Infinite Horizons

Kevin’s hands shook as he lowered his gun slowly. The man in the doorway to the garage was a bloody heap on the ground and though he’d shot Mel, Kevin felt sick to his stomach. He could vaguely hear Grit shouting at him but it felt so far away. It felt like his head was underwater and a rushing sound filled his ears. He squeezed his eyes shut and almost felt like he was floating away before a strong hand gripped his wrist.

“Kid, focus up. Good shots. But the girl needs out of here.” Grit looked Kevin in the eyes and waited until he took one steadying breath and nodded. “Hold the wound.”

Grit lifted Mel’s form off the ground while Kevin pressed a rag against the hole in her side. They moved together to the Rover and were surprised to find Cassia in a tense standoff with a stranger.

“Grit. This man says he’s not Singularity. Could you check him for a weapon?” She kept her own gun trained on the blonde man as Grit deposited Mel in the back seat and nodded to Kevin to continue applying pressure. Trying to keep his mind off his new status as a murderer, Kevin watched Grit meticulously search through the man’s suit.

“Please, I don’t know what the situation here is but I am an associate of Thorn’s. I was expecting to meet with him.” The man glanced into the car at Kevin and his piercing blue eyes looked over Mel. “I’m a trained surgeon. I can help your friend.”

Grit turned and nodded an all clear to Cassia then returned to cover the doorway. Cassia took a look around again before begrudgingly lowering her weapon. She waved the man towards the car and pointed to Kevin.

“You know how to drive?” As she tossed the keys towards Kevin, his face scrunched in annoyance.

“Just because I don’t know anything about all this multiple Earths nonsense doesn’t mean I’m not an adult who can drive a damn car!” Kevin reluctantly allowed the stranger to take over Mel’s care and started moving towards the driver’s seat.

“Other side Kevin. We’re in Europe.” Cassia said like she was talking to a toddler as she got into the passenger seat and checked her gun. Kevin grumbled as he walked around to the right side of the Land Rover and got in. Adjusting the rear view mirror, he saw Grit toss a rolled up Tango into the trunk before diving in himself as another pair of Singularity members rushed into the garage.

“Drive!” Grit shouted as gunfire erupted. Kevin punched the gas and the vehicle burst through the garage door. On the street a handful of surprised Singularity members opened fire and began loading into a pair of black Escalades. Kevin breathed a sigh of relief that the Land Rover appeared to be reinforced with bulletproof glass and gunned it down the street.

“Other side!” Cassia screamed from the passenger seat as she leaned out the window to fire shots back at their pursuers. Kevin lurched onto the correct side of the street, narrowly avoiding a Fiat.

“I understand it’s a car chase but if you could please keep it steady for a moment, I’m trying to remove a bullet.”

“I’m having a rather stressful few days, I don’t need sass from a man I don’t even know!” Kevin turned down a side street and mounted the sidewalk to pass a handful of cars.

“My name is Derrick.” A bloody hand came up between the seats for a handshake and Kevin forced down vomit before shaking his head. Glancing at the mirror, Kevin saw the Escalades round the corner and accelerate to catch up. Grit began firing out the back of the Rover and Kevin returned his eyes forward.

“Oh what the actual hell?” Kevin stared in confusion at what appeared to be a 6 way rounded intersection in front of him. “Is this a roundabout? Why is there a red light!?”

As Kevin slammed the brakes jostling everyone and sending Grit careening into the seats, one of the two Escalades swerved around them and smashed into a Tesla in the intersection. The driver flew through the windshield and hit the pavement with a sickening splatter. Before Kevin could throw up, bullets lit up the side of the Land Rover from the second Singularity vehicle. Kevin hit the pedal and swerved around the chaos unfolding in the roundabout and took a left turn.

“Kevin! One way!” Honks blared as Kevin dodged around cars driving directly at him. He narrowly avoided running over a couple outside a cafe as he jumped the sidewalk to dodge an oncoming sedan. A loud crunch came from behind as Kevin continued to weave around approaching traffic.

“Good work, kid, got the other one off us too.” Grit was now leaning forward in the seat to see if he could help Derrick at all and Cassia patted Kevin on the shoulder with a smile. Kevin took the first turn he could and slowed to match traffic.

“Follow signs for the hospital, I’ll need to get more supplies to take care of her and police will be swarming any minute looking for this vehicle. We’re not out of this yet.” Derrick had pulled the bullet free but was still trying to staunch the blood flow from the open wound. Kevin nodded and looked out for signs.

“Over there. On the left.” Grit was pointing left towards a walled off wooded area. “I saw the sign across that park.”

Kevin maneuvered through a series of small streets until he saw the hospital's underground visitor parking and pulled in.

“Find a new vehicle that will fit us, get her moved over carefully and quietly. I’ll go in and get what I need and meet you back here.” Derrick reached for the door handle as the automatic locks whirred.

“Hold on, we are not letting you go by yourself.” Cassia had turned to face him and her eyes narrowed. “I’ll be going with you, non-negotiable.” Derrick sighed and thought for a moment before nodding his consent. Cassia hit the unlock and the two moved quickly towards an elevator door. Kevin and Grit looked at the unconscious Mel and the amount of blood soaking into the seat and floor. Grit patted Kevin on the shoulder, a gesture that seemed to be the most empathy he could muster and got out of the car.

Kevin followed and the pair had soon identified a sedan with a roomy back seat. Working quietly together, they watched out for witnesses then moved Mel from one vehicle to the other.

“I don’t know how to hotwire a car.” Kevin whispered to Grit as they got into the front seats. The pair looked around the interior.

“Hm. Me neither.” Grit craned his neck to look under the steering wheel. Kevin felt around underneath it looking for wires like he had seen in movies but found nothing.

“Should we try a different car?” Kevin looked blankly at Grit for help.

“How’s that going to be any different?”

“Yeah, I suppose not.” Kevin sighed and leaned back in the seat. He closed his eyes for a moment and wondered how he’d gotten here at all. He had a fine life before but he was surprised to find he didn’t really miss it. He didn’t have any real attachments and he wondered if anybody even noticed he was gone.

“What about this?” Grit opened the glove box and began pawing through the contents, interrupting Kevin’s contemplations.

“No keys in there I suppose?” Kevin said without opening his eyes. Grit gave an affirming growl and Kevin sighed. “Cassia thinks I’m a bumbling idiot. I am, I suppose, but I’m new to all this. I think it’s pretty reasonable to be bad at universe hopping and criminal activity when I was a bowling alley clerk 4 days ago.”

“Hm.” Kevin frowned at Grit’s lack of engagement but didn’t know what he had expected. In the short time he’d known the grizzled veteran he’d learned nothing about him except that he had some kind of pet straight out of Pokemon and he rarely spoke. He turned and looked at Tango curled on the backseat next to Mel.

“Mel seemed to start thinking a little higher of me. They’re both so confident and self-assured. I don’t know what I’m doing here with them, I guess. I feel like dead weight. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. You’re a brick wall, she’s nearly dead, and I don’t know what the hell that thing is.” Kevin sighed and sat back again.

“You know, I got blown to hell in Fallujah once. Half my insides were outsides, nearly lost a leg. I couldn’t speak, barely breathe, but I was awake the whole damn time.” Kevin turned in shock as Grit continued to speak. “You think you’re dead weight? That was dead weight kid. Fella I never met wrapped me in a blanket to keep all my parts together and dragged me through hell. Nearly died himself. But he kept on carrying me because it was right.”

The pair sat in silence for a few moments, Grit apparently done talking. Kevin found himself strangely comforted by the story and he looked curiously at the man next to him. The back doors suddenly opened, breaking the silence, and Cassia and Derrick slid into the back seat. Kevin was startled by Derrick’s appearance, as he settled into his seat, his face shifted and bubbled transforming to the man he’d met less than an hour earlier. When he got in his hair had been a shaggy brown and his face pocked with blemishes. He worked his jaw, trying to form words but Cassia spoke before he could.

“Yes, Derrick has a very useful skillset. Drive, they’re going to notice missing bags of blood.” Cassia began sorting through a tote bag.

“Oh, um. We didn’t know how to start the car.” Kevin swallowed hard and stared straight ahead even as he felt Cassia’s gaze burning into the back of his head. Grit cleared his throat and looked out his window in the uncomfortable silence.

“How exactly were you lot functioning before?” Derrick shook his head and moved into action. He produced a large wallet from inside his suit jacket and pulled out a thin piece of plastic that resembled a credit card and handed it to Kevin. “Put that in the ignition.” Kevin obeyed and turned to watch as Derrick produced his smart phone and began tapping away in some kind of interface. After a moment the engine roared to life.

“Back to the Pathfinder?” Kevin adjusted his mirrors while he waited for a response.

“Straight there and you’d better hope I can figure out your friend’s blood type when we arrive.” Derrick’s quick reply cut off Cassia and Kevin looked to her for confirmation. She was looking at Derrick with something stuck between a sneer and respect before catching Kevin’s eye and giving him a nod.

“Back to the Pathfinder. We need to regroup. If we’re going to save Thorn and fix the folds of the multiverse, we’re going to need to get Mel back on her feet.” She turned and gave Derrick a curt nod and spoke through gritted teeth, “Thank you for your help. It would be mutually beneficial if you traveled with us, I think.”

“It doesn’t seem like I have much of a choice in the matter now.” Derrick hesitated before continuing. “Do you really have a Pathfinder?”