[CH.006] Egor’s Antique Shop

"Care for a glass of tea, Frank?" Egor asked.

Frank had turned over the valuable camera to Egor. Frank was strolling through the shop, looking at the many artifacts ranging in age. From the dawn of time old, to just about 100 years ago. There were so many things. First Class dining utensils, plates, bowls, and glasses from the Titanic were on display encased in a glass box.

His shop was small compared to other shops in the strip mall. Located in downtown San Francisco, he had a perfect view of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate bridge, both iconic features for driving tourism to the area.

"No thank you," Frank replied as he walked over to the front of the store. Standing straight up behind the display window, is what appeared to be an Indian totem pole. There were so many things to explore, but other issues needed to be prioritized first.

"Egor, this totem pole, what Indian Tribe did this belong to?" Frank asked as he looked to his right, gazing back over at the glass counter. Egor was standing behind it, cleaning the glass surface with a rag. He was giving Frank time to get comfortable again after the whole fiasco that ensued earlier.

"Not sure where it originated or whom it belonged to. I brought it back from the year of 1744, about twenty years before immigrants began settling here on the east coast."

"Interesting," Frank mumbled.

"It's well over 200 years old; maybe even older," Egor presumed.

The front of the shop was wooden; painted red. It has a brass knob and a brass bell dangling just above it. Every time the door opened, the bell chimed. Seeing how late at night it currently is, there's no foot traffic.

Being a Friday, people were more keen on going out to bars, out to eat, and or going to the movies to catch their favorite film. Besides, Egor's shop was closed, meaning the door was locked.

"I'm ready," Frank said as he walked back over to the glass counter. Egor stopped wiping down and cleaning the glass counter. He took the bottle of cleaner and rag, and set them on another counter behind him.

Frank looked down into the glass display case, where he saw a huge vintage, aged camera. From first looks, it appeared as though it was from the late 1800's. A blue tag rested flat in front of it, showing the name of the camera and the price: Test Camera [1925] | $4,250.

"Sheesh, $4,250 for that camera, huh?" Frank asked as he looked up at Egor with a sarcastic smile. "A-lot of dough you're asking for."

Egor shrugged and scoffed with a smile. "Well, it is vintage after all," he argued.

"So," Frank said, "where do we begin?"

Egor turned around to pick up the camera Frank had brought with him. Turning around again to face him, he gently set it down. Putting white latex gloves on, he picked it up again to open it. He was especially curious to know what was inside the camera.

What he wasn't telling Frank, was that he knew what this camera did and where it came from exactly. This was the camera he'd given to his late fiance: Suzanne [Susie]. The engraving on the bottom of it read: My Love, My Life, My Everything.

When Egor opened the film compartment, there wasn't any unused or used film in it. Instead, there was an emerald-green gem chunk. This was part of the same gemstone used to power the rings. So instead of taking a picture and putting it on film, this camera does something entirely different. If you were to take a picture with this camera, it will either take you forward in time or back in time. Snapshot. IF you had a specific place in mind, that's where the camera would take you.

"You said you found this in the attic of your house, correct?" Egor asked as he took the green gemstone chunk out of the film compartment.

In the case with this camera, the gemstones power was limited. After three jumps through time, the stone wouldn't be able to power a forth jump. Unless the person weidling the camera had more gem chunks to replace the extinguished one, the wielder would be trapped in the time period. If somehow they traveled to a time before Egor discovered the ring's power source, they would be stuck there. It hasn't happened yet, but this doesn't mean it can't happen either.

"Amy, your wife, must've triggered it," Egor mentioned.

"Triggered? How could she have done that?" Frank asked.

"Well it's quite easy," Egor said, "all she would've needed to do was press the button to take a "picture"."

The green chunk of rock fell out of the film compartment and onto the counter. Cling. Clank.

"Well she was going through her grandmother's things. Could've just come across it in a box or tote or something," Frank explained.

"Susie had one jump left," Egor pointed out as he looked up at Frank. "Any idea as to why she didn't use it?" Egor continued.

Frank shrugged his shoulders as he picked up the small green rock. He began examining it closely, wondering what it was and why it looked familiar.

"You recognize that?"

"I do," Frank said, "the ring Amy wore around her neck had the same gem."

Egor held his left hand out, signaling to Frank to give the rock back to him. He asked nicely. Once he finished his examination, he handed it off to Egor. Placing it in his hand, Egor then set it back down in front of him on the counter.

"Time travel is possible?" Frank asked.

"Very much possible, yes," Egor replied. "One of many gifts from the Universe."

Frank raised an eyebrow with a confused look on his face.

"Tell me there's a way to bring her home?" Frank questioned, followed by a brief moment of silence.

"There is. But traveling through time is risky. Time is fragile. One wrong move, action, or anything for that matter, and that action ripples throughout the timeline. Past, present, and future. The world one would leave behind, won't be the same world upon their return."

As they talked, neither one of them noticed the sand coming into the store under the front door. As it made its way into the store and over to them, it stopped right behind Frank. Egor had heard shuffling sounds on the floor behind Frank. So he set the camera down on the counter and looked past Frank onto the floor. Frank turned around too and looked down as well.

"Lewis, you old timer," Egor said, "took you long enough."

Frank took a few steps back as the pile of sand on the floor began swirling around and rising. As Lewis' body form began to take shape, Frank wasn't so frightened by him. It didn't take long for Lewis to finish transforming into his male body form.

"Good to see you too," Lewis responded as he looked over at Frank. He smiled and held his hand out, offering to shake hands with Frank.

"Pleasure to meet you Frank," Lewis said.

Frank hesitated to shake hands with him. Lewis put on a welcoming smile and facial expression.

"How did you know my name?"

"Nevermind that," Egor said as he looked back at Lewis. "Quicksand here, his hero name, is here to help us get Amy back here safely."

"Don't worry, I don't bite," Lewis said.

"How's the gang been lately?" Egor asked Lewis as he walked behind the counter and over to the camera. He picked up where he'd left off before Lewis arrived.

"Merlin, Freya, Moon are in Hong Kong chasing down a lead. Victor's been okay, but the President has been stubborn lately in what missions the Elite are allowed to embark on. As for me, I haven't had anything going on or coming up, so I came to help here."

"So you can do—what?" Frank asked.

"Turn into sand and transform into anything I want myself to turn into," Lewis said, "complicated, but I learned with practice."

"Son," Egor said, "you have the slightest understanding of what's possible. Superheroes don't just exist on paper. They're very much real–Just like Lewis, the Jumpers, and myself. You've only seen the tip of the iceberg as to what's possible. For me, Egor, I can be in two places at once. Part of myself is in 1942, and the other part of me is here with you."

"Believe in the impossible," Lewis said. "and only then you will understand."

In 1942, Egor and Suzanne were ramping up their fighters to prepare them for what's to come. The plan for rescuing Amy was simple. 1. Infiltrate the compound. 2. Locate and free Amy if she's locked up. 3. Fight whoever stands in their way. 4. Get out.

A portal was open, thanks to Suzanne. On the other side, the Jumpers' compound was in clear sight. Where the portal opened up on the other end was outside. It's downpouring. But the mission must go on. After everyone went through the portal, it closed behind them. Egor and Suzanne turned around to face their ten fighters.

"We go in, find Amy, get out," Egor said, "that's the plan. Stay sharp, eyes peeled, and maintain alertness. We are outnumbered by five. One wrong move–and we fail. Understood?"

"So don't fuck up," Suzanne said as she glanced over at Egor with a smile on her face. "Always so complicated with you."

"This is our only shot. Let's not screw it up," Egor said as he and Suzanne turned around; their backs facing their fighters. "Don't worry Amy. We're coming," Egor mumbled quietly.

"Move out," Suzanne said.