September 6th, 2017

3.35 pm, Key West, Florida

“So who else had a weird dream?” Quake asks the table of people who are eating.

Director Nick Jones had booked 3 houses, with 2 of them being decoys. They were apart from each other on the same street. Coordinating the movement to the 3rd secretive house had been a ballet that required Spectrum to make multiple trips utilizing his invisibility powers on everyone individually. The effort paid off, allowing everyone to chat with Dr. Anna B. Worth. After the chat, food was procured by Spectrum as no plans should ever be made on an empty stomach.

“I wasn’t in a dream but it was weird.” Kaori says as she eats a bowl of ramen with chopsticks.

“It was too vivid to be a dream.” Aviator says as he eats a bowl of Peking duck with chopsticks.

“I saw my childhood pet.” Spectrum says as he enjoys a plate of rice and steamy curry.

“Me too.” Wave says as she eats noodles using a fork, “And they were speaking to me.”

“Perhaps you were all hallucinating.” Dr. Wong says as he drinks a bottle of water, his plate is empty because the others were having their thirds.

“But a shared hallucination, doc?” Director Jones asks from his empty plate of pizza grains.

“My pet called the place a Dao-Heart.” Quake says excitedly as he eats from his bowl of ramen, “Which, get this, contains, not 1 but 3 dantians.”

“Is that another anime reference?” Wave asks.

“The Dantian exists.” Kaori says, “It’s where I go to converse with my other personalities.”

“Oh right.” Quake says, “Anyways, my Dao-Heart was awesome. I was surrounded by an endless garden with every season possible. And I was hovering in the air.”

“My Dao-Heart was an endless ocean.” Wave says.

“Mine was filled with clouds and an endless blue sky.” Aviator says.

“Mine was an infinite path surrounded by darkness.” Spectrum says.

“Mine was a swirling dark void.” Kaori says.

“Fascinating.” Dr. Wong says, “Your Dao-Hearts all corresponded with your elemental affinity.”

“What about you, Old Fire?” Director Jones asks, the briefcase at his feet, “What was yours?”

Everyone focuses on Fire, who is chowing down his fourth steak while silently listening.

“I didn’t have any encounters with my childhood pet.” Fire says, “I woke up in a dark space.”

“So you weren’t spoken to?” Dr. Wong asks.

“I was.” Fire says, “By a voice from all around the darkness. Called itself an old friend.”

“Oh yeah, my pet did that too.” Wave says, “Then it materialized in its octopus form.”

“Well, the voice also said the seven of us will have to be ready.” Fire says, “Then it said we were Guides. That it was time to shine. Then it disappeared and I woke up.”

“I got a similar message about shining together.” Aviator says.

“Actually, mine said it was delivering a message on behalf of Prime Guide Nur.” Spectrum says, “I have to save someone. Araoluwa.”

“Sounds like a pretty name.” Dr. Wong says.

“That’s a Nigerian name.” Quake says, “From Yoruba.”

“Well, you are the only Nigerian I actually know.” Spectrum says, looking at Quake who shrugs.

“You and Fire both mentioned Guides.” Director Jones says, “What is that?”

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“Beats me.” Spectrum says with a shrug.

“Sounds like…” Kaori says, “Someone who shows the way for others.”

“That would be the literal definition.” Aviator says while nodding.

“Even more questions.” Fire says with exasperation, “What a sudden mess we are in.”

“At least we can eat and think without suffering your earlier stench, Old Man.” Wave says.

“Yeah, Chief.” Quake says while laughing, “Thanks for being the clean one.”

The room laughs, easing the mood.

“Let’s change gears.” Director Jones says, then asks, “Has everyone read Dr. Worth’s notes?”

“I want her file.” Fire says.

“How about I just give you the highlights.” Director Jones says, “She is in her 40s. She was a child prodigy with an IQ over 200. She has at least 6 PhDs then an additional joint MD-PhD in Neuroscience. She’s been Chief Scientist at Area 51 since 2002, after her mentor, the prior Chief Scientist, died. She is also a leading pioneer in the field of Artificial Intelligence.”

“Dang.” Quake says, “ET and AI, she is smart smart.”

“As the other doctor here, wow that is a lot of doctorates.” Wave says.

“Quite.” Spectrum says with a nod, “Her little rant at the end was adorable.”

“Apparently she did the notes via voice.” Aviator says.

“Still, it raised a lot of questions but seems like she has answers.” Wave says.

“What has the government been using her research for?” Dr. Wong asks.

“Mostly stealth.” Director Jones says, “But, she has created some types of Artificial Intelligence and a Quantum computer. Only problem is that they rely on Cosmic Qi and Cosmic Materia.”

“And it’s a problem because they are rare?” Kaori asks.

“Exactly.” Director Jones says, “Cosmic Qi can only be harnessed and used by devices that are made of Cosmic Materia. Unfortunately, our only source of Cosmic Materia is BGM.”

“The alien?” Fire asks.

“Yeah.” Director Jones says, “Get this. That thing cannot be scanned by anything we have. So for the longest time, all the scientists studying it thought the casing was the alien. Until Dr. Harry Schmidt, the lead scientist before Dr. Worth and her mentor, pursued a different theory.”

“He likened the casing to the molting of a snake.” Director Jones continues, “It was crazy but his theory held up when he discovered that the dust that had been forming in BGM’s storage was actually Cosmic Materia.”

“That would mean you threw away years of Cosmic Materia.” Aviator says.

“Yeah. But since it is indestructible stuff, we were able to recover most of them.” Director Jones says, “As her notes show, it drops in small amounts. So decades of it could have been lost.”

“That is phenomenal.” Dr. Wong says with zoned out eyes.

“Jones, when you said types of Artificial Intelligence, what did you mean?” Spectrum asks.

“Dr. Worth has created at least two level 4 AIs.” Director Jones says, “I believe she referred to them as narrow AIs.”

“Wow.” Spectrum says, “That means that the AI requires almost no human intervention.”

“Something like that.” Director Jones says, “She actually assigns some of her work to them.”

“AIs and Quantum computers.” Spectrum says with a big grin, “I cannot wait to meet her now.”

“Nerd.” Quake says, shaking his head with a grin, then asks, “So when can we see the alien?”

“The President has to approve.” Director Jones says, “She should be calling at 4.30 pm.”

“We just saved her granddaughters.” Quake says, “She will say yes.”

“By the way, what are you seeing? Are we being watched?” Aviator asks Spectrum.

“Not according to what I can see.” Spectrum says, “And no listening devices either.”

“Wow.” Director Jones remarks as he lifts up the silver metal briefcase at his feet, “Too bad I can’t just use you to deliver this to Langley.”

“Hold on.” Spectrum says, looking at the case, “I think I know how Skull Reich was about to determine the exact location of the hard drives. They have a unique infrared signature.”

“It’s not going to give me cancer, right?” Director Jones says, “Old Snake is just a moniker.”

“No, it seems it is only visible in close proximity.” Spectrum says, “Harmless.”

“Good.” Director Jones says, as he opens the briefcase, “I’ll keep these elsewhere, just in case.”

Director Jones takes the papers from inside the briefcase and stores them in his suit pocket.

“Are the hard drives being tracked now?” Fire asks.

“Not that I can see.” Spectrum says.

“I was joking about the speedy delivery.” Director Jones says, “There needs to be a logical trail.”

“So that if Skull Reich is tracking it, they’ll be baited.” Quake says with a knowing nod.

“And I will be thousands of feet in the air soon.” Director Jones says, closing the briefcase.

“With that captured Skull Reich operative.” Aviator says, then asks, “Has he said anything?”

“Nothing.” Director Jones says, “But he and I will enjoy the flight with an F-22 escort.”

“I am sneaking everyone back later.” Spectrum says, “So I am busy either way.”

“Yes, our game of hide and seek continues.” Dr. Wong says.

“Anyways, I am excited to go see the alien.” Wave says.

“Before we leave…” Kaori asks, “Could we stay for the funerals?”

“That’s a good idea.” Fire says with a nod, then asks, “How many confirmed dead?”

“Apart from your fake deaths, just the one.” Director Jones says, “Alena Smith.”

“What about all of the other wounded?” Aviator asks.

“Everyone is stable.” Director Jones says, “Last I heard from General Beggingson.”

“Even the civilians?” Wave asks.

They had all seen it on the drive from the base. Even though the roads were clear, the damage craters surrounded by police tape were still visible.

“I haven’t gotten any details but sounds like everyone pulled through.” Director Jones says, “General Beggingson said that the girl’s parents agreed to a funeral date of September 8th.”

“Just one death.” Kaori says, “What a tragedy.”

“Skull Reich wasn’t aiming for civilian deaths but still…” Aviator says, “It is a miracle.”

“We will pay our respects then move out on the 9th.” Fire says.

“That will technically be your death dates too.” Director Jones says.

“Bonkers.” Spectrum says as he hit his forehead with his left palm.

“What a day it has been.” Aviator says with a sigh.

“Indeed.” Dr. Wong says, “I will have to tell the kids and everyone back in town.”

“I won’t attend your funerals.” Director Jones says, then asks, “How do you want it handled?”

“As we’ve planned. 6 flags.” Fire says, “The doc will deliver them to the kids when he returns.”

“We’ve got letters.” Quake says, “If you can deliver them too, doc.”

“Of course.” Dr. Wong says, “I will also set up the six headstones behind the Dojo.”

“Can’t believe we will be missing the party they worked so hard to put together.” Wave says.

“I will call them after this.” Dr. Wong says, “And tell them the mission is taking a little longer.”

Team Six nods. It hits them. They have no family outside themselves but the orphanage is their extended family of sorts and the town it is located in serves as their safe haven community. Now, they might never get to go home again.

“We will clean up Skull Reich.” Fire says, “And then, we will go home.”

“Together.” Wave, Kaori, Quake, Aviator, Spectrum, and Fire say in unison.