ID: 14716
Greetings, Sentinel readers. This is Chaz Hamilton and I have a treat for you today.
Back while the world was knee-high in battle with the Demon Jinn, I put a call out to heroes who could spend a moment to tell me their experience during the battle. I had a response from one of the participating heroes: Crossroads.
Chaz-“Welcome, Crossroads. Thank you for sparing a moment for our readers.”
Crossroads-“You’re welcome. I’m always available to my friends at the Sentinel.”
Chaz-“We count you as a friend, as well. A friend to the world, actually, considering your actions during the battle.”
Crossroads-“You give me too much credit. I was just one of many.”
Chaz-“How are you feeling after the fight?”
Crossroads-“Let’s just say I’ve booked time with a masseuse every day for the next month. My knots have knots.”
Chaz-“Undoubtedly. How about we start so we can get you back early for your next shiatsu appointment?”
Crossroads-“Sounds good to me.”
Chaz-“What can you tell me about your experience fighting the Demon Jinn?”
Crossroads-“OK, as a hero with a travel power, I was tasked with helping to expedite the evacuation of city Bursa and the surrounding areas. My powers are a little different than the normal teleport or portal power"
Chaz-“How is that?”
Crossroads-"They are based on dimensional energies, but they do a similar job. As long as I have a clear picture in my head, I can go there by what we call 'dimensional skipping' and I can take about 5 people with me. Well me and some of my alternates in other dimensions have been trying to do something a little different with it. We started to make dimensional folds. And we have been able to open a portal to let someone simply walk from, say NYC to LA in only a few moments."
Chaz-“Wow. Can I get your number for next time the Sentinel sends me out on a story and only will pay for coach?”
Crossroads-“Sorry. I’m a superhero, not a travel agent.”
Chaz-“Can’t blame a grunt in the trenches like me for trying. Please, continue your fascinating story.”
Crossroads-“Well, we had finished "folding" a number of Bursa residents from the airport to the port at Ankara on the coast.”
Chaz-“Do you have a count on how many? Five? Ten?”
Crossroads-“I’d say around…Just a second…I want to confer with some of my alternates.” Crossroads eyes stare off into the middle-distance for a few seconds before returning to her interviewer. “About 1,500.”
Chaz-“That’s impressive. You wouldn’t be a travel agent, you’d be United, Northwestern, and Delta combined. Please go on.”
Crossroads-“Then Jinn appeared, and we got down to some serious fighting...or at least some serious light shows, because he seemed to be ignoring us for the most part, no matter what we did. I was able to use the folding technique to divert some of his energy attacks into empty areas over the Mediterranean Sea, and even one or two back towards Jinn himself, but they simply dissipated before they hit him.”
Chaz-“He was formidable. I’m so glad I’m still alive to say ‘was’. There were points in Bursa where I didn’t know if I would see the next day.”
Crossroads-Crossroad's head slowly lowers as she repeatedly nods, finally ending with her staring heavy-hearted at the floor. “Then he hit that airliner.....”
Chaz-“Of course. I’m still can’t believe that happened.”
Crossroads-“I did what I could to save as many people who were falling...I folded space under everybody I could and transferred them to the field hospitals we had set up outside town. I couldn't get everyone. I don't even know how many that I folded survived the explosion, but I had to do something....”
Chaz-“I’m sure there are grateful families out there in Turkey today, thankful for what you did.”
Crossroads-“Then, as pissed as I was, I started folding the debris that was falling from the plane and transported it above Jinn's head. Yeah, petty, and it hardly even annoyed him. So, I decided to direct all the dimensional energies I could right into his left eye. I didn't realize at the time that he had already defended himself against Quark's dimensional attacks as if they meant nothing. I guess he decided to play with me and fired a return shot of energy right along the same path I used. I don't remember anything after that....”
Chaz-“Wow. You are lucky you survived.”
Crossroads-“I was like all the other heroes who he knocked out, Just an unconscious power supply for him.”
Chaz-“What an amazing story. Thank you for sharing. By now, everyone should know how the entire situation unfolded in the end. But your story, All I can say is thank you.”
Crossroads-“Don’t mention it. I only did what I could.”
Chaz-“Well, it is more than many would do in your situation.” Chaz Hamilton turns and looks over his shoulder, waving to someone outside the room. “Do you remember how you said you couldn’t get to everyone falling after the explosion of the 747? We at the Sentinel have a few people who would like to meet you under…better circumstances.”
A video cart with an enormous 100-inch television is rolled into the room. The screen lights up and dozens of people are shown standing together holding a banner before them. It reads “Teşekkür ederim Crossroads!”
Chaz-“These are the people we found from the field hospitals around Bursa who identified you as the one who saved their life. They asked if we could help them say thank you.”
“Thank You Crossroads!” The gathering of survivors bellow from half-way around the world.
Crossroads stands and faces the televised crowd, nodding and speaking in response to the multitude of voices, not her own, speaking to her. Next thing you know, Crossroads has disappeared and stands with the survivors on the screen and shares hugs with them.
Chaz-“That’s all the time we have for today.” Chaz Hamiltion turns back to the camera. “Thanks for joining us. This is Chaz Hamilton. We’ll see you next time, as the stories continue…”
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