Chapter Nine (Riley)
"I don't know, Billy." I responded, for what seemed like the hundredth time. I was glad that Billy was here and that I wasn't completely alone, but he could be annoying, and I wish that I could get him to go back to sleep. I needed time to think about what had happened today, and I couldn't do that with him hassling me.
"They were all scared of you though, but you aren't scary at all. You're all skinny and weird looking." He then states questioningly. Leaving me just to shake my head and look down at myself, as I try not to let the kid's brutal assessment of me, get me down. I mean sure, I wasn't really tough looking, but to be called weird looking, it kind of hurt my pride a bit, even if he wasn't trying to insult me. Instead of responding though, I decided to think about what had happened from the point of that first guy who had run away from me, after almost raping me. Because he wasn't the only one, and as I sit down in my bedroom, or what was my bedroom. I think about all the other people, who had pretty much reacted the same way to seeing my face, as he did.
I mean seriously. Billy's assessment of me, hurt, it really did. He wasn't wrong though and while I actually could look after myself and defend myself. I wasn't intimidating, and most of the people we had met, had initially been quite aggressive, so they weren't exactly wimps or anything like that. Which just made it even more confusing and unless this was some kind of alternate universe, where I was some sort of evil mastermind than I wasn't sure what was going on. I mean, I guess this could be an alternate universe. It's crazy, but no more crazy than the Empowered. I just had no idea how, or why Billy was stuck in my head.
"Hey, Billy. Do you know anything about alternate universes?" I then decide to ask in a curious tone. Sure, he was just a kid, but so was I, and you never know, he could be a massive sci-fi geek and know about this kind of thing. I mean, I like comics and stuff, but I never really liked the alternate universe stuff, it just seemed stupid and unrealistic.
"Oh, well maybe. Do you think that's why people are afraid of you because, in this universe, you aren't so wimpy looking?" He suddenly responds after a few moments. Just kicking my ego while it's down, even further. Seriously, he has to be doing this on purpose. He's thirteen, not five. If Aidan were here, he would be laughing his ass off right now.
"Not exactly what I was asking, but I guess so." I then half mutter in response. Not that it mattered, he was in my head. He could hear me even if I whispered as quietly as I could. "But seriously, Billy. Something happened and with you in my head and how everything looks. I don't think an alternate universe, is the craziest ideas." I then say a little louder. This time, taking another look at my bedroom and apart from the dust and stuff, it looked pretty much how I left it this morning.
"Oh, I just kind of thought that maybe. Maybe I sort of got stuck inside you, after Baine hit me and we flew across the road, because I was going really fast, and maybe we time traveled or something, and this is the future." Bill then states in a slightly disappointed tone. Seriously, he actually sounded disappointed, like an alternate universe was boring in comparison to his crazy time traveling idea. Wait, what the hell did he just say? "Billy, what do you mean you think you got stuck inside me because you were moving too fast?" I quickly ask in response. He might have just been talking nonsense, but for some reason, I believed that he wasn't just making it up, he believed what he said and to be honest, even if it left me with more questions, it would explain a lot as well.
"I don't know, I was just thinking about it and thought it might be why we're like this." He answers shyly. Which makes me feel a little guilty, about the way I was apparently coming across to him. Sure, he seemed to have a natural talent for destroying my ego, but he was younger than me, and I had to look after him. So while I didn't really understand his idea, I actually thought it might be possible because if he could move as quickly as he had hinted at earlier, it's possible with enough force, it could happen. I think.
I mean, I'm not an actual scientist, but it's a subject that I know very well. So with that and what I know about the Empowered and all the theories and stuff about them, and the powers and possibilities that people came up with on various internet forums, it's definitely possible. They can teleport, after all, and even though it's not a power that is used a lot, at least not publicly, it might help explain it.
"It's as good as anything I can think of, Billy. I think it's possible as well, because in theory, if you move fast enough, you can pass through objects. The Flash did it all the time in the TV show, so you could be right." I decide to say reassuringly then. I wanted to make him feel better and to let him know, that I was taking him seriously.
"I like The Flash, do you think people would think I'm lame if I call myself The Flash?" He then asks in the cutest tone I had heard for a long time. I just thought it was so adorable, I mean I almost laughed as well, but he was being serious, and I wasn't sure if I should be honest or not. I also wasn't sure if he had changed the subject on purpose or not, so I wasn't quite sure if he was just being a typical random kid, or he just wanted to talk about something else.
"There are quite a few fast Empowered people already, Billy. So most names are taken, so maybe you should think of something unique, or something no one would expect a really fast Empowered to pick. I mean take Scythe, for example, he's probably the fastest out of everyone, and he went for something completely different, maybe you can too." I decide to say in response this time. I wanted to carry on with our other conversation, but to be honest, I don't mind the distraction either, and we had plenty of time.
"He's cool, and yeah, I like his name too." He then says happily. Which instantly puts a smile on my face. It was hard to be here, and it was hard not to freak out, but having him here with me, even if he was inside me. Well, it was helping me stay calm. He was also the reason that I have food and drink, because I didn't even think about that, and luckily, the shop we passed, actually had some stuff still in it.
"You don't mind if I try and get some sleep, do you, Billy?" I then decide to ask. As much as I wanted to carry on talking, I suddenly realized just how tired I was, and it was starting to get dark outside. So the fact I had no idea how long we would be here, I knew I needed to get some rest, who knew what tomorrow would bring.
"Okay, I'm going to try as well, it's nighttime." He quickly replies. Surprising me a little, I knew what I was like a couple of years ago, and I hated the idea of going to sleep early, and even though it was getting dark, I expected him to stay awake and maybe… Well, actually, I guess he couldn't really do anything, and the realization made me feel bad, if I was asleep, he literally had nothing to do.
"I could stay awake for a little while, if you want, Billy." I decide to offer. Sure, I was tired, and I knew I needed to rest, but at the same time, his situation bothered me, and if it were me, I would be freaking out or at least feeling frustrated. It would only be natural, and I wanted to do my best to make sure he was okay.
"Billy?" I then quickly say, after getting no response. I then can't help but shake my head, as I heard a soft, quiet snoring noise and realized that he was already asleep. How the hell could he go to sleep that fast, it's impossible, he literally only finished talking, a few moments earlier. I wish I could fall asleep that quickly.
The next thing I know, I feel myself tense up and then relax. It was a strange feeling and one that I couldn't remember feeling before, but I don't take much notice, everything about this place is strange. So when I open my eyes and see that I had slept through the entire night, I decide to just get out of my bed and go to the toilet. Although as I get out of my bed, I can't help but notice a couple of things. For one, I fell asleep without any covers on my bed. I couldn't be bothered to get any out. The second thing was that I was now only wearing my briefs, and my clothes, as I looked across the room, were all neatly folded on my desk. That was definitely weird.
"Oh my god, I thought you would never wake up, Riley." I then hear a voice state in a relieved tone. Although it takes me a few moments to remember Billy, and how he was inside me somehow, because believe me, I almost pissed my pants, when he started talking.
I also felt a little self-conscious, about being pretty much naked. Sure he had seen my junk and watched me pee, but it was still weird, and I was doing my best, to avoid looking down at myself and giving him more of a free show. The sound of his giggling though, pretty much let me know, that he knew exactly what I was doing, and I could feel my cheeks burn a little more. The other weird thing was, I didn't need to go to the toilet. I say weird, because I hadn't gone before we went to sleep, and even if it did, I near enough always had to go after a long sleep. There was also something else that was missing, not that I wanted to have morning wood or a piss boner, but that almost always happened as well. I don't know. Maybe this place was just messing with me even more.
"Very funny, Billy." I decide to then mutter with a shake of the head. I liked Billy a lot. I just wish he wasn't in my head. "I'm going to get dressed, and then we can head out, and see if we can find anyone to talk to." I then state in a firm tone. It was more for myself, then trying to sound confident. I had no idea where to go or if there was anyone who could help us, and that scared me.
"Cool." He quickly responds with an amused tone. Which understood straight away, he obviously expected me to change my briefs, but the house was pretty much empty, and I don't even want to think about how dusty everything in the draws is. So I just walk over to my clothes and slowly get dressed, smirking as I hear him trying to hide a sigh. He was just so adorable, Aidan would love him.
After walking around for a few hours though, it was becoming apparent, that whoever I looked like, had to be some kind of seriously messed up monster. I literally had people running away screaming from me, however, the weirdest encounter and the most disturbing, was an Empowered appearing right in front of me. I mean, that was surprising enough, but he just looked at me and then handed me some kind of material with a symbol on it, before bowing and then disappearing.
Seriously, what the hell was going on in this place. As I said though, it was disturbing as well, because as I inspected the material he had handed to me, I recognized what it was and who the symbol belonged to, it was Shockwave's, and he was a very powerful Empowered good guy. Which just left me with a sinking feeling, the material was ripped, and it had blood on it. I knew what that meant. It also made that feeling of dread increase. This Empowered that I didn't recognize at all, had just given me proof that he had killed another Empowered, an Empowered that I knew was a good guy. He gave it to me, and with how scared everyone seemed to be of me in this place, it didn't take a rocket scientist, to connect the dots.
At the very least, in this place, I was in a position of authority for the bad guys, or at least looked almost identical to one of them. I mean what the hell was going on, this couldn't be real, or it at least couldn't be my world. This had to be an alternate universe. I would never hurt anyone, I wasn't a bad person, and I don't even have any powers. So how the hell am I supposed to be some kind of evil overlord, it made no sense.
"Is that really blood?" I suddenly hear Billy ask. Which almost makes me drop the remains of Shockwave's suit. I just had no idea what even to say, what would Billy think of me, if he connected all the dots. Would he freak out, would he be afraid of me. I had no idea how to handle this and all I could think to do, was get back home, so I just started walking back there, while at the same time, trying to ease Billy's worries.
However, while being distracted by answering Billy's questions and trying my best to reassure him, I hadn't realized the direction back to my home, that I had taken. It was the route I always used to take, which took me towards the police station again. This time, however, it was even more disturbing than the last time. There were people outside, lot's of people and while initially I was relieved, that quickly changed to fear.
They were all chanting the word Invictus, a word I still wasn't sure whether it was a name of a person, a group or something else. All I knew, is that whatever it meant, it was not a good thing, not even close. Then I saw the mass of people part in the middle, all the while still chanting the name Invictus, but I couldn't see why, not from where I was standing, so I decided to try and move a little closer, but not too close.
The last thing that I wanted to happen was to be spotted. "They're bad Empowered." I then hear Billy almost whisper to me. So I quickly look back over to the police station and saw that he was right. I could see three Empowered people now standing in front of the crowd of people, and I recognized them all, they were Siren, Wraith, and Poison. They were definitely evil, and from everything I read about them, they were sadistic too.
What captured my attention the most though, was that there were two people kneeling in front of them, facing towards the ground. They both had hoods covering their faces, but I recognized the clothing they were wearing, and while I couldn't see who they were, I knew they were Empowered, and my heart quickly sunk. I knew what was about to happen and I wasn't sure if I could watch.
"The time of the Heroes of Earth is over, it has been over for a long time, but today, we strike a mighty blow for Invictus, and we bring the Heroes of Earth, to their knees." Wraith's voice then suddenly booms out loudly. Forcing me to look directly at him, and gasp out loud, as Siren and Poison, lift the hoods of the two Empowered kneeling in front of them. It was Pulse and Breeze. They were both really popular Empowered, and they had teamed up with Aidan a few times. I then hear Billy saying something, but I was too distracted to hear what it was. First Shockwave and it looked like Pulse and Breeze were about to die as well. Whoever or whatever Invictus is, they were obviously winning whatever war was happening right now.
"I don't like this." I then hear Billy say louder this time. His voice was full of fear, and I couldn't blame him, the crowd had just started chanting Invictus, louder and louder and I wanted to run and hide somewhere. But as much as I wanted to, I couldn't take my eyes off what was happening. I could see Breeze and Pulse giving each other a sad and defeated look. They knew what was about to happen.
"These two criminals, have been judged and sentenced. Death to those that reject Invictus." Wraith then calls out with authority. The chanting quickly gets faster and louder, and even though I want to look away, I can't. I just watch hopelessly as Poison and Siren both raise some kind of sword, that I have never seen before, and then before I even realize it, they had sheathed the swords, and both Pulse and Breeze's bodies were laying on their sides, with their heads rolling down the steps, towards the chanting crowd.
I then hear Billy quietly sobbing, and it's enough to pull me out of the trance I was in. I didn't know either of them personally, but Aidan must have been friends with them, and if they were dead, it made me think about where he was. Was he alive? Was he dead? I had no idea, but right now, all I knew, is that I needed to get away from here and back to my house. It was the only safe place I knew that we could go.
"It will be okay, Billy." I find myself saying, as I begin to turn away and head towards my house. Before he has any chance to respond though, a loud crashing sound causes me to stop in my tracks and turn back towards the police station. The chanting had now stopped, and the people were running in every direction. Some even ran past me, but as scared as I felt, I stayed where I was and watched as the police station came back into view.
What I see, fills me with hope and happiness. I see three Empowered around the bodies of Pulse and Breeze, while Poison and Siren were slowly getting back to their feet, behind Wraith, who looked a little unsure of himself. Not that I could blame him, as a smile formed on my face when I see Aidan standing between his friends and the three bad Empowered. But as I think about walking out to him, I hesitate. The last thing I wanted to do was distract him, and give Wraith's team an advantage, so I stay back. However, as I watch Aidan, I couldn't help but notice how much older he looked, he didn't look like he was fifteen anymore, he looked closer to an adult. I actually had to take a second look, just to make sure it was actually him.
I then look at the other two Empowered with Aidan and recognize the symbol of Scythe, but I don't recognize the female Empowered, although she did look the same age as the other two as well. The thing that I really notice though, about all three, is that although they have masks, they all look tired and I guess the best way to describe it, is battle worn or something like that, I think.
"Billy, we're going to be okay. We just need to wait for them to beat the bad guys, and we can go over to them." I decide to say then, as quietly as I could. After remembering that Billy was still with me, and sensing how conflicted, he was. I couldn't blame him, Aidan and the others meant safety, but only if they won, and we had to hide until they did that. He doesn't answer though, but I can sense that he heard me.
"You're too late, Eclipse." Wraith's voice suddenly booms out loudly. Quickly getting my full attention, and straight away I could tell that he was feeling more confident, now that Siren and Poison were now at his side. "We've killed the last of your lieutenants, the Heroes of Earth die with your deaths today." He then states calmly. The certainty of his words quickly sends a chill down my spine. He believed that they would win, there was no doubt at all.
"You're not getting out of this alive, Wraith." I then hear Aidan say. Surprising me as his voice is so deep and commanding, although as impressive as it was, there was also something wrong as well. The Aidan I knew, even when he was upset or angry, there was still that little spark in him, but I didn't hear that spark in him now, and that worried me a little bit.
"We enjoyed killing your sister, Aidan." I then hear a female voice state. It was Siren, and her words quickly send a chill down my spine, as well cause me to almost sink to my knees. Not only had she called him Aidan, but she had also said they killed his sister, and if they knew who he really was, then that could only mean, they killed Lily. I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks.
But as much as it crushed me. When I looked over to Aidan, he looked angry, and I could see him taking a couple of steps towards the other three Empowered, who had obviously wanted to bait him, but to my surprise and relief, Scythe quickly moves beside him and holds his arm, not taking his eyes off the three Empowered in front of them. They then just stand there staring at each other, but just as they're about to fight, I hear Billy screaming in my head. I could feel pain and hear the fear in his mind, and it felt like he was being ripped away. The pain I felt made me crumple to the ground and curl up, whatever was happening, hurt, it hurt so much, and I couldn't even move. I don't think I was even making any noise. It hurt that much.
I was vaguely aware of the fight happening not so far away from where I was, but I was in too much pain to make anything out. All I could focus on was Billy's screams that were getting quieter and quieter, as time passed. It was almost like he was getting further and further away, while at the same time, the pain eased up as well, before eventually subsiding and leaving me curled up in a ball. When I eventually calmed down, the first thing I noticed, was that I had wet myself, I could feel it, and I couldn't help but be ashamed. However, that feeling was quickly taken over, by a sense of loss and emptiness, I couldn't sense Billy anymore. "Billy?" I quickly call out a couple of times but get no response. He wasn't there anymore.
It was a weird feeling because I didn't want him in my head, certainly not forever, but already, there was this emptiness inside me, and I missed him, I actually missed him. Then the sound of shouting draws my attention away from Billy, and back to the police station. In all the pain and the loss of Billy, I had forgotten about Aidan and the others and slowly managed to stand back up and edge back to where I could see them. The scene in front of me though confuses me. I can no longer see Poison, Siren or the girl Empowered who was with Aidan and Scythe. Although I can see what looks like Wraith, lying crumpled in some rubble, and when I look at Aidan, I see him holding someone, and even from this distance, I can see tears in his eyes. He was holding Scythe, and he was limp in his arms.
"So pathetic, Aidan. Even now, you can't protect those closest to you." A voice then states mockingly. I couldn't tell who it was, but it was a guy, and even though I couldn't really see much of him, I could tell that he was wearing a suit, which meant that he was an Empowered as well. The way he walked closer to Aidan and Scythe, also show that he wasn't afraid at all. "How could you?" I then hear Aidan say, and even from this distance, I could hear the sadness in his voice. Which surprised me, he didn't look hurt, and yet, he sounded like he had given up. It almost made me walk out from where I was hiding, but just as I was about to, I saw the face of the other Empowered, and I froze.
"I've lost count of how many times, I've heard you say those words, Aidan. I wonder if it's higher than the number of loved ones that you've failed to protect." I hear him then state in amusement. His words though barely register though, as I stare at him in disbelief, it just wasn't possible, it made no sense. It couldn't be true. "Poor Aidan, all alone now." He then states, but his words were still distant to me. This couldn't be happening.
"We loved you." Aidan then says almost too quietly for me to hear. I could see the tears rolling down his face, and as I watched him gently stroking Scythe's face, I suddenly understood. "Why?" He then states, looking directly at the other guy. The other guy, who was me. I was the other guy. I was a bad guy, and I killed people that Aidan loved. I killed people.
I just couldn't believe it. Even if this was just an alternate universe or some weird dream. It was still me, and even if it wasn't my Aidan, I still felt his pain, I could see it in his eyes, even from this distance, he was broken, and it was my fault. Whoever I was in this universe, I had hurt the people I loved the most, and I had no remorse. He was enjoying taunting Aidan. I was a monster.
"Why not?" The evil version of myself quickly retorts with the same amusement as before. Making my skin crawl. "It's a shame really. I actually liked Mason, and he would have made a good lieutenant. Sadly for him, he chose you and love, and look where it got him. I guess he wasn't as fast as he always thought he was." He then states. Making my blood boil. How can he be that cold, I loved Aidan, I would never hurt him, especially like this. What the hell happened?
"Fuck you, Invictus. We loved you, we took you in, Riley took you in, you were a little brother to us. How could you?" Aidan then suddenly says. Instantly causing me to stare at him in confusion, did he just say Riley? Invictus killed Riley? What the hell does that even mean, it's clearly me standing in front of him, even if he looks older, I can recognize myself, and Invictus is me.
"Invictus… That's amusing, Aidan." Invictus then says dismissively. I refuse to call him Riley, he might look like me, but he isn't anything like me. "Besides, Riley has never been happier than he is now. Sure, it took him a while to accept it, but he's happy, I promise." He then states in an eerily calm tone. It was if he was having a nice and friendly conversation, and it made me sick. The way he was talking and the way Aidan was, it was like he wasn't me, I just didn't understand what was happening.
"Stop this, stop this right now, Riley!" I then hear a girls voice say. It was the same Empowered girl that was with Aidan and Scythe before, although as I look at her, she was covered in cuts and blood, and she was limping slightly. I still didn't recognize her though, even though she was no longer wearing a mask, I had never seen her before.
"Amelia, don't, it's not him." I then hear Aidan quickly call out. It was the first time I heard genuine care in his tone, and it gave me hope. Invictus might have taken away people that he cared for, but not all of them, and as long as Aidan had people he cared about, he wouldn't give up. He just wouldn't.
"Should I bother asking where the others are?" Invictus then suddenly asks with a smirk. I wish I couldn't see his face. I hated it. I hated that even though this wasn't really me, in some twisted way, it was. It was almost too hard to watch. I wanted just to run out and show Aidan that I was okay and that Invictus wasn't really me. I wanted to do it so badly, but I couldn't, I was frozen where I was.
"You don't even care, do you? You son of a bitch, you don't even care if your own sick followers die." I then hear Aidan angrily shout out. His voice was gaining more and more strength, but at the same time, he was still holding Scythe's body, his dead body. It was clear, that unless he was forced to, he wasn't going to let go of his friend… Well, I guess his boyfriend. Even with all of this happening, the fact my best friend was gay, still hit me a little bit, not that it bothered me, I think I kind of always knew, but never really thought about it. It made a lot of things make a bit more sense.
"I'm proud of you, Amelia. Come here, please." I then hear Invictus state. This time, his voice was full of charm and gentleness, which sickened me, but to my confusion and horror, she started moving towards him slowly. There was no way she could be that stupid. The guy was clearly insane, why would she go anywhere near him. It was crazy.
"Amelia, no!" Aidan quickly calls out desperately. I could tell that he was conflicted, but even though I suspected him to get up and stop her, he just stayed where he was. I could tell that he didn't want to let Scythe's body go. "That's not him, Amelia, you know that isn't Riley." He then states. His voice was sounding more like it had a few minutes earlier, it was full of hurt and defeat. Just how the hell did this all happen, and what the hell was going on with this other version of myself. The way they spoke, it's almost like he's possessed or something like that. I mean it's better than me being this evil Supervillain who enjoys killing everyone, but it's still crazy and hard to believe any version of myself, could be that evil.
"Amelia, please." Invictus's voice then quickly turns my attention back to what was happening, and even I almost believe his sincerity. Although, whatever his true intentions were, they weren't good, and from the look on Aidan's face, he knew it too. Amelia, however, seemed conflicted, but she carried on walking towards him anyway. I again, almost found myself walking into the open, but there was nothing I could do, and I was hoping someone else would do something.
"Riley?" I then hear her say. It was almost too quiet for me to hear, in fact, I think I was reading her lips more than anything, but the emotion was there, I could see the hope and desperation on her face. "I knew you were in there, I love..." She then begins to say with tears starting to run down her face. But then everything changes in an instant.
At first, I'm not even sure what happened, I just couldn't process it. Amelia never finished speaking, and instead, her body laid crumpled at Invictus's feet, her head twisted unnaturally to the side. He had snapped her neck, she was saying she loved him, and he just snapped her neck, like it was nothing. Like he couldn't care less.
"She loved you. You were going to get married." I then hear Aidan say, but I barely heard him. This was too much, and no matter how much I told myself that this wasn't really me, that this could still be all some kind of weird dream, it wasn't. In my heart, somehow, I knew this was real, this was happening, it was going to happen. I was going to become this. This was the future.
"She loved him, not me. She disgusts me." Invictus responds after a few moments. I think it's a few moments, but I have no idea how much time had passed. All I know is that I just watched myself kill a girl, that was in love with me, a girl that Aidan just said, that I was going to marry, and he just snapped her neck. How could he? How could I do that?
"You son of a bitch!" Aidan quickly shouts out. This time though, he isn't just sitting with Scythe in his hands. He is charging towards Invictus. He's going to kill him. I hope he kills him. "You fucking bastard, Bi..." I then hear him start to call out, as he gets halfway to Invictus. But the worlds suddenly starts to go black and a loud buzzing sound drills into my head, forcing me to my knees, with my hands over my ears, before everything goes black.
To be continued...