Chapter 16: The Last Twenty-four Hours


"Hey hey" I felt a light tapping on my cheek. My eyes fluttered open to take in the dark and unfocused world around me. I grabbed my head pain searing through me.

"What happened?" my voice came out horse.

``That would be Rocksteady'' a voice laughed humorously. "He's more of a charge now, ask questions later kind of guy" I shook my head in an effort to clear the cobwebs. As my vision focused I took in the figure in front of me.

I squinted my eyes, and bit my lip unsure if I should ask what I was doing on what appeared to be a rooftop talking to what appeared to be a mutant pig.

Then it all came back to me.

I let out a groan, falling back to once more lay on the hard cement of the rooftop, letting the events of the last twenty four hours wash over me like a cold september rain.

"Hey hey hey" the tapping at my check was back as the concerned face of the mutant pig came into view once again. "No falling asleep on me Dog, I just got you to wake up. I'm pretty sure you have a concussion and I'm not sure I could get you to wake up again if you dozed off"

I drew my eyebrows together in thought. That made sense. I remember running toward Baxter and the next thing I know I was flying through the air. The Rhino? I was hit by a charging Rhino? Well crazier things have happened. In the last twenty four hours in fact. I let out a sigh running my hand groggily over my face as I tried to make sense of my frantic thoughts despite the lingering headache that was quite a distraction. Okay, so I was hit by the charging rhino..what did he call him Rocksteady? And then everything went black. Must have passed out, I surmised. I bit my lip. But why was I on a rooftop with Mr. Bakon here? We were in the woods by the trailhead. He had tried to save me once, during the fight. The whole get the innocent bystander stunt to safety is what gave Baxter the edge he needed. Ugg!

"Hey..hey Kid" the tapping was back. I caught his hand, fighting back the nausea that threatened me as I tried to sit up.

"You okay?" he asks

"I guess"

I shift slightly, sitting more upright feeling less nauseous, I fold my legs under me to sit criss cross applesauce. Feeling more in control of my faculties I turn to take in the composure of my new companion sitting across from me. His shoulders are hunched and his head is down. His eyes are red and puffy from crying and his clothes are covered in grim and leaves probably from running through the forest. I felt a pain deep down in my heart as understanding flooded me.

"He was mutated wasn't he?" The flinch I got in response was all the answer I needed.

I closed my eyes momentarily, taking a deep breath. I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry"

"He..he didn't even remember me" his voice was sad, almost broken, gazing at something I couldn't see. "It all happened so fast, you went flying and the next second Mr. Steranko was hit. We've faced some pretty hard things, an' I've never seen anything take 'im out like that..the next thing I know he's mutatting. I was so scared..but the last thing I was expecting was him to wake up as a rhino. A real Rhino. I tried talking to him. Calming him down and all that. But it was like he didn't even know me. I saw it..in his eyes..no recollection..nothing. He couldn't pick me out of a crowd.." he bit his lip, his eyes turning to me. "He looked so scared."

I felt like the breath was knocked out of me. I understood..I knew what he was talking about. I wished I could tell him that his friend remembered him that deep down there was something there. But I had nothing comforting to tell him. It has been a year since I first woke up with no memory and I have no more clues now to my past then I did then. Actually in many ways I'm more lost now than before.

He must have sensed what I had to say, and instead just turned away.

"You knew didn't you..you looked so desperate..like the world depended on it" he looked away and I knew he was talking about the fight earlier, about me trying to get to Baxter before he could mutant anyone..I failed.

"I'm sorry" my voice was small. "This was all my fault" tears burned at my eyes. "I'm sorry you lost your friend"

I felt a comforting weight on my shoulder and I looked up to see two concerned eyes looking into mine.

"Look, I don't know who you are or how you're involved in this craziness but you also saved my life. You came out of nowhere to knock that gun out of Stockman's hands. That takes guts kid" I let out a light laugh wiping at my eyes with the sleeve of my shirt. "Right now I'm not exactly sure what to do but I have some friend who will"

"Will what?"

"Know what to do."

I pondered what he had to say for a second.

"Can I come with you?"

"What?!" his voice squeaked as he reeled back in exasperation.

"To see your friends." I clarified knowing I was taking a huge chance by asking this. But I really didn't have many options. "You see I can't really stay here. I need to get out of town. I never meant for this to happen. I kinda stumbled upon Baxter's plan by mistake. I went to the police but they didn't believe me and I can't stay here anymore..it's not safe for me"

I bit my lip and looked up to see my new companion pondering my words.

I weigh my options silently and before he has a chance to respond, I ask.

"Can I trust your friends"

"What?"

"Can I trust your friends?" I repeat again. I've always been fairly good at reading people, a skill that came in handy as a cop and right now it was a skill I needed to rely on to take this next step. I didn't expect him to just take some stranger along with him, unless there was something in it for him. A quid pro quo. He needed answers, just as I did. I needed to leave town and he was heading to his friends. I needed something to offer but first I had to make sure this information wouldn't fall into the wrong hands.

He let out a sigh, running his hand down his face before turning to me seriously. "Yes" he paused for a moment. "These brothers are the three most trustworthy individuals you'll ever meet. This team has done more for the city, scratch that, the world, than they will ever take credit for."

I pondered his words for a moment. Finding no falsehood in his eyes I reached back and started digging through my backpack.

"This" I held up the flashdrive "contains Baxter's plans and the formula for the reverse retromutagen" his eyes widened. " or at least as much as I could copy from his personal computer" I explain putting the drive back in my backpack turning to face him square on. "Baxter is planning to mutate all the mutants who have ever harmed him in the past, the formula works only on mutants and he is currently without his main source of reverse retromutagen." me. But it's not like I wanted to tell him that. "Look, I don't like what Baxter is doing and I want no need to stop him before he hurts anyone else. Like you I want answers. I also need to get out of town, I have something Baxter needs and he'll be coming after me. I'm already too involved in all this craziness to turn my back on it. I think we could help each other."

"How so?"

I let out a sigh. "I need to get to New York"

"Why New York?"

I narrowed my eyes at him "it's complicated"

He put his hands up in mock surrender, shrugging it off, I continue. "We both need this information, we can share it or I can give you a copy of it. As long as I know your friends are trustworthy and won't use it for the wrong purposes"

"Oh they won't. They don't like Stockman as much as I do. But between the two of us, they're a lot more trustworthy than me."

I nodded. "Help me get to New York and I'll share this information with you or give you a copy. It might help you mutate your friend back" I let out a sigh. "Though if you do..please let me know..I have my own crazy past that needs fixing" I mumble the last part under my breath.

I watched as the wheels in his head started to turn. After a moment, he turned to me with a slight smirk on his face "Enemy of my enemy is my friend."

I returned the smile shaking his hand.

"Names Peter by the way"

"Anton Zeck, but most my friends call me Bebop"

I smile "pleasure to meet you Bebop"

"Wish it was under better circumstances" he mumbled getting to his feat.

I had to agree. Pulling my backpack onto my shoulder I follow him slowly across the rooftops.

"I have my own fancy technology as you can see" he says twirling to model his outfit flicking a switch to turn completely invisible.

"Pretty impressive" I smile.

"Thanks" he says with a smile repairing in front of me as the two of us make our slow progress across the rooftops, hopefully to some other form of transportation. I am surprisingly comfortable on the rooftops but it's also been a long day and I'm not exactly happy about the idea of walking to New York.

"So are your friends in New York?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure you should meet them" I raise an eyebrow. "Look their mutants"

I shrugged "so, doesn't bother me"

He let out a breath. "Lets just keep this as uncomplicated as possible. Like I said I have my own technology, I say once we get to New York I can copy the important stuff onto my own flash drive and then we'll just part ways. I can go my way and you yours"

I thought about it for a moment. "Deal"

"Alright" he nodded. "Do you have a phone?" he asked after a moment.

I shook my head, I'd left my cell back at home, not wanting Baxter to have anyway to track me.

"Here" he handed me a very old flip phone. "It doesn't have many minutes left on it but at least it's some way to keep in touch. I'm not exactly sure all what's going on or what Baxter is up to but one thing is for certain"

"What's that" I frowned.

"Where mixed up in this together"

I couldn't help but smile at that. For the first time in this last crazy twenty four hours I don't all that lost or alone.


Hello,

That was a slightly shorter chapter, I'm trying to get the plot moving so the next chapter might be just a little low-key so to speak. But please hang in there with me :)

My goal is for this chapter to be the last of part 3: (Revelations)

Hope you all have a wonderful week.

Please review.