Justin sat in a cold, windowless room, his arms crossed as he stared at the man before him—Director Kain. The man exuded authority, his presence heavy like a storm cloud. His suit was pristine, his silver hair slicked back, and his expression carried the smug amusement of someone who knew he held all the cards.
"Your demands will be met," Kain said, his voice smooth but laced with condescension. "But you will work with a team. We can't just let you roam free—we don't trust you yet." His smirk deepened. "You understand, right?"
Justin exhaled through his nose. He could tell the man enjoyed playing games, dangling power over others. But he didn't care about their trust. He only cared about getting stronger.
"Fine," Justin said. "I'll work with a team."
He glanced around the room at the people he'd be working with. They had been silent until now, watching him. If they were sizing him up, he was doing the same.
"Well?" Justin leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Who are you people?"
The first to speak was the woman who had taken him in—the same one who had watched him fight with a mix of shock and curiosity.
"Nia." She had piercing blue eyes that matched her equally striking blue hair, which fell just past her shoulders. She was tall and fit, her stance confident. "I scouted you."
Justin nodded slightly.
The next was a massive man with broad shoulders, arms thick as tree trunks, and a voice like rolling thunder.
"Dante." He cracked his neck. "Don't slow us down."
Justin smirked. Like hell I will.
Finally, the shorter man spoke. He was lean, built for speed, his dark eyes sharp with intelligence.
"Reid." His voice was quiet but firm. "I run recon."
Justin leaned back, nodding once. "Got it." Then he turned to the last person—the man who still carried that smug look on his face. "And you, old man?"
Kain chuckled. "Director Kain, of course. The one keeping you alive."
Justin rolled his eyes but said nothing.
With introductions out of the way, Kain leaned forward, placing his hands together. His tone became more serious.
"For ten years, the Temporal Echoes have manifested," he began. "The first one appeared in Tokyo. At first, we thought they were isolated anomalies, but soon, we realized they were something else entirely—rifts in time, gateways to alternate realities. Some bring twisted versions of people we know. Others bring creatures and things that shouldn't exist."
Justin clenched his fists. He already knew how dangerous the Echoes were—he had fought one.
Kain continued, "That's why the Framework was created. To fight them. To contain them. But normal people can't handle Echoes. That's where the Gifted come in."
Justin frowned. "The Gifted?"
"The ones born with abilities beyond human limits. Enhanced reflexes, unnatural strength, unique talents that let them face the Echoes and survive." Kain studied Justin carefully. "We have records on all of them. Or so we thought—until you showed up."
Justin remained silent, his mind racing.
He had faced an Echo before.
A long time ago.
He remembered it now, like a wound reopening.
The screams. The flames. The shifting, unnatural thing that had crawled into his world and erased his parents from existence.
He had been a child. Too weak. Too slow. He had survived—barely. Left in the hands of his grandmother, the only family he had left.
His fingers dug into the fabric of his pants, but he kept his face neutral. He wouldn't say anything. Not yet.
Instead, he forced himself to meet Kain's gaze. "So what now?"
Kain's smile returned. "Now, we see what you can really do."