Back at the refuge, Cole was helped into a chair, recovering from an interaction with a blast core. Though he had inherited Ryan's time-manipulating powers, Cole wasn't able to time-travel. The purpose of the blast core was to hopefully awaken that ability so that he could go back in time.
"Anything?" Bentley asked Cole as he pushed his hand to his forehead.
"The vision I got… it worked," he replied tiredly.
"Really?" Alex interjected.
"Yeah, just… give me a second. Those things pack more of a punch than I remember."
"Of course," Bentley replied.
It was then that Cole looked up at the group of people in the room. He saw Alex, Bentley, Delsin, Fetch, and Eugene, all with worried expressions on their face. His breathing was heavy and his eyes felt heavier. This was the second blast core he had used within the last few hours, a rate that was proving too much for him.
"Are you okay?" Delsin asked.
"Don't worry kid, I've been through worse," he started before seeing Zeke walk through the door, "But then again."
The group saw Zeke and immediately understood.
"We'll leave you two alone," Alex suggested as she instructed the others to leave the room behind her. When they were gone, Zeke sighed.
"So… you're really doing it huh?"
"I wouldn't if I didn't think I had to," Cole explained.
"How many times am I supposed to lose my best friend?"
"This should be the last time."
Zeke nodded, understanding the intent.
"It's Trish isn't it?"
Cole looked at his best friend sternly in the eye.
"Even if I said yes," he said while grabbing a picture from the counter, "She wouldn't believe me, not then."
"Is that the picture Kessler had?"
"It's a copy of it," he explained while showing it to Zeke. The picture was of Cole, Trish, and Zeke on the day of Cole's wedding, in pristine condition.
"That's a damn good copy."
"I may not be from that timeline, but I still need to convince my younger self that I was, and for me… it was this picture."
"She would be proud of you," Zeke stated.
"I'm not so sure of that, but I've made my choice. I have to go back."
Zeke chuckled.
"Ever think about what would've happened if you didn't get your powers? What you would've done?"
"Every day. Even now, I wonder… if Kessler hadn't found me… if I hadn't found me."
Zeke nodded again
"Well I know exactly what would've happened."
"And what's that?" Cole asked.
"Right now? If you didn't have your powers. We'd be on that same goddamn roof in Empire City, wishing for something to happen."
Cole chuckled.
"I guess you're right. These adventures really have been something."
"Well hell yeah brother! I just wish we could have more of them."
"Me too man… me too."
A few hours later, it was time. Everyone was gathered together to say their goodbyes as Bentley was briefing Cole on what he needed to do when he went back. He also reattached his prosthetic.
"So she's the key to the Ray Sphere?" Cole asked.
"Correct," he said uneasily, "And if you find Bertrand… you find her."
"I had no idea I wasn't a prime conduit."
"Well, we didn't have a term for that back then but yes, lightning isn't your real power."
"Is there a limit to how many powers I can get? Kessler hit me with way more than lightning."
"I don't know, but if Delsin is anything to go by, I wouldn't recommend going beyond four different powers. The more powers Delsin got, the more he had to charge up before being able to use them. If you get too many powers, you may depower permanently."
"Too many powers is bad, got it."
When the briefing was finished, Delsin, Fetch, Eugene, Zeke, and Alex joined them in the pseudo lab. An awkward silence held in the air as everybody waited for somebody else to say something. Moments into it, Cole stood up.
"Thank you, all of you, for giving me another chance. I don't want to do this. I'd rather leave that part behind. But the fact is… I don't deserve this chance."
"But you do," Fetch butted.
"Yeah, look at everything you've done," Delsin chimed.
"Listen, I knew what was at stake when I turned on the RFI. I accepted that. Why should I get a second chance at life when so many others out there give their lives every day?"
"But you're just going back. You're not giving your life… right?" Delsin asked.
"Kessler died kid," Zeke reminded, "If that Cole seven years ago is gonna' stand a chance against John, he has to kill Kessler… he has to kill himself."
Delsin turned to look at Zeke and then back to Cole, who looked at the floor. Fetch put her hand up to her mouth and Eugene looked away.
"What?" Delsin whispered.
"I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but it's what needs to be done."
Delsin hung his head low. Cole put his metal arm on Delsin's shoulder.
"Chin up, kid. I may have to go, but you guys still have a job to do here."
Delsin sighed before lifting his head up again. He nodded and Cole turned to Eugene and Alex.
"A lot of non-conduits tried killing me, thank you for being some of those that didn't."
Eugene chuckled and Alex sighed.
"And Bentley… if what you said is true, know that I'm not mad at you. You didn't know what you were doing. Just make sure that this ends where it should."
"I will."
Cole nodded before walking over to Zeke.
"Any last words for me?" Zeke asked.
"How about this?" he replied with open arms. Zeke closed in with a hug for a few seconds before retreating back.
"That works too."
Cole then took a few steps back, looking back at the picture of him, Zeke, and Trish, before shoving it in his pocket.
"Good luck brother."
"You too, all of you."
He was then encompassed in a bright blue glow that started as an outline and slowly moved inwards. Eventually the glow was so bright that everyone had to look away. As they looked outwards towards the hallway, the light grew even brighter. Eventually, it died away as quickly as it started and they all turned around. When they did, he was gone. For several seconds, they all stood silent, watching the space where Cole once stood.
"Bentley… what did Cole mean by that?" Alex asked.
"I need to head to New York. I need to find Penelope."
"You're not going alone," Delsin stated.
"I wasn't planning on it. But we'll need more than just us."