"We have to keep digging, guys! We can't give up—we must excavate the puzzle box before tomorrow morning! This place looks completely derelict, if not devastated. It's pure luck we even found the labeled door still intact. Debris is scattered everywhere," John complained, digging through the perimeter zone. Broken glass, bones, and stones made the task difficult, but luckily caused no harm, as the group worked more carefully.
After a grueling hour and a half of hard labor, the team finally unearthed the puzzle box. "This work is exhausting! Imagine moving from one place to another, digging tirelessly just to find clues! But seeing is believing—at least we've got the box now," Lama said, helping to lift it up with the others. Once retrieved, the group gathered around to inspect it.
"Okay guys, let's sit in a circle so we can figure out this puzzle box," John suggested. Everyone complied, and the box was placed in the center.
"We're on this mission to seek justice for all. Now, who among us is worthy to open this scroll-like puzzle box?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't know, but we're the guardian allies—we're here to support each other. Tiffy, would you do the honors?" William suggested.
"Alright, I'll do it," Tiffy agreed, reaching out to the puzzle box. It had a visible scroll on its surface, likely meant to be decoded before it would activate.
"Let me take a closer look. It says: 'Using pure science like set theory, prove on the one-page scroll that the square root of zero is zero,'" Tiffy read aloud. A brief silence followed.
"Whoever designed this was educated—maybe like Einstein! Pure mathematics! Now, does anyone here know how to prove that using set theory?" she asked.
"We studied philosophy and governance—not pure math. Maybe Mikal has some knowledge?" William suggested.
"I'm useless here. I haven't touched pure mathematics since high school. Tiffy and Elizabeth, you two can do the online research—we'll wait here. Did anyone bring a pen?" Mikal asked.
"Don't worry, I always carry my diary and a pen. Let's go, Elizabeth," Tiffy said, standing up. The two girls set off on their research mission.
They found Nick resting near the washroom when Tiffy approached. "Hey Nick, how are you feeling?"
"I'm doing alright. How's your mission going? Did you find the puzzle box?"
"We did, after the guys worked their butts off! The box has a puzzle requiring set theory to prove that the square root of zero is zero. We're here to do some online research and hope our answer fits on the one-page scroll."
"Alright, but make sure you get info from multiple sources. Don't rush—take your time. Do you have something to write with?"
"Yes! I always carry my diary and pen."
"Good to hear. Take your time and figure it out carefully."
They headed to the top tank area, searching for a comfortable spot to work.
"This reminds me of getting a lift," Elizabeth said.
"What do you mean?" Tiffy asked.
"I mean desperate times! Like at Crapaud Forest—we got lost and ended up on the hill, raising our hands to be rescued."
"Oh, that! Nick told me. Sounds like you've got some anxiety. But don't worry—we'll be saved. I just don't know what kind of salvation you mean."
"I know we're a team on this lifeline mission. You and your dad saved us before. But now he's not here. Even if the mutant hybrids come tomorrow, they'll catch up to us—they have advanced tech, and the government has a long reach."
"This desert is huge. Be hopeful! We'll start our escape once we crack the code. Don't let anxiety win—be optimistic."
"Then how fast can we escape after we figure everything out? We should brainstorm escape plans now!"
"Why not use the relics back there?"
"Relics? You think they had wheels?"
"Of course! Wheels were invented in Mesopotamia during early civilization."
"Carts or bicycles then? Is that what you're suggesting?"
"Exactly! Whatever gets us moving. I learnt that from cheerleading!"
"Forward ever, backward never—Nick says that, too. Thanks, Tiffy, for being such a key part of this team despite our differences. Your thoughtful care packages always help."
The two hugged and got to work, researching and jotting down ideas. Nearly an hour later, they finalized a one-page solution.
"That took forever, but I'm glad we did it," Elizabeth said, relieved.
"No time to waste—let's decode it now!" Tiffy urged as they hurried back to the basement.
On their way, they noticed something strange in the distance and stopped. "What the hell is that?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't know—a sandstorm? This place is weird. Do you think spirits are still working behind the scenes?"
"Right after solving the puzzle? Very suspicious."
"Monitoring spirits? Maybe they're mad we're making progress?"
"They can try to stop us, but we must keep moving forward. This push-and-pull battle won't hold us down forever—we need to prepare for war."
"And they're gonna hear us roar!"
"The one who roars last, roars best! Let's move—no time to lose!"
They rushed past Nick.
"Hey, wait up! What's the rush?" he called out, but they ignored him.
Back in the basement, panting, Tiffy quickly said, "Guys, I think we have the answer! No time to explain!" She moved to the center, sat down, and began decoding with her pen.
The group gathered closely to watch. After a few minutes, she submitted the answer. The scroll magically rose, reversing itself for what looked like a marking process.
"Do you think it'll get rejected?" Tiffy asked nervously.
"Rejection's normal. We'll try again if we must," Elizabeth encouraged.
"This thing's like a computer—it compiles and processes data," John said.
"People of the past were really smart. They built empires from scratch—even invented the wheel," Elizabeth added.
"How long is this thing going to process? It keeps blinking red," Tiffy said anxiously.
"Tiffy, relax. Trust your answer. Or how do you handle college tests?" Lama asked.
"If I'm confident, I relax and wait. If I fail, I blame the teacher," Tiffy joked.
"Same thing here. If you're confident, just wait it out," Lama replied.
"But the blinking's weird—red and fast. Is it broken?"
"It's probably just processing. We're on a tight schedule, but this was our main goal," Mikal reminded.
"Alright, we'll give it more time. Meanwhile, Elizabeth and I thought of inventing the wheel."
"Inventing the wheel?!" several exclaimed.
"I mean making carts or bicycles from the relics. The hybrids are coming, and we need to move faster."
"But shouldn't we wait and solve this first?" John suggested.
"He's right. Maybe the device is faulty. We should build the vehicles now," Mikal agreed.
"Okay. Elizabeth, Jasmine, and I will stay here and monitor this. You guys start on the wheels," Tiffy said.
John, William, Mikal, and Lama began hovering building. Elizabeth, Jasmine, and Tiffy stayed behind.
"It's been thirty minutes—we're just sitting here like jobless people. May the Lord help us," Tiffy said.
"Don't give up hope," Jasmine said gently.
"What if Mikal's right and it's faulty? It's been ages since this thing was maintained!" Elizabeth wondered.
"Maybe a few slaps will fix it," Tiffy said, smacking the box. "How does this even power on?"
She flipped it over and opened the battery section. "These batteries might be dead. Let me bite them—maybe that'll work," she said, removing and biting the batteries before replacing them.
Miraculously, the device rebooted and responded, "Correct!" It then updated their next destination: "Mansoon Basements!"
"Mansoon Basements!" Elizabeth and Jasmine echoed in awe.