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The Hall of Prophecies - The Gathering of the High Arcanes
In the dimly lit room, illuminated only by the flickering light of candles, twenty-three figures sat in silence. Each wore a mask, a symbol of their equality, hiding their true identities. At the center of the table was a man with a completely white mask. His hands moved deftly as he shuffled a deck of cards, a ritual as familiar to him as breathing. He was known among his peers as "The White One," a title bestowed upon him by the group, and now it was his name.
The dealer was fully absorbed in his task, focusing intently on the shuffling. Every detail mattered, for each person in this room would play a role, though they would only observe from the shadows. The "Arcanes" were forbidden from directly interfering in the lives of mortals, but they could choose a watcher, a representative who would act on their behalf in the world.
When the White One finished shuffling, he raised his hand, signaling the others. The First Among Equals surveyed the group, and after receiving a nod of agreement from each, he drew the first card from the deck.
"The Magician," his voice echoed softly as one of the twenty-three stepped back, disappearing into the darkness. The White One's fingers reached for another card.
"Strength," he announced. The chosen one placed a fist over their heart, bowed, and followed the first into the shadows. Another deliberate movement, and a third card was laid on the polished oak table.
"The Empress," he intoned. A female figure clasped her hands in a gesture of prayer, and with a flourish of her cloak, she joined her companions.
"Death," the Arcane pronounced. The figure slowly raised his head, revealing a mask shaped like a skull, with two glowing eyes where the sockets should be. Tears glistened on the porcelain surface before evaporating almost instantly. "Death," the First Among Equals repeated, bringing his comrade back to reality. The one named "Death" bowed deeply before stepping back to join the others.
"A Blank Card," the White One murmured, his gaze lingering on the deck in his hand. He did not hesitate, swiftly gathering the cards together and placing them on the table. Without a word, the White One bowed and retreated into the darkness, leaving the rest alone with their thoughts.
***
"The Price of Life Equals the Price of a Bullet"
(c) Alexander Dragunov
May 23, 2058 - BioTechnica Corporation Laboratory
"Mikhail, how is the project progressing?" The question came suddenly from a man in a tuxedo who had quietly approached the scientist. His face gave nothing away; the ever-present smile that seemed to be a permanent fixture on the faces of corporate suits made it impossible to discern his thoughts.
"We need more time, Valentin. The serum is still unstable, and the test subjects are dying during the body reconstruction phase," the scientist replied with a frown, avoiding direct eye contact with the project supervisor. Mikhail was a prisoner of the corporation, unable to simply refuse the experiments on live humans. Although he acknowledged that using real subjects had significantly accelerated the work, his conscience was being eroded day by day, leaving behind only a sense of emptiness and despair.
"We've provided you with everything you need, and our corporation strongly urges you to hurry. The investors want to see results by the end of this month. Time is running out, Volkov. Three years is too long," Valentin emphasized Mikhail's last name, underscoring the seriousness of his threat. The Volkov family had been held captive by BioTechnica for three years, forced to work on a serum that would push human capabilities to their peak. Unfortunately, all experiments so far indicated that adult bodies had a very slim chance of surviving even the first stage, let alone the subsequent ones.
In secret, Mikhail and his wife Hirako were doing everything in their power to prevent this serum from being released to the public. If the corporation got hold of a viable sample, it would be the trigger that could set off a new war between industrial giants. In the worst-case scenario, another conflict could break out—one that America might not survive. BioTechnica planned to launch a massive project to increase its influence by restoring the planet's ecosystem. Mikhail admitted that the corporation had achieved unprecedented success in this area, but he knew it was all a facade.
The real goal was to become as influential in the New United States as Militech and Arasaka, but to do that, they needed to create competition. The "Human of the Future" project, to which Mikhail Volkov had dedicated his life, was actually completed long ago, though their supervisor remained unaware. However, time was running out to prepare for the large-scale sabotage they had planned. Mikhail had no intention of handing over his creation to power-hungry corporate overlords, and Hirako shared his sentiments, supporting him in every way.
"I'll do my best to finish on time. I just need a little more time to reduce the serum's side effects as much as possible," Mikhail said firmly, still avoiding the supervisor's gaze.
"I'm counting on that, Mikhail. I think it would be best for you and your wife to get some rest and tackle the project with renewed energy tomorrow. BioTechnica cares about its workers, and we wouldn't want to see the work of your life go to waste," Valentin smirked, patting the dark-haired scientist on the shoulder with a patronizing grip, tightening his hand slightly in a show of dominance. "Do we understand each other?" Seeing Mikhail's reluctant nod, the supervisor released his grip and left the room.
"Bastard," Mikhail cursed inwardly, grimacing from the pain in his shoulder. Valentin had used more force than necessary, and now a bruise was likely to form. "I need to take a regenerator and call my wife," he thought, sinking wearily into his chair, slowly massaging his temples. His mind was filled with unpleasant thoughts—no, more accurately, downright terrible ones. The moment the project is completed, the Volkov family would be disposed of. Mikhail had, of course, withheld some critical data, but even so, what he had given them would be enough to replicate the serum with a complete sample in hand.
He flexed his shoulder, wincing in pain, and clenched his teeth in impotent rage. His hand fumbled through the drawer of his desk, pulling out a heavy first-aid kit. Inside was a simple "bounce-back" pill, which would accelerate cellular regeneration. The side effect was increased appetite, but that was a minor inconvenience compared to more advanced models, which could cause dependency or even rejection.
The world already had technology for enhancing humans by growing biological components in special vats, but it still wasn't the same. The "Human of the Future" was designed to alter a person on a genetic level, without the need for external surgery. The serum integrates into the cellular structure and then changes the organism. The older the patient, the more difficult the process of mutagen integration becomes. Modifying a healthy child's body wouldn't be particularly challenging, but the people at BioTechnica were unaware of this. Mikhail and Hirako had realized long ago that they would be eliminated once their work was complete, so they conspired together, slowly preparing for what they called "Day X."
As Mikhail swallowed the regenerator, he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him, but there was no time to rest. He knew that he and Hirako had to stay ahead of their corporate overlords, always one step closer to their ultimate goal of sabotaging the project before it could be used to fuel the corporation's ambitions.
***
Outgoing Video Call - Hirako Volkova (Beloved)
Call Connected - Establishing Connection
"Darling, is everything alright?" Hirako's voice carried a note of concern as the video feed stabilized.
"Hey, sweetheart. Haven't they told you about the day off yet?" Mikhail tried to sound surprised, knowing full well their conversation was being monitored. Both of them were aware, which is why they carefully disguised their true intentions, sticking to seemingly mundane topics.
"No, but if you're about to surprise me with an unexpected day off, I'm ready to make the most of it. Alex should be finishing his virtual school program by now, and I'm sure he'll be thrilled to have us home earlier than usual," Hirako responded wearily, closing her violet eyes for a moment.
"Honestly, I'm worn out from my office. A change of scenery at home should help me recharge," Mikhail forced a smile, which only deepened the concern in Hirako's expression.
"Hang in there, dear, we're almost there…" She paused briefly, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "Maybe we should pick up something for Alex on the way home?" Hirako blinked twice, signaling something more.
"I think we can spoil him a little," Mikhail replied, tilting his head back and covering his eyes with his hand. He understood the risk in what his wife was suggesting. She had long ago planted viruses in BioTechnica's internal archives to buy them time when the security system would inevitably be compromised. Now, she was waiting for Mikhail's decision. Even if it meant they might not survive, Alex's parents would do everything to ensure their child had a chance. "Lately, we haven't been able to spend much time with him. I've been a terrible father," Mikhail shook his head, blinking slowly three times.
"My husband is too hard on himself, but you're right, we should have been spending more time with our sunshine," Hirako pursed her lips, agreeing to the risky plan. "I'll always be by your side," she added with a soft smile, before ending the call.
Call Ended - Connection Terminated