It was on a narrow street, not far from The Dungeon, that Ezekiel caught up with the three of them.
Zebulun, Davion, and Quinn found themselves surrounded on both sides by goons brandishing billy clubs. At least ten on each side. There was nowhere to go. Ezekiel stepped forward.
"Zeke! Buddy!" said Quinn.
"Don’t buddy me, Quinn," said Ezekiel, raising his fist. "I still owe you some justice. But we’re not here for you." He pointed his club at Zebulun. "We’re here for him."
"What, you want revenge for that beating he gave y’all?" asked Quinn. Some of the goons chuckled.
"No," said Ezekiel. "Shut up!" He looked at Zebulun. "People are looking for you."
"So I’m told," said Zebulun.
"You can’t have him!" said Quinn.
"Yeah?" asked Ezekiel with a grin. "Who’s gonna stop me? You?"
Quinn shook his head and hooked a thumb at Davion. "Him."
"Him?" asked Ezekiel, with obvious amusement.
"Me?" asked Davion.
"Don’t mess with him, man," said Quinn. "He’s a philosopher."
More chuckles from the goons.
"Is he gonna think me to death?" asked Ezekiel. He motioned to his goons. "Get them!"
The goons closed in. Zebulun looked at Davion and gave him a nod. Davion, taken aback, took a breath and focused his will. The space behind them warped and twisted. The goons behind it first recoiled, then tried poking their clubs through the vortex. They pressed, but could not penetrate the barrier.
The goons in front of them stared, mouths agape. Ezekiel looked at Quinn, his mouth open, and shook his head slowly side to side. Then he looked at his stationary men and grew impatient. "Go on! What am I paying you for!"
The goons looked at him, shrugged, and advanced on the trio. Davion focused his will again. A portal appeared before them. It covered most of the street. Through it, Zebulun and Quinn could see the next cross street behind Ezekiel and his goons.
On the other side of the portal, Ezekiel asked of his men, "What am I looking at?"
"It looks like we’re looking at our own backsides, boss."
"It sure does," said Ezekiel.
Before them, through the portal, they could see themselves. Behind them, they could see the portal again, with another image of themselves, and so on to infinity. One of his goons crept towards the portal and poked it with his club. Seeing no harm, he gingerly stepped through it. Ezekiel turned around and looked at him.
"Where did you just go?" he asked.
The goon shrugged. "Here."
After a moment, the barrier and portal vanished. The goons on both sides stared at one another. Their quarry was gone.