Year 2277

Blythe Cytherea

The escorts seemed rushing. As to police, Mr. Calihan particularly, this one's the current biggest threat to the society, if somehow made his way to the public.

"He's waiting inside."

The bodyguard said, I fixed my black blazers and prepared the paper on my hand and pen in my patch pocket.

I inhale the ghastly ambience, getting antsy but sure braced. I don't know what makes me anxious about this, but I'm certain.

The steel door rolled to the side after I encoded the password. And sure is, the silence is heavy, with this man sitting behind a small white table.

Mr. Calihan is standing beside him with his fist on the table and the other on his hips. I can assume a heated interrogation, Mr. Calihan' s face is a dyad for this unsettling visage. While the man in the orange shirt isn't ostensibly intimidated after all.

"Oh, you're here."

He said in a facade of gratitude, the other man looked at me breaking down any information naturally coming out from my demeanor.

I blink at his impractical cranks and just sat down across this man. Beforehand, I discerned his cryptic crux and red flags had been hoisted.

I didn't want to waste any extravaganza, time and opportunities. I looked him in the eyes, his unwonted murky waters are unreadable. Right off the bat!

"What'ya gonna do now?"

The man said in a limpid maligned approach, seemingly he's in control of his confusing transparency, even though my ability already saw through his tactics. I knew he is guarded.

"I don't want to look ill-mannered to you, but let's cease this grill."

He just looked at me sedated with no reply.

"Your hands."

I brought out since it is ineluctable, I have to reach him, but he appeared to be dubious at this moment.

"Do what she says boy."

Mr. Calihan impatiently verged in.

"Fine."

He finally put his arms on the table shortly.

He's handcuffed, but his eyes are bludgeoning me. My brain is telling me not to look at him as I am left with nothing but to proceed.

With no extra precautions, I held his hands and dove in with my sight closed.

Not long after I began, a damned entity is repelling me out.

What is this?!

I can't! It's impossible!

I opened my eyes with both men still focused on me.

Jethro Alaric:

His arms and left eye were completely modified, which he brags about conceivably. There's nothing to be boastful of, we're all in the same prison after all. Contrary to him, I always lay back and infallibly maintain my composed mores.

"Hey, what about we give that doofus a taste of a real fist?"

Fio opted out of nuisance upon glaring to the other group beside our table. Sundry of metal clanking and conversing make this place like a kindergarten canteen from the 2000's.

"Hahaha why not Fio, let's give it a shot."

Knox cackled out.

"Yeah I would like to try that too."

Kalel added before shoving a spoonful of veggies in his mouth.

The other group is made up of a knucklehead and galère of incognizant devotees.

"Hey Ruairi! Why are you so quiet? Something bothering you?"

Knox asked this man beside me. We all looked at him. And yes, he seemed off.

"Uh-no, no. I'm fine."

After half an hour, at 3:30 pm, we're all sent back to our own cells since it's our leisure time.

My cell block is on the lower part of the prison, 2nd block specifically. Beside mine, on the 3rd is Ruairi Harper. Fio, Kalel and Knox's block is on the higher compartment, just above Ruairi.

I opened my T.V., which I bought on my own. Those 4 have their own too, which is good for our free, precious time.

" ...yes, for almost a month, Nye catapulted the market... It's only a matter of time, before we could finally achieve the impossible..."

Immortality.

Hour or two had passed before an interruption of what I thought was an ad.

The screen went static for a while, then a man who's almost looking like a cyborg appeared on the screen. He's in a long, white, 1 piece clothing, sitting in a dark room. Piles of used steels, composites and other metals are stack in a mess behind him.

The thing is, the only elastic skin he has, is the upper half of his head.

"Apology to all of you..."

He said, but he sounded human. In that case, he's still a bag of flesh hiding in a shell.

"... We are the Silas- originally a secret organization, but now is not..."

My eyes are glued to the screen. Are they really airing this?

"... In case you're still confused, yes- your T.V.' s have been hacked. Now, I wanna discuss..."

He paused.

"... the possible aftermath of those nanobombs in you..."

I wonder if all the inmates are watching the same thing I do.

"... There still a small group of people who are fortunate- who aren't gonna explode in a sudden way. And those are the individuals who are willing to lend us a... hm. let's say..."

"... certain amount of information.- And the rest, are the old fashioned people, who chose to remain just a piece of meat... Y'all know who's I am talking about.- Sad to say, but we already hacked Nye right from the start, we helped this manufacturing company to broke the market. So Mr. Cassian Meucci, you can thank me later.- So by the way, those bionic parts of yours, they're bombs..."

He paused again for about 30 seconds.

The camera zoomed in, filming only his upper torso and his head.

"... We'll giving you a week to surrender your intels. If you chose not to, then you're gonna detonate your selves."

I can hear the inmates in their confused voices. Not long after, a group of officers came passing in front of my cell.

"Turn your T.V.'s off!"

The officers are shouting to those who have their T.V.'s, including me.

"What are you doin'!?"

The officer unlocked this one cell across mine. The man in the cell is on full panick, he's the one with his left eye and both arms modified.

The other officers did the same on the inmates with bionic organs.

This man with his arm modified started to fight back, the correction officers lost him. And most of the others did the same, they all ran. In a matter of a second, it's all in chaos.

I stood in my cell, shocked.

"Hey Jethro!"

Ruairi appeared in front of my bars. As I can remember, he doesn't have any part of him modified.

He's doing something on my lock. Looks like he's picking it. After a few attempts, it suddenly clicked open.

I just get along.

"We'll free the other three while the guards are on their business."

He lend me this foreign device.

My brain is drowning in adrenaline, my heart is racing that I can't hear the background noises.

The prisoners are out of control, and this is our best chance. We ran up to the stairs. Luckily, their cells are near. Most of the officers are on the farthest side, struggling.

Ruairi immediately unlocked Kalel's, while I am struggling on Knox's. He ran behind me to unlock Fio. I did it right before Ruairi.

"Where are we going?!"

Fio shouted.

"I don't know!"

Kalel responded.

"Just run!"

Ruairi

We sprinted down like there's no tomorrow.

We stumbled some officers down the stairs. Knox grabbed a gun from a prison guard lying on the floor.

We dashed to the gates, due to this chaos, there's just only two guard in front. Whom Knox easily frightened by pointing the gun.

"Run!"

We got out of this low security facility with no issues.

We flew into the plain grassland, up to the hill and down. With the sun settling down, blinding my terrible sight, almost tripping on my own feet. My heart is beating out of control, even with the puissance of the sunrays, my hands are cold as it never been before.

I can't breathe, I can't run anymore. My knees are on their limit.

But not long after that we heard the sirens.

We entered the woods, and I can't apprehend how exhausted and tired I am. The large roots of these old tree trunks are like an extreme hard mode arcade.

"Damn! Do you know where are we ending up!?"

"Absolutely not! It's better than never Kalel!"

Fio shouted.

So this is what Ruairi is up to, Knox isn't wrong, this is the exact thing bothering Ruairi's mind earlier.

Blythe Cytherea

"Jethro Alaric-10410-100. Hm, done?"

"Ahuh. Next."

"Kalel Rivo-10450-610..."

"Next."

"Knox Finian-10400-054..."

"...054, next."

"Fio Colton-10416-016... and Ruairi Harper-10438-084..."

"Alright, done."

I can hear the muted conversations at the back.

"Are you sure about what you saw?"

"Yes I am."

"Then how?"

I can't even think how.

"By the way, if you're going..."

Mr. Calihan paused and pulled some papers in his desk.

"...these 5 men broke from the prison. Just letting you know, they're murderers, a gallow birds and on the loose, blending in the crowd of the city."

I just nodded after a brief glimpse of the crooks mugshot on the document. Whatever, I need time to think about what I just saw in that man's mind.

"Noted Mr. Calihan."

"Alright, let's call it a day."

I left the station at 6 pm and drove to my apartment building. Befuddled walking on the eerie hallway. I reached the palm scanner beside my penthouse's door. It immediately opened.

Right before I could turn around and close it back, a hand covered my mouth. I panicked as I kicked every direction just to get out, but I can't. The man behind me decided to headlock me through his arms. He threw me on the floor, I stood up and decided to run through the door but 4 men came in and they closed it.

"Don't make it hard for the both of us Ms. Blythe Cytherea."

"W-what do you want?"

I asked as cliche as it is from the movies.

The man who threw me walked closer as I stepped back to the nearest davenport.

I realized how doomed I am when I discerned that the resemblance of the mugshots to him are akin, same to the others.

"I want you to read my mind."

What? All of them just watched my confused reaction. There's a long pause of me, and one of them just sigh then stroll around 'till he found the fridge.

"Why?"

I finally made out.

He stepped back and sat on the couch.

"I want the truth..."

He simply said. The other men did stroll around too, touching everything that piques their interest.

"... I am not a murderer."

What do you mean?

"I believe him, most of us did not want to accept the wrong verdict. Except me, I really did kill someone..."

The other man said standing in front of the glass wall, staring at the city below.

"... It's a pure luck how I managed to timed this.- I just can't sit down and watch innocent people suffer just for a misunderstanding..."

He turned facing us.

"... Help us, I don't want my efforts go straight in the trash."

What am I gonna do? I don't believe them, neither the opposite. I guess I'll do what they want, I'm their captive.

After a minute, I decided to dove at their errands.

"Tell me what you want me to do."

"Can you read memories?"

The man on the couch asked.

"Yes."

But how can I tell? Brain is capable of making up things, even the most accurate memory you believe existed.

Theron Everard

(3 Months Later)

I can't wait any longer, this isn't what I totally expecting to happen. That mind reader is terrified of me so they assigned many psychiatrist to study me until they end up putting me behind bars.

I sighed, time is so precious.

I sat up from lying on the bed. A pair of eyes showed in the small rectangular cut out on the thick metal door.

"Hey man, you have a new visitor."

Again? How about they just give up and let me out of this, I've got so many things to do.

He opened the door and silently handcuffed me.

We walked with him holding my left shoulder. We stopped in front of this ol' interrogation/ mental torture room. He opened the door for me, and inside, a man standing beside the chair.

Aw man, his face.

They sat me on the single chair with a table in front and a light above.

We waited in silence, looks like we're gonna wait again.

Not long after, a man in his 25-30's came in.

"Good morning Mr. Jethro Alaric. Take a sit."

This old man said.

"Thanks Mr. Calihan."

He sat down.

"I still can't believe you're a freeman now Jethro. It's not that long when I used to walk you, handcuffed to your cell block."

"I know Mr. Calihan, thanks to Ruairi Harper. He sacrificed his efforts just for us."

"That man, is a real legend.- And by the way. This is Theron, everyone who's assigned to him gave up, they can't read him. I really hope you can end this Jethro. I'm afraid he'll stay here 'till who knows.- I can't stand being with him in this room again. Nothing is coming out, maybe I'm a bad luck..."

He chuckled a bit.

"...I'll leave him with you."

He closed the door when he left us. I looked Jethro in the eyes, silence won't summon the awkwardness, but boredom and nothingness.

He did the same to me. He's about to open his mouth but I went before him.

"I'll tell you the truth Jethro."

His face remained the same as I spoke.

"I'm from the future."

I said knowing how fucked up I am, it's not in my plan. What if it gets worse than what previously happened?

I will just hope for him to trust me.

"Go on."

He said, he's probably into it. After how many mind readers who can't, he'll believe what I say, or worse, just study my signs like a normal person would and monitor what I'm capable of.

"I know you, your whole family tree.- I know you,- your future. I know your wife, your children, your grandchildren..."

I know he's restraining his emotions.

"... I know you 10, 30, 50 years from now. I know how you'll succumb to death- Jethro Alaric."

He just remained quiet.

"Do you believe me?"

I asked, 'cause it seems not.

"Make me."

He replied.

"You're the only person I told about this. Those previous ones, they struggled to even get a simple response from me. But I can't wait for this long."

He suddenly wrote something down on the paper.

He's not believing me, he just simply studying me.

"Look, man. I can tell you who's gonna be your wife."

"I know her."

He replied.

"I can tell you how you'll die."

He paused.

"Tell me."

"Well, I can't reveal his identity, it'll further ruin your epic history..."

I looked down, as I already ruined some things now.

"...especially your a famous person in psychology, you'll discover something that'll make you popular. And I can't destroy that. I still have respect on you."

He didn't respond, but I can tell he's, he stopped jotting down.

"Remember the Silas? One of them will cause your death Jethro."

He's still collecting the words I threw. Damn, i don't know what I have just done.

"Man help me. I'll help you bring justice to your father."

He paused then stared at me.

"I'll kill you if you betray me."

"I'll be glad."

Finally. The idea of time travelling is plausible as day goes by in this time period, and finally achieved on my time.

"So, what's your plan?"

"I'll clear you from here, then we'll settle this."

He answered.

Jethro Alaric

"How can you help me?"

I asked him while he's eating an apple from my fridge.

"Oh, looks like you're rushing more than me."

Then he sat down on the couch.

"I don't mind sending my self back to prison if you're just fuckin' around."

I said as I sat down across him while glaring at his careless demeanor.

"Woah, I don't think you can do that..."

He took a bit.

"... I know you.- You're not that kind of person."

He smirked then laughed manner-less.

"You're generation's too serious. Man, I will have a hard time if I'm born on this time."

I don't know why, but I can't read him.

He threw the half eaten apple to the back. I can't stand him, totally disrespectful.

His mood toned down, as if he's getting serious.

"Do you know why I'm here?"

"Why?"

He fixed his position, both his elbows are resting on his knee, his hand on his jaw and the other lying down.

"I want to kill someone."

"What for?"

Then he leaned on the couch

"A hundred years from now, a supposedly cure for brain disease was born. Rooted and evolved in a century, from the theories, idealisms and beliefs of this man who inspired a lots of aspiring heroes of medicine. But it's a colossal scam, a giant bin of brain cure facade unleashed..."

He looked at me.

"...And my father is one of those who were killed, his brain couldn't function anymore after the operation, until he succumb to his awful death. Jethro, no matter what you say, I'll do my mission. Even if you don't believe or lend me a hand, nothing can stop me..."

He stood up.

"...millions of lives are waiting for me back in the future, I'd rather kill this man over a million of innocents..."

He walked pass at me and about to open the front door.

"Tell me who he is. I'll help you."

I said.

"His name's Rune Xavion and I know everything about him. I've done a lot of research.

"Where are you going now?"

I guess you have nothing.

"Since you said you'll help me, I wouldn't be walking and sleeping around somewhere. I'll stay here with you until I finish my job."

I looked at him while he laid back down the couch again, suddenly, the door opened.

"Hi! Oh! Who's he?"

Blythe is surprised by the presence of Thyron.

"He's my cousin."

I said, I don't want her to get involve.

"Oh I see, I'm Blythe Cytherea, nice to meet you."

Then she closed the door behind her.

"Yeah I know you."

Thyron plainly said not minding her.

"We talked about you earlier."

I immediately added before she get weirded out.

"Yeah whatever 'cause you're my cousin."

He said emphazing the last word.

I did my best not to lose my temper on him.

2 days later...

Thyron and I entered a small jammed alleyway on the edge of the city. And we came out to this modest blocks of buildings.

"Look what I found."

He said with a smirk on his face.

"What?"

I asked.

"This is the apartment, based on my resources, it's the room closest to the camomile tree. And here it is."

My eyes wandered around, a large tree guarding the small apartment.

"He must be working on his theories right now."

A short silence came after the dusty howl of wind.

He said he'd rather kill this man over a million. And what if he's lying? What if he's just a delusional murderer?

"I wonder what's going on in your mind."

He said and started to walk.

"Same."

I replied shortly then followed his steps.

He knocked on the target door, and not long after, a man with a seemingly plain, normal styled opened the door. With his simple worn out stripes of green and yellow shirt, and a cargo shorts.

"W..who are y-you?"

He stuttered his words.

"Are you Rune Xavion?"

The man opened his mouth still collecting his words.

"Uhm yes, why?"

He responded with confusion.

I interrupted before Theron could even pull out the borrowed gun from me behind him.

"We're just told by the landlord to tell you that he's about to change your door locks soon, he wanted to increase the quality of your security for all of you in this apartment. "

Theron gave me a blank pissed off glare after what I said.

I can't accompany a man for a murder, and if he's telling no lies, we can deal with it without killing anyone.

"Let's go."

I said.

I can feel his rage on me while we're leaving the place. He's striding behind me.

"What is that for?!"

We got into my car, I sat on the driver seat and him on my side.

"Thyron, this is ridiculous. I don't even know why I believed you and cleared you out of jail."

I said, and he replied long after while I'm driving.

"So you don't believe me after all."

He said in monotone.

I didn't respond to him after that. We arrived at home, with no word interactions.

Evening came in like a lightning, but lasts like year, spending my time in my office and Thyron much on the living room. I don't know his plan and how long he'll stay. I don't know what to believe anymore.

I can't sleep thinking that a stranger is in my house. Half of me is convinced that he's telling the truth, but the idea of killing makes me doubt my decisions. There's a life in my hand just because of him.

Next day I woke up, first thing I did was to check on Thyron. I had a feeling that he's still chilling, planning on killing Rune.

But I got in the living room, there's no one. I checked everywhere and there's just me in the house. There's no single trace of him left.

Why so sudden though? He could just wait until I woke up and left first thing after his goodbye.

I called Blythe to rest assure something.

It's 6 already am, I turned on the T.V while waiting for Blythe to pick it up.

"Hello?"

She asked.

"Good morning."

I said.

"Good morning, what's with the call?"

She asked.

"Do you remember my cousin?"

"Who's cousin?"

"My cousin from the other day?"

I can't believe she forgot.

"No, who's that? And when exactly?"

She asked. No way she forgotten something not too long ago.

"The autopsy shows that he's been dead for 5 hours, and the cause of death is a shot in the head at point blank range, execution style. He was discovered by a boy living next door when he heard a knock on his door, according to him, he thought it was a ding-dong-ditch except that it was chillingly loud at 1 am, he checked outside and found out that the door beside his block was opened, and then he found the heinous crime . No witnesses in the area, no noises, or any signs of struggle..."

I hang down the phone and concentrate on the T.V.

"... His name's Rune Xavion, age 24 and living alone. Until now the police are contacting his possible relatives and still working on what could be the motiv..."

Is it?

Is it what Thyron had been planning?

I contacted Mr. Calihan.

"Hello?Jethro."

"Yes it's me, do you remember Thyron?"

"Who's that?

What in the world? He's been interrogating Thyron for almost 4 months and he just forgotten all of it.

"Thyron, the unreadable terrorist."

I added.

"Sorry Jethro, but I can't remember anyone named Thyron."

I hung up the call, totally a confused statue.

No way that it could be a glitch right?

He's real, he said he's from the future and have something to do, I'll help him and he'll help me bring justice to my father's death.

He killed Rune, now I know how some cold cases remain unsolved and uncrackable.

An envelope on the table stole my sight. It could be from him.

I opened it, and it has some documents inside.

Thyron Theverard's POV:

Year 2473

"Thank you for coming dad."

He smiled at me in while removing his jacket.

He sat down across me and my fiance.

"Anything for you son."

I can't stop my smile from appearing.

"So what's up with the call Thyron?"

My mom asked as she just arrived then sat down beside dad.

My fiance Pia squeezed my hands as I can feel her heart pounding.

I smiled at her communicating through our eyes telling her that it's going to be fine.

I remember that it is supposed to be the day my dad is going to vanish from this existence. But now he's still here, I saved him. I've done my mission.

"Pia's pregnant."

I said with a smile on my face, I keep on holding this tears as my sight began to blur.

"Really?!"

My mom can't believe as she hugged me and Pia, my father just sat there surprised.

"Thyron, son, you've really grown up as a man of intelligence and smart decisions..."

He said with his teary eyes reflecting the sunny orange light outside the window.

"... I'm very proud of you."

He said then hugged me, it lasted a couple of seconds, but for me, it will stay forever.

The day passed as fast at it is. Pia's arm lying upon on my torso as she sleep.

Next Morning...

"You've been reading that page for an hour."

Pia said while resting her head on my lap.

"Uhm well it's interesting..."

I fold the newspaper and put it beside me.

It's actually a short documentary about Jethro's life. A renowned psychologist who made a lot of effort. I hope he lived his life to his content, although I can't do more about his death at age 74, the former Silas member who killed him immediately got caught and served his remaining life in prison. I understand Jethro's kindness and sympathy back to those days when we met.

"I'll make breakfast."

She said then stood up.

I helped Jethro served justice for his father, that was onced they wrongfully bestow upon him, they accused him of murdering his father. I am really glad I made my way back then armed with documents of evidence of the real culprit, my plan did really worked out well despite Jethro having a change of heart believing me. Well, he helped me to get out of jail, and that's a big help.

"So how's your modification?"

She started the conversation while waiting for the food to cook.

"I'm terminating it."

"Why?"

"I'll let the others to be the test subjects, it's too early for me to continue and stay like that. I'm leaving this body modification to the next generation."

"I see, so you're considering your age don't you, I really like how you overanalyzed things..."

"... You're the first to try that thought-reading-barrier though, right?"

I'm the first test subject for the thought-reading-barrier, that I carried throughout my time travel journey, I guess it's a success for the association, they can't read me back in the past.

"Yes, and I oppose the association's idea."

I'm worried about how the future works. What it is to be able to control how people read you. It's just human nature to read each other's thought, how can humans communicate if one has the ability to control the flow of the communication itself.

"I understand you Thyron, I'm opposed too."

Man is a creature of hope and invention, we'll keep moving until we can't see the past no more, but we have to choose certain things that can annihilate the reason why we are here. Owed to this, we belie the idea that things cannot be changed.