POV : EARTH
The headquarters of the United Nations was in another debate about the portals. They didn't know when the next one was coming, but if it came, they wanted to be as prepared as possible.
"Have we figured out any way to contact anybody from the Wasteland or where the portals are going?" one leader said.
"Another said, 'No, we don't.'"
"Then what about the united military over there? Is that working out all right?"
"Yeah, we're still getting the kinks worked out for all the communication, but it should be fine but we don't know, have any confirmation of it, whether it's working or not. There's not much we can do to check."
"Is there anybody on Earth that we can ask questions about portals?" one of the advisors said. "Well, there's Alicia. She runs the gym, the Society of Creative Battles, where Atlas was the captain. Maybe she has some more ideas."
They quickly sent a military plane to transport Alicia. She had been enjoying the time off. It had been almost a month since the portal. And while she was worried about Atlas and her team, she knew that if there was one guy who could kick ass in the Wasteland, it would be him. She thought about all of the cryptic statements he had made before and realized her Atlas's crazy file should now be replaced with Atlas is a crazy motherfucker file.
"And I can't believe I didn't pick it up ahead of time," all of his hints about the Wasteland and the portals. Things like him saying, "We have to be ready for anything," and "We have to be the strongest on Earth," and "I've got to get myself ready. This fight for the championship is nothing compared to what I'll be facing in the future."
‘Seriously, he might as well have said. Portals will come to Earth. Be ready. With giant exclamation points. Although to be fair, I would have just thought he was crazy, if he did.’
She had always thought he meant another franchise or televised pay-per-view fights. But now she realized he'd always been talking about the portals. She had even put together the playlist that he had custom made, including “Atlas will bring us home”, “Way back home” and the Portal Crushers anthem. She had been listening to it nonstop, looking for clues.
She was on track three, the Portal Crushers arena anthem opening, when she heard a kicking at her door.
KNOCK
KNOCK
When the two government agents arrived at her doorstep, Alicia had barely a moment to process their sharp black suits, dark sunglasses, and no-nonsense expressions before they motioned for her to follow. They moved with precision, like they had done this countless times before.
Alicia stood at her front door, arms crossed as she stared down the two government agents in black suits, who after introducing themselves had told her she was going to be going with them. "You’re not taking me anywhere until you explain what the hell is going on."
The taller agent, a man with a stiff posture, exchanged a quick glance with his partner, who sighed as if she had been expecting this. "Miss, we need you to come with us. It's urgent."
"Yeah, I got that part," Alicia said, rolling her eyes. "But you don’t show up at someone’s house, unannounced, and expect them to just hop into your car like we’re going to brunch. What’s this about? Atlas?"
The female agent’s gaze sharpened at the mention of his name, though her tone remained calm. "Yes, it’s about Atlas. We have some questions for you regarding his connection to certain… events that have transpired. We believe you may have information that could help us."
Alicia’s stomach twisted. ‘What the hell did Atlas do now?‘ She had been hoping it wasn’t something this serious, but her gut told her otherwise. "If it’s about Atlas, you better start talking," she said, her voice hardening. "Because I’m not going anywhere until I know what you think I know."
The male agent stepped forward, clearly growing impatient. "Miss, time is critical. We can brief you on the way, but we need you to cooperate."
Alicia’s eyes narrowed, not budging an inch. "Time might be critical for you, but I’m not stepping out of this house unless you give me something solid. Why do you need me?"
The female agent’s lips pressed into a thin line. "We’re investigating the portals. You were close to Atlas, who we suspect knew about them before they opened. We have reason to believe he may have shared information with you, whether directly or indirectly."
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"He never told me anything about portals," she said honestly, though her mind raced with memories of all his strange hints. "He said some weird stuff sometimes, but nothing concrete."
The male agent sighed, visibly frustrated. "You’re being taken to the United Nations to help us assess any potential clues Atlas might have left with you. This is not optional."
The female agent stepped closer, her tone dropping. "There’s more at stake here than you realize. We don’t have time to explain everything. But we believe Atlas had knowledge of the portals long before anyone else. We need you to come with us to help put the pieces together."
Alicia looked between the two agents, weighing her options. ‘Atlas, you crazy bastard.’
With a heavy sigh, she grabbed her jacket from the coat rack. "Fine. I’ll go. But if this turns out to be some kind of wild goose chase, you’re gonna regret dragging me into it."
The agents gave a curt nod, and Alicia followed them out the door, feeling like she was stepping into a world far beyond her gym and daily routines.
‘‘‘
Outside, a sleek, black SUV was idling by the curb. The moment she slid into the leather seat, the vehicle accelerated smoothly, weaving through city traffic like it had the power to make lanes part. Alicia remained silent, her mind racing. ‘They really put this together for me? Atlas, what the hell did you get me into?‘
The ride was swift, and before she could fully grasp the gravity of the situation, they arrived at a private airstrip. A matte-gray military jet sat waiting, engines humming low like a predator about to pounce. She was escorted up the stairs and onto the plane without a word exchanged.
Inside, the jet was all business—sterile, efficient, with a handful of soldiers sitting at attention. Alicia was ushered into a seat, buckled in before she had the chance to even ask when takeoff was. The moment the door sealed shut, the jet roared to life, rocketing into the sky with a force that pinned her against the seat.
As they cut through the clouds, Alicia stared out of the window, watching the ground disappear beneath them. The world she knew felt impossibly far away, both literally and figuratively. Her thoughts spiralled back to Atlas—‘Did you see this coming? Is this part of your plan?‘—but as the jet sliced through the sky, she had no answers. Just a growing sense that her quiet days of running the gym were long behind her.
The landing was just as abrupt. The jet touched down smoothly, and within minutes, she was shuffled out and into another waiting vehicle—this time, a heavily armored car. It wasn't long before the imposing United Nations building came into view, its gleaming exterior reflecting the serious nature of what lay ahead.
‘So this is it. Whatever they think I know, I'm about to be questioned for it.‘
‘‘‘
When she arrived at the United Nations, the grilling began.
"Did Atlas ever tell you anything more about the portals?" they asked.
Alicia fished out a flash drive with his music. "This is all I have. He never mentioned the government or shared any classified information."
They listened to the songs, made copies, and transcribed the lyrics. "We should release this to the public," one of the diplomats suggested.
"Good idea," another agreed. "The more information, the less panic."
"So how did Atlas know about the portals ahead of time?" one pressed.
Alicia kept her face neutral. "I don't know. He never told me about them directly." ‘He sure dropped plenty of hints,‘ she thought, ‘but he never flat-out said it. I just thought he was being dramatic, preparing for some big fight.‘
"Do we even know if Atlas is human?" a diplomat questioned, holding up an Atlas is an Alien shirt.
"We've confirmed his Canadian citizenship," an advisor replied. "We've interviewed his neighbors and classmates. But as for these rumors... they’re just that, rumors."
"So how did he know?" the diplomat asked again, frustration creeping into his voice. "Could he be connected to the portals? Could this all be his doing?"
"We don't know," was the only answer. "But he was definitely trying to warn us, it would have been worse without his hints."
The questioning ended, and the government thanked Alicia before showing her out.
"Should we keep her around?" one diplomat asked after she'd left.
"It might be smart," another replied. "Put her up in a hotel nearby, keep her under guard. We don’t want her starting a cult."
"Do we think she's working with Atlas, though? Should we be more forceful?"
"No, just keep tabs on her communications. If she's passing messages, we'll find out."
The diplomats had come to a consensus: Alicia could be a spy, a mole, or nothing at all—but they'd keep an eye on her, just in case.
‘‘‘
As Alicia stepped into her new hotel room, she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the over-the-top luxury. The room was massive, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city skyline. Plush, velvet furniture in deep shades of blue and gold filled the space, and a chandelier glittered overhead.
"Wow, talk about a comfy cage," she muttered under her breath, tossing her bag onto the enormous king-sized bed. She didn’t miss the subtle surveillance cameras discreetly tucked into the ceiling corners, or the fact that there were guards outside her room..
‘I guess this is what being under guard feels like.‘ She smiled a little, running her fingers along the edge of a marble table. ‘What a fancy little cage. I’m definitely getting drunk on tiny rums.‘
The thought of being watched 24/7 didn’t sit well with her, but at least the hotel was nicer than she’d expected. She sat down on the sofa, sinking into the cushions and letting out a sigh. Her mind wandered back to Atlas and the mess he’d dragged her into.
She reached into her bag and pulled out the flash drive with the music. "Guess it's just you and me now, Atlas," she said quietly, plugging it into the room’s state-of-the-art sound system. The ‘Portal Crushers Anthem‘ started to play, and for a brief moment, she closed her eyes, letting the beat wash over her.
‘I hope you’re out there somewhere, kicking ass.’