I opened the chapter with an odd, almost poetic scene between Trevor and Future Trevor. It brings home one of the major themes of how one thing comes hand in hand with another. The beginning of the end. I sort of used the scene to address the vulnerable side of Trevor, something you don't see ever. He still feels alone without his fiancee and in a strange way, remembers to think about her everyday, kinda of like when you call your loved one on the phone every day at a certain time. It also sets up the final scene and answers if one can change after such a tragedy.
THE FIGHT
So if you compare Future Trevor's past as seen in the previous issue, you see some similarities that are intended while some other things changed. I thought it'd be interesting that Trevor still uses Future Trevor's death trap idea but puts his twist on it by involving various Undaunted people. And if you think about, Trevor didn't have to do anything other than give the signal, hence his amusement. He was toying with Keith the whole time. The final piece of the puzzle was Athena Leuce. After re-reading her bio about how she can mess with the 5 senses, too, the lightbulb in my head went off.
A-SQUAD
I had fun with pacing out and writing everyone's individual scenes and what power they'd be fighting. I wanted to use Wyatt and Renn Leuce for awhile and I'm glad I was able t fit them in here. I tried to stick to the HSG bios as much as I could; show how smart Renn is, showcase Azuteor's power and personality, making force field's lethal, and Johnston's strategy. After the ending, I had these fight scenes plotted out before writing the actual story.
FUTURE TREVOR
I wanted to end this arc, Future Trevor, Undaunted, and this year's worth on a good note. Out of them, Future Trevor drew the long straw on that. That was probably the first thing I had completed. He was going to change right in front of them then shift back to his world thanks to sci-fi logic. And he appears to be married and with a child. Huh. Cool. That's what you're supposed to think. Then maybe you wonder, can this happen for our Trevor? Will he fall in love again? Is love just going to happen in the other universes not this one because it's the prime? Who is this woman?! As of this time, even I don't know. I have three that can be that woman but I'm saving it for a future story somehow.
EPILOGUE
So I sort of left Undaunted resolved yet unresolved. They are together again but both their hideouts not so secret. United, they vow to redouble themselves and keep on walking forward. And the beginning of the next issue is sort of a placeholder on this year, the overall theme of the series, and something unexpected. So it goes back in time to when Trevor first arrived in Hawai'i to start his last job. The interview is interlaced with scenes from various chapters, sort of for irony and to recap things a bit. Trevor, a father?
DELETED SCENE
Yes, there was actually a small scene I cut out. When I concluded that things must all end on a happy note, I changed the end of the fight in Shawnee. Originally, after Kelly returns from teleporting Keith's cohorts to Gitmo, Keith sort of has his last ditch effort and launches part of a spear tip into Trevor. Then it's ambiguous as to what happened to him, if he survived or not. They take him back to others and the rest happens with the flashback and the alternate universe. I cut it out and am glad I did really. No need for a cliffhanger like that, it was too much, the reader will be distracted to be in awe of the ending, and so on.
Showing posts with label Future Trevor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Future Trevor. Show all posts
December 15, 2009
Part Five - The Beginning of the End - Part Five
Here is the final chapter of the year. Commentary to follow today or tomorrow.
NOVEMBER 28, 2007
SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST, ILLINOIS
THE GARDEN OF THE GODS
It is pitch black night. Trevor and Future Trevor are sitting down near each other. It’s late and it seems like they are the only two who are awake. They are shaving something with knives.
Trevor - “Every night, since it happened, I lay awake at 1:35 am and I think about her. I think about how much I loved her. I think about what we had. But I…”
Future Trevor - “Slowly forget what her face looks like. How can it be possible when I can remember everything? Is my heart trying to forget? Is it trying to deal with the pain?”
Trevor - “To love and to have lost.”
Future Trevor - “That mysterious duality.”
[Loose Reference to M-Theory]
UNDAUNTED - in Heroes title font - graces across the panel.
THE BEGINNING OF THE END - PART FIVE: THAT MYSTERIOUS DUALITY - in Heroes title font - pasted on the forest
The Next Day…
A group of specials watch a grove of trees. The camera point of view comes up behind them. Trevor is sitting down on a stump looking at his e-reader in the grove with his back turned to them. Their leader, Keith, is walking toward Trevor. Keith raises his right hand. The camera shifts back to his five cohorts. They watch in anticipation.
Karl - “He’s by himself? Where’s everyone else?”
Kevin - “We should get to that soon. I want to see him do in Trevor, first. He won’t see it coming.”
Behind them, in the bushes, are Wyatt, James Kelly, Samuel Whitman, Aaron Leuce, Mack Johnston, John Bishop, and Azuteor. Wyatt is visibly focused, his power being used on them to render them invisible by sound to the other faction.
Whitman - “Dibs on the jerk.”
Johnston - “Everyone remembers what to do? Kelly teleports away with Wyatt. The bubble is lifted. Azuteor splits the faction up. We take them one-on-one.”
Everyone nods.
Leuce - “We wait for Trevor to give the signal.”
Keith is about to use telekinesis when Trevor tosses the e-reader out in front of him. Trevor shoots it straight through the middle with his gun. Keith pauses.
Johnston - “Now!”
Kelly teleports away with Wyatt. Azuteor uses his repulsion manipulation to scatter the five. They wail in confusion. Whitman, Leuce, Johnston, Bishop, and Azuteor run towards their respective opponents, some in the forest and some in the clear. Keith turns and sees what happened. He turns back and Trevor has turned around and is staring right at him. Trevor holds out his gun to the side, pointing right, and shoots at a tree.
A rope snaps. A giant log swings forward at Keith. He stops it just as it is inches away from hitting him. He smiles and telekinetically shoves Trevor into a nearby tree. Keith walks a few steps forward.
Keith - “A log? How uninspiring, Trevor.”
[This Keith has similar words with Trevor as what Future Trevor recounted last story]
Keith trips a wire. A dozen sharpened dart sized sticks launch at Keith. He stops them in mid-air. He looks at him and they drop to the ground.
Keith - “This is your big plan?!”
Karl and Leuce face each other.
Karl - “Beat it kid, this is grown-up stuff. You might live long enough to understand.”
Leuce - “It’s Renn to you.”
Karl frowns and his left arm extend toward Leuce and shoves him into the dirt. Karl has the power of plasticity.
Karl - “Then you’re dumber than you look, Renn.”
Leuce “Maybe I like people to think that way.”
[Renn’s HSG Bio]
Karl scoffs and shapes his hands into hammers and is about to pound into Leuce. Leuce just stands there. Zoom in on him smiling. Zoom out. Karl is frozen in place. Leuce was altering Karl’s molecular state the whole time.
In the forest somewhere, Azuteor is walking fast, almost teleporting. The camera zooms in from his point of view, things start to slow down. A leaf slowly drops to the ground. Azuteor is using time dilation to survey the area for his opponent. He sees an odd streak. Azuteor passes his hands through it and it makes a chime. Azuteor follows the streak with his eyes. The leaf touches the ground finally. He turns and sees Matthew running at normal speed at him. He tackles Azuteor and his time dilation field is disrupted. They plow into the ground hard because Matthew’s Enhanced Speed returned. Dust is kicked up. The dust settles. Matthew is in mid-air, stuck in place. Azuteor is several inches above the ground. A crater is self-contained with dust frozen in place underneath him. Azuteor stands up slowly. Matthew grunts. Azuteor thinks to himself for a while. The gravity around Matthew intensifies and compresses to the point that he passes out from the strain.
Azuteor - “Checkmate.”
[Azuteor’s HSG Bio]
Kevin has his fists covered in granite and is trying to land a hit on Whitman. Whitman dodges every punch. Every miss creates craters in the ground.
Kevin - “Stay still so I can hit you!!”
Whitman - “Oh, is that what you’re doing?”
Whitman stops and waits for Kevin. Kevin is dumbfounded then jabs at him. Whitman holds out his palm and catches Kevin’s fist and doesn’t move. Kevin grunts. Whitman squeezes Kevin’s fist. The granite crumbles. Whitman drop kicks Kevin. He goes flying into a tree then bounces into another and another. Kevin managed to morph part of his skull into rock but is woozy getting up. He looks up and Whitman is racing toward him and socks Kevin. Whitman runs forward and catches Kevin, who is unconscious.
Keith is walking toward Trevor.
Keith - “So, you knew we were coming? Nothing gets past you, Trevor. Maybe I was wrong about you.”
Keith falls into a hole. He drops in up to his forehead is visible. He telekinetically pushes himself out, not looking too pleased.
Keith - “Cute.”
Future Trevor jumps from a bush with a knife. Keith sees him at the last minute and freezes Future Trevor. The knife is just an inch from his heart. Keith squirms and telekinetically throws Future Trevor into a tree. Trevor is just watching and is smirking.
Keith - “Only you would find some humor in this.”
John Bishop has a shield raised on him. Stan screams and a sonic burst rumbles toward Bishop. The field vibrates and dissipates. Bishop draws up another and Stan tears it down again.
Stan - “How long can you keep this up? Face it. All you do is put up shields, you can’t retaliate against me. Once I find the right tune, you’re dead.”
Bishop - “Try me.”
Stan is annoyed and is about to let out another burst. A thin force field envelopes Stan. The sound burst and field shatter, Stan goes flying.
Lane pats some dirt off his shoulder. Johnston waits for him.
Lane - “Nice trick. But stopping us won’t save your boy. Keith will kill him.”
Johnston - “The thing about Trevor is he’s a walking curve ball. Just when you settle into predicting what he’s going to do, he goes and does the unexpected, right out of left field.”
Lane - “Well, Keith’s the bat that’s going to score the home run.”
Johnston releases arc electricity and prepares to shoot Lane. Lane waives his hand and a sphere of water encapsulates Johnston. Johnston screams in pain. He is faint, can barely stand, and is smoking.
Lane - “It’s a bit humid today. Lots of moisture for me to toy with. Looks like you picked the wrong playmate, bub.”
Johnston - “I’m right where I need to be. A few drops of rain won’t put me out.”
Lane forms surrounding moisture into a tidal wave and nails Johnston. When the water washes away. He is lying flat on the ground. He staggers up.
Johnston turns into pure electricity.
Lane - “What you can do, I can do.”
Lane turns into pure water and gushes toward Johnston. Johnston shoots through him and the electricity shorts throughout the liquefied Lane. Lane screams in agony. Lane erratically wails around trying to shake off Johnston. The electricity increases. Lane stops moving and twitches in place. He turns back to normal and faints. Johnston jumps out of him and turns back to normal.
Johnston - “Water is an excellent conductor.”
Keith is looking at Future Trevor.
Keith - “I don’t get it. That shapeshifter a fanboy of yours?”
Future Trevor gets up and throws his knife at Keith’s head. He stops it, aims it at Future Trevor and shoves it at him. Future Trevor tosses his leather coat to block it and he rolls away. He runs toward Keith. Keith backs up and stops Future Trevor. Keith summons the knife.
Keith - “Now, what do you really look like? Guess I’ll just have to peel you like a banana.”
The knife zig zags around Future Trevor. A second log flies toward Keith. He stops it. He turns to Trevor in anger.
Keith - “Do I look stupid?!...But you gave me an idea.”
Keith summons the log to him but it stops in mid-air. The rope is stuck and won’t let the log move anymore. Keith smirks.
Keith - “Among factions, you stick out too much Trevor. You know what happens to the nail that sticks out? It gets hammered down.”
[Phrase used in Japanese culture]
Trevor - “There’s always an exception.”
Keith has had enough and telekinetically clips the rope holding the log. The rope pulls back. A row of wooden spears rises up below Keith and impales him offscreen. The camera zooms on the lower half of his body. It is stiff and blood starts to trickle down. Trevor and Future Trevor land on their feet. An illusion is lifted. The row of spears becomes more visible along with the rope that was holding the log. It was connected to a counterweight setup with the spears. A bush suddenly turns into Athena Leuce. She was hiding the trap and messing with Keith’s senses until he came to stand over the final trap.
Whitman, Renn, Azuteor, Johnston, and Bishop gather around Keith. They toss their opponents into the center. Leuce walks over to her brother, Renn. James Kelly appears and shakes his head.
Kelly - “You timed that too well, Trevor.”
Trevor - “Take them to a prison somewhere. How about Gitmo?”
[Guantanamo Bay and HSG bio- James often teleports criminals into prisons.]
Kelly - “Why not?”
Kelly teleports away with them and reappears alone.
Kelly - “What now? This place is compromised. Probably Kaua’i, too.”
[9th Wonders - Undaunted]
Trevor turns to Future Trevor. Future Trevor shrugs.
Future Trevor - “This never happened to me, remember?”
Future Trevor fades away for a few seconds. Everyone is startled. Future Trevor looks at his hands.
Future Trevor - “The timelines across the multiverse are shifting. This is the prime.”
Bishop - “Meaning?”
Johnston - “He was never here.”
Future Trevor becomes transparent. The blood and wounds from the fight disappear. The missing eye heals to normal. Future Trevor touches that part of his face in amazement. Then the missing arm returns. His clothes change. No one notices, but a ring appears on Future Trevor’s ring finger. He becomes further and further transparent.
Future Trevor - “Thank you. Everyone.”
Trevor - “You’re welcome, Steve.”
Future Trevor - “…It feels right.”
[Previous chapter - Seal and Trevor]
Future Trevor fades away for good.
Trevor - “We’ll just start over again. Find another home. Find everyone again. We will persevere.”
Everyone nods. Everyone huddles around Kelly and place their hands on his shoulders and arms. They teleport away.
They appear somewhere else. Seal, Marc, Tanner, Orbit, Clara, Luna, and others are waiting and greet them. Hugs. Hand shaking. High Fives.
We always will.
We are different from each other. Yet we are the same.
That Mysterious Duality.
END OF SPECIAL THREE
SPECIAL FOUR
INFLUENCE
DECEMBER 22, 2004
HONOLULU, HAWAI’I
HR Lady - “Okay, Trevor. Where do you see yourself three years from now?”
Trevor - “I like to think, I’ll be off traveling the world and making a difference.”
HR Lady - “That’s a rather bold declaration, isn’t it?”
Trevor and his team kick in the door to find the database stolen and missing.
[From Phase Three]
Trevor - “It is. But it’s what I want. To change the world for the better.”
Fushimi Inari Shrine; Trevor gives his key to the wild animal.
[From Phase Three]
HR Lady - “How do you plan on doing that?”
Trevor - “One person at a time if I have to.”
Trevor talking face to face with the last duplicate sent to kill Undaunted on Thanksgiving.
[From the Beginning of the End]
HR Lady - “We could use someone like you on our team.”
The crack team gathering in the Nevada desert for an operation.
[From Phase Three]
Trevor - “When may I start?”
Leona Mills hands a red file to Trevor in Washington DC.
[From “Spook” in first arc]
HR Lady - “How about next week Thursday?”
The HR Lady stands up to conclude the appointment. Trevor stands up. The camera zooms in on them shake. The screen fades to white.
[From Trevor’s Primatech Assignment Tracker or HSG page. Worked for a Credit Union in Hawaii.]
HR Lady - “This is the beginning of the rest of your life, Trevor.”
It’s another time and place. The lower half of a person fills the camera. It shifts to the left. He holds out his hand with a wedding ring. It is Future Trevor. A woman’s hand reaches out to hold his hand. The camera shifts to the right. A child is holding his other hand.
Trevor - “I’ll keep an open mind.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
JANUARY 2010
NOVEMBER 28, 2007
SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST, ILLINOIS
THE GARDEN OF THE GODS
It is pitch black night. Trevor and Future Trevor are sitting down near each other. It’s late and it seems like they are the only two who are awake. They are shaving something with knives.
Trevor - “Every night, since it happened, I lay awake at 1:35 am and I think about her. I think about how much I loved her. I think about what we had. But I…”
Future Trevor - “Slowly forget what her face looks like. How can it be possible when I can remember everything? Is my heart trying to forget? Is it trying to deal with the pain?”
Trevor - “To love and to have lost.”
Future Trevor - “That mysterious duality.”
[Loose Reference to M-Theory]
UNDAUNTED - in Heroes title font - graces across the panel.
THE BEGINNING OF THE END - PART FIVE: THAT MYSTERIOUS DUALITY - in Heroes title font - pasted on the forest
The Next Day…
A group of specials watch a grove of trees. The camera point of view comes up behind them. Trevor is sitting down on a stump looking at his e-reader in the grove with his back turned to them. Their leader, Keith, is walking toward Trevor. Keith raises his right hand. The camera shifts back to his five cohorts. They watch in anticipation.
Karl - “He’s by himself? Where’s everyone else?”
Kevin - “We should get to that soon. I want to see him do in Trevor, first. He won’t see it coming.”
Behind them, in the bushes, are Wyatt, James Kelly, Samuel Whitman, Aaron Leuce, Mack Johnston, John Bishop, and Azuteor. Wyatt is visibly focused, his power being used on them to render them invisible by sound to the other faction.
Whitman - “Dibs on the jerk.”
Johnston - “Everyone remembers what to do? Kelly teleports away with Wyatt. The bubble is lifted. Azuteor splits the faction up. We take them one-on-one.”
Everyone nods.
Leuce - “We wait for Trevor to give the signal.”
Keith is about to use telekinesis when Trevor tosses the e-reader out in front of him. Trevor shoots it straight through the middle with his gun. Keith pauses.
Johnston - “Now!”
Kelly teleports away with Wyatt. Azuteor uses his repulsion manipulation to scatter the five. They wail in confusion. Whitman, Leuce, Johnston, Bishop, and Azuteor run towards their respective opponents, some in the forest and some in the clear. Keith turns and sees what happened. He turns back and Trevor has turned around and is staring right at him. Trevor holds out his gun to the side, pointing right, and shoots at a tree.
A rope snaps. A giant log swings forward at Keith. He stops it just as it is inches away from hitting him. He smiles and telekinetically shoves Trevor into a nearby tree. Keith walks a few steps forward.
Keith - “A log? How uninspiring, Trevor.”
[This Keith has similar words with Trevor as what Future Trevor recounted last story]
Keith trips a wire. A dozen sharpened dart sized sticks launch at Keith. He stops them in mid-air. He looks at him and they drop to the ground.
Keith - “This is your big plan?!”
Karl and Leuce face each other.
Karl - “Beat it kid, this is grown-up stuff. You might live long enough to understand.”
Leuce - “It’s Renn to you.”
Karl frowns and his left arm extend toward Leuce and shoves him into the dirt. Karl has the power of plasticity.
Karl - “Then you’re dumber than you look, Renn.”
Leuce “Maybe I like people to think that way.”
[Renn’s HSG Bio]
Karl scoffs and shapes his hands into hammers and is about to pound into Leuce. Leuce just stands there. Zoom in on him smiling. Zoom out. Karl is frozen in place. Leuce was altering Karl’s molecular state the whole time.
In the forest somewhere, Azuteor is walking fast, almost teleporting. The camera zooms in from his point of view, things start to slow down. A leaf slowly drops to the ground. Azuteor is using time dilation to survey the area for his opponent. He sees an odd streak. Azuteor passes his hands through it and it makes a chime. Azuteor follows the streak with his eyes. The leaf touches the ground finally. He turns and sees Matthew running at normal speed at him. He tackles Azuteor and his time dilation field is disrupted. They plow into the ground hard because Matthew’s Enhanced Speed returned. Dust is kicked up. The dust settles. Matthew is in mid-air, stuck in place. Azuteor is several inches above the ground. A crater is self-contained with dust frozen in place underneath him. Azuteor stands up slowly. Matthew grunts. Azuteor thinks to himself for a while. The gravity around Matthew intensifies and compresses to the point that he passes out from the strain.
Azuteor - “Checkmate.”
[Azuteor’s HSG Bio]
Kevin has his fists covered in granite and is trying to land a hit on Whitman. Whitman dodges every punch. Every miss creates craters in the ground.
Kevin - “Stay still so I can hit you!!”
Whitman - “Oh, is that what you’re doing?”
Whitman stops and waits for Kevin. Kevin is dumbfounded then jabs at him. Whitman holds out his palm and catches Kevin’s fist and doesn’t move. Kevin grunts. Whitman squeezes Kevin’s fist. The granite crumbles. Whitman drop kicks Kevin. He goes flying into a tree then bounces into another and another. Kevin managed to morph part of his skull into rock but is woozy getting up. He looks up and Whitman is racing toward him and socks Kevin. Whitman runs forward and catches Kevin, who is unconscious.
Keith is walking toward Trevor.
Keith - “So, you knew we were coming? Nothing gets past you, Trevor. Maybe I was wrong about you.”
Keith falls into a hole. He drops in up to his forehead is visible. He telekinetically pushes himself out, not looking too pleased.
Keith - “Cute.”
Future Trevor jumps from a bush with a knife. Keith sees him at the last minute and freezes Future Trevor. The knife is just an inch from his heart. Keith squirms and telekinetically throws Future Trevor into a tree. Trevor is just watching and is smirking.
Keith - “Only you would find some humor in this.”
John Bishop has a shield raised on him. Stan screams and a sonic burst rumbles toward Bishop. The field vibrates and dissipates. Bishop draws up another and Stan tears it down again.
Stan - “How long can you keep this up? Face it. All you do is put up shields, you can’t retaliate against me. Once I find the right tune, you’re dead.”
Bishop - “Try me.”
Stan is annoyed and is about to let out another burst. A thin force field envelopes Stan. The sound burst and field shatter, Stan goes flying.
Lane pats some dirt off his shoulder. Johnston waits for him.
Lane - “Nice trick. But stopping us won’t save your boy. Keith will kill him.”
Johnston - “The thing about Trevor is he’s a walking curve ball. Just when you settle into predicting what he’s going to do, he goes and does the unexpected, right out of left field.”
Lane - “Well, Keith’s the bat that’s going to score the home run.”
Johnston releases arc electricity and prepares to shoot Lane. Lane waives his hand and a sphere of water encapsulates Johnston. Johnston screams in pain. He is faint, can barely stand, and is smoking.
Lane - “It’s a bit humid today. Lots of moisture for me to toy with. Looks like you picked the wrong playmate, bub.”
Johnston - “I’m right where I need to be. A few drops of rain won’t put me out.”
Lane forms surrounding moisture into a tidal wave and nails Johnston. When the water washes away. He is lying flat on the ground. He staggers up.
Johnston turns into pure electricity.
Lane - “What you can do, I can do.”
Lane turns into pure water and gushes toward Johnston. Johnston shoots through him and the electricity shorts throughout the liquefied Lane. Lane screams in agony. Lane erratically wails around trying to shake off Johnston. The electricity increases. Lane stops moving and twitches in place. He turns back to normal and faints. Johnston jumps out of him and turns back to normal.
Johnston - “Water is an excellent conductor.”
Keith is looking at Future Trevor.
Keith - “I don’t get it. That shapeshifter a fanboy of yours?”
Future Trevor gets up and throws his knife at Keith’s head. He stops it, aims it at Future Trevor and shoves it at him. Future Trevor tosses his leather coat to block it and he rolls away. He runs toward Keith. Keith backs up and stops Future Trevor. Keith summons the knife.
Keith - “Now, what do you really look like? Guess I’ll just have to peel you like a banana.”
The knife zig zags around Future Trevor. A second log flies toward Keith. He stops it. He turns to Trevor in anger.
Keith - “Do I look stupid?!...But you gave me an idea.”
Keith summons the log to him but it stops in mid-air. The rope is stuck and won’t let the log move anymore. Keith smirks.
Keith - “Among factions, you stick out too much Trevor. You know what happens to the nail that sticks out? It gets hammered down.”
[Phrase used in Japanese culture]
Trevor - “There’s always an exception.”
Keith has had enough and telekinetically clips the rope holding the log. The rope pulls back. A row of wooden spears rises up below Keith and impales him offscreen. The camera zooms on the lower half of his body. It is stiff and blood starts to trickle down. Trevor and Future Trevor land on their feet. An illusion is lifted. The row of spears becomes more visible along with the rope that was holding the log. It was connected to a counterweight setup with the spears. A bush suddenly turns into Athena Leuce. She was hiding the trap and messing with Keith’s senses until he came to stand over the final trap.
Whitman, Renn, Azuteor, Johnston, and Bishop gather around Keith. They toss their opponents into the center. Leuce walks over to her brother, Renn. James Kelly appears and shakes his head.
Kelly - “You timed that too well, Trevor.”
Trevor - “Take them to a prison somewhere. How about Gitmo?”
[Guantanamo Bay and HSG bio- James often teleports criminals into prisons.]
Kelly - “Why not?”
Kelly teleports away with them and reappears alone.
Kelly - “What now? This place is compromised. Probably Kaua’i, too.”
[9th Wonders - Undaunted]
Trevor turns to Future Trevor. Future Trevor shrugs.
Future Trevor - “This never happened to me, remember?”
Future Trevor fades away for a few seconds. Everyone is startled. Future Trevor looks at his hands.
Future Trevor - “The timelines across the multiverse are shifting. This is the prime.”
Bishop - “Meaning?”
Johnston - “He was never here.”
Future Trevor becomes transparent. The blood and wounds from the fight disappear. The missing eye heals to normal. Future Trevor touches that part of his face in amazement. Then the missing arm returns. His clothes change. No one notices, but a ring appears on Future Trevor’s ring finger. He becomes further and further transparent.
Future Trevor - “Thank you. Everyone.”
Trevor - “You’re welcome, Steve.”
Future Trevor - “…It feels right.”
[Previous chapter - Seal and Trevor]
Future Trevor fades away for good.
Trevor - “We’ll just start over again. Find another home. Find everyone again. We will persevere.”
Everyone nods. Everyone huddles around Kelly and place their hands on his shoulders and arms. They teleport away.
They appear somewhere else. Seal, Marc, Tanner, Orbit, Clara, Luna, and others are waiting and greet them. Hugs. Hand shaking. High Fives.
We always will.
We are different from each other. Yet we are the same.
That Mysterious Duality.
END OF SPECIAL THREE
SPECIAL FOUR
INFLUENCE
DECEMBER 22, 2004
HONOLULU, HAWAI’I
HR Lady - “Okay, Trevor. Where do you see yourself three years from now?”
Trevor - “I like to think, I’ll be off traveling the world and making a difference.”
HR Lady - “That’s a rather bold declaration, isn’t it?”
Trevor and his team kick in the door to find the database stolen and missing.
[From Phase Three]
Trevor - “It is. But it’s what I want. To change the world for the better.”
Fushimi Inari Shrine; Trevor gives his key to the wild animal.
[From Phase Three]
HR Lady - “How do you plan on doing that?”
Trevor - “One person at a time if I have to.”
Trevor talking face to face with the last duplicate sent to kill Undaunted on Thanksgiving.
[From the Beginning of the End]
HR Lady - “We could use someone like you on our team.”
The crack team gathering in the Nevada desert for an operation.
[From Phase Three]
Trevor - “When may I start?”
Leona Mills hands a red file to Trevor in Washington DC.
[From “Spook” in first arc]
HR Lady - “How about next week Thursday?”
The HR Lady stands up to conclude the appointment. Trevor stands up. The camera zooms in on them shake. The screen fades to white.
[From Trevor’s Primatech Assignment Tracker or HSG page. Worked for a Credit Union in Hawaii.]
HR Lady - “This is the beginning of the rest of your life, Trevor.”
It’s another time and place. The lower half of a person fills the camera. It shifts to the left. He holds out his hand with a wedding ring. It is Future Trevor. A woman’s hand reaches out to hold his hand. The camera shifts to the right. A child is holding his other hand.
Trevor - “I’ll keep an open mind.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
JANUARY 2010
December 10, 2009
Commentary - The Beginning of the End - Part Four
Yes, another possible end to Undaunted on the horizon? And as much as I love making Trevor the X-Factor, I thought, why not throw in a Future Trevor? No, he's got to be one-eyed, one-armed, and four years from the future of his parallel universe's present Trevor. Are you with me?
Ultimately, this chapter was serving to stoke many fires. It set up Future Trevor's story, set up where this arc is going, raise the stakes, and revisit what Trevor is really good at, banter; mixing the comedy and drama of things.
After being explained everything from Future Trevor, all our Trevor cares about is still to save Undaunted. The multiverse, not so much. It's like at this point, Trevor has a purpose and Future Trevor has a higher purpose and the story is mainly about developing their relationship, making them see eye to eye, and ultimately, Trevor deals with the plot point that Lydia revealed in part three about making a choice.
This flashback of how Future Trevor's world turned out was a scene was playing with a lot. At first, it was the last scene in the story. Then it was the beginning to throw the reader off, then in the middle to throw the reader off...but then I figured out a way for it to be credible. Seal pops in and reads Future Trevor, and sees his past, and the reader sees it through Seal's point of view. I'm not kidding but on the to do list, was a scene where Trevor and Seal talk about some sliver of his past while Seal eats a sandwich. Something so normal and relateable, it's perfect to me. But the weird thing for Seal is how do you react to seeing an alternate you getting killed. Hmm.
And going back to the to-do list; page one is almost done...then it's to page two, mwahahaha. Yeah. A-Squad and Steve were some ideas I had for awhile. But some readers will be like huh, what's Azuteor got to do with this? Part Five will be the conclusion of this arc and the last one I'll post this year (unless I really get into the zone). I, however, completely promise this will be a happy ending and not a cliffhanger, big omg, ending even though there will still be small questions left to answer. There won't be a scene where Trevor falls off a cliff and we don't see where he goes. But I admit, one of the final scenes will be a jaw dropper and I'm good for that, right? It's only a coincidence that this happy ending happens during the Christmas season. But course, before the happy ending, there must be a big, fat battle grand royale.
Ultimately, this chapter was serving to stoke many fires. It set up Future Trevor's story, set up where this arc is going, raise the stakes, and revisit what Trevor is really good at, banter; mixing the comedy and drama of things.
After being explained everything from Future Trevor, all our Trevor cares about is still to save Undaunted. The multiverse, not so much. It's like at this point, Trevor has a purpose and Future Trevor has a higher purpose and the story is mainly about developing their relationship, making them see eye to eye, and ultimately, Trevor deals with the plot point that Lydia revealed in part three about making a choice.
This flashback of how Future Trevor's world turned out was a scene was playing with a lot. At first, it was the last scene in the story. Then it was the beginning to throw the reader off, then in the middle to throw the reader off...but then I figured out a way for it to be credible. Seal pops in and reads Future Trevor, and sees his past, and the reader sees it through Seal's point of view. I'm not kidding but on the to do list, was a scene where Trevor and Seal talk about some sliver of his past while Seal eats a sandwich. Something so normal and relateable, it's perfect to me. But the weird thing for Seal is how do you react to seeing an alternate you getting killed. Hmm.
And going back to the to-do list; page one is almost done...then it's to page two, mwahahaha. Yeah. A-Squad and Steve were some ideas I had for awhile. But some readers will be like huh, what's Azuteor got to do with this? Part Five will be the conclusion of this arc and the last one I'll post this year (unless I really get into the zone). I, however, completely promise this will be a happy ending and not a cliffhanger, big omg, ending even though there will still be small questions left to answer. There won't be a scene where Trevor falls off a cliff and we don't see where he goes. But I admit, one of the final scenes will be a jaw dropper and I'm good for that, right? It's only a coincidence that this happy ending happens during the Christmas season. But course, before the happy ending, there must be a big, fat battle grand royale.
Part Five - The Beginning of the End - Part Four
People live their lives thanks to circadian rhythms that allow them to function at their best during a certain time of day through stimuli of familiar objects called associative triggers. We are creatures of routine and systems. But there is that third elusive structure that can lead to all sorts of amazing feats: spontaneity.
NOVEMBER 28, 2007
SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST, ILLINOIS
THE GARDEN OF THE GODS
Trevor is still staring at Future Trevor.
Trevor - “I hate practical jokes and I’m not above shooting you in the leg to show you my exact level of affection for them. Which one are you, Sterling or Marcusse?”
[Heroes Survival Game - Undaunted members]
Future Trevor - “I’m no shapeshifter. Not an illusion, neither. I am you. A one-eyed, one armed 4 years from the future parallel version of you.”
Trevor - “It’s easier for me to believe you’re a figment of my insanity. Plus, that’s a mouthful.”
Future Trevor - “For us, it was never about belief, not really even purpose, it is about conviction.”
Trevor - “It looks like your conviction got you where you are just fine.”
Future Trevor - “It’s time for both of us to accept the truth. Trevor Tanaka wants to save the world. But what if Trevor Tanaka could save the multiverse?”
[Hiro to Tadashi “Acceptance”]
Trevor - “Bored now, bye bye.”
[Justice League Unlimited - Question to Huntress - “Double Date”]
Trevor raises his gun again.
Future Trevor - “You know that won’t work on us.”
Trevor fires. Close up and slow frame on the bullet as it exits the gun chamber then slowly pan to Future Trevor. He stares at the bullet, counting off in his head, and sidesteps the bullet with ease.
Trevor - “…Because I memorized how long it takes a bullet to travel. That still doesn’t prove anything, only that I have to use a knife or my hands to kill you.”
Future Trevor laughs.
Future Trevor - “This always happens…”
Trevor - “What do…”
Future Trevor - “I mean? I spent 4 years traveling to multiple realities, meeting parallel Trevor’s; I get attacked, I explain everything, and I try to help them rectify one event that will change everything for the better.”
Trevor - “How can you even know what’s better?!”
Trevor drops his gun and tries to punch Future Trevor. Future Trevor sidesteps it, a second punch, a sweep, and punches Trevor as he’s about to deliver another round.
Future Trevor - “Again. Conviction.”
Trevor - “Why now?! You can..you can save her.”
Future Trevor - “Because she always dies.”
Trevor shakes his head in disbelief and strikes Future Trevor and tackles him into the dirt. He punches and punches Future Trevor repeatedly.
Trevor - “Who are you?!! If you don’t tell me now, I’ll have someone rip it out of you!!!”
[Homage to Matt Parkman]
Future Trevor - “My name is Trevor Tanaka. But when I was born, I was named…”
Zoom out. The conversation is inaudible. Trevor is taken aback and adjusts his posture and stands up. His breathing calms down. He offers to help up Future Trevor. Future Trevor is intrigued.
Future Trevor - “They never help me up. Never punched me, for that matter…Could this be the one? Is it true?”
Trevor - “That you’re a glutton for punishment?”
Future Trevor - “I did it. I found the original. Earth-Prime!”
[DC Comics, Dark Tower]
Trevor - “The original universe from which all universes originated from?”
Future Trevor - “Not just that, the keystone!! Change something here and you change the outcome in every universe.”
Trevor - “That’s totally not going to make me self-conscious for the rest of my life.”
Future Trevor - “It was some time before I could find James since I had no resources and was going on memory. We came up with a plan to try and stop this from happening. I’ve tried to save Undaunted 51 times and failed over and over. Then we decided on something more radical…Earth-Prime. This is it. This is my, our chance to make sure no more lives are lost here and anywhere. It takes only one small thing to upset the balance and knock down a line of small dominoes and then big dominoes and then gigantic dominoes, all down the years across time and space.”
Montage of Trevor and James visiting various realities.
[DC Comics - 52 and Ray Bradbury “A Sound of Thunder”]
Trevor - “You being here qualifies for that.”
Future Trevor - “They split an atom and dropped it on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”
[World War II - Atom Bomb]
Trevor - “Oh, well now I get it. But I only have dynamite.”
Future Trevor - “Of all the universes, you are the most abrasive.”
Trevor - “Now you’re just buttering me up.”
Trevor turns at the graves and holsters his gun.
Trevor - “My family is shrinking and our graveyard is getting bigger. Are you here to help me stop that?”
[Samuel - “Once Upon A Time In Texas”]
Seal walks out of the clearing looking at a piece of crumpled paper, not noticing the two Trevor’s.
Seal - “Trevor, you see this? We’ve got a big development going on…”
Seal looks up and sees the Trevor’s.
UNDAUNTED - in Heroes title font - graces across the panel.
THE BEGINNING OF THE END - PART FOUR: POINT OF REFERENCE - in Heroes title font -
NOVEMBER 30, 2007
SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST, ILLINOIS
THE GARDEN OF THE GODS
Trevor is sitting on a stump, going over data on his hacked e-reader. Seal is sitting near him with a sandwich.
Seal - “What would you have named her?”
Trevor - “I don’t name my computers.”
Seal - “Your daughter.”
Trevor - “…We decided on Elisha. After one of my grandmothers.”
Seal - “Elisha.”
Seal is suddenly raised in the air by an unseen telekinetic. Trevor is unresponsive. Then a large explosion goes off in the background. Seal drops, Trevor catches him. He runs within the forest and brushes off a door. It opens and Trevor is about to throw Seal in, they are telekinetically shoved apart. Seal’s neck is snapped and he drops to the ground. More explosions are set off. Trees are seen falling.
Trevor walks toward the explosion. He sees a woman pinned under a tree trunk. He shoots at her offscreen. He keeps walking and shooting at three others, counting off with his free hand. He stops at a dead man.
He telekinetically shoves Trevor into a standing tree. Trevor wheezes. His ribs are broken. The man rises up slowly. He pats himself down, brushing dirt off of his clothes, and wipes blood off his forehead. He raises Trevor up with telekinesis.
Keith - “Explosive perimeter? How uninspiring, Trevor.”
Keith telekinetically slices across Trevor’s forehead.
Keith - “That was your big plan?!”
Keith telekinetically slices down Trevor’s right face through his eye. Trevor screams out loud.
Keith - “This is one big disappointment.”
Trevor - “Sorry, I just love the classic’s.”
Keith - “Famous last words. I’m going to just finish this fast. I’m not a big fan of the outdoors.”
Trevor - “It’s the smell, isn’t it? I’m not too crazy about it myself.”
Keith is unimpressed and is about to slice him again when another explosion detonates right under him. Trevor goes flying. He lands and tries to stand. He looks down and his arm is missing. He is silent, and then crawls into the forest. The smoke is finally clear, camera zooms out for a wide shot, bodies are everywhere, revealing the enemy faction’s handiwork.
NOVEMBER 28, 2007
Camera angle zoomed up on Seal’s face. He read Future Trevor.
Seal - “Trevor, my Trev..umm…can I talk to you over here?”
Trevor’s nod at each other. Trevor walks over to Seal.
Seal - “Alternate realities?”
Trevor - “Do you believe him?”
Seal - “He believes himself.”
Trevor - “Again, he could just believe in his lies.”
Seal - “But Trevor…he’s a future you.”
Trevor - “Yeah…it may get confusing and I have this gut feeling to call him Steve. It feels right.”
Seal frowns.
Trevor - “My objective is to protect everyone that is a member of Undaunted. He has intelligence that may prove useful toward our survival.”
Seal - “And the whole ‘saving the multiverse’?”
Trevor - “Meh.”
The Trevor’s are conversing alone. Future Trevor is typing on Trevor’s e-reader.
Future Trevor - “This is everything I know.”
He passes the tablet to Trevor.
Trevor - “Their leader is a skilled telekinetic. This won’t be the easiest kill.”
Future Trevor - “Two Trevor’s are better than one.”
Trevor - “Ugh. Can’t believe you just said that. I wish I could shoot you.”
Future Trevor - “When else can I use that phrase?”
Trevor - “Ah, good point. Where’s Future James?”
Future Trevor laughs at the term. Then has a grim look. He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a stopwatch, running.
Future Trevor - “I have to find him at certain points and times around the planet. His body…couldn’t perceive the space-time continuum anymore and the only thing that could anchor him for a limited time is the planet’s leylines.”
Trevor - “But if this works, your reality at least, will reset and you won’t have to worry about finding your James. You two won’t even have time to click your heels together…”
Future Trevor - “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
Trevor - “Meaning it’s not really about your Earth anymore.”
Future Trevor - “Where is Azuteor?”
Trevor - “I don’t know, probably procrastinating for a physics exam…You thinking A-Squad?”
Future Trevor - “A-Squad.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
NOVEMBER 28, 2007
SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST, ILLINOIS
THE GARDEN OF THE GODS
Trevor is still staring at Future Trevor.
Trevor - “I hate practical jokes and I’m not above shooting you in the leg to show you my exact level of affection for them. Which one are you, Sterling or Marcusse?”
[Heroes Survival Game - Undaunted members]
Future Trevor - “I’m no shapeshifter. Not an illusion, neither. I am you. A one-eyed, one armed 4 years from the future parallel version of you.”
Trevor - “It’s easier for me to believe you’re a figment of my insanity. Plus, that’s a mouthful.”
Future Trevor - “For us, it was never about belief, not really even purpose, it is about conviction.”
Trevor - “It looks like your conviction got you where you are just fine.”
Future Trevor - “It’s time for both of us to accept the truth. Trevor Tanaka wants to save the world. But what if Trevor Tanaka could save the multiverse?”
[Hiro to Tadashi “Acceptance”]
Trevor - “Bored now, bye bye.”
[Justice League Unlimited - Question to Huntress - “Double Date”]
Trevor raises his gun again.
Future Trevor - “You know that won’t work on us.”
Trevor fires. Close up and slow frame on the bullet as it exits the gun chamber then slowly pan to Future Trevor. He stares at the bullet, counting off in his head, and sidesteps the bullet with ease.
Trevor - “…Because I memorized how long it takes a bullet to travel. That still doesn’t prove anything, only that I have to use a knife or my hands to kill you.”
Future Trevor laughs.
Future Trevor - “This always happens…”
Trevor - “What do…”
Future Trevor - “I mean? I spent 4 years traveling to multiple realities, meeting parallel Trevor’s; I get attacked, I explain everything, and I try to help them rectify one event that will change everything for the better.”
Trevor - “How can you even know what’s better?!”
Trevor drops his gun and tries to punch Future Trevor. Future Trevor sidesteps it, a second punch, a sweep, and punches Trevor as he’s about to deliver another round.
Future Trevor - “Again. Conviction.”
Trevor - “Why now?! You can..you can save her.”
Future Trevor - “Because she always dies.”
Trevor shakes his head in disbelief and strikes Future Trevor and tackles him into the dirt. He punches and punches Future Trevor repeatedly.
Trevor - “Who are you?!! If you don’t tell me now, I’ll have someone rip it out of you!!!”
[Homage to Matt Parkman]
Future Trevor - “My name is Trevor Tanaka. But when I was born, I was named…”
Zoom out. The conversation is inaudible. Trevor is taken aback and adjusts his posture and stands up. His breathing calms down. He offers to help up Future Trevor. Future Trevor is intrigued.
Future Trevor - “They never help me up. Never punched me, for that matter…Could this be the one? Is it true?”
Trevor - “That you’re a glutton for punishment?”
Future Trevor - “I did it. I found the original. Earth-Prime!”
[DC Comics, Dark Tower]
Trevor - “The original universe from which all universes originated from?”
Future Trevor - “Not just that, the keystone!! Change something here and you change the outcome in every universe.”
Trevor - “That’s totally not going to make me self-conscious for the rest of my life.”
Future Trevor - “It was some time before I could find James since I had no resources and was going on memory. We came up with a plan to try and stop this from happening. I’ve tried to save Undaunted 51 times and failed over and over. Then we decided on something more radical…Earth-Prime. This is it. This is my, our chance to make sure no more lives are lost here and anywhere. It takes only one small thing to upset the balance and knock down a line of small dominoes and then big dominoes and then gigantic dominoes, all down the years across time and space.”
Montage of Trevor and James visiting various realities.
[DC Comics - 52 and Ray Bradbury “A Sound of Thunder”]
Trevor - “You being here qualifies for that.”
Future Trevor - “They split an atom and dropped it on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”
[World War II - Atom Bomb]
Trevor - “Oh, well now I get it. But I only have dynamite.”
Future Trevor - “Of all the universes, you are the most abrasive.”
Trevor - “Now you’re just buttering me up.”
Trevor turns at the graves and holsters his gun.
Trevor - “My family is shrinking and our graveyard is getting bigger. Are you here to help me stop that?”
[Samuel - “Once Upon A Time In Texas”]
Seal walks out of the clearing looking at a piece of crumpled paper, not noticing the two Trevor’s.
Seal - “Trevor, you see this? We’ve got a big development going on…”
Seal looks up and sees the Trevor’s.
UNDAUNTED - in Heroes title font - graces across the panel.
THE BEGINNING OF THE END - PART FOUR: POINT OF REFERENCE - in Heroes title font -
NOVEMBER 30, 2007
SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST, ILLINOIS
THE GARDEN OF THE GODS
Trevor is sitting on a stump, going over data on his hacked e-reader. Seal is sitting near him with a sandwich.
Seal - “What would you have named her?”
Trevor - “I don’t name my computers.”
Seal - “Your daughter.”
Trevor - “…We decided on Elisha. After one of my grandmothers.”
Seal - “Elisha.”
Seal is suddenly raised in the air by an unseen telekinetic. Trevor is unresponsive. Then a large explosion goes off in the background. Seal drops, Trevor catches him. He runs within the forest and brushes off a door. It opens and Trevor is about to throw Seal in, they are telekinetically shoved apart. Seal’s neck is snapped and he drops to the ground. More explosions are set off. Trees are seen falling.
Trevor walks toward the explosion. He sees a woman pinned under a tree trunk. He shoots at her offscreen. He keeps walking and shooting at three others, counting off with his free hand. He stops at a dead man.
He telekinetically shoves Trevor into a standing tree. Trevor wheezes. His ribs are broken. The man rises up slowly. He pats himself down, brushing dirt off of his clothes, and wipes blood off his forehead. He raises Trevor up with telekinesis.
Keith - “Explosive perimeter? How uninspiring, Trevor.”
Keith telekinetically slices across Trevor’s forehead.
Keith - “That was your big plan?!”
Keith telekinetically slices down Trevor’s right face through his eye. Trevor screams out loud.
Keith - “This is one big disappointment.”
Trevor - “Sorry, I just love the classic’s.”
Keith - “Famous last words. I’m going to just finish this fast. I’m not a big fan of the outdoors.”
Trevor - “It’s the smell, isn’t it? I’m not too crazy about it myself.”
Keith is unimpressed and is about to slice him again when another explosion detonates right under him. Trevor goes flying. He lands and tries to stand. He looks down and his arm is missing. He is silent, and then crawls into the forest. The smoke is finally clear, camera zooms out for a wide shot, bodies are everywhere, revealing the enemy faction’s handiwork.
NOVEMBER 28, 2007
Camera angle zoomed up on Seal’s face. He read Future Trevor.
Seal - “Trevor, my Trev..umm…can I talk to you over here?”
Trevor’s nod at each other. Trevor walks over to Seal.
Seal - “Alternate realities?”
Trevor - “Do you believe him?”
Seal - “He believes himself.”
Trevor - “Again, he could just believe in his lies.”
Seal - “But Trevor…he’s a future you.”
Trevor - “Yeah…it may get confusing and I have this gut feeling to call him Steve. It feels right.”
Seal frowns.
Trevor - “My objective is to protect everyone that is a member of Undaunted. He has intelligence that may prove useful toward our survival.”
Seal - “And the whole ‘saving the multiverse’?”
Trevor - “Meh.”
The Trevor’s are conversing alone. Future Trevor is typing on Trevor’s e-reader.
Future Trevor - “This is everything I know.”
He passes the tablet to Trevor.
Trevor - “Their leader is a skilled telekinetic. This won’t be the easiest kill.”
Future Trevor - “Two Trevor’s are better than one.”
Trevor - “Ugh. Can’t believe you just said that. I wish I could shoot you.”
Future Trevor - “When else can I use that phrase?”
Trevor - “Ah, good point. Where’s Future James?”
Future Trevor laughs at the term. Then has a grim look. He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a stopwatch, running.
Future Trevor - “I have to find him at certain points and times around the planet. His body…couldn’t perceive the space-time continuum anymore and the only thing that could anchor him for a limited time is the planet’s leylines.”
Trevor - “But if this works, your reality at least, will reset and you won’t have to worry about finding your James. You two won’t even have time to click your heels together…”
Future Trevor - “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
Trevor - “Meaning it’s not really about your Earth anymore.”
Future Trevor - “Where is Azuteor?”
Trevor - “I don’t know, probably procrastinating for a physics exam…You thinking A-Squad?”
Future Trevor - “A-Squad.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
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