Heirs of Planet Life 2 - The Origin Of Life

XII - Helen's Truth

The family finally landed at Tokyo airport. Helen took a deep breath, feeling the air of the land of the Sun, and looked at the sea that surrounded the city, in contrast to the buildings that skimmed the skies. She wasn't dreaming at that moment: what she saw was real, or rather, was the fulfillment of her dream. As it wasn't rushing hour, they decided to go by train, because it was the best means of transportation, since it cut across the metropolis. They settled into a hotel downtown and, shortly after the lunch of the first day, they were strolling and getting to know the beauties of the city.

After strolling through the streets and shopping malls, they returned to the hotel to rest. Lorena sat in a rocking chair that was in her bedroom and then fell asleep. Sophia decided to read a book about the Japanese culture she had bought on the walk that afternoon.

Merko, Nicholas, and Zara gathered in the living room and felt that this was the perfect opportunity to go out with Helen for the great moment of revelation.

"Helen, I need to talk to you, my dear!"

"Mom, I'm so happy to be in Japan," she interrupted Zara, euphoric.

"Yes, daughter. It is a unique moment and we still have a lot to see, but do you remember that I would tell you everything that was needed about your ability to read minds and move objects? Me, your father and Merko are going to show you who we really are."

The girl's eyes widened and she sweated cold, worried about the truth that seemed so hard to tell.

"Trust us, my child." Zara said, looking at her.

Then, the mother looked at Nicholas and Merko, who nodded.

Everyone wore their coats, picked up backpacks with food, water, visors, trash bags, towels, cell phones with extra batteries, and all the necessary mountaineering equipment. Then, Merko placed the bracelet on the girl's wrist, pressed a button together with another one, on the bracelet of his own wrist. So did Nicholas and Zara. In a few moments, to the girl's utter disbelief, they were on top of the world's most famous Japanese hill. By the time they arrived, the trails weren't open to the public because of the low temperatures. The high place where they materialized was overcast and they could barely see each other amidst the white expanse.

"How did we get here so fast?" The girl asked. "And how cold is it here? I'm freezing..."

"We're on top of Mount Fuji. But, soon, we'll be inside it," Zara said.

Helen's eyes widened, feeling fear and curiosity at the same time. She breathed deeper in the rarefied air. The wind was blowing in her face, and the thermal sensation was even colder than the usual temperature. Even though they were well-groomed, the cold chilled their bodies. It was then that Merko said:

"Position the latitude and longitude that I will determine. We'll soon be in a much nicer place."

Zara touched Helen's bracelet and they did as he said. When they noticed, they were already inside Mount Fujiyama, in a nice, warm place.

There were sophisticated equipment and technology of the future on the two floors that the base occupied. Behind the mountain, a secret entrance allowed to hide a fighter ship in the insides of the shelter. Holographic computers, along with furniture for sleeping and resting, fit the walls of the ambiances. To Nicholas, all that technology was already peculiar, but to Helen... She was looking around in bewilderment, trying to understand what was happening.

Merko occasionally checked out the aliens' bases on planet Earth and it had been some time since he had last checked Japan's base. But thanks to the master computer everything worked perfectly.

Zara looked at Helen and, noticing her a startled expression, said:

"My daughter, we need to have a long talk, and I know you're a bit confused..."