SPLATOON AFTERWORLD
INTRO
drz1990 is back! With a new story this time. Sorry but I have quit working on Splatoon Agent Zero as I'm sure everyone can tell. SAZ was getting too complex and hard to keep up, even I had a hard time trying to remember the characters and plot within the story but this time I wanna try and redeem myself. This story will feature a new character and new plot and will have no connection to the story modes of Splatoon 1 and 2, I guess you can say I'm carving my own path this time. So let's get started.
The main character is a human name Seth, a young man, a soldier and father whose life is about to change forever as his world spirals out of control and is placed on a test for survival along with his family in cryostasis. When he wakes up he discovers that his world has changed forever and is now inhabited by creatures taking the place of humans and encounters other dangers and obstacles during his journey to find his family.
This story will not be so complex and is straight forward without the narrative having to switch around through different character perspectives. I'll try and improve my story-telling and spell checking while I'm at it. I hope you enjoy the read and please leave commits after you've read.
PROLOGUE
"War...war never changes. It seemed only yesterday that the world was spinning like it normally did. The sun rose and set, turning from day to night. The world was at peace and everyone seemed to carry on with their lives without a care...that's until things changed. My name is Seth, Seth Matthison and I just moved to the west to start a family of my own but threats of war were looming and world economies were taking a plunge. As bad as things were progressing I felt it in my duty to join the army, thinking about my country and my family, especially with a baby on the way. I enlisted and was soon deployed to fight in a far away land with home now longer in my view but just the motivation to fight, survive and get back. I got my wish after I sustained life threatening injuries on my first tour and was placed on medical leave. I returned home to my wife and soon to be son. It seemed things were great again...or so I thought but one day, that caused everything to change at the knock of a door and you know what they say, when opportunity comes a knockin' you best take it but in this case well... let's just say it wasn't the opportunity I didn't expect and certainly didn't ask for,"
The year is 2030...
Dawn just broke, the sun beamed over the tree line below, soon revealing a quaint little suburb, broken by the silence of birds singing. It was a quiet neighborhood, your typical American suburb where people raise families but one family on the other hand is about to have their life changed forever.
An alarm clock buzzes, causing a figure to roll over, clinching from the obnoxious sound of the clock until he finally smacks the snooze button and looks at the ceiling. They sit up and pull the covers over before stretching their arms. Still groggy being woken up, the figure turns to another that was sleeping beside them. "Babe, time to wake up," they told them.
They mumble from under the covers as they moved around, not wanting to get up themselves. "Yeah, I know," said the first figure before they finally got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. The figure in the bed sat up, half-awake as they let out a deep sigh.
Time passed by and inside the bathroom, steam engulfs the figure's vision and nothing but the sound of running water could be echoing. The water stops at the sound of a squeaky dial and then the shuffling of curtains being moved over. They walk over to the mirror and wipe the water vapor off of it to look at their reflection.
The reflection reveals a young man in his early 20s, clean shaven, very short brown hair with a blondish sheen and well built from their time in the military. As he inspects himself he spots a scar running across his chest. He rubs it and then looks back at the mirror with a sigh. "War never changes," he says, thinking about how got the wound back when he in the service. A grim reminder of how he nearly died out on the field, but he was thankful to make it home to his wife and newborn son.
"Hon, I just made a fresh pot of coffee, how long are gonna be in there?" A female voice asked from behind the door.
"I'll be out in just a second, let me get dressed," He answered.
He undraped the towel covering his lower body and got dressed in a white t shirt and some pajama pants. The young man's name was Seth Matthison, a father and a former soldier. Placed on medical leave and allowed to return home to his family. As soon as he was done, he headed down the hall and into the kitchen.
His wife saw him and gave him a hug followed by a kiss. "I love you hon," she told him.
"I love you too," he replied.
"I fixed you a cup on the table and your phone should be charged," she said to him, pulling away.
"Thanks babe, I'm glad to be home," he told her.
She gave a smile and returned to the sink to finish washing dishes. Seth took a sip and headed over to the bay window, overlooking the yard and street across from it. He could see a man walking his dog as they gave a wave and a boy riding their bike on the sidewalk. Seth then plopped on the couch and turned the TV on with a remote, giving another sip of coffee from his mug. "Wonder what's on?" he said.
The TV showed a news anchor reporting on the fighting that was going on overseas. Footage could be shown with soldiers getting into a fire fight and dragging the wounded to safety. As he watched something triggered in his mind. He was suddenly having flashbacks of events he went through in the military. He could see soldiers getting killed around him, blood, gunfire, explosions, things that traumatized the former soldier as he zoned out on the couch. He didn't even hear his infant son crying from the room.
"Oh, looks like somebody woke up, I guess I better see what the fuss is about," Sarah said but then she noticed her husband's expression as she walked up.
"Um hon," she said but he didn't answer. He was still stuck in thought envisioning his flashbacks ending with the explosion that nearly killed him.
"Hon!" she yelled, finally jarring him awake. He shook his head and looked around and then to his wife.
'Huh...what," he replied still shaken a little by his episode.
"Hon are you alright?" she asked him with concern.
"Yeah (sigh)... I'm fine," he answered.
"No you're not... Seth, I think you need to get in contact with the VA. You're condition is getting worse and I hate seeing you like that. I love you and yoi can't keep ignoring this,"
"Sarah, I'm OK, really..."
"Please Seth, I'm not asking, I'm urging you to give them a call for your sake,"
"Alright just... let me finish my coffee and I will,"
"Thank you," she said with a hug. "Now let me go see what our son needs, probably just a diaper change," she said heading for the infant's room.
Seth downed his head, feeling worried himself and pondering on what his wife said. It seemed his PTSD was becoming more apparent and decided to go ahead and schedule an appointment with the VA psychologist. Finishing his coffee and heading toward his cellphone only to get stopped by a door bell.
"Can you see who that is Seth, I'm tending to Virgil right now," she said from the bedroom.
"Sure, I'll see who it is," he answered.
He approached the door and opened it to be greeted by a man in a suit accompanied by a soldier. "Is this the Matthison residence, I'm looking for a Seth Matthison. Does he live here?" the man asked.
"Why yes, I'm Seth Matthison. What's this about? If this is about the car payment then..." Seth started to say as he closed the door behind him.
"Oh, no, no, no (chuckle) I'm here on behalf of the defense department. I've come here to inform you that you have been volunteered to be a part of a classified program. You've been selected due to your service record and I would like you to come with us so we can begin processing you," the suited man told him.
"What? Volunteered? I don't remember signing anything and besides I was put on medical leave. I'm not a soldier anymore and if this is some kind of gimmick to get me to reenlist than no thanks. I served my time so I suggest you leave and try and recruit someone else for this so called project. I've been through enough and I've got the scars to prove it, not to mention PTSD, as a matter of fact I was about to call the VA about it before you two showed up," Seth told him.
"Matthison... I'm sure you remember me. I didn't come here to put you back on the battlefield. I came here to explain things to you, it is the utmost urgency and I would recommend that you come with us immediately so we can go over the details privately," said the soldier removing his cap.
He appeared to be in his late 30s. A higher ranking NCO by his patch. He sternly looked at Seth, who recognized him from their service together. His former superior from when he first enlisted.
"Blackwell, what are you doing here. What did they do? bump you down to recruiter or something and what's so urgent anyway. As if there isn't enough problems in the world as it is,"
"Listen here sergeant, you don't think I wake up every day and watch the news without asking when this damn war will be over. Peace talks have failed and countless lives have been loss. The opposing coalitions have placed the nuclear option on the table. I know you're not a soldier anymore but you've been hand picked for this program. A program that may tip the scale for us and bring this war to an end. If we lose today, they'll be no tomorrow. You can guarantee that sergeant,"
"Quit referring to me as sergeant. I'm no longer in the military and you're rallying cry isn't gonna change my mind. My verdict is final. I'm home now where I can take care of my wife and son. If the world were to end then I'd rather spend it here with my family... now if you gentlemen would please leave," Seth told them as he got infuriated and opened the door to walk back inside.
"Matthison! You're country needs you, don't walk away from me. This is too important to pass up, if you really cared for your family then you will come with us," Blackwell harped.
Seth paused with his back turned toward them and his body halfway through the door.
"Please, Mr. Matthison, listen to Blackwell and..." the man in the suit started.
"Let me tell you something! I think I've been enough as it is! You don't think I don't live with the regrets watching my fellow countrymen die around me, knowing they'll never make it back to their families except in a coffin. I could've been one of them... but I was fortunate and I thank God I made it home. Don't you dare and try to lay a guilt trip on me because I live with the guilt everyday knowing I couldn't save those soldiers and that they had families that had to bury them. Now I'm telling you to leave. My decision is final, now good day and happy hunting," Seth told them as his anger subsided.
As he walked back inside he felt something blunt strike him behind the head before he fell to the floor and was knocked out. His vision turned blurry and he started to doze off as he heard Blackwell's voice "Sorry it's had to come to Matthison,"
"Everything went dark. I didn't know what happened, I couldn't move my body but after a while, I could start hearing faint voices. They were muffled and didn't sound familiar. I then started thinking about my family, the memories playing in my head through blurry images. Was...I dying or something? They say your life flashes before your eyes when you do but I felt fine, I just couldn't move or see... then all of a sudden I felt something cold pierce me. I felt funny then it was somewhat rejuvenating. Should I feel worried?...Then at a brief moment my eyes opened. I saw figures but I couldn't make them out, my vision was obscure and soon as if just waking up for a second to only fall back asleep... everything turned black again... what happened?"
Slowly waking up at a disclosed area, a figure had finally came to their senses. They blinked and gave a moan, unsure what had happened to them. "Mmm... What the hell's going on?" Seth asked, still a little dazed from getting struck behind the head. Then all of a sudden a bright light was shined in his eyes. "Hm... subject appears to be showing no abnormalities, stimulation is normal..." said a figure in a lab coat. They pulled the light away and turned it off.
"Huh what the..." Seth started to say as he tried to sit up but his hands were strapped down, keeping him restrained on a hospital bed. He saw he wasn't in his house but a small white room. It remined him of a doctor's office at the clinic. "What? Hey what's going!? Where am I!?" shouted Seth as he tried to break from the straps.
"My name is Doctor Engils, and your at a disclosed underground military facility. The site for the super soldier program Mr. Matthison," said the man in the lab coat.
"Super soldier program...ugh, How did I get here!? And why am I tied to this damn bed!?"
"I wasn't sure how you would react when you woke up...especially after I injected you,"
"Injected me! Injected me with what!"
"The experimental serum X25, all subjects are required to be implanted with it after they have been processed. So far, this formula has shown no adverse effects on the test subjects though they are still being monitored. We would require more time to ensure complications don't arise but unfortunately time is a precious commodity that we do not have,"
"So I get abducted to be some damn guinea pig!"
"Please Mr. Matthsion calm down,"
"Calm down! You expect to be calm while I'm strapped to a bed while you shot me with some Frankenstein juice! I might not be a soldier anymore, but I can still kick your ass!"
The doctor backed away as the door came open with Seth getting angrier by who walked in. "Matthison that's enough! You left me choice but to bring you here against your will. I offered you to come but you chose the alternative,"
"Blackwell, you son of a bitch get me out of this or so help me I'll..."
"Or you'll do what... consider your self fortunate before you make anymore idle threats. After the past couple of hours things have escalated out of control. The enemy factions have just started launching their nukes with one of them detonating at the Antarctic. The blast caused the giant mass of ice to melt and send a shockwave through the southern hemisphere. Coastlines have already been engulfed and millions of people have done perished. We're getting reports of more detonations here on US soil. We have no choice but to evacuate to the bunkers Matthison, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but its a harsh reality, the sooner you accept the better,"
"What? But... my family they're..."
"Safe...I can assure you. They're here in the complex now,"
"How I can believe what you just told me. You kidnap me bring me to this damn place!"
"I'm not lying about the nukes sergeant, I wish were,"
Seth could tell by Blackwell's expression he was being sincere. He was at a lose to hear that his home may have been gone but to hear is family was there inside the facility put him at ease. "Blackwell, please let me go. I wanna see them. I wanna see Sarah and Virgil,"
"I'm sorry Matthison but I can't, it's above my authority,"
"Blackwell! Damn it! I wanna see them right now! You drag me here and now you won't even let me see my wife and son!"
Blackwell then turned to Doctor Engils. "is he ready?" Blackwell asked. "So far no adverse effects have surfaced from the X25. I'd say it's safe to go ahead and bring him to the chamber," replied the doctor.
"Good, I'll be waiting, right now I have other matters to attend to. I'll be sure to have an armed detail bring him down to make sure he doesn't try any hostilities," said Blackwell before he headed out the door of the small room.
"Blackwell!" Seth shouted at him as he left. The two armed guards along with their officer came into the room. "I suggest you remain compliant as my men escort you with doctor Engils," the officer told Matthison as he nodded to the guards to release Seth. The guards then cuffed him and shoved him toward the doorway as the doctor followed.
Three hours earlier...
Sarah was in the small bedroom where her and Seth's infant was sleeping. She had just got done changing his diaper and held him in her arms. She was about to bottle feed him but then she heard a commotion at the door, like something falling on the floor. "Seth!" she shouted but got no response. After a moment she decided to investigate and kept Virgil with her. "Seth!" she cried out again, coming into the kitchen area. She looked out toward the front door and saw Seth being carried inside a van. "Oh my God! Seth!" she shouted, panicking and rushing out but was grabbed from behind by another man.
"Ah, let go of me! Seth!" she yelled at the man who had a hold of arm. Sarah clutched her child as he began crying. "Ma'am please calm yourself," the man demanded.
"What are you doing with my husband!" she screamed.
"The same we're going to do to you," he replied as he pulled out a chloroform rag, placing it over her nose and mouth. Her resistance started to falter and soon she went limp. The man grabbed the baby before he fell out of her arms and Blackwell and the suited man rushed over. "Let's get her to the facility, when she wakes up, we'll explain things to her," Blackwell said.
Another man got out of the van and helped carry Sarah's unconscious body into the back with her husband. One of the guards secured the infant and cradled him to calm the child down. They shut the doors and drove off, out of the neighborhood and to the complex site.
It would be nearly three hours later until Sarah would wake up in the back of the large vehicle. Like her husband, she had slowly woken up but was still a little disoriented. She looked around as her sight was coming back and noticed that she wasn't home and that Virgil wasn't in her arms. "W...w...where am I? Virgil?...Virgil!? Where's my baby boy!?" she yelled frantically.
Just then a figure appeared at the doorway of the van's backdoors. "Mrs. Matthison, it's OK... your infant is safe but you must remain calm and do as we say," said the figure.
"W...who are you? What have you done with Virgil!?"
"I'll explain things, I know your scarred right now but you have to trust us,"
"Trust you! You kidnap my husband and then you take me and my child, you expect me to trust you, just who are you!?"
The man revealed himself as Blackwell. The soldier that was helping pack Seth's body to the van. "My name is Blackwell. I was your husband's superior officer when he served. He's been taken to the underground complex which we will be going into soon and volunteered for the super soldier program,"
"What?...but why him?"
"You see your husband as well others that have been hand picked for this program and are undergoing biological augmentation. I don't think you can grapple with how desperate and serious the situation has gotten, consider you and your son's abduction as a favor for your husband and his "contribution" to the project, said Blackwell. He waved his men to drag her out of the van as she struggled with them to get her out of the back.
She looked around and saw she was no longer in the suburb where she and Seth settled in but a wooded area. A large structure with arrays and antennas stood out of the tree line. Around it was a razor wire lined fence. Restricted area signs and camera towers also surrounded the complex as well. The women then turned to her captors, Blackwell and his men.
"Please...I wanna see my son," she pleaded. "Why are you doing this to us?"
"You will Mrs. Matthison but first you must do as we say. You're going to be taken to the facility to be screened and processed like your husband has already been, If you're unaware, you and your family should consider yourselves fortunate... Mrs. Matthison, you may not have a home anymore, we're getting reports of nuclear detonations around the country. A nuke has already been detonated at the Antarctic, causing the seawaters to start consuming the coastal areas. Flooding has already taken place and millions have already evacuated inland. It'll just be a matter until we're next so I suggest we move to the facility before that happens,"
"This... can't be happening, it just can't be," she panned, shaking her head, unable to accept her situation as she fell to her knees.
"I'm sorry that I've had to tell you this," he told her. "Let's bring her to the facility, we're running out of time," he told the guards. They picked her up and escorted her toward the gated complex.
They approached a checkpoint which was manned by armed guards. They checked Blackwell's ID and allowed him to pass but Sarah on the other hand had to be searched. She felt somewhat violated after they patted her down and scanned her body with metal detectors. "Sorry, but it's protocol Mrs. Matthison, once we've been cleared we can run you through screening," he told her.
"Then will I get to my son?" she asked.
"In due time but first things first," he replied as he nodded for them to follow.
They continued to the complex. Sarah was feeling doubts whether she would get to see Virgil and what about her husband. She had a bad feeling about Blackwell and the complex she was going inside. What was this processing for? What was the uniformed man not telling her? But she had no choice but to go along so she could see her son again. The group then headed up to the entrance of the facility, the large bulkhead doors slowly opened, revealing a large elevator on the other side leading down. A soldier walked up to them and gave an attention to Blackwell. "Sir, you've been granted access to enter the facility,"
"Thank you corporal, you may proceed," said Blackwell before the soldier nodded. Sarah was feeling more and more uneasy. What was this place and why were their armed soldiers everywhere?
"Mrs. Matthison, we're about to enter the complex, you'll be ran through screening once we've entered the facility. You'll be processed and ID'd from their so we can get you situated. After that you'll get to see your child," Blackwell told her.
"(sigh) Is there anyway way I'll get to Seth?" she asked.
"That I can't guarantee Mrs. Matthison, but I can assure you he's safe, tests are being ran on him as we speak, now let's please proceed," he said.
They headed toward the elevator but...
Just then a loud boom shook the ground followed by a bright flash in the distance. They all turned and saw the source of the flash, followed by a mushroom cloud. It was a nuclear detonation, it just struck near the city and wiped it out along with the surrounding area. One of the men was blinded by the flash and fell too his knees, the soldiers, the other guard and Sarah froze in fear at the sight. The shockwave then jarred them from their trance as a large dust cloud was heading for them. "My god... quick! Get inside the elevator now!: Blackwell shouted.
He grabbed Sarah as the others scrambled for cover. The bulkheads were closing and the two raced for them as one guard ran but tripped and fell to the ground. Blackwell and Sarah managed to barely make it, the doors now shut as dust and debris slammed into them, followed by a tremor that rocked the platform inside as the lights flickered. The men outside unfortunately weren't lucky and presumably perished. Sarah collapsed from what just happened and Blackwell leaned against the railing out of breath, before the elevator coasted downward, deeper into the underground complex.
Sarah sat in a fetal position in the corner of the descending platform as Blackwell was still in shock from seeing the nuclear blast that wiped out the city and the men outside. He looked over at the terrified woman and didn't even bother her.
The elevator finally made it down and metal gates slid open allowing access into the facility. As Blackwell recollect himself two soldiers approached the platform and greeted Blackwell. He then directed them to get Sarah and bring her out. She jerked and swatted at the men, scarred out of her mind from witnessing the nuke and was escorted out.
She wrestled with the soldiers as she was brought in front of Blackwell. "Mrs. Matthison, calm down! It's over! You're safe now!" Blackwell said. She finally stopped and wanted to faint as tears ran down her eyes. Blackwell could see the women was traumatized and for good reason after what happened.
"I know you've been through a lot but we have to get you screened if you wanna see your son," she told.
"I...I..." was all she could stammer.
"Just bring her to through the processing bay, she'll recover soon," said Blackwell to the soldiers. They nodded and escorted the traumatized women to a large lobby full of armed guards and staff wearing lab coats. The lobby was laid out like an airport terminal. Sarah though, was guided down a rail-lined walkway that took you to a station and at the end were two body scanners facing the walkway. The soldiers let her go as Blackwell walked through the scanners, checking vitals and other data on his body for agents, foreign material or abnormalities. "Alright, Mrs. Matthison could you please approach the scanners," asked a women in a lab coat behind her station.
She slowly walked through the scanners and stopped. They emitted a grid-like blue beam that ran up her body, relaying data back to the terminal where the women in the lab coat was sitting. "OK, Mrs. Matthison you may step forward," she told Sarah. As she walked up she was then greeted by a man in a lab coat. He was holding a tablet and fixing his glasses as he studied Sarah.
"Hello, my name is Doctor Engils, I'm the head of the research branch. I can tell you've been through so much but I assure things will be fine Mrs. Matthison,"
"Please...just call me Sarah, where is my child?" she panned to the doctor.
"You're child is being taken care of, we've done processeed him and you'll get to be united with him once we've gotten done with you. Your data from the scanners should be transferred to my tablet soon and then we can began processing you immediately,"
"What about my husband? Seth?"
"We're still running tests on him...wait, I just got your data collected. Everything seems good so far, yes... alright, we can head to the lab, just follow me Mrs...I mean Sarah,"
The soldiers stayed behind Sarah to ensure she didn't try to flee. They traversed down a hallway and into a small room. It looked like a doctor's office similar to the one Seth was in. A small examination bed was laying against the wall and diagrams of human anatomy was hanging up with a desk and computer in the far corner. They stepped in and the soldiers guarded the door outside.
"Take a seat Sarah and then we can get started... are you feeling ok? Any past medical conditions I need to know about?"
"OK... How am I supposed to feel!? I get abducted, I lose my son and husband and I just watched my home get...," she ranted but couldn't finish as she cringed holding back her anguish.
"Sarah I'm sorry about what has happened. There's nothing that could've been done. You should be glad that you and your family are lucky to have made it. It's why we've chosen your family for the project. You and them are safe down here until we can resettle but I will have to explain to you about the complexities of the situation. It's hard I know but hopefully things will gradually settle down,"
"I can't handle this... I just wanna see my son, I just wanna go home,"
"Sarah, you can't return home you've seen that yourself. Now I would ask you to please calm yourself while I inject you with the X25," said Engils, he walked over to his desk and pulled out a metal case. Inside was a vial of a green substance and an empty syringe. He shot the needle through the top of the container and pumped the green fluid into the syringe.
"What's that?" asked a leery Sarah.
"This is the serum X25. I have to inject you with it so we can finish the processing procedure. So I would ask you to be compliant," he told her as held the syringe.
"No, I'm not taking any shots,"
"Sarah, I'm asking you to please remain calm, this will only take a second,"
"I said No, I wanna see Virgil! take me to him!"
"Please relax, if you don't I will have to resort to sedation,"
Sarah then scurred toward the door but was stopped by Engils holding the filled syringe. She knocked him off, causing him to nearly drop it. The commotion caused the guards outside to come in and restrain her, seeing she was resisting. They pinned her against the wall which made her scream. "Hold her so I can apply the X25," Engils ordered.
"Noooo!...uh, Virgil! Seth! Help meeeee!" she shouted. Her head was held and the needle pierced her neck, as Engils pumped the serum into her. The soldiers let go of her as she calmed down and slid down to the floor, sitting against the wall wanting to cry. "You gave me no other option Mrs. Matthison but as promised, I will bring your infant in," Engils told as he wiped the tip of the needle.
"P...Please...I just wanna see he's ok," she whimpered as she sat against the wall. The guards left and Engils looked back with sympathy at the poor young women who was obviously in deep distress. He turned away and headed for the room that was holding her son to bring back.
Current time... 30 minutes later...
Seth was cuffed and bound for the cryo chamber as he was being escorted by some armed guards while he was being lead by Engils. The corridor was busy, many staff were walking by as two researchers were talking and then glanced over to Seth and the other three. They passed up a collection of rooms consisting of labs and mainframes controlling the different systems running the underground facility. "Not much farther Mr. Matthison, we're almost there," said Engils.
"Might I ask where we are headed?" asked Seth who was getting antsy.
"The cryo chamber, It's where you'll be placed in suspension inside your assigned pod," replied Engils.
"Pod? What pod? And what about my family? Blackwell said they were brought here, I was informed I would get to see them,"
"Relax, I can assure you that you will... after your cryostasis is complete and you've been released,"
"Cryo huh?" asked Seth with a bewildered look.
"Cryostasis... you're be placed in prolonged suspension inside your the pod for an amount of time. After that you can see your wife and child,"
"You better be telling the truth doc, I'm getting sick of being lead around, Blackwell has done already pissed me off by kidnapping us and bringing us in this damn place. What's the purpose of this so called project anyway. I haven't been told anything!" said Seth growing more impatient and irritated at the doctor.
"An initiative... you see this project has been under wraps for quite sometime, it was soon scrapped because of ethics issues and loss of governmental funding but was soon reactivated due to how dire things have gotten. Even though the program was reactivated it's too little too late, as the nukes have dropped and now the threat of rising seawaters has emerged, we're having to rethink our objectives and take an alternative solution, a plan B if you will," Engels explained as they stopped at the end of the corridor.
"So what is plan B? If I dare ask," Seth asked snidely.
"Cryostasis as mentioned, that's why X25 had to be modified. Initially X25 subjects would be monitored for 48 hours. A time frame when the effects of the serum would be noticed, enhanced physical capabilities, regeneration and heightened intelligence granting the individual the ability to solve the most complex problems in mere seconds. The perfect candidates for combat," Engils continued,
"So super soldiers... sounds like something out of sci-fi novel. You're insane, a regular doctor Frankenstein, you all are including Blackwell... if I ever see him again...I'd...,"
"Science knows no bounds Mr. Matthison, sacrifices sometimes have to be made for the greater good, now let us continue," said Engils as he pulled out a card. He ran the card across a scanner next to the large metal door. The scanner chirped and the light turned from red to green as the door slid open.
"Right this way," Engils directed.
Inside was very large room lined with what appeared to be pods hooked up to a large computer centered in the chamber. Multiple researchers were checking the pods to make sure they were operating properly. Seth spotted some figures getting inside the pods, they looked like soldiers, dressed in tanks and camouflage pants. What were they doing to them Seth wandered but then noticed, looking into a puddle on the floor, he was dressed the same, he remembered Engils saying he would be placed in pod but for how long and where was his family?
They group approached another of team of staff members, running checks on the cryopod systems. "How is everything?" asked Engils.
"So far so good, everything appears to be efficient, we've detected no problems so far," said a man in a lab coat as he was looking at the pod's console.
"Good, then let us begin," said Engils. He then turned to Seth who gave the doctor an exacerbated look. "Uncuff him, " Engils ordered the guards. One of them released the restrains while the other had their weapon ready just in case Seth were to pull anything.
He rubbed his wrist and gave a deep breath. "Step inside the cryopod and we can begin," directed Engils toward the opened pod to the side of the walkway.
"You expect me to climb in that oversized tin can, I don't think so. I'm not jumping in that thing until I see my wife and child...now where are they?" Seth asked harshly.
"Mr. Matthison you must get inside the cryopod," Engils told him.
Getting angrier at Engils for avoiding the question, he grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and gave the lab coat wearing man a death glare. "I'm not asking you again, where the hell is my family!?" Seth demanded.
"Guards help!" Engils shouted. Before one of them could grab Seth, he let go of Engils, pushing him and turning his attention to the guard. He punched him and knocked the armed man down and now wrestling with the second guard. Seth kicked him but as he did the first guard picked his SMG up off the floor and smacked Seth in the face with it, dazing him and causing him to fall back. They aimed their weapons at him, putting on a show for Blackwell who had entered the room and clapped seeing Seth try to fight off Engil's security.
"Bravo Matthison, you've always made a fine soldier... too bad you're going to be put on ice for a while. Maybe that'll cool you off," shot Blackwell who approached them.
"Don't worry Blackwell, I still got some fight left in me and I'm gonna use it to beat the shit out of you," Seth sneered as he rubbed his jaw from the blow.
"I highly doubt that sergeant, how I see you have one of two options, walking inside that pod or I stuff you in that pod, covered in bruises and blue before you turn into a popsicle if need be, choose wisely,"
Seth slowly rose up and looked at Blackwell and the men that had their weapons on him. "Do I at least get to say goodbye to my wife and child?"
"I don't see why not, after all they're here and you didn't even realize it,"
"Don't bullshit me Blackwell, where are they you lying bastard,"
"I'm not lying sergeant, take a look and see for yourself," said Blackwell as he nodded his head toward the pod across the walkway. Seth was suspicious at first but then when he looked inside the window of the closed pod. His eyes widened; it was not the way he wanted to see them. Both his wife and child were placed in cryostasis, frozen in sleep. Seth placed his hand on the window and moved it down before closing it into a fist. He bit his lip and anger built up inside him as his face darkened.
"Don't worry Matthison, you'll be joining them soon so don't feel too bad,"
"You... KILLED THEM! YOU SORRY SON OF A BITCH!" roared Seth, his sights set on Blackwell seeing his family unresponsive in the pod.
"I told you would get to see them,"
Before he could lunge toward Blackwell or the armed guards, he felt a quick jab, a needle sticking him in the neck. He pulled a syringe containing a sedative, not realizing that Engils stuck it in his neck, before anyone got hurt.
Seth fell to his knees feeling weak and noxious. He looked and saw the men looming over him with his vision slowly impairing. "So much for beating the shit out of me, Huh Matthison," said Blackwell as he squatted down to face Seth. Seth just gave him a hateful look before his head downed, facing the floor as he fought the effects of the sedative.
Blackwell commanded the men to pick him up and place a stupefied Seth into his pod. He watched the pod containing his wife and child as he was secured in the cryopod but before the pod could be closed the facility alarm blared across chamber, alerting the staff. "THIS IS A CODE RED, I REPEAT A CODE RED, A BREACH AS BEEN DETECTED, ALL SECURITY REPORT TO YOUR STATIONS," the intercom announced. Blackwell hurried his guards out of the cryo chamber and to access the threat. They bumped into the doctor and knocked him down as they rushed off.
Seth, trying to stay focused, saw the guards leave and the staff distracted by the announcement. He got out of the pod but stumbled before standing back up. He was determined to free his family out of the pod and escape. He reached their pod and banged on the door for it to open but to no avail it wouldn't.
Fighting to keep his strength, he looked over toward Engils who was still in shock by the alarm. "You, egghead! Get this damn pod opened now," Seth demanded.
"I'm not releasing them, I could end up killing them if I were to prematurely stop the cryostasis too early," said Engils.
"Then I'll do it myself!" Seth snapped. He turned to a console outside the pod, trying to get it to open the metal cocoon. He banged on it, getting more irritated. "You don't know what you're doing! Stop!" Engils warned him.
Seth didn't heed Engils words and kept trying to get the machine to open. As Blackwell stood at the entry way he saw Seth was out of his pod and growled in annoyance before he decided to head out of the chamber. Blackwell rushed down and launched a boot into Seth, knocking him away from the console. "You don't know when to give up do you," said Blackwell.
Seth got back up but was weak from the sedative, Blackwell could see Seth was in no shape to fight back and took advantage of this. "You're going in the pod the easy way or the hard way sergeant but it seems you prefer the latter," said Blackwell as he walked up to Seth.
"I'm...not leaving here without Sarah and my son," he told Blackwell having a hard time standing up.
"Delusional too, get it through that thick head of yours, there's nothing for you to go back too. You're only chance of a future is in that pod Matthison,"
"I don't have to listen to you, you're not my superior anymore Blackwell. Now let us leave or else, even if that means I have to kill you," sneered Blake.
"You're in no shape to make threats let alone fighting me, if your not going to get back in that pod then you leave me no choice sergeant,"
Blackwell, grabbed Seth and head butted him before he was dragged into the pod. Seth was dazed and rubbed his face, before noticing the pod was closing. With what strength he had left he saw Blackwell give a smirk in front of the pod as it shut. "Blackwell! This isn't over!" he shouted as he banged on the glass. Then the machine was making noises, a sleeping gas filled the inside of the pod. Seth coughed and tried covering his mouth so he wouldn't breathe in the gas.
Outside faint gunfire could be heard, this caused Blackwell to turn his attention to the exit as he pulled out his sidearm. Other figures could be seen running past the pod before Seth was losing consciousness. 'Sarah...(cough)...Virgil...(gasp) I won't...leave you..." he said weakly as he finally passed out. The freezing process then began with the intercom coming on. "Beginning cryostasis...occupant: Seth Matthison... Vitals clear... System check... time of release: 2 years... error detected... running diagnostics... the intercom said but then a power surge caused the pod to malfunction, instead of releasing Seth in 2 years it would be 2,000 years in the future. Something was going on in the facility. The staff were on high alert and the security were gone to deal with the problem. Whatever it was interfered with the power to the facility causing outages and systems to shut down, affecting the cryopods.
2,000 years would pass, leaving the facility lifeless and decrepit. Now abandoned and the probability of humanity reemerging was looking very unlikely. The life support systems would fluctuate by surges, causing malfunctions to the cryopods. Some would prematurely open and others just shut down killing the occupant inside but one figure had managed to survive this whole entire time. Still in cryostasis, separated from his family and placed in a prolonged suspension until his release...which is now. Oh a rude awakening Seth was about get, when he soon discovers that his world has been changed forever and that mankind had met its climactic end.
Inside one of the pods. Seth was still in cryostasis until... "Systems check... pod running on emergency power... occupant: Seth Matthison... Vitals normal... Heart rate normal... beginning thawing process... " the intercom said inside the pod. Warm air filled the inside of the metal pod, thawing Seth's frozen body. After a moment, his complexion was returning as he began to move.
He gave a deep breath, followed by a cough. He heard what sounded like beeping before the pod hissed and the hatch opened. Fog poured out of the machine revealing the human slowly coming back to life from his 2,000 year slumber. Seth tried to blink, his senses hadn't fully returned and his vision was still impaired.
He could make out his surroundings. Trying to remember what had happened to him before he wound up in the cryopod. He placed his hand on the side of his face. He could vaguely recall the events from before he woke up. Then he remembered his family, they were here in a pod like the one he was released from. He looked in front of him and saw another pod like his but it was already open. It was the pod that his wife Sarah and little Virgil were in.
He locked his eyes on it and decided to try and get out. Seth took a step but, not realizing the prolonged sleep affected his motor skills from not moving in 2,000 years. He stumbled on the wet floor and picked his head up, looking inside the pod.
Getting up but still weak, he walked up to his wife and child's cryopod, still bewildered why they were missing. Where could they have gone? He was thinking. He then looked around, it seemed the power was still running but then he noticed that there was no one around. It was quiet except for the humming of the machines were making. Where were the staff? The guards? And Blackwell himself?
Seeing their pod was empty gave him the reason to investigate and see where they went. He headed down the walkway lined with more cryopods. Many of them opened with a few that were containing an occupant, now deceased from their pod's systems shutting down and killing them inside. "Hello! Is anyone still around!" Seth shouted before he coughed. His voice was little wispy and weak. The room was cold as he shivered and saw his breath in the air.
"What happened? Where is everyone?" he asked himself. Seth saw the exit but the large metal door was closed. He tried to open it but the console wasn't working. He looked and saw an emergency release lever on the other side and pulled it. The door finally opened and lifted up before it jammed allowing it be far enough for Seth to squat down and get under it.
Like the chamber, the corridor and surrounding rooms were also lifeless. It seemed everyone in the underground facility was missing or perhaps dead. Seth was too eager to find his family and give up hope. Though it seemed no body was around, the human didn't realize he was being watched from the far end of the corridor. A figure studied him from a distance as they peeked around the corner of another hallway. When Seth turned his sights down the walkway the figure hid out of sight, curious to see that someone had managed to survive the abandoned complex this whole entire time.
Note: I know the prologue may have seemed brief and kind of short but I hate doing prologues so it was kind of a rush job. The first chapter will be a lot longer. Hope you enjoyed the read. Please leave any comments, questions or suggestions readers. I hope to improve my writing skills over time.