Reset - Chapter 1.

Reset 

Chapter One.

Emptiness. Darkness.  Loneliness...

Alec could not could shake those feelings as he walked down the tunnel towards the checkpoint. For some time now, there had been something missing in his life, a void that could not be filled. He had tried, oh he had tried. First it was the fast cars, driven on a knife edge, his life moments from ending, with only his reactions, and the grip of his white knuckled hands all that was standing in the way of eternal dark.  But still the darkness was here...

 Once the cars no longer satisfied him, he turned to drink. It began with the odd drink after work, then at lunchtime, then at breakfast. Soon he was thinking what to have with his drink rather than what to drink with his food. It had got so bad, Alec reflected that he would wake up not remembering who he was, where he was, or why he was lying half naked in a hotel corridor, sweat dripping down his face. But still the emptiness was there...

Women soon followed the drink Alec remembered. So many women, but yet not one he could remember. To him, they had been just pieces in a large game, a game where to lose was loneliness, and to win meant happiness. Why did it not work? Alec played back over and over again the many relationships he had had, in search of that winning prize. Relationships? He chuckled to himself, hardly a relationship if you don’t take an interest in them as real people. All he had been interesting in was what they could give him, not what they needed from him.  All his relationships ended the same, they left, Alec wanting more but not being able to give, and all that was left was loneliness..

As he contemplated his life up to this moment the end of the tunnel began to appear through the pitch black air.  The faint outlines of a door started to form, slowly at first, but with every step the door became more and more solid, more and more believable. The pal ms of Alec’s hand began to sweat, as it dawned on him what opening that door meant to him.

The checkpoint approached and was now within touching distance. His right hand moved towards the palm pad, taking, what felt to Alec, like an eternity. His palm met the cold plastic surface of the palm pad and there was a momentary pause. Lights started to flash and a warm sensation began to flow through Alec’s hand as a sensor started to scan Alec’s palm.

“Who are you?” a metallic voice from within the walls questioned.

“err, Alec, Alec Kestin.” A nervous Alec replied. Was this standard procedure he thought to himself.

A minute of silence deafened the air around Alec, as he waited for a second response. He could feel his heart begin to beat, faster and faster, pain started to erupt across his chest, the pain was unbearable,

“Oh my God” Alec cried out as the pain started to become excruciating, “I’m....”  but before Alec could utter another word, the pain abruptly stopped and the voice inside the wall announced,

“Status has been confirmed. Medical attention has been issued. Please stand by for resetting.”

Relief was overtaken by wonder, how had that happened? What had just happened? But before Alec could contemplate this any further, a new fear began to grip Alec. That word, resetting, had a chilling menace. Thoughts raced through Alec’s mind, how can a Human be reset? That was not why he came here! He wanted a chance mend his life not end it, what was happening!

As Alec’s fears gathered pace, the door in front of him silently dissolved, and his last thought as the white light engulfed him was one of emptiness once more.

Then there was just darkness...

Jayne woke from a deep sleep, as the sunlight broke through the crack, where the curtains failed to meet.  “One day, I’ll remember to get Dominic to do that properly” she thought to herself, as she hauled her slim athletic body over to the bathroom. At 37 she was looking good for her age, no signs of grey hairs yet, she thought to herself as she quickly got ready for work.

“Incoming message Miss Hover” the domestic Interface , or “Dominic”  as Jayne affectionately called the Artificial intelligence that controlled the day to day running of her living module announced.

“Thanks Dominic, can you patch it through.” Jayne replied, hurrying to the kitchen to grab a coffee before she started work. A beep rang in her ear, to inform her that the call was now ready to be taken.

“Hello, Jayne Hover. How can I help you?” she mentally said to the caller. Even after a year since she received the E.A.R implant, Jayne was amazed that she could make and receive calls just by thinking of what to say.  To think that some people still use their voice she chuckled to herself!

“Sorry, use their voice, I don’t understand Miss Hover.” The male voice responded.

“Oops  a careless thought, I am sorry.” Jayne quickly replied. “How May I help you?”

“I’m Dr Kirkwood from the Second Chance Centre. We have a customer that has developed a fault, and we need your expertise.”

“Right, what seems to be the problem and I shall see if I can help you.” Jayne replied. More than a little curious, as the Second Chance Centre was a very well known, but secretive company.

“I can transfer the information as a Cortex file, if you can access that?” inquired Dr Kirkwood. Another new technology to recently change the way people interacted with computers, a Cortex file was a computer file that was transferred directly to the visual cortex of the brain via an implant. The user then “sees” the document by thinking of a pass key, shared by the other user, similar to the old Bluetooth technology of the last century.

“Thats fine Dr Kirkwood. And the pass key please.”

“Alec Kestin 22-10-2150. And please can I remind you  Miss Hover that this is highly confidential material.” Dr Kirkwood informed her with a steel determination  in his thoughts.

“Of course, Dr Kirkwood. I shall review the case and then contact you. Goodbye.” Jayne disconnected the call, and sat back. What was Alec Kestin’s issue that needed her particular skills?