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"Wait for me to what?" I asked .

Laughter erupted from the opposite side . "I"ve been observing for three whole months now . . . "

"Three months?" I repeated, thinking through the recent happenings .

It wasn"t surprising for people in my line of work to attract enemies, especially when I tell those burly fellows that they were going to die the next day . They would argue and curse non-stop .

Even after their deaths, their family and friends would continue haunting me .

Some were even convinced that I was the cause of the tragedy .

As such, I developed the habit of collecting payment before speaking .

There were many potential clients but I would only receive two to three of them a month .

And the so-called endless interviews . . . I would only accept one in two months just to keep my business warm .

As for the television program, I didn"t expect something like that to happen .

The person in the front of the car continued, "Eight years ago, after graduation, you started revealing your ability . You were working in a factory while telling fortune part-time . You predicted many fortunes accurately, telling them they were all going to die soon . I remember it was your 16th client that brought you to fame . An old man of 101 years consulted you and you told him that he could live till 109 . The last time he visited you was about a year ago, when you informed him that he had only a few more months left and that he shouldn"t look for you again . From then on, your reputation as Supernova started booming . "

I clenched my teeth . This guy knew a lot about me .

"What are you trying to say?" I asked .

"Supernova, sir, exactly what powers do you have? How are you able to predict death?"

"It"s just what I do . Is it very strange?" 

"Let me a.n.a.lyze your ability then," he replied faintly .

With a cold smile, I continued, "Seems like you"ve done a thorough investigation, but why don"t you know my place of residence? You could"ve found me directly . Why did you have to frighten my father?"

"Because he was the one who provided me with some important information . How else would I know that there had been a cat involved before this? Of course, instead of talking, the cat would lie on the dying patient"s bed . Yet, not only can you tell, you can even roughly predict the time of death . "

"How detailed . Don"t tell me that you"re sending me to read the fortune of a big figure? Like a gang leader or the president? Well, here"s what I can tell you - in a few hours, everyone will be dead . "

The two soldiers closest to me shuddered . I could sense their fear .

"You"ve calculated that?" the man on the front seat asked nervously .

I was stunned by his question . Calculated?

They know? So it"s all true? Everything that I"ve seen?

"I thought you just

wanted to know if I can predict death? Why are you so surprised by what I just said?" I questioned .

The man actually smiled . "I"m a scientist so everything requires objective evidence . After all, you"re a safe bet in our Plan B . With or without you, there isn"t much difference . "

A safe bet in Plan B? Not much difference?

"Why bother taking me then?"

"I"m a scientist, Mr . Supernova . Frankly speaking, I don"t believe in what you do since it"s not something science can explain, but since the whole human race is at stake, I would appreciate if you can be more cooperative . "

"You want cooperation?" I asked .

"Of course . For the human race . "

"So you get your soldiers to point their guns at me to require my cooperation? What ever happened to just saying "pretty please"?" I mocked .

"You can make requests but I can"t take any of them away . They belong to the military and they are not under my control . "

"Tell me why the world is about to end . I only know that everyone has less than a day left," I stated .

After a few seconds of silence, he asked, "Do you know Apophis?"

"No," I answered .

"It is an asteroid that"s about to hit Earth . It will reach our atmosphere in about 14 hours . What we need to do now is intercept it . We took you just in case we need your help . "

"Wait . The world is ending in about 14 hours and you spent some of that valuable time waiting for me at my Dad"s place . Now, you keep repeating that I"m unimportant? That"s very hypocritical of you," I mused laughingly .

"Our psychologists had predicted that you would make a trip home before the end of the world . " He paused . "I have a call, give me a moment . . . "

After half an hour on the phone, he asked me angrily, "When did you announce it to the world?"

"An hour and a half ago . What about it?"

"An hour ago, some scientists and astronomy enthusiasts came out to verify your prediction . The whole world, including the governments of other countries, is looking for you right now," he stated .

I was in shock . Whitewashed so quickly?

The car came to a halt and the soldiers got off .

A white-gowned scientist came to the back . "Let"s go, my Supernova . "

He was the one on the front seat .

Without a choice, I got down, and three soldiers followed behind me, pushing me to a museum .

The museum had been converted into a temporary meeting room . There were many people inside, facing their monitors, busily typing away .

The scientist spoke up, "Government officials from all over the world are aware of your ability . If the world doesn"t end, you"re probably going to be locked up and reduced to an experimental subject, Mr . Supernova . But if you can help us save mankind, I promise that the next half of your

your life will be safeguarded . "

I had nothing to say to that .

Inside the room, all I saw were monitors and employees .

I was allocated a seat .

On the stage stood a person – our very own president .

"Why did he choose this place?" I asked the scientist .

He smiled . "This is just a control room . The real operation is going on in all corners of the world . This is merely a projection . Don"t you know about Crypton Future Media? Holographic projection technology? That"s what the president is using to instruct everybody . "

"That works?" I asked .

The holographic figure of the president pointed at me . "You"re Mr . Supernova?"

"What the f*ck?" I yelped . "He can see me?"

"Of course . He"s in the capital, launching a meeting through hundreds of projections from all over the world . It"s easier this way," the scientist explained .

"It"s about time . Good to see you, Mr . Supernova . Do you know why you"re here?" the president asked .

I shook my head .

"Haven"t you made it clear, Professor Doug? We don"t have much time left . I"ll give you five minutes," the president rushed .  

"There are 50 s.p.a.cecraft in our formation, and a commander-in-chief will lead the operation to deviate Apophis"s trajectory . You"ll need to use your ability to let us know whether the earth is safe," he explained .

"I understand, but what am I supposed to do?" I clarified .

The scientist looked at me, wide-eyed . "You"re asking me ? How would I know your trick to predicting death?"

"Can I use the equipment here?" I asked .

"You"re saying that your prediction requires the tools here? Which one? Telephone or the net?" 

I pointed at the projection of the president . "I need that holographic image . "

"Are you nuts?" the scientist raised his voice .

"Do you trust my ability or not? I need that," I told him firmly .

"You . . . fine! Wait here," he said .

"What are you going to do?" I called out .

"Give the president a call . We have the instrument but we will need his approval before connecting it to the Internet . Wait for me . "

I heard the scientist sighing throughout the few minutes of exchange before ending the call with, "I"m sure of his ability . "

He came back and announced, "Go ahead, he"s agreed . "

The president looked at me before speaking, "I"ll give you

give you control, Mr . Supernova . What else do you need?"

I sighed before standing up and walking to the platform . "Do we have emba.s.sies all around the world?"

"What do you need them for?" he asked .

I got up the stage and the scientist had me put on a headgear .  

What I saw were tons of meeting rooms and a research center .

"Can I request all emba.s.sies to select young people, free from illnesses and diseases, to stand in front of me?"

"Give us five minutes . "

I waited and tried shutting one eye at a time .

The people in the projected image all looked like Mom .

Then, the image before me switched to one of many differently-colored youngsters but they, too, looked like Mom .

"These are employees from respective emba.s.sies," the president noted .

I removed the headgear and asked, "Can anyone give me a plaster?"

I received one from the scientist .

I opened it and pasted the plaster over my right eye before putting the headgear back on .  

"You can start your program . "

"Nothing else you need?" the president asked .

"Yeah, let them work . I"m not sure about your plan but I can only tell you that your emba.s.sies are safe . Do you understand that?"

Understanding my meaning, the president instructed, "Execute Plan B . "

"What"s plan A?" I asked curiously .

"To launch 11 nuclear warheads toward Apophis . The impact that the exploded fragments would bring to Earth is much less destructive and the world won"t end at least," the scientist explained quietly .

I shut my mouth .

Just then, a thick manly voice sounded from behind, "All the s.p.a.cecraft are in position . Please take the lead . "

I figured he must be the commander-in-chief or the pilot .

"Start the operation . Please provide a report on the current situation, Mr . Supernova," the president ordered .

All I saw were Moms . All over the hundreds of screens .

Seconds pa.s.sed and I saw that one of Moms had turned into a young man .

Shortly after, more and more Moms turned into young men and women .

I started using my finger to swipe those people who were about to revert to their normal selves to the right .

One, two .

One group, two groups .

"Those on the right are safe?" the president questioned .

"Those on the extreme right are safe from the end of the world," I replied .

I could hear a round of cheers rising from the backstage and within the room .

I continued separating the virtual monitors and finally, amidst all the densely packed screens, I saw an obvious dividing line . There were tens of virtual video frames on the left side of the dividing line .

A voice came from behind, "Those on the left are employees of North America"s emba.s.sy . "

I sighed . "How"s the situation up there?"

The thick voice resumed, "The s.p.a.cecrafts have overheated and our instruments are not functioning properly . We"ve already lost connection with at least ten s.p.a.cecrafts . I"m afraid they"re gone . "

I noticed that some of the screens on the right were once again filled with Mom"s faces .

I shouted urgently, "Did you guys alter the operation? Return to your previous direction . You"ve pulled the asteroid back! Don"t act recklessly!"

"But it"s way too hot so I had them adjust slightly . Tell me if I"m heading in the right direction . We"re depending on you, Mr . Supernova," the thick, manly voice sounded .

"No, more people are going to die!" 

"Yes! The opposite direction . Continue down this path!"

I could feel sweat pouring down my forehead .

"Wait, didn"t you say that you lost connection with some of them? Show me the faces of the pilots controlling the s.p.a.cecraft," I demanded .

Faces started appearing before me . All Moms .

"I see death in your faces, brothers, but please try your best . The earth will be safe soon," I told them .

Voices responded unharmoniously but with the same words: "For Earth . "

I saw Moms disappearing from other sets of screens .

I pushed them over to the right side . Two more left .

"These two emba.s.sies? Is there something wrong with those regions?" the president asked .

"The earth should be fine but these two should make a trip to the hospital . You two might only have a few more months to live," I added .

They looked about 30% similar to Mom at that point .

More cheers erupted as the screens with the pilots started disconnecting one by one .

I removed my headgear and looked at everyone in the room .

I couldn"t smile .

"You did it, Mr . Supernova," I heard the president"s soft voice coming from the headgear .

I sighed before correcting him with a small voice, "They did it . "