It was a dull and muted early June morning and a murky smog engulfed the Washington D.C. sky, an aging man in his early thirties marched within the walls of the inter-city subway vigilantly. Eyes bulging out of his skull, he scanned the area for devious activity, his hands fiddling with the silver ring on his finger. He could feel the caffeine confined within him fraternizing as he breathed in an out.

Apollo Magzun ran his hands through is long brown hair stressfully and stretched his neck back and forth as he paced, watching the herds of nine-to-five stragglers potter into another average day. Little did they know that he was returning to his home from the most stressful night in his entire meagre existence. Little did they know how much turmoil their lives were in. Little did they also know how much insanity the secret service had been in the past twenty-four hours.

In the past one thousand four hundred and forty minutes, Apollo had been called in the darkest of nights by five of  his colleagues, three of his bosses, and five more of his bosses bosses, all of them wishing to summon him to an urgent impromptu meeting held at midnight that would quote-on-quote “unite the entirety of New America’s many intelligence agencies in the face of grave danger.” Never did Apollo imagine that such a dire situation of this scale would ever transpire.

“YOU’VE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!!” yelled an old man outside of an ATM machine. Apollo knew that it had begun.

He steered himself towards the platform where his home line was departing from. His eyes darted across to the opposing platform, he could see a small crowd occupying the outside of the subway’s reception, the bulk of them waving their phones and paper tickets as they advanced towards the receptionists, there demands becoming louder and louder as the office workers inside battled to give them answers to questions they also held. There was a man at the front of line, hurriedly explaining his situation. “Well I got a message from my bank and after that I clicked on the link and I-”  Apollo winced.

The projections that covered the platforms walls flickered to a breaking news scene. Apollo’s mind scrambled as he tried to make sense of the flashing colors and ungracious sounds in front of him. Three words swirled and turned in his mind over-and-over again, the same words he had heard during the meeting the night before. “Worldwide. Cyber. Breach.”

Apollos fiddled with his ring in an exceedingly restless manner, as his eyes lingered to see that, standing with an air of strong and vigorous potency in the middle of the madness, was a woman he recognized from the conference, holding what looked like a black leather-bounded notebook. She was a wall of pure muscle and physical strength, juxtaposed with her curly brown hair which bounced freely in the wind. Even though she was faraway, she towered over Apollo.

Apollo recalled her arriving late to the conference, yet her tardiness had caused little fuss as she must have had top-secret security clearance. Apollo had read through her folder, like he hid with all the new employees at The New American Directorate of Intelligence. She was weightlifting, mixed martial arts, and bodybuilding champion, from the state of K3ntuk33. Apparently, she passed going to the Olympics to work for the NADI, and had exceeded all expectations on her capabilities. She had gotten an incredible amount of praise for her work from upper-management, including Apollos own boss Doctor Elsternwick. Apollo envied her liberties. Why she was here at the train station was a complete mystery to him. She wasn’t even wearing her goddamn badge.

The lady shot him a glance. He had been staring for a protracted amount of time. Apollo, being a connoisseur of the interpretation of human facial expressions, read that she had implied to say “Hey bunhead, get your skinny white-boy ass over here the entirety of New America is in jeopardy.” She then pointed towards the exits of the platform towards the tunnels.

  

The two met face-to-face in the dusty underground. “Well isn’t it the belle of the ball, confidante of the Ministry of Justice, The New American Directorate of Intelligence’s very own Byronic Hero, Apollo Magzun.” drawled the lady. “Your use of literary allusions impresses me, mam.” Apollo drawled back. “Now who are you and why do you require my services?”

“Are you kidding me, Magzun?” she hissed. “We are living through a major historical tragedy! Worldwide, people’s passports, I. D’s, credit and debit information, all of there data… all publicized…all in circulation…what foe would do this?” she exasperatingly. “You must have a plan.”

Apollo turned his head to the side to read letters written on the brim of the notebook. “Nico Riley, Assistant Security Officer.” Apollo mused silently. He rolled his eyes, and toyed with his ring. “I am completely aware of the current situation, mam, as I was present at last night’s meeting.” 

Nico placed her hands on her hips and sighed. “Yes Magzun, I put that together quite thoroughly. Now, I was called by Doctor Elsternwick to escort you on current protocol, we’re you not informed?” “I’m afraid not.” replied Apollo meekly. Doctor Elsternwick had the habit of not informing him of new plans that included educating newer employees as the last time he suggested it to Apollo he replied that he’d “rather lick the dust off the Denver Airports satanic bunker.” 

 “That’s it, isn’t it?” Nico interrogated. “Excuse me?” replied Apollo. She pointed towards his hands. “The ring!” she expounded. “It’s what gives you your powers!” Apollo placed his hand behind his back and put a finger up to his mouth. “You speak of me like I’m some kind of other-worldly beast. Let us speak about confidential topics in the luxury of privacy.” He gestured towards the elevator. Nico let out a girlish squeal. “I like your words, magic man.”

Apollo tapped his ring on the elevators down button. A low “ding” echoed around the tunnel. “Going down.” The elevator announced as the pair walked in. Apollo cleared his throat. “Why you’d be correct Miss Riley. This incredible piece of technology that Doctor Elsternwick himself has specifically designed for myself is exactly how I’ve been able to protect the agencies software from cybercriminals, our hardware from the thieves at the competing agencies, it can open every door, scan through any computer, and translate any language, all the stuff you’ve heard in the-” “Blah, blah, blah you’ve saved the world multiple times over!’ Nico interrupted “Yeah, yeah, we get it Magzun! You’re mother-fucking superman. Now get to the part where we address the problem at hand.”

The elevator began to descend quicker and quicker, farther down below where the average citizen could see. “Well Nico…” Apollo cleared his throat again. “I know that you’ve gotten all sorts of praise and commendation from Doctor Elsternwick these past couple of months, but I assure you that there many parts of this company that you are much likely unaware of.” 

It was a hard life in New America under its new administration. After the destruction of The United States of America in 2030, the existing fifty American. Even after the governments constant push for, people were still only nostalgic for the America that had supposedly made them great.

Not to mention, advancements in technology had. A company from what was then known as “South Korea” named “Virgil Enterprises” had invented a new line of technology that could simulate another reality by uploading a human’s consciousness to a computer. The machine would take assets that existed in the “real world” and translate them into a fantasy one. 

Humans no longer had to deal with fires that burnt their woodland forests, oceans that flood their tiny islands, or musty smoke which polluted the skies. They climb every mountain, fly with dragons, and eat all food they needed in a world of their own thoughts. It was originally designed for people to live in both the real and fantasy worlds, yet humanity immediately found the “real world” to be too undesirable.  

The hardware was always at risk of being tampered with by activists and purists alike meaning the world needed a new intelligence unit, one would say, to protect the average simulation-abiding citizen from.

When Apollo was only ten years old, he was scouted out of his orphanage by Doctor Elsternwick the current CEO of the intelligence unit himself. Since Apollo’s love of gadgets had accumulated in him becoming an esteemed competitive programmer, a champion in innovative robotics, had been experimenting with advanced biotechnology in his backyards, and was applying for Ivy league universities, The New American Directorate of Intelligence thought his savant skills would be perfect for the agencies cause. Throughout his childhood, he was poked, prodded, and studied at before being shipped off as another worker for the agency.

Just like Nico now, he had exceeded the expectations that the agency had set for him. He climbed the corporate ladder and in return, the agency pampered him with gifts and paid him generously. But with new pay came new responsibilities. He was mandated to crazier cases of greater importance, which he conquered easily. It had gained him a legendary status across the agency, a level of respect only reserved for ancient men who had been working there since the nineteen-fifties. He had been described as a comic book superhero by some, a label he despised. 

He didn’t hate his job, but he did resent the fact that he had missed all sorts of essential happenings that the human man was supposed to experience. He yearned for the naïve childlike occurrences that he missed, the liberated experiences of the average teenager, and the freedom of the average adult, he wished to live unknowingly, to indulge himself in the lies. He had attempted multiple times to become acquainted with Doctor Elsternwick, but he was far too cold for such frivolous acts of kindness towards his favorite employees.

They elevator dings and the doors opened, revealing a colossal room five times the size of a high school gym full to the brim of secret service workers yelling into their telephones; papers flying and flashing television screens. “I thought you said we were going to somewhere a bit more private!” yelled Nico. “Exactly!” Apollo yelled back. He clambered to the top of the stages announcement desk and took out a cowbell that was hidden in the shelf. He hit it over the microphone, the sound echoing across the room. “Attention please.” He announced. The room became so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

 “As you are well aware, we are going through a major world-wide cyberbreach of citizens information from an unknown foe. We have summoned our neuroscience-related technology unit to prepare devices assist the average citizen in disremembering the events that have unfolded this morning.”

Apollo felt two fingers tap him on the back. He turned around and saw a short, balding man in a dusty white lab coat staring up at him. “Doctor Elsternwick!” Apollo murmured. The Doctor pointed towards the microphone. Apollo stepped down. “Ahem.” began the Doctor.

“We are in great danger!” he broadcasted. The room erupted in utter chaos. “SILENCE!” the Doctor bellowed. The room obliged. “But we have a plan.” He rejoined; the room murmured. “As an agency of such prestige we have access to some of the finest technology our world has to offer. With thought-erosion on our side, and god as our witness…WE WILL OVERCOME!!” The room erupted again, this time in cheer. The Doctor stepped down from the desk.

Nico and Magzun turned around to leave. “How can you act so non-chalant throughout this situation, Magzun? This shits beyond crazy!” exclaimed Nico. “I swear Riley, Elsternwick is just fear-mongering again. Once we wipe the memoires of these whores and restore the files, this’ll be under the covers in no time.” Apollo replied. “Magzun! Riley!” said a stern voice which made Apollo stop dead in his tracks. It was the Doctor. “My office. Now.”

  

The two agents trooped behind Doctor Elsternwick, sternly into his office. “I would consider that to be a rather successful announcement, my Magzun.” The Doctor cooed.

“The technology that the criminal used was an incredibly advanced piece of technology that could scan through any and all security systems unfound. Yet people with access to technology that advanced are limited to only commanders in chief and there most trusted supervisors. This specific form of device is exclusive to upper-management of NADI.”

“That would be Apollo and...” The realization hit Nico like a ton of bricks. The Doctor smiled smugly. “Elsternwick…you sly dog!” she puffed. “How could you such a heinous crime?! This goes against every principle that NADI stands for!” Elsternwick shot Nico a bewildered look. “Me? Miss Riley you have completely misunderstood me! I’m too old for international cybercrimes!” he exclaimed.

“But that means there’s only one other person who’d have access to this information…” Nico went pale. She turned around and stared at Apollo dead in the eye. Apollo fiddled with his ring, slowly this time. “Apollo…no…” she cried. “You bloody rat!” yelled Doctor Elsternwick. “IT WAS ME, NICO!” Apollo drunkenly screamed, his face turning red in anger. “I did it, because of this is all fake! Our lives are fake, our jobs are fake, our world is fake. We are upholding a lie; a nasty disgusting life-ruining lie that has resulted in the deception of billions of people worldwide.” Apollo breathed in and out, trying to catch his breath as he fell onto his knees. “I can’t do this anymore. I can no longer uphold the values of this cursed nation.” He spat.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Sonny boy?!” screeched the Doctor. “You and your stupid little mid-life crisis has put me, the agency and the entire world in jeopardy!” Apollo stood up and marched towards the old man and grabbed by the collar of his lab coat. “Listen here old man, you have made MY life a living hell- ““Get the hell off of me!” yelled the Doctor.

 The two men tugged back and forth as they shuffled. “Don’t worry Magzy, I’ve got another trick up my sleeve!” the Doctor callously exclaimed. A ginormous black hole began to rip through the walls of space and time. Nico and Apollo stumbled backwards. “A vortex!” exclaimed Nico in fear.

Apollo touched his ring, making the grip stronger. “Because of you I am unable to live a normal, happy, life full of sex and parties. I have had no good memoires because of I’ve dedicated my childhood, adolescence, and adulthood to serving you and this wretched lie of a country.” Apollo barked, dragging the Doctor over to the opening of the vortex. “Die you fucking rat!” Apollo let go of him. Lights flashed as his body was sucked inside the vortex’s darkness. Apollo ran over behind Nico.

“But where will you go next?” Nico cried. Apollo gazed into the empty black of the vortex. “I don’t know. What lies beyond the vortex is completely unknown to man. But I think I’ll try out bowling.” Apollo cracked out a smile.

Apollo took off his ring and placed it into Nico’s palms. “Take this. Make New America a better place. Godspeed you, Nico Riley.” He turned away and walked towards the vortex. “NO! I beg you” she screamed. Nico’s vision snapped to black.

  

Nico Riley awoke sitting upright at the window seat of a commuter train. “This is: Cleveland Park.” expatiated the announcer. Still shell-shocked, she swung her head around, taking in her surroundings. She could see people talking to each other and reading books as the early summer sun shone through the trains thick glass train windows.

She gasped as she felt the ring resting in her palm. She observed it like an archaeologist studying an antiquity of a bygone era. She placed on her finger and grazed her fingers on the engravements, toying with how it felt on her. Closing her eyes, she stretched her neck back and whispered to herself “Godspeed you to, Apollo Magzun.”