Chapter 1: Alexandre
January 14, 2036
It was early morning, before the sun had risen. A young man, only twenty years old, was doing sit-ups in his small, modestly furnished New York apartment while the TV blared in the background.
"Today, Dr. Goldberg's final appeal came to an end," the news anchor reported. Though the hour was early, the news which the whole world had been waiting on could not be delayed.
"The Special Grand Jury assigned to investigate Dr. Goldberg previously found him guilty of the charges which the government had levied against him: that Dr. Goldberg conducted illegal and inhumane experiments on over 2,600 children between the years of 2025 and 2027 during the so-called 'Genesis Project.' A vast body of evidence proved that, of these thousands of children, not a single one survived the experiments.
"Despite these horrific crimes against humanity, New Yorkers turned out in record numbers to protest these charges, supporting the former researcher as a hero, not a monster. It is, of course, a popular opinion that the horrors of the Genesis Project should be forgiven, due to its role in the creation of the Hunters.
"Nevertheless, Dr. Goldberg has been found guilty. The Supreme Court—which at first seemed unwilling to even accept the defendant's petition for certiorari—has finally rejected the doctor's appeal at the highest level. In addition, the President, despite the will of the people, has chosen not to pardon Dr. Goldberg."
The reporter paused, seemingly overcome by emotion for the briefest moment. When he spoke again, his voice was completely flat. "Dr. Goldberg is sentenced to death by hanging. This sentence will be carried out in three days."
The young man paused, sweat beading on his forehead, and stared at Dr. Goldberg's face on the TV. He finally pulled his attention away from the TV and returned to his vigorous sit-ups, trying to focus on his workout.
But no matter how much he exerted himself, his thoughts kept drifting back to the doctor whose fate had just been dictated by a handful of people who fervently believed they were bringing justice to a world that had very little justice left.