May 16th, 2026
"I remember it, what I changed. But I can still remember the main timeline."
"That's because you need to pass the moment, the day, in which you went back to change it. After that, you'll fully be in sync to the new timeline. But you'll forget you did so..."
The darkness in Liberty's eyes told Lincoln she was telling the truth.
"What was all that about?! You're going to bring in the fuzz!" Lincoln dropped the gun.
"No, there was someone there, Luna. He stopped, and looked at me...:" Lincoln stood watching the street outside. "Lincoln, how did you know?"
Then, by her description of that logic, I don't have long until I forget everything from that new timeline, now undone. If that's the case, then I can maybe change things, like saving Linka and Lucy. Doing that should replace my memories of them being killed. Yes, that's what will happen. I have to do this...
"I didn't." He stepped back inside. Lynn was still looking for some kind of answer.
"Lincoln, I didn't shout, or-"
"I was just alert. That's all. I had a great teacher..." Lori smirked at him.
Luan was holding onto Linka.
"You two okay?" Luan remained quiet, giving him a scared look.
"Daddy-" Luan kept Linka from leaving her.
"Lincoln... You're a really scary guy for a brother."
"Hey, if anything, he just saved you!" Lynn stood by his side. "Maybe Lincoln's tactics have no kid gloves, but he knows best. I'd put my life on him."
"Hmmm. This is the same Lincoln who considered Linka a threat at first. If that weren't enough, he tried to-" Luna placed her hand on Luan's shoulder, and shook her head.
"Maybe we've been too soft.. " Luna circled her fingers around.
Lincoln sighed. "No, you guys, you're right. I shoot first, and ask questions later. That's how I've worked for years. Killing Lisa was the key to saving all of us. You knew what needed to happen. Not capture, kill."
"Lincoln, we didn't need to go there. We're all better than this." Luna and Luan stood together. Lola placed herself beside Luan, while Lana moved to Lincoln's other side. "She's been placed under a prison under the Agency! Why are we worried? We haven't really been beaten before."
Linka, who would have agreed with Luna and Luan, broke free from the old comedienne's grip and wrapped herself around Lincoln's waist.
Lincoln was flabbergasted, seeing the young girl clone having chosen the darker path. "Linka..."
"I... I don't want to die... I don't want to feel like you do."
Lynn looked away, momentarily.
She has his memories, meaning she knows his pain, the darkness of it. Maybe Linka is-
"Little dude... You didn't want Lincoln to hurt the other clones. What changed?"
Linka's face hid within Lincoln's suit.
"Is this what you want for her? To become you?!" Lori and Lucy, on the sidelines, were neutral, watching closely.
"No. I don't want that life for her..."
Luna moved closer to him. "We're not monsters, Lincoln. We have to be better. We can stop whatever is going on now, capture this other person."
He scoffed. "Fine. Capture it is."
Lynn punched his shoulder, fully hating the answer.
Luna and Luna smiled. "Thank you."
"If that fails, then we go my way. You're right. Maybe you've become soft."
Luna softly growled, turning the smile upside down.
"Hey, calm. You won, Luna." Luan tapped on her back.
"Why doesn't it feel so?"
"We need to move, now." Lincoln moved the couch and punched through the floor, taking out a dusty duffel bag from the broken floorboards. "MREs, forty thousand, and some essentials here."
Lincoln pulled a small black book from inside, and flipped it to the third page. "Lola, come here." The angel looking diva walked over to him.
"What do you need?"
He showed her the page. "Can you find this address?" The girl memorized the location.
"New Jersey, huh? Give me a few-" She disppeared, creating a cool breeze in between the others.
"New house, Lincoln?'
Lynn took the duffel bag after Lincoln placed the book back.
"We're compromised here. I have two left, apart from this one."
Lori crossed her arms. "Damn it, twerp."
Lola appeared, out of breath. "Somebody water me." Lana tossed a Kirkland brand water bottle at her. Lola chugged down the refreshment. "Oh, yeah! Anyways, found it. Its a nice house, I might add."
"Alright. Take Linka, Lucy and Luan there. Right now."
The sound of police sirens rang out.
"Why, what are you planning?" Lola took Luan first.
"You'll see soon enough."
Linka looked up to her original. "I don't want you to leave."
"Its okay, I'll be right behind you." He held out his pinkie. Linka took her time to latch her own with his. She hugged him
. "Take Bun-Bun with you." The rabbit was laying on the floor, fallen from the couch when Lincoln moved it.
Lucy disappeared, once Lola returned.
Lana placed the rabbit in her hands.
"Close your eyes, and hold your breath, Linka."
Lola lifted the girl into her shoulders. "Ready up, you!"
"Be careful!"
"I will, dad."
"I mean you, Lola."
The speedster gave him the finger. "Go fuck yourself, I have this."
"Anatomically impossible. Go on, and stay there. Take this, too."
Lynn raised the duffel bag which Lincoln referred to.
"Got it. Have more water ready." Lola left again.
"So, Lincoln, why them? What are you doing?"
"Lucy, you've been around with Lisa on your own free will, as you say?"
The goth nodded. "I can tell you the locations of two of three Black Network facilities I know about. But, clearly you've already captured the one in Maine. The other one is near Forks, Washington.
"Where exactly in Forks?"
Four Speed Trips Later
"Quench yourself." Lana sipped from another water bottle. Lincoln turned on the comms link on his watch. "Lucy, how much more?"
"It'll be like maybe fifty feet left, from the town limit. There's a dark, blocked off tunnel. But don't be fooled, its just the front for any hobo or stragglers. If anyone were to come close enough-"
"I really don't care. Thanks, Lucy."
He switched off.
"Fetch, girl!"
Lana zoomed away, in search of the tunnel.
The other four followed behind. "Okay, Luan and Linka were acceptable to leave behind, but why Lucy? She's shown us what she can do." Lincoln was in front, so Luna wasn't able to see anything from him.
"So, Lucy... What can you do? What powers or abilities did Lisa give you?"
Lincoln touched the burnt scars on her face. "Actually, I have nothing. I'm not like you guys."
"No injection? Everyone here's been exposed to something from Lisa."
Lucy shook her head. "But I do have these." Lucy drew out two katanas concealed from behind her. "Before Lisa, I learned things."
Lynn poked the edges. "These are real, holy shit." Lucy began to peform a short act in wielding them. She even did a butterfly jump, a move not easy to do. Lincoln himself had yet to master that.
"Lucy Loud, the slicer dicer? This is unexpected. Who trained you?"
"She's more vulnerable, that's why I didn't involve her. We're all more stronger than Lucy."
"You're saying Lana is also superior to Lucy?"
Lincoln stopped.
Lana's arm was shot off. The stump oozed out blood. The bullet riddled speedster finally succumbed to her wounds, and fell down dead. Lana has had enough. Lincoln kept going forward.
He knew she and Lola weren't.
"There. You just gave us the answer. I'm aware that we need her, but her being here is dangerous."
Lincoln snapped. "I FUCKING KNOW THAT. I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN. LUNA, YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP."
"Lincoln, are you- uh, feeling alright?" Lynn noticed the change more clearly.
Lori was now sensing something. "Its funny, this mood swing you seemed to have. You hugged Linka, like something bad had happened to her. Like you woke from some horrible nightmare. Its... Strange."
"Yeah, that was odd. I mean, it touched my heartstrings, but it felt like there was more to it."
Lana finally returned. "I found it." Lincoln held onto her. "Take me only! Go, go!"
The alarmed Luna leaped at Lincoln. "YOU SAID-"
The world shifted yet again before Lincoln. Everything was too fast for him to get a good, steady visual of this. "Ugh, oh fuck..." He went dizzy, trying to return to earth again.
"We're here." Lana entered the tunnel.
"Give me a minute." A terrible headache overwhelmed him.
"You okay, Linc?" He looked up, still reeling.
"Nothing to worry about. Don't bring the others. Not yet."
Lincoln regained control. "Lana, strip away the weapons of anyone you see. I'll be behind you!" Lana made a salite gesture. The white blur went out of view inside. Lincoln ran inside.
Yes, I can save Lily. I have to be the one... He thought.
Gunfire rang from deep the facility. Lincoln slowled his running. Lana raced back, sliding military grade firepower in the form of SCARs to him. "Line them up!" He picked up two in dual wield, and kept going further.
Two goons came into view, trying to get up. Lincoln fired upon them. Lana was dragging another, running past Lincoln. "I'm drowning this guy! He touched my boob trying to grab me!"
Ahead of him, many of them were knocked down by Lana. Lincoln finished the job, firing on everyone. Up ahead, a few rooms were visible. Lincoln dropped one of the SCARs, already going dry. He picked up a combat knife near a flowing blood puddle.
"Vince? Vince! VINCE, THIS IS BETWEEN YOU AND ME! COME OUT HERE, YOU LITTLE BITCH!"
Lincoln aimed the rifle at what he assumed was Vince. Lily Loud, exposed to Medi-Sin, emerged, growling like a beast. "Fuck..." He dropped the weapon. "VINCE, YOU COWARD. AVENGE YOUR FAMILY. THE ONE I TOOK FROM YOU."
At long last, Vince appeared behind Lily, who came closer towards Lincoln. He held up the blue antidote that countered the concoction. "That's right, chin hair. I know what I've done to you. I know what drives you. Using an innocent girl against me? Your sister, what was her name?" Lincoln stopped, looking down. Then, he looked up. "Who fucking cares?"
"HER NAME WAS JULIA, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Vince injected the antidote into Lily's neck. "I CAN KILL YOU MYSELF!" Vince shoved the raging girl on the floor.
"THAT'S MY SISTER!" Lincoln charged at him, striking his face with the butt of the gun. Vince recovered, only for Lincoln to fire at one of his knees. Lincoln hit him again, knocking him out. Lily grabbed the gun away, pulling Lincoln off balance.
"Lily!" She bit his arm, trying to block her. "Damn it!"
He did not attempt to lay a finger on her. The darkened skin around her eyes began to disappear. The blue of her eyes were coming back. "Lily, fight it!" She scratched at him.
Lana returned, looking at Lincoln hold back. "Who the hell is that?" Lincoln placed his hands on Lily's shoulders, keeping her at bay. "Lana, this guy here, take him to them! Take him now!"
She immediately lifted Vince, and carried him away.
Lincoln moved back. "Chase me if you can, Lilster!"
Lincoln, with all his energy, ran from her. Lily was on his tail, growling aggressively.
Luna, Lynn and Lori saw the entrance up ahead. "That must be it! When I get my hands on-"
Luna stopped, once Lana came into view. "Lana! Wha-Who's that?!"
Vince was set down in front of them. "This is the only guy dressed differently than the others."
Luna looked onto him.
A guy this... Cute, working for Lisa? ...For fuck's sake.
The exit came into view. Lily's rate of speed was decreasing. Her blue pupils were restored, and the demonic sounds coming from her had dissipated.
Lincoln stopped upon hearing a thud. Lily had fallen on her back, breathless.
Lincoln carried her back. "Its over, Lily. You're free. You're home now."
She moved her head about, eyes set on Lincoln. "Lincy... Did we win...?" The youngest sister was worn out in excess; anymore use of her stamina could probably kill her
"Don't talk, Lily. Get some rest now. You earned it."
Its done. I... I saved them. Linka will live. Lucy will live.
Luna caught Lincoln finally coming into the light. "You son of a b-"
"Who's that he's carrying? Looks like a little girl..."
"I think that is a little girl, Lynn."
Lincoln joined the circle. "We're done here."
"Wait, what the fuck is going on?"
"Guys, say hi to Lily."
The others let out a group gasp. "W-What? What?!"
Lynn brushed at Lily's face. "It can't be... You said-"
"I was wrong, then! Look! This is the true Lily, alive and well."
All eyes were away from Vince, giving him enough time to activate his own beacon. He laughed once taking his hands from his pocket. "You all lose." He dropped the flashing beacon onto the dirt ground.
Lincoln handed the sleeping Lily to Lana. "What did you just do?"
Vince stumbled back up. "Boom."
Lynn set her eyes above, hearing a low rumbling in the distance. "You guys hear that, right?"
Vince laughed. "See you soon!" He ran the other way, after the sound of what seemed like an explosion, and the shaking of the earth.
"Gunship strike! Lana, get her out of here! Everyone else, inside the tunnel! Go!"
Lana raced through the woods.
"Damn it!" Lincoln was kicking himself inside, not bothering to check Vince at all. Hell, he left him alive, because of-
"Get your heads-" A huge section of the forest incinerated with fire. Black smoke all around formed, clahsing with the orange-yellow flames. A tree came flying towards them. "LINCOLN, MOVE!" It seemed like it was gonna hit Lincoln, who wasn't making an effort to dodge.
"LINCOLN!" The tree came closer.
"DAMN IT!" Lynn quickly moved in front of him, holding her arms out. She caught the tree, as the force of the blast pushed the smoke into them. Lynn disappeared in the black. Lincoln covered his face, holding his breath through the heat of the smoke.
"Stay where you are!" Lori shouted.
Lincoln met the wall of the tunnel, and fell back. He coughed violently. "Lincoln!"
The smoke left a gray, blurry atmosphere now. Lincoln found his way to Luna and Lori. "You guys alroght?" They nodded.
Lynn looked around the destroyed environment. "Jesus..."
"What the hell happened?"
"Damn it, Luna. I spared him, and look what happens! We came this close to losing Lily!"
"Come on, Lincoln, that's not-"
He did the unthinkable; Luna was surprised by a punch.
Lori held Lincoln by his arms. "Damn it, twerp!"
Luna spat out blood. "You fuck!"
"I'll fuck, Luna. I'll fuck you up!"
Lynn held Luna from charging at him. "Not again! Both of you!"
Lori threw Lincoln backwards.
"Uhmph!" Luna grew calm.
"You want to be literally thrown, too?"
By then, everything cleared completely. "If you two have stopped, get the twins to bring us to wherever your new house is."
Lincoln still had Vince in mind.
"No, we're going somewhere else."
Lana returned. "What now, guys?"
Lincoln contacted Lucy.
"Send Lola here. Tell her to find the burning forest."
"Burning forest, you say? Wicked."
"Thanks." The link went off.
"Somewhere else, where? We need to stop."
In minutes, Lola found them. "Hey, take her back home." Lincoln pointed to Lily.
"Who's this angel?" Lola welcomed sleeping Lily in her arms.
"Get her some food, too, alright?"
"No problem, Lincoln."
"Where is this place, Lincoln?" Luna and Lori were now impatient. "If you're putting us in another battle, you can forget about it."
Lincoln smiled. "We're going to visit Lisa in the Agency."
AN: Where do I begin? Its good to be back in writing.
Lucy could have told them where the second Black Network facility was, in Retribution. Unfortunately, she was taken. If not for that, everyone would have won that war. Or... Could they have?
"Some things shouldn't be changed." - Older Lynn.
Wasn't sure if that was the right name Mr. Tracy Edgy gave Vince's sister.
A warm shout out to the creators behind Liby, Lacy and Lupa Loud, the daughters of sin; Liberty Loud, the true Linka before Linka was canon; Vince, as you all know.
Better late than never, right?