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-Clink Clink-

The two whiskey glasses clink together in Devon’s hand while he holds a bottle of whiskey in his other. He stands before a giant metal door and nods at the security guard in his station. The guard salutes and initiates the lock release mechanism.

-Gang Ka Klang Kang-

The heavy lock unlocks and the metal door 2 feet thick slowly slides to the side. A long concrete corridor lays before him. As he walks through the metal door, it slowly slides back into place and its lock reengages. He calmly walks down the corridor giving a quick glance at the security camera mounted into the wall. He stops before a similar metal door and faces the camera overlooking it.

-Gagaga Ka Klang Kang-

The metal door opens to a white room filled with various kinds of equipment. On closer inspection, they are top of the line supercomputers line up in a row. Devon walks into the room and the metal door closes behinds him. As he walks through the room, the rows of super computers end at a glass room filled with medical equipment. In the middle of the room, a lone man is sitting on a medical recliner. He is an old man in his 70s who is dressed in medical garbs. He is unconscious but the medical equipment around him show that he is in good condition. In spite of his condition, he is well maintained; his hair is neatly trimmed and his beard cleanly shaven. Devon sighs as he approaches the old man. He turns to the other man watching over him.

Devon: “Good evening, Jerry.”

Jeroth: “Hello, Devon. Here for the same reason?”

Devon: “I’m here to have a drink with Elias. What are you doing here?”

Devon sets down the two glasses and the whiskey bottle on the table next to the recliner. He grabs a nearby chair and sets it down next to the table.

Jeroth: “It’s his birthday. So I’m taking the liberty of checking up on him.”

Devon: “Well don’t mind me.”

Devon sits down on his chair and pours a shot of whiskey in both of the glasses. He sets one glass next to Elias and raises his own.

Devon: “Happy Birthday, Elias. Johnnie Walker Blue Scotch Whiskey. Your favourite.”

He clinks his glass against the other and sips his drink. Cradling the drink in his hands, he looks at Elias. The old man’s face had no expression but the thick wires attached to the back of his head from the top of the neck looks very painful.

Devon: “You did very well watching over the world from the sky. You’ve helped us so much. Thank you.”

Devon pats Elias’s shoulder lightly. He takes a sip from his drink and casts a long look in Jeroth’s direction.

Devon: “How is he doing, Jerry?”

Jeroth: “He is looking… Good so far. He still got a long road ahead.”

Devon: “Long road ahead, huh?”

Devon looks into his glass and swirls the remaining dregs of the whiskey.

Devon: “It has been 23 years, hasn’t it? What a Long… Wild… Ride. It is a shame you have to leave halfway.”

Jeroth: “Elias isn’t gone. He repurposed himself for the cause. Our only way of gratitude is to take care of him till the end.”

Jeroth chimes him while keeping his view focused on the computer screen. Devon finishes his drink before pouring another shot in his glass.

Devon: “The suffering he had. To have your mind chipped away little by little.”

He pours another shot in Elias’s glass.

Devon: “It is dying any way I look at it.”

Jeroth: “That is the danger of obtaining magic instantaneously. Only one time to make it right.”

Devon: “One time… One time or you lose your life over some consequence you failed to foresee.”

Jeroth glances at Devon’s bitter face and Elias’s sleeping one. He then turns around to check on the medical equipment.

Jeroth: “His sacrifice is not in vain. We now know rules that we haven’t before. Everyone else after that is able to gain magic without consequence. You even have Kenny Balmer sporting magic similar to Elias who is safe and sound.”

Devon: “He’s not the only one. Rupert… Deidre… Callista was the first.”

He lists the names of the other founders of the organization. Rupert Vespasian. Deidre Nadia. Callista Cherise. Those that has passed away since its founding. Elias is the only one who is still alive albeit in a comatose state. Jeroth’s face turn solemn. He brushes his hand over the top of the machine.

Jeroth: “His body is responding properly. His vital signs are normal. He seems to be holding up just fine. Elias is all set until next month.”

Devon: “Jerry, I’m sorry for bringing them up.”

Jeroth: “No, it’s fine. We need to remember them and their sacrifice for the cause. We’ll get him. Rosetta will go down.”

Devon: “Well…”

He pours a shot of whiskey into his empty glass and hands it to Jeroth. Jeroth accepts the glass with a smile.

Devon: “I wish you all the best in your endeavors. Lead the charge and I’ll watch your back.”

Jeroth: “Cheers.”

Jeroth lifts the glass in Devon’s direction and bends over to clink the glass next to Elias. He takes a long sip of the whiskeys and exhales in relief.

Jeroth: “This is good alcohol.”

Devon: “Johnnie Walker Blue Scotch Whiskey. It is rich with a fine touch of smoke-”

-BeeBeep BeeBeep-

Elias: “Ghuwaa!”

The machine suddenly starts beeping and Elias suddenly opens his eyes and exhales. Devon and Jeroth stand up is surprise at the sudden surprise.

Devon: “Elias!”

Elias’s eyes rolls up and he slowly sinks back into unconsciousness. However, his movement did not stop as his body suddenly jolts and convulses. His limbs are twitching and his body begins to sweat. His face showed signs of fatigue and anger. Devon walks back in bewilderment, almost tripping over his chair and knocking it over. Jeroth, on the other hand, closely watches Elias’s reaction with eyes that has calmed down moments ago.

Devon: “What in the hell is going on?! Jeroth!”

Devon yells at Jeroth but he calmly lifts his hand at Devon.

Jeroth: “Calm down. It’s okay. It means Elias found something big.”

Devon: “A big discovery doesn’t mean shit if he is shaking like that! Help him!”

Jeroth: “I can put him to sleep but that will disconnect him from the system.”

Devon: “Jeroth!”

Jeroth put up his hands in surrender and nods his head. He walks over to the medical cabinet and takes out a syringe and a vial. He withdraws the liquid from the vial into the syringe. He stabs the syringe into the IV tubing and injects its contents. Jeroth steps back and sits down on his chair.

Elias: “Hngh… Mnhm…”

Elias slowly drifts off to sleep and the convulsions ceases. Devon, relieved that the crisis has been resolved for now picks up his chair and sits down. Between the three men, no words are spoken for a long pause.

-Tulululululu Tulululululu-

A nearby phone rings. Jeroth gets up and puts the phone on loud speaker.

Jeroth: “This is Agent Gibson. You’re on speaker.”

Kenny: “Agent Gibson, this is Balmer from Intelligence, is Director Lance present?”

Devon: “I’m here, Kenny. What is it?”

Kenny: “We’ve recently installed the new equipment for detection and Agent Coiner has encountered a huge energy spike a few moments ago.”

Devon: “Are you able to find out more about this?”

Kenny: “My team is currently processing the data right now. Preliminary tests show that it is raw energy but what is more interesting is where it is coming from right now.”

Devon: “Where is it coming from?”

Kenny: “Everywhere, sir. All across the states… Hundreds of thousands of locations all over North and South America. The entire American continent is blasting energy straight up into the upper atmosphere.”

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