“It may sound strange,” Teresa said quietly. “Kathy is pointing her index finger at Professor Nielsen. Judging from the movement of her lips, she seems to be asking for help for him.”

“The sudden improvement of the weather, and Kathy—who carries the giant virus within her—pointing to Nielsen as if she can hear everything we’re saying… it suggests that the force behind all these oddities wants us to find the other egg as well. But the real issue remains: we still have no idea how to locate it.”

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Donald. He was the only one who could possibly know where the second egg was. No one else had seen the drawing, and when he fell into the water, the last record of it had vanished. Realizing every gaze was waiting for him, he finally spoke:

“Yes, the image is gone, but if I’m not mistaken, both eggs were equally distant from the northern tips of the horns. They were symmetrical. So, just as we walked sixty kilometers inland from the northern shore of this horn to find the first one, if we move straight inland from the northern shore of the other horn for the same distance, we should find the second egg.”

“We can’t assume it's definitely there,” Süleyman replied. “And our fuel is running dangerously low, so I hope we don’t waste too much searching for it.”

Preparations for the journey had begun. Lagging behind the group, Professor Richard leaned toward Teresa and whispered:

“That metaphysical force was constantly disturbing us, but I’ve noticed something. For the last few days, the weather has been calm, no one is acting irrationally—everything seems in order. Its attitude toward us appears to have changed.”

Unable to find a reasonable explanation, Teresa reverted to her usual sarcasm.
“True. It must have realized it couldn’t overpower us and decided to negotiate.”

Guided by Donald, the group reached the area where they believed the second egg might be buried. They had a GPR device—capable of detecting cavities underground—but even with that, searching through several square kilometers could take days. And every void beneath the surface might not be a colossal egg, but an ordinary cave or an ice cavern. The group knew a single mistake could waste weeks of labor.

“Our fate rests on Donald’s memory and his instincts,” Teresa muttered, summarizing their predicament.

At that moment, something unexpected happened. Donald called out to the group:

“According to the device, there’s a cavity beneath me that matches the dimensions we’re looking for. The density shifts right here. I think we should dig.”

After clearing away the snow and ice, and digging a few meters into the frozen soil, the pickaxe struck something solid—just as it had when they found the first egg. Removing the surrounding earth, they realized they had found exactly what they were searching for.

“Bingo!” Donald shouted triumphantly. “I told you—my instincts never fail.”

Teresa was at a loss for words. Professor Richard, eyes gleaming like a detective who had just solved a case, finally said:

“The hidden force I mentioned must have influenced Donald’s mind. We already know that this power occasionally manipulated the minds of all of us, especially Kathy. And we are certain now that it wants us to find the second egg. So, discovering this location on the very first attempt cannot simply be explained by luck.”

They cleared away the soil around the egg until it was completely exposed. Then, they dismantled the container they had brought and rebuilt it around the egg, creating a small quarantine chamber with the egg at its center.

Professor Nielsen, whose AIDS had progressed to its final stage, was brought in and placed inside, isolated from the rest. Richard called out to him:

“Professor, I know you have no strength left. No one out there knows where we are, and even if they did, they wouldn’t come because of the coronavirus outbreak. We believe the bacteria sealed inside this egg may be the solution—capable of killing all types of viruses. All we ask is that you gather whatever strength remains and strike the egg with full force. Just like the previous one, this one is encased in petrified lime. After a few strong hits, cracks should form and allow the bacteria to seep out into the environment.”

Unwilling to waste energy speaking, Professor Nielsen only nodded. Then, with all the strength his frail body could muster, he began striking the egg-shaped stone. It was impossible to tell whether the shell was cracking, and soon, Nielsen collapsed and lost consciousness.

Later that night, they mixed a sleeping agent into his meal. Once he fell asleep, Süleyman and the technicians, wearing full quarantine suits, entered the chamber, drew several blood samples, and immediately carried them to the laboratory.

Under the microscope, the first thing they observed was the malaria parasite, Plasmodium. Then they saw tuberculosis bacilli, the treponema pallidum that causes syphilis, the rickettsia of typhus, shigella of dysentery, mycobacterium leprae of leprosy, and other pathogens responsible for historic epidemics. And finally, exactly as they had anticipated, they saw the giant bacterium.

“I told you,” said the woman in the black cloak.

“Just like the giant virus, this giant bacterium is the ancestor of all bacteria. The smaller ones originate from it, and it directs them, coordinating communication among them. As I said before when we were discussing viruses, this ancestral bacterium can be compared to a base station transmitting signals. And as you can see, its size—hundreds of times larger than a typical bacterium—supports the theory I proposed.”

For several weeks, they continued to observe Professor Nielsen and collect samples. Days later, for the first time, a smile appeared on his face. The weakness and exhaustion caused by AIDS had vanished, and the bluish Kaposi sarcoma lesions and fungal spots on his skin had disappeared. He was agile and lively again, just as he had been years before. His blood cells had returned to normal levels, carrying abundant oxygen and remaining alert against unwelcome intruders.

Süleyman and the woman in the black cloak examined the results from two weeks’ worth of daily samples and began to explain:

“In the early days, the patient’s blood contained HIV alongside many kinds of bacteria. But in the following days, we saw a rapid decrease in the number of HIV particles and pathogenic bacteria. Today, we found no trace of HIV or pathogenic bacteria at all. The flora in his urine and blood samples has reached levels comparable to that of a healthy person.”

“So your prediction was correct. The pathogenic viruses and bacteria destroyed one another. As with healthy individuals, only harmless and beneficial microorganisms remain. In this clash between two enemies, humanity has emerged victorious.”

Kathy, infected with coronavirus, had also been transferred to Nielsen’s quarantine unit. Her blood and saliva samples showed a similar improvement. Within ten days, her symptoms—shortness of breath, fatigue, severe coughing—had disappeared, and the samples confirmed that the coronavirus was gone entirely.

Professor Richard looked at his colleagues and smiled.

“We can lift the quarantine now. The giant ancestral bacteria that will spread across the world will drive pathogenic bacteria to attack coronaviruses, eliminating viral dominance in the body. In other words, while two ancient enemies destroy each other, humanity will benefit. The body and nature will return to balance. And we won’t have to transport anything; their carriers are already waiting—wind, water, birds.”

He laughed, then added:

“The real question is, how will we get out of here? I think it’s time we worried about ourselves. Unlike the microbes, we don’t have a private jet named ‘the wind.’”

Donald, however, answered the professor inwardly:

“Keep dreaming. While you idiots freeze to death down here, I’ll be swimming in a pool of money.”

Even if he did nothing from this point on, Donald understood that the ancestral bacteria and the warrior microbes it commanded would spread rapidly across the world, eradicating the coronavirus outbreak. His mind, once again, turned back to mischief. The days when he had nearly frozen to death in Antarctica and trembled before an unknown power were already fading from his memory. He slipped back into his old, opportunistic nature with alarming ease. The question that obsessed him was simple: how could he profit from all of this?

Dozens of scenarios flashed through his mind.

He even considered that, with a few small genetic tweaks to the ancestral bacteria and ancestral virus, he could create an unbeatable biological weapon. But what would he personally gain from that? A minor promotion? Perhaps a medal? Hardly worth the risk. Could he even succeed in producing such a weapon? Would the project be approved? Would his superiors claim it as their own? And if details leaked to the press, an investigation could reveal that Donald himself was somehow responsible for the coronavirus outbreak in the first place. In that situation, he would become the perfect scapegoat. The deep state could easily let him rot in prison until public attention moved on, and only then search for a legal excuse to release him—perhaps decades later.

Thinking through all possibilities, Donald realized just how slippery the ground beneath him was. A single misstep could leave him alone, abandoned, and devoured by the very machine he wanted to manipulate. So he decided to pursue something else. Something that would make him truly rich.

Then, suddenly, the lightbulb went on.

The ancestral bacteria were already spreading across the planet. They would destroy the coronavirus on their own, following instructions from the ancestral microbe. The best strategy was to contact a pharmaceutical company and tell them that the scientists beneath the ice had discovered a bacterium capable of eliminating the coronavirus—and that he alone possessed it. He would claim that placing a single ancestral bacterium inside a vaccine would eradicate the disease.

Since no one knew the pandemic was about to end naturally, the lie would never be exposed. And once real patients began to recover, there would be no alternative but to believe Donald. Add to that the intoxicating fervor of “I discovered the vaccine, I saved humanity,” and even sober-minded experts would become blind to deception. Perhaps they would notice the lie—but remain silent out of ambition, greed, or the promise of power.

Donald used the backup satellite phone he had kept hidden and contacted a vaccine company. He explained the situation. They struck a deal. With the “magical formula” extracted from the ancestral bacterium in his possession, Donald would leave Antarctica.

The next morning, when Teresa and the others realized that the snowmobile they had barely managed to repair was gone, the first name that came to mind was Donald. After seeing their work succeed, they should have known he was capable of anything. But the optimism brought by their progress had blinded them to darker possibilities.

“It’s our fault. We thought he had changed, and we let our guard down. He grabbed a few blood samples and escaped with his bodyguard,” Süleyman said, summarizing the situation.

“We have no snowmobile, and our fuel for both transport and heat is nearly gone. Everything had just started to come together, and now we're going to freeze to death,” Professor Richard muttered with a scowl.

“Why assume we’re going to die here? I only meant to say that I’m disappointed the good in Donald once again lost the battle inside him.”

“Forget good and evil, idealists and saboteurs. Do you have a plan to get us out of here or not?”

“I never trusted Donald from the very beginning—and I took precautions,” Teresa said, slipping her thumb and forefinger into her mouth. After some effort, she removed something from her tooth and handed it to Professor Richard.

“This is a dental crown. The implant underneath is not ordinary. It records conversations, and it tracks our coordinates via satellite. If this crown is not put back within twenty-four hours, it sends a distress signal: I need help, come get me. And perhaps you noticed that I kept playing with my teeth. Donald told me, ‘You’re disgusting—stop sticking your fingers in your mouth.’ During those moments, I was actually making sure the recorder beneath the crown picked up every word clearly.”

She smiled faintly, but her eyes were cold.

“So, every filthy secret he boasted about, every threat he made—they’re all recorded. Very soon, activists will spread those conversations everywhere through social media. If I were them, I know exactly what the headline would be:

‘The Final Act of the Deep State’s Espionage Game: Coronavirus.’

Soon, if you see protests erupting in Washington, Beijing, London, Paris, or Berlin against the shadow governments that run them, you’ll know Teresa and her activist friends were behind it. And I can already imagine the signs they'll be holding:

‘Enough with the lies—stop hiding behind the myth of patriotism.’”

“No corona bomb, no other bomb. The only thing we want is international brotherhood.”

“What’s more dangerous than Corona are those human-shaped viruses that kill civilians.”

Professor Richard cut in. “I’ve got a question.”

“Will your activist friends rescue only you—or will they rescue me as well?”
Teresa understood the irony in his voice.

“Let’s wait and see. Will they come here claiming, ‘We’re here to save you,’ only to take the priceless atavirus and atabacteria samples and disappear? Or will they do what their name implies, and help without caring about our language, religion, or race? History has shown us enough fake benefactors who marched under banners of goodness. It should make us cautious—but not paranoid enough to accuse everyone of deceit at first sight.”

The rescue team came. Teresa, Professor Richard, Süleyman, the woman in the black cloak, the scientists and the remaining personnel were saved. Not long after, the pandemic was brought under control and the deaths began to fade. The pharmaceutical companies went on television boasting about antibodies they had “developed,” claiming credit for the turnaround. Teresa, Professor Richard, Süleyman, and the cloaked woman simply lived with the quiet, rightful satisfaction of having saved humanity. No one knew their names, and no one praised them as heroes.

Then came the news that once again proved: the water pitcher always breaks on its path to the well.

The ship carrying Donald had sunk during a sudden storm. None of the crew connected to the pharmaceutical company survived.

Hearing commentators on the news marvel,
“An interesting accident. In this season, storms like that are unheard of in that region,”
Teresa muttered,

“What’s truly interesting is you. You know absolutely nothing, yet the moment you get a title and wear a tie, you assume you know everything.”

Scenes from the past days flickered before her eyes. A thought rose:

“What exactly was that unidentified, mysterious metaphysical force? At first it seemed determined to drive us away, and later... it helped us solve the very problem.”

She fell asleep with those questions circling in her mind.

Suddenly, she found herself back in Antarctica. Shocked, she realized she was not dreaming. Out of the fog emerged a pale-skinned man with a radiant face, his hair flowing like light.

Her tongue froze for a moment—then she whispered,

“Who are you? And what am I doing here?”

“Sacred texts call me an angel, while modern science, dressed in its intellectual garments, calls me energy, cosmic law. Yes, this is Antarctica—but don’t fear. You’re dreaming. Your body rests in its home, while your spirit stands here.”

“You look no different from a human. How can you be an angel? Why should I believe you?”

“You could never endure seeing my true form. Even humanity’s own guides could not; they collapsed the moment they witnessed it. That is why I appeared to the exalted Messiah in human shape when he lay in his cradle, and taught his mother to stand against the corrupt. And to guide the last prophet’s people—and through them, all humankind—We appeared in their assemblies many times, asking questions in human form.

Understand this: We do not reveal ourselves with colossal wings and terrifying majesty as sacred scripture describes. We appear human so that you do not cower. If I were one of the malignant spirits—what you call night-mares or shadow beings—I would vanish the moment you uttered the name of God. Yet here I stand. And I ask for nothing. I am here only to answer the questions burning in your mind.”

Teresa understood what the radiant being implied.

“That unidentified metaphysical force—that was you? If so, how could an angel cause all of this? Mark was terrified because of you. The outbreak happened. Millions died.”

“I will tell it from the beginning.”

“Thousands of years ago, when the cave collapsed and the drawings were buried beneath the earth, We wondered: ‘Who will find this? Who will uncover it when it is most needed?’ When John Nash and his team unearthed the chamber and brought the drawings to light, We realized the divine decree had destined them to be discovered in this age—by your scientists.
We are angels. We do not know everything. We know only what God allows, and we carry out what we are commanded to do.

We were ordered to frighten Mark. And in fear, he would summon you back from Antarctica. That seemed to be the purpose. As you know, that night We harmed neither Mark nor anyone else.”

“But you failed to keep me away from Antarctica. If God wills, an angel should have the power to enforce it, shouldn’t he?”

“Exactly—that is my point. We were commanded only to frighten Mark. Nothing more. The divine plan behind those events was hidden even from us. But now I understand: the purpose was to make humankind reconsider the existence of metaphysical beings—angels, and the jinn.

Mark, Süleyman, the woman in the black cloak, your neighbors—all witnessed events beyond comprehension, and they would tell others. God also commands us not to perform these phenomena openly before all humanity. Otherwise belief would become compulsory—and the secret of trial would vanish.”

“I understand. God’s purpose can be far more intricate than any of you can grasp. But tell me something else,” Teresa asked.
“What was the purpose of revealing the cave? If those drawings hadn’t surfaced, we wouldn’t have gone to Antarctica, and the cracked egg wouldn’t have released the coronavirus upon the world.”

“You know how dangerous men like Donald are for world peace and human harmony. Scientists like John Nash may not be malicious, but they allow themselves to be used. Think of the cave as a symbol. The events you lived through were consequences of deeper truths. God issued another warning to humankind and gave you this message:
‘If you fail to restrain those who play the shadow-state game—like Donald—and if scientists and intellectuals remain silent, then the world will not only suffer outbreaks of bacteria and viruses, but also epidemics of war, psychological collapse, violence, and perpetual anxiety. You will lose not only your afterlife, but your world as well.’

The outbreak happened because of Donald, who represents the shadow powers, and because of John Nash, who represents scientists allowing knowledge to be used against humanity. After that, no matter how hard idealists like you struggle, they can do nothing.
In fact, the reason I entered your dream is so that you may convey God’s warning to humanity. Why do you still not understand? You are destroying yourselves. Has the time not come to stand up against the fanatics, the exploiters, the infant-killers? Against the scientists who allow new inventions to be used against humanity? Against the wealthy who think money gives them the right to slaughter nature and animals? And against the religious leaders who side with injustice?”

“So you’re saying the coronavirus emerged because we failed to protest injustice and oppression?” Teresa muttered, cutting in.

“The wind blowing away the solar panel and cutting power, the spilled coffee, Donald’s man having diarrhea, Kathy cracking the egg, the Chinese researcher fleeing, the Chinese submarine drifting to Antarctica and spotting him by chance, Donald finding himself in the water, the earthquake at the cave site—all of these strange, inexplicable events were orchestrated by me. Or rather, they occurred according to the laws God set in motion in response to human choices.”

“Millions of people died. I’m confused. By trying to stop the outbreak, did I do something good—or something bad?”

“Every person is responsible only to the extent of their knowledge. Of course, humanity must strive to stop an epidemic. To say ‘This comes from God, let the virus spread’ is ignorance.
Yet during the plague, many people turned inward and reflected on themselves. In this mortal world, families lived together, understood each other better. Employers realized that the end of all their wealth would still be a shroud. The powerful realized that even they could be defeated by a simple virus. The robed officials with medals on their chests realized that the unjust order they helped establish could one day devour them as well.

Some corrected themselves immediately; others began searching for a way to break free from the machinery of oppression as soon as they could. So this calamity—seen as evil—actually bore many seeds of goodness. But people like Donald returned to their old ways at the first opportunity. They cannot direct their choices toward what is good. And some are punished in this world already. My companion, the angel of the seas, and I sank Donald’s ship, hoping that someone might take heed.”

Teresa frowned.
“Then what changed afterward? Why did it suddenly occur to us to break the second egg? I understand that you angels influenced the weather, guided our thinking, but why the shift? Why first push us away from it, then push us toward it?”

“As I said, we only carry out what God commands. We do not know what beauty He prepares behind the veil. It seems that the end of days has not yet come. Perhaps there were people who needed to learn, to move from corruption to idealism. And with their support, the weight of goodness and brotherhood on earth would grow heavier, and the world would finally reach the peace and love it deserves.”

Teresa hesitated before asking:
“The black-cloaked woman spoke of jinn transforming into unicellular beings, of a prophet carving those drawings. Are those things true?”

“First, understand this. Each realm has its appointed angels. Jinn and unicellular organisms are different species, and each has a different angel responsible for it.
Second, when God brings about events in the unseen, He leaves traces in the physical world so that humans may witness them. When you cracked the egg, the angel who governs viruses acted according to the command and ordered the coronavirus to spread across the earth.
As for the scriptures: they convey the core of faith. They tell stories to support that message, but they do not burden themselves with every detail.”

“The fact that the place, time, and certain details in those stories are unknown causes people to discuss them endlessly. That is a good thing, because instead of wasting your mind on gossip, sorrowful news, or—by your era’s name—meaningless noise on social media, it is far more beneficial for you to listen to, reflect upon, and debate the divine narratives that contain counsel for world peace and social harmony.

To answer your question: did a prophet draw the images in the cave? I do not know, because God did not inform me.Were there jinn on earth before you, and did certain kinds of jinn fragment into unicellular viruses and bacteria? I do not know that either. Let humans debate it.”
After speaking those final words, the angel vanished.

“Angels know only to the extent God permits, and they never compete with one another as humans do. You will find traces of what you have lived through, but on the Antarctic island, no sign of the twin eggs will remain. Just as the cave and its drawings disappeared.”

Teresa opened her eyes, grateful she was not sleepwalking.
A voice from the next room—news broadcast—caught her attention. She opened the door and stepped inside, reading the headline at the bottom of the screen:

“Expedition team returns from Antarctica — narrowly escapes death.”

She listened to the spokesperson’s statement:

“We set foot there to clarify certain rumors. Contrary to allegations, there were no giant eggs, no container facility. We could not continue our investigation. An unexpected, severe storm at this time of year ruined all of our plans.”

Teresa muttered to herself:

“Idealists and saboteurs, rich and poor, rulers and ruled—everyone has a plan, but God’s plan stands above them all. Large or small, living or non-living, countless agents and soldiers await His command everywhere.”