Chapter 1: Family Dynasties

The world Casey inhabited starkly reflected the chaotic legacy of the Trump dynasty, a regime that exploited instability for power. The January 6, 2021, riots in Washington, D.C., paradoxically strengthened Trump, allowing him to remain in power and reshape the presidency into a hereditary position. After his father died in 2066, Trump Jr. inherited the role, continuing a lineage of authoritarian control.

Under Trump Jr., the elite group known as the Calberras solidified their grip on power, supporting Trump Jr. in finally realising Trump Sr.'s dream of using divisive tactics to fragment society. This ambition led to the establishment of walled cities that separated the elite from the common people. These barriers secured the elite's prosperity and enforced a societal hierarchy in which wealth and loyalty to the regime became the true measure of worth.

As chemist's descendants, Casey's family once held the promise of scientific advancement for the betterment of women, but they were now enmeshed in a system that thrived on deception and survival. Navigating a world marked by scarcity and shifting policies, Casey, who had no siblings and a trusting demeanour, formed strong bonds with friends in her community. She stood up for the underdog and excelled academically, but her mother's absence weighed heavily on her.

The chemist lineage stemmed from her maternal side of the family. Casey knew little about her mother since her father rarely spoke of her. She did know that both her parents were students of Percy Hemingway, Casey's maternal grandfather and a renowned chemist.

A connection she did have to her maternal side was her great-grandmother Martha's journals. Casey understood that both her mother and great-grandmother had died in childbirth—her mother at 26 and her great-grandmother at 80. Although it wasn't unusual for Calberra women to give birth and live well into their 100s, it was unusual for those outside of elite society. Hence, Martha giving birth at 80 was not the norm, particularly in 1913.

Although Martha's writings, filled with knowledge on anti-aging and late-life pregnancy, were difficult to decode, mainly since her father remained distant and seemingly uncomfortable with their implications, she was confident her grandmother's pregnancy at 80 had something to do with her knowledge of science and witchcraft.

Under President Trump Jr., the Calberras dictated who could succeed and who would fall, manipulating the remnants of democracy for their ends. This added to the challenge of navigating two worlds, as Casey's father worked within the inner walls of the Calberras' lab and had recently secured her a role in the lab next to his.

For those outside the Calberra cities, life was becoming a daily struggle. People were forced to barter and trade goods, clinging to the remnants of the old world while trying to carve out an existence within the confines of new structures and constantly changing policies that always seemed to favour the Calberras.

From Martha's journals, Casey could tell the family had made significant advancements in science, but now they were entrenched in a system that thrived on deception and survival. Hence she is motivated by a desire to uncover her family's past and contribute to being a catalyst for a new future.