Out of the Shell

8 - X-002

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I felt my eyes open, although it seemed as I was surrounded by dark nothingness. I reached my hand out in front of me but didn't see anything.

"Hello?" I called out quietly. I looked at the darkness around me, still unable to see anything. Hearing a loud thud, I jumped in fear and my breath drew quickly. "Is anyone there?" I said, louder this time.

"F-404," a low, metallic, and robotic voice said in the distance. "Or should I call you by your real name, Amielle Valentine?"

"Where are you?" I tried to stand up, but something heavy was weighing me down.

"Don't worry about where you are... remember who you are." A dim light shone in front of me, revealing someone dressed in dark purple with their face completely covered. "Who are you?"

"I'm..." My voice cracked, and I looked down. I remained silent.

"I guess it really worked, then." The person laughed quietly. "Were you really worthy of what I took from you? You had it, you were almost there. Then you let your inspiration control you."

I raised my head and looked at the dark figure in the dim white light. "What are you talking about?"

The person chuckled. "Sunset City isn't big enough for multiple people like me running around trying to give the world their intelligence. Wasn't that what you and M-263 wanted?"

Again, I remained silent and stared at the dim light. The figure with the deep metallic voice had not moved once from their spot.

"You two are what's feeding the Institute their power. The Institute is what's wrong with this city. Controlling everyone's lives at such a young age. Yet they couldn't fix one flaw." The person slowly raised their hand and snapped their fingers. Millions of blue screens lit up all around me. "Each one of these screens represents one person in Sunset City of age six or older."

"How did you..." I whispered.

"My plan to destroy the Institute finally worked, after ten long years. They don't care about you. They care about their jobs. The money. They're so corrupt, I can see everyone's identification microchip by just snapping my fingers. As soon as the IDM is installed, people like me have access to it. The Institute is aware of this, but they don't care to fix the issue."

"People like you?" I asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"We're called the X branch," they said. "Normally, Institute members are sorted into the M or F branch, according to their gender. The X branch is a small group of people whose IDMs were altered to be used as test subjects. Little did the Institute know, we still had full control over our brains, so we turned on them and ran."

I remained silent for a few seconds. "Who are you?"

"Glad you asked. I am X-002. You may already know me as Vena."

"So, is it true?" I said angrily, still unable to sit up. "You attacked me?"

"It is."

"Why? You'll be arrested by the Institute!"

Vena laughed. "What are they gonna do here? You're not on Earth. You're in Ixus."

"Ixus?" I asked.

"It's a false world that's electronically simulated. Any IDM cannot be traced by the Institute while you are here."

"Why am I here?"

"You're here because you're like me. With more people like me, this world would not end the way I want it to. You had a dream of giving everyone great intelligence. M-263 had the same dream. I had the same dream. If people think the same way I do, I wouldn't have a purpose in life anymore. I'd cease to exist. You see, you may be like me, but I'm not like you. I'm my own person."

"Is that why you're in the X branch?"

"Correct," they responded. "I'm just one of the Institute's failed test subjects. With more people like me, we would all slowly start to turn into code... and vanish."

"So you..."

"I saved you from the inevitable."

I looked down once again. Not really knowing which side to lean on, I decided to remain curious. "What is your goal?"

Vena went silent for a moment. "My goal... I want to make a change. I want to make this world like it used to be. Back in the year 2275, the Institute started forming. Technology was growing and improving every second and spread like a virus. Now, look what it's become. Look around you."

I looked around at all the screens containing individuals' information. Throughout the time I've been helped at the Institute, a part of me wanted to disagree with Vena, but the other part of me stood for their position.

Looking over at the dim light again, Vena moved slowly toward me. They held their arm up and lifted something off of me, then helped me stand up. The lights slowly came on in the large room. The room was bright white with even brighter white lights.

"What did you do to T- er, I mean, M-263?" I asked shakily.

"Don't worry about him, he's fine. X-003 is taking care of him." Vena responded. Even in the bright light, I could only see the purple hood Vena was dressed in. Their face was not visible whatsoever.

"I have something important I need to get off my chest," I began. "Who were those people? The ones who claimed to be my family?"

"They are your family," Vena said slowly. "You just don't remember a thing. But, you do remember everything."

I was confused. "What?"

Vena came closer and touched my forehead. They were about the same height as me, and I am very short. "You still have it in you. Find the spark in your brain, then ignite. All will be well after that point."

I grew frustrated. "That's what everyone's telling me! I don't understand."

"No, you don't. But you will. You just haven't connected yourself with reality. Focus."

I felt my heart pulsating rapidly. Vena's finger did not leave my forehead. I cleared my mind of all thoughts and then closed my eyes. I felt my body temperature get colder, then felt myself slowly drift backward. My eyes remained closed. I felt Vena's finger slowly fade, as well as everything around me. I slowly started to remember information piece by piece. I am Amielle Valentine, age fourteen. I thought. I am one of the smartest people in Sunset City. This knowledge that I possess will help me...

"...remember!" I sat up quickly, feeling very dizzy. I looked around and found out that I was laying in my bed. Standing up, I examined my surroundings. It didn't take me long to find out that I was in my own room. It felt as if I was on Ixus twenty seconds ago. I was slightly startled when someone opened my door.

"Amy? Are you okay? I heard shouting." someone asked. I stood still for a while, staring at the boy who entered my room. I remembered who he is.

"Kane?" I asked. "What's the date?"

"It's November 23. Why? Is something wrong?"

I let out a slight sigh of confusion and relief. "No, everything is fine. Thank you."

"Alright, well I'm going to head to school. I need to go in early and retake a trigonometry test."

Faking a smile, I responded. "Okay. I'll see you later, then."

"Bye." Kane smiled back and shut the door.

I quickly rushed to my computer and turned it on. When Kane told me the date, my heart rate rose immensely. When I was able to recall where I was and who had opened my door, I was relieved.

Typing in the password to my computer, a strange file opened automatically on my screen. I clicked on it, not knowing what to expect. It was a note that read:

"You're welcome.

-Vena"