Save State Hero -ch25- (Patreon)

Edmund let out a slow breath as the phone rang. Dorothy was calling him.

He’d accepted the invitation from Romina just as he had previously. Everything up to this moment was the exact same so far.

His plan was to push to go on the mission, cancel on Romina with the excuse of the mission, and then go. Going out with Dorothy just wouldn’t come up at all to Romina.

Tapping the accept button, he put the phone to his ear.

“Hey, Dot. How are ya,” Edmund said smoothly. “Also… I’m clearly not dead. All is well. You’re not dead either.”

Dorothy’s breath caught at the direct use of her shortened name, then she let out a soft laugh.

“I am most certainly not dead! Thank you for noticing. It’s rather good news for me that you’re not dead either!

“Though… you’d be surprised how often death can be reversed sometimes. Not always. Not… nearly enough, obviously. Still… it’s always in your best interest to never see if you can come back from it,” Dorothy teased with another laugh. “Clearly it’s all good things, then. That means we should celebrate. Care to join me on a celebratory dinner? I’m in town for the evening. Then I’ll be gone as of tomorrow morning. For a while.”

Edmund cleared his throat as she hit that point in her request. He didn’t want her to ramble off the part afterward.

There was no need to put her through that rambling anxiety again.

Not to mention it was something he could leverage to his benefit.

“Well, we could do that I suppose. But I want to go on that mission with you. So we’ll go to dinner, then I’m pinned to your side till it’s time to leave,” Edmund stated with force. “It’s not something you can stop so I’ll just cut you off there. I know you’re going on THE mission. Capital letters and everything.

“That there’s the possibility of not coming back at all. That’s why I’m going. I’ll be there to help you, Alina, Ryker, everyone. Again… don’t bother trying to fight me on this, it’ll happen one way or the other.”

“I… that… o-okay. Okay. You got it, Edmund. Dinner, pinned to my hip, mission. Just… the mission is going to happen soon. Really soon. Practically after dinner. Will you be okay with that?” Dorothy asked. “But-but I get to pick where we’re going to dinner!”

“That’s fine. Its all fine. I’ll make it work. One way or the other.

“Pick whatever you want for dinner, by the way. I’m paying, but please try not to make it boomer-stuffy. Those fine dinning whatevers just give me the creeps. Something casual where we can make horrible jokes at each other would be preferred.”

“I can definitely do that,” promised Dorothy with fervor.

“Great, I’ll meet you in the lobby at HQ in an hour. I need to go put some things to order before the mission. Like someone watching over Dog and the like,” Edmund stated.

“An hour. Perfect. See you then!” Dorothy squeaked out excitedly and then hung up.

Sighing, Edmund nodded his head and looked to his phone. He wasn’t looking forward to calling Romina for help.

Not at all.

He needed to make sure his stocks were all in a position to grow passively and at a low risk on top of that. That if he weren’t here to manage them, they’d be fine.

On top of that, he needed to make sure bail was available for his sister. To get it somehow ready for her to cash out and get out even if he wasn’t here for her.

He’d already tried calling the court he’d paid at last time, but they gave him the run around endlessly. Only to hang up on him.

There was a lot for him to do and very little time.

***

“Oh… it’s time to go,” Dorothy mumbled almost to herself while looking at her phone. She was sitting directly across from him at the booth they were sitting in.

Edmund couldn’t deny he’d actually had a great evening with her.

The conversation had flowed easily, though it hadn’t been anything noteworthy. Smalltalk and general discussion. Nothing of real interest other than a general feeling out of one another.

“Is it?” Edmund asked, tilting his head to one side. He’d settled the bill a while ago. They’d just been sitting here chatting with one another.

“Yeah. Ryker just texted me the jump location,” muttered Dorothy, tapping at her phone with both thumbs. After a short time she clicked her tongue and then looked to him. “We’ll just go outside and then I’ll open a portal for us. Have you traveled by portal yet?”

“I… ah… portal?” Edmund asked nervously. This wasn’t something he’d considered, yet clearly had to be a possibility.

They’d be going somewhere that time passed differently. That meant that they’d have to leave.

He wasn’t sure if that meant leaving this world, universe, timeline, existence, or what. Just that they’d have to leave in some way.

Apparently that’d be by portal.

“Mm. It’ll be fine. I’m really good at making them,” Dorothy said and then grunted. She took a sip of the glass of water in front of her, set it down, then stood up. “That was great, by the way. Thanks for making time for me. I thought for sure you’d say no but… but I had to try.”

“Surprise, I said yes,” Edmund got out with a chuckle as he stood up and pushed his chair in. “Lead the way, Dot. I’ll be right behind you.”

He was determined to make sure she, Alina, and everyone else, made it back.

Dorothy said something under her breath that Edmund didn’t catch. Regardless of whatever it was she said, it didn’t sound positive, however.

In fact it sounded bitter.

Dorothy led him outside, then turned him around to the back of the restaurant. They’d parked in the back area that wasn’t as crowded.

Walking right up to the car Dorothy didn’t stop. She’d been making small gestures with her hands in fact as they’d got closer.

When they were right up on it she pushed out with her left hand and a spiral of something Edmund couldn’t really identify shot out. It spread out just in front of the car and a strange oval formed there.

One that was roughly seven feet tall or so and four feet wide.

Dorothy walked right into it and to the other side.

Which surprisingly was the Save-state tunnel.

All around him were the endless sea of snapshots in time. Spreading out in every direction as far as he could see.

Just as he’d seen it before.

There was an odd light fluttering around between them. Moving from Save-state to Save-state. Lighting on one, hesitating, then flitting off to the next.

Edmund wanted to ask Oz about it, but this didn’t seem like the time or place.

“I know, the endless blackness gets a bit strange. Scary, even. That light’s been there for a while though,” Dorothy said, pointing off at the fluttering light. “It’s the only thing in here so it’s a bit weird. It paid attention to me once but then just ignored me.”

Err… what?

No Save-states?

“You don’t see anything at all but a light?” Edmund asked, wanting to get absolute clarity on this.

All around them were Save-states.

Endless numbers of them.

It felt almost blinding to him.

“Wait, you don’t see the light?” Dorothy asked, pausing and looking at him over her shoulder.

They’d both entered the portal at this point and it was closing behind them.

“Oh, no. I see it,” Edmund said quickly and pointed at the light. Bobbing oddly along in between Save-states like a lost firefly.

Maybe… it’s Oz? Or like Oz?

Something that helps Save-states or closes them?

“Yeah. That thing. Only thing I’ve ever seen in here,” Dorothy said with a slow shake of her head. Then she shrugged and waved a hand. “It doesn’t bother me and everyone sees it. It leaves everyone alone and stays away from portals.

“It’s not an issue. Ryker saw it and chased it off calling it a bug. No idea what that was about but now it avoids him outright.”

Curious.

I’ll have to ask Oz.

“An echo in reality. It is a non-presence that isn’t alive,” Oz said aloud. “These occur from time to time. There is a great many more of them since the reality shifting event. They tend to vanish when Edmund performs a load on a Save-state.

“Edmund need not fear them, though their increase in numbers is disconcerting. It would be advised to not get near them as they cause instability.”

Dorothy popped open another portal in front of them. It emptied out into what looked to be some type of office.

Inside were a great many people Edmund didn’t know.

From a strange man wearing a mask that was half black and half white, to Felix who was standing next to someone who resembled him a great deal.

“Eh? What? Edmund?” asked Ryker. He was standing over a desk and looking down at a tablet in front of him. Beside him was another man with black hair and bright blue eyes.

“Oh, Edmund? Hahaha. Hi! It’s good to meet you, Edmund. Eddy. Ed-boy. I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Runner,” said the man with a wave of his hand. Then he elbowed Ryker in the side. “You didn’t mention he’d be here though. In fact you said quite distinctly Edmund wouldn’t be on this part of the mission.”

“I… yeah. Guess I was wrong,” Ryker confessed looking very confused. He looked away from Edmund to Runner as if to gauge his reaction, then down to the tablet. “Whatever. It’s good to have you here. I’m sure you’ll be of a great help to us.”

Runner stood up and then pointed to the man in the mask.

Sea-green eyes peered out at Edmund from behind the mask.

“The spooky fucker there is Rene,” said Runner. “He’s a hitman assassin thing.”

“Charmed, I’m sure. A pleasure to meet,” the man said in an odd way. “To you who I with joy greet.”

“He does that, yeah,” Runner dismissed then pointed at the man next to Felix. He was big with green eyes and short dark brown hair. He had the look of a man that preferred hitting things. “That’s Vince. Felix’s cousin. They call themselves brothers though. Whatever.”

Vince nodded his head at Edmund but said nothing.

“Those two are father and son. Sam and Alex,” Runner grumbled and flicked a hand at the two rather handsome men in the corner of the room. They’d been talking to one another and mostly ignoring everyone else.

Both men looked to Edmund and smiled at the same time.

He was struck momentarily by the fact that both were almost too handsome to exist. Not to mention that he felt a lot like he’d stepped in front of a hungry animal for some reason.

Like they were both sizing him up for something.

Then they both went back to talking to one another. No longer interested in him for one reason or another.

“Warnerand Gus are… elsewhere. You probably won’t meet them but they’re working on something else,” Runner continued. “And you of course know Alina and Dot. Since, you know, you came with her.”

Laughing, Runner than made an odd gesture at everyone involved.

“Welcome to the party, I guess. Lotta shit to do, people to kill, rogue AI to put down. Standard hero shit. Whatever,” Runner rambled on and then looked back to the tablet in front of himself and Ryker.

Ooookay.

Okay.

I… yes.

“Uhm, I… really don’t know what’s going on,” Edmund offered up, feeling like the odd one out. “Could someone lend me their notes or just give me the TL;DR version?

“Anything? Happy to be here. Want to be here. Just… really… unsure.”

Runner was looking at him now. A strange look was on his face as he stared at him.

“Uhm… holy shit. Right. I… yeah. Yeah!” Runner declared and then slapped one hand into the other with a pop. “Dot, you take your boytoy here and give him a quick run down. I’ll have assignments done here in a jiffy. We’re just doing some last minute prepwork before we head out.

“And before you ask, Skipper got away. Seville… well, we talked to Seville. It was an interesting talk. We’ll have more to talk about with him later.

“Talking is super preferable to having him going on a rampage. Can’t stop that guy once he gets to a full head of steam.

“Actually… actually, I have the perfect job for you two as soon as you do the run down or whatever. I’ll get that ready, too.”

Alina chose that moment to get up and move away from a young girl she’d been sitting next to and chatting with.

The vampiric angel looked tired and worn out, though well.

“Edmund,” Alina murmured, smiling at him. It was very out of the ordinary for her if he was being honest. This was entirely too much positivity. There was no frown, no scowl, not even a muted greeting. “Good to see you.”

Runner and Ryker had already gone back to what they were doing. Everyone else had also gone back to their own conversations.

“Uh, good to see you, Alina,” Edmund mumbled, feeling unsure all of a sudden. “If you really are Alina. Kinda… too happy to see me, aren’t you?”

Alina hesitated, her face scrunching up around the eyes and brow. As she clearly processed that. Then she puffed out and deflated to a degree, her gaze sliding down to the ground.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been just… angry. Angry at a lot of things. My life kinda shifted really quickly and I’m not… adjusting to it well. Or at least not well enough, I guess,” she confided.

A flickering of memories pressed in at him. Memories of Alina and when she was a vibrant and positive person. In far distant futures where they’d moved past the hurts of what she was currently facing.

“I’ll get you a hazelnut ice-cream when we get outta this,” Edmund offered with a chuckle. “When we get out of this, at least. Now… maybe you two can both give me a run down on what the heck is going on?”

Dorothy and Alina had both moved to exit the building as he spoke. Edmund had of course dutifully followed along. Trailing along behind them and exiting.

All around them looked to be a commercial park that’d gone through what he could only consider as a battle. There were broken bits of building, trees, and road everywhere.

He even saw what looked to be some type of street sign that’d been torn out of hte ground.

“Uhm, it’s really simple,” began Dorothy since Alina was staying quiet. The latter had a smile on her face and was watching Edmund curiously. Dorothy was looking around at their surroundings. “Runner is… Runner is god. Ryker is a god who works for Runner.

“They’re both fighting against another god named Zeus. Not the greek one, by the way. He’s just called that, there’s no actual relation.

“Anyways… we’re fighting that god, with our gods, to kill him. If we win, all is well. If we lose, most of us die.”

Edmund nodded his head.

Then shook it.

Only to end up staring at Dorothy blankly.

That was so boiled down that he was fairly certain he was looking at the bottom of the pot she’d reduced it in. Rather than anything at all being left behind.

“I-that, yeah. Yeah, that’s the gist of it,” agreed with a slow nod of her head. “That’s an extremely condensed version to the point that it almost doesn’t matter but… yeah. It’s a battle of gods. We’re on one side, Zeus on the other.”

“If we lose does he like… wipe out the world?” Edmund asked.

“No? No. No he doesn’t,” Dorothy admitted after a clear moment of reflection.

“Okay. I see. Does-does he enslave everyone? Turn them into batteries? Make them into paste to feed to everyone else?” Edmund asked, his mind churning out science fiction schlock.

“None of that,” answered Dorothy.

“The hell. Are you just spouting off movies?” Alina asked.

“Wait, so… what happens if we lose?” Edmund pushed, ignoring Alina now.

“Runner and everyone around him dies,” Dorothy stated.

“And if we win?”

“Zeus and everyone around him dies,” deadpanned Dorothy.

“In other words… there… are no great stakes here? It’s just… just two gods battling it out? That’s the whole of it?” Edmund reasoned.

“Uhm, yeah?” Alina offered when Dorothy didn’t say anything.

“What happens if Runner dies?” Edmund tried, wondering if this was maybe tied up in godhood.

“We’d be left with Zeus as our god and he’s not a very good one. He’d probably just ignore everything and everyone and let it crumble to dust,” Dorothy growled.

In other words… kind of what the world was already coming to?

It wasn’t like we had a deity interfering for the betterment of mankind, you know.

This feels so weird. I’ve got to be missing something.

If it’s really just a shoving match between two gods, than this is entirely just… a personal grudge. A fight that has people dying on both sides for stakes that’re almost irrelevant.

Nodding his head, Edmund realized he really shouldn’t say anything more to this. To let it be quiet and left alone.

Because if he was being honest with himself, if this really was just a shouting match between two children on a playground, than Edmund really wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was.

He had friends on Runner’s side of the fence for sure, but that didn’t mean he was in the right. That he was the correct choice to support.

Often Edmund had asked why the bad guy didn’t know he was on the wrong side when it came to media. The only answer anyone could give him, including himself, was that they didn’t know any better.

If he were reading this as a book, this’d be the point if he had to wonder if Runner was the baddie, or not. Because in the grand scale of things, it really didn’t seem like it mattered who won.

Edmund would be the fulcrum that could practically guarantee who won the war. That his choice would bring either victory to Runner or Zeus.

“Oh! A convenience store. Let’s go get drinks. I’m thirsty,” Dorothy blurted out while pointing to a building.

Not wanting to argue, and glad for something far simpler, Edmund tagged along.