Phoenix

[Niro]

Doctor Antonio Aguila ran an idle hand through his thick, dark brown locks, sighing wistfully as he set a datapad down on the desk before him. The project was losing its wind, and rightfully so. So many subjects; so many failures; so many needless deaths. Aguilas troubled conscience had reared its head too many times to count over the years, but as long as the project remained, he couldnt disappoint. Science went beyond morality at times, and if the end justified the means, who was he to let his own guilt cripple such an opportunity? All the same, there was no way he could send healthy young Maltans to their early deaths, even if it was in the name of science.

Then there was Six. One of the strongest subjects to date, being the very reason he was considered in the first place. Young, experienced, and durable, with a powerful mind to match, the man was the last person Aguila wanted to send to his demise. Regardless, the Council wouldnt hear it. The project was still too important, so in spite of the increasing futility and recklessness, it continued. After five funerals, however, Aguila was naturally hesitant to fuel the pyre any more than he already had.

Ironically, after nearly a year of purposeful procrastination and fabricated hang ups, a call came in, making the attempt to freeze the project useless. The subject was dead, and Antonio had nothing to do with it. He didnt know what to think at that moment; it was as if death was laughing him in the face. But the reaper had given him something new; something that sparked his wonderfully brilliant mind. What had it given him? A cold, lifeless body.

The innovative but admittedly experimental process of cardamine integration and genetic enhancement was actually flawless on paper, but after multiple failures, the faults slowly became clearer. The human body was a delicate machine; one with unlimited possibility, but apparently still fraught with hack-proof fail-safes. Cardamine already put you on a different level; changed your very genetic makeup; but had its drawbacks regardless. No matter what Aguila adapted or changed in the process, the body simply couldnt take the abuse. He may as well be trying to find a way to put a Titan power core into a Legionnaire chassis. He could introduce the process as slow as he desired, but as Four had proven, as soon as cardamine integration effects surpassed lifetime exposure levels, everything fell apart. Organ failure ensued, most vitally, as well as things that the troubled man rather not even call to mind. Aguila had already resigned himself to the firm belief that the human body simply was not built achieve such levels of evolution. He believed in God, so if the creator had set a limit, what right did he have to defy it?

But the cadaver of the unfortunate Six got his mind turning. The fate of the first five was a sort of overload; choking an engine with too much fuel; drowning a plant with too much water. The new thought scared him slightly; the notion that if you were already dead, how could you be overfed in such a process? Six was stiff and frigid by the time he reached the compound, and the process began ASAP. Integration, stabilization, gene therapy, and everything else that made up the incredible process went by with little trouble. Sixs poor mind was damaged beyond recognition, though, and Aguila knew it. Either way, there was little that could be done about that. This was an experiment, really as much as it was with One. What would come of it? Antonio could only speculate.

And it worked. The process worked to perfection; you couldnt overfill a bucket with almost nothing in it. Six was alive; breathing and thinking; but not comprehending. His mind was a circuit board scorched and burned beyond repair, and he now had frightening power in his hands. Three in the compound were injured that day, suffering various breaks and fractures from Sixs violent awakening. The success was bittersweet, at best. While the process had succeeded, there were still too many variables to account for, not to mention the result was a mindless brute. Far from a success, by definition.

Aguila shuddered, recalling the next. No, he promised himself that he wouldnt dwell on Seven during the day; the night was enough. Eight was no better a memory, and was surprisingly, the beginning of the end. Antonio shrugged off the thoughts, bringing himself back to the present. Yes, the project had looked to be drawing its last breaths, but that was fine with him. He was tired of failure; not because it hurt his ego, but because of its effect. If the Council agreed to close it down, he would welcome it.

And now there was Nine.

The project was all but frozen when the revelation occurred; something he should have realized sooner. He cursed himself for the error, but there was little time for rebukes, there was work to be done. There was no more room for hesitation or oversights, Nine would succeed, and if he didnt, the project would do exactly what it should have done long ago.

Phoenix would die.

Its unbelievable He muttered to himself. Simply unbelievable.

Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined how things would pan out. In some ways, Nine was the first; the first subject who had the proper forethought put into his case. While things could look flawless on paper, nothing was ever a sure thing. Aguila could still remember his thoughts all those years ago. So much research; so much anticipation. Nothing could go wrong, but everything did. The first unlucky subject never stood a chance. Nine? Nine had a chance. Nine had a very good chance, but all the same, anything could go wrong in a process as delicate and obstacle ridden as this.

But nothing went wrong. Not a thing. Nine was alive, kicking, and with cognitive thought. Antonio couldnt help but smile as he fingered the slightly sore tissue near his throat. Oh, this one was a fighter. A fighter was just what he needed. Surviving the process was nothing short of a war, and Nine had turned it to a rout. Yes, things were going flawlessly for the first time in the Phoenix Projects lifespan. For once, the future was bright, and Aguila welcomed it with open arms.

A clearly modulated beep sounded from a device on the mans desk, lifting his mind from its silent reverie. The doctor hit a button and a womans voice played from a speaker atop it after a moment.

Doctor Aguila, the subject is coming to. She hesitated momentarily, a slightly worried tone in her voice. I still dont think we should have him out of restraints, Doctor.

No, this is not a prison, and he is not a prisoner. Aguila sighed, fully aware of the risks regardless. Dont worry, Im coming, and Ill talk to him.

The woman reluctantly concluded the conversation, the comm device flickering to a close and leaving Aguila alone once more.

Alright, Nine, time for a little candied Q&A, my treat.

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