2055,

Few days or weeks before the prologue

Inside Zomaftec Biomedical Ltd. Headquarter

This morning I received a phone call from our fellow biotech company from China, Bie Lin Jing Pharmacy & Co.

Again they offer us a collaboration task to be done together. Will Brandt agree this time after that some loss from the previous collaboration? Well, I don't know, yes he is a businessman, but mostly he always asks my opinion about everything run in this business.

Now it is already 9 pm, and he should be already back from the outside meeting. That nocturnal-man more love to spend time in this company at night rather than in the evening too.

KNOCK KNOCK - I try to knock on Brandt's office room door first.

"Yes, come in." The voice that I really recognize as Brandt welcoming me from the inside.

"Oh, you Matt. What's happened?" Brandt said after seeing me open the door.

"Bie Lin Jing again over us for a joint event, I received a phone call from them this morning, and they explained to me quite in detail about everything for this proposal. Here I bring you their formal proposal in the hard copy also for you to learn."

"Ah not again... Our two previous collaborations bring us negative profits. Why should we do the same thing for the third time?"

"Well, from what they explained, this time is so different. The probability is higher. Besides, the location this time is in Alaska, I guess that is why they need our help because we are the conqueror of US territory."

"Really, let me see their proposal."

"Here" I gave the proposal to Brandt which is sitting on his office chair, and then I make my own coffee from Brandt's Luxury Coffee Maker at his office.

...

After he read the proposal carefully, I know Brandt will ask me some questions. That is why now I sit comfortably on the sofa in his gigantic office room.

"Okay, so this time is an archeology expedition. In Alaska. What are two events with them yesterday that made us nonprofit?" Brandt asked.

"First, we also did an archeology expedition with them on Remote Island in the Pacific Ocean. They thought we will able to find a rare ancient plant or animal there. But instead of a common plant, common animal, we just found rock there."

"Second, we did deep ocean exploration with them. They thought there will be unique and new marine species there. But what we found after spending a month there, were only deep sea sands and emptiness."

"See... we already spent a lot of funding for that two activities. And we gained nothing besides red-accounting-number. Should we do this again with them?"

"Well, it is up to you, you are this Company CEO right?" I said.

"Well, you are the smart one here, Matt. You are the Head Scientist here, share your wisdom."

"Head Scientist right? Not Business Director..."

"Ha ha ha, come on Matt, you usually have more insight rather than me."

I drink again my delicious coffee before I give my opinion.

"Well, you already read the proposal right? Now they have base motivation because of that cave painting. It is quite a new discovery I guess."

(Picture above is just for rough imagination. Your own imagination may be more correct to describe the situation.)

"Yeah, what a magnificent cave painting. Even though I am not an archeologist, if I see this cave painting, it is incredible." Brandt said.

"Well, why don't we tell 'the-big-boss' about this? He now has a new-favorite-young-beautiful-archeologist right?" I said.

"What do mean 'the-big-boss'? I am the big boss here, I am the CEO."

I smile.

"You know Brandt, 'the-big-boss'. Boss of every boss. Secretly he owns us also, right?"

"Ah... you mean 'that-boss'. Yeah, I understand now." Brandt said while smiling also.

***

Meanwhile at the same time.

At Millie's Talk Show inside the Famous TV Station Studio.

(Picture above is just for rough imagination. Your own imagination may be more correct to describe the situation.)

"As I already told you before Millie, our threat in the future is actually a virus pandemic." A man who appear as the TV Show Guest told his opinion.

"We already passed through it in 2019 to 2024, the coronavirus pandemic right? And then from 2049 to 2053 again we despair in another virus pandemic.

So here I told you, If we still ignore and let Global Warming and Over Population become our issues that are never solved, then later the Ice from the North and South will melt, and the ancient virus that is trapped there will release and wipe us all. How many times I must tell you this." That guest told his opinion quite seriously.

But Millie as the host of the show just smile listening to him, and also the audience at the studio. So it is really unclear whether the guest's concerns are actually noticed by many or not.

"You know what amazes me, Mr. Elad? You are The Richest Man in the World, Your specialty business is in Technology Hardware and Global Communication. But you take concern about biology and medical which is not your expertise." Millie said.

"Well, I am just a regular person Mrs. Millie. I love to improve my knowledge to everywhere, so I do not become senile and free from Alzheimer, I hope." Elad said.

And the audience makes a small laugh at Mr. Elad's joke.

"I just hope that we humans can be free from the problem that is caused by our own. I just want to feel free and joyfully able to eat the hotdog from the hotdog cart vendor near my house without any worries." Elad said.

All laugh hearing that. Because he is the richest man in the world, but he loves to eat cheap hotdogs from hotdog-cart-vendor on the street. Many also already know this humble habit.

"You very funny Mr. Elad. I guess we all know that hotdog vendor that you mean."

"But unfortunately, from the news that I got. That your regular hotdog seller already passed away because of the previous virus pandemic, wasn't he?" Millie said showing her sympathetic face mimic.

"Yeah, it was so unfortunate, yes... But what can we do, maybe it was part of natural selection, isn't it? And maybe if we see it from a religious perspective, maybe that amigo is a nice guy, so God wants to be with him ASAP. He is already happy up there. Rest in peace yo amigo." Elad said pointing his finger to the ceiling.

Many audiences and people who see this Elad, the richest man in the world, respond like that to a street cheap food vendor, feel sympathy... Well, that is Elad.

After that, the talk show just keeps running just like scheduled.

...

Later after the talk show finish. Elad goes to the back of the stage. His bodyguards and assistants are there ready to work for him.

"Sir, Mr. Brandt from Zomaftec called a few minutes ago. He said there is something that maybe will interest you. He sent you the detailed email about it too." Mr. Elad's Assistant said. She just tries to do her best doing her job.

"Where?" Elad said.

"Here sir," said the assistant giving Elad high-tech glasses.

Elad takes the high-tech glasses, wears it, and presses a button.

After that, he raises his both hands, and just like an orchestra conductor he moves his hands and fingers here and there.

We maybe see him like a street performer, the pantomime. Stand still in a spot, only hands, fingers, and head are moving. Just because we can't see what he sees. Only the high-tech-glasses wearer that able to see.

But if we may try to guess, we can try to guess by his gesture, compared to the common gestures about doing something.

Like now he is like performing zooming something. And then he focuses observe what he sees. What is he seeing? Is it the cave painting?

Whatever it is he looks for it seriously, seriously studies it, nodding a little, and then one word comes out of his mouth:

"Interesting."