The Cyber Wars Part 1 Beginnings

Chapter 16

The Kandines and Martins siblings boarded a bus altogether. They waited until the rest of the bus was completely filled before it began to move.

They passed through a small tunnel before they entered the city proper. The three children couldn't help but stare in awe at the new sights of this city. They had heard stories but none of what they had been told prepared them for City Newn.

City Won, even though it was the largest city, it seemed small. All of the buildings were made of wood and stone. They were small. The technology was also primitive. There were no cars in City Won. They had tap water but if they wanted to heat it up they would have to do so by putting the kettle over a fire. It's main function was farming, so they were supplied with the bare essentials they needed for farming.

City Newn looked nothing like that. The buildings were so tall and imposing! Some were made of glass while others were made of metal or brick. The streets they passed by weren't filled with people, but rather hundreds of vehicles! The few people they saw were off to the sides of the roads.

The clothing was different as well. In City Won they wore simple clothes made of simple materials. The people here wore loud colours and designs. Much of what they wore was tight fitting. Some of them had small devices in their hands or against their heads. Katina wondered what they were. Those things might be the cool cell phones that she had heard about.

"Wow. This place looks so much cooler than City Won." Katina commented.

Ham and Niko nodded in agreement as the bus turned a corner and passed through a tunnel.

The bus continued through the tunnel until it opened up to a vast series of close and fairly small apartment buildings.

They pulled up to an apartment farthest from where they entered the complex.

"Alright. Here we go. Before you enter the building you scan your new barcodes so you get the apartment number where you will be staying in from now on." The bus driver explained as he opened the doors.

The people on the bus filed out quickly and made their ways to the scanners by the apartment buildings.

When the Matrins siblings and the Kandines scanned their barcodes, it turned out that they were to live in rooms side by side.

"Well that's good. We can always be close now...that is a good thing right?" Niko spoke.

Katina turned to him and smiled. "Of course Niko."

Niko smiled and they walked together to their new quarters.

The apartments themselves were hardly any larger than a single bedroom. There was nothing in there except a single table with a paper bag on top of a sheet of paper.

Ham sighed and walked over to the table and picked up the paper bag. The contents of the bag included a single apple, two slices of bread, and several pieces of sliced meat wrapped in plastic.

Ham put the bag down and picked up the sheet of paper. There was typed words on it. It read:
Within the paper bag is a day's rations for families with youths under the age of sixteen. Rations are handed out every day at noon in the front of the apartment complex.
Bathroom services are stationed at the base of the complex.
While the city provides you with a roof and food, you are responsible for income. It is your responsibility to give back to the city. Adults will be free to look for jobs, while youths will be assigned duties.
~City Relations, City Newn

When he was done, Ham handed the letter to his sister and she read it. She rolled her eyes when she was done.

"Well that wasn't very subtle. 'Hey! Your city was completely destroyed and we so generously let you into ours! Here's what you gotta do to pay us back!'" Katina mocked.

"Katina. We'd have to find work anyway. If they won't let us into their schools we might as well earn enough money to buy the books so we can teach ourselves." Ham spoke.

Katina sighed and crossed her arms. "I don't wanna be here in the first place...I wanna go home! I wanna go home and wash dishes with mom! I wanna look over classified Cybernetic Program documents with dad! I want to go to bed at night after drinking warm milk with my family who I know will be there the next day to smile at me and love me and...and..."

Katina put her face in her hands. Ham walked over and wrapped his arms around his sister once again. Neither of them noticed Niko Kandine at the door.

-------------

Ham had been assigned to a construction site, while Katina went to a small boutique, and Niko was able to work in the same restaurant as his parents.

Katina worked in the back, helping to sew and repair hats, dresses, and other beautiful accessories. She had never liked sewing, always preferring to hand knit clothing like she did Ham's hat. However, the lady she was working for was very kind and made her sewing work bearable.

Many people came into the boutique and bought many things. One day, a woman with her two sons came in. They didn't stay for very long. Katina did however catch the youngest son's eye. He smiled and waved at her before his older brother grabbed his hand and glared at her for a few moments before leaving.

Katina had never felt so secluded from society. Back in City Won, especially the Crossroads District, pretty much everyone knew each other. They all did friendly business with each other. Being separated from everything in the city just made her feel so claustrophobic.

One day, when she, Ham and Niko were eating together, she decided on something.

"I'm gonna join the Cybernetics Program." Katina announced.

Ham and Niko turned to her.

"I'm dead serious you guys. It's not just some childish dream anymore. I'm gonna turn thirteen in two years, and I will join the Cybernetics Program, and fight against the monsters who put us here." She continued.

"Okay. Then I'm coming too." Ham said.

"What? Why?" Katina demanded.

"Because I only trust myself with the responsibility of making sure you don't die in an idiotic fashion." He retorted.

Katina sighed then smiled at her brother.

"I...I'll come too." Niko proclaimed.

"What? Niko, your parents are here! You should stay with them!" Katina argued.

Niko shook his head sadly. "No. They don't need me. People are already noticing how good their cakes are, it won't be long before they open up another bakery. Besides, I am so done with being scared. I wanna fight."

Katina looked at her best friend, then back to her older brother. "Yes." She put her arm out and clenched her hand into a fist. "We'll go together."

Ham and Niko smiled and then put their hands on top of her fist.

"Together." They proclaimed in unison.