4 A Father's Wish

David held his dead daughter's hand.

"I'm sorry."

Tears trickled down his cheek. "It's happening again. I lost my daughter... again." He grunted as he stood up. "I'm sorry, I just... after she died... I just forced her role onto you. Now you left me, physically and emotionally."

"You reminded me of her! You reminded me of Yuri!" His anger rose. Yet, it was not at the dead daughter in front of him, it was aimed at himself. His poor, broken self. "Why? Why must God curse me like this? What did I even do wrong!" He yelled and punched a wall beside him.

"Sir?" A UN soldier brought a bottle of alcohol to him. David, in a fit of rage, hit the bottle out of his hands. It crashed onto the road. The soldier backed away before leaving his sight, leaving the troubled man alone.

"This is all your fault, Jessica." He directed his irritation at his "wife." This was all part of Project Penetration. Jessica was a Chinese spy. He remembered from back then.

❈

"We confiscated the material from the Federation." The Commander laid the jewel in front of David. "For them to be so desperate that they intrude onto our territory." David shivered at the thought. "What could it even be?"

The Commander sat back in his seat and leaned back while letting out a tired sigh. "It's a material that doesn't originate on Earth." "What!?" David nearly dropped the jewel. "Yes. It's alien in nature. The fact that it hasn't been touched in millions of years, and that it was cut so cleanly..."

"So you're saying that some ancient, high-tech culture did this?" David probed further. "Or an alien civilization. Even more coincidental, it was uncovered on Mount Olivet." The Commander chuckled at the thought. "Luke 24." David ruffled in a set of books, uncovering a large black book with gold lining.

『Holy Bible』

"It's the same place where the 『Son of God』 ascended." The Commander tapped the page. David laughed at the thought. "You seriously think these are related?" "We can't just shove that link aside." "If you think Jesus' ascension is related to this alien jewel-thingymajig, then God may just exist!" David guffawed while slamming the table. The Commander shook his head.

"He may just exist."

David raised an eyebrow at the comment. "So, why are you telling me this?" "The Federation will most likely send someone to retrieve it. We believe we may know who." "Hーhow the heck do you guys even figure outー"

"Jessica Ng." The Commander took out a few papers with a Chinese girl's face on the pages. "You're choosing a wife soon, aren't you?" "I am." "The Chinese have bribed your personal guard to push you towards choosing her while you are choosing someone. Basically, they believe you are a pushover."

"Wait, whaー"

"Make sure that you do choose her. Give her the jewel. See what makes her spill. Perhaps we can even leak fake information for her to report." "Alright. I will do it."

"Good. No matter what, do not look suspicious of her."

❈

David was snapped out of his trance to see the Commander walking towards him. He was twirling the jewel in his hand. "Looks like the plan worked." The Commander smirked at the dead body of Jessica. "They really thought we were evacuating all UN Ambassadors to the UK. Ha! Like we would move to this dump." He looked towards David. "Did you find any information?"

"No." David gritted his teeth before rearing his fist and attempting to punch the Commander. The soldier from before caught his wrist. "I LOST MY DAUGHTER AGAIN!" "All for the greater good." The Commander held a cigarette pack towards him. "Want one?" "SHUT UP!" The Commander lit the cigarette and puffed a cloud of smoke.

"Looks like a tough era is in front of us. If the German offensive works, we can finish the invasion of the Soviet Union before winter!" The man chuckled to himself. "Well, war predictions never work out."

"Thank you, for your sacrifice. My friend."

"If there's one thing I could wish for..."

"Hm? What did you say?"

"I would wish for the ability to turn back time. I want to tell her, Isabel, that I loved her. Iー and that I am sorry."

"Well, that's quite a beautiful wish, ain't it? Perhaps you can pray for it. Pray to that celestial dictator."