Chapter 42

The soft morning sunlight slipped through the curtains, illuminating the face of Alice who was still asleep by Jhonny's side. The sound of birds calling outside was their natural alarm that morning, waking Jhonny from his not-so-restful sleep. Although the previous night had been filled with warm moments with Alice, thoughts of the genetic mutation crisis plaguing humanity still weighed heavily on his mind.

Jhonny opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling for a moment before turning to look at Alice who was still sleeping beside him. He smiled slightly at his wife who looked peaceful, as if the troubles of the world had not touched her in her sleep. But Jhonny knew that Alice was thinking the same thing as him. They were both aware that time was running out, and humanity needed a solution.

Soon, the communication device on the bedside table vibrated, breaking the morning silence. Jhonny reached for the device swiftly, a little worried about the incoming message. When he saw the sender's name, his face turned serious. It was a message from Miranda.

'There is new news about Frigia Sanguinis. Come to the research base as soon as possible.'

Jhonny read the message a few times to make sure he hadn't misread it. This was probably the news they had been waiting for. He rubbed his face, feeling the pressure come back on him. He knew that this message from Miranda could either bring the answers they were looking for-or make the situation even more complicated.

"Alice, wake up. I have news from Miranda," Jhonny called as he gently shook Alice's shoulder.

Alice blinked her eyes, slowly waking up from her sleep. When she saw the serious expression on Jhonny's face, her sleepiness instantly disappeared. "What's going on?"

"Miranda. She said there's news about Frigia Sanguinis. We need to go to the research base immediately," Jhonny replied quickly.

Alice got up from the bed, immediately getting ready without asking any more questions. Both of them knew how important this information was, and there was no time to delay. After dressing and preparing themselves, they rushed out of the house and jumped into their vehicle, a technologically advanced car built with the remnants of alien technology and Earth's rapidly developing post-invasion technology.

During the journey to the research base, Alice and Jhonny were silent. The road they passed was deserted, only a few other assembled vehicles passing by, carrying people who were probably also carrying out their own important tasks in rebuilding civilization. Inside their vehicle, Jhonny gripped the steering wheel firmly, but his face remained serious and thoughtful. Alice occasionally glanced at her husband, sensing the tension emanating from Jhonny.

"Whatever news Miranda gives us, we'll deal with it together," Alice said suddenly, trying to break the silence between them.

Jhonny smiled slightly. "I know, Alice. And I'm lucky to have you by my side."

Alice just nodded while returning the faint smile. Although not many words were spoken, the presence of each other was enough to give strength to both of them.

Arriving at the scientific research headquarters, a large and modern building in the center of the recovering city, they went straight to the top floor, where Miranda usually worked. The building was bustling with activity, scientists and technicians rushing to and fro, busy with the various studies being conducted to improve life post-invasion.

When the automatic doors in front of them opened, they were greeted by Miranda who was already waiting at the door of her laboratory. A big smile graced Miranda's face, but there was a hint of fatigue in her eyes, a sign that she had been working non-stop to complete this research.

"You're just in time," Miranda said in a cheerful tone, though there was a hint of fatigue in her voice.

"What's the news about Frigia Sanguinis?" asked Jhonny matter-of-factly, clearly not wanting to waste time.

But before Miranda could answer, her eyes fell on Alice's neck and her smile widened. "Oh, wait a minute! What's that?" asked Miranda, pointing to the faint red marks on Alice's neck, left over from last night's moment of intimacy.

Alice immediately touched her neck, a little surprised and embarrassed. "Oh, my..." she murmured, her face turning red.

Jhonny chuckled softly, trying to stifle his laughter, while Miranda chuckled. "I know you two have been busy, but it looks like you had a nice night, huh?"

Alice and Jhonny glanced at each other with shy smiles, but before the atmosphere turned more relaxed, Miranda returned to a serious tone. "But, let's focus. This news is too important to delay."

Quickly, the three of them walked into the laboratory, where a large screen was displaying various data and flashing maps. Miranda walked over to her desk, picking up some data sheets and tablets that had been prepared for Jhonny and Alice.

"As you know, I've spent the last few weeks studying the remains from the wreckage of the alien ship that crashed at the pole. From there, I found traces of the Phrygian Sanguinis compound, but the amount is very limited," Miranda explained while showing the data on the screen.

Jhonny nodded, listening carefully. "Then, what did you find?"

Miranda rotated the data on the screen, displaying a vast continental map. "I tracked the traces of this compound further, and after analyzing deeper, I found something interesting. Not only is Frigia Sanguinis present in the wreckage of the alien ship, but this compound seems to have come from other sources-sources that may still be active and retrievable."

Alice frowned. "Other sources? You mean, there are places on earth that might have more Frigia Sanguinis?"

Miranda nodded. "That's right. Based on the data I obtained, there is a location somewhere that might hold more of this active ingredient. The location is in far away place and very difficult to access."

Jhonny glanced at the map displayed on the screen, noting the location point indicated by Miranda. "Where exactly?"

Miranda pointed to a point on the screen, located deep in the remote mountains that had not been touched by many people after the alien invasion. "Right here. This location is in a region very far from earth, and of course it must be reached using a spaceship. This place is still untouched by us before, it is the planet Gronion. we will most likely find more Frigia Sanguinis there."

Alice looked at the map carefully, trying to understand how difficult the journey would be for them to reach that place. "How far and dangerous is this place?"

Miranda sighed. "Very far, and the territory is quite dangerous. It's probably around 100 light years away from earth But if we want to save humanity from this genetic mutation, we have no other choice."

Jhonny took the tablet Miranda handed him, staring at the data and maps displayed on it. "How many compounds do we need?"

"Based on preliminary calculations, we need at least ten times what we've already found. It's not an easy mission, Jhonny, but I'm sure you and your team can do it."

Jhonny looked at the map with a determined gaze. "We have to try it. We have no other choice."

Alice looked at Jhonny and Miranda in turn. Although the dangers ahead of them were great, she knew that they could not stop now. A new journey had begun, and they had to move quickly before it was too late.

"Alright," Alice said finally, her voice firm. "When do we go?"