by C J M Naylor
"Have you done that, Abigail? I briefly saw something on the Tower Bridge in London."
Tears welled up in my eyes. I turned back around to face her. "I didn't do it on purpose. It was Bessie Watson. She would have killed us all. I let her hand go. She fell to her death from the Tower Bridge in London."
Elisabeth sighed. "It always comes back to that bridge, doesn't it? It doesn't matter. My mother was clever in her plans. She always finds the loophole, but the prophecy is specific. It doesn't matter how you do it, or even if you meant to do it. And I'd say it sounds like you've fulfilled the second requirement, by breaking our most sacred law."
I nodded, wiped the tears from my eyes, and looked up at her. "What's the third requirement?"
"You give up yourself to darkness," Elisabeth said.
I smiled at that. "That's the way out though, isn't it? I would never do that. Ever."
Elisabeth shook her head. "My mother is very manipulative. She'll find a way, trust me. That's one of the reasons she wants you as soon as possible. More time for her to do whatever needs to be done to make that happen."
I paced back and forth across the lecture stage. The tears had dried up now. "Lucinda said they needed this prophecy to come true or else their powers would be gone. What does that mean?"
"The Forbidden Powers," Elisabeth answered. "They will cease to exist. And one of those powers is immortality, so theoretically, if the powers ceased to exist, all those who had used them to remain young would age. Lucinda would die."
"Okay. We need to wait this out then. We need to hide away. If we can hold it out until my birthday, then we'll beat this."
"But the Headquarters will still be sealed," Elisabeth argued, "and my mother will not be there to open it. Remember, she dies if this prophecy isn't fulfilled. And if you don't reverse time, then we're stuck in this dying world."
"Are you saying we're going to have to let her take me?" I asked.
"I don't think there's another way," Elisabeth said. "We have to wait until the last possible moment."
I shook my head. "She won't win though, I'm not going to let myself be given up to evil. I would never let that happen."
Elisabeth stepped forward and put her hands on my arms. "She's already manipulated you once. She'll do it again."
"How do we even know she'll let me into the Headquarters?" I asked. "If she's so worried about this prophecy, wouldn't that be the last place she'd take me?"
"No," Elisabeth said, "she'll take you there. That place is sacred to her and that is where she'll want to be to finally fulfill the prophecy. I know it deep down, she'll be there."
"Alright, then," I said, "we'll wait until there is just enough time left, she'll let us in, and I will somehow avoid her temptations to become—" I struggled to say the word "—evil."
Elisabeth pulled away from me and walked away in frustration.
"What is it?" I asked. Something else was wrong.
She turned around, tears in her eyes, but simply pulled me into another hug.
"It's nothing," she said. "I'm just so grateful to have you back."
I had no idea how and knew it wasn't because of this new ability I inherited, but I could tell she was lying.
"You were able to see what has happened to me," I said. "Well, I've started to feel things when I touch people. Do you know why?"
She pulled away, nodding. "You're an empath. Original Timekeepers have more abilities than a regular Timekeeper. You are able to know what people are feeling, but also to see events that have already happened in their lives, simply by touching them."
"But why can't I see yours?" I asked.
She smiled. "I've become very practiced in not allowing myself to be vulnerable to others. Preparing for the inevitable reunion with my mother I suppose."
The sound of the door to the lecture hall opening pulled us both out of our concentrations on each other. I looked up and saw Henry looking in the room. Elisabeth went rigid.
"Henry?"
Henry smiled. "It's been a while. I hope you'll forgive me for revealing your location. I'm sorry to interrupt, but we shouldn't stay in one location too long. Abigail, do you know what the plan is now?"
I looked at Elisabeth. "We need to go to the Eiffel Tower first, but do you have a place we can meet you?"
"Of course," she said, still a bit teary.
She turned around, reached into her bag, and pulled out a piece of paper and pen. She quickly scribbled an address on it and handed it to me.
"I will meet you there," she said, looking between Henry and me.
Henry nodded. "Very well. Let's go."
Elisabeth quickly gathered her things and together we made our way up the stairs and out of the lecture hall, and out into the world, together again as mother and daughter, for the second time in our lives.
Thomas and Oliver made their way to the heart of Paris—the Île de la Cité. Perrine Naudé, Thomas' friend from the Paris Headquarters, lived in a small flat at 25 Place Dauphine, a small apartment building over-looking a square. Upon arrival, Thomas reached out and pressed the button to Perrine's apartment, looking up at the building as he did.
"I'm pretty sure she's on the third floor," he said, looking back at the button and then back up at the windows to check.
"Oui?" came a girl's voice from the intercom.
Thomas secretly thanked his father for teaching him French and responded.
"Perrine? C'est Thomas Jane. Comment vas-tu?"
"Thomas," the woman called Perrine said out of the intercom, "je vais bien! S'il vous plaît, montez."
There was a buzz and the door to the apartment building unlocked. Thomas reached out and pulled it open, stepping aside to allow Oliver to enter first.
"So what exactly were you two saying to each other?" Oliver asked, walking ahead into the building.
"I just asked how she was doing and she said great, come on up."
Thomas began to lead Oliver up the steps toward the third floor.
"Is that all?" Oliver asked, a bit interested now. "Perhaps I should take up a foreign language study."
"Perhaps something other than French?" Thomas suggested, giving his friend a pat on the back. "We could do it together."
Oliver nodded as they stepped onto the third floor landing. As they did, Oliver noticed a young woman with blonde hair poking her head out of the door to the apartment directly in front of them. Upon seeing Thomas, she threw the door open and ran toward him, again speaking in French as she did.
"Ca fait tellement longtemps!"
"En effet il a," Thomas responded. "Peut-on parler en anglais? Mon ami ici ne parle pas français."
"Of course," Perrine said, nodding. "And who is your friend?"
Thomas looked at Oliver who was raising his eyebrows, clearly wanting a translation.
"Before that," he said, "she said that it has been a long time and I said that it has and that we should speak in English for you."
"Well, thank you," Oliver said.
Thomas smiled. "Perrine, this is Oliver. I grew up with him in America. And before you ask, he is not a Timekeeper, but I have told him everything."
"Always the rule-breaker," Perrine said. "Please come in."
Perrine beckoned them to follow her into the apartment, closing the door behind them as they did.
"Excuse the mess," she said, running around and picking up various garments. She cleared a spot for them on a cream-colored sofa, which was placed in front of a window looking out over the square below. "Have a seat."
Thomas and Oliver sat, and Perrine pulled a chair in from her kitchen table, placing it in front of them.
"I'm afraid my calling on you today is a bit urgent," Thomas said. "I'm sure you've heard that I'm, shall we say, wanted?"
"You know I've never liked Headrick," Perrine said. "She's always been a bit too much for me. I knew there was something wrong about her. When she announced that you were on the run with that Jordan girl, I knew she wasn't saying something. She says you are re
sponsible for what happened in San Francisco? That the Jordan girl interfered with a premonition of death? But it doesn't make sense. Why wouldn't death have taken her? Now everyone is buzzing about the original family myth being true. Is it?"
Thomas went into a brief explanation about who Abigail really was and what Headrick was really planning. He also told her Headrick was now a murderer, having killed Abigail's uncle, Elijah Callaghan.
"What are you going to do?" Perrine asked.
"It's a bit too long and complex to explain here," Thomas said. "But I was wondering if you could do us a favor?"
Perrine leaned forward, her face turning into a mischievous grin. "Anything."
"We need you to send a message, discreetly of course, to Abigail's father," Thomas went on. "Mathias works in the Paris Headquarters now. We need you to tell him that Abigail is alive and that she is here in Paris. And we kind of need you to do this now. We figured maybe you could go now, bring him out with you, and meet us at the Eiffel Tower?"
Perrine looked at the watch on her wrist. "You caught me before I was about to go in."
"I knew you preferred working nights," Thomas said. "Do you think you can help us out?"
"Of course," Perrine said, nodding. She stood up and walked over to a coatrack by the door, pulling off a large blue coat and putting it on. "Let's get going."
Thomas and Oliver stood and followed her out the door. She pulled it shut behind them and locked it.
"Meet at the Eiffel Tower in half an hour?" she asked them.
"That works," Thomas said. "Remember, be discreet."
"Got it," Perrine said.
They walked down the stairs and stepped outside of the apartment building, parting ways.
Alma, Henry, and I stood underneath an area by the Eiffel Tower, shaded by trees, and away from the various locals and tourists that were gathered about looking at the historic structure. Alma continued to look around, back and forth, appearing nervous.
"I don't think it's wise to be out in the open like this," she said, looking at me.
“I know, but we won't be too long. We just need to get Mathias and then we can go back to Elisabeth's flat."
"It might have been better if just one of us had come," Henry suggested.
I shook my head. "We need to stick together. I'm still not too fond of the fact that Thomas and Oliver aren't with us."
"They will be soon enough," Alma said, continuing to glance about nervously.
Henry mentioned something about finding a restroom. I protested, but he said he wouldn't be long and it was necessary. He left Alma and I alone, walking away quickly.
"Can I ask you a question?" Alma asked, beginning to hug her arms closely to her. The temperature was starting to drop here as well.
"Of course," I said. "You've always done the same for me."
She smiled, looking up at the Eiffel Tower, and paying particular attention to couples walking to and fro.
"Do you think Oliver and I could have something together?"
I gave her a cheeky grin. "I thought that had already been implied."
A sheepish grin appeared on Alma's face. "Is it that obvious?"
"Yes," I said, nodding. "But you shouldn't be embarrassed. I think you two would be great together."
“I don't know. Sometimes I feel like he doesn't even notice me."
I vividly remember him noticing her when she walked into a room only a few weeks ago. His face had lit up in a way that was unmistakable. That face of someone that was clearly clobbered over someone else.
"He's noticed you," I said. "Trust me."
"Then why won't he ask me on a date or something?"
I looked around us as if it was obvious. "Well, the world is ending. Maybe he put the thought on hold?"
We both giggled at that and she hit me jokingly.
"I understand," she said. "I guess I just thought all of this would bring us closer together. But it hasn't. At least, I don't think it has."
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Henry was walking towards us. I put my hand out and touched Alma's shoulder to comfort her.
"I think it has," I said. "Just give it some time and see. I think something will come of it."
She nodded just as Henry walked up.
"Ah, here they are," he said.
Alma and I turned to see Thomas, Oliver, a girl I didn't recognize, and Mathias heading our way. Mathias was moving faster than the other three, almost sprinting but not running, to get to me. As soon as he did, he threw his arms around me.
"I was so worried," he said into my ear.
We held each other for a moment.
"I know," I said. "But I'm fine. And, Mathias, we found her."
He pulled away from me and the look in his eyes was one I had never seen. It was almost as if, for all the time that I'd known him, he had the smallest spark of life in them, put there by our growing relationship, and now that spark was brighter.
"I don't mean to interrupt," Henry said, "but I don't think it wise for us to spend a minute here any longer. Thomas, is Perrine coming with us?"
I realized Henry was referring to the girl who had arrived with them. Thomas looked at her and smiled, and for the briefest moment, I felt jealously. It was like a sudden burst of heat coursing through my veins. But then it was gone. It was something I'd honestly never felt before. Something I'd accused Phillip of having felt, but never me. And I knew it was something not to dwell on and quickly crushed it. I couldn't allow myself to become vulnerable. Not now.
"Let's go," I said to everyone.
And together, now almost like a small army, a very small army, we made our way to Elisabeth's flat.
CHAPTER SIX
Mathias and Perrine, being the most familiar with Paris, used the address to lead us all back to an apartment building not far from the University that Elisabeth taught at. As I followed Perrine, I noticed she had a confident air about her. She walked through the streets of Paris as if she deserved to be there, as if she had nothing to hide. That spark of jealousy hit me again, but I imagined it was a green balloon in my mind, and I quickly stuck a needle in it and popped it. And it was gone like that.
We turned a corner and found ourselves in front of an old, brick building that went up about seven stories. I stepped in front of Mathias and Perrine and pressed the call button for Elisabeth's apartment.
"Yes?" Elisabeth asked over the intercom.
"It's us," I responded.
"I'll be right down."
A few moments passed before Elizabeth pushed open the large grate door in front of us. As soon as it was open, she caught eyes with Mathias. There was a brief, awkward moment of silence before she beckoned us all to come in. Once inside, she pulled the door shut and began ascending. Her apartment was located on the top floor of the building, at the very end of the hallway. She used a pair of keys to unlock several locks on her door, looking over at me as she did.
"I've become a bit cautious over the years," she said with the hint of a smile. "I always lock up, even if I'm only stepping out." And then she pushed the door open with a bit of a shove. "It always sticks."
I wasn't sure what to expect on the inside, based on the fact that the outside of the building itself didn't look that great, but the inside was quaint. It was clean and everything was up to date as far as kitchen appliances went. It somewhat reminded me of my apartment back at the Chambord Building in San Francisco. And then I remembered. My apartment was now under water.
"Have a seat," Elisabeth said, gesturing toward the open living area behind her.
Once we were all inside, she shut the door, re-locking all of the locks.
"Can we trust her?" I heard Elisabeth ask someone. I assumed she was talking about Perrine, but I was too distracted by the apartment around me. While everyone took a seat, I stayed standing, making my way around the room and looking at all of my mother's possessions. I knew some apartments came with furniture and decor, but I knew within me somehow, that all of this be
longed to my mother.
Lining her walls were portraits by various artists, none of them having any kind of meaning or flow, just there to simply celebrate them. She had shelves and shelves of books. Real books. And she had photographs, of her, in various places. There was one I'd already seen. A picture of her in front of the Statue of Liberty in New York City. Another photograph showed her laughing, her hair blowing in the wind, on the edge of a beach. Her feet were barefoot, and she looked happy, genuinely happy. The only thing that was missing were pictures of me. Pictures of my sister. But I knew why those couldn't be there. One particular picture that stood out to me, was a picture of her and Mathias. I picked it up, hoping she wouldn't mind, and lightly touched my fingers over my parents. Did she know how everything would turn out for her? Or was it just as much a surprise as it was to me?
"That was our wedding day," Elisabeth said from behind me. "It may not look like it, as we’re not dressed up. We wanted it to be private, secluded. Completely different reasons however. Obviously mine was to keep my mother out of the picture, but Mathias was more for his reclusive nature."
"I'm not reclusive," he said from across the room.
I laughed. It was almost as if they had never been apart.
I placed the picture down and turned to look at her.
"I think I need to know," I said. "Everything. Everything that happened. Before and after."
She reached out and touched my cheek. "I know. And you will. But for now, I think all of you need some rest. Especially our pilots over here. This is a rather large apartment, so let me show you everyone to their rooms, and I promise, we will discuss this tomorrow. Okay?"
I nodded, but there was something that still seemed off. Something was off about this entire meeting with my mother. But I brushed it aside and let her show each of us to a room. Because there were only four, Thomas and I chose to share a room again, and then Henry, Alma, Perrine, and Oliver took the others.
Before I closed the door, I looked back to see Mathias and Elisabeth holding hands and proceeding to what I assumed to be Elisabeth's room. I knew they needed this time, so I closed the door, and brought up my feelings to Thomas.