Jo walked through the halls of Section 5, back toward the elevator. She'd expected Zane's test to take up her entire morning, but since Zane had gone out of his way and over her head to keep her from the test, Jo was completely free. But as she grew further and further away from the lab, Jo couldn't help but feel that something was wrong.
Jo's walk came to a slow stop. She looked back down the hall where she'd come from. Jo stood still, thinking about the conversation that had just taken place in his lab. Zane had seemed himself. He was cocky, arrogant, and egotistical like always. But there was something else. Something Jo couldn't put her finger on.
"Hey Lupo."
Jo froze. The voice came from behind her. She turned slowly to find Zane walking toward her. His face was twisted up in pain. He held the back of his head with one of his hands as he walked.
"Someone jumped me while I was working in my lab and stuffed me in the storage room." Zane explained.
Jo stared at Zane, stunned.
"Lupo?" Zane asked.
"I just came from your lab, Zane." Jo said. "You were in there."
"That son of a bitch." Zane muttered.
Jo and Zane started running through the hall toward Zane's lab. Jo's phone rang as they rang. Jo pulled out her phone and answered while she ran.
"Carter, Zane's locked himself in our Zane's lab." Jo explained.
"Damnit. Henry and I are on our way." Jack replied.
Zane slid to a stop in front of his lab. He placed his thumb on the scanner. The door opened in front of them. Jo entered first. She only made four feet before she collided with something that pushed her back. Zane caught her and set her on her feet.
"What the hell was that?" Jo asked.
Zane reached out with his hand. His hand fell upon something they couldn't see. A field. "It's an invisible barrier."
"How did he manage to put it up?" Jo asked.
"I noticed an extra component on the converter. He must've added it before you and Jack hauled his ass off." Zane explained.
Jo looked into the lab. "Zane, your conductors running."
Zane looked into his lab. Jo was right. His converter and conversion unit were both running. Beautifully, but they were still running. The conductor was glowing a dark shade of red as the bolts began to emerge from it. The converter was primed and ready as it took each bolt that cam at it. And his future self was standing in the center of the room watching.
Zane slammed his fist against the field. "Hey!"
"Zane!" Jo called.
Zane looked over his shoulder form inside the lab.
"What are you doing?" Zane demanded.
"Setting things right." Zane answered. He turned and continued to watch the conversion.
The conductor's production of positronic lightning began to increase. The bolts burst from the conductor and headed for the converter. But a stray bolt missed the conversion unit and struck the wall. When it passed, the wall was charmed and smoldered from the heat.
"Zane what's going on?" Jo asked.
"The conductors output is more than the converter can obtain, even after he adjusted the input." Zane explained.
"If I hadn't, there would be plenty more rouge positronic bolts in here." Zane said.
"Look you've got to get out of there. Those bolt have a higher concentration of energy than Fargo's. If they hit you-"
"I know." Zane called. Still he stayed where he was.
The main grid lost power. Jo and Zane looked up at the ceiling. The lights above them shut off, but backup power came online. Zane's lab now had only the backup lighting to outmatch the red positronic lighting that overtook his lab.
"Power's fluctuating." Jo said.
"Damnit." Zane snapped.
"Jo, Zane!" Carter called. He and Henry walked to the door behind them. "What's going on?"
"Zane's initiated the test." Zane explained.
"Can he shut it off?" Jack asked.
Zane shook his head. "No, it runs off a timed conductor."
"So how much time it left?" Jo asked.
Zane looked at his watch. "Five minutes. But with all that extra positronic lightning, chances are he won't survive."
"That's what he's counting on." Jack said.
"What?" Jo asked.
Jack slammed his hand against the field. "Zane! You have to stop this!"
Zane looked over his shoulder. "You know why I can't do that Carter."
"Zane we'll find another way. Don't do this!" Carter replied.
"I spent five years thinking of another way. This is the only way, Carter. It's why I came back." Zane said.
A stray bolt shot from the conductor and bypassed the converter. It struck Zane in the left shoulder. The force of the bolt sent Zane flying back near the field. He grunted as he hit the ground.
"Zane!" Jo yelled.
Zane's back shook as he pushed himself up. His shirt had charred from the bolts impact, smoking.
"Zane get out!" Henry ordered.
Another bolt bypassed the converter and hit Zane in the back. Zane jerked and hit the ground again. Another struck his leg, leaving his pants smoldering from the contact. Again and again, Zane was struck by concentrated positronic lightning. His body jerked with each strike, but that was all the moving he did.
Suddenly the lightning ceased. The conductor powered down. The converter's hum began to die down. The lights regained full power, fully illuminating the lab. The field dropped from around the door, allowing access to the smoldering lab.
Jack was the first to enter into the testing zone. He walked to Zane's smoldering body and knelt beside him. Few placed had been left untouched by the lightning. The skin had been burned until it was black. The clothes he'd worn had been burned to his body. His hair was signed on his scalp. Zane's eyes remained opened, but glazed over. Zane was gone. Jack sighed, lowering his face into the palm of his hand.
"Zane, take Jo and get out." He heard Henry.
Zane seemed too stunned to move.
"Now." Henry urged.
"Right." Zane managed. He moved to Jo, who was leaning against the wall. He took her arm and pulled her out of the lab.
Henry walked to Jack's side, carrying Zane's jacket. Henry placed his hand on Jack's shoulder, kneeling beside him. Jack looked up at Henry. He took the jacket from Henry and draped it over Zane's body. Jack looked at his watch: 9:15.
"He did it." Jack said.
Henry turned to Jack. Jack showed his watch to Henry, who nodded. "Nine fifteen."
"Son of a bitch saved her." Jack said bitterly.
"It's hard to stop someone when it concerns someone they love, Jack." Henry explained.
Jack nodded. "Yeah, I know."
"Come on." Henry said. They rose from the ground and turned from Zane's body. They walked out of the lab, into the halls.
Outside, a crowd had gathered around the door. Most were part of Jo's security staff. They rushed pasted Jack and Henry into the lab. Others were part of Allison's medical team. Allison was kneeling by Jo and Zane, who had moved from the lab door. Zane looked sick leaning against the wall. Jo was beside him, barely holding herself together.
Allison looked up as Jack and Henry joined them. "What happened? I can't get anything out of these two they're in shock."
Jack looked from Zane to Jo and the back to Allison. "Zane's dead."
"What?" Allison asked. Her eyes grew wide with shock.
Jo lowered her face into her hands.
Zane leaned his head back against the wall. "Why did he do it?"
"I don't think here is a good place to talk about it. And Allison still needs to treat the two of you first." Jack explained.
Allison's medical team emerged from the lab wheeling a black body bag from the lab. Zane slightly turned his head but looked away. He covered his eyes, taking a deep breath. Two of them left with the bag while the remaining members stayed behind to aid Allison.
"Let's get these two to the Infirmary." Allison ordered.
The medical team helped Zane and Jo to their feet and onto stretchers. Jo complied without a fight, worrying Carter slightly. The team wheels both Zane and Jo from the lab toward the infirmary. Allison stayed behind with Carter.
"I'll stop by later." Carter said.
Allison nodded. "Okay." She turned and followed her team toward the infirmary.
"Henry!"
Henry and jack turned. Grace jogged down the hall.
"Grace!" Henry called. He met her halfway.
"Where on earth have you been? You didn't come home last night." Grace said.
"I was helping Jack." Henry explained.
Grace sighed and hugged Henry. "You scared me."
Henry held Grace. "I'm sorry. I should have told you."
"What happened?" Grace asked.
Henry released Grace. "Zane's gone."
"What?"
"Zane from the future. It's…it's a long story, Grace." Jack replied.
Grace nodded slowly. "Was anyone else hurt?"
Henry shook his head. "No, but Allison's treating Zane and Jo for shock. It wasn't easy for either of them to witness."
"I can imagine it wasn't easy for the two of you either." Grace said.
Neither Henry nor Jack replied.