Naseria

Chapter 7

"The lock has three numbers. Try 011," Izek suggested, his voice still laced with frustration but trying to stay focused.

Isaac, with a slight nod, carefully inserted the numbers into the lock: 011. He hesitated for a moment, then tried to open it, only to shake his head in disappointment. "It's not 1 January," he muttered, exhaling in frustration. "We won't have enough time to try each combination one by one."

Henric sighed. "We need something more concrete. 'The day our waiting ends'—what does that even mean? There's gotta be a better clue in there."

Beatrice, deep in thought, crossed her arms. "It's three digits, right? So, it's got to be something simple but significant. A date, a time... maybe something tied to when we're supposed to board?"

Daniel looked back at the card, scanning it as if trying to pull more meaning from the cryptic message. "Maybe it's connected to 2250—the time we're supposed to board. What if that's part of it? A countdown, or something related to that time?"

Osborne chimed in. "What if it's not a date at all? What if it's a number that means something to us, or connected to this terminal? We're at Terminal 15... could that be part of it?"

Izek let out a frustrated breath, pacing again. "We're running out of time. If the answer's in front of us, we need to crack it now."

Isaac stared at the lock, fingers resting on it, lost in thought. "Alright, we need to narrow it down. What's important here? The card, the time, the terminal... maybe a combination of all three?"

Beatrice nodded slowly. "2250 is the time we board, and we're at Terminal 15. Maybe try using those numbers somehow?"

Isaac's eyes widened a little as he quickly adjusted the lock to 2-2-5, then hesitated before turning the dial. Everyone held their breath as he tried to open it.

"It's wrong..." Isaac said, his voice heavy with disappointment as he shook his head.

"Ahh, 111. Try that!" Izek suggested, his frustration boiling over. He stepped closer, his eyes fixed on the lock with a mix of desperation and anger.

Isaac shook his head again in frustration, clearly defeated. Izek, unable to contain his anger and desperation, marched forward and turned the dial on the lock without hesitation, ignoring the concerned looks from Osborne and Henric.

The others watched in a mix of anticipation and concern as Izek's fingers moved rapidly over the dial. Suddenly, there was a click, and the lock sprang open. The sound of the mechanism unlocking caught everyone off guard.

Izek let out a loud, disbelieving laugh. "Haha, 212. What the hell? 21 February? What kind of bullshit is this?" His laughter was tinged with a mix of relief and exasperation, the absurdity of the situation finally breaking through his frustration.

Henric and Osborne exchanged a glance, both looking relieved yet still wary. They stepped back as Izek opened the suitcase fully, revealing its contents. Inside the luggage was a bundle of passports. The sight of them made everyone exchange confused and worried glances.

Izek, driven by a mix of curiosity and frustration, grabbed one of the passports from the bundle. His hands trembled slightly as he flipped it open.

"This is... my passport?" Izek's voice wavered with a mix of disbelief and unease. He stared at the name and photograph inside, recognizing his own likeness.

The group fell silent, the reality of the situation beginning to sink in.

Henric stepped closer, peering at the passport in Izek's hands. "Are you sure? It's your name?"

Izek nodded, his expression a mix of shock and confusion. "Yeah. It's definitely my passport. But why... why is it here?"

Osborne, trying to remain calm, examined the bundle of passports. "If this is yours, then..." He glanced at the other passports, realizing the gravity of the situation. "We need to check the others. There might be more."

Beatrice nodded, her face pale as she began to sort through the remaining passports. As each one was opened, they saw that each belonged to a member of the group. Each passport was valid and matched their identities.

"This is surreal," Sherry said, her voice trembling. "Why are our passports here? What does it mean?"

Daniel's face was grim as he considered the implications. "It's like someone's been tracking us... or controlling us. This whole setup—it's designed to manipulate us. But why?"

Shen, still cold and calculating, watched the unfolding scene with a thoughtful expression. "It seems we're part of something much bigger than we realized. This is more than just a game. It's about our identities, our pasts. We need to piece together why we're here and what's being done with us."

The passports were a part of the puzzle, but they were still missing crucial pieces to fully comprehend the nature of their predicament. As they worked together to investigate further, the sense of urgency grew. The ticking clock was a constant reminder that whatever awaited them at 2250 was fast approaching, and they needed to be prepared.

"There's 1 minute left," Shen said, rising from his seat with an air of finality. His voice cut through the tension, snapping everyone's focus back to the present. "We should move to the gate."

Without hesitation, the group nodded in agreement, gathering their things and following closely behind Shen as he led them toward the boarding gate. Their footsteps echoed in the eerie silence of the terminal, the weight of their uncertainty pressing heavily on their minds.

As they approached the gate, something stood out immediately—a series of automated passport pass gates, each lined up like a barrier between them and whatever lay beyond. The sight of the gates brought a sudden wave of realization crashing down over them.

"The passports," Beatrice whispered, eyes wide as she clutched hers tightly. "They're the key... to passing through."

Henric nodded, his expression shifting as the pieces fell into place. "That's why they were in the suitcase. We need them to get through the gate."

Izek, still holding his passport, looked at the pass gate with a mix of frustration and wariness. "So, this is what it's come to? Our identities—our pasts—are the literal keys to whatever's next?"

Shen, always calm and collected, didn't hesitate. He stepped up to the gate first, sliding his passport through the scanner. The gate beeped once, and with a mechanical hum, the doors slid open, allowing him to pass.

"It's the only way forward," Shen said, glancing back at the others before continuing through.

One by one, the group followed suit. Osborne was next, then Beatrice, Henric, and the rest. Each passport was scanned, each gate opening just enough to let them through before closing behind them with a finality that felt unnervingly permanent.

Isaac hesitated as he stood in front of his gate, gripping his passport tightly. "What if this is it? What if there's no turning back once we pass through?"

Sherry placed a hand on his shoulder. "There's no turning back either way. We might as well face whatever's on the other side."

With a deep breath, Isaac scanned his passport, and the gate opened for him. He stepped through, joining the others on the other side.