Countdown, Issue #004

Issue #004 – – – – – controlled by Rene Sawatzki – – – – – Credits 2

Countdown was struck by a moment of rare panic.  The rules by which you could mess about with time were nowhere near as strict as popular science-fiction would have you believe.  He knew this because though he had been dragging creatures from the past to aid him for quite some time, he had yet to experience a sudden change in the future world because of that.  (Of course, it may be that he was creating changes all the time, but that since those changes become the new reality he would never notice – but that was too philosophical for right now.)  Even so, he was pretty sure that you weren’t ever actually supposed to meet yourself.

With that in mind, Countdown froze everything.  Or perhaps “froze” was the wrong verb.  There was no change in temperature.  He simply used his ability to tamper with the local linear field to lock time precisely in its place – like a photographic snapshot.  The effect was limited in scope – in this case, just to the two individuals in front of him and the area about ten feet in diameter around them.  But it gave him a few moments to consider what to do.

That, he looked at the drunken man being held up by Shannon, was definitely him.  No doubt about it.  He didn’t much like the way he looked.  Round stomach, age showing at the eyes and the edges of his mouth, certainly not fit and healthy.  Why had he let himself go so badly?  He could feel the effects of this time stasis wearing away at the pool of energy which was at his disposal.  It was a big pool – he was quite gifted where raw power was concerned – but it was not limitless.  And this particular use of his power ate away at the reserves like no other.

He glanced at the watch again.  It’s hands were still spinning, but had slowed dramatically.  His presumption was that this was some kind of paradox warning.  He wasn’t sure that was the case, but it seemed to fit.  He didn’t know what the consequences would be of a paradox in a remade reality but in his view things were already quite complicated enough without adding that to the mix.  With one last regretful look at the beautiful Shannon Collins, he turned and fled the scene.  It was some comfort to know that at least one version of him had actually got the girl.

When he was well clear of the area, Countdown let the power field fade.  His range was limited anyway and the further he got from the stasis field the greater the toll on him, so it was something of a relief.  What would they think?  That they’d imagined it?  Countdown had no idea.  Nor would he ever, he expected.  He couldn’t risk seeing either of them again.  He’d have to stay away from that part of Madden Heights.  For now, he decided that he’d head towards Downtown.  It had always been the strangest part of the city and he was sure it was a good place to start looking for clues as to how to sort this mess out.

An hour or so later he stood on the quiet streets of the city in the small hours of the morning.  He was in something of a quandary.  He needed somewhere to rest – some base to call home and out of which to operate.  But he had no money and no easy way of making any.  He took the hourglass out and looked at it.  He wondered what would happen if he shook it again.  Shrugging, with no other obvious course of action, he tried it.  Nothing.  “Oh well,” he muttered.  “So much for that.”  Just then his eye caught something in the gutter.  It lay just on the edge of a drain, poised to drop down into the darkness.  Quickly, he rescued it.  A wallet.  He opened it and looked inside.  Officer Philip Lawrence, said the metal badge inside the front flap.  There was also a couple of credit cards, a membership card to a local gym and a couple of hundred bucks in cash.  Countdown smiled: “Things are looking up.”  Just when he needed it – some cash!  Luck?  Or something more?

The linear hero checked into a seedy hotel.  His room was small and the paint was peeling, but the sheets were clean, there was a shower with at least some hot water and it was somewhere to rest.  He’d been able to book a week and still have plenty of cash left over.  Tomorrow he’d continue trying to find out how to fulfil his mission.  But right now all he wanted was a few hours of oblivion.  His head hit the pillow and he was asleep in moments.

“Hello John,” Said the familiar voice.  It was Old Father Time (if that was who he actually was, Countdown decided to presume it was for now).
“Hey,” The hero said.  “You’re talking to me in my dreams?”
“No choice,” The old man smiled.  “It’s the only way I can easily reach you in the new reality.”
“Okay, well I’m here.  It’s completely different.  I don’t know where to start.  How about some guidance?”
“Get yourself settled.  You’ll need some money, but you can get that by using the money you found in the Blue Star Casino and betting on Lucky Sevens.”
“Fair enough,” Countdown said, not doubting this factoid.  “Then I can replace the original cash and return the wallet to its owner.”
“Don’t worry about that,” The Old Man said.  “It’s owner may be a cop, but he’s also a prize asshole.  Forget about it.”
“Are omnipotent powers allowed to say ‘asshole’ ?” Countdown asked.
“I’m not omnipotent,” The Old Man said, “If I were, things would be much easier.”
“Okay, so I get the cash and get settled.  Then what?”
“I’m still feeling my way through all this too,” The Old Man said.  “But from what I can gather you’re going to need to look into the affairs of a big company called the Bull Corporation.”
“I am?  Why?”  Countdown asked.
“Because they are a front for something much larger. They are a key player in all this.  I don’t know exactly how, or why, but they are.  So that’s your job.  To find out.”
“How?”
“I am an ancient power of time and space,” he replied.  “You come to me when there’s a time and space issue to resolve.  You are the superhero,” The Old Man pbserved.  “I come to you when there’s a super-villain issue to resolve.  You have a job to do,” He smiled, not unkindly.  “Go do it.”