Monday – 10:30 A.M. | Mobile Safehouse – Location Unlisted
The capsule sat in the corner of the makeshift lab, surrounded by wires and reactivation tech Kael had jerry-rigged from stolen components. Rick stood beside it, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the motionless figure inside.
Subject 00.
Not a weapon.
Not an accident.
A boy.
Maybe… his brother.
10:47 A.M. | Capsule Activation
A soft hum. The lights pulsed green. The capsule unlocked with a hiss.
A cough.
Then eyes opened — dark, alert, filled with something disturbingly familiar.
The boy sat up, slow but without fear.
Rick stepped forward.
"Hey… my name's—"
"Rick."
The boy's voice was calm, clear.
"I know. I'm Echo."
11:05 A.M. | Mobile Safehouse Interior
Kael whispered as he took vitals.
"Cognitive functions normal. No memory wipe. No instability. He's better than the others."
Ava sat across from Echo, cautious but kind.
"Do you remember where you're from?"
Echo looked around.
"From you."
He pointed at Rick.
"You're the template. But they made me… feel different. Like I'm not just you. I'm the version you wanted to be."
Rick felt cold.
"And what does that make me?"
Echo tilted his head.
"The broken one."
Afternoon – Surveillance Breach Detected
A blaring alarm ripped through the safehouse.
Kael checked the feed.
"We've been tracked. She's found us."
Rick turned to Ava.
"Take Echo. Head for the Western Shelter. I'll hold them off."
Echo stood.
"No. I'm not running."
"You're a kid."
"I'm you."
1:35 P.M. | Rooftop Showdown
Black-ops teams dropped from hovercrafts. Widow's enforcers spread across the street.
Rick stood alone on the roof of the building, cloak flapping in the wind, waiting.
From the shadows, Clone Rick emerged.
Face to face.
Silence.
Then:
"You're not real," the clone said.
Rick smiled.
"Neither are you."
The clone frowned.
"But I'm the one the world believes in."
"Then let's give them a reason to question that."
They charged.
Below – Kael, Ava, and Echo
Kael activated the escape route.
Ava helped Echo into the armored car.
Echo watched the fight above.
Fists collided. Rooftops cracked.
"He's fighting himself."
Ava nodded.
"He's fighting for all of you."
Final Scene – Rooftop Edge
Rick pinned the clone down, breathing hard.
His knuckles were bloodied. The clone's face — identical — bruised but still eerily calm.
"Why don't you fight back?" Rick shouted.
The clone whispered,
"Because I wanted to lose."
Rick froze.
"I don't want to be their lie anymore."
Then the clone rolled off the edge — vanishing into the darkness.
Rick rushed to the edge.
Gone.