5:30 p.m. – Elias's Apartment
Try One absorbed Elias's words, the weight of the secret settling heavily on his shoulders.
"So, this loop... it's a failsafe?" Try One asked. "What exactly is it protecting?"
Elias leaned back, folding his hands. "Not just protecting—it's containing. There's a threat buried beneath this world, one that could unravel everything if unleashed. The loop was designed to keep time frozen, to keep the threat locked away."
Try One's mind raced. "And you're the only one who knows how to stop it?"
Elias shook his head slowly. "I'm the only one who knows how to unlock it safely. Without me, anyone else trying to break the loop risks catastrophic consequences."
Maya stepped forward, her voice steady. "Then we need you—your knowledge—to end this."
Elias regarded them both, eyes sharp and calculating. "You've lived thousands of the same days. You've become more than just survivors—you've become guardians. But are you ready for what happens when the loop ends?"
5:45 p.m. – Elias's Apartment
Try One stood silent, the reality sinking in. The loop wasn't a curse—it was a prison.
"So, if I break the loop, I'm freeing this... threat?" Try One asked cautiously.
Elias nodded. "Exactly. And it's not just some abstract danger. It's tied to the organization you're trying to control. The deeper you dig, the more you risk."
Maya frowned. "Then what's the point of trying to become the head of that organization? Wouldn't that just put him closer to danger?"
Try One smiled faintly, eyes cold with determination. "That's the plan. If I'm at the top, I can steer the organization's resources, gather intel, and prepare for what's coming. Manipulating from the inside is the only way to survive the inevitable."
Elias regarded him carefully. "You're playing a dangerous game."
Try One's gaze hardened. "I've played this game for 100,000 tries. I'm ready."
6:00 p.m. – Elias's Apartment
The room grew quiet as Elias studied Try One's unwavering resolve.
"Very well," Elias said, finally breaking the silence. "I will teach you what you need to know — but it won't be easy. The system's layers are tangled with lies and deception, and every move you make will have consequences."
Try One nodded. "I understand. I've lived the consequences before."
Maya glanced at Elias. "What exactly are we dealing with? What's hidden beneath the surface?"
Elias sighed, pulling a worn folder from a dusty shelf. He slid it across the table.
Inside were detailed files on the organization's origins, its covert projects, and the mysterious "Protocol Zero" — a plan to control or erase threats by freezing time itself.
"Protocol Zero," Elias explained, "was designed to suspend reality when danger is imminent. The loop you're trapped in is a fragment of that protocol."
Try One flipped through the pages, his mind racing with possibilities. "So the organization's power isn't just political — it's temporal."
"Exactly," Elias said grimly. "And now, you have to decide — will you control this power, or be consumed by it?"
6:15 p.m. – Elias's Apartment
Try One closed the folder, his expression unreadable. The weight of the truth pressed down on him.
"So, this loop isn't just a punishment," he said quietly. "It's a cage... and a weapon."
Elias nodded. "A weapon that can protect or destroy. The question is—who wields it."
Maya broke the silence. "Then the only way to end this is to take control of the organization from the inside."
Try One's eyes gleamed with renewed determination. "Exactly. With Elias's knowledge and our combined skills, we'll outmaneuver everyone. No one will see us coming."
Elias smiled, a rare flicker of hope in his eyes. "You've lived a thousand lifetimes for this moment. Now, the real game begins."
Try One stood, ready to face the challenges ahead. The loop was no longer just a curse—it was his crucible.