I sigh in the mirror and stare at stumps for the millionth time. Why me? I know I fucked up, but I don't get another chance? I roll to the door and the speakers call out, *Doctor Hammond to room 16!*

The door catches the wheelchair, "Damn it!" I reel my hand back. A nurse opens the door wider, her smile turns straight at the sight of me. Is it the dead blue eyes? The ragged black hair or my starved physique? I mumble, "Thanks miss."

I wheel out past the citizens that storm the hospital and the modern city greets me, so does the pollutants in the air. The Helicopters fly overhead. The citizens run for shelter and the helicopters fire their rockets at a bulding in the distance. I smirk at the explosion, "Three, two, on-" The shockwaves trickle up my spine. "Called it."

My hairs raise and I turn my head, three men are watching me. It's a couple blocks away, Nick. I roll slow and pretend they aren't following. I hear one of them chuckle and turn my head again. They're about to pounce. I start rolling faster, their footsteps come to a halt and I fly out my chair. "Hey pal, got something for us?"

I get my arms up and try my best to block their punches. I even land one before one kicks me. I curl up, protect my head, then the other two join in.

I quiver, Are they gonna kill me? C'mon then, assholes. Do it. They dangle my cash in front of my face, I reach out and they stomp on my hand. "C'mon! I gotta eat!" He smirks, "And we gotta make money.", then kicks my stomach.

"Let's go get some beers." I heave the chair upright and thunder rolls in. I stare at it with the reactor in the distance.

A couple blocks later, I roll under a bridge. Tents are scattered about, only junkies and the fucked live here. At least my friend's coming now. "Shit, Garvey! Another mugging?" He wipes the blood off my face,

"Yeah." He puts a can of soup in my hands, "I'm glad you're alive, man." It's sad that the soup hosts more life than the lake, "Don't you ever get tired?" Rollins turns away from the river view. "Helping the homeless?" I groan, "We made a difference, but now we can't." "Well, we can't go back to them."

I frown, "Something's gotta turn out Garvey." I drink the soup and Rollins walks back to his tent. "It will!" Goddamn better. With a gut full of food, I'll let the river's waves lull me.

I stretch and start the daily grind, roll down the streets asking for change. An hour in, a man walks by and drops a magazine on my lap, "Trust me, You'll love page four!" Probably another shelter, asshole. What job could an amputee even do? I gloss over the pages with a frown.

December 12th, 2056, Fish and sea mammals dying out, pollution at all time high, famine, The Ratchets hit another bank, ah, here it is." My eyes widen, "Join Peacekeeper! We give purpose to less fortunate and prevent the end of the world! Now accepting amputees!"

Could this be it? My chance? Without thinking, I roll through the streets of downtown to their newest building. To actually save people, not coddle them till they get a needle in their arm? The doors open to let me in. The only one inside is the receptionist, "Sir? You are Nick Garvey, right?" How do they know my name? I sigh, They'll probably kill me, but this is my second chance? Saving the world from destruction? I roll up to the counter and nod.

The man slams a form down, "Fill this out, and read it CAREFULLY." Not responsible for injury, uphold the law, blah, blah. I'd die for it. I quickly fill it out and hand it back, "Ok sir, I'll take you up.". He pushes me to an elevator.

It flies down to floor B17. "Basement?" The elevator doors open and a doctor with a clipboard greets me, "Nick Garvey? You are here willingly and accept to have surgery performed on you for extremely experimental bionic augments?" I look up at the fucker and tilt my head, "I do." He sticks me with a needle.

In the middle of surgery, my mangled knees stare back and my reflection laughs wildly. My worse half is back. I never should have come here. The reflection comes out the mirror and puts a mask over my face. "Glad to be back, Nick."

"How do you feel, Mr. Garvey?" A hallucination or dream? I wriggle around a bit, "Like I got cut open." The surgeon laughs, "Ok, you should be in bed for a week. You start your service after you get enough physical ther-"

I try to leave the bed. Instead of stumps for legs, metal bionic legs replace everything from the knees down. I try

keeping my balance while the scientist explains science bullshit. "CHEETAH, Central Hydrualic Enertia-Wait!"

I giggle before the elevator closes, only to gawk at the reflection. I'm actually standing in the mirror again. I jump for

joy and the legs get stuck in a squat. "Shit! C'mon work with m-" The doors open, then the legs spring up and start to move with me, fast. "No, stop! Heel!" They listen to me and suddenly stop in the road. An armored car whips around the corner like a bat out of hell and I'm stuck.