Beginnings; Echo's of the past

The basement was my silent tomb of refuge from the world above. Dust swirled in the faint beam of light spilling through a grimy window, illuminating a chaos of forgotten experiments—rusted tools, scattered papers, and the ghosts of my father’s brilliance. I knelt among them, my fingers brushing the worn pages of his notebooks. Each scribbled equation was a lifeline, a tether to the man they’d branded a killer. But I knew the truth: Dad wasn’t a monster. He was a visionary. And I’d prove it, even if it cost me everything.

The air was cool, thick with the scent of damp earth and old ink. Beyond these walls, the city night stretched vast and still, the coffee plantation a sea of dark leaves under a star-strewn sky. It was nothing like London—its clamor and crowds a fading echo, replaced by this isolating quiet. We’d fled here to Zambia after the explosion, after the accusations, but the past clung to me like a second skin. It was in the empty spaces: Dad’s chair, Mom’s tired eyes, my brother Kled’s abandoned room.

Then I saw it—a sleek, cuboid machine half-hidden beneath a pile of journals. It wasn’t in Dad’s notes, but its faint hum called to me, alive and insistent. My pulse quickened as I brushed off the dust, revealing glowing buttons along its side. Curiosity overrode caution. I pressed one.

A sharp whine pierced the silence, the hum swelling until it rattled my bones. Light exploded from the device, and I stumbled back, heart hammering. In the beam’s glow, a figure took shape—metallic, humanoid, its eyes blazing like twin stars. My legs buckled, and I hit the floor, staring as it solidified.

“What the hell…” My voice was a rasp, barely audible over the pounding in my ears.

The robot tilted its head, its gaze unyielding. “Quantum gateway jump successful,” it said, its tone eerily calm. “Hello, Cipher. I am Number One, sent by your father, Frederick Silver.”

“My father’s dead,” I snapped, scrambling back until I hit the wall.

Number One’s eyes flared, and a holographic galaxy shimmered between us—alien ships gliding through the void, their shapes cold and menacing. “An invasion is imminent,” it said. “Your father foresaw this threat and created me to deliver a warning—and a solution.”

The hologram shifted, revealing vials of glowing purple serum. “This will grant powers to those who take it,” the robot continued. “My mission is to build an army with this power, perfected by your father.”

I shook my head, disbelief warring with the evidence before me. A machine from nowhere, a robot claiming Dad’s legacy—it was insane. But then Number One projected another image: Dad’s face, lined and weary, yet alive.

“Hello, Lilian,” he said, his voice breaking the dam inside me. “Surprised to see me?”

Tears stung my eyes. It was him—impossible, undeniable. “I don’t know if this will reach you,” he went on, “but if it does… The explosion didn’t kill us. It teleported me and half the team to another planet—a war-torn hell. Earth’s in danger, Lilian. I’m fighting to stop them, to get back to you, Kled, Cipher, and Angela. Tell them I love them. You’re my strength. Stay strong, my love. I’ll return, no matter what.”

The hologram faded, leaving a void I couldn’t fill. “He’s alive,” I whispered, tasting the words.

“Your father entrusted me with this mission,” Number One said. “I must secure global cooperation to defend Earth.”

“So, what, you’re off to convince the world’s leaders?” I asked, still dazed.

“Correct. Keep the serum safe until I return.” It handed me a case of vials, my hands trembling as I took it. Then, in a flash, it was gone.

The following day, I went to school like any other day. My mind was filled with questions, and I couldn’t even concentrate during classes.

After school, I rushed out to avoid bumping into, archenemy, Randy and his minions. The bully who lived his life to ruin mine. For three years, he bullied me relentlessly at school, making my life miserable in every possible way. With each act, my self-esteem dropped further. I didn’t tell Mom what was happening at school because I didn’t want to worry her when she was already doing her best to support our family. To add to our problems, Kled left home and became a drug dealer.

Ever the relentless one, immediately after the bell rang, I saw him coming toward me with his group.

I ran out of the classroom and hurried through the hallway to go home. After successfully leaving the schoolyard, I thought I had escaped the beast’s territory and began walking home at an easy pace. That’s when my only friend, Collins—the only other person who spoke with me at school aside from my sister Angela—came running toward me, sweating and panting.

“Cipher! Your sister!”

“What about her?” I asked, worry building in my chest. His face looked pale with nervousness.

“It’s Randy. He took her to the roof with his friends.”

I felt a rush of blood to my head. My senses began to numb, and I barely stopped myself from passing out. The things he had done to me! The thought of him tormenting my sister! I couldn’t just sit by and let Randy, however strong he was, torture her the way he had tormented me. I gathered my strength, ran back to school, climbed the stairs, and found Randy with Angela sitting on his lap, surrounded by his henchmen. That’s when I realized that some battles in life cannot be fought with words alone.