Dystopia: Book One of the Altered series

Prologue

Location: Secret Laboratory, Union of Human Enhancement (UOHE), Washington D.C., United States of America
Time: 2100 hours, 16.05.2027

"This is it. Finally, after 10 years of hell, it's done. Ethan, we have made the first completely genetically altered human cell known to man," Astor Rydka stated, his perpetually cold voice bouncing off the bare walls of the laboratory. His protégé, Ethan Wikkon stared at his mentor holding the test tube, a bit shakily, enthralled. He had been skeptical of his Astor's idea of enhancement at first, but after the many nights of experimentation, Ethan could practically visualize this historic event. He knew of the South American, European, Asian and African branches of the UOHE and their own interactions, mostly violent, in order to achieve an ultimate goal. The ability to be completely impervious to death and the overall removal of the possibility of extinction was the paramount goal of the Union of Human Enhancement. Secrets were stolen or exchanged, bonds broken, people silently murdered and mouths kept shut all in the endeavour of creating superior beings. So far, these efforts have all been futile, that is, until tonight.

Knowing that this would be achieved and the other branches unaware, Ethan had decided that it was time, the moment, to engage his own plans. "Yes, Professor. We have done it. I know that I wouldn't have found a more capable mentor for this to be a remote possibility. I thank you for my enrollment and for ultimately serving your purpose. You have done well," Ethan said, chilling Astor to the bone.

"What are you talking about, boy? 'Serving my purpose'?" Astor inquired, a bit worriedly for someone of his stoic nature. "That's right, no need to regurgitate my words. You have done well and your services are no longer required," said his protégé, so coldly, an Arctic wind would have nothing on it. "What? What is this? What is going on?" cried Astor, noticing the violent tremors running through his body. He couldn't understand what was happening when they started earlier, but had disregarded them as byproducts of anticipation. Now, he recalled Ethan giving him a glass of his favourite rum before going into their subterranean laboratory. Realization hit him like a freight train.

Poison.

"Ethan, what are you doing?" he asked curiously. "Just developing a serum, sir. Nothing special," his young protégé had replied.

Astor had foolishly thought it as mere idle experimentation, two years ago. Now, the horrible truth had come to light. "You... you... poisoned me! How could you? After all we've..." the suffocating scientist sputtered, feeling his trachea slowly enclosing and expanding simultaneously. "Professor. Don't tell me that you've found a soft spot for me in that ice box you call a heart? That's amusing, I thought you only had that kind of thing for your wife and mine, after all she's your daughter, " Ethan mocked condescendingly.

His wife. His daughters. One of them unknown to Ethan. Rika. His love and his life. Valara and Kara. What was going to happen to them? Would Ethan get to them....

"Don't worry, Professor. I don't plan on doing anything to your wife. As for your daughter, I plan on finally consumating our marriage tonight. Isn't it wonderful that she will be the bearer of a scientific revolution? You should be proud," Ethan stated, voicing responses to Astor's thoughts. "No! Not Kara! Please! It could kill her!" Astor protested weakly, his air and blood supply to his brain being slowed. "Sometimes, even the ones you love, die for a revolution's sake," Ethan said in a voice that could make Hell freeze over.

Astor knew his time was almost up. As his vision blurred, he saw something that made his failing heart glow with hope. His wife, Valara, was watching through the crack of the doorway. He could barely see but knew that there were tears running down her beautiful face. He thanked his lucky stars for a wife who had the sense to stay silent despite the great pain it must be causing her. Pretending he saw nothing, Astor used his last breaths and said, "Ethan... your time will end, I pray soon. My Valara, my Kara and Rika, I wish you happiness and all my love. All my secrets are in your heart, Valara. You are my heart after all..." With a few shallow gasps, Astor Rydka died with a small smile on his face.

"Well, that takes care of that," Ethan mused aloud smugly, disregarding Astor's mention of another name, blaming it on lack of oxygen or stupidity. He could now assume the place of Leader of the UOHE of the USA and his secret plans set in motion. He took the test tube and placed the cell into a syringe. Afterwards he pulled down his pants and underwear and stabbed his testicle with it, allowing the cell to enter. He knew that this way, when he ejaculated into his wife, the cell would mix with his semen, impregnating her with the most enhanced genetic makeup known to man. Without any emotion except for arrogant triumph, Ethan replaced his clothing, put away the test tube and exited the lab, knowing that his poison inflicted on Astor would make it seem like he had a stroke. He left no evidence of his presence as he journeyed to the apartments above, where his wife was waiting.

Valara Rydka stealthily entered the laboratory, tears coursing down her face. It took all her willpower not to turn, scream bloody murder and pursue Ethan Wikkon to put him to death. She knew that her husband's final words were clues. A path leading to the plans that Ethan would most defintely have hidden. She took her heart locket, gifted to her by her deceased husband, and opened it. Choking on surfacing tears resulting from looking at her Astor, Rika and Kara's pictures, Valara pried Astor's picture away from the locket's cover. It revealed a chip which she placed into her husband's supercomputer. The chip was labelled 'Experiment 07KB14 - Lorelai' when it showed on the monitor. Valara opened a document containing the compositions of her soon to be granddaughter. She knew that terrible things would come from this, but Valara swore on her husband's grave that she would help her unborn granddaughter... no matter what.

The seemingly utopic society that existed would not corrupt her granddaughter, not if Valara had anything to say about it. She carefully closed the file, deleted the computer history, replaced the chip and exited the lab, leaving no traces. She would grieve for her husband and her daughter, but Valara would prepare for an imminent war.

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So, there you have it! The prologue for my first book, Dystopia. It is the first book of its series. The first official chapter will be released by December 22 as a Christmas gift to y'all. Please vote, fan, comment and share, so that I can make this book even better for you, the people of Wattpad! I look forward to your response. The above picture is Valara's locket.

By the way, anyone thinks that Ethan should have somehow accidentally sliced off his own balls because he is such a douche? Lemme know, darlings.

-Kay