The Girl Who Rewinds Time [Life is Strange]

Chapter 45: The Science Kid

Max entered the diner through the back. Warren's head glanced at her and a wide smile spread across his face.

"Max!" He said happily and started walking toward her. Joyce was attending to Frank's injuries before she followed Warren's gaze. "Max!" She repeated Warren's words.

Max smiled at the two as they approached her. Joyce wrapped her arms around her. "Oh Jesus, I am so glad to see you, sweetie! Are you okay?" Joyce said. "Yes. What about you guys?" Max asked. "The Two Whales is barely standing now..." Joyce told Max. "I don't know if it's going to make it through this tornado. Poor Officer Berry and all those other people out there..."

"I know." Max said.

"Okay, get your ass inside... I have to get back to this gentleman on the ground..." Joyce said. She placed her hand on Warren's shoulder. "Warren has been gathering all the first aid..."

"It's not much, Joyce. But that's all we have." He told her.

"You okay, Warren?" Max asked him. "How the hell did I ignore all those warnings, Max? The snow, the eclipse..." He said. "There's nothing you could do about it, Warren." Max told him. "I'm so stupid... I should have seen it coming..." Warren said as he walked away.

So glad everybody is safe here, but I need that photo from Warren to help Chloe and Daniel!

Max approached Frank, who Joyce was still attending. She looked up at Max and stood up. "Okay, Max, excuse me while I go help this other gentleman." Max nodded at her. She glanced down at Frank.

"Frank... I'm so glad you're here..." She said. "That makes two of us." He said with a raspy voice. "Now if only I had Rachel back..." Frank looked up at Max. "Now Max, what about that info I gave you? Did you and your friends find out what happened to her?"

Max sighed. "Frank, I don't know how to say this, so... I just will. Rachel is dead." Frank's heart started beating. "God, no, please... Please no... No, not Rachel... She can't fucking be!" He looked up at Max. "Are you... Are you sure? I mean, how do you know?"

"We used the names you gave us to track down a farmhouse." Max told him.

"My professor, Mark Jefferson, has this creepy photo torture room... and we found out he was using Nathan Prescott to drug and photograph Blackwell students." Max said to him. "Prescott?" Frank questioned. Max nodded. "Fuck! Fuck, I knew it! I should never have hooked up with that sick punk! Pompidou hated him!" Frank said. "You saw... you saw Rachel?" He asked. "Yes... I wish I didn't. I'm so, so sorry, Frank." Max said. "Nathan wanted to impress Jefferson, and he... he killed her." Max told him.

"How? How did he kill her?" Frank asked. "He used some drug... and gave her an overdose..." Max told him.

"An overdose? The only way Nathan could've done that is... is if I sold it to him." Frank said. Feeling deep regret. "I killed my lioness! No... What have I done?" Frank's fists clenched tightly. "Where is this motherfucker Jefferson?" He said. "He's dead. He won't be hurting anybody anymore..." Max said to him.

"Rachel... Oh, God. She was the one good thing in my life, Max." Frank said. "I know she was too young, and... I expected her to leave me, just... just not how it happened. I would never have stopped her from going after her dreams."

"I know." Max said. "She obviously cared about you, Frank..."

"Rachel cared about a lot of people... especially Chloe... But, uh... now I see why Rachel dug her... and Chloe was man enough to ask me for help after all that shit we went through."

"Chloe would appreciate that..." Max said. "You know, one time I met my dad, the bastard quoted the bible and said he wanted to "enter his house justified" In other words, to do the right thing... me too." Frank looked up at her. "And maybe you're helping me get there, Max." He narrowed his eyes and lifted his shoulders. Shaking his head.

"Don't get me wrong, kid. I still think you're weird... but you're cool." He said.

Joyce crouched down to Frank. She was done with the other guy and was about to work on Frank again. Max spent enough time chatting. She needed that photo from Warren. Now.

She approached him and placed her hand on his shoulder. He turned to her.

"I hate to say I'm glad to see you, but I'm so glad to see you." He said. "That's okay. The important thing is that you're safe..." Max told him. "And I know you can take care of yourself, after Nathan."

"Should have done that a long time ago." He said. "But damn, Max... I can't believe you actually drove down here in the middle of a fucking E6 tornado, just for one photograph... I mean, I know you didn't come for me."

"Warren, I came for all of you. Just tell me you do have the photograph." Max said.

"I just want..."

"Now shut up and listen." Max told him. "Oh yeah, you're finally going to tell me what you never did in the parking lot..." He said.

"I wish I would have. So I'm just going to tell you without any explanation." Max said. "Trust me, okay?"

"I always do. You should probably tell me quick..." Warren said. "I had a vision in Jefferson's class of a tornado destroying Arcadia Bay. I went to the bathroom and saw my best friend Chloe get shot by Nathan Prescott... You with me so far?"

"Where else could I be? Go on!" Warren told her. "Then I found out that I could rewind time... And, long story short, Mark Jefferson is insane and dangerous." Max said. "Whoa... Is that all?" Warren asked. "I have to go back in time. Jefferson already ki—killed Chloe and Daniel..."

"Wait, Daniel's dead?" Warren asked.

"Yes. I can't let that happen... I have to do something, Warren!" She said. "Max, going back in time is what caused the storm!" Warren said. "All because... because of me? How?" Max questioned. "I'm not a real scientist, even though I play one at school, but this seems like pure cause and effect, maybe Chaos Theory..." Warren said. "Uh, what happened with Jefferson? Did... Did he hurt you?" He asked.

"He used Nathan to get drugs and money for him. Jefferson tied me up and... dosed me with some drug and took sick photos of me... It was so horrible..." Max told him. "Max... I'm so sorry you had to go through all that... You're the bravest person I've ever known." Warren said. "Now, I want to kill that son of a bitch! Where is he?"

"Dead. History. Which I need to change fast to make it right again... Is that bad?" Max questioned. "For every action, there's... there's a reaction... Whenever you reversed or altered time, maybe you caused a chain reaction... even in the environment." He said. "All this destruction... is my fault?" Max questioned him. "Give me a break. You sure the hell didn't give yourself time travel powers..."

"I guess we'll never know if it's magic or science..." Max said. "Even if it's from a wizard or a wormhole... You're part of something bigger." Warren told her. "I don't believe in fate or destiny, but after this week, I realize I don't know shit." He said. "That makes both of us, Warren..." Max told him.

"I do know you're here for a reason... and I guess it's up to you to find out why." He said. "Max... I'm sorry you got stuck in this... in this... I don't have a fucking clue what's going on. But I have total faith that you'll do the right thing when the time comes." Warren told Max. "I'm so proud of you, Max. How could there be a more important moment in history? And I'm in the middle of it with you? So thank you for trusting me."

"Thanks for being here. Always." Max said. Warren finally took out the picture and laid it on the counter.

Max was about to go through the photo. But Warren said, "Hey... Be careful out there." Max looked at him and said, "I could use a hug before I do this..." "Me too." He said. They slowly hugged each other.

Warren was disappointed that Max had to go back. He just wanted to say what he felt towards her. Once they parted, Warren rubbed the back of his neck.

"Better go before I get pathetic and tell you not to." He said. "You're not pathetic. You're one of my heroes..." Max told him. "And I'm going to make the right choices from now on... I swear." She said. "That's why you're Super Max." Warren said. He leaned on the counter and waited for whatever it was to take over.

Max concentrated on the photo. And went back in time to the night of the End of the World party.