Dr. Kim gripped the steering wheel tightly as the truck rumbled over uneven ground, its tires crunching against roots and fallen branches. The dense forest surrounded them on all sides, its dark, towering trees shrouding them in a thick cloak of shadows. The headlights flickered, casting erratic beams of light that danced across the underbrush, making the night seem alive with unseen eyes watching from the depths of the woods.
She glanced over at Jack, who sat slouched in the passenger seat, his face pale and drawn. Blood stillrushing down his nose, drying into a crust of red. His eyes were unfocused, distant.
"You look like shit," Kim said bluntly, her voice cutting through the tense silence like a blade.
Jack turned his head, offering her a weak smile. The pain in his eyes was clear, but his attempt at humor was the only defense he had left. "Thanks for the update," he muttered, his voice hoarse.
Kim exhaled sharply, her lips pressing into a thin line as she fought back the frustration rising within her. Then, she softened, the steel in her gaze dulling just a fraction. "You did a great job today, Jack. But… a lot has changed in you."
Jack's tired eyes flickered toward her. "Strangely, I heard the same thing from Maya," he said, his tone flat. "So… did I change in a good way or a bad way?"
Kim's hands tightened around the wheel, the motion subtle but telling. She was quiet for a long moment, as if weighing her words. Finally, she spoke, her voice low but firm. "Hard to say. But one thing I want you to remember never lose yourself. The man I saw on that bridge today… he was different. Fierce. Ruthless. But you were fighting for the right cause. And you will bring her back, Jack. I believe in that." She hesitated before adding, "And I'm sorry for what I said earlier. You were never a loser. You just forgot who you were for a while. We all do."
Jack stared out the window, the words sinking in. His silence lingered, but there was something deeper behind his eyes now perhaps a flicker of something more familiar. After a long pause, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Sure."
Kim's gaze shifted to the road as the trees began to thin. The silhouette of her home loomed ahead, nestled between towering pines. It was a modest place, unassuming and quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos that had consumed their lives in recent days. She slowed the truck as they neared, but didn't stop the engine. Not yet.
"Jack," she said, her voice suddenly serious, almost hesitant. "There's something else I need to get off my chest. But I need you to promise me you'll tell me the truth."
"And how will you know I'm telling the truth?"
Kim gave him a steady look. "Because you've never lied to me before."
Jack let out a slow breath, his shoulders sagging slightly in resignation. "Alright. I promise. What do you want to know?"
The truck's engine hummed quietly in the background as Kim hesitated. She knew what she was about to ask would bring up old wounds, but she couldn't hold it in any longer. "Why did you leave seven years ago?"
Jack's gaze dropped to his hands, fingers clenching and unclenching in his lap. His voice was low, distant, as though the words he spoke were dredging up long-buried memories. "Honestly... I got into science because it was thrilling. Fun. The adrenaline, the discovery, it was everything I ever wanted. But after three years working on the time project... I lost hope. Every day felt like failure. The deeper I got, the more impossible it seemed. I thought I had failed, not just the project, but myself. That's why I left."
He paused, swallowing hard, the weight of his past settling over him like a heavy cloak. "Back then, I almost walked away from science completely. But then... a new vision came to me. A new angle. I built something. I finally felt like I completed something real. I wanted to reach out to you, Kim, more times than I can count. But I couldn't face you after walking away like that. I'm sorry."
Kim felt a pang of sympathy, but she didn't reach out to comfort him. Not yet. She let the silence stretch between them, then placed a hand gently on his arm. "It's alright, Jack. You're here now, aren't you?"
Her words, simple but sincere, seemed to settle over him, offering a semblance of peace in the chaos they found themselves in. But the calm didn't last long.
As the truck rolled to a stop a few yards from her house, a sense of unease crept up Kim's spine. The forest had grown unnervingly quiet. Kim's eyes narrowed as she scanned the area, instincts alert.
"Something's wrong," she whispered, more to herself than to Jack.
Jack sat up straighter, his pulse quickening as he glanced around. "What is it?"
Kim nodded toward the driveway, her gaze sharpening. Two black trucks were parked outside her house, their engines off but their windows darkened. Through the tinted glass, she could make out the faint silhouettes of armed men standing guard.
"Those men..." she muttered under her breath, her heart rate spiking. "They're watching the house."
Jack's voice was tight with urgency. "Crimson 5 is still inside. We need a plan."
Kim didn't waste time thinking. Her hand shot out to the glove compartment, retrieving a sleek,flat metal. She held it up for Jack to see. "Good thing I brought this."
Jack frowned, confusion flashing across his face. "The invisibility prototype?"
Kim nodded, her expression grim. "It's still unstable, but it'll buy us time."
Without another word, she activated the collar, and her form shimmered out of sight, leaving nothing behind but the faint hum of the device's energy. Jack's eyes widened as he watched her vanish, a wave of admiration mixed with anxiety flooding through him.
Kim moved quickly, silently, a shadow in the night. She darted across the yard, her footsteps barely audible on the soft earth. Reaching the house, she slipped through an open window, her figure completely unseen. Inside, she made her way toward the living room bookshelf, her fingers brushing against the spines of dusty volumes until she found what she was looking for—a well-worn copy of Temporal Mechanics: Volume II. She tugged it free, revealing a hidden panel behind it.
A biometric scanner flickered to life as she leaned in, her face briefly illuminated by its light. The safe clicked open with a soft hiss. Inside sat the prize they had come for—Crimson 5, a dark-blue container pulsing faintly with energy. She reached for it, her fingers trembling.
And then—flicker.
The prototype sputtered, a soft buzz of malfunctioning energy filling the air. Her arm shimmered back into view, followed by her torso. The invisibility device sputtered and died, its energy drained, leaving her exposed.
Kim cursed under her breath. "Damn it."
Without hesitation, she grabbed the satchel lying nearby and stuffed Crimson 5 inside. The guards outside stirred, sensing her presence.
"There she is!" a voice shouted.
Gunfire rang out, sharp and sudden.
Kim bolted for the door, sprinting across the yard, the bag clutched tightly in her grip. Bullets whizzed past her, slamming into trees and the dirt with a deafening thud. She reached the truck, throwing open the door and diving inside.
"Go, go, Jack!" she shouted.
Jack didn't need further prompting. His foot slammed onto the gas pedal, and the truck roared to life, the engine growling in protest as it tore down the forest trail, gravel flying in all directions. The chase had only just begun.