Keagan arrived home and instantly plopped onto the bed.

Four days had passed since he and Dan began preparing for the conference and in all honesty, he was tired.

“Wow… they're really draining the life out of you, huh?” Roy asked.

“Yep.” Keagan spoke as he pushed his face into the pillow.

“When’s Mercy gonna come?” Roy asked as he got up to start cooking.

Keagan check his phone to see that it was a few minutes past six in the afternoon.

“Shouldn’t be too long.” Keagan said as he rested his eyes.

This was a fatal mistake as he completely fell asleep.

.

..

Keagan felt something on his neck and so he tried swatting it away.

“Ouch!” A familiar feminine voice yelped.

Keagan opened his eyes to see a casually dressed Mercy.

“Ah, you’ve arrived.” Keagan said with a smile.

Mercy saw through his smile and so she gently placed her hand on his cheek.

“You look tired.” She said as Roy cooked up something in the kitchen.

“Bah, tired is one thing I can never be.” Keagan said as he sat up.

“Hehe, ok. Anyway, let’s go over everything. We’ll take a break once Roy finishes cooking and then we’ll finish everything up.” Mercy said with a hint of nervousness in her voice.

“Yep.” Keagan said.

“You’re starting to worry me.” Mercy said. She held Keagan’s hand and looked into his dark brown eye’s.

“Don’t.” Keagan said.

The two then spent about four five minutes going over their research.

Mercy had been working on the theory that supported the CryoPod’s existence for years.

Her career was on the brink of a major breakthrough and Keagan was going to help present her research to the world.

Keagan on the other hand sat on pins and needles. He had far too much on his mind to relax. The Astali’s, Roy, Mercy and various other things clouded his mind.

“Chow time!” Roy announced, snapping Keagan and Mercy out of their work induced trances.

They quietly ate as they night wore on.

“Tomorrow is the day.” Mercy said.

“Yep.” Keagan agreed.

Everyone finished their meals and headed straight to sleep.

Although sleep eluded Keagan for most of the night.

Keagan closed his eyes as the hope for a better tomorrow flashed in his mind.

.

..

Keagan opened his eyes and the light of hope was about as bright as the ones on the stage he was about to step onto.

“You ready, kid?” Dan asked with a bright smile.

Keagan smiled in response.

“Hell yeah.” He said confidently.

Mercy walked up to him as Dan walked away. He could see buckets of sweat rolling down her face as the their big moment approached.

She wore a rather classy dress.

Keagan offered her his hand.

She accept it and smiled.

“I’m going to pass out.” Mercy said.

Keagan could feel the sweat in her palms and the heat in her hands. This was totally different from his calm heart and cool appearance. He wore a dashing pair of smoke grey pants, a clean white shirt and a broken watch. He had gotten a fresh hair cut and his posture was great.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine- no. We’ll be great. Just get up there and tell everyone your hopes and dreams with the same confidence you had when you told us.” Keagan said.

Mercy breathed deeply in an attempt to calm herself.

“Ok!” She yelped before a certain man approached them.

“Ah, if it isn’t the spokesman of Lezzaro himself.” Andrew Astali said as he made his way towards Keagan and Mercy.

The entire venue’s temperature seemingly dropped as Keagan turned his cold, hateful eyes towards Andre.

“You have no idea how grateful I am for this opportunity.” Keagan said with the same bright smile from before.

“Don’t worry about it. Your success is ultimately Lezzaro’s success. So do your best out there.” Andre said with a warm smile.

Mercy shrunk away, leaving Keagan and Andre as they made their way towards their positions.

Mercy was right behind them and it wasn’t long before Catalina and Dan joined them.

A deep silence followed.

Keagan looked straight ahead of him.

He looked in the direction of his future.

A peaceful future.

[And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Presenting the man behind the machinations of Lezzaro pharmaceuticals, Andre Astali!]

Fredrick Achebe said from the other side of the giant board Keagan and the others were hidden behind.

Andre walked out and received a wave of applause.

Keagan’s eyes narrowed as Andre spoke. He said some things about Lezzaro before introducing Keagan and his team.

Keagan took a deep breath before stepping out onto the stage with the others.

A wave of applause assaulted his ears, while bright lights ravaged his retina, but Keagan was unfazed.

He was prepared.

“This here, is the face of Lezzaro’s future. He may be small in stature, but trust me when I say that he’ll be a giant in the future. Keagan Keita.” Andre introduced before stepping away from the microphone.

Keagan took centre stage in front if a giant object hidden beneath a blue velvet cover.

“Greetings, members of the scientific community. Today is a monumental day for science and mankind as a whole because on this day, at this moment, mankind becomes immortal.” Keagan said only to receive a wave of gasps from the massive audience.

There were other tiny stages in other parts of the Thunder Dome, but Lezzaro had everyone’s attention.

“Yes, project Lovelock started with a dream. The dream of a single woman and I’d like her to explain how she brought about this world shattering change.” Keagan said before stepping aside, allowing Mercy to take centre stage.

Mercy walked up introduced herself and explained everything that led to this moment in her career.

She was meet with numerous applause and she eventually stepped aside for Keagan to speak.

“Splendid. Mercy’s mind and the research it has birthed is the reason why our mortality is o so tragic.” Keagan said with a slight frown, silencing the crowd.

“I would waste time and speak about the geniuses of yesterday, but no. I want to preserve the genius of today. So, it is my honour to present you with the means to preserve that genius. Allow me to present to you-"

Keagan paused as all of the workers got into place.

“-The CryoPod.” Keagan announced.

The crowd broke into a frenzy as their eyes ate away at the glorious form of the CryoPod.

Its sleek white design and beautiful front glass panel made it extremely appealing to look at. Also, there were almost no ugly cables visible. Well, from the front.

“Yes, we’ve found ways to presence organs for extended periods of time and yes, scientist are working on finding a way to revive those organs, but I am here to show you the no compromise device. A full adult human body will be frozen in time, thanks to the CryoPod and that’s not all. Advanced Lezzaro technologies allow us to revive ninety nine percent of all frozen tissue.” Keagan said, but at this point, the crowd and the cameras were already convinced.

“Now, I’d like my colleague, Daniel Eagleton, to explain the business end of our glorious future.” Keagan said before stepping away from the microphone.

Mercy looked at him with awe stricken eyes and even Catalina, who was usually a glacier in public, smiled.

Andre Astali walked up to Keagan and whispered.

“Perfection.”

Keagan held his hatred in as there was no point ruining the moment.

Dan went on to explain several things before Andre ended the whole thing.

Everyone retreated backstage and Dan practically tackled Keagan.

“Woohoo!” He cried, even as several Lezzaro employees walked about.

“We did it. The truth is out there. Now lets sell the hell out it.” Dan said.

Keagan could practically see the drool rolling down his mouth.

“Get off.” Keagan said and Dan regained his composure.

Keagan noticed that Andre was gone.

“Anyway. Let’s celebrate this momentous moment by destroying our lives!” Dan yelled and before Keagan could weasel himself out of it, Dan grabbed his shoulder.

“Uh-uh. No, you’re coming.” Dan said as he led Keagan, Mercy and Catalina to what looked like a bus.

“Just how prepared were you?” Keagan asked.

“Very.” Dan said as everyone hopped into the bus.

“What were you going to do if we botched it?” Keagan asked.

“Must you always be the pessimist?” Tommy asked as he too got onto the bus.

“Don’t listen to Keagan for once, everyone. Let’s party our asses off.” Johan said with a mischievous grin.

“Yeah, from now until tomorrow. No one do a thing Keagan says.” Dan declared.

Keagan sighed in defeat before sitting.

Mercy sat next to him. She held his hand as the bus drove off.

“We did it.” She said.

“Nope. You did it.” Keagan said as they pressed their heads together.

“No! No lovey dovey on this bus, just hookers and booze.” Dan yelled as he opened a bottle full of transparent liquid.

“Here.” Dan gave Keagan the bottle.

Keagan looked at Mercy, who simply smiled.

Keagan sighed before taking a sip of whatever was in the bottle.

.

..

Keagan sighed as his ears rang.

The “Victory party” as Dan called it, was finally over.

They dropped Mercy right by her door and dropped everyone else in the order of… there was no order.

Keagan, however, was last.

He crawled into his apartment and fell onto his bed.

Roy slept soundly on the couch as a motivational speaker ranted on and on about the value of self respect and whatnot.

Keagan smiled as his eyelids slowly fell.

.

..

“Keagan!”

Keagan was awoken by Roy’s call. He opened his eyelids which felt like they had the texture of sandpaper and saw Roy’s sleepy face.

“What’s up?” Keagan asked.

“It’s your phone. It’s been ringing all morning.” Roy said, prompting Keagan to check his phone.

Apparently, Catalina, Tommy and Roy had tried calling him several times.

Keagan’s phone started running.

It was Tommy.

“Hello?” Keagan asked with a yawn.

[Have you seen them?]

Tommy asked, his voice panicked.

“Seen what?” Keagan asked as he plopped out of his bed.

[Check your emails!]

Dan yelled.

Keagan checked his emails and opened the top one.

His eyes widened upon seeing almost hundreds of images of a naked Mercy, but that wasn’t the only thing.

He saw her being humiliated and tortured by Andre Astali.

Keagan squeezed his phone so hard that it cracked.

He then raised it to his ear.

“I just saw them. What the fuck happened?” He asked.

[No idea. I’ve been trying to contact her all day, but she isn’t answering. Don’t you know where she stays?]

Tommy asked.

“Yeah, I do.” Keagan asked as his face twisted into a scowl.

Roy noticed this and walked up to Keagan.

[Send me the address and meet me there.]

Tommy said.

“Ok.” Keagan said before ending the call.

“What happened?” Roy asked.

“Its mercy. Some pictures of her and Andre are circulating around.

Keagan said as he walked towards the door.

"That's fucked.” Roy commented as they left the apartment.

They hopped into a taxi and made their way so the nearest Vectrain station.

On their way, Keagan called Dan.

[Yo, kiddo. What’s up?]

Dan asked.

“You did it, didn’t you?” Keagan said. His voice was laden with hatred and anger.

[What do you mean? Did what?]

Dan asked.

“Mercy.” Keagan said in a suppressed scream.

[Oh? Mmm… I’m not gonna say much, but I’m sure you already know the harsh truth of the world.]

Dan said.

“Now’s not the time for your damned lectures. Tell me why?” Keagan asked.

[Look, kid. I’m not going to confirm or deny whatever you’re saying I did, but if I did to anything, it’s nothing personal, kid. I just want you to know that.]

Dan said flatly.

Keagan felt his soul tremble as they arrived at the Vectrain station.

“So what now? What was the end game?” Keagan asked.

[Not sure what end game you’re talking about, but I’m sure everything will fall into place.]

Dan said as Keagan and Roy boarded their train.

“I see." Keagan said.

[Yup.]

Dan said before ending the call.

Keagan and Roy remained silent as they made their way to Ix Chel.

They then hopped into a taxi and made their way to Mercy’s apartment.

There, they found a pale Tommy and Johan.

Tommy noticed Keagan and walked up to him.

“Hey-"

Tommy punched Keagan in the face mid sentence.

“Hey!” Johan said as he grabbed Tommy.

“I don’t know what happened, but I’m sure it’s his fault!” Tommy yelled.

Keagan got up.

“Did you call the police?” Keagan asked, even as his jaw ached.

“Yeah. They should be here any moment now. Also, I don’t mean to pry, but what the hell happened?” Johan asked.

“Would you believe me if I said that it was Daniel Eagleton who did this?” Keagan asked.

Johan's eyes widened.

“Let me go!” Tommy said.

Johan let his go before walking over to Keagan and Roy.

“Mmm… explain it to me so that I understand.” He said.

“Remember when we first presented the CryoPod?”

“Yeah?”

“Which executive behaved the strangest?” Keagan asked.

“Daniel.”

“Yeah and did you also noticed that he and Mercy spent a large amount of time together after that? I’m pretty sure he was using her to get to Andre Astali.” Keagan said.

“Yeah, but you and that other executive were also behaving weirdly. What? Did you think we were blind? Yeah, I saw you and her every time you went to the emergency staircase.” Tommy said as his anger flared up.

“That was different.” Keagan said.

“How?” Tommy yelled.

“Because I love her.”