Chapter 5 – For What is to Come

As Morgan slowly jogged through Constitution Gardens Park, he took stock of his situation. He needed to understand whether he was going crazy or just sounded crazy. I mean, Towers the size of the Eifel tower and as long as two city blocks erupting out of the ground killing thousands and dispossessing millions more in every major city of the world and then announcements practically heralding the end of the world as we knew it sounded decidedly insane.

What was equally insane was being essentially told to accept that the fate of humanity rested squarely on your shoulders. I mean if he told anyone any of this even his girlfriend, friends or family not only would they laugh hysterically but they would mostly probably assume not only was he insane but would assume he had a god complex.

If someone had confided all of this to him he would probably ask when they were going give away all their money, start wearing hemp clothes, shave their head and set up their end of the world cult with a compound in the sticks.

Morgan resolved that before he did anything drastic, he would have to test his supposed memories to prove that’s what they were and quickly. If he really only had seven days, there was much that would need to be done to prepare. His breathing was strained after an hour of jogging if was in his old body, if it was real, he wouldn’t tired even at a fast run. That physical weakness had led him to some very close calls early in the Tower. That was only one of a plethora of improvements he would have to make.

Morgan got back to the Hotel room drenched in sweat he went for a shower, stepping out to get breakfast and a newspaper when he returned Kate was changed and drying her hair. She smiled as he brought the breakfast tray over. Morgan wasn’t hungry so he flicked through the paper and went to the sports section looking for today’s football games. He had remembered Andrew his best friend calling him to complain that he had lost a large sum of money on some obscure English league games in the past.

Morgan excused himself and placed a one dollar bet on five teams to win, giving a ridiculous million dollar return. He selected the teams Andrew had said were underdogs that had cost him so much money. In order to ensure that he wasn’t just lucky with the teams he picked he also put in the exact scores of each game which had led to the ridiculous odds that he had been give. All the games would be over by one o’clock so he did his best to keep the worry from his face as he went about his day.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

He had never wished to lose a bet so badly in his life, the ramifications of him winning will have proven his memories were real and that he would need to shed his old life like a second skin and return to the blood lust enthralled mentality that he had cultivated in the seemingly endless years he had been climbing the tower.

When the call came from Andrew, Morgan’s heart sank. “Hello, Andrew what’s up”, Morgan said as neutrally as possible.

“I lost nearly two thousand dollars on these ridiculous football teams today, could I borrow a hundred dollars until pay day?” Andrew pleaded.

Pulling out his betting receipt he confirmed his team picks with Andrew and the exact scores. It felt like if Morgan’s jaw dropped any lower it might hit the ground. A plan quickly formed in Morgan’s mind he would need his best friend the one he also knew as the Soul Reaper in a previous life. “Andrew, how quickly can you make it to Washington if I wire you the money and you leave the house now? It’s urgent and heh I’ve recently come into some money” Morgan said.

Morgan collected his winnings from the betting office and after showing a copy of the winning slip and a receipt form the betting office the bank teller proceeded to take him and the large briefcase of cash to a back office. Once the money was counted and lodged to his account he wired the money to Andrew ten thousand dollars. Andrew would arrive the next day, day two of the seven that he had remaining.

He sat both Kate and Andrew down and starting from the beginning and giving a brief overview of what happened on day one of the Towers arriving right up to him testing his memories with the bet. Neither could believe it but they trusted Morgan and knew he was not prone to exaggerate the proof of his bet allayed any remaining doubts.

Kate and Andrew looked at Morgan a fierce determination had taken a hold of them and almost in unison they said, “What can we do to help”.

Morgan turned to them both and said “We train ourselves while I formulate a plan, for reasons that will come apparent later I cannot tell you absolutely all the secrets about the trials and tribulations before they happen for reasons that will become apparent in the future including some unsavoury characters. I can give you what knowledge I have as you need it. But for now I can prepare and train you if you promise you will not break faith with me. For I will not break faith with you.”

The silence after Morgan spoke allowed Kate and Andrew to digest what he had said they both nodded and smiled at their seemingly fearless leader.