CHAPTER 1 

I fell in love with the man who killed me. Now, before you pass judgment, I suggest you hear my story first. It all began on a typical Thursday evening; I recall it clearly because my father and I always visited Barney's pub on Thursdays. 

Upon entering the room, a wave of nausea washed over me. Working for the SSC, I'd seen my fair share of deceased bodies, but this scene was particularly grotesque. The victim, a woman in her late twenties, had her skull brutally crushed, with remnants of her brain strewn about. She had been a classic beauty, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and the kind of button nose women often sought through plastic surgery. Her attire consisted of a light blue top paired with dark jeans, her feet bare. I envisioned her top complementing her eyes while she was alive, but now her gaze was vacant, both eyes tinged with bloodshot veins. Her golden curls had darkened to a burnt copper hue from the blood pooling around her. 

The clean-up crew had already begun their somber routine. Such wasted beauty - but for what reason? 

Approaching the body, I delicately placed my hand on her forehead, pretending to brush her hair back for a closer examination of the wound. That's when I saw it... the final moments of her life flashed before me. The revelations I needed surfaced, and I withdrew my hand from her cold, clammy skin. 

"Homicide...?" Alaya inquired, seeking clarification. As my best friend and longtime partner, she knew to look to me for answers. 

"More like involuntary manslaughter." 

"Ah…" She acknowledged. 

I sighed, the sound echoing throughout the room as I recalled my vision. "It was an accident; he didn't mean to harm her." Bethany and her husband had engaged in a heated argument moments before her demise. A volatile exchange of kicks and tugs ended with him flinging her too forcefully. She fell, and the microwave tumbled after, crushing her skull gruesomely. He removed the microwave in a desperate attempt to help, but she was already beyond saving. 

"It was an accident," I reiterated, "but rules are rules. Issue an APB for Devon Brown. Description: Tall, Caucasian male, about 6ft1; last seen wearing jeans and a red T-shirt. He's likely terrified. My vision revealed his shaken demeanor, so advise the officers to approach with caution." 

"Understood, Sir." 

Six months into my role as head of the Department, I still struggled to get used to being addressed as 'Sir' or 'Chief.' There's only one office above mine in the SSC, the head office, currently occupied by my most esteemed colleague and old friend, Jake. He'd been my mentor when I first joined the force over five years ago. 

"Wait, why are you still here?" Alaya teased. "It's unlike you to miss out on free drinks before seven." 

"I'm not…" I confirmed, "I was just leaving actually. See you tomorrow?" 

We exchanged goodbyes as I departed the now-former residence of Bethany and Devon Brown. Deep down, I believed it was a genuine accident. I could feel his guilt, his pain... the devastation he felt when he lifted the microwave and realized she was gone forever. 

But this was the Genesis Era, a time when any crime, no matter how minor, from petty theft to premeditated murder, and regardless of the circumstances, was punishable by life in prison. Sometimes, I despised the law, but this was my reality, the life I'd chosen... 

As I mentioned, it was an ordinary Thursday evening when it occurred. En route home, an unprecedented vision hit me, and then... I crashed. 

(Nick… Nick, can you hear me?) 

What's happening? Where am I? 

My face was numb! Wait, is it usually? My eyes fluttered open to reveal pale blue screens, and the sterile stench of cleaning chemicals filled my nostrils. My head throbbed as if I'd consumed two bottles of tequila. Somehow, I managed to lift my hand and reach for the source of the pain. 

"Ah, my head... God, it hurts," I groaned. 

"Everything's going to be okay," Alaya comforted, standing by my side. Apparently, I was in a hospital bed. "The doctor said you suffered a mild concussion, but you're going to be okay. Your father's on his way." 

Summoning my strength, I hauled myself upright, feeling my toes and patting down my body with my hands to ensure everything was functioning. Medical science had progressed to a point where limbs could be replaced, but I held a strong attachment to my original parts... 

"You were in an accident. We were fortunate to be nearby the Brown's residence when it happened. We immediately turned back to get you." 

"Oh no! Did anyone else get hurt?" 

"No, nobody else was injured." 

What a relief. 

"You did, however, do quite a number on a tree!" she added, a playful note in her voice. I chuckled despite myself; Alaya had always had a knack for making even a guy like me laugh in grim situations. 

"Do you remember what happened?" 

Once again, I found my hand wandering to the back of my head, hoping the gentle rubbing would alleviate the pain. "No, not real..." 

News Reporter In other news, an eighteen-year-old boy, a student at Tres University, was taken from his home this afternoon and jailed for the murder of his mother's boyfriend, thirty-eight-year-old Walter Mullings. 

Suddenly, my earlier vision flashed back into my consciousness, the reason behind my accident. The room started to spin as I struggled for breath, a sudden heat washing over me. The throbbing pain at the back of my head vanished, replaced by a terror-induced flush. I broke out in a cold sweat, feeling my heart stutter in my chest. 

"What happened… what did you see?" 

News Reporter He is scheduled to appear before a Judge tomorrow morning. 

"That kid…" 

News Reporter Neighbors are in shock as the eighteen-year-old, Alex, was known as a model student, President of the Chess Club, and an active member of the Gymnastics team. 

"I saw it..." I was frozen in fear. 

Alaya's patience ran thin as she screamed, "Nick… What's wrong? What's happening?!" 

She checked my pulse, only to find my heart rate racing. Completely bewildered by my condition, she tried one last time to extract information from me before calling the doctors. "What did you see? Tell me!" 

I had to regain control. 

I shut my mouth, swallowed hard, and counted to ten. I gathered my thoughts as best as I could, struggling to regain my composure. Once I managed to steady my breath, I started to understand what had transpired. 

The vision I'd experienced was unlike any other I'd had before; it was powerful, visceral. Normally, my premonitions lasted only a few seconds and provided limited insight. But this one was intense. I felt the heat on my skin, smelled the searing flesh of my thighs as flames consumed me. I was paralyzed as my life was slowly extinguished. And then I saw it… 

"I saw in my vision… that boy! I foresaw my death… 

And he's the one who's going to kill me!" 

It's December 31st, 2120. My name is Nicholas Bishop, and this is my story...