Chapter 228: Rise of a Hero Part 7 (1/2)
”Mortem, the Garden, possessing the masses… I really can't keep up with these wild tales.” Hannah whispered, sitting at an old diner booth swirling her straw around mixing her milkshake. ”I thought we were fighting the Syndicate family?”
”I knew you wouldn't believe me.” Alton sighed, slouching back, picking at some chips. ”Why did I even bother.”
”Alright, humour me here. Let's say everything you said is true, and this Mortem can control and possess the masses easily; why are we hiding in a random café?”
Alton tapped the table making his point known. ”Just because Mortem can possess the masses doesn't mean they know where we are. There's no way in hell we can go to the apartment or my school to hide it out. Nor anywhere else I've been before. This café is random for that exact reason. They'd have no reason to look for us here. Besides, I can't exactly go out there fighting again. We both need a time out.”
”This is way out of my pay grade. So, is that why the Syndicate family made it clear skipping town wasn't an option? They really could be anyone. Say, how do we beat that? We cut one head off, and two more grow. No matter how we look at the situation, how could we overcome such a threat?”
Alton was left just as clueless, trapped in a train of thought. He wasn't too sure either, only knowing that the four legendary heroes defeated them somehow. ”We just do somehow.”
”Oh, that's reinsuring.”
”No, wait. 400 years from now, the same entity is in charge, but it's clear they were defeated by four legendary heroes… The Phantom, Geostruction, the Timekeeper and the Gatekeeper. I was so delusional and lost I forgot this. If we want to win, we will need their help.”
Hannah stared blankly at Alton, prodding her straw at him. ”I can believe evil entities possessing the public, but now you talk about legendary heroes and the future. What are you saying? You're from the future… Oh shit, you are? Did Kira hit you around the head too much?”
”I'm serious. No point hiding it now. Not like it matters anyway; this is all fake. My real name is Alton Brantley; I'm an Anti-human 400 years from now. Mortem is once again in control of the world, controlling the masses through streamers, anti-humans fighting crime over the internet for everyone to watch. I was brought here by one of the Garden of Grief's stages, Acceptance, wanted me to learn, overcome something and be a hero. I believe helping you and taking down Mortem in this timeline will resort to that and get me home.”
”I'm starting to revaluate our arrangement here…” Hannah whispers, holding her hand up. ”I'll take the check, please.”
”Hannah, please, you have to listen to me. It's important; I know how crazy this sounds.”
”Well, I'm glad we're on the same page for that one. Look, Kurt, if you want to run around all terminator style calling yourself Alton and claiming to be from the future, don't let me stop you. It might make a good film, but I have more pressuring things to worry about.”
Hannah throws the amount on the table after look at the bill walking off. Alton stands up, yelling. ”Zinnia.” This makes her stop. ”You name your daughter in the future, Zinnia. She. She was my friend.”
Hannah turned back around with a confused look. ”Now you're claiming I will have a daughter in the future 400 years from now. Tell me, how does that make sense?”
”Your powers aren't to manipulate the weather, is it? No, it's much simpler. You control nature. The wind around us, the sway of the trees. The growth of life. You are literally the incarnation of mother nature. So, it's not too farfetched to believe you could live for much longer than normal people. Some oak trees can live for hundreds, even thousands of years.”
Hannah glanced at Alton, slightly spooked as she shook her head. ”You must consider yourself pretty smart, getting lucky like that. You guessed, right? You guessed my powers were that so you could make up this ridiculous story.”
”How old are you?”
”You know it's rude to ask a girl her age.”
”How old?”
”You want to know, huh?” She snarls. ”278. Yeah, I kept count, give or take. Happy now, Kurt? I'm going.”
”Just wait!” He demands, looking desperate. ”I can't do this alone. Zinnia needs me. I betrayed our trust and went against the promise we made when starting Team Rhapsody. I want to make amends on that betrayal and get back to her. Mortem, in my timeline, will be going after her; she needs my help. I can't defeat Mortem with you or the other legendary heroes.”
Hannah refused to listen, trying to leave only for a portal to open, blocking her path. Adam spun around in his chair, burger in hand, shaking his head. ”Can't you see the man is bleeding his heart and soul out to you? At least hear him out, yeah?”
Alton jumped back on the table, ready to fight. ”Bargaining! How did you… No, sorry.” Coming back to his senses, Alton sat back down, sighing. ”You're Adam Berry.”
”I really get to you, don't I? It appears I cause quite the mess in the future.”
”Wait, you heard all of that?”
”We did, in fact, hear it all, yes,” Eve whispered, sitting in the booth behind them. ”You claim to be from the future, correct?”
”I am. I take it you'll need proof.”
”I'd like something to confirm your wild claims, yes.”
Alton nodded, turning to Eve. ”I know why you're trying to dispose of Mortem and the Garden. It's to free your sister from the seal of Salvation.”