A strange feeling enveloped Jonathan Brooks as he stood in the doorway of his room. He glanced from the bed where he had slept for many years to the window overlooking the Gardens of Eternity. Every morning, upon waking, he enjoyed the view of the tranquil gardens, where even time itself seemed to stand still in serenity.
The wardrobe in the wall had lost all significance; he no longer needed to open it in the mornings to choose his clothes. There were no more shirts, pants, or sneakers. Only the Wanderer's suit remained, having become his second skin. The feeling that he would never return to this room again wrapped around him like a choking fog, pulling him into its embrace.
For several years, this room had been Jonathan Brooks' home. Here, he spent his evenings after training, enjoying the warm light from the lamps. He felt the light had become his personal shield against the outside world. On weekends, he could sit up late, watching trains pass through the park. But now, his home lay behind him once again. "That's how it will be," thought the Wanderer. He would visit other worlds and, while waiting for a new fracture, become accustomed to them. And then leave them behind. The eternal farewell to home had become his fate.
Despite the pleasant memories, Jonathan quickly returned to reality. The door closed with a beep of the lock. Dressed in his suit with the Pulsar on his belt, he called the elevator — perhaps for the last time. The shattered window remained undiscovered. He didn't even know what awaited him in the ruins of his former home — where life had vanished in an instant, leaving no concept of life or death. Only a lifeless wasteland stretched from one border to the other, scattered with anomalies born from the Collapse.
The research center reported that objects caught in these anomalies found themselves at the moment of the Collapse, where energy split them into atoms. In an instant, death took everything into its embrace.
Despite all the dangers, Jonathan left the Fracture Tower and headed to the launch pad, where the Hawk awaited him. He walked through the very alleys where he had run just hours earlier, escaping the explosion while the protective emitters covered the Compound with an energy dome. The sun shone brightly, but it did not blind the Wanderer. The thought of having to pass through hell that had once been Eden brought him nothing but anxiety.
On the launch pad, the "Cygnus" squad awaited, along with Martha Crockford and other Wanderers. To his surprise, James was there too.
"I didn't expect to see you here. Did you decide to take the risk after all?" Jonathan approached James.
"Someone has to cover you from the marauders!" James joked, trying to ease the tension.
"Someone should cover your back too," Samantha added.
"They're here for that," James Boucher pointed to the "Cygnus" squad. Everyone was tense, but Martha Crockford felt the most pressure.
"What's the plan?" Alexa asked. Professor Crockford stepped forward and turned to the Wanderers. Behind her, the Hawk had already started its engines.
"The plan seems simple, but dangers will await you at every turn," Martha began. "On the 'Hawk', you'll reach the border of the Third District. There, you'll lower your altitude, as there are Convergence Points in the air. They appear less frequently closer to the ground. Corvin, which used to be the stronghold city of the Third District, is vast, but the ruins left after the Collapse are extremely unstable. Flying there is dangerous, so you will leave the 'Hawk' in that zone. The journey through the city will take a day. Near Corvin, where the Cradle was located, there's an energy disk. The 'Cygnus' will determine its location using the Center for Research technologies. When you find the disk, return to the 'Hawk' and come back."
"What if the disk is destroyed?" James asked.
"It's highly likely that it survived," Martha folded her arms across her chest. "The alloy's strength and the protective field should have safeguarded it even from the Collapse."
"Isn't the area under quarantine?" Alexa clarified.
"Yes, the entire Third District is a quarantine zone. Movement is prohibited, but 'Cygnus' will handle this issue."
"Unofficially?" Jonathan asked.
"Officially, the 'Hawk' was decommissioned for disposal after the closure of the Center for Research. Like this mission, it doesn't exist. All Wanderers are within the Compound and undergo additional checks before the Fracture," Martha worried about this being discovered. She would keep it hidden for as long as possible until the Wanderers returned.
"But we're here," James added.
"You're here," Martha confirmed. "Thank you for participating in the mission. From now on, the project's fate is in your hands. I don't believe in fate, but I believe in you. You've trained and are ready for this task. Consider this your final exam." Deep down, she felt a sense of joy. Despite the situation, she saw this mission as an excellent test of the Wanderers' abilities. After all, if they couldn't handle the Third District, how could they talk about other worlds?
"We'll be back in three days," Amanda said as she exited the 'Hawk'.
"The ship is ready for takeoff. Please board," she waved her hand toward the Wanderers and her colleagues.
"Good luck to you," Martha shook hands with each Wanderer. "I'll be waiting for your return."
"We'll return with the disk," Samantha said, squeezing the Professor's hand. Then she gathered her hair into a bun and tied it at the back of her head.
The "Cygnus" squad was the first to enter the ship. Following them were James, Samantha, and Alexa. Jonathan cast one last glance at Professor Crockford. She lit a cigarette and crossed her arms over her chest, watching the Wanderers depart for hell. Jonathan stepped into the Hawk.
The main difference between the Hawk and standard Ethers is its ability to carry heavy cargo and up to twenty people. The massive engines on the wings, like the iron wings of a predatory bird, provided the Hawkwith maneuverability, while the powerful rear engine offered unprecedented speed.
While Ethers were primarily used for civilian transport and accommodated four to five people, their operation was mostly managed by autopilot. In major cities, Ethers were the main means of transportation alongside public trains that utilized magnetic tunnels. In smaller towns, ground versions of Ethers remained the preferred option.
During the riots, when the Last Ones tried to overthrow the government several centuries ago, third-generation Hawks were equipped with weapon systems for riot suppression. Fortunately, the time of turmoil passed quickly, and later models of the Hawks were fitted with only energy field systems. However, this model also had an active camouflage system installed, similar to that used in the Wanderers' suits.
The Hawk from the Cygnus squad was unique: it was equipped with Convergence Point scanners developed by the Research Center during expeditions in the Third District after the Collapse. Moreover, its design partially reduced damage when hitting a Convergence Point: an explosion would damage the outer shell, but the inner lining would remain intact, giving the crew a chance to survive. Unfortunately, such protection could only work once.
The Hawk engines switched to vertical takeoff mode. At the controls was Amanda Benson, methodically flipping switches. The engines roared to life, and the Hawk ascended into the air. John Brooks watched through the porthole as Martha Crockford took a few steps back, extinguished her cigarette, and headed toward the Fracture Machine. The previous incident had damaged part of the Machine's system, and Martha faced the task of restoring the energy nodes before the Wanderers returned.
There were rumors that even during the time the research center existed in the Third District, death itself ruled there — a being that had penetrated their world through the Convergence Points. To visit its lands, one had to pay a price. Martha Crockford did not believe in this, but each expedition came with its toll. Someone always returned injured, and when an expedition member died, the research would cease. Martha considered this mere coincidence, but a pattern was evident. And if it was true, if Death existed there as a physical entity... The professor hoped that the lives of the Cygnus squad would be a worthy price. The Wanderers were too important.
Gaining altitude, Amanda activated the main engine, and the side engines shifted position again, propelling the Hawk forward.
"Ivan, faster," Amanda commanded.
"I'm activating it now," the man replied, lowering the screen and starting to press interface elements. "The active camouflage system is ready."
"Turn it on," Amanda ordered. "Active camouflage system activated," a voice announced in the cabin.
A rumble echoed, and a distortion formed around the Hawk, which Alexa observed through the porthole.
"It's very old," Samantha noted, addressing Manuel, who sat across from the Wanderers.
"This 'Hawk' is fourth generation. Due to a lack of funding at the Research Center, we had to retrofit it. The tenth and twelfth generation models are better, but they were beyond our budget." Manuel slowly lit a cigarette, nervously tapping his fingers on the lighter, and extended it to the Wanderers as if it were their last cigarette in life. He knew what to expect there.
"Couldn't the government provide you with something newer?" James asked.
"It was very difficult to convince them to create the Research Center. I won't even mention new models," Manuel replied.
"We're a few hours away from the Third District's border," Amanda shouted from the pilot's seat. "I'm turning on the autopilot."
"Course set," Ivan confirmed.
Amanda moved to sit next to Manuel.
"What awaits us there, really?" John asked.
"Nothing," Amanda laughed. "There's nothing but emptiness. Even the ruins no longer seem real. The world is distorted. There's no right or wrong. Everything in the Third District is different."
"And what about the marauders? Who are they?" Samantha inquired.
"Those who belong in the Tenth District. Most likely, they realized they committed a crime and fled there to avoid prison. There, they live without laws, doing whatever they want."
"How do they survive there?" Alexa wondered.
"They have settled near the borders. The closer to the epicenter of the Collapse, the more Convergence Points there are. There are only five or six settlements. They grow food, extract water, and conduct expeditions to nearby cities in search of surviving resources."
"Can they attack us?" James asked. He recalled stories and rumors about the Tenth District: murderers, rapists, deviants. They committed horrible acts. But it seemed not everyone ended up there; some had escaped into the quarantine zone. If so... There would be no mercy for them.
"We have plenty of valuable assets: the 'Hawk,' camouflage, your weapons and suits. We're prime targets."
"If they attack, what will we do?" John pondered the worst-case scenario.
"Defend ourselves to the last breath until they stop pursuing us," Amanda laughed. "You'll have to learn to kill, as far more serious enemies await you. We'll be in their territory. To them, we are the enemies."
"That's not a problem," James added. The others turned to him. James was a strong, large young man. He usually appeared simple-minded and acted seemingly irresponsibly. But he always had a thirst for justice. And while the others might think he feared the marauders, he actually feared the games of reality. Marauders were just people — fragile bad people.
Samantha and John exchanged glances, uncertain if they could shoot another person. During training, they had honed their skills. But to kill a living person... they hoped other worlds wouldn't be so aggressive.
The Hawk approached the borders of the Seventh District.
"Have you ever been to the Cradle?" Samantha had always dreamed of being there. And now her chance was approaching. So many scientists and Chairmen gathered together. At that moment, it was the pinnacle of scientific and technological advancement.
"No," Manuel replied briefly. "We couldn't get there. Too many Convergence Points. But maybe now it will be possible. Some of them might have closed."
"So, they can close?" Samantha asked in surprise.
"Close, open, move. The nature of the Convergence Points is still unknown," Manuel spoke very confidently. He had seen them before.
"But there's a theory," Amanda added, "that the Convergence Points are holes in our reality. The Collapse not only wiped the Third District off the map but also left Convergences in our world."
"But don't the Rift Gates and the Fracture Machine do the same thing?" James asked.
"Yes, but that's a controlled fracture that can be closed. Over there, they are natural. This leads to the conclusion that the laws of reality there are violated because..." Amanda fell silent.
"What?" Samantha tried to get an answer.
"At first, there were four of us," Manuel replied. "Me, Amanda, Ivan, and Sergey. But Sergey died..."
"There are violations of the laws of physics there," Amanda continued. "He found himself in a place where gravity changed. It seemed to flip upside down. He was in a building when such an anomaly occurred, and it pulled him upward to the ceiling along with the debris. In an instant, gravity shifted again, and he fell back down with the rubble and the roof of the building."
"He was crushed," Manuel said, his voice tinged with bitterness. "That's why the Research Center was closed, and a quarantine was declared."
"Perhaps there are other anomalies as well," Amanda Benson remarked, glancing out the window at the rushing landscape, but deep down, she couldn't shake off the anxiety.
"And we're flying there?" James clarified, his voice trembling with tension.
"Yes," Amanda confirmed, looking at the others with seriousness in her eyes. "After that incident, the Center was closed, and the Third District was declared a quarantine zone. Our squad was disbanded."
"That's terrible," Samantha said, her face paling. Yet at the same time, she pondered the possibility of witnessing such an anomaly. The thrill of discovery overwhelmed her. Inside, she burned with hope that they would encounter something unusual.
"Yes, so when we land, keep your eyes peeled," Amanda warned, pulling a bag from under her seat. Her movements were quick and assured. She opened the bag and took out several small devices with screens in the center.
"What are those?" Alexa asked, genuinely surprised.
"Anomaly detectors," Manuel replied, his voice like a whisper, as if he feared breaking the silence surrounding them. "An energy surge forms near the Convergence Points. These devices detect the surges and show their location."
"And also," Amanda added, distributing the detectors to everyone on board the Hawk, "hold on to flashlights. At night, they help to better notice the Convergence Points. You point the light and see a slight distortion, as if looking through poorly cut glass. This distorted reflection reminded them that reality can be deceptive."
"Does it help?" James examined the device carefully, his brow furrowing in concentration.
"It's the basic kit for a researcher," Amanda explained, her voice full of confidence. "In critical situations, it can save lives. It has saved me more than once. I was a step away from a Convergence Point, and the detector didn't pick up the surge because the energy was too weak. The memories of those moments troubled her, but she knew she had to be strong."
"We call such Points 'sleeping,'" Manuel added, his gaze focused. "They can only be seen through the light."
"Stay behind us and don't scatter," Amanda warned, her voice becoming more strict. "It will be safer." She knew how easy it was to lose someone in this chaos.
"Interesting journey," James noted, trying to ease the tension.
Amanda glanced at James Brooks, evaluating him, but in response to his attempt to lighten the atmosphere, she merely nodded, refocusing on piloting. The Hawk continued its flight, and in the air, there was a tension of anticipation, as if reality itself was holding its breath before their arrival in the unknown.