"I will make your body stronger, and it will become resistant to the diseases and viruses that you may encounter outside. Also, your bones will become much harder, and your sight and hearing will become sharper. Your memory will be stimulated and become stronger to remember everything that will happen outside, and you will not need to sleep for more than three hours, because it will be difficult for you to sleep outside for a long time. You will form a genetic bond with the super-suit so that you feel as if it is a part of your body, and some other simple additions. Now, will you allow me to do my work, as the time for departure is approaching?"

Akira was surprised by what he heard, but not very much. Genetic modification had been a staple of human life before the catastrophe, but what surprised him was that they had been able to preserve its data after the catastrophe. Akira said in a resigned tone, "Alright, do your work."

"Good. Now, lie down on the bed and let me do my work."

Akira lay down on the bed and saw the young man injecting him in his arm. After a short while, he felt his consciousness slipping away from him, and then he fell into a deep sleep.

Akira woke up after the disturbing dream that always haunted him in his sleep, about his helplessness as he saw his wife being killed and his children fleeing before his eyes. He slowly opened his eyes, and there was a bright light falling on them. Then the light disappeared to reveal a face staring at him and uttering phrases that did not reach his ears. He could not see it well. Then his consciousness gradually returned, and with it, his vision and hearing. He woke up to find Yousef looking at him with a sarcastic look. "Wake up, you lazybones. We're very late. It's time to go outside."

Akira felt the world spinning around him. He sat up and began to wipe his face and eyes until he began to regain his balance and his head stopped spinning. He stood up, saying in a weary tone, "How long have I been asleep?"

"Since yesterday. But that doesn't matter now. We have to go, the soldiers are getting ready for the mission."

Akira went to the bathroom and washed his face, then followed Yousef, who had left the room and gone downstairs to the square, where everyone stood in several rows, preparing to receive their suits from the large tent located east of the square. Night had fallen. Akira and Yousef slipped into the rows and waited for their turn. After a few minutes, they finally reached the tent, which was huge and very spacious. It was a giant weapons depot. They saw war machines and suits lined up in their places with some workers standing over them giving instructions. Some soldiers were entering the three-legged war machines; one leg at the front of the machine and two at the back, and a control base in the middle with an arsenal of weapons on top, ranging from rocket launchers to machine guns. Those who had undergone the operation had to wear the super-suit, many of which were standing in rows waiting for someone to control them. Some humans put them on and began to move out of the tent in rows. After a few minutes, it was Akira's turn. One of the workers directed him to his suit. He stood steadily inside the wide-open suit and raised his hand for the suit to close on his entire body, covering everything except his head. He began to move in it and felt that the movement was somewhat difficult, but he managed it and began to walk out of the tent behind his colleagues until he reached the rows of suits and war machines standing in the square. After a few minutes, Yousef followed him and stood behind him. The old general stood erect, waiting for everyone to come out. After the preparations were finished a few minutes later, everyone stood in silence and stillness. The moonlight filtered from behind the clouds to cast its light on them, and the sun was about to rise.

The old general roared in a hoarse voice, "O great soldiers who accept to face the unknown and the terror of the machines, for the sake of humanity, for its survival, and for a bright future to reclaim our great planet from the clutches of the killer machines. And we will not stop there, but we will reclaim every inch they have taken from us. But we will start now by reclaiming some land to advance again, and to have the necessary energy to move Atlantis and create a bright future for its people, and to create many new war tools to eliminate the damned tin cans."

Some soldiers laughed at the general's joke, but Yousef didn't find it very amusing. The general continued with the same inexhaustible enthusiasm, "And we will not stop here. We will continue until history remembers us as the saviors of the world from the clutches of evil, and from the control of the machines that do not reason and do not listen, but kill without mercy or respite. Your mission is to reclaim a distance of one hundred kilometers to the east until we get closer to the land of New Cairo. And there, we do not know what we may find. But this is our land, and it will surely help us in our mission in some way to eliminate evil. I am confident that God will protect us. And now, you will find the details of the mission with the squad leader."

The old man was silent for a moment to catch his breath, then continued shouting to encourage the soldiers, "Are you ready?!"

The soldiers cheered in one voice, "Yes!"

"Who will crush the machines and return them to their original place?"

"The protectors of Atlantis!"

"Now, move out!"

The army began to move in regular rows, one after another, heading for the exit gate to the east, cutting through the streets of New Atlantis, amidst the dark skyscrapers due to the lack of electricity. The sounds of their footsteps shook the city and woke people from their slumber. Passersby stood on the sidewalks, watching them with amazement and whispering among themselves with a smile of hope.

The sun began to rise, casting some red rays that filtered from between the clouds to fall on the buildings with blue windows, and on the soldiers who were marching and cheering with slogans about the greatness of Atlantis and its army, about God's guidance for them, and about the victories that would be achieved during this mission. The darkness of the night cleared, and the refreshing scent of the morning spread throughout the city. Akira saw the white tower extending to the sky—located in the east of New Cairo—rising on the horizon. And of course, he knew, as everyone knew, that this was one of the four towers that supplied the dome with the necessary energy to keep it stable and effective at all times.

Everyone began to head to the streets to watch their army, which would sacrifice their lives for their survival and to secure a bright future for them. Many boys, women, old people, and young men began to cheer and praise the soldiers, throwing a shower of roses and sweet, encouraging words at them. Akira contemplated the scene with a mixture of excitement, awe, and happiness. He felt that every part of his body was eager to meet the machines and crush them completely, without mercy, to extinguish the fire of hatred and revenge in his heart. As he walked among the soldiers, he heard some people whispering. He caught some of the words, while others did not reach his ears: "My friend... but with these new and wonderful suits they are wearing, which I heard... do you think they will return, or will they end up like those before them?"

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