Warped

Prologue

New York City was in the midst of a being assaulted by a thunderstorm. Inky black clouds covered every inch of the sky. Water flooded the already crowded streets. Anyone with sense would have found shelter from the barrage of rain.

From the outside, the storm appeared to zero in a particular brick apartment complex. Inside, Anthony Shabazz slammed his suitcase shut and stared out the window. The tempest outside, he thought, was made especially to mock his internal thoughts.

Was he doing the right thing? He had racked his brain for about a week, pondering this question, but hadn't come up with an answer that satisfied him 100%. Anthony knew that he ultimately had no choice in the matter, but—

A flash of lightning followed by a clap of thunder jolted him out of his thoughts with a sneeze. He hoped that he'd be traveling to a time period without rain. Thunderstorms always made him sneezy.

Anthony locked his case and exited his bedroom. With a snap of his fingers, green mist collected around his hand and formed a skeleton key. He locked the door. He didn't want her to get curious and go snooping through his things, looking for answers.

Anthony was known for being forgetful. Just his luck, his daughter would stumble upon a time bomb he forgot to detonate, and she'd be hurled into the Dark Ages, or, heaven forbid, the nineteen-seventies, with no way to get back home.

He set his suitcase down outside of his daughter's room and went in. Her room was tidy and neat. Band posters and family pictures hung on the wall. Anthony lingered at a picture of his daughter and his wife, Dulari, in front of the white limestone side of the Pyramids of Giza. His heart ached for a happier time.

His daughter slept like a rock, her limbs splayed wildly across the mattress. The bed covers sat in a clump on the floor. Her pet rabbit, Houdini, slept soundly on her stomach.

A warm smile spread across his face. Anthony held out his hand. In a poof of green mist, a handwritten letter and an earring box appeared in his hand. He set them down on the dresser next to her bed.

Thunder boomed outside. Anthony clamped his hand over his nose and mouth to stifle a sneeze. His daughter murmured in her sleep and rolled to her side. She snuggled Houdini to her chest.

His daughter was an obedient girl, but if he'd left while she was awake, she'd ask too many questions. He didn't have enough time to give her answers.

He kissed her forehead and covered her with the comforter. She didn't budge. He stared at her for a moment. Was he making the right choice? What would Dulari have done? Would she have left their only daughter all alone is she was in his place?

Anthony's gut twisted. He was out of time. That lunatic was coming for her, so Anthony had to get to him first before that madman got his hands on his daughter for whatever dastardly plot he was brewing.

He closed the door, grabbed the suitcase, and headed to the living room so he wouldn't wake her when he warped. Anthony fished out his fifty-two card deck, selected the right ones, and ripped them in half. In between the two halves of cards, green energy pooled out like water. The light congealed until it formed a glowing green portal. On the other side was, well, he was about to find out.

Another clap of thunder shook the apartment complex. Anthony took a deep breath and steeled himself. He entered the portal and disappeared in a flash and a sneeze.