"Wake up, dummy."
Leo cracked open one eye to find Maya leaning over his desk, gently tapping his arm with the end of her pen. She had a small, worried smile on her face.
"You'll dream yourself into another equation at this rate," she whispered, glancing around the room.
The lecture hall was alive with quiet chatter and the glow of holo-screens. Leo stretched and rubbed his temple.
"Equations don't mind if I take a quick nap," he muttered, trying to shake off the drowsiness.
Maya shook her head, hugging her books closer as the last few students trickled out of the room. "Another night shift?"
"Of course," Leo replied, hoisting his bag onto his shoulder. "The professors say I'm lucky to have this gig. But honestly, they just want someone to crunch numbers while they catch some z's."
"You really push yourself too hard," she said, concern etched on her face. "You're in class all day, then it's straight to the lab. Do you ever take a break?"
Leo shrugged, his tone calm and indifferent. "I'll sleep when the future changes."
She slowed her pace, studying him closely. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"
He offered her a small smile. "If Project TX works, it'll change history—forever."
"Or it could kill you," she said, her words slipping out like a secret.
Leo didn't respond. He adjusted his bag, smiled and started walking towards the transit station.
"Message me when you're done!" Maya called after him, her voice trailing off.
He raised a hand in acknowledgment without looking back.
The lab was nestled in the city's quiet sector, with towering glass spires guarding the hidden underground chambers. Security drones floated near the gates, their red eyes tracking his every move.
As Leo passed through the lower hatch, he flashed his clearance badge. The guards barely gave him a glance. He was just another shadow passing by, one they were used to seeing.
Inside, the halls were nearly deserted. Most researchers had called it a night, leaving Leo with the night shift—endless calculations and the upkeep of machines that none truly understood.
He stepped into the time chamber.
The machines hummed like a sleeping beast. Blue lights pulsed along the metal walls. At the center, the prototype lay dormant: a silver ring adorned with mysterious markings, runes that even the lead scientists pretended to comprehend.
Leo settled into his chair, unloaded his bag, and started his usual routine. Numbers scrolled across his screen, gauges flickering. Everything seemed steady, everything stable.
Hours slipped by. His eyes burned, and his shoulders felt heavy. He told himself, Five minutes won't hurt. Numbers don't mind if I nap for five minutes.
His head dropped onto his arm.
The coffee cup on his desk trembled, dark liquid spilling over the edge. Drops landed on the wires.
A hiss. A spark.
The hum erupted into a roar.
Light erupted from the circle at the chamber's center. Sparks crackled across the floor, and the walls shook as if the air itself was tearing apart.
Leo jolted awake, eyes wide with shock. Too late.
The chair tipped, and a violent force pulled him upward, engulfing him in light.
And then—silence.
Alarms blared.
Scientists rushed into the chamber, smoke filling the air as wires snapped and burned.
"He's gone!" someone yelled.
"Overload—he's vaporized!" another shouted.
They scrambled to find any remains. There were none. The report would label it as death by accident.
But Leo was not dead.
He awoke in darkness.
The air felt cold and damp, heavy with the scent of stone. His wrists and ankles ached, tightly bound with rope. A flickering torch mounted on the wall fought against the shadows.
The chamber was narrow, carved from ancient stone. Strange symbols snaked across the walls like scars.
Opposite him, a man sat waiting.
An old man, with a white beard and a straight back that belied his age. His eyes were sharp, too vibrant for someone so old.
Leo coughed, his throat parched. "Where… am I?"
The old man leaned closer. His voice carried a weight to it, each word deliberate.
"Stranger. Speak. From which land do you hail?"
"…Land?" Leo blinked, still trying to shake off the dizziness. "I was… just in a lab."
The old man's expression hardened. "Your clothes are strange. Your language is strange. Who sent you here?"
Leo groaned and let his head slump against the stone wall. "Great. First, I lose sleep, and now I wake up in some sort of kidnap scenario."
The old man stood tall, commanding the space. "You are not ordinary. I can sense it. Answer me honestly—what is your name?"
"…Leo Kaelion."
The old man's eyes widened for a brief moment before narrowing again. His voice dropped to a near whisper, almost to himself.
"Kaelion...?"
This wasn't the year 4555. This wasn't science.
And in the old man's eyes, Leo discerned something worse than suspicion.