Alpha: a futuristic dystopian thriller (EGALIA Book 2) Read online

  Ren and Max were playing a game of tag on the second floor. Their shrieks of delight and noisy footsteps could be heard even from the first floor.

  Kate smiled to herself, glad that the two children were having fun. She returned to her computer where she was crafting an important business email.

  She stopped typing when she heard a loud wail. She looked up and saw that Ren had tumbled down the stairs. He started to cry loudly.

  Kate rushed over, terrified that Ren had been badly hurt.

  First she checked his head to see if he was hurt there. Then, she lifted his clothes and checked all over his body for injuries. She heaved a sigh of relief to see that his head wound was superficial although there was some blood. On his body, Ren had sustained several bruises to his arms and legs but thankfully no sign of broken bones.

  Kate left the room to get an emergency kit but she made sure to move as fast as possible. She was really worried about Ren.

  When she returned, she was shocked to see that in the few minutes that she was gone, Ren had already gotten up and was beginning to totter about as if nothing had happened.

  Kate went to Ren’s side. She sat him down, opened her emergency kit and began to examine him.

  Kate’s eyes widened in surprise. Ren’s head wound had largely closed up and his bruises had changed colour from reddish looking to purple.

  Kate couldn’t believe her eyes. Her immediate reaction was to doubt herself. It was impossible! Perhaps she had seen wrong? She probably over-estimated the extent of Ren’s injuries at first glance.

  In the meantime, Max had climbed down the stairs. He tugged on his friend’s arm to join him. Ren stood up and followed Max to the corner where their toys lay.

  Kate watched Ren and Max play. Ren looked perfectly happy and she could hear their excited squeals as they watched their holographic car race. It was as if the tumble down the stairs had never happened.

  Kate monitored them in silence, pondering.

  She pinched herself hard.

  She winced. She definitely wasn’t dreaming.

  Kate looked down at her arm. A small reddish-brown bruise had started to form. That would probably last a few days, she thought.

  Looking at the bruise on her arm and back at Ren again, Kate bit her lower lip nervously. What the heck was going on?

  Over the next few weeks, Kate began to monitor Ren’s behaviour during his playdates with Max or when the Alpha5 families got together as a group.

  Kate was ashamed to say that she did pinch Max and even created minor accidents on more than one occasion, trying to see if he would react the same way.

  And, he did.

  Stunned at what she saw, she realized that something was going on with Ren and by extension, Orion. As stealthily as she could, she began probing. First she began investigations on the scientists that worked on Ren’s genetic selection. If there was anything Orion was hiding from the rest of the Alpha5, they would know.

  Unfortunately and unbeknownst to her, Orion had picked up on Kate’s probing and the wheels were set in motion for her downfall.

  The day where it all came crashing down remained vivid in Kate’s mind. She sighed as she recounted the tale to Max. Hindsight gave her 20/20 vision and now thinking about it, she felt so stupid.

  Kate had arrived home to see all the members of the Alpha5 gathered in her living room. Billion stood in one corner, eyes downcast.

  “What’s going on?” Kate said, as she looked at her friends.

  “What’s going on?! We should be asking YOU that, Kate,” Orion said, his voice boomed across the room.

  “I don’t understand…” Kate said, desperately trying to catch her husband’s eye, hoping he would help her out.

  To her disappointment, Billion remained stoically silent, and refused to meet her gaze.

  Orion handed her a portable screen, “Explain yourself,” he said.

  Kate accepted the screen warily. What the hell was going on?

  She tapped the screen and a video started to play.

  Kate’s eyes widened with shock as she realized what she was seeing. She saw herself crouching over Ren as he was taking a nap. She was holding a syringe and she bent forward to inject its contents into his arm.

  “No, no! It isn’t what you guys think!” Kate said, her eyes scanned across the room frantically, hoping to find a sympathetic face.

  She was greeted with none.

  Kate rushed up to Jean Wan, her best friend.

  “Jean, you have to believe me,” Kate said, as she grabbed her friend’s hand.

  “Let me explain, it isn’t what you think!” Kate said.

  There was a flicker of uncertainty in Jean’s eyes but before Kate could say anything to convince her, Orion cut in.

  “Enough!” Orion roared. “The proof is irrefutable. You tried to poison my son didn’t you?” Orion said. He grabbed Kate’s arm and dragged her away from Jean.

  “No, no, that wasn’t what happened!” Kate said, “You can’t do this to me! You’re the one… it’s you…” Kate’s face fell as she realized what was happening. This was a set-up!

  “Do you deny that you were the one in the video?” Orion said, his grip tightened around her arm.

  “No,” Kate said, “I mean, yes, that was me but… but…” Kate tried desperately to retain a clear head amidst the exasperation and anger she felt at being wronged. Everyone was ganging up on her and she felt like a trapped rat.

  “Billion, tell them, please…” Kate said, looking imploringly at her husband, “I wouldn’t hurt the children!”

  “HA!” Orion cried out. “Everyone knows you were always jealous of Ren, you didn’t even want us included in the genetic selection project! If it wasn’t for Billion, you wouldn’t even have told us about it!”

  At this moment, Billion tried to speak up, but he was silenced by Orion.

  “You don’t need to defend your wife, Billion. We’ve been over this,” Orion said, as he shot Billion a fierce look which promptly shut him up.

  Pointing accusatorily at Kate, Orion said, “You’ve admitted that it was you in the video. I’ve already shown everyone the paper trail. We know you were acquiring poison. Your employees have confessed. There’s nothing else you can say.”

  Kate looked blankly at Orion, and then at her husband. As Billion remained silent, her heart sank. No one was going to help her.

  “Out of the goodness of our hearts,” Billion said, his tone condescending, “and the fact that Billion has been so cooperative, we’re going to spare you the authorities.”

  Kate looked at him wide-eyed.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll arrange something comfortable. Enjoy the rest of your days.” Billion said, a look of utter contempt on his face.

  Kate closed her eyes at the painful memory.

  Max reached out and took his mother’s hand in his. That was rough. But was it true? Did she really try to kill Ren?

  Max broached the topic carefully.

  “Mom, so was it true? Did you…”Max said.

  “No!” Kate said, shocked that her son would think that of her.

  “Like I told you, there was something wrong with Ren…” Kate said.

  “I wasn’t injecting anything into Ren, I was taking his blood,” Kate said, “I needed evidence, I needed confirmation!”

  Kate placed both hands on Max’s shoulders, as she braced him for the news that she was about to deliver.

  “Ren is immortal.”

  Chapter 3: Infinity Chip

  Behind a one-way glass, Orion examined his state of the art laboratory with pride. Patients lay on rows of identical operating tables, while men and women in lab coats circled the tables and watched their every reaction like vultures.

  Orion paced the small control room which overlooked the main floor of the laboratory. The Green scientists trailed after him nervously.

  After the fiasco of Alex Etak, privately known to the Alpha5 as Maximillion Molten of Molten Industries, Orion had volunte
ered his company and its resources to helping all those who had already gotten Infinity Chips installed. These people were in a panic because of all the information that was being circulated in the media that suggested that the Infinity Chip was harmful to humans with its allegedly numerous side effects.

  The Green scientists had thought they were in clear waters after fleeing the city at the first sign of trouble with the Infinity Chip, but they were wrong. After Orion took over operations or rather de-operations of the Infinity Chip, he had tasked his men to hunt down the Green scientists. They were of value to him for this new project he was planning.

  From the internal documents he had seized from Etak Inc., Orion knew that the Infinity Chip worked; albeit with certain side effects. However, they weren’t nearly as serious as those touted by the media.

  One of the side effects was the dulling of emotions. But one’s man poison is another’s man’s meat. A brilliant idea was formed. Orion was going to create his very own army of perfectly obedient soldiers.

  On the surface, Orion looked to be the icon of charitable deeds. A man of his means and busy schedule donating precious time and resources to rehabilitate Infinity Chip patients. However, the truth was far from it. Orion had in fact seized this opportunity to take in those unsuspecting customers into his confidence and use them as labrats to build his army. He called them InfinityBots.

  Orion turned to the Green scientists and said, “How far is the progress on the experiments?”

  John and Linda Green straightened their backs at the sound of Orion’s voice. Orion was a harsh master to please. They were kept on their toes at all times.

  “Very good sir,” John said, “The subjects are very cooperative.”

  John wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers as he spoke.

  Jean nodded and said, “We are still trying to find the correct dosage that is able to stimulate the Infinity Chip adequately. We are working on finding the balance that sufficiently numbs emotions and inculcates obedience but still allows for the test subjects to function as intelligent beings.”

  Orion gave a curt nod.

  “Carry on. You have 2 more weeks,” he said, as he walked out, leaving the Green scientists and his other employees scrambling to get their work done.

  Chapter 4: Bringing out the Big Guns

  Max punched in the passcode and entered Kate’s laboratory where she had been hiding out with Billy for the past week.

  Placing the supplies his mother had tasked him to acquire on the table, he wondered where they were as he looked around the lab and found it empty.

  Just then, the elevator dinged and Max turned to see Billy and Kate exiting the elevator.

  Kate broke contact with Billy the moment she spied her son. She hoped he hadn’t seen her holding Billy’s arm. She wasn’t sure what he would think of their relationship and she didn’t want to ruin things with her son so soon after they reconciled.

  Thankfully, Max didn’t seem to notice and he gave his mother a friendly wave.

  “Mom!” Max said, as he walked towards Kate.

  Max had plenty of time to process the shocking news about Ren his mother had delivered last week. He couldn’t visit Kate as often as he liked for fear of his father or even worse, Orion, finding out so in the week that had passed, Max’s head was full of questions.

  As soon as Kate hugged him hello, Max began shooting his questions, rapid fire at Kate.

  After half an hour of his mother patiently answering his every question, Max’s curiosity was satisfied. He sunk into his chair, deep in thought. Ren was invulnerable to wounds? Immortal? That was both fascinating and terrifying at the same time. How on earth did Orion manage to pull that one off? That man never ceased to amaze him.

  Kate looked at her son and smiled wryly. Max was taking of all this much better than she had expected. As expected from her son!

  And now that her son finally knew the truth - the real reason why she had been imprisoned by Orion, a deep sense of relief washed over her. But, it was quite over yet.

  “Son, Orion will find me soon,” Kate said. “I have to act fast. I don’t think you will like it, but I have a plan.”

  Max let out a gasp as his mother filled him in with the details of her plan.

  “Shoot Ren?” Max said, his mouth agape. He didn’t think his mother would resort to violence, and toward his best friend?

  “We have no choice Max. We need proof of what we know,” Kate said. “A video of him healing is just the thing!”

  “Plus, I’m betting on the commotion to distract Orion and Jean. This is the perfect window of opportunity to look for the other Alpha5 members and get them on my side,” she said.

  Kate paused and looked at Max with absolute seriousness. “This is my last chance Max. I have to do whatever it takes. I need to clear my name and expose Orion.”

  “Wait a minute,” Max said, “Are you sure Ren will be alright? Whatever Orion has done, he’s still my friend!” Max said, thinking of the many years he and Ren had spent together.

  Kate chuckled, “Trust me, he’ll recover. I’ve seen it with my own eyes!” she said.

  Kate tried to sound cavalier about it but she was secretly worried. Out of earshot, Kate muttered to herself, “He’ll recover… even if he isn’t actually immortal…”

  Kate was taking a risk. 20 years ago when she first discovered Ren’s healing abilities, she only had the chance to witness a few times, in person, of him recovering from small cuts and bruises almost instantaneously.

  Orion had managed to convince the other Alpha5 members of her wrongdoing and succeeded in locking her away before she had the chance to properly analyze the blood sample she had taken. Kate wasn’t completely confident about Ren’s abilities but her freedom was at stake. Shooting Ren was a gamble but to distract Orion and gather convincing proof of her innocence, she had to risk it. She almost hoped that Ren was indeed immortal. She was counting on it.

  Chapter 5: Rags to Riches

  Orion stepped into his sparkling clean bathroom to take a shower. The InfinityBot Project was going well. Under the guise of OrionWan-Nutrienas’s rehabilitation programme, hundreds had turned to Orion hoping to find a way to remove the Infinity Chip or at the very least lessen its side effects.

  Ha! It was so easy, Orion thought, a smirk on his face.

  They were offering themselves up. And he wasn’t about to turn them away. So ripe for the picking, or should he say, experimenting?

  Orion let out a hearty laugh at his own joke. He certainly had much to smile about.

  The Green scientists were progressing quickly. They managed to accelerate the effects of the Infinity Chip such that the experimentees were quickly losing their humanity. While they forgot their familial bonds and empathy for others, they retained the hyper intelligence that the Infinity Chip offered. All that was left to do was to train them, and the perfect soldier would be born!

  Orion put his face to the hot running water. How he loved that feeling!

  Water washing away grime, washing away the sweat of the mediocre and the tears of the incompetent.

  Down, down the drain.

  Orion shuddered as he thought of the days of his youth spent in filth.

  When he was but a boy, he spent weeks on the run, living in the sewers, stealing food wherever he could. He lied about his age and his lack of records. He claimed he was from the countryside and that his parents were killed in a freak accident.

  He spent his days lying and stealing until an old couple took him in. From there, he bided his time until he got old enough to get a job. And the rest was history.

  But, the glare of the yellow lights and rancid stink of the sewers never left him. And to this day, he couldn’t stand to be dirty.

  Scrubbing himself so hard his skin turned red from the exertion, Orion finally felt clean. Satisfied, he turned off the water.

  --------

  Kate and Billy had been up all night, fine tuning their plan of attack. The shooting was planned
for tomorrow and it had to be executed perfectly.

  Kate watched Billy in adoration, the corners of her mouth upturned as she watched him hard at work.

  Billy’s eyebrows were knitted together in fierce concentration as he made sure he had access to all the security cameras in hospitals around the vicinity where Ren’s shooting was to take place. The video of his miraculous healing abilities had to be recorded, and it was imperative that they were the only ones to get the footage. He squinted at the multiple screens he had opened and typed in more coding. Everything had to be perfect.

  Freedom was so close, she could almost taste it! A fire burned in Kate, her eyes gleaming at the thought of finally clearing her name and regaining the power she had lost.

  Kate was a proud woman and the years in captivity had softened her somewhat but failed to break her spirit, especially when she had Billy for support in her darkest moments where she wanted to just give up.

  Since young, she strived only for excellence.

  Her foster parents had been very strict. She had been groomed from a young age to take over their company and excellence was expected of her at all times.

  But, expectations were a funny thing. They could easily be adjusted and human beings weren’t a content lot.

  With each milestone, Kate only felt the goal post move further away from her.

  It was never enough.

  Before long, Kate felt like she was drowning in her parents’ expectations yet she was too cowardly to say anything. Her fear of losing her parents’ love far surpassing the stress she felt. And so, she just obliged. Pushing herself to her limits to fit the mould they desired – the perfect daughter.

  Her marriage to Billion provided the reprieve she desired. It legitimized breaking away from the hold her parents had over her. She finally felt like her own person and as her parents released their reins on the company, she took control and Molten Industries took off.

  As fate would have it, just as she finally reached the top as CEO of Molten Industries and a recognized member of the Alpha5, the carpet was pulled from under her feet, cruelly so.