Time Flux: Welcome to the New World

Never Again

"Clock... CLOCK!"

As James slowly but surely opened his groggy eyes, his gaze was immediately met with the worried glances of the team. Oz was knelt over, checking that his wound was in a condition in which he could possibly move. Hannah was leaned over with one hand on his right shoulder and the other one gently holding his head up by his right cheek. She shook his head slightly to gain his attention.

"James!... please!" She exclaimed

"Alright, alright! I'm awake... god damn"

"Can you move?" She asked

"Fuck knows, ask Einstein here..."

Oz once again glanced down at the Tech-Man before tracing his fingers across the holographic text and graphs that it generated. He tapped a button and the screen went off.

"He's okay for now, but when we... if we get out of here, I will need to work on him a bit more" Explained the worried blond youth

Clock nodded, placed his left hand on the floor and pushed himself to his feet. Hannah attempted to help him but he clearly did not want her assistance. He moved his torn shirt to one side to inspect the wound. It was completely closed by the immense heat of the Tech-Mans laser but it was clear for a blind man to see that it was extremely painful.

Clock turned around to see the half cut blade still protruding from the wall. He gazed at it for a few seconds as a deep frown formulated across his face. He felt once again, the hand of Hannah make a comforting impact on the swell of his back.

"It's okay, you're alive" the bespectacled beauty whispered

"Hmph" Clock groaned "It isn't possible... it shouldn't be anyway"

"You act like this is the first time you have been beaten in a fight, James"

"You don't understand, He should not be able to have even come close to beating me in one on one combat. For this timeline, my reactions, reflexes, strength, they should be far beyond even the greatest physical specimen of this time"

They were interrupted by the speaker system in the facility calling out a worrying notion. They tilted their heads to hear clearly.

"FOUR MINUTES UNTIL SELF DESTRUCT, ALL PERSONNEL TO THE SOUTH END EVACUATION CENTRE...." It repeated.

"South..." Clock murmured as he turned quickly, forgetting his injury

He stomped over towards Oz, Oz being slightly startled. He grabbed Oz by the shoulder firmly and looked him deep in his eyes.

"Rutherford and the girl? Where are they?"

"Uh... I left them in the cell just encase I was caught. I didn't want them to punish them anymore for my escape attempt" Oz replied

"Use that thing to work out what fuckin' way is south, go slow but steady, don't be seen. I will get the others. Hannah, you go with Oz."

"But..." Hannah attempted to argue.

"Shut your face and go, Now!"

They both went to the door, Oz opened it slightly to check that the coast was clear. The corridor was deserted, bits of paper and other things were scattered around the metal floor, people had left in quite a hurry. Oz grabbed Hannah's hand and began pulling her through the door and down the south corridor. Hannah gave a glance toward Clock, not knowing if she would ever see him. He gave a reassuring nod but it did not make her feel any better. They ran down the corridor and stopped in a small alcove in the walkway so Oz could check the Tech-Man.