1 As-Sirat

The Rusk Technology Center is America's premier Think Tank and paramilitary organization.

The facility is located in an old oil refinery in El Paso, Texas. The supposed refinery hides the advanced laboratories and testing grounds.

The heart of the Rusk Technology Center is the Control Center, a large room filled with dozens of technical stations.

Controlling the chaos today is Dr. Alexander Garrick the lead research scientist and Project Coordinator for Project As-Sirat.

He is a big man measuring six feet and three inches tall.

Weighing a solid two hundred and thirty pounds, and all of that is muscle. His blond hair, blue eyes, and noble brow gave him a heroic air.

His looks often attracted the attention of the female scientists and technicians. A young red-headed woman, in her early twenties, stood near the door talking with an older male colleague about Dr. Garrick.

This wasn't the first time that Todd talked to one of these smitten women. He enjoyed talking about his boss and watching the young women react. He was too old and happily married to care about these young love-sick kids.

"There are many rumors about Doc Garrick," Todd began.

"Rumors?" Alicia asked already anticipating Todd's next words.

"He was rumored to have paid his way through college by working as a male model and minor celebrity.

Some have even claimed that Doc Garrick was the result of a eugenics experiment.

These people claim he wasn't born, but is the product of a laboratory experiment. This is the only way to explain his perfect existence," Todd chuckled.

Alicia turned to look at him, her face almost begging for him to continue.

What I know is that not only is Doc the world's most brilliant scientist, but he's also a peerless martial artist.

At one time, he was a combat soldier and after graduating with thirteen doctorate degrees from several prestigious institutions; he was appointed the Lead Military Strategist and Head Scientific Advisor for the American Military.

He often found himself at the center of plots and was the subject of several attempted assassinations.

He's survived up to this point, and if things go well today then he is going to lead us to immortality. Figuratively and hopefully literally," Todd said with a wink. Alicia was clearly dazzled.

"It's time to get to our stations. Make a good impression on our unrivaled leader, who knows, maybe he'll invite you to celebrate later," Todd laughed and walked to his place.

Alicia seemed inspired and went to carry out her duties enthusiastically.

What many did not know was that Doc Garrick used the many plots and assassination attempts as a testing ground for several weapon technologies he created for his exclusive use.

As a result of these tests, Doc developed a kind of armored weapon system outfitted with an artificial intelligence system named the V.I.C.K.I. System or Versitile Intelligent Combat and Knowledge Innovation System.

His suit was so advanced, that he even imported all of his favorite gaming systems into the VR system and played them on his breaks.

The only time he removed VICKI was when he was bathing.

The suit was worn under his clothes and the only thing anyone knew about it was that sometimes he would talk to VICKI.

Everyone thought VICKI was just an AI, but little did they realize that it was so much more than that.

Currently, the world was Garrick's oyster, the only problem he had was he was now in his late forties and staring mortality in the face.

His father passed away when he wasn't much older than Garrick. He felt the pressure of death's cold sickle approaching.

For most of his life, Garrick lived like he was an immortal. Mortality never occurred to him. Life is an adventure and he loved every minute of it.

When his father passed, he finally realized that even the greatest adventure must come to an end, but he didn't want it to end.

For the first time in his life, he had a goal. He hoped to develop something capable of breaking the confines of mortality. He wanted to live forever. Who can blame him?

The As-Sirat Project was his chance. According to Islam, the As-Sirat bridge was crossed by the faithful to enter paradise.

Garrick's several fields of scientific knowledge converged to a point where he developed a theory of how to attain immortality.

He called it Retro-Temporal Rebirth and Evolution.

The focus of the project involved not only traveling through space but also time according to the theory of Quantum Bridging. He named the Quantum Bridging "As-Sirat" since it led to immortality.

Additional benefits of traveling through As-Sirat were believed to reverse aging and strengthen the accuracy of DNA self-replication through the evolution of the human body.

Today was the first activation of the As-Sirat bridge. The team had been working for this day for the last six years.

Relying on VICKI, Doc Garrick verified every step in the system making sure the QUTE Engine (Quantum Undulation and Time Energy Engine) was working properly.

Below a unique rounded triangular pod held an assortment of several animals, rats, rabbits, and monkeys, it was practically a zoo. The pod was as big as a zoo. Obviously, it was designated as the ark.

The technicians began to call out from their stations.

"Station 1: Ready."

"Station 2: Ready"

"Station 3: Ready"

All thirty-six technical stations registered their ready status.

"Initiate QUTE Engine." Doctor Garrick said.

Red lights began to go off at every station as soon as the QUTE Engine came online.

"The Temporal Horizon Containment System is Destabilizing," said the Station 13 technician.

"Grey Gamma wave energy manipulation nodes flipping to white hot. Grey Gamma Tide building. Flooding commencing!" Shouted the Technician from Station 33.

"Sir, critical failure in the Boson Pool reactor!" Technician thirty-five cried out.

"We're dead!" Garrick knew there was no coming back from this. "Will this be the end of my genius? Has my immortal path come to an end?" He wondered aloud.

"Sir, BREACH, BREACH, BREACH!!!!"

A white light swallowed Dr. Garrick and everyone in the facility.

"You'll thank me later," VICKI whispered into Garrick's mind as he lost consciousness.

At some point, Garrick regained consciousness and looked around. He felt like he was floating, but he couldn't actually see anything, except white light.

Without seeing anything he knew one thing, he wasn't alone.

"Hello?" He called out. He couldn't tell if he actually called out loud or if he only thought it. His body felt peculiar. It felt itchy like millions of ants were crawling through his body. He didn't have time to understand what was happening to him.

"Standby for L.Z," VICKI said in Garrick's mind. He felt like he was being sucked into something and he lost consciousness again. Fear was the last thing he felt as he lost himself to oblivion.

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