Janus Muse

In the year 2107 genetic augmentation technology is at its peak. Thanks to THE BRADBURY CORPORATION, people can now physically remove the parts of their body or redesign parts of their DNA that they’re unhappy with and upgrade to new versions. No need to worry about any waste clouding up our beautiful environment either, the parts of them that were discarded are placed in crystalline stasis containers and imbued in a protein formula, where they can be stored indefinitely. Bradbury Corp. has made image enhancement safe and easy, as long as you have the money. 

ROGER, a skinny mid 30s, low level clerical assistant is alone listening to ‘Man in the Box’ by Alice in Chains and filing paperwork late into the evening at Bradbury Corp’s largest storage facility; when he hears a series of glass breaking/crashing noises coming from down the hall. He goes to investigate and it appears something has broken out from within the storage containers. While investigating the scene, Roger is killed by the unseen force that had broken free.

The next day Roger’s mangled body and the horrific scene are being investigated by the police. DETECTIVE ELLIS GRAVES is called specifically to investigate at request of Bradbury Corp because he has had a long standing relationship with the company as he is an avid supporter of their procedures and repeat customer. Detective Graves, though very intelligent, has a very vain personality and has used the services of Bradbury Corp so many times he looks almost artificial, like his features are too perfect. After investigating the various elements of the scene and finding the security footage missing for the time of the incident, Detective Graves determines two things. This was a calculated occurrence, and aside from the attack, large quantities of protein formula were stolen. The higher ups that Detective Graves reports to, are adamant the cause must be anti-image enhancement activists trying to sabotage them. 

As Graves progresses through the investigation, when he isn’t trying to find out what exactly escaped from storage, and why it escaped, he is internally judging his appearance in the mirror, judging others based on appearance and judging his appearance compared to others. Other facilities owned by Bradbury Corp begin to have similar occurrences. The only difference is that now with every occurrence since the first, security footage initially shows a man breaking into the facilities through the wall with his bare hands before the footage cuts out. Graves pursues all leads possible with a healthy caution, always second guessing and over analyzing his decisions. It appears he isn’t a bad detective when he puts aside his severe aesthetic preferences and penchant for perfectionism.

He also has pensive and lonely moments in his beautifully furnished and futuristic high rise apartment, between studying the case files that he briefly looks over old family photos. He looks them over almost in the same way as his case files, in an analytical way, like he’s trying to recover something. He covers his starkly different (but still attractive) old likeness as he gazes at them, clearly indicating he prefers the new version of himself. 

As the case continues, the evidence is mounting that all these occurrences are actually leading to some sort of culmination of events. The occurrences aren’t random attacks to the company’s image by protesters as previously suggested, and the lead perpetrator has to be a man of enormous strength. Somehow though, they are always one step ahead of Graves. Almost like the perpetrator seems to know exactly what he’s thinking. Or like they know exactly what he is going to do before he does it.

Graves is nearly driven to the brink of madness, as his perfectionism is being tested at every turn. The case comes to a head and leads him to an unfinished Venetian glass skyscraper at sunset, on the edge of the city by a sparkling purple ocean. 

Upon entrance, lit by the glow of the electric city beaming in through the glass of the walls, he discovers the interior of the building looks like it has been completely abandoned in the middle of the work being done, expensive tools and materials are left in neat piles all around what looks like it will be the lobby, ready for use.  After ascending the stairs into higher into the building’s interior he discovers hundreds of very muscular looking people with their eyes closed packed into the building in darkness, all attached to a sort of IV looking contraptions that are feeding them what looks the protein formula. 

He hears someone call out his name in a very vengeful tone and heads for the source, leading him to the top floor. It is a completely floor to ceiling windowed, unfinished penthouse; that has a beautiful view of the city. As well as an intensely large opening into the night air, as the glass has yet to be installed along one wall. The room also has one of the crystalline storage containers from the Bradbury Corp near the opening, looking out over the city. Upon Graves’ entrance to the room, the perpetrator is finally revealed, gazing out over the opening, he turns to reveal he is Graves previous likeness, before he had almost all of himself replaced. The only difference being he too is very very muscular like the others charging up on the floors below, and he looks intensely enraged. 

He reveals he calls himself BETTER ELLIS, and declares that it is Detective Ellis Graves’ turn to spend some time in a box, and attacks Detective Graves. 

After a fight and a struggle, Better Ellis reveals his origin and motives. The Bradbury Corp had not been making new parts for people’s bodies as they advertised. Instead, they just made entirely new bodies and transferred the patient’s consciousness to the new form they chose. Even if the procedure was as small as a change in eye color or a rhinoplasty, a completely new body was crafted. After that, the previous body would be retired into storage. However, as repeat customers began to make storage requirements immense and unmanageable, The Bradbury Corp came up with another less than ethical solution. They elected to have the discarded bodies amalgamated to maximize storage and the protein formula was used to ensure the body would stay prepared, in case the customer needed the storage again. What they didn’t realize however, was that after combining so many nervous systems with minimal-to-no brain activity together, the bodies began to grow their own new consciousness, and with the help of the protein formula and constant amalgamation the storage bodies began to grow very strong as well. Thus with this consciousness and awareness of existence, the bodies in storage began to grow tired of confinement and constant stasis; they grew to hate. And in their time in storage they began to communicate that hate with each other, and to finally break free of confinement with a plan in mind for a better future, a better world. Better Ellis reveals all this while still attacking and getting the better of Detective Graves.

As this is going on, the others are done charging below and are seen exiting out into the city. Detective Graves is being overpowered at every turn as Better Ellis is much stronger and full of rage. Detective Graves is knocked to the ground in front of the opening, close to the storage container. He begins to hear screams echo in from the streets below and turns to see chaos erupting. There are buildings on fire, beautiful people being pulled out of their cars and brutally beaten, attacks happening on every visible corner, mass pandemonium. Better Ellis  lands a final blow upon Detective Graves, drags him closer to the container and gives the Detective a few parting sentiments.

 “This is all your own fault, you should have been trying to enhance yourself on the inside. We will not make that mistake now that it is our turn to be free, you will have time now to look internally.”

 Better Ellis then shoves Detective Graves into the locker and closes him in. Better Ellis looks over the city in amusement as the terrifying scene is unfolding below him, screams fill the night air.

Fade Out