**To read part two of this story, click here**

[cont.]

All three men kept walking at a steady pace with the President’s burning cigar crown (and smell) leading the way. Most of the time they would breathe in the smoke blowing on their faces right behind him. It was still dark, and they wouldn’t risk falling behind the leading man, neither going right in front of him out fear of losing him even if it was a perfectly straight track.

They felt a slight inclination about 10 minutes in. The path was certainly descending gradually towards more darkness. The lit burning circle suddenly came to halt, Jackson and Delaney almost hit the president from behind but react fast enough to stop a couple of inches away. 

“I know it’s around here” The president said while touching the walls around him and walking forward very slowly.  “Any of you guys got one of those devices with an app that counts your steps?”

Both of them touched their empty pockets again, signaling that they still were missing their cellphones. Before one of them said a word, the president talked again.

“Not on your cellphones, geniuses; your watches. Any of you have a smart one?”

Jackson’s face lit up, and yelled:

—  Yes! Me! I have it.

Turning on the watch’s flashlight, and illuminating a couple of feet in front of them.

Both Delainey and the president looked at each other before shouting to Jackson.

“You mean to tell me you had this on you the whole time?!”

— You’re the fucking moron here, not me.

“Unbelievable.”

—What? Jackson replied. I completely forgot I even had my watch on. Who even uses these nowadays. I grabbed it before leaving the house because it would make me look more serious.

— Give me that shit!

Jackson removed it from his hand immediately, almost dropped it on the floor from being shook up by the yelling, and gave it to him.

— You really are an idiot. 

Replied the president. Grabbing the watch with his left hand, and holding his cigar with the other. He immediately starting walking again and picked up the pace progressing forward.

— Let’s go.

In the midst of darkness, the president disappeared right in front of their eyes.

“Where’d he go?” Said Delaney.

— Through here! 

“It sounded like it came from behind this wall.” Jackson replied, placing his right had in the wall next to him. They walked a couple of feet more until a corner was revealed. The president was a little bit farther way with the flashlight shining the way.

— Took forever, didn’t you? We’re getting there. 

He immediately turned off the light and kept walking forward. You could hear his footsteps getting faster, and Jackson and Delaney following right behind him.

“Hey” whispered Jackson. “How long have we been walking?”

— It doesn’t matter, keep going. He said we’re getting there.

“That’s what he said the last time. I’m gonna ask him”.

— You know I can totally listen to you two whispering? You’re like a couple of feet behind me and sound carries forward. Plus, super hearing and all that. You forgot?

“Mr. President. You think I can have my watch back? My wrist feels naked, and I would like to see how much I’ve walked today.”

— No.

“But…”

— Jackson, shut it. Man, let it go. It’s his watch now. Besides, you never used it before. Let’s just keep walking.

And he patted his friend’s back, urging him to maintain the same walking pace.

— You should learn from your friend, Jackson. He’s a smart fellow. 

The president stopped again, and threw his cigar butt on the floor. 

“Now, he’s gonna turn left and disappear again, watch this”, mentioned Jackson.

But nobody moved. No footsteps were being echoed. No light was being shined. Total darkness again for a few moments. Then a white shining light blinded them. Jackson and Delaney only saw the president’s back silhouette before covering their eyes.

— Get that cigar butt for me, son. Thanks. 

Another man came out of the light. He was a dressed in military uniform. The soldier crouched in front of them to pick it up from the floor, and headed back inside towards the light.

— Well, don’t just stand there. Get the fuck in. 

Both men started to focus their eyesight, revealing what faced them.

Delaney was the first to ask what is this, as they walked inside and the door shut automatically the instant they placed both came in.

They entered into a subterranean base, hidden a mile underneath the West Wing. There were over 50 people working there. About half were dressed as civilians, the other half wore standard military uniforms or some sort of suit and tie attire. A server room with black units extended as far as the eye could see till the very end. Right in the middle of the room was a command center with see-through glass panels. There were numerous state of the art OLED touch panels covering the walls, long round tables scattered across, and of course, a kitchen with all the works inside. The base had no walls separating the areas, only the glass panels in the middle. Everyone could see everything that was happening at all times.

“Is that a fucking mermaid!?!?! Dude, look there, at the end. Behind the glass walls. Holy shit!!!! They do exist!!!” 

Both the President and Delaney looked at Jackson, wondering what the hell he was looking at.

— A mermaid, you say. Look closer.

Jackson started walking towards the back of the base. About 10 steps after, he stopped.

“Oh… I see.”

— Yea… Large screen HD monitor playing a video of a manatee. That’s our deep ocean division. I’m sure you can talk to them about mermaids, and they’ll explain a couple of things to you about living in the real world. 

The presiden replied. Delaney just kept looking at him, astounded and at the same time disappointed.

Another voice was heard from behind.

“Mr. President. Welcome back. I see you brought guests.”

Jackson turned around and screamed:

— It’s a fucking cyclops!!! Fuck me. What is this place!!!

 “Jackson, how… Seriously, just… How.” Delaney then faced towards the man with one eye. “I’m so sorry, sir. My friend, he’s retarded. Shit, ok. No, that’s worse. I’m sorry. He’s a moron. I can say moron, right? He’s an idiot. There.”

— You see what I’ve been dealing with the past half hour?

Said the president to the man.

— My name is Dr. Bair. I’m the lead scientist here at CUGE Base. And yes, I have only one eye, Anophthalmia, and my other eye socked didn’t fully develop. Not a cyclops. Just missing one eye.

“Oh… I see. Nice to meet you, doctor.”

— Anything else, Jackson? Seeing any dinosaurs or killer robots around? Well, to be fair, we do have a few of those around here somewhere.

“A dinosaur??! No fucking way.”

— No, you idiot. Robots. We have an advanced drone division. God, how can you be so dense. Come on. We need to have a long talk. Get some refreshments, and head to the command center in middle of the room. I’ll meet you there.

The president then talked to one of soldiers standing nearby.

— Get me another cigar, son. Cuban, if you can. I’ll cut it myself. Thanks for your service.