Millennium Days
September, 1987
Adrian Veidt didn't watch much TV these days. World events were still progressing much as he had planned, so there wasn't as much of a need. With the new era of peace, things were actually quite dull. As such, the wall of TV monitors was now mostly silent, save for the occasional commercial for his Millennium line of products. He spent most of his time reading, occasionally keeping tabs on the work that Nite Owl and Silk Spectre were doing. Dan kept in touch. They seemed to enjoy their work.
"Sir?" One of his new assistants, the Afghani man he'd hired last year, entered the residence. With Afghanistan on its way towards becoming a stable democracy, more and more educated Afghan immigrants were coming to the States.
Veidt put down the copy of the Gazette he'd been reading. "Yes, Omar. What is it?"
"Your Goodwill Ambassador from East Africa has reported in. The coalition appears to be holding. Also, there's a rather strange delivery that we received in the mail." The bearded man handed it to Adrian, who looked at the cover with interest. It was a plain brown wrapper, with his corporate headquarters address and the words "Nothing ever ends" written on it. There was no return address.
"Interesting. I'll look at it momentarily. Thank you, Omar." As Omar bowed and left, Adrian turned the package over in his hands, and then carefully opened it. "Nothing ever ends…" that was something Jon had told him, before he'd left the galaxy. Would Osterman communicate with him in this fashion? It didn't seem likely…
His curiosity turned to apprehension as he looked at the book that had been inside the wrapping. It was a journal, and the name "Rorschach" was written in bold ink on the front. It couldn't be, he thought. The masked vigilante was dead; terminated by Jon nearly two years ago.
He opened the cover and began to read:
December, 1986. Found myself in an alley two days ago. Alley was clean, devoid of trash and graffiti, not like ones I always knew. Saw the words "New Deal" and a poster of Russian and American flags on otherwise spotless wall. Knew then that this was the world of Veidt's Utopia. Also knew that Manhattan hadn't really killed me. Have spent the last forty-eight hours exploring this world as Kovaks. There seems to be no need for Rorschach here. Half of New York population is gone; no more Knot heads, everything proclaiming new era. Veidt seems to have gotten his Utopia, but at what price? At what price did Veidt bring peace?
February, 1987
Have gotten job as menial worker at Cab Company. Place was one of many rebuilt following invasion hoax. Remarkable how people have adapted. Life goes on. Is this what Manhattan wanted to show me?
Saw news broadcast about suspected activities of Dreiberg and Ms. Juspeczyk. Suspect they are now living under assumed names. No doubt Dreiberg believes me to be dead; perhaps wise not to spoil illusion just yet.
Found out that publisher of New Frontiersman has died of heart attack. Went to pay my respects. It seems there was no place in this world for him anymore, either.
Will eventually make contact with Veidt. Must find out what purpose is in brave new world. Must know why Manhattan sent me here.
The rest of the journal was empty. Since he had received it only today that meant the former Rorschach intended to make contact with him directly…
There was a rustle of movement behind Adrian. He didn't turn around, but simply said, "Hello…Kovaks."
"I see you received my package," the man standing behind him said. "Good. Now, we need to talk…not just as one masked adventurer to another, but man to man."
TO BE CONTINUED?