Kira

Prologue: Kira's Promotion

"Congratulations Kira," said a voice from behind. Feelings stirred deep inside but pushing them down she turned with an exaggerated eye roll. "You made it. I am so proud of you." The voice said. The words seemed empty and hollow from the man causing her mind to whirl, and a sick pain in her gut. The man who spoke had short gray-haired trimmed and neat giving a professional appearance.

His gaze on her gave the feeling of receiving a winning trophy. Taking her in a fatherly embrace flash of light began to go off all around as cameras took a myriad of photos. No doubt the press was taking it all in every bit. Father and daughter reunited again years after the tragedy."Johnathan" Kira replied "It's been what? Three years now since mothers disappearance?" Kira's tone was snarky but quiet enough for only them to hear. "Why now of all days would you come?" She asked knowing he would just lie again.Johnathan smiled "Oh dear, I wanted to come to see you so many times." Kira's eyes rolled again. "I did but you know how work can be." He started fiddling with his cufflinks "I never could get the time off but well I'm here now that's what matters. So congratulations on the promotion" Wrapping his arm around her John smiled and turned for the cameras. Kira only sighed."What's the point?" She mumbled to herself. Knowing the press was going to eat this up she played along hugging him back as questions began pouring in.She heard several voices came from the men, women, and even androids in the press."What's it like Kira being the youngest woman to be promoted to the rank of Traveler?"Another voice spoke up "Is it true Kira that you only got promoted because of your father's seat on the Global Union Council?"Yet another voice. "Kira, sources say that you cheated to get this position. What do you have to say about this?"Each question droned in the back of her mind like the buzzing of bees as thoughts began to grow darker and darker. Not just her thoughts but the world around her faded away......It was a stormy night, and a flash of lightning followed by booming thunder woke Kira from a nightmare... or was it more? Her eyes scanned the room. All seemed fine yet something in the back of her mind told her it wasn't. Rubbing her eyes she glanced at the clock but only could see blue flashing lights that read 12:00."Well, I guess that doesn't help much." She reached down to tap three times on the black circle imprinted on her wrist as a display popped up on her arm showing the time and current weather storm inbound "You have 3 messages" said a voice......A reporter bumped into Kira jarring her back to the present. Johnathan raised his hand over the crowd of reporters."Enough gossip please, my daughter earned this position and has trained hard to do this. Now if you're done with your accusations we would like to get inside please."The voice in her head would not be silent, however. 'He's using you but he did just save you from those reporters. Maybe... No, don't let him in.'Kira blinked and responded softly "Thank you for your concern." "Today marks a day in our future that will be remembered for all time." After speaking Kira walked through the crowds into the huge skyscraper building towering over the others. The micro-glass walls had chips embedded as screens popped up ID'ing anyone who came close with a myriad of questions, and other security protocols.The first thing she noticed was the soft purple carpets with white and gold patterns of the UTC that welcomed them. White marble walls with specks of gold ran up and down the hallways. Screens showed many news reports and one Kira could see herself and her dad being replayed as commentators spoke on the 'family reunion' and what it meant to have this young lady as a Traveler. Kira approached the scanner and a circular device above her scanned her body."Kira Matthews. Age 19. Female. Welcome. Your presence is requested in the assembly room in ten minutes. Follow the red line to your destination." When the computerized hologram spoke a pulsing arrow on the walls raced ahead of you guiding the path. Taking a deep breath you took your first step into your destiny.Upon reaching the assembly room doors she noticed they remained locked with a message glowing in holographic letters. "Please wait." But waiting increased her anxiety and sweat beaded on her palms. She began wondering who was on the council that ran this place. No one has ever seen or spoken of what they look like nor are their photos in the media or police records. Their privacy and security were of the utmost importance.Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden opening of the doors. The word 'enter' flashed green letters before fading. She walked into what appeared to be a seemingly empty room except for a dais in the center that rose out of the ground as she walked in. Approaching the device it began to spin as a green laser-scanned her and caused a warm tingly sensation to fill Kira's body. The chip on her arm began to burn and flash then as it synced up, a voice said, "Identity confirmed." The doors then shut quickly and locked. The lights went out and a feeling of being trapped filled her mind......" Power's out mom she yelled out as she got out of the bed. She froze hearing her mother's screams."NO!" came a distant scream in the house. "Not my Kira!" then two gunshots and silence followed. She froze only for an instant before running to the dark closet and swiped her wrist and speaking a command "Activate lockdown" then "Call the police." The house began sealing all the rooms and locking each door. The panic room Kira was in sealed up and alarms flashed outside. Tears filled her eyes and she backed into the corner and began to sob as her whole body shook...Lights around her hummed to life as a circle of five holograms stood around her. The faces were blurred by the software but she knew this must be the council. "You Kira Matthews have been chosen to join the Traveler program. Everything in your life up until now has been controlled and guided by the simulation. What do you know about the simulation?"Kira took in a deep breath and replied. "The simulation is where our world stores all of its data. A few decades ago a virus went rampant through what the world used to call the Internet and wiped every piece of data out of existence causing the global collapse of many nations. Currency to become useless. After nearly a dozen years the world finally came back together bit by bit and the creation of the simulation was formed. A system is so sophisticated that it is unhackable, undetectable, and fluid. Every human on the planet is injected with a fluid that binds them to the simulation. With it, we can access any files we want in real-time without the fear of being hacked, or traced. Or so they say."The hologram spoke "Yes yes. That's what the general public knows but you've been an agent of the council for two years now. I know you know more than that."Kira of course knew much more but what did they want from her exactly? "If you mean how the agency uses it we can stop crime in real-time since everyone is connected and as soon as crime happens the system locks up the users in question. Except, the rebels who refuse to connect to the simulation are a bit trickier to handle."As Kira went on every word she spoke came up as text on the wall and recorded into the simulation. Streams of data poured into the system. Her tone of voice, inflection, facial features. Everything was scanned and analyzed and feedback was sent to the holograms. When she finished they smiled and spoke among themselves but the silence was all Kira could hear was her own breathing. Her mind raced with so many thoughts."We have overseen not just you Kira but many other agents who've wanted to be travelers as well. The simulation as you'll soon discover has unmeasurable power and limitless capabilities well beyond what the public or you are unaware of. Its true existence and purpose will be secret and must remain that way on penalty of death. Do you understand?" Kira nodded. Today you will join us in the simulation. Are you ready to travel?"Kira spoke with confidence "I am."So many questions raced through her mind and then they were gone. Kira's body froze in place as tubes and wires came from above and below snaking up around her. She was secured in place and the black liquid dripped into a small tube and pumped itself into her arm. She tried to speak but her body was immobilized. The nanites in the liquid flowed into her body and bonded with her cells as they merged with her on a whole new level. Upon reaching her brain the world around her went dark and everything was gone.. . .During this time a hacker group by the name of FUEL (Freedom Usurps Electronic Life) caused a power outage that covered the entire city. It wasn't a normal outage this was a perfectly placed EMP bomb that took out all electronic devices. Mass panic filled the streets as people became disconnected from their devices and the simulation. Many people's bodies could not cope and begin to hemorrhage. Anyone in a deep connection with their mind inside the simulation were forever gone from this world leaving an echo of themselves inside the simulation.Kira's body shook as the UTC center went into lockdown. Men and women in uniforms secured the entrances and exits with extreme force. Inside Kira's body laid motionless in a coma as the chaos continued outside. Unaware of the council's doings doctors entered the room finding her and attempted to wake her with no success. Unsure of her connection or what happened within her, they studied and monitored Kira's vitals.