“Uh...hi?” Lori cautiously stepped toward the man. She stuck out her hand and he gently took it, planting a kiss on the back.
“You’re not surprised by this place,” the man said, making it a statement, not a question. He had close-cut brown hair and a shaven face. He was handsome in a way that was almost generic. I wouldn’t have been able to pick him out of a crowd of people if I tried. “Why are you here?”
“Is this the Tomb Removed from Time?” Lori asked, backing away.
The man replied with a chuckle and a gentle smile. He waved us over and set out four chairs for us to sit in at his fancy table. Once we were seated, he joined us and cleared his throat. “That is a title for this space, yes. Not one I’ve heard in many years. A bit dramatic, if you ask me.”
“How long have you been here?” I asked, trying to look at some of the still people in the beds. Their faces and figures were mostly obscured. The light in the room was good for illuminating the center and not much else.
“Just under two hundred years.” The man’s reply was so nonchalant I couldn’t make myself react. “I haven’t had guests in nearly fifty years. Who do you serve?”
“How have you been here so long?” I asked, answering his question with one of my own. Well, ignoring his question with my own was more accurate. “Who are you?”
“Very well, I will explain myself first,” he said with a sigh. “To make this as expedient as possible, I’ll share the crucial details first. My name is Arthur Adams. My gift, or Anomaly as I believe the term has become over the years, is control over time. I’ve been bound here by my best friend and most trusted confidant who betrayed me all those years ago.”
“The old stories I was told as a little girl mentioned a corrupt man who could control time,” Lori mentioned, looking suspicious.
Arthur simply shrugged his shoulders in response. “I suppose that if I said I wasn’t corrupt, that’d be just what you’d expect me to say, right?”
Arthur got up and slowly paced around the room, his eyes coming to rest on each body in their beds. It didn’t seem to matter that they were barely visible in their little cutouts. Sadness and grief filled his eyes, along with something that appeared dangerous. Geared toward us or not, it put me on edge. I carefully pulled my airsoft gun out of the back of my pants and kept it in my lap. If he could really control time, there wasn’t really anything we could hope to stop him with. None of our powers could match that. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t go down swinging.
“Would you like the full details? It’s been some time since I’ve been able to share my story to fresh ears.”
“We would, sir.” Alex stood up to shake the man’s hand. I thought it was strange he didn’t do that when we first walked in and met the guy.
“Wonderful! I know not how long these gifts have been with mankind, but they’ve been with me since my birth in eighteen twenty-eight. Ever since I was a boy, I could manipulate the flow of time around me. What first began with making crops grow faster than any man had seen before soon became reducing a man to bones.
“Those times were not accepting of someone like myself, so I spent years drifting across America, living as a vagabond and using my gift to survive. Eventually, I met my dear friend John Peters, a man who had also been bestowed unique gifts. While he always longed for a life of wealth and influence, his gift gave him the means to take it by force.”
“What was his Anomaly?” I asked.
“Over the years, I’ve been given media of the time period in which I lived, which has kept me somewhat up to date with current trends. Well, not so much recently, but up to around nineteen seventy. Let me ask, would you all say there is a difference between superpowers belonging to the heroes of comics and traditional magic?”
We all remained silent for a while, internally debating the question among ourselves. Was there really a difference? Sure, I had always thought of magic as shooting fireballs or calling down lightning. McLeod could manipulate fire and Rory could manipulate ice. That felt like magic to me. Right before I was going to give my input, Megan gave hers. “I think there’s a difference.”
“Understood, little one,” Arthur said with a warm smile. “I ask because I’ve always considered John’s gift something closer to magic than what the colorful characters in those comic books can do. His gift was a contract of sorts. He would set up parameters for an agreement, and should one of the parties not fulfill their end of that agreement, a predetermined penalty would be carried out.”
“That’s why you’re here.” Lori had a sad look in her eyes. This poor man had been trapped here for nearly two hundred years.
“Correct.” Arthur turned around a small frame to reveal a painting of himself, a woman, and two boys. “John became disillusioned with using his bindings to gain power, thinking himself higher than the common man, despite his own humble origins. While he slowly descended into greed and selfishness, I found love and a family.
“John had the idea of finding people with gifts like us and making them bend to our will. With his bindings and some leverage on the person, he was effectively untouchable by forcing them to do his bidding. I learned that the hard way when he took my family hostage. He had this wild idea of building an army of gifted individuals that were forced to follow his commands. In return for his guarantee that no harm would befall my loved ones by him or any of his associates, I had to keep people he deemed useful in stasis here until he required their services.”
“That’s terrible!” Lori exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table. “Those...those people weren’t just tools he could use for his personal gain.”
“I told him the same thing.” Arthur sat down again. His voice was heavy with sadness. “He insisted it was his way to the life he deserved. Slavery, or at least the support of it, was still common where we lived. Sadly, John was one of those men who still supported it. The only comfort was that I knew he had to maintain his end of the binding. He was too much of a coward to go back on his own word and risk harm to his person or belongings.
“He had one of his servants carve out this room. I’m unable to use my gift to harm him or anyone under him. I cannot kill myself while under his contract. Even after he himself stopped visiting, and I assumed his passing had come, I’m still held back by his rules. Tell me, have you heard any rumblings of his name, or perhaps a group called The Wisps?”
I knew I hadn’t. Alex shook his to confirm he also hadn’t heard of anyone or anything like that. Lori looked like she was scouring her brain for any mention of either name, but even she came up empty. Arthur was visibly relieved when none of us had any clue who he was talking about.
“It comforts me knowing that his ideas have died out with him. Even if I have to live by our agreement long after he’s gone, his madness never got him anything he truly desired.”
“Actually...that’s sort of why we’re here.” Lori ran down the details of Dii Consentes attacking cities and exposing the secrets that had long been hidden by time. She had to fill him in on some of the technological advancements that had been made. Since he was up to date until nineteen seventy, he understood the bulk of what she explained.
“I see. When John used cunning and a man’s loved ones, McLeod can gain followers through sheer strength.” Arthur rested his chin on folded hands propped up by his elbows. “And this brought you here.”
“Yeah, our boss told us that there was a tool here that could take away someone’s Anomaly,” Lori said. “We didn’t even know which cave you were in. We spent all day yesterday just trying to hunt this place down.”
“Your information was only half-correct,” Arthus claimed. “John was very picky about who could learn of my existence here, so that doesn’t come as a shock. In fact, I’m impressed you had enough information to find this place at all. Whoever betrayed John’s trust must have been clever, or your leader well-informed.
“But I digress. There is no tool that can remove someone’s gifts, as far as I’m aware. However, around ten years after I was trapped here, John brought a young woman to me. She was bound by a contract that prevented her from using her gifts for a period of five hours. He informed me that three of those hours were up, and he’d be back for her when he required her. Why he chose an arbitrary window like that, I do not know.”
“Are you saying that it’s her?” Lori asked, confused. “She can remove someone’s powers?”
Arthur stood up and waved us over to one of the beds. I kept my toy gun in my hand, making it visible while trying to make it look non-threatening. Lying in one was a redheaded young woman with freckles dotted across her cheeks and nose, her face slightly rounded with high cheekbones. Her clothes looked like an outfit that belonged back in the Civil War era, yet they still weren’t what I expected. I’d always thought that women in that time wore big dresses with puffy sleeves, but she was in what looked closer to men’s wear.
Getting a better look at her, she was extremely pretty, almost in a rugged way. She looked to be a few years older than me. Her hands, while small and slender, had visible calluses on them. Her slightly loose top did little to hide how broad her shoulders were for a woman. She wasn’t strong or muscular in the same way bodybuilders or frequent gym goers were, nor could I describe her as stocky or stout. She was just solid. Solid like people who made careers out of hard, manual labor.
“If they had to carry her somewhere, they found that the women’s clothing of the time made it too difficult,” Arthur said, as if reading some of my earlier thoughts. Lori appeared to be confused about her dress as well though. “So, they either had specially sized wear designed for her, or they just got some meant for a smaller male.”
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Arthur frowned and cleared his throat. “Her name is Rebecca, and she was bestowed two gifts. She can completely remove someone’s gift with just a touch to their person. Her second gift lets her perfectly mimic the voice of anyone she hears. John...John took her daughter to bring her here. His contract with her demanded that she not use her gifts for the limited period of time I mentioned before. In exchange, he would not allow any harm to befall her daughter.”
“Your friend was a jerk,” Megan said, looking sadly at the prone lady.
“That he was.” Arthur matched her sad look. The candlelight made shadows dance on Rebecca’s pretty face. “In a show of power, he’d always give me as much information as he could on the people he brought here. It was his way of telling me it was helpless to resist. No matter what he tried, I couldn’t join him. If only I could have stopped him from succumbing to his greed.”
“You might not be able to help him, but why not us?” I asked. Arthur tilted his head at me, not getting what I was implying. “You might not have been able to help your friend, but you can help us stop McLeod. Let us get you out of here.”
“A kind thought...” Arthur paused for a moment. “Apologies, I didn’t get your name.”
“Ethan. Ethan Harper.”
“It’s a kind thought, Ethan, but I can’t go with you.” He went to retrieve the picture of his family. His heartbreak and longing filled his eyes. “I’m still bound by John, remember? Even in his passing, I’m not free from my end. The title ‘Tomb Removed from Time’ is apt. This will be where I meet my end, no matter how much I try to fight that destiny.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, taking a step closer to him. I looked at the picture of his family and was reminded of my own that was ripped away from me. “There’s nothing else that you think might get you out?”
“No, I’m afraid there isn’t. I’ve had plenty of time to think of a loophole to free me, and after all these years, I’ve come up with nothing. I have come up with another idea, however.” Arthur looked toward Lori with a pained smile. “Your firearm, miss. I wish to make a trade that might benefit both parties.”
Startled, Lori reached for the gun. She slowly pulled it out with a shaking hand. It looked like it weighed heavy in her hand while she thought about handing it to him. Arthur went back to a puzzled look before shaking his head. We actually got a good laugh out of him at the misunderstanding.
“No, miss, I’m not asking for the gun itself,” he said. “Remember, I cannot kill myself, but I believe I have a different loophole. When John and I were bound, he was in a small hurry. He only told me that I couldn’t leave, kill myself, or bring any harm to the people under my influence. He never intended for an outsider to learn of this chamber, so he never specified that someone else couldn’t slay me. I’m not forced to stop anyone from trying.”
“You want us to kill you!?” Lori asked, horrified. The hand that held the gun out retreated to her side. “We can’t do that, Arthur.”
A sad sigh left his mouth. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and gripped the picture of his family so hard his knuckles went white. Tears started to run down Lori’s face. I could tell how much pain the poor man was in, but she was feeling it. Nearly two hundred years of torture, being completely alone, forced to suspend time for someone who had betrayed him.
“Miss, please.” The grip on her shoulder tightened some, but not enough to be threatening. “My family departed this world long ago. Every fiber of my being wants nothing more than to finally be with them. I’ve waited so, so long for the chance.”
He looked toward Rebecca and shut his eyes. A blue light enveloped her body. It began to shine and swirl around her. The light started to swirl so fast that I thought it might go out of control and I instinctively took a step back. The light began to slow down before finally dissipating, leaving the redhead awake. Her bright green eyes were blinking as she scanned all of us. Her eyes seemed to linger on me a few seconds longer than anyone else.
“Rebecca, I’m truly sorry that you were brought here.”
She sprang to her feet, nearly hitting her head on the upper part of her carved-out bed. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. She placed a hand on her throat and looked at Arthur with fury. Seeing, or maybe feeling, her rage, Lori took a step back with her gun. Rebecca’s callused hands balled up into fists at her side.
“For your body, time has not passed since you were brought here, so you still have two hours left before you can speak,” Arthur informed her, doing nothing to dull her rage. “Please, listen to these people. Over one hundred fifty years have passed since you were brougt here, and the world needs your help.”
When Arthur mentioned how much time had elapsed, Rebecca’s eyes went wide with shock. She fell to her knees and started to sob silently, her shoulders shaking. The others looked like they had no idea what do to. I couldn’t comfortably watch this lady cry silently. I got down on a knee next to her, putting my hand on her back to try and support her as best I could. I might’ve been nervous about touching strangers, but I was still a guy. Seeing a girl crying activated some protective instincts. I had hoped she’d take it as a friendly gesture.
Instead, when her had snapped up at my touch, Rebecca’s glance went to my fake gun. She snatched it out of my hand before I could react. She put the barrel against her temple and held it there. Even if it was loaded and she pulled the trigger, it wasn’t like it would kill her. It would give her a hell of a headache, though she wouldn’t die from it. Just seeing her panicked desperation, knowing she was close to pulling a real trigger in her mind, was enough to scare me plenty.
“Shit, it’s not a real gun!” I yelled. Her hand tightened, nearly squeezing the trigger. With another silent sob, she dropped the toy on the ground.
I had no idea what I could do to help. I put my hand on her back again and started to rub small circles over her shirt. I hated being so powerless to help this heartbroken woman. She hadn’t asked for any of what happened to her. I didn’t know her, yet I got the impression she didn’t deserve what happened to her either.
Megan walked up to her and wrapped her arms around Rebecca. I feared that Rebecca might retaliate because of the state of mind she was in, but she just looked surprised at the gesture. Megan silently joined me in patting her back, whispering the best reassurances she could. Eventually, Rebecca did calm down enough to hand me the gun back and stand. Megan held onto her pale hand and Rebecca was in no hurry to let go herself.
“Rebecca, I know you have a lot of questions,” Arthur said, giving her a little bit more time to make sure she was calm enough to listen. “I know that you’re going through unimaginable pain right now, but please, help these people. You’ve lost things that you can’t recover. Not even my power would allow me to reunite you with your daughter. The man that brought you here is long gone. You’re able to move forward. You’re the only one I’ll allow to move forward. You’re the only one he brought to me that isn’t a criminal.”
“Wait, the rest of these people are criminals?” I asked, looking again at all the figures.
“They are indeed, Ethan. The easiest way for John to find people was to track criminals who used their gifts for evil. All the people in here, save for Rebecca, have committed atrocities that most people couldn’t imagine.”
“Will they be freed if...if we...” I couldn’t finish the question. I didn’t need to. Arthur understood.
“No, they won’t. All the people in here that were kept in stasis will be killed when I die. I have to free someone from that stasis for them to live, which is why I freed Rebecca. Out of all of them, she is truly the one who deserves a second chance at life.
“I got it. Is this really what you want?” Lori’s voice cracked. She walked up to Arthur, craning her neck back to look him in the eye. “There’s nothing else you want to try first?”
Arthur shook his head and smiled at us all. “There isn’t, miss. Time is my domain, so I know that my time has been up for far too long. This isn’t natural. Human beings weren’t meant to live as long as I have. I’m so very tired. Would you be the one to let me see my wife and sons again?”
“Wait, I’ll do it.” Alex said, standing next to Lori. He stuck his hand out for the gun.
With tears running down her face, Lori shook her head. Her voice was breaking, but she did her best to look strong. “No, I was made the leader here. I don’t think I could show my face to Mrs. Carmichael if I made one of you do something like this. This is what I have to do.”
“Rebecca,” I whispered, getting her attention. I felt nervous when she looked at me. It felt like her beautiful eyes could see right through me. Composing myself, I did my best to carry on. “Could you please turn her around and cover her ears?”
The redhead nodded and she brought Megan to a different area of the room. Rebecca made sure that the kiddo’s back was turned and her ears were covered. Nodding back to me that we could continue, I tried to steel myself to what was about to happen.
“I’m so sorry, Arthur. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” I couldn’t tell if Lori was really apologizing to Arthur or to herself. He lowered his head toward Lori and she placed the barrel on his forehead. Her hand was still shaking. The poor girl was barely composed enough to stand.
“Don’t be, please,” he replied, trying to comfort her. He closed his eyes as a warm smile slowly grew across his face. “I’ve been waiting for someone to set me free from this nightmare.”
“I hope you find peace with your family,” Lori said, and then there was an explosion that made me jump and left my ears ringing. For just an instant, horrible memories of my parents’ death flashed fresh in my mind.
Arthur’s head snapped back, and he collapsed to the ground, dead. Lori’s gun clattered to the ground as she collapsed at the same time. Her head fell between her knees. She let out some of the most agonizing, heartbroken sobs I’d ever heard. Her cries and the remnant of the gunshot echoed off the walls. Alex sat next to her and put a large arm around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. At the same time, that skin crawling feeling I had vanished, making me realize it had something to do with Arthur’s power.
All around me, the bodies of the criminals aged rapidly. There was a small mercy as none of them appeared to wake up from their stasis as they died. Their flesh dried out, rotted, and eventually just bones were left in all the beds. Even if they were all terrible criminals, it was more than a little sickening to watch so many people die at once. Part of it felt right. Right in the sense that the natural flow of things was being corrected for these people. Just to make sure, I looked over to see that Rebecca was still standing. To my relief, she looked as good as she did when Arthur first released her.
I turned my attention back to Arthur’s corpse. He passed away gripping the picture of his family, which made me tear up a bit myself. I took one look at the wound in his head and refused to take a second. At least he looked at peace. I put the picture on his chest and folded both his hands over it. I knelt next to him and wanted to say a prayer. I just couldn’t make my mind or mouth work enough to get anything coherent going. I settled for hoping that he could spend all the time in the world with his loved ones at last.
“Well, you guys really did us dirty here.” There was a voice from the direction of the hallway, making me spin around. Rebecca was backing up with Megan in her arms, getting closer toward me.
Emerging from the shadow of the doorway was a pale looking man with black hair. He looked familiar in a way that I couldn’t quite place. His eyes showed nothing but confidence and bloodlust, a combination that sent shivers through me. He casually leaned against the door and whistled when he saw Arthur’s body.
“We followed you idiots chasing a rumor and you actually axed the guy when you find him? You guys really are dumbest motherfuckers alive.”
He slowly stepped forward, clicking his tongue at the bones in the bed spaces. Two more figures followed him in from the room. Terror wrapped itself around my heart when I realized why the guy looked so familiar. Heather, the woman who’d brought down the building in Vancouver and crushed the lady in Seattle, emerged from behind him, being almost a mirror image of the cocky guy. Their only differences were their height and body shapes.
The only thing to make the entire situation somehow worse was the other figure. It was the knight clad in black armor, his metallic steps echoing in the tight space. Without words or feelings, he scanned the room as well. His eyes weren’t visible under his helmet when his gaze fell to Arthur’s corpse.
“You might’ve screwed the pooch by killing that guy. Don’t worry, that’s fine.” The black-haired man paused and stuck his finger toward Rebecca and Megan. “That redhead will work just fine too.”