Chapter 2

The sharp, rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor was the first thing Nicole heard as her eyes fluttered open.

The sterile scent of antiseptic filled her nostrils, mixing with the harsh light streaming through the blinds of the hospital window.

She winced, the brightness stabbing at her eyes as she struggled to piece together where she was—and why.

The door creaked open, and a doctor stepped inside, clipboard in hand. He glanced up, offering a tight, professional smile.

"Ah, you're awake, Miss Rose."

Nicole pushed herself upright, her muscles aching like she'd been asleep for years.

Panic tightened around her throat. "What… what happened?" Her voice came out hoarse.

The doctor's eyes flicked over her chart before he spoke. "You were found outside the hospital entrance, covered in blood. But when we examined you…" He hesitated, his brow furrowing. "There were no injuries. Not a scratch. It's… unusual. The police have some questions for you. There's an officer waiting outside."

Nicole's mind raced. Covered in blood? No injuries? That made no sense.

But before she could process it further, something caught her eye.

Hovering above the doctor's head were four glowing bars. One red labeled Health. Another blue labeled Mana. A green one labeled Stamina. A yellow one labeled EXP. They flickered faintly, like some kind of bizarre video game HUD.

Her pulse quickened. Was this a side effect of trauma? A hallucination?

"Uh… what is that?" She pointed directly at the floating bars.

The doctor frowned, following her gaze. "I don't see anything, Miss Rose."

Nicole's stomach twisted. "No, no, right there—above your head! A red bar, a green one, a blue one, and… a yellow one. You seriously can't see them?"

The doctor's concerned expression deepened.

He scribbled something quickly onto his clipboard before offering a carefully neutral smile. "Interesting…"

Oh great. He thinks I'm crazy. She thought.

"I'll be right back," he said, "Please sit tight. The officer will be in to speak with you shortly."

---

A few moments later, the door opened again. This time, it wasn't a doctor.

A woman in a crisp, blue police uniform stepped inside, her expression cold and unreadable. Her sharp features and calculating eyes locked onto Nicole.

"Good afternoon, Miss Rose. I'm Officer Morgan."

Nicole sat up straighter, unease prickling at the back of her neck. Morgan pulled up a chair beside the bed, flipping open a small notebook.

"I know you're confused," Morgan said coolly, "but I need you to answer a few questions. You're currently under investigation for activities connected to the G4 Unit."

The moment those words left Morgan's lips, Nicole felt like ice water had been poured down her spine.

Morgan's stare hardened. "I don't think a single mother is the criminal type, but you'd better start talking."

Nicole's breath hitched. Her body tensed.

No. No, no, no.

She shot up from the bed, panic overtaking her instincts.

She had to run.

Now.

Her legs buckled beneath her. Numb. Weak. Like she'd been asleep for eternity.

Morgan's eyes narrowed. "You do know something, don't you?" She moved to grab Nicole's wrist.

Nicole slapped her hand away.

That was all it took.

Morgan shoved Nicole back, pinning her to the cold, tiled floor with shocking strength.

"That reaction tells me everything I need to know," Morgan hissed, reaching for the cuffs. "You've got their tattoo, don't you? Let's see it—"

And then, she stopped.

Frozen.

Her hand hovered inches from Nicole's wrist, but her body had gone completely still. Her eyes stared blankly ahead, lifeless.

It wasn't just Morgan.

The entire room had gone eerily silent.

The heart monitor had stopped beeping. The fluorescent lights no longer buzzed. Outside the door, there was no sound of footsteps. No chatter of doctors or nurses. No distant hum of hospital life.

Nothing.

Nicole's chest heaved as she shoved Morgan off her, the officer's body stiff like a mannequin. She scrambled to her feet, using the bed for support, her mind racing.

"What the hell is going on…?"

A smooth, familiar voice answered from the doorway.

"It appears you're doing well."

Nicole spun around.

Axel leaned casually against the doorframe, a swinging pendant in one hand and a well-worn book in the other. His eyes were calm, almost bored, as if this was just another ordinary day.

Nicole's heart pounded. "You… Axel… You're the guy from—"

Her breath hitched. A horrifying thought struck her. "Emily."

Axel closed his book with a soft thud. "She's dead, my child."

Nicole felt the world tilt beneath her. "No… no, you're lying… I—I have to find her—"

"You've been asleep for weeks," Axel said gently, though there was no warmth in his voice. "Your daughter is most likely long gone."

Nicole turned her head slowly toward the calendar hanging on the wall.

November 1, 2034.

Eight weeks had passed.

Her knees buckled. She crumpled to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I'm… I'm the worst mother on the planet," she choked out. "If I wasn't so… stupid… If I'd just gotten a normal job or run away from them… I could've taken care of her. I robbed her of everything—friends, a future, a family… I stole it all from her!"

Axel's footsteps were soft as he crossed the room, the pendant in his hand finally still.

"But what if I told you… you could save her?"

Nicole's sobs quieted. She lifted her head, her eyes red and swollen.

Axel's expression remained unreadable. "Tell me, Nicole. Do you see four bars next to my head? Each a different color, with numbers?"

Nicole swallowed hard and nodded. "Yeah…red, green, blue, yellow. They all say zero."

Axel pulled out a card, placing it in her shaking hands. "Come to this address. Think of it as your new home."

Nicole stared down at the card.

"Wait… What is this? What are you?" she whispered.

Axel crouched down, his eyes gleaming. "Someone who likes to be entertained."

He stood, heading for the door. "You're free to stay here, if you'd like. But I can't promise you'll like what happens next. However…" He paused, glancing back at her. "If you accept my invitation, you will see Emily again."

With that, he stepped into the hallway.

Before he disappeared, he called over his shoulder, "The world will stay frozen for one hour. That's all the time you have to decide."

And then, he was gone.

Nicole clutched the card tighter.

She didn't know what waited for her at that address.

But she knew one thing for sure.

She was going to find her daughter.