CHAPTER 4 - Unchanging Fate

A car came for Rodney in a few minutes. In complete silence, they were taken to the outskirts of the city to his prestigious home.

It was not the mansion that Marie expected but it was still impressive.

They entered without any ceremony or disturbance, following Rodney's lead. He took them to a greenhouse, where they met his mother.

They looked like total strangers when their appearance were to be compared. Her flame colored hair and green eyes made it visible to anyone.

She left the plants and hugged him.

"Where have you been?", she asked, "Your teachers called asking about you."

"Where's father?".

"He's in the minor observatory.", she replied immediately, ignoring the fact that her question remained unanswered.

He escaped from her embrace and left her, signalling to Marie and Sam to follow.

They went back in and after a series of corridors and staircases with barely any elevation, the only thing Marie was sure about was that the apparent size of the house from outside was grossly deceptive.

Rodney stopped at a small door and knocked. He didn't wait for a response. He entered shortly after and politely greeted the man they met inside and introduced him to Sam and Marie as his father. He also gave a brief account of their discussion while Marie stared slack-jawed.

However his father did not say a single word. He sat in silence until Rodney stopped. After which he rose from the desk and walked towards him and asked,

"You want to leave school to pursue the leads?".

Rodney nodded.

His father smiled, "Done, I'll tell Rachel to inform the teachers."

It was expected but Marie still felt befuddled, "By Rachel, you mean the principal?".

As if he just noticed their presence, he looked surprised at the sudden outburst. He appeared to be thinking about what to say.

"I see that Rodney didn't tell you anything.", he finally declared, "Always too careful, but I suppose it's better to err on the side of caution."

The second part was added quickly when he caught the beginning of a protest forming on his son's face.

Deciding that Rodney and his father held too much of an influence on each other, Sam proposed that they converse without Rodney.

His father accepted and Rodney left without any protest.

Marie was enthralled by his change in behavior, it was proof of his father's greatness. She cleared her mind of unnecessary thoughts.

"What do we have to talk about, the deal is done isn't it?".

"Where do you think Rodney got all his information?", Sam countered.

But his father laughed softly, "It appears you're mistaken, he researched and obtained it by himself. I won't say that being the son of Michael Zimmerman doesn't have anything to do with it but that can also be attributed as one of his abilities."

Sam and Marie didn't hear anything past the casual name dropping.

"You're Michael Zimmerman, the revolutionary who changed the meaning of software and redefined programming.", Marie asked to confirm.

"I thought he'd be the one asking such, given that he's carrying what is probably one of my laptops.", Michael said.

Sam was dumbstruck, "That's not all Marie, there's rumors which are more than just rumors that this man has the power to do anything in the world, he has a hand in everything."

"I wouldn't take those rumors too seriously.", he said in a manner that implied the opposite.

Sam muttered , "That explains why he has so much respect for you."

"You really know nothing about him" , he sighed,"It's a shame, and he's taken interest in you two... Those type of things don't impress him, he's the real deal, me.... I'm just a cheap imitation, if my son was taken he'd be wrecking havoc in the playground".

"You sound like you wish he was.",Marie said.

"We all do, not only because that's what he wants but because he belongs there, this world does not favor those with too much talent."

Marie was going to ask another question when he waved his hand and the room became dark.

"Play the video,..... I'm sure you're at least aware that they were chosen by DNA and that the leaders of the world have been 'convinced' into thinking that it's best to pretend nothing has happened."

"We didn't know about the second one."

"So that's why the police wouldn't do anything about my brother."

Just when the video was about to begin, he paused it, "Your brother was taken?"

"She's still in denial, drop it.", Sam answered for her.

"I see", he said resuming the video, not giving Marie time to say her mind which could also be because she was curious about the video.

Michael Zimmerman appeared.

"Hello Father."

Marie's mind went blank.

Sam on the other hand guessed what it meant and knew he was correct but was rejecting it.

"I wished to play a final game with you, it is also a test that my companions proposed to me."

Sam noticed an evil smile quite different from his father's and it betrayed his age. Sam estimated that the man in the video should be in his twenties.

"Contained in the package is a few numbers you might have deemed senseless, those numbers are a date."

The man now seemed to be enjoying himself.

"The day you die, you and Mother would board a plane and it would crash resulting in your death."

"To think he referred to me as mother instead of 'that woman'.", his mother said with unveiled glee.

When did she come in?

No..... More importantly they're being too calm about this.

"What you choose to do with this is entirely up to you."

The video ended.

"We received that exactly 3 years and 365 days ago, tomorrow is the scheduled date", Michael added.

Marie was about to ask a question but she was interrupted by something else. It was a female's voice declaring that Michael had a video call.

"Right on time.", Michael said, "No pun intended."

Twenty-somethingish Rodney appeared on screen again.

"Hello everyone, it seems that I'm right on time, No pun intended".

His eyes narrowed as he looked at Sam and Marie, "It's nice to see you two alive and well, I bring news of death to you too, tomorrow you will die in the same manner as my parents."

"Nice try," Sam said, "But we don't have any scheduled flights."

"Pardon me, I forgot to mention what was happening, remember I said that the leaders were coerced to ignore the Playground?", Michael said.

"Well, a 'brave' man decided to convene a summit in a secret location.", Rodney's mother added.

"'Brave' is overkill, Thea, but that's pretty much it, normally I wouldn't have gone, someone who can pop people around the world isn't to be taken lightly.... You'd expect the 'secret' location to become not so much of a secret when the world learns about a 'terrorist' attack ".

" You still have time to change your mind, father".

"What does this have to do with us? ", Sam set them back on track.

"Of course after the summit, there will be a conference in a different location, several journalists will be in attendance and you were chosen since you're already on the case".

He has no reason to lie.

No wait, he has every reason to.

He's doing this as an experiment, not out of the goodness of his heart.

If he has one.

"Thanks for the warning then, we'll drop a career making opportunity to save our skins.... What else?

You save your parents and then what?

Isn't this creating a paradox?",Marie asked angrily, she had begun with sarcasm and somehow all her pent-up frustration was released on the bastard who looked way too happy about announcing their death before they could even take in the wonderful situation that they were in.

" Paradox?", he reapeated, "And so what?"

He looked like he was holding back laughter.

"Who says that the decisions you make aren't already set, maybe they lead to this situation.... The point is, I told you.... Do what you want".

With that the video feed was cut. They heard laughter and Rodney's voice continued, "Kat, I'm done, I'm totally winning this bet by the way".

A woman's voice was heard reprimanding him, "Idiot, you only stopped the video".

Then there was silence.

"Then....", Marie began but she was interrupted for the third time.

"Sorry about that, that was in bad taste, anyway have fun with your lives, the duration depends solely on you".

They turned to Marie, expecting her to continue but she had completely forgotten what she wanted to say.

"I'm taking the natural course and preserving my life", Sam declared.

"Of course, of course," Michael said off-handedly.

"Oh... And just let me add that you aren't guaranteed to survive, our inspections led us to believe that the crashes weren't ordinary..... Obviously.... It was probably the work of.... What was he called then.... Or she or it or they", he laughed nervously.

"Buzz off idiot, we need to talk, if you interrupt again I swear to God I will go to whenever you are and beat the crap out of you", Marie shouted hysterically.

"Jeez..... fine.... Kat, disconnect it".

"I'm doing the same as Sam", Marie said, "You want to die, right?"

"Yes", Thea replied like they were having a conversation about the weather.

"You think this is his game and that the answer is to die so that the future doesn't change?"

"That is our answer".

"I don't understand".

"Exactly, but he's our son".

"I..... You.... Who's going to take responsibility for him?".

Thea stared at her like 'Are you seriously asking that'.

"We understand what we're asking, but we have made arrangements, he didn't tell us four years ago for no reason, you will quit your jobs tomorrow and you will be the richest person to ever walk the earth within a month",Micheal said.

"What the heck is going on?", Marie asked.

"Reality died yesterday, that's what I thought but this has been going on for much longer".

"Did you also know about the playground?.... How do we know he's not involved?..... He clearly has superior technology and he left out his past self", Marie said.

Sam agreed with Marie, she made sensible deductions for a change.

"I was wondering if nothing sensible came from your lips," Thea said, "You're right, you can't trust him, but you get to watch over him, if you're right, you'll find out.... Or you might be able to change that, what that may cause is up for debate however".

"This is so stupid, accepting your death like that", Sam said.

"To think you'd object, I'm getting more confused about your characters the more we talk.... It's stupid, but it's still not certain also, if the flight is successful, we'll return without attending the summit but I doubt that'll happen", Thea said.

Sam turned to Michael but he appeared to be of the same mindset.

"It goes without saying that Rodney does not need to know any of this, don't forget that you're also watching him not just watching over him", Michael said.

"He's going to get suspicious", Sam said.

"I know, but he won't ask too much, so don't say too much..... How do you think we can have this conversation leisurely when he's hanging around here?".

"Then, that's a done deal..... Have a safe trip", Sam said maliciously.

"You too", Thea replied with a sly smile.

"We're not going anywhere"

"Didn't you hear?... Your safety isn't guaranteed anyway."

Sam and Marie met Rodney outside the room, Marie had a brief panic that he overheard them but it was destroyed when the door shut.

The hallway was totally silent.

"We're going to obtain eyewitness reports of the disappearances", Rodney said already walking away.

Sam froze for a moment.

He came here to settle his personal issues and hopefully obtain a few answers but it seemed that he only got three more questions for every incomplete answer he got.

Everyone knew more than they were saying and he had just received invaluable evidence that nothing so far had been a coincidence.

He stared at the boy's back for a minute before walking silently. He was interested in the puzzle but more than anything else...

I hate this feeling that I'm being played.

**********************************

Ein had made his suggestion, it was more of an order.

"From this moment, until the end of the game, surrender your will to me".

"Man..... He's at it again", Stein said but his face betrayed his true emotions.

He snapped his fingers at Newton and took the ball to Schrodinger and grabbed her left arm, she reluctantly accepted it but he didn't let go of her arm. She launched it and like before Newton appeared beside the ball, she pushed it with her open palm.

It's target was Pleiades.

Her eyes widened, she didn't expect to be the target. Taking out the brains is a generic strategy and both teams had ignored it so far. She wondered what brought about the change of heart.

"Pollux, use it".

"You don't have to tell me".

They intend to slow the ball down or speed it up to ruin Pollux' target. They've realized our abilities rely heavily on our vision. But it doesn't matter, our trump card remains , it's time to end this foolishness, you guys really tried, but in the end this only the best you can do... Pollux' true strength comes from overloading her abilities. It's almost like a cheat, I doubt Newton's ES will be enough to make it through.

Then she noticed Stein and Ein holding Schrodinger's hands.

What are they planning?

Do they know what's coming?

She fought against the rising panic and realized the ball was still heading for her.

Why is it moving slowly?

Einstein?

Adrenalin?

Pollux screamed and the entire field froze, even the ball with its velocity protected by Newton's First Law stopped.

Everything on the field was pulled towards her, Ein was still smiling like it was all going according to his plan.

That smug look will change soon.

Blood trickled from Pollux's right nostril, it was obvious that she was trying to go beyond her limit.

Coulomb gaped dumbly, he never imagined that someone could actually do something like this when it was obviously not going to work.

Seriously, she's watched too much.....

His thoughts were interrupted by the fact that the force pulling them had weakened.

Well, she did stop the ball..... I guess th...

He was suddenly pushed backwards with a force greater than the one that took him forward.

He felt his legs leave the floor, even his reflex to create an electric charge on the floor I didn't slow it a bit.

He was leaving the field, he noticed Ein, Stein and Newton trying to fight back like him but it was pointless they were already out.

They were still flying through the air towards the walls of the arena, Pleaiades and Antares were sharing the same fate on the other side of the....

Field... Where is it?

The green field wasn't below them as expected.

He heard Ein and Stein declare as they held hands,

"Orion, This is our victory".

He couldn't find Schrodinger.

Schrodinger was probably knocked out first given that she had no way to stop it.

As his back touched the walls of the arena, he realized that Schrodinger was probably still in the field, somehow.....they had entrusted the game to her.

The walls broke and they were still moving away from the arena.

"What a powerful move", he heard Newton say beside him.

He then remembered the cost of the power. From the way she looked, she's probably not going to be able to move for a while.

I see, so we win.

Wait.... Human bodies aren't designed to fly through walls and were going to sustain even more damage when we fall.

Finally relieved of the tension, fear of death took hold. He scrambled in the air for a few seconds before noticing the serenity on the faces of his team.

They landed near the city they came from. Ein, Stein and Newton were unscathed while Coulomb suffered several bruises and a dislocated finger. He was only able to weaken his descent unlike the others who stopped completely.

He pulled his bones back in place and asked Ein and Stein to explain how they stopped Schrodinger.

"We froze her position in space and time."

"We made her temporal and spatial coordinate variables an absolute value."

Stein answered immediately but his brother corrected him shortly after.

"That's what I said!".

"Mine sounds better!".

"Let's get back on track here, so that's why she disappeared, she didn't exist in those moments....but why space also?".

"That's how it works, I need Ein to freeze space and he needs me to freeze time."

Two as one, huh?

"Why haven't we seen a Victory message.",Newton asked.

"Maybe we're too far or something."

"You don't sound confident in your own words, maybe Pollux's is still standing".

Stein was shot down immediately by his brother but this time, an unpleasant chill descended on the team.

"Anyway, let's get moving."

"Yes, we should see the message soon."

"Schrodinger won't lose."

"Yup, Pollux can't stay up for too long."

They gave themselves empty words of consolation and started their journey towards the arena again.

They made it within 2 hours because they did not stop to rest or slow their pace. Their tension built with each passing second that the message didn't appear and so their nerves were taut.

They met Zubeneschamali waiting there.

The field was still not visible.

Stein proposed that it probably transported them to a different location so that multiple teams could play at any given time.

His hypothesis wasn't disputed, it was actually more like they had no interest in it.

And so another hour passed.

==========================

Within the field, immediately after her team was knocked out Pollux picked the ball and threw it at Schrodinger but she dodged it.

Schrodinger was impressed with her opponent's conduct. She was clearly moving on sheer will power. She should have been unconscious after pulling such a stunt but she still moved.

If hrr drunken flailings could be described as movement.

Schrodinger decided to end it in a hit.

She picked the ball and aimed for her opponent's head.

Pollux saw the ball coming, she tried to move but her body protested against the indiscriminate violence it was forced to bear. She knew she would probably pass out if she moved too much. Knocked out in another meaning.... She was sure that statement referred to both types of knock out.

There was only one thing left to do, she forced herself to use her ability again.

"Why are you fighting so hard?".

"I don't want to give up."

"You'll lose anyway."

"Maybe I will, maybe I just might win..... I won't know unless I try."

Jesus, every single last one of them. Acting like naive protagonists ever since we got here.

She sighed.

I guess I don't really hate that.

"You can always take the test again."

"You're probably right, but there's also the chance that we might be banished from this world for losing.....I don't really care about that though, I just want to know that I gave it my best even if I lose."

Schrodinger didn't even dodge, the ball barely made it over the net.

She tossed again.

And again.

And again.

=========================

Outside the field, Pleaiades arrived with Antares and met Ein and his team waiting with Zubeneschamali.

The long wait eased the animosity between them and soon Antares and Pleaiades were talking too.

After roughly 30 minutes, they heard the sound of glass breaking. Two figures appeared, the one standing exhausted, the other unconscious and in dire need of medical attention.

Stein ran towards Pollux and immediately disappeared with her. The tale was obvious. The arena became silent.

"Why didn't we just teleport here?", Ein asked out of the blue, breaking the ominous silence.

Coulomb was impressed with what was either inability to read atmosphere or indifference, whichever it was, it was on a cosmic scale.

Schrodinger still managed to hit Ein even with her exhaustion.

It was absurd that she was exhausted despite fighting an opponent in that state.

A few minutes later, Stein reappeared.

"I took her to a doctor in the town we came from."

"That much is obvious, more importantly, we still haven't seen our win message."

"Let's go to the town with team Orion."

"What are you saying all of a sudden,Coulomb?....I'm not going anywhere unless Stein teleports me there."

"Well then, goodbye Ein."

"Newton too?....what's going on here?"

===========================

After 3 days, Pollux woke up. Both teams rushed to meet with her. The tale of her battle was common knowledge among the Savants due to a new upgrade from the last battle.

The savants were granted access to the other world's net and in addition a closed net system for only Savants duplicating every function of the first down to social media.

However, Pollux's battle was only number 2, the top was in a different league.

"You're too reckless", Pleaiades said.

"I'm sorry."

"Making us worry like that."

"We didn't have to win there you know?"

Zubeneschamali and Antares added.

"If you had just given up, you could have taken the test again but it's too late now.....the test had a time limit.",Ein chirped.

"We can't go any higher?", She asked in disbelief,"Why didn't you go without me? "

Zubeneschamali avoided her gaze.

And the other two did so as she turned to them.

Then they all repeated her words.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry."

Tears dropped from her eyes.

Stein hugged her. No one tried to lie to her that it wasn't her fault.

Their panels appeared in front of them.

The text said it was a message from the creator.

Hey, Savants.... Hope you're enjoying my game. Now that everyone is awake, let's announce the results. Everyone who took the test ONLY once has passed. Also teams that pass get a bonus.

The rest will have to wait until the next game is announced.

'Level 1 - Floor of beginnings : Passed'

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