A familiar alarm rang out.
Hope slowly opened his eyes, waking from a deep sleep as the Medical Pod's lid opened automatically.
He coughed lightly twice, clearing the remaining fluid from his lungs.
As he coughed, traces of fear and confusion lingered in his eyes.
The scenes of raging wind and rain he had seen in the square yesterday were still vivid in his mind.
Even his dreams last night had been filled with those towering waves.
He struggled out of the Medical Pod, cleaned himself up a little, then flopped onto the large bed beside it.
Then he closed his eyes again, rolled over, and called out, "Miller, turn off the alarm!"
Miller was his mother's name, as well as the name of his personal Home Intelligent Butler.
The moment the alarm stopped, a Holographic Projection automatically appeared at the head of his bed.
An Electronic Synthesized Voice came from the nearby speaker. "Mr. Hope, Mr. Hansent has sent a communication request."
Every time he heard the Electronic Synthesized Voice, Hope felt a pang of regret.
What a shame.
The Academy of Sciences prohibited the use of real people's voices for personal home butlers.
"Decline it." Hope yawned, then closed his heavy eyelids. "Tell him I'm too tired."
"Understood. Message sent."
Silence returned to the room.
In his drowsy haze, Hope felt himself slipping back into sleep.
This time, he watched helplessly as floodwaters overtopped the levees and submerged all of City One.
But...
What was that banging in the background?
"Mr. Hope, Hansent is knocking at the door."
The stiff Electronic Synthesized Voice sounded again, pulling him out of his dream.
"Goddammit... didn't I tell him I wanted to sleep?!" Anger welled up in Hope after being disturbed repeatedly, and he forced himself upright in bed. "Miller, bring