Commander Uncle

Commander Uncle took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the vault, as if making sure we were still alone. His expression was tense, something I’d never seen from him before. It made me realize just how deep in this I had gotten. This wasn’t just about my parents anymore. It was bigger than I could have ever imagined.

“I’m not really your ‘uncle,’ Niya,” he began, his voice heavy with something I couldn’t quite place—guilt, maybe, or fear. “I never was. I’ve been undercover this whole time, assigned to keep an eye on you, to make sure you stayed safe. But also to make sure no one found out about you.”

I blinked, my mind racing to process what he was saying. “Undercover? What do you mean?” I demanded. “Why would you need to be undercover? Why not just… tell me?”

He shook his head slowly, a sad smile tugging at his lips. “Because if I told you, Niya, you wouldn’t believe me. And you’d be in even more danger than you already are. The research your parents were doing—what they were working on—it wasn’t just about science. It wasn’t about curing diseases or inventing new technology. What they were working on… it’s dangerous. And there are people who will stop at nothing to get it.”

I took a step back, my mind whirling. “Dangerous how?” I whispered. “What did they discover? What’s the truth?”

Commander Uncle met my gaze, his eyes hardening. “I didn’t want you to know this yet, but I don’t have a choice anymore. The research your parents were involved in… it wasn’t just groundbreaking. It was world-altering. They found a way to manipulate dimensions, Niya. To open portals to other realms. Parallel worlds.”

My breath caught in my throat. “Other realms?” I repeated, feeling the weight of his words crush down on me. “Are you saying… my parents were trying to travel to other worlds?”

“They were trying to understand them,” he corrected. “To learn how these different realities connect to ours. But there’s more. The project your parents were working on… it was part of something much older, something that’s been hidden for decades. The people after your parents aren’t just after their work—they’re after what your parents discovered. And they’ll do whatever it takes to get it.”

My heart raced. The feeling of unease settled into my bones. “Why didn’t you warn me sooner?” I demanded, frustration bubbling up. “You could’ve told me. You should’ve told me what was going on.”

“I couldn’t,” he said quietly. “You had to stay focused on your training. You had to be ready for this moment, for what’s coming next. Your parents were trying to open one of those portals—an unstable one—and I couldn’t let you get caught in the middle of it. But now that they’re gone, the people after them won’t stop until they find the research.”

I shook my head, struggling to make sense of all this. “So, you’ve been lying to me my whole life? You’re telling me that my parents were working on some kind of… interdimensional project, and I had no idea? What does that even mean?”

“It means,” Commander Uncle said, his voice firm now, “that you’re not just any girl, Niya. You’re the key to all of this. Your parents created a prototype—something they thought would allow them to control the portals. They were trying to make sure it couldn’t fall into the wrong hands. But you… you’ve got the potential to finish their work. To unlock everything they were trying to understand.”

I stepped back, feeling the weight of his words crash down on me. “I don’t understand. You mean… me? I’m supposed to finish their work? What if I don’t even know how to?”

He met my eyes, his expression grave. “Your parents trusted you, Niya. They believed in your mind. You’ve been trained to think quickly, to survive. And now, it’s time to use everything you’ve learned. You have to find the research before the wrong people do.”

I looked down at the lab notebook on the floor, my fingers trembling as I picked it up. This was real. This was happening. I wasn’t just some kid anymore—I was caught up in something bigger than I could’ve imagined.

“Who are these people?” I asked quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. “Who’s after me? After my parents?”

Commander Uncle’s face darkened. “They’re part of a group that’s been operating in the shadows for years. They’re the ones who pushed your parents to take risks with their research. They’ll do whatever it takes to get control of the portals—whatever it takes to control what’s on the other side.”

I felt a cold chill creep up my spine. “So, they’re willing to kill for this?”

Commander Uncle nodded solemnly. “Yes. And they won’t hesitate to come after you, too.”

I looked at the notebook again, the weight of everything settling on my shoulders. It was up to me now. I wasn’t going to let my parents’ work be used for evil. I wasn’t going to let their sacrifice be in vain.

I had to stop them.

“Where do we start?” I asked, my voice filled with determination.

Commander Uncle gave a small nod. “First, we need to figure out where the next portal is. And I think I know just the place.”

I tightened my grip on the notebook. Whatever was waiting for me, I was ready. The hunt for the truth was only just beginning.

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