The so-called "John Doe" had glassy eyes; his face was illuminated directly by the fluorescent lamp while his body was rigid on a metal bed, his wrists held with handcuffs, and his feet shackled. Threads of drool fell from the half-open mouth, and his lost brain spun as he struggled to breathe, malnourished and dehydrated, so he no longer had the strength to move, much less try to escape.
At that point it was clear to Raon that he was hiding more than he could see at first glance, the fact being that the hacker team previously assigned to the task, never found anything about him after about two weeks, nor in Europe, America, Central Asia, or anywhere for that matter. In conclusion, the prisoner did not exist, and had never existed, so no matter how long they took, the searches turned up absolutely nothing in any country. The director wondered about this, walking around his victim not much unlike a hungry vulture landed, waiting to pick at carrion:
- Are you an alien, Mr. Doe? You don't seem like one... – she asked, more at the air than to him.
The human shell sweated and trembled, triying uselessly to move both flaccid lips, but no sound came out of its throat; he looked back, being able to find Soo Young behind him, hands crossed, her face expressing concern mixed with great intrigue about what was inside his head while telling the director:
- I doubt it - she replied then - It's possible that his memories were damaged on arrival.
- But how?
- I can't tell either. This man's exhausted, and on the verge of having a stroke, but somehow he continues to resist my attempts to look into his mind.
- Yes, I see how he almost has no energy on his own, however, I noticed something strange in his aura, traces of an energy which has a different color. But its signal is weak.
- You saw it too, then? Based on my experience, it could something which has a bond with him, or even controls him from afar.
-And if he were a sleeper agent, why send him here unprepared and with such ordinary equipment?
- I'll do it one more time - the subaltern replied - There is no other way, nor enough time.
- But what if you fail again?
- He will die.
Upon hearing this, Raon began to consider the options she had, the first one being to send an agent to locate and steal classified equipment capable of reading memory (if such actually existed), then wait days or weeks for it to come, or she could opt for a quick and potentially destructive solution. After several minutes pondering at probabilities, she finally called in the medical team:
- Connect him to life support - she ordered.
- Yes ma'am - replied the lead doctor.
After making a notification call to the medical area overseer, the two had to wait practically sitting until one of the bodyguards opened the door to the interrogation room with his card, allowing a man to enter with a team made up of a couple of doctors and several nurses. They brought with them the equipment which they proceeded to connect slowly and painfully, and once they were done, the prisoner shivered from the cold under a newly placed thermal blanket, with assisted feeding, purification, breathing, and circulation tubes running out of his arms and torso.
Everyone except a doctor and two nurses got out of there, almost running, being escorted back through the hallways by four firstgen bodyguards. Soo Young received a nod from Raon to continue, and so she advanced to the foot of the stretcher, placing a hand on the guest's forehead. The subordinate closed her eyes, and blanked the mind channeling the invisible psychic energy thought the arm, spreading from one, opened-fingered hand onto the subject's central nervous system:
- Well, we're there again - Soo Young muttered.
In a few more moments the man's body began to shake violently and soon he convulsed. The monitors went crazy and the med team was ready to act, but the subaltern stopped them by exclaiming:
- Don't intervene! I can feel it...it's about to work...!
Everyone halted, their feet paralyzed by Raon's mind and terrifying them of what might happen as nothing they could do now to prevent what had to happen. Suddenly the convulsions stopped and the monitors beeped at zero, however Soo Young did not remove his hand from him, nor did he flinch in the slightest, since, after letting a little more time pass, vital signs turned on again, showing normal values:
- Tell me, did you get anything? – Raon inquired.
After a tense pause, Soo Young responded, even with her eyes closed:
- Director…we did it.
She did not move a muscle, and both the doctor and his nurses, released from her grip, applauded in silly relief, lying on top of the patient immediately afterwards to check his condition and that of the equipment. While this was happening, the subordinate found herself in a black space of foggy ground, and in the middle of it a large orb of light floated which, upon approaching, showed her a disordered series of images and sounds among other perceptions not her own.
- So what do you have for me? - asked Raon from reality.
- I can see his childhood… there's nothing strange there; I'd say he's quite human.
- That doesn't help me. Keep going…
- Now I see his teenage years. Nothing remarkable, just a mediocre student. He's American.
- Mediocres would not resist to this point.
- Wait a minute...I see it. Something's happening.
In the midst of that gray and sad mental landscape, a new image finally appeared:
- I see him as a young adult now. I see a woman is with him, looks like his girlfriend.
- I don't care about that.
- There's more. They're on a vacation trip with a group of friends, he drives on the road, she's blushing. Both hold hands.
- My patience runs out Soo Young.
- There it is. Ughh…! - she growled - A glow. They're no longer there! Now they're atop a building.
- That doesn't make sense. I'll go in.
- But you don't know how to do the technique.
- I must see this...
Raon's brain as well as those of secgen Awoken Ones worked like that, so she only had to see it done once, hurrying then behind Soo Young, who still stood with her eyes closed on
Soo Young's self-image turned around in surprise when she heard the director's voice behind her:
- Now we'll check if what you tell me is true...
- I swear, I...I wouldn't lie to you.
- Did you see him use any device or some phrase before that "disappearance" of his?
- Look here, right in this memory, watch it for yourself.
Before Raon, a sudden change of scenery unfolded again, with a flash completely obfuscating both their vision. The man in the memory wasn't carrying anything on his hands, nor did he think, nor did he say anything that could give any indication that the sudden change of location was his doing.
- I don't understand it either - Soo Young said - He didn't go to that place; from one moment to the next…he was already there, as if pulled. See, he's even suprised at the change of place.
- That cannot be. It has no way to...- Raon said, but cut herself short.
- She's scared, lost, looking everywhere.
The woman in those memories was afraid, running away from him, who shouted for her to watch out. She fell from the building's terrace, and her screams are heard. Even when the man rushed to the lobby and quit frenetically, it was already too late; he takes her in his arms, but she's gone.
- Hurry up…what happened then? - Raon said coldly.
The man picks her up, takes her with him, and just at that instant the flash blinds both Awoken Ones again. When they adjust, both see the man and his girlfriend are back on the road, their car crashed amidst the landscape. He dials 911, and when police arrives, they take him into custody while a truck takes the woman's body for doing the autopsy.
- Go further...
Soo Young passed the memories with her hand, and now the man was broken, sat at the corner of a white cushioned cell, looking at the night sky through a little barred window. Then there's noise, and the cell's door is opened, giving entrance to some men earing tactical gear who take him and get him out of there while the personnel at the psych ward watch without making questions.
- Where they took him? - Raon asked.
The subordinate flipped the scenes until an unknown facility appeared; the man was being dragged inside one of the warehouses.
- That base is somewhat like ours - Soo Young pointed - And the symbol. I can't recognize it.
- Me neither - said Raon.
- The hammer falling on the serpent...it's everywhere. Patches, walls, doors...
Indeed, the director was able to see the
- This I lived as well - said the latter to herself.
- Did you say something?
- Huh? No, of course not. Just wondering why he can do what he does, what aren't we seeing?
Suddenly, while in his new room, the man was surrounded by the flash a second time:
- And it happened again - Raon responded.
The two carefully observed how he arrived to a strange realm, similar to a sanctum full of high temples; he wandered aimlessly while richly-dressed people watched him, baffled, and then it appeared, a shining humanoid silhouette appeared before him to which the others postrated with their hands faced to the heavens. Once clearly visible, the ash-blue skinned being sat with his legs crossed; he had four arms, two of them carrying a skull and the other two ceremoniously wielding a trident and a hand-axe respectively, a crescent moon tatooed on his forehead and a golden halo irradiating behind a high, intrincate crown.
He opened his lips, but before emitting any sound, looked over the startled man before him, who had fallen to his knees, and put his eyes on Raon herself. It was then that the landscape warped, becoming pale, ruined and broken, skeletons postrated around him as the alive ones once were:
- Shiva - Soo Young murmured - Is this some kind of dream?
- O, young one - he said, his voice thundering - look at the path ahead of you instead of behind, as looking backwards can only make you trip and fall off, thus bringing untimely end. As it just will.
- Go forward Soo Young - the director ordered - I don't care about this fool's hallucinations.
- I can't - the alluded said - it just won't respond.
- You freely chose this path - said the deity - and Lord Shiva will put no obstacle. But be wary, the one who split Subrahmanya in two has Karma returned as anyone who chooses to cut the hand of those in need instead of lending their own.
The being looked down to the skull, and at the same time Raon looked down to her feet:
- Now be gone and see what you need to - Shiva stated - And remembrer, the thorns you step are no less than others' own. May your soul forsake attachment to pain, as I want my son's to do
The god put the skull on the floor and stood up, the skeletons around him following and becoming dust falling over his skin; the sky suddenly started to darken until a raging black strom with red lightning surrounded the sanctum, to which he turned stoically, raising his weapons in defiance. From the darkness arose three points of blood-crimson light to stare at him, opening an enormous maw underneath prepared to devour everything; Shiva bent his knees a little and jumped to it as millions of red points dotted the sky amongst an unbearable roar which made the two women shiver. Finally, a new flash obscured it all and they were again at the prisoner's normal memories.
- What was all that? - asked Raon calmly.
- He said we keep looking - Soo Young replied - Hallucination or not, we better see what's next.
The man ended up in a desert, and a short time later he was picked up by a squad like the one that got him form the hospital; they put him back in his room, but some time later he disappeared again in a flash; that event repeated itself many times, reappearing in his confinement on some occasions. Those studying his case started to give him survival training on various simulated environments, and abundant equipment as they also calculated the frequency of his travels, which happened once every first crescent moon night of the month. He turned up at a new place each time, each one distinct from tthe last, and on too many occasions those trips were a terrible experience in which he got hurt, from horrendous beast attacks to heavy burning, excruciating bone fractures and diseases.
- And yet he resists so much - said the subordinate.
- An apparent weakling like this, hah - Raon said smirking - Mr. Doe, you're really suprising.
But the succession of trips, dozens of them, had not yet ended, visions that could be heard and even faintly felt; Two new trips appeared in front of them, in which the prisoner received deadly attacks from unknown entities. The interesting thing was to see that, practically by miracle, this man managed to return to the clutches of those who were holding him with just enough time to have his life saved by the surgeons and medics; and each time he looked stronger. In one of his travels, he stumbled upon some kind of library, and walked for hours ignoring every person and being traversing the place until finally one of them greeted him, a greyish, moon-eyed woman with silvery hair and a copper-colored skinsuit.
These two then engaged in a quite long talk about themselves, and then, when the topic of his mysterious power and the vision of the four-armed being came into the talk, the woman, who was one of the bibliotecaries in that place she called the Ark of Wisdom, guided him to a specific book written in a pre-sanscrit tongue. The man could not understand any of the text, and for that reason he was shot two lightbeams to his retinae by his new companion, who told him that he could now read any written concept he desired, now as a member. He read again, and found it was an incantation, some kind of fealty prayer to one "Skanda"; the woman nodded and he continued reading the whole page until the end, and then, the rest was obscured by a veil concealing the orb.
- What now? - asked Raon
- I don't know - Soo Young responded - I'll try to find another point in time.
She skipped and skipped with her hand, but the veil kept covering the orb for a couple minutes more until the memories jumped by many years, and now both could see him practically turned a different man, his firm footsteps going from mission to mission along a group of new comrades. Each time, he went to a chamber along with his colleagues, easily distinguishable as a spec-ops strike team, who then put their hands over his back to travel along; there was no fear in his face, as if he now knew what to expect, and it seemed like that when engaging the enemy straight-on. He acted as a collected leader, even in the worst scenarios, always keeping the men efficient and orderly wether it was in outer space, a futuristic distopia or an environment full of undead magi.
- Ah, I think I understand now - Raon said, with a malicious smile - I've seen enough.
- Neither superhuman, nor a sleeper, or with any means to go places like that - Soo Young said.
- And so he tried to take me for a fool. The energy I perceived...it must be...
- Other worlds – Soo Young responded – If that's so, you think we're at risk of a Crossing?
What the subaltern had referred to was the first time the multiverse had been revealed to the general public in an extremely dangerous form, impossible to conceal; in past decades, there had first been rumors, then indications, then tests, models and finally various scientific experiments. These had been carried out in absolute secrecy since 1948 by different organizations and countries, resulting in the first, secret travels to other universes during the 1960's; the first interdimensional conveyor was invented in 1980, and just nine years after that the First Crossing happened. It took humanity by surprise, confirming once and for all the Many-Worlds Interpretation at the cost of millions of lives; two more Crossings, and three Cross-Invasions devastated the Earth since, civilization surviving nevertheless and ever rebuilding stronger each time, though at a high cost.
It was a top priority for any formal institution finding signs of interdimensional travel to contain and/or neutralize the source; Raon would do precisely that, and reap the benefits off it:
- We'll see that - she responded - For now, I think we're done here.
Immediately, the director came out of her trance, while Soo Young continued with her eyes closed inside the guest's mind; Raon put her hand on the stranger's chest, and focusing her mind for a moment caused a momentary agitation in that caused the man to wake up, beaten and confused:
- You woke up - she said to him - it's a shame this is the last time...
- Wait, what are you talking about? - questioned Soo Young - We still need him.
The director smiled mischievously, ignoring her and stating with disdain:
- I guess the mystery will remain unsolved, after all. Destroy his mind, it's of no use to us anymore...
- But aren't you interested in...?
- If he won't let us have the intel we need, it's best to prevent him giving it to his superiors instead.
Although he was practically unable to move due to his current physical condition, the man's heart began to beat at full speed, and his mind to fly, clumsily trying to think of some way out of what his enemy was proposing, a life-or-death predicament. In the blink of an eye, the first idea came to mind, powered by urgency; he didn't like having to do it, to feel and act again like that pusillanimous and cowardly being that he had once been, but now to buy him more time:
- No, no, no please - the man began to cry, forcing his expressions - please don't kill me...
Raon silenced him, putting a finger in his mouth
- Shhh, sh, sh, sh...don't worry, everything will be over very soon.
The man shook his head and continued to whimper in the most pathetic of positions; He was literally naked, covered by that blanket, which the director uncovered to make him feel vulnerable, and showing in all his grotesque splendor the numerous scars, burns, and patches implanted along his tough skin. Even after digging into his psyche like an ice cream scoop into a melon, Soo Young couldn't help but be overcome by the sight of the numerous wounds and marks, the deep scratches on his left arm, the burns on his face and neck, or hands whose bones, according to X-rays, had been replaced by artificial plasteel prostheses, as had his liver, jaw, and the bones of his legs. It was not disgust that she felt, nor did she pity him, but rather there was compassion in her heart, and she felt genuine sympathy for the story he had had to live; this man had been through a lot, just like herself, and just like her, he was nothing but a prisoner.
That's when Soo Young realized what was with Raon; she had to do with that, as there was still a missing piece to the puzzle. Nothing, none of the memories she'd been able to see explained how the man ended up here. In fact, now she was beginning to realize that, in the sequence of memories, there were parts, jumps, gaps that she could not see, more than the one they did see:
The director then spoke:
- One more thing. Forget about returning to where you came from with your little friend...
- How could you…? – the man questioned, turning pale.
- What are you talking about, director?
- I deduced it as soon as Soo Young showed me those places where you've been. Those memories must be real, especially since that same source of energy that is keeping you alive also blocked parts of them from us; hmph, the trace of it was everywhere. But that thing doesn't seem to have enough strength to cover up all of its activity...
Soo Young was surprised; she quickly concentrated to perceive the subtle energies in the prisoner's mind, and she confirmed that indeed, in those memory gaps the imprint of that energy was present. Now his brain, possibly as the result of the pressure
- He must have unconventional means to travel worlds. And we were already told which it is.
- Do make…silence... - the man mumbled, coughing up blood.
- You're not an actual interdimensional traveler, Mr. Doe – Raon said - but your little secret is.
- I... don't... - he tried to say, coughing harder.
- The thing always controlled that power. Or that's how it used to be.
- No, it's not true... - he said, visibly anxious - I... I don't have anything inside me.
- Besides your useless tracking chip? Well, I know you do. And it seems it can't save you this time.
The man changed his pale countenance abruptly; a murderous seriousness mixed with fear showed in his gaze and the muscles of his tense, but still weakened face:
- Damned creature…what have you done to me….
- Ah, now you show your true colors. It is not you who's sleeping, but that thing, however, the question still remains...
- You bitch...
- Just in case, I took preventive measures to contain it right where it is.
- You think you can play with me… I won't spit anything!
- Stop acting brave...! – Raon exclaimed.
The director took him by the hair on his temple, makind his hair cap bleed.
- Let go of me, wretch... - he groaned.
- See your shackles? I kindly asked my contacts in the
- What are you saying? – he replied weakly.
- They're experts in "the supernatural", if nothing else; thanks to that I've been able to capture the being that uses you as a vessel.
The man then looked a little more closely at his shackles. Only now did he realize how much he had underestimated his captor upon seeing the arcane formulas etched across the metal they were made of. Now he was completely sure, convalescent as he was, that he's been completely exposed, making his body shiver with angry resignation as he clenched his jaw, glaring at her with hatred:
- Don't tell me, did you think I wouldn't find out? Did you think I was so stupid, John?
- You monster... - the man uttered.
- This being, this...parasite – she responded - it never got you out of here. Never even tried.
She released the grip from his hair:
- I won't fall for that bullshit - he retorted.
- But it's true; it never tried to flee, even before I put the shackles on.
- It was surely you; that's why I couldn't remember…you did it…
- I will find out the answers both of us have hanging. But you won't be alive by then, John.
- My damn name's Elijah Wood you bastard...remember that.
- Very well, Elijah – said Raon – soon you'll understand who's in control here.
The director let go of the hand put on his chest and intertwined it with Soo Young's:
– Time to discover what he's trying to hide...we concentrate at the same time, got it?
"As you order, ma'am," Soo Young thought, with a grim look.
The girl obeyed and focused the psychic power of both brains towards the nerves in the tips of her fingers, imposing that hand on the subject's head and making Elijah's already fragile body react with a tremor, his tear ducts, ears, and lips bleeding even more profusely while he whimpered in pain. She visualized the action of digging inside the head of their intended victim, while his vital psychic energy began to oscillate and pulsate irregularly, opening fractures in the consciousness of his unfortunate mind; he was unable to articulate a single word, instead groaning and mumbling.
Soo Young then began to see colors in his mind, and then the same gray space followed by images, followed in turn by sounds, voices, faces, and then the dark gaps in his memories. She intensified her channeling, evoking more and more invisible energies from her mind to open the fractures she'd just created, breaking more and more until the veil obfuscating the memory interval prior to the man's arrival at the headquarters, burst into sparks and disintegrated:
- I can see it – the subordinate then said - Wait a moment; come on, Thomas, hold on; do not die…
- And well, you got it? – the director urged her.
- Yes. He's talking with a pale person, then they argue and other people arrive in full overalls. They take him to another room and lend him a photo. No. This is absurd. It just can't be.
- What?
- It's a photo... of you, ma'am!
The director was shocked and frigid upon hearing that:
- He focuses on the image, and closes his eyes while reciting some mantra. He achieves travel, and everything shines...uh, what's happening...?
Soo Young began to feel cold, and his breath became steamy, while the tips of her fingers froze:
- The shine... but how? It changed. It's crimson now; I feel cold…now it vanished...
- Keep going.
- He's raising his face from the ground, and look, something is wrong...the sky, the sky is red, and the ground...it's wet, but, but there's nothing, it's a desert. The clouds are black, there is no sun, no moon. He's looking at himself, but there are no injuries; now he looks at his hands. They bleed. No, it's not his own blood...
- Soo Young, stop wasting time...
- I see red lightning in the sky, it's raining...oh dear it's not rain, holy shit, what is this place?!
- You're losing grip, come back with me.
- The ground has been bleeding ever since...no, there's nothing alive here...nothing...no, what's that?
- It's enough, get back…
- What is it? They come to me…to him, he runs, but they hunt him down. Stop please, I can't bear it!
- What the hell are you seeing? – gasped Raon, concerned.
Soo Young was covered in cold sweat, as was Elijah, who struggled like in a nightmare. Immediately, her legs began to tremble, and began to move her head uncomfortably, hyperventilating:
- Where they take me!? Let me go! No, it's horrible! three eyes, one horn...they have…they...they know it, they see...my mind...it hurts...They take me again...I am in so much pain…help me…
- Where are they taking him?! Tell me.
Soo Young then whimpers, cries, and growls in panic, terrified like a little girl. She utters a gasp:
- It's infernal, I implore you, get me out of here! she tortures me, torments me... no... there she is, it's her, it's her... she's disgusting…oh someone, please save me...! No, let me go, no, I don't want to!
In an instant, Soo Young comes out of the trance and after getting away from Raon with a push, she starts scratching her own face and screaming, attempting to tear her eyes out; the man, on the other hand, remained livid, motionless, fainted once again. The director went and grabbed her subordinate by the wrists:
- Talk to me damn it! What happened to him?! Tell me who she is!
The subordinate, upon hearing her voice, stares back with a distraught expression; the director reacts in time, and before Soo Young frees herself from the grip and jumps back to pounce over her, roaring like an animal, she paralyzes her with the mind and retreats. But still the unexpected attacker got to move slowly forwards, with reddened eyes fixed on Raon, and after biting her tongue as if struggling with her own mouth, she began to speak with a voice not her own, in a symphony of abysmal echoes, like the chants of multiple suffocating crows:
- Three eyes. Eight links. One anathema. You can't escape destiny. Accept what you are. I am you! You are me!
Frightened, the director burst Soo Young's lung with a single mind-blow and demanded that the terrified medical staff still present attended the two people who now laid motionless and badly injured in the interrogation room. They agreed, fearing a similar retaliation, and after stopping the subaltern's bleeding with bio foam, they took her and the prisoner out of there on portable stretchers towards the base's emergency wing. Seo Jin and Chae Gun came running, the medical team disappearing through the corridors:
- Director – said Seo Jin – it's urgent. Supervisor Kim sent us here to notify you.
- What happened? Speak at once – she responded, still coming out of the shock of her experience.
-The Shanghai laboratory is under attack – Chae Gun replied.
- So useless. All of you – she replied with contempt – Follow me; I'll solve this.