It was two o'clock in the morning. The corridors of the AAA gleamed sterilely; everything was smooth, cold, and quiet. Cameras, sensors, laser lines—a web of security.
A figure moved within them like a shadow: Lina, her golden mask dull in the neon light.
She knelt in front of the security panel, fingertips on the touchscreen, cables between her gloves. A flickering grin beneath the mask.
"Piece of cake," she murmured. "AAA calls this security? Huh."
A quick intervention in the system, the display burst open, the door slid open with a gentle hiss.
Inside: the heart of the system. All white, all glass, all technology. On the pedestal, floating freely in an energy shield, was the time crystal. It pulsed in time, blue light like a heartbeat.
Lina stepped closer, her hand already hovering over the field.
"So close... finally," she breathed. "One grasp, and everything will be mine."
She broke through the field, grabbed the crystal—and in the same second, a shock burned through her body. Her muscles cramped, a gasp erupted from her. Trembling, she fell to the ground, the crystal slipping from her hand, rolling back into the field.
Suddenly, a bright light. The room illuminated. Doors opened with a sharp pressure. Two heavily armed men entered, weapons at the ready. Behind them was Alex.
Wine in hand, coat loose, a gaze like a knife.
He looked at Lina, who lay twitching on the ground, her mask slipping, her breathing heavy.
Slowly, he raised the glass to his lips, sipped, and said coldly:
"Oh. You're exactly what I needed."
The current still raced through Lina's body, muscles twitching, every breath a gasp. In a hoarse voice, half anger, half despair, she blurted out:
"How... how could you get here so quickly...?"
Alex stepped closer, looked down at her as if observing an insect. A derisive snort, then he spoke, his voice slow and pleasurable:
"First of all, I live in my office. It's beautiful. Why would I find some hotel and waste my money?"
He paused briefly, sipping his glass, his eyes still on her.
"Secondly, do you really think you can hack us that easily? All part of the plan. You're so stupid it almost hurts."
Lina growled under the mask, trying to lift her head. "How... how do you know me?"
Alex's gaze narrowed, cold and superior.
"Answering that question is... not important right now."
Lina snorted, a short laugh despite the pain. "You really think you can keep me prisoner here?"
Alex curled his lips into a barely perceptible grin and took a step to the side.
"Do you really think your dogs are allowed in here?"
The doors behind him closed with a dull thud. Immediately, a hologram flickered on the surface above: razor-sharp images of the campus. Hundreds of dogs, masked in gold like their mistress, stormed the grounds. But one by one, they collapsed—bulletholes ripping through their bodies. Precise, cold, without mercy. No chance, not a single one survived.
Lina's breath caught. She stared at the hologram, incredulous, horrified.
Alex raised his glass, swirling the dark wine casually in the light. His voice was almost mockingly friendly: "A lovely poison, don't you think? A mixture that even your creatures couldn't sniff out. One shot—and they're asleep forever."
Lina remained silent. For the first time, she seemed genuinely shocked.
Alex was still standing in front of the hologram showing the last images of her dogs. His voice was cold and mocking as he turned slightly toward her: "It seems you'll soon no longer have an army."
Lina, still shaking on the ground from the electric shock, slowly raised her head. Despite everything, a smile formed beneath her mask. A smile that revealed she wasn't about to break so easily—but her eyes glowed with anger.
"You... what do you want from me?" she asked in a strained voice.
Alex took a step closer, leaning slightly toward her. His expression became serious, a hint of genuine irritation flashing through.
"You know... the aliens are entering my world. My beautiful world. And I have to work because of these creatures. You have no idea how much this annoys me. A ridiculous curse named Lukas thinks he'll cause a little trouble, destroy timelines, and attract aliens. And I get to pick up the pieces."
He straightened up, took another sip of wine, his eyes fixed on her.
"But... I know you know him. Maybe you'll be useful."
Lina laughed softly, still defiant. "You don't know who you're messing with."
But Alex laughed back—only deeper, harder, almost with relish.
"Do you really think I don't know there are multiple Lukas? That he's not just one curse?"
For a moment, Lina's smile faltered. A cold "What?" escaped her lips.
Alex stepped even closer, his shadow falling over her as he stared at her with sparkling eyes.
"I know there are many curses that call themselves Luke. Many... But I also know where they come from."
He leaned down a little further, a superior smile on his lips.
"And that, my dear... makes you very interesting now."