The Alpha super solider project ESCAPE (PROLOUGE P2)

Dr. Hector carefully manipulates the invisible stone in his hand, his fingers deftly adjusting the minuscule piece of tape with incredibly strong glue, to secure the stone in place. As he works, the night sky stretches out before him, a black canvas speckled with distant stars. He takes a moment to pause, cigarette smoke curling from his lips as he reflects on his actions. His thoughts inevitably drift to the past, to memories he has tried to leave behind.

His mumbled words eco in the night as if reminiscent the past he lived to himself.

"I can never forget that fateful day. The guilt and regret still weigh heavily on my conscience. I wasn't the father I should have been." Dr. hector said.

My work consumed me, always coming first in my life. I devoted myself to the pursuit of science, searching for answers that only I could uncover. But at what cost? My wife was taken from me by an illness, a loss that broke me. I did my best to take care of my son, Aiden, but the sight of him only served as a constant reminder of my wife's absence.

I tried to escape the pain by immersing myself in my work, every waking moment devoted to it. But in doing so, I neglected my son. Growing up, Aiden never quite warmed to me, and I couldn't blame him. My constant moving, chasing the next big project and job contract, made it impossible for him to make friends and have a stable childhood.

His eyes focused on the picture of Aiden that he took out of his pocket to remind himself. The only reminder of his son was this picture he had with him.

"I was such a shitty father. I could have done more on that day" He said as a tear fell on the picture as dr. hector closed his eyes to remember that dreadful day.

"That fateful day, January 19th, 2099. I lost everything"

We were on our way to the USA for a crucial business meeting. Aiden and I boarded a flight from Chongqing, China, where I had been working on a project. He was livid, a 15-year-old boy who felt like he had lost his childhood to my career. I, a scientist proficient in 12 different fields, couldn't even be there for my own son. I was so selfish back then".

Sitting in our first-class seat aiden complained with his demeanor was very sour as dr hector disclosed that they were moving to the USA for a project.

"Why do we have to keep moving? It's so hard for me. I don't have any friends because we're always on the move. You're barely ever home. What's the point of all this?" Aiden's voice was filled with frustration and anger as he confronted his father.

Dr hector sat next to his son, reading a newspaper without making eye contact. I was aware of Aiden's feelings but never truly addressed them. "This is a big contract from the government, and I have to relocate for that project. " Dr. Hector offered weakly without eye contact. It had become a bit to not even look at his son.

Aiden was so incensed that he couldn't bring himself to speak anymore. He knew it was pointless. His father had never been the same since his mother's death. With a voice barely above a whisper, Aiden murmured,

"I wish you weren't my dad."

Aiden turned his gaze from his father to the window view of the private jet, trying to calm himself down. As he looked out, a bright shining light from a faraway distance caught his attention, followed by multiple streaks of light. He leaned closer to the window, his arms resting on the windshield as he gazed in awe at the beautiful display that looked like a mentor shower. The streaks of meteors shower suddenly shifted their trajectory in an unnatural manner B- lining for the jet as Aiden watched, his indifferent gaze unbroken.

As Aiden was mesmerized by the sight and a little confused, a warning was broadcasted by the flight attendant, her voice urgent and panicked.

"ATTENTION!!!! We are facing a major incident. Brace for impact. Strap your seatbelt" A voice of the copilot said from the speakers.

Aiden had little time to process the warning before a relentless meteor shower pummeled the plane. The thunderous cacophony of twisting, rending metal echoed through the air as the aircraft was ruthlessly torn asunder, hurtling toward the ground in a catastrophic descent near Manhattan, New York. The sheer force of the impact was petrifying, reverberating the anguished symphony of mangled metal across great distances.

SHEERRKKK.

The plane skidded to a stop, collapsing in on itself. The sound of more meteors landing on the city could be heard in the distance, destroying the entire landscape of the region. The area from east to west was now filled with utter destruction and fire. Dr. Hector lay unconscious, along with his son Aiden as they had their seatbelts on and somehow survived the impact.

When Dr. Hector woke up, his vision was hazy and blood covered his eyes. He felt like his legs were broken, unable to move them. His breath was heavy as the pain registered with him screaming in pain. he could feel someone sitting on his chest. As his vision cleared with the passage of time, he saw a boy, no more than a teenager, holding up tons of debris with his tiny hands, metal sheets, and rubble that would have been impossible to lift.

Aiden was barely holding on, collapsing moment after moment, but he never let up. Something shone in the darkness of the surrounding that was filled with collapsed rubble in the boy's right hand, something that replaced the torn flesh of his hand, the size of a tennis ball as it was placed there. He didn't look conscious as if he was possessed.

"Aiden!? Son, what? How? Are you okay, son? Aiden?!" dr hector said.

Dr. Hector's voice was filled with panic and urgency as he tried to stand up, but quickly realized that he couldn't even lift his chest. The weight of the debris was too much, his son, was miraculously holding on without applying too much pressure on his body, like squatting just barely holding on. He looked around in the darkness, barely able to see the object that illuminated Aiden's hand and some of the darkness. He saw a small pocket of space, a cone shape, created by the rubble being tilted in the opposite direction. He knew that Aiden could take cover there and wait for help.

"AIDEN!"

Aiden was in a trance, his consciousness completely drifted, hearing weird voices in his head and speaking gibberish. But the screams of his father brought him back to his senses.

"Aiden, don't do anything stupid. Just take cover in that empty spot" dr hector pointed at the cone-shaped area that would fit a person in. The rubble made an arched area that looked safe enough to squeeze in and wait for help.

"Hurry, Aiden, you can't hold this weight. let go and run!" dr hector said as he pleaded.

He heard his father's plan but knew that it wouldn't work. Both of them would die if he let go. He was nearly exhausted, breathing heavily.

"Dad, I'm somehow okay. It's hard, but I can manage. You know, I always wanted you to pay attention to me. I hate you. Never thought I would get your attention like this," Aiden said with a hint of bitterness in his voice.

Dr. Hector was not listening, as the rubble continued to weigh down, creaking and making terrifying sounds, slowly sinking on top of them.

"Aiden, this is not the time. Please, son. PLEASE, JUST ESCAPE AND HIDE IN THAT CORNER!," Dr hector pleaded screaming and squirming, his voice strained with emotion. he just couldn't lose someone again in his life.

Dr. Hector's entire body was in pain, he had concluded that he had broken ribs and a fracture in one hand, yet he continued to urge his son to leave him, trying to push him with all the strength his broken hands could muster, but Aiden wouldn't budge. he just looked at whim with a small smile while thinking of his life up to this point.

Tears were streaming down Dr. Hector's face as he felt helpless, again. There was nothing he could do but watch helplessly. just like how he watched his wife die of a disease.

Seeing his father like this, Aiden, with the help of the glowing stone that seemed to be reading his father's thoughts, spoke.

"Dad, did you even realize that at every school I went to, I was always at the top? Whether it was sports or academics, I was always the best in the whole region. But you never seemed to notice. You never appreciated all the effort I put in." alien said.

"You were always busy with your research. I thought I was lacking a lot because it might have been hard to acknowledge me when you were a son of a genius renowned by the world."

Aiden eyes met his father as he could see the pain clearly.

"Dad, it hurts. I can see your pain, and I know you missed Mom. But please understand, I don't hate you. You were different before she passed away," Aiden expressed, a tinge of sadness lacing his words.

Dr. Hector could only listen, unable to deny his son's heartfelt words. He carried the weight of his failures as a father, knowing deep down that he had been far from what his family deserved. The sound of rubble persisted, its ominous creaking echoing like distant thunder.

"Dad, I want you to know that I love you, no matter what. It's just that I feel a pang of sadness because you never shared your pain with me. We're a family, and all I ever wanted was affection and a sense of belonging. Moving so often made it difficult for me to adjust anywhere. But please, Dad, don't blame yourself. This chaos isn't your fault. I want to thank you for everything," Aiden's words carried a genuine warmth, his smile radiating pure love. As he spoke, his hand, bearing a rock with a carved symbol, glowed with a brilliant light, illuminating the darkness around them like a sky full of stars.

Dr. Hector's final vision was that of his son, adorned with the brightest smile, his presence a beacon of hope amidst the surrounding darkness.

"AIDEENNNNNNN!"

Dr. Hector screamed as he saw his son put all his strength into throwing the rubble several feet in the air and forcibly kicked him into the cone-like safe space so that he could remain safe.

Aiden, drained and depleted, collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Despite his own fatigue, he mustered one final effort, dragging himself towards his father, his outstretched hand a desperate plea for escape. His face carried a bittersweet smile, knowing that he had saved his father from imminent danger. The suspended rubble descended with a thunderous roar, metal and hefty debris crashing down, enveloping the surroundings in chaos.

BOOOOOOOM--CLANKKKK--CRAAACCKCKCK

Aiden tried his hardest to reach the cone, raising his hand to make it out with all his remaining strength. But it was too late, the rubble collapsed on top of him mercilessly extinguishing any hope left. Aiden saw one last glimpse that his father with a smile on his face.

Moments passed like an eternity as the debris settled, leaving Dr. Hector engulfed in excruciating pain as if he had been struck with a powerful blow. Speech failed him; words eluded his shattered mind. The scene before him defied description, rendering him speechless and incapable of finding solace in any explanation.

An inhuman sound of crying was echoing through the entire rubble of the plane, the wings, and the cargo. A hand was popping out of the rubble with blood all over it, as Dr. Hector grabbed it, his world fell apart. Dr hector wasn't in his right mind. He didn't know how much time had passed, but he knew his son had died saving him. After countless hours of crying, barely holding onto his senses, he saw a stone that was slowly losing its color.

The thing that was carved in his son's hand had replaced a major chunk of his palm. His throat nearly shut down as he couldn't stop himself from crying. He was eventually rescued by a rescue team, days later. He took the stone, as it was something that his son had. His body was beyond crushed, aside from his hand that had slipped past the falling rubble. Not even a trace of his old self was left A week later, Dr hector buried him with his own hands.

It was hard. Weeks and months passed, as he quit his work. Slowly losing his sanity as he did not know what to do now. A heinous thought came to his mind, and slowly it tormented him to act. He wanted to revive his son using modern science. Cloning technology was something that Dr. Hector was an expert in. After finally mustering the courage to act on his decision, he planned to revive his son. But before that, he found that the stone was not of extraterrestrial origin.

Dr. Hector joined the Alpha project, a secret project in an organization that did not even have a name, in hopes that it would have the technology he needed to revive his son. He was determined to find a way to bring his son back, even if it meant allying with criminal shadow organizations. He spent three years studying the mysterious stone, believing it could hold the key to his goal. He came to the conclusion that it could help him in some way.

It was extremely difficult to clone humans and make them efficient, having an average life expectancy. The growth process required the right amount of care. Dr. Hector finally concluded that it was impossible to clone a human at the age of 14. The development phase alone was hard. Humans needed time to form tissues and bones. Rushing the process always led to immature bodies that collapsed within months or at most, a year. He was losing hope as he worked along with the shadow organization.

However, he had hopes that maybe this stone could help him achieve something. He tested it with everything, and it seemed to absorb radiation or any form of energy. He couldn't even begin to describe its limits of capacity. The problem was that it completely lost color after a few minutes of exposure to any form of energy.

"Maybe the energy output was too low. It had no substance that matched its composition. It couldn't be even classified as matter." dr hector thought. As time passed and dr familiarized himself with the layout of the buildings and facilities. One thing that stood out was the fusion core in a facility like this.

"Maybe I could use the energy to power the stone." dr hector concluded and made

"Sir, this area is off-limits. You're the chief director of the research division, but please sir, you can't enter the fusion core," a guard warned Dr. Hector as he entered the restricted area with the down 45 floors underground. He wasn't even sure how many levels were there to the organization base. All he knew was he could never return to his normal life and be completely accommodated.

Dr. Hector, without looking at the guard and observing the surroundings, handed him a slip that he had acquired from his connections with the higher-ups that he made with the time he spent.

Ie wanted to see the fusion core. Being well-versed in radiation and nuclear physics. I even have the permission id code. check it"

"Sorry for the confusion, sir. Proceed," the guard said, after reading his id card through the scanner.

Dr. Hector was alone in the highly restricted area, where no cameras could function due to the intense levels of radiation. He wore a high-tech lead suit to protect himself as he operated in this dangerous area. Even with that, he knew he was risking his life.

"It's worth the Risk," Dr hector thought.

The huge l door closed behind Dr. Hector as he made his way to a compartment near the terminal area where the fusion rector was behind walls and windows. placing the stone in a compartment within the terminal.

"A space was created within the reactor that was used to test the heat and radiation on different things of interest. I hope it works"

It was his last chance, if this failed, dr thought to abandon this insanity.

He pressed the button to initiate the process of heat exposure to the stone.

As he watched dr mind drifts into the world of his thoughts. he had a suspicion that the meteor shower was not a random incident. Something was extremely off as he later researched it thoroughly. Many more incidents were happening all over the world. It was changing the terrain and many other things. Before coming to this final decision, he had acquired a book from a temple that formed out of nowhere and was looted in Rome. It was auctioned, and he had the urge to buy this book. He discovered that by placing it in the same space as the invisible stone, a story-like novel seemed to write itself in the book. It was interesting at first, but utterly useless. his thoughts were disturbed as a sound of alarms disturbed his thoughts. The process was near completion.

"I should push it to maximum capacity because I know this stone can take it. I can't risk ever asking for permission again, it will be too suspicious," Dr. Hector thought as he calibrated the interface of the reactor.

After an hour, he stopped the process as the stone was shining very brightly. The stone slowly changed to a green and dark pigment color. It was very astonishing. To do hectors his surprise, there was no trace of extreme heat or radiation. This was both surprising and disturbing. He didn't know what he was dealing with.

"I just don't have a choice," Dr. Hector said, looking at the stone.

For weeks, Dr. Hector tried everything in his lab to get a reaction from the stone, hooking it to many different apparatuses, and using various materials to make it react, but nothing seemed to work. He knew the stone could give superhuman strength, maybe something like advanced cell generation, which could help him revive Aiden without any drawbacks in the process of cloning.

After deep contemplation, Dr. Hector made a fateful decision to take the ultimate and solitary risk. He resolved to clone Aiden, utilizing Aiden's DNA as the genetic material that he saved for a day like this. The mere thought of witnessing his son's death once more proved unbearable, and he would rather face death himself than experience such anguish. With unwavering determination, he toiled tirelessly, months passing like a blur of relentless effort.

"Doctor, we're growing impatient. The council is disappointed with the lack of progress since you joined us 1 year ago. You'll be granted more time, but we demand tangible results," the General's stern voice echoed through the lab as he watched the dr work. The lab buzzed with activity, its pristine white walls and organized workstations housing cutting-edge equipment. Glass cabinets safeguarded genetic samples, while transparent incubators nurtured developing clones. A computer station displayed complex data and simulations. In a secure glass enclosure, shielded by reinforced walls interrupting Dr. Hector's working on the extensive research data he had accumulated for Aiden's clone.

"I assure you, General, Im doing my utmost," Dr. Hector responded, his gaze fixed upon the transparent tube containing the floating mass of flesh preserved in a viscous liquid.

With the general's departure, Dr. Hector was left to his own devices, feeling an overwhelming sense of fatigue. Working tirelessly day and night, he poured his heart into perfecting the process, only to be met with disappointment at every turn. Hope dwindled day by day, and his spirit was gradually crushed, leaving him in a state of weariness and hopelessness.

Dr. Hector gently placed the enigmatic stone at the bottom of the tube, where the cloned flesh floated. He leaned in, his eyes fixed on the stone, as it bathed the space with a soft, pulsating glow, emitting faint blips that pierced the darkness of the night in the dark lab.

"I'm lost, truly lost. I wish I had the answers. All I can do is hope for some reaction. Please, God, anyone, lend me a hand. I'm just a shattered man, but I beg you to help my son. I'll pay any price," Dr. Hector's plea echoed through the empty room, his voice filled with desperation. On the verge of surrender, he remained oblivious to the stone's slow, almost imperceptible blinking.

The next day, he noticed that the stone had lost its color and had become invisible. Alarmed, he checked on his cloned son and saw that there was some reaction.

Worried that the stone might have some negative effects, he searched the bottom of the tube and found the invisible stone by touch. It was hard to locate, as it did not show up on temperature-sensing cameras. Dr. Hector carefully removed the stone and kept it in his pocket, securing it in a small ring case.

Time slipped away as if in a fleeting moment, six months vanished into the abyss. With each passing day, the cloning process displayed notable progress. The doctor's first triumph in the realm of cloning was none other than his own son. Placed into an intensive development program soon after birth, the child showcased exceptional cognitive abilities, remarkable learning capacity, and unparalleled adaptability. Despite the harshness of the program, its purpose was clear to mold him into a super soldier for purposes unknown.

Doctor Hector found it unbearable to witness the transformation. Taking discreet measures, he arranged to see his son regularly, loving him like a father, albeit unable to express it openly. The secret of his son's birth remained closely guarded, necessitating a delicate balancing act. Days melded into one another, time slipping by in a blink.

The doctor's reverie was abruptly interrupted by the shrill ring of his phone, jolting him back to the present. As he answered the call, his attention sharpened, attentively listening to the voice on the other end.

"Dr. Hector, it's time for us to discuss the project face-to-face. Let's meet tomorrow at level 55. Your access key has been updated accordingly. I eagerly await our meeting, along with your extraordinary creation, B-1X," the voice conveyed, its tone pregnant with anticipation.

Click

The phone cut off, and the doctor took a deep breath, a serious look etched on his face as he considered what to do next. It was now or never.

"They definitely know and will try to capture my son for their nefarious purposes. I will escape this hellhole and bring my son with me. I can't see him treated like a tool. Tonight, I will make my escape," Dr hector thought as extinguished the cigarette and moved inside his lab from the balcony.

===================================================================================================================================================================================

In a sleek and fancy office, a man turned off his phone, placing it on his desk. He was a well-dressed man, with a slick, laid-back haircut and a small fancy monocle that matched the color of his black suit, tied to his pocket. He was a young man, contemplating his actions, tapping his fingers on the fine wooden table.

"That won't do, Professor. I can anticipate your actions. Very predictable," he said to himself.

The young man said

"Voice call Javier"

the call was connected and answered by the ai assistant

"Sir General Javier. Implement the mass lockdown protocol. We have some troublemakers," he said.

The general was amused by the call in the middle of the night. "Intruders? Or are we finally going to put the doctor on trial?" he replied with a hint of amusement.

The young man in the suit was twiddling with his thumb as he spoke on the phone.

"Both, General. Search the surrounding 20km/12 miles radius of the base with a battalion of our armed troops. There has to be someone helping the doctor. I've given him an ultimatum. Just to be safe, I'm thinking of blocking off his escape routes in case he plans to escape. We've invested a lot, and we can't have any mishaps. Check on B-1X as well, I have a sneaking suspicion that the doctor might be with him," he said.

With a smile on his face, General Javier replied slowly, "Roger."

Turning off his phone, the young man looked at the hologram screen with the Alpha project files. Browsing through them with his hand gestures he paused at an individual image that had set everything in motion. It was a man whom the world did not know yet, but who had roots in everything. From politics to governments, everything linked to this shadow organization, and he led it with an iron fist.

"I wonder what your plans are, old man. Surely, dumping this much money and resources on a project like this is stupid and unproductive. What are you up to, you fucking geezer?" he exclaimed with a hint of amusement

"You know something. Something very important for the coming days," the young man thought as he looked at a display of an old man with a big, long white beard and well-built body that matched a strongman in size on the hologram.

=======================================================================================================================================================================================

Meanwhile, B-1X was undergoing VR drill simulations that had been recently implemented in his soldier program months ago. With the most advanced technology available, it was easy to simulate reality completely.

B-1X is currently engaged in combat as he was given a task to eliminate a target. He emerged in aa villa where the target was sleeping that he needed to eliminate, armed to the teeth with guards everywhere. B-1X was being very sneaky, hiding in the shadows and using the night-time to his advantage. He was taking out the cameras and guards while doing it without making noise.

A VR engineer and a technician were viewing the progress in real-time on a hologram projector.

"This is insane. This fucker is all over the place. I can't believe a clone in such a short amount of time has done so much. What are they feeding him? How does one even have this much efficiency?" The technician said in amazement.

Another technician was saving the data and calibrating the VR in real-time on a screen filled with data sheets of real-time computing and logs to prevent any mishaps from happening.

"I have seen far more impressive things from him. You are new here so let me tell you. He is being given the best nutrition possible. I've even heard they are giving him M-pills as a standard lunch bruh."

"You haven't seen him doing things like battle simulation against 50ft monsters with guns. BIG fucking guns you see in video games. Keep in mind, the pain threshold was set to 100%. He has been badly hurt before. I don't know what they are preparing him for. He could be a one-man army from what I've seen. He's ruthless like a machine." The technician said.

The VR engineer was astonished and very disturbed by this fact. He couldn't believe the extent of the enhancements they had made to the clone's physical and cognitive abilities. He also couldn't help but wonder what the ultimate goal of the program was and how B-1X would be used in the future.

"Pain threshold 100%? Are the higher-ups insane? This is the same as living reality, you could die if you die in the simulation. Monster simulation? Why? And M pills? Jesus. What the hell are they thinking? This is something I don't feel good about. I should think about quitting this. I've got a bad feeling about this, James," Carl said, his voice laced with concern.

James looked at him with an expression of amazement and doubt. "Do your job, Carl. You're getting paid well. Just do the job. Clear your mind, it's all about living life and we are pretty much living the life here. even if we can never step outside" James said with a hint of callousness, in his voice.

The simulation was nearly finished, and the VR technician was preparing to end the program on the screen, touching the hologram to safely end the program.

"I have read too many comics. Is this deja vu? I'm feeling very paranoid about this situation," Carl said, his voice trembling with worry.

The VR simulation ends as B-1X cleared the assignment given to him in record time. Both of them walked towards the pod where B-1X was lying.

"Calm down, you idiot. You're being delusional right now, Carl," James said, trying to soothe his colleague.

"It just makes too much sense," Carl replied, still unable to shake off his paranoia and anxiety.

The pod opened with a stream of mist, revealing a young man that was unconscious, who slowly started to wake up. Both of the employees were responsible for the entire battle simulation, so they had to take extreme caution because this advanced tech was decades ahead of the current consumer market.

One mistake could cause the mind to experience severe hallucinations. Even using it causes the user to experience severe amnesia if the mind is not strong enough to understand the difference between the reality they were simulated and the real reality.

"All mind neurons link signs are normal. Carl injects the Mind-X," James said.

Carl injects B-1X with a blue-colored fluid, which was extremely important and boosted brain function. It was helpful in preventing amnesia. B-1X slowly opened his eyes and tried to get up from the pod, but he falls.

Carl was confused and worried as he saw B-1X falling.

"Dude, don't just stand like that. Let me help you. Understand that experiences of this kind of deep dive in VR are dangerous and taxing on the mind. Take it slow. Did no one tell him?" Carl said, helping him up.

Both of the technicians gave him a helping hand and laid him on a seat, checking his vitals. His eyesight and a regular checkup took about 10 minutes. Both finally concluded the checkup. James looked at the papers

"B-1X the battle simulation is over. You can go now. Everything is okay" he said, with a reassuring tone.

With a mischievous smile, James said, "You know what B-1X has done to the previous advanced hyper VR technician? Be good to B-1X or you know" He then made a throat-slash hand gesture, implying something about the previous technicians.

Carl shrugged it off and said, "Dude, stop fucking with me. I haven't seen him do anything other than follow orders, I think."

B-1X just stared at both of them with a dead-fish stare. He didn't react and just turned around and left without looking back. Amused by this, James had a big chuckle. Carl was taken aback and looked shaken. As B-1X was about to leave the big area of the room.

James completely broke into laughing at Carl, not amused by this funny spectacle

"AAAHAHAAH"

Wiping his tears, James cleared his friend's assumptions or whatever he was thinking

"Chill out, you idiot. B-1X is shy. He has never responded in the past 4 months with me. I didn't try but he didn't ask anything either. He doesn't even talk to anyone. It's sad, honestly. Don't worry, whatever you're cooking up in your head, it's not happening. He is an extremely reserved guy.

James was visibly not amused by Carl's jokes.

"Jokes aside, this is seriously something off about this project ALPHA as well as this facility. I have a very bad feeling about this, like those NPCs in comics!!!"

In his mind, Carl was thinking about putting in a resignation. He trusted his hunches, and they were never wrong about these things.

B-1X slowly exits the room and proceeds to his quarters, accompanied by a random guard. He was thinking about the unusual conversation. This hadn't happened before. It felt right in a sense, he couldn't describe it. He just thought in his mind, he wanted to talk about it with the doctor.

================================================================================================================================================================================================================================

Doctor hector after his call prepares the get things in order. First, he dials a code for the frequency on a walkie-talkie Midland 99X Channel GMRS of 2099 the latest model. Making notice of the time on his watch. The channel will open very shorty and close very fast.

The college that he employed, and a close friend Ned Weaver is waiting on the outskirts of the base. Hiding behind tall hills covering the terrain of a forest 35km/21 miles away from surveillance. With a road jeep and some armed people

"I'm here, Hector. What's the situation?"

Doctor Hector replied, "I don't have much time, Ned. The higher-ups have caught on to my plans. I need to make my escape tonight, and I need your help. I'll be bringing my son with me, I can't let him be a part of this any longer."

"Understood, Hector. We're ready and waiting for you. The road jeep and our armed escort are ready to go at a moment's notice. But you should know, there's a high chance that they'll come looking for you and your son. They won't let you go without a fight," Ned said.

"I know, Ned. I've prepared as much as I could. I just hope it'll be enough. I'll make contact again when we're close. Stay safe," Hector replied.

"You too, Hector. We'll be waiting," Ned said as Hector turned off the walkie-talkie and prepared for his escape.

Ned puffed a big whiff of the cigar he was holding and said,

"Don't worry Hector, I got you covered. We'll close at 11:45 PM at your exit location. Stay safe and don't get yourself killed, friend. Over."

Closing the communication device, Dr. Hector headed to level 40, where his son had his quarters. In a hurry, he rushed to the floor elevator. Time was ticking, and at any moment, the base would be in lockdown. Reaching level 36, the elevator suddenly stopped, and alarms all over the base started to go off.

"BREACH DETECTED. CLOSING ALL POINTS."

Dr. Hector knew that he had to hurry, the base's security system had detected the breach, and he was running out of time. He needed to get to his son and make their escape before it was too late.

Dr. Hector becomes very shocked by this.

"Fuck! They're mad. Closing the entire base just because of my suspicions? This is madness!"

Dr. Hector calmed himself with a deep breath and followed what he had planned. Months before he made preparations for this very night. Though it was extremely hard, he somehow got extremely lucky. In the prior months, he got access to the fusion reactor again without any notice. Dr. Hector made the calculation and set the fusion reactor to increase in one go beyond safety levels.

Placing his stone and sealing shut it completely. Because no one ever visits the core unless for maintenance, it was saved there. His best bet was either the stone would completely absorb the reaction, shutting the machine down, or it would shut itself down due to a meltdown. Either was good enough. Taking out a device, he pushed the button.

"This should start the process. I should look for my son. I'm sure he's on level 37. It hasn't been long since the VR program ended today. He must have retired and left from there. Those FUCKING COUNCIL MEMBERS."

Dr. Hector pushed through the panicked crowd, using his knowledge of the facility to navigate through the maze of hallways and labs. He knew that time was running out and he had to reach his son before it was too late. As he ran through the emergency stairwell, he could hear the panicked screams of the staff and workers as they rushed to escape the lockdown. The guards were being overrun by the panicked crowd, but Dr. Hector managed to slip by them unnoticed.

"MOVE YOUR ASSES, IDIOTS!"

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

Dr. Hector could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he pushed his way through the crowd. He knew that he was getting close to his son and he couldn't let anything happen to him. Finally, he reached the door to level 37 and pushed it open.

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