Paradox

Chapter 9: Las Vegas, Nevada

“Let’s go inside.” 

Landon followed her with Devin beside him. His brother looked better than he had earlier. There were darkening bags under his eyes. He knew they were both exhausted. Connie said they would be able to rest once they got to the Starlight Facility. He knew it had to be early. The sun had barely started rising.

They walked into the lobby. It was big. Chairs to one side and desks on the other. Connie walked behind the receptionist desk, going through the papers and drawers. 

The brothers stood stiffly by the front doors. Devin had more of an idea of what was happening. He wanted to take Landon and run. That plan died earlier after Landon had found him in the store. His brother hadn’t said a word to him. Devin tried asking him questions, but he only got a shake of the head. It took everything in him to not vault over the desk between him and Connie and strangle her.

She looked up at them, “there are offices down this hall,” she pointed to her left, “we can set up in one.”

Landon nodded and headed down the hall. Devin hesitated a moment before following after him. They walked down the dark hall. The lights flickered on as they approached. Devin shoved Landon in the first room they came across. He closed and locked the door. 

Devin started moving the desk in front of the door, “What are we doing? This woman just chased us, and kidn*pped us. We need to get out of here.”  

Landon shook his head and sat in one of the three chairs.

“Talk to me.”

His brother pulled his knees up.

“Landon… don’t ignore me.”

Devin slid down the wall. Minutes later Connie knocked on the door. Neither of them answered. He figured Landon fell asleep. The red head was slumped to the side. As soon as Devin was sure Connie had walked away, he crawled over to his brother. Pulling his brothers legs down and leaning against him. He knew Connie couldn’t get in the room since the only way out was with assistance from inside. She would get in, because Landon would let her in. For the moment, they were safe. They could sleep. The room was silent for hours. 

Connie sat down the hall in front of a screen. She worked for a few more hours then passed out across the desk. Dreamless sleep turning into a nightmare. There was a thump towards the front of the building. She drew her g*n and marched to the hall. 

Devin’s yell echoed off the walls, “don’t touch him.”

She turned the final corner and raised her weapon. Bang. One shot into the wall. 

Tucker dropped to the floor, covering his head. Connie had him in a hold the next second. They sat in the doorway looking in on Willis holding a knife to Landon’s throat. Devin on the floor between them. The room fell into silence, no one moved. 

“Why are you here?” Connie asked.

Willis tightened  his grip, “We don’t want any trouble.”

“Why are YOU here?” she pressed the g*n against Tucker’s temple.

“I want to fix this. I want to realign the dimensions.”

“Funny. I’m here to do the same thing.”

“Hilarious,” another voice said. Connie turned her g*n on him. Clint stood with Dallas at his back, “that was my plan.”

Landon sighed, “Connie, put the g*n away.”

She hesitated but let go of Tucker, sliding the g*n back into its place. Willis released Landon. The two hostages switch places, standing with their respective parties. 

Connie went to speak, instead being cut off by Clint, “let’s get started, before the fabric of the universe starts tearing apart at the seams,” he pushed past Connie and Landon. 

The others looked to Dallas. He put his hands up a little, “it’s best to follow him.”

Willis popped his head out of the room to see the others. Then he chased after Clint, followed closely by Connie. Devin stood up, glaring at Tucker.

The offender cringed, “I’m sorry for shoving you. You startled me.”

“You charged in while we were sleeping.”

Dallas crossed his arms across his chest, “you attacked them while they were sleeping?”

“No. Not exactly.”

Landon interrupted, “I screamed when the door was basically rammed down. Devin jumped up toward him, and now we’re here.”

“So now you want to talk,” his brother growled.

“Shut up.”

“Don’t tell me to shut up.”

“I just did.”

Tucker laughed, “you fight like brothers.”

“We are,” Landon walked away.

Dallas winced, following him. The last two trudging behind. They made their way through the building to the main control room. Connie, Willis, and Clint were discussing the statistics on the screen. Their chatter filled the room. Landon sat along the wall, watching his brother sit on the other side. Dallas went to stand with the three, but Tucker glanced between the walls deciding to sit with Landon. The boy sat beside the red head.

“That was insensitive,” Tucker frowned, “I’m Tucker, my friend over there is Willis.”

“I’m Landon,” he smiled smally, “don’t worry about Devin. He’s stressed out. Usually he’s a really nice guy.”

“What could possibly stress him out? You all weren’t prepared for the apocalypse.”

“You were?”

“Of course.”

A silent minute passed between them before Landon whispered, “have you seen anyone who can do… special things?”

Tucker looked toward Willis. The more he thought about it, the worse it weighed on his heart. The scene had played through his brain over a hundred times. He knew exactly what he saw. The lightning had come at Willis’s cry. It avoided him. The only explanation was it came from Willis.

“I have,” he said equally as quiet.

“Are they all bad?”

“No. I think people are scared.”

“I agree, but it makes them dangerous.”

They leaned their heads back against the wall. Landon ran his finger up and down his arms. He couldn’t stay still. His brain kept running. The moment he had pulled the trigger he met the other man’s eyes. He was forced to do it. One in the chest, the next to his head. In a blink, the space emptied.

Tapping. A slow beat to a song he didn’t know. Tucker tapped the floor, looking to the ceiling. His expression relaxed. Landon closed his eyes, listening. It stayed that way for a while. 

Then Tucker stopped, “do you want some water?”

“Yeah.”

A bottle pushed into his thigh.

“Thank you,” Landon held the water, glaring at it.

“Hold my hand,” Tucker laid his hand on the floor between them, facing up, “it’ll help.” A hand silently slid into his. 

Devin watched the two, listening to their conversation. He was prepared to intervene when Landon started hyperventilating, but he didn’t want to make a scene. It seemed he didn’t need to. Tucker was doing something, and it was helping. Landon looked better, so he didn’t do anything. Choosing to watch as time passed. His brother was almost asleep when the others spared them a glance.

Connie smiled at them.

Devin got up, bee-lining to Landon’s side. He sat down, pulling him to rest against him. All the while glaring at her.

She returned to her science. 

Gentle giggles fell from Landon’s lips.

“What’s so funny?” Devin asked.

“We weren’t prepared for the apocalypse.”

Tucker failed to muffle his laughter.

Devin huffed, “go to sleep, Landon.”