THE ISOLATION PARADOX

CHAPTER TEN: "Operation: CLOVERFIELD"

June 18th, 2026
8:01 p.m.

Everyone is down in the basement with Alex, who is examining the blueprints to the accelerator.

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ALEX: "Okay. We can make this work."

STEPHANIE: "How? We don't even have half of the technology for the set-up to all of this. How are we gonna make this thing if we don't have the stuff we need?"

ALEX: "It's simple. We'll just find some stuff around the house or in the shed for anything that looks similar to the parts we need. So far, we only have the power keys and the main power grid base. All we need is wires, flat glass, and some a liquid substance that's strong enough to hold everything in place."

DAVID: "Well I did see some Flex Seal in the shed from earlier with zombie Jack."

TYLER: "We seriously gonna do this, though? How do we know if it'll work?"

ALEX: "This base have the same amount of energy that was calculated for the bigger version of the accelerator that caused us to get here, which holds only to 547 teravolts, but that overload must've been up to 602 teravolts. If we fire this thing and get it to overload, it might jumps us back into our dimension, as well as the other dimensions, and make everything turn back to way it was before."

TYLER: "Alright. Damn, how do you know it can be so calculated?"

ALEX: "Two years. Been doing my homework. And plenty of lecture in scientific mathematics."

TYLER: "Fair enough."

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Everyone soon splits off to find pieces to the accelerator. Stephanie and Jensen find two glass slabs, Tyler and Kristen finds wires and tubing, and Alex and David finds Flex Seal and electrical tape and bolts. Everyone rushes back inside and starts to assemble the accelerator. 

35 minutes go by, as the accelerator is almost complete, David pulls Alex aside to have a conversation with him.

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DAVID: "Alex?"

ALEX: "What?"

DAVID: "I...have something to confess. But...it's to Stephanie."

ALEX: "You like her, don't you?"

DAVID: "Yeah...I really do. It wasn't me being drunk that caused me to do that earlier. I...just couldn't bare to say it. I panicked."

ALEX: "Well you did make her upset over it."

DAVID: "I know. And I feel bad about it. She's done so many things for me in the past, and I never really did anything for her. I just wish I can make it up to her some way."

ALEX: "My advice: prove to her that you do love her. If you ever see her in a bad situation, you'll do anything to protect her. It's like you said: you either die without forgiveness or you live long enough to forgive yourself and others."

DAVID: "You're right. Thanks Alex."

ALEX: "No problem."

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Alex and David soon return to the others, as they are assembling the accelerator. 

Another hour goes by, as the group is nearly complete with the accelerator, with everyone excited and having high hopes. Alex looks around and notices that Jensen is missing.

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ALEX: "Guys...where's Jensen?"

STEPHANIE: "Wasn't she with you guys?"

KRIS: "No. I thought she was with you."

STEPHANIE: "She was, but then she said she wasn't feeling well and had to use the bathroom."

ALEX: "Steph...it's been over an hour now."

DAVID: "An hour in the bathroom. Probably ate Taco Bell or something."

STEPHANIE: "Well most likely, she's still upstairs."

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Alex rushes upstairs to try and find Jensen. He rushes over to the bathroom, only to find it empty. But then, he hears Jensen talking to herself in his parents bedroom. He slowly walks through the hallway as the lights begin pulsating on and off and the storm outside roars with thunder. Alex walks towards the doorway of the bedroom and sees Jensen talking to herself, but in a somewhat raspy voice.

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JENSEN: "Cut him open? But who?"

ALEX: "Jensen?"

JENSEN: "No. They won't find out. Not if I end them myself."

ALEX: "Jensen, who are you talking to?"

Jensen turns towards Alex, as he looks in horror by her face and body. Her face is almost melted and sharp rows of teeth are shown. Her eyes are becoming blood red and her hair is falling out. Her arm is completely mutated and twisted, with bone sticking out.

JENSEN: "Alex...you have to get out of here...before I hurt you. I don't know what's happening to me."

ALEX: "You're turning into an alternate version of you."

JENSEN: "Alex...hand me your gun."

ALEX: "No. We can help you Jensen. You're not doing this. We're almost done with the accelerator, we can fix this."

JENSEN: "You say you're smart, but you don't get the effects of this paradox. Now hand me your gun, or you're gonna be very...very...sorry."

ALEX: "No."

JENSEN: "You have no idea what you and your friends have gotten into...but hey, if the multiverse ain't killing you fast, I guess I'll have to do it myself."

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Jensen then lunges at Alex and chokes him. He tries to pull out the gun, but is unsuccessful and is knocked out. Jensen then throws him into the closet, and grabs the gun and leaves the room.