Callum sauntered into his two bedroom apartment before collapsing onto a sofa.
Although he was earning enough to afford a luxurious duplex or even a penthouse, he was comfortable living in this little apartment since he wasn't used to living in luxury and he had quite the dislike for those that did. And also he had other expenses and bills that he was footing.
He stood up and went on to prepare for the upcoming mission. He carefully selected a sweatpants and a T-shirt and laid them down then he went on to take a shower.
Feeling hungry, he opened his fridge and brought out some left over cheese to satiate his hunger.
He went on to the phone and dialed the number of a certain rehab facility. A voice resounded at the other end of the call
"Hello, this is the state rehab facility whom am I speaking with?"
"This is Callum Blade. I request to be connected to the room of Meryn Blade" he replied
There was a moment of brief silence then
"The patient, Meryn Blade is currently in her period of rest. You will be directed to her voicemail where you'll leave a message"
More silence, which was broken by a cheerful middle aged female voice
"Hey!!! It's Meryn. Be kind enough to leave a message, would you?"
"Hey mom, it's Callum. Just wanted to say I might no reach out to you for a while, don't worry I'm fine just a little bit of work trip I'll be back before you know it" he said the hung up
He sighed then began packing his essentials for the trip ahead.
He took a small pocket note book and a UV pen. Then he pulled out a drawer, revealing a Glock .9-millimeter NATO. His trusted partner and aide that had followed and seen him through the countless scenarios he had found himself in his 5 years of policing and criminal hunting.
From gun fights to ambushes to close calls it had truly been an adventure. He picked it up and caressed it's muzzle, this gun has clearly seen better days but it was still up for adventure.
He picked up a shell and loaded a round into it's chamber before sliding it under the T-shirt and sweatpants.
He collapsed onto bed and was asleep shortly after.
Callum had never slept past dawn since he started his policing career yet he opened his eyelids to the full barrage of sunlight streaming through the window.
He winced and squinted slightly then he went on to check the time
"7:30" he mused
His phone rang at that moment and he groggily picked it up the voice of the prime minister wafting into his earlobes
"Morning Callum. Hope you slept well"
"Morning prime minister Melfon. My night was... okay" he replied
"Well, let's skip the pleasantries. Be ready by 9am someone would pick you up and take you to the take off point" he said then hung up
Callum got up groggily then went on to take a cold shower to clear his head. The touch of the cold water brought back his clarity leaving him feeling sharp and ready.
He moved to the kitchen and prepared a light breakfast of scotch eggs and black coffee before slipping into his T-shirt and sweatpants.
He did pack any baggage or supplies since the government was sure to provide all of that.
By 8:50 he was standing on the curb of his apartment building. 10 minutes later he was in a sleek black car speeding to the outskirts of the city.
He relaxed in the passenger seat as he let his mind wander.
There were seven government in the world at the moment, each responsible for their respective continent. His was the government of Europe.
He couldn't help but wonder what the government of the other continents were doing in preparation for the eventual doom of the planet.
The car sped through the city to an inconspicuous looking warehouse before stopping, Callum alighted as the driver had passed on instructions to him.
He watched the car zoom away back to the way it came before he approached the facility
It was made of very thick slabs of concrete he noticed. He could think of a few reasons why concrete would be used in the place of metals, probably to keep sound in or to keep it out from disturbing the activities inside.
He went around the building to the back where a metal door led into the warehouse. He could hear the faint sound of voices and deduced that there were people conversing inside.
He turned the knob and pushed the door open
"Callum!! Right on time" the prime minister voice boomed across the room as he shuffled on his cane to meet Callum.
He offered his hand which Callum shook before he introduced him to the rest of the people in the room
"Everyone, this is Callum, the gem of the police department of the United government of Europe. A legend in his craft, he would be a part of this exploration team and would act on instructions given to him" he declared the turned to Callum
"And this is your team Callum. For the next few years you would work with them, they're all capable people in their fields and you should treat them with a little bit of respect atleast" the last part he said as a whisper
Callum found one corner where he could sit in solitude. He wasn't the social type and mostly worked alone so working in a team was a little uncomfortable for him. And there was also the matter of his nerves acting up. He was tense with anticipation, going to space was something he dreamed of when he was a kid and now he was actually going to explore a world in space not to consider the fact that the concept of space travel was a foreign concept to him.
As he mulled over what was to come next, a lady in white lab coat approached him and handed him a gas mask
"The portal would be ready in a few minutes, you have to use this in case your destination proves to be atmospherically toxic"
Callum took the mask, his eyes flicking briefly to the massive metal structure humming at the far end of the room.
Whatever waited beyond that portal — he had a feeling it would be more than just another mission.