Welcome_to_S_city: Staring_at _the_new_beginning - Between_the_Lines 1

Between the lines 1

Somewhere in a dark basement…

“So, did we capture the target?” a tall figure on a screen asked.

“I am sorry, it appears that there was an unexpected accident.” another dark figure answered.

“You do know that if he dies, you will have more power over the project? After all, it is in the best interest of both of us.”

“I know, it`s just that there was a little, tiny miscalculation from my side.”

“Anyway, the idea for the project will be held after 2 months. Make sure he is not in the picture by that time.”

“Yes sir.”

The meeting then ended.

The basement in which the meeting was held looked more like a storage room for food and storing furniture. Everything looked well kept. Then he decided to go to the refrigerator opposite the computer desk. Before that, he turned on the lights to not stumble. There was only a single old light bubble that had illuminated the whole room. Finally, his body can be seen. The one answering the call was a skinny boy, with red polo on white stripes, ripped dark blue jeans, and grass green hair.

“Now then, let`s enjoy my party while I am here,” he said with a smirk on his face.

Then he went out from the basement to a long stairway. After he had climbed it, a big dance hall with two bars on each side of the club and all lights were in blue. As he was about to go somewhere, two drunken girls at the same age as him approached him.

“Hey handsome, by any chance are you one of the friends of the manager?”

(I think I have time for this.)

“Yes, I know him, but for what do you need him?” he asked with his poker face.

“Well, you see” one of the girls leaned against him “we need some help, hyuk. “

“Yes, yes one of the toilets won`t flush, hyuk.” said the other girl.

“Don`t worry I can help you as well, I am a specialist.”

“My, my!!” both of them said as they cling to his free hands.

“You can say that I am his best friend,” he added.

“Then please follow us, but before that what is your name?”

“Ah, my name is Sang Matthews.”

“OH! So, you are him!” they yelled surprised.

“Anyway, let`s go because I don`t have all day ladies.”

“Ah yes, please excuse us!”

“Hey is that one of the owners?” someone said from a table across the room.

“He is the owner of this club.” said another figure next to him.

“He sure has his fun time here.” said a middle-aged man on the same table.

“That is because his father holds a big chunk of the campus. He is one of the crucial funders to the campus. Nobody has tried to oppose him, because his father holds a big chunk of property to those new super vaccines.” said the figure.

“What?” the middle-aged responded.

“Do you now know? Of course, you don`t, because you are from the outside. When you stay here for most than 1 month you have to take a vitality vaccine, because after a while you will feel down or nauseous.”

“Why though?”

“Because…” he then leaned near to him “The town is actually under debris from the meteor shower which happened 43 years ago. Every advanced town is under it, but nobody dares to say it in the media, because it can cause mass panic. The vaccine is to help the body fuse with the unknown chemical radiated from the site.”

“Is this too dangerous?”

“No, actually nothing happens if you do not take the vaccine, but is needed if you want to operate with some equipment in the heavy industrial sector. The only side effects are that your brain will function slower, you will be less motivated and your hormones will start to function on a very fast level which would mean that you will be more prone to give in to daily pleasures. This will go for over a month to a year, depending on your mental strength. I highly recommend it to you, because it won`t last even a day. It feels like hell if you have not trained yourself to endure on pleasures.”

“But why did you call it the new super vaccine, what is it after?”

“The super vaccine was created after two years of experimenting it on other animals and test subjects. It was discovered that the unknown chemical helps unlock the potential of a fully working brain. It helps with a slow-motion view from the person who was injected with it, healthier skin, if you have enough imagination and understanding of the world, you can even use supernatural abilities.”

“Hold on, is this a little too unrealistic? I mean is this a little too good to be true?” the old man asked with an unsure look.

“It sounds crazy, right? How can you stimulate the brain in doing those things? Well, the answer is that the chemical compound that comes from the debris can fuse with any material without disturbing the original. This sounds a little complicated, but it is pretty simple: let`s say water and that thing are fused and the water then is swallowed by a person. What happens is that because it`s not threatening to our body, but cannot be digested after being consumed, it starts to be stored in our bodies. The more it stays, the more brain is trying to think of a solution to get rid of it. After a certain point, the brain will try to fuse it with the body due to the body being unstable. The idea of the vaccine is to fake-destroy the neurons which leads to a lot of pain, at least in the first one, but thanks to that, the brain tries various things to prevent that due to activating the defense mechanisms which quite coincidentally relocates the chemical. The whole process lasts 10 minutes, at the first 2 minutes is painful, but if you take painkillers it`s okay a little bit after the 2 minutes the situation will cool down by each minute until you go back to normal.”

As they were speaking 1 hour had passed. Most of the people inside the bar have left. The only full table or you should say the occupied table was only them.

“Is this the first vaccine?” the old man asked after the long explanation.

“Yes. The new one works a little different.”

“How so?” he asked now hooked.

“Well, to start the process is changed and there is a new way to stabilize the body without taking pills. The vaccine's old method was to be injected on the forearm; the new method is with the help of tools. Two lightweight bracelets are put on the target which then injects the vaccine through first burning the skin with lasers then injecting it after the skin is almost damaged enough to bleed. The feeling is most likely annoying, but this time rather than having a painful 10-minute hell.”

“That is good right?”

“Compared to the old…”

As they were speaking somebody went out of the female toilet. As he was walking, he heard about the conversation and sat at the table next to them.

“What about it?”

His looked changed as well he sensed that somebody was listening to them, so he started to speak even quieter than before.

“You know that everything has side effects, right?”

“Yes.” agreed the old man.

“Did somebody die or did the experiment go haywire?” he asked intrigued.

“No, nothing of that…It`s just that if you don`t try to control yourself, it could to creating a M.B.F.A.”

“MBFA?” the old man repeated with a lost look.

“It stands for Mana Body Fusing Armor or MBFA.”

“What such an acronym?”

“Because the mana and the body become almost as one.” interfered a young man with green grass hair.

“When the body could not stand the pain or tries to fool the process by focusing on something else, the mana goes on the nervous system as well as the muscles without the permission of the brain which then leads to creating an arm which is made by the imagination of the subject. It can only be activated when the subject is in panic, fear, rage, or unconscious. It can be made from the iron from the body even do it`s in extremely low percentage, it can even take forms. The most efficient way during that time is to meditate. By focusing your attention on your breathing, it helps cover everything without any side effects.” he added.

The man then sat on the opposite side of them.

“There is a plus to the side effect. The armor becomes a hidden part of your skin that can protect you from a little type of dangers like cutting, being hit somebody on the body, arms, torso, and legs, become a little more physically active.”

He then stopped talking and waved at the waitress.

“What would you like?”

“The usual please.”

Then she looked at the elderly people.

“What about you?”

“Bring us some water please.”

“Alright.”

She then went to the bar and came with three bottles of water and a glass of vodka. After that, she went back to the bar. Then the grass-green-haired man drank a little and continued speaking.

“The new vaccine this friend is saying is that is safer and that it won`t make the people lose their minds.”

“Pardon?” the old man frowned.

The man giggled a little bit.

“Well, there was a chance that even if you make it through your mind wouldn`t accept it and then cause you to see hallucinations. But the worst part was that those hallucinations were caused by those things combined not by the vaccine,” he said a little disappointed.

“But do not worry as long as you have a healthy mindset and have positive thinking, the new vaccine won`t do anything to you!” he said smiling.

“Aha…” they were a little suspicious of him.

Then they looked at their watches. It was 2 am after midnight.

“It’s good to talk with you people but I have to hurry home.” the old man said.

“Yeah, we too need to go home.” his companions said as well.

“Excuse me!” the old man yelled.

“Don`t worry about it the table is on me.” the young man winked at them.

“But how can w-”

“I am the owner of this place.”

“Oh. Then we thank you for what you have done now.”

Then they started to pack up their belongings and headed towards the exit. On the exit, they were greeted by the waitress that gave them the water.

“And remember come back again to the Blue bar.”

They smiled at her and went out. After that a sinister laugh could be heard from the table they sat on.

“Ha, ha, ha!”

“They are one big fools aren`t they!” he then looked at the waitress who was coming with another drink.

“Yes, young master,” she said with a robotic voice.

“Oh, come on dear I am not paying you to act like that, be more playful for your master.” he said with an indecent look.

After that, he grabbed her by the hand and forced her on his lap.

“Um, young master…Please do it later.” she said with an embarrassed look.

“My dear servant. Let me tell you something…” he then kissed her gently “The only way to make it through is by having some kind of desire, not by hopping on drugs to help you because at the end of the day only the strong can only make a difference!” he stated after then he took his drink.

“Of course, young master, I know, after all… I am the same as well.” she then relaxed her body.

Then she locked her arms on his neck.

“If not for all that had happened till now I wouldn`t have made it this far.” she then kissed him back.

“Now them… Let us continue our beautiful night.”

As for the people outside… The only thing left of them was bloody trails of dragged bodies. The warm night turned into winter cold and harsh mountain night with crows cawing in the darkness.