A Whole New World | Book 1

Rhaegah woke to the small of coffee, refreshing his memory that Kaneko had stayed over. It took all night for their minds to return to usual activity. The impossibility of the situation brought up all manner of flags. Walter seemed to see this as a matter of fact, meaning he shouldn't have reason to worry. This only made an over-thinker plunge into overdrive. Only after another call from Walter, and a reassuring conversation with February, did Rhaegah finally settle down. The two then spent some time building a shaky foundation of confidence for this new path that lay before them. With less than two hours till dawn, they decide on a short nap in anticipation of the moving team arriving that morning.
"He's alive!. I was gonna come kick you outta bed. The team just called, said they'll be here soon".

Not seeing a reason to continue down the stairs, Rhaegah does a 360 degree turn to the bathroom "Hey, blue or black? Not making that mistake again". Kaneko stood with two cups in his hands, each a different color. Rhaegah occasionally prepares fruit shakes and ends up stocking his fridge full of it each time. The shake consisted of fruits as primary ingredients, with relatable vegetables and the occasional herbs, ending with a conflicting amount of full cream yoghurt. The collection would then be split into two groups via colored tags. The colors changed each time, and no solid reason could be found for that. This time, blue and black were the chosen duo. "You should obviously stay away from the black" he answered casually.

The incident in question was a time Kaneko had simply grabbed one without asking beforehand, and was assaulted with a questionable experience he still currently had no explanation for. Minutes later and after Rhaegah returned, they were able to boot up the MA device they cloned (or 'Raeko' as Kaneko insisted they call it), confirming their hard work had paid off. Feb had been a major help along the way, though she never failed to mention how much she hated existing within Empire servers. Given the dangers it would bring to Rhaegah if uncovered, she insisted on covering all their bases. The two went on to fantasize about their to-be fat checks from being assigned to a new Empire project. Whoever said money couldn't be another reason to venture forth.
"They're here" Rhaegah had switched his Raeko's display to the camera feed at the ground elevator doors. Three men stood with their backs to an armored truck parked across the street. The Empire's logo consisted of a unique arrowhead bearing three points, the Empire name above it, all bound in an upside down pentagon. The matching logos on the mens uniforms was all the identification. Nobody was foolish enough to impersonate Empire officials. He let them up while setting things up for easy carriage down the apartment. The three men stepped in, two out of them immediately getting to work with the luggage arranged for them. These two looked ordinary, in the sense that nothing really stuck out from either one. Faces, aura, countenance. They were simply workers who did their jobs when called upon. The last of them strode majestically towards the couch, sinking into the seat with the gait of one who owned the place.
"So, you're Walter's wonder kid huh? He wasn't kidding about them 'scales?' The man said giving Rhaegah a once over. Rhaegah for the first time in a while, was reminded of his oddity. He'd gone through that for a while after enrolling in the facility, with which people got used to it after enough time passed. The fact that this man, whoever he was, had to be close enough for Walter to go into that much detail about him with someone else. His guardian must have either been downplaying his influence for two people from supposedly opposite ends of the ladder to speak so casually about him. Looking closely, this man's squared jawline, dirt white hair and thick set of eyebrows overlapped with someone else's "Wait-"

"I was starting to wonder how long it'll take you. I'm Dexter, the older brother he obviously never spoke about. Call me Dex". If Walter were to be described as say, for lack of proper definition, a fatter figure in Rhaegah's life, that would make Dexter an uncle. Walter did say there was someone at HQ he called family. "Guess that explains why he came in like he owned the place""Uncle Dex? Sweet!" Kaneko jeered from up the stairs.

"If it isn't the plus one. You've got luck the size of the moon there boy" Dex commented with a cynical undertone

"Right?" Kaneko heartily replied "Who'd have thought I'd land a dream job on a technicality" he ended with a laugh

A louder laugh reverberated from Dex "Nice, I like you. A personality like that will do you good".

A beep from the device on Dex's wrist brought the man's attention to the antique watch in his other wrist "Right on time. Alright boys, time to hit the road". On the way down, Dex had proposed an interesting idea. According to him, they had the opportunity to take a slight detour from their set flight plan, and go the final stretch of the journey on a drive through the Atlantic. "Driving does sound like it could be fun, but how long of a detour are we talking here?" Kaneko was quick to voice his thoughts on the matter. "About two days" Dex replied plainly with a knowing smirk cementing itself across his face "Too long" Kaneko shot back. Rhaegah looked back and forth between the two, nodding to confirm the oversight. Kaneko had obviously skipped over a vital piece of information "Did you say we're gonna drive 'through' tye Atlantic?" Something seemed to click in Kaneko's mind as his eyes snapped open to stare expectantly for Dex's response "You heard right. But I ain't telling you how till we get there. Empire policy, plus it's more exciting not knowing ain't it?"
There it was. The two were truly related. Walter was the same way, always stubbornly withholding information to seem more mysterious. "We're in" the boys resounded at the same time. With their routes now set, the two boys joined Dex ahead to await the trailer arriving to move the heavier load. Regulations stated that only the property Rhaegah considered as essentials would be moved with him, while anything else would follow later. For Rhaegah, everything he needed was already on board. The essentials were all he really needed, the exception was of course the car, much to his displeasure. "I guess I'm down a few hundred bucks" Dex caught the questioning gaze but continued as intended "Walter said you'd only want the car after the essentials were loaded up, but I couldn't believe that. After all, you never drive it do you". Kaneko appeared and patted the older man on the shoulder "You just don't get it uncle Dex" the boy's abrupt silence signifies he wasn't the one to clarify "Refusing to drive it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I want it around at all times" Rhaegah said matter-of-factly. Silence, then "Even when you know you won't drive it?". Rhaegah's showed clear exasperation "You're doing it again. Whether I drive it or not is irrelevant"
The natural disposition towards one's possessions in this city was at a level before obsessive. Every item in one's house was more proof they indeed dwelt in one of the most famous cities in the current world. Leaving all of it behind was something unheard of, especially from a teenage kid. "Well you're in luck boy, you can get your wish. I just had to make sure of my bet" Dex chuckled before heading towards the car "Been itching to see how good a job he did with the car anyway"

"No way. He claimed he made the customizations himself but, Walter can't do stuff like that. He's too squeamish around dirt to perform hands-on customization on a car" It was Rhaegah's turn for his voice to climb several octaves

"Normally you'd be right. He decided to do it after he met up with you again. Before then, he did nothing related to automobiles specifically. He's a crazy engineer though, just not cars"

"Why not?" Rhaegah began to sense an embedded story under this exchange.

Kaneko who'd been silent the whole time simply hopped into the back seat wanting to keep the 'family' discussion going between the two. "I believe he'll tell you all about it in time". His reply obviously wasn't enough as Rhaegah sat across him from the passenger seat with searching gaze on full blast. "Anyways, let's see what she's got". With that said, Dex reached across to the glove compartment, rubbing his hands underneath it as though searching for something. Kaneko's shrug confirmed whatever he was doing was unknown to either of them "Got it" the older man grunted. His remark was validated with a soft blue glow and a beep coming from where his hand made contact.
"What the hell?" Kaneko voiced what Rhaegah's wide-eyed stare seemed to ask "Biometric scanner down there. Hold long enough and the scan should initiate" A smaller section split off the glove compartment, sliding forward and opening up to display two screens connected to resemble a laptop. Fill schematics of the car we're displayed on the top screen, while the lower screen displayed a summarized list of commands and prompts. Not wasting any time, Dex tapped and swiped away before landing on the 'Performance' window. A few nods and agreeable grunts later, he returned the screens and moved to start the car. A final input into the screens responded in a series of short clicks and hisses, giving Rhaegah the impression he was about to have the real first drive of his car.
"You really need to have a real conversation with him sometime. If I didn't know better, I'd think you almost don't care about him beyond tye status of guardian over you" Dex said to Rhaegah not looking the boy's way "At least you'll have all the time you need for that where you're headed"
Those words seemed to weigh on him more than words usually do. Walter was on his side, of that he had no doubt. He never really saw reason to get to know the man any deeper than he felt necessary. After all, underneath the depicted concern, Walter was an Empire official first. This had all started as the man's self-induced path to redemption for breaking a promise Rhaegah didn't even really remember. "Am I missing something important here".
His thought was broken not by the familiar rev of his engine, but the cackling sound that popped up on occasion. "I've never heard that sound before" Rhaegah remarked merely above a whisper

"At least ask about the car damnit. Kids" Dex sighed before kicking the vehicle into gear. He took off with no intent on giving the moving team a chance to catch up. They'd zoomed past the street in the time it would've taken Kaneko to come out onto the driveway. The claw-like grip on his shoulder brought Rhaegah's attention to the crazed boy behind him. Kaneko had the widest grin Rhaegah had seen on the boys face to date. He immediately made a mental note to stay away from him whenever they had a long drive ahead.

"John, open 'er up" Dex had placed a call at some point and not until they made a turn towards the bridge did Rhaegah understand what his words meant. Looking out the window, the world seemed to stand still, the idle contraptions on the bridge passing by too fast to be registered in the overall image. The car didn't make as much as a hiccup as it beamed across the bridge. Now halfway up, Dex seemed to push the brakes given the screech of protests the tires made. This action caused the car to skid forward in its forced deceleration. Contrary to their expectations, the sound of the dragging tires weee the only indicators that the car was indeed coming to a stop. It skid on at almost the same speed as it's initial ascent up the bridge, veering to the right side of the bridge bringing them close to the side rails. A set of fancy footwork and a sharp turn of the steering from Dexter, caused the car to somehow spin slightly to the left so much that they were currently driving sideways with Rhaegah's side barreling down the bridge.
With no hiccup, bump or discomfort from contact, Dex corrected the wheel as the slick frame of the Porsche 911 skid onto the intersection, resuming its flight towards the guard station ahead. The gates ahead were fully opened, Dex taking no time to zoom past the stationed guards awaiting them. Kaneko looked to have melted in his seat, gripping a tenacious Mittens in his clutches. "Look at you.....buddies now" he laughed in thought as Mittens continued his futile struggle to break free.
Dex switched to a slow drive, making his way towards the northern region of the island. Rhaegah never had reason to venture beyond The Square, into the far reaches north of the island. He was sure he'd never noticed anyone even heading this far north. All available blueprints and plans of the island show nothing in this area. Another guard station appeared in the distance when they were too far to be seen even from the facility's main building. Two guard towers stood three car lengths apart, not a single wall forming from either towers. What was stopping anyone from going the long way around if no fence protected the property?. Rhaegah shoved the question aside, not seeing reason to ponder on something the officials obviously didn't care about. After today, he would have nothing to do with the island anyway. "Oh shit! It's John!" Kaneko called from behind them.

"I guess he got that promotion after all" Rhaegah added

"Bout time if you ask me" Dex voiced his agreement

John started as a janitor in the facility. After the security company he worked for went under, he'd found a job here not long after. He noticed how different the boys were from the other trainees, and ended up relating with them more casually into more frequent but short pleasantries. The boys in turn were happy to relate with someone who didn't look down on them, especially the staff. One fateful day, they notice a scuffle between John and a few trainees after he caught them attempting questionable actions on a female trainee. They boys input on the matter turned out to be his saving grace, after the trainees involved tried pulling strings to dispose of John. He was then put on guard duty with a significant raise. The trainees were publicly expelled for their actions, the most disreputable exit for someone from a high enough standing in their society. Now able to care for his family, John worked hard enough each day and made it to captain of the main guard station. This region of the island was reserved for elite VIPs or people with special reservations like the boys, making it an even more important location for the Empire. Being posted to this guard station obviously meant he'd gone up the ladder once more.
"Didn't think I'd see you boys again. Not so soon at least" John remarked

"We all got our own doses of surprises today" Kaneko replied

"Except yours wasn't that much of a surprise. We all knew your promotion was coming" Rhaegah said to John

"Just don't forget ol' John when you make it big"

"Lunch is on you next time we're in town" Kaneko grinned

"Watch yourselves over there. Don't raise any flags and Nerola could be real fun for you" John ended as Dex sped up once again. The moving team had caught up.

"What is this place?" Rhaegah could no longer hold back his curiosity.

"The Port. One of few in the world allowed a direct course to HQ"

A wide clearing ahead revealed three buildings erected, spaced far from one another. A warehouse was constructed by the side of each building making a total of six structures in pairs of two. Each one looked ordinary enough, like any residential building one could find in most developed cities. Officials could be seen coming out of the first building in the line, evidently awaiting their arrival. They were directed into the warehouse, the openings sealed shut when all three vehicles were inside. Dex and the boys were parked in the center of the warehouse, the armored truck Dex originally arrived in pulled up in their left, while the trailer with the boys stuff pulled up in the right.

Rhaegah didn't pay much attention to the interior of the warehouse on the way in, and the dimly lit space didn't give much to work with. A rumble and long hiss below them brought his gaze down to the lights appearing around them. Lines of light ran along the edges of the floor of the warehouse, encasing everything within inside a border of white light. When the ceiling began to look farther away, alongside an exclamation from Kaneko beside him, he realized the entire platform was slowly descending. A much larger space lay below the warehouse, with the whole platform they were on, simply snapping into place alongside many others. If the warehouse above could contain a few oil trucks, this lower region could definitely hold as much as a passenger plane. The inside of this underground space closely resembles the inside of an airport, assuming the airport had only one hanger.
Dex sees them through check-in, and all three make towards the plane. The corridor down the hanger was lined with a matte grey finish, the faint smell of a garden floating about. They exit the corridor and are met with one of the most amazing sights. The 'plane' they were about boarding was one of the Empire's passenger jets, an aircraft right from science fiction.
[[NAME AND SERIES OF THE JET]]
An overflow of luxury and satisfaction forced his nerves to instantly take a step back, the moment he set foot onboard. The interior had the air of a high-end living room, seeping a bit of relaxation with each passing moment. The strange dark metal that lined the walls brought a vague sense of the outdoors. On closer inspection, the 'strange metal' was actually wood. The walls had been paneled with rich, dark wood, giving the space a warm and inviting feel, as the scent of leather and polish grounded him to the reality that he was still in a vehicle.
The seats were spaced out in a well-lit area in the center of the cabin. The seats are upholstered in buttery soft leather, each equipped with its own personal entertainment system. A glance at the rear end of the jet revealed a galley nicely tucked away somewhere in the corner, most likely to be packed with some really good stuff.
They all take their seats while they waited for the cargo to be loaded. Rhaegah sat close to the walls of the jet. Apparently when airline transportation was common, people were known to prefer sitting close to the walls to gaze out the window of the plane to be met with a stunning view of the sky. Now in an aircraft with no visible windows, Rhaegah would have to cross that off his list a different time. "We'll start the show in a bit" Dex called out from the side. A sudden jolt followed by a low rumble, signified the jet was in the move. "So we're really just popping out from here? Not a very discreet way to go about it given the hush-hush undertone" Rhaegah finally voiced what had been on his mind since the guard towers with no fence. He had to be missing some piece of information, or the Empire simply didn't see the need to be overly cautious contrary to common belief. "Technically we're still on the runway" Dex replied "Activate projection field" he voiced a command.
Beans of light spread across the room, initiating what Rhaegah understood to be an Augmented Reality generator. Bits and pieces of the cabin around them were slowly being overlapped with other images, giving a look of distorted space. The lights settled to reveal a completely different space. All three occupants now sat hovering over a set of rails in a long unbending tunnel. "This is a projection of the outside of the jet. We're heading down the rails to the launch point" Dex explained giving a hint as to the procedure.
Rhaegah was slowly starting to see the answer to his question. Given how long they had travelled while on this rail, they were definitely far from the island by now. The jet had been pointing towards the open sea meaning they were currently well underwater. The jet's engine whirred to life as onboard instructions were announced on repeat. They had reached a leveled stretch and sped up even further, tunnel lights illuminating their path. An incline appeared ahead which the jet sped over, the high-pitched whir of the engine picking up towards an opening dead ahead.
Like an object on an slingshot, the trio whooshed past the opening, climbing into the skies with literal breathtaking speed. Kaneko could be heard exclaiming incoherent curse words from the side in sheer excitement. Rhaegah felt he could relate to the boy's thrill, as the view around them was nothing he'd ever imagined. To put it into perspective, with the projection field active, the boys sat on floating chairs and were flying through the clouds over the Atlantic. Though overwhelming to the boys, this level of innovation was the standard at Nerola. Their available route would take them over the sea to the western coast of Africa, drawing a line from the west through the middle of the continent to a landing strip off the coast of South Africa. The announced duration of the flight was six hours, making Rhaegah wonder what to do in that time. With no set activity, he decides to fish for information. "How did the Empire even get this far ahead? All this must've been at least decades in the works". Rhaegah was starting to wonder if it was possible they knew the world would fall apart. "That goes all the way to even before the outbreak" Dex replied, rubbed his chin and continued "You see...."
The older man went on like he'd been waiting for this precise moment.

What was known about the Empire or more precisely it's parent company, goes back to over a year before the Predator Virus claimed it's first human victim, at the first quarter of the year 2025. Several vegetation spots around the world had begun experiencing rapid decline in plant life as a result of a new virus. An independent team backed by an unknown company was sent to the arctic to further their research. They had discovered the first traces of the virus but couldn't make an audience with powerful organizations until they were recruited by the company people would later know as Nirolla-V.

When the virus claimed it's first few human victims, research facilities around the world all tried to produce a cure, or at least a vaccine. All their independent efforts proved useless in the face of a pandemic claiming lives each day. After a year Andre evolutions later, the virus reached its highest level of mortality, claiming lives by the dozens each day. This new strain was as deadly as it was infectious, now capable of surviving over long periods in air. The first signs of eventual chaos began brewing at this stage. Independent research now became research for the human race as all corners of the world pooled their resource, manpower, minds and devotion into manufacturing a vaccine. The following year, too many of the research personnel had been claimed by the virus. At the later stage of 2027, the world population had dropped to 65% of its originally estimated 7 billion. The year after didn't fare any better, as world leaders changed and died too quickly for anyone to still hold a firm belief in their government.
Major parts of the world had already descended into anarchy, leaving the ones with active members of the research with some control over their regions. A new world order began to rise from the chaos around the same time Nirolla-V emerged from the shadows. The company was founded and led by a man who was leaps and bounds ahead in terms of his genius, who presented the results of their research on the arctic revealing a means of producing a vaccine from samples taken from infected organisms discovered there. The company took over the research, granting them control over all resources pooled into the ongoing research, and quickly formulated a vaccine with the promise that a working cure would follow later.
While the vaccine took its time being distributed to major cities at a slow pace, various, but rare cases of people immune to the virus had brought about a change in government in many regions. While some brought some positive change, rebel leaders also bearing an immunity to the virus, rose up from other healing cities, rallying many to their cause. People would obviously take the word of someone who could still venture the world in the face of a killer virus. Some fanned the flames of violence to create a 'utopia' for the people who had been prosecuted by the previous order of things, closing off borders and taking great care to maintain a semblance of order in their enclosed land of anarchy. Others claimed to be chosen by the divine, and would lead the people into the new age through necessary violence. There were even cases of people claiming to have been test subjects of cruel experimentation at the hands of their government to test a new viral weapon, but survived due to their immunity. This led to more uprisings in several regions that achieved stability in the wake of the pandemic.
After initial stability, the continents of the world had already been divided within themselves, giving rise to many countries coming together to establish their own independent region based off give-and-take relationship existed between them and their surrounding neighbors. At the end of the year 2029, the world had been divided into 16 regions.

"I have so many questions from just that. To think the world was so different before. Peaceful even"Rhaegah knew better than to interrupt now. When next would he get such a chance at vital information from a reliable source. Any luck, and he might just get a solid clue related to his mission.

While the world slowly entered its second term of chaos, Nirolla-V had restructured the manufacturing process and was now distributing vaccines to more regions faster than the brewing conflict could become a certainty, bringing stability to various cities of the world. A much later look into the state of the world would reveal a resulting 55% of the population had made it through the pandemic. Order returned to most regions while few were lost to the machinations of rebel leaders. Given that these cities had been cut off from the outside world and proved they wanted nothing to do with anyone outside their borders, they were left to their own devices with the assurance of vengeful retribution from other world powers if they went back on their word. The people of the world were now free to heal and repair their lives, as well as the cities they called home.
Being the primary force behind the world's stability, Nirolla-V took up leadership of the groups that fell under the World research group, and became the first superpower in this new world. With the connections already established, plus the gratitude of literally every human alive, Nirolla-V began absorbing the various organizations, groups and facilities that powered the research, and grew into the Legion Research Empire, a mega corporation with its hand in everything. With more to work with, and a much lower global population to innovate for, the L.R.E began the developments of what current population would refer to as 'future tech'. Repairing the damage to city structures was executed based on the discretion of those in charge of those regions. While some strove to return their cities to former glory, others chose to build upon the wreckage of their once beautiful cities. Ruined city remains were augmented and overhauled into entirely new structures. These resulted in unique layouts and structures within cities, much so that a person not familiar with the old world would have no way of knowing the city was built over the ruins of another, and would simply marvel at the unique and creative structures erected about.
"The Phoenix Federation clearly made the best of the situation" Rhaegah commented before clumsily catching a canned drink Kaneko tossed his way

"You won't believe the stuff they've got in here" Kaneko beamed having taken a thorough look at the galley.

"It wasn't always that way" Dex seemed to be having a rough stroll down memory lane as his aura dipped at that statement "Some would say the United States had the worst of it. Civil wars broke out, invaders took advantage of the internal scuffle to further fan the flames of conflict, and eventually the country itself was up in flames"

The chaos that ensued in the country destroyed any working system of leadership, leaving only greedy parties who were hell bent on claiming the once great superpower. All hope seemed lost until a faction rose within to battle the insurgency as well as purge the land of all foreign enemies. This faction, formed and fully backed by the Empire, aided in the rise of a new leader chosen by the people, who then declared the country the Phoenix Federation due to them literally rising out of the flames and ashes that once consumed them. The history session went on for over half the flight, with the boys engaging and verifying their knowledge on several topics. With under two hours to go, Rhaegah decides to follow Kaneko's leaf and get some shut-eye.

A series of bumps nudged him awake, looking beside him to meet Kaneko's grinning frame "Dex says we're gonna land soon". The slow buildup of his muscles, combined with the refreshed feeling in his bones, were the key indicators that he indeed slept. Rhaegah never had dreams, at least not that he could remember. He would simply shut his eyes when sleepy and wake up almost immediately, feeling refreshed, and realizing that hours had gone by though it always felt like a few minutes. On the rare occasion that he did dream, it would always be that same 'nightmare'. Rhaegah's was the only one of the three still in his seat, Kaneko trying to emulate a flying hero, while Dex stood off by the side with clear exasperation on his face. Weren't they supposed to be seated while the jet lands?

"Dex says this room has stabilizers that cut the turbulence from landing to almost zero"

"There it is...the cliché handiwork of a sci-fi story. Stabilizers in the jet's cabin" he pushed the thought aside once Dex himself confirmed it.

The room still had the Projection field active, giving them a bird's eye view of the ground far beneath them. There was just no getting used to this. Right now, they were falling closer to the ground with each passing moment, at a speed too fast to process. His heart all but leapt into his mouth when a sharp sting registered on his arm. What he could only describe as a screech erupted from the cat he didn't know was in the room "Mittens! What are you doing out here?"

The feline fell asleep the moment he was laid in the cabin. He curled under Rhaegah's seat and was passed out the whole time. The rapid descent must have disturbed his insides. Mittens woke up to find himself free-falling from a few thousand feet above the ground. In his shock, he leapt off literal 'nothing' into Rhaegah's arms. "Must've been some sight" Dex burst into laughter as the cat struggled to desperately to climb up Rhaegah's head. Only after the projection field was turned off did he finally settle down.

Rhaegah stepped out of the jet with Mittens in his arms, carefully stroking the cats fur. After a scare like that, this much was a matter of course. "The trailer's up ahead" Dex called out. This airstrip was clearly an open one given the lack of discretion upon arrival. Dex mentioned earlier that the jet they arrived with, although modeled like the rest, was built different. Taking control of it would grant one a clear route to HQ, though getting into Nerola successfully was still up to chance. Still, an enemy party even getting there was trouble enough. Looking around, Rhaegah got a sense why he Dex didn't seem too bothered with landing here so nonchalantly. Every other jet on the strip was identical to theirs "Where do you hide a leaf huh?"
This island was nowhere as large as the training facility, but given that it could hold the numerous hangers scattered around three runways, it large enough in its own right. The enclosure they found themselves in was a perfect replica of the warehouse they departed from. The most intimidating vehicle he'd come across so far, came into view as Kaneko mindlessly tapped away at his shoulder.
If Rhaegah have a basic description, it would be an armored trailer. The vehicle was the image of defense.....a tank. The leading truck was a deep black with a streamlined body, highlighted by its metallic, almost iridescent edges, that catches the light in a mesmerizing way. The truck possessed sharp edges and bold curves, giving it a dynamic and aggressive appearance. The trailer behind was as dominating as it was huge. With a width of more than half his apartment, it looked over everything but the jet.
One of the striking features of the trailer was its smooth matte exterior that stretched across all sides save for the edges lined with the same metallic material as on the truck. A separate lower section within the trailer was apparently large enough to not only contain the car, but all their luggage as well. Upon stepping inside the trailer, Rhaegah was overwhelmed with the interior which was a marvel of modern engineering. A single couch stood out among the rest, beckoning Rhaegah to mindlessly stride towards it. The seat felt warm to the touch, a soft and breathable material brushed against his hand as he took a seat, but not before Mittens dropped onto the rug at the center of the cabin. The seat seemed to conform to the shape of his body as he sank into it. The inside lights blinked alive, greeting them with the sight of a spacious and open living area. The walls and ceiling were finished in a sleek matte-black material that contrasts beautifully with the light-colored floor. A set of minimalistic but clearly modern furniture sat about the living area. A sofa was provided, a large but low-profile coffee table, and the line chair Rhaegah sat in. A kitchen area was bound in a section between the living area and sleeping area further back. Kaneko's sweep of the kitchen revealed it was equipped with all the amenities you would expect in a high-end home.
"I think I'm in love. Now I can finally make real food", and obvious jab at Rhaegah and his lacking kitchen. Heat resistance countertops illuminated by energy-efficient LED lighting, appliances ranging from a refrigerator, to a state-of-the-art stove, even an oven, blended seamlessly into the overall aesthetic of the trailer. A bathroom was provided adjacent to the kitchen, equipped with a spacious shower, sink and toilet. A small sleeping area was situated at the end of the trailer, directly over the cargo section below, with ample sleeping space for up to four people.
Throughout the trailer, advanced technology was seamlessly integrated into the overall design. "The Smart-Home system lets us control everything from the lighting, temperature, even the fun stuff with simple voice commands." Dex said proudly. The 'RV' had an AI system that used an array of sensors and cameras around it to navigate the road, making it a truly autonomous vehicle. The two at the driver's section were apparently there just in case they needed a manual input at some point on the trip.
Around the time the L.R.E achieved their global standing, they had begun constructing several undersea tunnels connecting several locations with the headquarters. This island held two of those tunnels, one for either trip to and from HQ. In addition to that, only a single group could traverse each tunnel at any given time. This meant that they would be the only ones in the tunnel for the duration of the trip. "We have to recognize that this is overkill right?" Rhaegah sighed "That's one beast of a truck" Kaneko spoke up from the side. The boy had been strangely quiet throughout the journey so far, only exclaiming at understandably marveling situations. Conversationally, he wasn't really his usual self. "You good?". That question invoked an unspoken rule between the two. Those words demanded an honest reply on one's thought process if their usual disposition was oddly altered. "It's just.....this is all real, right?"
Evidently, even with Kaneko's carefree nature, he had to acknowledge the severity of all this. Nerola was the Empire's central core, and a safe haven for all inhabitants. The city could go from a utopia, to literal hell on earth depending on one's motives for venturing there. "As real as it gets. And getting worked up about that now won't help either of us. We stick to the plan, lay low, and do nothing outta the ordinary for a while"
The drive began as soon as all crew members were on board. Rhaegah, Kaneko, Dex and two others Mark and Tunde, took their respective seats in the cabin as the truck pulled them along. With a reverberating roar of an ancient beast, the trailer picked up speed and barreled down the tunnel onto the undersea highway. A signal from Dex led Mark into the driver's section of the truck, where a shout if confirmation rang back. "Not the same as the projection field, but it ain't something to sneeze at either" Dex said in a murmur. The dark tint of the matte-black walls of the trailer disappeared leaving a clear view of the region outside the trailer. The ceiling lost it's tiny as well, leaving the edges of the vehicle as the only obstructions in this view.
As the tint vanished from the walls, the first thing Rhaegah sees is the shimmering view of the ocean around. The transparent exterior of the tunnel granted him an unobstructed view of the vast blue expense of the ocean depths. Schools of fish swam past the tunnel on their merry way, their scales shimmering in the sunlight that filtered through the water. The tunnel itself was a marvel of engineering. The walls had to be made of an ultra-strong material able to withstand the immense pressure of the ocean depths. The ceiling above arched, creating the feeling of flying through a giant, underwater cathedral. As the trailer zoomed down the tunnel, the subtle details of the ocean environment around them gradually became noticeable.
Rocks and coral formations on the ocean floor came in to view below them. Their path cut straight through the water and not along the ocean floor, letting only a glance at the vegetation around as the ocean floor deepened the further they travelled. The intricate shapes and colors of the fleeting but stunning view, was a memory he knew would endure.
Large marine creatures came into view in the distance. The sheer scale of the ecosystem around him flooded him with an ironically calming sense of insignificance. In a world this vast and fundamentally different from the surface, he wouldn't need to worry about anything, and would simply exist to be swept along the with the tides as his adventure unfolded. They could still somehow hear the sound of the ocean inside the tunnel. Kaneko had begun to him along to the ambient waves brushing the tunnel walls, adding a bit more to the serenity of the experience.
"Last time I came down this route, we had one of the Hounds in custody" Dex said with a faraway look in his eyes. The older man's natural white hair and matching beard made it difficult to ascertain his age "Probably why Walter never keeps anything more than a chin strap. Not that I have a clue how old he is"The Cyber War was known to a minority of the population. Before all powers of the world veered towards the path of joint research on the Predator Virus, each nation suspected every other one for the creation and release of the virus. Obvious candidates were secretly investigated and their secrets were released. Though finding nothing about the virus, these powers exposed all discovered secrets regardless, and cornered the victims to lose their standing among them. Retaliation from the cornered beasts resulted in more acts of espionage and counter-espionage, and even more deadly reveal of secrets. Not long after, a massive cyber war erupted.....a war people silently referred to as the 3rd World War.
This war gave rise to a new form of warfare in the form of computer viruses. These viruses consumed any and all data it came into contact with. These were implemented to prevent data from being lost, being that the 'Gluttony Virus' as they termed it, would not only consume the attacking malware, but every bit of data it recorded. Different versions of this virus were implemented by all nations of the world, giving rise to the next stage of the war.
This new stage began with one nation's act of weaponizing the Gluttony virus to attack foreign servers, actively changing its nature of being an indomitable firewall. The problem that arose was the virus's all-consuming nature at its core. Releasing such a virus into an open server (the internet basically), the data loss would be astronomical. An eventual solution came in the form of navigation. An AI induced core was implemented into the virus granting it even higher learning power, though ironically changing nothing of its all-consuming nature. This aided their theory of navigation. If they couldn't control what it consumed, they would simply embed a target location for the virus to hunt down, to then begin its consumption.
Soon after, in an inevitable turn of things, it found its way into public servers, now buried in literally infinite data. Learning as it consumed, the Gluttony virus spread into everything across the World Wide Web. The most powerful digital weapon system had become humanity's demise. It consumed and upgrade itself with all software sent to battle it, until any access to the internet was a gateway for the virus. This in addition to the gradually declining population due to the ongoing pandemic, plunged the world further into anarchy. Nirolla-V takes over organizations, and a variant of the internet was implemented, completely outside the reach of the old one. The old internet was named the 'Lost World' and the new version called the 'Innernet'.
The Hounds of Hades were hacker prodigies with the skill and means to venture into the Lost world, that literal hell, without consequence, as the entire online space of the Lost world was dominated by Gluttony. These independent group of individuals, after many rough years of maintaining their monotony, were declared an immune body. They stood outside the jurisdiction of all powers, with the condition they interfere with nothing and no one in the real world. Their existence would be scrapped, and they would cease to exist as normal citizens of the world, functioning only to maintain the global security of the new online space.
"If they're outside all jurisdictions, why was one in custody?" Kaneko voiced precisely what Rhaegah was thinking. "From what I heard, he interfered with Empire projects at the time, setting them back a couple years. We never got him to fess up why so we handed him over to HQ and that was the last I saw of him" Dex replied with a sigh "He was a young one too" he added. "A single person is capable of doing that much damage to the Empire?!" Rhaegah couldn't help his loud tone "Feb is that serious?".

It's one thing for the public to be ignorant if one's existence, just as it wouldn't matter to anyone what any nation did to an individual that supposedly didn't 'exist'. The level of risk she took to reach out to him throughout his year in the facility dawned on him. She put herself in danger every time she did so much as place a call to him.

As they reach the end of the tunnel, they are met by the pale blue hue of the icebergs around them. Small schools of fish darted around the sides of the tunnel, signifying they were past the much deeper region of the ocean. "Alright boys, look sharp. The guards here don't have that 'delicate' reception" Dex cautioned them as a guard station came into view ahead of them before the black shade returned to the walls.
Kaneko released an audible sigh as they resumed their journey down the rest of the tunnel. The guards were indeed stern. They made sure to check the credentials of every single person on board, confirming their purpose and travel route with Nerola command. Even Dex was usually tense given the lax aura they'd felt from him so far, spreading outwards to the boys who visibly tended up causing the guards to be even more thorough with them.
The decided to take a break from the tunnel and resurface just to let the boys get a view of their position. They were indeed on a vast region of ice and cold that spread out as far as the eye could see. They arrived at another guard station, but since they were cleared by the tunnel station, they moved on without trouble. That station was there for people who took the surface route the whole way there. Having seen enough of the ice, they joined another exit and resumed their journey down the tunnel. The trailer arrived at the base shortly after, and the team bids them farewell till later. Rhaegah and Kaneko would be escorted to the briefing room while Dex and the crew would head out to set up their provided accommodations.
The boys were led through a few set of slim metallic doors and brightly lit corridors until they arrived at an elevator that took them topside. A lone lady stood ahead of them in the elevator while two guards stood behind. No one said anything to the boys, and the lady's frequent smile was the only assurance they were indeed welcome here. The elevator doors open to reveal a reception identical to the training facility, even down to the floral pattern on its walls. A middle-aged man introduced himself as Dr Mansdak, the man in charge of the sector the boys would be stationed. His 'bed hair?' comprised of dark brown locks seemed to blur under the lights. A short beard added with the horn-rimmed glasses projected a scientist with no time for idle chatter. His skin was lightly tanned, contrasting greatly with the white of his coat.
"Heard good things about you. I hope you're worth the trouble" Dr Mansdak led them through a set of doors to the side, revealing a small theatre where other people sat scattered about. The two take their seats towards the back of the room, getting a good view of everyone in there. "To think someone who flunked out of the island facility would ever make it here" a light voice came from behind the boys "That voice.....It's the peeping girl! The one from the gym. I told you" Kaneko said a little too loudly, as several of the people seated turned towards them. Dr Mansdak didn't seem to mind the chatter as he trailed on giving so many statements of expectations and how remarkable this group of individuals were.

"I never said you were crazy, all I did was refuse all possibilities of a 'peeping girl'" Rhaegah sighed in response. "So who are you? And what do mean by flunked out?" Rhaegah's question was interrupted by a loud call to attention ahead.

"To give you a more suitable welcome and further orientation, the head of this special new group as well as its founder, my daughter Dr Anna Mansdak".

Out of the rotating heads about, rose the one person who seemed to have no business there. The 'peeping girl' rose sharply with a gait that showed some degree of elegance. Apparently no one here had expected this turnout, all jaws dropped with shock. This girl who seemed no older that 15 is not only the leader of the Empire's new program, but she even founded it. Anna walked up the stage, sent a glance at everyone present "First, it's just Anna so no titles when addressing me. Starting today, you are all members of the Space Exploration Program. You will spend the next few months undergoing the physical and mental training required of such a mission. Bottom line, you're astronauts in training starting today" Anna simply said, and made off the platform.

"I suppose any real training won't begin till tomorrow so you guys do whatever you want till then. Don't miss the morning briefing" she added upon arriving at the exit.

"What...the....FUCK?!" A female voice broke the near-minute silence after Anna left. "Damn her. So this was what all those months of prep was for?" A hearty laugh came from the same girl. The others in the room chipped in giving their own different yet familiar remark on the subject. "Clearly they all know each other. Great" Rhaegah could already feel the dry air of the lonely newcomer flowing around him. "I didn't sign up for any of this-"

"You're kidding right?! You're going to space boy" Kaneko cut him off before the pathetic thought could properly land. This was a wild shot from way outside the field. The plan was to lay low, perform whatever menial task they'd be given while digging into their investigation. Astronaut training? Why would he sign up for that?

"We just gotta concentrate on keeping up with them" the line caused Rhaegah to raise a brow "You think we're behind in capability?"

"Nothing like that, I just get the feeling they've been at this particular program longer than we have. Having the capability but lacking any formal training could be unimpressive depending on what you're looking at" Kaneko had him there. They were obviously a last minute addition to the program, compared to the others who seemed to have been coming at this from the start.

The woman who escorted them earlier stepped into the room with a translucent tray with several items on it. She set the tray down before finally acting like there were others in the room. Her face was that long oval structure, with eyes so sharp you'd feel you were looking into those of an aged woman. Her black hair was rolled up into a bun, her smile never wavering. "These are your new MAs. Each one houses our most advanced AI programs, the closest to passing a Turing test than any before them"

Nine small rectangular metallic items sat in the tray, matching the number of candidates present.

Under each of the MAs was a name tag meaning they were already programmed for each of them specifically. Rhaegah walked up to his, noticing the many eyes that carefully escorted him up there. Kaneko might've been on to something. These people wouldn't take kindly to someone who just showed up out of nowhere to join a project they'd spent time training for. He picked up the MA, noticing the bottom region seemed to split off from the main body. He detached it and it then split further into two smaller pieces that looked very much like ear buds "Neat huh?" A voice closer than anyone had ever been, crept up from behind him. A sharp 180 had him face to face with all the other members in the room "Name's Chad" "I'm Michelle" names rang from each one of them as he stood there stupefied.
"You'll weird him out like that" another voice came from another part of the room "You guys can at least act civilized" the male voice rang out again. "Fine fine. Civilized introductions. I'm Chad Clifford. Great to meet ya" the boy in front went first.
He'd heard the accent the first time, but now with no background noise, Chad was indeed British. His black hair and bright brown eyes sat 'quietly?' on his oval face, in huge contrast to his personality. The Caucasian boy stood proudly as he inched himself closer into the light, the dominant ray bouncing off his bronze skin. A waving hand brought his attention to the girl beside Chad. "Michelle. Michelle Kowalski. I get the feeling we're kinda the same, just on polar ends of the same particular spectrum".
So far, they were doing a good job of sticking to his memory. Chad had the kind of raring energy that Rhaegah was thankful Kaneko barely scratched. Michelle on the other hand had a calmer sense to her, at least right now. Personal experience made him very much aware of how well people could hide their true selves. Her short grey hair contrasted with her dark cocoa skin beautifully, her black irises bringing a balance between the two. Unlike Chad she had a more rounded face, with a pretty smile sitting across it. "Where do you get off talking over me like that?" Chad butt in "Technically you are the shorter one" she shot back. "Clearly you haven't been paying attention to the monthly physicals update" Chad countered again.
Rhaegah looked back and forth between the two, whose banter was of no relevance to Rhaegah who stood above them at 5-foot-9. "Hard to tell when there's not much of a difference isn't it?" The older voice who spoke out earlier chimed in. "I'm Dave, Dave Nolan. You could say I'm the captain of this crew". He spoke with the aura of an older fellow, and given the way the others confirmed when he spoke, he was either much older than the rest of them or someone they all respected. Either way, he had the aura of the one in charge, though the casual way he spoke showed he didn't consider his position to be that big a deal. Dave stood taller than Rhaegah, his green eyes the center of attention through the pair of glasses on his squared face. His short but messy black hair fell loosely on his bright olive skin, further veering him off the path of the stoic authoritative person Rhaegah had assumed he'd be.
"You don't get a say in this, Dave. You're off the scale anyway" Michelle commented with a hand on Chad's head, her grip tightened on a full lock of his hair. "Moving on to the others..." Dave gestured to the other members.
"The one looking like she'll skin you, is Michelle Jolie. Everyone calls her Jay-jay though" Dave gestured to a girl by the side. The girl's sky-blue eyes held a piercing and 'no-nonsense' gaze. Her auburn hair fell smoothly, with the tips resting gently on her shoulders. Jay-jay had really light skin, which seemed to glow faintly under direct light. Her heart-shaped face left the impression of a dull, cold color for personality.
A smaller figure kept peeking from behind Dave, her constant tugging of his shirt an obvious gesture of her impatience. "Alright alright, this here is-"

"I'm Alfie. Unlike Jay-jay I'm civilized enough to introduce myself to the newbie" The girl said with a smile, completely ignoring Jay-jay's exaggerated eye-roll. "I'm just gonna ask what everyone's thinking...What are those?" she raised a finger towards Rhaegah's face. A sharp step back was the only reason she didn't outright touch his face. "She was really just gonna do that?". Rhaegah wasn't one to shy away from most things, but someone outright touching him casually was an issue he couldn't explain even to himself.

His reaction plunged the room into an awkward silence. "A girl made you back down" Kaneko's laugh broke the ice fluidly, as the others faces visibly relaxed. Alfie herself seemed to have acted purely on impulse as she stated wide-eyed at her hand and then to Dave "Sorry bout that. She tends to act first before thinking sometimes, but she means well" Dave said with an embarrassed smile. Rhaegah couldn't put a finger on it, but something about the way he said that made him relaxed enough. "And what's that about a 'girl' making someone back down?" Jay-jay spoke for the first time. Her voice carried with it a soft, soothing sound, contrary to her ice-cold disposition.
"Oh I don't mean anything by it really. He's just not one to back away from 'anyone'. Seeing a little girl force a step back was a sight to see". The unchanging look in Jay-jay's face proved he didn't do a good job of satisfying her inquiry. "When you know him long enough, you'll understand" Kaneko added with his usual grin. "It's alright, it just caught me by surprise is all" Rhaegah finally spoke, realizing that staying silent any longer would clearly not ease the tension any further. He had a habit of staying in his head too long had gotten a fair share of misunderstandings regarding his silent stare. "I don't know either" he said to Alfie "It's always been there I guess" he said brushing his hand against his 'scales'.
"This again?" He wasn't looking forward to this group's adjustment phase. Given that they all seemed to have things to say about them. So far, these people were the first to look so intrigued by his scales, assuming he didn't count Kaneko whom till this day, occasionally comes up with theories as to why he has them.
The others introduced themselves as:

May Pigeon, a South Asian girl who was totally invisible till she spoke up. Her black hair with matching eyes sat comfortably on her round face. Her gaze hinted towards someone patiently listening for a vital piece of information.

Annie MacDonald, a Welsh girl who stood a bit taller than Rhaegah. Her long and bright blonde hair fell gracefully around her head, with no strand falling over her long, charming face. A section of her hair had been braided by the side, hinting at a sense of adventure within her poised countenance. Her deep brown eyes blended perfectly with her walnut skin.

Finally, the one person Rhaegah had been the most curious about, introduced himself as Darth Smith. Based only on his initial observation of them, Darth was the one he felt was closest to his own personality, though a gentler version. Darth was Australian yet had no trace of the region's accent. His dark black hair and dark brown eyes were balanced out by his much lighter skin.

"Rhaegah. Just Rhaegah" he stated after hearing from the others. The questioning gaze from them meant some explanation was required, but he didn't see a point in going into those details. He'd given his name, and that was what mattered. "Kaneko. Kaneko Sanji" the boy who'd been sitting close by spoke chimes in again. "His demon lord-y vibes don't go all the way inside so no need to be worked up around him" Kaneko continued, hinting at Rhaegah who sighed in response. "I'm much freer than he is so feel free to converse with me as much as you like" Kaneko added.
"In that case, we were planning on taking a tour of the city. Wanna join us?" Dave spoke up after the two were done. "Yeah. We just got here too, but we all came from the same station obviously" Chad added with a cheerful energy about him. "Sweet. We'd love a tour. We just spent the last three days traveling with a bunch of older dudes anyway" Kaneko replied catching a glimpse of a fist pump from Chad. Rhaegah would've preferred to head back to his apartment, but he would be interacting closely with this group for the foreseeable future so this much was required. He moved to join the others who'd started walking ahead, not before noticing the the head of their program, Anna, peeking from the other exit. "Guess she really is a peeping girl" he made a mental note to acknowledge that to Kaneko later.
Chapter 2: Road-trip