Chương 42: Chapter 41 - Alpha (III)

August 2, 2024 - Headquarters of the United Nations, New York, US"Straight to the point, I like it," he said, the smile never leaving his face. He adjusted his suit jacket slightly as he continued, "But why don't we break the ice with a short story first." Elena frowned, finding the smile in the man's face rather annoying. Noticing the minute facial expressions she understood the man's intention and pressed a button under her desk. The door closed and so did the windows, with soundproofing plates.

The man slightly nodded and proceeded "This story is about men and their stupidity." He leaned back slightly, his tone light and almost playful, like someone sharing a bedtime story with a child.

"Once upon a time, there was a circus—a grand spectacle that entertained the masses. The performers dazzled the audience, and the ringmasters held everything together with an iron grip, all while the crowd cheered, blissfully unaware of the strings being pulled behind the curtain. It was all part of the show, you see—a show that followed a very specific script." Elena remained silent, her eyes narrowing as she listened.

"The thing about this circus," the man continued, "was that it wasn't just a circus. It was a way of life. The performers knew their roles, the ringmasters knew their cues, and the audience? Well, they were just happy to have something to watch. Everything ran smoothly because everything was controlled. Every act, every trick, every applause—it was all planned, right down to the last detail." He paused, as if savoring the memory of this well-orchestrated show.

"The script was carefully written, leading into the future with precision. No surprises, no deviations, just a perfectly executed performance. But one day, something happened. They came, uninvited and unannounced, and they tore the script to shreds. The carefully crafted plan? Turned to dust in an instant." Elena's frown deepened, but the man continued, seemingly enjoying his tale.

"The performers were thrown into chaos, the ringmasters found themselves scrambling, and the audience? Well, they started to notice that something was off. The show wasn't going according to plan anymore. And so, the ones behind the curtain had to adapt. They had to make adjustments, and they had to do it with haste." He chuckled softly, the sound almost musical.

"Now, haste isn't something we're fond of. We like things to be orderly, predictable, within our control. But sometimes, circumstances force our hand. And that's why I'm here, Madam Secretary." Elena's gaze was sharp, her patience wearing thin.

"And what exactly is the reason you're here?" The man's smile widened, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Quite simply, because we like your face. You see, when the script was torn apart, we needed to find new players. Players who could handle the unexpected, who could navigate the chaos with grace. And you, Madam Secretary, have that certain... presence." He leaned forward, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret.

"So, we'd like to offer you a role in the new script. A much more important role than the one you had before, which was, frankly... rather boring." He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing, "We want you to be the face of this new act. Play a role where you have the opportunity to make things right, to guide the story where it needs to go. Of course, you won't be doing it alone. We'll be there, behind the curtain, making sure the show goes on."

Elena remained silent, her thoughts racing as she processed his words. The man's smile didn't falter as he studied her, seemingly satisfied with the lack of response. Without waiting for her to speak, he gave a slight nod, as if her silence was all the confirmation he needed. He turned away from the window and walked toward the door. Elena's eyes widened as the door opened effortlessly before him, the lock disengaging without any action on her part. Before stepping out, the man paused, his back still to her.

In a low, almost teasing tone, he said, "You can put the phone back. It won't ring anymore." They started moving warily through the dense foliage. The tropical vegetation was thick, with low-hanging branches and large leaves brushing against their faces as they pushed forward. The ground was soft and damp, covered in a mix of moss and fallen leaves, making their steps nearly silent. The air was heavy with humidity, and the scent of wet earth and vegetation filled their lungs.

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. Palm trees and other tropical flora formed a tight canopy above them, filtering the sunlight into dappled patches on the ground. Vines twisted around the trunks of trees, some hanging low enough that they had to duck to avoid them. Alonso remained focused, his thoughts still troubled by the differences in their trials, but he pushed them aside for now.

Survival came first, and they needed to find a safe place before nightfall. They moved in silence, every sense heightened, constantly scanning for danger. Alonso had become skilled at merging EM wave pulses, often stacking five together to increase their range. This made the pulse stronger, allowing it to reflect back from further distances, though dispersion became an issue. Merging six pulses was proving challenging and would take time.

As he stepped over a thick root, one of his pulses reflected back, revealing something metallic buried ahead. It was small and distant, difficult to identify, but unmistakably there. Without hesitation, Alonso sent a stacked pulse to Abhijit, who immediately halted and looked at him. This method of communication was one they had perfected—quick, silent, and reliable. It would have been ideal if he could quickly write a static message in the EM space, but he was far from mastering that skill.

Even simple letters took him several minutes to form, and in a high-pressure situation like this, there was no time to spare. Despite these limitations, he detected the object in time, significantly reducing the threat level it could pose. He hesitated for a moment, then signaled Abhijit to wait as he cautiously moved forward. As he drew closer, the mapping of the object through his EM waves became clearer. It was sharp and pointed—clearly dangerous. Suddenly, the object darted toward him with blinding speed.

He barely managed to raise his sword in time, deflecting the attack with a sharp clang. His senses quickly traced the object, and he reacted by thrusting his sword downward, piercing the creature in the middle as it attempted to bury itself back into the earth. He caught a glimpse of it as it wriggled violently, its body convulsing in apparent pain. It was a big, fat white worm with some sort of metallic horn protruding from one end.

Alonso felt the struggle slow as the worm's movements weakened until it finally went still. Then, as if fading from existence, the worm disappeared, leaving behind a small orb in the ground. Alonso reached down and touched the orb. Stage 1 - 1. 010% A small, but welcomed reward. Suddenly, Alonso detected an EM pulse from behind him. He turned to see Abhijit, who wore a cautious expression.

"It's okay. Danger cleared," Alonso said, his voice steady.

"It was a new type of creature—still white and ugly as hell, but no longer humanoid. It looked like a fat, very short beach worm with a metallic horn on its front. From what I gathered, it relies on fast ambushes to kill. If the ambush fails, it's easy to take down." Abhijit nodded, though a frown lingered on his face.

"So, we detect it with the EM, deflect the attack, and then kill. I noticed it also dropped an orb."

"Yeah, just like the creatures in the white room," Alonso confirmed. He hesitated for a moment, his gaze distant.

"We'll need to figure out how to split the spoils. I suggest that whoever makes the kill gets the orb. For larger or stronger creatures where we need to fight together, we can alternate. Since I proposed this, you can take the first one. What do you think?" Abhijit considered the suggestion, his frown easing slightly.

"That sounds fair. We'll alternate for bigger threats, but whoever lands the kill shot on the smaller ones keeps the orb."

"Good. Let's keep going then," Alonso said, turning around to resume their march. This time, he noticed Abhijit walking slightly ahead of him. His intentions were obvious, but Alonso didn't mind. Whatever reward awaited would come with its corresponding danger. Having a shield could very well mean having an extra life. As they walked, they soon encountered another worm. While Abhijit barely deflected its ambush and dealt with it, Alonso took the moment to let his mind wander."

One worm is easy, but what about two or three at the same time? Any ideas, Houston?"" Well, that's what Abhijit is for, right? Let his greed get the better of him. Who knows, he might also drop a juicy orb in the end."" Since when did you become the devil's advocate, Houston?"" Someone has to say it. In this trial, everything is a variable. Until we return, any human we encounter should be treated as another part of the test."" That's a very Machiavellian way of thinking.""

But we both agree, The Prince was a good book." Alonso remained silent as he calmly observed Abhijit absorbing the orb. When Abhijit finished, he turned back to face Alonso. Alonso nodded and offered a refreshing smile.

"Good job. Let's keep it up."