The hallways of Millbrook High seemed different now. Mik and Cayde moved through the crowds with heightened awareness, noting every blank stare, every out-of-character comment.

"There," Mik whispered, nodding towards a group of students huddled around their phones. "They've been like that all morning."

Cayde frowned, his human disguise perfectly mimicking concern. "Let's try something."

They approached the group, Mik clearing their throat loudly. "Hey, guys! Did you hear about the pop quiz in Mr. Thompson's class?"

No response. The students continued tapping at their screens, eyes glazed.

Cayde stepped forward, his voice taking on an authoritative tone. "Fire drill! Everyone needs to exit the building immediately!"

This time, a few heads turned, confusion flickering across their faces before they returned to their phones.

Mik's brow furrowed. "Okay, last try." They took a deep breath and said loudly, "Hey, I bet none of you can solve this riddle: What has keys, but no locks; space, but no room; you can enter, but not go in. What is it?"

The effect was gradual but noticeable. A few students looked up, their brows furrowing in concentration. One muttered, "Keys... space... enter..." Another started tapping their fingers, but this time in thought rather than mindless scrolling.

"Come on," Mik encouraged, "I know you guys are smart enough to figure this out!"

More students began to engage, their glazed expressions slowly replaced by looks of curiosity and concentration as they pondered the riddle. The group's energy shifted, a wave of mental engagement rippling through them.

Suddenly, one of the students' eyes lit up. "Oh! I got it!" he exclaimed, his voice breaking through the fog of concentration.

The effect was immediate. As the answer spread through whispers and nods of recognition, the other students blinked, looking around as if seeing their surroundings for the first time. For a few moments, they seemed fully present, the usual chatter and energy of high school students returning.

As they walked away, Mik and Cayde exchanged meaningful glances. "It's consistent with what we've seen before," Mik murmured. "Mindless activities make it worse, but mental engagement seems to break through."

Throughout the day, they continued their experiments, carefully documenting their findings. By the time the final bell rang, they had compiled a substantial list of observations.

"Look at this pattern," Cayde said as they sat on Mik's porch, reviewing their notes. "Passive activities like certain games, mindless scrolling, even some videos – they all seem to deepen the trance. But anything that engages the mind actively? It snaps them out of it."

Mik nodded, a chill running down their spine. "It's like whatever this is, it thrives on mental idleness."

Their conversation was interrupted by a news alert on Mik's tablet. The headline made their hearts sink: "Riots Erupt in Major Cities, Xyrillian Tech Targeted."

They watched in horror as footage showed angry mobs destroying Xyrillian atmospheric purifiers and vandalizing buildings housing joint human-Xyrillian research projects.

The scene cut to President Elena Martinez-Sanchez addressing the nation from the Oval Office. Her face was grave, but her voice steady. "My fellow Americans, I understand your fears and concerns. But I urge you to remain calm. We are investigating these incidents and working closely with our Xyrillian allies to ensure the safety and well-being of all Earth's inhabitants."

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

As Elena continued, it was clear she was trying to project confidence, but Mik could see the worry in her eyes. She didn't have answers.

Cayde turned to Mik, his expression serious. "We need to tell her what we know."

Mik blinked, taken aback. "Tell her? You mean, like, call the White House?"

"Why not?" Cayde asked. "This information could be crucial."

Mik felt a flutter of excitement mixed with disbelief. They glanced at their bedroom window, where a campaign poster of Elena still hung. Mik had always admired her, had even dreamed of meeting her someday. But this?

"Cayde, come on," Mik said, a nervous laugh escaping them. "We're just kids. I mean, yeah, you're a young Xyrillian, but we're both basically teenagers. How are we supposed to get the President's attention?"

Despite their doubts, Mik found themselves dialing the White House public line. After navigating a labyrinth of automated menus and being politely dismissed by several staff members, they had to admit defeat.

"Okay, so that didn't work," Mik sighed. "Now what?"

Cayde was quiet for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "I have an idea. Give me a moment."

Mik watched, fascinated, as Cayde's human features seemed to shimmer slightly. He was communicating with someone, though Mik couldn't hear the exchange.

After a few minutes, Cayde turned back to Mik, a smile on his face. "My parents are going to pass along our findings to Elena. They've arranged a video call for us in an hour."

Mik's jaw dropped. "A video call? With the President? Are you serious?"

The next hour was a blur of preparation. Mik changed their shirt three times, tried unsuccessfully to tame their hair, and paced nervously around their room. Cayde watched with amusement, his calm presence a counterpoint to Mik's nervous energy.

Finally, Mik's tablet chimed. With shaking hands, they accepted the call.

The face that appeared on the screen was one Mik had seen countless times on TV and in their poster, but nothing had prepared them for the intensity of Elena's direct gaze.

"Mik, Cayde," Elena said, her voice warm but businesslike. "I understand you have some information for me about the recent... incidents."

Mik froze, overwhelmed by the surreal nature of the situation. Cayde gently nudged them, and suddenly, the words started flowing. Mik found themselves explaining their observations, theories, and experiments, with Cayde adding key points.

As they spoke, Elena's expression shifted from polite interest to intense focus. She asked sharp, probing questions, her mind clearly racing to connect their information with the larger picture.

When they finished, Elena was quiet for a moment. Then she leaned forward, her eyes blazing with determination. "Thank you both. This... this could be the breakthrough we've been looking for. I need you to continue your research, but carefully. You may be onto something bigger and more dangerous than you realize."

As the call ended, Mik sat back, feeling dazed. They had just spoken to the President of the United States. And she had listened. She had taken them seriously.

Cayde's hand on their shoulder brought Mik back to the present. "You did great," he said softly.

Mik looked at Cayde, a mix of emotions swirling in their chest – pride, fear, excitement, and something else they couldn't quite name. Whatever was coming, they knew one thing for certain: they were in this together.

As night fell outside Mik's window, the world felt both bigger and smaller than ever before. The threat they faced was enormous, but so was the network of people working to stop it. For the first time, Mik felt truly part of something greater than themselves.

And with Cayde by their side, they were ready to face whatever came next.

In the days following their video call with President Martinez-Sanchez, Mik and Cayde had continued their research, sending regular updates to the White House. Their unique perspective as teenagers on the front lines of the Fluxian influence, combined with Cayde's Xyrillian insights, proved invaluable to Elena's team.

As the situation escalated, with more reports of strange behavior and unexplained incidents pouring in from across the country, Elena made a bold decision. She needed Mik and Cayde's firsthand observations and innovative thinking to help coordinate the response. In a follow-up call, she asked them to come to New York, where they would work directly with a special task force studying the Fluxian threat.