15 Minutes- The Complete Saga Boxset

by Jill Cooper

  The color drains out of her face, but Cassidy nods. I hope she can be as strong as I know she is, but considering how new all this information is to her, I can’t be sure.

  I have to trust her.

  “Can he travel in time?”

  Cassidy shakes her head. “Not in the strictest sense. Only from there. This hole in time. He can’t even open it like I can. He has to use a device.”

  A device. Good. We can find a way to use that.

  “I can teach you,” Cassidy says, “how to open the bridge—as we call it. You said you jumped in before, but you can’t control it. I can teach you how to control it.”

  Good idea. I take a deep breath and raise my hand. “Okay, teach me.”

  “It’s always there.” Cassidy smirks and I realize whenever she talks about this place, she comes alive. Maybe part of it feels like its home. “When you time jump, it begs you to come to it. It wants to grow bigger, become stronger. If we’re not careful, one day, it might consume everything.”

  My hand lowers without me intending it to. “Time travel is more dangerous than I ever thought.” This is all my fault. All of it. When I went back in time to save my mother, I never fathomed there was so much danger.

  Maybe I should’ve gone back in time long ago to stop myself. Let Mom stay dead for all the trouble it caused, but I can’t. God help me, my heart just can’t take it.

  With a breath, I raise my hand again. “Okay, show me what you’ve got.”

  ****

  By that night, I can open and close the portal to the bridge at will. I can shrink the portal, make it larger, even pulse it large and then small if I want. It exhausts me, and by the end we’re sitting on the floor with our backs under the window, nursing a bottle of wine I had grabbed at the packie just across the street.

  “Did you see a girl when you’re on the bridge? A tween?” I study Cassidy’s face as I ask the question.

  She nods slowly. “Only glimmers. There’s a girl there he keeps under lock and key. Highly secretive about it. I run the bridge—or I thought I did—with him and he wouldn’t even let me in to see her. Who is she?”

  “Molly,” I whisper her name, as though if I say it too loud she’ll just up and disappear.

  “Your sister,” Cassidy’s eyes widen, “Is she really my grandmother?”

  “One day, if we fix this mess.” I throw my empty Styrofoam cup at my feet. “Here, Molly has memories of other timelines. She knew something happened to my dad when you killed him even though no one else did.”

  Cassidy sucks on her bottom lip and I’m sorry my words hurt her. “I don’t know…I mean, Cameron always spoke about someone having the gift, as he called it. One that could hold knowledge of the past and the future…spot anomalies. He said a person like that, an organic as he called it, would be even better than a computer. Computers can be fixed, things can be deleted. People are just…”

  “People,” I lean my head back against the window and sigh, “But how can something he’s doing to one Molly effect the one here?”

  Cassidy shrugs. “It doesn’t, I mean, not really. Molly, as you call her, is what Cameron calls the organic. She’s an organic time traveler. In you, it was unlocked by Rex and his techs, so I’m told. For Molly, it’s unlocked when she goes through puberty.”

  I think of fourteen-year-old Molly. She is definitely maturing in all the ways a girl turns into a woman. But if eleven-year-old Molly can blink when time is frozen, does that mean it had started even when the most basic of hormones surged?

  “Cameron, he wants to unlock it early. That’s why he’s been experimenting on the younger Molly. He wants to use the one from this timeline.”

  “Why?” I ask in horror, and then it hits me, “To punish me. Then we need to act fast and keep her safe. I can’t save my father only to lose my sister.”

  “If we can assume control of the bridge—.”

  I hold up a hand to stop her. “Baby steps. First, we need to go back in time so Cameron never realizes you were missing. We go back to the night I took you, and carry on like none of this ever happened.”

  Cassidy rises and I stand beside her. “I’m ready if you are, but Lara? What about your dad? How can I keep up an act with Cameron if—what do we do about your dad?”

  A sinking realization hits me and I sway on my feet. Cassidy grips my arm to steady me. Deep sadness and longing take hold in my belly. “You’re going to need to kill him.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  We go back to the night I’d kidnapped Cassidy. I slam into my body and everything is still frozen. Cassidy is frozen in an attack, lunging for me with her electrical batons. I re-position her hands so when she flies back into motion, she won’t kill me accidentally.

  When it all snaps back into motion, Cassidy stumbles forward. To be honest, I’m not sure which of us is in charge of time right now and I wonder which Cassidy I’m stuck with. A moment later she blinks and gives me a small smile.

  I take a deep breath. “We’re not going to be able to talk for a while. Not until the first stage of our plan is set in motion. Then we can meet, but only after Cameron thinks he’s on the path to winning everything he wants.”

  Cassidy nods. “Eventually he’s going to want to go back to the bridge. I can’t keep him here for three years, Lara.”

  “But, you can keep him here a few weeks, until you offer Donovan the papers that will fix his financial troubles.”

  Cassidy’s eyes darken. “You still want me to offer him the papers?”

  I nod. “You have to. If you don’t, Cameron will be suspicious. Donovan has to be the one who turns down the deal. Then we strike.”

  “And if Donovan doesn’t? If he won’t?”

  Sucking on the inside of my cheek, I nod. “That you’re going to have to leave up to me.”

  A car pulls up and I’m blinded by its headlights. I shield my eyes as the door opens and the other Lara steps out. She gazes at me and back at Cassidy. “I guess you don’t need me after all.”

  I wave a hand at her. An instant later, Other Lara closes her eyes and she disappears all at once. It’s like she was never there. The headache slams into me fast and hard. Squeezing the bridge of my nose tightly, I realize there’s a set of car keys in my hand. I had better get home fast before this headache gets too bad.

  Once I’m at the driver’s side door, I gaze back at Cassidy, but she’s already heading off to her apartment. There’s a lot left unsaid as I slip behind the wheel.

  By the time I get to the apartment, the traffic lights are splitting in two. It’s been awhile since I’ve merged two timelines into one and I’m out of practice. I’m so bad at it, that I can’t even put my key into the doorknob.

  Someone pulls it open for me and I’m afraid it might be Donovan, but it’s Other Lara. This one looks tired and is in her nightgown. “Is it done? Did you do it?”

  I groan and push past her. “Bathroom. I’m going to be sick.”

  She follows me into the bathroom as I lean against the sink. She turns the water on for me. “Cassidy—.”

  “She’s on our side now. It’s done and we have a plan.”

  Other Lara raises her eyebrows. “Thank goodness. I guess I better merge—.”

  I shake my head. Not only did I not want to go through the level of pain that would cause, but she was part of our plan. “No, I’m going to need your help. There’s something I need you to do for me.”

  ****

  The morning arrives hard and fast. For a brief moment, I'm still lost in a dream. But then the raging headache takes over. I groan and smoosh my face into my pillow. Donovan runs his hands down my bare arms. He squeezes my middle and warmth fills me to have him so close. I touch his hands and pull him down on top of me.

  Donovan says “Ooof” as he straightens up. "Goodbye, Rockstar. You okay?" Softly, his lips kiss my cheek.

  With a mumble, I roll over onto my back. I peer up at him through my foggy vision. He's already dressed in a gray suit
and his hair looks freshly combed. "Just a headache, handsome. Have a nice trip." I reach up and grab his green tie and yank him down to kiss me. And boy, does he.

  “I’m going to miss you, too.” Donovan kisses my nose and grabs the bag by the side of the bed. He smooths his tie down and buttons his blazer. "I'll call you when I get there; I'm really going to miss you."

  I watch him go and wonder what I would do without him; hopefully, I'll never have to find out.

  ****

  It takes a while for me to rise from bed. When I do, I gulp down a few Ibuprofen and rush it with a tall glass of water. I grunt and lean up against the kitchen wall. Hopefully, the pills will do their work fast because I have things I need to get done.

  I dress casually in a purple cotton dress and grab my denim jacket that hangs by the front door. After I slip on a pair of comfortable shoes, I'm out the door on the way to my mother's townhouse. My mind is more on Molly than anything else.

  Mom pulls open the door. She’s dressed for work but hasn’t left yet, and she clutches an envelope.

  Mom smiles at me and kisses my cheek. "Well, it's great to see you so early in the morning! Come in, come in." Mom rushes inside and I follow after her, but I stop at the sofa and Mom hurries to the stairs and bellows. "Mike, Molly! Hurry, or you’ll be late for school!”

  I throw my bag down on the sofa as Mom turns around. She places her hand on her hip and smiles. "Aren't you late for school too?"

  "Don't worry, I've got that covered. What’s in your hand?"

  Mom glances down at the envelope she holds as if it’s a weapon. She shrugs, "Divorce papers from Jax. I know I'm the one that wanted the divorce, but I still don't feel ready to sign. Do you think that’s stupid?"

  I sit on the sofa and Mom sits down beside me. "I don't think it's stupid. I don't think it's stupid at all. I think, in fact, you shouldn't sign. We should give Jax another shot."

  Mom shakes her head. "Lara, we’ve been through this before. One million times. Jax and I…I don't, I can never forgive him, look at him, for what he did to your dad, me. And you, for that matter. I've never been able to understand how you got past it." Mom sighs and sinks down further into the paisley sofa.

  “We’re family.” I put my hand on her thigh and look over at her, trying to make a connection. "He was like a dad to me. Still is. I know he did horrible things, but I think he felt forced more than anything. I think he was really trying to keep us safe from Patricia. I think if he could do it all over again, he wouldn't do the things that he did. Besides, when I really needed him, when I still need him, he’s always there."

  Mom doesn’t say anything but her eyes focus on the picture album on her lap. In the family photo, we’re sitting on the sofa, Jax and my dad hover behind us—the perfect family. Strange, but it works.

  Footsteps draw near and I stand to greet Molly and Mike, both in their navy-blue school uniforms. Mike crushes me in a hug, but Molly is more reserved. She stands off to the side and gives me a smile. Then a wave. "How are you munchkins doing? Are you too big for me to walk you to the bus stop now?"

  Mike groans but shakes his head as he grabs his backpack. “Sure, you can take us if you want. It’s a free country and I can’t stop you.”

  I laugh—brothers.

  "I’d love you to walk us to the bus stop." Molly swings her backpack side-to-side.

  I throw a glance at Mom and she nods. "You want to talk further, I'll still be here." Mom takes the papers from the envelope and puts them on the coffee table. She presses them firmly to smooth out the wrinkles, as though they really matter.

  I know the decision is one she must make herself, but I wish she could see him in the altered timeline. How perfectly they work together and how happy she seemed.

  "Bye, Mom."

  The twins and I walk outside. Mike is further along because he's always in a rush to be with his friends. Molly hangs back with me the whole time. We walk hand-in-hand, our arms swinging back and forth. We’ve always been closer, always had a connection. I don't know if it's because she's a girl, or if somehow I relate to her on a different, unconscious level.

  Maybe because we’re so much alike, and maybe there’s more to that than I know.

  "Everything okay?"

  Molly isn’t looking at me, but at the drifting clouds in the sky. "Hmmm, yes. Everything is right today." There is a smile on her face and her lips draw together in a straight line. I wonder what she means by that.

  "And what makes everything right today?"

  Molly taps a finger to her chin. "Well, like in that way Mom surprises me with an afternoon cookie snack, even though she doesn’t like it when we eat cookies. Or, like, finding a couple dollar bills in your backpack from last week that you totally forgot about."

  She wasn’t much help. I wish I could come straight out and asked her if she was able to see me when I freeze time, but if she couldn't, I don't want to arouse suspicion. If Molly realizes I can change time again, it's possible someone else might find out too. "Well, I certainly hope you find money and candy. It’s the best thing ever!”

  Molly giggles. She races ahead of me to catch up with Mike and I meet them over by the stop. My mind is a million miles away. I lean against the bark of a tree and listen. Watch them as they talk as siblings do. As if they might break out into a fight at a moment’s notice just because Molly thinks the sky is bluer today than it had been yesterday.

  Mike rolls his eyes and Molly laughs at him.

  The wind picks up as the bus rolls up and stops. “Have a good day at school, kids!” I wave good-bye. The door flies open and both Mike and Molly step on. I stand there and wait for the bus to leave with a sense of dissatisfaction in my gut. I hadn’t learned anything new, but at least I hadn’t learned anything bad.

  I check my watch and see that the other Lara must be getting ready to ace my next test. Time for me to get stuff done.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  In just a few days, my dad needs to die.

  We need to talk in a big way, so I make a dinner date. While he’s at work, I let myself in and get to work. I make his favorite meal since getting out of prison—steak, potatoes, corn, and gravy.

  By the time he arrives home, the place smells of boiled potatoes and corn steaming in the special pot he had bought from some infomercial. He enters the kitchen and loosens his tie. "Oh, look at this. When did my little baby girl become such a great cook?" His hand is on my shoulder and I lean in so he can kiss the top of my head.

  For a moment, I forget why I’m here. Why I’m going to so much trouble in the first place.

  Focusing on the task at hand keeps my sentimental feelings at bay. I can do this. I need to do this. "You know me, I'm not happy unless I’m learning something new."

  Dad chuckles to himself as he heads to his room to change. A bundle of raw nerves, I wish I could serve a nice bottle of wine. That I deserve, but instead I have to serve fruit punch. Fruit punch!

  I set the small kitchen table with a blue tablecloth and lay out the spread on Dad’s yellow dishes. It’s cheerful. Since getting out of prison, he’s all about the cheerful. All about making the most out of everything, and now I have to force him into something he won’t want.

  But it’s better than being dead.

  ****

  The steaks have been eaten and the mashed potatoes left on my plate are creamy with a river of gravy running through them. All through dinner Dad had told me stories about his work, his life, and about the little lady across the hall who can never get her jar of pickles open.

  Dad laughs. "Sometimes I think that maybe she can open the jar of pickles. Maybe she's trying to…you know…." Dad tapped his chest with both his hands and I cringe.

  I chuckle as he expects me to. I talk about everything but what I really came in to talk about, in the same way Dad talks about everything but prison. About what trying to adjust to being on his own after ten years is like for him.

  He’s happy. He’s trying to be normal an
d I’ll never let him go. I’ll sacrifice myself before I sacrifice my mom or my dad again.

  Dad places his empty beer bottle on the table. "So, what about you? You've been awfully quiet for someone who really wanted to get together. So, what aren’t you telling me?"

  It seems no matter what timeline we’re in, he can see through me as if I'm a transparent sheet of paper.

  "There’s this thing.” I sigh. "Dad, I just can't do this. There's something I need to tell you; I just don't know if I can."

  Dad's eyes crinkle around the edges as he leans forward. "Is it Don? Did he…. I mean…you…. Are you…"

  My eyes bug at the suggestion. "Oh, Dad no. I’m not pregnant." I take a long pause and the look of desperation on Dad’s face pulls the answer out of me, “It’s about time.”

  Dad wipes his hands on his jeans. "Okay, time. What about time?"

  "Dad, I love you. Please, know that, but something is happening and in three days,” I squeeze my eyes shut, “in three days I need you to go away.”

  As if he’s been struck, Dad sits up. I feel as if I’ve lost him. He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms. "Lara, you better tell me what's going on. Better tell me now."

  Dad’s rarely so cross with me, in any timeline. I fold my hands in my lap. "Yes, sir."

  Here I go. God help me. I'm going to need it.

  ****

  Dad processes everything I tell him and he sits there as he absorbs it. It’s as if I’m watching someone I love being hit with a jackhammer. It's not pretty, but all I can do is sit here and wait for him to finish thinking. The look in his eyes reminds me of the look he’d get when our old neighbor, Camille, would complain about her running toilet at eleven o’clock at night. He was ready to explode, and this time, I was going to be on the receiving end.

  My knee bounces because I'm nervous. I need something to do so I tilt my head back and count the specks in the ceiling tiles.