20 Worry (2/2)
”Really.” Ephraim flashed his usual smile. ”Anyway, can you give me a hint about the crew you were talking about before? You said the Messier something botched your configuration. I didn't quite catch that. Can you elaborate on some details for me?”
”Messier 31,” Anna answers. ”The Andromeda Galaxy crew. . . and . . .”
Ephraim tilted his head. ”And?”
”And Messier 33 . . .” Anna sighs, as she glances at the glass cabinet, with her grave expression looking back at her.
”. . . the Triangulum Galaxy crew—
—the ones who botched my system.” She says and then faces Ephraim.
”I won't go to any detail because I don't remember,” she says. ”But I do know this . . .”
Ephraim looks at her intently.
”M33 crew . . .” She says. ”Is the reason why M31 failed the task.”
”What do you mean?” Ephraim asks.
”I don't remember,” Anna says, as she pouted. ”Don't ask me anymore. I feel like I don't even wanna remember why.”
”Okay,” Ephraim replies simply.
Ephraim then finds himself looking at the broken beeper.
And then it occurred to him.
An overwhelming feeling of enthrallment as well as worry. He was here in the laboratory. Alone. His team members may be buried underneath the fallen concrete—no, he shouldn't think like this—nonetheless, Ephraim paused for a moment.
He couldn't really shake off the thought. Berthold and the others, where were they right now? Hiroaki had gone off again—but at least Ephraim was certain he was alive.
But the other team members.
Berthold . . . Esmeralda . . . Samuel.
What happened to them?
It was a strong earthquake enough to shatter the grounds into smithereens, making both him and Hiroaki plunge into the waterfalls underneath the 'house'. It was THAT strong. The other team members could either have fallen to the falls as well—or caught into the falling concrete and dwindling pillars.
The magnitude and intensity of the earthquake made him think of the possibilities.
Possibilities of death.
He wanted to shake his thoughts off. The HR would be here any minute now. His team would be alive and well. He didn't have to worry. He had to focus on the task at hand.
”Ephraim?”
Ephraim blinked, snapping back to reality. It was Anna who spoke.
”Are you okay?”
Ephraim tried to flash his typical smile.
But he failed to do so.
”Are you alright?” Anna asks, tilting her head. ”I called your name for like, five times until you responded.”
”. . . is that so?” was all Ephraim could say.
”Something is eating upon you, I could feel it,” Anna exclaims. ”Is it the lab? Is it too cold? Are you disappointed in my answers?”
”It's not that . . .” Ephraim answers. ”There was an earthquake earlier. That's why I'm here,”
”I'm aware,” Anna replies.
”My team,” Ephraim mutters, as he clenched his fist. ”I . . . don't know what happened to them. All of us got separated amidst the upheaval. I can't . . . I can't even contact them right now.”
”Maybe I can?” Asks Anna. ”You know, I sort of have the ability to breach frequencies and radio waves—”
”The HR is not for hacking, and besides, I don't even know their IP. I don't think you can breach UHE's top-tier system . . . so you can't be able to directly transfer message to them . . .” He says. ”Can you?”
”Well, I can't hack since my configuration's been botched. I only have access to the security of the laboratory,” says Anna. ”Is there anything I could do to help?”
”I presume you can't fix tangible objects?” Ephraim asks, pertaining to his broken beeper. ”If this beeper is fixed, then I may be able to contact them . . .”
”Nope, I don't think I can fix something that doesn't belong to the lab . . .” Anna sighs as she sees Ephraim's dejected face. ”I'm sorry, Ephraim,��
Ephraim smiles. ”It's okay.”
Anna stares at him worriedly. ”Are you sure?”
He sighs and then flashes a small smile. ”I suppose I can't do anything but to inspect the lab . . .” He exclaims. ”I have to trust my team members. I know all of them will survive.”
”Surely. They will!” Anna says. ”D-don't worry! All we have to do inspect the lab, right? And then by doing that, you won't come empty-handed! B-but I don't mean it like you're expecting them to be d-dead or anything . . . okay? I—”
”Anna,” Ephraim smiles. ”It's okay. I just have to trust everything to fate. This was inevitable. I can't do anything but search for answers right now.” He pauses. ”Am I . . .”
”Yes?”
Ephraim smiles, brushing off his thought. ”Nothing. Should we continue the search?”