Chapter 1
''Initializing awakening sequence''
*ZZZZAP* ''OWWWW''
''Subject 241, awakening successful, beginning stasis pod drainage''
*Bubble noise intensifies*
*Grunting* ''Where the h.e.l.l am I.''
Looking at his hands he notices they are not the hands of an old man.
''Welcome Subject 241, you have awakened. We shall now start a few tests to verify your mobility.
Please walk to the entrance of the room.''
Realizing the voice he kept hearing was from inside his head, he started panicking.
''WHO ARE YOU, AND WHY ARE YOU TALKING IN MY HEAD!!!''
''Our appellation is Automated Combat Conscience, we would advise host not to yell, as for we are not a physical being and that might appear as signs of mental instability.''
Calming down, the man tried remembering the most basic of knowledge. Starting with his name. Slowly his memories started coming back to him. His name was Karl Hampton, CEO of Hampton Technologies. He was 85 years old (or at least he used to be) and he had a son.
Coming back to things at hand, Karl heard another 'notification' in his head.
''Mobility tests have yet to be accomplished, we advise host to complete said tests, as problems with the body should be fixed quickly.''
Without further ado, Karl walked to the door in front of him, after exiting the tubular shaped gla.s.s he was standing in.
''No anomalies detected within body, please proceed to exiting room for further results.''
Stopping his steps, Karl asked his new brain buddy, ''Why am I in this young body, I'm 85 years old, yet I don't feel a day older than 20''.
''Host body age calculated at 20 years 2 months and 7 days.''
''Wow that's precise. Now how did I even end up here.''
''Host has acquired modified body as per orders of project G.o.d of War Super Soldiers. Project is in infancy stages and has yet to result in success.''
''Project what now? Wait I remember now, I was getting old and I was approached for a project about conscience transfer. But I don't remember anything about the War Super Soldiers thingy you just said.''
''Host has been a.s.signed a combat ready body, as per regulations of project. Please complete physical tests for further information on body capabilities.''
Meanwhile in his mind, Karl was jogging his memories, h.e.l.lbent on remembering exactly what had happened.
He remembered starting to be out of time (you ain't getting any younger at 85
''h.e.l.lo senior citizen, my name is Ezekiel Rineback and I'm here to offer you the deal of your life!
How would you like to get back those years of youth you have long lost and be able to live life again, without losing all that knowledge in your noggin.
Then we, at Pheonix Co., have what you need! With our new program, Project Eternity, we plan on taking economical leaders of the world and giving them life anew.
The process is simple, we copy your consciousness into our servers, take a sample of your DNA, reconstruct it to be stronger and healthier and then we grow you a new body up to 20 years old (the age of perfection, body wise) whilst you sleep in a program without ever knowing you were gone.
So what do you say good sir, interested?''
Being a CEO of a large company himself, Karl remembered finding his sales pitch ''top notch'' as to speak. It had spiked his interest immediately and he had signed the paperwork without even reading it, thinking, ''what could happen, I'm bound to die anyway''.
The next day he had gone to Pheonix Co.'s lab in the alps (go figure why the mountains) and underwent the procedure.
''Alright mister Hampton, you're set to go. Today is the 6th of August 2156, so we will be waiting on your body to fully grow and awaken you in 20 years from now. So have a great sleep and we'll see you in 2176. May you rise from your ashes strong and wise.''
And now here he was. With that in mind, he walked to the door, to see how the world had changed in 20 years. Opening the door and walking into the hallway, he found it pretty empty.
''h.e.l.lo?!'' He yelled, hoping to have an answer.
''System advises host that no other life forms have been detected in vicinity.''
''Hmmm, nifty. What else can you tell me about my location, System.''
''The System's detection radius is 100m. For further readings host will need to move further away.''
He thought to himself ''Ok'' and started walking to his left. After walking for about 50m, he came to a stop, in front of a sign on the wall. The sign gave directions for multiple departments with scientific names, making him believe he was still in the lab. But what drew his attention, was the words ''surveillance room'', which was to his right in the next corridor.
Having met no one so far, he decided to walk to that room, in the hope of finding someone there. Picking up his pace, he got there pretty fast, but having received no new notification from his brain buddy, he wondered if he'd find anyone there either. Stopping in front of the door, he pondered.
''Ehh, what do I have to lose.''
Slowly pus.h.i.+ng on the door, he came into a room with many screens, flickering black and white. Only one screen had something on it, it seemed like a message set on a loop. The sound was off, so the message was unclear. Turning on the sound, Karl watched the message from the beginning.
''This is an emergency broadcast to all Phoenix Co. staff. We are ordering the emercy protocol ''Promised Land'' and as of right now evacuating all facilities around the planet. You now have 1 month to gather all your valuables and a.s.semble at the indicated warp point. I repeat, last warping will be on the 31st of October 2265. Good luck and may we all rise from the ashes strong and wise.''
''System...
What date are we today...''
''Today is the 14th of June 2273''
''WHAAAAT!!!!!!!??????''