The purge had begun. For a time, these incredible beings of chance were hailed as the bringers of utopia. Then pride and jealousy saw to it that an end should come, an end to perfection. For as long as perfection exists, then there is no place for someone bent on being the perfecter.
Dark clouds roamed the twilight skies, and rain poured down from above as a people were wiped from existence. Entire structures were raised to the ground, full of frightened people who knew not why their end had come. Soldiers herded thousands into the streets before executing them in mass. The hope of perfection and harmony that the blue neon lights brought, were suddenly made hollow and desolate. A perfect cityscape made into a slaughterhouse.
Hope for survival had not completely abandoned this doomed race, no there was still a chance for retribution. Such a thing found a resting place within a young girl in hiding. She trembled with a fear that only few will ever know and live to tell about it. Her parents had already been taken, and she had no one else left to run to, she was alone. She hid within the power station for the entire grid, thinking no one would ever look in this place for her. It was located at the edge of the city, but she could still feel the ground trembling beneath her feet. Collapsing buildings and explosions knocked on the sky while the screams of the innocent pierced her heart. What was she to do? Hide forever? Despite the burden of fear she carried she knew the answer was no, that was not in the cards for her. She found a small amount of courage and left her hiding place, and ran back into the city, towards the epicenter of death. She knew of someone that might help her, someone her parents met with from time to time. She only needed to find him, then and only then would she secure her own future.
She carefully navigated the data soaked streets, and managed to barely avoid the watchful eyes of the enemy. As she crept along, her ears heard a familiar voice, but before she could make visual confirmation two pairs of arms seized her.
“Found you!” Spoke a harsh voice.
“We found the daughter of family zero-five-eight.” Radioed the other.
“No!” Cried the girl, “Let me go! Please!”
Then, that same familiar voice cried out from over her shoulder. “Gentlemen! Gentlemen may I have your attention for a moment!”
“Interfere and we will assume hostile intent!”
The soft voice weaved words of persuasion endlessly. “No hostile intent, intended my good sir. May I only speak to raise awareness to a malfunction? A discrepancy if you will?”
“There is no malfunction, be on your way or be deleted.”
It was then that the inquirer jumped into the girl’s sight. It was him. She recognized his white slicked back hair anywhere, and that smile, what a smile to behold. “I’m afraid that this young dear is my adopted niece, and known to be quite the troublemaker. So if you please, hand her over into my custody and I promise she will never get into trouble again.”
The two soldiers glanced at each other and then one radioed his commander. “Unit eight five six requesting backu-.”
Before the soldier could finish, the white haired man shot both him and his comrade. He then grabbed the girl’s arm and the two discs resting in the piles of data. “We must be quick, Cora, my dear, or I’m afraid this little party of ours will be over before we can toast to your good health.” He brought her to his place of residence within the city, and kept a watchful eye as the horrid events of that night continued. Once satisfied they weren’t followed he turned to Cora who sat on his sofa blankly staring out into the burning city. He knelt in front of her, and gazed into her tear filled eyes. “You know who I am?”
“Zuse?”
“That’s right, I knew your parents, so you must’ve known you could come to me, is that right?” She shook her head in agreement. “I will protect you for as long as I can. I will do my best to make you a disc that can hide your genetic background. So, the...the soldiers won’t hurt you, you understand?” She shook her head once more, and then Zuse embraced her, “Its not the end of line for you, not yet.”