x
Evan walked over to the hotel door and locked it. He exhaled. The weight of everything-M63, Clark, the agents, the sheer insanity of the last few hours-lifted, if only slightly.
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He looked around the room, still half in disbelief. Kyra lay peacefully on the bed, breathing steady. The chaos had paused.
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Now came the hard part: figuring out what the hell he could actually do with this power.
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Evan ran a hand through his hair, then turned toward the modest dresser on the far wall. A lonely potted plant sat atop it, looking more dead than alive-brown leaves drooping like it had given up on life weeks ago.
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He cracked his knuckles, feeling a spark of mischief bubble up.
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"Revive!" he said, voice firm.
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Instantly, the plant perked up like it had just guzzled a gallon of espresso. Its leaves straightened with dramatic flair, turning a rich, almost too-green color. One of the petals even shimmered.
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Evan raised his brows, impressed. "Nice! Didn't even break a sweat," he whispered, trying-and failing-not to smile.
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His eyes darted to the flickering lamp near the bedside.
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Let's keep it going.
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"Brighten!"
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The bulb didn't just brighten-it blasted to life like a tiny sun had been jammed into the lampshade. Evan shielded his eyes with a wince, blinking rapidly.
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"WHOA! Okay! Next time maybe dimly brighten!" he muttered, turning the lamp away.
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He shook his head, grinning now. "Alright... strength test."
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He squared his shoulders, took a breath, and shouted, "Lift!"
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Power surged through his body like a hit of pre-workout injected straight into his soul. His muscles ballooned comically, veins popping like he'd just wrestled a bear in a protein commercial. Evan flexed in the mirror, jaw dropping at his Hulk-like reflection.
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"Okay, damn," he said, half-impressed, half-terrified. "Yeah, no one's messing with me at this hotel."
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Then the muscles deflated as quickly as they came, like a balloon with a slow leak. He rolled his neck, loosening up.
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"Alright... fashion time."
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He pointed at himself with way too much confidence. "Fashion change!"
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Poof.
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Suddenly, he was in a skin-tight, sparkling red dress with a high slit and heels that could end careers. His reflection looked like he was ready to accept a Grammy and file a restraining order at the same time.
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"...This is definitely not what I meant."
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He staggered a few steps, wobbling like a newborn deer. "Why do these things have arches?! Who walks in these?!"
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He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror again and burst out laughing. "Alright, alright, let's dial it back before I break an ankle."
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He waved his hand with dramatic flair. "Casual menswear, please!"
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In an instant, he was back in his usual hoodie and joggers. He exhaled in relief, flopping onto the nearby chair.
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"That's better," he muttered, grinning at the mirror like he couldn't believe what just happened.
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Evan sat on the edge of the bed, hands clasped, eyes unfocused. The room was quiet-too quiet-but his mind was anything but.
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This power... it was incredible. Terrifying. And clunky.
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"I can't keep shouting commands like a voice-activated blender," he muttered. "There's gotta be a better way."
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He leaned back, thinking hard.
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What if he didn't have to spell everything out? What if thought and intent could work together-like narrowing the focus mentally, then triggering it with just a simple word?
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He exhaled and stood, rolling his shoulders. "Let's change the rules a bit."
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He imagined a warm light pulsing through him, syncing with his heartbeat-like tuning a radio. His voice came out calm but firm.
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"I want to be able to visualize the details... and just say a keyword to make it happen."
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A quiet pulse of energy rolled through him-not explosive, but subtle. Like something had clicked.
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He grinned, cautious but excited. "Alright... just don't turn her into a damn lamp next."
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He glanced at Kyra, still unconscious on the bed, her chest rising and falling softly.
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The smile faded, replaced by something more fragile.
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He reached over, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Wake up soon, Ky. I... I really need you for this."
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He sighed, the weight of what lay ahead settling deep in his chest.
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"Because whatever's coming... I'm not facing it alone."
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Evan sat on the edge of the hotel bed, elbows on knees, eyes fixed on the muted glow of the TV. The news was on-some 24-hour national station with too-bright graphics and too-calm voices. The anchor's tone was polished and detached, the way only news anchors could sound when talking about things that should terrify people.
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"In a developing story-speculation continues this morning surrounding the mysterious comet that entered Earth's atmosphere late last night. Early reports describe unusual electromagnetic fluctuations and a visible impact flash that could be seen from multiple counties across the region."
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Evan's stomach tightened.
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"Authorities now confirm that the meteor-or 'comet fragment,' as some are calling it-may be linked to a structure fire in the Oakwood neighborhood around 2:00 AM. The home was fully engulfed upon arrival, but no injuries have been reported, and officials say the residence was unoccupied at the time."
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The screen flashed an image-smoke still curling from the blackened bones of what used to be Kyra's house.
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Evan stared, hollow.
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"Experts caution against jumping to conclusions, but many online users have already dubbed the event 'Cometgate' and are calling for further investigation into what some are describing as 'a government cover-up in real time.'"
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He shook his head slowly, the knot in his chest pulling tighter. "Just another comet," he muttered, bitterness creeping into his voice.
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But he knew better. They all had it wrong.
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M63 wasn't just some rock from space.
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It was a weapon.
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And it had already changed everything.
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His thoughts were cut off by a soft sound-Kyra stirring beside him.
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She let out a low moan, her eyelids twitching. For a second, her face looked calm. Then-she shot upright with a gasp.
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"¡NO ME TOQUES, MALDITO CREEP!" she screamed, eyes wild, body stiff as a board. "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!"
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Evan's heart jumped into his throat.
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He froze, hands raised in front of him, careful not to move too fast. She wasn't looking at him. Not really. Her mind was somewhere else-back in that room, back in the nightmare.
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"Babe-hey, hey," he said softly but urgently. "It's me. Evan. You're safe."
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She blinked, still caught in a storm. Her gaze darted around, chest heaving.
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"Evan...?" Her voice cracked, fragile.
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He nodded. "Yeah. I'm here. You're with me."
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"¿Dónde estamos...?" she asked, voice trembling as she scanned the unfamiliar room. "What happened?"
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Evan swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice calm. "We're in a hotel. I got us out. You're safe, I promise. They knocked you out... and set your house on fire," he added quietly. "I got to you just in time."
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Kyra's face went pale. "My house... it's burned down?" Her voice trembled, hands shaking.
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"I know how much that place meant to you," Evan said gently.
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Tears welled in her eyes. "All my stuff... my memories... gone," she whispered. Her voice cracked, rising with panic. "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON, EVAN?!"
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"Shhh! You'll get us kicked out," Evan said, glancing toward the door. He sighed, rubbing his face. "Kyra..." He reached out and took her hand. "I know it's awful. But we'll figure this out. We have to stay focused."
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She looked around the room for the first time, dazed. The flicker of the TV caught her eye-news footage showing her destroyed neighborhood, the crater glowing in the background.
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Her brows furrowed. "Wait... is that my street?"
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"Yeah," Evan said, his voice tight.
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Her eyes stayed glued to the screen. "They're saying it was just a comet," she muttered, suspicious. "Seriously? They're talking about it like it's no big deal."
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"It's what they want people to believe," Evan said, the weight of the truth heavy in his voice.
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Kyra looked back at him, fear creeping into her voice. "All I remember is... darkness. Like I was floating or stuck or something. I thought I was dead."
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Evan shifted closer, voice low and steady. "You're not. You're here. And I swear-I'm not letting anything else happen to you."
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Kyra's breath quickened again, but Evan gently squeezed her hand. "I promise you're safe now. I got you. We're okay."
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Her eyes searched his, still filled with confusion. "¿Y ahora qué? What do we do?"
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Evan hesitated, inhaling deeply. "Alright, there's... something I have to tell you. But I need you to stay calm, okay?"
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Kyra's brow furrowed. "¿Qué? What is it?"
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He rubbed the back of his neck. "This is gonna sound crazy... but I swear it's the truth."
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"Evan..." she warned.
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"When I was stuck back there, after they knocked you out-I couldn't move. At all. Like, completely frozen. Except... I could move forward. Toward M63."
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"The comet?" she asked, eyebrows tightening.
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"Yeah. I thought maybe if I jumped over it, I could reach you, but... it pulled me in. I didn't touch it on purpose, Kyra. It grabbed me, like gravity just flipped."
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Kyra stared at him, half-skeptical, half-nervous. "¿Qué carajo estás diciendo...?"
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"After that, I don't even know how to explain it. Everything went black. Then it was like... colors, lights, space, time-all swirling around me. And I just-felt something change."
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"Like what?" she asked carefully.
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He hesitated again. "When I came back... everything was frozen. Clark. The fire. The people outside. You. Time had stopped-except for me."
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She blinked slowly. "¿Tú me estás jodiendo? Are you messing with me right now?"
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"I know how it sounds, Kyra. I didn't believe it either," he said, voice calm but shaky. "But then I started... testing things."
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Kyra folded her arms. "Evan, if you're about to tell me you're Spider-Man, te juro por Dios-"
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"I'm not," he said quickly. "I'm not flying around or climbing walls. But... watch this."
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He looked at the space beside her on the bed, focused, and said, "Money."
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In an instant, a heavy duffel bag thudded onto the mattress beside her.
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Kyra jolted, eyes flying wide. "¡¿QUÉ MIERDA?!"
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"It's real," Evan said softly.
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She leaned back slightly, staring at the bag. "Wait, wait, wait-¿qué está pasando? How the fuck, so now you make money appear?!"
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"Not just that. I stopped time. I brought a dead plant back to life earlier," he explained. "I don't know the limits yet... but something in that comet gave me powers."
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Kyra blinked again, processing.
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Then she shook her head, rubbing her temple. "Dios mío... this is too much. What else can you do?"
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Evan focused, picturing something he loved.
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A soft pop echoed-and suddenly, beside Kyra, sat a perfect slice of chocolate cake. Rich, dense, and somehow glowing like it had been blessed by a pastry god.
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Kyra blinked at it. "What in the actual fuck...?"
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"Try it," Evan said, grinning like a kid on Christmas. "I swear-it's the best chocolate cake in the universe."
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She eyed him skeptically, but curiosity won. She picked up the fork, took a bite-
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And froze.
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Her eyes widened. Her pupils dilated like she'd just tasted heaven.
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"Oh my fucking GOOOOD," she moaned, dropping the fork as she melted back onto the bed. "¿¡Qué es esta brujería!?"
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Evan laughed, watching her roll around in bliss, cake smearing on her arms, the sheets, everywhere.
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"This is... fucking amazing," she groaned between bites, licking frosting off her fingers. "This is... this is illegal. I'm pretty sure this is illegal."
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"You're welcome," Evan chuckled.
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"I can't stop eating it!" she wailed joyfully, her face covered in frosting, her voice muffled by more cake. "This is better than sex!"
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"Okay, okay!" Evan laughed, dodging a flying crumb. "Maybe less cake on the comforter, though-this room was not cheap."
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Kyra rolled over dramatically. "Then you should've wished for plastic sheets, papi!"
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Just as Kyra's laughter echoed off the walls-
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BANG. BANG. BANG.
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A heavy fist pounded the door. Then again. Louder.
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Evan froze. The joy in the room vanished like smoke.
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Adrenaline hit him like a wave. His breath caught, heart hammering.
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Shit. Did they already find us?
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Kyra, still lost in the throes of chocolate bliss, didn't even flinch. She rolled over on the bed, giggling with cake smeared across her cheek.
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"Evaaaan," she moaned, half-laughing. "This cake is so fucking-"
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"Shh!" Evan hissed, holding out a hand, eyes locked on the door.
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His pulse thundered in his ears. That knock-too aggressive. Too intentional.
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He stepped forward, slow. Each footfall felt heavier than the last.
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Another knock.
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BANG. BANG.
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It echoed like a threat.
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He reached for the handle, barely breathing. Cold air from under the frame brushed against his legs. His fingers hovered, then closed.
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With one last deep breath, he turned the knob and cracked the door open-
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A rush of air swept in.
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His eyes narrowed.
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His heart stuttered.
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And standing on the other side...
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Standing in the hallway was the front desk woman, arms crossed, a knowing smirk tugging at her lips-but her eyes? All business.
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"Good evening!" she chirped, voice chipper but firm. "We've had a few complaints about... screaming. Just checking in. Everything alright in here?"
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Evan's heart dropped. "Y-Yeah! Totally fine!" he said too fast, voice cracking halfway through. He forced a smile, but panic buzzed behind his eyes.
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"Oh really?" she lifted a brow, unimpressed. "Because when guests report a woman screaming like she's being murdered, it usually means I need to investigate." She leaned in slightly. "Especially since you booked this room alone."
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Before Evan could spin a halfway decent excuse, she stepped forward and peered over his shoulder.
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Her face shifted instantly.
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There was Kyra-cake all over her face and sheets, eyes half-closed in sugary bliss, moaning softly as she licked frosting off the blanket. Beside her, an unzipped duffel bag practically bursting with hundred-dollar bills.
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The woman blinked. "Well," she said dryly, "that's... not something you see every day."
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Evan opened his mouth to explain, but no words came.
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"Is this a surprise birthday party," she continued, "or are you filming the pilot of What Not to Do with Your Tax Return?"
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"I-no! It's not what it looks like," Evan blurted. "She just really... likes cake."
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The woman tilted her head, arms still crossed. "Uh-huh. Cake. Right. Looks like she took a frosting bath."
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"I swear," Evan said, cringing, "it's just a misunderstanding."
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"I'm sure it is." She glanced back toward Kyra, who let out a giggle and started rolling in the sheets again. "Well, however you two celebrate is your business-but keep it down. This is still a hotel, not a rave."
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"Yes. Of course. Absolutely," Evan said, nodding furiously.
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She turned to go, but paused.
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"Oh, and if you need more frosting?" She winked. "We've got room service for that."
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And with that, she strolled off down the hall, leaving Evan standing in the doorway-mortified, relieved, and completely dumbfounded.
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From inside the room: "Evaaaan, tell me this cake is magic!"
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As the door clicked shut, Evan glanced back at Kyra-still sprawled on the bed, licking cake off her fingers like it was a sacred ritual.
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He took a breath, focused, and with a flick of his wrist-gone. The cake, the mess, the smeared sheets... everything reset.
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"NOOOO!" Kyra cried, arms flailing toward the air like the cake might return if she screamed loud enough. "I wasn't done!"
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"Kyra," Evan rushed over. "It was too much, you were gonna pass out-"
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"It was worth it!" she snapped, then blinked at the spotless bed. Her expression changed.
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She sat up slowly, wiping her hands, eyes flicking to him like she was seeing him again for the first time.
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Her voice softened. "Evan... are you still you?"
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He froze. "Of course I am."
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"But..." she hesitated, her tone caught between fear and love, "...you just made a whole-ass cake appear from nowhere and then deleted it like it was nothing."
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"I'm still me," he repeated, more gently this time. "I swear."
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She nodded slowly, but he could see it-the worry. Not just about what he could do, but about what it might do to him.
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"I love you," she said, barely above a whisper. "But what if this power... changes you?"
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He took a breath, sat beside her. "It won't."
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She looked at him, eyes glossy. "And what if one day you lose control? Not on purpose, just... something slips. What if I'm the one who gets caught in it?"
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Evan's throat tightened. "I'd never hurt you."
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"I know," she whispered. "But that's what scares me. Because you're still you... and I love you too much to watch that happen."
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He didn't answer right away.
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He just reached out and took her hand, squeezing it tight-like he was holding onto more than just her fingers. Like he was holding onto himself.
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The thought chilled Kyra to her core. This wasn't just some adventure-they were dancing on the edge of something dangerous. And she was terrified. Not just of losing Evan... but of losing herself in whatever this was becoming.
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"I don't want to hurt you," Evan said, voice low. "I need someone to go through this with. I need you, babe."
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Her expression softened, but wariness lingered in her eyes. "And what if one day you just... zap me?"
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He leaned forward, an idea forming. "What if I put a safeguard on you? Something that makes it impossible for me to use my powers on you without your say-so."
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"A magic no-zapping clause?" she asked, eyebrow raised. "And I'm just supposed to believe it works?"
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"You'll have control," he promised. "A watch. It'll glow if I ever try anything. Like a built-in alarm system-you'd feel it. You'd know."
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Kyra hesitated, then shrugged. "Alright. But if I end up as a pile of glitter, I'm haunting your ass."
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Evan closed his eyes, focusing. He imagined it clearly-sleek, elegant, powerful but understated. "Create: a protective watch, tied to my powers. Alerting her if I ever use them without permission."
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A shimmer sparked in the air between them.
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Bit by bit, it took shape. A matte titanium body. Midnight-blue face etched with soft-glowing constellations. No numbers. No ticking. Just time moving like light in slow motion. The hands, black and sharp, left faint glows as they moved.
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The rim lit up with a silvery glow-gentle, constant, like it was breathing.
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Evan held it out. "Not just a watch. It's tied to you. If I try anything, it reacts. You have the final say."
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Kyra stared, wide-eyed. "Dios mío... it's beautiful. Is it waterproof?"
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Evan grinned. "It better be. I imagined it that way."
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She touched it gently. It pulsed with a quiet chime, syncing with her heartbeat. A calm fell over her. Trust was still fragile, but this... this helped.
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"Okay," she said, strapping it on. "Let's see what this power of yours can do. Together."
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Evan smiled, tension melting from his shoulders.
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They weren't just surviving anymore.
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They were starting.
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"So... what else can you do?" Kyra asked, still eyeing the glowing watch on her wrist.
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Evan hesitated. "Honestly? I think... anything. I froze time. And at one point..." he trailed off, voice tightening, "I think I accidentally destroyed the universe."
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Kyra's head snapped toward him. "¿Qué carajo? When?!"
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He looked at her, urgency in his voice. "Do you remember when I tried to get to you-when M63 hit?"
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Kyra squinted, trying to recall. "I... I don't. I was out cold. Everything's blank."
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Evan's chest tightened. "Clark's agent knocked you out. Took you to that house. They were going to kill us both."
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Her expression changed-recognition creeping in. "Okay. Yeah. I remember the house... the fire..."
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"I tried to jump over M63 to get to you," he said. "But the thing pulled me in. And when it did... something in me snapped. My subconscious-my fear, my instincts-everything just exploded outward. It was like... everything in existence collapsed at once."
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Kyra stared at him, stunned. "You destroyed the universe?"
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"I didn't mean to. But yeah. And somehow-I don't know how-I pulled it all back. Rebuilt it. Like rewinding reality."
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She didn't speak for a moment, just took that in.
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"And time," he added, "was already frozen when it came back. That's how I got you out. I moved through the world while everything else was stuck."
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Kyra's voice softened. "And you did all that... for me?"
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"Of course I did," he said, meeting her gaze. "But I also realized something-I can't let that happen again. So I've made rules for myself. My subconscious can't trigger my powers anymore. Even my thoughts alone aren't enough. I have to consciously decide, and say it out loud. Only then will it happen."
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She nodded slowly, visibly shaken but steady. "Okay... okay. That's smart."
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"We're in this together," she added. "You're not figuring this out alone."
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Evan let out a slow breath. That one sentence grounded him more than anything else. With Kyra by his side, he could face whatever was coming.
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Kyra leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her brow tight with thought. "Okay, so I get that you put those dampeners on your powers-smart move, by the way-but what if you do something that doesn't, like, blow up the universe immediately, but still messes things up long-term?"
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Evan tilted his head. "Mess things up how?"
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"You know," she said, waving a hand, "like that thing... the butter... the butter side-"
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He blinked. "Butterfly effect?"
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"¡Eso!" She snapped her fingers. "Yeah, that. Like, what if you change one little thing and it causes a chain reaction?"
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Evan nodded slowly, absorbing it. "Yeah... that's actually a really good point. Small actions, big fallout. Gotta be extra careful."
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"Exactly," she said, stepping closer. "Like one flap of a butterfly's wings causes a storm on the other side of the world. I saw it in a movie once. Or a TED Talk. Or maybe TikTok."
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He chuckled. "So, basically: don't sneeze on history."
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"Pretty much," she grinned. "And for the love of God, please don't create some weird time loop. I do not want to relive high school."
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Evan laughed, the tension between them loosening. "No promises."
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Kyra lit up a little. "But wait! What if you just made yourself, like, super smart? Then you could predict everything before it happens, like-run the simulations in your head or something."
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Evan raised an eyebrow. "You think that'd work?"
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"Why not? Just don't go all robot on me," she said, poking his chest. "You stay you, or I'm pulling the plug."
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"Deal," he said with a smirk.
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Then, with a breath and a focused thought, he whispered, "Knowledge."
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In an instant, something exploded behind his eyes. Not pain-just... everything. A flood of information crashed through him like a tidal wave-equations, algorithms, particle physics, timelines, probabilities. He saw molecular structures dancing in the air, emotions broken down into neurological impulses, human behavior mapped like algorithms.
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His breath hitched.
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"I... I can see it all," he whispered, trembling. "Every outcome. Every path. Every variable."
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He staggered back a step, overwhelmed but electrified. His heart raced-this was power. Not brute force, not explosions. Understanding.
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But then... something shifted.
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His gaze slowly drifted toward Kyra.
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She stared at him-concern tightening her brow-but something inside him had changed. He didn't feel the way he always did when he looked at her. No tug in his chest. No comfort. Just data. Inputs. Outcomes. Calculations.
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She was a variable.
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A fragile one.
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"Evan?" she said softly, her voice breaking through the silence. "You okay, babe?"
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But the warmth in her voice barely registered.
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His head tilted ever so slightly, like analyzing a strange noise.
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And for the first time since touching M63-
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Kyra felt afraid.
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