Time Will Tell [Complete]

Chapter Eleven

"I've known you for – well, half a year, at most, now that I think about it, but it feels longer – the fact is, I know you, and I understand you, and I know your moods. I've seen that expression before, and I know you're hiding all your emotions. But you are really hurt by what I did, and I understand that – I am ashamed of it, myself. If only I'd known –" Amanda stopped short, but Lizzy caught her blunder.

"Known what?" Lizzy demanded.

Amanda rubbed her forehead. "Umm,"

"You've lost most of your secrets today – who you are, that you're an agent for MNT – so why not one more? What are you talking about?"

Amanda buried her face in her hands, but Lizzy wouldn't let it go.

"Amanda. Please?" Lizzy knelt beside her on the hay and Amanda looked up.

She looked into Lizzy's eyes and almost smiled in relief. At least Lizzy didn't hate her. And what she had to tell wouldn't make her any angrier than she was. Maybe Lizzy would even – at least partly – forgive her.

Amanda exhaled. "Right. Might as well jump right in." she paused, collecting her thoughts as Lizzy waited impatiently. "So – MNT has your whole backstory –"

"WHAT?" Lizzy exclaimed, jumping up. "Well, that's obviously not all right. I don't even know my whole backstory!"

Amanda laughed. "Woah, hold your horses. I'm not even started yet."

Lizzy sat back down, cross-legged, and Amanda continued.

"MNT said –"

"Wait, so do you know it?"

Amanda groaned. "For heaven's sake, Lizzy, listen!"

Lizzy folded her hands tightly and nodded. Amanda sighed heavily and kept talking. "Anyway, as I said, MNT has your whole story, which he did, in fact tell me – who your parents are, why you were left at your godmother's house and exactly when. And MNT told me what he's doing."

"Well, I already know that." Lizzy interrupted once more. Amanda rolled her eyes, just like Lizzy had moments earlier.

"Well, yes, of course you do," she replied sarcastically. "But do you know why?"

Lizzy's face went blank and Amanda grinned. "Ha. Now be quiet and let me finish."

Lizzy fixed her eyes on Amanda's face.

"Now, let's start at the beginning, shall we?"

Amanda paused, collecting her thoughts, as Lizzy fidgeted impatiently. Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Lizzy, she took a deep breath and began.

"Once, long ago, there lived two brothers, who we don't know the names of as yet. They had the brilliant idea to pass information off to whoever paid them, but not just any information – coded information. So the real brains of the operation, nicknamed 'Donovan' by those who dealt with him, created the clocks. The coded clocks with riddles inside that only the person who received them could decipher. The brothers were neutral, but eventually Donovan decided to expand the corporation without letting his brother know, and keeping most of the profits to himself, which wasn't very nice. His brother had doubts about being neutral, and when he realized Donovan was 'betraying' him, he did the extreme – turned his back on his brother and joined the stronger side – the violent side. Donovan knew this would happen at some point, however, and since he wanted things to be fair, he joined the other side. His information was now being directed only at the 'good' people, and they slowly grew much larger than the previously dominant side. His brother knew Donovan was beating him again, and he wasn't happy about it, but he couldn't do anything. So Donovan continued to outstrip his brother.