United Nations Task Force Special Research Center, Geneva, Swiss Confederation
January 6, 2020, 10:00 AM
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Wei Yan sat at his desk in his private office, the low hum of the air conditioning system barely noticeable as his mind remained focused on the task at hand. As the Senior Executive of the UN Task Force on Anomalous Phenomena in Geneva, his days were rarely quiet, but today, the weight of responsibility seemed heavier than usual.
A soft knock on the door brought him back to reality.
"Enter," Wei Yan said, glancing up.
The door opened, and Director-General Patricia Lauvergeon, the head of the Geneva branch, stepped inside. Her usual stoic expression was even graver today.
Wei Yan stood up immediately, giving a small nod of respect. "Director."
"Yan," she greeted, her tone clipped. "We need to discuss the latest findings regarding Chernobyl."
Wei Yan remained steady, though he felt a flicker of anticipation. The Chernobyl incident had been an enigma that defied every logical explanation.
"Of course. Please, have a seat."
He knew the incident well, though it was not the first time they had revisited the topic. It was something that had been bothering him for weeks now, and as always, they had been forced to keep it under wraps.
Patricia sat across from him, her movements brisk. "The research team we sent in... no survivors. Vanguards followed them. Same outcome. What we're facing is unlike anything we've encountered before."
Wei Yan's brow furrowed slightly as he recalled the fragmented reports. "The black liquid," he said, his tone measured. "It moves, reacts-almost as if it's sentient."
Patricia nodded. "And the voices. Transmissions indicated... something was trying to communicate."
She sighed, rubbing her temple for a moment. "And that's the part that troubles me. It's not just a chemical anomaly. It's something more."
The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of the unknown filling the space.
"We've sealed off the entire city," Patricia continued. "No one enters. No one leaves. The area is classified as a Level 1 Priority Anomaly. Observation only. You'll be leading a team to monitor any further development."
Wei Yan inclined his head. "Understood. We'll monitor from a safe distance, but further exploration is off the table until we have actionable intelligence."
"Good," Patricia said with a nod of acknowledgement. "I trust your judgment on this."
She rose to leave, but Wei Yan remained seated, his mind already sorting through possibilities and contingencies. The anomaly at Chernobyl was no ordinary challenge —it was a puzzle that defied categorization, and that made it all the more dangerous.
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Later That Day
Wei Yan's fingers hovered over the keyboard, but his thoughts drifted for a moment as he stared at the screen. He had been poring over reports for hours, analyzing anomalies and artifacts.
His phone buzzed, drawing his attention. He unlocked the screen, the brightness of the display momentarily startling him.
"Happy Birthday, Yan! Wishing you a day full of joy and laughter!" - Dad
"Can't believe my boy is 25 now. Happy Birthday, son! Check the parcel!" - Mom
"I hope you're doing well, bro! Have a great day ahead!" - Jeremy
"Happy Birthday, Yan! Let's catch up soon" - Mako
....
A smile tugged at the corners of Wei Yan's lips as he read the messages. The warmth of his family and friends' wishes was a fleeting moment of comfort in the midst of the pressure of his work. However, he didn't have time to respond just yet. There were more pressing matters to attend to.
He tucked his phone aside and refocused on his task.
Just as he was about to dive back into the reports, a soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," Wei Yan called out, straightening in his posture.
The door opened, and two of his junior researchers, Martha Meyer and Emmanuel Bouverot entered, their faces a mix of excitement and professionalism, carrying a sealed case between them. Martha spoke first.
"Sir, we've just received the artifact from the Black Sea. We thought you'd want to examine it yourself."
Wei Yan rose, adjusting his glasses. "Let's see it."
They set the case on the table, opening it with methodical precision. Inside was a tarnished mirror, framed in an unknown metal that seemed to hum faintly with energy.
Wei Yan stepped closer, his analytical gaze scanning the artifact. "Interesting. Have the initial tests revealed anything unusual?"
"Not yet," Emmanuel Bouverot replied. "We're running surface scans, but the energy readings are... inconsistent."
"Follow protocol," Wei Yan said, his tone calm but authoritative. "We'll take every precaution. Leave it with me for now."
The two researchers exchanged glances before nodding and exiting the room. Wei Yan turned back to the mirror, donning gloves and activating the containment measures around his workspace.
The mirror lay before him, its eerie glow still pulsing faintly. Wei Yan wiped away any dust from its surface, inspecting it closely. The sensation of being drawn to the mirror, however subtle, lingered in the back of his mind, and he couldn't shake it. The feeling was strange —something that gnawed at him, but he couldn't pinpoint why.
As the hours passed, he followed the exacting protocols, documenting the artifact and securing it in a containment case. The mirror would undergo more detailed analysis later, but for now, Wei Yan had done his part.
He sighed, feeling the tension in his shoulders ease just a little. He glanced at the clock, it was nearly time to wrap up for the day.
Wei Yan spent the remainder of his time organizing and finishing his usual duties. As the Senior Executive of the Geneva branch, there was always something to oversee —reports to review, research projects to approve, and protocols to ensure were followed. It was the routine work he had grown accustomed to, though it often felt tedious.
The hours stretched on, and soon his phone buzzed again. He checked the time — it was late, but he hadn't yet replied to the birthday wishes from earlier.
----
Late that night, Wei Yan, back in his private quarters, collapsed onto the bed, his body aching from the day's work. His phone buzzed once more —his parents' messages were waiting.
He smiled, finally responding to their warm wishes with a quick thank-you message. After sending a few words to his friends, he scrolled aimlessly through his phone, something caught his eye. A post shared by a friend —a cryptic image, accompanied by a message that was spreading rapidly across the internet.
"When the stars align and the oil runs dry, the old ones will rise, and the world will be reborn from the ashes."
The words felt strangely familiar to him, like something he had read long ago, yet distorted into a modern prophecy. His mind sharpened as unease began to spread through him. Was this just a passing urban legend? Or was there something more to it?
Wei Yan frowned, making a mental note to investigate the origins of the prophecy tomorrow. But for now, he had to let it go. He sighed, his body yearning for rest.
He turned off his phone, placing on the nightstand, and lay back, trying to quiet his mind. His thoughts kept drifting back to the mirror and the subtle sense of dread it had instilled in him. He felt as though something ancient was beginning to stir beneath the surface, something he wasn't yet ready to face.
With that thought lingering in his mind, he closed his eyes, the weight of sleep pulling him under.