The Inevitable End

by Squirrel of Chaos

Joseph didnt want any of the skills he was taught, but they are there, mind as well use them to defend someone right?

Prologue

"No defects of any kind, no diseases, no problems; this kid is as healthy as an ox." Doctor Johns said as he looked over his clipboard with attached paper on it. "From what I can see, this kid is going to be one smart boy, and his muscular abilities are top notch…It is almost as if he will become what most would call the perfect human! This is truly a remarkable child; no genetic changes of any kind and still coming out better than most genetically engineered children. I wish you and your child a good life Ms. Smith, and you feel free to call me if anything goes wrong, alright?"

"Yes, thank you doctor, thank you so much for helping me," Jackie Smith said as she was looking down at her new baby boy. Everyone had said that this coming year, the year 3000xx, peace throughout the world was finally going to come about; world education, world healthcare and no poverty to speak of. Jackie had a hard time believing this; she was still barely making due, getting enough food for herself, while also keeping the shoddy apartment she owned intact. Around her, the drywall was coming off in chunks and the plumbing of the building was exposed so that it leaked in several places. Several floor boards were missing from the floor and parts of the ceiling had fallen down, leaving the insulation open to the rats and mice to eat away at. Her bed, if that is what it could be called, was more of a couch without a backrest, and falling apart as it was.

To make matters worse, she had become pregnant, and out of the blue at that! She was no virgin, by any means; no one was by the time they got out of high school in those times, but she had not done anything with any man for at least 3 years. The doctors had discovered she was pregnant at a government-required checkup. The problem was that they could not find any DNA from any one else anywhere on her body or in her womb, making her child the first child ever to be born without a father included in the equation. The child was an anomaly. Many of the doctors around the world deducted the child would not live to be born. Now, nine months later, lying in her own bed with Doctor Johns packing his things, Jackie was amazed by what she alone had created, laying in her arms peacefully resting.

"Stay off your feet for awhile, Jackie; we don't need you collapsing. I'll send Maurice up here to help you out for the next few days. Or at least until you get enough energy back to start moving around on your own, then we'll talk again about getting someone to watch over the child and make sure he doesn't get into trouble while you are at work," said Dr. Johns, smiling briefly and then putting his glasses on. "Good day Ms. Smith, get some rest, and we shall talk again soon."

"Thank you again, Dr. Johns; I don't know how I can repay you, but I will try." Jackie said as she looked down her baby, Joseph, and slowly closed her eyes letting her body take over from the abrupt wave of exhaustion that had just washed over her body.

- - -

Maurice Cowering was a man of honor, a man of integrity, a man of undeniable faith to god and his country…or so he thought of himself. The seedy man was not much to look at, gaunt with a shag of grey-brown hair combed over his half bald head, his shirt hanging off of his body almost as if it did not want to be there, and his pants that weren't pants barely clinging to his waist. John Johns, his parents had thought they had a sense of humor, looked over Maurice with a look of disdain as the man cowered before him.

"You know what you must do, correct Cowering? I do not think you want to hear what will happen to you if you do not do this correctly, it is most unpleasant and quite painful." Johns said, looking down his nose at what he considered a worm of a man. Johns was not accustomed to being in places such as this one, he was of better status than the street rats that lived below the streets of the flowing, shining metropolis that was the City of the World. His suit might get some type of dirt on it, which would mean he would need to get a new suit re-tailored and done, not that he minded, he was a rich man anyway. Johns was a man that got what he wanted, and he wanted something right now. As he watched Maurice scurry back into the apartment complex, being as silent as possible, Johns smiled to himself looked up the cracked brick wall of the apartment in Olde New York and got into his car.

– 10 Years Later –

The rain was coming down in sheets outside of his window. Joseph Johns, heir to the great Johns fortune and adoptive son of the great doctor John Johns, was already awake before his personal butler could come in and get him to rise from his bed. The bed was made of real cotton and real wood, quite a rarity in the times. His room, the size of a small ballroom, was quite a grand sight. Three large genuine fireplaces were placed strategically around the room to provide the most warmth in winter, and they burned real wood instead of the processed sod that many others had started to burn. The loss of trees and other resources on the resource-starved earth caused many to resort to the man-made products. Several chandeliers hung from the ceiling, made of real glass, and the plush carpet under foot was clean and tidy.

Joseph was not one to really care about what everything looked like to other pompous rich people's eyes, or how much wealth someone had. He was a very down-to-earth boy, intent in his studies of the world as a whole and on fighting techniques and even dances that are performed around the world. His swordsmen-gone-instructor, Jives, taught him at the very beginning of his training that learning to dance is learning to use a sword correctly. Foot work, balance, and coordination were all key factors in both swords fighting and dancing.

His adoptive father John was also teaching him about the human anatomy, where to press to get the most pain out of someone, how to stab correctly with a pen to ensure the best range of blood spray. He knew by then what his father was doing, he was trying to turn him into some type of killer or assassin. What with how to use the blades, the effect of stabbing someone on the fourth lumbar down, how to use explosives, how to get into a house using just a small knife, and many other things, the effect was obvious on his young 10 year old body. While most little boys his age were trying to figure out how to get the cup down from the cupboard or where the next bug was going to be, Joseph was deciding on how much weight to try and bench press, squat, and many other work-out maneuvers to do.

As he waited for the butler to bustle in with his fresh set of clothes to wear, Joseph thought about his mother. From what his adoptive father had told him, very soon after he was born his mother was killed by a man named Maurice. The problem was that Joseph had been in the same room. John had been his mother's doctor and had delivered him into the world, and when he had come to check he had found Maurice stabbing his mother while she was asleep. John explained that he had killed Maurice and taken little Joseph home with him and that was how Joseph ended up here under his adoptive fathers tutelage.

In later years, after Joseph had asked about his real father, John had told him that his father was non-existent, that his mother had bourn him by herself completely. He also explained that he had had no genetic changes given to him; that Joseph was all natural, and was destined to do great things. That is when Joseph began to think differently about the story John had told him about his mother's death. He knew his adoptive father was a ruthless man, bent on getting what he wanted, and from the research he had done and what he had seen of his own genome structure, he was essentially considered invincible and maybe even immortal. His cells had developed over the years and he now healed at a super-natural rate, of which no one had ever seen before. His muscles also seemed to have a mind of their own, only becoming denser but not growing outwards. He was a brilliant strategist, able to beat everyone in the entire mansion at any strategy game, and could do some acrobatic maneuvers that a flying trapeze artist would be wowed at. Essentially, at the age of ten, he was on the path of becoming a god among men, and he did not like it one bit.

– 10 Years Later –

The rain was pouring down again, several gallons a day at least. He did not mind much though, he was inside where it was warm and dry, but he was thinking about going out into the town. His adoptive father had died recently due to heart complications; even with the advanced technology of the time he was not going to survive. With his adoptive father's death Joseph had inherited all of the fortune of the Johns family, and Joseph had used it on finding out what had really happened with his mother's death. As he suspected his father's hired man murdered her. The man's name was Maurice, and Maurice was living it out on the other side of the world. Joseph also found out about why his adoptive father had wanted him: the chance to acquire the cells needed for immortality.

The rain had died down by now and Joseph was ready to go out and at least see the town, maybe meet his friends he had made over the years of his training. Apparently two others had been born in the same circumstances as Joseph had, and Johns had found them both and killed their parents, and then taken them in as his adoptive sons. Each of them had been trained according to what they were going to be doing; their adoptive father had decided he wanted a specialist team of soldiers and assassins to work for him and only him. Each soldier would know different things so they would compliment each other. Joseph had been different though; he had the best scores in strategy games and was able to lift more weight in excess, and was able to sneak up on the instructors a lot easier. Joseph had essentially been picked as the leader of the group, thus having to know everything that they did and more, and so that is what the two others considered him, their leader. They were also his brothers and only friends. Aaron and Zack were their names, and he valued their friendship more than anything else except his blade. They were planning on meeting up in the town that night to socialize a little bit, maybe encounter some of the young women around the area.

"The car is ready for your departure, sir." Alfred, the old butler, said.

"Good, let's get going then; I'd like to be there before they arrive." Joseph told his butler and friend as he rose from the chair.

- - -

The ride to the city was not a long one, the magnetic tracks embedded into the road made traveling much swifter. The nightclub that Joseph and his friends generally frequented was not one you would expect three of the richest young men in the world to visit. Outside was a single robotic thug, a bouncer of sorts, meant to keep out the uninvited and drunken people that regularly tried to get into the club. The dark alley with the barely illuminated neon sign, "Carl's Club", was just a front.

Inside the club, luscious seats of red velvet covered the outside wall of the bottom floor, each booth with its own electronic ordering menu and delivery service. At the front of the club, a six-foot tall platform was raised with a DJ on it. The speakers set throughout the club all pointed directly into the center of the bottom floor, where a space was cleared for the grinding bodies and heaving masses of people looking for a rush. The thumping music and deep rumbles of the song made Joseph tingle as his insides were rattled. The tall towers that were stationed next to the DJ's table were alight with the laser lights and more speakers that flashed and pulsed in time with the music, making an extravagant show. Though the hazy atmosphere of the club, Joseph could see the early comers to the club, already dancing in the middle of the dance floor. Up the stairs on the right, a calmer atmosphere was awaiting. Here there were many more tables, some set out in the center of the floor, and a balcony looking down on the dance floor itself. On the far left of the second floor, a full and complete bar with a human bartender awaited, and next to that the door to the kitchens where cooks made the food and waitresses brought it out to the second floor patrons. The hard floor underfoot was very sturdy, a dark walnut type of wood-substitute, and polished to a shine. Behind the bar was another set of stairs, not very well known too many who visited the club. These stairs were hidden, and went up to the third floor of the club, the VIP section. This section was suited to a much higher class of individual, but was also much grungier in what occurred in the room and side rooms. Illegal weapon deals, jewels, slaves, drugs; all were dealt at one time or another in the VIP room. The entertainment was dreary, with strippers coming in periodically and a full bar for the few who knew about it, also with a human bartender, and a plethora of real woods and metals used to build the tables and chairs used in this room. It reeked with pompous attitude, and the side rooms off from the VIP room reeked of other more questionable things. Joseph did not enjoy the atmosphere at all. He had only been to that level once in his young life, on an assignment to end the life of one of his employer's competitors.

Tonight was not a night like that though; tonight was meant to be relaxing. As Joseph climbed the stairs to the second floor of the club, he felt the shiver someone feels when being watched by a predator, the cold feeling of dread when the knife is about to come out of the dark and take your life. As he turned around Jack, the first and only legitimate child of his adoptive father climbed the stairs to meet him with a smile.

"Joseph! How good it is to see you again brother! It has been so long since you have been out of that house; I had almost thought you were going to become a hermit living just for training in the next art of combat available!" Jack exclaimed, grabbing Joseph in a two armed bear hug.

"Hello Jack, how has life been for you since John's death?" Joseph asked, returning the hug with not as much enthusiasm but still polite to his "big brother".

"Oh, I've gotten along, father's fortune has helped with the process, and I am thinking of moving to the Straight of International Norway, I hear their summers and warm and comfortable and their winters cool and calm. Maybe you, Aaron, and Zack would like to come with me, we could buy the biggest house in the country, not that I couldn't already of course, eh ha ha." Jack told Joseph, his holier-than-thou attitude reeking out of him in waves.

"Perhaps, Jack, but that will have to be decided at a later time. Why are you here, I thought you were off doing business in The Baron Wastes. Is business already over for you?" Joseph knew that Jack was headed towards the third floor to indulge in the female body and sell some more slaves and drugs, his step-brother had gotten into a subdivision of the family business when he was around 16 years old, and had not let up yet.

"Wow, you are very well informed, I do not remember telling anyone of that trip. Yes, business was concluded, I was able to arrange 5 full shipments to the Wastes and made quite a profit off of it. I tell you, those Waste pieces of trash don't know bull when you throw it into their face, but they know what they want and when they want it. I'm hoping to make quite a sale tonight; I've got some Special K and Fisheye Products in this here briefcase, and some clients who are desperate for some are sitting up in that room right now. When they are desperate, they pay better." Jack was stroking a briefcase he had brought with him, containing some pretty extreme drugs, according to him. The look in his eyes told Joseph that Jack was high at the moment, and looking for money and sex, and the VIP room of Carl's Club was just the place to go.

"Well Jack, I hope your sales are good and production high and I will talk to you later about your idea to the Straight." Joseph said, seeing an opportunity to send Jack off and get back to sitting down and relaxing.

"What idea? The Straight? I don't know what you are talking about, but I have a sale to make, and some women to see, so I will talk to you later Joseph my brother." Jack said, furthering Joseph's hypothesis about Jack being completely high. As he crossed the floor in a not-so-straight line, Jack began to whistle and swing his arms, happy as a bug in a rug.

Joseph just shook his head at his brother's attitude and continued towards his destination, the booth furthest away from the stairs. This was their meeting place when they came to Carl's Club, it had been when they had to take out the man in the VIP room and it still was when they were out to socialize. Though the last time they had been out and about to just hang out was years ago, Joseph still remembered it like it was yesterday. The club had not changed, and they had drunk and drank until they could not stand anymore, and still drank some more. It hadn't mattered that they were under aged; they had money and social status. The next morning when he had woken up in his own bed, Joseph had been hateful of the taste, smell, and mention of the word alcohol. He had gotten better since then, but still stuck to mostly water and sometimes the random soda drink. As he sat he thought over his life, his subtle and then not-so-subtle training to become a killer, his social outcast attitude, his brothers, his deceased father, his training, his money, his power, his attitude about life in general, and his immortality. His thoughts always traveled to his immortality, and what that meant. What should he do with his life? Become a great evil of the world, killing and slaughtering countless innocents and eventually ruling the world, or a beneficial hermit, living out his immortality away from civilization in the mountains toiling away and training. Or perhaps a genius of everything there is to know in the world, toiling away at studies and learning everything. Or maybe all three of those ideas. The possibilities were endless, and he did not want to decide. As Joseph was deep in thought about his life and where it was going, Aaron and Zack came up and sat down in front of him, watching him.

"You in there someplace?" Aaron quipped, smacking Joseph over the back of the head.

"Oh, hey guys, I was just thinking about stuff." Joseph answered, shaking his head and smiling at his brothers.

"Yeah, we could tell, you were really out in lala land there Joseph." Zack told him, looking on concerned for him.

"Its no problem, I'm fine, we're good, and it's all good. How have you guys been these last few years?" Joseph asked, looking interested.

Aaron perked up a little, "Oh, I've been good, started a dojo in the jujitsu arts, there are a whole bunch of people wanting to learn self defense these times, business is good and its fun, plus I get to teach these things for the betterment of society. The money is good too, I got myself a little apartment in the city, and a nice group of people to talk to and live around. It's nice not having to train 24/7, even though I still train periodically. Have to keep up with you now don't I?" One thing about Aaron, he did not like to use other people's money, only his own self-made money, so he left his inheritance in the care of Joseph and Zack. "Life is easier now-a-days, I think, and I'm glad because of it. No body to beat us if we don't do what they tell us the first time."

"I agree," Zack said, "Life is a whole lot easier. I'm in negotiations in the police department, got my politics down pat and I'm still working to know more. It really is quite an interesting job, and the pay is good, but probably not as well as yours, Aaron. It just feels good to be able to save people from themselves and save people from others, you know? I've also taken some architecture courses and land boundary classes, its fun to be able to learn stuff like that. I'm still training though, same reason as Aaron, have to keep up with you right Joseph? What have you been doing these last few years?" Zack asked, but Joseph had stopped paying attention.

Joseph had asked that question and listened to most of the answers, but then he noticed the waitress coming towards them stumbling on high heels looking out of her element, and completely forgot his brothers.

"Joseph? You there? What are you looking at?" Aaron asked, looking in the direction that Joseph was looking. "Ohhhhh, I see what you are looking at, and I am going to tell you now, forget it. You and her cannot be together, you're immortal remember? It would be kind of hard to deal with that, her being mortal and all."

"Welcome to Carl's Club, how can I be of service tonight?" The waitress, Cassandra as her nametag said, asked the 3 young men sitting and staring at her.

"I'll take a salad with light Thousand Island Dressing, a small water, and some fries please." Zack told her, looking up from the menu.

"Yeah, that sounds good and all, but I'll take 24-Ounce Sirloin Steak, the biggest beer you can bring me, and some steak sauce and onion rings. That will be good I think." Aaron said, looking up at Cassandra with eyes wide, shining, and ready for food.

"………" Joseph was still staring up at her, and she was making eye contact right back, not writing a thing down.

"Ummm…are you guys ok?" Aaron asked, waving his hand in front of Joseph.

Joseph shook his head and looked at Aaron, then back to Cassandra and said, "I'll take a 12-ounce sirloin with a salad, ranch dressing, and a large coke. And maybe the time you get off tonight?"

"Oh…Ok that is two steaks, a 12 and 24 ounce, both over easy I take it, a salad with ranch and a salad with thousand island, a small water, a huge beer, and a large coke. And I get off tonight at around 9. Anything else for you guys tonight?"

"No, I think that's it, thank you." Zack said to her.

"Yeah, thanks, bring it quick!" Aaron said.

"That will be all Cassandra, thank you, and maybe I will see you tonight at 9." Joseph said.

"Ok, it should be out soon." Cassandra smiled at Joseph and walked back to the backroom with their order.

"Wow that was…wow." Joseph was dumbstruck.

"Don't get any ideas, it won't work." Zack said, looking down at his menu.

Dinner continued just fine, all three men devouring their food and discussing their lives for the past few years, Joseph talking to Cassandra when she came around to ask how they were doing, and enjoying the night. On Cassandra's break Aaron and Zack went down to the dance floor and decided to do some dancing, while Joseph and Cassandra talked about their lives.

"My mom was an immigrant, my father a dock worker. He was an alcoholic and abusive, plus he kept bringing women home with him, even when my mom was home. When she got a job, my mother left my father and bought a small apartment in the dregs. We got by, had enough food for ourselves and had electricity, but beyond that we didn't have much. I did get to go through school, but not much more beyond that. This job was a god send, my mom is sick and the cost to heal her is too much for her savings, so I am helping out as much as I can, but it's slow. Her health is getting worse and worse, and I don't know how much longer it will be before she can't be treated anymore. I don't know what else I can do."

"Well," Joseph said, "I can help. I have more than enough money, believe me."

"No, no Joseph I couldn't do that, it's your money that you earned and you should spend it on something you want to." Cassandra said, looking down.

"Fine, I'll hire the best doctors in the world to look at her, bring her to my house tomorrow before work and it will be fine, don't worry Cassandra, I want to spend the money to help you. It will be fine."

"Are you sure? Where do you live, I'll get her to you tomorrow. Are you sure it's ok Joseph?"

"Yeah, its just fine Cassandra, I am glad to help. My address is 9417 Northwest Maple Drive, you can't miss it, and it's at the very end of the drive near the second street. It'll be fine, don't worry, she'll be fine." Joseph told her, holding her hand.

"Hey, what's going on you guys?" Aaron asked as he and Zack walked up.

"I should get back to work, thanks again Joseph, nice to talk to you Aaron and Zack." Cassandra said as she got up and started walking back towards the kitchen.

"Wow you guys that was amazing, she's amazing." Joseph said as he watched her walk away.

"I think you are in way over your head Joseph, and should stop now." Zack said as he sat down and looked across the table, drinking his water.

"Hey, how about you guys get going and I'll call you tomorrow, I'm going to wait here for her and walk her home ok?" Joseph said as he looked back towards the kitchen.

"I'm telling you man, this is not a good idea, but I say to my students, one of the best ways to learn is by mistake, and you are making a huge mistake. Only you can learn from it. I hope you come to your mind soon, but I will talk to you tomorrow I guess, see you later Joseph." Aaron said as he picked up his coat and left.

"I agree with Aaron, Joseph, and I think you should end it before it begins, but whatever. Adios brother." Zack said as he made his way to the stairs leading down and out of the club.

A few hours later, as the time got later and the club got hipper, Cassandra and Joseph walked out of the back door of Carl's Club laughing at a joke Joseph had made.

As they continued to walk along the alley, a pair of men jumped out in front of them bearing a few knives and a sledge hammer.

"Hey pretty lady, how you doin'?" The leader asked. "Hey man, we'll take this pretty lady off your hands for 20 bucks, or we'll take her using these here knives n' stuff. Your choice buddy." The leader snarled at Joseph as he brandished his dagger.

"Cassandra, I want you to turn around and walk quickly out to the street and begin to walk. I will find you, do not worry, go now." Joseph said as he backed her away from the men.

"There are more behind us though Joseph." Cassandra whispered fearfully in Joseph's ear. "Please don't let them take me."

"I won't Cassandra, I wont." Joseph said as the first man rushed them. Joseph quickly smashed the man's collar bone with a quick right then chopped his neck in a sideways motion with his left. That took the first man down and out for the fight. The second and third men rushed from the back and front, and when they got into range Joseph executed, perfectly, a kick backwards and a punch forwards, at the same time thus disabling the two men. The rest of the men saw this man standing between them was dangerous, and decided for the all out rush.

As Joseph saw them coming, he pushed Cassandra back further until she was between two dumpsters, and stood in front of her watching the men race towards them. The first came swinging a crowbar directly at Joseph's head. Joseph waited until the last second, ducked under the swing, and came up with two quick punches to the face of the man with the crowbar. The man fell back bleeding profusely from his nose and mouth, completely unconscious. The next man, with some iron knuckles and a small knife, was faster than the first, and swungswungswungswung at Joseph, pushing him back towards the wall. As soon as his back touched the wall, Joseph jumped up and used the wall as a support as he kicked with both feet outwards, directly into the throat of the man attacking him and the man next to him, crushing their windpipes. Coming down from the jump he pushed off from the wall and into the next group of men coming, smashing eye sockets in and breaking limbs, tripping men up and using their weapons against them. It was not a fight, it was a complete beating.

Only a few minutes later, Joseph stood in the middle of the alleyway, blood covering his chest and fists, breathing lightly and not even looking at all the bodies he had just beat into a pulp. As he turned to look at Cassandra, he saw the utter fear in her eyes as she looked at the bodies then at him and back to the bodies.

"How…How did you do that? There is no way you should have been able to do that! What is going on?" Cassandra exclaimed, pointing at the bodies then to Joseph.

"I will explain it to you, but I think it would be best if we did it someplace a little quieter and not so conspicuous. Come on, I'll walk you home and explain it on the way." Joseph told her as he beckoned to her to 'come on'. When she didn't move, Joseph started to become frustrated. "Look, I know this whole thing right here is a big shock, and I will explain to the best of my ability and answer any questions you have on the way home, we need to get out of here though. Now come on."

A few minutes later as they were walking down a backstreet, Joseph explained how he had been born and what he had found out about his adoptive father, how he had so much money, how he had acquired so many skills, and many other questions that Cassandra asked. "Ouch." Cassandra said as they neared her home.

"What's wrong Cassandra?" Joseph said as he stopped her.

"When you pushed me in between those two dumpsters I hit one and got a little scratch, its nothing though, but it hurts really bad for some reason. It should be fine in the morning. Thank you Joseph, for protecting me tonight and being honest with me about your story, I will bring my mother to you tomorrow before work ok?"

"That is fine Cassandra, you and your mother will be fine, I'll help all I can. Thank you for listening to me, only Zack and Aaron know that stuff about me. I will talk to you tomorrow ok, I'll call you. Good night Cassandra, say Hi to your mother for me, and I hope you sleep well."

"Thank you again Joseph." Cassandra said, gave him a small kiss on the cheek, and rushed up into her house.

Joseph returned home that night on cloud-9, loving life, and didn't even turn on the T.V. to watch more stories about the falling negotiations between the nations of the world for peace. Instead he went to his bedroom and thought about Cassandra. 'I know she is the one, I just know it, I mean wow.' He thought. As he fell asleep that night, Joseph's thoughts were on seeing Cassandra in the morning, and he dreamed of her throughout the night.

The next morning, after his morning training session and his shower, Joseph called the number Cassandra had given him the night before.

"Hello?" Cassandra answered.

"Cassandra! Its Joseph, how are you this morning?"

"I don't know what's wrong Joseph, but my arm has felt like it has been on fire all night; I didn't get much sleep. I can't seem to hold any food down either. I don't know what is wrong, but the scratch I got last night is very red and oozing." Cassandra told him.

"Ok, don't go anywhere Cassandra, I'm coming over and taking you to a doctor, it will be ok, don't worry." Joseph said as he started to get his shoes on and called out to Alfred to get the car started.

"No, its ok Joseph, you don't need to come all the way out here, it's just a scratch." Cassandra tried to assuage his worries, but it didn't work.

"Don't worry Cassandra, its ok, you don't know how many times I've visited the doctor I'm taking you to, he's great. Wait for me ok? I will see you soon, bye Cassandra." Joseph said as he started to hang up the phone.

"Bye Joseph." Cassandra said.

About 30 minutes later Joseph parked his car outside of Cassandra's apartment and went up to get her. Another 30 minutes passed in silence as they drove to the doctor's office in the center of the big city.

"Wow, this is a pretty cool place." Cassandra said, looking out the window while holding ice on the scrape on her arm. "I've never been this far into the actual city before; it's always just been the outer edges and suburbs. This is pretty cool."

"It is very technologically advanced, and cool looking. Here we are." Joseph said as he parked the car outside the office. The office was not much different from any other building on the street, and as they walked towards the entrance the identification software uploaded into the building identified Joseph and let him and Cassandra in.

"Joseph! How are you on this fine day! Walking I see, usually when I get you its Alfred dragging you in on a stretcher. And who is this fine young lady? Hello, my name is George Jacobs, or Doctor Jacobs. Who might you be?" Doctor Jacobs asked Cassandra.

"My name is Cassandra, very nice to meet you Doctor Jacobs. This looks like a very nice doctor's office."

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine Cassandra my dear. This is quite a nice doctor's office; Joseph is kind enough to keep the best equipment in stock here. So Joseph, what brings you into my humble practice today?" Doctor Jacobs asked, sitting behind his desk.

"Well doctor, it's actually Cassandra. Last night we had a nasty run-in with some crooks, and she got a tiny cut from one of the dumpsters. Apparently it was burning all night last night, and was oozing too. I brought her to you because I knew I could trust you to not throw me out right now."

"That was you Joseph? Wow, they said there were at least 30 men in that alleyway. Getting a little restless are we my friend? Ok, let me have a look at this cut." Doctor Jacobs said as he put on his glasses. As Cassandra lifted the ice, Dr. Jacobs gasped and jumped from his chair, almost running around the desk and to her arm. "How long has it been like this? How long have you put ice on it? Did you use any cleaners to clean the cut, or any drugs to help the pain?"

"Ummm…It has been like this since last night, about 10 o'clock. I only started putting ice on it when Joseph suggested it…that was about 40 minutes ago. No I have not used any cleaners, and no I have not taken any drugs for it." answered Cassandra, looking worried at the doctor.

"Come with me child, I am going to do some tests." Dr. Jacobs said as he led her into the lab. After started the tests he came back out to talk to Joseph. "If this is what I think it is Joseph…she is not going to live another year. This would be a rare disease that can only be healed by time and the body, and if her immune system starts to shut down then she won't have enough time. I'm sorry Joseph."

"You aren't sure yet, though, right? I mean, the tests will say if it is true or not right? There is still a chance she will live?" Joseph asked as he stood up and began to pace.

"The tests were done almost as soon as I touched her skin with them, she test positive. I'm sorry Joseph." Dr. Jacobs told Joseph. "I will let you tell her on your time, I'm sorry again my friend."

"Thanks Doc, I'll talk to you later." Joseph said as he looked up at the doctor with eyes full of tears.

"What's going on Joseph, why are you crying, where is Dr. Jacobs? Why did he look so pale walking out of here?" Cassandra asked almost as soon as Joseph walked in. All he did was walk up to her and put his arms around her, hugging her close as he cried silently for her. "What's wrong Joseph?" Cassandra asked again.

"You tested positive for a fatal disease Cassandra, you have less than a year to live. I'm so sorry; I did this to you, if I hadn't pushed you back into that dumpster this never would have happened." Joseph told her while holding her close.

The full impact of his words finally hit her and she began to cry also, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him with all her might.

"I may have a solution you two." Doctor Jacobs walked up. "See, a way for the body to heal, always, is to just push the disease out, whether by immune system power or by the body getting used to the disease. What we would have to do is go right back there in that back room there and freeze you Cassandra, and keep you frozen until you are healed. It could take a few months; it could take hundreds of years. I'll leave that decision up to you, but if you do that than you will heal. I'd su—"

"I'll do it." Cassandra said almost instantly, getting up and heading towards the back room. Joseph only stared after her, and Doctor Jacobs looked from her to Joseph and back.

"She will heal, and you will be here for her when she does Joseph, be happy. I'll go get the papers for her to sign and then freeze the process, if you have anything to say to her say it now." Doctor Jacobs turned and walked back into his office, gathering the required pieces of paper for the complete freezing that he was about to perform.

"Are you sure you want to do this Cassandra?" Joseph asked her as she sat and looked out the window of the room.

"Yes, I am sure Joseph. My mother disappeared, I just got the call this morning, no one knows where she is, I have nothing else to stay around for, or nothing that wont be here when I am done and healed" she said as she looked to Joseph and smiled.

"I just want to say Cassandra, yesterday evening and the time that I have been with you today have been the best times of my life, and I hope that when this is all over that you will still let me hang around to get to know you better, because I would really like that." Joseph told her as he looked at her and held her hand.

"Yes…I would like that Joseph, thank you." Cassandra said and smiled at him then kissed him again on the cheek. "I'm going to leave my apartment and things to you; do what you want with them. Please wait for me, I'll be out soon, good bye Joseph." Cassandra said as tears began to flow down her cheeks.

"It is time, come Cassandra." Doctor Jacobs told her, and they went into another room off the room they were in.

Joseph just stood in the middle of the room, steeling himself, and then left at a run. He ran to his car, jumped in, and made it home in record time. Within 5 minutes of getting home, Joseph had begun to train at an intense rate that he had never worked before, the T.V. on.

"War has finally erupted, the nations negotiations reached a standpoint today and erupted with gunfire. The nations of the world ar—bzzzzzzzzzzzzz" The T.V. cut out as a flash occurred outside the window that Joseph was working in. As he looked outside, he could see the mushroom of fire flowing upwards from the city, and on the horizon, more mushroom clouds. The world was expending all of the nuclear weapons it had developed over the years, and in a few seconds almost the entire city had been demolished. As Joseph witnessed this, he steeled himself for the inevitable, the war to end all wars, the fifth world war, the final world war…alone.

A/N: This is just a prologue of an actual story I have in my head, should I write it or not? Reviews are welcome and sought after, flames accepted, but constructive criticism most widely appreciated. If you've gotten this far I'd like to thank you ahead of time for any review you give, and for reading my prologue!