Lauren’s face in the newest video had a surprised look. “The talk with Emeric went smoother than I had anticipated, which is totally unexpected. I don’t know why, but he seems to have accepted the current host body, calling it ‘beautiful’ to look at. When I tried to ask him why, he told me it was God’s plan all along, and I don’t even know what he meant by that.”
“Emeric has been acting strangely,” she continued. “He has been spending an inordinate amount of time in the confinement habitat, and Dr. Parsons said he even overheard Emeric talking to the subject. It seems he has fully accepted the circumstances, and even suggested we treat it as a human being. Everybody is still trying to get over this abrupt change, and we were able to convince him it wouldn’t be a good idea to release it yet.”
Kazimir took another swig of scotch before playing the next video. A part of him wanted to go to the suite’s master bedroom and sleep, but he needed to know what had happened to his brother.
The video showed Lauren continuously looking over her shoulder, even though it seemed she was alone in her office. “Dr. Smith… disappeared. He wasn’t in his room when I knocked on the door and opened it, and I don’t recall the supply boat having come in yet. I dare not ask the servants, for they are already scared and suspicious about everything and everyone else. The security team is of no help whatsoever, they just ignore my questions and will only take orders from Emeric now.”
She shook her head before talking again. “I don’t know how to say this… but I think Emeric may have had a hand in Dr. Smith’s disappearance. Dr. Parsons told me he found a pair of glasses lying inside the confinement habitat, and told me they were the same type Dr. Smith wore. When I asked him if he had them so I could take a look, Parsons told me the security team fished them out. So I went to them and asked about it and they’re denying everything.”
There can’t be any murders prior to the accident or it might implicate my brother, Kazimir thought, skipping through the recording into a newer one. I’ll have to make sure to get rid of any evidence.
Even though the date on the video stated it had been recorded a week after, Lauren still wore the exact same clothes as she had in the previous recording, only grimier. Her once enthusiastic voice had become a hollow whisper. “It now seems Emeric sleeps right beside the confinement chamber, and has the security guards bring food down to him. He reads children’s books to the subject, but it’s unknown if Proteus is reacting to him, or if it’s just due to hunger, since Emeric is the only one feeding it now.”
She seemed to have a sense of resignation. “It’s clear I’m not in charge anymore. Emeric calls the shots now, and everyone is afraid of him. My team continues the research, for we are busy documenting everything so that others will see both our achievements and failures. Maybe this will be my legacy—instead of a pioneer, I’ll be the stepping stone for a new and better tomorrow. I think I’ll be happy with that.”
Kazimir snorted as he began playing the final video. You all signed nondisclosure agreements. All the scientific information stored in that lab is my intellectual property, and I’ll decide whether to publish it or not.
The final video showed her in tears. “I-I think we made a huge mistake. We once thought of the subject as being unable to communicate with us. But now I believe it understood everything. The noises it made during surgery were a cry for help, and we let it down by doing more. The anesthesia must have been ineffective and it felt every cut and suture. How could I have been so stupid?”
Her shoulders shook as she continued. “I tried to bring it up to Emeric, but he ignores us now. He allows us to continue, but we can’t even go near the subject without his permission anymore. His Gestapo security team sometimes toys with Proteus when he’s not around, yet Emeric doesn’t believe me when I tell him about it.”
Lauren stared directly into the camera. “I looked into its eyes, and I could sense a deep hatred for all of us. We thought its mind had been reset to a blank slate after the transplant, but now I believe the memory of all it’s been through is still in there, and it holds us all responsible. God help us if Emeric decides to release it.”
Kazimir turned the video off. He quickly realized that none of these logs could ever see the light of day. The media will eviscerate me along with my brother if any this gets out on the internet. He closed his eyes, hoping it would all go away when he reopened them.
AFTER WHAT SEEMED A very long time, there was a knock on his door. Kazimir stirred as the knocking continued. I must have fallen asleep. Damn it all to hell. “Come in, it’s open!”
Taylor Erskine slipped inside the suite, silently closing the door behind him. His best suit had finally been pressed, and he wore it like a black glove. “The evening ceremonies for the opening will start in a couple of hours, Mr. Morgenstern.”
The hangover was evident, like a slow, painful squeeze on his forehead. “Is the Lakshadweep administrator here?”
“Yes, his delegation arrived a few hours ago. When I introduced myself he asked if Mr. Dhar was around.”
Kazimir closed his eyes to help alleviate the whisky’s aftereffects. My goddamn partner in this venture is shrewd, he thought, thinking of Mukesh Dhar. He didn’t want to be here because of all the controversies surrounding this place. The only reason why I’m here is for my brother, otherwise I would have stayed away too.
“I told him Mr. Dhar has important business back on the Indian mainland, and the administrator seemed to take it in stride,” Erskine added. “The general manager fully comped him and his entourage, so they’re stuffing themselves silly in the main restaurant’s private room.”
“Fine,” Kazimir said as he leaned forward and began deleting all the video files from his laptop and email inbox.
Erskine rubbed the back of his neck. Even though the room’s air conditioning had been turned to full blast, he was still sweating. “I… ah, made some inquiries regarding the hiring of more private contractors. I think I could bring in about forty ex-military men to sweep the private area on the day after tomorrow. This time they’ll be Russians, and they’ll definitely stay quiet if they incur any casualties.”
He shook his head. “They won’t.”
“Excuse me, sir?”
“If they see what they’re up against, there will be no chance they’ll keep quiet about the whole thing,” Kazimir said softly.
“So what do you want me to do?”
“A few years back you told me about a man you knew. A former Air Force pilot who you think now flies drug shipments for one of the Mexican cartels. Do you still keep in touch with him?”
Erskine nodded. “We trade emails from time to time.”
Kazimir waited until his laptop confirmed that all the files had been deleted before he got up and threw the device across the room. The small computer made a series of loud smashes as it broke in two while bouncing along the shiny marble flooring.
The security chief took a step back, not knowing what to expect next.
Kazimir looked at him. “Contact your man for a job. Find a plane, any plane, and attach a bomb to it. A big bomb. Or a lot of bombs, I don’t care. Enough to completely destroy the private area. Then evacuate the whole island for a day before he drops it on the mansion. That way nobody witnesses it.”
Erskine was hesitant. “Are… are you certain this is what you want to do?”
“Yes I am.”
“W-what about… your brother, Emeric?”
Kazimir stared into the darkened alcoves of the room. “He’s dead already. I’m sure of it.”