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But is that even what it wanted? There isn’t a beast on the planet Earth that could rival the massive head of whatever disgusting creature the three warriors defeated to earn me!

The vision snaps out, and I’m brought back into the room. I get my bearings.

“What happens if you open the box?” I turn to the head scientist.

The scientist licks his lips nervously. “We… We lost a few people to it. The energy… It isn’t very well-controlled. Only three of us have the scan cards that can open the glass encasement.”

“Four. I will require one.”

The military general who accompanied me to this site scoffs. “There’s no need for that, Madam Secretary.”

I give him a long, appraising look. “Idecide what there is a need for.”

But even as the general huffs and puffs, I’m already thinking of something else. Something more important.

What the Orbwants.

A sacrifice. What can I sacrifice?

I need that keycard!

I have two problems. I need to somehow get a sacrifice in here – whatever that might be - and I need to get that keycard. For a split-second, I imagine grabbing the nearest guard’s gun, and just killing the staffers and scientists gathered around me – sacrificingthemto the Orb.

But while I’d doalmostanything to get back to the Aurelians, I wouldn’t do that.

The Orb seems to mock me, twirling in its glass prison.

You want a sacrifice?

I feel myself in communication with it – staring into the swirling, blacker-than-blackness, as if its tethered to my soul.

You want a sacrifice?I repeat.

“I sacrifice all of this.”

The scientist looks at me, confused. “I’m sorry, Madam Secretary. What did you just say?”

I ignore him, staring deeper into the Orb.

“I sacrifice my lifehere,” I tell it, out loud. “Everything I’ve worked for during the last thirty years. Everything I’vebledfor. It’s all gone now. They’ll take away my position.”

“Is she… Is shetalkingto the thing?”

It’s the general, and I know he’s as confused as everybody else.

I know he’s probably staring at me – everybody else is - but I can now see nothing in front of me except the Orb.

“I sacrificeeverything,” I told it. “I give it freely, not knowing if you will accept my sacrifice, and not knowing if you will deem it worthy to let me return to where I want to go. I justgive it to you: My entire life’s work.”

As I say those final words, and snatch out as fast as I can andgrabthe key card from around the scientist’s neck. I rip it from the lanyard. Before he can act, I’m pressing it against the panel that controls the glass encasement.

The scientist’s eyes widen in horror as the door swings open.

“Run!”

The scientist, the general and the rest of the gathered crowd floods from the chamber; terrified at the sight of the unleashed Orb.

I don’t blame them. Tendrils are emerging from the Orb, crackling with electricity that arcs in all directions.