Survival Mode

Chapter 2

I stay up all night, waiting for my little brother to return. I know he's not all that little anymore but he's still little to me.

He doesn't show up though and soon hours turn into days and days turn into weeks. His friends call me to ask what happened to him, and I, not knowing what else to tell them, say he's gone to see one of our relatives in Syrusia, a country next to Imperium, which is a complete lie. We don't have any relatives. All of them are either dead or got captured.

A few weeks later April shows up to ask me if I will take her offer and after I tell her about Elon she comes up with an idea.

"You know, Consurrexi has really good technology and can probably track him down."

After hearing that I take her offer and pack a bag. Before I leave my apartment, though, my eyes fall on the picture still sitting on the coffee table, a picture that shows a happy family. Mom, Dad, Elon, me and...

My eyes fill with unshed tears as I think about him. I don't want to think about him. Not now.

I take a deep breath and put the picture in my backpack before getting out and locking the door.

Something tells me I'm not gonna be back for a very long time.

After a long ride, with me snoozing the whole time, we finally arrive at the gates of the city. I've been to almost every city in Imperium but this one's different. These seem more guarded and as we pass underneath a scanner, it scans the car and us inside it. It works so fast you can even go through without a second of hesitation if you're in a car chase.

After giving us entry, April drives straight to a big garage in the middle of the city. There are people everywhere and it seems even more crowded than Mora. I love just how lively it is.

After finding a place to park, April turns the car off and its magnetic wheels retreat as a jack on each side of the car swipes out to bring it to the ground slowly. I jump out and take my bag with me. Time to start this. I think I already have by deciding to come here.

April leads me out of the garage and onto the busy streets. It's hard to believe that this whole city is one anti-Nex organization. Hard to believe all the people I'm passing by are a part of something I didn't even know existed.

We soon arrive at an office-like building. It's really big and seems like it's completely built out of glass. April doesn't even stop and goes right to the main desk and says something to the receptionist sitting there. He nods at her and points to the stairs – which by the way seem like a pain to climb – and she starts off in that direction after nodding back. She doesn't even look to see if I'm following her or not.

The stairs are wide and have a curved shape to them. We climb up them to the first floor where many people walk around. I try my hardest not to collide with any of them all the while trying not to lose April who glides in between them with ease.

As I'm walking suddenly an explosion goes off to my right as a door busts open and everyone jumps out of the way while a man with grey hair comes out, coughing. Smoke fills the air and the fire alarms go off, making everyone deaf.

I look around me. It's safe to say I've lost April by now. I sigh. Great.

I go to the old man coughing his lungs out. "Are you ok...?" I look at the nametag on his lab coat. Dr. Hunt.

He looks up at me, still coughing. "Oh yes...cough...I'm ok...cough..."

I look at him with wide eyes. Why isn't anyone else worried?

I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to find my best friend smiling at me. She then looks back at Dr. Hunt. "What happened this time Doc? Another potion gone wrong?"