Then after a while I started suffering from all the loneliness, and it affected my results. While I was still managing to achieve my primary objectives, they said I was taking too many chances, that I simply couldn’t be replaced, so they sent me to shrinks. I have no problem talking about my life with others, but what was there to talk about? I take a shower in the morning and one at night, and in the meantime I train my ass off, relax in the evening, eat whatever I want. Not a bad life compared to many out there. But nothing to write home about either . . .
Home . . . Such a strange and far away concept now.
The shrinks decided that I needed companionship but one that couldn’t be used against me, so they created TAINHA. And I’m very thankful for her. She has been my salvation. I needed a presence and someone to talk to. Eventually being alone all the time got to me. I was all tear-dried from crying over Vassiliki’s passing. At first I rejected the idea of TAINHA. First my ego got bruised, since she was also there to help me during my missions. I felt like I was being given an artificial piece of code instead of a real relationship. And for a little while, I resisted her. Until I realized my actions were actually hurting her feelings. The first time she cried, I was blown away I didn’t think code could cry. Could anyone blame me?
It’s the one thing I was never able to bear: making a woman cry. Vassiliki knew it and, god rest her gentle soul, I think she used it to her advantage. I can’t blame her. I can be a right asshole on the best of days. To say my temper has a short fuse sometimes would be the mother of all understatements.
I dress myself and when I go to my living room, I am struck by the fantastic smell of poached eggs and bacon. My stomach grumbles immediately and I lose no time digging into the tasty food. I still remember when I was living on protein bars, most likely processed from the dead carcasses of bugs. When Vassiliki passed away I couldn’t afford anything else except a loaf of bread once a week. Now I can eat so many things, and I feel sorry I can’t share this luxury with her.
My smoked pork meat is succulent. I know it’s wrong to eat that, but great tasting food and running water are my only indulgences these days. Most animals died after the plagues. The rest were killed when China and the United States went to war for the control of the last, already tarnished fossil-fuels stockpile. The Third World War was a short one, but it did help deal with the overpopulation. Three billion deaths in less than two days. The world went to war. It launched its nukes, and before it could be stopped, in the horror of the worst holocaust known to man, the irreparable damage was done. Whatever was left of the already dying ecosystem was burnt to a crisp. Only cities not targeted in the first assault that had domes able to filter the polluted air survived. That’s where the last of humanity survived in these dark days. Only seven cities had survived. New Geneva, which was rebuilt from the ground up in the middle of the twenty-first century when a major earthquake brought half of what was once Europe to rubble. New Paris, New Moscow, Adelaide, Montreal, Tokyo & New Chicago. China had been wiped out, as was most of the United States.
After World War III, it was decided that a unified world government with one currency, and one council of politicians were to rule the world. The United Nations of the World. But soon those who had the resources took power behind the scenes. The megacorporations and a few others in the fields of information, military weaponry, energy and agriculture took control. They made sure that we repeated the same mistakes again, so a chosen few would share the world’s riches, while the majority fell in line and did their bidding.
I know I should stop thinking of the past. I wasn’t there for most of it, but just thinking about it makes me sad and a little angry as well. I finish my eggs and drag my ass back to my bedroom. I fall into my bed and for a split second I think about re-activating TAINHA, but then my mind wonders somewhere else. Thinking of Vassiliki earlier made me somewhat horny. It’s the worst thing. I am horny but I can never experience the full pleasure of the act. Whoever thought of that sick joke I could decapitate with pleasure. Feck the fact that I voluntarily signed the paperwork, that I accepted this be done to me.
I am looking at the ceiling of my perfectly furnished apartment atop one of the highest skyscrapers in New Geneva. At this height the view is simple. I see the tips of a few other buildings on the horizon, and a layer of smog that looks like a sea of clouds. And then there is the bright green reflection from the force fields above. It doesn’t matter that we found a way to clean the air; true clean air is only for the ones who live two thousand feet from the ground or higher. The low-level dwellers don’t need such air. They just need to be able to work until they die. That’s the world we live in now. That’s the world I try to protect and, days like these, I wonder why I even bother.
I’m activating holographic sex bots. I don’t need the real flesh models, since they won’t bring that happy ending anyway, so I might as well use holographic ones. A beautiful, caramel-colored-skin goddess appears from thin air, and soon she is joined by an Asian angel with the body of an athlete. Muscular yet feminine, with obviously unnatural dark red hair and green eyes. That’s the beauty of holograms; you can set it to whatever wildest dreams and fantasies your mind can muster.
One dances next to the bed while the other rides me, but, as always, I feel nothing. My life feels as barren as the world outside of the dome.
End of Sample
You can find Rewind 717 here.
A couple of reviews for Rewind 717:
5 stars by Russ92 on Amazon.com: “Rewind 717”
« Rewind 717, the new book from one of my favorite emerging authors, is a fast paced & action packed (action junkies will love this!) science fiction story set on Earth in the year 2175. Only a few cities have survived WWIII's nuclear war and Agent Cole Seeker is attempting to prevent New Geneva from being obliterated by any means necessary. A futuristic take on fighting terrorism with time travel in a cyberpunk & dystopian setting. The main character Cole Seeker that isn't too far remote from Jack Bauer in terms of his willingness to do anything necessary to accomplish his mission and save the day, even at great personal cost to himself and the people around him. I really enjoyed the concept of the secondary character being a female AI and the slightly romantic discussion they had (inside the protagonist's head). While I prefer Christian's Universe in Flame series (space opera is my favorite genre), Rewind is a very fun book to read that is easily digested but still raises interesting questions as per the limit of humanity's willingness to let freedom disappear little by little for the sake of security. Has some interesting twists and is the first book Christian wrote that doesn't end in a cliffhanger. You can't go wrong with this author, highly recommended. »
5 stars by Elizabeth Mueller on Amazon.com: “Loved the others? Then you will love this!”
« I really loved this book! If you like Christians Universe in Flames your gonna like this! Its full of amazing ideas, and conspiracy to no end!! When i finished this book I was saddened to find out there was not a sequel (keep in mind there might be). All in all i was blown away by another amazing book!!! Keep up the good work Christian!!! »
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Shadows of Olympus (Universe in Flames Book 6) Page 30