POV: Time Variance Authority

Elias felt as though a heavy fog had suddenly lifted, revealing a bright path forward. In the dream world's bank vault—where Cipher was trying to open that mysterious deposit box—there were precisely eight rotating dials forming the combination lock.

All this time, Elias had stubbornly believed those eight digits had to be some date—a birthday, an anniversary, or a day of great significance. He had never considered any alternative.

And that was his oversight.

He'd almost forgotten his old chat-service ID—an 8-digit number from childhood. Growing up, he and Gavin were among those who only got online messaging in middle school, when newly issued accounts were typically 9 or 10 digits. Only older, more seasoned users from earlier years held those coveted 8-digit IDs.

Suddenly it seemed obvious. The deposit box needing an 8-digit code might well point to that 8-digit ID from Elias's past. Otherwise, what were the odds?

Gavin noticed Elias lost in thought and waved a hand in front of him.

"Hey, you froze or something? You're over here muttering."

Elias looked up, picking up his beer.

"Don't worry," he said. "Let's finish eating."

After dinner, they decided to head home separately. Gavin opened a taxi door, gesturing Elias inside.

"We're not going in the same direction," Gavin remarked. "No point dropping each other off. You go first."

Elias nodded and climbed into the taxi. Lowering the window, he gave Gavin a quick wave.

"Later."

Gavin flicked away his cigarette and clasped Elias's hand once more through the open window.

"Once you confirm your dream's really just a dream, I can finally stop worrying about you."

"We'll see." Elias shrugged. "Take care, man."

***

It was a little after eight o'clock when Elias got home—plenty of time to re-enter the dream and test everything Dr. Morgan had said.

He showered to clear his head, reflecting on everything from his first run-in with Claw and Cipher up to the present day. And especially on the voice of Cipher—the one that made Elias feel he must have encountered her somewhere in the waking world. Gavin had explained that such a voice might be the only link bridging dream and reality.

He also recalled the deposit box's 8-digit combination. Could it match that old chat ID?

Tonight, he planned to settle both matters. Step one: remove Claw from the equation. The man caused more problems than he solved. Elias was certain he could handle Cipher alone—but not if Claw's blunders got in the way.

He mentally worked out a plan to unmask Cipher:

Bait Claw Away. Under no circumstances could Claw ruin the operation.Keep Cipher On-Side. Elias didn't have the explosives or gear to breach the vault. He needed her hacking ability.Impersonate Claw. Wearing Claw's cat mask, Elias could pass himself off as him, guiding Cipher to the bank.Quickly Neutralize Any Tag-Along Henchmen. Since neither Claw nor Cipher knew each other's real appearance, identity hinged solely on the mask. Speed was key.In the Vault: Unmask Cipher & Test the Box Code. He'd remove her mask once she'd cracked the lock, and also try his suspected password.

Simple enough. He could attempt forcibly removing Cipher's mask right away, but she had a gun. One misstep, and the dream would reset prematurely—plus, he wanted to open that deposit box. Might as well handle both tonight.

Elias smirked, thinking how he once pretended to be Cipher wearing a hero mask. Now he'd pretend to be Claw with a cat mask. He was becoming a veritable infiltration expert—like a spy in a layered "Mission Impossible."

"Life is strange sometimes," he said quietly.

Still, this plan hinged on the anonymity between Claw and Cipher. They barely knew each other's existence, let alone faces. Each aimed to exploit the other and betray them at the first opportunity. That gave Elias the advantage—just a mask sufficed to fool them.

Yawning, he lay on his bed.

"Tonight," he murmured, "I'll settle this story once and for all."

He let the day's tension drain away. Soon he drifted into sleep.

***

Whoosh

A dry summer wind whipped around him. Only minutes ago, the shower left him shivering—now the hot night air of the dream city enveloped him in swirling humidity.

Elias glanced at the digital sign overhead:

21:11.

He guessed Claw or Cipher wouldn't arrive at the plaza until around ten, based on past loops.

He set off for a small police kiosk flickering under fluorescent lights, noticing two uniformed officers loitering. Typically, such kiosks held standard police gear—batons, tasers, riot shields, the basics. Elias didn't care about official terms—he just knew from personal experience how these tools felt in action.

"Time to handle Claw," he mused.

He knew from experience that Claw's van always arrived from the same direction, parking in the same spot. Sure enough, about half an hour later, a battered white van rumbled up and switched off its headlights.

A couple of minutes after that, the hulking figure of Claw—with a Rhine Cat mask jammed onto his large face—stepped out, scowling as he scanned the crowd for his "expert." The van's door remained half-open, engine idling, ready for a getaway.

Elias ran back to the kiosk.

"Officers, help!" he called, feigning panic. "I've just been robbed of my cat mask by that big guy over there!"

One cop smirked. "Not exactly a big deal, but let's see."

"He has a gun" Elias hissed.

"What?!"

Within seconds, the cops leapt into action. One grabbed his radio, barking instructions, while the pair outside advanced on Claw.

"Don't move! Hands in the air!"

Claw turned, too slow, and was tackled to the ground. A policeman pinned his arm behind his back while another rummaged at his waist.

"He's armed!" one exclaimed, drawing out a handgun. "And… oh God, there's C4 in here too!"

The policeman's face paled. "Keep him pinned! Calling backup right now!"

This was no joke. A loaded firearm and explosives in a crowded plaza was serious. Who knew if he had accomplices?

Elias approached cautiously.

"Um, can I just get my mask back?"

The officer ripped the Rhine Cat mask from Claw's face and tossed it aside. Claw tried to cry out, but a black hood yanked over his head stifled the noise.

Snatching up the mask, Elias stepped away from the ruckus, hearing the sirens wail. He glanced at the cartoon cat visage in his hands.

"Key item acquired," he murmured with a small grin.

Fixing the elastic strap, he slipped it over his own face. It felt a bit snug but covered him enough.

"Now," he said, muffling his voice through it, "I am Claw."