1 The Prodigy
"Mr. Quinn, you have to do something about these grades." Right now I am in the faculty office, being lectured by one of my teachers. This is probably some patronizing bullshit again, telling me how talented I was in elementary and how I can achieve more in life. Honestly, they all think the same. They all want to be that person who brings back the talented Quinn Morgan back to the limelight.
Quinn Morgan, the child prodigy who excelled at everything he did. He plays any instrument with ease, being the envy of all major performers and composers. He sings so well that even angels and sirens will be ashamed to sing when he does. He can paint masterpieces that would make any other art look like child's play. He can also play any sport as if he was born with the genes that could support him. That is Quinn. No. That WAS Quinn. Whoever that child prodigy was, the me right now does not want to get associated with him anymore.
What's that?
Oh you want to skip the boring stuff about my prodigy days?
Okay okay. Sorry about that, let's go check out the new teacher then shall we?
Ahem.
Her name is Cynthia Morse, a new person added to the faculty this year. She is 5'3 feet tall in height which is considered as an average height for women globally. Her hair is a shoulder - level dark brown with her bangs swayed to the left side of her head, neatly placed by two hair clips. Her height probably stopped going up because all her growth focused on her tits. Man, I bet she can beat a cow in milking with how big those twin peaks are.
"Uhmm.. are you still listening Mr. Quinn?" She suddenly placed her arms on her chest. I'm sure she's aware that I'm staring at them now. That's good, it'll make me leave the faculty earlier.
"Yes Ma'am. If there's nothing else, please excuse me." I said, not waiting for her to reply.
I have a strict schedule after all. Right now, I need to go to the rooftop of the school and sleep. I bought a new tent for this occasion. Plus, that wireless electric fan and my bag filled with potato chips and cola would all go to waste if I don't proceed with my plan.
"Okaaaay! Let's procrastinate the whole day through!" I said in an energetic and upbeat tone, making my way to the rooftop.
*Bzzzt*
*Bzzzt*
*Bzzzt*
As soon as I decided to do this, my phone began vibrating. I know only one person who'd call me during class hours and just the thought of it makes my body tired already. I picked it up immediately. The sooner I do what she wants, the sooner I can go back to my potato chips and cola paradise.
"This better be important." I started.
"When have I ever called you over for boring stuff?"
"Please, if you made me count those instances, I'd lose track."
"That's rude! What I'm studying is lost knowledge you know!"
"Yeah, it's so lost that your brain went with it right?" I answered.
"Still as cold as ever huh? What if I decide to get someone else for my research?"
"As if you could find someone else who can decode 10 years of research in one night other than me. I'm so good at what I do that you won't even fire me even if I rape you."
"For someone with such a big brain, you really love worldly stuff don't you?"
"I'm just trying to escape."
"From what?" Shit, my tongue slipped and said something unnecessary. I need to veer this conversation away from my personal life.
"So do you want me to come or not?"
"Please do. But not before school time ends okay?"
"Please, the stuff there is at least less boring than my teachers."
I went to my locker and left my precious rooftop slacking kit there. I just took my smartphone, a pen and a notebook; placing them all inside my bag.
Huh? You want to know who I was talking to? It's nobody special. Just a friend from the International Research Institute. Her name is Alice Winfield. She's the head of the secret department that does its research on things that exists beyond normal human comprehension.
I know what you're thinking. Nope this isn't about superpowers nor supernatural elements. This is about logical stuff. Things left by beings of higher intelligence to toy with our human brain. Many researchers go mad from the mere attempt to solve them. Most of them are now in asylums around the world, carving their formulas on the walls of their cells. I on the other hand, find them less boring than those sudoku crosswords on newspapers. Well that's enough information for now, I don't want you to end up like those people in the asylums.
"Yow Freddie how's your wife doing?" I said as I fist-bumped the guard who is stationed at the gate.
"Still as beautiful as ever! You should be a godfather to the child she's bearing! What do you say Quinn?"
"Nah, I have to pass. I don't have the money for that. Anyway, where's Ali?" That's the nickname I use for Alice. I don't like formalities, especially with people of lower intellect than me.
"She's at the back." He said, pointing his fingers at…well…the back of course.
"We received some new things to decode from the World Government weeks ago. The professor hasn't had any decent sleep since."
*Sigh*
"Why didn't she call me sooner then?"
"Come on man, you know how she is. She'd at least fry all her braincells before coming to you for help."
"Well that's true. I guess she still can't accept that a high schooler is better than the head of the department in doing her job. Later then Freddie"
"Sure Quinn, oh and think of the offer okay? You won't regret it."
"I would. A million times over." I said as I waved goodbye.
The institute looks the same as always. All that one can see from outside are ground level building but, they don't know that the institute actually runs underground. Basically, the more classified the work is, the deeper it is located underground. Oh, and you can't just pass through every level just because you are an employee. You need an identification device. They implant it in your eye, which would also explode the minute you betray the institute.
What level can I reach you ask? Well of course I can reach the deepest parts of this institute. I've been saving their sorry asses for as long as I can remember. I'm the only reason they can keep their jobs in the first place.
"Yow Rusty!" I said to the one guarding the door to the main building.
"Heyy It's my man Quiiin!" I slapped his hand and continued inside.
"Good morning sir Quinn."
"Hey Quinn! Professor Alice has been looking for you."
"Quinn can you come to my office next? I want to ask something."
As always, the researchers of this institute greet me as soon as they see me. Honestly, they should just focus on finishing their jobs instead of talking to a high schooler. But then again, they all need something from me. That's the only reason they are recognizing my presence. I greeted them all politely. They do pay me whenever I do something for them so I should smile and wave at them at least.
I went straight to the elevator which I think is the wrong name to call this machinery. An elevator is supposed to pull a person up, hence the root word "elevate" connected to it. But hey, I'm not crazy enough to add a new word for something that pulls you down Satan's playground.
As soon as the doors closed, a green light scans my eye. Verifying my identity before I proceed. The people of this place are fond of explosions so, yup, if the system fails to verify me, the elevator will explode automatically.
[Scan complete. Welcome back Professor Quinn. Which level would you like to descend to?]
"Negative 90th floor please."
[Now descending, please hold on to the rails provided at the side of the machine as we proceed.]
The numbers went down little by little. Whoever thought of the idea that we should count negative numbers because the floors are descending must have also thought of my idea to make a new word for elevators that go below the ground.
I quickly reached the bottom floor. Not to my surprise, Ali is already on the ground sleeping out cold. I didn't wake her up anymore and proceeded to the new piece of ancient wisdom that they were able to obtain.
"It's a crown." I told myself as I examined the headdress. There are jewels all around it and the main component looks like a study metal that I'm sure is not from this world.
"They're probably using this to find a new lead on some ancient advanced civilization." I looked at it carefully and noticed something peculiar. There are a combination of dots and lines at the bottom of the crown. The sequence goes like this:
.-- .... --- . ...- . .-. / -.. . -.-. --- -.. . ... / - .... .. ... / -- . ... ... .- --. . / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / .-. ..- .-.. . -.. / - .... . / .-- --- .-. .-.. -.. .-.-.-
It's so small that you'd just mistake it for decoration. But I'm not that stupid. The problem with these researchers is that they always look too far ahead, disregarding the fact that, most of the time the solution is simple. This is one of those moments. The lines and dots is a Morse Code message and it reads:
"Whoever decodes this message will rule the world."
I am not sure why, but a sudden beam of light took me by surprise. When my eyes adjusted to the light, I am already outside the lab…and in the middle of a warzone.
