Raymond stepped into the van and closed the door behind him, leaving Christina, Stefan, and Rachael outside, shrouded in uncertainty.
Christina's voice betrayed her growing unease. "What's he planning to do? Shouldn't he at least brief us on his strategy?"
Rachael sought to calm her friend. "Let's not rush him, Christina. He's willing to help, after all."
Stefan's furrowed brow reflected his lingering doubts. "Something doesn't add up. He didn't witness last night's events. I distinctly remember him leaving before everything unfolded," he said. "However, how did he know we're here for Djuma?"
Christina offered a logical explanation. "He likely knows about Djuma's capture. We're the only ones Djuma can trust, aren't we?"
Stefan's concerns persisted. "Yes, that's true. But why do I feel like Raymond's withholding information?"
Rachael shared Stefan's apprehension. "I have the same feeling. Everything seems too well-prepared, as if it was planned beforehand. I'm starting to question whether Raymond is trustworthy."
Just then, the van's door slid open, and Raymond emerged, his expression unreadable.
"Think what you want," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "I've already told you – I'm doing this to stay alive. My motives aren't altruistic; it's self-preservation."
He produced neatly folded uniforms from the van and handed one to each of the trio.
"Go to the back of the van and put these on," he instructed, gesturing toward the van's rear. "It's our new plan. We need to move quickly."
Stefan took the uniform and examined it. "What kind of outfit is this?"
Rachael's eyes widened as she unfolded hers, her expression morphing from hope to disappointment. "You can't be serious…" she trailed off.
"Seriously? With all the equipment and gadgets in the van? We're going in disguised as a cleaner!?" Christina's voice rose in frustration, her eyes shooting darts of displeasure.
Raymond's brows arched in confusion. "Wait a minute. Are you thinking of going inside as an assassin or instigator of chaos? What did you expect to do with all the equipment and gadgets?"
Christina rolled her eyes, irritation etched on her face as she glared at the uniform.
"It's NASA we're dealing with, guys – one of the most secure facilities in the country," Raymond emphasized, his tone underscoring the gravity and complexity of their mission. "You can't reasonably expect us to infiltrate the premises and rescue your friend as if we're invisible. That's simply not feasible."
He paused, surveying the trio. "This plan, though unorthodox, is superior to the nonexistent strategy you had in place. Now, let's get moving. Please, proceed to the van's cargo area and change into your disguises."
With a sweeping gesture, Raymond invited Stefan to enter the van through the slid-open door. Though hesitant, the trio complied, each entering through a different entrance while Raymond remained outside, vigilant and watchful.
Minutes passed, and the van's side door slid open once more. Stefan emerged, transformed into a convincing NASA cleaner, complete with uniform and accessories. Almost simultaneously, the rear door swung open, revealing Christina and Rachael, similarly attired.
Raymond's expression turned wry as he scanned them. "Wow, the cleaner uniforms really bring out the best in you all," he remarked, his sarcasm was accompanied by a mock grin, which only served to irritate Christina and Rachael. They shot him contemptuous glances and hissed in unison.
Stefan, meanwhile, inquired, "Are we ready to proceed?"
Raymond's response was delayed as he reached into the driver's seat. "Oh, wait a minute..." He produced three nose masks and distributed them among the trio. "Ensure your faces are fully concealed. We can't risk facial recognition compromising our mission."
With the masks securely in place, the group was now poised to embark on their daring rescue operation, disguised as harmless cleaning personnel.
Raymond turned to Rachael, his instructions precise. "If confronted by guards, you'll be the one to speak. Your voice has a slightly masculine tone, which might help avoid raising suspicion."
Rachael nodded, and Raymond reached into his back pocket, producing three identification cards. "You'll need these to gain entry," he said, distributing the IDs among the trio.
Their eyes widened in astonishment as they examined the cards, bearing their names and images.
"How did our names end up on these?" Stefan asked, incredulous, studying his ID.
Christina's surprise was evident. "And our pictures look older."
Rachael's gaze locked onto Raymond's, her voice firm. "You knew we were coming, didn't you? How did our photos get on these IDs?"
Raymond's sigh was hesitant, his eyes darting between the trio's faces. "Trust me, guys, you wouldn't believe me if I explained. I sound like a lunatic even to myself."
"Try us. We've experienced the unimaginable. Nothing fazes us anymore," Stefan said, his voice persuasive.
Christina's eyes narrowed. "Yes, explain. How did you prepare these IDs?"
Raymond's expression turned serious. "I didn't create those ID cards. Someone else did. Remember, I told you I'm doing this to stay alive?"
The trio nodded, their eyes remained fixed on Raymond.
"I heard your alien friend's voice in my head last night," Raymond continued, his tone measured. "I was on night duty, guarding the chief scientist's office. That's when I realized your friend was captured."
Raymond's eyes drifted, recalling the events. "I was standing outside the door when his voice echoed in my mind. At first, I thought it was a fellow agent, but when I asked, he denied speaking. The voice came again, threatening and urgent, warning me to cooperate or face consequences."
Christina's eyes widened in understanding. "It's telepathy. Djuma communicated with you through telepathy."
Stefan and Rachael exchanged puzzled glances.
"How far were you from him when he spoke to you?" Christina asked, her curiosity piqued.
Raymond raised up his head, closing his eyes to recollect. "About five or six meters," he replied.
Rachael and Stefan turned to Christina, their brows furrowed. "How did you know about… the telepathy?" Rachael asked, her voice laced with confusion.
"Djuma has communicated with me telepathically before. As long as your mind is open and you're within five meters, you can hear his voice," Christina clarified.
Stefan's expression hinted at a deeper understanding. "Djuma's abilities... I've seen glimpses, but I never thought it extended to telepathy."
Rachael's eyes narrowed. "What else do you know, Christina?" she asked.
Christina shrugged. "That's all, he only revealed it to me once," she replied and folded her arms, staring at Raymond.
Raymond's expression turned perplexed. "But something felt off..."
"What?!" the trio chimed in unison, curiosity etched on their faces.
"It was as if the alien hacked into NASA's computers," Raymond continued. "He instructed me to retrieve something from the Office of Human Capital Management. It was when I got there that I discovered it was your ID cards."
Stefan's eyes widened. "How did he manage to do that?"
Christina shrugged. "Hacking computers is child's play for Djuma. His powers exceed our understanding."
Stefan rubbed his chin in a scholarly manner. "If he can hack systems, then he's capable of setting himself free. Why hasn't he freed himself?"
Raymond's expression turned grim. "Exactly! What's stopping him?"
Rachael's voice was barely above a whisper. "What's Djuma's plan? There's something we're missing."
She turned to Raymond, her tone solemn. "Did he ask you to bring anything for him? Anything at all?"
Raymond nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, yes! Now that you mention it... He did say something odd. He asked me to tell you he needs to cover his head."
"He said you'd understand," Raymond added, curiosity etched on his face. "But why does he need to cover his head?"
Stefan's brow furrowed in contemplation. "What's Djuma thinking?"
Rachael's eyes widened as realization struck. "The sun!" she exclaimed. "Djuma is trying to protect himself from the sun's energy."
"Oh my God! That means he's…" Christina trailed off.
Stefan's voice filled with urgency. "Yes, he's planning to leave immediately after release."
Rachael swiftly scanned the dimly lit underground garage, her eyes locking onto a sleek bike parked in the corner, a short distance away.
Without hesitation, she sprinted toward it, her footsteps echoing off the concrete walls. She grabbed the helmet attached to the bike's handlebars and dashed back to her friends, her breathing rapid.
"We need to go now, guys!" she urged, gasping for breath, her voice laced with urgency.
"Not without this," Raymond intervened, retrieving disassembled objects from the back of the van. He swiftly assembled a cart and arranged cleaning tools inside.
"Follow me," he instructed. "Cleaners can't enter after 9 a.m. You must go in ASAP."
Leading the trio out of the underground garage, Raymond guided them toward a side entrance.
"Enter through that door," he directed, pointing to the entrance guarded by two NPS agents.
"Aren't you coming with us?" Stefan asked.
"I thought you were leading this," Christina said.
Rachael shook her head. "You should know him by now; he avoids danger. He's done enough already. We can't risk getting him involved and jeopardizing his job."
Raymond's voice conveyed a mix of determination and apprehension. "You're on your own from here. I wish you the best of luck."
With a deep breath, the trio grasped their cart handles, ready to embark on their daring rescue mission.
Christina glanced at Raymond. "We'll get him out. Thanks for your help."
Rachael nodded in agreement. "We owe you one."
Stefan's eyes locked onto the entrance. "Let's do this."