Infinite Money

November 13, 2216
3 years before J-Day

At last, Kou was done with exams. Exemplary results, as expected, but not without sacrifice. He’d always believed that he could do anything he wanted with distinguished grades, so, he renounced everything else in favour of them. Now that it was finally over, all that was left was an email of merit. 

“I’m finally free. Free to do... hmm?” 

All he really wanted at this point was to leave. He’d had enough of this unabating city. The noise is endless, the worries are persistent. Time felt invaluable in a place like this. Besides, he had no friends or family to leave behind. Heck, he hadn’t even many belongings. He could hop on a train right now, with nothing but the clothes on his back, void of any sense of regret. He considered it, too, as he was overcome with a thirst for unknown adventure.

But, before he could fully process his newfound independency - with all the relief and anxiety that came with it - his future, instead, happened upon him. In the form of a mannequin man. At least, that was the best way Kou could describe the person. The man stepped out of an unmarked black vehicle. He was wearing a black suit and tie. 

What is this ‘secret agent’ aura? Kou thought. 

The man had dark aviator sunglasses and an expressionless face.
“Hagita, Kou. Please get into the vehicle. I cannot answer any questions you may have, but rest assured I do not mean to harm you. This is very important.”
Hesitant, but without alternate ambition, Kou does as the mannequin man asks. He could tell that wherever that car came from, there was clearly an abundance of money.

Immediately, the windows were blacked out, and all that he could see was a strip of light on the roof, and the reflection of it on the mannequin man’s aviators.
“Where are we going?” Met with an inevitable silence.
Right.

He could not tell much about the direction he was travelling, only that it was suspiciously lower and lower. They must have travelled a few hundred metres underground, between the downhill braking and elevator drops. At one point, he felt a sensation of weightlessness, as if they were moving at an inconceivable speed. Just ten minutes had passed before they reached their destination.

Whisked and prodded, he is coerced through what seems like a modernized dungeon or maze. At the end of it, he comes face to face with somebody he recognizes all too well. He does not know them personally, but the face and attire are unmistakable. 

“Prime Minister Senjo!”
To what end he had scored an audience with the prime minister, was lost on him.
Senjo shoots a warm smile. “Hagita. Glad to see you. I must apologize for the circumstance of our meeting, but all will make sense in due time. Please, have a seat while we wait for the rest to arrive.”

One by one, the others do arrive. 

One of them vocally uneasy, repeatedly affirming his unconditional innocence.
Then a woman, crying, distraught with the same confusion as Kou, but unable to take it in equal stride.
Another walked in all by himself - not dressed like the hosts - and sat with Kou.
The last one was carried in, drifting in and out of consciousness. 
Did the mannequin man fail to convince her with words? Well, I wouldn’t want to fight her either, Kou thinks to himself. She is administered a wake-up call via syringe. 

Timely, PM Senjo steps in through a holographic wall and offers a “Greetings.” To which all of them respond with inhibited attention.

“Today you are gathered here simply for employment. The job you will be offered is an impossible one. Not the course of it, but the existence of it. You have each been hand-picked from across Japan, by the World Governing Committee. We cannot waste any time on any of you who choose not to stay, so I will give you a quick overview of this job, and if you choose to accept – there will be no going back.”

It was now just the six of them. Even the mannequin man had been dismissed. The atmosphere is tense, but elastic. The temperament of the entire room floats on the wise grin of PM Senjo. He seems to be studying their reactions to his intro.

Confident, he continues.
“You will be given infinite money.”
He once again pauses to review their reactions, which for the most part is disbelief. Perhaps he just wanted to get their full, undivided attention as quickly as possible.
“You will become a team who may be called upon to serve humanity in a most splendid way. You will become the world’s panic button. Yet, nobody will know who you are. In fact, the only people who will know – already do. It is the most significant duty that mankind has ever known.”
Kou gets the uneasy feeling that the sugar-coating ends there.
“But,” Kou was right.
“Unknowingly perilous is the path ahead of you. Should you be called upon, you will be at the mercy of forces unknown. God. Or mother nature. Or whatever it is on the other side of that point at which humanity can no longer understand. That is all. If you want to leave, you may. If you choose to stay, the next ten years of your life will no longer belong to you. I cannot take any questions.”

The five strangers look around at each other, uneasy. All, except the man who’d arrived by himself. He stares ahead, unmoved by what they’ve just heard. The man who arrived second - Mr. Guilty Conscience, is just as quiet as the rest. But, he nods his head decidedly from his corner of the room to everyone who looks his way. The shaken girl is smiling. She had been, ever since money was mentioned. The muscular woman, now fully conscious, is the only other one besides Kou with an unconvinced look in her eyes. 

They sit in silence for a good five minutes, slowly realising that nobody had chosen to leave yet.

“Very good.” PM Senjo stands up.
“You’re all hired.”

He then starts calling each person up one by one for introductions.

“Miyamura, Jin.”
The man who came in by himself walks up to the front.
“Jin accepted this job long before the rest of you. That is because he had to be a part of the selection process. Jin is a decorated writer and philosopher whose work has transcended his own existence. His position in the team is simply to be a voice of reason, and a bottleneck for any major decisions. We are confident in his ability to weave the tricky landscapes of right and wrong, the consequences of which might impact all of humanity.”

“Ayase, Tomoyo.”
The fidgety girl, still red-eyed and teary, makes her way slowly to the front.
“Ayase is a world renowned historian. Her memory knows no bounds - and in it, you could find the entire story of our past. Ayase is probably already bored of being here, because she hasn’t had a chance to learn anything for the last hour. She will be a knowledge bank for this team. A sentient search engine for mankind’s greatest triumphs, and most significant failures.”

“Haruto, Haruki.”
Mr. Guilty Conscience, still relieved, makes his way swiftly to the front.
“Haruto... Haruto is a physicist. A certified genius. He may have some shortcomings, but in the interest of ability, we are to look past those. His role in practice cannot be compromised on. Some people believe that Haruto can understand physics to a point further than math and science. His grasp on quantum physics is of particular importance to us.”

“Hishiro, Akagi.”
The bruiser-like lady, still very hesitant, heads over with a scoff.
“Hishiro is an engineer whose creativity is unmatched. A mechanic, an innovator, a serial problem solver who can build almost everything out of almost anything. Hishiro will take care of your equipment. You will be working with devices that operate... outside... of our reality.”

“Hagita, Kou.”
Kou, with hands in pocket, walks confidently to the front.
I wonder what’s so brilliant about me? He thinks to himself.
“Hagita has no brilliant qualities.”
Heh? 
"There are many unique factors in his selection, and his role in the team is perhaps the most important. He will be the edge of your sword, the ink in your pen. Hagita was carefully chosen equally so by his shortcomings as his capabilities. You are all to impart your wisdom, hands, and time to him.”

“Now, there is one thing you all have in common. To be frank, it’s expendability. You’re all orphans, loners, outcasts and drifters. With that, welcome to Jump Team 24, a meaning to your life. And yes, there have been twenty three teams before you. Your employment will last ten years, at which point a new team will be recruited.” 

Each person is handed a booklet. The cover simply says ‘Jump Team.’ 

“Over the course of the next six weeks, you will familiarize yourself with the information in this book. Every. Single. Word. And you will never share its’ contents with anyone outside of this room.” 

Kou holds the booklet up and thinks, Paper? In a place like this? 

PM Senjo turns back to face them.
“Oh, one more thing. There is another member of this team. You do not need to know anything about them. Do not pursue information about them. If the time comes that you need to know, they will introduce themselves to you."
He takes his abrupt leave. 

Kou opens the book anxiously, and, the very first page held no punches. 

‘1968: The Semi-Accidental Invention of A Time Travel Device’