Aakrit looked at her thinking of what he might have said that affected her so badly.

Hey...I'm sorry if I asked you something I shouldn't be asking. *He said politely*

Professor, you... *Hope said and paused*

You disappeared *Hope told him*

Aakrit was looking at her in confusion.

Tomorrow, Feb 8, 2019, you disappeared that day without any trace.

Mo... I mean your wife Elsa thinks that these experiments, that your passion for science was actually an obsession and it took your life. I wish I could explain everything to you in detail but time isn't in our favour yet professor.

That evil Sam is taking her to that building tomorrow, I thought I would tell you all this, then we might have a way to stop him but as you said I am not supposed to change the past then I'll change the future sir. *Hope emphasized*

Elsa? And what about my kid? *He asked emotionally*

Ah! She is fine, Mrs. Andrews never allowed her to follow in your footsteps so she stayed with her out of the city.

She? I have a daughter? *He asked her with tearful eyes*

What is she like? *He asked*

She... She is, she is brave like you. And she told me that she'll take care of Elsa and gave me the responsibility to stop Sam. And... *Hope looked away as she couldn't hide her emotions*

And? Does she also write letters to her mother? Does she also talk to the moon and try to find answers in the night sky?
*He asked her but she didn't say a word*

What is her name? *He said with a trembling voice*

Is it Hope Jones? Or maybe Hope Jones Andrews? *He asked as his eyes started filling with tears*

Hope turned around while crying her heart out and hugged him tightly.

Dad *She said and hugged him with all her strength*

Ah! My little daughter Hope*Aakrit said and hugged her back*

Do you think that you can lie to me? Don't forget that no matter what but I'm still your father.*He said and caresses her*

He wiped her tears and looked her in the eyes.

So my junior scientist did it? *He asked*

Yes, dad. With your help I did it *She said and smiled at him*

But how did you know? How did you recognise me? *She said*

How did I know? No one could ever possibly break into the building if the person isn't related to me and just like me you're so bad at lying too, you showed me the photos of the documents and photos of that building where some of the photos were named as Dad's building, dad's lab.
And above all Hope, look at you. You look just like me. *He said ecstatically*

Just like me *He said and looked at Hope, caressing her before hugging her again*

I'm so proud of you Hope, my daughter has grown to be a lady that your mother and I would always be proud of. *He said and patted her head*

Dad, about her, as I told you before... *She said but Aakrit stopped her*

She thinks it's all my fault.

Hope nodded and looked at him.

You told me that he's bringing Elsa tomorrow, to that... To that building right? *He asked*

Yes, dad *She said*

If he's trying to replicate the machine, he needs the Tele-Boards and on the top of that, he needs the algorithm *Aakrit said*

He has the Tele-Boards I showed you in the photos. *She said*

Those are the fake ones, Hope. He's not bringing Elsa there without any reason. *Aakrit said*

The machine you saw was not real, the real deal is beneath that machine. Which could only be accessed by either my handprints or Elsa's *He told Hope*

Hope eyes got widened.

The underground room has all the legal documents related to the exotic matter, the Chip and the Tele-Boards. It has the agreement that we had with our close scientific community that we are willing to take the risk and develop this time machine for the well-being of humans and humanity.*He explained to Hope*

And he's trying to... *Aakrit said but Hope completed him and said*

Trying to take everything under his name and ruin your, mom's and Professor Sharma's future. *She said*

Once he got those even I can't imagine the consequences. *Aakrit said*

I think that's why you hid the algorithm that you wrote on a paper inside the cover of the album, it was you who told mom to present it to me as a gift on my graduation day. You did all of these things but you don't know how you disappeared? *Hope let out*

I think... I think the reason why you disappeared is somehow related to Sam, somehow related to what he's gonna do tomorrow. And I'm not gonna let that happen *She said and took a deep breath*

Hope, wait, what are you planning to do huh? If he's done so much already, do you think he won't be prepared for anything that you're trying to do? *He said*

Why didn't you do the time jump tomorrow, right before I got disappeared?

Dad, before finding the wedding album in which you wrote all the code for me, we've tried to do that. But the date and time have always gone wrong, I'll tell you some other day once we're done with this Sam and I'll take you back with me.

Today we were about to do the final execution but Sam's hooligans attacked us and I didn't set the timers properly but see I now know it works, it works dad, your algorithm works. *Hope said but Aakrit stopped hearing anything the moment she mentioned the wedding album as he recalled how Mrs Presley gave him that today*

Dad...Dad! *Hope said and bring Aakrit back from his thoughts*

Hope, how are you exactly planning to stop him? *He asked her profoundly*

Yes, you asked it finally. Dad, I've read everything about the self-destruction drone and with that idea in mind, I'll set all the systems around the building and connect it to the door where mom's hand prints are needed. *She said*

But, instead of mom Sam will put his hand there and boom! The whole building blows up, no Tele-Boards, no documents, no future tech that is not even his in the first place. *She told him*

I could've waited but it's too late already, You have no idea of the position and fame Sam has made all these years.

That's why I've decided to execute this plan, no one will ever find out about it because that building isn't on any official documents.*Hope told Aakrit but Aakrit wasn't able to stop thinking about how he wrote the algorithm in the book which he hasn't even finished yet and how Mrs Presley gave that wedding album as a present to him today*

How long will it take to activate the machines that'll blow the whole building? *Aakrit asked Hope*

Long enough for me to go outside *Hope said but looked away from him*

You can't deceive me, kid. I have created that system, I know it'll blow up right away, you cannot do that on your own. You've to stay with Elsa *He said*

I have to *She raised her voice*

I'm sorry dad but I've to. He has threatened to kill my mother, he did something to you that you don't even know. Maybe he would be successful tomorrow and then jump back in time to Feb 8, 2019, to do something to you after already hurting mom. *She said in stress*

Everything depends on tomorrow. I'll take my risk dad. That's what scientists do, take risks and never push someone else in something that they're responsible for.
*Hope told him*

You can't do that Hope.*Aakrit said*

Who's gonna do the test run tomorrow by the way? Dad. Is there any volunteer?*Hope asked*

No*Aakrit said and looked away*

It's gonna be You, right? *Hope asked*

Yes, Hope, but that's different... *Aakrit said*

Dad, trust me, I can't risk losing my mother too, I know how I've lived all these years without you, so I gotta go for now but I'll come back tomorrow for sure after stopping Sam.

Maybe this time you'll know why you disappeared because that evil Sam from 2044 has to do something with it, until now as you said I won't alter the past so tomorrow you'll go to that building to do the test run and take your risk and I'll go to that building too but in 2044 to take my risk  *Hope told Aakrit but Aakrit's mind was somewhere Else*

Just pretend as if nothing has happened and stay the same with Sam for just one more day dad. I wouldn't have known Sam's real plans if I hadn't met you today.*Hope said whilst suiting up*

Aakrit was looking at her with pride as well as fear on his face.

After a while

Hey, dad *Hope said*

Do you really have no idea what could be the reason behind your sudden disappearance? *Hope asked whilst setting the timer*

Not all questions are meant to have an answer. *He told Hope with a smile on his face*

Now I know why mom always complains about me not giving straightforward answers. *Hope said with a smile*

See you soon dad *Hope said and pressed the button*

See you soon, Daughter *Aakrit said and saw her getting disappeared right in front of his eyes*

I know that she doesn't have any chance to prove that Sam is a criminal except tomorrow. If he'll get access to the machine then just like Professor Sharma once told me, he'll only use it for his benefit. He could actually destroy my whole family's past to make them wipe out of existence.

But how can I ignore the fact that the building will blow up and you're thinking that you'll hide in the basement? The basement won't protect you, Hope.

But I will.

I know you won't stop. So, You do what you've planned to do and I'll do what I should be doing. *Aakrit told himself*

Thank you so much for reading #SpreadLove
#RespectWhoDeservesIt
#NeverGiveUp <3 :). Love you all