A Time for Change

“No matter how hard I try to do good, it's always a constant battle to keep having to prove myself”

“To show that I want what’s best for us all”

“And with every decision I make, I have to hope it leads me on the right path to helping others”

“Sometimes the path may be lonely, but it's the only one worth taking…”

Chapter 0 – A Time for Change
Written by Koson

Keys:

*** - Scene change to a new location/Characters

○○○ - Slight scene change in similar surroundings/Characters

～ - preceding vowel is stretched out

> < - Different language is being spoken/read

+ - Dialogue spoken/voiced at the same time

*__* - Indicate the action of the character, *coughing* = character is coughing

Quotes with no name - Unknown/Unnamed characters are speaking (Including background characters)

Author’s Note:
Chapter updates will be monthly as to not collide with my other work. I hope you guys like this story, if you really enjoy it then please share with friends and follow me for more updates, see you next time! - Koson

Trinity City is the future of our tomorrow. A technological world that is being established by the new generation of gifted minds. Powerful bodies are slowly beginning to hold dominion over every sector of the city. Their influence and authority are unmatched.

Despite their authoritarian rule, a significant number of the population reveres and idolises them, while others grapple with apprehension and ethical concerns. Under the outwardly radiant facade, a prevalent shadow looms, gradually eroding the fabric of the city.

On the outskirts of the capital, a concerning predicament grows large: a surge in crime rates. Marauding gangs’ prey on the lower class inhabiting the substandard districts, dealers sway over the gullible, and Negents scurry about like rats.

Since the implementation of the crime benefactor system, the police force has been virtually powerless. Their main jobs now were to clean up the aftermath of any criminal activities and turn a blind eye to ongoing crimes that were in line with the policies of the benefactor system.

Any hesitation in ignoring the crimes would lead to severe consequences, such as heavy fines or even dismissal from service. You could get away with almost anything.

Citizens could only be barred from these policies by paying royal protection services, which many complain are impossible to commit to long-term with the asking prices, but the fees vary depending on the individual's annual salary.

Many also believe that these actions contradict the words of the founders. Nevertheless, the current leadership's constant commitment and their significant contributions to the ongoing World War have undeniably heralded a transformative era for the city, silencing their critics and giving them the visionary opportunity of an everlasting and prosperous nation that can come to fruition.

This would not be a possibility, all thanks to a discovery that's been developed through many trials and errors by one of the Trinity's well-respected scientists, Dr Farago Stone. Creator of many medicinal products that have helped better the lives of the citizens.

His reputation echoes throughout the entire city, as his affordable products have found their way into every corner and district. His philanthropic endeavours have not only endeared him to countless admirers but also fuelled the fervent call for him to have a seat on the council.

Until recently, the doctor, along with his wife and daughter, had gone missing for nearly a year.

Those who are close to Farago, including friends and colleagues, suspect that individuals driven by envy and rivalry may have enlisted benefactors to eliminate him. Yet none have sufficient evidence to support their claims.

The police diligently patrolled and scoured all of the city's wealthy and even its most dangerous neighbourhoods for Farago and his family. The only areas that were left to be searched were those that no one from the upper classes would even think of visiting in their lifetime.

***


Just beyond the secondary districts lies a neglected enclave known as Passion Lane, also known as the Dark Zone for a variety of compelling reasons.

The main reason lies in the fact that the crimes committed in the area rarely face the prospect of being solved. For individuals immersed in criminal activities, this location is regarded as a safe haven where they can carry out any unlawful acts or transactions without fear of repercussions.

The lack of CCTV has made it difficult to recover any evidence; no witnesses dare to come forward to provide any valuable information, and there are rumours that the police are reportedly under orders to avoid responding to calls in the area.

The locals are left to fend for themselves against the dangers that plague them while occupying ageing buildings constructed in the early twenty-twenties.

○○○


One of these buildings, nestled in a desolate corner, is an abandoned apartment building that stands as a haunting relic. Its crumbling appearance, shattered windows, and peeling paint tell a story of neglect and decay.

However, it became evident that someone had settled in quite comfortably. The upper floor echoed with a cacophony of smacks and thuds.

A man dressed as a scientist is tied to a chair. His garb had become a gruesome canvas stained with his own blood after suffering relentless beatings. Before him was the assailant, an enormous figure with a soulless personality and powerful physique that cast a long shadow over the beleaguered scientist.

Taking each blow to the face, the scientist tightened his jaw as a form of pain tolerance. His right eye displayed noticeable signs of severe damage, appearing narrow and swollen.

Streams of blood ran down the scientist's head as he struggled against the restraints that held him down while being struck in different directions.

“Ah!”

After the series of attacks had finally ended, the scientist spat out blood that had pooled in his bleeding gums. He grins broadly at the assailant, boasting his reddened teeth with little regard for the situation he finds himself in.

“Is that...all you've got?”

Deep bruises and severe swelling contorted the man’s features. The barrage of blows had left him reeling, teetering unsteadily from side to side, almost tipping himself. Yet he defiantly maintained his smug grin in a display of unwavering confidence.

“Grr” it growled

“What? I’ve created worse freaks than you”

“You’re nothing but a pile of sh*t to them”

“Grrrrrrr!”

“Huh? Want to prove me wrong?”

“Then stop wasting my time and just get on with it”

The man's taunting remarks fuelled the brute's anger, intensifying its rage. With a deliberate and menacing stride, its mighty limbs prepared to unleash a crushing blow capable of severing the scientist's head in one fell swoop.

“That's enough, Lucy!”

A calm yet slightly exasperated voice commands, bringing the brutish Lucy to an abrupt halt. Both Lucy and the scientist turned their attention to the doorway of the apartment, where a woman in a sleek black dress was gracefully approaching.

Clasping a slender pipe in her hand, she exhaled tendrils of smoke, permeating the air with a captivating fragrance that enveloped the smell in the room. Her manner towards the scientist was rather humble and pitiful, witnessing the miserable state he was in.

As the woman got close, she gestured for Lucy to stand behind her as she handed her handbag to the brute and obediently obeyed.

The eyes of the scientist and the woman were locked, bubbling with an undeniable hostility that knew no bounds.

“Dr Farago” (Alice Justice)

“You're a hard man to track down” (Alice Justice)

“Alice, or should I say Mrs. Justice now?” (Dr Farago Stone)

“Glad you finally decided to show” (Dr Farago Stone)

“Your pet over there doesn’t really know how to make a person feel like they’re going to die” (Dr Farago Stone)

“Grrr” (Lucy)

“Quiet, Lucy” She ordered (Alice Justice)

Lucy heeds Alice's words but retains a deep-seated grudge against Farago. A low, discontented growl escapes Lucy's lips as she maintains a vigilant posture, fixing a deadly stare on the doctor.

“Let’s cut the charades” (Alice Justice)

“You know what I’m here for” (Alice Justice)

“Do I now?” (Dr Farago Stone)

“Hmmm, I don’t think I do” (Dr Farago Stone)

“Care to clarify?” (Dr Farago Stone)

*sigh* “Look” (Alice Justice)

“Arcann has grown rather impatient with you” (Alice Justice)

“But he is willing to make amends” (Alice Justice)

When Alice reveals her husband's desire to make amends, a subtle reaction of surprise flickers across Farago's face, causing his eyebrow to arch with curiosity. He looks at Alice, intently eyeing her features, as if he is trying to decipher the authenticity behind her words.

“You're the last person who wouldn't even want me to take my last breath, yet you're willing to allow this?” (Dr Farago Stone)

“Tch, do not think so highly of me” (Alice Justice)

“I would happily ask Lucy to rip out your intestines and shove them down your throat as I watch you suffer with a smile on my face” (Alice Justice)

“But of course, Arcann thinks otherwise” (Alice Justice)

“So tell me where you are keeping the Alchem Serum, and we will let you go” (Alice Justice)

“Bullsh*t” (Dr Farago Stone)

“We both know that killing me gets you closer to having a seat on the council” (Dr Farago Stone)

“That’s what they promised isn’t it?” (Dr Farago Stone)

Farago knew only too well how the Council controlled people with their promises and rewards for remaining loyal, but now that he had gone against them, he was quickly seen as just another replaceable employee.

Alice’s lips curled into a disdainful sneer, and a scoff erupted from her throat.

“I always forget you were so quick to catching on” (Alice Justice)

“Alright then, let’s see if you can keep that same energy” (Alice Justice)

“Show him” (Alice Justice)

As instructed, Lucy retrieves a sleek control pad and expertly manoeuvres a state-of-the-art spy drone, positioning it in front of Farago and Alice. With a single touch, Lucy activates a button that triggers the drone to display a transmission of a real-time video feed.

A devastating scene was revealed once the video quality had stabilised. Positioned in front of the camera was a young girl who was also bound to a chair like Farago.

She seemed visibly distressed due to not being able to see anything considering the blindfold around her head. Tears streamed through the blindfold and down her cheeks.

“Trish?” (Dr Farago Stone)

“Dad...?” (Trish Stone)

“What's happening?” (Trish Stone)

“Why am I here?!” (Trish Stone)

One of the kidnappers, who was in the room with Trish, held a cyber-tactical pistol threateningly at her head, ready to unleash its deadly potential at a moment's notice.

“GET THAT THING AWAY FROM HER!” He shouted (Dr Farago Stone)

Farago's heart pounded heavily as he watched his daughter being held at gunpoint. Despite the unshakable confidence he'd maintained all this time, he slowly faltered, broken by the realisation that all the meticulous efforts he'd made to ensure the Council couldn't force him to talk seemed futile at this dire moment.

“Just tell me where it is, Doctor” (Alice Justice)

“You're going this far?!” (Dr Farago Stone)

“Do you even understand the insanity behind their plans?!” (Dr Farago Stone)

“Using criminals as soldiers to cripple governments and forcing those that survive to live under their rule?!” (Dr Farago Stone)

“It’s no different from the tactics the founders used” (Alice Justice)

“It’s just more efficient” (Alice Justice)

“We no longer have to fear the old guard now that we have become their better” (Alice Justice)

Her words oozed with nothing but disgust, Farago thought. It made him feel sick to think that, after all the sacrifices he had made to create the Alchem Serum, it would ultimately end up as just another addition to the creations of war.

“You, Arcann, and the council can all go f*ck yourselves!” He raged (Dr Farago Stone)

Alice strides purposefully over to Farago, her eyes burning with intensity. She firmly placed her hand on his jaw and conveyed her intent and mental dominance.

“You were once a man of principle and ambition” (Alice Justice)

“Now look at you…so pathetic” (Alice Justice)

“You still cling on to the old ways” (Alice Justice)

“Some of us have to, so we don’t make the same mistakes” He grunted (Dr Farago Stone)

“Then we have you to thank for creating Alchem to make it so that we prevail” (Alice Justice)

“Now tell me, Doctor” (Alice Justice)

“Where is it?!” (Alice Justice)

Turmoil loomed menacingly, testing Farago's resolve to remain silent, with his cold stare not backing down against Alice. He understood that giving in to her demands was an impossibility, despite the heavy ache in his heart for his daughter's life. A pivotal decision hung on the horizon.

“It’s…in Shevchenko’s room” (Dr Farago Stone)

“Ah~, where it all began…” (Alice Justice)

“How poetic” (Alice Justice)

After finally receiving her answer, Alice playfully shoved Farago's face to the side as she released her grip and looked back at Lucy, nodding at the brute to send the message of the Alchem's location to her subordinates.

Alice retreated to her original standing position. A triumphant giggle played through her lips as she revelled in how effortlessly she had compelled Farago to confess.

“Wasn’t so hard now, was it?” (Alice Justice)

“Just shut up and let her go” He pouted (Dr Farago Stone)

With a deft double snap of her fingers, the kidnappers swiftly lowered the pistol from Trish's head and simultaneously released the restraints that had bound her to the chair, giving her freedom in a matter of seconds.

“Trish!”

An audible cry of relief can be heard in the background of the transmission audio. A passionate woman appeared on screen, rushing forward with outstretched arms. Swiftly, she removes the blindfold from Trish's head and envelopes the trembling young girl in a comforting embrace.

“Karen…?” (Dr Farago Stone)

Farago's emotions swirled in a turbulent whirlwind upon recognising the woman on the screen. His wife, who had been presumed dead for quite some time, was alive before his eyes, leaving him in a state of profound shock and overwhelming disbelief.

Alice stood by, sniggering on as she witnessed the different stages in Farago's change of expression. She took great pleasure in watching him try to unravel the mystery behind why his wife chose to reveal herself now.

The noticeable reluctance from Karen to look in Farago’s direction only deepened his suspicions, suggesting that their capture was nothing but a hoax.

“Sad, isn’t it?” (Alice Justice)

“You think you really know someone when you ask them to stand by your side until the end” (Alice Justice)

“Just for them to have second thoughts and leave you to suffer alone” (Alice Justice)

He remained concentrated on the transmission, seemingly disregarding Alice. Yet her words managed to get under Farago’s skin and ignite a tempestuous fire within him.

“Karen!” He howled (Dr Farago Stone)

The desperate calls for his wife reverberated through the transmission audio, creating an unsettling aura of guilt that surrounded her and serving as a warning that Farago was aware of her betrayal.

“Well, I guess that concludes our business” (Alice Justice)

With a second snap of her fingers, a tall figure emerged from the obscurity of a corner. He appeared slender and masculine at first glance, but the light streaming into the apartment shone upon him, revealing his true appearance with an eerie undertone.

A silhouetted body devoid of any discernible features. All he wore was a grey vintage trench coat and a low-profile flat cap that made him visible enough to stand out in the dimly lit environment.

As he stood beside Alice, the imposing man maintained a firm hold on a discreetly retrieved revolver, its barrel tenaciously aimed at Farago.

“The Illustrious Farago Stone, a man once devoted to the world of science” (Alice Justice)

“Is there anything you'd like to say before we part ways?” (Alice Justice)

Recognising that his wife had acted out of deep concern for their daughter's well-being and seeing how this choice ultimately marked the end of their family intensified the profound heartache Farago felt. Reluctantly yielding to inevitable circumstances became his only remaining option.

Farago saw Trish's tearful expression as she peered over her mother's shoulder. He nodded reassuringly and gave her a bold smile, silently conveying that she was no longer in danger.

With that small exchange of comfort, he redirects his focus to confront Alice and the menacing gunman standing before him.

“You will realise I was right in the end” (Dr Farago Stone)

“I was willing to admit to my mistakes” (Dr Farago Stone)

“While the rest of you continue to act all high and mighty” (Dr Farago Stone)

“I hope Alchem gives you everything that you deserve” (Dr Farago Stone)

He speaks these words with a cautionary tone, his attention fixed on the ominous silhouette of the gunman's face, insinuating him as a stark reminder of the consequences that await them should they continue to exploit the capabilities of the Alchem Serum.

With deliberate precision, the gunman slowly pulls back the revolver's hammer, sending a chilling metallic vibration coursing through the room and light dancing off its barrel, casting an unnerving gleam.

The tension in the room grew palpable as the gunman's hand found the kill switch and the room held their breath as a collective. Neither Farago nor the gunman dared to break their intense stare-down as the critical moment approached.

Then, with a final inhale, the gunman squeezed the trigger, unleashing a deafening eruption of chaos and consequence that shattered the sound barrier around the neighbourhood.

Though his chair trembled, Farago remained unmoved. Crimson welled up from his head, cascading down his torso and spreading across his attire like a foreboding omen.

The resentment that had overtaken his demeanour appeared to have faded. His soul had been severed, leaving behind only his lifeless body, slumped and fixated on the uneven floorboards.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAH!” (Trish Stone)

Anguished screams rang out from the drone's speakers, a haunting chorus from Trish after witnessing her father's execution.

She struggled with the inexplicable cruelty of witnessing such a heinous act. Her emotions overflowed with uncertainty about what lay ahead for her in his absence.

Her mother realised too late that Trish had witnessed the horrifying moment. Overwhelmed with desperation, she instinctively shielded Trish, preventing her from seeing more than a child has to witness.

“T-Trish, it’s okay” She reassured (Karen Stone)

“AAAAAAA-” (Trish Stone)

Trish’s screams were abruptly cut off due to Lucy's control inputs, ending the transmission that severed communications between them.

After completing the task at hand, Alice savoured a leisurely draw from her smoke pipe, while the mysterious gunman deftly concealed his revolver within the depths of his trench coat pocket.

“Good riddance” (Alice Justice)

“Shouldn't you have checked first to see if he was lying?” (Mysterious Gunman)

“If there's one thing I knew about the doctor, he loved his daughter more than his own wife and work” (Alice Justice)

“He wouldn’t have told us where the Alchem was if he didn’t believe we would release her afterwards” (Alice Justice)

The pair make their way through a fire escape leading to the rooftop of the apartment building, leaving Lucy behind to set up the aftermath of Farago's demise for the police to investigate while erasing any hint of their involvement.

○○○


“And you really think releasing them is also a good idea?”

They kept moving further to the delicate walls surrounding the rooftop, where soft breezes whispered through the atmosphere. There, they witnessed the graceful descent of the sun into a blazing horizon.

“We’re giving the mother enough benefits to support herself and the girl as long as they behave” (Alice Justice)

“And even if they were to squeal” (Alice Justice)

“Nobody would believe them or be willing to try” (Alice Justice)

“In the end, they would be dealt with discreetly” (Alice Justice)

“Just like the doctor” (Alice Justice)

Alice takes another inhale deeply from her pipe and exhales with a tranquil sigh, finding relaxation as she gazes out over the weathered sights of the bustling city centre teeming with life just beyond the district border.

“Then what about my cure?”

“You promised that you would be able to make it without the old man”

“As much as I wanted him dead for turning me into this”

“No one else knows how that Alchem stuff works better than he did”

“You’ll get it when you’ve served your sentence, Jackson” (Alice Justice)

“Or would you prefer to continue rotting in prison waiting to be someone’s play mate?” (Alice Justice)

A short silence followed, with no reply. He was gutted but came to terms with the role he needed to assume within his long-term plans after careful consideration. Even if it meant biting his tongue and becoming a personal lapdog, his main priority was to become normal again.

“Good, now then” (Alice Justice)

“We have a lot of work ahead of us” (Alice Justice)

THE END
Written by Koson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Koson_san
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