I finished eating.
The bioscreen buzzed.
"Yes?"
My voice came out tired, tension weighing heavy.
"Apologies for the intrusion."
Takashi—always polite.
"An android delivered the envelope via Postais.
I checked her serial number.
She's been deactivated."
"Can you access the owner's information?"
"No.
Her memory was wiped.
Nothing left to retrieve."
"Is that even possible?"
"Difficult.
It would require hacking into the Aether Network,
bypassing the security protocol,
corrupting the android,
accessing her entire nanosystem,
then altering and erasing it.
Seems that's exactly what happened.
Whoever did this is highly skilled.
Didn't want to be found.
Or traced. Or remembered.
I've never seen anything like it."
A shiver ran down my spine.
"Understood."
I already suspected we'd find nothing.
"Wait for my call.
I need to handle something first."
"Very well."
The call ended.
I gathered the objects from the envelope:
The phone.
The watch.
The compass.
The coordinates.
I powered on the phone.
Glitched pixels flickered on the tiny screen.
I searched for files,
photos,
contacts.
Nothing.
Empty.
I picked up the watch.
It read: 1:4:18.
I shook it.
Tried to open it.
No place of manufacture.
Then the compass.
Broken.
Finally, I studied the coordinates.
An abandoned bus terminal on the edge of Centralia.
Why?
The question echoed in my mind.
I rested my forehead on the table.
Spent the whole day pacing in circles.
Thoughts orbiting Maia and her question.
Are you ready?
How could I know?
My life went on.
My work,
my research,
my… family.
But there was another path.
One where I wouldn't just carry memories, but find answers.
That night, I didn't dream.
A part of me had hoped Maia would visit me in my sleep,
tell me what to do.
But there was only darkness.
I woke up somber.
Eyes vacant on the horizon.
I picked up the letter.
Read every word again.
Her voice echoed in my mind.
Maia… what do you want?
I wanted to deny it.
Ignore it.
Convince myself it was madness.
But something kept pulling me forward.
Toward her.
Those questions had haunted me for too long.
And now, there was no turning back.
Then—a jolt.
A flicker from deep within me.
The answer had always been there.
Hidden.
Filed away.
Locked.
Maia's words had unlocked it.
That day, she had asked:
Would you give up your universe?
My eyes fell on the letter.
"Yes. I'm ready to cross into your universe."