Prologue.

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ANI – During the dark ages of the 22nd century, twenty major cities unite for the purpose of an economic treaty- this becomes known as the Allied Network Initiative a.k.a. the A.N.I.

The Underground – During the lawless era- a simple neighborhood watch system- along the 'Great Territory' a defensive network forms by volunteers during the dark ages of the 22nd century. Initially a simple neighborhood watch system during a lawless era- it grew into a centralized defensive network known as The Underground.

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Year: 2206

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Vincent was seven. His town was located where the ANI city ends and the territory begins. Renovations were required for the ANI city expanse.

In the distant horizon, he sees the outline of a city that stretched for many miles- a highly populated mass of towers. . This city, which expanded over what was once 'New England', was one of twenty major cities that expanded across nations- the ‘ANI'.

Vincent’s village had long foreshadowed a time when the neighboring ANI city would inevitably expand into their territory. Because of this- an arrangement is made with the local Underground.

Initially, an ANI diplomat offers a generous trade agreement: In return for relocation, they will offer certain privileges and future trade arrangements.

The town members vote against the proposal. Despite the immediate fortune that would be given to the townspeople- they feel that in the long run - the expansion will become a detriment to the future of the territory.

The best place to stall them was here.

With support from 'The Underground’, the defensive network became an impassable fortress, and a promising border between two nations.

The two sides appeared to be at a standstill until a young promising sergeant came up with another idea. In the corner of a dark room, he spoke words.

“In addition to the trade agreement,” the sergeant explained to the town's chief, “-You yourself will be granted rights as one of our top 'Elites' – you will live in luxury for the rest of your life as one of our head members in ANI. Not only you, but your children's children will never have lack."

Elites were in fact given a life of luxury. The treaty itself seemed promising, the chief agreed.

“We’ll come in quickly and quietly,” the sergeant replied, “We will relocate them with care, and the villagers will be none the wiser…”

It was nighttime when he guided the soldiers through the Underground tunnel defense system that led into the town. It was quick, and it was quiet..

—

“Hide under this,” Vincent’s father spoke sincerely but harsh as he shoved him under the floorboards of their home.

As Vincent hid under the floorboards his mom gave him one last word before she closed it forever above him.

"Wait here until men in black uniforms come. It'll take a couple days.”

His mother could give no better direction as a knock pounded on the door.

There was no time for a hug or kiss as Vincent was shoved down into the hidden cellar of their home.

Above him, he heard a knock, footsteps coming in, gunshots, footsteps fading away.

He held onto his knees.

An hour or so passed when he made his way to the edge of the cellar and saw the entire village in flames. He watched on as bodies were gathered in the center. The town chief shouted something to a man in a uniform. The uniformed man turned around to look at the chief for a moment and then while shot him point blank.

Another man saluted the man in uniform.

“Update?”

“Things are as smooth as your predicted sir.”

“Good,” the Sergeant replied.

Vincent got a look at the face. It would be a face he couldn't forget. It was young, handsome even, short black hair and black eyes. He couldn't forget it- the eyes seems to be filled with a twisted sort of life. Vincent wouldn't forget the smiling eyes the man had upon his face at the chaos around him. After hearing the update- a slight smirk could be seen for just an instant before disappearing.

“And clean this shit up,” He replied- pointing to what was the town chief's body as he moved onto the next soldier.

The soldier saluted towards the young sergeant as he moved onwards and then dragged the body towards a large pile.

—

The hours passed by as the blaze became a fire and then embers and finally smoke. The rancid smell of burning fat became that of decay and yet Vincent stayed hidden.

Hunger ate at him, but he didn't leave his hidden place under the house.

It was two days later when Vincent heard a sound. He looked out through gap under the cellar as a vehicle pulled up to town. A man and woman dressed in all black got out- just as his mother had spoken. Dehydrated and covered in ash, Vincent crawled out from underneath the celler.

The man turned with a jolt as he heard a sound coming from Vincent's direction.

The woman held a hand to her mouth in shock at the sight. The man slowly appraoched Vincent and kneeled down. He held out a hand.

“Hey there, kid…”

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Now inside the vehicle, Vincent sat in the middle next to the woman while the man continued investigating and recording details. After another fifteen minutes- he got inside of the vehicle. They were silent for a moment.

"How did they get inside?" The woman spoke.

"It seems like they were led in through one of the entrance tunnels..."

The woman looked at Vincent a moment then outside the window.

"most likely they were betrayed by the chief"

The man sat for a moment looking foreward at nothing and then started up the vehicle.

In silence they drove away and Vincent’s last look of his village was that of smoldering ashes and a smoke-filled sky.

—

Hours passed as vincent drifted off.

The halting of the humming motion and a slight bump awoke him.

Vincent wasn't sure how long it had been when the vehicle stopped. As he looked up he saw a large building surrounded by beautiful green grass and what looked to be a vegetable garden. The battle-worn face of a slightly older man came out to greet the two that exited the vehicle.

Vincent watched on from behind the shelter of the woman he'd driven with while the middle-aged man and the man he'd been with discussed something.

"Based on the remains- it happened approximately two and a half days ago. There was no sign of a fight and the security field seemed untampered."

The middle aged man listened for a while as the man gave a detailed report of all he'd seen.

"In your opinion- does it look to be the work of the A.N.I?"

The man nodded.

They talked for a while about other things that Vincent didn't understand. At some point he noticed that they were talking about him a bit. The older man simply gave a slight glance and smile to Vincent and returned his attention to the young man.

"It seems that we will no longer be able to trust in the slight peace then. They've begun to make the first move...."

The man continued “Get ahold of the 'five' immediately. Let them know we've raised the alert status- and that it's time to initiate the first step in project blackwing."

“Yes, sir…” the man replied with a salute.

Suddenly the man's attention turned downward to his side.

“Oh- hi little one,” He spoke as a young girl, Vincent’s age, had come up with her arms up to the man. The man picked her up with a strong arm and gave her a hug and small kiss on the forehead before setting her down.

He then pointed at Vincent,“We have a new friend,” he spoke to the girl “how about you say introduce yourself and say hi?”

The girl looked toward Vincent curiously- her eyes looked past the dirt-covered body andbroken demeanor. She simply curtsied in her flowery dress, “Hi there... I’m Jessie.”

From that point on, Vincent would love her as much as a man could love a woman.

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Part 2.

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Year 2219

Location: A small town located in the heart of the 'Vast Territory'

Michael and Sue sat on the overlook. They’d come here every once in a while. Michael was a restless heart longing for adventures while Sue was the opposite. She was the kind of girl one would settle down with and make a family. The only thing that kept Michael here was his obligations to the town.

If he had only wanted to be the man that he was now, to stay here with her, she’d have been happy to have him. But he was so restless- he wanted so much different than she wanted for ‘them’. He was always her ‘friend’.

She turned to him as he began to speak up. “You see that horizon over there?” He pointed out past across the plains to a horizon in the distance. She liked to listen to him speak. He was filled with an invigorating sense of hope; even if it wasn’t the same hope that she held for them together.

“Somewhere over there is a whole world that we haven’t seen yet and that we haven’t explored." he spoke as his arms made big movements.

"Supposedly, there are huge cities that stretch as far as the eye can see; they travel on air on special round discs shaped like this.” He held out his arms in a circle about two and a half feet wide for her to look through.

Being next in line to village chief- and his father's son- his studies taught him more things than that which normal townsfolk were taught. it was a large range of topics- from different laws- to customs -to sciences and technology. Even still - he seemed to be holding onto a dream – even if his duty to the town was to keep him tethered to here.

“How is that even possible?” she said, even though she had no interest in the discs, the thought of flying didn’t even strike a little bit of adventure or sense of curiosity. She liked the basic things in life, the smell of a summer breeze, the grass in her feet and the company of the boy she currently sat beside. When there was 'real' work to be done in the town, the distant world seemed like a waste of time and energy to spend time thinking about.

“Supposedly it works on 'electromagnetic energy field' that transmits pulsewaves between fixed points. The discs use an propulsion system underneath them to hover and they control it with their feet...”

“Ha ha,” She laughed while she swung her hair around, and tried to look pretty for the boy, “You lost me at electromagnets."

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R.

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End Prologue.