Chapter 12 – Same But Different : Revised Edition

Dylan’s eyes opened slowly. It felt like his head was about to explode. Around him, he could make out Elle, standing next to a window and Efkan sitting on a chair next to her. They both looked unhappy.
“G…g…guys…” moaned Dylan. Elle’s reaction was happy, yet shocked.
“Dylan!” she screamed, running up to him.
“Are you okay?” asked Efkan. Dylan’s hand grasped his head.
“No,” he said, “I’ve got a massive headache.”
“I know how you feel, but don’t worry, it’ll go away after a couple of minutes,” Dylan nodded and sat back, waiting for the headache to subside in peace. But he was interrupted.

Two figures shrouded in black clothing walked into the room. One was tall and built and wore a dashing tuxedo. He reminded Dylan of Chester.
“Well it’s about time, sleeping beauty,” remarked the tall figure. Yep, that’s Chester alright, thought Dylan.
“Has he just woken up?” the other man asked.
“Yes, and he’s in serious amounts of pain,” replied Elle angrily.
“He deserves it,” said the Chester.
“Chester, be nice, it wasn’t him, it was the other Dylan,” said his companion.
“It’s still the same person, Damien,” remarked Chester sarcastically.
“Wait, what are you guys talking about?” asked a confused Dylan, “There’s another me?” His headache was getting worse and worse the more he found out about the situation.
“You haven’t told him have you?” asked Damien, looking at Efkan and Elle, who both shook their heads. Damien remained silent. It was Chester who spoke up.
“What is the last thing you remember?” he asked Dylan.
“I don’t know … fighting?”
“Don’t you remember … oh I don’t know, something like a … portal?” asked Damien.
“No…wait, yes I do!” he cried. “It’s kind of fuzzy, but I remember falling through a tunnel. I couldn’t see the sides and I couldn’t see where it ended either. It felt like I was in there forever,”
“Dylan, what you experienced was a trip through time and space,” said Chester.

Henry and Allison

“This should have never happened,” said Allison. Henry remained silent, deep in contemplation. Since the incident, he had stopped using his powers. All he could think of was getting everyone back.

The door opened and two people walked in.
“How have you two been?” asked Thinzar.
“Where are the others?” asked Allison.
“They’re fine,” replied Luisa.
“Henry and Allison, you two have caused a lot of trouble in our universe,” said Thinzar
“What do you mean?” Henry asked.
“We’re asking the questions here. And you will answer us,” said Thinzar threateningly.
”I don’t like where this is going Henry!” whispered Allison.
“Me neither.”

Dylan, Efkan, Elle, Chester, Damien

Dylan stared at Chester in disbelief. “This can’t be happening,” he whispered. “I’m still at the company aren’t I?” he said, laughing nervously.
“No, you’re not.” The voice sounded like Elle’s but when Dylan looked up at her, she looked as confused as he did. “You’re in an alternate universe Dylan,” Their visitor revealed herself and to the room’s amazement, it was Elle, wearing a black skirt and top.
“Efkan, can you please explain to me what is going on?” said Dylan, sounding unusually calm.
“Henry, he …” Efkan seemed unable to continue.
“Yes? Henry, what? Can anybody talk?” Efkan hesitated before he spoke next.
“Before we left, Henry lost control of his powers and he accidentally made a wormhole. He sent us here, all of us. ” Dylan looked like he was about to speak.
“Dylan, there’s more,” said the real Elle.
“More?” Dylan shouted sarcastically. “I’ve just found out that I’m not even in my own world! What could be worse?”
As if to answer his question, Damien turned towards the door and beckoned to someone waiting on the other side.
“You can come in now,” he said. A person dressed in black entered the room. Dylan stepped back, shaking his head. He was too stunned to speak.
“Dylan, listen, don’t be scared.” Efkan said.
“No, this can’t be happening, you’re supposed to be dead!” screamed Dylan, cowering in the corner.
“Dylan, calm down,” said Elle worried, holding onto his arm
“No! He’s dead! He can’t be alive!” Dylan repeated.
“What does he mean by dead?” asked the other Elle.
“Apparently,” said Chester, “in their world, this Dylan, killed him,” pointing towards the figure. The other Elle laughed.
“You serious? Oh, I’ll tell you one thing – nobody can kill Ayman!”

Henry, Allison, Thinzar, Luisa

“How many went trough the wormhole other than you two?” asked Thinzar, looking deep into Henry’s eyes.
“There are the five you have captured – Praful, Aida, Tommy, Win and Khiem – and then there are Janette, Dylan, Elle and Efkan,” he answered
“Eleven?”
“What are you planning to do with us?” Henry asked.
“Oh, that’s simple. We need you to take yourself and all your friends back to where your world,” Luisa answered.
“What do you mean?” fumbled Allison.
“You brought you’re friends here, you take them back out,” stated Luisa with a smirk.

Tim

“Has there been any problems?” asked Tim, while looking though a folder.
“No,” replied a guard, “but that’s what’s bothering us.”
“Are they too quiet? Or are you losing your job?”
“A bit of both,” joked the guard, “you see, normally Level 5 would have dozens of threats and escape attempts in a day, but its Level 4 that’s been causing the most trouble this time.”
“Guess they’ve finally learnt how to give up.”
“Guess so. Sir, you might want to check this out,” the guard said as he gave Tim a folder. Tim read it and looked quizzically at the guard.
“Kiren Hudson, energy manipulation, Level 5. What’s so bad about him?”
“You know that guy that Thinzar and Luisa have been looking for?”
“Yeah?” said Tim as he walked up to Kiren’s cell.
“Turns out, he’s got a twin.”
“A twin?”
“Yeah and they’re not that different,” the guard said as he watched electrical particles surround Kiren, a smirk on his face.

Dylan, Ayman, Efkan, Elle (x2), Chester, Damien

Dylan’s stared at Ayman, momentarily paralysed.
“How did you do it?” he stuttered.
“Do what?” asked Ayman, speaking for the first time. He seemed to enjoy seeing the fear in Dylan’s eyes as he said the next four words.
“Come back to life.”
“You’re in another universe, Dylan, so everything is different,” said Chester, getting frustrated.
“If everyone is here, then where are Praful and Aida?” asked Elle.
“Which ones?” the hot Elle said.
“Our ones,” answered Efkan.
“Praful and Aida have been captured by the company along with the rest of your friends,” said Damien, “except for one. Janette has been captured by Aida and her group.”
“Aida?” said Elle.
“Our Aida. She leads the Bad Company.”
“And she’s going to make our job harder,” said Chester, “Aida is a shape-shifter. If she turns into one of us, she’ll be able to use our powers.”
“What are we going to do?” asked Efkan.
“We can do two things, rescue your friends from the company, or rescue Janette. It’s your choice,” replied Ayman.
“If we rescue Henry and the rest, it would be easier to rescue Janette,” stated Elle.
“No it wouldn’t. Don’t think The Company has no security, they have Dereks all over the place,” said Chester.
“I say we rescue Janette,” said Dylan.
“I agree with Dylan,” said Ayman, “who else is with him?” Everyone raised their hands.
“Just one question,” said Elle, “do we have a plan?”

Janette, Alternate Tommy, Aida, Win, Georgia

Janette had never been through this type of torture before. She felt like giving up, but every time she thought she would, she told herself to stay strong.
“Janette, if you just tell us what we want, we’ll let you go,” said Tommy.
“Go to hell!” whispered Janette weakly. With that response, Win swung a dagger at Janette’s arm. A blood-curdling scream pierced the air.
“Janette, you can make our job easier,” said Aida, “Tell us what you know.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” screamed Janette.
“Fine. You give me no choice. Dylan!” ordered Aida.
“I don’t hurt women,” said Dylan in a strange, deep voice. Janette looked at him, confused. That’s not Dylan, she thought.
‘Tommy!” shouted Aida and before she knew it, Tommy struck out at Janette, knocking her out.
“Take her body back to the cell,” ordered Aida.
“So, you don’t hurt women,” said Tommy, with an evil smirk.
“You’re an exception,” threatened Dylan.
“Guys, now is not the time,” said Win.
“I think she’s right,” warned Georgia. “We’ve got trouble.”

Real Universe People

“How the hell are we going to get Janette, Dylan, Elle and Efkan, when we can’t even get out of these four walls?" asked Win.
“They’re going to release us,” said Henry.
“And what makes you think that?” asked Praful.
“Because we made a deal,” replied Allison
“We’re going to die anyway,” remarked Khiem.
“Guys, don’t give up. It’ll work,” said Allison, trying to sound like she believed what she was saying to them even though she knew that there was only a slim chance of survival.

“We have to get ourselves ready!” ordered Damien.
“Wait, the plan isn’t foolproof!” shouted Dylan.
“Is that what you’re worrying about?” said Ayman, “that the plan isn’t foolproof?”
“Hey, a great man said that if it takes half your life to make a battle plan, you have a 50/50 chance of winning,” remarked Dylan.
“That guy never made a battle plan in his life, and he’s probably never even held a gun,” said hot Elle, while playing around with her pistol. This annoyed Efkan.
“Can you stop doing that, you can shoot somebody,”
“Don’t worry Effy, she’s been holding a gun for nearly five years,” remarked Chester.
“Listen up everyone!” said Ayman. “This mission is going to be pretty dangerous. We’re risking our lives to save Janette in a place full of other dangerous villains,” he gave Damien, Elle and Chester a meaningful look. “Remember, stick together, get in then get out.”
“Let’s go,” said Damien
“Dylan!” whispered Efkan, “I have a bad feeling about this!”
“Me too.” He whispered back. “I just hope we get Janette and get out of here.”
“Hey guys!” whispered Elle.
“What!” said Dylan.
“I have a bad feeling about this!”
“No shit, Elle!”

Janette

Janette was scared, she had never been in this kind of situation and no matter how many escape routes and diversions she could think of, none seemed to work. Why is this happening to me? She thought, why do I have to go through all this trouble when I don’t even know the answers to their questions?
At that moment, Janette heard a sound from the wall in front of her. As she walked up to the wall, the sound got louder.
“Hello?” Janette whispered, “Is anybody there?” The sound stopped. And a voice arose.
“Who is this?” The voice sounded calm and relaxing.
“My name is Janette, who are you?” Janette asked.
“Janette? What are you doing here? I thought you were at the Company!” the voice suddenly sounded surprised.
“I’m not sure, all I remember is watching a fight, then getting thrown through some portal. I landed somewhere in the city.”
“So you were in the middle of the battle?” the voice asked.
“Yes. Wait, you haven’t answered my question yet. Who are you?”
“I’m the person that you got locked up.”
“I don’t remember anything like that happening.”
“Don’t act dumb!” the voice shouted.
“If you tell me who you are, I’ll probably remember!” Janette shouted back.
“So you don’t remember …” There was a pause before the voice spoke again. “My name is Jason. Do you remember now?”

Written by: Ayman Toufali