Dating Father Time's Daughter (Book 1)

Chapter 35 (2/2): Disastrous Deals

Sheep pushed open the cracked cabinet that Joe hid it in. Packages of lids fell to the ground and spilled over the floor as Sheep leaped out. It could sense the mental key of every Time Keeper and for some reason, it could sense Inertia's key.

Turning a corner, Sheep saw Joe stuffing packets of ketchup into a brown paper bag.

"Joe! We need to go! Now!" shouted Sheep.

Joe's entire body jerked when he saw Sheep. He tossed his head around and sighed at his unbelievable luck. Everyone was at the front counter. He was the only employee currently in the back.

"I'm only an hour into my shift. I can't leave now," said Joe rolling the top of the bag down.

Sheep rushed to Joe and grabbed his pants leg that was still drying from earlier, "Remember when you asked if important Time Keeper stuff was happening? Well it is now!"

"I don't understand," said Joe. He only needed a second to put the pieces together. His eyes narrowed on Sheep, "Inertia?"

Sheep nodded, "I sensed her mental key."

"Why would she be going to nirvana?"

"Maybe she's not going there alone" suggested Sheep.

"No," mumbled Joe, "She wouldn't. I know her."

"I guess we're going to finally see how well you know her."

The backdoor of Freedom Fries slammed against the brick wall of the building. Joe exited the restaurant with Sheep in his arms. As his feet slammed against the asphalt, he revisited his weekend with Inertia. Everything was so normal. There was no need for suspicion. He scowled and swallowed back his frustration.

He should have brought up BlackHole. He should have asked her about him. He shouldn't have stayed silent.

"Where is she?" asked Joe.

"West" answered Sheep.

Joe considered the geography of Manhattan and smiled, "The subway station is in that direction. She should have been heading back to school today. That's where we'll find her."

"Great. This is also a good time to remind you that we can get there faster in the air" said Sheep.

Joe smacked his forehead and reduced his body mass to zero. He floated into the cold winds of the sky. Like a missile, he took off in search of his best-friend.

***

The long twisting shadow slithered in BlackHole's view, but it no longer worried him. His plan was coming to fruition. He knew he could place his faith in Inertia.

"Why do you want to visit nirvana?" asked Inertia.

"I can tell you why as soon as you give it to me," answered BlackHole squeezing one of her hands with both of his, "Wouldn't life be so much easier if we only had to worry about each other?"

Inertia slid her fingers against the warm light of the key. She knew that there was no other rational explanation. BlackHole was attempting to manipulate her this entire time. All of it was an act. Her heart was broken.

He was going to take the key, betray her, and destroy this dimension. Life itself would cease for everyone on earth because of her. She watched him look away and smirked. She told herself that wasn't going to happen.

Inertia thought back to the first day of Astronomy 101 when she met him. He was so arrogant and crass. Everyone shrouded under a cloud of ignorance and he was the only enlightened one.

Inertia told herself that it was time he learned a lesson himself.

BlackHole heard a low grumble and looked over his shoulder. Swarms of people packed the subway station moving in both directions. He looked back at Inertia and caught the smirk on her face.