The Nuclear Project

Chapter Three

As I watch the androids repair the dome, I realize we're going to be here a while. I sigh and close my eyes, in an attempt to forget about the radio.

When I open my eyes, I immediately realize something. The place I'm in... It... Looks familiar... Where have I seen this place?
"Josh, it's time for breakfast!"
Wait a minute... I recognize that voice... I run downstairs, only to be greeted by my favorite memory as a child... My dad reading his newspaper, mom making pancakes, and of course, Barley, making coffee for my parents. I go to sit down in my usual chair.
"Morning, Josh." Says my dad casually, as he turns the page in his newspaper.
My mom walks up to the table and hands me my pancakes, along with a glass of orange juice. How is this possible? My parents died in the Androids and Hover Mobile factory incident when I was just a kid...

"Josh, eat your pancakes before they get cold." Says my mom quietly.
"Oh, y-yeah. Sorry." I say, trying to sound casual, but I'm sure I sound as odd as I feel.

I take a bite of my pancakes and quickly look at my dad's newspaper, trying to find the year. Tuesday, May 17, 3407. The day my parents died.
I glance up at the clock. My parents always left for work at 10:30... Fifteen minutes from right now.
I have to do something.

I look at my parents. "Hey, maybe you guys should just... Not go to work today... We... We could go to the park or something." I hear my dad sigh.
"I wish we could, son. But you know the law... We've told you time and time again. If we don't work, we could lose our house." My dad takes a sip of his coffee and goes back to his paper.

My mom quickly looks up at the clock. "Speaking of which, it's 10:18. We really shouldn't be late." I watch as my parents stand up, put the dishes in the sink, and walk over to the door, giving me the usual 'be careful' and 'don't open the door to any strangers' talk before leaving.

Today is nothing special to anyone. Just a Tuesday. But in a year... And every year after, today will be known as Loweville Factory Day. I'll never forget it.

It was around 4:00 and I was watching tv with Barley. It had just gone to some commercial about hair products when we heard it. The explosion. We both went to the kitchen to see.
I couldn't see much, but I could tell what had happened.
There was a giant cloud of smoke where the Androids and Hover Mobile factory was... There were 567 people working there that day and 567 casualties.

"Josh? Josh, wake up." I blink a couple of times and realize where I am.
"Barley... What happened?" I ask, rubbing my eyes.
"I don't know, but I heard you start mumbling, so I thought I should wake you up." He says.

I look out my window, watching the dome and letting the quiet fill the hover mobile. "Hey Barley... Do you remember the Androids and Hover Mobile factory thing?" I ask Barley, breaking the silence.
"Who doesn't?" He says flatly.
"Everyone pushed it off as an accident, but didn't someone break into the HQ about a week or so earlier? Dad had been talking about it all week." Barley quickly turns to look at me. "What are you saying? That the factory incident and the dome breaking are related?" I nod.
"That's exactly what I'm saying. It's suspicious. An android was seen tampering with the control panels at the HQ a week before the explosion, and now an android was seen once again tampering with the HQ just hours before the dome breaks. Barley... What I'm saying is... If we can find out who broke the dome... We'll find our killer."