Four Weeks - The Beginning

Elaine is Found

Relwer woke up in a room and found Alan standing next to him. He found himself tied to a chair. He began trying, frantically, to break free in a wild motion, characterized largely by mid-air cycle kicks, aimed at taking out Alan.

'Relax, Chuck Norris,' said Alan.

'You, what a disgusting betrayal,' said Relwer.

'Nope. I'm on your side,' Alan responded.

'I do not understand,' said Relwer.

'I just didn't want anything to go wrong this time, Relwer. So, I thought I'd keep you out of the loop.'

'Out of what loop?' asked Relwer.

'I thought I would not reveal my plan to you,' clarified Alan.

'Do you imply that I always hinder your plans?' asked Relwer.

Alan said nothing for a little while, with his gaze fixed on Relwer.

'I'm not implying. I'm saying it outright,' said Alan.

'Interesting,' said Relwer.

'On Earth, I suppose that when a person saves another's life on two separate occasions, putting a stop to a calamitous blunder, he or she is termed a hindrance. How very interesting.'

'Ugh,' said Alan.

'So you defeated Selera?' Relwer asked. 'You had to have done that if you have indeed convinced every Neilodron that you are the chosen one from the prophecy,' continued Relwer, guessing at Alan's plan.

'Selera saw what I did and she willingly submitted. She doesn't remember you, Relwer,' said Alan.

Relwer's face fell. Long years had passed since he and Selera had last played together, hung out together and laughed together. Yet he felt sure that the unspoken promise of love and friendship that he and Selera had both perceived in course of that time could never be broken. His mind declined to accept the bitter observation that he was being presented with.

'What do you plan to do?' asked Relwer.

'Well, at first, I thought that if I took out the Neilodrons for you, I would acquire the comrade's attention and that would present an opportunity for me to thwart his plans for the Earth. But after you told me their story, I don't think it's right for me to step in and clean house. Sounds to me like Neilons and Neilodrons have a lot of issues to resolve the long, hard way and I will have to let that play out however it should. Coming to my plan, I have set myself up as the chosen one as you already guessed and now I'm going to fake a mass-scale capture of Neilons and have them believe that I'm going to corrupt them. That should get their attention - a lot of it,' said Alan.

'I don't like your plan. You should change it,' Relwer was quick to say.

'I don't care,' Alan disregarded.

'But that would cause much grief to their families,' said Relwer.

'What?'

Relwer kept a straight and innocent face.

'Relwer, I'm not going to hurt them or really infect them. I will release them as soon as I stop the comrade,' said Alan.

Alan left. For all his stoic manners, Alan knew that Relwer hurt inside upon hearing that Selera did not remember him.

'Selera!' Alan called out.

'Yes, sir,' said Alan.

Alan felt pampered that all the Neilodrons were calling him sir. He was impressed that all of them spoke the English language.