by Richard Lord
“Not funny, Dad, back in the water with you! Your sense of humor hasn’t fully developed.” Joy tosses more grapes around and clicks to them to catch them.
“You’re going to wear yourself out, Joy. Is that all you’ve been doing since my untimely demise?” Renfield asks.
“Who said it was untimely and clearly it was not demise.” Joy threw another in his direction and clicked to it before he could taste it. She grinned at the fact she got there before he could.
“Your mother is, how do I describe her? Faithful.” Renfield feels the vacuum of Tomorrow’s presence.
“Yeah, I already know she’s Sara, I was wondering why you never noticed.” Joy stops then looks at her father. She notices a look on his face.
“She changed a lot. Not just her looks, but even her personality, on some levels. I suppose things changed her, didn’t they?” Adam stares at the ground.
“Yeah, Dad, she’s a damned good fighter, and I need backup, so now it’s your turn.” Joy tries to put some levity back into the conversation.
“I should go then.” Renfield responds while staring into the mud. He looks up at Joy, “Seriously why did you save me?”
Joy clicks to his side and holds his hand as says, “No, don’t go anywhere. You should be now. There’s a raid tonight. Have my back. Do now, Dad. There’s plenty of time for yesterday.”
“If I am all of them…?” Adam exclaims.
“Yeah, I get it, you’re me too.” Joy rolls her eyes at the concept but she understands having seen so much in her many years of clicking time.
“I’m just saying that would also mean…”
Joy cuts him off, “Okay, I’ll decide for us, don’t go back. Let Christina create Tomorrow. What would you do without me?” Joy tosses another grape at him and clicks to it to deny him the catch, but he clicks in front of her an instant before she re-exists.
“Wow, Dad, you catch on quick to your own lessons! Not bad for a guy who was soup for a long time.” Joy laughs at him, turns and then launches another grape in his general direction.
Adam’s arm snaps out grabs it and throws it back at his daughter who catches it between her front teeth then shows off her accomplishment.
“Ok, not bad. Don’t get killed trying to stop these organizations. The more you do, the more they know about what you’re doing and how.” Renfield warns.
“Well Dad, we sort of changed policy. We, well I, don’t let anyone go anymore.” Joy looks at him awaiting the inevitable scorning.
“Not a bad plan. Organized, it’s no longer a small issue and the organizations know when their people don’t come back.” Renfield looks down at his legs and realizes they are covered in mud and starts pushing the mud away only to realize it’s on his shoulders too.
“Well, I didn’t expect that endorsement.” Joy replies while using her tongue to roll the grape and peel it. She swallows the fruit of it, spits out the skin and then a second later the seeds, one by one.
“So it sounds like you are doing well. What did you need me back for?” Renfield asks his daughter.
“Don’t be an ass, Dad.” Joy clicks, grabs her pack from the tree branch with her essentials and then clicks back in front of her father.
“So explain why you put my body in the water, at least.” Adam asks of Joy.
“Well, for one you were smelly and no one wanted that around. We couldn’t put you in the woods. Scavenging thingies would have eaten you while you were, becoming. The water was the best plan. The fish didn’t eat the new flesh, just the dead. It took a long time, Dad. You don’t heal as fast as you once did.”
“Is that why Sara left?” Renfield asked Joy realizing that he was asking a very in-depth question in only five words.
“Wow. Umm, I don’t know, I guess. Don’t you think this is strange for her? She’s the wife of a man who always is. It’s hard for me to contemplate I’m the daughter of the man who will always be.” Joy responds.
Adam’s brow furrows, “What do you mean?”
“You weren’t born in a bunker. You were just born a few minutes ago. All that happens from here into the past is your doing. My sisters, my mother, my grandmother, all of that is your future. You have memory of it, it’s why you stick to your timeline. You don’t see that you created all of it. I have traveled both time and space, Dad. Your influence makes all of it happen. You literally are not just the first man, your own actions create yourself.” Joy flops on the ground and stares at the sky. “To be all of that and remain clueless as to what you are must take a special skill.” Joy looks at her father then rises as she sees his face fall. “Dad, I love you.” She puts her arms around Adam as her body begins to tremble with the emotion welled up inside her. Then she pushes herself away from him and states, “When I was young I used to wish you were less complicated. That you were just a Dad, like everyone else’s Dad. But you’re not, that won’t happen, and this is my fate. I saved you for your re-birth. Just promise you will do everything you did the one time you made me exist. If I don’t you won’t.” Joy looks at him and laughs, “High fiver!”
“You’re ridiculous, Joy.” Adam shakes his head at his timeless daughter.
“So did you really teach her about Xhang Tau?”
“No, I taught her about the legend of Shang-tu. There is quite a difference.” Renfield responded but his face ticked at her accusation.
“Ok, so you told her of the legendary land of Xanadu, but you didn’t explain Xhang Tau means ‘Stuck in Heavy Rain’?” Joy pierces her eyes on her father.
“I don’t think the desert was the appropriate place to bring that up. What are you stirring at, Joy?”
“You shaped her. Your influence on her made all of what is now happen. You, Adam. You walk with a wake miles wide, father.” Joy tosses the last grape but allows it to land deep in the mud. “You gather all of their memories. You are them when you need to be. You feel them. You are them, still alive after their deaths. Which father am I speaking to now?”
Adam winces at the question but nonetheless chooses to answer his daughter. “Your father, with a wake a few miles wide. And Shang-tu is the proper translation.” He looks at Joy matter-of-factly and she doesn’t move for a moment. Adam considers his daughter’s words and thinks back to remember why he translated out the part about being stuck in heavy rains. He thinks the moment through and realizes his daughter has used the English term Xanadu. “You’re married now, aren’t you?” Renfield doesn’t really ask. Adam’s statement is based on observation of the subtle ways in which she has changed.
Joy looks to Adam, “Although I’ve seen them at work thousands of times, I still underestimate your powers of observation.” Joy cocks her head at him, and then audibly adds the syllable, “Huh.” to the conclusion her mind has come to. Joy smiles and takes Adam’s hand. She clicks them to her destination. As they cross over the rise, from the lake to the ocean Joy disappears, Renfield is met by Kumadri.
“Welcome back.” She notes his age as he does hers. As they hold each others palms they gaze into each others eyes at the mysteries of what has become of them. “So the dead do rise, Joy was true.” Kumadri bows and whispers to him. Strangely there is no one around to overhear if she spoke out loud, but she does this anyway, “With each new problem your mind expands to encompass it. You work like the universe. I work for you.”
Joy reappears, reaches out, grabs Adam’s arm and they vanish.
Then Renfield sees Joy smiling at him. Renfield thinks to himself, “Persistence was right.” Then he looks at a young girl who runs over to Joy. Joy picks her up and the two smile at each other. They giggle in true comfort with each other for a moment and then Joy approaches Adam.
As she walks towards him bouncing the child in her arms he can hear her whisper “This is grandpa, he’s kind of a jerk, but he has a lot of cool stories.” Then addressing Adam she says, “Dad, meet Destiny.”
“You don’t remember me, Grandpa. I was there in a time you haven’t lived yet. You are go
od. In a time you haven’t been yet, you design the lever and something far simpler. That is impressive. You taught me about great foods and how to treat people well.” Destiny holds out her arms towards her grandfather.
Renfield looks at Joy thinking to her, “She’s too young to know more than I do, and yet you are my daughter and know more than I.” His heart swells and he reaches out to embrace Destiny. While hugging he notes her will is strong for such a young person.
“You predicted this. It’s evolution. I’m sorry you are always going to be dying. For us to do this does not tax us, but you spent a lot of your attention on healing. I’ve even see you bring back something everyone considered dead. I know your reason. Everyone was upset and disturbing the balance at that moment you considered okay, and then you went into this weird space as you seemed to beg the universe to help you change that reality ad you did. You are still more powerful than us, but you pay the price. In fact, I think the price you pay is not just your actions but the actions of all of your offspring. You made that choice, but you didn’t think you were coming back this time. I remember our conversations about it.” Destiny comments.
Adam looks over Destiny’s shoulder at her mother and softly, but firmly comments, “That is Brian’s task.”
“You say that to get through the day, but Brian learned it from you. Absorb all. You two may not get along, but you two are very much alike.” Joy begins to turn and then hears her father’s voice in her head.
“Who is he, Joy?” Renfield turns to her with a very serious look on his face.
“Damn it, you can’t focus! Dad, don’t!” Joy responds. “I told you, you will lose. Accept there are things you cannot do! I had to park myself in a tree because you push things too far. What you are thinking isn’t just pushing the envelope, it’s madness!”
Renfield considers Destiny and thinks directly to Joy. “Look at all you and your mother have created. All you still work to defend! If he is what you say, it’s all at risk. I’ve watched him. I don’t get it yet, but I will.” Renfield runs his hands over Destiny’s hair and over her back to ease her.
Joy thinks to him, “He goes by many names. He holds many titles. Don’t do this. Side note, even you can’t block her. She hears everything.”
He looks at Joy and sees Tomorrow in her. Renfield then looks into the eyes of Destiny.
Instantly they were on a cliff. As Renfield looked from it, he saw two huge armies marching towards each other. He could tell by their increasing cadence they did not intend to hold a peace accord. He looked across and saw his daughter from another vantage point, even though she was next to him now. He realized this was not her first time here. Then he saw a man appear in the middle of both armies. As they came together, in battle, the man began to move extremely fast. He was slaying both sides of the conflict. The blood on the ground became immense, as happens in battle, but not usually so fast. Renfield thought it was like watching something in fast forward, but the two opposing sides were moving at normal speed in their attempts to take him out whilst simultaneously, each other. Renfield noted the man did it without clicking. Over his shoulder he said, “Yeah, that’s him. Not sure how I’m taking that out, but I’m not changing my mind.” Then he drew his eyes away from the carnage and noted Destiny’s presence. Looking up at Joy he said, “How did you click both of us with you?”
“I didn’t.” Joy looks at Destiny. Renfield turns to face Destiny and as realization came over his face he thought of Tomorrow.
CHAPTER 42
“If everything is nothing and nothing is the one, the conclusion would be that nothing is everything.” -- from the Book of Brian
“It’s interesting to finally meet you, Mr. Renfield?” Brady pauses.
Renfield jumps at that moment. “So. You’ve spent time with our former Lieutenant.” He doesn’t have to see the reaction. At different times they both worked for the same person. He knew.
Detective Brady looked at him, clearly shocked, but regaining composure he said, “That’s not how interrogations work, Adam.” He put down his coffee and reviewed the file.
Adam clicked out of the cuffs and next to him and whispered in his ear. “Yeah, this isn’t you’re grandfather’s interrogation. I’m more than serious.”
“Adam, did you think I didn’t know who you are. I’ve been waiting for you to do this one more time. You’ve shown your hand now. Now it’s mine to control.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, sir. You are me. I am you. So this side of me is taking control.” Adam clicks to the cameras in the room taking them out on by one.
Brady laughs at the gesture, “You know I cut the feed before we came in here. It’s just you and me and if you kill me Tomorrow never exists.”
Adam’s mind reels with that deafening reality but he thinks deep and pushes his thought through time. “Sara, Brian and Persistence. They have to…” For a moment he wonders if the thought could be heard that way, but then he hears her.
“You keep telling me this. I understand.” Sara responds.
Adam looks down at Brady, “My friend, you’ve played well. You’re a notable adversary.” Then he clicks to the left of Brady and grabs him by the neck. Brady sweeps behind him with his left foot trying to take Renfield down. Renfield knows this puts Brady off balance. He lifts his leg to avoid the strike and using the resulting gravity of his move, slams Brady’s head into the desk Brady was just looking at him over. Brady counters with an elbow, hard to the lower ribcage. Renfield grins, grabs his neck again and holds on to his larynx until the blood builds up enough to pop the major arteries that fed it. He let’s go, but in a sudden move Renfield grabs Brady’s neck and snaps it. Renfield kneels to the body and whispers into Brady’s ear, knowing there are at least eight minutes until thought stops. “That is for Sara. Your own daughter. It’s what she wants to say to you.” Then Adam moves quickly and secures Brady’s head. Then, at the rapidly breathing man under him, he whispers, “Today you don’t die. You suffer for what you have done to my family. I’ve one thing left to do.” With his own hand he punches Brady in the arm that pulled the trigger. Then he looks down at Brady, “That was actually the only thing she asked me to do. She’s kind.” He looks down at the Brady breathing rapidly and says, “You sir, don’t have the ability to traverse time. You may have pieced it all together from echoes and that’s impressive. But you’re not going to be able to speak to tell anyone and you certainly won’t be able to write anything down, ever again. They will come in and find you. They will try their best to keep you alive. You will suffer for what you and your wife did to my loved ones.” Then he grins at Brady. “I once thought we could be friends.”
Renfield clicks back to Destiny. He notices she is older, but ignores the fact. He is used to that sort of thing by now. Renfield informs her, “It’s done. Your grandmother wouldn’t have wanted to see it anyway. Tell me more about that guy.” His finger points over the cliff to the battlefield at the spot he last saw the man, but he doesn’t turn his head to look at the scene below. “What he does is something I need to be ready for.”
As Destiny’s hand raises and points at what just moments ago was a battlefield, Renfield notes that there isn’t much left of the bones. He realizes he clicked back much later. He realized she had known when he would arrive. Then he thinks to her, “Will you tell me who he is?”
While watching Destiny seemingly prepare for something after waiting so long he heard her reply, “You know who he is. You just don’t want to face that reality.”
In his mind, he considers her statement. Then he hears a familiar person in his head as the air bursts with interruption and the skycrawler lands. His heart swells.
Destiny says, “I’m going with her. We have to fix your errors.”
Renfield begins to think to both of them but he blocks his mind instead as he watches Destiny strap in to the body that was once his daughter. His lips mouth, “Illumna” in question, but he thinks out to both of them, “Time is confusing.”
/>
In chorus, they think back, “Not once you understand it.”
Renfield grins. He thinks to himself, “They make an interesting duo of cold and calculating.” He watches as his granddaughter dons a uniform that is inside cockpit. He laughs at how her hair dangles wildly from the helm she adorns. To Illumna he thinks out, “How did you survive.”
“I don’t. Umm, didn’t. Joy told me when to be.” Illumna responds.
“So you’re doubled?” Renfield asks his daughter.
“Dad, I realize the other me is dead, so not really. I have no memory of that. I came here by going backwards and then forward to when Joy told me to be here and what I was to do.” Illumna explains.
“She clicked you?” Adam asks.
“The first part, yes. I learned the second part myself. I had plenty of time where she took me. I hear Mom is doing some pretty interesting things. In two times, actually. I didn’t know you two had been lovers in two different times. Joy explained.” Illumna thinks back to her father.
“Yes, your Mom is a pretty amazing woman. She gave me very interesting daughters. I love you, Illumna, take care of my granddaughter.” Then he hears his daughter’s form take flight and watches as she begins heading straight up at extreme velocity.
Destiny relaxes as she feels the thrust and waits as they escape the planet’s gravity. Wondering where Illumna has planned on taking them, she searches Illumna’s mind and begins to understand the plan.
Renfield’s mind thinks out for resolution to it all. Then suddenly he is in a house he recognizes. He looks up and his heart skips a few beats while he chokes back his emotions. Then he bounds to his daughter, “Solstice!”
She turns to him and replies, as he grabs her in a huge hug, “Umm, hey Dad?” She appreciates the attention, but she tries to navigate away since she doesn’t know what it’s about. “So, for a pretty ruthless killer, you’re in a good mood today.”