[h2][color=ff0000]Genesis[/color][/h2]
[img]https://cdn1.epicgames.com/ue/product/Screenshot/as2-1920x1080-882c073a1e37eb3313b0fc922d33adf6.jpg?resize=1&w=1920[/img]

[i]Every beginning has an end and every end has a beginning.[/i]


Deep underground, a steady pulsing of purified air was being pumped throughout the impressively large cement structure. Behind the walls, sounds of water surging along its path underneath the city high above could be heard. Luckily, they had been built thick, preventing the stench of waste materials from penetrating the prison complex, but if someone stopped and listened, the telltale rush and gurgles of a thick soupy liquid could be heard. Inside, a lone guard walked along his perimeter, maintaining his motion while whistling to himself in an effort to drown out the noise. It wasn’t so much that he disliked the sound, but the idea that the city’s filth was both just beyond the walls, as well as within, was enough to make his hair stand on end. 

He paused along his circuitous route to gaze into one of the cells to his right and raised his lip in scorn. There lay a woman, jet black hair, slender with protruding cheekbones. Her chest rose and fell at a slight but steady pace. [i]Still sleeping.[/i] All bar one of the cells' interiors were visible from the catwalk through a hardlight holographic bit of tech. It allowed the guard to see everything inside while the inhabitants could only see their own reflection. The cells themselves were all the same, a cube with a small slab of cement sticking out from one of the walls where the prisoners were allowed to lay. There was only enough space for them to stand at full height and spread their arms wide from all sides. [i]More than these ingrates deserve.[/i] The guard thought to himself. 

Continuing his along the metal catwalk, he left the four cells on the southside wall, passing the locked tight eastern door and heading over to the northside wall with four more identical cells. Refusing to even glimpse to his left, the guard hugged the walls, well away from the railing that overlooked a sheer drop. Below was a well of prison floors that stretched so deep underground, even the most daring thrill seekers would think twice about venturing over.

Passing a blacked out screen, the guard wondered about the man held on the inside. He had overheard his supervisor mention the prisoner was a journalist. Perhaps that was the reason for the darkened screen, anyone who preached the truth in Night City made enemies and could’ve copped a heavier beating from it. Though that was one of a hundred potential reasons, in truth the man was as much in the dark as the prisoner. 

Taking in a deep breath, the guard sighed in relief, thankful he could leave such a place at the end of the day. You had to have true grit to survive such employment. Sure, the pay was good but the monotony... innumerable floors laid out in the same fashion, each of them could be seen repeating floor after floor below, almost as if in an unending recursion. Better to keep walking. At least he was on the top floor, new prisoners were always kept here first before finding more permanent homes in the cells below, so he had a constant supply of new subjects to observe.

Approaching another cell, he saw a woman sprawled awkwardly on the cement slab, arm draped over her face and legs showing just enough skin to make the mind run wild. A lecherous smile crossed his lips. It was rare he was granted such eye candy, and this cell had become his favourite part of the circuit since this batch was brought in. He always lingered a bit longer, slowed his steps and ensured his observation of this particular cell was elongated. Unfortunately, however, he always reached the end of the cell before he was ready to give up his inspection and was met with a disgusting view of a man slumped on his stomach with his bottom raised into the air as if taunting the guard. A mix of cyan and green, the man was dressed in a dishevelled manor, his hair rough as if he had slept peacefully for days. The guard grunted in annoyance at the sight.

Rounding off the final cell on the northside was another male, though very different in appearance and demeanour. He slept on his back, his legs straight as an arrow while his arms were crossed across his chest, as if he were a vampire. Sleek and slick, he was dressed to impress. A Corpo through and through if the guard had ever seen one.

Round and round the man walked, passing the elevator down on the western wall and back to the cells on the southside. A foreigner from a distant land was first, a man in the wrong place at the wrong time, then a woman who had been searching for her missing brother. Neither were much of note. The third, however, had a man who made the guard shudder. A daunting hulk of a thing, the man inside the cell had slept with his eyes open. A gut churning sight that almost made the guard brave enough to peer over the edge as he passed by.

Back to the start, he sighed. [i]Right, here we go again.[/i] But before he could take another step forward, the guard suddenly froze. Raising a hand to his ear, he cocked his automatic rifle before running through the high security door to the east. 

As soon as the door closed behind the guard, the holographic hardlight screen flickered. Fuzzy static focused into an image of a seated figure obscured in shadow behind a desk. Their features were entirely obscured and when they finally spoke, their voice was distorted and garbled. 

“Wake up,” they said, their voice steady, unhurried. The air flowing into the vents in each cell changed. A dense gas seeped out, rousing those that slept below. As soon as it was clear the prisoners were stirring in response, the voice continued. Its tone was matter of fact, direct, as if the figure was reading from a prompt. “You are currently being detained in a Militech facility and you have been infected by a virus. This is a novel but highly advanced agent that is being developed and researched now in the very facility you find yourself in. The effects of this virus leave us with little time, therefore, all I can say now is that unless action is taken, you will succumb to Cyberpsychosis in less than 24 hours. Follow my forthcoming instructions carefully and you will not only avoid that end, you [i]will[/i] be cured.”

The holographic screen flickered once more, static overtaking its entirety before the picture vanished completely. Raising up, the hardlight structure disappeared into the ceiling opening their cells to the facility.

“Take the western door,” came the voice, perfectly audible to the prisoners despite the lack of accompanying visuals. “But beware, the guard is trapped in the hallway.”