Time Leap: A Teen Superheroes Saga

by Preston Flint

  Perfect!

  The only person I saw in the corridor was a black man getting out of the washroom, passing by and staring at me disapprovingly from head to toe. He then continued his stroll toward the mall, with his long black coat, the fabric reaching below his heels, practically sweeping the floor.

  CHAPTER 12

  Walking out of the corridor with only my white socks to my feet, I slipped on my glasses, which had remained intact from the harsh fall. I gazed around, once again, amazingly stunned by the mall’s breathtaking height and splendor: a sight that seemed too perfect to be real. But I was now convinced that all of this was real. I wished I could have brought my phone along to take a few more pictures, discreetly.

  I kept looking upwards, viewing the holographic ads all around – some very high and others low with some people walking right through them.

  Then I decided to venture closer to the fountain, being suddenly curious for watching the water flow. As I got close to the large marble structure, I laid out my hand, reaching out to one of the water streams.

  Just as I suspected.

  My hand didn’t feel wet at all – even the water was a hologram. Then came a flock of birds flying upwards, twirling toward the high ceiling – multicolored and illuminated. I listened to the sound of their flapping wings, while they chirped.

  But another chirping sound was suddenly heard from my watch. The green X blinked from the tiny screen. I tapped the screen with my finger, then seeing a displayed message: Derek, get out of there, now.

  What?

  Hearing sharp clamping sounds, I began glancing all around, seeing numerous security robots drawing closer – in fact surrounding me!

  What the hell is going on?

  Some robots stepped into the fountain, sure to decrease my chances of escaping.

  Then one of them spoke with its intimidating robotic voice. “Freeze. You are under arrest. Lie down with your hands behind you.”

  “Under arrest?” I said. “This is a mistake.”

  “You are charged with robbery,” the robot added.

  “Yeah, the hell I am,” I snapped at it.

  I abruptly swiveled myself around, seeing one of them close enough, its arms reaching for me. I quickly ran forward, falling backwards and sliding between its legs. Then another one tried to catch me as I vigorously climbed onto another one’s back. The robot began wiggling intensively almost making me fall as I held a tight grip to its broad shoulders. Then with all the strength of my legs, I jumped as high as I could, my feet leaping off the robot’s head. I tried jumping past the few ones ahead for regaining the ground and run back into the corridor. I just couldn’t think fast enough, not knowing what to do next. But the robots were too quick. As I was falling toward the marble floor, one of them swiftly emerged from a side angle, reaching its massive hands at me.

  But something happened … feeling my left hand seized my a powerful grip, quickly pulling me … into a sudden blue flash of light.

  I had then fallen into some dark room … along with someone.

  I stood up from a dark floor, seeing the mysterious man I saw out my bedroom window, now staring at me. He wore his black suit and silver tie. The very person I wanted to see.

  “Who are you? What do you want from me?” I asked him, without getting an answer. “I know you’re the one making me go through all of this.”

  He simply drew a few steps forward, slipping off his dark glasses. I was immediately stunned by looking at his eyes. Clearly knowing the person standing before me. A face I could recognize anywhere … at any time.

  “What the hell?”

  “That’s right, Derek … you’ve guessed it,” he said.

  CHAPTER 13

  The lights from the room grew slightly brighter, noticing illuminated disks from the ceiling. The walls were all charcoal-colored metal tiles. No door anywhere. At the center was a large steel table with two chairs.

  “I knew you’d recognize me,” the man said, gesturing toward the table. “Have a seat, I’ll explain everything.”

  Obviously, I did recognize my brother Thomas, even though, having the appearance of an older man.

  I pulled a chair and sat at the table across from of him.

  “Where are we?” I asked, glancing at all corners of the room.

  “At the X-Agency facility,” he replied.

  “How old are you?”

  “I’m forty-two,” he said.

  “Wow! That means I’m forty-nine!” I exclaimed sarcastically. “Where am I by the way?”

  For a brief moment, he was silent with his gaze down to the table.

  “What …”

  “We’ll get to that,” he said.

  “Did something happen to me? Am I dead or something?” I almost shouted unnervingly.

  “Just calm down, Derek.”

  “Did those robots kill me?”

  “I want to start by telling you that you will never lead a normal life from now on.”

  I suddenly felt tormented for hearing that.

  “And for your little brother as well,” he said, pointing himself. “You and I, Derek, were born with an unusual genetic capability that allows us to transmit ourselves where and when we want. What has been happening to you since the age of twelve, you did it yourself.”

  “I don’t believe that,” I smirked.

  “Right now, it’s all happening beyond your control, which is very dangerous. And I’m here to teach you how to control it.”

  “But can’t I just get –”

  “It’s impossible to get rid of, if that’s what you’re wondering … It’s part of you, and you are part of it.”

  “Where does this gene come from?” I demanded. “Can our parents transmit themselves too?”

  “No, they don’t have that capability. After several researches, the results remain unclear of its origin. Possibly, mom and dad each had parts of the gene and we, somehow, both inherit the perfect genetic combination. There are just a few of us in this world.”

  I winced interrogatively.

  “Many of us are Transmitter Agents, working for a top secret government branch called X-Agency.” He sighed. “The security robots at the mall were illegally hacked by an organization called Elite. In your future, time travel has been invented, but remains illegal for the cause of being frightfully disastrous to all things. We know that the Elites have one or several time traveling devices. That’s how they came looking for you. And my job is to protect you.”

  “What do the Elites want?” I asked.

  “Our genetics. To duplicate them either into technology or into themselves to obtain the greatest efficient way of traveling through time. That’s why they’ve captured the older you.”

  I lifted my wrist, showing the watch. “You sent me this, didn’t you?”

  He nodded. “That’s all there’s left of my old brother.”

  “Is your brother dead?”

  “I hope not.”

  “I found the watch in a yellow envelope, strapped under a wooden bench,” I stated.

  “It was the most discreet way of handing the device to you,” he affirmed. “I programmed the watch to chirp when you’d draw close to it.”

  “I haven’t quite figured out how this thing works,” I said.

  “Everything I’m about to teach you, you taught me years before.” Then Thomas stood up from his chair. “Follow me,” he said.

  I proceeded as he asked as we both headed toward one the walls. Suddenly, the tiles unclasped, unfolding themselves away from one another to form a doorway.

  CHAPTER 14

  We walked into an entirely white-lit corridor. There were no sharp edges or windows – the area seemed to have been molded into one piece. Many other passageways crossed the one we walked, with many people walking from all directions. Then several men and women passed by me saying: “Hi Derek!”

  “You’re well-known, Derek,” Thomas said, smiling at my astounded gaze. “You were the first one to join this proj
ect. Then I joined several years later, without you ever wanting me.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Thinking that it would be too dangerous.”

  “Where are we headed?”

  “To your right,” Thomas pointed the way.

  Turning into another corridor, we walked onto a steel grill floor enclosed into a large glass cylinder, having an entire open view of a monstrous industrial garage – numerous high-tech vehicles to mysterious black flying machines without wings or propellers. They were massively built: large cockpits with a bulky body and several powerful rockets surrounding the back area. One of them had just landed, watching the spectacular view from high above.

  “That big flying machine is called a Dark Rider,” he said.

  “Looks awesome,” I replied, glancing at all corners through the glass cylinder.

  As we reached the end of our pathway, we came to face a large steel door. Thomas placed his hand to a plate as the door slid open. We walked into a spacious hall, much like a gymnasium – the walls and floor were darkly colored, with a huge disk from the ceiling providing a mild glow to the entire place.

  “This is one of our simulation halls, where we do most of our training,” he explained.

  “Will I be training here as well?”

  “Yes,” he said, nodding.

  I looked down at my watch.

  “The watch is actually a sophisticated computer holding all sort of information,” he added.

  Now drawing closer, he tapped the green X from his watch with a finger. “Main menu,” he spoke to it. Then a holographic main menu emerged vertically from the tiny screen, displaying a list of options and applications.

  “That’s pretty cool!” I said.

  “You can also access different menus with the buttons from the sides,” he demonstrated, accessing multiple menus at once, then closing everything back with a single wave of his hand. “Don’t be afraid to play around with it. It’s very unlikely to bug.”

  “Something doesn’t make sense,” I began. “If I’m transmitting myself with the power of my mind, how did I ever get to places that are completely unknown to me? The strange hallways, Transit Terminal, shopping center?”

  “You’ve probably dreamed about it while you were sleeping, without remembering the dream once you woke up,” Thomas said. “Dreaming about an unknown location that exists somewhere in a point in time. That occurs when the mind works various types of mechanisms. Like I’ve said before, you must gain control of it. Originally, you began to master your ability on your own in your early twenties. Now I’m here to teach you to make sure you don’t fall into the wrong hands.”

  “Not long ago, before I arrived at the mall, I remember lying my head on my desk at home – still being awake – with my eyes closed and seeing images of the place I was about to get to.”

  “That’s exactly how it’s done, Derek. By visualizing your location before you actually get there,” he said. “That’s why you must begin your training. The more you practice, the more control and speed you’ll gain over it.”

  “How do I start?” I asked.

  “Start with something simple. For example, your room to your garage. Make sure no one sees you, not even little Thomas, or anybody else. They all must be protected.”

  CHAPTER 15

  Soon after my few minutes of training, I transmitted myself back into my bedroom – the right way as Thomas instructed me, to focus on my cognitive content. But there were still a lot of work to be done. He told me, before I left the future, that only I could figure this out, teaching me the basics.

  I stared down at my socks, noticing how dirty they were for leaving my sneakers behind.

  It was still nighttime, having several hours left for sleep. But after seeing what I saw and learned that night, I was eager to learn more about the X-Agency project – to gain confidence through experience.

  Although I had to get to bed for another day of school, I was unable to fall asleep. I didn’t want to allow myself to miss a day of school. I had to keep it discreet as much as I could.

  Just do it once before going to bed and that’s it, I told myself.

  Drawing close to my window, I peeked through my blinds, gazing at the park. The whole area was as quiet as its usual nighttime silence – empty streets and an obscure silent park.

  Slipping on my sneakers, I glanced at the clock from my nightstand, reading two-fifteen in the morning.

  You can do this Derek, just concentrate.

  For the moment, being relatively new at this, it was easier for me to do it with my eyes closed. Through my mind, I suddenly secured the precise location of where I wanted to go. Start with something simple? Well here we go.

  I quickly opened my eyes, being taken forward by a blue flash of light and electrical sparks. Then I immediately appeared in the park right under the slide, hitting my head against the steel platform – trying to be discreet, I wanted to appear in a possible hiding place.

  Bad idea!

  Lying on my back, I gently stood up and walked a few steps away from the slide, holding a hand to the top of my head.

  Then I glanced toward my house.

  I actually did it! Just remember to bend down next time you appear somewhere smaller than your height!

  Taking a deep breath, I proceeded at it once again.

  Appearing back in my room, I decided that it was enough for the night. The time had already turned to two fifty-eight in the morning, telling myself that I had to get some sleep for another day of school. Making sure my studies always came first.

  CHAPTER 16

  The following morning, I woke up incredibly late. Somehow, my alarm clock didn’t even buzz! With my parents already gone to work and, most probably, my brother taken to school by my mom like every morning, I had missed my bus and there was no way I could have run on time to the next bus stop.

  Standing outside, wearing my jacket, I released along discontented sigh, blowing into the morning’s cool air. But I still felt nervous, knowing that I didn’t really need the bus, or any other kind of transportation to get to school.

  I could transmit myself directly to school … but, what if I’m too nervous to make it work?

  Suddenly sick with anxiety, I was fearing that I wouldn’t be able to make it work. Why wouldn’t it?

  I walked back into my house and remained in the entrance.

  Just relax buddy, I old myself. There’s still lots of time before all students arrive at school. Just do what you have to do.

  With a proud and confident smile to my face, I closed my eyes. Then within a few seconds, I pinpointed the precise location where I would appear – still hoping that no one would see me: standing or passing by at that particular moment. A blue flash of light later, I appeared in a far row of lockers with no one in sight.

  I was early.

  I sneaked out and strolled into the school’s morning silent hallway, close to the main entrance. Arriving close to my locker, I subtly peeked beyond my row, toward the entrance, seeing the school’s janitor unlocking all the doors and letting the first students in. Then I fiddled my combination and swung my door open. Checking my morning’s schedule from my door, I took my books for math class. More students walked in filling the many rows of lockers, while I took a turn in a short hallway toward the cafeteria, where I usually sat every morning, waiting for my buddies.

  With a growling stomach, I headed toward the kitchen, grabbing a tray and setting it on the buffet slide, along with my books. I brought a hand to my mouth for yawning extensively. The sound of brewing coffee sung to my ears along with its pleasant aroma. I once tried coffee a year before at school, only taking a few sips, disliking the taste. But that day I suddenly felt like having one.

  “I’ll take a coffee, two creams one sugar,” I asked the lady behind the counter. I then ordered a ham, egg and cheese bagel sandwich, and grabbed an orange juice from the tiny refrigerator.

  “Hey, Derek!” Jeffrey cackled, sliding his tray cl
ose by.

  “Morning, Jeff,” I greeted.

  He glanced down at my tray. “Whoa! Coffee, dude?”

  “Yup, I’m gonna need it. Especially starting the day with math class.”

  “I’ll have a coffee, with an egg and ham crescent roll breakfast, please,” he asked the lady, showing his bright enthusiastic smile.