Chapter Four
"Maxine, darling, I have missed you," Victoria greets me.
Questions swarm around me like locusts. Where is Chloe? What has Victoria done? Why did she claim to be my girlfriend? Why was I in jail? Where am I?
I decide the prudent thing to do is wait for Victoria to explain. She gives me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and I feign relief. I think Chloe will forgive me for playing along for a while.
We make our way to her car, a red coupe with tan leather seats. After she opens my door for me, Victoria gets inside and places her head on the wheel. "Maxine, what the hell happened? How could you just kill Chloe like that?"
I try to restrain any look of surprise that might betray me. Kill Chloe?! I would never do that. I'm positive that no version of me would be capable of that. How was I framed for her murder?
Before I can come up with an answer, Victoria looks at me tearfully and continues. "Fuck, that was messed up. I thought that you were just really high at first with how weird you were acting on Wednesday. But then you do something like that? I mean, you hadn't seen her in over five years! What the hell happened? And don't give me that bullshit you have been serving to the cops, that you blacked out and woke up next to Chloe's corpse." Victoria's voice is unfamiliar as it lacks its usual bite. Instead, a certain softness has replaced it.
I try to piece together the clues before me, mentally putting the facts on the board like in Chloe's room. One, I was in jail. Duh. Two, I'm wearing something that I didn't think I had in my wardrobe. Three, Victoria claimed to be my girlfriend. Four, she probably cares about me because she paid my bail. Five, she stated that I killed Chloe, who I haven't seen recently. Six, she said I acted weird on Wednesday. Seven, I apparently don't have any idea how Chloe died.
Crap. I know where I am. This is the timeline in which I prevented William's death. I never thought my decision to let Chloe go would have any consequences. I guess I keep bouncing between different timelines when I fall asleep. "It's what she wanted me to do. It was the only choice she was able to make, and I had to respect her wishes. Look, she was already dying of lung failure. I was just accelerating the process so she could die on a rock, not a wave."
The Queen Bee eyes me suspiciously. "It just seemed so random. We were hanging out together with everyone and you suddenly left to go see her. You even told me to call you Max, never Maxine. I know that you want the others to call you Max, but you have never said that to me. I thought we were close, and you letting me call you by your full name was a way of showing that closeness. I mean, you only let your mother get away with that. So, it startled and hurt me when you said that."
I hold Victoria's right hand. "I haven't been feeling myself lately. Please ignore that. Of course you can call me Maxine." Those last few words were difficult to say, though I try to mask my irritation. Hearing my full name has always irrationally aggravated me, but I do let my mother get away with it. This Max must be really close to Victoria.
Victoria responds with a slight smile, almost too faint to notice. She then leans in for a deep kiss. I hesitate and then return the kiss, and I'm not sure if I'm that convincing. Maxine probably has much more experience at this than I do. I really want to hate every moment of that forced kiss, but I know that's a lie. I'm angry at myself for how much I did enjoy it. It didn't feel natural as with Chloe, but there was something else behind it that was amazing. Maybe Victoria is just really good at this. Afterwards, Victoria strokes my face as she gazes into my eyes. "It's okay. Let's go back to Wednesday. Why didn't you respond to my texts? I was so worried about you."
I resist the urge to pull away. I hate being intimate with anyone other than Chloe. It just feels like a complete betrayal, but I have to get more information. I hope she can forgive me. "Umm… well… it was pretty shocking to be around my former best friend who was now crippled, so I wasn't paying attention to my phone. Sorry, about that."
Victoria shrugs and pulls away from me. "I guess it all worked out for the best anyway. I wondered how you of all people could be arrested, but you must have known that being in this jail, away from Arcadia Bay, would be safe. And because you were here, I was in the area as well. I suppose your time as a hardened criminal saved both of us."
"What do you mean?" I say, puzzled.
Victoria looks me over like she's trying to determine why I'm confused. "You have mad powers, Maxine. You only got arrested because you wanted to be arrested. I gotta say there's easier ways of getting out of town though instead of this shitty county jail. If I wasn't here visiting you on Friday, I may have died in that storm."
The Max in this timeline must have told Victoria about her powers, just as I confided in Chloe. I guess this Max wasn't able to prevent herself from using her powers to stop the storm.
Then a thought occurs to me. This Max could not have saved Chloe in the bathroom. The Chloe of this timeline was trapped in a wheelchair and could not have possibly been in a position to blackmail Nathan. Why did the storm still happen? What did this Max prevent that caused the universe to react like that? Was this also a result of William being alive?
Victoria already knows about my powers, and I can't keep this up much longer. I decide to trust her, though perhaps I am really just trusting the version of myself who is so close to her. "Victoria, you know how I said I wasn't feeling myself? Well, I meant that literally. I'm not the Maxine you know but a Max from another timeline. I'm not sure how I got here this time."
The blonde immediately takes her hand out of mine. She shoots me a glare, and her voice returns to its haughty, familiar tone. "Let's end this charade. Next time, you shouldn't hesitate when your hot girlfriend gives you a kiss after being stuck in jail for a few days. Big giveaway that you aren't my Maxine. Where is she? What have you done to her, bitch? Maxine told me that someone stole her body on Wednesday, but I thought she was high or just traumatized from giving her friend an overdose. Now I can see that either she was right or has multiple personalities."
"I'm not sure where she is now," I respond calmly, trying to deescalate the situation. "She isn't crazy as I think I'm taking control of her body. Whenever I leave, she will be back here, where she belongs. I can tell that you really care for her. Believe me, I would rather be somewhere else too."
"You are lucky that you are in the body of someone I love," Victoria threatens. "How long will you be in there, you parasite? And what did you mean by not knowing how you got here this time?"
She just admitted her love for other me. Wonder if Maxine knows this. "I don't know for sure. Probably not longer than half a day. The first time I came into this timeline was through a photo to save Chloe's dad who died in a car accident in my timeline. I didn't know I would be getting into a different timeline that was completely separate from mine or taking over someone's life."
My rival (lover?) raises her hands. "Slow down there, Maxin … Max. What did you mean through a photo? My Maxine can rewind time for a few minutes or so but she's never gone back in time through a photo. I would know that."
"That's strange," I say. "Well, I can use photos of me to go back in time further than my normal rewind. When I go back, I take control over the body of my past self. During the photo jump in which I saved Chloe's dad, I was in my 13 year-old self but with my 18 year-old mind, so I was able to save him using what I knew from the future."
Victoria continues to glare at me, but her tone softens. "That's totally sick. And then you ended up in Maxine while we were sitting in front of campus? No wonder you looked so confused."
Victoria then resumes her harsh, interrogating tone. "But how did you think it was a good idea to kill someone and then leave? Maxine found herself waking up next to the corpse of someone she hadn't seen in years. How the fuck could you do that?"
I look at the floor, ashamed. "Sorry. I didn't think this timeline would exist after I left. I burned the photo I used to get here, so I thought that took care of everything. I would never had done that to Maxine if I realized what was going to happen."
Victoria's glare melts into a sigh. "Maybe I shouldn't trust you, but you are so cute that I can't help myself."
I turn back to Victoria, who is looking at me with such compassion. Is she really this different in this timeline? "Yeah, that day was fucked up. I never meant to steal her away from you or hurt your feelings by being aloof. It never occurred to me that I was possessing someone else. And this time I came to this timeline accidently after falling asleep in my dorm room at Blackwell. I don't know why that's happening." I suddenly have the urge to give Victoria a hug. It feels so good to be able to talk about this stuff to someone else, even if that someone else is in a different timeline that maybe I created?
Screw it. I move to embrace her, slightly contorting myself over the center console to reach my target. Victoria is stiff at first, but her resistance fades quickly. I'm surprised by how natural hugging her feels. Whatever our relationship was in my timeline, I get the feeling that I can fully trust this version of her. In a sense, I already did?
"That was … totally surprising," Victoria admits. "Are we close in your timeline?"
"Umm … no. Quite the opposite of close. You are such a bitch to me," I answer. "But I kinda did use my powers to get you covered in paint. Sorry."
Then Victoria said something that the other version of her would never let past her lips. "Well, I did probably deserve it if I was ever mean to someone as wonderful as you." The blonde then starts her car. "Anyway, enough talk outside the police station. Let's go to my hotel room."
This can't be a good idea. "Umm… I know that we kissed earlier, but I just did that to get you to believe that I was Maxine. I'm seeing someone else."
Victoria laughs at my unease. "You are so cute. That kiss meant nothing other than to test you. I want to go back to my room because it's the only comfortable place left near this town. I swear I won't try anything even if you are drop-dead gorgeous. Out of curiosity, who got to you first in your timeline?"
"Chloe," I swoon.
Victoria grins. "The person you just killed here? Well, that's awkward. Guess I'm glad you didn't hook up with me."
To get to Victoria's hotel, we had to drive through the ruins that were once Arcadia Bay. Driving around the town would have added a lot of time to the trip, and after Victoria asked me if I was fine with it, we headed to town. Access to much of the town is blocked, given the destruction left behind by the storm, but we managed to get through with a series of detours. I was expecting the town to be completely leveled with the storm leaving little trace of the place where I grew up. I was stunned to see how much of Arcadia Bay remained.
Many of the buildings were intact, though all had some scar from the tornado. Some had beached whales sunning on their roofs like some grotesque day at the beach. Others had their roofs shorn off, exposed to the elements. Not many structures had glass that wasn't shattered, which is as good a metaphor as I can think of for what the storm did to the lives of those living in Arcadia Bay.
I had been bracing myself for seeing bodies littered throughout the town, turning the bay into a giant above-ground cemetery. To my relief, I did not see much of that, and the few bodies that I did notice were covered with tarps. There were not many people at all. There was the random person here and there checking a home or business and some emergency rescue crews looking for survivors. But there weren't any cleanup units or utility workers trying to get the town back on its feet. It was like the powers that be decided that the bay, which was already falling on hard times before the storm, was not worth rebuilding.
I saw what was left of Blackwell as the ruins of the school overlook the bay. The main hall looked leveled and now mostly a pile of bricks and broken glass. The prestigious art school used to be the big draw to the sleepy fishing town, and now that it's gone, I can see why people just want to cut their losses and get outta here. I wonder if my Blackwell will be in similar shape as news of Jefferson and of Chloe's death will likely drive new students away.
We passed through the new ghost town in silence. Did I cause this storm by saving William? No, I quickly decide. If that was the case, why did the storm wait five whole fucking years to show up instead of the four days with Chloe? Also, the price for saving William was already paid by Chloe's accident. Something else must have happened.
Even though I was sure that I didn't personally cause this storm, I still felt responsible as I destroyed another version of the bay by saving Chloe. Though I prevented that in yet another timeline, there's still a universe without this town because I decided to save a girl in a bathroom. Victoria must have sensed my unease and decided to reassure me by silently placing her right hand on my leg. Even though I wanted to be with Chloe while seeing this, it was nice to have Victoria there to keep me from freaking out too much. I may not have personally killed all of these people, but my actions started a chain of events that led us here. If not for me, these people would be alive.
I catch the Queen Bee glancing over frequently with her brows furrowed in concern. Whatever animosity she felt towards me earlier is gone, replaced by empathy for her new friend. I'm sure it's also nice for her to have someone else to talk to about my powers. I try to keep myself composed in front of her, but a stray tear or two manages to escape, running quickly down my face as if worried that it will be locked away again if caught.
When seeing the town starts to become too much, I focus on the interior of the car. Victoria has an amazing sound system, which is clearly more than the stock stereo. I can only imagine what it sounds like when she has it on. The center console has some pictures in it, mainly selfies with her and Maxine.
It's so strange to see myself in a photo that I have no memory of. There's one with Victoria and me on the beach, sunbathing next to each other while we make faces at the camera. What the fuck were we thinking? I've only been here since September, so doing that in fall weather must have sucked. Then another shows us in her dorm room, on her bed under those three photos of herself, with me holding her from behind while kissing her neck. Victoria is wearing a broad smile, and it's so weird to see her so happy. A third reveals us in Portland, shopping in some trendy commercial district. It looks like Victoria took these shots, and I'm impressed by her style and framing, even for personal selfies like these. I can see bits and pieces of the relationship I share with her through these pictures even if I have no memories to provide context. Victoria shoots me a smile as she sees me rummaging through the photos, perhaps reminding herself of a happier time.
The car is well maintained as the floors are recently vacuumed and are free of trash. I notice a faint scent hanging in the air from an air freshener, but I can't quite make it out. Something cinnamon, perhaps?
Perched on her back seat is her own camera bag. I wonder what kind of equipment she has in there. I love my instant camera, but I'm sure I would be envious at whatever expensive beast she's keeping in that bag. Well, it doesn't matter as I'm not a digital camera girl. Too easy. It lacks all the patience and effort needed to get a great shot with an instant camera, so it's just not as rewarding. I am analog, a person outside her time, doing things the hard but fun way.
Being around someone who loves photography as much as me stirs my passion for it. Aside from that selfie with Chloe, I haven't picked up a camera since being rescued from the Dark Room. I couldn't bring myself to use an instrument that brought me so much pain. Whenever I would reach for my camera, I was reminded of either how Jefferson corrupted something so joyful or how that camera was the tool that indirectly led to Chloe's death. Both thoughts overwhelmed any desire to take new photos and drown myself in my art.
Eventually, we wind our way through town until we hit the main drive along the shore. Amazingly, given its proximity to the beach and the storm, the street is relatively clear. My heart breaks as we passed by what's left of the Two Whales, and I wonder if Joyce, Warren, and Frank met the same fate in this universe. Not that I can ever show my face to Joyce if she is still alive in this timeline. She must have been livid that I took Chloe away from her, and I'm sure the Prices were a big reason why I was in jail.
We eventually leave town and drive about a half hour until arriving at a seaside resort outside of town. The sprawling hotel sits on a hill overlooking the sea with wooden boardwalks connecting the building to the beach. The hotel looks new, undoubtedly financed in part by the Prescott family in their recent ventures into real estate around Arcadia Bay. It looks like the hotel is rather empty, given that those who just lost everything in the storm can't afford to spend a few minutes in a suite, much less an entire evening. This place could make a great relief station for all of those stranded by the storm, but the generosity of the Prescotts knows no bounds.
Victoria drives to the main entrance, where she is greeted by a valet. We get out of the car as the valet finds a place to park, which is not too difficult given the options in front of him. I follow her into the hotel, where I am astounded by the opulence of the lobby. A huge chandelier hangs from the ceiling over glossy white floors and a magnificent red rug. Hotel staff are dressed smartly in sharp uniforms, which contrast with the lackadaisical atmosphere stemming from a lack of business.
The blonde leads me through the lobby and to the elevator bank. The hotel is not very tall as it is only three stories, but we take the elevator up anyway. Once we reach the third floor, Victoria directs me to her room. Of course, she has a suite with a fantastic view of the sea and a king-size bed dressed with fine linens.
Victoria sits on the bed while I take a plush chair nearby. "So, why did you get me instead of my parents?" I ask. "I know you are close to me, but I'm sure my parents would have been there for me."
Victoria lays down on the bed. "Well, you told me not to involve them, so I made sure that they were kept in the dark. I had the money to pay for your bail, so it's no big deal."
"So, how … bad was the storm?" I'm unsure how to approach this, but my curiosity gets the better of me.
The blonde sighs and pauses for a moment before answering. "It was bad. We still don't know exactly what that was, but it was like no storm that anyone has seen before. Normally, we would have gotten plenty of warning before a storm like that hits, but this one just seemed to totally appear out of nowhere close to shore. We didn't have enough time to have a proper evacuation, so many people were stuck in town."
"That's … horrible." More rogue tears slip the confines of my eyes. Even though I didn't cause this storm, I still feel responsible. In a way, I am if the only reason is timeline exists is my meddling.
"Yeah…" Victoria trails off. "A lot of people died that day."
I then recount my own storm and how I made it happen and ultimately prevented it at a high cost. I haven't told anyone except Chloe this, and it felt cathartic to just unburden myself with all of this time-travel bullshit. Victoria did not need to be convinced of the accuracy of my story given everything she has gone through, but I could tell that she was getting paler as I unloaded my story on her.
"Did your Maxine use her powers to prevent someone from dying? That may have been the cause of your storm."
Victoria remains silent for a while, and I start to wonder if she even heard me. Then she mumbles, "I'm the cause of the storm. Maxine saved me from an overdose."
We are interrupted by a knock on the door. "Could you get that?" Victoria asks as she heads into the bathroom. "I can't deal with people now."
I open the door to find Nathan wearing his signature red jacket and shit-eating grin. "Hey, you're back! The pigs in this shithole town couldn't keep you locked up. NO ONE messes with my friends." Nathan then gives me a long, sincere hug, which completely catches me off guard. I stand there awkwardly as he embraces me, unsure of how to respond. Is this Nathan a different guy than the one capable of killing Chloe and torturing helpless women?
I silently plead for Victoria to emerge from the bathroom and save me from the awkwardness. The thought occurs to me that I desperately need to warn her about Nathan and Jefferson. In this timeline, no one searched for Rachel and Nathan didn't confess anything to the police, so the bunker bros could still be filling red binders. What if Victoria is next like in my timeline?
I start to sweat, clearly anxious about this situation. Nathan sees my tension. "Don't stress, Max. Relax. What the fuck did they do to you in there? I'm not used to seeing you like this."
"I'm okay, thanks," I quickly answer. "Just been a long couple of days. I think I just need some time alone with Victoria."
Upon hearing her name, Nathan looks into the room for his friend. "Well, tell her I said hi. We should do dinner if you are up to it. Only place to really eat anymore is the hotel restaurant, and I'll be there at six."
"Thanks, Nathan." It takes a lot of effort to get those words out of my mouth. It's hard to thank him for anything given what a version of him has done to me, but I guess it's easier than thanking Jefferson for killing Chloe like in my nightmare. "Maybe. I'll see how I'm feeling later. I may just want to chill with Vic and order room service."
With that, Nathan walks down the hall to another room, and I close the door, locking it behind me. Victoria comes out from the bathroom, and her swollen red eyes is all the evidence I need to see of what she doing.
"Thanks for covering for me, Max." Victoria smiles, though I could tell it was bittersweet. "It's strange to say, but I'm going to miss you after you are gone. You are so different yet so alike."
"No problem," I smile back before dropping the grin as I remember about my warning. "Look, we need to talk about Nathan and Jefferson. They are dangerous, and you should stay away from them."
I explain the events of the Dark Room and how Jefferson kidnapped and killed Victoria after I warned her about Nathan in my timeline. I don't go into detail about the Dark Room. I can't bring myself to do that. I just let her know that it was horrifying. Victoria took a seat and absorbed the news quietly. The look of shock on her face confirms that she had no idea what they were capable of. Victoria could only offer "That's totally fucked…" after I finished.
"You might be next," I plead. "Please be careful. Jefferson tricked us, and he could do the same to you."
Victoria manages a nod in agreement. This is a lot to lay on someone in such a short time, from the cause of the storm to the true nature of Nathan and Jefferson. I'm amazed how quickly I bonded with this Victoria and how I feel like I can tell her anything. Maybe it's because deep down and past all our bullshit, we are so alike.
I spend the rest of the day with my new friend in her hotel room. We watch a few episodes of House of Cards and discuss our favorite photographers. I don't hesitate in praising her work, and to my surprise, she does the same. I appreciate the sentiment, but she only knows Maxine's work, not mine.
I also feel uneasy about leaving this timeline. I'm sure Victoria would rather have Maxine back, but her regret at me having to leave felt so sincere. I've been here for a while, and I get the feeling that I will wake up soon. I let Victoria know what's on my mind, and I am met with a frown.
Eventually, after some room service and in the middle of an episode of Archer, I can feel myself slipping away, like I'm falling asleep. I weakly smile at Victoria and drift off. I can hear her say "au revoir" as I fall unconscious.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Back at Blackwell. What the fuck is happening to me? I haven't slept in days as I keep getting pulled into different timelines whenever I try. Oddly enough, I don't feel tired at all.
Although all I really want is to be in a timeline with Chloe, part of me is happy to see life go on as normal in this timeline of Chloe's sacrifice and to meet another side of Victoria in the William universe. I still have that butterfly photo in my camera bag, but I lose my nerve whenever I look at it and put it back.
Every time I use my photo power, it feels like I fuck something up. Even in this timeline, which was supposed to be perfect (except, of course, with the love of my life being dead), I somehow fucked something up and am traveling through timelines. Can I be selfish and use it now just so I can be happy? What if I somehow make things worse? What if this timeline disappears and Chloe's sacrifice becomes meaningless?
Then again, I just came from a timeline that I thought no longer existed. I used William's photo to undo saving him and then burned it to make sure that the timeline would never exist. But it still does. Am I just afraid that if I use the butterfly photo I will screw something up and the timeline with Chloe will be lost to me?
I think I'm making excuses to put this off. I can save the bay and have Chloe. Shit, it's not perfect as I can't have them together, but her sacrifice means that I can now be selfish without all the guilt attached. I need to do this.
I should say goodbye to everyone before leaving. I mean, I can't ACTUALLY say goodbye, but I should see people before I lose them to the storm. It will be hard, but having Chloe permanently back in my life is so worth it. They will have another Max, so this won't matter to them. Only I will have to miss them. This timeline will continue to exist without me, regardless of what choices I make in the past.
I spent the rest of the day hanging out with the people that I am going to miss. I had a fantastic brunch at the Two Whales with Kate and Warren while being served by my second mother. I then went back to Blackwell, waiting for Joyce to get off of work. I passed the time by talking with the girls in the dorm: Dana, Juliet, Taylor, Alyssa, Brooke, and even Victoria. During the early evening, I go to my second home and spend some time with Joyce and David for the last time, sharing a home-cooked meal. I get emotional, but I play it off as still missing Chloe, which I guess is partly true.
I finally go back to my dorm room as I am prepared to leave this timeline forever. I will really miss everyone, but I need Chloe in my life. I take out the butterfly photo from my bag. I spend some time looking at the back of the picture, steeling myself for what's about to happen. I'll make a note to myself in the bathroom to follow my heart when Chloe asks me to do the impossible. That should be vague enough to keep things from changing too much but clear enough that I should know what it means when the time is right. I could try to warn others about the storm, but I'm scared that will REALLY fuck things up.
Having figured out a plan of attack, I eagerly turn the photo over. I stare at my reflection in the bucket and start to concentrate, straining to hear the flapping of the butterfly's wings. Nothing happens.
A/N:
Chasefield? Well, there is some support in the alternate universe for this. For one, Victoria initially calls Max "Maxine," which we know from texts is reserved for her parents. No one else calls her by her full name. This implies that AU Max and Victoria are close as Victoria feels she has license to use Max's full name. Second, in Victoria's texts to Max in this timeline, she is really worried that Max is pissed off, probably because Max left abruptly and also her snapping at hearing her full name. In those texts, Victoria tells Max that she loves her twice. This seems a bit excessive for just a simple friendship. Plus, we know that Max and Victoria share many of the same interests and have much in common, so it's not unreasonable to suggest that in some universe there could be romantic feelings between the two, especially if Chloe is out of the picture due to her disability.
Some may question Victoria's sexuality, given that she flirts with Jefferson and sexts Zach. I see those actions as Victoria using whatever means available to get what she wants. She wants to win the Everyday Heroes contest badly and sees Jefferson as a famous artist who can kickstart her career. Her flirtations are just attempts to get Jefferson to appreciate her and her art. When flirts alone don't work at the beginning of episode 3, Victoria uses threats to try to win the contest. Victoria's annoyance at Jefferson refusing to be blackmailed seems to indicate that she doesn't care about Jefferson as much as wants to use him to further her career. Similarly, her sext with Zach is just a means of getting to Juliet. There's also the nightmare scene where Victoria and Chloe are intimate, which implies that Max thinks that Victoria is gay.
A big unresolved question from the game is why is the tornado going to occur in the AU where Chloe was never saved in the bathroom? Max using her powers to save William is one answer, but I find it unsatisfactory for the reasons mentioned in this chapter. It's possible that AU Max also has powers and those powers trigger the storm. We don't have proof one way or the other, though AU Max's journal does not mention the powers. Then again, it doesn't mention much of anything.
Alternate realities existing simultaneously is something that is hinted at by the game. In episode 4, after going back to the original timeline, Max can take a seat at the bar stool downstairs. When you do, she wonders how many other Maxes exist in other universes due to her actions. In the nightmare, Max meets another version of herself in the diner, and that Max says she is one of the many Maxes left behind, implying that other universes exist after Max is done messing around with time. Then there are the twin moons in episode 4, which imply the existence of multiple timelines. Obviously, most of this evidence is from Max's thoughts and subconscious, so, like almost everything in the game, it's open to interpretation.
One could argue that multiple timelines existing at the same time could lessen the impact of decisions you make. However, as seen in this chapter, I think that means the opposite. Without the alternate reality continuing to exist after Max leaves, her decision to euthanize Chloe doesn't matter as Chloe will be alive in the one true timeline after Max uses the photo again. Here, the decision has serious consequences.
