73 Twenty-seven - 3

Nodding his head Morpheous looked at Atticus and said, "The same feeling was there when I entered the house. I found it strange because she was not like you, not like any human whom I have met here. I felt a strange disturbance around her."

"Is that the reason why you stopped me when I was talking?"

"Yes! She might be knowing everything, but still, I didn't want her to know about anything else."

"I get it," replied Atticus and adjusted his glasses.

"I am sorry that because of me your family got involved, but I feel that she might lead us to something."

"Do you want to meet her again?" asked Eva, her tone a bit shaky after hearing about what had happened back in the house.

"I have to, there is no other option. There is a place that she has asked me to visit tomorrow evening. I need to be there." Then looking at Atticus he said, "I need this device of yours that helps you to take to any place on the map. That would be all that I shall be needing from you. I would not have asked you to come here. I would not have asked you to take the risk, but I need it."

"I can help you out with that. Tell me which place you have to go," Atticus asked taking out his mobile phone.

"I do not know what is that place called."

"Then how will you navigate?" asked a surprised Atticus.

"I can write about that place. I don't know the script but I can replicate what I saw. Maybe you can help us identify what that place is called."

"Here!" said Atticus and handed a piece of paper and pen to Morpheous which he pulled out from his jacket. Being a professor he always had the habit of having a pen and paper handy.

The parchment was ok but how to use that pen? Morpheous wanted to ask but was hesitant.

"Click on the top."

And so did Morpheous and he drew what he exactly had seen on that flyer upside down.

"Holy cow!" exclaimed Atticus when he saw what he read.

"What? Where is this place? Is it far?" asked Morpheous seeing the expression on the face of Atticus.

"Not far, but unapproachable. It's the charity event at the White House. The house of the president of this country. Are you sure? How can they give this address in a flyer?"

"What is wrong with it?" asked Eva, unable to understand what the confusion was about. They had the venue, they knew about the time. She couldn't understand what was wrong with the venue.

Turning towards Eva, Atticus said,

"It's like having the King's palace as the venue. Not everyone has access to go inside. It is not open to the public."

"And it must be guarded!" added Morpheous.

"Heavily! Armed men with mean machines. I mean weapons. Far worse than the deadliest weapon of your time. I can bet on that."

"She knew about it all and still gave me that flyer, so she has purposefully done it. She wants me there or maybe someone else wants me there," said Morpheous and sighed.

"Is it Nubeous?" asked Eva.

"I don't know!" replied Morpheous.

"Then why do we have to go there where we know that they are trying to trap you, brother. Let us instead find a way to reach Baltahzaar and Damianos and let us go back. I do not like it here. Everything is alien!"

"Let's go back to my house then. We can decide there what next is to be done," suggested Atticus.

Morpheous thought for a while and then asked,

"What about that game and the pictures you had shown. It had a story similar to ours right? I want to know what happens in that game."

"Are you serious? Why would you waste your time on a game when we have other things to check and work upon? For example, we can search the diary first. Probably try to trace it. Try to find out who the sender is."

"Do you think someone has sent it to us from the future?" asked Morpheous.

"Maybe, I don't know. Right now I do not know anything. But what I know is..."

And suddenly Atticus's phone started to ring.

"Hello, Conrad."

"Hello, Professor!"

"Conrad, I am bit busy right now. Can you ring me up later is it's not urgent?"

"Actually it is," said Conrad.

"I am listening."

"I got a package delivered to me."

"No kidding. With a leather brown diary?"

"Yes! Oh, so it was you. I thought someone had pranked me so wanted to let you know beforehand," Conrad said with a relieved tone.

"No Conrad. It wasn't me. But I will explain that part later. What else did you get along with the diary? Anything inside the pages?"

"Ermmm,.... nothing is written anywhere. But there is a weird message in one of the pages and it is signed by you."

"What does it say, Conrad?"

"It says CH₃COOH binds it all. I mean acetic acid binds it all. But why are you asking me what you have written by yourself? You have signed it underneath. Although the date is a bit weird."

"I am coming to your house, Conrad. Just wait for me."

"But what is wrong profe..."

And without hearing anything further, Atticus disconnected the call and looking at Morpheous he said,

"We might get the answers that we are looking for." and saying that he pressed on the pedal. He was now rushing to the Imperial Academy.

Parking his jeep, Atticus immediately got down from his jeep and walked towards the dormitory for boys. Before entering the main door he looked at Eva and said,

"God bless your eyes!" and then turning towards Morpheous he said, "You gotta walk more naturally." and saying that he marched towards the last room on the ground floor of the dorm. Lined with rooms on both sides, the dorm was bustling with young energy.

"What is this place?" asked Eva.

"Students stay here and learn at the academy," replied Atticus.

The crowd around them was young and youthful. Some busy talking, some just lazing around, some sleeping behind the closed doors and some in deep debates after having a puff. Eva looked at each and every one of them with amazement.

"This place looks so..."

"So shitty right. I cringe every time I come here," said Atticus before Eva could complete her sentence.

Eva nodded hastily. 'I was going to say wonderful,' she muttered in her head.

And they finally reached the last room.

Even standing outside the room, Eva could smell the weird stench. Repelled she covered her nose to which Atticus gently smiled and said,

"Either it's sulfur or rotten eggs."

Eva gently nodded as Atticus knocked on the door.

And opened the door a young man in his early twenties. He had a weird unkempt look, but he still looked sharp and charismatic. He wasn't well built or anything, but his figure was lean and athletic. He looked like one who could run. His eyes were red and he looked sleep-deprived.

"Professor!" he said and shook Atticus's hands.

"I could have sent the diary to you. What was so urgent about it? Anyways come on in!"

Atticus went in and flipped open the diary which was placed on Conrad's study table.

"Guests?" asked Conrad, looking at the imposing man and the charming little girl next to him.

"Well technically yes," replied Atticus as he reached the page where the handwritten message was present.

"That's Morpheous and Eva and this is my ex-student, Conrad," said Atticus without even looking at them.

"Nice to meet you!" said Conrad and extended his hand. Morpheous shook it just like how Atticus did, with one single shake. And then looking at Eva with a pleasant smile on his face he said,

"Come in!"

Not knowing what pleasantly exchange she should do, Eva just smiled back and followed her brother inside.

"Close the door!" asked Atticus.

Then he immediately started dismantling the table lamp of Conrad. Unable to understand what had gotten into him, Conrad asked,

"Can I help you with something?"

"Get me an Edison bulb. You might be having it right!"

"I guess!" and saying that he walked towards a carton box that was placed at one end of the room. It looked like a box full of junk. And while he was going through it, he realized that it was the first time a girl was in his dorm room and all that was there was a mess.

He turned back and saw both of them standing as there was no other place to sit.

The chair had been occupied by the professor and his bed had a pile of clothes. Washed or unwashed, even he wasn't sure about it. He had been busy preparing his final thesis work as in two days he had to defend it. There was no time for him to breathe or sleep, let alone doing laundry.

"I am sorry! My bad," he said and lifted the pile of clothes and stuffed it into his laundry basket with great difficulty and while doing so he turned a bit and saw Eva trying to suppress her laugh. She was looking at the dustbin, placed in the corner.

It was a rotten egg after all.

"I was a bit busy with the study work and I didn't..."

"Conrad, Edison bulb please!" Atticus asked again and this time his voice was hinting a bit of irritation.

"Right! Right!" said Conrad and went back to the corner, rummaging through the pile of stuff and finally exclaimed.

"Got it!"

Atticus took that bulb and immediately placed it in the study lamp and switched it on.

A splash of warm yellow light was spread in the room.

"It's magical!" muttered Eva and Conrad turned towards her in surprise unable to understand what was so special about that bulb.

Atticus then carefully tore the page on which he had written the message and placed it over the bulb.

"Did you write me a message with acetic acid?" asked Conrad in disbelief. This was such an old school trick that was taught in preliminary science classes. He couldn't believe that Atticus had done that and had also rushed over to show him what he had written.

Atticus didn't reply to anything. It was just a long-shot experiment. He didn't even know if anything was actually written with acetic acid or not.

But then slowly something started to appear on that page. Texts of orangish-brown hue started to appear.

"There is something written!" exclaimed Eva. Conrad again looked at her with surprise, unable to understand if she wasn't able to get the seriousness of the message.

Looking at Morpheous, with a wide smile on his face, Atticus said,

"They are looking for you!"

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