pointed at the building again. There was a look of disbelief on their faces. Ruthra got up from the table and said goodbye, making one last remark:
– But I tell you right away: if you don't believe me, if you are not serious, if you say one word, then immediately, even if I ask you to do so, refuse. This is an extremely important matter. I'm not joking. Honestly… I can read what is behind your smiles.
– No smiles. I really believe it, but it's unusual," Iulia justified herself.
– You'll understand tomorrow. Goodbye.
Chapter 10. Ticket to those worlds
The next day, as agreed, they met at the appointed place. Accordingly, a command was given "from above" and an indication was given of where Rutra had decided to perform the rite of enlistment. By and large, he was not even surprised by the arrival of all of them: he had confidence in the boys. In addition, the fact of the reward played a significant role. People do not know whether the promise of paradise is true or false, but the probability that it is true is so important that they try to fulfill the conditions to hypothetically be there, especially these conditions are not so difficult. And here coming to a meeting is too simple a requirement to fail to fulfill and deprive oneself of the possibility of getting a weighty sum of money.
Rutra made sure that the people were met and escorted to a secret windowless room in the underground floor. He wanted to create an aura of mysterious importance, which he succeeded in doing: the arrivals were no longer the jokers they had been before, their faces were serious. Rutra did not "cheapen" the plot with such a conversation starter: "Well, now do you realize who you're talking to?" No, as was his custom, he behaved in a simple manner and got straight to the point.
– Good morning, gang. It's come to fruition. We are all together in the process. Although we're not yet in parallel worlds, they're not far away. Just a few thousand kilometers away is the laboratory. There we have the equipment that will transport you to other dimensions. Yes, yes. There's also an observation and training room. How's that working out for you? Let me tell you about something that is purely scientific in style and scientific in itself. The first and foremost thing you have to accept is that you're in the system, and there's no easy way out. In fact, there is no way out of there at all. If you think my inviting you and welcoming you into this organization is too cool, it's not really. This is just a normal government organization. I could have received you elsewhere, but receiving you here gives you a certain sense of importance and seriousness. It's really very serious. Honestly, absolutely no kidding. If you take it lightly, if you're going to change your mind, much less demonstrate any sort of whimsy, then leave right away. And if you stay, then know that if you violate the terms you have accepted – no friendship. Nothing will save you. I'm dead serious. Think of me as a stranger. If you enter the system, you're there forever.
The faces of his new friends were serious and at the same time incomprehensible. Of course, everyone was wondering why me and what it all meant. Ruthra didn't make them worry about those questions.
– I understand you're thinking, if this is so serious, why did they pick me? What do you have to do with something so important? Well, you have to accept the first condition first, and then the whole deal. I repeat: you are entering a system from which there is no way out. Do you understand?
Rutra somewhat famously began pointing his index finger at each, and people took turns nodding their heads and saying "yes."
– Now that's it, the jokes are over, as well as some of your past life, you have a new secret stage to begin. Now I'll explain further. Only first I have to turn on this little thing that blocks our conversations even from these friends.
He pointed his index finger upward, and everyone knew who he meant, then Ruthra pressed a button on the self-heating coffee cup, and robotic butterflies flew out of it, scattered to the corners of the room, attached themselves to the walls, and began flashing. The spectacle was dignified and certainly felt like a show to those present so far. However, everyone realized – this was not happening in an apartment, a cafe, or even an office. They had a premonition of something both amusing and dangerous.
– At this stage I will tell you about the main topic, the second stage is for you to move with me to other lands. Everything will be clearly formalized as an important business trip to a foreign country. Accordingly, you will first for alibi, as a legend, will be invited to work in an international corporation, and perhaps – and in the embassy of one of the countries. I think the embassy will be even better. The third stage is direct involvement in the project. Now why you. By way of introduction I will say: you have to believe me, there is no game. And there's no time for games either. If something is not clear – memorize, then ask. You were chosen for this project by an artificial intelligence. Ask me again why. It did not choose you exactly, but the most suitable combination according to many indicators, which included many things, from age and state of health, including moral and psychological, to the parameters of everything that concerns you and society in ten years. Everything is very simple and everything is very complicated. So, let's start from the point where it means that you should believe me, and listen further… There is a certain super-secret international program, in which I am a very important bird, let's say so – in popular language. Now, the main backbone of this group are scientists. Believe me, the level of science that you know, though it may be overwhelming to some, is stone age for our group. Or almost. For example, what would you say if I told you about the possibility of cloning, creating a copy of you, downloading your digital copy through your brain and instilling your image into the clone. You would say: nonsense and fantasy. And I will answer you: you will live and work in this system. Now I will say again, as if by the way, although you understand, I warn you… Yes, yes, you will have to think quickly and understand me half-heartedly. And I want to say, of course, what else?
Ruthra pointed a finger at Iulia, who, thinking, snapped back:
– You have to be able to keep quiet.
– Not only that," Ruthra added with a look of approval and satisfaction on his face. – You're not as free as you'd like to be, but you're in the system. If you break the contract, your memory will be erased. Yeah, yeah, I'm not kidding or scaring you. It's not a fantasy, it's already a reality for many, not quite even secret, secret structures. You should be aware of that. Shall we continue?
Everyone nodded.
– So first I'll tell you something scientific, and then I'll tell you what I and a group of smart guys and secret world rulers have planned. Shall we?
– I'm curious," Iulia was the first to answer.
She was the most active.
– I'm intrigued too," Catherine replied.
– I hope you don't need a degree to understand," Andrian said a little jokingly.
YatSan remained silent, but she signaled with a look that she was waiting for more information.
– So, let's begin. I have to tell you about such a topic as the theory of multiworld interpretation. Don't ask me what, why and why yet. I told you from the beginning – you have to believe me. For you little by little my story, training, what is happening – everything will be put together like pieces of a mosaic into a picture. Consider that you yourself are picking up the puzzles to understand the overall meaning. Going further. Let's say, for example, we are living in ancient Egypt at the moment of completion of the construction of the pyramid of Cheops. Tell me, was it a grandiose event?
Before they could react in any way, Ruthra himself answered:
– Yes, you're going to say it's huge. And I will say, yes, it's grandiose, comparable to the first human space flight. And what would you say at that time if someone asked you to explain the existence of molecules or the structure of the solar system? You would have considered it magic, devilry and fantasy, if not to say nonsense. So now in our world quite serious scientists, and for a long time already, consider the existence of parallel worlds. Yes, yes.
Ruthra took note: although their faces remained serious, a slight chuckle