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The four founding members of the Protectorate gaze down at the people of New York. The newly rebuilt time Square is packed with a bustling mob of happy bodies cheering as the clock ticks ever closer to the new year, and with it, the new millennium.
Alexandria stands with her arms crossed. She mutters, “Another year.”
Hero taps her shoulder with the back of his palm. “You say that like it's a bad thing. It means the world’s still kicking.”
“Still kicking because of us, Becca,” Legend rests his hand on her shoulder, “Don’t get in your head about the what if’s.”
In a brief pull of yellow light Eidolon summons a six pack. He offers one of the bottles of Cerveza Crystal to her. “Come on, lighten up. It’s our night off. Let’s not waste it.”
The roar of the crowd falls into a structured chant as the countdown starts.
She bows her head and smiles. “You’re right.”
Hero and Alexandria, gladly accept the Cerveza Crystal’s. Alexandria is handed a second, which she opens and hands to Legend. The action is casual and fluid from the dozens of times the four of them have taken a night off together.
She raises her bottle in toast. “To another millennium of this.”
“THREE!!!”
Hero raises his own. “To a better millennium.”
“TWO!!!”
Legend and Eidolon follow suit. “To a better millennium,” they say in unison.
“ONE!!!
“HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!”
Hero, Legend, Alexandria, and Eidolon cheer collectively, “Happy New Year!”
The curved screen on Hero’s wrist goes dark. He frowns.
David begins playfully ribbing Alexandria. Legend silently gazes out at the city as he begins to nurse his beer. And Hero stands frozen as the world falls out from under him.
Under his breath he whispers desperate begging words, “Oh no, no no no no no-”
Legend grabs his shoulder, grounding him. “What is it? Endbringer?”
Hero doesn't look up, his head buried in the freshly awoken screen. “It’s worse, so much worse. Y2K I- I forgot about Y2K."
Eidolon shouts, "What the hell is Y2K!?"
Hero continues, now near delirious, "My tech, I- they have clocks. Oh god- It says… January first.”
“And what's wrong with that?”
Hero, face paling, turns his wrist towards his fellow heroes, his confidants, his friends.
‘01/01 0000’
Hero explodes.
The rooftop is silent, the only sound in the world is the ringing in their ears.
“Oh my god!” Alexandria pulls chunks of Hero off her face.
Legend spits the blood out of his mouth. “Eidolon.”
“On it,” his gloved hand grips something invisible at the spot Hero used to occupy, “Ready for my regular third act bullshit?!”
In a swirl of green light, droplets of blood, flesh and metal rushes back to the epicenter. Like watching a tape in reverse, the explosion rewinds itself. Hero reforms piece by piece.
Hero gasps back into existence, the top of his chestpiece held in Eidolon’s hand.
“Oh thank god,” Hero glances at his wrist pad, “1999! My clocks were sent six seconds back, you saved me-"
Hero explodes.
“Oh my fucking god!” Alexandria pulls off more chunks of Hero from her face.
Legend stands there frozen. “Eidolon,” He slurs through the blood in his mouth, “Eidolon what the fuck!”
Eidolon looks down at his crimson hands, his knees weak. “That power’s gone.”
Alexandria grips her hair. “He blew up a second time!”
He slowly looks up to see the two other heroes of their newly christened triad staring at him. “Stop looking at me- How is this my fault! I did everything I could! I couldn't go back any further!”
“'My regular third act bullshit'? Why the fuck did you quip! Hero just exploded! This isn't a joke!”
“I thought it would work! Why the hell did he even explode!?!”
Legend, shaken, sits down on the edge of the rooftop. “His clocks, Eidolon. His clocks. Pay fucking attention.”