No More Secrets

Justin's head throbbed as Cyrus loomed over him, his drills whirring menacingly close to his temples. The man's wild eyes burned with a mix of anger and sadistic glee as he snarled.

"Talk," Cyrus demanded, his voice dripping with venom. "You're Justin, aren't ya? How'd you get here? The rift was for only ten of us. Newsflash—you weren't involved."

Justin winced, trying to pull his arms free from the crude bindings holding him to the chair. His confusion was genuine as he met Cyrus's gaze. "The hell are you talking about?"

Cyrus sneered. "Oh, playing dumb, are we?" He lifted one hand, the sharp tips of his fingers spinning faster. "How about we use the ole drill and see if that jogs your memory?"

Justin's heartbeat spiked. He clenched his jaw, bracing himself, when a calm but commanding voice interrupted.

"Stop."

The drills halted a mere inch from Justin's skin. A figure stepped into the dimly lit room, the shadows casting a long, imposing silhouette. He was tall and lean, with sharp features and an aura of control. A faint mechanical hum emanated from a scanner-like device in his hand.

"He's not our Justin," the man said, his voice steady. "The scanner identifies him as Justin Reyes."

Cyrus glared at the newcomer. "But he has the book, right?"

The man, now stepping fully into the light, extended his hand toward Justin. "I'm Flin. And Justin, we're not your enemies. We're here for the book."

Justin's eyes widened, but he masked his panic. He played dumb, forcing a confused tone. "Oh, what book are you talking about?"

The smack came so fast that Justin didn't see it coming. Cyrus's hand collided with his cheek, leaving a stinging heat in its wake. "Do you think we're stupid?" Cyrus growled.

Flin raised a hand, signaling for Cyrus to step back. "Enough." He turned back to Justin, his expression unreadable. "I'll explain, but you need to listen carefully."

Justin swallowed hard, his mind racing. His probability gauge flickered in his vision. 94% chance Flin's telling the truth... wait, no, it's climbing... 98.9%.

Flin began, his tone measured but grave. "This isn't just about Echoes. In my timeline, we call them rifts—tears in the fabric of reality. They began when scientists attempted to create a time machine. It went wrong—terribly wrong. The experiment didn't just fail; it caused a chain reaction, an anomaly so large it split the universe.

"Within that rift, something escaped—a book. Not just any book. It holds... properties. It travels through timelines, carrying chaos with it. For years, we've been tracking it, studying it. The longer it stays in one place, the stronger the rifts become. And worse, the book's power is tied to how it's used. Drawings in the book don't just create—they alter reality based on the details."

Justin stared at him, the weight of the revelation sinking in. "And you think I have it?"

Flin's eyes narrowed. "The signs point to you. So, let me be clear—we need the book. And there's more: you need to help us."

"Help you?" Justin asked, his voice skeptical. "With what?"

"Bring us the book," Flin said, his voice sharp. "And eliminate the Framework."

Justin's chest tightened. Eliminate the Framework?

Before Justin could respond, Cyrus's hand shot out, yanking a small, hidden camera from the wall. "Nice try, Framework," Cyrus muttered, crushing the device underfoot.

Far away, in the Framework's control room, Director Kain leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. He had seen enough of the footage to confirm his suspicions.

His voice echoed through the intercoms as he addressed the command center. "The boy has the book. He's compromised. Find Justin Reyes and bring him in—alive."

Kain leaned forward, his fingers steepled as he watched the screen flicker to black. "No more secrets."