by R J Johnson
“What allies?” Tate snarled. “The only people we can count on are here in this room. That man Washington has some stones of his own, but I can’t count on too many others out there we can trust.”
“Alex,” Ash replied.
Tate’s face screwed up in anger, “You’ve got to be kidding me…”
“He’s the only other person on this planet who’s had any sort of experience with the stones,” Ash began. “He’s also the only other person on this planet who’s managed to kick both your ass,” Tate grimaced at this, “And my own.” Ash finished.
“What’s the point?”
“The point,” Ash continued, rolling his eyes, “is that he’s also the only other person on this planet who seems to be as determined as we are to stop Kline from doing any more damage to this world. He’s also the only other person who understands the threat Kline represents with that kind of power.”
Tate sighed, and rubbed the floor with the toe of his boots, “So, what,” he said, sounding defeated, “You’re saying we take our shot against Kline’s nigh unstoppable insanely powerful army while we count on Alex taking his shot against Kline at the same time?”
Ash nodded.
“That’s a lot of assumptions,” Tate said. “You’re assuming he’ll know the opportunity when it comes after we strike.”
Ash shrugged.
“And,” Tate continued, sounding even more annoyed, “That’s assuming you even know if he’s still alive. Last footage of him in Hong Kong showed him disappearing into that black hole or whatever…”
“If there’s one thing I learned,” Ash said, sounding almost proud, “It’s not to count Alex out, especially when you think he’s dead.”
“So you’re thinking…”
“No,” Ash said, holding up a hand. “I have faith in him.”
“Oh great,” Tate replied, sinking back down into his chair, placing a hand on his face. “We’re totally and completely screwed.”
Ash paused and stepped forward, placing a hand on his new friend’s shoulder.
“But at least we’ll go down fighting on our own two feet,” Ash said.
Tate looked up at Ash and sighed. “Jesus, you’ve got a real complex, you know that?
Ash chuckled, “Not the worst thing anyone’s said about me.” He clapped Tate’s shoulder once again and began walking toward the exit of the data center.
“Let’s go raise an army.”
Chapter Forty-Four
The staging point was eerily quiet – as if the battlefield knew it was only a few hours away from being filled with blood and the shouts and cries of dying men and women.
Kline looked over the vast network of highways and roads that had (up until a few days ago when Kline raised the wall) led into Manhattan. Now, all he saw was potential attach routes for his enemies.
He reached into his pocket and felt for the stones inside. They were still there, reassuring him in his total power over the universe. It was unlikely that anyone – or anything could seriously challenge him now.
But that wouldn’t stop them from trying. Kline knew this, more than anything else, he expected this. The government would have to take their last shot at taking him out. They had to.
But it was too late. And the real powerbrokers already knew it too. Many of them had been attempting to contact the billionaire in hopes they and their families would be spared the coming onslaught.
Kline filed each request away knowing that the real work of running the world would take relationships and leverage.
And thanks to the stones, he now had plenty of both.
He turned away from the window of his 57th floor office in the new World Trade Center. The construction was not quite finished, but, they had completed enough for him to start using it as the base of his operations. This is where he would operate and shape humanity into the next version of itself – Homo superior.
That was when he sensed them.
His eyes went wide in shock. There were more. His other stones began to vibrate within his pocket, as if finding themselves attracted to them. He ran to the other side of his office that faced Central Park and pressed against the glass.
“There are more…” he whispered.
In a flash, he disappeared.
Chapter Forty-Five
The Old Man, Scott and Christina were standing outside the World Trade Center watching as Kline’s men and women filed in and out of the massive building.
“They’re completely lost,” Christina whispered. “He’s taken total control.”
“Not total,” the Old Man replied. “They live in a world of their own making right now. Doing what Kline asks delivers a high dose of pleasure to their cortexes. They live in a sort of dream state for the most part. It’s as if they’re still asleep, living through a waking dream.”
“My god,” Scott whispered. “That’s horrifying.”
“You have no idea,” the Old Man replied.
“What are we waiting for?” Christina asked.
There was a sudden flash of light and a thunderous boom sounded through the night and the Old Man pointed up at the sky. “Him.”
Kline appeared in a flash of light, high above the building observing the world below him. Scott and Christina shuddered as he appeared, the Old Man touched their shoulders as reassurance.
“He’s taken all twelve,” the Old Man said softly.
“How do you know?” Scott asked, still watching Kline above them.
The Old Man didn’t answer. He continued to direct his gaze up at Kline as if trying to decide what to do next.
“Kline!” The Old Man called out to him. “You’ve gone too far. It’s time for you to face your reckoning!”
Kline looked down and saw the Old Man down there below. A smile spread across his face.
The Old Man handed two stones over to Christina and Scott. “Take these, use them to get these people free and keep you safe.”
“But what about you?” Christina called out in terror. “If he’s holding onto all twelve, then you…”
“Don’t worry about me.” The Old Man answered. “Be ready for when I give the order.”
Scott took the stone from the Old Man and nodded. “So you say.”
Christina touched the Old Man’s robe one last time, “Please… be careful.”
The Old Man smiled, and snapped his fingers. Christina and Scott disappeared just as Kline landed in front of him, a crash echoing through the courtyard.
Thousands of Kline’s zombified followers turned and surrounded the pair, the crowd growing larger by the second.
“So, you live Old Man,” Kline called out across the courtyard.
“You could never kill me Kline,” the Old Man said. “You have no idea the power contained within those stones. I do.”
Kline’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve been an intriguing person to meet. I have no idea who you are, or why you believe it possible that you can stop me.”
“Kline, you’re blind if you can’t see me for who I am,” The Old Man’s voice was strong as he shouted across the courtyard. “You’ve never been able to defeat me through the years.”
Lighting struck at the top of the World Trade Center, the thunder cracking loudly like a gunshot.
“Mr. McCray?” Kline whispered, cocking his head. The smile returned. “Mr. McCray, is that you?”
The Old Man smiled, “So you do recognize me.”
“I’ve waited a long time to kill you, and now that I have all twelve stones, I can do it properly for the final time!” Kline spat at the Old Man. He brought up his palm as a bright beam of energy blasted its way toward the Old Man.
The Old Man raised his hands, as a shield formed around him, the powerful beam of energy from Kline being absorbed and deflected back at the billionaire.
Kline cursed and jumped out of the way of the energy beam, as it crashed into the building behind him, removing a large chunk of it.
“You have no idea what you’re in for Kline,�
� the Old Man whispered. He brought his hands together and a bright blue ball of energy began to form between them. The Old Man waved the energy ball and lobbed it towards Kline.
Kline looked up to see the crackling ball of bright blue energy fall toward him. He cursed, trying to move out of the way, but he was too slow. The ball of energy wrapped itself around him, binding his arms together.
The Old Man stood, and dusted himself off as he approached the fallen Kline. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this.”
Kline struggled against the energy bonds, managing to touch the time travel stone. The Old Man saw what Kline was about to do and reached for the time travel stone, but he was too late.
With a flash, the pair of them were thrown back in time as the battle continued.
Chapter Forty-Six
Alex stood outside his boyhood home, and stared, looking at the place where he had spent so much time growing up.
“Is it as you expected?” Siobhan asked, sidling up next to him.
“It is…” he whispered.
“It is a beautiful place. I can see why your father brought you up here.”
“It is indeed,” Alex said.
“There they are,” Siobhan pointed to the group making their way down the street. “Are you sure you wish to…”
He stopped listening to Siobhan, concentrating only on the lagging figure behind Scott and Christina. He had never seen Emily so sad before.
“She’s beautiful,” Siobhan smiled, looking over at Alex. “I see why you feel in love with her.”
“She was everything to me once upon a time…” he said, wistfully.
“The feelings are gone?”
Alex ran a hand over his now old and weathered face. The stones had done their part in keeping him young, but he hadn’t been near them his whole life. In fact, he had aged so much, he was surprised he was still alive. He had the stones to thank for that he supposed. But nearly a million years stuck inside the Patron’s channels had aged him considerably.
“The feelings will never be gone,” he answered finally. “It’s too late for us. It’s too much time, too much separation…” the stones began to glow in his hand as the power flowed through him, “And too much at stake. Kline must be stopped, and we’re the only ones who can do it. I have to protect that above all else.”
He sighed, “Even Emily…”
Siobhan watched Alex as he stared at Emily interacting with his father. “There’s a lot you could still tell her.”
“Seeing me like this could be too much for her to bear,” he turned to Siobhan. “It’s better that I play a character, one she can relate to and help keep her hope alive that Alex is still alive and out there.”
“That’s incredibly cruel,” Siobhan spat at him. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”
“It’s what’s necessary,” Alex said, not looking at his young charge. “She had no idea who the Old Man was in our time. Revealing that I’ve been pulling the strings behind her whole life could be devastating.”
Siobhan shook her head. “It’s…”
“Necessary,” Alex repeated, rubbing his beard once again. He pulled it up, examining it for a moment. What had once been a rich chestnut brown was now completely white.
“Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?” Siobhan’s Irish accent didn’t come out much these days, but it did when she was annoyed or upset.
Alex decided to ignore the dig. “She’s leaving the house.”
“And it’s time for your first appearance to them as,” Siobhan raised up her hands for air quotes, “the ‘Old Man?’”
“My stage awaits,” Alex answered watching as Scott and Christina chased after Emily.
He turned away from his childhood home and began walking toward the place where Emily, Scott and Christina had set up shop. They would be shocked by his appearance – or would they? How often had the ‘Old Man’ interfered in their life?
“Time travel is such a pain in the behind…” he muttered to himself.
“What’s that?” Siobhan piped up from behind him.
“I said maybe it’s best if you stayed behind,” he said, raising his voice. “Keep an eye out in case Kline shows up.”
“Will do Captain!” Siobhan flashed a mock salute toward him. Alex rolled his eyes and moved toward the cabin Scott and Christina were entering.
He raised up a fist to knock on the door, when he stopped, and smiled. He closed his eyes, and suddenly he was inside the bedroom where Emily was currently crying her eyes out.
“It’s all right you know,” Alex said. Emily sat up in shock, and screamed. He held out a hand, pleading with his eyes, “I’m a friend.”
She gasped, trying to catch her breath at first. “I… I know you.”
Alex nodded, “That doesn’t surprise me. I’ve been meddling in your life for awhile now.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Why?”
“So you can help Alex, Scott and Christina in their fight against Kline.”
Emily hiccupped for a moment, staring at Alex intently. “But why me?”
Alex sighed, and looked away for a moment. “Because Kline needs to be stopped. And I can’t think of anyone more capable for the job.”
Emily looked away, putting a hand on her stomach for a moment before sliding it back in her pocket. “It’s a big thing you’re asking.”
“I know…” Alex replied. “But I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe I had the right person.”
“Who are you?” she asked again.
Alex’s throat caught. He had nearly told her outright who he really was. But that wouldn’t do. “I’m a friend of Alex’s.”
Emily smiled at the mention of Alex’s name.
“What is it that you need me to do?” she asked, looking up at the Old Man.
It was that moment that Alex ceased to exist, and the Old Man began.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Kline and the Old Man were battling each other brutally in the slipstreams between time. All around them the world’s empires rose and fell, as lives passed before them in an instant.
But they saw none of it. They were too busy trying to kill each other.
Kline broke free of the bonds the Old Man had cast around him. Kline’s eyes flashed and the stones around his neck began glowing wildly.
The Old Man was only barely able to get up a shield as thousands of brilliant bolts of energy began raining down on him.
Kline, outraged that his attacks on the Old Man were failing, rushed at him, pushing them both out of the time slipstream.
They were flying through the air, above a sea of redwood trees. Kline had grabbed the Old Man’s shoulders and was pushing him down through the air.
Kline screamed with the effort, as the Old Man moved to try and escape Kline’s grasp.
They crashed through several redwoods, the Old Man’s body absorbing much of the impact as the healing stone flashed brilliantly to keep up with the injuries.
Kline lost his grip on the Old Man, as they crashed through another trunk. He went wildly off course, bouncing off several other trunks, until finally landing hard in a meadow several hundred feet away, creating a huge crater.
The billionaire moaned in pain, as he struggled to get up. Around him, huge trees were falling over, thanks to their rough descent.
Kline struggled to the top of the crater his landing had created, slipping on the loosened dirt all around him.
“KLINE!” the scream came from the forest.
Kline pulled himself up over the lip of the crater, and stood, swaying slightly from side to side.
“Impossible,” he whispered.
The Old Man was limping out of the forest, a huge redwood next to him falling dramatically behind him.
“Is that all you got?!?” the Old Man challenged. “I thought you were a God!”
Kline grit his teeth and began hovering over the ground. “If it’s a fight you want,” he said, looking at his fist made of granite,
“Then a fight you’ll get.”
Kline hurled his way through the air at supersonic speed, landing a punch using the granite hand he had been cursed with in Germany.
A loud thunder crack erupted through the valley as Kline’s impossibly strong fist cracked against the Old Man’s jaw.
The Old Man went flying across the meadow, crashing through several more redwoods, the wood and debris flying everywhere.
Kline smiled in triumph as he moved forward to find the Old Man and finish the job.
But when he floated above the wreckage the Old Man had created crashing through the forest, he was surprised to see that the Old Man was nowhere to be found.
“You run so quickly?” Kline hissed.
“Not that quick.”
The voice came from behind Kline who whirled around in shock to see the Old Man’s fist coming toward him.
The hit launched Kline up into the air. The Old Man flew after Kline in air, summoning up a huge ball of energy and throwing it toward Kline.
The energy surrounded Kline, encapsulating him and creating a near impenetrable net.
Kline crashed through the forest hard, the net of energy tangling up his limbs in a variety of awkward positions.
The Old Man floated down toward Kline, and smiled at the trapped billionaire.
“Overconfidence in the stones has always been your weakness,” the Old Man remarked.
Kline didn’t answer, he only stared up at the Old Man, with a seething rage.
“There are better ways to use the stones you know,” the Old Man said softly. “You could have helped humanity become better in other ways.”
“They don’t know what’s good for themselves,” Kline hissed through his teeth. “If we are to continue as a species, all the religions, cultures, borders, all that separates us, must be destroyed. We have to turn to the universe as a united species.”
“I don’t disagree,” the Old Man said dryly, “But you have to do that without compelling people to do it. Otherwise, the system will fail on you. And our species will become even more lost than it was before.”