A Not-So-Quiet City

"You were right, Christina. This meditation place is great," Felix walked along the empty sidewalk, phone in hand. This late at night, even the city grew quiet. The meditation session had just wrapped up, but even at half past midnight Christina – his older sister – would definitely be awake. Her internal clock worked in mysterious ways, according to her. Felix would put money on an unhealthy amount of coffee, but no one would take him up on that one.

"I know, right? It's like the productive version of going clubbing!" Felix laughed at that. Christina sounded positively sage-like, but Felix wasn't sure that she had ever actually gone clubbing.

"And you'd know that how, exactly?"

Christina sputtered. "Shut up! I've got my secrets!"

"Like that you haven't ever actually been to a club."

"Says the boy," she put extra emphasis on the 'boy,' "who can't go clubbing even if he wanted to."

"Just wait a couple of months and I'll be tearing up dance floors all across the city," Felix said completely deadpan. Christina didn't say a word, evidently shocked at his gusto. Felix took the victory for what it was and reveled in it, nearly missing the shadowy shapes in one of the alleys he was about to pass. It was a groan of pain that alerted him to them at all.

Peering into the dark gap between buildings, three figures towered over a smaller one outside the entrance of one of the sketchier bars Felix had ever seen. "Poor guy," Felix whispered. He felt bad for the guy on the ground, but there was nothing he could do to three dudes who were built like monuments.

"What'd you say?" Christina asked.

"Nothing. I was talking to myself," Felix explained, about to walk away. His conscience begged him to find a way to help, but his logic overrode it. If any of the three were armed, it would mean a serious injury at the very least, and death at the worst. He didn't like either of those options all that much. It was the small "help" that the silhouette on the ground breathed that forced him to obey his conscience. He cursed.

"Christina, I'll have to call you back." Ending the call, Felix walked closer to the fight. He dialed 911, putting his phone on speaker and turning the volume down to zero, letting the dispatcher hear everything without tipping the goons off. As he approached, the three stooges turned to him. Felix steeled himself, breathing deeply as he had just learned to do. He felt barely calmer, but that was probably for the best. He'd need as much adrenaline as he could get.

"Turn back, kid," a gruff voice demanded.

"I'll call the police," Felix threatened. It was a bluff. Even though they were already on the phone, unbeknownst to the stooges, it'd take too long for the police to show up; he'd probably get beat within an inch of his life by the time they arrived.

"The hell you will," another voice grumbled. At the same time, a shadow – probably the speaker – placed a foot on the head of the guy on the floor. More moans of pain erupted from the man, sending shivers down Felix's spine.

He needed to buy time for the cops to arrive. "Listen, I'm sure that guy did something to deserve this, but maybe you can forgive him?" The third stooge laughed, walking closer to Felix.

"You think we can forgive this guy after he got our stuff confiscated? That's millions of dollars' worth of goods. Just because he wanted to be the 'good guy.' Let me ask you, punk. Do you want to be a 'good guy?'" he said menacingly, the alcohol on his breath more than evident.

Felix stumbled backwards. What in the world was he thinking? These guys ate people like him for breakfast. "No," he mumbled.

"Good. Then leave," the stooge shooed him away. Felix nodded and turned around, scampering away. Then, pain blossomed in his torso just under his heart. A ride line appeared where a knife was drawn out of him, the blood already turning his formerly white shirt crimson. The stooge grabbed Felix's phone, showing him the caller I.D.

"Do you think we're stupid, kid?" Felix couldn't answer, instead trying to get past his shock and stop the bleeding. He wanted more than anything to scream in pain, in frustration, but that wouldn't end well for him. Then, in a moment of clarity, he remembered his ability. He couldn't time travel more than maybe half a minute, and that would mean a crippling headache. Needing to be fully aware, Felix decided fifteen seconds, just before the man pulled the knife, would be enough. Focusing through the pain was decidedly difficult, but his reasons for wanting to time travel were pretty profound.

Disorientation, and then Felix was in motion. He sprinted at the shadow with the knife, tackling the surprised man to the ground. The third stooge reached for his knife, but Felix got there first. He put the metal to the downed man's throat, forestalling his friends from rushing to his rescue. Breathing heavily, Felix simply held it there, waiting for help to arrive. Moonlight glinted off the small man's – the 'good guy's' – wide eyes. For his part, Felix couldn't believe what he had just pulled off, but then again, rage was a powerful motivator.

Unfortunately, there was seemingly no honor among thieves. The first stooge, the gruff one, rushed towards Felix. Withdrawing the knife from the third stooge's throat, Felix held it out at the charging man. The man under him took the opportunity to wrest himself free of Felix, toppling him to the ground. If there was any blessing in disguise, it was that no one else had a knife.

Felix hugged the knife to his chest as he curled up into a ball on the ground, taking kicks to every part of his body. The blows seemed to rain down on him for what seemed like forever, and his vision was spinning. It was as his vision began to fade to black that he saw red and blue lights bloom at the edge of his sight. Help was here. And then Felix wasn't.