The kidnapper knows when he makes his first kidnapping...
that he will never live in peace.
Popular proverb.
"I felt myself floating, no pain or suffering, just the warm feeling of peace and a blackness inside an inkwell where I lost myself in my school days, I had no antiques other than that product, the bottle of liquid always revealed shapes that I traced with an awl on my design panels, it earned me the repudiation of others for 'clinging to the past', but the designs were avant-garde and practical, soon I was among the best qualified in school. At 22 I had many job offers, all from large workplaces that said they would let me keep my inkwell.
My wife respected him too, a charming 38 year old mature woman who conquered me; whom I love despite never using surgeries or rejuvenating procedures. She knows nothing of my work and waits for me with dinner and her ears where I empty my daily worries. I hear about her life and her artwork. She is a genius at plasma modeling. Over the years we lived comfortably and happily, even with the financial meltdown we knew how to support ourselves, Melina's work was old fashioned and didn't sell but it was made with magnetic fields and lava veins with precious metals fused into them, maybe that's why during the crisis they bought her works. I didn't tell her (but I think she suspects) that her works ended up in the companies she worked for, they separated the metal and reused her repulsion fields to make new parts.
As for me nothing changed: in the morning an incredible machine was waiting for me (yesterday it was a laser to activate radioactive material that had reached its average) and for the weekend, with sketches and everything they indicated to me that it was no longer viable and to start with... I don't know, they have asked from energy bullets to intelligences in toilet paper to clean and take DNA samples in the process. One day I was notified that I would be transferred to the main factory; when I arrived I noticed how much had changed, everything was fortified, with an expression from the guards I noticed that indeed the entourages of the new 'let's be natural' current had made attempts to sabotage the facilities, the durasteel walls showed many fire marks, my wife hugged me. Her eyes were serene but a tremor in her hands told me how worried she was. I on the other hand, felt intrigued, many technicians and skilled labor had disappeared, then, all the bosses who had a slight idea how the machinery was operated, neither federal or company authorities wanted to give explanations, they simply did not know. And here I am; at the frontier of the future and we have to design a huge prototype, the ultimate strength, the maximization of resources. I'm very excited about the project, it's the salvation of humanity under the hand of this company."
One year later...
"We worked all the time. We had the resources, even many of them I didn't know; apparently the geniuses who were here were neat...there are inventions that could sustain huge amounts of population, the people in charge are convinced of a future using these instruments; we only have two problems left: water and education.
Water is the most difficult, no matter how many filters are put in place, this liquid is lost in the atmosphere; it lowers its quality and is used for most human processes and consumption. Education is the second issue, young people must learn in this new environment but we are not aware of the need to prepare people to educate them. No specialist taught before and we do not know how to educate. We are people who know how to order or invent, but not establish bases; I exposed my doubts before a board of directors, they asked for calm...I am willing to believe that there is solution to the problems if they pay attention to them now."
Two years, three months, two days and six hours later....
"It's unbelievable. I made calculations and there is no way to exhaust the reserves calculated for the population, unless, as I suspect, they disable the water for everyone, that's the incredible thing. I discovered among the final notes the toxin that poisons only those who have no defenses. They are developing the biggest sales project, passive customers by force will. I have warned all the scientists I see: my colleagues are missing. So the few of us remaining formed a resistance group. I know we will be eliminated, the project works autonomously and indefinitely once we solve the long term education. Soon we will have to get out of here, I already hear the footsteps of someone watching us closely. Today I planned the escape: we are armed and we all decided to leave the complex. Twelve specialists and my wife are left."
Two years, three months, two days and eight hours later....
"We were not so wrong, they are chasing us, there are only three specialists left (including me) and my wife; bullets whiz by; I think one hit me in the back because I feel my inkwell swinging in front of my eyes. I ignore it as much as I can but a detonation throws us to the ground and I see three motionless bodies, the lights hit me in the face, they are special teams that have no face or feelings. I see a butt and then my inkwell, a dive into oblivion."
Three years later...
"I finally focus my gaze and discover that I am not alone. I am surrounded by all the scientists. I try to move and I can see how I appear in the windows of various classrooms full of students. I know what to tell them and how to teach them the one thing missing from the principals' plan. I am a teacher; I am a brain; I am my own inkwell floating in a liquid that will keep me alive and I will be here for my students...always."
End of reproduction of the memories by Professor Miguel, expert in industrial engineering and project design.
The computer flashes. The presentation is over, people applaud. They are finally ready for the last stage of the project.