Up to that point, I had kept my composure in each case, but little by little I felt fear gnawing at me from the inside. It wasn't just that Leon was sick. It was that there was nothing visible to explain his condition. And that... that terrified me.
I went days without sleep. I went through every record I had, mentally reconstructed the human biology I knew from my past life. I analyzed samples, I asked S.E.R.A. to run simulations with microscopic data, and still... nothing fit.
Until one night, surrounded by ink-stained parchment, empty jars and plates of cold food, a forbidden idea crossed my mind.
Something I had read once, in my old lab, in my past life.
An old, almost forgotten report, full of discredited theories:
the Temporal Coexistence Paradox.
It was a bizarre hypothesis, something I considered ridiculous at the time. According to that paper, if two entities shared exactly the same existential signature "what some called a 'soul fingerprint' their simultaneous presence on the same timeline would generate a quantum conflict. The universe, unable to process that duplication, would choose to eliminate one version, treating it as an error or an intruder."
At the time, I had laughed.
"Impossible," I thought. "Two versions of the same person coexisting? No way."
But now...with Leon.
Nothing made sense, and everything else had been ruled out.
"S.E.R.A." I whispered, my voice trembling" Leon has a duplicate.
I explained what I knew.
"Not a copy. Not a twin. He is himself, from another time perspective. Both instances exist at the same time, but the world... can't take it."
"S.E.R.A., can you confirm that?" I asked, feeling helpless.
S.E.R.A. had barely processed any time travel information. Their databases did not contemplate such extreme scenarios. His voice lost assurance, as if in a whisper.
"This theory is not contemplated in my protocols."
Leon didn't have much time; starting from scratch, without any solid foundation, would mean working not just days, but years... maybe decades.
I lowered my head, feeling for the first time since coming into this world a useless.
"S.E.R.A., don't tell him anything. Not to him and not to Louise."
"Understood."
I fell silent, as night slowly fell over Alzer.
***
Each step became heavier. I was already in front of the door to Leon's room, my heart pounding in my chest. Just as I was about to turn around, a door opened and a girl stepped out.
"Louise," I said softly.
"Kael!" she exclaimed. She grabbed my arm tightly, as if clinging to me could keep the world from collapsing
"Have you found a solution yet?"
His eyes.
Those beautiful eyes.
Filled with a hope as innocent as it was desperate.
He trusted me. More than anyone else.
I believed... that I was the difference.
I stood still. My throat closed up. Everything I had tried...everything that didn't work.
Reality weighed on me more than ever.
I shouldn't have come. It hurts to see her like this.
Without looking away, I replied in a tired voice:
"I couldn't. He's..." I repeated the same words I had heard from the doctors.
Although it was an empty euphemism, a disguise the professionals used to avoid admitting their failure, the truth did not change. But, unlike them, I could not hide it.
I saw it. The exact moment her face changed.
Louise let go of my arm.
The warmth was gone.
She turned around.
And, before closing the door, she looked at me. Not with hatred. Nor with pain.
With disappointment.
"I knew it... "he murmured.
"You were just another one."
And the door closed with a dry click.
I stood there, staring at the wood. I can't cry. I can't.
I wanted to leave. I wanted to disappear. But my legs wouldn't respond.
And then, without thinking, I spoke. I don't know if to her, or to myself.
"Louise..."
My voice was barely a trickle.
"I won't give up. Not this time."
"Even if you don't understand. Even if you hate me for getting your hopes up."