Prologue

Oliver Watson is a 12 year old amateur inventor who has dreamed of being a world famous mechanic in the Robotics League Championship, since the age of 6 when he first stepped foot into his parents laboratory. His bedroom is unlike most children his age, with trophies and medals lining the back wall, posters of former world champion mechanics and their Robots from the past and present, personal blueprints of original devices he plans to create one day, and his bed that looks like it hasn't been touched in ages, covered with tools, papers, wires, and metallic pieces. At the moment he's sitting at his desk on the opposite side of his bed tinkering with the rust coated mechanical arm he plans on unveiling at his school's STEM festival in a few hours, but a combination of nerves and his incredibly high standards have kept him up past his usual bedtime.

Outside his room a thunderstorm had been attacking the city, but it wasn't until a loud crack rang through the sky that he finally noticed it. He only lost his focus for a split second but the slightest twitch of the mechanical index finger and thumb causes his focus to return to the project as a small smile tugged at the edges of his lips. He puts down the needle pin he was using and reaches for the screwdriver across his desk as his eyes dart quickly to the sudden light of his phone going off in his peripheral, "Hmm."

He places the arm back into the case in front of him and reaches over to check on his phone, as a huge smile spreads across his lips. It's the email he's been waiting for from the powerhouse school and mainstay of Rancin City, Rancin Academy regarding his status with the company and the school that he has been waiting about 2 weeks for. For the past couple of weeks he has sent in countless blueprints, a couple prototype devices, and went through multiple harsh interviews which has all led to this. "Please…whatever higher power is out there watching over us, let this be the answer I have been waiting for. Should I call those 2 and let them know, nah look at the time they are probably asleep. Ha, I didn't even realize it had gotten so late, I will just wait to tell them the news when I see them at the festival later today."

He closed his eyes and took 3 deep breaths to calm his mind, which was something he learned from one of his best-friends, Isabella. With every passing sentence his smile started to grow bigger and bigger until it seemingly reached his eyes, and at the bottom of the letter was a video attachment. RancinCity_Advert_2021.mp4. "I…I did it!! I…I actually got in!! I can't believe it, I actually got in!!

He leaped out of his chair and started to do a little dance as his phone fell accidentally answering a dual call from his best-friends, but the only thing running through his mind was the acceptance letter from the Rancin Academy: Student Program. It was an 8 week yearly event that is extremely selective in order to help push robotics and humanity forward, but because he's under the age of 16 it made his process 10 times harder than all the others. He had to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was not only the best applicant, but that his presence was necessary for the company rather than prove the company could help him. In the end, it was worth every tireless second he spent working, because he was now granted the opportunity to tour the facility in Rancin City, a chance to speak with the current CEO and mayoral candidate Theodore Rancin, and a chance to temp alongside the R&D department at Rancin Dynamics. A moment or two has passed and his uncoordinated moves were getting more stiff as he finally saw himself in the mirror, causing his face to brighten as red as a beet, and eventually he stopped to compose himself, "I am so glad not a single soul saw that, because if they did I would never be able to live that down."

A light snickering could be heard coming from his room which made him look around nervously and eventually he noticed his phone on the floor with his two childhood friends doing their best to hold their laughter in, but failing miserably. The boy on the screen is Elijah Andrews, he's taller than Oliver with a bigger frame than him, he's wearing a gray Albern Athletics shirt, with short black hair, and basketball posters and trophies lining the back wall behind him. The girl is Isabella Grace, she is wearing a thin pair of glasses, long blonde hair tied up in a messy bun, a pair of pink pajamas, and original paintings along with newspaper articles covering the walls behind her with a bunch of empty spots like some have been taken down. She is staring at Oliver with a huge smile on her face that reaches up to her eyes as Elijah couldn't keep holding back his laughter anymore, "Dude, what the hell was that little dance you were just doing? You looked like a chicken that had lost its head, and we thought you would be anxiously checking and rechecking your project when we called you. Tsk Tsk Tsk, and you were just having a mini dance party and not inviting your two closest friends, how cruel."

Oliver blushed a deeper red at the comment as Isabella watched him struggle to pick up his phone and get it situated against something for them all to see each other better, her smile softening as she responded, "Yeah Oxy just so cruel, I was hoping to talk with you both about something very important but if you're too busy then I can try some other time. Also the club members were wondering if I could get a small interview from Albern Middle's two geniuses, but maybe I should just tell them one loves to dance alone in his room at 2 in the morning."

Oliver had a worried look on his face wondering what Isabella wanted to talk with them about because she is usually very open about everything, but before he could say anything Elijah teasingly spoke first."Yeah of course you can tell us anything, and from what I saw you seemed to enjoy the front row seats to the show, Izzy.

"What do you mean, I just found the dancing to be hypnotic like when you see something horrible and you just can't look away from it." She retorted jokingly, trying to hide the slight reddening of her cheeks with her hands.

"Mhm whatever you say, but you should totally mention the dancing in the paper, Boy Wonder: Dance Machine." Elijah laughs wildly, tears welling up in his eyes.

Oliver's face is a bright red at his friends teasing as he tried to look away so they couldn't see, while Isabella did her best not to burst out laughing when he asks, "If I give you both a turn with my new voice manipulator, can we please never speak about this ever again? No one was supposed to see that, but I was too distracted by the news I just got that I was overcome with emotion and dropped my phone, unknowingly answering your call."

Isabella was so focused on the good news that Oliver seemed to have gotten that she ignored everything else as her face brightened causing her to blurt out, "Oxy, you finally got the email from Rancin?! Wait, you did get it, right!!? Crap I hope I wasn't too loud.

Elijah laughed as he had a mischievous look on his face, "You can't take it back Oliver, I have had multiple plans for that device since the moment you told us about it, and did you actually get in? We both watched you work tirelessly into the night hoping to get into the program, Congratulations!

Oliver nodded happily watching his two closest friends celebrate like they were the ones who got in, which always made him smile. Sometimes he wondered what his life would be like if he hadn't met the two of them, because they always supported him, never let him get too full of himself, and from time to time would drag him out of the house to make sure he never fully lost himself in his work. "I had gotten the email a few moments before you two called me, and I was going to let you know but it was already so late and I figured you both were already sleeping. I was going to tell you when I saw you both at the festival. Before we go into that you said you wanted to talk about something big, what was it Belle? I am very curious."

She looked at him softly, her eyes screaming out a thousand words but she kept her calm and said, "Don't worry about that, I can talk with you both about it tomorrow after the festival. Your thing is much more important, I swear."

Oliver had a terrible feeling and was about to fight her on that but Isabella pouted playfully, feigning hurt, but was genuinely hurt that she wasn't the first person he called the moment he got the email and did her best to push down those feelings as she said, "Ox, you know that you can call us at any time and we will answer no matter what, especially for something this big, I can't believe you were going to hold out on us like that. I think you must bring me a chocolate croissant tomorrow to make up for this betrayal of our trust."

Elijah nodded in agreement with a devilish smirk stretched across his face, "Yeah, I woke up an hour ago and was studying film on the team we face this weekend, so no matter what time or place you can call us whenever you need us and we will be there. Also, I will be expecting two glazed doughnuts or else my hate will burn for an eternity."

Oliver looked at them shaking his head smiling softly, "Yay me, I don't know what I did to deserve you two. Fine, I will bring your snacks in tomorrow before I go in and get set up. I will need a pick-me-up anyways, and I know I can always count on you both. How about for now we watch the video they sent me for getting into the program? It's the first ever ad for Rancin City and the company from what the title says." 

They both have victorious smiles on their faces which makes Oliver laugh as Elijah says, "Fine we forgive you. Send me the link and I will set it up for us."

Oliver sends the link to Elijah who calls them from the online group chat and shares his screen so they can watch it together from their computers when Isabella's father walks in to talk with her as she mutes her mic. The boys watch as her elated face starts to grow darker until eventually she comes back on and gives them a halfhearted smile which Oliver immediately notices isn't real. "Belle, is everything okay? What was that about? Does it have…"

She closes her eyes forcing a bigger smile which pains Oliver as she replies, "Oh, it's nothing to worry about. Let's get into the video, because I have to go soon." Words ran across the tip of his tongue for a few seconds, and he had a feeling like she could read his mind which was something he always felt she could do, Elijah pressed play and they turned their focus to the video. They watch as a sharp dressed man in a navy blue fitted suit, peppered hair slicked back, and a 3D model of Rancin City, their eyes glued to their screens.

The man was Everett Rancore, the man who started Rancin Dynamics and the genius and forefather behind the technological marvel of Rancin City. He was sitting at the edge of the map with a stoic expression on his face, and a second later it softened as he opened his mouth, " Welcome to Rancin City! Welcome to the world of tomorrow, and welcome to the first steps towards the rest of your lives. Hello, my name is Everett Rancore and I am the person in charge of this world changing project. In our beautiful and ever changing cityscape, it will be like your favorite science fiction novels come to life. It will be a place full of wonder, different types of robots, flying cars, holographic communication for everyone, and so much more than you could ever imagine. My family has spent decades working perilously on the idea of the company and the layout of the city, and I'm sure some time in the future when it's all said and done, they will be proud of what we have created. Life is all about progression, moving forward never backwards, and changing lives for the better. That is my philosophy and the philosophy of our company, because without progression and adaptation we would still be living in caves and hunting for food. I just hope those who find themselves inside my company will keep that same ideal in mind, and keep pushing humanity forward. Good luck to all who cross the threshold of creativity because it's a long and arduous journey and sometimes you will fail, but that is okay as long as you get back up and charge forward. Rancin Dynamics, Rancin City the hope for tomorrow."

Isabella smiles at him softly, "Hey Oxy, I am very proud of you for getting this opportunity. Please don't forget us when you get rich and famous as a world class inventor or a world champion, okay?"

Elijah laughs to himself as he watches his two closest friends, "Haha. I feel the exact same way as Belle, but you better not get a big head over there because your brain is already big enough. Any bigger and you might develop superpowers, and you both know that's my number one dream. Regardless, I hope you know how proud of you we both are."

Oliver looks at them with a warm feeling filling his heart, "Thank you both, and I could never forget either of you no matter how much time passes or wherever my life takes me, because you are both way too important to me. Eli you are already too good at basketball, that along with superpowers would just be overkill. Even if I get a big head, I know at least Belle will kick me back down to reality, right?"

He looks at her hoping to see a smile or hear her laugh, but she just has the same somber expression she wore after speaking to her father. He was about to text her privately to ask if she was okay, but a sudden and slightly muffled cheerful shriek coming from the basement of his house caught him and the others by surprise. He presses the intercom button next to his desk on the wall and he listens in on his parents yelling, "YESS! WE DID IT!"

Elijah looks at him with a smile on his face listening in on them as he watches Oliver's face brighten up and laughs, "I guess those two weren't asleep after all. I should probably go down there and check what all that noise is about, even if they get mad at me for still being up so late."

Isabella looks at Oliver wanting to say something, but Elijah beats her to it, "Yeah, you should probably go and check it out, it sounded serious. I should probably go already, I have some things to take care of before practice today, but you should definitely text me about whatever it was.."

She smiles softly at Oliver who notices something underneath it, but she pushes it down and waves at the guys, "Have a good night or early morning Eli. Oxy, he's not wrong whenever your parents sound like that it's usually about something huge, so keep us updated. I have to go anyway, Goodnight, Oliver. Maybe tomorrow during breakfast we can talk about the stuff for the paper and the other things.

He looks at the both of them, "Oh yeah that's fine we can do that, and goodnight Eli. They are a pretty tough school, so get some rest and you better win. I will let you both know what I find out before I head to sleep, I still can't actually believe I got into the program. You better get some rest too, Goodnight Isabella." 

They congratulate him one more time as Elijah smiles and hangs up the phone, and before Oliver can say something to bring the smile back to Isabella, she gives him a soft wave that seemed different than normal as she hung up. He sat there staring at the black screen, a somber expression creeping up slowly, but the muffled sounds from down below rip him away from his emotions as he darts out of the room. He quietly and quickly makes his way through the house while doing his best to push down his excitement, but the nerves are starting to make their way in. Eventually he reaches the back door and takes a second or two to collect himself before putting on his shoes, grabbing a flashlight, and finally opening the door and making his way out. 

He looked up at the night sky feeling the raindrops splashing against the lenses of his glasses, a smile creeping along his lips as he shakes his head lightly and reaches back inside to grab a raincoat as the rain starts to pick up. He cups his hands together, letting it pool up and spreads his fingers a bit to let it drain as he laughs to himself, 'I really do love the rain, but absolutely hate the thunder. Isabella does too, maybe I should make her…stop, if she wanted to talk about it she would.'

He takes one last look at the sky, feeling the cool refreshing water slide down his face as he sighs softly and makes his way towards the underground lab on the side of his house. The rumblings of the thunder and the heavy rain are drowning out his muddy steps as the sound of his parents' celebration is getting louder. Oliver looks at the cellar doors in front of him and grabs the handle softly lifting it enough for him to barely squeeze through. With each step he takes down the stairs their voices are starting to get clearer, and before he realizes it he's standing at the lab doors. He takes a deep breath listening to them as he decides to peek his head inside. "Woah, what the..."

He notices the white overhead lights are on and his parents are hugging in the middle of two separate metallic rust coated machines both housing swirling bluish, black orbs. "Emmy, we finally cracked it!! We actually did it! I still can't believe we developed a small-scale version of teleportation!! a decade of work and we finally cracked it! I-I can't wait to show Ollie, but I know he needs rest for the festival tomorrow. For now we should turn it off so we can record the data, because that thunder is really worrying me."

His parents make their way over to the set of computers next to the machines to start powering them down, but the sudden realization of what they created sparks the curiosity of Oliver as his body starts moving on its own. He makes it past the first set of tables with random tools, materials, wires, and unfinished projects, but his foot accidentally clips the second one causing a large wrench to fall off and drop with a heavy thud in the eerily quiet lab. "I'm sorry."

A split second after the wrench fell a lightning strike hit the antenna on the roof and caused a massive influx of power into the two machines housing the orbs. His parents have worried looks on their eyes as they turn around quickly, and before they could say anything the machines overload and explode, engulfing the both of them in a bright white light. The shockwave brings down part of the ceiling and the force slams Oliver into the back wall with enough power to bring some debris from his impact down onto him, and then everything goes black.

--- Half an hour Later

The aftermath of the explosion was limited to the underground lab and some of the first floor of the house, but neither of the neighbors' houses were affected.Firemen, Policemen, and EMT's are scavenging the wreckage looking for anyone alive or anything that could help them figure out what happened. A blockade was erected cutting off neighbors, the news reporters, or anyone that could get hurt all around the house. 

Elijah and his parents are standing at the very edge of the blockade with tears streaming down their faces, watching parts of the house fall to the ground. He's trying everything in his power to break free from their grasp and check on his best-friend and his family, but they are holding onto him tightly whispering to him in cracked words, "Eli sweetie, don't worry. They haven't brought anyone out yet, so there's a good chance they are sitting inside getting medical attention. Just give them time, okay."

"It's not fair Mom, I…I just need to make sure…Something…wonderful happened to him today, now this…it's just…just not fair…" Elijah was barely able to choke out these words, his voice quivering.

Oliver slowly started to stir underneath the rubble as he tried to open his eyes, but they were heavier than he could ever remember them being. The muffled distant sounds of men and women chatting and rummaging around him slowly started to creep closer causing him to dig deep and try harder to move, but the sudden movements sent a guttural scream to escape his lips. The scream lasted for a few seconds, before sending him into a coughing fit which had put him in even more pain as the pieces of debris started to slide off of his back. A few nearby first responders heard his screaming and coughing which brought their attention to the moving debris. "We got a survivor!! Get the EMT's down here, HURRY!"

A few more men rush over carrying the stretcher as the others are moving the pieces around Oliver until he is fully visible, covered in scrapes, bruising, and dust from the debris. One of the firefighters kneels next to him wiping some of the debris off of him as he slowly slides his arms underneath his legs and neck, talking in a smooth voice to try and keep Oliver from freaking out. He places Oliver on the stretcher behind him, softly strapping him down to keep him from hurting himself as he gradually opens his eyes taking in the scene around him. The lab he grew up in and shared so many memories with his parents and friends is in shambles, and the wall directly behind him was caved in but the worst part of it all is the last place he saw his parents was replaced with nothing but a massive black scorch mark. "MOOOOM!! DAAAAAD!!"

The EMT's are doing their best to console him, but nothing is helping so they just strap him down a little more to make sure he can't harm himself or anyone around him. Everything flooding his mind became too much for Oliver that he passed out on the way to the ambulance.

Elijah and Isabella watch as their best friend is carted away, passed out on the stretcher dropping to their knees and holding onto each other crying, as their parents are standing behind them just as emotional, but doing their best to stand strong. "Oliver…!!!"

~~ 3 Days Later, Harrington Hospital

It's been a few days since the accident and nurses have been checking in on him periodically as everything seems to be going well or as well as it can be. Oliver slowly started to open his eyes and it was blurry at first, but when his vision started to clear up, all he could see around him was white with the only color in the room being the dark blue chair seated next to him. Every breath felt heavy like an elephant was sitting on his chest, and as his mind began to wander he realized he was lying in a hospital room which made the memory flood back into him. Tears started to build up as the images of the destroyed lab, the scorch marks, and the immense pain he was still in danced around in his mind. Feelings of loss, pain, and loneliness start eating at him devouring his mind and heart until something snaps from all the pressure. His bright dark blue eyes, once full of hope and wonder become cold, dark, and distant as the light slowly fades from them and his light brown hair now has streaks of ash white. "I did this!! I killed them!! I-I should've stayed in bed…I should've stayed in my room…I should've done something. I should be the one--"

Moments go by and the words are getting quieter and quieter until the only sound in the room is his breathing and the machine beeping next to him. His mind and body still tired from everything that happened he decides it's best to try and get some more rest, but when he is about to, a sudden jostle of the doorknob wakes him up. A doctor walks in and over to Oliver checking the information on the clipboard with a calm smile, but it slowly fades as he looks into his lifeless eyes. "Y-You're finally awake, Mr. Watson. We have had people checking in on you, but it's nice to finally see you awake. You had us worried there for a bit. All in all you're in pretty good health, nothing broken but you do have some heavy bruising on your back, ribs, and chest so if you wouldn't mind we would like to keep you under observation for a few more days. With everything that's happened we have a lot to discuss but that can be for another day, and your uncle told us he will be taking care of the finances so just lay back and let your body heal."

"Uncle? I don't have one." Oliver says in a monotone voice, not looking at the doctor or making any sudden movements, causing the doctor to look at him worriedly.

The doctor places his warm hand on Oliver's shoulder hoping to comfort the young boy, but before he could speak the door opened. A man with a black suit, gray slick back hair, and a black cane walks into the room looking at Oliver like a hungry fox. "My boy, it's Uncle Cal. Don't worry doc, I will stay with him here and make sure he understands what's going on. I feel like it would all be easier coming from family."

The sharp dressed gentleman gently nudges the doctor out of the room as he gives Oliver a fox-like smile walking back over to him. Oliver looks at him intently before sighing softly and laying back down on the bed. The man pulls the chair out of the way and stands next to Oliver, "My name is Calvin Alexander, and I am an old friend of your fathers or better to say I am his older brother. We used to be close as thieves but a lot happened between us, so when I got the call about the accident I knew I needed to make good on my promise to him. It's a real shame what happened to him and your mother and I don't think there is anyone more shaken up about it then the two of us. I have some men back at your place renovating everything, so just relax and rest up and by the time you're out of here it will be perfectly new. I am not a savior, an idiot, or a charity worker, so in exchange I have a proposition for ya, Oliver. Work for me until you're old enough to make a living for yourself or you can starve on the streets until your last breath, your choice kid. I did my part, but in life sometimes you need to get your hands dirty and take control, so what do ya think?"

Oliver stares at the man coldly, "I won't have a home to go back to if I decline, so my options are pretty clear."

Oliver sighs as he looks at the ceiling and tries to take a deep breath but starts coughing wildly. Mr. Alexander has a somber look on his face which is gone in an instant as he laughs loudly and smacks the bed causing Oliver to have an annoyed expression on his face, "Look at ya trying to be serious. Kid, you are far too young to be this serious, you know. You have 24 hours to give me an actual answer so when you're ready, call. Here's my card."

Oliver turns his head and looks at the man grabbing the card and rubbing his thumb along the black card with only a number on it in white as Mr. Alexander makes his way over to the door, and in a monotone voice asks, "Who are you, Mr. Alexander? What will you have me doing?"

The man turns around with a massive white smile and looks him deep in the eyes as he knocks on the window 3 times to grab the doctor's attention. "Oh, I am an underground robotics promoter of the Chicago branch. You will help me with anything and everything I need you to do and hopefully I can have you in the same position as your father, but if not you can just help me with some odds and ends on my part. Well, good luck kid, and I hope to get your call sooner rather than later. If you are anything like your father, we should have loads of fun. See ya around, boy wonder."