In cold fact, a financial crisis is one of the kindest and mildest sorts of crisis a civilization can have. Compared to typical Italian catastrophes like wars, epidemics, earthquakes, volcanoes, endemic political collapse…a financial crisis is a problem for schoolchildren.

— Bruno Argento

Timeline

The timeline of the 21st century, leading up to the events in Genocide Man:

Year World Population Events
2001 6.1 billion Virus researchers in Australia discover the IL-4 cloak technique, which makes the mousepox virus 100% lethal and difficult to treat or innoculate against. Military biowarfare programs quickly adapt the research to human diseases.
2002
2003 6.2 billion First low-quality map of the human DNA is completed by the Human Genome Project.
2004
2005 6.3 billion First successful gene therapy cures metastatic melanoma. Not only does this promise a cure for all cancers, this research proves that it is possible to alter the genes of a living, adult human being.

2006

2007

2008 6.4 billion The Sourceforge Biohack project, the first Open-source genetic manipulation project, appears.
2009 6.4 billion Gene therapy cures colorblindness in adult squirrel monkeys, creating the first genetically ‘upgraded’ mammal.

2010

2011

2012 6.8 billion Jacob ‘Doe’ (true last name unknown) is born near Cleveland, Ohio.
2013
2014 7.0 billion Gene therapy treatment developed for HIV, leading to the first complete cure for AIDS.

2015

2016

2017

2018 7.4 billion Churchill Downs runs the first horse race that specifically allows genetically engineered animals.
2019
2020 7.6 billion Gene therapy cures for most cancers become available in China, Japan, Singapore and Brazil.

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030 8.2 billion First ‘home’ genetic manipulation kit, the “Hamster X”, is sold in Japan, China, India, Brazil, and the US.
2031 8.3 billion An Open-source group ‘rootkits’ the Hamster-X equipment.

2032

2033

2034

2035

2036

2037

8.6 billion

The Ugandan Deviancy, a.k.a. the Soroti Genocide. (est. 3,000 dead.)

The Quebecois Deviancy. (est. 70 dead.)

These first deviancies — children genetically altered for political or martial purposes — bring widespread violence, causing 2037 to be later recognized as the beginning of the period of instability known as the Genocide Wars.

2038 8.5 billion The first genetically engineered pandemic, ‘Lab Flu’ appears. Lab Flu is not a deadly virus (est. 500 dead over the next 3 years, mostly infants) but it serves as ‘proof of concept’ for later targeted epidemics.
2039 8.5 billion

Hundreds of minor plagues appear in China, Europe, South America and the US. (est. 35,000 dead over the next 18 years.)

Fertility rates begin to decrease worldwide, indicating widespread subclinical plagues.

2040 8.4 billion

The Granola Deviancy. (est. 300 dead.)

The Mongolian Deviancy (est. 7,000 dead.)

Several other deviancies appear over the next 28 years, all of which spark low-intensity violence and/or border incursions from neighboring countries, from NATO, or from the U.N.

2041
2042 8.2 billion The Takeyya Pandemic appears, targeting the Isreali/Palestinian lineage. (est. 18 million dead over the next 7 years.)

2043

2044

2045 8.0 billion First human-level artificial sentient, named Purple Fred, is created.
2046 8.1 billion The Ang Mo Pandemic appears, targeting the genes for red hair. (est. 40 million dead over the next 11 years.)

2047

2048

2049 7.8 billion

Brief exchange of nuclear weapons between Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt (est. 400,000 dead immediately.)

Purple Fred corrupts its own databases and deactivates.

The Raptor-Rodent Pandemic appears; the first engineered parasitic pandemic. (est. 200 million dead over the next 13 years.)

2050 7.2 billion

Hostilities end in the Middle East when governments collapse and the U.N. takes possession of their remaining nuclear stockpiles.

Land from the Nile to the Gulf of Oman is declared a ‘Remediation Zone’ : Uninhabitable and illegal to enter.

2051 6.8 billion

Purple Wilma, another A.I., comes online. It suicides in four months.

Over the next seven years multiple A.I.s are created; all of them commit electronic suicide within 18 months of their birth.

2052

2053

2054

2055 6.9 billion First non-human sentient lifeform, an anthropomorphic dog named Dahnai, is produced in an illicit laboratory in San Francisco.

2056

2057

2058 7.0 billion

The Berkshire Charter is signed, a U.N. agreement outlawing research into the creation of non-human sentients both organic and electronic.

Dahnai disappears. Her ward, leading gene researcher Dr. Tatsushiro Fumiaki, also disappears.

2059 7.0 billion The Genocide Project is founded as an enforcement wing of the U.N.
2060 6.6 billion

The Atlanta Accords are signed, putting all nuclear stockpiles under control of the U.N.

U.N. forces invade North Korea, Indonesia, and France.

The Jian Shi Pandemic appears.  It is a modified leprosy with broad targeting and slow lethality, but is spawns widespread violence. (Est. 300 million dead over the next 40 years.)

Most of China and Mongolia declared a Remediation Zone.

2061 5.9 billion

Korean Genocide (est. 6 million dead.) This is the first Genocide Project activity sanctioned by the U.N.

Korean peninsula declared a Remediation Zone.

2062 5.7 billion The Genocide Project gains approval for a viral release to exterminate the Raptor-Rodent Pandemic parasites. Raptor-Rodent disease becomes extinct within six months.

2063

2064

2065 5.8 billion

United Nations disbands.

The new Global Union of States (G.U.S.) is founded, with the Genocide Project as the only non-state organization with voting privileges.

Genocide Wars officially end.

2066 5.3 billion

The Guayaquil Pandemic appears, a modified influenza with broad targeting. (est. 1.5 billion dead over the next 3 years.) This was the last major Pandemic of the 21st century.

Ecuador, Columbia, and much of Peru declared a Remediation Zone.

2067

2068

2069 5.3 billion End of Guayaquil Pandemic.
2070
2071 5.0 billion

The Chaulmoogra Deviancy (est. 40,000 dead.), an Indian government response to the Jian Shi Pandemic.  Genocide Project response to this deviancy causes India to withdraw from G.U.S.  They surrender after six months of further Genocide Project action.

Several other deviancies appear over the next 40 years; the Genocide Project is given license to exterminate them.

2072

2073

2074

2075

2076

2077

2078

2079 4.7 billion Hong Kong Accident (est. 75,000 dead.) Caused by Genocide Man ‘Joey’.

2080

2081

2082

2083 4.6 billion

Oslo Accident (est. 200,000 dead.) Caused by terrorist attack on Genocide Man ‘Jacob Doe’.

Central Scandanavia declared a Remediation Zone.

2084
2085 4.5 billion Mexico City Accident (est. 120,000 dead.) Caused by Genocide Man ‘Joey’.
2086
2087 4.4 billion Clearwater Accident (est. 40,000 dead.) Caused by Genocide Man ‘Joey’.

2088

2089

2090

2091

2092

2093

2094

2095 4.1 billion Jakarta Accident (est. 180,000 dead.) Caused by Genocide Man ‘Joey’.

2096

2097

2098

2099

2100

2101 3.8 billion Several Remediation Zones, including Columbia, Egypt, and South Korea, are released by GUS and declared ‘disease free’.

2102

2103

2104 3.6 billion

Seattle Accident (est. 250,000 dead.) Caused by suicide of Genocide Man ‘Peter Pup’.

Washington, Oregon, and much of British Columbia declared a Remediation Zone.

2105

2106

2107

2108

2109 3 billion

Genocide Man ‘Jacob Doe’ is sent on assignment to North Harbor, Nunavut Territory.

Our story begins.