Year 2295-
The older woman walked into the classroom. She was wearing the standard issue teaching uniform; a crisp, button up shirt and white pants with a green stripe down the side of the left leg. The Cordova logo sat proudly over the upper left chest. Standing at the front of the classroom she surveyed the audience. Her eyes landed on the young girl with dark, wild curls sitting in the back. So, that'sRizzoli, she thought. "Alright, welcome to your last year of schooling. I am Ms. Winifred. As you know I will be your teacher until your fourteenth birthday. That is when you are qualified for basic training and you will go on to bigger and better things for the safety of Cordova."
She paused for dramatic effect and attempted a tight-lipped smile. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the group of children before her. This was the part of her job that was the hardest. Preparing these children with enough knowledge that will help them in their lives as soldiers. "Now, we are going to start off today by reviewing why we strive to keep Cordova a safe place to live. As you know, in the year 2017 an organized group attacked what was formerly known as the United States of America. It was a calculated biological attack which caused a virus outbreak and took out their archaic form of government."
Ms. Winifred began to pace back and forth across the front of the sitting students. "Their primitive military began to burn their own cities in a failed attempt to get rid of the virus. Most of the world was just about wiped out and the human race nearly eliminated. Our forefather, Lucius Cordova, knew that the only way to rid the world of the Garnier Virus, was to come up with a cure. He found that cure and began saving people. Being the brilliant man that he was, he created the world that we know today."
"He created small clans of us and taught us to be self-sustaining. He created the laws that we live by and for nearly three hundred years, we have lived peacefully in our Country. Does anyone know why we have lived so peacefully for so long?" She looked out expectantly across the room. Slowly, a boy in the front lifted his hand. "Mr. Frost, I would assumed that you would know the answer is since your own father is one of our most decorated Generals."
The boy looked around and slowly nodded his head. "Cordova is the only country in the world that created it's own government by genetically testing and selecting infants for their place in our society. We developed a highly trained military regime that no one in the world will dare come up against."
"That is correct. Everyone of you in this room are lucky enough to join that very team. Our own President Isles will come personally to collect you on your birthday to welcome you into the ranks." The classroom seemed to grow in volume as each student excitedly turned to their neighbor to gloat about their luck and status. Ms. Winifred smiled tightly again.
The rest of the school day went by quickly. Soon, the screen at the front of the room flickered to life. President Constance Isles appeared. "Good afternoon. It is now time to go home to your families, there is evening work to be done. Cordovians, be proud of your contributions to the government. We thank you and appreciate you." The screen flickered off. It was the same exact message that they had seen everyday of their lives signifying four o'clock. Jane rolled her eyes and grabbed her Epad and headed home. Frost caught up to her outside as they made their way through the school campus.
"Hey, Rizzoli." He said as he stopped running and walked beside the girl.
She looked over at him, "Hey, Frost." He noticed that she sounded different than she normally did.
"What's wrong with you? It's our last year. I mean, I have six more months of this. You only have three."
"I know. But...I just have a lot going on at home. My dad's been gone most of the summer. We haven't heard from him. My Ma thinks he's dead."
"She thinks he's one of those people who disappear forever. The ones we're not allowed to talk about?" Jane's eye widened. Quickly, she looked around and pulled Frost to a tree. Once under the canopy, she slowly nodded.
"What are you thinking saying that out of cover! You know, they're watching." She looked around again.
"You brought it up," he countered.
Whispering, "I didn't say he disappeared." She opened her lips slightly and without moving them she said, "the night he left, I watched him leave the house with two lieutenants. They had him in the straps."
Frost mimicked her and through a tight lip said, "Shit." Being the son of one of the Generals, he knew what the straps meant. Mr. Rizzoli would never see the light of day again. There was an underground rebellion. If any citizen of Cordova was even suspected of being a part of this group, they were immediately detained. Taken in the middle of the night. Never to be seen again. No one spoke of it.
"I don't have the heart to tell Ma, she's got enough problems with my new little brother, Tommy."
"How did he test? Just like you and Frankie?" She shook her head.
"They're gonna take him when he's seven." This was the part that Frost left out in his description in class. There were three classes of people in Cordova. At three months of age, every child was taken for a weeks worth of testing. Once back home with their family, they are notified of where their child will end up in the world. There is the coveted military class, the working class, and the unknowns.
Jane and her younger brother Frankie were both chosen for life in the military. The celebration in the Rizzoli household went on for weeks after each time they received the news. They started school at the same time as the working class children until the third year. Military children go to a specialized school until their fourteenth birthday. After a final dinner with their family, President Isles herself shows up at the front door to take the child directly to their new home.
Two years of intensive training allows you the privilege to see your family for one week a year. They spend their whole lives preparing to serve and protect Cordova. At the age of twenty, each cadet is placed in their own specialty. Those who patrolled the streets, those who patrolled the borders of Cordova, those who were more elite and made their presence known in the other remaining areas of the world where the human race survived. There were not many known colonies out there and Cordova had a strong presence in every single one.
There were rumors of a specialized group that took care of the "non-existent" rebellion group. However, since everyone knew that the rumors were just that, no one ever discussed the possibility of being a part of that group. There was also the most important job a military cadet could have, to be placed as the upper echelon security and serve President Isles herself and her family.
The working class continued through schooling and at age 16 were given a series of tests until they were told where their skills would be best used. Jane's mother, Angela, tested high in food preparation. She started out as a young baker and worked her way up to the head chef for her clan. It was she who decided what was for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Her team prepared the daily meals for nearly twenty five hundred people everyday. Her husband Frank had been a factory worker. When he was younger he had never gotten the hang of carpentry, so they moved him into machining. He was quite apt at the creation of weapons. He had designed a few explosive devices that were coveted by President Isles herself. That was until a couple months ago when the man vanished from thin air out of his home.
The unknown group of people was the worst fate for any child and their family. At age seven, the child was taken and never seen or heard from again. No one in all of Cordova knew what happened to these children. As far as anyone was concerned, it was a death sentence. No one from the Beta clan had a child taken to the unknowns for nearly fifty years. Until, the third Rizzoli child, Thomas.
There were six clans in Cordova, which spanned across the entirety of the continent formerly known as "North America". Each clan had between one thousand and six thousand people. An unfortunate side effect of the cure was that most couples did not have more than two children. The repopulation of humans was a slow process. The Rizzoli's were nearly celebrities when their third child was born. It was unheard of for a single woman to bear more than two children. The blessing quickly evaporated after little Tommy was determined to be placed into the unknowns.
Each clan had a single leader who represented each one in President Isles cabinet. The Beta clan's leader was a man only known as Korsak. No one knew much about him. He was never present in the area formerly known as "Boston". He was almost as mysterious as President Isles herself. He was widely loved by all and seemed to know what was needed for his people. That was the best they could hope for.
The clans never interacted with one another. That was strictly prohibited. They learned about each other in their schooling. No one was allowed out of their borders. Each person had a role to play there was no traveling, unless you were elite military. This had been the way of life since the near extinction of the entire world population. No one questioned it. No one dared. They didn't know any other way.
Jane looked around and grabbed Frost's arm as she quickened her pace to get home before the siren. The siren signaled dinner. Routine was a very important part of life. It kept people's minds occupied on the next task. If you were found outside after the siren, the local patrol would pick you up. You weren't seen for a week and when you returned you had no memory of the week you lost.
Jane waved to her friend as he ran up the steps to his house. She turned and did a similar run up a set of identical steps and closed the door as the siren wailed. Her younger brother Frankie was already sitting at the dinner table. "That was close Janie!" he said as she sat at the table next to him. Tommy was laying in a small crib near the table. A light flickered in the center of the table and an image of President Isles appeared.
"Please enjoy this dinner prepared by your clan's head chef and her remarkable team. Their hard work today was supported by the hunter/gatherers. Let us be thankful to them for the food that you are about to enjoy. Another day, well done." She appeared to smile and she flickered again and disappeared. The center of the table opened and lifted to the center was what appeared to be three plates of chicken and some vegetables. Next to the plates was a bottle of milk for Tommy. Jane pulled her plate towards her and grabbed the bottle. She leaned over and tilted it towards her little brother's mouth and he eagerly took it.
Frankie grabbed his plate and began to eat. A door creaked and Angela entered the room. Sitting across from Jane, she removed her hat and grabbed her plate. They sat in silence as they ate. No one wanting to discuss how Frank was no longer a presence at these family meals. No one wanted to discuss what they were to do when Tommy turned seven and was no longer with them. And certainly no one wanted to discuss how Jane would no longer be a fixture at mealtime after another three months. Frankie was just four years behind her. Angela finished her meal and sat with her children.
Twenty years later...Year 2315.
It was a surprise to no one at the academy when Jane Rizzoli was chosen to be on President Isles' personal protection squadron. After only a few years, she had moved up the ranks to a Lieutenant. She overlooked the protection of her cabinet. Her cabinet consisted of Korsak, whom she learned actually went by Vince. He was a sweet man who treated her as if she was his own daughter. He was her favorite member. She often went on trips with him as was required for his position.
There was also a Gabriel Dean, who represented the Alpha Clan. The Gamma Clan was headed up by a newer member, Byron Sluckey, who replaced his father just under a year before. There was also Sean Cavanaugh, who lead the Delta Clan, Charles "Casey" Jones, in charge of the Epsilon Clan, and Charles Hoyt, who held the Zeta clan position.
Jane was the youngest person in Cordova history to hold such a coveted position. These six people were the leaders of the clans and it was her job to make sure they and their families were protected. She felt it was an easy job. There was never any threat to the cabinet. She and her team basically followed them around and accompanied them on long trips outside the borders of Cordova into places all over the world.
She still was not privy to the intricacies of the position. No one but the six men were allowed into any meeting held with President Isles. No one was allowed into any meetings with anyone outside of Cordova. Although, once very recently she heard Vince make mention of the medicine he was bringing to a village in the area formerly known as "Germany". She couldn't pronounce the name of the Country if she tried. She knew Vince was a good man and that he had an important job of caring for everyone around the world.
Jane was standing guard outside of the door when she heard a whoosh. The door slid open and Mr. Jones walked out. "Good morning, sir." She greeted.
"Ah, Lieutenant Rizzoli. Are you my detail today, Jane?" He gave her a grin and she returned it.
"That I am, sir."
"Excellent. I have an exciting day planned. Perhaps, you'd like to join me for breakfast?"
"That's my job, sir," she replied. He walked ahead of her and she followed giving herself a moment to look around the room. He walked into another room that had a table full of different types of food. He helped himself and sat in a chair. Jane grabbed an apple and sat across from him. She waited until he took his first bite, before she indulged herself.
"You've become quite the beautiful woman, Jane."
"And you're barking up the wrong tree, though I mean no disrespect, sir." She took another bite of the apple. He quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Is the great Jane Rizzoli already taken?"
"No, sir. You know it's forbidden for us to ever marry."
"Ah, but that doesn't mean you aren't allowed a little fun."
"Sir, please don't act as though you don't know."
"Your little girlfriend. Yes, I am informed. Private Cooper?"
"We are no longer together."
"Really? Have you got your sights set on someone?"
Jane paused. She did have her sights set on someone. The problem was who that someone was. "No, sir."
laughed. "Sounds to me like that's not quite true. She must be quite unattainable if she isn't already yours. Perhaps, Dr. Isles?" He smirked and could tell by the deer in headlights look that he had struck a chord. "You're quite right to deny your feelings for Maura. Her mother would absolutely forbid her to ever date someone in your class. As you said, you aren't allowed to marry."
Jane sat there contemplating whether or not she should react. "Sir, if I may..."
"You may Rizzoli. Speak freely."
"I am bound to an oath to Cordova. I would not betray my duty for a beautiful woman."
"Maura Isles would be worth the risk, if I may also speak freely. I've always liked you over the years Rizzoli. You two would make quite the couple."
"We don't interact much, sir."
"Why not, you work directly under her mother."
"I am to serve and protect the cabinet. The few times we've talked she seems like a good person. I haven't had the opportunity to really get to know her."
Casey leaned over the table. "Don't ever count yourself out. Perhaps an opportunity will come. Now, I'm bored with breakfast. Let's head to my meeting." They both got up from the table and headed to the capital.
At the end of her shift, Jane went to her bunk and removed her uniform. She laid down in her bed and thought about her mother. She looked run down on her last week of leave. It was almost difficult to imagine Angela as a strong younger woman. She lost a husband and child far too soon. After Frankie had left for training, she did nothing but provide meals to the clan.
The door to her room beeped and whooshed open. A young man entered with a tray full of food. His dark hair was long and nearly covered his eyes. "Lieutenant, your dinner." She looked over at him briefly and indicated with a sweep of her hand for him to put the tray down.
"Thank you. I'll ring you when I'm finished." He bowed slightly and backed out of the room. The exorbitant amount of servants always surprised her. No one back home knew that the small groups of the secret squadron were treated so differently than anyone back home could ever imagine. The kid who had just left was new. He had been in her service for only the last three months. He couldn't have been more than twenty. She wondered what kind of worker's class testing he endured.
She looked at the tray and thought about Dr. Maura Isles. The President's only daughter. She was the only person in all of Cordova who was allowed to choose her own destiny. She chose to care for the sick. Spent her days out working in the clans helping people whenever she could. In the last fifteen years, Jane had been around the woman only a handful of times. Each time, Jane felt time freeze and speed up at the same time. She had heard people talk about being in love. It wasn't a luxury that she was afforded. Any woman that she was with wasn't meant to last, it rarely lasted more than a few months.
She once was standing guard outside of a cabinet meeting. Dr. Isles had stormed out of the room ranting about how they expected her to heal people when they had limited resources for medication. She had stopped and looked at Jane, who felt as though her heart stopped beating. Their eyes locked and Jane felt a sudden sense of calm. She didn't feel the butterflies in her stomach the way she had with a handful of women in the past. The feeling went above and beyond. She was completely captivated by green eyes that gripped her insides. The doctor had walked up to her and kissed her hard for a moment. In a flash, she spun around and walked away. Jane was left alone again and straightened herself back up.
People have tried to describe love in so many ways. Through music, poetry, art, and words. After the rushed kiss, Jane realized that there are no words to describe it when you feel it. There is a difference between feeling passionate about someone and lusting after someone. She fell into a hole that day. She had never felt more complete or more alone in her entire life.
Jane laid down on her bunk and closed her eyes. She imagined that kiss again. The way her lips felt and how commanding the other woman was. She wasn't sure if she had ever been kissed in that way. She knew she would never be kissed like that again. She spoke aloud, "Journal." A light rose out of the top of the small table in her room.
A voice spoke, "Private journal entry for Lieutenant Jane Rizzoli, 18th of July, year twenty-three-fifteen."
Jane began to speak, "I don't know what it is about her. I am captivated by someone I hardly know. Her eyes have really thrown me and are so gripping. I don't even know what's going on in my life. This isn't like me at all. I have never felt so many things all at once. I've never felt more connected and fused with someone in my life. Never felt so complete or whole. I felt off kilter and dizzy. I've never wanted to fly before now. People can't fly, but she makes me feel as though I could soar. I just feel so alive." She pulled her hand over her face. "UGH! End entry." The voice ended the recording and the light disappeared.
Jane had been keeping a journal of all of her thoughts on the good doctor. Most of the entries were the same. She needed a new distraction. She wanted someone to take her mind off of who she could never have. As she began to fall asleep, she told herself that in the morning, she would be open to those around her. She would smile and flirt with those women that lived around the capital, who were always falling over themselves around her. Tomorrow was going to be a new day. She wouldn't have to think about Maura Isles anymore. She squeezed her eyes shut and told the light to turn off. Her mind wandered back to that kiss as she drifted off to sleep.