His hands were bound behind his back with a set of transparent cuffs, suppressing the nerves all the way to his shoulders. He couldn’t even wiggle his little finger. Flanked by four guards, two in front and two behind, they made their way to the floating vehicle. It resembled a car but had no doors or roof.


In the distance, Tom noticed a sprawling settlement of small houses belonging to the Plersizian civilization. He saw a few of them watching him closely. The small huts resembled square igloos, all uniform in shape. Farther in the distance, an enormous building stood out ,towering like the White House – but twice as large. “ The Headquarters” Tom thought with a wry smile.


One of the guards grabbed him by the nape gently and pushed him into the silver vehicle. Once they all climbed in, squeezing him in the middle, one of them began speaking in their sharp, alien language. The vehicle ascended, slicing through the air at a speed unimaginable in Tom’s world. Before he knew it, they arrived at the Headquarters hovering over an annex, and began descending. The ground opened beneath them, and the vehicle slipped inside the building.


Tom scrutinized his surroundings. The vehicle parked in a private lot within a vast garage, fortified with advanced technology and gleaming white walls. The four guards disembarked, waiting for Tom to follow. Unfamiliar voices echoed through the air, communicating in an eerie dialect. Then, a large man approached- muscular, with a white mustache, beard and long hair cascading down to his knees. He barked an order and the guards left at once.


The man walked closer to Tom, inspecting him carefully, and Tom did the same in return. The middle aged Plersizian was so near that Tom could see his own reflection in the man’s white eyes.


<< I won’t say welcome, as your visit’s purpose isn’t exactly pure, is it? ?? the man asked in perfect English.<< What’s your name, human? ??


<< Tom Waltts!>>


The man circled Tom slowly before standing in front of him, puffing out his chest, which was adorned with intricate fabrics and jewels.


<< I am Griff! Advisor to the Leadership and Head of Security for the Plersizians!>> he declared, with his voice carrying a sharp edge that made his round eyes narrow to slits << Why are you here, Waltts?>>


<< Curiosity ? >> Tom replied. His subtle sarcasm, not lost on Griff, made him let out a quiet growl before shouting something in his native tongue. Within moments, more guards stormed toward Tom, weapons drawn. They seized him roughly, dragging him away toward an unknown destination.