Chapter 81: All-seeing Eye (Part 2) III
“Wait for to what?” I asked.
Laughter erupted from the opposite side. “I’ve been observing for three whole months now...”
“Three months?” I repeated, thinking through the recent happenings.
It wasn’t surprising for people in my line of work to attract enemies, especially when I tell those burly fellows that they were going to die the next day. They would argue and curse non-stop.
Even after their deaths, their family and friends would continue haunting .
So were even convinced that I was the cause of the tragedy.
As such, I developed the habit of collecting paynt before speaking.
There were many potential clients but I would only receive two to three of them a month.
And the so-called endless interviews... I would only accept one in two months just to keep my business warm.
As for the television program, I didn’t expect sothing like that to happen.
The person in the front of the car continued, “Eight years ago, after graduation, you started revealing your ability. You were working in a factory while telling fortune part-ti. You predicted many fortunes accurately, telling them they were all going to die soon. I rember it was your 16th client that brought you to fa. An old man of 101 years consulted you and you told him that he could live till 109. The last ti he visited you was about a year ago, when you inford him that he had only a few more months left and that he shouldn’t look for you again. From then on, your reputation as Supernova started booming.”
I clenched my teeth. This guy knew a lot about .
“What are you trying to say?” I asked.
“Supernova, sir, exactly what powers do you have? How are you able to predict death?”
“It’s just what I do. Is it very strange?”
“Let analyze your ability then,” he replied faintly.
With a cold smile, I continued, “Seems like you’ve done a thorough investigation, but why don’t you know my place of residence? You could’ve found directly. Why did you have to frighten my father?”
“Because he was the one who provided with so important information. How else would I know that there had been a cat involved before this? Of course, instead of talking, the cat would lie on the dying patient’s bed. Yet, not only can you tell, you can even roughly predict the ti of death.”
“How detailed. Don’t tell that you’re sending to read the fortune of a big figure? Like a gang leader or the president? Well, here’s what I can tell you – in a few hours, everyone will be dead.”
The two soldiers closest to shuddered. I could sense their fear.
“You’ve calculated that?” the man on the front seat asked nervously.
I was stunned by his question. Calculated?
They know? So it’s all true? Everything that I’ve seen?
“I thought you just wanted to know if I can predict death? Why are you so surprised by what I just said?” I questioned.
The man actually smiled. “I’m a scientist so everything requires objective evidence. After all, you’re a safe bet in our Plan B. With or without you, there isn’t much difference.”
A safe bet in Plan B? Not much difference?
“Why bother taking then?”
“I’m a scientist, Mr. Supernova. Frankly speaking, I don’t believe in what you do since it’s not sothing science can explain, but since the whole human race is at stake, I would appreciate if you can be more cooperative.”
“You want cooperation?” I asked.
“Of course. For the human race.”
“So you get your soldiers to point their guns at to require my cooperation? What ever happened to just saying ‘pretty please’?” I mocked.
“You can make requests but I can’t take any of them away. They belong to the military and they are not under my control.”
“Tell why the world is about to end. I only know that everyone has less than a day left,” I stated.
After a few seconds of silence, he asked, “Do you know Apophis?”
“No,” I answered.
“It is an asteroid that’s about to hit Earth. It will reach our atmosphere in about 14 hours. What we need to do now is intercept it. We took you just in case we need your help.”
“Wait. The world is ending in about 14 hours and you spent so of that valuable ti waiting for at my Dad’s place. Now, you keep repeating that I’m unimportant? That’s very hypocritical of you,” I mused laughingly.
“Our psychologists had predicted that you would make a trip ho before the end of the world.” He paused. “I have a call, give a mont...”
After half an hour on the phone, he asked angrily, “When did you announce it to the world?”
“An hour and a half ago. What about it?”
“An hour ago, so scientists and astronomy enthusiasts ca out to verify your prediction. The whole world, including the governnts of other countries, is looking for you right now,” he stated.
I was in shock. Whitewashed so quickly?
The car ca to a halt and the soldiers got off.
A white-gowned scientist ca to the back. “Let’s go, my Supernova.”
He was the one on the front seat.
Without a choice, I got down, and three soldiers followed behind , pushing to a museum.
The museum had been converted into a temporary eting room. There were many people inside, facing their monitors, busily typing away.
The scientist spoke up, “Governnt officials from all over the world are aware of your ability. If the world doesn’t end, you’re probably going to be locked up and reduced to an experintal subject, Mr. Supernova. But if you can help us save mankind, I promise that the next half of your life will be safeguarded.”
I had nothing to say to that.
Inside the room, all I saw were monitors and employees.
I was allocated a seat.
On the stage stood a person – our very own president.
“Why did he choose this place?” I asked the scientist.
He smiled. “This is just a control room. The real operation is going on in all corners of the world. This is rely a projection. Don’t you know about Crypton Future dia? Holographic projection technology? That’s what the president is using to instruct everybody.”
“That works?” I asked.
The holographic figure of the president pointed at . “You’re Mr. Supernova?”
“What the f*ck?” I yelped. “He can see ?”
“Of course. He’s in the capital, launching a eting through hundreds of projections from all over the world. It’s easier this way,” the scientist explained.
“It’s about ti. Good to see you, Mr. Supernova. Do you know why you’re here?” the president asked.
I shook my head.
“Haven’t you made it clear, Professor Doug? We don’t have much ti left. I’ll give you five minutes,” the president rushed.
“There are 50 spacecraft in our formation, and a commander-in-chief will lead the operation to deviate Apophis’s trajectory. You’ll need to use your ability to let us know whether the earth is safe,” he explained.
“I understand, but what am I supposed to do?” I clarified.
The scientist looked at , wide-eyed. “You’re asking ? How would I know your trick to predicting death?”
“Can I use the equipnt here?” I asked.
“You’re saying that your prediction requires the tools here? Which one? Telephone or the net?”
I pointed at the projection of the president. “I need that holographic image.”
“Are you nuts?” the scientist raised his voice.
“Do you trust my ability or not? I need that,” I told him firmly.
“You... fine! Wait here,” he said.
“What are you going to do?” I called out.
“Give the president a call. We have the instrunt but we will need his approval before connecting it to the Internet. Wait for .”
I heard the scientist sighing throughout the few minutes of exchange before ending the call with, “I’m sure of his ability.”
He ca back and announced, “Go ahead, he’s agreed.”
The president looked at before speaking, “I’ll give you control, Mr. Supernova. What else do you need?”
I sighed before standing up and walking to the platform. “Do we have embassies all around the world?”
“What do you need them for?” he asked.
I got up the stage and the scientist had put on a headgear.
What I saw were tons of eting rooms and a research center.
“Can I request all embassies to select young people, free from illnesses and diseases, to stand in front of ?”
“Give us five minutes.”
I waited and tried shutting one eye at a ti.
The people in the projected image all looked like Mom.
Then, the image before switched to one of many differently-colored youngsters but they, too, looked like Mom.
“These are employees from respective embassies,” the president noted.
I removed the headgear and asked, “Can anyone give a plaster?”
I received one from the scientist.
I opened it and pasted the plaster over my right eye before putting the headgear back on.
“You can start your program.”
“Nothing else you need?” the president asked.
“Yeah, let them work. I’m not sure about your plan but I can only tell you that your embassies are safe. Do you understand that?”
Understanding my aning, the president instructed, “Execute Plan B.”
“What’s plan A?” I asked curiously.
“To launch 11 nuclear warheads toward Apophis. The impact that the exploded fragnts would bring to Earth is much less destructive and the world won’t end at least,” the scientist explained quietly.
I shut my mouth.
Just then, a thick manly voice sounded from behind, “All the spacecraft are in position. Please take the lead.”
I figured he must be the commander-in-chief or the pilot.
“Start the operation. Please provide a report on the current situation, Mr. Supernova,” the president ordered.
All I saw were Moms. All over the hundreds of screens.
Seconds passed and I saw that one of Moms had turned into a young man.
Shortly after, more and more Moms turned into young n and won.
I started using my finger to swipe those people who were about to revert to their normal selves to the right.
One, two.
One group, two groups.
“Those on the right are safe?” the president questioned.
“Those on the extre right are safe from the end of the world,” I replied.
I could hear a round of cheers rising from the backstage and within the room.
I continued separating the virtual monitors and finally, amidst all the densely packed screens, I saw an obvious dividing line. There were tens of virtual video fras on the left side of the dividing line.
A voice ca from behind, “Those on the left are employees of North Arica’s embassy.”
I sighed. “How’s the situation up there?”
The thick voice resud, “The spacecrafts have overheated and our instrunts are not functioning properly. We’ve already lost connection with at least ten spacecrafts. I’m afraid they’re gone.”
I noticed that so of the screens on the right were once again filled with Mom’s faces.
I shouted urgently, “Did you guys alter the operation? Return to your previous direction. You’ve pulled the asteroid back! Don’t act recklessly!”
“But it’s way too hot so I had them adjust slightly. Tell if I’m heading in the right direction. We’re depending on you, Mr. Supernova,” the thick, manly voice sounded.
“No, more people are going to die!”
“Yes! The opposite direction. Continue down this path!”
I could feel sweat pouring down my forehead.
“Wait, didn’t you say that you lost connection with so of them? Show the faces of the pilots controlling the spacecraft,” I demanded.
Faces started appearing before . All Moms.
“I see death in your faces, brothers, but please try your best. The earth will be safe soon,” I told them.
Voices responded unharmoniously but with the sa words: “For Earth.”
I saw Moms disappearing from other sets of screens.
I pushed them over to the right side. Two more left.
“These two embassies? Is there sothing wrong with those regions?” the president asked.
“The earth should be fine but these two should make a trip to the hospital. You two might only have a few more months to live,” I added.
They looked about 30% similar to Mom at that point.
More cheers erupted as the screens with the pilots started disconnecting one by one.
I removed my headgear and looked at everyone in the room.
I couldn’t smile.
“You did it, Mr. Supernova,” I heard the president’s soft voice coming from the headgear.
I sighed before correcting him with a small voice, “They did it.”
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