The following information is classified as "top secret" by the US Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation. In the winter of 2038, amid escalating Cold War tension, confidential reports were breached and classified information was exposed to the public. Anyone connected to the leaks was tracked down and arrested for participating in the unauthorized dissemination of classified information. The NSA claimed that some USSR immigrants were involved in the process of leaking important information from the document [CLASSIFIED]. Cybersecurity specialists contended that certain local and international hackers had assisted in gaining access to some classified files. This copy was kept and later published by an anonymous group named [REDACTED]. According to these leaks, the operation [CENSORED] was quietly underway.
"We just got our hands on a series of files from a facility in the [REDACTED] territory. These leaks defy everything we ever knew about the world. As we were immersed in our activities, a sudden echo resonated in our tech tools. It was something our eyes had never witnessed before."
Unusual signals were also detected near the [REDACTED] research site.
Some of the users claimed that time froze while they were connected to the wire. At first, they thought their processors had crashed or were killed, but then a member noticed that some of their appliances had the same problem.
"Our computers froze for about 24 seconds. We first thought our processors were killed or crashed after being on the wired the whole night."
End of leaked information
Shisui followed the stranger to a place that seemed oddly familiar. The shop was in the middle of an alleyway surrounded by vacant houses. Somehow, it reminded him of the area where he was raised. Upon entering, he realized that the shop was built like a lab, but it appeared old and worn, with homemade appliances. Shisui's curiosity was piqued as he began scanning the room, checking the stranger's equipment. The stranger kept going in silence, not uttering a word. The lab was full of empty hourglasses of all shapes, about two or three microwaves were what Shisui could count, a refrigerator, a bunch of computers stacked, a single poster of a bikini girl, and five packs of tissues. "It's not what you think, dear reader! They are untouched." While Shisui was lost in the sauce, a sudden, heavy screeching sound filled the room. "I got your attention now!" The stranger said as he was scrubbing a big metal chair onto his desk. "Please refrain from touching any of my belongings!" He added, "And please come forward and hand that wristwatch of yours!" His rudeness irritated Shisui, but he wasn't much of a short-fused person; he picked up his wristwatch and handed it to the stranger. "How and when?" The stranger bluntly asked. "Who does this guy think he is?" Shisui thought to himself, Perhaps you did too, my dear readers. "I don't know, it suddenly stopped working at 6:45 pm," Shisui replied. "Maybe the batteries run out..."
"No!" the stranger interrupted him, "Look at the three hands twitching forward and back." He kept looking closely at them for about 24 seconds, then opened his drawer and threw the wristwatch in there. "HUH!" Shusui gasped.
"I'll keep it for now! You can come back tomorrow for it!" The stranger said.
"Do you have a number or anything so I can call you?" Shisui asked.
"No!" he replied
"So...How can I find you then?" Shisui asked again.
"What kind of stupid question is this?" The stranger sneered. "At this place, goofy!" Shisui took two steps backward and looked again at one of the hourglasses. Startled, he saw tiny grains falling through the narrow neck. "Weren't they empty!" He asked himself. "Sure!" He said as he kept backing off, eyes locked on the hourglass as he reached the door. "Wait! Was there a door in the first place?" Shisui didn't remember that. He pushed the door. Or pulled it—who knows? Doors can be confusing. He left, walked, stopped, walked again, then stopped. His breath hitched, eyes wide, and lips shaking. "What the fuck just happened there?" the question flew over his head again and again while he was standing in the middle of a street. Not for long, he let out a deep sigh, looked backward to remember the alleyway, then headed directly toward the train station. Upon arriving, Shisui found the old man sitting on the doorstep of his house. "Can I help you?" He asked him. The old man stood up, and his dog came from behind Shisui and stood next to his owner.
"Some people were walking back and forth by your door—over and over again! I thought they were burglars. I was watching them through my window for like 12 minutes. The moment they started checking if someone was inside, I grabbed my dog and stepped out. They took off the second they saw me! I was afraid they'd come back, so I waited here until you showed up! You're late, And I'm exhausted!" Shisui's eyes were wide open. He was a nobody. He didn't have much in his house. Money? All on his bank account. Perhaps his books, but what kind of burglars steal books? He thought of every possibility before he snapped back to reality.
"Thank you...Sir!" He replied flatly. He didn't know the name of his five-year neighbor—What a kind man he was! "I mean, I'm really sorry for troubling you! I don't have any idea why would they try to invade my house. I don't have anything special...and...but again, thank you for looking after me!" Shisui responded swiftly.
"It's nothing, young man!" The old man said as he entered his house.
Shisui took his keys out. He entered his house. Turned on the lights. Everything seemed fine. He closed the door. Checked the kitchen, the bathroom, and the bedroom, but no one was there, and nothing was missing. He sat on his bed, "what a day!" He sighed. He hadn't eaten yet, but he decided to skip it. He kicked off his shoes and lay down in the same clothes he wore all day, hoping to get some sleep.