A Neon Dawn

"Why are we even arguing about this Leslie? After everything we've had to go through, you're going to bitch about THIS?" The setting sun makes the small disheveled apartment take a reddish glow, highlighting different shades of filth that adorn the plaster walls. The man strides from the kitchen to the living room, grabbing his half-empty can of coke on the way. "Have you looked outside? Why would you give a shit about how clean and tidy things are in here?" As the man says this, he steps over a pile of Rolling Stone magazines that sit strewn about floor in front of the couch. As he sits, the poor springs in the couch squeal for mercy, aching to retire to the dump, or wherever garbage goes now.

After taking a drag on her cigarette, Leslie lightly sets it in her ashtray, anticipating having to use her hands to make this imbecile understand. "We cannot just give up, Josh." Her gentle tone is obviously forced, and betrays her frustration. "This is the place we've been assigned, and we are expected to keep it at least livable. This? This is not livable," she says as she picks up a pile of empty food containers and bags, throwing them back on the countertop.

The man scoffs, "You're damn right this isn't livable. I refuse to live this way. They can't possibly keep tabs on us that close."

Her tone intensifies. "You don't know what they can do. None of us do. Which means you don't know if they can hear us right now or not! Watch what you say!"

A glint of rebellion flashes across his eyes, but as quickly as the thoughts come, they go. "Leslie, I just don't know what to do. I still just can't believe this is happening."

Leslie makes her way to the couch and sits next to him, her weight adding to the couch spring's desire to be set free. "Well it is Josh, and we have to learn how to live with this new reality."

"Yeah...I..OUCH! What the hell?!" As he speaks, the couch springs he's been sitting on finally find their way to the surface, stabbing in to his leg. "DAMMIT! That's it! I can't do it anymore!"

"Josh! Calm down!"

As the man yells and throws things about the apartment his wife sobs, there is a loud pounding on the door. The room grows silent. Josh steps towards the door and waits. After a moment, there is more pounding, louder than before.

"Who is it?"

A somewhat strict, robotic type voice comes from outside the door.

"You are in violation of civil living ordinance 12 section 2. Please step outside your residence.."

"Shit. No, no way. They aren't doing this to me!" The man quickly and decisively walks to the bedroom.

"Josh....Josh what are you doing?" Her voice now quivering in fear and hysterical. He steps out with a shotgun, walking towards the door. "Josh no! You can't do this!"

"Get out of my way bitch!" he shouts as he throws her to the ground.

"Domestic abuse detected. Action 4E-32 engaged"

The door bursts open from the outside. Standing in the door frame is a 6 foot tall cyborg. A man who's right eye and entire neck has been replaced with cybernetics stands before them. In a flash, his right hand extends forward and slots appear on his wrist. Where once there was a human hand, there now spins into position a glowing cannon. It settles in to his wrist as he levels it at the enraged civilian, who is still recovering from the door being kicked in. A blast rings out and Josh's arm is ripped clean off, sending blood everywhere, including all over Leslie. She screams. Another blast tears in to John's head, smattering what was once inside his skull into the kitchen behind him.

"Domestic threat neutralized. Reproductive candidate 1,843 secured." It's voice attempts to take on the appearance of humanity. "Leslie Higgins, are you injured in any way?"

The year is 1985. Up until 1983, life was pretty normal. What has happened? Only those civilians not taken in for experimentation would know. As for those in the science labs, all they know is they were forcibly removed from their homes and taken to some testing facilities, where they've been for the past 2 years. The testing though, that's unlike anything they'd ever dreamt.