"Well, congratulations," Asher sarcastically said. "You've figured it out. Took you long enough."
"Why?" Adah asked.
"Well, forgive me for monologuing, PJ, but I just do have to tell. I wanted to press the button, but didn't have the power. This," he said, pointing to the device around his neck, "gave me the power to do so."
"You're a monster," Adah said.
Asher shrugged and smiled. "At least I'm not a government agent. You can thank PJ for leading you on about that theory.
"You're playing russian roulette with the whole world at stake," Cain said, getting out of his hammock.
"It's worth the odds. For humans to reach out to our brethren among the stars would be glorious," Asher said. "Think of all the things that could be learned. The cure for cancer. The end of Global Warming."
"And think about what you're gambling!" Adah shouted. "You're playing God."
All this shouting woke Miriam up, who was incredibly confused. Figuring it was important, she got up. When she saw Asher's eyes, she realized immediately. Luckily, Asher didn't notice her. She began to skulk around the shadows of the barn to the entrance, hoping to block them off if they tried to escape.
"And it's all worth it. Everything we've ever done," Asher replied.
Adah noticed Miriam who held up a finger to her mouth. Adah nodded and then looked back at Asher. "What have you done?" She asked, hoping to stall him.
Cain's eyes widened. "Did you poison Adah? Is that why she conveniently got sick in enough time for you to give it to your colleague?"
"No," Asher chuckled. "It was just a lucky coincidence. Funnily enough, PJ asked that exact question to me."
Cain looked at PJ. He thought the talk he had with her would have straightened her out, but it was plain to see that he was wrong. He was hurt that she knew who the theif was and didn't tell him. He thought they were closer then that, and he was wrong. He was wrong about a lot about PJ, it seemed.
"I'll never forgive either of you," Cain said.
"Fine, then. But certainly don't forget," Asher said.
"I feel like the cherry on top of all of this is that none of you tested the fingerprints on the broken box," Asher said with a frown. "That's why I reached into there, so that if you tested it you'd only find my fingerprints. How unfortunate."
Adah realized that Asher was more egotypical then she knew. Briefly, she wondered if he used Reddit and cried about athletic boys getting more girls then him on an incel subreddit.
"There's three of us, and two of you. Think of this logically," Cain said. "If you tried to fight us, you wouldn't win."
"Oh-ho-ho. That's where you're wrong. You see, but PJ and I have already gone through the process. Adah hasn't. That's only one device versus two. Besides, Miriam isn't even awake," Asher replied.
From the angle that Asher was at, he couldn't see the empty hammock, but Cain did. He kept himself from trying to find her, knowing if he did the fact that she was awake was going to be given away.
"So what are you going to do once the aliens come?" Cain challenged.
"I'm going to greet them in Egyptian, and ask if they can translate our current language," Asher said.
"All along you've been assuming that the aliens are friendly. What if they shoot you through the heart with a laser-rifle? What if they think you killed the crash-landed alien?" Adah asked.
"How would they know they were dead unless I explained it?" Asher replied.
Cain shrugged, "Heart monitor. It's common technology here."
"Then I'm willing to take that risk," Asher told them.
"Is PJ, though?" Cain asked, looking straight at her.
"Yes," PJ lied, hoping Cain wouldn't be able to tell that she was trembling.
"Is the whole world?" Cain inquired.
"I'm willing to gamble," Asher said, looking away.
We're going in circles, Cain thought, annoyed.
"Think of how many people might die," Cain pleaded.
"Think of how many lives we'd save once we have the technology to cure cancer," Asher said.
"But we already do!" Cain exclaimed.
Asher crossed his arms. "Maybe cancer wasn't the best example," he admitted.
"No shit dipshit," Adah spat. "Look at humanity. If you have us alien technology we'd find a way to make a bomb out of it. The inventor of the machine gun thought that with a weapon so terrible, wars wouldn't be fought. But look at humanity."
"Have a little bit of faith," Asher said.
"You're misguided," Adah told him.
"No, you are," Asher said, turning around and beginning to leave.
Miriam thought she should aim for the face, but it was a tiny bit harsh. She sent the wooden board hurtling into his chest.
"Ooof!" Asher exclaimed, getting knocked back. PJ spotted Miriam and tackled her, sending the two of them out of the shade of the barn.
The moon above them was a half moon and the sky was clear. A slight breeze parted the otherwise warmness of the night. The remains of the fire made the air smell like smoke, thought it was also mixed in with the general air of a farm.
"PJ, you don't have to do this!" Miriam exclaimed as PJ sat on top of her, holding her in a chokehold.
"Yes I do!" PJ hissed. "I've come this far, why stop?"
"Because you're possibly going to end up killing all of us?" Miriam tried.
"Because, you should get your hands off her right now," said a mysterious voice, and the cocking of a gun was heard.