Plans for becoming Self-Sufficient

The door of the apartment opened and Luther came out with a bag sligned at his back. He looked around, taking in his neighbourhood. It was filled with bright colours of red, green and blue coming from other apartments and shops set up nearby. In front of him waited a black car with the symbol of a majestic building on it. It bore the emblem of the city's largest, most influential company, which also governed the city Luther hopped in the car and headed to the Genesis City Laboratory, where his dad's office.

During the journey, he immersed himself in the cityscape — the hotels boasting enticing prices, gene training centres honing genetic control, bustling game arcades hosting competitions, and markets peddling daily essentials. He was drawn to a passing car, the latest model of the Horizon, boasting an extraordinary feature. The car's top speed was twice that of the one he was in, though it wasn't a budget-friendly vehicle. Instead, most residents living in Lower Premium wouldn't be able to purchase it. But, it was just that the other car was even more awesome than this. It was an amphibian vehicle capable of travelling on both land and water. Additionally, it could turn invisible for a few minutes—a magical feature.

Luther felt envious as he looked at the car, he wanted to own it but soon he calmed down. He was completely dependent on his parents for livelihood and the money they gave him was a lot. But even with that money, he wouldn't be able to buy the car. He shook his head in resignation, though there was still hope. 

"Once I start earning money through my projects I will become self-sufficient and earn a lot of money. Then buying the car would be the least of my worries. I must work on it quickly and be ready to sell it. "

He convinced himself to meet his father because he wanted to present a prototype of his project. His father was an extremely wealthy man, so by convincing him he could get a lot of capital for starting his business. He had already planned for the prototype to be his dad's present. Luther was sure that his father would be impressed. 

As he thought about his father, he remembered many painful memories. His parents are smart people, their intelligence is not normal and are in a league of their own. It was this similarity that attracted each other which soon led to their marriage. He was the result of their love for each other and both should have treated him as the most precious gem in their possession, a treasure to be cherished and protected with every fibre of their being. But that didn't happen. As he grew up the tension between his parents became greater till it exploded ending up in their divorce. In the years following their marriage, both of them had made great achievements in their jobs elevating them to high and important positions. His father became one of the chief scientists of the Genesis City Lab researching all kinds of gene manipulation while his mother became the head of a department in the esteemed private company, "GenCorp". They decided to focus completely on their jobs becoming irresponsible towards him. 

During my childhood, I couldn't comprehend the complexities that led to my parents' divorce, but its impact on me was profound. I found solace in escaping the real world through VR and online gaming, immersing myself completely by wearing headphones to block out external noise."

As the car halted, Luther glanced outside to see a seemingly small building. However, underestimating its significance based on size was a grave mistake. This structure held as much importance as the renowned 'GenCorp. It served as a hub for the city's brightest minds, dedicated to extensive gene manipulation research. They aimed to ensure safer gene manipulation and transplantation, empowering more individuals to confront the extraterrestrial threat lurking in the wastelands.

Luther departed from the vehicle and headed towards the entrance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upon reaching the entrance of the Genesis City Lab, Luther was halted. It was normal procedure to check the person's identity before allowing them to move forward. As a place where the greatest mind of the city gathered, it was targeted by many individuals, groups and organizations for their nefarious plans. Such a place needed to be kept under tight security and supervision to prevent any attacks from occurring. 

Guard 1 asked, "Show me some ID." 

Luther was already aware of the security of the building and immediately showed the card. As Guard 1 scanned his card, Guard 2 proceeded with some questions. This was a unique security trait in this building. It was said such a security tactic was suggested by one of the psychologists working in the building to catch those ill-intentioned people who were resourceful enough to prepare fake identifications. 

"Luther, that is your name?"

"Yes, I am Luther Rawat." 

"You are coming as a guest to Genesis City Lab to meet whom?" 

"I have come to meet my father, Hrithik Rawat" 

Guard 2's eyes widened in surprise. Who didn't know about Hrithik Rawat??! The scientist who recently made a big discovery about gene manipulation put the whole power system in chaos. He was a person revered by many and also hated. Although Gaurd 2 was a big fan of him.

From the side, Gaurd 1 nodded to his partner in affirmation. The person's identity was clear and he could proceed forward.

As Luther opened the doors of Genesis City Lab, Gaurd 2 commented, "Your father is a great man. You must be very proud of your father. I am Sam Don, if you mention my name then I will be grateful to you for many generations of my life."

Luther raised his eyebrow and simply nodded as he inwardly thought, "A great person, my foot. He is an irresponsible father and a negligent husband. I will never be able to see him as a great person." 

Luther replied simply to Sam Don, "Fine." But, Sam Don seemed satisfied with his reply. 

Inside the building was a different world. Luther felt the drastic change. Outside, it was blaring with loud sounds, shinning brightly with neon colours, and filled with attractive holograms that didn't let one have peace of mind, these were just a few characteristics of the chaotic environment but inside it was the opposite, silence, discipline and order was maintained and everything seemed to be working smoothly. 

"It's been a year since my last visit, yet the building remains unchanged. It feels like time has frozen here, preserving this environment for eternity."

Luther approached the reception and he said, "Excuse me, I am here to meet with Professor Hrithik Rawat."

The receptionist snapped her head up to look at him. After all, someone asking for Hrithik Rawat must have an extraordinary background, she couldn't afford to offend them. But the person asking to speak with her was a kid. For a moment, confusion clouded her mind before clarity washed over her.

"You must Luther, Mr Rawat's son."

"Yes." 

The receptionist, taken aback, remarked, 'You've changed so much in just a year, Luther. I almost didn't recognize you. How have you been?"

"It's been rough but I will manage." 

"That's good to hear." 

"So, about my request." 

"Yes, of course. Since you are an important person to Mr Rawat, you may head to his office and wait there for him. I will inform him about your arrival and he should soon come to see you."

"Ok. Thanks for your help."