Chapter 785 - 787
"The first time I’ve made it here?" Jude echoed, his voice barely more than a whisper. His eyes flicked back to the screen, to the version of himself that had broken free. A version that wasn’t bound to the chair like he was now.
The man nodded. "Every iteration, you push a little further. Sometimes, you stop at the door. Sometimes, you leave before the truth sets in. But this time... this time is different."
Jude’s heart pounded against his ribs. "Why?"
The woman’s gaze was steady. "Because this time, you’re listening."
A wave of nausea rolled over him. He had spent his life questioning reality in small, quiet ways, brushing off inconsistencies, ignoring the flickers at the edges of his vision, convincing himself that his own mind was the problem. But now, faced with undeniable proof, he realized that his instincts had been right all along.
Jude forced himself to take a deep breath. "Alright," he said, voice steadier than he felt. "How do I break the cycle?"
The man smirked. "Now you’re asking the right questions."
The woman turned to the console and pressed a few buttons. The restraints around Jude’s wrists and ankles released with a soft hiss, freeing him. He rubbed his wrists, still uncertain if he was making the right choice.
"You have to do something no version of you has done before," the man said. "Something that forces the cycle to shatter instead of reset."
Jude flexed his fingers, his mind racing. "And what is that?"
The woman turned back to face him, her expression unreadable. "Escape."