The mood at GORCI base was tense. You could feel it in the low murmur of hushed talks, the constant hum of the servers, and the ever-present worry about the Obelisk. So, when the unmarked, obsidian-black helicopter showed up, it felt wrong. It didn't slam down like a military bird would. Instead, it touched down softly, like it had all the money in the world and didn't need to rush. The guy who stepped out was the same.
Julian Aris walked through the base like he owned the place. He was dressed in a fancy dark gray suit, which looked way out of place next to all the military gear and lab coats. He had a smile that seemed fake, like it was meant to be warm, but his eyes were cold and checking everything out. He wasn't carrying a weapon, just a shiny silver briefcase that seemed glued to his hand.
Commander Rostova met him at the command center door, standing tall and looking tough. Mr. Aris, this is a secured, international military operation. "You don't have any power here."
"Power is complicated when things are falling apart", Commander, Julian said, his voice smooth. He didn't try to shake her hand. "OmniGen is a big helper in the Global Council's emergency tech program. My power is progress." He looked past her, spotting Aris. His smile got bigger, a bit too friendly. "Well, well. Cousin. Still chasing after nothing, I see."
Aris felt his gut tighten. Julian wasn't acting like family; he was acting like a predator sizing up the area.
"What do you want, Julian?" Aris asked, his voice flat.
"To help, of course", Julian said, turning back to Rostova. He put the silver briefcase on a console and opened it. Inside, nestled in black padding, was a weird device: a bunch of clear, crystal pieces around a dark, beating center. "While GORCI has been watching, OmniGen has been working. This is a resonant damper. It can, maybe, make a small dead zone, stopping the Obelisk from talking to its spheres. It could shut the whole thing off."
Kaito, interested by the tech talk, came closer, his science brain stronger than his worry. "The energy needed... the perfect balance... it can't be done with what we have-"
"With what everyone can get their hands on", Julian said gently. "OmniGen does things faster. He closed the case. I'll set this up, and pay for it myself, if I can have whatever's left after this is over."
The room went quiet. Rostova's eyes narrowed. "You want to turn a global extinction event into a money maker for your company."
"I want to make sure people get something good out of this mess", Julian replied, his voice steady. "The tech in that thing", he said, pointing at the Obelisk, "could fix the energy problem, cure sicknesses, and take us to other planets. Or, GORCI can do what they're planning". He looked right at Rostova. "Which is using nuclear bombs in England. If that goes wrong... well, it would make what the Obelisk is doing look good."
It was a smooth threat, hidden in nice words, but it was there. He wasn't just offering something; he was using politics and money as weapons.
"Your 'damper' is just a theory", Rostova said. "A risk."
"Everything great is", Julian smiled. He turned to Aris. "You should understand that, Aris. You've always been ready to cross lines for answers. Think about the data. Instead of blowing this thing up, we could learn to turn it off. We could have the key."
He was good. He was giving Rostova a way out of a political disaster, Kaito a chance to study the tech, and Aris the answers he wanted. He was building a trap with tempting offers.
"The answer is no", Rostova said, her voice hard. "You and that thing are leaving now. This isn't OmniGen's lab."
Julian's smile stayed, but his eyes got cold. "A shame you can't see the big picture, Commander. He picked up his briefcase. But this isn't up to you. The Council is checking with your lawyers right now. We'll be setting up shop next door. When your... forceful ways fail, and they will, my offer will still be good. But it will cost more."
He nodded slightly, looking at everyone, and then stared at Aris a bit too long... a look that said they would talk later, and then he left as smoothly as he came.
The silence he left behind was heavy with a new kind of worry. The problem wasn't just the Obelisk anymore. It was the smart, greedy guy who was now camping outside their gates.
"He's lying", Aris said quietly, breaking the silence. "The damper is fake. He can't stop it. He just wants to grab everything when it's over."
"But what if he's not?" Kaito asked, his mind already working. "The ideas are good, if the power source-"
"He only cares about getting power, Tanaka", Rostova interrupted, her voice angry. "Political power. Money. He's just made things worse. We're not just racing the Obelisk. We're racing him."
Aris looked out the window. The Obelisk was always there. But now, he could see the start of the OmniGen base, a shiny, metal thing sticking to their crisis. The battle lines had been changed, and they were now more dangerous and hard than ever.