The Beginning

The young boy and girl find themselves seated on the sandy shore, their eyes fixed on the vast expanse of the ocean. It wasn't the picturesque coastline that held their attention but the bewildering realisation that their lives had turned upside down virtually overnight. Their father's abrupt and mysterious decision loomed over them, shrouded in uncertainty. The urgency of the drastic changes compelled them to assume new identities, weaving their existence around unfamiliar names and backgrounds detailed in a file full of papers protected by waterproof lamination. The why and the how remained elusive, leaving them in a state of perplexity. With no opportunity to bid farewell to old friends, abandon their college aspirations, or even pack a suitcase. They are left with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the set of instructions. As the waves caressed the shoreline, they sit silently, contemplating the uncharted path ahead, their futures tethered to the enigmatic directives waiting to be read. Name: Ethan Anthony Baker Date of Birth: 11th November 2020, Age 20 (as of the present year 2038) Nationality: Dual Citizenship (Indian & British) Parents: Father (Peter Harvey Baker, Travelling University professor), Mother (Late Ananya Mathur, Anaesthesiologist) Siblings: Terry Amanda Baker (Age 22) Schooling: …… Family details: …… The new profile was meticulously filled with an array of details, from the names of the schools he supposedly attended to his hobbies, travels, and so much more. Every facet of his life had been carefully constructed, leaving no gaps to ensure the cover story felt authentic. However, neither of them were seasoned actors, spies, or agents capable of slipping in and out of new identities at a drop of a hat. The process had to be broken down into baby steps to digest and embody. This explained why their father had emphasized bringing the cover stories as close to reality as possible. Beyond changed names of schools, people, locations, many details in the cover story mirrored experiences from the boy's actual life. In fact, they even retained his original first name, aiming to facilitate a smoother transition into the shoes of his new identity without risking slips or mistakes. And, of course, the parents' identities underwent a complete overhaul. They had to be changed. A tech billionaire and socialite heiress would attract too much attention otherwise. Moreover, this whole ordeal of faking death and changing identities only hinged on the secret dealing of the parents alone. There is a similar note for the girl. Name: Terry Amanda Baker Date of Birth: 11th September 2016, Age 22 (as of the present year 2038) Parents: Father (Peter Roy, Travelling University professor), Mother (Late Ananya Mathur, anaesthesiologist) Siblings: Ethan Anthony Baker (Age 20) ……. Here they went into even more detail about her family, what she likes, and what she's been through. The cover story wasn't just about schools and names; it painted a fuller picture of her life. The crafted narrative shared bits about her travels, essential moments in her life, and other personal things that you'd expect from any person. Every little piece of the story was carefully chosen to make it believable and relatable, like a true-to-life journey. Like the boy, the girl's profile also largely matched her real life. She had indeed been studying at MIT until her father's sudden plan completely uprooted it and her first name was retained as well. In fact, the boy and girl were also siblings in real life. This was a lot to take in for both of them. Especially the girl. As the unease settled in her mind like a heavy fog, she couldn't escape the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her head. Her father's abrupt activation of a code red had tossed her carefully planned life into disarray, leaving her stranded literally looking at a sea of uncertainty. Once clear and focused, her aspirations of becoming a top climate scientist now seemed like distant dreams overshadowed by the mysterious circumstances surrounding her father's actions. His covert activities and the sudden upheaval had left her grappling with questions that seemed to have no immediate answers. The conflicting narratives about her father in tabloids added another layer of confusion. Was he indeed a visionary pioneer in space tourism, or was he entangled in the shadows of shady dealings and mysterious funding? The dichotomy between the animated wonder with which he spoke of impossible futures and the scripted responses that veiled his true nature fueled her sense of disquiet. Her mind replayed memories of his enthusiastic explanations, the enchanting allure of his vision constantly circling back to the impenetrable wall surrounding his true motivations. The enigma of how he could transform from being penniless to a tech tycoon, spearheading extravagant projects like space hotels and underwater resorts, became a relentless loop in her thoughts. She couldn't shake the strong feeling that it had a lot to do with the situation she found herself in. As she sifted through the firehose of information, she couldn't shake the feeling that something severe had gone wrong. The disconnect between the public persona painted by tabloids and the glimpses of authenticity in her father's eyes left her feeling confused about him and who he really was to her. She was also nervous and uncertain about when or if she could return to her normal life. As Terry sat their frozen, staring into blank space. Ethan, her brother, playfully seized the paper, revealing a map outlining a 10-minute walk from where they stood. Ethan's spontaneous gesture served as a welcome distraction, easing the tension. He always did have a knack for helping Terry snap out of it when she got too wound up in her own head. With the map in hand, the duo then picked up a small apparatus the size of their mounts and started walking toward the given direction. They knew they needed to hide or destroy this apparatus quickly before anyone spotted them. It was a dead giveaway to their cover as the prototype invention by Terry and her father that allowed a person to breathe underwater without an oxygen cylinder. This small tech could actually extract oxygen from any water source or even any alien atmosphere in space if certain gases were present. It's just mind-boggling to think of it but it wasn’t publicly unveiled yet. Again, with a gentle nudge, the boy playfully commended the girl’s contribution to this contraption, emphasising how it had proven indispensable in saving their lives. He then re-counted how they landed on that shoreline, injecting a touch of humour with a superhero impersonation. He vividly described the dramatic scene – the duo bound and gagged, with the breathing apparatus cleverly concealed within the gag. Their hands were securely tied with weights, a scenario meticulously practised under their father's watchful eye a hundred times over. He narrated the chilling moment they were cast into the tumultuous waters of the Indian Ocean during a ferocious storm.