Annie shifted her weight, peering to catch the words drifting from the shadows. The alley was damp and cool, smelling of rainswept asphalt and something metallic. She huddled against the wall, her racing heart tucking at curious overtones in her brain.
"No one must find out," a voice grated low and gravelly.
A second voice, sharp and confident, rose in reply, "If we don''t move fast, we''re all ruined. You know what''s at stake.
The first voice laughed, but it wasn''t a warm laugh. "What''s at stake is already in motion. We need to be ready."
Annie squinted harder into the dimness as a figure emerged—a woman with cropped hair and eyes that seemed to absorb the light around her. She stepped into view beside the man Annie had followed.
"Do you really think they''ll buy it?" she asked.
The man shrugged, an indifferent gesture that spoke volumes for the tension in the air. "They have no choice."
Annie tightened her fists. They were talking in riddles, yet somehow they seemed to know something vital—something that might lead her to Robert.
"What are they planning?" she whispered to herself, barely containing her eagerness to confront them.
The woman leaned in toward the man, her voice low and urgent. Annie inched a little forward, her ears straining for more.
"Find him before he disappears again," the woman insisted. "He''s crucial for this timeline."
At those words, Annie''s pulse raced—are they talking about Robert?
The man''s face twisted. "I know how important he is. But believe me, he''s not easy to find."
Annie filled her lungs with air and stepped forward into their line of vision.
"Are you looking for Robert?" she demanded, determination hardening her voice despite the fear coursing through her veins.
Both figures turned abruptly; surprise flickered across their faces before morphing into guarded expressions.
"What do you know about him?" the woman asked sharply, crossing her arms.
"I came from…" Annie hesitated but pressed on anyway. "I came from the past looking for a cure for his illness."
The man exchanged glances with the woman before he spoke again, his tone shifting from suspicion to intrigue. “You time-travelled? That’s rare."
“I don’t have time for games,” Annie shot back. “Where is he?”
“We can help,” the woman said slowly, eyes narrowing as she considered Annie''s urgency.
The woman stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. “You really don’t know what you’re getting into.”
Annie''s heart was racing, and she said, "I don''t care about the risks; all I want to do is save him."
The man shifted his weight, scanning the alley for any sign of eavesdroppers. "Listen, the timeline is delicate. If we interfere too much…
"Just tell me where he is!" Annie interrupted, frustration boiling over.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"Fine." The man relented, holding up a hand to calm her. "But first, you need to understand something about Robert''s condition. It''s not just a disease; it''s part of something bigger—a web of fate that involves us all."
Annie clenched her jaw, struggling to absorb his words. "What do you mean?"
The pendant," the woman said, pointing at Annie''s neck where the old man had placed it earlier. "It connects you with Robert in ways you can''t begin to fathom."
"I don''t care about some mystical connection," Annie snapped back, her hands shaking with a mix of fear and resolution. "Where is he?
East side of the city," he finally replied, his voice low but steady. "There''s a research facility. He''s there… under …nder observation."
Annie nodded sharply and took a step back, feeling the weight of their stare upon her.
"Be careful," the woman warned. "They''ll be watching him closely. You might need more than just a pendant if you want to get him out.
Annie took a deep breath and nodded once more, turning on her heel to run down the alley. The far hum of flying vehicles filled her ears as she emerged into the busy street, neon blurring around her.
She didn''t have any time for this; she needed answers.
The throngs of pedestrians and hovering cars disoriented her at first; then adrenaline honed her vision. She swerved around clusters of people buried in their holographic screens, oblivious to her frantic quest.
Finally, she could see a tower of a building ahead—the research facility. Its glass wall glinted in the late afternoon sun, sterile and imposing.
Annie stopped outside its entrance and looked around: guards at each and every entrance, their eyes piercingly scanning visitors.
"What now?" she muttered to herself as she paced along the perimeter of the building.
She needed a plan—something clever enough to slip past those watchful eyes without raising alarms.
A delivery drone hovering in the vicinity gave her an idea—an unorthodox one—but it might work if executed correctly.
She took a deep breath and inched her way toward the side entrance, her eyes fixed on the path the drone cut through the air above.
At that moment, a shoulder tapped hers, and Annie was startled out of her reverie. She turned to find a stranger standing—tall, with dark hair and a stern expression that made her blood run cold.
Annie barely had a moment to register the tall figure before he stepped closer, commanding attention. He was clad in a sleek black jacket that blended into the shadows around them. His dark eyes glinted with curiosity, and a slight smirk tugged at his lips.
"Lost?" he asked, voice smooth yet laced with an edge.
Annie squared her shoulders, refusing to let him intimidate her. “Not at all. I’m looking for someone.”
“Is that right?” He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, studying her like she was an interesting puzzle to solve. “Most people come here for research. Not for reunions.”
“I don’t have time for games.” Annie felt the urgency rising in her chest, propelling her forward. “I need to find Robert.”
The smirk faded a little as he straightened, intrigue flashing in his eyes. "Robert? You must mean the subject of some very delicate experiments."
"He''s not a subject," Annie snapped, frustration bubbling to the surface. "He''s a person."
His gaze hardened for a moment, but then he relaxed again, a hint of amusement returning. "Fair enough. But you should know, getting inside will not be so easy.
"I''m not afraid of a little challenge." Annie took another step closer, trying to narrow the gap between them.
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "You really think you can just waltz in there and take him?"
Annie hesitated for just a moment before answering, her resolve firming up again. "I don''t have another option. You can either help me or get out of my way."
"Bold words." He pushed off the wall and stepped to stand right in front of her. The tension between them palpably thickened as their eyes locked.
"What''s your name?" she asked suddenly.
"Eli," he returned, not breaking eye contact.
"Great." Annie took a deep breath and jerked her head toward the facility looming behind them. "So how do we get past those guards?"
Eli snorted, as though his laughter had been muffled, and shook his head, his eyes shining bright with humor at her naivety. "You think I''d just give away trade secrets?"
She breathed hard out through her nose but stifled further irritation.
"What if I said I have my own way in?" Eli leaned in slightly as if sharing some sort of confidential detail.
Annie tilted her head; interest piqued despite herself.
"Let''s say I have access codes," he continued casually, assurance oozing from him like heat from the pavement on a summer day.
Annie narrowed her eyes, weighing her options carefully before speaking again. "What''s your angle? Why help me?"
"I like chaos," he said with an easy smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes.
Annie took a moment with this; chaotic or not, she needed every advantage she could get.
"Okay then," she drawled lazily. "Lead the way."