Chapter 6 : New way

Thomas tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep. He felt a knot of anxiety in his gut as he thought about the looming deadline. He got up before dawn and splashed some water on his face in the lab's bathroom. He brewed himself a strong cup of tea with the machine in his room and tried to calm his nerves. But the feeling of dread only grew stronger as he watched the sky lighten up.

As the day began and the other staff members started to arrive at the office, Thomas's assistant came in. Unlike other days, there was a different feel between them today. They were friends, but there was a sense of urgency in the air.

"Hey Thomas," his assistant said, concern etched on his face. "How are you doing? Did you find any solutions to the problem?"

Thomas shook his head and let out a deep sigh. "No, I don't even know where to look. I've been up all night trying to figure it out."

His assistant placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out together."

As Thomas scrolled through the internet, searching for ways to prove to others about the chaos that was about to happen - the inhabitants from the planet called AK07 were coming to capture Earth - his assistant looked through the project file called ''The Nexusgate''' which Thomas had. They worked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

A deafening siren pierced the air, shattering Thomas and his assistant's focus. They locked eyes, fear and confusion written on their faces.

"That's the emergency meeting siren," his assistant gasped, his voice trembling. "We haven't heard it in ages."

Thomas felt a surge of panic as he wondered what could have caused the siren. Could it be related to his request? No, he thought, shaking his head. That was impossible - not after his manager had dismissed him so harshly.

They sprinted to the hall, their breaths ragged and their hearts hammering. As they dashed, a paper slipped off Thomas's desk, caught by the breeze from the fan. It fluttered to the wall of Thomas's room and was suddenly pulled inside and disappeared - just like Thomas had been when he entered the portal that took him back to Earth

Thomas and his assistant rushed into the hall, barely making it in time for the emergency meeting. They scanned the room nervously, looking for any signs of what was going on. The atmosphere was tense and heavy, as if everyone was holding their breath. Something big had happened, something that could change everything.

They found their seats and waited anxiously for the meeting to start. Thomas felt his heart pounding in his chest, his mind racing with possibilities. What had they found? What had they done? What had they unleashed?

The manager stepped onto the stage, his face grim and serious. He cleared his throat and began to speak, his voice echoing through the hall. "We have detected an abnormal activity in the cosmic microwave background radiation and gravitational waves," he said. "This is the faint glow of light that fills the universe, a relic of the Big Bang that created everything we know. Something has disturbed this radiation and these waves, something we don't understand yet."

He paused and looked around the room, his eyes meeting Thomas's for a brief moment. Thomas felt a chill run down his spine as he realized the gravity of the situation. The manager continued, "There is no immediate threat to Earth or to us, but we need to figure out what is causing this anomaly and what it means for our understanding of the universe.

As the manager spoke, Thomas felt a surge of adrenaline. He realized what was behind this anomaly - it was the portal that the AK07 people were building.That was what was messing with the cosmic microwave background radiation and gravitational waves.

He leaned over to his assistant and whispered urgently, "It's happening."

His assistant looked at him with a puzzled expression. "What is?"

Thomas explained what was really happening and why it was happening. He told him that the portal they were building was causing the increase in radiation and gravitational waves.

His assistant listened intently, his face growing more and more worried.

The manager continued his speech. "For now, I want all members of this lab to be working on this sudden change. This is our top priority."

Thomas nodded along with the rest of the room, but his mind was racing. He knew what he had to do - he had to stop the AK07 people before it was too late. He had to find a way to close the portal and prevent them from capturing Earth.

As soon as the meeting was over, Thomas grabbed his assistant's arm and pulled him aside. "We have to move fast," he said. "We have to stop them before it's too late."

Thomas and his assistant dashed to the room. Thomas felt a surge of adrenaline as he reached the room and hurried to his computer, looking for a solution.

"We need a plan. Any ideas?" Thomas asked, his voice cracking.

"What's on your mind?" he asked with his eyes wide with fear.

"I want to tell the manager everything. Do you think he'll listen to me?" Thomas said, hoping for a miracle.

"I doubt it. You already tried to reason with him before." said his assistant.

"But now I have proof." replied Thomas.

"How are you going to show that it's happening because of what you claim? It could be anything." he said in a frown.

"I know, but I have to try," said Thomas.

"Most people will think you're crazy, including our manager." said his assistant

"You're right. It's hopeless to try to persuade him." Thomas said, sighing.

He paused for a moment and then said, "But I can't just give up. I have to find a way to make him see reality." He said, clenching his fist.

"Maybe we can collect more evidence and present it in a way that leaves no room for doubt." his assistant said with a motivation.

Thomas rummaged through his table desperately, looking for the paper where he had written his calculations of the time dilation between Earth and AK07. He had a sinking feeling that someone had broken into his office and taken it. He shouted to his assistant, who was busy organizing some files in the corner. "Hey, did you see my paper? The one with equations on it?"

His assistant shook his head. "No, I didn't touch anything on your table. Maybe you left it somewhere else?"

Thomas doubted that. He was very careful about his work and he always kept his papers in order. He searched every drawer, every shelf, every folder in his office, but he couldn't find it anywhere. He felt a surge of fear. What if someone had taken it but he realized what they could do with it even if they took it.

Thomas still had all his work on his computer so he could recreate it, but it was still unsettling. It reminded him that he only had 68 days left before the catastrophe and he had no time to waste. He had to work harder and faster to find a solution.

Thomas and his assistant were in a dilemma. They had stumbled upon a problem that seemed unsolvable, and time was running out. Thomas was checking the calculations he had uploaded on his computer when his assistant came up with a daring idea.

"What if we mail this problem to the president and leak this to the public through social media?" he suggested. "Maybe someone out there can help us figure this out."

Thomas looked at him incredulously. "Are you insane? Do you know what would happen if we did that? We would cause mass panic and chaos. We would be arrested for treason and conspiracy. We would be labeled as lunatics and frauds."

But his assistant was persistent. "No, hear me out. This is our only chance. Think about it. This is such a crazy story that it might just go viral. People love mysteries and conspiracies. Maybe someone with the interest will see it and contact us. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. We need all the help we can get."

Thomas was hesitant at first, but he couldn't deny that his assistant had a point. They were running out of options, and they needed all the help they could get. So, after much deliberation, Thomas agreed to reveal the story without revealing their identity.

It was a risky move, but they were desperate. They had to do something drastic before it was too late.

Thomas frantically composed an email to the president, using coded language to convey the urgency of the situation.

"Dear Mr. President,

I am writing to you as a concerned citizen and a scientist who has made a shocking discovery that could affect the fate of the world. I have uncovered a clear and present danger of an alien invasion that is imminent and could annihilate the human race.

I know this sounds unbelievable, but I urge you not to dismiss this message as a joke, but to trust me and act quickly. I have attached some files that contain the calculations and the evidence I have gathered. They show that an alien fleet is approaching our planet and will arrive within days. They also show that they have advanced weapons and technology that we cannot match.

I have tried to alert the public through social media, but I fear that no one will take me seriously. You are the only one who can mobilize the resources and the allies we need to prepare for this threat. Please open the attachments and see for yourself. Please do not ignore this message or delete it as a hoax.

This is not a prank. This is not a drill. This is a matter of life and death for all of us."

He attached some files that showed the calculations and the evidence he had collected. He prayed that the president would open his email and not delete it as a hoax.

At the same time, his assistant launched a massive online campaign to spread the same information that Thomas had sent to the president. He created multiple fake accounts on various social media platforms and posted the same story with different twists. He used diverse names, locations, and tones to make it seem like different people were witnessing the same phenomenon. He also added some photos and videos that he had manipulated to make them look realistic. He hoped that his posts would catch someone's eye and go viral.

They both sat back and waited for their scheme to succeed. They realized that they had gambled everything, but they also realized that they had no other option. They hoped that someone out there would listen to them and help them avert the crisis before it was too late.

What will happen next? Will the president heed their warning and take action? Will their posts create a buzz and draw attention? Will they find a way to stop the invasion or will they face the fury of the aliens?