Chapter 1

Jason sprung to life as his alarm rang out filling his room; he begrudgingly reached over to turn off the godforsaken noise and briefly glanced at his phone to notice that he had about an hour to get ready for work. moaning as he ripped himself away from the warmth of his bed's embrace as he heard the coffee machine spring to life in the other room before he quickly made himself busy getting ready for the day. half an hour later as he was about to sit down to enjoy his coffee a loud and obnoxious bang filled his peace-filled room as Johnathan knocked on his door. Jason stared at the door almost annoyed before rolling his eyes and getting up and answering it, the door swung open abruptly stunning Johnathan who was in the middle of raising his fist to knock again.

"Mathews' Residents how my I help you this fine morning," Jason said coyly as he smirked almost proud of himself

Johnathan sighed before replying "we are hosting a fundraiser for Alex's campaign tonight at the family Manor I took the liberty of having your old suit washed all you need to do is pick it up from the cleaners on your way home; Alex made it pretty clear that he wants all of us present for this.

Jason still half asleep and in no way interested in attending some shindig for the rich and powerful replied "I'll see what I can do, but if I can't make it do give our brother my best regards, I'm sure he'll make a fine senator"

"At least try to make it, please?" Johnathan said as he stepped back exasperated and not in the mood to pick a fight right now

"I'll see what I can do," Jason said

As he shut the door and the mail that had been stacking up on the table blew off and as he went to pick it up, he noticed an old letter addressed to him and sealed with a wax seal. "that's odd" he thought to himself. Receiving a letter from someone of status wasn't exactly rare for him, but none of the ones he knew where anywhere near eccentric enough to go through the trouble to of using a wax seal. Examining the crest, he started to open the letter when the phone rang. he quickly stuffed the letter into his jacket pocket and grabbed his mug and phone and headed out the door. There was no need to answer the phone as he knew well enough it was his coworker calling to get a head start on annoying him for the day. and he knew he would have to listen to the lunatics' ramblings of Cryptids, Aliens, & other strange Phenomena. Walking passed his now almost fully restored Challenger in the garage he rubbed his hand over the Metal as if to reassure the car that he had not forgotten it. and he continued his walk to the bus station Pulling a cigarette from its box in his pocket and lighting one up, he inhaled deeply as the smoke mixed with the cool autumn air soothed both his lungs and his mind. he reached the bus station just as the bus was opening its doors to summon the waiting passengers into itself, as the elderly man smiled from behind the cockpit. Jason took one last inhale before crushing the cigarette beneath his boot and taking his seat on the bus. He arrived at the Lab and did his work with little incident honestly the day was like any other rather boring and remarkably Pointless. or at least it was in Jason's Opinion. honestly, he wasn't sure who the benefactors for this current project were, but they clearly had more money than understandings of physics. the main goal of the Project was to split Reality or rather Bend it so that it folds into another theoretically creating doorways between worlds but that was the Problem it was all theoretical and no physical evidence could ever even confirm the existence of other realities let alone create a doorway between them but none the less he carried on covering every theoretical possibility one at a time until they either ran out of possibilities or funding but after 5 years of the project running and the Government now subsidizing funding both the possibilities and the funding seemed infinite not that he really minded though. it was job security and failure was smiled upon, as the hand full of breakthroughs they had actually made where mostly due to miscalculations and where truly accidental discovers. but that's the way it goes when you insist on dabbling with pseudoscience. thought Jason, as he glanced at his watch realizing he was already 5 min past time to clock out. as he grabbed his stuff and headed out the door, he was greeted by his Sister In-law, Sarah. Chuckling to himself

Jason said "Alex, must be pretty serious about me showing up if he sent you all the way down here to escort me"

"Well considering you haven't made a public appearance in nearly 3 years and the rumors still circulating regarding your mental state since the accident are getting out of hand, he felt that prolonging your return to high society would be detrimental" Sarah replied

"Detrimental? To Me or His Election campaign, I wonder? said Jason coldly

"Well," said Sarah, "you can ask him that yourself"

in no mood to cause an altercation Jason sighed as he got into the passenger seat and glanced to the back of the vehicle to see his nephew clicking away at his Gameboy all dressed up in a 3-piece suit that in no way hid the fact that he was still an 8-year-old hellion that was only minutes away from creating enough chaos to raise the dead. Looking further back he noticed that his suit had already been retrieved from the cleaners.

"Well, there goes my escape plan," he said Jokingly motioning to the suit

"You didn't think it was going to be that easy to get out of this did you?" Sarah said while Laughing

"A man can Hope"

"That he can, but hope or no hope I don't think you're getting out of this"

"No, I guess I'm not," he said as he settled into the seat

as they Pulled Up to the Manor, Jason quickly excused himself to the Study to Change his clothes and gather himself before joining the early guests in the Ballroom several hours Passed by as Jason's Patience with the dull Personalities of the obscenely rich was beginning to wane. as he was scanning the room looking for the best route outside to indulge his craving for inhaling burnt tobacco but before he could make his move a middle-aged man placed his hand firmly on his shoulder from behind.

"Jason Mathews, I Presume?"

"You presume correctly, and you are?"

"My name is unimportant but if you must, then you may call me Raymond Conary"

"Well Mr. Conary if this is important you will have to join me elsewhere as I'm afraid I have grown tired of the company of my families Peers

Mr. Conary nodded in understanding before following Jason out of the ballroom and into the conservatory.

Jason Cocks his head to one side looking at his newfound companion as he lit a cigarette

"So, Mr. Conary what can the Disappointment of the Mathews family do for you today?"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that title if I was you, Mr. Mathews. I knew your father and as I recall he spoke highest of you"

with an almost Shocked expression Jason reply's "if you knew my father you would know that he quite literally despised me."

"Did he? or did something in your family change 2 years ago?

Jason Stopped mid drag and glared into this man's eyes as he tried to decide how much to tell this Stranger

"Yes, something did happen 2 years ago, although i seem to be the only one up until now that can recall said change, so my question to you is what exactly your game here is Mr. Conary?

"No game lad, i am simply here on behalf of my benefactor to make you an offer"

"Oh, and who might this mysterious Benefactor of yours be?"

"He goes by many names, but you can call him Wednesday, He believes you should have received his letter by now and he would like to urge you to accept his offer before it is too late"

"I believe I know what letter you speak of although I haven't had the time to open it as of yet but i am not in the habit of accepting proposals sent to me from men i have never met before"

"I See, well it seems that perhaps Mr Wednesday was mistaken about you" said Mr. Conary as he turned to leave

"It would seem so" Jason replied

Mr. Conary stopped just short of the door and turned towards Jason one last time "Wednesday said you where rather arogenate but that if it would help you make a choice you should know that not Emily is alive" and with that Jason Spun around to see Mr. Conary's figure disappearing back into the crowded ballroom

Jason considered following after the Mysterious Mr. Raymond Conary before ultimately deciding the better of it.

"well fuck me," Jason said under his breathe "either that man spent a lot of resources to dig up something Johnathan and Alex tried to burry, Or,…" his mind trailed off debating the possibility that this man might actually have answers to a question he had spent 3 years asking himself " regardless I'm in no state to do anything tonight" and with that he made his way to the Private Wing of the Estate and found a bed to turn in for the night. one thing was for certain Jason now had every intent on following this lead to its conclusion no matter the cost. But he could never have Predicted just how high that cost could Possibly be.