Chronos Shift

One Rainy Night

    The well-lit Lumen Headquarters turned into a dark cave in my mind. Out-of-this-world information entering my brain in light speed velocity. Breathing hitched, I sat in between the two. In between my mom who I just now confirmed is a secret agent of sorts, and my boyfriend, who even though I knew when I was a kid and told almost every aspect of our life each other, had a much bigger secret in the works.

    "Wait...so mom you're REALLY a secret agent," I refused to look at her, my mouth was agape still processing the newly known information, "and Mike, you knew all along?"

    I raised my voice at the end as I shifted my gaze to Mike. His eyes widened and was constantly looking at my mom as if asking for help.

    "When were you gonna tell me?!" I shouted and my voiced echoed within the futuristic headquarters' lounge I assume.

"I asked him not to tell you all those years since I wanted you to have a normal life like those other kids, the serum-"

    "What serum?" I cut her mid-sentence.

    She sighed and continued.

    "You should drink first, this is gonna be a long story." My mom clapped two times and the hologram that served me held my drink in a metal tray and placed it on top of the table, the server disappearing without a trace.

    "When you were a child," she looked down on her hands that were intertwined together, "an unknown illness plagued you as a child, doctors didn't know how to treat you and you were going to...die." Her voiced wavered and cracked, she wiped a tear that streamed down her cheeks.

    "Me and your dad were desperate to keep you alive, we were excited to bring you to this world. Then, a woman in a mask, along with two men in suits. She said that she was part of the Umbra Corporation, and offered us an experimental drug that may cure you," she took a short breath, "it was so out of the blue at the time that we were hesitant, but she assured that it was a form of gratitude as our studies about genetics paved the way for the rise of their corporation. After a long discussion with your father, we agreed and one of the men gave us a paper to sign. We signed right away and a breathe of relief rushed over us."

    She went silent.

    "But everything didn't go smoothly, didn't it?" I asked while looking at Mike and mom.

    "Yes." Her reply was cold but she continued.

    "We saw a different doctor inject the experimental drug on you, and you recovered quickly. The doctor said to keep watch of you at the hospital for awhile, and we just agreed. The joy we felt that you were giggling and smiling, you were such a cute baby." She smiled for a little while then her voiced cracked.

    "But when we were asleep, three men stormed our room and pointed their guns at us, saying that if we moved...we would be killed. Your father was a stubborn man, never letting anyone boss him around, he fought the men and managed to subdue all of them. But, the woman from earlier shot your father in the back as he looked at me, smiling."

    She sniffed and tears rolled down her face, Mike and I went to her side and hugged her. After a while, the tears stopped and looked at her again as she continued.

    "I..I raced to your father's side, applied pressure on the wound but the bleeding won't stop. I tried my best to keep him alive but I saw the woman get close to you, I yelled out in protest but one of the men regained consciousness and kicked me in the stomach. I laid their helpless, the woman snatched you and I tried my best to stand up but I felt one of my stitches opened and the pain was paralyzing," she looked forward, as if reliving the horrors of that night, "then...they took you away, I crawled to the hallway and shouted for help, T trudged the hallway, using the wall as support to go to the nurse's station, but...they met the same fate as your father's, by then, I just dropped on the floor." She closed her eyes and looked away for a moment.

    "I woke up on a hospital bed, I screamed for your name but they just held me down. I cried out your name but it's like they didn't know you. Sadness consumed me, I hardly ate and I just stared at the walls of the hospital, always thinking that you'll come back. I asked the doctors that treated me about your father but they didn't know anything. As soon as my wounds healed, I was discharged, asking the receptionist about your father and your k********g, but they didn't know anything. Watching the news was useless as nothing was reported," a scowl formed her face as she looked in front of her.

    "I had to take matters at my own hands. Your father and I were working on a new technology that alters the shape of your face, the one you saw awhile ago," I nodded in response, "I faked my documents about my real name and called in a few favors to add a 'Caroline Spatz' into the database of my former school. I was determined to find you so I took a job at the Umbra Corporation, and I was hired as a lead researcher on a particular study."

    "You found me there, didn't you?" I expected for her answer.

    "Yes, and what they did to you was...beyond ethical," she shuddered at the thought, "as soon as I saw you, I made a plan to get you out."

    "I changed the tests done to you that were less invasive as to not raise suspicion, and reducing the discomfort you were feeling. Along the plotting of my scheme, a couple caught wind of my plans and they agreed to help me as they run away with another baby, and that was Mike." She and I looked at him, and he uttered a what-do-you-want-from-me look.

    "The couple were situated in the command center and were able to tweak any part of the building. We agreed that we were gonna do it that night, and we injected a concoction that made us see in the dark clearly. Night came and the lights went out, the door to you and Mike's cell were opened. We ran to your cell while the building was frantic about the lights, as soon as we grabbed you two, flashing red lights and sirens reverberated in the hallways. We didn't break a sweat and just ran, but, we came across guards as we escaped. Mike's father grabbed one of their guns and shot them. We went down and escaped through the basement and saw the a manhole. All of us climbed out and ran to the car that was waiting for us at the alleyway. We placed both of you in the car and changed our clothes and rode off. And here we are now."

    "Wait, so that corporation, are they still looking for us?" I stood up from the thought that they're people hunting us down.

    "Sadly, yes." Mike replied, as he looked at my mom who gave a nod.

    "I used my powers to stop time to check the classroom and I saw a small camera in one of the corners." Mike said.

"Wait, stop time...what?" I was confused.

    "Oh that part, I have powers relating to time and space, causing me to teleport," Mike suddenly disappeared in thin air and a sudden tap on my shoulder made me fall of the couch, "as you can see."

    The two looked at the back of the couch to see my face flat on the floor. A small laugh came from them as I dusted myself off and sat in between them.

    "But, your powers are much stronger than mine." Mike continued and smiled as if it was a great thing, well...it is, but let me wrap my head around it first.

    "You control The Three Dogmas," I flashed a quizzical look at him, "don't mind the name...so this powers rely on the energy you possess. The first Dogma is Impetus, where you can use your energy to hurt other people. Second is Custodio, used for protecting people. And the one I have, Perversio," Mike closed his eyes and as opened it once again, his eyes turned a striking green and a green aura radiated from him.

    "How the hell!" I exclaimed as I scratched my eyes to see if I was just seeing things, I inspected my coffee. Mike laughed.

    "What you're seeing is real, and you can do it too, but...," he trailed off as he looked at my mom.

    "I wished for you to have a normal life and make sure your powers don't possess on their own, so I injected a serum to you that curbs your power until your body decides it is fit, in the form of an orb." Mom explained.

    A memory rushed through my mind the in futuristic restroom of this school.

    Holy fu-

    "The orb in the restroom-," I stuttered, "that was me gaining my power?"

    "So that's why you were unconscious in the floor of the restroom." Mike muttered.

    "I knew the second you went nauseous in class that it was gonna happen," Mom sighed, "I'm sorry."

    I assured my mom that it was okay, and that I wasn't mad. It was a lot take in but mom had it worst, I can't be angry at her for all the trauma she went through

    "Remember what happened in Starbucks?" Mike asked.

    "Yeah, but I only remembered when the men came in and made me say something in front of the camera and the last thing was I saw you," I scratched my head, trying to remember the horrific events, "and I assume that you used your powers to go away and call the police?"

    "Damn you're smart, and yes, that's what happened."

    "Why didn't you take me with you then!"

    "Well, your mom said that to not interfere as I talked to her after as I alarmed the police."

    I looked at mom with her head hung low. I scoffed but just shrugged it away as I listened intently to what Mike was saying.

    "I saw your powers manifest, and it was amazing. Your hair turned white, you were floating, smoke was around you, and your eyes were glowing white!" Mike exclaimed.

    "How come don't I remember it?" I asked.

    "Well it was your first time to manifest your powers, your body wasn't used to the amount of energy you were expelling and using." Mike explained to me.

    "Okay, okay, I kinda get it." I nodded and the two of them smiled.

    "Now, unto bigger things." Mom stood up and propped her hands onto the table, and looked at the both of us.

    "As I was a researcher at that place, I heard of a 'doomsday device' they were creating. I don't know the schematics and what its for but from the name, one can assume disastrous events." Mom explained.

    "So like those superhero movies, we're supposed to do something, right?" I asked.

    "Correct, so,  you two are gonna train, especially you," Mom looked at me, "we're the only ones who can stop that doomsday device."

    "But school-"

    "Don't worry, I own this school under a different name, I'll automatically pass you. Plus, you're powers make you Einstein-level, so no worries there," Mom assured as she stood up and crossed her arms, "but just act as normal students, don't draw attention to yourselves, even though years have passed, we still have to be careful."

    I took in all the information that was given to me and a mysterious weight formed on my shoulder. I took a sip of my frappucino and thought about all of it.

    "Well, it seems I have no choice, when's the training gonna happen?" I stood up from my seat and thrust my hands onto my pockets, "also where?"

    "It'll happen every after school, but don't worry, the training room I made is in slowed time, so you can still go with your friends afterward." Mom smiled. I didn't question how it's in slowed time so I just nodded.

    "Ooh, is the trainer gonna be a hot guy?" I said excitedly.

    "Hello! I'm hot, and plus, I'm your boyfriend." Mike paused for a while as I looked at him wide-eyed.

    "Wait, you two are," Mom looked back forth to us, "knew it."

    Mom laughed and congratulated us.

    "And yes, I knew, the noise you made was...woo!"

    A blush formed in my face and I looked away in embarrassment, Mike laughed in response.

    "It's fine, now, live your normal school lives. It's already time for classes to end, we should head back."  Mom pointed us to the door...well...wall we came in. She pressed the button and the door opened. We head back to the empty hallway, and as the wall reappeared, the bell rung that signaled it was time to go home. We walked back to the classroom and Mike raced to go beside me and rest his arms on my shoulder, pulling me closer to him. His smell invading my nostrils and I melted.

    We head inside our classroom and everyone was fixing their bags, raring to go home. I didn't realize mom changed her face already and now wearing the glasses Ms. Spatz wore. Mom stood in front of the class, saying goodbye to the class while Mike and I go to our desks and grabbed our bags.

    "Hey, is the camera removed already?" I whispered to him.

    "Wait." Mike looked down and his eyes glowed green. And after a second, it went back to normal.

    "Done." Mike showed a crushed metal device on his hand, in which he grabbed a can from his bag and placed it inside.

    "Hold on," Mike did the thing again, and the can he once held was now gone, "went back to prehistoric times and let a dinosaur step on the can, I'm sure it's broken now."

    I gave him a quizzical look and he just returned to fixing his things. From the revelation awhile ago, I decided to not ask about it and continued to sort through my stuff. I saw the marble notebook that Arronn gave to me awhile ago. I grabbed the notebook and went to Arronn, who has his backpack already hoisted on his back.

    "Hey, thanks for the notebook." I smiled as I gave the notebook to him.

    "No problem!" He replied.

    "Ready to go?" A low voice from behind me beckoned. I turned around and saw Alex with his sling bag hanging from his shoulder.

    "Yep!" Aaron jumping a little and a wide smile formed in his face.

    The two walked side by side each other, Alex looking down to accommodate Arronn's small height. The two of them were laughing, and the laughter faded as they stepped into the hallway.

    "Finally, that guy found someone, now you're all mine." Mike walked closer to me. His deep voice seducing me on the last thing he said. I felt every muscle in my body clench from the euphoric sensation.

    "Feel like we should go home, you've had too much craziness for one day." Mike suggested as he reached and grabbed my hand.

    "Yeah, I just want to sleep now."

    Mike pulled me close to him and I rest on his stomach, he caressed my silver hair and I can feel myself go sleepy.

    "Can we just teleport out of here?" I yawned.

    "The others can't know, plus, my car."

    I mumbled and stood up. We walked to the doorway and Ms. Spatz called us.

    "Go straight home, okay? Stay safe." I felt mom's warmth and concern from those words, we just nodded as a reply and walked out the room. We held hands and trudged through the busy hallway with students rushing to get out, and others leisurely walking alongside friends. As we head out the school's door, we came across some of our classmates and they waved goodbye. Mike grabbed his car keys from his back pocket and the car's door opened.

    "Still can't get over that."

    Mike laughed and escorted to the shotgun seat. Placing our bags on the passenger seat, he went in the driver's seat, and ignited the engine. The loud roar startled me a little as the doors closed.

    "Does your powers make you speed?" I asked.

    "Yeah, I slow down the time around us which causes the car to be much quicker, if that made sense."

    "I regret asking." I wore my seat belt, satisfied with the familiar click.

    Mike chuckled and he looked at me. I instantly knew he was gonna do it again so I clutched the seat. His eye glowed green and we were in supersonic speed. My back glued to the chair from the immense speed, everything was white lines to the point I just closed my eyes from the pressure my eyes felt.

    "We're here." Mike said, making me open my eyes to see the familiar neighborhood.

    Mike pressed a button and the car doors opened. He went to the passenger seat to grab our bags and he escorted me to my home. He opened the door, awaiting my entrance and he soon went in, shutting it afterwards. We rushed to the bedroom, placing our bags at the corner of my bedroom. I kicked my shoes off and threw myself on the bed. I felt my eyes go heavy, and the next thing I knew I was dozing off. A kiss was planted on my forehead, and I felt my soft blanket covered me.

    "Good night, baby." Mike whispered in my ear.