25. Carter

TWENTY-FIVE

CARTER

Chapter 25

I sat across from Dr. Elias Venn, the IHC's head of xeno-archaeology. His office was a cluttered mess of artifacts and holographic displays, but his eyes were sharp and focused as he leaned forward, elbows on his desk.

"Mr. Reed," he said, "I've read your debriefing. Fascinating stuff."

I snorted. "Yeah, fascinating. That's one word for it. How about 'unbelievable'?"

Venn shook his head. "Not at all. In fact, I find your account entirely credible."

That caught me off guard. "You... do?"

"Absolutely." He stood up, pacing around his desk. "The level of detail in your descriptions of Masari culture, the consistency of your narrative—it's far too complex to be a fabrication or hallucination."

I leaned back, studying him. "No offense, doc, but are you always this gullible?"

He laughed, a warm, genuine sound. "I assure you, Mr. Reed, I'm anything but. I've spent my career separating fact from fiction in alien cultures. Your story rings true."

"Even without a shred of evidence?" I challenged.

Venn's eyes twinkled, a spark of excitement dancing in their depths. "Sometimes, Mr. Reed, the absence of evidence is evidence itself. The fact that you experienced decades in mere fraction of that time? That suggests temporal manipulation beyond our current understanding. It's fascinating, really. The implications for our comprehension of space-time are staggering."

I shifted in my seat, caught between skepticism and a growing sense that maybe, just maybe, this guy actually believed me. It was a strange feeling, after so long of being dismissed or outright accused of lying. Part of me wanted to latch onto that belief, but another part - the cynical, jaded part - held back.

"So what now?" I asked, unable to keep a hint of challenge from my voice. "You gonna write me up as the poster boy for alien time travel?"

I felt a weight lift from my chest. "So you believe me about my wife? About my children?"

"I do," he said softly. "And I'm truly sorry for your loss."

The lump in my throat made it hard to speak. "Thanks," I managed.

Venn returned to his seat. "Carter, I'd like to work with you. Document everything you remember about Masari culture. It could be invaluable to our understanding of parallel dimensions or alternate timelines."

I hesitated. "What about the Alliance? They think I'm nuts."

"Let me worry about them," Venn said with a wink. "So, what do you say? Partners?"

I looked at his outstretched hand. Part of me thought the guy was a fool for believing me so readily. But after days of doubt and interrogation, it felt damn good to be heard.

I shook his hand. "Partners."