LIGHTFOOT (ONC 2021)

6.2| boombox.

Janice remained silent after Saint-Max explained everything again, gazing at the ground as her mind processed the information. In the grand scheme of things, it didn't matter as she'd forget once the unranked hero died. Still, her knowledge of superheroes who had experienced time loops was useful. Saint-Max could bounce ideas off her and hear her suggestions.

"Are you going to say anything?" he asked.

"I—I." She sighed, then massaged her forehead. "What can I even say? You went through Hell while I remember nothing." She swallowed her saliva. "You told me a lot. Bank staff working with the villains, their leader having gravity powers, and you not knowing what caused the loop or how to stop it. From my POV, you're the centerpiece."

"Yes. But why?"

Janice shrugged.

"What if we try something different?"

She crossed her arms. "I'm listening."

"When we first arrived, you thought my plan on stopping the villains sucked, and you suggested a better one. We should try it."

"What plan?"

"You said, you go into a clothing store, change into normal clothes, then we rush into the bank pretending we're running away from the kaijus. They'll put us with the hostages, and we can assess the situation from there."

The reporter nodded while smiling. Her idea was better than anything Saint-Max thought of. "And if it doesn't work?" she asked.

"I'm stuck in a time loop. I'll try everything until I escape."

"I see." She looked at the ground, her mind lost in thought again.

"What are you thinking about?"

She looked at him. "Aren't you afraid of dying repeatedly?"

Saint-Max gulped. Only non-humans wouldn't be afraid of death. "I have no other choice. The loop only restarts after I die."

"Are you sure that's the only way?"

"It's what I know so far."

"Alright, let's try my plan."

After Saint-Max changed into normal clothes, the two ran to the bank. The masked villains aimed their weapons at them upon entry.

"Don't shoot!" Janice said with raised hands. Saint-Max did the same, letting her lead the conversation. She was more of a people person than him. "We thought we'd take shelter in here." She glanced around, seeing how the villains divided the bank staff and customers. It was as Saint-Max said. "What's going on?"

She can act, Saint-Max thought.

"None of your business. Now move over there!" A masked villain beckoned with his rifle for the two to go to where the customers were. If shit went sideways, the bank staff would help them.

Watching the hostages shake in fear with tears in their eyes broke Saint-Max. His mind dug deep into his memories and unveiled one from his middle school days. He went to a museum and—

He shook his head, clearing the memory from his thoughts. It wasn't the right place to remember it.

"We have to do something," Janice whispered to him.

"Like what?" Saint-Max had no clue where to start. So far, he had used his superspeed, and it hadn't worked. That was why he let Janice lead. Maybe with her in charge, it would bring a different outcome.

"Let me think."

While Janice thought of a plan, The Leader showed up. Saint-Max covered his face with his hands, pretending to wipe tears from his eyes. The Leader glanced at the customers and smiled. "Janice Jackson, a reporter for Bastion News. What are you doing here? You should be miles away from the city."

"She came here with him," a masked villain said, pointing at Saint-Max.

Shit! The unranked hero thought. There goes our plan to blend in.

The masked villain continued. "They ran here a few minutes ago, saying they wanted shelter."

"And you let them in?" The Leader asked before frowning.

"I—I—"

"Do you know who that man is?" He pointed at Saint-Max.

"No, Boss."

"He's the idiot who compared the top-ranked superheroes in Gluevale to villains." He looked at Saint-Max. "Lightfoot, right? What a dumb superhero name. It doesn't even make sense. Why not Lightfeet?"

"That's what I said," Janice muttered, making Saint-Max roll his eyes.

"I'll ask again, what are you really doing here?"

"We came to save the hostages."

Saint-Max gasped. Does she have a death wish?

The Leader laughed. "I love your honesty, Ms. Jackson. And you think Lightpoop will help you stop me?"

"Yes."

"He's not fast enough."

"For now."

"There's only now, Ms. Jackson. Tomorrow isn't promised."

"Spoken like a man who's too old to dream of the future."

"The future?" The Leader scoffed. "What do you know about the future?"

"Nothing. But I have hope for it to be better than today. Do you?"

"If you only knew the..." The Leader cleared his throat. "You will know about it soon."

"About what?"

"The future."

Janice scoffed. "You're a clairvoyant now, old man?"

"No." The Leader looked at Saint-Max and aimed his machine gun at him. "Not every superhero is destined for the big leagues. Rest. In. Peace... Boombox." He turned to Janice and fired multiple rounds, piercing her body like a shish kebab.

Saint-Max sat with wide eyes and an open mouth, staring at Janice's lifeless body. He knew he'd see her again. Still, watching her die like that broke his heart. Just because she'd be alive in the next loop didn't mean he'd forget seeing her die. He didn't care what plan they came up with next time. If it involved her coming to the bank, then he'd decline it.

A stray tear fell down his face while he looked at The Leader. "You win again."

"There's no winner, Lightfoot. Only deaths you've caused."

"What deaths?"

Before The Leader answered, a bright white light flashed before his eyes. When it vanished, Saint-Max found himself standing in front of Janice. Unlike before, where she'd say, "that's a stupid plan," this time tears dribbled down her face.

"What's going on?" Saint-Max asked.

"I remember... I remember everything that happened," she said. "I know about the time loop."

That wasn't the answer he sought. The reporter hovered a few inches from the ground. "Janice, since when can you fly?"

Total Words: 11,731.