32

The control room was filled with aliens. He bowed before Knox, showing his respect. Anna, enraged, shouted at them.

"This is not Joseph! Don't listen to him!" she exclaimed.

Knox responded with a loud, mocking laugh.

"They don't understand you," he said smugly. "They don't believe you. These are my subjects. They will obey only me."

At his signal, the aliens exited the room. Knox then displayed a scene from her house on the screen—Anna and her father sitting at the dining table. Anna stared at Knox in shock.

Was that really her? How could she be there?

Knox answered her unspoken question. "This is your duplicate. Joseph made it. He was planning to send this duplicate to replace you and bring you to the planet permanently."

"No! He was planning to live on Earth," Anna protested fiercely.

Knox sneered. "You were naive... He’s a liar, as I’ve been saying all along."

Anna shook her head in disbelief. "You’re too suspicious."

Knox smirked sarcastically. "Oh, is that what you call love?"

"See for yourself," he said, pointing to the screen.

Anna turned to see an image of a deserted road where Joseph lay unconscious. Her heart raced with panic.

"Joseph?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Knox taunted her further. "They... Joseph..."

Anna glared at him in anger and hurled a nearby tool at him, but he caught it effortlessly.

"Let the game begin," Knox declared ominously.

He pressed several buttons, causing strange symbols to appear on the screen. Anna watched anxiously, unable to decipher them. A red light flickered in the top corner of the screen. A realization struck her—these symbols were a countdown to a catastrophic explosion. The red light indicated time was running out.

She stared at Knox, her eyes cold and unyielding.

Moments later, the red light vanished, marking the end of the countdown. Anna’s heart sank as she watched the screen, her anguish mirrored by Knox’s tormented expression.

"You said you’d never regret this, but look what you’ve done," Anna said bitterly.

Knox’s eyes burned red with fury. In a fit of rage, he smashed a device against the wall. Turning to Anna with a menacing step, he raised a finger in warning.

"Where is Joseph?" he demanded.

"I don’t know," Anna replied, defiant but frightened.

Knox clenched his jaw. "Fine. He’ll come to me himself."

Suddenly, Knox grabbed her by the neck, pinning her to the wall.

"If Joseph wants your life, he’ll have to show up now," he growled, tightening his grip.

Anna struggled desperately, clawing at his hands, but it was futile.

Just as she thought all hope was lost, an unseen force struck Knox, sending him flying into the ceiling before crashing to the ground. Dazed and weakened, Knox lay motionless, his strength slowly returning.

Anna collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. Moments later, Joseph appeared and hurried to her side. Without hesitation, he placed her hand on the watch strapped to his arm and pressed it with his other hand.

A soft hiss echoed beneath their feet, and the scene around them shifted. Anna blinked, disoriented. They were now in a snow-covered landscape.

"Where are we?" she asked, tears blurring her vision.

"Earth," Joseph replied, scanning the area.

"Is everyone safe? Dad...?" Anna pressed, her voice trembling with concern.

Joseph nodded solemnly. "No one’s been harmed. Your planet is safe with me."

He stepped closer, his voice heavy with emotion. "But if I’d lost you today, none of it would have mattered."

Snow and rain fell simultaneously from the sky, as if reflecting their turbulent emotions. Joseph wiped his face, and Anna discreetly did the same, both hiding their tears.

After a long silence, Joseph finally spoke. "Will you come with me?"

Anna nodded, her vision still clouded by tears. She followed him to a staircase that seemed to materialize step by step.

Descending over fifty steps, she arrived in a brightly lit hall with several doors along the walls.

"You’ll stay here until it’s safe," Joseph said, his tone firm.

"Why can’t I go home?" Anna protested.

"He’ll try to use you again," Joseph explained. "I won’t let you be in danger because of me."

Reluctantly, Anna agreed. "If there’s any danger, contact me immediately. Don’t leave here for any reason," Joseph instructed.

"I’ll wait," she whispered, her voice soft but resolute.

Without looking back, Joseph ascended the stairs, disappearing from her sight.