Chapter 1: The Last Normal Day
It was a normal day in City 30. The skies were grey, covered in a solid coat of clouds. A brief shimmer of blue would creep its way through every now and again, only to be swallowed by the dullness. The streets were just as bland, the old concrete Soviet infrastructure still intact. Civilians dressed in the standard blue uniform silently made their way to wherever they were headed, doing their best to avoid the Civil Protection officers stationed around them. The few unblocked alleyways were generally home to some form of an arrest or beating, where passing at the wrong time could land you a painful shock. This was the normal day in the life of City 30. It would be the last, however. For despite the pathetic sense of surrender in public, a growing tension was rising. And all it needed was a spark to ignite the flame. A spark to turn the tide of events and change the definition or normal...
“Hold it right there!” echoed through down the street. The sounds of boots slamming into the ground mixed with various equipment pieces rumbling together. A group of three metrocops rush down the street, pursuing yet another fleeing citizen. The citizen hooks a left. The metrocops follow suit. Another left, they repeat. Eventually, the group reaches a dead end.
“There’s no where he can go now” says the first metrocop.
“Ha-ha, you’re right. You might as well come out now!” says the second.
“Just when you think you’ve cornered him. That’s when he disappears” Says the third, “Spread out and find him!”
The group spreads out, searching every nook and cranny in the alleyway. Trash cans, trash bags, doorways. The effort put in is futile. Up above, the man sits against the wall on a fire escape. Breathing heavily, waiting for the moment they turn away, or begin to ascend. He sneakily turns to the window, lifting it open as quietly as he can. He enters, slowly creeping through what seems to be an apartment. A few steps from the doorway, he turns, walking down further into the apartment. He enters a room where a woman sits on a couch, watching a broadcast from the city administrator.
“-and our Benefactors are here for good! They only wish the best for us, they wish to remove our flaws as a race and make us pure! I have seen what they plan; they have showed me what they can do for us. As long as we abide by their laws and comply with their plans, humanity will accomplish great things!”
“I really hate that woman” says the man.
The woman jolts up in surprise, letting out a small screech. She quickly reaches for the nearest object, a lamp.
“Jesus, chill out Alexis. It’s just me.”
The woman shakily lowers the lamp to the table. “You could have knocked first” the woman replies.
“Where’s the fun in that?” The man walks across the room, turning off the administrator’s broadcast.
“Look, Alexis, I really need to talk to you. Both you and Jenny. It’s really important.” He says.
“Jenny isn’t here. She went back to her apartment on the other side of the city. Why is this so important Corbin?” says Alexis.
The sound of boots rushing up the stairs through the building begins. Doors burst open, yelling from both Civil Protection teams and citizens echoes throughout the halls.
“Look, I have to go now. Find Mitchell and meet me at the bar later tonight. I’ll send for Jenny. Do you understand?” says Corbin.
Alexis nods. Civil Protection team presence continues to get louder and louder. Corbin rushes for the window, returning to the fire escape. He shuts the window, descending. As he makes his way to the ground, someone bangs on the door.
“Coming!” says Alexis. She rushes to the door, quickly opening it. A single protection officer stands in her doorway.
“Morning Gold” the officer says. He stands lazily in the doorway, a baton at his side. The unit is dressed in a trench coat, a shotgun slinged on his back.
“Good morning, 440” replies Alexis.
“I just gotta check out your apartment really quick, and ask you a few questions.”
“Oh, that’s fine. Come on in then.”
The officer enters the apartment, briefly scanning around the apartment. Occasionally, he inspects something a little closer.
“I see you got promoted. Congratulations…” Alexis says.
“Thanks. I must say, I don’t like the dress very much.” Says 440.
The two both chuckle a little bit. The officer strides over to the window, inspecting it a little bit.
“You didn’t see a man climb up here did you? Tattered uniform, military haircut, blue eyes?” he says.
“No. I was watching the administrator’s broadcast until you got here.” Alexis responds.
The officer sighs, sliding his baton away. As he does so, another officer enters the doorway, a submachine gun of some form gripped tightly at his side. Unlike 440, this officer dones a generally standard grey and black uniform. A satchel with a red cross lays tightly strapped to his side. An armband lays over his left arm, reading off NOVA-02, along with the digits 401.
“Everything all clear in here, 440?” the new officer asks.
“Yeah, we’re all clear. Listen, if you see or hear anything about this man, you’ll let us know right away, correct?” says 440 to Alexis.
“Of course.” Alexis says while turning her gaze and studying the new officer in her doorway.
“Right then.” Said 440 as he turns, walking to the doorway. He passes the officer there, heading in the direction of the stairwell. The other officer nods briskly before turning and following suit, his weapon still tightly gripped in his hand.
Alexis sighed, shutting her door and walking to the kitchen. Rations wouldn’t be served for another two hours, and finding any real food to eat would be difficult, seeing as Civil Protection was on some form of hunting session. She opened up her fridge, despite the fact that it was empty. She sighed yet again, shutting the door and returning to the couch in front of her television. She didn’t really feel like watching the administrator’s broadcast anymore. She simply lay down on the couch, closing her eyes. She placed a pillow over her ears, the only thing that would suppress the constant dispatches. The dispatches alerting the city of her friend. The friend who had an important message for her, one that would change the course of her life entirely...
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