The light was bold as a diamond and grand like rich gold, painting the sky and the buildings, molding the world into a rainbow of colors. Green, blue, and white shimmered like marble and glitter, turning the city into a canvas of brilliance.
Walking down the street, my sensitive eyes, still adjusting from just waking up, broadened my view of the world. The brightness almost blinded me, yet it offered a renewed perspective on the city I loved.
I opened the door of the blue McLaren and climbed into the passenger seat. The familiar sight of my professor greeted me—black shades, a perfect smile, and a neatly trimmed beard. It was none other than Xavier.
"What took you so long?" he asked, grinning knowingly.
"I should be asking you that, Professor Xavier," I replied with a smirk.
He laughed. "Sorry about that. My wife held me back. Her father came home, so I had to clean the house and all. Anyway, what have you been up to? I hope you did something more productive than just waiting until three in the afternoon."
"I took a nap after finishing my morning work. Nothing much," I said, settling into the car as he started driving away from my apartment complex.
"So, tell me, where are we going?" I asked, curious to know more.
"Well, let me start with a story," he said, his tone becoming reflective. "It's about me."
He began recounting his past, how he became a professor at a young age, and his work in the ever-evolving field of mathematics. As he spoke, I noticed we were leaving the city. It struck me that it had been months since I last ventured beyond its borders.
"It will take about an hour to get to the lab," he said after a pause.
"The lab? What lab?" I asked, trying to recall any laboratory north of the city. None came to mind.
"Just wait," he replied, evading the question.
Changing the subject, he asked, "What kind of music do you like?"
"I'm not picky, to be honest. I don't listen to much music. I do love classical, though. My mom got me into it," I said, watching the clouds drift past the window.
"Classical? Your mom must be the coolest. That's the kind of music I listen to as well," Xavier said, turning on the car's music system.
The soft notes of a classical piece filled the air, stirring up memories. "I should visit her today," I thought, as nostalgia washed over me. Moments with friends, the adventures we shared, and the inevitable truth of loss filled my mind. Death, like all things in this world, comes and goes.
An hour passed, and we finally reached our destination. Xavier had been talking all the way, but my curiosity peaked when I saw where we were.
"Where is the lab? All I see is a tree," I said, growing skeptical.
"You'll love it. Just wait a little longer," he said with a grin, steering the car onto a dirt road.
The road was rough and surrounded by trees. At times, it felt like we might hit one, but Xavier's quick reflexes kept us safe. The cloudy sky provided just enough light to guide us.
Suddenly, the trees gave way to a stunning valley of white and green. In its heart stood a spherical building with no edges, its triangular windows swirling around the top dome.
"This is an astronomical lab, Professor?" I asked, amazed by the architecture.
"It's more than that," he replied with a knowing smile.
He parked the car near a small cluster of vehicles, fewer than ten. The size of the building seemed disproportionate to the number of people present.
Inside, the building greeted us with a white glow—not from sunlight or artificial bulbs, but from the very ground and walls. Everything was smooth and pristine, like polished fabric.
"Professor, does the person we're meeting have a thing for white, or are they just obsessed with smooth surfaces?" I joked, preparing another quip when footsteps interrupted me.
The sound echoed through the vast dome, bouncing in every direction. It was impossible to pinpoint where it came from.
"Hello, Xavier. And hello to you…" A figure emerged from the shadows.
His voice was calm, wise, and yet eerily familiar, like an echo of my own. It was strange—a version of me that existed only in my mind.
He was tall and slim, with the refined features of a mid-level model. His dark hair and evenly trimmed beard gave him a youthful yet mysterious aura.
"Hello, my name is Ash," I said, relieved that my attire matched the formal tone of the meeting.
"Hello, Ash. I've heard a lot about you from Xavier. My name is Cain," he said, offering a perfect smile.
Introductions over, we delved into a conversation. Cain's sharp mind soon put my initial worries to rest. He explained the history of the facility, its Cold War origins, and its purpose as an early-warning system for detecting bombs. For thirty years, the place had been untouched.
As he spoke, I observed the advanced tools and technology around us, designed to study stars and dying galaxies. Yet, the more he talked, the less the story made sense. We had explored over thirty percent of the building, but where was the science?
"Cain, I think it's time for you to tell me what's going on," I said, meeting his dark-brown eyes. "We've been walking around all day, and I still haven't seen the people I'm supposed to work with."
Cain smiled knowingly. "You're smart. I was hoping you'd ask sooner. It's time to show you the real place."
He turned and began walking, leaving me to wonder if this had all been a test. Xavier, unusually silent, simply nodded or asked trivial questions along the way, adding to my unease.
We reached a door we hadn't seen before. Cain stopped and turned toward me.
"Before you step through, you must promise not to disclose anything you see to anyone," he said, his voice firm and serious.