'Ah! After saving up for 15 years, I'm finally gonna get a system'. Brayden thought to himself as he got down from a dirty white, oval, chunk of levitating alloy known as commercial 'Transport Pod', called T-Pod for short.
He stepped on the black electro magnetic road which kept the pods on air through electromagnetism and walked over from the Pod-Stop –where the T-pod dropped him– to the edge of the floating highway where a large rectangular metal box stood, he entered. The box is known as a RPE Booth –Rocket Propelled Elevator Booth– where people get on RPEs –Rocket Propelled Elevators– to transport them from the floating highway to their respective buildings.
It was the year 189 ATR and the technology on earth has developed to an immense amount resulting from the technological revolution that occurred 190 years ago. The system was one of the numerous things that humanity benefitted from the technological revolution and it was even more common among the working class because not only did it change but eased labour and work processes.
Brayden approached a RPE that required one more person to take off and got in. The door bolted shut and the RPE got released from the RPE Booth, gliding on air to bring the passengers to their destinations. One by one they exited the elevator at their stops until it was only Brayden left.
"Last stop, Archives". A mechanical voice resounded in the RPE and the door slid open with a hiss shortly after.
Brayden took a deep breath, exhaled, then stepped out of the elevator. He walked towards the gate that was a few steps away from where the RPE dropped him.
The systems were officially known as ANS –Artificial Nervous System– as it was installed into the corpus callosum and connected to the central nervous system. It monitors, assist and even allocate points to the user through its amazing and government regulated features. Brayden who started working since he was 10 to take care of himself and his sister after their parents suddenly disappeared was now ready to get one as they were very expensive and he was not financially balanced before.
'I don't know why they bother with the standard old gen gate. Well I shouldn't be surprised, this is one of the last buildings on earth built on the ground, why shouldn't they add a gate'. Brayden mused as he reached the gate of the Archives –the last standard, metal gate on earth.
The Archives is responsible for handling information of every single person within it's jurisdiction numbering up to millions as there is only a total of 35 Archives on earth and so it handled the installation of the ANS also as it is directly connected to each person.
The gate gave a silent hum as rays invisible to the human eye scanned him.
"Brayden Piper, Citizen, Labour Industry, Level 12. Access granted". An artificial intelligence linked to the gate announced and it swung open.
As a result of working since childhood, Brayden has climbed up the labour industry and was now in the highest level, due for promotion.
He passed through the gate and kept going until he came to a stop in front of the ground floor of the Archives, he turned around, facing where he came from and brought out a short, thin silver rod about 10cm long and 2cm wide from his pocket. He pressed his thumb against the rod for a few seconds, the rod began to glow, stopped and then an holographic interface appeared just above the rod.
"Where the fuck is Groggins, he said he'll be waiting here ". Brayden said to himself as he searched for Groggins' contact, he called him.
"Yo, Brayden, my man, what's up". Groggins spoke as he picked up the call.
"Where the hell are you Groggins, you said I'd meet you here". Brayden hollered.
"Hey, hey, keep your voice down dammit! I'm on the RPE, I'll see you in 5". Groggins whispered angrily.
"Damn you Grog". Brayden ended the call.
He looked forward and looked around from the spot he got off the elevator to the very top where the booth was situated at the edge of the Sky-trails highway.
"The world sure has changed this past century". He muttered to himself as he searched the 'HoloRod' –the holographic rod.
"The human race sure has come very far from riding those strange vessels called cars on roads that were made into the ground, to riding the Sky‐trails highway on T-Pods". He said as he compared an image of a human ancestor on a road to the floating highway, Sky-trails, just above him.
"Geez, they even had houses on the ground then, not these floating pieces of metal junk we live in now". He lamented.
"But one thing that sure hasn't changed is this fucked up system of government, that despite preaching equality cuts off every individual who tries to rise to the top without swearing their lifes to it. That's why people like me are still stuck at the bottom no matter our struggles.
"And I'm done fucking dreaming about changing the way things work. All I wanna do now is just make sure my little sister lives a good life, even if I have become a humble dog to this godforsaken-".
"Hey! Brayden! What the fuck are you muttering to yourself? You better don't run mad on me now bruv". Groggins hollered as he came in through the gate, halting Brayden's rant.
"Why the fuck did you have me come here early, when you knew you'd be late?". Brayden retorted.
"Hey, hey, calm yourself, let's get you sorted first, I'll fill you in later".
"It better be a good reason".
"You bet. Let me give you a tour, hopefully that'll convince you to work here after you get your promotion".
"Are you fucking kidding me, I told you I have no interest whatsoever in wor-".
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, now let's get going. And stop scrunching up your face, try to smile a bit, and you should stop swearing also, you...".
Brayden stopped listening but followed Groggins into the City Archives.
— — —
"NEXT!". A lady in a white gown, behind a white counter called out into the white floor.
"Ah, finally". Brayden stood up from the waiting seat and walked towards the transcluscent, sliding glass doors to the attendant's right. "See ya Grog". He waved as the doors slid open.
"Yeah, be quick, so we can finish the tour".
"Yeah, In your dreams, I'm not going up another 226 floors". Brayden walked past the glass doors that shut behind him almost immediately and found himself in a large, completely white room, except for the large colourless capsule in the middle of the room.
"Sir, would you kindly take off your clothing and step into the capsule". A lady's voice spoke into the room.
"Ookay". Brayden replied warily but obeyed. He went towards the capsule hovering in the middle of the room after stripping. A blue rectangle ring of light appeared on the front surface of the capsule, the rectangle shifting forwards a little and then sliding to the right, revealing the dark insides. He climbed inside an stood upright.
"Try to stay as still as possible while the capsule supports your frame". The voice said, he nodded. Numerous black tendrils came out of the capsule attaching themselves to the back of his head, vertebra and chest, lifting his body up a bit off the capsule floor.
"Relax, the installation will begin shortly". The voice said once more as Brayden felt a little pain in the back of his skull.
"ANS installation is starting". A robotic voice rang out.
Brayden closed his eyes as the capsule began to hum softly and glow a light blue colour...then suddenly an Alarm rang out, the capsule flashed red light continuously.
"ANS File Corrupted! Discontinue Installation! ANS File Corrupted! Discontinue Installation!". The robot's voice rang out. Brayden opened his eyes in panic, he tried to open the capsule door before faintly hearing the lady's voice shout "REBOOT!". The capsule shut down immediately.
"You have nothing to worry about, Sir, the issue is being dealt with". The lady's voice assured him. Brayden relaxed
"Hey, Barney, switch to AO3B9 and restart the process... can someone switch of the mic". Brayden could hear the owner of the voice dish out orders on the other side.
"Reboot complete". Another robot said into the capsule, this one with a ladylike voice. The capsule started to hum once again.
"Hey, you, switch of the speakers in the capsule". The lady instructed once more.
"And... done". Someone replied.
"The display here shows some audio interference in the capsule".
"I'll check it out"
The capsule flashed red a couple of times, this time no alarm was heard.
"May I know what's happ...". Brayden was saying before being interrupted by a the robot's loud voice coming from the lady's end.
"Forced Installation will commence, h..."
"Shut down my mic goddamit!". The lady's voice rang out and that was the last thing he heard before pain enveloped him, from head to toe, he opened his mouth to scream but nothing came out, he tried to move, but his body ignored him, he even forgot how to breathe. He couldn't see, feel or hear anything except the pain he was drowning in.
— — —
"Hey, are you sure you can go home in this state you're in? You know you can rest in my office before you go back". Groggins said to his friend, Brayden who came out of the white room covered in sweat, shivering and had lost all sense of direction.
"I'll be okay, besides, I don't wanna cause you any trouble". Brayden replied with the last of his strength.
"Alright, let me at least help you to a T‐Pod".
Brayden nodded. Devoid of strength, he allowed himself to rest on Grog and be supported out.
— — —
"Hey, Brayden...Brayden...Brayden!". Grog shouted.
"What the hell, stop screaming Grog". Brayden said in a barely audible whisper.
"Then answer me when I call you".
Brayden nodded weakly.
"Okay, stay here while I stop a pod for you".
"Sure". Brayden replied weakly...
"Move Back!, Move Back!, Everyone Get Off The Highway!". Some man shouted.
"Run!" "Move!" "Get outta the way!". Everyone screamed as they rushed to the edge of the floating highway.
Brayden tried to figure out what was going on but his mind was still in a mess, then suddenly, he could no longer fell the struggle of people try to get past him, everywhere was silent. He felt the floor vibrate and he could hear distant murmurs.
"Brayden! get the fuck over here!". He heard Grog's call and turned around.
"Brayden! Run!". Grog screamed. "Run!" "Come over!" "Be quick!" "Move dammit!". Other people joined in at calling out to him.
He located Grog among the crowd. His mind cleared and senses returned... he saw something black from the corner of his right eye, coming at him very fast. He immediately took a step forward, something at his left caught his attention, it was a little girl, she was crying.
Without thinking twice, he stretched his left arm, grabbed the girl, somewhere –he was acting too fast to bother about not hurting her – then threw her forward, towards the crowd with all the strength he could muster.
"Braydennnnnn!!!". Grog screamed at the top of his lungs.
He wanted to say something to Grog, but realized it was too late, so he smiled instead as the black object rammed into him at a very high speed.
He saw the girl being caught, saw Grog being held back by the crowd, his vision painted red, he saw a faint outline of the system baring two words, they read;
"FAILED INSTALLATION".
'Mel is gonna be pissed'. He thought as images of his little sister flashed before his eyes. Then everything turned black, he saw nothing... felt nothing...