Leonardo obeyed and with the pizza box in hand disappeared from the kitchen just in time, avoiding being seen by Andrea as soon as she entered the living room but neither she nor Sofia could find the headset which was not ringing due to the "silent" mode set previously by Andrea herself so as not to be disturbed while working on the Pandora code.
<< Where will the bedroom be? In this darkness I can't see anything >> thought Leonardo who in his rush hadn't had time to turn on the light so he slipped into the first room and found the door open.
<< Where are they? This is not the bedroom. Here is a hologram, it looks like an algorithm but it uses an unknown mathematical language >> he thought as he watched lines and lines of code whose meaning he didn't understand floating in the air, whoever had written it must have been either a genius or a madman because he didn't he had never seen anything like it.
Unfortunately for Sofia the door to her study had not locked due to a malfunction in the lock and now Leonardo was inside.
<< This must be some secret code, maybe it belongs to Pandora but it's really complex but what's here? >> he questioned himself as he saw another holographic projector, one of those used to store documents.
He pushed the "play" button and to his amazement the classified folder of the parents appeared with their missions and reports, there were all the files including the "top secret" ones that were not found on the sixth level of the Headquarters.
"What the hell is he doing? Investigate them? Why didn't he tell me? >> he thought as he scrolled through the documentation.
Meanwhile Andrea had left and Sofia ran into the corridor to look for him but when she found him Leonardo was holding the holographic archive in his hand and his face was dark as a storm, it didn't take a genius to understand that he had discovered everything.
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<< I entered by mistake, I was looking for the bedroom but in the darkness I took the wrong door. I'm the angry one and do you know why? I think so! You investigate my parents' death and keep it from me?! Do you know something I should know too? You better spit it out otherwise you're done with me >> he replied furiously.
He wasn't angry about the lie itself but rather about the lack of trust Sofia had shown towards him.
<< How could you not trust? Do you really think I would jeopardize you or your career or mine for a tantrum? Tell me the truth immediately >> he added in a severe tone;
<< Ok now calm down, let's sit in the living room and talk about it. You're right to be angry but there is an explanation and I can give it to you >> Sofia justified herself by looking at his expression transfigured by anger, she had never seen him in that state.
She was forced to spill the beans on everything including the Pandora code that they had discovered but not yet deciphered.
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At that point it was Leonardo who was in difficulty having hidden from her what had happened with Aurora some time ago, on the one hand he was still angry for not having known about her investigations on the other now he knew the truth so she too deserved his sincerity.
<< I too have to reveal a secret to you >> he began, taking her by surprise, spilling the beans on the story of Aurora and the rocks.
When he finished speaking he expected an outburst, which was absolutely understandable given his behavior but Sofia remained silent, she looked like a living statue like those found from time to time in the streets of big cities.
<< You can say... >> Leonardo began but Sofia blocked him by giving him a powerful slap on the right cheek, so strong that it made her blush.
At that point he thought their love story was over and was about to get up when Sofia sat on his lap kissing him on the same cheek hit a few seconds earlier.
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<< The slap was for the kiss you shouldn't have given to Aurora, but the caress is for the courage you showed in being sincere, not everyone would have done it.
You could have taken advantage of the strong situation you found yourself in after discovering me, but you didn't take advantage of my weaknesses, showing me that you really cared about our relationship.
This is what I look for in a man: sincerity, trust and love >> she explained, taking him by the hand and leading him into the bedroom.
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After what he had told her he couldn't refuse so he held her tightly in his arms.
<< I'm sorry for everything, I swear it won't happen again. I chose you and it's you that I want to be with, I'm not interested in the others >> he tried to reassure her;
<< The same goes for me, I'm happy to have taken a weight off my stomach by telling you what I was up to, at least I no longer have to lie to you but at work Martoprete keeps me under close observation >> she replied, hugging him.
They spent the night cuddling each other and when the sun rose it was time for both of them to go back to work, knowing they had strengthened their relationship.
They weren't the only ones to spend a wonderful evening, Alice and Chiara also decided to be together especially after the fear that arose following the head contusion that the former had suffered during the exercise.
They decided to take a walk along the seafront, that evening a light sea breeze coming from the east began to bring the first signs of autumn while the moon high in the sky shone with a warm and reassuring light, illuminating the beach on which the girls were walking side by side to the other holding hands.
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<< I know, don't worry. Today Dorato was reprehensible, the exercise he made us do had nothing to do with the training course, in my opinion he's crazy >> said Alice.
As she walked she felt dizzy, she felt dizzy and couldn't stand up so she sat down on the beach giving the excuse of being tired.
She hadn't told anyone but her head hurt a lot, however if she had revealed it she would have been forced to rest, missing the subsequent exercises and probably the course exam, forcing her to withdraw from training.
<< Are you okay? You seem a little tired >> Chiara told her, holding her hand;
<< I'm just a little tired from what happened this morning, I really took a beating but I'm fine now >> she replied, smiling at her.
They remained on the beach for about thirty minutes after which they stopped at the marina, leaning on the old wooden fence which had resisted the advance of modernity undaunted despite the notable transformation of the city in the last twenty years.
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< When I was a child I admired the exploits of those men and women who defied all odds to venture to the Moon, then came the expeditions to Mars and deep space, from there the seed of the dream grew into a goal. What fascinates me most about space travel is the possibility of making new discoveries, if you think about it, modern astronauts are the heirs of sixteenth-century navigators such as Columbus and Magellan, who also challenged the unknown in search of glory and wealth. I'm not interested in money but in knowledge >> Chiara explained to her; << Your words reminded me of the reason why I am here but the truth is that whoever chooses to do this work is motivated by a thirst for knowledge, by the desire to push the bar of human understanding higher and higher and I don't exception >> Alice replied looking at the sky one last time before walking together with her beloved towards the Headquarters to rest in view of the next day. The only couple in the group to stay in the dormitory was Orlando and Lucia, they met in his room where they let loose under the sheets and when they had finished they started talking about the future. << What do you think awaits us at the exam? I think that crazy Dorato has more surprises in store. When I saw the faces of the first team I was scared because in that moment I understood that something terrible was about to happen to us and now I have the same feeling >> Orlando told her, panting after sex; << Honestly I don't want to think about what the lieutenant is thinking but when I returned to the dormitory I heard that some girls had filed a complaint asking for them to be replaced. Apparently he has had disciplinary problems in the past but now he is at great risk, however his pedigree is notable so I believe the protests will fall on deaf ears. We'll see about the exam but we have to be vigilant >> Lucia replied; < << Don't talk nonsense, I too am a fragile and vulnerable person, in fact like everyone I have my fears but unlike many I manage to dominate them >> she replied; << So let's hear it, what are these fears you're talking about? Since I've known you you've never shown them >> he challenged her; < << The lizards? Seriously? >> he asked her in a teasing tone, his eyes widening; << You understood correctly, I can't explain why but I find them disturbing. Since you like playing, now tell me what your greatest fear is >> Lucia continued. She was offended by his superior attitude so she wanted to reciprocate it with the same coin and although she was aware that her phobia for lizards could make people smile, when she saw one she couldn't hold back the urge to run away. Lucia hated exposing her weak points to others but with Orlando she knew she could be herself so his arrogant behavior annoyed her a lot. << Yours is a very good question but if I have to choose I'll tell you that my greatest fear is not to give the best of myself before I die, I want to overcome my limits by constantly improving myself from every point of view >> he replied ; <> said Lucia, understanding that the conversation had suddenly become serious, abandoning her intention of mocking him; << When I was a child I lost my grandfather who I was very fond of and his greatest regret was that of not having lived his life to the full so I swore to myself that I would not repeat his mistake, I think it is one of the reasons why I want to be an astronaut >> he revealed to her. Lucia didn't answer but she had discovered a new side of her only love and wanted to enjoy it to the fullest before the sun rose, putting an end to that splendid evening. The next day, once the training in the water was over, the boys thought they were free, but instead they were told that in the afternoon they would also undergo dry training. The program would remain as such for the entire following three weeks, seven days a week and Dorato was confirmed as supervising them, in whom the Agency had once again renewed its trust despite the numerous complaints received. No one had noticed but Dorato had the boys carry out a simulation in which two types of landing on the water had been combined, the long one and the short one, this was because they were late due to the difficulties encountered in assembling the "mockup" of the ship at sea. The lieutenant knew he had to complete the course within the time established by the Agency so he decided to put the boys to the test and in the following weeks he had the cadets carry out the simulation in water in the morning while they practiced the dry simulation in the afternoon. The workload became really overwhelming and the officer didn't like to squeeze them like that either but it wasn't his fault. Some workers who had to assemble the "mockup" of the Magellan at sea went on strike for several weeks so he was forced to subject them to very intense double training. << This is madness, they will kill us >> Lucia began, drying herself in the stand in front of the pier when the clock showed midday; << We have an hour to have lunch then further training also Dorato has remained in his place so let's hope he doesn't attack us for the complaints received >> Orlando added touching his aching back; < When they went to the canteen they ate quickly and even though Leonardo felt Aurora's gaze on him he decided to pretend nothing had happened, at that moment he was too focused on what could happen in the afternoon. After leaving the canteen they went with the golf carts to the internal part of the island where Dorato had placed another "mockup" of the Magellan in which they would carry out dry training and, unlike what Orlando had hoped, the officer had not appreciated the he received a lecture from the Agency so he was determined to make them pay for it. << Good morning everyone and welcome to dry water landing training, some of you had the brilliant idea of having me scolded by the Agency with the intention of removing me but unfortunately for you I'm still here so I advise you to give the maximum. The exercises will always be in teams, the same as in the morning, one team at a time will enter the "mockup" while the others will wait in the stand. Please know that I have no intention of backing down or being intimidated by your whining complaints, my sacred duty is to prepare you for the dangers of space and that is what I will do. If you don't like my methods you can leave. Now let's start >> explained the officer; "It's getting very bad," Alice whispered, her head hurting more and more. Dorato's harshness was not caused by hatred towards the cadets but by the loss of his astronaut son, which occurred during his return to Earth after a mission to the Moon. The spacecraft of the time, a Colombo i.e. the ancestor of the Magellan, stopped working and the boy was forced to make an emergency landing on the water but something went wrong so the aircraft sank off the coast of Lampedusa and he died. When they found the body, Dorato remained impassive, he didn't bat an eyelid even during the funeral but if on the outside he seemed untouchable on the inside he was literally in pieces so much so that he was suspended by the Agency following alcohol abuse. Once back in service he himself asked to be assigned to the water training of the recruits with the final aim of avoiding further deaths, he didn't want to see fathers and mothers cry over the bodies of their children so he swore to himself that he would never do it again permit. Leonardo's group could not have known this because the events had happened a long time ago, however the officer had never overcome the trauma. The dry exercise involved taking off the intravehicular suit, putting on the thermal one and exiting the module while the cadets' vital parameters were kept constantly under observation thanks to a wireless sensor swallowed in the form of a red pill. In that type of simulation the spacecraft was on land reproducing a scenario in which the aircraft re-entered the atmosphere with the heat shield damaged therefore the temperature inside would have been very high as explained to the students during the theory part. << Guys, let's not forget that undressing can last up to two hours and the temperatures will be very high so we will have to take turns drawing on the ventilation vents to cool down otherwise we will lose consciousness >> Chiara remembered while her team was summoned by Dorato's elderly secretary ; < The team left the stand, determined to demonstrate to the lieutenant that nothing could affect them and the officer himself had high hopes for them having emerged as the best after the first tranche of exercises. Once they entered the "mockup" the door closed behind them after which the simulation began, the temperatures inside immediately rose very quickly and the boys, having put on the intra-vehicle suit in the stand, began to undress. The operation took over two hours and the strong heat inside the aircraft easily clouded the senses. Leonardo and Orlando were the first to go to the vents to cool off while the girls continued to undress, the heat was oppressive and despite wearing the intravehicular suit they were sweating profusely and undressing in those conditions only accelerated the sweating. While the three women were changing Alice's head, already worn out by the previous blow, it began to hurt more and more, she felt like she was exploding but she had to resist at all costs, she wouldn't give up too easily. << Is everything okay? Do you want to go to the jetties and cool off a bit? >> Lucia asked her worriedly without getting an answer. Alice got down on her knees, she felt like vomiting and her head, in addition to aching, caused her to feel very dizzy, preventing her from standing, it was clear that she couldn't continue the exercise but as long as her vital parameters remained normal Pandora wouldn't have intervened to help her. stop the simulation. << Is everything okay here? Alice what's wrong? >> Leonardo asked worriedly as he returned from the pipes; << We have to stop, we can't do it. If he continues like this he will faint or worse >> Chiara replied with her heart in her throat and her hands trembling. << Let's do something damn it! >> Lucia shouted seeing her friend in very bad condition; << Pandora stop the simulation, one of the team members needs immediate medical attention. Start opening protocol of the "mockup" >> Orlando ordered; << Simulation suspension procedure in progress >> replied the AI. At that moment Alice completely lost consciousness, collapsing on the ground in the arms of Chiara who was crying and didn't know what to do. Help arrived immediately, rescuing her, loading her onto a stretcher and taking her to hospital in Palermo. The team was given the day off however Dorato marked a zero in their completed simulations box and that judgment could affect the future final evaluation especially if more candidates had arrived at the end of the two years of training with the same score but the boys didn't care , at that moment they were only thinking about their friend's health. They rushed to the airport, taking an eVTOL to fly directly to Palermo where Alice had already arrived at the hospital and was undergoing the necessary tests to check her state of health. As soon as they arrived at the hospital, still wearing their thermal suits, they rushed into Alice's room, who was sleeping at the time, so they turned to the head doctor to find out how she was and what was the cause of her weakness. << The blow to the head she suffered a few days ago caused her a severe head injury, fortunately it is not serious and she will recover but she will need time. I don't think he will be able to finish the water landing course, if he were to undergo severe stress he would risk a much more serious relapse >> explained the doctor with a serious look and a serious tone, a man of medium height in his seventies with a gray mustache and a thick white hair, light blue glasses and a large mole under his hooked nose. << Will he become an astronaut or does his journey end here? >> asked Chiara who had always dreamed of going among the stars together with her beloved; << If you remain at rest following the instructions we will give you then you can still hope to graduate as an astronaut because it is a mild trauma >> replied the doctor; << How long will she be forced to rest? >> asked Orlando who hated the idea of losing a team member; << Within a few days, at most a week she will be able to start training again in a light way but until then we will keep her in the hospital so as to be sure that nothing goes wrong. We gave her a tranquilizer and now she's sleeping, in a couple of hours she'll be awake >> concluded the man, walking away along the corridor. < < << We will carry on without Alice and when she has recovered we will do everything possible to integrate her back into the group. She would tell us the same things >> Chiara replied. They waited for their friend to wake up in her hospital room, taking turns keeping watch while the others at the entrance went to the vending machines to get something to eat. When the girl finally woke up the sun was setting and as expected she still had a bad headache but she felt much better so it was Chiara's turn to give her the bad news about her forced rest.