“So that’s how it is,” Arisa quietly commented, listening to Johann’s story. “Everything you’ve done until now finally makes sense. So, you’re still a kind Johann back then.”

“I don’t need your compliments. Now ask yourself, does asking me to stop now even possible?”

“…of course.”

 

Arisa stares deep at her old friend. Johann could tell right away that his friend would not back down easily.

 

“My travels in the place have taught me a lot. Slowly, I know what it’s like to have a genuine family,” said the girl.

“A fake family thanks to the Records of the Past? Hah! When someone revokes the program, you don’t know if they still think of you as their family! They’ll treat you as a stranger who dares to enter their house without being invited.”

“I know exactly that’ll happen without Records of the Past, Johann! My mind was already imagining what would happen if they finally regained their senses. But…but!—”

 

Arisa walks closer. Johan takes a step back, witnessing her immense stare of her.

 

“I feel something inside my chest, Johann! I love Mom, Dad and brother! I also love Vanilla, who has nothing to do with my family’s Records of the Past! I feel pains in my chest when my existence disappears in front of them from time to time! So, I can’t let you do as you please with my family.”

 

Johann bit his lower lip.

 

“Arisa. Stay where you are, or something bad will happen,” Johann said coldly.

 

Johann takes out a projection screen with a red button on display. Arisa’s hunch tells her to obey Johann since that projection got a different color than any other floating endlessly around them. She decides not to move without letting her childhood friend out of her sight.

 

“…this button is the last trigger to delete the Records of the Past from this place for good. At the same time, it’ll upload the data related to the identity of the volunteers to the internet of this era. Thus, the secrecy of your existence will be lost, and everyone will be aware that there are people who can travel through time.” 

 

Several laptops behind Johann change their displays. It says that the system is ready to upload the data, Johann said. One wrong move and the team’s secrecy will be no more. She can’t imagine what will happen when people from this era are finally aware of the volunteer’s existence.

 

For the next few minutes, Johann eventually clenches his fist since the sight of Arisa, choosing not to do anything while not going back off simultaneously, makes him lose his patience. He needs to do more to make Arisa back down and squirms at her wrong choices after all this time.

 

“It’s over, Arisa. Too bad that you didn’t accept my offer that night. I would let you out from here just to be safe.”

“Johann, wait—”

 

He stares back, which almost pierces Arisa’s willpower, and is about to press the button on his ring’s projection. All the other projection screens suddenly disappeared when his finger almost touched the button. The laptop monitor also issues a notification if the energy required for the necessary decryption process is insufficient.

The room is pitch black now without the projection screen’s light. Only the dim glow of the laptop enables the two to see each other, 

 

“What—what happened?!” Johann shouted.

 

He frantically presses the red button on the projection until he sees those error notifications pop out right away. He can’t execute his order due to a technical problem.

“This… can’t be….”

 

Rio and Valerie entered the room at the same time, joining Arisa.

“Arisa! Are you okay?!” Rio shouted and immediately took a position in front of the girl. Valerie also did the same.

“You’re Johann, right? Now, your plan stops here. We took care of all the energy generators that you need downstairs. There’s nothing you can do,” Valerie confirmed.

“You—bastard!”

 

Arisa approaches Johann slowly, trying not to intimidate her childhood friend until she passes Rio and Valerie, who are trying to protect her. As a childhood friend, she wants to understand the turmoil in Johann’s heart all these years.

 

“Johann, I can only imagine the hardship that you’ve been through. To think that there are people who took the life of the one you love.… My chest tightens whenever I think about what if I lose the family I have now because of someone’s ill intentions. But, I beg you, this time. Johann, let’s find a better way together, not a dangerous one like this. I am still your friend so that we will find justice together for your father’s sake.”

 

Suddenly, Johann pointed the laser gun at Arisa’s head. Rio and Valerie moved swiftly to pull the girl behind their bodies and tried to cover her up.

 

“It’s easy for you to talk, Arisa. Do you think after all this time, I am just sitting idly and letting them normally live over my Dad’s body, huh?! I tried alone to find out who was responsible for what happened at the research site! But what I’ve got?! The police didn’t help at all. Their official statement always said that it was just an accident, nothing more! Arisa, I’ve made it this far on my strength. There’s no way I’m going to back down.

 

He is out of control. It’s very dangerous for us because of that weapon, Rio thought. He racked his brain quickly on how to get out of this situation without any casualties.

Was lunging at him a good idea? The laser shot would hit his body first before Rio caught Johann. What if they surrendered and begged so Johann will not kill them? Considering he and Valerie sabotaged the energy generator successfully, there was no guarantee that Johann would be able to think clearly and be willing to let them go.

 

“… damn,” Rio muttered quietly. It seems like there’s no way out.

 

The threat on the journey to the past was prevented for now. But another danger is visibly seen by the weapon Johann is currently wielding. Even Valerie begins sweating.

 

“All of you, die,” said Johann coldly.

 

Here it comes! Rio shrieked quietly in his mind, preparing for the worst.

 

A distinctive gunshot roared out from the window. A projectile hit the laser gun in Johann’s hand. It released a rigid substance that enveloped the weapon instantly and its owner’s right arm and turned hard like concrete. Within seconds, Johann can’t move his right arm.

 

“—damn it!”

“Johann, we’ve disarmed you! Surrender!” Sato ordered sternly from the outside window with his hand holding a gun shaped like this era’s pistol dominated by dark blue.

“You—how come? There shouldn’t be footholds, and this is the second floor!”

“Don’t underestimate the technology the police force got.”

 

Johann had no idea about what Sato had said at all. He could only guess because he was utterly unfamiliar with the technology owned by the authorities. Wait a moment. Don’t tell me Sato is currently floating outside the second-floor window. 

 

“Give up, Johann Accialini. Your actions so far have greatly harmed the continuity of the traveling to the past project. Hence, I’ll have to subdue you.”

 

An overweight man with a cast on his left arm entered the room along with Rita. Mr. Davide also has arrived at this place. Seeing the police chief of Tantoris City coming in front of him, Johann glared at him fiercely. To the extent that Rita feels goosebumps just looking at Johann.

 

Sato immediately barged inside and lunged at Johann. He definitely can’t react quickly because his arms feel heavy from the substance fired earlier. Thus, the police assistant quickly grabs Johann’s body and holds him to the floor.

 

“It’s over, Johann. Now you have been arrested,” said Mr. Davide as he walked closer.

“You think I’m done?” challenged the young man on the floor.

 

A projection appears suddenly in front of the man’s face. Johann bites the projection screen while Sato is off guard, and the notification of something being activated echoes in the room.

 

“What are you—”

 

Sato pushes Johann’s head down to stop whatever Johann is trying to do.

 

“Too late. There’s nothing more you can do. Even if you break my ring.”

 

Arisa got this bad feeling that something terrible will going to happen.