The dog observed the hand and sniffed it, but didn’t lick it. Tiger was smart enough to know he didn’t want to taste the tal-and-ceramic gauntlet.
Within a few monts, everyone had arrived: the old Heroes’ League, the new, Prentkos, and both Jody’s and Colette’s unconscious bodies. Talk about not being able to save everyone. Being turned into Rook’s mind-controlled cyborg was still in this Jody’s future. Though I didn't need to, I made a check, changing that future had the sa problems as saving Travis. I checked on Colette, too, but hers wasn’t any different.
I could do it, but it wouldn’t be worth the price.
I didn’t bring up the topic for discussion either. Nobody was looking at just then.
Everyone was looking each other up and down. Having already gone through this once, I knew they had a million questions and weren’t sure if they could ask any of them.
The ntalist raised his hand, glitter on his gloves sparkling in the light of the glowing red suns above us. “Everyone, please. I know you have questions that you want to ask and even more that you shouldn’t. Simply seeing each other tells you things you probably shouldn’t know, but to ensure both teams are sure, my grandson and I have confird what you suspect.
“You’re all looking at your grandchildren or your grandparents, except for both Captain Commandos. They’re a special case, but yes, you’re related. My grandson and I have an idea for how to handle questions. He’ll explain it.”
Standing almost a foot taller than his grandfather, his suit black and silver like his grandfather’s tuxedo, but form-fitting ceramic, Daniel said, “Think your question or response to us, and we’ll let you know if asking it will be dangerous. We’ll suggest a safer version if it’s possible. You’re going to put a lot of work into making this future possible. It would be a sha to waste it.”
As they talked, Prentkos made his way to , his red suit and eagle symbol matching no one else. In a low voice, he said, “I don’t think I should be here for this.”
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I nodded. “I can send you back.”
“Please do,” he said. “Don’t hesitate to contact after this. I’d like to understand what it all ant.”
I grinned within my helt. “Why not?”
Then I sent him ho, sending Jody at the sa ti. Daniel and the ntalist had already blurred Jody’s mory. Nothing good could co of his waking up.
I felt Daniel’s approval, but didn’t discuss it with him. Captain Commando was talking, “You’re my daughter?”
Cassie looked up at him. “Technically, I’m your gender swapped clone with a little bit of DNA from Colette. You knocked her out during the fight.”
Captain Commando’s brow furrowed as she said DNA, but he didn’t ask about it. He said, “Dr. Mind’s work?”
She nodded, “Good guess. If it matters, I killed him.”
He smiled, “Don’t expect him to stay dead. I’ve killed him twice already.”
Cassie laughed, saying, “Three tis… is what you told .”
Sothing about the hesitation made worry that she’d begun to cry. She hadn’t, but he noticed too.
Captain Commando stopped laughing as he studied her face. “I’m dead, aren’t I? Don’t answer. I never expected to make it any longer than the rest of the team with the chances I take… I’m not surprised. Don’t follow my example in everything. Live. I’m glad we had enough ti that you rember .”
Cassie did cry then, and he pulled her into a hug.
I didn’t watch, and I don’t think anyone else did either. We let them have that mont.
Daniel thought at , As hard as it is to believe, that doesn’t change anything. In fact, I think it might have been an essential event for our tiline. He didn’t want children and didn’t want to be immortal. I think he’s more careful after this.
I didn’t have ti to reply as Giles Hardwick turned to Vaughn, asking, “You’re my grandson?”
Vaughn glanced over at Cassie, who was still crying, and said, “Yeah. I’m not the only one. I’m not even the only one with powers.”
“And this future,” Giles said, “it’s a good future?”
Vaughn looked over at and then back to his grandfather. “It’s not perfect. There are still problems, but today… Today, I think we may have brought down the biggest criminal organization on the planet. So, it’s not perfect, but I think it’s the kind of not perfect where we can win more often than we lose.”
Giles didn’t say anything at first, but then said, “Good.”
What he got out of that I could only guess, but since neither Daniel nor his grandfather tried to interfere, Giles Hardwick still had a date with death under the Hardwick mansion a few years away in his tiline.
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