A cold realization set in. If the file size dictated the delay, he wasn't just looking at a recording; he was looking at a countdown. He began deleting the files, but the progress bar wouldn't move. He tried to shut down the computer, but the power button stayed lit.
Then, a shadow appeared in the doorway of the video feed. A figure Elias hadn't seen in his own room yet. The figure reached into its pocket and pulled out a small, silver flash drive labeled with a new number: . 56421.rar
On the screen, the "Past Elias" was now looking at the steaming coffee. A cold realization set in
He looked around his own office. It was identical. The mug was his. The chair was his. But the "feed" was delayed by exactly 56,421 milliseconds—nearly a minute. He tried to shut down the computer, but