Limitless

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Chapter 3 - Hope

I am wearing ragged brown trousers and a black t-shirt that I found near the garbage can. My boots are torn here and there and it's time to get new ones. I'm perched on top of a tree with Jess leaning against my shoulder.

My Wanted poster is flashed on the wall, I see a different one almost twice a month.

WANTED BY THE REUBLIC
FILE NO: 350483 - 2922 "HOPE"
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WANTED FOR ASSAULT, THEFT,
DESTRUCTION OF MILITARY
PROPERTY AND CROSSING THE LIMIT.
250,000 UNITS FOR INFORMATION
LEADING TO ARREST

They always have a different photo running alongside the report. One time it was a boy with glasses and curly brown hair. Another time it was a hazel-eyed boy with no hair at all. Sometimes I'm black, sometimes white, other times I'm olive or brown or yellow or whatever other color they could think of.

In other words, the Republic has no idea what I look like. They don't actually know anything much about me, except that I'm a young boy. My fingerprint doesn't match anything in their database. Many people have broken into the Limit, but most of them are arrested and the others have at least been recognized. But me, I have broken in seven times, and they still don't have a clue of who I am. That's why they hate me. I make them look weak.

Tess and me are next to my mom's house. My mom thinks I'm dead, and it's better for her to think so. I don't want her to know that I'm Hope, a criminal. I'm positioned on the window ledge, overlooking the bedroom. It's an old house, made of wood in a few places, and others places are of stone. Most houses outside the Limit are like this.

'Hope, we should leave the city for a few weeks. By the time we're back, the plague would have blown through, and you can come back to check on them.' She tries to keep her voice calm, but the fear is there.

'I only want to check on my family once a week to make sure they're all right,' I say.

'You've been coming here every day this week,' she argues.

'I just don't want them to get hurt.'

'Hope, nothing is going to happen, they are in more danger if you come here and spy on them, and so are you.'

'You don't need to come and tire yourself, Jess' I repeat, for the hundredth time.

'No way, no way, someone needs to take care of you.' Although she is only 12, sometimes she seems old enough to be my caretaker.

There are soldiers standing at intervals of ten blocks, looking at the passer-by. The people outside the Limit have no freedom nowadays. The soldiers go for inspections for plagues in every house each day, if someone is at a high stage, they drag them out and God knows what happens to them.

I peer in the open window, and catch a glimpse of a familiar face. Royce walks by, then looks out of window to see the soldiers, and then gets back inside.

Royce is my younger brother, he is turning ten in two months. I love him more than anything, and I won't be able to bear it if he gets the plague.

'He looks weaker.' I mutter.

'He's alive and walking around,' she replies. 'I'd call that a win.'

My mind wanders to the 25'000 Units Jess and me have stocked up. It can easily last us for a few months, but its not even close to enough to buy the vaccine. That's why the next part of my plan is vital.

I hear a sharp shriek coming from the other end of the street. I look there, shocked. Jess sucks in a breath, not knowing what to expect. The soldiers drag out a young woman out of her house, her skin is pale, and almost looks green. I wonder how they missed her on previous inspections.

There are 8 soldiers there, and the one with the drawn weapons approaches her while the others move a few steps back. The woman falls to her knees and cries. The soldier lifts his gun and a volley of sparks erupts from the gun and the woman collapses, then goes still. They drag her into a SPM jeep and the soldiers come out as if nothing happened.

I wish we could get our hands on one of the soldier's guns. A pretty weapon like that doesn't cost much on the market - around 500 Units. Like all guns, it has accuracy, guided with magnets and electrical signals that let you get perfect aim from three blocks away. We could easily buy two or three of those, but when it comes to guns, it's not about the cost. It's really simple for the Republic trace back on us. Each gun comes with a sensor, which reports the user's hand shape, fingerprints and location to the Republic. If that doesn't give me away, then nothing will. So, Jess and me are stuck with handmade weapons, PVC slingshots and knives and daggers.

'I guess they got another victim.' Jess says.

The soldier takes a huge stamp from the van, and presses it on the side of the door. It says 'PLAGUE LEVEL: OVERLOAD' on it. I'm scared to find out if my family has the plague. The soldiers inch closer to my house, it's about five houses away.

We wait nervously as the soldiers reach the house before mine. There are two soldiers waiting outside. One bangs on the door loudly, while the other has a gun raised. If the door isn't opened in 10 seconds the soldier will kick it and get in. Although I can't see what goes on inside, I know how the drill goes. The soldier gets a blood sample from each person in the house, and inserts it in a hand held reader. If the reader shows a plague level of 5 or above, it's confirmed that the plague is present. If it reaches 10, they need to buy the vaccine immediately, if they don't.... well, then the plague level will soon become overload and they'll tranquilize you and no one knows what happens after that.

The soldier comes out and goes to my house. My mom opens the door instantly after the first knock and the soldiers rush in. My parents had a plague level of 8 yesterday, and I'm terrified to see if it has increased. After about 10 minutes, the soldiers exit the house. They erase the previous stamp with some kind of spray, and take out the new one. They stamp it.

Jess' eyes are wide open, and I take in a sharp breath. It says 'PLAGUE LEVEL: 10'.