Chapter Twenty-four #3
“The power it took to track and target all at once rendered the satellites useless. This was just her last laugh if she’d lost. If she wanted to track them individually, she would’ve needed me.
I kept most of them hidden, except for those on the roads.
No way I could’ve kept track of those baton scanners. ”
I thought about Jack, about the man he’d become, and the friend he’d brought back with him. “But you said there was a fail-safe? For Jay—Jack—and you?”
“Well, I’m still here so you know it all works out, right?” Rash shoved his hands in his pockets. “Let’s just say Dr. Ryder and David make some interesting discoveries in the next few years. But that’s a story for another time.”
“Speaking of time . . . is there a temporal anomaly, with us being here instead of our time?”
“Fixed itself when we normalized all Luminary energy. What had to happen, happened—umm, according to what you guys told us in the future,” Rash said.
“From this point on is where we made the biggest change, but you’re fully integrated into this timeline now.
You’ll just always look way younger than your official age. ”
“I can live with that.” I smiled.
“What about your timeline?” Annie asked. “You won’t be there to come back . . . or?” She tilted her head. “Is that how it works? Your younger version is still in this time, right?”
“Yes, there are two of me, but I can’t tell you much.” Rash shrugged. “Let’s just say when Nya—when, uh, the world turns pink, my life will be as it should.”
“What? Who’s Nya?” I asked.
“That’s all I’m saying about that.”
Police burst through the doors, weapons raised. Robert was with them, flashing his FBI badge. “Everyone okay?”
“We’re good,” Nick said, still holding Annie and Jack close. “But you’re late to the party, aren’t you?”
“Tell me about it,” Robert said. “It was a riot out there. We had to fight to survive, too.” He turned to show us his shoulder. He had a bad burn. Fireball, most likely.
“Here, let me heal that for . . . oh.” Jenny had walked up to him. “I guess I can’t do that anymore.” She stared at the palms of her hands.
“I’m fine. Really,” he said, putting one arm around her. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“So what happens with all of this? The authorities?” Nick asked.
“I’ve got that covered,” Robert said. “I’ve been documenting everything. But I’m sure all leaders of the world will be glad to be done with the damn optimized order bullshit.”
“And what happens to Park?” Kevin asked as officers moved to secure her.
“Oh, I think she’ll find prison quite normalizing,” Robert said.
I leaned against Kevin, watching as order was slowly restored around us. There would be questions to answer, systems to rebuild, a world to reshape. But for now, I just wanted to breathe.
“You okay?” Kevin asked softly.
“Just thinking about Jay. And Rash. About everything they risked to make this happen.” I frowned. “Speaking of. Rash?”
“Yes?”
“How come you can control me?”
He shook his head. “I can’t anymore.”
“Answer the question,” I said.
“I was the baby.”
“What baby?”
“You saved me in the diner and somehow infused me with your energy,” Rash said. “In Jackson Heights. When the Org first came for you.”
“The blue blanket!” I stared at him. “You were tased by that woman who was after me!”
“Yes. My dad is—was a Luminary.” He paused. “And I had the genetic code as well. But you did something when you infused me with your powers. It connected me to you.”
“Wow. That was . . .” I turned to Kevin.
“I don’t know what that was. I didn’t really know about using powers.
I was scared and angry, and he was so tiny.
” I looked up at Rash. “But it was the first time I used it since the amnesia and . . . if that wasn’t pure chaotic energy, I don’t know what was. ”
“You brought me back to life.” He smiled. “Giving you yours back was only fair.”
“I can’t argue with that! Best investment I ever made with my powers,” I said, laughing.
“Although I’ll admit, um, I’m the one who sent my parents to the diner that day.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. After Jay and I had time-traveled, I mailed them a coupon for a prepaid dinner from the diner, only good for that date. They lived close by, so I knew they’d go.”
“I’m glad you did. Your dad helped me.”
“That and I needed to cause my own Ryan powers. I had to make sure it happened.”
“Like a paradox or something?” Nick asked. “Not sure it was responsible for you to interfere like that.”
“Yeah. A bootstrap paradox—that’s what Dr. Ryder said it’s called.” Rash lifted an eyebrow. “And for your information, you were the one who told me to do it. I had to ensure I closed my own loop.”
“Well, then . . . I’m sure I had—will have?” Nick scratched his head. “I’m sure it was all with good reason.”
“Sure. When it’s his idea, it’s all fine!” Kevin said, making us all laugh.
Through the broken windows, we could hear more sirens approaching. More law enforcement, coming to handle the aftermath the old-fashioned way. No powers, no special abilities. Just humans dealing with human problems. I actually liked the idea of it all.
“So,” Kevin said. “What do normal people do after saving the world?”
“I have no idea.” I leaned against him. “But I think maybe it should start with pizza.”