As the progress bar reached 99%, the attic around him began to pixelate. The smell of ozone filled the air. Elias realized too late that the "Latest 2023" tag was a lie. The software was a relic from a future that was currently being overwritten by his own download.
He tried to cancel the process, but the mouse cursor was stuck. The software began "extracting" more than just data. Audio leaked from his speakers—not static, but a voice. It was his own voice, sounding ten years older, reciting a series of dates and coordinates.
The screen flashed a final, blinding white message: