P.I. Michael

2053, March 30th

New Chicago, Illinois

Room 203

Where do I begin? It has been so long since Eli and I split, so many mistakes and attempts. I lost control for a short time at first, clubs, strippers, drugs... none of it could help me escape the feelings, the memories. I could never do it myself so I acted out, consumed enough to kill three grown men but always woke up. Maybe the universe wasn't done torturing me... maybe God has a twisted sense of humor. I got cleaned up and joined the military looking for a fight to finally get my ticket punched, but it's difficult when it's peace time. After my contract was up I hightailed it out of there and moved to West Virginia for a while, joined their police force and came close to death a few times. They kicked me off the force for being to much of a loose canon and I blew half my savings at the bars and clubs before I sobered up again. Shortly after I moved back home to Chicago and became a P.I. looking for the most dangerous groups and jobs I could, somehow I always managed to get out with little more than a scrape here and there.

In 2048 a civil war broke out, of course I joined. Three years of war and I made it out... I could have just done it myself but I'm a coward and for some odd reason I feel like this is what I deserve in life. I went back to my private practice after the war in New Chicago, ever since I have had close calls with death but always ended back up in my one bedroom apartment alone with my bottle of whiskey.

Knock-knock

"Jimmy, there is a letter for you. Looks like it's from the Carlton brothers."

"Thank you Beth, just leave it on my desk and I'll get to it later."

Beth may just be my secretary but she is one of the few people over the years I've let get close enough to me to call me that pet name. The first was my old partner George and then some of my bunker buddies during the war. Oddly enough I miss them all, they were the only people I could feel safe enough with after Eli... the only ones I could trust, and I lost them all in the war. All I've got left is Beth and of course this half empty bottle, I should pick more up tomorrow.

Knock-knock

"Jimmy, I'm heading out for the night," she paused for a moment, "take it easy on that stuff, ok?"

"Will do Beth, goodnight."

"Goodnight Jimmy."

After she left I finished the rest of my bottle and walked home. It wasn't an easy walk home, even with the street lights I was tripping over trash and other easily avoidable obsticles I normally would have skipped past with no problem, maybe I should have taken it easy on that bottle. Out of the shadow a figure popped out, I knew there was trouble, I felt it in my gut but I was too drunk to really care. As I got closer I could tell it was Ralph Carlton, the youngest brother. I didn't make out a word he said and all I remember is the warm feeling of my blood pouring from my stomach as I laid there staring into the street light. Sirens and flashing lights surrounded me as I was carried away, the light was still there in the ambulance, it felt peaceful, but I couldn't get close to it... then it all went black.