Page 131

The dream was so realistic that I checked the tracking device on Mina’s identity chip several times during the day. Her heartbeat was regular, she was at work. She was alive. Still, I couldn’t relax.

Maybe I shouldn’t.

When the device started working, we stared at the black screen for a while. The resonance threshold remained stable. I had found a wormhole fine-tuned enough to allow data to pass through without making the brane sensitive. A non-perturbative resonance path. No brane disruption, no risk of collapse. White dots began to appear on the black screen, which grew fuzzy with static, and a few cables popped out from the edges with a crackle. The screen was changing at an incredible speed, the entire design had been corrupted and it was losing its data, with jumbled codes and text flowing across it.

Coretta stepped back like a big explosion were about to happen. “What’s going on?”

There was another thud, a beam of light dazzled our eyes. An artificial sun appeared in front of us. The noise was as intense as a lightning strike. When I looked down from the roof, I saw dozens of vehicles piled on top of each other. There had been an accident a little further down the street.

“Maybe we should shut it down.” This time the voice came from Yalaz.

“It doesn’t matter as long as there’s no danger in the brane.” Coretta’s panic seemed to have subsided a little. “It seems we’re not the only ones who found that special wormhole. If we wait a little longer…”

Just then, the parasitical static on the screen disappeared.

“What the…”

Coretta murmured. When it began to glow with a single line of text, like an old television screen, my eyes widened at the sight.

“The data is stuck in bulk,” Yalaz clarified. “More specifically, it’s lodged inside the wormhole you found. And there’s more… An entire data stream following it. Ray…”

“Leave me alone.”

This time, no one objected. Coretta silently picked up the assistant android in the corner of the room and carried it out the door. Their worried stares pressed against my face before leaving, but I kept my gaze locked to the screen, unable to look away.

You useless Remi, I hate you.

I couldn’t be said to be surprised, only my heart hammered. The message wasn’t all that threatening, but still, I was so scared. I was scared out of my mind at that moment. Despite my dread, my fingers flew across the keys, wanting to end the suffocating suspense. I held my breath as the next words flickered onto the screen.

But if you pulled this, you’re about to go through the same process I did. I have to warn myself.

Only two people in the entire universe used that address, after all. Since Mina wouldn’t send me this message, I already knew the sender was myself. I tapped the monitor again.

I know why you made this device, why you’re in such a desperate state. That’s why the only person who can reach you is yourself again. I don’t know which variant of me this message will go to, but it doesn’t matter. As long as I can reach one of them, it’s enough. It will be enough for Mina.

Mina? I swallowed hard, but the constriction in my throat wouldn’t budge. My fingers slammed against the keys.

You know her. There’s no way Raymond Kern doesn’t know her. He couldn’t survive if he doesn’t know Mina. If such a place exists, he must’ve taken his life before he turned fourteen. He would beg his family to kill him. You know what I mean. You know how close we are to madness without her. I’ve already gone mad. I hope the Raymond who receives this message hasn’t gone mad yet.

I hope too.

Now my world disappears, I find comfort in thinking about other realities. A reality where I’m still sane. I thought I had to do this. I had to ask you a favor. I must beg you. I reactivated this useless device just for this request.

My breath came in sharp, ragged gasps as I clicked again. I wanted to believe I was hallucinating, but the words on the screen refused to fade.

Kill Mina Olind.

I stared at the screen for minutes. I waited for the letters to disappear, hoping they would turn into an illusion. It was so illogical, so nauseating my brain couldn’t find any rational explanation. My heart was hammering so fast, pumping horror instead of blood. For the first time, I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to see the rest of the messages. I stared at the screen again, my face pale. My trembling fingers reached for the button, my lower lip also quivering.

When the time comes, kill her. Forget about eternity. Free her because I can’t. I can’t do that. The world is about to end now. The sweetness is gone, the only thing remains of her is the disaster, but I still can’t free her. I can’t without her. I hope somewhere in the universe there’s a variant of me can let her go. Please do this for me. I beg you. I beg you. I beg

I frantically pressed the keys again and again, but nothing else appeared on the screen. I slammed my fist on the table. The door to the room opened with this violent sound. When Yalaz came over, my eyes were wide. My chest heaving uncontrollably, and a thousand emotions flashed through my eyes as I stared at a single point.

“What happened?” Yalaz asked calmly, but I was between throwing the device and hugging it tightly.

“Check it, check if the stream has stopped.”

“Ray—”