The basement was my silent tomb of refuge from the world above. Dust swirled in the faint beam of light spilling through a grimy window, illuminating a chaos of forgotten experiments—rusted tools, scattered papers, echoes of my father’s dreams.
I knelt among them, my fingers brushing the worn pages of his notebooks. Each scribbled equation was a lifeline, a tether to the man they’d branded a killer. But I knew the truth: Dad wasn’t a monster. He was a visionary. And I swore it upon my life, that I’d prove it, even if it cost me everything.
The air was cool, thick with the scent of damp earth and old ink. Beyond these walls, the city night stretched vast and still, the coffee plantation a sea of dark leaves under a star-strewn sky. It was nothing like London—its clamor and crowds a fading echo, replaced by this isolating quiet. We’d fled here to Zambia after the explosion at CosCap, after the accusations, but the past clung to me like a second skin. It was in the empty spaces: Dad’s chair, Mom’s tired eyes, my brother Kled’s abandoned room.
Then I saw it—a sleek, cuboid machine half-hidden beneath a pile of journals. It wasn’t in Dad’s notes, but its faint hum called to me, alive and insistent. My pulse quickened as I brushed off the dust, revealing glowing buttons along its side. Curiosity overrode caution. I pressed one.
A sharp whine pierced the silence, the hum swelling until it rattled my bones. Light exploded from the device, and I stumbled back, heart hammering. In the beam’s glow, a figure took shape—metallic, humanoid, its eyes blazing like twin stars. My legs buckled, and I hit the floor, staring as it solidified.
“What in the world...”
My voice was a rasp, barely audible over the pounding in my ears.
The robot tilted its head, its gaze unyielding.
“Quantum gateway jump successful,” it said, its tone eerily calm. “Hello, Cipher. I am Number One, sent by your father, Frederick Silver.”
“My father’s dead,”
I snapped, scrambling back until I hit the wall. A talking robot came out of nowhere and bagan speaking to me. I was lost in disbelief
And then, Number One’s eyes flared, and a holographic galaxy shimmered between us—alien ships gliding through the void, their shapes ugly and menacing.
“An invasion is imminent,” it said. “Your father foresaw this threat and created me to deliver a warning—and a solution.”
The hologram shifted, revealing vials of glowing purple serum. “This will grant powers to those who take it,” the robot continued. “My mission is to build an army with this power, perfected by your father.”
My father? Building an army?
I shook my head, disbelief warring with the evidence before me. A machine from nowhere, a robot claiming Dad’s legacy—it was insane.
But then Number One projected another image: Dad’s face, lined and weary, yet alive.
“Hello, Lilian,” he said, his voice breaking the dam inside me. “Surprised to see me?”
Tears stung my eyes. It was him—impossible, undeniable.
“I don’t know if this will reach you,” he went on, “but if it does... The explosion didn’t kill us. It teleported me and half the team to another planet—a war-torn hell. Earth’s in danger, Lilian. I’m fighting to stop them, to get back to you, Kled, Cipher, and Angela. Tell them I love them. You’re my strength. Stay strong, my love. I’ll return to you, no matter what.”
After that, the hologram faded, leaving a void I couldn’t fill.
“He’s alive,” I whispered.
“Your father entrusted me with this mission,” Number One said. “I must secure global cooperation to defend Earth.”
“You’re serious? Earth is in danger?” I asked, curiosity pushing me
“Yes,” it replied.
Number One then explained his mission in detail.
“So, you’re off to convince the world’s leaders to prepare for the war?” I asked, beginning to understand the situation.
“Correct. Keep the serum safe until I return.” It handed me a case of vials, my hands trembling as I took it. Then, in a flash, it was gone.
I was still dazed. I hardly slept that night.
The following morning, I went to school as usual. I didn’t tell anyone about what had happened in my dad’s lab. My mind was so filled with questions that I skidded into class without paying attention to anything else.
Upon arriving, I sat at my desk, still contemplating the day before. That’s when someone suddenly touched my shoulder. I looked up to see Collins, my only friend at school.
“Are you crazy?!” he hissed, his face pale, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool morning air.
“What’s wrong?” I asked quickly.
“Randy was calling for you at the gate, and you ignored him.”
“What?!” My heart pounded. Randy was a nightmare I couldn’t wake from.
“This is bad! You need to go and apologize right away!”
But before I could move, the teacher entered and told us all to take our seats. I spent the entire day unable to concentrate.
After school, I knew it was too late to apologize. Fear gripped me, and I rushed out to avoid Randy and his minions. He wasn’t going to let me off so easily—he’d spent three years making my life miserable, each taunt chipping away at my confidence.
I didn’t tell Mom what was happening; she already worked so hard to support our family. To make matters worse, Kled had left home and become a drug dealer.
Just as I thought I’d escaped the schoolyard, Collins came racing toward me, panting and sweating.
“Cipher...” He said, while gasping for air, “Your sister!”
“What is it?” I asked, dread tightening my chest, realizing that something was wrong.
“It’s Randy. He’s taken her to the roof with his friends.”
A rush of blood hammered through my veins. My vision blurred, and I fought the urge to collapse. The things he had done to me—and now to Angela. I couldn’t let him hurt my sister the way he’d hurt me.
I gathered my strength, sprinted back into the school, and climbed the stairs two at a time. At the top, I found Randy with Angela perched on his lap, surrounded by his cronies. That was the moment I realized some battles can’t be fought with words alone.