Chapter 9 : Revelation

Back at the safehouse, the soft hum of the monitors filled the small room as Aria and Elias examined the data they'd managed to extract from the anomaly. The scanner pulsed with light, its digital readouts displaying streams of information—time coordinates, energy levels, and disruption patterns—all of which Aria knew could hold the key to understanding the Tribunal's next move.

She leaned over the console, eyes scanning the data. "These readings are off the charts. I've never seen anything like it."

Elias nodded, his expression serious. "They've been ramping up the intensity. The Tribunal's usual temporal distortions are small—subtle changes to control events. But this… it's like they're testing for something bigger."

Aria's mind raced, her fingers tapping the console as she analyzed the energy signatures. "What could they be planning? If they're increasing the scale, it's more than just controlling timelines. This feels like they're preparing for a major shift."

Elias's eyes flicked to hers, and for a moment, the familiar lightheartedness was gone, replaced by a hard edge. "That's what I'm afraid of." He turned back to the monitor, typing rapidly. "I've been tracking patterns like these for years, but this is the most unstable one I've seen."

Aria watched him work, her thoughts still turning over the pieces of his story that didn't quite fit. He spoke like someone who had been doing this far longer than any ordinary Tribunal agent. She knew there was more to his past than he was letting on, and she was done playing along.

"Elias," she said, her voice steady, "I need to know why you're really doing this."

He didn't look up from the console. "We've been over this, Aria. I'm trying to stop the Tribunal, same as you."

"No, you're hiding something." She folded her arms, her eyes locked on him. "You know more than you're telling me, and you've been too prepared for all of this. You've got safehouses, you know how to hack their systems, and you knew about Mara before I even mentioned her."

Elias's fingers paused mid-type, his expression remaining neutral. "You're overthinking this."

"No, I'm not." Aria's tone sharpened. "I've spent the last ten years fighting to find my sister, and then you show up—an agent who knows all the right moves and has access to classified information? It doesn't add up."

Elias finally met her gaze, and she saw the flicker of something she couldn't quite read—guilt, perhaps, or maybe regret. "It's complicated."

"Try me." She took a step closer, her eyes narrowing. "If you want me to trust you, then start giving me real answers."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, the mask slipping just a bit. "It's not that simple, Aria. There are things you don't know—things that could put you in even more danger if you did."

"I'm already in danger," she snapped. "So is Mara, and so are all the other people the Tribunal's erased. If you really want to help, stop hiding behind your jokes and tell me the truth."

The room fell into silence, and for a moment, it seemed like Elias might finally open up. But then, just as quickly, the familiar grin returned, and he shrugged. "You really don't let up, do you?"

Aria felt a wave of frustration, but before she could respond, the console beeped, and a new set of data flashed on the screen. Elias's eyes flicked back to the monitor, his expression shifting. "Hang on—there's something here."

Aria moved closer, studying the coordinates. "Is that…?"

"It's another anomaly site." Elias typed quickly, the map zooming in to reveal the location—a warehouse district on the outskirts of the city. "And this one's active."

Her pulse quickened. "When?"

"Right now." He grabbed his gear, stuffing it into his bag. "We need to move."

Aria followed, grabbing her equipment. "So soon? The Tribunal must be ramping up their timeline."

"Exactly." Elias's expression was serious, but there was a hint of something else—a tightness around his eyes. "They know we're getting closer, and they're trying to get ahead of us."

They moved swiftly through the corridors of the safehouse, the lights dimming as they powered down the equipment. As they reached the exit, Aria glanced back at Elias. "If we're walking into a trap, I need to know what we're up against. You said you've been tracking these anomalies for years. Why?"

Elias paused at the doorway, his face partially obscured by the shadows. "Because…" he hesitated, and for the first time, she saw the weight of his secrecy pressing down on him. "Because I've seen what happens when the Tribunal succeeds. And I've seen it up close."

Aria frowned, sensing the shift in his tone. "What do you mean?"

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at her, and she could see the walls he'd built cracking, just for a moment. "Let's just say I wasn't always an agent. And I wasn't always on this side of things."

Aria's eyes widened. "Are you saying you used to work for them?"

Elias nodded slowly. "I was part of their research team—a long time ago. But I realized what they were doing, and I left. And now, I'm trying to fix the damage they caused."

Aria felt the pieces click into place, but there were still too many gaps. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Because it's dangerous information, Aria." His voice was strained, as if admitting this was costing him. "The Tribunal doesn't just erase people; they erase entire timelines. And if they knew I told you this, we'd be at the top of their list."

Aria's chest tightened. "You mean they've erased you before?"

He smiled, but there was no humor in it. "Let's just say I've had a few different versions of myself."

Before she could press further, a loud beep sounded from his device. "We're out of time," he said, the mask of humor slipping back into place. "Come on, if we hurry, we can still catch them in the act."

Aria nodded, but her mind was racing. She didn't fully trust Elias, but she couldn't deny that he was the key to understanding the Tribunal's operations. If he was telling the truth—and she wasn't even sure of that—he knew more about time manipulation than anyone she'd ever met.

As they exited the building and headed for the transport bike, she couldn't shake the feeling that Elias's secrets ran even deeper than she'd realized. And now that she knew he used to work for the Tribunal, she couldn't help but wonder—was he truly on her side, or was he leading her into a trap?

The engine roared to life, and Elias shot her a grin. "Ready for another adventure?"

She forced a smile, but the doubt gnawed at her. "Always."

The bike took off, speeding through the night as the city lights blurred around them. Aria clung to the certainty of one thing—she had to get to the bottom of Elias's past. Because whatever he was hiding, it was tied to the truth about Mara. And she wouldn't stop until she found it.

In the distance, the warehouse district loomed, and the faint glow of the anomaly pulsed against the sky.