As soon as Jana composed herself, the man she had tackled spoke, his voice familiar. "Agent Leon, reporting for duty, Commander Jana."

  Relief washed over everyone as the tension dissipated. The lights were lit once again, casting a warm glow over the room. Smiles of relief and happiness spread among the group as they realized they were finally reunited with some of their comrades.

  As they started unpacking the food and beverages they had brought to celebrate if the plan worked, they all gathered around the table, while Jana's crew remained outside, guarding the place, only the time guardians were left inside. Most of Jana's crew were unaware of who she really was or the true identities of the people they were now hosting.

  Leon, the one with the highest rank among them, began the introductions. "This is Lydia," he said, motioning to the woman beside him, "a communications engineer." He then gestured to the quiet man next to her. "And this is Hassan, a scientist."

  They started to share their stories, recounting how they had landed in this time and how they had been running from religious cults and sects ever since.

  "It’s been a nightmare," Leon said. "We were always on the move, never staying in one place for too long."

  Jana listened intently, then mentioned the theory Elowen had brought up about the reason they were all here. Lydia’s face lit up with hope as she asked, "Elowen is here too?"

  Jana smiled. "Yes, she is. She was the first timekeeper I found. Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring her here today because we weren’t sure if you would come, but you’ll surely meet her soon, if not tomorrow."

  "We weren't sure if we should come. We didn’t know who the caller was until we heard a song from a juglar that sounded eerily similar to the UTCA hymn. That’s when we knew it was our sign. An impressive job you did, Commander." said Leon.

  Jana allowed herself a small smile, feeling a sense of relief that her plan had worked, then she asked, "Have you met any other timekeepers?"

  Hassan, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke, his voice tinged with sorrow. "Many died," he began, tears welling up in his eyes. "These stupid, illiterate people... Before I met Leon, I was with another group. We tried to make a place for ourselves in this time, sharing our knowledge, Francis was a specialized doctor in infectious diseases. Call it luck if you want, but soon we encountered a town in the grip of an epidemic.We decided to stay there and make ourselves useful. I was already an outcast due to my appearance—my features were rare for free people in this time—but we managed to stay. Once Francis finished the treatment for most of the people and the epidemic started to disappear, they began turning their backs on us, accusing us of using witchcraft. They said they would be punished for receiving treatment from the devil."

  He paused, his voice shaking with the memory. "They stopped getting treatment, and the conditions became worse. We were untouched, vaccinated, and that drew more suspicion. It turned into a witch hunt and very soon they caught Francis. They hung him in front of us. We were next, but somehow, I managed to escape, leaving my comrades behind."

  The room fell into a heavy silence as Hassan finished his story, the weight of their collective experiences hanging over them.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Jana said, "I am so sorry I failed you, Hassan." As she spoke, Hassan wiped his tears, his elbows resting on his knees, while Lydia gently patted his back.

  "Do you know who stole the orb?" Hassan asked, his voice thick with emotion.

  Jana went silent, her face contorting with a mix of disgust and anger, but she said nothing. Leon, sensing the tension, interrupted, "It wasn’t you, was it?"

  Jana suddenly smiled nervously, trying to deflect. "It’s been so long since I’ve heard a joke like that one."

  Lydia stepped forward, her expression serious. "It wasn’t a joke, Jana. You were the last one to enter the orb room states the black box in our bracelets"

  Jana, now confused, responded, "Are you really doubting me? I’ve moved heaven and earth to find you all and to get us back home."

  Hassan, with a flicker of hope in his eyes, interrupted, "Is there a way home?"

  Jana’s face dimmed, and she finally said, while looking up at the ceiling and avoiding to answer the last question, "Not ...yet "

  Everyone in the room fell silent as Jana continued to explain the story and their struggle.

  After a moment, Lydia spoke up. "Then why are you looking for the timekeepers? We’re already lost in time. Reuniting in one place is a huge mistake, Commander. How could you not think of that?"

  Jana sighed and replied, "I didn’t call you here for nothing. Of course, I’ve thought of that. Do you realize that we, the timekeepers, are the ones who built the first time machine, the ones who created the UTCA, and the ones who developed the machine that housed the orb? If we did it once, we can definitely do it again. "

  Leon interrupted, "Does that mean you have the orb?"

  Jana shook her head, "No."

  Hassan, his voice filled with frustration, said, "Then you have nothing, and you called us here for nothing."

  Jana sighed and rubbed her eyes, her weariness evident. "I would have brought Elowen with me," she said, her voice tinged with regret. "Look, officers, I get that you've lost hope, but there is still a way. I’ve been searching for the orb for years now, and I know it’s here. When I first landed, my bracelet could still vaguely locate it, but over time, that location grew weaker."

  She paused, looking at each of them. "If you don’t want to help with the mission, I understand, but my protection over you will still be mandatory. You’ll assist me in finding the other timekeepers. If you change your minds about working on recreating the machine, let me know. If you want to go to the capital, call Jason—he’s right at the door—and tell him to take you to one of my businesses or to do a tour. I’ll be around frequently, so don’t share any unnecessary information."

  She stood up, disappointment etched on her face. Her plan had worked, but she realized she hadn’t taken into account how much the timekeepers had changed over the years. Their contributions were crucial, and she knew she needed them on her side.

  As she walked out, she decided it was still a long time before dawn, so she made up her mind to visit Elowen and Corin. She needed to tell them about what had happened and clear her mind.

  Once she arrived at Elowen and Corin's place, she found them in the middle awaiting for some news of the mission. Jana didn’t want to interrupt them, but she knew it was necessary.

  "Hi," Jana said as she entered. Elowen greeted her with a shy voice, her appearance disheveled from the work. Jana smiled and joked, "You really waste no time."

  Corin chuckled at the remark. "Did you find the timekeepers?" he asked.

  Elowen quickly added, "Oh right, who came?"

  Jana replied, "One of them knew you—Officer Lydia."

  "The engineer?" Elowen asked, her interest piqued. Jana nodded.

  Elowen's eyes lit up. "She’s a great asset. She could surely help us, maybe even modify our bracelets to communicate with each other."

  Jana interrupted her, the gloom in her voice unmistakable. "They don’t want to cooperate."

  The mood in the room shifted, Elowen and Corin's faces growing more serious. Elowen reached out, placing a comforting hand on Jana's shoulder. "They just need time. I’ll make sure to talk to them tomorrow."

  Corin nodded in agreement. “We’ll do what we can.”

  Jana offered a small, weary smile. “Thank you. We’ve come too far to let this fall apart now.”

  She left them with those words, heading back to the palace with a heavy heart.The night had been disappointing overall, but at least it had been calm. As Jana entered her room, a sudden knock at the door startled her. It was strange—who could it be at this late hour?