Vyazemsky raised his eyebrows.
– Arthur, urgently come to the institute!
– Yes, we are already here. But, as you know, without a pass…
Professor Vyazemsky pressed a couple of buttons. A voice over the speakers grumbled:
– I’m listening…
– Andrei, a visitor should be waiting for me at the entrance to the institute…
– So this is for you? I was wondering what these two are rubbing about here about the access code… Well, then let them in. I’ll take it now.
Professor Vyazemsky paced the office nervously. Hearing footsteps in the hallway, he opened the door.
– Come on, Arthur…
The young man who entered nodded, letting the girl go forward.
– Valery Stepanovich, let me introduce you to Anna, our staff journalist and specialist in ancient texts.
– Very glad, – the professor shook the girl’s hand. – So are you a linguist?
– Yes, I have studied rare languages since childhood…
– Well, in that case … – the professor sat in a chair, and turned on the speakerphone. – Martha, bring us some coffee, please.
– Don’t, professor. We won’t be long, – Arthur lowered his voice. – Whatever I say must remain between us.
– Of course. Martha, you don’t need coffee. And don’t let anyone in, I have an important conversation…
The professor turned off the connection and lowered soundproof shields over the windows.
– Lucky for you, I only recently had a soundproofing system installed… But in any case, we cannot be protected from tracking chips…
– Our chips are deactivated.
– That is… Arthur, it’s against the law!
– Professor, let’s get down to business. You promised to help us.
Professor Vyazemsky spread his hands in confusion.
– Arthur, what are you getting me into?
– Well, since we understood each other, there is something else… – he approached the elderly man and handed him a vial with a strange, blue liquid. – Drink this.
– What is it?
– Neutralizer, experimental nano-version, in the form of a syrup. He will block on the chip if you drink the full dose, but half is enough to turn him off for an hour and a half. We don’t need the Magisterium to see everything we’re about to show you through your eyes…
Professor Vyazemsky looked uncertainly at Arthur. He nodded.
– Arthur, you are a scientist. Don’t you know what Chip really is. Our company took part in its development many years ago, so…
– … So do you want to hear my story or not?
Valery Stepanovich caught his breath with difficulty, drops of sweat appeared on his forehead. The chip has been a part of a person’s life since birth. Embedded in the brain, it replaced all the best quantum computers, allowing a person to literally take fate and the world into his own hands. He gave everything, depriving the main thing – freedom. And, among other things, making the world gray. In the truest sense of the word, since the introduction of the chip took away all colors from a person. But in return, opening before him almost inhuman possibilities…
– Good.
Raising the flask to his lips, the professor took a sip of the tart-tasting liquid… And immediately everything swam before his eyes. He curled up in his chair and put his head in his hands. It seemed that his brain was about to explode… He rushed to the door.
– Poor fellow, I was rinsing for about five minutes… – Arthur looked sympathetically after the professor. Finally, the office door swung open. The professor at the door looked around in amazement. Arthur walked over to him and helped him to a chair.
– Well, how do you feel?
– I… This… It’s even hard for me to describe… Anna, you have hair…
– Dark chocolate, yes. It’s such a special color.
Arthur chuckled.
– Will there be more… But now you are ready to listen to our story? There is no way back.
The professor nodded. Arthur made a sign to the girl, she took out a stone from a secret pocket of her jacket. Arthur looked at the professor. Looking extremely dazed, he picked up the stone with trembling hands.
– For the first time I have no words… But, although I have seen a lot in my life… This is the greatest find, it has no price… – the professor ran his hand over his eyes. “Now I can say with certainty that I have seen everything. It means that it exists… But it is the greatest value, I don’t know any place in the world where this Stone will be safe…
Arthur leaned his hands on the table and looked at the professor intently.
– That’s why we turned to you. You are a friend of the great scientist – Professor Karpatov believed in you… You must help us get to Elyuya Cherkechekh.
– Valley of Death? Are you seriously? Why else is this? – Professor Vyazemsky looked at the young people with amazement. Just don’t say you…
– Yes, it was not easy, but we managed to decipher a few tablets. And we found a map – the man took out a wooden board from his briefcase, covered with intricate symbols. “According to the data on it, it leads us straight to the Gates of Eternity…
– Stargate? How…?! Oh, yes, yes, yes, I heard about them… But why do you need them?
– Well, it’s clear… Your scientists, who put me in an unflattering light before the Council, need proof of the existence of the Higher Worlds. They will get them. And you will do everything possible on your own to make our expedition successful. Otherwise, I will leave here right now, and you will have to explain to the Council at length and in detail how you got this card…
– Alex, are you… kidding me?”
The man smiled coldly.
– So what? You know perfectly well that leaving this stone in this world and this time is too dangerous… Wouldn’t it be better to hand it over to those who created it?
– Atlantis? No, it seems that my brain will overheat now…
– Well, as I see it, our conversation has reached an impasse. I have the honor to bow out.
The man looked like he was about to leave. Professor Vyazemsky shook his head wearily.
– Well, you took it. I think that many people can still believe your words. For example, my friends – employees of this institute – are the same romantics at heart. Denis Zudin is simply obsessed with the study of extraterrestrial civilizations and (secretly from everyone except those he trusts) created a mini astronomical laboratory at home, Alla Vels from the Chemistry and Biology Department, constantly read Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Stas Shevchenko, like a true design engineer, he sits for many hours in the library and laboratory of the institute, hoping to find a solution to restore the Stargate. By the way, no earlier than yesterday I found him re-reading the works of the famous science fiction writer Ray Bradbury for the third time…
Valery Stepanovich sat down in a chair next to him and plunged into thought. Then he looked sadly at the young man.
– Yes, Arthur, you will go