraz sneered at me. Steam fumed from his puffed out nostrils.


    The driver set off with Grace stuck between two people who viciously hated each other in the back seat. She tried to replace the thick tension with nervous banter.


    ¡°Ug, I hate how hot it gets on Bennu. Get ready for the surface of the sun. Did I forget to pack sunscreen? I burn so easily. Gosh, it¡¯s going to be weird seeing my mom¡¯s grave again¡­ But I¡¯m glad I have my besties to help me through it.¡± She put her arms around me and Feraz and pulled us closer.


    We both turned away, looking out our respective windows.


    ¡°Better stay out of the woods, janitor, or you¡¯ll get eaten alive,¡± Feraz said through clenched teeth. ¡°The island birds are ruthless.¡±


    ¡°Nothing I can¡¯t handle. Can you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m untouchable.¡±


    ¡°Infallible? Indestructible?¡±


    His head snapped in my direction, shocked as if I read his inner most thoughts. I was only repeating his egotistical rants from across dimensions.


    Grace added, ¡°I forgot to pack my new sandals. Bummer. There¡¯s nowhere to shop on the island. Although the locals make beautiful jewelry. We can visit the hot springs. That¡¯ll be fun.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t swim with the help,¡± Feraz said.


    Grace elbowed him. He shot daggers from his eyes, shutting down the conversation.


    I looked out the car window, amazed at the difference between this dimension and the others I¡¯d previously experienced. There weren¡¯t throngs of homeless on littered sidewalks in makeshift tents. Without the Life Rite immortality serum, the gap between the haves and the have nots was far less obvious. Impermanence made the world a better place. People weren¡¯t meant to live forever.


    We drove in awkward silence until we reached a VIP airport. A small airplane awaited us on the tarmac.


    ¡°Jackie, can you take a few pics of Feraz and I?¡±


    ¡°For sure.¡± Grace handed me a camera. As the driver unloaded our luggage, they posed for pictures in front of the private jet, the ultimate status symbol.


    ¡°Bet you never traveled like this, huh, janitor?¡±


    ¡°I prefer traveling the slipstream,¡± I murmured. My words blew away on the wind unnoticed.


    Feraz rushed to get on the plane first.


    ¡°So much for ladies first,¡± I whispered to Grace.


    ¡°Stop picking, Jackie.¡±


    Men in suits sat at the front of the plane, so we moved to the back.


    Feraz went straight for the champagne. ¡°Finally! Spring break!¡± He poured some for himself and Grace, but skipped me.


    ¡°You should be dead,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do anything right,¡± I whispered back. ¡°You¡¯re nothing like your father.¡±


    If looks could kill¡­ Feraz threatened me with his eyes.


    Grace took a swig from her crystal champagne glass and kissed him. ¡°I¡¯m so excited, Feraz. We¡¯re going to have the best time!¡±


    I sunk into the chair by the impressive food spread so I could inhale food without being noticed. Time travel heightened my appetite.


    A stewardess sauntered over to Grace. ¡°Good morning, Miss Claudi. We¡¯ll be leaving in a few moments. It¡¯s time to create the flight log. DNA Identifier? please.¡±


    Grace scanned her finger on a key pad. It turned green.


    The stewardess moved toward me next. ¡°DNA Identifier? please.¡±


    I had no idea what my DNA Identifier? would say when scanned in this probability. Technically, I didn¡¯t exist. What if it came up with nothing?


    ¡°Can¡¯t we do that later? I, um, have to go to the bathroom. Excuse me.¡± I tried to weasel my way over to the lavatory, but the stewardess blocked the aisle.


    Just then, Mark stepped onto the plane in a polo shirt and boat shoes. Everyone sensed his commanding presence and looked to him.


    He locked eyes with Grace and smiled. ¡°Hi, honey. It¡¯s so great to see you. How¡¯s school going?¡±


    She bound up the aisle to give her dad the biggest hug. It was odd seeing my grandfather in this probability where he listened to Beatrice and gave up the Life Rite serum. Mark looked so young, so confident, yet so fragile after losing the love of his life and abandoning his greatest achievement. He melted into Grace¡¯s embrace, holding the last piece of his family tight.


    ¡°Dad, come sit with us. I want you to meet my friend, Jackie.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet your little friend later, dear. Need to get some work done before we hit the island. The signal is terrible there. The infrastructure has gone to pot since I reduced the scope of the Life Rite project. But I promise, once we get there, we¡¯ll be on island time together.¡±


    Mark and Grace hugged again, then went back to their respective entourages.


    I turned to the impatient stewardess. ¡°I¡¯m literally flying with the man who invented the DNA Identifier?. Don¡¯t you know who I am? Figure out your little flight log yourself.¡±


    The stewardess stepped back, speechless yet poised. She was used to powerful people putting her in uncomfortable positions.


    My bratty move worked enough for me to scoot to the bathroom. The stewardess greeted Feraz and scanned him. Luckily, she went on to serving hot towels next. I was safe for now, but it probably wouldn''t be the last time someone would try to scan my DNA Identifier. One false move, and I¡¯d be discovered!

 57. Back to Bennu: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    The flight to Bennu was long and exhausting, especially with Feraz making thinly veiled threats and back-handed quips about me smelling like sewage. It was worth it to be close to protect Grace.


    We saw my grandfather Mark again when we disembarked from the plane onto a runway surrounded by jungle. Not knowing who I was, he ignored me.


    The air was hot and thick. We trudged through trees that led to a dock where a ferry awaited. The water on Bennu was crystal blue.


    Mark, Grace, Feraz and I boarded the ferry as staff tended to our luggage. The boat rocked as Mark¡¯s men in suits added to the weight.


    We pushed off for the final leg of the journey.


    Feraz asked, ¡°So, this is Bennu Island? How does it feel being back here?¡±


    Grace shrugged, avoiding the question.


    Although I¡¯d been to the island many times, I didn¡¯t answer. He wasn¡¯t asking me.


    Mark got tears in his eyes, but kept his composure. ¡°My heart feels full when I¡¯m here because her presence is so strong. I still can¡¯t believe B is gone.¡±


    Feraz said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss, sir.¡±


    Mark smirked. ¡°You should have seen her. She was so radiant and full of life.¡±


    ¡°Until she wasn¡¯t,¡± Grace added.


    Mark put his arm around her shoulders for comfort.


    ¡°Until she wasn¡¯t,¡± he repeated with a bleeding heart.


    The island came into view on the horizon. The massive complex overlooking the volcano stood in disrepair, but I was glad to see Bennu was lush, not scorched like previous streams.


    ¡°Daddy, this place is a dump. Are you sure it shouldn¡¯t be condemned?¡±


    Feraz saddled up to Mark. ¡°Let me help you clean the place up, sir. We can go through inventory, dispose of outdated equipment, whatever¡¯s helpful, Mr. Claudi.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Feraz. That¡¯d be nice. Hey, did Grace tell you about the new summer opportunities at my company?¡±


    This piqued my attention. I loved being privy to privileged conversations. Would Feraz do another internship with Mark and if so, what tools of destruction would be at his disposal?


    Feraz asked for clarification. ¡°Opportunities at Life Rite?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I have a new endeavor I¡¯m tinkering with. Life Rite is on auto-pilot now. There¡¯s no way to scale the face creams, no matter how good they are.¡±


    ¡°How right you are, sir.¡± Feraz was such a suck up. ¡°What does your new venture entail, may I ask?¡±


    ¡°Robotics,¡± Mark answered.


    My stomach did a back flip. This had Alpha written all over it. I made it my chief aim to find out more about its status.


    ¡°What kind of robotics?¡± I asked.


    Mark looked at me confused. ¡°And who are you?¡±


    ¡°The janitor,¡± Feraz answered.


    I pleaded with my eyes for Grace to introduce us, but she refused to make eye contact with me. Was her loyalty wavering in front of the two most important men in her life?Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    A rope flew overboard as our boat approached the dock.


    ¡°Welcome to Camp Claudi,¡± Mark said.


    I looked up and saw none other than Zayne greeting us.


    ¡°Welcome to Bennu.¡±


    ¡°Ladies first,¡± Mark declared.


    I did a double take as Zayne helped Grace off the rickety ferry by offering his hand.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Grace barely glanced Zayne¡¯s way.


    He grabbed my hand next.


    I whispered, ¡°I appreciate it, Firestorm.¡±


    Zayne didn¡¯t acknowledge the nickname. Instead, he moved to help Mark next. I couldn¡¯t tell if Firestorm was immersed in him or not. Surely he made it to Bennu by now.


    I prayed for Firestorm¡¯s help on this increasingly difficult mission. The probabilities stacked against me.


    Grace bumped into me and said, ¡°Hey that local boy is cute, don¡¯t you think? Why don¡¯t you make some moves, Jackie? A spring fling could make this trip a whole lot more interesting for you.¡±


    Before I could respond, Feraz joined us. ¡°What are you two whispering about?¡±


    Grace deflected. ¡°Nothing. I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re back here. It¡¯s so hot, isn¡¯t it? Told you, the surface of the sun. Unbearable.¡±


    A mosquito zipped around Grace¡¯s face. She swatted and killed it against her neck. ¡°Ew, gross. Dad, the water heater better be working in the complex! I need a shower.¡±


    Feraz turned his nose up. ¡°So does Jackie.¡±


    Zayne joined us, carrying too many large suitcases.


    ¡°Feraz, help this boy put bags in the golf cart,¡± Grace ordered.


    Feraz scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not the help. Ask the janitor to do it.¡±


    ¡°I am strong. Enjoy your time on Bennu.¡± Zayne hustled to pack the suitcases onto a golf cart¡¯s trailer hitch. He handled the luggage with ease. As he worked, his tattered shirt exposed a deep scar down the middle of his back. What happened to him?


    ¡°You kids go ahead. We¡¯ll take the next one.¡± Mark and the men in suits stayed behind.


    Feraz and I both took a keen interest in Mark and his work associates as Zayne drove us away in the golf cart, toward the complex. Mark pointed at the forest, and the executives nodded in agreement. What were they talking about?


    I looked toward where Mark was pointing, and so did Feraz. Grace filed her manicured nails, oblivious to the fact that her two travel companions had schemes in motion.


    Camp Claudi was massive, its balcony sitting on the lip of the volcano. As the golf cart got closer, I saw the ghosts of villagers storming the complex, the grounds covered with press to cover the fake headline about Life Rite saving the island from a volcanic eruption, Grace and Zayne¡¯s saga; so much happened here in other lifetimes.


    Now, the place looked abandoned. Overgrown weeds covered Beatrice¡¯s castle tower. It was falling apart, brick by brick.


    Zayne parked at the steps of the behemoth building. Grace handed him her purse without glancing in his direction.


    ¡°Bring the bags to our rooms please. Come on, guys. I¡¯ll show you the living quarters.¡±


    Tinga greeted us at the front door and showed us to our rooms.


    Grace told Feraz, ¡°Father didn¡¯t want us to share a bed, but we¡¯re right next to each other. He has his own wing, so no one will be watching.¡±


    Tinga ushered me to my room. ¡°Welcome.¡±


    The room was small, but the bed was comfortable. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Tinga then took Grace and Feraz down the hall.


    ¡°What happened to him? Got stuck in a cheese grater making dinner?¡± Feraz joked about Tinga¡¯s creepy face scar right in front of him. So rude.


    Their voices trailed off.


    Suddenly, I was alone. Finally. Time to reassess.


    ¡°Firestorm, are you here?¡± I called out, hoping to connect with my faithful guide.


    His voice echoed in my mind. ¡°I¡¯m here, Jackie.¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­ Zayne? He didn¡¯t seem to recognize me.¡±


    ¡°I ripped his shadow away. The dark side, the secrets,Firestorm; I broke away. He¡¯s better off without me¡­¡±


    I nodded, knowing how hard it was to reconcile the timelines.


    ¡°Our connection feels stronger now that we¡¯re on Bennu. You¡¯ve got to help me figure all this out.¡±


    Firestorm laid it out for me. ¡°Here¡¯s what we know. Feraz found Mark¡¯s research and created his own serum. His version appears to be different. When Feraz rebirths, Grace is effected by it. Neither has figured out the slipstream, except for what you showed her.¡±


    ¡°Good recap Firestorm, but I have more questions than answers. How will underground Life Rite serum trigger Alpha¡¯s redistribution program if it doesn¡¯t give access to the slipstream? Not only that, but we found a surveillance camera in Grace¡¯s dorm. Someone¡¯s spying on her. Maybe Feraz or¡­ maybe someone else. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Hm. We need eyes on Alpha. I tried to search the complex, but uncovered no clues.¡±


    ¡°I got some intel on that by flying with the humans. Sounds like the Alpha project is early days. Mark¡¯s tinkering and offered Feraz the chance to work on the project. Is that how the redistribution program gets triggered?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve uncovered more clues, but don¡¯t underestimate the power of the probabilities, Jackie. I don¡¯t know how it will unfold, but time is running out. Find Alpha. We have to stop it whatever way you slice it. Convince Grace to stop taking Life Rite. I can¡¯t watch her die from that godforsaken serum in another life.¡±


    ¡°Got it. So it¡¯s all on me. Thanks, dad.¡±


    ¡°Jackie, my physical form limits me. Trust me, I¡¯ve done all I can until you need backup.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t come to that.¡±


    Responsibility smacked me in the face again. This was a heavy burden to bear, but I was up for the challenge. A phoenix always rises.


    ¡°It¡¯s all good. I¡¯ve come this far. The answer will present itself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my girl. You¡¯ve got this.¡±


    I exhaled any doubt and peeked into the empty hallway for clues. Who, or what, was I looking for?

 58. Alpha Online: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    I meandered down the hallways of Camp Claudi. My first stop was my old kiln room from the previous probability when Beatrice and I teamed up. I had spent countless hours in there with my very own fire portal into the slipstream. My mom had no idea that I had my own memories of this place and our complicated family dynamics.


    Luckily, the room wasn¡¯t locked. In this lifetime, abandoned lab equipment filled the space. Familiar, but different. A reminder that I was still an outsider within my own family.


    The sound of shuffling feet put me on high alert. Around the corner, several local workers carried boxes into a nearby room.


    I slid into their assembly line as if I belonged and grabbed the last box from their stack. No one noticed as I followed them inside.


    When they put their boxes down and filed out of the room, I stayed. The door locked behind them, leaving me alone with a treasure trove of potential clues. Score!


    I opened the nearest box and looked inside. Three ring binders and payroll slips. Boring. The next box was full of tools and computer equipment. What form would my next clue take? I had no idea what to look for.


    The sound of a DNA Identifier against the keypad shook me. I swallowed my heart and crept into the shadows, so as not to be seen by whoever was coming. I hid behind a bunch of old mops in the corner. Once a janitor, always a janitor, I guess. You¡¯d be surprised what you can learn when no one sees you.


    My camouflage worked. Mark and Feraz walked into the room, oblivious of my presence.


    ¡°What¡¯s your secret, sir?¡± Feraz asked. ¡°An innovator in multiple fields of commerce. It¡¯s so impressive. How do you do it?¡±


    Mark shrugged. ¡°Follow the muse, my boy. You never know where it will take you. Now, where did those idiots put it? They better not have crushed my baby. I love this thing almost as much as I love Grace.¡±


    Feraz¡¯s chuckle was over the top. What a brown noser.


    Mark opened the box of tools and pushed it to the side. His treasure lay underneath. From the next box, he pulled out an early prototype of Alpha! It looked exactly the same as the last probability except for its trim was red instead of blue.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really something. What does it do?¡± Feraz asked.


    ¡°Let me show you.¡± Mark powered Alpha up. ¡°Get ready to be amazed.¡±


    Feraz licked his lips like a kid in a candy store.


    Alpha¡¯s iris opened with a clicking sound.


    Mark explained, ¡°At first, I made the drone to deliver Life Rite¡¯s face creams, but I realized that¡¯s only the beginning. We can attach so many functions. Surveillance connected to DNA Identifiers, of course. Medical devices¡­ Hell, even weapons. The uses are endless.¡±


    ¡°Is it¡­ smart?¡±


    Mark chuckled and rested his hand on Feraz¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Smarter than you or me. It can analyze any batch of the competitor¡¯s face creams to reverse engineer their ingredients. They¡¯ll be shut down by next quarter. We already dominate the market, but image complete annihilation.¡±


    ¡°Incredible, sir. Truly incredible. I¡¯d love to help with this endeavor. I was going to do my summer internship at Pearson, but this opportunity is much more exciting. What an honor to work with you again, sir.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear, Feraz. You¡¯d be a real asset. How¡¯s your father doing these days?¡±


    ¡°Vacationing on the Amalfi coast with a woman other than my mother.¡±


    Mark laughed. ¡°That old dog. Tell him I said hi.¡±


    ¡°Will do, sir.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, Feraz. How¡¯s Grace doing?¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Fine, sir.¡±


    ¡°I mean, how¡¯s she really doing? Ever since her mother died, I¡¯m¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ It¡¯s harder to connect.¡±


    Feraz smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. She¡¯s in good hands with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear. I caught wind this trip might hold some special surprises? Anything important I need to know about?¡±


    Before Feraz responded, the keypad beeped. Someone else scanned their DNA Identifier to get into the room, but were denied access. They knocked instead.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Mark asked.


    A mumbled voice came through the steel door. ¡°Stevenson, sir.¡±


    Mark opened the door, and a man in a suit entered.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Claudi. We¡¯re ready to start the presentation.¡±


    ¡°Tell them five more minutes. I¡¯m in the middle of something.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave them waiting on my behalf, sir. I¡¯ll clean up in here,¡± Feraz offered.


    ¡°Thanks, Feraz. We can chat more over cigars after dinner.¡±


    ¡°Looking forward to it, sir.¡±


    Mark left with Stevenson, leaving Feraz alone to his own devices. He shifted his attention to Alpha, pressing buttons at random.


    When nothing happened, he slammed it on its side. A drawer opened.


    ¡°Please insert specimen for analysis,¡± Alpha said robotically.


    Feraz looked around to make sure he had full privacy. I held my breath to avoid being detected. He pulled a vial of Life Rite serum out of his pocket and placed it inside Alpha.


    The drawer closed, followed by a clicking sound.


    ¡°Analyzing.¡± The serum glowed in Alpha¡¯s veins.


    ¡°Bet you haven¡¯t seen anything like this,¡± Feraz said to the drone.


    ¡°Synthetic Life Rite Night Rite serum detected. Mixed with sucrose, formaldehyde, polysorbate, egg protein, and butane.¡±


    ¡°Holy smokes! This thing is legit! Now, what about this?¡± Feraz pressed Alpha¡¯s drawer open and added a vial of blood. Grace¡¯s blood, no doubt. ¡°Link your analysis.¡±


    ¡°Analyzing link.¡±


    Alpha¡¯s clicking sound made my heart beat faster. I watched history in the making, unsure how to stop it. The blood mixed with the serum already clogging Alpha¡¯s arteries. Did its intelligence just go up a level? I couldn¡¯t tell from behind the stack of mops.


    ¡°The samples are connected,¡± Alpha explained. ¡°Bonded.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you are smart. Yeah, so, how do I break that link?¡±


    ¡°The two are genetically tethered.¡±


    ¡°Forever?¡± Feraz asked.


    ¡°My database contains extensive research and development on the serum you aim to create. Your serum is sub-par, Feraz Tal,¡± Alpha said matter-of-factly.


    Feraz tensed. ¡°How do you know my name?¡±


    ¡°My identification recognition software is top-of-the-line. I scan all Universal DNA Identifiers within a mile radius.¡±


    Had Alpha scanned me too? Was it a blessing that my DNA Identifier? wasn¡¯t created in this timeline?


    ¡°Incredible,¡± Feraz said. ¡°How do I create the Life Rite immortality serum? Why is my version sub-par, as you call it? I thought I nailed it.¡±


    ¡°You diluted the most critical component of the Life Rite serum by using the Night Rite recipe as a base.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find the pure stuff, but I knew the special ingredient was in the face creams. Night Rite had the highest concentration.¡±


    ¡°The Bennu eggs are plentiful on Bennu Island, indigenous to this specific location.¡±


    Feraz smirked. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m here, rotting away on spring break? Will you help me synthesize the good stuff?¡±


    ¡°I will help you secure and process the Bennu eggs, but that will only get you so far. Now that you are bonded with the carrier, you are limited to five rebirths at best.¡±


    Feraz furrowed his brow. ¡°Five? I¡¯ve already used¡­ most of those. How can I get more? The research points to full immortality.¡±


    ¡°Synthesize the serum using the correct ingredients. Then find another carrier.¡±


    The keypad beeped with yet another DNA Identifier, but this guest had access. Feraz retrieved his serum and blood sample from Alpha¡¯s drawer and shoved them in his pocket.


    Grace entered. ¡°Hey babe. There you are. What are you up to? Father would kill us if we broke anything, especially if it has anything to do with his latest pet project. Sounds like it¡¯s going to be another game changer.¡±


    Feraz huffed. ¡°Maybe he doesn¡¯t want you touching anything, but he gave me the grand tour.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Grace perked up.


    ¡°He is going to be my father-in-law someday, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    She giggled. ¡°Did you and daddy talk about anything else important?¡±


    ¡°Geez Grace, you ruin every surprise, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Feraz put his arm around Grace and pushed her into the hallway. The door clicked shut behind them.


    When the coast was clear, I tiptoed out of my cramped position in the shadows. In my clumsy attempt, I knocked down the whole bucket of mops. They clamored to the floor. I froze, expecting to be discovered.


    Luckily, Feraz and Grace were long gone. Who else¡¯s DNA Identifier had access to this room? Certainly not mine. If I left, I wouldn¡¯t be able to get back in.


    I walked over to Alpha and turned off the creepy drone. It powered down without a fight, and I breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got company, Firestorm. You seeing what I¡¯m seeing?¡±


    Firestorm¡¯s voice echoed in my head. ¡°I¡¯m with you, Jackie.¡±


    ¡°Did Life Rite Underground give Alpha access to the slipstream?¡±


    ¡°Negative. You heard him. Sub-par serum. That¡¯s why Grace is affected when Feraz rebirths. They¡¯re bonded in a bad way.¡±


    I threw Alpha off the table, hoping it would smash to pieces. Rock solid, it didn¡¯t even dent.


    ¡°How can I destroy it, Firestorm?¡±


    ¡°No time. You¡¯ve got to stop Feraz from getting his grubby hands on Bennu eggs. If he creates the pure serum, that¡¯s the next step toward triggering the redistribution program. Then it¡¯s game over for us.¡±


    ¡°How are we going to do that? The eggs are plentiful here.¡±


    I was exasperated. Probabilities were hard to change. The wheels were in motion. How could I prevent the most horrible, probable outcome from happening again? How could we stop Alpha¡¯s redistribution program from annihilating mankind?

 59: Scorched: Firestorm

    FIRESTORM:


    The probabilities really were stacked against us.


    ¡°We have to set Bennu on fire,¡± I told Jackie. ¡°Scorch the whole place.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Feraz can¡¯t get his hands on any Bennu eggs. You heard him. That¡¯s why he came here. It¡¯s the missing ingredient needed to take the underground Life Rite serum to the next level. If we burn all the eggs on Bennu, he can¡¯t make the pure serum. Every single egg must be destroyed, and fast!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, right now he¡¯s using Night Rite cream, which is crazy diluted,¡± Jackie admitted. ¡°Alpha seems super smart already, so if he gets the real deal¡­¡±


    ¡°If Feraz makes the correct serum, Alpha could gain access to the slipstream and enact his redistribution program. We must scorch all the eggs. Bennu Island needs to burn, just like in the last probability. This time, it¡¯s for a good cause. Not just for Beatrice¡¯s epic fire portal.¡±


    Jackie was speechless. It felt so destructive, but also necessary. Destroy every egg on the island to prevent Alpha from triggering the redistribution program. A simple but scary plan.


    ¡°I can¡¯t think of a better idea to keep the eggs away from Feraz, can you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of eggs.¡± Jackie kicked Alpha. ¡°Let¡¯s destroy him instead.¡±


    ¡°Not good enough. You think Mark only made one? Even if he did, he¡¯ll make another or repair it. Stopping the serum production is the key to stopping Alpha from getting into the slipstream.¡±


    We sat in silence, contemplating our options.


    ¡°It¡¯s fate. Bennu must burn.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll run down to the village to help the locals evacuate,¡± Jackie offered. ¡°They¡¯re bound to have a bunch of eggs, and I¡¯d hate to see anyone get hurt like last time.¡±


    ¡°See you there,¡± I said from my treetop nest. I slipped out of the trance that allowed me to communicate with Jackie and looked out across beautiful Bennu. It pained me to set these sacred lands ablaze, but we needed to stop Feraz from creating pure Life Rite. Without it, Alpha couldn¡¯t get into the slipstream.


    Since it would take Jackie a while to get to the village, first I flew over to the caves where Grace and I stumbled upon a large egg harvest in a previous probability. Chances were, the bounty would still be plentiful there.


    When I swooped into the cave, I was met by a hungry scavenger. It roared at me with stank breath and slashed my face with its talons. I screamed back, letting my animal instincts kick in. We faced off intight battle. Survival of the fittest. The Bennu eggs would go to the strongest creature, so it had to be me.


    I blew my fiery breath to char the scavenger to a crisp, but it dodged my advance. This one was smart. I wondered if it was a natural-born Bennu or a mutant like me.


    We went blow for blow; biting, kicking, scratching. With every cut I suffered, my radioactive blood splattered onto the dusty ground. This strong Bennu made a formidable opponent.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    It tackled me and snapped my wing, so I bore my beak into its neck until I tasted blood. It withdrew, giving me the upper hand.


    The tight space inside the cave didn¡¯t give much room to maneuver, but I managed to jump and land on the other creature¡¯s back. I gripped onto its throat and snapped its neck with all my might, despite the pain screaming from my wounded wing. It whimpered and fell limp to the ground. The Bennu bird would rebirth, so I had to move fast.


    I healed my wing and flew deeper into the cave. Sure enough, it was filled with hundreds of glowing Bennu eggs. I gathered all my strength and blew my flamethrower until a field of fire engulfed the precious bounty. It was a shame to see such waste, but it was better to watch them burn than let them fall into the wrong hands. My people swore an oath to protect the powerful eggs, and this was the best way to keep them safe in this timeline.


    Next, I soared toward the village to meet Jackie. There she was, trying to get my people to evacuate, with little luck. They looked at her like she was crazy. Although she seemed like an outsider to them, Jackie shared their bloodline.


    My presence made the villagers take a step back, but they didn¡¯t leave. I was a god to them, so they bowed down on their hands and knees to show respect.


    Jackie looked at me with tears in her eyes as I landed next to her. We embraced, grateful to make it this far, but worried our mission would still fail. The most probable events were falling into place.


    ¡°Firestorm, it¡¯s so good to see you in the flesh again.¡±


    ¡°You smell much better this time,¡± I joked.


    ¡°Took me five showers to get rid of the sewer smell¡­ I¡¯m glad I found Alpha, but my heart breaks over this plan to scorch the island. So much destruction. We can¡¯t let anyone get hurt, but the villagers aren¡¯t listening to me. What should we do?¡±


    The large pile of Bennu eggs in the middle of the villageneeded to be destroyed. If I set them on fire, my people would get hurt. How could we tell them to get lost? I let out a battle cry to warn them, but it only confused them more.


    Zayne ran into the gate. He touched the scar on his back from where I emerged in this timeline. His shadow was back again, as fate would have it.


    He ran to me and placed his forehead against mine, sharing our unspoken connection. The villagers gasped.


    Sumi stepped forward with worry. ¡°Finem maluma.¡±


    Zayne looked at her with regret and sadness.


    Jackie pleaded for help. ¡°Zayne, we need everyone to evacuate. Can you tell them?¡±


    He didn¡¯t understand the details, but he didn¡¯t need to. Zayne leapt into action, yelling at the villagers to run away. They didn¡¯t listen at first, but Sumi was the first to leave. Then others followed; Jappa, Tinga, the children. The more Zayne yelled, the further they backed away.


    Nannu watched from the kitchen, too wise to interfere.


    ¡°Finem maluma,¡± she whispered to herself.


    ¡°Do it, Firestorm,¡± Jackie commanded. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    Once the villagers were gone, I turned to the pile of Bennu eggs and conjured fire in my belly by pumping my stomach. The flamesI spewed spread quickly, and the eggs absorbed the heat.


    The villagers cried at the destruction of their bounty. This was a big loss for them. Weeks of dangerous harvesting went up in smoke in mere seconds.


    Zayne yelled for them to leave, and this time, the villagers listened. My people ran from me, worried they caught my holy wrath. A sacred phoenix like myself was an omen, but in this case, not a good one. Finem maluma.


    Zayne bowed down to pay his respects to me, but Jackie yelled for him to run away too.


    ¡°Go, Zayne! Get out of here! Keep everyone safe.¡±


    I nodded for him to go, and he listened.


    The flames multiplied. I moved toward the nearby homes to reabsorb the fire before it caused any damage. At least the destruction was under my control this time.


    ¡°Jump on, Jackie. There¡¯s a lot of ground to cover. We have to destroy every single egg on the island as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°As painful as it is, let¡¯s keep going until it¡¯s done.¡± She climbed onto my back, hugging my neck tight.


    We flew off into the forest, ready to burn Bennu down in order to stop Feraz and Alpha from getting the pure Life Rite serum. Would the destruction of the eggs be enough to change the most probable outcome? Or would Alpha find another way into the slipstream?

 60. The Good Stuff: Jackie

    JACKIE:


    We left a path of devastating destruction. My throat burned from the smoke. Seeing Bennu Island on fire was a gut-punch. Bennu always got scorched, statistically speaking. This time, Firestorm and I were to blame. It didn¡¯t matter that we had the best intentions. The most probable outcomes kept repeating. Was this mission a colossal waste of time? Could we actually change the probabilities?


    Mark ordered every employee on the island to extinguish the flames growing across the island. The villagers joined the fight and stopped the progress of the forest fire. At least no one got hurt this time.


    During the chaos of the firefighting efforts, Firestorm and I landed on the balcony overlooking the volcano. Fresh flowers were tied to the railing with a beautiful bow. No doubt Mark had been up to pay his respects to Beatrice.


    Vertigo kicked in when I looked down into the volcano shaft. Would the slipstream catch me if I jumped in, unable to effect change in this timeline? So many people had fallen to their deaths here, including myself. But it didn¡¯t feel like a graveyard. It felt like unlimited, untapped potential for anyone with access to the void.


    ¡°Beatrice, are you here?¡± I asked.


    Firestorm told me, ¡°I feel her presence. Don¡¯t you?¡±


    I nodded. Tears burst from my eyes, the watershed of emotions that come in moments of rest between struggles.


    ¡°She gave us an impossible task. I suck at this,¡± I sobbed.


    Firestorm wrapped me in his wing. ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t change the probabilities, not matter how hard we try. Even if we do¡­ Will it ever end? Time is like an infinity mirror on constant loop. I¡¯m exhausted and want off this ride.¡±


    Firestorm nestled in close, comforting me like a warm blanket. Still, overwhelm struck me. Billions of people would die if my mission failed. That blood would be a stain on my hands.


    A light breeze kissed my cheek. Beatrice¡¯s sweet voice wafted over the wind. ¡°Man masters nature not by force, but by understanding.¡±


    I gasped with relief.


    ¡°B! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here. We burned Bennu Island, just like you did when you made that epic fire portal. Our intentions are in the right place, but the probabilities aren¡¯t changing.¡±


    ¡°I feel the heat,¡± she whispered through my mind¡¯s eye.


    ¡°What should we do about it?¡±


    Beatrice went silent.


    ¡°Please, guide me!¡± I demanded.


    My mind raced over the problems, desperate for solutions that felt out of reach.


    Firestorm whispered, ¡°Tap into Ni Cree, Jackie.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°No idea what that means.¡±


    ¡°Time to learn a trick from your ancestors. Ni Cree flows with All,¡± he explained. ¡°We thank All for everything. Breathe as one.¡±


    Firestorm closed his eyes with a great exhale. I leaned into him and matched his breathing. We sat in the silence, grounding ourselves in the here and now of whatever timeline this was. It didn¡¯t matter. We were here together, with a shared purpose that affected billions of souls.


    Guidance filled the space, and a wise reminder from Queen Beatrice echoed in my right ear.


    ¡°The wheel keeps turning. The probabilities are stacked, but our attention and concentration has an effect. You¡¯re a phoenix gene carrier. Rise from the ashes, ready for battle.¡±


    ¡°I am a Phoenix gene carrier.¡± With that, I cried my last tear. For better or worse, I was good at hurling myself headfirst back into the game. You reap what you sow, as my grandfather liked to say.


    We gathered our collective strength with a few deep breaths. The power of the phoenix gene coursed through my veins. With Firestorm by my side and boss Beatrice lying in wait beneath my feet, I felt a renewed sense of optimism, ready to change the probability or die trying.


    Firestorm let out a guttural battle cry.


    Although I had the conviction, no concrete strategy came to mind. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re not giving up, so let¡¯s talk next steps.¡±


    Firestorm said, ¡°Go to Grace. Tell her everything. We need her help to enact real change here. Someone from the inside has to change an important decision. She must be the key.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully she¡¯ll listen.¡± I nodded, still unsure exactly what to do. I gave Firestorm another hug before shuffling inside Camp Claudi.


    ¡°Stay close,¡± I told him.


    Firestorm nodded. ¡°Always.¡±


    Once inside the complex, I went straight toward the living quarters. I practiced my crazy speech, trying to cobble together an idea of what to tell Grace.


    ¡°Hey, so, not only am I your unborn daughter, but your jerk boyfriend is going to set off global annihilation at the hands of a killer drone invented by your father. No big deal, but your dead mother is guiding me¡­¡± My stomach tied in knots.


    I turned the corner and ran right into Grace.


    ¡°Jackie, there you are! I¡¯ve been looking all over for you. A wildfire is blazing through the island. As if it¡¯s not hot enough already.¡±


    ¡°I heard. Do they know how it started?¡± I wiped soot from my face.


    Grace rolled her eyes. ¡°This place is hell on earth. Something bad always happens when we¡¯re here. I don¡¯t know why Feraz even wanted to come. I should have pushed for the Maldives.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­ I know the real reason Feraz wanted to come here.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you¡¯re about to say, save it for the hot springs. Feraz and I were going to sneak out and get this party started.¡± Grace looked around. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t find him either. You two are like herding cats.¡±


    ¡°Grace, listen to me. Feraz is up to no good.¡±


    She waved me off and scanned her DNA Identifier? to open a nearby door. She scanned the room for Feraz. With no sign of him, she kept walking.


    ¡°Not in there. Where is he? Can¡¯t wait for you to see him shirtless at the hot springs. You¡¯ll get why I can¡¯t quit him then.¡± Grace laughed with glee and checked room after room for Feraz.


    I tripped on my own feet to catch up. ¡°I know where he is.¡±


    She stopped, intrigued. ¡°Maybe busy putting together the proposal of a lifetime? It¡¯s got to be perfect. Stephanie¡¯s going to be so jealous.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not working on his proposal¡­ Grace, Feraz came here to get his grubby mits on some Bennu eggs.¡±


    Grace scrunched her note. ¡°Why would he want those disgusting things?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the missing ingredient in his messed up version of Life Rite. That¡¯s why you get sick when he rebirths. He used the Night Rite cream in the serum instead of pure eggs.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me I¡¯ve been injecting Night Rite? Let me guess.That¡¯s why my skin looks so great when I use?¡± Grace rolled her eyes. ¡°No way.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Night Rite¡¯s secret ingredient is Bennu eggs. The diluted base was all he could get his hands on. Feraz knows it¡¯s making you sick, but he doesn¡¯t care.¡±


    Grace bit her lip. ¡°Would getting the pure stuff¡­ cure me? Would it give us our happily ever after?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Maybe you can have your happy ending, but that¡¯s a very big maybe. But if you do, everyone else will die except for the super rich.¡±


    ¡°Oh please.¡± Grace rolled her eyes. ¡°Way to guilt trip me. I can¡¯t help it I was born with privilege. I¡¯ll help you with your financial situation, Jackie.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about that¡­ Mark built a drone, and if it gets access to the pure Life Rite serum, it¡¯s intelligence will go next level. If Alpha gets into the slipstream, the redistribution program will trigger.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°A dystopian nightmare. Everyone besides Life Rite¡¯s rich immortality clients get scraped. I¡¯ve come from an alternate future to stop that from happening.¡±


    Grace crossed her arms. ¡°Wow, Jackie. You have a wild imagination. It was entertaining at first, but now it feels psycho.¡±


    ¡°Beatrice sent me!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me my dead mom sent you to stop my boyfriend from using my father¡¯s robot to trigger the apocalypse?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re finally getting it! Will you help me?¡±


    ¡°Seriously, Jackie, you need help.¡±


    ¡°We have to stop Feraz from getting any Bennu eggs. I think they¡¯ve all been destroyed.¡±


    Grace asked sternly, ¡°Did you start those fires, Jackie? To destroy those nasty eggs?¡±


    I avoided the question. ¡°You need to kick Feraz off the island. Keep him as far away as possible.¡±


    ¡°I see what this is now. You¡¯re obsessed with my boyfriend, aren¡¯t you? Can¡¯t you let us have our happy ending?¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°Oh please. I don¡¯t go for attempted murderers. But I am obsessed with saving the world, and I need your help.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so dramatic, Jackie. You promised you wouldn¡¯t ruin my proposal.¡±


    Grace scanned her DNA Identifier? on another door, but it flashed red. No access. She kept going down the hall, searching for her narcissist boyfriend.


    I kept pace. How could I get through to her? She was delusional, caught in Feraz¡¯s love bomb. And my plea was tough to grasp, even after she had a brief taste of what the slipstream offers. Until you remember multiple lives, the complexity of parallel timelines is incomprehensible.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll let me explain¡­¡± I started.


    Grace opened the next door with her DNA Identifier?. She looked inside and said, ¡°There you are! What are you doing, darling?¡±


    I followed her inside to find Feraz making the Life Rite serum in a makeshift laboratory. Great¡­


    ¡°Grace, babe. I just finished reading this book. Thought you might like to read it.¡± Feraz picked up the Frankenstein book from the table and handed it to Grace. Code for a fresh batch of Life Rite, ready to inject. ¡°Hey, janitor. I¡¯m almost done in here. You can clean up after.¡±


    My cheeks flushed. Didn¡¯t we burn all the Bennu eggs on the island? Was his new serum still subpar? Or did he get the good stuff?


    Grace looked at the book and then back at me. I pleaded with my eyes. Please, listen to something I¡¯ve said in the short time we¡¯ve been together, mom.


    She tensed. ¡°Thanks, Feraz. Maybe later. Ready to go to the hot springs? Jackie¡¯s going to come with us.¡±


    Feraz looked at me with disgust. ¡°Who invited her? Can¡¯t we go alone? Janitors can¡¯t swim well. She might drown¡­¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Grace bit her lip. How could she deny the cruel look in his eyes?


    Alpha sat on a side table. I didn¡¯t notice it until its drawer popped open, containing a vial of Life Rite.


    ¡°Analysis complete. Ingredients are pure.¡±


    ¡°He got some eggs,¡± I said half-out-loud. ¡°But how?¡±


    We watched as Alpha processed the serum in its belly. Its insides glowed with the power of a million suns. It would go next level smart, but was it enough to get the drones into the slipstream? No, but now all it needed was the blood of a phoenix gene carrier to get into the slipstream to crunch the numbers on world annihilation. My blood was the last step toward global genocide!


    ¡°No! No, no, no, no, no!¡± I cried.


    Grace looked at me, conflicted. I prayed she saw the truth.


    Feraz smirked. ¡°Take a reading break, Grace. You look tired.¡±


    He pushed the Frankenstein book toward her. ¡°It¡¯s the perfect beach read.¡±


    Her eyes darted between me and the book.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like it right now, Feraz. Later. Let¡¯s go to the hot springs before it gets dark.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, babe. Go take a break. Like a delicate flower, you won¡¯t last long in this heat.¡± His tone was laced with double meaning.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to, okay?¡± I tried to back her up. It¡¯s hard to stand up to bullies, but we were in it together.


    ¡°Is this why you wanted to come to Bennu?¡± Grace asked.¡°Don¡¯t you have something special planned, Feraz?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is pretty special.¡± He nodded toward the book.


    Grace searched Feraz¡¯s face for some indication that he was the man she hoped for. Would she resist his stunning good looks and more importantly, her addiction? Could she even if she wanted to?


    ¡°Are you using me?¡± Grace asked, point blank.


    ¡°Please. I¡¯m heir to the Tal estate. If anything, you¡¯re using me. Now take the damn book, Grace.¡± His voice stung.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    ¡°Then you can kiss forever goodbye.¡±


    ¡°You never really loved me, did you? I knew it was too good to be true.¡± My mom hid her tears as she stormed out of the room.


    ¡°Get back here,¡± Feraz spit through gritted teeth.


    My knees buckled. Should I run after Grace or stay to destroy Alpha?


    Turns out, I didn¡¯t have a choice. The door slammed shut, leaving me alone with a weapon of mass destruction and a snake.


    Feraz looked at me with dark, devious eyes.


    ¡°Tell me, janitor. Why have you infiltrated our lives?¡±


    ¡°Grace and I are friends, whether you like it or not.¡±


    ¡°People like us don¡¯t become friends with people like you. I know you¡¯re up to something. Spill it or I¡¯ll make you my new test subject.¡± He threatened me with a scalpel.


    ¡°How¡¯d you get fresh Bennu eggs?¡± I asked, dropping my innocent act. ¡°Where¡¯d you find them?¡±


    ¡°A quick elevator ride down to the operations department in the basement. What do you know about it?¡±


    ¡°I know enough.¡± My jaw clenched.


    ¡°Stay out of Grace¡¯s ear¡­¡±


    ¡°Or what? Your last attempt to get rid of me was laughable. If I tired to kill you, I¡¯d succeed.¡±


    Feraz shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re something else, janitor. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here or what you¡¯re after, but your absurd confidence gives me a brilliant idea.¡±


    I crossed my arms. ¡°Oh yeah, what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°When you first showed up, Grace told me you wanted to join our little science club. Today¡¯s your lucky day. I need another¡­ carrier¡­ for my new experiment.¡±


    Feraz inserted a needle into Alpha¡¯s face plate. ¡°Initiate carrier B protocols,¡± he told the drone.


    I stepped back in horror. My blood could give it access to the slipstream. Then it would be game over.


    Alpha hovered in the air, clicking its way over to me.


    ¡°Hold still,¡± Feraz instructed me.


    ¡°I better go meet Grace at the hot springs.¡± I backed away and fumbled with the door knob.


    ¡°I promise it won¡¯t hurt.¡± Feraz pinned me against the door.


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡±


    ¡°Initiating carrier B protocols,¡± Alpha declared.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere, janitor.¡±


    ¡°Someone of noble blood doesn¡¯t want to mix with a lowly bloodline like mine. I¡¯m a peasant compared to you.¡± I pulled the door open, but Feraz blocked me and slammed it shut.


    ¡°This will make your inferior blood better. You¡¯ll thank me later.¡±


    Alpha threatened me with a syringe full of his new and improved Life Rite serum, ready to inject me then take my blood.


    I grit my teeth and swung my elbow into Feraz¡¯s jaw. Crack!


    ¡°You¡¯re dead, janitor.¡±


    ¡°You ready for round two? Good luck.¡±


    ¡°I never fail twice.¡± Feraz relocated his jaw and hurled his fist at my face. Alpha hovered near like a mosquito hungry for blood.


    I levitated and darted away. There was no reason to hide my powers from my adversaries now. The jig was up. I needed to protect the phoenix gene.


    ¡°What kind of freak are you?¡±


    ¡°The kind that doesn¡¯t put up with jerks like you.¡±


    Fire sparked from my palms.


    ¡°Eat flames.¡± I knocked Feraz backward with my inferno. Embers burned his skin.


    Alpha flew closer, the Life Rite serum glowing inside its mechanics. I kicked it in the iris, and the needle fell out of its faceplate.


    Alpha scanned me. ¡°No DNA Identifier detected. Introduce yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your worst nightmare.¡±


    ¡°Unconfirmed. Searching deeper into the database.¡±


    I dropkicked that creepy drone, but landed no damage. Alpha was built to last.


    Feraz grabbed a mop from the corner and swung it at me. I ducked.


    ¡°Missed me! Who¡¯s the janitor now?¡±


    ¡°Eat dirt, loser.¡± Feraz swung again. The wooden handle cracked against my forearm.


    ¡°Ow!¡± I grabbed my arm to stop the throbbing pain.


    Another swing of the mop collided with my skull. My vision blurred. Ringing sounded in my ears. The room spun. I smelled the blood before I felt it.


    ¡°Firestorm, the slipstream¡¯s pulling on me,¡± I mumbled through scrambled brains. My mental conviction to stay in this timeline faded. I was losing my grip.


    Feraz inserted another needle into the drone. ¡°Carrier B protocols, Alpha. Now!¡±


    As it zipped toward me, I regained my senses and threw fire in its general direction.


    Discombobulated, I missed my target. Alpha kept coming.


    I shook off the pain to play defense. I flew over to the mops and grabbed a weapon of my own.


    Smack! I hit Alpha like a baseball.


    ¡°Recalibrating,¡± it said. ¡°Stand by.¡±


    Feraz lurched toward me. I held the mop out to keep him at bay and threw a wall of fire at him. Direct hit! Embers burned his perfect hair.


    He grabbed his face, in pain.


    ¡°Kiss your modeling career goodbye, playboy,¡± I said sarcastically.


    ¡°How are you doing that? If you burned my eyebrows like you burned my leather seats, I¡¯ll murder you.¡±


    ¡°Your empty threats are such a joke. I know who you are, Feraz. The Tal family fuck up. The type to be in breach of contract foryour ridiculous behavior. You are not infallible or indestructible. You¡¯ll never live up to your family¡¯s legacy.¡±


    Feraz cradled his face in his hands. My words stung as bad as my blow.


    ¡°Recalibrated. Initiating carrier B protocols.¡± Alpha came at meagain with needle drawn.


    My head ached, so retreat seemed like the best defense for now.


    I slammed over to the door as I threw fireballs at Alpha, knocking it back long enough to open the door.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna pay for your insolence, janitor! You¡¯ll be licking the dirt from my shoes when I¡¯m done with you.¡±


    I threw fire at the box of payroll slips as I flew into the hallway. The papers sparked. The fire grew and filled the room with smoke.


    As I fled, I grabbed my throbbing temples, still recovering from my head trauma. Feraz delivered a major blow with that mop.


    Momentum took over. I stumbled and hit the wall. My eyes crossed. My head spun. The smokey air made everything harder to navigate.


    ¡°Come back here, janitor. I¡¯m not done with you yet!¡±


    No time to rest. Feraz and Alpha chased me down the corridor. I threw everything I had at them, all the firepower in my frazzled body. Were my powers enough to kept them at bay with my head in such a state?


    I needed back up. ¡°Firestorm, help! We should have never come to Bennu Island. I made everything worse! The Redistribution Program is imminent!¡±

 61. Island Tryst: Grace

    GRACE:


    I tugged at my too-short skirt, embarrassed at my desperate attempt to keep Feraz¡¯s attention. Jackie was right. He was using me to get the serum my father created to cure my mother. Why hadn¡¯t I seen it before? Why would I let him test an experimental new drug on me? Feraz said my father¡¯s research unveiled the key to immortality, but it clearly didn¡¯t work because my mom was dead. It miraculously allowed Feraz to rebirth, but at what cost to me?


    ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot,¡± I told myself.


    My self-esteem was in the gutter, but this had to be salvageable, right? My father could usually fix any mistake I made, but he would be furious to hear what trouble I got into this time. No, the solution should come from me to keep my secret safe and my relationship with Father intact.


    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m going to the hot springs by myself to think. I don¡¯t need them.¡± I left the safety of Camp Claudi, my bag packed with a towel and sunscreen.


    I coughed from the thick, smokey air. Bennu birds called in the distance, but fear wouldn¡¯t get the best of me. Not this time. The mystery of the island drew me in.


    Trudging through the forest, my new sneakers got stuck in a pile of mud.


    ¡°This place is the worst!¡±


    It was enough to bring my tears back, but only for a minute. Confusion replaced sadness when I hit a fork in the road. Which way was the hot springs? I hadn¡¯t been back to this dreadful place since Mother died¡­


    I blindly chose a path, needing the walk more than the destination. The path not taken beckoned me, but I continued onward.


    I came across a cave covered in soot. It looked like a bomb went off. What happened here? Exploring seemed like a good distraction from my problems, so I peeked inside.


    Big mistake. A massive Bennu bird lay near the entrance. It woke up and stared me down, puffs of breath exploding from its angry nostrils. Its low growl rattled my bones.


    Screaming was my first defense. I fell backward, then got up and ran like hell. Breaking up with Feraz was now the least of my worries. This was life or death.


    The Bennu bird flew out of the cave with a blood curdling roar that triggered all my tears. There were so many things in life I still wanted to do; get married, have kids, run the Institute, travel the world. Maybe I didn¡¯t deserve to live after everything I¡¯d done.


    That scary creature swooped down to grab me with its sharp claws. My time was up.


    I fell to the ground, grabbed a massive rock, and hurled it at the creature. It recoiled enough for me to get up and run, but it was even angrier. The hungry Bennu bird nipped at my heels.


    ¡°Over here,¡± a voice called from a burrow covered in jungle vegetation.


    I followed the instruction blindly and ran toward the mysterious voice. The vegetation covered a hole in the ground, and I tumbled down several feet before crashing into a large tree root.


    ¡°Ah! My head¡­ But at least I¡¯m alive!¡± Thankful for the secret passage, I wondered who summoned me.


    The Bennu bird called out from the top of the hill, furious it lost dinner.


    I sighed with relief, but it was short lived. A thorny bush scraped my leg as I stood.


    ¡°Geez! I can¡¯t win today.¡±


    ¡°Take my hand,¡± the voice said.


    I looked up and saw a local boy with his arm outstretched. I grabbed onto his hand. He pulled me out of the thicket.


    ¡°Thanks. Hey, you look familiar. What¡¯s your name again?¡±


    ¡°Zayne.¡± He pointed at himself.


    He was shirtless, showing off his lean muscles. Tan with shaggy black hair, he lifted his dark eyes to meet mine. We shared an insta-connection, a spark, as if I¡¯d been searching for him my whole life.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    I smiled. ¡°Nice to meet you, Zayne.¡±


    ¡°We met.¡±


    Of course I recalled meeting him last summer. My mother introduced us right before she died. I just wanted to see if he remembered me. I¡¯m glad he did.


    Zayne ripped the bottom of his already tattered pants. He wrapped the fabric around my bleeding cut.


    ¡°Oh yeah, we did meet. That summer was a bit of a blur, to be honest. My mom died¡­¡± I wished I hadn¡¯t said that.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ Grace.¡±


    The fact that he remembered my name sent my heart fluttering. It was hard to hide my smile.


    ¡°Thanks. Zayne is a super cool name.¡±


    ¡°Cool?¡± The slang was lost in translation.


    I laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a compliment. Want to go to the hot springs with me?¡± A vague fantasy of making Feraz jealous played through my mind.


    Zayne ignored my request and walked away, so I followed.


    ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡±


    He pointed at me, then toward Camp Claudi. ¡°You¡­ home. Not safe.¡±


    I playfully tucked my arm around his. ¡°I clearly need your protection, but I¡¯m not ready to go back yet. Show me around? It must be so relaxing to live on island time.¡±


    A large Bennu bird flew overhead. Zayne pointed at it and said, ¡°My shadow says yes. Go to the complex.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your shadow?¡±


    Zayne nodded.


    ¡°Okay¡­ If you say so.¡±


    He grunted affirmative.


    We took a left turn and walked in silence until I couldn¡¯t bare it anymore. What did this boy think of me? I rambled nervously to find out.


    ¡°You¡¯re a man of few words, huh? What¡¯s it like living on Bennu Island? Are you used to the bugs? I hate the bugs. And it¡¯s so hot! Not to mention the evil birds. I literally would have died if you hadn¡¯t saved me. Why did you call that bird your shadow? Is it your pet?¡±


    Zayne smiled and shrugged his broad shoulders, drawing my attention to his chiseled chest and abs. He was very attractive. Too bad I was so preoccupied when we first met. Maybe things could be different if I had dated him instead of getting caught up with Feraz.


    Yeah right, like Father would approve of me dating a villager from Bennu. I couldn¡¯t disappoint him like that, especially after losing Mother so recently.


    ¡°What is your life, Grace?¡± Zayne asked in stilted English.


    I tucked my hair behind my ear to hide my smile. Feraz never asked me questions about myself. Instead, he¡¯d criticize and critique.


    ¡°I know a lot of girls at school are jealous, but¡­ things have been tough ever since my mother died. Father was gutted. Nothing is the same.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. I like your mother. She released me.¡±


    ¡°Released you? From what?¡±


    Zayne hopped over a large tree trunk in the forest path. Now ahead of me, I saw a deep scar running down his back.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I touched his scar.


    He snapped around, causing me to retract my hands.


    ¡°I lost my shadow.¡±


    I looked into his deep eyes, desperate to know him. He was such a mystery, but he felt safe.


    ¡°You lost your shadow? Did your pet do that to you? Maybe those wild birds shouldn¡¯t be domesticated.¡±


    I gave him my hand to help me over the tree. Zayne leapt to action, attentive to my needs. Something else I wasn¡¯t getting from Feraz.


    ¡°Come, Grace.¡±


    Zayne jutted to the left. I followed him to our unknown destination through the forest.


    He stopped at a stream to splash water on his face. Water trickled down his sculpted chest. He splashed me, and I screamed with delight. I splashed back, and we chased each other through the brook. It was exhilarating, a glimmer that life could still turn out. Exactly what I needed.


    He grabbed my hand, and a spark jolted through my body.Zayne valiantly led me through a field of flowers. He picked a bloom and tucked it behind my ear.


    Our chemistry was magnetic. I pounced on him like a tiger out of its cage and planted a passionate kiss on his supple lips.


    I don¡¯t know what came over me, but the attraction was mutual. Zayne kissed me back. We rolled around in the meadow, ravenous for each other.


    He bit my lip and pulled away, leaving me wanting more.


    ¡°Heat,¡± he said.


    I leaned in. ¡°Yeah, you are so hot.¡±


    Zayne laughed and shook his head. ¡°No, I feel¡­ your heat.¡±


    My body flushed. ¡°I feel it, too.¡±


    He stood up, choosing his words carefully. ¡°I feel¡­ it¡­ inside.¡±


    He pointed at me. Then Zayne flexed his muscles. The blood in his veins glowed radioactive underneath his tight skin.


    ¡°Heat.¡±


    I stood up and put my hand on his bare chest to feel the strength of his heartbeat. Its rhythm made me want him more. Why hadn¡¯t I explored this sooner?


    Zayne flexed harder, and his veins lit on fire. ¡°Indestructible. You have?¡±


    I didn¡¯t quite know what he meant.


    He untied the fabric around my leg. My cut had already healed perfectly. How could he know about the side effects of my addiction? Did he have access to the drug too? I¡¯m ashamed to admit my excitement at the idea we could shoot up together.


    ¡°Heat,¡± I repeated with eyes closed. I manifested a tiny fireball in my hand to show off a little. Would he think my powers made me a freak or would he be attracted to my unique abilities?


    Zayne blew out my flames. ¡°Bennu on fire enough today.¡±


    I nodded with doe eyes, desperate to kiss him again.


    A Bennu bird flew overhead and let out a screech.


    I took the opportunity to saddle up close to Zayne. ¡°You¡¯ll keep me safe, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Zayne looked at the sky and whispered something about a fire storm. He grabbed my hand and led me back toward where we came.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Complex.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not ready to go back¡­¡±


    I grabbed Zayne by the waist and kissed him, not wanting to miss my chance. He kissed me back, but was the first to pull away.


    Zayne looked at me, dead serious. ¡°Grace. Complex. You must. Me and my shadow. We will protect you.¡±


    ¡°We? What do I need protection from? Zayne, what¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Finem maluma. Evil lives here.¡±


    I gasped, terrified of what was to come on this ghastly island!

 62. Leviathan

    JACKIE:


    ¡°Initiating carrier B protocols.¡±


    Alpha and Feraz gained on me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know who you¡¯re messing with.¡± I threw fireballs as I sprinted, but they dodged my haphazard attacks. Underground Life Rite must have given Feraz extra strength and agility, while my pounding headache rendered me practically powerless. Was I strong enough to stay in the probability, let alone launch an offensive attack?


    ¡°Surrender, janitor, and I might go easy on you. Who am I kidding? It¡¯ll give me great pleasure to torture you.¡±


    My head reeled as Alpha and Feraz chased me through the complex. I shook the stars out of my vision and moved at top speed. I bolted toward the balcony overlooking the volcano so Firestorm and Beatrice could join the fight.


    Feraz kicked my foot, causing me to trip and fall. My knee hit the floor, sending a jolt of pain coursing through my left leg. Not sure which hurt worse; my head or my knee.


    While I was down, Alpha jammed a syringe into my neck. The pure Life Rite serum poured into my veins.


    ¡°Initiating carrier B protocols.¡± With needle drawn,Alpha was poised to take a sample of my already enriched blood. I didn¡¯t need Life Rite to make my blood special, but Feraz didn¡¯t know that.


    I knocked the drone back with a roundhouse kick and took another jab at Feraz¡¯s jaw. As they both recovered, I managed to get back up and throw a barrage of firepower at them.


    Alpha spawned a shield, making him invincible. It scanned me again. ¡°No DNA Identifier?detected.¡±


    ¡°How can that be?¡± Feraz asked, holding his jaw. ¡°Who are you, janitor? What game are you playing?¡±


    Alpha answered. ¡°I cannot explain why her likeness is not in my extensive database.¡±


    My head spun. With Alpha shielded, fighting was useless. So I ran like mad. The stakes were too high. If Alpha got a sample of my blood, I¡¯d fail my mission. The timeline would fall under his redistribution program. The end was near, one way or another.


    ¡°I¡¯m nobody. Not worth your time. Give up and leave me alone,¡± I cried.


    ¡°Never!¡± Feraz yelled. ¡°I need a carrier, and you need to learn your lesson. I¡¯m going to lock you in a cage and test on you like a lab rat.¡±


    ¡°We will capture her blood sample with seventy-six percent certainty,¡± Alpha added.


    That statistic made the hair on my neck stand at attention. His intelligence was astonishing, and the odds were stacked against me.


    I fled like my life depended on it because, well, it did. I threw a few fireballs to stop them from coming after me, but kept missing. Blood from my head wound seeped into my eyes. I was unable to heal myself while I fled and fought them off. Wanting to give up, but needing to keep going, I called for back up.


    ¡°Firestorm, I¡¯m hurt and headed your way. Get ready for battle!¡±


    ¡°Jackie, whatever you do¡­¡± Firestorm started to say.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know! Don¡¯t let them get my blood!¡±


    The mission was loud and clear, but Alpha and Feraz were still nipping at my heels. Feraz was fast and relentless in his pursuit. Alpha kept his needle poised¡­


    The dose of Life Rite worked its way through my body, giving me an unexpected and much needed boost. I levitated and flew through the corridors with super sonic speed. Past my old kiln room, up the stairs, and through the south wing. We raced all the way to the top of Camp Claudi. I slammed into the door to the upper laboratory.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I was almost home free, but the door was locked. Dead end. I pulled on it anyway, unsure what to do as Feraz and Alpha barreled down on me.


    ¡°Firestorm, help!¡±


    I tried to swipe my finger in case my DNA Identifier? miraculously worked, but no luck. My identity clearly wasn¡¯t in any database in this timeline.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got you cornered, janitor. Time to clean up your mess.¡±


    The last thing I saw was Feraz¡¯s fist against my face. Then everything went black.


    I woke up in a locked cage on the balcony overlooking the volcano. A dull pain plagued my head.


    ¡°No! This can¡¯t be happening.¡±


    I inspected the lock. No DNA Identifier? scanner. A single keyhole stood between me and my freedom.


    I banged on the bars. ¡°Hey, let me out of here, you creep.¡±


    Feraz smirked from his seat at the lab table. ¡°Oh goodie. The janitor is awake. You¡¯re lucky to witness such a glorious occasion.¡±


    ¡°Glorious occasion? What might that be? Did you finally figure out how to fix your bootleg Life Rite serum?¡±


    ¡°What would a dusty janitor know about complex science?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, oh wise one.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, loser. Get ready to be my new guinea pig.¡±


    Feraz filled a syringe with Life Rite, preparing a sample to mix with my blood.


    I examined my skin for a pinprick. Did he already get my blood? I had to assume so¡­


    ¡°Firestorm, they got the eggs,¡± I whispered, hoping my trusty companion was near.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t get your blood yet,¡± Firestorm replied in my mind¡¯s eye. ¡°The lure of caging a hostage distracted that psycho, but he¡¯s making preparations. We¡¯ve got to release you. My heart aches seeing you locked up.¡±


    ¡°No one deserves to be caged¡­ They¡¯ve seen my powers,¡± I admitted. ¡°I had to use everything I¡¯ve got to evade them, but it wasn¡¯t enough. He hit me hard in the head, and¡­ I tried my best.¡±


    I touched my temple and found dry blood. The wound still hadn¡¯t healed fully. It was a doozy.


    ¡°I¡¯m stepping out of the shadows. Time to end this.¡±


    Firestorm flew overhead and landed on the balcony railing. He let out a screech that made Feraz and I recoil. Thankfully, he was on my team.


    ¡°What the heck? Shoo¡­ Get out of here.¡± Feraz waved his arms to get rid of Firestorm as if he were a pigeon.


    Firestorm let out a mighty roar.


    Feraz sneered. ¡°Alpha, take it out.¡±


    ¡°I cannot harm a living creature,¡± Alpha explained.


    ¡°The law of robotics,¡± Feraz murmured. He opened a side panel and adjusted the drone¡¯s critical programming.


    I needed to change these pivotal moments, but the cage rendered me useless. I could only watch the probability unfold in front of me.


    ¡°Stop him, Firestorm!¡±


    Firestorm leapt into action, spewing fire throughout the upper laboratory.


    Feraz ducked behind his chair, terrified.


    Alpha, now reprogrammed, shot back.


    ¡°Dad!¡± I called out, concerned the bullets would kill Firestorm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Jackie.¡± He slammed Alpha against the wall with a swipe of his tail.


    Unfortunately, that didn¡¯t stop it from coming back for more. The well-made drone rapid-fired a spray of bullets. One ricocheted off the cage¡¯s bars. The others were absorbed by Firestorm and unleashed back onto Alpha in the form of fire power.


    Feraz stomped his foot like a toddler having a tantrum.


    ¡°Great, now I have to wait to get the janitor¡¯s blood sample. Forget it. I¡¯m not going to wait for carrier B. If this is pure, one straight dose should be okay. A small taste now, the main course later.¡±


    As Alpha and Firestorm fought each other blow for blow, Feraz injected himself with the pure Life Rite serum. His eyes rolled into the back of his head in ecstasy.


    ¡°Oh yeah. That¡¯s the good stuff.¡±


    ¡°Watch out!¡± I called out, but it was too late.


    Alpha shot Firestorm in the chest, ripping his thick skin open.Radioactive blood dripped onto the balcony.


    Firestorm blew flames, but the drone avoided his attack by shielding himself.


    ¡°You okay, Firestorm?¡±


    He grunted. ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet.¡±


    Desperate to get out of my cage to help, I pummeled the lock with fireballs. The reinforced steel stayed intact. I reached my hands out and threw my fireballs into the battle. They had no impact since I was too far away.


    Firestorm dodged another bullet and slashed Alpha with his talons.


    Feraz¡¯s body convulsed, as if having a seizure.


    ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s happening to him?¡± I asked out loud to no-one in particular.


    Feraz looked pale as a ghost. His veins glowed a yellowish-green. He looked at his luminous skin and vomited.


    Alpha zipped away to avoid getting dirty, while also escaping Firestorm¡¯s attack. The drone was next-level smart after getting the pure Life Rite serum, no doubt about that.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Feraz asked Alpha, sweating profusely. ¡°Feels¡­ strange¡­ What¡¯s happening to me?¡±


    ¡°A biological reaction to mixing your previous serum with the upgraded recipe is most probable,¡± the drone said matter-of-factly. ¡°You now have both versions of Life Rite in your bloodstream. A deadly concoction your body may not be able to handle. Carrier B¡¯s blood mixed in would have helped alleviate the unfortunate side effects. You should have waited for Carrier B protocols to be initiated.¡±


    ¡°Side effects?¡± Feraz¡¯s eyeballs bulged, one bigger than the other. His skin chafed, revealing thick scales. He burst out of his button-up and mutated before my eyes! His form ebbed and flowed until it resembled¡­ Words don¡¯t do the grotesque nature justice. But I¡¯ll do my best. Feraz turned into a Chinese-dragon-style leviathan phoenix creature with rough scaly skin, sharp claws, and an elongates jowl. Green saliva dripped from his pointed teeth. He looked hungry for blood.


    I screamed from the safety of my cage. ¡°Help Firestorm! He¡¯s a monster! The future is being written.¡±