Masked Purpose

Prologue

The year was 2055. The year of the explosion. The year Pittsburgh transformed into the technological powerhouse it is today.

It started over a dispute for land. Our mayor refused to relinquish the valuable resources our power plants possessed to fuel the ongoing war the nation's leader insisted on continuing. The disagreement developed into a deep-rooted hatred between the pair that spread like wildfire across the city. Their discrepancy ultimately precipitated an attack that Pittsburgh was neither expecting nor prepared for.

Thirty years later, there is still controversy regarding the actual cause. The records were suspected to have been mysteriously misplaced over the years by our committee.

And it's a suspicion that I wouldn't doubt to be true.

The committee consists of twelve members, one for every horoscope. Each member is elected by a third party and required to serve for life. They are tasked with the enforcement of several practices set forth by our founders.

Some of which generate a lot of dissatisfaction among the majority.

Our celebration period takes place during the winter months. Citizens are rewarded for "good behavior" through the use of bonus points on our method of currency, money cards. Extra points can be earned by working, performing kind favors, or simply having a birthday. However, no sports activities are allowed to transpire during this time due to the obligatory emphasis on family.

Our education system embodies much of the high-tech advancements this generation has established. Basic learning is mandatory throughout the adolescent and teenage years with an option to further improve in a specialized field after graduation, primarily a domain related to technology.

Transportation revolves around hover vehicles, predominantly cars and bicycles. The hover train is commonly used for long distance travels that demand the two hundred mile an hour speeds in order to minimize time.

The entirety of our city essentially equates to the setup of a computer, complicated and unnecessarily sophisticated.

My family is simplistic, plain, and often times aggravating. My mother and father grew up in a fairly traditional household yet failed to instill any consistent level of values and morals during my brother and I's upbringing. As a result, Jayden's personality mimics that of any other unsettled 15-year-old boy. Curious, cynical, and cautious.

Much like myself and much like the remains of society.