Chapter 41
Beginning of the Invasion
Part 3B
In the Dark Room
The sudden change in the atmosphere was evident. Everyone was running around as if in a race, each person carrying something in their hand. No one was looking at anyone else; it was like a beehive, with everyone buzzing around. Some were talking to others through their communicators, while others were using different devices. The conclusion was clear: something big had happened, something very big.
A young girl, seated in front of the terminal where Adline had previously sat, was observing her surroundings, trying to comprehend the unfolding events. Since she started this job, everything had been a mystery to her, but she had never questioned it. The basic belief that they were doing everything they could to improve the lives of their country was something everyone in this city believed in, so everyone did what they could without asking any questions.
"Something big is definitely going on today," she told herself. She knew her job was very important and she was not allowed to divert her attention from the screen for even a minute. If she needed to take a break, she had to ask for permission. Although she didn't mind, she wasn't privy to much more information than what she had been given for this task. So, she was doing everything out of loyalty.
As she resumed watching the screen in front of her, she didn't notice the man standing behind her, watching the same screen. She only became aware of him when she heard a sudden voice. "You're doing well, I see. Very good, keep up the good work. Starting today, your job will be much more difficult. In less than an hour, you're not allowed to leave your post at any time from now on." With a wide smile, he added, "And don't worry, it's not only you but all of us. If you need anything, my office door is always open."
.....
The Underground Bunker
In an underground bunker, six people were seated opposite each other at a large rectangular table, with enough space for two chairs between each person. In front of each of them was a large, transparent screen. What was displayed on it was only visible to the person in front of it.
To anyone seeing it, it would look very strange. These six people, dressed in peculiar clothes, with hoods covering their heads and masks over their faces, were staring at a screen in front of them and typing on an empty space. No one was talking, and the strangest thing was that they had been like this for six days now. Not one of them had moved a single inch from their position, not even for a minute.
The reason for this was simple: there were no doors or windows, no entrance or exit. Any normal human would wonder how they got in to begin with.
Suddenly, someone appeared from nowhere. For the first time, the six people's attention was diverted from their screens to the man who had appeared at the head of the table. "Ladies and gentlemen, the first phase was successful. Congratulations. Your contribution will be appreciated and rewarded when the time comes. You can leave now. Your replacements will arrive as soon as you are ready."
...
In Another Unknown Location
In another Dark Room in a different unknown location, another meeting was held underground, but this one was totally different from the first for a few reasons. The first was that none of the attendees were physically present at the meeting location.
The second thing was that there was no argument whatsoever. And finally, everyone was listening intently to the extensive report while also watching the events being described on a private screen in front of their holographic images.
Although all of their holograms were present in the same location, none of them were paying any attention to the others. Each one was immersed in watching the events on their screen while simultaneously writing notes on a small device in their hands.
The speaker who was reporting was the only one physically present at the location.
After he finished reporting, which didn't take long, he delivered the last sentence of his report. "Ladies and gentlemen, everything was within the expected parameters, and countermeasures for every single situation are in place. From tomorrow onward, we will be entering the second phase. Any questions?"
Inside the Mayor's office .
In the mayor's office, hundreds of screens covered the entire wall to his right, from floor to ceiling. They displayed multiple views of the city and other cities around the world. He stood up, still watching the screens, and walked to the door to pick up a paper that had fallen to the floor. With a sigh, he returned to his seat and glanced briefly at the paper.
He immediately understood the contents: a report on what he was currently watching. He mumbled inaudibly, "Too slow. It took a full ten minutes to report. I'm afraid that with this mechanism, we can't manage things the way we want. We're not ready yet. At this rate, we'll fail sooner than expected, and it looks really bad. I think we've already failed."
After a long sigh, he folded the papers in his hand and added them to a pile on the corner of the table. He picked up a device the size of his hand, similar to Earth's smartphones but thicker, almost like three cell phones combined. He began typing on it with incredible speed for almost five minutes without stopping. Then, he looked at the screens on the wall and said in a low voice, as if talking to someone sitting beside him, "This is the beginning of the invasion. After everything we dedicated our lives to, will we succeed?"
The Mayor did not move for a long while after reading the report.The only sound in the office was the faint hum of the hundreds of silent screens covering the walls. On one of them, the two anomalies shimmered faintly in the scorched farmland—one swirling like black water, the other still and glassy, as though it were a mirror hanging in the air.
He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled, eyes never leaving the footage. The air in the room felt heavier with each passing second, though nothing had changed.
A soft click echoed behind him. A thin panel in the far wall slid open, revealing a shadowed figure standing in a narrow corridor. The man's face was hidden beneath a deep hood, but his voice carried no emotion.he said, "Instructions, Mayor?"
The Mayor's eyes shifted briefly to another set of screens, showing the streets of Arabas, the market still bustling, the wall patrols marching in their usual formations. "No public alert," he said. "Not yet. I want to see how they move."
The hooded man inclined his head slightly, waiting.
"Prepare the Second Phase. Full combat readiness. Pull the inner patrols into hidden positions and have the wall sentries maintain their routes as if nothing is happening."
"Yes, Mayor."
The shadow withdrew, the panel sealing silently behind him.
On the central feed, the glassy anomaly flickered—just once, almost imperceptibly. The Mayor noticed immediately. He reached for a drawer beneath his desk, withdrew a small, ancient-looking device, and set it on the table. It resembled a compass, but its needle spun erratically, scraping faintly against the glass.
He whispered to it like one would to a restless animal.
"They're early."
Out on the farmland, the scorched air began to shimmer more violently, heat haze twisting the view until the ground itself seemed to sag. Something large moved behind the swirling darkness, its outline shifting between shapes that did not belong to a single creature.
The Mayor's lips curled into the faintest trace of a smile.
"Let's see what the saviour's we have been waiting for are capable of."
A/N
My dear readers, greetings to all of you! It has been a while since the last update. I have been busy with life over the past year and haven't written much. I appreciate your patience and understanding. Now, I am back and will finish this volume, as well as begin the third volume.
Please also check out my new book, *Apocalypse from the Seventh Dimension*.
Please leave a review and add it to your library. I appreciate your continued support.
Thank you for being with me.