Oppenheimer - the destroyer of worlds.

Chapter 1

A brisk autumn wind swept into the desert surrounding the labs of Los Alamos that day. A small town sat just across the hill, yet it felt an eternity away from the laboratory. The sky was a brilliant blue as the sun rose higher, sending rays of light down across the sand. At the heart of all this, a man was working at a table, diligently taking notes and conducting calculations. This man was J. Robert Oppenheimer.

He looked across the empty lab. Just an hour ago, it was filled with eager young minds full of bright ideas and endless curiosity. They were working tirelessly, and their faces held pride and excitement. It was an environment perfect for science.

The afternoon in Los Alamos was peaceful, not a single cloud in the sky. The scientists and their families were resting after a tiring day, even the air itself was so pure that no one could be overthinking in such circumstances. But not Oppenheimer. A worrying thought was roaming in his head. The feeling of something sinister looming overhead became stronger. Robert put down his pen and slowly rose to look out the window, his mind racing. He saw the town far beyond the gates. The wind carried the quiet sounds of chatter and laughter. He had never felt so far away from home.

Suddenly, it felt as though a wave of cold air had come over him. He turned and looked back into the lab. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong.
"Are you okay, doctor?" a voice called out. Turning, there was a young man approaching.
Oppenheimer turned to Serber and gave a weak smile. He was grateful for the interruption but felt ashamed that his mind was getting the better of him. He could never quite trust a calm day in the lab. The boy, Robert Serber, seemed confused, yet curious.
"Oh, hello Robert. Yes, it seems my head is lost in the clouds today." Oppenheimer responded politely, trying to shake off this strange feeling."Just going over some calculations... you know how it goes." he chuckled awkwardly, glancing back to his pile of notes on the table. He tried to act as though nothing was wrong. He continued taking notes on a fresh page. He knew they'd want to see the results of this latest calculation, but he couldn't help but feel as though he should be running, as he often thought of doing.
"Well, I won't bother you anymore. Seems you've got a big day ahead of you. I'll leave you to it." Serber replied, trying to lighten the mood.

As the sky darkened, Oppenheimer's mood grew darker as well. He suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. This was an all too familiar feeling - one he hadn't experienced since his youth.
He looked around, his mind racing. What could be causing this?
Suddenly he heard a muffled sound. Like distant thunder. He paused at the door, trying to listen carefully.
"It's all in my head. I'm being ridiculous." Robert whispered, trying to reassure himself. "Enough work. Time for some sleep." A sense of calm started to come over him. Maybe he was just tired. Too much work, and not enough sleep. The stress of the lab, always pushing the limits.

Robert was laying in his bed, still feeling on edge. But slowly, he felt his eyelids begin to grow heavy. It was probably just his mind playing tricks on him - it wouldn't be the first time. He was in a deep sleep now, mind far away from the stress of work.

In the morning, Robert felt something on his face. As he awoke, he saw sunlight entering the room from the window.
It was dawn. Another day at Los Alamos, another day of work to come ahead. The previous evening had felt both real and surreal - like a blur. He went to the kitchen to brew himself some coffee. As he poured the hot liquid into a cup, he glanced out the window. The sky was a deep, clear blue. The clouds were scattered, and the sun shone a warm light.
For a moment, he looked at the sun. It was such a glorious sight, and he was grateful for it.
He took a sip of coffee, feeling refreshed. A good start to the day.

Oppenheimer entered his office to see a grim mood hanging in the air. His coworker, Ernest Lawrence, looked agitated.
"Ernest, what's the matter?" Robert asked.
"We're falling behind," Lawrence replied with a frown. "We need more resources and more funding, and we need them now, otherwise the Third Reich will beat us to the bomb."
Oppenheimer nodded in agreement. Indeed, resources had been scarce, and their progress had been slow. It was a cause for concern.
"Leslie Groves is getting impatient," Lawrence added.
"Well, I'm doing all I can," Robert replied with restraint.
"I know, and I appreciate your efforts, but frankly, the higher-ups are growing increasingly frustrated with our progress," Lawrence replied. "They want results, and they want them fast."
Oppenheimer didn't know what to say. He had been trying to do his best with whatever resources were given to him. It wasn't enough.
"I understand," he said. "What can we do?"
"We could try something... bold. Ambitious. But it would require... a bit of risk." Ernest said cautiously.
"And that is...?" Oppenheimer asked.
"If we can't beat them on progress," Lawrence suggested, "We can beat them with espionage. If we can slow them down, we can gain the upper hand. Sabotage their work, and we can come out on top."
Robert was torn. It seemed too risky - far too risky. But he knew it might be their only chance, and if they pulled it off... it would be a major game-changer.
"There are a few methods we could pursue," Lawrence replied, "We'll need to get access to the Germans' lab. We could try to recruit someone high-level within their ranks, who would then assist us with gathering intel."
Oppenheimer was silent, deep in thought.  A certain name flickered in his mind.

Werner Heisenberg.