Episode 1: A New Beginning - Part 1: 2082
It was incredibly hot in the board room of HS #946 Brooklyn's main high school and this is where our story begins. I stared blankly at the first question of the Genesis recruitment test.
Night is falling, your four clicks from the colony, and your rover has died stranding you in the jungle. Your only weapon is a couple of matches. What do you do?
A. Panic
B. Make a run for the colony
C. Use the matches to light a fire
Drawing a blank I made sure the government official overseeing the test wasn't in the room and leaned over and tapped my best friend Sean Casey on the shoulder. "What?" he asked "Do you know the answer to number one?" "It's C", he answered. "Do you know the answer to number two?" I quickly circled C on my test before looking at number two.
Night is falling, your rover has been sabotaged by rebel forces, and you realize you have a pack of raptor's hunting you. What do you do?
A. Use the toolbox to repair the radio and contact the colony
B. Go outside and yell and shout to scare the raptors away
C. Panic
"I think it's A", I answered. Seated behind Sean and me, my other best friends Emily Jackson and Kate Cooper were passing their tests to the official. As soon as he was out of earshot, I passed my test back to Emily. "Is my answer for number three correct?" I asked. "Yes", she answered. After double checking everything I passed my test to the official. Just then, the bell rang and I put on my re-breather before walking outside with everyone else. "How do you think you did?" Emily asked. "Well considering that I cheated on every answer I think I did just as well as Sean", I answered. "I think I did well", Kate said, taking a book out of her bag and opening it. "You always say that", Sean answered." Just as we were passing the Dean's office the Dean of students, Mr. Skylerson stepped outside. "Tim, Emily, Sean, and Kate please come in here for a moment", he said. We all stepped into his office and saw the government official that oversaw the test, and another man dressed in a crisp black suit with wing tipped shoes sitting in two office chairs. "Please sit down." Skylerson said pointing to four chairs across from the two men. We all took a seat. "Are we in trouble?" Emily asked. "No." The official answered. "Quite the opposite", the man in the suit added. "You four have been chosen to go to Genesis." We all just sat there stunned. "Are you serious?" Kate finally asked. "Yes." The official answered. "You all had a perfect score." "All that is left to do now is sign the paperwork." Skylerson said handing the each one of us a slip of paper. "When do we leave?" Sean asked. "The third pilgrimage is set to leave on the 15th", the man in the suit answered, "that gives you two days to pack and say goodbye to your families." "What do you mean say goodbye to them?" Emily asked. I could hear the tension in her voice as the official and the man in the suit fought to find the right words. "Well, according to Home Plaza rules only a specified number are allowed to go through the portal at one time". The official answered. "That means that it's just the four of you or nobody." The man in the suit added. I stared at the piece of paper as I contemplated these words. "We will give you a few minutes to decide." The official said standing up, and the three men left the room. "This is crazy." Emily said. "I can't leave my parents, I am not going." "What are you talking about?" I asked. "Em this is our chance to leave. We can't stay here only to watch the world that is on its last breaths die." "Tim's, right Em." Sean answered. "This is a chance to start over to make things right you have to go." "Yeah just because our parents can't come with on this pilgrimage doesn't mean Home Plaza won't send them over on the next one." Kate said. Emily finally nodded her head and we passed the pen to her so she could sign her name. After all of us had signed our names on the papers we gave them to the official as we were walking out the door. "Be at Home Plaza at 7:00 a.m. sharp in two days", the man in the suit said. "The portal won't remain open forever." Two days later the four of us walked into Home Plaza, a massive structure that for three years had held the heart of the Babylon project the portal that opened the rift and transported people back in time 65 million years. Just inside the doors security guards checked our bags and performed a retinal scan. We all passed security and were waiting with one hundred other people when the doors to the main plaza opened. A guard waited at the door checking ID's and making sure that no one wasn't sneaking into the main plaza that wasn't supposed to. As soon as everyone who was going had entered the main plaza the guard dragged a metal gate across the door. I was looking around at the other people when I heard my name being called. I turned and looked back at the gate to see my younger brother Steve pressed against the gate yelling my name. I ran over to the gate and gave him a hug through the bars. "Where are mom and dad?" I asked. "They couldn't get off of work." He answered. "Will you tell them goodbye for me?" I asked. "Of course just make sure you don't get eaten by a dinosaur." He said with his trademark grin. "I promise." I answered. Just then the security guard pulled Steve away from the gate. "Sir you need to get back in line." Another guard said. "They are preparing to open the portal." As all of this was going on high above in the home plaza control room, scientist's dressed in white lab coats sat at computer terminals making sure the portal's power readings were all correct. One of the scientists took a key out of his pocket and inserted it into a control panel. "Standby for portal dilation", the scientist yelled. A man in a military uniform looked through a glass window at the people waiting in the main plaza. After making sure that no one was standing over the red safety line he turned to the scientist. "Initiate portal dilation"! The scientist turned the key and with a loud roaring sound the portal doors opened, emitting a blinding white light. The guards put us into groups of four, with Me, Sean, Emily, and Kate in one group. Slowly, the line moved forward as the each group stepped into the light disappearing with a loud crack. The whole time an automated voice was saying. "Please remove you re-breathers and place them into the bins provided…your re-breathers will not be required…Your bodies will not be used to the oxygen rich atmosphere medical assistance will be on hand to help you…Your eyes will not be accustomed to the bright sunlight medical assistance will be on hand to help you…" Finally, it was our turn to go through the portal, and the guard instructed us to hold each other's arms as we stepped through the portal. I grabbed Emily's arm, and after taking one last breath, we stepped into the light.