“No,” Bandit says, his voice strong and certain. “We’ll put our guns down together. Or we’ll both exit this life.”

Archie sighs, and for a moment, I think he might actually comply. And then he swings the gun and points it in my general direction.

My heart stops. What is he doing? The aim’s not directed at me, not yet. But it’s way too close for comfort. “You w-wouldn’t,” I stammer.

He lifts his eyebrows, and they rise above the black frames of his glasses. “Wouldn’t I? It’s only right, don’t you think, after all the times you tried to kill me?”

Every last drop of blood drains from my face. I’m surprised my feet don’t start leaking red. “What did you say?”

“I never thought we kept secrets from each other.” His voice is small, hurt. As vulnerable as a child’s. “You didn’t bother to tell me about the voice in your head, so I decided not to tell you about mine.”

The blacktop lists lazily around me. Of course. I was visited by my older self. So was Cristela. And Charlie. And Bandit and my father. It makes sense that Archie would have his own voice, too. “You’ve been communicating with the future?” I confirm. “With your older self?”

“Yes.” Archie’s hand vibrates, and the gun shakes with it. “Your precious Cristela isn’t the only one who will build a time machine. I know people, too, and they happen to be smarter. Unlike yours, my older self didn’t keep me in the dark. He told me everything. How this one’s trying to kill me.” He jerks his head toward Bandit. “How you’ll betray me. How you are betraying me, even now. How could you, Alice? How could you do this to me?”

I stumble backward, repelled by his rage, forced back by his bafflement. A gust of wind swirls around the court, and I scan the ground, searching for a sharp stick, a heavy pole. Anything that might function as a weapon. But all I see are a few basketballs lodged in the grass. Piles of jump ropes wound up like nests. And Bandit inching toward Archie.

“Your older self has it out for me.” Archie blinks, his eyes wounded. Haunted by events that have yet to come. “What did I do to deserve her hatred? All I’ve ever done is be a good brother to you.”

“You are, Archie.” My face is hot. My throat full of gunk. “The very best. I’ll never forget it.”

He stomps his feet, and Bandit goes still fifteen feet away. “But you do forget!” Archie shouts. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t try to kill me!”