And the Games Almost Begin:
You growled as you saw the bag they had planted on the table. You almost didn't have the courage to just do anything, as you had the diploma in your hand. You just didn't have anything less.
"You're booting me?" You asked. "For what, having a better dream than slavery? I didn't sign the contract!"
Your father almost laughed. "We promised several new employees for Geofront Energy. You think we had a choice?"
"Yes." You shot back. Millions of dollars, all the marketing, and manipulation that money could buy, yet they failed. They chose the easy way out instead of doing anything else. Scouting, being productive with their time. Yet they were lazy. And all they could do was sell their own kids to a corp, because it was the easiest way to climb the ladder. "I don't know, by doing your jobs?"
You suspect that it could have been expected. Your parents were not what you called competent. Not far from it, ambitious and brutal were the best way to describe them. They did not care about emotions, they cared about results.
"What do you know about jobs? I put food on your table and you do nothing!" Your father slapped you as you staggered back. "Now, either do what you are told or get the fuck out!" He demanded.
You nodded. "I want ten minutes in my room."
"Fine." He relented, not out of any emotion you could see. He wanted you to change your mind.
You walked into the room and felt a great deal of nostalgia.
Games and clothes and everything else were littered across the floor. But on your table was your gun… and your chemistry notes. And your notebook.
You tapped the grip to activate its standby mode and made sure the Biocodding was operational by flipping the safety, reading the palm and fingers. The id scanner read your hand and became green, and prevented accidental shootings. Even then, you had the weapon unloaded, the ammo hidden.
Your parents thought it was just a model. Not even knowing you had actually bought a real gun on your 17th birthday, and spending your allowance for days at the range, learning the ins and outs of the weapon, piece by piece. Inch by inch.
If they had even cared about any of your doings, they would have noticed. If they had cared anymore about you, and your siblings, they would have taken it away, and punished you.
But they didn't. They cared more for the job and the status of the family than their bosses, and their fellow workers to really care.
Everything you were, everything you could have become, was because of their designs. Especially after you were born, and they realized you were lesser, and they couldn't take any chances that they could be lesser.
After all, while bright, you were willful, you were curious, and you held grudges against people. You had drive but barely any talent at all.
You were not the ideal child.
So they modified your brothers and sister. Nothing more intrusive than simple genetic engineering to make them perfect. The best genes, and therapy's that money could buy. The most breathtaking of strains to make sure they were not only genetically perfect, free from any flaws, but also in making sure they remained subservient to the will of your parents.
You saw it all the time. The gas lighting, the anger when they were not perfect, the tears of them crying every night.
All your siblings were tools, striving for your parent's approval, that they never could have.
And you didn't want to make them stay. But you had to, you did not have the support to do anything to help them.
All you could do was help yourself.
You holster your pistol into your jacket, making certain that it was secure, and the mags close to reloading, a few boxes of ammo, and pack up. You needed to leave before your parents decided to force you into something you did not want.
Gain Item: Modified Night Raven Model 12 Handgun: A Modified handgun with a bio code grip to prevent anyone other than you from using it. It is a relic from the Oil Wars of the 2030s, but it's plentiful and billions of rounds are still in circulation. The Tried and Tested Mercenaries fire arm. It's easy to modify, and easy to handle. Perfect for beginners and masters alike.
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But it seems that Simon, Grace, and Walter had other ideas.
They were waiting at the back door.
Simon was standing tall, with a bright and cheerful smile on his face as he held Grace's hand. And he saw how surprised you were when looking at him. "What, think we would just hide and avoid mom and dad?"
"It would be the Smart thing to do." You asked as you looked at his blonde hair, being covered by the Oregon Beavers baseball team cap. "I'll be fine."
"No, you won't!" Grace protested as you stepped forward, letting go and standing in front of you. "Almost all those Abandoned Corp Kids are dead or in prison in a year. You'll be" She had tears in her eyes, as she went to hold you. "You'll be-"
You knelt down and smiled. "I'll be careful. I promise." You then stood up. "Come on. Go inside. Don't make this any harder than it already is. For all of our sake."
Then you saw the bags. All packed and ready to go.
"We ain't leaving you to fend for yourself," Simon said as he gave a nod. "Just say it, and we'll be with you?"
"Simon, don't-" You protested.
"You aren't us!" Simon protested. "We're…." He paused and then he looked down in shame. "We have the abilities you lack."
You smiled. "I know."
Do you Bring any of your siblings with you?:
[]Bring Simon: Simon nodded and you held his back.
[]Bring Grace: Grace smiled at you as you held her hand. "Just like those story books. We're going on an adventure."
[]Bring Walter: You looked at the sleeping Baby Walter. "Don't let him become like us. Don't let him know nothing but abuse and whatever the hell that gene donners call parenting?"
[]Leave them Home: "I can't take care of myself, if I'm taking care of you?" It was a selfish thing to say. But you needed time. Time and money.
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Legal Work: You need Money, so time to take that leap and join the workforce.
(Choose 1)
[]Quick and Easy: You are in need of money quickly, perhaps with a job that will help you build up your resume, along with getting you what you need to survive.
-[]Get a Job at a Restaurant: They will pay you and feed you… That's a good place to start.
-[]Find Work at an Auto Place: Everyone needs cars to work, especially the piece of Craps from Halo and Whatever that Chinese firm is called.
-[]Go to a Bookstore: Maybe you can call in a favor from that one place you helped protect that one time?
-[]Write in
[]A Little bit of Violence: There is plenty of legal work for a man your age, young and inexperienced can take part in. In fact, so many in fact, you suspect that there are places that want to hire.
-[]Find a Security Job: Everyone needs to protect the security of their business.
-[]Community Policing: The Streets of ole Portland are rife with gang violence and bad people. Perhaps you can do something to help everyone.
-[]Mercenary Work: Who knows, maybe there will be legal jobs for you to take. Last you heard there is some work that doesn't involve breaking and entering and breaking every law on Record.
-[]Write in
[]Found your Own Company: You are going to get the trademark to not only your own business, but also your own company. Just to be safe.
[]Join the Army: You need stability, and you need some… something to keep you from falling into despair.
Personal Actions:
Choose 2 (What you are homeless, not giving you more things than a teenager can handle.)
[]Write Something?: You want to write something. So you might as well try?
-[]Write in
[]The Mind of a Chemist: You don't have the Equipment, nor do you have anything that could be construed as proper… anything. But you need to work on something (Cost 100 EC)
[]Go Shopping: You need to get some things. (Star a shopping miniturn)
[]Range Time: You need to blow off some steam, so shooting targets is always something that you can do (Cost 300 EC)
[]Friends from School: You need to find out who from school might be willing to look at you. Who might actually still want to be your friend?
[]Try to Get to College: Maybe your GPA and schooling might get you into college.
[]Modify your Pistol: You may not be a gunsmith, but the Nightraven is very easy to modify, just needs a 3d printer and some instructions.
[]Keep Tabs on your Family: You are going to make sure your siblings are going to be safe. No matter what.
[]Watch the News: Let's see how… the rest of the world is going on?
[]Find a Shelter: You need to find someplace for you to sleep at night. Maybe then, something can get better.
[]Learn a New Skill: You want to learn something new
-[]Write in skill below.
[]Change your view: You can't just keep going on like this. Time for a change?
-[]Gray
-[]Illegal
AN: Enjoy and please vote in plan format.