Federico De Angeli - The Fallen Innovator
Background
Federico De Angeli is the "antagonist" of the story. He is a 35-year-old man, born in Napoli on February 15, 2072, both a scientist and an innovative negotiator. He spent his entire childhood in Napoli and devoted most of his summers to exploring the mountains surrounding the bay, especially the Vesuvius volcano located to the north. He loved venturing into the mountains to enjoy nature, listen to the songs of birds, but especially to have a breathtaking view of the entire bay and the sea. He also liked to greet the sailboats sailing on the horizon by waving flags.
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Travel and transportation have always fascinated him, although he has never left his Italian region. His parents, who were not rich, led a fairly ordinary life. However, everything changed the day his father lost his job, leading to a misplaced loss of pride. Already naturally angry, he always had difficulty keeping his composure. Over the weeks, Federico's mother found herself with more and more bruises on her skin; she had increasing difficulty standing and working at Gemelli Hospital. Despite her job as a nurse and operating room assistant, she could neither seek medical help nor talk to anyone about it. She had to stay strong!
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One afternoon, while Federico was still out and about, a dull noise echoed at the De Angeli's, followed by a long silence. A silence so long and oppressive that Federico's father froze and became paralyzed. Upon his return from his expedition, Federico found his mother lying on the floor, motionless, just like his father, who had a vacant and confused look. Neighbors, having seen the scene from the street, rushed to take the child with them to protect him from this horrible sight.
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In an instant, the matter was resolved. Federico's father had "accidentally" killed his wife. He was banished and incarcerated. He sent letters to Federico, but the latter did not open them. Even today, he receives them daily, but to no avail.
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At the age of 16, during this incident, Federico underwent a profound change and took a new direction. He was afraid of men; he despised them. Moreover, his erroneous vision of masculinity inherited from his father faded away to make room for the typical "Knight with a good heart" character. He felt responsible for his mother's death, and it was out of the question for another woman to be harmed in his presence.
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In the end, he built a shell, an image based on hatred and resentment, which allowed him to remain constantly motivated and determined to achieve his goals. Nothing could shake him: he would become a charismatic and powerful man, a renowned researcher, and an iconic figure in the city.
Success and Decline
Federico pursued studies in economics, communication, and engineering sciences in the United States, thanks to a merit scholarship he obtained following one of his high school research projects. This research focused on a prototype that foreshadowed what is now known as the Zero Gravity Transporter. Subsequently, he proved himself in the Italian market and worked abroad for a few years, notably in Asia, where he gained valuable knowledge about space and teleportation systems.
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For someone who had never traveled, it was a beautiful revenge on life. In parallel, during a night out with friends on Via Veneto in 2095, he first met Katrina on one of the rooftops. She was painting the glass facade of a restaurant. It must have been around midnight; she could hardly see anything, but there she was, captivating and passionate, delivering regular and precise brushstrokes. She highlighted both the glass facade of the restaurant and the composition of the painting itself.
Federico immediately recognized the very Impressionist style of her mural, a kind of reinterpretation of Monet. He was an art enthusiast, especially of French artists like the latter. Usually rather taciturn, Federico awkwardly approached and started the conversation by complimenting her art. Shyly, she didn't know what to say and stammered a few words. They spent the evening talking and getting to know each other, unaware of the passing time.
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After that night, they called each other every day, each traveling from one country to another, unable to settle properly. Indeed, Katrina was both a traveling artist and responsible for the communication of a robotics company, while Federico often went on business trips to sell his ideas and conclude contracts. Eventually, they made it a point to pursue what they really wanted. They agreed. And it was clear, they would settle in Napoli.
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Thus, after two years of long-distance relationship and mutual efforts, they could finally settle and fully enjoy each other. They founded the company Mente Scope with the goal of becoming a leader in the transportation market. Katrina was ready to do anything to help Federico achieve his goals. She rarely sought the limelight, but thanks to her, the company quickly gained momentum in the bay of Napoli. There was an obvious chemistry between these two people. Federico finally felt at home... His numerous trips fascinated him, excited him, but he began to feel the discomfort of the infinite... By meeting this woman with a big heart, he felt like he had found his way home.
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From this union was born the famous company Mente Scope in 2098. Extremely organized and possessing unparalleled rigor, Federico propelled the company to the top of the market, making it a major player in the bay of Napoli. In 2100, and then in 2102, with the announcement and installation of the first Hemantic Portal, the company broke all records. The people of Napoli were in turmoil, and politicians supported Katrina and Federico.
Both became full members of society. Unfortunately, this success weighed heavily on the development team and significantly affected Katrina's health. Being naturally fragile, all this pressure made her even more vulnerable, and she withdrew from the media between 2103 and 2105, the year of their marriage, which obviously did not go unnoticed.
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Since 2102, Federico had not encountered any major problems; everything seemed to be smiling at him: the Hemantic Portals, business at Isola Festival, the construction of Paradiso Serafino, and the expansion of his company throughout Italy. However, his impatience in case of unforeseen events could backfire. And this was confirmed in 2106 when Katrina began to show the first symptoms of a serious illness. For now, this disease was incurable, and even the Gemelli Hospital did not know how to treat it.
Present and Futur
In 2107, the Mente Scope company begins to decline. Beyond being his soulmate and the person he refuses to lose, Katrina is also the solid pillar that keeps the company in order. Her composure, ability to react and analyze, as well as her common sense and empathy towards the people and competitors, are indispensable. Without her, Federico feels lost, and he is well aware of it.
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He refuses to relive what he experienced with his mother, that helplessness in the face of the unknown, the fear of losing everything and starting over... To never be able to enjoy life as he finally could... He must find a solution, for the sake of his wife and for the bright future he promised himself that night on Via Veneto. Losing everything is out of the question; he must act quickly.
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While Katrina is in intensive care for several months, Federico has an idea. He has been hearing about a machine capable of manipulating time, the NoTemp'o, for several weeks. It's perfect; he knows what he must do. He sends his negotiators to discuss with Sofia and Léandre, but without success. He loses his composure; his impatience resurfaces; he can no longer contain his emotions; he is gradually losing his home... Katrina.
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He will remember that day. He breaks into the appartment of Sofia and Léandre and finds the complex research documents of NoTemp'o, along Léandre. Despite the tension and frustration, Federico's brain, his thoughts, his subconscious, and his unconscious align. NoTemp'o can allow him to gain time for Katrina, and he will be able to save her. And if Léandre and Sofia could exploit Time, then probably that Katrina exists in another temporality... Then it is highly likely that Katrina also exists elsewhere, in perfect health!
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The events of the NoTemp'o game unfold, during which, parallel to Sofia's actions, Katrina eventually dies... Federico then embarks on intensive research on temporal rifts and manages to better understand them. It becomes an obsession. His wife cannot die; it's simply not possible...
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He plans to use his first Personal Duplicator prototype to explore the alternative realities that make up the universe. However, the results are not as expected. No matter where he looks, he does not find her.
Only the future will tell, but we already know... He will continue to search again and again, exploring reality after reality, in search of his wife.
Even if it means losing all his humanity...