Remainers

Lost Mementos of the Past, Part 1

Caleb bent his head back and took in the last drops of water still present in his canteen. The warm spring sun beat down on him harder than usual today, and he could feel the sweat drip down his forehead as the last bit of water fell into his mouth. That was his last canteen, and he would have to find more water soon if he didn't want to face dehydration.

He wasn't all that worried, though. In the distance, he could already see a relay tower in the distance, one that was sure to have plenty of water in supply. After all, even remainers found uses for potable water, whether it be for cleaning or for creating various solutions necessary for scientific research. They could easily spare the water needed to refill his canteens.

As luck would have it, this was also his and Hope's destination, meaning that their long journey would not last much longer either way. Even Hope's eyes seemed to light up at the chance to get some rest and maybe even clean off the grime and muck. They had been traveling for nearly a month, and even she was so exhausted by the constant travel that she would bear a meeting with Computer if it meant she could get a chance to stay off her feet for a bit.

Thankfully, they wouldn't have to do that. They'd already had their mission lined up already, with the relay point serving more as a rendezvous point for them to meet with their partners for this particular job. As they approached the tower, they noticed the two they were supposed to meet standing outside waiting for them.

When they got closer, one of the remainers, an athletic-looking Asian man, waved energetically at them. "There you are! Thought you weren't gonna make it."

"It's been a pretty long journey for us," Caleb replied as he walked up to the two of them and shook their hands. "We pretty much crossed half the country to get here, after all."

"Sheesh!" the other remainer exclaimed in surprise. He was a blonde man with an impressive physique, and he was surrounded by a variety of cases and boxes. "You sure pushed yourself pretty hard if you managed to get here in less than a month."

"Sure did," Hope groaned as she walked past them into the relay tower. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to wash off before we head off to our actual job location."

"She's in a rush," the first remainer grinned. "In any case, my name's Kai, as you already know, and this is my partner Sean."

"Caleb," Caleb replied. "She's Hope. Sorry, but could we wait a bit before we head out? I need to resupply."

"No need to hurry," Kai replied. "We've got plenty of time, after all."

Caleb nodded and quickly headed into the relay tower. He didn't want to keep them waiting, especially when they had specifically asked for their help. He was certain that Hope felt the same way, which was why he didn't bother to remind her to hurry. Instead, he focused on stocking up on long-lasting food and filling his canteens with fresh water.

Once their preparations were finished, Caleb and Hope joined Kai and Sean outside. The two were staring off at the remains of a city in the distance, which happened to the site of their next job.

"Look at that," Kai said as he noticed Caleb and Hope approaching. "It used to be the biggest city in the country, you know."

"I never got to come here before the end, but I always wanted to visit," Sean remarked. "Guess this is fulfilling that wish, in a way."

Caleb looked out at the ruined landscape before him. It was a massive urban metropolis, bigger than any city ruin he had ever encountered before. The sight left him in awe, even though he had no idea what city he was even looking at.

"Do you know what this city was once called?" Kai asked Hope as she took a look at the sprawling city before them. "It was called New York City. It used to be one of the biggest hubs of human civilization. Now we're going to tear it down."