章 1: Divergence
[April 21st, 2074]
In an ever-advancing world, the relentless march of technology brought promises of solutions to pressing global issues such as overpopulation, hunger, and water scarcity.
However, despite the breakthroughs, the world's fundamental problems persisted. As nations poured their resources into military and technological development, the very fabric of the world deteriorated, inch by inch. Amidst this race for supremacy, private security companies emerged, sanctioned by governments to fulfill their bidding—for a fee, of course.
At the forefront of this industry stood Specter Corp, known simply as Specter. Headquartered in Sin City, a sprawling metropolis born in the early 2030s, nestled in the Nevada desert, Specter reigned supreme, offering private security solutions that assisted local governments in exchange for land and a degree of autonomy, subject to periodic checks of their operations and finances.
Expanding its influence, Specter established Primera, a research and development child corporation that propelled the company into a multibillion-dollar conglomerate, both financing and influencing the light and dark corners of the world.
Alas, Sin City—aptly named for its pervasive governmental corruption, drug trafficking, and the blood-soaked streets claimed by rival gangs—seldom resembled a haven of safety. Even with Specter's involvement, daytime tranquility soon gave way to nocturnal chaos as bullets and chaos erupted in different corners of the city on a near-daily basis.
While some remained blissfully swayed by the illusion of prosperity and security peddled by media outlets, others pierced through the veil, recognizing the city's grim reality.
…
..
.
Standing before the entrance to a private institution was a young man. With brown skin, short curly hair with sides cut to a fade, a lean physique, a black uniform consisting of a business shirt and pants, and brown eyes that are seemingly piercing the veil blanketing the city, he stood pondering when people would see it as well.
Stepping onto the campus, joining the sea of students walking to their destinations, the young man sighed as the faces of the students seemingly distorted. Overhearing their talks of college admissions, internships, and future careers as he strolled by, their features disappearing into a black nothingness, the young man walked with ever growing frustration.
Following his practiced route to class, ignoring the faceless drones of students that permeated the hallways, the young man arrived at his first class. Taking his seat near the middle of the furthest aisle by the window, the young man's eyes took note of the city once more, its peaceful facade deceiving those unaware of the harsh reality.
"Marcus!" a voice beside him said as he turned to greet it.
"Yeah? What's up?" he responded, his voice gaining a quality of comfort at the sight of his best friend Damian.
"Nothing much, just thinking of heading to the spot later to get some sketches of Lacoa." Damian replied, his eyes glancing around the room as he took a seat in front of Marcus facing him as he sat in the chair.
"Well I'm coming along, it's been a minute since I've been there and I'm a bit tired of sketching the riverside so many times." Marcus said, his hand outstretched as he and Damian completed a complex but practiced series of hand signs that culminated into a handshake.
"Then we can get some food after, I heard a new burger spot opened up in midtown." Damian said as he got out of the seat, the owner of it entered the room and stared daggers at Damian as she began walking in their direction.
"Natalia! Morning, I made sure nobody sat in your seat" Damian said as he walked to her, issuing a casual greeting as he did before finding his seat in the middle of the room.
Marcus however stayed seated and simply locked eyes with her after she walked to her desk and put her bag down, a telling gesture to their level of friendship and understanding of each other as the teacher entered the class to begin teaching, marking the start of yet another repetitive school day for Marcus.
…
With the bell marking the end of second period and the beginning of a two hour long lunch break and free period, Marcus made his way to the rooftop of the school with his sketchbook in hand.
Entering the generally unpopulated rooftop, lined by a waist high concrete wall and 7 meter wire fence on top of it, Marcus was greeted to the sight of Natalia standing along on the rooftop. Hearing the door close, she looked at him for a moment, her straight brown hair reaching the small of her back as her orange eyes fluttered with a cybernetic light before she continued gazing out at the city.
Stunned for a few moments by her beauty and seemingly innocent face contrasted by the city in the distance, Marcus began walking in her direction, only stopping a few steps from her before opening his sketchbook.
"Here to sketch the veil as you call it?" Natalia asked, her hair flowing lightly as a breeze passed over them.
"If nobody does then how else will it be noticed by someone other than me?" he responded, his hand holding a pencil as it glided over the page. For a few moments there was silence before Natalia spoke again, her voice filled with concern.
"Why do you not want to keep your grades up here? I know your parents paid a lot of money for you to be here, you're even the top artist in the art club but you've given up getting high marks on your general exams…"
"I don't want to join one of these awful corporations in this city. Teachers say it's a guaranteed ticket into one of them when we graduate, that being in one is a life of money and success. I can't live a life that is built off of their greed while bodies line the streets as a result. This city is never peaceful when the street lights come on because of them…"
With her expressions shifting, Natalia retorted, "The news doesn't say anything abo-"
"The news is deceptive. You know those news stations are bought out and only push the stories the corporations want the public to know." Marcus said as he interrupted Natalia.
Turning to face him with a frown present on her face, she retaliated, "At least the source is credible! Those podcasts you listen to aren't!"
"Those podcasts are telling the true stories the news stations are barred from sharing…" he said as he took a deep breath, the talk of the rights and wrongs of the city causing his blood to boil and his hands to tremble.
Groaning loudly, Natalia picked up the bag beside her with frustration before walking to the door to the rooftop, pausing as she looked over her shoulder at her longtime friend with moistening eyes. "Don't throw away your future trying to prove a point, this is the only shot for a guaranteed future. This city may be worse than it seems but what can one person achieve? Stay on this path and secure a future for yourself with us! Together maybe we can do something!" she shouted as tears began streaming down her face before she wiped them with her sweater.
"It's a future built on turning a blind eye the truth of this city, and I just can't accept that future. I will graduate to please my parents but any ideas on joining some corporation are dead to me." Marcus said, his words trailing off as he kept his eyes trained on the city, his hands continuing to tremble as the sound of the door shutting cast a silence on the rooftop.
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