[attr="class","barnaby-words"]
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OUT OF THE DEPTHS AND INTO THE FLAME
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It was different than what one might see in a movie or television show. [break][break]
Oddly, at least to him, the portal did not reopen like a door for
BARNABY FINCH to walk through. Instead, his consciousness awoke like the flip of a light switch within a familiar space: the National Museum of Natural History, all decked out for the holidays during what he could only assume was the Winter Masquerade of 2022.[break][break]
He was dressed as ostentatiously as he'd been back then, mask and all to fit the theme. The company was similar, too, with
Summer Atreides within arms reach. Everything appeared the same, in fact.[break][break]
So what was different? Father Winter had promised him an alternate path to explore.[break][break]
His answer came from a beckoning hand, enticing him to follow from his corner of the room and down a darkened corridor, away from prying eyes. The feminine figure hid her face, as they all did as part of the Masquerade, but there were telling signs of her identity.[break][break]
In fact, he'd know that shock of red hair anywhere.[break][break]
"
I always knew you were a rat, Finch. But this is a new low, even for you."[break][break]
PENELOPE LIVY turned to face him, the only light to illuminate her fiery form coming from a half-lit exhibit to her right. The councilwoman's shadow stretched far across the floor, creeping onto the wall as if to watch what came next.[break][break]
Barnaby didn't respond at first and instead took a moment to assess the situation he found himself in. This? This was different.[break][break]
When he looked into Penny's face, her scarlet eyes flashed hotter than he'd ever seen them, even behind her mauve, lace-lined mask. Her tone was severe, her body language guarded yet buzzing with some sort of morbid anticipation.[break][break]
"
You won't be able to hide behind your mask for much longer." [break][break]
At that he smiled and removed his face covering, feigning ignorance in a show of amiable concession.[break][break]
"
What do you mean, Penny? I'm an open book." He tested the waters, probing for an explanation for her actions.[break][break]
"
Ha!" She practically smoldered as she snapped and moved forward towards him, her heels burning into the tile below with each sharp step.[break][break]
"
I bet Remiel Calcifet would beg to differ." Venom-lined and angry, Penny's tone continued to heighten as she spilled all the gory details for Barnaby to hear. [break][break]
"
Mm, sorry. You'd probably know him better as Admin Fox, right?" There was a perverse lilt of superiority in her voice, now, in the wake of her revelation.[break][break]
"
Surely you two are close? You have to be, with how social you are. In that way, you've always reminded me of a doorknob: everyone gets a turn." [break][break]
Another nasty laugh echoed down the hallway before she ended with, "
Either way, it seems like the Prince finally woke up and realized just how pathetic you all are."[break][break]
The silence that followed the conclusion of Penny's reveal was deafening. She knew. There was no other explanation.[break][break]
For one of the first times in
BARNABY FINCH's life, he felt the rug being swept out from under his feet, taking with it his identity as an HNN journalist and his anonymity as a
ROCKET agent.[break][break]
PENELOPE LIVY would not let this lie. He knew that much was true.[break][break]
This? This timeline was certainly different.