Energia Tower

Chapter 13: The Making of a Man

Barney accelerated in his police cruiser at dawn, weaving through the streets with his partner, James, riding shotgun. Under the cover of night, they transformed into underground detectives, delving into illegal truths that lurked beneath the surface. By day, they assumed the roles of ordinary policemen, concealing their covert investigations. While becoming an ordinary detective would have been a commendable career move, Barney's pursuit of the mysteries surrounding AquaLux and Skyra preoccupied his mind. The War of the End had ignited, and the consequences were uncertain.

Regrettably, the advent of the war left Barney with limited time to indulge in his secret investigation. All he could do was speculate about the sudden appearance of fakers and what their presence truly meant. As his police cruiser came to an unwelcomed halt in a long line of vehicles on the highway, Barney joined the queue, contemplating whether these individuals were attempting to escape to another corporation in order to evade another draft. The war's announcement had permeated AquaLux with universal tension, and wherever Barney ventured, he was met with anxious silence, a natural response to news of impending calamity.

Their orders were to patrol the perimeter around Energia Tower, as many prisoners were slated to be drafted into the war. They were also nearby to help vehicles escort the numerous weapons constructed at Energia Tower. None of the prisoners were drafted in the first draft, however in the event of another draft, they'd likely be shipped out to Maritopia for battle as well. It seemed AquaLux wanted the prisoners constructing as much weapons as possible for now.

"Great! More traffic," fussed James, his face printed with worry.

Barney remained mute as he stared out of his window to eye the numerous skyscrapers in his vicinity. They were sort of far away, as they were on a highway adjacent to the city Oceanica, Novaria. Oceanica was the capital of the Novaria region, as well as the entire capital of AquaLux. It was usually a peaceful coastal city, but now the entire city was in disarray. If superweapons were deployed it would likely be the end of humanity.

Barney remained silent, gazing out of the window at the myriad of skyscrapers in the distance. The city of Oceanica, lay adjacent to the highway where they were stationed. Oceanica served as the capital of the Novaria region, as well as the entirety of AquaLux. Normally a serene coastal city, it now lay in disarray. If superweapons were deployed in the war, it would likely spell humanity's downfall.

"Do you think we'll be drafted?" asked James.

Barney took a deep breath, redirecting his attention to the congested traffic. "The first wave of drafts have already taken place, since we're cops, we'll likely be drafted in the near future if the war continues... which it will." Nearly a hundred thousand troops were deployed in Maritopia to keep Skyra from advancing. Much of those troops were already in the military prior to the war announcement; if the war persisted civilians would also have to get their hands dirty.

"How do you know it will!?" asked James.

"Because, James, whenever you light a match, the smoke must go somewhere when it's extinguished," Barney explained cryptically.

"Uh... I don't get it," said James.

"Forget it," scrawled Barney as the traffic slowly moved. "You know James, we probably don't have much longer. A superweapon could drop anytime now and destroy all of us. We should cherish these times."

"Aw c'mon! There's no way we'll die soon! Nobody's gonna' use a superweapon, Skyra wants more land, not destruction!"

"Maybe you're right," said Barney.

Suddenly, a deafening explosion rocked the heart of Oceanica. The shockwave rippled through the air; Barney and James knew the blast had occurred nearby.