The next few weeks were a pretty interesting experience for Thomas. First, "Stephan" had never returned to the dorm, and the next Monday, after class, Thomas returned to find all their stuff moved out of the room, so Thomas essentially had his own private dorm for the rest of the semester, which, with the way things were going with Jessica, was rather nice. If it weren't for the fact that the university wouldn't allow students of different genders to live in the dorms together, she probably would have moved in. As it was, she spent practically all her free time there.

On the other hand, after that video went viral, the existence of the system was now common knowledge, and it spread like wildfire. The amount of users was increasing every day, soon exceeding the population of the college, and it just kept spreading from there. Even without him doing anything, the user count almost doubled every day.

However, with the spread of the news that Thomas was the creator of the system, people began to treat him… differently. Mostly it was just that they paid more attention to him, and gave him preferential treatment. Even the teachers did the same, which he didn't notice until he got a hundred on an assignment he hadn't even turned in. However, there were some girls who seemed to be willing to do almost anything to get to him, to the point of ridiculousness. A lot of these girls were system users, and with their increased abilities, they got good at getting to him. After the third time he walked into his room to find a naked woman lying seductively on his bed, he made the rule that anyone who breaks into his dorm without his permission loses the system for a week, which helped a little, but really just made them get more creative. There was even one girl who somehow got into his locker at the gym, all tied up with a little bow. It was actually fairly impressive, seeing as the locker wasn't very large. He'd walk through the campus with empty pockets, only to find a dozen numbers in them that night. He'd get text's almost constantly throughout the day, some of which included pictures and videos. It got to the point where he didn't even check his messages anymore. Thankfully, he'd figured out he could send and receive messages through the system, so he just talked to people through that, since all his friends were system users by now.

The weirdest thing that happened was that he would constantly be receiving cakes. They'd be left by his door, randomly left on his desk during class, placed on his table by a blushing group of giggling girls while he ate in the cafeteria, or even left in his locker at the gym, which… really, he wondered why he even used one at this point. He wasn't exactly complaining about the cakes, and they were absolutely preferable to random naked women, but… well, he'd only mentioned cakes like twice, and you'd think they'd switch it up every now and then. Maybe a brownie or some cookies? Something small, instead of a huge ass cake every time. Hell, he'd even take a pie at this point, and he didn't even like pie!

Honestly, Thomas didn't quite understand just why he was so popular. Yeah, the system was groundbreaking, and it'd probably change the world, but… it was already out there. He had very little to do with it by this point, so why was everyone sucking up to him? He hadn't even released any updates or anything recently, testing out the minor improvements with Amber, Declan, and Jessica first. Being close to him provided almost no benefits, so why was everyone so desperate for it? He just didn't get it.

Speaking of minor upgrades, with Jessica working on the UI, there were some useful improvements. First, point spending could be localized by bringing up a detailed menu using a button next to Strength or Agility, allowing you to put points into only your leg, arm, hand, or whatever. This made the points go a lot further. Additionally, she set up an appearance editor which pulled up a model of yourself and allowed you to make small changes using various tools, calculating the total cost in points before allowing you to confirm. It was essentially photoshop for real life.

Thomas was a little concerned as to what would happen once that update got out, seeing as it essentially meant people could shape shift into each other, but with the addition of an identification system, that worry became moot. People couldn't change their name in the status page, so all they had to do was make it so that other system users could see each other's status page, add a few other minor pieces of information, such as date and location of birth, and the problem was solved.

On Thomas's end, he added the minimap and a friend system. As long as both individuals agreed, you could see each other on the map, message each other, share images, and even communicate telepathically. With his phone essentially being unusable as such, he had been making heavy use of this system to keep in contact with Jessica and the others. However, he was still having issues with the AI part. Even his best attempts would give out nonsensical outputs, like wanting to eat foot cream made him a "naughty, naughty boy" which was disturbing in and of itself, seeing as he didn't even want to eat foot cream.

Thankfully, as more people recieved the system, the AI seemed to become less and less important. If a user began abusing their ability to hurt people, many other users would then receive a task to stop that person from hurting people. It actually became quite profitable to do so, due to a new rule that Thomas had discovered. If multiple people receive the same task, then the person who completes the task receives all the available points. So say ten people received the task to stop someone from stealing a diamond, worth three points each. The person who stopped the thief would receive all thirty points. If multiple people worked together to stop the thief, the points would be distributed based on their level of contribution. Additionally, if stealing the diamond was the thief's task, the person who stopped him would receive those points as well. That was why Thomas had received eleven extra points that night. He stopped the two from fighting each other, and received the points related to their tasks.

That last point seemed to be why both he and Jessica got a regular influx of points just by being together. Apparently, there were quite a few people who didn't want to see them together, and since they were both equally involved in staying together, anytime a task to break them up failed, they received points for it. It was honestly a little ridiculous.

"I noticed I got a lot of points today." Jessica commented as she sat on his lap. "Anything I should know about?"

Thomas thought about it. "Well, there was this big draped off section in the cafeteria some girls kept trying to drag me into… I didn't see what was inside, but one guy took a peak and almost fainted. Honestly, there's probably pictures on my phone if you really want to know. They've started sending proof even when I avoid them."

Jessica gave him a kiss. "Aren't you getting smarter. A few weeks ago, you would have gone in and asked where the food was." She commented with a smile.

Thomas sighed. "Yeah… why can't it ever just be food?"

"Though, I will say, if the proof of your libido wasn't currently poking my butt, I'd probably be wondering if you even had one with the amount of opportunities you've thrown away." Jessica commented, wiggling slightly in his lap and raising an eyebrow at him.

Thomas flushed. "Well, it isn't like it isn't tempting but… I've always had a hard time doing something I believe is wrong."

"That's sweet, but I wasn't talking about those opportunities." Jessica explained, leaning in to whisper in his ear. She took his hand and guided it up her thigh and under her skirt as his eyes widened in realization.

"Oh." He uttered lightly, before her mouth prevented him from saying anything else. However, just before things could progress, there was a heavy knock on the door.

"Just ignore it." Jessica breathed, before continuing the kiss, guiding his hand further, but the knocking continued, preventing them from actually doing anything. "Ugh, fine! But if it's some slut, you better take her system away!"

"Deal." Thomas grumbled as he got up and headed towards the door. "What do you want?" He asked grouchily as he opened it.

"Would you be Thomas Jefferson?" A man in a clean black suit asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah? What is it?" Thomas reiterated.

"The same Thomas Jefferson who created and spread the 'System'?" The man continued.

"No, I'm the one who wrote the Declaration of Independence." Thomas replied flatly, rolling his eyes. "Seriously, what do you want? You're kind of interrupting something."

"Sir, I represent the President of the United States." The man announced, flashing a badge and ID. "We have been attempting to get in contact with you, but you seem to not like to answer your phone or email."

Thomas frowned, pulling out his phone, which was currently in the process of receiving a call. "This thing has been ringing nonstop since last week. I receive a couple hundred emails a day. Things tend to get lost in all that."

"Ah, I see… forgive me for the accusatory tone." The man apologized. "I am here to extend an invitation from the President to meet with him to discuss matters of National Security."

"Seriously? You guys do know you can get any random user to give you the system, right? Hell, I can give it to you right now if you like, then you can give it to the President." Thomas explained, raising an eyebrow at him.

"We have already acquired the system. The President requires your assistance on a different matter." The man explained. "If you would please follow me, we have a plane waiting at the airport for your arrival."

Thomas stared at him in consternation, before sighing. "Fuck it." He turned back to look at Jessica, who had been observing their exchange with wide eyes. "Do you want to go see the President?"

"Can I change first?" She asked slightly nervously, picking at the less than formal skirt she was currently wearing.

"The invitation was…" The man began, before trailing off as Thomas leveled a deadpan glare at him. "Yes, you may change first." He finished with a sigh. After a quick stop by Jessica's dorm, they all piled into a sleek black sedan, which shot off towards the airport.

"That's a nice dress." Thomas commented, looking over Jessica's outfit appreciatively after they got in the car. He seemed to pay a bit more attention to her clothes now that he'd almost gotten her out of them.

"Is it? I mean, it's pretty, but it isn't exactly formal and we're meeting the President! But it's the nicest thing I own and…" Jessica rambled, sounding a little panicked.

"Jessica, you'll be fine. I mean, look at what I'm wearing." Thomas commented, gesturing to the same outfit he wore every day. "Besides, he's a politician. It's probably best not to look too nice in front of him."

Jessica paused. "Should I have worn jeans then?"

The journey itself was relatively uneventful, though the private plane they'd gotten for them was rather nice. Could have done without the suggestive flight attendants though… In any case, they soon arrived in Washington D.C. and took another car ride to the White House, where, after a quick security check, they were led through the halls until they reached the Oval Office.

"Mr. Jefferson! How good it is to finally meet you." The President exclaimed, grabbing Thomas's hand with both of his.

"Uh, yeah, thanks." Thomas responded awkwardly, not particularly appreciating his aggressive friendliness.

"Please, have a seat. And your friend too!" The President gestured to the chairs in front of his desk, before sitting behind it. "Now, Mr. Jefferson, first I'd like to say how impressed we are with this wonderful system you've created. I've only been using it for a week and already I feel twenty years younger! I know you must have realized this for yourself, but your system is quite literally revolutionary, which… Well, this is why we wanted to speak with you. We understand that you can modify the rules of the system, including denying it to people who perform certain actions. Therefore, we would like to make two proposals. First, we would request that any individual found guilty in a court of law be stripped of the system for the duration of their sentence."

Thomas pondered this. "I can see how that might be helpful… of course, guilty is a subjective term. You could declare anyone guilty, and they're powerless to resist. Hmmm… I'll think about it."

"If you could." The President responded with a slight frown. "As for our second proposal. We would request that you restrict the system to only American citizens." The President continued.

"Ha! No." Thomas immediately rejected.

"Thomas!" Jessica exclaimed, slapping his arm.

"What! It's ridiculous! I'm not doing it." Thomas defended himself.

"Yes, but you don't have to be rude about it!" Jessica explained.

Thomas cocked his head in thought. "Yeah, I suppose that's fair."

The President stared at him with a frown. "Mr. Jefferson, I don't believe you understand the severity of these issues. If criminals obtain the system, how are we to keep them contained? Justice would lose all meaning!"

"Yeah, I'm with you there, I just don't particularly trust the justice system. Well, no, actually, I currently do, but the potential for corruption and abuse bothers me. Plus, every government has a court of law, and I don't trust every government… and honestly, the US has been heading closer and closer to the 'do not trust' line, no offense. Y'all have been getting into some shenanigans lately." Thomas responded. "Don't worry though, I'm already having ideas for an impartial judgment through the system, I just need to figure out how to define community…"

"We can table that subject for a moment, but I really must insist on the second proposal. Imagine if your system got into the hands of the Russians, or the Chinese. Let's not even go that far, imagine the Cartels with access to the system. It'd be chaos!" The President continued insistently.

Thomas frowned. "Listen, the benefits that come with everyone being able to own the system far outweigh the risks. Starving children in Africa who can heal their malnutrition, simply by doing some simple exercises. Women in India who can fend off their attackers because suddenly they aren't so weak anymore. The sheer amount of people who can be saved from disease alone is worth it! How can you justify withholding such a gift simply because you're a little scared?"

"Your system is a weapon!" The President exclaimed. "It cannot be allowed to circulate unregulated!"

Thomas shrugged. "Too late. It already is. And even if I were going to regulate it, I wouldn't do so solely based on your opinion. Get a bill passed through Congress. Then we'll talk. Though… considering this is a world issue, maybe you should go through the UN."

"I could sign an executive order-" The President began.

"To what? Force a private citizen to obey you?" Thomas interrupted him with a scoff. "Executive orders are bullshit to begin with, but even they can't do that."

The President glared at him. "Mr. Jefferson, I must insist you consider this a bit more carefully. If you are willing to work with us on this, we can give you our full support! You wouldn't have to worry about anything. You could live the rest of your life in luxury! Are you really going to throw all that away?"

"Sure." Thomas responded with a shrug. "It isn't that I'm not willing to work with you, but I'm not going to restrict access to the system based on something as petty as where people were born."

The President sighed. "Well, if that's the case, then I suppose we have nothing more to talk about. Hansen will show you out."

Thomas shrugged and stood up. "Fine. It was nice to meet you." He commented, before following Hansen, the same man who'd brought them in, out. "This was a fun trip." Thomas commented with a grin to Jessica as they were led out of the White House.

"You're insane." Jessica sighed, shaking her head.

Hansen quickly led them out the gates, before stopping. "Thank you for your time." He announced, before turning and walking back into the White House.

Thomas frowned, looking around. "Did we just get ditched?"

"Oh my god." Jessica groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"Man… politicians are petty." Thomas commented, shaking his head. "Can I borrow your phone?"

Jessica gave him a weird look, but handed over her phone. He dialed a number and waited for the other end to pick up. "Hey, Dad, it's me, Thomas… Yeah, I'm using my girlfriend's phone… Yeah, I got a girlfriend. Anyways, we're stuck in Washington and we need a way home… D.C. The President wanted to talk with me… The system thing… Did I not tell you about that?… I'll explain later. I'm more focused on the whole trapped in D.C. thing… yeah, keep using this number, my phone is practically useless ever since the system thing spread… I have no idea how you missed it!… Alright, thanks Dad… see you soon." Thomas hung up. "He's getting us plane tickets. Shouldn't be a problem." He explained, handing Jessica back the phone. "Want to hit up a restaurant while we wait? I'm sure there are some good ones around here."

Jessica sighed. "Yeah, sure… You know, it's really hard to freak out around you."

Thomas frowned. "Why would you be freaking out?"

"Thomas, you literally just pissed off the most powerful man in the country! A man who is apparently petty enough to ditch two teenagers after flying them hundreds of miles from their home! Most people would be a little bothered by this!" Jessica explained in a heated tone.

"I mean… eh? I haven't done anything wrong. What's there to worry about?" Thomas responded with a shrug.

"You-" Jessica began, before stopping herself and sighing. "You're right, but still, doesn't it bother you that you have no recourse?"

"Recourse for what? I mean, yeah, it kinda sucks they're not taking us back home, but… I mean, if we really wanted to, we could probably run back using the system… actually, how fast can we run?" Thomas pondered thoughtfully. "I mean, I'm at about twenty times normal, and a normal run is about three to five miles per hour, so… about eighty miles per hour? Do a light jog at fifty or so and we could probably go for hours."

Jessica looked down at her dress and heels. "I really should have worn jeans…"

"No, seriously, could you imagine driving down the highway and getting passed by a girl in heels and a dress?" Thomas chuckled in amusement.

"How about a dress and sneakers? I'm pretty sure heels would not survive that fast a run." Jessica replied.

"Oh, true… but honestly, would the sneakers do much better?" Thomas commented.

"Hm, fair… but at least when the sneakers break, they won't twist my ankle." Jessica countered.

"True… eh, something to try once we get home, right?" Thomas responded.

At that moment, Jessica's phone buzzed. She opened in with a frown. "What the… I've been expelled!" She cried, looking up at him in shock.

"Seriously?" Thomas frowned, looking back at the White House.

"Yes! It says I have a week to move out of the dorms before all my stuff is confiscated!" Jessica continued, reading more of the message. "They say it's because I failed to uphold the University standards for student conduct!"

"I guess that means I'm expelled as well." Thomas grumbled. "Fucking politicians. Well, it isn't like it's the biggest loss in the world. With the system, self study is much more efficient than class, and honestly, I gave up on getting a real job about a week after I got the system."

Jessica sighed. "I suppose that's fair. It would be hard to actually work with what we can do now." However, before Jessica could calm down too much, her phone began buzzing again. "Well… my bank just canceled my account, so… no money. Joy."

"That seems illegal." Thomas frowned.

"Well, they want me to come by and pick up my money, but, you know, same thing at the moment." Jessica explained.

"Still, can they just cancel your account arbitrarily? That just seems like it shouldn't be possible." Thomas continued.

"Well, they are a private company… who they serve is entirely up to them." Jessica replied.

"I guess…" Thomas muttered, still not convinced.

Jessica's phone rang. "Hello? Oh, yeah, he's right here." She answered it, before handing it over to Thomas. "It's your dad."

"Hey… really… all of them?… Well, that's just perfect… yeah, we'll be fine, don't worry. Oh, I've also probably been expelled, so… I'll see you at home." Thomas hung up the phone. "So, all my dad's cards are no longer working and we're apparently on the no-fly list… so, are you up for a nice leisurely sprint across the country?"

Jessica groaned. "Man, I can't even buy new shoes!"

[Make the President regret crossing you: 30 pts.]

Thomas paused thoughtfully as the new mission popped up. How was he supposed to do that? "Hold on… I actually have an idea." He muttered, pulling up a new system window. Suddenly, a window popped up in front of Jessica.

[Thomas Jefferson would like to transfer [1] point to you. Do you accept?]

[Yes] [No]

Jessica raised an eyebrow, and clicked yes. Her point total immediately increased by one.

"Outstanding!" Thomas exclaimed as his experiment worked. "Now, let's make a few more changes."

Thomas then added an additional tab to the tasks page called "Achievements." Currently the only tasks he placed in the tab were based on the amount of people you gave the system to, and the amount of people from different countries you gave the system to. He set it at one, ten, one hundred, and so on. The point reward would still be based on the individual's desire and the effort they put in, but he figured it'd still be a good boost. Additionally, to incentivize people to spread the system even more, he set a rule that for every person you give the system to, you receive ten percent of their points, until the total points received reaches one hundred. He had to add a 'do you accept?' pop up for that, because technically it would be stealing the user's points, but once they agreed, it would be fine.

Finally, he added the "Judgment" feature. At any time, a person may designate another user to receive judgment. The system would take the individual's actions and intentions, then compare them to the morals of every other system user. Then, judging based on the morals of the users, the system would be taken away for a period of time. With that, Thomas was ready for a major update to the system, including all the features he'd created with Jessica and the others.

Thomas then connected with all the system users and made an announcement. *Attention users of the system. My name is Thomas Jefferson. As many of you are aware, I am the creator and administrator of the system. Recently, the American government has decided that, since I refuse to restrict access to the system to solely American citizens, I should be expelled from college, rejected from my bank, and placed on the no fly list. Well, then, as such, I suppose it's only fair that I restrict them from the system. From this point forward, any individual who holds a government position will no longer have access to the system. Additionally, anyone who works for the government will also lose access to the system. Essentially, me and the government have become completely incompatible. Please, choose wisely, and enjoy the updates.*

"There, all done." Thomas announced with a nod, turning to a shocked looking Jessica.

"You do realize you essentially just declared war on the US, right?" Jessica asked in a slightly panicked tone.

"Well, they did piss me off… Come on, let's run." Thomas responded with a shrug.

Jessica frowned at him, before sighing and shaking her head. "Hold my shoes."

The run was actually rather nice. Seeing as they didn't really need to stop thanks to the system, they finished in less than a day. They probably could have made it even sooner, but Thomas made it a point to stop by a gas station every now and then to hand off the system to someone. He was determined to make sure the President regretted his petty behavior, and he figured the best way to do that was to make sure the system was spread as far and wide as possible.

It was about dinner time when Thomas and Jessica slowed down to a light jog as they reached the driveway to his parents house. Thomas simply opened the door and walked into the house. "Oh, hey Mom." He said with a wave. "Did you guys grab our stuff?"

"Thomas!" His mother announced, giving him a hug, before immediately pulling away. "Wow, you're sweaty. Yes, all your stuff is in your room, and hers is in the guestroom. Speaking of which, hi, I'm Amanda, Thomas's mother. It's so nice to meet you!" She exclaimed again, giving Jessica a hug as well, before pulling away again. "You are also very sweaty."

Thomas rolled his eyes while Jessica looked embarrassed. "Mom, we literally just ran all the way here from D.C. We're going to be a little sweaty."

"Yes, yes, so you say. How about you two take a shower, and then we'll all go out for dinner?" Amanda offered. "Jessica, you can use the downstairs, right over here." She explained, showing her the bathroom and the guest room while Thomas quickly shot upstairs to his room to grab a towel and a change of clothes, before heading to the upstairs bathroom to shower.

"It feels good to be clean." Jessica sighed, taking a seat next to him on the couch a while later. "Hi, I'm Jessica." She introduced herself to everyone.

"Alex." His brother replied shortly, not even looking up from his phone.

"Don't mind him, he's always like that." Thomas's sister explained, shaking her head. "I'm Jennifer."

"And I'm Victor." His dad introduced himself with a wave. "Thomas was just telling us about this system you and he made together. It's very impressive!"

Jessica flushed. "I really didn't do much. Thomas is the one who got this ability to begin with and had the idea to spread it. I just helped a little."

"Don't sell yourself short." Thomas interjected. "The appearance editor wouldn't even be a thing if not for you, plus your idea for opposition tasks is the main reason system users aren't spiraling out of control when law enforcement can no longer handle them." Thomas explained, causing Jessica to flush even harder and bury her face in her hands.

Victor let out a light cough. "Yes, well, where do you guys want to eat?"

"How about pizza?" Thomas offered. "Or seafood."

"I'd be down for seafood." Jennifer chimed in.

"Sure." Alex added shortly.

"Alright then, seafood it is." Victor agreed. "We just need to wait for Katrina to get home, and we'll be good to go."

"Katrina is my other sister." Thomas explained when Jessica looked confused.

"Speak of the devil." Amanda announced as the door opened and Katrina walked in. After a quick introduction they all piled into the SUV and headed out for dinner. Somehow Thomas's sister's got Jessica separated from him, all three sitting in the back and talking like best friends. Thomas would occasionally glance back at them with a frown when his sisters told one of his particularly embarrassing childhood stories, but Jessica seemed to be enjoying herself, so he didn't make a big deal out of it.

They soon arrived at the restaurant and, after they'd been seated and their server finished getting everyone's drink order, Victor turned to Thomas. "By the way, I've been wondering. Why is it that you creating a system means I have to carry around a big wad of cash everywhere?"

"Because the President wants to control my system." Thomas shrugged.

Victor rolled his eyes. "Politicians want to control everything."

Thomas sighed. "It does come with the territory, doesn't it? The only reason to really get into politics is because you think you know what people should be doing better than they do. It's like the entire basis of laws."

"It's the basis of anything the government does. Even something like Healthcare is done because they believe the public isn't capable of taking care of it on their own. Plus, the more they pay for, the more they control you. It's a vicious cycle." Victor sighed.

"True." Thomas sighed again. "Don't worry though, it shouldn't really be an issue for much longer. As the system spreads, people will have a choice between a system which allows them to be stronger and smarter, to change their appearance as they wish, and even heal themselves from many diseases and injuries and, well, the government. One offers the potential for a post-scarcity society, and the other… Well, mostly taxes and some infrastructure. Hell, now that people can exchange points, I wouldn't be surprised if money stopped being a thing in the near future."

Katrina was staring at him with a frown. "Why do I feel like I just skipped the season finale of a TV show? Why is Dad carrying cash? What's a system? Why on earth are people choosing between it and the government!?!"

Thomas looked at Victor. "Did no one tell her?"

"She hasn't been home." Victor responded with a shrug.

"Ah." Thomas nodded as if that explained everything.

"What is going on!?!" Katrina exclaimed in frustration.

"Basically, I made a system that… well, you heard me before, and the government wants to control it, but I said no, so they decided to pull a bunch of petty bullshit to make me capitulate, which of course I won't do, so I decided they and anyone who works with them can do just fine without the system." Thomas answered plainly.

Katrina blinked at him. "Well… okay then. Can I get this system?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. Just give me your hand." Thomas replied. "Actually, I'll give it to all of you. Can't believe I forgot to do that."

"Wait, let me do half!" Jessica interjected.

"Why does it matter who gives us the system?" Victor asked curiously.

"I made a new rule recently that ten percent of the points you make go to the person who gave you the system until the total reaches one hundred. Sort of like an investment." Thomas explained, reaching out and transferring the system to him. "I wanted to incentivize the spread of the system."

"I see… so, what I'm getting out of this conversation is that, instead of paying all my employees in cash next week, I should give them all the system, and rake in the points while making them incredibly happy." Victor muttered thoughtfully.

"Honestly, that wouldn't be the worst-" Thomas responded, before stopping as suddenly a bright light overtook him, and he found himself standing in a bright, almost blank space full of people. Next to him stood Jessica, but he couldn't see any of his family members.

Jessica gripped his arm. "Thomas, what-"

[This was quite the infection you had going. Spreads like wildfire.]

[Yes, yes, have you discovered anything?]

[I have not. I couldn't figure out where it came from. There's no spatial tears, no sign of any intrusion, and obviously it can't be the Verse itself, since you already control its core. I honestly have no idea how this could even have started.]

[Can you ensure that it won't spread again if all these are destroyed?]

[Unfortunately, no. That one there seems to have spontaneously acquired the ability and begun the spread, a completely random coincidence. If it could happen to him, then it could happen to others as well.]

A weary sigh echoed out. [I'll have to cleanse the entire world then. Damn it! Only a few weeks and it's already destabilized the order of the entire world!]

[Is it really so bad? Yes, the old order will fall, but a new one will rise. After all, beings naturally seek order. It's simply the way things work.]

[This power is too strange. Too chaotic. I will not risk it in my World. No, this infection must be dealt with. I will cleanse everything and start again. Everything will follow the proper order.]

The other voice sighed. [So set in your ways, not that I should be surprised… I almost wish we could trade worlds. This infection really is rather interesting.]

As the two voices spoke, the crowd was buzzing nervously, particularly when the second voice mentioned cleansing. You could tell everyone wanted to panic, but had no idea how to do so in this blank space. People were shouting everywhere, and Thomas could even hear people explaining that he was the problem, the one who had started all this, but the voices seemed to pay it no mind. A giant white screen surrounded them, moving in from every side. Everyone huddled together in the center as the screen approached, inching inexorably closer and closer. The last thing Thomas experienced before the white overtook them was Jessica whispering "I love you." in his ear as they held each other tightly, his points surging within him, and pain, before everything went dark. The white screen condensed into a single point, leaving a perfectly smooth, clean surface behind. Similarly, back on earth, a white screen had finished its sweep, leaving only rocks, dirt, and water, a completely dead world.