[Aleph Null]

Aleph Null is set in Los Angeles in the year 2045.

DMZ

DMZ
In the aftermath of the secession, South Central saw some peace, at least comparatively. California's economy took an upswing and there were jobs for a while. With the influx of corporate employers, unskilled labor positions opened up and things were better than they had been in a long time.

As megacorporations cut their deals with the new government of California, they became less and less accountable to anyone. Long hours were mandated and raises and other incentives were perpetually denied. Laborers sought to form unions, but the corporations refused to deal, hiring from the plentiful pool of scabs, people desperate to support themselves and their families.

As worldwide trade regulation evaporated, most major production facilities were relocated to the third world where labor was cheaper and business and environmental legislation was more permissive. The situation became progressively more dire for the residents of South Central.

On March 13, 2015, a Citigroup-Mitsubishi refinery was scheduled to open, advertising an availability of some 200 jobs. The move was widely publicized as an economic boon to the area, a sign of good things to come. Unexpectedly, over fifty thousand people converged on the factory, standing in miles long lines. What remained of the union staged a protest, and began to argue with the job-seekers. The corporation begin to fly in extra security, although there wasn't sufficient time. No one has been able to isolate the beginning of the riot, and it seems that many things happened near-simultaneously to trigger the riots. Violence erupted in the crowd and many of the job-seekers rushed the factory, although it remains unclear whether they did so with violent intent or in seeking shelter. Citigroup security opened fire on the crowd and within hours, South Central was gripped in fever-pitch riots.

The refinery was the first to burn, but soon more facilities were destroyed, corporate icons were destroyed almost to the last, but local stores and homes weren't always spared. Looting and violence abounded. When the fires were finally put out, hundreds were dead. Corporate losses were also high, with a majority of the corporate casualties coming from South Central and surrounding areas. Funeral homes and churches were booked with funerals for weeks.

The public was outraged, and the corporations exerted their influence over a government eager to appease public opinion to contain the problem. A so-called temporary barrier was erected, which was made permanent in 2025. Its borders have grown since its original erection in 2015. It's become a fixture in Los Angeles, now colloquially called the DMZ. Its borders include Slauson to the North, Crenshaw to the West, Figueroa to the East, and Rosecrans to the South.