Chapter 21: The Pattern
323 Words
Julien didn’t sleep.
The station had long since quieted, but something underneath it hadn’t. Something still moved—subtle, repeating.
Cole watched him pace.
“You’re doing that thing again,” Cole said.
Julien didn’t stop. “What thing?”
“The ‘something’s wrong and you won’t say it yet’ thing.”
Julien exhaled.
“It wasn’t one jump.”
Cole straightened. “What?”
Julien turned, eyes sharp.
“It’s repeating.”
Silence stretched.
Then Cole said, “We’ve dealt with time jumps before.”
Julien didn’t react.
Cole pushed on. “Bermuda cases, people disappearing and popping back years off timeline… Rylan’s whole situation last year—none of that phased you like this.”
Julien finally stopped pacing.
Because Cole was right.
They had seen strange things before.
“This isn’t like those,” Julien said quietly.
Cole frowned. “Why?”
Julien held his gaze.
“Those were accidents.”
A beat.
“This was a decision.”
Cole’s expression shifted.
“Okay… explain.”
Julien stepped back to the desk, pulling up the ultrasound again.
Two.
Now one.
“He didn’t panic,” Julien said. “He waited.”
Cole ran a hand through his hair. “Waited for what?”
Julien closed his eyes again, reaching—not forcing—just listening.
Threads.
Still.
Flickering.
And one—
Moving.
Again.
Julien’s eyes snapped open.
“I’ve got it.”
Cole stood immediately. “Who?”
Julien swallowed.
“…Nikki.”
Cole blinked. “Nikki Tate?”
“Yes.”
“But she’s—”
“Not staying in one time,” Julien finished.
Cole paced now.
“You think she’s been jumping more than once?”
Julien nodded.
“And he followed that?”
“Yes.”
Cole stopped.
“…And he’s with her.”
Julien didn’t answer.
But he didn’t need to.
Final Beat
Julien looked back at the image.
Not gone.
Just—
moved.
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