Chapter 6 Unraveling the Next Mystery

Mia couldn't shake the unease that had settled in after their last adventure. Sure, they had managed to fix the timeline by getting Claire Dubois on the train, but the entire experience had left her with more questions than answers. What other consequences might they have unknowingly triggered? The possibilities were endless, and the thought of it all gnawed at her.

Liam, however, seemed less fazed. He had returned to his usual calm, collected self, moving around the apartment with a sense of purpose. He had even started cooking dinner, the smell of garlic and herbs wafting through the kitchen.

Mia sat at the dining table, staring at her phone, trying to distract herself. The sound of the TV playing in the background was meant to calm her nerves, but instead, it added to her growing sense of paranoia.

Just as she was about to get up and help Liam, there was a knock at the door.

Mia's heart skipped a beat. Visitors were rare, especially since she'd moved in with Liam. They both glanced at each other, a silent exchange of confusion passing between them.

"Expecting anyone?" Mia asked, already knowing the answer.

Liam shook his head, drying his hands on a towel. "No. But I'll check."

The knock came again, louder this time, as if whoever was outside had grown impatient. Liam shot Mia a wary glance before making his way to the door. He paused for a second, his hand on the doorknob, and then opened it.

Standing there was a man dressed in a sharp black suit, his posture stiff and formal. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes carried a sense of urgency. Behind him stood a woman in a similar outfit, holding a briefcase. They both looked like they had just walked out of a high-level government meeting.

"Liam Parker?" the man asked, his voice cool and authoritative.

Liam's eyes narrowed. "Who's asking?"

The man glanced at the woman beside him, then returned his gaze to Liam. "My name is Agent Cole. This is Agent Sinclair. We're with a special branch of temporal investigations."

Mia felt her stomach twist at the words "temporal investigations." What did these people know about time travel? And why were they here?

Liam didn't respond immediately, but Mia could see the flicker of concern in his eyes. He stepped back, gesturing for them to come inside. The agents entered the apartment with swift, practiced movements, their presence immediately filling the room with tension.

Once inside, Agent Cole turned to face them both. "We're here because of the unauthorized timeline alteration that occurred recently. Specifically, the incident involving Claire Dubois."

Mia's blood ran cold. How did they know?

Liam remained composed, though his voice was edged with caution. "We've already resolved that issue. The timeline is back on track."

Agent Sinclair, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, placing the briefcase on the table. "Yes, we're aware of that. However, it's not the only alteration we've detected."

Mia exchanged a glance with Liam, her mind racing. Another alteration? They hadn't done anything else-at least, not intentionally.

"What do you mean?" Mia asked, her voice betraying her anxiety.

Agent Cole folded his arms. "When you traveled back to 1920s Paris, your presence caused a cascade of unintended consequences. You may have fixed the Claire Dubois situation, but there are other anomalies that have emerged. We're here to make sure those are addressed."

Liam frowned, clearly unsettled by the news. "Other anomalies? We were careful. How bad are we talking?"

Agent Sinclair opened the briefcase, pulling out a series of documents and a tablet. She tapped on the screen and handed it to Liam. "Take a look for yourself."

Mia leaned in, her eyes scanning the screen as Liam held it between them. The display showed a timeline, but parts of it were fractured, with red lines branching off in unnatural directions. There were multiple points where the flow of time had split, creating alternate outcomes.

"This is bad," Liam muttered under his breath.

Mia's heart raced as she studied the screen. One of the anomalies involved a key figure in American history-a politician who was now slated to die before his significant contribution to global peace efforts. Another anomaly centered on a young scientist in the 1970s who was supposed to develop a groundbreaking technology but had instead disappeared.

"How do we fix this?" Mia asked, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on her.

Agent Cole's expression remained stoic. "You're going to have to go back and correct the events that led to these deviations. We can't send anyone else-your presence caused the anomalies, so only you can repair the damage."

Liam let out a long breath, clearly frustrated. "Great. More time traveling. And here I thought we'd just gotten back to normal."

Agent Sinclair placed a small device on the table-a new, sleek-looking version of Liam's time travel gadget. "This will help you track the anomalies. It's an upgraded version of what you've been using."

Liam picked it up, inspecting it closely. "This looks more advanced."

"It is," Sinclair replied. "You'll need every advantage you can get. Some of these deviations are deeply embedded, and it won't be easy to fix them. There's also the risk of running into other travelers-people who may not be so interested in preserving the timeline."

Mia felt a chill run down her spine. Other travelers? That was new. "What do you mean, other travelers?"

Agent Cole's face darkened. "There are factions-people who want to manipulate time for their own purposes. They don't care about the consequences, only the power that comes from controlling history. If you run into them, be careful. They're dangerous."

The room went silent as the weight of the situation settled in. Mia felt her pulse quicken, the fear and excitement of what lay ahead colliding in her mind. This was more than just fixing a mistake-they were now caught in a much larger game, one that involved players they didn't even know existed.

After a long pause, Liam stood up straighter, determination hardening his features. "Alright, we'll do it. We'll fix the anomalies."

Mia swallowed hard, nodding in agreement. "Yeah. We'll make it right."

Agent Sinclair nodded approvingly. "Good. You'll need to leave immediately. Time is already running out."

Without another word, the agents gathered their things and headed toward the door. Before leaving, Agent Cole turned back to them. "Be careful. Time has a way of fighting back."

And with that, the agents disappeared into the hallway, leaving Mia and Liam standing in stunned silence.

---

A few hours later, Mia found herself once again packing a small bag for their next mission. The anxiety gnawed at her, but there was also a strange thrill coursing through her veins. The stakes had been raised-higher than she had ever imagined-and now they were stepping into uncharted territory.

Liam was sitting at the kitchen table, his gaze fixed on the new device. He hadn't said much since the agents had left, and Mia knew he was processing everything in his own way.

"Do you think we'll be able to fix it all?" Mia asked, breaking the silence.

Liam looked up, his eyes meeting hers. "I don't know. But we have to try."

Mia nodded, her resolve firm. "Then let's do it. No more messing around."

Liam smiled faintly, though there was a seriousness in his expression. "Agreed. Let's make sure we don't break time any further."

As they activated the new device and prepared to leap into another fractured moment in history, Mia felt her pulse quicken. The excitement, the suspense, the danger-it was all wrapped up in this crazy journey. But one thing was clear: they were in this together, and there was no turning back now.

As the device hummed to life and the world around them began to blur, Mia took a deep breath, ready for whatever awaited them on the other side.