**EXT. NEO-BOSTON STREET - CONTINUOUS**
Valentine approaches the comm terminal, inserting a data chip to mask his identity. He pulls up a secure channel, hesitating as he considers who to contact.
(To Mia)
Who can I trust with this? Someone who won't turn me over to Chronos.
There's one person. Dr. Aris Thorne. He was the lead researcher on Chronos Corp's original temporal displacement project before he... disappeared.
Valentine's eyes narrow. Thorne. A name he hasn't heard in years. The man who practically invented Chrono Shifting technology before vanishing under mysterious circumstances.
Find him. Now.
Mia works quickly, accessing deep web databases and encrypted channels. After a moment, she responds.
Location confirmed. Thorne's been operating out of an abandoned observatory on the city's outskirts. But David... he's not alone. Chronos knows you have the device. They're mobilizing enforcers as we speak.
Valentine looks around nervously. He's being watched. He can feel it.