1 CHAPTER 1: NEW WORLD

PART 1: CONFUSION

Keith wakes up.

Totally lost, he thinks back to what happened then gets up to look around the room he woke up in but something is very wrong with him he felt like his body wasn't quite his own.

Disturbing Keith's confusion a man, a big man enters the room, he dressed like a doctor of sorts but didn't look like a doctor he looked more like a soldier, he was huge, his build was that of a world champion body builder, wearing a white coat that barely fit him his face was scarred on the left cheek, his skin color was pale at some point in the past from the color of his neck but he got tanned by the beaming sun, the smile that he gave was as fake as the façade of the doctor he's trying to pull off; his hair was short and dark same color as his eyes surprisingly he didn't possess any facial hair. And without any hesitation starts explaining what happened:

DOC "A nuclear war broke out in the year 2022 or 80 years in the past."

KEITH "What???"

This doesn't make sense for Keith because all he remembers was from before he was knocked out and well that can't be more than a day ago, right?

DOC "It would have been nice if you were asleep for all that time but you haven't, and it's getting tiring to explain all this to you every time"

KEITH " 'every time'? You explained it multiple times to me?"

DOC "Since the first time you were fast to catch on to what I'm saying, even if it was totally ridiculous and even if you yourself didn't believe a word I was saying, you listened. It would have been way harder if you were dumber but anyways, yes this isn't the first time I had to explain the situation to you and before you ask, I do this pretty regularly like yearly."

KEITH "YEARLY!? FOR 80 YEARS! I would be tired of that, I honestly commend it. So, something is going to happen to me and I'm going to forget again?"

DOC "This time not quite no."

KEITH "What? is something different this time?"

DOC "I actually told you a big part of the truth this time."

KEITH "You usually leave stuff out and you're still doing it?"

DOC "Hahaha this is the first time I told you about your amnesia."

KEITH "And what is the reason for that exactly?"

DOC "It's because you're not going to forget anything anymore."

KEITH "Wow, I would have been happy but I don't remember forgetting. Well, are you going to tell me why I'm an amnesiac."

DOC "Well it's nothing special you were just a subject of a secret government experiment."

KEITH "O-oh nice. . . . . wait WHAT?"

DOC "Like I just said you were a part of a secret experiment. Don't worry no negative side effects were recorded other than the amnesia of course."

KEITH "Can I ask why? And why me in particular?"

DOC "Don't worry you're not special. well, you survived so I guess you are special now, but at first there were thousands of test subjects from all over the world without any particular reason of selection, there were some criteria but for the most part it was random."

KEITH "Hmm survived, not special, random..."

DOC "You know, aren't you being way too calm and relaxed about this situation."

KEITH "Huh? Oh, I'm terrified and I don't believe a word you're saying."

DOC "Figures, Well take a look."

The doctor turns to face the curtains covering the window and he opens them "Come on over here".

Keith tries to stand even if it was a bit uncomfortable and goes to see out of the window and it was a shock to him...

DOC "I welcome you to The City of Tears"

PART 2: THE CITY OF TEARS

After the information dump. Keith leaves the place, he can't exactly doubt it while looking at it in reality a utopia. It looked robotic, very robotic and the people living here looked strange not because of their appearance but because the way they act all of them seemed coordinated nobody seemed in control of their own bodies.

The city itself looked beautiful at least when you first look at it but when you look closer it is perfect all of it seemed calculated like a chessboard. Keith already knows that that is an existing or well a way people used to build a city in the 2000s but even then, the buildings were in the same sizes gradually decreasing until they reach civilian houses with a tall tower breaking through the sky in the centre of the city.

After walking a bit more Keith found a map of the city, he didn't know it's purpose but none the less gave it a closer look the city was in an eye shape with that tall tower in the middle of it the buildings were divided into sections and those sections had even more sections it was insane. He took a look at the sign next to the panel with the map and saw multiple houses for sale they were all the same house just in different places it was weird seeing no difference between them. all of these things made him think that this future was not as good for the freedom of the people. Everyone and everything is in perfect controlled unison.

Walking through these dull gray streets he sometime notices normality within the people but as fast as it happens it disappears; a random act of kindness, someone pets a pet, another tries to make a crying baby laugh they were no different to the life he knew. He noticed another thing he didn't see a single sign of poverty no homeless, not a single person is even underdressed.

KEITH "(sigh)This is all strange to me..."

WOMEN "What is, sir?"

Keith was startled from the women that was sitting in the bus stop, it was the first time anyone spoke to him or acknowledge his existence.

KEITH "u-um I-I-"

Keith wasn't sure how to speak to these people, everywhere he looked he saw a surveillance camera around and it wouldn't surprise him if they had microphones around and he did NOT want trouble with this kind of government.

This woman was sitting in the bus stop alone as if she didn't belong to any of the walking men headed to their jobs. Keith just realized it was around 7 in the morning so everyone was beginning their day except this woman, this whole situation was weird this is probably an outcast.

Looking back at her features the red headed woman looked beautiful in her late 20s her sitting mannerisms seemed undefined unlike the robotic actions of the people surrounding her. She looked tired with dark circles under her narrow blue eyes her face was round with a pointy chin her eyebrows were thin and tangled from her frown her hair was made into a ponytail.

WOMEN "Would you stop staring at me please..."

KEITH "S-sorry"

WOMEN "You are awfully stressed man, you can say whatever is on your mind."

KEITH "Easy for you to say."

WOMEN "Hahaha your reactions are great I haven't seen someone as expressive as you in a while, say are you new around here?"

KEITH "And you figured that out by how I expressed myself?"

WOMEN "Exactly right, you see people around don't really do that. So you have to be either a criminal or someone from a very far place from here."

KEITH "Well one of those options is close enough."

WOMEN "And it's the from a faraway place isn't it, you don't even know how this place works do you."

"And what if I don't?" Keith started getting frustrated.

WOMEN "Woah there relax, Mr. Keith."

"How do you know my name?" Keith said as a frown appeared on his face.

WOMEN "Scary! Please don't look at me in that way."

KEITH "If your answer is compelling enough, I might accept it."

WOMEN "Don't worry about it."

KEITH "THAT'S YOUR ANSWER WOMEN!?"

WOMEN "AAH! I-it's it's Rose."

KEITH "WHAT IS?"

ROSE "M-my name is Rose, Keith."

KEITH "Nice to meet you Rose, now back to how you know my name."

ROSE "I swear there is a compelling reason to that, you're just a bit ignorant."

KEITH "What was that? I think I just heard you calling me ignorant."

ROSE "Sorry I didn't mean it in a negative way I actually like it."

KEITH "And what does that mean?"

ROSE "It's been a while since I had a conversation like this, usually it's a very brief and to the point reply with these people."

KEITH "Oh? That's not how it's supposed to be? are you sure you're not the weird one here?"

ROSE "Come on if someone is weird it has to be the one that barely knows where he is."

KEITH "Agreed but my point still stands."

ROSE "Yeah, you're right in this place it has always been like that and I was the weird one."

KEITH "How did that happen I have the excuse of not being from here at least."

ROSE "So you really are not from here huh."

KEITH "Not technically no."

ROSE "Well for me it was my father."

KEITH "So your dad was the influence why was he different?"

ROSE "He was a criminal at least in the eyes of the government because he wanted freedom."

KEITH "is he, uhm dead?"

ROSE "NO, no he is quite alive thank you for the concern, he just escaped."

KEITH "and your mother?"

ROSE "she was the one that reported him for being a part of a resistance group or what they call 'terrorism' in this place."

KEITH "and you're still here."

ROSE "you mean if I don't agree with what my mother did, I should be with dad now."

KEITH "You catch on pretty quickly I like that."

ROSE "Hehe, anyway I didn't have a choice dad didn't want to involved me with his trouble and I guess mother didn't want me under harm's way either."

KEITH "You really don't like your mother huh."

ROSE "How can I? I mean she was the reason dad left us and the reason I'm under strict surveillance."

KEITH "you're under surveillance and talking to me like we are the only people on earth??"

ROSE "I'm not the one who told you to let your guard down around me, I mean it's nice to know you trusted me even for a bit."

KEITH "Well I'm out."

ROSE "W-wait you can't just leave!"

KEITH "OH I can, I was just about to do that."

ROSE "you're similar to dad, you don't like how this place is run, you said yourself that it was all strange to you, and you want to change it no?"

KEITH "I can't confirm nor deny."

ROSE "YOU!! Urgh, I get it you can't exactly announce yourself as a criminal to a stranger."

KEITH "Glad that you understand."

ROSE "But promise me one thing, you're going to leave this place I'm sure of it. Take me with you or come back to me please."

KEITH "..."

ROSE "...if you couldn't do that just check on my father for me his name is Reinhard Morrison."

After that unexpected encounter Keith continued his walk in the city as he was stopped by a news flash appearing in front of him "The outlaws' numbers are growing by the day and it is becoming a more pressing issue than it was before" this peeked Keith's curiosity and he entered the shop displaying these screens and surprisingly found newspapers he figured things like this were far gone in the future but he guessed wrong and he started to read through It to find what appears to be a wanted list of most dangerous outlaws and he read "Violet an outlaw that appeared seemingly from thin air is now one of the biggest commanders of the outlaws"

Keith needs to reach Violet as soon as he can.

PART 3: THE EXPERIMENT

He was heading back straight to the Doctor's place hoping he might know something or at least a way to reach her.

He didn't notice yet but he looked different then his usual self that was the reason of his discomfort when he woke up but getting caught up in this situation, he didn't notice his older body, stronger build, sharper senses not even his inhuman speed.

He reached the building the doctor was in and took the elevator to the 5th floor the 521st room he somehow remembered such a little detail.

Entering the apartment, he was welcomed inside by the doctor but Keith refused.

KEITH "Look we both know that you are shady."

DOC "Your point being?"

KEITH "You know who Violet is."

DOC "Why would I know that."

KEITH "Cut the crap we were both surrounded by those army men, that was literally my last memory it would make sense that you abducted both."

DOC "And who said that was true? remember that I told you the subjects were chosen what if she wasn't and you just had her run with you."

KEITH "That might be true but it's not because that doesn't explain her 'sudden appearance out of nowhere' and her being way younger than she would have been, it has been technically 80 years since I last saw her."

DOC "This world is way more advanced than the one you are used to we have de-aging medicine you know."

KEITH "Look I'm not stupid and you know it there is a difference to de-aging medicine and looking 20 when you're supposed to be 100."

DOC "Okay, I submit you're right she was also a subject."

KEITH "Do you know where she is? What her goal is?"

DOC "I don't have a clue."

KEITH "I might understand not knowing her goal but you will have to be dumb to not have some surveillance on your subjects."

DOC "Can't argue with that, However the experiment is done when you could start remembering so we don't have a reason to."

KEITH "Hmm, I didn't actually get an answer out of you the first time, did I?"

DOC "?"

KEITH "you squeezed your way out of answering my question last time huh and I didn't even notice. Let me ask again, what IS this experiment??!!"

DOC "You got me."

The doctor stood up and walked towards Keith while maintaining his elegant demeaner, Keith had a cold look on his eyes threatening the doctor.

DOC "What happened, this is the first time I got this reaction from you, you're usually so calm, quiet and collected."

KEITH "Oh I'm collected alright I'm using all of my brain power to see through that wall of deception and manipulation you built around yourself."

DOC "Ouch I didn't know you had such a bad image of me. How can I fix it?"

KEITH "Well you can start by stopping this useless conversation and actually answering my question."

DOC "Follow me."

The doctor left the room and Keith followed into the elevator, after clicking a bunch of numbers in a specific sequence the elevator rang and a voice said "Please say the password"

DOC "4f756e617275"

ELEVATOR "Code registered welcome Halfdan Alexis"

KEITH "What does that code mean?"

HALFDAN "I don't know maybe the creator's name in hexadecimal."

KEITH "That was oddly specific, anyway where are you taking me?"

HALFDAN "What you don't want to learn the truth about the experiment?"

KEITH "'(Sigh) that wasn't what I meant; I was trying to make conversation."

HALFDAN "With the person you threatening a moment ago."

KEITH "What? No way I threatened you, no that didn't happen. AND you could have said no."

HALFDAN "Just shut it until we reach the floor we need."

KEITH "It's going to take a while? how far down is the place."

HALFDAN "500 Floors."

KEITH "500? That's like thrice the height of Burj Khalifa!"

HALFDAN "It's the future genius."

After bantering for several minutes, they finally reach the 487th floor. Following the lead of the doctor he does what he's best at.

KEITH "So what's so important that I have to witness it with my own eyes?"

With a "THIS" Halfdan opened the last door that separated them from a hundred capsules all filled with people a bit older than him at least that's what he thought but all of them looked around the same age even Violet. Keith really needs to look at a mirror.

KEITH "Are those other test subjects?"

HALFDAN "WOW and how did you figure that??"

KEITH "Spare me the sass please."

HALFDAN "Like you guessed all of them were subjects."

KEITH "Were? So, they finished testing or are they... you know dead?"

HALFDAN "The latter, unfortunately they weren't as fortunate as you or Violet."

KEITH "And what was the reason of their death?"

HALFDAN "Science."

KEITH "Elaborate."

HALFDAN "The experiment we ran on you is the de-aging medicine well it got advertised that way but it is anti-aging medicine actually."

KEITH "Difference being?"

HALFDAN "De-aging means you make an old person young the other slows the aging process. Well actually at first it wasn't even anti-aging it was supposed to be immortality but we settled for the next best thing."

KEITH "And this 'medicine' is supposed to make the consumer an amnesiac and put them in a coma for years?"

HALFDAN "You should have realized this sooner both the coma and amnesia are artificial. We couldn't exactly ask for your consent I mean you were in a coma."

KEITH "The only word that comes to mind is scumbags."

HALFDAN "Fair."

KEITH "Does Violet know this too?"

HALFDAN "I don't know. If you're asking if I did this with her the answer is no but she could have figured stuff out on her own or something, then left the walls."

KEITH "You slipped up!"

HALFDAN "N-no I didn't that was a total guess."

KEITH "And I believe that guess, thanks for the hint."

Keith looked around the lab to see anything that might be of use to him and he took them as fast as he could then ran towards the elevator.

Halfdan was watching all of this unfold in a blank expression.