Chapter 2

Inside the house, there is nothing but old furniture. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first glance but Vlad knew this place like the back of his hand.

He went to the bookcase where his father Eddison placed all his books. He then reached for a normal-looking book on botany.

When he opened the book. The front page changed from the expected flowers to a picture of his mother.

His mom was beautiful and sweet. She was kind-hearted and loved everyone. She would always take care of him and his father whenever they got sick or injured.

Looking at the images he felt at home for the first time in 10 years. He left at the age of 15 and has been wandering around never staying in one place. He did everything to survive and be independent in this wasteland. Then he realized that now that his father is dead he is now truly alone.

After walking down memory lane and grappling with his emotion. He reached to the back of where the book was placed before and pressed a switch. The wall behind it opens up revealing a room containing a desk and computer around it with different gadgets.

He then looks at the monitor and sees it's still had power. His father was very cryptic in his message when asking him to come home. He used an old code they use to love using when his mother was alive. The code read something to change the world after you deciphered it.

He wanted to see if his father left any clues on what he wanted him to find on the computer.

He then pushes a button that activates the screen and begins to log into the system.

There was a file labeled "Project: God's Gate". Vlad started to read.

"Project: God's Gate is a secret project that started in the year 2077. It was a secret military research program headed by Dr. Carlisle Teller. The purpose is to create a gateway to another world.

In the year 2085 Dr. Teller had his team work on activating the device. It was a machine that could transport them to another dimension. It was a highly guarded secret, and very few people knew about it.

Dr. Teller was a brilliant man. It was said that he created the portal device and even tested it on humans. But the test didn't turn out well.

During the testing, there was a malfunction, and the portal activated sending a young boy through it.

They continued working on the project and saw some progress when the bombs dropped and weapons of mass destruction claimed the world and nuclear winter engulfed it.

Luckily a few scientists were able to escape it and hid in vaults to preserve the different projects they were working on. They slumbered in cryo pods until the fallout subsided and the surface was liveable again.

It seems that his father Eddison was one of the scientists Dr. Teller trusted with the project and was placed in a different vault with his wife who was also a scientist and along with the child. They were to protect Project: God's Gate and the child.

As soon as Vlad read the last part of the notes on the project. A recording played automatically as if knowing he was reading the last part. It was Eddison adjusting the camera on the video.

"Hello, this is your father Eddison Musk. I am sorry if I haven't been the best father, but I hope you'll forgive me. Know that your mother and I loved you. We always wanted a child of our own and the day you were given to us was the happiest day of our lives. You were not our blood but we loved you like our own. I just couldn't look at you after she died. I couldn't face you. I didn't know what to say at that time. All I could do was work to make sure I kept my promise to your mother to give you a future. So I did the only thing I knew how to do. Work on the project and insure that you get out of this hell hole that this world of ours has become. Now, I know you were curious about this project and why I kept it a secret. People would kill to be able to escape 

this world and can you imagine if they found out that they could? I had to keep you safe. So I worked on this in secret and have made some progress."

Eddison on the video then reached for something off-screen and brought it to the view of the camera. "I improved on Dr. Tellers' work and made it my own. This is my life's work." Raising the object.

It was a cube no bigger than a Rubix cube that Vlad use to play with when he was younger. It was metallic but seemed dull.

"With this, you can move through dimensions. The only downside son is that only you can do so. I found out why Dr. Teller was not able to succeed in his work. It was because only you and your unique composition will be able to move through the turbulent dimensional tunnel. I figured it out when you were younger with that little accident of yours."

Vlad then recalled a time was he was struck by lightning when he was playing outside but came out fine.

"Yes, that's correct." as if Eddison on the video knew what he was thinking about.

"Your mother scolded me for days and didn't speak to me for a month after that." Eddison in the video was grinning as if recalling a fond memory.

"But I'm glad she did 'cause I think it's the reason we were able to focus on our work. We were then able to figure it out and discovered that only your body can pass through dimensional space. Your mother and I had a hard time figuring it out at first but we realize how special you are."

Eddison then continued after pausing a bit to recall that memory. "I hope this will give you a better life. I know it won't make up for what I have done or what I didn't do but know this, we love you and want you to live on."

There was a pause and then the video ended. The wonder stared at the cube which looked like an ordinary paperweight on the table and then placed it back on the shelf.

He then turned off the computer and shut down the console. He needed some time to process everything. Ever since her mother died of sickness he never really thought his father ever thought of him. He just kept working and didn't tell him anything. All the burden and responsibility are on his shoulders. He never knew.

He then decided to leave the place and head back to the bar to get some fresh air.