Oxford, United Kingdom

February 2023

​

“I’m telling you, that computer is beyond repair. It doesn’t matter what kind of firewall you have, something got in, disabled all the diagnostic systems, and damaged the infrastructure, paralysing the operating system. This is a classic military tactic: take out the decision-making centres, the brain of the operation, and block the flow of information so the system can’t defend itself. This was clearly a high-level attack. Your computer didn’t stand a chance.” Bree closed the laptop decisively and slid it back to Daniel. She placed a steady hand on his shoulder, noticing how defeated he looked, his head in his hands and on the verge of tears. “Was there anything important on it?” she asked gently.

“Everything…” Daniel whispered, voice cracking with despair.

“And you didn’t have a backup?” the question echoed through the office with a sting.

“Some of it, yes, but not our most recent research. I didn’t want to save it to the company servers because the data is sensitive,” he said, rubbing his eyes as he suddenly felt dizzy.

“So it’s all gone?” Jackson joined in. Daniel only nodded in silence.

“Not everything…” Zara stood up from the chair by the tall bookcase in the corner of their shared office and handed Daniel her notebook. “I kept my notes. We burned the first notebook, just as the Organisation instructed, but the second one wasn’t full yet.” Daniel’s eyes widened.

“We’ll piece the rest together somehow. We’ve gone over it so many times…” she tried to smile and he exhaled, visibly relieved.

“Then we’ll just use a different computer, simple as that,” Jackson suggested, slicing an apple into quarters with his penknife.

“I’m not sure that’s wise. From what I saw, it appeared to be an external attack. There’s a vulnerability somewhere, and until we find it, we shouldn’t take the risk. We need hardware that’s secure, possibly completely offline,” Bree replied thoughtfully, chewing on a pencil.

“But we need maps, information, data. We have to report this to the Organisation,” said Daniel. He still remembered life before computers but couldn’t imagine functioning without them now.

“Do we have to? Our security systems are absurdly complex, but whatever broke through them wasn’t the work of some random hacker. What if someone on the inside helped weaken the systems to access our research? If you uploaded it to the company database, wouldn’t we be handing them everything we have?” Bree’s concern was evident. She still couldn’t comprehend how such a breach was possible given the Organisation’s security levels.

“If they can access Organisation data, there is a much bigger problem. We need to report it, but we don’t have to tell them everything,” Zara offered, shrugging slightly. A silence settled in the room until it was broken by Jackson crunching into his apple.

“Let’s gather what we’ve got and then see what we still need. I have an old mate in an intelligence agency who deals with satellites and mapping. He owes me a favour,” he said with his mouth full.

“Good idea. The gathering bit, at least. We’ll see about your friend,” Daniel moved over to the whiteboard, which Jackson and Bree used for tic-tac-toe, and wiped it clean.

“Hey! We hadn’t finished that last game,” Jackson protested, but Daniel didn’t listen to him.

“We know the book describes a story, a linear account of discovery and rituals for contacting higher powers. At first, it aligns with the Bible. Adam and Eve are cast out of Eden, and so on. Then, out of nowhere, great civilisations arise along with other deities and events the Bible doesn’t mention. But we know them from historical records, including the great flood,” Daniel drew two lines. One outlined major Biblical events, and the other tracked the Book of Adam. “But every time the story returns to the Other Side.”

“We originally thought it was like Heaven or the afterlife, but the book describes it as a real place,” Zara added, taking the marker to fill in what Daniel missed.

"I'll go get some coffee..." Bree got up and tried to slip away quickly, catching Jackson murmuring "traitor" silently as he followed her with his eyes. She had heard the whole story far too many times and figured it was easier to wait for the results. On her way out, she noticed Adam was resting on Daniel’s compromised laptop and that the connected monitor was flickering strangely. She picked Adam up and set him aside. The flickering stopped. She placed the book back and again saw the screen jitter and the brightness shift.

“I’m borrowing Adam for a moment,” she called back to the others. Only Zara seemed to notice and watched her carefully. Bree suddenly felt guilty for wanting to take the book but needed to check something.

“Just for a moment, I promise,” she smiled gently, and Zara offered a cautious smile in return, though it sent a chill down Bree’s spine.

She hadn’t known Zara long, but they spent nearly every day together now. She had watched something slowly eating away at Zara, hour by hour. Bree couldn’t stop thinking about what Corin had said when they met at The Broken Crutch. She returned to the club after his concert to ask the owner for the band’s contact details, but the number she received was disconnected.

She also noticed Zara’s notebook with its broken clasp lying beside Adam, so she took that, too. She didn’t turn around, missing the desperate way Zara watched her leave.

She passed a few offices and took the lift several floors down to the labs. Unlike Jackson, she wasn’t squeamish about Adam, though she had to admit he had a point. Her hands always tingled when she touched it, even through the protective cover Jackson insisted they use when they brought the book back from Lord Dumbbell’s library. He called it the book’s "little jacket".

She made her way to the end of the corridor and knocked on the doorframe of an open office.

“Hi Bobby, got a minute?” she flashed a bright smile at the older man, who was engrossed in observing some wriggling organisms on a monitor linked to an electron microscope.

“For you, always, my dear. What can I do for you?” he smiled and adjusted his lab coat. They often met in the company canteen and chatted about the building’s many oddities ever since Bree’s first day.

"What are you looking at?" she asked, raising one eyebrow.

“This is just a little experiment. Years ago, there was a secret mission to the MIR space station, and this is what they brought back,” said Bobby, visibly excited.

“Didn’t the MIR space station get destroyed around the year 2000?” Bree asked, sounding suspicious.

“Official reports claim that in January 2001, the MIR space station was guided into the atmosphere, causing its remains to fall into the Pacific Ocean. But the Organisation never misses an opportunity,” Bobby said with a conspiratorial grin. He was short and stocky, bald, with lines from years of laughter etched on his face. Bree often wondered how he ended up working here, and she promised herself she would ask him one day.

“They bought MIR off the Russians and decided to venture into space. We already had satellites, but a research station? Even Hitler had similar plans. He wanted to claim the Moon as a symbol of the Reich. He had dealings with the Organisation back then, too, but let’s say those files are sealed,” Bobby twirled his moustache and winked.

“MIR was a mess when they got it. The Russians had stripped most of the usable tech. Anything not bolted or welded to the hull was gone. Perhaps they thought that even a clever drinks holder would reveal state secrets as if we don’t already have an archive full of them. Anyway, most of what the public saw fall into the Pacific was junk.

During repairs, they found something growing on a particular bit of the outer hull near the waste chute. Nowhere else on the station. Naturally, it was studied, and the findings were so curious they brought samples here for more advanced testing. It was a fungus, but one that evolved rapidly. And lately, it’s been behaving oddly. More active. Come, have a look,” he enthusiastically pulled a chair over.

“No, thanks. I’ve seen The Last of Us. I know what a fungi can do,” Bree shuddered and kept her distance.

“Oh, don’t worry, it’s harmless. Honestly, there are nastier things in the freezer,” he chuckled and gestured for her to come closer.

“Good to know,” she took a deep breath and walked past the microscope to hand him Adam. Neither of them noticed the screen flash as she passed.

“That’s the famous book, isn’t it? The one Zara and Daniel are obsessed with,” Bobby said as he examined it, lifting the book´s "jacket" to study the binding.

“Yes, that’s the one. I was curious what tests you ran on it.”

“I was only loosely involved. Isaac led that, but I think it was the standard stuff. Carbon dating, material analysis, toxicity testing. I can dig up the reports for you.”

“What about X-rays? Or does it emit any radiation?” Bobby looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"I wouldn't say that it emits anything. We have radiometric detectors in the lab that alert us if something is emitting radiation. If I recall correctly, there was nothing unusual about this book. Why do you ask?" Bobby scratched his head more and more confused.

“Just thinking out loud. I saw something messing up the monitor and there was absolutely nothing in the room that could be causing it. I believe Adam might be the one responsible for this. So I wanted to ask about the tests,” Bree was suddenly interested in the electron microscope screen, where Bobby’s organism was swarming out of nowhere much more than before. “Is this normal?” she asked. Bobby stared at the screen and shook his head.

“The fungies mainly react to a certain type of cosmic radiation. You know what, we have some tests we can do. We can try spectroscopy and see what’s going on in the magnetic field around this book. Then we can try X-ray diffraction, it’s true that the binding is thicker than a normal book, there could be something hiding there. And I’ll try to measure different types of radiation. When an object that emits a specific type of radiation is placed near a monitor, it can interfere with the signal transmitted to the display. This interference can cause distortion or shaking of the image, as you saw it. And it can definitely breathe life into the veins of our little friends here,” he said with a smile as he picked up the book. He examined it from all sides with care. Then he took gloves from the drawer, put them on, and gently began to remove Adam’s "jacket".

“And what about this?” Bree handed him a smaller book with a broken lock.

“Let´s see… I don’t know anything about this one, strange. We’ll test it too,”

“How long will it take?”

“Not very long. We have the latest toys here that will do the basic analysis for us quite quickly. You can watch, but it’s not very exciting, or you can go get a coffee and a sandwich. It’s already time for a snack,” Bobby winked at her; he knew these military types get nervous when computers operated without any excitement.

“Coffee and a sandwich, and then I’ll assist you…” Bree turned to leave, but she glanced back, nervously counting the possible exits. She didn’t think Bobby would decide to take the book and run; after all, he was likely to focus on his tests first. It was clear at first glance that science was his top priority. Still, she decided not to mention this to Zara.

***

​

“You won’t believe this!” Bree rushed into their office, carrying Adam triumphantly in her arms. She still had her rubber gloves on and was breathing excitedly. Everyone turned to her in confusion and Jackson said: “Did we run out of coffee?”

“I took Adam to Bobby, something didn’t seem right and he did some tests,” she put the book on the table and turned to the door, where a completely out of breath Bobby appeared, with a stack of papers in his hands.

"Hi, folks! Isaac initially conducted tests on the paper and leather, but he hesitated to drill into the book for fear of damaging it, which turned out to be a mistake. I did an X-ray, and the material didn’t show up clearly. So, I took a small sample - really small; you wouldn't even notice it..." he added quickly when he saw Zara’s worried look. She quickly walked over and carefully examined the book, but Bobby didn’t pay attention to her concerned look and continued explaining. “The paper is of a commonly known composition, although it is older than we would expect. So much older. The leather is indeed human, but the bookbinding process has made it impossible to date it. However, the hardcover is filled with a material that does not occur on Earth. It is a superconducting element that we simply do not have on the periodic table of elements,” Bobby grabbed the cup and poured himself some water. “Daniel, if you remember, Isaac mentioned that the book was emitting weak radiation. It is nothing dangerous, but we did not measure it further, which was also a mistake. The object is emitting a certain electromagnetic gamma radiation that can cause computer malfunctions and such with prolonged exposure, but that is not the main thing. The book is emitting another type of radiation. Something like cosmic rays, but not the kind we know and can describe,”

“So no coffee?” Jackson raised one eyebrow, but his question was not met with general enthusiasm.

“So what is it?” Daniel asked, waiting with bated breath for Bobby’s answer.

“It’s a signal. The book is sending out a signal,” Bree blurted out, and Bobby sat back down in a chair as if his legs would betray him if he stood any longer. He couldn’t remember the last time he had run like that. The others stared at them, a thousand questions on their faces.

“What signal?” Jackson frowned, his eyes fixed on the book.

“Where is it sending it to, or to whom rather?” Bobby corrected him. “I have a sample of an alien organism in the lab, and it’s reacting strangely to the book. However, I doubt there’s any deeper connection. Regardless, this situation is extremely interesting. We should involve the communications department to explore the potential this could have. This signal could have a significant reach and could lead to the first contact with an intelligent civilization!” The excited scientist in Bobby nearly jumped for joy, but others didn’t share the same enthusiasm. Zara was the first to react; she walked over and closed the door.

"That's out of the question. We don't know what it is, we need to investigate it more," she leaned against the door and nervously looked down at the tips of her shoes.

“That’s not all. This small book with notes amplifies the entire signal,” Bree said as she picked it up and showed it to the others.

“I also analyzed the smaller manuscript and although the materials are known to us and it is significantly younger than the original copy, the X-ray showed that there is a crystalline object hidden in its spine, mainly made of silicon and carbon, with an admixture of another unknown element. This crystal amplifies the radiation that the big book emits and supposedly directs it, but I don’t know where, we need a lot more computing technology and time for that,” Bobby finished his water in one gulp and exhaled heavily.

“So this broke the professor´s notebook?” Jackson suggested and rocked back in his chair.

“Yes…No..I don’t really know. Ordinary radiation doesn’t behave as organized. It was too…systematic. Thoughtful. But it´s not flawless. I figured it out by accident, I saw your screen flickering,” Bree replied.

“It’s been doing this for months… since about…” Zara grunted, but she didn’t finish her sentence.

“Since we dragged that damn thing out of that disgusting library! Damn… So we’re all irradiated?” Jackson started to feel angry.

“No, Jackson, this radiation doesn’t work like you think. You’re perfectly safe,” Bobby assured him.

"Like a good cholesterol?" Jackson responded, but was cut off.

“So it’s just a coincidence and we can still face an attack?” Daniel asked, and Bree just shrugged.

“We need time to investigate this properly, it’s too early to conclude anything,” Bobby’s breathing had calmed down, but he needed another water, or maybe something stronger. They were running almost headlong on the way here.

“Maybe the contents of the book could explain it to us. Anything you came up with?” Bree took off her gloves and tied her long blond hair into a braid. A sign that the situation was serious.

The board in front of them was overflowing with information and milestones. Every space was filled, and they even added papers along with translations and notes glued directly to the text. They described the connections, similarities, and coincidences while marking with a bright green marker where the widely known and lesser-known history diverged from the story in the Book of Adam. At one point they started using the window for more space. Yet many red lines stretched from different points to a single place they called The Other Side.

"We mapped out what we remembered, and what Zara had written in her notebook,” Daniel said.

“I helped!” Jackson sighed.

“That’s hard to believe,” Bree said uncertainly.

“Seriously, they completely forgot about Jericho,”

“And how did you remember it?” Bree raised one eyebrow.

“Well, I was there. A long time ago, when Zara was still chasing ducks around the playground. We were there… liberating,” Jackson said with a mysterious smirk.

“I might like to come back to that, but later,” Daniel said, eyeing Jackson with suspicion before continuing. “The book describes Adam’s life, which was abnormally long, but we already know that from the Bible. He supposedly died at the age of 930.”

Jackson raised his hand, but Daniel waved him off. “We’re not getting into that again. According to the Bible, nothing of note happened during Adam’s time, apart from the expulsion from Paradise, of course. But we also know the biblical timeline is nonsense.”

He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle. “Here, however, we find something different. Writings from Adam himself that suggest he and Eve were not the first. They were preceded by a kind of primal type, what we might now call a prototype, from which they emerged. This earlier form was apparently less refined than Adam and Eve. We think it represents the early stages of human development. The Bible makes no mention of that.”

His voice dropped slightly. “And at the same time, Adam implies the Creator was more involved back then. More present,” his words stirred a familiar mix of curiosity and unease, even though this wasn’t the first time they had heard this revelation, everyone except Bobby.

“But I assume you are not basing your hypothesis on current Bible translations, are you?” Bobby rubbed his chin and carefully read the information on the board.

"No, of course not. We take into account all the volumes, even those banned by the Church, including ones the public doesn’t even know exist. We even have the Gospel of Lilith," Zara explained, gesturing toward their library.

Daniel began flipping through his notes while the others kept their eyes fixed sternly on the blackboard.

"Look here," he finally said, pointing to the translated copy of a page from Adam. "Here is a description of what I call the 'primordial type.' According to this description, these people were physically weaker, their abilities were limited, and they did not reach full mental capacity, as Adam and Eve did. In comparison with them, Adam and Eve became a new race with much greater potential,"

"Why do we care?" Jackson asked, sounding mildly uninterested. His constant contradiction and tendency to downplay everything drove Daniel mad, but he had to admit, that having a sceptic in the room was vital for this kind of research. That was also why he hadn’t objected when Jackson and Bree moved into their small, one-window office. He knew it was the safest option, but more importantly, it forced them to confront the work from different angles.

“Because it is something new,” Zara answered, sitting on the edge of the table. “The Creator has never been so definite or so involved in people’s lives. At the same time, the book describes how Adam used to walk to the Creator’s garden and then return. The original myth completely denies this. God expelled them, and that was the end of it.”

"It could also be the missing link in our evolution as we know it. If humans originated from only two people whose descendants expanded through incestuous relationships, the gene pool of such a race would be minimal. It would gradually degrade, eventually leading to its extinction. However, if we add these prototypes into the equation, or artificial intervention, the gene pool would instead be enriched, and evolution would continue naturally. We have evidence that Neanderthals regularly interacted with other species, including more advanced ones. There was interspecies breeding that brought us the humans we know. This completely agrees with those findings," Bobby added, unconsciously rubbing his head with one hand, silently regretting that he couldn’t share these findings with the academic world. This could have earned any of them a Nobel Prize. Jackson maintained his sceptical expression and glanced over at Bree. He sensed the discussion was fascinating, but his mind kept drifting back to the signal.

“It is as you say, Bobby. It could very well be the missing link, but let us return to Eden. The Creator’s garden is only briefly described, but it emphasises that it is a place on The Other Side. One specific place,” Daniel said, picking up Adam from the table and flicking through the pages to about a third in. “But the book does not end with Adam. It also describes other significant figures with whom we are familiar, such as Cain and Noah, and the course of their lives. Some things do not differ significantly from the Bible, but they too, in times of crisis or at certain intervals, visited the Creator in his garden and then returned.”

“So the other major discovery is that such a place actually exists?” Bobby leaned forward eagerly.

“Not only that. It reveals details about the structure of that place, the Creator’s garden. It reminded me the most of the organizational structure of a corporation, though the description is too vague to draw firm conclusions. Still, it highlights differences that suggest the mythological figures we know are actually quite different.” Daniel continued.

“Aliens!” Jackson blurted out, clapping his hands together and cutting him off. Though this sparked new questions for everyone, it wasn’t the first time they had entertained the idea. For Bobby, however, it was a breathtaking revelation. He leaned back in his chair, eyes wide, as his mind raced to connect thousands of tiny dots. Moments like these made him grateful he had accepted the Organisation’s offer instead of being stuck in some small lab studying nothing more than the flu.

“The signal… now it makes sense,” he breathed.

“Really? I do not think so. Further analysis is crucial. What kind of signal is it anyway? Geolocation? Or does it send a coded message? Is it a communication link? And if so, does it call someone to us, or does it suppose to send us somewhere?” Bree threw up her hands, feeling uncertainty take hold.

“Of course, we can perform a thorough spectral analysis of the signal. We have sophisticated analyzers capable of identifying various frequency components and signal patterns. This would allow us to detect any coded message or communication protocol hidden within. If we can visualize the results, we could apply advanced algorithms to analyze and decode the data. Zara and Daniel might then be able to identify patterns, symbols, or linguistic elements embedded in the signal, and compare them to existing languages, scripts, and coding systems. That way, we could determine if it’s some form of communication,” Bobby said enthusiastically as he stood up. “But it’s not my field, folks. Dorie could help us, though, she´s the best."

"I think it is showing us a place,” Zara said, tucking a strand of her red hair behind her ear and clearing her throat shyly.

“We have data. We can find out how long the signal has been transmitting. If it has been working all these years with no response, that might rule out the communication link theory,” Bree suggested, gently patting Zara on the shoulder.

“What if someone just isn’t picking up the phone?” Daniel said defensively, almost breathless with excitement. They had been translating the texts for months, but now everything was falling into place in a way no one had seen before.

“What if we don´t want anyone to pick up the phone?” Jackson murmured, his protective instinct and military mindset coming through. He treated every contact as a potential enemy encounter and acted accordingly.

“It’s a place,” Zara insisted, nervously fidgeting. That voice spoke to her again, sharp and electric, as if wired with a live current.

“Either way, we’ll verify the data, but I believe the signal wasn’t transmitted until you broke the lock on the smaller manuscript. The lock is made from a special alloy of rare conductive metals, connected directly to the crystal that surrounds it. Together, they form a Faraday cage, preventing anything from escaping, whether electromagnetic radiation or a signal, if you want to call it that,” Bobby explained, handing over an X-ray image that confirmed his words. “The Book of Adam could have been transmitting, but without an amplifier or router...”

"What?” Jackson stared at him, confused. Bobby moved over to a small desk lamp and switched it on.

“Imagine it like a light bulb,” he said, removing the lampshade so the light spread around the room. “The light is everywhere, but the further you go, the weaker it gets. But if you put the shade back and line the inside with reflective material, the light multiplies and becomes directional.”

"Like a laser sight on a rifle,” Bree added, nodding knowingly. That was something Jackson fully understood.

“Yes, you could say that.”

“So, how do we find out if it is a specific place?” Jackson folded his hands on his chest.

"Through geolocation or radar analysis, simply put. We will analyse the signal and its intensity to determine the direction where it is strongest. I will call Dorie, and we will start working on it,” Bobby gathered Adam and the small notebook, but Jackson stepped in front of him. He was the quickest to react and voiced what everyone else was thinking. Adam must not leave them. Daniel was the only one who saw them all move as one. He sensed something had changed in them. Was Adam affecting them all somehow?

“Let us slow down a bit,” Jackson said. He was much taller than Bobby, and it would not take much effort to stop him. He towered over him almost threateningly, which made Bobby nervous.

“What is going on?” Bobby asked, adjusting his glasses. There was a moment of silence as they exchanged looks. They were wondering if they could trust Bobby. After all, the attack on Daniel’s computer remained unresolved, and it was not the first time someone had tried to take the book.

“The book stays with me, but I am happy to go anywhere with it,” Zara stepped forward and gently took both manuscripts from Bobby’s hands. He hesitated for a second but did not resist. A puzzled look spread across his face.

“And we will stay with Zara. Although we do not want to go anywhere, we can manage the lab,” Jackson added and playfully nudged Bree in the ribbs.

“I don´t understand. I am only three floors down...”

“Bobby, I know you’ve been here longer than any of us, but this research is sensitive. We can’t talk about it with just anyone. The fact that you know about it already means one more person than we should have allowed. And we’re dealing with sabotage… even kidnapping attempts. I’m sure you understand.” Daniel sat on the edge of the table and lowered his head, sadness in his voice.

"I do, Daniel, but this research is so important! We must include Dorieat least. I cannot handle this alone,” Oblivious to the doubt in others’ eyes, Bobby remained focused on what he loved most, chasing knowledge with the enthusiasm of a true scientist. "I have known Dorie for twenty years. I recruited her, and I trust her. This is an opportunity we cannot miss. My lab is not big enough, but we can connect it to Isaac’s office. Since he, ehm, mysteriously disappeared, no one has used it."
A thought crossed Bobby’s mind. Could Isaac’s disappearance be connected to their research? Was he in danger too? What about his family? Maybe he should make some calls.
"Well... you can move in and keep the books close. Dorie and I will work in the lab. We can close off the entire section for quarantine or confidential research. The protocols and facilities are already in place. There are two rooms, a shared area, and a fully stocked kitchen. The analysis will take time since we need both qualitative and quantitative data. As far as I’m concerned, we could lock ourselves in there for five days and crack it. No one would find it strange. That happens about once a year anyway."

"You mean we would be locked in the office for five days?” Jackson was horrified and raised his hands defensively.

“Do you think it´s any different from our routine over the past few weeks?” Bree muttered, rolling her eyes. "Zara is convinced it’s a place, and if she’s right, I think it’s clear to all of us that we’re in for a trip. A bit of preparation never hurt anyone. Jackson and I will arrange supplies, intelligence, and transport. For now, only loosely, since we don’t know exactly where we’re going or for how long. Zara and Daniel will prepare all the necessary information, translations, and documents. But I warn you, we won’t be taking the whole library. Everything must be compact and comply with security protocols. No notebooks or century-old junk with unsecured internet access. I’ll ask IT to prepare the equipment and double-check it myself. Bobby will brief Dorie, and they will start analyzing." Bree glanced at her watch, then her tone sharpened. “In five hours, we’ll meet downstairs in the lab. Bring a spare pair of underwear and call your grandmother to tell her you won’t be stopping by, but don’t mention any of this to anyone. I’ll go with Zara. Any objections?”

“When did I make you the commanding officer?” Jackson raised one eyebrow, looking at her suspiciously.

“In Malaysia, when you licked the frog,” she replied, unbothered but with a hidden smile.

The room fell silent until Bobby broke it with a breathless whisper. “This is so exciting!”

​

***

​

“Are you alright?” Bree asked Zara when she found her sitting alone in the small, dimly lit kitchen, staring at her phone. Nearby lay Adam and the book with the broken lock. Lately, Zara had been very quiet, always absorbed in her notes. Everyone who saw her felt the urge to bring her food and take her somewhere warm, somewhere she could regain color and weight. But no matter how much the three of them encouraged her to rest and eat, her condition only worsened. If it continued like this, they would have no choice but to force her to go to a hospital.

Bree had seen pictures from Zara and Daniel’s secret expeditions, archaeological digs, and other adventures. Someone else was staring back from those photos. A vibrant young woman full of life and laughter. There were snapshots from karaoke nights in Tokio, card games in the jungle, and something that looked like a high society ball in a castle where Zara wore a lavish green gown off the shoulders standing beside an actor Bree recognized from a movie. She just could not figure out his name yet and was too stubborn to ask. In the distance Daniel could be seen chugging a glass of champagne. There was also a photo of Zara, Daniel and a few clergymen stuffing their faces with pizza in Rome carefree and happy. Another showed them taking part in a tribe ritual in Africa their faces painted and both wearing feather crowns. Was this really the same girl?

Bree felt as if a huge shadow was hovering around Zara, capable of absorbing all the light in the world. It certainly did not help that it was still cold and dark outside. When this job will be over, she will take a long vacation somewhere warm, with clear blue waters and soft white sand. Somewhere where palm trees lean gently against each other and colorful birds sing pleasant melodies. Somewhere where a dark-skinned waiter would bring her a delicious drink full of rum with a tiny red umbrella, delivered to her beach chair with a kind smile. She took a deep breath and could almost feel the sea air, so she had to shake her head to drive away those wonderful thoughts. At least for now.

“I’m fine. You know, you don’t have to worry about me so much,” Zara replied, placing her phone on the table.

 “Do you realise this is my job?” Bree smiled and started making some tea. “Would you like some?” Zara nodded. “Do you need to go anywhere or see anyone?”

“I just need to grab a few things from home and call my sister to warn her I might not be in touch for a few weeks. It won’t take long. I’m ordering a car now, but it will take a while to arrive,” she said, instinctively clutching the pendant on the delicate gold chain around her neck. “What about you?”

“I’ll stop by my place and pack a bag on our way to your place, but I don’t need much,” Bree shrugged.

“Is there anyone you’ll have to contact?” Zara asked. Bree raised one corner of her mouth in a sad smile and shook her head.

 “No, there’s no one left. I had an older brother, also in the army. He died on his second tour. A year later, my parents died in a car accident. Dad started drinking after my brother... and never really stopped. Alcohol was the only thing that helped him cope with losing his only son,” Bree folded her arms and waited as the water in the kettle bubbled.

 “I’m so sorry,” she said quietly.

“That’s life. I was on a mission at the time and didn’t get to say goodbye. After that, I saw no reason to come back. What about your family?”

“It’s just me and my younger sister now. She’s still studying, but might come working for Organisation soon,” Zara said, gazing at the pendant shimmering in her hand.

“Is it from her?” The kettle boiled, and Bree turned it off. She was used to waiting a few minutes, she didn’t like brewing tea with water that was too hot. That always made it bitter, a result of impatience. She set down two bags of Earl Grey and grabbed some milk from the fridge. 

“It’s just a silly thing,” Zara smiled for the first time in a long while. “It’s Saint Albert, the patron of scientists. Grandpa gave it to my dad when he went to study, just like his father and his father before him. So we kept the tradition going because we all went into academia. But it’s just a trinket.”

“Even those can mean a lot. You see your family in them, your place, your purpose,” Bree said, settling beside Zara and handing her the mug of tea.

Bree didn’t like talking about her own family. Doing so would mean admitting she missed them, admitting that the hole they left behind was something she tried to fill with these dangerous missions. She had never tried to come to terms with it, just locked the feelings away in a big military transport case and buried them deep in the desert of her mind. Place she never went to. Focus on the present. Move forward. It was the only coping mechanism the army had ever taught her.

Zara saw the flicker of sadness on Bree’s face and knew exactly what she was wrestling with. Quietly, she took off her necklace and stood up.

“Here. Now, you’re practically a scientist too,” she said, slipping the chain over Bree’s head and fastening it.

“I can’t accept this,” Bree said, looking down at the pendant, unwilling to admit the wave of emotion it stirred in her.

“Of course you can. It’s just a pendant. When we get back, I’ll get another,” Zara said softly, giving Bree’s hand a gentle squeeze. They both understood it was not merely a trinket. It held a quiet weight, an unspoken promise of loyalty and connection that reached beyond their peculiar little office circle.

“Thank you… I don’t know what to say.”

“Say nothing. Let’s finish our tea and get going.”