Chapter 40

"Where's Jhonny? Is he still working on his busy schedule and not resting?" Alice monologued.

Alice then went to look for her husband in the other room, even though she knew that her husband's routine and work was overwhelming but that didn't mean she would just let him be deprived of rest and exhausted constantly.

Arriving at her husband's room, Alice could see from a distance how agitated he was. Jhonny's body, which usually looked firm and unwavering, was now slightly hunched over. His mind must have been occupied by something heavy, something bigger than just the peace they had achieved. He could sense that burden without even having to ask.

When Alice entered the room, Jhonny was still unaware of her presence. He sat by the window, the moonlight shining on his sad face, it cast shadows that made him look older than his actual age. Alice looked at him lovingly, knowing full well that behind Jhonny's strength, there were hidden doubts and fears.

Although the world tension due to the alien invasion was over, but in fact, Jhonny's life was not as calm as Alice thought it would be. Alice is very concerned about the condition of her husband who continues to be burdened with a sense of responsibility when everyone can work together to solve the problems that occur on earth.

Jhonny's heroic nature made him always think that he could be a helper for everyone even though he himself also needed to rest and also be helped by others.

"Jhonny," Alice called softly.

Alice's voice broke Jhonny's reverie. He turned his head, looking at Alice with a faint smile that he tried to offer despite his obvious anxiety. "Alice, are you asleep?" he asked, his voice hoarse as if filled with inexpressible worry.

Alice shook her head softly and walked over, sitting next to Jhonny. "I couldn't sleep knowing you were here alone with your thoughts. What are you thinking about, Jhonny?"

Jhonny was silent for a moment, his eyes staring at the floor before he finally sighed softly. "I'm just thinking about Miranda's research. About all this trouble." He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "Frigia Sanguinis... Miranda believes it could be the solution to the genetic mutation problem that many people have. But there's one big problem."

Alice looked up at Jhonny, her brown eyes filled with concern. "Please explain to me what kind of problem it is. I can at least be a listening ear for you and please don't keep it all to yourself, I know you're tired of all this."

Jhonny wiped his face with both hands, then looked at Alice with a more serious gaze than before. "That substance does not exist on earth."

The sentence fell like a hammer that hit the calm atmosphere between them. Alice was a little scattered.

The sentence fell like a hammer that hit the calm atmosphere between them. Alice flinched slightly, anxiety beginning to creep into her chest. "Nothing on earth? So how can we cure this mutation?"

Jhonny bit his lip, clearly frustrated with the situation they were in. "Miranda only found a small remnant of the compound in the wreckage of the alien ship that crashed at the north pole. The amount is too small to cure the entire population. If we don't find more sources of Frigia Sanguinis, we will run out of time."

Alice felt the panic starting to creep up on her, but she held it in. She knew Jhonny needed her calmness, not her fear. She looked lovingly at her husband, trying to find a way to comfort him. "We've been through a lot together, Jhonny. I'm sure we'll find a way. Maybe Miranda will find another source, or... we can find a new way."

However, behind those words, Alice could not completely dispel her worries. The world was already so fragile, and the threat of this genetic mutation felt like something that could destroy the peace they had just gained. But she couldn't let Jhonny bear all this alone.

Jhonny looked deeply at Alice, appreciating his wife's efforts to comfort him. But he knew how difficult this situation was. "I want to believe that, Alice. But we don't have much time. Every day, more and more people are affected by this mutation. If we don't find a solution fast... we may be facing a destruction greater than an alien invasion."

Alice reached out and grasped Jhonny's hand gently. The touch felt warm, full of familiarity and comfort. "You're not alone, Jhonny. We have a team, we have people we can count on. Miranda's been working hard, and I'm sure there are solutions out there. But more than that, we have each other."

Jhonny looked down at Alice's hand clasped in his, then raised his gaze back to his wife's face. He knew Alice was right. They had always managed to face anything as long as they were together. But the uncertainty about the future still haunted him.

"Thank you, Alice," Jhonny murmured softly. "I just... feel like I'm not strong enough to protect everyone. I'm responsible for all of this, but I don't know if I can save them this time."

Alice smiled softly, then leaned forward slightly, looking at Jhonny more seriously. "You saved the world once, Jhonny. And I know you can do it again. We can do it together."

Jhonny felt his heart softened by Alice's words. The warmth he felt from her touch and words made some of the weight on his shoulders feel a little lighter. He looked at Alice gratefully, then slowly, he pulled her closer.

They drew closer to each other, their faces only inches away from each other. Alice could feel Jhonny's breath on her face, and her heart beat a little faster. Amidst all the problems they were facing, this moment felt so intimate, so personal. It was as if there were only two of them in the world, at least for a while.

Jhonny reached out, touching Alice's face gently, his thumb rubbing her cheek lovingly. "I don't know what I would do without you," Jhonny whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion.

Alice just smiled, letting the distance between them disappear even further. "You don't have to do it alone, Jhonny."

Slowly, their lips met in a kiss that was gentle yet full of feeling. It was an expression of love, support, and comfort that they so desperately needed amidst the uncertainty of the world. In times like this, Alice and Jhonny found strength in each other, and for a moment, all the problems that were out there disappeared, there were only the two of them.

When they finally let go of each other, Jhonny looked at Alice with eyes that sparkled a little brighter than before. "I don't know what will happen, but I know I can face anything as long as you're with me."

Alice smiled and nodded. "And I will always be here, Jhonny. No matter what happens."

Jhonny looked lovingly into his wife's eyes and he saw how much love there was in Alice's eyes as she looked into Jhonny's eyes each time.

"We rarely even do that, you know what I mean right?"

Jhonny was suddenly surprised to hear Alice say such a thing. From the way she looked at him and the way she said it, it seemed that she had a sensual underlying meaning to her words. Jhonny began to feel increasingly dizzy but the dizziness was not because of the problem related to Phrygia Sanguinis, but something was hardening down there.

"Alice, don't tease me."