Time To Save You!
Aaron Tyler, The Leftovers

Ruby Avenue, North Carolina, June 30, 2020

Liam escorts Lucy to her room, Ruth's room on the second floor of their house. The room was a little dusty because it was never occupied. However, the room remains neat with a predominance of monochrome colors and a minimalistic look.

"Welcome back, Ruth. This house will be back because of you." Liam hasn't stopped revealing his happiness since yesterday at the hospital.

"Thank you, Liam."

"Yes. Have good night. Call me right away if you feel anything. I moved into the room next to you."

"Ah, yes."

Liam decides to get out of his sister's room, but stops at the door as soon as he realizes Ruth is acting strangely. His sister was like a confused person, even now dizzy in her own room. "By the way, why are you being a little awkward with us? You still surprised?"

"Oh? No. gabe. I'm just making sure... Is this really my room?"

"Of course, Ruth. What are you doing? Never mind, it seems you really need to rest. Bye!"

Liam completely shut the door this time, leaving Lucy in the room alone. However, instead of resting at the behest of Liam and his doctor, Lucy chooses to explore Ruth's room, which again looks very different from her room. Lucy likes pink, while Ruth likes black and gray. Lucy likes flowers, while Ruth prefers embellishments over woodcarvings. Lucy likes dresses, while Ruth prefers suits and trousers.

"You're like a real man, Ruth" Lucy muttered after seeing the contents of Ruth's wardrobe. Now, the only thing he hasn't checked out is Ruth's workspace which was deliberately set apart on the right side of her room.

Lucy pushed the unlocked workspace door slowly. He then slightly snapped as soon as the office lamp itself lit up after the door was opened perfectly.

"Gee..."

Between awe and surprise, Lucy rates Ruth's workspace as a state office workspace. There are two shelves there, the one on the right side containing fiction books, while the one on the left contains notebooks and a collection of papers neatly arranged in the archive.

Lucy smiled knot. "This time we are the same, I also like to read novels," he said, enthusiastic about seeing a row of novel titles that he certainly had never heard of anything else. "I think I'll stay here often."

Lucy continued to explore Ruth's study, until she decided to sit for a while in her office chair. "This seat is also comfortable, the price must be expensive." Lucy commented idly, considering that the chair was indeed made of real leather. "You're apparently a rich man, Ruth. You have a family that loves you, and it seems like a job that you really like..."

"But where are you now? Why am I inside your body?" Lucy continued to monologue, as her hand opened a photo album on the table. Lucy thought it was a family photo album, but she was wrong.

"Paul?" Lucy checked the entire photo on the album from the first page to the last page. "Not wrong, this is Paul. Why did Ruth keep the picture?" Lucy continues to be confused and find out, but only two things she finds from the entire photo album.

Lucy rereads the cover photo album. "He's Paul, but now his name is Aaron Tyler? Who is Aaron Tyler? Is she..."

"An artist? Celebrities?" Lucy concluded, because almost all of Paul's photos on the album hold instruments, primarily guitar and piano. "Did Ruth like it?"

Not finding enough facts, Lucy again opened the drawers on Ruth's desk, but all she found were writings on paper that she did not understand what they contained. Not because Lucy could not read it, but she was too lazy, because the writings were as dense as newspaper writing. However, the piece of paper at the very bottom of the pile of paper caught his attention.

A photo of Paul is inserted in his right corner, fused with some of the documents below.

Lucy did not continue her monologue, her right hand suddenly shaking. The document with a picture of Paul falling on the table, along with Lucy who was attacked in panic when the six-digit bright yellow luminous figure reappeared, exactly as it did in the hospital two days ago.

"00..."

"2... 3..."

"54?"

****

Criminal Investigation Division, FBI Office, North Carolina. 1 July 2020

As Harold said, the return of Ruth Madison became an important moment for the institution where she worked. A dozen people in the task force welcome the return of a special agent who has captured a legendary serial killer who for two years roamed the American West. They greet Ruth, embrace her, give her hopes that she will always be healthy and no longer have a work accident.

Oh, they really do not know that Ruth in front of them is not entirely Ruth Madison, but a plain girl who does not even know anything about the 'hard' work done by Ruth. Lucy just found out that Ruth was a cop, that's all.

"Welcome back to work, man. New assignment awaits you." Laura becomes the last person to greet Lucy when she reaches her desk between Harold's.

"New task? What assignment?"

"Oh, apparently you've been asleep for a month, Ruth. Haven't you heard that a serial murder case is back?"

"Serial murder? I don't know. Since when did that happen?"

"Since a month ago. A few days after you arrested a man who made you fall into the abyss, two murder cases occurred. One in Columbia, one in Southern Pines."

"Ah. Why are there so many murders in this country?"

Laura simply flicked her shoulders, then handed the stack of archive documents to Lucy's desk. "Please learn, I've gathered a lot of evidence."

"Gosh, that's a lot. What is this document?"

"What's? Much you say? Oh, my God, this is nothing compared to your previous job. I hope you get back to your ambitions soon, Ruth. This time murder seems to target important people, from officials to celebrities..."

"Celebrities?" Lucy was immediately connected to Paul, now known as Aaron.

"Yes. Oh, apparently you also don't know that one of the victims is the guitarist of your favorite band, The Leftovers."

"The band?"

"Yes, and he's the younger brother of Aaron Tyler, the lead singer."