Thomas stepped out of the train in section-Q of the town and started walking towards that abandoned building just outside of town. Nobody goes near that building ever since that explosion that happened in 2164. That was a hundred years ago. Even the robots didn’t go near the building, they were specifically instructed not to care about the building by the building and planning committee. Neither the people nor the robots didn’t care, that Dr. Thomas Ingram was walking around. People didn’t care, as they have seen Dr. Ingram regularly in this town for the last 38 years. Always wearing that loose brown suit of his, some ancient book in his hand, and tossing a coin made out of some material the town’s people have never seen before. The robots didn’t care, as he was the head of the planning committee and had high-security clearance to wander around anywhere.
He crossed the gate to the abandoned building and saw Igor sitting in one of those rusty chairs in the yard, smoking a cigarette. He had a big suitcase with him. Dr. Ingram calls him ‘Igor the Russian’. Because of the thick Russian accent, which he developed with much effort. His constant banter about how great the USSR was, and his praise for everything that existed almost 300 years ago and doesn’t exist even in the collective memory of people, but only in the high tower archives. He developed himself to be a stereotypical Russian since there isn’t anyone else like him in section-Q anymore. They were relocated.
When Igor saw Thomas approaching him, a smile appeared on Igor’s face.
“Doctor….” Igor greeted Thomas with a thick Russian accent
Thomas acknowledged Igor and sat in a chair next to him, Thomas put the book aside but continued to toss the coin.
“You remember the times when they used to advertise against all this stuff?”
Said Igor as he passed a newly lit cigarette to Thomas. Thomas took a fat puff and sat back
“I do, looks like our collective memory is still stuck two centuries ago. ”
Igor agreed. Both men sat back and looked into the distance.
“What happened to our world, doctor?” Igor asked
He has always been curious, that’s how he got Dr. Ingram’s attention in the first place.
“The world has lost its purpose, Igor. That’s what happened. The unintended consequences of living forever”
“I miss kids”
“If you ask the AI nicely, it may give you one,” said Thomas with a smirk on his face.
“Humor has never been your strong suit, doctor” replied Igor
“You think it’s done ?”
“George will come out and call us in when it’s done”
What Thomas said was true. Humans have ceased to exist for a while now, yes they exist as biological beings but haven’t been doing so in any meaningful way for a long time now. The era of innovation was dead. Now people just want to maintain the status quo. That has always been the case throughout human history. Thomas has grown weary of this meaningless existence. Of course, his life was full of purpose at one point. He thought biologically altered human beings who can live forever would make significant changes, and for a time people like Thomas did make changes. Everything around them is a testament to that effort. But that phase has passed. Now the world is stagnant and Dr. Ingram has become just another useless clog in this giant machine.
“What makes you think the high tower hasn’t figured this thing out already ?” Igor woke Thomas from his thoughts
“Why would they? We have grown to love this existence so much we don’t want to sacrifice it”
“But isn’t that us, doctor? The people in the tower are different, right?”
Thomas laughed
“Igor, people are the same everywhere. Always has been. The only difference between them and others is that others are fearful of the machine, the aristocrats worship it”
Igor looked confused, so he looked away to the distance.
“What’s in the bag ?”
“Luggage for our trip doctor”
Suddenly, the door opened, and they saw George walking towards them. He looked excited and anxious at the same time, or maybe it’s the way he looks
“It’s ready…”
Both men looked at each other, and finally, the wait was over. Today is that day. The day when it all ends
“Good work, George, go on. We will join you in a moment” said Thomas
George ran into the building. Both men stood up, Igor took his bag, and they started to walk towards the building.
“So today is the day, huh?” Igor was excited
“It seems so”
Igor stopped Thomas
“What’s the deal, doc? You don’t seem all excited now that it’s time to do what is necessary”
That didn’t sit well with Thomas
“What do you know? Huh? What do you know? Nothing. I’m the one who spent the last 70 years chasing after this one goal, and you think I’m not motivated enough now ?” shouted Thomas.
“Hey, doc… I just asked, sorry”
Thomas didn’t say anything
“So what’s the plan, doctor? To where exactly are we going and to do what? You always dodged this question. You said you will tell me when it’s time. Isn’t it time now? All I know is that it has something to do with your sister“
“My step-sister”
“Look, Igor, we are going to the year 2043. The year when Dr. Iris Ingram received the Nobel Prize in biology and chemistry and a subsequent $200M fund for further research. Where it all started. We are going there and try to convince her not to open Pandora’s box. Now, I’m not sure whether the ‘time machine’, if you want to call it that, would do exactly what we intend it to do, but that’s the risk I’m willing to take. The question is, are you?”
“Sounds like an adventure to me” Igor replied
“Good, now that we both are on the same page, can we go in?”
“One more thing doc”
“What?”
“What if she doesn’t comply, what then?”
Thomas went silent for a moment, looked down, took a deep breath, and replied
“Then we kill her and destroy her research”
Igor was taken aback. He gathered the courage to ask Dr. Ingram one more thing
“Don’t you think it’s a little selfish, doc? To reorder the world as you please just because you don’t like how it’s today? Do you think it’s fair to the others?”
Thomas didn’t want to answer that question, since it’s the same question that has troubled him ever since he started this.
“Look around you Igor, Look around…” Thomas said as he opened the door to the building
Thomas walked into the building, followed by Igor. There were more than 50 people including George waiting for him. They were all gathered around the machine they helped build. They saw these two men walking towards the machine and made their way. Both of them greeted the crowd. Dr. Ingram and Igor took a good look at the machine, then looked at George
“Great work ”
George was more than happy with the compliment. Thomas and Igor stepped into the machine. Thomas started to address the crowd
“Deal all” started Thomas
“I can’t thank you enough for the work you have done here, all the hardship you had to go through, and your relentless support over the years. Without you, it wouldn’t have been possible”
The crowd embodied a sense of pride
“Today, we embark on a journey to change this world as we know it. Out of everything, it looks like what this world need is change. Sometimes change must be forced, and that duty has fallen upon us today.”
The crowd agreed
“Now listen carefully, we did all the experiments using small fuel cells to avoid any interference from the tower and their watchdogs, but to undertake this mission we have to connect the machine to the main grid. That massive load is sure going to invite the drones, and they will come in hot. My security clearance has no value at that point. You have to protect us and the machine from them, and the guns Igor gave you will come in hand at that point. Remember you must die”
“You must die” the crowd chanted back
“George… The power supply is ready, right?”
“Yes doctor”
“Good, plant the bomb on the machine. There should be no trace of it”
George planted a bomb at the back of the machine
“Goodbye, everyone…”
Thomas looked at George, he nodded and turned the power supply on. The load was so heavy they could hear the current flowing.
“The drones are coming….” screamed the man on the watchtower.
“Remember you must die” the crowd chanted as they ran towards the armory for the weapons. George stayed at the back of the machine with the trigger to blow it up. Thomas and Igor looked at each other
“3…2…1…”
