BEYOND THE EXOSPHERE

"You shouldn't have done that," Jexter said, her voice low and menacing. "The Oncolyte is not from this planet. It's from Xilor, my home planet. And it's not just a medicine – it's our planets priced natural resource."

Sallie's eyes widened in shock as Jexter revealed her true nature. She was an alien, sent to Earth to investigate the tons of Oncolyte that were stolen from her home planet.

Sophia and Simon exchanged nervous glances. They had stumbled into something much bigger than they had ever imagined.

"What do you want us to do?" Sophia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jexter's gaze locked onto Sallie. "I want you to return the Oncolyte to me."

Sallie's eyes flashed with defiance as she stood her ground against Jexter. "I'm not giving you the Oncolyte. My mother needs it to survive."

Jexter's expression remained calm, but her eyes narrowed slightly. "I understand your desperation, but you don't understand the consequences of using the Oncolyte. It's not just a medicine – it's a powerful mineral that powers my home planet."

Jexter sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly. "I'm not trying to scare you. I'm trying to protect you. And your planet."

Sallie snorted. "You're just trying to scare me. Well, it won't work. I'll do whatever it takes to save my mother."

While Jexter and Sallie were busy debating, Simon and Sophia sneaked away with the huge amount of Oncolyte they stole earlier. Jexter, having noticed this, decided to use her alien powers to stop them. Her blue eyes flashed fiercely and she raised her hand. The air around Sophia and Simon seemed to freeze, and they were both trapped in ice, unable to move.

Sallie's eyes widened in shock. "Who.. What are you ????". Sallie's heart sank. All she wanted to do was save her mom but now she thought she was about to die. 

Jexter's gaze met Sallie's, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, Jexter's said 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, but I have to protect the Oncolyte. It's not just a medicine, it's my planet's most valuable mineral."

Sallie's fear doubled. She now realized that the girl she bumped into at school the other day wasn't truly human. Her eyebrows raised, "Your planet's most valuable mineral???? What do you mean?"

Jexter took a deep breath.

"I'm not from around here, Sallie. I'm from a planet called Xilor. And the Oncolyte is our most valuable mineral."

Sallie's mind reeled as she stared at Jexter. She had never met an alien before, and she didn't know what to make of Jexter's revelation.

She begged the alien to release Sophia and Simon. 

But as Jexter looked into Sallie's eyes, she saw something there that gave her hope. Something that made her think that maybe, just maybe, they could work together. Out of mercy, she snaps her fingers and the ice surrounding Simon and Sophia melted. 

The 2 thieves decided to attack the alien out of fear and self defense. Realizing that Jexter had ice based powers, they attacked her with their flamethrowers. 

Jexter falls to the floor and yells in pain as her white skin burns. Simon and Sophia escape in their motorcycle with the box of Oncolyte leaving Sallie behind with the dying alien. 

Sallie realizes that she has been betrayed and stranded by the 2 thieves, Sophia and Simon, were never planning to help her in the first place. 

Sallie kneels to the floor in great lamentation because her only chance to help her mother has gone down the drain.

Jexter continues to yell in pain as her skin is caught on fire and she begs Sallie to help her. 

In an act of righteousness, Sallie reluctantly agrees to help her. 

Sallie takes snow from the floor (since it's still the winter season) and rubs it on the alien's skin, which heals her burns. 

As Sallie continued to rub the snow on Jexter's burns, the alien's cries of pain slowly subsided. 

Jexter's eyes, which had been screwed shut, slowly opened, and she gazed up at Sallie with a mixture of gratitude and surprise. "Why...why did you help me?" Jexter asked, her voice weak but genuine.

Sallie's expression softened. "I guess I'm just a sucker for people in need," she said, trying to downplay the significance of her actions.

Jexter's gaze lingered on Sallie's face, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, Jexter's face broke into a faint smile.

"Thank you," Jexter said, her voice filled with sincerity. "I owe you one."

Sallie helps Jexter to sit up and both girls realized that they had found an unlikely ally in each other.

As an act of gratitude, Jexter promised to help her retrieve the stolen Oncolyte to save her mother.

The two girls exchanged a determined glance, and without saying a word, they knew that they were in this together.

Sallie took Jexter to a café and bought some cold drinks to nurse her back to her frozen health. The tension between them had dissipated, replaced by a sense of determination and purpose.

"So, Jexter, tell me more about this Oncolyte if truly it is from your home world?", Sallie said, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Jexter's eyes sparkled with intensity. "The Oncolyte is not just valuable, Sallie. It's crucial. It's the key to the survival of my people, the Xilorians." Sallie's continue to express her inquisitiveness, "What do you mean?"

Jexter took a deep breath. "The Oncolyte is a unique mineral that has the power to manipulate energy and matter at a molecular level. The Oncolyte is a treasure beyond measure, not just for Xilorians, but for all living species in the universe and that's why it's been stolen, Sallie. It has a unique effect in each living species in the universe. On Xilor, it's used to maintain the frozen delicate balance of our ecosystem. Without it, our planet and people would perish."

Sallie's eyes widened in shock. "Delicate balance? You mean your planet is...frozen?"

Jexter nodded, "Yes. Xilor is a frozen world, and the Oncolyte is what keeps it that way. It's what allows us to thrive in an environment that would be hostile to most other species."

Sallie's mind reeled as she tried to comprehend the enormity of what Jexter was telling her.

Jexter's expression turned somber. "On humans, the Oncolyte has a different effect. It has the power to destroy cancerous tumors, to heal the sick and the injured. It's a miraculous cure, Sallie."

So, while humans refer to it as Oncolyte due to its cancer-curing properties, the Xilorians know it as Zhilak. The name "Zhilak" roughly translates to "Frozen Heart" in the Xilorian language, reflecting the mineral's crucial role in maintaining the frozen balance of Xilor's ecosystem.

Jexter took a deep breath. "I'm not just a student at your school, Sallie. I'm an alien spy, sent to Earth to investigate the illegal disappearance of the Zhilak. I came here 6 years ago back in 2043."

Sallie continued to express surprise."So you mean you have been on earth for the past 6 years???"

Jexter replied, "Yes. That's why I am so fluent in English language". Sallie continued with her questions, "Exactly how old are you? You look just like a teenage girl like me!"

Jexter replied again, "In human years, I should be about 120 years old. A year is much longer on Xilor. I am just 20 years on my home planet."

Sallie realized that the answer to the question "Are we alone in the universe?" that has been puzzling scientists for centuries has finally been answered. Truly, we aren't alone.

Sallie's mind was reeling with the implications of Jexter's revelation. She had always wondered if there was life beyond Earth, and now she had proof sitting right in front of her.

"So, let me get this straight", Sallie said, trying to process everything. "You're a 120-year-old alien from a planet called Xilor, and you've been living on Earth for 6 years, pretending to be a human teenager?"

Jexter nodded, a small smile on her face. "That's right, Sallie. I was sent to Earth on a mission to investigate the theft of the Zhilak and find a way to stop it. I am not permitted to return home to my planet until I have fulfilled my assignment."

Jexter's expression turned serious. "It's not just about the Zhilak, Sallie. It's about the future of my planet and my people. Without the Zhilak, Xilor will perish, and my people will be extinct."

Sallie felt a surge of determination. She knew that she had to help Jexter, not just to save her mother, but to save an entire planet and its inhabitants. Sallie's eyes widened as she asked, "What's it like being an alien?"

Jexter smiled, "It's...different. For one, my people's blood is frozen, which allows us to survive in extremely cold temperatures."

Sallie's continue to express her surprise, "Frozen blood? That's incredible!"

Jexter nodded, "Yes, it's a unique adaptation that allows us to thrive on Xilor. But it also means that we're vulnerable to heat, which is why I have to be careful not to get too close to fire or high temperatures."

Sallie's mind was racing with questions, but she remembered her mother in pain. She had to focus on finding a way to save her. 

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