Part 11: Midpoint

ACT 2: MIDPOINT

Edelyn’s Perspective:

It had been ten minutes and the police sirens were heard. Chen Kwang was met with the police officer that he had known for many years.

“Chief Pavak, good to see you.” Chen Kwang said.

“Good to see you too.” Chief Pavak said, as he surrounded the building with his men. “How long has it been?”

“Plenty long.” Chen Kwang said, as he noticed how quickly they were being ordered to move in without verbal instructions.

“Chen Kwang, I’ve heard reports of you assisting the DEA… this is very unlike you. We worked together in many cases, and we both have a common goal, yknow?” Pavak eyed him in distrust. “But you’ve changed ever since you became a proprietor.”

“What? No… I just needed some help from them. That’s all.” Chen Kwang said, as he looked back to see all of his men aiming their guns at Edelyn and Jun Cheng.

“I am sure you have a lot of questions.” Pavak said. “You are all under arrest.”

“What is the meaning of this, Pavak?” Chen Kwang asked.

“I mean… I know what you intend to do.” Pavak said. “We had reports on your recent alliance with the DEA, and killing plenty of Wolf Dozers. You do know a proprietor’s goal is to assist in capture unless its threat proves lethal and dangerous.” He circled around him and handcuffed him in the back.

“I’d suggest not to move too much. We can talk back at the station.” Pavak said, as he ordered his men to capture the Dozer alive.

“You don’t know what you are doing.” Chen Kwang said, as he looked at Edelyn to signal to her.

“Well, talk all you want later.” Pavak said. “I am a man of good will. I can listen to my old friend, maybe give you a lighter sentence. Just don’t push me around too much… I’d have my limits.”

The Dozer did not retaliate as it knew that time would reset as soon as it left the room. But it would be meaningless if it left first.

Ten minutes ago, Edelyn had used her new time powers that allowed her to set a checkpoint. If she ever left the room, time would be reset back to that point. It was pretty convenient but does have its limits. Anything that happens to her would still stay on her, like injuries or memories. She can also deactivate the checkpoint at any point and recreate one. However, if she wanted to leave the room she would have to deactivate the power itself, which also removes the checkpoint.

Chen Kwang told her to set her checkpoint and see what happens when the police arrive. It was the only way through trial and error could they think of a solution.

With the plan in mind, Edelyn was moved out of the hall first and time was reset back to when they were having the discussion.

“I just came back… from the future.” Edelyn said as Chen Kwang asked what exactly happened. She told them about the police, and how uncooperative they were towards them. She could not really make out what conversation he had with the officer, just that they seemed to know one another.

“A Malay officer, huh? It must be Pavak.” Chen Kwang said. “He has helped me a bunch of times for Dozer cases, and is always friendly towards me. But he is a civil officer after all, so his duty comes first over our friendship.”

“Why did you side with the DEA?” Jun Cheng asked. “You are… one of the top proprietors in the Elite Proprietor Unit. Helping us is pretty much a taboo among the proprietors..”

Chen Kwang shrugged his shoulders as he sat down to think of a strategy.

“If I were to say that I had a grudge against Keaton, and still chose to help his own men, many would laugh and scoff at me for digging my own grave.” Chen Kwang said. “Your boss, Keaton, was a man full of words, who is able to convince anyone to do anything with just his mouth.”

“After a meeting one day, I asked him why he let someone I did not want to see live, a second chance. He said only by giving chances would that person live.” Chen Kwang said. “I asked him again what was the point of pushing his own people into hell, making them work in the front lines with such dangerous weapons…”

“He said, it was all for the sake of his experiment.”

“The experiment to end all Dozers once and for all.”

Chen Kwang stood up as he knew he barely had much time to explain everything. It might even be reset and he was just wasting his saliva. Or he could preach the same words every time and he would have never known.

“Edelyn.” Chen Kwang said. “Since we’ll be stuck forever in a loop, I guess it would be better if we get our friend back.”

“How is Ilyas going to help in this situation?” Edelyn asked. “The troublesome thing is the police themselves.”

“Pavak is a stubborn man with a mission to capture the DEA and me for siding with this whole mission.” Chen Kwang said firmly. “No matter what I say, it would be pointless and it would still lead to all of our arrests.”

“Are you telling us to leave you here alone to deal with this?” Jun Cheng asked, as Chen Kwang crossed his arms.

“Not quite.” He said. “We have to find a way to break the time curse from this Dozer. But it is most likely impossible to do so. The core of it seems to be a wolf, which was adapted into a watch. It was then sold to Li Peng for some reason, and he ended up turning into a Human-Dozer. But there is no way of separating the two of them.”

“It is no longer Li Peng but a husk with its memories.” Chen Kwang explained. “It will be experimented on if it gets taken away, which is neither a good or a bad thing. But the memories of Li Peng would most likely not be released to the public, and the case of Li Peng would just be marked as missing.”

“That’s how most cases regarding Human-Dozers are.” Chen Kwang said. “Eradicating all Dozers was Keaton’s goal in setting up the DEA. But most proprietors would say it was impossible as long as we kept using the radiation crystals. And it is pretty much true, it is a new source of power that is capable of sustaining energy for our everyday lives. Since we ran out of coal and oil, this was the best option.”

“Keaton made it sound so easy, almost as if he wanted to stop the use of radiation crystals entirely.” Chen Kwang said. “But he is a man full of secrets. No one knows what he is thinking.”

“Well, they do say the DEA was established for people who had no goals in life.” Jun Cheng said. “We are all… people who do not have money to afford rent.”

“That’s one ugly side of it.” Chen Kwang said. “But in order to not be arrested… we have to force a stubborn man to listen to us.”

“And Ilyas is the key?” Edelyn asked.

“Leave the door and reset again.” Chen Kwang said. “Just tell Jun Cheng to meet Ilyas and that Pavak will come here to arrest all of us.”

“I still don’t get the plan at all.” Edelyn said. “Are you dealing with this alone?”

“Just go.” Edelyn left quickly before the police sirens were heard.

“I am going to… quit being a proprietor.” Chen Kwang said as time reset back to 10 minutes before.