Genesis: Genetic System

For a moment, Messimah was taken aback by how easily he gained access to the officer's suit. From the fragments of memory he had witnessed, he knew it wasn't supposed to be this simple for anyone else to utilize it.

Still, he was relieved to discover he could operate the suit.

"[Anomalies detected.]"

"[Federation Officer ID: 90210…]"

"[Officer's Rank: 8]"

"[Name: Jubal Gunther]"

"[Age: 31]"

"[Gene Class: Psychic]"

"[Constitution: Illustrious Suggestion.]"

"[Level: Gene Formation, Rank 3 (Gene Channeling Stage) - Rank 1 (Gene Sensitization Stage)]"

"[Strength: 12 - 8]"

"[Speed: 5 - 4]"

"[Dexterity: 4 + 7]"

"[Intelligence: 7 + 6]"

"[Officer's physicals show inconsistencies. No signs of genetic regression. No signs of genetic mimicry. Reporting issue to the server.]"

Messimah read the report with a deep frown.

The suit had detected discrepancies, yet since it neither self-destructed nor deactivated, it still assumed the Federation Officer was inside. He noted the slight resemblance between the suit's heads-up display and the Genesis System, both providing calculated assessments of his physical and mental state.

From the suit's readings, Messimah could discern the Federation Officer's statistics and understand the anomalies the AI had flagged. While the Genesis System offered more detailed data, this display sufficed to highlight the deviations.

Before he could act further, a message flashed on the suit's heads-up display:

"[All Federation Officers receiving this notice should gather at this location. Only Officers ranked 4 to 1 may ignore this summons.]"

With a mere thought, Messimah directed the suit to project a hologram of the meet-up point, visible only to him.

The location was in Jejity.

Messimah studied the hologram for a few moments before shaking his head. I have to reach the floating fortress either way. If they can send this notification and it reaches me here—despite the absence of any known satellite—it means they'll be able to tell if I don't show up... or at least, if this suit doesn't.

Glancing over at the spot where his friends' bikes had collided, Messimah headed to his own bike to retrieve his bag, the one concealing the Aqua Filtration Kit.

His bike was still intact, barely damaged by the explosion.

Opening the bag, Messimah gazed at the device he had crafted with his own hands. The thought of what it symbolized now filled him with grief, a stark contrast to the excitement he had felt upon its recent completion.

"Before leaving, I should give them a proper burial," Messimah whispered.

It was at this moment that Messimah realized, since the explosion, he hadn't seen any trace of his friends' bodies. Aside from the wreckage of their bikes, there were no human remains in sight.

"Could they have survived?" Messimah wondered, his heart growing a bit lighter with the thought.

"[The likelihood of their survival is approximately 3%]," The suit's AI responded, crushing the fragile hope he had.

"Then why can't I find their remains?" Messimah pressed.

"[It's possible the explosion scattered their remains over a wide area]," the AI suggested.

"Find them, then!"

"[Initiating search... expanding range. Range limit reached (2 kilometers). User is advised to move north, where the explosion likely propelled their remains]," The AI directed.

Messimah set off in the indicated direction. The explosion shouldn't have been powerful enough to scatter them that far… right?

He had barely taken a few steps when a notification popped up.

"[Officer 90210, failure to comply with the summons will result in severe consequences. You are advised to proceed to the designated location.]"

The message confirmed Messimah's suspicion. If he ignored the summons, there would be no way to hide as long as he wore the suit.

"[Would you like to continue the search?]" The AI inquired.

"Let's continue," Messimah replied.

A few meters further, another message appeared before him.

"[Officer 90210, records indicate you have not been assigned any mission, covert or otherwise. Continuing on the current path will result in immediate punishment.]"

Messimah halted, contemplating the warning. He wasn't overly concerned about the punishment itself but worried whether it would hinder his quest for vengeance against whoever had sent the Federation Officer after him.

"[Would you like to continue the search?]" The AI prompted again.

Weighing his options, Messimah realized he had to give up the search. If I persist and find their remains, I might jeopardize my mission of revenge…

"I hate this. No, we're heading to the summoning location," he conceded reluctantly.

He despised the rollercoaster of emotions he had been thrust into. He hated how a single shift in circumstances had upended his values and outlook on life.

Messimah began walking back toward his bike but stopped midway. Taking the bike would be foolish.

He recalled how the Federation Officer had chased them all the way here on foot. Was it the suit that made such speed possible, or was it because the Officer was a Metahuman?

Before starting a light jog, Messimah retrieved the javelin, almost buried in the wet sand. In his hands, it felt surprisingly light, a stark contrast to when he wielded it against the Federation Officer.

Is this also because of the suit?

As the thought crossed his mind, the javelin compressed, shrinking to a mere six inches and resembling a small police baton. It then magnetically attached itself to the outer thigh of his suit.

Jogging felt effortless as if he wasn't exerting himself at all. Gradually, Messimah increased his speed and soon found the answer to his earlier question. The Federation Officer's remarkable speed had been due to the suit.

To his amazement, Messimah was now running faster than his Benediction bike could go.

The exhilaration of such speed began to flood his senses, only to be overshadowed by guilt and grief.

I have no right to enjoy this right now.

The fleeting euphoria morphed into guilt and then anger, a fuel that drove him to push his limits, running faster as though trying to outrun his own rage.

Nearly an hour had passed before Messimah reached the outskirts of Jejity. From his vantage point, the once towering skyscrapers were now absent, replaced by a landscape of desolation.

"What happened here?" Messimah wondered.

Though fragments of memory lingered, Messimah couldn't consciously access them. He knew they had come to Jejity with a purpose, but the specifics eluded him.

Previously indifferent, a newfound curiosity now gnawed at him.

"Everything will unfold in time… of which I have little left," he muttered, recalling Genesis's advice on extending his lifespan.

As he navigated the deserted streets, vivid hallucinations of other Metahumans flashed through his mind, those that mocked the Jubal in his memories.

If I can find more of them, then I should be able to increase my time.

Soon, he arrived at the designated meeting point—an empty intersection with traffic lights stuck on red.

Upon arrival, Messimah noticed over thirty individuals clad in suits similar to his, standing in disciplined formation, as still and precise as machines.

The sight almost made him falter, but he quickly steadied himself.

At the forefront stood two other Federation Officers, their Nano-tech suits distinctively different from the others, a bluish hue with one adorned in a ceremonial red cape that extended to his waist.

All faces were obscured by their helmets, making it impossible to distinguish male from female. In the silence, their anonymity was complete.

Messimah blended into the line, mimicking their discipline. From the corner of his eye, he noticed his suit's heads-up display identifying the officers around him. The display labeled the officer ahead with an identification number.

If I can see this, the others must be able to as well.

His gaze shifted to the two officers at the front, hoping to read their identification numbers, only to find the display showing merely 'Federation Officer.' This absence of detail confirmed their superior rank.

What if they realize I'm not one of them? Can I escape an encirclement of these people? Messimah pondered, his mind already mapping potential escape routes. He also did well to recall his fight against Jubal and how pitiful it was.

Not only did this suit give the man more advantage, but his genetic advancement played another role. Messimah couldn't help but wonder how many more here were Metahumans.

As he stood there, time became irrelevant, his thoughts became a whirlwind of curiosity and anxiety, constantly turning over what could go wrong in this place.

Messimah's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a commanding, male voice.

"For unity! For order! For the Federation!" The voice proclaimed. Instantly, the other Federation Officers around Messimah echoed the chant, their voices reverberating through the empty street.

Startled and nervous, Messimah feared someone might notice he hadn't joined the chorus. Despite his inner turmoil, he kept a calm facade, secretly ready to flee at the first sign of suspicion.

"Article 6, Section 13 states: no Aetherion Citadel is permitted to descend into Earth's atmosphere without Federation approval. Article 6, Section 14 dictates: even with approval, no Aetherion Citadel may descend over human-inhabited areas unless providing protection from external threats!"

The authoritative voice, belonging to the Federation Officer in the blueish suit—distinct from the one with the ceremonial cape—continued, filling Messimah with a measure of relief.

"As we can all observe, this Aetherion Citadel has violated both these rules and several others." The officer gestured toward the massive structure in the sky, which Messimah had previously referred to as the Floating Fortress.

So that's its true name, Aetherion Citadel, Messimah thought.