ON THE TELEVISION

News Reader 1: "After years of research and evidence-based studies, humans have finally discovered what the entire modern human race longed to hear. The Eternal Spirit ... in whom we all believe ... our Savior ... God ... exists beyond this material universe, but still, we have not received any eyewitness evidence and have no idea that How far is it from our universe?."

News Reader 2: "Researchers with the help of different religious groups have thrown light on a piece of proven evidence that has helped humans in reaching such progress regarding this discovery - 'God's Gem', which is studded in the middle of every god's chest. This has already been suggested in the oldest evidence of gods, that is, the holy books.  According to the researchers, the next step that has to be taken is to create an instrument that can determine the properties and distance of the gem."

News Reader 1: "Researchers stated that it is also necessary to simultaneously work on wormholes and portals between our universe and god's dimention as travelling with the conventional nuclear fuel is not possible" 

 * Television Switches Off *

" 25...25 years. We have been working on this since we got into the XASE. It feels like everyone is in the days gone by, whereas we live in the far future...." Said Osiris looking at Xeno

"True. The Demiurge Gem Marker is undoubtedly one of a kind," said Xeno. "Now humans can finally see where the Creator, the Eternal Spirit, lies beyond this universe. When a vast array of rays of all frequencies and wavelengths will set off on an apparently never-ending journey, one of them will, at some point or another, interact with that gem. And then, we will be able to find the distance and properties of that gem.," said Xeno in his usual, gravelly sound

" So Osiris... when should we hand over the DGM to the authorities ?" asked Xeno peculiarly.

" Are you aware of what are you asking?.... We have been working on this project away from people's eyes, out of the public's sight, violating the laws, for 25 years.......it's a long time. And..and why do you think it took us a really long time to make this vision a reality? Because we had acquired its parts from 'unauthenticated sources' which aren't governed by legal bodies," said Osiris in anger and concern.

"Oh Osiris, my friend, with this, we can earn respect, fame, and most importantly....a revenue for keeping it going, and it will be for the betterment of humankind. We deserve a lot more respect than we earn now in the XASE. People should learn about and praise the two great scientists. Take inspiration from the dedication and efforts the two had put together, which resulted in this great achievement. There is nothing wrong in presenting it to them, rather it would be an unjust decision on our part because we are hiding a great discovery for which we have devoted so long," said Xeno

"No, Xeno No!" Osiris growled at him, "We can't.... we...we just can't. You already know that we need to change some readings, some measurements. It's still an experimental project, the premature and ill-timed use can be terrifying and unpredictably dangerous because of emission of highly radioactive particles."

"So let the authorities tackle them. When we hand it over to them, they wouldn't be concerned about the source of the parts, instead, they will help us in improving the DGM. Leading to quicker results. The thing won't bite your head after we........"

"Don't you get it at once?" Osiris shouted again, "Even in the very first attempt, it can potentially harm the.....How did this thing even come to your mind?"

Suddenly, the quarrel was interrupted by the shattering of a glass utensil heard from behind. Both rushed to investigate.

"Looks like someone was keeping a close eye on us," said Xeno looking at an ID-Card lying on the floor."Hmm... Roger Stone.....X Association for Space Exploration."

"I am glad they interfered," Xeno murmured to himself

"Leave that sh*t there. He is running. Chase after him". 

Xeno turned his back to Osiris and stood firmly in disagreement.

"Fine, I'll chase him by myself but won't let you all break the secrecy"

Osiris swiftly left the room. He looked in both directions on the corridors. "There he is," Roger was at the end of the right corridor, near the staircase leading downwards to the 2nd floor.

Osiris ran towards him as he descended the staircase. Osiris ran after him. A door's thud from his right caught his attention.

He slowly entered the room. Osiris knew that the room was totally empty and just had a single window. Seeing the window open, he rushed towards the window.

"Hands up Sergeant," It was Stone.

"Mr. Stone, you should probably hold your gun down"

"and why should I ?" Stone replied

"Either way, you are not gonna leave. Why are you doing this? You will bring down the reputation of XASE"

"You're wrong. Our reputation will now skyrocket, because XASE got a new chief - Cpt. Jonathan Wilde"

"How dare he" Osiris shouted in anger, turned back, snatched and threw-off the pistol from his hands. Roger ran for his life

He chased him to the main gate, but he was stopped by his own memories. He remebers when his wife and children were kidnapped by Jonathan and one of his two children was brutally shot dead in front of him and no action was taken against Jonathan. 

Osiris rushed towards his lab. He saw Xeno with his back towards Osiris and his head was focused downwards.

"Excellent. He succeeded in his escape from two mad and corrupt scientists. Thanks to you, Dr. Xeno Altus, Senior Professor Of Cosmology at the XASE," Osiris growled near his face."Do you know what our reputation will now be? We would proudly carry the designation of the corrupted scientists working on this experiment for 25 years."

Xeno did not reply. Osiris went to his to see what was he upto .

"Goddammit. How dare you try to send our databases to Jonathan" Osiris crsuhed the device which Xeno was holding

"It was one of our last hopes. And you shout at me?....me?...for what 'you' have done?. Xeno interrogated."We wouldn't be behind bars if you had just spoken.......or..or..just pretended to hand over your so-called experimental project to the authorities. Instead, we would have got a reputation, and rev.... *sigh* Leave it...there's no way you can understand."

Hearing this, Osiris had a clear thought that Xeno's intentions weren't clean, and he didn't seem to care about the ill effects he will pose on the human race.

"Now I am going to conceal the DGM chip in the chasm I had made near the core of Earth before commencing this project," said Osiris hopelessly

"Chasm?" Xeno in astonishment

"Yes. I was already suspicious that this sort of event could happen anytime while working on our project," said Osiris

"I knew it. You didn't even have the slightest bit of trust in me."  Said Xeno with a disapproving voice and a gloomy look.  "Despite working on countless experiments with me since we were 25."

"Don't test my patience Xeno, you know that if I lose my temper, I ..........", Osiris paused.

"Wait, I assume you remember that we would have been biologically halfway through our lives. But our bodies, internally and externally, look like we are 25. Why? Why do we?" Osiris asked Xeno as he remembered one of his lifetime achievements -The anti-aging serum.

"For this, I wish to express my indebtedness for giving me your anti-aging serum. All of its credit goes to you, for it was the only reason I took you into my partnership." Xeno answered uncannily. Upon hearing this, Osiris clenched his fingers in rage yet did not make any further move.

"I didn't give you that voluntarily, nor did I let you use it. Moreover, I kept this thing a secret from you. Still, you had stolen that from me, Xeno, you had stolen it. Yet another past treachery. But I had to forgive you because I was obliged to use your knowledge to create the DGM. And if it weren't you, I would have shown the person that I was a court-martialled Sergeant. I hope you understand." Osiris said grumpily, turning his back to Xeno and heading towards the elevator leading to the abyss.

"Listen, we still have an option left. We can still hand it over before....." Xeno's voice now reached the limit of his true colours.

Osiris slowly stopped at his place and aggressively looked sideways slightly towards Xeno at his back. "You have left me with no other choice, as you have become a threat to the secrecy of this project. I don't care if you don't survive it, I will destroy this facility, the project, and everything here.....including you," said Osiris in his loud and terrifying voice. 

"You may not want it, but I want my reputation" Xeno shouted "All that sweat, all that blood, all that fear of being caught, all that risk, all that time being away from our personal lives, all that secrets we had kept from our own people. Don't you want to be an inspiration? Don't you want all the respect that we have been deprived of for 25 years?"

Osiris clenched his fingers and rushed towards Xeno in anger, holding his labcoat collar tight, "Who would give you respect? Corpses of the people who will suffer? Or people like Jonathan Wilde, who have corrupted the whole system. Even you." 

Slowly, Xeno starts laughing sadistically. "You've finally let out your true self. Filled with hatred. Let it out, let out all your anger on me. Finish me off here" Xeno starts laughing again.

Osiris punches him in the face while still holding him tight.

Xeno wiped his bleeding nose "Ah, here you go. By the way, Cpt Jonathan Wilde, huh? Isn't he the same guy who got you court-martialled? The.....Third......Time,"

Osiris again punched him in his abdomen and kicked him. Trembling, Xeno falls down, unable to stand up.

"Are you serious? You...you'll destroy the marker machine too?.. and...and what about you?" Xeno said slyly.

Where Osiris' blood was boiling with hatred for Xeno, at the same time, deep inside his heart, he was fighting with himself as he was destroying the only sign his parents left him before leaving this world, his facility.

"You should worry about yourself more than me. Because the moment you die, I will be the happiest person in the Universe," Osiris answered while turning his back towards Xeno.

Xeno's smile slowly faded. "You better hope that I don't survive this,"

The facility's main gate slid down through a dense cloud of dust from the demolition of Osiris's facility.

*Beep*...*Beep* The timer for the explosion had already begun. While Xeno sees Osiris walking amidst the dust, he looks into his trembling hands covered with his blood while he was dizzy and lying on the ground. All he sees is his blood spilled all around. He clenches his fingers into fists. "I will strip off your dignity, your designation, your pride,your everything from you just once I have the DGM chip in my hands. I'll help mankind find its destiny, just you see Osiris," The last thing Xeno saw was the glow of Osiris' chest, which Osiris himself overlooked at the time.

Still badly wounded, he laughs evilly, "And now, I have a valid reason….. to hunt you. Someone protect him, someone please save Osiris.......from me,"

That day, the most potent partnership between two great scientists turned into one of the most dangerous enmities. From that day on, neither of them had ever seen each other's face nor knew anything of each other, whether they were even alive or dead.

When authorities arrived, they found nothing but a burnt, barren land, Not even the remnants of the experiment........Nor the elevator to the abyss.

"Notify the Headquarters. We have lost two of our most relied scientists, Dr. Dominic 'Xeno' Altus and Sergeant Jaden 'Osiris' Sanders, in a deadly tragedy," said an agent.

"Wait, one of them has to be alive," a mysterious man in an army outfit, walking towards the investigation camp.

"Sir" The agent replied with a salute, "All men listen, the investigation team will be led by Cpt. Jonathan Wilde,"