Naseria

Chapter 9

As the group settled into their seats, the atmosphere was charged with a mix of tension and determination. The aircraft's steady hum and the occasional rustle of seatbelts provided a backdrop to their discussion.

"How long until we reach our destination?" Ad asked, breaking the silence.

"Six hours," Daniel replied, glancing at the aircraft's information screen. "We've got plenty of time to piece things together."

Beatrice, always the analytical thinker, took charge of the discussion. "Alright, let's break this down. First, our rooms—these might symbolize aspects of our personalities or our professional roles. They could be significant in understanding our individual traits or what's expected of us."

She continued, her tone methodical and confident. "Second, the password '212.' It might represent a date—21 February or 2 December. This could be the day our waiting ends or some sort of deadline. It's crucial we figure out which one it is."

"The third piece," Beatrice went on, "is the passports and this flight. The passports being keys to our seats suggests that our identities are central to this journey. We're all on this flight together, which could mean we're being taken to a place that ties us all together or forces us to confront something common to us all."

Henric nodded, taking in Beatrice's deductions. "So, if we combine these elements, it seems like each part is connected. Our rooms, the date, and the flight are all pieces of a larger puzzle."

As the discussion continued, Osborne remained silent about the extra passport, choosing instead to focus on the dream he had experienced. He didn't want to add to the group's burden or complicate their already tense situation.

"During my sleep, I heard a voice," Osborne began, his tone cautious. "It called out a name— 'Starosta.' It was a bit disorienting, and I couldn't quite understand the context. But it felt significant, like it was trying to guide me or give me a clue."

The group listened intently, their faces reflecting a mix of curiosity and concern.

"'Starosta,'" Beatrice repeated, frowning as she considered the name. "It doesn't sound familiar. Could it be a name or a title? Or perhaps a hint toward something we need to uncover?"

"It's possible," Daniel agreed. "The name might be related to our current situation or the destination. We should keep it in mind as we continue to piece things together."

Henric added, "We might need to look at it from different angles. Maybe it's a code, a place, or even a person connected to our journey."

Osborne nodded, relieved to have shared the dream without revealing the extra passport. He knew that the passport might be a crucial piece of the puzzle, but he wasn't ready to bring it into the discussion yet. For now, he hoped that focusing on the dream and its possible connections would help the group make progress in understanding their situation.

"The voice, the passports, and the date—all of these might be interconnected in a way we haven't fully grasped yet," Daniel said, trying to piece together the information. "We need to stay focused and keep analyzing everything. There's still time to figure this out before we reach our destination."

A heavy silence fell over the group, each of them lost in thought as they sifted through the mounting clues. The dim cabin lights flickered occasionally, casting shadows that seemed to move with their thoughts, amplifying the weight of uncertainty. Everyone sat still, staring ahead or at the floor, the pieces of the puzzle swirling in their minds but refusing to align.

Henric tapped his foot rhythmically, clearly frustrated but trying to stay calm. Beatrice's fingers absentmindedly traced patterns on her armrest as she replayed each detail over in her mind, searching for connections. Izek, fists clenched, leaned forward, visibly restless, struggling to make sense of it all.

Osborne leaned back in his seat, still clutching the secret of the extra passport in his pocket, its presence a subtle weight. The name "Starosta" echoed faintly in his thoughts, intertwining with the other mysteries: the rooms, the date, the flight. What was the common thread? What were they really waiting for?

Andrew's sudden outburst shattered the silence, his voice sharp with frustration. The quietest of them all, he had been holding it in for too long.

"I don't get it!" he shouted, standing up abruptly, his eyes flashing with anger. "Who the hell makes this kind of play? Why us? What is the meaning of all these clues if we don't remember anything other than our names? Are we seriously supposed to piece our memories together based on this? It's ridiculous!"

His words hit everyone hard, echoing the unspoken fears they'd all been grappling with. The absurdity of the situation—the rooms, the passports, the cryptic dates—it all seemed like an elaborate, cruel game, one they hadn't chosen to play.

Beatrice looked up, startled by his outburst, her confidence shaken for the first time. Daniel's face was tense, caught between trying to offer calm reasoning and admitting that Andrew might be right. Izek opened his mouth to respond, but for once, even he seemed at a loss.

Andrew's breaths came in sharp bursts, his frustration evident in every word. "How are we supposed to find memories that might not even exist anymore? Are they really expecting us to figure this out with so little? It just—it doesn't make sense!"

Osborne watched the others as they tried to process Andrew's frustration. His own secret weighed heavily on him, but even he couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't just some elaborate puzzle—they were part of something bigger, something dangerous. Yet, the answers remained just out of reach.

"Shut up."

Shen's voice cut through the tension like a blade. His words were short, firm, and left no room for argument. The heated moment that had overtaken the cabin suddenly turned cold. The weight of his command settled over the group, silencing Andrew's outburst and freezing everyone in place.

"If you don't understand," Shen continued, his gaze sharp, "then shut up. Complaining won't change anything."

His eyes scanned the faces of the others, daring them to argue. "If you want to know the meaning of all this, then play the game. There's no other choice."

The finality in his words was like a door slamming shut. The room fell into an uneasy silence once more, but this time the air was thicker, heavier with resignation. Shen had drawn the line—there was no way out but forward.

Andrew, still fuming, clenched his fists but didn't say another word. The others, shaken by Shen's cold pragmatism, exchanged uncertain glances. They knew he was right. Whatever the game was, they were already in too deep to walk away.

"Guys, relax, okay?" Ad's voice broke through the heavy silence, softer than Shen's but carrying a different kind of weight. He raised his hands, trying to diffuse the tension that had been steadily building. "Don't fight. Don't do anything unnecessary."

He offered a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "We're all in this together, and losing our heads won't help us get out any faster."

The others shifted uncomfortably, the raw energy from Andrew's outburst and Shen's icy command still lingering in the air. Ad's attempt at easing the mood was like a fragile bridge over turbulent waters, but it offered a moment of respite.

Beatrice sighed softly, loosening her grip on the armrest. "He's right. We need to keep it together. Getting emotional will only cloud our thinking."

Daniel nodded in agreement. "We're here for a reason, whether we understand it or not. The only way to figure this out is to stay calm and work through the clues."

Ad's lighthearted approach gave the group just enough space to breathe again, though the gravity of their situation still loomed large. The mystery remained, but for now, they could at least face it without tearing each other apart.