Ron looked at Dr. Thomas.
"What?" Dr. Thomas asked.
"Tell me about Foster's current leaders. I've fought two of them in the future," Ron said.
"Foster's current leader is someone called Ross…" Dr. Thomas replied.
Ross? Ron thought.
"…But he died six years ago."
Ron's eyes widened.
"Then how the hell is he leading Foster now?" Ron asked.
"He isn't. Someone is controlling Ross—using him to manipulate the entire organization," Dr. Thomas said.
"Who could it be? Is he related to Ross?" Ron asked.
Dr. Thomas looked at him calmly.
"You're asking too many questions."
"I need answers. Foster is after Locki and Carter. They even tried to kill them," Ron said firmly.
Dr. Thomas smiled slightly.
"Answer my question first."
Ron blinked.
"How did you manage to defeat the Dead Titan?" Dr. Thomas asked.
"The Dead Titan?" Ron frowned. "I don't know. During our fight, I lost consciousness… and when I woke up, I was somewhere else."
Dr. Thomas stared at him.
Could it be…? he wondered.
"Fine. Anyway, you should return to the present," Dr. Thomas said.
"Time travel is dangerous. Sometimes it creates paradoxes that not even the @#&%! can handle."
Suddenly, Dr. Thomas's eyes widened.
"What was that?" Ron asked.
"Censoring," Dr. Thomas replied.
"What? And who's doing it? I thought this was your world," Ron said.
"There are things in this universe that are censored by higher existences," Dr. Thomas said quietly. "Speaking about them can bring madness… chaos… and sometimes a death that nothing can reverse."
Ron frowned.
"It doesn't matter who you are. Even I am bound by this rule."
"Who are these higher existences?" Ron asked.
"It doesn't matter," Dr. Thomas said flatly. "Now go back to the present."
"No. I want to stay with Dream," Ron replied.
"You can return once this matter is resolved."
"What matter?"
"There's a problem in the future."
"Carter and the others can handle it."
Dr. Thomas looked directly into Ron's eyes.
"This problem is related to you… and your wife, Ava."
Ron's eyes widened.
"…Alright. But I'm coming back," Ron said.
Dr. Thomas nodded and turned away.
"Follow me."
Ron followed him until they reached the massive corpse of the Dead Titan.
Without hesitation, Dr. Thomas plunged his hand into the Titan's body and pulled out its brain.
He tore off a small piece and handed it to Ron.
"Take this. A fragment of the Titan's brain. It will help you," Dr. Thomas said.
Ron looked at the strange piece, then back at Thomas.
"What if this is a trap? Why should I trust you?" Ron asked.
Dr. Thomas sighed and flicked his wrist.
A glowing screen appeared, showing a child whispering something into Ava's ear. (present-day Ava.)
Ron stared at it for a moment… then nodded.
"I'll go."
Dr. Thomas raised his hand and sliced through the air.
A glowing door formed in space.
He gestured toward it. Ron took a step,
"Ron," Dr. Thomas called.
Ron stopped at the doorway, and turned his head.
"The Hero Town, it's filled with cosmic horror and mysteries. So, try not to get mixed up in it." Dr. Thomas said.
Ron nodded and stepped inside.
On the other side—
He returned to Hero Town.
Ron walked into a nearby café and checked the date and time on the television.
Yes.
He was back in the present.
Ron stepped outside and began walking toward his house, thinking about everything Dr. Thomas had said.
Soon, he arrived.
He opened the door.
The house was empty.
Ava was nowhere to be seen.
Ron sat on the couch and pulled out his phone, calling Carter.
"Ron?"
"Yeah. It's me."
"What the hell happened? Jake said a purple dot swallowed you."
"I was teleported somewhere far away. Anyway… what happened to the dot?" Ron asked.
"It disappeared along with you. I'm glad you're okay… but we've got another problem."
Ron's expression hardened.
"What problem?"
"Come to my house," Carter said.
"There's a kid here… from Future Lia's timeline."