Then There Was New York

by Kristina Garlick

  Riley: “Where are my daughter and staff?”

  Jordan: “I had locked your staff in the basement of your manor and all it took was a Broadway show tune. After you passed out and I so kindly brought you to my lovely vacation home, I had one of my men let them out. In other words, all your staff is safe. As for Alyssa, she hasn’t been harmed either, but I assure you, you won’t be able to find her even if you travel back in time.”

  Riley: “What the fuck does that mean?”

  Jordan: “I assume if you were firing a rocket launcher at me yesterday that that wasn’t the first time I came to the club.”

  Riley: “Gambling hall.”

  Jordan: “Whatever.”

  Riley: “You or one of your goons shot my friend, Mac.”

  Jordan: “The goody-goody who helped take Broderick down?”

  Riley: “One and the same.”

  There was an amused look on Jordan’s face.

  Jordan: “I really hope it was me that shot him. Did he bleed a lot?”

  Riley: “There is something seriously wrong with you. Is it not a wonder why I left you?”

  Jordan: “You left me because you were afraid of commitment.”

  Riley: “No, you psycho. I left because you would have forced me to go back in time and save your boss from his ass beating by Arcadia, which I assume is what you want now.”

  Jordan: “You are only partially correct.”

  Riley: “Okay, I’ll play along. What is it that you—he wants?”

  Jordan: “Stop the attack at the Raz & Berry Show.”

  Riley: “What’s so significant about that event?”

  Jordan: “You mean your squeaky-clean heroes kept a secret from you?”

  Riley: “Stop annoying me, Jordan, and get to the point.”

  Jordan: “Twenty-two years ago, there was an attack at a children’s show and a lot of people died.”

  Riley: “Why would Broderick care about that?”

  Jordan: “That’s how superheroes were born.”

  Riley: “And apparently, supervillains.”

  Jordan: “Joke, but aren’t you a little bit interested in how Lord Boundary, Arcadia, and all the others came to be?”

  Riley: “Enlighten me.”

  Jordan: “A new chemical weapon was unleashed on the children’s show by a terrorist organization. Most people who were at the event ended up dying and the ones who lived, developed powers.”

  Riley: “Well, shit.”

  Jordan: “Broderick wants for the three of us to go back and stop that attack from happening.”

  Riley: “What’s in it for Broderick?”

  Jordan: “His mother, and many other countless lives, will be spared.”

  Riley: “Plus?”

  Jordan didn’t want to be forthcoming but I could play twenty questions all day. Broderick didn’t do anything without a self-serving agenda, and saving children or even his mom was not much of a benefit. For a brief moment, I shuddered, remembering back to the day Lord Boundary had saved me from Harold Bigley, the shady man who had beaten the living shit out of me. Had Broderick not been looking for people on the verge of death to experiment on then he probably would have never rescued me.

  Jordan: “Whether you believe it or not, the Raz & Berry was the catalyst that set in motion New York City. Not only would you save the people at the show but millions of others, including your sister-in-law and baby niece.”

  Anger began to course through me.

  Riley: “Don’t you ever use their names again to try and guilt me into serving your master or I will fucking kill you.”

  Jordan: “Have you forgotten I have Alyssa?”

  Riley: “You wouldn’t dare hurt her as you consider her your daughter.”

  I would have liked to believe that Jordan wouldn’t harm Alyssa, but with how angry he looked right now, I wasn’t so sure. It would appear that, since I left, Jordan had become colder and harder to read than before. While I was well aware that I was partially to blame for the man before me, I’d had no choice but to flee, heart be damned.

  Jordan: “I prefer not to as there are other ways to hurt you. I’m getting older now, and I will eventually need a successor to take over after I retire.”

  Time energy began to spark from my clenched fist.

  Jordan: “Temper. Temper.”

  Riley: “I don’t want that kind of life for Alyssa and that is one of the reasons that I left.”

  Jordan: “What’s the other reason? Because let me tell you, I thought we were in love. I wanted to fucking marry you and raise Alyssa as our own. We would have been a family. But no, you left me in the middle of the night. And when I woke up in the morning, you were gone and you took Alyssa from me. I loved you. I loved you!”

  I flinched, but quickly regained my composure.

  Riley: “Do you remember what you said before we went to sleep that night?”

  Suddenly, Jordan began to take a few steps towards me. Immediately, I backed up. Keeping space between Jordan and I was the smartest move I could make right now, but I hadn’t anticipated the shed behind me. Sure, I had been vaguely aware of the shed when I’d initially come out, but I hadn’t paid much attention to it until now that my back was pressed up against it.

  Jordan: “Good night, love?”

  Riley: “No …”

  Jordan: “That I could never get enough of you or the little sounds you make when—”

  Danger. Extreme danger. I put my hands up to create some space between Jordan and me, but he teleported away before I was even able to touch him. I knew damn well that Jordan was toying with me as I could hear him laughing from nearby. When I finally found the pain-in-the-ass, he was sitting on the edge of the pool, dangling his feet over the side.

  Jordan: “Took you long enough.”

  I casually sat down next to Jordan on the edge of the pool. For a moment, I considered telling Jordan why I had left, but being that he’d teleported away before I could earlier, I considered the fact that he might not be ready to hear what I had to say. Perhaps another day, Jordan and I would have that long overdue conversation, but right now, Alyssa had to be top priority; I didn’t even know why I had allowed myself to get sidetracked as my screwed-up feelings for Jordan were secondary to her safety.

  Riley: “Let’s say we go back and stop the terror attack; you do realize every enhanced person will lose their powers.”

  Except me. But I didn’t need to tell Jordan that. If I followed through with his ludicrous request, I would not be affected; otherwise it would create a time paradox, as the one who undoes time must exist for the change to occur. The whole idea of modifying the past, especially in such an extreme way, seemed crazy; yet I was considering Jordan’s request because, a little over a year ago, I had been visited by a future version of myself. That version of me was from two hundred years ahead in time, which I’d discovered after a quick introduction. Then I was basically handed a syringe and needle before being told to inject myself. I was unsure of what to do.

  Future Riley: “You’ll know when the time is right to undo the past, but heed my warning as there will be a sacrifice. Now I must go. Whatever you do, do not follow me.”

  I wanted to ask the two-hundred-year-old plus version of me so many questions, but she was gone in a blink. For several nights I debated on whether or not to inject myself with the syringe. It was only when Jordan’s men almost caught Alyssa and I while we were at Niagara Falls on vacation, a few weeks later, that I decided to empty the content of the syringe into my arm. It was the first vacation Alyssa and I had had as a family, and basically, gang members wanted to destroy that, so I thought the syringe was the only option.

  Let me just say, after injecting myself it wasn’t just a bad night. It was a really awful week where I was puking my brains out, anywhere from one to three times a day. I seriously thought I would never experience pain far worse than when Harold Bigley had beaten me or what I was injected with shortly thereafter, but I was wrong.

>   Besides the vomiting, over and over again, my body felt like it was being ripped apart, but, for whatever reason, kept piecing itself back together. I was becoming something other than human, almost like a hybrid. After that initial week of being torn apart, my flesh and bones were gone and I was literally the manifestation of time, or at least something that wasn’t completely human. It took twelve days of being locked in my room, or as I like to call it, my self-imposed exile, before the pain stopped. By that point, I was able to control the blue form and was able to access all of my new abilities. Don’t ask me how I knew how to do so, but one morning I woke up and I just did.

  It was on day thirteen that I finally left my room and was greeted with hugs from Alyssa and my staff. I apparently had given people quite a scare, but if I was honest, I would do it again as, with my newly-enhanced powers, I could keep my niece safe. Alyssa was my only family left and …

  Jordan: “Are you listening to me?”

  Riley: “No. Repeat what you just said.”

  Jordan rolled his eyes.

  Jordan: “You might think Broderick is a bad guy, and sure, some of his methods are a bit—”

  Riley: “Extreme?”

  Jordan: “I was going to use the word intense, but he means well.”

  Riley: “Do I need to remind you what he did to New York City?”

  Jordan: “That was a tragedy. But afterwards, Broderick took over and the world was a safer place. For you see, Riley, sometimes the good guys have to do bad things in order to protect countless more lives.”

  Riley: “Whatever allows you to sleep at night.”

  Jordan: “I have no problem sleeping.”

  Riley: “Oh, I know. I used to lie beside you and while you slept, I lay awake most nights due to nightmares that were triggered by your actions.”

  Jordan: “You never told me—”

  Riley: “I saw you murder people who dared to defy Boundary and you made me … you made me—it doesn’t matter.”

  Jordan: “Obviously it does, if you are bringing it up, and we can’t work together if there is going to be all this tension between us.”

  Riley: “It’s not tension. It’s pain, Jordan. Pain. Just tell me. Why do you have such loyalty to Broderick?”

  Jordan: “During a home invasion, my young sister was raped and my father was murdered. I tried to stop their assailants but I was shot twice. I probably would have died along with my sister had Broderick’s men not saved us. I was injected that night with the serum, and the rest is history.”

  Riley: “I am sorry that such a horrible thing happened to your family. Why didn’t you ever tell me this?”

  Jordan: “It’s not something I care to remember.”

  Riley: “And your sister? What became of her?”

  Jordan: “It doesn’t matter.”

  Riley: “What did Broderick do to her?”

  Jordan: “Broderick helped Alexa overcome her attack. He was there for my sister and for me. Now, Alexa is married to Marco, my right-hand man, and has twin boys. So, yeah, I owe Broderick my life.”

  Riley: “Unfortunately, at the cost of your soul.”

  I might have crossed the line with that comment.

  Jordan: “Well, you are going to help that soulless bastard tomorrow or so help you, there will be consequences.”

  Even though I knew it was an empty threat, I decided to keep my mouth shut. After Jordan stormed off, I decided to shit on whatever plan Broderick had by going back in time and saving my niece. The only problem was, no matter how far I traveled back or where I went, Alyssa was nowhere to be found, almost as if she had been erased from existence.

  Jordan: “Why are you in my room?”

  I ignored his question and made my way to his balcony. Originally, I had come to Jordan’s room to talk, but I had lost my nerve. Instead, I decided I needed some fresh air and maybe look to the stars to give me answers.

  Jordan: “Answer me, Riley.”

  Riley: “I looked for her.”

  Jordan ran a hand through his thick, dark hair.

  Jordan: “She is safe.”

  Riley: “How did you do it?”

  Jordan: “You tell me something I want to know and I will tell you the answer to your question.”

  Time energy sparked from my hands. Most of the time I was in control but extreme emotions made it not so easy to keep the other part of me at bay. Oh, how easy it would be to lose control, but I had to think rationally in order to get Alyssa back and if Jordan was dead, that would not happen.

  Jordan: “Temper, temper.”

  Riley: “Don’t be an asshole.”

  Jordan: “So is it a deal?”

  Riley: “Yes.”

  Jordan: “Great. I will ask my question first. Don’t attempt to deny me my answer after you get yours, as the nifty little bracelet I wear will detect any time shift.”

  Riley: “Fine.”

  Jordan: “What’s the deal with your powers?”

  Riley: “Well, I can travel through time. You know, the reason why you are holding my niece hostage.”

  Jordan: “Not that. The blue thing you have going on, and how your hair turns white.”

  Riley: “It happened suddenly to me about a year ago. I got sick, really sick for a week straight, and them, bam, I was blue.”

  Jordan: “There has to be more to the story.”

  How well Jordan could read me.

  Riley: “I don’t know. Why don’t you ask your guy who shot me?”

  Jordan: “You were shot?”

  Riley: “While Alyssa and I were about to board a sightseeing boat in Niagara Falls. One of your guys opened fire and shot me. I was bleeding pretty severely and while I was able to reverse the incident, it did something to me. So, I ask you, what was in the bullet?”

  Jordan looked shocked and almost upset. I felt bad that I only told him half of the story, but some secrets I just had to keep. Maybe … maybe someday we could be completely honest with each other and be together.

  Jordan: “Which one of my guys shot you?”

  Riley: “He was tall with dark hair and brown eyes.”

  Female with light brown hair and green eyes.

  Jordan: “You were told not to be harmed. I will punish—”

  Riley: “No, don’t, because I am stronger because of the incident. Now it’s my turn.”

  Jordan: “A promise is a promise.”

  Riley: “So where is Alyssa?”

  Jordan: “We have an enhanced individual by the name of Ego who can erase people from time as long as he is within a few feet of the target.”

  Riley: “So Alyssa’s fucking gone; is that what you are saying?”

  I felt myself starting to get angry.

  Jordan: “No, Alyssa exists in the present, but any version of her past or future is hidden to time. Thanks to science we have enhanced Ego’s powers even further so Alyssa doesn’t have to be within arm’s reach of him. Alyssa has a whole house and yard that she can roam around in.”

  Riley: “Fine. We will go back and time and stop the terrorist attack tomorrow.”

  Jordan: “Broderick is coming with us.”

  Riley: “I would say that he is in prison, but I am sure you have a plan for that.”

  I decided to walk away before Jordan could respond because, honestly, I really didn’t care what he had to say. True to my word, I would allow him to keep the memories of the conversation that we’d just had. However, little did Jordan realize that the information that he’d provided could be the key to saving Alyssa. As soon as I was locked away in the study, I traveled back in time several hours so that I could steal a car and drive a few miles down the road to buy a burner phone at a mega chain store.

  Arcadia: “Riley, is that you?”

  Riley: “Yes, sorry it took so long for me to call.”

  Arcadia: “Don’t worry. Mac and I are just happy that you are alive. When I got to your house there were so many people who were dead and—”

  Riley: “List
en, the fate of the future is at stake, and no, I am not being overly dramatic. Alyssa was kidnapped by Jordan and he will kill her; he says he won’t, but I don’t know. I don’t want to think what will happen if I don’t comply with his wishes.”

  Arcadia: “Wait, your ex kidnapped your niece?”

  Riley: “Yes.”

  Arcadia: “What does he want?”

  Riley: “For me to alter time.”

  Arcadia: “Fuck. I was afraid of this.”

  Riley: “Arcadia, be quiet and listen to me.”

  Arcadia: “Sorry.”

  Riley: “I need you, along with your fellow Capes and Spandex, to locate an enhanced person by the name of Ego. Ego has the ability to cloak people from time. Under his protection, people can only be found in the present, not the past or future.”

  Arcadia: “What are you going to do?”

  Riley: “I am going to pretend to go along with Jordan and Broderick’s plan.”

  Arcadia: “What plan?”

  Riley: “They want to stop the Raz & Berry Show incident.”

  Arcadia: “That’s a very bad idea.”

  Riley: “I won’t allow it to actually happen.”

  Arcadia: “How?”

  Riley: “Two timelines will exist, but I am not sure how long I will be able to keep it that way. In theory, nothing becomes permanent unless I seal the time shift.”

  Arcadia: “What if Jordan forces his hand and”