Genesis E-Book

Nicolette Fuller

• Herausgeber: Next Chapter
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

After the world ended and mankind fell, Professor Dorian rose from the ashes to create a new dawn. In doing so he created the peacekeepers, and Hokura: the perfect being who held more importance than she would ever know. As she's thrown into training and life as a peacekeeper, she comes to realize there's something that sets her apart from the others. Lost in an array of emotions, she feels the only one she can turn to is her creator and mentor, the man who holds her fate in his grips.

In a compound built on secrets and lies, Hokura finds out there's more to their missions than scouting for rebels breaching the walls. Amid love, lies, deceit and betrayal, she comes to realize that where one secret ends, another begins and the one holding all the answers is the professor.
A fast-paced, thought-provoking science fiction adventure, Nicolette Fuller's 'Genesis' is a must-read for anyone who loves dystopian fiction. It's a story about the resilience of the human spirit, the power of friendship and teamwork, and the importance of never giving up hope, no matter how dire the situation may seem.

Leseprobe

GENESIS

THE NEW AGE SERIES

BOOK 1

NICOLETTE FULLER

CONTENTS

New Age Series

Genesis

Epilogue

Next in the Series

About the Author

Copyright (C) 2023 Nicolette Fuller

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2023 by Next Chapter

Published 2023 by Next Chapter

Edited by Graham (Fading Street Services)

Cover art by Lordan June Pinote

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

NEW AGE SERIES

Genesis

Rebirth

Meridiana

Crisis

Sacrifice

Malfunction

Resurrection

New Dawn

Retribution

Lost Years (Prequel)

I would like to dedicate this book to the dreamers.

To the romantics and to the rebels.

To the non-believers, who can now believe. To the believers (and beta readers) whom I thank.

To all those who inspired me. From main characters to the secondary ones.

The Rebel Commander’s, Dorian’s, Adam’s, and Amara’s.

To my husband, James Fuller, who I’m sure wanted to throw a thesaurus at me many times. Who encouraged me to write and do something with this story.

This is for you.

GENESIS

IT WAS 2065, AND the world was finally at peace. Countries flourished economically; genetic scientific breakthroughs were happening daily; mankind was finally at the cusp of stem cell enhancement research. All world governments had come to terms and had made peace, or so everyone had thought…

There was devastation as nuclear war broke out. As countries fought, it had been a race to see who could gain the most knowledge and resources; it ended in the eradication of the world as it was once known. Cities were destroyed, entire countries blow apart by the great war. The world population was at its lowest in history as radiation slowly killed off those who had survived the initial blasts. Mankind's only hope for survival was to rebuild under a new government order, and so from the rubble and ashes, the walled city of Meridiana was born…

It had been five years since the world was left in turmoil after a nuclear war had spread across the lands, destroying a great deal of the world’s population. Those who survived turned to anarchy, enraged that their government would allow such a war to be waged upon them. Crime littered what was left of the streets, more each day as the government tried to get a hold of the situation but fell short of improvements. Their only hope was a complete lockdown, do, or die. City walls were erected, harsh laws and curfews were put into place, soldiers were made into law officers. At this time, officials turned to science; after the war, a whole new wave of nuclear and genetic discoveries was made. A team of scientists had set out to create the ultimate human specimen, “peacekeepers”; they tried and failed miserably until a breakthrough was made by administering a series of injections of enhanced genetically altered stem cells, a body could maintain its youth. The injected cells would seek out the weak or dying cells of the subject. They would attach themselves to them and, in the process of creating a perfect cell, would kill the old one taking its place.

In 2075, the experiment had progressed enough to be tested. Fifty children from the ages of three months to five years, who were either orphaned or given as tribute, were injected and put into medical comas. The theory was that their sleeping bodies would take on the cells and start to genetically create enhanced cells of their own. For five years, the team worked feverishly, but their efforts went nowhere. Their subjects continued to die off while their bodies were asleep. The injection doses were cut in half and then even more so, yet it seemed that organ failure was inevitable as most of the children bled to death within months of the first injection. After running more tests, and many more millions of dollars of scientific experimenting being flushed away, the government allowed the head scientist twenty more children to experiment with. The success rate started to look up as the first few years went by without incident, but complications began to kick in. In the end, only three subjects survived the ordeal. They lay comatose in bed in the science facility, the scientists not knowing when, or if, they would ever awaken. A new government inside the scientific compound grew within Meridiana's walled city as the world outside the walls started to rot away from the death and destruction, leaving nothing but barren wastelands to fill the void which had once been a well-populated area of the world.

* * *

Hokura awoke in a dead sweat; her ears were ringing as her head throbbed in agony, blurring her vision. She reached blindly over to her nightstand, grabbed a syringe, and injected its contents into her arm. Within seconds her vision began to clear; she could see that daylight was already filtering into her room. The alarm clock on the stand read that it was already 09:20 a.m. Hokura let out a sigh. She had roughly ten minutes to get ready and knew they would be waiting for her.

Stretching her muscles, her nerves started to ease as she got up. She put on a pair of blue jeans that lay on the floor beside her bed and pulled on a white, ribbed tank top. Stopping by the mirror to glance at herself, she pulled her long brown hair into a ponytail. She had only aged twenty of her twenty-five years until her body had stopped. Her body was taut and toned after rigorous training, months of combat, and being on the force for nine months. She considered her 5’4” frame short for her age, but her hundred and twenty-pound body was a solid mass of firm muscle and raw power.

There was a hint of glee in her light brown eyes this morning. Later in the afternoon, she had an appointment with Professor Dorian and Doctor Allen. Hokura slipped on her runners after exiting her tiny bathroom and made her way down to the mess hall.

“Morning, Hokura,” Amara chimed. She was sitting at a table with a coffee in hand. Accompanying her was the third child, Adam, who had his head down on the table as he rested his hand on a steaming cup.

“Good morning.” Hokura smiled while walking up to her best friend.

Amara had reached her twenty-second year. She was the second child to survive the experiments and had short sandy-blonde hair and blue eyes. Her figure was more masculine than Hokura’s; Amara had strength, whereas Hokura had speed, but they were both evenly matched when it came to combat fighting ability. Hokura sat down with her two friends, her only friends really, besides the professor and his assistant, Doctor Allen.

“So, what’s for breakfast?” Hokura asked, stealing a quick sip of Amara’s bland and already cooling coffee.

“Same as always,” Adam murmured, his face still buried in his arms as his head rested on the metal table of the cafeteria. His short black hair was tufted up and sticking out. His muscles were sturdy even though he had a gaunt exterior; he hoped it would fill out in the three years of aging that he had left. Hokura always thought that Adam had the most unique eyes left on earth. One of them was light brown, while the other was a pale green with a slash of blue.

“Long night?” Hokura smirked, leaning back in her chair.

“Just a continuation of the last few nights, tracking down rebels who are breaching the wall and bringing in more weapons. You think you've finally gotten a hold of one band, and another one comes up on the far end of the city. Unfortunately, the night watch was chasing them around, too. It was a good thing I had Amara with me. It doesn’t make any sense. We have soldiers guarding the wall. How are the rebels still even getting in? All in all, I just couldn't sleep last night. I think my mattress needs to be replaced,” Adam grumbled, lifting his head, and sipping his coffee.

“Aw, moan and complain about what was considered an easy night, and then whine about your mattress when you could just as easily sleep on your couch,” Amara teased, and Hokura chuckled. “So, when are you back on the force?” Amara asked, turning to Hokura. Her tone was a serious one.

“I've been having some awful headaches lately, same with some really bad ringing in my ears. Other than that, itdidn't affect me. I have an appointment with the professor this afternoon, so I hope to be back tonight! Two weeks off duty has been enough for me,” Hokura answered.

“Didn’t affect you! I found you like fifty feet from the initial blast, totally knocked out!” Amara scoffed.

Hokura looked away from her friend; she felt foolish.

“You’re my best friend. I just don’t want anything to happen to you,” Amara apologized, resting her hand upon Hokura’s arm, trying to comfort her from her harshness.

“Yes,” Adam spoke up. “Remember what the professor has drilled into us? We may not age, but that doesn’t mean we’re immortal. You could have been killed!”

“The third child is right." A deep voice came from behind the three; it was Professor Dorian. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a red dress shirt underneath; it looked more like something an officer or commander might wear. His glasses were so tinted they nearly shielded his blue eyes. He stood a tall man, taller than Adam. The professor must have been over six feet; he had dark brown hair that seemed black when it wasn’t in the light and a beard that he kept neatly trimmed. Hokura always thought of him as a ruggedly handsome man, even though she guessed he was possibly in his mid-thirties.

The three turned and stood. “Good morning, sir,” they said, bowing their heads.

Dorian only laughed. “That’s enough now. We’re not in training or studies, so enough with the formalities. I hope you’re all enjoying a good breakfast.”

Adam rolled his eyes quickly enough that only Amara caught him. “Why can’t we leave the facility and get something other than cafeteria food?” Adam asked but knew the answer.

Dorian only chuckled. “I’m sorry, my children, but I cannot allow you out to wander the streets. You would stick out like a sore thumb, and only negative attention would be brought your way. Maybe in time, I’ll allow it, but not with the rebels about, even in the daylight hours,” Dorian replied with a hint of sympathy for the group. "Besides, we're making breakthroughs every day with the GMO processing with our foods. It'll get better in time."

“We’re peacekeepers. We’re only allowed to be out in the shadows of night. Who knows what the civilians would do if they knew we were casually walking around,” Amara scolded Adam, who shot back. The two squabbled as Hokura looked on.

The professor put his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll see you later on this afternoon, Hokura.” He smiled warmly at her and walked away.

“I saw that!” Amara cried, pointing at Hokura. “I’ve told you for months, but I saw it that time!” Hokura stood stunned, looking as if her friend had lost it. “I told you so!” Amara continued.

“WHAT!?” Hokura cried, wondering just what Amara thought she had witnessed.

Amara grabbed Hokura and pulled her in, closely whispering into her ear. “I saw the look that the professor gave you, first child,” Amara whispered.

Hokura backed away. “Oh, Amara, you’re so full of it,” Hokura said, turning away. She was starving at this point, and even if the food wasn't great, at least it would fill her stomach.

“I saw you smiling this morning when you told me that you had an appointment with the professor,” Amara butted in.

“She’s got you there, Hokura,” Adam chimed in, looking as if he was going to go Hokura’s way of getting some breakfast. Hokura’s face reddened as she couldn’t hide her blushing cheeks.

“Honestly, it’s not like that.” Hokura smiled, which only made her brighten.

“Then what is it?” Amara blurted, not allowing Hokura a second of silent thoughts to herself.

“I don't know. I really enjoy the professor’s assistant Doctor Allen. He's just so kind to me. He always has a way of bringing me new canvases for my paintings.” Hokura blushed.

Adam pulled at Amara’s arm. “Are we gonna get some food, or are you just gonna sit here and gossip all morning?”

“Yeah, would you mind? I want eggs and toast and get Hokura a good hearty breakfast. Can’t have her going to this scandalous appointment on an empty stomach!” Amara said, waving Adam away.

Adam only shook his head as he walked towards the cafeteria buffet. Hokura knew he’d be back with enough food for all of them.

Hokura grabbed Amara’s arm and scooted closer to her. “Scandalous! Where do you get such thoughts like this?” Hokura said, shaking her head. “It’s nothing like that… I just really like him, that’s all. Besides, it's not like I get to see him often since he's always in the lab and working with the professor.”

Amara searched her best friend’s eyes and decided to drop the subject. “So, have you heard what’s been going on out there lately?” Amara spoke in a hushed tone. “Sounds like the city walls are being breached every night by bands of rebels. They've been exporting huge amounts of weapons, but unfortunately, between us and the night watch, we just can't keep track of everything that's being brought into the city. The word is that the civilians are buying them and keeping them within the city.” She shifted her weight. “I just don't get it. The civilians need to learn to be grateful. The city took them in, gave them a place of refuge to live, protect them from the anarchy, even brings in penance and lets them work, and they go out and bring in weapons! For whatever reasons, I can only imagine! Most likely to rob merchants like themselves who barely have anything.”

Hokura sat silently for a second as she gathered in what Amara was saying. The night she was taken down, it had been an exported bomb that had gone off while she was chasing down a rebel. The city was right not to allow weapons inside its walls… “I don’t understand why we can't just live in peace. Why there’s so much envy in a world when we all have less?” Hokura shook her head.

“That’s because mankind is born evil and greedy,” Adam said matter-of-factly, setting down two large trays of food.

“Alright, enough of this down talk, I’m starved!” Amara cried and started to dig in, reaching for the dry toast and the eggs.

“Just like I said.” Adam chuckled, grabbing at a muffin, and taking a bite. “I guess we should all be grateful for what we have, even if it's genetically modified eggs…" he looked at Amara, who grimaced as she took a large bite, "and what we’ve been granted here in Meridiana. We live here under protection; we have more resources than anyone outside.”

"I bet the outsiders have better food than this," Amara muttered. "At least they've got the bread tasting a bit better, but the eggs still taste like paste… but I agree, and that's where our duty comes in. It's up to us to protect the civilians,” Amara huffed, taking another bite. "They'd just be blowing themselves, or others up, with those weapons if we didn't confiscate them."

Hokura smiled. She knew Amara held her code of being a peacekeeper in high regard, even if at times she couldn't make sense of why things happened between the city and the rebels that none of them could explain.

The three friends made small talk through breakfast. Other compound workers and scientists made their way through the cafeteria, some in large groups, some alone, since it was already late. Hokura figured a lot of them were taking their first break, yet it seemed that they always stayed clear of the three youngest-looking people in the room and sat off to the side tables of the large hall. Hokura finished and started getting up.

“Sorry to eat and run, guys. I’m sure I’ll catch you two later,” Hokura said.

Amara grinned. “I’m going to be in the training facility’s combat gym all day, brushing up on some hand to hand,” she mocked as she swung her fists in the air.

Adam looked up, tiredly at Hokura. “I’m going back to bed… I’ll catch you two at dinner hour.”

Hokura nodded; she wanted to hit the speed track before she showered off and went to the medical facility.

She made her way down to the training facility, yet another massive part of the first floor of the compound. It, too, was filled with large gymnasiums; some held weights and benches, while others had padded floors that were used for combat training. There were even smaller rooms where one could practice their hand coordination with a simulation fighting screen. The facility was rarely empty, as the night watch and day watch soldiers used the different stations to better themselves when it came to their duty. The day watch was more for civilian policing, making sure that Meridiana's people kept the peace amongst each other. The night watch went out at curfew to make sure that civilians weren't on the city streets. They were also to report in if they discovered any rebel activity within the walls. The peacekeepers were the lead soldiers when it came to disruptive activities during the night; because of their genetic makeup, their abilities were no match for any mere human. They made the perfect super soldier to defend the city.

Hokura walked into the speed training gymnasium; the track room, like all rooms of the training facilities, was all devoid of any color other than the floor, which had a beige track path around the perimeter of the room. There were computer terminals along the far wall along with medical equipment to test heart rates and other such equipment to monitor physical aspects. Hokura had changed into her track clothes: black spandex shorts and a sports bra. The room operator greeted her as she walked in.

“Good day, Hokura.” Annette smiled. “What would you like to test today?” she asked, walking over to a large computer to type in Hokura’s ID.

Annette was one of the top female tech operators of the facility. She wore a white lab coat over a sky-blue turtleneck and black slacks. She had shoulder-length wavy blonde hair and blue eyes, which were framed by thick black glasses. Hokura guessed her to be in her mid-thirties but never asked about her assumption; maybe it was because age was irrelevant to her. Then again, it had been hard to tell in the compound. It seemed that everyone, from the doctors to the scientists, and even the watch guards, were all around the thirties age range, other than some government officials such as Governor Larson.

“Racetrack time trial,” Hokura responded, walking up to where Annette had been punching in Hokura’s ID. Hokura looked at the sensors laid out on the table and started to attach them to her body without any small talk. Once they were in place, she walked over to the starting point.

“Sensors attached,” the operator stated over an intercom, typing into the computer at the far end of the gymnasium. “Heart rate normal… blood pressure normal… brain wave activity normal… count down beginning.”

Hokura edged herself, focusing on the long, narrow track in front of her, which wrapped its way around the edge of the gymnasium. She hadn’t been too impressed with her last time trial; she was going for larger improvements today.

“Countdown started. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,” Annette’s voice boomed. Hokura took off, exerting herself as hard as she could in hopes of making an improvement. She had been taken by surprise by the bomb. She hadn't been on her game that night; she needed to do better, be faster and stronger… to be her best. She cleared the track quickly and went into a slow walk, waiting for the results.

“Heart rate good, blood pressure normal, brain waves normal, body temperature normal,” Annette’s voice echoed. “Time trial, 118.24 seconds.”

Hokura sighed in relief and smiled as the sweat ran down her stomach. That was three seconds faster than her last trial. Hearing the news gave her the satisfaction and confidence that she needed to feel that she was ready to go back onto the force that evening.

“Would you like to run any more trials today, Hokura?” Annette asked.

Hokura caught her breath. “No, thank you, Annette, that was just the boost I needed for the day. I have an appointment in about an hour anyway, thank you,” Hokura replied.

The operator walked over and handed Hokura a towel. “Your brain waves seemed to have fluctuated after the race. I take it you have something on your mind?” Annette commented as Hokura wiped the sweat from her body.

Hokura blushed that she had been found out. “I was just thinking about getting back out there tonight, that’s all,” she lied; her thoughts were actually racing about her appointment this afternoon.

Annette smiled. “The professor will deem when you are ready to go back out on the force. Don’t push yourself too hard. Either way, I hope you’re happy with your results. You’re really improving your speeds.”

Hokura nodded firmly. “I hope that I’m deemed sooner rather than later. Have a good day, Annette,” she said and walked out.

Hokura made her way down the hallway and up to the housing floor and towards her room. The facility was a vast maze of operating rooms, council rooms, closed-off corridors, and housing for the workers. Every scientist lived on grounds; the professor even supposedly lived somewhere on the facility grounds, although Hokura didn’t know where. She never really pictured him living anywhere since he was always somewhere other than his living quarters.

The scientists and operators lived on the second floor. The three children lived on the third along with the main team of the stem cell researchers, although Hokura could never recall ever really seeing any of them in the hallways. That was most likely because they were up early while the peacekeepers slept. By the time the three were leaving for duty, most of the compound had already tucked in for the night.

Hokura’s mind wandered… she wondered where Doctor Allen and the professor were stationed among the living quarters. She wondered what Doctor Allen's room might look like, and with that, her cheeks reddened as her heart fluttered in a way she had never really felt before.

* * *

Hokura walked into her room. It was simple; there was a small kitchen, which she never used, that was filled with essential cutlery, bowls, and dishes. She’d always taken her meals in the cafeteria with the other children, though. Maybe one day, she would take an interest in cooking, but she didn't see the need for it since it made no logical sense for her to cook a meal when there was food prepared and served in the cafeteria. There was a bathroom with a small tub that she used more for the shower, a bedroom, and a living room off the main hallway near the entrance. The decor was simple. On the beige walls hung a number of paintings she had done, along with one sketched in black paint, which Hokura had done when she had first awakened. Hokura sat on her couch, a comfortable beige sofa, across from a small old-fashioned television screen; she had a small wooden coffee table that she used to prop her feet up. The main living areas were always clean. It was Hokura’s bedroom floor that was typically littered with the few clothes that she actually wore. There was a laundry service in the compound; she would stuff her clothes in a bag and hang them on her door, where they would be picked up and brought back the same day. From there, they usually ended up folded in a pile on the floor until they became scattered once more.

She breathed in, feeling more pleased with the day now that her time trial had gone well. Waking up to pounding pain in her head had put her in a mood, but her spirits were now lifted. She gave herself one more moment of peace before getting up. There was just enough time for her to freshen up with a quick shower, then be off to see the professor and Doctor Allen.

Hokura felt at ease as she stood in the shower, washing her hair. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so relaxed. Her mind drifted, remembering the day she awoke for the first time to see the professor staring down at her. She could barely move, even though she had been hooked up to a device that sent electrodes to her muscles and massaged them. It was as if she was being born into an already adult formed body.

She remembered some of her first days, looking up at the professor who was smiling widely. He was talking, but the only thing Hokura’s mind transfixed on was his assistant. He was looking down at her with a grin, a beautiful smile that almost glowed. His eyes were hazel: his hair, blonde and medium length: his face, chiseled and kind. She remembered the professor reaching down and helping her sit up, and Doctor Allen rubbing her back as she sat silently. He had offered her something to drink and calmed her as she choked it down and spat half of it back up.

For the first few months, Hokura was constantly watched over by the professor. He helped her walk. He explained that she had not awakened naïve and ignorant to the world around her; while she was in a coma, her mind was forever learning new things. She had been hooked up to a device that fed her mind information at alarming rates. Hokura was tested about the information she had learned about while remaining at rest for nearly nineteen years. She had absorbed incredible amounts that seemed to floor Doctor Allen and even the professor.

Hokura smiled warmly at the thought. They had both been so kind to her. Doctor Allen was the one who had brought her canvases and paints and let her enjoy the simple pleasures of art. He even brought her some old books which had pictures of famous paintings from the old world. Art had always astonished Hokura, and strangely enough, even though she had just awakened from a nineteen-year sleep without any experience, she took to painting and sketching with incredible skill.

Hokura turned off the water and dried herself off; she got herself ready for her appointment. Before she left, she grabbed a piece of large canvas; She had a gift for Doctor Allen for being so kind to her and that he was always willing to bring her more supplies at her disposal when she wasn’t in training.

Hokura took the stairs down to the first floor, passed the mess hall where a few people lingered eating a late lunch. The first floor was the largest of all three, over four times bigger than the living quarters. She made her way through mass hallways, following directions of signs. No matter how many times she had been down this way, Hokura always seemed to have difficulty finding the medical facility. There were tons of hallways and rooms for uses that she couldn’t even imagine; large rooms that needed pass cards to get into and large spaces that were used for experiments that only the highest-ranking scientists of the original team had access to. Also, the GMO facility, where their food supply was continually being created and grown.

“Oh, why is it that I never pay attention to where this place is.” Hokura sighed to herself, leaning up against a wall as she held onto the canvas, trying to get her bearings.

“You look lost.” A kind voice came from behind her. Hokura sighed as she recognized it right away. She turned to come face to face with Doctor Allen.

“Doctor.” Hokura blushed, not wanting to admit that she was lost.

“What do you have there?” Allen asked, staring at the canvas.

Hokura smiled. She didn’t know what to say, so she held the canvas out in front of her. “This is for you. It’s a tiger lily. A flower from one of the books that you gave me with the photos of old-world vegetation and plant life,” Hokura commented, handing the canvas to the doctor.

“Oh, Hokura, it’s lovely! We've actually been able to create a genetic offset identical to this in the Ecco greenhouse. You did an excellent job, thank you so much,” Doctor Allen complimented, smiling warmly at her while taking the painting and staring at the brightly decorated canvas. “I always said we should use you as an artist around here. We have so many offices with white walls that could use a splash of color.” He chuckled.

“Like the old-world art museums!” Hokura chimed in, and Doctor Allen chuckled again.

“Indeed, my dear. I’m sure with your talent. We could have a room full of your artwork.” He placed a warm hand on Hokura’s shoulder. “Now, let’s get down to the medical wing. The professor will be waiting for us.” He led the way, with Hokura following beside him.

* * *

The two entered the medical facility, it wasn’t only used as a medical research lab, but it’s west wing also served as a hospital for the people of the city. In total, there were three hundred civilian medical rooms, five standard operating rooms, and over fifty research development rooms. The clinic took up one-third of the bottom of the facility. Its size was massive compared to the rest of the area’s that Hokura had visited, although she had never been to the hospital's civilian clinic. She knew it had to be large enough to accommodate a city of over one hundred thousand people, even though there were always complaints of dwindling health aid and medical staff. Hokura knew the professor and the compound did what they could to keep everything running smoothly.

Doctor Allen turned down the hall and took Hokura into the facility's main research area where she had first awakened. They walked through a pair of large doors and then entered a room to the left, where the professor was waiting.

“Ah, good, you both made it here. I was worried for a minute that you would have a hard time finding the location again, Hokura.” The professor smiled.

Hokura looked around; she had never been in this room before. There was an examining table to the side of the room and a large CAT. scanning machine in the middle towards the wall. The room seemed darker than most; cupboards and shelves held regular medical equipment along with trolleys holding syringes of every sort.

“I need you to strip down to bare undergarments, please,” the professor ordered as he turned his back from her, checking a clipboard he had in his hand.

Doctor Allen turned his back to give Hokura her privacy. An act Hokura found strange. She had always been open about her body; the idea of finding shame or embarrassment in something that everyone had was foreign to her. Doctor Allen would be examining her anyway, so why did he turn now when he would be looking at her in a moment?

“Please have a seat on the table, Hokura. I’ll be over in a second,” the professor stated while he grabbed some examining tools.

Doctor Allen walked over to Hokura, keeping his eyes on her face as he did so. “How’s your head been since the incident?” he asked, shining a light into her eyes, and looking into them deeply.

“I’ve been suffering headaches and a ringing in my ears from time to time. Other than that, no physical effect,” Hokura answered, scratching her head.

“That was to be expected,” the professor chimed in, walking towards her with a syringe in his hand. He injected it into her arm, causing Hokura to flinch slightly. “I'm sorry for the pain, my child,” he apologized gently, rubbing her arm, enjoying the contact with her.

“You see here, Doctor, I’m injecting her with an upped dosage of cells. Since her body was under stress after the accident, her cells may have slowed down in developing and possibly gotten weak. Hopefully, this boost will get her system fully going again,” the professor explained.

Doctor Allen nodded, glancing over to Hokura, who sat emotionless. She didn’t know what to say or how to feel towards the idea of her cells, possibly being inadequate. She just hoped that she would be allowed back on the force tonight.

“Now, Hokura, I need you to lay down on the machine over there. We need to do a body scan. I want to make sure that there’s no internal damage that we might have missed or that might have developed recently,” the professor ordered, stepping towards a desk that held the operating system for the CAT scan.

Hokura got off the examining table and did as she was told. Doctor Allen stared at her as she walked past him. He couldn’t help but steal glances at the first child; she was perfection itself, and yet she didn’t know it. That was a definite perk of the injections. Never in her life would she experience skin flaws. Never in her life would her body betray her. She would always be firm and toned. Her hair would always be healthy. She would forever remain young and beautiful.

Doctor Allen helped Hokura position herself on the table. As he touched her waist, she shivered. “I’m sorry,” he apologized profusely. “I guess I have cold hands.” He smiled.

Hokura nodded, but it wasn’t the temperature of his hands that made her tremble. It was having them upon her skin, which gave her a sensation that she had never felt before.

“Are you ready, Hokura?” Professor Dorian asked, looking up and over at her.

Hokura nodded as the process started.

She was scanned from head to toe as lights flashed over her. She closed her eyes to shield them from the brightness of the flashes. As quickly as the procedure had started, it was over.

“We’re done here,” the professor stated.

Hokura stood for a moment in silence, waiting to be told that she would be able to be off her leave and back on for the night.

“Doesn’t look like there’s any internal stress or damage. You got lucky this time.” The professor grinned at her kindly, looking at her scans.

Hokura nodded obediently. “I'm glad to hear it, sir,” she answered.

“You may get dressed now,” Doctor Allen said, his eyes faltering and glancing down at her. He handed Hokura her clothes as she blushed, taking them quickly.

Hokura dressed and resumed her position, waiting for the professor to give her the news. She desperately wanted to hear that she could go out and protect humanity with her two fellow friends.

The professor studied the scans for a few more minutes as both Hokura and Doctor Allen stood silently, waiting for his opinion. He cleared his throat and looked up at Hokura. “Do you feel ready to go back out there?”

Hokura stood tall as a smile formed on her face. “Yes, sir, it’s my duty to protect and serve. I've been incredibly restless the past few days."

"Restless, indeed. I've noticed that you've been spending a lot of time in the training facility and at the time trial track. You've been improving," the professor said. “Then you are back on duty as of tonight. I will see you at the briefing.”

Hokura nodded. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” She beamed with the good news.

“I’ll show Hokura back to the common area, sir,” Doctor Allen insisted, resting his hand upon Hokura’s shoulder.

“Yes, please do. We don’t want her getting lost and missing her first night back on duty.” The professor smirked and then winked at Hokura, who blushed at her horrible sense of direction when it came to the medical area.

Doctor Allen and Hokura walked down the vast hallways in silence. Doctor Allen eyed her as she silently strode beside him, then cleared his throat. “So, what’s it like?” he asked, knowing he would have to explain himself but just wanted to hear her voice.

“What’s what like?” she asked, still keeping pace.

“Knowing that you are the perfect image of mankind,” Doctor Allen whispered.

Hokura stopped and turned to face him. “I don’t find any perfection in mankind,” she answered.

Doctor Allen licked his lips. “Is that the way you see the professor and me?” he asked, his throat feeling dry.

Hokura looked up into his green eyes. “No, you two are different. You two are trying to protect the people of the new world. You offer them medical treatment. Your work is to try and better mankind. You two work for the compound and government which has created this city, offered homes, and protection from the outside.”

Doctor Allen took a step back, staring back into her eyes. Her heart fluttered at the notion of this much attention from him. “And what about you, Hokura?” he asked.

Hokura took a second to consider her answer. “I don’t know. I have my duty. I was created to be a peacekeeper. A lot of mankind’s doings are a mystery to me even though I am human myself.”

“I feel sorry for you,” Doctor Allen replied, giving her a sympathetic look. “All you know is what you’ve been taught. You’ve been ignorant to everything but what’s been laid out in front of you. You have no clue about human relationships or how emotions work…”

Hokura gave a weak smile. “Maybe I’m best left ignorant, Doctor.” Inside she felt something, a warm feeling that she wanted to be close to Doctor Allen. She glanced longingly at him but didn’t know what to say. The Doctor had complimented her, and she’d shot it down. She felt childish in what was of her own stubbornness, or maybe it was her ignorance.

“Hokura, you can always talk to me if you have any questions,” he told her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

They heard a rather abrupt clearing of the throat. They both looked to see the professor standing in the hallway, staring at them.

“Doctor Allen, I forgot I need to have a word with you,” the professor said, giving him a hard stare.

Hokura had never seen the professor like this before; he almost seemed upset.

“Yes, sir, right away,” Doctor Allen answered, looking back at the professor and then to Hokura.

“The exit is just down this hall and to the right,” he said, giving Hokura a bleak expression.

“Thank you, Doctor,” she answered, emotionless, and then turned to leave, making her way down the hallway and to the right as she walked. She wondered what had just happened. The professor almost seemed upset at seeing the two together talking; Amara’s teasing ways came fleeting back into her mind. “I saw the look that the professor gave you, first child!” Hokura banished the thought from her mind. The professor was her creator, her mentor if anything else, but certainly, he held no other emotions for her than that, or so she thought.

* * *

Hokura sat in the mess hall. It was dinner time, which was now being served at seventeen hundred hours. All meals had a duration of three hours to accommodate the hours of everyone working in the compound. Hokura sat in their spot in the cafeteria, and, as usual, she was waiting for Amara and Adam to meet her like they did every night. Hokura watched as Amara walked towards her; she was wearing navy blue tracksuit bottoms with a matching tank top.

“What a day of training! Nothing gets out frustration like some hand-to-hand combat.” Amara yawned as she stretched. Hokura beamed at her as she sat down. “I take it we’re waiting for the third child… always the last one.” Amara chuckled at her joke.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh about it. My alarm didn’t go off. I was rather enjoying a nice sleep for once,” Adam said, coming up behind the two and taking a playful swipe at Amara’s head.

“Hokura, are you back on tonight?” Amara asked as they both got up from the table to get themselves some food.

“As of tonight, I’m back out there.” Hokura beamed with the satisfaction of knowing she would be able to be at her friend’s side, back out defending the city and doing her job. She had felt useless while not being able to go out as the professor monitored her.

The three made their way to the cafeteria dinner buffet. Hokura loaded up on salads and some roast beef, whereas Adam filled his plate with different types of pasta. Amara took a bit of everything like she did every night, hoping to find something to her liking; in her words, “it may be all the same when it’s done, but that doesn’t mean it has to taste like shit before it’s digested.”

They all sat back down at their regular table as scientists and officers made their way into the hall. Most took their meals back to their offices or living quarters. Hokura quite enjoyed eating in the hall; it was the closest thing to “dining out” she would ever experience.

“I take it the appointment went well, then, today?” Adam said between mouthfuls of pasta.

Hokura put down her fork, which she was about to stuff into her mouth and looked up for a second. “It went well. No internal damage,” she answered, not knowing what else to report. “Since I was allowed back on the force for tonight, everything must have been in order.”

Adam nodded and went back to stuffing himself.

“What the hell is this?” Amara blurted with a disgusted look on her face.

Hokura raised an eyebrow and looked over to Amara’s plate to see what she was making such a commotion about. “That’s a yam,” Hokura answered, giving Amara a strange look.

“Well, it tastes like a sweetened piece of cardboard! Adam, give me some of your food. It looks like it might taste better.” Amara reached over to Adam’s plate and took a large piece of what appeared to be lasagna.

“You said last time that you hated pasta!” Adam cried, trying to defend what he had left on his dinner plate.

“Yeah, but I apparently hate yams even more,” Amara announced, stuffing some of the lasagna into her mouth.

Hokura giggled at the two as she ate. “You know, you can’t just live off toast and sandwiches, Amara.” It was the same thing every night at dinner, but she never grew tired of the mealtime antics. “You should be happy that they have something other than just potatoes out there tonight.”

“You could be eating out of a tube,” Adam muttered, quietly taking another bite.

Hokura kicked him under the table and glared at him, hoping that Amara hadn’t heard.

“I bet the professor was delighted to see you, Hokura,” Amara teased, taking another forkful from Adam’s plate.

Hokura sighed in relief that Amara hadn’t heard Adam’s comment. The first child sat silently for a moment as she remembered the look on the professor’s face when he had called Doctor Allen back to talk to him. She wondered what had been so urgent and hoped that she didn’t get him in trouble for such small talk.

“Hello, earth to Hokura,” Amara said, waving her hand in front of Hokura’s face. “I was only teasing, you know.”

Hokura glanced at her friend, looking into her blue eyes. “I know,” she answered. “You know that the professor cares for all of us equally, though, Amara. I’m hardly his favorite. He’s taken great care and interest in all three of us.”

“He should. We’re his life’s work,” Adam chimed in, finishing the last of his food. “He put all his time and energy into the stem cell project, plus he’s created a scientific fortress to further the experiments. He lives for science, and we’re his biggest breakthrough.”

Amara nodded, as did Hokura; they both knew what Adam was saying was true. The professor had told them how he had fought tooth and nail with government officials after the first fifty lives were lost and about his struggle to perfect his science of stem cell research. It wasn’t until the last ten years that he had become liberated from the government and was seen as a higher-up after setting up the scientific facility and hospital for civilian use. He and the city’s governor seemed to work well together; they saw eye to eye in regard to keeping peace inside the city walls and helping its society grow and flourish.

“Well, I’m going to grab some more food,” Adam said as he got up, excusing himself from the table.

“Bring me back some more of that lasagna!” Amara called to Adam, waving her hands at him. How she loved ordering him around, and yet it was all in fun; Adam knew that Amara would never take their friendship for granted.

As soon as Adam was out of hearing range, Amara closed into Hokura. “So, what about Doctor Allen? Was he happy to see you?” Amara said in a low tone, smirking.

Hokura blushed as she was caught off guard. “Doctor Allen is the professor’s assistant. He’s put just as much work into us. He was relieved to find out that I’m well enough to be back on tonight, as well.” Hokura knew that wasn’t what Amara wanted to hear. “He’s my friend, just like you and Adam.”

Amara let out a sigh, knowing she wasn’t going to get anywhere with Hokura on this topic. “Are you excited about tonight?” she asked, graciously changing the subject.

“Of course, I am!” Hokura beamed with excitement. “I can’t wait until briefing.”

Amara grinned at her friend’s excitement to be sent out into the night to do the job she was created for, to have her sense of purpose back again. “Are you at all nervous about going back out there after what happened?” she asked in a more serious tone.

“I haven’t overly thought of it. Honestly, being nervous about being out is most likely the furthest thing in my mind.” Hokura shrugged. “I’ll be sure to be more on guard tonight.”

Adam returned with a full plate. He sat back down and dished out a large serving to Amara. “So, what are you two going to be doing after dinner?” he asked as he commenced shoveling food into his mouth. Amara grabbed her fork and continued picking away at it.

“I say we go for a walk on the grounds. I haven’t been outside in a couple of days.” Hokura wanted to get out of the hold of the walls around her.

“Sounds good to me. Hopefully, the fresh air will perk me up,” Adam said with a tired look, and so they agreed that a walk around the perimeter was the perfect way to end their day before they went on duty.

* * *

As the one-hour curfew warning horns blared through the darkening sky, the three walked the back of the facility grounds, enjoying the fresh air and last hour before they were given their briefing and allowed into the city for their nightly duty.

“I wonder,” Hokura said, looking to the sky. “Do you think there’s any natural plant life left growing anywhere on earth?”

Amara shrugged, walking beside her. “Who knows? I’m sure there’s still something left out in the far regions of the world where the nukes didn’t hit. Somewhere far south or north, possibly.”

Adam cleared his throat. “I wonder if there are any free societies out there. You know, people living as they used to, in a city without walls, without curfews, without all this!” He spread his arms, looking at the perimeter walls that still held them in and away from the city.

Communication with the world outside the city didn’t exist. Meridiana had become self-reliant due to the compound. For all any of the three knew, it was like a vast fortress of four walls in the middle of the wasteland among rebel camps.

Hokura wondered to herself about the rebels; they were people, too, after all. She wondered where they got their resources from. Maybe they traded weapons with the civilians for those resources? Either way, everything they had couldn’t have been from the city; they must have been taken from another city or traded. There must have been another source that no one was aware of.

“And to think, beyond these walls, there’s an entire vast city that we protect, yet we never see its people,” Adam said, patting the cold stone wall.

“I wish I could see the city in the daylight… to visit the shops. Just for a day, just to see what it’s like,” Hokura said wistfully. She had only heard about the city from things the night watch had said.

“Don’t we all?” Amara said with a hopeful sigh.

“You both know it’s a long way from happening. It’s not in our best interest to be out there during the day,” Adam added.

“You’re such a mood killer, Adam.” Amara glared at him.

Hokura smiled, breathing in the air as the sky started to mix in bright oranges and pinks. “A girl can dream,” she whispered.

“Our briefing is at twenty-one hundred hours. We only have twenty minutes, so we’d best get back,” Adam commented, looking at his watch.

* * *

The three sat side by side on leather armchairs in the briefing room; across from them sat the professor at a large oak desk reading over reports. They knew to sit silently until the professor addressed them.

The briefing office was large but simple; it held four chairs, including the professor’s, a leather couch in the middle of the room, and several filing cabinets and bookshelves which held what Hokura figured were important documents. Hokura had always wondered if this was where the professor spent most of his time with Talon, the day and night watch commander, as they went over what was happening in the city. Surely, he also spent a large amount of time in the labs as well; the idea of the man being everywhere in the day seemed exhausting.

The professor sat wearing the same outfit as he did every day. He pushed his glasses up his nose as he continued to read until he cleared his throat and looked up. “Good evening, my children,” he acknowledged.

“Good evening, sir,” the three replied in unison.

“The night watch took after the rebels that were in the city last night but ended up losing their trail. This is unfortunate in our case. I see the rebels have been breaching the east wall nearly every other night. Adam, find out why they have such a strong interest in that area and if there are any warehouses or bunkers holding weapons or anything else of interest. If we can find out the exact location that they're getting in, then we can have it guarded; if there’s a hole in the wall, we can have it reinforced.”

Adam nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Also, there have been reports that the rebels have been selling weapons to patrons in the city who have been using them for trade and resale. Apparently, the weapons have been stored in a large warehouse on the northwest side of the city. Amara, Hokura find the warehouse and take inventory of what they have stored there. Make sure you report in so we can send a transport truck to get everything out of there. I’m going to contact the night watch to see if they already know of the warehouse’s location to see if I can make your lives any easier. Once everything is done, and the weapons are transported away, destroy the warehouse.”

Amara and Hokura nodded. “Yes, sir,” they replied.

The three then stood up, bowed their heads, and exited to the locker rooms.

“A seek and destroy mission, how lame! It doesn’t look like we’re going to be tangling with any rebels tonight,” Amara mused as she peeled off her tank top.

“Well, I guess it can’t always be fun and games,” Hokura replied, walking to her locker. The locker room was fair-sized and had lockers along the wall of each side with a bench in the middle. Off to the far right were the showers, where there were ten separate stalls to allow privacy. “To be honest, I’m kinda looking forward to a peaceful night.” As Hokura opened her locker, a note fell out. Hokura picked it up to examine what it read:

Dear Hokura

I know your original suit was damaged in the blast; I would be honored if you would wear the new prototype. Please be careful tonight.

“Signed the professor,” Hokura said after reading the note.

“You get to wear the prototype? You really are the professor’s favorite,” Amara chimed in teasingly as she got dressed.

Hokura unfolded the suit. It looked no different than her old one. A one-piece black catsuit with no sleeves, the material was made of an almost-liquid metal, yet it was incredibly soft to the touch. Hokura undressed and pulled on her suit. “Doesn’t feel any different. I’m sure it has the same technology as the old one, just upgraded, perhaps,” she said while checking out the fabric and how it melded to her body like a second skin. All the suits possessed microchip technology, which monitored things such as heart rate and body temperature, in which case the suit would cool or heat the body; it was also flame resistant and protected the wearer from possible exposure to radioactivity.

“You ready?” Amara asked, giving her back a stretch.

“As always!” Hokura grinned as the two exited the locker room and made their way down the hallway to the large storage garage which held all the watch’s vehicles. Adam was already waiting at the door, along with the professor.

“You are to take the bikes tonight. Remember, though, if you are to leave the vehicle behind for any reason, you must activate their self-destruct mode. Their internal computer stores valuable information on how to access this facility. If it got into the wrong hands, who knows what disasters it could spell out? Also, as always, the night watch is on duty. If you spot any civilians breaking curfew, you are to have them reported immediately. There are dangerous operations going on, and we don’t want to risk any civilian fatalities, understood?”

The three nodded.

“I expect you all back by three hundred hours tonight. These operations shouldn’t take long. If you run into any problems, make sure that you message back here,” the professor finished.

Talon then came up behind the professor. The man looked older and more hardened. He had a shaved head and always seemed to have stubble on his face. His nose was slightly crooked from being broken several times. “One of our transport trucks is down tonight, so it might take some time between dropping off watch shifts to get back to you,” he stated and looked over at the professor, giving him a leering glance. “The report on the location we’re seeking out tonight is in your office, sir.”

The professor merely nodded, excusing himself after wishing the peacekeepers the best of luck on their mission.

The three entered the garage.

“Oh, baby, I’ve been waiting to get back on this thing!” Amara cheered as she ran over to her red sports bike. “Have you missed me?” she cooed, placing her arms over the polished chrome, and hugging the seat.

Adam rolled his eyes, and Hokura giggled. “You two have a good night,” Adam said as he mounted his green bike and secured his helmet.

“You, too,” Hokura answered, getting on her blue bike. “Don’t let the rebels keep you up all night.”

Adam nodded and smiled at Hokura. Amara revved her bike as the large garage doors opened, revealing the city world. Hokura sighed with a smile of relief to be back out.

“Let’s give them hell!” Amara cried as the three kicked into gear. Adam headed east as Amara and Hokura made their way up the street.

The professor’s voice came in over the livewire connection in Hokura’s helmet. “I have confirmation about the whereabouts of the warehouse. It’s on Sixth and West Avenue. You can enter from the back loading dock. You have two hours to do inventory. A transport truck will be there shortly after.”

Hokura nodded. “Understood, sir.” She motioned to Amara to follow her as the two drove through the silent trash-littered streets of the city, keeping their eyes open for civilians breaking curfew.

Hokura stared up at the large apartment buildings; they were like those from the old world, cracked and worn looming over the city streets. There were no houses in the city; everyone had a similar apartment for their family, larger families had larger living areas that housed them, but everything was divided equally.

The shop windows were mostly barren. In a few, there were clothes; in others were old-world pieces of literature. The compound always had a say in what could be sold and what was to be stored at the compound when it came to old-world artifacts. The buildings were mostly concrete and brick, with an odd piece of greenery or vegetation growing on them. Weeds that somehow survived randomly sprouted or patches of long grass alongside the sidewalks were the only greenery; Hokura had never seen flowers or trees inside the city. The compound held a large facility specifically for plants where only certain botanists were able to access. They hoped that one day they would be able to plant vegetation outside in the harsh new environment, but until then, they were kept under specialized lights with the proper humidity and balanced atmosphere that they needed to survive. They also had a large greenhouse garden, which was more accessible with successful hybrids. Every day the scientists seemed to make new advances.

* * *

The two arrived at their destination half an hour after they departed from the compound.

“It’s awfully quiet,” Amara said, looking over to Hokura, who stared at her watch, prudently thinking.

“It’s also still early. I don’t think there’s anyone around. I doubt the rebels would be transporting weapons here this early in the watch,” Hokura answered. “We’ll drive up back but stay cautious and keep your eyes open.”

The two drove to the back loading dock. Since there was no sign of any rebel vehicles, Hokura motioned to Amara, and they drove their bikes right into the warehouse through the open dock.

“Quiet night,” Hokura commented, taking off her helmet and tossing her hair around to air it out from the helmet’s warmth.

“No, kidding. Not a person in sight. The night watch must really be cracking down on people breaking curfew nowadays,” Amara replied, removing her helmet, and looking around to see if there was any movement. She wasn’t about to let her guard down because she hadn’t seen any rebel activity; she knew better than that. Just because she didn’t see them didn’t mean there weren’t any around.

“Looks simple enough. This place is just a wide-open room,” Amara said with a whistle, staring up at the dusty rafters.

Hokura walked up to a work desk. Upon it lay scattered papers. “Looks like half our work is done. There’s a full inventory list right here.” Hokura smiled, waving the documents in the air.

“How many pieces?” Amara called, walking over to a large block of wooden crates.

“Two hundred,” Hokura called back.

Amara grinned wickedly, staring at the crates. “Looks like they alphabetized everything here for us,” she called out.

Hokura walked over, staring at the list. “This, too. We’ll double-check to make sure, though, but this will take no time at all.”

Amara grinned. “No time at all. Each crate is labeled with its content and the quantity,” she chuckled.

“Less work for us, now let’s hurry up and get this over and done with,” Hokura replied, ripping a lid off a crate, and counting the weapons inside.