Chapter 1: He who turns back time

Having a thought about what happened, he rise up from his bed and went down stairs. Slowly walking down the narrow staircase of his house with tired eyes that seems to be staring beyond what he could supposed to actually see. Walking straight like a dead man who just returned back to life. He went straight to the kitchen and opened the fridge to grab some chilled water. He took the pitcher of water out then poured its contents into a glass.

"I never thought that I would use Laplace's again." He thought, as he started to drink on the glass of water.

Laplace's ability has a very simple concept; he resets time. But for every hour he rewinds I lost a portion of memory for that hour and the longer the time he reverses, the more memory I will lost for that day, but that's just not it.

When the time he resets reaches twenty-four hours, I completely forget everything about that day. Meaning, even if I use his ability to try to change something in the future, I will still forget 'how' to change it if I reach the twenty-four hour limit.

'Laplace's Demon.' A word that keeps running back and forth in his head. I never thought that it actually exist, well that's before I met the actual one when I was about to meet my end in an unfortunate event around two years ago.

***

The whole place is a mess, people are running towards the lounge and designated fire exits. A room inside the hotel was set ablaze by one of its guest now the whole floor is on fire. Outside, thick black-smoke can be seen coming out from the seventh floor of the establishment.

Along the chaos, gunshots can be heard and the people that are exiting the building became more disordered.

Running along the hallway of the seventh floor, a man was caught between a gunfight and from getting burned alive by the raging flames caused by an explosion.

Running while finding a safe cover he was being chased by a few projectiles out of a smoking barrel of a gun. Some hitting the walls while others are just a few millimeters away from landing into his very flesh.

He kept on running in a zig-zag manner while taking cover on every corner he passes through.

He tried to take a peek from where he is hiding, but as soon as he revealed his position, another round of scorching lead flew to his direction, lucky for him it only chipped a portion of the wall where he is hiding.

"So, what's the deal?" the guy taking cover shouted, although holding a gun in his hands, he still didn't fired a single round back.

"Well, let's just say I'm tired of looking at your face June." the man who fired said, while grabbing another magazine from his inner suit pocket and feeds it to his now empty gun.

"And you know, our shelf life in the industry is not really that long." He added.

He took another peek from his hiding spot, and the same thing happened, chipping off another portion on the edge of the wall. But now his attacker is slowly walking towards him, a step closer every passing second and by each passing time, he can smell death coming closer to him.

Knowing that if he doesn't make a decision right now, it will eventually put a bullet hole on his forehead for being indecisive. So he strengthen up his resolve.

While leaning on the wall he is taking cover with, he lifts his left hand that is holding his gun, points it into the direction of his oppressor and started firing a few rounds.

Seeing the gun that is pointing towards him, the enemy immediately took cover while firing a few back.

Clinking sounds of bullet casing falling down on the concrete floor at the same time lead hitting and cracking the walls sounded like an orchestra carefully following a certain rhythmic pattern without any mistaken notes.

Quick reloads and continuous fire here and there, these two are experts when it comes to loading and unloading their guns. But time is not on their side, the fire is growing larger every passing minute and also making it hard for them to breath.

They continued their gun strife until a mad bullet hits June's left shoulder forcing him to drop his gun and made him step back a bit followed by another shot directly to his left chest.

He immediately took cover and lean back on the wall, sliding himself down in a sitting position on the floor as he felt the pain running through his shoulder and warm fluid flowing down his arm.

The pain is immense and by it, he knew that it probably broke his glenohumeral joint making him Unable to lift nor move his left arm and the hit he has on his left chest's only making things worst for him.

"End of the line June." the man holding a CZ 75B handgun said while pointing it to the direction of the man that just took cover. Slowly walking towards him cautiously with almost like a tiptoeing steps until he finds June leaning on a wall with his gun beside him.

"It's hard to be a lefty sometimes huh?" the man pointing a gun said, kicking the gun on the floor away from June.

"I can kill you with my right hand though." He replied with a smirk on his face and followed by a 'pfft'.

"Sorry but I am killing you this time." He answered pointing the gun on June's face.

Facing certain death, he look straight to him without any fear showing on his eyes. Being pissed by the scene he immediately squeeze the trigger.

On June's eyes, he can see the flashing flame coming out from the end of the barrel of the gun followed by the projectile that will soon end his life.

'So everything is in slow motion when you are about to die huh?' he thought to himself, he gently closed his eyes on the process and waiting for things to end. The instant became a few seconds and the few seconds became a minute.

Having the feeling that nothing has changed nor he was dead he quickly opened his eyes almost popping it out of its sockets and to his surprise everything even the bullet that must hit his head stopped from moving.

Amazed, he can't even say a thing to what he just saw with his two eyes.

"Seems like you are having a hard time?" an unknown voice said that seems to echo throughout the whole floor.

"Who's there?" June replied, looking around, twisting and turning his head.

"Show yourself!" he added with a threatening tone.

Then suddenly, a small black orb appeared floating in front of him. The small orb started to expand until it is wide enough for a fully grown man to walk into.

A guy wearing a black suit appeared walking out of it, tidying his tie as he walked out.

As soon as he stepped out from it, the seem-to-be tunnel connecting the place he came from shrank immediately.

"Hello and good evening to you." He thoughtfully greeted June that is still leaning on the wall.

He went closer while June's gazed followed him. He reached to a point where they are now facing each other.

"I have a proposal for you, which is if you still want to live." The unknown man said while turning his head to the bullet that is about to hit June's forehead and slightly poked it with his bare hand creating a slight sizzling sound on the processes.

"You don't wanna know how hot that thing is." The man added, although it is somewhat a joke for him, but to June it is a matter of life and death situation.

"And… what can you offer me?" June asked out of confusion of what is happening.

After that the unknown man chuckled and started tapping June's injured shoulder. June twitches due to the stinging pain it created but he still continued on laughing until he seems to be crying because of the tears forming on his eyes due to over laughing. He then immediately wiped it using his index finger.

With a sudden pause he look at June's eyes with a very deep glare. A stare that could pierce pass through your very soul, like he is looking on a pile of trash and he can spit on it whenever he wanted to and won't even feel sorry about it.

"Actually, it is the other way around…"

Then in an instant the atmosphere became intense and heavy, that June can feel the pressure literally.

"…What can you offer me?" he continued with a fiendish tone in his voice and a glaring eyes that are almost like it has fire burning inside, a glowing crimson that is too difficult to stare at because of the immense feeling it gives off.

After hearing it, June knew that he could only close the deal if that person in front of him hears what he wanted to hear leaving him with no choice but to submit to whatever that person wanted.

"I'll give you what you want." June's reply after thinking it thoroughly.

Hearing it, the person stood up while still staring at June.

"A deal it is then, so let me explain what I can do." He said with a devilish grin on his face.

He explained everything to June, although he can't believe it at first, but seeing things like the stopping of time that is currently happening to the person who is trying to kill him made him made up his mind to believe everything the fellow said.

"So that's it then." The man finished his explanation.

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself properly am I?" he immediately added.

"You can call me the 'Laplace's Demon', or just Laplace." He said bowing down with his right hand holding his left chest.

"But you still haven't told me what you really want." Said June that is still leaning of the wall holding his wounds.

Laplace walked closer then bent just enough for his head to reach June's ears and whispered his bargain of the deal with an evil smile on his face after saying it.

In shock, June can't believe what he has heard. But it is too late for him to back down because the offer has been sealed.

"Fine, if you can actually do what you told me that you could. Bring me back two hours from now." He commanded.

"Is that all you want?" Laplace asked, but he knew that it is the perfect time to return.

June just nodded as confirmation and with a snap of his finger everything went black. June can see the event that happened earlier playing backwards in his eyes, like everything is being rewind. It is just too much for his mind to comprehend that he lost consciousness and everything went blank.

As he slowly regain consciousness, he found himself standing on the reception area of the hotel. People are passing by normally like nothing happened. He look around and found Laplace standing beside him.

"Did, I really went back in time?" he thought to himself.

He immediately touches his supposed to be gunshot wound to his surprise it is not there. It's gone! He checked his wristwatch and found out that it is actually two hours back and it is still the time when he first entered the hotel to check-in for a room.

"Hey, Laplace."

"Hmm?"

"We did went back in time do we?" he ask, still confused and all the ideas are still not sinking into his mind

"Of course. But instead of worrying about that you should focus your attention to that guy." He said pointing his finger to a direction.

When he turned his gaze to the way Laplace is pointing, his eyes widened and anger runs down to his veins, his blood boiling in fury as he saw none other than the guy who intends to kill him walking in a distant.

He took a step forward then reached for the gun he is hiding in his suit. But before he could do a reckless act he was immediately stopped by Laplace by holding his shoulder and slowly twisting his head left and right, telling him that now is not the time.

The place is populated by people that are coming in and out of the hotel, and children are running here and there. If he fires a gun he could accidentally hit a bystander or worst an innocent child.

Convinced by him, he stopped on pursuing the guy and holster back the gun that he is about to pullout from his suit and let the person waltz out from his sight.

"If you really want to kill him that bad, you better do it in a place where there would be no collateral damages." He said with a smile while turning his head in a direction.

"Sure, I'll definitely make him feel hell." June said with an evil glare full of killing intention.

"Of course you will." He replied having a devilish smile on his face.