Chapter 3: Fact or Fiction

Roger checked his watch. By now, Dorothy should have made it to the bridge and began crossing it. He shook his head he slowed down, pulling up by The Speakeasy, turning off the bike once he stopped, trying not to think of the events from earlier. He took off his helmet and looked around. The street was completely empty. As if reading his mind, Dale opened up the door, motioning for Roger to come inside and bring in his bike.

"It's not like I have anyone inside," came Dale's ruff voice as he locked the door, "The MP have been scaring away all of my customers. Best not leave it out if a patrol comes through."

"It's been hard to do anything as of late. Going to get the groceries runs the risk of being accosted by the MP," said Roger.

Dale offered him a beer, but Roger declined. "A bit too early for me."

Dale nodded and put it away. Roger made his way over to Big Ear. Big Ear folded his paper down.

"You look like you've seen better days, Negotiator."

"I rather skip the chit chat. Not in the best mood."

Roger sat down, adjusting his gloves, leaning back in the seat.

"So, what did you find out?"

"I'd be careful with this information, Negotiator. Even my sources got spooked when asking about it, and with the current climate right now, you don't want to stand out."

"I've kinda already done that at this point, so we might as well keep going."

Big Ear shrugged.

"Mind you, the information I found is purely rumors, hearsay, and fill-in-the-blank, and goes back to before and after the founding of Paradigm. But, you asked and I'm delivering. Our story begins before the event. Whatever this city was called before the event, it was considered a major hub, according to the memory archives. However, there's a journal sealed that only certain people can see, mainly by those who work there. Not even the President has the clearance. And as it so happens, one of these people who has the clearance is also one of my contacts."

Roger nodded, listening intently.

"A long time ago, something fell from the sky close to this city. Mankind wasn't sure what it was according to documents they found. But naturally, humans are curious creatures, and so they took it a lab somewhere around this city. Many top scientists were recruited to study it, and of course, conduct experiments."

"What was it that fell?"

"No one knows for certain. But apparently it was powerful. Some scientists, in journals the archive have seized, said they had found the 'Power of Life' itself, and all the things that came with it. Deals were made with research groups interested in learning more about what fell from the sky. The scientists thought they could use it to help mankind, and began experimenting with it, breaking it apart and discovering certain characteristics about. Paradigm's unofficial stance is that whatever they were working with prior to forty years, things went south about nearly two years after the discovery, according to documents they have in their possession."

"The road to hell is often paved with good intentions."

"Apparently. There was one or two scientists who saw this coming and supposedly created a megadeus or megadeuses that could possibly stop whatever it was that happened forty years ago, using some of the power to help them operate. But, apparently, mankind couldn't get along in the end. Plans leaked, a war broke out. The faction that created the megadeuses tried to stop it. Obviously, they were not successful, otherwise, you and I wouldn't be here. However, there was another faction, and it's rumored they were the ones to have trigger the event, all based on a dream in which man and machine could coexist as one."

"What?" Roger raised an eyebrow, "But didn't they exist together, forty years ago? I mean, we've replicated the technology of android, vehicles, and low-grade computers."

"The world was a different time, a different place, Roger. Humanity was much bolder and more adventurous than today. But it seems, they paid the price for it in the long run. After the Event happened, people were trying to rebuild their lives, and of course, this is where the founding of Paradigm comes in."

Roger grimaced, taking a deep breath. He put his hands in his pockets, looking down at the floor now.

"Apparently, the remaining scientists leftover from the event, were still sorting through their memories from the amnesia. They discovered something above the city and below. Steel beams with lights above, mechanical cogs below… supposedly Gordon was the one who realized what had been done, and supposedly he was the only one who had memories from before the event. Through his desire to create the perfect world, he, and the power he had harnessed, put the world on a stage, that supposedly had no beginning or ending. He began a series of experiments on people, trying rebuild mankind the way it was before by parting with memories of the past onto children which no one would care about or pay attention to."

"He continued these for years, well into old age. But at some point, he got carried away. Supposedly, around twenty-something years ago, he had an assistant run off with a child. Apparently, this child had promising results. Gordon looked for them for years, but eventually gave up. At some point, he regretted what he had done or drove himself senile. Apparently playing politician and scientist became too much and he retired, leaving everything to his son. However, the remaining scientists that worked with him continued the research to fix what had happened."

"So where does the energy I asked about to come into play?" Roger asked, crossing his arms and tapping his fingers on them.

"Impatient as always, I see. It comes into play when the remaining scientists discovered that it was the reason that warped the world into the current state of today. They called it Dark Matter. Apparently, with them experimenting with it before the event, it warped the energy from its pure form into something contaminated, but something they could use. Supposedly, a megadeus was created to harness this power, but apparently was lost during the event. However, rumor has it they found it. The last my guy heard, they were trying to restore it, but it seems they're not having any success. Whether it was to be used as a weapon or for something for the betterment of mankind, he couldn't say for certain. The file he found was incomplete. But he did say the drawing was terrifying."

Before Roger could respond, he felt an earthquake. He snapped his head up and looked around, trying to determine the source. Big Ear calmly looked up then looked at Roger as he stood. Roger took out cash from his wallet and set it on the table and began to walk quickly to the entrance.