Clues

“So, what do we know so far?” Aaron asked into his phone.

“Well, two people have tried attacking you and have suddenly disappeared after you miraculously kicked their asses.” Campbell responded.

“Not miraculously, but yeah. Anything else?”

“The holo-thing you made with Miche showed an image of a guy who looked remarkably like you, only confirmed by the fact that Breaker called you Captain. You don’t like to lead anything.”

“I surely do not.” Aaron had just left his class for the day. He had decided to take a trip across campus, and took the opportunity to help get things in order with Campbell. The attacks over the past few days had him confused, but envigorated. He wanted to try to piece together as much as he could.

“I’m not sure if you saw or heard him, but blue flash-y guy showed up again.” Aaron remembered.

“Yeah, I did. I’m not exactly sure what he said, but he helped you out for a second.”

“Right. And before he faded out, he called me Captain. This is eerie.”

“Maybe it’s time travel,” Campbell suggested.

“Not possible. Too many theories. What if it’s like an Age of Apocalypse thing and whatever they’re trying to do will just end up making another shitty timeline?”

“One, I have no idea what that is. Two, who’s to assume they’re from a shitty timeline? Three, Miche can cast illusions with exploding light and you can make people faint with your mind.”

“Duly noted. So what can you do? Are you my protector?” Aaron smiled.

“Nah, I just like to watch.”

“Dirty. Anywho, that guy… Blink, we can call him, he seemed pretty nice. Nicer than Breaker…”

“At least Breaker was hesitant and didn’t want to harm you (at first…). Rouge on the other hand…”

“Eh, I don’t like using that word. But yeah, she probably would have been happy chopping my head off.”

“I think she actually tried…”

“Yeah…” Aaron’s mind began to wander. He felt a slight tinge of fear coming from someone else. “What is that?”

“What’s what?” Campbell asked.

“Not sure, but…” Aaron looked in the direction of the source. He noticed a young man with an odd expression and began to walk over. The man was nervously stepping backward. Aaron turned to noticed another man, smirking and walking toward the nervous one. “Hold on, Babe. I think I have to handle something.”

“’Kay. Love you!” Campbell said before hanging up.

“Hey, what’s going—“ he asked the frantic young man, before many things hit him all at once. First, the frantic man turned toward him, eliciting a barely audible, “Blink…?” from Aaron’s mouth. Next, he felt the fear in ‘Blink’s mind, which was rather strong, but disorienting. Then, he caught the intent of the smirking man: to kill ‘Blink.’

“Hang on, I can handle this for you,” Aaron sent a telepathic message to ‘Blink,’ which elicited a pair of wide, awe-struck eyes.

“Ahh, I figured I’d come across you on this mission.” The smirker said.

“Whatever you’ve done, or whatever you’re going to attempt to do, is not cool.” Aaron stared him down.

“Ah, attempt. Surely you know better? I do not attempt things. I succeed, I accomplish things.”

“Wow, you sure are cocky.” Aaron shook his head.

“Eh, with due, reason.” The smirker shrugged. “It’s kind of a shame. Not the two-missions-in-one aspect, which will get me some major brownie points. But the you-were-actually-kind-of-cool aspect.”

“Aww thanks,” Aaron smiled. The ‘Blink’ just stared at him.

“What’s wrong with you, he’s going to kill us!” he yelled.

“Relax,” Aaron responded in his head. This will be fine.

“Anyway,” Aaron heard a voice to his side.

“Let’s get this started,” he heard another voice behind him and ‘Blink.’

“Fuck.” Aaron’s expression dropped. “Stay behind me,” he said telepathically to ‘Blink.’ They moved to a position that would allow for easier escape, as the three smirkers closed in. ‘Blink’ shut his eyes while Aaron steadied himself. Suddenly, the smirkers were held in place.

“I didn’t… I can’t do that…” He turned to face ‘Blink,’ whose eyes were firmly shut. Aaron’s mind raced with possibilities.