THE NEWCOMERS

Tempéra observes his team members bustling around the Supreme Goddess lying on a bed. Silent and still, her eyes wide open, she looks like a corpse, but she thinks she is a Goddess. Tempéra keeps his distance, quite happy to just watch what is happening, what is being done to another human being without questioning or grumbling. He doesn't believe in the promise of the last results: four days; what are four days on the scale of human creation? The professor knows the pernicious side that the Babel gene has always taken as soon as scientists try to play with it. This gene is an enigma that he has come to accept to take up with the patience of the wisest. Some say science moves too fast, but Tempéra thinks the opposite. According to him, science likes to take its time unless men rush it. Because unlike men, science knows each lesson needs to be learnt each one at a time. This gene seems to be teaching a really important lesson to humanity, but what is it?

Suddenly, an assistant calls Tempéra, snapping him out of his thoughts.

'Professor, are you coming?'

He nods, then he slowly follows the rest of the group standing around the Supreme Goddess. They all have closed and serious faces; they will continue to fulfil their tasks until completion, encouraged by each other's silence.

***

The gate of the Assembly opens in front of Sarah and Jeremy dressed in civilian clothes. Sarah has let her hair grow. The couple is wearing a ring on their finger and a broad smile on their lips as Karl, his mother, and an elder greet them. Karl is less surprised by his cousin's huge glasses than by his athletic figure. He is no longer the puny, self-effacing boy of his childhood; the self-confidence his cousin exudes gives him a charm. And this wife of his; she is far too gorgeous for men like them. The couple is remarkably discreet; they do exactly what they are told. They don't flinch at the whole list of instructions given to them. They are calm, much too calm for people who have just landed in an institution as closed as the Assembly of the Almighty. Some are ecstatic at the splendour of the place and the sophistication of the equipment and technologies, but the majority panic at the sight of this enormous human tide dressed all the same, who live to the rhythm of an organisation of which they (the newcomers) know little about.

The calm attitude of the couple intrigues Karl, so he begins to question them:

'So how did you two meet?'

Sarah smiles shyly before starting. Her beautiful face brightened by her emotions.

'At work,' she replies. She glances up at Jeremy who nods silently.

'We'll have our experts check your device if that's okay,' Karl says, turning to his cousin, 'A mere formality for security reasons. According to the information you sent us, it's equipped with a highly sophisticated artificial intelligence system.'

'No worries,' Jeremy looks at Sarah. The young woman gently runs her hand down his back as if sensing his nervousness.

***

'He's suspecting something,' Mr. Vaughen says, sitting next to Stephan, who stares intently at the screen in front of him.

'This place is amazing,' the young man exclaims with his eyes wide open. He points at one of the windows on the screen, 'It's a real armada, have you seen that!'

'Once he finds Professor Akheeli and the child, I'm counting on you to find them a safe exit,' Mr. Vaughen orders without taking his eyes off the screen.

Stephan nods without adding a word. He places his hands in front of his pursed lips, wiggling his fingers.

This mission gives him a bad feeling: first, he is separated from Sarah, then he learns that Jeremy is a kind of artificial intelligence without his knowledge, then this: a religious organisation sitting on a most sophisticated military base. He lets out a deep sigh as he watches his sister's familiar face on the screen. He doesn't like the idea that it's actually Jeremy looking at her this way. From now on, the only connection between him and his sister will pass through the young man.

'It's far too dangerous to try any communication now. There are cameras everywhere, and you see that,' he points at the screen, 'obviously their whole surveillance and defence system is located here. They'll have to play the game until I can find a loophole.'

'Perfect,' Mr. Vaughen says as he gets up from his seat to head for the door.

'Mr. Vaughen,' the agent calls, turning sharply to look his manager straight in the eye.

'What are you going to tell Jeremy once they get out of there?'

The man stops short, turns around then thinks for a moment before replying with a smirk.

'You wouldn't have made it out alive otherwise!'

The young man swallows his saliva like the truth that has just been slapped onto his face.