The airport terminal hummed with a restless energy, a thousand conversations blending into one low, constant noise. Announcements echoed overhead in Russian and English, sharp and formal, while travelers hurried past with rolling suitcases and tired faces.
Among them stood a young black guy who did not quite blend in.checked his wristwatch for the third time in under a minute. The black suit he wore clung awkwardly because he was skinny, a size too small in the shoulders and too long at the sleeves, as though it had been borrowed rather than tailored. Against the pale winter light spilling through the glass walls of the arrival hall, his dark skin stood out starkly. He shifted his weight slightly, unsure whether to stand tall or disappear into himself.
Russia.
The word still felt unreal in his mind.
He had crossed oceans before Japan, conferences across Asia but this felt different. He wasn't here as a student, or a guest. He was here because someone powerful had wanted him here. And that thought made his chest tighten.
"Mr. Williams?"
The voice was calm, confident, and unmistakably female.
Gray looked up.
For a moment, everything else in the terminal faded.
The woman standing before him was striking not in an exaggerated way, but with a quiet, commanding presence. Her posture was straight, her movements deliberate. Dark hair was pulled neatly back, revealing sharp eyes that missed nothing. She wore a long navy coat with subtle insignia stitched near the shoulder Russian naval markings.
She extended her hand.
"Welcome to Russia," she said, her English precise, touched with a controlled Russian accent. "I'm Dr. Anya Volkov. I work with the Russian Navy. And you are…?"
Gray froze.
Up close, she was even more beautiful than he had expected. Not just physically though she was but in the way she carried herself, like someone used to responsibility and pressure. For half a second, his mind went blank.
"G–Gray," he stammered. "Gray Williams."
She smiled, just slightly.
"Yes," she said. "That's right. Come with me. I'll take you to your laboratory at the naval base. We'll be dispatching to the Pacific Ocean soon."
Pacific Ocean.
The words landed heavily.
Two naval officers appeared almost instantly. One reached for Gray's luggage, lifting it with ease, while the other gestured toward a black military vehicle waiting just outside the terminal. Gray barely had time to process what was happening before he was being guided forward.
They stepped into the cold Russian air. Snow dusted the ground lightly, crunching beneath their shoes. The car doors opened, and within moments everyone was seated Anya in the back passenger seat with Gray, the driver behind the wheeland the other at the front passenger seat.
He started the engine nothing happened.
The driver frowned and tried again. The engine coughed, then fell silent again.
Anya turned slightly. "What's the problem?"
"It seems the car won't start, ma'am," the officer replied, frustration creeping into his voice. "And there's no mechanic nearby."
Gray hesitated for half a second. Then a with calm smile crossed his face.
"Allow me," he said gently. "I'll take a look."
Before anyone could object, he stepped out into the cold. He opened the hood, his movements smooth and confident, eyes scanning the engine with practiced ease. Within seconds, he spotted the issue a loose wire, barely noticeable to an untrained eye.
"It's just a wire," he said calmly. "I'll reconnect it."
Twenty seconds later, he stepped back.
"There all done,Try starting it now."
The engine roared to life instantly.
The officers stared at him, stunned.
Gray hopped back into the car as if nothing remarkable had happened, brushing snow from his hands. The vehicle pulled away smoothly, heading toward the naval base.
Anya glanced at him then she asked.
"So," she said, curiosity in her voice, "how old are you?"
"Twenty seven," Gray replied.
"And what did you study in college?"
He hesitated again, still painfully aware of her presence.
"Mechatronics and Genetics," he said. "I did my master's and PHD degree in Japan. First class."
Her eyebrow lifted slightly. "Impressive."
"While studying," he added, "I also learned some martial arts."
"Oh?" she said. "Which ones?"
"Shorinji Kempo. Jujutsu. Karate."
The driver let out a short chuckle.
Anya turned. "What was that?"
"Sorry, ma'am," the driver said quickly. "Just clearing my throat."
Gray smiled faintly, unfazed.
"But I couldn't really use any of them," he continued. "I'm skinny. I don't have much physical strength. Jujutsu was especially hard it's a secret art. For a black guy like me, it wasn't easy to be accepted. But they found me worthy."
He paused, then added quietly, "Still… it didn't change much."
Anya listened carefully.
"I know how that feels," she said softly. "Doing your best, and still feeling like it wasn't enough."
Gray nodded. Then he smiled again, brighter this time, tapping his temple.
"But I still have the brains." With a smile on his face,That smile did something unexpected to Anya. For the first time since meeting him, her expression softened.
"So," she asked, "how did you end up here?"
Gray looked out the window as snow covered buildings passed by.
"After my studies in Japan, I returned to Nigeria my home country. I planned to work with the Nigerian Army. I wanted to use my knowledge to help develop my country.And then"
"I received an email," he said. "From a Russian naval admiral. Offering me a job. I don't know how she got my information… but I accepted."
Anya nodded slowly. "We heard about your electromagnetic generator."
Gray laughed quietly, shaking his head. "I didn't know I was that popular."
She smiled. "Why didn't you work for the Japanese instead? You could have been rich. Started your own company."
"Yes," Gray said. "I know. But I wanted to use my knowledge to develop my country. That would make me rich in a different way."
Anya studied him for a long moment.
"That's smart," she said finally. "I like you. I mean your work. It will be a pleasure working with you."
"Yes, ma'am," Gray replied humbly.
Outside, the naval base loomed into view steel, order, secrecy.
Gray straightened slightly in his s
eat.
He had arrived.
And his life was about to change forever.