Jeff Burton

“12345” ”What kind of password is that? That’s the kind of thing an idiot would use on his luggage.”

I’m kinda hoping for that Aston Martin myself.

Wait till you see the file name even the other him is going to get it wrong the first time 😂

Yeah I’ve learned my lesson lol. This one went over 100k words another first for me. I’ll complete what’s already on the table on the other stories but book 2 is getting written the slow way. And I won’t be posting it until it’s near completion. I’ve got some other stuff I’ve been writing in that manner, slowly working my way forward so I hope to be able to share those with you on a normal schedule. If nothing else but to give yall something to read while I’m working on the next one.

I just want to say that this chapter has exceeded my expectations, I’m glad I took the time with it. We’ve managed to go through an entire book without a single kiss, a long glance across the room and this is probably the most technical, plot heavy thing I’ve ever written. Theres only two more chapters to this tale and I hope I end it in a way that not only satisfies your questions in a manner that doesn’t seem rushed, because there is just so much more to tell. The simple truth is if I tried to keep it all one story it would be in progress forever without regular updates and I know how annoying that is. Because of what this is, the writing has to remain consistent and somewhat heavy to maintain the vibe and actual story and that actually takes a lot out of me right now. I need a break from it. I need to close a chapter of this and be able to walk away. So I can let what I’m planning for book 2 to stew a bit and actually be as good as book one. Author fatigue is a real thing and sometimes it gets harder the more we press on. There is so much more of Josh’s story to tell because he’s not done figuring himself out at the end of this book if anything he’s just beginning, and I don’t want to ruin his chances his character or his story because I got burned out. You guys made this story one of the top reads in its genre. It made the top 5 slot in most recommended for 2025. That wasn’t just me, it was you as well. Chapter 17 will be here soon enough, and an epilogue will be done for Chapter 18 as we start to transition our hero from the shambles of book one to the hope of book 2. Thank you all for everything.

That’s a good way to spin my delays! 😂 Thank you! Thank you for reading, next chapter is coming quick I won’t make people wait too long for it.

The school douche is a book 2 event. If I kept this one story we wouldn’t even begin to touch on that till chapter 20 something 😂 And if by chimera you mean Cerberus, it was probably both yet something else as well. Walter my walking repository of knowledge. The guy that’s going to have to clean all of this up once it’s over so everyone is happy. I don’t envy the guy at all. You’ll see more of him.

Josh’s relationship with his parents started as something different but grew as he did. Their sacrifice as morbid as it was, was meant to protect him. To die in that act of protection stuck with me as I wrote this, so yeah the three of them were absolute. For your two sides question that was always meant for book 2. Let’s hope I write it lmao. Next chapter is pretty much done yall will have it in a day or so when I finish polishing it and decide how I want to handle a certain conversation that happens in it.

The mental health part is a good catch, you’ll see some of that in the next chapter id say more but it would ruin it for you lol. The two Josh’s while being the same body seemingly developed way different. Our Josh was born completely without context so he’s literally winging it the best he can. If you remember he flat out told his original self that he’s going to be bumbling forward his way if the original can’t take long term control and the original guy just accepted it. I think really our friend just went quiet because he did too much and some of it on his own after putting our Josh to sleep so he just went back to where he was supposed to be to let that mental aberration calm down a little. Next chapter though you’ll see.

Thanks. I think if I’m allowed to take a small break without worrying about “posting the next chapter” I’ll be allowed to work on it in peace in the background. Stuff like that matters when your focus is razor thin.

The family dynamic has been building since that first meeting. Outwardly he’s a calm quiet soul that that just fits like a puzzle piece. Eleanore may or may not ever come around, she may never apologize directly and instead just use money to make the problem go away. You’ll see this answered in the first act of chapter 17. As for Walter he’ll probably facepalm when he actually sees it.

Thanks I appreciate it. I tried to keep “Josh” in character as much as possible during the getaway. He’s just a badass like that, even if he can’t remember being one. Oof sixteen more chapters. That’s totally book 2 if I can make it happen. 😂

Yeah having it slammed back into him seemed like a better idea. Oh you want the passkey? Or is it a filename. 😶

You're welcome thanks for reading!

Oof that last question.....

Your welcome. I'm actually glad I rewrote this. Now I gotta touch up 17 to match it lmao.

This was terribly cute to the point I wish I liked anime better. You guys did a great job in putting this together and I'm amazed nothing terrible happened because that's so off brand for @Lee Wilson being involved lol. Feel free to collab on a few more stories, hint hint.

I had expected a return to the void once things calmed down. To be honest, I was starting to get used to finding myself there—with him. The other me. That place that felt special to the both of us. But he had been silent since the escape from the kidnappers, and the silence bothered me more than his presence ever had. I woke twice during the night from completely dreamless sleep, no images, no echoes—just awareness snapping back on. Each time, there was a sharp edge of anticipation I c

Ouch. That's absolutely nuts.

My apologies for missing some marks on this I had hoped to have the three final chapters done by christmas lol totally didn't happen. Seasonal depression is a bitch. Anyway, I ended up rewriting chapter 16, chapter 17 is done and 18 is an epilogue of sorts. Main reason why I'm ending it here is because it closes one of the sub plots (turns out it was a major plot point), and plus I need to let this breathe for a while before I even attempt at starting book 2. I'm not going to lie, book 2 may take a while. It may not even happen, it's totally up to the mood of a muse I have no control over under the best of times. But I left some stuff at the end of this book that would answer a few of y'alls most pressing questions just in case book 2 never comes. I'll have more to say about this story in my comments on the last chapter, but thanks for hanging in there with me.

Don't bother with Solar Panels, they'll figure out a way to charge you for the sunlight. (in kilowatt hours of course)

I've dealt with worse than Ben. I could take 'em.

And the twist? It’s another Tempton transfer: Rodney. 😉

Jaxton and the Great Rod of Humility.

Ooh some space shenanigans. I’m in, great start.