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"Paul, if we're going to go, we need to go now." The short, balding man with silver-rimmed glasses, paced nervously around the room.

The second man- Paul- much younger, and a lot taller, stood up, promptly buttoning his suit jacket. "I know we said that this would be a good idea, but you have to consider what we're leaving behind.  I- I have a family."  He seemed to be perfectly unfazed, unlike the other man, who was in a frenzy. 

"Please.  I have to get out of here.  You know what they did to Winston.  And don't forget my Julie," his eyes started to tear.  The old man refused to let them fall.

"Dad... I know how much you want to leave, but is it possible?  I mean, how has no one else discovered this 'planet' and is it even real?"  Paul threw his hands up, exasperated. 

Chris turned to him, rage lighting his face.  "Don't doubt me.  I erased the signal from everywhere except my private, secure file.  I found it, and knew it was meant for this.  To be used as an escape."  His voice turned pleading now.  "I-I just can't be here anymore.  Knowing that Winston and Julie should be alive and breathing the same air I do kills me.  That guilt is eating away at my soul."  He emphasized the last part, hoping Paul would understand. 

The second man mulled it over for a long time, clearly going over everything that could go wrong.  After an infinity, he turned to Chris.  "Fine.  We'll go.  But I'm bringing Amelia and the girls."

"Of course."  His head shook up and down violently.  "You'd better start packing.  We leave tomorrow at sunset."

•••••

Chris had fidgeted throughout his entire day.

Sitting at the desk, his arms twitched.  In a meeting, he played with the papers in front of him.  And later, when sunset was nearly upon them, Chris was out of his mind. 

Millions of thoughts flew through his head.  What if his superiors found out?  What if Paul backed out?  What if the reading on his screen was a misread? 

That- that thing could've been anything.  Yes, he had done all the tests, and everything came back positive, but who knew?

This was uncharted territory.  Neither him nor Paul had ever done anything like this.  And forget breaking the law.  To get away from this 'joke of a government' - as Chris called it - was the only way he would survive the rest of his life. 

At around five, Chris stood outside the hangar, a wad of cash in his hands, waiting for the guard - a very good friend - to show up with his son and family. 

Ah.  His son.  Now, wasn't that a complicated matter? 

Whistling to himself, Chris put his hands into his pockets, straightening when five dark shapes emerged.  The taller stepped forward, patted him on the back.  "Dad.  Are we really doing this?"

There was no hesitation as he said, "Yes."

That was all Paul needed.  Reaching down to pick up his daughter, he allowed the guard to unlock the hangar.  "Here we go," he cooed to the little girl. 

Chris walked in first, letting his voice fill the space.  "The adventure of a lifetime."

•••••

The five of them - Chris, Paul, and his family - took off that night, along with four other families that had been wronged by the government.  They traveled for a long time before reaching their destination.  Their destiny.  The place was beautiful.

Untouched by the madness of human life.  They would not allow what happened on Earth to happen on their new planet. 

The two of them named the place after their two last names.  (Yes, Chris was Paul's father, but that is too long a story).  Their new life was to be called Eflaicury, after Chris Eflac and Paul Uryi.  It was a monarchy.  King Paul ruled the first generation with his wife, Queen Amelia. 

Chris preferred the technical side of things over the social.  So, there wasn't much in the history books about him. 

But if it weren't for him, Eflaicury would never have been discovered. 

And our story would not be taking place.