Jack's heel tapped the floor with agitation, his hand covering his mouth as he listened to the crackle of static over the recorder. This had to be a dream. He'd fallen on the ice and was unconscious. This wasn't real. It couldn't be. He had no memories of this. Over the recorder, he heard the doctor start to speak again. "Subject 10-1-3-11 is preforming admirably. The Subject has shown no side effects since Altar 1-14-20-9's removal. Recovery has been slow, but Subject is performing tasks without issue." The other man's voice suddenly cut in calmly. "Alright. The scan is complete. Sending the image to him... now." A chair squeaked before the doctor informed the Subject over the speakers with a soft button click. "Scan of Subject 1-14-20-9 is complete. No sign of visible damage to the surrounding organic material, but no signs of activity either. All output is flatlined. Ok. Let's begin." There was another squeak of a chair and a soft click, before the doctor told the other man quietly. "How long has Altar 1-14-20-9 been like this?"

The other man answered a bit distantly. "A few weeks now. Started with flickering lights and equipment malfunctions around the facility. Then on the night of Subject 10-1-3-11's recovery from surgery, Subject 1-14-20-9 just flatlined. The board refuses to open the container. So, here we are. Trying to revive the asset the hard way. The board doesn't want to lose their battery power. Shall I patch through his next set instructions, Dr. Alexander?" There was a pause, before Dr. Alexander answered coolly. "Patch them through, Dr. Josephia." Over the speakers on the recorder, Jack heard himself read aloud. "Experiment 02. Attempt Surface Reaction. Try using the red low powered laser to begin. Set the wavelength to light frequency 650nm. Change your monitor to RGB and when the green light blinks, press the green button next to it to execute. Sounds easy enough." Dr. Josephia chuckled, muttering quickly as he typed an array of something. "On his end. Sure." Dr. Alexander shushed him as Jack heard himself answer lightheartedly. "We're ready to go."

Over the recorder the sound of a shrill drilling hiss had Jack biting his thumb. Though he couldn't see anything, he didn't like how it sounded. The sound barely lasted a few seconds, before it stopped and Dr. Josephia told Dr. Alexander grimly. "Nothing. Now what?" Dr. Alexander pressed a comm button to tell the Subject casually. "No reaction from first stage. Let's try a higher frequency. Change the laser green powered laser by setting the light frequency to 510nm." After a click of the comm turning off, Dr. Josephia blurted out in shock. "What are you doing? Why are we skipping the yellow laser? We are supposed to be progressing slowly, so we don't damage the asset!" Dr. Alexander huffed out dryly in response. "The asset will be fine. He's made up of powerful antimatter. A little light isn't going to kill him, and we need enough of it to get his heart going again." Dr. Josephia sounded bitter when he stated out. "Fine. But you're taking responsibility if you kill destroy it."

Exhaling sarcastically, Dr. Alexander shot back bluntly. "It was MY idea to use him as a power source. The board has been overwhelming him with their petty 'safe' experiments on him thinking he has unlimited energy to give. Now he is dying... Let me jumpstart him before our whole operation is closed down. I know more about this thing than you do." Over the speakers, Jack listened closely as he listened to himself ask. "Is the goal to see what is inside this heart? And what kind of heart is this that is can withstand the power of lasers?" The doctors ignored the question as the soft drilling noise came back. When it finished this time, Dr. Josephia gawked out. "Look at that. His vitals are increasing." Dr. Alexander pressed the comm button, telling the Subject with hinted excitement. "Ok. We have a reaction of some sort here. A weak signal." Jack's voice replied uneasily. "My bad. I'm not a scientist. I don't know what I'm doing..." Dr. Alexander's voice was only slightly sympathetic when he returned curtly. "That's alright. Stay focused. Let's keep going. Increase again. Switch to the blue laser by setting the light frequency to 455nm."

There was another click, but Jack still heard his voice state aloud. "Um... Sir? I just want to thank you for letting me be part of this. It really means a lot that I can become a scientist. Even for just a day. Anything to get out of that room..." The recorder buzzed as the laser kicked out and drilled with a sharper tone. While over the speakers on the recorder, Jack faintly heard himself ask. "Smells like burnt hair. Is that normal?" Dr. Josephia suddenly asked Dr. Alexander nervously. "He shouldn't smell anything... Subject 1-14-20-9 is on the far side of the facility and trapped in thick titanium alloys with thermal protection tiles and aluminum composite materials." Dr. Alexander's voice filled with excitement when he told the recorder mic clearly. "Subject 10-1-3-11 shows possible signs of a phantom connection with Subject 1-14-20-9 who is nowhere within proximity to his testing area. The boards concern with of the Subject retaining a connection with the asset could have grounds for justification."

A sudden rhythmic beeping came online, causing Dr. Josephia to interject excitedly. "Doctor, look! Vitals are up and the assets heartbeat is steady." Dr. Aleander quickly pressed the comm button, relying to the Subject and the recorder mic. "Well, would you look at that... It seems we have a pulse. Rhythm is stable. Still no activity registering in the core. It's possibly damaged. Let's push further." The comm clicked off, before Dr. Josephia stated out sternly. "I'm strongly advising against this. The assets heartbeat is steady and holding. We should wait for it to recover before pressing on." Dr. Alexander dryly answered as sounds of him writing on a clipboard filled the recorder. "We will press on, Doctor. The asset's heart might be beating but he is still inactive. Time to wake him up." Doctor Josephia cursed but commenced typing on his computer before patching the next test through. Where over the speakers on the recorder, Jack heard himself read aloud. "Experiment 03. Resonant Frequency. Begin with generating a 250Hz sine wave with the amplifier set to 1, in order to test the Subject's acoustic properties. What? It's a heart, Guys. What are you trying to do to this thing? This is the type of shit I used to do in college... Fine. Whatever."

A light deep hum came over the recorder, before Dr. Alexander pressed the comm and announced with disappointment. "Not much of a response. Updating the experiment now." A light laugh chuckled over the recorder speakers, when Jack heard himself say openly. "Okay. Yeah, 250Hz is very very low. I could have told ya that." Clearing his throat, Jack announced to the doctors. "Experiment 03-B. Increase frequency to 500Hz sine wave and an amplifier gain of 5. Ok. Here we go." There was an almost deafening pause, before the deep humming grew increasing louder, and Jack informed the doctors cautiously. "Ok. Guys? I'm seeing some kind of response going on. Do you see this?" The comm button clicked and Dr. Alexander replied calmly. "Seeing some fluctuations and activity." This time, the doctor seemed to forget that his finger was on the comm still, when Dr. Alexander asked Dr. Josephia cautiously. "Should we increase? Is there a risk of damage? And what about out... 'volunteer'?"

Dr. Josephia huffed, whispering under his breath almost too faintly to be heard over the mic of the recorder. "We've come this far. No signs of damage that I can see. Asset's heartbeat is stronger and holding. Vitals have reached normal levels. One more might do it... As for him... Cameras in the room are showing his heartrate is a bit elevated... I- Are you still holding the button?" Over the speakers, Jack's voice shouted aloud. "Increase what? What damage risk? What is going on? What are you exposing me too now? Guys?" Dr. Alexander cursed under his breath, but quickly repressed the button to say calmly. "Relax, Mr. McLoughlin. This is all part of your test. You're doing great. Let's continue. We're going to push further. We're running out of time for this session. Let's switch it to square wave and maintain current frequencies and amp gain." Dr. Alexander waited a second, then rushed out into the mic. "Subject changed to square wave and the lights have begun to flicker and dim. Subject -1-14-20-9 is beginning to seize and spasm in his containment unit."

Over the recording speakers, Jack heard himself yell out. "Guys?! Oh, man... Guys...? I don't like this. Everything hurts..." Dr. Alexander pressed the comm, informing the Subject calmly. "Seeing some good activity on this side. Seeing definite spikes and movement. I know this might seem... uncomfortable or dangerous. But you need to trust us... and keep going." Leaning back in his chair, Jack hugged himself as both of his heels started to tap the ground with agitation. Why did this part feel vaguely familiar to him? While over the speakers of the recorder, Jack snapped back at the doctors. "Ya. No shit. I can't feel my sperm anymore. Let's just get this over with..." Groaning a bit sharply, Jack read to the doctors stiffly. "Experiment 03-D. Agitation. Maintain the gain 5 and square wave form. Bring the waveform frequency up to 1kHz. Got it." The sound of the frequency steadily increased, growing sharper in sound, and prompting Jack to tell the doctors nervously. "I don't like this sound... This is my... It's bothering my tinnitus. This constant rising in pitch... Make it stop. Please."

Suddenly Jack's voice blurted out in panic. "WHOA! Guys, the heart is not liking that!" Dr. Alexander then softly spoke into the mic a bit breathlessly. "Lights are now flickering rapidly and the window of the containment cell holding Subject 1-14-20-9 is flashing with electrical sparks. Subject seems to be back and moving. Experiment has been a success." Dr. Josephia began to type something as he told Dr. Alexander nonchalantly. "Congratulations, Dr. Alexander. I think it is about time that we sent our volunteer back to his room for some well-deserved rest. Just let me upload the fake explosion of the heart to signify the 'failed' experiment... then we can go." Dr. Alexander chuckled lightly, replying cheerfully. "I could go for some coffee. But we've got a few things to finish off before we can go." Dr. Josephia's voice replied cheerfully. "Sure. Now that the power is back. We could go visit this old coffee diner back in the sixties. Best place for lunch, coffee, and malt shakes."

Dr. Alexander hummed with approval, then pressed the comm to ask the Subject neutrally. "How do you feel?" Jack's voice was a bit bitter when he answered. "How do I feel? The heart just exploded, and I can barely hear you over the one kilohertz!" Dr. Alexander's calm clear voice replied without concern. "You've made excellent progress. We need you to stay calm and try to relax. While we go through these next steps. We're going to attempt to alleviate some of this discomfort." Jack's voice broke now as he asked anxiously. "So, that's good? I can go? Wait... Next steps? What are you going to do? Wait, but the heart exploded!" Dr. Alexander didn't answer, leaving Jack's voice to shakily yell out. "HEY?! Am I the experiment?! Wait, what are you doing to me?! Let me out! Let me out right now!" The loud and sudden pop of light bulbs shattering made Jack jump out of his chair and away from the recorder. While the lights of his room were still on, something about the sound scared him to the core.

Over the recorder speakers, Dr. Alexander spoke to his Subject in the calmest voice to say. "Don't be scared. We have the situation under control. Take a few moments to calm down." Dr. Alexander then asked Dr. Josephia with concern. "What is happening? Why did we lose power?" Dr. Josephia blurted out as he tapped the computer keys. "I have no idea. Everything is down. Emergency power is on, but the computers are not coming back on." Jack blood turned to ice as he listened to Dr. Alexander utter securely into the mic. "Why is his computer still on then?" From over the speakers, Jack's voice read aloud anxiously. "Experiment 05-A. Contact. Open the chamber." Dr. Alexander's voice was suddenly worried when he rushed out to Dr. Josephia. "What is going on? Did you send that?" Dr. Josephia panted out a distressed. "How could I? Look at my computers! I'm not doing this!" Over the speakers of the recording, Jack shouted back. "I'm not sure I want to do that. In fact... I know I don't! Let me out right now, you sick bastards!"

Dr. Josephia's voice then coolly told Dr. Alexander. "The board was right... It is still a part of him. It is... reaching out to him. We've got to stop this! Send security to get him out of there!" Jack flinched as the sound of a punch came through, before Dr. Alexander panted out. "No! Think about what we could learn from it. We continue." The sound of a comm clicking on filled the silence, before Dr. Alexander spoke eagerly to his Subject. "Stay calm. You're doing fine. Don't be afraid." Jack's nervous voice quickly asked in response. "What's going on? What's happening?" Dr. Alexander's eager calm voice continued without answering him. "I'm sorry to have to do this, but we have to know." Jack's voice broke when he retorted in a growing panic. "Have to know what?!" Again, the doctor didn't answer him, but stated aloud. "I know how difficult this must be, but you can do this. It's time to remember." Jack's voice practically screamed out. "Remember what?! What is happening?!"

Jack began to bite his thumb as he listened to himself scream out in desperation. "What did you do?! Where is he?! What have you done?!" Jack's scream over the speakers brought tears to Jack's eyes and his hand started shaking even as his teeth compressed on his thumb. Static rippled over the recorder, as Jack's distorted and glitchy voice screamed over the recording. "HE'S HERE! OH, JESUS CHRIST!" Dr. Alexander drowned out Jack's screaming by saying coolly. "Please, calm down. Look into the bright ring of that camera's eye for me." The sound of wheezing and strangled moans filled the recorder shortly after, before Dr. Alexander spoke cautiously. "Don't try to speak. Stay calm. You're a proxy now. You have a connection to the entity's inner core. It's like a conscious black box. It can show you its' memories. Look into it." More excitement filled Dr. Alexander's voice when he purred out. "Very good. The camera will record all that transpires. Take a seat at the computer and talk to it. Don't resist it. Let the visions it wants to show you play out. Navigate through its memories for me. Tell me all you can about it and where it came from."

Jack pulled his thumb from his mouth as he heard a distorted wheezy voice read aloud for the doctor. "You are in grave danger. You have to get out of here. The door is clamped shut. It is controlled remotely. Use the computer and type into the input exactly what I show you." The sound of typing started, while Dr. Alexander coolly informed his Subject. "Remarkable. It's trying to get you out of your room. Focus. Don't let it distract you with your freedom. See what it is hiding." After a long pause, Jack read aloud to the doctor again. "We are all as one. We move together in unison. You are me. Due to a mishandling of the creature, it turned against its masters and escaped the lab facility. Stronger, more intelligent, and more violent." Dr. Alexander breathed heavily into the mic as he spoke very softly to the Subject. "Your heartrate is elevated but you are doing well. For what it is worth, very few of our test subjects ever make it this far. You should be proud of yourself."

The recording rippled with static, before Jack read aloud eerily. "Weare in bed, in a small and artificially lit room, with a single door. There is some sort of writing painted in blood along the wall. Adjacent is a display monitor, with wires that drape across the room and into our arms, mouth, and chest. They have tortured us. Written in the blood along the wall are symbols to indicate where on our body they had to cut. We've been butchered and maimed, over and over. How many times must we go through this. Fucking circles..." Jack lowered his hand from his mouth as he said in time with the other Jack on the recording. "21-14-12-15-3-11 3-8-1-13-2-5-18." Over the speaker of the recorder, Dr. Alexander shouted out to him. "What did you do? Don't press enter!" Ignoring the doctor, the other Jack hit enter, and alarms started to blare over the recording. While Jack exhaled out to himself in startled shock that he knew what the code had done. "Unlock chamber." To Be Continued...