JACKIE:

We left a path of devastating destruction. My throat burned from the smoke. Seeing Bennu Island on fire was a gut-punch. Bennu always got scorched, statistically speaking. This time, Firestorm and I were to blame. It didn’t matter that we had the best intentions. The most probable outcomes kept repeating. Was this mission a colossal waste of time? Could we actually change the probabilities?

Mark ordered every employee on the island to extinguish the flames growing across the island. The villagers joined the fight and stopped the progress of the forest fire. At least no one got hurt this time.

During the chaos of the firefighting efforts, Firestorm and I landed on the balcony overlooking the volcano. Fresh flowers were tied to the railing with a beautiful bow. No doubt Mark had been up to pay his respects to Beatrice.

Vertigo kicked in when I looked down into the volcano shaft. Would the slipstream catch me if I jumped in, unable to effect change in this timeline? So many people had fallen to their deaths here, including myself. But it didn’t feel like a graveyard. It felt like unlimited, untapped potential for anyone with access to the void.

“Beatrice, are you here?” I asked.

Firestorm told me, “I feel her presence. Don’t you?”

I nodded. Tears burst from my eyes, the watershed of emotions that come in moments of rest between struggles.

“She gave us an impossible task. I suck at this,” I sobbed.

Firestorm wrapped me in his wing. “No, you don’t.”

“We can’t change the probabilities, not matter how hard we try. Even if we do… Will it ever end? Time is like an infinity mirror on constant loop. I’m exhausted and want off this ride.”

Firestorm nestled in close, comforting me like a warm blanket. Still, overwhelm struck me. Billions of people would die if my mission failed. That blood would be a stain on my hands.

A light breeze kissed my cheek. Beatrice’s sweet voice wafted over the wind. “Man masters nature not by force, but by understanding.”

I gasped with relief.

“B! I’m so glad you’re here. We burned Bennu Island, just like you did when you made that epic fire portal. Our intentions are in the right place, but the probabilities aren’t changing.”

“I feel the heat,” she whispered through my mind’s eye.

“What should we do about it?”

Beatrice went silent.

“Please, guide me!” I demanded.

My mind raced over the problems, desperate for solutions that felt out of reach.

Firestorm whispered, “Tap into Ni Cree, Jackie.”

I shrugged. “No idea what that means.”

“Time to learn a trick from your ancestors. Ni Cree flows with All,” he explained. “We thank All for everything. Breathe as one.”

Firestorm closed his eyes with a great exhale. I leaned into him and matched his breathing. We sat in the silence, grounding ourselves in the here and now of whatever timeline this was. It didn’t matter. We were here together, with a shared purpose that affected billions of souls.

Guidance filled the space, and a wise reminder from Queen Beatrice echoed in my right ear.

“The wheel keeps turning. The probabilities are stacked, but our attention and concentration has an effect. You’re a phoenix gene carrier. Rise from the ashes, ready for battle.”

“I am a Phoenix gene carrier.” With that, I cried my last tear. For better or worse, I was good at hurling myself headfirst back into the game. You reap what you sow, as my grandfather liked to say.

We gathered our collective strength with a few deep breaths. The power of the phoenix gene coursed through my veins. With Firestorm by my side and boss Beatrice lying in wait beneath my feet, I felt a renewed sense of optimism, ready to change the probability or die trying.

Firestorm let out a guttural battle cry.

Although I had the conviction, no concrete strategy came to mind. “Okay, we’re not giving up, so let’s talk next steps.”

Firestorm said, “Go to Grace. Tell her everything. We need her help to enact real change here. Someone from the inside has to change an important decision. She must be the key.”

“Hopefully she’ll listen.” I nodded, still unsure exactly what to do. I gave Firestorm another hug before shuffling inside Camp Claudi.

“Stay close,” I told him.

Firestorm nodded. “Always.”

Once inside the complex, I went straight toward the living quarters. I practiced my crazy speech, trying to cobble together an idea of what to tell Grace.

“Hey, so, not only am I your unborn daughter, but your jerk boyfriend is going to set off global annihilation at the hands of a killer drone invented by your father. No big deal, but your dead mother is guiding me…” My stomach tied in knots.

I turned the corner and ran right into Grace.

“Jackie, there you are! I’ve been looking all over for you. A wildfire is blazing through the island. As if it’s not hot enough already.”

“I heard. Do they know how it started?” I wiped soot from my face.

Grace rolled her eyes. “This place is hell on earth. Something bad always happens when we’re here. I don’t know why Feraz even wanted to come. I should have pushed for the Maldives.”

“About that… I know the real reason Feraz wanted to come here.”

“Whatever you’re about to say, save it for the hot springs. Feraz and I were going to sneak out and get this party started.” Grace looked around. “But I couldn’t find him either. You two are like herding cats.”

“Grace, listen to me. Feraz is up to no good.”

She waved me off and scanned her DNA Identifier© to open a nearby door. She scanned the room for Feraz. With no sign of him, she kept walking.

“Not in there. Where is he? Can’t wait for you to see him shirtless at the hot springs. You’ll get why I can’t quit him then.” Grace laughed with glee and checked room after room for Feraz.

I tripped on my own feet to catch up. “I know where he is.”

She stopped, intrigued. “Maybe busy putting together the proposal of a lifetime? It’s got to be perfect. Stephanie’s going to be so jealous.”

“He’s not working on his proposal… Grace, Feraz came here to get his grubby mits on some Bennu eggs.”

Grace scrunched her note. “Why would he want those disgusting things?”

“It’s the missing ingredient in his messed up version of Life Rite. That’s why you get sick when he rebirths. He used the Night Rite cream in the serum instead of pure eggs.”

“You’re telling me I’ve been injecting Night Rite? Let me guess. That’s why my skin looks so great when I use?” Grace rolled her eyes. “No way.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Night Rite’s secret ingredient is Bennu eggs. The diluted base was all he could get his hands on. Feraz knows it’s making you sick, but he doesn’t care.”

Grace bit her lip. “Would getting the pure stuff… cure me? Would it give us our happily ever after?”

I shook my head. “Maybe you can have your happy ending, but that’s a very big maybe. But if you do, everyone else will die except for the super rich.”

“Oh please.” Grace rolled her eyes. “Way to guilt trip me. I can’t help it I was born with privilege. I’ll help you with your financial situation, Jackie.”

“It’s not about that… Mark built a drone, and if it gets access to the pure Life Rite serum, it’s intelligence will go next level. If Alpha gets into the slipstream, the redistribution program will trigger.”

“What’s that?”

“A dystopian nightmare. Everyone besides Life Rite’s rich immortality clients get scraped. I’ve come from an alternate future to stop that from happening.”

Grace crossed her arms. “Wow, Jackie. You have a wild imagination. It was entertaining at first, but now it feels psycho.”

“Beatrice sent me!”

“You’re telling me my dead mom sent you to stop my boyfriend from using my father’s robot to trigger the apocalypse?”

“Yes, you’re finally getting it! Will you help me?”

“Seriously, Jackie, you need help.”

“We have to stop Feraz from getting any Bennu eggs. I think they’ve all been destroyed.”

Grace asked sternly, “Did you start those fires, Jackie? To destroy those nasty eggs?”

I avoided the question. “You need to kick Feraz off the island. Keep him as far away as possible.”

“I see what this is now. You’re obsessed with my boyfriend, aren’t you? Can’t you let us have our happy ending?”

I scoffed. “Oh please. I don’t go for attempted murderers. But I am obsessed with saving the world, and I need your help.”

“You’re so dramatic, Jackie. You promised you wouldn’t ruin my proposal.”

Grace scanned her DNA Identifier© on another door, but it flashed red. No access. She kept going down the hall, searching for her narcissist boyfriend.

I kept pace. How could I get through to her? She was delusional, caught in Feraz’s love bomb. And my plea was tough to grasp, even after she had a brief taste of what the slipstream offers. Until you remember multiple lives, the complexity of parallel timelines is incomprehensible.

“If you’ll let me explain…” I started.

Grace opened the next door with her DNA Identifier©. She looked inside and said, “There you are! What are you doing, darling?”

I followed her inside to find Feraz making the Life Rite serum in a makeshift laboratory. Great…

“Grace, babe. I just finished reading this book. Thought you might like to read it.” Feraz picked up the Frankenstein book from the table and handed it to Grace. Code for a fresh batch of Life Rite, ready to inject. “Hey, janitor. I’m almost done in here. You can clean up after.”

My cheeks flushed. Didn’t we burn all the Bennu eggs on the island? Was his new serum still subpar? Or did he get the good stuff?

Grace looked at the book and then back at me. I pleaded with my eyes. Please, listen to something I’ve said in the short time we’ve been together, mom.

She tensed. “Thanks, Feraz. Maybe later. Ready to go to the hot springs? Jackie’s going to come with us.”

Feraz looked at me with disgust. “Who invited her? Can’t we go alone? Janitors can’t swim well. She might drown…”

“Well…” Grace bit her lip. How could she deny the cruel look in his eyes?

Alpha sat on a side table. I didn’t notice it until its drawer popped open, containing a vial of Life Rite.

“Analysis complete. Ingredients are pure.”

“He got some eggs,” I said half-out-loud. “But how?”

We watched as Alpha processed the serum in its belly. Its insides glowed with the power of a million suns. It would go next level smart, but was it enough to get the drones into the slipstream? No, but now all it needed was the blood of a phoenix gene carrier to get into the slipstream to crunch the numbers on world annihilation. My blood was the last step toward global genocide!

“No! No, no, no, no, no!” I cried.

Grace looked at me, conflicted. I prayed she saw the truth.

Feraz smirked. “Take a reading break, Grace. You look tired.”

He pushed the Frankenstein book toward her. “It’s the perfect beach read.”

Her eyes darted between me and the book.

“I don’t feel like it right now, Feraz. Later. Let’s go to the hot springs before it gets dark.”

“Don’t be silly, babe. Go take a break. Like a delicate flower, you won’t last long in this heat.” His tone was laced with double meaning.

“She doesn’t want to, okay?” I tried to back her up. It’s hard to stand up to bullies, but we were in it together.

“Is this why you wanted to come to Bennu?” Grace asked.“Don’t you have something special planned, Feraz?”

“Oh, this is pretty special.” He nodded toward the book.

Grace searched Feraz’s face for some indication that he was the man she hoped for. Would she resist his stunning good looks and more importantly, her addiction? Could she even if she wanted to?

“Are you using me?” Grace asked, point blank.

“Please. I’m heir to the Tal estate. If anything, you’re using me. Now take the damn book, Grace.” His voice stung.

“No, I don’t want it.”

“Then you can kiss forever goodbye.”

“You never really loved me, did you? I knew it was too good to be true.” My mom hid her tears as she stormed out of the room.

“Get back here,” Feraz spit through gritted teeth.

My knees buckled. Should I run after Grace or stay to destroy Alpha?

Turns out, I didn’t have a choice. The door slammed shut, leaving me alone with a weapon of mass destruction and a snake.

Feraz looked at me with dark, devious eyes.

“Tell me, janitor. Why have you infiltrated our lives?”

“Grace and I are friends, whether you like it or not.”

“People like us don’t become friends with people like you. I know you’re up to something. Spill it or I’ll make you my new test subject.” He threatened me with a scalpel.

“How’d you get fresh Bennu eggs?” I asked, dropping my innocent act. “Where’d you find them?”

“A quick elevator ride down to the operations department in the basement. What do you know about it?”

“I know enough.” My jaw clenched.

“Stay out of Grace’s ear…”

“Or what? Your last attempt to get rid of me was laughable. If I tired to kill you, I’d succeed.”

Feraz shook his head. “You’re something else, janitor. I don’t know why you’re here or what you’re after, but your absurd confidence gives me a brilliant idea.”

I crossed my arms. “Oh yeah, what’s that?”

“When you first showed up, Grace told me you wanted to join our little science club. Today’s your lucky day. I need another… carrier… for my new experiment.”

Feraz inserted a needle into Alpha’s face plate. “Initiate carrier B protocols,” he told the drone.

I stepped back in horror. My blood could give it access to the slipstream. Then it would be game over.

Alpha hovered in the air, clicking its way over to me.

“Hold still,” Feraz instructed me.

“I better go meet Grace at the hot springs.” I backed away and fumbled with the door knob.

“I promise it won’t hurt.” Feraz pinned me against the door.

“Leave me alone!”

“Initiating carrier B protocols,” Alpha declared.

“You’re not going anywhere, janitor.”

“Someone of noble blood doesn’t want to mix with a lowly bloodline like mine. I’m a peasant compared to you.” I pulled the door open, but Feraz blocked me and slammed it shut.

“This will make your inferior blood better. You’ll thank me later.”

Alpha threatened me with a syringe full of his new and improved Life Rite serum, ready to inject me then take my blood.

I grit my teeth and swung my elbow into Feraz’s jaw. Crack!

“You’re dead, janitor.”

“You ready for round two? Good luck.”

“I never fail twice.” Feraz relocated his jaw and hurled his fist at my face. Alpha hovered near like a mosquito hungry for blood.

I levitated and darted away. There was no reason to hide my powers from my adversaries now. The jig was up. I needed to protect the phoenix gene.

“What kind of freak are you?”

“The kind that doesn’t put up with jerks like you.”

Fire sparked from my palms.

“Eat flames.” I knocked Feraz backward with my inferno. Embers burned his skin.

Alpha flew closer, the Life Rite serum glowing inside its mechanics. I kicked it in the iris, and the needle fell out of its faceplate.

Alpha scanned me. “No DNA Identifier detected. Introduce yourself.”

“I’m your worst nightmare.”

“Unconfirmed. Searching deeper into the database.”

I dropkicked that creepy drone, but landed no damage. Alpha was built to last.

Feraz grabbed a mop from the corner and swung it at me. I ducked.

“Missed me! Who’s the janitor now?”

“Eat dirt, loser.” Feraz swung again. The wooden handle cracked against my forearm.

“Ow!” I grabbed my arm to stop the throbbing pain.

Another swing of the mop collided with my skull. My vision blurred. Ringing sounded in my ears. The room spun. I smelled the blood before I felt it.

“Firestorm, the slipstream’s pulling on me,” I mumbled through scrambled brains. My mental conviction to stay in this timeline faded. I was losing my grip.

Feraz inserted another needle into the drone. “Carrier B protocols, Alpha. Now!”

As it zipped toward me, I regained my senses and threw fire in its general direction.

Discombobulated, I missed my target. Alpha kept coming.

I shook off the pain to play defense. I flew over to the mops and grabbed a weapon of my own.

Smack! I hit Alpha like a baseball.

“Recalibrating,” it said. “Stand by.”

Feraz lurched toward me. I held the mop out to keep him at bay and threw a wall of fire at him. Direct hit! Embers burned his perfect hair.

He grabbed his face, in pain.

“Kiss your modeling career goodbye, playboy,” I said sarcastically.

“How are you doing that? If you burned my eyebrows like you burned my leather seats, I’ll murder you.”

“Your empty threats are such a joke. I know who you are, Feraz. The Tal family fuck up. The type to be in breach of contract for your ridiculous behavior. You are not infallible or indestructible. You’ll never live up to your family’s legacy.”

Feraz cradled his face in his hands. My words stung as bad as my blow.

“Recalibrated. Initiating carrier B protocols.” Alpha came at me again with needle drawn.

My head ached, so retreat seemed like the best defense for now.

I slammed over to the door as I threw fireballs at Alpha, knocking it back long enough to open the door.

“You’re gonna pay for your insolence, janitor! You’ll be licking the dirt from my shoes when I’m done with you.”

I threw fire at the box of payroll slips as I flew into the hallway. The papers sparked. The fire grew and filled the room with smoke.

As I fled, I grabbed my throbbing temples, still recovering from my head trauma. Feraz delivered a major blow with that mop.

Momentum took over. I stumbled and hit the wall. My eyes crossed. My head spun. The smokey air made everything harder to navigate.

“Come back here, janitor. I’m not done with you yet!”

No time to rest. Feraz and Alpha chased me down the corridor. I threw everything I had at them, all the firepower in my frazzled body. Were my powers enough to kept them at bay with my head in such a state?

I needed back up. “Firestorm, help! We should have never come to Bennu Island. I made everything worse! The Redistribution Program is imminent!”