When Dr. Elara Min completed the quantum handshake between dimensions, she expected theoretical ripples, maybe even Nobel talk. She didn’t expect a version of herself to step through the portal holding a bloodied wrench and whisper, “Don’t let them know you succeeded.”

The lab fell silent. Everyone stared. Then, as if the moment had never happened, the portal shut itself with a hum. Security footage? Erased. Witnesses? Suddenly confused.

Only Elara remembered what her other self had said. And she had just one question: who were “they”?