Prologue

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13th October 2015

A rather intimidating-looking man enters through the door of the conference room, his sunken eyes surveying the people present with great interest. His long, pale fingers lock together both of his hands as he ceases pacing past each occupied chair and settles at the front of the room, the impatient tapping of his polished shoes against the linoleum giving a slight insight into the man's intense eagerness to get on with the meeting.

"Silence!" Growls the man, slamming a hand onto the table. A hushed silence shrouds the room and each occupant cowers back into their seat slightly.

"The new year is fast approaching and so is revolution. As you know, new textbooks are being published, new teachers are ready to be put in place, this year are to be the last year to go through GCSEs and the whole curriculum is to consist of military training instead. Military, people! Military! Half of the world has been destroyed by nuclear wars and we could just be next. This country is weak!" The man roars, his eyes alight with determination. Several hushed whispers pass around the room and the man dismisses them with another loud shout of "silence!".

"And all this nonsense about 'equality between humans and alatum humana' needs to be abolished, fast. The alatum humana are a race that will cause a big problem if not destroyed. They hold too much power - they're intelligent and have genetic advantages. We are at risk! So, these new textbooks and teachers will not preach weakly about our equality. No! We will show the next generation the inferiority of alatum humana, the fact that they are merely animals of lesser worth and should not share the privileges that we have."

"Twenty-sixteen will be a year of change. These new laws will be enforced and everything will change for the better. Alatum humana are a hindrance to this country. Times are changing. The only way to go is militant and without the alatum humana. The world is a mess, torn by war and we need to put ourselves at as least risk as possible!" The man finishes, his words seeming to have a lasting impression upon the occupants as they sit in a stunned silence for a couple of seconds before bursting into a cacophony of speech.

"Silence!" Hisses the man again.

"There is a little job that I would like you all to at least attempt during the remaining months of this year. I would like you to come up with a way to either eradicate alatum humana completely in the UK or otherwise come up with a way to use those who may be of use to us, whilst making sure that they are under control and do not rebel. You have until the new year to report back and the most promising idea will be put into action. You will also be rewarded for your loyal efforts. The method needs to sensible and effective and able to be put into action next year or the beginning of the following." Says the man, leaning on the table whilst casting persuasive glances around the room.

"What is the reward?" Asks a scarred man in the corner of the room, a sly look crossing his disfigured features.

"One-hundred-thousand pounds and a promotion. Think about this carefully." Replies the man from the front of the room. Excited murmurs are exchanged throughout the room, each person blinded by money, attention and a good lot of persuasion.

"I call this meeting to an end, but keep this task in mind. As always, remember - what is said within these walls, stays within these walls. If I hear that any of you have so much as uttered a sentence about what has happened during this meeting, I will find out and a death penalty shall be appointed to the wrongdoer." Finishes the man, his harsh words slicing through the air, making every person in the room inwardly quake with fear.

Once every single person has left the room, the man sits back on a chair and smiles gleefully. If anyone were to walk into the room, the last thing that they would suspect was that this man was planning to alter history; let alone planning to eradicate every alatum humana in the UK.

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