The Futility

Chapter 03 - A Line in the Sand

[An automated female voice from a commercial documentary playing on a backseat monitor of a SUV car]
"...A Megaproject of human civilization future city, in Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia -The Line- founded and inaugurated four years ago in 2030, by the grandeur, charismatic, and brilliance Ahmedin Sufi, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. The Line, encased under a stylish mirror-glass facade and is 500 meters high, 200 meters wide, and 170 kilometers long. By this year, 2034, The Line has a population of 1.2 million people. This smart city aims to offer a better, more sustainable standard of living. The Line's communities are arranged along three-dimensional lines and the infrastructure of The Line allows for end-to-end travel without the use of a car in 20 minutes, resulting in zero carbon emissions. The Line's residents can save time and effort by using services that are autonomous due to AI technology. The Line, the city that bestows the earth with new wonders..."
[The voice ended, the car stopped]

📍 Palace of Yamamah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

🗓️ Thirteen days before The Line's fourth anniversary, which also happened to be the day of Kamioka's incident

After strict security guard checks, four black Toyotas Lexus NX dulled in desert dusts enter a magnificent palace gate. From one of the cars, A robust young Japanese man in a neat black tuxedo walks toward the Yamamah Palace's receptionists. He tells the receptionists that he is the emissary that Mr. Minoru has sent to deliver Mr. Sufi a message. The receptionists ask him to sign a few papers first, a resplendent Yokai mask tattoos can be seen on the back of his fist. The palace's attendants escort him to Ahmedin's office and say Mr. Sufi has waiting for him behind the door.

The man enters the room with a wide window that gives a picturesque view of the vast, bright Al Thumama desert. Ahmedin Sufi, in his opulent black and golden robes and white keffiyeh, welcomed him graciously and asked him to sit on the couch. After the two have small talks, the man hands Ahmedin a letter with Minoru's signature, while saying that his boss couldn't attend to give his speeches at The Line's fourth anniversary, which will be celebrated about two weeks from that day. He says that Mr. Minoru has written the details on the letter. With a considerably disappointed face, Ahmedin says that Minoru has given so much contribution and improvement to The Line, right from where it started until this time. He adds that he and his father are always applauding Minoru as one of the greatest scientists ever, due to his values regarding humanity's apprehensions.

📍 The sky above Tabuk Province, about 7 miles toward The Line

🗓️ "The Day"

The digital calendar in Ahmedin's Private Jet is showing 2 a.m., Monday, February 13th, 2034; this is the day that everyone's attention across the globe is immersed in the extensive buildups and publicities of The Line's fourth anniversary. Bashir al-Amir, the most trusted right hand of Ahmedin, is gently knocking on the door of the cabin where the crown prince is. Ahmedin stops his alluring Quran recitation and gives him permission to enter. Bashir forebodingly tells him that something has happened and asks him to watch the news. The UTC+03, Saudi Arabian time, in this petrified seconds, in another part of the world, about three hours has passed, since a massive explosion occured in Kamioka's obeservatory, Japan. In a state of displease, in the front of the fast paced Al Jazeera international breaking news, Ahmedin asks Bashir was there any victims, Bashir answers that the news has stated there were about two hundred casualties and many more went missing. As Bashir is talking, the eloquent word structure from the poignant letter two weeks ago is flashing in Ahmedin's memory. In the letter that is written by Minoru himself, he states that he has been bothered by the rapid advancement of humanity's scientific discoveries, especially in these late decades. He is concerned that it may lead to something atrocious that humanity has never seen before. In the end of the letter, Minoru forbids him to post a reply, as he is drowning in his regret and guilt. He states that everything he has done is a misstep that is worsening humanity's nature and further aberrating it, including The Line.

...