Bill left David in the basement room and entered the house. His children and wife were waiting for him at the dinner table, looking at them he had a strange feeling, a feeling he had not experienced in a long time. As he sat on his chair and started pouring water in his glass, he went deep into his thoughts.

He remembered that these individuals around him, this family of his, were not his own to start with. He remembered how the real father of the children and the real darling of Elena died. He remembered where he buried him.

He remembered the Overseer’s words, “All of this is an illusion…you don’t belong here or anywhere. You and me, we are voids, we have no future and our present is where we don’t belong. We are people who shouldn’t exist!” his glass was filled and water had started pouring out, but he was still in his thoughts.

Elena looked at him and said, “Bill, honey what’s the matter?” he shook his head as he came back to his senses and laughed nervously, “Oh, terribly sorry! I must have zoned out.” the family carried on with their dinner. Inside his head, he was still confused by the Overseer.

He knew he had trusted him before, but the cryptic things he said made him question his own existence, was he really needed in this world or his own? After finishing the dinner, he let Aria ride on his shoulders and went outside the house for a little stroll near the woods.

As he walked on the trail he said to himself, “No! This bond I share with them, this is real. These stories I tell Aria, the experiences I give to Daniel and Rick, the love I have for Elena, all this can’t be an illusion. I refuse to believe what he says. So what if he knows the future and always seems to know what is going to happen next. He doesn’t know the feelings I have for my family.”

After strolling for 20 minutes he went back to his house and tucked in Aria, kissing her on the forehead and shutting the light off he said to himself, “This love is real and I can feel it, this is real and not an illusion. I don’t care what the Overseer calls this, it is as real as it can get for me!”

In his bed before turning the lights off he told Elena, “I will be leaving for a few weeks with Ronny, he has some things he needs to sort out in Hawkesbay. I promise I will return as soon as I can.”

Elena replies, “Sure, just come soon, we get really lonely without you.”

He kisses her twice and goes to sleep. The next morning he wakes up early and gets ready to meet with the Overseer to discuss the next steps. He goes back to the basement and from a hidden stash takes some equipment and weapons.

Next, he opens the room and wakes up David, and gives him new clothes and boots. “Ready for the meeting?” he asks to which David nods. They both make their way to the woods and once they are deep inside, Bill stops near a huge oak tree. On the tree, a symbol of an eye is drawn with red paint.

“This is the spot, he will be here soon!” as he says this, they both feel a feeble tremor and hear the cracking of leaves behind the tree. They look behind the tree quickly and find the Overseer standing, his clothes all black, his sinister face mask, and odd-looking goggles.

Looking at them he chuckled, “So, glad to know he chose us instead of Reed, good to see you again too Bill. I know there are a lot of questions on your mind David. So go ahead and ask without hesitation, I will try to satisfy you with my answers. Although I know that is nearly impossible!”

David starts his questions, “From what Bill has told me, it seems like you are from the future, but which universe are you from?” the Overseer starts pacing left and right and then suddenly stops and answers, “I am from a time, which you will wish would never come, think of me as someone who is trying to stop you from making the mistakes which will lead you to it.”

Hearing this David says, “Does that mean we no longer exist in the future? What is your reason to help us then? I know people don’t help others unless their own personal interest is involved!”

The Overseer laughs and says, “Yes, you don’t exist in the future, you, Bill, Reed no one does. An event will occur which will destroy all the universes, right now we are on track to that end. But, I hope to change that with your help of course! I want to help you because your future is linked with mine in ways you will not understand yet. I will tell you only when the time is right. Till then you will have to trust me or all the universes we know of, even the one you just visited will come to an end!”

Bill intervenes in their conversation and says, “Alright then! What do you want us to do?” the Overseer replies, “I have stopped Reed from screwing up another universe ‘P: V01D’ to slow him down, it will give us some breathing room.”

“However, there is a new device that Reed and his team have developed. It was just an idea, a concept, but it now physically exists, they call it ‘chronoton scanner’. I need both of you to get that device for me...and one more thing, I have 2 more people who are helping me. You will meet them soon, so don’t worry we are not alone here!”

Saying this the Overseer pinpoints the location of the device on their maps and says, “You both are trained by the best so I really hope you will keep it quiet when you steal the device from the lab.”

Bill questions him, “What about Reed? You sure he won’t come here looking for his lost asset?” the Overseer replies, “Leave him to me, I will take care of things. You just worry about getting that device.” the Overseer looks at both of them and says, “Good luck gentlemen and David, you can trust me!”

Back in the Origin Universe

Reed looks at the blueprints of a new machine. The machine is still just an idea, but he knows that he will turn it into reality. He looks back at the painting on his office wall and presses a button hidden beneath it. As he does this a wall slides and reveals a hidden room. He turns to his computer and says, “Tell Jane I am not to be disturbed for at least an hour.” the computer acknowledges it and Reed enters the room.

Inside the room, a big flowchart of events is drawn showing him what choice leads to what conclusion. Inside the room, there is also a computer that Reed turns on. He looks at the schematics of a device named ‘Interdimensional normalizer’ and says, “So this is what I will call you!” he reads the details of the machine and also sees the date when the machine will be completed.

“Just a few months! Looks like I have to make that deal with the mayor to sell me that land outside Hawkesbay. That is where this device will be made, according to the notes here. Of course, this has to be a secret. I cannot thank him enough!” just as he says this he feels a slight gust of air from behind.

He looks behind and says, “Ah the Overseer, I was just thinking of you! So, you moving around universes making sure all goes in our favor?” the Overseer sits on a chair inside the room and says, “Yes, I am here to give you a green light on the ‘Interdimensional normalizer’ buy the land from the mayor and start your development on it.

The information I have given you will help you too. This device will help you achieve annexation without using any human assets. The work is complex but your research team will deliver in the end.”

Reed smiles and says, “I still don’t understand why you are helping me? I mean what do you achieve from this project, there must be something you get from all this!” the Overseer looks at him and says, “What I achieve is none of your concern, just remember who helped you set up project Annex! Without my information, you couldn’t have done this in 50 years!”

Reed replies in a grateful manner, “Of course, I will always remember this. So, how can I help you? Need some money or anything else?” the Overseer gets up from the chair and replies, “No, nothing this time. I’ll just leave you to it!” and then teleports from the room.

He teleports to the land which Reed wants to buy from the mayor, the place where the normalizer will be built in the coming months, and says, “All the pieces are on the board, let the cycle begin anew!”