Oliver Watson is a 12 year old amateur inventor who has dreams of becoming a world champion in the Robotic League Championship and creating things the world has never seen before. His room is unlike other children, all along the walls are posters of former world champion bots, personal blueprints for machines the world has never seen before, his twin bed is covered with tools, papers, wires, and metal pieces on top of a ready made bed that looks like it hasn't been touched in ages. Currently he's sitting at his desk tinkering with a mechanical rust coated arm he plans to unveil at the school STEM festival in a few hours, but a combination of nerves and his incredibly high standards have kept him up hours after his bed time.

His mind, body and soul are so focused on the project he hasn't noticed the severe thunderstorm brewing outside his window, but the slightest twitch of the mechanical index finger and thumb causes a small smile to tug at the edge of his lips before he moves along the forearm. Reaching for the screwdriver his eyes dart quickly to the phone sitting at the edge of his peripheral as it lights up suddenly. "Hmm."

He softly places the arm down into the metal case in front of him as he reaches over to check his phone, and a huge smile spreads across his face. It's the email he's been waiting for from the powerhouse school and mainstay of Rancin City, Rancin Academy. He has sent in countless blueprints, a couple prototype devices, and went through harsh interviews, but in the end it has all led to this."Please. Please, whatever higher power is out there watching over us, let this be the letter I have been waiting for. Maybe I should call Eli and Lizzy? Damn! I didn't realize it was so late already, I guess I will wait until tomorrow."

From the moment he got the message to when he opened it was only a few seconds, but with all the nerves running through him it felt like an eternity as he closed his eyes and took 3 deep breaths to calm his mind, which was something he learned from his best-friend Elizabeth. With every passing sentence his smile started to get bigger and bigger until it seemingly reached his eyes, and at the bottom of the acceptance letter was a video attachment. RancinCity_Advert_2021.mp4 "I..did it!!! I..I got in!!! I actually got in!!!"

He leaped out of his chair and started to do a little dance as the phone fell from his hand accidentally answering a dual call from his friends, but the only thing running through his mind was the acceptance letter from the Rancin Academy: Student Program. It was an 8 week yearly event that is very selective in order to help push robotics and humanity forward, but being under the age of 16 made his process 10x harder than the others. He had to prove that he was not only the best applicant, but that his presence was necessary for the company rather than prove that the company could help him. In the end it was worth all the trouble, because he was granted the opportunity to tour the facility over in Rancin City, a chance to speak with the current CEO and mayoral candidate Theodore Rancin, and work as a temp alongside the R&D department at Rancin Dynamics. Eventually he looked up and saw himself dancing in the mirror causing his face to get as red as a beet and he stopped to compose himself, "I am so glad no one saw that."

A light snickering could be heard from his room when he looked around nervously and noticed his phone on the floor with his two friends' faces holding in their laughter watching him dance around. One of them is Elijah Andrews his best-friend, he has a bigger frame than Oliver, wearing a gray Albern Athletics shirt, with short black hair, basketball posters and trophies along the wall behind him and the girl is Elizabeth Baxter his other best-friend, she wore a thin pair of glasses, long blonde hair, a pink sweater, and original paintings along with newspaper articles all along the wall behind her. She looked at him with a huge smile that reached up to her eyes as Elijah couldn't hold back the laughter anymore, "Dude what was that little dance you were doing? You looked like a chicken that lost its head, and here we thought you would be working on your project when we called. Tsk Tsk, just having a dance party and not inviting us, how cruel."

Elizabeth responded as Oliver rushed over to the phone, lifting it from the ground and placing it on the desk against the metal case to get better situated, still not looking them in the eyes. "Yeah Oxy, I don't mind watching you make a fool of yourself, but I was wondering if I could get a word from you two geniuses of Albern Middle for the school paper? Or should I just write that one of them loves to dance alone in his room at 4 in the morning?"

"Liz, you sure didn't seem to mind his dancing from what I saw." Elijah teased.

"Yeah, yeah, I just found the dancing to be hypnotic like when something horrible is happening and you can't look away." She retorted jokingly.

"Mhmm whatever you say, but you should totally mention the dancing in the paper, Boy Wonder: Dance Machine." Elijah laughs to himself, tears welling up in his eyes.

Oliver's face was a bright red as he tried to look away so they couldn't see while Elizabeth tried her best not to burst out laughing when he asks, "If I give you both a turn with my new voice manipulation device can we please never speak of this again. No one was supposed to see that. I had dropped my phone and didn't realize I answered the call, but now that you're here I have some good news to tell you two about. Remember that program over at Rancin Academy, the one I have been trying to get into?"

Ignoring the offer, Elizabeth's face brightened up when she heard the words and blurted out, "Oxy, you got into the program?! Crap, I hope I didn't wake anyone up."

Elijah laughed at her response, a wide smile crossing his face as he asked, "You can't take it back Oliver. I have multiple plans for that device already, but seriously I am so excited for you man. We both watched you work tirelessly into the nights hoping to get into the program and finally you did it. Congrats!!"

Oliver nodded happily watching his two closest friends celebrate like they were the ones who got in which made him smile, "I had gotten the email a few moments before you two called me. I was going to let you know about it, but I figured you were probably asleep so I was planning on telling you at school tomorrow."

Elizabeth pouted playfully, but was a little hurt he didn't call them immediately, "Ox, you know that you can call us at any time and we will answer, especially for something this big. I can't believe you were going to hold out on us. I think you need to bring me a chocolate croissant tomorrow to make up for it."

Elijah nodded in agreement with a devilish smirk, "Yeah, I was just sitting here still studying film so no matter what time or anything call us whenever you need us. Also, I will be expecting two glazed doughnuts, or else my hate will burn for eternity."

Oliver looked at them shaking his head when he smiled softly, "Yay me, I don't know what I did to deserve you two. Fine, I will bring your stuff in tomorrow before I go in. I will need a pick me up anyways, and I know I can always count on you. How about for now we watch the video they sent me for getting into the program? It's the first ever ad for Rancin City and the company from what the title says." 

They both have victorious smiles on their faces as Elijah says, "Fine we forgive you. Send me the link and I will set it up for us."

Oliver sends the link to Elizabeth who puts it into the group chat so they can watch it together when her father walks in to talk with her as she mutes her mic. The boys watch as her elated face starts to grow darker until eventually she comes back on and gives them a halfhearted smile which Oliver immediately notices isn't real. "Lizzy, is everything okay? What was that about?"

She closes her eyes forcing a bigger smile which pains Oliver as she replies, "Oh, nothing to worry about. Let's get into the video, because I have to go soon."

Words wanted to leave his mouth, but almost as if she could feel them she presses play and he decides to drop it for now. They watch on as a sharp dressed man in a navy blue thin suit, peppered hair slicked back, and a 3D model of Rancin City their eyes glued to the screen. The man was Everett Rancore, the man who started Rancin Dynamics, and the genius behind the technological marvel of Rancin City. He was sitting at the edge of the map with a stoic expression on his face, and a second later it softened as he opened his mouth to start speaking. "Welcome to Rancin City! Welcome to the world of tomorrow, and welcome to the first day of the rest of your lives! In our beautiful and ever growing city, life will be like your favorite Science Fiction novels, filled with wonder, robots, flying cars, holographic communication, and so much more than you could ever imagine. My name is Everett Rancore, and my family has spent decades working on the idea of this company, and I'm sure some time in the future it will be so much more than I could ever think possible and that's all life is about, progression. Moving forward, never backwards is what my philosophy and the philosophy of the company is because without progression we would still be living in caves, forests, and never fully utilizing our minds to the fullest. I just hope all who find themselves around my company will keep that same ideal in mind, and keep pushing humanity forward. Good luck to all who cross the threshold of creativity because it's a long and arduous journey and sometimes you will fail, but that is okay as long as you get up. Rancin Dynamic, the hope for tomorrow."

Elizabeth smiles at him softly, "Hey Oxy, I am really proud of you for getting this opportunity. Don't forget about us when you get rich and famous as an inventor, okay?"

Elijah laughs softly to himself, "I feel the same way, but seriously don't get a big head because your brain is already big enough. Any bigger and you might have superpowers, and that wouldn't be fair. You know that's my dream, ooo and a cotton candy bar in my house. Regardless, I am really proud of you man, go kick some butt over there."

Oliver looks at them trying hard not to cry, "Thank you, and I could never forget either of you. You two are way too important to me. Eli you're already way too good at basketball that along with superpowers would just be overkill. Even if I get a big head, at least I know Lizzy will kick me back down to reality, right?"

He looks at her hoping to see her smiling or laughing at what he said, but she has the same somber expression on her face from when she was talking to her dad. He was about to message her privately to ask if she was okay, but he heard a sudden cheerful shriek come from the lower level of his house, which caught him by surprise. He presses the intercom button next to his desk and he hears his parents voices, "YESS! WE DID IT! FINALLY!!"

Elijah looks at him with a smile on his face listening to the voice screaming through the intercom as Oliver laughs it off, "I guess they weren't asleep after all. I should go and check what all that noise is about even if they get mad that I'm still up."

Elijah looks at him mischievously and as Rebecca tries to say something he says, "Yeah, you should go check it out, that sounded big. I should go already, we can't all stay up till God knows when and still be fine like you. My game starts in 6 hours, but text me about whatever it was."

Elizabeth has a look on her face like she needs to say something, but pushes it down and smiles softly before waving at the guys, "Have a good night, Eli. Oxy, he's not wrong whenever your parents sound like that it's usually huge. I have to go anyway, Goodnight, Ox. Maybe tomorrow during breakfast the two of you could let me do that interview for the paper?" 

He responds, "Yeah that's fine we can do that and night Eli, get some rest. Eddison is a tough school, so you better win and goodnight Lizzy. I will let you both know what I find out tomorrow. I still can't believe I actually got into the program!"

They congratulate him one more time as Eli smiles and hangs up his side, and before Oliver can say something to bring back the smile of Elizabeth she gives him a soft wave and closes her side, leaving him alone. He looks at the blank screen of his phone as a somber expression creeps up, but the muffled sounds of his parents rip it away turning it into a devilish smile. He darts out of his room, quickly making his way through the house while keeping the noises to a minimum as hard as that might've been with all the nerves filling him. Eventually he reaches the back door taking a second to collect himself before putting on his shoes, grabbing a flashlight, and finally opening the door and looking up at the night sky when he feels raindrops splashing against his glasses. He shakes his head lightly and reaches back inside to grab his black raincoat as the rain starts to pick up, and the rumblings of thunder can be heard off in the distance. Oliver takes a few steps out and looks up at the sky again, reaching his hand out and letting it collect into a little puddle as he thinks to himself, 'I really do love the rain, but absolutely hate the thunder. Elizabeth does too, maybe I should make her…stop, if she wanted to talk about it she would.'

He drops the water from his hand and takes one last look at the sky before feeling the cool refreshing water slide down his face as he sighs softly and makes his way towards the underground lab on the side of his house. The rumblings of the thunder and the heavy rain are drowning out his muddy steps as the sound of his parents' celebration is getting louder. Oliver looks at the cellar doors in front of him and grabs the handle softly lifting it enough for him to barely squeeze through. With each step he takes down the stairs their voices are starting to get clearer, and before he realizes it he's standing at the lab doors. He takes a deep breath listening to them as he decides to peek his head inside. "Woah, what the..."

He notices the white overhead lights are on and his parents are hugging in the middle of two separate metallic silver machines both housing swirling bluish, black orbs. "Emmy, we finally cracked it!! We actually did it! I still can't believe we developed a small-scale version of teleportation!! 2 decades of work and we finally cracked it! I-I can't wait to show Ollie, but I know he needs rest for the festival tomorrow. For now we should turn it off so we can record the data, and that thunder is really worrying me."

His parents started to head over to the set of computers next to the machines to start powering them down, but the sudden realization of what they created sparked his curiosity and his body started moving on its own. He makes it past the first set of tables strung out with random tools, materials, wires, and unfinished projects, but his foot accidentally clips the second table causing a large wrench to fall off and land with a loud thud in the eerily quiet lab. A split second after the wrench fell a lightning strike hit the antenna on the roof and caused a massive influx of power into the two machines housing the orbs. His parents have worried looks on their eyes as they turn around quickly, and before they could say anything the machines overload and explode engulfing the both of them in a bright white light. The shockwave brings down part of the ceiling and the force slams Oliver into the back wall with enough power to bring some debris from his impact down onto him, and then everything goes black.

--- An Hour Later

The aftermath of the explosion was limited to the underground lab and some of the kitchen area of the house but none of the other houses in the area were affected. Firemen, Policemen, and EMT's are scavenging the wreckage looking for anyone alive or anything that could help figure out what happened. A blockade was erected cutting off neighbors, the news reporters, or anyone that could get hurt all around the house. 

Elijah and his parents are standing at the very edge of the blockade with tears streaming down their faces, watching parts of the house fall to the floor. He's trying everything in his power to break free from their grasp and check on his best-friend and family, but they are holding onto him tightly whispering to him in cracked words, "Eli sweetie, don't worry. They haven't brought anyone out yet, so there's a good chance they are sitting inside getting medical attention. Just give them time, okay."

"It's not fair Mom, I…I just need to make sure…Something…wonderful happened to him today, now this…it's just…just not fair…" Elijah was barely able to choke out his voice quivering.

In the wreckage, Oliver slowly started to stir under the rubble as he tried to open his eyes, but they felt heavier than he could ever remember them being. The distant sounds of men chattering and rummaging around slowly started to creep closer causing him to try and move, but the sudden movements sent a guttural scream from his lips. The scream lasted for a few seconds sending him into a coughing fit which had put him in even more pain as the pieces of wall that were hiding him started to slide off. A few nearby firemen heard his screaming and coughing which brought their attention to the moving debris

In the wreckage Oliver slowly started to stir as he tried to open his eyes but they felt heavy, heavier than he could ever remember them. The distant sounds of men chattering and rummaging around slowly start to creep closer causing him to try and move, but the sudden movement sends a guttural scream from his lips. The scream lasts for a few seconds sending him into a coughing fit which puts him in more pain as the pieces of wall that were covering him are sliding off. A few nearby firemen hear his screaming and coughing and notice the moving debris, causing them all to rush over to free whoever it is from under the wall. "We got a kid over here!! Get the EMT's down here, HURRY!"

A few more men rush over carrying the stretcher as the others are moving the pieces around Oliver until he is fully visible as he is covered in scrapes, bruising, and dust from the debris. One of the firefighters kneels next to him wiping some of the debris off of him as he slowly slides his arms underneath his legs and neck, talking in a smooth voice as he does it to try and keep Oliver from freaking out. He places Oliver in the stretcher behind him, softly strapping him down to keep him from hurting himself as his eyes shoot wide open at the scene around him. The lab he grew up in and shared so many memories with his parents and friends is in shambles, and the wall directly behind him was caved in but the worst part of it all is the last place he saw his parents was replaced with nothing but two massive scorch marks. "MOOOOM!! DAAAAAD!!"

The EMT's are doing their best to console him, but nothing is helping so they just strap him down a little more to make sure he can't harm himself or anyone around him. Everything flooding his mind became too much for the young boy that he passed out on the way to the ambulance.

Elijah watches as his best friend is carted away into the ambulance dropping to his knees screaming and crying everything flooding out of him as his parents hold on to him tightly, but they are just as emotional. "Oliver…!!!

~~ 3 Days Later, Harrington Hospital

It's been a few days since the incident as nurses have been checking in on him periodically, and as the doctor came in to check up on him Oliver slowly started to open his eyes. It was blurry at first, but as his vision started to clear up, all he could see around him was white with the only color in the room being the dark blue chair seated next to him. Every breath felt heavy like an elephant was sitting on his chest, and as his mind began to wander he realized he was sitting in a hospital room which made the memory flood back into him. Tears started to build up as the images of the destroyed lab, the scorch marks, and the immense pain he was still in danced around his mind. Feelings of loss, pain, and loneliness start eating at him devouring his mind and heart until something snaps from all the pressure. His bright dark blue eyes, once full of hope and wonder become cold, dark, and distant as the light slowly fades from them and his light brown hair now has streaks of ash white. "I did this!! I killed them!! I-I should've stayed in bed…I should've stayed in bed…I should've done something. I should be the o--"

Moments go by and the words are getting quieter and quieter until the only sound in the room is his breathing and the machine beeping next to him. His mind and body still tired from everything that happened he decides it's best to try and get some more rest, but when he is about to, a sudden jingle of the doorknob wakes him up. The doctor walks in and over to Oliver checking the information on the clipboard with a soft calm smile, but it slowly fades as he looks into his lifeless eyes. "Y-You're finally awake, Mr. Watson. We have had people checking in on you periodically, it's nice to finally see you awake. You had us worried there for a bit. All in all you're in pretty good health, nothing broken but you do have some heavy bruising on your back, ribs, and chest so if you wouldn't mind we would like to keep you under observation for a few more days. With everything that's happened we have a lot to discuss but that can be for another day, and your uncle told us he will be taking care of the finances so just lay back and let your body heal.

"Uncle?" Oliver questions in a monotone voice, not looking at the doctor or making any sudden movements.

The doctor looks at him with a somber expression as he places his warm hand on Oliver's shoulder hoping to comfort the young boy, but before he could speak the door opened. A man with a black suit, gray slick back hair, and a black cane walks into the room looking at Oliver like a hungry fox. "My boy, it's Uncle Cal. Don't worry doc, I will stay with him here and make sure he understands what's going on. I feel like it would all be easier coming from family."

The sharp dressed gentleman gently nudges the doctor out of the room as he gives Oliver a fox-like smile walking back over to him. Oliver looks at him intently before sighing softly and laying back down on the bed. The man pulls the chair out of the way and stands next to Oliver, "My name is Calvin Alexander Wylan, and I am an old friend of your fathers or better to say I am his brother. We used to be close as thieves but a lot happened between us, so when I got the call about the accident I knew I needed to make good on my promise to him…It's a real shame what happened to him and your mother and I don't think there is anyone more shaken up about it then the two of us, so let me make good on my promise to him. I have some men back at your place renovating everything, so just relax and rest up and by the time you're out of here it will be perfectly new. I am not a savior, an idiot, or a charity worker, so in exchange I have a proposition for ya, Oliver. Work for me until you're old enough to make a living for yourself or you can starve on the streets until your last breath, your choice kid. I did my part, but in life sometimes you need to get your hands dirty and take control, so what do ya think?"

Oliver stares at the man coldly, "I won't have a home to go back to if I decline, so my options are pretty clear."

Oliver sighs as he looks at the ceiling and tries to take a deep breath but starts coughing wildly. Mr. Wylan has a somber look on his face which is gone in an instant as he laughs loudly and smacks the bed causing Oliver to have an annoyed expression on his face, "Look at ya trying to be serious. Kid, you are far too young to be this serious. You have 24 hours to give me an actual answer so when you're ready, call. Here's my card."

Oliver turns his head and looks at the man grabbing the card and rubbing his thumb along the black card with only a number on it in white as Mr. Wylan makes his way over to the door, and in a monotone voice asks, "Who are you, Mr. Wylan? What will you have me doing?"

The man turns around with a massive white smile and looks him deep in the eyes as he knocks on the window 3 times to grab the doctor's attention. "Oh, I am an underground robotics promoter of the Chicago branch. You will help me with anything and everything I need you to do and hopefully I can have you in the same position as your father, but if not you can just help me with some odds and ends on my part. Well, good luck kid, and I hope to get your call sooner rather than later. If you are anything like your father, we should have loads of fun. See ya around, boy wonder."