ELEVEN
The air was filthy. Thick layers of dust covered the wooden floors. The sound of heels striking its dull surface echoed in the abandoned building.
Flynn leaned on the cane while the Rapier sword nestled in the grip of his right hand, when finally snapping bullets signalled Emma's retreat.
She crossed the threshold of his blade. Down on her knees, he glimpsed the sight of surprise and confusion on her face, then she fell forward, sobbing from the burning sensation running across her abdomen.
She was bleeding out.
He ignored the scene and gazed off to his left the same time his counterpart took Lucy in his arms and cried with her.
Dead mother, grandfather, lost sister – how much loss could one person undergo before they snapped? And yet she concluded it was a timeline worth reliving over and over again. And as per usual, her future-self didn't depict the misery and pain and heartache one woman would face up until the point where it consumed her. She left out all the sad parts, the terrifying parts, the deranged killer whom she chased after for a year, until she realized it was the other way around. So much misery, how could someone believe in a cause which would redo its steps with no real end in sight.
This timeline ended with his death and a glorious victory for the team. They had a future, and what a future it would be.
Beside him, Emma sighed her last breath. He walked forward unperturbed.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't run this blade through you."
Garcia gazed at him shocked. Lucy couldn't stop crying.
"Every death was so spectacular, but I never gave you a moment to beg for mercy. Did I? Tell me. Why are you worthy enough to live?"
With a shaky hand, Garcia grabbed the pistol Lucy had dropped earlier and aimed it at him.
Flynn laughed. "That's the spirit."
"Who are you?"
"Rule One. A time traveller never tells."
The gun faltered in Garcia's right hand. Blood dripped from the fingertips of his left hand.
"Can't be."
Flynn's demeanour changed. He glared at his counterpart, challenging him to defend his precious Lucy and his life. "Not the first one to point out the obvious. Come on! I'm here, get over it. It can be done."
Lucy sat up; appreciative Garcia still guarded her from the unexpected visitor who accomplished what she could not. Emma was dead, but it didn't appease the sorrow in her heart. She wiped at her tears.
"I buried the lead." Flynn said as he watched her intently.
Behind her, Garcia stood haphazardly, with weapon still primed in his direction. The man had courage, he granted him that, and yet he was in no condition to defend what he saw as costly. She wasn't worth the rejection to follow.
"It was for neither one of you, I'm sorry. But this mission had one target in mind and that was to rid myself of my own misery." He lifted the Rapier and gestured between them. "You're not worth your salt. You don't even deserve each other." Looking at Garcia, he lowered the sword. "You will always be at a disadvantage, so do yourself and your ego a favour, and walk away."
Bewildered, the couple stared at one another, Garcia holding a hand for her to take, helped her up and then gradually moved her to stand to his rear.
"Trust." Flynn began. "Trust happens when honesty rules the relationship. You agree?"
"What do you want?"
"Set things straight. Give you the opportunity to do what I couldn't. Come." For a second time Flynn shoved the blade at Garcia before directing it towards Lucy. "The truth works wonders. Tell her."
"Tell her what?" Garcia asked dubiously but knowingly.
Lucy gazed between the men, her brow furrowing in puzzlement. She was still shocked, still too emotional to make head or tail in this strange conversation.
"Don't play dumb." Flynn chided.
"Why are you here?" Lucy blurted out. She composed herself, found her courage and voice, then demanded. "Explain yourself."
"Me or him? Lucy, you will have to be more specific about how you feel, and say what you truly mean. It's rather confusing at times."
"Have some respect, she just lost her mother."
"She'll get over it."
Garcia growled, stepping forward with pistol aimed at him and shot off a round. Flynn stood unperturbed, the bullet having nicked the side of his shoulder, and smirked defiantly.
"We never did temper that temper of ours, did we?"
Stepping forward, the sword sliced the air and knocked the pistol from Garcia's hand. Flynn stopped the man in his tracks, the blade's tip close to piercing his neck. Garcia showed his disapproval with a heated glare while Lucy stumbled after the discarded gun, but when she reached for it, Flynn shot at the barrel before her. Her hands went up instinctively. Garcia pushed against the blade, then halted. Blood flowed down his throat.
"The effort I applaud. Your tenacity I admire. But your execution lacks confidence and unity." Flynn grimaced. "The trust, it's just not there . . . yet."
"What's your objective?" Lucy asked.
"And how many times have you asked me the same question? It's irritating and straightforward, any jackass can decipher my reason for being. Dammit, Lucy, how many times are you gonna walk into the same trap? The same war . . . repeatedly? Endure the same pain? For what? Redemption and pride. 'We have to do what's right. We have to rid the world of Rittenhouse. They are a cancer'. You're the cancer, sweetheart."
"Watch your tongue."
"I'm not the one with a blade to my throat. Be quiet and listen carefully. This might save you." His eyes glimpsed movement to the right. He gave her another warning shot.
"Come on, Flynn!" She shouted in return.
"I am serious and in no mood to play the mediator. So listen up! I'll say this only once!" Flynn tugged at his bowtie, loosening the shirt's taught collar. He held the pistol on her again, then looked at Garcia snarling his anger and displeasure. "Hmm, so that's what a ticked off lion looks like."
"Honey, I'm home."
Flynn stepped from the Mothership, with two passengers in tow. He gazed over his shoulder, smirking ecstatically.
"No worries; they're just a little shy."
A dozen armed guards emerged from their hiding places, charging upon their location quicker than he wanted. Flynn's hands went up, as well as Lucy and Garcia following the same gesture.
"Or not." He beckoned at the lead soldier. "The welcoming mat. Hey Logan."
"Wyatt's here?"
"Rufus, too." A man whined from their left. "C'mon, where he goes I goes."
"What's going on?" Garcia asked with hands lowering to his sides, eyeing the lead soldier remove his helmet and mask. Wyatt was older, bulkier, and less of a hotshot. Even Rufus showed signs of aging and maturity. All-in-all, they looked like they'd been through the trenches and back.
"Welcome to the end."
Rufus scowled at Flynn. "Dramatic."
"Thank you."
"Pleasantries done? Let's get a move on."
Bowing theatrically, Flynn gestured at Wyatt Logan to carry on.
The soldier signalled at the remaining guards to move out. "Cover the ship, scour the field, and cover any traces of our arrival." He gestured to the small group before him. "Rufus and Flynn cover our rear. You and you, follow me. Lucy's waiting."
"I am?"
"She is."
"The young one – still too ignorant to understand."
"The young one can hear you." Lucy scoffed at Rufus trailing to her rear.
"So can the other Garcia." Said man walked in Wyatt's tread, quickening his pace to keep up with him. "Since my salient self didn't care to explain this little side trip. You still need to answer my question, grunt."
"He's not with us." He replied curtly.
"Then who is he with?"
"Don't know and don't care. My Lucy thinks he's important. He thinks you are."
"And what do you think?"
Wyatt stopped, allowing Garcia to move by him, and then let out an irritated sigh. "I'm not paid to pay attention."
"It's true." Flynn concurred, patting the soldier on the back. "He doesn't." He moved to guard their rear once more.
"He really doesn't." Rufus said over his shoulder. "He does however know how to gather elite soldiers for a revolution."
"Revolution?"
"Heard correctly, Lu." The geek replied, moving her along.
"Viva baby!"
"Viva!"
"Against what? Against who? And where are we?"
Wyatt ignored Garcia's questions, then glared at the older Flynn for not informing his younger version about his true motive. The man simply shrugged, urging him on to lead them away from the danger zone.
As a unit, they meandered via the dark forest path.
"Where we are. Who we are. What we're doing. None of the remaining timelines has this moment. We are officially outside the time space continuum."
"Like a dead zone?" Lucy queried.
"Doesn't exist zone." Rufus half corrected.
"That even possible?" Garcia asked of Wyatt. "And you believe him? He's lost his mind."
"You do realize you are talking about yourself." Flynn murmured from behind the group. "Frightening, knowing what you can become. Isn't it?"
"All of you are." The man griped in return.
"And he takes the exception."
"Why did we need him again?" The geek queried.
"I could've left her behind. He was the only one missing from the equation, and you know I can't stay in one place for long."
"Take 'em back then." Wyatt offered before entering the underground sewer.
The group followed silently for a short while, navigating the maze of tunnels behind their leader.
"My choices were limited." Flynn said.
"Yeah, because you killed all the others." Rufus chided.
"If only you'd shown up earlier, I would've had the cream of the crop. In retrospect, this is your fault."
"Your mind's at fault." Garcia griped.
"Wait. We're humanity's last hope."
The group snickered, amused by the geek's timely phrase.
"I'll be back." He teased in his best Arnie impression.
"Yeah, he was." Wyatt snorted, quickened his pace towards the dead-end, and then stopped. "Speaking of which." He motioned with the rifle at Flynn standing at the back. "Yo, big guy. Time's up!"
