Chapter 1: A Half Smile and a Blank Stare
----------------------------------------
August 7, 2129.
Residential Sector 12
New London Megalopolis, United Kingdom
9:25 p.m. Reila Wu’s flat
One Month ago.
Within a small bedroom that was bathed in the warm light of the rising sun peeked through the curtains. With a small smile on his face, Nathaniel Wu, a young teenage boy, perched on the edge of his bed. With his messy black hair and deep chocolate-brown eyes that sparkled with excitement, he was a handsome boy. His mind was fully absorbed in the topics as he read the pages of a book on airplane mechanics.
Unexpectedly, a quiet rapping could be heard at the door, with a familiar voice beckoning from the hallway. “Nathaniel! Sleepyhead, are you finally awake?”
Nathaniel rolled his eyes, chuckling softly as he heard his mother's voice. He bookmarked the page in his book, setting it down on his bedside table before getting up from the bed and stretching lazily. With a soft yawn, he stood up from his bed, making his way towards the door. The hallway outside his room was small but cozy, cluttered with various frames of pictures of family photos, moments captured over the years, a testament to the life that he and his mother had built.
As Nathaniel walked down the hallway, He ran a hand through his messy hair, trying to tame the wild strands before he entered the kitchen. As he entered, he was greeted by the sight of Reila Wu, standing by the stove, a frying pan in one hand and a spatula in the other.
Reila glanced up from the stove as she heard footsteps approaching, a small smile on her lips as she saw Nathaniel enter the room.
"Morning sleepyhead. It's about time you got out of bed." she said with a comforting smile.
Nathaniel chuckled sheepishly, looking a bit guilty as he took a seat at the small kitchen table.
Reila continued cooking the eggs, the hiss of the frying pan and the aroma of the food filling the small kitchen. As she worked, she glanced at Nathaniel, taking in his messy hair and the tiredness in his eyes. She knew he had probably stayed up too late reading again.
"Up late reading again? You're going to burn yourself out." she tells him as she works the kitchen.
Nathaniel shrugged, trying to hide a yawn behind his hand. He knew she was right, but he couldn't help but stay up late reading about his interests. It’s always been a habit of his since his middle teenage years.
"Reading? No. I was just watching this documentary about early space exploration, from the Cold War during the nine-sixties and on. It’s crazy how they managed to accomplish something thought impossible for millennia in just a short amount of time.” Nathaniel commented, a hint of fascination in his voice.
Reila chuckled, shaking her head at his enthusiasm.
“Well the powers of the world had just finished with the Second World War. War pushes innovation. Innovation creates new wonders for society.” Reila added.
“And what of the people who create the wonders?” Nathaniel asked. Reila paused for a moment.
“That truly depends on what you mean. Human history is filled with notable individuals who come from many backgrounds. Do you think we care about the origins of Aristotle? Or what about the great emperors of Old Rome?” Nathaniel shrugged.
“That’s a job for historians, mostly,” Nathaniel covered his mouth as he yawned again, “But people mainly focus on one’s achievements. Not where they came from.”
“Not even those that the United States took in after the Second World War?” Reila asked, curiosity piqued in her voice.
“Maybe…but that information was classified for decades. If the population knew that the people who overthrew the Third Reich were harboring technologists to further their own goals, there would be hell to pay.” He stated flatly.
Reila remained silent as she continued to make breakfast. Nathaniel then continued.
"But , I believe that it is necessary to be well informed. A lot of kids my age nowadays prefer to focus on the future, rather than the past. Makes you wonder how bad things were during the age of the Internet and what led up to the Third Great War.”
“Well that's what happens when many decide to spread misinformation en masse to the public. Not to mention with many leading governments harping down on freedom of speech and enacting laws of mass censorship. It was inevitable that something would happen.” Reila says as she plated the breakfast she spent the last hour making. Eggs, along with some toast and bacon. She carried the plate over to the table and set it down in front of Nathaniel before taking a seat across from him.
“But let’s not start the day off with such a downpour. How’s school going for you?”
Nathaniel shrugged nonchalantly. “Same as always. Professors giving us loads of work to do, lab assignments, written reports, the usual.”
“Are you keeping up on it?” Reila asked as she took a bite of her eggs. Nathaniel scoffed
“Yeah. I am. The work isn’t that hard, just a bit overwhelming. But I shouldn't be complaining. The University is pretty high class and Aerospace Engineering isn’t an easy thing to learn.
"Well I'm glad you're putting in the right amount of time for your school work, but just remember, there's more to life than just reading textbooks. You're young, you should be out there having fun, making friends, causing trouble." Nathaniel's smile faded a bit as Reila's words hit home as she brought up this topic once more.
“I have friends, mom. You know them. David, Tenks, and Harry.”
“David, Tenks, and Harry? Those college boys who you met at the community center? Christ, Nathaniel. Those guys are three years your senior. For what purpose would a boy of your age be hanging out with men like that?”
“They have the same interests as me. We often talk about military history and scientific research.” Reila picked and pried and ate her bacon and eggs, enjoying the hot meal in front of her.
"Is that what you all do on the weekends? Hang out and talk about nerdy topics like military history and science?" she said, as she ate a forkful of fried eggs.
Nathaniel's face lit up with mild embarrassment. “We also talk about aviation. Mainly aerospace technology ... .and space exploration.” he ends as his voice becomes more hushed.
Reila smiled. She always enjoyed teasing her son about his hobbies. Even though she has to remind him about the company he keeps. Despite this , she was glad he had found a place where he felt accepted and comfortable. But she couldn't help but worry about him, being cooped up at home all the time.
"Well..from what I can tell, these boys aren’t the type to look for trouble. But they’re still older than you. So, I forbid you from hanging out with them.” Nathan chokes on his food for a second as she says this.
“Wait what?” He said in confusion.
“Until you're eighteen. That’s only a few months of waiting, surely they will understand.” Nathaniel slumped in his chair as his mother stated the truth. Nathaniel knew Reila was right, but the idea of being cut off from the very few who had the same interests in him was very disheartening.
“And don’t get any ideas of doing any sneaky shit, ya hear? You know what happened last time?
Nathaniel looked at Reila, embarrassment evident in his eyes. He could still remember the dread inducing look she gave him all those years ago after he had come back from one of his late night excursions back when he was in middle teenage years.
“Yeah mom, of course…No sneaking out.” He says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. A silence permeated the room and Reila and her son ate their breakfast. As the two continue to eat. Nathaniel twists the food on his plate, as if he is busy contemplating something.
Reila notices this. "You have something on your mind?” Nathaniel becomes a bit pensive. He isn't sure how to say what he wants to say but he does so anyway.
"You think we could go out tomorrow? Just the two of us?" Reila, somewhat taken aback by the unexpected request, raises her eyebrow.
"The two of us? Just us?" she asks. "Why do you suddenly wanna do that?"
"Well. We haven't hung out in a while. I've been focusing on my studies and you've been busy with work. I just believe that maybe you and I could just hang out in the city. Get something to eat and just chill around."
Reila considers his request for a moment, then shrugs. "Alright, I guess that would be nice. Just you and me, like the old days."
She sighs. "And I definitely need to unwind a bit after dealing with customers all week and their constant bitching."
"Oh and maybe we can head to the Central Square!" he adds with some excitement. Reila raises an eyebrow. "Central Square? Why the hell do you want to go there? We haven't gone to that shithole for years."
"There's a convention being held there. About the new foundation of aerospace science technology and what not."
Reila rolls her eyes, clearly uninterested.
"Sounds boring as hell. You really wanna waste our day off looking at nerds talking about science crap?"
"You can chill outside. I'm old enough to be on my own.” Reila rolls her eyes again, but doesn't object.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're an adult. I know, you've been reminding me about that for the past month." Nathaniel continues to eat his dinner, taking in every last bite before he gets up and puts it in the sink. He walks over to Reila and thanks her for the meal before winding down for the night. Nathaniel continues to eat his dinner, taking in every last bite before he gets up and puts it in the sink. He walks over to Reila and thanks her for the meal before winding down for the night. Reila finishes drinking her beer and puts the empty can on the floor. "You better get some rest. I'm not spending my day off dealing with a sluggish, tired kid who can barely keep his eyes open."
"And don't forget to brush your teeth."
He gives her a look, like it's something he's heard thousands of times before.
"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry mom, I'm not five anymore."
"Yeah, you may be nineteen now, but you know what they say. 'Once a child, always a child.' Besides, I'm your mother. It's my job to tell you to brush your damn teeth before you go to bed."
It's been a while since Reila and Nathaniel spent quality time together. She remembers the time when he was just a boy, running in the fields. The years go by. Seems like only yesterday he was a damn kid, running around in the playground, causing trouble and acting up. Now he's almost a damn adult. Reila pulled out a half-empty pack of cigarettes and lit one for relaxation.
She leans back in her chair and sighs. Spending time with her son like they used to does sound nice. Memories of when things were simpler flooded her current thoughts. The Times of teaching him how to ride a bike. Memories of chasing him around the house when he did something to bug her. Memories of him, sitting on her lap, asking her to read him a bedtime story.
Memories of watching him grow, slowly, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year, until he's now an adult. A young man, standing on the verge of his own future.
Reila missed those days. Days when there was no worry in a world that seemed like it was about to end at a moment's notice.
What a fleeting thought that was to many in this day and age.
----------------------------------------
[New London Metroplex, Central District]
[Central Square]
Throughout human history, Mankind had suffered through the worst its kindred had to offer. As the saying goes, Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. Weak men create hard times. That’s what Emmanuel Tomas’ father told him.
In the days of his youth, Emmanuel only knew of the world around him from what others told him, as like many, children are often susceptible to the words of their elders. His father would often tell him the tales of his own childhood. He would tell Emmanuel of the good days and the bad. Of how society shaped itself continuously day by day, evolving into something new. But out of all the stories that his father told him, none could ever supplant the tales of another war that would end all wars. The Third World War.
Emmanuel remembered the stories that his father shared about how the evolution of society had taken a turn for the worse. He told him that in the days before the Third World War, the governments of the Old World only cared about what benefited them and not the people. Resentment grew amongst the masses. Proxy-wars occurred more often, the mis-distribution of resources and proper funding led to the rise of poverty in many prominent nations.
Then as the resources began to dwindle, the amount of small-scaled conflicts popped up around the globe. Allies turned into enemies, civil wars erupted, and governments collapsed. In the chaos of the Resource Wars, what remained of the European and Asian powers invaded their neighbors, in an effort to take advantage of this newly brewing chaos. Thus beginning a new War to end all Wars. One that escalated and ended with the unbridle fury of atomic fire.
Millions died, millions more suffered. It was the second use of nuclear weaponry since the Second World War, and with its use, it changed everything.
Society, civilization as we know it, crumbled like a house of cards. Life became about survival, nothing more. With fifty-three percent of the planet reduced to an irradiated wasteland, what remained of the Old world fell under the pressure of mass displacement and the imminent shortage of global trade. Anarchy began to spread and the suffering of the many continued. Hope started to wither and die as those who looked at the skies believed that they would never see the world's violet blue color ever again.
Nevertheless, Humanity survived through this dark time. Out of the ashes of the Old world, sanctuaries were built to ensure human civilization continued. New beginnings were ventured and like how millions suffered, millions more endured. And, Emmanuel was one of them.
Much like his peers, he was raised in the heart of the New Paris Metroplex. He cherished memories of his parents, three brothers, and one sister. Memories of them living in what seemed like serenity, a feeling that many across New Paris shared in its early years. Though not all dreams last forever. The city had been built to be a symbol of hope, a symbol of rebuilding. It had been the perfect place for Emmanuel to grow up in, and like many others, he believed that everything would be okay, that he and his family had a bright future ahead of them. But then the city began to change. As time went by, the dreams and the hope slowly faded away, replaced by a cold, brutal reality.
While other Metroplexes on the European continent could house the displaced population of the Third World War, not everyone could. With France emerging as the third largest nation-state in what remained of Western Europe, encompassing an expanse of 550,000 square kilometers that had been mostly unaffected by the horrors of nuclear destruction. Having this information, what remained of the European Union decided to designate France as the primary relocation point for the millions displaced during the war.
This was a time when Emmanuel was ignorant to his surroundings, a boy his age wouldn’t know better. He didn’t know why his father was angry. Why his mother never allowed him to play with the new kids that moved across the street. He never understood why his sister went missing one night. It was confusing because nothing made sense anymore. No one was smiling. No one had that enduring feeling of optimism anymore. He never understood why until he was thirteen years of age, on the day they found what remained of his sister in a refugee housing block. It was that day when everything made sense.
Emmannuel saw it first hand, the same mistakes of those who came before him. The unrestricted flow of refugees into his country. Some hailed from the remnants of eastern Europe, others hailed from the Middle Eastern Exclusion Zone; an irradiated hellhole that no man, woman, or child could inhabit for centuries to come.
The undesirables as his father called them, were always prone to anger, prone to outburst, believing that all non-believers of the western world needed correction. Time after time, the French Government attempted to keep the peace, but like his father told him, the people who led them were weak. Weak individuals who inherited the right over the strong. He remembered his father's words of how the citizens of the New Paris Metroplex suffered from the insanity of the undesirables and the lack of action from the government. He remembered how he and those who suffered like him raged in the streets, trying to take back their home.
But that all seemed like a distant memory now, as the boy who once held an enduring belief of optimism had been replaced by deep resentment for the ones who caused him so much grief.
In an undisclosed white van somewhere within the Central Square of the New London Megalopolis , Emmannuel Tourneur sat in the passenger seat, his mind occupied with the broken memories of his once peaceful life. Around him, the city was bustling with life, a stark contrast to the dark memories that haunted his mind. The Central Square was the heart of New London Megalopolis, a place that symbolized the city's progress and prosperity. But to Emmannuel, it was just a reminder of everything he had lost.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
“Hey Emmannuel!” a voice broke him from his train of thought. A man who sat in the driver's seat, looking about fifteen years his senior, looked at him with some concern. “Are you thinking about them again?”
Emmannuel doesn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. The man beside him looks out into the crowd of the New London Central square. All going about their lives without worry and fear. He envied them in a way, as those who walked passed the van showed no fear in their eyes, no worry of the unknown.
“What optimism they had”, He thought to himself.
"Those people out there, they have no idea," the man continued. "No idea what this city really costs." He pauses, his voice turning bitter. "They've lost nothing." The driver picked up what remained of his sandwich and took a bite out of it.
“Do you believe that they would bat an eye after this?” Emmannuel spoke up towards the driver. The driver sat silent for a moment and shrugged his shoulders.
"Doubt they would even care," he replied with a scoff. "As long as they have their food and their entertainment and the comfort of their homes, they wouldn't give a damn about any of the crap going on." Emmannuel turned his gaze towards the crowds once more. The driver was right. Those people out there didn't care. They didn't care about the violence and the suffering that was happening outside their own city. They were content in their ignorance, their complacency.
“Is the gas ready?” Emmannuel asked his partner. The driver nods, a look of grim determination on his face. "Yeah, it's all in place. Just waiting for your signal."
"Not my signal, “Emmanuel corrected. “We have to wait for Martin's signal, remember? The driver rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I remember. But I'm just saying, I'm all for getting this show on the road.
"Yeah...for a better Europe. Victoire de l'homme?”
The driver nodded again. "Yeah. Victoire de l'homme." He then glances over at the crowd, a look of disgust on his face. "Those people out there don't know what true pain means. They'll understand soon.”
----------------------------------------
[Within Convention Center Parking Lot]
Reila walked beside her son, listening to him ramble on about the various exhibits he wanted to see. She couldn't help but feel a little out of place in the busy square, surrounded by families and couples.
"You sure this expo is worth dragging your poor mother all the way out here?" She teased, ruffling his hair affectionately.
"Mom, come on," Nathaniel protested, fixing his hair with a look of mock annoyance. "It's the biggest science expo in the city. You can't just skip it. You're supposed to be supportive, remember?"
Reila chuckled, amused by her son's serious expression. "Okay, okay. I guess I can be a bit supportive. Just don't expect me to geek out over all the science stuff, alright?"
Nathaniel rolled his eyes fondly. "Oh, I know better than to ask that. You'd probably get bored after five minutes anyways."
“There are times when I do appreciate the field of science.” Reila retorted, feigning a hurt look. “But I'd rather let the professionals handle it than put me on the table.” Nathaniel laughed, his eyes sparked with amusement. "Ha, yeah right. I couldn't imagine you in a lab coat, scribbling on a whiteboard."
Reila bumped his shoulder gently with hers. "Hey, I could pull it off. I'd be the most fashionable scientist out there."
"Yeah, I'm sure you'd be a fashion icon," Nathaniel teased. "All the other scientists would be jealous of your style."
Reila chuckled, enjoying the playful banter with her son. "Damn right, they would. I'd make wearing lab gloves look sexy." As they approached the entrance to the convention center, Reila noticed the large crowd of attendees waiting to get in. She glanced at her son, who seemed more excited than ever. "Looks like we're not the only ones who wanted to see this expo."
Nathaniel's eyes widened as he assessed the line. "Wow, it's longer than I thought." He frowned for a moment before lighting up again. "But hey, that means there'll be cool stuff to see inside, right?"
Reila nodded, suppressing a chuckle at her son's eagerness. "Yeah, I suppose so. Just remember, we're not going to see everything, okay? Otherwise, we'll be here all day."
"Aw, come on, Mom. Don't be such a buzzkill. This is the biggest science expo in years! We can't just rush through it," Nathaniel protested, pouting. "Don't pout at me." Reila replied, rolling her eyes. "I promised you we'd come check it out, but I didn't say anything about taking it all day. We still have to have lunch, you know."
Nathaniel groaned dramatically, knowing that Reila wasn't going to budge. "Okay, fine. But we're staying at least until noon, agreed?"
Reila sighed, amused. "Alright, deal. But if you start drooling over some math equation for too long, I'm dragging you out of there."
Reila and Nathaniel stepped in line for the expo to open, as they waited, Reila noticed that she had left her phone in the car in the nearby parking lot.
"Hold on for a sec," Reila said, interrupting their conversation. "I think I left my phone in the car. I'll be right back, okay?"
"Yeah, go ahead," Nathaniel replied, not paying too much attention as he was distracted by a group of kids around his age passing by. As Reila headed back to the car, a white van had almost hit her as she stepped into the road.
Reila jumped back at the unexpected near-collision, her heart racing. "Watch where you're going, jackass!"
The two men in the van didn't react to her. They just stared as the driver passed her without even acknowledging his error. Reila scowled at the van as it drove past her, muttering under her breath. "Freaking idiot drivers." She shook her head, trying to brush off the incident, and continued on her way to the car.
As she arrived at the car, she rummaged through the vehicle, searching for her phone. After a few moments, she found it and let out a sigh of relief. “There it is” Just as she was about to walk back to Nathaniel, she froze for a second.
Her body began to twitch and lag behind her movements. Her vision began to fracture and become distorted. the muscles in her neck stiffened.
Reila blinked wildly, her world spinning. "What the hell...?" She mumbled, trying to steady herself. She stumbled over to a nearby bench and sat down, her head swimming with odd sensations.
As she sat there, she was overwhelmed by a barrage of images, flashing through her mind like a montage. People's faces, places, and names all blurring together. It was like a chaotic storm of memories, but none of them belonged to her. It was as if a floodgate had opened, allowing a deluge of data to wash over her and drown out her own thoughts. The experiences were so intense, she couldn't make sense of them. It was like an overwhelming wave of information threatening to shut her down entirely.
The salty scent of the sea breeze hit her nostrils like a sudden shockwave of familiarity. She inhaled deeply, the air filling her lungs and triggering a strange mix of emotions. It was a fragrance she should know, but the recollection was like grasping at a hazy dream, just out of reach. Reila’s thoughts then suddenly snapped to reality, the haze of confusion lifting like a fog. The realization struck her like a bolt of lightning.
Nathaniel. Her son. He'd be worried about her absence. She had no idea how long she'd been sitting there lost in her own mind. She got up and began walking back towards the science expo, her steps becoming more confident with each stride. Her surroundings are growing sharper and more defined. She shook her head slightly, trying to shake off the remnants of whatever that was. But something was off. As she walked, her movements were slightly mechanical, her expression blank and her eyes lacking their usual spirited sparkle.
Nathaniel stood where she had left him, watching something on his phone to pass the time. He looked up to see Reila walking from the parking lot, his face giving off a look of worry. Reila hesitated for a moment, still caught up in her uneasiness, but seeing Nathaniel's worried expression made her shake it off. She gave him a forced smile and held up her phone, signaling that she had found it.
"Hey, sorry about that. Left my phone in the car," Reila lied, her voice still laced with a hint of unease. Nathaniel looked at her, his eyes slightly narrowed, sensing that something was off.
Nathaniel gave a sigh of concern towards his mother's strange behavior. He knew her well enough to tell when she was acting differently. However, he knew that if he didn’t bring this up now, his mother wouldn’t want to talk about it later.
"Hey. is everything alright?” He asked.
Reila forced another smile, trying to play it cool. "Everything's fine, kiddo. Just a little tired, that's all." She hoped her explanation would be enough to satisfy her son's curiosity, but deep down, she knew he wasn't buying it.
Nathaniel looked at her for a moment, searching her face for any signs of the truth. He knew his mother well enough to tell when she was hiding something, but he also knew that if he pushed the issue right now, she would shut down and withdraw. He had seen it happen before.
He sighed, reluctantly dropping the subject for the time being. "Alright, Mom. Just... if you're not feeling well, you'd tell me, right?"
Reila’s fake smile became slightly more genuine at his concern. "Of course, kiddo. You know me, I'd never keep anything important from you." She reached out and ruffled his hair affectionately, grateful for his understanding.
Nathaniel nodded, though he still looked unsure. He decided to drop the subject for now, not wanting to ruin the day. "Okay...well, let's just focus on getting in. If we get distracted, we'll lose our place in the queue.”
Reila chuckled weakly, glad for the change in subject. "Yeah, good point. Let's get a move on, or your favorite science brainiacs will be gone by the time we get inside."
Nathaniel beamed, perking up at the mention of his favorite thing. "Right! Let's go, or I'll miss out on all the coolest experiments!"
Reila couldn't help but smile as she watched her son's excitement. Despite her current unease, seeing her son's passion for science made her forget her worries, at least for a little while.
Reila and Nathaniel were immediately awestruck as they walked inside. The Convention center was massive, filled with various scientific exhibits, from Robotics to Space Travel and all things in between. Reila looked around, her eyes wide with amazement. The scale of the expo was truly impressive, filled with every scientific and technological innovation one could imagine. She glanced at Nathaniel, seeing his face light up with excitement. He had the same expression he had when he was little and was about to receive a new toy.
"Told you this expo would be worth it," Nathaniel grinned, his previous worry replaced with excitement. "Just look at all the cool stuff they have here!"
Reila chuckled, amused by her son's enthusiasm. "Yeah, you were right. It's like a giant playground for science nerds."
"Exactly!" Nathaniel agreed, practically bouncing on his feet. "And look over there, they have a whole section dedicated to space exploration. They even have a replica of the Ares VII Interstellar Space Vehicle!”
Reila's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Ares VII, huh? Now that's impressive. They spared no expense for this expo."
----------------------------------------
[Underneath the Central Square Covention Center, Parking Garage]
Emmanuel stood over the now-dying body of the security guard. He pulled the knife from his throat and wiped the blood off, sheathing it back in place.
"Looks like we're clear to go," Emmannuel said to the driver in a low voice. He bent down to grab the guards ID card from his jacket.
The driver stepped out of the vehicle as the other members began to prepare for their next phase. "That's one down," the driver said, looking around to make sure no one was approaching. "What about the rest of the guards in this place?”
Emmanuel snorted. "Security here within this part of the building is lax. I doubt they will be a problem for the rest of the boys." The driver nodded, understanding the situation.
"Alright, what about our target?" He asked.
"We'll place the gas canisters in the central AC. Once it flows, those shitheads up top will start dropping." The driver smirked, a hint of dark excitement in his voice.
“That should be fun to watch. What about those who get out?”
"If they're fast enough to escape the gas, then their luck will run out when the boys start shooting," Emmannuel replied, a cold determination in his eyes.
The driver nodded in agreement, his expression just as cold. "Then this mission should be a piece of cake." Emmannuel took out his radio and pressed the side button. “Roch, Chaney, what’s the status of security?”
There was a crackle of static before a voice came through the radio. "This is Roch. Second floor security is complete. Chaney's group is finishing up the third floor as we speak.”
Emmanuel smirked. It seemed like the plan was going smoothly. "Copy that. We're gonna place the gas canisters now, then we'll proceed as planned."
----------------------------------------
Reila and Nathaniel made their way from exhibit to exhibit, pausing to investigate each captivating display they encountered. Reila started to feel more at ease as they went on, the earlier sense of unease slowly dissipating.
“I gotta say, I’m impressed,” Reila said to her son, admiring a display on advanced drone technology. “I never thought I’d say this, but this science nerd stuff is kinda cool.”
Nathaniel chuckled, amused to see his mother’s changing opinion. “I told you you’d enjoy it. You just had to give it a chance.”
Reila rolled her eyes playfully. Okay, okay, you were right—I’m the stubborn old mother who didn’t believe you. Happy now?”
"Yep, I'm actually ecstatic, seeing you acknowledge that I was right," Nathaniel said smugly, knowing he had a chance to tease her.
Reila was enjoying this. It had been a while since she had spent some quality time with her son. She remembered those days when he was younger when all Nathaniel cared about was Saturday morning cartoons and making sure he got the latest chemistry set. Now he was all grown up, a young man with aspirations that any mother would be proud of.
They continued exploring the exhibit, heading towards the space exploration area. The displays of 22nd-century technology and future concepts amazed Nathaniel, as they were crucial for the progress of international space travel. Reila notices how a group of kids around Nathaniel’s age gathered around the model of a new International space station set to launch around the end of the year.
Then, her left hand starts twitching, causing Reila to drop a soda bottle she was carrying around. She clenched her fist, dismissing the small spasm.
Reila glanced down at her twitching hand, a flash of uneasiness crossing her face. She tried to shake it off, dismissing it as a random muscle spasm, but it was a reminder of the earlier sensation she had experienced. She tried to focus on the present, back on her surroundings.
But as they continued to explore the space display, she heard bits of a conversation between two security guards nearby.
"Hey, have you heard that the Former Prime Minister of France is here today?" one guard asked the other.
"Yeah, I heard about that. The news reports said he's supposed to be attending the opening ceremonies for the international space station model. Why?"
The first guard shrugged, but there was an edge to his voice. "Just wondering if anyone's actually going to be keeping an eye on him. With the situation in Europe being the way it is, you'd think security would be tighter."
The second guard scoffed, but put on a reassuring tone. “You really think that someone is going to launch an attack here? In the heart of New London?”
Reila couldn't help but overhear the conversation. Her ears perked up at the mention of the Former Prime Minister and the security. Given the volatile nature of international relations these days, it wasn't unusual for a high-profile figure to have a security detail following them.
“Anything can happen, man. I’m just unimpressed that they have us for security and not anything of higher class?
The first guard chuckled. “Did you expect heavily armed guards and war droids?”
Reila's uneasiness grew as she listened to the guards. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Their casual dismissal of potential threats, especially with an important figure in attendance, seemed almost too easygoing. She also mentally noted that their security seemed understaffed and underprepared. Something about this whole situation didn't feel quite right.
"No, obviously not," the second guard replied, rolling his eyes. "But maybe having more than five of us stationed here would be a good start."
"Eh, the big bosses know what they're doing," the first guard said dismissively. "And besides, it's not like anything is going to happen here. We're in the most technologically advanced City in the world. It would be impossible for any kind of attack to happen here."
Just then, a loud announcement echoed throughout the convention center, announcing the beginning of the opening ceremonies.
“Attention, all guests. The opening ceremonies for the international space station model are about to begin. All guests are asked to proceed to the main auditorium.”
Nathaniel turned to Reila and gave her a broad smile. "Great timing, we're just in time!"
The twitch in Reila's hand then returned, this time more pronounced, and she found it harder to dismiss.
"You go on ahead, I'll just take a minute in the ladies' room," Reila said, faking a casual tone.
Nathaniel nodded, still full of excitement. "Alright, Mom, but don’t take too long. You don’t want to miss the opening speech from Prime Minister Lebas!"
After navigating through the crowd of attendees, she found her way to the bathroom. Entering the handicapped stall at the far end of the bathroom, she closed the stall door and leaned against it. She looked at her twitching hand, the fingers moving and convulsing at its own pace.
“Fucking synth-ware.” she mutters to herself . She leans off the stall door and sits down on the toilet. She continues to look at her hand. That feeling of dread fades away as she begins to deal with the problem. It must be something related to the old memory unit. She thought to herself. She’s had trouble before with it, but nothing to this extent. It was usually just a slight memory loss or a random freeze, nothing like this erratic twitching.
Now that she was alone, she began to focus on the problem at hand. She tried to force a system diagnostic, hoping it would identify the source of the issue.
Her eyelids began to flicker as she accessed her internal systems, searching for any sign of malfunction. But as the seconds ticked by, the twitching in her hand only seemed to worsen, growing more intense and unpredictable.
‘Just relax,’ she told herself. ‘It’s just a minor glitch. You’ve been through this before.” as she opened her eyes, she brought up her quivering left hand. Her fingers still trembled uncontrollably, each movement seeming to reflect the chaotic malfunction occurring.
Reila tried to steady her hand, taking deep breaths, but the twitching wouldn’t stop. It was like her synthetic nerves were having a mind of their own. Each spasm brought a wave of panic, knowing that she had to handle the issue before anyone else saw. "Come on, get it together," she muttered to herself, trying to maintain her composure.
“Operating System. Run Bios Diagnostic scan” She communicated with her internal system. As Reila let the command run through her neural interface, a slight shudder went through her body. Her retina display showed the countdown timer as the self-diagnostic scanned the state of her memory unit
“Come on, come on.” Reila muttered, her patience was running thin as the countdown slowly ticked away. “Hurry it up already.”
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the countdown ended, a notification popped up in her retina display.
“Damn it” Reila cursed as she read the diagnosis report. Reila was looking at a list of critical errors and malfunctions, including severe data corruption. Reila leaned against the bathroom sink. Her heart sank as the warning message flashed through her mind. No wonder her hand had been acting up. The unit was malfunctioning on a fundamental level.
Her mind raced with panic as she absorbed the gravity of the situation. Data corruption and critical errors - her memory was in serious trouble. The twitching in her hand was just a symptom of a much bigger problem.
She glanced at her reflection in the bathroom mirror and a wave of frustration washed over her. She didn’t have the time or resources to deal with this right now. Not here, not with her son waiting for her outside.
"This just got a lot worse," she muttered under her breath, her heart racing.
She weighed her options. On the one hand, she knew she was due for a maintenance check up. But on the other hand, the risks and costs were steep. Reila had to decide what was more important: keeping her secret safe or fixing whatever was wrong with he
Reila took a deep breath, forcing herself to push the memory unit problem out of her mind for the time being. She couldn't spend the entire day in this bathroom. Her son must be starting to wonder where she was.
With a slightly shaky hand, she opened the stall door and stepped out.
----------------------------------------
[Upon the third floor of the Expo Center]
Emmanuel surveyed the main floor from a hidden vantage point. It provided an open view of the entire room, giving Emmannuel a perfect view of the guests and their movements. He took a few seconds to observe everyone, his gaze scanning the room like an eagle searching for its next prey.
"Are we ready?” Chaney, one of the thugs in Emmannuel ’s group, nodded in affirmation. "Yeah, the gas canisters are set.”
Roch, another man, chimed in. "And the rest of the boys are waiting for your signal down on the lower floor."
Emmanuel raised a hand to his ear, activating comlink
"Martin. We're ready." static buzzed in his ear until a dry and husky voice chimed in.
"Do it."