NOVEL FROG CHAPTER 66: Countdown to the Unimaginable
Atlas stood in the center of the new mini arena, his eyes scanning the faces of his team as they settled into their seats. The arena buzzed with a low hum of activity, but the tension within the circle of ten people was thick. The portal room, now transformed into an otherworldly stage, loomed around them, its red circle pulsing with a mysterious energy.
"All right, everyone," Atlas began, his tone serious as he addressed his team. "You've been doing portal training for a year now, and this next part is going to be something you might not believe.”
He paused there for dramatic effect and looked at his team.
“The portals ARE coming."
Wilfredo, a seasoned fighter with a quick wit, chuckled nervously. "Is that the theme of season two? 'The portals are coming'?"
"No," Atlas replied, his voice steady and unwavering. "I mean really—in real life—portals are going to open on Earth a few hours from now. And we're going to be sucked into them."
The room fell silent. Isabella, another team member known for her level-headedness, looked at Atlas with a mixture of disbelief and concern. "Are you kidding, Atlas?"
Atlas shook his head. "No, I'm not kidding. Me and John have known about this for a year, and that's why I've been preparing you all. Everything we've done has been leading to this moment."
The team exchanged uneasy glances, their whispers barely audible. The consensus was clear: Atlas had lost his mind. They sat quietly, trying to avoid provoking him further. *Is he serious?* Isabella wondered, glancing at Wilfredo, who gave a subtle shrug. *Maybe he’s just trying to get us psyched up for something crazy.*
"Okay, Atlas," they finally said, their voices laced with doubt, humoring him like they might a friend who’s gone too deep into a prank.
Atlas could see the skepticism in their eyes, feeling the unease radiating from them. He knew that no amount of words would convince them of the truth. The only way to prepare them was through action. "I'm 100% serious, guys. I'm not crazy," he insisted, but their half-hearted responses told him everything he needed to know.
*They think I've lost it.* Resigned to the reality that he couldn't convince them with words alone, Atlas decided on just running another set of drills. "All right, guys, let's do the drill. Are you ready?"
The team nodded, still uncertain, but willing to follow his lead. Atlas had arranged for nine actors to join them in the room, and they quickly got into character as the countdown began. The portal display lit up with the numbers: *10... 9... 8... 7...* " Portal Initialize,"
The portal flashed, casting an electronic glow over the room, and the actors began to panic, simulating the chaos that would ensue when the real portals opened. "Portal team ready!" Atlas shouted.
"Portal team ready!" his team echoed, their voices more confident now as they slipped into the familiar routine. They were working swiftly to calm the 'civilians,' just as they had practiced countless times before.
After the first run-through, Atlas had them repeat the drill three more times. Each iteration was smoother and more precise. His team, although still doubtful, fell back on their training, their movements instinctual.
As they wrapped up, John leaned in close to Isabella, voice low. "I don’t know if Atlas is pulling our leg or if he’s lost it, but he’s been dead serious about this for months. He really thinks that portals are real."
"Really?" Isabella asked, frowning. "I thought it was just some crazy prank."
"Yeah, but what harm does it do to pretend? We’ve trained for weirder stuff. And if he’s right… well, better safe than sorry."
Wang Bo, always the more enigmatic member of the group, had been quietly observing the exchange. When John glanced at him, he simply nodded. "It is real," Wang Bo said with a finality that caught them off guard. "You will see."
Isabella and John exchanged a look. *Maybe there’s more to this than we think,* Isabella thought, her skepticism slightly wavering.
Finally, satisfied that he had done everything in his power to prepare them, Atlas called the drill to an end. He thanked the actors, who were each given a hefty bonus of $5,000, and dismissed them. Turning to his team, he issued his final instruction. "When it hits the one-hour mark, I need you all here in these seats, not one minute late. Do you hear me? Not one minute late."
"All right," the team agreed, though their unease was still evident.
Atlas was ready to go. The portals were coming, but he had one last conversation to have. He pulled Jim aside.
“Hey, Jim.”
Jim, who had been excited to hang out with his son, replied, “Yes, Atlas. We’ve got ten Portal Crushers plus myself, making a total of eleven. We’re going to be on the main stage. But did you want to spend more time with your son?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Alright. You hang out there with him in the yellow VIP area, watching the show then.”
“Sounds good,” Jim said, a smile spreading across his face.
*This will be better for him,* Atlas thought, feeling the weight of their mission ahead.
***
Meanwhile, in the VIP section, the actors who had just wrapped up their roles were enjoying their well-earned feast. The scent of buttered lobster claws filled the air as they dug in, their chatter animated and full of excitement.
Liza, now playing Amber—Atlas's girlfriend on the show—was in high spirits. "Can you believe it? I’m having a blast playing Atlas’s girlfriend!" she exclaimed between bites, her eyes shining. One of the other actors, a tall guy with a wide smile, nodded knowingly. "You mean after you actually dated him? Life really does imitate art, huh?"
Liza laughed, not missing a beat. "Or maybe art just follows me around!"
Another actor chimed in, raising his glass. "Here’s to Hong Sha, the man who put us all on the map! I’ve never had so much fun on a project. The micro drama was a blast."
"Agreed," said a woman with short, choppy hair, who had played one of the civilians in the drill. "And getting to be part of the training was intense, but in the best way possible. Plus, this VIP treatment? I could get used to this."
The tall guy cracked a lobster claw and grinned. "The food alone is worth it. I think I’ve eaten my weight in lobster tonight."
Liza, savoring another bite, added, "I can’t wait to see what Hong Sha does next. If this micro drama gets picked up for another season, I’m in for sure."
The conversation flowed easily among them, the actors basking in the glow of their success and the luxury of the event. For many of them, this was their first taste of the high life, and they were determined to enjoy every moment.
"Yeah, I heard Hong’s already brainstorming ideas for a spinoff," the short-haired woman mentioned. "He’s thinking of focusing more on the characters’ backstories. I told him I’d love to play a badass warrior next time."
Liza’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "I’m down for that! Amber could totally have a secret warrior side. I mean, she’s with Atlas—she’s got to have picked up some skills, right?"
They all laughed, clinking their glasses in a toast to future adventures and more scenes to steal.
***
As the clock ticked down, Atlas watched as the arena began to fill. The event attendees, unaware of the true nature of what was about to happen, had been streaming in for the past two hours. The media were setting up, cameras flashing as they prepared to cover what they believed was another grand spectacle.
Atlas grabbed a microphone, his heart pounding in his chest. He stepped into the spotlight, his voice amplified throughout the arena. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to our portal opening event."
The crowd's attention shifted to him, the media quickly scribbling down notes as Atlas continued. "First of all, I'd like to introduce you to Hong Sha."
Hong Sha, the creative mind behind the micro drama, stood and smiled at the audience. "Thank you all," he said graciously. "I'm going to show you now the end of season one."
The jumbotrons flickered to life, displaying the final scenes of the micro drama. The narrative had been cut in a way that, instead of following the team as they fought monsters and freed slaves, it showed them gathering enough coins to return home. The portals opened, sending them back to their world, and the season concluded with a happy ending. The theme song played softly as the credits rolled.
"Okay, what did you all think?" Atlas asked as the lights came back on.
The media, slightly confused by the abrupt and unconventional ending, offered polite applause. They couldn't shake the feeling that the season had been edited strangely, but the free booze and high-energy atmosphere dulled their criticism.
The chat from the internet watching this event live was buzzing with a hate-filled vitriol of a fandom betrayed. It was like when *The Last Jedi* had been released a decade ago and doomed the Star Wars franchise.
**Chinesereader**: what the heck? How did they all go home
**Atlasfan**: did you see the how handsome Atlas was in it?
**Ladyfightersrule**: no, I was busy watching Isabella. She’s so talented.
**Noods4u**: follow me for tips on how to watch free movies at piratebay.org.spam.phish.suckers
*USER HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SPAM.*
**Stillhungry**: yeah, weren’t they on the way to free slaves? How did the year timeline just speed up? I call hacks
**Berlinismycat**: meow meow
**Justinsnyder**: I will happily call Hong Sha, I’ve worked with him before, we should put together an extended directors cut.
**Calgarycrushers4life**: 100%. I love Atlas and team. But this bullshit happy ending? WTF?! Did they run out of cash? #boycottAtlasShow
***
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