The Library of Powers

Chapter 16 - part 5

The library was at the top of the hill, in fact, it was the only structure on the hill at all. Plenty of privacy and great views of the ocean. Stumbling into focus was the abandoned building itself. It was exactly as Jackson had pictured it. A one-story monstrosity in dull green tones, with mustard trim and red doors. It looked more like a daycare than a library, and more like a horror movie set than a daycare.

There was a large "no trespassing" sign bolted to the wall, but by that point nothing could stop him. He tried the front doors. They were locked. Something was stopping him.

"I'm pretty flexible," Chase said.

There was an uncomfortable pause, before Melanie asked him, "Is that all?" Samantha stifled a laugh.

"I mean, we saw the windows on the way up, I could wiggle through one and try to open the door from the inside."

Jackson looked to Ivory for advice. She shrugged. "Go for it," he told Chase.

He flashed a thumbs up and walked to the far side of the building. Chase was thanking whoever had given him this big break. He fished out the orange envelope from his pockets and examined the address Lance Hannigan had given them. It was 1336 Warrick Way, exactly where they were now. He needed to get into the building, find the package, and take it before Ivory or Jackson realized what he was doing. He wasn't sure if Melanie would be okay with it, so he needed her to remain in the dark too.

He pushed open one of the windows with relatively little effort. He pulled himself inside with considerably more effort. He fell onto the floorboards inside with absolutely zero effort.

The letter told him to look for a white door, which didn't take long to find. Pushing open the door, he was greeted by a small office, with a singular window looking out towards the Pacific. On the desk rested a square package wrapped in newspaper. Attached was a tag that read, "To the new Librarian." Interesting. This place was super abandoned, so that had to be a codename. A pretty lame one though if you asked him.

He grabbed another object from his pockets. A small cardboard box, acquired from Marc himself. Two knocks and it expanded to a size that could fit the package snug. Two more knocks and it was back to pocket size.

With his job done, he could actually help the rest of the group get in. He examined the front entrance. It was chained up, not simply locked. Though from this side he could at least open it partially. He did so, a crack of sunlight peeking through. Jackson pressed his eye to the crack, looking at Chase.

"Hey Jackson," he wondered, "Could you cut this chain by slowing down time, throwing something at it, then speeding time back up?"

"I don't think so," Jackson's voice resounded through the particleboard, "Changing time conserves object's original momentum on the way down, but not the way back. Anything I throw will have the same velocity as when I threw it."

"Okay dude, I didn't need the physics lesson."

"Don't be rude!" Sam yelled at him.

"Sorry, I'm just disappointed. That would have been so easy."

"Easier than this?" A small hand thrust through the gap between doors. They held bolt-cutters.

Chase took them. "Point taken," He grunted as he snapped the chain off, and opened the door fully. Ivory held out a hand for the bolt-cutters. He returned them.

"What does that one do, Ivy?" Jackson inquired, "turn into tweezers? Disappear except when you call it? Destroy any material known to man?"

"They cut bolts," she offered.

Jackson rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, not everything you own is an artifact."

"Just most of it," Ivory looked smug.

They flooded into the old library. Jackson was overtaken by how similar it looked. The carpet was torn out and the shelves were bare, but all in all it was a perfect replica. Except this was the real version, and the Library of Powers's version was the replica. He had technically never been here before.

Despite that, he made a beeline for the locked door. And here is where he encountered his first major difference. It was the same door, down to the brass handle. But there was a placard here, denoting what was inside. "Head Librarian," large text read. Underneath, italicized, "Mary Fletcher."

It was an office. Who was Mary Fletcher? Why didn't The Library contain this placard? He tried the door. It wasn't locked. Jackson shook with anticipation. Looking back at those around him, he told them, "This is it."

"Yeah, we know," Melanie spat, "Open it already! Don't be a tease!"

Jackson creaked the door open, admitting, "Oh don't you worry, I'm just as excited as you."

The room was empty.