Chapter 38: Troubling Paradox
(The nightmare continues…)
"Noah..." Rex started slowly, "I am Rex."
"Who sent you?" Noah's tone was threatening, pushing his head hard down onto the ground.
"Noah! Get a grip, it's me. Rex Salazar, Nanite Master, EVO freak!"
"Look like him, maybe, but god knows someone made a perfect android clone that is you."
To prove his authenticity, Rex shape shifted an arm into his giant sword, but it was blasted by Noah's gun with a resounding bang that hammered his heart and eardrums.
Noah had a shotgun, and since Rex didn't strengthen his construct, the force of the ammunition and the close distance made a clean hole right through Rex's sword, measuring about twice the size of his fist.
If that had been Rex's head, he would have died.
Rex winced, not from pain, but from Noah's lack of love and trust. Noah has become hard. The Noah Rex knew, would never, ever shoot at him.
"Identical abilities too huh, whoever made you is a fucking genius."
"Yea, he is. My brother is the top nanite scientist in the world."
"Smart alec, aren't you?" Noah grunted, "Won't be talking so much once I bring you back dead and we tear you up, and see how you tick."
Bring me back dead? See how I tick?
Those words riled Rex, and in an instant he flared.
As fast as lightning, he willed his nanites to charge out from his back, forming octopus-like arms as extended limbs, wrapping Noah up in a cocoon and crawling into his weapon to render it faulty.
Noah shouted curses and struggled in futile against Rex's tight constricts.
Rex ignored Noah's struggle, even as it pains him. Slowly, he turned around whilst his constructs held Noah at steady. Rex was supposedly all powerful, and should look like every bit an ominous being. But he couldn't feel all the more weaker and helpless the moment he met those cold, cerulean eyes. So hard and biting, Rex felt a sharp pain his chest, on the left side where his heart was. Someone might as well had thrown an icy javelin and staked it through his organ. Because that was how he felt.
Noah looked the same, as picture perfect as he always was, except that he was a vision of anger and hatred, deep scowl plastered over.
And he looked older, just subtly, somehow Rex could tell. It was weird, but its like there were a couple of years added onto Noah's face. His jawline was harder, and he looked slightly more gaunt in the lower cheek, so it made his upper cheekbones look more pronounced. But perhaps even more than the years, Noah looked aged by experiences. He looked weary, worn down, subtle scowl lines running faintly down the corner of his lips and brows like Six.
This was not his Noah. Yet, he is. How could things have gone so wrong?
"Providence will be after you. I pre-arranged back up. If I'm not back within three hours, they will be after you – the Rex lookalike."
"Would a Rex lookalike know about your OCD?"
Noah snorted.
"Everyone knows about my OCD."
Rex raised a brow in surprise but was undeterred.
"Your mom always made us bacon with cheese every time I'm over," Rex tried again, and took a step forward. Noah barely raised a brow.
"Nice guess. But it's still novice detective work."
"Your favourite game play is side scrollers, even if they're old school."
Noah jerked a brow, but Rex wasn't sure if it was because Noah was surprised that he knew, or because Rex inched forward till they were nearly brushing noses.
"Release me, clone," Noah said in a warning tone as he glared at Rex.
Rex paid his words no mind and continued on.
"You cried at the last episode of the last season of my favourite show and admitted it was the best in the world, though you usually can't stand soap operas."
"Last chance. Let. Me. Go."
"You're right handed, but you occasionally write with your left hand because you think it's cool to be dexterous in both."
"I'm warning you..."
Noah looked incensed, and dead serious that he would do something horrible if Rex didn't release his octopus grip..
But Rex paid his words no mind since he had rendered Noah immobile. He continued rattling off things about Noah that he was sure, only he would know. Things that would tell Noah that he was the real Rex.
Noah unfortunately, didn't seem convinced. His glare, if anything, intensified.
"C'mon, Noah, you can't be that dense. What do I have to say to convince you?" Rex finally lamented, exasperated.
"Nothing," Noah's tone was curt.
Then a sharp pain erupted in Rex's gut. On reflex he took a sharp intake of breath, gasping in shock, but it hurt when he did as the diaphragm muscles moved. His gaze moved down slowly, in a state of disbelief and reluctance to see how Noah was physically hurting him.
Noah had somehow pushed a dagger through his nanite arms, right into his stomach.
Rex forced himself to remain calm, and took shallow breaths as he studied the attack. Took him three seconds before he realized Noah's dagger was actually a sort of nanite disruptor.
Which explained why Noah could break though his hold and why his nanites never kicked into defense mode.
Fuck! It hurts like shit. But not as much as knowing Noah had stabbed him.
"You might as well stab me in the chest, Noah," Rex said hoarsely, fighting to stomach the pain as it hurt even to talk.
Noah crooked his head slightly and his brows deepened.
"Maybe later Robo," Noah flickered a gaze down, "-EVO," Noah corrected himself when he saw the blood trickling from where his weapon was still embedded- "when I get you back into Providence to check how you are made. But first, I need you asleep."
Noah lifted another arm, breaking off from his nanite constricts as easily like lifting an arm out of buried sand. He held another weapon that Rex was certain could knock him unconscious.
"Please," Rex begged the stubborn, cruel Noah, "Believe me. I'm the real deal."
"I'd sooner believe in Satan."
Rex gave a weak laugh, or rather, broken gasps of laughter bubbled out from him, abdomen screaming as his muscles clenched and grated against the dagger.
Rex had only one last piece of ace to save him.
"Actually, the Devil might not know everything. Like the part when we were sixteen," Rex licked his lips, staring at Noah dead straight in the eye, "we masturbated, together, in your living room."
Noah's brows jerked upward, clearly affected by that last sentence. A torrent of emotions flashed by his face so quickly that Rex was only able to pin those of shock, agitation and disbelief.
In any case, Rex's words should get to Noah. It should convince Noah now, more than anything. This was the deepest secret shared between them that no spy could have pried.
For a moment, guilt and a mix of extreme sadness passed over Noah's face. But then Noah activated his gadget anyway, sending a sound wave that ran through Rex's head, promptly knocking him out.
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When Rex woke, he had to shield his eyes against the overly blinding lights aimed at him.
"He's awake!"
Someone announced, and the words seemed to also echo inside Rex's head.
Rex groaned lightly, feeling awful, like a truck had run through him.
"Mijo?"
Rex jolted at that word. Only one person in the world would call him that.
Caesar appeared overhead, his head dancing amongst three spotlights.
Rex cradled his head to still the blurry images.
"Are you alright, Mijo?" Caesar asked as he helped Rex sit up.
Rex felt weak when he moved, like he was jelly, and was glad for the assistance.
"A little disoriented," Rex replied, shaking his head slightly to clear his head.
Caesar nodded.
"It's the electro-magnetic wave beam pulsor. It temporarily messes with the electric signals between synapses."
Caesar shined a torch into his eyes and did a few quick check up, firing off a few symptoms and observations to other scientists behind him.
"I think you'll find your vision slightly myopic, but don't worry, it's only temporary. It will take awhile for the effects to wear off and you will be fine after that."
Rex nodded lightly, half listening to what Caesar had said. He really only understood half of it. He closed his eyes and willed his headache to go away. There was tension between his brows when he tried to focus his double vision. So he leaned back against the cushy pillow and bed rest, eyes shut and breathing slowly and deeply.
Then he groaned, feeling a faint jab at his stomach. And he remembered Noah had stabbed him.
Caesar caught him glancing down at the dressing pad, fingers brushing against it.
"Don't worry Mijo, the wound isn't deep. Noah took care to avoid your organs. And we dressed your wound to stop the bleeding. In fact, at your recovery rate, you should be completely healed within two days."
The sound of double doors sliding open alerted Rex, and out of curiosity, he opened his eyes. It was a bit blurry, but he could still sort of make out the happenings. More scientists clad in white lab coats like Caesar, entered, hands full with boards and racks of test tubes, though he couldn't be sure.
If this was how bespectacled folks see without their glasses, it sure sucks to be them.
"Dr. Salazar," one of the doctors called as he went up to Caesar, showing him stats from some kind of holographic, portable screen that he held between two hands.
Caesar dived straight into serious discussion, quickly moving on to the others who had gathered around him, waiting their turn to report their stuff to him.
The scene suddenly struck Rex as odd. Even though most of the Providence scientist do respect him and often defer to him.
However, the scene looked too much like it usually was when the science team reported to Holiday. Holiday was the head of the department after all.
Rex felt like he was going into seizure as panic gripped him.
Holiday – where is she?
"Holiday," Rex croaked, leaning forwards, lungs tight, "What happened to her?"
"Not dead," Noah answered coldly, appearing at the door.
He still had that hostile glare whilst he strode in, a sort of fierce stance in his stride.
Rex felt a shiver rolling down his back involuntarily at this... hard, new Noah. Not that Noah wasn't tough or confident or had smug moments before, but this one here, was like he had run into the bowels of a demon and cut himself out. This was a very dangerous, unyielding Noah – the very aura he carried was twice that of Six.
"Six is gone. But don't go killing Holiday too in your freak amnesia."
Noah unceremoniously threw Rex's jacket at his face, stopping a few feet from the bed.
"Now that you are awake, get the hell out."
Caesar and the other scientists jolted slightly at Noah's command, looking startled, though Rex should be the one looking like he had taken a beating.
Noah doesn't want me around.
But Noah, always had wanted Rex around.
It was so messed up.
"Fine, I just need a minute," Rex replied weakly, defeated, conceding to Noah's orders. He can't go against the coldness of his buddy – didn't have the strength to. But he will figure out a way to get shit back to normal on his own.
"Uh actually, Noah, we have the genetic and nanite test results ready-"
"No need-" Noah held a hand up in dismissal as Caesar started showing him the holographic boards, "I already know he's the real deal."
Then Noah whipped his head to face Rex, looking impatient.
"C'mon slowpoke, hurry up. I called Circe – she screamed at me to get you home."
"I can't," Rex cast a glance at his brother. Caesar looked like he had wanted to say something, but it felt like a tidal wave of words was forcing to come out of Rex so he said first.
"I can't go back to her – them," Rex couldn't bear to mention his supposed kid.
Noah looked incensed.
"What, you're abandoning your wife and kid?"
Noah was on him in a flash, roughly shaking him by his jacket collar.
"You abandoned Six for them, and only now you feel guilty and decide to leave them? Or have you got your brain damaged somewhere?"
"They aren't real, Noah," Rex tried to explain weakly, "Last I remembered, Circe and I broke up. We never married. And Circe's supposed to have a kid with Skwydd, not me."
Noah's snarl turned downwards more.
"You should get yourself checked into the hospital – and not here, that is. You obviously got your head bashed somewhere."
"Actually," Caesar started loudly, clearing his throat, "I think he should stay here."
Noah glared at Caesar, but before he could continue, Caesar went on in a firm and loud tone.
"You are right that Rex is the real thing. But I'm afraid, he isn't exactly the Rex that you and I know."
Noah ran a hand through his head, frustrated.
"Well, he sure isn't, alright. I don't know him since he quit Providence."
Caesar gave a light laugh, the kind that signaled Noah had said something silly.
"That's not what I meant," Caesar clarified and waved at the hologram results his team held next to him, "Genetic tests were accurate. But we found minute differences in his nanite data, pertaining their age."
Noah stiffened, brows narrowed to a point.
"What do you mean?"
"This Rex is younger, probably by seven years."
Noah's jaw tightened as he inched his face towards Rex.
"Fantastic! So he's a blast from the past?" Noah questioned acidly, face unsmiling.
Caesar shook his head, smiling, but it was a grim smile.
"I'm not too sure yet, lieutenant. I need to study him more, so he stays."
Rex cleared his throat slightly.
"Actually, Caesar, you ought to know, before I woke up and found myself here in this crazy world where everything is different, I actually had a messed up fight with Time-Meta EVO."
Caesar, the eccentric guy who seemed unfazed by anything, positively paled at that point.
"No fucking shit," Rex heard his older brother curse aloud for the first time, "I'll be damned! You should have told me sooner, now I see, why your Nanite data didn't match."
There was a sort of crazed look in his eyes.
"And there's one more thing –" Rex quickly added, "You said that I'm seven years younger than I should be, right? And Six supposedly died nine years ago."
"Yes, that is indeed so," Caesar nodded slowly.
Rex took a deep breath, chest mixed with emotion. "Well here's the thing, where I come from, Six is still alive and well."
Caesar and Noah both looked struck.
"Well, now he definitely stays," Caesar barely threw back at Noah, focusing an intense gaze on Rex.
"Now you, won't you tell us about your part of history?"
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Rex talked for hours, till his jaw ached, till his throat became scratchy no matter how many glasses of water he downed from time to time.
Caesar and the scientists paid full attention. A couple others came in, many whom he didn't recognize, and others filed out – probably had other work to do. They didn't need to listen through all the way anyway, since Rex was certain they would be recording this.
Noah didn't even stay five minutes, which disheartened Rex. But at least Caesar remained. His older brother listened patiently, asking his questions from time to time to clarify some points.
Rex was usually a dramatizer, and loved to exaggerate his battles and wins. Was a great story teller too. But not today. He was solemn and as factual, listing and summing up major missions and important incidents. But still there were too much details to fill out. How do you tell your whole life story in one day? But Rex managed somehow. He talked about as much of things that he thought were crucial, even described his relationships.
Before dinner, he finished right up to the point of the *World Wide Cure.
By then most of the scientist shuffled out for break. Then in came another familiar sight that gave him one less thing to worry about.
"Bobo," Rex greeted in relief and felt his eyes immediately become wet. So much welled up at the sight of his pal – the fellow EVO brethren who has been with him since his early teens.
He entered pushing a dinner trolley with food plates.
"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes."
Bobo was unfriendly, sour look plastered on his face, but at least he didn't sound as biting as Noah. Rex hoped Bobo didn't share Noah's hostility towards him – he wouldn't know what to do if he lost both his best friends on the same day.
"Did you miss me?" Rex asked weakly.
Bobo didn't reply, making Rex crestfallen, but at least he didn't glare with hatred the way Noah did.
Bobo approached with the food which made Rex assume was for him. When Bobo neared, Rex spied tiny hands clutching the fur of the EVO's shoulders.
"Bobo, is there someone on your back?"
Bobo grunted.
"Yea, this little imp," Bobo half turned to show him at the same time parking the trolley by the bed, next to Caesar.
Rex sees a young girl on his back, about five or six, with a long black ponytail, looking happy and comfortable atop Bobo's bulky back.
No wonder Rex thought Bobo seemed like he was hunching abit, since he was balancing and supporting her weight.
"Bobo, you know she shouldn't be here," Caesar warned.
"Well, tell that to Miss Clingy here," Bobo gruffly replied. The little girl responded by giggling.
Caesar shook his head.
"Anyway can I leave him with you for a while? I need to check on something else."
"Hey! This Imp is more than enough – I don't need to babysit this giant one here," Bobo protested.
Caesar already strode halfway across the lab and threw back.
"Sorry, you can't say 'no.'"
"Geez, then why bother asking in the first place? Slave driver," Bobo muttered, and continued grumbling to himself whilst he handed over a food try to Rex.
Rex daren't interrupt him, quietly accepting his food, nodding in thanks.
Bobo brought up a chair next to the bed, and threw a disgruntled warning over his shoulders.
"Hey Imp, if you don't want me squishing you, off my back, now."
She took the hint, letting go, and perched on the foot of Rex's bed instead.
Bobo sighed and stretched his back like an old man before sinking into the chair. He then happily took one of the food trays onto his lap and dug in.
Rex fidgeted in his bed, wondering what they could talk about. He had a million questions to ask but he didn't know where to start. He wondered if Bobo felt the same.
Rex chose to start with the kid.
"So, whose kid is she?"
Bobo was about to reply but got distracted when the girl pointed at his custard dessert.
"I want that."
Bobo squinted at her with eyes narrowed like slit.
"That's mine."
"No, that's Caesar's, but you're eating his food."
"This is my reward for babysitting this giant."
"And what about my reward for helping?"
"What 'helping'? The chef was the one who prepared the food, and I was the one pushing this darn trolley all the way here. All you did was climb my back, slowing me down."
"But I want it," she pleaded, staring at it hungrily.
"You giant ant, you always want to steal every treat and dessert I have," Bobo complained, "As if it's not enough to pester me zillions of seconds in a day, for millions of hours every single day –"
"There's no million hours in a day, only twenty four hours, which makes it only eighty six thousand and four hundred seconds in a day," she corrected in a rush.
Bobo eyed her warily.
"Must you always act like a smart alec?"
A twinkle came to her eyes and she continued.
"And I don't pester you all day – not when you bathe, or go potty, or sleep."
Rex listened quietly, amused as their banter went back and forth. The kid had a witty tongue alright, and she seemed intent on annoying Bobo, obviously enjoying it. Bobo was especially comical, twitching in his seat, brows and lips jumping in agitation, super riled by her clever comebacks.
After several rounds of childish banter, the conversation funnily still ended up right where it started.
"I want it – the pudding."
Rex couldn't resist laughing at that point.
"Here kid, if you want it, you can have mine."
The kid scooted over to him quickly.
"Thank you!" she cried happily and took it, digging into it eagerly.
"Feel free to spoil her rotten and leave me suffering for it," Bobo rolled his eyes and grumbled some more.
Rex laughed sheepishly.
"At least she's cute, and she asked politely."
The kid beamed at Rex, while Bobo gave him an incredulous stare.
"You called that polite? Who taught you?"
Rex gave a tentative smile.
"Well, you."
"Haha, not funny, Rex. Your sense of humor is as terrible as it was."
Rex sensed it was Bobo's usual gruff response, and not unusually scathing. So he dared to grin.
"Also inculcated, thanks to you."
Bobo grunted and continued finishing his food, looking defeated.
The kid suddenly stared at Rex with big solemn eyes.
"Are you the 'incorrigible ungrateful lout' who deserted Bobo?"
Rex flinched like she had stabbed him with a fork. Rex looked to Bobo, but the EVO ape barely gave them a glance, suddenly engrossed with his food.
"Ah, are those Bobo's words when he talked about me?" Rex asked dryly.
She nodded in a matter-of-fact-manner.
"And what else did he say?"
"Hmmm, that if you ever came back, he would shoot you between the –"
Bobo covered her mouth with a hairy hand and hushed her before she could continue. No doubt it must have been something rather vulgar, the way he chided her to not repeat every single word he said. Rex had a pretty good guess what that was, even without her finishing her sentence anyway. And Rex was determined to straighten things up.
"Bobo, you can tell me how mad you are at me – and I can apologize a thousand times – but I want you to know, that the guy who left – he wasn't me – not really. The timeline is fucked somehow."
"So I heard from Caesar's assistants," Bobo replied dryly. "And so...?"
"So what?"
"Well, so you believe me? You're not mad?"
Bobo took a deep breath, chest heaving, brows twitching at the ends.
"Actually, if you really want to know, I'm honestly trying my best to hold back in front of her," Bobo said through clenched teeth, holding his voice in low volumes, but his tone grating, leaning forwards in his chair.
"But if you like, I can come back during her bed time hours to let you have a peace of my mind, yea?"
Bobo finished with a threaten, eyes burning with fire. Rex felt himself sinking further into the bed. This was turning out to be a hell hole bigger than what he could climb out of. Bobo was cranky and got pissed off easily, but never ever, did he had this sort of livid look in his eyes.
But after a few blinks, Bobo relaxed, settling back into his chair like the whole anger episode had passed. Just as he said, he was holding his temper in check for the sake of the young kid.
Speaking of her, she continued to stare at him, dark pupils fixated. Rex cleared his throat, trying to calm down his shaken nerves. Since Bobo had returned to acting normally, Rex figured he should follow suit.
"Uh, is there something you wanna ask me?" Rex questioned, looking at the kid.
"Why are you suddenly back here?"
Rex was stumped – god knows why she picked such a difficult question for him and how she even knew about him. Did she overhear everyone gripe about what a bastard he was for abandoning them? Rex paled to think how everyone in Providence must hate him. It sucked big time, because he sure as hell wouldn't have abandoned Providence. It was disconcerting to be facing this reality.
"He's here because Noah shot him with the brain disrupter," Bobo informed in his stead.
"You mean the electro-magnetic pulsor," she corrected him.
"Yea whatever the thingamajig that damages his brain."
"I wouldn't put it that way," she disagreed, sounding all factual and teacher-like, "It releases rapid but substantial amounts of electric pulses that short circuits the Neurotransmitters within his brain to force him into unconsciousness. Like the way tranquilizers work, just that it works immediately. But hit with a mild shot just once, wouldn't do any cerebral damage."
Rex raised a brow in show of surprise. He didn't exactly interact with kids much, but he was pretty sure a kid as young as she looked, wouldn't usually speak with the intellect of a middle or high schooler.
"Wow, smart, aren't you?" Rex praised, impressed.
"Oh no, don't gloat her," Bobo said warily. It became clear why. She smugly launched into a dialogue explaining in further detail on the energy type the weapon utilized and how the synapses were structured to facilitate neuron communication.
"My god!" Rex exclaimed loudly after she'd spoken paragraphs after paragraphs like some master-class scientist, "This kid is insane! How the hell do you know all that stuff?"
Rex wasn't even sure if he understood all that, and he was much older, plus had the fortune to receive some level of Holiday's schooling.
By then, several of the scientists have returned to the lab, and a few of them laughed at his outburst of astonishment.
"Surprising huh? She's a child prodigy," one of them explained, coming up to Rex, "But well, her mother's a genius, so she probably got her genes or something."
"Amazing! Who is her mom?" Rex asked.
The double doors slid open right there and then, a familiar voice ringing out.
"Gift! There you are! You shouldn't be – "
Rex felt his chest tighten on seeing Holiday. Please, don't let her hate me, oh please, oh please…
It was likely a futile prayer – she turned deathly pale on seeing him, like she'd seen a ghost, stopping dead in her tracks.
"Mommy!" the little girl cried, and sort of waved her over, not sensing the tension or torture overtaking Holiday.
Rex jolted at her words, stunned, eyes darting back to the kid.
Beckoned by her daughter, Holiday approached them stiffly, giving Rex a close comparison between Mother and child. The same heart-shaped face, almond eyes and skin – the resemblance was plain to see. This was Holiday's daughter. Rex swallowed, mouth dry. However, her black iris and jet black hair, was Six's.
"Rex," Holiday said shakily, "So it's true, you're back."
"Yea," Bobo grunted, "here to leech off our medical facilities."
Holiday nodded slowly.
"Caesar… hasn't told me much. Only said you came from the past."
Rex felt his heart skip.
"Holiday, I – " Rex hesitated, losing his nerve. How was he to explain that he never meant to abandon his comrades? That the 'him' who didn't show up when they needed him most, wasn't 'him' at all. But no matter how he could phrase it, it sounded like sorry excuses.
"I-I'm sorry, about Six –" he said instead. His voice broke, chest suddenly racked with the uncontrollable urge to cry loudly in agony. He covered his face with both hands, unable to meet her eyes, head sinking heavily into the pillow, wishing hell could open up beneath him and swallow him whole.
"Oh god, Holiday, I'm sorry, so-so sorry," Rex choked out, shaking, every nerve twisted in sharp pain.
Arms, warm and comforting, flew over him, embracing his shoulders.
"Oh Rex, it's not your fault, it's not. Death is part and parcel of life," Holiday said softly, voice also thick with emotion.
Not expecting her to treat him so warmly, Rex cried even more. Rex struggled to keep a firm handle on his emotions, but his tears couldn't stop, dripping onto the neckline of his tee. Holiday didn't say another word, just sat by his side and gently rubbed his back, patting him as if she were comforting a child.
A long while must have passed before he calmed down a bit. By then, Bobo had taken Holiday's daughter out the lab, leaving them to have some privacy. The other scientist still remained, though they stayed in the opposite side of the room, busying about their own work and did not intrude on them. Holiday gently tugged his wrists.
"Don't take it too hard on yourself, Rex, I know that must be news to you as well."
Rex allowed her to pull his hands from his face, and he dared to look at her. Her eyes were also wet, with a tear stained cheek, showing she too had cried along with him. Guilt pangs continued to besiege him, stabbing him all over the place, even if he wasn't the cause responsible for Six's death, it somehow felt like it was.
"I had no clue, Holiday, I swear-"
She hushed him with a finger on his lips.
"It's alright, I know. Hypothetically speaking, you could come from another time dimension."
Rex nodded.
"It's like a completely different world," Rex shared, "A complete three-sixty."
"Like?" she prompted.
"Like I wasn't supposed to be married to Circe – in fact, I never married, or rather, have not. Needless to say, I don't have a kid either. Not that I minded having the both of them, but I was still with Providence, and Six –" Rex choked up again but forced his emotions to keep from having another outburst, "Six is still with us. And I don't mean that time hadn't caught up yet. Where I come from, two years after the Six here passes –" Rex struggled with the word, forcing it out – "My Six is still alive."
Holiday's reaction was immediate. She clutched both his shoulders, with narrowed eyes wet with tears again.
"What do you mean? Six is alive? He's alive? In your timeline?"
Rex nodded solemnly.
She sagged, heaving a big sigh, a hand flying to her mouth.
"Oh my god, so it's – I mean, with you, he's alive and well…." Her tone drifted off as she deliberated on that thought, seen when she nibbled her lips as she often did.
Rex took a deep breath before continuing.
"And well, besides that, not everything is … askew here. For one thing, the both of you were also going to have a kid. You were about five, almost six months pregnant before I disappeared – I mean, came here."
"Are you serious? With Six?" she looked almost astonished, giving Rex an odd thought. Her daughter – she must have had her with Six, right? Rex couldn't imagine the Doctor being with anyone else.
"Why do you look so surprised? It's the same here, isn't it?" Rex dared to ask.
The look that Holiday gave him was like she could have bled tears. And then he suddenly realized why and wanted to sock himself on the head. Six's headstone marked his death nine years ago, but her daughter didn't look anything older than that. The years just didn't match up.
"Actually, Gift is seven years old. I had her, a year after Six's death, through in-vitro," Holiday clarified a little shakily.
She explained that Six left that for her in his death will, in case he left the world before he could properly propose. That was why she named her daughter Gift, for she was the last thing Six left for her to keep her accompany. Gift, was the closest living reminder of Six that Holiday had.
Rex could feel his heart bleed, but before he could say anything in reply, Caesar returned.
"Oh, Holiday, you're here. Good, sorry I hadn't exactly brought you up to speed earlier," Caesar started, striding across the room, "I just submitted Rex's earlier recording to the Panel. They will get a team to check out if the story matched so far – but as far as I know, it seems to check out fine."
He reached them, eyed them both, then scratched his head awkwardly.
"Sorry, was I interrupting something?"
Holiday shook her head.
"No, just talking about some differences in our timeline. You can continue."
"Differences? Oh right, this Rex is seven years younger than our Rex should be, yet where he came from, Six was still alive. Which means, events in his timeline could veer from ours from before nine years back," Caesar deliberated aloud, then turned to Rex.
"Now, I'll need you to continue your story from where you left off – and Holiday, you might wanna sit it as well."
Holiday nodded.
"Of course."
So Rex continued from what happened after the Worldwide Cure, right up to his battle with Time-Meta EVO. When he finished, heavy silence met him. Another sob escaped Holiday, tearing up again.
"I can't believe it, so Six's really alive, with you?"
Rex nodded, feelings tears well up again.
"Yes, in my timeline, he is."
Caesar nodded solemnly, looking much more affected than he did when he listened to Rex earlier. He had the courtesy to fish out a packet of tissue from the pocket of his lab coat, handing it to Holiday. He patted her shoulders, gently comforting her, and she quickly forced down her sniffles, dabbing her tears.
"Thanks, Caesar, I'll be okay, it's just a lot to take in at the moment."
"It is," Caesar agreed softly, "So much so that it's hard to conclude."
"But it's obvious the final two years you've described, were drastically different – that being Six's death never came and you didn't quit Providence," he noted aloud then turned to Holiday, "What's your take on it? You've been around with him more than I did, so you're probably the better judge."
Holiday nodded.
"Yes, actually, the years after the World Wide Cure were more or less the same. I think that counts about four years, but then it started to deviate on the fifth year."
"So there must be a particular incident, on that year, that made things change dramatically," Caesar suggested, "And aside from identifying that crucial factor, we have to try to figure how Time-Meta EVO comes into the picture."
"Does this mean it's my turn now, to hear your version, of the history of the 'Rex' you knew?" Rex asked tentatively.
Caesar and Holiday exchanged looks, then looked back at Rex.
"Well, you see…" Holiday began….
Rex hears about the 'Rex' of 'this' timeline from Holiday and learns the startling complications.
On that summer when he broke up with Circe, here, they actually married, since Circe popped the news that she was pregnant. From what Rex gathered, he and Providence seemed to go downhill from there. Holiday didn't appear to want to elaborate much, but it was safe to assume 'Rex' had a hard time committing to Providence and Circe properly. And that fateful day when Providence faced more than what they could deal with, was the very same day 'Rex' learned about Circe's miscarriage, in part due to his supposed negligence to Circe. 'Rex' was in sorrow over the news of his unborn kid, which explained why he didn't answer to any of Providence calls. He found out only the following day, what happened to Six. Tormented and torn apart, 'Rex' realized he could either have a normal blissful life with a wife and kid, or have the life as an EVO Nanite Master, but not both. So he made the painful decision to leave Providence and stay with Circe. The rest of the six years, she couldn't say, since 'Rex' quit, they never made contact again.
Rex's chest was strung so tight when Holiday finished, he could barely breathe, or even think.
He could only despair of how things went so terribly wrong. No wonder Megan disliked him so –Circe's mother had blamed the miscarriage on him.
He felt a shiver run down between his shoulder blades at the cruel twist of fate. Especially since the idea of having a happily married life and family, was something he had wishfully thought about, on many occasions. Was the Universe making a mockery out of him, blatantly shoving it in his face that the only way he could have his own family, was if he gave up on Providence? Either way, he was still losing a part of himself, and lives were still lost.
Was it really not possible for him to have both? How could reality be so cruel?
"That can't be. It just doesn't make any sense. If I travelled from the past, to 'this' future that is seven years ahead, then why doesn't our past match up?" Rex pointed out shakily, unable to wrap his head around the events.
"That is what we also need to find out," Caesar said slowly, looking unsure himself, rubbing his chin in contemplation as he spoke, "Since you say Time-Meta EVO was involved, he might have manipulated something in the past, which, no matter how small that is, could cause a ripple effect."
"However," Caesar shifted his arms to cross over his chest, frowning now, "The fact is, time is continuous, like a full circle. In theory, there's no real beginning, and no real end. So you can't actually go back to change your past and cause a chain reaction that would contradict the future. Otherwise, it's a time paradox."
"So, what does that mean?" Rex asked.
"It means, instead of travelling into the future, you could have travelled through the fabric of space-time into another dimension," Holiday explained.
Rex felt a minuscule flutter of hope inside his chest.
"Wait, so that means, the world I knew – like me still in Providence, and Noah not hating me – it still exists?" Silently, he also meant Six still being alive, but he kept quiet, in consideration for this Holiday.
"It might. Though we can't be sure. So far we're still talking theory here, and nothing's certain until we can prove it," Caesar said cautiously.
"Okay, well, assuming it's true, do I have a chance to return to my dimension? To my timeline?"
Caesar and Holiday gave lost and helpless looks, killing Rex's hope.
"I'm sorry, Mijo, at this point, we can't really answer you. Let us do more research on this, alright? In the meantime, just try your best to settle in."
It was way past midnight by that time. Needing to know the answers, Rex had no choice but to stay the night – not like he had anywhere else to go anyway. He felt a bit guilty not returning home like he told Circe he would. But Rex really couldn't bear to go home. He didn't know what face to wear if he saw Circe and Riaena. Knowing this might not be his dimension, wouldn't that also mean they were not really his family? He felt torn. How was he supposed to be a good father or husband to them? It was just too confusing to be with them at the moment, so he rather stayed in Providence. Besides, Caesar said he would talk to Circe on his behalf, about needing to temporarily keep Rex here for further observation and study.
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The following morning came after an endless night of fitful sleep. Rex felt like a worn solider run down with EVO hordes, with dozen copies of Circe and Raiena riding them, whilst he chased over Six's back, who kept beyond his reach.
He woke multiple times from the nightmare, only to return to it when his eyes closed. So he barely slept a wink, eyes heavy and puffy, from the tears that continued to escape him through the night.
With twenty-four hour shifts, Rex noticed different scientists and staff come and go, but only knew it was morning when a staff sent over his breakfast, pushing it on a trolley like Bobo did.
Rex barely found the strength to eat. His stomach was so knotted with troubles anyway, he was sure he wouldn't be able to digest a thing. The scientists came to check on him when he was done eating, and left him alone to brood. He was already well enough to get out of bed, but he was listless, and distraught, and at loss of what to do, so he remained in bed like an undead corpse, spinning the depressing discoveries of the past week in his head.
Caesar came in not before long, and informed Rex that the Panel would be listening to Rex's report delivered last night.
"Just be patient – think they should come to a consensus by the end of today, or tomorrow latest, after reviewing everything."
"Thanks brother, but 'a consensus' to what, exactly?"
"On whether or not you can stay here."
Rex flinched, heart sinking heavier that Providence had no forgiveness for him.
"I see, so White Knight and most of them couldn't wait to kick me out, huh? Who are the 'Panel' anyway?"
Caesar quickly waved a hand.
"Oh no, no, Rex, you might be a bit mistaken here. White Knight is on the Panel, yes, but things are a little different here."
He briefly explained how in the years since 'Rex' quit, Providence faced a lot of pressure from the Public's declining confidence. The government thus forced Providence to be absorbed under Homeland Security. A lot of reshuffling and restructuring happened within the entire organization. Hence, alongside White Knight, the ones overseeing Providence now included the Homeland Security Chief Commander and a few other chief ranks from other defense sectors.
Rex nodded as he listening, noting that it explained why he couldn't find Providence on the internet. It was filed under Homeland Security.
"And, as for exactly why, your being here is a cause for conflict, you might want to give Circe a call to check in on that," Caesar suggested.
Rex gave him a pained look that quickly hinted Caesar to say otherwise. So his older brother explained how Circe filed against Providence to force them to release him, and not allowing them to activate him again. Realization dawned on Rex – it explained why Circe warned him not to expose his powers in public, since he was barred from doing so too. It made Rex irate, perplexed why Circe had to go to such lengths.
Hearing Rex's dissent, Caesar quickly clarified further.
"Why else? It's because Providence refused to let you quit in the first place. Look, I know the situation doesn't sound too good, but try not to be so upset with Circe. She took great pains and effort to gather the necessary documents, go through endless law firms and court sessions just to try to fight for your rights and secure your freedom. You're a US citizen after all, and unfortunately, back in the early days, whilst Providence was still under the Consortium, they made the mistake of converting your 'identity' as their 'intellectual property' under their 'Combat and Weapons Arm.'
The error was never corrected even when they changed ownership for complete government handling. So when the documents leeked out to the press, Human Rights group was up in protest, and they helped Circe to make the case favorable to you."
Rex became shocked hearing the complex drama that had ensued over 'his' resignation. Which made him angrier.
"This is bullshit. In the first place, I didn't want this."
"No, I guess not 'you'. But the 'Rex' here, wanted this."
"Well, but 'he' isn't fucking here now, is it? I'm the one here, taking his shitty place in this shitty turn of events. It sucks hearing how everything's screwed. Yet you're telling me, that I shouldn't be so upset?"
Rex flashed angry eyes at Caesar, huffing slightly.
Caesar stiffened visibly, lips drawing thin.
"You're right, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up. Anyway," Caesar half turned away, "I just wanted to let you know I'll do my best to convince the Panel that 'you' are not the same 'Rex'. Hence, you shouldn't be legally bonded to the documents and you should be allowed back into Providence. At least then, you could stay here whilst I do my research to figure out if there's any way to get you back to your world."
Rex's heat dissipated that instant, realizing he'd let his temper get the better of him. He wanted to kick himself. All his older brother did was inform of the things that had taken place here, and offer some counsel at the same time. Caesar was trying to help him, yet he'd acted like such a jerk.
"Caesar, wait," Rex sat up and grabbed his brother's wrist, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to flare up – "
A resounding siren aired through the sound system, interrupting Rex, and making his blood race in the familiar rush of adrenaline.
"Something's going on?" Rex became tensed.
"Most definitely, down in some city, likely. That's the alarm for activation of the combat troops."
Rex jumped out of bed that instant, ignoring Caesar calls that he shouldn't go, and ignoring the dull ache at his gut.
Once out the lab, Rex was greeted by corridors of sienna concrete and had to remind himself that they were no longer within the pristine white foundations of the previous Providence building.
Rex listened to the announcements blaring overhead and used his acute hearing as his guide to follow the resounding clatter of running boots on the stonewashed granite flooring. The place was different from Providence's layout, but it wasn't hard to find his way, reaching the armory on the ground floor before long, where troops were scurrying to get their weapons. Then he noticed where he thought their inner pieces were black, on up close, it was actually a deep green.
Noah suddenly came out, barking orders but seeing Rex, he froze abit in surprise, then agitation quickly overtook his features.
"What the fuck are you here for? Get outta our way!"
Rex didn't get the chance to make his plea to join, as Noah harshly shoved him aside, running past him to lead the troops. But another person remained rooted, glaring at Rex like she'd seen a hated nemesis.
"Beverly?" Rex was stunned to see her in combat uniform.
Without a word, she rushed up to him and gave a hard slap to his cheek.
She heaved a sigh.
"God damn, that felt good," she announced in an acid tone, smoothly combing her long ponytail in one deft movement, "Sorry, even if Holiday tells me you're not exactly 'him', I still can't forgive you."
She promptly rejoined the other officers, running alongside their files. There were bunches of surprised and confused looks from the other combat officers, several with hostile stares, but no one dallied to question him, urged on by the Noah's bark that still echoed from far down the corridor.
Another officer veered from the group and came to stand before Rex.
"Kenwyn," Rex barely mustered the courage to whisper her name, "You can have my other cheek, if you want."
Instead of hitting him like Beverly, she grabbed him by the shoulders, furrowed gaze intense, burrowing into his.
"Is it true, Six didn't die in your timeline?"
Rex shook his head.
"Then what about Shadow – does he still have his legs?"
Rex balled his eyes. Every hair on his back rose in horror.
"You mean Shadow lost his legs?"
"Answer me!" she barked, shaking him, "Does Shadow still have his legs?"
"Yes, yes he does. He's completely well and jumping!"
She heaved a heavy sigh, releasing him and sagging slightly, eyes squeezed shut. Her both palms met together, touching her lips as she faced skyward. Rex thought he caught her mumbling something that looked like 'thank god'.
When she next opened her eyes, Rex could see them glistening and she looked miles relieved, though the edges were feathered with sadness. But within a blink, it was gone, replaced by her usual tough expressions.
"Well, then, if that's the case, I guess I can say I'm somewhat glad to see you."
Rex felt a tortured smile twitching at his lips.
"Really? You have nothing bad to say to this jerk?"
Kenwyn's gaze softened abit, and she barely managed a smile that looked unsure, unlike the confident lieutenant she always looked.
"Actually, I don't know man. It's like seeing a ghost."
"I didn't die."
"No… but you just disappeared without a word. It felt almost unreal."
"Well I'm real. And I'm helping you guys. This time, I won't abandon you."
Kenwyn took a sharp intake of breath, and looked almost teary eyed again, reminding Rex that his disappearance had a huge impact on everyone. Not just Holiday or Noah, but also his friends, his team – everyone.
Here, 'he' had let them all down. So he can't let that happen again.
Then she blinked, and her gaze was serious and hard again. She nodded.
"You can try to help. But Noah won't be too happy."
"I will deal with that. He's pissed at me before."
She gave a bland smile. "Maybe. But I think you may find yourself more trouble than help. A lot of things have changed – we've assimilated into Homeland Security, so we now take command under them."
Rex nodded.
"I know, but I'll do my best, like I always do."
"Funny to hear you say that, because that one time that we desperately needed you, you just didn't show."
Rex turned on that unfamiliar icy tone to meet the unfamiliar, hostile stare of another close friend – Matthew. Rex felt slightly winded, never having faced this side of Matthew before.
"Yet you have the fucking gall to come back and show your face here," Matthew spat, hackles rising, striding over like a dark cloud.
"Matthew, I believe the report already passed down that this Rex is not our 'Rex'," Kenwyn defended, tone firm.
"The hell I care. Still Rex all the same – the asshole."
He flung a punch and Rex would have gladly taken it, but Kenwyn blocked it with her arm.
Matthew looked incensed.
"You siding with the traitor? Ken?"
"Fuck off, Matthew," she growled.
It incited Matthew further. He swung a kick that Kenwyn blocked, then blow for blow, they matched evenly. Rex would have jumped in for damage control, but he backed away instead to give them room, knowing that he would make matters worse.
"What the fuck are the two of you doing?"
That shout was unmistakable. Rex wouldn't even need to turn to know Captain Calan had appeared. He was still fit and well built, but looked like he'd aged a lot, dirty blond hair thinned along his hairline, lines on his face deep, as if countless battles have worn him down.
"Instead of wasting time here, you should be out in your rovers already! Especially Lieutenant Kenwyn, I expect nothing less from you!"
Both stopped on command, but still fumed, chest heaving slightly. They exchanged a final crossed glare before spinning on their heels, taking down the corridor. Rex shivered slightly when the Captain's harsh gaze fell to him next.
"It's not yet concluded if you're allowed to get into the battle with Providence," Captain informed coldly, squashing all of Rex's ardent desire to join.
"Please, listen, Captain Calan, I can help," Rex pleaded in a rush, "I know I can –"
"Didn't you hear? I said, 'it's not yet concluded,'" the Captain repeated, cutting him off, "Which means you can still do whatever the hell you want until Top Down relays confirmation that you are forbidden from joining Providence missions."
Rex felt himself perk up abit. Thank Captain for his subtle nicety. Finally, he could have the chance to redeem himself, or rather, right the wrongs he didn't know he made.
End of chapter
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Footnotes:
*World Wide Cure : Everything that happened in the cartoon remains the same in this alter-dimension.
Please be patient with me during these hair-raising turn of events….. things return to normal. I promise.