Chapter 4: The Gang’s All Here.
-
Lucy stared at the other woman. She didn’t move and couldn’t think of anything to say. She hadn’t seen Charlotte in nearly ten years, not since her half brother failed in his attempt at world domination.
“Charlotte,” Lucy used her friendliest tone of surprise. “Why don’t you come inside? I have some of the finest coffee or the finest tea if you prefer, sorry I don’t have any ice cream.”
“This is not a social visit,” Charlotte said. Her voice was serious and she did not look the least bit happy.
“So how long have you been here in New York?” Lucy wanted to avoid the obvious reason why Charlotte came to her hotel suite. “Seattle got too boring for you?”
“Do not skate around the issue,” Charlotte said as she stepped inside. “I know what you are trying to do. You plan on being the Dark Mistress in question.”
“Guilty as charged,” Lucy beamed. “There is still time and I can cut you nice slice of the deal.”
“I do not wish to end this world.”
“Ending?” Lucy tried not to laugh. Boy did she have it wrong. “I’m not about ending the world. I want to make it my own.”
“You wish to be a demoness and bring about Hell on Earth,” Charlotte accused.
“Well that is the way I plan on doing it. It won’t be easy and it will certainly be messy.”
“I am not here to assist you. I am here to stop you. It’s still not too late. You can stop what you are doing and go back home.”
“No,” Lucy said in an assertive tone. She was not going to stop, not going to go back, not after all the work she had accomplished.
“You know I’m going to stop you.”
“Try.” Lucy held up a hand. “You are going to try to stop me. The prophecy is on my side.”
“Don’t forget the counter. Twenty turtles, four by four and one four is not a why.”
“Oh yes, I remember that part and how many turtles do you have about five maybe six?”
“Seven total. I will find the others. I am trying to stop you now when there is still a chance for you. I apologize for what my brother got you involved with.”
“Don’t apologize for Eddie,” Lucy said. She thought about the good times they had and when Eddie had tried to take over the world. “He showed me how it could be done. He gave me a taste for it. I wish I could be as creative as him with the computers. That whole Y2k thing would have worked.”
“It didn’t,” Charlotte said. There was sadness in her voice. “Now he’s gone. You will be destroyed too if you go through with this.”
“I will succeed where he had failed. I will do this for him and for you even though you are too stubborn to admit what is good for you.
“I have the seven items of virtue. I know where the Three Treasures are located.”
“I have my own three treasures,” Lucy said. “I have my seven, my servants and my warrior.”
“And I have mine.” Charlotte stepped out of the room. “Remember it’s still not too late.”
Lucy stared at the closed door for a few seconds. “It is for you.” She spun around and was face to face with Ch’rell. He was staring at her questionly. “Something wrong, Pumpkin?”
“Nothing is wrong,” her warrior said. “Who was that?”
“Someone I hadn’t seen in a while,” Lucy answered. “I used to date her brother.”
“I need to go somewhere,” Ch’relle said. “There is someone I need to speak with.”
“Have fun,” Lucy said as she stepped aside. “You don’t need my permission to leave this room or building.”
“I won’t be long.” He closed the door behind him.
“Now where was I before I was interrupted?” Lucy asked as she sat down at the small table with her still warm cup. “Ah yes.” She picked up her coffee and took a long sip.
-
Karai stared at her reflection in her tea for several minutes. She was half listening to her protector while she thought about what had happened within the past month. She and her Foot ninja had fought against the unwilling minions of the original first horseman and most recently two of her employees were possessed by the demonic forms of two of the seven deadly sins.
She had to calm her wolf mutant, Razar who was envious of the thicker hides of some of the other mutants as well as their other abilities. It was getting to the point where he was about to kill them in the if he cant have what they have then no one can. She and Remiel were able to convince him to look at himself and appreciate what he has. Now Razar was acting like the perfect role model to children. He was extremely friendly and was all about teamwork.
Her top scientist, Chaplin was acting different now. He had apologized several times for trying to force himself on Karai and understood if she wanted to fire him. She wouldn’t. It was unfair to make him suffer due the actions of a demon inside him. Chaplin tried to avoid her at all costs now.
“Are you feeling well?” Remiel asked her. He had accompanied her to the restaurant for lunch. She didn’t want to eat alone and he insisted on coming with her. It was a perfect agreement.
“Sorry,” Karai said as she set her cup down. “I have so much on my mind.”
“We both do,” Remiel said. He glanced at the rest of the patrons. “None of these people know what is going on.”
“It may be for the best,” Karai said after she had taken a good sip from her tea.” None of them have been trained in the skills we have. They do not know how to wield a weapon.”
“That’s why the investigators and the tutors are trying to convince the rest of our cliental to get out of dodge while the getting is good.” He paused to take a drink from his Sprite. “We still need to set up a place to speak to everyone.”
“The Foot tower,” Karai said. “We will all meet and discuss everything at the Foot tower.” She felt her headquarters would be best. The turtles would not trust her in their home and they feel the same about Hun and she did not trust Hun or his Dragons not to attack her or her ninjas while at the Purple Dragon headquarters.
“I’ll let the others know,” Remiel said. He made the motion to grab his phone when he looked up.
Karai turned to see where he was looking and saw a young man standing in front of their booth who was not their waiter. He did not work at the restaurant at all.
“Hello, Karai,” the man said coolly.
“Do I know you?” Karai asked. She had several interviews that week and he could have been any of them trying to do a follow up, but then if he was he would have addressed her as Miss Saki.
“You should,” the man said. “I took you in as my own when your own parents left you. I told you stories after I tucked you in at night. I baked you daifuku when you were feeling sad. I taught you every fighting skill that I knew.”
“No,” the word could not leave her mouth. It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t be. “Father?”
“Father?” Remiel glanced at her, looked at the man and reached down to grasp his cane.
“How is this possible?” Karai asked. “You were erased in the Prime world.”
“My body was but not my spirit,” the man, her father, explained.
Karai stood up and grabbed the man’s hand. It was warm and soft, but then her father’s Oroko Saki suit was made to feel like a real human. She stared in his eyes and at the rest of his face. She noticed one little detail that her father never had on his human suit, stubble. There was also a few tiny healing cuts on his chin from shaving.
“You’re human,” Karai said and ran her finger over the jewel hanging from her neck. She could not see the squid like form of her father’s true form in this human body. “But are you not possessing it?”
“Yes and no,” her father said as he spread out his arms. “The former owner vacated it years ago. His family refused to pull the plug. This body is mine now.”
“Why are you here?” Remiel stood up.
“I know you will try to stop my mistress,” Karai’s father said. Mistress? Her father would never address anyone like that. “Do not even think about it.”
“Your mistress?” Karai asked.
“She made it possible for me to live again. I owe it to her. We will remake this world to our fitting and rule it together.”
“Father stop,” Karai said with her eyes closed. “You were given another chance at life. Do not throw it away by doing something foolish again.”
“My ungrateful child,” her father hissed through his clenched teeth. “I had thought you would have been pleased to see me, but now I see you were same deceitful girl who betrayed me. Your turtles will not help you nor the other turtles from the other worlds.” He stared at Karai for a full minute before he turned and left.
“My lady may I make a suggestion?” Remiel asked. “I believe it would be best for you to take the rest of the day off and have that meeting now.”
Karai nodded. They could not wait any longer.
-
Leonardo stared at Karai as she held out her hand in front of him. He knew it was an offer of friendship as well as an alliance. He had once thought she and he would be friends. There was a sense of honor in her that he had once admired. He even formed a crush on her, but those feelings were destroyed after she had hurt him and destroyed their second home. It was partially renewed when she stood up to her father and even more when she invited him and his brothers to the costume ball.
“Hello, Karai,” Leo said as he accepted her hand. “Please forgive me if I’m a bit short. I have had a lot of my mind with my brothers.” He was not exaggerating. After the spirit of Gluttony had been excised from Mikey his youngest brother spent the rest of the day either in bed or on the toilet. The following few days Mikey did not eat much, only limiting himself to three meals a day and those were healthy. There was no snacking or desserts of any kind.
Raph also went through a small change. He did not work out as much and limited his training to what Splinter had taught them. He would take short walks through the sewer to be alone with his thoughts or he would mediate.
“I understand,” Karai said and pointed up. “I have several of my Foot ninjas in the rafters. I trust you.”
Leo stared up and saw the hint of movement. “Thank you.”
“Please sit down,” Karai said as she walked around the room.
Leo sat down with his brothers, directly in front of Hun and a few of his Purple Dragons he had brought along. One of them was Mikey’s friend Raz. Just seeing her made Mikey seem pleased.
“I would like to know what this is about young ladies,” Splinter said as he stared at the front of the room where the three protectors sat along with a young woman dressed in casual clothes.
“I hate to intrude, but hey,” the protector known as Remiel said.
“My apologies, young man,” Splinter said.
“Thanks,” Remiel said and turned to Charlotte. “Well it’s your show now.”
“Thank you,” the mystery woman said. “My name is Charlotte and I run the agency where the Protectors work. I assign a Protector to the client personally and I find the clients through divination.”
“You’re psychic?” Mace asked.
“Not quite,” Charlotte said. “I get the visions while praying and meditating. It is also what gives me clues and hints. I was able to find out where the three treasures were and know when that assassin was about to shoot Mr. Mason.”
There were a few coughs from the Dragons and Hun glared at Charlotte.
“Ixnay on the Astnamelay,” Gabby said to her boss.
“Sorry about that, but now you can see why I had to keep…” She pointed at the former human.
“Hun,” the large mutant said.
“Hun alive,” Charlotte finished. “What we are up against is someone I know who has delusions of grandeur. Her name is Lucy Ragna. She and I have something in common. We are both Nephilim.”
Leo knew he had heard that name before but he wasn’t certain where or what it actually meant. He turned to Don. His smarter brother would know.
“Nephilim are beings that have a human as one parent,” Don explained. “And an angel for another.” He blinked and stared back at Charlotte. “You are really half angel?”
“She’s as pretty as an angel,” Mikey said.
“Thank you,” Charlotte said with a smile. “I am but we do not have time to explain what I am fully. We are here to discuss Lucy. She is not mentally stable,” Charlotte said. “She wants to become a demoness, bring Hell on Earth and rule the world.”
“Alongside my father,” Karai added.
Leo felt his heart stop and everyone in the room sucked in their breaths. Even the ninja soldiers in the rafters appeared upset.
“The Shredder is back?” Hun asked in a half panicked tone.
“We had feared he would return,” Splinter said.
“Only his spirit returned to our world,” Karai explained. “He was placed into the body of a man that was only kept alive by machines in a hospital. My father is now essentially human.”
“That is good right?” Mikey asked. “He’s going to be easier to defeat now, right?”
“The prophesy of the take over has begun,” Charlotte said. “The four shall ride and the seven shall feed.”
“That has already happened,” Leo said weakly.
“The dark mistress shall revive the destroyer of worlds,” Charlotte continued.
“Father,” Karai said and nodded for Charlotte to continue.
“By the word of the book, the blood on her finger and the sound of the bell it shall start and by the second ring she shall be queen, but there is a counter. Twenty turtles shall appear and give the allied forces the light. Four by four and one four has no why. One follows the daughter of a tyrant, one comes from a time that has yet to be, one is a leader of dragons. The last has been with us all along.”
Leo wasn’t sure what she meant by the four by four but he had figured out the others. “Mace, you’re the one that comes from a time that has yet to be”
“Mistress Saki is the daughter of a tyrant,” the mutant alligator snapping turtle said. “And I follow her.”
“Your one of them, boss,” Raz said.
“The leader of dragons,” Hun said slowly as he stared at his hands. “I had to become like this to save the world?”
“And the final part,” Charlotte said. “Seven shall fall by the wearers of virtue. The heroes return the gift back to their savior. The being of light shall take on the dark.”
“The wearers of virtue have something to do with the items of virtue?” April asked.
Charlotte nodded. “Seven of my protectors shall don the items. I just need to figure out which protector will wear which item.”
“What of the sword, the mirror and the jewel?” Leo asked.
“They will also be needed,” Charlotte said. “We are going to need every able and available fighter there is. We will need every ninja, every mutant, every gang member.”
“Every super hero,” Mikey said. “I’ll contact the Justice Force.”
“And I’ll contact the Ninja tribunal,” Leo said.
“I’ll contact us,” Donny said and for a second Leo worried his brother might have lost some of his mind. “Charlotte said every ninja and every mutant right. I’ll go to the gate and see if we can contact our counterparts. Our not so serious selves, are way too serious selves and the girls.” He paused for a few seconds before he had that look in his eyes. The Eureka look he got when he finally figured out how to make something work. “Four by four and one has no why. There will be four teams of four turtles and one has no y chromosome.”
“Donny I could kiss you,” Urielle said. “But I don’t want to make Raph jealous.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Raph said. “I’ve been keeping my ra-“
The lights went out.
“Good thing it’s still sunny,” Casey said.
“It’s not just the lights,” Remiel said as he held up his phone. “My phone isn’t working.”
The other two protectors checked their phones along with the Purple Dragons, Casey and April no one’s was working.
“Mine is,” Donny said. “That means the power outage is only within this area. Don’t know how far it is spread, but it’s enough to take out the main phone towers. To power ours I hacked directly into one of the satellites.”
“That is good you have communication,” Hun said. “But without power you can’t operate your dimensional gate device.”
“Oh,” Donny said in a dejected tone.
“This was my father’s doing,” Karai said. “He told me I would not be able to get help from the turtles.”
“I have an idea,” Gabby said. “It’s just based on the hope that this outage hasn’t spread close to New Jersey.”
“What the heck is out there?” Casey asked.
“A secret government base,” Gabby said.
“Bishop,” Hun said in a tone that made it sound like he was pleased. “He said he would help us in case we encounter one of the fallen or their spawn.”
“That would be Lucy,” Charlotte confirmed.
“Donny, see if you could reach him,” Leo said.
“Can that dimensional gizmo thing be transported?” one of the Purple Dragons asked.
Leo shook his head. “But I’m sure we can take it apart and reassemble it in another location.”
“I was able to reach him,” Donny said. “And he does have power and is willing to help.”
-
Hun’s group was the one who lead the others to the Bishop’s secret base. The turtles had brought a couple of their friends along to assist in the fight. The first was that crocodile who not only was as smart as Donatello but he was also a brute fighter. The other was an anthropomorphic samurai rabbit.
Bishop was expecting them and had a few government works outside waiting to lead them downstairs and into the area Donatello had asked for. He wanted something with a lot of space.
The space in question was about half the size of Yankee stadium.
“Yeah,” Don said as he and the croc were carrying in some large equipment. “This shall do.”
“Stockman assist them,” Bishop ordered.
“Gladly,” Stockman said. Hun hadn’t seen the scientist this happy before, but then again he never remembered Stockman having to build a dimensional transporter for the Shredder before.
“Hi Dr. Stockman,” Chaplin said as he carried in more technology. “Looks like we will be working together again”
“Lovely,” Stockman said in an annoyed tone. Seeing his displeasure made Hun smile.
“I hope we have enough power,” Raphael said as he stared around the area. There were plenty of outlets and covered panels.
“We have enough power to keep Los Vegas lit up for ten years,” Bishop said. He lowered his sunglasses as he studied everyone. “Where are your other two brothers?”
“Contacting more allies,” Raph said as Urielle walked up to Bishop. “Don’t get to close. He may be on our side now and not to mention those eyes can suck out your soul.”
“I assure you, Turtle, that while I am many things I am not a monster.”
“Relax,” Urielle told him. “I just letting him know that more are coming.”
“I am already aware of the Justice Force and the people from the Ninja Tribunal,” Bishop said.
“Not them,” Urielle said. “My boss, Charlotte and the other Protectors. Charlotte had to stop by the agency to get them and some items that will help us.”
“Thank you for that information,” Bishop said. “We will keep an eye out for them.”
“I have a picture,” Urielle said. “I know Gabby doesn’t trust you, but I just met you and I tend to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.”
“I also trust you,” that clone said. Hun couldn’t even look at him. Except for his coloring that clone looked just like Hun.
“He’s different now, kid,” Raph told him. What does he mean by now?
“Who you calling kid?” the clone asked. “We are the same age.”
“How about a change of subject?” Urielle asked. “Now that you know about Charlotte I can tell you something else about us.”
Hun was interested in knowing. It was better than watching Donatello, the croc, Chaplin and Stockman as they work on the reassembling the dimensional gate with Stockman trying to boss everyone.
“All of us Protectors know how to fight before we became Protectors,” Urielle said. “Charlotte knew when each of us had our near death experience and visited us at the hospital. Being close to death made is able to receive a piece of her, her angelic energy and she imbued each one of us with it.”
“That is why you can heal?” Hun asked.
Urielle nodded.
“We just about got it,” Donatello shouted.
“I’ll let everyone know,” Urielle said and skipped off.
It only took minutes for everyone to return to the large room. The others have been contacted and were on their way. Donatello had said he contacted the others in the various dimensions. He mentioned that thanks to his counterpart’s stick they were able to get in touch with the prime turtles.
“All we have to do now is wait,” the smart turtle said. The screen bleeped behind him. “And the girls are ready.”
“Everyone stand back,” Bishop ordered.
Hun stepped back. Gabby was standing next to him. He held his hand out to her and she grabbed it.
The four female turtles stepped out first from the gate. They were followed by a woman in a hockey mask, a redheaded man, the female rat mother a large female crocodile and young Asian man with green eyes and dressed in an outfit similar to Karai’s
“I didn’t know you were bringing friends,” Donatello said to his female counterpart.
“The more the merrier,” the female said. What was her name was it Donna?
“The message was that things were dire here,” the female leader said. “We brought our mother plus Cassie, Andrew, Kai and Leather.”
“Just Leather?” The male croc asked.
“That is all,” the female croc asked.
“Who’s the handsome silver guy?” Mikaela asked her counterpart. “He’s cute.”
“That’s Mace,” Mikey said.
“She sure moves on fast,” Gabby said in amused tone.
Hun shrugged. He didn’t care who that blond turtle was interested in. He would not admit that he felt a small bit flattered and relieved that she was interested in his clone.
“Okay everyone,” Donny said. He was staring at the screen again. “Big group coming through, involving some vehicles.”
“Clear the area,” Bishop shouted.
Hun picked up Gabby and ran to the back and side of the room.
“Oh boy,” Raph said. His voice was full of mock amusement. “The return of the wonder blimp and the clown car.”
The gate shimmered as a large van drove through. It somewhat resembled the vehicle that Hun had remembered seeing the turtles in when he lead the mutant army out of the Technodrome, but it also looked like it was crossed with the first van that his turtles rode around in. It was followed by two cars. One was red and the other were blue and both resembled cars from the 50’s and 60’s. The most unique part about the vehicles was that they flew through the air.
“Nice upgrade,” Mikey said.
The doors to the van opened and the chubbier Leonardo stepped out. “Hey everyone.”
“Did you miss us?” Michelangelo asked.
“Great job with the dimensional gate, Mr. Wizard,” Donatello said.
Their Raphael looked around the room. His eyes widened when he saw Hun. “Is the big guy still crazy?”
“That depends,” Hun said. “Are you still having conversations with your imaginary friend?” He noticed Gabby was giving him an odd look. “He does. He talks to people who aren’t there.”
“So this is their world,” a deep and gruff voice said. The ridiculous Raphael was shoved aside by a different Raphael. No this one had Katanas on his back. He was joined by three other turtles who also wore red eye masks. They all looked the same. They were the smallest set of turtles by far and their necks were just a bit thinner and slightly longer. Their beaked snouts were longer and pointier. They also had short tails. The only way to tell them apart were by the weapons they wielded.
More creatures came out of the van and the two cars. One of them was a white rabbit who looked almost exactly like Usagi.
“Could it be?” Usagi asked as he walked up to the other rabbit.
“There is a vision of me in this world,” the other samurai rabbit said. “Greetings brother.” He held out his hand.
“Welcome to our world,” Usagi said as he grasped it in a warrior fashion. Both bowed at each other.
“We should introduce our friends,” the chubby Leonardo said. “These are our friends from Florida.” He indicated four green creatures that Hun nearly mistook for more turtles at first, but with their webbed feet, beakless mouths, squat bodies and bulbous eyes at the tops of their heads he could see that they were frogs.
“Hello all,” one of the frogs said. All four of them were dressed in brightly colored shirts and Bermuda shorts. They looked like rejects from Miami Vice.
“Nice to meet you,” one of the other frogs said. They all greeted them in the same polite manner in the same southern accents.
“This is Genghis,” Leonardo continued to introduce them. “Rasputin, Napoleon and Attila.”
“Hey,” the chubbier version of Mikey said as he ran up to the frogs. He pointed at the last one named. “Attila.” He turned around and pointed at Hun. “Hun. Attila. Hun.”
Hun glared at this turtle and stared at the Mikey he was familiar with. The other orange wearing turtle had his hand over his eyes.
“Enough,” the Raphael who talks to no one said and slapped his brother.
“Hey,” Michelangelo said as he rubbed his head. He pointed at the gruffer Raph. “You are a bad influence.”
“I didn’t say anything,” Raph said. He had a somewhat proud smile on his face.
The chubby Leonardo coughed. “Moving on.” He pointed at a man that did not need any introduction as far as Hun was concerned. He already knew this was their version of Jones with that physique and that mask. The main difference was that this Jones had hair that was shorter and stuck out in several directions.
“All right.” the Jones that Hun knew walked up to the other Jones. “Their version of me. I wonder if you are good at beating up gangster punks.”
“I’m quite good,” the other Jones said in a voice that was similar to Clint Eastwood. “And muggers, armed robbers, arsonists, shoplifters, jay walkers, litter bugs, you name it. The city is a cesspool of crime that needs to be taken care of.” Damn, this Jones sounded psychotic.
“Ooooohkaaaaay,” the normal Jones said as he walked backwards from his counterpart.
“These are a couple of our female friends and fellow fighters,” Leonardo said. He pointed to a green woman who was either part salamander or lizard. She had a long tail, curvaceous chest, webbed fingers and long brown hair done up into a ponytail.
“Hi,” the green woman said. “I’m Mona Lisa.”
“This is Lotus Blossom,” Leonardo said as he indicated the young Asian woman standing net to him.
“I am honored to meet you,” the woman said. She had long dark hair and carried her own katana. There was something about her that reminded Hun of Karai.
“And finally the Neutrinos,” Leonardo approached a group of humanoids. They were elfin in appearance and had bright colored hair styled in odd geometric shaped cuts. “Dask, Kala, and Zak.”
“Groovy bunker you got here daddy-o,” the one called Dask said.
“Very cool,” Kala added.
“I guess I should be the one to introduce everyone on our end,” Leo said as he rattled off the names of everyone from this world. The chubby turtles and their frog friends took a step back when they heard Leatherhead’s name mentioned.
“My counterpart is not a friend of yours?” Leatherhead asked.
“Quite the opposite,” Rasputin said. “He’s our enemy. He enslaved us once.”
“I can assure you that I will do no such thing,” Leatherhead said.
“We can vouch for him,” Mikey said. “Ours is polite a good friend and about as smart as Donny. He helps him sometimes with his experiments.”
“Ours is totally different,” Michelangelo said. “He’s mean and dumb and has a Cajun accent.”
“Ours is also an alligator,” The chubbier Donatello said. “This one is clearly a crocodile.”
The scary Leonardo cleared his throat. “What is it that we are up against exactly?”
“A psychotic angel/human crossbreed that wants to take over the world,” the sane Jones said.
“By bringing the end of days,” Raph added.
“The hellmouth yawns,” Raz said.
“Demons running around,” Gabby filled in. “Skies completely blacked out.”
“The Seven Deadly Sins in corporal form,” Donny said.
“Everything that could scare you,” Hun added.
“Dogs and cats living together,” Mikey said.
“Enough,” the scary Leonardo said. “We understand.”
“We need everyone who can fight,” Bishop said. “I take it that all those who came here are ready.”
“Ready and willing,” the insane version of Jones said as he flexed. “I want to know when we get to break something.”
“Good,” Bishop said and turned to face the government worker who ran up to him. After speaking to him he turned towards Gabby. “Your boss has arrived with the rest of the protectors. They are headed this way.”
It was only minutes before Charlotte appeared with a dozen people. They were men and women of different races, and various ages. All dressed differently. The only thing they had in common was the wooden canes they carried.
Charlotte walked straight up to Gabby. “I came across something special. I had to google for the photo and printed it out.”
“What photo?” Gabby asked.
Charlotte looked up at Hun and smiled before she turned back to Gabby. “The key to your past. I believe this is another reason why I assigned you to your present client.” She handed the picture to Gabby.
“Oh,” Gabby said when she took the picture. “A school dance. Man I must have been in my freshman year and look at the hair. Wow I impressed either a senior or a junior. Kinda looks like a football player.”
“Lemme see,” the sane Jones said. “I can tell what kind of sport a guy plays or played.” He looked at the photo and his eyes widened. “Hun, you idiot. Why didn’t you tell her sooner?”
“What?” Hun asked.
“The dude in this photo is one of the assholes that burned down my father’s store,” Jones said.
“Can’t be,” Hun said and stared at the picture. Staring back at him was his seventeen year old self squeezed into a tuxedo. He was next to a young girl around fourteen. He stared up at Gabby and down at the girl in the picture. “It is.” He closed his eyes. Why couldn’t he have seen it sooner?
“What?” Gabby asked.
“Your real name is Madeline Talbot,” Hun said. His knees felt weak. “You used to live across from me on Houston. Your mother was librarian and your father was-“
“A recruiter,” Gabby whispered. “I know that much. I was given that information earlier along with their first names.”
“Your mother always cooked dinner,” Hun continued. “But your father baked. He was one of the best.”
“That’s who I learned it from,” tears were forming in Gabby’s eyes.
“Your family moved to Iowa after you finished middle school,” Hun continued. It had been a long time since he saw his old friend, but he still should have been able to know who she was.
“And you asked me to the dance because I was moving?”
“My junior prom. My going away gift to you,” he pulled her closer. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Gabby said. Her tears fell from her chin and landed on his arm. “Just tell me everything you know.”
-