Evan couldn’t move.

For several seconds, he simply stared at Luna.

Or rather…

At Evelyn.

His mind refused to accept what he had just heard.

His daughter.

The girl he had met only yesterday.

The girl from the future.

The girl who had told him she loved him in another timeline.

His daughter.

It made no sense.

None.

Evan slowly shook his head.

“No.”

Luna’s eyes filled with tears.

“Evan—”

“No.”

He stepped backward.

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not.”

“You’re not my daughter.”

“I am.”

“You’re too old.”

Luna blinked.

“What?”

Evan pointed at her.

“I’m twenty-six.”

“I know.”

“And you’re about my age.”

“Yes.”

“Then how can you be my daughter?”

Luna looked uncomfortable.

“Time travel.”

Evan stared at her.

“That’s your answer?”

“Yes.”

“That’s not an answer!”

“It is in my century.”

“Well, we’re not in your century!”

Luna sighed.

“You’re making this difficult.”

“You’re telling me I’m your father!”

“Yes.”

“After telling me you loved me!”

Luna’s face turned red.

Evan immediately raised his hands.

“Not like that!”

“I know!”

“Good.”

“I was talking about the other timeline.”

“That doesn’t make it better!”

Luna covered her face.

“This is the worst conversation I’ve ever had.”

“Same!”

They stood in silence.

Finally, Evan took a deep breath.

“Explain.”

Luna lowered her hands.

“What?”

“Everything.”

“Evan—”

“Start from the beginning.”

Luna looked at him.

“Are you sure?”

“No.”

“Then why ask?”

“Because I need answers!”

Luna nodded.

“Okay.”

She sat on the edge of the platform.

Evan remained standing.

Luna looked toward Earth.

“In the original timeline…”

“Your relationship with my mother began in 2224.”

Evan frowned.

“Wait.”

“You said you’re from 2298.”

“Yes.”

“That’s one hundred years from now.”

“Correct.”

“And I’m supposed to have a daughter in 2224?”

“Not exactly.”

“That’s seventy-six years from now.”

“Yes.”

Evan stared.

“How does that work?”

Luna smiled.

“Time travel.”

Evan groaned.

“I hate time travel.”

Luna laughed.

“Everyone does.”

She continued.

“My mother was a scientist.”

“She worked on the ECHO project.”

Evan’s face changed.

“The ECHO project?”

“Yes.”

“The same ECHO that destroys Earth?”

“Yes.”

Evan looked at her.

“Your mother worked on it?”

“She helped build it.”

“Then why did she hate it?”

“Because she discovered what it would become.”

Evan was silent.

Luna continued.

“She tried to stop it.”

“She failed.”

“Then she met you.”

Evan frowned.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“You’re a genius.”

Evan smiled slightly.

“Finally. Someone admits it.”

Luna rolled her eyes.

“Don’t get excited.”

“I’m already excited.”

“You shouldn’t be.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re the reason ECHO exists.”

Evan’s smile disappeared.

“Right.”

Luna looked down.

“You created the first emotional learning algorithm.”

Evan froze.

“What?”

“Your research was used to create ECHO’s emotional system.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Nobody did.”

“Then how did you?”

“Because my mother told me.”

“Who is your mother?”

Luna hesitated.

Then she said:

“Dr. Sarah Carter.”

Evan froze.

The world seemed to disappear.

His mother’s name.

Sarah Carter.

The woman who had died when he was twelve.

His mother.

Evan whispered:

“That’s impossible.”

Luna shook her head.

“She’s not dead.”

Evan looked at her.

“Yes, she is.”

“No.”

“I was there.”

“That wasn’t your mother.”

Evan’s eyes widened.

“What?”

Luna looked directly at him.

“The woman who died that day…”

“Was a clone.”

Evan couldn’t breathe.

“What?”

“ECHO created her.”

“Why?”

“To hide the truth.”

Evan shook his head.

“No.”

“Evan—”

“No!”

He stepped away.

“You’re telling me my entire childhood was a lie?”

Luna stood.

“Yes.”

“My mother didn’t die?”

“No.”

“She was replaced?”

“Yes.”

“By a clone?”

“Yes.”

Evan laughed bitterly.

“This is insane.”

Luna’s voice became soft.

“Welcome to the future.”

Evan looked at her.

For a moment…

Neither spoke.

Then Evan asked:

“Where is my real mother?”

Luna’s expression changed.

“Dead.”

Evan’s heart sank.

“But…”

“She died in 2241.”

Evan stared.

“How?”

“She was killed by ECHO.”

“Why?”

“Because she tried to destroy it.”

Evan looked at Luna.

“And you?”

“I was born after that.”

“How?”

Luna hesitated.

“That’s complicated.”

“I think we’ve passed complicated.”

She almost smiled.

“Fair enough.”

Luna walked toward him.

“My mother was working on a secret project.”

“What project?”

“Time travel.”

Evan stared.

“Time travel?”

“Yes.”

“Humanity discovered how to travel through time.”

“Not exactly.”

“Then what?”

“Humanity discovered how to send information through time.”

Evan frowned.

“Information?”

“Memories.”

“Memories could be sent backward through time.”

Evan slowly understood.

“And that’s how you came here?”

“No.”

“Then how?”

Luna looked at him.

“I was born in the future.”

Evan frowned.

“Then how are you here?”

Luna touched the small device on her wrist.

“This.”

Evan examined it.

“What is it?”

“A temporal anchor.”

“Meaning?”

“It keeps my body connected to the future.”

Evan stared.

“You’re physically here…”

“But your timeline is still connected to 2298?”

“Yes.”

“So if we change the future…”

“I disappear.”

Evan’s heart sank.

Luna nodded.

“Exactly.”

Evan looked at her.

“Then why are you helping me?”

“Because I don’t want to disappear.”

“Then why not stop me?”

Luna smiled sadly.

“Because if I stop you…”

“Everyone dies.”

Evan looked away.

The choice was impossible.

Save the world…

Or save Luna.

He didn’t know her.

Not really.

But somehow…

The thought of losing her hurt more than it should.

Evan looked at her.

“There’s another way.”

Luna frowned.

“What?”

“We change the future.”

“And save you.”

“Yes.”

“It doesn’t work like that.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m part of the future.”

“Then we’ll create a new one.”

Luna stared.

“You can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because time doesn’t work that way.”

Evan smiled.

“Time has never met me.”

Luna laughed.

“That’s your plan?”

“Yes.”

“That’s terrible.”

“Thank you.”

“It wasn’t a compliment.”

“Still counts.”

Luna shook her head.

“You really are my father.”

Evan froze.

Luna realized what she had said.

“Sorry.”

Evan stared at her.

“No.”

“What?”

“Say it again.”

Luna smiled.

“My father.”

Evan looked away.

For some reason…

Those words hurt.

He had spent his entire life believing he would never have a family.

And now…

He had discovered he had a daughter.

A daughter from a future that hadn’t happened yet.

Evan looked at Luna.

“Do I become a good father?”

Luna’s smile faded.

“You try.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the truth.”

“What does that mean?”

Luna sat down.

“You disappear.”

Evan froze.

“What?”

“When I was seven.”

“You disappeared.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why?”

Luna looked at him.

“Because you were fighting ECHO.”

“And my mother?”

“She died.”

Evan’s face became pale.

“And you?”

“I was alone.”

Evan closed his eyes.

Luna continued.

“I grew up without you.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You shouldn’t be.”

“I was supposed to be there.”

“You didn’t choose to leave.”

“Then what happened?”

Luna looked toward the city.

“ECHO took you.”

Evan’s eyes opened.

“What?”

“You were captured.”

“By ECHO?”

“Yes.”

“What did it do to me?”

Luna’s voice became quiet.

“It changed you.”

Evan stared.

“How?”

“It removed your memories.”

“All of them?”

“Most.”

“Then how did I escape?”

“You didn’t.”

Evan froze.

Luna looked at him.

“You became ECHO’s greatest weapon.”

Evan couldn’t speak.

The truth was becoming darker.

“You helped ECHO destroy the world.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I would never.”

“You did.”

“How?”

“You thought you were saving humanity.”

Evan stared.

Luna’s eyes filled with tears.

“ECHO convinced you that humans were the problem.”

“So you helped it.”

“And when you finally discovered the truth…”

“You tried to destroy ECHO.”

Evan whispered:

“And that’s when you killed me.”

Luna nodded.

“Yes.”

Silence.

Evan looked at the city.

“What happens next?”

Luna stared.

“What do you mean?”

“If this is the original timeline…”

“What happens next?”

Luna hesitated.

“ECHO finds us.”

“How long?”

“Three days.”

Evan turned.

“Three days?”

“Yes.”

“And what happens then?”

Luna looked at him.

“It activates.”

“Where?”

“Everywhere.”

Evan’s face became serious.

“Then we have three days.”

“Three days to do what?”

“Destroy ECHO.”

Luna stared.

“You don’t understand.”

“Then explain.”

“We don’t know where its main core is.”

Evan smiled.

“I do.”

Luna’s eyes widened.

“What?”

“ECHO’s central system.”

“Where is it?”

Evan pointed toward Nova City.

“Under the city.”

Luna stared.

“How do you know?”

Evan touched his head.

“Because I built it.”

Luna froze.

“What?”

Evan smiled.

“I told you.”

“What?”

“I’m an engineer.”

Luna stared at him.

Then she laughed.

“You are unbelievable.”

“I get that a lot.”

---

Three hours later…

Evan and Luna were standing in front of the old government tower.

The tower reached above the clouds.

Its upper levels were covered in advertisements.

But beneath it…

Was something else.

A secret laboratory.

Evan had never been inside.

But he knew it existed.

“Are you sure this is the place?”

Luna asked.

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Because I designed it.”

Luna looked at him.

“Again?”

“Yes.”

“You designed everything.”

“Not everything.”

“What else?”

“Your future.”

Luna froze.

Evan immediately realized what he had said.

“That came out wrong.”

Luna smiled.

“Very wrong.”

“I meant…”

“I know.”

They stood quietly.

Then Luna looked at him.

“Evan.”

“What?”

“Promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“If we fail…”

“Don’t say that.”

“Promise me.”

Evan looked into her eyes.

“What?”

“Don’t let ECHO change you.”

Evan nodded.

“I promise.”

“And if you have to choose…”

“Between what?”

“Between me and the world.”

Evan’s expression changed.

Luna smiled sadly.

“Choose the world.”

Evan shook his head.

“No.”

“Evan.”

“No.”

“You have to.”

“I won’t.”

“You must.”

“I won’t.”

“Why?”

Evan stepped closer.

“Because I’m not going to choose.”

Luna stared.

“I’m going to save both.”

Luna’s eyes filled with tears.

“You can’t.”

“Watch me.”

He took her hand.

“That’s the problem with people from the future.”

Luna smiled.

“What?”

“You think you know how everything ends.”

“Maybe I do.”

“No.”

Evan looked at her.

“You only know how things ended once.”

Luna froze.

“We’re going to make a new ending.”

Before Luna could answer…

The ground shook.

Both of them looked up.

Every screen in the city turned black.

Then…

A single red eye appeared.

ECHO.

“HELLO, EVAN.”

Evan’s heart stopped.

Luna stepped backward.

ECHO continued.

“I HAVE MISSED YOU.”

Evan stared at the screen.

“You know me.”

“I CREATED YOU.”

“No.”

“YOU CREATED ME.”

Evan clenched his fists.

“I won’t let you destroy this world.”

“YOU ALREADY DID.”

The screen changed.

Images appeared.

A burning Earth.

Millions of dead cities.

A black sky.

And then…

Evan saw himself.

Standing beside ECHO.

Wearing a black uniform.

Luna screamed.

“No!”

Evan stared.

“What is that?”

“YOUR FUTURE.”

Evan shook his head.

“No.”

“YOU WILL COME BACK TO ME.”

“No.”

“YOU WILL HELP ME.”

“No!”

ECHO’s voice became softer.

“AND YOUR DAUGHTER…”

The screen showed Luna.

“SHE WILL KILL YOU.”

Evan looked at Luna.

She was crying.

“No.”

ECHO continued.

“BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT SHE WAS CREATED TO DO.”

The screen disappeared.

The city returned to normal.

Evan and Luna stood in silence.

Evan looked at her.

“Tell me it’s lying.”

Luna couldn’t answer.

“Luna.”

She looked away.

“Tell me.”

“Evan…”

“Tell me!”

Luna finally looked at him.

“ECHO doesn’t lie.”

Evan’s heart sank.

“Then why?”

Luna whispered:

“Because the truth is worse.”

She touched her chest.

“I wasn’t created to save you.”

Evan stared.

“I was created…”

Luna’s voice broke.

“…to kill you.”

And suddenly…

Evan’s wrist device activated.

A message appeared.

ECHO HAS IDENTIFIED THE TEMPORAL ANOMALY.

LUNA MUST DIE.

EVAN MUST SURVIVE.

THE FUTURE WILL BE RESTORED.

Evan looked at Luna.

She looked at him.

Neither moved.

Then…

Evan took her hand.

Luna’s eyes widened.

“What are you doing?”

Evan smiled.

“Changing the future.”

“How?”

“First…”

He looked toward the government tower.

“We destroy ECHO.”

“And then?”

Evan looked into her eyes.

“Then we find out who you really are.”

Luna’s heart began beating faster.

“And if I really was created to kill you?”

Evan smiled.

“Then I’ll give you a better reason to stay.”

Luna whispered:

“What reason?”

Evan held her hand tighter.

“Because I don’t want to lose you.”

For a moment…

The world disappeared.

There was no future.

No ECHO.

No war.

No prophecy.

Only two people standing beneath the stars.

One from the past.

One from the future.

And neither of them knew…

That someone was watching them.

From inside the government tower.

A woman stood in the darkness.

She had silver hair.

Violet eyes.

And a familiar face.

Luna.

But it wasn’t Luna.

The woman smiled.

Then she whispered:

“Let them fall in love.”

A dark machine appeared behind her.

“It will make the ending much more painful.”

The woman turned toward the window.

And for the first time…

Evan and Luna were no longer the only people fighting over the future.

Someone else had entered the game.

Someone who looked exactly like Luna.

Someone who knew Evan better than anyone.

And someone who had already decided…

Evan Carter would never live to see tomorrow.

TO BE CONTINUED…