"In the end, even the STARS choose destruction over life."
When Chloe was just five years old, she had this bright idea to jump into Michaela's pool, even though she hadn't learned how to swim yet. With her small frame and wild enthusiasm, she splashed into the water, kicking and flailing, but sinking fast. Panic gripped her as she struggled beneath the surface, desperately clawing her way up for air. Finally, she broke through, gasping and sputtering like never before. It felt like she was discovering breathing for the very first time, her chest heaving as if her lungs might burst.
Years later, that same feeling rushed back when she heard Ace utter words, she never imagined would come from someone she knew. It hit her like a ton of bricks, leaving her stunned and breathless, just like that day in the pool.
She sat there, her brown eyes wide and her hands trembling, as his words sunk in. It was like time had stopped, and she was frozen in disbelief.
"What?" Chloe managed to choke out, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart raced, and her stomach churned with a mix of confusion and fear.
He glanced at her with a frown on his face, looking like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. Despite being in his mid-twenties, he seemed much older, as if he'd lived through things that aged him beyond his years.
And here he was tending to a stranger – well, not entirely a stranger, considering he knew more about her than she did herself – it was clear Ace wasn't your average person.
In that instant, all she wanted was to ease his pain and make the troubles of the world vanish.
"You ever hear of Robert Wyatt Jonathan?" Ace asked, his voice devoid of emotion, his gaze fixed on the ground.
Chloe shook her head firmly, her eyes meeting his with a hint of defiance. "No," she said, her voice firm.
He blew out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping as he leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. "That man, he was my grandfather," he confessed, his voice heavy with emotion. "And because of him, you never got the chance to meet your own parents."
She felt her heart sink as his words sank in. Her jaw dropped in shock, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared at him, unable to comprehend the magnitude of what he had just revealed.
At that moment, amidst the chaos of emotions swirling inside her, she realized there were plenty of things she knew about the world, plenty of craziness and unpredictability.
But this?
This revelation hit her like a ton of bricks.
Her hands clenched tightly around the sleeves of her shirt, her knuckles turning white as she struggled to process what she had just heard.
"E-excuse me?" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Did I hear that right?"
He sprang up from his seat, his tall frame towering over her as he began to pace back and forth. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back, a nervous energy evident in his movements.
"Isabella, your mom, and Jack, your dad, they met back at University College London," he started, his voice gentle yet filled with intensity. "Your dad, he was deep into Physics & Astronomy, while your mom, she was all about Archaeology. History was her passion, you know? Always wondering about the what-ifs of the past; like what if certain events played out differently, how would things be now, you know? So, they decided to blend physics with history, trying to unravel the mysteries of time. But, well, it turned into a bit of a mess. See, my grandpa, he was their professor, backing their wild idea."
Her heart thudded loudly in her chest, her pulse racing, feeling like it might leap out of her chest at any moment. She struggled to comprehend what she was hearing. She had never imagined her mom being into something so... academic. It was like a whole other world she'd never known about.
But how did Ace even know all of this? Had she been clueless all this time?
The buzzing in her ears drowned out everything else as she tried to make sense of it all. She felt like she'd been living under a rock, completely oblivious to her own family's history.
She stood up, her fists clenched at her sides, her eyes darting between Ace and the ground. "How is the death of my parents connected to your grandfather? He was just a professor," she murmured, her voice strained with emotion, her chest rising and falling with each deep breath.
He turned to face her fully, his brows furrowed in concern. "Tell me, what was your mother's maiden name?" His voice had a hard edge to it as if he was trying to keep his own emotions in check.
She paused, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of his random question. Slowly, the pieces clicked into place, and her eyes widened in shock. "Jonathan..." she whispered; her voice barely audible.
He sighed, feeling helpless in the face of her distress. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his hands stuffed into his pockets as he struggled to find the right words to comfort her.
"Look, I know this is rough," he said softly, his tone earnest. "But losing it here won't change anything. We need to figure this out together, okay?"
Deep in her thoughts, she couldn't shake the feeling that everything connected somehow.
The weight of her family's demise pressed heavily on her, leaving her bereaved and bewildered. Meanwhile, he remained tight-lipped, his demeanor closed off, studying how hard she was trying to keep herself together, that was all she needed to navigate the upcoming storm.
Sometimes that's all you need, feeling everything yet keeping it together.
"So, we're related..." Chloe murmured, her voice laced with uncertainty, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve, her forehead etched with lines of confusion.
"Damn right, Chloe Sinclair. You're my blood, my sister" He retorted, his words sharp, his gaze piercing.
"Look, Isabella Sinclair was my aunt, and Jack Sinclair my uncle," he continued, his tone tinged with bitterness. "They were happy once, until Isabella's obsession with those fucking time portals and Robert's insatiable greed tore it all apart. Your Grandpa James tried to warn them and pleaded with them to abandon their reckless scheme, but they wouldn't listen. Isabella realized the danger too late, but by then, Robert had Jack under his spell. And, well, you know the rest."
She listened quietly, her eyes fixed on him as he spoke. His words sank in, each revelation settling like a stone in a pond.
"What's Michael got to do with all this? Is he some kind of big shot?" Chloe's words came slowly, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Ace nodded, his steps quick and restless as he paced back and forth. "To understand that, you got to rewind way back... Three powerful families, each with a key ancient artifact, came together, and then, bam! They opened a portal. Now, they're dealing with the fallout."
Hold on a second—what?!
"Could you repeat that?" She demanded, her voice firm with determination.