Out of Science Fiction
69.
68.
67.
...
3.
2.
1.
The wait for the elevator to descend from the 69th floor felt endless. But none of them had the patience to stand idle. On their way to the elevator, Neil's team, which included himself, Chad, and Saiko, crossed paths with a lone terrorist heading in the opposite direction.
Without hesitation, Neil slipped behind him and knocked him unconscious. They dragged the body into a dark corner, out of sight. Neil stripped the man of his suit and weapons, handing them over to Chad.
While Chad changed into the stolen outfit and Neil secured the unconscious terrorist, taping his mouth shut, Saiko pressed the elevator button. By the time the elevator finally arrived, their task was complete.
The time it took for the elevator to descend had been just enough. Still wary of an ambush, Neil positioned himself in front of the doors, ready to strike if necessary.
To their surprise, the elevator was empty. Wasting no time, they stepped inside. "That was unexpectedly easy," Chad muttered.
"Don't get comfortable," Neil warned. "There will be more of them once we start moving."
With everyone in position, Neil pressed the button for the 86th floor. The elevator hummed to life, beginning its ascent. However, they are expecting something else to happen.
The elevator suddenly darkens, but the ceiling lights up. It is a digital screen, and as the elevator moves, a video begins to play.
The video shows a time-lapse of the Empire State Building being built from the ground up. A man's voice narrates, "Welcome to the most famous building, and you get to see it built..."
It is an introduction video for the building's top floor, meant for tourists. Every elevator that can reach the 86th floor plays this video automatically.
Neil's team is not surprised. This is not their first visit. What does seem odd is that the terrorists have not bothered to disable the feature.
36...
37...
38...
As they think about this, the elevator continues to rise. They will soon reach the 86th floor. At least, that is what they believe.
"What the!?"
The elevator suddenly jerks to a stop. The lights flicker, and the digital screen on the ceiling freezes mid-video. It has halted at a high floor, and the truth becomes clear. Someone on this floor has pressed the button.
As the doors begin to slide open, all three of them assume their positions, shifting into combat-ready stances. Their hearts pound wildly in their chests as they brace for whatever awaits them.
Rrmmm... Ting!
The elevator doors slowly part, revealing whoever has been waiting outside.
"..."
A man as tall as the elevator itself stands silently in front of them. His presence, combined with the black outfit covering his body, confirms their worst fears. He is a terrorist. Despite this, Neil does not act, yet.
Unlike other terrorists, whose noses, eyes, fingers, or even entire faces are often exposed in their suits, this man is completely concealed beneath thick layers of fabric.
He wears full-coverage gloves, one-way transparent glasses, and even wraps his nose, allowing him to breathe while staying hidden. Despite being fully covered, his stance, style, and height make it clear he is a man.
No one knows why he goes to such lengths to hide his identity. Perhaps he is someone important, so significant that even other terrorists must not recognize him.
It is also possible he hides his appearance due to a serious medical condition, like severe burns, but no one can say for certain. The mystery surrounding him creates both intrigue and unease, leaving everyone fascinated yet wary.
Still, whatever they may think of him, he shows no signs of hostility. After a brief moment of consideration, Neil makes his decision.
"I don't want to cause any unnecessary casualties, and this man seems friendly enough... well, let's hope this doesn't turn bad."
He signals for them to spread out and let him in. Chad and Saiko are shocked at first, but once they grasp Neil's decision, they follow suit. Now, the mysterious man is one of four people in the elevator. He presses a button for a floor somewhere in the 50s.
As the doors close and the elevator continues its ascent, the group stands in tense silence. Any sudden movement or word could make the man suspicious.
But to their surprise, this terrorist is nothing like the loud, arrogant ones they have encountered before. He is silent, smooth, and highly professional. He does not speak a single word or even make eye contact throughout the ride.
The aura he gives off makes them feel as if he is a machine, programmed to complete a task with no concern for anything else.
Chad, however, feels something strangely familiar about him. His scent, his build, even the way he stands reminds Chad of someone he knows. But no matter how hard he tries, he cannot recall who. Maybe it is just a coincidence, just a stranger who happens to resemble someone close to him.
Despite the risk, Chad's curiosity gets the better of him. He subtly searches for any clues about the man's identity, but aside from his fragrance, posture, and physique, the suit conceals everything.
Then, the elevator reaches the man's floor. Without hesitation, he steps out and disappears down the hall, as if they had never met. Chad feels a pang of disappointment that he has not learned more about him, while Neil and Saiko are relieved. Without further delay, they resume their ascent to the top floor.
...
...
...
"Dude, why are we even out here? In this cold, dark night, on top of the damn building?"
"In case you forgot, the terrorists promised us twenty grand each just to sit here and watch over whatever they built out there."
Two terrorists sit on the top floor of the Empire State Building, keeping watch over the force field machine. The eerie, chilling night offers little comfort, but at least they have each other for company.
"Bruh, I know this is part of the contract, but aren't we Americans? Should we really be working for the Communists?"
"Are you sure these terrorists are Communists?"
"Isn't it obvious? The flags they brought, the language they spoke, and one of them even straight-up told me they were ordered by Dmitri. The goddamn President of the Soviet Union. We are supposed to be against them!"
"Yeah, I know. I thought about this too. But do you realize that patriotism cannot feed you or your family? I have a mom and a sibling to take care of. Besides, unlike them, we are not killing or hurting anyone. We are just sitting here, making sure no one gets up."
"Yeah, but..."
"Come on, man. It is not like the world is going to end if we do this. The country will heal itself after a while, just like after 9/11 or any other war. Besides, it is twenty grand. Even if we do not take the job, somebody else will. Why risk throwing away a chance to change our own lives just because of guilt?"
"I guess you are right..."
...
"What the?!"
"Who the hell are you—"
...
"Neil! You are back!"
"Yeah. There were two terrorists out there. I knocked them out. We are clear now. Let's go."
They had reached the top floor a few minutes earlier, but Neil told Chad and Saiko to stay inside while he checked if it was safe.
That's what he did. He sneaked around behind the two terrorists, who had been chatting and not paying attention. When the moment came, he jumped out and quickly took them down, knocking them out cold. Then he returned to the elevator and told the other two to move.
"Remember to keep quiet," he said.
Saiko and Chad moved cautiously. Neil, though, walked relaxed, knowing there were no more terrorists on this floor, even though all the lights were off.
At last, they reached their destination. Stepping outside through the glass door, they felt the cold wind hit them. The night air, the height, and the atmosphere sent a chill straight to their bones.
But something felt off.
'Why is it so bright out here when the entire floor is dark?' Chad wondered.
And right away, he realizes what's lighting up the entire ground of the top floor. He knows immediately, it's the thing they've been searching for. He turns around and looks up.
"Hooooleeee shit." Chad can't believe what he's seeing. The forcefield machine is massive, towering far above their floor.
The pillar holding it is twice the length of a school bus. From its tip, a bright blue beam shoots high into the sky, so far they can't even see where it ends.
The neon light from the beam is intense, casting an eerie blue glow over everything. The moonlight adds to the scene, giving it an otherworldly feel, highlighting the machine while deep shadows stretch around it.
It feels like something straight out of science fiction, and Chad is in awe. He stands there, mesmerized by the magnificent, majestic, and almost hypnotic blue ray, unable to move. Up close, the forcefield machine is even more incredible than he imagined.
"Come on, we don't have time to be amazed."
Suddenly, Neil's voice cuts through Chad's trance, snapping him back to reality. It reminds him why they're here, what their mission is. No matter how stunning this sci-fi machine looks, they need to destroy it.
"Yeah, sure, sure!"
But despite saying that, Chad isn't the only one amazed. Neil and Saiko also find themselves briefly lost, staring at the strangely majestic, magnificent scene. Still, they're less mesmerized than Chad, he's always been the one fascinated by science and the universe.
Then, Chad snaps back into action, his mind refocused on the task. The forcefield machine is positioned above their floor, so he quickly spots the ladder and starts climbing, with Saiko following close behind.
"Be careful!" Neil calls out.
After reaching the top, the first thing they see is a massive cylindrical pillar made of metal and glass. Through the glass, Chad can see what's inside.
It turns out to be a tank filled with water, and in the center floats something alien, unlike anything Chad has ever seen. It looks like a cubic block of metal, connected to a large tube above it. The cube emits a blue light, identical to the ray shooting into the sky, resembling Cherenkov radiation.
Even from here, he can feel the vibrations and the intense heat radiating from that "block of metal." Chad immediately realizes those "blocks of metal" are the real forcefield machine they've been searching for. He's shocked, it doesn't look like something built by humans. It's sharp, rigid, and compact, unlike anything made in history.
The forcefield itself was already "out of this world," and now, seeing the machine it comes from gives him even more reason to believe it was created by another, more advanced species.
But he doesn't have time to dwell on it. His job is to figure out how to destroy this thing, not to admire it. So, as planned, he pulls a small notebook and pen from his pocket and starts walking around the machine, carefully observing.
"Saiko, can you observe and analyze the structure of the pillar?" Chad asks as he doesn't forget to get Saiko's help.
Hearing Chad and Saiko discussing their mission, Neil knows they're focused and doing their job. So he decides to leave the floor and head downstairs. He wants to scout the building while waiting for Chad to finish, and also make sure no one comes up here and interrupts them.
Without a sound, Neil walks away, leaving behind two teenagers deeply focused on their task.