Jack stepped onto the rooftop of Dr. Kim's house, the night breeze brushing against his face. The sky was painted in hues of deep blue and violet, stars scattered like broken glass. He wasn't sure what pulled him up there curiosity, instinct, or maybe just the quiet.
When he reached the top, he found Maya standing near the edge, her arms crossed, eyes fixed on the stars. She didn't notice him at first. Her gaze was distant, almost haunted, as if the sky held all the answers she'd been searching for.
"Mind if I join you?" Jack asked softly.
She turned her head slightly, the moonlight catching the side of her face. "Yeah, sure. Why not?"
Jack walked over and stood beside her. Silence stretched between them, not awkward, but heavy like the calm before a storm.
After a while, Jack spoke. "I don't really know much about you… but it's kind of shocking how much I trust you."
Maya glanced at him, then back at the sky. "You're different from the man I knew in the future."
He raised an eyebrow. "In a good way or a bad way?"
"I don't know," she said honestly. "Just… different. The Jack I knew was kind, gentle. He wouldn't hurt a soul. But you you carry anger. Hatred. A need for revenge."
Jack didn't deny it. The fire in his chest never really died since Joan was taken. It kept him going. It kept him dangerous.
"I don't blame you," Maya added. "Losing someone like Joan… even the Jack I knew would have changed."
Jack looked at her then, truly looked. "You know, Maya… you speak like you knew us well. Like… we meant something to you."
Maya hesitated. Then, quietly, she said, "I owe you my life. Both you and Joan."
"Why?" Jack's voice was softer now. "You sound like we were much closer than you let on. So tell me the truth who were you to us… in the future?"
Maya took a deep breath, then faced him. "You and Joan were my parents."
Jack froze. His heart skipped a beat. He stared at her, wide-eyed, but said nothing. He let her continue.
"I was just seven when my parents died in a car crash. I ended up in an orphanage. Every day there was a nightmare. The other kids bullied me, beat me. I didn't matter to anyone.
"I stayed there for six long months. Then one day, I ran. No plan. No destination. I just ran from street to street, hiding in alleyways. Eventually, I started living under a bridge. It was better than the pain I left behind.
"But one night… a car hit me. I didn't even see it coming. When I woke up, I was in a hospital. And the first faces I saw were yours… and Joan's."
Jack's throat tightened.
"You asked me who my parents were so you could call them. I told you they were dead. When you asked where I lived, I told you about the orphanage and why I ran.
"Joan looked at me with so much kindness. She said I could stay with you both. I'll never forget the look on your face when she said that. At first, you weren't happy. But then… you smiled. That smile it made me feel safe for the first time in years.
"A week later, you adopted me. You brought me home."
Jack's eyes stung, but he blinked the feeling away.
"On my tenth birthday, you asked if I wanted to be a scientist like you. I said no. I wanted to join the army. So I could protect my daddy and mommy."
She stepped closer. "So Dad… one thing I know for sure, what we're both sure of is that Rolland and his father must die. And we bring Mom back. Together."
Jack didn't hesitate. "Yeah."
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. The rooftop, the stars, the silence they all disappeared. It was just them.
They stayed like that for a long time.
Then Dr. Kim's voice echoed from below. "Jack! Get downstairs now. I have a plan to steal the time machine back."
Jack sighed and released Maya. "Duty calls."
---
Downstairs, Dr. Kim was already laying out her plan on the table. Her eyes gleamed with urgency.
"It's simple," she said, holding up a flat, metallic device. "We attach this prototype to the time machine."
"What does it do?" Jack asked.
"It makes things invisible," she replied casually, then hurled it toward Maya.
The device latched onto Maya's skin and she vanished instantly.
"Maya? Maya!" Jack shouted in panic. "Where are you?!"
"I'm right here," her voice echoed back.
Jack spun to Dr. Kim, his eyes blazing. "How do we deactivate it?! You just tested that on her?! Why not use something, anything, not alive?!"
"Relax," Dr. Kim said, unfazed. "You can't take a joke, can you? Maya, just double tap the device."
Maya did. In a flash, she was visible again.
"Better?" Dr. Kim smirked.
Jack glared but said nothing.
"Anyway," Kim continued, "once we attach the device to the time machine, Jack will use his telekinesis to bring it to the getaway truck. It'll be parked two buildings away from the warehouse."
Jack frowned. "I haven't mastered my powers yet."
"Then do it. Fast," Kim snapped. "I've already pinpointed the location where they're keeping the time machine. We raid the warehouse the day after tomorrow. Be ready."
Jack nodded. He didn't need to be told twice. This wasn't just a mission anymore.
It was personal.