Chapter Text
[ITEM: A 16GB FLASH DRIVE BEARING "PMES" AND RESEARCHER ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛'S SIGNATURE]
[5 .MP3 FILES DISCOVERED.]
[PLAYING LOG1.MP3…]
Log number one. Ugh, I'll just get to the point here.
Recently we've discovered that surviving an encounter has fascinating yet disturbing consequences. The people back at the lab like to call this Post Metaphysical Enlightenment Syndrome, or PMES. This manifests exactly 72 hours after a person contracts M.A.D, or Metaphysical Awareness Disorder, and as of now the symptoms the subjects under study exhibit are frequent dissociation, low sense of self-preservation, flashbacks and… what was that again? "Supernatural abilities".
The subjects, the survivors… there's nothing consistent about their powers. So the examiners recommended that umbrella term. Uh, anyway.
Subject 1, a 20 year old male named Mark Heathcliff. We took a brief look at his ears, and it seems his exposure to three alternates caused rapid mutation in his tympanic membranes. They've become hypersensitive and can pick up sounds within a mile, making his condition very similar to hyperacusia. For now we gave him a pair of dense earmuffs.
Our second one, Subject 2, also a 20 year old male, Cesar Torres. He can spontaneously create plant life, and has even grown shrubs and vines with unrelated species of flowers grafted together. A swab test showed a species of symbiotic moss growing in his throat, and I assume his lungs and heart, which explains why Torres' cardiovascular system seem more efficient than the others'.
Subject 3, 18 year old Adam Murray. There's a strong presence of temporal irregularities in his brain, especially at the dorsolateral prefrontal right cortex. He exhibits the most detached behavior out of the 5 subjects, barely able to show strong emotions. Murray spends a lot of his time in his cell just sitting on the floor, doing nothing. However, despite all this, the lab people are hopeful that they might be able to fully understand and probably find a catch to his ability to accurately predict the future of any given situation.
Subject 4, 17 year old Jonah Marshall. His electrokinetic ability enables him to handle and manipulate any given amount of electric current. Also, I think it's necessary to mention that his body conducts electricity too. We, uhm, tested that using a dead battery… it exploded.
Subject 5, a 26 year old named Asra Gray. I'm… not sure about this one's gender. They possess telekinesis, the ability to make things move without direct physical contact. Gray is calm and collected, but I observed they fell asleep in the middle of the tests.
I'll update on the number of survivors we take in. There's an ongoing search and rescue operation in an alternate-infested building just beyond Mandela County.
Log number one end.
[PLAYING LOG2.MP3…]
Log number two.
We were able to rescue two survivors, both suffering from extreme symptoms of M.A.D. For now we're attempting to ameliorate their symptoms with therapy. Their names are Ahya and Tila Genesis, Subject 6 and 7.
Murray warned me about them. He foretold their arrival as, verbatim, "the yin of water and yang of fire". That might be a clue to what their abilities could be, if ever they survive. Although who's water? And who's fire? I have yet to find out.
Log number two end.
[PLAYING LOG3.MP3…]
Log number, uh, three.
The team waited three days after we rescued the Genesis sisters. Turns out, Murray's predictions were correct. We had to furnish their holding cells with waterproofing and fireproofing since they went a little berserk with their newfound power.
Subject 6, Ahya Genesis, a 17 year old female. She was observed to have aquakinesis, the ability to harness water. She was able to build a wave a while ago out of the droplets scattered by a garden sprinkler. But one side effect of this is her frequent need to urinate. It's manageable though compared to her sister.
Subject 7, Tila Genesis, female, 18 years old. Her pyrokinesis makes her immune to fire and extreme heat, along with being able to control it. But this comes with mood swings characteristic of bipolar disorder, so we give Tila regular doses of depressants to curb her flareups.
Subject 3 warned me once more the moment he saw the Genesis sisters performing the tests. He said something about, uhm… more learned foes coming our way? He probably meant advanced, but I don't know who to consider as a foe. Did he mean more advanced alternates?
I… don't want to think about that now. It's one in the morning.
Log number three end.
[PLAYING LOG4.MP3…]
Log number four.
It's been a week. I can't sleep properly. I'm so anxious. We've been asked to submit our findings to the United States Department of Temporal Phenomena. I don't know what they'll think of it, I… they… they might consider the subjects threats, when they are in fact a precious asset. God, now I remember what they did to that poor child in '93…
I have to go now. We're being called for a conference.
Log number four end.
[PLAYING LOG5.MP3…]
we do not have much time
you and i know the fate that awaits us beyond the cover of confidentiality
if the masses cast their eyes upon us, if they judge and act
this little sanctuary will be no more