Flashf0rward

Chapter 8: Familiar Faces

Ivy

Walking along the near-empty streets, I could tell people were just starting to get up. I had to move quickly, and I hoped the person that I needed to talk to was awake. As I walked to their house, sure enough, I saw a small light flickering inside of their house. Hoping that they would talk to me, I knocked on their door. As it opened, I looked up and stared into the face of Brad Pitt.

"Well hey there, missy. What brings you here this morning?" He said in a way too cocky tone. Rolling my eyes, I walked past him. "Knock it off Max. You got the voice wrong." Max closed the door behind me, walking over to his living room. "Come on, how would you know? You were barely 10 when he was still around." I raised an eyebrow and looked over at him. "Because he sure as hell didn't sound like a cowboy trying to sound like Brad Pitt. Drop the disguise, we need to talk."

Max sighed and blew some air up at some of Pitt's long hair. "Fine." Brad Pitt suddenly seemed to shift and change, his body twisting at unnatural angles, until it rearranged itself into a young boy who looked to be in his mid-teens with hair that was half-shaved, combed to one side, and bright pink. He was wearing a leather biker jacket, with ripped jeans, and had a nose ring along with a Metallica t-shirt.

Smirking, Max put his arms behind his head. "This is the new body I'm trying out. What do you think?" Laughing, I smiled a little as I leaned against the wall. "You look like the 90s chewed up the 80s and spit it out into the early 2000s." Brushing his pink hair out of his face, he playfully pouted. "You're just jealous."

Max was one of the more eccentric metahumans we'd found. He was originally with a group of survivors we'd encountered while we were sweeping the countryside, but it wasn't until he'd lived with us for a few weeks that he'd come forwards with his abilities. Or hers. The thing was, it wasn't clear what Max really looked like, his age, or even what gender he was. Some days he would be a girl, others a boy. He said he liked it that way, and we didn't mind either.

Looking at his fingernails, Max casually changed them into a multicoloured set. "So, what's the occasion? I know this probably isn't a social visit." I hugged my arms and sighed. "Listen, Max. I know we've been friends for a while, which is why I think you're one of the only ones I can trust with this."

He cocked his head, confused. "Ok...this is starting to sound a bit serious." I quickly ran over my explanation of what happened with the radio, Wren, and Connor. This time, I told him the truth about what happened, my secret plan, and how I'd basically lied to Connor. "So, you just duped the guy who almost beat a man to death? And what made you think that was a good idea?" Max said.

Sighing, I shook my head. "I know it sounds stupid and dumb, but I can't live my life here while knowing that girl is trapped in the city. Which is why I need you to grab supplies for me." Max's eyes widened. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! You're saying you want me to go behind your brother's back as well as Jude's, who could probably snap my neck like a twig, break into our armoury, and cover for you while you're gone? You think I'm crazy enough to do that?"

I gave Max a bit of a knowing look, and he paused. "Ok, I'm in." Sighing with relief, I stared at him. "I promise I'll make it up to you." He pointed at me. "You better. Otherwise, it'll be both of our heads on a silver platter. So, how exactly do you plan on getting inside the armoury?" I bit my lip, knowing this would be complicated.

"Jude is the only one in the whole camp who has access to the armoury. He keeps the keys around his neck at all times. However, sometimes he loses them." I remembered one time Jude told me where he'd woke up and wasn't able to find the keys, and it took him almost an hour to find them under his bed in his house. "So, my brother managed to make spares in case he ever did again."

Max's eyes widened, filling in the gaps himself. "You want me to disguise myself as Jude and ask for the spare keys so I can get into the armoury." I nodded. "It's the only way I can get weapons without my brother knowing. Because if he did, he wouldn't rest until I was stopped." Sighing, Max rubbed his temples. "Ok...hold on a second."

Closing his eyes, Max seemed to concentrate and go quiet for a moment. Then, he shifted and changed right into Jude, even growing a few feet taller in front of my eyes. I stepped back a bit in surprise. He cleared his throat and spoke. "How do I look?" The voice was a bit too deep, but passable enough. "Thank god your Jude is better than your Brad Pitt." I smirked.

Max/Jude sneered at me. "Ha, ha. I'll be back in a few minutes. What do you need?" I quickly listed off all my weapon needs. "Two handguns, two rifles, and a bunch of 9mm and 5.56mm ammo." Nodding, Max/Jude walked to the door. "Good luck. You better be right about this." I smiled confidently. "I am, don't worry." I wasn't sure if I was telling myself that more than him.

As Max/Jude went out on his mission, I quickly rushed back to my place. Knowing that Julie was probably still asleep, I started packing my things as quietly as I could. My canteen, rations, bedroll, flashlight, extra clothes, everything was packed into one bag. Then, there was a knock at the door. Whipping around, I rushed to it and opened it a little too fast.

Seeing Jude at the front door made my heart stop. Then, I remembered what had happened earlier, and looked at him with a questioning glance. I didn't want to say anything incriminating for fear it was the real Jude, until he held up a bag full of guns. "Worked like a charm." Max/Jude whispered.

Sighing in relief, I took the bag. "Thanks. Now get back home before-" I said before a voice behind me spoke. "Jude? Ivy? What are you guys doing here?" Turning around, my eyes widened as I saw Julie staring at us confused. Looking at each other, I motioned slightly for Max to play along. "Um...just, getting ready to head out hunting. Right Jude?" He took a second, but then nodded. "Yeah, just grabbing some guns."

Julie raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Max, seriously? Jude's not that tall." Sighing and knowing the jig was up, Max shifted back. "Busted." He said lowly. Looking at my roommate pleadingly, I walked up to her. "Julie, please, you have to understand-" She raised her hand. "If you're going after her, you're gonna need this." Walking over to her desk, she pulled out a makeshift walkie-talkie.

I frowned, confused to say the least as she put it in my hands. "What?" I said, then she shrugged. "I've been working on these for a while now. Turns out all that Reservoir tech wasn't as unsalvageable as we thought. They can transmit for at least 10 miles. The batteries don't last long though, so use it sparingly. I was planning on showing it to Wren soon, but I figured you need it more than him."

Looking up at Julie, I smiled. "Thanks, Jules." She playfully punched my shoulder. "Go kick some butt, Vee. Max and I can cover for you. Right?" She said over to Max, who blinked and then nodded. "Yeah, of course." Sighing, I hugged them both. "I'll see you both soon." Jules waved to me. "Keep in touch! Good luck!" Taking the guns and supplies, I walked out of the house, surprised that went off as easy as it did.