Alex stands in the corner of the rooftop. His mind buzzed with the implications of what he had learned about his younger self, acting as a subconscious guardian. It was as if his brain had been playing a twisted game of catch-up, revealing things he couldn't fully grasp yet. And now, Kofi was about to drop another bombshell.
He heard the familiar voice crackle through his AeroPods, pulling him from his thoughts.
"Alright, kid," Kofi's voice sounded in his ear, a mix of exasperation and calm. "Let me break it down for you, since you're clearly not getting it. You see, your younger self is part of you now. He's been embedded in your mind ever since you got back. That's why it seems like he's been sending you warnings—you're not just hearing things. He's there. You've essentially fused with your younger self."
Alex blinked, processing Kofi's words, his brows furrowing in confusion. "Wait, so you're telling me my younger self is in my mind? Like, actually in there?"
Kofi sighed, exasperated. "Yeah, but don't think about it too hard. It's just how the biology works. A lower being—you, Alex—fuses with your past self when you travel back in time. It's part of the process. But honestly? It's not that big a deal." He paused. "We didn't meet your younger self when we first came here because you've already... integrated with him. I didn't think it was important, so I just ignored it."
Alex's mind raced, trying to make sense of everything Kofi had just said. My younger self is in me? But then what about—
A thought struck him suddenly, and his eyes widened as the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Wait—" he whispered, looking around the rooftop, making sure no one was listening. "Does that mean there's a version of you observing Earth right now? Watching me?"
Kofi's tone turned confident, almost smug. "Watching you?? Why should I watch you, Maybe I'm currently observing the majestic blue whale in the ocean or the mighty ants anywhere, not you. But yes, of course there is. I've got a version of me keeping tabs on things from... well, up there? I've got one eye on you, one eye on the situation here. That's how it works."
Alex felt a chill run down his spine as his face darkened. If there's an observer of Kofi watching me... then they must have seen what where doing here at the rooftop...
His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, sharp jolt of panic from his AeroPods. Kofi's voice was suddenly much more frantic. "Wait—hold on a second, Alex. You didn't just... Did you?"
Alex stared blankly at the screen, his stomach sinking. "Did I what? What are you talking about?"
The urgency in Kofi's voice grew louder, his words tumbling out in rapid succession. "Oh your god, Alex, why did you go to the rooftop of one of the tallest structures on Earth? What the hell were you thinking? You idiot!"
Alex froze. The rooftop. His heart skipped a beat. I did... I went up here for us to talk in private. To... escape.
Before he could say anything, the unmistakable sound of a loud hum filled the air, followed by the sudden and dramatic whirring of engines. Alex's pulse quickened as he turned his head to the window, his breath catching in his throat.
Four lights appeared in the distance, hovering in the sky. They came closer, descending rapidly toward the building.
Alex's blood ran cold. What the hell is happening?
The lights landed on the rooftop with an eerie silence, their sleek, metallic forms casting long shadows across the city skyline. Alex's eyes widened. Is this...?
Kofi's voice came through again, now panicked, but also with a strange understanding. "Shit, Alex. This is bad. Very bad."
A voice, cold and commanding, rang out from the rooftop as the figures in the lights began to disembark. "Observer K-051, version 2024. Human subject Alex Han, you are under arrest for unauthorized time travel. You are in violation of Temporal Regulations."
Alex's stomach flipped. They know about the time travel? They're here for me?
He stood frozen in place as one of the figures stepped forward, lifting a visor from his face to reveal a harsh, emotionless expression. "You idiot," the officer muttered under his breath, glaring at Alex. "What the hell did you do?"
Alex's voice caught in his throat. "Kofi?! What's going on? You look like—"
The officer's cold eyes narrowed at Alex, and Alex felt his knees go weak as he realized what he had just said. "You look like Kofi."
Kofi's voice hissed through his earpiece, sounding almost like a different person now—freaked out and tense. "Alex, don't even start. This is... not good. You've really screwed up now, haven't you?"
Alex swallowed hard, his mind racing. What the hell is happening?
The officer's gaze turned sharply to Kofi. "You—you really look like Kofi," Alex whispered, taking a small step back, confused and terrified.
Kofi remained silent, the weight of the moment settling heavily between them. It was clear that whatever was happening now, it had far-reaching consequences. Kofi, as an observer, had been watching him—just like Alex had feared. But how did they know? How did they find me so quickly?
An officer, no longer interested in pleasantries, took another step forward, his hand reaching for a device strapped to his belt. "You will come with us. Now."
Alex could barely breathe as his thoughts spiraled, everything crashing down in a cascade of confusion, fear, and dread. He had crossed a line—one he hadn't fully understood until now. And now, the people—or beings—who were supposed to keep time in check were here, holding him accountable.
And in the middle of it all, Kofi's voice came through once more, sounding more defeated than Alex had ever heard him before.
Alex stood frozen, his heart racing as the officer who resembled Kofi lifted a small, sleek weapon from his belt. The officer's eyes locked onto Alex, their intensity sending a chill through his spine. For a moment, Alex felt like the air had thickened, the weight of the moment pressing in around him.
Without a word, the officer pointed the weapon at the other three officers who had just descended from the hovering craft. The eerie hum of the ship seemed to swell in the silence, then, with a sharp crack, the officer fired in quick succession. Each shot unleashed a burst of blinding light, and when it faded, the three officers had morphed into spherical, glowing orbs—each pulsing with a strange, unnatural energy.
"False alarm," the officer said, his tone calm, almost detached. He glanced back at the floating spheres. "The others malfunctioned en route. But there won't be a problem."