CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE - Whispers of the Past

Little did Mason know, Richard's threat to expose Universe X was far from empty. The next morning, as Mason arrived at the office, he was greeted by a scene of chaos. Richard had somehow gained access to the building overnight. He'd plastered the walls with his "evidence" and was in the middle of the lobby, shouting about government conspiracies and alien technology to a crowd of bewildered employees and security guards. As Mason pushed through the crowd, he could hear his uncle's frantic voice: "Wake up, sheeple! Your precious Universe X is nothing but a front for intergalactic espionage!" Mason reached the center of the commotion just as security finally managed to restrain Richard. His uncle's eyes locked onto him, filled with a mixture of triumph and accusation. "There he is!" Richard shouted. "The puppet CEO! Tell them, Mason! Tell them about the alien tech in the basement!" Mason felt the eyes of every employee on him, waiting to see how he would handle this bizarre situatio