Infinite Testament (33 page)

Bruce grabs his shoulder and reassures him. “The hard
part is over.”

He stands in front of everyone and announces, “We’re going
to Los Angeles. You’re all welcome to come with us. We’d love to
have you. But it’s your choice.” They all look at each other,
wondering what the other will do.

Ronnie lies on the ground face down. As he dies, he
can think of only one thing: Sara Ixley. Everything he has done has been
for Sara Ixley. Although his methods were brutal, Ronnie wanted what was
best, not only for himself, but for the world. He believed what he was
doing was right. He was just tricked. And he was simply wrong.

The saddest, or most justifiable, aspect of Ronnie’s death
is that he will never see Sara Ixley again.

The group, led by Bruce, makes their way out of the underground
meeting place. As they leave, Bruce walks next to Mikey. He ponders
what to tell his son after just killing another man. Even after being
involved in this madness, Mikey retains his youthful innocence. Bruce
smiles to himself. It would be a talk for another time. “How do you
know Mr. Ixley?”

“Come on, Dad. I saw the future. I knew he’d be
helpful.”

Bruce lets his son walk ahead and slows to approach Vince,
who is battered more than anyone. “You alright, Vince?”

Vince stares into the distance as they walk down the
corridor toward the back exit. “I never thought I could kill so
easily.” Doubts linger in his mind. Did the men deserve to
die? Were they really as villainous as they appeared?

Bruce asserts, “We did what we had to.”

“Did we?”

Bruce leans in to Vince’s ear and quietly says, “Think of
everyone you ever knew. They killed them. Your parents. Your
first love. Your old classmates. Natalie. Everyone.
What we just did back there – we stopped that from happening.”

Vince forces a smile and gazes at Bruce. “I’d go to
battle with you any day.”

Bruce smiles back at his friend.

As the group leaves, everyone decides to leave for Los
Angeles. Why? They don’t know.

They would arrive in Los Angeles as friends. But
then, they would end the day as more…

The next morning, Stephen cruises down Hollywood Boulevard
in a red four-door convertible with Campbell sitting in the passenger
seat. The sun beats down and the wind blows at their hair. Campbell
has a large smile on his face. “This is great!” he yells. Throngs
of tourists wander around, gazing at the stars of the Walk Of Fame plastered on
the sidewalk. Colorful personalities extenuate the mood of the
area. Some people are dressed as super heroes, some as old-time movie stars,
and others just plain dressed up.

Stephen, with one hand on the wheel, quips, “This is
much better than the minivan.” The ELPIS box sits between them.
Stephen brought it for no more reason than a good luck charm. Campbell
places the box in his lap. “What’s this for?”

“It’s nothing,” Stephen says. “Just an old thing
between me and Bruce.”

“What’s inside?”

“Go ahead, take a look.”

Campbell unlatches the box and carefully pivots open the
cover. Despite their vow of silence, Stephen doesn’t care anymore.
There are more important things in life than worrying about a goofy
secret. Campbell peeks inside.

“What are they?”

“What do they look like?” Stephen responds.

Campbell holds them in his hand and grips them through his
fingers. “Did you put these in here?”

“No. They were there when we found it.”

Campbell puts them back inside the box and snaps it
shut. Interesting, he thinks. “Isn’t security going to be tight
getting into Lisa’s neighborhood?”

Stephen says, “Maybe. We have to make a stop
first. To pick up an old friend.”

Later, they pull up to Lisa’s neighborhood, which is
protected by a massive gate with closely spaced steel bars. Next to it is
a security house with an officer preventing anyone from getting in.
Stephen pulls up next to it. He slams the car into park, opens the door,
and steps out. A chubby, dark-skinned Indian man dressed in an officer’s
uniform emerges from the security house and aggressively asks, “Can I help you,
sir?”

Stephen puts a finger in the air, indicating, “one second”.
He circles around the car and opens the rear passenger door. “Come on
out,” Stephen whispers.

Balwant, owner of a
Map To The Stars
booth, emerges
from the back of the convertible. Stephen holds out his hand, “Balwant, I
present to you, your brother, who you ‘haven’t seen in ages’.”

Balwant, a short Indian man, stares at the security
guard. And then, it happens: he recognizes him. “Galav!” The
stern guard relaxes his body as he comes to the same realization. The
brothers rush toward one another and embrace. They jubilantly speak in their
native tongue that Stephen doesn’t understand. Stephen leans against the
car and waits, allowing them to enjoy their reunion.

After several minutes of catch-up, Stephen clears his
throat in Balwant’s direction. Balwant catches notice. “Brother, he
needs to get inside. He is a good man. You can trust him.”

Galav examines Stephen and asks, “How did you know about
us?”

Balwant joins in, “Yes. How did you know?”

Stephen shrugs his shoulders and jokes, “It’s a miracle.”

Galav hugs him, restricting his airflow. He declares,
“If it is a miracle, then you are an angel! Thank you!” Stephen
gently forces him away and re-claims the oxygen into his body. “You’re
welcome,” he pants.

“I will let you in,” Galav says, “But don’t cause any
trouble.”

Stephen smiles. The benefits for knowing the
alternate future were fruitful.

The night before, Stephen stands in his plane,
eagerly waiting for his friends to board.
A staircase sits
outside of the plane, allowing everyone to easily walk in. Campbell is
already sitting in his chair, ready to go. An excitement fills their
hearts, a sense of celebration. Bruce, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and
sandals, emerges from the stairs and boards the plane. Stephen smiles and
says, “Looks like you’re ready.” Bruce nods. “Ooohh yeah.
Best pool party ever. Guaranteed.” Bruce continues and high-fives
Campbell as he takes his seat.

After Bruce, Kristen boards. Stephen, with his hands
behind his back and acting professional, jokes in a British accent, “Welcome to
Pandora Airways, my lady.”

Kristen responds in an equal British accent, saying, “Thank
you Slave Stephen. It has been too long.” Kristen plants a kiss on
his cheek and continues to her seat. Bruce leaps out of his chair, “My
lady
!”
Kristen fires back, “Shut up. Peasant.” Bruce sits back down,
laughing as Kristen joins him. “I’m no peasant,” he whispers.

Mikey, wearing a forwards-facing hat, boards and shakes
Stephen’s hand. Stephen declares, “Good to see you, Mikey.” Stephen
promptly grips the brim of Mikey’s hat and takes it off. After shaking it
to fluff it up, Stephen puts it back on his head. Backwards. Mikey
laughs and holds out his hand. “Cool, Uncle Stephen.” Stephen
grasps his hand and Mikey gives him a quick hug.

A new face emerges to face Stephen; it’s the boy from the
cult: Sean. He is carefully groomed and casually dressed in a T-shirt and
jeans. Offering his hand, he politely says, “It’s nice to meet you,
Sir. My name is Sean. I’m a great admirer of your work.”
Stephen shakes his hand. “It’s great to have you Sean. You in
school?” Sean nods. “What do you study?”

“Biology.”

Stephen smiles. “Talk to my friend, here,
Campbell. We’ll get you hooked up with a nice internship.” Sean,
visibly thrilled, takes a seat next to Campbell.

A surprising face emerges next: Mr. Ixley. “Mr.
Ixley,” Stephen says in bewilderment. “This is something I couldn’t have
imagined in my wildest dreams. Are you here to send me to detention?”

Mr. Ixley offers his hand and says, “I was wrong about you
boys.” Stephen shakes his hand. He turns to Bruce and asks, “Did
you do something to him? Did you brainwash Mr. Ixley?”

Mr. Ixley jokingly shakes his head in disgust. “Don’t
call me Mr. Ixley, call me Wayne. Looking forward to the pool
party. There better be glow sticks.”

Stephen pats Mr. Ixley on the back as he walks to his
seat. “We’ll get some.”

Stephen turns to see his old roommate and colleague.
“Vince!”

Vince boards the plane and gives a hug to his old friend.
He steps aside and proclaims, “I’d like to introduce you to my brother.”

Chad, overweight and bald as usual, follows behind.
Deviating from his shady past, he is full of smiles and laughs. “It’s
nice to finally meet you, Stephen. Vince has told me so much about
you.” Stephen sarcastically responds, “I hope not.” Chad walks
toward his seat.

Vince says, “And of course, you know Natalie.”

Natalie, sparkling beautiful, enters the plane. “Hi,
Stephen.” They hug.

“Hi, Natalie.”

Natalie considers telling him about the archangel Zeno that
visited her in church, urging her to join Stephen. Trouble is, even she
doesn’t understand the angel’s reasoning or intent. So instead of telling
him, Natalie simply says, “I’m with you. We’ll spread the light.”

Stephen is baffled by her statement but goes along with it
anyway. “Thanks.”

Vince leans into Stephen and whispers, “Just so you know,
Bruce is starting the party early. As in, here. On the
plane.” Stephen glares at Bruce, who looks back defensively, as if a dire
secret has been revealed. He holds out his arms. “What?”

Stephen laughs. “Just try to keep the plane a little
clean.”

“Yes sir, Captain.”

Natalie and Vince take their seats. With everyone on board,
Stephen nods to the captain, who slams the door shut.

The next morning, while everyone lounges in their
connecting suites, Bruce stands
outside the hotel lobby next to
Stephen’s rental-convertible.

Campbell sits in the passenger seat and Bruce shuts the
door for him. The mood is celebratory and the shining sun only adds to
it. Bruce nonchalantly walks around the car to Stephen, who is buckling
his seatbelt. “You’re going to get the girl. This is just like a
movie. Which is good, cuz... she’s a movie star and all...”

“Thanks,” he says. Stephen stops and looks at his
friend. It seems like only days ago he was looking in his coffin,
swearing he would see him again someday. “It’s good to have you back,
Bruce.”

Bruce playfully rubs his hand on Stephen’s hair and utters
the same advice Sara Ixley once gave him. “All paths lead nowhere.
Follow the path with heart.”

Huh? Bruce’s words smack Stephen in the face.
That’s what Stephen’s father told him when he was little. The only person
Stephen ever uttered that to was Lisa. Nonetheless, Stephen smiles at
Bruce and graciously accepts his words of wisdom, familiar as they are.

Stephen drives off, knowing that, unlike last time, he
isn’t under the ticking clock of the end of the world to find Lisa.

Bruce watches as Stephen’s convertible drives away and
fades in the distance. Bruce stands, hands on his hips, and enjoys the
scenery around him: the fancy hotel fountain gently sprays water upwards, the
towering palm trees sway around him. Best of all, he takes a whiff of the
smog-filled, dirty Los Angeles air. “Aaahh,” Bruce comments to himself,
“Nothing like filthy air.”

Bruce turns to head back into the hotel lobby.
Strangely, gasps and yelps ring out around him. Bruce dashes his eyes
around, looking for the cause of the commotion. On the surface of the
water in the fountain, a small ring of fire has emerged. The flames
aren’t particularly high, but seeing them is a surprise nonetheless.
Bruce paces toward the fountain, with scores of other people watching, and
wonders about the bizarre phenomenon. A black body-sized oval forms above
the circle of fire. The darkness of the oval is transparent and gradually
becomes opaque. Bruce looks at the mystified faces of the people surrounding
the circular fountain. They all whisper amongst themselves. The
WHOOF of the disappearing fire prompts an “Oooh!” from the bystanders.

The black oval vanishes and in its place drops Elpis into
the water of the fountain. Her blonde hair is disheveled and her clean appearance,
not-so-clean. Bruce gasps at the sight of his otherworldly friend.
The people surrounding the fountain stare at her.

Elpis looks at the faces gaping back at her. Bruce,
hoping to dispel the situation, claps. The people surrounding the fountain,
believing they had seen some kind of special effects show, join in the
applause. They laugh and holler, amazed by what they have seen.

Bruce leaps into the fountain and grabs Elpis by the
arm. “Thank you, everyone!” Come back tomorrow morning, same time,
for another show!” Elpis looks at Bruce with weary eyes. Bruce
forces her through the water and out of the fountain. He guides her away
from her newfound audience and asks, “Should you really be doing that in front
of people?”

“No,” Elpis says. “It took me a while to locate
you. Why are you in Los Angeles?”

Bruce replies, “I’m here for a pool party. Wanna
come?” As Bruce examines Elpis, he can see something is wrong.
Fatigue is present in her face, like she doesn’t even care anymore. Bruce
asks, “What’s wrong?”

“Why did you kill all of them?”

“I’m sorry. I should have told you. But when
the sky went black, Stephen and my son saw the future. And we had to
change it.”

Elpis halts their quick walking. “They saw the
future?”

“Yes. We lost. The world was destroyed.”

Elpis’s exhaustion turns to sadness and she sobs.
“I’m sorry, Bruce. I failed you.”

“No you didn’t. We changed it. It’s over.

“As long as Moros is alive, it isn’t over.”

Bruce looks anxiously at Elpis. Concern overwhelms
him. “Then let’s kill him.”

“There is no killing him. The only way Moros dies… is
if he decides to die.”

Bruce stares at Elpis, unsure of what to say. She
gazes into his eyes, where the light is bright, as it had always been.
What she tells him next is regretful for her to say, but is the unfortunate
truth. “When you killed the Xlympians, you forced Moros to turn to his
second plan. And that plans starts… with killing Lisa Binsby.”

Bruce’s eyes widen at that horrific statement. Elpis
looks at him, totally unaware…

…that Stephen is already on the way.