Ben's breath came in short, uneven gasps. His fingers tightened around the handgun, its weight as real as any he had held before only that was impossible.
He had never held a real gun in his life. His only experience came from Call of Duty yet, somehow, he knew exactly how it should feel. The weight, the grip, the balance it was all perfect.
His heart pounded.
This wasn't a dream.
The warmth of the sun, the scent of the ocean, the distant hum of machinery it was all too real. The ruined warzones of Black Ops 2 were gone, replaced by sleek skyscrapers of glass and metal reflecting the waves below. The air was unnaturally crisp, as if he had stepped into some utopian future.
None of this made sense.
Then a voice called out.
"Umm… hey, you okay?"
Ben spun, his muscles tensing instinctively.
A girl stood before him, blonde hair pulled back, glasses resting on her nose. Concern filled her blue eyes as she studied him like she knew him.
But he had never seen her before in his life.
Ben's mind raced. He didn't recognize this city, this technology, or her. Where was he?
His pulse thundered in his ears. He needed answers. Fast.
"Where… where am I?" he asked, his throat dry.
The girl frowned slightly. "You're on I-Island. You don't remember?"
Ben's stomach twisted. That name meant nothing to him.
"I-Island?" he echoed, trying to keep his voice steady.
The girl's frown deepened. "Yeah. You live here. Are you feeling okay?"
Ben's breath hitched. I live here? No. That wasn't right. He was from 2025. He had been in his room, playing through his old favorite games. This place, this world was completely foreign to him.
His grip tightened around the gun only to realize something even weirder.
How did he even have it? He had been thinking about his loadout, and then… it had just appeared.
A shiver ran down his spine.
Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.
Taking a slow breath, he focused on the gun in his hand. The moment he willed it away, it vanished into thin air. A wave of exhaustion hit him, forcing him to steady himself.
The girl stepped forward, concern deepening. "Hey, maybe we should get you checked out. My dad's a scientist he can help."
Ben hesitated. His instincts screamed at him not to trust anyone, but what choice did he have? He was in an unknown place with no way back.
He swallowed hard and nodded. "Yeah… maybe that's a good idea."
The girl gave him a small smile. "Come on, I'll take you to my dad's lab."
As Ben followed her, he forced himself to stay calm. He needed answers, and fast.
Because one thing was clear wherever he was, this wasn't home.
And he had no idea how he got here.