Lost in Tomorrow
Chapter 12: Whispers of Rebellion
Joon followed the three strangers in silence, his mind racing.
The Resistance.
A part of him had suspected there were others who hadn't fallen under the Architects' control, but seeing them—real, breathing, awake—felt surreal.
They moved quickly through the abandoned subway, their footsteps light, their path seemingly second nature. The leader, the woman who had spoken to him, glanced back occasionally, as if checking whether he was keeping up—or if he'd try to run.
Joon wasn't sure if he trusted them yet.
But he had no other choice.
As they reached the far end of the station, one of the men stepped forward and tapped a specific pattern on the rusted metal door. A faint click echoed, followed by a deep mechanical whir.
The door slid open, revealing a dimly lit passageway.
"Inside," the woman instructed.
Joon hesitated for only a second before stepping in.
The door shut behind them, sealing him in.
---
The Underground Haven
The passage led to a series of tunnels—some lined with old pipes, others reinforced with scavenged metal sheets. The air smelled of damp earth and old machinery.
Joon noticed scribbles on the walls as they walked past—maps, warnings, messages. Signs that this place had been lived in for a long time.
Finally, they emerged into a large underground chamber.
Joon's breath hitched.
Dozens of people were scattered throughout the space. Some were repairing old devices, others tending to supplies. A few sat in a circle, murmuring among themselves. Unlike the lifeless citizens above, these people felt alive.
Their eyes burned with something Joon hadn't seen in this world before.
Hope.
The woman gestured toward a small room at the edge of the chamber. "Inside."
Joon followed without protest. The room was simple—just a few chairs, a table, and a flickering lightbulb hanging from the ceiling.
The woman sat down, motioning for Joon to do the same. He obliged.
A long silence stretched between them before she finally spoke.
"You're not from here."
It wasn't a question.
Joon exhaled, debating how much to reveal. But something in her gaze told him she already knew.
"No," he admitted. "I'm not."
The two men standing by the door exchanged glances.
The woman leaned forward, eyes sharp. "Where are you from, then?"
Joon hesitated. Then, he spoke the truth.
"The past."
Silence.
The air in the room shifted.
The woman studied him, her expression unreadable. "Prove it."
Joon didn't flinch. Instead, he reached out with his mind.
The moment his ability activated, he felt her thoughts brush against him—scattered, guarded, but there.
Is he lying? No, he seems... real. But how—?
Joon pulled back before she could sense the intrusion. Then, he spoke her next thought aloud.
"You want to know how I got here."
Her eyes widened.
The two men at the door tensed. One of them even reached for his weapon.
The woman, however, remained still.
"You're a Reader."
It wasn't a question.
Joon nodded. "Yeah."
A muscle in her jaw twitched. "I've only ever heard rumors of people like you. The Architects wipe out anyone with abilities—how did you survive?"
Joon's mind flashed back to the days after his arrival. The constant running. The paranoia. The enforcers who almost caught him.
"I don't know," he admitted. "Luck? Or maybe... they just haven't found me yet."
Another silence. Then, the woman exhaled, rubbing her temples.
"This is insane."
Joon let out a humorless chuckle. "Tell me about it."
Finally, she sat back, arms crossed. "Alright. We have a lot to discuss."
Joon relaxed slightly, but his instincts told him this was just the beginning.
---
The Architects' Secret
Hours passed as Joon listened.
The woman—who introduced herself as Sohyun—explained everything.
The world above was a lie.
The Architects had built the illusion of peace, trapping people in an endless cycle of luxury and entertainment while controlling them completely. The Resistance had spent years trying to fight back, but the enemy was too powerful, too advanced.
But there was something else.
Something worse.
"They're looking for someone," Sohyun said, voice low. "A person from the past. A Traveler."
Joon stiffened.
Another one.
He had suspected it, but hearing it confirmed sent a chill through him.
"A guy with... telekinetic abilities?" he asked carefully.
Sohyun's eyes narrowed. "You know about him?"
Joon's pulse quickened.
"I've heard rumors," he admitted. "But I don't know who he is."
Sohyun tapped her fingers on the table. "Neither do we. But the Architects are desperate to find him. He's a threat to their entire system."
Joon exhaled. He needed to find this Traveler before the Architects did.
If they were from the past like him...
Maybe they knew how to go back.
---
A Sudden Attack
Just as Joon was about to ask more questions, the alarms blared.
A piercing red light filled the underground chamber. Voices erupted outside—shouting, orders being yelled.
Joon shot to his feet. "What's happening?"
One of the men rushed inside. "They found us."
Sohyun cursed. "The enforcers?"
"No." The man's face was pale. "Something else."
Joon's stomach dropped.
Before he could react, a deafening boom shook the entire underground base.
The walls cracked. Dust rained down. People screamed.
Sohyun bolted up, drawing her weapon. "Move! Get everyone out—"
The ceiling exploded.
Joon barely had time to shield his face before a shockwave sent him crashing to the ground. His ears rang. His vision blurred.
Through the dust and rubble, figures emerged.
Not enforcers. Not soldiers.
Something worse.
Their eyes glowed blue. Their movements were unnatural. Their bodies pulsed with a strange, mechanical energy.
Joon's breath caught.
They weren't human.
Sohyun cursed. "Cyber-hybrids."
The Resistance scrambled, weapons drawn, but the hybrids moved too fast. One lunged, slamming a fighter against the wall with inhuman strength. Another grabbed a man by the throat, lifting him effortlessly before tossing him aside like a ragdoll.
Joon forced himself up, mind racing.
He reached out, searching for thoughts.
And what he found made his blood run cold.
Nothing.
The hybrids had no thoughts.
They were completely, utterly empty.
A chill ran down Joon's spine.
How could you fight something that didn't think?
A scream snapped him out of his daze. He turned just in time to see one of the hybrids charging straight at him.
Joon braced himself—
And then, out of nowhere—
A figure flickered into existence.
A shadow moved faster than the eye could track, slipping through the hybrid's attack like mist.
Joon's eyes widened.
Someone was there.
Someone new.
A voice, calm and sharp as a blade, cut through the chaos.
"You look like you could use some help."
Joon turned, breathless.
And his eyes locked onto a smirking stranger cloaked in the dark.
---