Chapter 15

They step inside and look around. The walls are white with decorations of large pictures and various diplomas hung on the wall. There were likewise several plaques for various awards the doctor received. This was obviously from before The Scion entered into the world. The office looked the same as when she had last been here. There were a couple of overturned chairs from their hurried escape. They had come back here for something but Dove couldn't remember exactly what that was.

Akan was very secretive about it but Dove almost remembered him hiding something as opposed to grabbing something. He had set up wards on the doors and floor to keep the Draug out. She walked over to the wall behind a large painting of The World Trade Center after the events from September 11, 2001. During that time terrorists had hijacked airplanes and crashed them into the north and south towers of The World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A fourth plane believed to be heading for The White House in Washington DC was brought down prematurely in Pennsylvania. Nearly three thousand people were killed in this act and for a time it brought together the nation of America.

The blame was put on Osama bin Laden and the terrorist group al-Qaeda. The Illuminati paid a hefty sum to have al-Qaeda take the blame of this act. They hid al-Qaeda in a remote location and told them it would be in their best interests to keep a low profile. Instead Osama bin Laden made various videos of how he planned and executed the attacks. He taunted America and remained at large for quiet sometime. Eventually because of his taunts he was tracked down and killed by the American Nation.

The world would be surprised by the number of near outbreaks that had been covered up, such as the Kennedy Assassination. The real Oswald had been infected and was killed on the site. The man who was taken into custody was a member of the Illuminati. He sacrificed himself so the world wouldn't know the true horrors in it. Though knowing the Illuminati as she did now, she wondered of the validity of that voluntary action.

Dove moved to the painting and took it off the wall. Behind the picture was a safe and she tilts her head at this curiously.

"What have you found Dove?" asks Wicca.

"Just a safe, I'll crack it open after we have a look at Akan's computer."

Dove moves over to the computer and moves the mouse. The screen jumps to life immediately bringing up a login screen. Dove uses her phone to interface with the PC and hacks the password. She brings up the schematics of the building and looks them over closely. She finds the place where the Ageis Chamber is located and begins to power down the PC when she sees a folder file of interest. It is simply labeled Lazarus. She looks back to Wicca and Athame who have both seen the folder. They give her a nod and she opens the file. It seems to be a long and extensive audio file. Dove starts it up and listens. Akan's voice comes across loud, clear, and crisp. The more they listen the more they realize this is an audio journal.

August 3rd 2036, Dr. Chester R. Akan's Logs. Archeological dig site of mount St. Helen. Today one of our survivalist shot a duck. It landed in what we thought was a mountain spring. We discovered a mysterious pool. It appears to be a hot spring however the water is green. That wasn't what we found strange however. As our survivalist reached for the duck, the water around it began to bubble as if it were boiling. We watched as seconds later the duck's wounds healed, it sprang to life, and flew away. We've set up a tent and collected many samples. We plan on starting tests on them tomorrow.

August 10th 2036, we can tell that the water from the spring has amazing regenerative properties. We've taken a few volunteers and cut off their fingers. Using the water on the dissection instantly grows a new potion of the finger as though nothing had ever happened. We also found some old bones near the pits and tested them with the spring water. A tested bone did grow flesh, muscle, and sinew, but it did not amount to much. We harvested it and are testing it now. I have contacted my employers at the Illuminati and they are discussing what we should do next. In the mean time we will continue to run tests. We are calling this spring The Lazarus Rise.

On a side note we found three golden spherical objects with the bones that look very much like Solomon Keys. Two have been shipped off to other facilities while one remains here.

August 24th 2036, we dropped some of the materials we gathered from the bone into the pit today. The water bubbled and boiled but nothing happened at first. Shortly after the flesh was dropped inside we noticed it getting larger and growing rapidly. After a few minute we began to make out a person. It was female and still growing rapidly when suddenly she opened her eyes. She swam to the top quickly and leaped out of the water. She charged at one of the guards with madness in her eyes. The guard slammed the butt of his rifle into her face and she crumbled. Moments after she fell she began to dissolve and change into a gelatinous form. It would appear her transformation was not complete. We attempted to use the tissue again but there was no reaction in the Lazarus Rise. We can only guess at this point that with the interruption in the process that it ruined the material to a point that it can no longer be regenerated.

September 2nd 2036, our facility has been moved to a remote location outside of Indianapolis, Indiana. We are having water shipped in from Washington and the tests we have run so far prove out theory. If the regeneration process is interrupted at any point in time, the subject dematerializes and changes so much that it loses all genetic markers. It is just ooze; grey, slimy, and gelatinous. It is flammable so we have burned any of it that we have. It is not toxic but smells foul.

November 2nd 2036, we've constructed what we call the Lazarus Chamber. It will keep the subject contained while she grows. We've diluted the solution from the Lazarus Rise in hopes that the subject will grow at a slower rate and there for avoid the dementia of the previous subject. We are calling her Project Eve. Hopefully with her success she will be the mother of all other projects with The Lazarus Process.

November 15nd 2036, the girl is growing nicely; we decided to use the entire bone that we first used to test in The Rise. Since the subject is already started we will inject an agent into the subject that will allow us to change a few genetic markers and in theory make her taller.

November 30th 2036, our attempts to modify the subject have failed. This morning we watched as she changed into a mass of goo. It was sad to watch. We can only guess that our modifications to the DNA interrupted the process though it took a while for the subject to break down. We will burn the remains and start again. Hopefully this time we get it right.

December 5th 2036, we've started on Project Eve once more. We modified her DNA ahead of time and tested it in the chamber before making a final attempt at putting her into the chamber. All the original tests failed. I got the idea that perhaps we were modifying the DNA too much beyond its genetic makeup. I altered it only to make the subject a foot larger than it originally was. The sample failed and we decided to scrap modifications. These tests have become more bothers than they are worth and we will run simulated test based on data collected. We have started once more and the subject is growing nicely now and it will be only a matter of time before we have our first test subject.

May 5th 2037, we've made a breakthrough in The Lazarus Process this day. We've developed our first live specimen. Carbon dating estimates her to be alive in the early 1400's. This technology is very experimental at this point and we have no idea what may become of the subject. Project Eve, or Eve for short, seems to have no memory of who she once was though amazingly she has motor functions, cognitive speech, comprehensive thought, just as if she had been doing such things for a life time. We will begin talking to her, testing her knowledge, see what she knows, and measure her capacity for learning. She has long dark black hair, deep emerald green eyes, and a tan complexion.

May 9th 2037, we've spent the last three days questioning the subject. She has amazing common sense though there is much she doesn't understand. She does not understand where she is though seems accepting of her surroundings. According to Eve one of the orderlies touch her in an inappropriate manner today. She snapped his neck. She managed to break another orderly's nose, the arm of a third, as well as a fourth's leg before we were able to sedate her. She is fast, and seems to have an innate knowledge of how to fight. Perhaps hidden memories that the brain has tapped into when she feels she is in danger. We have asked her why it is she dislikes being touched but she cannot remember. It seems that women are able to touch her with no issues but men always bring about a reaction of violence. Tomorrow we will take some blood for testing and put Eve through a few training exercises to see what exactly she is capable of.

May 15th 2037, Eve met one of our nurses today named Tammy. Eve seems particularly fascinated by Tammy's pink highlights in her blonde hair. Eve asked her what kind of magic could make her hair two colors. She seemed a bit confused when Tammy told her it wasn't magic but hair dye. They got into a discussion about salons; the girl is picking up on the modern world quickly. Today we put her through a military training program with but a single goal. Capture a flag in enemy territory without being detected. She did this and none of us have any clue how she managed it as the door to the flag was under constant guard. We'll give her a day or two to rest and try something harder.

May 20th 2037, we ran another capture the flag scenario only this time we had someone always watching the flag. She was not only able to get into the room undetected but was able to knock out the guard and capture the flag in less than ten minutes.

May 30th 2037, my god Eve can turn invisible. This is why she is able to sneak past us. We finally caught it on camera and I still can't believe it. She tells us that it is magic and that it's a special trick that she has known how to do for years. The team and I know that she has only been alive less than a month but she seems to be remembering more about herself. Still not enough to tell us of her past, but she does remember a trip to a place she called The Far East and learning the Art of Ninjutsu. She spoke about it as though it was a new concept and art, though I suppose to her it is. We placed various weapons in her hands and watched her used them with flawless ease. Upon taking Eve back to her room we noticed that two daggers are missing. They are titanium with a curved blade and a one-inch additional blade attached to the hilt that curved away from the hands. A search of Eve's room turned up nothing, perhaps one of the security officers took them.

June 5th 2037, the two clones made from Eve's bones is coming along nicely. Like Eve they are growing at an extraordinary rate. As with Eve we assume that the growth will stop once the clone reaches a certain age. We can tell already however that the clones are different from Eve. Even through the green tinted solution and child-like complexion we can tell that the hair is different from Eve's in both subjects. Even at this young state we noticed structural differences in their faces immediately. We've come to the conclusion that they are totally different people and that these three must have died at the same time. What caused their deaths? Did they know each other? Were they friends or enemies? We've already settled on the names Project Cerberus and Project Celestia. If the projects are anything like with Eve then we should have a completed subjects in a matter of five months.

June 22nd 2037, our training sessions with Eve have become more intense. She seems happy with the training sessions but becomes less so when we speak to her and try to delve into her memories. Dr. Libran wishes to use the Ageis to see if we are able to help her unlock her hidden memories. I am reluctant because I fear what the Ageis may unlock. Likewise if things are unlocked to quickly it could potentially drive Eve insane. I must approach this with caution; it is essentially my project but I can be easily removed if it is suspected that I have become too attached. Right now I am the only thing that stands between Eve and dissection. The others do not see her as a person, only I do right now. Perhaps if they have more time to get to know her they will see what I see.

July 5th 2037, Eve is becoming bored with her training. We've asked the board for more funding to develop live robotic targets for Eve's training. What we've done for her so far has been little of a challenge to her. My colleagues are fascinated by her and the magic she seems to possess. None of us has seen magic used up close though all of us had heard about it and the stories didn't do it justice. It was just a few tricks but things like invisibility and teleporting, but fascinating to watch nonetheless.

July 20th 2037, so far no decision has been made on putting Eve in the Ageis but things are not going my way. Eve is starting to remember that she used to live and travel with two other women. She does not remember much more than that unfortunately other than someone called Athame. Who or what this person could mean to Eve is beyond me at this point and time.

August 5th 2037, we've finally developed a few robot targets for Eve's training. Thus far she has failed to overcome them though she seems happier now that she has live targets. The robots are set to stun and disarm and seem to give Eve a challenge, at least more so than the security we were using. Eve has not killed anyone though she does get overzealous and has sent a few men to the infirmary. Security was beginning to grow weary of the sessions so I am sure they will be relieved now.

August 25th 2037, it has been decided to use the Ageis on Eve. She has become resistant about speaking of her past though we are sure she remembers more than she lets on. Her dreams have turned to nightmares over the last month and they come more frequently. She has talked of a tiny settlement that she once lived in and of the contribution she made to make it a safer place. She didn't make it a perfect place, but it was better than before. It would appear our Eve was a hero once upon a time.

September 7th 2037, Cerberus and Celestia are making remarkable progress. They both have an odd feeling about them though we can't quiet put our finger on it yet. Eve's has refused the Ageis and has promised to share her memories with us so long as we do not push too hard.

September 21st 2037, Eve tells us now that she wishes to be called by her true name. She says that her name is Dove Starling. The board has decided to sedate her and put her in the Ageis. Since we've done so she's become colder and darker than she once was. I hope it is just my imagination but she did quite a number on the robots. She destroyed three of them in a matter of moments before I had to end the session. Dove tells us that we will switch our training session to three times a week, has made a request for a computer, and has requested lessons on what's transpiring in the world so far. This is the first time she's told us something as opposed to requesting. I fear her sessions in the Ageis are the cause. She's becoming too dangerous to continue placing her in the machine. I will bring this up at the next meeting.

October 4th 2037, Dove left her room unsupervised today. She came across Cerberus and Celestia and became enraged. We had to sedate her in order to calm her. Once we were able to speak with her we discovered what had set her off. Through the use of the Ageis we discover that for most of her life Dove was tied to two women that she saw as a sisters, a woman named Athame and another called Wicca. The three were inseparable their bond was as close knit as any sisters. It would appear that Cerberus and Athame as well as Celestia and Wicca are the same people.

October 8th 2037, Cerberus' full name is Athame Xui. She is a wizard and according to Dove a powerful one. Dove met her in the China when she was learning martial arts. Celestia's full name is Wicca Harris. She is a priestess capable of using powerful healing magic. This is an amazing find for the Illuminati. If they are anything like Dove they will be powerful indeed and something we can use to shape the Illuminati.

October 28th 2037, Dove is learning well, beyond the scope of what we could possibly imagine. I was perplexed by this until I caught her tampering with the Ageis. Today, after her session in the Ageis I notice that she had modified it in such a way as to transmit information as well as extract it. Essentially while we've been using it to extract information from her brain, Dove has found a way to upload information into her brain. Mathematics, Science, English, History, Modern Security, and even Hacking, these are things she has been uploading to herself. A complete investigation of the laptop given to her shows searches on networking, intrusion, password decryption, computer and hardware infrastructure, our Dove has certainly been a busy little bee. With the knowledge she's gained so far she was able to hack into our systems and study the blueprints of the Ageis. She found a way to reprogram it and implement that programming to her advantage. I wouldn't go so far as to say she is a genius but most of my colleagues would not have thought to do such a thing had they been in her place. The others are talking about recycling her and starting over fresh. I cannot allow this to happen.

November 5th 2037, Cerberus and Celestia are finally out of the regeneration chamber. To avoid the same issues we've had with Dove, we've totally wiped their memories.

Cerberus is an albino. There is literally no pigmentation in her. Her hair is silver, her skin is so pale it practically shines, and her eyes are ice blue. Unlike other albinos she has no sensitivity to light leaving me to ask the question if she is true albino or if it is some sort of magical effect.

Celestia has a light complexion, almost Caucasian, save for a slight differentiation in her complexion. She has long black wavy hair and amber colored eyes. Her skin seems nearly flawless and perfect which causes us to wonder if it's an effect of the magic she possesses.

On a different note it may have taken us three tries but we realize now it's not the subject but the chamber itself that speeds up the aging process. If we take them out before full incubation however, this is the time it takes to fully grow the organs needed to sustain life functions, then the subject is tainted. Putting them back into the chamber is useless as they turn into foul smelling sludge. No what we need to do is to find a way to age the organs while reducing the effects it has on the body. Perhaps if we modified the solution then we could achieve this. We put everything together so fast that we didn't even bother to test anything. Dove was meant to be our test I suppose however she was a complete success or so we thought. How can something that works be a failure?

November 10th 2037, Cerberus literally froze a nurse's hand today, Casey was her name. She didn't mean to, but Casey scared her. It was fascinating, to watch that blue ray shoot from her finger, but we watched horrified as ice formed around it. Cerberus rushed to her and melted it away with some type of spell but the damage had already been done and we will have to amputate. We will have to be more careful around her. We've likewise decided not to put her through treatments in the Ageis. Not after what we found out about Dove. It is too horrible to even put into words. I have finally agreed with the others. We are going to scrape Dove and try again. This time we will use a modified version of the solution to hopefully keep her as a child as opposed to an adult. Perhaps this will keep all her memories from surfacing and she can go back to being Eve once more.

November 16th 2037, the titanium daggers we thought missing have finally resurfaced. Unfortunately it was in Dove's hands after she killed five of our guards. She must have somehow heard about our plans for her. She has also kidnapped Cerberus and Celestia and locked herself in the Ageis chamber. To be honest it is the perfect place to hide. The area is completely separate from the rest of the complex. It is air tight and uses a process to recycle CO2 into to O2. Dove has lock the area off and set up a 128 hexadecimal passcode to keep us out. Because of the dangers to the subject, the Ageis is kept on a separate powers source that can only be operated from an observatory computer within the Ageis chamber. How did Dove know all this? How long had she been planning this and how is it possible that she put it together in such a short time? We gave her the knowledge to do such, we are the ones to blame, if only we had known how truly dangerous she truly was. Using technology based on Eve's power we've teleported in Illuminati elites but the doors never open and only one ever came out. He had a message, stop trying or more would die. We see her walking around the area from time to time through the bullet proof glass but we dare not press our luck any more than we already have.

November 17th 2037, I have no idea the limits of Dove's power, but she teleported to my office today and brought me inside the Ageis chamber today. She wants me to activate it and restore Cerberus' and Celestia's minds. She wants me to make them Athame and Wicca again as she put it. I have warned her of the danger and she informed me of something I was not aware of, as long as an influx of information is going into the subject then the risks of extraction is minimal. In other words, it will not only unlock her memories but she will gain added knowledge as well. I have reviewed the files and must say that I am impressed. Dove has chosen subjects in scientific theory, genetics, technology, and many others for Cerberus and language arts, philosophy, literature, computers science, all forms of theology and many other subjects for Celestia. Dove says that these are subject that they would study themselves if they were from this time. I have given in to her wish because I wish to see just how right Dove is.

November 24th 2037, I have taken to calling Cerberus and Celestia by their proper names, Athame and Wicca; it pleases Dove and keeps me alive. I am glad that Dove continues to let me document events. If she did not I think I would go insane. In any case Dove and I have discussed much. She told me that one day she knew that we would try and destroy her. She has been preparing for it since she first woke up. She told me that she, her sister, and her best friend fought a great evil. They died in the process but they were able to banish a being called the Scion from this world. She did not tell me the circumstances of their deaths but I got the feeling it was not a pleasant one. She told me why it is she does not like to be touched by men. She has passcodes on all the terminals and doors. She has no problem killing, but she does not do so needlessly. Athame's process will take at least another week, and then we move on to Wicca. Poor Wicca seems most confused by all of this.

A side note I find most interesting is this Scion. Could it be the same Scion of today? Logic says yes. If so they said they sent it back, banished it. Where does it come from? How did they do it? Can they do it again? Time will tell I suppose

December 1th 2037, Athame's time in the Ageis is complete. She has fully knowledge of who she was, and an extensive knowledge of today. She is brilliant and her mind exceeds my own. She also has great magical power of the likes I have never not in a long time. Knowledge just cannot be given; one must have the capacity to understand what it is they are learning. I suspect that Dove knew this, which is why she never tried to give herself knowledge that was beyond her scope of understanding. This Athame must have a great mind to compile and understand the wide range of knowledge implanted into her. The two then placed Wicca, in the chamber and began to put her through the process. Dove shows blueprints and materials on The Lazarus Process to Athame and asks if she can figure out how it works. She of course does easily which is not surprising with her intellect.

December 2nd 2037, Athame teleported out of the chamber today and retrieved all the bones we've found of them. I can see the others frantically trying to find a way to bring the labs back under their control. They've sent in more troops but Dove and Athame kill them with ease. The place remains locked down and it seems that they are prepared for anything. It would seem that Athame can create something called a Sanctuary. It is like a house and meets the need of the person conjuring it.

December 8th 2037, Athame sorted all the bones according to which person they belonged too. They were labeled and dated accordingly when Dove asked Athame why she was doing it. Athame stated it was in case they needed to be brought back again. Dove made a fine argument that if their memories were held in their DNA, wouldn't it be best to use their DNA from today. Athame agreed with the logic and the remaining bones were incinerated. I am no longer allowed to do anything. They have completely taken over. I am not sure why I am even here anymore.

December 15th 2037, Wicca has completed her time in the Ageis chamber and her mind has been completely restored. She has a beauty to her that surpasses both Dove and Athame. She has taken to pulling it into a bun that sits at the back of her head. She knows of the modern world and what is currently going on at the labs. The three discussed quite a bit about what was happening. That was when the assault came. Nearly a whole army of Illuminati Elite barged into the chamber and attacked. Dove, Athame, and Wicca turn to the assault and trying to think quickly I grabbed a stun stick they left unattended. I turn immediately to Dove and turning up the amps I hit her with the stick. She drops in an instant clearly not expecting what just transpired. Athame and Wicca turn on me and at this time the Elite open fire. They use a knock out gas that takes down the two and myself as well apparently. When I came to, I tell them that we are to wipe the memories of all three subject if we are going to salvage this situation at all.

January 1st 2038, Athame, Wicca, and Dove's minds have been completely wiped. We have given them new names, Frost for Athame, Sage for Wicca and Hemlocke for Dove. It will be safer for us this way and hopefully this will likewise remove any side effects caused by the Ageis. She's just been taken from the chamber and is being escorted to her room. Now we are to focus on the other two subjects. For safety issues we have been keeping both under sedation …

The recording cuts off and gunfire can be heard fairly close. More gunfire this time closer. This goes on for a time stopping suddenly. It picks back up once more with the sound of retreating footsteps. The gunfire picks up more heavily sounding nearly next to the recorder they are so loud. A loud shot and a buzzing is heard as the recording suddenly stops.

January 5th 2038, this will be my last entry. With the loss of both Frost and Sage, the Lazarus Project is being shut down. We are certain The Dragon's took one while The Templars too the others. Like us they too have ways to restore and tamper with memories. I just hope they are more successful than we were.

We have destroyed the Ageis Chamber however this may not have been the best idea. Hemlocke is already showing signs of regaining knowledge we took from her. She remembers things that happened days ago, but they are fuzzy. Given time I am sure her memories will fully resurface. This is something I will keep to myself. I am certain that had we let her memories come back naturally she would have been fine. The more memories that begin to surface the quicker other memories will surface.

The Project is considered a success as originally we were supposed to test the regenerative property of the spring waters. We are now being asked to move on to the study of The Draug. We are to study their social habits and their internal makeup. The Illuminati wish to learn if there is a way to control them and turn them into weapons. This will help cut down on our own casualties.

The audio file stops and the women look at one another with flabbergasted looks. What were they going to do now? Dove moves from the computer to the safe. The lock is digital and Dove uses her phone to crack the safe. She throws open the safe door and looks inside. On a velvet cloth sits a golden circular object. The object has many engraved glyphs on the surface. Dove looks from the object to the group. They all know instantly they have found a Key of Solomon. They motion for her to go on and she reaches out putting a hand on the object.

As soon as her fingers touch the Key images blur through her mind. They are too fast for the eye to keep up with and she puts one hand to her head. The other is stuck to the Key as if glued. Blue lights emit from the sphere flowing over Dove. The group looks worried moving to pull her away from the Key but something is holding her fast. The harder they pull, the stronger the force holding Dove into place becomes. Finally they stand back and wait. A few moments later the light surrounding Dove stops. She grabs the Key turning it over and in the blink of an eye is gone.