{ Mia }
The morning I went back home, the sky was still gray with leftover rain.
Ace had driven us in silence, the city slowly fading behind us, replaced by rows of houses I'd once memorized from my bike rides. Now they looked unfamiliar. Too quiet. Too clean.
We pulled up to my street just before 6 a.m., early enough to beat the neighbors, late enough that the world was already starting to stir.
Ace parked a block away. "You ready?" he asked, not turning his head.
I looked at my house. My window was still lit.
"She's still in there?" I whispered.
He nodded. "Clone's been on loop since last night. Brushed your teeth. Faked a bathroom break. Pretended to mumble in her sleep."
He smirked faintly. "Almost too realistic. I was starting to get freaked out."
I elbowed him lightly. "Help me get her out before Mom wakes up."
We slipped around the back, stepping carefully over the flowerbeds. Ace moved with practiced ease, like he'd done this before, which, knowing him, he probably had.
He boosted me up through the back window. My old room greeted me like a memory: the posters, the books, the blanket still half-folded on the bed.
And on it, me.
Or, the version of me that had been holding down the fort.
Ace climbed in behind me and went straight to her, pressing two fingers to the clone's temple.
A faint shimmer passed over her skin.
"Say goodbye to sleepy-Mia," he whispered, and the clone dissolved into soft glowing mist before vanishing completely.
It was weird, watching myself disappear. Like erasing evidence that I'd ever left.
Ace turned to me, voice low. "You're home. No one noticed a thing."
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Thanks."
He touched my shoulder briefly, then moved toward the window. "I'll check in tonight. 8 sharp. Don't get too comfortable."
"I won't."
He gave me a last look, serious, protective, and then he was gone.
I stood there, alone in my room, surrounded by familiarity and ghosts.
And just like that…
I was home.
I rushed to my computer powering it on.
" Hello Scarlett..." I smiled.
" Welcome back Mia." Scarlett said a small smiley face lighting up the screen.
" Anything new about mom or the neighbors?" I asked interested.
" Well—"
" Girls wake up ! Time for school!!"
" Oh!" I whispered running to bed and trying to steady my breathing.
Once my breathing was steady my mom barged in. " Wake up sleepyhead. Time for school!!" She smiled pulling off my blankets.
I groaned feigning a stretch. " Alright mom."
Once she walked out of my room Scarlett's voice rang through the room.
" That was slick Mia..."
I chuckled. " So what was that about the neighbors or mom ?"
Scarlett heasitated before continuing.
" Well, do you remember the kids that came to visit ? The one that complimented your ' tech ' ?"
I paused racking my brain when suddenly, the memory hit me like a flash.
" Oh right! The weirdos!"
" Yeah well ' the weirdos ' they came by the house yesterday for a ' friendly dinner ' they said it was to ' get to know each other ' . Their eldest son, Henry kept asking about you and looking for you... Then, he asked the way to the bathroom and placed a device inside the yellow vase on the fireplace."
I froze. " Did you retrieve it ?"
" No I didn't..."
" What are you waiting for ?!"
" Well... It sorta has a sensor on it, that's why I didn't try to retrieve it..."
I nodded and closed my eyes. " Ace do you copy?"
His voice quickly rang through my head. " Yes cupcake, what's up? Don't tell me you miss me already?"
I chuckled. " You wish !"
" So, what's up ?" He asked cheerfully.
" Well, there's this creepy neighbor dude that planted some device inside our yellow vase . "
" Okay, so what's the problem? You always handled these before... Or have you become too dependent on me ?"
" No Ace, it has a sensor on it so it'll detect when someone handles it and it'll turn to self destruct."
" Oh, I see... So what do you want me to do about it?"
" Well... Do I have anymore powers I could use that could help me with this ?"
There was a pause. Then Ace's voice returned, more serious this time.
"You've barely scratched the surface of what you can do, Mia. You've been using instinct so far. Maybe it's time we figure out how far your instincts go."
I rolled my eyes. "Not helpful."
"Try focusing on the device. Don't touch it. Just... connect to it. Like you do with Scarlett."
My eyes narrowed toward the fireplace downstairs.
"Scarlett, can you project the device's signal to my interface?"
"Already on it. You're gonna try to hack it... with your brain?"
"No. With whatever this power is."
I sat down, crossed my legs, and let Scarlett's projection hover before me. The soft humming of the device's energy throbbed in the air like a heartbeat. I breathed slowly. Focused. Reached.
" I feel it..." I whispered.
" Good... Now try to bring it up to your room."
" But there's a wall." I muttered confused.
" Think of it like water, cupcake..."
I focused breathing deeply.
" It's moving..." Scarlett whispered.
" Okay, now please tell me when it's inside the room."
" It's in..."
Slowly, I opened my eyes.
" Alright now set it down gently..." Ace whispered in my head.
" Scarlett, please prepare a soft base."
Scarlett's mechanical hands started moving preparing a soft base gathering pillows and other soft objects.
" Thanks Scarlett..." I muttered gently placing the object.
" Thanks Ace, I'm glad I got in touch with you ..."
" No problem cupcake..."
" Alright I've got to get ready for school byeee."
" Bye and good luck."
As soon as the device settled, still pulsing faintly with energy, I snapped my fingers.
"Scarlett, connect a decoder array. I want eyes inside that thing before I leave."
"On it," she replied, already extending her mechanical arms. Wires snaked out like curious vines, slithering around the device's casing with precise elegance.
Tiny sparks flickered as her tools made contact.
"Initial scan shows encrypted data storage, layered signals—definitely not just a tracker," Scarlett muttered, almost to herself.
I ran a hand through my hair. "Get as much as you can, but don't trigger the self-destruct protocol."
"Obviously," she said, mock-offended.
"Good. I'm trusting you with this, Scar."
"You always do."
I grabbed clothes and sprinted to the bathroom.
Ten minutes. That's all I had.
As the water hit my face, I couldn't help but replay the events in my head—the clone, the device, Henry's creepy smile.
Something told me this was just the beginning.
And I hated being right.