Log Amanda and Ana --- Year: 2025
Amanda Gonzales had been through hell and back. After the chaos of the civil wars in America, she’d had enough. Militia groups were running wild, ransacking homes and killing anyone in their way. Her husband died in a drive-by shooting, and her daughter Ana, just 8 at the time, lost an arm and a leg when their car flipped. Amanda couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed what little they had and fled to Asia, hoping to find peace.
With a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, Amanda managed to land a job at a small company called EvoTech. It wasn’t much at the time, but she saw potential in their work on exoskeletons. Over the next seven years, she threw herself into her job, helping develop cutting-edge designs that could change lives. EvoTech, in return, took care of her and Ana. The CEO, a kind and understanding man, even made sure Ana got a new exo-arm and leg, letting her run, play, and be a kid again.
By the time Ana turned 15 and started high school, the world had fully embraced the utility of exoskeletons. Amanda’s work at EvoTech had become a cornerstone of modern living. The company’s designs were so reliable and efficient that exoskeletons were now an everyday part of society. EvoTech, under Amanda’s guidance and the compassionate leadership of its CEO, had even developed programs to provide exoskeletons to those in need, ensuring accessibility to the less fortunate.
However, burglaries, street attacks, and even organized crime started involving these powerful tools, leaving authorities struggling to keep up. In response, EvoTech restricted the sale of suits, limiting their use to essential tasks and vetted buyers. While this approach reduced the suits' misuse, it also took a toll on profits.
To regain footing, EvoTech partnered with the government and law enforcement to develop specialized exosuits for quick-response teams. These suits, still in the prototype stage, aimed to give police an edge in handling rising crime. The initiative was spearheaded by EvoTech’s CEO, a visionary leader dedicated to balancing innovation with public safety.
Meanwhile, Ana navigated her high school life, aware of her mother’s critical role in shaping the exosuit industry. But her school days were far from ordinary. The growing prevalence of exosuits created a new dynamic among teenagers—some used them for competition, others for intimidation, and a few for far more dangerous activities. It was a time of rapid change, where technology outpaced regulation, and everyone felt its impact.
This turbulent backdrop set the stage for the tragic event that would forever change Ana’s life. Teenagers at her school, in their reckless pursuit of power, would cross paths with EvoTech’s CEO and tried to rob the him. They didn’t realize their strength and ended up killing him by accident. Ana witnessed it all. The teens ran, but Ana chased them down, determined to bring them to the police. When the cops arrived, they didn’t believe Ana’s story. They grouped her in with the thieves just because she had "enhancements". Even after she was proven innocent, the police confiscated her arm and leg “just to be safe.” Amanda was furious. She argued with the officers, saying she worked for EvoTech and had designed those limbs herself. But the police wouldn’t budge. With crime rising, they didn’t want to take any chances.
EvoTech was no longer the company Amanda had helped build. After the CEO’s death, sales dried up, and the government cracked down hard on exosuits. They banned public use, and EvoTech’s profits plummeted. Amanda’s pay was cut so many times she could barely afford food. She and Ana were struggling, and no matter how hard Amanda worked, it never felt like enough. Ana, now 19, was trying to stay strong, but it was tough. Without her exo-limbs, she was stuck at home most days, and the stigma of her past followed her everywhere. The frustration in her eyes broke Amanda’s heart.
Joining the Rebellion
One day, Amanda overheard whispers about the rebellion. They were a growing group fighting back against the government’s restrictions on exosuits. They promised supplies, safety, and access to tech for anyone who joined them. At first, Amanda dismissed the idea. She didn’t want to get involved in violence. But things got worse. One night, after another unpaid shift, Amanda came home to find Ana crying quietly in the corner. The fridge was empty, and their bills were piling up. That was the breaking point.
Amanda didn’t see any other choice. She reached out to the rebellion, and they welcomed her with open arms. As one of EvoTech’s original engineers, she was a valuable asset. Ana was fitted with new exo-limbs—not as advanced as her old ones but good enough.
Amanda started working on repairing and upgrading the rebellion’s exosuits. She didn’t love the idea of fighting, but at least now they had food on the table, a roof over their heads, and a way to survive. She knew they were stepping into dangerous territory. But after everything they’d been through, Amanda wasn’t going to let anything else tear her family apart.
