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Crossroads: The Beginning After the End
ANTOINE VINORADO
In the year 2114, the era of Abundance comes to an end with the release of great forces: ancient gods and primordial energies that are reshaping the familiar world beyond recognition. Adam, who witnessed the catastrophe, awakens from a long slumber and strives to find his dearly beloved wife, but destiny has special plans for him. Involuntarily, he becomes entangled in the games of higher powers and is forced not only to adapt to the new world but also to follow the path set by fate.
Crossroads: The Beginning After the End
ANTOINE VINORADO
© ANTOINE VINORADO, 2023
ISBN 978-5-0060-6730-1
Created with Ridero smart publishing system
An introduction from the author:
Greetings to you, my reader. Before you move on and start reading the story I’ve written, I’d like to share with you the reasons why this novel came about. It will only take a couple of minutes, but maybe those minutes will help you look at the story differently and more deeply with more understanding than you would have if you had skipped this text. If you’re ready, let’s get started.
Let’s start from afar, from an acquaintance. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that a name is just a composite image of our actions and deeds by which we are judged by others. To the people who know you, it encompasses a set of all the experiences that go with you, and to everyone else it means nothing. This is my first work as a writer, and my past experiences have nothing to do with writing, and hence, I write under a pseudonym. Now, your opinion will create a picture of my identity as an author for all subsequent readers, because my name in the world of books at the time of writing these words is just a zilch, a set of letters with no weight. And yet, behind me are the years that have passed and a host of events that I cannot completely ignore.
Let’s dive into the distant past: as a small child, but already able to walk, talk, and even read, I began to think for the first time about what I should do in this life. It is not that I could not find something to do, I could and did. Here the question is different, in the global sense of these words. With my unclouded childish mind, I saw so many interesting and fascinating things! At times, I was breathless with excitement, and in between these bursts, I felt fear at the sight of limitless possibilities. At some point, I stopped looking at the specifics, abandoned my dreams of top management or military professions, and turned to a quest, the beginning of which was to understand the structure of the world in which you and I live. This quest continues until now, but I have already come to something.
The story waiting for you on the pages of the book you are holding in your hands or looking at through the screen of your device is a cover for the desires and vision of a free life of an ordinary person. Unfortunately, we live in a world of millennia-old constructed models that do not take into account the facts of our desires and sometimes aspirations. However, realizing this, realizing the senselessness of the calls and cries of truth, hope and faith in a miracle continue to flow in me. It is not without reason that they say that hope dies last.
For centuries, people have created legends and fairy tales to explain the unexplainable, to teach without teaching, or simply to touch the miracle of the impossible in our realities. I am not much different from them. Here, on the pages of my work, I can live a different life. A life in which I have freedom of action, where I can be myself without hiding my experiences and feelings, a life that, if someone is watching, it is a great omnipotent something that exists beyond my understanding. My nature does not accept submissive obedience, and I still struggle with thoughts that tell me that I am just a cog in a huge system. Perhaps it is so, but in my reality, I will believe to the end that only the supreme is above me – the beginning of everything, and not a bunch of people who have dragged the most marvelous of possible magic – the birth of a living creature into the drab red tape of meaningless existence.
Well, the second minute has already begun. Time is of great value, so I dare not keep you immersed in my own musings and invite you to move on to the story itself, a work that is the microoutcome of my quest for knowledge, understanding and freedom. Enjoy your reading.
Crossroads: The Beginning After the End
The year 2081. Mankind discovers the best period in its history, named after as the «Age of Abundance». All countries of the world, united at that time in large unions with a high level of integration, came to a common understanding. Market economies become history, and global resource-oriented processes take its place. Within three years, all armed conflicts disappear, and the technological leap and ubiquitous introduction of robots into human life ends the problems of exhausting labor and a lack of necessities even in the most remote parts of the planet. For the first time in its history, man is not forced to survive, but can live and develop within his own capabilities and desires.
«And there came a paradise on earth. And its glow was bright, but not for long. For there can be no eternal paradise when hell burns in the souls of men.» – Reader of the Order of Truth, liturgy in New Babylon, the 27th year of the new chronology.
Chapter 1: Habit
August 9, 2114
«How can I begin, «Hello, dear diary’?» It’s ridiculous! «Well, my name is Adam, I’m thirty-five years old, and… basically, I have nothing to say to you. Writing nonsense into blank pages is definitely not my thing. But Annet says that according to recent studies, communicating with our inner self is an important element in preserving our nervous system. Maybe so, but so far, I feel like a weird person who can’t find anyone to talk to. It’s crazy…».
– Darling, this is all very stupid! Why don’t we leave it at that? There’s nothing wrong with my nervous system!
The man rubbed his face and turned around, staring hopefully into the emptiness of the bathroom doorway.
– Don’t talk nonsense! – was heard in response. – The doctor said you needed it. Write what you think. Try to open up in your diary.
– What can you say…
Adam muttered quietly and reluctantly placed his hands on the hologram keyboard.
«I can write everything I think… Well, come on, head, think now! The methods of dealing with the consequences of using the neural interface are, to put it bluntly, „so-so“. Well, I didn’t pass the test, so what? My neural interface is malfunctioning – it is clear that there will be temporary deviations, but still passes, why this circus?! I’d rather take a trip to the sea. It’s only a couple of hundred kilometers away, and we can’t get there for the sixth year. They say to me: „We need you, we appreciate you.“ Yeah, right? I’ve been working on a cyber-dog for six months without a day off, and what? I put my heart and soul into it, and they scrapped it. I’m trying to do something for the good of mankind. In general, we need to celebrate the anniversary and change something. A vacation, the sea, and then maybe I’ll change jobs. I’ll find another place. Luckily, I am not an idiot».
The man sighed tiredly, scratched the back of his head, thought about something, and shouted:
– Annie, how many words should be in the report?
It came from the bathroom:
– It’s not a report! But you have to write at least fifty.
Adam returned to the text and counted the number of words.
– Enough,» – he summed it up nicely. – Annie, I’ve written everything. Let’s go to bed! Tomorrow is a work day and I’m busy as usual.
– Are you staying the night again? – Annet asked unhappily, appearing in the doorway for a moment.
– I hope not. I’ve had enough sleepovers at the office. I have a house and you. I can’t just forget about my wife, can I?
– Before, you weren’t held back by my existence.
– Annie, don’t start! You’re my queen.
It was the only thing he could utter as he marveled at his wife’s beauty. Her long brown hair, her luscious rounded hips, her breasts showing through the translucent silk underwear, and her eyes… tantalizing, lustrous, intoxicating!
Annet leaned over her husband and, the scent of sweet perfume immediately hit his nose.
– Was someone being a good boy today? – she whispered.
– I am… Yeah… I am like that sometimes!
His fingers lay down the rounded hips and slid upward. Gently and carefully, as if they were a predator afraid to frighten away the wary prey. When they reached the silken threads, they took a leap and, landing, shrunk, leaving marks on her skin. Annet moaned sweetly.
– Then I am all yours! – She whispered and kissed her husband.
***
Monday morning in the metropolis, as always, was accompanied by the human rush, the bustle of robot assistants, the whirring of drone motors, and the electric whoosh of public and private transportation.
When Adam, in high spirits after a stormy night, found himself only a block from the Center, the familiar voice of a robotic assistant who had appeared nearby, as if from nowhere, added to the general buzz.
– Good morning, master! Beautiful day, isn’t it? – The metallic voice, reminding of the most unpleasant part of the job, echoed in the head with a stabbing pain.
– It was good before I met you. Let’s get right to the point,» – the man grumbled indignantly. – You’re earlier than usual today. Did something happen?
– Nothing’s wrong, it’s a beautiful day! I must remind you that at ten o’clock before noon, you have a briefing in the office nine hundred and seven; at noon you have a meeting with Robert Audley – the representative of RoboticsGansIndustries… – the robot monotonously spoke for almost a minute, announcing the hourly schedule, without a single free window. – And you also need to check the work of the «Life Capsule 3.0» and «Numismat» project teams, but I don’t know where to put it. My system couldn’t find the necessary time slot in your work schedule.
Adam wasn’t surprised in the least. He heard messages like this every time he went to work and every time the assistant system failed to properly package the entire task list. It was just the way it was – robots were great at math, but they couldn’t learn to think like humans – to combine the incompatible and work, sometimes breaking the rules.
– Also, by my calculations, you won’t have time for a full meal, so I made the order with delivery at fifteen hours and five minutes. You’ll have ten minutes to eat. Anything you’d like to add to the schedule?
– Didn’t I tell you it was a good morning before I met you? Now that’s interesting… Annet would love that!
His attention was drawn to one of the holograms of modern art objects on display at the city exhibition he was passing by. It was boring to listen to the robot’s far-from-perfect answers, but here was something new, even the added flavor was a blooming rose.
«In memory of the passing summer, must be?» – flashed through the head.
– You told it, master! – the robot accelerated his thoughts. – But I don’t understand why the morning stopped being good after our meeting,» – the machine complained, deftly avoiding collisions with the visitors. – My system says that…
– All right, that’s it! Too many words this morning, sorry. I’ve accepted the schedule, I’ll find time to check the work of «Numismatist» and «Capsule of Life 3.0» teams. Thanks for lunch, you’re free.
– Glad to help, master. And, I’ve calculated all the possibilities. A morning like today fits the description of good by eighty-six percent, which means it’s more good than bad.
– All right, so be it, – Adam replied with a tired smile. – Fly, come on, I’ll be right there!
The modern art exhibition was far behind. The sweet scent of rose had been replaced by the tasteless smell of the commercial district. A massive building loomed up ahead with a hologram with a large inscription above the entrance:
«Center for Robotic Technology and Innovation.»
– Well, here we are…
Adam crossed the spacious lobby with quick steps, moving toward the elevator bay. There weren’t many people inside the walls of the Center. The Center was different from any other building in the city at all. Unlike the others, it had been built by robots to build robots. They were designed, approved, manufactured, repaired, destroyed, and, for the most part, robots worked here, too. Adam and his sixty-five colleagues were rare and valuable personnel in administration, engineering, robotics, programming, and cybernetics.
Despite the small number of people, he was not alone in waiting for the elevator. Next to him, two robot assistants, an autonomous printing system, a robot guard, and two robots of the «Administrator» version were impatiently spinning in place.
The lift ride was fast and silent. The silence of the high-speed ascent was broken only by the rumble of passing floors and the eternal beeping of a dozen processors. On the ninth floor the doors opened, revealing a long corridor with dozens of offices.
– Have a good day, sloggers!
The doors slammed shut, and then the programmed responses came from the elevator. The flaws in the systems, the constant imperfections that prevented the creation from reaching perfection, had saddened Adam in his first years of work. Now, however, they caused nothing but smiles. After ten years of working on the most complex machines in the world, you get used to both their beauty and their ugliness.
The door to the office opened suddenly, almost hitting him in the face. Adam stopped just in time:
– What’s your hurry? It’s morning! – Chen, the head of the marketing department and a bright representative of the intellectual elite of the Asian Union, appeared in front of the eyes. – You should be more careful! I don’t have the best reaction on Monday morning, I could have been knocked down.
– I’m sorry, – Chen said guiltily. – It was Derek! He’s joking about my last company again, and he won’t even listen. The numbers are up, which means everything went well, right?
– I think the numbers speak for themselves.
– That’s what I’m saying. He’s getting on my nerves, on purpose!
– Calm down, you’ve known him for a while. He’s not worth your worry. Just exhale and forget what he said. You can’t start a Monday morning like that. Why don’t you have some coffee? There’s a new update on the machine, I think you’ll be happy with it.
– What was added there? – Chen was interested.
– Here, go and find out, – Adam winked at him.
– Okay, – the head of the marketing department gave up and waved his hand. – You’re right. Better coffee than poison from Derek’s mouth. You want me to grab you one?
– Well, if it’s not too much trouble.
– The usual double espresso, no sugar?
– That’s right, the classics are everything.
Chen squinted his eyes in disagreement but didn’t say anything. He loved new things and was inspired by new things. However, he respected other people’s positions as much as his own, for which he had the respect of most of his colleagues.
The second elevator arrived on the floor, and the director of the Center stepped out of it: tall, and slender, her hair gathered in a bundle and pinned up with a hairpin. She always smelled of exclusive perfume. Adam thought he could already smell it, even though there was a decent distance between them. The Director looked up at him after greeting Chen with a smile. Ten years of working together and Adam felt like day one. It had always been like that with Agatha: every appearance made him cringe, and feel like a small boy, but as soon as she smiled, the strange awkwardness receded. Then the weekend passes without her company, and at the beginning of the new week it starts all over again. She smiled at him, and the daze lifted. He smiled back and stepped away from the door, clearing the passage.
– Can’t decide whether you should come in? – The director jokingly asked, noting the awkwardness.
– No, I’m just thinking about what Chen said, – Adam couldn’t admit it. – I’m tuning into my work, it’s my new rite.
The director grinned.
Agatha Becker was the director of the Center and one of its first employees. She never celebrated her birthday, so no one knew how old she was. They only knew that she had been born before the Age of Abundance and had been on the development team of the first «Capsule of Life», but her real old age was not reflected in her appearance. She looked like a woman in her prime. Whether it was the merit of her invention or something else, it worked. The director was good-looking.
Speaking of the invention, thanks to it – the «Capsule of Life», people were able to forget about diseases and live many times longer. Correction of DNA defects, cell renewal, and deep diagnostics of all body systems with the possibility of eliminating problems – they learned to treat everything simply and quickly. Still incorrigible, unfortunately, remained only vices that had no biological basis, such as stupidity, or evilness. Madame director was an amazing person – a legend in her industry. She had time to innovate and manage one of the largest enterprises in the North Atlantic Alliance, but at the same time she did not forget about herself.
As much positive and high emotion was given by Agatha, so much negative emotion was broadcast by Derek Crawford, the head of the production lines. He remained one of the incurable.
– Madam director, – he rose in greeting. – Let me tell you that you are irresistible today! – He stretched his already thin lips in a smile, then bowed.
Derek Crawford was a controversial character. Despite the many negative shades of character, he was a great professional, and the position of head of production lines was well deserved. He had a great education, and most importantly – real knowledge, and a special talent – to perfectly perform the work, giving it a minimum of time.
– Thank you, Crawford, – Agatha answered him without a trace of emotion. – Well, gentlemen, – she said to him and Adam. – Let’s wait for Chen and get started. We have a lot to talk about.
She took a chair at the beginning of the long glass table. She dug into her purse, pulled out a pad, and began studying the report tables. A free couple minutes. Adam remembered his plans and decided to use the time in an unpleasant but useful conversation with Derek:
– How was your weekend? – taking a seat next to him, Adam began in an unpretentious manner.
– Not bad. Not bad at all. What did you want?
«That’s how he feels…» – Adam thought.
– I was wondering about the cyber dog project of increased realism. Was looking at the work in progress yesterday, so I remembered…
Crawford smirked.
– Well, what do you want from me? The project’s closed, it’s over, you know that.
– That’s the thing, I know. Just like I know you’re the only one who can give me access to it, Agatha excluded. I’d like to finish what I started.
– Perket, did you drink too much over the weekend and you’re not out of it yet, or what? Your doggy’s closed, forget it!
That wasn’t the answer Adam wanted. He couldn’t back down, or Crawford would become even more arrogant.
– Maybe we can make a deal.
– Make a deal? What interest do you have in a decommissioned project? I guarantee you, it’ll never be put back into production. People don’t need that many dogs, remember?
