Project 863 - The Mystery

~Chapter 40~

"You got pulled in for that?" Matthias asked confused as he looked at the camera. "Yeah um... I was... It was her last phone call so they traced it to me... they wanted to question me and they did." Woods explained as Matthias asked if he was okay, earning a yes from Woods as Matthias asked another question, "So what now?" Matthias asked confused as he waited for Woods to respond which didn't take long. "Well apparently, she left me some things and they gave me her room key," Woods explained to them as Matthias got confused before Woods began speaking again. "I guess she had been staying somewhere. I don't know if you guys can come to pick me up but I need to go get some things from her room." Woods explained as Matthias asked if the group would be able to join them, as Woods explained how he didn't mind and how he was sitting outside as Matthias nodded to himself before he spoke. "Okay. We're on our way now, see you in a minute." Matthias responded as he hung up as they stood there for a moment to process how she could have died and how she could have been a part of Syntec. 

They all went to Matthias's car to go to the station as they all sat in silence, not knowing how to exactly talk about it. Once the camera was able to start up again the group had been at the station as Matthias explained how he texted Woods that he was there as it took a minute for Woods to be able to the car as he got in. Woods had been asked if he was good if he was okay if he wanted to talk about it which made him speak about his thoughts. "If I didn't take the folder if we didn't reach out to her. She would still be alive right now. It's kinda had to contemplate right now..." Woods explained as Matthias nodded looking at him before speaking. "We don't know exactly... unless they told you? I'm assuming that they don't know since they were questioning you." Matthias explained looking at him as Bailey asked if they knew what happened Matthias shook his head explaining that she was killed as Woods spoke. "She was scared for a reason... I feel like we could have been able to do more or something." Woods explained as River sighed putting her hand on his shoulder as she looked at him from her back seat. "Woods... you can't blame yourself for this. You didn't know, we didn't know." River told him as Bailey agreed with her before Woods responded to her.

"It's kinda hard not to," Woods explained glancing back at her as Matthias sighed before he looked at him. "You didn't kill her," Matthias explained looking at him as River agreed with Matthias before Woods had decided to go to the hotel Woods explained how he was the only consistent contact and how it looked like a struggle and was hard to find evidence as Bailey mentioned how it was difficult to realize it was Syntec related and how it could have been a non targetted attack but it seemed too off for it to not be a targetted attack. Sam explained to them that they had kept her identity protected enough before Matthias brought up how they might haven't hidden her identity well enough as River looked at him surprised. "What do you mean Matt?" River asked him confused before he responded to her. "We did censor everything. If I'm not mistaken, Subject 4, found her anyways. I saw on Reddit that people were posting her name. There were screenshots from our video, it was so far away that it was surprising but they found it and shared it." Matthias explained as Woods got frustrated as he looked at him. "Did you block it?!" Woods asked frustratedly as Matthias nodded before everyone sat in silence once again. 

Everyone arrived at the motel that the survivor had been staying at as everyone got out of the car before going up to the hotel room door as Woods scanned the key before he spoke. "I don't know what's it's going to look like in here so be wary," Woods explained to them as everyone followed him inside as they realized she didn't have much stuff around since most of her stuff was still in her suitcase which made her think that her stuff was packed in case she needed to go as everyone looked around before seeing a drawer next to the desk not closing correctly before finding a file under the desk before Matthias got it out from under the desk as he began to read the files. River stood there listening to the document Matthias was reading while Woods explained how the survivor had a camera as he looked around trying to find one before sitting on the bed. "Tests 101 and 11 of Project Pegasus have all come back conclusive there seems to be the unintended effect on the main three subjects that are receiving version 689 via mixture and inhalation p5670 seem to be reacting with extreme obedience." Matthias read as River looked at it confused before Matthias spoke again. 

"I believe this is a side effect and it needs to be looked at into more before further testing is completed I cannot be sure what would be the cause for this. I'm concerned that whatever is causing this can affect the subject's brain in a way that is not intended and can lead to further problems that will force us to terminate the subject down the road." Matthias continued as they talked about how it could be terminating the subject from the project before Matthias began reading more into the document as everyone sat or stood there. "Issue log Pegasus, head Deb. This is log number two for issue pp 997 concerning Project Pegasus and the side effects that develop concerning remote control of the subject's mind through rudimentary prompts and commands, it works. It doesn't seem to be an accident." Matthias began as River perked up hearing what Matthias explained to the group as he continued to read the document to the group. "Through further investigation, even after stopping the injections and inhalation of the serum there are remnants of the effects in subjects not as strong but it's been a month since stopping the experimentation on p5671 but they are still taking commands from staff," Matthias explained as he looked at the group while everyone was surprised.

They began to talk about the possibility of Project Pegasus being a mind-control experiment for people as River looked at them all. "It makes no sense though you guys, Matt and me, we aren't being controlled by anyone. We would be different no?" River asked them as she saw that they took a minute to respond before agreeing as River felt like they were being off about this as Matthias decided to change the subject by reading more of the document. "Potential impact of the issue my concern lies in the mental deterioration of the subjects that uses Pegasus serum also has long side effects will continue to plague these subjects. Resolution: I have not received a plan of action from the heads of the Pegasus Project, no resolution as of now... Hopefully, this changes within the next few weeks." Matthias finished as they discussed the document for a while before Matthias was able to find more information as he decided to change the subject of Ben being a possible piece of it as he spoke.

"There's more, Project issue log. This is log number three for issue pp997 Project Pegasus is moving along as intended and according to got plan. Injection and inhalation processes will be separated soon, the issue with remote cognitive control of these subjects have ceased, the issue will be closed." Matthias explained to them as Sam talked about how they were able to stop it before Woods looked through the nightstand table in the corner of the room while Bailey took the document from Matthias as she began to read the document to the group. "For clarity, there are traces of subversive cognition override attempts from the suppressed state of the subject's mind to usurp control from the remote command regardless of the trial subject's consent and obedience administration. So it means they were able to suppress inside their own body and to override the mind control." Bailey explained looking at them as Woods held out the device that Woods had found Matthias got confused before Woods explained to him how it was a camera he found before deciding to further inspect it.

They were able to find the SD card in the slot of the camera as Matthias explained how he has a laptop in his car before giving the SD card to Bailey before leaving to go and get the computer and SD card from his car. Bailey was able to let him back inside as they began looking through the SD card as Matthias watched the video with the team, seeing that someone comes into the room as they thought of the phantom, thinking it was Benjamin but it wouldn't be possible for them since Benjamin was still in prison as they continued watching the video. The group was able to catch the mask of the phantom in the recording as they saw Red X's for eyes for the phantom before they made the connections to the spray paint that was on the wall which made everyone confirm that their bases weren't being haunted by a ghost, but was more being a phantom messing with them. "Must be another phantom, what are we supposed to do now that we know there is a new guy but like, who is this?" Sam asked confused as Matthias shrugged his shoulders before explaining how they need to put them into the vault as soon as possible. They decided to go back to the studio to be able to take the things they found to put them into the vault.