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Author's Chapter Notes:
I thought of a subtitle for this story: A story with needles would be most fitting
21.

It’s my turn to smile. God knows how long I’ve waited for this moment. The little brat! In all my years, I’d never seen so much arrogance and self-loathing at the same time.

And I had seen lots of arrogance and self-loathing. It made for quite a show. Thomas looks terrified. He actually thinks I’m capable of killing him here on the spot.

Good. Let him think that.

It’s the one advantage I have over him; he doesn’t know who I am. Nobody really does. All hell would break loose, that’s for sure, if only they knew. I think Kevin has sensed it, and Nick definitely has a few theories, but the truth, oh the truth. It’s a lot harder to explain.

So complicated…

“Let us start with the formalities,” I begin, ignoring Thom’s vicious eye-roll and carrying on, “Your name is Thomas Harold Burker, correct?”

It takes a few seconds, but he finally nods and mutters, “Correct.”

Behind me, Nick snorts angrily at the small confession. I frown. If this upsets him, wait until he hears the rest.

“You were born on March 22nd 2016, correct?” I keep carrying on, waiting only for Thomas to nod before asking another question.

“But that’s not all, is it?” I growl, tightening my grip on the gun, steadying it once more, “tell me, have you ever wondered about the consequences of forced capture? Were you aware of the danger?”

I can feel the two Backstreet Boys are aching to interfere, to do something about the freak show they are currently witnessing. But considering I still have the gun, and therefore, I call the shots, they are behaving remarkably calm.

“Why should I tell you anything, you already know everything,” Thom spits angrily.

“Innocent lives, Thomas!” I burst, hearing my voice cracking as it rises a few notches, “This isn’t just a game! You’re playing with a man’s life!”

“He’s hardly innocent,” the younger man mumbles and I frown.

“Ah, so that’s what this is really about,” I nod slowly, watching his gaze fall to the ground, “You weren’t just looking for escapes, a free pass, were you?”

Thom’s silence is the only confirmation I need and I slowly lower the gun, suddenly feeling a pang of sympathy. He seems so lost, innocent almost. And maybe, in a way, he still is.

“Mr Carter,” I address and Nick looks up, quite stunned, although it only adds to the overall confused expression on his features, “You see, mister Thomas Harold Burker here was not born under the same name,” I speak slowly, making sure Nick and Kevin hear every word I’m about to say. Looking at him, I can tell Kevin is still trying to decide whether he should scream, or run, or both, but there’s a hint of curiosity that makes him do neither.

“That makes two of you,” Nick mutters under his breath, but still audible.

“He was actually named after his father, Brian Thomas Littrell, and I must say, Thom, you have quite a contorted idea about father and son meetings,” I smirk at the younger one. He stares back at me with a vacant expression. I can instantly tell he’s not going to try and make a run for it. It almost looks like he’s waiting for instructions.

The sign of the defeated.

But it won’t be that easy, oh no, if only. After a few moments, I watch Thom’s face scrunch up in anger and tears as he throws up his arms. “What was I supposed to do?! My whole life! He ruined it! It was his fault!” he screams, out of control now. “So what the hell are you waiting for? Shoot us! Kill us both, it’s the only way to stop it, you know that!”

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The agony surges through my mind everytime Brian tries to take over. I can feel his despair, his anger as he pushes and shoves and claws his way through the solid barrier separating us two. It won’t matter though, I’m used to pain.

But is this worth it?

I’ve asked myself that a lot. I stare back at Roland’s shocked face as he tries to comprehend the words I just spat. He doesn’t think I meant them, but what does he know? He doesn’t have to wake up in pain everyday because someone screwed up his life before he was even able to walk. And all because of him! Of you! I scream, finally shoving Brian back. Although I can’t actually see him, or even really hear him for that matter, I sense he’s still there. I don’t know to what extend our connection proceeds, but if I find a way to shut him up once and for all, so God help me, I will.

“You know there’s another way,” Roland speaks, and he’s probably been doing so for a while, but I only hear half of what he says, “we can just forget about all this, it’s not too late yet.”

I give an incredulous laugh, shaking my head. My mind suddenly goes back to the medical plastic bag Nick and Roland brought with them. I’ve heard stories about forced recapture, but I know it’s just a theory, and Roland knows it just as well. At least I hope it’s just a theory…



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Old fashioned revenge, that’s all that everything really comes down to in the end. I curse every second that passes by in which Thom desperately tries to get a hold of himself. It doesn’t help that there’s almost no scientific information about Forced Capture. Before Thomas, I too believed it was just a myth, a scary story people told each other to warn about the dangers of time travel. It is said Forced Capture is only possible when it concerns two close relatives.

Thom got that part right.

The basics of Forced Capture are pretty simple. From what I’ve studied prior to my assignment, it’s basically just a body swap, done in different timelines and it’s very illegal. While it’s an extremely painful shift for both ‘participants’, only one of them has control over the situation. Thomas is calling the shots, and Brian will be stuck in 2037 until the 21 year old decides enough is enough. And judging from the look on Thom’s face now, that moment is far from happening.

That’s the theory, at least. It looks like Thomas hasn’t gotten it all the way right though. Like he isn’t entirely in control. That is of course possible, considering they’re still holding Brian pretty much vegetative in 2037, so he hasn’t got much else to do than to interfere with Thom’s mind.

With only one other successful Forced Capture case in history, there’s not much to go on. It was quite similar to this one, I read. It’s quite interesting and would make for one hell of a scientific experiment, if it wasn’t so darn dangerous. The first time it happened, people didn’t really know what was going on. With a time difference of only five years, it’s barely comparable with this case, but it’s the only thing to go on. A desperate 27 year old brother trying to save his sister from killing herself five years earlier. It makes for quite the Hollywood drama-story, if it wasn’t for the fact that the Forced Recapture process killed them both in the end.

Consumed in my thoughts, I almost don’t notice Nick creeping closer and closer towards Thomas. I’m not entirely sure what he’s trying to do, but the last thing we need right now, is unexpected interference.

“Step back Carter,” I command sternly, remembering the weapon in my right hand, “Or so God help me, I will shoot you.”

Nick hesitates, his gaze in full anger-mode, but eventually complies, stepping back slowly. I sigh, realizing that Nick was not entirely wrong when he referred to this being kidnap. One more thing to add to the list of felonies on the path of this hellish assignment.

“Give it up, Roland,” Thom’s voice drawls over the parking lot, cracking at the end like I remember mine doing from so long ago. “You know I’m not going to cooperate, you might as well just shoot me.”

“I’m not a killer, Thom, you of all people should know that,” I say softly.

“Yeah, you were always keen on letting other people do the dirty work,” Thom sneers in contempt, “Tell me, how many of your team ended up insane from the things you’ve done?”

His taunt hurts, but I can’t let it get me right now. I was taught better than to listen to things like this. My eyes still trained on Thom’s, I reach into the back pocket of my jeans, flinging the needle in a coordinated throw in Kevin’s direction. If Thomas has noticed anything, he doesn’t act on it.

God bless sedatives. Always getting you out of nasty situations without having to shoot anyone. I hear Kevin shuffling around in an attempt to make up his mind what to do with the thing. All the while, I try to keep Thomas’ attention focused on me.

“Thom, it’s okay. I know you’re mad. I know you’ve been mad all your life, but this isn’t the way to make things right. The fire was terrible and you were only one year old. It’s not fair, it’s not fair in so many ways, and I wish things would have gone different. But no matter what you do, no matter what we do, we will always end up right there in the flames.”

“You’re a freaking liar! Why would you say you can’t change things and then go back in time? That doesn’t make sense, Roland!”

I swallow, knowing he’s right. I also know he’s blaming the wrong person for the fire.

“Alright, this… this is insane…” Kevin suddenly found a voice, although it being a bit shaky, “If y’all don’t mind, I’mma leave, okay?”

I frown, almost turning around in anger at his statement when I suddenly realize what he’s doing. He takes a few tentative steps towards me. He questioningly stares at me for a few seconds. I nod slightly as if giving him permission to proceed. He turns towards Thomas with an I-have-no-idea-what-to-make-of-all-this-nonsense expression on his face and steadily makes his way over to the troubled man in front of him.

“I wish you the very best,” he tells an utterly confused Thom before stepping around him and walking away. After a few moments, Thom turns his attention towards me again.

Out of the right corner of my eyes, I see Nick’s mouth hanging wide-open in amazement. A few seconds of complete silence follow, no one daring to speak, trying to process what just happened. Or pretending to, for that matter.

Finally, Nick throws up his arms in frustration, gesturing wildly at Kevin’s leaving form. “How come he gets to leave?” he exclaims.

I shrug, “He’s free to do whatever he wants. I’m not your prison guard.”

“A moment ago you were about to shoot me, because I moved,” Nick counters, very angry now.

“Shut up Carter.”

“But… I…” he suddenly falls silent when a tanned arm wraps around Thomas’ neck. Thom instantly struggles to get loose, but it is to no avail as another hand firmly pushes the injection into his bloodstream. Thom slowly sinks to the ground, revealing the very pissed off face of Kevin Richardson.

“And now would be a great time to explain all this shit,” he orders.
Chapter End Notes:
I think they all drugged someone by now