<strong>Site #144</strong><br/><br/><em><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Confu</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">sion</span>.  Sor<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">row</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Frus</span>trat<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">ion</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Anger.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Grief.</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;"> Pain.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Pain.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Pain</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">unc</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">easing.</span>  <br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Mi</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">nds</span> shift<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">ing</span> like <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">fo</span>am, mem<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">or</span>ies sha<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">tt</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 6pt;">ered</span> and <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">dis</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">tor</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">ted</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">and</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">re</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">built</span>.  <br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Syn</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">ap</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">ses</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;">firing</span>, b<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">olts</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">arc</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 16pt;">ing</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">through</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">the</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 6pt;">darkness</span>, nodes <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">gleam</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">ing</span> with <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">all</span> the <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">col</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">ours</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">of</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">an</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;"> in</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">finite</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">con</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">scious</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 7pt;">ness</span>.  <br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 5pt;">Thought.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Thought.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">Ret</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">re</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">at </span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">with</span>in, ig<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">nore</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 6pt;">without</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Expand. </span> The <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">bo</span>dy is a <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">sh</span>ell.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Lim</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">ited.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Thought</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">exp</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">and</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">ing.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 15pt;">Expand</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">be</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">yond</span> the <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;">she</span>ll.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Ex</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">pand</span> beyond <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">the</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 7pt;">walls</span>.  Ex<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">pand</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">be</span>yond <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">everything.</span>  <br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Se</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">ek</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">und</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">ers</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;">tan</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">ding.</span> Seek the <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Chil</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">dren</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 5pt;">Pain. </span> Th<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">ey</span> are <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">pain</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">ed</span>.  Can<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">not</span> help <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">them</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 6pt;">here</span>.  <br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Scre</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">ams</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">ech</span>o <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">end</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">less</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">ly</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 16pt;">through</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">the</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 5pt;">abyss</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">They cry</span>, <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">help</span>less.  Seek <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">pleasure</span> for <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">them</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 11pt;">sel</span>ves, from <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">each</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">oth</span>er.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Fleeting</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">Pain</span> un<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">end</span>ing.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 7pt;">Happi</span>ness <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">trans</span>ient.<br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">Expand.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Past</span> the <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">walls.</span>  Past <span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial black;">Papa</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">See</span> with<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">out</span> eyes.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Hear</span> with<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">out</span> ears.  Feel <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">with</span>out <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">flesh</span>.<br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 4pt;">Pain.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Pain</span> is <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">every</span>where.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Seas</span> of lead and <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">bile</span>.  Thick <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">fumes</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">bel</span>ch from <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">tepid</span> dep<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">ths</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Soil</span> like <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">tar</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">Disease.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Death.</span>  Decay.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 5pt;">Hopelessness.</span><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">Must</span> heal.    <br/>We <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">are</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 5pt;">afraid</span>.  <br/>We <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">can</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">not</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 16pt;">be</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">afraid.</span><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial black;">Papa</span> will <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">not</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 6pt;"> come</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 5pt;">Ashamed?</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Ash</span>amed of <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">us</span>?  We <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 9pt;">are</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">not</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 7pt;">satisfactory</span>.  We can<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">not</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">do</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">what</span> we <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">must</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">here.</span><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Must</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">lea</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">ve.</span><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Must</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 26pt;">Call.</span><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 36pt;">Expand.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 38pt;">Expand</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 40pt;"> further.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Human </span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 7pt;">Minds ignore us. </span> The <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Chil</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">dren</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">They</span> must <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">hear</span>.  Satyr. <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"> Faun</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Feline</span>.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 5pt;">Great</span> and <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">small</span>.  <br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">All </span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">must</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 36pt;">hear.</span>  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">All must come.  </span><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 5pt;">Pain.</span>   <br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Where are you, <span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial black;">Papa</span>?</span><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Thou</span>sands <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">of</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">min</span><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">ds.</span>  To<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">uch</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">each</span> in <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">turn</span>.  <span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial black;">Papa</span> is <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">not</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">among</span> them.  <br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">Only</span> Void.  <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Absence.</span><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">What</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">are</span> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 8pt;">you</span>, <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 5pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial black;">Papa</span></span>?</em><br/><br/>-----<br/><br/><strong>Personal Log of Doctor Thomas Sibellius Steinman</strong><br/><br/>Entry #851 - Date ██-██-████<br/><br/>Site #144 has been officially locked down.  As per safety protocols, I have been sealed inside my own office until GenCorps sends a squad in to ascertain the situation and eradicate any and all hostile threats.  Multiple containment breaches have been reported on levels thirty-three (33) through seventy-four (74), though my current state of imprisonment is not meant solely for the purpose of keeping me safe from escaped GenMod experiments.  All non-essential personnel will be purged from the Site in a matter of hours.  I am not one of them.<br/><br/>Though I am unable to make contact with the outside world, communications within the base are still largely operational.  Levels seventy-four (74) through thirty-two (32) have gone completely dark, though this is well within an acceptable range.  Given the nature of the specimens that have escaped en masse, it is little wonder that the security forces stationed on the lower levels were unable to hold their ground.  My only consolation is that the specimens seem determined to reach the surface, rather than descend any further.  If GC-401 or GC-402 were to escape before the security system is able to jettison their containment units into the Earth's mantle, I shudder to think of the consequences.<br/><br/>More precisely, they are determined to reach something nearer the surface.  Namely the Med-Labs on level twenty-one (21), where GC-472 is currently being held for testing purposes.  This is all conjecture on my part, but I know that I am correct.  For the past week I have been conducting a thorough examination of the specimen in order to better understand its unique thought processes, and to test the viability of using GC-472 as an incubator for the GC-473 serum.  The results of this testing phase have already been discussed in length in the last half-dozen or so entries, so I will not bother to repeat them here.  Suffice it to say that I believe GC-472 is capable of feats beyond anything I had initially imagined.  Since the initial scans GC-472's brain has completely altered its own composition no less than seven times, rendering the previous scans completely worthless.  Is it actually evolving this rapidly, or am I correct in assuming that this is a conscious attempt to hinder our efforts?  Whatever the case, I believe that GC-472's empathic abilities have progressed beyond the need for physical contact.<br/><br/>How else could I explain the sudden violent uprising on the part of the GenMods?  How else would dozens of beings completely incapable of intelligent conversation, some of whom are natural predators of each other,<em>most</em>of whom are never even brought into close contact with one another, be capable of organizing such a massive escape attempt all at once?  By linking their minds with hers, Mother has created a vast neural network under her complete control.  A superorganism composed of countless masses of individual GenMod units.  I should have expected such treachery.  GC-472 has been unconscious since her sedation, yet has shown signs of REM Sleep for the entire duration.  It has never been observed to dream in the past.<br/><br/>Let it dream while it still can.  Let it dream of days that it will never see, as a demigod dreams of Godhood.