"Thanks for the help. I wasn't expecting it. I'll surely pay you back after the enhancement" Sean suddenly said as they walked.
"Oh, it's cool. I know we're not that close, and you live in the inner sector and all, but I couldn't just live you... out like that." The boy replied, his voice growing softer towards the end.
Then with a questioning gaze, he suddenly asked, a little too inquisitively.
"What were you doing here in the slums though? You were almost half dead, and in the dump site..." He suddenly paused as if realizing something, and stopped in his tracks, forcing Sean to halt as well, and turn to him.
"Are you making interactions with gangs?" He questioned, his voice suddenly carrying a biting edge.
"Gangs?" Sean replied as confusedly as he could. "I live in the inner sector, what would I be doing with gangs from the slums?" He asked with a raised brow.
"True." The boy admitted after thinking about it, but there still seemed to be a hint of doubt on his face.
Looking at him, Sean proceeded to do something he had already thought through.
To come clean... Well, partially.
"I don't know how I got there, and I don't know what happened either. Infact, a lot of my memories are fuzzy... which is why I acted cold, when you saw me at the dump site" he said, giving the boy an apologetic look.
"I don't know if I sustained a brain injury, or if something else is at play, but..." Sean bit his lips, "...it's scary." He continued, letting out his inner child.
No matter how matured they were forced to be whether here in the slums or in this world as a whole, they were still kids.
"I don't even remember you." He mumbled softly, just enough that the boy would hear, but making it seem like he was talking to himself instead.
"What?!" The boy exclaimed, "you don't remember me?!"
Sean nodded with a sigh.
"Damn! I already suspected you had a brain damage, but then you started acting fine and now that doctor... Arrrgghh! I was scammed!"
The kid was practically bloodthirsty now.
"Don't worry I'll pay you back I promise."
"It's not just that, I was scammed!" The boy continued, "you don't remember anything? Not even our first meet?"
Sean shook his head dejectedly.
The boy opened his mouth, then swallowed back a curse.
"It's fine, just..." He gritted his teeth, then exhaled a breath. "No worries"
"I'm Drew. Damn! I still can't believe you don't remember stuff" he introduced.
Sean gave out a drawn sigh.
"I don't know what's going on. But I need to get strong" he said with clenched fists, letting out his sincere thoughts.
"Yeah," Drew affirmed softly, "I need to enter that sky city"
Sean only hummed in response.
'Elysium, the sky city'
They arrived before a worn down warehouse, the streets feeling ghostly. The sun was only just now peeking out to the sky, dawn rapidly approaching.
"Think we'll survive?" Sean asked as they stood before the mini gate of the warehouse.
"We will" Drew said with determination, pushing the door open to lead them inside.
Genetic enhancements were a very dangerous procedure, with an over 70% mortality rate. Well, that was for unsupervised ones like the ones they were about to undergo.
Asides the mortality rate, there was also the risk of losing yourself, to become something like a beast. It was very painful, and very dangerous.
Normally for the rich in Elysium, even if they didn't have active mana cells, the beast genes they used, was still one highly compatible with them.
The most important criteria for gene enhancement, was that the beast would have the same affinity as them. Every human regardless of whether they had an active mana cell or not, had an affinity, and underwent awakening at ten.
If one had active mana cells, then they'd awaken, and be able to wield mana related to that element. If not, then they could opt for a genetic enhancement, if they had enough money.
The genetic enhancement, was meant to be done with a beast with compatible affinity. And while it was still dangerous, the mortality rate was only 20%, and the main risk, was losing yourself to become a humanoid beast.
If you succeeded, not only would you be stronger, you also could minimally produce whatever element it was you had an affinity for. And in some very rare cases, some people have even been said to have awakened their mana cells with that!
Unsupervised enhancements however, did not care about affinities, and simply altered your genes with a beast bloodline. Even though they were mostly weak beasts, the mortality rate was over seventy percent.
A person also could not attempt enhancement twice, without at least a grace period of a year difference, to allow the body adapt, or they'd die!
So to say Sean was nervous right now, would be selling what he was feeling, very short. While his first scan, had showed that his body was mutating, there really wasn't anything else. Subsequent scanning, and even the doctor's, had shown nothing.
No manifestation whatsoever... so it was hard to tell if he was a genetic evolver or not. His enhanced senses were definitely a selling point, but the doctor had said it was inherent. So he was really confused.
However, he still pushed through... because if he remained powerless, he knew someone would come to kill him.
Although he had no proof, he was sure the original Sean was murdered... and it was for a purpose.
Call it a hunch or instinct, but he would rather die trying, than let someone come after his life, while he was unprepared.
He also needed to get closure about his family, and Earth. What happened to them? Why and how was he here? Why was somebody after his life? So many questions.
The way this world works, made it so that he wouldn't be able to get answer to them without having sufficient strength, or at least, without waiting until he is old enough for the Aegis Protocol to declare him of age.
"Hey!" Drew nudged him a little to violently, causing him to jerk slightly.
"D... don't worry... we'll be fine" the boy consoled, but he couldn't even hide the shakiness in his voice.
"You're... You're up next" he said.
"Sean Storme!" A balded man called, his muscular arms ridden with tattoos.
Sean stood up from his seat, his eyes taking in quite a number of people, probably thirty or so. He hadn't been aware of what was happening the moment he entered the warehouse. He didn't even know when he took a seat.
It was like his body had been operating on autopilot, while he was lost in thoughts. Even the loud screams of pain coming from deep into the warehouse, had not managed to reach his sensitive ears.
"If you're not ready, then you fuck off the door!" The man barked.
Now that Sean paid him attention, he had what looked like fins at his elbows... A physical mutation from his genetic enhancement most probably.
"Before your body can accept a gene, your mind needs to be ready first" the man continued. "There're already a lot of corpses in there, and even one more would be a hassle for me and my boys." He paused, sizing Sean up.
"Or even having to deal with worse, a human turned beast." He said casually, causing those still waiting to gasp in horror.
Sean took a deep breath, and without a word, headed for the small door opposite where he was sitting.
This... This was a do or die!