John sprang to his feet, his face contorted in exasperation, as Lara's words hung in the air. "What do you mean the alien escaped?" he thundered, his anger and frustration palpable.
Lara trembled, her words faltering. "I-I don't know... It's... It's just that—"
John's ire boiled over, and he stormed out of his office, striding purposefully toward Dr. Idris' laboratory. Upon entering, he found the researchers seated, their faces etched with worry.
"How did this catastrophe occur?" John demanded, his urgency and anger simmering just below the surface. "How did you manage to lose the alien?"
The guards, stationed at the door, stepped forward, their heads bowed in contrition. "It was our fault, sir. We failed to perform our duties adequately," one of them admitted.
John's gaze bore into them. "Tell me everything that transpired, now!" he commanded, his voice firm and authoritative.
The second guard hesitated before speaking. "They disguised themselves as cleaners, wearing nose masks that concealed their faces."
John's eyes narrowed. "And you allowed them to enter?" he growled.
The first guard shifted uncomfortably. "We heard a voice, sir, resembling one of the researchers. It ordered us to grant them access."
John's curiosity piqued, his eyes bored into them for clarification.
"It was later that we realized it wasn't actually one of the researchers but…" the guard paused, reflectively.
John's eyes locked onto the guard. "But what?" he demanded, his voice sharp.
The second guard hesitated before offering a tentative explanation. "It was almost like... magic. I really can't comprehend how he accomplished it, but it seemed more akin to telepathy."
John's confusion deepened, his brows furrowed. "What kind of absurdity are you spouting? Do you think I'm gullible?" he chastised, incredulity etched on his face.
Mr. Sawyer intervened, his voice measured. "He's telling the truth, Mr. John. None of us can rationalize what we witnessed. Was it how he communicated with the guards without speaking or manipulated the alarm to prevent it from sounding?"
His gaze drifted toward the glass room, his puzzlement evident. "We're still perplexed by how he escaped the glass room without our knowledge."
John's expression turned thoughtful. "That's understandable; his rescuers must have released him."
Mr. Benjamin shook his head emphatically. "That's impossible. Accessing the glass room requires Dr. Idris' fingerprint authorization." He emphasized, "And the unidentified intruders didn't approach the glass room."
John's frustration boiled over, and he muttered a curse under his breath. Turning to the researchers, he pressed for clarification. "How did they exit the facility? Don't tell me they vanished into thin air."
Mr. Sawyer gestured toward the window. "They departed through that route."
John's gaze followed the direction, and his eyes widened in astonishment.
"He flew out with the intruders?!" John exclaimed, struggling to grasp the implausible scenario. "You're telling me that the alien flew out of here, accompanied by the unidentified individuals, using his... wings?"
Mr. Sawyer nodded gravely. "We grossly underestimated the alien's capabilities. There's more to him than we thought. His remarkable strength was evident when he dragged us into the glass room earlier. It's no surprise he was able to fly away with the three intruders," he explained.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" John muttered, his face contorted in dismay. "This is disastrous! Dr. Idris will be livid when he learn about this. Is he aware of the situation?"
Mr. Benjamin nodded. "We informed him a few minutes ago. He should be on his way here shortly."
Rising from his seat, Mr. Benjamin approached one of the guards. "Repeat what you told me earlier about the intruders."
John's curiosity was piqued, his eyebrows arching upward. "Is there something you're not sharing with me?"
The guard collected his thoughts before responding. "The intruders who came earlier appeared to be youngsters. Only one of them spoke to us directly, while the others whispered among themselves. However, I managed to overhear their conversation."
John's expression turned solemn, his interest intensifying. "Proceed."
The guard hesitated before dropping a bombshell. "I believe they're the same kids Dr. Idris asked us to escort home last night."
John's face darkened, incredulity etched on his features. "You expect me to believe that these children infiltrated this highly secure facility, accomplished their mission, and escaped undetected?" His voice was laced with skepticism and dismay.
The guard nodded, his expression resolute. "I believe that's exactly what happened, sir."
"Are you guys fucking with me!? Do you think they're clever enough to concoct and execute a plan of this magnitude?" John wondered aloud, turning to the guards. "Let's review the CCTV footage immediately. The cameras will surely reveal the identities of these intruders."
Just as John finished speaking, Lara entered the room, her expression tense. She swallowed hard before delivering the devastating news.
"The CCTV footage has been compromised, sir. Every recording of the intruders has been deliberately distorted," she explained, her voice laced with concern. "Our security team is struggling to comprehend the extent of this breach."
"What?!" John thundered, his anger boiling over. His face turned beet red with rage. "Whoever masterminded this alien rescue will face my full wrath. I'll make them regret ever crossing me."
Furious, John paced the room, his mind racing with the implications. "This level of sophistication and manipulation is unprecedented. We're dealing with highly skilled and resourceful individuals."
*****
Stefan, Rachael, and Christina hastened to the NASA facility's underground garage, their footsteps echoing off the concrete walls. Upon arriving at Raymond's van, they scanned their surroundings, searching for any sign of their acquaintance.
"Do you think Raymond might have headed home?" Stefan asked, his eyes scanning the garage.
Christina nodded thoughtfully. "That's possible, considering he was on night duty yesterday."
Stefan's expression turned concerned. "Yet, he should have left our school uniforms here. We can't continue wearing these NASA cleaner uniforms indefinitely," Stefan said and moved to the rear of the van.
Rachael's gaze narrowed, fixing on the inscription emblazoned on the vehicle's side. "Oh my goodness!" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"What's wrong?" Christina inquired, curiosity etched on her face. She followed Rachael's gaze and her eyes widened in alarm. "This van belongs to the NASA cleaning team?!"
Rachael's thoughts turned to the implications of their earlier discovery. "And... those gadgets and equipment we saw earlier..."
Stefan's triumphant cry interrupted Rachael's train of thought. "I found them!" he exclaimed, emerging from behind the van with their school bags and a black nylon bag filled with their uniforms.
"Thank goodness," Christina exclaimed, taking the bag from Stefan and retrieving her uniform. "Let's change and leave as soon as possible." She sighed in relief and disappeared to the back of the van to change.
Rachael followed suit, leaving Stefan to keep watch. The garage saw a steady stream of cars entering, but none of the occupants suspected or approached the trio.
Relief washed over the girls as they changed into their own clothes, shedding the NASA cleaner uniforms that had momentarily disguised them.
A few minutes passed, and the girls emerged, dressed in their school uniforms. Stefan swiftly dashed to the back of the van to change into his own uniform, his whispers carrying to the girls.
"Do you think we can still make it back to school at this time?" he asked.
Christina glanced at her wristwatch and shook her head. "It's almost 11 a.m. Showing up now would only draw unwanted attention."
Rachael folded her arms, turning to Christina. "Should we head to my house and try to reach my brother?" she suggested.
Stefan nodded in agreement. "That's a good idea. Djuma's been gone for over an hour; he must have reached orbit by now."
"In one hour? You've got to be joking! Is he a space shuttle or what?" Rachael scoffed. "It'll take him at least three to four hours to reach orbit, so stop exaggerating."
She turned to Stefan's direction, who was still changing. "Come on, Stefan! It's taking you more than a minute over there. We're leaving without you if you don't hurry!" she warned.
Stefan's voice emerged from behind the van, defensive. "More than a minute? You two spent five whole minutes changing!"
Christina chimed in. "You can't compare yourself with us, dumbass! We have a lot more to put on, obviously."
Stefan's sarcastic reply followed. "Oh, really? A lot of what, exactly?"
Rachael shot Christina a warning glance. "Why are you telling him that?" she groaned.
"Just…" Christina trailed off.
Rachael let out a sigh before speaking. "Christina, stop fueling this conversation. We need to get out of here as soon as we can."
"Don't tell me you guys took off everything while changing into the cleaner's…" Stefan's teasing continued until Rachael's stern tone cut him off.
"That's enough! You've got 30 seconds to get out here, or we're leaving, pervert!"
Stefan's face contorted in mock offense as he emerged in his school uniform. "Per...per… Pervert? Me?!" he protested, feigning indignation.
The girls shared a brief laugh, releasing tension before Rachael gestured toward the garage exit. "Let's go. We've got a long day ahead."
With their plan set, the trio quickly gathered their belongings and made their way out of the garage, eager to regroup and reassess their situation at Rachael's house.
As they walked, the tension in their shoulders began to ease, replaced by a sense of relief and accomplishment. They had helped Djuma escape, and now it was time to focus on their own next steps.