On Through the Never

by Melissa E. Hurst

  I glance at Ellis. He swallows a few times, looking nervous. This his eyes flick to the case with the bioweapon, still in the center of the room. Suddenly I understand what he wants to do.

  As Ellis dives toward the bioweapon, time seems to slow.

  Ellis’s arms extend toward the case.

  Someone yells for him to stop.

  Dad extracts a second pistol from his jacket.

  The sounds are deafening as he fires it two times.

  Ellis’s fingers almost touch the case, but the bullets rip into his body before he can reach it. First his back, then his head.

  By the time his body comes to a rest, Ellis’s eyes are fixed in my direction.

  But I know he can no longer see me.

  40

  ALORA

  APRIL 5, 2147

  I stare in horror at Ellis’s body. He’s gone. He never got the chance to go back to his own time, to see if he could return to a better world.

  The look on Bridger’s face breaks my heart—his features are contorted in anguish. He lunges toward Leithan. At the same time, Leithan fires a wild shot in Bridger’s direction as he backs away, scrambling to return to where he left the bioweapon case.

  My pulse spikes. I’m afraid that the shot could hit Bridger, but he easily dodges it and I breathe a sigh of relief.

  But at the same time, Dad appears right next to the case. He leans down and wraps his arms around the bioweapon, wincing as he uses his injured arm to pull it close to him.

  And then he looks up. His eyes search for mine. So blue, just like mine. Just like Aunt Grace’s. Just like Vika’s.

  I know what he’s going to do.

  “No!” My voice sounds odd. Not like my own.

  Dad whispers, “I love you. Always.”

  “Please!” I cry out. “Don’t leave me!”

  Then he closes his eyes for the final time and shifts out of the room.

  I drop to my knees and scream.

  41

  BRIDGER

  APRIL 5, 2147

  White hot rage spreads through my body. This is not my father. I thought, somehow, I could save him. But he just murdered his own son. He just shot at me.

  I’m numb as I fire shot after shot straight into that monster. He staggers back, his eyes going wide as he looks down at the hole where his heart should be.

  “How could you, son?” he asks softly.

  “You’re not my father,” I say.

  He falls to the floor with a dull thud and takes several choking breaths before his chest stops moving.

  I’m left with the dead clone I hoped would be my father again, but never could.

  We saved the country and the world.

  And yet I feel like I’ve died.

  42

  BRIDGER

  APRIL 5, 2147

  Just after I kill the cloned version of my father, President Tremblay gives the order for Space Benders to arrive again. Alora, Professor March, and I are immediately taken into custody. Medical personnel arrive to take away Ellis and my cloned father’s bodies.

  But a strange thing happened while nobody was looking.

  Ellis’s body vanished.

  I choke back a sob. I wanted to say goodbye to him. Now I can’t even do that.

  Shan is still alive, I remind myself. Ellis got his wish. He saved us. Now all I want to do is hug my brother and never let him out of my sight. To step up and help guide him into adulthood. That’s the best way I can honor Ellis’s memory. His sacrifice.

  When investigators inquire about him, I share the year that Ellis was really from. That he was in fact my younger brother. They don’t believe me, but they still send Time Benders back to investigate the time that he initially approached me on the camping trip with Grandma and Shan.

  And when they return with their report, we’re officially cleared.

  I’m still numb. Vaguely, I make out excited chatter from the investigators. Some speculate that Ellis’s Chronoband automatically returned his body to the year he was from. Others argue that he ceased to exist because we changed his timeline. No matter what, he’s still gone.

  Captain Olivia March arrives next, and Professor March greets her. “I was wondering when you would get here.”

  “Normally I would have been here to help with the investigation, but since you were involved, I wasn’t allowed to do anything.” She glances at me. “Bridger, your grandmother is on the way.”

  “What about my mom?” Alora asks.

  “She will be here shortly. But in the meantime, I’m going to escort you and Bridger downstairs to take your statements. You too, Telfair,” she says, giving her brother an exasperated look. “I had no idea you were going to pull a stunt this wild.”

  “It was this or have everyone die. What would you have chosen? And besides, you pulled your own stunt by helping Alora escape yesterday.”

  She gives him a rueful smile. “Touché.”

  Professor March pats me on the shoulder. “How are you holding up?”

  I consider lying, but what’s the point? We all just went through a traumatic experience. “I’m not so great right now, professor. But I’ll live.”

  “I’m here for you. That’s never changed, and it never will.”

  I look up at him, blinking back more tears. “I know. Thank you.”

  As we’re about to leave the banquet hall, I’m happy to be able to see General Anderson’s face when he and President Tremblay are officially arrested. The investigation took a while to complete, but it clearly showed that they were guilty. I thought, because I didn’t see him in the banquet hall during the fight, that he had escaped. Turns out Nate had stunned him first, and he was lying on the floor behind the cloth-covered table.

  “How could you betray me?” Anderson bellows in my direction as he’s handcuffed and hauled away. Then he looks at Alora, his face contorted with rage. “If I’d know you would have been here today, I would have left you to die in the past!”

  Tremblay doesn’t say anything, instead keeping his head down.

  I want to let out a string of curses at both of them, but I keep quiet. I have nothing left to say at this point. Seeing him and Tremblay get what they deserve is good enough for me.

  Still, nothing will ever make up for the fact that I’ve had to lose my father—twice now. That is so furing messed up. Imagine that, having to deal with your father dying, being brought back from the dead, then taken away again. And Alora is going through the same thing.

  We’re going to need lots of Calmer.

  As Captain March escorts us out of the banquet hall, I take Alora’s hand. She looks at me, but doesn’t really seem to see me. I know exactly how she’s feeling. It’s not fair. We both searched so long for answers about our fathers. We both thought they were dead and gone, only to find them again.

  What a cruel joke that we lost them again at the same time.

  “Did you find out where your father shifted to with the bioweapon?” I ask.

  “One of the investigators told me there was a huge, unexplained explosion above the surface of the planet.”

  I freeze. “Do you think it was him? I mean, could he really have shifted there?”

  She thinks for a moment. “Yeah, I think he could have. His abilities were stronger than mine.”

  Alora and I are placed in separate holding cells to be questioned. I’m only in mine for a few minutes when Grandma cruises into the room in a shiny silver motor chair. I should have known a minor gunshot wound wouldn’t keep her away.

  I feel a surge of panic when I realize my brother isn’t with her. “Where is Shan?”

  “I took him to the hospital. He wanted to be with your mom while I came here to see you.” She looks down at her lap for a moment, where her hands are folded together in a white-knuckled grip. “I don’t think he could handle knowing the truth about Ellis. It might be too much for him to find out that the older version of himself was murdered by that clone of Leithan. He’s already been through so mu
ch.”

  “So you don’t think it’s a good idea to tell him?”

  “I’m going to talk it over with Morgan to make sure we’re in agreement, but I think it would be best that we keep this from him.”

  We emerge from the DTA building late in the afternoon, after spending hours being questioned. On top of being cleared of wrongdoing in the banquet hall attack, we’re not in trouble anymore for trying to save Zed. We’ve been officially pardoned because we successfully stopped the detonation of the bioweapon. Pardoning us was the least they could do.

  Still, it doesn’t make it any easier. None of this will bring my father back, or Alora’s father, or Zed.

  We meet up with Alora and Adalyn in the courtyard.

  “What are we going to do now?” Alora ask, grasping both my hands.

  “I don’t know,” I say. I look away from her, toward the street. It’s weird—all around us, people are going about their days as if nothing major happened. I know a lot of people know an attack was thwarted—they just don’t know what could have happened. I meet Grandma’s eyes. “I think we need to see my mom and brother right now.”

  Grandma inclines her head in agreement.

  “I have an idea,” Adalyn says. “Why don’t we all go visit her?”

  I consider it for a moment. Before, Adalyn was determined to keep Alora away from me. I know for a fact my mom has said some nasty things about her in the past, and I’m sure Alora must know that. Normally I’d refuse to bring Alora into that environment. But under the circumstances, I’m willing to make an exception.

  “I think she would like that.”

  We take a Pod to the hospital, courtesy of Grandma. Once we get to Mom’s room, I immediately rush over to Shan and hug him. He awkwardly pats my back, slightly weirded out. “I’m okay, Bridger. Really. I’m sorry about what you went through today. From what I hear, you and Alora are heroes.”

  “That’s right. I’m proud of you,” Mom says. I hug her next and quickly pull back when she winces. “Are you going to be okay?” I ask in a rush.

  “I’ll be fine. The docs say I only need to stay one more night for observation, then I can go back home to torture you two again.”

  I look from Alora, to her mom, then to Grandma, to Shan, and back to Mom. “I think I’d like that more than anything in this world right now,” I say.

  Adalyn clears her throat. “I hope you don’t mind us being here. I’m sorry you were hurt. If there’s anything I can do for you, I’ll be happy to help.”

  For a moment, I think letting Adalyn and Alora come here was a big mistake. Mom stares at them, her eyes giving none of her emotions away. Finally, she says, “Thank you. I appreciate it.” Then her expression softens as she glances from Alora to me. “Maybe we should all get together some time. I think we have a lot to talk about.”

  “I’d love that,” Adalyn says, offering a smile.

  With those words, the tension evaporates. Shan begs us to give details about what happened at the DTA building. While Alora and I share a censored version, my mood begins to shift.

  It’s strange. Maybe it’s because a medic gave me a dose of Calmer before we left, but I’m feeling better now. My emotions were so raw just a few hours ago. I’m still hurt. I still can’t stop thinking about how Nate and Ellis sacrificed themselves. I can’t get the sight of Dad’s body out of my mind. And I know Alora is hurting, too. Even now, I can’t help but notice the sadness in her voice, the dark shadows under her eyes.

  But I know we’ll be okay. We have our families and each other.

  It’s time to put the ghosts of our past to rest, and look forward to our future.

  EPILOGUE

  ALORA

  JULY 4, 2015

  Sweltering heat and humidity surround my body the instant I emerge from the Void, greeting me like an old friend. It’s almost unbearable—like stepping into a sauna—especially since Bridger and I just shifted from a much cooler temperature. I’m glad we both put on shorts and T-shirts retrieved from this era just before we traveled through time.

  For us, it’s December 17, 2149. It’s been almost two weeks since I graduated from the Academy, and over two years since our fathers died. For Aunt Grace, it will have been almost a year since she last saw me. I could have chosen any date to see her again, but I wanted this to be special. In this time, it’s her birthday.

  I can’t wait to see her.

  We’re standing at the edge of the tree line behind my former home, the old plantation house that she and her late husband turned into a bed-and-breakfast inn. Memories of my childhood surface. Aunt Grace having a tea party with me in the backyard when I was little, her reading bedtime stories to me and tucking me in each night. Me helping her prep the meals she served to guests who stayed with us.

  I glance behind me. The path leading to the river is still there—the one that I used to run on daily.

  I’m overcome with a sense of nostalgia, standing here looking at the place I lived for ten years. This still feels like home, and yet that life seems so far away. I’ve come to love living in my own time. I have my mom, Bridger and his family, and our friends. But I also long for Aunt Grace. When I lived here, I never felt like I fit in. But Aunt Grace always made me feel better. God, how I miss her.

  Bridger’s hand tightens around mine. “Are you ready?”

  I straighten my spine, steeling myself for what I’ve wanted to do ever since Dad sacrificed himself to save our future. “Yeah, let’s go.”

  As we cross the yard. I soak up everything. The smell of freshly cut grass. The sweet scent of the roses blooming in Aunt Grace’s garden. Overhead, the sun is rising in the eastern sky. I chose to arrive at ten o’clock in the morning in case Aunt Grace had plans to go to the annual Fourth of July Jamboree that takes place in Willow Creek each year. Most of the years I lived with her, she wouldn’t go, but on the final year—the year that I officially died—she insisted we both attend.

  Aunt Grace’s old truck is parked near the back porch, along with an unfamiliar vehicle. Hopefully, business is still good and she doesn’t have to worry about money like she did for so many years.

  “So how do you want to do this?” Bridger asks when we reach the back porch.

  I think for a moment before replying, “Let’s go around front and ring the doorbell. I don’t want to march inside and have her freak out in front of any guests that may be around.”

  As we circle the house, we pass by the old oak tree that’s near the front of the house. That was the one I had planned to climb down when Aunt Grace accidentally locked me in the attic. That was on the day I was trying to find out answers about my dad. It was also the day that Bridger first entered my life.

  When we’re on the front porch, Bridger squeezes my hand again. “You’ve got this.”

  I nod and ring the doorbell.

  What feels like an eternity passes before the door swings open. Aunt Grace is standing in front of me, dressed in khaki shorts and a dark green T-shirt. Her pleasant smile morphs into a jaw drop, then she squeals and rushes forward, pulling me into a crushing embrace.

  “Sweetie, I’ve missed you so much!” she says.

  By the time she lets me go, I’m in tears. Bridger touches my shoulder, and Aunt Grace looks back and forth at us with a confused expression.

  “Bridger? I thought I’d never see you again. Why are you here?”

  His eyes search out mine, his face turning red. I can’t say anything just yet, so Bridger nods. “Well, we’re sort of … together.”

  “Like dating together?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he says.

  Aunt Grace covers her mouth with both of her hands and takes a step back. “Wow, that’s fantastic. I’m really happy for y’all.” She cocks her head to the side, now frowning slightly. “How old are you two now?”

  I somehow find my voice. It’s barely a whisper. “I’m nineteen and Bridger is twenty, but our birthdays are coming up soon.”

  “My word, this is so s
urreal,” she says. “I wasn’t sure I’d see you again. You or Nate.” Now her eyes lock on mine again, then she looks over my shoulder–I can tell she’s searching for Dad. “I thought Nate would …”

  And my tears start flowing again.

  “He’s not coming back, is he sweetie?” Aunt Grace asks in a gentle voice.

  “No,” I whisper.

  For a moment, I think that Aunt Grace might faint. She blinks a few times and seems to sway slightly.

  “Are you okay?” Bridger asks, stepping forward to take her by the arm.

  Aunt Grace holds up her hands to stop him. “I’ll be fine.” She looks over her shoulder, tears glistening in her eyes, then motions for us to enter. “Come inside. I need to sit down.”

  “What about your guests?” I ask, since I’m technically dead in this time.

  “They’re all from out of state, and most aren’t even here right now,” she says. “Everyone’s getting ready for the Jamboree downtown.” She glances up at the ceiling. “One couple’s still upstairs, but at breakfast they said they were going to stay in most of the morning.”

  Once Bridger and I are seated on the couch in the front parlor, she takes one of the chairs across from us. Her hands clutch the armrests as she says, “Okay, I’m ready. Tell me everything.”

  It’s like a huge pressure is released from my chest as Bridger and I relate what’s happened to us over the past two years, starting with the events that led to his father and my dad dying on the same day. We end by sharing what’s going on in our lives now: I’m about to start my first job as an artifact retrieval tech based out of New Denver, and Bridger is stationed at a military base just outside of Chicago.

  “So, you’re living with your mom?” Aunt Grace asks hopefully.

  “No, ma’am. She transferred to the History Alive Network’s main office in New York. She didn’t want to go, but they offered her a raise that she couldn’t refuse. I’m still staying at her apartment, and one of my friends is moving in with me next week.”