The human race is capable of many wonderful acts, as well as the most depraved thoughts of savagery unimaginable within the animal kingdom. Civilization has forced men to act independently of their darkest fantasies by containing them behind the prison of morals and punishments. The vile actions of some will not benefit a thriving society, yet KD-554 did not see it this way. Her ideology, encapsulating a hatred beyond imagination, has been the infection that has afflicted those serving under her.
One look at the "scientists" who had adhered to her ideas, and her idea of savagery being human nature will gain its biggest vindication. If the absolute depravity and psychopathy displayed by these men were never their nature, then how could one become such once the chains of restraint have been unleashed? Why did millions of people descend into debauchery under KD-554's rule if her idea didn't hold a possible truth about this world? The instinctual urge to kill without remorse...
For a moment, Dane opened his eyes, the red neon of the city tainting his visage like a layer of unwashable paint. There was no emotion inside his eyes other than the cold determination of a killer. With ice in his veins, Dane stepped away from the window, briefcase in hand, and lab coat on his back.
...Is in all of us. Once the barrier of morality and sanity breaks, what else remains other than a monster? This was the irrefutable evidence which made KD-554's philosophy unbreakable. People will not notice the hatred in her words; they will witness their reflection. In a world so indifferent to the suffering of the individual, many seek solace in a belief, in an idea which promises more than the tasteless answers offered by nihilism. One must accept their own truth if they wish to claim their spot on the great game of life.
Cogitas, ergo non es! Only through the rejection of falsehood could one hope to succeed in life. To rid himself of that mask of false civility and take control of the monster within is the only choice one has. Yet, is this where "cogito ergo sum" has found its kryptonite? Is this philosophy the final verdict of the human race?
As Dane approached Laboratory number 7, he put a mask over his face to conceal his identity. Having been recently appointed as one of the six butchers of KD-554, the guards immediately showed him their respect by allowing him free passage without question. While awaiting an answer behind the massive doors, Dane remained livid with an empty look in his eyes.
[Cogitas, Ergo Non Es] Chapter 1: Do Not See!
"Sight is a gift which should not be wasted on the existence of those unworthy of your attention. The stimulation of this sense should not influence you, as you should dominate its meaning instead. Your vision should be a tool to guide you toward your goal, not a handicap to induce doubt within your psyche. If art is subjective to the perception of each, then you should not put doubt upon your action. What you see is a reality unique to you, something others may not judge, even less by society. Once you deny the perspective of others as your own, you may finally unlock your true inner strength. "
As Dane entered the laboratory, he was immediately greeted by Doctor Caecus, chief biological engineer of KD-554. As a part of his plan, Dane will pretend to show interest in the work of each of the five scientists under KD-554. Then, he will use the knowledge accumulated on each of them to plot their eventual downfall. However, the trickiest part of the plan is how he must orchestrate their death simultaneously so as not to arouse suspicion or catch unwanted attention.
[Caecus] - "Doctor Dane, I've heard many great things about you. It's a great honour for me to present to you my works of art. "
Said Caecus as he shook Dane's hand.
[Dane] - "I reckon your expertise in biological warfare will greatly benefit an alliance between us two. In fact, I was workin' on a bomb which could make use of the fruit of your labour. "
Said Dane as he presented his briefcase to the doctor.
[Caecus] - "Of course, I'd be honoured to oblige. "
Said Caecus as he began to lead Dane further into his facility.
As the two men walked, the lights began to shine upon the horrid sights hidden deep within the laboratory. Tubes swimming with mutilated corpses filled Dane's periphery, leaving him deeply disturbed. However, the workspace of Caecus was a far cry from the unholy work he had witnessed in the hallways. On a massive wall, hundreds of small cubic rooms housed human test subjects in different stages of infection by different diseases. The shock of it almost made Dane puke right then and there, yet Dane resisted the urge with all of his being.
[Caecus] - "What's wrong, Doctor Dane? I thought you were interested in my work and not disgusted by it. "
Said Caecus with a suspicious look.
[Dane] - "I'm not used to this type of sight. However, our collaboration will persist despite my weak stomach. "
Caecus smirked at Dane's attempt at trying to hold the contents of his stomach in.
[Caecus] - "You don't seem to understand my work, Doctor Dane. Only the ignorant find these masterpieces disgusting. The beauty of it lies in one's ability to appreciate the work of microorganisms within the bodies of the supposed master of the animal kingdom. To see how we, the most fearsome creatures on this earth, can easily be conquered by beings too small to even be of consideration to us. "
Said Caecus as his pupils dilated.
Slowly, Caecus moved toward Dane and urged him to look directly into the eyes of a diseased patient in his containment box. The putrid rot in his flesh was apparent, yet the man was alive and scratching at the bulletproof window.
[Caecus] - "If you could not appreciate my work for its beauty, then I sadly believe we can no longer be partners. I prefer working with those with a vision, not those easily swayed by the casual ethics of an ignorant society. "
Whispered Caecus into Dane's left ear with sporting a sadistic grin.
Dane felt the urge to vomit push against his throat as he slowly lost the battle against his own biological response. As the rotting patient exchanged a look filled with pain and desperation with Dane, the Texan gritted his teeth in anger toward the malice of Caecus. Yet Dane could simply not accept the sight before him as art; Dane would not dehumanize himself by becoming the monster that is Caecus.
[Dane] - "The urge to puke is a biological response to the sight of such... creation. So what makes you feel so immune to it? "
Said Dane while breathing heavily.
[Caecus] - "It's easy. Once I had been enlightened to my true calling by our great queen KD-554, I understood that perception is a sense controllable by our psyche. You may see something horrid, yet I see this man behind glass as a piece of Picasso or Da Vinci. Biology is to be manipulated by our hands instead of having it control us. "
Said Caecus while grinning.
At that moment, Dane suddenly realized something. Instead of being swayed by his own sight, he can choose to manipulate what he sees. If Caecus can choose to change his perspective willingly, so can Dane. With all of his effort, Dane ignored the rotting man in front of him and focused his vision on the wall of the containment room. As time went on, Dane's urge to puke faded into an afterthought.
[Caecus] - "Have you finally seen what I see? "
Said Caecus as he glanced at Dane's face.
Upon seeing the stoic, unmoving expression on the Texan's face, Caecus believed that Dane might have finally understood his philosophy. Yet, Dane simply chose to ignore the sight before his eyes.
[Dane] - "I understand what you meant now. We are the masters of our own sight, not the other way around. "
With an excited grin, Caecus patted Dane on the back before presenting him with a vial of an unknown bacteria.
[Caecus] - "Now that we are on the same page, I present to you the brush I used to paint the art before you. This is a strain of mutated Necrotizing Fasciitis I have created just a few days before your arrival. Guess what, friend, I have made this into an airborne variant. "
Explained Caecus with the excitement of a small child.
Dane swallowed, sickened by the sadistic enthusiasm of Caecus. However, the show must go on, and Dane will have to perform in order to gain his trust.
[Dane] - "Very interestin', partner. I believe we might soon find the right candidate for the bomb I have designed. KD-554 will be pleased. "
Said Dane while forcing a smile.
Back inside his laboratory, Dane designed the first iteration of the bacteria bomb. However, the bomb hid a secret only Dane himself knew as he tested the mechanical spider legs inside his device. Caecus will pay for his actions, but Dane's plan is still far from complete.
[Cogitas, Ergo Non Es] Chapter 2: Do not hear!
"The voices of others only serve as disruptions. To hear is to allow the preaching words of your opposition to influence you. To listen with intent is to invite doubt into your soul. Only through the complete disregard of noises disruptive to your character could you shed the mask placed upon you by others. Your hearing serves to enhance your survival, to complement your actions, and to stimulate your mind. The singular service of the auditory organ is to you and you alone. Let all noises be music to your ears, unable to sway your mind while enhancing its proficiency. "
Lord Engineer Surdus, in charge of all the torture devices and machines used by KD-554, is the second scientist Dane needed to meet up with. Though she was hesitant to have Dane come over, she eventually accepted his request as she sought technical knowledge from the master engineer himself.
Arriving before the massive industrial complex that was Surdus' workspace, Dane was surprised to notice that there was a distant noise in the background of all the machinery. In a worn and dirty set of clothes complemented by protective plating, Surdus presented herself in front of Dane. Though Dane had expected the same kind of madness in the eyes of the engineer, she suddenly removed her welding mask and revealed the face of a joyful young woman.
[Surdus] - "Nice to meet you, Doctor Dane. I'm a big fan of your work. "
Said Surdus with a wide smile.
There was no malice on her visage, yet there was an indescribable uncanniness to her attitude. At first, Dane believed that Surdus was faking her attitude, yet as he looked deeper into her eyes, there was simply no hint of deception.
[Surdus] - "I suppose I'm not really a people person, since I usually work alone. However, how could I pass on the great opportunity to meet the great engineer Dane Conagher himself? "
Said Surdus enthusiastically as she shook Dane's hand.
[Dane] - "I'm pretty darn flattered. "
Said Dane with an awkward smile.
[Surdus] - "Now, mister Dane, shall we proceed to the workspace? "
As the two walked through the assembly lines filled with different types of ammunition, Dane quizzically approached one of the conveyor belts and picked up one of the bullets. Upon closer inspection, Dane immediately understood the mechanism of the devilish round.
[Surdus] - "Once the flesh is pierced by the round, the shattering of the tip will deliver a few thousand microscopic carbon fibre needles into the target's body. The physical property of the carbon fibre needles ensures that after getting shot, pain will be the only thing plaguing the poor soul for the rest of his life, as they are difficult to remove while also being extremely agonizing. Moving will feel like being cut by a thousand razor blades. "
Said Surdus while maintaining an innocent smile.
Dane almost dropped the bullet out of shock. The round wasn't even made to properly kill someone, but to instead guarantee that the poor soul on the receiving end lives a life of torture and pain. Yet, Surdus somehow explained the whole thing while maintaining such a surreal innocence. It feels as if she wasn't aware of how horrendous her creations were.
As Dane reached her workplace, he was abruptly bombarded with the screams and yells of tortured souls the moment the heavy steel doors opened. It felt as if he was stepping into hell itself, as torture devices with imprisoned subjects littered the walls and corners of the place. Due to the number of machines in constant operation, the screams seemed to never end. As soon as one died down, another would yell in his stead.
However, the most disturbing part of all this is how Surdus seemed to listen to the screams of pain as if she were listening to music. Her mood became relaxed and joyous as she turned to Dane with the same innocent and welcoming smile she had shown previously. Despite her attitude, it was clear to Dane Surdus has not just a few screws loose in her head, but an entire mechanism missing instead.
[Surdus] - "Ignore the ambient music, Doctor Dane. Come closer, I've got something to show you. "
Said Surdus as she waved her hand at Dane.
Hesitantly, Dane stepped into the center of the room where Surdus began to show him the plans for her next twisted creations. However, her voice soon faded into the background as Dane was consumed by the tortured screams around him. The effect of all these pleas for help and yells was maddening.
[Dane] - "How are you able to even work in this environment? "
Yelled Dane, trying not to have his voice drowned in the screams.
[Surdus] - "Simple, I just have to understand that I am the monster I always was. The screams can be interpreted as white noise. They won't bother me, as they will instead help me focus. Think about it, if the sound of rain can be a great ambience for many, then can't the screams of men be the same? KD-554 made me understand that most things in life are for each person's interpretation. Why conform when this is who you truly are? "
Said Surdus with a surreal amount of peace in her voice.
As the day ended, Dane couldn't fall asleep due to the echoes of all the voices of tortured souls in his mind. He felt himself losing his sanity with every moment and woke up three times during the night due to his nightmares. Yet, as he washed his face with the ice-cold water of the sink, he felt a burning sensation deep inside his heart. He still had a mission, and now it was not the time to be consumed by madness. Through sheer force of will, Dane banished the voices inside his head and replaced them with his hatred toward Surdus and KD-554. He will not be broken today, and he will make sure that Surdus pays for her actions.
With barely any sleep, Dane braced himself at his workstation, where he built himself a pair of microscopic auditory devices. With the assistance of a camera attached to a pair of small operating claws, Dane attached the devices inside his ear canals. Though the procedure was done without anesthetic, Dane didn't flinch at the pain as his savage will to kill Surdus overpowered all of his senses.
Throughout the next few days, Dane helped Surdus improve the many torture devices already in operation inside her workshop. Yet, Dane will not hear what he does not need to hear, as the devices in his ears blocked the screams. These actions might be seen as Dane losing his mind, but he modified the torture devices with a different purpose in mind.
[Surdus] - "I can't wait for your expertise to make these people produce an even more delightful tune with their voices. Ah, it really reminds me of how our great mother KD-554 recruited me to work for her. How I have learned to accept my genius for what it truly is and not as a curse. It also- "
With a click of the button on his arm, Dane shut off the audio feed inside his ears. With purpose in his eyes, Dane stared at the poor man stuck inside the machine. Though the man could not hear him, Dane made a slight nod to indicate that he was not here to harm him.
[Cogitas, Ergo Non Es] Chapter 3: Do not speak!
"The vocalization of one's idea is often useless compared to the impact of direct action. If a theory could be proven, why let it be only an idea? Make the theory into a reality, and it will become the irrefutable proof of your worth. Let your inner nature speak for you. Language is a recent invention, while the first humans carved their legacy in action. Dialogue weakens one's true potential by asserting the dogma of doubt in your soul. Let the ignorant speak words without weight while you crush their mask of falseness in your actions. "
This time, it wasn't Dane who had requested to meet up with one of the scientists. Just as Dane had finished working on another of Surdus' criminal creations, he received a single piece of paper stamped with the insignia of the moon and a time written below. With a slight knowledge of each of the five scientists in mind, Dane knew immediately who the letter came from.
At night, Dane followed behind a guard sent to guide him to his destination. Laboratory H10 was the workplace of the High Gene Engineer Mutus, responsible for KD-554's abominable mutant projects. The place was beyond silent, as if it were abandoned. Yet, as they reached the doorway to the laboratory, Dane was greeted by Mutus in a clean new lab coat. As Dane approached to greet the man, Mutus simply gestured for Dane to remain silent with a finger placed against his lip.
Then, after the usual formalities were done in silence, Mutus suddenly gestured for the guard to enter the laboratory first. The guard, unaware of the danger he was in, obeyed the engineer's order as he stepped into the laboratory. Then, with a few fake movements of his lips, Mutus convinced the guard that he was speaking to him.
[Guard] - "What? "
That single word was enough as a sudden growl echoed across the room. Before the guard could react, two humanoid beasts with huge powerful stomps for hands ponced on him. Without mercy, the creatures tore the poor man to shreds within seconds, stomping him until he was just a puddle of grounded meat paste.
As Dane instinctively tried to scream, Mutus covered his mouth before again putting his finger to his mouth, but this time with a malicious grin on his face. Then, carelessly, Mutus walked past the two creatures while making sure to stamp extra hard on the floor to create sound. Yet, the creatures would not bulge despite the noise. Though no word was exchanged, Dane understood Mutus' message. Mustering all the courage in his heart, Dane stepped forward and avoided the puddle that used to be the guard.
Once inside the laboratory, Dane was met with the sight of different creatures in different stages of growth inside test tubes. Though the scene was disturbing, Dane had learned to look without taking the sight into consideration from his previous encounter with Caecus. At the workstation, Mutus showed Dane the technical documents of the two creatures at the door. Apparently, they used to be human but have now been mutated into these ungodly beasts without humanity. On top of this, these creatures are trained to recognize human speech. They will not respond to any stimuli other than the words spoken out of a mouth.
Suddenly, Mutus discarded the document to the side before showing Dane a picture of KD-552 taken with KD-554 by her side. The one thing Dane immediately noticed was the terrified expression in the poor girl's eyes. The picture immediately filled Dane with guilt as he knew the poor woman was surely suffering untold pain under KD-554's care. However, snapping him back to reality, Mutus pointed at KD-552 before pointing at a normal human woman floating inside a test tube.
Apparently, through his gesture, Mutus wanted Dane to help him perfect his own version of the KD-series assassin. Seeing the perfect opportunity to set a trap for Mutus, Dane agreed. For the next few days, Dane worked in silence with Mutus in developing some new DNA structures and features. However, unlike his previous two encounters, the lack of a conversation helped Dane instead of being a hindrance. While Dane messed with the genetic codes and cybernetic modification of the super-human assassin, the lack of questions and dialogue ensured that Mutus could only see Dane's work, but never truly understand it.
Yet, Dane learned another valuable lesson. Sometimes, remaining silent and humble is a beneficial trait. It conceals your intention under a veil of secrecy, which often prevents the accidental leak of information. Most importantly, Dane realized that without his input, his words could no longer be used against him. In the case of Mutus, Dane had a great time working with him, yet it was time to move on to the next target.
To be continued...