During the drive, Dan didn't say a word. He remained silent, focused on the road, until we reached his doorstep.
His wife, Emmy, was not home.
Emmy works as a therapist, specializing in helping recruits who returned from the future traumatized by the war.
As for Muri, Dan's daughter, she was there, under the care of a nanny.
Upon entering, Muri ran excitedly toward her father and hugged him tightly.
She gave me a curious and confused look, as if trying to understand who I was.
I took the opportunity to appear uncomfortable, trying to make Dan perceive my discomfort.
It was all part of my plan; the discomfort would make my story even more believable.
When we were finally alone in the garden, away from curious glances and distractions, Dan leaned against the railing and, frowning, asked me.
"Alright, who are you really?" he asked firmly.
It was time to tell him my version of the story, manipulating the truth just enough for him to trust me.
"My name is William Forester," I began, trying to keep my voice steady, changing my original surname to his. "I come from 29 years in the future. And as I already told you, I am Muri's son."
Dan stared at me, his eyes searching for signs that I might be lying.
"You said Muri is in danger..." his voice clearly worried, awaiting answers.
"Yes," I replied, lowering my gaze momentarily as if recalling something painful.
"In November of the year 2048, the White Spikes will arrive." I noticed Dan tensing at the mention of the aliens. "My mother, Colonel Muri Forester, is a military scientist. She has spent years studying the White Spikes, trying to find a way to stop them..."
"Wait... Wait a minute! Muri, a scientist?" Dan exclaimed, surprised but also with a glint of pride in his eyes that he couldn't hide.
I paused, feigning regret, before continuing with what I was saying: "There's no way to defeat them in the future. Everything she has tried has failed. That's why, as a last resort, she sent me here, to the past, hoping to change something... and save humanity."
I sighed deeply, trying to let the drama of my words sink in with Dan.
"And what am I supposed to do with that?" he finally asked, his voice low.
"The mandatory recruitment... Soon, you will be called and sent to the future to fight the White Spikes," I told him, watching his expression change from surprise to bewilderment.
"What?" Dan frowned. "How do you know?"
"Only those who die before the arrival of the White Spikes can travel to the future," I continued, letting the words sink into his mind. "And, at the same time, only those who have not yet been born can come to the past, like me."
Dan looked at me incredulously, trying to process what I had just told him.
Now he at least understands why Muri is not the one standing in front of him right now, explaining all this.
"Under no circumstances can I allow that to happen," I told him firmly, noticing the confusion on his face.
Dan frowned, clearly disoriented by my words.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
"We must take Grandma Emmy... and my mo... Muri to a safe place," I quickly corrected, almost letting it slip.
"It's impossible to escape... They would find us, sooner or later," Dan said, his voice laden with resignation. "And if I refuse to go, the recruitment won't stop. They will go after people close to me, Emmy, Muri... I can't let that happen."
I saw the determination in his eyes. He was willing to sacrifice himself for his family, even knowing there would be no turning back.
Because that's what a real man does, he protects his family even at the cost of his life.
"There is a way to prevent the White Spikes from ever appearing," I said, watching Dan's expression change to a mixture of surprise and hope.
"How...?" he asked, expectant.
"Everyone believes that the White Spikes arrived on Earth at a date close to November 2048," I began, making a dramatic pause. "But I have always believed they have been here, long before us."
Dan stopped leaning on the fence, straightening up. His gaze became even more intense, completely focused on me.
"That's impossible. If they were here before, we would know," he replied, incredulous.
"Russia," I said suddenly, dropping the word like a revelation.
Dan frowned. "Russia?"
"It's where they first appeared... and I believe they have been frozen under the ice, buried in some remote corner, waiting for the right moment to awaken."
Silence became palpable between us as Dan processed what I had just said.
His eyes darkened as he pondered the possibility.
"Frozen...? That doesn't make sense. We would have found something. There would be signs," he muttered, but his tone was no longer so certain.
"In the future, we had no way of confirming if the theory was true," I continued. "But here, in the past, there is still a chance. We can stop them before they wake up, before they destroy everything."
Dan took a deep breath and, for a moment, seemed inclined toward immediate action. "We should contact the military, someone who can do something. We can't handle this alone."
I shook my head. "They wouldn't listen to us. I already tried. Before approaching you, I went to the authorities, and they treated me like a lunatic. No one is going to believe a story about frozen aliens in Siberia, even in these times."
Incredulity was reflected on his face again.
"If all this is true, how is it that you haven't returned to the future? According to what has been reported, the maximum time between each time jump is 7 days. They mentioned it in the news."
"Mom... Muri, secretly sent me to the past. She made sure my device for telesporting back to the future was destroyed, ensuring that I would be safe here, and that I couldn't return. No one, apart from you, knows I'm from the future." I paused, watching his reaction.
"I can't do anything without your help. You are the only person I can trust," I added.
Dan remained silent, the pressure of responsibility seemed to sink into his shoulders.
"How can you be sure they are frozen somewhere in Siberia?" Dan asked, with a mixture of skepticism and curiosity.
"Mom discovered volcanic material on the White Spikes' paws," I explained. "She theorized that they arrived on Earth during the Millennium Eruption, in the year 946. Global warming will cause them to thaw enough for them to wake up and emerge from beneath the polar ice caps."
Dan leaned back against the railing, his mind clearly trying to process all the information.
"All this is too much..." he murmured, rubbing his forehead as if trying to relieve a slight headache. "We'll need a plane, weapons, and a lot of C4 explosive..."
"That's practically impossible for us," I replied, although I knew it wasn't.
Dan looked at me with determination and shook his head, frowning.
"I know someone who can help..." Dan said, his expression changing from displeasure to a mixture of determination and disdain. "My father."
I almost smiled at the mention of Dan's father, James Forester Sr.
James is a Vietnam veteran and a mechanical engineer who has made a name for himself in the dark world of illegal arms dealing.
He is exactly the kind of person we need right now.
Furthermore, James is a pilot and owns a plane, which could be our only chance to get to Siberia. Not only that, but he could also provide us with the necessary weaponry to face the White Spikes.
If this works out, I'll once again get a God-Level Super Rating SSS!
Seth, the god of chaos and rebellion? I should have called myself Loki, the god of lies!