The air in the hospital room was thick with a tangible sense of anticipation. Val, Zahra, Francis, and I stood before Sigma. Sigma, in her catatonic state, was still trapped in a straight jacket, her vacant eyes staring into nothingness.
Val touched Sigma's forehead with two gentle fingers before closing her eyes. Tears streamed down Val's face, a mixture of sadness and relief. She had seen what had become of our friend and it was heartbreaking. But in that moment, something changed. Val's tears transformed, as if by some mystical force, into tears of joy.
Sigma slowly leaned forward, as if struggling against the restraints of her straight jacket. Her voice, weak and trembling, stuttered as she finally uttered her real name, Michelle Evanston. We couldn't believe what we were witnessing. Sigma, our dear friend who had been lost to us, was slowly emerging from her catatonic state.
With a renewed sense of hope, Sigma spoke, her words laced with urgency. "You need to stop running," she said, her voice barely a whisper. We exchanged puzzled glances, wondering what she meant. We had been on the run for so long, hiding from the dangers of the war that had consumed our lives.
Val, wiping away her tears, nodded solemnly. "I won't run anymore," she promised, her voice filled with determination. "The war's finally over."
As Val's words hung in the air, a silence filled the room, broken only by the distant hum of hospital machinery. We stood there, still processing the weight of Sigma's words and the revelation of her true identity. What had Sigma been running from all this time? And why did she choose this moment, in her fragile state, to tell us this?
That's when Val told us the rest of her story. Valencia Valentine was a pseudonym she used to hide her real identity in every reality she visited. Valentine was her late mother's maiden name. Her mother's full name was Rica Valencia Valentine. Val wanted to use her mother's name to spook UMOTE every time they heard that name, like a boogyman/ghost. At first, Val's fear factor as low until she met Erin. In her own universe, the Lunninghams didn't exist and nor did their children. However, they exist in other parts of her universe because of the Lunninghams in ours.
Erin augmented Val's body with what she lady could now do, seeing her mission to stop UMOTE as noble. Erin's reason for helping Val was based on her deep-seeted hatred for the Hill-Adega family and all that belongs to her brother. UMOTE, to a certain extent, is an ally of Lunningham through Ivon and his doppelgangers. I couldn't help but realize that the Lunningham's influence ran deep through many realities and every other powerful entity was either for them or a third party. Still, it was UMOTE that made our lives miserable with these charges against us.
I stood before Val, feeling the weight of disappointment settle heavy on my shoulders. She had tried her best, I knew that, but it wasn't enough. The false charges against my team and I still loomed over us like a dark cloud, threatening to tear apart our livelihoods.
"Val, I appreciate everything you've done," I said, my voice laced with regret. "But without concrete evidence, we're still at the mercy of those who seek to tarnish our reputation."
Val lowered her gaze, her apology hanging in the air between us. "I'm sorry, Othniel. I truly believed I could prove your innocence, but the matter won't be an issue anymore."
"Explain?" I demanded. Her suddenly relaxed demeanor over this subject was a bit suspicious.
"Zyra will find what she's looking for on her own." Val answered. "And when she does, Mwongo won't be able to roam freely throughout Rayloria or anywhere on the Lunar plane for that matter because he will be on Rayloria's Most Wanted list."
But even as we vowed to bring Mwongo to justice, I couldn't help but feel weariness settle over me. Years of chasing criminals through time had taken its toll, both physically and emotionally. My body ached, and my mind longed for respite.
"Maybe it's time we take a leave of absence," I mused, my voice tinged with exhaustion. "We've dedicated our lives to the TTA, but it's taken so much from us. Maybe it's time we take care of ourselves."
Francis and Zahra, my loyal teammates, exchanged glances, their weary faces reflecting my own sentiments. They had fought alongside me, risking everything for the sake of justice. It was only fair that they have a chance to heal as well.
"You're right, Othniel," Francis said, his voice filled with resolve. "We need a break. Our bodies and minds can't take much more. It's time to focus on ourselves for a while."
A sense of relief washed over me as I realized that I was not alone in this decision. We had been through so much together, and now it was time to prioritize our own well-being. Speaking of just that, my mind quickly went to Val's parents and the Evanstons from our reality.
"My father and your Evanstons are safe in PowerLand." Val said cheerfully.
What exactly was PowerLand and how could we get there? At the moment, we couldn't afford another detour.
"I just have a few more questions." I started. I needed to know more about Val for my own personal benefit.
"You must like spoilers, huh?" Val joked.
"Mildly." I retorted.
"Is the Val in our timeline friend or foe?". The questioned burned in my mind. If this unknown Val was anything like the one we've worked with, I would like to know who she was. A lingering thought whether or not she was valiant like this one or evil like Chris poked at my soul.
"Don't worry about her." Val assured. "She hasn't been born yet. Nor have her parents met."
"Then why use her family's history as your own?" Zahra sounded confused.
TTA once knew Val to be the daughter of Kayleen and Durk Daryl, as what Silas reported to his Doctor Chronos. Even down to who she was hunting was a stretched truth. Yet there really wasn't a difference between Mwongo and Wongo. Also, who's to say our Ivon took the title of Lord Emmanuel after learning of the untimely demise of his alternate reality doppelganger? Knowing the truth now, I still wondered where in the multiverse that particular Val was.
Though it seemed this Val used that family's history to hide her own for safety reasons, realistically, what she did could've jeopardized the existence of her alternate reality doppelganger. However, I believed she had contingencies in place to make sure that never happened. Then it dawned on me—GUB through UMOTE tried to assassinate her grandparents in our reality but TTA stopped the attempt. Clever lady!
"I don't anymore." Val sighed in relief. "By the time this Val is born in your world, no one will have remembered where I came from except you three, Zyra and Sigma."
"So you've met this other Val already?" I deducted.
"Of course!" Val laughed. "And she's also in TTA like we are!"
Interesting! Having Val with us piqued my curiosity—such a powerful being made possible by the ingenuity of Erin Lunningham. Ermm… Erica Lunningham. Alas, it was now time to let her and all those of this Rayloria rebuild their world. Clearing our names was of most importance now. So, we left back to our reality to face our justice system. I wanted to trust Val's word. Expecting the worse but the latter would soon be only in the recesses of my mind with what came next.
"Innocent of the Treason charge." The jury unanimously decided.
The court roared in sighs and other sounds of relief. Zyra called us into her oval office to speak with us at length what she found. It was as Val suggested—someone who had ties to the GUB falsified the charges. There were several moles within her government that needed to be removed and after doing so, the charges against us were found to be only a ploy to remove a powerful piece off the board against our enemies.
Zyra began to speak, her voice filled with gratitude and intrigue. She revealed that she knew Val had something to do with the court deciding in our favor. Val, always one step ahead, had orchestrated a plan to help us escape the clutches of a kangaroo court, thus leading to a mistrial.
But Zyra's gratitude came with a somber realization. Val's top priority was to rebuild her own reality, a task that required all her attention and resources. While she had helped us, she couldn't afford to be caught up in our drama any longer. The best she did was point Zahra in the right direction with the resources she currently had.
As Zyra and Sigma thanked us for our bravery and dedication to justice, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions: Relief at our newfound freedom, gratitude for Val's assistance, and yet a lingering sense of unease. Why? I knew UMOTE and their allies would try again. Either against us personally or threaten Rayloria's utopic borders with their evil. None of us could ever let our guard down ever again.
The energy in the room shifted drastically as Zyra looked at me and said, "Othniel, I have a surprise for you." Before I could utter a word, she continued, "All of you can take a vacation from your official TTA duties. All of you deserve it."
My heart skipped a beat as the idea of a well-deserved break from the demanding world as a time-traveling detective. The weight of my responsibilities seemed to lift off my shoulders. I couldn't believe my luck, and a smile spread across my face.
"Oh, and by the way, Zahra is two months pregnant with your child." Zyra said coyly.
My eyes widened, and my mind raced to catch up with this unexpected revelation. It felt like the universe was showering us with blessings beyond our wildest dreams. I looked over to my love and she gave me an innocent look, folding her arms and biting her lip.
"I was gonna tell you sooner or later." Zahra said in a warm tone.
Zyra couldn't resist teasing us about the antiquated Nairan Code. Under its defunct laws, Zahra and I would have faced severe consequences for our relationship. But times had changed, and we were free to embrace this new chapter in our lives.
To commemorate the joyous occasion, Zyra suggested a makeshift wedding ceremony before we embarked on our vacation. Government officials, along with our fellow TTA agents Francis and Sigma, gathered as witnesses. It was an unconventional affair, but love knows no boundaries, and it was a moment of pure happiness.
With our vows exchanged and our love sealed in the presence of our loved ones and co-workers, Zahra and I embarked on our much-deserved vacation along with a trusted companion, Francis. The days were filled with laughter, love, and anticipation for the new life growing within Zahra's womb.