Aiden Cross, a young boy in his middle school years, lived with his parents in an old-fashioned, two-story house located in a quiet neighborhood. It was well past midnight, and he slept peacefully in his room on the second floor, unaware that a disaster was about to unfold. Outside, the sound of police sirens and helicopter rotors drifted in from afar. It started out faint, barely noticeable, but with each passing second, the noise grew steadily louder. The growing commotion roused Aiden from his sleep, and with heavy eyes, he turned his head toward the clock on his nightstand. It was just after four in the morning, with no sign of the sun yet. He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes before shifting his gaze to the window beside him.
"What's going on? It's so loud."
He shut his eyes, fingers running through his messy black hair, further ruffling the already tousled strands. Upon reopening them, he parted the curtain, squinting as he observed the scene outside the window. In the distance, helicopters cast their spotlights onto the streets below, but they were too far away for him to tell what had caught their attention. Moments later, over a dozen police cars sped past his house at speeds exceeding fifty miles per hour, leaving him to wonder if something grave was happening outside.
"Police? Seriously, what's going on out there?"
Aiden swung his blanket aside, got out of bed, and walked over to the nearby armchair, where a white buttoned shirt and black pants, part of his middle school uniform, were neatly laid out. After getting dressed and slipping on his shoes, he headed downstairs to ask about the ongoing situation. Stepping into the living room, he found his father, Jonathan Cross, seated on the couch, watching the news on television while sipping from a can of beer.
Jonathan looked a lot like his son, though his face showed signs of age. He was still wearing the brown suit he had worn to work, a little wrinkled now. Somewhat drunk, he commented on what he had just heard from the news reporter. "Oh, man! Stadium Town! I can't wait for an opening so we can live there!" he exclaimed, waving his beer can around. "Imagine getting to watch championship games for free! Football season is starting soon!"
Aiden turned his attention to the television upon hearing his father speak and saw the news reporter standing in front of one of Stadium Town's large entrances. Behind her, security personnel kept watch as she patiently awaited her cue to speak.
After a brief pause, she raised the microphone to her lips and began her composed report. "For those who may not be aware, Stadium Town is encircled by a colossal concrete wall, towering sixty meters high. That's right, the wall that surrounds this entire town is nearly two hundred feet tall. I'm currently standing in front of one of its entrances. As you can see, it's spacious enough to accommodate even the largest of vehicles."
Jonathan couldn't help but voice his envy as he thought about those fortunate enough to enjoy free access to the Grand Stadium. He muttered curses under his breath, resenting their privilege, and grumbled about the expensive ticket prices for non-residents. However, Aiden didn't pay much attention to his father's complaints. After all, the young boy only had one thing in mind.
"Dad, do you know why there are so many helicopters and police outside? Have they said anything in the news?"
Instead of answering Aiden's question, a somewhat intoxicated Jonathan threw his empty beer can at him. It struck the boy's forehead, making him stumble backward. He instinctively brought his hands to his head, putting pressure on the spot where he'd been hit. Aiden held back any cries, but his eyes welled up as he looked down.
"Does it look like I care? Go get me another beer," Jonathan responded, clearly irritated.
Without making eye contact with his father, Aiden began to make his way to the kitchen. However, before he entered the dining room, his mother, Madison Cross, approached him. Madison, in contrast to her husband, had brown hair and wore a white nightgown. She handed Aiden the beer she held and engaged in a brief conversation with her son.
"Here. Give it to your father before he gets mad."
"Why is he always like that?"
Madison crossed her arms, clicked her tongue, and explained, "He wasn't like that before you were born. You turned out to be quite expensive just to raise. We did all we could so you could attend the same private school Senator Monroe's daughter goes to, but you couldn't even befriend her."
"Why would you even want me to become her friend?"
"Isn't it obvious? If you were to become her friend, your father might have a chance to befriend the senator. I'm sure many doors would open for us if that were to happen. So many opportunities…" For a moment, Madison looked excited just thinking about it, but she quickly snapped out of her delusion. "It's not too late, you know. You still have until the end of the school year to become her friend. What was her name again? Lydia?"
Aiden clenched his fist, still gazing at the floor, and made it clear that he had no intention of befriending the senator's daughter. Although he mentioned the way Lydia and her friends treated him at school, Madison didn't care. She took the beer from his hand and walked past him, delivering harsh words to her son.
"You turned out to be nothing but a disappointment. I wish I never had you."
Aiden didn't react to her harsh words and continued to stare at the floor. Madison handed Jonathan the beer, and he remarked, "I sent the kid to grab me a beer and he can't even do that? How worthless can he be?"
Madison laughed as if she had just heard the funniest joke in the world. These two parents were definitely among the worst. Realizing that Jonathan wasn't seeking a response, she shifted her attention to the television and asked what he was watching. Jonathan grinned and raised the volume so that she could hear a different news reporter's broadcast more clearly.
"It appears that Mayor William has finished building the wall around his city. The sheer number of automated weapons built into the wall is impressive. Although, it has drawn some scrutiny from the public," the news reporter said while standing outside the entrance of a fifty-foot-tall wall of fortified steel. "Not only is the wall made of fortified steel but it's also fifty feet tall and ten feet thick, allowing security personnel to be stationed atop the wall. According to him, the wall is there to further monitor criminal activity. In other words, criminals will be snuffed out at each of the four entrances to his city."
Jonathan burst into laughter after the news reporter's report. He cracked open the beer can that Madison had handed him and offered his perspective. "It looks like that stupid wall we always have to drive through when we take Aiden to school is finally finished. They've been building it for how long? Two years?"
Taking a sip of his beer, Jonathan awaited Madison's response. She answered, "I'm pretty sure it's been longer than that, dear."
"Oh, whatever. First, it was Stadium Town. Now, it's the Golden City. How many more towns and cities are going to end up with their own walls?"
"I don't know, but isn't Stadium Town dangerous these days? I know that you want us to move there eventually, but I've heard what's left of Cleo's gangs moved there last year."
"Cleo's gangs? Do you mean the Spades of Egypt?" Jonathan scoffed and then laughed, startling Madison, who clearly feared them. "We'll be fine. Cleopatra's empire crumbled years ago after her generals betrayed her. Don't get me wrong, they're still dangerous, but they can't oppose the government anymore. If anything, she was the reason they became so powerful. She was the one who brought many criminal organizations together. Cartels, gangs, you name it."
Madison felt relieved after hearing Jonathan's explanation. She remembered the days when merely mentioning Cleopatra's name in public could lead to dire consequences. Criticizing the Spade Empress often resulted in a death sentence. The fact that she was named after a pharaoh only added to her legendary status among those who both feared and respected her.
Since Jonathan appeared to have a lot of knowledge about the Spades of Egypt, Madison now wanted to know if the Yakuza had ever been part of Cleopatra's empire. However, according to Jonathan, they never got the chance. Their ambitions were cut short by a mysterious individual named Kenshin, a notorious maniac who orchestrated the brutal massacre of their leaders, just like he'd done to other criminal groups in the past.
Despite being considered a maniac, Kenshin became a legend for taking down various criminal organizations. He was feared by many, and some even compared his reputation to Cleopatra's. But one day, he vanished without a trace. Some believe he tried to go after the Spade Empress herself and failed, but no one really knows what happened. While Cleopatra was officially known as the Spade Empress, Kenshin eventually came to be called the Desolator.
"Kenshin? Who is that?" Madison inquired, unaware of Kenshin's identity. "You're making him sound like some kind of god. I doubt he would be able to do such a thing. Has he ever been mentioned on the news?"
Feeling offended, Jonathan retorted, "Are you calling me a liar? It was all over the news several years ago. How do you not know who that is?"
Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by loud banging against the living room window, causing all three of them to turn their attention to the front door next to it. Jonathan was the first to speak. "Who the hell?"
"It might be our next-door neighbor," Madison replied. "He borrowed your screwdriver yesterday, remember? He might be returning it."
Jonathan glanced at his watch, then back at the window. "This early? He should've waited a few more hours. The sun ain't even out yet." He approached the window and pushed aside the blinds. Just as expected, it was their neighbor, Jerry, but something appeared to be amiss. "Wow, Jerry, are you okay?"
Madison joined him at the window, her concern growing as she noticed Jerry's unhealthy appearance. "Honey, I could see the veins underneath his skin. Is he sick?"
"Maybe so. His veins look black. Something is definitely wrong with him."
Aiden, feeling increasingly uneasy about Jerry's strange behavior, took a few steps back from the door. "Dad, something's wrong. He's acting strange."
Jonathan hushed his son with a sharp gesture, then quickly walked to the door while telling Madison to call an ambulance. His hand gripped the doorknob as Madison rushed to obey, her fingers trembling as she held the phone to her ear. The ringing went on and on, but nobody answered.
After opening the door, Jonathan called out to Jerry, trying to get his attention. "Hey, Jerry, come on in. We're calling the ambulance for you. Where's your family?"
Jerry slowly turned his head toward Jonathan and began his silent approach. His movements were wobbly and awkward, like a drunkard stumbling with each step. As he got closer, he let out a series of low, rough grunts, sounds that Jonathan couldn't ignore.
"Hey, what's wrong with you? Are you drunk?" Jonathan asked, now unsure whether he should let him in.
While Madison and her husband were preoccupied with Jerry, an emergency alert interrupted the news broadcast. Aiden's attention was drawn to the television by the alarming sound, even though he didn't fully comprehend the severity of the situation.
"We interrupt this program. This is a national emergency. Important instructions will follow."
EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS ISSUED A NATIONWIDE EMERGENCY WARNING
THIS IS NOT A TEST
EFFECTIVE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
"This is a nationwide emergency alert from the federal government. Dangerous viral outbreaks have been reported in various states throughout the country.
Symptoms of the virus include aggression, darkening of the blood, and cannibalistic behavior. Do not attempt to approach or confront anyone exhibiting these symptoms. Please stay indoors and avoid contact with others until further notice."