For The Truth

Chapter 2- First Day

You'd think time traveling for work would be fun, but it's not. In fact, I almost can't think of anything more boring. Only specific people are allowed to make the jumps, while the rest of us have to do their paperwork. I suppose this makes sense, given the circumstances.

At our orientation they warned us about paradoxes. Everything is interrelated, and to manipulate one thing is to alter an entire timeline.

What they didn't tell us was that paradoxes could occur in other ways.

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Dawn. My least favorite time.

I yawn loudly and stretch my arms above my head. I've programmed the chip implanted inside my skull to wake me up at six a.m. every day. This is so I can get ready for work. During the late spring, it also just so happens to coincide with the sunrise.

The floor is cold when I stand up. It, like the rest of the skyscraper apartment I live in, is fiberglass. I half walk, half shuffle towards the bathroom to start my daily routine.

"Hey Soz," I murmur to the robot who begins to comb my hair. Her full name is Sozzangrik, but I generally shorten it. She is like my personal servant, and as thus cleans, cooks, and runs errands. Most everyone has their own personal robot nowadays. I have owned Soz for close to five years. When she was given to me, it was only a luxury. Now it is a necessity.

"Good morning, Maxx," she replies in her strangely smooth robotic voice. "Will it be eggs or pancakes for breakfast today?"

"Eggs, thank you." She glides off to prepare it while I get dressed in the TKA's uniform.

When it's ready, I eat, then grab my briefcase. Inside it are all of my files, as well as the armband that I am supposed to return.

I step inside of the elevator and press Floor 0. It takes only about ten seconds to gently drop there from Floor 714. The hydraulics must be up to par today.

A blast of warm air greets me when the elevator doors open. The sun sparkles off of the metal, nearly blinding me. The last traces of winter's icy clutch are finally disappearing. It's going to be a beautiful day.

Too bad I won't be able to enjoy any of it.

I sigh and signal one of the robotic taxis. All of their routes are preprogrammed, so there is no need for a driver. Safety sensors and the grid like organization prevent accidents.

There is a tritone beeping when I close the door. "Destination?" a voice asks.

"TKA headquarters," I reply. There is a second's delay, and then the taxi lifts into the air.

The gentle swaying motion of flight is well known to me. It's illegal for anyone except important political figures to have their own car, so I've taken a taxi for as long as I can remember. Because of overpopulation, nothing can be grounded, meaning I have never even traveled on an actual road.

A slight hum leaks from the engine as we zoom around the city. It almost lulls me into sleep, but then the taxi sharply jerks around a turn and I'm alert again.

This is my sixth day in City Four. Training was months ago, but it was held in my hometown of City Thirty Nine. I transferred here for initiation, then made it permanent when I was accepted.

It takes about ten minutes to get to the headquarters. I make a note of it for future trips. I pay my fee and hop out once the taxi descends to the entrance platform. I glance at the digital watch on my wrist. 6:59. Work starts at 7, meaning I officially have one minute.

I sprint inside, knowing that the TKA does not take kindly to lateness. By the time I locate the Atrium and punch in, it's 7:05. I grit my teeth. Way to make a good impression, Maxx, I grumble inside my head. Someone is bound to notice.

That someone turns up sooner than later. A short man with a frown lines crinkling his mouth walks over to me with an amused look on his face.

"Are you lost?" he asks.

"What? No!" I exclaim.

"Come on, don't deny it."

"Alright. Maybe a little."

"That's better." He smiles. "You new? First day?"

"Yup. The name's Maxx Vasser."

"You can call me Bil," the man responds. "And here. You'll be needing this. Follow me." He slips a small plastic I. D. card into my hand and starts off down a hallway.

"Don't we have retina and DNA scans for this?" I question.

"We do. This is just your backup."

"Ah." I nod and watch my surroundings. People scurry past, but not as many as I was expecting. Everything looks impeccably clean.

Soon we reach our destination. Bil steps up to the scanner, then motions for me to do the same. A blinding blue light flashes. I blink a few times, but its image is still implanted in my eyes.

"Go ahead and scan," Bil instructs. In response to my confused look, he adds, "your card." I do as he says.

The steel door in front of us opens to a room full of people. Each has their own tiny cubicle. Bil directs me to an empty one and tells me that it's mine. I thank him, and he turns to leave. Before he can, he drops a huge stack of papers on the desk.

"This is all due before you leave," he says. He laughs at my shock and departs with a "good luck."

I groan. It's going to be a very long day.

•••••••••••Author's Ramblings••••••••••

Hey guys! I hope you are enjoying my story so far. Don't forget to vote and comment at will.

Next week's update may be a few days late because I will be quite busy. I do apologize for the delay.

Look out! Recommendation time!

If you like fanfiction, go check out my friend Bobblez333. She has some awesome stories and is an amazing writer.

Again, go check out BexiLee if you like Professor Layton. Or turtles. You'll see when you get there.

That's all. Have a good night!