Salvation of Morality

Salvation of Morality

Prologue: Beneath the Mask of Vanity

“Another one just came in.”

The file slammed down onto the desk disturbing the cloud of smoke. The detective stirred in his seat. His face only became visible once he leaned forward past the curtain of nicotine. “Hmmm, far too many reports, it makes no sense… Where are the bodies?”

“I don’t know Reuel, but we are missing something. Shall we go for a stroll?”

He brushed the smoke to the side. "Lets, I need to clear my head John.”

They left the ground floor of the office complex and stepped out into the bustling city. Cars zoomed by next to the sidewalk, rows and rows of cars, each in a different level. There is the ground level road, the above ground road, the air road, and then the sky freeway. Transportation at its finest, but when the cars can fly, I suppose the sky is the literal limit. No one actually does any driving though. That would be chaos. Could you imagine the whole world being able to fly wherever and however they want? It’s madness. All you need do is take a look at the number of traffic fatalities back when cars didn’t leave the ground.

“What is the police department doing about this?”

John turned to him as they walked beside the street. “They are scratching their heads whilst hoping for dumb luck. In the meantime more and more people are going missing. The odd thing is, most are multi-millionaires.” Reuel stopped in his tracks. “Reuel what is it?” He had a faraway look in his eyes, the kind of look that only comes when sudden thoughts and brilliant ideas have risen.

He stretched his hand out to John. “Do you still have that list?” John passed it over, Reuel immediately shuffled through it while mumbling to himself, “the first… brilliant peoples… heiresses… hmm.” He snapped the folder shut, “We have our first lead, this way!”

“What! Who is it?”

“What was the first missing persons report in this series?”

“The wife of Yon Ulxer, CEO and founder of Iterna, the most loved man in history. Superseding Christ himself, for Christ did not make humans live forever.”

“Yes that man. Though I’ll take the eternity promised by Christ over his scientific abomination any day.”

“I don’t know. You are looking old friend, as am I. I am thinking of going in next week.”

Reuel gripped the front of John's trench coat and lifted his hat. “Don’t John...”

“Why not?” Reuel let go and walked ahead. “Reuel? You know sometimes it is hard to be your friend.”

“That is why I have but one friend John.” He leaned back and rested his hand on his shoulder. “Now don’t look so confused, good things are soon to abound.”

Reuel remembered the day it happened, although I bet everyone did. It was phenomenal, eternal life, everyone asked the same question. How could it be so? Has mankind risen to the height of God, has a second tower been built to the heavens. Almost, for outside of the tallest building in the largest city in the world was a public spectacle. By public I mean the whole public, the people of the world watched with bated breath. Was this real? I believe everyone pinched themselves because things were changing in the biggest way imaginable. It is said that the best things have the smallest beginnings. In the case of Iterna corps FOY project that is absolutely true. They started by taking a mouse dying of old age and turning it back to its prime. This mouse is still alive and he is one hundred years old, his name is Virgil and he is white. But enough of rodents, what Reuel remember was men, the actions of men that mankind called the greatest that ever lived. Reuel called them abominations, devils in disguise that would seek to devour the whole world. The young Vice President stepped from the near heaven reaching Iterna complex with rows of armed guards in tow. The watch dogs of Iterna, to ensure the big day didn’t get ruined. The whole world cheered like a crashing drums. The old world was crumbling and from the ashes a better world was rising. Everyone could see it that day. The Vice President raised his hand to bring the crowd to silence. The sun gleamed off his prominent ring.

"Today will be remembered as the day the key to Immortality is created! Let me introduce the President of our company Yon Ulxer." He gesticulated to the door and out hobbled a very old man using his cane as support. The cane itself did not seem to suffice, but the man was clearly too prideful for a wheelchair. The young Vice President spoke to the again cheering crowd. "To my right is a young murderer on death row. You may think he has no further use to society, but you could be no further from the truth.  This scum of society is the moral key and physical ingredient to eternal life!" A machine was unfurled from behind them. Yon was to the left of the machine. The Vice President was in the middle with the murderer to the right. "Watch life transfer from this murdering psychopath to our dear old President, Yon Ulxer." The VP did a flourishing move of his hand and down flipped the switch of his machine. The criminal immediately began to spasm and seizure in his chair. He was strapped down for just this reason. It looked as if he was being electrocuted and with each moment his skin grew grayer until at last he stopped moving. He looked to be at least one hundred. The crowd was dead silent. Everyone looked to Yon Ulxer then gasped, the whole world took their first breath reborn in this new world. His hair was lush blond, his eyes bright blue, and his skin a vibrant white.

After a pause Yon stirred and cast his cane to the side and said, "Behold the new age of man. This marks day one, year one, of the years since the creation of Immortality!"

The world was taken by a storm. This new creation was like a miracle of the devil. It granted justice and vengeance to the wicked and brought immortal years to the good. Death was given and life was taken, this was the most precious aspect of this new society. Violent death was the only form of death that remained in the world chronicled since the creation of immortality. With eternal life came an increased rate of discovery as the world’s brightest men and women kept on creating. These people became the world’s best asset, one invention after the other.  The world was thrown deeper into the future. The problem of such rapid advancement is that you cannot fully anticipate the reaction to its many actions. 

Chapter 1: Moral Insanity

John and Reuel strolled into the massive building, not just any building, but the most recognizable landmark in the world. For good reason mind you. Reuel strolled in as if he owned it and approached the front desk.

"I need to speak to Yon."

"I'm sorry, but Yon doesn't take guests unannounced."

"Then announce myself I shall! I am the one, the only, Reuel, Private Eye." The secretary stared at him blankly. Reuel threw his hands up, "Oh for… John, show her your badge."

He pulled it casually from his coat pocket, "I'm a Detective with the Iterna City Police Department."

“Oh.” She whispered, Hurry up, please and put that badge away. Yon does not want more negative publicity."

"Reuel cracked in, but of course he doesn't."

They took the elevator to the very top floor where Yon sat at his desk. The very exuberance of health even though he was god knows how old.

His brows lifted upon sight of their arrival. "Ah gentlemen, please come in and sit."

It was a long walk to the chairs in front of his towering desk. His office took up the whole top floor and was situated at the back with the window behind him.

"We are here to investigate matters regarding your wife, Mrs. Deetrix Ulxer."

His face lit up, "Any leads? Did you find her?"

"No, but we believe she is the first victim of a maniac.” Reuel paused a moment to think. “Since her disappearance there have been 100 additional cases with similar conditions in one month and they are occurring more rapidly. It is almost like an epidemic, except this is not the work of a disease, this is the work of a sick mind. I believe it is a similar mind or some form of syndicate that is carrying out these atrocities."

Yon wore the face of grief, but a powerful man like him could probably show any emotion he wished. "Do you think she is still alive Reuel?"

"That I do not know Yon, but I will find her."

"Thank you gentlemen, I do admire your work, both of you.” He stood up and shook their hands. “I'll do whatever I can to assist the Police department's official investigation." He paused and narrowed his eyes, "And you’re private one Reuel. I feel the police department is up to something, they can't be trusted to solve this case."

Reuel raised a solitary finger, "On that point I agree wholeheartedly. Sadly we must take our leave. Stay calm and let me know if you remember anything else Yon." The two investigators rose from their seats and began to leave.

Yon stared down, "There is something."

Reuel turned around, "Yes?"

"I've been having a reoccurring dream. A nightmare..." Yon was teary eyed.

"I know this is tough, but it could help us. Continue."

He raised his hand, it shook. "I'm alone on a hill. My hand is in front of me shaking like this. My hand has been shaking at random since the dreams started. I see Deetrix alone in the distance. My Trixy is alone walking towards the seashore. She looks back, I see her mouth my name. Then a wave comes, she doesn't see it because she is looking back to me. I scream, 'Trixy lookout!' She turns and shrieks, the wave hits her, and she is gone."

"What shore was this Yon?"

"I don't know."

"Do you believe this is a recovered memory?"

"I don't know..."

"I need a definitive answer Yon!"

He slammed his fists on his desk, "I don't know!" He recoiled, "I am sorry. This is more than I can bear."

"Thank you Yon, we will be in touch.” The two walked off, their hands in their pockets and their long coats flapping behind them. After a lengthy elevator ride they passed the lobby and stepped back out into the bustling city of Iterna, fondly named after Iterna Corp.

Reuel took in a deep breath. “Come John, we are going to the shore."

"Which one?" 

Reuel straightened his hat, "All of them."

Chapter 2: Solemn Mortality

The two detectives went up and down the coast for the rest of the day. No luck and no further insight.

John and Reuel sat on a bench before the sand, listening to the waves crashing ashore and watching the sun set. "Before I get teary eyed from the current scene of bliss I must be going Reuel, I have a date tonight."

"Oh no."

"This one is different. I'll tell you, she is as old as me, but looks 18. You have a nice night Reuel."

"Be careful John, the case we have is not a silent one. Far too many big names are involved. Just watch yourself. Be paranoid. Consider it a personal favor, for me."

"Sure Reuel. Sure, for you." John walked off and cast his hand up in a backwards wave.

Reuel knew something was wrong with this case. He had solved many crimes of this nature, but none were of this severity. This one felt different, almost like a new form of crime carried out by a new kind of mind or criminal...


Reuel was dreaming and for a man like him, dreams were dark and terrible. He knew he was dreaming because a man like him always had control. Otherwise Reuel would not sleep at all. Each night his mind ran through every case he had ever investigated and Reuel only ever investigated the worst and most disturbing ones. In this regard every detail of each solved and unsolved mystery was kept fresh in his mind, painfully fresh. This kept him sharp, but it also came at a cost. Reuel was alone and for a man like him he could not have it any other way. He had seen too much in his life and had become incapable of sharing his life with another. He knew in his line of work that he would die on the job someday and his enemies would only use a loved one against him, which brings another sad, but convenient fact. Reuel was an orphan and has never had a family. John is his best and only friend. Reuel often worried about John for he did not always think things through. John was often like a child in a candy shop rushing from one sugar filled treat to the next.

The alarm sounded off, Reuel jolted up gripping his pistol. Vivid dreams often call for startled awakenings. Next his phone rang. Each day brought more horror and for this man, it was his purpose in life to answer the call. He brought the phone to his ear and blocked the sun from his eyes. Sound rung through the speaker jarring Reuel’s freshly woken mind further. Reuel did not reply, but his face dropped. He set his gun and phone down in a calm manner, much too calm. It was the type of calm that hid emotional furry. He walked slowly into his bathroom, his limbs shook, his shaking hands reached for the sink and Reuel brought his head underneath the cold water. The rushing drowned out all other sounds and gave him a chance to calm down and think. Reuel was a man of sharp and swift emotion and on this day he received the worst of news. The kind of news he hoped he'd never hear, the fear of such news being the cause of his solitary existence. It would appear no amount of preparation can protect anyone from the sudden pain life can bring. For on this day Reuel received word of John's sudden and violent death.

Rain poured from the clouds, the streets were gray, and everyone wore tired faces. It was as if the whole world knew, but surely it didn't. For Reuel it might as well have been. Reuel walked down the street, the rain running off his long coat and hat. His face was pale from the cold and his sharp breath cast out in front of him. Reuel walked a dark road. He was soon to see the murder scene of his closest friend. As he turned the corner it all came alive to him and the sound of the pouring rain stopped, in fact all sound stopped. His heart near stopped, he looked up. It was still raining. Ten police officers stood around a shattered plot of cement. A stream of bloodied water ran past the caution tape into the storm drain. The rain slipped off their hats, warm breath left their nostrils. Reuel could not see their eyes, but he felt their trauma, it was never easy to look upon such things even when you had seen it many times over. Death has but one face, the fact of which terrifies the living. He stepped slowly forward, beginning to hear his heart beat faster and faster with each shaking step. Reuel asked himself, ‘John why have you gone?’

He grew near. He saw a swollen and bloodied hand stretched out. Another step forward and he saw part of his friends face. The rest of it was shattered past recognition, but a fragment of his former self still remained. A sharp eye, some mustache, bloody combed hair, his dress shirt was stained pink and see-thru. Protruding from the center of his back a kitchen knife and beside it was the hand of a young woman with bright red nails. Her head rested upon the small of his back. She was a beautiful woman, with lush black hair and red lipstick. Eye shadow ran from her face, it looked as if this corpse of shattered beauty was crying. This woman murdered his friend. This seemingly innocent looking girl took the only person Reuel ever had. Both were in fine clothing, clearly a dinner at John's place. Some form of argument must have broken out because both had conflict marks on their arms. Reuel assumed by the wound John endured that he was pushed through his apartment window and maybe she fell with him in some form of mania or perhaps he pulled her with him. Reuel would need to inspect the apartment. Since the killer is dead it'd be his only lead and only chance at answers. Reuel did not like the absence of answers.